Oregon Coast, Carson City, LA, NEW ZEALAND, Las Vegas, St. George

First stop: Oregon Coast with Cort and Tammy's family. We really enjoyed the beautiful scenery and our time with their sweet kids.

After the Oregon Coast, we made a stop and visited my Dad in Carson City. It was a nice half way point on our way to LA and good to have a little visit and a chocolate malt.

This is the view from our WWOOFING host's, James and Victoria, home. The gardens in the foreground were a part of their property and quite lovely. To the left is where we did our work digging plots for a veggie garden.

Here, Spencer and James are distributing compost on a partially dug up plot.
Don't be deceived, I wasn't the only one wielding a shovel.

We took a day off and drove up to the Coromandel from Katikati, where we stayed with James and Victoria. We had clear skies that day and enjoyed hiking and kayaking to Cathedral Cove. Our kayaking guide told us stories about the Maori people who first settled in that area. Turns out, if an area of land resembled a leader's body part from any angle, they could claim it for their people.

This picture below is of a gathering of people at Hot Water Beach. Hot water fills up pits we dug out of the sand at low tide. AMAZING!After our time in Katikati, we took a hike on Mount Maunganui and then took our car down to Rotorua. There we explored an old Maori village and got welcomed into their tribe in their meetinghouse with a bus load of school children.

Next, we explored the Waitomo Caves where we abseiled, tubed, crawled through small spaces, and admired the ceiling full of "glow worms".

We topped off our stay in New Zealand checking out the Hamilton area. We went to the temple, and to the West coast with all its black rocks and the Hamilton Gardens. They were fantastic and free. Double fantastic. Our stay with the Mason family was a treat. Good good women, like family.

LAS VEGAS

Bellagio Garden with Suhaila

ST. GEORGE

Mr. & Mrs. Jamie and Clint Gardener

More St. George: Spencer's hand next to his daddy's little boy hand print... I'm not sure how little.

Spencer took me on a quick hike before we headed out of town... A delightful rock and hard-place.

We also enjoyed spending some time with Spencer's siblings, Tara and Jordan and Jordan's fiancee Amanda. What fun we have!

Philly, Hershey, DC, Baltimore, NYC, DC, SLC....Coming Soon: Oregon Coast, Carson City, LA, New Zealand Oh My!

With the loads of unforeseen travel accompanied by wonderful traveling mates (and a very special one). Its about time I posted some pictures.



Spencer picked me up from the airport and we grabbed some Philly cheese steak sandwiches from PAT'S king of Steaks.Then we roamed around the town. We saw ourselves some liberty bell, enjoyed some of the spring blooms and mysterious ally ways.
Spencer/ Spider Man... love him



Me trying to be as cool-not quite getting it.
Lovin Anne more than Hershey's chocolate and hoping she feels the same.
Bee joined us on the drive to the temple. Its always so fun to see her.
Mother and daughters at the Washington D.C. LDS Temple. Beautiful.
Spencer took control on the ship we toured in Baltimore's inner harbor. "Bravo! Bravo! Well, done!" With applause of course.


"We all live in a yellow submarine"-- Well we like to tour them in Baltimore, even when they aren't yellow.


NYC held some delicate treats and unique aesthetics- crochet covered bike? It was quite the adventure. Spencer's car was towed. We didn't have to ride this bike around (probably couldn't have if we had tried). We joined the audience of the Late Show with David Letterman, saw Kristin Chenoweth in "Promises, Promises". Met up with good friends and Spencer's sister. some must tries while in NYC: The Doughnut Plant, Max Brenner, and Jacque Torres.
Beth and I made a quick trip to the District and Northern VA. Here we are at Mt. Vernon where I finally got my money's worth for the annual pass I picked up last year. It was a lovely lovely day for walking the grounds.
Lavender Moon Cupcakery could not have been a more welcome on our route to Thai Old Town in Alexandria.
In my book, these beat out the majority of cupcakes in NYC. (Belgian chocolate, Blood Orange Berry, Thyme Black Berry, Lemon Custard )

Even Better

:)

Stay Tuned

HELLO SPRING!!!! OH, these blossoms are so refreshing. They get me every time.

The guesses began a few weeks ago... and a few days still remain before my call arrives... so leave your guess in a comment or send me a message if you want to be eligible for a special prize if you are closest.

I got this skirt for a dandy little price at the GAP.

I have intentions to build a purse out of it..... with all my free time. So, Time, have at it, and my Tee-shirt quilt.

I planted these tiny seeds out in my Grandparent's garden last week.

LOOK! They started sprouting up. Welcome precious little sproutling!

My little peach blossom.

Tony The Tiger

On a quick trip to Vegas, we gathered a fun group and rode the Big Shot at the Stratosphere. I really like roller coasters and prefer them to "car-coasters". It was quite thrilling and different than I had remembered. This time I could keep my shoes on. I guess I felt slightly less vulnerable.

Randal, Kody, cousin Trevor, Moi, Ashlee, McKenzie

We were all the way up there on the red tip.

After our high in the sky adventure, we enjoyed a delightful treat here. Mom took us there a few times in high school and its apparently quite famous for being a small stand tucked away behind a gas station off of Las Vegas BLVD... I ordered a Jr. Western Special... hot fudge, caramel and pecans-so good. I get it most every time. I enjoyed a few rich bites while sitting on the corner with Randal and Trevor when a scraggly old street comfortable man came over with a grimy vase full of fake flowers. He set the vase in front me and basically asked all three of us, "What can you spare?" Randal made it known that we didn't have any cash leftover and so I extended my custard bowl and said, "Sorry, but you can have this if you like."

He just about lit up like a Christmas tree and said something along the lines of, "Oh boy! Really?! I like ice cream even better than I like women! Thank you! God bless you." And so we traded. He also declared that if anyone bothered us he would take care of them.... He only gave me one of the flowers, but I think it was priceless.

Before we left, Randal asked him his name and got more of his stories.

What is your name?

-Tony the Tiger..... You know what they call me around here? The Godfather. I have 309 Godchildren.............

Oh dear. Typing that out, I find it a bit creepier than I did in the moment. There is more, but that may be Randal's story to tell. I could fill you in if you are really curious and want to call me.

Turns out Tony was handing out flowers even after we left... Suhaila got one with her date for a dollar. We just missed each other at LUV<3>

A Favorite Baby Trick

My niece Anne keeps busy and entertains herself, me and now you with her fun lip buzzing!

I love babies!

Tumble Weed Truck

At about 5:40 AM on a foggy, wet I-80 East, Randal and I were about 3 miles out of Kearney, NE (we didn't know that at the time) on our way to the DC area to visit our sisters (his in Boston, mine in Hershey). Randal was driving at this point and we were both awake and chatting a bit. We were passing a semi-truck when mid-semi Randal felt some slippage toward the truck on the wet roads and over corrected. Off we went across the grassy median and west bound highway. We rolled over a few times at least and gratefully we didn't hit any other cars. I remember seeing the headlights of a semi as we were flailing out of control over the other highway. I guess we were going fast enough to miss its path. I think it was the driver of that truck that pulled over to call 911 and came down to assess the situation.

I was too late with the camera action to get a picture of the truck how it landed sideways. In this picture you can see the driver's window that we crawled fairly easily out of after unbuckling.

Most all of our luggage bounced undamaged onto the grass or was secure and uncrushed in the truck. The Sherif who came out to report the accident even found my cellphone in the grass. Even my ipod that was attached and playing at the time

I almost feel silly posting this picture but if you look closely at my right hand you can see that one finger nail is not as long as the others. That one broke during the roll over. One broken nail, a couple of bruises on my left leg and some soreness/stiffness in my shoulders and neck= happy day after a wild car wreck.

This was taken at the tow yard. Sad truck, but happy alive passengers. Thank you trusty truck.

So maybe everything happens for a "Riesen"

We did manage to scavenge some of our travel snacks (yogurts, chips, candies, string cheese, celery, summer sausage etc.) from the wreckage at the tow place.

I feel so blessed and grateful to be alive and to see more of the miracles that the Lord has in store for His children. I always want to be in tune with His Spirit and live worthy of His many blessings.