Kansas City and beyond!!!

It was time to go home!! It had been 3 years since John had visited his family in KC and it was time for a visit.  But just before we left Riva stopped in to spend a couple of days with us in Greenville. Chihuly was on exhibit at the Biltmore estate and we were so excited to be able to take in all of the incredible works in glass.  It is truly an amazing work of art!! So glad that Riva suggested that we do this together!!

And off we go!  Our first stop was Mammoth Cave in Kentucky!  It was an interesting tour but it was especially interesting to learn that to date they have mapped 114 miles of this cave!  Amazing.

On to the Corvette Museum also in Kentucky!   It really was interesting, especially the exhibit that showed the salvaged and restored cars from the sinkhole collapse but guess who loved this stop the most?

Then we stopped in Campaign, Ill to see Matt and Rachel.  It was so great to see them in their new community and new church.  I feel like this visit was therapeutic for us because we were gone to Florida before they departed St. Giles and it was good to see them happily settling in.  My goodness do we miss those smiling faces!!

On to Branson, Missouri where we caught Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede.  We had heard that it was one of those not to be missed shows and it really was incredible.  Wow can those kids ride horses!!

On Thursday we arrived in Independence. John was able to dive into the Bloom last day of school tradition of a water balloon fight which he will not soon forget.  Yeah Bloom family!  We had a wonderful time visiting with John's sister, Beth and all of her kids and now their children.  As always it is so heartwarming to see the people that you have loved for all your life as incredible and loving parents, wives and husbands.  It was good for our souls to check in with them and thanks so much to TJ and Laurie for being such wonderful hosts!

After a wonderfully long Memorial Day weekend we traveled to Minnesota ,took in the Mall of America, had lunch with a long lost cousin and on to Duluth, the city where John was born. At the Mall of America..... which is so huge that the directories are electronic and interactive, they tell you not only the route to take to get to your destination but how long it will take you to walk it.  The center of the mall is all rides and attractions for the kids. Simply larger than life!

Next was Pictured Rocks in UP of Michigan.  They really are beautiful rock formations but the tour went downhill, not literally, quickly when the temperatures dropped 20 degrees and fog set in.   We bundled up our coats, thank goodness we were prepared, and the boat returned to the dock. The only upside was that our tour was refunded!! Still got some good photos!

Next was a stop in Saute. Ste. Marie, which I now know how to pronounce.  We enjoyed an absolutely beautiful park on the the Canadian side ( I just couldn't resist this slide)  and then checked out the locks and had a lovely seafood dinner on the American side.

Our final stop on this trip was to Mackinac Island, which I can now also pronounce correctly.  It is a quaint island for the rich and well to do. The modes of transportation include by foot, by bicycle and by horses and there are plenty of them.  In season there are 500 horses and 2 veterinarians which exceed the 1 human doctor.  The Grand Hotel is a 350 guest hotel that was built in 90 days.

It was a wonderful trip!!!  So glad that we saw some great sights and 

ate some great food but the best part by far was the time with our family and friends!!

Our 7th winter in Florida

I have said that this winter was probably our best yet and in some ways that may be true. Each year has its own unique vibe, with different challenges, a variety of family and friends that come down to soak in some sunshine and a new perspective. This year was a year of branching out, trying new things and going with a new flow. 

 This year we had the special blessing of having Elissa and her family and then Jenna and the boys come for a visit.  Chip and Elissa gave the girls a trip to Universal for Christmas and John and I benefited from that gift because they stayed with us.  The weather was PERFECT for their two days in the parks and they could not have had a more fabulous time.  It was so good to see them having so much fun together.  Their last night in town we took them to a Japanese Steak House which is always fun!

I had more fun with pottery and glazes and these were two of my favorites.

and John had a great time hanging  out with these girls at the Solivita car show!!

I also had the great pleasure of helping my friend Sandy get settled into her new house.  What a pure joy it was to watch her excitement as we hung pictures, curtain rods and set up all of  her beautiful things that turn a house into a home.  It was a heart warming, girl talking, fun loving weekend for us both.  Blessings to my friend in her new space!

We had a fabulous time at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom the Jenna and the kids.  Jenna had the itinerary laid out in advance and I am so glad that I pushed myself and did it all!   What they say is true that Grandchildren keep you young because I did things that I swore I would never do.....and laughed all they way!!

Christmas time!!

It is Christmas day and we have enjoyed breakfast, opened gifts and are headed to see JoAnn and Don Cundy.  I am delighted to be looking forward to good times and good food with good friends!!

But I will have to admit the holidays are sometimes hard for me.  As a child Christmas was a special time in our home which was filled with all of the smells and sounds, warmth and love of a hallmark movie. My mother loved Christmas and made it special for all of us.   Baking and wrapping went on for weeks, Christmas eve candlelight worship service, the stockings were hung by the chimney with care and the next day was filled with good food, thoughtful presents, and a day filled with family and holiday festivities   I tried to recreate that same sense of joy as the girls were growing and learning to love the holidays.

Now our celebrations are very different especially when we are away from family, but I am ever grateful..... to have my dear husband to share my life with, to have generous friends who invite us into their home and to still look forward to the joy we feel at the candlelight service on Christmas eve.

Thanksgiving and birthdays!!

We all gathered at Jenna and Jonn's house for Thanksgiving this year and it was simply wonderful!!  Then the following weekend we gathered again in Raleigh as we shared a celebration of Celia's and my birthday!  We have so much to be thankful for as we gather as a family and love and celebrate each other. 

 God has richly blessed us!!

Charleston with the Winnebago camping group!

We both love Charleston and were excited to join the Winnebago camping group for an October trip.  There were not a lot of pictures that came out of this trip but we had so much fun and enjoyed our time with Lauren Smith!!!

Beautiful backyard!!

Our back yard this fall was BEAUTIFUL!!  It has been a work in progress for 7 years now and finally the fruits of our labors are blooming.  It may seem like a small thing but I can't tell you how much we enjoyed this spectacular fall view!

But this was also the time when the back deck could no longer be ignored..... Thank goodness Christina and Billy carved out time in their busy schedules to lead the charge.  This project was farther outside our skill set than we knew and we were VERY grateful that Saunders and Saunders came to save the day!  We have such a beautiful deck  now!!

Celia and Lily for 2 whole weeks - lucky Nana and Papa!!

Elissa's new work schedule required more help with the girls so we were lucky enough to get 2 weeks with them.  Our first week was spent camping at Yogi in the Smokies in Cherokee,NC! The weather was great and the heated pool was a big hit!!  They went crazy with the nicknames at lunch one day, Lily is Peaches, Celia is Popcorn and Papa is Tostidos....mine is yet to be determined.

                                                            Oconaluftee Indian Village

                                                               Cherokee handiwork

                                                                  Sweet, sweet girls

The 2nd week we were back in Raleigh!!  The temperatures were crazy hot so inside activities were the order of the week!  My did we have a good time with them!  We are certainly blessed grandparents!!

                                                    Raleigh Museum of Natural Sciences

                                                  Who knew that we could still bowl?

                                                                    Trampoline fun!