Random Tuesday Update

Steve, Aubry and I just returned from the pilgrimage home.
It was a funeral that sent us home, so our hearts were heavy with the loss of Steve's grandfather; but our time was spent laughing and enjoying.
Webster defines pilgrimage as "the journey of a pilgrim to a shrine or sacred place."
Sacred place.
That is what New Hampshire has become to us.
A place of relaxation, peace, a renewed appreciation for the world our Creator God made for us.

So now I sit here, day one back home in Florida wondering where to start and what to do.
Work wise my next event in 2 months off and then there is this itching desire to sell everything inside my house.

It was a rainy morning so that puts a damper on my garden time, or at least mentally puts a damper on it. A load of laundry is drying and my dishes await me.
So there is plenty to do.

In other news, Aubry is a good traveler.
Between plane rides, car break downs and mini-half-day-road-trips she has proven to be a pleasant traveler; this makes us smile because if a Cali trip is indeed in our 2013 line-up she has made the cut to be able to go. Speaking of Aubry we had court last week and for now she will remain living with us. Her bio-parents caseplan has been extended once again and so only time will tell. We trust her future to God who knows best for her.

Well I will be running, probably gonna make a "to-do list" and start crossing stuff off it.
I trust you all had a wonderful weekend and where ever you are are enjoying some warmer temps and seeing signs of life budding all around you.

Until next time extend peace and love,

Southern California

She's the reason we went to California in the first place. It was never a state I was really dying to visit but I am always open for an adventure.

She started her second year at Azusa Pacific University.

She moved into a campus apartment with 4 other girls.

She had stayed all summer in California, far away from the flat state of Florida she maybe still calls home.

I heard she had a hammock that needed to be hung, who would hang it?

We had to go.

Here is our niece Dani on her first day of school.

It's kind of fun having a niece who doesn't mind first day pictures; while we once called her a girl who is like our niece, we now just call her our niece.

We drove off in her car, Oliver I think is his name (I know who names a car a boys name?), after dropping her off at her first class.
The campus is beautiful,
and the chapel service we attended was just as beautiful.
A spirit filled school, lead by a spirit filled President.

What trip to California would be complete without a burger from In-N-Out.

I get the double, double with grilled onions.

Before school started Dani had a day in LA planned for us. Being a travel junkie I was excited, we loaded up into Oliver and headed out to places unknown to me!

I can't help take pictures of Freeway signs, something about seeing LA and San Francisco on that big green sign makes me smile.

 Our first stop was downtown LA , the LA Rescue Mission and Skid Row. Knowing my heart for the city of Detroit and the Rescue Mission there, this was a good place to start our LA day.

Next stop was lunch.
Californians can eat and they like to do it in fresh style.
We made our way to China town and ate at Homegirl Cafe, a cafe run by Homeboy Industries an organization that helps get people out of gangs and helps with a fresh start after prison. The food is all homegrown, the employees stepping up from a life that wants to drag them down.

Next on the agenda was a trip to the Griffith Observatory, sitting high in the Hollywood Hills.

After a hot and relaxing visit to the observatory we traveled westward toward Beverly Hills via Hollywood Blvd. Dani got us out of a parking ticket while Steve and I made a not so quick trip into Starbucks for an afternoon pick me up. 

We saw a few stars on the sidewalk and did a drive by the Chinese Theatre.

 Whiskey A Go Go was an added bonus drive by, not only because of it's music history but because our friend Phillip played there not too long ago.

The one part of the trip that was "open" was the time in Beverly Hills. None of us are shopping fans, not that we could afford the stores, and walking among the famous has no appeal so we decided on the city park Greystone Mansion. What an amazing home with beautiful gardens.

What a great time we had in SoCal, even though I can't believe we leave our niece there to breath in all the yucky air :)

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to participate in this time in her life, I so wish I could visit her more often but instead hoping to send her a sweet care package. 

I also am so happy that she gets to attend Azusa Pacific University. What an amazing school, the students, the faculty and the campus are top notch and it has been pure joy to see Dani growing up into the young women God created her to be.

Anyone else been to LA area and have any recommendations for our next visit, we like the outdoors, as well s cultural and historic places.

Weekend in Review

So Friday night I get out of work and there is message for me on my phone.
It's my dad saying he is about 2 hours away and he'll be at our place in the morning!!
Then around 8:00 I hear the sound of his semi backing down our driveway!
What a nice surprise!
Then around 9am my mom calls and says my brother Scott who has been working on the west coast of Florida is making the 6 hour trek to see us!!
Yippee!! Double the fun!
Next my mom starts pulling out old things... like our old Star Wars characters.

Well, OK so they were not MY Star Wars characters but my brothers, they did however let me play with Princess Leah- and here she is:

A trip to the Farmer's Market was in order on Saturday while I worked :-( But they redeemed themselves by purchasing farm grown meat and REAL MILK! Look close and you'll see the cream on top, mmm, perfect for our coffee.

I grew up on the real deal milk, straight from the cow--- yummy!!

We then had a photo shot after the under 24-hour visit from my bro.

Dad;s truck was a great back drop.

Hmmm, wonder who Justin takes after??

We did a bunch of Jeep driving. It was great weather for it!

And of course we visited the beach!

How blessed.

Having fun!

Beautiful family, beautiful scenery all thanks to God.

Of course it was back to life, back to reality today;

where I spend a good chunk of time

sleeping,

working

and crying.

Such is life.

1-Day Vaca

My in-laws from New Hampshire visited a few weeks back. They stayed at the Oceanwalk Condos in Daytona. We took one day off from school and work and enjoyed all that Daytona and that sweet condo had in store!
Steve's step-dad:
Steve, Daytona Bandshell

Part of the gang.

Looking down on the boys playing indoor mini-golf:

Looking up at ourselves in the elevator:

Playing mini-golf:

Silhouette shot

Oh and then there was this bit of heart stopping excitement!

Tons of fun!

New England Trip: Day Five

Wanna catch up?
Day one
Day two
Day three
Day four

Day five was my last day. I woke up and faced the fact it was time to head home. I was sad. I mean I did miss my family but vacation is always hard to leave. While I was moving slow the rest of the house was not. Lexi had school pictures and so the getting ready for school process took a little longer than usual.
Here they are in the bathroom.


One last picture before we say goodbye.

Now onto airplane pictures.
Am I the only one who is still fascinated by the view from an airplane? Perhaps it's my love for maps? Whatever the reason, I took a few pictures that I wanted to share.

I just can't help think of the Simpson's when I see a nuclear power plant.
Local New Smyrna people, can you make out this aerial of NSB?

Lastly the clouds were like perfect puffs of cotton.

The I arrived in Florida.

Where the sun shone brightly, the leaves remained green and the heat didn't realize I was ready for cooler weather.

Where my hottie met me drove me home to this wonderful, crazy, testosterone filled place called home.
Ahh, my pillow, my bed, my boys- love being home.

New England trip: Day Four

To catch up on our trip
Day one
Day two
Day three

Day three was a roadtrip day.
It was an: over the river, into Vermont and through the woods, the Adirondacks to be exact, to Nana's house we went, kind of roadtrip.
My dad picked me and all my stuff up and we made the 3 hour roadtrip across teh Green Mountain State to my grandparents in upstate New York.


On the trip we pass through Whitehall, NY. There are some things that just just stick with you and the armory in Whithall, NY is one of those memories. Isn't this building neat? Whitehall also claims to be the birthplace of the US Navy!

My grandparents live on Schroon Lake and as a teenager I spent my summers at camp on an island on that same lake. While my dad was getting some gas in the truck I dashed across to the public beach and a perfect view of "The Island". You can see it on the left side of this picture. I am now dreaming of sending my boys there this summer.

Speaking of the lake, I had to take a picture of my favorite place at Nana's house: her porch and this view:

Grandparents don't change much, at least in my eyes.

Sure they slow down a little and the warm spots on their backs from their heating pads make hugging them even warmer; but there is just something about my Nana and Grampa that is timeless, classic and peaceful.

It was on this trip that I saw where my love for rocks and Coke bottles came from. One of my favorite things at Nana's house has always been her rocks and her Coke bottles, funny it took me 35 years to realize I share this love with her.

The steps to my Nana's house always leads to warm food, a sofa to nap on and am earful of old school advice.

We left that evening with a bit of sadness in our goodbyes and a little water in our eyes.

I wasn't sure where I would be staying that night so as we got closer to town I decided it would be back to my sister-in-laws. They were super surprised to see me and I just can't get enough time with my niece "Lulu" and her mom for that matter.

And then, only in New England, only with a team called the Boston Red Sox can a Southern Girl, notice I now claim both my northern and southern hertitage equally, open a freezer in a small town in new Hampshire and find this:

Yes, you saw it here: Red Sox Ice Cream! And it may be the best ice cream I have ever had!

I love this place!