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Elizabeth T. Banik
08.18.1917 - 04.17.2008

home | banik blog | email ben

 

 

Photos
  2008
  Lake Michigan
  Clearwater/Sand Key Beach
  Universal Studios
  Sea World
  Orlando/Magic Kingdom
  Clay JBSA Opening Day
  Owen Thomas Reaney
  Easter
  Random March Photos
  Preston's 7th Birthday
  Random February Photos
  Great Wolf Lodge
  Sledding at the Shields
  Random January Photos
  Sewing Room

 
2007
  Christmas
  Theodore's Birthday Bash

  Purdue Basketball Game
  Banik Thanksgiving
  Halloween
  Grandma's 90th
  1st Day Of School
  Megan's Birthday Party
  Lost July Photos
 
Preston T Simpson
  Theodore J Simpson
  Stephanie R Simpson

 
Lake Cottage
 
Random May Photos
 
Baseball Opening Day
 
Theodore & Limo
 
Lake Cottage
 
Random May Photos
 
Opening Day
 
Limo Party
 
New House Photos

  Preston's Rash
 
Chicago Auto Show
  2006
 
New Year's Eve Photos
 
Christmas Day on Hass
 
Goshen Christmas
 
Hobart Christmas
  Christmas w/ Steve
  Theodore's 8th Birthday
 
Vegas Baby!!!
 
Thanksgiving
  Theodore School Picture

  Preston School Picture
 
Halloween
 
Stacy & Tom (Steve's photos)
 
Stacy & Tom (Jerry's photos)
 
Stacy & Tom Reaney Wedding
  Purdue v. ND
 
1st Day School
 
Holiday World

 
Independence Day
 
Lake Cottage
  Patti & Mick Boat
 
Will's High School Graduation
 
Mother's Day
 
Preston End of School
 
Soccer
 
Steve & Katie Wedding (Ben)
 
Steve & Katie Wedding (Mick)
 
Easter
 
2005
 
Christmas
  Banik Family Christmas
  Theodore's Holiday Program


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Saturday, July 12, 2008

Summer vacation is over...at least from the "trips" standpoint.  We threw our 4th of July party, then headed up to Union Pier, MI for a week on the lake.  Now that we are back we need to shift gears and get ready for Preston's tonsillectomy. We are hoping this will end his bouts with strep throat every year.  Last year alone he had strep at least 3 times (confirmed) during the school year and complained of multiple day sore throats an additional 3-4 times.

Nothing much else of note other than to congratulate Brian and Mary on their high school graduations...and Amanda on her college graduation (get a job!).

Will has about another month of his internship with Walsh Construction in Naperville, IL.

That's about it for now...

Sunday, June 22, 2006

We're back from Orlando!  The trip was a blast.  We stayed at the "not-as-nice-as-pictured" Regal Sun Resort in Downtown Disney. Let's just say the Regal Sun could have invested more of that 25 million into their rooms and less into their lobbies, restaurants and conference centers.  The room wasn't bad, but we couldn't get the toilet to quit flushing every 30 minutes or so and the layout of the room was just plain stupid.  Horrible choice of furniture (example: the fridge was inside another piece of box-like furniture), poor choice of TV stations, no light switch on wall when you come in--you have to walk across the room to find a lamp in the dark, no exhaust fan in bathroom, and no microwave.  But for as little as we were in the room it did the trick.  Their pool renovations were nice though.  Kids loved the pool when we are around to use it.

The journey (by van) began at 9:30a on Father's Day, Sunday, June 15.  We took it "slow," stopping frequently for eats, drinks and bathrooms.  We stopped at a point just north of Atlanta and checked into a Holiday Inn Express around 10p after a Father's Day dinner at an O'Charlie's somewhere near the Tenn/GA line.

We made record-breaking time Monday morning travelling through Atlanta in the carpool lane around 9a.  Got to Orlando by about 4:30p.  That afternoon was spent in the pool, then at Pizzeria Uno across the street.  Word of caution, Uno doesn't know how to make Chicago pizza in Orlando.

Tuesday was all day at Magic Kingdom.  Took a free Disney Resorts bus from the hotel to the Magic Kingdom and got into the park around 10a.  Let me stop here and say if you are doing an Orlando/Disney theme parks only vacation, select a "Downtown Disney" resort hotel with free shuttle (just don't pick the Regal Sun...the Double Tree and Hilton looked pretty nice from the outside).  After a bout with heat exhaustion (96 degrees that afternoon) for Theodore around lunchtime, we partied on until after the fireworks.  The kids rode the run-away train rollercoaster, the water log one and Space Mountain.  Got settled in back at the hotel after the parade and fireworks around midnight.

Wednesday was our "relaxing day" at Sea World.  I had to wake up the family to get everyone moving.  We spent about 7 hours or so at Sea World and rode their "Atlantis"-themed log ride.  That ride was pretty cool for a log ride.  Missed the 3:30 Shamu but caught the 6:30 "Believe" show.  We caught the Sea Lion and Cirque de Dolphins shows too, as well as the other exhibits.  In the end, it was the right day to do a laid-back park after an intense Disney day.  After Shamu we had dinner with Kelly and Reed at an Orlando Ale House where I had probably my best meal of the trip.

Thursday was Universal day.  We did the 2 parks/1 day package because I had heard rumor it was a waste to do just one park.  I have to agree--it was not a 1 park all day environment.  Of course, the kids enjoyed this park the most because it has the infamous Simpsons Ride.  The ride was pretty cool.  It is one of those "virtual rollercoasters" where you are in a booth that rattles, shakes, and blows air/water at you but you don't really move.  Several of the rides at Universal Studios are like that.  Universal Island Adventures is more your traditional rollercoaster park.

Friday we checked out of the hotel around 10:30 and headed to Clearwater to check out Sand Key Beach.  I am real happy we took the kids to "the ocean."  Yes, I am aware that we were technically in the gulf, but salt water = ocean in my book.  We stayed at Sand Key until about 5p.  The public beaches are definitely a smart day trip if you are in that area.  Parking was only a buck an hour to feed  meter.  After Sand Key we started driving--with Slurpees in hand--to lovely Tifton, GA where we stayed in a dive of a Ramada Inn.  Unfortunately for us, Tifton happened to be the site of the Miss Georgia pre- and teen something or another pageant.  Hotels were booked, but we got a room and got some sleep.  Tifton was not planned.  It was simply a town with a bunch of hotels at the right spot and time on our drive back north.

Saturday we were back home in South Bend by 11p.

In the end, we had a blast and I still have all Sunday to recover before returning to work.  Indiana residents will be happy to know that the moment you leave the state, gas gets cheaper--about 25 cents per gallon cheaper.  Why?  I have no clue.

One last note, we came back to find out Theodore's team has one more game in their tournament.  Go Big C Lumberjacks!