Paradise Found

Tomorrow morning (as early as humanly possible) we are leaving for here...

Ahhhhh!

We are staying here...

See you in a week!



God Bless America

I have always loved holidays, like most people I know..  However, as I have grown older, the  meaning of each holiday has become more important to me.  Today, I was looking through itunes trying to find some patriotic songs to go along with fireworks tonight.  As I started to listen to them, I was reminded of their common thread.  That led me to find the lyrics to those songs. Each song is a tribute to this country- yes, but more so a tribute to God.  He is that common thread.  They are, in essence, a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God for America. This country is deeply rooted in faith, although at times it may not seem so.  Faith in God is the foundation that this country was built upon.  So, if you have just a moment today, read the lyrics to America, the Beautiful or God Bless America and be reminded of what we are truly celebrating today.

America the Beautiful

Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

Happy 4th of July!!

Good Boy

Every living thing is touched with love, as the creatures of the earth are a gift and a blessing.  You were there at my best and my worst.  You were there long before my job, my house, and my husband.  You were there when I cried and when I celebrated.  For 14 years you were a part of my home and my life.  Thank you for the wonderful cat and companion that you were, and for loving me unconditionally.  You were a good boy Sam.  We love you!

Sam

February 1998 - March 29, 2012



I know, I know

Allyson just recently (very recently) reminded me that the last time I updated my blog was in October...and it was about our trip to Napa in August-oops.  So, I'm not a great blogger.  We'll just add that to the list, shall we.  My problem is this, nothing goes on here.  We don't have kids, which is really what people want to read about and we work all the time.  No excuses...I know.   In an attempt to make Allyson and all 3 of my faithful readers happy, I am going to try to find one thing to blog about a week.  Yes, you read that correctly!  I think about all the things that I could have blogged about that I missed, and that makes me sad. So, here we go.

Right now...

Molly just finished trying to eat a twist tie.  Now she is asleep on a pillow.

I am watching the Golden Globe red carpet.

I don't know where Hoover is, but I am sure he is doing something bad. He is bad.

The coffee just finished brewing and I am too lazy to get up and get some.

I just changed the channel because Ryan Seacrest was annoying me.

Now I am watching Diners, Drive ins, and dives

I waiting for chicken to thaw, so I can make dinner

Sam is hiding under the table because he doesn't like Hoover or Molly.

See how exciting that was?

Happy Sunday to you!

California Part 2

The sequel is always worth the wait, right?  Here it is....
Napa Valley-Ahhhhhh

Sterling Vineyards-our first stop

It is was all we would drink.  Beautiful Vineyard and still some of the very best wine we have ever had.

Sterling is about 300 feet from the bottom of this hill/small mountain.  You have to ride this cable car up to the top.  Do you want proof that I did it?  Here it is...

I even looked behind and down

This is what I saw-beauty!

The view was breathtaking!

Ehlers Estate is very small-only about 12 employees and everything is done by hand-even turning the barrels.  Everything grown on this vineyard is organic. 

Ehlers had the most gorgeous garden out back, you name it-it was grown there

Rubicon Estate is owned and operated by Francis Ford Coppola.  It is a beautiful estate with a ton of history. 

A little taste of the locals-Of course, the County Fair. 

Stay tuned for more....

California Part I

San Francisco-a little weird, crazy crowded, but oh sooooo fun!

We were only there for one night. We stayed at the Westin St. Francis, which is in the middle of EVERYTHING and has a great history.

Beautiful flowers (you will definitely see more of this)

Fisherman's Wharf

The Hard Rock-of course!

I just love these boats-such a serene scene

Alcatraz

This would be the strange part

Cute little buildings

The next morning we took a drive down the coast to Monterey.  Lowell had never seen an actual ocean and it had been a long time for me.  It was absolutely gorgeous! 

I just love that cliff

We learned two things on this journey down the coast

1) There are NO places to eat on the Pacific Coast Highway

2) Strawberries, artichokes, cherries, peas and.....pumpkins-yes, pumpkins grow right on the coastline

Happy Birthday!

On this day, 39 years ago, a sweet little boy was born.  That sweet little boy turned into to a sweet and wonderful man whom I am honored and blessed to call my husband!  Happy Birthday, Honey-I love you!