Our Florida Adventure!

TIRED!

2008-06-04T07:59:00.000-04:00

It was a busy (although FUN) weekend. Here was David's response on Monday morning.

One More Celebration!

2008-06-04T07:53:00.004-04:00

It was the last hoorah--cake for Robyn's birthday, celebrated at home. YUM!

Time for Tea

2008-06-04T07:46:00.003-04:00

As part of our weekend of celebrating Robyn's birthday, we had tea at Amelia's Tea and Holly in Mullica Hill. Robyn was surprised by a few friends and family, since she thought it was just going to be the girls and me with her. . .it was a lovely afternoon. Thank you to everyone who helped make it so!

Celebrating Robyn: Day One

2008-06-04T07:42:00.002-04:00

On Friday, Robyn and I spent the day together, then with our husbands, we went out to dinner. Can you tell how tired I was??!!

The Smallest Church in America?

2008-06-04T07:39:00.002-04:00

On our first day of travel, we stopped in Georgia for a picnic lunch (which we shared with lovebugs--UGH!!) at a place that billed itself as the smallest church in America. We don't know if it's true, but the kids did take some good pictures

Take me out to the ballgame. . .

2008-06-04T07:34:00.002-04:00

Our first stop in NJ was at our nephews' Little League game. What a treat to watch them play! Some play went on off the field too. . .

On the Road Again. . .

2008-06-04T07:25:00.002-04:00

We were barely home a week before we hit the open road again-this time heading for NJ to celebrate Robyn's birthday and Amanda's graduation from York College of PA. It was a whirlwind weekend of activity. And to make it just a little more fun, we brought along the three cats. This was their first road trip, and guess what? They fared brilliantly. They seemed to like the riding, adjusted to the hotels without issue and explored each new venue happily.

Good News!

2008-05-26T12:09:00.002-04:00

We have some exciting news for our family: Clint has been accepted as a student for the Fall term at Asbury Theological Seminary!

This has been a subject of much prayer and discussion, and we are excited about the opportunities.

We hope you will join us in praying for Clint as he embarks on a new phase of his life.

FPEA

2008-05-26T11:58:00.003-04:00

One of the highlights of the homeschooling year is the annual state convention. Here in Florida, that would be the FPEA convention (FLorida Parent Educator Association). So four days after unpacking and settling back in at home, I re-packed up and drove down to the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. It's about 30 minutes from home, but with gas prices, it made more sense to stay down there. The first night I had totally to myself--a nice and needed break for Mommy!--and then the kids joined me the next day. We were able to look at new curriculum and purchase books and so on for our upcoming school units.

There are also plenty of speakers and workshops at the convention, although this year I didn't take advantage of those. I did enjoy the beautiful resort, with my view of the golf course from my room. It was a lovely interlude!

Pictured here is the view from my room, the resort lobby and our purchases at home!

Half a Birthday

2008-05-21T23:28:00.002-04:00

I hope no one ever thinks my mom doesn't still have influence on this family. Today, her granddaughter Catie celebrated her 1/2 birthday--that's right, today she was 12 1/2. My mother loved to celebrate her birthday all month long, and she would be proud that her granddaughters--Haley observed her own 1/2 birthday on the road--have thought of this!

It was a quiet celebration: they had a little Guitar Hero party, we had a fun theme dinner and Haley made Catie a 1/2 cake. You gotta celebrate whenever you can!!

Trip Summary

2008-05-21T23:08:00.002-04:00

It didn't seem right to leave the trip blog without a roundup. Planning and executing this adventure has been part of our lives for a long time now. It's hard to believe that it is behind us.

We had so many people along the way ask us, "Is it worth all the driving and stress and expense?" We would answer unequivocally YES. Driving across this nation of ours is not for the faint of heart, for sure, but it is also not as hard as you might think. . .and it is totally worth it. We saw more and experienced more than you ever would on an airplane trip. And of course you can never overestimate the value of the time we spent as a family-the conversations, laughs, stories--and yes, even the tense and edgy times.

Here are some random statistics on this trip: we stayed in 12 different Holiday Inn Hotels (11 Express and 1 standard); we listened to two complete audiobooks (A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door both by Madeline L'Engle); we drove through eight states; we ate in three different Cracker Barrels and two of them ran out of chicken and dumplings when we ordered it; we experienced temps in the 100's, 90's, 80's, 70's, 60's, 50's, 40's and 30's; we saw rain, snow and high winds; we went through four time zones; we drove through four Indian Reservations; we visited two National Parks; our highest gas price paid was $4.29 in California (between Barstow and the Grand Canyon) and the lowest was $3.31 in Tuscon, AZ.

I am happy to highly recommend the hotel chain Holiday Inn Express. Without exception, the Express chain satisfied us at each stop. We ate their famous cinnamon buns at the free breakfasts, swam in the indoor pools and exercised in their fitness rooms. Some were newer than others, but the consistency of the chain was impressive. And in the interest of total disclosure--I am not getting any kickbacks for this glowing referral, but we do love their Priority Club and the points we earn--it is the best points program going, in my humble opinion.

I don't think any of us will ever forget this trip. I hope we don't. I first made this trip at the age of four, driving across the country from NJ to CA with my parents to move to Modesto. I next made the trip from CA to NJ when we moved back, at the age of 8. And the last time I drove the USA, I was 19--same age as Devyn--and had just finished my first year at UR. All of these trips were very close to me as we drove this time. . .and I hope that Devyn, Haley, Catie and David will remember not only the long hours, the desert, the mountains, the snow--but also the feeling of family, the gratitude for this tremendous nation of ours.

Thanks for sharing some of our adventure with us.

Home Sweet Home

2008-05-21T23:02:00.002-04:00

On Saturday night in Mobile, we went to the movies. We saw the new Narnia film, Prince Caspian. I cannot say enough about this movie--it was just fabulous. The kids were so excited to finally see the film--they had been waiting since the first one came out!

The next morning, we arose as bright and early as we could manage and checked out for the last time on this trip. We drove about 8 hours, mostly through Florida--it's a big state!--and arrived in Apopka around 7:30 PM. The cats and Greg were pretty happy to see us, and we were happy and relieved to be home.

In Texas

2008-05-15T23:06:00.003-04:00

We crossed over from New Mexico into Texas today, and tonight we are in Amarillo. It has been unseasonably cool and rainy. But at least it isn't snowing!

We saw the last of the quirky Route 66 landmarks on our route today: Cadillac Ranch. Pretty bizarre, huh? As of tomorrow, when we head for Shreveport we will veer away from 66. Good bye, Mother Road!

Albuquerque

2008-05-15T01:00:00.004-04:00

We spent the day touring around Albuquerque. We started out at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, which traces the heritage of the 19 different Pueblos in New Mexico, along with their art and culture. We really enjoyed it. After our visit there, we drove to the Old Town part of the city. We had lunch at the Church Street Cafe and then strolled, browsed and shopped in the squares. We also saw St. Felipe de Neri church, the oldest church in continuous use in New Mexico.

Petrified Forest and Painted Desert

2008-05-14T11:30:00.004-04:00

On our way to Albuquerque yesterday, we stopped for a long visit to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Park. It was another day of beautiful sights and breathtaking awe. Oh, and it was slightly. . .cold! (see previous snow post) See the pictures!

Get your kicks. . .

2008-05-14T11:16:00.004-04:00

. . .on Route 66! We have been driving alongside 66 for much of our trip east, stopping now and then to eat or get gas on the actual route--and two nights we actually stayed in hotels on the Mother Road as well. Yesterday we were able to see quite a few of the famous 66 sights, including the Wig Wam Motel, Winona, AZ (don't forget Winona! the inspiration for Wynonna Judd's name), Winslow, AZ (standin' on a corner in Winslow, AZ, such a fine sight to see. . .). We stopped at a Navajo trading post, too. We really ARE getting our kicks!

Bunny Trauma

2008-05-14T11:06:00.003-04:00

Some of you might be acquainted with Bunny, Devyn's stuffed friend who has been with us through thick and thin for over 19 years. He was in Dev's basket on her first Easter! Well, Bunny had a run-in with Tabasco Fong while we were in Fremont, and he needed some emergency nose surgery. Haley, our resident nurse, performed the procedure yesterday in Flagstaff. We are happy to announce that Bunny is in stable condition and expects a full recovery.

SNOW kidding in Arizona

2008-05-14T10:56:00.002-04:00

On Monday night, we drove around Flagstaff to take in the views and noticed that it had become quite a bit colder. We ate dinner at the Galaxy Diner, a cool '50's style eatery.

We woke up Tuesday and I could not believe my eyes when I looked out the window--SNOW! Lots of it, too. A freak May snowstorm hit northern Arizona and Colorado. Boy, were we glad that we had changed our itinerary from Durango to Albuquerque!

Notice Clint cleaning the windshield in shorts and tee shirt--what a guy!

More Grand-ness

2008-05-13T10:50:00.004-04:00

Second day at the Grand Canyon--different perspectives, same beauty! We spent the majority of the day there, had lunch and headed down to Flagstaff.

GRAND CANYON!

2008-05-12T12:44:00.003-04:00

We came. . .we saw. . .we didn't fall in. Yet--today is another day!

Not much more to say--the pictures speak loudly for themselves.

On the Road Again. . .

2008-05-11T11:55:00.002-04:00

After a week of more destination than journey (four days in Palm Springs, two in Modesto, three in Fremont) we are back on the open road again as of yesterday. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Hobee's with the Fongs before we left the Bay Area, then drove about 6 hours to Barstow. What is in Barstow, you ask? Not too much! Imagine Radiator Springs from the movie Cars. . .this just happened to be a good stopping point on the way to the Grand Canyon (today's destination) and it is on Route 66 as well, one of the things Dev wanted to experience.

Here are some random pictures from the day. . .

San Francisco: The 12 Hour Tour

2008-05-10T00:51:00.005-04:00

Perhaps that title should say the Bay Area Tour, since we were actually in Oakland too, but you get the idea. . .

We left Fremont this morning at 8:40, all 8 of us. We crossed the Bay Bridge and went right to Haight Ashbury district. . .no flower children today! Then we dropped Clint, Catie and David at the cable car and the rest of us went to the Gift Center with Auntie. WOW! It was so cool. We did buy a few goodies, but we behaved ourselves. After our shopping, we picked up the others at Fishermen's Wharf, then drove to Chinatown, where we had dim sum at New Asia. We walked Chinatown for a while after we ate. . .and ate. . .and ate. We saw the fortune cookie lady and had our picture taken with her! Then we went to Lombard Street. . .everyone climbed to the top except Uncle Ted and me (aka the smart ones). We met them up top and we all drove down. . .quite a view. We also went to Coit Tower, the cliff house, Telegraph Hill, saw Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate park, the Presidio. . .we toured many districts and saw some beautiful homes. We circled San Francisco and then headed to Oakland for dinner. The specialty of the night was the chicken you see pictured here--it was delicious and very rich. Even with the head still on!

We are a tired bunch tonight, but our minds and our tummies are quite full and still digesting all we saw and ate.

Family

2008-05-10T00:41:00.003-04:00

Thursday night was a sweet time for our family. First, DADDY arrived from Florida! There was much rejoicing. . .among all of us! Second, we were singularly blessed to spend the evening with our Fremont family. It was wonderful to be with extended family again, to catch up with the kids (who aren't kids anymore!), eat a delicious Mexican dinner and just be together. We also got to watch some of Andi and Paul's wedding video, which was fun for us.

God is so good, that even when we are without the parents and family He gave us through blood, He supplies the love and acceptance we all need through those who have chosen to be part of us.

Two Museums

2008-05-08T21:13:00.003-04:00

We spent today visiting two museums in San Jose: the Egyptian Museum and the Tech Museum. We had a blast! They are definitely worth the trip. Check out our fun!

100,000 Miles!

2008-05-08T21:10:00.002-04:00

We passed a momentous milestone on this trip--our van passed 100,000 miles between Modesto and Fremont! Sorry for the glare--and yes, I did take the pictures while driving!

A Reunion

2008-05-08T21:05:00.002-04:00

On our second day in Modesto, we were blessed to have lunch with dear longtime friends, whom we had not seen since our honeymoon. It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect!

Modesto Memories

2008-05-07T11:45:00.003-04:00

We left Palm Springs on Tuesday and drove 7 hours up to Modesto. For those of you who might not recall, my family lived in Modesto from 1971-1975; my earliest memories are from here. . .oh, and we picked up a little souvenir named Robyn here, too!

We went to see our old home--my goodness, things have grown up BIG around there! It used to be all walnut and almond groves and fields. Now it's shops and business and very built up! We also saw my old school, Woodrow Elementary--that hasn't changed too much. We saw Geneva Presbyterian, our church, and Memorial Hospital where Robyn entered the world.

We ended the day with dinner at Tahoe Joe's and an absolutely beautiful hotel room. Ahhhh. . . .

A Day of Rest

2008-05-06T11:35:00.003-04:00

We spent Monday doing the most wonderful thing: relaxing. We vegged by the pool, ate tacos at the clubhouse, and just hung out.

We ended the day at Kobe's Japanese Steakhouse. Check out the photos!

Stagecoach Part Two

2008-05-06T02:28:00.004-04:00

We returned to the Empire Polo Field in Indio yesterday for day two of Stagecoach 2008. It was a much more temperate day, of course, since we were prepared for heat again!

We got there just in time to hear Trace Adkins (Honky Tonk Badonkadonk), then Gretchen Wilson (Redneck Woman). We took a break to eat dinner, and Dev and Cindy went to another tent to see Jack Ingram. Next at the Mane Pavilion was Big and Rich, then Carrie Underwood and last but not least, Tim McGraw. We enjoyed every show, and we were a happy but sleepy bunch when we headed back toward the condo.

All in all, the festival was loads of fun. We laughed, sang and carried on. . .if you want to read more, check out http://www.wynonna.com/index.php?em621=190305_-1__0_~0_-1_5_2008_0_0&content=news . And if you want to see photos. . .see below--that's Trace, Gretchen, Carrie and Tim, and then Cindy, Tammy and Dev shaking their. . .groove things!

Stagecoach--Part One

2008-05-04T11:01:00.004-04:00

We arrived in Palm Springs, California late on Friday afternoon. We unloaded into our condo as Cindy, Tammy and Tinkerbelle arrived. We all settled in, made a fast trip to WalMart for necessities and food. . .and had a laid-back evening of chatting and eating.

Yesterday we relaxed in the morning. . .well, some of us relaxed, some of us did homework and some of us cooked breakfast for the rest of us to eat on Sunday! We left for the Empire Polo Field in Indio around 2. . .the drive wasn't bad, but we had to park a LONG way from the venue. And it was HOT, in the way it can only be in the desert.

But it was all worth it. Imagine tens of thousands of your closet country music-lovin' friends all converging on the polo fields in the California desert. . .the best music around. . .good food, lots of port-a-potties and beer. . .shops, auctions and kiddie stuff.

We saw the end of Luke Bryan's show, some of Bucky Covington, Taylor Swift, Dierks Bently, Dwight Yoakam. . .THE JUDDS!!!!!! And then Rascal Flatts finished up the night. What a night. . .we could have listened to Naomi and Wynonna sing all night. We arrived home late--or early--and are rested up ready to hit the Festival again today--on the schedule is Carrie Underwood, Gretchen Wilson, Trace Adkins, Big and Rich and Tim McGraw.

Tucson

2008-05-04T04:54:00.004-04:00

After our long drive, we had a shorter drive the next day, to Tucson, Arizona. We arrived early enough to allow us to visit the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, which is an outdoor 'museum' featuring the animals and plant life of the Sonora Desert. We were interested to learn about the saguara cactus--that is what you probably think of when you picture desert cactus. They live to be up to 200 years old, can weigh as much as 30,000 pounds and have a large but shallow root system. We saw mountain lions, deer, wolves, prairie dogs, roadrunners and hummingbirds! It was a wonderful learning visit.

The next day, we rose early enough to pay a quick visit to the San Xavier Mission, located on the San Xavier Indian Reservation. This is the oldest European building standing in the state, built in 1700. While we were there, we lit a candle in the church in memory of my mother. I think she would have liked that.

A tired boy

2008-05-04T04:52:00.003-04:00

This is a picture of David at the end of our long drive. I have to take this opportunity to brag on my kids a little. . .they have been patient, tolerant, humorous, kind and reasonable this whole week. And there has been a lot of driving!

Texas Pictures

2008-05-04T04:46:00.002-04:00

Some photos from our LONG day in Texas: Welcome to the state, a wind farm, the speed limit--yes, I was loving it!--some general scenes. . .

Texas is. . .big

2008-05-01T10:08:00.002-04:00

We are in El Paso after a loooonnnngggg drive yesterday. We left Houston at 8:20 AM and we drove over 700 miles. Lunch was in San Antonio at a great Mexican restaurant. . .then it was pretty much emptiness for many, many hours. We made it to El Paso before sunset, but it did take us 13 hours, all told, to make the trip. We had to stop for gas more often than we usually do, partly because of the wind and the hills cutting down on our mileage and partly because gas stations were so spaced out, I got gas when I could!

We did see so much. . .wind farms, hills, plains, cactus. . .oil wells, wind mills. . .I will have pictures to post, but the limitations of our wireless service here prevent me from putting them on--maybe later today.

I do have one photo--this is us leaving the Houston hotel yesterday morning.

Today we are relaxing a bit before heading on to Tucson, a much shorter drive. We are hoping to do some sightseeing there before we retire to our hotel.

Oh, my NOLA

2008-04-29T21:39:00.005-04:00

We were up and on the road earlier than we had planned. As we drove along I-10, we saw the signs for New Orleans. . .and since we hadn't had any breakfast, it seemed like a good idea to veer a bit south to eat at Cafe Du Monde.

This was kind of an emotional quick trip, too, since we hadn't been to NOLA since April, 2001. . .before Katrina. As we drove along the roads leading to the city, we could still spot Katrina's legacy: a church being rebuilt, houses in various states of reconstruction, several closed shopping centers.

Once we got into the Vieux Carre, things were pretty much the same. We walked down to Cafe Du Monde and savored fresh beignets, cafe au lait and hot chocolate. We did a little sightseeing and shopping. David was a baby the last time he was in New Orleans, so he was excited to see St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square and Pirate's Alley. We are hoping to plan a trip back soon, to spend some more time exploring what has been a favorite city of our family's for many, many years. We were pleased and gratified to see that the friendly, outreaching spirit of New Orleans remains firmly in place.

The rest of the day was spent making out way to Houston, where we arrived about 5:45. We were blessed by a beautiful hotel this time--thank God for Holiday Inn Expresses! We ate at Carrabba's, and now we are all settled down for the night.

Tomorrow will be our long day, as we drive clear across Texas, stopping in El Paso. Prayers for our safety and endurance are always solicited!

On our way!

2008-04-28T20:12:00.002-04:00

We took off this morning from Apopka, and tonight we are in beautiful Gulfport, Mississippi. We had a pleasant and uneventful drive. Northwestern Florida is quite a change from central FL. We were in Alabama for about 66 miles, and we got some decent views of Mobile.

We lunched in Grand Rivers, Florida, on sandwiches Haley had made us (YUM). The weather was decent all day.

The highlights of the day were seeing a buffalo in Florida--a real God thing, since this was something I really wanted the kids to see! We also crossed over the famous Swanny River--it is actually spelled Suwanny--as in "Way down upon the Suwanny River, Far, far away. . ." That was cool! We saw many armadillos, too, lots of cattle, horses and goats.

Not a lot of fascinating pictures today, but you can see us ready to roll and some pictures of Mobile. . .also Catie and David playing checkers at Cracker Barrel tonight at dinner!

Westward, Ho!

2008-04-26T21:13:00.002-04:00

This week, we will embark on what we hope is a great adventure. The kids and I are taking off on a cross-country trip, ending in northern California. There are many reasons for this trip. First, we are going to Stagecoach, a country music festival in Indio, California. We're meeting friends there and we're looking forward to seeing the Judds (reunited!), Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift. . .and many, many more artists (to see the complete list, go to www.stagecoachfestival.com). We're also going to visit Modesto, the town where I spent some of my growing up years and where my sister was born. And of course we're going to visit family in the Bay Area.

On the way back, we are planning to see the Grand Canyon, Durango, Colorado and a few other can't-miss sights. Clint will be joining us for that part of the trip!

I am planning to post our daily trip notes here on this blog, God willing. So be sure to check this site each day for our updates (I won't be sending an email out each time I update while we are on the trip). Also, don't worry if I miss a day--we don't know how great the internet will be at each stop.

We do covet your prayers for us as we make this journey. Be sure and keep in touch via email! We'll do the same, as we can.

See you on the road!

A little Disney

2008-04-23T13:20:00.003-04:00

David recently saw two movies series--Indiana Jones and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Consequently, he was very excited to see the Indiana Jones show at Disney Hollywood Studios and to play on the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids playground. So we planned a quick day trip to both that park and Animal Kingdom (since it was Earth Day).

We ate at 50's Prime Time Cafe, and David won a certificate for being the best table setter of the day (won a cupcake, too!). He also won an alligator at DinoTopia in Animal Kingdom. And Catie's drawings at Prime Time were admired and put on the official fridge there!

A Spirit Filled Weekend!

2008-04-23T12:53:00.004-04:00

The girls and I had a fantastic Holy Spirit filled weekend. We started out by attending a two day women's conference, called Extraordinary Women's Conference. (Check them out at www.ewomen.net .) We worshiped along with Charles Billingsley, and we were blessed to hear Chonda Pierce speak (she is FUNNY!). And then Mark Schulz put on a concert--have you heard his tear-jerker song "Walking Her Home"? We got home about 11 PM, slept and then were up early to be back to the conference by 8:30 AM. On Saturday, we worshiped some more, then we heard Thelma Wells, Lisa Whelchel, Angela Thomas and Carol Kent. We also were blessed by the music of Mandisa. We took in so much information and so many ideas and just had so much awesome worship time. . .words cannot describe it. And for me, sharing all of this with my daughters made it especially wonderful.

Then we came home Saturday and celebrated a Messianic Passover. It was fun, moving and filling.

Sunday we went to church, then to our church picnic. . .later in the day, Clint and I attended a special presentation at Haley and Catie's youth group, where the girls sang and led some worship music.

I am posting a few pictures of the weekend; just so you can see how big this church and conference are, a glimpse of our Passover table, and the girls' gig!

Braces Day!

2008-04-10T12:23:00.003-04:00

Catie has been going through a lot of mouth trauma lately. Three weeks ago, she had four teeth removed. Last week she had a filling. . .and yesterday, she had her braces put on. She was a bit sad about it, and in a good amount of pain last night. Today she feels better. . .here are her before and after pictures!

More Birthday Treats

2008-04-10T12:17:00.004-04:00

On my actual birthday, we had a quiet and peaceful family day. Clint made me yet another cake (and it was just as good!), as well as a great dinner. I spent some time fishing with Clint and the kids down at the dock of our lake. And I received some lovely tulips from the Carlisles! Clint and the kids gave me a set of darumas for the birthday (among other goodies). I had a book when I was little called "The Revenge of the Darumas" and they knew I would love a set of my own! Has anyone read this book? It is a classic!

Devyn is home. . .

2008-04-10T12:08:00.002-04:00

Devyn spent just over a week in Peru over her spring break, with students from her Interdisciplinary Honors course. It was a pretty rigorous trip, but she had an extremely good time. I hope to share some of her pictures soon. . .but I did want to show you what she brought us home. Her daddy received an Inca mug. . .Haley an Inca tea set. . .Catie a Peruvian doll (with two babies!). . .David a pan flute and an Incan 'dagger'. . .and Mommy a beautiful candle holder and cover, and for the whole family, a carved creche inside a Peruvian helmet. We were spoiled!

Birthday Treats

2008-04-10T12:04:00.004-04:00

We returned from the beach on Saturday to see that Clint had decorated the kitchen and made me a delicious birthday cake! We had a good dinner, opened gifts from Robyn's family, and enjoyed cake. YUM!

Beach Day!

2008-04-10T11:54:00.004-04:00

We were blessed last weekend with a visit from Robyn and Sean. They came down to help celebrate my birthday! We left Clint at home on Saturday, as he told us he had chores and errands to do, and the rest of us drove to Clearwater Beach. The weather was supposed to be iffy, but it was actually sunny and gorgeous, in the upper 80s. You can see that the kids had a ball!

Jamestown Adventure

2008-03-31T22:09:00.005-04:00

The week before we left for our quick New Jersey trip, we studied the Jamestown colony, John Smith and Pocohantas. So when I remembered that our drive up and down 95 would take us right past, I decided to plan a brief side trip to the recreation of the Jamestown settlement, which we had not visited since 2002. Starting out from Gettysburg gave us a little headstart on the trip, so we were able to make it to Jamestown by noon yesterday. It would have been a perfect day for a visit. . .but it was COLD! Mingling in with the rain were snowflakes. . these Florida flowers were shivering. We were awed by the fabulous new Visitors' Center and displays, and we did make a brisk walk through the Indian village, the fort and the ship Susan Constant. Haley was wearing flip flops and her toes were frozen! Some kind 'colonists' shared their fire with us, and we did warm up a bit.

Our arrival in Florence was late last night, but the visit to Jamestown was worth the time!

GETTYSBURG!

2008-03-31T21:42:00.005-04:00

Our children and our friends' children (the Kellys) adore Gettysburg. I think it's bigger than Disney for them!! So a trip there makes everyone happy. On our two days there, we were blessed with good weather (relatively speaking--it IS late March after all) and good times. Although the chances were precipitation were 100%, we saw not a drop of rain. We visited the Visitors' Center, which will be moving in about two weeks, Devil's Den. . .the kids hiked Little Round Top and Big Round Top. We shopped a bit, enjoyed swimming at the hotel, dinner at a great Italian restaurant and lunch at Friendly's. It was a fantastic time, praise God!

Star Wars Magic!!

2008-03-27T17:01:00.004-04:00

Today we visited the Franklin Institute for the Star Wars exhibit with two of our little sweeties and their mommy. It was a bit crowded but we all enjoyed ourselves! Thanks, Aunt K, for setting this up--we all had a ball!

Cousin Love!

2008-03-27T16:58:00.002-04:00

We are staying with Robyn and Chris, and last night, Sean snuggled down to sleep with Catie and Haley. How sweet!!

In New Jersey

2008-03-27T16:48:00.002-04:00

Last year I promised Haley, Catie and David a trip to Gettysburg this spring with our friends. Schedule-wise, it only worked out to come north the week after Easter, so here we are. (Clint and Devyn are still in Florida.) We have been enjoying visiting with family and friends. . .last night we had a wonderful dinner with Aunt Peg and Uncle Stan, and they surprised me with an early birthday cake. Robyn and Sean also joined us for dessert!

He Is Risen!!

2008-03-27T16:20:00.003-04:00

Here are some images of our Easter, beginning with Easter baskets. . .

Easter Preparations

2008-03-27T16:11:00.003-04:00

We celebrated a quiet Easter this year, but we did keep some of the same traditions. On Easter Saturday, we dyed the Easter eggs (see Before and After pictures), and the kids made carrot cake cupcakes for the next day's dessert. Check out the fancy decorations!

Happy Birthday, Clint!

2008-03-27T16:04:00.003-04:00

Because the younger kids and I are in New Jersey this week, we celebrated Clint's birthday last Friday night. The kids decorated the kitchen, we made a cake, and we went to dinner at PF Chang's. After dinner, we returned home for cake and gifts. . it was a good time!

How did you spend the first day of spring?

2008-03-27T16:00:00.003-04:00

Here is how Catie and David spent part of it!

A reward for bravery. . .

2008-03-27T15:49:00.003-04:00

Catie is on her way to braces, and the road is a bumpy one. Last Wednesday, she had four teeth removed in preparation for her braces. This means that she has had 13 teeth removed so far! She was very brave, and as her reward, she and I went down to Disney the next day. We had a few errands to run, and we stopped at the Polynesian Hotel for lunch and a little walk on the beach. We then made a quick stop at Epcot to pick up a gift for a friend. The Flower show is going on, and we saw some beautiful displays. We didn't ride on anything--it was Easter week after all, and it was quite crowded! But we had a very nice time together.

A sweet gift

2008-03-18T15:52:00.002-04:00

When Anne-Marie and her family came to visit a few weeks ago, they brought us a beautiful gift from the heart and hands. We have now proudly hung this lovely quilt in a the perfect place in our family room. It will always remind of us our friends! Thank you, Anne-Marie!

Brief Holiday

2008-03-18T14:50:00.003-04:00

Clint and I took a day away this past weekend. . .we went to Clearwater to see the Legends game played at the Phillies Spring Training camp. We stayed right on the Gulf, at Sand Key Resort. The weather was perfect; it was 80 degrees when the game began at 7 that evening. A perfect night for a ball game! Among the 'legends' we saw were former Phillie Von Hayes, former Red Sox and Yankee Wade Boggs, and former Indian and Padre Gaylord Perry. The National League brought in a ringer to pitch in the fourth inning: two-time Olympic gold medalist for women's softball Michele Smith. She struck out three American Leaguers 1-2-3! Those boys didn't stand a chance!

The players also included several servicemen who played in camoflauge baseball uniforms.

It was a lovely night and a perfect mini-getaway!

It's for the birds

2008-03-18T13:40:00.005-04:00

We've been busy down here--time for me to catch up before I get too far behind in posting. The weather is getting warm down here--it was 90 this past Saturday!--and we are taking advantage of these nice days.

Catie and David are finishing up the bird section of their science course this week, so we decided to take a quick field trip to Disney's Animal Kingdom to see their bird show and visit the birds. We began the day by seeing "It's Tough to be a Bug", and David was chosen to open the show by saying, "Start the show, Flick!" You can see how excited he was to do this. . .and doesn't he look cute in his honorary bug eyes? After the show, we met up with the sisters who had been going on more daring rides, and Catie and David spent some time in the dino pit, digging up a Wooly Mammoth. Next was the Wonders of Flight show. . .see how Dev is ready with her hood? She is her MeMe's granddaughter, for sure!

After lunch we went on the safari and enjoyed seeing the animals who were out. We liked the rhinos--they were really close to us.

It was a fun and educational day.

Church Without Walls

2008-03-11T16:27:00.003-04:00

I hope you will indulge me for a moment while I give a plug to another blog. If you ever use the links on the left side of this blog, you will 'meet' some of my friends. Today I would like to spotlight Tammy, who along with her husband ministers at the Church Without Walls (CWOW) in Augusta, Georgia. Here is an excerpt from a recent report from Tammy. . .

And that's what it's all about. We have to love people to life! We need to love them to the cross. The Holy Spirit is more than capable of convicting people of their sins, why do we need to get in the way and try to do His job? Sinners sin. They just do. Lost people, well, they act lost. These things should not surprise us. It's our job to show them the love of Christ and give them the hope of glory that lives inside of us. We are the body! Let's use our hands for healing, our arms for hugging, our feet for going, and our mouths for speaking love to a world that needs a Saviour!

If you check in on Tammy's blog, you'll be blessed to learn about CWOW and the incredible people who worship and minister there. I am inevitably speechless after reading about their services and ministry. Check it out! God is MOVING there!

How Green is Your Lawn?

2008-03-06T10:40:00.003-05:00

And that is not meant to be a tongue in cheek question to those of you in the north who cannot see your lawns yet due to the cold white debris on it! No, we are asking how GREEN (environmentally friendly) is your lawn or your yard? This came to us from Aunt Peg in NJ, who remarked that chemical fertilizers and weed killers " kill both the bad and the helpful insects, frogs, toads, birds,etc." So true! She also reminded me that these chemicals run off into our ground water and pollute it. Those signs on the lawns warning to keep off after a treatment should scare us! So how do you keep a good lawn and keep it green? Here are some ideas from HGTV:

--Most lawns crave nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Send a sample of your soil to your local county extension service and they will analyze it for you, then send you a report on what you need to add.

--Use organic products on your lawn: they are carbon-based and environmentally-clean. Some examples: bone meal, mulch, cottonseed meal, compost and manure are all safe!

--Use a heavy iron rake to keep your lawn thatch-free, as thatch is a breeding area for lawn disease.

--Corn gluten is a terrific natural herbicide (weed-killer). Apply it in the spring before weeds arrive; it will kill dandelions and other broadleaf weeds. Mowing frequently will also help you kill weeds before they can mature.

Check out http://www.pioneerthinking.com/lawn.html for some more hints. You might also check the internet for local retailers who will offer you green and budget-friendly ideas and products for your yard.

Keep your ideas coming! Drop me an email or a comment and you might see it in an upcoming Green Moment!

Visitors from the North

2008-03-06T10:02:00.004-05:00

We had a very special treat this week: our friends from Quebec spent five days with us! I think they enjoyed the sun and warmth, as well as Disney and shopping. David liked having a Wii buddy (and a fellow Legos enthusiast), and the girls connected with new friends who joined them for youth group and for shopping. We spent one day together at Downtown Disney and Epcot. . .we ate in Mexico at San Angel (YUM!). Even Anne-Marie tried out the Wii, after careful instruction from her son. And check out our 'lunch' at Downtown Disney. . .those are the most delicious sundaes on Disney property, at Ghiardelli. After lunch, the girls in our group were sprinkled with fairy dust by cast members. We also stopped at the Boardwalk to find Catie's favorite chocolate chip cookies. . .since they weren't quite ready yet, you can see her standing with her face against the window, waiting! I think they were worth the wait.

SOCCER!

2008-03-06T09:50:00.002-05:00

David had his first soccer game on Saturday, March 1st. Does that seem odd to northerners? Here there are two soccer seasons, spring and fall. Saturday was a beautiful day--high 70's, sunny and warm. David was proud of his new uniform and his team, the Adrenaline. He played goal in the first half, and the other team did not score, but David was a bit bored having to stand in the goal. So in the second half he played defense. Although his team scored first, they ultimately lost 5-3 (all the goals the other team scored were in the second half), but they had such a good time, no one seemed to care. All his sisters were there for the game too.

Robot Boy!

2008-02-29T09:08:00.003-05:00

If you happen to find yourself at Epcot center, check out the new Innoventions pavillion in Future World. David, Haley and I killed some time there on Tuesday (while all the other crazies were on Mission Space--how did you like that, Aunt Terry???). David participated in something called the Robot Race--they allow 15 people into the 'ring', each one at a computer, and each participant builds a robot on the computer, then they race the robots. You choose the robot's head, body, legs, coloring, weight of plastic and flexibility of plastic. And then you operate the robot by a foot pad--when you run, the robot runs, and you can make him jump or move to the right or left. It was fun, and at the end, each one gets to make his own plastic robot and take it home.

The rest of our party also toured the Innoventions Home at the Pavillion and were duly impressed.

Field Trip

2008-02-28T21:42:00.005-05:00

Today we spent the day on a field trip with a homeschool group. We went to the Marine Science Center at Ponce's Inlet and to the Ponce de Leon Lighthouse. At the science center, we learned about turtles and saw the turtle hospital and sea bird rehab center. Did you know the leatherback turtle is over eight feet long and nearly five feet wide? WOW! That is some turtle! We saw loggerheads, green sea turtles. . .saw a model of a turtle nest. . .some cool reef fish. . .and an American kestrel.

At the lighthouse, we learned that Ponce de Leon is the tallest lighthouse in Florida and the third tallest in our country. We saw the light, the outbuildings and the beautiful grounds. Catie, the brave and strong one in our group, climbed all 203 steps up to the top of the lighthouse!

Some Disney Magic!

2008-02-28T21:31:00.004-05:00

We took advantage of the Furfaris' visit to spend some time at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. We celebrated Amanda's, Aunt Terry's and Uncle John's birthdays, culminating in a tremendously fun dinner at Teppen Edo in Japan. Check out the hats worn by the birthday girls!!

Very welcome visitors!

2008-02-25T22:26:00.002-05:00

This weekend, Uncle John, Aunt Terry and Amanda flew down for a visit to Disney. They also came to see us on Sunday. All my helpers worked hard to make the house look nice, and on Sunday morning, Clint and the kids made a tropical fruit salad for brunch. Many hands made light work! And we had a wonderful time catching up and chatting all day Sunday.

An unwelcome visitor

2008-02-25T22:20:00.003-05:00

Okay, who's keeping count? So far we've had scorpions, geckos, mice, frogs, centipedes. . .this weekend, Clint met a new friend. . .a very large brown recluse spider living in our garage. Don't worry, it's been evicted! So, who is ready to come visit us next???

We have visitors!

2008-02-25T22:07:00.004-05:00

We were blessed to have the Carlisles come down to Disney World for Presidents Weekend. Devyn celebrated her birthday one last time with a fabulous dinner at Jiko, and the cousins all enjoyed each other.

A Green Minute

2008-02-20T22:00:00.002-05:00

In the last year, our family has become green! Or at least. . .greener. We've become more pro-active about our recycling, tried to use resources more responsibly and looked for ways to treat the earth more gently. Since this has become so much a part of our lives, I thought that periodically I would try to share some of our ideas. Please share some of YOUR green ideas with us, too, and I will post them here (giving you the credit, of course!).

The best ideas come from the kids, because they are the ones who keep me honest. We made the decision to try to avoid using plastic bags when we go shopping. We bought some reusable shopping bags at Albertson's (which is the southern version of Acme for you northeasterners). They were very reasonable: 10 for $10. We put them in the car so that whenever we go to the grocery store, we have our bags with us. I also have a number of canvas bags from here and there that I have added to our bag collection. When we go grocery shopping--or to Target for other things--we take in our bags and use them to bag our purchases.

The biggest obstacle to this change has been remembering to take the bags inside the store with us. That's when it's handy to have older children, whom you can send out to the car to retrieve your bags! Also, there are some cashiers who are less than enthusiastic about letting us bag our own things. They are used to just scanning and bagging themselves, so we have to be firm and friendly. We also have to be quick!

The advantages, aside from the obvious of not putting more plastic bags out in the world, include an ease of loading and unloading the car: the bags tend to stand up better than do plastic bags, and we are able to unload the car in fewer trips. The only disadvantage (other than remembering to use the bags) is the possibility of leaking food. I have only had that happen once, and it was quite easy to wash the bag when it happened.

Plastic bags not only litter our environment on land--in the sea, they are deadly snares to many creatures, including the sea turtle. Juvenile sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jelly fish, a big part of their diet, and then die after attempting to eat them. So each time you save a bag, you might be saving a sea turtle!

Being Healthy

2008-02-20T21:43:00.003-05:00

Folks, please indulge me for a brief word from our sponsor: last year, my sister began telling me about some supplements she, Chris and the kids had started taking. Because kids can be challenging eaters--some more so than others--these supplements offer the recommended daily allowance of fruits and/or vegetables in a simple capsule. She was very enthusiastic about what she was seeing in her own family. Well, as you know, last year I had no time to think about anything but getting from day to day. However, since our move to Florida and our life settling down as it has, maintaining our family health has taken a higher priority. Robyn's college room mate and best friend Elissa shared information with me as well. My family began taking Juice Plus supplements, and now I have actually become a distributor as well.

All of this to say. . .if anyone out there reading this blog has heard of Juice Plus and is interested in trying it, OR if you've simply been concerned about the eating choices that you and your family are making and would like some help. . .either click on the Juice Plus link below to find more information, or drop me an email. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

And now we return you to your regularly scheduled blog!

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-12T21:44:00.000-05:00

We began our celebration a bit early today when the girls made two heart shaped cakes. Not only did they look wonderful, they tasted great too! We are celebrating tomorrow, since someone (cough, Devyn, cough) has a date on Valentines Day with Greg at the Melting Pot. Hope everyone has a sweet day!

A Sweet Trip

2008-02-12T21:24:00.000-05:00

On Monday, the kids and I joined our new homeschool group for a field trip to Farris and Fosters Chocolate shop. It was a wonderfully delicious time! YUM! The kids decorated their own hats, chose two items a piece to place on the conveyor belt to be chocolate covered (a la Lucy and Ethel!), dipped marshmallows in chocolate, and then decorated a slice of chocolate "pizza" with everything imaginable. It smelled as good as it looks! Haley forbade me to take pictures of her on the trip, but you might see her in the background if you look carefully. . .

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

2008-02-12T21:17:00.000-05:00

Mardi Gras was February 5th, and we celebrated as we usually do: with beignets for breakfast, gumbo for dinner. . .king cake and praline Sundaes for dessert. YUM! We decorated the dining room accordingly. Who found the baby in the cake? Can you guess by the pictures?

A Biking Milestone

2008-02-05T23:04:00.001-05:00

David has had the training wheels off his bike for a while now. But last year, I didn't have much opportunity to work with him on riding independently. On Sunday, he decided the time had come. . .he and his daddy went outside, and 20 minutes later, the girls came inside to tell me he was riding by himself (David, not Clint). He is a pro now and loving the new skill!

Super Bowl Birthday

2008-02-05T22:56:00.000-05:00

One of the things Devyn absolutely loves about having a birthday when she does is that she usually gets to incorporate the Super Bowl into her celebrations! Well. . .not really. Turns out she's not a football fan--go figure?!?!

But she did let us have her birthday cake on Sunday at half time. This was the last hoorah of her celebrations.

And of course--the GIANTS WON! WOOOOHHOOOOO!!!!! It was an exciting night here as we were cheering on Eli and our fellow Pitman Church of Christ member Tank Daniels (#52) as they defeated the Patriots. Yes, there was yelling. . cheering. . .and joy! Oh, and cake and singing, too. . .

A Birthday Dinner

2008-02-03T23:04:00.000-05:00

The middle girls had a youth group trip on Friday, so it was Devyn, Greg, Clint, David and me going to dinner that night for Dev's big day. We went to the Colorado Fondue Company, which is a fondue and hot rock restaurant. It was fun--but we were there a long time!

Happy Birthday, Devyn!!

2008-02-03T22:52:00.000-05:00

Can you believe that Devyn celebrated her 19th birthday over the weekend? We decided to spend Friday at Disney World since she didn't have class that day. We got up early enough to get to Magic Kingdom for the opening ceremony, something we haven't done for quite a while. We spent the morning there and then headed over to Epcot, where we met Clint for a special Garden Grille birthday lunch. There was cake!!

Our Feathered Friends

2008-01-22T11:04:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Haley and Catie took a walk--it was a beautiful day here-and they met some new feathered friends: a pair of sandhill cranes whom we have seen from afar in our development. These two seemed to take a liking to the girls, and they followed them home. The girls called me out to the lanai to "meet" their new friends--and I think if we had opened the door, they would have marched right in with us. We did some good pictures of this couple. . .they are really quite striking.

Visitors! Visitors!

2008-01-22T10:47:00.000-05:00

Returning from Maui and getting re-acclimated to life in this time zone has taken some time! I made it back to Orlando early on the morning of January 10th. . .and slept for a long time. But I was so happy to be home with my babies and of course my husband!!

The next day, we were blessed with the first of our 2008 visitors. Our wonderful friends from NJ came down to spend a few days with us, and it was such a good time for my whole family. The kids enjoyed some birding, some fishing and some cooking time with Aunt Peg and Uncle Stan! We had a delicious meal at Habana's, a local Cuban restaurant. But guess what? Between jet lag and just having too good a time, I never took any pictures. How unlike me!

Over that weekend, another family of friends, this time from North Carolina, arrived to stay with us. We had a good time playing and chatting and catching up over the days they were with us.

And because these things always happen in threes, we also were able to have a lovely lunch with our Pitman friends, the Coopers, last Monday.

The Kandle Inn is now cleaned up, back in shape and ready for more guests!! Just give us enough time to put on the sheets and hang the towels. . .to coin a phrase, we'll leave a light on for you!

And now, we are back to school, back in the routine. Here's Haley doing some of her reading, with some moral support from her best pal Dixie!

Last Day in Maui

2008-01-10T17:37:00.001-05:00

Our final day in Maui arrived way too soon, in some ways. On that morning, we had breakfast and then returned to the Black Rock area where we had scattered our parents' ashes. We took the leis that we had gotten earlier in the week, and cut them apart. . .we scattered the flowers over the rocks and into the ocean. And do you know that the same sea turtle came back to visit us one last time!

We all feel a sense of peace that we have completed what our parents wanted. . .but it was still hard to leave Maui on Wednesday afternoon, knowing there was more finality than there had been before. But the sorrow is tempered with peace and a sense of rightness.

More Snorkel Pics

2008-01-10T17:29:00.000-05:00

Part of our snorkeling trip included placing a lei in memory of our parents under water. We first placed the lei near the turtles, then we unstrung it and scattered the flowers underwater. The turtles were very friendly!

My snorkeling

2008-01-10T17:05:00.000-05:00

Some of you might know that I am not much of a snorkeling. Truth is, I have never been snorkeling and I never wanted to! My parents wanted me to try it, but it wasn't my thing. Well, on this trip, I did it. And here are the pictures to prove it!

More Maui Pictures

2008-01-10T16:57:00.000-05:00

A few more images. . .did I mention our rental car was a red Mustang convertible? Cheryl was our designated driver. . .the cliff diver re-enacted the famous dive of the last Maui chief every night at our hotel. Cheryl at Plantation House, and some of the beautiful vistas from that spot--the pictures don't do it justice.

Maui Updates

2008-01-08T23:11:00.000-05:00

I have been remiss in giving updates on our trip here. . .that's because we have been so busy, relaxing and healing and having a good time.

On Friday, we spent much of the day by the pool, relaxing and enjoying the sun. We went to Hula Grill for dinner, and did some shopping at Whaler's Village. This was are only day of so-so weather; we ate right off the beach at Hula Grill and poor Robyn got a wet back from the misty, windy weather.

Saturday morning, we got up early and went down to the rocks on the beach. There, we scattered the rest of my parents' ashes. It was a beautiful moment, and as we watched, a sea turtle swam near and stayed for a while to visit. We felt it is was a perfect sign of completion, and we have commemorated that morning with sea turtle pendants for us all to wear.

In late morning on Saturday, we checked in at the Westin Spa and spent the rest of the afternoon being completely pampered! It was heavenly. We were back in our hotel by about 5, and we just hung out and enjoyed room service that night.

On Sunday, we went to breakfast at Moose's, my parents' favorite Maui breakfast spot. We visited with Julie, their friend who works there. She had heard of my father's passing but not my mom's, so it was a bittersweet visit. Later we walked down to their favorite jeweler and visited with him as well. Daniel and Julie both shared stories with us about our parents, and we laughed and remembered together.

At lunch time, we met Mel and CT at the beach. Mel is the man who taught Robyn to scuba and has remained a friend. He had invited Robyn and Cheryl to snorkel, and I expected to stay firmly on the beach--snorkeling is not my thing. Mel and CT work for the Ocean Project, an organization which is devoted to teaching sustainable practices throughout the world in order to save our fragile environment. Mel and CT taught us about sea turtles as we sat on the beach, and CT asked me to try snorkeling. . .she promised to stay with me and take me back as soon as I was uncomfortable. Somehow I said yes. . .

And I am so glad I did. For the first time in my life, I donned a wet suit and waded into the ocean! I ended up going out over 100 yards from the shore, and I saw an octopus, a sea turtle, humuhumunupunupuapuapa (Hawaii state fish) and so much more. . .it was incredible, and I am so grateful for this experience. . .and I think somewhere my parents are very pleased that I finally did this!

Sunday night we ate dinner at a roof top restaurant in Lahaina--yum!

On Monday we had another rest and pool day. . .we ate dinner last night at the Plantation House, a gorgeous restaurant in Kapalua. Did you see any of the Mercedes Benz Golf Classic this weekend? That was where it took place. It is breathtaking.

This morning we met Auntie Harr and Uncle Ted for breakfast. What a treat and blessing to see them! They are over from California for a little vacation. It really made our trip complete to spend some time with them.

We were thrilled tonight to see the cliff diver show at the hotel! We've been out every night and missed it, so on our last night, we made sure to take it in. Gorgeous!

I am going to put as many pictures as possible on. . .

We leave tomorrow (Wednesday) at 2:10 PM Hawaiian time and are due in FL and NJ early Thursday morning. Prayer for a safe trip--and a smooth one!!--are coveted!

Our Second Day

2008-01-04T22:29:00.000-05:00

I don't have much to share, other than we were able to scatter some of the ashes at the Sands of Kahana and here off the cliffs between yesterday and today. We went into Lahaina yesterday afternoon and had lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise, then shopped a bit. We ate dinner late last night at Tepenyaki Dan's here at the hotel. . .late because the Mercedes-Benz golf classic is in town and there are tons of people here to play and to watch. We hear that Samuel L. Jackson and Kyle Maclaglan are in town to play, as well as some bona fide golf pros.

Maui has grown up so much in the 17 years since I have been here. Robyn notes a lot of change as well. But it's still the beautiful, peaceful paradise my parents loved.

Ka leina a ka 'uhane

2008-01-03T16:19:00.001-05:00

We have been undecided as to exactly where we should scatter my parents' ashes. We had thought to leave some near the Sands of Kahana, some up at the Tongan Methodist church, where they worshiped while in Maui. . .then this morning as we got ready for breakfast, we were listening to the hotel's channel. They talked about the black rock cliffs that are part of the hotel property--it's called Pu'u Keka'a. It is considered "ka leina a ka'uhane", which means literally--"the place where the soul leaps into eternity". We looked at each other and knew. This is where we will scatter most the ashes, although we will also visit the spots I mentioned above as well.

Here are pictures of that spot, as we visited it this morning.

Aloha!

2008-01-03T16:14:00.001-05:00

We awoke from a much-needed 7 hours of sleep at our beautiful hotel and went down to breakfast. I thought I would share some of the pictures of the property. A view from our room; the suite itself (plenty of room for all of us!), breakfast; the hotel as seen from the beach.

Rough Travels!

2008-01-03T16:04:00.000-05:00

I awoke in the Hyatt Airport hotel in Orlando on Wednesday morning to the sound of Robyn texting me that my flight was delayed. It was a crew delay (the pilot had arrived on the ground late the night before and so was not allowed to fly again until 10:16 AM). This delay meant that I missed--barely!-my connecting flight to Maui and missed Robyn and Cheryl too. Their plane pulled out of the gate as mine was pulling in to San Francisco. I had a 6 hour wait in San Fran until my flight to Maui. It was a rough crossing, but I was very relieved and grateful to arrive in Maui at 9:30 PM Hawai'ian time. We got to the hotel by midnight. . .which was 5 AM east coast time, meaning we had all been up for well over 24 hours. Robyn and Cheryl had checked into the hotel and then drove back to get me.

I did take some good pictures from the plane. . .these are the Sierra Nevadas, some of the hills of New Mexico, and the view as we landed in San Francisco.

A Request for All of You

2007-12-31T10:41:00.001-05:00

If you scroll down here and then also click on 'older posts', you'll see all of the Christmas posts. I hope you enjoy them all!

This will be my last update for a little while. As some of you know, on January 2nd Robyn, Cheryl and I will be leaving for a week in Maui. This is not strictly a pleasure trip. We will be fulfilling my parents' final wishes, combining their ashes and spreading them in Maui.

You might guess that this will be a very emotional trip for all of us. I covet your prayers, for several items specifically:

-First, Robyn and I investigated the ins and outs of traveling with human ashes, and we decided the best and safest way was to send them ahead via FedEx. So please pray that both boxes arrive safely in Maui.

-Next, of course, we ask your prayers for traveling safety. Cheryl and Robyn are leaving (EARLY!) from Philadelphia, and I will be leaving from Orlando, and then we will meet in San Francisco on Wednesday morning. Please pray for safe and uneventful flights, for on-time connections, and for peace for all of us as we fly.

-Please pray for us as we determine the best way and/or places to spread the ashes. There are many places in Maui that were special to my parents.

-Please pray for our emotional state of mind as we are in Maui together. Pray that this can be a time of closure, of healing and of knitting us even closer together.

-Lastly, please pray for our families at home in Florida and New Jersey. It won't be easy for them either, knowing what we are going through and coping without their respective 'Mommys'.

Thank you. It will be a tremendous comfort for us to know you are all with us in spirit.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T10:36:00.001-05:00

We decided to celebrate New Years' Eve one day early by going out to dinner at the Melting Pot on Sunday night. We had a great time, we avoided all the crowds, and it was a blessed time of being together. We were happy to say good bye to 2007. I am hopeful and prayerful that 2008 is a MUCH better year!!!

A very special day

2007-12-31T10:25:00.000-05:00

Haley had expressed a desire to be baptized this year; however, since we have not yet found a church home here in Florida, we weren't sure what to do. Also, Haley is a very private person who didn't really want anyone but her family present for this very special milestone. So after consulting with some knowledgeable friends, we made the decision to have her baptism at home. Two days after Christmas, in the evening, Haley donned a baptismal gown made for her by a dear friend of ours, and Clint baptized her in the (heated!) jacuzzi. And it was very moving and a perfect baptism for Haley.

A Day at the Zoo!

2007-12-31T10:06:00.000-05:00

Two days after Christmas, it was very warm in central Florida. And Robyn and I had three boys on our hands who wanted to get out and run around! So we took all the children up to Sanford, to the Central Florida Zoological Park. It was a fun day, seeing all the animals and riding the train at the end of the day!

And of course, you know nothing finishes off an outing better than ice cream. . .can you see how much Kaden enjoyed his??

A Family Christmas Dinner

2007-12-31T09:54:00.000-05:00

We were very blessed indeed this year that Robyn, Chris and the boys joined us for Christmas Day! They had celebrated earlier at Disney World, and I went down to pick them up late Christmas morning. The kids enjoyed their time together, opening gifts. . .later we had a nice Christmas dinner. We added the British tradition of 'crackers' at dinner: everyone pulled one apart and had a little gift, a joke and paper crown inside. Nice headgear, yes?

Christmas Day!!!

2007-12-31T09:18:00.000-05:00

Now, before you scroll down and think I'm nuts. . .this blog only allows me to place five pictures per post. So I have divided our Christmas morning into six posts so that you can see it all!

You see the Christmas tree, early on Christmas morning, before anyone else has set eyes on it. And then of course--my favorite part of the day, when the kids first set eyes on the tree and what Santa left!

Haley has a special tradition of her own: each year she writes a story and has it bound for each of us, so that we have our very own "author's copy" of an original book! I can't wait to read this years' novel!

And a new thing this year. . .the kittens. They knew that there were gifts for them in their stockings--check out Calypso trying to get to his stocking! And while they were waiting, not so patiently, they got into mischief by knocking over the wastepaper basket. Lucky Santa had already come!

Devyn got a guitar for Christmas; Haley got LOTS of books and a small vacuum (she really did ask for it!); Catie got an iPod and some historical clothes; and David got toys and a sword. We are well defended down here in Apopka.

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Day Part 2

2007-12-31T09:08:00.001-05:00

A kitten under the tree; getting into mischief! David opens a gift; Catie opens her book from Haley and her iPod.

Christmas Day Part 3

2007-12-31T08:46:00.000-05:00

Catie in her new cap; David opens his sword; the kittens persist in wanting their stockings OPEN!!

Christmas Day Part 4

2007-12-31T08:39:00.000-05:00

Catie showing off her Chamberlain book; the kittens getting into their stockings, then Haley finally has mercy on them and opens their gifts. Joy at last for three good little kittens!

Christmas Day Part 5

2007-12-31T08:34:00.000-05:00

The happy but tired kittens, laying amidst their gifts; Devyn opens first a CD, then her guitar!

Christmas Day Part 6!!!

2007-12-31T07:48:00.000-05:00

Haley opening her Dyson Root 6 (she was very excited!!); Clint opening his Bonzai tree kit, from Haley; the singing princesses; David wields his sword (don't worry, it's not really sharp AND is put away around little ones).

Christmas Eve

2007-12-30T23:12:00.001-05:00

Lots of you may remember that we always had a big Christmas Eve open house at our home in New Jersey. This year was MUCH quieter. We spent much of Christmas Eve getting the house ready for Christmas Day, for the arrival of our company. Then Haley went to the hospital to do her usual volunteer shift and share some holiday cheer with the patients there. We returned home to gussy up, and we all enjoyed some our Christmas Eve favorites--swedish meatballs, chips and dip, Chick Fil A. . .yum! And of course we had punch. After we ate, the kids opened a few gifts, from people with whom we usually exchanged on Christmas Eve. The girls also received a special gift each from their daddy.

Then it was time for church! The candlelight service was beautiful, even if David did fall asleep for all but the end (and the people around us were afraid he would nod off again while holding the lit candle!). Everyone headed to bed as soon as we got home, in their new Christmas Eve pjs.

Christmas Eve Part 2

2007-12-30T23:05:00.000-05:00

Haley opens her gift from Aunt Terry and Uncle John; two tired kitties; our table all set for Christmas Day. After we had our little repast and before church, Haley and Catie treated us to a brief Christmas concert--Haley played and Catie sang! It was angelic.