Last weekend Daddy and the girls went on a father/daughter camping trip. They were so excited to go on a special trip together.

They packed a lot of fun into a short trip.

Last weekend DZ volunteered to take the girls and the dog for an afternoon hike. They had a great afternoon together and I had a relaxing afternoon taking a much needed nap. Thanks for the day off!

We have had a great time visiting my parents. There has been lots of good food, laughing, taking walks, special make-up sessions with ShaSha and even throwing rocks in the “crik”. The girls love being with ShaSha and Papa and are taking full advantage of having them close. I am not sure who enjoys the early morning snuggles more, the kids or them.

We took some time to walk around Patrick Henry College, where Papa now works. It is a beautiful campus.

BigZabba finally got what she has been asking for for months. We went with ShaSha to the local mall and BZ got her ears pierced. She was so excited. She did get quite nervous when the time came, but she wanted the “fanciness” more than she cared about the pain.

In the afternoon we spent a lot of time outside. The weather has been beautiful. The girls loved being outside watching, and chasing the geese. It is strange, but the kids seem more like real kids here. They run around outside, get dirty, chase animals, pick flowers, so many of the things that I did as a kid. They haven’t been watching TV or playing on the computer, they have been running around playing imaginary games and enjoying having a huge yard to play in.

While the little kids enjoyed playing outside, the big kids had fun freeing the vehicles from the mud. Papa was mowing the lawn and got the mower stuck in the mud. Then while trying to pull it out, he got the truck stuck in the mud. We had to bring down the 4 wheel drive to pull everything out.

There is no better way to end the day but with ice cream.

For the past several days DZ and I have been in Torino, Italy where the Winter Olympics were held in 2006. DZ is speaking at a conference here and I have the pleasure of being able to accompany him on the trip. We have had a fantastic several days. Some highlights of the trip so far have been amazing food, not surprisingly, meeting new friends, and the amazing sights. We have done a lot of walking – miles and miles of walking. The first few days were very overcast and rainy, but today the sun is shining and the sky is clear.

We visited the Museum of Cinema and it was stunning. They have quite a collection of films and memorabilia from several countries and genres of film. The most amazing site in the museum is the great room that is in the center. The have a few movie screens on the wall and chairs where you can lay down to watch the movie. There are several smaller rooms along the outside of the great room that are dedicated to different styles of movies, comedy, western, sci-fi, etc. They have done an amazing job of stylizing each room to match the theme of the genre. It was so fun to walk through each room.

In the center of the museum is an elevator you can take to the top of the tower – the Mole Antonelliana, which began construction in 1863 and took 26 years to construct. The Mole is 167 meters, or 547 feet tall. At the top of the tower you can see a beautiful view of the city and the Alps surrounding Turin.

Turin is also known for their chocolate. Their special drink is called bicerin, which is a chocolate and espresso drink served in a glass cup. Their hot chocolate is like none I have ever tasted. Imagine taking Ghirardelli chocolate, melting it, adding some whipped cream to the top and then drinking it. It is that but 100 times better. Wow is really all that can be said about it.

Yesterday we were able to attend the world premier of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. We are so proud of the work that DZ and all the crew did. The movie looks fantastic & the story is quite fun. Fantastic job everyone!

Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller with Bill Hader (Flint) and Anna Faris (Sam Sparks)

James Caan (Tim – Flint’s dad) and Mr. T (Earl) talking to the press on the red carpet.

The jello palace was pretty fun! The girls kept wanting to poke it.

The directors gave their “thank-you’s” before the movie began.

The Zabba’s and Mr. T! The hightlight of the afternoon! “I pity the fool!”

The director’s toast at the after party.

Neil Patrick Harris (Steve the Monkey) and Mr. T (Earl) talking with Phil Lord at the party.

Mike Kurinsky- art director, Chris Miller- director, Justin Thompson- production designer, DZ- visual effects supervisor, Phil Lord- director

Well done everyone.

Enjoy. September 18 at a theater near you!

Here is a peek behind the scenes at the making of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Make plans to take the family on September 18! The crew did an amazing job. It is going to be fantastic.

The last 2 weeks have finally felt like summer.  DZ took time off from work and we went on vacation.  It has been a fun filled time and I am sad to see it come to an end.  We spent one week camping at June Lake, near Mammoth, with Grandma and Grandpa, one day in Yosemite and a few days in Big Bear.  We got dirty, dusty, the car was filthy and we had a fantastic time.  Here are way too many photos detailing the adventures of the past two weeks.

Enjoying an afternoon of fishing on June Lake.

LittleZabba received a very special necklace from Grandma & Grandpa to celebrate that she asked Jesus to come into her heart!

We met this little guy while fishing. He seemed harmless, but we kept our distance anyway.

BigZabba loved being able to fish with Daddy and Grandpa.

The girls were hot so they decided to try swimming in Gull Lake…it was cold.

Reading with Grandpa in the hammock was really fun for BigZabba. Playing cards with Grandma was super fun too, we just didn’t get a photo of that.

Horseback riding was the highlight of the trip for both girls. BZ went on a one hour ride with Daddy on Buttons, and LZ went for a small Walk & Lead ride on Francis.

The campground had ice cream night. It was BYOB&S, bring your own bowl and spoon. Who can resist?

The big event finally happened and we had a camera right there. BigZabba lost her first tooth. It was very exciting. I got to pull it out. She was thrilled.

Our day in Yosemite was fantastic!

We took a small hike to Mirror Lake. It was more of a puddle this time of year, but it was still nice. It was so pretty to see Half Dome right there.

Once again the girls were hot and wanted to swim. We did not carry bathing suits with us, so they swam in their skivies! BZ kept telling LZ, “just be normal and everyone will think these are our bathing suits.”

In Big Bear we took the Interpretive Trail hike. The girls liked it, but it was a hot day, so they wilted quickly.

Rock climbing is always fun, even if you are wilting.

After a long day of playing, it was so nice to come back to the cabin and enjoy some quiet reading time.

That is it in a very large nutshell. Tomorrow starts real life. What else can we squeeze into the last few moments of summer?

It’s almost done.  Today is the last day of production folks!  Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs will be in theaters September 19!

If you want to follow the funny musings of Flint you can find him on Twitter.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs in HD

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads in my life.

Thank you to my Dad.  He has been and continues to be a constant source of encouragement and love.  As I wrote in his card, Thank you for not getting mad at me when I got suspended from school.  Thank you for teaching me to drive, helping me break up with a boy, showing me what a husband is supposed to be like.  Thank you for being an excellent Papa.  Thank you for letting the girls paint your toenails & brush your hair.  You are a fantastic Daddy and I love you to bits.

Thank you to my Father-In-Law.  Your example made my husband the man he is today.  Thank you for teaching him how to love and respect his wife and children.  Thank you for showing him how to be the leader of our home.  Thank you for always being there for your son in the midst of job changes, and life changes.  Thank you for giving me a second chance, even after breaking your sons heart.  Thank you for being a wonderful Grandfather.  Thank you for playing games, reading books, exploring outside and teaching new jokes.  I love you.

Thank you to my husband for being our everything.  You are all we could ask for and more.  Thank you for including the girls in the many projects you do.  Thank you for participating in their silly make believe stories.  Thank you for even playing your share of Barbies.  Thank you for taking time to show them how to play games that I think are too hard.  Thank you for being all that you are.  We love you.

What could be hotter than a guy in a motorcycle jacket holding a puppy!?

Well, a guy who rides a motorcycle, has a cute puppy, has good looks and brains.  DaddyZabba has it all!  Check it out here.