Wacky Wednesday~Who Froo Dat Ham In Da Vehicular Ride?

Yes, I have been neglecting our blog.

No, The Trip of Coexistence did not end on day two.

Yes, I will try my darndest to finish that tale before creating a new one.

For today, though, I feel a little wacky. And look--it's Wednesday! Since it's been awhile, let's do a Wacky Wednesday post!

Once upon a time, our crazy friend, Nick, shared a story about a woman and a ham. Some of you may have seen the dramatic reenactment by the Miss, but if not, here's the scoop behind the story Nick led us to believe was true.

Wild, far-fetched story.

Although we soon realized it was an urban legend, it was still quite funny to us. We weren't the only ones. To our delight, the day after celebrity chef Paula Deen was hit in the face with a flying ham while helping to pass them out for charity in Atlanta in late 2009, one of our favorite artists, Fred Schneider of The B-52s, released this single, "Who Threw That Ham At Me", as a part of The Superions, a side project of his. If you care to check out the video and song, here you go!

Strange, but hysterical video.

After many years, the Miss has invented her own version of what a 'Who Froo Dat Ham' face would look like. She uses it often in photographs, much to our delight.

Yes, we are bad parents to encourage her. You would, too, if you saw her in action!

She also encourages us to use it as well, as seen here in this Test Track photo.



What? You don't make funny faces while the camera captures the terror of your ride mates?

2010 as represented by adjectives beginning with the first letter of the month

Hello, friends! I began drafting this post way before the end of the year, but as usual, life got in the way of its completion. I don't think it's ever too late for a recap of the year's events, do you? As long as you are cool with that (and the very long title of this post!), then please feel free to read along!

2010 was quite the year in the land of the Badelves. There was a mix of joy, laughter, and even some tears. But through it all, it was shared with special friends, and each other. And so it began, in....

Joyous January

January began, as it always does, with the ringing in of the new year and my birthday. It is both a joy and a curse to be born on New Year's Day, depending on how you look at things! This year, though, I had my own little cake baker who created for me, not only a big cake, but a mini one, too!



Mom (whose head was still naked under that chef's hat from her numerous rounds of chemo) encouraged me to join her in her favorite 'Wilson pose'. I love this photo more than anything!



Fabulous February

This had to have been one of the coldest winters we'd experienced since we'd moved down south. We spent a great deal of time teasing Mark about moving us to where it was 'warm'!

We celebrated Mark's *cough, cough* 47th birthday on the 13th. His day was filled with love and a huge, make your own ice cream sundae; what more could a man ask for?



Flowers? No, not for Mark. This lovely bouquet was sent to Miss Renee by our dear friends, the McCann clan. They sure do know a way to a girl's heart on Valentine's Day!



Marvelous March

To the gardening girls in the family, March has become the month when we wait for spring to arrive. This year was no different, but the weather just wasn't cooperating. Thank goodness we had the opportunity to see our sweet friend, Danny, perform with Lord of the Dance when his tour stopped in Atlanta for the night. Of course, this meant a dress-up evening for all of us, and there was a certain little girl who was totally in her element. Take a peek....



Although Miss Renee is all about getting her hands dirty, she is sure turning into quite the lovely lady! Here she is with 'her' Danny. She just adores him!



Awesome April

Remember what I mentioned earlier about someone liking to get their hands dirty? Well, Easter was a perfect excuse for that, especially when there were eggs to be dyed!



The Easter Bunny stopped by, and this year, he left detailed instructions about his Easter egg hunt. You might also notice that he ate all the yummies she had left for him in that now empty, Mickey plate. Who knew he was all about the fatty goodness of Peeps?



The best part of an Easter egg hunt? Opening up those eggs to see what is inside!



Meaningful May

May began with a bit of news we were sort of expecting, but not really wanting to hear. After numerous tests, they found that although Mom's chemo was keeping her lymphoma somewhat under control, it really wasn't putting her into remission. We all decided to take a 'wait and watch' approach to give her body a break from the poisons they had been pumping into her.

We had a trip to Walt Disney World planned for quite awhile and really wanted to bring Mom with us, but after months on the road back and forth to hospitals and cancer centers, she just wanted to rest at home. Although we were sad that she wouldn't be joining us, who could really blame her for her choice?

Our trip began with some fun at Epcot...



And became even better when the McCann clan showed up! There is nothing better than sharing the magic with our friends.



Then, we all met up with the McAuleys as well, and enjoyed celebrating the birthdays of two very special young men.



Before we headed back home, we were also able to meet up with our friends, Keri and Kara, who work at Disneyland Paris. They call Renee their Lil Sis, and that's just fine with us!



Who else but big sisters would be crazy enough to join her in going along with Aladdin's idea to jump in the air like this?



After a wonderful trip with amazing friends, we returned home and celebrated not only Mother's Day, but Mom's 70th birthday. She is not a fan of having her photo taken (hence the Wilson poses!), but she obliged this year. She had to; she was finally growing some hair on her noggin!



Jazzy June

We were so happy to see June arrive! Things were somewhat quiet with Mom, so it allowed us to take a few local day trips. We spent one Saturday at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, just enjoying the scenery, listening to some jazz musicians, and spending time together.



Another weekend, we stopped by the (FREE!) Fernbank Science Center. They have many things to peruse inside, but outside, there are amazing, wooded, paved pathways to wander through. Of course, hijacks ensued as usual!



June also began my battle with tomato horn worms in our container gardens. Although it was suggested to me that I should take them out back and beat them with a brick, at that time, I just chose to take them deep into the woods and chuck them. As time went on, I learned that was a pretty stupid idea, and I should have listened to Erin! Our poor tomato plants were never the same after that.



Juicy July

If we thought this year's winter was cold, we learned that its summer would be just as hot! Sweaty, sticky, fry an egg on the driveway hot. It looked like even the butterflies were having a rough time with the weather.



The hummingbirds, on the other hand, were staying hydrated by clearing out the feeder almost every other day. It was humorous to watch them fighting for ownership of this glass vessel, so I was surprised to find these two sitting peacefully sipping nectar together!



Amazing August

August was just as hot, and we were doing all we could to stay cool. That meant we didn't go outside unless we had to. I didn't want to miss out on all the beauty, so I was thankful for our kitchen window. It made it easier to see lovely sights like this...



Later on that month, I got a message from my friend, Sandra (my sister from another mister!), who we met while living in New York. She wanted to know if Miss Renee and I could come down and stay with her and her daughter, Christina, for a girl's week at Disney. Ummmm, yes!

They are DVC owners too, so Renee and I encouraged them come along with us for their first ever Welcome Home Wednesday. What could be better than seeing the always hysterical Deevy See? Renee is her biggest fan, and couldn't wait to introduce Sandra and Christina to her!



We also stopped by to visit our friends, Lynne and Lisa, who perform with the World Showcase Players at Epcot. Love these ladies!



Later in the week, 'Uncle' Nick came by to visit. He created the most amazing head wrap for Renee!



Amy and Danny came along, too! We were so happy to see them!



The day that we were supposed to head for home, our friend Kara (from France) and her Mom (from the UK) met up with us at the Studios. It was a perfect end to a perfect trip!



Sad September

September arrived with wild turkeys in our yard...



Tree frogs outside our bedroom window...



And news we didn't want to hear. All on the same day, we learned that some moles I had biopsied were cancerous, and that Mom's freaky blood disorder had morphed into acute leukemia. It wasn't a good day to say the least, but immediately, we put things into gear for treatment mode.

Mom started on a five day, once a month infusion plan. It was a lot different than her chemo for her lymphoma which was only given for one day, once a month. It made it even harder when I had to have surgery on the same day as she needed to be up at Emory for her infusions!

My first surgery was to remove the melanoma from my thigh. I will not be posting a photo of that, thankyouverymuch! What I will share, though, is that my leg is now known as 'Franken-thigh'; nothing like a little humor to make things easier!

I will also not be posting a photo of the next surgery, a removal of a basal cell from my chest. If I thought recovery from these was hard, they would be nothing compared to the ones on my face....lol!

Optimistic October

Luckily, Renee's 11th birthday was a wonderful diversion from the past month. Although we were only able to sneak away for a long weekend (due to Mom's treatment schedule and my dermatologist's desire to get that cancer removed from my body!), we were so happy to be able to follow our tradition to celebrate Renee's birthday at Walt Disney World.

It was a whirlwind weekend, but some of our favorite moments were an amazing card made for Renee by the Citizens of Hollywood and presented by the always classy, Dara Vamp...



Being chosen to participate in the last show ever of HSM3...



Hugs, kisses, and birthday spoiling by our sweet friend, Angela...



A little self reflection...



And giving her Mama a preview (Eeeek!) of what will be happening 5 to 6 years from now!



When we returned home, it was back to treatment for Mom, and back to the dermatologist for me. My third surgery to remove a squamous cell from my upper lip left me looking like a lip job gone bad...lol!



Then, after much thought, Miss Renee decided that it was time to have her ears pierced! It surely took my mind off my blown-up lip. We were so proud of her; she was so brave, and looked so grown-up!



My fourth and last surgery was to remove a basal cell from my forehead. I figured this would be the easy one, but I was sadly mistaken. I won't go into detail, but I will say that I will never willingly have plastic surgery done. Ouch!



After posting those photos, I would like to share that, first, I can't believe I really posted those photos of myself, and second, I did it to remind everyone to put their sunscreen on. No soapbox here, just frightening photos of me as a reminder...lol!

Oh, and if I hear that you aren't applying your sunscreen, I will pull out those 'Franken-thigh' photos, people. Don't make me do it!

Nourishing November

November was a time to nourish not only our bodies, but our hearts, and our minds. We were invited to an 'After Halloween' gathering, and Renee decided on a new costume. Our girlie just loves her cats!



Throughout the month, we continued with Mom's treatment, and things seemed to be going well. The hardest part was the neutropenia, which put Mom on house arrest unless we were going to have blood drawn or chemicals infused into her body. We kept her laughing and surrounded by love, so that helped a bunch. She also felt well enough one weekend to come outside and help me attempt to finish staining the deck before the cold weather arrived. I'm sure it was her help that gave us this lovely result!



Thanksgiving came much faster than we expected, but even with my last minute shopping and cooking, it was delicious. Most important was the fact that we were together as a family!



I'm sure that Mom is going to kill me for posting a 'Non-Wilson' photo, but I will endure her wrath. This photo makes my heart smile.

Deserving December

Earlier in the year, we had made plans to meet up again with the McCann clan at WDW after Thanksgiving. With everything that had gone on with Mom and me, we weren't sure if this trip would happen at all for us. I guess we were deserving of it, because all the planets aligned perfectly!



We had a fantastic time together, enjoying Disney all dressed up in its Christmas best. And although our trip was cut short due to Mom's treatment schedule, Renee was able to have a turkey leg before we headed for home. She was a happy camper!



Christmas came, and as always, it was about family more than anything.



But sometimes, there is a special gift you are just dying to receive.



And it's even better when it's your Grammy who surprises you with it!



That last photo speaks a thousand words to me. It is love, and family, and joy.

And although I've shared many other things with you in this recap, that is what 2010 was really about.

Sunday...Do we really have to go home?

If you were a fly on the wall the morning after the birthday festivities, you would have gotten an earful. The conversational topics consisted of such things as...

"Do we really have to leave today?"

"I wonder if it really will take Francis a week to get home?"

"This was the best birthday, evah!"

"I loved that chocolate cupcake that Paige and Alberto gave to me. The frosting was amazing!"

"Can't we just stay another day?"

"I can't believe Francis was hanging out with Grammy! What do you think she did when she opened the door and found him standing there?"

"I had the best time with our friends last night, but I don't think I'll ever get that Kitchen Sink again. That was too much ice cream!"

Insert a shocked look by both parents. Too much ice cream? What is this 'too much ice cream' that she speaks of? Did someone take our child and replace her with another?

"Do we really have to go home today?"

As you can see, no one wanted to go home. This had been a trip to remember, and we didn't want it to end. Unfortunately though, Mark was needed back at work the next day. If I didn't get him back there, I don't think his boss would ever let him go away with his girls again. He might think that we were a bad influence! LOL!

Before we left the room, Renee posed with the birthday card and balloons that Minnie had left for her the day before.

Sigh...she just looks so grown up in that photo, doesn't she?

After loading the van, Renee decided that she wanted to spend her last day in Epcot. She was disappointed that we didn't get to 'Eat Around the World' the way we had planned to. If we spent our afternoon there, she just may be able to sample some new foods!

Side note: We did a ton of mobile food blogging that afternoon. If you are interested in seeing what we sampled, feel free to hop back to the month of October. You'll find it there!

Renee remembered that there had been a pear exhibit last year right in front of the American Pavilion. She wanted to see if they were still giving out the little coins like they did last year, so we made our way over there.

Woo-hoo! It was there again! And you know that the three of us couldn't walk by these cutouts without stopping for some silliness. First up, the 'Proper Princess' Renee.



Agrrrrr. You've realized by now that he really is a pirate, right?



And how funny is this?



Our dear friend, Danny, has been calling me 'Mare Pare' for some time now. Quite fitting, don't you think?

After learning all about pears, Renee wanted to stop by to see if her friends were performing with the Voices of Liberty that afternoon. As we walked inside the American Adventure to look for them, she struck up a conversation with a Cast Member. Before we knew it, we were being whisked upstairs and honored as 'Family of the Day'!



Renee is holding some of those pear coins that she was given at the pear exhibit. I think she wanted her Grammy to know that she didn't line anyone pockets to end up in such high places!

Look at them.



Family of the day, indeed.

Just don't look at the mobile photos I blogged that day. I seem to remember a certain someone being silly and displaying some 'not so perfect' behavior.

;)

When the Voices of Liberty came out, we were all excited to see that Renee's friends were performing that afternoon!



And then, in a total surprise to us, they looked up at the balcony and began to sing.



Sniff, sniff.

After this trip, I think Mark should be working for a tissue company.

After a quick hello, Krista had to head back to work. Jay hung around for a little while though and posed for a photo with Miss Renee.



As we made our way outside, I had to laugh when Mark yelled, "Voices of Liberty rock!"

And you know what? They do, in their own special way.

=)

And, most importantly, they make Renee smile even bigger than you could ever imagine. So to Krista, Jay, and everyone else, thank you for what you do.

Oh, and you so do rock.

LOL!

Off to see some friends in Morocco.

Earlier, while over in the New Orleans exhibit, we had picked up a few extra necklaces for Jasmine and Aladdin.



Yup. I think they liked them.

It was beginning to get a little late in the afternoon, but there was a new attraction over in Innoventions that we really wanted Mark to experience.

'Slap Stick Studios' proudly presented by Velcro would like to know...What's Your Problem?!



Looks like their problem is that nobody is there to give them their tickets!

I guess they were cute enough to not need tickets. Once inside the theatre, guess who was chosen to participate in this amazing game show?



Yup.

And did you know that Velcro is the brand name of the product? It's really called 'hook and loop'. Never knew that!

When they spun the 'Wheel of Seemingly Insurmountable Problems', they were lucky (or not!) to have it land on 'Pack it On'.

Now I can't remember whether Mark's humongous cape was the hook or loop part, but either way, he looked pretty darn incredible in it.



Then Renee had to try to stick as many travel items as she possibly could to Mark's amazing cape!



Just watch. You'll love it!



I really have to learn how to keep my hand steady while shooting video of something that is making me laugh. Between Francis' phone call the day before and their frantic packing this afternoon, my hand was all over the place!

After making and dressing a really cool (FREE!) Velcro frog outside of the theatre, we decided to head over towards one of Renee's favorite attractions.

A little 'Where's the Fire?', anyone?



And just to warn you, if you ever have the opportunity to play Renee in this game, she will totally kick your butt!

Before we headed back over to the World Showcase, Renee really wanted Mark to see Innoventions' 'Smart House'. We timed it perfectly, because a new tour was about to head inside!
In this house, there's an awesome room that has a bunch of electronic musical instruments. Why didn't they have these when we were growing up?

Of course, they had a drum set. The one instrument that Mark always threatens Grammy with that Renee will one day play.

Guess who was handed the pair of drumsticks?



I think Mark was jealous that he didn't get to play them, too!

As we made our way back towards the World Showcase, we stopped to enjoy the hidden beauty that makes Epcot what it is.

We are always sad to leave, but we thought that one last visit with Aladdin and Jasmine might just help a little.

We also thought it would be fun to surprise them with the Velcro frogs we had made. I don't think they have things like this in Agrabah.



Aren't they cute?

Because it was beginning to get dark, Jasmine, Aladdin, and Genie were about to head inside. Renee was quickly whisked away in their little group, and Mark and I happily followed along.



Jasmine's body language may say that she is mad (the classic hands on the hips pose!), but I can assure you that she wasn't. She was quite happy that Aladdin was giving Princess Renee the royal treatment, and smiled through the whole thing!

When we walked inside and gave Aladdin the Velcro frogs, he came up with his own use for them. He decided to stick them on Genie.

Things got a little crazy after that when Aladdin figured they might look better as a bikini top.

As you can see, Renee is pretty amused!

I guess I'll have to admit that I was the one who sent it over the top. I figured that my red hair would make a perfect Ariel wig for Genie, and he really seemed to enjoy dressing up. Just look at his smile!

Renee, on the other hand, couldn't even look at the camera. She was either laughing hysterically, or totally embarrassed by my behavior.

We shared a sad goodbye, and walked towards the front of Morocco.

Another beautiful sunset, and this one would have to last us until our next visit.

As we walked towards the gates, Mark and I came to a quick conclusion. We both know that Renee is pretty smart, but she is getting quite crafty, too. As of late, she has come up with cleverly disguised plans at delaying our departure for home. This could come as a request to stop and browse through a store, the cry of hunger, or even a reminder to us that we forgot to fulfill a promise we had made to her earlier in the trip.

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner, folks! Mark and I had promised Renee she could fill one of those pixie stick tubes at the beginning of our vacation, and we couldn't go back on a promise.

Hmmm. Does it look like she was winking at me?

I'm sure she was secretly patting herself on the back. She had put off our departure for at least another 20 minutes, and I think she was quite proud.

As we made our way around the Boardwalk, these are the faces that looked at me.

Sad, aren't they?

I, on the other hand, had to keep a happy smile on my face. Inside I was crying, but someone needed to keep the group's spirits up!

In another attempt to extend her amazingly wonderful birthday trip, Miss Renee curled up on one of the couches that flank the entrance to the Yacht Club.



What she didn't take into consideration is that she can still be carried.

Even against her will.

Which, if under the right circumstances, can turn into a tickle war that will make anyone smile.

LOL!

It was pretty tough driving off property. Maybe it was the kindness of others, the joy in Renee's smile, or possibly the amazing memories we had made that made it so hard to leave this time.

As I drove towards Georgia, I knew one thing for sure. Although we will return soon, this family trip will remain in our hearts forever.

See you real soon...