Busy as a bee

I've been busy.  So of course there has been a lax in posting.   Basically, when I have down time... oh wait, that hasn't been able to happen.  I can't complain though as I have enjoyed everything I have been doing.  Well, except for the laundry I did today. 

Jennie, Preston and I are fully moved in and coming to a routine.  This weekend our power was shut off because of an issue between our management company and the power company however management put Jennie and I up in a hotel room for the night, took care of Preston, and helped us move our food to an empty unit so I can't complain too much.  It did take a chunk out of the weekend however we got a free breakfast at the hotel out of the deal...  and last night Teesha and Joel came over to the hotel to chat and catch up.  I keep looking at the 4 of us in the hotel room, chatting and acting like everything was normal.  And I realized again how lucky I am.  That home for me is not in 4 walls but in my friends who I have surrounding me.  I feel so blessed to have such amazing friends (and one fabulous roommate)!!  And that God provide for me wherever I am.  He can always find me.  Even in a hotel about 2 miles from where I currently call home. 

Last weekend I drove down to Destin, Florida for Labor Day Retreat with my church.  I can't say enough great things about the time we spent down there.  Weather was beautiful!! Perry Noble was the speaker and he rocked our socks off!!

The beach was fantastic!! The socials were great, the food was good, and I had an amazing time catching up with Abby and LeAnn, as we drove there and back together and Abby made me lunches.

I also got to connect with a few guys I've meet throughout the summer at different events and met some new people as well.  I felt so blessed being there.  And, I've uploaded the photos here...

My First Skydive!!!

Sooooo... I've got all the pictures uploaded and have the video ready to go...

Check me out!! Haha!! I had a blast jumping with my friend Zach and my tandem partner Liam.  If you are in the ATL area and want to go skydiving go to Skydive Monroe.  I had a blast!!!  And what made it even better... my parents were able to watch!!

Before going my mom was terrified however once she saw the facility, the plane, how they pack the shoot, spoke to the skydivers, etc she was fine.  When we first got to Monroe there were a bunch of clouds, which pushed back every one's jumps a few hours but we were then able to watch 2 other groups of people go before we went.  That was fun to see!!! Around 1pm we were finally able to jump and man was it fun!! I was shocked at how not nervous I was.  I couldn't believe it.  But, I guess that's a good thing.

Maybe I'll get to go again!  Now if I can only talk my parents into going with me...

Odessa & Eric's Wedding Pictures!!

I have uploaded the pictures I took from Odessa & Eric's wedding. You can see them by clicking here or under pictures in the side bar.  It was an amazingly beautiful weekend and I had a blast.  I feel so privileged to be a part of their special day.  Teesha & I had so much fun being bridesmaids and roommates for the weekend.  The flights were uneventful (which is more than I could say for any trip last year), her Mom is an amazing Jamaican cook (yummo!), the drive was pretty easy, our suitemates were super fun, Odessa was an amazing bride, and everything was super relaxed. 

Thursday was the rehearsal and dinner at their wedding rental house... on the ocean!!  Then Friday we had breakfast at the Stuffed Pig (which I couldn't seem to get the name right all weekend, wanting to call it the Piggly Wiggly), enjoyed watching Odessa get her hair done, and then hung out together pre-wedding. 

The wedding was beautiful!! God can sure create an amazing backdrop!! I was so excited to be with my friends during their ceremony.  I was so happy for them.  And then the pictures during the sunset...

I can't wait to see the final results. Once I have them I'll also add them to the picture link.  Afterwards we had a great time eating, dancing and having dessert!  Then we waved good-bye to the happily married couple as their limo whisked them off to an undisclosed location and we headed back to our townhouse and hung out with some of the rest of the guests at the pool until about 3am. 

Saturday was another amazing day, which started out with a thunderstorm.  I watched it from the porch as I drank tea and ate some fruit.  After the weather cleared up we headed back to the Stuffed Pig for brunch before going snorkeling.  Teesha has some great pictures of us girls in our outfits as soon as she puts them online I'll add them here as well.  The fish and the coral were so beautifully amazing... and we got to swim with barracudas.  Can you believe it?? 

After snorkeling we headed back to the pool to sunbath before going to dinner at the resorts restaurant.  Seriously some of the most amazing food I have ever ate.  Sangria, mango/avocado salad with the best dressing ever, panko crusted grouper with this mango/starfish puree that was to die for, and 3 different desserts that we ladies shared (and I finished off)... key lime pie, chocolate lava cake, and date cake with toffee.  The management of the restaurant loved us so much that they even gave us some port to finish of the experience.  We loved them so much that we had our pictures taken with the chef and our waitress. 

They had to roll me out of there.  Not wanting the night to end we headed back to the pool to watch the stars.  As we were all falling asleep on our chairs we decided to crawl into bed.

I woke up Sunday to sunshine streaming into the window so I headed down to the beach for one final hour of ocean-side sunbathing.  Then packed up, ate brunch with Teesha at LeeAnn's More Than A Coffeeshop... which had phenomenal food... before heading back to Ft. Lauderdale to see T's Mom, sister and cousin.  At the airport we watched Spain win the World Cup and then jumped on the plane back to reality. 

It was a beautiful vacation and wonderful wedding!!

Gone Country?!?!?!

I have to admit, I was excited to visit Dan and Doc, however I didn't think I would like the weather or the 'rough living' lifestyle. However I LOVED it!! The entire trip was great!!! I couldn't have asked for a better time... thanks so much Dan, Nate & Doc for such a wonderful time at Outwest Guides!!!

Dan and Nate at The Cook Shack

Dan and Me Horseback

Doc and his spunky personality!!

I arrived Wednesday morning and actually was early... can you believe it!?!?! We landed before 9am, and my arrival time was scheduled for 9:15am!! I was super excited as I arrived in the *huge* Aspen airport and went to baggage claim to meet up with Dan however he was nowhere to be seen. Ok, I thought, I'll get ready... so I went to the bathroom and came back out. Still no Dan. I walked to the cafe, the store and back to the baggage claim (those are the only places available for Dan to wait inside) but he wasn't there. I called his phone but it went straight to voicemail so I left a message. I walked around some more and found a magazine about Aspen. I took a picture inside the airport. I sat and played solitaire on my phone. Still no sign of my brother. Weird...

I left a few more messages on his phone before he finally picked up. He was on his way and thought that I was supposed to land after 10am. Oops! Miss communication. I walked outside and realized I needed more cloths on. Since I had some time I went back into the restroom and put on my long underwear (I kept calling them my underpants to Dan & Nate which made them laugh). I sat back down and started reading the Aspen magazine. Quite interesting I have to say!

Around 10am Dan did make it to pick me up and we went to a Round-Up that the local outfitters were having. It was the first time they had gotten together like this and it was to build comradely between the outfitters. Apparently outfitters can get quite nasty if they aren't friends so they are trying to build rapport with each other. And, I was able to watch how they each take care of their horses, how the saddle up, how they pack the mules as well as hear a bunch of cowboy/outfitter stories!!

Once we had lunch we all packed up and headed out. Dan, Nate and I went to town to do some grocery shopping and to pick up a few things needed back at the ranch. Once home to Nate's cabin we sat a minute and then went to let the horses out. Finally we ate dinner... I was famished!! It was the best fajitas that I have ever had :)

After dinner Dan and I went to his cabin... which is AWESOME!! It is the coolest place I have seen. It was built in the 1800's by a sheep herding family. It is all propane (no electricity up there), has a bathroom, small kitchen, living room with a couch and wood burning stove, and an upstairs loft with 2 beds. It's very rustic and absolutely cool! Well, cool and it was cold so Dan did a very, very good job of keeping the fire going so I would stay warm all night... what brotherly love!!

Side note, even Nate's cabin has no electricity. They do all heat by wood burning stove however Nate's place has solar power and a back up generator so he has a computer, TV & radio.

Wednesday night Dan and I chatted while drinking beers by the fire. Can you believe it... I had a beer... well 1/2 a can. I drank the second 1/2 the next night... haha!!

Rise and shine sleepy head! We woke up at 6:30am... ugh early!! Much earlier than I wake up at home. But there is work to be done. Dan made some coffee while I got dressed. After drinking our cup we drove to the horses. The weather was awful Thursday morning... rainy and c-c-cold!! Dan rounded the horses and then we made it to Nate's for breakfast. Dan and Nate had cereal and I had left-over fajitas!! No milk for me!!

Dan was supposed to take out a ride in the A.M. however with the weather so bad they moved the ride to the next day. Instead, Dan went out and pounded fence posts while Nate and I stayed in and worked on the website and fliers I have been putting together. After getting that together Dan came in for lunch and then back out to work. Nate and I drove down to the mailbox (which is at the bottom of the mountain). On the way back up we picked up Dan and we headed in to watch a movie. Nate decided that with this kinda weather work was done for the day.

Of course, as soon as we headed in the sun came out. It was still pretty chilly but it was nice to see sun. We watched the movie, changed and went to town for dinner and a rodeo. It was my first rodeo, but Nate says it doesn't count. I did, however, get to wear a real cowboy hat!! Fun stuff!! We ate dinner at the only fast food joint that is in Carbondale... subway. I haven't ate there in forever but it was really good. The rodeo had a few people bull riding (like 7) and Nate thought they were all horrible. Most the rest of the 3 hours was spent watching kid events. It was hilarious!!

Friday was BEAUTIFUL!! Couldn't ask for a better day so Dan and I walked to the horses so he could round them up and then we headed to Nate's place for breakfast. After breakfast I watched Dan get the 3 horses ready so we could go for our ride. I didn't realize how much work went into saddling up the horse. Once he was done we headed into Marble to pick up the rider then the 3 of us went on a 2 hour ride up and back down the mountain. It was beautiful and I took a ton of pictures (don't want Mom to be mad and she totally would be if I missed any photo opportunity)!

After our ride I made Dan and me lunch. Nate had been out shoeing horses and had already had his lunch. I made grilled egg and ham sandwiches. I haven't had that combo before but I have to say it was really good!! Love cowboy food!! After lunch Dan went back to work while I cleaned up. When I went back out Nate and Dan were working on two horses. They had to trim the hoofs and then work on taming them. It was fun to watch Dan and Nate work in the Round Pen. Dan is just learning how to tame horses and Nate has been doing it since he was 10 so he mostly watched and gave instruction to Dan. When needed Nate would step in and show Dan what he needed to learn. I took a ton of pictures and you will absolutely love them all!

Then it was time for dinner. There is one restaurant in the town of Marble called The Cook Shack, a BBQ joint, and its only open Thursday thru Sunday. Luckily it was Friday so we were able to eat there! Dan and Nate saddled the horses (I helped by brushing them) and we rode down to dinner. I had yummy pulled pork, coleslaw, and corn with jalapeno corn bread. Dan and Nate had their burger... all great!! Dan and I finished the night with a piece of chocolate cake!! Yumm-O!!

By the time we made it back up to the ranch it was dark! Dan and I had a quick beer by the fire and then went to bed! We were exhausted but back up by 6:30am to get ready, round up the horses, and go to Nate's for breakfast. Once done, Dan and I went to saddle the horses... once again I brushed them. This time we were going with Ken's son and niece. Ken is the owner of the ranch and his family spends time up there in the summer. We were going out to show the niece how Dan and Nate horseback ride so she can do a few rides and work for them for a month as well as take me on my last ride of the trip.

It was beautiful again... it could make a city girl turn country in an instant! Once again I took many pictures and enjoyed being horse-back. After a few hours we headed back home so I could clean up, pack and have a quick lunch before heading to the airport. My flight was scheduled for 4:30pm.

We made it down and into Aspen with a few minutes to spare so Dan and Nate drove me thru the town so I could see it and then into the airport. After our good-bye's I went thru security and waited for my plane. At 4pm they loaded us in, gave us the speech, and took us down the runway. Then the pilot came on speaker to announce that the Denver airport was shut down. We waited on the plane for 3o minutes then he came back on again to say it would be at least another hour so the drove us back to the terminal and we waited in there. At 6:30pm they said that it would be at least another hour before they would know more and my flight to ATL from DEN was at 7pm. Since I would miss the connection and the only open fight from DEN was at 7pm Sunday I decided to change my flight to Sunday from Aspen at 1:30pm.

I tried and tried to get in touch with Nate and Dan but in the mountains that can be difficult. I knew they were doing laundry so I called the only laundrymat in Carbondale but the lady said they had just left. I left a few messages on the house phone and Nate's cell but the cell was out of service and they had a few stops they took before going home so they didn't get back until after I decided to get a hotel in Aspen. Even if they had come got me after they got home it would have been at least 11pm before we would have made it home and then Dan would have had to take another 1/2 day to get me back. Mom suggested (since I was about in tears from exhaustion she actually more decided) that I get a hotel. I stayed at the the Inns at Aspen which had a shuttle and was the cheapest available. Luckily it was only about 1 mile from the airport (or less) so I was quickly there. I found out they had a hot tub so I found my room, threw on my swim suit, and went straight for the tub. It was great!! Very relaxing. After my quick dip I went back to my room and went right to sleep.

The next morning I went to their free breakfast which was amazing. I made waffles with strawberries, grapes, an egg, and tons of coffee while reading a newspaper. I don't know if I have ever really read a newspaper before! Ha!

After breakfast I packed up and took the shuttle into Aspen. I spent about an hour walking around... most shops were closed since it was Sunday morning but I enjoyed it and once again took a lot of pictures. With the number that I took, I think I made Mom proud!

At 12:30 I was back in the Aspen airport, this time the plane took off and I was able to sit next to a man named Chris who I had a great conversation with. Once we landed I waited to pick up my bag that I had curb checked (wouldn't fit in the overhead bin). We were outside since the plane was so little but it started to lightning around the airport so they moved everyone inside and we had to wait to get our baggage until after the lightning passed. I was in Denver at 2pm and had until 7pm for the next flight. I walked the airport, found where the 2nd leg of my journey was to depart from, looked around a few shops, found where I wanted to eat dinner, and then found a quiet spot to do some work reading. After reading I pulled out my laptop to take notes and found that there is free wifi in the Denver airport. So at 5pm I grabbed some dinner, found a table, pulled the laptop back out and checked emails and did some work. I also spent time uploading pictures and chatting with a few people in the airport. One man I chatted with was going to Detroit to look into purchasing an old Ford plant (for work, of course) to tear it down and build something else. Interesting stuff!

My flight to Atlanta, of course, was delayed but we made it out at 8:30pm Denver time and landed in Atlanta after 1:30pm EST. Ouch! Then we found out that they turn the Atlanta airport trams off at midnight so we would be walking from D terminal to baggage claim. And the bag that I curb checked would have to be picked up there. So we all walked the 6 hubs to baggage claim and the bags hadn't even started flowing yet! It felt like the trip home that would never end! But, finally the bags did make it, I grabbed mine, and the Marcus was kind enough to take me home at 2am! I walked thru my door at 2:30am and made it to bed around 3am.

Luckily the trip was worth the delays! I couldn't have had more fun in Marble, CO and I look forward to the next time I am lucky enough to spend time there!! It was a blast!!

We have PICTURES!!!

Oh yea, NYC pictures are up online!!! Check them out here!!!
Or, if you want to see Aunt Dawn's go here!!!

New York, New York

Ok here it is and it will be really long... our trip to NYC (minus the pictures)!!!!

The trip started on Friday morning. My mom's flight should have landed around 10:30am which should have had her in NYC about 20 minutes before me. However, I missed my flight (drama, drama, drama) and was able to go standby on the Noon flight. Mom's flight was delayed. Then my flight was delayed. Both due to bad weather and we both made it into Laguardia by 2:30. After the bus ride to Manhattan I thought we could drop off our bags at Penn Station before playing around the city for a few hours. And I have to be honest, being in Penn Station was slightly scary. Not my favorite station. No other subway stop scared me, by the way. However we were not riding the Amtrak train so they would not hold our bags. By this time I am slightly frustrated with all the delays and changes in plan, however I would not allow this to deter me. Mom and I were still going to have fun.

I was uncomfortable with us carrying our luggage and purses every where around the city so we decided to have a drink at The Local and to watch the NYC life walk by our window. Ahh, I was now relaxed. I love NYC. After the Local, we were hungry for some dinner. The smart thing would have been to choose any restaurant besides TGIFriday, since we were in NYC. However we were slightly delirious from all the travel and stumbled in there. Most of the TGIFriday's have a great $5 menu. The menu at this place was horrible. The food was just as bad. However we did eat there and then walk by many, many restaurants that we thought would have been a better choice. Heck, a pretzel from a vendor would have been better and those are really just cardboard!

By 7:30pm we were standing in Times Square enjoying being a complete tourist. My mom took many pictures of me (which I will eventually receive and post) before we headed to 51st and 7th to catch our bus to New Jersey, where we were staying. It was definitely a new experience for my mom. The bus was more a large black van and inside I think we were the only ones who spoke English. Luckily we made it safely to the hotel and were in bed and mom was snoring by 9:30pm. We needed sleep. The next morning we made it out of bed sometime around 8:30am. Ahh, relaxed.

After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we were back in NYC!!! My friend Kristen was also in NYC that Saturday so we had planned to meet up with here around 1pm at the Staten Island Ferry for our 'Island Hopping Cocktail Cruise.' So, Mom and I traveled directly to the financial district to check it out. She hadn't been there before so it was fun for her to see all the old buildings and Wall Street. Right in front of the Stock Exchange we were able to watch a commercial being filmed for a bank.

It was chilly so for lunch we stopped for soup at the Original Soup Man and also met another tourist from Michigan, he was wearing a Mackinac Island t-shirt so he was pretty easy to spot. After soup we walked around Battery Park and watched the Staten Island Ferry come and go a few times. It was fun and relaxing. When Kristen and her mom arrived we headed onto the ferry ourselves and had a blast. Unfortunately the weather was foggy so once at Staten Island we were not able to see the excellent view of Manhattan that we had hoped for however it was really nice.

Next Mom and I headed up to Canal Street for a new experience for both of us. I had never been to Canal Street because I am not one much for bartering. However my mom had a lot of fun and bought a few scarves.

After Canal Street, we walked thru Little Italy and realized we were hungry again, but wanted something a little less touristy (aka Price) so we walked up Broadway and ended up in Soho. And, found this quaint little bar called the Soho Room and shared a chicken wrap that we were both quite impressed with.

The next stop was West Village for Magnolia's Bakery!!! I was soooo excited for this stop. As we got off the subway in the West Village we happened upon a vintage street sale, which was freakin' awesome!! Unfortunately for me (or fortunately for my wallet), the vendors were closing up shop so we were not able to buy... just browse. But that was fun too! Next time I am in NYC I want to spend an entire day here. The shops looked like a ton of fun and the food looked amazing!!

We did stand in a short line for a cupcake but I believe it was worth it!! Fresh and tasty!! I had a white cake with white icing. My mom had white cake with chocolate icing (if I remember correctly). After getting our cupcakes we went to a little park across the street and ate. It felt like we were in a tiny little town. Behind us were children playing on a playground. There were no sounds of horns or cars or business. I loved it and realized that where I am meant to live (at least in the summers).

After Magnolia's we walked quite a few blocks to Union Square and enjoyed watching all of the students giving hugs to each other. Made a quick stop into Whole Foods and then back onto the subway to 51st & 7th to catch our bus back. We were a bit early so we made our way back to Times Square and people watched again. Since it was Saturday night it was much busier than the night before but it was still fun to see all the lights.

Since we were up later Saturday night we slept in longer on Sunday. After packing back up we ate breakfast and then took the 11am shuttle back to NYC and headed straight to the Salisbury Hotel, which would be our home for the next few days. We didn't have to wait too long for Aunt Dawn, Grandma, and June to arrive. Shortly after they arrived the taxi brought in Aunt Julie, Brittany, Brooke, and Vicki.

We were able to get into 1 of our rooms right away, and it was huge and on the 17th floor. Aunt Dawn and I had a lot of fun looking at the buildings across the street and guessing what they were for and who did what in them. We did the same thing last year and it is a blast!! And our rooms were HUGE!!! There was a kitchenette, a full living room, a full bedroom with 2 big beds and a bathroom. I was not expecting the rooms to be so nice and fancy. They were great!

Once we all had said our hellos we headed down to 5th Ave to do some retail therapy... except no one bought anything!!! We did do some looking though. Before shopping we stopped into the 53rd Street Deli for some lunch. We were going to eat at Hello Deli but they were closed because they were setting up the final episode for Survivor in the Ed Sullivan Theater.

As we were walking around we ran into Magnolia's Bakery at Rockefeller Center so of course everyone had to have one! I can always have a great cupcake!! Once we were done eating we walked back to the hotel to get the final two of our party... Aunt Sue and Alex!! We also got settled into all of our rooms and then headed out to Times Square. We played around for quite a while before eating at Rays on 8th Ave. Good food and you know its good when you walk in because it all locals. And they know what they want to eat. The 11 of us took forever to decide so the locals would squeeze in between. After eating we made it back to the hotel to chat and catch up.

Monday was tourist day. We started out by eating breakfast in the hotel. Because Aunt Sue, Alex and Vicki hadn't been to New York City before we went on the Grey Line Tourist Bus to see the city. The first trip was the uptown bus and it was fridged. Just freezing cold. I remember crying at times it was so cold. My mom did her best to help keep me warm but it was just down right ridiculously cold! However the man giving the tour was really good. He had a lot of great information for us.

Since it was so cold, we stopped back by our hotel to get more clothes and to clean up. Then we headed to Tavern On The Green for lunch. That place is magical!! It reminds me of 1940's decadence. I felt like I was inside a big wedding cake. I loved it!!! The food was good, the service was great, and I had a blast!! While we were there I went into the gift shop and found an I (heart) NY Christmas ornament that is all glittery. It is currently sitting on the shelf in my bedroom and will have a prominent spot on my next Christmas tree! I love it!!!

After lunch we headed back to the tour bus for the downtown tour. I had worn every bit of clothing that I owned. I had psyched myself up for the cold weather. And we were able to get a spot in the very front of the bus. It was still cold but I felt like I would at least live thru the ride. However the guide was HORRIBLE!! I was shocked at how bad he really was!! The only tidbit of information I was able to gather that I didn't know (or at least hadn't remembered) was that TriBeCa stands for Triangle Beneath Canal. Good to know at least.

After the ride we headed down to Times Square again. Do you see a pattern?? We really did go to Times Square every night ;) We were going to eat at Hard Rock however about 20 minutes after we were seated we all decided we were not hungry and that there wouldn't be anyone to take our order even if we were. No one had even come to take our drink order yet. At this point I decide I am too tired to go on and my mom agreed so she and I went home to eat her left overs from Tavern on the Green and the rest of the ladies went out to shop.

Once Mom and I were back to the hotel I moved my chair in front of the window to watch "It's Pat" across the street (after ample watching I did determine Pat is female). I dreamed of what life must be life if you own an apartment on 57th between 6th and 7th. Oh how glorious that must be. My mom, of course, sat down in front of the Weather Channel. We both did decide that the weather report from my phone was actually better.

Up and at 'em George McFaddem.

Bright and early the next day (5:45am to be exact) Mom, Aunt Sue, Alex, Dawn, Grandma, June and I got up and before 7am we headed to 49th and Rockefeller Center to watch the taping of the Today Show. We were in the weather report... Uncle Jerry and Wes verified the citing!! We also got to have our picture taken with Meredith Viera. It didn't take long for Grandma and June to have enough standing around in the cold so they headed to Dean & Deluca for breakfast. Once Alex had enough we all left and went to Astro Restaurant for our breakfast. I had been there before with my friend Edgar so I knew the food would be good. It was and it was fast. Before I even got to my second cup of coffee they had brought out the food. And there was a lot of it. Good thing Mom and I split every meal!!

After breakfast we planned for the day. Grandma, June, Mom and I headed down to Canal Street so Grandma and June could barter. June ended up with a very pretty scarf. We walked around a bit and then walked down to Ground Zero. After a little bit of searching we found a spot in the Burger King that we could overlook the site and see what they are doing. It still looks like a dirt patch to me.

Once we had spent enough time at Ground Zero we made our way to Battery Park where we did some more shopping around the street vendors and then sat on a bench and watched the boats. Eventually we met up with the rest of the ladies and took the Staten Island Ferry again (good thing it is free)!! This day was much prettier... the sun was shining and we had a great view of Manhattan (and New Jersey...).

Once back to Manhattan a few of us went back to the hotel to get ready and the rest did some last minute shopping. We had a big night ahead of us that I needed to be ready for!! Dinner and a show!! Our next stop was John's Pizzeria. We had dinner here last time this group was in NYC and we ate right before watching The Phantom Of The Opera. Dawn and Brittany were excited to make this a tradition. I remember really enjoying the food last time. However, this time I wasn't as impressed. Food was ok, the service we had was HORRIBLE. If given a choice, I wouldn't go back just because of the service. And its in a uber touristy part of town, which make the service on par to the places around it. However, I took the pasta that Mom and I got, added pizza topping (from the cheeseless pizza that Brittany had ordered) to it, and crushed red pepper flakes and it wasn't so bad. But at their prices I really shouldn't have to doctor my food that much... at least that is my thought.

Ok, back off of my soap box.

After dinner we walked a few block to see the musical WICKED!!!! It was awesome. Funny, amazing, engaging. Our three hours just flew right on by! It was soooooo fun!! I fell in love with the musical, would recommend it to anyone, and would love to see it again if ever given the opportunity. We all walked away very impressed!

Of course we had to go back to Times Square and since we were all dressed up we went up to the top of the Marriott Marquis and each had a drink. I forget what I drank but my mom, Aunt Dawn, Aunt Julie, and Brittany all had the same, very strong drink. And they were all pretty, um, happy afterwards. We were so loud and having so much fun I thought we may get kicked out! And, we had a blast celebrating Aunt Julie's birthday... she turned 3o I think?!?!? Right?!?!? :)

By the time we ended there I was exhausted and wanted to go to the hotel. Grandma also wanted to go and my Mom decided to join us. I have to say that was one of the most interesting walks I have every had... and I have had some good ones. Grandma and I did a great job keeping my Mom walking in a straight line (um, very strong drink... remember), then when we got to the subway Grandma and I got thru fine however my Mom couldn't get thru (in hindsight I should have made her go first) and she had to get someone who worked for the subway to let her thru. He could obviously tell she had been drinking so when he let her thru he told her to "be safe!" Hahah!! And then on the other end of the subway ride, there was an Asian women who spoke no English trying to get directions and Mom had to be helpful, and very loud and animated, trying to explain that yes 7th Avenue was right ahead and she had to make a left when she got there.

I finally got my dear mother into our room where I thought we were safe. However I am in the bathroom and I hear someone screaming hellos. And I could picture it from the bathroom. It's my mom, dangling out the window of our 14th story hotel suite, screaming hello to someone on the street. Mind you, this is the same woman who did not enjoy me opening the window a few days earlier to people watch. And luckily she was screaming hello to the rest of our crew.

We finished out the night by everyone coming into our room and finishing up all the food and drinks that people had purchased during their stay, since it was our last night there.

Wednesday morning after waking up we stopped by an amazing grocery store/restaurant for breakfast. Mom and I shared an egg/bagel sandwich with a large coffee. I needed the large coffee as I was in a fowl mood that A.M. I'm saying I was that way because it was our last day there, but really, who knows why! With breakfast in hand we had a long stroll thru Central Park. We managed to find the Zoo there which was crowded with little children.

Sadly, our next stop was back to the hotel to pack up and check out of our rooms. Once checked out we had some time to spend for lunch so we headed to a Halal street vendor that we had walked by many times and there had been a line up every time. Since the people always looked like locals (suit & tie types) we figured it had to be good. And we were right. Mom and I had Halal lamb and rice (everyone else had chicken) and it was amazing!! Loved it and I need to learn to make it myself.

After our last meal we did some touristy shopping and Mom got me a very cute NYC purple '80s style t-shirt, which I love. And then we hopped into our taxi and headed to the airport.

What a blast!! Thank you so much Brittany for graduating college so we could spend time in NYC!! Can't wait to go back again!!

DAN & DAD!!!

I checked my Facebook account this morning and found some pictures of Dan and Dad. Here are a few!!




See if you can see the rest here.

Christmas Party Flight is BOOKED!!

For those who want to be in the know... I have booked my flight for November... for CHRISTMAS! I am super excited. Here is the itinerary:

November 06, 2008, Flight 246 [Non-Stop]
Departing Atlanta, GA (ATL) at 04:43 PM
Arriving Flint, MI (FNT) at 06:38 PM

November 10, 2008, Flight 266 [Non-Stop]
Departing Flint, MI (FNT) at 05:55 AM
Arriving Atlanta, GA (ATL) at 07:57 AM

Parents came to visit!!!!!

I had the most wonderful time with my family in North Carolina!!  I hope you enjoyed the pictures below!!  My parents drove down to see my new office as well as my new apartment and then we were going to drive right back up to N. Carolina.  However, God had different plans.  From the moment we left Buckhead Church it started raining.  We stopped so my dad could put his rain suit on before heading to my house.  We (aka my mom) checked the weather channel and found that there was a huge rain storm coming thru.  So, instead of heading straight north we headed straight to lunch... at R. Thomas!!!  Yumm-o!!  We all shared an appetizer and entrée.  Then my parents got a raspberry chocolate cheese cake (of which I took a bite -- to die for) and a smoothie. I also got a smoothie!  We were soooo full!!

While we were at R. Thomas we sat on a covered patio while it rained outside.  By the time we were ready to leave the rain stop!  Perfect, right?!?!  Nope, we got back to my apartment, turned the weather channel back on, and found that the break would only be temporary.  We had a night full of thunderstorms ahead of us.  So, instead of heading north my dad took a nap and my mom and I did the laundry and chatted.  When my dad got up we went up to the deck and sat outside and waited until the next thunderstorm came in.  When it did we headed back to my apartment and had a light dinner.  After dinner we headed back up to the roof and (from under an awning) we watched the lighting storm act like a good firework festival!!!  We had a great time watching a beautiful light show!!

Due to the events of Thursday, we got up at 6am on Friday and headed to North Carolina.  Shortly after we got outside Atlanta the clouds dissipated and we had a beautifully sunny day!!!  I was able to ride on the back of Dad's Harley for the day.  We went all over Cherokee, North Carolina and drove over to Tennessee and back.  We had a blast!! There are more pictures that my mom, Aunt Linda, and Kelly took -- if I get them you know they will be put on here!

Since it was every ones last day at the cabin, after a wonderful spaghetti dinner everyone packed up.  There was a ton of food that I was able to take home with me since no one else had room to take it home -- the joy of a car I guess!!  We stayed the night in the cabin, had breakfast at the local pancake house, and then each of us headed in a different direction.  I took a few hours to get home by making a few fun stops!  

Once home, I got all the food unpacked, had some lunch, did my laundry, and then met up with Victor at Piedmont Park.  We had fun walking Odin around the park but it was quite humid so we left the park so Victor could show me his new refrigerator.  Its really nice!!

Since I have so  much food we left Victor's house and headed to mine thinking we would eat and then hang out in the pool on the roof.  But, once again God had a different plan.  As we were driving to my place the sky turned from nice and sunny to really dark with a ton of wind and lightning.  By the time we made it to my (thank God) covered parking it was hailing outside!!  We still ate dinner but instead of heading up to the roof we watched the movie Cast Away... and Kedrick joined in the middle of the movie.  It was a lot of fun.  But, if you saw the pictures below of the weather... there were quite a lot of people without power that night as well as a ton of blocked off roads from trees being knocked down and debris everywhere!  

It was a great weekend!!  Followed by a great Sunday (which isn't a weekend day for me)!  I had a great day at work as well as the ability to see an amazing service!  After work, I drove home and headed straight to the roof to get some sun!!  I spent my time going between the pool and the lounge chair!!  After lounging I went to the gym where I ran on the elliptical machine for about an hour before doing some weight training and yoga.  I was told in the fitness challenge that I need to add more weight training to my routine so every other day I am doing this.  After my workout I came back to the apartment for dinner and then went outside for a post-dinner walk.

After another wonderful day at work, I decided to duplicate yesterday.  I relaxed on the roof to catch a few rays of sun before doing a little bit of yoga and having dinner.  After dinner I went for another walk.  Blissful!!  Its about time for me to take a shower!!  LOL!!

As far as the workout, I am trying to reduce my body fat so I can score better on my next check in for the fitness challenge.  I remember watching Oprah one afternoon and hearing that we should be walking about 10,000 steps per day.  I have a pedometer that North Point gave me so I put that on my hip today and check out my typical day's foot count... its right around 5,000.  Adding in my 30 minute walk around the neighborhood its just under 9,000 steps.  Which is perfect!!  That means when I work out I almost double that 10,000 steps.  So, lets see how this works for my ability to drop weight and body fat!!  I'll keep you posted!!

Parents in town!!!

I just got a call from my parents that they are less than 1 hour away!!!  I can't wait!!! I will be showing them around Buckhead Church before heading to the apartment and showing them that.  I assume we will have lunch and then head back up to North Carolina.  Since I have a new iPhone I have an awesome camera and a way to add them to the blog... so I will probably post that way for the next few days!!

I am excited to see my parents, for a motorcycle trip, and to see more of my family when I get up to North Carolina!!

Can I Post From Slovakia?!?!

That is the question on deck... unfortunately I will not know until we are there!!  If not, I will be updating every night to a document and then mass posting when I get home.  If so, I will be adding pictures and commentary nightly.

Pray that I am able to post!!!!  I know I am.

Well, I am sitting at the apartment for the last few minutes.  I need to get up soon and get moving.  I want to stop by the bookstore and pick up 'Organic God.'  7|22 will be having the author to interview at the next gathering and it will be the Tuesday after I get back.  I want to go and listen, but I prefer to have read the book first.  I had ordered it online but it was shipped to the wrong address so they will be crediting me the money back and I will get it from a local book store.

After that I will be picking up Marcus from work and he will be taking me to the airport.  He will keep my car while I am gone so he can replace the brakes, tires, and rims!!  I love that he can help me out with my car as much as he does!!  And, he does a fabulous job!!

And then onto the airport to meet up with the team.   I got up at 6am today and went for a long run so hopefully I will be tired early and will sleep on the plane.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Alright, time to make the final rounds around the apartment...

Ministry Services Retreat: Day Two

Aka. the day you should all be jealous of! 

Amazing!  Absolutely amazing.  I was so excited last night that I couldn’t sleep.  I was up every few hours checking the clock to make sure I didn’t miss my alarm… at 6am!!  For those who know me you know that’s crazy!!  But, my alarm did go off, I got straight up, and was at the workout room by 6:10am.  I ran for 30 minutes and lifted weights for about 15-20 minutes.  While I was running my hair tie didn’t want to stay on so I pulled it off and tried to put it back on when it broke!  Once I stopped running I spoke with the receptionist of the workout room (yes, the workout room had a receptionist, two actually) and she had a spare for me to use!  I was so excited that I had a way to pull my hair back and it felt like she was anticipating my needs.  Excellent customer service!

After I finished I came back to the room, showered and was ready for breakfast by 7:30am.  I couldn’t believe I was ready in a half hour!!  Something must be wrong! But, my batteries for my camera were all charged up so I took a stroll around the hotel and took pictures, which I will have posted as soon as possible.

Little side note about me that I learned… I like to take pictures, I just get nervous about taking them with people.  I feel bad asking them if they want to be in a picture!  How funny (or crazy) is that!  I am so silly sometimes!

Around 8am I met up with some of the ladies for breakfast and I have to tell you that of all the customer service experiences here (which have been overwhelming fabulous) this lacked even by Waffle House standards.  They sat us but then didn’t get us drinks for about 20 minutes. A girl can’t wait 20 minutes for her coffee! Hehe!  After that it took about another 10 minutes for them to get our orders from us.  When our order was finally taken the waitress repeated the orders back to us and two of us ordered their caramelized grapefruit but when the food came they didn’t bring it out. When we commented about it they went back and brought some out that hadn’t been caramelized… which was the whole reason we ordered it so they took them back again and when they brought them out the 3rd time they were burned.  I don’t know if anyone else has had burned brown sugar but I found out today it is horrible, it reminded me of pepper and I don’t think that’s what they were going for!  Since we had to be in a meeting at 9am and it took so long to begin with we didn’t have time to reorder so I still haven’t had a caramelized grapefruit!  But on a positive note, I ordered their French toast and it was amazing!! 

For the rest of the morning we were in our meetings (aka classes) and learning about customer service and how it relates to us.  They gave us a matrix to gage how we should think about our customer service and how to make it the best for our customers.  What I love out North Point Ministries (NPMI from here on out) is that they also practice what they preach.  At my previous job, which will remain nameless, they would preach great customer service but the management never followed up on it and the policies and procedures were only numbers driven.  I love that this environment really promotes excellent customer service!

At noon we were fed an amazing soup, salad, and sandwich lunch before being let free.  We had free time from about 1pm until 5pm.  Of which I spent the entire time at the pool!!!  It was amazing and I have a beautiful, glowing tan!  I am loving it.  I also loved that I was able to spend so much time getting to know some of the people at the churches that I am not always able to chat with!

At 5pm we headed out to dinner.  We had a choice of 3 options… I (with 37 others) chose Japanese hibachi!  It was as amazing as any other hibachi I have had.  I do love it!!  After dinner we had one more breakout session to further examine customer service and then we had a fun meeting.  The last few days have circled around the theme of NPMI University and everything has been geared towards ‘courses’, ‘curriculum’, ‘professor’, etc so for the fun meeting we had Homecoming!  We had different clicks (jocks, activist, student body, etc) and we each at to make a handheld float, have one person have a skill and perform one minute on stage and then answer a question, and have a chant that we did.  I was in the activist group and our theme was saving the planet so I chat was “go green, go green” and our skill was one of the team member read a poem. We had fun with it but every other group went all out and it was hilarious!  It was really cute! 

Of course afterwards I was back by the fire having a s’more!!  I can’t get enough of them this summer!!

I have the alarm set for 6am again tomorrow.  This time I am going to go for a run thru the hiking trails.  But, if I am going to have any energy I have to go to bed now!

Night, night!!

Ministry Services Retreat: Day Two

Aka. the day you should all be jealous of! 

Amazing!  Absolutely amazing.  I was so excited last night that I couldn’t sleep.  I was up every few hours checking the clock to make sure I didn’t miss my alarm… at 6am!!  For those who know me you know that’s crazy!!  But, my alarm did go off, I got straight up, and was at the workout room by 6:10am.  I ran for 30 minutes and lifted weights for about 15-20 minutes.  While I was running my hair tie didn’t want to stay on so I pulled it off and tried to put it back on when it broke!  Once I stopped running I spoke with the receptionist of the workout room (yes, the workout room had a receptionist, two actually) and she had a spare for me to use!  I was so excited that I had a way to pull my hair back and it felt like she was anticipating my needs.  Excellent customer service!

After I finished I came back to the room, showered and was ready for breakfast by 7:30am.  I couldn’t believe I was ready in a half hour!!  Something must be wrong! But, my batteries for my camera were all charged up so I took a stroll around the hotel and took pictures, which I will have posted as soon as possible.

Little side note about me that I learned… I like to take pictures, I just get nervous about taking them with people.  I feel bad asking them if they want to be in a picture!  How funny (or crazy) is that!  I am so silly sometimes!

Around 8am I met up with some of the ladies for breakfast and I have to tell you that of all the customer service experiences here (which have been overwhelming fabulous) this lacked even by Waffle House standards.  They sat us but then didn’t get us drinks for about 20 minutes. A girl can’t wait 20 minutes for her coffee! Hehe!  After that it took about another 10 minutes for them to get our orders from us.  When our order was finally taken the waitress repeated the orders back to us and two of us ordered their caramelized grapefruit but when the food came they didn’t bring it out. When we commented about it they went back and brought some out that hadn’t been caramelized… which was the whole reason we ordered it so they took them back again and when they brought them out the 3rd time they were burned.  I don’t know if anyone else has had burned brown sugar but I found out today it is horrible, it reminded me of pepper and I don’t think that’s what they were going for!  Since we had to be in a meeting at 9am and it took so long to begin with we didn’t have time to reorder so I still haven’t had a caramelized grapefruit!  But on a positive note, I ordered their French toast and it was amazing!! 

For the rest of the morning we were in our meetings (aka classes) and learning about customer service and how it relates to us.  They gave us a matrix to gage how we should think about our customer service and how to make it the best for our customers.  What I love out North Point Ministries (NPMI from here on out) is that they also practice what they preach.  At my previous job, which will remain nameless, they would preach great customer service but the management never followed up on it and the policies and procedures were only numbers driven.  I love that this environment really promotes excellent customer service!

At noon we were fed an amazing soup, salad, and sandwich lunch before being let free.  We had free time from about 1pm until 5pm.  Of which I spent the entire time at the pool!!!  It was amazing and I have a beautiful, glowing tan!  I am loving it.  I also loved that I was able to spend so much time getting to know some of the people at the churches that I am not always able to chat with!

At 5pm we headed out to dinner.  We had a choice of 3 options… I (with 37 others) chose Japanese hibachi!  It was as amazing as any other hibachi I have had.  I do love it!!  After dinner we had one more breakout session to further examine customer service and then we had a fun meeting.  The last few days have circled around the theme of NPMI University and everything has been geared towards ‘courses’, ‘curriculum’, ‘professor’, etc so for the fun meeting we had Homecoming!  We had different clicks (jocks, activist, student body, etc) and we each at to make a handheld float, have one person have a skill and perform one minute on stage and then answer a question, and have a chant that we did.  I was in the activist group and our theme was saving the planet so I chat was “go green, go green” and our skill was one of the team member read a poem. We had fun with it but every other group went all out and it was hilarious!  It was really cute! 

Of course afterwards I was back by the fire having a s’more!!  I can’t get enough of them this summer!!

I have the alarm set for 6am again tomorrow.  This time I am going to go for a run thru the hiking trails.  But, if I am going to have any energy I have to go to bed now!

Night, night!!

Ministry Services Retreat: Day One

Amazing is the only real word to describe this experience this far.  The North Point team all drove up to the Ritz together and stopped for lunch at Zaksby’s and had some good food.  It wasn’t too far from the Ritz so it didn’t take long after that and we were here.  After a seamless check-in we had our bags in the room, our bathing suits on, and we were down at the infinity pool enjoying the sun and the company.

Let me back up a minute… the look, the feel, the design… it’s like the Grand Hotel on steroids.  The design is upper-class cabin.  There is beautiful dark wood everywhere.  It reminds me of what you might see in a TCM movie for a get-away.  The staff has been absolutely wonderful.  We are back in the woods on a beautiful lake.  If I didn’t know better I would think that I am sitting on Mackinac Island on the cliff overlooking the Upper Peninsula.  I don’t know how I could describe it better without pictures.  Of course I have my camera but the batteries are dead.  I have them plugged in and plan to take a ton of pictures tomorrow!  Count on it!

Back to the pool.  We spent a few hours laying out this afternoon at the most amazing pool.  The infinity pool overlooks the lake and I was sooooo relaxed sitting poolside with my feet dipping in the pool.  I should have worn sunscreen (go ahead, yell at me now) and my shoulders are a little red.  So tomorrow I will be wearing some (so back off.. hehe)!

After the pool we skipped the hotel in favor of Mellow Mushroom for dinner.  They have this amazing vegan hoagie that was amazing.  I will have to get the recipe and try to duplicate it myself!

After dinner we had our first session that went into what we will be learning tomorrow.  I am excited because I have the alarm set for 6am and I have my workout clothes ready to go.  I think I will spend tomorrow morning at the gorgeous workout facility and then Wednesday morning I will go for a long run thru the grounds.  I want to make sure to get a weight-lifting day in and tomorrow will be perfect for that.  Wednesday will be perfect for a long run, which I always seem to do once I get outside. 

Off to sleep…

Flight Info!!!

I am lucky enough to go to Michigan on Tuesday and I am so excited to get to go!  I can't wait to see family and I am trying to remember what a Michigan summer feels like!!  Heh!  For those who want to be in the know... my flight info is as follows:

    June 17, 2008, Flight 253 [Non-Stop]
    Departing Atlanta, GA (ATL) at 12:20 PM
    Arriving Flint, MI (FNT) at 02:12 PM

    June 22, 2008, Flight 256 [Non-Stop]
    Departing Flint, MI (FNT) at 05:44 PM
    Arriving Atlanta, GA (ATL) at 07:50 

Counting down the hours...

See you soon!!

Last day in Venice...

So, I got up really early on my last day in Venice...  I was sleeping and heard the church bells ringing and I thought for sure it was noon.  So I got up, went to the living room, and realized from the sunlight that it wasn't quite noon yet, but I decided to stay up anyway.  I pulled out my computer and found out it was only 8am.  I got the water going for coffee and found milk to make cappuccino.  As I was getting my cappuccino made other roommates were waking up and wondering what I was doing up so early!!

After my cappuccino I got my shower, was getting ready for the day and roommate Kierra woke up and she asked if I wanted another cappuccino... of course!!  Once I had 2 cappuccinos I was more than ready to leave the house.  I went to Campo Santa Margareta and did some shopping before walking to the waterside.  It was a beautifully sunny but very chilly morning.  It was a good walk for my last day.

I made it back home around 1:00pm to find both Britt and Andrea awake.  We went out to a Venetian sandwich shop for lunch and it was really good! The sandwiches are in halves so I was able to try two different kinds of sandwiches.  It was a lot of fun.  After lunch we walked around some more, did a little bit more shopping, and got some gelato before making it back to the apartment.  

Once back, I packed up my bags and got myself ready to go.  I also found out that I will be taking the 7:50 am bus to the airport which means I should be up at 6:30 am and out the door at 7:30am.  Luckily Andrea and Britt will help me cart my bags to the bus as there are 3 or 4 different bridges of steps between the apartment and the bus stop.  Kearra is graduating tomorrow so Andrea will not be able to ride the bus to the airport but Britt will be coming with me and dropping me off at the airport.

Graduation here is much different than in the US.  First, they only have 3 years of school, then they have to put a huge report together that encompasses everything they have learned.  Then on graduation day they present the report to a board and then the board will ask them questions.  After answering they will know if they pass or not.  Its pretty intense and all students get pretty nervous around graduation.  But, once they graduate they have a huge party with lots of food, drinking, friends, family, presents, and the friends of the graduate put together little games and posters about the graduate.  They then parade the graduate around in costumes.  They have a lot of fun!!

After packing, Britt and I decided to go back to Campo Santa Margareta and I got one last gelato!!  It was fabulous!!  

Britt and I are now at the house waiting for Andrea to come back and then decide what we will do for dinner.  My last meal in Italy... for now ;)  

Pictures uploaded!!

I have all my pictures uploaded but no captions on them yet. Check the side bar for the links... I am just waking up (got up at 8am to the sounds of the church bells), got some coffee, and am about ready to start my last day. I may have time tonight to post comments... maybe, maybe not! But, if I do I will let you know!!

Day in Milan...

So Britt and I spent the day today in Milan and as much as I loved Milan (and I did) I think my favorite part was the journey to and from it. Reason being... the entire way I got to to see the Swiss Alps!!! Which are soooooo beautiful!! I can see why Dan loves Colorado so much!! It was so peacefully and serene... I loved it!!

While in Milan, Britt and I walked the streets looking at all the amazing shopping (hey, its one of the shopping capitals of the world) and we went into the Duomo... and amazing church in the middle of the town. It was sooooo huge and sooooo beautiful! I feel so blessed at all the amazing sites I have been able to visit in Italy.

We climbed to the top of the Duomo and was able to see Milan surrounded by the Alps, which was another amazing site!! Britt and I walked around, did more shopping, I got a gelato (this time it was pineapple and peach... very good) of course, and then went to lunch at an amazing little bar. We spent a good 4 or 5 hours there before heading back to Verona.

While shopping I found a department store that had a whole cooking section. Here in Italy their coffee makers are much different than we use in the US and they are stove top. I think they are amazing and would like to have one. While in the department store I was going to get one but the lady 'helping' us out was so bad that I just walked out. I want my shopping experience to be fun... not to have to deal with a bitchy lady!! I think Andrea will try to help me find one similar to it in Venice... if I don't find one I'll look online. Anything but have to deal with bad customer service!! And, apparently that is the standard here in Italy. All I know is that when Britt and I walked up the Duomo and saw the town the the security guards and the cashier were extremely nice!! So I know this isn't a problem with everyone!

I took a few pictures but once again forgot to plug in my batteries so of course my camera died. So, I am charging up the batteries and then will try to upload all the pictures from the past few days. Once they are up I'll let you know...

We are all now back in Venice. I have one more day here before flying out on Thursday. I haven't gotten my final plans confirmed and sent to me (they generally are sent the day before travel) but here are the original plans...

Thursday, March 27, 2008
Alitalia # 7616
Operated by: DELTA AIR LINES -- DL 7616 - Please check in with the operating carrier

Venice Marco Polo (VCE) to New York John F Kennedy Intl (JFK)
Departure (VCE): March 27, 10:30 AM CET (morning)
Arrival (JFK): March 27, 3:10 PM EDT (afternoon)
Class: Economy
Seat request: choose seats
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Alitalia # 3294
Operated by: DELTA AIR LINES -- DL 3294 - Please check in with the operating carrier

New York John F Kennedy Intl (JFK) to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson ATL (ATL)
Departure (JFK): March 27, 4:35 PM EDT (afternoon)
Arrival (ATL): March 27, 7:20 PM EDT (evening)

If anything changes I will let you know!!

unplanned day in Mantova...

So, although I did not think we had plans for today Andrea informed me otherwise. We would be driving to one of three possible destinations... and we ended up in a very, very, very COLD Mantova, Italy. Now, the city is absolutely beautiful and I am soooooo glad I had the opportunity to go, however I would recommend going there more mid-May, early June!! Hehe!!

Mantova is about 40 minutes away from Verona by vehicle and right off a few lakes that cool off the breeze. The car read a very bone-chilling 9 degrees celsius (48.2 degrees) and that did not take into effect the wind chill. For all you still in Michigan I know that is not very chilly... but for us ATL-iens that is freeeeeeezing. LOL!! Yea, Andrea and his friends made fun of us too!!

And to top it off... Italians are the only ones I know that eat gelato in this weather!! And you know the saying... "When in Mantova..." so we did eat ice cream too (with my hot chocolate -- once again Italian style -- you do not drink hot chocolate, you eat it) outside!! Not indoors like normal, reasonable people. But, it was a ton of fun.

When we got back to Verona we went to another friend of Andrea for dinner. There was about 12 people there and we had a great time. Once again!! There was a variety of incredible pasta dishes for us to eat and great wine for us to drink.

With all the cold weather and food, Britt and I are sleepy!! Andrea brought us home around 11pm and he went back out to party with his friends. I am about to go to bed though...

Tomorrow Britt and I are taking the 11:43am train to Milan... which means we should arrive a little after 1:00pm. We will spend the day in Milan before heading back to Venice... for my last day!! I am so sad!!

Day after Easter!

We had a very good, very lazy Easter day!! Andrea and his Dad made us lunch... which was a TON of food!! We had a first course of salmon on toasted bread, stuffed mushrooms, and hard boiled eggs with a ton of stuff stuffed in them! For the next course we had lasagna with mushroom and bacon-like ham and cheese and some other stuff. For the third course we had rabbit and roasted potatos. For dessert we had a neopolitan cake that I had helped make the day before!! It all was sooooo good but more than enough for a few days. I do not know how I have been hungry at all after all that food!

After lunch we pretty much laid on the couch and watched the television. We are lucky that they have a lot of American TV here and we are able to choose English for the language if the program was origionally in English!!! E! had a marathon of Girls Next Door... a show that I love... so Britt and I pretty much watched that all day!

At night, a friend of Andrea stopped by and we went out to the city center for drinks (Andrea does not sit well so we all had to go out of the house). We went to a bar called Hemmingways and we had a lot of fun.

I do not know what our plans are for today. I know there is a market just down the street that I may walk to... I need it after all the food yesterday! Besided its a beautifully sunny day and I need to be out in it!!

Tomorrow Britt and I are going to go to Milan for the day and then back to Venice at night. I will spend Wednesday in Venice and then fly out Thursday morning. I will post the flight schedule soon for those who want it.