Monday, June 6, 2011

Holiday Inn Toms River, NJ

The morning that we checked out early to have breakfast with the Passarella's before heading to the airport, a teenager plowed into the hotel!

Article on Crash

It's not really funny, but I was joking that his GPS must have malfunctioned because ours kept doing that.

June 5, The End

We got ready and packed up.

Breakfast
We met the gang at Perkins down the road from our hotel. Uncle Danny treated everyone to breakfast. There were 9 of us.

Carole's House
Afterwards, we all went back to Carole's house. We talked a little bit and then we had to head to the airport.

Atlantic City Airport
We parked the car and checked out. Then, we crossed the street and checked in with Spirit for our flight. We got there early, so we went and had lunch. I was dying to have a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. We got one and shared it.

Our flight was fast. Mom, Syd, and I all sat together.

Dad picked us up at the airport.

Photos of Family

Sydney, Pat, Donna, and Amy

Diane, Donna, and Aunt Virge

Diane, Donna, and Carole

Tica...Kristin's dog

Diane and Kara

Kristin and Carole

"Jersey Girls"....Suzie, Sarah, Amy, Diane, Kara, Sydney, Kristin, Mary Jo, and Donna
Aunt Virge and Uncle Dan in Carole's kitchen

Photos of Aunt Virge & Uncle Dan's House




June 4th, Busy Day!

Breakfast
We got up early and went to the Four Season's diner for breakfast. Sydney ordered Stuffed French Toast with Bananas Foster that was gigantic! The GPS took us the real looooong way! It took us about a half hour out of our way.

The Ocean County Mall
We went to the Ocean County mall in Toms River, NJ. Mom wanted to go to Macy's and they had some different stuff than we have. They don't even have sales tax! The people were really friendly too. Then, we discovered another department store called Boscov's. It's more like a Sears, but Sydney got some jeans, mom got a bunch of prairie skirts and I gut a purse.

Aunt Virge & Uncle Dan's
We had to be at Aunt Virge and Uncle Dan's by 12:30 p.m. A lof of the family was coming over and Uncle Dan invited Pat & Mike Cullinane too. It was nice that they came. Donna and her daughter, Amy came. Diane and her daughter, Kara came. Diane took a train 4 hours and she's legally blind. Carole and her daughter, Kristin and Kristin's dog, Tica, came. Then, Danny and Suzie came.

When we got there, Uncle Dan served some Chicago-style Beef sandwiches.

Everyone was enjoying hanging out and talking. It's been a long time since everyone has seen each other. Amy helped Sydney tie her shoelaces backwards so she doesn't have to worry about tying them. Amy is 17 and just attended Prom.

The girls decided to walk to the club house later, but it was already closed.

Aunt Virge's hearing aid was going off like Grandma's used too, but not as loud.

Dinner and Boardwalk
Uncle Danny wouldn't let anyone leave 'cuz he had a big dinner planned and wanted everyone to be together. He made homemade Sausage and Peppers and Eggplant Parmesan. They also served fruit, Potato Salad, Coleslaw, bread, and an assortment of cakes for dessert. I skipped dessert because I planned on taking Syd to the Seaside Heights boardwalk where the T.V. show, Jersey Shore, is filmed. Suzie wanted to pick up her daughter, so we decided to go to the Jenkinson's Boardwalk near her house instead. They live in front of a lake and the houses are valued at a million dollars. The Boardwalk was not very big, but Sydney got to get some souvenirs and go on some rides. It was nice that the Passarella's went with us and went on the rides with her. The weather was beautiful!

I didn't think we were ever going to leave! Aunt Virge and Uncle Dan must have been exhausted. He wouldn't let us leave without committing to going to breakfast with them the next morning before we headed back.

Our handy GPS got us lost on the way back to the hotel too. Mom & Sydney were no help. Although I knew that the GPS was not telling us the right way, mom kept insisting that I follow its directions. When we arrived on the highway that our hotel was located, I knew that we were near the bridge to Seaside Heights, which was the opposite direction. I turned around and still was uncertain, so I stopped at a WaWa (which is like a 7-11) and found out that we were just 3 blocks away (and I was headed in the right direction). I picked up some Mallow Cups for dessert while I was there.

Organizing
I had to pack and organize everything for our trip home. It went by very quickly.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Photos of Atlantic City






June 3rd, Atlantic City

Breakfast
Uncle Danny invited us over for breakfast. They live in Brick, NJ now in a retirement community. There house is on the corner and it's very big and nicely decorated.

Uncle Danny made homemade French Toast with the thick bread and served it with Strawberries & Blueberries. He also made Sausage.

After breakfast, Sydney said she felt lightheaded, but refused to let Uncle Danny check her blood pressure, and she never checked it before she left like she was supposed to.

Gambling
I told Mom and Aunt Virgie that I would take them to Atlantic City to gamble. Syd and I planned on going to Ripley's Odditorium and to walk the boardwalk. Halfway there, Sydney was moaning that she was sick and I had to driver her all the way back to Uncle Danny's. She stayed there with him all day and slept. I think she just didn't want to drive a long distance again because she was complaining yesterday.

I had the directions for Bally's, but the main street leads you right into Caesar's, so that's where we started out. Mom and Aunt Virgie spent an hour gambling there while I walked around. I was inside until I saw the boardwalk. Some people claim that it's seedy, but I didn't think so at all...especially in the areas where all of the large casinos and restaurants are located.

It was beautiful out and I walked around and shopped a little. I bought a ring and a necklace as souvenirs and each one was $5.00.

When I went back to meet them, they wanted to go to Trump's. Aunt Virgie said she has good luck there. So, we hired a little bicycle driver and he drove us down there. They gambled for another 45 minutes there while I walked around again. Aunt Virgie won $240.00 and mom broke even.

We walked most of the way back to Caesar's, but then had the bicycle driver give us a lift the rest of the way because I thought Aunt Virgie was going to croak. And, my mom is to blame! I kept asking if they wanted a ride, but my mom kept insisting on walking.

On the way home, my mom was a terrible navigator. She was reading street names wrong, and she programmed the GPS to go back to the casino instead of to Aunt Virge and Uncle Danny's. Finanlly, we were on the road again!

We dropped off Aunt Virgie, and picked up Sydney and we were off because we were starving!

Dinner
We drove around trying to find somewhere to eat. We tried suggestions from the GPS, but they were mostly fast food places. We stopped at a gas station, and a Police Officer told us how to get to downtown Tom's River, and he even ok'd me to make an illegal left-hand turn. LOL He said he wouldn't pull me over. We couldn't find it though and ended up going back to a place that we saw on the way back from Aunt Virgie's. Plus, Sydney wanted a little swimming time (even though she was sick! Hmmm!). We really liked our dinner at least. Sydney had Baked Ravioli, mom had Chicken Parmesan, and I had Vodka Pasta. They also gave us pita strips with oil/vinegar and Salad that was sort of like Olive Garden's served family style. Our waitress was not too happy, but we were so hungry, we didn't care (except for Sydney).

Pool Time
Sydney is at the pool and mom is watching her. Our hotel is bustling tonight because I think there was some sort of party taking place. Right now, I hear Dion and the Belmonts in the background.