Trapeze Extravaganza

Finally, we are up and running. Sorry it took me so long to upload this video.

Every year when Jinny takes my family on our exotic trip over Christmas, I get to play like I am in the circus. At almost every resort we have gone to, they have a trapeze. It's free for everyone and is open every day from 4 until 6 pm. Perfect because it doesn't interfere with my beach time. Because really, getting a tan usually trumps any other activity that might be offered.

Not only is the trapeze fun, but usually we make great friends with other guests of the resort that enjoy the trapeze too. We end up calling them the trapeze regulars. We learn their names, where they are from, what they do. And usually by the end of the week, these people share a special bond with us. A bond that can never be broken. That bond is a love for all things trapeze. I might just join the circus. It really is much more fun that sitting at a desk all day.

This is me performing the trick called "the split".

Flashback Friday - Newport Beach 1990

Now this is hot stuff! Eight year old Natalie; in a racy swimsuit; with wet beach tossed spiral permed hair; posed in a sultry stance; totally knowing that her picture was being taken and more than likely loving it. Ideally, the best Flashback Friday picture yet.

This picture brings back some great memories of my families trip to SoCal. I remember spending a day on Newport Beach and playing in the ocean. Seriously, I thought I was looking hot in my almost two piece - in which I clearly demonstrate in this pose:

Why are these swimsuits not in fashion any more? You get the best of both worlds: #1 you get a tan stomach and #2 there is no risk of losing your top or bottom with a huge wave. I am sure some catalog like Victoria's Secret would offer a swimsuit like this now. I should check that out.

I also was a huge advocate of the spiral perm. When I turned 8 I was allowed to perm my hair. With my birthday being in the summer, July 21st to be exact (mark your calendars now), my hair was chuck full of chlorine and when I went to get my hair permed, the salon wouldn't do it. 10 to 1 I cried. So, my mom did the next best thing... she took me up to our neighbor, Betty Petterson. The kids in the neighborhood called her "Brown Betty" - mainly because she had a tanning bed in her basement and literally, was the color of a brown leather bag. Anyway, BB also did hair.. and apparently didn't have an restrictions on who's hair she would and would not do.

This might be the only time that I EVER post a picture of myself in a swimsuit on the Internet. Just letting it be known.

Flashback Friday - Bear Lake circa 1987

Oh, this picture is classic on so many levels I find myself short of words. This picture pretty much sums up my childhood summers. Bear Lake was, and still is, a family tradition during the summer.Now, I don't necessarily remember taking this picture, but it might be easier for me to list all the great things I notice...

1. My mom's has a sweet FemMullet. I don't doubt that my mom was the epitome of hip and cool and one of those young mom's that people ogled over. But now, I can forever make fun of my mom for actually having a mullet.

2. My dad's sunglasses. My dad clearly exuded style and class as he sported these sweet shades. I am guessing he had the matching florescent green "chums" that were hanging down the back of his neck.

3. Why is my brother (Austin) in front of Hailey? Shouldn't the little one year old be in front of my mother where she could hold on to him and prevent him from falling over the edge of the surf board?

4. I love Hailey's face. She looks pissed for some reason.

5. Why do I have the paddle? I am 5 years old in the picture... I highly doubt my strength could propel us a mere 2 feet. I am pretty sure Hailey and I had a fight over who got to paddle. That's how we rolled back then.

I love my hair in this picture too. I think this might have been the phase where I thought it was really attractive to part my bangs in the middle. Gosh, if I had only had the foresight to see that 20 years from then, I would be extremely embarrassed.... much like my mom probably is now with her mullet.

I'll try to convince my family to take a similar picture this next summer... then I can compare and contrast.

Europe Trip Part 4: Salzburg

The last installment of my Europe trip posts is here... in Salzburg. After spending only one short day in Vienna, we hopped on another train to Salzburg, Austria. Salzburg was the hometown of Wolfgang Mozart. We visited his birthplace and also the home he grew up in. Very cool. Made me want to go out and buy a Mozart cd. That reminds me, I'll buy one on iTunes today.

We did some shopping, site seeing and goofing around. I bought a fabulous pair of boots (my goal while in Europe) and was pleased to think that no one will have them at home :)











I believe the Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg (or at least quite a few scenes) and we made sure to make those as priority stops.

The fountain the the Von-Trapp family dance around. And if you look closely, you can see the steps they hop up and down on as they sing "doe ray me":



We also saw the little glass house that Lizel and her want-to-be boyfriend danced in while singing "You are 16 going on 17". This is me reinacting Lizel's leaping:


On our last day, we rented a car and drove back to Vienna. We stopped in few small towns along the way and became a little frustrated when NOTHING was open on Saturday. I mean freak, we just wanted lunch! And, if someplace was open, they certainly didn't speak English. Hunger, cramped quarters and car sickness wasn't a good combination for the Harris clan.




Our main stop was this fortress. Again, haven't a clue to what it was called... but it was pretty cool.





THANKS MOM AND DAD! IT WAS ONE FABULOUS TRIP!!!

Europe Trip Part 3: Vienna

Disclaimer: I pretty much wore the same outfit everyday. I either wore my black zip up fleece or my black pull over fleece. I depended on if it was my day to carry the camera. I wore different long sleeved shirts underneath, but still, I look the same in almost every picture.

After Prague, we took a train back to Vienna. We only spent one day in Vienna and most of it was spent at Marie Antoinette's childhood summer home. I believe it was called something like, Shombrunn. Anyway, it was gorgeous and the tour we took inside was fabulous.

We ate lunch at a little cafe they had on the grounds of the palace. And, I decided to venture out of my safe choice of pasta dishes and order something authentic to Austria... Wiener Schnitzel. Now, Weiner is pronounced with a "v", not "we". I didn't know this but was nicely corrected by my dad before I embarrassed myself and ordered the "wEEner schnitzel." Man, I really would have looked stupid. Thanks Dad!

Anyway, here are some pictures from Vienna. Most of them are from Shombrunn.






This is one of my favorite pictures: