tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38746533908143558172024-03-18T20:01:23.166-05:00My Favorite Color is YouI need all of you to stop what you're doing and listen.vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.comBlogger513125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-82770340044839372252024-03-18T20:00:00.002-05:002024-03-18T20:00:36.480-05:00Dutch Turns Twelve<p>He is officially a pre-teen! Can't believe this is his last semester in elementary school and next year the middle school years begin. He still makes me proud with his academic achievements and the respect he shows his elders. He got 2nd place in the school spelling bee this year and placed 6th in the district-wide Number Sense competition for 6th graders. I signed him up for Cotillion against his wishes, but I think he had a good time with his friends and it was worth every penny to me when we danced together on Parents' night! His favorite music right now is AJR and Macklemore; he watched the entire Office series; he loves the comedian Nate Bargatze; and he still stays up too late reading every night. He's got a great friend group and I have a feeling they'll be seeing a lot of each other this summer. Happy 12th birthday, kiddo. Your dad and I love you tons. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEvAqpl2z0TPfkRUefNWQ93XIrVY6uZ3cigFYQgv2Ey0mkeI5UVrivNg8rlLUjgBWS8eB0hHd_wmtUZN5QlhW4PCwFCC-fKYQp1t9aMoeb5uOaYvmghLO4XgYt-jODkwRPjE3KJCmt6xHYdkbFxHkxlBQB27weSNJIH6aZFP6dm3PggYpAc27rmfpaizE/s2016/IMG_1710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEvAqpl2z0TPfkRUefNWQ93XIrVY6uZ3cigFYQgv2Ey0mkeI5UVrivNg8rlLUjgBWS8eB0hHd_wmtUZN5QlhW4PCwFCC-fKYQp1t9aMoeb5uOaYvmghLO4XgYt-jODkwRPjE3KJCmt6xHYdkbFxHkxlBQB27weSNJIH6aZFP6dm3PggYpAc27rmfpaizE/s320/IMG_1710.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wqA3VPlTWIThmKe2xeGqClO0i4t5Oo-SdS4pRETiFbqL-n4fq4comsjSZWjG2i-Nie898oe5nh3XNRKsj4Jhz_LEabdNElwj-xeRFGJacz79UPPCxugRJGYpeeMMuzgG7uyv4oNX_MRFZ5EhqQldAAtNaXIoSuffoo-ZKCv1Iifk2nA6P0EPbqY_JVsR/s2016/IMG_2654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lcUuKxZ7evOJq9jUSF_OgfiQWzen3ox_W4KQxi5c7pHfBHtAOoXV4f22PpvSpLxEs3uqEV7ESxudA6meoU_IIVl8nk64KdmIwsqFqxucKbrAPoXPsjZlne_X0RqdxYLWXw_wc1lBOyEP-J7BRl-ebVBizpBTniZEN5e00qnEuTN0kot8pU6VG5SOj_u8/s2016/IMG_4997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lcUuKxZ7evOJq9jUSF_OgfiQWzen3ox_W4KQxi5c7pHfBHtAOoXV4f22PpvSpLxEs3uqEV7ESxudA6meoU_IIVl8nk64KdmIwsqFqxucKbrAPoXPsjZlne_X0RqdxYLWXw_wc1lBOyEP-J7BRl-ebVBizpBTniZEN5e00qnEuTN0kot8pU6VG5SOj_u8/s320/IMG_4997.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7I21rlsPDBkRQFCxu6Kzp1zakOnp5Vz-VfBIa8fMq5rYK-MCXL3UBocmaAdkzDkl3YH1VlE9FAwt3oOYftuao10-LYWCXcQx0DYmROADnhBDHAYoQFIshNL0Idcx45pVYnqnexFjU0EYgQwmj1Tsv9fqpBNzBQXTH-KC6_Pbxwcger5VgnrNSPpJMIUo/s1314/Screenshot%202023-09-26%20at%209.28.48%E2%80%AFAM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1314" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7I21rlsPDBkRQFCxu6Kzp1zakOnp5Vz-VfBIa8fMq5rYK-MCXL3UBocmaAdkzDkl3YH1VlE9FAwt3oOYftuao10-LYWCXcQx0DYmROADnhBDHAYoQFIshNL0Idcx45pVYnqnexFjU0EYgQwmj1Tsv9fqpBNzBQXTH-KC6_Pbxwcger5VgnrNSPpJMIUo/s320/Screenshot%202023-09-26%20at%209.28.48%E2%80%AFAM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-69446144462618264352024-01-24T11:42:00.001-06:002024-01-24T11:42:30.416-06:00Jude Turns Nine!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTX8qnvEVOmufRrmX7Mi9_GLDY2av5dM8BtKSeMPiDHYqB7ng9PoXXCPcBmRGPxYH5GuIOXMPu_pI5eStppQHR99eV3ZHi-ikDWMrJNz4bNYu_JIrurlsjmeCqmjCmThFmHYRX8OHmWFYGzLHNabZsRe_ohZ1VdyC2hlYynBe_eRsj4MPozzDB5jRlFji/s2208/IMG_4897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1242" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTX8qnvEVOmufRrmX7Mi9_GLDY2av5dM8BtKSeMPiDHYqB7ng9PoXXCPcBmRGPxYH5GuIOXMPu_pI5eStppQHR99eV3ZHi-ikDWMrJNz4bNYu_JIrurlsjmeCqmjCmThFmHYRX8OHmWFYGzLHNabZsRe_ohZ1VdyC2hlYynBe_eRsj4MPozzDB5jRlFji/s320/IMG_4897.JPG" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Turning nine and feeling fine. This fly kiddo celebrated his birthday in late November with a trip to <a href="https://hapik.us/your-center/firewheel-garland-tx" target="_blank">Hapik</a> with his friends. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgHQ7pkPpHp_UPSAUrofoHjE8eygJLK8CIkYQmLp_O8-61qJ6WIMw9fj1ynwzExiTz77dnEET-imAmMATNMMKi5kAHTRjo50quwNTuYV51-D57iFKf5TjCG0jqUZKXPqu_4HX0Y4SYVcTybqVWNwyFJ-ntKkw0MwVqd1wUzx8bcnxIlXmyMMSrNkCtZVo/s4032/IMG_4822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgHQ7pkPpHp_UPSAUrofoHjE8eygJLK8CIkYQmLp_O8-61qJ6WIMw9fj1ynwzExiTz77dnEET-imAmMATNMMKi5kAHTRjo50quwNTuYV51-D57iFKf5TjCG0jqUZKXPqu_4HX0Y4SYVcTybqVWNwyFJ-ntKkw0MwVqd1wUzx8bcnxIlXmyMMSrNkCtZVo/s320/IMG_4822.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIIJJ4Def-u4liSBpxpmpYz6L2Le1jMOjgYPz5C68BrJa0FYNhuo4DaC2NYH7YKRz2EMMV1W0EdzlHttb2p42c-mnuKwARIDLveknLwQvbuCd-r7aHBKYyVOu0ea66_uY61orzYes8pHeBgWUibhO1g1dvcqVW212vz6bEK6pHCRq8ljBT4O5I10bFooLZ/s4032/IMG_4845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIIJJ4Def-u4liSBpxpmpYz6L2Le1jMOjgYPz5C68BrJa0FYNhuo4DaC2NYH7YKRz2EMMV1W0EdzlHttb2p42c-mnuKwARIDLveknLwQvbuCd-r7aHBKYyVOu0ea66_uY61orzYes8pHeBgWUibhO1g1dvcqVW212vz6bEK6pHCRq8ljBT4O5I10bFooLZ/s320/IMG_4845.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I'm constantly impressed by Jude's wit, memory, intelligence, affection, and desire to play. If we suggest a game, he's up for it. He's been studying Spanish a few minutes a day for the past year and I am so proud of him. Here's a sentence he put together about our small-headed dog, Zoey, that gives you a good example of his quirky mind: "La cabeza de mi perro es mas pequena que mi mano." </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">He's still obsessed with Corgis, but also has started loving Shiba Inus. He's pretty much an animal lover in general though, so it's not unusual for me to get a text with a funny animal video, or an animal park he's found online that he wants us to visit. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We gave him sparkling apple juice on NYE and now he's decided he wants to drink that year-round from a fancy glass. I'll allow it. I consider myself very lucky to be his mom and look forward to seeing what his bright future holds.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC37V8rhMkjyPBrH9KU3xRjCJXL5iSlP7t-W3H8StLbH_CDM9MlezjCBtyOhPGyhiAyiSy0gNtIpVqYJGtmGhQ4q5Y-3FXpmD2jzyJRKWuVBWqNbOU8nKQMuYIp8_BYjpuU_8v-5wjczYBmbDEFZmxbi4sQqnduTQtDHQHUC-cTJMir2fkSX7O8zAUGU1y/s3088/IMG_1556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC37V8rhMkjyPBrH9KU3xRjCJXL5iSlP7t-W3H8StLbH_CDM9MlezjCBtyOhPGyhiAyiSy0gNtIpVqYJGtmGhQ4q5Y-3FXpmD2jzyJRKWuVBWqNbOU8nKQMuYIp8_BYjpuU_8v-5wjczYBmbDEFZmxbi4sQqnduTQtDHQHUC-cTJMir2fkSX7O8zAUGU1y/s320/IMG_1556.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PlXuGbxTSm7WAAZhMETos3tnfPC-hvv8FjnLixG4Lb3vOoqCGHraeBAl4pAPxEgjmi-OjpeBuEorMHQqV5K7yYgjmxVtFFvrKmk_VJdaxU-YfqFwPO7CdXdiauC7hIGxMabI5vOmyDCyCrxz6GleIE7v8vrcGb5JBn76N8BMcz3aX3DsjZZUi1xIJm-k/s4032/IMG_2592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PlXuGbxTSm7WAAZhMETos3tnfPC-hvv8FjnLixG4Lb3vOoqCGHraeBAl4pAPxEgjmi-OjpeBuEorMHQqV5K7yYgjmxVtFFvrKmk_VJdaxU-YfqFwPO7CdXdiauC7hIGxMabI5vOmyDCyCrxz6GleIE7v8vrcGb5JBn76N8BMcz3aX3DsjZZUi1xIJm-k/s320/IMG_2592.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaHo8_najwgzazx-MQuyzIz-50Msqdiu0hJs-DmdCbPspqVgcNAfU1aprHcwP6UYX5rEyLDxO0fK-HWGBksgJZCmPqT1Eb7Rg28aWIslreB8uGacVfcKuwBQMFtupXM9WQq5QuVu_sr5aQ2YYAoQLKPG-K8V5_5qlacrJ6RtdK3zLKhpAuDNngdxqKE4Z/s4032/IMG_3340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaHo8_najwgzazx-MQuyzIz-50Msqdiu0hJs-DmdCbPspqVgcNAfU1aprHcwP6UYX5rEyLDxO0fK-HWGBksgJZCmPqT1Eb7Rg28aWIslreB8uGacVfcKuwBQMFtupXM9WQq5QuVu_sr5aQ2YYAoQLKPG-K8V5_5qlacrJ6RtdK3zLKhpAuDNngdxqKE4Z/s320/IMG_3340.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkkKiu9Ret_423D3YXFj_lo5Vg3BXSAPsNTLRnzqw_OkVvAfX2C3y-bDvDEtZ5tF66DUxBU9oKBNVU36OmoF5Z_LY4cNVZSC7nEwi0s3xpVRYPdT20ynplCOVGelzVbTAZBAjZ03272E90vOLYjthhcWT9P2_rmW3YJiyFZi_mAi6Ix-fSxXCsxaGmLJH/s4032/IMG_3838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkkKiu9Ret_423D3YXFj_lo5Vg3BXSAPsNTLRnzqw_OkVvAfX2C3y-bDvDEtZ5tF66DUxBU9oKBNVU36OmoF5Z_LY4cNVZSC7nEwi0s3xpVRYPdT20ynplCOVGelzVbTAZBAjZ03272E90vOLYjthhcWT9P2_rmW3YJiyFZi_mAi6Ix-fSxXCsxaGmLJH/s320/IMG_3838.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSFol-0ClRnDOe8yHRH8CjkCT5D2Tn8teBKkhzgzahUUzl5FUAUWkUR-SFfPWlD5X10NIpCPZati7snOxEq-qyv9vY4D_5zHVqiKNL3n7mSVfnJ-H3O7HB3c2YyrMMQU_I3re_QpMjbRrXQUcpMxNumgfXAq0znPsj-OtLgJrzpydoP1_Ac68nS1kCIOB/s4032/IMG_5061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSFol-0ClRnDOe8yHRH8CjkCT5D2Tn8teBKkhzgzahUUzl5FUAUWkUR-SFfPWlD5X10NIpCPZati7snOxEq-qyv9vY4D_5zHVqiKNL3n7mSVfnJ-H3O7HB3c2YyrMMQU_I3re_QpMjbRrXQUcpMxNumgfXAq0znPsj-OtLgJrzpydoP1_Ac68nS1kCIOB/s320/IMG_5061.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-88732801343408988662023-12-13T09:17:00.000-06:002023-12-13T09:17:00.814-06:00A Jude and Mom Getaway to Oregon<p>I don't get to see my high school bestie, Iris, and her daughter, Wren, very often since they live in Oregon, so I vowed to plan a trip to spend time with them before the year was over. The kids had a long weekend in November for fall break, and since I had taken Dutch on a solo trip this summer, I decided it would be perfect for Jude to tag along with me. He and Wren are close in age, so that made it even better. We flew out on Friday night so we could spend both days of the weekend with them and then come home on Monday.</p><p>Our adventure-packed Saturday started with a visit to <a href="https://vistahouse.com/">Vista House</a> in the Columbia River Gorge. The views are spectacular, but Jude was not thrilled about the drop-off! He didn't think there were enough safety measures in place, lol.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHtQ5gwVqsKoT5Zfe-tv9OeS2SgKYnOxg_E-4_CANK8Xo9IpqUQgOgs1Bn-Zf2Xr9H27FcGnYktbBJydAwos40jS_F6-ZhUX1aj-EY0dFgOU0oo3ivZ62yaYdvlioLAo0e3l0iS3aByYx-CM3aQ6IdQ7ZmUPUykig1FtvmaydwuQgo3cgtTLNudaRRhnk/s4032/IMG_4274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHtQ5gwVqsKoT5Zfe-tv9OeS2SgKYnOxg_E-4_CANK8Xo9IpqUQgOgs1Bn-Zf2Xr9H27FcGnYktbBJydAwos40jS_F6-ZhUX1aj-EY0dFgOU0oo3ivZ62yaYdvlioLAo0e3l0iS3aByYx-CM3aQ6IdQ7ZmUPUykig1FtvmaydwuQgo3cgtTLNudaRRhnk/s320/IMG_4274.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi880kG9vYWXFFmmnY1STz0jNBdb1uOOy3cHou-xli0YhgAvpFATsTgm_s6grnc5TjTiyCblYp43Bpb2nWoT5duq97jO5wJ2KGdrTWiK5LY0k9R97amLdz8by__OIhd1EXoPG1w5DsEhiVNzAUpntGsLv9ZttLGDN2dQavVYeFOV4bmOWqpOOsOOFv7hxKx/s4032/IMG_4278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi880kG9vYWXFFmmnY1STz0jNBdb1uOOy3cHou-xli0YhgAvpFATsTgm_s6grnc5TjTiyCblYp43Bpb2nWoT5duq97jO5wJ2KGdrTWiK5LY0k9R97amLdz8by__OIhd1EXoPG1w5DsEhiVNzAUpntGsLv9ZttLGDN2dQavVYeFOV4bmOWqpOOsOOFv7hxKx/s320/IMG_4278.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-pGmxozx0_Ey59GtSmt8z_gzN9Yq_ezEYMg-l6hx1J6L_susLHCBbFsk0o614qglh4x9vQURf_GplmM8fvQdBYHxlx8QmzWhuw_fj6-9kifVcNlJjTCixkeiag3wo2CUu0kXFuHy6uf3svz4sLNMm6T2AHeFbZ475utnHhTmUM4f6XOI7iEJbXXW5JQW/s4032/IMG_4285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-pGmxozx0_Ey59GtSmt8z_gzN9Yq_ezEYMg-l6hx1J6L_susLHCBbFsk0o614qglh4x9vQURf_GplmM8fvQdBYHxlx8QmzWhuw_fj6-9kifVcNlJjTCixkeiag3wo2CUu0kXFuHy6uf3svz4sLNMm6T2AHeFbZ475utnHhTmUM4f6XOI7iEJbXXW5JQW/s320/IMG_4285.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>But, have no fear, any place with a gift shop and hot chocolate is alright in his book.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5TGGUoCzLo8JatW1_93rBIbljTd1nIet3-bmSQWPBXeL7l4n-UQMguC_07KvxfVhpJAy7_TMQ9PtLpEUe_8V_DpxUvLk1WQuRvw8AHV_xYyNjYKJBYly_9M8MA4nUbKWvBiBz4Xe368c-BduwOZEvLKRJ9RkEJo1p51H5Tt85igc51mu8B9urD6NwBxF/s4032/IMG_4275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5TGGUoCzLo8JatW1_93rBIbljTd1nIet3-bmSQWPBXeL7l4n-UQMguC_07KvxfVhpJAy7_TMQ9PtLpEUe_8V_DpxUvLk1WQuRvw8AHV_xYyNjYKJBYly_9M8MA4nUbKWvBiBz4Xe368c-BduwOZEvLKRJ9RkEJo1p51H5Tt85igc51mu8B9urD6NwBxF/s320/IMG_4275.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xrRI3Kk301JHxNd7D_DDty-NhNyF-GcpYOlq-z_ZXW5E3zOCeicljkBu9AtvihnJFXjbN44j3rozP8sAIE4wQtlCTh_l-IODlfDO0tbemx9BOjtItegebIYSpg326ael4FznXLjXqAsIBimu9RZY5Voo8SYqEWXk9rZwbDaElOZ4cT-eYSkA4gHYJgd4/s4032/IMG_4276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xrRI3Kk301JHxNd7D_DDty-NhNyF-GcpYOlq-z_ZXW5E3zOCeicljkBu9AtvihnJFXjbN44j3rozP8sAIE4wQtlCTh_l-IODlfDO0tbemx9BOjtItegebIYSpg326ael4FznXLjXqAsIBimu9RZY5Voo8SYqEWXk9rZwbDaElOZ4cT-eYSkA4gHYJgd4/s320/IMG_4276.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Next up we drove to Multnomah Falls. This place was breathtaking! You could take in the falls from ground level, or hike up to a higher bridge to get a closer look. Jude was adamant he would not participate in that endeavor, but once we got to the bridge he was a great sport. It was loud!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qYxUdlqtS9r8WT_7mPDnFtcX0ngyopnxvt9esZmQzaIoXH0YtCPndX6zaE3RNNEJwrJvkUNPNrC72bth6nAN9tUIgoK03G-AREvxwACe27NC_C0n8KZ7tp-6CqrjTQF3zgH9HpdHNENHR1Q0Ez_Mu-hbqvxeZF7U0lHf07BQV3lNjZr_q7gqi5QqFfFv/s4032/IMG_4292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qYxUdlqtS9r8WT_7mPDnFtcX0ngyopnxvt9esZmQzaIoXH0YtCPndX6zaE3RNNEJwrJvkUNPNrC72bth6nAN9tUIgoK03G-AREvxwACe27NC_C0n8KZ7tp-6CqrjTQF3zgH9HpdHNENHR1Q0Ez_Mu-hbqvxeZF7U0lHf07BQV3lNjZr_q7gqi5QqFfFv/s320/IMG_4292.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JDvBoD4AXIuKWHOWHMvcbfDqLdtf6_9xTqAeGPHNyx0xNtAu7lUP4cXMyeBORdd-5ciL1YSQ8hePOv_HttYuQxNMuTuACzK0E8oUDpF5v1MBeFxYQOkTmYZL0BDp14OA-Bz3o33J_wmjuSg-i3hCAxI-zYIjH4ER-FZXY_gWvzc23a3-2ecB1YTim6dU/s4032/IMG_4289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JDvBoD4AXIuKWHOWHMvcbfDqLdtf6_9xTqAeGPHNyx0xNtAu7lUP4cXMyeBORdd-5ciL1YSQ8hePOv_HttYuQxNMuTuACzK0E8oUDpF5v1MBeFxYQOkTmYZL0BDp14OA-Bz3o33J_wmjuSg-i3hCAxI-zYIjH4ER-FZXY_gWvzc23a3-2ecB1YTim6dU/s320/IMG_4289.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOafR12_otnKdKXX6SUamq7O6e-3IQX_1k1BG4BGvvyFjTdPaFdHnQPiLmwWqhYbmiox8VpsEL0eGyLbHdHy7wGPObyeLAX3Hyta3p9OCyAPK1XA9y0LyMOrCfqBQ0HqPtF4vtSflnHbFJ8j2iPAzM015DIblf7VTFRlaIMsExJRm8xuU0KozzikQHmtL6/s4032/IMG_4299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOafR12_otnKdKXX6SUamq7O6e-3IQX_1k1BG4BGvvyFjTdPaFdHnQPiLmwWqhYbmiox8VpsEL0eGyLbHdHy7wGPObyeLAX3Hyta3p9OCyAPK1XA9y0LyMOrCfqBQ0HqPtF4vtSflnHbFJ8j2iPAzM015DIblf7VTFRlaIMsExJRm8xuU0KozzikQHmtL6/s320/IMG_4299.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We got caught in a downpour, so we took respite in the nearby Lodge Restaurant. The kids took turns standing by the fireplace to try and dry their clothes! That was unsuccessful, so we all ended up buying Multnomah Falls sweatshirts in the gift shop. Definitely felt like cheesy tourists from that point forward!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdLGaMcFHMeWszipVjaUKxFRxNu8NoLSQoFQjVzP8DvXfd7yXL2TwQGq_KfjAjXq5kXhJ4smchMOqbYFLK_ljdMsHqLzLSOQFsECQr5DImoW524rfR5ZGPhVLcuE_5Frx0XTBKcv26kC3Wxe83hYBmg-HUfpnvkXJqRj9BUn3-6IVqZrl9vf3i4U7jRSY/s4032/IMG_4328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdLGaMcFHMeWszipVjaUKxFRxNu8NoLSQoFQjVzP8DvXfd7yXL2TwQGq_KfjAjXq5kXhJ4smchMOqbYFLK_ljdMsHqLzLSOQFsECQr5DImoW524rfR5ZGPhVLcuE_5Frx0XTBKcv26kC3Wxe83hYBmg-HUfpnvkXJqRj9BUn3-6IVqZrl9vf3i4U7jRSY/s320/IMG_4328.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><div>From the Falls we drove to the Bonneville Fish Hatchery. I was very pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable this stop was! We got to explore the grounds and see a lot of salmon trying to swim upstream (not always successfully). We also fed some salmon and the occasional duck that wandered over to us.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lAi60Wwwy9SM6GCLHOSIzp5HSD__kTi0IlWAkFw_Nb4cgv1PhjMwEFFhHAY2whk16bYx6wwd1ySJT3JtEyOdVGaYlhr01ymSGp4-pBqd8Jqa8ZihyphenhyphenYhKQuynNwH9JX5Es9ReWNx-mwAgSF_37gUrPIkVq8232hDgwDhwhy0kPGvzyfIptt3OsREmfoIq/s4032/IMG_4306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lAi60Wwwy9SM6GCLHOSIzp5HSD__kTi0IlWAkFw_Nb4cgv1PhjMwEFFhHAY2whk16bYx6wwd1ySJT3JtEyOdVGaYlhr01ymSGp4-pBqd8Jqa8ZihyphenhyphenYhKQuynNwH9JX5Es9ReWNx-mwAgSF_37gUrPIkVq8232hDgwDhwhy0kPGvzyfIptt3OsREmfoIq/s320/IMG_4306.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrwG95bs1tDiy2KYlfD30vkGTo5SHJuqWV-w5StykFxR0jS2dWk9GX1iuw5kEhW9myE6eBuBk6zZctKj8m19lJMqearncT04yA7yWpsmneKH8Yp32DRTm7bB8JnpRLrHQ-880EO_KB71vwF-FrXhl0SnBAfpvM5CghCWJTtdTK1pgvx_fLpp7E-hz2VLP/s4032/IMG_4308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> <img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrwG95bs1tDiy2KYlfD30vkGTo5SHJuqWV-w5StykFxR0jS2dWk9GX1iuw5kEhW9myE6eBuBk6zZctKj8m19lJMqearncT04yA7yWpsmneKH8Yp32DRTm7bB8JnpRLrHQ-880EO_KB71vwF-FrXhl0SnBAfpvM5CghCWJTtdTK1pgvx_fLpp7E-hz2VLP/s320/IMG_4308.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmLkfouzvHcraIkEGp9Nyih0RNCRoM519C2xPbLNzr0Thio4m_bbwZvqbEu3FEn20M2XUH5kj13ytOMOt96liymfCaiDhhKYt_e796SX0lwkQX7eDdKbpKugPQtNQ8-qkU1lDmLrEXG5SIRS41uEUYAyYYZ1aTcd526c4_M7N3ksUns2DOBuJb5wkcXXC/s4032/IMG_4313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmLkfouzvHcraIkEGp9Nyih0RNCRoM519C2xPbLNzr0Thio4m_bbwZvqbEu3FEn20M2XUH5kj13ytOMOt96liymfCaiDhhKYt_e796SX0lwkQX7eDdKbpKugPQtNQ8-qkU1lDmLrEXG5SIRS41uEUYAyYYZ1aTcd526c4_M7N3ksUns2DOBuJb5wkcXXC/s320/IMG_4313.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When it came time to make dinner plans, Iris informed me that the annual <a href="https://www.verboort.org/dinner">Verboort Sausage & Kraut Festival</a> was taking place that night. As a vegetarian, I don't eat sausage, but how could I pass up a one day a year event in a small Dutch community in Oregon?? I was game to check it out and Jude was a good sport as well. Unfortunately we got there too late for the bazaar, but the food was good nonetheless! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AKU3EBo2OwZYEINVw5PwyWX_x0UzB4lhS4Q0PdQqeMh99TGaUx16XakMoCNTruVDb4UWx8VCwuzaK0ARlwLwmHqCg6U9tGOCpq_c16GKZ4etA0e9gUCSn1I6SKF6OG42P6uERWM4rddRFjBeTsvvzCWlQFI4l-2oFwYyUAC-fy99YwhNaKrqG9kCDKSZ/s4032/IMG_4332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AKU3EBo2OwZYEINVw5PwyWX_x0UzB4lhS4Q0PdQqeMh99TGaUx16XakMoCNTruVDb4UWx8VCwuzaK0ARlwLwmHqCg6U9tGOCpq_c16GKZ4etA0e9gUCSn1I6SKF6OG42P6uERWM4rddRFjBeTsvvzCWlQFI4l-2oFwYyUAC-fy99YwhNaKrqG9kCDKSZ/s320/IMG_4332.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglf8C7bg8vox_Q7ml09GOQC1Rfipaq1uERCqUr8SCIfdv7NNlvBsN0p4ABSV27z-LvVuwXN_bBr29qGfSC99SEBcuP4p2krCzqQJDvU3WDmXBfMfkrVqBBc-TPkjEvOwBKMgTlcCiDIRO-5L1frHM2wZjAPl9GFyPasSXwhPE_RQpV5C20sP28kLNz7-Va/s4032/IMG_4333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglf8C7bg8vox_Q7ml09GOQC1Rfipaq1uERCqUr8SCIfdv7NNlvBsN0p4ABSV27z-LvVuwXN_bBr29qGfSC99SEBcuP4p2krCzqQJDvU3WDmXBfMfkrVqBBc-TPkjEvOwBKMgTlcCiDIRO-5L1frHM2wZjAPl9GFyPasSXwhPE_RQpV5C20sP28kLNz7-Va/s320/IMG_4333.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Sunday's first stop was to the <a href="https://www.tillamook.com/visit-us/creamery">Tillamook Creamery</a>. We took the tour, sampled some cheese, and visited the gift shop, but the kids' favorite activity was taking silly pictures in the Tillamook VW van!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholDt5HjhBFxjJlPrFrkJETa3Z6zhqqk1uvr2vpaNHwUCU3Kmr_bJag693CvaCDSgV_o7uDW3nza-SWrPfpu13M3ehP4GZ7FGDbchVnI4kIx4ACjTfLNamWQ1IiLOUIYXnEAAZV6F0oRiSR8BriYqxLdgJd3JZpGs4-KeYsf4Z4ZVxt7XK8Y0PA3Mf8fLL/s4032/IMG_4346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholDt5HjhBFxjJlPrFrkJETa3Z6zhqqk1uvr2vpaNHwUCU3Kmr_bJag693CvaCDSgV_o7uDW3nza-SWrPfpu13M3ehP4GZ7FGDbchVnI4kIx4ACjTfLNamWQ1IiLOUIYXnEAAZV6F0oRiSR8BriYqxLdgJd3JZpGs4-KeYsf4Z4ZVxt7XK8Y0PA3Mf8fLL/s320/IMG_4346.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhxKATTwl1ZYYhQnvsSJrpBajqidYvvv-wgdOtTjwxc-Yn1bblOU0QT3chzQ2RBfjP-ChXfrDNP3pTTjF2plroRS5nn5NyGYz16ygP4evPCMR5Ud-KFoMSHxhPKBXaanrUIGrlY6a08FggCTRpWzIQZwEHXEh6lLAU2TKOK2Er1A4-yVYGdXLDFvHs6wC/s4032/IMG_6291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhxKATTwl1ZYYhQnvsSJrpBajqidYvvv-wgdOtTjwxc-Yn1bblOU0QT3chzQ2RBfjP-ChXfrDNP3pTTjF2plroRS5nn5NyGYz16ygP4evPCMR5Ud-KFoMSHxhPKBXaanrUIGrlY6a08FggCTRpWzIQZwEHXEh6lLAU2TKOK2Er1A4-yVYGdXLDFvHs6wC/s320/IMG_6291.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Too many to post, but this one might be my favorite. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvaWQa0IJI4PY3yMaIWNpy6SCZWWVhdq04OMzbfWsn-wZjmzaoeqOLP_zbrsAQOfEv2neRNdw969088kVZ2VLYkFKOuljDF0LEHNI2bVeTkWG8Vyx_rRywsnkp4n1HTjUUTssGaVLIHRn6z98ZpFS30YKnRNXoOZ1fr7DrnAhLcQcivYN0H4geZ_qdM3C/s4032/IMG_4341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvaWQa0IJI4PY3yMaIWNpy6SCZWWVhdq04OMzbfWsn-wZjmzaoeqOLP_zbrsAQOfEv2neRNdw969088kVZ2VLYkFKOuljDF0LEHNI2bVeTkWG8Vyx_rRywsnkp4n1HTjUUTssGaVLIHRn6z98ZpFS30YKnRNXoOZ1fr7DrnAhLcQcivYN0H4geZ_qdM3C/s320/IMG_4341.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div>More than ten years ago I visited Iris in Oregon and she took me to Tillamook. We took a funny picture in the van at that time, so of course I had to get the kids to recreate it! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVc-0H_7rktmTUFEiACQJNBwFkPpCMfpN_abzB3CLrzaHsCqyVioJiRQbyA_vNwzxe27Cq2VyiMEXVHL-Lj2qVcoiZjbodzbo9nqmzW45gpem7BEn7VLYeBD1QSdBcL4UpTNL3QRaT0odM_mbn-a_46pCHfUzLmqvzdy6Ci-9yZ2g-sBj7BtOse217nWr/s1729/IMG_4377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="1439" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVc-0H_7rktmTUFEiACQJNBwFkPpCMfpN_abzB3CLrzaHsCqyVioJiRQbyA_vNwzxe27Cq2VyiMEXVHL-Lj2qVcoiZjbodzbo9nqmzW45gpem7BEn7VLYeBD1QSdBcL4UpTNL3QRaT0odM_mbn-a_46pCHfUzLmqvzdy6Ci-9yZ2g-sBj7BtOse217nWr/s320/IMG_4377.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div><br /></div>From there, we trekked down the coast to Florence, OR to see the <a href="https://www.sealioncaves.com/">Sea Lion Caves</a>. Unfortunately the sea lions were not hanging out in the caves at the time of our visit, but the views were still top notch. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyw3nPKvZLK2Q9WquesqxaD0wDErpk3Nk5D2m1XHPOYHH2mkyngeESjelRW4Dvv7d9NlHtTAYVfylguTPp4KiUjMnEBJqLKiPzvC1kD83deiLPkeCKB6PAY3G1zibEf2KgYCe6H2T8E_ybTt8RsIOTxuSDKjNGEOKpLIwt919B23Vpf6lSJzYCueIRKHiU/s4032/IMG_4355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyw3nPKvZLK2Q9WquesqxaD0wDErpk3Nk5D2m1XHPOYHH2mkyngeESjelRW4Dvv7d9NlHtTAYVfylguTPp4KiUjMnEBJqLKiPzvC1kD83deiLPkeCKB6PAY3G1zibEf2KgYCe6H2T8E_ybTt8RsIOTxuSDKjNGEOKpLIwt919B23Vpf6lSJzYCueIRKHiU/s320/IMG_4355.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0rZy5aJTkX1PBsHFcuL1HdxCDewvRe9AFVXIzrED74cXoY4gx3l5PRQtkA1CSEppGR8wRcmXnTx_MK5DFvtpYPrM5IpC33s7Fl691_Klc6JJ-mCdU431re0RVNTVIxgqBUIp9mbsF2AlxW3KCsSs4amsTlhJQtmBWWxW7ISyM6ca8pW9xHIGd6Y3bjWV/s4032/IMG_4358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0rZy5aJTkX1PBsHFcuL1HdxCDewvRe9AFVXIzrED74cXoY4gx3l5PRQtkA1CSEppGR8wRcmXnTx_MK5DFvtpYPrM5IpC33s7Fl691_Klc6JJ-mCdU431re0RVNTVIxgqBUIp9mbsF2AlxW3KCsSs4amsTlhJQtmBWWxW7ISyM6ca8pW9xHIGd6Y3bjWV/s320/IMG_4358.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aev0pR0E5y_0Jmuy3OIVRZ91WP5aZCGkCOV_Qx3jNcPWQpeDFDofyjaasfO9wQMuE9X9bNTomoWzbQwKFkAoGEEh0WzLIwKPCXhl4Tymnru2ewvICdv6fXE3h8OEOs_yfQRGZOytgspTp_OwbhUT9XBYf68U2KGXbTnXo2yHPg3LqYR4DuEPDj6dNbsW/s4032/IMG_6293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aev0pR0E5y_0Jmuy3OIVRZ91WP5aZCGkCOV_Qx3jNcPWQpeDFDofyjaasfO9wQMuE9X9bNTomoWzbQwKFkAoGEEh0WzLIwKPCXhl4Tymnru2ewvICdv6fXE3h8OEOs_yfQRGZOytgspTp_OwbhUT9XBYf68U2KGXbTnXo2yHPg3LqYR4DuEPDj6dNbsW/s320/IMG_6293.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>For dinner we stopped in Newport and were so pleased to find that a bunch of sea lions were taking up residence behind the <a href="https://clearwaterrestaurant.com/home">Clearwater Restaurant</a>! Jude was in heaven. Not gonna lie, I was too. I think these creatures are hilarious and I could watch their antics for quite a while. We discovered the restaurant's website has a live feed of the sea lions, so I told Meezy about it and he pulled it up and saw us on the dock nearby. Go <a href="https://newportsealions.com/">check it out</a> - it's fun. Also want to mention that the food was fantastic!</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUavZZYgd8SDsgJHnf-FqJwuWGAU2FMV0mV3CXV3WkLFhFReD1VPMda5JecuuBUaFVRm7g3uAlucTkeqoJMUv2LE1-jddP5DTE5N5DPbRHNj1O6MH3qK6W5ogm1e-16RWUhRhmsWYQh3toaHszt6TUDvaavoiukiSxPa4dKj3ce887S_3_jDbxrTIFvA9b/s4032/IMG_4371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUavZZYgd8SDsgJHnf-FqJwuWGAU2FMV0mV3CXV3WkLFhFReD1VPMda5JecuuBUaFVRm7g3uAlucTkeqoJMUv2LE1-jddP5DTE5N5DPbRHNj1O6MH3qK6W5ogm1e-16RWUhRhmsWYQh3toaHszt6TUDvaavoiukiSxPa4dKj3ce887S_3_jDbxrTIFvA9b/s320/IMG_4371.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAL5IWbV79dek_qLtf-Vlvluz8ZF8Ut4UcdT5oX_9u_snAf0fCSA9eS-kH0GDJL5CFXEafsP82MATzDQVWeXWWtw98eK22XgyNEutIaYp0zxUVuPRRTs0dwQwDxmHJPyTjLRNATUFLXvzIPDrZlIA6VRFMyOJWZXmh0hU3q-sUgbPFiXMa8skmjoCJA42n/s4032/IMG_4375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAL5IWbV79dek_qLtf-Vlvluz8ZF8Ut4UcdT5oX_9u_snAf0fCSA9eS-kH0GDJL5CFXEafsP82MATzDQVWeXWWtw98eK22XgyNEutIaYp0zxUVuPRRTs0dwQwDxmHJPyTjLRNATUFLXvzIPDrZlIA6VRFMyOJWZXmh0hU3q-sUgbPFiXMa8skmjoCJA42n/s320/IMG_4375.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Unfortunately this was the last stop of our amazing weekend and we had to call it a night. I loved this experience so, so much. It was wonderful to have special time with my youngest and of course make memories with loved ones. Take trips, y'all! </div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-1737843920613741932023-08-17T11:23:00.001-05:002023-08-17T11:23:31.676-05:00A Dutch and Mom Getaway to Cali<p> AJR has been my favorite band for a while. I love their music, but the lyrics are really what get me most of the time. The sarcasm of Birthday Party, the realness of Way Less Sad, and the optimism of 100 Bad Days; they're all great in their own way. When I found out AJR was going on tour, I definitely wanted to see them. But, life got in the way and I hadn't picked a date/location that would work for me by the time the US Tour was almost over. As summer break was coming to an end, I remembered my intention and checked tour dates one more time. Luckily, there were two options left at that point - one in California and one in Pennsylvania. The PA one was a music fest, so they wouldn't be the main attraction, and it landed on a day I already had dinner & show plans with friends back in Dallas. It was settled, then! Cali, here I come. </p><p>Meezy wouldn't be able to join me because we'd have to set up last minute childcare, and he already had a guys trip coming up soon that required PTO to be used. I decided this would be a great trip for my oldest and I to take together because he loves AJR too, and school hadn't started yet. I had enough miles earned with American to get both our flights covered, so I picked out a hotel and rental car and secured our tickets to the concert. It all came together very quickly, and we were excited to go! It had to be a short trip though, because of work and pre-existing plans, but we'd make it happen!</p><p>When we arrived in Cali on Tuesday, we went straight to Newport Beach to eat and sight-see since we couldn't check into our hotel yet. We also took the ferry to Balboa Island and checked out the pier. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFyCXFHVGYsjEp7u6TnDKLLvhfgEahi_xp7ocdtozqXszZ6Ws85XJUIY9jXqqkIX1LxZCzbR5tlPRiHfk7Yrws6IQ8TPWNHxmcCu71J-krjLLtvwNaFUJNvUl4HdblAB3v9HrHQ2iq5A_Z-9pdvtvjTLTD0eOfu0CfPOumUov2iiAtss8ZhWHgZiLLO0N/s3088/IMG_3486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFyCXFHVGYsjEp7u6TnDKLLvhfgEahi_xp7ocdtozqXszZ6Ws85XJUIY9jXqqkIX1LxZCzbR5tlPRiHfk7Yrws6IQ8TPWNHxmcCu71J-krjLLtvwNaFUJNvUl4HdblAB3v9HrHQ2iq5A_Z-9pdvtvjTLTD0eOfu0CfPOumUov2iiAtss8ZhWHgZiLLO0N/s320/IMG_3486.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORPLKp8vW9SKyswTNY5dkTNI24lsM6_LeAjZ5CUZlgbADOYizJc_DapJE4N_ucUYLgx1TDreepn5Ygj2keaFG_NC1tkKAH34ZDwWCKETiw9c88EcbO9E4wa_JU2qcP8FoXNyX85gRbChj3sbgpb3UM8PXq6B0CUaLqfof5ET4tDSs-de7q3j7J6VJXc80/s4032/IMG_3487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORPLKp8vW9SKyswTNY5dkTNI24lsM6_LeAjZ5CUZlgbADOYizJc_DapJE4N_ucUYLgx1TDreepn5Ygj2keaFG_NC1tkKAH34ZDwWCKETiw9c88EcbO9E4wa_JU2qcP8FoXNyX85gRbChj3sbgpb3UM8PXq6B0CUaLqfof5ET4tDSs-de7q3j7J6VJXc80/s320/IMG_3487.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-bNdU78YdU2n1Z7WP0oHAPdbupiFOXBadmK4m1cT1pLk0FXphocxye_91y-1f9vZGvJMt4n6cXwZcr7EOep56zMB45VBcT8aXyC-7MRwWqwU4dWsiVXkIlqD_pggG4TjUAMgYTjSJgak7IMamVVvynbZ8evEqVKxKh_SEKdW0Ja4uJTXj7pg0fehIs1k/s4032/IMG_3488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-bNdU78YdU2n1Z7WP0oHAPdbupiFOXBadmK4m1cT1pLk0FXphocxye_91y-1f9vZGvJMt4n6cXwZcr7EOep56zMB45VBcT8aXyC-7MRwWqwU4dWsiVXkIlqD_pggG4TjUAMgYTjSJgak7IMamVVvynbZ8evEqVKxKh_SEKdW0Ja4uJTXj7pg0fehIs1k/s320/IMG_3488.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlZ-wVZKmaODAcsK3-j7Blqpq5kUJAhoxLVrJ4anUKFJ6jG_za1mIiURzqKle3J9w6SIqEGLEObLnmJPPHaymc4Hc_3GQmhXWjzD-SGO2zAdOMLecXgpHX8zP2Qvs9zYdNzJHl3UL8cQkHMVdbKNrJhWBd1zhmU7WhgdDcPGyTFb6nMBKIY7o-kot33rN/s4032/IMG_3489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlZ-wVZKmaODAcsK3-j7Blqpq5kUJAhoxLVrJ4anUKFJ6jG_za1mIiURzqKle3J9w6SIqEGLEObLnmJPPHaymc4Hc_3GQmhXWjzD-SGO2zAdOMLecXgpHX8zP2Qvs9zYdNzJHl3UL8cQkHMVdbKNrJhWBd1zhmU7WhgdDcPGyTFb6nMBKIY7o-kot33rN/s320/IMG_3489.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenEzFzYoqrvhOtYxj9DAuhkuGdNIViStnmYMeprLhO8gO9WDDZGEtxxykzCq1eJT57BnBYpEZ0AotuBHgsWZNlIsWObMxdirQdYxM2InQl1GCGOQBxNgf3ka8njvx8imq3_SKISaR1nQX6Qs8sqxsdRi8vfUiFBJD8XqSmHt_7t4VfEnQB01dQFEAguPj/s4032/IMG_3491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenEzFzYoqrvhOtYxj9DAuhkuGdNIViStnmYMeprLhO8gO9WDDZGEtxxykzCq1eJT57BnBYpEZ0AotuBHgsWZNlIsWObMxdirQdYxM2InQl1GCGOQBxNgf3ka8njvx8imq3_SKISaR1nQX6Qs8sqxsdRi8vfUiFBJD8XqSmHt_7t4VfEnQB01dQFEAguPj/s320/IMG_3491.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When our hotel room was ready, we checked in and got changed so we could visit the beach, which was only one block away. The water was a little chilly, but we got used to it! A dolphin was swimming super close to shore, so that was a treat to see.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72_nIsG-zNrwTdxLsZ-cHeFq_VgrNVfPNh0DZ-86sbH37u3lu8LrN8ipGg5QQhF1PX9JaGbH2U3fH5U0pGt9AgCxQOoYXFoWqKI7DkhO-C8wfhSPc-jQavf_A-xQeQS4X9qK6P79AcuHvLe4IncPKf-EyuCqn2KiLcsxoo5I2XRmxFIL-BNR1QAH065Q8/s4032/IMG_3501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72_nIsG-zNrwTdxLsZ-cHeFq_VgrNVfPNh0DZ-86sbH37u3lu8LrN8ipGg5QQhF1PX9JaGbH2U3fH5U0pGt9AgCxQOoYXFoWqKI7DkhO-C8wfhSPc-jQavf_A-xQeQS4X9qK6P79AcuHvLe4IncPKf-EyuCqn2KiLcsxoo5I2XRmxFIL-BNR1QAH065Q8/s320/IMG_3501.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5r_EX5BppQfgzZarqLU2GWs6LtK9PmfcdvhJ6x-TMK5GofZUUnukQn1qyDZ7hZS5_1S6ZU_F0ka6ukdWznhbPQWAZAmheArlYhsA4rh93JzkBHOI62z-u_kRw7MV4jxvqaepCsV6xx4odwpcLzHxK7A7Z0_ZNBLbc4jy3ju4LO_cm3MD1cZzGQMMy47B/s1878/IMG_3658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1878" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5r_EX5BppQfgzZarqLU2GWs6LtK9PmfcdvhJ6x-TMK5GofZUUnukQn1qyDZ7hZS5_1S6ZU_F0ka6ukdWznhbPQWAZAmheArlYhsA4rh93JzkBHOI62z-u_kRw7MV4jxvqaepCsV6xx4odwpcLzHxK7A7Z0_ZNBLbc4jy3ju4LO_cm3MD1cZzGQMMy47B/s320/IMG_3658.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><br /><div>After our dip in the Pacific, we decided to drive down the coast to Laguna Beach to pick out a dinner location. Dutch loves burgers, so Ruby's Diner seemed like a good option. Afterward we went to Gelato Paradiso, which was way more popular than I realized it would be! Bit of a line, but we made it through and enjoyed our dessert before heading back to Newport Beach. Day One was a lot of fun!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPbutxgtkOQ1yvsNldel6EPHu_BrBXhhAiwbFzMDMLxMNUHqogPYKe0uIPV5FrvNWH7FVOqEvsU15eDMf7WMLsLpqqgChBWlYlKhKjv1MyUJvd_D7sxQVZymsEOnLwIqZ0cpUna13nv_mA9ECu9se3Gkf784WYDwEAza5L3c6kCYTCenCpLk9o0boAVo2/s4032/IMG_3504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPbutxgtkOQ1yvsNldel6EPHu_BrBXhhAiwbFzMDMLxMNUHqogPYKe0uIPV5FrvNWH7FVOqEvsU15eDMf7WMLsLpqqgChBWlYlKhKjv1MyUJvd_D7sxQVZymsEOnLwIqZ0cpUna13nv_mA9ECu9se3Gkf784WYDwEAza5L3c6kCYTCenCpLk9o0boAVo2/s320/IMG_3504.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Day Two started with a delicious breakfast at Eat Chow, right by our hotel. Then we headed into Anaheim to check out Camelot Golfland. It was amazing! The mini-golf had legit obstacles, and if you're from Dallas, it was reminiscent of Ellen's Amusement Center. That was a lot of fun, but it was actually getting a little hot in the sun, so we headed inside to check out the arcade. Another area where we were pretty impressed. Tons of games, including ones we hadn't seen before, so we spent quite a bit of time there. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVRlNb1HanpY46LmVFJ87wtUvRnddabNqhbDv3v7UwA3ILzK9D8kvkS8jdMtmWslQHzYjDKGIvPxUyzNAHD8Zh-S9CgUdkzUmB93XC87GUdBskej8fqCixuBYDaJDwhpf-JowPCM4JwXw_tugmnHC2_EL9LO7Yd3kXxwb29Qx2sNs8wJKDusmcmlvcyoJ/s4032/IMG_3513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVRlNb1HanpY46LmVFJ87wtUvRnddabNqhbDv3v7UwA3ILzK9D8kvkS8jdMtmWslQHzYjDKGIvPxUyzNAHD8Zh-S9CgUdkzUmB93XC87GUdBskej8fqCixuBYDaJDwhpf-JowPCM4JwXw_tugmnHC2_EL9LO7Yd3kXxwb29Qx2sNs8wJKDusmcmlvcyoJ/s320/IMG_3513.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCZ8OTFEG4WTNsqVcZnxhlp1DI-gsjkNz6KkbIZNyCM_NtWRc1T32AyR9oheKQMmmR72Z6Xyc5IOKNF0HYW9Epd324cIHX6drZGyHcSa1Ypf4J66EufYbA3nhhTca35E1xp5lBGIJcZrsZTEvaoOW2ORDPK2SH45jLXtD6o8NS3hi5Ho8Z6Zww1LJxH9b/s4032/IMG_3516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCZ8OTFEG4WTNsqVcZnxhlp1DI-gsjkNz6KkbIZNyCM_NtWRc1T32AyR9oheKQMmmR72Z6Xyc5IOKNF0HYW9Epd324cIHX6drZGyHcSa1Ypf4J66EufYbA3nhhTca35E1xp5lBGIJcZrsZTEvaoOW2ORDPK2SH45jLXtD6o8NS3hi5Ho8Z6Zww1LJxH9b/s320/IMG_3516.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXgY5563yvHTigCZig6ylViLXg21YLGwaXnghb5_QJ3o9HLS_u0h_BPHnd93G_PRDroTi-Us9RPjZ9lZN14KQdsy3-HMNj8wgjPYK8eysqv2t5K0TwRKeWHzuVYTJmRCMC9T6kr21olxMoawCSgr0ggy9qdGfXyM4E3Ul75RpydWF2GLVm7MI4Kx6QD08/s4032/IMG_3518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXgY5563yvHTigCZig6ylViLXg21YLGwaXnghb5_QJ3o9HLS_u0h_BPHnd93G_PRDroTi-Us9RPjZ9lZN14KQdsy3-HMNj8wgjPYK8eysqv2t5K0TwRKeWHzuVYTJmRCMC9T6kr21olxMoawCSgr0ggy9qdGfXyM4E3Ul75RpydWF2GLVm7MI4Kx6QD08/s320/IMG_3518.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We grabbed some lunch at the Outlets at Orange on the way back to our hotel and then relaxed for a couple hours in anticipation of our main event! Unbeknownst to me when I bought our concert tickets, the site location was at the OC Fair and there was actually a fair going on. So, our tickets got us entry to that as well. We showed up about 2 hours early so we could check out the fair beforehand, and I'm glad we did! We rode some rides and played games and Dutch even won a stuffed animal. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7BlwqgxTPu8vvPS5BEmqzYXcAVywRgx0JeRs65HqOnSaO2DXqqXcrqa-NNNDNHimrLAA1S_75zBWXFscg40FS46rKBsRvXxhGaamf1Y4k5p8VD55IubcNXfVWvMhFQn-fSBjFWo35JF4MHXaGQwv9YQMTidn1mQJzFAh0T39zqTEvNuFJYBcLyDETD4T/s4032/IMG_3530%20-%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7BlwqgxTPu8vvPS5BEmqzYXcAVywRgx0JeRs65HqOnSaO2DXqqXcrqa-NNNDNHimrLAA1S_75zBWXFscg40FS46rKBsRvXxhGaamf1Y4k5p8VD55IubcNXfVWvMhFQn-fSBjFWo35JF4MHXaGQwv9YQMTidn1mQJzFAh0T39zqTEvNuFJYBcLyDETD4T/s320/IMG_3530%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLsl8i5V_iGKpk5PsZ50fHKHp2R2X6nOUbQRVeQpJUfDXalTjObSOM-Vm2gHsGA4BmCEpD5AHM6PiJkfOfAjAO4UNlGnUK4xGShwiukd4PWL23HYw_owFocFnAe7Cf29-NvkemS0y1LMTq4XZOP8tsuWcTAviJuD3D9J2YDQC1Rc0mSDdiGpDq12yJpXx/s4032/IMG_3531%20-%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLsl8i5V_iGKpk5PsZ50fHKHp2R2X6nOUbQRVeQpJUfDXalTjObSOM-Vm2gHsGA4BmCEpD5AHM6PiJkfOfAjAO4UNlGnUK4xGShwiukd4PWL23HYw_owFocFnAe7Cf29-NvkemS0y1LMTq4XZOP8tsuWcTAviJuD3D9J2YDQC1Rc0mSDdiGpDq12yJpXx/s320/IMG_3531%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1Ge-sHRWIiOBFiyU2GkzU9Q4n-wkFpDp5CNU5rVtQOXwAyHCK9yveg5ZdClT7dCsMno0tzL4A_Q4Kg-TCyaYkESU3Y_nx-4V_yeOna0o5jLRCpzBB3E_ZxtwRjoBpZPpz14ece5xjnLyDLR0paUik_DEMeu4eGdVPdjgcELRxQS37NEMBAAKh6UVXUyd/s2247/IMG_3534%20-%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2247" data-original-width="1685" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1Ge-sHRWIiOBFiyU2GkzU9Q4n-wkFpDp5CNU5rVtQOXwAyHCK9yveg5ZdClT7dCsMno0tzL4A_Q4Kg-TCyaYkESU3Y_nx-4V_yeOna0o5jLRCpzBB3E_ZxtwRjoBpZPpz14ece5xjnLyDLR0paUik_DEMeu4eGdVPdjgcELRxQS37NEMBAAKh6UVXUyd/s320/IMG_3534%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRQy0iSuHnN2fd3gJZB7AVjAYg6VNmh7j1A8Pt1DbWBphI7xqv4Qc52ter1gS217Qpki7De7yukP1exXM28cDxYL7JV551kGUeymswav4nUVH9hpBC4DZWXT2AvtCCZ8iOKX5uuQsIE12ggQKbMtioxVGzxCJ7rCImNWEFnTYVbuAdhJJWRu1vp3Sovil/s4032/IMG_3536%20-%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRQy0iSuHnN2fd3gJZB7AVjAYg6VNmh7j1A8Pt1DbWBphI7xqv4Qc52ter1gS217Qpki7De7yukP1exXM28cDxYL7JV551kGUeymswav4nUVH9hpBC4DZWXT2AvtCCZ8iOKX5uuQsIE12ggQKbMtioxVGzxCJ7rCImNWEFnTYVbuAdhJJWRu1vp3Sovil/s320/IMG_3536%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhosee533yTY1swAXqevBQRQS8_4nNGxmR7smkjWNz6Sam1M2gdP2_pgKhmY0oGNib11T2g9lOF-WqmVHwz0_52kqpNRnaaxmV7sbYY60Hzl6OJxcPgwHWXPi4d8NwoFcKeo4gtY7RoPYSGOomje2fOiBdkBBAZGlSBSCy3XUOt-HwAsayMV_rDJwl7I1/s4032/IMG_3537%20-%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhosee533yTY1swAXqevBQRQS8_4nNGxmR7smkjWNz6Sam1M2gdP2_pgKhmY0oGNib11T2g9lOF-WqmVHwz0_52kqpNRnaaxmV7sbYY60Hzl6OJxcPgwHWXPi4d8NwoFcKeo4gtY7RoPYSGOomje2fOiBdkBBAZGlSBSCy3XUOt-HwAsayMV_rDJwl7I1/s320/IMG_3537%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When it was concert time, we headed in and discovered we had great seats! I couldn't tell when I bought them what our vantage point would be, I only knew they were called "box" seats. We were in an amphitheater, so it wasn't like a suite, but it was a sectioned off area at the back of the first level with just a limited number of seats in it and a rail to divide us from the masses. That actually was perfect for Dutch's first concert because he wasn't overwhelmed by being around a lot of other people, and he was able to stand up by the rail and have a good view of the entire stage. We even had our own server so we were able to order food and drinks and have them delivered to us. Let's hope Dutch doesn't get too used to that for future concerts!<br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtL_uXIAwvkXLHK3gGR9QODk_3cbPhydxiQM19ACi6ZhWGgtk_qiVXrrtDB6YVYHmVHkuLfHEoxfA7hkpl6dIE17iGGRF7gVJNURq0nuGEYwCizWMpY1cidCg1wryM1b_F7qbe_Dw2M6owP-MQO8v5AunXM4CeFKV22Q94LcycnN_FJs-Xlp6xLMLg8CH/s4032/IMG_3539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtL_uXIAwvkXLHK3gGR9QODk_3cbPhydxiQM19ACi6ZhWGgtk_qiVXrrtDB6YVYHmVHkuLfHEoxfA7hkpl6dIE17iGGRF7gVJNURq0nuGEYwCizWMpY1cidCg1wryM1b_F7qbe_Dw2M6owP-MQO8v5AunXM4CeFKV22Q94LcycnN_FJs-Xlp6xLMLg8CH/s320/IMG_3539.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKtfh1SCTTk4Nd3Iu01IgBv6R9AxC_-XseiNpK4DSHOAM55m_hP7LC7JRoK-8Kit2MJX4jPPCxz9I3zLtKif3EgAmlh30LiLeUA7m9p-rwz2RWBFunRs3HGgxGdiwwQrkzsOPcroHuqK4nuIrmi3SbPAUKMA2LM4Msba0U-88WOHtcVJ5vYupxB6m_tp3/s3088/IMG_3540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKtfh1SCTTk4Nd3Iu01IgBv6R9AxC_-XseiNpK4DSHOAM55m_hP7LC7JRoK-8Kit2MJX4jPPCxz9I3zLtKif3EgAmlh30LiLeUA7m9p-rwz2RWBFunRs3HGgxGdiwwQrkzsOPcroHuqK4nuIrmi3SbPAUKMA2LM4Msba0U-88WOHtcVJ5vYupxB6m_tp3/s320/IMG_3540.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The opening act was Em Beihold, and Dutch likes her song Numb Little Bug. He knows all the words, so it was fun to see him singing along. We weren't familiar with her other songs at that point, so it was nice to find out that we liked a couple more. He kept asking how many more songs she was going to sing, though, because he was eagerly awaiting AJR's performance!<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7FP1dmNy32xWP6onmKmeSHTqUpeebhG1cQ0gqua5TVs_xIT6l-6BxBRpiS9N6FvrDJcl05DIkB7ckU-VoHRjf6LITUOnGtyuxPZUQV8EXbRpmQVJxmAGsXQ5jgF4jqHnBuJYaYK0QicyDqvF6bIfFREiB4sg57-qyyb9ezrGd2vfiAApxInD36XYucdN/s4032/IMG_3541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7FP1dmNy32xWP6onmKmeSHTqUpeebhG1cQ0gqua5TVs_xIT6l-6BxBRpiS9N6FvrDJcl05DIkB7ckU-VoHRjf6LITUOnGtyuxPZUQV8EXbRpmQVJxmAGsXQ5jgF4jqHnBuJYaYK0QicyDqvF6bIfFREiB4sg57-qyyb9ezrGd2vfiAApxInD36XYucdN/s320/IMG_3541.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Finally it was the moment we had been waiting for! AJR came on and we got up out of our seats. I didn't sit down for the entire performance from that point forward, but Dutch did take a break for one song before getting right back to it. It feels silly to say, but the concert was amazing. I loved every minute of it. The guys are so energetic and upbeat and fun to watch. They really love what they do and since they write all their songs, their performance is even more convincing. They interacted with the fans directly because surprisingly they were super close to the first row. They even did a stuffed animal swap with one of the fans, because they had actually visited the fair before the show too. Dutch knew almost all the songs, so we were both singing along and dancing and putting our hands in the air and having a great time. It was like 1.5 hours of non-stop smiling and joy. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikcWvFJ1lXn_t3EPMb6XEMEJvzPFmkvmtJfE6HWbSJR8v4BoI5FD9v31LCQVD9XcQ7z-lMcrVkobg7MKRakVumRcaciclIuH9cpWUw4h4ZINcYpVKH459So4YxpYtlRgcWMS-03LTiGOF98g9aujRueu1bkRvBKpkGIzciiNZr60WS98RkUEZBcSQwVNL/s4032/IMG_3553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikcWvFJ1lXn_t3EPMb6XEMEJvzPFmkvmtJfE6HWbSJR8v4BoI5FD9v31LCQVD9XcQ7z-lMcrVkobg7MKRakVumRcaciclIuH9cpWUw4h4ZINcYpVKH459So4YxpYtlRgcWMS-03LTiGOF98g9aujRueu1bkRvBKpkGIzciiNZr60WS98RkUEZBcSQwVNL/s320/IMG_3553.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIz3HBxnEHgykZVPZmbko1syWYYaUJmsbQe-VhcBCcWap6GosJDqlm7lkGMAmBnPyNW0OaQ2s3GGe7cZ6T8nmilpC_7wSpOGx2xxjI4uosCnF3OIxbY0LPrhH3naYDTC0OR3Dfnf8_5HHg3wzVTiTmTUobKV23ZS1jKQBvoA9pSXt-BPYxqnCnSSUtUmwB/s4032/IMG_3560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIz3HBxnEHgykZVPZmbko1syWYYaUJmsbQe-VhcBCcWap6GosJDqlm7lkGMAmBnPyNW0OaQ2s3GGe7cZ6T8nmilpC_7wSpOGx2xxjI4uosCnF3OIxbY0LPrhH3naYDTC0OR3Dfnf8_5HHg3wzVTiTmTUobKV23ZS1jKQBvoA9pSXt-BPYxqnCnSSUtUmwB/s320/IMG_3560.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I am so, so glad I booked this last minute experience for us and I will honestly cherish these memories for a long time. Take the trips you've been wanting to take, y'all. Get out there and live life. vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-17253174411054301862023-05-17T19:14:00.013-05:002023-05-17T19:15:47.811-05:00The Family You Choose<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In 2009, while Meezy and I were in our mid-20s, we made the unusual decision to host a high school foreign exchange student in our home for 6 months. We could not have fathomed at the time how that would have such a profound effect on our lives, for the rest of our lives. Kim </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">became part of our family, and I don’t mean that as a cliché. We’d do anything for her. Likewise, her entire family welcomed us into the fold and we created special connections that I’m so </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">grateful for. In 2015, when Kim was making her nearly annual trip to visit us again, we got to meet her love interest, Fabian</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We knew Kim wouldn’t settle for anyone who wasn’t kind, smart, caring, and funny, and we were right. He’s a catch! And it was like we had known Fabian all along. He even spent Thanksgiving with us last year! They are perfect for each other and we were thrilled to gain another family member. Recently, they made it official in Germany, and we had the privilege and honor of being in attendance. The American crew filled up a whole table at the reception! It’s hard to fully convey what these two mean to us, but I can easily say we’ll travel the 5,000 miles (or 8,000 km!) over and over again, anytime we can. We love you guys and we look forward to all the fun memories we’ll keep making in the years to come.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTk0r1vKnNjJ1oK5Tzlw2MTlzsFixtBSFTLkssQp5hIgDJVV084kGBfBphKBSOnKxyD0QFQkFgtWCAtEcddVHBXE6jHydhPxjSwUDCGnVL-IUDbWx98-jXQvjcMyLqnDtxbkWzgTSOkz6kMnqwRc77G2yvsm-tRZ3EM4nOzcUeAWF7yH9X5iqBsVpYzg/s1865/344948733_645999694222217_2961010864106832860_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1865" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTk0r1vKnNjJ1oK5Tzlw2MTlzsFixtBSFTLkssQp5hIgDJVV084kGBfBphKBSOnKxyD0QFQkFgtWCAtEcddVHBXE6jHydhPxjSwUDCGnVL-IUDbWx98-jXQvjcMyLqnDtxbkWzgTSOkz6kMnqwRc77G2yvsm-tRZ3EM4nOzcUeAWF7yH9X5iqBsVpYzg/s320/344948733_645999694222217_2961010864106832860_n.jpg" width="201" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCarfuFpqKD_Rzx5qdD8maUHuoVtFTYLY-Uj5fYk3DX__65uCGQqaKYpIm8g4ZB0_B9SOU8pfem5SRQAGlDWjuh9QrPPKzUpygzh_yhR_xON4wHPSRGcDaWLaBxmX6TXGhEEENOQvk2NIZfN-R9ED6bbPEpO24qEla38VmlZgpmdWpBcKMDcjRsat3DA/s2048/345042561_637061567759321_6576327817356690140_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCarfuFpqKD_Rzx5qdD8maUHuoVtFTYLY-Uj5fYk3DX__65uCGQqaKYpIm8g4ZB0_B9SOU8pfem5SRQAGlDWjuh9QrPPKzUpygzh_yhR_xON4wHPSRGcDaWLaBxmX6TXGhEEENOQvk2NIZfN-R9ED6bbPEpO24qEla38VmlZgpmdWpBcKMDcjRsat3DA/s320/345042561_637061567759321_6576327817356690140_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcnShlPfFNYotfdZJfoMkKQz-fuIM963RhLbKnFnBc8JMwNDN-CxXvZEc7U1GDNXwIW9qUXsEmhTBZl8yrSVmvgKmAUzRBZsYjuzk6DDWhLB2_NKd_Z8dNDyFWG3Xi92KEBAhpVF9UGkaMnsDPNWsh_zCU0Vjh2pZAn787X9yjIrdAjuuy771g2q5FQ/s2048/344831610_235683335718326_3925636342207840990_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcnShlPfFNYotfdZJfoMkKQz-fuIM963RhLbKnFnBc8JMwNDN-CxXvZEc7U1GDNXwIW9qUXsEmhTBZl8yrSVmvgKmAUzRBZsYjuzk6DDWhLB2_NKd_Z8dNDyFWG3Xi92KEBAhpVF9UGkaMnsDPNWsh_zCU0Vjh2pZAn787X9yjIrdAjuuy771g2q5FQ/s320/344831610_235683335718326_3925636342207840990_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Outside of the wedding festivities, we also got to take a quick jaunt to Maastricht, NL for dinner with my extended family and spent time sight-seeing in Bonn and Koln. Wish we had been able to spend more time in Europe for this trip, but nonetheless, the time we had was well worth it!</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9_mvkrdF2FSEdUb4W9ee-NmOg4Ad2BBIDhPADCMF-PoW9I1A_63sP_43o7DbjlfHAyOtAcfwFEVttY_tZmEoSNmN8JDT8JGZZ4ynVVY8CjItnqOfoCfjXpXYSeZYhcMK-D_6JxXbd4m1kbVPCEjy2vgIqsEd20ZQCoNW5AlyecgY5tD1CD554_kXXg/s960/344802429_514546787552905_2148166321995396372_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9_mvkrdF2FSEdUb4W9ee-NmOg4Ad2BBIDhPADCMF-PoW9I1A_63sP_43o7DbjlfHAyOtAcfwFEVttY_tZmEoSNmN8JDT8JGZZ4ynVVY8CjItnqOfoCfjXpXYSeZYhcMK-D_6JxXbd4m1kbVPCEjy2vgIqsEd20ZQCoNW5AlyecgY5tD1CD554_kXXg/s320/344802429_514546787552905_2148166321995396372_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the sports world, we’d call my past year a “rebuilding” year. From getting braces, to discovering skin cancer on my face, to having elbow surgery, to undergoing an intense double jaw surgery…it’s been a lot, to say the least. But, Janet 4.0 is almost fully charged. </span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I watched a show on Netflix recently about how to live a rich life. It doesn’t mean your bank account has to be robust; it means living a life that is full. Living life intentionally, proactively, and <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>abundantly. I think I’ve done well in that regard, despite my challenges over the past year. I’ve prioritized spending time with my husband, kids, and best friends on a weekly basis. I’ve taken the trips I wanted to take. I’ve pushed off work sometimes so I could volunteer, because it’s important to me. I’ve exercised even though I was tired. I’ve also ordered the gelato without guilt because calories don’t count on vacation. I’ve learned to say no to things I don’t want to do. I’m making conscious choices to shape my life into what I want it to be. 40 years feels like a long time and yet it feels like no time at all. I have so much to be grateful for, and so many amazing memories accrued, but I am confident the best is yet to come. Cheers to the next 40. I hope you’ll come along with me for the ride.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRtN0y49vQVJQZTnyaZMFBksU5yJW66A35cbgest12XP57yl7joEwgaj0jFkP6r7R-XlNHftedCH9SGqZe1GFwVNrno0u6bPIAFik8CEw4DTBBq_vXGcYXGx8BY0n6LA37odi3NfltMSWeQ1pvXhgAELRiuLKrSJs1QOpxbtRu2Syf57kUmZCJ2oCMw/s2048/345430889_1293872264814793_5367938920385233940_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRtN0y49vQVJQZTnyaZMFBksU5yJW66A35cbgest12XP57yl7joEwgaj0jFkP6r7R-XlNHftedCH9SGqZe1GFwVNrno0u6bPIAFik8CEw4DTBBq_vXGcYXGx8BY0n6LA37odi3NfltMSWeQ1pvXhgAELRiuLKrSJs1QOpxbtRu2Syf57kUmZCJ2oCMw/s320/345430889_1293872264814793_5367938920385233940_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've struggled with taking pictures after jaw surgery, because my face is still swollen and I haven't regained full function yet. I cringe at the way I look, but I didn't want to miss the chance to capture my sweet boys all dressed up.</span></span></div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-39020753025548984972023-04-17T22:18:00.001-05:002023-04-17T22:18:52.176-05:00Skin Cancer<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looks like I’ll never be a middle-aged model! This is my PSA to get your skin checked! In November I noticed a small spot on my face that felt unusual, so I went to a dermatologist. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrr0NrIQv1RtdZIzEmv6qjQ1rVIpP06G9YnjeJhjfsAEjk0BrgsKWlY6Kp-cNp-VDs0olmP1No4oLfUYyoCrQWJ3r04d3YavHzVGgWb4IcX4FsV11PTNP75FzBAeyW_xJzrj25tk2_H3tx38LLCKy8OMx8lfcYhUo3iA9wUT1JqZo_cngjPu2VFM8N4w/s2048/323060092_5492446630883904_720964760183375412_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrr0NrIQv1RtdZIzEmv6qjQ1rVIpP06G9YnjeJhjfsAEjk0BrgsKWlY6Kp-cNp-VDs0olmP1No4oLfUYyoCrQWJ3r04d3YavHzVGgWb4IcX4FsV11PTNP75FzBAeyW_xJzrj25tk2_H3tx38LLCKy8OMx8lfcYhUo3iA9wUT1JqZo_cngjPu2VFM8N4w/s320/323060092_5492446630883904_720964760183375412_n.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">They performed a biopsy and sure enough it was skin cancer - basal cell carcinoma. Very common and routine to remove, especially because I caught it early, but the location on my cheek, next to my eye, made me nervous. I had Mohs surgery in late December and they were </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">successful in removing it all. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNfR-Fe3ZgDThdMzfxx_cj86E8cYze6gl98yhIelLbR0hIcBfMuVZGpKYGhRwGPQtS33YSbNyfbqGKJrzoq2OxOG90roRIE5SusT-3vF1mev_m_t51mDc8ewu3_3lNrwxKSR2tsu9VE0jKV36czEyz7UXA0IPJtzoUD44-3aaqbODP7I9drUFWxXeDA/s1130/322590075_834822820957589_3088917514759133126_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="753" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNfR-Fe3ZgDThdMzfxx_cj86E8cYze6gl98yhIelLbR0hIcBfMuVZGpKYGhRwGPQtS33YSbNyfbqGKJrzoq2OxOG90roRIE5SusT-3vF1mev_m_t51mDc8ewu3_3lNrwxKSR2tsu9VE0jKV36czEyz7UXA0IPJtzoUD44-3aaqbODP7I9drUFWxXeDA/s320/322590075_834822820957589_3088917514759133126_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first few days post-surgery were rough because of how the surgery site looked, but happy to say things are returning to normal now. Here's a photo progression: </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSviMyaqEWOe89PVFjMcVFkrCMi67rNoedPrpRde34YIOfH7nFC3Kwg2sJ76EiY61mGcptX7nU-jANhv84MrldBUHlSIJ9IA-LoMkgPOINJVGsY9hqhi76mCDKrZdtspMu_ufUJYZNUe0lJFiD6tUMOupZayfTQCQoppzzPKJzvyX-ECjpsWJV8LSMmg/s2048/322876118_1217245392525835_3871634906336951852_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1528" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSviMyaqEWOe89PVFjMcVFkrCMi67rNoedPrpRde34YIOfH7nFC3Kwg2sJ76EiY61mGcptX7nU-jANhv84MrldBUHlSIJ9IA-LoMkgPOINJVGsY9hqhi76mCDKrZdtspMu_ufUJYZNUe0lJFiD6tUMOupZayfTQCQoppzzPKJzvyX-ECjpsWJV8LSMmg/s320/322876118_1217245392525835_3871634906336951852_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Couple days after surgery</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoksrQL1TFd7IqVRdX3TpRjfTvF3HhprmWGreWBatNuVF4yvBJTTdIinSrzq54gXRlPgQnj13XmrFtPBXFrnUupgLutX9eUezoCsN1laG5IA_dVkoVvmo3cRPZ-NnPiHB8WZHS9fgOIUwRxiCFfApTlOGNOKVoCw-ZAqLIAAlBiwwNJuNZilwn6hpAug/s2048/323092271_571751920955065_3011783842595213201_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoksrQL1TFd7IqVRdX3TpRjfTvF3HhprmWGreWBatNuVF4yvBJTTdIinSrzq54gXRlPgQnj13XmrFtPBXFrnUupgLutX9eUezoCsN1laG5IA_dVkoVvmo3cRPZ-NnPiHB8WZHS9fgOIUwRxiCFfApTlOGNOKVoCw-ZAqLIAAlBiwwNJuNZilwn6hpAug/s320/323092271_571751920955065_3011783842595213201_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seven days after surgery</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vNSiRId-sXYjceqVBK3etRYuClCs5yQ0BExQEdd3ig7cml3AIr8XuWrDKuTK5o8xXUv1DeCKIyppV6yXpDVvkIxdpmFxy0YgFmyjpZTAdZe-MaT7myIwO92lkdceSjVI-auklao0rmjJcw_4cVFhALbS9Bo2Yo_xb9y90EuuPWxrjhTZgpZF4LE3Yw/s2048/322485846_1229624364318083_8418773380571899383_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vNSiRId-sXYjceqVBK3etRYuClCs5yQ0BExQEdd3ig7cml3AIr8XuWrDKuTK5o8xXUv1DeCKIyppV6yXpDVvkIxdpmFxy0YgFmyjpZTAdZe-MaT7myIwO92lkdceSjVI-auklao0rmjJcw_4cVFhALbS9Bo2Yo_xb9y90EuuPWxrjhTZgpZF4LE3Yw/s320/322485846_1229624364318083_8418773380571899383_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ten days after surgery</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfm6wmJvHTf_foY2xZFYb9LTIlJkpbbtNuMiOMTTay_iC02AO_5t1dussc22CDUrGkgy9QPZEv-b2Jo6Jr9lZk86LfKIsSLuH3ZFjwZSir0YDfb2TrfTtGhaKnSESeHlpyBMkgBoJ80HqeAveol9Ah17KTesa-W5E-MHbY2h6nhTP_rmzeb78E7c_ubA/s1726/IMG_2495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1726" data-original-width="1076" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfm6wmJvHTf_foY2xZFYb9LTIlJkpbbtNuMiOMTTay_iC02AO_5t1dussc22CDUrGkgy9QPZEv-b2Jo6Jr9lZk86LfKIsSLuH3ZFjwZSir0YDfb2TrfTtGhaKnSESeHlpyBMkgBoJ80HqeAveol9Ah17KTesa-W5E-MHbY2h6nhTP_rmzeb78E7c_ubA/s320/IMG_2495.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">4 months after surgery</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There's definitely a scar, but most days I don't even try to cover it with makeup because it doesn't bother me. I ordered Silagen 100% Pure Silicone Gel two weeks after surgery to help with scar minimization and I've been using it ever since. I think it's making a difference because most people don't notice the scar without me pointing it out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wear sunscreen and get your skin checked regularly! </div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-28014387242968820242023-04-09T22:13:00.001-05:002023-04-09T22:14:09.740-05:00Dutch Turns Eleven<p>It feels like we were just celebrating 10, but alas my oldest has turned 11. He's matured this past year and started to become more independent, but he still tells me he loves me every day, still goes to bed reading a book every night, and still gets annoyed if his bed sheets aren't perfect. I love his quirks and his smile and how big his heart is. He kills it at academic competitions, does the daily Wordle and mini crossword, and loves it when Jeopardy has questions about Greek mythology. He plays online games with his friend group and likes exchanging friendship bracelets. He asks me to paint his nails and doesn't care what anyone thinks. Sometimes he walks home from school, just to get some exercise and fresh air. He loves his little bro and our Corgi. He's super picky about foods, and has annoyingly high standards around macaroni and cheese. He got his love of soft pretzels from me. His favorite dessert choice is Sweet Frog frozen yogurt. He doesn't hesitate to grab the microphone when we're playing Rock Band. He's a very good kid and I'm lucky to be his mom.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IGe_9AMDzNygDtlqhcqb3bf1vSz-Mx4TcukIPfh27TKwvdZ8XGRmREFHHR9A9IoRTpMlHKkzpRqtu1f8qgf8occ7kzl8ZpgehjeGH2WkLk6DpnxbPl8Fvd02kyNhWrt4SLwNiiNmbu5QUcIPBiw05vranKQU4n0AZryLNXYNau2nEt1pxW_XKuu4fQ/s1280/519E106B-D009-4552-A763-8DA4E17BF15C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IGe_9AMDzNygDtlqhcqb3bf1vSz-Mx4TcukIPfh27TKwvdZ8XGRmREFHHR9A9IoRTpMlHKkzpRqtu1f8qgf8occ7kzl8ZpgehjeGH2WkLk6DpnxbPl8Fvd02kyNhWrt4SLwNiiNmbu5QUcIPBiw05vranKQU4n0AZryLNXYNau2nEt1pxW_XKuu4fQ/s320/519E106B-D009-4552-A763-8DA4E17BF15C.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3wiOBE6TFHxxT5XlHtyKmsyevZB3WZSxZvuBM67Su9go3qqYTTrjICuVOxYbBD0GiZ_-3ujnjDvfkTDMztJTBrImeMUv5tFeusZ0gGP73I-9yojau4rOj6IMhrE-PqsRVEp2c3xLJ2GA4Z9mxrXITy25crUUvsXSKCfFMHB5tSkF-TOXt8d-h3sQow/s1800/E4ECBB79-F2F5-4EF1-9C7C-6EEF4ABAA474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3wiOBE6TFHxxT5XlHtyKmsyevZB3WZSxZvuBM67Su9go3qqYTTrjICuVOxYbBD0GiZ_-3ujnjDvfkTDMztJTBrImeMUv5tFeusZ0gGP73I-9yojau4rOj6IMhrE-PqsRVEp2c3xLJ2GA4Z9mxrXITy25crUUvsXSKCfFMHB5tSkF-TOXt8d-h3sQow/s320/E4ECBB79-F2F5-4EF1-9C7C-6EEF4ABAA474.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgYNjrzKYsNZFUAGfuwZIpJh5aJgFdQuN-yA70BWqWDgZIo7yHFFZtDR2-L3SSJVGUZ7pnJbOHgtvA9zopuziHLe8Nq9tAjkJ4vzEQBxMWbOyaa2BNSuKgDjEA7YysKuPVgV5UJnR9xOjevBxrL5YVvoK7X-Rsco1JMQVO2WwlDMpHTTqrmnQctAQvw/s1890/E617E26A-47E7-4E7E-A561-26AE53BDED4D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgYNjrzKYsNZFUAGfuwZIpJh5aJgFdQuN-yA70BWqWDgZIo7yHFFZtDR2-L3SSJVGUZ7pnJbOHgtvA9zopuziHLe8Nq9tAjkJ4vzEQBxMWbOyaa2BNSuKgDjEA7YysKuPVgV5UJnR9xOjevBxrL5YVvoK7X-Rsco1JMQVO2WwlDMpHTTqrmnQctAQvw/s320/E617E26A-47E7-4E7E-A561-26AE53BDED4D.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFCz9Kfn7wcLbScjWx3eMNnc9FslRQ1QJlvQNLnIzrfQfIM1dJjtugmauChMMSVvvqLhB9CWiyW3t-749P8vxv90v0PcD26eEbwc4RjTKBDBG9FtwhuIAlVpWAlivCsu86MiFPwDRltl_jlnh7xpUp9I3PpBySOBZ-tsr57eViHGfmA-o-drc18cazQ/s2016/IMG_0031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFCz9Kfn7wcLbScjWx3eMNnc9FslRQ1QJlvQNLnIzrfQfIM1dJjtugmauChMMSVvvqLhB9CWiyW3t-749P8vxv90v0PcD26eEbwc4RjTKBDBG9FtwhuIAlVpWAlivCsu86MiFPwDRltl_jlnh7xpUp9I3PpBySOBZ-tsr57eViHGfmA-o-drc18cazQ/s320/IMG_0031.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65lZQ6SX-VVAXjK33CzYT4frn5nD-lKJpLaLEAFMJzlEAensqmSPLSkwu-Kk2c5IFf8Sg44aXfpF-5KYLxxEXklHXjLGcpsSzp4lOn9q1WFGe_HsrnEYr1UktS4Knq9bSr-5YIbPQvDAUH8yfT7GjVjkkOQIfv3NKPonhuGiJsDBhmAmq3SMR2AOlhA/s2016/IMG_0176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65lZQ6SX-VVAXjK33CzYT4frn5nD-lKJpLaLEAFMJzlEAensqmSPLSkwu-Kk2c5IFf8Sg44aXfpF-5KYLxxEXklHXjLGcpsSzp4lOn9q1WFGe_HsrnEYr1UktS4Knq9bSr-5YIbPQvDAUH8yfT7GjVjkkOQIfv3NKPonhuGiJsDBhmAmq3SMR2AOlhA/s320/IMG_0176.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKpLc62405fbbp7NuXxjzWHo2fQ1b7gD1JZN_ec7zvrAszslWk6nC-xlwl7zLqxv9iwdBB9O6eoHMXx0Sv3NBSHmVWyk2YhXMHWfH-9xDlRZDSewgMVcL4lPkHw--CJsLrd6bo5T_SyaRku9g3BhM0mlaZy14ANYwcj_awstcV2dAw8XiyntcJdx3RA/s2016/IMG_1806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKpLc62405fbbp7NuXxjzWHo2fQ1b7gD1JZN_ec7zvrAszslWk6nC-xlwl7zLqxv9iwdBB9O6eoHMXx0Sv3NBSHmVWyk2YhXMHWfH-9xDlRZDSewgMVcL4lPkHw--CJsLrd6bo5T_SyaRku9g3BhM0mlaZy14ANYwcj_awstcV2dAw8XiyntcJdx3RA/s320/IMG_1806.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKogslk21zCgfLzpBeXjbJKkt_hiQLEJrQfYLiZtf873VkakU7cqBgOyEnANLLmvLeMjIY1iVt3fxr8TgSW-zD2MLn0lNcHr40BTzAVafx4lSC8fvPjqt7YOowQoJiegzkb28LpAgr-j1Fa--vDnqzLzznKJJNArfMXfBE797r79Qe-GgT6vgSbhzmRA/s2016/IMG_1826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKogslk21zCgfLzpBeXjbJKkt_hiQLEJrQfYLiZtf873VkakU7cqBgOyEnANLLmvLeMjIY1iVt3fxr8TgSW-zD2MLn0lNcHr40BTzAVafx4lSC8fvPjqt7YOowQoJiegzkb28LpAgr-j1Fa--vDnqzLzznKJJNArfMXfBE797r79Qe-GgT6vgSbhzmRA/s320/IMG_1826.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFKvGfgwEkAkWFUQygHeWQsYWw8SzuFpjVe7F3yft7Zh2rrdYkCen-raH9t93wkQrlGywt27nJr1y8Yqv3uvswCDeTJoHts6eovm9XIKCSjOzfdQZN3iEkvso0bWWknqpb1XcqSOlzzZyukQeAXfoTR110nMj8LNknH4jtYA0tS5nDCOKlBSjsVCXEA/s2016/IMG_1830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFKvGfgwEkAkWFUQygHeWQsYWw8SzuFpjVe7F3yft7Zh2rrdYkCen-raH9t93wkQrlGywt27nJr1y8Yqv3uvswCDeTJoHts6eovm9XIKCSjOzfdQZN3iEkvso0bWWknqpb1XcqSOlzzZyukQeAXfoTR110nMj8LNknH4jtYA0tS5nDCOKlBSjsVCXEA/s320/IMG_1830.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IuW1RZemLERi5iO3D8A-iq7lPQmQuH6v_zhI4PtUJeT2u4JIAq-v4qiF6WuKSXDKFB4fXQgbgu64AQCjrASRluKScBZVQP3meZyJnHUeZ6crrOjL5e0PG04EUpljAG3MLgLEqH_AllB9Ska1g_78P9bnE35QOwVySYT8l4M9H1AxZ7Iv5ywmlhk3mg/s2016/IMG_9354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IuW1RZemLERi5iO3D8A-iq7lPQmQuH6v_zhI4PtUJeT2u4JIAq-v4qiF6WuKSXDKFB4fXQgbgu64AQCjrASRluKScBZVQP3meZyJnHUeZ6crrOjL5e0PG04EUpljAG3MLgLEqH_AllB9Ska1g_78P9bnE35QOwVySYT8l4M9H1AxZ7Iv5ywmlhk3mg/s320/IMG_9354.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEv0KBV-ZHzDrm0zR3ePHe1x6Qd0XkwEJkl7t5fJ8aPzzSanRIEQ4o1dFmfCoB3m_BYrk3K4-CpVm_rc00DbDPpufLeirAT6w_mVOG9kCql059Gr6ypFDEI0waKvbGAxXLcaq-qduZsyJMOOtNXZBT8aoEcYsZRPCYDh-xavALze1zka_6Tjc0ZEQ4g/s1544/IMG_9631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1158" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEv0KBV-ZHzDrm0zR3ePHe1x6Qd0XkwEJkl7t5fJ8aPzzSanRIEQ4o1dFmfCoB3m_BYrk3K4-CpVm_rc00DbDPpufLeirAT6w_mVOG9kCql059Gr6ypFDEI0waKvbGAxXLcaq-qduZsyJMOOtNXZBT8aoEcYsZRPCYDh-xavALze1zka_6Tjc0ZEQ4g/s320/IMG_9631.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXx1IFK9aVb5Sl9azvayC7nnawt0XDWrTkDpAopijuSYVcfd-akOBa2eXdBhOEqMV_vaJhqRQoGvkvYKPuvWF62EOCnF2tybjYi2so3gj3vU-Jiadbq1pyd6FWJKNCUaSsEq7f21o3_bjEU0Ks4omBZmIXxLZKT7JnQychBIhrDb1c963HeaYXA2EIA/s1280/IMG_9724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="802" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXx1IFK9aVb5Sl9azvayC7nnawt0XDWrTkDpAopijuSYVcfd-akOBa2eXdBhOEqMV_vaJhqRQoGvkvYKPuvWF62EOCnF2tybjYi2so3gj3vU-Jiadbq1pyd6FWJKNCUaSsEq7f21o3_bjEU0Ks4omBZmIXxLZKT7JnQychBIhrDb1c963HeaYXA2EIA/s320/IMG_9724.jpg" width="201" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVmVG7WUdtgSZnwJKr053aqgLnrj7Sn0fpr_R_ESloyEWOdABZw54V-IDqKEZkXI51rla3ogKHKDQvwwe4O7Eb3OQGNkMRixDX2_r7hKO-M_5DqKXn2n-IKc0cZtu4r2-6HpcpxqKkqHv-HoYnszQuKHNxHbokSSJpVE8sscwZ6092C-_2Ru9tP9fRQ/s2016/IMG_9727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVmVG7WUdtgSZnwJKr053aqgLnrj7Sn0fpr_R_ESloyEWOdABZw54V-IDqKEZkXI51rla3ogKHKDQvwwe4O7Eb3OQGNkMRixDX2_r7hKO-M_5DqKXn2n-IKc0cZtu4r2-6HpcpxqKkqHv-HoYnszQuKHNxHbokSSJpVE8sscwZ6092C-_2Ru9tP9fRQ/s320/IMG_9727.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-30114858855014835432022-12-06T15:52:00.002-06:002022-12-06T15:52:43.325-06:00Jude Turns Eight<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFalmR-0D9fcux3Za9HM3ztgnsvYugc0AlXpYXd7KWrt3UNbwpfXeZFiDqPyAP9Vc2gZcJMwGV_3GofL5nIDv2sZV_qANdFsih0jlbRz65GF6I3_GB3h9ILmhSyAUVgETXA2YrtzDYiIXIw1pfTaBaQR8koalfJ1MemwogZyonca_Di-l8GGhy5zLZtQ/s2050/IMG_1614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2050" data-original-width="1122" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFalmR-0D9fcux3Za9HM3ztgnsvYugc0AlXpYXd7KWrt3UNbwpfXeZFiDqPyAP9Vc2gZcJMwGV_3GofL5nIDv2sZV_qANdFsih0jlbRz65GF6I3_GB3h9ILmhSyAUVgETXA2YrtzDYiIXIw1pfTaBaQR8koalfJ1MemwogZyonca_Di-l8GGhy5zLZtQ/s320/IMG_1614.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>Eight is great! Happy birthday to my sweet, smart, loving Jude. Every day I get hugs and ”I love you” and every night ends with “can we do the Wordle” and “can you read with me?” Corgis are still his favorite thing, followed by video games, eating, word games, animals in general, and playing with his cousin Lexie. He amazes us with his word choices and understanding of when to use certain phrases and mannerisms as part of his story telling. He marches to the beat of his own drum and I love that about him.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMmR2jIujgVFyA81Et2bKBt6W5mcgvwDehJB6j3LO8oaX8H2u1HslXYS-44zxsy5lRE4VPret73aB11789Ld8vJd1CWc6Widb549DzrxA35nNGbBaan6IXf-pwY3vCh6MDmx1RFbPXx0qcnBDSOJRvOR3l0zDoLdgC6deeKoVfYdU5NLE8XXMZsxtRA/s640/image1%20(1).JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMmR2jIujgVFyA81Et2bKBt6W5mcgvwDehJB6j3LO8oaX8H2u1HslXYS-44zxsy5lRE4VPret73aB11789Ld8vJd1CWc6Widb549DzrxA35nNGbBaan6IXf-pwY3vCh6MDmx1RFbPXx0qcnBDSOJRvOR3l0zDoLdgC6deeKoVfYdU5NLE8XXMZsxtRA/s320/image1%20(1).JPEG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDFRyIGCNt-KyVvF6-lfWi8SzYnhVceMNw7lZbOuET-_w_PrbX8hXi0tAtcWmlzzcx50iEpSvfzSTZBcKWHZVA562w2udGNs9bgn7str-9lqrTfFvYXNkOqmyaF3dOG_Kak_bulBAdapo1dQJ0Thygu8OqgX9orsYTDwrt4o9QKTccpLAyG-TBwHj4Q/s2016/IMG_0671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDFRyIGCNt-KyVvF6-lfWi8SzYnhVceMNw7lZbOuET-_w_PrbX8hXi0tAtcWmlzzcx50iEpSvfzSTZBcKWHZVA562w2udGNs9bgn7str-9lqrTfFvYXNkOqmyaF3dOG_Kak_bulBAdapo1dQJ0Thygu8OqgX9orsYTDwrt4o9QKTccpLAyG-TBwHj4Q/s320/IMG_0671.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ahEAClN06YVu6km7Kgk3QAepFvjyBIhtX5dGq0lzqEKj5U1NygB5Oy1uMZpmXKTZ9vlZbhz3AB95hh5e8b0XqN2Ev9ErhTMu-1uW8skJhPgDxVB5uZBTpfBvppmGBUxtdC1wKhMgiZLaoxMNKqTxaXRZUggCDVjL9EMWhvJAiuyNi77Oxgcn9ianIQ/s1544/IMG_0755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1158" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ahEAClN06YVu6km7Kgk3QAepFvjyBIhtX5dGq0lzqEKj5U1NygB5Oy1uMZpmXKTZ9vlZbhz3AB95hh5e8b0XqN2Ev9ErhTMu-1uW8skJhPgDxVB5uZBTpfBvppmGBUxtdC1wKhMgiZLaoxMNKqTxaXRZUggCDVjL9EMWhvJAiuyNi77Oxgcn9ianIQ/s320/IMG_0755.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2-MzIek-0A3nE3rqXbt5FeyYiq8XI1qvrlDgrWtwBusNxPHBKyA616AoFRIB5R5iYKhID3ljidncIaHSq8xpfxiyBjG4NlUM6-SWhr0oL9_S6mzlDU1ZjmLyocWMDlu9cMJGufOn6xtNs-YG6-3aXMIMGr1U7KXqePQd2E-pQ6bOJfYtvEvj6pBEgg/s2016/IMG_0794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2-MzIek-0A3nE3rqXbt5FeyYiq8XI1qvrlDgrWtwBusNxPHBKyA616AoFRIB5R5iYKhID3ljidncIaHSq8xpfxiyBjG4NlUM6-SWhr0oL9_S6mzlDU1ZjmLyocWMDlu9cMJGufOn6xtNs-YG6-3aXMIMGr1U7KXqePQd2E-pQ6bOJfYtvEvj6pBEgg/s320/IMG_0794.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WNVJQzdcYA8HsYfJMYdZ6snSjgmlbS6w3oJ0LFX5FljJAXeLpK0Rt6hy3Tz03NtXotIwRB6Fy973jqkTGRmTW7D7Bv6-xMdihGjUWREplWYzKz2itUaZ98lxJa8yrV67G_AUWt6SqbcLzNffqVPyHPGK_57IXVz0v4A3QC-0StF1zWH5CYjVts1-2A/s2016/IMG_1283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WNVJQzdcYA8HsYfJMYdZ6snSjgmlbS6w3oJ0LFX5FljJAXeLpK0Rt6hy3Tz03NtXotIwRB6Fy973jqkTGRmTW7D7Bv6-xMdihGjUWREplWYzKz2itUaZ98lxJa8yrV67G_AUWt6SqbcLzNffqVPyHPGK_57IXVz0v4A3QC-0StF1zWH5CYjVts1-2A/s320/IMG_1283.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>We love you, Jude, and are looking forward to how </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">you’ll impress us this year.</span><p></p>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-38418818172261142162022-10-31T13:00:00.001-05:002022-10-31T13:00:00.203-05:00California Vacation 2022<p> As I write these posts, I'm realizing that 2022 was a big year of vacations for me! I love traveling and making memories, so I hope this trend continues in the future, if my work schedule allows. Our favorite Germans, Kim and Fabi, were in California recently while Fabi completes a fellowship at Stanford, and there was no way we were going to miss the chance to see them while they were in the US. It just so happens that the 49ers are Meezy's favorite team, and the stadium is in Santa Clara, not far from Stanford. Why not kill two birds with one stone?</p><p>We arrived on a Friday and checked into the <a href="https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/california/hyatt-regency-santa-clara/clara?src=corp_lclb_gmb_seo_clara" target="_blank">Hyatt Regency Santa Clara</a>. It's ideal for getting to Levi's Stadium by foot on game day, so we figured we'd stay there for the whole weekend. First order of business was checking out the adorable Airbnb they're staying in. It's a guest house in a beautiful neighborhood in Menlo Park. The redwoods in the backyard are breathtaking! (And forgive me for being shocked at seeing black squirrels running around. I'm not used to anything other than gray or brown ones!).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwkEOlxC5yy6vnuKSMJhj4zGjL7FXDTjzA8DcGNe9IC8E2bzefkwGgoYFAxP-zIeizxMyMp_PqpwHYEcbMtEnRFQ9tpzfIylApDOju_qk2T_rb5YZToQMiJ2bxhPE9YESYmLciTHJ2DxNeSXLgfL-xmYcSrtUgvMigo1tkkkLo02xI-2erLCIf12tGQ/s2016/IMG_1431.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwkEOlxC5yy6vnuKSMJhj4zGjL7FXDTjzA8DcGNe9IC8E2bzefkwGgoYFAxP-zIeizxMyMp_PqpwHYEcbMtEnRFQ9tpzfIylApDOju_qk2T_rb5YZToQMiJ2bxhPE9YESYmLciTHJ2DxNeSXLgfL-xmYcSrtUgvMigo1tkkkLo02xI-2erLCIf12tGQ/s320/IMG_1431.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURfC7qtfHj-xO7rfHj6YQlmepTp2QseQCWJ-zjld7JwUgSvTzwNnB2HhKSuSzR6-_DZOM9SjobEkawqeFn_eu6yLO_rZUS-Po7XOAv6YvpIqkgGZZz87mq1hWmggsmuFbqPWs_czHDwF70Wq3Zgq77K5ck6xu3hb1GYMQGvA6OwalT1xLgCVkcTkOFw/s2016/IMG_1432.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURfC7qtfHj-xO7rfHj6YQlmepTp2QseQCWJ-zjld7JwUgSvTzwNnB2HhKSuSzR6-_DZOM9SjobEkawqeFn_eu6yLO_rZUS-Po7XOAv6YvpIqkgGZZz87mq1hWmggsmuFbqPWs_czHDwF70Wq3Zgq77K5ck6xu3hb1GYMQGvA6OwalT1xLgCVkcTkOFw/s320/IMG_1432.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We headed to Stanford to check out the campus and it's a good thing I was wearing walking shoes - the campus is huge! I loved seeing the palm trees lining the street leading to the main entrance.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3emxJGVWY8pwwgXmxfMUueCZ81jRXDKCQGSV-CGAi7BjOiDENCVLXSPtLGPLXIOEhkOcrJ8UmvaHLEL01OWGE7fp1PueIIKJZn9R8xvK9Apj10lqjD2zpxD9e9xPIFPjPXSJ-Si-7xORjpS0s9q_Gl_DvOg8O3Flz-qtBU24P50WOMxeznMzb9lHK2Q/s1691/stanford.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1691" data-original-width="1466" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3emxJGVWY8pwwgXmxfMUueCZ81jRXDKCQGSV-CGAi7BjOiDENCVLXSPtLGPLXIOEhkOcrJ8UmvaHLEL01OWGE7fp1PueIIKJZn9R8xvK9Apj10lqjD2zpxD9e9xPIFPjPXSJ-Si-7xORjpS0s9q_Gl_DvOg8O3Flz-qtBU24P50WOMxeznMzb9lHK2Q/s320/stanford.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We ate at <a href="https://pacificcatch.com/" target="_blank">Pacific Catch</a> in the Stanford Shopping Center and ended up spending a couple hours there catching up and sharing funny stories from our recent trip to Oktoberfest. Afterward, we walked back to Menlo Park to discuss our plans for the next day and then called it a night. My watch tracked more than 9 miles covered on foot that day! <div><br /></div><div>The next morning we met back at their Airbnb and then walked to the Menlo Park train station together. Our plan was to take the Caltrain into San Francisco, but a few minutes before our train was supposed to arrive at the station, we got word that it was cancelled. The next one wouldn't be coming for an hour, so we opted for an Uber instead. Once we arrived in San Fran, we started sight-seeing. First stop was Oracle Park and we walked north along the shore, checking out all the piers. We saw the Bay Bridge, the Ferry Building, the famous seals at Pier 39, and the SS Jeremiah O'Brien. We ate lunch at <a href="https://www.pier23cafe.com/" target="_blank">Pier 23 Cafe</a>. <br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjh3oPN5hVAyMaWQfl_IzW2-SVJlyQ-wcA37DyiWcaHd0UImyoZJakQaHc8HeRzONm3z9BT6XMcAGY4FJckP8HRoB2FUD2Y43sQSvppNaRB9EvubMFg0GammOFQehiHS_N9ZL02EDjEyFw1yaExjRqAtDpaQ7z65YW8RvijDEWrRnuBP1v7wCNxAx0Q/s2016/IMG_1439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjh3oPN5hVAyMaWQfl_IzW2-SVJlyQ-wcA37DyiWcaHd0UImyoZJakQaHc8HeRzONm3z9BT6XMcAGY4FJckP8HRoB2FUD2Y43sQSvppNaRB9EvubMFg0GammOFQehiHS_N9ZL02EDjEyFw1yaExjRqAtDpaQ7z65YW8RvijDEWrRnuBP1v7wCNxAx0Q/s320/IMG_1439.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXVhk7BDMbIWCdVgBOnw7VTyzJT8aWCKfY8U_y9j1B-rrAgTfLdGy4kQVMS67-ONjt4f-xFf6CFeb_el_znQ0b3RPl8_WRWDp4plgsaW84BgWYH8M5hwBz9B2_hT2gB4q0K_mRp5KDrsXCgol0fpqYIOulcwKOLcvsM7_yZpTBwmBqNYnktIJgaG0BA/s2016/IMG_1441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXVhk7BDMbIWCdVgBOnw7VTyzJT8aWCKfY8U_y9j1B-rrAgTfLdGy4kQVMS67-ONjt4f-xFf6CFeb_el_znQ0b3RPl8_WRWDp4plgsaW84BgWYH8M5hwBz9B2_hT2gB4q0K_mRp5KDrsXCgol0fpqYIOulcwKOLcvsM7_yZpTBwmBqNYnktIJgaG0BA/s320/IMG_1441.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafSlxTb98SM2gkaTYPuFZQ6H-uo6NZYkviHpFIqaEh6Sz_HtDLa0M75AhnGvSdB6MIWWTmjepBSR1iGK4Emd6muC1IvoCUAoZjbp_xapnUk9cinRbzLL--2Go0uSbgdH53kIazAWwE0Aic4CnGYp9Iiv4V_wlzw8sNmHiMpjCo4J-tJmsWH-GPnwDXA/s2016/IMG_1443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafSlxTb98SM2gkaTYPuFZQ6H-uo6NZYkviHpFIqaEh6Sz_HtDLa0M75AhnGvSdB6MIWWTmjepBSR1iGK4Emd6muC1IvoCUAoZjbp_xapnUk9cinRbzLL--2Go0uSbgdH53kIazAWwE0Aic4CnGYp9Iiv4V_wlzw8sNmHiMpjCo4J-tJmsWH-GPnwDXA/s320/IMG_1443.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDmB82old63nuLnUwxGSkvOWxLAqMocMLtnUlZefkJqeYt5-fk6km7H1gpyLfaxiMf73_yw2JZbGebb56Nl3HCjH02OyabgBRQz_tnEP_yWlSrJDfoYgHorvKUPTFTo9RipsRqmFvG8QCepOWIJmDJfgNOigTTGYdVaL-m7qV7QkqyAbqVo18r0cy6A/s2016/IMG_1445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDmB82old63nuLnUwxGSkvOWxLAqMocMLtnUlZefkJqeYt5-fk6km7H1gpyLfaxiMf73_yw2JZbGebb56Nl3HCjH02OyabgBRQz_tnEP_yWlSrJDfoYgHorvKUPTFTo9RipsRqmFvG8QCepOWIJmDJfgNOigTTGYdVaL-m7qV7QkqyAbqVo18r0cy6A/s320/IMG_1445.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>After lunch we headed away from the piers, toward the interior of the city. First stop was Coit Tower, where the elevator was out of order! We didn't want to miss the 360 degree views, so we trekked up the 250 stairs to get to the top. On our way back down, right around the 7th floor, a winded-looking family asked us if it was worth it to continue the climb! We thought it was, so that's what we told them. Hope they felt the same afterward!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUXuvnPbVtkXhW8lixgYNSnpRc_osPxU81_H9i6xbD8VvHket-qjD64oNRtXK6YeqMrh5Oy8ExIgQg25sD0CxU019oX_j9-dQLcZPnfk_YA1JMBUHYcENYT9zBjGxL6aX6QyOrYkXm3FFauUa0jtYAFVfINWrgPI1EMEB9_LOFMgDY669pSTeMxz0sA/s2016/IMG_1446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUXuvnPbVtkXhW8lixgYNSnpRc_osPxU81_H9i6xbD8VvHket-qjD64oNRtXK6YeqMrh5Oy8ExIgQg25sD0CxU019oX_j9-dQLcZPnfk_YA1JMBUHYcENYT9zBjGxL6aX6QyOrYkXm3FFauUa0jtYAFVfINWrgPI1EMEB9_LOFMgDY669pSTeMxz0sA/s320/IMG_1446.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Next stop was Chinatown, where we saw Dragon Gate and a performance by some dancing dragons. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79gdrT3JUEyrnai4jBbRklHedSzQgCI6TO0xHLF4Om4xpTN2b4taO_J4RrYCTcBuHWElNsLrqy5qo29LuFeXvbjmzM4OKlpvw6Dzfx02aXTDC_xCBPcEf9IDlZmGdy9-fNzY60neuofpyZsGGAedhlAL7e9shuUPkTg9hq6I4djANy2IdwYpgHF-OkQ/s2016/IMG_1448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79gdrT3JUEyrnai4jBbRklHedSzQgCI6TO0xHLF4Om4xpTN2b4taO_J4RrYCTcBuHWElNsLrqy5qo29LuFeXvbjmzM4OKlpvw6Dzfx02aXTDC_xCBPcEf9IDlZmGdy9-fNzY60neuofpyZsGGAedhlAL7e9shuUPkTg9hq6I4djANy2IdwYpgHF-OkQ/s320/IMG_1448.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_KPBKX_CyYZr0425sBYYv8khMMjITu3eXtWivjNsQVCtEJ_wAjNqm4fG0If7_U_IUTBbCzLDsnuU_D6Ty9yBPPUZuDuvkLpUU_4eCZio7lvZkNB9DllnIIvihMoGUbFSq2xDdgppdr6UsFacO-3kD8XzsdrudDoJrQtgB9WqJ60vCv_enVWxIIePgA/s2016/IMG_1447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_KPBKX_CyYZr0425sBYYv8khMMjITu3eXtWivjNsQVCtEJ_wAjNqm4fG0If7_U_IUTBbCzLDsnuU_D6Ty9yBPPUZuDuvkLpUU_4eCZio7lvZkNB9DllnIIvihMoGUbFSq2xDdgppdr6UsFacO-3kD8XzsdrudDoJrQtgB9WqJ60vCv_enVWxIIePgA/s320/IMG_1447.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>From there we hit up Ghirardelli (which was founded in San Fran) because my youngest loves their chocolate. The selection was much larger than what we're used to in Texas, so we filled a bag with goodies to bring home. Salesforce Park was nearby, which is a really cool building/transportation hub with a lush rooftop park and city views.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCJ3who8m9H4cGUIQz9XJHzaO_5K1DwI8JibgjWya5B6AOADcCdxn8MeZ8AiNmnwesJitnla2oyqGUKngOpmeXYoNcJumun4BGsQ9b3DevC6sC6qZa2xUgKDWjMmXoAPrKr1i8QT0abGUoPqdbZ_TG3G37bzFf4WyA8lVlWIdS1dRNHHVEl98DP7Q5w/s1280/6f8e8fdd-055c-4093-a1a1-bf5b65f1522c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCJ3who8m9H4cGUIQz9XJHzaO_5K1DwI8JibgjWya5B6AOADcCdxn8MeZ8AiNmnwesJitnla2oyqGUKngOpmeXYoNcJumun4BGsQ9b3DevC6sC6qZa2xUgKDWjMmXoAPrKr1i8QT0abGUoPqdbZ_TG3G37bzFf4WyA8lVlWIdS1dRNHHVEl98DP7Q5w/s320/6f8e8fdd-055c-4093-a1a1-bf5b65f1522c.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiKxENeCOBrdwdb1AinlpHFf5rF0iBjFmNp38F4g2avzlzz86-1whVXRsVUfJe3WxFxXlsfm3ZmPaCMXGDLG183eqwFmmX43Z7PUEHLOndjfrGkcIt_jqCGvSNmbeEAxde2RUBJLuL04R-hxrY9alAwMcwIK-9-kgThGr5UGelGPCURof8oOupMY-CA/s2047/59db21fa-1c09-45f7-a0b8-9541d56a8e57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1211" data-original-width="2047" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiKxENeCOBrdwdb1AinlpHFf5rF0iBjFmNp38F4g2avzlzz86-1whVXRsVUfJe3WxFxXlsfm3ZmPaCMXGDLG183eqwFmmX43Z7PUEHLOndjfrGkcIt_jqCGvSNmbeEAxde2RUBJLuL04R-hxrY9alAwMcwIK-9-kgThGr5UGelGPCURof8oOupMY-CA/s320/59db21fa-1c09-45f7-a0b8-9541d56a8e57.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We were due to meet Fabi's parents for dinner (as they were vacationing in Cali at the time), so we headed to <a href="https://www.vinaenoteca.com/" target="_blank">Vina Enoteca</a>. Food and ambiance were great and there were plenty of options for us vegetarians. We ended this day with almost 11 miles walked!</div><div><br /></div><div>Sunday was the day we were most looking forward to, because we had pre-game field passes and lower level tickets to watch the Chiefs and the 49ers. We headed to the stadium 2 hours before game-time, to ensure as much field time as possible! We didn't get to pick what zone we were in, so we ended up right next to where the Chiefs were warming up. Bummer for Meezy, but I was pretty happy because Mahomes is my favorite player. (Wreck 'em!). It was really cool to be that close to the players, coaches, and owners, and we even had a football bounce over to our area, where I picked it up and returned it to the team. At one point, Chiefs wide receiver Smith-Schuster knocked over the endzone pylon right in front of us and we all teased him for not knowing how to fix it. He grabbed a nearby orange safety cone to denote that he broke it and put up the "shhhh" finger and laughed. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHKaoqyLxbxDzJyLVM29mpP8VhRRD_giej2L2J5DCgZdYX_chGRSvYyUCOtn0IhD5w2Lv2f-SGgKbpumg78DcBvwDDMcCkPPhSaX5rFDL0T4Yq89nrjryzTXGq8fEDfcUSZbjyoazbpVbbquMapWTq3YmcaV23OutysWOcskiVZ6NB8s_va0DC91EdA/s2016/IMG_1476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHKaoqyLxbxDzJyLVM29mpP8VhRRD_giej2L2J5DCgZdYX_chGRSvYyUCOtn0IhD5w2Lv2f-SGgKbpumg78DcBvwDDMcCkPPhSaX5rFDL0T4Yq89nrjryzTXGq8fEDfcUSZbjyoazbpVbbquMapWTq3YmcaV23OutysWOcskiVZ6NB8s_va0DC91EdA/s320/IMG_1476.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWcyKxARIeju9lxnRd65JQFxFaH2Z1Mct74yqqVwss5YrE60RlqXQhT4L-YfAimj4Fpay-4b3d9-fD2lTlGBhc10fvPYjOkhJaFYA4OIJYDbw53Y0aP4gkg_Qea4e7Mpd0wnODirdUleH29XG4sC5b7gHa0_CrrLi4eUudYyONKB_dhzoVb6Y0j2TwHg/s1858/IMG_1530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1858" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWcyKxARIeju9lxnRd65JQFxFaH2Z1Mct74yqqVwss5YrE60RlqXQhT4L-YfAimj4Fpay-4b3d9-fD2lTlGBhc10fvPYjOkhJaFYA4OIJYDbw53Y0aP4gkg_Qea4e7Mpd0wnODirdUleH29XG4sC5b7gHa0_CrrLi4eUudYyONKB_dhzoVb6Y0j2TwHg/s320/IMG_1530.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBC9SLvL7nNUkMoEMeqIP_HzNrDRdW_LPVZHOMSUDWXcl1JaUKjxC9ZITklwwjl5jokcSutroszGsaLUkir6xt5NWkvWrYHMWt6nluWY3wCpIrpgo1kbn4FsYnZSrHCuuXDdZHBYkK9yf4RxUkfYjr7ZTNROinvLhdnhWzEJAQacRyf1SlKjwM6EfHnA/s2016/IMG_1478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBC9SLvL7nNUkMoEMeqIP_HzNrDRdW_LPVZHOMSUDWXcl1JaUKjxC9ZITklwwjl5jokcSutroszGsaLUkir6xt5NWkvWrYHMWt6nluWY3wCpIrpgo1kbn4FsYnZSrHCuuXDdZHBYkK9yf4RxUkfYjr7ZTNROinvLhdnhWzEJAQacRyf1SlKjwM6EfHnA/s320/IMG_1478.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXrRJ6hsh4lHabrVAf6VT_g6cERkM6-gxml3aZe57sQR3S1KYiAjTqtzwXnBWoKtw-uRPnCo-2VPMSuYKXOn-pMoKx-vFcK0TEYjy5IbrK3YgRszLTGraRNi5rQLzOfjEUpSFS-goJoCUD5DWWnTfk2jit48c0eacoswuPCZ8osbl98z8cOGwzJ2YIA/s2016/IMG_1477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXrRJ6hsh4lHabrVAf6VT_g6cERkM6-gxml3aZe57sQR3S1KYiAjTqtzwXnBWoKtw-uRPnCo-2VPMSuYKXOn-pMoKx-vFcK0TEYjy5IbrK3YgRszLTGraRNi5rQLzOfjEUpSFS-goJoCUD5DWWnTfk2jit48c0eacoswuPCZ8osbl98z8cOGwzJ2YIA/s320/IMG_1477.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdRwtiT4hDPKVvafTxBj5qtl5mHDRbilU9j6T_KWNJLodt4f4rTjo8mj_kGzwWS6KIbtCd00y0bA0dA_jhNxozYYdfouKtaWotWmL_p2oyYeOhZ2GHraW_Hm9XjhIPY9pjqvLtbfa4srYEIHoD-aG9L5qzIVzlnefh5_Mds10lGhvXZrFKeWZfwsUmg/s1544/IMG_1464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1158" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdRwtiT4hDPKVvafTxBj5qtl5mHDRbilU9j6T_KWNJLodt4f4rTjo8mj_kGzwWS6KIbtCd00y0bA0dA_jhNxozYYdfouKtaWotWmL_p2oyYeOhZ2GHraW_Hm9XjhIPY9pjqvLtbfa4srYEIHoD-aG9L5qzIVzlnefh5_Mds10lGhvXZrFKeWZfwsUmg/s320/IMG_1464.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8L-6DLAZT0rmiXs3GEMtpMJTT5WYf_2DnJTfVNFrKCIYa8Fm_ND_mSct4DKRaSwtwn3hTN4BXbh15VcufDJejpa65cX5qi2HG-x8SN6WV399NPX2NCl4RkEIlY46pHOtX_flVFE_FyukZBjMjM-bJAjYCPZLVeokxX7MXEHnhAQ_5rg6CAjTpfWjC-g/s2016/IMG_1462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8L-6DLAZT0rmiXs3GEMtpMJTT5WYf_2DnJTfVNFrKCIYa8Fm_ND_mSct4DKRaSwtwn3hTN4BXbh15VcufDJejpa65cX5qi2HG-x8SN6WV399NPX2NCl4RkEIlY46pHOtX_flVFE_FyukZBjMjM-bJAjYCPZLVeokxX7MXEHnhAQ_5rg6CAjTpfWjC-g/s320/IMG_1462.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Our seats were on the lower level near the end zone. The first half was pretty exciting for Meezy because the 49ers seemed to be in control. The second half was another story, unfortunately, and the Chiefs ended up running away with it. It was still a really fun experience and we were happy to show the Germans a real American football game, close up!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jUTmEKNWw6bGT04bFpKCR2oH-o_6Hy79tkh0cN3m0A3Gtx1qmSbC-wg90EhkJVntpG8HgueGErSIYZhm1FqEVfkdL0QVuFmQGJ0vcpIa7l_1lhaUCy_b72CrFFa30mTDFDpbYE1tXOi0kxhKsAoDdssdhTD8-6VnADicoOHL4aC2aQLUZ7M8lZJRkQ/s1280/f197748c-4779-49d4-980f-4720e1e9e42e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jUTmEKNWw6bGT04bFpKCR2oH-o_6Hy79tkh0cN3m0A3Gtx1qmSbC-wg90EhkJVntpG8HgueGErSIYZhm1FqEVfkdL0QVuFmQGJ0vcpIa7l_1lhaUCy_b72CrFFa30mTDFDpbYE1tXOi0kxhKsAoDdssdhTD8-6VnADicoOHL4aC2aQLUZ7M8lZJRkQ/s320/f197748c-4779-49d4-980f-4720e1e9e42e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We met Fabi's parents again for dinner this night. Even though Meezy, Kim, and I are vegetarians, I thought it would be fun to bring the Germans to <a href="https://fogodechao.com/" target="_blank">Fogo de Chao</a>. The meat-lovers in the group were impressed, and of course the rest of us were happy because they have a very extensive salad bar. There's always dessert too! We visited until the restaurant essentially kicked us out due to closing time. It was hard to say goodbye! The next day it was back to Dallas for Meezy and I. We'll see you again soon, Kim and Fabi!<div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-7594919566963008702022-10-28T16:57:00.000-05:002022-10-28T16:58:00.813-05:00Oktoberfest in Germany 2022<p>This year we were lucky enough to check another item off the bucket list. A huge group of us traveled to Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest and it was an unforgettable experience! There were 16 of us in total, most coming from the United States, but 2 coming from the Netherlands. We all arrived in Munich on a Monday and stayed at <a href="https://www.hotel-marc.de/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw--2aBhD5ARIsALiRlwCLHRT_K1Myvf6dceBHLSIQjMd06woSbl0IofJQcE9fEKoGISTfaSsaAg0ZEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Hotel Marc Munchen</a> because it was close to the festival grounds. The first night's dinner was at <a href="https://www.steinheil16.de/" target="_blank">Steinheil 16</a>, where I think we took up the majority of the restaurant! We left an American-sized tip on our large bill, so the waiter brought out free Jager shots to show his appreciation. Ha! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZy7lHWCTK9vT0VxWqsnVsL9XNRr2uD38Hqu20Tl-StkWBlk5g-YyFSPMuItzZ_outAOsNMWQHPWDMaNJ2MzuJ11U523nyv4d-hc9yr1PCDjH1EzNNagD2bHUgrYvEsovTQuwtNp3fFjQkH7-DLCEdl8cRrOaYaxfUC9mqyG18MrLBs-7Mf0G7cLPHQ/s4032/Rachel%20Ragan%20-%20D4CF1EB8-D436-45B3-870B-EA59B5F21011.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZy7lHWCTK9vT0VxWqsnVsL9XNRr2uD38Hqu20Tl-StkWBlk5g-YyFSPMuItzZ_outAOsNMWQHPWDMaNJ2MzuJ11U523nyv4d-hc9yr1PCDjH1EzNNagD2bHUgrYvEsovTQuwtNp3fFjQkH7-DLCEdl8cRrOaYaxfUC9mqyG18MrLBs-7Mf0G7cLPHQ/s320/Rachel%20Ragan%20-%20D4CF1EB8-D436-45B3-870B-EA59B5F21011.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-txwgg6VSrKPT-8lHj3Yi-3BW5SYrOMh5sjWqLNac-fiwNvOIq-UARvTe3P9PHVYXLimx6sbmI32ysC8kB3x2WUH-pC5M-XEUjz8LHcAV0n4vlYsET2Dp8saswauNzbCQ7klx1Ts6C-pxIxBTIOH-ArO8kQT5EBAfMNjMoB1SjBlU4ogC7VzStPkxg/s4032/Abby%20-%204BDA4DBC-8826-49FA-A1B1-C8EEF4EA3426.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-txwgg6VSrKPT-8lHj3Yi-3BW5SYrOMh5sjWqLNac-fiwNvOIq-UARvTe3P9PHVYXLimx6sbmI32ysC8kB3x2WUH-pC5M-XEUjz8LHcAV0n4vlYsET2Dp8saswauNzbCQ7klx1Ts6C-pxIxBTIOH-ArO8kQT5EBAfMNjMoB1SjBlU4ogC7VzStPkxg/s320/Abby%20-%204BDA4DBC-8826-49FA-A1B1-C8EEF4EA3426.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AKa-_mer53INxfAkotZh9gWz_94DcB72Z7jfRghXN7Ilge8Pvs0waiR85V6_wC8T7P116o913HWAw6eM7JwkOKLqfro5aUExA35pCGIkkDosZrY3MDbb0QAaWQvAH5BQNanILUyyo99wwicDGlkaXMOK0_qHpArEuGfRyF0wasH39MXXOJ905cYXqg/s1024/imagejpeg_0.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AKa-_mer53INxfAkotZh9gWz_94DcB72Z7jfRghXN7Ilge8Pvs0waiR85V6_wC8T7P116o913HWAw6eM7JwkOKLqfro5aUExA35pCGIkkDosZrY3MDbb0QAaWQvAH5BQNanILUyyo99wwicDGlkaXMOK0_qHpArEuGfRyF0wasH39MXXOJ905cYXqg/s320/imagejpeg_0.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN16seV48KGWw9pT_tEuNs2UOmT6Jk-Jlimi5_JGuHBD3Vu9RqPi_QKNTfJo0DjLwSXvai9u5Id-vvNAvcJXo6ZjVt5cjdL5op2zQaJnypr2TJogns-H3vigxDcT2EuBmIsslwN8AUyDOrMyayVy0OrcsyImZUsOG6htGVqa_236ozw1I6TtiJWG14GA/s1024/imagejpeg_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN16seV48KGWw9pT_tEuNs2UOmT6Jk-Jlimi5_JGuHBD3Vu9RqPi_QKNTfJo0DjLwSXvai9u5Id-vvNAvcJXo6ZjVt5cjdL5op2zQaJnypr2TJogns-H3vigxDcT2EuBmIsslwN8AUyDOrMyayVy0OrcsyImZUsOG6htGVqa_236ozw1I6TtiJWG14GA/s320/imagejpeg_1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>Dinner with friends is fun, but dinner with a ton of your friends, on vacation in Germany, is even more fun! After dinner we headed to <a href="https://www.boilerman-muenchen.de/" target="_blank">Boilerman Bar</a>, where we ended up taking over the piano and singing some Elton John and Billy Joel for the rest of the patrons. Americans...we're an entitled bunch, aren't we??</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUHofDp300ul5a-jjLZfA2PYQ88KUsqrwkvuJi5Zovmtvxj9X9E5e_Fn5UNRR98u8XSkZcJNWE7aKSs894CvPkYsGkgHHmgw8M2uYv5OTROiNJs2XW3-3rYtNsUbHLMOc1bZEXyOvnGUWU7jbxOaggL0fGxyR8VuXKC4tJyhMHfl_wMpPGpcnQs4Vdg/s4032/IMG_1155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUHofDp300ul5a-jjLZfA2PYQ88KUsqrwkvuJi5Zovmtvxj9X9E5e_Fn5UNRR98u8XSkZcJNWE7aKSs894CvPkYsGkgHHmgw8M2uYv5OTROiNJs2XW3-3rYtNsUbHLMOc1bZEXyOvnGUWU7jbxOaggL0fGxyR8VuXKC4tJyhMHfl_wMpPGpcnQs4Vdg/s320/IMG_1155.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Tuesday was our first day at Oktoberfest and the weather started out beautifully. We posed for a lot of pictures to capture the moment, since all 16 of us were dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9m_PZyPWKAiCqG2FVgKavGUd40YjXXrvyFGp0zJRr_UZXMQa2j0V5m_a6FRaX7drX1LW9-rAZtZiJL-CDZKwI6HDP9sxSHkikXVexdQNRvaxB7liuUzcAEe9PeGbGZzO0glj5CI8qgVDp--BNCVa-2-yorpHq884iOX65GJW7JCalySfL4O2Bm9zNA/s4032/Abby%20Handt%20-%205CC24C54-F1E0-4F01-AD1F-07CD69BFF245.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9m_PZyPWKAiCqG2FVgKavGUd40YjXXrvyFGp0zJRr_UZXMQa2j0V5m_a6FRaX7drX1LW9-rAZtZiJL-CDZKwI6HDP9sxSHkikXVexdQNRvaxB7liuUzcAEe9PeGbGZzO0glj5CI8qgVDp--BNCVa-2-yorpHq884iOX65GJW7JCalySfL4O2Bm9zNA/s320/Abby%20Handt%20-%205CC24C54-F1E0-4F01-AD1F-07CD69BFF245.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdB7enPJ1bLuRz6zTDX802LS-hlDZi7Oe5Ylds4Cgi9yrZRkK4KMF90bah3mLezR1gjx1RfD2Yb6p6BH_WrAABKoRoZu41NmlbvU0iSQBLg6UjZCZxbI3d89rbgEkDcnwQiYhkcVmLyJqhqp7tPZXuYrbQARRFFnAGGHgWjNc-NDdcYw45TuOz14-9DQ/s4032/Abby%20Handt%20-%208F23CDAD-AC36-4877-85E9-EA8F7AEEAE57.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdB7enPJ1bLuRz6zTDX802LS-hlDZi7Oe5Ylds4Cgi9yrZRkK4KMF90bah3mLezR1gjx1RfD2Yb6p6BH_WrAABKoRoZu41NmlbvU0iSQBLg6UjZCZxbI3d89rbgEkDcnwQiYhkcVmLyJqhqp7tPZXuYrbQARRFFnAGGHgWjNc-NDdcYw45TuOz14-9DQ/s320/Abby%20Handt%20-%208F23CDAD-AC36-4877-85E9-EA8F7AEEAE57.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqas0R4y67wIXbldqSiVTvV5aTlCdje8YXxNwe_wOqQAt8VzyXXA3zzQsmNZU9uXsGK536pA55CiJjiV2is42Tl9zb4oMXHdDFBYdX0PgSkZjroJgqrdtrfIG3Odf9po7ZqIqab7Yzn7bqLDAF27LrzW-P8MYRzg1okQd1vtl-FnycSugEuBfBgFqPw/s4032/IMG_0205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqas0R4y67wIXbldqSiVTvV5aTlCdje8YXxNwe_wOqQAt8VzyXXA3zzQsmNZU9uXsGK536pA55CiJjiV2is42Tl9zb4oMXHdDFBYdX0PgSkZjroJgqrdtrfIG3Odf9po7ZqIqab7Yzn7bqLDAF27LrzW-P8MYRzg1okQd1vtl-FnycSugEuBfBgFqPw/s320/IMG_0205.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWi3CPIPcXqgC1MfHF2KHIMHqCkzmOx-YJA3LeRCGH9NWTeK_TKEqFyu376GuB_lab8W5Q8sj9lDxrIs10_t7tx8wiEx-t1cR-7Uj4FIm9tS2b7lXEYVWBNYz1YMvKwveNl3SIXCmrCGSkHYRhLuGKlUFcC8XZqWJ9wcvxTqdiaGvwImxJT7ZZlmZTA/s4032/IMG_0834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWi3CPIPcXqgC1MfHF2KHIMHqCkzmOx-YJA3LeRCGH9NWTeK_TKEqFyu376GuB_lab8W5Q8sj9lDxrIs10_t7tx8wiEx-t1cR-7Uj4FIm9tS2b7lXEYVWBNYz1YMvKwveNl3SIXCmrCGSkHYRhLuGKlUFcC8XZqWJ9wcvxTqdiaGvwImxJT7ZZlmZTA/s320/IMG_0834.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb7lr4DT6ojSXfUPtO_73usjYNkOg1__PmhzP6Pd5gYwKwcJpv05BcR4D0CEaGXnZ3YxMjuSnZE1H7f4refhsUK3vQqhCKozycyKWXBufiW1XUY1ryhreIK7Tq8NxWoMYjTO5DV4GOwwZCUBitSpU99-IXkqBa04YVbCOtkk8nydjGXFO0Ig41zk2HA/s4032/IMG_0840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb7lr4DT6ojSXfUPtO_73usjYNkOg1__PmhzP6Pd5gYwKwcJpv05BcR4D0CEaGXnZ3YxMjuSnZE1H7f4refhsUK3vQqhCKozycyKWXBufiW1XUY1ryhreIK7Tq8NxWoMYjTO5DV4GOwwZCUBitSpU99-IXkqBa04YVbCOtkk8nydjGXFO0Ig41zk2HA/s320/IMG_0840.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>We had tent reservations at Schutzen-Festzelt for lunchtime. "Tent" is a misleading word because they're actually very large, fully-enclosed buildings with everything you need to enjoy yourselves. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sSWwzAN8YAsJNrQInrx-4grxfZmLaBF86Jhe_j79HKHLNUVHIf1wGI8Xw2PM6eLiNa1VN3u8zsrlLP3iysf6l_MWzLjMxII2gbQS0bwvFFsIz1AkHb0QAx89ZvjbySVk3IhTgHB9m7Ho5Dw9YnaPEqu2Sz9m6g5bIpuvq2T3i7pxEBGsqHbNfIiKRw/s4032/IMG_1162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sSWwzAN8YAsJNrQInrx-4grxfZmLaBF86Jhe_j79HKHLNUVHIf1wGI8Xw2PM6eLiNa1VN3u8zsrlLP3iysf6l_MWzLjMxII2gbQS0bwvFFsIz1AkHb0QAx89ZvjbySVk3IhTgHB9m7Ho5Dw9YnaPEqu2Sz9m6g5bIpuvq2T3i7pxEBGsqHbNfIiKRw/s320/IMG_1162.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcma9V2tr4g7Efb0DVXOlsCSISDXR1FURA7yBX9frG035dV-Ij7rtC2dly4zjyA7UvpsTN1bmbMdu7ajk0onyq0JhIvcg-e3FX6NyjPONw5lR5NDIS7BQ86TmKwi17pgevu3_eT6TkAKauyWBQj_twt70IKI3QBLUN7ETE60c5s-FjC3v56HTgef6fQ/s4032/IMG_1203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcma9V2tr4g7Efb0DVXOlsCSISDXR1FURA7yBX9frG035dV-Ij7rtC2dly4zjyA7UvpsTN1bmbMdu7ajk0onyq0JhIvcg-e3FX6NyjPONw5lR5NDIS7BQ86TmKwi17pgevu3_eT6TkAKauyWBQj_twt70IKI3QBLUN7ETE60c5s-FjC3v56HTgef6fQ/s320/IMG_1203.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>The reservation came with dedicated seating for all of us, a meal, and 2 beers each. The first couple hours of our time block were spent eating and drinking in a relatively calm environment. As the hours passed, and the tent filled up and people consumed more alcohol, the band started playing more upbeat songs and the crowd got into it! We stood on our benches, danced and sang, and that's when it felt like the Oktoberfest you'd imagine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj469qmKAFefU4kQiWM02iCDkLpLeBucKCZ8Qrysxdj-7HchSyKuAv7KbqeUrWWd-ioJJbPdAtoxsQ780pvi3XeyGfGXmvtzG7VcqBn7YjI2yVWv1TK__wr8TCGIKX63BzCM_EGdSm09H0Ssf4AfAng_PVA1QTDeQ6HtLxeqaqKKnVY7dSRs2CssGSmIQ/s4032/IMG_1164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj469qmKAFefU4kQiWM02iCDkLpLeBucKCZ8Qrysxdj-7HchSyKuAv7KbqeUrWWd-ioJJbPdAtoxsQ780pvi3XeyGfGXmvtzG7VcqBn7YjI2yVWv1TK__wr8TCGIKX63BzCM_EGdSm09H0Ssf4AfAng_PVA1QTDeQ6HtLxeqaqKKnVY7dSRs2CssGSmIQ/s320/IMG_1164.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBcvQALOvcxsjfM0tIb7kn8epKWdcQX0oqStzB5JZUAplLS9WK-RJlaY4ih44jhY5iH2XgjT0etUGYK1nCVsQSbUkuYBTNFeTMaLvDpJH53j3m5tRSeGgSYdgVe6oCCvf_Fl5ln0T-Lj3Qqd7LwPsLbdEQcdn7-kVDlb-vP7BHHXq7nQGvgXrR9xDYQ/s4032/IMG_1201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBcvQALOvcxsjfM0tIb7kn8epKWdcQX0oqStzB5JZUAplLS9WK-RJlaY4ih44jhY5iH2XgjT0etUGYK1nCVsQSbUkuYBTNFeTMaLvDpJH53j3m5tRSeGgSYdgVe6oCCvf_Fl5ln0T-Lj3Qqd7LwPsLbdEQcdn7-kVDlb-vP7BHHXq7nQGvgXrR9xDYQ/s320/IMG_1201.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7w2YfXTRLLDkuXBItngpq_ExsSF1Ti5G3dMKpuuoMND6LSy_40apGZikj2Sbpw1Ni-yLuobmJcu4i2OHo8q0pgcBudqPljjAdAfmSaMCGORKwhbq_shFUkzVZf5e9hFmWIbYD5c8Pq7gPJG3bvv9nHSeG-UzaqcHm82fCCQoOMzj8ZNoV4Qw4K9IvwA/s4032/Abby%20Handt%20-%203E2F2A2A-BBC5-4677-83DC-01B88DE06955.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7w2YfXTRLLDkuXBItngpq_ExsSF1Ti5G3dMKpuuoMND6LSy_40apGZikj2Sbpw1Ni-yLuobmJcu4i2OHo8q0pgcBudqPljjAdAfmSaMCGORKwhbq_shFUkzVZf5e9hFmWIbYD5c8Pq7gPJG3bvv9nHSeG-UzaqcHm82fCCQoOMzj8ZNoV4Qw4K9IvwA/s320/Abby%20Handt%20-%203E2F2A2A-BBC5-4677-83DC-01B88DE06955.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRXVOx2uV1P7du1NWwUA8foEfr6HMCEUPYXFsgy0Ki_93TKzHVjmgIZHfuk30kai-01FMB6qcrI5zAlW4frGvEH59HOJa3W0_0ZR2M-QjOinGCVGu9bhcUpSBo2sD5Z03jy-WlJJGTWOGXTWwHxJbsYe0KztTnpXMBpVgp2i1NA4Vwh98TnI36ySkSg/s1024/imagejpeg_0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRXVOx2uV1P7du1NWwUA8foEfr6HMCEUPYXFsgy0Ki_93TKzHVjmgIZHfuk30kai-01FMB6qcrI5zAlW4frGvEH59HOJa3W0_0ZR2M-QjOinGCVGu9bhcUpSBo2sD5Z03jy-WlJJGTWOGXTWwHxJbsYe0KztTnpXMBpVgp2i1NA4Vwh98TnI36ySkSg/s320/imagejpeg_0.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEXfd05TKqvgd8yjxplTyGRUKFTXI4Z74UECylvxeAKnQhshZYgfo9jPjnOBXAt48zuImQBHixZIzHPGCy41537L-9O6bYViqfe9HfpH-fWvGwQbAl4Tf6_WVrgbsWTCy-4peHA30reNr66R0QLiYNNlQFs0hPcLR2bT0azujCox07JltB7_bwTlYgQ/s3088/IMG_1167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEXfd05TKqvgd8yjxplTyGRUKFTXI4Z74UECylvxeAKnQhshZYgfo9jPjnOBXAt48zuImQBHixZIzHPGCy41537L-9O6bYViqfe9HfpH-fWvGwQbAl4Tf6_WVrgbsWTCy-4peHA30reNr66R0QLiYNNlQFs0hPcLR2bT0azujCox07JltB7_bwTlYgQ/s320/IMG_1167.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkycLjS2EwBYd9u7cEyz5k_hzQ06X7kgioNBcCQ8PVUVFSQHDG_xynM9O1PzaZMNBzIjbpe3svICXqOCXG6XTA8CZH_xGoCPuKevEqfMhVWIYsjPc6kPSZ3zZkN5UJL1A0oQt5kVUL8tfadZyHHnosXQuuJV-2-G2-OfoGcIILJSOIwONoDpMQLYDzg/s3088/IMG_1205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkycLjS2EwBYd9u7cEyz5k_hzQ06X7kgioNBcCQ8PVUVFSQHDG_xynM9O1PzaZMNBzIjbpe3svICXqOCXG6XTA8CZH_xGoCPuKevEqfMhVWIYsjPc6kPSZ3zZkN5UJL1A0oQt5kVUL8tfadZyHHnosXQuuJV-2-G2-OfoGcIILJSOIwONoDpMQLYDzg/s320/IMG_1205.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QhmDW6iSPJVp3d-w49890nsLjUfPNLEWckUp_h2QttNWo3Vt8dFcCReClithOq5kxoTyCnxDqGMrYe_jEZqlM5Rxn-69LQY-6mHLVJ7VQuMqh6b1c3cGI73EkX8QNyh5PLk3Z_9MBgbfJNRRNxs0EZir7vPmw1ZFc3laDTfTP-XV3b4Bm_Kr4dDCdg/s3088/IMG_1295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QhmDW6iSPJVp3d-w49890nsLjUfPNLEWckUp_h2QttNWo3Vt8dFcCReClithOq5kxoTyCnxDqGMrYe_jEZqlM5Rxn-69LQY-6mHLVJ7VQuMqh6b1c3cGI73EkX8QNyh5PLk3Z_9MBgbfJNRRNxs0EZir7vPmw1ZFc3laDTfTP-XV3b4Bm_Kr4dDCdg/s320/IMG_1295.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTR0J4GFD-fwp0MT5rnb0h9siL86Uvc4Ul-pdLAu9QOg9e5bXIZ1djOh-OFiEaHpDm_z9K5jJsqy8-TAbG-ro2V_FgukTl_LO5_Xu42Kg1yHQdMiLFmF_jVoiCU107rLWGM6TUzMFF6Blv49YioRZli-4B1mOHSjIOKYuPHl07P2y3TELwoZJii9Utw/s4032/Scott%20-%20F55CC4DF-CFB2-4B3F-8201-9043708B294C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTR0J4GFD-fwp0MT5rnb0h9siL86Uvc4Ul-pdLAu9QOg9e5bXIZ1djOh-OFiEaHpDm_z9K5jJsqy8-TAbG-ro2V_FgukTl_LO5_Xu42Kg1yHQdMiLFmF_jVoiCU107rLWGM6TUzMFF6Blv49YioRZli-4B1mOHSjIOKYuPHl07P2y3TELwoZJii9Utw/s320/Scott%20-%20F55CC4DF-CFB2-4B3F-8201-9043708B294C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>After 4 hours, they kicked everyone out, so we walked around the festival grounds. It reminded me of our State Fair here in Texas. There were carnival rides, games, souvenir shops, snacks, etc. There are also tons of other tents, so we decided to check out the famous Hofbrau one. We didn't have reservations, so we had to find room wherever we could fit and it was standing room only. It was packed and definitely high energy! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhko1NoA_MwE2o2m9KcbSmcc1qyCVOjVpXp9BLJKPSwleW7biViMTX-0-8H-T7N1LNiou0J3YbQ_Z9R06KRKRHy-tGapdSpG0pKYYfxaXH_mOcM8JIhNmJMU2KnNYM6cdXWY64X0gIhURGYQk3Y3-Yjmf0ta-UOPIG2JQgLx2aYzbZhSNs7_DfDdpEp4Q/s2016/IMG_1208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhko1NoA_MwE2o2m9KcbSmcc1qyCVOjVpXp9BLJKPSwleW7biViMTX-0-8H-T7N1LNiou0J3YbQ_Z9R06KRKRHy-tGapdSpG0pKYYfxaXH_mOcM8JIhNmJMU2KnNYM6cdXWY64X0gIhURGYQk3Y3-Yjmf0ta-UOPIG2JQgLx2aYzbZhSNs7_DfDdpEp4Q/s320/IMG_1208.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6Rrb-N8TzXHl23bElnjDHyZe80OUAX5CaFZjvfcZpgIXjczDUcV2-xbGUx5ONpti982eKdldi7aVpNva1w8fWY-YIm2sLgX6sUONs9drJKkElJf4QhP_HApTxMOr_aYckUSPTjMMSweppNJTkhM8fdCBAE7YEeSIL14KNYOn6hyeHDULcJB6A6RGNQ/s2016/IMG_1209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6Rrb-N8TzXHl23bElnjDHyZe80OUAX5CaFZjvfcZpgIXjczDUcV2-xbGUx5ONpti982eKdldi7aVpNva1w8fWY-YIm2sLgX6sUONs9drJKkElJf4QhP_HApTxMOr_aYckUSPTjMMSweppNJTkhM8fdCBAE7YEeSIL14KNYOn6hyeHDULcJB6A6RGNQ/s320/IMG_1209.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRZlMoJ1KgS1AN5dZNuFT8qAaYnFHo-W-peGUM7FDgrL_YVk5oLpBVxbUPfGXXXXDc53xFZBEuls-8PGxVFzcBf5tYgQdwlG85lYrnBLBtpV4rF6d7NQROfuhHW1cdjGw-KBq1aCSLelWO4IYUTgyY-5DrE9zWQqDSsboqx8yXacMPuEbmpB2i9HRmw/s2016/IMG_1216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRZlMoJ1KgS1AN5dZNuFT8qAaYnFHo-W-peGUM7FDgrL_YVk5oLpBVxbUPfGXXXXDc53xFZBEuls-8PGxVFzcBf5tYgQdwlG85lYrnBLBtpV4rF6d7NQROfuhHW1cdjGw-KBq1aCSLelWO4IYUTgyY-5DrE9zWQqDSsboqx8yXacMPuEbmpB2i9HRmw/s320/IMG_1216.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-EI_rxozwK4P18BrLUME44MWYf8LRNJd0fP8DzkmcVKv3C_vA4qu4DedohWe5feTwTIKTsDiFzMizIhX-k-DM9crs5EsAugPQQDnUM7rxfqAWfZ78r96fzMzPnZhI2bbpDEji7K4tWRKiAoSNE2XCtA_GjgwW-fO-7zOwPDhnyBewnSKvrbya99RCw/s2016/IMG_7626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-EI_rxozwK4P18BrLUME44MWYf8LRNJd0fP8DzkmcVKv3C_vA4qu4DedohWe5feTwTIKTsDiFzMizIhX-k-DM9crs5EsAugPQQDnUM7rxfqAWfZ78r96fzMzPnZhI2bbpDEji7K4tWRKiAoSNE2XCtA_GjgwW-fO-7zOwPDhnyBewnSKvrbya99RCw/s320/IMG_7626.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnY0h19YlhNuhzqmzkeSFWWngq9VeLk3_eWv5xoqKC9zExvgYtFPwsLI3aiPhvhHAk85jJwgluXoKF0XHa55c3dIFIXOCbDttMoC1sT6SpdO1yVlpE2CfeweZ0IS2XjP8y9SURYAVc59dWz9FVclLK-5W74D-J1SzFuKTPP0CiP_xBzbB2wNkO6vuOTQ/s4032/Rachel%20Ragan%20-%20D22A2045-6681-4315-93AA-2E5FF5C8F87D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnY0h19YlhNuhzqmzkeSFWWngq9VeLk3_eWv5xoqKC9zExvgYtFPwsLI3aiPhvhHAk85jJwgluXoKF0XHa55c3dIFIXOCbDttMoC1sT6SpdO1yVlpE2CfeweZ0IS2XjP8y9SURYAVc59dWz9FVclLK-5W74D-J1SzFuKTPP0CiP_xBzbB2wNkO6vuOTQ/s320/Rachel%20Ragan%20-%20D22A2045-6681-4315-93AA-2E5FF5C8F87D.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>By that time, the weather had taken a turn for the worse, so we decided to leave the grounds and look for a dinner option. A few of us ended up at <a href="https://www.muenchner-stubn.de/en/" target="_blank">Munchner Stubn</a>, which was right around the corner from our hotel. (We actually ate there 3 times during our entire stay in Munich!). It had been a long day, so we called it a night after that.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next (dreary) day in Munich was spent doing some sight-seeing and shopping around the Marienplatz, where we saw a performance by the Glockenspiel. The whole group had lunch at <a href="https://www.ratskeller.com/" target="_blank">Ratskeller</a> before we split off so some could go back to Oktoberfest, some left to return to the Netherlands, and some returned to the hotel to rest and regroup. That night, a few of us went to dinner at <a href="https://www.laburrita.de/" target="_blank">La Burrita</a> because we were craving comfort Mexican food! You never know what to expect when you try to eat Mexican food in Western Europe, but we were pleasantly surprised by how good the food and drinks were. We ended the night back at Munchner Stubn for dessert and were entertained by some of the restaurant patrons thinking they were still at Oktoberfest and trying to get everyone to join them in song.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next morning we had a flight to Dublin, where we spent one more night before returning to the US. This trip was definitely one we'll never forget. Being able to share this experience with so many of our friends was priceless. Auf Wiedersehen, Germany! I'll be back soon.</div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-48819355927944975412022-10-10T17:25:00.001-05:002022-10-10T17:25:51.618-05:00Dublin and Northern Ireland 2022<p>The first destination of our Europe trip this year was Dublin, Ireland. Joining us was my sister and her husband and two great friends, Scott & Kyle. We rented a car, which was an adventure in itself. Thank goodness we got an automatic, so as not to make it even harder on ourselves. Ireland drives on the left side of the road, so the driver sits on the right side of the vehicle. The lanes are so small and there are tons of walkers and bikers to look out for. Meezy and I took turns with the driving responsibilities, but everyone in the car was on "look out" duty no matter who was driving, lol.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahTKxMJRciUpML-KX1bkdorutf2gzTWek7-ijZaVIT5mcsau3v9CwElm9lADkp5LzHzhS-f1FxabpGZUHngY89oi6opc9fcHs3m7ybkh4SE4rCAZgzL1DUcQmUEw1dbZxx6hr9opdviyHBkM-L4bAhZYgED-LT55kN_CSPUSgr2XdFrkL0SNn9hM7lQ/s4032/IMG_1023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahTKxMJRciUpML-KX1bkdorutf2gzTWek7-ijZaVIT5mcsau3v9CwElm9lADkp5LzHzhS-f1FxabpGZUHngY89oi6opc9fcHs3m7ybkh4SE4rCAZgzL1DUcQmUEw1dbZxx6hr9opdviyHBkM-L4bAhZYgED-LT55kN_CSPUSgr2XdFrkL0SNn9hM7lQ/s320/IMG_1023.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>We stayed at the <a href="https://www.royalmarine.ie/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhY-aBhCUARIsALNIC07BjUuZbKKGxO1bZj3cR9PhNbcIBiO1g9_aAefUfRAgDpKTGGd8zdoaAl8hEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Royal Marine Hotel</a>, which is situated on the coast of Dublin Bay, about 30 minutes south of the city center. The hotel was nice with good parking, shops and restaurants nearby, and beautiful views, but if I was going back, I'd choose a hotel closer to the city. It was a bit of a drag having to drive that distance before and after each day's activities. </p><p>After resting at our hotel for a little bit, we headed into Dublin for a guided tour at the Jameson Distillery. I couldn't care less about alcohol, but of course I was going to be a good sport and participate in everything. The tour was actually fantastic and we had an awesome tour guide. We added on a private cask draw experience, which included a tasting directly from a barrel. Then we finished up with a drink at their bar. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0f9or6Ye44sJJdT3-rNcq2YwoheN0R7qFj-r3TIDvNISWyO0awdDsfgPeObdK-eEFhtiSTElmyzmQCkMhEOXkhh-c6845g9sNaRKQZNwT1gA6bEuzdI6L0nhiDsCynOSlJCEcme5PnBOD9FePr6VLFhN04f6Ptjrav4q6JRhiiX9xH2jkwIqAM5cNA/s4032/IMG_1026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0f9or6Ye44sJJdT3-rNcq2YwoheN0R7qFj-r3TIDvNISWyO0awdDsfgPeObdK-eEFhtiSTElmyzmQCkMhEOXkhh-c6845g9sNaRKQZNwT1gA6bEuzdI6L0nhiDsCynOSlJCEcme5PnBOD9FePr6VLFhN04f6Ptjrav4q6JRhiiX9xH2jkwIqAM5cNA/s320/IMG_1026.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_2RZEFefyIdXaO0kFOeFNZQr7hVBOz7NgZW33U3Dm7NUj_6cgkifoGosJd3ExLr-pONvuD-IrU3Z5PG8ge9KpFPPOXL8gGCxwu3aUiP0oWGTei2Y33VuktxuajX-pd4lTpgxc4zMBxObKUecbOJ3S-PBi22wSS36e8s_9AaUioyB7goqS9oIn1LGLg/s4032/IMG_1028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_2RZEFefyIdXaO0kFOeFNZQr7hVBOz7NgZW33U3Dm7NUj_6cgkifoGosJd3ExLr-pONvuD-IrU3Z5PG8ge9KpFPPOXL8gGCxwu3aUiP0oWGTei2Y33VuktxuajX-pd4lTpgxc4zMBxObKUecbOJ3S-PBi22wSS36e8s_9AaUioyB7goqS9oIn1LGLg/s320/IMG_1028.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMnIvdQmrzOZ9TwhOrqcHq9o77da4pcCSG8GoJm9QoL1oRpVX-_UO7ff1OPjTIIYmrv6yu0wWKlSGRm-8_D8yWRS12gRYBq-mlgfA8UWNs2YylUpmjjP8S9QAMQH7J4RyhIdKsZgLC2PMl0_z9rWMQkhQloeL0IkaiURAiQIW4rA6iMSwhkKqNMtuSA/s4032/IMG_1030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMnIvdQmrzOZ9TwhOrqcHq9o77da4pcCSG8GoJm9QoL1oRpVX-_UO7ff1OPjTIIYmrv6yu0wWKlSGRm-8_D8yWRS12gRYBq-mlgfA8UWNs2YylUpmjjP8S9QAMQH7J4RyhIdKsZgLC2PMl0_z9rWMQkhQloeL0IkaiURAiQIW4rA6iMSwhkKqNMtuSA/s320/IMG_1030.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP-JKGKzOrckd3WZ65yczoDH8K3DYg0w_6brKtusHjdX8JJJpHLAX_by-tpkSwlkJ2pKOuYLiWMMdHTq3kAVJKoJ8U3xevcs5LILIZSx-YvvJz9tiWGCOnsp_aC_-1jI7qThgf8srD4CAFGp6l_DQCeuJ6q_lb3AeGdfSIGYW3xsosgWXF251ZtTBuQ/s1024/imagejpeg_0.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP-JKGKzOrckd3WZ65yczoDH8K3DYg0w_6brKtusHjdX8JJJpHLAX_by-tpkSwlkJ2pKOuYLiWMMdHTq3kAVJKoJ8U3xevcs5LILIZSx-YvvJz9tiWGCOnsp_aC_-1jI7qThgf8srD4CAFGp6l_DQCeuJ6q_lb3AeGdfSIGYW3xsosgWXF251ZtTBuQ/s320/imagejpeg_0.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpQglbhfBNgZTSb4glu5R9BX_lftuD7KpR-yzzpo915akufm0JR2e6keBIxJ40fyRejTlB-79laCH-HHbEX0FUOVGV0O0OAIMtLIks16xE5zU_tkxUiCPEbkAxpt5zuuPRkPYVkK8Fa2HzaZ07_L3WHGjNWkO8EaMQ0p_rc6zXnjIXyyDsy3hvEnXQQ/s4032/IMG_1042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpQglbhfBNgZTSb4glu5R9BX_lftuD7KpR-yzzpo915akufm0JR2e6keBIxJ40fyRejTlB-79laCH-HHbEX0FUOVGV0O0OAIMtLIks16xE5zU_tkxUiCPEbkAxpt5zuuPRkPYVkK8Fa2HzaZ07_L3WHGjNWkO8EaMQ0p_rc6zXnjIXyyDsy3hvEnXQQ/s320/IMG_1042.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy4UcvEYmVa8uIVPEdbDSGccT0jzM1pH269AQ9VN5mRl9FXk6LODqZZlxr5garKiQB6sWn-D-R-BdRev1Z1pgepPoBgLrKc7qDef9cOP7e_rqAXDT8jYlyFvWcJrzq-cpprEIbDeIDLPdemVCEv444nRFNg4Sm_duZJZ0J_Va_mC7-5EUxCqpz6suNw/s1800/IMG_1133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy4UcvEYmVa8uIVPEdbDSGccT0jzM1pH269AQ9VN5mRl9FXk6LODqZZlxr5garKiQB6sWn-D-R-BdRev1Z1pgepPoBgLrKc7qDef9cOP7e_rqAXDT8jYlyFvWcJrzq-cpprEIbDeIDLPdemVCEv444nRFNg4Sm_duZJZ0J_Va_mC7-5EUxCqpz6suNw/s320/IMG_1133.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>I'd recommend the tour even if you don't love Jameson, or alcohol in general. The facility is very cool and we all enjoyed the experience. Afterward we headed to <a href="https://tokendublin.ie/" target="_blank">Token</a> for dinner. They have ample vegetarian and vegan options and cheap, old-school arcade games to play after you're done eating. Not wanting to call it a night just yet, we then walked over to <a href="https://brazenhead.com/" target="_blank">The Brazen Head</a>, Ireland's oldest pub. It had live music, so we felt like we were getting the authentic Irish pub experience! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrHKpkxZlqvMQJrAtktNZd9c-5pkotZpXBtJDtX8PhkIvtjvALIUZAH6IGpXxqM7NX4aUa2LaBSET1Neck_n1sA5tgZ6b-W4sFjnxmX4vOG5Z6SSpH49sFKYW8kmEai016__-hUX3xuYrU7AbKKpe_oKslWEU6CiyVaZ4MGlCoj1nxdAkqvGao9aewg/s4032/IMG_1054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrHKpkxZlqvMQJrAtktNZd9c-5pkotZpXBtJDtX8PhkIvtjvALIUZAH6IGpXxqM7NX4aUa2LaBSET1Neck_n1sA5tgZ6b-W4sFjnxmX4vOG5Z6SSpH49sFKYW8kmEai016__-hUX3xuYrU7AbKKpe_oKslWEU6CiyVaZ4MGlCoj1nxdAkqvGao9aewg/s320/IMG_1054.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Day Two started with a visit to Trinity College, where we learned about and saw the Book of Kells (no pics allowed) and got to tour the Long Room. This is the main chamber of the Old Library, built in the 1700s, which is filled with 200,000 of the oldest books from Britain and Ireland. It's stunning! They are closing in October 2023 for a 3-year renovation, so we feel lucky we got to see it while we could.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57-1v6FBKlimAY9oenw9P0CX9UQW5j-SpGq3XkeP7xImlWn30nUrQ_T5g4kYVG9grfk-isUmePCtz2w5XcDrqdAxZ3qMPzUJBMnvklU1Bi22Mx5F7pLhKlcszuENe-4Fuz5ONaGK7U-FRUJx80rsEogIPoYU7EwMuX2kk-D3kg3faa61PzpSymEEP2Q/s4032/IMG_1058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57-1v6FBKlimAY9oenw9P0CX9UQW5j-SpGq3XkeP7xImlWn30nUrQ_T5g4kYVG9grfk-isUmePCtz2w5XcDrqdAxZ3qMPzUJBMnvklU1Bi22Mx5F7pLhKlcszuENe-4Fuz5ONaGK7U-FRUJx80rsEogIPoYU7EwMuX2kk-D3kg3faa61PzpSymEEP2Q/s320/IMG_1058.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHfmtAOd4MpJeWzkikInTb6pDh0O6BsVKSIRLGmu62-pJwo8W5SglySQcpknxw9gtL6v-G8iZGbW9M6vRUSgaPcPlQY7UN3Ac3NAXwI8VaDKncOM_ELgpWlWcewflI_waefrEPXDcI8ikrXWFlRznPg5HYf5Hegqdkw-fUC4WgByK-qrpJXKLBg5sMg/s4032/IMG_1059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHfmtAOd4MpJeWzkikInTb6pDh0O6BsVKSIRLGmu62-pJwo8W5SglySQcpknxw9gtL6v-G8iZGbW9M6vRUSgaPcPlQY7UN3Ac3NAXwI8VaDKncOM_ELgpWlWcewflI_waefrEPXDcI8ikrXWFlRznPg5HYf5Hegqdkw-fUC4WgByK-qrpJXKLBg5sMg/s320/IMG_1059.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>After the library, we hit up some tourist attractions around Dublin - Ha'Penny Bridge, Temple Bar District, and Dublin Castle.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZwB7y8srRl4_zhJlcSn3NZ4Ht6wIR0Sy05aj4MVi_-OFTtmkicnPaOr-7Mm5-E4UjlT59tooaW4XLde8TpYxNkWtPbPwpb_8AUgX-VeyZfGmWvk2qixGApm2KfFP9-RMBGRZiDd0BnHPs5i2HAyU0rmnzyjtUgEdkXITc2qYBqR29JmJY20jjALDOQ/s1800/IMG_1134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZwB7y8srRl4_zhJlcSn3NZ4Ht6wIR0Sy05aj4MVi_-OFTtmkicnPaOr-7Mm5-E4UjlT59tooaW4XLde8TpYxNkWtPbPwpb_8AUgX-VeyZfGmWvk2qixGApm2KfFP9-RMBGRZiDd0BnHPs5i2HAyU0rmnzyjtUgEdkXITc2qYBqR29JmJY20jjALDOQ/s320/IMG_1134.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IvKtAJYoEgVbJbRTe9fMJmToFdnxIWFPWlQfo9f_LqoYwvdvdkLK6hhpfqPMyi4Bssn7jVgE2qCj-CgN4UurC0SV83PTDyWPul1sJHJMtynix-Vqkmok-YVJ8hUBpMvoem_w9rD4S84KyE29rPJvsQUiv2RkTf9sjEMExzvfB_NHyKgVA1U1LlBolQ/s4032/IMG_1061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IvKtAJYoEgVbJbRTe9fMJmToFdnxIWFPWlQfo9f_LqoYwvdvdkLK6hhpfqPMyi4Bssn7jVgE2qCj-CgN4UurC0SV83PTDyWPul1sJHJMtynix-Vqkmok-YVJ8hUBpMvoem_w9rD4S84KyE29rPJvsQUiv2RkTf9sjEMExzvfB_NHyKgVA1U1LlBolQ/s320/IMG_1061.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We ate lunch at <a href="https://www.bankoncollegegreen.com/" target="_blank">The Bank on College Green</a>, which is a very ornate former banking hall. After that it was time for our Guinness Tour. I'd never even tasted Guinness before that day, and will most likely never drink it again, but the experience was well worth it. We booked the Connoisseur tour, which meant 16 people got a private tasting at our own bar for 1.5 hours. Our guide was fantastic! The sample pours were really full glasses and they gave us 5 to try. They also taught us how to do the "perfect pour" of Guinness from the tap. The tour ended with a drink at the Gravity Bar, which has outstanding views of Dublin. We met a couple Welsh guys and ended up talking about American sports for quite a while!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yxlD4qrK7NDJNMMLWy5LOMw4AsfquSbGVEE0w8S4-R1eOU7qJikkk9aWmRNbS8ZpaqytJ4jH95PG_sVYILk9fOySuwwnfLRE3fPUbUORD6aiayHhMtIXWNhhS8NJJV42PRJupz4-QQxkdeobMWtAxhRYbQpEYyA_bxoxMOAUu_hQyklu4G4n6xE1vA/s4032/IMG_1082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yxlD4qrK7NDJNMMLWy5LOMw4AsfquSbGVEE0w8S4-R1eOU7qJikkk9aWmRNbS8ZpaqytJ4jH95PG_sVYILk9fOySuwwnfLRE3fPUbUORD6aiayHhMtIXWNhhS8NJJV42PRJupz4-QQxkdeobMWtAxhRYbQpEYyA_bxoxMOAUu_hQyklu4G4n6xE1vA/s320/IMG_1082.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7ikdIRqcnNOP2QPHs0zZUhSFdrk2yQOoUsYH1TWr-y9eth_gZOa7_s6ztncEwJ9ip8btre6pVpqlwwOoN67bkaAXcGSNWg54fwBmaie5xmlk8PjE-6_qYq6ppTmfQ7SbD1rmX_qj2ipCXjfxQg1W8Zmygs-ahm-CrkXvc3Pj4rGEKqDiZxq4P5qO3g/s4032/IMG_1072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7ikdIRqcnNOP2QPHs0zZUhSFdrk2yQOoUsYH1TWr-y9eth_gZOa7_s6ztncEwJ9ip8btre6pVpqlwwOoN67bkaAXcGSNWg54fwBmaie5xmlk8PjE-6_qYq6ppTmfQ7SbD1rmX_qj2ipCXjfxQg1W8Zmygs-ahm-CrkXvc3Pj4rGEKqDiZxq4P5qO3g/s320/IMG_1072.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvTrJ9VE76DoLOuzvj1GX4-CNb6bl9QKULPDuhvQm5-NjpBjmY_oQ7K0CFVCLbab_XIcs3Pt5GAT2VCIH-rjCYBgZhNHD1wKY0hJXcQuR3IuTsKdXDLqA3ygLqDOFc4gK-rkTZDDkrJmadRdzMXiHVmjF9GyAXylZYW0V3kJUyCA80Uh3qsRoen8v6g/s2048/310286859_10158920644112197_5412396186269334872_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvTrJ9VE76DoLOuzvj1GX4-CNb6bl9QKULPDuhvQm5-NjpBjmY_oQ7K0CFVCLbab_XIcs3Pt5GAT2VCIH-rjCYBgZhNHD1wKY0hJXcQuR3IuTsKdXDLqA3ygLqDOFc4gK-rkTZDDkrJmadRdzMXiHVmjF9GyAXylZYW0V3kJUyCA80Uh3qsRoen8v6g/s320/310286859_10158920644112197_5412396186269334872_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQxlAaSk9giGiC6c2vPPzjJ_84YzVPgiRdhAjZQZRXoMfFHXOrjZzWMmeF3IPiD5rfC81A3i1Py1pTlH4Oj3ZeFJ2N6myfAG3NY5rJWTB1OoDqdcI0Hmhbe0rQimLmMjFWaL1-athHC_IL-YHaSLEwtmOjiFiCXC7Uh5RjQOXYclukt0pPgyXgLuRkw/s4032/IMG_1004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQxlAaSk9giGiC6c2vPPzjJ_84YzVPgiRdhAjZQZRXoMfFHXOrjZzWMmeF3IPiD5rfC81A3i1Py1pTlH4Oj3ZeFJ2N6myfAG3NY5rJWTB1OoDqdcI0Hmhbe0rQimLmMjFWaL1-athHC_IL-YHaSLEwtmOjiFiCXC7Uh5RjQOXYclukt0pPgyXgLuRkw/s320/IMG_1004.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRcq3aphRIPHZkOP9gMYdBslQJPSG8q4lxCo1ROTnEdzujFAGB3NeWM5iroNZurqp4yc3x31NM2pM6JGRQ4HnQMgNHXXFO9jk9aq3wc_IjzXgDGLt-yrhGWBN8Ja71ZoGJ2eYv6Ptey_dGqOdJfZ_2Sjx9xVTz7VBlgXgebbKWEba2B7Ic74h3RNQQQ/s4032/IMG_1080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRcq3aphRIPHZkOP9gMYdBslQJPSG8q4lxCo1ROTnEdzujFAGB3NeWM5iroNZurqp4yc3x31NM2pM6JGRQ4HnQMgNHXXFO9jk9aq3wc_IjzXgDGLt-yrhGWBN8Ja71ZoGJ2eYv6Ptey_dGqOdJfZ_2Sjx9xVTz7VBlgXgebbKWEba2B7Ic74h3RNQQQ/s320/IMG_1080.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><div><p>Dinner that night was at <a href="https://www.thechurch.ie/" target="_blank">The Church</a>, which as you may have guessed, is a 300 year old church converted into a restaurant. It still has an impressive organ and stained glass windows on display.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QT0b6Jtv9rfiuLXTzfRt94Ee82itR-zeSZG7glEpYRvwS5Fx-83GA1DCnRgNT4dg9IxTvWRE-72-ViCvvVyqdLL7TVBYB9n5Tm5h1vGgufXs6Js232A5N87BejjYrfzFYEsHDsj35LWaDsePBEDPUbCLRe87aW9wWxXDHUYk7e4I3sSFOZUUjw2J8Q/s2016/IMG_1088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QT0b6Jtv9rfiuLXTzfRt94Ee82itR-zeSZG7glEpYRvwS5Fx-83GA1DCnRgNT4dg9IxTvWRE-72-ViCvvVyqdLL7TVBYB9n5Tm5h1vGgufXs6Js232A5N87BejjYrfzFYEsHDsj35LWaDsePBEDPUbCLRe87aW9wWxXDHUYk7e4I3sSFOZUUjw2J8Q/s320/IMG_1088.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSH8lDHr3SEKsIouLFvqe-oa5pyBc5QQT2i3KncCjkyzsBCoJWJgPP1DOBoCbM_Sgu05SoRYGY82NYB4VMxslIi0pG6HHpmvTBU8mL4d0GVwHk8AZMJiiJ0hgEnt-i_Yb_Hc5JxA5kqWWKJru56qY3jHM_5WHqLmX0kRpk4fGu16ndDf1q7aZXioyhbw/s2016/IMG_1089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSH8lDHr3SEKsIouLFvqe-oa5pyBc5QQT2i3KncCjkyzsBCoJWJgPP1DOBoCbM_Sgu05SoRYGY82NYB4VMxslIi0pG6HHpmvTBU8mL4d0GVwHk8AZMJiiJ0hgEnt-i_Yb_Hc5JxA5kqWWKJru56qY3jHM_5WHqLmX0kRpk4fGu16ndDf1q7aZXioyhbw/s320/IMG_1089.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>After dinner, we walked over to Grafton Street, but most of the shops were already closed. We did get to see the cute umbrellas on Anne's Lane though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJGYB55hHyPJMIgHrlXJQjdwChh4WqAn1Y_gT3GJUzGKQ8f97xNW8ufPw33vBpF5AgXN0E6Z75ZTI4Hn8tSa35r73VcE4UTRkh4xHBGuUD2pEpLWuTUM2GzdzAlDWMqROzQTML_N8U6IQmngrBj1sGxBQmo3vXnyJ6T7_oS8f48RZYzXlMR3Nl9S2jA/s4032/IMG_1094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJGYB55hHyPJMIgHrlXJQjdwChh4WqAn1Y_gT3GJUzGKQ8f97xNW8ufPw33vBpF5AgXN0E6Z75ZTI4Hn8tSa35r73VcE4UTRkh4xHBGuUD2pEpLWuTUM2GzdzAlDWMqROzQTML_N8U6IQmngrBj1sGxBQmo3vXnyJ6T7_oS8f48RZYzXlMR3Nl9S2jA/s320/IMG_1094.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>We thought our night was ending then, but little did we know another adventure was around the corner! When we got back to our car park at 8:30pm, we discovered the gate was locked up, with no way for us to get inside and retrieve our car. Oops. Apparently closing time was 8pm. There was a phone number posted, so we called for help and they told us it would likely be an hour before anyone could come. So, we sat on a street corner in Dublin for an hour, waiting for rescue. When the guy arrived, the first thing he said when he got out of the car was, "I hope I have the keys." !!!! He dug around in a bag in the trunk for an uncomfortably long time before finally finding the keys and unlocking the gate for us. We had to pay him 40 euro (on top of the parking fee), but then we were on our way! </p></div><div>Day Three took us to Northern Ireland for some outdoor adventures while Scott & Kyle had booked a guided tour elsewhere. We stopped for brunch at <a href="http://www.dooleysrestaurant.ie/" target="_blank">Dooleys</a> (yummy Nutella pancakes) to break up the 2+ hour drive. We were literally just a few minutes away from our destination when we discovered the round-about exit we needed was closed and the only available detour added 20 minutes to our drive. That was a bummer! Also, the last road heading into <a href="https://toddsleap.com/" target="_blank">Todd's Leap</a> was tiny, yet supposedly was supposed to be able to handle two-way traffic. Talk about stressful.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>At the adventure park, we booked off-road driving, blind-fold driving, and the giant swing. Meezy, my sister, and brother-in-law attempted the off-road driving, which meant driving a manual Land Rover on their treacherous course, but after having already driven us for the last 2.5 hours, I opted out! The cars had obviously been beaten up by previous drivers, and my sister left her mark too. Lol.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-V9JWNtywNt_83DlgC7fSgyxgnVuHT1ZoP5DGYBtAlESZpdUYUJIG2DkL7XCcyeemYpl2YZUoeXlsNknPiVhMjtVrb4juiaPCUtVsPLFdJYed5Mr2xLjZYg2g2HHNtBYO5gUCeKEOMbSrDKEXwD0cO-WEyjQ5Nn-wYfT47lMNd2B4G0zMDfeLMpKXcg/s2016/IMG_1103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-V9JWNtywNt_83DlgC7fSgyxgnVuHT1ZoP5DGYBtAlESZpdUYUJIG2DkL7XCcyeemYpl2YZUoeXlsNknPiVhMjtVrb4juiaPCUtVsPLFdJYed5Mr2xLjZYg2g2HHNtBYO5gUCeKEOMbSrDKEXwD0cO-WEyjQ5Nn-wYfT47lMNd2B4G0zMDfeLMpKXcg/s320/IMG_1103.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Next up was the big swing. We've done similar swings at amusement parks, but we figured we'd give this one a shot since it was in a new country. It didn't go as high as others we've seen, but the views were cool once you started swinging. Meezy was responsible for pulling the rip cord and he snapped the string during one of our rounds. That was a fun mini heart attack for a second. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxflqgZQBVIWKnoZE1OeVLvbUXkmIAS86-uM2JyQ9Gdhdqc2xp2ZSknNn2N8auyPoOo56AwIEvj-VDl4LnpgltWzyZ_AX1jpWUsrFDCJEgtbJrYF0YE5JvVKT4WzOKVR9CgKSzwTMLfhtoa6z2SlqHMjJ5BtIjKKjQvBapQbubewp5Y9iWOJ_UKGcig/s4032/IMG_0724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxflqgZQBVIWKnoZE1OeVLvbUXkmIAS86-uM2JyQ9Gdhdqc2xp2ZSknNn2N8auyPoOo56AwIEvj-VDl4LnpgltWzyZ_AX1jpWUsrFDCJEgtbJrYF0YE5JvVKT4WzOKVR9CgKSzwTMLfhtoa6z2SlqHMjJ5BtIjKKjQvBapQbubewp5Y9iWOJ_UKGcig/s320/IMG_0724.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Last up was blind-fold driving. It was light-hearted and surprisingly less stressful, so I gave it a shot. Basically, your guide sits in the front seat beside you and handles the gas, and you're only responsible for steering. If you get too crazy, she has a kill switch to prevent you from crashing. The rest of the group is in the back and is supposed to help you navigate with directions of "left", "right", "straight", etc. Of course there is going to be some deception to make it more fun! </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bt-UXtJ7ekW7kN5bUutFhYAmoF5QwleKiEB5mPxTnZO6zg43YscQFXr6TOtvrYP-rrxokjlTiJiDbn-5rmFpfGI9k5X93RzzHSU6EcDFGQ2OAcAgMHukeKwriKvasfiouPyQLKgazS5_yquN3aKkKPSxENEoZ2oXWzdJY90Tk8LKqhuuCxZZCSDwCQ/s2048/IMG_0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bt-UXtJ7ekW7kN5bUutFhYAmoF5QwleKiEB5mPxTnZO6zg43YscQFXr6TOtvrYP-rrxokjlTiJiDbn-5rmFpfGI9k5X93RzzHSU6EcDFGQ2OAcAgMHukeKwriKvasfiouPyQLKgazS5_yquN3aKkKPSxENEoZ2oXWzdJY90Tk8LKqhuuCxZZCSDwCQ/s320/IMG_0725.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjObrbt63riDSZiJnj28jjhr1kT7R-NrKeSMLPpHSds3928YP42Yova-zNfG84Nqg8CpqP3sepgMe4SSfYWM8Wq8MA5frBSyJmWH0fd5rjEwrK5gCB8jVa-r53VZH9T9yTxRjjgfxk5rNpJiD9oQGkQjrk037e2rNEmmd-qrLDWOMA9f2S7yRwWuauSqg/s4032/IMG_0729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjObrbt63riDSZiJnj28jjhr1kT7R-NrKeSMLPpHSds3928YP42Yova-zNfG84Nqg8CpqP3sepgMe4SSfYWM8Wq8MA5frBSyJmWH0fd5rjEwrK5gCB8jVa-r53VZH9T9yTxRjjgfxk5rNpJiD9oQGkQjrk037e2rNEmmd-qrLDWOMA9f2S7yRwWuauSqg/s320/IMG_0729.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />We headed back toward Dublin for dinner and met up with Scott & Kyle at a cool sports bar called <a href="https://mcgowans.ie/" target="_blank">McGowans</a>. We were able to catch some American football since it was Sunday night. We didn't stay out too late though because the next morning we had a very early flight to Munich! </div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-45974745682979844582022-09-08T09:50:00.004-05:002022-10-28T16:58:30.615-05:00Got That New New<p>Living in an older home means there are endless projects to tackle. A couple of the big ones we have knocked out so far this year were replacing part of our fence and replacing a few of our exterior doors. I have no idea how long ago the wooden fence was originally installed at our house, but it's been in place since at least our ownership, which has been 9 years. It's been leaning in one section for a while, and got quite a bit worse over the past year. Another section had been covered in ivy, but after the deep freeze of 2021 killed the plants, we removed them to find the boards were pretty deteriorated and old. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPffZ1gD0G-yag2CC9Oth255ed3FXI2eTJ6p66oUBtI1SyjNKevRR_vGnvaCJzcXKkW95_HVdTBoVABxUVlCCEMZDVEsJ0qxMwFxzB2pGCjtM0ELxx4v7xLfjMwQZU43B72nV5XjTUm-Ix6_pqbbTlHyiJmwXEUh5jQrRPRSVUdS1jh-NwjXAV8VbTw/s4030/IMG_0361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2086" data-original-width="4030" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPffZ1gD0G-yag2CC9Oth255ed3FXI2eTJ6p66oUBtI1SyjNKevRR_vGnvaCJzcXKkW95_HVdTBoVABxUVlCCEMZDVEsJ0qxMwFxzB2pGCjtM0ELxx4v7xLfjMwQZU43B72nV5XjTUm-Ix6_pqbbTlHyiJmwXEUh5jQrRPRSVUdS1jh-NwjXAV8VbTw/s320/IMG_0361.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhru-sCtMBOZ6J5--xaRZld_B7kOWK6jWxUDyFjn6vqYmc1cOehiag69TKnCwox8HMJfk6MrFewWgBdjRe7PdnfIQ6xdhWcUxJh5Ij0EnraYadsoBeA3PyRg9C1CMugRLrGvL57nVl7Nc5Dw6YsoF2ZRshBNhLGRk8yf6OEFZ4IvVSFrFtjQSmfsltRgQ/s4032/IMG_0362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhru-sCtMBOZ6J5--xaRZld_B7kOWK6jWxUDyFjn6vqYmc1cOehiag69TKnCwox8HMJfk6MrFewWgBdjRe7PdnfIQ6xdhWcUxJh5Ij0EnraYadsoBeA3PyRg9C1CMugRLrGvL57nVl7Nc5Dw6YsoF2ZRshBNhLGRk8yf6OEFZ4IvVSFrFtjQSmfsltRgQ/s320/IMG_0362.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uUWAdu1cqCysufa-n-xfwsBfeKJQpg1tA6PXXpDJFMk5PybzTd6s-IZqofClnX2QHyHnIElkXQnao8KPgHOiTrE1t7DCsffAIEg3A1fuHFh43vqBjNKygV9ewEo3MeCr6V3aVD7CFCDdAuBcnzKkJYM9zrsdMtLd5BwEJouFeG-GvXn4ZHSKnXw_lg/s4032/IMG_0363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uUWAdu1cqCysufa-n-xfwsBfeKJQpg1tA6PXXpDJFMk5PybzTd6s-IZqofClnX2QHyHnIElkXQnao8KPgHOiTrE1t7DCsffAIEg3A1fuHFh43vqBjNKygV9ewEo3MeCr6V3aVD7CFCDdAuBcnzKkJYM9zrsdMtLd5BwEJouFeG-GvXn4ZHSKnXw_lg/s320/IMG_0363.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I've heard people being hit lately with massive quotes on fence replacement, so I was bracing myself. Luckily, we found a guy who would place the supplies order on our behalf, so we could pay the distributer directly, thereby insuring no markup on supplies. Then we paid him for labor after the job was done. I have to think that lowered our overall cost. I'm very pleased with the end results!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWd-8iBY7HjAUrFgNrpSlf2y5wElBGYwSKj4a7plQvPouPJOYAwR0R2X6EbOe5JY607ke0q5DDB2TdZtIBX3hqULZ7hMAgMHEV6hbtuZbRNXMMf9EK3lJGv7dirxD5t2KE3ed6ElZPW1XvE3_-n9r2gowMVPA9zN6M0GkunSsdQkZanRADb9Zi9N2SRg/s2016/IMG_0688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWd-8iBY7HjAUrFgNrpSlf2y5wElBGYwSKj4a7plQvPouPJOYAwR0R2X6EbOe5JY607ke0q5DDB2TdZtIBX3hqULZ7hMAgMHEV6hbtuZbRNXMMf9EK3lJGv7dirxD5t2KE3ed6ElZPW1XvE3_-n9r2gowMVPA9zN6M0GkunSsdQkZanRADb9Zi9N2SRg/s320/IMG_0688.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjutfxBwT3vgs1ErrIEMDVQYtycPmxRMfoaerWeEKNuu4cLnc7GmMu4Rke281h3mI5CL9oLhYbK-zCh23xIfbZx_y_HyMkugIFKq7FNfrWPT6o4YzxwcIL-V9LsrtasD09MBUH2MPZc52ZWl695JGhxhzuCmxjAwc6DW8lvXP16asqzvLqLXUxCfbWw/s2016/IMG_0689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjutfxBwT3vgs1ErrIEMDVQYtycPmxRMfoaerWeEKNuu4cLnc7GmMu4Rke281h3mI5CL9oLhYbK-zCh23xIfbZx_y_HyMkugIFKq7FNfrWPT6o4YzxwcIL-V9LsrtasD09MBUH2MPZc52ZWl695JGhxhzuCmxjAwc6DW8lvXP16asqzvLqLXUxCfbWw/s320/IMG_0689.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiBRBBZDoMLI01bEDKPI-tpL24Gjj1nj8-SlChaOux80ivrGJRn1zaq20QXu7n3LUetDgTqetSD0uMNFZRJqUe6o7nJDvE9p7O8yPcu5_sELV8_Hv7IY0hUEL4l3pp-YYuQsckqr37CJtTZbz_YufKO-l7omf-WWqL5A8bmHwG6Q44fx-mVF4nd7pZg/s2016/IMG_0690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiBRBBZDoMLI01bEDKPI-tpL24Gjj1nj8-SlChaOux80ivrGJRn1zaq20QXu7n3LUetDgTqetSD0uMNFZRJqUe6o7nJDvE9p7O8yPcu5_sELV8_Hv7IY0hUEL4l3pp-YYuQsckqr37CJtTZbz_YufKO-l7omf-WWqL5A8bmHwG6Q44fx-mVF4nd7pZg/s320/IMG_0690.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For the doors project, it took a little longer than I had hoped from order to installation because of supply chain issues. Still worth the wait, though! We replaced a couple doors to an outside supply closet, our back patio door, and our double front doors. The front doors definitely had the biggest improvement! <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgQuDANohgW6V_BDDMcwKCBsI9onvZ78iRhhQ7FKf-PNcdRyd5_ai72JF_VeQLXrkN-5zjZQyaP13umgE-KoMAbmSla8gDFfXxgWEBAZEAeuHrXr_uPpW3oWgZxozogk8w45iAtH2bR4fX-hJamkX7rOVtoTNDUxnCl1RTADNdt5nykhdGDLZc49MMw/s1936/IMG_9995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="1936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgQuDANohgW6V_BDDMcwKCBsI9onvZ78iRhhQ7FKf-PNcdRyd5_ai72JF_VeQLXrkN-5zjZQyaP13umgE-KoMAbmSla8gDFfXxgWEBAZEAeuHrXr_uPpW3oWgZxozogk8w45iAtH2bR4fX-hJamkX7rOVtoTNDUxnCl1RTADNdt5nykhdGDLZc49MMw/s320/IMG_9995.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Before and after of back patio door</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHWNOezmnS4cF49ogORD2J3nFYj1izRwKQNN8EoXXR_BqjRulWa4ZkImWU06EqZv_tg2hdq2ChvX--h5bOPkq6M8lBrUTjILFpCoSK9LrWePHeEkfIhbfcq9xts0Y7g5sl1dtbY35wSA35Gac9lhNEQ0eHI4cv-nocbb8bbCC1vBl-g--m1FTe67b9Q/s2016/IMG_0886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHWNOezmnS4cF49ogORD2J3nFYj1izRwKQNN8EoXXR_BqjRulWa4ZkImWU06EqZv_tg2hdq2ChvX--h5bOPkq6M8lBrUTjILFpCoSK9LrWePHeEkfIhbfcq9xts0Y7g5sl1dtbY35wSA35Gac9lhNEQ0eHI4cv-nocbb8bbCC1vBl-g--m1FTe67b9Q/s320/IMG_0886.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Outside before view of front doors</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWZ-HH0uiHlKG95GGBGlWTppJmt9MAhv8c_URgiSKLlCoXfjAE81zYoxsL6r6RNP5GIl60jmBJkPTsGFDOwCTDDoIX3m5UQnNWYDAUl7B822IzBxuNwLyPBeHmdLT2EySTPQoDLXLhjAwfgYSDhwLcyF6PToma3LDHp1NACPWXhGrW_nRhWlYzMHyYQ/s2016/IMG_0885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWZ-HH0uiHlKG95GGBGlWTppJmt9MAhv8c_URgiSKLlCoXfjAE81zYoxsL6r6RNP5GIl60jmBJkPTsGFDOwCTDDoIX3m5UQnNWYDAUl7B822IzBxuNwLyPBeHmdLT2EySTPQoDLXLhjAwfgYSDhwLcyF6PToma3LDHp1NACPWXhGrW_nRhWlYzMHyYQ/s320/IMG_0885.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Inside before view of front doors</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVSxMKdK6UyONRxFCBc0bEOiydBpTvd1mvSOQK58Rt8sI2xK_q23LyG-YwVNcop5xJZDEPj8PTA2mWXbR3uBaN0L_Ydk7YF83LqMZndB3i9PxIkWGt5jbTpfRLCKGIriNRk1z3RLerReumP96gozS4HzIiPdfxei_R9qE171V16YtGIwjJZaMhJHjZA/s2016/IMG_0897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVSxMKdK6UyONRxFCBc0bEOiydBpTvd1mvSOQK58Rt8sI2xK_q23LyG-YwVNcop5xJZDEPj8PTA2mWXbR3uBaN0L_Ydk7YF83LqMZndB3i9PxIkWGt5jbTpfRLCKGIriNRk1z3RLerReumP96gozS4HzIiPdfxei_R9qE171V16YtGIwjJZaMhJHjZA/s320/IMG_0897.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Outside after view</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZdhRUyAnqELa2NLqqHOIFaEaiQTiNW-TGwa0TMqVInv99lM6myJz9cSBQDccOpzYEulrwZIOQ4AWfPQq9v7ge4CgcWzJuwwaoE9592Kk7PNZCH7hf4Qkj6HvIUaHxmjYPV--MHBfwVuK14-FF8N5td2NnBliE-5ZsNzMCsprZgjVKuIH-9gQjYyfGQ/s2016/IMG_0896.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZdhRUyAnqELa2NLqqHOIFaEaiQTiNW-TGwa0TMqVInv99lM6myJz9cSBQDccOpzYEulrwZIOQ4AWfPQq9v7ge4CgcWzJuwwaoE9592Kk7PNZCH7hf4Qkj6HvIUaHxmjYPV--MHBfwVuK14-FF8N5td2NnBliE-5ZsNzMCsprZgjVKuIH-9gQjYyfGQ/s320/IMG_0896.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Inside after view</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The new look is much more modern and lets light inside, while still ensuring privacy. The previous doors didn't let any light in, so the entry way was always very dark. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Still a lot more projects on the to-do list, including painting our brick and remodeling our pool, but it's always nice to get a couple more under our belt. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-83570971112156468052022-06-24T21:02:00.002-05:002022-06-24T21:02:58.243-05:00Sweet Sixteen<p>Sometimes our 16-year marriage has been about the exciting moments - like the time Jer bought a spectator pass at my VIP experience with tennis pros because I wanted someone to take pictures of it. Or the time we had a field pass before a 49ers game and he slipped past security, so I waved him on while I turned back, because I knew it would be awesome for him to shake the owner's hand. </p><p>Sometimes it's been about the sad moments - holding each other after the loss of loved ones and pregnancy losses.</p><p>Sometimes it's been about the small moments - watching Jeopardy together every day and taking turns on kid duty in the mornings so the other gets a few extra minutes of sleep.</p><p>No matter the day, no matter the moment - it's always been about love, mutual respect, honesty, and friendship. It feels like we've already lived a lifetime together, and I'm incredibly grateful for that. Bring on the next 16!</p>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-54712420730292318382022-04-10T23:06:00.001-05:002022-04-10T23:06:32.423-05:00Kentucky Bourbon Tour 2022<p>Our besties Casey and Rachel invited us on a trip to Kentucky to visit a few distilleries. I couldn't care less about bourbon, or really alcohol in general, but I never want to miss the chance to take a vacation with Meezy and our friends! Our first stop was <a href="https://www.angelsenvy.com/" target="_blank">Angel's Envy</a> where we learned their history, saw the distilling and bottling process, and ended with a tasting. I don't like the taste of bourbon, but I took my sips and quickly switched to the chocolates!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSjl0h6gl-bHJbE6SK1-CVmA6Pq4JBJhnzicbPObNGdt7glnyTQewwdldzQtwMzcWMZJZ-xSxFjc0X5mlmNxTX6iT97Goc75PGT1zEVI-ZX6eeDR2SyUG0Qf62gbZ962htxao957qLEF7nBb_MM9o8ojDowbKo6hrquOH_ws9z3CMad4dgq4I42pytw/s1800/53A6C239-799C-46C2-8C7C-C132CCA91587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSjl0h6gl-bHJbE6SK1-CVmA6Pq4JBJhnzicbPObNGdt7glnyTQewwdldzQtwMzcWMZJZ-xSxFjc0X5mlmNxTX6iT97Goc75PGT1zEVI-ZX6eeDR2SyUG0Qf62gbZ962htxao957qLEF7nBb_MM9o8ojDowbKo6hrquOH_ws9z3CMad4dgq4I42pytw/s320/53A6C239-799C-46C2-8C7C-C132CCA91587.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMMFm2OAA1Fdz_ciqnFVebwty8-PHE5fRiL8JE1n1_tf9oakNLNToAxxqLpOdY-Wa6bz755N-GXHKfXmxfsJGSR_z9qdKGTBzHyovQqiMRkKTDre4JVoR-dZXG-IFpn0p9KmwX8ZZvI4CL1JWenEZoJvWI1xv7ArOzdCDW5JqNQy4JLxIs3aYEOkhNg/s4032/IMG_8731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMMFm2OAA1Fdz_ciqnFVebwty8-PHE5fRiL8JE1n1_tf9oakNLNToAxxqLpOdY-Wa6bz755N-GXHKfXmxfsJGSR_z9qdKGTBzHyovQqiMRkKTDre4JVoR-dZXG-IFpn0p9KmwX8ZZvI4CL1JWenEZoJvWI1xv7ArOzdCDW5JqNQy4JLxIs3aYEOkhNg/s320/IMG_8731.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We had dinner at <a href="https://www.jackfrys.com/" target="_blank">Jack Fry's</a> in Louisville. The parking sucks but the food was fantastic! We stayed at <a href="https://www.brownhotel.com/?utm_source=local&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=website_link" target="_blank">The Brown Hotel</a>. It's got an old-world vibe, but it was nice enough. The next morning our first stop was at the historic <a href="https://www.woodfordreserve.com/our-distillery/tour-our-distillery/" target="_blank">Woodford Reserve Distillery</a> in Versailles. The tour was cool because the buildings are super old and they actually still roll the barrels! <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeDRaVO-iDdYExHzWole7GjXo-WY5pRJi6220F3BqtJpRWTxK8IvDMNtpZ_TsDK5S8vOhcjbIFK4oWNcTUR7MOTZz72P0Vz7XYVnr0ttSQO8NBlAvP-fAalHohpgtwRmYHDxCwKQn2XrA_VMVTGUQChuYMBck-95_JVOp5LSv9kVXc9J_fzI_r4DL9g/s4032/woodford1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeDRaVO-iDdYExHzWole7GjXo-WY5pRJi6220F3BqtJpRWTxK8IvDMNtpZ_TsDK5S8vOhcjbIFK4oWNcTUR7MOTZz72P0Vz7XYVnr0ttSQO8NBlAvP-fAalHohpgtwRmYHDxCwKQn2XrA_VMVTGUQChuYMBck-95_JVOp5LSv9kVXc9J_fzI_r4DL9g/s320/woodford1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXlNsM3F_t1LW0e1mMOAg7pB8bm2Dm3YW6bhU7hpw4OuQA7BfrdAfLtf-8TZehL1QDzql_SnnCnVHyHh5-uUFvTKchGwqkUjyrvgXYeJBJzKd2UYlhYB86uKoTh80WL1E7Yn1LgF2ePY5xpcYLhZXaadKi3NqZkzp2PnR37Ph30R6HHyalbStwBqGDg/s4032/woodford3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXlNsM3F_t1LW0e1mMOAg7pB8bm2Dm3YW6bhU7hpw4OuQA7BfrdAfLtf-8TZehL1QDzql_SnnCnVHyHh5-uUFvTKchGwqkUjyrvgXYeJBJzKd2UYlhYB86uKoTh80WL1E7Yn1LgF2ePY5xpcYLhZXaadKi3NqZkzp2PnR37Ph30R6HHyalbStwBqGDg/s320/woodford3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ59SKzTVL9f6vAgF8Gf31_u_TnmOvZ96s98XKsAGozLx4wBaXGZfIATHRBUp4Q2hlGHfpPwh6SB7gEu0cJ9K3vZt_5r8HwZGAXXxlqcBL6uJPzWlwSq6_Dmyq76IuDoXx6k0NwCN_jAHo0oJQ9CgVe6QYuSs8UvNzvASQ2-Y8gq38UOITwlnEnpV80w/s4032/woodford2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ59SKzTVL9f6vAgF8Gf31_u_TnmOvZ96s98XKsAGozLx4wBaXGZfIATHRBUp4Q2hlGHfpPwh6SB7gEu0cJ9K3vZt_5r8HwZGAXXxlqcBL6uJPzWlwSq6_Dmyq76IuDoXx6k0NwCN_jAHo0oJQ9CgVe6QYuSs8UvNzvASQ2-Y8gq38UOITwlnEnpV80w/s320/woodford2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WTs258mIb48228YjnFQeWOfEA14Pdptn_8K-elR-Z_8KChjgf1uWT2e_yFZXhmie5L1zKs_Q-aUP0R658jCTYuo6dOiFZRLV4MqIQ6Ku8Ghz8zREwqPFIWmztGjM4Dwzm6wCTXVBcJxUD_kS0tV4PKa1rhu_cCiY7fRcwQ8zVdfoJ3MoSRi1mhrtqw/s4032/woodford4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WTs258mIb48228YjnFQeWOfEA14Pdptn_8K-elR-Z_8KChjgf1uWT2e_yFZXhmie5L1zKs_Q-aUP0R658jCTYuo6dOiFZRLV4MqIQ6Ku8Ghz8zREwqPFIWmztGjM4Dwzm6wCTXVBcJxUD_kS0tV4PKa1rhu_cCiY7fRcwQ8zVdfoJ3MoSRi1mhrtqw/s320/woodford4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>Up next was the <a href="https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/" target="_blank">Buffalo Trace Distillery</a>. By this point I really didn't need to hear any more history or details about how the bourbon was made, but the tour was still fun, the gift shop was great, and the tasting was my favorite. They had Bourbon Cream and Root Beer! Now you're speaking my language. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcsqfylOTN-xyuWpi4yaxfw2NeUuRtb8Li3G-xsKw-WT5LAtgq3iuz8JETLZRG4ebRl-FmMnHi5-dA3ANz409aQskH6KHqt131FVJPFXQYRtw4rgRmeAKxzfKPE6jDDt5NK8Eu-DMKCQERwJSBxvoO-GvJ0vkT9SPIrwnV72_VC3y0dwzGPSMZSY8Dg/s4032/buffalo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcsqfylOTN-xyuWpi4yaxfw2NeUuRtb8Li3G-xsKw-WT5LAtgq3iuz8JETLZRG4ebRl-FmMnHi5-dA3ANz409aQskH6KHqt131FVJPFXQYRtw4rgRmeAKxzfKPE6jDDt5NK8Eu-DMKCQERwJSBxvoO-GvJ0vkT9SPIrwnV72_VC3y0dwzGPSMZSY8Dg/s320/buffalo.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>This experience was the favorite for our group because after the tasting, each of us was allowed to buy the (rare) Blanton's at retail price. Not that I knew this before Meezy told me, but apparently it's hard to find, especially in the DFW area, and if you do find it, the price is super marked up. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next up was a stop to the <a href="https://www.bulleit.com/visit-us/?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=30000090_DistillingCo_BUEIT_BULLEB_SA3_GADW_USA_NU_BMC_AO_SEAH_PSEAC_TEAD_NU_ALBOS_NAT_NU_CPC_NU_KEW_A21%2B_CXD_EN_EX_BRAD&ds_k=bulleit+distilling+co&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgMqSBhDCARIsAIIVN1XabmJIUOjFn6LHWcpHT62ToTnFwsXb3rq71YceWI5QMvUpvl_K2osaAuJVEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">Bulleit Distilling Co</a> to grab a drink and check out their gift shop.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHZ3-EghYVCUb_HD00KT6DcxHiRMQIWC686e_Y21HqsCgJmT2QzL1NPi8A31IrGXmt7CZMlbB2q7e8Lh3rOIZ7IfvT4gmo-9WqOtZNY-DmgDb3OPgaLah7scBUsVL-xO0JlRGD-pJ5MRk1aVT2f42trDYj13K6Pa-emKQS5uIz-UfAQXRuvmgVpzYXQ/s1800/7EA9918A-8651-46A6-8630-C45708871E43.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHZ3-EghYVCUb_HD00KT6DcxHiRMQIWC686e_Y21HqsCgJmT2QzL1NPi8A31IrGXmt7CZMlbB2q7e8Lh3rOIZ7IfvT4gmo-9WqOtZNY-DmgDb3OPgaLah7scBUsVL-xO0JlRGD-pJ5MRk1aVT2f42trDYj13K6Pa-emKQS5uIz-UfAQXRuvmgVpzYXQ/s320/7EA9918A-8651-46A6-8630-C45708871E43.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTsHpry2WhMN5fcWte-dGCOt1NDxoAs7TI2dTzQB1hHbrxuA8HjrfSdEhUE_jcyQ-GyGKVYEb4VII-ooCA6Cnf07fGa9FupnhN8XaBq9K_PK9MgzLFsMp3ANZ3phjIGtUIJrTq4OWVm7Xo1nt_ENrw7qiH7X2RQffzQuSeThXRyT9PkI5g2GOM5Adbg/s4032/IMG_4006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTsHpry2WhMN5fcWte-dGCOt1NDxoAs7TI2dTzQB1hHbrxuA8HjrfSdEhUE_jcyQ-GyGKVYEb4VII-ooCA6Cnf07fGa9FupnhN8XaBq9K_PK9MgzLFsMp3ANZ3phjIGtUIJrTq4OWVm7Xo1nt_ENrw7qiH7X2RQffzQuSeThXRyT9PkI5g2GOM5Adbg/s320/IMG_4006.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We ended the day with a meal at <a href="https://obckitchen.com/" target="_blank">OBC</a> in Lexington. They have a ridiculously expansive Bourbon selection, but the food was underwhelming. Meezy and Casey tried Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year but decided they like Eagle Reserve and Willett better. Glad they figured that out before splurging for a bottle!<div><br /></div><div>Meezy and I had a flight home the next morning and our friends started their road trip back to DFW with all the booze! It was quite the haul.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPgC7Q_Uw9R1dKrKxLH0FQErNjon2AXUeXL-IzugIKkPHL1O3TmOK7JDCd40ubC0AUy9vbQ8zENGGRCi-VsSdoDDc7cwU7Wje0qn0lxgSASqZlYxNmv293h6wfuxMOGrDJZpV2-zYNvc33Ky5FxJtcalKg42CWSmttiCziPLJcsy1uk91aq-DhyKiXA/s1792/IMG_8752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPgC7Q_Uw9R1dKrKxLH0FQErNjon2AXUeXL-IzugIKkPHL1O3TmOK7JDCd40ubC0AUy9vbQ8zENGGRCi-VsSdoDDc7cwU7Wje0qn0lxgSASqZlYxNmv293h6wfuxMOGrDJZpV2-zYNvc33Ky5FxJtcalKg42CWSmttiCziPLJcsy1uk91aq-DhyKiXA/s320/IMG_8752.JPG" width="171" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjDHWC2Mv7p06VXulZ1yDgB-2GVnjpl1dOuYJOjSNT0hO-ZyJDKRh7YXZusxDhjlJPRNfAKoE5AcrtjelOUJryhUjlBEOSTT5yT9Wz8LaWJOB1VpLS1Z8brxofA2JwSygCUUhYCeIio1ztPs6F8cLOtV8DQcpXOw-KMiWOFAQIEjKYsbvQxrIWUWRwA/s4032/IMG_8750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjDHWC2Mv7p06VXulZ1yDgB-2GVnjpl1dOuYJOjSNT0hO-ZyJDKRh7YXZusxDhjlJPRNfAKoE5AcrtjelOUJryhUjlBEOSTT5yT9Wz8LaWJOB1VpLS1Z8brxofA2JwSygCUUhYCeIio1ztPs6F8cLOtV8DQcpXOw-KMiWOFAQIEjKYsbvQxrIWUWRwA/s320/IMG_8750.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I really didn't expect to have a blast on a trip centered about Bourbon, but I wouldn't mind doing it again in the future. I've already gifted a few bottles to clients and they've been happy about it! I guess it depends on how long it takes to get through the rest of these!vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-63575592916960205662022-04-10T22:13:00.001-05:002022-04-10T22:14:00.090-05:00Side Yard RemodelWe decided it was time to revamp our side yard. The playground had a lot of wear and tear and our kids had pretty much outgrown it. The area under the trampoline was never able to grow grass, so we were basically just trying to cover it up. The entire space was very large, but the playground took up most of it and prevented any other activities from happening. Here is a before pic:<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2u2ZYWLC_qvRQnZEpYTqNHwk0P73U4K8l3l0-LvaqpnMnUFRxHaK6nWyFAGvHOHn9e4NDNAnJB3Bl6ES3Dw8Dhb15mkxxMTJs51GZp9dMDtYrxdLC3upk8OjszAeoPeoCjjvluk32CadhX4peCgnnN-Hm03GcyVOXV-wzVJmmo-Exnni2roBfsx63w/s4032/IMG_8165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2u2ZYWLC_qvRQnZEpYTqNHwk0P73U4K8l3l0-LvaqpnMnUFRxHaK6nWyFAGvHOHn9e4NDNAnJB3Bl6ES3Dw8Dhb15mkxxMTJs51GZp9dMDtYrxdLC3upk8OjszAeoPeoCjjvluk32CadhX4peCgnnN-Hm03GcyVOXV-wzVJmmo-Exnni2roBfsx63w/s320/IMG_8165.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>We initially thought we'd install a sport court, but I wouldn't be able to get exactly what I wanted because of the width limitations, and we'd probably have to cut down a tree. Since the cost was going to be super high, we decided it wasn't worth it to pay that much for something that wasn't ideal. The backup plan was to turf the whole area and install a putting green. We interviewed a few companies and chose <a href="https://syntheticgrasspros.com/" target="_blank">Synthetic Grass Pros</a>. We went to their office to test the turf options. They have a section beside their building with all the different types, so we took the kids, took off our shoes, and walked on all of them! We decided on "St Augustine Soft."</div><div><br /></div><div>First the playground had to go, then the trampoline was relocated to our backyard, and then all the grass was dug up. They removed the first layer of dirt, leveled the yard, and then put down a layer of crushed rock. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CuBpgmEJBjzfJ27T5J_rpQSyR6digAAkZtxscrHVkyzgDxjwUGlS8Srx92oBwskIuadJbRzG7lRRFxK8pDmqPicmdAp9-YqO2HTJEsiGlFeWybrnqKmrzuVEJCsSbXugXjyBj0zKpygMkFjDgYKrpY2Pcd-xlwQO8uNEuX-Ji_XEnOLjLf_kGICpiA/s4032/IMG_8451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CuBpgmEJBjzfJ27T5J_rpQSyR6digAAkZtxscrHVkyzgDxjwUGlS8Srx92oBwskIuadJbRzG7lRRFxK8pDmqPicmdAp9-YqO2HTJEsiGlFeWybrnqKmrzuVEJCsSbXugXjyBj0zKpygMkFjDgYKrpY2Pcd-xlwQO8uNEuX-Ji_XEnOLjLf_kGICpiA/s320/IMG_8451.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Then they started installing the turf and putting green. After install, they threw down a bunch of sand to weigh it down, to keep the turf blades standing up, and to hide any seams. It took about a week to complete. <div><br /></div><div>The finished product is breathtaking! It's really beautiful, it feels good to walk or run on, and it's totally safe for Zoey.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbiZb5tiJsyWVUFVMBORU52aWqDvGxN8wBRdSFkm1fDsSfvQz126GkVh04FyqpGGxhzYzDX391o8CJFGbpdNGTGFMMhnJ2SNGj90nqDh-u3h6AOd5hbnf4hS0TMboNNzoFCCybHxp2TQC8MMYW11oq2CRt-MrobXDCuzhdr1RFI9D0OGOw7F1p9p-gQ/s4032/IMG_8465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbiZb5tiJsyWVUFVMBORU52aWqDvGxN8wBRdSFkm1fDsSfvQz126GkVh04FyqpGGxhzYzDX391o8CJFGbpdNGTGFMMhnJ2SNGj90nqDh-u3h6AOd5hbnf4hS0TMboNNzoFCCybHxp2TQC8MMYW11oq2CRt-MrobXDCuzhdr1RFI9D0OGOw7F1p9p-gQ/s320/IMG_8465.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYmPeJHcYizQ_EVe16EvGA5byDKlnM8ZA6w3pJLw2rhR5GWjz1Yq7qOaLXSB8x78pk-A9KxqKSu7QHNHygLomzBgYs_ZShl9vcysRwHZlPb4G3N6K2YIyfTqO5LosDEV_8zzIBypfd5tw1CPRgMNy0t6J9nMxFqXeutuXpM9fitVTDSjmIU2WDBuqfTQ/s4032/IMG_8469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYmPeJHcYizQ_EVe16EvGA5byDKlnM8ZA6w3pJLw2rhR5GWjz1Yq7qOaLXSB8x78pk-A9KxqKSu7QHNHygLomzBgYs_ZShl9vcysRwHZlPb4G3N6K2YIyfTqO5LosDEV_8zzIBypfd5tw1CPRgMNy0t6J9nMxFqXeutuXpM9fitVTDSjmIU2WDBuqfTQ/s320/IMG_8469.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATz6yLiBmXoEbqYrYjZTfBC8bdewfhPsvrC38cIA1ScsJyg_vHN6kryls4QRFlrnH167LgsSXmDZSGTTmjQkc5OcJmT6FlWXK9HLqw5SMcHxyy1XHTRzYlSpLJxAVuHXpqbyoVpc26CPFTB2sIDsAHxiy6_7NOXvBZgqgfH8pzgJ2YiHC0iRknJUHtA/s4032/IMG_8464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATz6yLiBmXoEbqYrYjZTfBC8bdewfhPsvrC38cIA1ScsJyg_vHN6kryls4QRFlrnH167LgsSXmDZSGTTmjQkc5OcJmT6FlWXK9HLqw5SMcHxyy1XHTRzYlSpLJxAVuHXpqbyoVpc26CPFTB2sIDsAHxiy6_7NOXvBZgqgfH8pzgJ2YiHC0iRknJUHtA/s320/IMG_8464.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It's nice to have a large, flat expanse for playing sports and so that Zoey can run around. The putting green was a fun addition and provides some novelty when friends are over. It wasn't a cheap project, but we're happy with not needing to mow it and not worrying about grass not growing in some areas.</div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-5900971338229134422022-04-10T21:41:00.001-05:002022-12-06T15:52:57.849-06:00Dutch Turns Ten<p>My oldest hit the double digits! Dutch turned 10 in February and asked to invite a few friends to go ice skating. There were no professionals in the group, so it was fairly comical for us to watch. They had a great time, though, and enjoyed pizza, dessert, and games at our house after. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiv1Zqi728LHKs72XN7gqo7qqwGS0CwONyjtQxCU6Tn-ZzGG0tOUoGRWzoYuwfudDp1pDXh5Jf3pJOlA2WA3An_ahcXmdxl8K9-NdNgzWpmtvrlF6aFmivp4EQy8lVhSQJFn_aqCcB42i-IlWMELYrQ1WQNXbtAFAevOimrKiJZjDvX4c8iXh6ptN11w/s3017/IMG_9133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1992" data-original-width="3017" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiv1Zqi728LHKs72XN7gqo7qqwGS0CwONyjtQxCU6Tn-ZzGG0tOUoGRWzoYuwfudDp1pDXh5Jf3pJOlA2WA3An_ahcXmdxl8K9-NdNgzWpmtvrlF6aFmivp4EQy8lVhSQJFn_aqCcB42i-IlWMELYrQ1WQNXbtAFAevOimrKiJZjDvX4c8iXh6ptN11w/s320/IMG_9133.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Eiy5lnYOW8nEr8NamBDzI7pkdFCZ1me848_GONXT2BHZOK3WTc7K9MQgKD_J2Or8h1PZ5Pas4RCYFmxjhUKTUr4VCf1SRn1IA2YLstjcH-Sq7e4MpUBuP-HJUPWSyqikb1xl6DWyJgNze6xYMw1WVaIrXSv5viwvRgtQwLB2pPaL5qmUBFOCGKrXBg/s4032/IMG_0800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Eiy5lnYOW8nEr8NamBDzI7pkdFCZ1me848_GONXT2BHZOK3WTc7K9MQgKD_J2Or8h1PZ5Pas4RCYFmxjhUKTUr4VCf1SRn1IA2YLstjcH-Sq7e4MpUBuP-HJUPWSyqikb1xl6DWyJgNze6xYMw1WVaIrXSv5viwvRgtQwLB2pPaL5qmUBFOCGKrXBg/s320/IMG_0800.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesOF9HWxP86oTH2z-egcSMiBaARnztzmYxgHSpxZuTTO3sPi3RIDqVw6jD51r6P7_4NqQFNTm3uvR65WSN_2WMVXy-TrJ9bOOv-BY11_EmGr8WWIhZJyXcPk9tRGtUk-IPxMJgn3-ryZGxB792-ye6xPZZWqqEQpHS51MkPEj1epbzZhUd1J4zfGvKQ/s4032/IMG_0805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesOF9HWxP86oTH2z-egcSMiBaARnztzmYxgHSpxZuTTO3sPi3RIDqVw6jD51r6P7_4NqQFNTm3uvR65WSN_2WMVXy-TrJ9bOOv-BY11_EmGr8WWIhZJyXcPk9tRGtUk-IPxMJgn3-ryZGxB792-ye6xPZZWqqEQpHS51MkPEj1epbzZhUd1J4zfGvKQ/s320/IMG_0805.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIP2dAII_3eANcCspRUG1K2OSU57seyxv7jrolMNivSMQXjVB-4-6ww_LQ5BQLvS0aNKGVN-4HZQCYzCHMh3GhSFDcC_-T_NKeBMn0ERXRjCBrQ4sCd0J-1k2rZxMJuzF4FOkuhJXIDT0Gnme1qQYsOTKfqjipXRKDZl2K9sYi1PlWIjnVLezXrhEStg/s4032/IMG_9125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIP2dAII_3eANcCspRUG1K2OSU57seyxv7jrolMNivSMQXjVB-4-6ww_LQ5BQLvS0aNKGVN-4HZQCYzCHMh3GhSFDcC_-T_NKeBMn0ERXRjCBrQ4sCd0J-1k2rZxMJuzF4FOkuhJXIDT0Gnme1qQYsOTKfqjipXRKDZl2K9sYi1PlWIjnVLezXrhEStg/s320/IMG_9125.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OXv_nSmuMhSXnFz4q2ldofOXNdIUh-aMhMz-0twflurenv5D2NFLrFQvhbnhybZQZ_ceQbUvoHgS7QrhLt-Pkj4u1r0TeLiiPCKVha5pU0U6eH0qWT4u4ggwQsF4WMMWKCCet5HkdtLNvt1zJehTlXtR9KUJBHsgnSN7iNvBNMdpAMoj1OyNBNGwpw/s4032/IMG_9136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OXv_nSmuMhSXnFz4q2ldofOXNdIUh-aMhMz-0twflurenv5D2NFLrFQvhbnhybZQZ_ceQbUvoHgS7QrhLt-Pkj4u1r0TeLiiPCKVha5pU0U6eH0qWT4u4ggwQsF4WMMWKCCet5HkdtLNvt1zJehTlXtR9KUJBHsgnSN7iNvBNMdpAMoj1OyNBNGwpw/s320/IMG_9136.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Over the past year, Dutch has gone to weekly coding classes. He's doing pretty well and seems to enjoy it. He also made the Lone Star team at school (only a few fourth graders did), which is somewhat of an academic decathlon team. He has 1-2 meetings a week and will compete in May. We're very proud of him! He continues to be an avid reader, often getting through multiple multi-hundred page books each week. His bedroom is filled to the brim with books and he gets mad when he doesn't have something new to read! He enjoys the daily Wordle, Marvel movies, the game Terraria, riding his bike, and playing catch with Meezy. We recently got him a smart watch that lets him communicate with us and tracks his location, so he's able to be a little more independent. <div><br /></div><div>He's a little OCD with his bedsheets, doesn't like to see a mess on the floor or counter not being cleaned up quickly, wears his pants up too high, likes a hoodie no matter how warm it is outside, gets frustrated if his hair isn't sitting flat, often gets impatient with his little brother, loves Zoey like crazy, is very affectionate and loving to his parents, has good manners, stays up super late and sleeps in late, and does very well in school. We love the young man he's becoming!</div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-56422116211008098832022-02-26T23:44:00.002-06:002022-02-26T23:44:50.930-06:00Thanksgiving in NY<p>When we told the boys that Meezy and I were taking a weekend trip to Arizona, they said they wanted to take a trip too. I asked where they'd want to go and Dutch said New York. He wanted to see the 9/11 Museum because they had been learning about that day's events recently in school. That sounded like a good idea, and if we were going to be in NY, I figured we should try to get tickets to Hamilton because they both really enjoy that soundtrack. We picked Thanksgiving week because they'd be off from school and it was Jude's birthday week. I checked Broadway's vaccine requirements and, at the time, if you weren't fully vaccinated, you'd have to show proof of a negative test within 3 days of the performance. That presented some logistical problems because our show tickets were for the day after Thanksgiving and I wasn't sure the boys' test results would be back in time with a holiday in the mix. As luck would have it, right around then they released the shots for 5-12 year olds and Broadway updated their rules to say they only needed to have their first shot at least 14 days before the show. Perfecto! The boys got their shots, got their vaccine cards, and we were good to go!</p><p>We traveled to NY on Thanksgiving Day, which worked really well. The lines weren't long at security and the airport wasn't that crowded in general. Only snafu was Jude getting a nose bleed on the plane! Then he got another one in the car on the way to the hotel. That's never happened before! Thank goodness for helpful flight attendants and Meezy having the foresight to keep a couple extra napkins on hand after the first incident. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipM3Z8AZVEhzancrC5RocY5I-cu6jIIkSJmVExzSXe8_l-HVb4cnltlMlnT1cWBVzPBznnMfBRXxgRpZfWxQN99hSaaM7uoBy4fxzeesiY-8JZEQKjoF1NW6tgs4yXmRwAvMyLL3StZWgG-ps9Xd9iiF-Rw7tmlU8FVwj-wvEaxAEwug0ryIh411iR4Q=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipM3Z8AZVEhzancrC5RocY5I-cu6jIIkSJmVExzSXe8_l-HVb4cnltlMlnT1cWBVzPBznnMfBRXxgRpZfWxQN99hSaaM7uoBy4fxzeesiY-8JZEQKjoF1NW6tgs4yXmRwAvMyLL3StZWgG-ps9Xd9iiF-Rw7tmlU8FVwj-wvEaxAEwug0ryIh411iR4Q=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPPHX_qs2x06IMNhAecQ3Vi9SP4ZWF0BJc8c5iqOt3buWhxP9OipRjS7Q4QiEtKKQOhtQd6IpASCSdfD_M5KIWskL910lNS3d3NVNDk6tq6ezN5_z8qHFO73ttuBMxiwZD0lwNMUtKXu2I742sG55Q0BAeA1asAbdErI7TNCdIPkjTI2e553OD5jCsGg=s3579" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3579" data-original-width="2962" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPPHX_qs2x06IMNhAecQ3Vi9SP4ZWF0BJc8c5iqOt3buWhxP9OipRjS7Q4QiEtKKQOhtQd6IpASCSdfD_M5KIWskL910lNS3d3NVNDk6tq6ezN5_z8qHFO73ttuBMxiwZD0lwNMUtKXu2I742sG55Q0BAeA1asAbdErI7TNCdIPkjTI2e553OD5jCsGg=s320" width="265" /></a></div><br /><p>We stayed at the <a href="https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/new-york/hyatt-centric-times-square-new-york/nycts?src=corp_lclb_gmb_seo_nycts" target="_blank">Hyatt Centric Times Square</a>. I thought the rates were reasonable, but I definitely would have preferred a larger room. It was a great location, though, because we wanted to avoid public transportation as much as possible. We were able to walk to numerous tourist attractions and find food nearby. The first night we took it easy and just visited Times Square and M&M's World.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWT37Ax7McgKJ6vGj5Et89D838QELZWGXLVNviFpLG22AlGESAJ42RtkUczP5tBow7c_erN576hNlXxEbAlqSQHl6oMW-Xd_DZ0Jj700JxM4EqGIybrzNDmsNjammUV9l-5bev722jkxj726B9EfiZ50amCQFbnGo13ekV726F3Bgzuis56eESuwy_vg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWT37Ax7McgKJ6vGj5Et89D838QELZWGXLVNviFpLG22AlGESAJ42RtkUczP5tBow7c_erN576hNlXxEbAlqSQHl6oMW-Xd_DZ0Jj700JxM4EqGIybrzNDmsNjammUV9l-5bev722jkxj726B9EfiZ50amCQFbnGo13ekV726F3Bgzuis56eESuwy_vg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOIuB09FA6K30UZXXUaNOKPrTRJsvsTnyppcUnrLfQgg1JxKPQK_ejk4-ccl4EbVL_bZF37qH7gOei-z25QEfq9SfChWbDx79vFWbbuWIN42vDQuXGOHZ3zKiN7tAmneikI3Zzwjx4FLOZ3ZLKR8HLmn1E21ixxACutMVx_roMpcjuQSpKxDXzDERJgA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOIuB09FA6K30UZXXUaNOKPrTRJsvsTnyppcUnrLfQgg1JxKPQK_ejk4-ccl4EbVL_bZF37qH7gOei-z25QEfq9SfChWbDx79vFWbbuWIN42vDQuXGOHZ3zKiN7tAmneikI3Zzwjx4FLOZ3ZLKR8HLmn1E21ixxACutMVx_roMpcjuQSpKxDXzDERJgA=s320" width="240" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidIWToZMhKS4HEMk4TKdgRoWlvOmlocSc1BwPfqJKg7YoJfBSX8eVxCrVMdfWkMn3_syB-jiW_NQEUsMV66NRByIOQd3QQJfv8Mph8AjpGYZcZGIsqbMnwEA_h35gQQ5v0ugIjpEz8yUOrgVBmC6votfByw_qiyhGvDXoow19L8lSXo7wFaJFsDeCJyw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidIWToZMhKS4HEMk4TKdgRoWlvOmlocSc1BwPfqJKg7YoJfBSX8eVxCrVMdfWkMn3_syB-jiW_NQEUsMV66NRByIOQd3QQJfv8Mph8AjpGYZcZGIsqbMnwEA_h35gQQ5v0ugIjpEz8yUOrgVBmC6votfByw_qiyhGvDXoow19L8lSXo7wFaJFsDeCJyw=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>We started our first full day in NY at FAO Schwartz. It was pretty awesome, but (luckily!) we weren't able to buy much because it wouldn't have fit in our luggage. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiOGU3Cb3KnQliuvXFi7Ol4Q_y-Sr_FHTL-b1uTp96_fobsIqVbTAs-vLsRdh17ZsAeim7cnNeIOUBODPBuRB73lyQBp0jEwJTSJRK_Higswpur2fiqP9vPZP-RsTHgW8cG5X7fzxCJVVg1ucIlW7WOiVeai_WTTg5YgL8NrJvQIPk2_zMUWAr6QPCZg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiOGU3Cb3KnQliuvXFi7Ol4Q_y-Sr_FHTL-b1uTp96_fobsIqVbTAs-vLsRdh17ZsAeim7cnNeIOUBODPBuRB73lyQBp0jEwJTSJRK_Higswpur2fiqP9vPZP-RsTHgW8cG5X7fzxCJVVg1ucIlW7WOiVeai_WTTg5YgL8NrJvQIPk2_zMUWAr6QPCZg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><p>Up next was Hamilton! I had seen Hamilton performed in DFW a couple years prior, but seeing it on Broadway was another level! When a song started, Jude would lean over to me and announce which one it was. They enjoyed it, but definitely started getting antsy before intermission. Being able to grab snacks and drinks helped them make it through the second half. This was my third show to see on Broadway, and I look forward to more in the future. It was fun to experience this one with the boys.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-HWBhmaM4I5bgrK6ZbIYyAENJQX26jSTvcoo0P1WS1QhX5JjgJ8bHReNw8fxf01TpC4V9cmbCxb07H1TAtlK8kc9fmsiyt2pAs_YYIzjq5HWzj5r7ep-iOrHs7drOrKx-fk9yEstbD_dz6ZbK877BhzqGqcFDwZc1XbZMybrf21KbmK-Jos9JwtUN0A=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-HWBhmaM4I5bgrK6ZbIYyAENJQX26jSTvcoo0P1WS1QhX5JjgJ8bHReNw8fxf01TpC4V9cmbCxb07H1TAtlK8kc9fmsiyt2pAs_YYIzjq5HWzj5r7ep-iOrHs7drOrKx-fk9yEstbD_dz6ZbK877BhzqGqcFDwZc1XbZMybrf21KbmK-Jos9JwtUN0A=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQVmLoLgBH5_cs2ZMzX9p4-A_mvFvez4xYINFGwN3i4IM44Nb9HL5Cxs4hB_UW57_6AfVr5x_7AJP3hNB1J9Zu1S0phc3ocwpjgyEhlzrEq2Y4zpDrz3nIoU04ELjtzY1I16jZ79azGVTRL-Sk7RnFJG9XwAbYG_LVT-Y8toKVy0XM0TchoGTi3jBuug=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQVmLoLgBH5_cs2ZMzX9p4-A_mvFvez4xYINFGwN3i4IM44Nb9HL5Cxs4hB_UW57_6AfVr5x_7AJP3hNB1J9Zu1S0phc3ocwpjgyEhlzrEq2Y4zpDrz3nIoU04ELjtzY1I16jZ79azGVTRL-Sk7RnFJG9XwAbYG_LVT-Y8toKVy0XM0TchoGTi3jBuug=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizHjWq0bBSJCMjBx2sEesTtzR4mvzK8vohxXpRzXgF3FCjj3LXE73W2Ex6ptNcyVH6NX7w4RcAIWMVzC2HiklzjmFRPQgnt7Acph-BfAAmpx59ugRh5KJzEdTI67d7tLU01IevbmgbteU-WeIQCebZruU_tFhO774fsM2xlAXUpHRNEsqLq-siHaOsLg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizHjWq0bBSJCMjBx2sEesTtzR4mvzK8vohxXpRzXgF3FCjj3LXE73W2Ex6ptNcyVH6NX7w4RcAIWMVzC2HiklzjmFRPQgnt7Acph-BfAAmpx59ugRh5KJzEdTI67d7tLU01IevbmgbteU-WeIQCebZruU_tFhO774fsM2xlAXUpHRNEsqLq-siHaOsLg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjgeP2scl7aerVQSukw94iB3kBtiUhSkKg413JDVJaW87qMzs0a4ISt7SKn8n9IRcropipmgjxUrnmSFceaIZO-5i55LhbEKPvRk1LbCvK3nz5cQ8EVhnB-0hdlXFeqbZvRhhp4Kgps0Akf92uWP9cysDLsQZlA6G42eLk-CZJLEXHl-GahpKIPU9FKw=s3088" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjgeP2scl7aerVQSukw94iB3kBtiUhSkKg413JDVJaW87qMzs0a4ISt7SKn8n9IRcropipmgjxUrnmSFceaIZO-5i55LhbEKPvRk1LbCvK3nz5cQ8EVhnB-0hdlXFeqbZvRhhp4Kgps0Akf92uWP9cysDLsQZlA6G42eLk-CZJLEXHl-GahpKIPU9FKw=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After the show we had reservations at <a href="https://serendipity3.com/" target="_blank">Serendipity3</a> to celebrate Jude's birthday. We surprised him with a birthday song from the staff. He was so embarrassed but he took it like a champ! The desserts were delicious.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWY1LG9GlJsAYK0Xe24UOA8S3lyWUAMaEsfubrsXoM5nnr7rPvotUdGSLjdpSIfG1qOrRFAnUdD7R9OSCLYoUfA4242u12W5yh4y3p97CNRLBzXGXMTfjhG9zRQGho0kayDIgkLLAdQxhZZiSf_RQyJ1V4O_ER51EULWohQTq0PMpOjZqfDvelgM6uLg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWY1LG9GlJsAYK0Xe24UOA8S3lyWUAMaEsfubrsXoM5nnr7rPvotUdGSLjdpSIfG1qOrRFAnUdD7R9OSCLYoUfA4242u12W5yh4y3p97CNRLBzXGXMTfjhG9zRQGho0kayDIgkLLAdQxhZZiSf_RQyJ1V4O_ER51EULWohQTq0PMpOjZqfDvelgM6uLg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8jXnJm-gfIVI_1ISlDYqXjjb8PLhXnkbHP9GC2NppRx4Bm86TYd0KDiCsqMG6p4mQODCVJ2jkvyuUvGPy3Fqzp1yUHx9_eE_RXGrdEoWEUjIkxUDJc-BkFH2OM1vfaCthjD8a39PoX12xBDFY_nOl500yFOBC2EOIx1baF89aofYOuaqdnSA3OlAg2g=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8jXnJm-gfIVI_1ISlDYqXjjb8PLhXnkbHP9GC2NppRx4Bm86TYd0KDiCsqMG6p4mQODCVJ2jkvyuUvGPy3Fqzp1yUHx9_eE_RXGrdEoWEUjIkxUDJc-BkFH2OM1vfaCthjD8a39PoX12xBDFY_nOl500yFOBC2EOIx1baF89aofYOuaqdnSA3OlAg2g=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOr8ihI-1mDUMF_WcSrn4xndlJBgwXNoQfWQVT4-r1rkAudeUqTxSWN0oobAa1o78xCMo8FhuvIUvhf_CYvhm2ZIk-DgabxsdiIKunBBRjEnVIJhP7wKCbYR-QTs1-pbCo0mV6Oh-7f3q5FXJfu6wLBn_Tvml-GjgeORn034XbpqssUA46P7yEoFKdsw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOr8ihI-1mDUMF_WcSrn4xndlJBgwXNoQfWQVT4-r1rkAudeUqTxSWN0oobAa1o78xCMo8FhuvIUvhf_CYvhm2ZIk-DgabxsdiIKunBBRjEnVIJhP7wKCbYR-QTs1-pbCo0mV6Oh-7f3q5FXJfu6wLBn_Tvml-GjgeORn034XbpqssUA46P7yEoFKdsw=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br />The next day we started by visiting Oculus Plaza. It provided some good photo ops! It helps that my kiddos are so cute. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXX_fA-uyAOL0GANAcmPqdXgEopSdICHsjDQh2Fhlwdc-XdyfjucW0IJJMsY4ENMwU2VbZ4ZyNrWZEHerUJlmMOu3VG0AeAMIw4ZjHc_UA_6f10SlY5ZTSt6cSsDmmvIRnd5WgynTUhmGqCrxUxysyskmOnp7569Nf2PNKyNEQ2deHZlvaQi8Dw4vIgg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXX_fA-uyAOL0GANAcmPqdXgEopSdICHsjDQh2Fhlwdc-XdyfjucW0IJJMsY4ENMwU2VbZ4ZyNrWZEHerUJlmMOu3VG0AeAMIw4ZjHc_UA_6f10SlY5ZTSt6cSsDmmvIRnd5WgynTUhmGqCrxUxysyskmOnp7569Nf2PNKyNEQ2deHZlvaQi8Dw4vIgg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizFZ-f2t3ibCvaJ4OMI2avSfEmIKvxzckSjwUsZxbQxS6wIGrNle70ux-KFPGA4RMeXs17h-NMmiKfhf4c4RlTxsGjz3mvWaHfrF6rToXde3QGbY7CKW3BQ2EprhMcL-0Mq2w4D2AcI-3MGsIZjhHIit4cCY3-fVswaCBRGjL6QyoGP0zPxcf9Yj314Q=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizFZ-f2t3ibCvaJ4OMI2avSfEmIKvxzckSjwUsZxbQxS6wIGrNle70ux-KFPGA4RMeXs17h-NMmiKfhf4c4RlTxsGjz3mvWaHfrF6rToXde3QGbY7CKW3BQ2EprhMcL-0Mq2w4D2AcI-3MGsIZjhHIit4cCY3-fVswaCBRGjL6QyoGP0zPxcf9Yj314Q=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaCll2EX5HkT5O6K81JbFlqoMon1DnmWDydMqVApW8lQNeWbNPj44zkwnOqNtL0DIbistIisN1vEChbzs5QgfhhCOfhWKeFlyNKo_g5P3eQ2tpm5mwpT2FHrJZpxnObuzhFMDH2QMVDdZLHn1Rw_NaDNeSvO0JavnxZaSa4BwEPS7WhXKWp59yVRRLRQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaCll2EX5HkT5O6K81JbFlqoMon1DnmWDydMqVApW8lQNeWbNPj44zkwnOqNtL0DIbistIisN1vEChbzs5QgfhhCOfhWKeFlyNKo_g5P3eQ2tpm5mwpT2FHrJZpxnObuzhFMDH2QMVDdZLHn1Rw_NaDNeSvO0JavnxZaSa4BwEPS7WhXKWp59yVRRLRQ=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHbpAluHnz-BmGc4s6DFpXL_5suDoKb7wU0fUjdKJk90m9iS9Ruu1q14JupfiyAG890rWFG4AFVRqlevv6_AjUjO391kfbFqoHFPjV90QSRhShd5fG88StfwmzO2XGZB8fazkp4ZXiSlP_tKgPxK_GgVcI9NxD0WQchadchWp-9nCrNCKKvyn3eEhpDw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHbpAluHnz-BmGc4s6DFpXL_5suDoKb7wU0fUjdKJk90m9iS9Ruu1q14JupfiyAG890rWFG4AFVRqlevv6_AjUjO391kfbFqoHFPjV90QSRhShd5fG88StfwmzO2XGZB8fazkp4ZXiSlP_tKgPxK_GgVcI9NxD0WQchadchWp-9nCrNCKKvyn3eEhpDw=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br />The next stop was Dutch's choice - the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Meezy and I had visited during a prior trip to NY, so we let the boys decide which exhibits to check out. Jude liked seeing the gallery of dogs that assisted in rescue efforts. Dutch read as many placards as he could. After we listened to the phone calls/voicemails of the passengers on United Flight 93, he decided he couldn't take anymore. It's a lot for anyone to take in, let alone a 9 year old.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi39O_GqTfE6MZa25Z7S87X8gTy_shjzxK0-BGJXsvhbadC4Rh92cHc4i2hsgn8_bhtkTTcmnI4ai2w1n90daEHBPsFytpcQFw-u1IXWRV5nQNNQeHcj1lfFRtZHMrslh7mA5jBxvxbE_vUAX0HpeUJo4O-aZj_Yw8OlmU8oFHWycbF5FX7OeZQKTkWBA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi39O_GqTfE6MZa25Z7S87X8gTy_shjzxK0-BGJXsvhbadC4Rh92cHc4i2hsgn8_bhtkTTcmnI4ai2w1n90daEHBPsFytpcQFw-u1IXWRV5nQNNQeHcj1lfFRtZHMrslh7mA5jBxvxbE_vUAX0HpeUJo4O-aZj_Yw8OlmU8oFHWycbF5FX7OeZQKTkWBA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje9IkiKhMLQwz3oWKP1Th3IUd2xOHOA4Bj3xrmQ7Of6aQphj2WXpUCrJ0WR70VSariXn7SqZDxtEYsWWkmDHkTAH9q8WCPDvayDS3TxufJTTzQmEmDqcV8fxBtOB7_Roua0rZEXEqekUEZEp3zp9nci4Gnls7b9n3kJ2nbCHRg4PPdou7jtQvfw2MfhA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje9IkiKhMLQwz3oWKP1Th3IUd2xOHOA4Bj3xrmQ7Of6aQphj2WXpUCrJ0WR70VSariXn7SqZDxtEYsWWkmDHkTAH9q8WCPDvayDS3TxufJTTzQmEmDqcV8fxBtOB7_Roua0rZEXEqekUEZEp3zp9nci4Gnls7b9n3kJ2nbCHRg4PPdou7jtQvfw2MfhA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br />We headed up to the One World Observatory so we could get some great views of the city. It was neat to show the boys the Statue of Liberty and also Ellis Island, which was their Opa's first stop in America.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieKnokREeSCiqyP2TyPvCv4J4ppEK56XnHTvG5CGhOEY1ApORiHAdvKJbvld30IAuAJH8lk4ihJ4knSLWJj_lswAfbxzh9BUUgzHYrMlSZMQIK8to4D0zpB81KPmiH8iTqjOLkJqvjFlfydgz1v6HN1JMqQlI0TYDScUF838HXsknHzCI0hjuS61-AoQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieKnokREeSCiqyP2TyPvCv4J4ppEK56XnHTvG5CGhOEY1ApORiHAdvKJbvld30IAuAJH8lk4ihJ4knSLWJj_lswAfbxzh9BUUgzHYrMlSZMQIK8to4D0zpB81KPmiH8iTqjOLkJqvjFlfydgz1v6HN1JMqQlI0TYDScUF838HXsknHzCI0hjuS61-AoQ=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig0CGPiWDbRubzsSk-MG6YzT7KbxUPw1jiXLCLRapxurbQ2bdenB6a1HK7JRtTAEEfd_fAuH2yHc-eMAAOFlz0JfuGjuc94Tlzkya9DsPmQNJhv8NXSz_tR6M5uumopvWex1iE4rXHZkb_7fzIl5tRr7Oy3YKOSC5qY3OtF2U6cJSA0YHZkN61ps5THw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig0CGPiWDbRubzsSk-MG6YzT7KbxUPw1jiXLCLRapxurbQ2bdenB6a1HK7JRtTAEEfd_fAuH2yHc-eMAAOFlz0JfuGjuc94Tlzkya9DsPmQNJhv8NXSz_tR6M5uumopvWex1iE4rXHZkb_7fzIl5tRr7Oy3YKOSC5qY3OtF2U6cJSA0YHZkN61ps5THw=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We hit up <a href="https://www.schnippers.com/" target="_blank">Schnipper's</a> for dinner, which had some super yummy shakes, and ended our day at Nintendo NY. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaLkNaNAD_4iyNcrEgGbJS_DCb5r6m78y2IdbMnrPsa_R_1mRiE1ptjrVtuvNUXeH4e9u2n8yYX4QEBQrG5JyrpP1TOnU5No3YJdB8M3YAReXViRpzH8YBz524cpR0HclIxBFV9BywNP1jrrdb_Tp1D8ZoUR8KIDg5RyBkZVVfUcbEG7v0W2pYyXkXMg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaLkNaNAD_4iyNcrEgGbJS_DCb5r6m78y2IdbMnrPsa_R_1mRiE1ptjrVtuvNUXeH4e9u2n8yYX4QEBQrG5JyrpP1TOnU5No3YJdB8M3YAReXViRpzH8YBz524cpR0HclIxBFV9BywNP1jrrdb_Tp1D8ZoUR8KIDg5RyBkZVVfUcbEG7v0W2pYyXkXMg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgprcgQuD0DXmBhc5I-arUFffGxNmiJ_4IX6St8JT2ZQjI3JQmkyFpRa8PI6JHiaLsT0NJs2If53p1eU4IGVZzGfX5QHwCPubIaT9ZbgwqJyZdTq2w2wwl027-uz_YfWlJ6-Gww9AZgcD7J0iu6lWw-6Q0HAhmPwNsQIrzid9kJScPyANRIaQ-GlIJZAA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgprcgQuD0DXmBhc5I-arUFffGxNmiJ_4IX6St8JT2ZQjI3JQmkyFpRa8PI6JHiaLsT0NJs2If53p1eU4IGVZzGfX5QHwCPubIaT9ZbgwqJyZdTq2w2wwl027-uz_YfWlJ6-Gww9AZgcD7J0iu6lWw-6Q0HAhmPwNsQIrzid9kJScPyANRIaQ-GlIJZAA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrgJ_P4U3Lp9CH8Vk-Vw_1cDIXL3pasv-krtJlz-JUigtYAaLezYZ6g8NmmUF-QxQzz6OSPvcqD6udNYAe7vyg4G0w4R6CWyUtA5QHgYvbqT1KEprIw9ol5AcdDZGoSd4LzGzXY_D_sFup_tLN1lWMbgE56JL91kkZDi7B176QsRq0QeiZyWsG-HKErg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrgJ_P4U3Lp9CH8Vk-Vw_1cDIXL3pasv-krtJlz-JUigtYAaLezYZ6g8NmmUF-QxQzz6OSPvcqD6udNYAe7vyg4G0w4R6CWyUtA5QHgYvbqT1KEprIw9ol5AcdDZGoSd4LzGzXY_D_sFup_tLN1lWMbgE56JL91kkZDi7B176QsRq0QeiZyWsG-HKErg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>I love that our kids picked this destination and that we were able to make it happen. I think it's important for them to travel and see other parts of the country and world. It's also nice that they're at ages where we can actually enjoy vacations that aren't completely catered to kids' activities! </div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-2319710140632561422021-12-02T23:18:00.000-06:002021-12-02T23:19:16.892-06:00Jude Turns Seven<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxh8mSRXKVuRl5_VTNbyOxYORJ6RPt5S-vcXg9BpW_6db_D_Vg6KshvGKUVSDnhhbYjqlJu_L_QU5LDXvyPmzlLCwyL_1JU5wg0WHm_SRf-pAC98d6O36hTUpFfzWo_adsKdbTsaFGeQP6/s2048/IMG_8214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxh8mSRXKVuRl5_VTNbyOxYORJ6RPt5S-vcXg9BpW_6db_D_Vg6KshvGKUVSDnhhbYjqlJu_L_QU5LDXvyPmzlLCwyL_1JU5wg0WHm_SRf-pAC98d6O36hTUpFfzWo_adsKdbTsaFGeQP6/s320/IMG_8214.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Lucky Number 7 for our Judy cutie! He’s smart and witty and has turned into a mama’s boy (I’m not complaining). He loves games, books, hoodies, leisure wear and our Corgi, Zoey. He also loves animals in general, so we hired an exotic petting zoo to come to our house! They brought a sloth, an armadillo, a coatimundi, a spider monkey, a lemur, and a kinkajou. It was an awesome experience! The spider monkey was the most mind-blowing. It really behaved like a small child and was 3 feet tall! <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEgbcT2n9lHtsvp-qVzOCl_kdyBWVWywQKvw231YD8QPIX0J_MIXL6ZFvm1u4YdRrrN-cOvvJugVD1NuOHGhGttphg7VsZdoPWm4b_JZaZKLo9_UCxvdFg20723KtBVroLrVsjfLi4IaO/s2048/IMG_8247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEgbcT2n9lHtsvp-qVzOCl_kdyBWVWywQKvw231YD8QPIX0J_MIXL6ZFvm1u4YdRrrN-cOvvJugVD1NuOHGhGttphg7VsZdoPWm4b_JZaZKLo9_UCxvdFg20723KtBVroLrVsjfLi4IaO/s320/IMG_8247.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0xhuiEL3_3iORbPg1bmAEby66NojvXr3aVjEUMbmsvzmgLR5Q8eZyEJ8VgaSEhVo2Uj_urS-q42wWVap37geGBXpn6szKil2-fv1djpBSDX-vqkBJlOF2jUQvnxHKg2llHMCiGRIvgFo/s2048/IMG_8257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0xhuiEL3_3iORbPg1bmAEby66NojvXr3aVjEUMbmsvzmgLR5Q8eZyEJ8VgaSEhVo2Uj_urS-q42wWVap37geGBXpn6szKil2-fv1djpBSDX-vqkBJlOF2jUQvnxHKg2llHMCiGRIvgFo/s320/IMG_8257.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4Uh0khQYCqQFd39AsyFfPweO17EnsrSZw_UG0-4FgwXRlgTtF0vNY6eohqNxuyNWGbfOtvT0G3x18n9kQ9aiwA1nqUQLZ0KKCLCWIqrZQn8DGY2OBiSx7aYwy8ZDrJVJdnzrTiNLqH0J/s2048/IMG_8261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4Uh0khQYCqQFd39AsyFfPweO17EnsrSZw_UG0-4FgwXRlgTtF0vNY6eohqNxuyNWGbfOtvT0G3x18n9kQ9aiwA1nqUQLZ0KKCLCWIqrZQn8DGY2OBiSx7aYwy8ZDrJVJdnzrTiNLqH0J/s320/IMG_8261.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZU-RMnQtrPqxfcECugq1H1zuimIGZvrsNIh2zX-0dQoF6FJYlclKRZjN3k_kf3MQ3zXFbOf0X-EgnYlzZVgwo1Ke4IsFUIIiQdmOzAB5pSJkTe12ErREiO1lyUCGuLwTkjgQ1bIJoL54R/s2048/IMG_8272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZU-RMnQtrPqxfcECugq1H1zuimIGZvrsNIh2zX-0dQoF6FJYlclKRZjN3k_kf3MQ3zXFbOf0X-EgnYlzZVgwo1Ke4IsFUIIiQdmOzAB5pSJkTe12ErREiO1lyUCGuLwTkjgQ1bIJoL54R/s320/IMG_8272.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My friend </span><a href="http://www.thecakeballqueen.com/" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Rachel</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> made themed cake balls for the party and they were a hit! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0O1I4s1y9XhsAqDK3o5HnW4ytMJraIUhRCAvomJ86uizHj8GQyaZ_BqCvlQS8L9yxU7RBfZVePCBktE6kuP4ckKceAcUfTV2_svE35UzqyFhZvzBEHopmwb7W9rfk2Bume2ZryU09SUl/s2048/IMG_8296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0O1I4s1y9XhsAqDK3o5HnW4ytMJraIUhRCAvomJ86uizHj8GQyaZ_BqCvlQS8L9yxU7RBfZVePCBktE6kuP4ckKceAcUfTV2_svE35UzqyFhZvzBEHopmwb7W9rfk2Bume2ZryU09SUl/s320/IMG_8296.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmtJqEPTBFlOcmeODA9z2BdsJKM3N9XrbDcYbyW_xDz15EN55vAG2S1vTPmgoBa86e4rSzSuOq8pb4soH5lmB5NSXHlppkzUBXz_Tzsbuqc1hK10UOVclrw2nq4wH4dMu9IaIXKd39bIS/s2048/IMG_8297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmtJqEPTBFlOcmeODA9z2BdsJKM3N9XrbDcYbyW_xDz15EN55vAG2S1vTPmgoBa86e4rSzSuOq8pb4soH5lmB5NSXHlppkzUBXz_Tzsbuqc1hK10UOVclrw2nq4wH4dMu9IaIXKd39bIS/s320/IMG_8297.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jude is such a special boy and I love being his mom. I read to/with him almost every night and he gets upset if I have to skip a night due to work or being out of town. He absolutely does not need me to read to him, because he reads at a high level, but he enjoys our time together. I must say, I do too! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other nicknames we have for him are: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Judy, Judy Booty, Judy Moody, Judith Tanner. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><br />vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-79540518516505552502021-10-13T17:37:00.000-05:002021-10-13T17:37:55.180-05:00Weekend in AZ<p>Meezy and I took a quick trip to Arizona to see the sights and attend an NFL game. His favorite team is the 49ers, so this is our third time traveling around the country to see them in action. We started the trip with a visit to the Grand Canyon. We stayed at <a href="https://www.visitgrandcanyon.com/yavapai-lodge" target="_blank">Yavapai Lodge East</a> on the South Rim. It's no Four Seasons, but the location can't be beat. When we checked in, we were the only dummies wearing short sleeves and flip flops. We did not anticipate the temperature change! After putting on more appropriate attire, we were able to walk a trail along the South Rim just after sunset and enjoy the incredible views. After getting our exercise in, we drove a little ways to the Grand Canyon Village to get dinner at Plaza Bonita. The next morning, we were up by 6:30 and headed to the South Rim again to see the sun rising over the canyon. I walked a couple miles and Meezy ran a few in sub 40 degrees.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AhowOYsrDncnBiRHBdKEQeEmtYZ48YAy_F99XqyHEh4nSQUkCMMKbFaPgSDfJx9OBuZbLAqoMWnR1QoWHp7LTIyWn37GyypSI_os0E90Eyv0S-J_PdL2a-IJ-D_jgfc4L710k8tI_lwA/s2995/IMG_0577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="2995" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AhowOYsrDncnBiRHBdKEQeEmtYZ48YAy_F99XqyHEh4nSQUkCMMKbFaPgSDfJx9OBuZbLAqoMWnR1QoWHp7LTIyWn37GyypSI_os0E90Eyv0S-J_PdL2a-IJ-D_jgfc4L710k8tI_lwA/s320/IMG_0577.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tHsqKCOOc3d0ztHzeOgqM8BHijisDtapHlqO5aCHhvxOleM3vwjyBi98ANq8U9NgZvdFO8vOUN9o-KCGK-2pjkNibzt9LbaDY1w5rJIxtUbo7Ef427UILqRDqWe6ieFqCo8-D4pn5zRH/s3088/IMG_0579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tHsqKCOOc3d0ztHzeOgqM8BHijisDtapHlqO5aCHhvxOleM3vwjyBi98ANq8U9NgZvdFO8vOUN9o-KCGK-2pjkNibzt9LbaDY1w5rJIxtUbo7Ef427UILqRDqWe6ieFqCo8-D4pn5zRH/s320/IMG_0579.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixP1mZ9ZhyIxhGcQhoangVAb2qlpTbac5voUJf45kvAZcahIubhiqVxMxQlFw1z1VOUqyM8Gs5OwazEhLjSBxv3nUG256k7gSL9VYxbqlf_Wgm4wOPdavQTf35CYHkaHlwZXjV23JYILI3/s2048/IMG_8022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixP1mZ9ZhyIxhGcQhoangVAb2qlpTbac5voUJf45kvAZcahIubhiqVxMxQlFw1z1VOUqyM8Gs5OwazEhLjSBxv3nUG256k7gSL9VYxbqlf_Wgm4wOPdavQTf35CYHkaHlwZXjV23JYILI3/s320/IMG_8022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw5DJZYRe3_yeQJl1X32Uz6VhqPSZhQL1MzXP_ZsvxxMQBDjnQM0-6JLVqeTbMVGUxFyQ_nVAUjYbaCyWe3VmRFmpfB-M1K0aJd4TumOubaT7Bwud-jAOvY0kdGT8Q3lSYd9iGQ5q98ml/s2048/IMG_8026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw5DJZYRe3_yeQJl1X32Uz6VhqPSZhQL1MzXP_ZsvxxMQBDjnQM0-6JLVqeTbMVGUxFyQ_nVAUjYbaCyWe3VmRFmpfB-M1K0aJd4TumOubaT7Bwud-jAOvY0kdGT8Q3lSYd9iGQ5q98ml/s320/IMG_8026.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmiKBVwRNacnuZM_dhiTZzT7koQYNs-lBMIokTDst76DHfG2Tz69F9LvSyGEv3njrBSQS60Hv73FdGfIiVLYTkUJEDI-zjOA77Y3GYpyI72qT9mM7J12q-0CUybvIIjTSQ2ydWZ4LU02b/s2048/IMG_8030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmiKBVwRNacnuZM_dhiTZzT7koQYNs-lBMIokTDst76DHfG2Tz69F9LvSyGEv3njrBSQS60Hv73FdGfIiVLYTkUJEDI-zjOA77Y3GYpyI72qT9mM7J12q-0CUybvIIjTSQ2ydWZ4LU02b/s320/IMG_8030.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXA_Zubevpiok29BTkBfRBdY6kMeX45l187eAOzn9ARtjn2FYL1w7mmRQ4eWpVrPrkJVJFEO3qX32SHg4fi7bvNtdUJb1cLo2upMAwUtBu4mM-LaLFtWMVWNzh7JDgN7kkbs8aFaAM9ki/s2048/IMG_8034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXA_Zubevpiok29BTkBfRBdY6kMeX45l187eAOzn9ARtjn2FYL1w7mmRQ4eWpVrPrkJVJFEO3qX32SHg4fi7bvNtdUJb1cLo2upMAwUtBu4mM-LaLFtWMVWNzh7JDgN7kkbs8aFaAM9ki/s320/IMG_8034.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />After that, we left the Grand Canyon and headed toward Sedona, stopping along the way at <a href="https://thefoodieclubs.com/" target="_blank">Foodie Club</a> for breakfast. Since it was Saturday, the trails and shops were packed when we arrived in Sedona. We had originally planned to hike, but since it was so crowded, we decided to just check out the <a href="https://chapeloftheholycross.com/" target="_blank">Chapel of the Holy Cross</a>. It's built atop the red rocks and has great views. While you're up there, you can't miss the <a href="https://aviewtoathrill.net/2011/07/21/ioan-cosmescu-mansion-sedona-arizona/" target="_blank">incredible estate</a> owned by the person who invented the laser scalpel used during LASIK procedures.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgct9M2nXTD-3tU1-SkAYGoLgOx_irC4356WFA0u40OPL2qXMkk1WT9-EzSZJfgv_MjiMElSH7vECP7PMsR9fo1DqKMv2gzk-RCJCIzuw9zVLMWdRGRPPyfyNbRm-V72RkIgbNzpUBT_4Mf/s2048/IMG_8038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgct9M2nXTD-3tU1-SkAYGoLgOx_irC4356WFA0u40OPL2qXMkk1WT9-EzSZJfgv_MjiMElSH7vECP7PMsR9fo1DqKMv2gzk-RCJCIzuw9zVLMWdRGRPPyfyNbRm-V72RkIgbNzpUBT_4Mf/s320/IMG_8038.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnauMFBfhMfVwkU9tQpyxXqK_AxdPJUBoc3rOMu3GE_GXpotTQqKELNkvBB9wg3zDpHjWT2nOmg-Xq-94fCoPeXi2KOnp1vLkHbGSauQ_u1JJypegcf9Nnf-NuUEd5ChTXUBe4k65d0KPN/s2048/IMG_8039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnauMFBfhMfVwkU9tQpyxXqK_AxdPJUBoc3rOMu3GE_GXpotTQqKELNkvBB9wg3zDpHjWT2nOmg-Xq-94fCoPeXi2KOnp1vLkHbGSauQ_u1JJypegcf9Nnf-NuUEd5ChTXUBe4k65d0KPN/s320/IMG_8039.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLqroE2syuaWe0MkM_63M94lyUyf3O-LXMFu6MonP3tzeelMf3XuebYSin4zrXr8vcoyRdKl1TF_yT7VfQOTEXLb2WRpIKIGyS5cEjUd2oL9rxuMV9ybwsY-OXIyDQQLC56VuGcFFV9s6/s2048/IMG_8040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLqroE2syuaWe0MkM_63M94lyUyf3O-LXMFu6MonP3tzeelMf3XuebYSin4zrXr8vcoyRdKl1TF_yT7VfQOTEXLb2WRpIKIGyS5cEjUd2oL9rxuMV9ybwsY-OXIyDQQLC56VuGcFFV9s6/s320/IMG_8040.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The weather was fantastic, with clear skies and comfortable temps. If we hadn't come on a holiday weekend, I definitely would have wanted to spend more time in Sedona. From there we headed south to Phoenix. Our home for the next two nights was <a href="https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phxgr-renaissance-phoenix-glendale-hotel-and-spa/" target="_blank">Renaissance Phoenix/Glendale Hotel & Spa</a>. We chose this hotel because it was right across the street from the stadium. While in the lobby, I mentioned to Meezy that it looked like people were asking to take pictures with someone. We walked a little closer and he goes, "That's Frank Gore!" Being a life-long fan, Meezy had no problem recognizing a former 49ers player. That was a fun sighting! After getting settled in and eating, I headed over to the nearby outlet mall to look for some souvenirs for the kids. Can't come home empty-handed!<div><br /></div><div>The next morning, we met up with our friends, Tory and Sam, who live in the Phoenix area. They had tickets to the game as well, so we grabbed brunch and then headed to the stadium. Our seats were fantastic! They were lower level on the 49ers side and we were surrounded by a bunch of other 49ers fans. Sam wore her Cardinals shirt though, so we had a friendly rivalry going. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchQekbrV6oGx4_HHwOVe_gGRJThbcn7nsaJY_uMycylDBa7zMo1kWQf7_PZucEZT7G66-pIELA_rqpZT1OVW1kv7sfPwWX5ilpPxGq3tv0-dk68wPZ8o24NVACTk_qf4B6rUVfF-3Ktsh/s2048/IMG_8048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchQekbrV6oGx4_HHwOVe_gGRJThbcn7nsaJY_uMycylDBa7zMo1kWQf7_PZucEZT7G66-pIELA_rqpZT1OVW1kv7sfPwWX5ilpPxGq3tv0-dk68wPZ8o24NVACTk_qf4B6rUVfF-3Ktsh/s320/IMG_8048.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6JfEe4z1dxRG48ytzg5gXWO1au9H0QMkL4PQIeo3CNM3D0AzBEWCIi1hQ6xkuwRBwenyn7FxQzVoIeY7hjEuxF117s2oav0jWRWuXKh7ysDFpuzYg8-mKMhyyKUpofvjoeec7KE1vIkh/s2048/IMG_8051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6JfEe4z1dxRG48ytzg5gXWO1au9H0QMkL4PQIeo3CNM3D0AzBEWCIi1hQ6xkuwRBwenyn7FxQzVoIeY7hjEuxF117s2oav0jWRWuXKh7ysDFpuzYg8-mKMhyyKUpofvjoeec7KE1vIkh/s320/IMG_8051.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The game ended up being pretty exciting, even though the 49ers lost. It's always fun to watch a game in person and feel the excitement around you. It was also cool to visit a stadium we hadn't been to before. After the game we had dinner and drinks with our friends and told stories and laughed for a couple hours. That was our last night in AZ and it was a good way to end the trip!</div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-9559482596591264502021-07-08T23:16:00.001-05:002021-07-08T23:16:31.171-05:00Colorado Vacation 2021<p> We were supposed to be in Europe on a huge family trip this June, but due to the restrictions still in place because of COVID, we cancelled that trip and instead chose something closer to home. We booked a flight into Denver and rented a car to drive to our ultimate destination, Breckenridge. Our flight departed super early on a Saturday morning, or should I say it was supposed to depart super early. We ended up sitting on the plane for about 3.5 hours while they waited for a fueler to arrive to "balance the fuel". It was such a beatdown. Thank goodness our kids are old enough to be entertained by Ipads, so they weren't bothered by the delay. The adults on the other hand were going mad (myself included). We were going to take the kids to a museum before starting our drive to Breckenridge, but the delay took that activity off the schedule. When we got to Denver, we took a shuttle to the rental car area and OMG the line was crazy. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JcZEROtNNdxgcW8-PfAXNKGHIy0N4-LHnjc_jP51UjBWBa9H86ZzP57oMpafmSw5TVhnTjdmjdHZlCGdZcoaS5CPPTCE6dFtO7T6_hRteaxFlz9rhJKiRiPAcfuYUuowxeSSUBm-Wcw6/s1864/IMG_7230.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1864" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JcZEROtNNdxgcW8-PfAXNKGHIy0N4-LHnjc_jP51UjBWBa9H86ZzP57oMpafmSw5TVhnTjdmjdHZlCGdZcoaS5CPPTCE6dFtO7T6_hRteaxFlz9rhJKiRiPAcfuYUuowxeSSUBm-Wcw6/s320/IMG_7230.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Thank goodness there were lots of employees on hand, so it didn't take a ridiculously long time. But, after we got our car, we realized we forgot to bring a booster seat for Jude. DOH! That meant our first stop was to Walmart to buy one. After that, we ate at a good vegan restaurant, <a href="https://www.watercoursefoods.com/" target="_blank">Watercourse Foods</a>, and then headed to Breckenridge. The house we rented was pretty sweet. My sister and her kids joined us on the trip, so we wanted a place large enough for all of us and that included access to a pool and hot tub. The balcony and views were a bonus.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5hf8Oc9qkcBYHyf5-B-16wVLaqRP4Ykaed5gFo7wYLSaaA4FgDkc4jZ829vWqKmy4I8mc6QTlT7BS-CdS2amhz7HRDqd4vLzgsRVR1vM3A4oeaP-ebjuu8MakU_zHU9sFM_ZFPEkTH7V/s2015/IMG_7234.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2015" data-original-width="1504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5hf8Oc9qkcBYHyf5-B-16wVLaqRP4Ykaed5gFo7wYLSaaA4FgDkc4jZ829vWqKmy4I8mc6QTlT7BS-CdS2amhz7HRDqd4vLzgsRVR1vM3A4oeaP-ebjuu8MakU_zHU9sFM_ZFPEkTH7V/s320/IMG_7234.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Within short walking distance of our house was a wooded area with a nice stream. We did some hiking and took pictures and paid tribute to our friend Brandon who passed away last year. It was so nice to get outside and exercise and not be miserable from the usual high temperature and humidity of Dallas! The altitude definitely made us winded more quickly though. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOC1Wb9mlGPtPlMZMA5JNl3zCVHzIbGFVwPmstbsm70jQITCI3P4W9gOGW1Pp2LLpHX_YGHQc-WPOXeoCX_ZCo90rCjxM23byXUH0RFm77kORsP8EM74wRUdA3g0pYICn20UKQqwkiKg5/s1440/38252F10-DB7B-416C-A76E-B15FD492EE87.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOC1Wb9mlGPtPlMZMA5JNl3zCVHzIbGFVwPmstbsm70jQITCI3P4W9gOGW1Pp2LLpHX_YGHQc-WPOXeoCX_ZCo90rCjxM23byXUH0RFm77kORsP8EM74wRUdA3g0pYICn20UKQqwkiKg5/s320/38252F10-DB7B-416C-A76E-B15FD492EE87.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMV74Smh0hjg2ofACcY7Crk9Zh5GRPWQN6dbdyop25Uhs_gyFiDQ6U3CnSqgTvN8vdY1R2eHe4546JItYr7NbR3HvciyWjiUz3azaUKTohjnTjh8GA5hS3-CipUbHiT6wXqXgya4EBvQE/s1440/B3E6DF87-5C7C-46EB-9ECF-E262D65EECBC.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMV74Smh0hjg2ofACcY7Crk9Zh5GRPWQN6dbdyop25Uhs_gyFiDQ6U3CnSqgTvN8vdY1R2eHe4546JItYr7NbR3HvciyWjiUz3azaUKTohjnTjh8GA5hS3-CipUbHiT6wXqXgya4EBvQE/s320/B3E6DF87-5C7C-46EB-9ECF-E262D65EECBC.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIm-xxVX99qWeYBdFiOUG7JqYgKwfHATk1Q-ad7oLt1sGGAtKF5HJbKB40QZSvPLRgCTucpMLlG2IGj6qTfdKiRz-OKGP7PkN10Zg4YCEDe8rVHPUZ5yOh6CALtThUJZtn2_R_mQpQTew/s2016/IMG_7243.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIm-xxVX99qWeYBdFiOUG7JqYgKwfHATk1Q-ad7oLt1sGGAtKF5HJbKB40QZSvPLRgCTucpMLlG2IGj6qTfdKiRz-OKGP7PkN10Zg4YCEDe8rVHPUZ5yOh6CALtThUJZtn2_R_mQpQTew/s320/IMG_7243.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYheMz506wWRFUrzGrJ2eS4lvu0Dzl6Fy8uKO1JCbckh0ZU8BzFJ4gDFIptlIjD9t4fzsK-uDhKh_uXOM0xrEszoCe5VBHkVX0V9xOv3HM0yPUSqbM9UB6kwP3FmHT156CkmEhJeKpKZL/s2016/IMG_7245.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYheMz506wWRFUrzGrJ2eS4lvu0Dzl6Fy8uKO1JCbckh0ZU8BzFJ4gDFIptlIjD9t4fzsK-uDhKh_uXOM0xrEszoCe5VBHkVX0V9xOv3HM0yPUSqbM9UB6kwP3FmHT156CkmEhJeKpKZL/s320/IMG_7245.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjNrplvP9OlAVG7O6qaZWLv8YdAVS7-guWnSEKIz2VK-pOb-t__gmxbtsEyelcAw2jYJaIyTnR_qxJsk_3YcBhyphenhyphena1X0o5mzjZ6Fc1i7TRSYSWwzrojWLDQmB4sHBR_3SKwfqy1KZYTQPE/s2016/IMG_7246.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjNrplvP9OlAVG7O6qaZWLv8YdAVS7-guWnSEKIz2VK-pOb-t__gmxbtsEyelcAw2jYJaIyTnR_qxJsk_3YcBhyphenhyphena1X0o5mzjZ6Fc1i7TRSYSWwzrojWLDQmB4sHBR_3SKwfqy1KZYTQPE/s320/IMG_7246.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ml84oSvfYqXII0HJg8x6vg1HkSZEmEuZ4ExXtAy7A85b4SLBXQ33ojmOGDYeziuYBoCLhyNb0ABwUugzvYymxhxZmQn1usunhQ8dHpIcnteWvdxj6rmPMzarPRWZC3w70FR2zOge1H0_/s2016/IMG_7250.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ml84oSvfYqXII0HJg8x6vg1HkSZEmEuZ4ExXtAy7A85b4SLBXQ33ojmOGDYeziuYBoCLhyNb0ABwUugzvYymxhxZmQn1usunhQ8dHpIcnteWvdxj6rmPMzarPRWZC3w70FR2zOge1H0_/s320/IMG_7250.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvuKryFt6uQg2jUV1L98W0uR6FiHaTx3roBv8ejhpJ0D19qEms9LB0ujrRUAzRYc5IezBJMI8QR7ZDCBDbybZJmFb_hRxLiX0g9B5Bq-C2R8fmvoEAqXz-v99MjUjylxXinteTM12Oglb/s2016/IMG_7275.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvuKryFt6uQg2jUV1L98W0uR6FiHaTx3roBv8ejhpJ0D19qEms9LB0ujrRUAzRYc5IezBJMI8QR7ZDCBDbybZJmFb_hRxLiX0g9B5Bq-C2R8fmvoEAqXz-v99MjUjylxXinteTM12Oglb/s320/IMG_7275.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDSe3zbKGvj8YJ3mCWqxpxJYTTX_ZkicHWZlDAAZE-xh1AE3MXodCRDKoG8BAogwCjf46_2Yku6hbmAfEdoxWOUD87mqFhqWd7JhxsURAgzWi4rJ3C_fpOqgaXQRVhyphenhyphenI2mmLri7twQCz-/s2016/IMG_7293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDSe3zbKGvj8YJ3mCWqxpxJYTTX_ZkicHWZlDAAZE-xh1AE3MXodCRDKoG8BAogwCjf46_2Yku6hbmAfEdoxWOUD87mqFhqWd7JhxsURAgzWi4rJ3C_fpOqgaXQRVhyphenhyphenI2mmLri7twQCz-/s320/IMG_7293.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>Our scheduled activity for the second day in Breckenridge was a visit to the <a href="https://www.countryboymine.com/" target="_blank">Country Boy Mine</a>. We set up a treasure hunt and gold panning session. The treasure hunt was pretty cool. It worked well for the ages of kids we had in our group (6-12) and even had some things the parents could help with. The gold panning was a hit and the kids loved the challenge of trying to find gold. There was also a tall slide there, which is always going to be a crowd favorite. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7C7RNCFnmvFtOaR_LoQyn2geaNyWac5YbJ-ZObp8dyl5Al1rYUWRUGbYYMFeBxZhfUozcyJx5NrHd_ujo-V4rIcICyJM8E2w8QuPqJSlYhVQeVtVN1X2H8xihbJv60PnjCYbRUv3vInV/s2016/IMG_7299.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7C7RNCFnmvFtOaR_LoQyn2geaNyWac5YbJ-ZObp8dyl5Al1rYUWRUGbYYMFeBxZhfUozcyJx5NrHd_ujo-V4rIcICyJM8E2w8QuPqJSlYhVQeVtVN1X2H8xihbJv60PnjCYbRUv3vInV/s320/IMG_7299.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4ezGm9wogJw8rQSt9E2-JECin-WqfB2T3UZcV1wQHJsWOjljkGD4Ztp7ZwmqKqV364mBM_YkyXblXtKnp2KTNySBW2SNcjivj-8EHcgAXI06PK63HCtxHlQCakl7y2lTpkL3IujG-ocz/s2016/IMG_7303.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4ezGm9wogJw8rQSt9E2-JECin-WqfB2T3UZcV1wQHJsWOjljkGD4Ztp7ZwmqKqV364mBM_YkyXblXtKnp2KTNySBW2SNcjivj-8EHcgAXI06PK63HCtxHlQCakl7y2lTpkL3IujG-ocz/s320/IMG_7303.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVCcUXZQvQhAE56CwbAx5gKETxMx86RaZEjdZi8uHvXTb6wuCl1ow052E9y3Dz2o8H5WqBOfbfj_J9tzaetSqwkZMvhT8gVmqr4nRFvxvwll8SVjP4O8e_J5fbp2aSkOU32t10OZTcYYe/s2016/IMG_7306.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVCcUXZQvQhAE56CwbAx5gKETxMx86RaZEjdZi8uHvXTb6wuCl1ow052E9y3Dz2o8H5WqBOfbfj_J9tzaetSqwkZMvhT8gVmqr4nRFvxvwll8SVjP4O8e_J5fbp2aSkOU32t10OZTcYYe/s320/IMG_7306.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3rRYoznVOf8Upw-hNOb1PICER3kHapEBnSSftv1-dsieYIQBIWekmYKy6fiFWeV12BeJ-nOtSngrNJOj7PTvuQPV1zC8cAeEd3cutflykYv63oUx5F2jAljXmK1nKcHQLL5oSwezbqWg8/s2016/IMG_7309.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3rRYoznVOf8Upw-hNOb1PICER3kHapEBnSSftv1-dsieYIQBIWekmYKy6fiFWeV12BeJ-nOtSngrNJOj7PTvuQPV1zC8cAeEd3cutflykYv63oUx5F2jAljXmK1nKcHQLL5oSwezbqWg8/s320/IMG_7309.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Tk_6efikghFWmrjWMLHb7aHgoPvavBTBILOVAsHpj9Rgs2wJx9R6hFG-YdaFP7KFCnmzMgGgkLQDttSxaHqaf18w8Ki6cmrOoj26GWGy5w5OnQ-dtr0JascHGVt0Gjg6Iv8DGc1lxMFY/s2016/IMG_7310.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Tk_6efikghFWmrjWMLHb7aHgoPvavBTBILOVAsHpj9Rgs2wJx9R6hFG-YdaFP7KFCnmzMgGgkLQDttSxaHqaf18w8Ki6cmrOoj26GWGy5w5OnQ-dtr0JascHGVt0Gjg6Iv8DGc1lxMFY/s320/IMG_7310.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOEaka_3-Jo16h6Oh79hzBcK98nJPZ9DOBzZJj3bDoQwlDrpz-JOIY5DnJtiWxkoe2ewQMnb9tqNIo2hZkpcNGxPNZ-4_cp-zTz4VSgCfpL7VH50j3krBfOdP48EAU9U1wB8dnsN14RB6/s960/IMG_7378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOEaka_3-Jo16h6Oh79hzBcK98nJPZ9DOBzZJj3bDoQwlDrpz-JOIY5DnJtiWxkoe2ewQMnb9tqNIo2hZkpcNGxPNZ-4_cp-zTz4VSgCfpL7VH50j3krBfOdP48EAU9U1wB8dnsN14RB6/s320/IMG_7378.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>Our house was within walking distance to restaurants, shops, and other places to explore, so we took every chance we got to see what the city offered. We also made a couple trips to the pool, of course.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPt9Fyss9s4Wz-M0N0ObsI1wue4luL1SOJa31psEGzMobLABXPQ23vSdfnDrqZ7NDBV30s1ICxyF2IHoUHi9QYv_VxYQn53VOXdAx5-0NB6IF_ByyZc6UfRp7iwkYxS_5J87nQqTsg_ysL/s1280/IMG_7314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPt9Fyss9s4Wz-M0N0ObsI1wue4luL1SOJa31psEGzMobLABXPQ23vSdfnDrqZ7NDBV30s1ICxyF2IHoUHi9QYv_VxYQn53VOXdAx5-0NB6IF_ByyZc6UfRp7iwkYxS_5J87nQqTsg_ysL/s320/IMG_7314.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpVWR_j9VGRDA7eV9bCh426m2KmD-GfaKW2XG21wqAaqdhi9luKRYp4uPXSNXtuYTowGk_DZwgvh3xVEyVkIx97kZ5rn7k4E9WeaZQUE-J-ThWLjuwJ1aaUee8ioTSbBpYzl-s2q2zIH6/s1280/IMG_7315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpVWR_j9VGRDA7eV9bCh426m2KmD-GfaKW2XG21wqAaqdhi9luKRYp4uPXSNXtuYTowGk_DZwgvh3xVEyVkIx97kZ5rn7k4E9WeaZQUE-J-ThWLjuwJ1aaUee8ioTSbBpYzl-s2q2zIH6/s320/IMG_7315.JPG" /></a></div><br />Our main activity for the third day of the trip was a visit to <a href="https://www.breckenridge.com/explore-the-resort/activities-and-events/summer-activities/epic-discovery.aspx" target="_blank">Epic Discovery</a>. We were all looking forward to this! It started with a gondola ride to the adventure park, followed by unlimited mini golf, alpine slide, goldrunner coaster, and the kids zone activities (bungee trampoline, ropes course, zipline). Unfortunately a few of the other activities had not been placed back in service yet, and those were the ones the adults would have enjoyed. Whomp, whomp. So, we didn't get much for the cost of our tickets, but the kids had a great time. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpT5Yd_871KdmVfKJWH4PHSM41SCJnXSMpmE6vf4xqH_n67farx23tMUkjcToyD1STDf86jk1dOIrSBlM_n9IbTXw100AWc-aNgcJXlArr0LKqzypk-n5J6lfwdLbh96Z6lWpabm09ABCV/s2016/IMG_7321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpT5Yd_871KdmVfKJWH4PHSM41SCJnXSMpmE6vf4xqH_n67farx23tMUkjcToyD1STDf86jk1dOIrSBlM_n9IbTXw100AWc-aNgcJXlArr0LKqzypk-n5J6lfwdLbh96Z6lWpabm09ABCV/s320/IMG_7321.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkPT9pV-DRD9pjGL8HAMC1FUS08UFEnAKvEo5CYbl4AfoGmYuFB168OfQjMZocc5RU7OGCumPmW3_C_dHGtbXmvED3g0lND6o0bymSCAQj1k7PsoZi3nA_lY39FYF7VSiQn_Y4S2M2IQD/s2016/IMG_7325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkPT9pV-DRD9pjGL8HAMC1FUS08UFEnAKvEo5CYbl4AfoGmYuFB168OfQjMZocc5RU7OGCumPmW3_C_dHGtbXmvED3g0lND6o0bymSCAQj1k7PsoZi3nA_lY39FYF7VSiQn_Y4S2M2IQD/s320/IMG_7325.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeTD9mUVURhMoIq-5TtobgcSFXFTErKPLSxiMU7nC9EoUwd0gfdjvQYb_RUPlGPFG9QkQDBPaekqiZO_eAm4uJeD1-GT1v4XvnkYxhAFMDc5kdX6K5UmjtUa5qn5xSHCaSlLbNMDmZjFH/s2016/IMG_7328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeTD9mUVURhMoIq-5TtobgcSFXFTErKPLSxiMU7nC9EoUwd0gfdjvQYb_RUPlGPFG9QkQDBPaekqiZO_eAm4uJeD1-GT1v4XvnkYxhAFMDc5kdX6K5UmjtUa5qn5xSHCaSlLbNMDmZjFH/s320/IMG_7328.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RMz5molzM8cA2txrKOoDPL82Rdjng6406rh1GXCTajR-9WTBy8ATuZV99JqzgylB_qJayhUosOzGeVBHmS_jAdOAwHTDitV-j_zrQ3RxotMHENpUKVH77JfYFEXrPdnIoSsNmoZ3WptX/s2016/IMG_7332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RMz5molzM8cA2txrKOoDPL82Rdjng6406rh1GXCTajR-9WTBy8ATuZV99JqzgylB_qJayhUosOzGeVBHmS_jAdOAwHTDitV-j_zrQ3RxotMHENpUKVH77JfYFEXrPdnIoSsNmoZ3WptX/s320/IMG_7332.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYkjeIx-Hlgb-EMzcYONf0Ox9lDFVcUcj-nOqV6g8x-kj6cjwkUzwX7z8BL34OvnbRI2YwIVI874YWmQTEPNKSPK5M9xuJPNS8o1fdZnxEyPkd6urtsYmjNRWxMLuhqDs2YhAtRbS-J1Z/s2016/IMG_7337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYkjeIx-Hlgb-EMzcYONf0Ox9lDFVcUcj-nOqV6g8x-kj6cjwkUzwX7z8BL34OvnbRI2YwIVI874YWmQTEPNKSPK5M9xuJPNS8o1fdZnxEyPkd6urtsYmjNRWxMLuhqDs2YhAtRbS-J1Z/s320/IMG_7337.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjME09vkrAQYYlTNn8BtBdvbnP43MghRlq_2bQy-kUlSZbr1qhTDWNlWRc7xNkQMsNc41GRMz5QR73R27fDvqCsafWNAIlTCJN8rcRhQV_F5snpihnVNecN3EnT78CodALz6JANXT3DsTDU/s2016/IMG_7345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjME09vkrAQYYlTNn8BtBdvbnP43MghRlq_2bQy-kUlSZbr1qhTDWNlWRc7xNkQMsNc41GRMz5QR73R27fDvqCsafWNAIlTCJN8rcRhQV_F5snpihnVNecN3EnT78CodALz6JANXT3DsTDU/s320/IMG_7345.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EKr89jp5dSw6iO_aCy93YqJgvMjQFugghQpB8iT3c-z5PKf0BjPwNU8iwfczMxGFhTdYiplSWjGk-7umEi48tKF_WgnpOdwgsI1cFo9htvPRPTMREjiroM_peELQcu0j6yaWpUkUQA5V/s2016/IMG_7354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EKr89jp5dSw6iO_aCy93YqJgvMjQFugghQpB8iT3c-z5PKf0BjPwNU8iwfczMxGFhTdYiplSWjGk-7umEi48tKF_WgnpOdwgsI1cFo9htvPRPTMREjiroM_peELQcu0j6yaWpUkUQA5V/s320/IMG_7354.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was time to head home on the fourth day, but our flight wasn't until later in the day, so we stopped at a cool playground and then took the kids to <a href="https://northglenn.boondocks.com/" target="_blank">Boondocks</a>, which has an arcade and some other fun attractions. Dutch loved the ropes course and impressed us with his bravery on the zip line and spinning barrel. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJLqxU0KOxbCmrD2UUc8XEXWDv2ZWNorXtsGpAodlnes88WbuhQKlGOpNLGYYOVDdua3zDIqDCw41Qi_r636T4SrvUWq7f71g6Q_sc_NzmiIVMca2_izSmDb8P2QCglDpUx9nMGFyvaLO/s2016/IMG_7362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJLqxU0KOxbCmrD2UUc8XEXWDv2ZWNorXtsGpAodlnes88WbuhQKlGOpNLGYYOVDdua3zDIqDCw41Qi_r636T4SrvUWq7f71g6Q_sc_NzmiIVMca2_izSmDb8P2QCglDpUx9nMGFyvaLO/s320/IMG_7362.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3S0htx9bsjcxrdm8pp4ruMnUcCEfmuihicmIa1qw7Rmgru47Sxjbe9hPfmgTrYLj371gt-tvpaFXqvNomN9cvbm8MMRGZpj-cPA7EWyxkMHngqodDtnRpl0RgNfNjcx32c6viuxXpjmS/s2016/IMG_7363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3S0htx9bsjcxrdm8pp4ruMnUcCEfmuihicmIa1qw7Rmgru47Sxjbe9hPfmgTrYLj371gt-tvpaFXqvNomN9cvbm8MMRGZpj-cPA7EWyxkMHngqodDtnRpl0RgNfNjcx32c6viuxXpjmS/s320/IMG_7363.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0D1p43gc7RCCvz2MNsvC995GtHjPBgRxed_xpO3nVsKGk3-0-cc8QX4qjH186R9DNvCOovy6mdeveJeofG0czjOKkm9wNGwLx8wFn6we5_3hklv6l9kROIieCu5HVhDEIytzOSoDYLf1/s2016/IMG_7366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0D1p43gc7RCCvz2MNsvC995GtHjPBgRxed_xpO3nVsKGk3-0-cc8QX4qjH186R9DNvCOovy6mdeveJeofG0czjOKkm9wNGwLx8wFn6we5_3hklv6l9kROIieCu5HVhDEIytzOSoDYLf1/s320/IMG_7366.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3j9odleNannjplj_rn0Rl6rr5jV0TNP4uRZoAppqajJKzzcIBs7VXw28n7DCaO-UDl5E73QLY_tonUN5G1QwB-Vf1pEuc9FLmGoyRkGTnoBfOcVZ5UHzveUIgSNt-vO0gUlfZlcfY9Cbq/s2016/IMG_7368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3j9odleNannjplj_rn0Rl6rr5jV0TNP4uRZoAppqajJKzzcIBs7VXw28n7DCaO-UDl5E73QLY_tonUN5G1QwB-Vf1pEuc9FLmGoyRkGTnoBfOcVZ5UHzveUIgSNt-vO0gUlfZlcfY9Cbq/s320/IMG_7368.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMffLoK8zxTR5NmGOP5Hqn-ux1ALAMJTwQsJ307okoQGKh7AtACN5UGfnBjJ_ENc4hHO_SRy4DNFu234UH04QME6uYBZDqQ2u2tcaAWI-MQRdaRjw5uLI4WXyY7MEaY_A4STOozaiLK-tR/s2048/IMG_7370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMffLoK8zxTR5NmGOP5Hqn-ux1ALAMJTwQsJ307okoQGKh7AtACN5UGfnBjJ_ENc4hHO_SRy4DNFu234UH04QME6uYBZDqQ2u2tcaAWI-MQRdaRjw5uLI4WXyY7MEaY_A4STOozaiLK-tR/s320/IMG_7370.jpg" /></a></div><br />The weather was gorgeous while we were there and I loved how much time we were able to spend comfortably outdoors. I'd definitely make another visit to Colorado in the future and recommend Breckenridge for families. </div>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-19673715525045817482021-02-25T09:40:00.003-06:002021-10-13T16:05:28.138-05:00Goodbye, My Riley Roo<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJThhJe7A_yop_Q7UPvKz9hW4Hu3z0MszxWQOWIJbaNMApJFD13gAGOhiku4k-jFkIsfLVw-rVQqJWJX9qRp0vrmo1BJ97O9nnSDKu6uxlYm-LP9JpzaXCHRrZgvN-BLOxhZgdl0oge4Y/s2048/IMG_6582.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJThhJe7A_yop_Q7UPvKz9hW4Hu3z0MszxWQOWIJbaNMApJFD13gAGOhiku4k-jFkIsfLVw-rVQqJWJX9qRp0vrmo1BJ97O9nnSDKu6uxlYm-LP9JpzaXCHRrZgvN-BLOxhZgdl0oge4Y/s320/IMG_6582.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, this was an extremely tough loss. 16 years. How do you put into words what a 16-year friendship means to you? I got Riley from a pet store in Lubbock when I was living alone and wanted a companion for my last year in grad school. He had a big head and a tiny body and I was intrigued by the sign that said "Beagle/Corgi mix." Over the years he grew into his big head (and then some) because he never passed up an opportunity to eat. Didn't matter if the item in question was really edible or not - he would give it a shot. He had a tank for a stomach because crayons, toys, dryer sheets, wet wipes, and even a King-sized Toblerone bar were no match for him. Our exchange student Kim </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">learned of his insatiable appetite when she left her bag on the floor one time. (He smelled gum). Our friend Mike s</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">aw his skills first hand when Riley jumped waist high to snag a cookie from him. My mom </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">lost a bag of bird seed because Riley got hungry one day. Meezy would occasionally taunt Riley by holding food out of his reach, but overall Riley had a pretty good record against him, including snagging a whole Taco Bell burrito when Meezy got too cocky. If you've known me over the past 16 years, then you've probably known Riley (and his signature one ear up/one ear down look). He's been my shadow. I joke that if we put a pedometer on each of us, we'd have the same number of steps at the end of the day. I originally got him so that I wouldn't feel lonely, but I never could have imagined he'd spend 16 years making sure I wasn't. He was a GOOD, smart, mischievous, hungry, and above all else - loyal - friend. Rest in peace Riley (Bubba, Riley Roo, Rooster Dooster, Biggies, Ri Ri). You were one of a kind. March 2005 - February 2021</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacXNXe_h9qdYz0SdMpGcZOMCkYJkHHbmCudX9gYtsGPo0sm4SCKqi3eGVolK3asYj4mppReogSKL0aII0D0XfNzkhZ7rhyFVMrF_YdX_aQdUTaE0O3Q4Cc8kILdrCF0vcs_T2gkXzQCcT/s1080/F2394891-07B3-47A1-9719-2DA9AABAB155.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacXNXe_h9qdYz0SdMpGcZOMCkYJkHHbmCudX9gYtsGPo0sm4SCKqi3eGVolK3asYj4mppReogSKL0aII0D0XfNzkhZ7rhyFVMrF_YdX_aQdUTaE0O3Q4Cc8kILdrCF0vcs_T2gkXzQCcT/s320/F2394891-07B3-47A1-9719-2DA9AABAB155.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLiMxMaJ64aLxNBUC0pRk2eXsTgQxxSH1w0_qBkcopL8X29CLM7t8jvUZfM3SHAHfGVTzdpNhk5YvHW4OW1JKabhHz4Wa4OwSKDwzSrzRFRX_xiNtnnvvyQFkHPbKFoDoc5TuHzxXVSm9/s2048/IMG_0349.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLiMxMaJ64aLxNBUC0pRk2eXsTgQxxSH1w0_qBkcopL8X29CLM7t8jvUZfM3SHAHfGVTzdpNhk5YvHW4OW1JKabhHz4Wa4OwSKDwzSrzRFRX_xiNtnnvvyQFkHPbKFoDoc5TuHzxXVSm9/s320/IMG_0349.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAP6hMhPtf-HU2DtaZNs381MJfcNiGRFoR8TNogXn13xFGrSzg0e-4RXvbcBCPzGIE3Esi7JKjQbFJM2Z9XrDHCbKfHw415oTsHbRj_f-xy3SSdDfx2gXktbPedfLQw_XbPskNASoZf73/s2016/IMG_4533.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAP6hMhPtf-HU2DtaZNs381MJfcNiGRFoR8TNogXn13xFGrSzg0e-4RXvbcBCPzGIE3Esi7JKjQbFJM2Z9XrDHCbKfHw415oTsHbRj_f-xy3SSdDfx2gXktbPedfLQw_XbPskNASoZf73/s320/IMG_4533.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_rLkekjD56-5BLcSl8Z1t-NPewlLjAQRe3v9g80zaJWAp2sYWDq88WKNKGI23-SWIrpfEtdMipNohIvsYxQ1Sf7GshpXb9nNAqPC07S_SeLtxMVUpAwF4V9cuFC_s3oI3Y1Ay_Mp3GXY/s2016/IMG_6064.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_rLkekjD56-5BLcSl8Z1t-NPewlLjAQRe3v9g80zaJWAp2sYWDq88WKNKGI23-SWIrpfEtdMipNohIvsYxQ1Sf7GshpXb9nNAqPC07S_SeLtxMVUpAwF4V9cuFC_s3oI3Y1Ay_Mp3GXY/s320/IMG_6064.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPc9eJV3J0wsJlzQSwDovvgZP40Khxjr7XfrQl-EZQLdkWnqDfCS01-rAEPVXB3jdQSj55mDpL-uoGadelXfMnj4XLFU2MTp8qmognWEyTLKQAS6wi-XB6oXhJ0KMU1TywuMZPwo001Cdg/s2048/IMG_6579.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPc9eJV3J0wsJlzQSwDovvgZP40Khxjr7XfrQl-EZQLdkWnqDfCS01-rAEPVXB3jdQSj55mDpL-uoGadelXfMnj4XLFU2MTp8qmognWEyTLKQAS6wi-XB6oXhJ0KMU1TywuMZPwo001Cdg/s320/IMG_6579.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-86981782994891946792021-02-25T09:35:00.003-06:002021-10-13T16:04:31.870-05:00Dutch Turns Nine<p>We let Dutch invite his closest friends over for some outdoor fun to celebrate his birthday. It was a beautiful day and they played soccer most of the time. That was followed up with some Domino's pizza and an Oreo ice cream cake (two of Dutch's favorite things). We also brought him up to his school to get a video in front of the message board. Jude decided to sing happy birthday to him (his own rendition), which resulted in this hilarious exchange:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Co5giRUqJVc" width="320" youtube-src-id="Co5giRUqJVc"></iframe></div><br />I can't buy or borrow books fast enough to keep up with his reading habits. He brings books to school so he can read if there's any down time. He stays up late every night reading in bed. He also loves Minecraft, riddles, anything chocolate, big homemade waffles, and walking home from school. He's a stereotypical big brother who teases and tricks his little brother into doing things for him. He LOVES his dog, Zoey.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiG2GCq86eePHITCWfSZ3SYQfO30uJCJtrs_a7VS_GER4__n2Q3T6LT8GN1ne3z5vw1vFaPtG9__bnG7X1ycCNRe2-wUsq01mpOefAws68Eu7CATYDkJ5ckufMpzf2o_M1koMHnFqCdA8/s2016/IMG_6612.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiG2GCq86eePHITCWfSZ3SYQfO30uJCJtrs_a7VS_GER4__n2Q3T6LT8GN1ne3z5vw1vFaPtG9__bnG7X1ycCNRe2-wUsq01mpOefAws68Eu7CATYDkJ5ckufMpzf2o_M1koMHnFqCdA8/s320/IMG_6612.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnyT6HxIYySeoCAs1p_BjdEUdy8q3VP2L_v4I52PY7hxLEIN8fR4FOps-rHH1jJwEytNK_MLUNpejZWGQV0Cnv-bFKCr_F7B9d0YL6r0kzKO909xDiNpjMnQCq8GWLIEB-L8ijCgBlBFM/s2016/IMG_6633.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnyT6HxIYySeoCAs1p_BjdEUdy8q3VP2L_v4I52PY7hxLEIN8fR4FOps-rHH1jJwEytNK_MLUNpejZWGQV0Cnv-bFKCr_F7B9d0YL6r0kzKO909xDiNpjMnQCq8GWLIEB-L8ijCgBlBFM/s320/IMG_6633.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-83477371508280845192021-02-25T09:23:00.004-06:002021-02-25T09:41:31.714-06:00Jude Turns Six<p>It was not an eventful birthday this time around thanks to a global pandemic, but luckily this kid doesn't need fanfare to enjoy himself. He's happy with donuts and just spending time together. There's definitely something special about him. He's the one who comes running when I say, "Look, there's a lizard!" He's the one who is already bringing food to his mouth before I have to say, "Just try it." He's the one who can put down the Ipad when a new puzzle or board game or Lego set is presented. He loves reading and excels at it. He loves his dog, Zoey, and mentions her in every school assignment he's allowed to. He uses big words and sometimes answers math problems faster than his big brother. He loves snuggly pajamas and cold pillows. He's also got a tender heart and gets his feelings hurt easily. He brings me happiness every single day. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2IMnxX2zcooKffDDxR7rURFNvwP4LcVakKg-z3sh8TpM6eX0EK4zhb2Vitnv4kbM7T3srdlJPNEMdph233odJ6ExqsOPtoJ28M7H0FT6ksbGhxBodkg_BU3fFrTlWGIRhwDWUuTAYzTc/s2048/IMG_5999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2IMnxX2zcooKffDDxR7rURFNvwP4LcVakKg-z3sh8TpM6eX0EK4zhb2Vitnv4kbM7T3srdlJPNEMdph233odJ6ExqsOPtoJ28M7H0FT6ksbGhxBodkg_BU3fFrTlWGIRhwDWUuTAYzTc/s320/IMG_5999.jpg" /></a></div><br />He started Kindergarten this school year, but only virtually for the first semester. For him, that meant getting all of his daily work completed in about an hour and then not having anything to do for the rest of the day. He's very advanced in reading and pretty advanced in math, so it's not like he was falling behind, but I didn't want him sitting idle for too long. I sent him to in-person starting in January and I think it's been great for him. <p></p><p>He has fallen in love with Hamilton, the musical. He tries to memorize a lot of the lyrics and I often find him listening to it in his room. He's been known to wake up at 5am and sneak into the living room to start watching TV. He's willing to try new foods, but loves pizza, kolaches, and broccoli and cauliflower the best.</p><p>I think my favorite thing that he's said recently was "Someone at school today said 'Jude' and I answered, 'Depends. Who's asking?', like in Hamilton." That kid, man. Six going on sixteen.</p><p><br /></p>vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874653390814355817.post-85984064170245089032020-10-29T22:02:00.000-05:002020-10-29T22:02:41.922-05:00Even More Adulting<p>Can you even call yourself an adult if you haven't bought new windows for your house? Just kidding. That's just me trying to make an expensive, mundane purchase sound cooler than it really is. When we bought our house (built in the 1960s), the majority of the windows had already been replaced by prior owners. There were a few irregular-sized ones and some "fancy" ones left that had diamond designs on them. They had lost their efficiency many moons ago and I'm guessing they had not been replaced yet due to the expense. Actually, I'm hoping that's why they were still there, and not because people actually thought they looked nice. Here's what we were rocking before replacement:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsac5yAdjd8-WQJw0pweDKJ-Jhw69b2t9uilpg14BsgrF9toolOMpQ5bJGLbzssxJFBFE5XZIZuzJDCzRp10V94eTpdOI_5tMOZlsulmvmwscxNg7HWi2YsNWeB6z-60ChDv2WeWekD0u/s2016/bedroom1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsac5yAdjd8-WQJw0pweDKJ-Jhw69b2t9uilpg14BsgrF9toolOMpQ5bJGLbzssxJFBFE5XZIZuzJDCzRp10V94eTpdOI_5tMOZlsulmvmwscxNg7HWi2YsNWeB6z-60ChDv2WeWekD0u/s320/bedroom1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhkIv0iVJbYrBCKmn6nJdlGxa-GnmaNJhjD9C2bUF4jhysO3Q5zbbOkXCVTmJJ4EnYdgu6Z4Je9kXk79HudQFnTIuakfC6m7hYoYvsR90ZptCxkdG6NF1F7pGWfE9vnZ4_tqbFPjQBKMC/s2016/hobby1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhkIv0iVJbYrBCKmn6nJdlGxa-GnmaNJhjD9C2bUF4jhysO3Q5zbbOkXCVTmJJ4EnYdgu6Z4Je9kXk79HudQFnTIuakfC6m7hYoYvsR90ZptCxkdG6NF1F7pGWfE9vnZ4_tqbFPjQBKMC/s320/hobby1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRCxq3tROCUGfEDJwMaG5fB30aPhyphenhyphen5-mfsnRo1tpzmyelZkG4OJknijJBdbJD5fPBm1u5MUneJCTkCDUOuW_48PwTXilWtiINe02wAVfRIOOLzGz9SuMiBt2NF0u3Gv4nekJouw2Oeqh4/s2016/laundry1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRCxq3tROCUGfEDJwMaG5fB30aPhyphenhyphen5-mfsnRo1tpzmyelZkG4OJknijJBdbJD5fPBm1u5MUneJCTkCDUOuW_48PwTXilWtiINe02wAVfRIOOLzGz9SuMiBt2NF0u3Gv4nekJouw2Oeqh4/s320/laundry1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXggJGjVusIWJY86YCWuJrXB87vvLGGA3q69feN7s4ZWAnlhamVoiY6RzhCzQbSsRgld8wVKplrfYl8jjzZSR9pIRdkyNhfZx2DrA7YTQUE5LYZ4vBCtG1It_4F5Vy6ppz6bSQ0o6jdv-/s2016/office1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXggJGjVusIWJY86YCWuJrXB87vvLGGA3q69feN7s4ZWAnlhamVoiY6RzhCzQbSsRgld8wVKplrfYl8jjzZSR9pIRdkyNhfZx2DrA7YTQUE5LYZ4vBCtG1It_4F5Vy6ppz6bSQ0o6jdv-/s320/office1.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p>The horror! It's okay to cringe. We finally pulled the trigger on updating them to a modern design and current energy efficiency. We used <a href="https://www.windowworlddfw.com/" target="_blank">Window World</a> and were pleasantly surprised by their prices. The installation went really smoothly too. Here are the after pics:<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dhgg33daUiZtxNyzq-al5c7GKFvTZ4xHEa2yADCNyo089-zRzjrWpl25UquN_OCKmCDF6vrrQDddWyAF0CmwOwR4105DZP7O_lAsIgxTnxaV6NLhfE-EyvokSg3sJ_5yUSD2v3SHFOx9/s2016/bedroom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dhgg33daUiZtxNyzq-al5c7GKFvTZ4xHEa2yADCNyo089-zRzjrWpl25UquN_OCKmCDF6vrrQDddWyAF0CmwOwR4105DZP7O_lAsIgxTnxaV6NLhfE-EyvokSg3sJ_5yUSD2v3SHFOx9/s320/bedroom2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM5rHogScqNAfbgWuVizl1jQnLtwIoEJ0NrTsiUHVfa0cELbu93CHba7wFf5tpIOll983ogK0IJAdqAMyjd9ztYDoEhLkR5wOYSY82AKKHW_wWTFG8Fk4TonzKCbEAwWtxLjWKIFtml94/s2016/hobby2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM5rHogScqNAfbgWuVizl1jQnLtwIoEJ0NrTsiUHVfa0cELbu93CHba7wFf5tpIOll983ogK0IJAdqAMyjd9ztYDoEhLkR5wOYSY82AKKHW_wWTFG8Fk4TonzKCbEAwWtxLjWKIFtml94/s320/hobby2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mVGwI5JjFJ74LIrnB3P6DQUel7tsMOxFZWiJYC4b_UqYCoENlDXosjomWRaiacPjBs7wcHKsNTBpRf1IT_RhOUWWr1_iJI3WP3KFTkegne1S9IBQBMkMQY55JumZm3ls0ADrKDn5ttbh/s2016/laundry3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mVGwI5JjFJ74LIrnB3P6DQUel7tsMOxFZWiJYC4b_UqYCoENlDXosjomWRaiacPjBs7wcHKsNTBpRf1IT_RhOUWWr1_iJI3WP3KFTkegne1S9IBQBMkMQY55JumZm3ls0ADrKDn5ttbh/s320/laundry3.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0czwPP2YqOr9Pbp1lTEJGl_JErcR6XCFWQDsgdwZxWaMu55qRIF3JTZhOwZSnA0DLpaGGJqayraphL_XSzcj8U2fWRqixYuoeBqT_fHTpt6BD2mHVCyuMwxQ2o-TsAGkIu4VL3qRi6KbK/s2016/office3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0czwPP2YqOr9Pbp1lTEJGl_JErcR6XCFWQDsgdwZxWaMu55qRIF3JTZhOwZSnA0DLpaGGJqayraphL_XSzcj8U2fWRqixYuoeBqT_fHTpt6BD2mHVCyuMwxQ2o-TsAGkIu4VL3qRi6KbK/s320/office3.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The view is crystal clear now and there's more natural light coming in. I'm also grateful I won't be freezing in my office in the winter anymore. The 3 huge windows used to let too much cold air in! vanweezyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15085428958676651339noreply@blogger.com0