Rescue

Yes, please....

Life List, Re-visited

I went back through my blog and found my Life List, first posted in 2009. I was interested to see if I had accomplished anything I set out to do two years ago.  Thankfully, before this summer is over, I will be blessed to be able to mark off four things!  Now, who is up for working through this entire list with me? LA anyone? Italy?

My Life List: (in random order)

1. Visit Los Angeles/Hollywood/Laguna Beach
2. Visit New York City
3 Travel to (or at least through) all states in the U.S.
4. Ride a gondola in Italy
5. Take a cooking class
6. Go to Paris
7. See Gavin DeGraw in concert
8. Go on a mission trip9. Get married
10. Have children
11. Buy a house
12. Be debt-free
13. Attend a taping of a daytime talk show (Oprah, the View, Regis
and Kelly, etc.)
14. Learn how to drive a stick shift
15. Go camping
16. Go to the Mall of America
17. Visit Washington D.C. again, and this time appreciate what's
there

Beach- Party of 22

We had a great time at the beach this year!  It was so awesome having sweet little Sarah Taylor with us.  She did great and loved, LOVED the pool!  I feel so blessed to have such a huge and close knit family.  I look forward to spending time with them always, but especially when we can get away and spend some time at a place like Orange Beach.  I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I usually do now that we have a professional photographer in the family (Visit here if you want some incredible pictures taken of you or your family.), but here is a glimpse of our trip in pictures.

The pool at our condo was wonderful! There were two actually, with a splash pad and kiddie pool for the little ones.

She's ready!  Cutest baby ever!

She loved swimming with mommy and daddy.

 All ten great grandchildren...so far. 

 I love this beach towel.

 ST loves her grammy!

 My mom is the prettiest!

 love

 We also celebrated this special event at the beach.  Happy seven months, ST!

Doogie Howser of Blogs

Need a blog makeover?  Tired of your layout and ready to spice things up a bit?  I have found the answer, friends.  Visit Haley here!  She is the doctor of blog illness, the scientist of sidebar potions, and the answer to all your blogger frustrations.  Take advantage of her low prices now before she becomes nationally renown and travels to the city to spread the blogspot gospel.  Don't delay!!!

Trip of a Lifetime

I arrived safely back in Alabama Tuesday night.  For those of you that read my previous post, both flights back were very smooth and uneventful...if you know what I mean.  :)

I was in California for 16 days and I loved it!  I wouldn't say I'm a seasoned traveler, but California is definitely the most beautiful state I have ever visited.  I was in awe of the mountains, the landscaping, and the weather.  It was 55 degrees one day!

We visited San Francisco, which was amazing.  We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge, had dinner with the Tanners...okay not really, but we went to the actual house from the show and also visited the spot from the family picnic on the show opener.  I saw Alcatraz, went to Pier 39 and saw all the seals, and rode the hills of downtown San Fran.  I LOVE it there!

We visited a little town called Half Moon Bay.  If you have read any Nicholas Sparks books, it's exactly the type town I imagine when I read his work.  There were no chain restaurants, just local diners and shops.  There was no Walmart or Target, just organic groceries and privately owned stores.  There were people riding bikes up and down the streets...just a quaint little town.  The ocean was breathtaking.  I have never seen a view like this one.

Thank you Ginger, if you're reading, for the trip of a lifetime!  Thank you for humoring me and allowing me to be the typical tourist and for slowing down everytime I wanted to take a picture from the window of the car.  I had a blast!

I'm home for two days and then off to the beach with my family!  I am SO excited to spend a week with 22 of my very favorite people in the world.  After that, I'm home a week and then to Antigua for a mission trip.  Prayers for safe travels and open hearts are appreciated.  I hope God shows up and shows off through all 162 of us.

Happy summer, my friends!

Guuuuuurl, Let it Out!.

Sorry for the brief hiatus.  I finally made it to California!  It's BEAUTIFUL here and I am in love.  I have been here almost a week and still have another eleven days to enjoy.  Blessed.

I will write a post about my actual trip and share pictures later on.  But first,  I wanted to share the experience of my flight.  It's definitely one in which I can laugh about for years to come, although it wasn't very funny at the time.

This wasn't my first experience flying alone, but the first time flying alone and changing planes.  I have to admit, I was a little nervous about it.  My layover was in Las Vegas so I was anticipating a ginormous airport and a plethora of outright strange "unique" people.  Surprisingly, the airport is actually pretty small.  It was easy to navigate and I found my new gate in no time.  I passed tons of slot machines, which I expected.  I spent a whole dollar and couldn't even figure out how to work the thing before I decided that wasn't for me.  I love to people watch, so I grabbed a frappe from Starbucks and assumed my seat while I waited to board.  For the most part, people there looked pretty normal.  Until.....I caught a glimpse of a lady walking up to look for a seat.  When I say she looked weird, I mean she looked weird... Gold teeth, earrings in her face (yes, FACE), fake eyelashes, bandana around her head, stripes shaven into her head, a black dress, and what looked like a towel draped around her shoulders as if she had just escaped from the salon to make her flight.  I never saw where she sat before we were called to board. 

My fingers were crossed as the passengers passed my aisle.  I was so hoping that no one would take the seat between the girl on my row and me.  Then, I heard the airline stewerdess announce, "Attention passengers, this flight is completely full.  If you are expecting to have a seat beside you open, it will be taken. Make your preparations now."  I then decided to try and make eye contact with anyone looking somewhat normal and encourage them to come on in and sit.  My attempts failed.  You have probably guessed the rest of the story.  The salon escapee came on and asked for the seat beside me.

We actually had a very pleasant conversation before take-off, as I was beginning to feel guilty for judging this lady by her appearance.  As the plane taxied down the runway, I was beginning to feel a little uneasy for some reason.  I had never gotten motion sickness on a plane, although it is a very common occurance in the car.  I laid my head back and just tried to relax.  When we took off, I can't describe the turbulence we experienced.  The pilot asked that we keep our seatbelts buckled because air traffic control said the winds were really bad.  I knew I was in trouble when I was forced to make sure there was a barf bag in the seat in front of me.  I started having some major hot flashes, tingling, and flat out signs that the worst was coming.  As I was trying to decide if I should attempt to make it to the bathroom or just "let her rip" right there in my seat, it happened.  I grabbed the bag and..... let's just say.... I didn't have to worry about the calories I consumed in that frappe.  Or the dinner I had before that.  Or for that matter, anything else I had eaten the previous eight to ten hours.  It was THAT bad.  As I tried to apologize to my new friend as I was completely and utterly embarrassed, she interrupted me by saying, "Guuuuuuuurl, let it out!."  How hilarious is this??? 

That flight definitely goes down as the most memorable.  Thankfully, I arrived in California safely around ten o'clock Sunday evening.  Now, what lessons did I learn?  One, never judge a book by it's cover.  This lady, despite her appearance, was helpful and kind.  I couldn't have asked for a more cooperative passenger during my time of "need."  Lesson two, always...ALWAYS take dramamine before a flight.

Happy Saturday from California!  I can't wait to see the Golden Gate Bridge, ride a cable car, view Alcatraz, and have a picnic like DJ Tanner on the grounds in front of the pretty houses in San Francisco!

How Do They Do It?

So I look at all these super cute blogs out in cyberspace and wonder how, oh how, did my life become so boring? Some of these ladies blog every other day, each post being amazingly interesting and insightful. If you are wondering which blogs I'm speaking of, check out my sidebar.  They're ladies I don't know personally, but am given a glimpse inside each day of their lives by way of their blogs.  (Why I'm so carried away with what happens in someone else's life is another story.  Am I weird?)  Anyway, I’m sorry, but my life just isn’t that eventful. Who wants to read about my exciting afternoon at Walmart, cleaning out my flowerbeds, or a meeting after church? B-O-R-I-N-G!

So I’m left wondering- how can I spice up my blog and make it interesting and fun like these others? What can I write about to keep all three of you on the edge of your seats and coming back every day to visit? Are you waiting for a brilliant answer? Exhale then, because I don’t have one.

I know how excited I get when I see a new post appear on my blog roll. I want to give you that excitement when one appears from me. I’m just not quite sure how to do it. I think I need to enroll in blogging 101.

Sincerely,
the dull one