A Hardy Holiday In The Park

On December 18, 2011December 18, 2011 By AngeliaIn WINNING!14 Comments

Well….I’m not officially a Hardy as I have not yet changed my last name after marrying Jason, but I still consider myself a Hardy. It’s not easy changing all those government documents and emails, yo.

For the first time in a long time, we are kid-less on a Sunday. So, what do we do? Go to a place where we can be kids – Six Flags over Texas.

And it’s holiday in the park time.

Merry Texmas Y’all!

The park is decked out for Christmas (they even have Santaland – I know him! I know him!).

We get there right before the park opens which is great. We have zero lines on some of the biggest ticket rides Six Flags offers.

We may be a little over zealous in taking on the biggest ride in the park, literally right out of the gate, but let’s just say we couldn’t wait.

And we did it.

We hang on tight aboard The New Texas Giant as our first ride of the day.

Ain’t she a beauty?

This is Jason’s first time on a roller-coaster ride in twenty years.

I think it is well worth the wait.

Fourteen stories high, with curves, and drops that would make any roller-coaster enthusiast proud. And it is not just a looker, this baby lives up to the hype of the steepest drop of any wooden coaster in the world. Hands-down, it is the best roller-coaster EVER.

Standing in the shadow, but not to be outdone by all the hype is The Titan where we head next.

The Titan is quite frankly a speed monster. Twenty-five and half stories tall with speeds of up to 85mph per hour. This beast will make you shudder as you rise to the top of it. Then brace yourself as you WHIP through turn after turn on the cork-screw.

Holy heck! Another Texas-sized coaster. I am so proud to live here.

I didn’t bring my big camera. I used my iPhone 4S. It does well in a pinch and if I can keep my hand steady. Today, not so much, but I (at least), tried to record the ~~date~~ day.

The next thing we rode was my nemesis – Superman Tower of Power. I fear this ride, and I don’t fear much (just ask my sister). Not the dark, not the witching hours, not haunted places, not strangers, or things under the bed. I don’t fear much.

But THAT.

It gives me the heebie-jeebies. For one, I’m afraid of heights. For two, I am afraid of heights. For three, I am afraid of heights, and feet DANGLE in the AIR. Do you see that?

Last time I rode this ride, I thought I was going to crawl out of my skin. I am ONLY riding it this time, for Jason – since he has never ridden it before – and, because I don’t like FEAR (stare fear in the eye).

With a little breathing and a few moments of eyes closed and teeth clenched. I make it through the 32 1/2 story drop. Ick! I don’t like that ride. The lights are not pretty and it’s not fun. At. All.

But I am proud of myself.

With the sun down, the holiday lights brighten the night.

The park is beautiful dressed up for the holidays.

We are really blessed to have free tickets that Sydney earned from working at Six Flags this summer and fall.

After a few more thrill rides, the lines get long, and we decide to call it a day.

It was fun while it lasted.

Definitely, a hardy holiday (ha).

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend!

State Fair of Texas

On October 18, 2011 By AngeliaIn Angelia's Photography, Beautiful Life25 Comments

We planned a ~~hell-bent-for-leather~~ busy weekend having lots of fun.

First stop off the crazy train – the State Fair of Texas.

To say, “Howdy!” to BIG TEX.

And to throw down some fair food. Mmmmm!

We visited the butterfly conservatory – one of my favorite places. I took TONS of photographs and spent way too much time there. But it was amazing, and I’ll have to do a separate post on that.

Since I took too long, Jason took the girls to the exhibits and made a donation to the Sea Shepherd. We are big fans of, Whale Wars. And the girls got a tat as induction. It was über cool.

We hit the midway next.

I wanted to ~~spend all my money~~ win these angry birds.

I am playing Angry Birds Rio and got HOOKED on getting to the next level. I can only imagine my addiction to “winning” at the midway game which was picking the right number from a pool of ~~birds~~ ducks. But I digress…

We found the Kid Way and the kids were pretty happy about that.

The big slide was pretty funny. I don’t think they realized how big it really was until they were flying down it, because the youngest looks a little scared. HA.

After the ride, she told me, “I almost got scared.”

Almost???

The oldest LOVED the slide. This was her with wind-blown hair right after. Her face says it all.

We spent the entire day at the fair.

It’s such a fun event and (almost) a family tradition. We missed last year because of the wedding and our week-long hospital honeymoon. We went, but didn’t get to take the kids. We are also missing Sydney who visited earlier in the week with her boyfriend. She works weekends at Six Flags now.

The parade was just starting when we left.

We got to see them line-up and hear the Marine Corps Band.

A very spectacular display of floats and lights.

A very memorable day of family.

We said a big Texas farewell……….until next year.

So this was part of our weekend. How was yours?

A totally-not-so-boring start to summer.

On June 16, 2011June 16, 2011 By AngeliaIn Beautiful Life, Life is what you make it., Wee Wee Wee all the way home!22 Comments

Riding an elephant!

Huzzah!!!

That is worth at least 20 THRILL points!

Yeah, we totally rocked the Judy Moody movie – Not so Bummer Summer – like genuine-and-for-real.

Okay, so maybe I liked it a little more than the kids (kinda), but it is such a fun movie. Judy Moody is adorable. I love the idea of thrill points; or going beyond your comfort zone. Learning new things (and being a little scared to try), but mostly, just the trying part. All it takes is getting out there.

Doing. Being. Becoming. Experiencing.

Why yes, I think I do have a thing for -ings. It must come from my be-ing. Heh.

Our family adventured to the Renaissance festival Memorial Day Weekend. It was HOT. Hotter than hot. Like we should have gone a month ago too hot. But, we made the most of our fun and I have sooooo many pictures from our start-to-summer weekend (and good-bye for a month to Sydney). I hope to be sharing more stories from that day with you.

The elephant ride shots really captured my attention and took me back to that day. From the four-year old in the front to the eighteen-year old in the back, with the seven and seventeen-year old in between – all of them – LOVED riding the elephant. Considering it was a miserable wait for a short ride, not to mention a little pricey, it was worth every penny just to see their faces.

Memories like these make me glad I get to be a photographer, I just love their expressions, even the elephant.

I tried to narrow down the choices to post, but I couldn’t. You’ll just have to ride along with them. My camera battery almost died. I was so lucky to get these.

Annnnnnd they’re off!

“Hi!” You are ON an elephant!!

I bet Brandon got some fun video.

My fav!

And that was it.

The ride ended. But it totally made the summer not a bummer!

RARE!

Now, I’ll have to come up with plan to keep those thrill points coming. 🙂 We wouldn’t want to have a boring summer end and starting in July the little girls will be with us for the entire month.

If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.
Dr. Seuss

Who had the right of way?

On September 22, 2009September 22, 2009 By AngeliaIn Life is what you make it., Mon Dieu! and all that stuff., Wee Wee Wee all the way home!12 Comments

My side of the story

Cycling along to another BEAUTIFUL sunset, with pinks and oranges radiating through the clouds, I am towards the end of my lovely bike ride. I only have one more curve, under a bridge, then to cross the street, and be at Jason’s house (where my bike lives). My heart is full of gladness. I have, again, enjoyed the sights and sounds. My legs feel weak from the power of the ride, as they should, since I demanded their physical strength the last hour.

All is right with the world. I have pizza waiting for me, courtesy of MIB (Most Incredible Boyfriend), who I will just get to see, for about five minutes, before he begins a webX project review with his classmates. The Cowboys are playing, which is good, I can take or leave football. I KNOW! I am a bad girlfriend. I like football. I just don’t live for football.

I call this time of night -Bug Rally. Truth is, sometimes I make it to the rally, and sometimes I miss it. Either way, if I DO hit the bug rally, I just duck and come out OK on the other side (scouring later ugh). A few, down the hatch, won’t kill me or anything. No harm no, no foul, heck if I was a bug? I’d rally. It’s been raining for five, six? ~~umpteen~~ days in a row. They are happy. I am happy. Maybe not blue skies, but it’s NOT raining. YAY!

So, the question is WHO had the right away? I was on the PATH. I was on the RIGHT side. I was in my place. He came out of no where! Flying faster than the speed limit, mind you, and he did not YIELD. He just smacked into my eyeball like a kamikaze jet fighter.

I was blinded for a good 30 seconds. I debated ripping my contact out and tossing it on the ground (they are disposable), but I am BLIND, like really, really blind without them. I had a very busy street to cross. I haven’t been riding my bike too long. I, still, almost fall on sharp turns. Being one-eyed, I would definitely have problems.

So I sucked it up, blinking furiously, and trying not to gag. *a bug flew in my eye ball* I saw him coming towards me. I didn’t have time to react. He was no bigger than a spec, a green spec at that. * why didn’t I just shut my eye? *geez, did my eyes widen in surprise at seeing him flying towards me? actually causing the collision? *ahhhh*

I make it back to MIB’s. Tired, thirsty, and bug zapped. He is waiting for me at the door, with a towel and cold bottle of water. *see where I get his nickname*

I tell him about the mean, green flying bug machine. My eye feels like it still has some legs in it. I am hoping during the night, whatever it is, works its way out.

No such luck, the next morning, I awake to find my eye red and angry. I end up having to go to the eye doctor, who says, I have an infection because, bugs don’t wash their hands, and if they tag you in the eye at high velocity speeds, it causes some damage.

Now, you can see how it wasn’t my fault at all. I had the right of way, and that bug crossed the line.

The bug’s side of the story

Look here, this is MY land, my space, my universe. I LIVE here. Not some fancy giant, not paying attention, weaving and bobbing, on a metal wheel cart like someone was chasing her (and no one was!).

I’m all about your space, my space, but the zone, MAN, when you get in the zone it’s all about me. Dusk is MY TIME you are risking your body parts, invading our time, everyone knows that.

So, after the rally, I am living the high life. Up, down, in and out, flowers, trees, grass, and a dare bomb to the brink of a puddle then up and away. I got skills! No one can touch my super sonic speed. Other bugs DREAM of my power.

I am showing my bug stuff. A super hero of bugland. One of the greats of the season. I spiral, diagonally, through the meadow, over a sunflower, and onto a sidewalk. I AM THE OMEGA. &*(#/%

***************”OW!”**************”MY EYE!”********

ME: You hurt my eye.

BUG: You broke my nose.

ME: You were going the wrong way!

BUG: I’m a bug!

Disclaimer:The bug’s side- based on a true story but possibly not true.