What we've been up to lately...

Building bonfires on a cool night with friends...


Attempting to take Christmas card photos...

Picking apples with friends...

Eating at Hard Times on a day of hard times...

Enjoying some snuggle time with Blue...




Waiting for the Metro to take us into the City...

Stopping at Chinatown for the afternoon...

Visiting the National Museum of Crime and Punishment with discounted tickets we scored from Living Social...

And, of course, hitting up a yogurt shop for an afternoon snack...

one of our favorite flavors, Pomegranate, with fresh blueberries...

Blue's first day at camp

I have been looking into some other options for the dogs when we travel, mainly for Blue. He is the one who handles changes a little better and loves to run and play...Polly, not so much! It is probably better for her to stay with familiar friends and family so she has a more enjoyable time.

One of those options that I found is a day camp/overnight camp in town. They require an interview day where the dog can try out the camp and they can see if it would be a good fit. So, today was Blue's interview. I dropped him off around 9:30 and picked him up around 3:30.

When I picked him up, I was given a certificate that he passed the interview process and is welcome anytime...whew! :)

And, he had a report card that told me how he did today and what all he did. Funny that one thing they said was that he was a little shy around the other dogs at first and enjoyed watching all of the activity going on. Of course, they agreed that he was super sweet.

We got home and Polly gave him the smell-down. I'm pretty sure her sniffer was in OVER-load! They both quickly settled down and as you can see, they missed each other a lot!

6 years ago today...

Mike and I came home from church and received some of the hardest news a family will ever hear...Mark, Mike's brother, had been killed in Iraq the day before. We were torn, devastated, and saddened! But the family was determined that his death would not be in vain. His memory would live on...he would have a legacy!

Today, that legacy continues through wrestling clinics and camps and Peru missions made possible through the Sgt. Mark P. Adams Foundation. I'm so thankful that he isn't just a number...but that his life counted! I am also thankful that he had a personal relationship with Jesus and that he is in Heaven now.

If today was YOUR last day, what kind of legacy would YOU leave?
And, do YOU know where YOU would spend eternity?

Just call us Goldi locks...

So, we had a little visitor at the cabin...

These are the claw marks from when the Mama Bear climbed UP our porch to get our trash can.

COMING UP OUR PORCH TO THE DOOR... uh...

New Adventure...

I admit I have NEVER been a runner...never enjoyed it...hated each minute I was doing it...you get the picture. The thing is that I really would like to be one of those people who can actually do a 5k and feel like I wasn't dying through the whole thing. I've been hearing about this plan called Couch to 5k and I wondered if it was for me. It is a 9 week plan and even has podcasts that you download for each week that tell you when to run, walk, etc. with music in the background. You run for 3 days with rest days in between each week.

So, friends, I am finished with week 1 and I have to report that it wasn't too bad. Even though they are a little cheesy, I definitely like the podcasts because it keeps my mind off the watch. Before I knew it, between the podcasts and the nice scenery outside at the park I am going to, the 30 minutes had gone by.

So, we'll see how it goes. I'm hoping that by Thanksgiving I can successfully run a 5k and hopefully shed some weight too! Anyone else up for it? Leave a comment to let me know you're doing it too.

Happy Birthday Bec!

Today is the birthday of one of the funniest people I know. I always know that when I see her number pop up on my phone, I will end up laughing a lot of the conversation!

Happy Birthday to my favorite middle sister!

And, this is what I'm talking about...we usually end up like this when we're together! Some say "trouble", I say "FUN!"

Love ya, Bec!

Photo Challenge

Well, I got pretty close to the 30 day photo challenge. I made it with only 4 left. If I find something in the next few days or weeks that is worth posting for these 4, I'll do it...otherwise, they'll just remain photo-less for the blog.

3. Clouds - kept wanting to post really cool clouds and never got a photo
16. Something that makes you laugh - really hard to narrow down
18. Lunch - always forgot to take the picture until after lunch was over...
22. Handwriting - thought this would be cooler than it actually was.

Hope you enjoyed! Any ideas for future posts??

Photo Challenge

2. What you wore today...or, yesterday...



This weekend, all of the kids got together at Mom and Dad's for Dad's birthday. I don't remember the last time we had a Mom and Dad and kid picture! So, here's the most recent of all 6 of us as of Sunday.

Photo Challenge

12. Something Red



My Dad's birthday gift! Today is Dad's birthday and I am so glad that I have been able to be with him all week to celebrate. It sure takes a lot of love to purchase a GA shirt and wrap it in Red and Black when you are wearing an Auburn tee-shirt!

Love you Dad! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Photo Challenge

17. Cup I drank (or will be drinking) from today



WAR EAGLE!!

Photo Challenge

27. Picture of you when you were little



While at Mom and Dad's this week, I came across some pictures of us when we were little...this was one of the least incriminating pictures that I felt like I could post. WOW! The 80s and early 90s were NOT friendly to me! And boy, am I glad that my parents paid for braces for all those years!

Photo Challenge

13. Close up


Polly sleeping

Photo Challenge

4. Something Green



Lemon Crush - my favorite drink to get in Guatemala!

Photo Challenge

29. Childhood memory



We may not have had a lot when we were growing up but I ALWAYS remember my dad asking if we wanted to stop for ice cream when we were on trips. This always meant McDonald's ice cream cones...no Dairy Queen, or some other fancy-schmancy ice cream shop! With 4 kids, Micky D's was the only thing allowed, but I wasn't complaining! It was either that or nothing.

Photo Challenge

11. Shoes


Keen sandals - These are my new favorite "outdoor" shoes.

Photo Challenge

19. Something from your bathroom

My go-to face wash, for sure! Love the scrubbing action. Definitely makes me feel clean and leaves no oily residue behind.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID!

Happy Birthday to the best 30 year old brother-in-law! So glad you are part of the fam...and you put up with my sister at least most of the time! :)

Photo Challenge

21. Souvenir from vacation

That, my friends, is volcanic rock stuck in my hand. While we were in Guatemala in December, we climbed Volcano Pacaya. While on that climb, I slipped on the rocks and ended up jamming some of the lovely stuff (yeah, not so much!) into my hand. I can't say this was my favorite part of the trip but it definitely made for an interesting story.

**Sidenote: Dad and Mike performed minor surgery that night and all is well now.

Photo Challenge

23. Something in your frig - my FAVORITE "coke"...CHERRY COKE!

Photo Challenge

15. Something you collect - ornaments

Yes, quite the selection of Auburn ornaments:

Many from places all over the world - this one from the Christmas Market in Vienna, Austria on a trip where we visited friends

And we pick at least one up each year, some that represent places we go on vacation and some just fun ones.

Photo Challenge

10. Sunset



At Lake Atitlan, Guatemala