tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10844603724258763782024-02-06T21:04:55.219-08:00The Jerome's in Steeler CountryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger391125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-16161923873059320222022-12-30T07:38:00.001-08:002022-12-30T07:38:31.294-08:00Snow and Manitou Springs<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTI9Owo88qb6ZEJIqktVYvweLkBjbFoOIFkx9aCOqC3N4mghObZpbcnvXJ3CL870_E6rof2CUtpUDJ9YKskxBD_79yf72WNortbTRSrlrWcTeRxxKytU3RvS4UIXn3FziBy43217jsybOO34Lu10mxzXd-MCXOuelkvRloEfeKClrrlKJm_eBV-ID1bA/s4032/20221229_072728.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/AVvXsEgTI9Owo88qb6ZEJIqktVYvweLkBjbFoOIFkx9aCOqC3N4mghObZpbcnvXJ3CL870_E6rof2CUtpUDJ9YKskxBD_79yf72WNortbTRSrlrWcTeRxxKytU3RvS4UIXn3FziBy43217jsybOO34Lu10mxzXd-MCXOuelkvRloEfeKClrrlKJm_eBV-ID1bA/s320/20221229_072728.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Thursday we woke up to SNOW! So the day started out much slower as we waited to the Colorado sun to do it's work......<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlkb5JUtUtw5Q31sajPN5OBGgcDZlVbtiD3C3p5opqYRfMNGCcTasD6y9hApT_hVsO1Ej4jJs7EwmqXKyYTg7DiiC0wYFENE17ohk24OZaCO8pPDykHpKt3dHVy2svSfYqBDE2erNLmcdEDkx07U9M1izRFaITe2xOz7fBDx0ZlmqvqHdohHSCsqiUw/s4032/20221229_084306.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/AVvXsEhHlkb5JUtUtw5Q31sajPN5OBGgcDZlVbtiD3C3p5opqYRfMNGCcTasD6y9hApT_hVsO1Ej4jJs7EwmqXKyYTg7DiiC0wYFENE17ohk24OZaCO8pPDykHpKt3dHVy2svSfYqBDE2erNLmcdEDkx07U9M1izRFaITe2xOz7fBDx0ZlmqvqHdohHSCsqiUw/s320/20221229_084306.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Alec was able to get his first run in 2 months.....he is finally cleared to run and he came back with the biggest smile on his face!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIhoXlxJ-5zN4PM67r5TFbOu7wrUSkheFLaTxqAS7ljcTDCUl0_eZd-l89ed47exbBJQsUJN-VGIL3mPUpL3uzH9n6NkAfpFl0HchTa-Wr7gC1B6L6yw-Tmu9iE_g0BfkaY93OIgxVBLGmeBeoArIp_fRGDE7TFH-VNlD1fa9zFZpWlcs29rMUTnrKw/s4032/20221229_103405.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/AVvXsEhWIhoXlxJ-5zN4PM67r5TFbOu7wrUSkheFLaTxqAS7ljcTDCUl0_eZd-l89ed47exbBJQsUJN-VGIL3mPUpL3uzH9n6NkAfpFl0HchTa-Wr7gC1B6L6yw-Tmu9iE_g0BfkaY93OIgxVBLGmeBeoArIp_fRGDE7TFH-VNlD1fa9zFZpWlcs29rMUTnrKw/s320/20221229_103405.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Pennsylvania or Colorado? Darrell still shovels in either state.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzlDr97gDNu8_EjtIisoL0RdjONbfs0xeiVcp8_7XwAWyTuu6j_xe_FIT-Vdvm3hRWTanuX4KwiNofBcM_Gtis7ae8Fdy5x6Q3_K8av7jM2dRnsK2-ibi1IZr4goB2sbhx-7DzoWgEU3j1ZPNfebrMz7lkC3gDrgG2OI9bsJlXAS_xHVnDmS1XmEFdA/s4032/20221229_144417.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/AVvXsEhmzlDr97gDNu8_EjtIisoL0RdjONbfs0xeiVcp8_7XwAWyTuu6j_xe_FIT-Vdvm3hRWTanuX4KwiNofBcM_Gtis7ae8Fdy5x6Q3_K8av7jM2dRnsK2-ibi1IZr4goB2sbhx-7DzoWgEU3j1ZPNfebrMz7lkC3gDrgG2OI9bsJlXAS_xHVnDmS1XmEFdA/s320/20221229_144417.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>We went with the Aichele family to explore Manitou Springs....we enjoyed stopping into cute shops, having an afternoon coffee, and playing Skeeball at the Penny Arcade.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCngjL-i40g9Hmat4F25QhfxsdQPMUdCkPjG4oNBdf9oYalmPOyDth3hvnPpobxASTthNAPCE8fsXmuSt_F_Dc6J02rmB8NPQEbsYN0h5cOMVnNbVI6JEdPTlhecFq3ESwjwQoUA-iiJ1ntdh20eoL7yRYsBi6gWJPCk-7o1m2EhspZyBY_7zNfdqwtg/s4032/20221229_144619.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/AVvXsEiCngjL-i40g9Hmat4F25QhfxsdQPMUdCkPjG4oNBdf9oYalmPOyDth3hvnPpobxASTthNAPCE8fsXmuSt_F_Dc6J02rmB8NPQEbsYN0h5cOMVnNbVI6JEdPTlhecFq3ESwjwQoUA-iiJ1ntdh20eoL7yRYsBi6gWJPCk-7o1m2EhspZyBY_7zNfdqwtg/s320/20221229_144619.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDVKTGrTcREPCodD_pjdcZP7QoiF6R-rIjI2sdSkQg7rMfyWI4gxdg6ff2jdF7SBOH8IKU0TjHgPYk8504w5-Cp592208RLyUReAZ-4l3ZkmQZcm55Cbb11pgahY2nX4LhAuiiYDtKpNcebOmjujACICzResXj0XeBZwNTXsQRMg5stgMWJWS4c-Xkg/s4032/20221229_152217.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/AVvXsEiSDVKTGrTcREPCodD_pjdcZP7QoiF6R-rIjI2sdSkQg7rMfyWI4gxdg6ff2jdF7SBOH8IKU0TjHgPYk8504w5-Cp592208RLyUReAZ-4l3ZkmQZcm55Cbb11pgahY2nX4LhAuiiYDtKpNcebOmjujACICzResXj0XeBZwNTXsQRMg5stgMWJWS4c-Xkg/s320/20221229_152217.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5OV9mScJLEltt8jrSLFTMx1zUaVSZ7Bnv4PXorEt6vAPks2TBgJji-kQVd3acrZKQhcBrEG6LUrLVJmjv-_81yvAN7YhvmH8dRQxCLb7hwbRVhmfyzMjAGLrIagU-U_8i_PCT4zBMZZVRgU6OOCTDpuLg3NkJULQCO_teEqpmpBSisCdJloO1buv6A/s4032/20221229_153002.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/AVvXsEgc5OV9mScJLEltt8jrSLFTMx1zUaVSZ7Bnv4PXorEt6vAPks2TBgJji-kQVd3acrZKQhcBrEG6LUrLVJmjv-_81yvAN7YhvmH8dRQxCLb7hwbRVhmfyzMjAGLrIagU-U_8i_PCT4zBMZZVRgU6OOCTDpuLg3NkJULQCO_teEqpmpBSisCdJloO1buv6A/s320/20221229_153002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Darrell and I met some friends we know here for dinner, so the Aichele's did fun cousin activities with our kids. The normalcy of the cousins hanging out and the time with my sister and brother-in-law will make it very hard to leave.....but I know our college adults and high school kid are eager to get back. One more full day in Colorado!<p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-86605709568312534972022-12-29T06:40:00.002-08:002022-12-29T06:40:49.097-08:00Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIX-vzqiteHNVDmGp7p5MuCojIzY5IWzRpd_w3LA2vnKDQGZP0YPRbvdVJjgv8NzfmWo2Bz1uR0bVArtzq_WKzS3kYtAFtpao0HhWn1XM0mnIMCofoGMrUFP0CRRMHVLckC3FnVeQiPJdn93FD_4unJCpN3EnJXab36I7kezOo3QQllIQgwF-tW271nQ/s1564/IMG_20221228_160220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="1564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIX-vzqiteHNVDmGp7p5MuCojIzY5IWzRpd_w3LA2vnKDQGZP0YPRbvdVJjgv8NzfmWo2Bz1uR0bVArtzq_WKzS3kYtAFtpao0HhWn1XM0mnIMCofoGMrUFP0CRRMHVLckC3FnVeQiPJdn93FD_4unJCpN3EnJXab36I7kezOo3QQllIQgwF-tW271nQ/s320/IMG_20221228_160220.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Our family visited the zoo in the fall of 2016, so of course, we needed to recreate the cousin picture!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xNqYBx3DwWm8YZpP8LM0tSzPUeJpfDPleQuwzfApD-wha2JA9cUeHs8Xe2Dj0xqwFaWjXN6lYVCM2i3OdBc6-cOwY3XWYDPgozRS6IJudO8AKUPHQ6gT_6Xt9P0N4D-Q6qAGr5ZrW3lABSVqRosu9OcfT8I3LCKwsCjhhDwT8QqfgUJO1HE0o0cbiA/s4032/20221228_124403.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/AVvXsEg8xNqYBx3DwWm8YZpP8LM0tSzPUeJpfDPleQuwzfApD-wha2JA9cUeHs8Xe2Dj0xqwFaWjXN6lYVCM2i3OdBc6-cOwY3XWYDPgozRS6IJudO8AKUPHQ6gT_6Xt9P0N4D-Q6qAGr5ZrW3lABSVqRosu9OcfT8I3LCKwsCjhhDwT8QqfgUJO1HE0o0cbiA/s320/20221228_124403.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We love this zoo and the animals showed off for us. Upon entering, we were given coins to support the conservation of different animals.....of course, Evan put all of his in the Panama frog one.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_6mOOoWRemEzFi09cbB_2IDuiMvuW4qh7TRdwzKG468mU453foXr0LlPlAwjZQUTP8ttf3lr2pbHYZqgGl04FoWDCweB5kwT1LK2qwUTgqzZ23IHIRmrLdxCQhpKXVlof3KbhdyGlH-GQxdf_lkjeQ0TKM6_kX6ia9BTwx3QpEjB-hrFZxGPbeoVsA/s4032/20221228_124640.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/AVvXsEhM_6mOOoWRemEzFi09cbB_2IDuiMvuW4qh7TRdwzKG468mU453foXr0LlPlAwjZQUTP8ttf3lr2pbHYZqgGl04FoWDCweB5kwT1LK2qwUTgqzZ23IHIRmrLdxCQhpKXVlof3KbhdyGlH-GQxdf_lkjeQ0TKM6_kX6ia9BTwx3QpEjB-hrFZxGPbeoVsA/s320/20221228_124640.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEYd0dNkWMLY491yV8E-NtLqcR6MzzmHVWO69cinMpJ_S01vX9yaTdLLhzFmEZ4xyaRDRTIsmd94_ph8njppnMmg9M04YuoHZ2vmNEzbfq9dLkd-_wiVhTHbq8JGwfXbt7p_AFmZZTinDMkgbhBxG9z3Jotpl-FbcOQ-dQpZ_JcW341VyCeAGCsM-mA/s4032/20221228_125235.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/AVvXsEjLEYd0dNkWMLY491yV8E-NtLqcR6MzzmHVWO69cinMpJ_S01vX9yaTdLLhzFmEZ4xyaRDRTIsmd94_ph8njppnMmg9M04YuoHZ2vmNEzbfq9dLkd-_wiVhTHbq8JGwfXbt7p_AFmZZTinDMkgbhBxG9z3Jotpl-FbcOQ-dQpZ_JcW341VyCeAGCsM-mA/s320/20221228_125235.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">The giraffe exhibit is always fun, as you get really close to the giraffes and can feed them.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcPFAuY2GVNSyGDLTWOTilfNOwiVyzDWCJDrXmtteuJQS6BUN1RdOwITGrqSvT7K16IpxXW6-E0Tlr5gGa4ofUKSBukkpPw7K4M4iYvoFDzmZZL2Y9evW-W8v8sfU_FShJcVjPlR2DjPLAlkRcDbUIV73e5XtvnP_UySIA4ridE-LoIIMcXtrmZaU1g/s4032/20221228_145155.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/AVvXsEjLcPFAuY2GVNSyGDLTWOTilfNOwiVyzDWCJDrXmtteuJQS6BUN1RdOwITGrqSvT7K16IpxXW6-E0Tlr5gGa4ofUKSBukkpPw7K4M4iYvoFDzmZZL2Y9evW-W8v8sfU_FShJcVjPlR2DjPLAlkRcDbUIV73e5XtvnP_UySIA4ridE-LoIIMcXtrmZaU1g/s320/20221228_145155.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNATby5-_rOIlfZDoSeJgwmR5DwLc8nb1EiaWcn7GxmuGNTHJTIunnMgNOmqdUVFLtatS6Ce4idenEYFtjStNXJUKVZpEtLaRy_j3e_ukkj1XCdRwFSTW6oCrn0uBip648FdEp76M2FeBUqzztqZqCNz7bxYNkXvJnEpimB2ywiyOFwiZIJfazKHeV5A/s4032/20221228_145404.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/AVvXsEhNATby5-_rOIlfZDoSeJgwmR5DwLc8nb1EiaWcn7GxmuGNTHJTIunnMgNOmqdUVFLtatS6Ce4idenEYFtjStNXJUKVZpEtLaRy_j3e_ukkj1XCdRwFSTW6oCrn0uBip648FdEp76M2FeBUqzztqZqCNz7bxYNkXvJnEpimB2ywiyOFwiZIJfazKHeV5A/s320/20221228_145404.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">The penguins and the hippos really showed off for us....we had excellent timing of several feedings. We saw a sloth and a snake being fed.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamCyyEf-TMgtPkh78WykP9Gtq0AjUWSY_Ei0vpbRzamXHkL3K07MobKYZOuQOGf69FYBjOZhmuS6pCzUSKrcmfk7EK0BAEP3zLi9jULzMXyYlD1SsPXQh-7Q1CNheq0UQTy8K9c_ctqhWyxjgNqNqmPFQ1d31IiL_5bIyTWHIWJrd46iid9Ro8XsiIg/s4032/20221228_150645.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/AVvXsEiamCyyEf-TMgtPkh78WykP9Gtq0AjUWSY_Ei0vpbRzamXHkL3K07MobKYZOuQOGf69FYBjOZhmuS6pCzUSKrcmfk7EK0BAEP3zLi9jULzMXyYlD1SsPXQh-7Q1CNheq0UQTy8K9c_ctqhWyxjgNqNqmPFQ1d31IiL_5bIyTWHIWJrd46iid9Ro8XsiIg/s320/20221228_150645.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">I didn't take many pictures because it was just fun to see the cousins interacting with each other. It was a really fun day!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DNafEfMvKpFe7ZG7ZCNfrAb_cy14wOEnx7WSkqrkyTdLpU-NPmiNVgwB0J9IW1EOoilgKG0-VRdJkjVEC0F7poh-Anj6kZD5-dF7Y9PecuZKBkuKrA8hmIlAI-NswOTrHKV2y5iLKLz0RC-58vZJ-taqROcFOTpGe5ljm_Rl4UxqxUY3N_W0xws_qg/s4032/20221228_163641.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/AVvXsEg7DNafEfMvKpFe7ZG7ZCNfrAb_cy14wOEnx7WSkqrkyTdLpU-NPmiNVgwB0J9IW1EOoilgKG0-VRdJkjVEC0F7poh-Anj6kZD5-dF7Y9PecuZKBkuKrA8hmIlAI-NswOTrHKV2y5iLKLz0RC-58vZJ-taqROcFOTpGe5ljm_Rl4UxqxUY3N_W0xws_qg/s320/20221228_163641.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">After the zoo, our family headed into downtown Colorado Springs for coffee.....found a cute little coffee shop and the grand opening of a special alleyway.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KPGOx1gNpGscCy5BNoq0gTiG4s1Sod0oc48iMgFm1rO5YbUnLEjbMIQ7nym_p1drsdeFviGAStJKUXrGHi1TebUbdLEzURj8aPygaOKHGFm0XCjDQZ3_08YfnisrGSG2gmOoT7fWvYqrADQS1e_BGs6UYWLj3cAafvA_ePtkCx2v896LXie6LjfitA/s4032/20221228_163626.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/AVvXsEg4KPGOx1gNpGscCy5BNoq0gTiG4s1Sod0oc48iMgFm1rO5YbUnLEjbMIQ7nym_p1drsdeFviGAStJKUXrGHi1TebUbdLEzURj8aPygaOKHGFm0XCjDQZ3_08YfnisrGSG2gmOoT7fWvYqrADQS1e_BGs6UYWLj3cAafvA_ePtkCx2v896LXie6LjfitA/s320/20221228_163626.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We went to the Aichele's for dinner, and the snow started. It was dicey getting back to the house we are staying at because Colorado doesn't salt their roads and plowing is sparse because snow doesn't stay long. We woke up to a good amount of snow on the ground this morning, so we are waiting to see what our day looks like.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNDkK0ZK7JamtUNfxXXRaPHxSVeto8_KYpAFK4LGfxWmHbRSCr3jnojVLklVW8Izdjy6YqbFPOP1dTJdbdyzsE2a-7vPUesmFyPzQSImvEUR3wg30ErDr6_GG8zuU9O39kKiMJqBMRf3m1N8Enzt3rkZNW8zfD_LyiLfKr_jjQye0bUoJ7pFjYtsYVg/s4032/20221229_072728.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/AVvXsEjGNDkK0ZK7JamtUNfxXXRaPHxSVeto8_KYpAFK4LGfxWmHbRSCr3jnojVLklVW8Izdjy6YqbFPOP1dTJdbdyzsE2a-7vPUesmFyPzQSImvEUR3wg30ErDr6_GG8zuU9O39kKiMJqBMRf3m1N8Enzt3rkZNW8zfD_LyiLfKr_jjQye0bUoJ7pFjYtsYVg/s320/20221229_072728.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-55540820582387997712022-12-28T09:22:00.001-08:002022-12-28T09:24:55.769-08:00Catching up after Christmas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9p-kkMfHMCt_it251tytvt66pUj_lFdLd0LT0OW1HrNAfuPnsC14ZgY5lq8xVvQ4wl1E4P4Bd752TuhXVo7G1u7GsR3_ZIQFDgzvf_POh35fS2kL7anJqb0ipc5sMZtdz_D-9FmIrHBcgG6OiD18sopjhxagGQBECVdMreTz2uLd8o5ulIy-5I0isDA/s4032/20221225_112411.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/AVvXsEj9p-kkMfHMCt_it251tytvt66pUj_lFdLd0LT0OW1HrNAfuPnsC14ZgY5lq8xVvQ4wl1E4P4Bd752TuhXVo7G1u7GsR3_ZIQFDgzvf_POh35fS2kL7anJqb0ipc5sMZtdz_D-9FmIrHBcgG6OiD18sopjhxagGQBECVdMreTz2uLd8o5ulIy-5I0isDA/s320/20221225_112411.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">This Christmas was so special to me as I have not been able to spend Christmas in person with my sister, Sheila, and her family as an adult. There has not been an opportunity for either of us to spend time together at Christmas because of the distance between Colorado Springs and Pittsburgh and the busyness of raising families. What a gift to be able to have these cousins have one Christmas together, getting to know one another better and enjoying extended family time! We spent Christmas morning worshipping at the Aichele's church, which was a wonderful service. Then we went back to their house to spend time with them.....it was very thoughtful for their kids to buy our kids Christmas presents.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZINc0KSs7rANKxe6f-F7e3I4MTUUT__-T4yAjJMCvDnr8MMHK03PhF9quMv5ZqpGx9IGKEG-Ju2z42GOi29hrhE2Du2XhyzyvsHz9aqQ6unpkG-6tyvcRt0FITfR9_Pq1rtRumGGcZLiOeDDXbaODPl_4dznmY7_UGG33ZOxJno2Z4Ymn8hLIWIqZg/s4032/20221225_125235.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/AVvXsEgqZINc0KSs7rANKxe6f-F7e3I4MTUUT__-T4yAjJMCvDnr8MMHK03PhF9quMv5ZqpGx9IGKEG-Ju2z42GOi29hrhE2Du2XhyzyvsHz9aqQ6unpkG-6tyvcRt0FITfR9_Pq1rtRumGGcZLiOeDDXbaODPl_4dznmY7_UGG33ZOxJno2Z4Ymn8hLIWIqZg/s320/20221225_125235.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdyPnxvUBDyxIYFSXtZ4jg3BzPBNDOcnIfD4nqLV5Q6didkSymtpLn0xoIXTZIUXLCAXMnglTyp5zc8BBT7j1k6iEQIEzF7v4Uu_u5mGhiiAV56oU-5fKt4OdHKb7wwyvjf4SWvJnpAn2R0rvk4iX7bAaqDZAfacQ1BqZGl4wyAwLmeKcr5QmO2VlzA/s4032/20221225_131325.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/AVvXsEgVdyPnxvUBDyxIYFSXtZ4jg3BzPBNDOcnIfD4nqLV5Q6didkSymtpLn0xoIXTZIUXLCAXMnglTyp5zc8BBT7j1k6iEQIEzF7v4Uu_u5mGhiiAV56oU-5fKt4OdHKb7wwyvjf4SWvJnpAn2R0rvk4iX7bAaqDZAfacQ1BqZGl4wyAwLmeKcr5QmO2VlzA/s320/20221225_131325.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTF54ySIqjQYfxceBpejeVDmntYxaLsBY44G1Rb3oE9e8i_WtN0VnKWRNH-jlZgWWxcG_658nYthuaGoCnQJda-RjJ8MdMcXMRo-smHGLKj9fGxK6Q5lF5xwc_Oy3_DyLqmhk3fLjnblsmHgykh54GfOpQ2uiinf4a96fGWgCbxXEJQtMGurT3KmNcg/s4032/20221226_123119.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/AVvXsEhTTF54ySIqjQYfxceBpejeVDmntYxaLsBY44G1Rb3oE9e8i_WtN0VnKWRNH-jlZgWWxcG_658nYthuaGoCnQJda-RjJ8MdMcXMRo-smHGLKj9fGxK6Q5lF5xwc_Oy3_DyLqmhk3fLjnblsmHgykh54GfOpQ2uiinf4a96fGWgCbxXEJQtMGurT3KmNcg/s320/20221226_123119.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">On Monday, we took a day trip to see the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park. We enjoyed our day, although it was pretty cold with the wind. We walked the bridge and rode the gondola. Evan and Alec wanted to go on the zipline, but it was closed due to high winds.....however, they rode the skycoaster and that was enough of an adreline rush that they weren't too upset about the zipline. We watched the informational movie at the theater and learned a lot about the area we were exploring. Another highlight was seeing the herd of mountain goats. Then coffee in Canon City and back to the Aichele's house for leftover Christmas dinner!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeB3nPdTCLmjLUZ1e9G9nvsSs1Ur416RlM32SYf__WNSxAduZcllJEP7p-rkEbzkx3pT12I-lqqh75xDs5FycL7fh0Z94QhiayEkkSe6iw7yTBpm8w8UiHHVKTf7Fq1unSCSzmXabjSP56nloEy4_6Pt4Hl_UoLOjUcuKr63zNYLc-g2qg7q_iWk3aQ/s4032/20221226_130530.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/AVvXsEjbeB3nPdTCLmjLUZ1e9G9nvsSs1Ur416RlM32SYf__WNSxAduZcllJEP7p-rkEbzkx3pT12I-lqqh75xDs5FycL7fh0Z94QhiayEkkSe6iw7yTBpm8w8UiHHVKTf7Fq1unSCSzmXabjSP56nloEy4_6Pt4Hl_UoLOjUcuKr63zNYLc-g2qg7q_iWk3aQ/s320/20221226_130530.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96oRfnnUzah8vOtnBdT23KJs5hHtl5OxbLZaGd2SyfqvAy9bVaSL_5YL2lgXD-S9-JRQVnxpHfsaZEkfdqQ7NEBWfBBFqrvFnNMShNNFb8a5dnwD4Vbi93IBmut4jwt18LW_QAka4pbG6F0I8hLZQT-jOSP9vaN9rQ6fFnZcXvJM9_dyXUoNoGFdvFQ/s4032/20221226_134442.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/AVvXsEg96oRfnnUzah8vOtnBdT23KJs5hHtl5OxbLZaGd2SyfqvAy9bVaSL_5YL2lgXD-S9-JRQVnxpHfsaZEkfdqQ7NEBWfBBFqrvFnNMShNNFb8a5dnwD4Vbi93IBmut4jwt18LW_QAka4pbG6F0I8hLZQT-jOSP9vaN9rQ6fFnZcXvJM9_dyXUoNoGFdvFQ/s320/20221226_134442.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHduplbbkfN_F8tus11u5m2O-RuATEz2hmNDrkt258_GeMR42YJTrCjJHUDH95uvJggWYZbEiCdVgHjhysAZWcrPCfND9S6nZLX29FK3j9v28PfyhSgyb4bDm_RF-E9SUzta_k8e8qsbpNNGWS199cSQFAtx2420P6woSDHWTFnK4DoC_bw9XdpVwIA/s4032/20221226_134509.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/AVvXsEhXHduplbbkfN_F8tus11u5m2O-RuATEz2hmNDrkt258_GeMR42YJTrCjJHUDH95uvJggWYZbEiCdVgHjhysAZWcrPCfND9S6nZLX29FK3j9v28PfyhSgyb4bDm_RF-E9SUzta_k8e8qsbpNNGWS199cSQFAtx2420P6woSDHWTFnK4DoC_bw9XdpVwIA/s320/20221226_134509.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2KPtZFlRSFohur7WrMPvGiFsgKHqT1DfldMDJNaqa2jWsr_QEfVIx-Q9tm-jNuAnV2onmptIDXkHApc8nQZxmCtIIzU8X_qkwa-Il8IiA5KU8n3Jlmj8M0o__ufuIPb6DCsgpowjq0Qo7PrE7juadHgHwitLBF5cBOJmAvafADJvSDiuHiGKjCe4sw/s4032/20221226_150228.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/AVvXsEgJ2KPtZFlRSFohur7WrMPvGiFsgKHqT1DfldMDJNaqa2jWsr_QEfVIx-Q9tm-jNuAnV2onmptIDXkHApc8nQZxmCtIIzU8X_qkwa-Il8IiA5KU8n3Jlmj8M0o__ufuIPb6DCsgpowjq0Qo7PrE7juadHgHwitLBF5cBOJmAvafADJvSDiuHiGKjCe4sw/s320/20221226_150228.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGctqIa9f1dTXbXYESkTjrrpn5cwfkXezXu0zLZWI-l4e69fvRjZqhlJl0cNbX5B82IsjjgvHC46nWM2ZH3QjqQCtAcCBQzIdQh9vUbaHyjBOj54yiZ7VET50ltkeg7KqyRPH9ZZ1xcQCy59x8U1OtieR7cwB3UCAuIfcJnzKTUU7WgfMcmWmZh_R0yA/s4032/20221227_101759.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/AVvXsEgGctqIa9f1dTXbXYESkTjrrpn5cwfkXezXu0zLZWI-l4e69fvRjZqhlJl0cNbX5B82IsjjgvHC46nWM2ZH3QjqQCtAcCBQzIdQh9vUbaHyjBOj54yiZ7VET50ltkeg7KqyRPH9ZZ1xcQCy59x8U1OtieR7cwB3UCAuIfcJnzKTUU7WgfMcmWmZh_R0yA/s320/20221227_101759.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Yesterday (Tuesday), the Aichele family took us skiing at the ski resort they have memberships to....Monarch Mountain. Darrell and Alec decided not to ski (due to Darrell's knee and Alec coming off a stress fracture) so they spent the day snow tubing and exploring the town of Salida. Evan hadn't skied in two years, but found his skiing legs pretty quickly and enjoyed the day. Paula hadn't skied in about 23 years and was very nervous, but also found her muscle memory and remembered that she really enjoyed skiing. Ann-Marie wanted to snowboard, so Uncle Kurt taught her how and she caught on very quickly. It helps a lot that Uncle Kurt used to be a gymnastics coach, so he knew exactly how Ann-Marie learned. The cousins were very patient with us and it was a fun day!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-37VqbpxO-MjepBRzvjTynJBeiuqwPHU16m9ByGyBnq40-z30OddK_wl7PcMN-i-Q-SSi94WSqMsvCJFUjvJCG2Tknym45RIJHvyDqhhIbG9r9ghuDOtXfrCJWV4eWgIoGvwN8sTLmlQF7BvNidLF5GChkxn5e6ldGPC-leNPLiYLfceu2GIu7iS2WA/s4032/20221227_101805.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-37VqbpxO-MjepBRzvjTynJBeiuqwPHU16m9ByGyBnq40-z30OddK_wl7PcMN-i-Q-SSi94WSqMsvCJFUjvJCG2Tknym45RIJHvyDqhhIbG9r9ghuDOtXfrCJWV4eWgIoGvwN8sTLmlQF7BvNidLF5GChkxn5e6ldGPC-leNPLiYLfceu2GIu7iS2WA/s320/20221227_101805.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93KA5Kx3Hs0GPPrxhPQ6Rte2aAYkVO9_raXqwyNScedFopmd-KlVfbf0SfLeC_JXSONfsYjBrqLHDslte6Cc4H4pfSK66bJQTPOSrwObnJeofHtOhA4CQN-s6l9Cppx0mlbF5gUao5oZ7ND9GcVWNO-E-Gr6p46jLu-_9kqNF6lJoJ_LaEVkbk9x8qA/s4032/20221227_150708.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/AVvXsEg93KA5Kx3Hs0GPPrxhPQ6Rte2aAYkVO9_raXqwyNScedFopmd-KlVfbf0SfLeC_JXSONfsYjBrqLHDslte6Cc4H4pfSK66bJQTPOSrwObnJeofHtOhA4CQN-s6l9Cppx0mlbF5gUao5oZ7ND9GcVWNO-E-Gr6p46jLu-_9kqNF6lJoJ_LaEVkbk9x8qA/s320/20221227_150708.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh924z7Aabxzsce2QKW_W3eI9ZdgbRWO7tGso1-d0s0tHplve-lvzejucz4ufgOJiukOxcyZKUwIWldR16oY536_ZJFwGwQHDj_x8nXwFc3ZZ0m25qi_vHIrK7f8CJwcE8U1ZWJAg1PiY3L3wK3Q6XGLZXyFP-kRgn-qQT4EgUi8TusXCNhn0Yowsx91Q/s4032/20221227_135829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh924z7Aabxzsce2QKW_W3eI9ZdgbRWO7tGso1-d0s0tHplve-lvzejucz4ufgOJiukOxcyZKUwIWldR16oY536_ZJFwGwQHDj_x8nXwFc3ZZ0m25qi_vHIrK7f8CJwcE8U1ZWJAg1PiY3L3wK3Q6XGLZXyFP-kRgn-qQT4EgUi8TusXCNhn0Yowsx91Q/s320/20221227_135829.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Before Saturday, we are hoping to get to the zoo and a hot springs and maybe catch up with a friend or two that we know out here. We are also hoping that we can get back home on Saturday, but we are flying SouthWest (which is having problems recovering from the Christmas snowstorm) so we shall see!</span></div><br /> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-65630878885669307422022-12-24T20:13:00.000-08:002022-12-24T20:13:35.418-08:00From Utah to Colorado<div>Today was a travel day, so the exciting moments were finding a Culver's to eat at in Colorado (Evan's choice), tackling snow driving over the Rockies, and reaching family in Colorado Springs! We will be here for a week enjoying family and doing day trips. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Merry Christmas Eve!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-81253173941554886462022-12-23T17:54:00.000-08:002022-12-23T17:54:16.040-08:00Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in one day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We did not originally set out to see Utah's Mighty 5 - but after we decided to pop into Capital Reef and I figured out how close Arches and Canyonlands were - we made the decision to try.....and we DID! Canyonlands was not on our itinerary, but I am so glad we went.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx1fggkQC8qeerTlPTrbmq2ydMs6R9EChDCU4yqh7ShwhT83dXLlwvHlFuvZwr8vy8XwS4VHJ7fmUt7GD4lI0h59bD9AOTu1WbTHys2Z-QBqsY1pqVAleAeEf4Wea0lOy2qBolPxQ9MT3G8KMSLzThVkqdSmmp3cihIH83yci9D0tdefmYTZFLtn7YQ/s4032/20221223_083310.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/AVvXsEgPx1fggkQC8qeerTlPTrbmq2ydMs6R9EChDCU4yqh7ShwhT83dXLlwvHlFuvZwr8vy8XwS4VHJ7fmUt7GD4lI0h59bD9AOTu1WbTHys2Z-QBqsY1pqVAleAeEf4Wea0lOy2qBolPxQ9MT3G8KMSLzThVkqdSmmp3cihIH83yci9D0tdefmYTZFLtn7YQ/s320/20221223_083310.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We started our day at Arches National Park.....Balanced Rock was our first stop.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnIues_k0KDZYpiR-tV6B9e2ljGSPiLEFBxo_WRrJOm52BgxdYeFikMD6mu9WMH3_fANz-ithk4-ZV35pzuDSvo5D5MSb0dQ8TfDca_ErgAer53_4-qp0nGNLyGLGXEcMNoAR-eumeXPL2WMO448rE9toTjRkfP29V5E48A_v4fEJKrBneT2FEQaUyQ/s4032/20221223_090115.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/AVvXsEgqnIues_k0KDZYpiR-tV6B9e2ljGSPiLEFBxo_WRrJOm52BgxdYeFikMD6mu9WMH3_fANz-ithk4-ZV35pzuDSvo5D5MSb0dQ8TfDca_ErgAer53_4-qp0nGNLyGLGXEcMNoAR-eumeXPL2WMO448rE9toTjRkfP29V5E48A_v4fEJKrBneT2FEQaUyQ/s320/20221223_090115.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We then chose to do the Delicate Arch Hike - which ended up being our favorite experience of the day. The hike itself was wonderful, but the Delicate Arch is definitely worth seeing from the top.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXR7iTz1541OuGBMmeVmOUaGz3BjGP-SB4SdE0-k8Cy2W_V4MoUVaS4TPjHM9pnq9XrOYmpqE4KNe3sfOs0Rl6EGizFhu6t4bS0W693t1Ca0OJlN0uKA8KOEKn7YaskrtLiGdSXSmMUPVgbEE3nU0f9mK_cK9E1BuGrzpFmHukMaNR79WsVxHMR5ApQ/s4032/20221223_093131.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/AVvXsEhMXR7iTz1541OuGBMmeVmOUaGz3BjGP-SB4SdE0-k8Cy2W_V4MoUVaS4TPjHM9pnq9XrOYmpqE4KNe3sfOs0Rl6EGizFhu6t4bS0W693t1Ca0OJlN0uKA8KOEKn7YaskrtLiGdSXSmMUPVgbEE3nU0f9mK_cK9E1BuGrzpFmHukMaNR79WsVxHMR5ApQ/s320/20221223_093131.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYlHH3Z0CyOVJsqCYUHXG5N6EtQuwNwEUUyJizlGHuiLDtPbmmvnvMbuOCHVNk6gKej8HZ46arY_KK5n7u0_0nwuMBMzGxryh0by8p6B7OWoKjYleKs9KDeypeu43yGQDbBF2IPgLGzEw09-t9L3y7bZKFWwkCEH5Z8dJlef-PC0XPpXxrAlFihGNYA/s4032/20221223_094210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWSwOxO-Cx0BahZSEoKctMnrZKsG21XYYuo0y_uqpK3qqv0w6926WNQzbVWeAZBrSly2_KfF63hUdYZwAKL6eOB2sZQTshg6sBw9jYVq3uO_eenMDl7j6BMLkdXKKxasNrpPM1tELuZpo_ScQSNEpmuICdl_dL8l8jFPNVeWPxvSco4IVHXZrfOZOQA/s320/20221223_095955.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRZnw-z6oFT0saS3pDAP-MB495ldv-zXaXuS2YuIrpA7Tj-R2Q9YSPfvwsGcaJcg9PM7O0jLtCM8PBje52wYoKrW864e3zHbFC8zwGlrzJSct6ox_tqgE-ymfxCJHEoOAv7cIWkYJGrFkBxIDuQZ_fXRGtLWAaLQMCKn9p7JJszOmT2nYr-WGwYEtcQ/s4032/original_2a1b8fad-604a-4747-bdaa-83ae538589bf_20221223_100921.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/AVvXsEgNRZnw-z6oFT0saS3pDAP-MB495ldv-zXaXuS2YuIrpA7Tj-R2Q9YSPfvwsGcaJcg9PM7O0jLtCM8PBje52wYoKrW864e3zHbFC8zwGlrzJSct6ox_tqgE-ymfxCJHEoOAv7cIWkYJGrFkBxIDuQZ_fXRGtLWAaLQMCKn9p7JJszOmT2nYr-WGwYEtcQ/s320/original_2a1b8fad-604a-4747-bdaa-83ae538589bf_20221223_100921.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLJ0KhBV_gcFDK_3HUuhD_5DkJLXfQBADRMF1urF9zCWn0qGFv9H8ojXjkt3D8zejuT3Bukx-c68vApi4HSUTF1t9zcEKOZHkT5uIYo_WranNEzDgEUo18oP9XGahPG9NqWsx7ffcxjccoA-Yb9vCC-oY0Lfma769n6Z7p4h0Su72oiDrQSpbw1pMmQ/s4032/20221223_102938.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/AVvXsEhKLJ0KhBV_gcFDK_3HUuhD_5DkJLXfQBADRMF1urF9zCWn0qGFv9H8ojXjkt3D8zejuT3Bukx-c68vApi4HSUTF1t9zcEKOZHkT5uIYo_WranNEzDgEUo18oP9XGahPG9NqWsx7ffcxjccoA-Yb9vCC-oY0Lfma769n6Z7p4h0Su72oiDrQSpbw1pMmQ/s320/20221223_102938.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">After the hike, we drove and stopped at the highlights of Arches, as fitting two national parks (and one state park) into one day is a lot and we knew we couldn't see everything. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmhAAMPUY9Gh0QGKq5qWklbX5Z-In_QrYoF5lq8ks_r_TibHjwbxydRd-PkEllG7kLv-woqj4MG5mgYHyDVOX58p5VgUz31PVgwRTtbSQZONtTu2zyPHb2dmm58MUG83PfCseNz48iglmmL77XW-CkP5SBzgkLETjoVhpSV458qAWjF4-3hGh796JPQ/s4032/20221223_110908.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/AVvXsEiGmhAAMPUY9Gh0QGKq5qWklbX5Z-In_QrYoF5lq8ks_r_TibHjwbxydRd-PkEllG7kLv-woqj4MG5mgYHyDVOX58p5VgUz31PVgwRTtbSQZONtTu2zyPHb2dmm58MUG83PfCseNz48iglmmL77XW-CkP5SBzgkLETjoVhpSV458qAWjF4-3hGh796JPQ/s320/20221223_110908.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We saw Skyline Arch and Sand Dune Arch....</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTV5CKrPr8N3gdqdpT6A-sFit1RBNyiQuQ8JNC6dAezsXyoFS3-JN6P758susTyun25vByRWqM5wJieHu8vJTxRtehwXKAkWmH0tK-sIGCE5vM_4j-Wpfbb_Ymr3PB0VAKixMviPUEUQDWT6TWysfYS2nMwKkrcjQmpoHeqoJRm8yRJlUzj6QC6BlCUQ/s4032/original_6d7a9aa9-de87-4c12-9a9d-41c915753a2b_20221223_112145.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/AVvXsEgTV5CKrPr8N3gdqdpT6A-sFit1RBNyiQuQ8JNC6dAezsXyoFS3-JN6P758susTyun25vByRWqM5wJieHu8vJTxRtehwXKAkWmH0tK-sIGCE5vM_4j-Wpfbb_Ymr3PB0VAKixMviPUEUQDWT6TWysfYS2nMwKkrcjQmpoHeqoJRm8yRJlUzj6QC6BlCUQ/s320/original_6d7a9aa9-de87-4c12-9a9d-41c915753a2b_20221223_112145.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4F8xNPOXqxaEKXfW9wkDj8uo1NIy1Qg7RNNl1rqS0jx7pv5WH4VF6Jszpd-qRg5jMjee6rjzIx8pzB-Few6W0JcL6GuXrYypAqfojaOIjSAO9KRVoDQUS6uh7niygmzzvgmqzpW1WhXZiW9xK1cV5qLL05g767m6bCOXVf2UnfAqXvMlB1MHqtPuQnA/s4032/20221223_115251.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/AVvXsEi4F8xNPOXqxaEKXfW9wkDj8uo1NIy1Qg7RNNl1rqS0jx7pv5WH4VF6Jszpd-qRg5jMjee6rjzIx8pzB-Few6W0JcL6GuXrYypAqfojaOIjSAO9KRVoDQUS6uh7niygmzzvgmqzpW1WhXZiW9xK1cV5qLL05g767m6bCOXVf2UnfAqXvMlB1MHqtPuQnA/s320/20221223_115251.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We experienced the Double Arch as well as viewing from the drive the North and South Windows.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BDb2EfpsegPIVe6JAENzzySd0rsq3zlge23-v5ahmibLd4Cmgq5DjxCY-A-0A9gKNVStl8vfDKX3iT0s2y1m0LqbiFxdJ2VAuat3fvJOpxcDAg0cO8_ufrVArOB6pfq2pYHxgiUReuLfTsPwe7u7xsA25PFetOqvB0xrlDMGYOwzFK9sSlYH18RIdg/s4032/20221223_121034.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/AVvXsEh2BDb2EfpsegPIVe6JAENzzySd0rsq3zlge23-v5ahmibLd4Cmgq5DjxCY-A-0A9gKNVStl8vfDKX3iT0s2y1m0LqbiFxdJ2VAuat3fvJOpxcDAg0cO8_ufrVArOB6pfq2pYHxgiUReuLfTsPwe7u7xsA25PFetOqvB0xrlDMGYOwzFK9sSlYH18RIdg/s320/20221223_121034.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We ate our picnic lunch at the Arches Visitor Center parking lot, popped back into Moab for a coffee, then headed to Canyonlands.....</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9Bdif5Lkx1NJaqriDdqUYN9kUZcheHw2NQZhqKevrtf6xCmcg9BDEg43pFJuTl3Phja4e_Si9Knit2Z2HKaF7wZvgWekT4QpiPJ3xRpPZnijVcROKWAr6oCT1WgpvNB1J6MxEAnKcUvLvRSGmdUUIaV5zIoiuuj7LTq8gvSb5koLjZQ15OftSWrNZA/s4032/20221223_140551.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/AVvXsEht9Bdif5Lkx1NJaqriDdqUYN9kUZcheHw2NQZhqKevrtf6xCmcg9BDEg43pFJuTl3Phja4e_Si9Knit2Z2HKaF7wZvgWekT4QpiPJ3xRpPZnijVcROKWAr6oCT1WgpvNB1J6MxEAnKcUvLvRSGmdUUIaV5zIoiuuj7LTq8gvSb5koLjZQ15OftSWrNZA/s320/20221223_140551.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Once at Canyonlands, we stopped into the visitor's center for a map and our first view....</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgjCzZwVwIfNrNgUk_gtdCNBrnF6rOD-Ibif78-uNGzQF6wVo9Ge3K8C-A-I8kxcFoOEDiOlTHzLIr5eh9jOwPnpYCFC7K4JMPHE-IcLhwIyLEfqcapcYEe1dyAxCHQbrf5MwtqKl0lR_AQA-aQiAPeFYPE889xiTYzmWwAh3TpmF2IU8jCq9n3V6UA/s4032/20221223_141940.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/AVvXsEgDgjCzZwVwIfNrNgUk_gtdCNBrnF6rOD-Ibif78-uNGzQF6wVo9Ge3K8C-A-I8kxcFoOEDiOlTHzLIr5eh9jOwPnpYCFC7K4JMPHE-IcLhwIyLEfqcapcYEe1dyAxCHQbrf5MwtqKl0lR_AQA-aQiAPeFYPE889xiTYzmWwAh3TpmF2IU8jCq9n3V6UA/s320/20221223_141940.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">then explored the Shafer Canyon Viewpoint (heights and the drop off were a bit unnerving for me!)</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUtD-eoUuiNdUIs1KFDDyQIIpyryqDtnRpx3IGrCPNcp6YSeSjsLeG4yWkCEqRzVbrM_RGpmvmjsbrSyC7vuMITsG_VOw9E9Pnt9zbzUvoI1EG5q3BHMi45FB4wKpuF4gYS5AofpHWZa5mASAIG36wn9UfvfycpJ1aWRfPPEa-ZkzDXzIkVWjxurzjA/s4032/20221223_142210.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/AVvXsEjhUtD-eoUuiNdUIs1KFDDyQIIpyryqDtnRpx3IGrCPNcp6YSeSjsLeG4yWkCEqRzVbrM_RGpmvmjsbrSyC7vuMITsG_VOw9E9Pnt9zbzUvoI1EG5q3BHMi45FB4wKpuF4gYS5AofpHWZa5mASAIG36wn9UfvfycpJ1aWRfPPEa-ZkzDXzIkVWjxurzjA/s320/20221223_142210.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSs_NoVezGNd0IkdwbXytNdz7k-f_vs5kamyq6_7D48jJWlUu3hSarXfGOf20jWQg5Ld-vG6rFHJWcgbym5-wE1qRHWuMe-HAS4U9N41b-xjn6KGl-ZfR6R1Z0BzyEZ76qHLc0xoC0jIeMaD-iNYlQO6in3ubvKT-2J80T5a8kgb2diPlchmR3uQhmg/s4032/20221223_150017.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/AVvXsEjNSs_NoVezGNd0IkdwbXytNdz7k-f_vs5kamyq6_7D48jJWlUu3hSarXfGOf20jWQg5Ld-vG6rFHJWcgbym5-wE1qRHWuMe-HAS4U9N41b-xjn6KGl-ZfR6R1Z0BzyEZ76qHLc0xoC0jIeMaD-iNYlQO6in3ubvKT-2J80T5a8kgb2diPlchmR3uQhmg/s320/20221223_150017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We hiked to the Mesa Arch.....</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsCBdeoaTbieal7uwNBM1te5m9CvFulO0pKbE0Ac_1G4uJnPXNuRGM10l0a_MDv1QLN1_8odLnfQIkUUpmGIB4_oRHuC0tqD1u0KM68S_ADxvmWpbzpYk1aB7tt4FxJ3rAu8nJDq9lYdyEEZBTF_BntCSsoRJNYwsKmgb3EkPHUt3eOPaUQo21Mjfmg/s4032/20221223_150104.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/AVvXsEiBsCBdeoaTbieal7uwNBM1te5m9CvFulO0pKbE0Ac_1G4uJnPXNuRGM10l0a_MDv1QLN1_8odLnfQIkUUpmGIB4_oRHuC0tqD1u0KM68S_ADxvmWpbzpYk1aB7tt4FxJ3rAu8nJDq9lYdyEEZBTF_BntCSsoRJNYwsKmgb3EkPHUt3eOPaUQo21Mjfmg/s320/20221223_150104.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkWPENy0FnsiC4QV0X1m-d_phANTNGnJtTiyhH5XZ_whvVRyiyPSoa6mROSBRX2NAjcg93DRkcuuOpPJQJXO9whqtMqUqBqQZ53paLZEMAs8Z7SNz2VB0eYSoQCKxl9IjpCweJtF7vVJM1kYMm8nISP4mMsRtslul3OIt--cfjp9myZwTeJ-KrII6TQ/s4032/20221223_152355.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/AVvXsEhHkWPENy0FnsiC4QV0X1m-d_phANTNGnJtTiyhH5XZ_whvVRyiyPSoa6mROSBRX2NAjcg93DRkcuuOpPJQJXO9whqtMqUqBqQZ53paLZEMAs8Z7SNz2VB0eYSoQCKxl9IjpCweJtF7vVJM1kYMm8nISP4mMsRtslul3OIt--cfjp9myZwTeJ-KrII6TQ/s320/20221223_152355.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Stopped at the Green River Overlook and the Grand View Point....</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJL-yxt6ubWmd_lyDxQ5Hgh0UZvMm9NMepU0lcJnOWzLFWzhx-79eg5BryIkgcgogRNalpattxdesidwttJ3Wrzw7YMK3qhdBw3g1IwRkPHnoHBrYnW8KPZwcswkWuCIaStpzWJOaSO0RSVP_rjb8DyDOCBv_uXR4u9Uk6N2F5taULPzQk_U0i81n7w/s4032/20221223_155238.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/AVvXsEgpJL-yxt6ubWmd_lyDxQ5Hgh0UZvMm9NMepU0lcJnOWzLFWzhx-79eg5BryIkgcgogRNalpattxdesidwttJ3Wrzw7YMK3qhdBw3g1IwRkPHnoHBrYnW8KPZwcswkWuCIaStpzWJOaSO0RSVP_rjb8DyDOCBv_uXR4u9Uk6N2F5taULPzQk_U0i81n7w/s320/20221223_155238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We then exited Canyonlands and drove to Dead Horse State Park as we had heard that the sunset from Dead Horse Point was spectacular.....and it did not disappoint.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslU_YJvHoZuACJQ86KXmRITrgxgmr7lu9T6PARrECjgQq3F2nnSX0qNNq-1rKo0_J6IWVPCSsS9meEYvkXrihu7Krm6_MKYvlwWDLB5Cr38dq1k1hdbNW0bbcii8lVEYX-uyUYUYO5lnqSQL4QH_GcyWTRFdLazfI2fYa_82T83xJ7UyoYNXG96Xt6w/s4032/20221223_165042.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/AVvXsEjslU_YJvHoZuACJQ86KXmRITrgxgmr7lu9T6PARrECjgQq3F2nnSX0qNNq-1rKo0_J6IWVPCSsS9meEYvkXrihu7Krm6_MKYvlwWDLB5Cr38dq1k1hdbNW0bbcii8lVEYX-uyUYUYO5lnqSQL4QH_GcyWTRFdLazfI2fYa_82T83xJ7UyoYNXG96Xt6w/s320/20221223_165042.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPY-pITXBPJZBK1IcSqk07TASvmCD9uFvI8rGI0vIZgPWmai8e_L9lplIKGY9n6zNBKyhNKtLF2lyQuJ3gTjBDIua5IjbJlMUclwhC80EgLLDb0lpXW2enppWWFKtCsSmhQ665x3g8ZypBV4yHGgyBAqu7VVfrlC-rjezObW6wHkI9b_zZwPsRtVhZg/s4032/20221223_165103.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/AVvXsEiQPY-pITXBPJZBK1IcSqk07TASvmCD9uFvI8rGI0vIZgPWmai8e_L9lplIKGY9n6zNBKyhNKtLF2lyQuJ3gTjBDIua5IjbJlMUclwhC80EgLLDb0lpXW2enppWWFKtCsSmhQ665x3g8ZypBV4yHGgyBAqu7VVfrlC-rjezObW6wHkI9b_zZwPsRtVhZg/s320/20221223_165103.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;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lessons Learned Today:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1. There are ravens EVERYWHERE.....they seem to follow you....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2. Arches and Canyonlands are doable in one day if you plan it right</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">3. Screenshot on-line itinerary because you will have little to no service in the parks</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">4. Visiting these national parks in December can be very enjoyable....we have had great weather and NO CROWDS - which is probably why we were able to get as much in as we did.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">5. Teens and young adults may get "rock-weary", but it's not a permanent condition</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">6. The conversations that occur with young adults on long hikes are priceless.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We have very much enjoyed our time in Utah and are very happy with the experiences we have had......tomorrow we will head to Colorado.</span></div><br /> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-41725487724368810252022-12-22T20:30:00.002-08:002022-12-22T20:30:58.727-08:00Morning in Kanab, Route 12, and Capital Reef National Park<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHJaAQIFpwCutbAhKHMuDNGdzZ0aLRPy_zxep7dMv_aJQhuRw735G12Y7p3uE4bCQOdEsYiloJKRkzFa9kwM04i3NLXgr5ZjqU_AtXP2isFwsDMjd2EEtQ09bBk1q4oRPs24S_DApkI9hoREUdPujDUV7kLo6Z3o_kuBvKadXtrHjSYsAsP3natAVyw/s4032/20221222_093847.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/AVvXsEgKHJaAQIFpwCutbAhKHMuDNGdzZ0aLRPy_zxep7dMv_aJQhuRw735G12Y7p3uE4bCQOdEsYiloJKRkzFa9kwM04i3NLXgr5ZjqU_AtXP2isFwsDMjd2EEtQ09bBk1q4oRPs24S_DApkI9hoREUdPujDUV7kLo6Z3o_kuBvKadXtrHjSYsAsP3natAVyw/s320/20221222_093847.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">This morning, we made the decision to split up....Ann-Marie and I explored the cute town of Kanab</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WzvsH_JsnteimIlDkGRnv_kbF6lGmCxOrwy3cpOMeASAiFNtIfhfqMzwqMx5a_bvg0SmkRP0tnKa7pbq_V-rW-rgKi_wq0S59e1oEE-DjW0A-9eDiY6k0L117aEj8-q-RgtnkC6vXuENqcpv3eMvhpa0wY7ckH7zeWYuqIN_IHQBqvnHQ8kZU4ygJg/s4032/20221222_094410.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/AVvXsEh9WzvsH_JsnteimIlDkGRnv_kbF6lGmCxOrwy3cpOMeASAiFNtIfhfqMzwqMx5a_bvg0SmkRP0tnKa7pbq_V-rW-rgKi_wq0S59e1oEE-DjW0A-9eDiY6k0L117aEj8-q-RgtnkC6vXuENqcpv3eMvhpa0wY7ckH7zeWYuqIN_IHQBqvnHQ8kZU4ygJg/s320/20221222_094410.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We went into a locally owned coffee shop and I had a cute interaction with little girl who drew me pictures on the receipt</span>s</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu278--e1dAVlbCkrssPknaclT5txy0-97Zxkonwjy4FJX3bXYd9_NUQM1mHRIpvjQhOeEo7mR5j2onNXHNDqs1WsNUzuzw3dDxs74FqjBQWmZ3_URiSjWsOIeNhx9RAKO43RQzBM0obIr3YU84CUC4wF399RsL766iw7I7rvB9bieiFqNiEZvKX2Nuw/s4032/20221222_100531.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/AVvXsEiu278--e1dAVlbCkrssPknaclT5txy0-97Zxkonwjy4FJX3bXYd9_NUQM1mHRIpvjQhOeEo7mR5j2onNXHNDqs1WsNUzuzw3dDxs74FqjBQWmZ3_URiSjWsOIeNhx9RAKO43RQzBM0obIr3YU84CUC4wF399RsL766iw7I7rvB9bieiFqNiEZvKX2Nuw/s320/20221222_100531.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7f-MOp4RTdz35YcatvThQ6FH286HoMUbdHUOHtDgoORp91zf9K78d_zzCw1rwxdrgpliZFwp14U2IHLXLF-xfjw75-gUPB0cTvmkg3PBHTZthMLnO6x0tZgZr_qr06dgVMRrYvB4PO9Vp4P_qMwzyzKwkHt1AaJYNPUBJCewOFlJnXyJ8d3WYTfGp4Q/s2560/48102.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1258" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7f-MOp4RTdz35YcatvThQ6FH286HoMUbdHUOHtDgoORp91zf9K78d_zzCw1rwxdrgpliZFwp14U2IHLXLF-xfjw75-gUPB0cTvmkg3PBHTZthMLnO6x0tZgZr_qr06dgVMRrYvB4PO9Vp4P_qMwzyzKwkHt1AaJYNPUBJCewOFlJnXyJ8d3WYTfGp4Q/s320/48102.jpeg" width="157" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Darrell, Evan, and Alec went on the Dinosaur Tracks Trail outside of Kanab.....finding and navigating the trail was a little tricky, but they were advised well by a man who owned the coffee shop outside the trailhead.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0s4Dj8g8_w_-p2M3Mdswa-g2ls5TLWTz5rUYQEEP4_U-xp_F3muk26BkL46BJsdb93ba0Jb7MgMQcySk9mOtyXNcNeMjFiTNDDSLv3P1KnjycxLhnqxT9oIIZDLWN_kzY9JdteB7rN2AL_NIOmFvi-l_xeSdFgGf-5JM6Dnv4HCl--Oku4XXcsP2-mQ/s1920/48090.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0s4Dj8g8_w_-p2M3Mdswa-g2ls5TLWTz5rUYQEEP4_U-xp_F3muk26BkL46BJsdb93ba0Jb7MgMQcySk9mOtyXNcNeMjFiTNDDSLv3P1KnjycxLhnqxT9oIIZDLWN_kzY9JdteB7rN2AL_NIOmFvi-l_xeSdFgGf-5JM6Dnv4HCl--Oku4XXcsP2-mQ/s320/48090.jpeg" width="144" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Dinosaur tracks in stone and possible mountain lion tracks in the mud were exciting finds.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7uF-NyvMWtEEhXY_b7vpAVPr8OMDVrXqfkbxNkcIpL-tha27KKQDE7mj89hxPkbUb8E6GFYxLfiAUc1A8dgkASasx6QHLo30SRk7IVw_Mr2GaWUQqrMe4hC7j0YEJ0aJ1qh-Smcsg3qBlI6dIvb76UnooYzmH9s7H-XToWaFenkN5LRVZGyfhKA-cA/s1920/48112.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="943" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7uF-NyvMWtEEhXY_b7vpAVPr8OMDVrXqfkbxNkcIpL-tha27KKQDE7mj89hxPkbUb8E6GFYxLfiAUc1A8dgkASasx6QHLo30SRk7IVw_Mr2GaWUQqrMe4hC7j0YEJ0aJ1qh-Smcsg3qBlI6dIvb76UnooYzmH9s7H-XToWaFenkN5LRVZGyfhKA-cA/s320/48112.jpeg" width="157" /></a></div>We decided to drive Scenic Byway 12, after hearing the recommendation from the (above) coffee shop owner.....and it did not disappoint!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhAdBCcddIh8fLG2ByMJ-mUHswl_9nDiawzZBpQWFq9cXuYrpDOxY-enNSl1cQhuDhf9VmwsrW4lHMXDFBrVc6FBMRjvX99_EQI4YJU8b4xc1bYUS_vFmUQExovkPXh-RIY9XjU0VnYYR2jjN9hwPGqIh_OJDFnyCeeJlK2QBpSnXEXQVcDPGdk_cQA/s4032/20221222_124625.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/AVvXsEjbhAdBCcddIh8fLG2ByMJ-mUHswl_9nDiawzZBpQWFq9cXuYrpDOxY-enNSl1cQhuDhf9VmwsrW4lHMXDFBrVc6FBMRjvX99_EQI4YJU8b4xc1bYUS_vFmUQExovkPXh-RIY9XjU0VnYYR2jjN9hwPGqIh_OJDFnyCeeJlK2QBpSnXEXQVcDPGdk_cQA/s320/20221222_124625.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtq-8qjwnC5Bv8tYbABXZuyOv4l0FXbXQLgvX1o6atkzBbOgNqtfU8xmMmVJEDuYmGLV6CUNVx5V6cv_qSUciMzVCgdztfC9s-tutfZ1dBXg01Jn2CJ-knx5TQFcC71nkf2NZFAaBu8Vqj0hv_knnMB7142ghnA30AOrK2ATqY1H6bX8FkpmACvpA8VA/s4032/20221222_120818.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/AVvXsEgtq-8qjwnC5Bv8tYbABXZuyOv4l0FXbXQLgvX1o6atkzBbOgNqtfU8xmMmVJEDuYmGLV6CUNVx5V6cv_qSUciMzVCgdztfC9s-tutfZ1dBXg01Jn2CJ-knx5TQFcC71nkf2NZFAaBu8Vqj0hv_knnMB7142ghnA30AOrK2ATqY1H6bX8FkpmACvpA8VA/s320/20221222_120818.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">The views were magnificent!</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwzkLCSk3xpoFrAa_gnTdquqVz_jLxmNSSiTYs5urtjb0eDpEAiaA-rQ3t3JNvw85YB6cfz6ufApq5MqgCMFqFZtsO0AJksFqSSQQYKPawDqAvejxxzoxzHI2Jsi5fKq5OMzrUrVo4HLvJHEPP75AeFYS-4TH1WFIqulkrZRLno9ES-QyGZsBidD6dg/s4032/20221222_140746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwzkLCSk3xpoFrAa_gnTdquqVz_jLxmNSSiTYs5urtjb0eDpEAiaA-rQ3t3JNvw85YB6cfz6ufApq5MqgCMFqFZtsO0AJksFqSSQQYKPawDqAvejxxzoxzHI2Jsi5fKq5OMzrUrVo4HLvJHEPP75AeFYS-4TH1WFIqulkrZRLno9ES-QyGZsBidD6dg/s320/20221222_140746.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqYd51acry09gttGfFcHW38TlrkT8UTpwH4ca2lh0TNScUgtjxdi4279k9u2VBk3tYk39s4UAXeDq15Rq07y2O1M_uUrPr5iB8-HU-O-L2yi9i-Nd1fZmnwC7JslXqfJtdKxAZrSOXeccSyXNeEvg4jnIknO3kdfb3bpod0PsFY1TsTtkJx7vCfnAbA/s4032/20221222_151312.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/AVvXsEhEqYd51acry09gttGfFcHW38TlrkT8UTpwH4ca2lh0TNScUgtjxdi4279k9u2VBk3tYk39s4UAXeDq15Rq07y2O1M_uUrPr5iB8-HU-O-L2yi9i-Nd1fZmnwC7JslXqfJtdKxAZrSOXeccSyXNeEvg4jnIknO3kdfb3bpod0PsFY1TsTtkJx7vCfnAbA/s320/20221222_151312.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Because of the scenic drive, we arrived at the Capital Reef National Park later than we expected to. We stopped into the visitor's center, drove part of the scenic drive, and explored the Gooseneck Overlook briefly. The sun was setting and it was getting very cold, so we weren't there for long.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJj_sqAefiLr9c3wugVRaGH-H7YYQSxbLIoUPoj_7ILta0b24nTaA9VD38mTmC2Uyi80qVpnigObynLPiZMmPub2fifPVkViQWeAU176WkyayqDL6vtF_CCbybTJBQHi2IZ0oPiRoSv-dtuWNpuMasKQtT3bSrWA3BEuVS5nSni9vuxRR11SRz3Uv7sQ/s4032/20221222_164208.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/AVvXsEjJj_sqAefiLr9c3wugVRaGH-H7YYQSxbLIoUPoj_7ILta0b24nTaA9VD38mTmC2Uyi80qVpnigObynLPiZMmPub2fifPVkViQWeAU176WkyayqDL6vtF_CCbybTJBQHi2IZ0oPiRoSv-dtuWNpuMasKQtT3bSrWA3BEuVS5nSni9vuxRR11SRz3Uv7sQ/s320/20221222_164208.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvR5pugiEt5eC-y-pBv51iOnof0bpJl0bM0vQiUyNEqGarVGFUM6rbzoiXHAdbJV-i-X0HEd67MSoUjDqRYdkZEiI8F4FISitLi9fUoyOyToPLBY78138tntvjcp1e4nJELuGz16Dq9CWfq6ZyqIFNWfKJQ0Vw0wCF2ZI7sjRy3cze_ScinFi0qz70w/s4032/20221222_164222.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/AVvXsEinvR5pugiEt5eC-y-pBv51iOnof0bpJl0bM0vQiUyNEqGarVGFUM6rbzoiXHAdbJV-i-X0HEd67MSoUjDqRYdkZEiI8F4FISitLi9fUoyOyToPLBY78138tntvjcp1e4nJELuGz16Dq9CWfq6ZyqIFNWfKJQ0Vw0wCF2ZI7sjRy3cze_ScinFi0qz70w/s320/20221222_164222.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqlF5NG6OLVH3ZnC9DJDiHgKzWJGwMa5phquACrIHRQhgOQ_QNzZsiZA3XgdZ0Lzu6o2e8fUVjBC6Mf1zSDdybpKE81qAJRue83pKyrij4Bf0825ozBra6ElStUoyGAQ5jO51CiRcb06mgd5mrSfKcTUhC60HT-KY0WitoBduwwANB8wvVoRzVv6Ncw/s4032/20221222_164307.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/AVvXsEifqlF5NG6OLVH3ZnC9DJDiHgKzWJGwMa5phquACrIHRQhgOQ_QNzZsiZA3XgdZ0Lzu6o2e8fUVjBC6Mf1zSDdybpKE81qAJRue83pKyrij4Bf0825ozBra6ElStUoyGAQ5jO51CiRcb06mgd5mrSfKcTUhC60HT-KY0WitoBduwwANB8wvVoRzVv6Ncw/s320/20221222_164307.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLaGzJurvJzDwoL-aWdZKe3Y0a8X7i5_pupNnuKm4Mm2MQ8mbTOP48A4rzEZSrN6mLgx3FZK1d9ZNYv-FH13S8GCt5q2Kt5tqa64vfIH1xureHWeE3G9EfEQsBWHBx6WwZ7Ra91P-bQNNe4xz5Pzg_q9Gx6RwWF3M0IiCQXOVTcbg5QxLj50H4n5JHA/s4032/20221222_164613.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/AVvXsEifLaGzJurvJzDwoL-aWdZKe3Y0a8X7i5_pupNnuKm4Mm2MQ8mbTOP48A4rzEZSrN6mLgx3FZK1d9ZNYv-FH13S8GCt5q2Kt5tqa64vfIH1xureHWeE3G9EfEQsBWHBx6WwZ7Ra91P-bQNNe4xz5Pzg_q9Gx6RwWF3M0IiCQXOVTcbg5QxLj50H4n5JHA/s320/20221222_164613.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">After a very long day in the vehicle, we were thankful to have a hot tub at our Moab Air BnB!<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFKtNqgCExLrOuWawgYldTzq0svkg01NCK2PAPJcXu5szwfAOQjeZ0dDO-xBqXcfWBiJDqc9wJdXX2DNahznYFyMHgCfD2WIUSS_W7AkcWDIMu9hG0GKbMjoXWXbOlCk_NhBLLYHNx0J8HMJ-_mtR7-p6C8xa89arBxUsuPwHH6v3v2ZCCce_pPYCXw/s4032/20221222_205426.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/AVvXsEipFKtNqgCExLrOuWawgYldTzq0svkg01NCK2PAPJcXu5szwfAOQjeZ0dDO-xBqXcfWBiJDqc9wJdXX2DNahznYFyMHgCfD2WIUSS_W7AkcWDIMu9hG0GKbMjoXWXbOlCk_NhBLLYHNx0J8HMJ-_mtR7-p6C8xa89arBxUsuPwHH6v3v2ZCCce_pPYCXw/s320/20221222_205426.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"> Lessons Learned Today:</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*Daily communication is super important when traveling with teens and young adults....everyone needs a voice.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*Small business owners in Kanab are very kind and are eager to point you in the right direction.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*"Always trust the recommendations of the hippie guy running the coffee shop." -Darrell (see lesson above)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*My Old Navy puffer vest is excellent padding for the hard middle seat.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*Parts of Route 12 made Darrell's palms sweat and freaked me out a bit.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*We were on scenic overload once we got into the Capital Reef National Park after driving Route 12, so that might have been a little too much to take in for one day.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-77443224976055222752022-12-21T16:57:00.002-08:002022-12-25T21:12:55.462-08:00One Day in Bryce Canyon National Park<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBB49g8AYnMiO_IlfTGjgeDLNyY3NHdCjRao0bCGQ1xxIdSiBbbmzgpFquZr8hL3XW_USrB38H4_SaJJsEDlNwXbHUUyE2FRejeLjQsd_ryNIzDHSK8U-iE5dliP55PiLmm3zO3vWPFF-Eg1pqvYB66eeqmgLLx4puaIH3rIn2usQOO5diggjJ4Y6aDg/s4032/20221221_093738.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/AVvXsEgBB49g8AYnMiO_IlfTGjgeDLNyY3NHdCjRao0bCGQ1xxIdSiBbbmzgpFquZr8hL3XW_USrB38H4_SaJJsEDlNwXbHUUyE2FRejeLjQsd_ryNIzDHSK8U-iE5dliP55PiLmm3zO3vWPFF-Eg1pqvYB66eeqmgLLx4puaIH3rIn2usQOO5diggjJ4Y6aDg/s320/20221221_093738.jpg" width="320"></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">We set out at 7:30 a.m. to drive the 1 1/2 hours from Kanab to Bryce. We were concerned about the weather as when we left, it was still in the single digits.....however, we underestimated the power of clear skies, no wind, and strong sun.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_D6IfSmjdWbJjWxZi_qgx1OcRsNi3BYarIUhkFtdJr4FRXEYwBMRMhO25ghAvHFV2ZoDipQzStpiAybwVLf_2m4hW7MOhsU9W9GE8GSdEfC4bk1VmK52EhsTjKg2HF6Kl0966umqaWj2g0s2z9wrpIsjHnIrhCjCFp_XpR_Iq3QRjbmZ5d5MT-l0dLQ/s4032/20221221_093829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_D6IfSmjdWbJjWxZi_qgx1OcRsNi3BYarIUhkFtdJr4FRXEYwBMRMhO25ghAvHFV2ZoDipQzStpiAybwVLf_2m4hW7MOhsU9W9GE8GSdEfC4bk1VmK52EhsTjKg2HF6Kl0966umqaWj2g0s2z9wrpIsjHnIrhCjCFp_XpR_Iq3QRjbmZ5d5MT-l0dLQ/s320/20221221_093829.jpg" width="180"></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">We decided to hike the longest hike I had planned for the day, which ended up being an excellent idea because it was our favorite hike and, after all the hiking we did yesterday, we didn't have a lot left after this hike. We hiked the Navajo Loop Trail down and picked up the Queen's Garden Trail to hike back up. It took us about 2 1/2 hours and we enjoyed all of the sights on this hike.....plus the snow made it magical.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWWtke7PdjE6q9-Vl69sVG812r9073GTwkMlKH0ihtqDaZMHjaSl0RiesRn9WdN3xl0NXQNcuE378CVIHcwBlXFk4t-XN35cLbTFucde_b5X8o6swCbz8PmRHXn_vtCizAyKNYyyZyw1kvCmITCxLDcQtys-keOQaBqUKcHKkk2RhB_FMKBWaB6K8kg/s4032/20221221_094203.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/AVvXsEihWWtke7PdjE6q9-Vl69sVG812r9073GTwkMlKH0ihtqDaZMHjaSl0RiesRn9WdN3xl0NXQNcuE378CVIHcwBlXFk4t-XN35cLbTFucde_b5X8o6swCbz8PmRHXn_vtCizAyKNYyyZyw1kvCmITCxLDcQtys-keOQaBqUKcHKkk2RhB_FMKBWaB6K8kg/s320/20221221_094203.jpg" width="240"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzi4xWfrzPTFOeAmHz6Xu5yhWi5DaO6fYAJ5f0ybJQv3rSdTDdJX6NetA_Kyy0tcnwCjSWzgTS6h44Z6i6fOQQ5BhwSg-ldTzr-vBEq1seY_Vx9ItFfJALqxjoBBDFF69PPZEZdGAqCNP3TC4estbTcCZQdBeld55BTQZ0TzxDCsI7-601QRYx__L5g/s4032/20221221_095455.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/AVvXsEhwzi4xWfrzPTFOeAmHz6Xu5yhWi5DaO6fYAJ5f0ybJQv3rSdTDdJX6NetA_Kyy0tcnwCjSWzgTS6h44Z6i6fOQQ5BhwSg-ldTzr-vBEq1seY_Vx9ItFfJALqxjoBBDFF69PPZEZdGAqCNP3TC4estbTcCZQdBeld55BTQZ0TzxDCsI7-601QRYx__L5g/s320/20221221_095455.jpg" width="240"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlg544uru-mOJ_A7yW_-hM0widlKskdG5RO_SCOvl3YjAnLbJNIR4GDD3W9BWy2t6bVR4cmdmU24MTBVF6M3LVTgTBH5vjDwnuEgoUgi_QHWAfs7o_n1sWPRhXJlJ6VD15_7gIRPdW0blQlJmjR6dH0RF0VIBFopFfhFNx32_FDQSEP3Asm5ow56g86A/s4032/20221221_102448.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/AVvXsEjlg544uru-mOJ_A7yW_-hM0widlKskdG5RO_SCOvl3YjAnLbJNIR4GDD3W9BWy2t6bVR4cmdmU24MTBVF6M3LVTgTBH5vjDwnuEgoUgi_QHWAfs7o_n1sWPRhXJlJ6VD15_7gIRPdW0blQlJmjR6dH0RF0VIBFopFfhFNx32_FDQSEP3Asm5ow56g86A/s320/20221221_102448.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbwvFxgOvuRqo1oxFCHLUFwTpakkVWDhUQDJdTKxPS0bUGgMLt37XnhRWQxGyPM-hQBekgjwM6Mmb7OJnUV7fhIqPcv-ZAGDSc_OO23tepYt5_67nPTXb0qkZMY0QVeTyBRUoJmKqn0xOHyC2aOU0S8JtBwai3V0GGdCQnRYYGArGxoSn3D50LcqD1UA/s4032/20221221_105234.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/AVvXsEhbwvFxgOvuRqo1oxFCHLUFwTpakkVWDhUQDJdTKxPS0bUGgMLt37XnhRWQxGyPM-hQBekgjwM6Mmb7OJnUV7fhIqPcv-ZAGDSc_OO23tepYt5_67nPTXb0qkZMY0QVeTyBRUoJmKqn0xOHyC2aOU0S8JtBwai3V0GGdCQnRYYGArGxoSn3D50LcqD1UA/s320/20221221_105234.jpg" width="240"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjUqQjRqGfx8jzGq-P-xYvvKKJGd9s-0hmVnyblJJCLCZTJoyP9W6YOkdWO6oGjEb1NnD4BKPuP6rSZYke3-9fO3OdTg-L2eQuukq-njOBjj6eXLEWGhvbxEWkzfSBOudBSVnHdfITr0hVdc7ok417BQtw6uNeoN8-Ttd2hZlrIlYz7aPHfyr_-U52g/s4032/20221221_111021.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/AVvXsEjBjUqQjRqGfx8jzGq-P-xYvvKKJGd9s-0hmVnyblJJCLCZTJoyP9W6YOkdWO6oGjEb1NnD4BKPuP6rSZYke3-9fO3OdTg-L2eQuukq-njOBjj6eXLEWGhvbxEWkzfSBOudBSVnHdfITr0hVdc7ok417BQtw6uNeoN8-Ttd2hZlrIlYz7aPHfyr_-U52g/s320/20221221_111021.jpg" width="240"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSq0hbWwrB7_FQMd0q7EySUReIIAjYJxH_cpiF96AO9IGgl6Pnce27JQoTv1TkWORRIzCTQ503t38LJbxTZx2TukYEKf9bu__O3-NDa3LMmp64iyRkVpfWazxKVzbVnMjZQQIW19snP_oSFYlz_1IBHM6DUkLYcgnPlxGGS1Cb68cm4wND0DVGkm9HMg/s4032/20221221_124823.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/AVvXsEgSq0hbWwrB7_FQMd0q7EySUReIIAjYJxH_cpiF96AO9IGgl6Pnce27JQoTv1TkWORRIzCTQ503t38LJbxTZx2TukYEKf9bu__O3-NDa3LMmp64iyRkVpfWazxKVzbVnMjZQQIW19snP_oSFYlz_1IBHM6DUkLYcgnPlxGGS1Cb68cm4wND0DVGkm9HMg/s320/20221221_124823.jpg" width="240"></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We ate lunch in the Sunset parking lot, then drove the entire park to get to the end point - Rainbow Point. This was the highest elevation we have experienced on this trip and we felt it....but the views were magnificent.</span><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4opechf0ulqCeI8bYtOE0vLc3evB62cjLqSfKQmcn_tKs8VCrJbYGjvDA5VxxlrJo2r9_HSvB57LTJe4yfEEC9Glk8agIBwoKFPCyU1VtY8MS-1Xo7NZx_zwnxXZP6T_5h1QSzlP4nZ4u_P2k2EY1mVxZ_VnyF9h3ILkgHLuZmYVIo6s0Q_4tde5lg/s4032/20221221_125051.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/AVvXsEjq4opechf0ulqCeI8bYtOE0vLc3evB62cjLqSfKQmcn_tKs8VCrJbYGjvDA5VxxlrJo2r9_HSvB57LTJe4yfEEC9Glk8agIBwoKFPCyU1VtY8MS-1Xo7NZx_zwnxXZP6T_5h1QSzlP4nZ4u_P2k2EY1mVxZ_VnyF9h3ILkgHLuZmYVIo6s0Q_4tde5lg/s320/20221221_125051.jpg" width="320"></a></div>We then decided on an "easy" hike - the 1 mile Bristlecone Loop Trail. However, the trail was covered by several feet of snow - which added to the adventure but made it into a harder hike.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVInN3FBrgfrTzmCzp5yQonpj6X3110H0armtiWgHHPgrF_RSiISAbq6zf-VCE1RfppPMqxecgGW9GhgSnlmgNXGODHhUzVVbH9GwNKwKMldwe6OzpYmO8ciCjYq1ZQvTu2PgrFw7NbLblxjrMcFzgHvXen8NRxbyRQ-tWjyT6jANJ3TiTPZwFnpQ6CA/s4032/20221221_130217.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/AVvXsEiVInN3FBrgfrTzmCzp5yQonpj6X3110H0armtiWgHHPgrF_RSiISAbq6zf-VCE1RfppPMqxecgGW9GhgSnlmgNXGODHhUzVVbH9GwNKwKMldwe6OzpYmO8ciCjYq1ZQvTu2PgrFw7NbLblxjrMcFzgHvXen8NRxbyRQ-tWjyT6jANJ3TiTPZwFnpQ6CA/s320/20221221_130217.jpg" width="240"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxC2M5KaSchc6XTymk3DmCD1wngIkSDICi4WEy_oN42vQrlSOTuvkV3Iu8fxy_EJE1ZCqEtfvtJpkqwIVzh4uh9rcIfK8yDFtvmTL_Cz2E9zcbR6kXZNBiv3AWpgxVmdii4fVHFqFGBAivS4owmplUxVQREuvDg6_4FojNaOn8B6XJdKhFEeNvpAqog/s4032/20221221_132248.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/AVvXsEiyxC2M5KaSchc6XTymk3DmCD1wngIkSDICi4WEy_oN42vQrlSOTuvkV3Iu8fxy_EJE1ZCqEtfvtJpkqwIVzh4uh9rcIfK8yDFtvmTL_Cz2E9zcbR6kXZNBiv3AWpgxVmdii4fVHFqFGBAivS4owmplUxVQREuvDg6_4FojNaOn8B6XJdKhFEeNvpAqog/s320/20221221_132248.jpg" width="240"></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">After that hike, we started to drive back to the entrance of the park and stopped at some viewpoints.....Natural Bridge....</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9C1JXYB3UjrBeGVfwl3HBnm0GhhoMR9-VmRr2-Od_-_OcBaaUpZbQcxgHiHKcetErxqUPOGAI2jvZTybqugqCkx0qKxuCUK0G00-hb5HpggP4Xbh4pnVj-BKwyVt9rrEHq0lonYErvZI1CTwMGiGIjNw5JGpY3y17MoR4WINO3lQWCQ4brVsPHAFL_Q/s4032/20221221_141204.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/AVvXsEg9C1JXYB3UjrBeGVfwl3HBnm0GhhoMR9-VmRr2-Od_-_OcBaaUpZbQcxgHiHKcetErxqUPOGAI2jvZTybqugqCkx0qKxuCUK0G00-hb5HpggP4Xbh4pnVj-BKwyVt9rrEHq0lonYErvZI1CTwMGiGIjNw5JGpY3y17MoR4WINO3lQWCQ4brVsPHAFL_Q/s320/20221221_141204.jpg" width="320"></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">Bryce Point</div></span><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVDByX7hYXZxIEvkIiYdubrSWxhKvzgFIDDFQCzv_mLwPG1cykDL1D2QO2m7pmGzsrLeE3pLV_BsQy4_4DmodofRbSe9-OSO6E7_eohibwKmJQ0PKfbcxInQVXxbut8MI0NMjcq2I5RwzBMKUfyiMSW9Md16KItVLCOYIMxqmEDoT1v-9MG_mNomGTg/s4032/20221221_143958.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/AVvXsEjyVDByX7hYXZxIEvkIiYdubrSWxhKvzgFIDDFQCzv_mLwPG1cykDL1D2QO2m7pmGzsrLeE3pLV_BsQy4_4DmodofRbSe9-OSO6E7_eohibwKmJQ0PKfbcxInQVXxbut8MI0NMjcq2I5RwzBMKUfyiMSW9Md16KItVLCOYIMxqmEDoT1v-9MG_mNomGTg/s320/20221221_143958.jpg" width="320"></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">and Inspiration Point.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8F4dVmklV-YrU97xdEBahkrrDsxqfnoZs_PpL2QxlRErVgjftU4SnJVjJjhWNFqSYoXJ3PUZ7R5GnoBqTJPEKKHfhDOdVvC6uL9CyHcvyc9XnwZpz1Twnc5IcBRa7sFL5a782GZV2G7mAEg8cn9NeIksNinsdtcotBqDcRVXvPR0e2zvPaTHLqtLNGQ/s4032/20221221_150024.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/AVvXsEg8F4dVmklV-YrU97xdEBahkrrDsxqfnoZs_PpL2QxlRErVgjftU4SnJVjJjhWNFqSYoXJ3PUZ7R5GnoBqTJPEKKHfhDOdVvC6uL9CyHcvyc9XnwZpz1Twnc5IcBRa7sFL5a782GZV2G7mAEg8cn9NeIksNinsdtcotBqDcRVXvPR0e2zvPaTHLqtLNGQ/s320/20221221_150024.jpg" width="320"></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We decided to leave the park and drive back to our Air BnB....but made one side trip.....</span><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBUXC7T-QQjCJQo5E9IBMk8gLkeOXwo00PSJc7GkJ2VQ6RgIWLq8yX9nxahNfm_wwyVTg4ZNOxCu6VkpljYKnGLrr3VEP8HRshnBWYdAHdCEOVv-ouTao47ulYvGpsUyVreHyjGnxn31FmSGDI57dsZkdejf0IwzGNnfIF2Dc6UJ-w2aEFeZ2HybKHA/s4032/20221221_162944.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/AVvXsEhxBUXC7T-QQjCJQo5E9IBMk8gLkeOXwo00PSJc7GkJ2VQ6RgIWLq8yX9nxahNfm_wwyVTg4ZNOxCu6VkpljYKnGLrr3VEP8HRshnBWYdAHdCEOVv-ouTao47ulYvGpsUyVreHyjGnxn31FmSGDI57dsZkdejf0IwzGNnfIF2Dc6UJ-w2aEFeZ2HybKHA/s320/20221221_162944.jpg" width="240"></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">to the Belly of the Dragon Trail Head near Mt. Carmel......we only did the tunnel but it was a fun diversion.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XtzSHZT2clslBho6rNKyhmOfncaHT48GL26lhoAm81baM7YhqH0CT2pbDH1C8jBzT-6R1UxJ0wGYUdlgHQCYV83hSYU9OiCsJarbYr6DTIkg68IGXVDik9sW6_wtkwKTCEFGhgKGcstWDIPLXgOIiChDLCQPopcFFr2UqEX-14f0VR1EqX-2K3M9pA/s4032/original_ee80adc7-8162-4096-ac89-e7ab893132f7_20221221_163125.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/AVvXsEi_XtzSHZT2clslBho6rNKyhmOfncaHT48GL26lhoAm81baM7YhqH0CT2pbDH1C8jBzT-6R1UxJ0wGYUdlgHQCYV83hSYU9OiCsJarbYr6DTIkg68IGXVDik9sW6_wtkwKTCEFGhgKGcstWDIPLXgOIiChDLCQPopcFFr2UqEX-14f0VR1EqX-2K3M9pA/s320/original_ee80adc7-8162-4096-ac89-e7ab893132f7_20221221_163125.jpg" width="240"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We leave this Air BnB tomorrow to head to Moab, but we have a few stops along the way that should be fun.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lessons learned today:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1. Bryce Canyon is colder and higher in altitude than Zion....we are glad we did Zion first.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2. Do the big hikes first before you wear everyone out.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">3. Sunglasses are a must for Pittsburgh people who don't see this intensity of sun most of the year.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">4. "Short-term discomfort often has the biggest pay-offs." -Darrell - who will be getting a knee replacement in April and is keeping up quite well. Another nod to a tough person....Ann-Marie who is still dealing with her knee issues during this trip.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">5. Alec prefers his trail running shoes to hiking boots and is surprisingly nimble in the snow with them.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">6. When you bring a biologist with you (Evan) you learn all sorts of cool things about any animal that you encounter.....although our closest encounters have been with some very brave Ravens.</span></div><br> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-12195996679805586862022-12-20T17:36:00.001-08:002022-12-20T17:36:18.544-08:00One Day in Zion National Park<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBILvZJLQGo-LvsPMRB7j80ECrtC48qK4fAXFlQK5O0711XtSJJY9teSPeR40bl-IbX11Lyqjq41lX3CI_iNFqpSzaXzk50S4LkMht3LPoqDofIE6S1f2ovNR_0Z-T7Ff2qyUiZEljV3PYGB-yX_JUADAnYWX5GxI9ZQXH46pQ7h2YdYYzXNAEQ44NtQ/s4032/20221220_073514.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/AVvXsEiBILvZJLQGo-LvsPMRB7j80ECrtC48qK4fAXFlQK5O0711XtSJJY9teSPeR40bl-IbX11Lyqjq41lX3CI_iNFqpSzaXzk50S4LkMht3LPoqDofIE6S1f2ovNR_0Z-T7Ff2qyUiZEljV3PYGB-yX_JUADAnYWX5GxI9ZQXH46pQ7h2YdYYzXNAEQ44NtQ/s320/20221220_073514.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We woke up early to try to chase the sunrise, but the clouds and timing weren't quite right..</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UVb8UqdC4AqcIvpgH86-rzi44P3pgJ84FzXh1t7aORue2dOnYX5qDs-N9rTDK1z7qCDJ_gyMOL2CISEZda1QXv8NJo517s01PENuFs9tIjtb1scXkwy37zUTUKUm-JGrQ9bj-E_dslgWjI0Vfvm93-U6yc8mGhqnGTU--PizF7-eM6JSsmGW8rbHfQ/s4032/20221220_074658.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/AVvXsEh8UVb8UqdC4AqcIvpgH86-rzi44P3pgJ84FzXh1t7aORue2dOnYX5qDs-N9rTDK1z7qCDJ_gyMOL2CISEZda1QXv8NJo517s01PENuFs9tIjtb1scXkwy37zUTUKUm-JGrQ9bj-E_dslgWjI0Vfvm93-U6yc8mGhqnGTU--PizF7-eM6JSsmGW8rbHfQ/s320/20221220_074658.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, the Canyon Overlook hike was one of our favorites</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmCKGsqVJDscozG150etg-HsrKRFAtjFSadH9XICVNmGmkmC9WDasbr7y_dEj6j3d0hmcyQ3quTZcYS6938nLZKIm_ylaBkR22Fx-SmB-y-OlHJxpQX62Z3TyWZFzR4wbKZ4p721rWlIIaDI87nfs_SC6_D4MlJySF_7cxX_AMwmxkHOCgL_ZOopVeQ/s4032/20221220_080428.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/AVvXsEiDmCKGsqVJDscozG150etg-HsrKRFAtjFSadH9XICVNmGmkmC9WDasbr7y_dEj6j3d0hmcyQ3quTZcYS6938nLZKIm_ylaBkR22Fx-SmB-y-OlHJxpQX62Z3TyWZFzR4wbKZ4p721rWlIIaDI87nfs_SC6_D4MlJySF_7cxX_AMwmxkHOCgL_ZOopVeQ/s320/20221220_080428.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcxf-sX1DDYPBc4L-mjwEcyZBgfp30NkdehFgUD3gS9S3dzrvrlHGHCEcrIrWfS76N07smq0v9yw5ofB6SQ0N2z0XnMrmNFshs9Nev06_rUSLz9Rca0aDG9qu5_h-K0wc8ur01yIKMujgICcjGyLgu239TEfRms6UtRDn67e_acJZphwflKNOu3HqLw/s4032/20221220_093112.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/AVvXsEhGcxf-sX1DDYPBc4L-mjwEcyZBgfp30NkdehFgUD3gS9S3dzrvrlHGHCEcrIrWfS76N07smq0v9yw5ofB6SQ0N2z0XnMrmNFshs9Nev06_rUSLz9Rca0aDG9qu5_h-K0wc8ur01yIKMujgICcjGyLgu239TEfRms6UtRDn67e_acJZphwflKNOu3HqLw/s320/20221220_093112.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">We drove the Zion Canyon Scenic drive and stopped to admire the Court of the Patriarchs.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEgS7Lja4Gsj8HJdVLnsOYENv3rncGsRFGR5YJWa1g1dxkVdUPxnyqDvcB2JkSV1pNKeCIGDyUX4GMLFuQJPE67wEJIpkZ8SfuuUoTMTpXbAzmqfC_4LK3DthNgYI7bJINoou5bVSh44nbpNTXN2uizt_N3BVsYVvEK6KFgK0JlizB5wVgHKoReDBow/s4032/20221220_093237.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/AVvXsEjnEgS7Lja4Gsj8HJdVLnsOYENv3rncGsRFGR5YJWa1g1dxkVdUPxnyqDvcB2JkSV1pNKeCIGDyUX4GMLFuQJPE67wEJIpkZ8SfuuUoTMTpXbAzmqfC_4LK3DthNgYI7bJINoou5bVSh44nbpNTXN2uizt_N3BVsYVvEK6KFgK0JlizB5wVgHKoReDBow/s320/20221220_093237.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">We hiked the Lower and Middle Emerald Pool and encountered a lot of ice.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4E2_GyKjbDV0iAtHNbfFH5ee0zopPtfcIoDCoIh6DPK7veEYNRlATYzXhwhp19g3ftzkeclDjfIdNl0pL3bGIyDBuoZlGqxMW0eJKEa-cv1Wak8z4qpCKb3aglBardCRPQv47DdmVuEScMvmqg5LrdpvEeNEVdraYGpacjDJOU45bkPyvcyJNWSPqPw/s4032/20221220_102358.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/AVvXsEh4E2_GyKjbDV0iAtHNbfFH5ee0zopPtfcIoDCoIh6DPK7veEYNRlATYzXhwhp19g3ftzkeclDjfIdNl0pL3bGIyDBuoZlGqxMW0eJKEa-cv1Wak8z4qpCKb3aglBardCRPQv47DdmVuEScMvmqg5LrdpvEeNEVdraYGpacjDJOU45bkPyvcyJNWSPqPw/s320/20221220_102358.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmGvbcIbWBLVoJFM_u-mR4WBRPH8hXSxQ2IM5CZv4QwB8dLoGpPNH6cS-8QIO-dJnhMHJIGglR4x9LwKnFW1U_K7OjMkFkYHm2CLo_UZJLnicN5Lio9JPbK-0KXKdbC6bcHdxrQC7tKQYRUu1pgqJoBAwDkMcU6JMCSoEEiu6QTsui3a_Rvn_lhmhNQ/s4032/20221220_102505.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/AVvXsEgAmGvbcIbWBLVoJFM_u-mR4WBRPH8hXSxQ2IM5CZv4QwB8dLoGpPNH6cS-8QIO-dJnhMHJIGglR4x9LwKnFW1U_K7OjMkFkYHm2CLo_UZJLnicN5Lio9JPbK-0KXKdbC6bcHdxrQC7tKQYRUu1pgqJoBAwDkMcU6JMCSoEEiu6QTsui3a_Rvn_lhmhNQ/s320/20221220_102505.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKkMVe_W6adB8CawkdCP7TUVJceY_Nk6s8jwRTjji0VALT21YZ108AP-BXAcPQPLUqLU1p8LFTahZ2Y3c4jihlXyDqAJnB0D73phmBx5ItYHXYdt6oJzknvh9Tr308wPMQKrkYCKYOS6UiUUyu2fsSeGuVMe6ZjijAgjn528MC62CxgFVMyCuBjk7fQ/s4032/20221220_103514.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/AVvXsEijKkMVe_W6adB8CawkdCP7TUVJceY_Nk6s8jwRTjji0VALT21YZ108AP-BXAcPQPLUqLU1p8LFTahZ2Y3c4jihlXyDqAJnB0D73phmBx5ItYHXYdt6oJzknvh9Tr308wPMQKrkYCKYOS6UiUUyu2fsSeGuVMe6ZjijAgjn528MC62CxgFVMyCuBjk7fQ/s320/20221220_103514.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseFAjJmlDOgWbp20XGpmr_LwrXZjEbDfNtZdAFapOy2Bb1XANukPizMk06trw-YdnzTEvCk7HSzNp9PTCBZhBrNirNsr1fLqK1qk7KfVfITPBCtW1OIyYMRYAZ1LZZaoV5CvRBcmvm5Oi_bpXoBT5qWms2dkmELqqcunrK97kdOk-MPz7Axl5Ti_fdQ/s4032/20221220_105018.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/AVvXsEhseFAjJmlDOgWbp20XGpmr_LwrXZjEbDfNtZdAFapOy2Bb1XANukPizMk06trw-YdnzTEvCk7HSzNp9PTCBZhBrNirNsr1fLqK1qk7KfVfITPBCtW1OIyYMRYAZ1LZZaoV5CvRBcmvm5Oi_bpXoBT5qWms2dkmELqqcunrK97kdOk-MPz7Axl5Ti_fdQ/s320/20221220_105018.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We walked the Pa'rus trail to the Museum of Human History (closed) - but this offered a wonderful view.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApavdPnA2AOImS5MTKfv4pXyKrttXbs5cMbfZsASUm8gQNbav6oU-D0WqCPIOqNtcigNKrEi7RZvwn8RVa6enOQR-dCb17YELezy67chADrqx2VsRrAXkzIynPqo-d1OQA43feimqqr8gOO9TXde4OnpCJEhOzH611b7cNOJFKnYGUbXmeoda6HiGPQ/s4032/20221220_125813.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/AVvXsEhApavdPnA2AOImS5MTKfv4pXyKrttXbs5cMbfZsASUm8gQNbav6oU-D0WqCPIOqNtcigNKrEi7RZvwn8RVa6enOQR-dCb17YELezy67chADrqx2VsRrAXkzIynPqo-d1OQA43feimqqr8gOO9TXde4OnpCJEhOzH611b7cNOJFKnYGUbXmeoda6HiGPQ/s320/20221220_125813.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Last hike of the day, which was my choice and almost didn't happen.....Riverside Walk to the opening of the Narrows. Doing this later in the afternoon wasn't in the plan, but God amazed us with gorgeous lighting!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSMJcXIPd5Oz7LOEu1gORxFrgU_Oer32MSH7NvN4NJD44zIOyR5vPZOJINHOolg5Df6UE28ZSYl4xplVVTSle7PW_Ckvst7SHcV1q-oJ57aDXvxpeEPakUNww67XPtTkvhssMdf6-iTY2BB0AQ7IekI7snbhoXKHcmvLHeGXcddMOFqZByaFOUsgHtQ/s4032/20221220_151929.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/AVvXsEibSMJcXIPd5Oz7LOEu1gORxFrgU_Oer32MSH7NvN4NJD44zIOyR5vPZOJINHOolg5Df6UE28ZSYl4xplVVTSle7PW_Ckvst7SHcV1q-oJ57aDXvxpeEPakUNww67XPtTkvhssMdf6-iTY2BB0AQ7IekI7snbhoXKHcmvLHeGXcddMOFqZByaFOUsgHtQ/s320/20221220_151929.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0WtwVCF5DehzVGe_Ir0gG_7eB0-M8awNTbcAPD0siljxk1KvoquEyzrVMZYNkZozLOqzRgWeODaRejwwtKuW3pFnIcNShI8pq36pkdiIqs-93Q06QdDZwk2vLOYWzjTdP0KHJXXOKBffOI7g_sqJBEGOufgALSTP2-ZQ51v_We8Ssd95rqU5-_aAow/s4032/20221220_152842.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/AVvXsEhu0WtwVCF5DehzVGe_Ir0gG_7eB0-M8awNTbcAPD0siljxk1KvoquEyzrVMZYNkZozLOqzRgWeODaRejwwtKuW3pFnIcNShI8pq36pkdiIqs-93Q06QdDZwk2vLOYWzjTdP0KHJXXOKBffOI7g_sqJBEGOufgALSTP2-ZQ51v_We8Ssd95rqU5-_aAow/s320/20221220_152842.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtlnANRC86qd1hNEE--OcjIQr3PYFqpKIV6fXHTKrg-ywKRCjmKmnj_lK_tMCzYI1ork_vD7vp4ZJTHaIdnOd40RPN2j_oQrIIu5fORF2YJYOqH3DvxjfLSmhM1rOHjwtRIpqz9Ulcxvm__Ri6ImvE8PVhBgw4_tLB9moDrOGahfuHA_3ja0-I6I5rA/s4032/20221220_155426.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/AVvXsEhXtlnANRC86qd1hNEE--OcjIQr3PYFqpKIV6fXHTKrg-ywKRCjmKmnj_lK_tMCzYI1ork_vD7vp4ZJTHaIdnOd40RPN2j_oQrIIu5fORF2YJYOqH3DvxjfLSmhM1rOHjwtRIpqz9Ulcxvm__Ri6ImvE8PVhBgw4_tLB9moDrOGahfuHA_3ja0-I6I5rA/s320/20221220_155426.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_gIWoxl9adHGIbDfqf-UTxKF1yuo9KDN84Fkrzas-JxNmiqkWzPIEFjH1umsNArPEuK_-MGh2ShJO41M_tWP8QTAk_AvXpcuqdK-AzC-gr4k-P7dzG58BoVDvz3Pwwj_lEoxXRTR3lZeae-higwXzKrzho4jEWnHSmMbGV2Qcm24C1l0HrzREHvVCg/s4032/20221220_155620.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/AVvXsEgF_gIWoxl9adHGIbDfqf-UTxKF1yuo9KDN84Fkrzas-JxNmiqkWzPIEFjH1umsNArPEuK_-MGh2ShJO41M_tWP8QTAk_AvXpcuqdK-AzC-gr4k-P7dzG58BoVDvz3Pwwj_lEoxXRTR3lZeae-higwXzKrzho4jEWnHSmMbGV2Qcm24C1l0HrzREHvVCg/s320/20221220_155620.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">We drove out of the park right at sunset and were not disappointed with the views.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEjjIRKpaX7I5KzyOs0NGWCKc9xJeyTKf3Troj_gjAfEZXiOHzvg4Ibqo_AZJpzLbn1zta6DWGNFuJe7RR07-4Ryge4gDN0OKg-NqBWSEsXzEGtAxJ0i2RHuhe5tVIwWexmJpI5PYAqWCrNkkCTnjhC4dCzpCgNV7HlsncSpssMW1_HJmvLT3EbQpJg/s4032/20221220_164912.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/AVvXsEjQEjjIRKpaX7I5KzyOs0NGWCKc9xJeyTKf3Troj_gjAfEZXiOHzvg4Ibqo_AZJpzLbn1zta6DWGNFuJe7RR07-4Ryge4gDN0OKg-NqBWSEsXzEGtAxJ0i2RHuhe5tVIwWexmJpI5PYAqWCrNkkCTnjhC4dCzpCgNV7HlsncSpssMW1_HJmvLT3EbQpJg/s320/20221220_164912.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"> Lessons learned today:</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*Layers are important as we experienced a 30 degree temperature difference!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*Ice is not your friend when hiking, but it makes the hikes more interesting and beautiful. Wear proper hiking shoes/boots (hello to our friend we passed wearing Van sneakers!)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*Never underestimate the power of a well-timed break and coffee!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">*Be flexible and patient! The road to the Narrows was temporarily closed due to high traffic, but after we took a break and checked back later, it was open and we were able to see the BEST views with amazing lighting.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-57800022805119469872022-12-19T19:31:00.000-08:002022-12-19T19:31:40.864-08:00Our "experience" Christmas 2022<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</a>
</div></div><div><br></div><div>We are doing something completely different for Christmas this year and will be traveling for these two weeks. This has been in the planning since last Christmas. With our adult kids' lives and this season of life changing rapidly, we felt like this was right for our family. </div><div><br></div><div>My plan for this blog is to keep our memories and allow friends and family to follow along. I'm hoping to post once a day with a synopsis of what we did.</div><div><br></div><div>Today we flew from Pittsburgh to Las Vegas on Southwest Airlines - direct flight. We picked up our rental </div><div>vehicle (which was smaller than expected, much to Darrell's dismay). </div><div>We drove from Las Vegas to Kanab, Utah, with a stop at a Walmart for food in Hurricane, Utah (we mastered packing a Dodge Journey with 5 adults, luggage for two weeks, and a week's worth if groceries for the Air BnB - with only a jar of Tiki Masala sacrificed).</div><div><br></div><div>We had a great travel day and are looking forward to exploring Zion tomorrow. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-19493918371331706192022-02-20T17:19:00.003-08:002022-02-21T07:01:39.422-08:00"I'll be the banks to your river...."<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdZSvkH80TW_CCSiCChQ5YaxBs9EwrNYcCbCncp-WsUxcn0u7fpZp1dtRqPW61ysdEcjiWtUsakkAEe45qEzLLXTF3YRdU9uim1BjMST-chJbwthmu8cd9fSZE3L-ISiceueF1djwtsK-Chaf15cBgoEUCuggwSQ9h-WNrk3sNZFNj7_FDJn9RZ-ccQw=s4032" 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/AVvXsEjdZSvkH80TW_CCSiCChQ5YaxBs9EwrNYcCbCncp-WsUxcn0u7fpZp1dtRqPW61ysdEcjiWtUsakkAEe45qEzLLXTF3YRdU9uim1BjMST-chJbwthmu8cd9fSZE3L-ISiceueF1djwtsK-Chaf15cBgoEUCuggwSQ9h-WNrk3sNZFNj7_FDJn9RZ-ccQw=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There have been several questions about Ann-Marie and my tattoos, so I thought I would use my "forgotten" blog to tell the story and for me to remember</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-M5KMtgrGGbTEaO3rrxQVOtRHzGtmCm-6Sa35RZtTnPykfVXd7Z7PLXOeyoo_3aqyLBmpMqCxuCM2nQkYhryT2QRj3AAVptoO_Cp6SxLljYutPGbxfbWHhSV-7IYxF7-AQ-lTLfbJ0bNOhjQ8N062D5Mi0hX16mUBbdBK1YtzyoGqhMKRM1BreC62ZQ=s4032" 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/AVvXsEg-M5KMtgrGGbTEaO3rrxQVOtRHzGtmCm-6Sa35RZtTnPykfVXd7Z7PLXOeyoo_3aqyLBmpMqCxuCM2nQkYhryT2QRj3AAVptoO_Cp6SxLljYutPGbxfbWHhSV-7IYxF7-AQ-lTLfbJ0bNOhjQ8N062D5Mi0hX16mUBbdBK1YtzyoGqhMKRM1BreC62ZQ=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story starts in March 2020.....remember the quarantine we all went through? For us, the quarantine unveiled issues that were getting worse in Ann-Marie's life. There were behaviors that Darrell and I didn't understand and we didn't know how to help Ann-Marie. It became apparent that Ann-Marie needed a therapist, but at that time (and as we are learning), finding a good therapist and waiting for availability takes time. During that summer, I discovered that the band, Need to Breathe, had released an Album - Out of Body. As I was running and listening to the songs, God used one song in particular to speak to me - "Banks"....give it a listen:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://youtu.be/fqifjBtNzLw" target="_blank"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fqifjBtNzLw" width="320" youtube-src-id="fqifjBtNzLw"></iframe></div><br />https://youtu.be/fqifjBtNzLw</a><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I had this song on repeat, often crying and praying and running (most often all at the same time) because I felt that I was failing Ann-Marie as a parent. What God taught me during this time is, although he did give Darrell and I as "banks" to Ann-Marie, creating boundaries in her life, I needed to let go and trust God's plan for Ann-Marie's life. I needed to let go of my control and look for how God was working in and through the situation.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometime around November, God provided the perfect therapist and in February 2021, the right diagnosis and treatment. I was able to watch my daughter become more mentally and physically healthy and learn to cope with a mental diagnosis she will have to navigate her entire life. It also opened up a family history that has provided me with healing, but that is another story for another time.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ann-Marie has told us she was going to get tattoos after she turned 18, so it was not a surprise when she got her first one at the end of 2021. Her theory behind tattoos are that they need to be meaningful to her and tell the story of her life. Her first tattoo is the symbol for ADHD and Eating Disorders, the diagnosis we waited for in 2020.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">So my tattoo began with a funny story - before Ann-Marie went to college, she threatened to shave her head. I (half-jokingly) told her that if she didn't shave her head, I would pay for her first tattoo. That turned into me telling her about the song that God gave me when she was struggling, which then became our song. Then I told her I was open to a coordinating tattoo telling this story, and <b>she sketched the tattoos. </b>As I considered getting this tattoo, I talked with Darrell and prayed about it. Last week, God directed me to Psalm 46:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><div class="poetry" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative; text-align: start;"><p class="line" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">God is our refuge and strength,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-1" style="position: relative;">a very present help in trouble.</span></div><span class="text Ps-46-2" id="en-ESV-14617" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </span><div style="text-align: center;">Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,</div></span><span class="indent-1"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-2" style="position: relative;">though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,</span></div></span><span class="text Ps-46-3" id="en-ESV-14618" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </span><div style="text-align: center;">though its waters roar and foam,</div></span><span class="indent-1"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-3" style="position: relative;">though the mountains tremble at its swelling. <span class="selah" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 2em;">Selah</span></span></div></span><p></p></div><div class="poetry top-1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative; text-align: start;"><p class="line" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Ps-46-4" id="en-ESV-14619" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,</b></div><b><span class="indent-1"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-4" style="position: relative;">the holy habitation of the Most High.</span></div></span><span class="text Ps-46-5" id="en-ESV-14620" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </span><div style="text-align: center;">God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;</div></span><span class="indent-1"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-5" style="position: relative;">God will help her when morning dawns.</span></div></span></b><span class="text Ps-46-6" id="en-ESV-14621" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;</div></span><span class="indent-1"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-6" style="position: relative;">he utters his voice, the earth melts.</span></div></span><span class="text Ps-46-7" id="en-ESV-14622" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> of hosts is with us;</div></span><span class="indent-1"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-7" style="position: relative;">the God of Jacob is our fortress. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="text Ps-46-7" style="position: relative;"><span class="text Ps-46-8" id="en-ESV-14623" style="font-size: 16px; position: relative; text-align: start;">Come, behold the works of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>,</span><br style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-8" style="position: relative;">how he has brought desolations on the earth.</span></span><br style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span class="text Ps-46-9" id="en-ESV-14624" style="font-size: 16px; position: relative; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"><br /></span>He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;</span><br style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-9" style="position: relative;">he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;</span></span><br style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-9" style="position: relative;">he burns the chariots with fire.</span></span><br style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span class="text Ps-46-10" id="en-ESV-14625" style="font-size: 16px; position: relative; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </span><b>“Be still, and know that I am God.</b></span><br style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-10" style="position: relative;">I will be exalted among the nations,</span></span><br style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-10" style="position: relative;">I will be exalted in the earth!”</span></span><br style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span class="text Ps-46-11" id="en-ESV-14626" style="font-size: 16px; position: relative; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </span>The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> of hosts is with us;</span><br style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;" /><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-46-11" style="position: relative;">the God of Jacob is our fortress. <span class="selah" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 2em;">Selah</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="text Ps-46-7" style="position: relative;"><span class="indent-1" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><span class="text Ps-46-11" style="position: relative;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2emelR7lGmw" width="320" youtube-src-id="2emelR7lGmw"></iframe></div></span></span></span></div></span><p></p></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">My tattoo has a river and a bank with a cross, which signifies God's faithfulness and trusting in His plan. I had Ann-Marie add in mountains, because I love mountains - it is where I feel the most peaceful. Ann-Marie's tattoo has a river and banks also, with small mountains in the background. Hers has a sun, signifying her new self and new beginnings after her diagnosis, plus a smaller moon which signifies the old part of her that will always be.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I look at my tattoo, I see two purposes for myself and three meaningful purposes I can share with others. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">For myself: it helps me remember God's faithfulness-it is good to remember- and it helps me when I miss Ann-Marie.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">For others: a story of God's faithfulness I can share, parenting encouragement for others that are struggling during the teen years, and the things God has provided that bring us peace and comfort and point to Him (for me, the mountains).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, to quote Paul Harvey: "So that's the rest of the story!"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-51886288459215292232019-02-18T17:18:00.002-08:002019-02-19T02:05:51.864-08:00Happy 18th Birthday to Evan!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGE7iLk8IpXuH749vaRKKEFIb2eVKZnzDz6n4mT6vxlwreiutm2N48AJTHSgivzbDKuVvZART8U62eJzAVcOlbucse5eT9ThV9ekMVp7CtSV2wm6XGnzB1WOuDEqbhLCfxYZTZBA66v_0/s1600/Ravioli+Smile-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1229" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGE7iLk8IpXuH749vaRKKEFIb2eVKZnzDz6n4mT6vxlwreiutm2N48AJTHSgivzbDKuVvZART8U62eJzAVcOlbucse5eT9ThV9ekMVp7CtSV2wm6XGnzB1WOuDEqbhLCfxYZTZBA66v_0/s320/Ravioli+Smile-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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This gift</div>
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One of three</div>
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The first</div>
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Never meant to be kept</div>
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Never meant to be hidden</div>
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But meant to be nurtured, taught, disciplined, loved</div>
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From bright eyes and chubby cheeks</div>
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From first words early and non-stop questions and opinions</div>
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To boldness, brashness, and loyalty to friends</div>
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A big heart</div>
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Moment by moment</div>
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Has brought us to </div>
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Your 18th birthday</div>
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Not an ending</div>
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But a beginning</div>
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Possibilities</div>
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Your father and I pray</div>
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That the foundation set here at home</div>
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Love God and Love others</div>
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Will be the foundation </div>
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You will build upon</div>
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As you transition</div>
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Into an adult</div>
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Happy 18th birthday, Evan</div>
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</div>
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We love you very much</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-81327786312390033352018-10-08T18:13:00.000-07:002018-10-08T18:14:02.523-07:00Tell THAT Person Thank You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_27a0uIbZ3RO1XmLvtv2jXn5L4NvdFDWXUgxrM6nllledzV7AlJUxOTWlajFvTH5yj9Jsaebu4QqMto5ohOaTdmeWZ29uV6G6hiALS9fYjs9RuUAH6OSeIx3PtuCNTnk0HpQ_6a4TV8D/s1600/20181008_144645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_27a0uIbZ3RO1XmLvtv2jXn5L4NvdFDWXUgxrM6nllledzV7AlJUxOTWlajFvTH5yj9Jsaebu4QqMto5ohOaTdmeWZ29uV6G6hiALS9fYjs9RuUAH6OSeIx3PtuCNTnk0HpQ_6a4TV8D/s320/20181008_144645.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
It was the fall of 1988 (if my memory is right....if not, my dad can call me on this), and it had been about a year after my mom's death. My dad decided that he would take us girls (Carla, Sheila, and I) on a vacation to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. I remember clearly two things from that trip: a motel room and a comedy act. I remember the motel room because it was a trucker's motel and probably the seediest motel I have ever spent a night in my life. (Good try, Dad!) The comedy act I remember....well, that is a little different....<br />
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I was 17 years old, and I don't think this was a vacation I wanted to be on. I was living the aftermath of the trauma of losing my mom in a tragic farming accident. I was not in a good place. But at the Renaissance Festival we stumbled upon an interesting comedy act - two guys who called themselves "Puke and Snot." Their names alone captivated me to sit down and listen. Their use of puns, easy back and forth one-liners, and the way that they laughed at themselves within the comedic routine relaxed me to the point of laughing - really laughing. This moment of laughing was the first real laughter I had allowed myself after my mom died. It was the moment that I had a little hope that I would feel again and be able to laugh again. And this was all due to two guys who called themselves, "Puke and Snot."<br />
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Fast forward to 2003 (it may have been 2004), and Darrell and I decided to go to the Maryland Renaissance Festival. I looked at the program and found....."Puke and Snot." It was comforting to me that they were still doing their comedy show, but I still was not at a place where I let it affect me emotionally.<br />
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So this past weekend, I happened to be in Maryland visiting friends and they wanted us to go to the Maryland Renaissance Festival. We arrived and were deciding what to do when I said, "Well, I could always see if 'Puke and Snot' have a show." My friend opened up the program and......there they were! "One of the longest running acts in the history of Renaissance festivals." I had to go. I found the stage and enthusiastically sat through the whole show. Same "puke"; different "snot". Some parts of the act were familiar, some were updated. I laughed a lot.<br />
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After the show, I felt strongly that I should go and thank the original "Puke" - Mark Sieve. I went up to him, introduced myself, told him a condensed version of my story, and just thanked him for what he does and how he gave a 16 year old a reason to laugh in 1988. He was very touched, gave me a hug, and told me that my story was not the first that he had heard, which made me happy. I walked away, knowing that I had done the right thing and that that thread of my life had come full circle.<br />
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So, some things I have learned....<br />
1. Always tell people when they have touched your life and thank them.<br />
2. God has a sense of humor - sending a Renaissance festival comedy act called "Puke and Snot" into my life when I most needed to laugh - thank you God!<br />
3. After a trauma or a tragedy - you will feel again, you will laugh again; but it may take time.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 6px;">Psalm 34:18</span> <span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">English Standard Version (ESV)</span></span></h1>
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The <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> is near to <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-14407A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-14407A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the brokenhearted</div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-34-18" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and saves <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-14407B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-14407B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the crushed in spirit.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBIB6g22V_oECB3R2UzfVKclc2-uSA_1iA2xOtiU_i_scw2jpp7UWpd4NoduQ5YRP5AWL5g47xgRhEavK2gGLnx3BqFvYgk719xN4fud4MKbL6bMO7FImtFrgFxdqyC4gUw_Bqz-W6U7b/s1600/20181007_111745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBIB6g22V_oECB3R2UzfVKclc2-uSA_1iA2xOtiU_i_scw2jpp7UWpd4NoduQ5YRP5AWL5g47xgRhEavK2gGLnx3BqFvYgk719xN4fud4MKbL6bMO7FImtFrgFxdqyC4gUw_Bqz-W6U7b/s320/20181007_111745.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-50667290868769660562018-08-27T10:03:00.000-07:002018-08-27T10:04:00.359-07:00A Look Ahead 2018-2019<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>This 2018-2019 school year....well, it's a big one for us at the Jerome house. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>In November, this one will turn 13</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxv3imTOktj7A4Bt_F5T4RtZqm4iE_0u8Qb0dLGId6Lxz8NqGGoMmoC8rtHlhSdFSp6AOkiiHSNGKsyIaj-co50WNka4NC6NnU-eYKfuj8MXc_pa1Ht-DtgKzTlW4aS2YfBfYB_d19Xwog/s1600/Picture+014-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxv3imTOktj7A4Bt_F5T4RtZqm4iE_0u8Qb0dLGId6Lxz8NqGGoMmoC8rtHlhSdFSp6AOkiiHSNGKsyIaj-co50WNka4NC6NnU-eYKfuj8MXc_pa1Ht-DtgKzTlW4aS2YfBfYB_d19Xwog/s320/Picture+014-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">In February, this one will turn 18</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMf-sxf_LzTqzsDjwM7FFhqJrZwuUa9pnQCAqQHHsxZ_qS7hnapNILxdhl1pyKbY-CwVIkDMgJyL5isLxmVr9ggsMvFASzW-zh6HtqI9dVkKwrgpkiQ_gqZdMMWj-f2ZvyQJCq7e0bsukk/s1600/naked+with+bears+2-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMf-sxf_LzTqzsDjwM7FFhqJrZwuUa9pnQCAqQHHsxZ_qS7hnapNILxdhl1pyKbY-CwVIkDMgJyL5isLxmVr9ggsMvFASzW-zh6HtqI9dVkKwrgpkiQ_gqZdMMWj-f2ZvyQJCq7e0bsukk/s320/naked+with+bears+2-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">In April, this one will turn 16</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FX7RLuupaoM0zf1x2JeHk4CYQpciKH6xxCOEdQeawzC_Ob08fGZOjpmLMdZINQ-IAJmO4QpNgOwfM776pC1bqg6XqaT00Np7xjNmIxYEVk9Mpi4PBguQNbO-_qu24fMq403_xH20GdBd/s1600/109-0928_IMG-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FX7RLuupaoM0zf1x2JeHk4CYQpciKH6xxCOEdQeawzC_Ob08fGZOjpmLMdZINQ-IAJmO4QpNgOwfM776pC1bqg6XqaT00Np7xjNmIxYEVk9Mpi4PBguQNbO-_qu24fMq403_xH20GdBd/s320/109-0928_IMG-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">And then we will have our first graduation</span></b></i></div>
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I started praying and thinking about this year last spring. Not obsessively, but with intentionality - going into this year filled with milestones, last-firsts, and the emotions of graduating a first-born - I wanted to be prepared. God is in control of this year and I know that He wants me to be present for whatever lies ahead. So, I said "no" to some opportunities, scaled back my hours at my part-time job (thank you to Monica!), and did some organizing this summer. </div>
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So, there may be a lot of pictures on social media, and there may be few pictures and updates on social media...I do not know. What I do know is that I am living each day with certain priorities and everything else.....well, if it gets done - bonus - if it does not get done - it wasn't important.</div>
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That being said.....Evan is a Senior, Ann-Marie is a Sophomore, and Alec is a 7th grader. And I am so very thankful......</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-38029062518146339742017-08-23T17:53:00.000-07:002017-08-23T17:53:13.395-07:00NumbersI saw a picture of three beautiful ladies on Facebook this week, and through comments on their posts I realized that these were my mother's high school classmates and they were celebrating their 50th class reunion. 50! And then I realized, that is how my mom would have looked, at age 68 (because today is her birthday). And then I stared thinking about some big numbers coming up for me that are to be celebrated and remembered. <br />
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It all started with the number 7......being born in 1972 and my sisters were both born in the late 70s....I am partial to the number 7:<br />
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In November, 1987, my mom died in a farming accident. 30 years. That is a long time without a mom.....but also a long time in learning how to trust the Lord and appreciate the people He has brought into my life to support, encourage, and love me in her absence.<br />
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In September, 1997, I married my best friend. 20 years next month! It is hard to express after 20 years and 3 kids how much we have been through and how much deeper my love is for him. We can see how the Lord has carried us through so much and we are so very grateful.<br />
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In February 2007, we moved to Pennsylvania and in September 2007, we bought our first and only house. 10 years! The longest Darrell and I have lived in one place, apart from our growing up years. Western Pennsylvania was never a place I envisioned myself living, but for all of its quirks, it has been good to our family. God has blessed us and our children with wonderful friends.<br />
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And 2017 has been an amazing year, filled with unique travel opportunities and a huge goal reached for our family - a new beginning we hope.<br />
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A couple thoughts on these numbers.....these are just numbers, but it is good to remember and acknowledge what you have come through, not to dwell on the past, but to press forward with perspective from the past.<br />
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Finally, a thought I read on Wednesday's Word from Paul Tripp Ministries:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, serif; font-weight: 700;"><i>"Your faith must not be tied to your daily circumstances, but to the Lord, whose eternal presence, promises, and provisions are never altered by daily circumstances."</i></span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-13138431424547358012017-02-18T16:12:00.001-08:002017-02-18T16:12:41.697-08:00A 16th Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5XwMcB05usJMGKrodCi0YnexOLPqe3jwbM6y2qREvilkTnjjRlUIoJS_hrja3imyLLHABToL1b1_oJ8aCFT8C3c1gfL8yDHI8nUekuphOqgiZKYWpIBs8tgr7sGhBuqoXsRB6sME7Ju0/s1600/20170217_153841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5XwMcB05usJMGKrodCi0YnexOLPqe3jwbM6y2qREvilkTnjjRlUIoJS_hrja3imyLLHABToL1b1_oJ8aCFT8C3c1gfL8yDHI8nUekuphOqgiZKYWpIBs8tgr7sGhBuqoXsRB6sME7Ju0/s320/20170217_153841.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
So this guy turns 16 tomorrow....and it is a milestone for this mom that makes me a bit emotional.<br />
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You see, my mom died just short of 3 months before my 16th birthday.<br />
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Does this make me sad? It used to, but not anymore. It makes me grateful that I get to see my oldest turn 16. To be honest, losing a parent at a young age can give you a different perspective, and the perspective that I choose to have is thankfulness. It is a privilege to be a mom to three kids....it is a privilege to have a family.....it is a privilege to get up each day and face whatever I need to face. I am incredibly grateful to God for the gift of knowing my oldest longer than my mom knew me. I do not know how that sounds to someone who hasn't experienced a loss, but it is how I feel.<br />
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So here are some other things I am grateful for on the eve of Evan's 16th birthday;<br />
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<ul>
<li>how Evan has taught me how to listen more and talk less (although I am still working on this).</li>
<li>the passion Evan has for life - for growing in his faith, playing his sports, working on his school, and caring about his friends</li>
<li>I am thankful for Evan's friends, they are each wonderful people that I love having hang out at our house.</li>
<li>that Evan and I forgive each other easily.....we are both firstborn children and analytical thinkers....so we have to forgive each other often!</li>
<li>how much Evan cares for his family....I could not have picked a better older brother for Ann-Marie and Alec</li>
<li>that Evan talks freely to his dad and I.....the conversations are something we all enjoy (o.k., maybe his siblings don't, but the parents do.)</li>
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So Happy 16th Birthday to our Evan.....we are so very proud of the young man you are growing into!</div>
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<span class="bible-item-title-wrap" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;"><a class="bible-item-title" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A17&version=ESV" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">James 1:17</a></span></div>
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Every</b> <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">good</b> <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">gift</b> <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">and</b> <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">every</b> <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">perfect</b> <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">gift</b> is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-47502492175013396622016-12-18T06:01:00.001-08:002016-12-18T06:01:07.216-08:00<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Jerome Family Update 2016</h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I get to this point of the year and love to look back at what our family has done in the past 12 months. So here are our highlights for 2016:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Darrell's sister, Toni, turned 60 and we were able to celebrate with her.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVPsg8cYV3aPGw7Fs0nilFtpzjalYe8pynaEO2nfP3khZLznVmI58dpxMuGKpA0n6aFOSur0S5VjSUuZL5bI_iY0T29NOa_PEhcDD_4xHVnw2TNjC3P7V59M0xJAZ4wcPsado1guKUg9S/s1600/20160109_185714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVPsg8cYV3aPGw7Fs0nilFtpzjalYe8pynaEO2nfP3khZLznVmI58dpxMuGKpA0n6aFOSur0S5VjSUuZL5bI_iY0T29NOa_PEhcDD_4xHVnw2TNjC3P7V59M0xJAZ4wcPsado1guKUg9S/s320/20160109_185714.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Ann-Marie finished her Level 5 year with a 5th place finish on floor.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuVDnmHJXA3cm48NbIpoLoHEMRIejPCbPziw4zJH2ZiRBiIr9gqqDUL-O1XZaZvF-VySstqDotbjDgtehu4_cvjMRc_AkNavjR8A6gSmpAB5sbnW5aWqS2euiT9813TRJN7t9S5n0AtIp/s1600/bes_0264b_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuVDnmHJXA3cm48NbIpoLoHEMRIejPCbPziw4zJH2ZiRBiIr9gqqDUL-O1XZaZvF-VySstqDotbjDgtehu4_cvjMRc_AkNavjR8A6gSmpAB5sbnW5aWqS2euiT9813TRJN7t9S5n0AtIp/s320/bes_0264b_500.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBKdW0UshU4zxt3dMYQBHE3pcH9g8sV29uDKcK9v6oyUKXjkbN8G9VN5ltH7oQVntV3H2wR_Q4akBAx7LdYruwEa-rqh8WnskSVHt0g-kfPLWAZojRZGUlz4FViEcNELwF1XZIR3heo0n/s1600/20160403_163133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBKdW0UshU4zxt3dMYQBHE3pcH9g8sV29uDKcK9v6oyUKXjkbN8G9VN5ltH7oQVntV3H2wR_Q4akBAx7LdYruwEa-rqh8WnskSVHt0g-kfPLWAZojRZGUlz4FViEcNELwF1XZIR3heo0n/s320/20160403_163133.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Evan completed his freshman year playing basketball with the Plants & Pillars Basketball team. Basketball continues to be his favorite sport.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiobu6zBq4wviYEPOPBV5M7NXGgGPMiW-MjZG4bMMcmG2-xqembOkKnknY6xfjHLZOhjGhJwHIpBEC8xtOA5ap9UxxzGDknDNK361nJnar99HVWShRvJnrbF-BmlRPtUhkP1zJ12PRU74Q/s1600/IMG_20160211_214517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiobu6zBq4wviYEPOPBV5M7NXGgGPMiW-MjZG4bMMcmG2-xqembOkKnknY6xfjHLZOhjGhJwHIpBEC8xtOA5ap9UxxzGDknDNK361nJnar99HVWShRvJnrbF-BmlRPtUhkP1zJ12PRU74Q/s320/IMG_20160211_214517.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Alec also played basketball for the first time with the 4th-6th grade team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">School continues on at the Jerome Academy.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Ann-Marie babysat all summer for the first time. We fell in love with this little guy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The second kid in our family had to get glasses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Ann-Marie turned 13! Our second teenager......</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPGDbqezNhrXzpTsLyzK6KIJXCUkJSNreyeLxKYSKaTZonACYHzBICXqIgWMGti0EfRssi46aHyJdrggHFZc8gdAJo4j-Yn4FTChNGfiPoyZDN8B7T16YEjN5_Q-wBar_p6XAk26Iz8qM/s1600/20160427_082755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPGDbqezNhrXzpTsLyzK6KIJXCUkJSNreyeLxKYSKaTZonACYHzBICXqIgWMGti0EfRssi46aHyJdrggHFZc8gdAJo4j-Yn4FTChNGfiPoyZDN8B7T16YEjN5_Q-wBar_p6XAk26Iz8qM/s320/20160427_082755.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsNn_r_tfkjwqK_9Vw56OrQzwtpUaP7AYRzZSem4R-UxkGic-AxZt4cqwYrUcnWsbcZF1ClPebff1-teDO8KVXRN93-btUacP-2DvR29FK02WY5pi4ewGTZ9Io9bQTzdkM6zOlPHAtEcu/s1600/20160507_130537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsNn_r_tfkjwqK_9Vw56OrQzwtpUaP7AYRzZSem4R-UxkGic-AxZt4cqwYrUcnWsbcZF1ClPebff1-teDO8KVXRN93-btUacP-2DvR29FK02WY5pi4ewGTZ9Io9bQTzdkM6zOlPHAtEcu/s320/20160507_130537.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> And I was able to fly back to Iowa to celebrate my sister's 40th birthday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We enjoyed a trip to Kalahari.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And we always enjoy being outdoors....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We were able to buy a second vehicle, for which we are very thankful for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We snuck in a couple of visits with our friends, the Shullenbarger family, and ran a very hot, "fastest mile" race.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoB1QnJZ4pSaxRUj-rSZwqeMBxmiwlvv5s9sVh7BiovOrUlT_OJaGw0l09EiHI_bLPzksBUl3PipjoTQ6IfYzm7JiM3lSGRvTOaCGSCW_z6o2_3X4Tfsj0xGdWXWkqu1n1dSZC-jZzwZJi/s1600/20160611_165914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoB1QnJZ4pSaxRUj-rSZwqeMBxmiwlvv5s9sVh7BiovOrUlT_OJaGw0l09EiHI_bLPzksBUl3PipjoTQ6IfYzm7JiM3lSGRvTOaCGSCW_z6o2_3X4Tfsj0xGdWXWkqu1n1dSZC-jZzwZJi/s320/20160611_165914.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Alec participated in gymnastics and soccer, as well as soccer camps and stayed busy with friend activities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We undertook some home improvements, which ended up including replacing our roof and front porch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Ann-Marie stays busy with activities with her gymnastics friends....</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We visited Kennywood as well as Waldemeer, which was new to us. We were able to also spend a day at Lake Erie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our biggest trip of the year was driving across country visiting my family from Illinois to Colorado! We were able to see all of my family along the way, make some amazing memories, and Darrell attended his New York Life conference in Denver, Colorado. The drive was long, but the time with family and adventures we had were precious and worth it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The new school year started out in Colorado, with Evan starting his sophomore year with PACyber on the road. Ann-Marie is in 8th grade and Alec is in 5th.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Evan participated in another year of soccer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We celebrated our niece's wedding. Congratulations to Jacob & Natalie!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Alec celebrated his 11th birthday.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Ann-Marie started her Level 6 gymnastics year with winning 1st place all-around in her age group.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We were able to get family pictures taken (thank you Christy Grace Photography!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Merry Christmas to you and your family! And we pray that you have a wonderful New Year!</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-7312110656396570312016-11-03T15:46:00.000-07:002016-11-03T15:46:41.860-07:00Whatever.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="bible-item-title-wrap" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;"><a class="bible-item-title" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A8&version=ESV" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b23526; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-offset: -2px; outline: -webkit-focus-ring-color auto 5px;">Philippians 4:8</a> </span></div>
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Finally, brothers, <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">whatever</b> is true, <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">whatever</b> is honorable, <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">whatever</b> is just, <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">whatever</b> is pure, <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">whatever</b> is lovely, <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">whatever</b> is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.</div>
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It was a perfect early November day with crystal clear skies. As a 15 year old, it was just another school day for me. As I walked out the door that morning, we had a disagreement, my mom and I.....just another difficult interaction in the complicated relationship between a teenage girl and her mother. As I walked out the door to catch the school bus, she called after me, "I love you," to which I replied, "Whatever."</div>
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WHATEVER.</div>
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That word will forever linger in my conscientiousness, a careless reply laced with a negative attitude that cannot be taken back.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftipoXkhtFC0Qy6P8-txAIhhWwXAeWSkPHk9eEiMKovdNc5o0Skn1cOsWDGeOSaGD9JTgPGoA7yJepgDzdjhNxXNtMjGCDeieXGThomj4WC1X10p4r9x1YO1JYWL6y_l1dSxY_MnY8zCr/w1059-h794-no/" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftipoXkhtFC0Qy6P8-txAIhhWwXAeWSkPHk9eEiMKovdNc5o0Skn1cOsWDGeOSaGD9JTgPGoA7yJepgDzdjhNxXNtMjGCDeieXGThomj4WC1X10p4r9x1YO1JYWL6y_l1dSxY_MnY8zCr/w1059-h794-no/" width="400" /></a></div>
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That afternoon, I took the activity bus home to an empty house. What I should have been doing was putting on my chore clothes to help with the evening chores, but I had already decided to stick around the house and conveniently miss chores with the excuse of a "late" activity bus. I gazed out our kitchen window, taking in a stunning sunset which cast a glow over the field that my mom was harvesting.....or so I thought. The still combine sat in that field, and unbeknownst to me, she was already dead. And forever, my last words to her would be "WHATEVER."</div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Proverbs 16:23-25</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">English Standard Version (ESV)</span></h1>
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<span class="text Prov-16-23" id="en-ESV-16864" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-16864A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16864A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-16-23" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and adds persuasiveness to his lips.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="text Prov-16-24" id="en-ESV-16865" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-16865B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16865B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Gracious words are like <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-16865C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16865C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>a honeycomb,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-16-24" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">sweetness to the soul and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-16865D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16865D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>health to the body.</span></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Proverbs 17:27-28</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 14px;">English Standard Version (ESV)</span></div>
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<span class="text Prov-17-27" id="en-ESV-16901" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">27 </span>Whoever <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-16901A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16901A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>restrains his words has knowledge,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-17-27" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="text Prov-17-28" id="en-ESV-16902" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">28 </span>Even a fool <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-16902B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16902B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>who keeps silent is considered wise;</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-17-28" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.</span></span></div>
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Obviously, I am a slow learner. I have used my words carelessly since that day, and I have a lot of regrets with how I have hurt others with my words. My hope, my prayer, is that my story will help others be more careful with their words. It has been painful to live with the fact that I was so careless with the last words that I spoke to my mother. This pain almost killed me, because it ate at me from the inside. I allowed it to fester, consumed with anger, filling my life with destructive behaviors to deaden the pain. There is good news - once I let Jesus Christ heal that pain, I no longer live with that anger or with the destructive behaviors. I know that I am forgiven, and along with that, I know that my mother has forgiven me as well.</div>
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On this anniversary of that day that my mother died, I want to share this story with you. I want to be transparent about what happened so that the hope that I have will be shared with others that desperately need that hope. That hope only comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ. The peace I can have after all that has happened in my life is available to anyone who seeks it.</div>
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So the words "WHATEVER" have a different meaning in my life now. I am more careful with the words I use, spoken outloud or written, because I know the power of words. And before I leave the house, every single day, I make sure that my husband and my kids hear the words, "I love you," because you never know when those last words will be spoken.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-120353502282390472016-05-07T17:39:00.000-07:002016-05-07T17:40:08.624-07:00Before and After<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is spring....which means trees blooming, baby animals appearing, warmer and wetter weather, and before and after pictures. Before and after pictures? Ah yes, the weight loss season. We have to get our flabby, winter bodies ready for swimsuit season. No matter how one has treated their body during winter, the hope comes every spring that our bodies will be ready to wear that cute, new swimsuit. So we are inundated with the weight loss advertisement's use of before and after pictures. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have been thinking a lot lately about "before and after." We all have "before and after" stories; maybe it is of weight loss or a healthier lifestyle, but it may also be about more serious issues we deal with in life. This concept of "before and after" hit me recently as I read a quote from a book I am reading. The book is "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt. As of this writing, I have not finished the book. I think I will, but the book has taken some understandably gritty paths and I was, at one point, tempted to walk away from the book. However, at some level, I could see myself walking down the paths that the main character has traveled, if I had not experienced the "before and after" of my story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The main character is talking about the sudden and traumatic death of his mother when he was a teenager: "As it was, she died when I was a kid; and though everything that's happened to me since then is thoroughly my own fault, still when I lost her I lost sight of any landmark that might have led me someplace happier, to some more populated or congenial life. Her death the dividing mark: Before and After." This quote stopped me in my tracks. It was as if the author was talking about my experience with the death of my mom. If you know my story, there were years after my mom's death in which I made poor choices with my life and went down roads that were not healthy for me. I had lost my landmark.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Landmark is defined by dictionary.com as <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">a prominent or conspicuous object on land that serves as a guide and </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">something</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">used</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">to</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">mark</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">the</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">boundary</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; line-height: 22px;">land. When my mom died, I was 15 years old and even though I was at an age where I was learning who I was apart from my parents, my mom still was definitely my landmark. She marked my boundaries, she was my guide. When she suddenly died, I lost sight of where it was that I should go; my boundaries were gone. Although she had given me the tradition of faith (I grew up in a Methodist home), I had not internalized that faith and did not use it as a landmark in my life.</span></span><br />
<span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I thank God that He gave me another "Before and After." It was years later that He led my husband and I to a church where we both found a solid landmark - Jesus. It was not until I allowed Jesus to change my life, to take control of my life, and to use Him as my landmark that my life turned around. I now understand that another person cannot serve as my landmark - it can only be Jesus. People will fail you, they will leave you, and it is not healthy to rely heavily on another person as your landmark. In my experience, once that landmark is gone, you are lost, adrift, trying to find something else to fill that role in your life. </span></span><br />
<span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is because of my "Before and After" stories that I do not desire to be my children's landmark. I want to love them well, be there for them, listen to them, guide and coach them, discipline them, enjoy them - but I want to point them to the landmark that never, ever moves or leaves them. So on this Mother's Day Eve, I would challenge you to ask yourself two questions: (1) what or who is your landmark? and (2) What landmark are you pointing your children to?</span></span><br />
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<i><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Psalm 89:47</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">English Standard Version (ESV)</span></i></h1>
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<i><b><span class="text Ps-89-47" id="en-ESV-15374" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">47 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15374A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15374A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Remember <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15374B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15374B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>how short my <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15374C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15374C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>time is!</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-89-47" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">For what vanity you have created all the children of man!</span></span></b></i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-75901115866884723942016-02-26T18:15:00.002-08:002016-02-26T18:48:31.173-08:00Thinking About Community<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Neighborhood (from Dictionary.com): </span></b> <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">area</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">or</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">region</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">around</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">or</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">near</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">some</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">place</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">or</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">thing;</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22px;">vicinity:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><b>Community (from Dictionary.com):</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">social</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">group</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">any</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">size</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">whose</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">members</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">reside</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">specific</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">locality, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">share</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">government,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">often</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">have</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">common</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">cultural</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">historical </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">heritage; </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">locality</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">inhabited</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">such</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">group; </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">a</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">social,</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">religious,</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">occupational,</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">or</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">other</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">group</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">sharing</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">common </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">characteristics</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">or</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">interests</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">and</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">perceived</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">or</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">perceiving</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">itself</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">as</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">distinct </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">in</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">some</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">respect</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">from</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">the</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">larger</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">society</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">within</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">which</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">it</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">exists</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">(usually </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">preceded</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">by</span> </span><span class="dbox-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; display: inline; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; line-height: 22px;">the</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">):</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliLLUt-ykyZ5qnkeMftbLl9HhVf1YvqrSme5t1HuzAvRvarIr3xn3B96MxGtsoyE80sIxSWB0HlMTRG6hyMIadZGMjiKL06iGWoqxpdVNzpd1O5qJIoDcPtMNoW6bgHUv_mUgenYqZfYY/s1600/20160224_153343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliLLUt-ykyZ5qnkeMftbLl9HhVf1YvqrSme5t1HuzAvRvarIr3xn3B96MxGtsoyE80sIxSWB0HlMTRG6hyMIadZGMjiKL06iGWoqxpdVNzpd1O5qJIoDcPtMNoW6bgHUv_mUgenYqZfYY/s320/20160224_153343.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
This picture.....yes, the one with the dirty laundry of a family of five and a broken washing machine.....that is a picture of love in a community. But I will get back to that.......<br />
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Growing up on a farm in Iowa, I did not get the neighborhood experience. My closest friend lived a miles (yes, a whole mile) away from me (and yes, I did walk that once or twice). However, the farming families of Iowa were intentional in creating a COMMUNITY, maybe not one based on how close in mileage your neighbors were, like a neighborhood, but a COMMUNITY of shared experiences, relationships, and culture. I never felt that I lacked for COMMUNITY, and when we were in need, it was COMMUNITY that surrounded us in love.<br />
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I found COMMUNITY in both of the undergrad colleges that I attended......COMMUNITY in the military....COMMUNITY in Maryland through our church. <br />
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Then, nine years ago, Darrell and I decided to move our (then) young family - Evan (6), Ann-Marie (3), and Alec (15 months) - to Beaver County, Pennsylvania.....away from the COMMUNITY we had been investing in for the past 7 years. All of our children had been born in Maryland and we were finally at a time where we felt comfortable in the area.....but due to job difficulties, cost of living, and desiring to be closer to family, we decided to move.<br />
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Beaver County, Pennsylvania.....a place where (upon first glance) everyone either went to high school together, was related somehow, or had connections to one another. I had never lived there....how in the world was I going to find a COMMUNITY.....one that cared about me as much as I wanted to care about them? At the stage of life I was at.....how was I going to find the time and energy to invest in, connect with, and build relationships like that? I was terrified.<br />
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Nine years later.....and I can tell you that we have found that COMMUNITY....the kind of COMMUNITY that surrounds each other in times of happiness and in sorrow and in the everyday normal stuff that happens. Back to the picture.....this is the kind of COMMUNITY that takes your dirty laundry into their own homes to wash it for you because your washing machine has been broken for 3 weeks (my very dear husband has tried and tried to fix it, but to no avail.....we will be getting a new machine soon.) And this is not just one or two friends.....but several friends who have stepped up with offers of practical help. (Now those are some good friends who are willing to wash and fold your family's underwear!)<br />
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How did we find such a loving and gracious COMMUNITY? I have been thinking about this a lot lately due to our laundry situation, and have come up with three thoughts about forming COMMUNITY:<br />
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1. <b>Vulnerability</b>: You have to let them in. Sometimes it is easier to seek people out then to let them in. I have not always been very good at this, and I still struggle with it. But in order for connection to take place, you have to be real. Forming COMMUNITY is not sharing (in life or on social media) only what is going well in your life or your "perfect" side, but also your struggles, where you do not have it together, and your difficulties. People want to see the real YOU before they want to commit to forming a COMMUNITY with you.<br />
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2. <b>Availability</b>: This one is hard also....I didn't say COMMUNITY was easy. You do have to be available for someone else. This might mean being available when they need to talk, being available to help them out, or being available to do something practical for them. If you do not make space in your life for others, it is likely you will have a hard time finding COMMUNITY.<br />
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3. <b>Give AND Take</b>: Oh, how easy it is for most of us to give. We want the satisfaction that we will never be the one in need. But that is the opposite of how COMMUNITY works. You have to be able to take graciously also (see laundry picture - handing over your dirty clothes is NOT easy).<br />
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So thank you.....thank you to our church (Pathway), thank you to our homeschool coop and athletic organization (Plants and Pillars), thank you to our gymnastics family (Arcadia), and thank you to our neighbors, friends, and family in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where we have found a wonderful COMMUNITY.<br />
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From my Bible reading this morning:<br />
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Hebrews 10:24-25</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">English Standard Version (ESV)</span></span></h1>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Heb-10-24" id="en-ESV-30141" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>And <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30141A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30141A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,</span><span class="text Heb-10-25" id="en-ESV-30142" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30142B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30142B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30142C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30142C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>all the more as you see <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30142D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30142D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the Day drawing near.</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-30561984864547215492015-01-04T15:08:00.001-08:002015-01-04T15:08:22.214-08:00Christmas 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">BEST.....CHRISTMAS.....EVER!</span></div>
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We enjoyed a lot of fun family time this Christmas....starting with <a href="http://www.kraynaks.com/">Kraynaks</a> in Hermitage, PA. Then to <a href="http://www.daffins.com/">Daffins</a> Candies, and finishing our evening with a meal at the <a href="http://thelube.com/locations/pennsylvania/the-original-sharon/">Original Quaker Steak and Lube</a>.</div>
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Our Christmas tree was fat, fat, fat this year....and had a little problem standing up straight!</div>
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Ravioli making day was a hit....Ann-Marie became a pro at rolling the dough....too bad she can't eat it!</div>
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Some of the goodies we made...yum!</div>
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We always take a day to go into Pittsburgh at Christmas time....we started at the <a href="http://carnegiemnh.org/">National History Museum </a>in Pittsburgh to see the trees and the creche.</div>
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Then we went to the <a href="http://www.tour.pitt.edu/tour-categories/cathedral-of-learning">Cathedral of Learning</a> on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh to visit their decorated rooms....<br />
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And a stop at Market Square for lunch/dinner and browsing the market shops.<br />
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A Christmas hair-straightening for Ann-Marie and then.....</div>
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It was Christmas!!!!!!</div>
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And Christmas Dinner at Mark and JoAnne's house with Pap as Santa.....</div>
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To top it off.....our annual stop at the light display in Zelienople, PA.<br />
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Also, introducing "Broccoli".....our Christmas present to replace "Blueberry"<br />
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Not to be outdone....Darrell took Paula into Pittsburgh on a date night and enjoyed the lights at <a href="http://phipps.conservatory.org/visit-phipps/index.aspx">Phipps Conservatory</a> and ate at a wonderful Asian restaurant.</div>
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New Year's Eve at a friend's house with our closest friends.....unfortunately, Darrell and Ann-Marie were under the weather, so only the boys and I were able to watch the ball drop!</div>
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We pray your Christmas was filled with wonderful memories and wish you all a very Happy New Year!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-92012446919651988432015-01-04T14:48:00.000-08:002015-01-04T14:49:16.024-08:00Alec's 9th Birthday party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last child in the single digits....next year will be the BIG 10! On his actual birthday, he enjoyed cinnamon rolls for breakfast, rotisserie chicken for lunch (from Costco - his favorite!), and pizza for dinner. And his gifts were all about Legos!</div>
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We held his birthday party the Saturday after Thanksgiving......it was a Batman-themed party with eight 7-10 year old boys.....lots of action!<br />
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We opened up our double garage for the activities.....unfreeze Batman with squirt guns - we used hot water as it was COLD in the garage!<br />
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Four square is a huge hit with this age group!!!!</div>
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Pin the Batarang on Joker....thank you again to Jessica for the wonderful drawing!!! </div>
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Great party, wonderful friends, activities to keep the boys busy, and plentiful food!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-71370449220248925862015-01-04T14:37:00.002-08:002015-01-04T14:37:25.547-08:00Fall Fun 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know....it has been a long time since we posted, but here are my catch-up posts from 2014.....and what has been keeping me from the computer....<br />
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A certain someone turned 49 (which means 2015 is the big 5-0!)</div>
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Soccer, soccer, and more soccer.....</div>
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Lots of fun friends....</div>
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and an unimpressed preteen....</div>
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Family hikes (well, one anyway)...</div>
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finished a girl's room redo....</div>
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celebrated Halloween with some interesting costumes.....</div>
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snuck in some more family time......</div>
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our resident Veteran was able to wear his uniform and serve at a Veteran's Day Dinner at our church....</div>
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getting some one-on-one with the youngest.....</div>
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an unusually warm fall - but not complaining....</div>
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Ann-Marie's First 1st place all around ever in a gymnastics meet....thus her first trophy....</div>
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starting the boys' room redo.....</div>
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then another first place win for Ann-Marie.....</div>
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and basketball has started....</div>
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So there are several reasons to have a quiet blog.....a busy season of life here!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-65751191045410708182014-10-30T14:15:00.001-07:002014-10-30T14:16:59.345-07:00The transformation of a girl's bedroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
When we moved into this house in 2007, Ann-Marie was 4 years old. Her Pap paints houses, interior and exterior, for a living. So, he offered to paint the kids' rooms when we moved in. Ann-Marie chose her wall color - a bright, Pepto Bismal pink. I intensely disliked this color (yes, I hated it), but it made a certain little girl very happy. It was so bright that at night, her room made the street outside glow pink! My sister-in-law, Maura, gave us my niece's bedroom set....a beautiful white canopy bed (we never did turn it into a canopy) and a dresser, nightstand and desk - gold hardware, perfect little girl bedroom. Add a couple of Ikea curtains, a couple of princess wall hangings and we were done!</div>
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Until Ann-Marie turned 10 that is. And she started not liking pink and was growing out of her little girl pink phase. Little did I know that she was scheming with Pap again. Surprise...her 10th birthday present was another painting of her room by Pap!</div>
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Now, I will tell you....I do NOT like decorating. It is NOT a talent of mine, I do not change decorations, or furniture, or wall colors very often (we're talking decades.) In fact, in the past, I was satisfied with moving every 7 years - that's my level of decorating. Give me a good cabinet to organize, schedule to overhaul, curriculum to make work. Just don't give me a room I have to decorate!</div>
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So Ann-Marie's room - now a lovely shade of blue (I do LOVE this color) stayed pretty much the same. I never did take a picture of it......think blue walls with the Ikea curtains and pink bedspread. So, for her 11th birthday, she asked for a room makeover. </div>
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Her birthday was in April......we just (almost) finished the room.....it is the end of October. Things move fast at the Jerome household!</div>
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Her birthday present.....the bedspread. With her birthday money, she bought the lime green/white striped curtains at Wal-mart. The blue lamp was bought at Target. And she was promised an update to her dresser, nightstand and desk. We weren't prepared to buy any furniture new and we liked how the white looked against the bold, blue walls. So we searched Pinterest, and came up with the idea of painting the drawers of the dresser, nightstand, and desk. With a trip to Home Depot, we found a perfect shade of lime green spray paint and began the (long) process of pulling out her drawers, painting them, and returning them. We LOVED the new look to the furniture, but we didn't LOVE the gold hardware. There were 4 flower pulls, which we liked the look, but not the color of. So with silver spray paint, that I already had, we covered them and loved the look of silver against the lime green. The 6 other pulls were antique-looking, which we didn't love.....so we went to Home Depot and found some silver pulls that were a similar color to the flowers. </div>
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Some of her new wall hangings are a character sketch a local artist did of her at a friend's birthday party, a framed picture of her life verse (Proverbs 3:5-6), and a string of lime green lights hanging off her bed.</div>
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Right after her 10th birthday, we did pull the wooden doors off her closet, much to Darrell's displeasure as they will be very hard to put back on if we want to sell this place some day. We found a curtain and created an art/writing center in her closet. So half of her closet is a closet for clothes, the other half is an art/writing center with a very small desk.</div>
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What is not done yet.....the tops of the dresser, nightstand, and desk need to be repainted white, as they are pretty scratched up and marked up. We might do some painting of her bed, but we're still thinking about what we will do. Otherwise, we are very pleased with how the room turned out!<br />
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Next up - the boys' room. The concept - changing it from a dinosaur themed room to a Steelers football themed room. Paint has been chosen and bought. Goal - complete before Evan is a Senior in High School!Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06245008075395590935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-42650221806942074802014-08-31T18:41:00.001-07:002014-08-31T18:41:36.263-07:00New School Year 2014-2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We officially started school last Monday. Evan is an 8th grader - last year in Middle School. He is taking three High School classes to transition him into High School next year. It is hard to believe we have a child that old now.<br />
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Ann-Marie is officially a new Middle School student - a sixth grader. She moved up into youth group, which she was very excited about.<br />
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Alec is an upper elementary student - 3rd grade! He was the only one who would take a "tradition school picture."<br />
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We hope your school year has started off smoothly!Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06245008075395590935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1084460372425876378.post-58895516902850612862014-08-31T18:38:00.002-07:002014-08-31T18:38:19.679-07:00Relaxing at Lake Erie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We were able to take a day trip to Lake Erie before school started....just one day to relax and enjoy each other. Lake Erie is the closest thing to the ocean that we have here....just beautiful!<br />
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<br />Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06245008075395590935noreply@blogger.com2