tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79336001395136897232024-03-25T13:17:14.635-07:00Nat Your Average StoryThe Jittery Scribblings of an Over-Caffeinated Introvert Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.comBlogger1914125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-78736053360541250222024-03-25T13:16:00.000-07:002024-03-25T13:16:32.933-07:00Caissons & Cherry Blossoms<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Usually I feel like the beginning of the year just creeps along - but the first quarter of 2024 has absolutely blazed by and I cannot believe that I am staring down the last week of March! The weather has been less than spring-like this week and over the weekend but sometimes you have to persevere in spite of the weather! And that's what we did this past weekend - persevered in spite of the weather!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I felt pretty crummy all day on Friday, so I whipped up some homemade chicken noodle soup on Friday night and we ended up laying pretty low for the evening, which was really nice. And on Saturday morning, we woke up to the promised deluge of rain - but never the less, we set out on our adventures!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnKbJSmYSTC_aKVRJgNapavQfsLhEkpUWd-Ti2pJkxPtSxOL-vh8jMeBHriikv-349HmBw8Zdnkv-Vc9qesRQHB-p1SB78gqvYzUxQ23H-uUJ2Z56JAlLqtPYEUaCm2PBnRVadECDycEK_I-Wa-zFIR98QvDsSy6FyrFBbQ9kUNoeL1bRyCfxG2_bjKk/s4032/IMG_4747.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnKbJSmYSTC_aKVRJgNapavQfsLhEkpUWd-Ti2pJkxPtSxOL-vh8jMeBHriikv-349HmBw8Zdnkv-Vc9qesRQHB-p1SB78gqvYzUxQ23H-uUJ2Z56JAlLqtPYEUaCm2PBnRVadECDycEK_I-Wa-zFIR98QvDsSy6FyrFBbQ9kUNoeL1bRyCfxG2_bjKk/w400-h300/IMG_4747.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our first stop was a car dealership to peruse some options for Ryan - we even test drove cars in the crummy, chilly and rainy weather before making our way to the second stop of the day: The US Army Museum in Fort Belvoir. The museum opened on November 11, 2020 and is a pretty stunning exhibition on the history of the US Army. The museum has special significance for Ryan and I as his Dad was in the Army and served in Vietnam.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJaf1hFofpPKRFk5bZtpB4dAmDFqdHGE8IjDuzyVvR0kGZmoRfWuuZbQeY6HzdoYnac8u2jhFv5oz35En3K99WBbAz8DBGZz5B8pubOCnlRnP3hDsG7xCTNZc-suL999N2ah_np9Vj_Cai3vDIUjLJHVhRpynQYjFVkJdff_SqttZPfvholer2ixG39A/s4032/IMG_7192.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJaf1hFofpPKRFk5bZtpB4dAmDFqdHGE8IjDuzyVvR0kGZmoRfWuuZbQeY6HzdoYnac8u2jhFv5oz35En3K99WBbAz8DBGZz5B8pubOCnlRnP3hDsG7xCTNZc-suL999N2ah_np9Vj_Cai3vDIUjLJHVhRpynQYjFVkJdff_SqttZPfvholer2ixG39A/w400-h300/IMG_7192.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGad9aPZoJZUP2CjZlAtp_GMIck1nEJYwPRO7lMB13oR5At29J6v5HUnhkiFpCs_7OPJz7SB4Y5hQ-mbKmpm6GhTKxxpFxb-xs_Hbb8XYGQ1ADO0EK8zfdx4SOONCuGKbTXVw8KDlu2XKJkREodwRkoMLnnn44X31HpeML6KZvudxYqZDNfe8cvPqeufg/s4032/IMG_7194.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGad9aPZoJZUP2CjZlAtp_GMIck1nEJYwPRO7lMB13oR5At29J6v5HUnhkiFpCs_7OPJz7SB4Y5hQ-mbKmpm6GhTKxxpFxb-xs_Hbb8XYGQ1ADO0EK8zfdx4SOONCuGKbTXVw8KDlu2XKJkREodwRkoMLnnn44X31HpeML6KZvudxYqZDNfe8cvPqeufg/w400-h300/IMG_7194.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The museum is three stories - and while that might seem like a lot, the majority of the exhibits are on the first floor; although we did venture to all three floors just to be sure we didn't miss anything! We also watched the video in the theater that was incredibly moving and inspiring - the whole museum is a really wonderful experience and I highly recommend it!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzUnRjVz4TgFP9TOphJ7JG_td2QEf58wLKWdQO6xBVf67OW82OKegv95Njxi6d0VvERYipX1Tpek5CxqIx2oGWafKcMZP_gLijMtPw1SZEjHI-2GRxaME_7QKJ91BpeI9kfqo2SEAUcfY7u41GqiwbUCjHocw-IAhJ2oy77YCjxJoB44xQkiadogFvRQ/s4032/IMG_7195.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgwzUnRjVz4TgFP9TOphJ7JG_td2QEf58wLKWdQO6xBVf67OW82OKegv95Njxi6d0VvERYipX1Tpek5CxqIx2oGWafKcMZP_gLijMtPw1SZEjHI-2GRxaME_7QKJ91BpeI9kfqo2SEAUcfY7u41GqiwbUCjHocw-IAhJ2oy77YCjxJoB44xQkiadogFvRQ/s320/IMG_7195.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEH20FO1therb8r3InjNl6isPlEB6UhptpBth0lfD6MQ1rma5n75Q6TGHCMguiGrwqlLg95XB5Ho-feGfo8f8gOvZD0I0oFugRE3svt-3c6bqpwN5xBHGcvnxe82ic7aR8NIKTh8uj4PbhDyocrlKGgbxuDcVFapkwx_W0j27VaunaYKSMTYupsxnhQT8/s4032/IMG_7197.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiEH20FO1therb8r3InjNl6isPlEB6UhptpBth0lfD6MQ1rma5n75Q6TGHCMguiGrwqlLg95XB5Ho-feGfo8f8gOvZD0I0oFugRE3svt-3c6bqpwN5xBHGcvnxe82ic7aR8NIKTh8uj4PbhDyocrlKGgbxuDcVFapkwx_W0j27VaunaYKSMTYupsxnhQT8/s320/IMG_7197.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpngIHI9-L1wkJrygJvFlzwC0t006BSSiRQI_zIQWhbIQRlDm3BdN3l-87zR_09pMnLB6irbyggNydLisvSgr87VwkxfYvyBZZEzskhGSp0QKMD6UYduJj3l1BCJYJyUT9VtEBci2CBlF_0TWU7VcRiC98Ds-y3Ay1rCZJuHY0k-C6BwVuggAh7cq_lnU/s4032/IMG_7198.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpngIHI9-L1wkJrygJvFlzwC0t006BSSiRQI_zIQWhbIQRlDm3BdN3l-87zR_09pMnLB6irbyggNydLisvSgr87VwkxfYvyBZZEzskhGSp0QKMD6UYduJj3l1BCJYJyUT9VtEBci2CBlF_0TWU7VcRiC98Ds-y3Ay1rCZJuHY0k-C6BwVuggAh7cq_lnU/w400-h300/IMG_7198.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The museum highlights the army from it's conception in 1775 (or earlier - depending) to modern day and so the Civil War was highlighted and I thought it was interesting that the two most decisive battles of the Civil War took place in Gettysburg, PA and Vicksburg, MS - since I'm a Mississippi girl married to a Pennsylvania boy, ha-ha!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjD1rKXKcjPYrtOm9zFapxK8mZGm5wDUfhKrGkmLizc956Prula0SX1cO8vL5FANuEdrBFOUhizpD_KdTzVB4KOsMUTlprPPwr3IigpcvzcMz1lpsWJ-IB7gfmBdvcGFiDfxs5mqy94s7ienjGKN0QBwSMbj3xrEKWYk9eq_Q8uxG3_mywavdRF-f38WY/s4032/IMG_7200.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhjD1rKXKcjPYrtOm9zFapxK8mZGm5wDUfhKrGkmLizc956Prula0SX1cO8vL5FANuEdrBFOUhizpD_KdTzVB4KOsMUTlprPPwr3IigpcvzcMz1lpsWJ-IB7gfmBdvcGFiDfxs5mqy94s7ienjGKN0QBwSMbj3xrEKWYk9eq_Q8uxG3_mywavdRF-f38WY/s320/IMG_7200.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdi9rex-VyYHtAqLYKZZ5qeyWiR-jpvGEcD6yeuUWCzbG8jBEmFxUJZM5kvogbdhFNdQ5rUhT66fHN1PW1xshIV7coVH5zHYWmZLehrbDYJprGbBitntRsSE-l7zr00AXoAWJ7DGIIUXSi9Ckvch-KCWRnlJIIrk-3bC-12CPQYy8sUAdntSdCBZVyho/s4032/IMG_7201.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiDdi9rex-VyYHtAqLYKZZ5qeyWiR-jpvGEcD6yeuUWCzbG8jBEmFxUJZM5kvogbdhFNdQ5rUhT66fHN1PW1xshIV7coVH5zHYWmZLehrbDYJprGbBitntRsSE-l7zr00AXoAWJ7DGIIUXSi9Ckvch-KCWRnlJIIrk-3bC-12CPQYy8sUAdntSdCBZVyho/s320/IMG_7201.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkothBrg_bxzI5k06CIzmzo1IuyyzWniwrVRH0d9mDlvyRzxL0ym-bmIJSXE5mIRENGDWmCnIIxpIzN6rBxRXbeVu1z_AGXv17xky9X83UgHGr4W0qa2ZjO3yx8jhLVkjT9Oo1zLbOvB-5AynrYYIziymdQ845tJ43ftJDTEHmvcZ-6HQvYGdjRzHfxU/s4032/IMG_7203.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkothBrg_bxzI5k06CIzmzo1IuyyzWniwrVRH0d9mDlvyRzxL0ym-bmIJSXE5mIRENGDWmCnIIxpIzN6rBxRXbeVu1z_AGXv17xky9X83UgHGr4W0qa2ZjO3yx8jhLVkjT9Oo1zLbOvB-5AynrYYIziymdQ845tJ43ftJDTEHmvcZ-6HQvYGdjRzHfxU/w400-h300/IMG_7203.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The museum also has a cafe - which is where we had lunch - and the food was actually pretty decent! It's not a meal destination or anything, but I was pretty pleased with my Humvee Meal (which was a grilled cheese). Thankfully when we were done touring the museum, the rain had moved out and so we headed down to DC and made our way to the insanely crowded Tidal Basin area - to see the Cherry Blossoms, which are blooming at one of the earliest dates on record! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7ZVr0i7A8kyM8vffmPxCil_mQ1LWwFRnD63iyQAIQaFYs2yoNg6RNHR_OBCXcyPnZnHJeKJpJvsEg1AzqHO815uwHDcu7IoYyWS_mw_7cjC3dv1RjCG7_cdIGk5OM86TyEKdeGGlzuOhMzrfpHZXTfB13KIHY4M5IptXhMUIDrEZh_4lm8IeHoyEW6E/s4032/IMG_7205.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiH7ZVr0i7A8kyM8vffmPxCil_mQ1LWwFRnD63iyQAIQaFYs2yoNg6RNHR_OBCXcyPnZnHJeKJpJvsEg1AzqHO815uwHDcu7IoYyWS_mw_7cjC3dv1RjCG7_cdIGk5OM86TyEKdeGGlzuOhMzrfpHZXTfB13KIHY4M5IptXhMUIDrEZh_4lm8IeHoyEW6E/s320/IMG_7205.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVOiuFHFJr11HaEtphyxPtjvKlfdYSZBTd9hlR7vH0-hmy-m_wiYNdKEy3EVxoNiiPJixTv2puvl5loxBNCVplMwc3DykDRfwuOYxi0SKleogKvbanvSta2PfkSjMdz_76S1OzlstyoQqQGIOUVckfkIzSgU6d1NoQ1N51xphEve3Vs9HIocws6DnDiQ/s4032/IMG_7206.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjoVOiuFHFJr11HaEtphyxPtjvKlfdYSZBTd9hlR7vH0-hmy-m_wiYNdKEy3EVxoNiiPJixTv2puvl5loxBNCVplMwc3DykDRfwuOYxi0SKleogKvbanvSta2PfkSjMdz_76S1OzlstyoQqQGIOUVckfkIzSgU6d1NoQ1N51xphEve3Vs9HIocws6DnDiQ/s320/IMG_7206.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqhXFwK6dnLyHxxh9nNAegWIXkPWxwTyDk-PI35Y3aI_9AQgVTgEoWMPTxSZUxtc8XnA-nFOLOQxiBwtLZCFztJI_2YaANPn2Fj1B8a4v0GT7dv18PUbawy_Ogva2F9kz9h5lafzeMIAxH_BALgf3wxlCBQGyz5zZQrPzOrVtrpZvIXLkynsDMy2qgVU/s4032/IMG_7207.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhyqhXFwK6dnLyHxxh9nNAegWIXkPWxwTyDk-PI35Y3aI_9AQgVTgEoWMPTxSZUxtc8XnA-nFOLOQxiBwtLZCFztJI_2YaANPn2Fj1B8a4v0GT7dv18PUbawy_Ogva2F9kz9h5lafzeMIAxH_BALgf3wxlCBQGyz5zZQrPzOrVtrpZvIXLkynsDMy2qgVU/s320/IMG_7207.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG5MTHkZtJsx2slOAVnGq9iDkjm-KNbRUlPYhlV9oLuEGhBBbEedbOsVaUSRvjK3IwLzQjY8h5LqxqY65_6YF9nbA9zI7dnXzb3FprpS8KpD0_rdhG1Bsm8MGwD7fplJV9vwVzVbddMJ-4tx8-_uY3K26hLbpwFsR5q2IKJXLzhjkjj4wQ2u2N7yjmGw/s3088/IMG_7208.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG5MTHkZtJsx2slOAVnGq9iDkjm-KNbRUlPYhlV9oLuEGhBBbEedbOsVaUSRvjK3IwLzQjY8h5LqxqY65_6YF9nbA9zI7dnXzb3FprpS8KpD0_rdhG1Bsm8MGwD7fplJV9vwVzVbddMJ-4tx8-_uY3K26hLbpwFsR5q2IKJXLzhjkjj4wQ2u2N7yjmGw/s320/IMG_7208.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was crowded and more than just a little breezy - but it was so awesome to get to see the Tidal Basin ringed in those gorgeous white and pink blooms again! I haven't seen the cherry blossoms in person since 2020 (yikes) and Ryan has never seen them before. There were people everywhere and there were puddles everywhere - but I was just thrilled to be surrounded by the gorgeous trees again!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLWXSHRtJpDLwCz7-04tzGe_5hTzFKtVQTjQc2r5ap5U9ToH3kslhymYoF-52brlVJ7GcWsb1pyHMv0LR7eXlHuZZraxmwRBnUvD9tAcp09TkRlwjsmM7hJrkMLlllJsmjzCHMfZg6MvJP36xFeflsfGmhRvU_rjoH6QNG4iwzH-X-XuIcsdLKmollnc/s4032/IMG_7213.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLWXSHRtJpDLwCz7-04tzGe_5hTzFKtVQTjQc2r5ap5U9ToH3kslhymYoF-52brlVJ7GcWsb1pyHMv0LR7eXlHuZZraxmwRBnUvD9tAcp09TkRlwjsmM7hJrkMLlllJsmjzCHMfZg6MvJP36xFeflsfGmhRvU_rjoH6QNG4iwzH-X-XuIcsdLKmollnc/w400-h300/IMG_7213.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeRdZ4U7mg5pxN8FjQGWedp9L-RhdvxF0X4wAaMT4v42XELY8rZPpHo2Vy1_BkixGM0HLOtjynu1hXemrgl3vg0t61ESjOiuGsFjn0A2oKWAkQx4OOrghTbKK7WTDaOjbsmOT_omyHAKIdyV-fwlPWKICOcKxtvPajFCAro9oNBf4JZQmYT_PfG7IcI8/s4032/IMG_7211.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEioeRdZ4U7mg5pxN8FjQGWedp9L-RhdvxF0X4wAaMT4v42XELY8rZPpHo2Vy1_BkixGM0HLOtjynu1hXemrgl3vg0t61ESjOiuGsFjn0A2oKWAkQx4OOrghTbKK7WTDaOjbsmOT_omyHAKIdyV-fwlPWKICOcKxtvPajFCAro9oNBf4JZQmYT_PfG7IcI8/s320/IMG_7211.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUzgJDATeWvGKCar7Sf5dqIshB2LPgf-mST_cJxqFwW5QIPBNkYS5lwlU3PAwGPqM6Pwcx6c8XkieBDn0tDiSuY-lfyURa7tUIMdhLr91KdEPMSuQGLWGIcP-ftr9a7bc4JLU-oHXjRS8Os-UNNGpDHRsbH16U8-enuD7ERBonqy8p31MitJe9PeDl0w/s4032/IMG_7214.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgZUzgJDATeWvGKCar7Sf5dqIshB2LPgf-mST_cJxqFwW5QIPBNkYS5lwlU3PAwGPqM6Pwcx6c8XkieBDn0tDiSuY-lfyURa7tUIMdhLr91KdEPMSuQGLWGIcP-ftr9a7bc4JLU-oHXjRS8Os-UNNGpDHRsbH16U8-enuD7ERBonqy8p31MitJe9PeDl0w/s320/IMG_7214.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JFeiUmZb3xpN6Sz4jk5-749ud42L7vZcZh7f7B496qH_8HRnqJckk0rLhZjTOx4SwUI9Y-mNLPRzYJsDCdKzivAT4Zo8ncNmh5i4QQNGIeqqlzmPTJRnn4S3Q-Kcus6vGWAhZywMhjJIA4faFcJnsSCOJpEmN4M-wUrbimjZeu_cJIBAP9MRLYIuoAk/s4032/IMG_7215.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JFeiUmZb3xpN6Sz4jk5-749ud42L7vZcZh7f7B496qH_8HRnqJckk0rLhZjTOx4SwUI9Y-mNLPRzYJsDCdKzivAT4Zo8ncNmh5i4QQNGIeqqlzmPTJRnn4S3Q-Kcus6vGWAhZywMhjJIA4faFcJnsSCOJpEmN4M-wUrbimjZeu_cJIBAP9MRLYIuoAk/w400-h300/IMG_7215.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2lCW3zUA8HVPLLm6WS-dFossKAmxy31eUmtQFnvVWdXldciwxzhyphenhyphenyAu_H_kZ1dv94rKJxctz5pbpNTgvaVwDN_mAxRztOSb3bRSZwJEs4hfogmNC60td0uz1LSqSyENg7QDjj5WSWUP0tIDxUj4NH1AmTl6H9aMBU299Xlbo4Sga2Kwso78_E3jgqUc/s4032/IMG_7217.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2lCW3zUA8HVPLLm6WS-dFossKAmxy31eUmtQFnvVWdXldciwxzhyphenhyphenyAu_H_kZ1dv94rKJxctz5pbpNTgvaVwDN_mAxRztOSb3bRSZwJEs4hfogmNC60td0uz1LSqSyENg7QDjj5WSWUP0tIDxUj4NH1AmTl6H9aMBU299Xlbo4Sga2Kwso78_E3jgqUc/w400-h300/IMG_7217.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thankfully the rain and wind hadn't caused the blooms to blow off and we were able to make our way from the MLK Jr. Memorial almost around to the Jefferson Memorial and really take in the blooms! Granted, we did have to dodge quite a few puddles to get from point A to point B - but we did just fine and no one fell into the Tidal Basin either, ha-ha!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnXiL_LtkUEzkiNXbby7n7yfMTa8Wd_2pgVmzKJYqp5N-drC0j6Jmn1TuXxMug9ziEhiay_-CDvuraHUQEYNEHItX11q5rwvmu_Eeo7QYOrNRSeG-qDhqv_F5QRM-TZqXyZnnBnNaggJmlTH9OzBq0Y5WtuWvoJ7wBzWum2i_oZSd7rKUfKZhp6Mekwo/s4032/IMG_7218.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiOnXiL_LtkUEzkiNXbby7n7yfMTa8Wd_2pgVmzKJYqp5N-drC0j6Jmn1TuXxMug9ziEhiay_-CDvuraHUQEYNEHItX11q5rwvmu_Eeo7QYOrNRSeG-qDhqv_F5QRM-TZqXyZnnBnNaggJmlTH9OzBq0Y5WtuWvoJ7wBzWum2i_oZSd7rKUfKZhp6Mekwo/s320/IMG_7218.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkGLHhx7iEcUYC7yn1UZf8G2-z5BYXNu7xXxPTqurlv_IHWUSaGDqA0jf9Pxhzc_7GRvSgFr3heCrriU9FHd1jjMK3kTvf_VoaHSGsArm-mNWMRgPPYjIeneuAv8PfSxbWafSFDG9xlb65z6MSnI7Lc5Q_96UR5m2C9QRsAT_XnwSf5WPZiLYzsEUei0/s4032/IMG_7219.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgUkGLHhx7iEcUYC7yn1UZf8G2-z5BYXNu7xXxPTqurlv_IHWUSaGDqA0jf9Pxhzc_7GRvSgFr3heCrriU9FHd1jjMK3kTvf_VoaHSGsArm-mNWMRgPPYjIeneuAv8PfSxbWafSFDG9xlb65z6MSnI7Lc5Q_96UR5m2C9QRsAT_XnwSf5WPZiLYzsEUei0/s320/IMG_7219.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtE917TQmFZbVUI4Ve4QjQEU5Td8-gtr7HVjZ3p49ReNQ3AGVbm2IDwZ1WKpGX5ELucL8eZ8cigjcQMcEfMrTkGRLbRlYjWI4K-QO5CFWy-IalpwIdtOJ0gVJgFOCMRUlOIyTn92gGmJ1Oak2qrc8nkkRzGRM2DBxdGX3txIPRPbMdYXz8_O9u-EnM82g/s4032/IMG_7220.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhtE917TQmFZbVUI4Ve4QjQEU5Td8-gtr7HVjZ3p49ReNQ3AGVbm2IDwZ1WKpGX5ELucL8eZ8cigjcQMcEfMrTkGRLbRlYjWI4K-QO5CFWy-IalpwIdtOJ0gVJgFOCMRUlOIyTn92gGmJ1Oak2qrc8nkkRzGRM2DBxdGX3txIPRPbMdYXz8_O9u-EnM82g/s320/IMG_7220.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8A2sAwipxT7FCiVGVPUPdjc-8uHOZ691rZ4-bQm9XNO3J2I5GtzxmQD1s8AUILR_vqWnAnY5n1gWCDW9x0mZZh25wfzZGk2tDO8gPvrB3dxFghGhKHJQ-JpDFhKUfPnWWBxwhRrDaS04-qaDocW9PNjj5-wSOxkBWaYp4kN6VhizepwTskQesbtcbKRA/s4032/IMG_7221.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEi8A2sAwipxT7FCiVGVPUPdjc-8uHOZ691rZ4-bQm9XNO3J2I5GtzxmQD1s8AUILR_vqWnAnY5n1gWCDW9x0mZZh25wfzZGk2tDO8gPvrB3dxFghGhKHJQ-JpDFhKUfPnWWBxwhRrDaS04-qaDocW9PNjj5-wSOxkBWaYp4kN6VhizepwTskQesbtcbKRA/s320/IMG_7221.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuCrzxh6dl4lYFC_6j_MWprFQYNSgvZVLToAuZtwQ8AKbDVwFoHKXBp6MX7FecIDexreZ4e-16KAt4SIkYcGOwrPm_gm4frz6ZFuqGevK29fRx8Yp6MwPc3R4j3ZoYx7xgVRra1U5fVWN95fmgfwr06kTVK7_EThmIDDqDV-OJd5Gc4DkIJ8ORwMFANA/s4032/IMG_7216.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuCrzxh6dl4lYFC_6j_MWprFQYNSgvZVLToAuZtwQ8AKbDVwFoHKXBp6MX7FecIDexreZ4e-16KAt4SIkYcGOwrPm_gm4frz6ZFuqGevK29fRx8Yp6MwPc3R4j3ZoYx7xgVRra1U5fVWN95fmgfwr06kTVK7_EThmIDDqDV-OJd5Gc4DkIJ8ORwMFANA/w400-h300/IMG_7216.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoewG-xgaID3dZO1mSZmiUXrGZiUWZiidxwX7Hv4DvEAE84y9uF9FkmByjPMr5eAw5gLCmb_QZiguJvJWesjuplq1tTLSKQBGufnkebMqT_ZYhhOkiMhkNigOtkXT5Wvw6v12uBhmK4W8nTrVe-GQEJBahptQCtgj48FEK6mbAY05FBgIni_qDWykMHcA/s4032/IMG_7222.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhoewG-xgaID3dZO1mSZmiUXrGZiUWZiidxwX7Hv4DvEAE84y9uF9FkmByjPMr5eAw5gLCmb_QZiguJvJWesjuplq1tTLSKQBGufnkebMqT_ZYhhOkiMhkNigOtkXT5Wvw6v12uBhmK4W8nTrVe-GQEJBahptQCtgj48FEK6mbAY05FBgIni_qDWykMHcA/s320/IMG_7222.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdA0ln8PqYlq0-_m13eXyHN5ApE5IawyFB2ZzDbNU31hOChyphenhyphenHwzd7j-5kmcPJKAg9GFVsxrgEr2W5fbA4o0YJoqjTdYEvJKM47sh2Gd9zYc4QgZ76NL46kt2UIhz6kF1qHwpdt7TciHTmaYgrg8VzSE82WwUY4z2HO21FFjASuEGFZ7v2ZPECimYEeqVM/s4032/IMG_7236.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhdA0ln8PqYlq0-_m13eXyHN5ApE5IawyFB2ZzDbNU31hOChyphenhyphenHwzd7j-5kmcPJKAg9GFVsxrgEr2W5fbA4o0YJoqjTdYEvJKM47sh2Gd9zYc4QgZ76NL46kt2UIhz6kF1qHwpdt7TciHTmaYgrg8VzSE82WwUY4z2HO21FFjASuEGFZ7v2ZPECimYEeqVM/s320/IMG_7236.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The route we took led us right by the Tulip Library and while most of the flowers weren't quite yet in bloom, the ones that were opened looked absolutely lovely. I don't know if the Tulip Library will ever look quite as miraculous as it did the first year we discovered it - what with the perfect sunshine and blue skies - but the flowers never fail to disappoint, even when the weather is less than perfect. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrZRlEjT7xeknbitx9sJlPQjsnDKChYZQ3OJPIxGQD7L8zd1HpSRAL3LSaxznJ2KV5swVtfOazYEDfJGpLXeHyjIydJtsM6W03pnTV2T8cPHBU-R3_EJvCv68IPt7eQ62cRaNu5x6DuM6mXo5ZPLXSobm-OBKUsftm0PZsC-HlQZXUpcnLz1dvEakYd0/s4032/IMG_7223.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhUrZRlEjT7xeknbitx9sJlPQjsnDKChYZQ3OJPIxGQD7L8zd1HpSRAL3LSaxznJ2KV5swVtfOazYEDfJGpLXeHyjIydJtsM6W03pnTV2T8cPHBU-R3_EJvCv68IPt7eQ62cRaNu5x6DuM6mXo5ZPLXSobm-OBKUsftm0PZsC-HlQZXUpcnLz1dvEakYd0/s320/IMG_7223.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5go9qMRUoU906PAU3P-spd3RT89FyrcbbnlxCPmsKBtP8y8v9UPXzFRuRTdX_u8RdyEWIu7mx-ClsTKA6O30De_FVm3pDknVMKJSFuEzgrdia0SdXhjvnK9bNB6lVb-1HqrxLplexwHdzyGJEwF9EN3iNx6k_Csj_pwjeXn9aggv2lul8WZjAxocEdiw/s4032/IMG_7224.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEi5go9qMRUoU906PAU3P-spd3RT89FyrcbbnlxCPmsKBtP8y8v9UPXzFRuRTdX_u8RdyEWIu7mx-ClsTKA6O30De_FVm3pDknVMKJSFuEzgrdia0SdXhjvnK9bNB6lVb-1HqrxLplexwHdzyGJEwF9EN3iNx6k_Csj_pwjeXn9aggv2lul8WZjAxocEdiw/s320/IMG_7224.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46AAAk3f3eBZWajzJz8MF55f98OvyQIDA3Tq-S2peq-mxJIHcCJVDEO9ZAIdIA7ERDoSRZxbY56c0DZghJF_yyHLkWBeXZx48uMfwDNMZoX3ZpqE9aTqjSsQ1IzK8VNglrDKU9yHd2bA7xXXZ2uXblnO8cT23ek6fUbRZhc8OJs88YBQfEIdoZUPNCD0/s4032/IMG_7226.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46AAAk3f3eBZWajzJz8MF55f98OvyQIDA3Tq-S2peq-mxJIHcCJVDEO9ZAIdIA7ERDoSRZxbY56c0DZghJF_yyHLkWBeXZx48uMfwDNMZoX3ZpqE9aTqjSsQ1IzK8VNglrDKU9yHd2bA7xXXZ2uXblnO8cT23ek6fUbRZhc8OJs88YBQfEIdoZUPNCD0/w400-h300/IMG_7226.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQbfadBfvgVL09XFsPTW_MHxVDE8-M3dyABqO2v896zgH0h4UiZSjt-A6ZQk_AkrDNn9ABk0yyfP8b_fyUjVWiReiKii-UgpzWQua_hi548V37daDjCrU2WqL5LPuzux3DMBSE1YqNGn3Rnn9eVFko56UKvBXwC-X5aMdTgLITELq7FOLYpYFsuyecmw/s4032/IMG_7227.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjCQbfadBfvgVL09XFsPTW_MHxVDE8-M3dyABqO2v896zgH0h4UiZSjt-A6ZQk_AkrDNn9ABk0yyfP8b_fyUjVWiReiKii-UgpzWQua_hi548V37daDjCrU2WqL5LPuzux3DMBSE1YqNGn3Rnn9eVFko56UKvBXwC-X5aMdTgLITELq7FOLYpYFsuyecmw/s320/IMG_7227.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliM8kegwUp3b3G-mdkubYVQISAjsXsZ7JNguuV6jP8kWDZ418gev5WtbmSsyOP5Qvf1-DuNknfuwvkXx1RK7qorCdWENAay5YRI7jMWUbu391kocD_wn6XeOGnjwNAP1-YLJTmo_HSsJeaDhTyR_c8bkvgs3Nb8ePNAB3bAHUaVj7iWFxxa_aDSdt2MM/s4032/IMG_7228.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhliM8kegwUp3b3G-mdkubYVQISAjsXsZ7JNguuV6jP8kWDZ418gev5WtbmSsyOP5Qvf1-DuNknfuwvkXx1RK7qorCdWENAay5YRI7jMWUbu391kocD_wn6XeOGnjwNAP1-YLJTmo_HSsJeaDhTyR_c8bkvgs3Nb8ePNAB3bAHUaVj7iWFxxa_aDSdt2MM/s320/IMG_7228.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxblW5XxeVEqAlgecI0cxOEdcqxDxcY79u9fIPIgBfnteXF0tZMtmHEeGHa2KuRRFMawd6aXzmyHyqyAlrtkrQ7b8A5ietb6P-ruIZvA-S7tlZbuMtkio4LstE84hhheLToGYyd_SPWHZu6PNe-7iIvYa6WYsW8ARsfRxsfdSdHaCiI0g_VpaaD9brMc/s4032/IMG_7230.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjaxblW5XxeVEqAlgecI0cxOEdcqxDxcY79u9fIPIgBfnteXF0tZMtmHEeGHa2KuRRFMawd6aXzmyHyqyAlrtkrQ7b8A5ietb6P-ruIZvA-S7tlZbuMtkio4LstE84hhheLToGYyd_SPWHZu6PNe-7iIvYa6WYsW8ARsfRxsfdSdHaCiI0g_VpaaD9brMc/s320/IMG_7230.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FBnzVcSplwSYMTNlJK-Ectkl3a9SFdYAutNOzKoKf3oMgx1cQBJLDKGkuZy1rDjo7nf5F0_p4PokyvPXAricW5eFIYUpZp4xq14bSCDTO6cb5mMFFozgh_49yY5WcQlP0Fs7dXW_JOnh_zGFJLRvUdCaS1-pxZy1Y_MxxLSAw0Mx1SxC1E-W82PfX20/s4032/IMG_7231.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEh9FBnzVcSplwSYMTNlJK-Ectkl3a9SFdYAutNOzKoKf3oMgx1cQBJLDKGkuZy1rDjo7nf5F0_p4PokyvPXAricW5eFIYUpZp4xq14bSCDTO6cb5mMFFozgh_49yY5WcQlP0Fs7dXW_JOnh_zGFJLRvUdCaS1-pxZy1Y_MxxLSAw0Mx1SxC1E-W82PfX20/s320/IMG_7231.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVxezXqbd0PN2lfu9xC-v821xuPllmvrQ54B-y793dKc4hd0JwgDYUUZjmTaC9ZeZx_phR6-UWXU5Sx1cCkZTiZBY34WX8Ahn8hA6WV1iWwv87GDev2frqPSJio2xFrhtpLRKGY6t51e1wlDqQTTgJq6ONYl-HW_W7Org6axY3ileRUfYvNDrdfMzrDs/s4032/IMG_7232.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiqVxezXqbd0PN2lfu9xC-v821xuPllmvrQ54B-y793dKc4hd0JwgDYUUZjmTaC9ZeZx_phR6-UWXU5Sx1cCkZTiZBY34WX8Ahn8hA6WV1iWwv87GDev2frqPSJio2xFrhtpLRKGY6t51e1wlDqQTTgJq6ONYl-HW_W7Org6axY3ileRUfYvNDrdfMzrDs/s320/IMG_7232.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGzhOsksD8z4ZuWM1mK-qr_tp4nAnsWC8QjbmYl2XXyqjSKSgUnAdg6wWabNR9JfGN2sIf_ldei6eBk-5paKbG_eWphCu2nS4P9VU4c06K_za1xcpaTgndc2Ku8lIpGrML28NtyvRVI9NcIwRqZrR13Gu9rxXFxArXzAss-FXUcnxsUP7XK7Pxt22LgA/s4032/IMG_7233.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgSGzhOsksD8z4ZuWM1mK-qr_tp4nAnsWC8QjbmYl2XXyqjSKSgUnAdg6wWabNR9JfGN2sIf_ldei6eBk-5paKbG_eWphCu2nS4P9VU4c06K_za1xcpaTgndc2Ku8lIpGrML28NtyvRVI9NcIwRqZrR13Gu9rxXFxArXzAss-FXUcnxsUP7XK7Pxt22LgA/s320/IMG_7233.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We'd planned to walk all the way around to the Jefferson Memorial but the wind was starting to pick up like crazy and so we ended up hopping into the car when my parents happened to crawl past us in the lines of traffic! After our brisk walk to see the blooms, we headed to another car dealership; this time in Arlington, to look at a prospective vehicle for Ryan and then headed for Chuy's for our dinner!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctcHFhUgjfhbiE9CpbVhW7vM6kQ1yVHtXGrVazYsqFYaanZDI1QsOdZIXUE47DSQ4ApcCmRY9A6V7Yfndj9t0ylQRZaW43n2ojtHEwWcdxjj9-4FRtoLtpEM58wwk4PDXf-OyOYI9QUR1gpQjBsTJ_haZ7dBQrA5AuTWtKUoh6beEJRtqjVovnNAupiw/s3088/IMG_7235.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctcHFhUgjfhbiE9CpbVhW7vM6kQ1yVHtXGrVazYsqFYaanZDI1QsOdZIXUE47DSQ4ApcCmRY9A6V7Yfndj9t0ylQRZaW43n2ojtHEwWcdxjj9-4FRtoLtpEM58wwk4PDXf-OyOYI9QUR1gpQjBsTJ_haZ7dBQrA5AuTWtKUoh6beEJRtqjVovnNAupiw/w300-h400/IMG_7235.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9moIGQ-zjVc4MEKZuIkMJTiMll5MqO2wQ6hKUmO6DGElWv7QIk42kv-_jAg4TB6GcKWfIpJhRqcCuzMyoOkMyXe6h97cp35AsohiN9ncI-WCorPKBR9ZZyBhBqqFAK0X5LvWGnJDicZPx4_cAB3luEA_b4w08WTbq9INu3gdM3encyc4s3E4SmciyoU/s3088/IMG_7238.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9moIGQ-zjVc4MEKZuIkMJTiMll5MqO2wQ6hKUmO6DGElWv7QIk42kv-_jAg4TB6GcKWfIpJhRqcCuzMyoOkMyXe6h97cp35AsohiN9ncI-WCorPKBR9ZZyBhBqqFAK0X5LvWGnJDicZPx4_cAB3luEA_b4w08WTbq9INu3gdM3encyc4s3E4SmciyoU/s320/IMG_7238.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpYnm_eVRwKa6ifjPisUEDGxGU4S3OMlCaDK1ZN87yMKNMaC9UcsBEYUDFHX9JKVFy69tI5S6XZY6MZxZYZyt1HbiCgP0-PTmRYX2fjRgzaWI_PyEhC76VMIoDsf0i8QQ48mpblXs9RW1_7ON-8TS9gm-XUjnmtJvzI5PCV14RjZEHiwT0-FbpR0YlFs/s4032/IMG_7239.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgWpYnm_eVRwKa6ifjPisUEDGxGU4S3OMlCaDK1ZN87yMKNMaC9UcsBEYUDFHX9JKVFy69tI5S6XZY6MZxZYZyt1HbiCgP0-PTmRYX2fjRgzaWI_PyEhC76VMIoDsf0i8QQ48mpblXs9RW1_7ON-8TS9gm-XUjnmtJvzI5PCV14RjZEHiwT0-FbpR0YlFs/s320/IMG_7239.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpDo9TCL6r7NPw7_h-FiJjJVJ3vbC-O1YKzD1zVNQ-YuT9dFl_iGAJ5i6dgWS7Mgw6r9ubWkKSTYYxgPV0-QovksHQdaPTsUnhSNBIUdy4criW4uTO5qf0LsLa_hINIkZ_wuD_woyHoLwfaHLpBEBY-rAQEsC0IKvqB-XYwXs69qRy1LAayysGTmC7A4/s4032/IMG_7240.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjdpDo9TCL6r7NPw7_h-FiJjJVJ3vbC-O1YKzD1zVNQ-YuT9dFl_iGAJ5i6dgWS7Mgw6r9ubWkKSTYYxgPV0-QovksHQdaPTsUnhSNBIUdy4criW4uTO5qf0LsLa_hINIkZ_wuD_woyHoLwfaHLpBEBY-rAQEsC0IKvqB-XYwXs69qRy1LAayysGTmC7A4/s320/IMG_7240.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WwH7bdRrjoKTV637VOGOjp3h8w8P9YoGgiVbR19y17VF7cABba-ryn3BY-dY61bLr8rfouz_9KE-JCGogWcodSad0ebIMEYKL6QfeyrFUmXZx21bQeLnEC2rmqch6_YWQFczTVrtQQDqRzbVoT8phrn2ET3LjquboYQ3T4HQr8se9zYH-4ZlJVd39aU/s4032/IMG_7241.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEi9WwH7bdRrjoKTV637VOGOjp3h8w8P9YoGgiVbR19y17VF7cABba-ryn3BY-dY61bLr8rfouz_9KE-JCGogWcodSad0ebIMEYKL6QfeyrFUmXZx21bQeLnEC2rmqch6_YWQFczTVrtQQDqRzbVoT8phrn2ET3LjquboYQ3T4HQr8se9zYH-4ZlJVd39aU/s320/IMG_7241.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwQTs6eBVnJffSaV4J2qRoEa6nGdARVbhd4Z-4ynhuCp3QlGmQi04xCEj9YCRjmHHAyXtFV8HIKZ7FbREVZn-yIN3JV6V0nuMDOgOhrxQ5-N-oI0VwsQSzVEKkqjsn8iQIf1Qe9MleeKErl_gEAmNU7kXO-MGC6Wge_LH3i_-ulnyV1KJbSygmtNsz8w/s3088/IMG_7242.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwQTs6eBVnJffSaV4J2qRoEa6nGdARVbhd4Z-4ynhuCp3QlGmQi04xCEj9YCRjmHHAyXtFV8HIKZ7FbREVZn-yIN3JV6V0nuMDOgOhrxQ5-N-oI0VwsQSzVEKkqjsn8iQIf1Qe9MleeKErl_gEAmNU7kXO-MGC6Wge_LH3i_-ulnyV1KJbSygmtNsz8w/w300-h400/IMG_7242.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We closed out our day in DC with a stop at Trader Joe's and then headed home for a quiet evening. Sunday was sunny and beautiful, but very chilly and cold - so after church and taking my Dad out for an early birthday lunch - we spent most of the day indoors, admiring the sunshine from the warmth of the house! I sure can't wait for some warmer Spring temperatures to arrive and stick around! </div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-62125321645953142592024-03-18T13:01:00.000-07:002024-03-18T13:01:18.360-07:00Flowers are in Bloom!<p style="text-align: left;">The first "official" day of Spring isn't until tomorrow but the past weekend was gloriously Spring-like and so we took advantage of the wonderful weather and tried to spend as much time outside as possible all weekend long! </p><p style="text-align: left;">I had grand plans; after Friday being a gorgeous day all day long, of sitting out at the lake with Ryan to have our dinner and enjoy the gorgeous weather! We cooked a pizza and headed for the lake but the clouds had rolled in and the wind had picked up, so we ended up gobbling down our pizza and coming home pretty quickly to finish <i>Masters of the Air</i> and also watch an episode of <i>Somebody Feed Phil</i> before crashing for the evening! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdq9e6QL3JSZkJKb-DZ8kr_EDENtnqExzlwSDKswsn7RZ_TAJeie73SvudUVtZyyaiPQXS9JZThovHem61p4nGSypQrE3-57vqxS_QifOdKymmtcXighNZf07oQFYkhgXlmVcBCRYw4F4o_lhFxjl2-2evMJKFFEiigPer9j8Ii0m990XCR2QuBC-F4nc/s4032/IMG_7031.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgdq9e6QL3JSZkJKb-DZ8kr_EDENtnqExzlwSDKswsn7RZ_TAJeie73SvudUVtZyyaiPQXS9JZThovHem61p4nGSypQrE3-57vqxS_QifOdKymmtcXighNZf07oQFYkhgXlmVcBCRYw4F4o_lhFxjl2-2evMJKFFEiigPer9j8Ii0m990XCR2QuBC-F4nc/s320/IMG_7031.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wJDU0-tONVeV7hyphenhyphen4m4FUzPawyssLPhuEIE6nM_GHnpRzvR8ZJtu4RkcH9hGBq_0BXg2sLiokoJcCq75HSdhwS1RksFu21IpQJgpxHzs4UE4mJQXcjULM54cH49EnvTLiDd4XxRC40Xnt9VIqJEtiIrPyEnGXvxNDLLvfXza2JNjWqPsVzahXTEgdb8U/s4032/IMG_7032.jpeg" 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_wJDU0-tONVeV7hyphenhyphen4m4FUzPawyssLPhuEIE6nM_GHnpRzvR8ZJtu4RkcH9hGBq_0BXg2sLiokoJcCq75HSdhwS1RksFu21IpQJgpxHzs4UE4mJQXcjULM54cH49EnvTLiDd4XxRC40Xnt9VIqJEtiIrPyEnGXvxNDLLvfXza2JNjWqPsVzahXTEgdb8U/s320/IMG_7032.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Ryan and I have been hoping to start hiking again every Saturday in March and finally - the third Saturday in March was an absolutely glorious day! So after Ryan returned from the Men's Bible Study, we packed our lunches and headed into the Shenandoah National Park for a huge chunk of the day. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntIw3FY5Pi353VioYrXL-h-ym9sav72AzQdEPNlcrW2p1hw8dUe1zlX5gtDSQZTDSrds8jnz6dAW0zWhcgU4vyVjvlSPQhx5MfyaOhvgpIrb9ccXIrKkR4qHTZIrQuMXuvRT-cmLOU2Ne6ReYmSTAYRYRZfSrDpaiVHYM3eJG705pHsOq4-3iFYCtQXI/s3088/IMG_7046.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntIw3FY5Pi353VioYrXL-h-ym9sav72AzQdEPNlcrW2p1hw8dUe1zlX5gtDSQZTDSrds8jnz6dAW0zWhcgU4vyVjvlSPQhx5MfyaOhvgpIrb9ccXIrKkR4qHTZIrQuMXuvRT-cmLOU2Ne6ReYmSTAYRYRZfSrDpaiVHYM3eJG705pHsOq4-3iFYCtQXI/s320/IMG_7046.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDph_Brll9w6M4bXihN5VK5hBD5Rv_F8GTcUBjC-zBlx52uwuvJTHvLQ2SkESCy-IyVw6f9MF5zQhB-0otbsjpoRZujWSXobXxfH8jPGAI-iURoiEW4Lni2hhND_XnxtFDAxuX9nq8f5I8O6CmXyiUZ2uyce5EAjyCj8Wjukz0RbpP591juK5x32MlfA/s3088/IMG_7049.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDph_Brll9w6M4bXihN5VK5hBD5Rv_F8GTcUBjC-zBlx52uwuvJTHvLQ2SkESCy-IyVw6f9MF5zQhB-0otbsjpoRZujWSXobXxfH8jPGAI-iURoiEW4Lni2hhND_XnxtFDAxuX9nq8f5I8O6CmXyiUZ2uyce5EAjyCj8Wjukz0RbpP591juK5x32MlfA/s320/IMG_7049.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjtILovE3vfH9PfS8mZvzK_LUbMuB-jM16Dyfe8fPZptP9eEnf4gOdokY6C06Bk71GRD3kDHmNcRo6h95_1w2uvctU1ZUbRhHjnHmS1SPwcrEY3DTEO9HejxAxVdqnTHVMQ5sA39zLqEvJgbY66fvrl8tWiDwQy7DptkGIeM2WPaTEq7v3ofgk-53keA/s4032/IMG_7087.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjtILovE3vfH9PfS8mZvzK_LUbMuB-jM16Dyfe8fPZptP9eEnf4gOdokY6C06Bk71GRD3kDHmNcRo6h95_1w2uvctU1ZUbRhHjnHmS1SPwcrEY3DTEO9HejxAxVdqnTHVMQ5sA39zLqEvJgbY66fvrl8tWiDwQy7DptkGIeM2WPaTEq7v3ofgk-53keA/w400-h300/IMG_7087.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9xv4Kqpki9pvS9MmPdR3bae1figwh9izP6nzbdo2sNwkDBTl17F2QeBCZn6Z-wGCZCWR0-j-crLaqSi7-eHzpJTgmKOKsPctSLRng6KwWDuv2IiIhZL3mZyATsqgdCoaSxCYJZvVNOiA2PMDpD7NM_25tj96tsCb9oQUVxth7eW09WdF4LViglOEgRs/s4032/IMG_7052.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEg-9xv4Kqpki9pvS9MmPdR3bae1figwh9izP6nzbdo2sNwkDBTl17F2QeBCZn6Z-wGCZCWR0-j-crLaqSi7-eHzpJTgmKOKsPctSLRng6KwWDuv2IiIhZL3mZyATsqgdCoaSxCYJZvVNOiA2PMDpD7NM_25tj96tsCb9oQUVxth7eW09WdF4LViglOEgRs/s320/IMG_7052.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdiw8MIEBIGjBPw7Z_u0BNp2k0r0N46m0b1Dsj3wCB-p5Kv6E5xAUdWPAcr5P9aE0FjxO01-pzZQziGpNCug3GaAuxOpaquXozKaM__F4ODa8rBGLk-nv-UY_tGdRnQNb4rjw8FiSztS8Uj2kIrW66YuwZMAc-DKXaM1niEqSsYqd-Z2CYsLXOiW7BJ0/s4032/IMG_7060.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEivdiw8MIEBIGjBPw7Z_u0BNp2k0r0N46m0b1Dsj3wCB-p5Kv6E5xAUdWPAcr5P9aE0FjxO01-pzZQziGpNCug3GaAuxOpaquXozKaM__F4ODa8rBGLk-nv-UY_tGdRnQNb4rjw8FiSztS8Uj2kIrW66YuwZMAc-DKXaM1niEqSsYqd-Z2CYsLXOiW7BJ0/s320/IMG_7060.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We decided to hike the Compton Peak Trail - and my navigation skills led us first up and down the Compton Peak Fire Road for a little over two miles before I realized we might be in the wrong spot. *face palm* Thank goodness it was a beautiful day! After returning to the car and eating our sandwiches, we headed out on the ACTUAL trail! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qHzg34P1WEPN55wLQ4mENXJ9U0Ap5obgoyzIdmvnfFshpkCR7llUX_M-6kcnT1ga6EefI7devViN8obEjaBK4BvZUnNrsJ_KhW1T7lSwx3NCILL-sQRX1wjcHi4tXRJiUKsComRmhlpjaKvyZv_neT0BX6OrLKZiRJgtAd4m3HYO_UiDkgbAQVi-EXk/s4032/IMG_7100.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qHzg34P1WEPN55wLQ4mENXJ9U0Ap5obgoyzIdmvnfFshpkCR7llUX_M-6kcnT1ga6EefI7devViN8obEjaBK4BvZUnNrsJ_KhW1T7lSwx3NCILL-sQRX1wjcHi4tXRJiUKsComRmhlpjaKvyZv_neT0BX6OrLKZiRJgtAd4m3HYO_UiDkgbAQVi-EXk/w400-h300/IMG_7100.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYHvAsRwyBTFsz9TSyqCaiVE9-IXwP6MxqLdEnjgysLtu6TfQt13OdfE9Dvz3AU4oUHKkV5SnREII1cOCtR3Uc2fbF14qrqvUpRZMGksiheRpGyJuHHJFe4aOTiQ5MBZS_pjyfc5_ynCD2uMf7vC-QJZPIvRWfrTsjq8FEZiX4q9r7LyBROgZnXphHhk/s4032/IMG_7111.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiLYHvAsRwyBTFsz9TSyqCaiVE9-IXwP6MxqLdEnjgysLtu6TfQt13OdfE9Dvz3AU4oUHKkV5SnREII1cOCtR3Uc2fbF14qrqvUpRZMGksiheRpGyJuHHJFe4aOTiQ5MBZS_pjyfc5_ynCD2uMf7vC-QJZPIvRWfrTsjq8FEZiX4q9r7LyBROgZnXphHhk/s320/IMG_7111.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdzdCxe9taens0q309XekR8TFVhzJQH_l5DgMn5XkOOtFTZANBOSyH3sORLUaqS2jzg850Jg-hU7Ic80RIc5NQZFanrikd0O5coYpXpatewYCwpgK7NS9O9S_AQ9HMZzzVhxgUS7KkVbSdxDhUJgqfPnxu_eCLh5q0pGJkdtG9-pv8RCh33iQI6a7HnM/s3088/IMG_7112.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdzdCxe9taens0q309XekR8TFVhzJQH_l5DgMn5XkOOtFTZANBOSyH3sORLUaqS2jzg850Jg-hU7Ic80RIc5NQZFanrikd0O5coYpXpatewYCwpgK7NS9O9S_AQ9HMZzzVhxgUS7KkVbSdxDhUJgqfPnxu_eCLh5q0pGJkdtG9-pv8RCh33iQI6a7HnM/s320/IMG_7112.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuh6-ynxEdgUvmXuBM1aeMminqPJwJl3f9KK4RdmRT6x7Axc1CGhvZhXY4iK8wBGkPDHHj7NeKwdQLXQ3ElZfgI3uHWQsyVyRV-8C5PS0BkGTKOicKgRbx3_LvGq01aCVF9yCPUugK_ujGwCMZ5ywVjrLEybDKF2BlwTZgK8CA6MEAt_XCj_XiwOZ6TU/s4032/IMG_7095.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuh6-ynxEdgUvmXuBM1aeMminqPJwJl3f9KK4RdmRT6x7Axc1CGhvZhXY4iK8wBGkPDHHj7NeKwdQLXQ3ElZfgI3uHWQsyVyRV-8C5PS0BkGTKOicKgRbx3_LvGq01aCVF9yCPUugK_ujGwCMZ5ywVjrLEybDKF2BlwTZgK8CA6MEAt_XCj_XiwOZ6TU/w400-h300/IMG_7095.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Compton Peak is not a long trail - only 2.2 miles round trip - but be aware that the first mile is essentially all up, over rocks and switchbacks... but hey, once you've conquered that, the rest is flat or all downhill! The views from Compton Peak are gorgeous and we realized pretty quickly that we could see the Christendom College Cathedral from the peak - and beyond. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfCJpAPG2slIVEfuyuxV6zGOjmpoEiV1hqtf-hVgvuY8hKkjxP2jDDXFjtu3cncYJDtLl_WQi6r6iffXB4jU6yoy8m7elY2DzvHB5M4k3yVrcrLUN6U56Pq1gq5M-uTBL4olECYNzLBFYbReYlldnJ17NvEIVruohtNGeMUwISVnih4ocpw-knFOsuP4/s4032/IMG_7064.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjWfCJpAPG2slIVEfuyuxV6zGOjmpoEiV1hqtf-hVgvuY8hKkjxP2jDDXFjtu3cncYJDtLl_WQi6r6iffXB4jU6yoy8m7elY2DzvHB5M4k3yVrcrLUN6U56Pq1gq5M-uTBL4olECYNzLBFYbReYlldnJ17NvEIVruohtNGeMUwISVnih4ocpw-knFOsuP4/s320/IMG_7064.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fvn_pkx-cYItmwfiWTPBYcSaufisGhJ_A9pZzPv-Wgn5wRBKiS4dfJxTc7VWr0-cn7vRuIreb3klDGO7bEysh1e-Nne6DIoJ6LQd8UkK6ITGW6X1zrPyxqX4JZPn_hGd-Co1VrzP9Y8HWuaG-5CrwHfraAdO2ZLKI4u3-OvC2DjPR_hgpbq0tYFSOaM/s4032/IMG_7113.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEj5fvn_pkx-cYItmwfiWTPBYcSaufisGhJ_A9pZzPv-Wgn5wRBKiS4dfJxTc7VWr0-cn7vRuIreb3klDGO7bEysh1e-Nne6DIoJ6LQd8UkK6ITGW6X1zrPyxqX4JZPn_hGd-Co1VrzP9Y8HWuaG-5CrwHfraAdO2ZLKI4u3-OvC2DjPR_hgpbq0tYFSOaM/s320/IMG_7113.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIrY8w0QptVo9L5isci6DP0qfk1kUWHvODTsLpaXmfMiZQq1LtLsyKbx7q2a2doBZjc0zuQXzv1xKi0EF9rEIlkU4tJIBti_3ASUykjUWW0sJbW1DaI_vyNGRdLbQAILMEmwrKWxg9VJ_yRUIA5ooTV6wPxZ2PJrwkd-FDmPWZ2FT2XstZAXltIeU-Fc/s4032/IMG_7108.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIrY8w0QptVo9L5isci6DP0qfk1kUWHvODTsLpaXmfMiZQq1LtLsyKbx7q2a2doBZjc0zuQXzv1xKi0EF9rEIlkU4tJIBti_3ASUykjUWW0sJbW1DaI_vyNGRdLbQAILMEmwrKWxg9VJ_yRUIA5ooTV6wPxZ2PJrwkd-FDmPWZ2FT2XstZAXltIeU-Fc/w400-h300/IMG_7108.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljLCQSJFSdNIBKYv2uZ6W4F59Ea0jLLgqiSPYKCYmvg4mDvEt8B2KbhEX6cRXUApO5GOyQHn2W50Id1B8wryxNn1h_wnh7pnIOi3D_blu-4m429wX58-gzxvKr719rioZpRXdNrOcNADs6itZO5n0KinRk_aujTtzZuqJ_b778sE_Dc_LhjhMEGEi0GI/s4032/IMG_7114.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljLCQSJFSdNIBKYv2uZ6W4F59Ea0jLLgqiSPYKCYmvg4mDvEt8B2KbhEX6cRXUApO5GOyQHn2W50Id1B8wryxNn1h_wnh7pnIOi3D_blu-4m429wX58-gzxvKr719rioZpRXdNrOcNADs6itZO5n0KinRk_aujTtzZuqJ_b778sE_Dc_LhjhMEGEi0GI/w400-h300/IMG_7114.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Y'all know I can't not be goofy, so I had to get Ryan to take a picture of me pretending to "fall" off the side of the mountain, ha-ha! We stopped in at the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center before heading home to get clean and chill some and then grill burgers for dinner. We watched <i>John Wick 4</i> to end the night and I slept like the dead after almost five miles of hiking! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTrdipG27fNbBe8CdObtvICTBPTMgMNtni8XXvl0RGHHO_PdjBjl_dnJgpTC3mZCZ5RdJUXIaShFCnPQcwpZI99Q_N2tKk-HMVs26stYsUwOciI_ZV2UnfPGKOyW1MKCLtcUXBLvUkL7URUXarD1HiJwiPFCpwtVcPuyMnWoQjcoC6IZcDEcwCXwCxrk/s4032/IMG_7125.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjsTrdipG27fNbBe8CdObtvICTBPTMgMNtni8XXvl0RGHHO_PdjBjl_dnJgpTC3mZCZ5RdJUXIaShFCnPQcwpZI99Q_N2tKk-HMVs26stYsUwOciI_ZV2UnfPGKOyW1MKCLtcUXBLvUkL7URUXarD1HiJwiPFCpwtVcPuyMnWoQjcoC6IZcDEcwCXwCxrk/s320/IMG_7125.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvuvjzbTrLYFRCHEteVrwFUX9sF-XfNGsy1R8qm1OG69INL7wMtb-4vXmyiu32cGgHPKF0ETzxHk9NLPsFz6rLe1LivgpR7Ak3jCy_0CxRr-6rMXW776ylXbJlscMAphmStOTkyVMvycayThO41DG0duZkomCyMSinaVujnpMnL8yt5bxUvAsBABTOVk/s3088/IMG_7124.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvuvjzbTrLYFRCHEteVrwFUX9sF-XfNGsy1R8qm1OG69INL7wMtb-4vXmyiu32cGgHPKF0ETzxHk9NLPsFz6rLe1LivgpR7Ak3jCy_0CxRr-6rMXW776ylXbJlscMAphmStOTkyVMvycayThO41DG0duZkomCyMSinaVujnpMnL8yt5bxUvAsBABTOVk/s320/IMG_7124.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiams00_OlziaHehA21N4NOJaRqrgS2cnKBOqIO2tuQzXeE3dKP0hIL-qPDfIitnfYA6de9rbF7NDBIkw0970444HuHLrD8pKVPjgmr5Q9C_OiiSGLpwVGUWhpSkXiRlTWQeVS1e5cDX9S0i2jB8JGROTsdwiYBZw-F01YBB8zYergiJoFwjgp77rcqlJ0/s4032/IMG_7127.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiams00_OlziaHehA21N4NOJaRqrgS2cnKBOqIO2tuQzXeE3dKP0hIL-qPDfIitnfYA6de9rbF7NDBIkw0970444HuHLrD8pKVPjgmr5Q9C_OiiSGLpwVGUWhpSkXiRlTWQeVS1e5cDX9S0i2jB8JGROTsdwiYBZw-F01YBB8zYergiJoFwjgp77rcqlJ0/w300-h400/IMG_7127.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sunday was another gorgeous day and after church, Ryan and I popped over to the Arboretum to see what it was looking like. Alas, Spring is still on it's way and not much was in bloom quite yet. We will have to make a return trip in the coming weekends! I spent a huge chunk of the afternoon soaking up the sun on the back deck and reading - and had Mission BBQ for dinner! It was a wonderful weekend!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And because I cannot resist sharing cuteness whenever I see it - my younger sister has been doing some training for work and while she was in her classes, a roommate stumbled upon a sweet pup that had been abandoned on the side of the road, so she brought her home! Have you ever seen anything quite so cute as this little lady?</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhL_MDd_r2Y1TMlKjfMxNP4by5aHjIoIwLAvQDB_z1L7_2XVHgDCkO2kj0wBDra8JiReXkBshSRWcfncFXDfIkpuw38_sZG8Pd8VvoPhAdXcZq6Jnr8XXO0zAs2WVZIa87gGaNtNGGNDkCe6m1ksqHIU-TnrZHBXLz327UY6FxAHGuVbH4RozbulpOdk/s4032/IMG_2838.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgFhL_MDd_r2Y1TMlKjfMxNP4by5aHjIoIwLAvQDB_z1L7_2XVHgDCkO2kj0wBDra8JiReXkBshSRWcfncFXDfIkpuw38_sZG8Pd8VvoPhAdXcZq6Jnr8XXO0zAs2WVZIa87gGaNtNGGNDkCe6m1ksqHIU-TnrZHBXLz327UY6FxAHGuVbH4RozbulpOdk/s320/IMG_2838.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x-UbxLwv-Ka75HJrfjmtJ90ScyFq5lOMitkttKr4W1q34NDsXkPhajSz4PsznT00uGbxT9A0JLbemgV3iTzHLm3OmGdB6Q5oqfWl_GvBZ_wV7QTS5pje1ZHbb5EIcJSEUGNb8R4rRJGyV8yVl2f3mJfGZyCBxbmKZjoEytC6U1f8Hpv2TF20EDpSYQI/s4032/IMG_2833.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEh0x-UbxLwv-Ka75HJrfjmtJ90ScyFq5lOMitkttKr4W1q34NDsXkPhajSz4PsznT00uGbxT9A0JLbemgV3iTzHLm3OmGdB6Q5oqfWl_GvBZ_wV7QTS5pje1ZHbb5EIcJSEUGNb8R4rRJGyV8yVl2f3mJfGZyCBxbmKZjoEytC6U1f8Hpv2TF20EDpSYQI/s320/IMG_2833.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgXZqDTCqERtMAxZQfzkCJxFqtw0CTbcj-RNGQx4YE0ZdTw1I_HzDdRvmCK2LSy9AqlV3uE_3Px0nrNuEFoigvSqiAmSdrAqCaI0dRNiuMSIreM1-C9O7TN2-3ugI1BCwESQD-R3goh-C-pyCP2Swy31Qi4vYs_PkH_AoZFk1PS3eYlODxe8ABkQ8oqw/s4032/IMG_2825.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiSgXZqDTCqERtMAxZQfzkCJxFqtw0CTbcj-RNGQx4YE0ZdTw1I_HzDdRvmCK2LSy9AqlV3uE_3Px0nrNuEFoigvSqiAmSdrAqCaI0dRNiuMSIreM1-C9O7TN2-3ugI1BCwESQD-R3goh-C-pyCP2Swy31Qi4vYs_PkH_AoZFk1PS3eYlODxe8ABkQ8oqw/s320/IMG_2825.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqD4YoHwcFqJu19uTI6McHbX8ngzpX-AdgetHIQbJeSa1eVdjHOqC7JwMYn-aO_XOQ90wj2ZU0n5uJ_mIj1QBbE4mZdoStJXOGl1YJAWxmyoOInVnoLTgUsVcsKAJn4AcnPY_arabKcYOam7SEmPW7oJ1XmX3Gt6LhWQq2v8XFFX1hszfPY7QSCWZzZ3Y/s4032/73222957460__E6860C88-CE1A-499C-8E0D-BB1388F178AC.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiqD4YoHwcFqJu19uTI6McHbX8ngzpX-AdgetHIQbJeSa1eVdjHOqC7JwMYn-aO_XOQ90wj2ZU0n5uJ_mIj1QBbE4mZdoStJXOGl1YJAWxmyoOInVnoLTgUsVcsKAJn4AcnPY_arabKcYOam7SEmPW7oJ1XmX3Gt6LhWQq2v8XFFX1hszfPY7QSCWZzZ3Y/s320/73222957460__E6860C88-CE1A-499C-8E0D-BB1388F178AC.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last report was that the little lady was going to be adopted - so her story will have a happy ending. And she was certainly spoiled for the 48 hours she was living with the girls in their crash pad! Okay - that's all I've got for today, please enjoy the pictures of flowers and the puppy!</div><br />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-82078236319721221962024-03-12T07:39:00.000-07:002024-03-12T07:39:33.555-07:00Lately... Early March<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a minute since I've posted anything that's really life-related, so I figured I'd share some pictures from the last two weeks or so. It hasn't been a particularly eventful few weeks, but depending on what type of eventful ... that can be a good thing! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EcJhqQWBLGEhGrbzLMixau9BIoVAw7wUxyc2LkNnrGKLi9givC0ow8ohwpczN-A45kx_F4GY0a7rNTOOqYp32m5gmme2yjcyeuoD-qjd7z_jAttFE_-1mVmBTik4I0ecm4Zkskj4CM7_wsDIhEgaIP7FH7-22OEAfcN-scwYjJeUR_fntl1_gaUcx9M/s4032/IMG_6804.jpeg" 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-EcJhqQWBLGEhGrbzLMixau9BIoVAw7wUxyc2LkNnrGKLi9givC0ow8ohwpczN-A45kx_F4GY0a7rNTOOqYp32m5gmme2yjcyeuoD-qjd7z_jAttFE_-1mVmBTik4I0ecm4Zkskj4CM7_wsDIhEgaIP7FH7-22OEAfcN-scwYjJeUR_fntl1_gaUcx9M/s320/IMG_6804.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8K2bRLeLf_AVmg29tyrZZ7rPC-df47bIWPWNi70f3Ij6qBgVtjlnmY3nXKa1oTNH8VOT8UX3_rc6bgru_lZwIpagTcM0zau1XPEfcvF5QpaiH6swemTlob2KAzunsJV3qDEgAe2X9XnaQY3c7kzqHRp9bi1YLxYaJbUfeOoCcxYQEbFcOFi6UnDQZxE/s4032/IMG_6805.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhm8K2bRLeLf_AVmg29tyrZZ7rPC-df47bIWPWNi70f3Ij6qBgVtjlnmY3nXKa1oTNH8VOT8UX3_rc6bgru_lZwIpagTcM0zau1XPEfcvF5QpaiH6swemTlob2KAzunsJV3qDEgAe2X9XnaQY3c7kzqHRp9bi1YLxYaJbUfeOoCcxYQEbFcOFi6UnDQZxE/s320/IMG_6805.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">February feels like it ended quietly - nothing big or crazy; just a quiet ending and March came in like a lamb as well (I'm hoping this doesn't mean we are due for a snowstorm at the end of the month...). Ryan and I found the perfect outdoor vehicle for future kiddos and I got to benefit from some leftovers from the tea my Mom and her friends had, ha-ha! I continued to make my new office my own and now that jelly bean season is here - I'm living my best life! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IEuAQ5OSIqyhDRI3u_FkaptccwliV68WPIIvuXRtWMxzDDDsgUaADd4rfvTMD8x1fJ1ZfDii0rT0ZjIzHowrtJE3M7jhWSzpFmD7zYStln2udURTVvyCga8onRN9gflvnJVP6arhX8jCoS7gPNp1ZYPe7gXhQOt_nphsYc0ksGp7PqoND5XtEye8g7A/s3307/IMG_6844.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3307" data-original-width="2446" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IEuAQ5OSIqyhDRI3u_FkaptccwliV68WPIIvuXRtWMxzDDDsgUaADd4rfvTMD8x1fJ1ZfDii0rT0ZjIzHowrtJE3M7jhWSzpFmD7zYStln2udURTVvyCga8onRN9gflvnJVP6arhX8jCoS7gPNp1ZYPe7gXhQOt_nphsYc0ksGp7PqoND5XtEye8g7A/s320/IMG_6844.jpeg" width="237" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDlvK2v0d8qUAkieSAy-OyuUqAV3VefE5I5mpFsYbNi5h8fb8PUY0tGEM8_fWRLB4Gts_UuFwkObNX2NAXfl4IvvL2kPMqOz_EL2DkNu_6uRHvg467OqOaA0bh_-OTG1KIcrIbjUZpJcarRrhW42-_FejHc8vYxQcLANBtu6U417-XZFh7-6NtyGAyyg/s4032/IMG_6859.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjIDlvK2v0d8qUAkieSAy-OyuUqAV3VefE5I5mpFsYbNi5h8fb8PUY0tGEM8_fWRLB4Gts_UuFwkObNX2NAXfl4IvvL2kPMqOz_EL2DkNu_6uRHvg467OqOaA0bh_-OTG1KIcrIbjUZpJcarRrhW42-_FejHc8vYxQcLANBtu6U417-XZFh7-6NtyGAyyg/s320/IMG_6859.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht19azM2pR-UJOzCKZ0rRvK7DwRhJYMa7PJxI9pvaH0yMadWBSRbgYaEkCrwMT3l-f3mm4SLM4NdJZibWLehmlRzxHbDJOJdumOUBy8rVJmRM96Iie8GWt6XIZHnZWZplhtt3Efm3ht1p8XK1G7-JbgcnYfSpQ8eBL1Qqp4CKYj9qiYBPaH7WHvfXa1jg/s4032/IMG_6918.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEht19azM2pR-UJOzCKZ0rRvK7DwRhJYMa7PJxI9pvaH0yMadWBSRbgYaEkCrwMT3l-f3mm4SLM4NdJZibWLehmlRzxHbDJOJdumOUBy8rVJmRM96Iie8GWt6XIZHnZWZplhtt3Efm3ht1p8XK1G7-JbgcnYfSpQ8eBL1Qqp4CKYj9qiYBPaH7WHvfXa1jg/s320/IMG_6918.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Jh7JvH4phCOvkb4qwfey1O8R8XhWDibXKksePTnsfzsvDPnWzzuESKUfamEzE2qoet6BtMAsfAZiWjK6vxFz12WuTmEGy4duhF03skTeKk93rz92kuR9LctNZZHdXr5nKOFXmAHm0c2Gov3sv2z8mR24h2jN8pKz9ZTA4VIJziRqiXAeewImslGpmu4/s4032/IMG_6921.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEi2Jh7JvH4phCOvkb4qwfey1O8R8XhWDibXKksePTnsfzsvDPnWzzuESKUfamEzE2qoet6BtMAsfAZiWjK6vxFz12WuTmEGy4duhF03skTeKk93rz92kuR9LctNZZHdXr5nKOFXmAHm0c2Gov3sv2z8mR24h2jN8pKz9ZTA4VIJziRqiXAeewImslGpmu4/s320/IMG_6921.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the lovely parts of my job is that I get to make trips between my office and City Hall - and with Spring coming along nicely here in Northern Virginia, the walk(s) have been really enjoyable! I am really enjoying my new job so much and I am able to feel like; even if it's in a small way, my job is making a difference and helping someone. It's been a really lovely change in my life and I'm blessed to see how the rest of the year unfolds in this new position!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFix70NlWe7szWNFy0LsqUJ5Enre8Pa_71zUu6KHmIzFdtKCfPEkI-ZzNWDXklx_P1sOYCnp_3S9uem44r98mPDruRPc3aR3LfMHCmBi9RgSxLz7qYeWrAcKzVqAI-81w58zylNT4wf5OoWcDP9eHV0w26OEiJDokR3XH-vPCaW0KecQ_M-e9xfpjWrU/s3088/IMG_6916.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFix70NlWe7szWNFy0LsqUJ5Enre8Pa_71zUu6KHmIzFdtKCfPEkI-ZzNWDXklx_P1sOYCnp_3S9uem44r98mPDruRPc3aR3LfMHCmBi9RgSxLz7qYeWrAcKzVqAI-81w58zylNT4wf5OoWcDP9eHV0w26OEiJDokR3XH-vPCaW0KecQ_M-e9xfpjWrU/s320/IMG_6916.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcHQfk8iVCmC6Up77VWjTdeoIzhJrn5wIbibGcqJaDH9b3kUoniAaV2l3dorOp9Oub4xbI6kGZ09cFl4JEHJX5TQhXSvYF1PiowGGbMcUtDjbb7TzFDe4YIoEgD_EblMPcWXx6nkr7Z2YgDhgqo8N8uoiVXt2hfa0DxVoj29s-vukIK1vLNGMBoJYD6w/s4032/IMG_6917.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgjcHQfk8iVCmC6Up77VWjTdeoIzhJrn5wIbibGcqJaDH9b3kUoniAaV2l3dorOp9Oub4xbI6kGZ09cFl4JEHJX5TQhXSvYF1PiowGGbMcUtDjbb7TzFDe4YIoEgD_EblMPcWXx6nkr7Z2YgDhgqo8N8uoiVXt2hfa0DxVoj29s-vukIK1vLNGMBoJYD6w/s320/IMG_6917.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKiQeit4jgK0K_ZIu5B5oLNWzrjBoteyrwMZQnAiypXgbHA3aUoXz89jNDM6ky_lUJX-Hi-7i4TKdQoqwelIRT-yWiYEYBVe5D3ZvG375Utv58IP-bPP6usdwazpSSkpYWzr5ky7q45cQXrrl1KQymQJr9tDcn_3Hsxv70xUzfmdQMnLcnb7tYOTiSIc/s4032/IMG_0497.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhzKiQeit4jgK0K_ZIu5B5oLNWzrjBoteyrwMZQnAiypXgbHA3aUoXz89jNDM6ky_lUJX-Hi-7i4TKdQoqwelIRT-yWiYEYBVe5D3ZvG375Utv58IP-bPP6usdwazpSSkpYWzr5ky7q45cQXrrl1KQymQJr9tDcn_3Hsxv70xUzfmdQMnLcnb7tYOTiSIc/s320/IMG_0497.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLop12_lzZprZMKaj9VG1CcwU0tdYuAYMSqzFSWU7ZMRLek4ODCwam5GWWC5CcTgpNSmZOEcVAcywjZMEBmRhLeUIxcH4RVRP1Hk6No2r6CC1i6AUYLxcM0rH7H8EqJOBeDhIpFsO2xXorFjxv8HHWqpBP5ooJbev2LoPsscG2zGp038O9YlOh2Ybhnw0/s4032/IMG_0496.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgLop12_lzZprZMKaj9VG1CcwU0tdYuAYMSqzFSWU7ZMRLek4ODCwam5GWWC5CcTgpNSmZOEcVAcywjZMEBmRhLeUIxcH4RVRP1Hk6No2r6CC1i6AUYLxcM0rH7H8EqJOBeDhIpFsO2xXorFjxv8HHWqpBP5ooJbev2LoPsscG2zGp038O9YlOh2Ybhnw0/s320/IMG_0496.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another change that definitely involved me stepping outside of my comfort zone was that I auditioned to join the church's praise team and on March 3rd - I was part of the team that led worship! If you'd told me even a year ago that I'd be singing on the praise and worship team at church, I'd have laughed at you! I've always been able to sing but usually I hone my skills in the car - when I'm alone. However, I know my ability to sing is a gift from the Lord and I need to use it for more than performing for myself in the car... so here we are! I really enjoyed my first outing and can't wait to help lead worship again soon! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiFqSddAmyToEFsmIlz-erpzk6TKk8qfrEcZHVQ496QtwXZZdJMR75WfB0dH7A73zeZKU9LBCZEUGlSJCFDi5u22sFLmbroS2kKodfOAsp7DkNyJ5tQNq20taUejUfpX1qb1C_Z5Q0Ndx3E1YJ32ErfV6KaiI0JIneWI1d5whODD5oK1mONSECnU-dRc/s3088/IMG_6933.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiFqSddAmyToEFsmIlz-erpzk6TKk8qfrEcZHVQ496QtwXZZdJMR75WfB0dH7A73zeZKU9LBCZEUGlSJCFDi5u22sFLmbroS2kKodfOAsp7DkNyJ5tQNq20taUejUfpX1qb1C_Z5Q0Ndx3E1YJ32ErfV6KaiI0JIneWI1d5whODD5oK1mONSECnU-dRc/s320/IMG_6933.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5tQqBElTTPiHIH2oJ_QU4TUk0pXoZjsGPnTe6ufoE5R9NGTIp9eIZmFJEP6zwDjtKrEd2G_WyjXaa26AKYjMy4LNAyTu0Qr8BXrIdf13S-SB7pJ4YV5PXLIyEQ70jkBqFcpn2bbUIVk5kHGivgcVIxs_xYbHfRdgBjZ8_hko4X9DYCWwug6KlFmjmxg/s4032/IMG_6934.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEii5tQqBElTTPiHIH2oJ_QU4TUk0pXoZjsGPnTe6ufoE5R9NGTIp9eIZmFJEP6zwDjtKrEd2G_WyjXaa26AKYjMy4LNAyTu0Qr8BXrIdf13S-SB7pJ4YV5PXLIyEQ70jkBqFcpn2bbUIVk5kHGivgcVIxs_xYbHfRdgBjZ8_hko4X9DYCWwug6KlFmjmxg/s320/IMG_6934.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZBkvHSAYg3JBH2FOEBKWNsj2fqaJKXPfgEYc6LVXiR2yj04VUj6qvX6beOP5Tlb9eDGJgym6aLOCGQvUqmbdYFkkT1_jVYta-DsekkiParHtT_Csfs7U2me9j6zU_eM0FQaW2O0RZBj-aPy3ZYIv7G3c_RaUx0_9_GzvvHP-htPzxw_1LDfpfhg-QEU/s4032/IMG_6939.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZBkvHSAYg3JBH2FOEBKWNsj2fqaJKXPfgEYc6LVXiR2yj04VUj6qvX6beOP5Tlb9eDGJgym6aLOCGQvUqmbdYFkkT1_jVYta-DsekkiParHtT_Csfs7U2me9j6zU_eM0FQaW2O0RZBj-aPy3ZYIv7G3c_RaUx0_9_GzvvHP-htPzxw_1LDfpfhg-QEU/w400-h300/IMG_6939.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ryan and I have started using our pickleball paddles and trying to up our skill levels - I definitely don't know my own strength and sometimes end up sending the ball soaring over the net and out of the court. Oops! We had a really fun Sunday afternoon recently where we went and spent about an hour playing pickleball and then wandered over to the clubhouse and got our own post-game drinks: a mocktail for me and a Heineken Zero for him - we are also cultivating our favorite non-alcoholic drinks in the last few months. All the new things for us both! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wfQRT9bZNPiyuatJupaJs9NSurY1_2XgS5w5DKlyBUy0WZzUhuK-xMXV7MR-Vv10FR0lVm4obC-YogGSEsoSBVpjEJdnwYv5IqAXLSgxP0e4HN-O96ZECr1og6_DtnNORAXY0sFiW477B9CKj9HhLij9gjatbqwq1hE-XpaGWAZOGfa401rC49Uw3A0/s4032/IMG_6938.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wfQRT9bZNPiyuatJupaJs9NSurY1_2XgS5w5DKlyBUy0WZzUhuK-xMXV7MR-Vv10FR0lVm4obC-YogGSEsoSBVpjEJdnwYv5IqAXLSgxP0e4HN-O96ZECr1og6_DtnNORAXY0sFiW477B9CKj9HhLij9gjatbqwq1hE-XpaGWAZOGfa401rC49Uw3A0/w400-h300/IMG_6938.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Spectacular sunsets have also been on display as Winter is slowly fading and Spring is coming onto the horizon! This particular sunset was on the horizon last Monday when my Mom and I went to our monthly book club. It was just stunning! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMGuNopgAoNnv5ls0Ws-yWjMET4Mrh_XaCJS48piKQY3PbDgOOQlr7zlMwxtOVWmKjBUmEGIgduRKjHJWqLr7s1QqNWHKb1KcrKEwQVnVlDqps2KSfp3-Tg2S4B9onPLuz_ZDM4HWhbHvDxrYxsc5yyj7-TXJbABY7ptqOdlNTGxiLZs3KoD6nFWZrmM/s4032/IMG_4561.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMGuNopgAoNnv5ls0Ws-yWjMET4Mrh_XaCJS48piKQY3PbDgOOQlr7zlMwxtOVWmKjBUmEGIgduRKjHJWqLr7s1QqNWHKb1KcrKEwQVnVlDqps2KSfp3-Tg2S4B9onPLuz_ZDM4HWhbHvDxrYxsc5yyj7-TXJbABY7ptqOdlNTGxiLZs3KoD6nFWZrmM/w400-h300/IMG_4561.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This last weekend Ryan and I did the Target Date Night Challenge - I think we both did pretty good! One of the things I got Ryan was this Pickleball Club water bottle that can be worn with a strap over the shoulder; I figured it would be perfect for our budding pickleball skills! Also, how cute are the "carrots" that were out for customers to grab this weekend at one of our favorite shops! They were cheese balls - which I haven't had in ages, but they were as good as I remembered! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqm3xkIsSkaSEnutC_dkdkhjKC1TPNPYu8L7GOOmiuQl-6EpkB5-oH3Pfj8n_L5Cw8IZ-d2X4vU1d5oAsn2eJsHuQINoh4LvJWRuaDyus1NiZwukGU99nV444QfjPceHBIbw-gschCZa4_0oAQQcnQ1jMQpyLAQxEhPHUjoqCx_mTCfkJZDYObIhOsuG4/s4032/IMG_6978.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgqm3xkIsSkaSEnutC_dkdkhjKC1TPNPYu8L7GOOmiuQl-6EpkB5-oH3Pfj8n_L5Cw8IZ-d2X4vU1d5oAsn2eJsHuQINoh4LvJWRuaDyus1NiZwukGU99nV444QfjPceHBIbw-gschCZa4_0oAQQcnQ1jMQpyLAQxEhPHUjoqCx_mTCfkJZDYObIhOsuG4/s320/IMG_6978.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-4YIKXrglvBqCCLNrjOZm95lBcb9_1a360hN9FDyofha69-UqSX3UL_hx8a3Rnhy8K1FZ3p3c6mAb3IZ_7Jhh-OdBOxqJDcgTn1jFnPhV0qchxTsVV5ZlSqtZqKoshTy-1Xke7nPD8eKJuU0sNUxTZa8oYkJmbfNZlTng8Uel_kP5vhtKaJDh1DTdyo/s4032/IMG_6983.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjl-4YIKXrglvBqCCLNrjOZm95lBcb9_1a360hN9FDyofha69-UqSX3UL_hx8a3Rnhy8K1FZ3p3c6mAb3IZ_7Jhh-OdBOxqJDcgTn1jFnPhV0qchxTsVV5ZlSqtZqKoshTy-1Xke7nPD8eKJuU0sNUxTZa8oYkJmbfNZlTng8Uel_kP5vhtKaJDh1DTdyo/s320/IMG_6983.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBkJWg4q448t9Wd_EJAFiQHLaOe5uDuSbqoASgeDh-ucA-76-tKxSJ7BO5QXEF0pEHGF0U9j8KjS4HGrqATCEbgpYnKkX8BZe-wAhtvsEzBn8MjiLsnKdUUpILeN6WmSlmIHLurbKR8ayHx0tKHrNNRHfGv70o5aZsGCfPK0pwp5WH0PVZ05gJBOJmw8/s4032/IMG_6990.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBkJWg4q448t9Wd_EJAFiQHLaOe5uDuSbqoASgeDh-ucA-76-tKxSJ7BO5QXEF0pEHGF0U9j8KjS4HGrqATCEbgpYnKkX8BZe-wAhtvsEzBn8MjiLsnKdUUpILeN6WmSlmIHLurbKR8ayHx0tKHrNNRHfGv70o5aZsGCfPK0pwp5WH0PVZ05gJBOJmw8/w300-h400/IMG_6990.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ryan and I visited a church this past Sunday and I was a little taken aback at how much it reminded me of the church I grew up in! The pews - the carpet (the pink carpet) - the wooden ceiling with beams - the light fixtures - it was all so similar! Talk about a blast from the past! I cannot believe that we are already almost to the middle of the month of March... this year is flying by! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll leave you with a lovely sunrise that I snapped a picture of this morning as I headed to the office.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkOv7fe9HlkZhBGbJfE6BHqqpjn0uBZFTOlyqg3_tGsZNVcD3IKlInKieB8TM-4BFLRZfz1ojTB_vppa_M6xh2JLV3cuOqBf0HsGuSGI4U1ghIpfeBjxmdB42UD3xwjn8bp-LzIxzBxoW1QcEcNnryp2O6Ass61Sjl-4zGeNGt4noW2pZtEXNjV7e4hs/s4032/IMG_7003.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkOv7fe9HlkZhBGbJfE6BHqqpjn0uBZFTOlyqg3_tGsZNVcD3IKlInKieB8TM-4BFLRZfz1ojTB_vppa_M6xh2JLV3cuOqBf0HsGuSGI4U1ghIpfeBjxmdB42UD3xwjn8bp-LzIxzBxoW1QcEcNnryp2O6Ass61Sjl-4zGeNGt4noW2pZtEXNjV7e4hs/w400-h300/IMG_7003.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The time change isn't always easy - but I am so glad for the sunshine lasting longer into the evenings and I do believe that I'm also thankful for being able to see the sunrise each morning! </div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-37397650262378952972024-03-06T13:34:00.000-08:002024-03-06T13:34:02.977-08:00Three Years Ago...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwaR4wajIyQwipPeKVh2TB1YsutHxjsR6xULxElA7ULLxS82260WGAu9n6-C1EwsfR82ruLE3Tg8CXnUXZqz-zNRjNt43M40PztmfVoliC1AX-O7z8Xf99bdDf310cIwmhkujeZWqcRkAGXQNIjdjO5DgjyUHQCNce5-m4cHa-vR4PTX4oakfDfaIpZo/s1685/IMG_6952.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1685" data-original-width="1284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwaR4wajIyQwipPeKVh2TB1YsutHxjsR6xULxElA7ULLxS82260WGAu9n6-C1EwsfR82ruLE3Tg8CXnUXZqz-zNRjNt43M40PztmfVoliC1AX-O7z8Xf99bdDf310cIwmhkujeZWqcRkAGXQNIjdjO5DgjyUHQCNce5-m4cHa-vR4PTX4oakfDfaIpZo/w305-h400/IMG_6952.jpeg" width="305" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It has been three years since I hopped out of the car and into Ryan's arms for the first time - and I have to say, the last three years have been the best three years. I tell Ryan often; but he is my best yes, and I would say yes to him again and again. I'm so glad that three years ago today, he asked me to be his girlfriend... the first yes in a long line of yes-es, and every yes made my life all the better. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffhGIBl4fzl5tvO1HSgCj0u8BaH5Q05SDdUtb1-AEobBPsWuYshC0xzLmW9E17MOW8jpGEqhGIAX6rYWh2VnQhZTNB4BDZwyJY29Tcplk2wn27LIe5LMOc2clQq1YMdcE7YRuN_zqqhpCN9KT5UfiTLeioYgtz-AXQCgF9lOBLZwcorpEtTwQC4MW-eM/s1739/IMG_6962.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1739" data-original-width="1284" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffhGIBl4fzl5tvO1HSgCj0u8BaH5Q05SDdUtb1-AEobBPsWuYshC0xzLmW9E17MOW8jpGEqhGIAX6rYWh2VnQhZTNB4BDZwyJY29Tcplk2wn27LIe5LMOc2clQq1YMdcE7YRuN_zqqhpCN9KT5UfiTLeioYgtz-AXQCgF9lOBLZwcorpEtTwQC4MW-eM/s320/IMG_6962.jpeg" width="236" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEuWbykacpzSyWSAKritppvyojF6mreC438UiN5w4Z5DLubYwt0YXEkwUwi9g9ltag1ctOeieQNd3idZa3_KGYTFrL5e7N3EYHRyDCoTOw1tsb6joNKlSkRGmbHWpllVoXFubLYoGtRFvAl7lVu9W4y9KNWyR6_U9SO39LXXotysT0yF1o6wqQleYq2s/s1740/IMG_6963.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1740" data-original-width="1284" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEuWbykacpzSyWSAKritppvyojF6mreC438UiN5w4Z5DLubYwt0YXEkwUwi9g9ltag1ctOeieQNd3idZa3_KGYTFrL5e7N3EYHRyDCoTOw1tsb6joNKlSkRGmbHWpllVoXFubLYoGtRFvAl7lVu9W4y9KNWyR6_U9SO39LXXotysT0yF1o6wqQleYq2s/s320/IMG_6963.jpeg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbTZmba6rXl-DroezSkNy1BT-UMvYDnPZWl_DLebzE_iX6ApkjhOSTwWJ4a5dGbEriO7kZGPSwqK7aIV_JU325FwlYu2stPUU_l5v98JnmUiYNT1bVPr91pH87ertkjkQXuqe1E3Kq9cY7dGiexqJwE30_fGXdpWRvXJzDmb1kQIdezkG9WoaPFZ2_hY/s1752/IMG_6964.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1752" data-original-width="1284" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbTZmba6rXl-DroezSkNy1BT-UMvYDnPZWl_DLebzE_iX6ApkjhOSTwWJ4a5dGbEriO7kZGPSwqK7aIV_JU325FwlYu2stPUU_l5v98JnmUiYNT1bVPr91pH87ertkjkQXuqe1E3Kq9cY7dGiexqJwE30_fGXdpWRvXJzDmb1kQIdezkG9WoaPFZ2_hY/s320/IMG_6964.jpeg" width="235" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbfm2-8JKpe1SARuLbGHaP8YIxeYYyU1uH6z8cSmv6XtXTEdZOzcPGrehZwdaKg-DG0ZDHFH4UI8RzqWpZCDR4g-64gJ_YCjWGJfHMc27qFcNSBYuf299pdK00N5ly4bkmf94rM1j100DmglxkcJXrAYAQGJ12g1YKs0pdWON0jAXehC3j50DIxhqg4A/s1736/IMG_6965.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1736" data-original-width="1284" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbfm2-8JKpe1SARuLbGHaP8YIxeYYyU1uH6z8cSmv6XtXTEdZOzcPGrehZwdaKg-DG0ZDHFH4UI8RzqWpZCDR4g-64gJ_YCjWGJfHMc27qFcNSBYuf299pdK00N5ly4bkmf94rM1j100DmglxkcJXrAYAQGJ12g1YKs0pdWON0jAXehC3j50DIxhqg4A/s320/IMG_6965.jpeg" width="237" /></a></div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-54590423269073192282024-03-01T10:31:00.000-08:002024-03-01T10:31:14.304-08:00February Book Review <p>Would you look at that? I actually got to the February book review right after February ended! It's a miracle... or a sign that my life is a little more back on track... or maybe it's some of both? As predicted, I definitely didn't conquer seven books in February - but I did get through four and considering two of the four had a combined 1100 pages, I'll consider that a win for the month of February! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfe8vAzFaT65Nw77USJkAXdIV2T9fHBU4Du4whe4vJV2U0V0rr1AI1rhdh5jmfqAZSMTDvDYsMkjjgzKaSC2sEXSjI7fAo4q3nqb7XNKSG6C5NzLYXjgQT7Wd2xfJhBTqyKaQossz-F_nCBaGCglhBk2V3vX9Er7aezWk61mDM7SXmPBsbho2xBfw1eU/s1000/IMG_6856.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfe8vAzFaT65Nw77USJkAXdIV2T9fHBU4Du4whe4vJV2U0V0rr1AI1rhdh5jmfqAZSMTDvDYsMkjjgzKaSC2sEXSjI7fAo4q3nqb7XNKSG6C5NzLYXjgQT7Wd2xfJhBTqyKaQossz-F_nCBaGCglhBk2V3vX9Er7aezWk61mDM7SXmPBsbho2xBfw1eU/w133-h200/IMG_6856.jpeg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCJKh48l9v79RktcicLuaeZwgofHoJHvc_QZPR7tm0d_pYw6KHz4JNBDo_Xo0o4LKhAt6K7k40nzOxPpWI_IC4vnGZVuz5kb83FCjNPC2kX9E_BerDdA044IyXLHKzxfrT3E_nVeW0C0DbpzVMMQnbrZ1AvUwCfMDZjwzI9bkbEiZejRt8T4phPX7SzU/s1000/IMG_6854.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="657" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCJKh48l9v79RktcicLuaeZwgofHoJHvc_QZPR7tm0d_pYw6KHz4JNBDo_Xo0o4LKhAt6K7k40nzOxPpWI_IC4vnGZVuz5kb83FCjNPC2kX9E_BerDdA044IyXLHKzxfrT3E_nVeW0C0DbpzVMMQnbrZ1AvUwCfMDZjwzI9bkbEiZejRt8T4phPX7SzU/w131-h200/IMG_6854.jpeg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>The Englisch Daughter</i> by Cindy Woodsmall:</b> Old Order Amish wife & mother Jemima has put her marriage & family ahead of herself for year. She's set herself aside. Raising four children, she's followed all the rules & has been patient in looking forward to her time to chase a dream of her own.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But when she finds out that her life savings for pursuing that dream is gone - and her husband, Roy, has been hiding a child with another woman - her entire world is shattered. Will she be able to listen to God & love Roy's child? With so much at stake, how can she & Roy fix their relationship before their lives come crashing down?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐of 5. I'd really be more apt to give this a 3.5 but there isn't a half star emoji available! This book was a good read and I liked how the story played out... although I think my views of how Amish families operate is a little skewed because of being married to a man who was raised in/is only a generation removed from being Amish.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>From This Day Forward</i> by Craig & Amy Groeschel</b>: Everyone dreams of a fairytale marriage - the perfect spouse, the perfect home, the perfect family. But reality tells us that those expectations don't hold up very long. Many studies indicate that close to fifty percent of marriages don't make it. With those odds, is it even possible to have a good marriage - let alone a great one?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Craig & Amy Groeschel open their hearts, share personal experiences, & walk you through five powerful commitments you can make to fail-proof your marriage: Seek God, Fight fair, Have fun, Stay pure & Never give up. If your earnestly choose to do all five things, you will discover a richer, deeper, more authentic marriage. Starting right now - from this day forward. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐of 5. Another really easy read; this book was right at 150 pages and Craig & Amy's writing style is easy to read; like listening to someone talk! The commitments they recommend are excellent & something I plan to continue to put into practice in my own marriage. A great read for anyone engaged or married!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mI4XPxx3ah03wVM6sWBFWxdhASmGj1zEcjQDA-I9FPm7zB8FjybsBxU1J5roCPj0K_-XVSD6LOAAMRq6nllmCg2wWNm9XLmUUtk2dlOaI65Gd9CSMAdT3lOIE-Mssq3To3KlMNAg2ge5eGu3GoheEcTti_6aKmOGb1IysZt7iERovilGUCnwlF4E5Fg/s1000/IMG_6857.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mI4XPxx3ah03wVM6sWBFWxdhASmGj1zEcjQDA-I9FPm7zB8FjybsBxU1J5roCPj0K_-XVSD6LOAAMRq6nllmCg2wWNm9XLmUUtk2dlOaI65Gd9CSMAdT3lOIE-Mssq3To3KlMNAg2ge5eGu3GoheEcTti_6aKmOGb1IysZt7iERovilGUCnwlF4E5Fg/w133-h200/IMG_6857.jpeg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj863FzOWPVj105nkPnUb6uwf99NIqFo17lIknA5eOYhyMTbnhYfm_y6yn-rZ-pg_z5B8rcZoX5JOD_ueRI6OEv74rFjd9pGNcnblRKAnGfOKQeLaYX_AtvBXfHEUyCSr9R1NbjtVpbxgmkqxFBeGHZXv6fBf8kEUWIqmbb8p-MLx4Q4mHJF0hAdje-hpU/s1000/IMG_6855.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="665" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj863FzOWPVj105nkPnUb6uwf99NIqFo17lIknA5eOYhyMTbnhYfm_y6yn-rZ-pg_z5B8rcZoX5JOD_ueRI6OEv74rFjd9pGNcnblRKAnGfOKQeLaYX_AtvBXfHEUyCSr9R1NbjtVpbxgmkqxFBeGHZXv6fBf8kEUWIqmbb8p-MLx4Q4mHJF0hAdje-hpU/w133-h200/IMG_6855.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>The Women</i> by Kristen Hannah:</b> Frankie McGrath is a young woman from a wealthy family who decides to enlist as a nurse in the Vietnam War after her older brother is killed in action. In doing so, she leaves her sheltered & comfortable life in California to serve in a war-ravaged country working under dangerous conditions. When she returns, the atmosphere in America is hostile to veterans, dismissive of women's contributions in the war & she struggles to reassimilate. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a story about patriotism, friendship, remembrance & defying expectations, The Women tells an often-overlooked story of the courageous women who served in Vietnam. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐of 5. Another incredible book by Kristen Hannah; I was hooked from the first chapter and devoured all 400+ pages in four days! This book was such an engrossing read and opened my eyes to the place women had in the war in Vietnam. I could not recommend this book more and I find myself saying again - I would read anything written by Kristen Hannah! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>A Court of Silver Flames</i> by Sarah J. Maas</b>: Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger & slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron & becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern & all she lost in it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand & Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites; the fire between them is undeniable & only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realm, & the key to halting them might very well rely on Nesta & Cassian facing their haunting pasts. Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war & plagued with uncertainty, Nesta & Cassian battle monsters from within & without as they search for acceptance & healing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐of 5. I really enjoyed this book and I enjoyed following Nesta's story since (if you've read the series) we already know so much about the other characters. I still think book two of the series is my favorite by far - but I've enjoyed reading all of them and this one was no exception!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">*******************************************************</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now it's on to March and even more books to be read! Y'all have a great weekend! </div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-9878588402399567542024-02-28T08:38:00.000-08:002024-02-28T08:38:07.439-08:00Homesteader Training<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm sure you're probably thinking "what in the world" and you'd be right to wonder. I've never really seen myself as much of a homesteader … I don't really like gardening and you won't find me butchering any animals. I'd just as soon buy my veggies pre-chopped at the store for convenience and I also like to tell myself that my chicken breast only ever "lived" in the grocery store case. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Near the end of the year last year, my Mom shared with me that a friend from her Life Group (from church) was hosting a monthly class at her home/farm called Simple, Wholesome & Natural that would teach some homesteading principles and I figured - why not join my Mom for some classes. I signed up and we have now been to two classes... and let me tell you, it's been an experience. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTIpv9BiuYWlEWbJPrSEGO59AKr3yyGC8BUoA3l7L844sZYCKMBvu8FqBS5EL1roW9O4x1UGFjxVKCehrgI0kGp4MMAta0BCYh3k-Z9jq9NAk8AhTKQD6STBfmJGjaoRgjA9rPNz7fXJ2-GK0OlgCHPHvKsUlaZJsozBCIga-AZZaoeM_kWWR3wi3cvw/s3088/IMG_6564.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTIpv9BiuYWlEWbJPrSEGO59AKr3yyGC8BUoA3l7L844sZYCKMBvu8FqBS5EL1roW9O4x1UGFjxVKCehrgI0kGp4MMAta0BCYh3k-Z9jq9NAk8AhTKQD6STBfmJGjaoRgjA9rPNz7fXJ2-GK0OlgCHPHvKsUlaZJsozBCIga-AZZaoeM_kWWR3wi3cvw/s320/IMG_6564.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS9eV_CxEuatxvxVUBv_Oj1ABebH5wwdmbzhNAQbjY4wCfXQE7h5yNu9sRht_n9T1SmcllJPV4w5YY5blC62Et2ZA6t0vYnAnTCfL8S1pj5XZ7nBjfxq9eTjsgD_yxl-cRjHLxdrX0Jfd8O86VUlH0YCwcbCZCJvu7T6xZn_-z4C1nCYEstzdbaCPyc8/s4032/IMG_6565.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjmS9eV_CxEuatxvxVUBv_Oj1ABebH5wwdmbzhNAQbjY4wCfXQE7h5yNu9sRht_n9T1SmcllJPV4w5YY5blC62Et2ZA6t0vYnAnTCfL8S1pj5XZ7nBjfxq9eTjsgD_yxl-cRjHLxdrX0Jfd8O86VUlH0YCwcbCZCJvu7T6xZn_-z4C1nCYEstzdbaCPyc8/s320/IMG_6565.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first class at the end of January was about learning to be thrifty - something that I can appreciate as Ryan and I are working toward some financial goals this year for our future. Alongside the tips and tricks for being more thrifty, we also cooked a meal of Chicken Noodle Soup and my Mom and I chopped up the delicious celery for the soup. It was incredibly delicious - and I can see the reward in dicing your own veggies... I suppose. *wink*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will say - there were two moments that had my Mom and I in fits of laughter (which is hard when you're trying to be quite). Each of the participants introduced themselves and shared a bit about themselves... and one woman shared that her family raised "meat rabbits" and this almost made me come unglued. Who knew people raised fluffy wee bunnies to eat?!?! Our host also asked if anyone in attendance had ever taken care of a chicken from pen to pot - and I quietly told my Mom: "If we walk into the kitchen and there is a chicken with fur (I know - it's feathers) still on it... 1. I will scream and 2. I'll have to leave". Thankfully - no chickens needed plucking! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouhicWbmNhKUGGp3K_uxw99EgorR_675J1DmW5s_YG7xhi6kgEiPLHsELOBKDVKPIlZlj-y_uHtivoNyJ6F3bPZDWddzKtNDRFmsTGmCOOVsZSksnbR8kO3qz5Rb8Mw8e942AuedBBdyEHcqSEKrIHrZaWaRQjZv1nc1KJRVjc-IBi3OeW8HComndcAs/s800/IMG_4488.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouhicWbmNhKUGGp3K_uxw99EgorR_675J1DmW5s_YG7xhi6kgEiPLHsELOBKDVKPIlZlj-y_uHtivoNyJ6F3bPZDWddzKtNDRFmsTGmCOOVsZSksnbR8kO3qz5Rb8Mw8e942AuedBBdyEHcqSEKrIHrZaWaRQjZv1nc1KJRVjc-IBi3OeW8HComndcAs/w400-h300/IMG_4488.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our second meeting this past weekend was on all things bread - and who doesn't love a good carb? Truly, if you don't love a good carb... we probably can't be friends, ha-ha! We learned all about milling your own flour and I have to say, I was (still am) so intrigued! It was fascinating to see the seeds turn into warm, soft flour that had the most wonderful smell! I would absolutely be interested in getting a flour mill for myself and making my own breads, muffins and more.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPHELUkrt7Tk906bAim0GKHjaJl2SuBpOx09lpySp8qQM5Vq1D1gIXYEMUy9IczQ7sSI60He9Tx5bFDB7jyftYVIRFzIL3nhz0VYT6sUQomhWO1RNIZhVOCoyqulH8asWeow_Iwk8JkKd3vCJOYBmdKPqfFdb-Kvd3UNNvTwGDj2rx30V0YpWlEWfxwY/s4032/IMG_6872.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiuPHELUkrt7Tk906bAim0GKHjaJl2SuBpOx09lpySp8qQM5Vq1D1gIXYEMUy9IczQ7sSI60He9Tx5bFDB7jyftYVIRFzIL3nhz0VYT6sUQomhWO1RNIZhVOCoyqulH8asWeow_Iwk8JkKd3vCJOYBmdKPqfFdb-Kvd3UNNvTwGDj2rx30V0YpWlEWfxwY/s320/IMG_6872.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgVVqHh7tduWc53VaL8Uuskynu9XqpOEk4L2el7H5Bi2xoktzJ9_VGSxL5n2DT-B4QlmWM7X3lrMrKKfZY7k8UcTdwP1taRX14BOPNXt4i7WYZDFd0k7dRuA-wNmbdEMRzMZj0embGC_5CP9FejwLQKKoQQBONhSOoyzUeo0lPorJnbXf4HV30kwHyAA/s640/IMG_4490.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgVVqHh7tduWc53VaL8Uuskynu9XqpOEk4L2el7H5Bi2xoktzJ9_VGSxL5n2DT-B4QlmWM7X3lrMrKKfZY7k8UcTdwP1taRX14BOPNXt4i7WYZDFd0k7dRuA-wNmbdEMRzMZj0embGC_5CP9FejwLQKKoQQBONhSOoyzUeo0lPorJnbXf4HV30kwHyAA/s320/IMG_4490.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ATXMf4i2E5TjBbeiU8eHUAndOaGLtBnMv4Xc_Aq_r2fLa-zJiN0NSXBUP8O1RqVwWMne8opsBj13wtqGU5sACOOwLELCcl0SU8tSS-OTBQ8N70wNNc3D2n_5sSTx49RvTiBXN5MV9Gaz3QmQK-MNyc66knmzwn_-pnO7cmGKJd8lvSZ0L2TbWFKjFKk/s4032/IMG_6873.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEj5ATXMf4i2E5TjBbeiU8eHUAndOaGLtBnMv4Xc_Aq_r2fLa-zJiN0NSXBUP8O1RqVwWMne8opsBj13wtqGU5sACOOwLELCcl0SU8tSS-OTBQ8N70wNNc3D2n_5sSTx49RvTiBXN5MV9Gaz3QmQK-MNyc66knmzwn_-pnO7cmGKJd8lvSZ0L2TbWFKjFKk/s320/IMG_6873.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj58KIdYKDsto64pkck7FCygLH-vfn9EBgJeT9jJnZs07sm_8I17XDXMdf6-IAmK0Try83-Rw3xT9I5o6vSKtgym2moamdNMf5uifba6ltgcK0YOvGWbf0EmxWZE650fsovxyGDatexHvdeFgcYV3IVubyWe_AG5E6OvH800iH0oNw5JFDBwhtPIuPJh0/s4032/IMG_6875.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhj58KIdYKDsto64pkck7FCygLH-vfn9EBgJeT9jJnZs07sm_8I17XDXMdf6-IAmK0Try83-Rw3xT9I5o6vSKtgym2moamdNMf5uifba6ltgcK0YOvGWbf0EmxWZE650fsovxyGDatexHvdeFgcYV3IVubyWe_AG5E6OvH800iH0oNw5JFDBwhtPIuPJh0/s320/IMG_6875.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The group was a little smaller this time - and we each were assigned a bread product to make. My Mom and I chose Chocolate Collagen Muffins and some of the other treats made were Banana Bread Muffins and Garlic Breadsticks - which were all divine! We milled our own einkorn flour to whip up our muffins, cooked them up and oh my goodness, they tasted amazing! All the delicious muffins were the perfect appetizer to the wonderful salad, pasta and garlic breadsticks - we have not left hungry; that's for sure! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYfIGwG494m8Q3pNGERYabA_8RT13frQyRjs-Auqa02Zpao38PUY0n4EF3ZBu9pU3ZiRuY35astb4OhgknK1lS-bPSTW9SoeRuGHW8DHWw1gOUY_FZdMd2O0OzpNxOZPULERsarViBuu6jZUYtQLHxwKEguYEvcSBW_sBZbz0gy2NnQCHwmpmysZwsms/s4032/IMG_6877.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYfIGwG494m8Q3pNGERYabA_8RT13frQyRjs-Auqa02Zpao38PUY0n4EF3ZBu9pU3ZiRuY35astb4OhgknK1lS-bPSTW9SoeRuGHW8DHWw1gOUY_FZdMd2O0OzpNxOZPULERsarViBuu6jZUYtQLHxwKEguYEvcSBW_sBZbz0gy2NnQCHwmpmysZwsms/w400-h300/IMG_6877.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So far the whole experience has involved learning and laughter - especially when meat rabbits are discussed! Next month we will be learning about all things pig-related and making lard lotion. Thankfully, there will be no butchering of actual pigs because I don't know if I could handle that - but I will gladly report back about the lard lotion. Hehehe... </div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-48488501346120654722024-02-22T13:08:00.000-08:002024-02-22T13:08:16.005-08:00January Book Review <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I know - I know - it's literally almost March! I'm telling you; I feel like I am playing catch-up and man, did I get some serious reading done in the month of January! So let me get right down to all the books I read in the month of January... before February is done and March arrives! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QfRaOweNgV5QyMS5POSp41GMFHRXc0lU8QKRh0EnRyLTaKYKedZFTZICUsKLyjoBd3KMmz-sVSo81Ge_m7ow20mWyd9jT1m4ajlqtFVrkv9lYg17zPm2MjerylX69qy3JZ8NgEz_YVfPhzkb75esXEvV8g-FRrRTcTgr0sU-okXn70B7p7MH6ExmPu4/s1000/IMG_6835.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="663" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QfRaOweNgV5QyMS5POSp41GMFHRXc0lU8QKRh0EnRyLTaKYKedZFTZICUsKLyjoBd3KMmz-sVSo81Ge_m7ow20mWyd9jT1m4ajlqtFVrkv9lYg17zPm2MjerylX69qy3JZ8NgEz_YVfPhzkb75esXEvV8g-FRrRTcTgr0sU-okXn70B7p7MH6ExmPu4/w133-h200/IMG_6835.jpeg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgel2d97PBPYxHXHL5HIyXVs_H8r42jMtbnZn6RPF8T-1QjriqfvvP3PfjGHjigoPSqFIVPBqQ7IdNY3OiHsQ0csJ4lFd7Tln9aJU1xcnwDpPu5kY7494ldboPYUEmaZFp0WReU6Ndg9IzQ_WfY-YQLu2V8y34Nx-42OVRsGb_M5uVtp-xcRcKCn9ANYzM/s1000/IMG_6836.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="663" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgel2d97PBPYxHXHL5HIyXVs_H8r42jMtbnZn6RPF8T-1QjriqfvvP3PfjGHjigoPSqFIVPBqQ7IdNY3OiHsQ0csJ4lFd7Tln9aJU1xcnwDpPu5kY7494ldboPYUEmaZFp0WReU6Ndg9IzQ_WfY-YQLu2V8y34Nx-42OVRsGb_M5uVtp-xcRcKCn9ANYzM/w133-h200/IMG_6836.jpeg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKM-J4HGhS3ZJxfAs1BFtq6q4a7oglTcK1pnttF0FEXu-pa8V8AQWnRw3d1TW2iG_XJ1biXFaRuyzqfM9mVJjAA8-EJADWz55AeJArz5jF6mOOdA3fCnrCA-AM_Y9_WiFK4WcXntgfTiMU_wD7juWvL0tplpWIHeTHN8HMUUh-o9q07dXosbHCkNfJqA/s1000/IMG_6837.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="660" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKM-J4HGhS3ZJxfAs1BFtq6q4a7oglTcK1pnttF0FEXu-pa8V8AQWnRw3d1TW2iG_XJ1biXFaRuyzqfM9mVJjAA8-EJADWz55AeJArz5jF6mOOdA3fCnrCA-AM_Y9_WiFK4WcXntgfTiMU_wD7juWvL0tplpWIHeTHN8HMUUh-o9q07dXosbHCkNfJqA/w132-h200/IMG_6837.jpeg" width="132" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>The Fury</i> by Alex Michaelides:</b> This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that's not quite true. At its heart, it's a love story, isn't it? Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex-movie star & one of the most famous women in the world. Every year she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather & spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time - it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind... and a murder. We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our friendships concealed hatred & a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat & mouse - a battle of wits, full of twists & turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence & death, as one of us was found murdered. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Who am I? My name is Elliot Chase & I'm going to tell you a story unlike any you've ever heard. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐of 5 - I read this book in two days; it was a great book and a good read; however, I didn't really find any of the characters likable. *shrugs* </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>The Lady's Mine</i> by Francine Rivers:</b> 1875. When Kathryn Walsh arrives in tiny Calvada, a mining town nestled in the Sierra Nevadas, falling in love is the farthest thing from her mind. Banished from Boston by her wealthy stepfather, she has come to claim an inheritance from the uncle she never knew & a defunct newspaper office on a main street overflowing with brothels, saloons & a seemingly worthless mine. Moved by the oppression of the local miners & their families, Kathryn decides to relaunch her uncle's newspaper - & then finds herself in the middle of a maelstrom, pitted against Calvada's most powerful men. But Kathryn intends to continue to say - & publish - whatever she pleases, especially when she knows she's right.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Matthias Beck, owner of a local saloon & hotel, has a special interest in the new lady in town. He instantly recognizes C. T. Walsh's same tenacity in the beautiful & outspoken redhead - & knows all too well how dangerous that family trait can be. While Kathryn may be right about Calvada's problems, her righteousness could get her killed. But when the handsome hotelier keeps finding himself on the same side of the issues as the opinionated Miss Walsh, Matthias's restless search for purpose becomes all about answering the call of his heart. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐of 5. This book was fine. It took me a little longer to read because I honestly struggled to get into it at first. This was a book club choice, so I pushed through but I can't say it was my favorite. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>Battlefield of the Mind</i> by Joyce Meyer: </b>Worry, doubt, confusion, depression, anger & feelings of condemnation: all these are attacks on the mind. If readers suffer from negative thoughts, they can take heart! Joyce Meyer has helped millions win these all-important battles. In her most popular bestseller ever, the beloved author & minister shows readers how to change their lives by changing their minds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She teaches how to deal with the thousands of thoughts that people think every day & how to focus the mind the way God thinks. And she shares the trials, tragedies & ultimate victories from her own marriage, family & ministry that led her to wonderous, life-transforming truth - & she reveals her thoughts & feelings every step of the way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐of 5. This book was the perfect read at the perfect time; it was so helpful to me while dealing with pretty intense anxiety throughout the month of January. I cannot recommend this book enough, especially if you are someone who (like me) deals with anxiety or depression!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtmNpxnE_9Brloi-DgGVA0b_KiT1Ka6BWT9j4nXy48oqgrIKrFA4BeW8W1ZcyXylfLkrzSlvHZ7HsNONRf5Z_t9eQkLfdMNoen92VuPBYTr93r88x4Bg99_UiPON2qdQRKnxNHo7fJlJAHYU-553ZUus7X029SsGXediWDrFGq-OVioN3Y4h8hsDQ4GU/s1000/IMG_6838.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="656" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtmNpxnE_9Brloi-DgGVA0b_KiT1Ka6BWT9j4nXy48oqgrIKrFA4BeW8W1ZcyXylfLkrzSlvHZ7HsNONRf5Z_t9eQkLfdMNoen92VuPBYTr93r88x4Bg99_UiPON2qdQRKnxNHo7fJlJAHYU-553ZUus7X029SsGXediWDrFGq-OVioN3Y4h8hsDQ4GU/w131-h200/IMG_6838.jpeg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYf1llLCkOZTU7nst790SimuA1-5UzZkVD1wtpB4kdLx7W1IhsTsBoA76m8e_aRO9wD8TxiciL7q450kfj563NwFBLiqXgahP-DO0PoG7kRoh0amT_T5q68qCKF_G6pc4MZjNo3HE9PAMEDjkhHFhtl-4SCjQRClcNStmvG7BQrrpbDUp7LCTz9enFbvA/s1000/IMG_6839.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="655" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYf1llLCkOZTU7nst790SimuA1-5UzZkVD1wtpB4kdLx7W1IhsTsBoA76m8e_aRO9wD8TxiciL7q450kfj563NwFBLiqXgahP-DO0PoG7kRoh0amT_T5q68qCKF_G6pc4MZjNo3HE9PAMEDjkhHFhtl-4SCjQRClcNStmvG7BQrrpbDUp7LCTz9enFbvA/w131-h200/IMG_6839.jpeg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>Mercury</i> by Amy Jo Burns:</b> It's 1990 & seventeen-year-old Marley West is blazing into the river valley town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. A perpetual loner, she seeks a place at someone's table & a family of her own. The first thing she sees when she arrives in town is three men standing on a rooftop. Their silhouettes blot out the sun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Joseph brothers become Marley's whole world before she can blink. Soon, she is young wife to one, The One Who Got Away to another, & adopted mother to them all. As their own mother fades away & their roofing business crumbles under the weight of their unwieldy father's inflated ego, Marley steps in to shepherd these unruly men. Years later, an eerie discovery in the church attic causes old wounds to resurface & suddenly the family's survival hangs in the balance. With Marley as their light, the Joseph brothers must decide whether they can save the family they've always known - or whether together they can build something stronger in its place. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐of 5. I devoured this book in 24 hours! It was an easy read and the story drew me in almost immediately. This book was a great read and I am so glad I grabbed it up as my Book of the Month for January! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>The Lost Bookshop</i> by Evie Woods</b>: On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found... For too long, Opaline, Martha & Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But when a vanishing bookshop cast its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder... where nothing is as it seems. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐of 5. I loved this book so much! It was a Christmas gift from a friend and it kept me company while I sat in the ER for almost six hours one day! It's such a great read; a wonderful story with some magic and mystery thrown in! Completely unique! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5WL-aYOMAC7CM6tKPwZc9Zsn2UZLCVyY5e1PuBN4MD5UXpYgOF5PRD1MCfLTiH4IZoLagD-Iy0xB8Y5yRdchPuXCJqCknrRe7IK-QnbAdsWdTNUPY4OcLFHCxgf4nm7yPCac1bh9MiaC2lPayLbgqdrHE01yRABkrd9hxSFvYSXpjlZTZIrwq3_New0/s1000/IMG_6840.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5WL-aYOMAC7CM6tKPwZc9Zsn2UZLCVyY5e1PuBN4MD5UXpYgOF5PRD1MCfLTiH4IZoLagD-Iy0xB8Y5yRdchPuXCJqCknrRe7IK-QnbAdsWdTNUPY4OcLFHCxgf4nm7yPCac1bh9MiaC2lPayLbgqdrHE01yRABkrd9hxSFvYSXpjlZTZIrwq3_New0/w133-h200/IMG_6840.jpeg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1h678VWD8WtdJ_U3A8n4olwrYVH-IkM5kL-qdqiBsDuiFr3GrsiX03mvy4HotvvE3p8-8QxsbNPkCB4yvIsO8KZ9gQCbV5UEs63oX44pFYyKoDySZawlPh2kIzJ-MP3oVzG7ygY5ya1-TcF9RqGCJp487rPGZ7DB72YZAeS-59MVQowcrO_7pw9wtZQ/s1000/IMG_6841.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1h678VWD8WtdJ_U3A8n4olwrYVH-IkM5kL-qdqiBsDuiFr3GrsiX03mvy4HotvvE3p8-8QxsbNPkCB4yvIsO8KZ9gQCbV5UEs63oX44pFYyKoDySZawlPh2kIzJ-MP3oVzG7ygY5ya1-TcF9RqGCJp487rPGZ7DB72YZAeS-59MVQowcrO_7pw9wtZQ/w133-h200/IMG_6841.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>A Court of Wings & Ruin</i> by Sarah J. Maas:</b> Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's actions & learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to it's knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre, but for everything - and everyone - she holds dear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place amongst the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master her powers - both magical & political - and her love for her court & family. Amidst these struggles, Feyre & Rhysand must decide whom to trust amongst the cunning & lethal High Lords, & hunt for allies in unexpected places. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐of 5. This is book three in the series and I am absolutely enjoying these books! I have been devouring them; this one was over 700 pages and I blazed through it in four days! I still think the second book in the series (<i>A Court of Mist & Fury</i>) is my favorite! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>A Court of Frost & Starlight</i> by Sarah J. Maas:</b> Feyre, Rhysand & their friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court & the vastly altered world beyond, recovering from the war that changed everything. But Winter Solstice is finally approaching & with it, the joy of a hard-earned reprieve. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yet even the festive atmosphere can't keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, her concerns for those dearest to her deepens. They have more wounds than she anticipated - scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ⭐⭐⭐of 5. This was a very short interlude style book in the series and while I enjoyed reading it; I guess it didn't have much plot beyond "it's the holidays - let's celebrate!" It was a peaceful interlude but just didn't rivet me as much as the other books have. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">***********************************************************</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Seven books in one month might be a record for me (in recent years). Certainly all the time off was helpful with my crushing some reading goals but I doubt that I'll manage to get through seven books in any other month this year! I guess we shall see! </div><br /><br /><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-44010903201037787952024-02-21T07:51:00.000-08:002024-02-21T07:51:27.508-08:002024 - Word of the Year <p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do you choose a Word of the Year each year? It's something I've done for the last five years now and each year, the word that I end up "choosing" ends up applying so perfectly to my year - it's nothing more than the Lord at work in the little things in life - you know?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In 2020 - my word was Intent. In 2021 - my word was Progression. In 2022 - my word was Peace. In 2023 - my word was Confidence. And now - for the year 2024, my word is Trust. I have to say that this word is truly so timely for this time in my life and I was blown away when I took the quiz to generate my word.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulcMXiyPxWgMekzyigD8IwI1ykbwOz_MhB1nCx3DE2m8dPI3qCn8NG3TE_X03AODtvMOBc011Q2S6POBM4ADXXA8wdyRB0dCi7U6in9aSAeD3g83Vka9ovQ-5mH-kXJKpHB3CeacvXadYBNKAKbZhU_wPQTGv_gnVLr9GV5IZ3te-2JP6J4SKnPaIinw/s1200/WOTY2024-Trust.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulcMXiyPxWgMekzyigD8IwI1ykbwOz_MhB1nCx3DE2m8dPI3qCn8NG3TE_X03AODtvMOBc011Q2S6POBM4ADXXA8wdyRB0dCi7U6in9aSAeD3g83Vka9ovQ-5mH-kXJKpHB3CeacvXadYBNKAKbZhU_wPQTGv_gnVLr9GV5IZ3te-2JP6J4SKnPaIinw/w400-h400/WOTY2024-Trust.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's right - I took an online quiz at Dayspring.com to generate my word. I have used this quiz every year and I am always so amazed by how the word that I arrive to at the end of the quiz always perfectly aligns with my year! And boy has this word already proved timely for the start of my 2024! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will confess that at the end of the year; the job I was in had become nothing short of a constant stressor, I was coming home multiple times a week in tears, exhausted all the time and after a particularly charged interaction the week before Christmas - Ryan and I knew that a change had to be made. I had contemplated leaving the job on and off for the last year - and it really felt like the Lord had been telling me even more strongly that it was time to move on. My health was beginning to be affected and a job is never worth compromising your health! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELMi9xndDZNjQGU-GlS0_V3HloNvkCcNFsd3UtYWsMwCNzRQdhVjXRzOmCUVCgFUIRd_a_PhtBzoXC6k2UfnwefMOrnV_5znaurhCuH78xGSKlhuJgO3ugbTjBNcACBTtgQdnC6wBj5SEwO9Jh1OrkFfGg8_Rh34p1p8WuKu5-cY5xHCI0YAyNjJHj8s/s4032/IMG_6377.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgELMi9xndDZNjQGU-GlS0_V3HloNvkCcNFsd3UtYWsMwCNzRQdhVjXRzOmCUVCgFUIRd_a_PhtBzoXC6k2UfnwefMOrnV_5znaurhCuH78xGSKlhuJgO3ugbTjBNcACBTtgQdnC6wBj5SEwO9Jh1OrkFfGg8_Rh34p1p8WuKu5-cY5xHCI0YAyNjJHj8s/s320/IMG_6377.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUceRAwF-2bs7iDf4yA13T89ncHwuEXjK_HkeyO_UDHkMW2xl0z4OQy18rQJb2Mhv-PTANsp17PtiVRvlOPi6nrDYwkNqeB-HPuHjmwNJOXqNiibsWm5FpUtYQLleudXdtWVHKQL4JhRB8aBztZ19mFTS-S8SBsKFaVvvVPoCjLNzONMxDesOvsFiAp0/s4032/IMG_6379.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhOUceRAwF-2bs7iDf4yA13T89ncHwuEXjK_HkeyO_UDHkMW2xl0z4OQy18rQJb2Mhv-PTANsp17PtiVRvlOPi6nrDYwkNqeB-HPuHjmwNJOXqNiibsWm5FpUtYQLleudXdtWVHKQL4JhRB8aBztZ19mFTS-S8SBsKFaVvvVPoCjLNzONMxDesOvsFiAp0/s320/IMG_6379.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The decision really came to a head when; on New Year's Eve, Ryan and I ended up at the emergency room because I was having chest pains. The stress from my job, the decision to leave my job and the very scary proposition of potentially being "jobless" for a time - it was all overwhelming me to the point that I was having physical repercussions! What would follow over the next month would be multiple ER visits that resulted in blood draws, x-rays, a cat scan, a GI cocktail and multiple follow-up appointments with doctors and specialists.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would like to say that in the midst of all of this - I completely trusted the Lord. I would love to say I knew that no matter what the health outcome was or the job situation, that I was filled with trust. It is literally "my word" and yet - I definitely needed some work where that trust was concerned! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even in my less than amazing ability to trust - the Lord has shown up and shown out in so many ways! Ryan and I were so concerned about what might be causing my health issues but after all those visits it was determined that my heart is completely healthy, I don't have GERD and I was just dealing with severe anxiety! That anxiety is real y'all and can seriously affect your life - but praise the Lord it was nothing more serious!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even in my less than amazing ability to trust - Ryan and I ran the numbers and confirmed I could actually be "out of work" for a while with no real impact on our finances (thank the Lord we completed Financial Peace & became debt free in 2023). However; the Lord in His goodness, provided! I began submitting applications, had an initial interview and a second interview and y'all - my last day at my former job was January 10th and I got a call on January 12th that I'd been hired for the new job. What's more - because of the way the pay calendar works - Ryan and I didn't miss a paycheck and I was still able to have 3.5 weeks off to recover and relax! Won't He do it?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgW3-C8Q7YOu5r8SiSdTf_E-xptFagtVLpF6uPWWqJ4rG_E1hiZi38AR0NOOLuoccr0fMKiJCRZqP00-XimHQH1lYt9BO90AGYZ1H1AK-mQqOIMAPQVJKnNaR4Jo0wphx_qd3qjMo4xFPUXacYiVlAyTOpiJMfkjBGvlUJGYDIu-KhuMsz75cuBJxBDUg/s4032/IMG_6613.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjgW3-C8Q7YOu5r8SiSdTf_E-xptFagtVLpF6uPWWqJ4rG_E1hiZi38AR0NOOLuoccr0fMKiJCRZqP00-XimHQH1lYt9BO90AGYZ1H1AK-mQqOIMAPQVJKnNaR4Jo0wphx_qd3qjMo4xFPUXacYiVlAyTOpiJMfkjBGvlUJGYDIu-KhuMsz75cuBJxBDUg/s320/IMG_6613.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSEQYWqISSCMXBPjlGVVfLPJKoH5o9mdZ9nVVOPVWfYrzt2dUzbGcVMPpnzfllYmpKGsqOxAful3QrVNt8sSlCDn1SN56WauVVyQOY_pWF55AYwq3k2nBi_62JAW-gQj5INEs1oOLVswtLDFIeUApRZbxCbY3CtHaMR5tpl_ImyRNsPLdpKS95-7Ra7g/s4032/IMG_6615.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjuSEQYWqISSCMXBPjlGVVfLPJKoH5o9mdZ9nVVOPVWfYrzt2dUzbGcVMPpnzfllYmpKGsqOxAful3QrVNt8sSlCDn1SN56WauVVyQOY_pWF55AYwq3k2nBi_62JAW-gQj5INEs1oOLVswtLDFIeUApRZbxCbY3CtHaMR5tpl_ImyRNsPLdpKS95-7Ra7g/s320/IMG_6615.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would love to say that with a year that started with so many signs of the Lord's moving and working in our lives, I am just filled to the brim with trust. But - the Lord knew that it was something I needed to work on and so, day by day I am doing that. I am working on myself and working to know that in all things - the Lord is working them for my good. I may not always understand why things happen the way they do, but I am working to be more trusting - because His way is always the best way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">*******************************************************</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do you choose a word of the year? Feel free to share if you do! </div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-61254504511944297422024-02-20T10:12:00.000-08:002024-02-20T10:16:46.509-08:00A Three Day Weekend<p>Another weekend in the books - I cannot believe that we are days away from the last weekend of February! I feel like I say this every year, but time flies faster and faster with every passing year! We had a good weekend; a really restful weekend, and it was lovely! </p><p>Friday after work, I popped by my parent's house and grabbed my Mom and we went to Woodstock for the Buttercup's Galentines Night! They had tons of vendors and Flour and Water, the bakery next door also took part - so we grabbed some treats before perusing the shelves at the Buttercup! We didn't make any purchases, but I saw plenty I loved! We met up with Ryan and my Dad for dinner at the Woodstock Moose Lodge and then headed home to wait and see if the forecasted snow would arrive! </p><p style="text-align: center;"> ******************************************************* </p><p>We were under a Winter Storm Warning with a predicted 4-8 inches of snow overnight - and while it did snow - it certainly wasn't anything like what they predicted! I would say we got maybe an inch of snow in most areas and it was not the most substantial of snow. Once the sun came out; which was basically as soon as the day started, it began to melt! I told Ryan that I wanted to hike a portion of the lake trail in the snow, so we figured we'd better head out shortly after breakfast if we wanted there to be any snow left...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDGUEUYfufcNqb3urVDRX-1gAu29zuNNIBpMVLur4NUH3QH_JZ86FMKGX-zSo0NucK4zOewp1O9_m-81N21hVZGryNtceK7HAVrgqWSdPtM7VxcRDngDIfG9gzo90tplSay4eLLoLdL4lBoTC2_FdV2iwc1b87xU0FzHXFb3h8zC-Us_mG8tEqgeOCZQ/s4032/IMG_6795.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgyDGUEUYfufcNqb3urVDRX-1gAu29zuNNIBpMVLur4NUH3QH_JZ86FMKGX-zSo0NucK4zOewp1O9_m-81N21hVZGryNtceK7HAVrgqWSdPtM7VxcRDngDIfG9gzo90tplSay4eLLoLdL4lBoTC2_FdV2iwc1b87xU0FzHXFb3h8zC-Us_mG8tEqgeOCZQ/s320/IMG_6795.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuvL9TdV0M3ewZg8yodOX7o3hqm4zJY0p_CdiMvKgEf3K-IjDHBCQuBXoSfHn23KpfrkhiYrbzq-iCXVqEyHjTnFFCAZU_VZFOaAgxsTxzuq5OLpbv3PUVn2sr9DGNLmHJZBvZHqpEYR9SJC-FsCdjL4__4Uci1F0TP3PtbLHtxhIXgunysUVxpqk7eU/s4032/IMG_6792.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjPuvL9TdV0M3ewZg8yodOX7o3hqm4zJY0p_CdiMvKgEf3K-IjDHBCQuBXoSfHn23KpfrkhiYrbzq-iCXVqEyHjTnFFCAZU_VZFOaAgxsTxzuq5OLpbv3PUVn2sr9DGNLmHJZBvZHqpEYR9SJC-FsCdjL4__4Uci1F0TP3PtbLHtxhIXgunysUVxpqk7eU/s320/IMG_6792.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tcB8T3B3zZJuasaljQxCLgC3VOQbVJol8whOD8oB1lZw4O3lO7LdOhXK1MmX3Nf5d8KWMrbTaCe54OrPC8GAgORpTZ0ubnLIHy8X8RfMFz68cQ6jslQSk_gLmex6WJWCjlpaBu28ykCH1uxj5S7ZWUQDIAL4_cVyvkhGhPb5V6ZlgC2p0qoya7Aspgk/s4032/IMG_6791.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEj-tcB8T3B3zZJuasaljQxCLgC3VOQbVJol8whOD8oB1lZw4O3lO7LdOhXK1MmX3Nf5d8KWMrbTaCe54OrPC8GAgORpTZ0ubnLIHy8X8RfMFz68cQ6jslQSk_gLmex6WJWCjlpaBu28ykCH1uxj5S7ZWUQDIAL4_cVyvkhGhPb5V6ZlgC2p0qoya7Aspgk/s320/IMG_6791.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatwJDIBVNSzVK2hHxbJrd1KdoeotUegpcnEFI_knN0P9Ia6kuZgOQnjpo6KVW4QGPM2hscfjDoxa-ObtQs6RaWNpgB-ygjutDFSzPT36c_BpU3JBpHyFUKyWKkFmfR0vfpEEPJpMJt9mpk1y_95vyHTJV8QmARST4bZlj1PRsc_XbYa2gO7HNhsw7krk/s4032/IMG_6790.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjatwJDIBVNSzVK2hHxbJrd1KdoeotUegpcnEFI_knN0P9Ia6kuZgOQnjpo6KVW4QGPM2hscfjDoxa-ObtQs6RaWNpgB-ygjutDFSzPT36c_BpU3JBpHyFUKyWKkFmfR0vfpEEPJpMJt9mpk1y_95vyHTJV8QmARST4bZlj1PRsc_XbYa2gO7HNhsw7krk/s320/IMG_6790.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYb2c6zKFIRGveCJjlLcpYt-Oc2-QWWfHtbWJrJnWwGT1ccl66dP4LhRILJGOqnzqH23FY0gijdNvUpMCu4CFNuZJJhfSwiz8RinicLw3bYVXlRbfE5eBrwh56iP69ANY2gGMWIiVxNOGhkjgUg4oakfg4up5tZNi1L_RZmIkJqREQyAviMy930jZxnE/s4032/IMG_6789.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjKYb2c6zKFIRGveCJjlLcpYt-Oc2-QWWfHtbWJrJnWwGT1ccl66dP4LhRILJGOqnzqH23FY0gijdNvUpMCu4CFNuZJJhfSwiz8RinicLw3bYVXlRbfE5eBrwh56iP69ANY2gGMWIiVxNOGhkjgUg4oakfg4up5tZNi1L_RZmIkJqREQyAviMy930jZxnE/s320/IMG_6789.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzoNhKNdiZjWbx1MGZTsYaFYPGN_9sYQMTHrnr7GqMPyb9Z6bIxS1vGGF4IYIl_0IjN49DWTGKVYLfpNtxns8io_y8G7b8XyeHQnekdhybi7UPuEIad22DVIvni8i9kxJAIHcjLrF3e8tWJv2_qn7HbhSHNqigcnxj9ZfI1GO9m0MkrQF5_xXBIe8mmk/s4032/IMG_6788.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgrzoNhKNdiZjWbx1MGZTsYaFYPGN_9sYQMTHrnr7GqMPyb9Z6bIxS1vGGF4IYIl_0IjN49DWTGKVYLfpNtxns8io_y8G7b8XyeHQnekdhybi7UPuEIad22DVIvni8i9kxJAIHcjLrF3e8tWJv2_qn7HbhSHNqigcnxj9ZfI1GO9m0MkrQF5_xXBIe8mmk/s320/IMG_6788.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The portion where the trail started was plenty snow covered - but as we moved around the lake, there were portions of the trail where it didn't even look like it had snowed! We were able to spy so many little creature prints around the lake as we hiked; what looked like dog and deer, and my special favorite were the prints that appeared to belong to a raccoon! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSbvINPYtKBk4Abe45cIXPlEsGhUHgahyphenhyphenzH7uKT4XnH-KC-VnYWx9IW6UuP_R4ansEvG8AdlyqNwz3Lqe7wVaBQWI_XIDuBd7ZyydflkoRg4-zs1m0BTHHjRenpLty2buQvhdi_EHc47QUXPpIdfPFr_k0Shs2ZBvvxSipcoAQzNdLcx86hylNr8yCcQ/s4032/IMG_6793.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSbvINPYtKBk4Abe45cIXPlEsGhUHgahyphenhyphenzH7uKT4XnH-KC-VnYWx9IW6UuP_R4ansEvG8AdlyqNwz3Lqe7wVaBQWI_XIDuBd7ZyydflkoRg4-zs1m0BTHHjRenpLty2buQvhdi_EHc47QUXPpIdfPFr_k0Shs2ZBvvxSipcoAQzNdLcx86hylNr8yCcQ/w400-h300/IMG_6793.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0hWDo_o8AJjjVIo12uehiYX4h3QT2L7CmR5eihhbuK2TRZuDNPPMb8C1V71qVRViHU8eoLHqa1HV1DT_3GGde1C0NzpPATT3GRSbKa3YO5SGLosYWjwDyaJYG424btEPFeApE3Z8tISbo9-jEtLq-yMUtILAE3mX6FH_q_hoHxj-1olaTEcyvbFSiNs/s4032/IMG_6787.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgG0hWDo_o8AJjjVIo12uehiYX4h3QT2L7CmR5eihhbuK2TRZuDNPPMb8C1V71qVRViHU8eoLHqa1HV1DT_3GGde1C0NzpPATT3GRSbKa3YO5SGLosYWjwDyaJYG424btEPFeApE3Z8tISbo9-jEtLq-yMUtILAE3mX6FH_q_hoHxj-1olaTEcyvbFSiNs/s320/IMG_6787.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVIYzXoGTsVuMBX3Is3GdqmOviC4oJMSYeLj_OJtDYw6CYR1ml3rHg_9uZhyphenhyphen8udGT6USRzwk4vW11Ozw16FU5o5j-2BLculAbDGfWave5Vjd9v7TB8KLPOqsg8hWJS6fX6AFO6j6hbpbDw4Cqd3nG3pHKtYd1G2hRE-v3bQ7nK4_L0_5jHuaoMgtW8e0/s3088/IMG_6786.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVIYzXoGTsVuMBX3Is3GdqmOviC4oJMSYeLj_OJtDYw6CYR1ml3rHg_9uZhyphenhyphen8udGT6USRzwk4vW11Ozw16FU5o5j-2BLculAbDGfWave5Vjd9v7TB8KLPOqsg8hWJS6fX6AFO6j6hbpbDw4Cqd3nG3pHKtYd1G2hRE-v3bQ7nK4_L0_5jHuaoMgtW8e0/s320/IMG_6786.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYP8A0JAHATRdngfO9vCOUSR-OTrfs31YtetkMwzsC9C3n8700aEqMI5uMt876b5lRDXPy8ejf2Etla-aK9nQ8TRyjm6ELMrBtEvJEc-hMuuIbKMStYKewSxVj2xtcQG2ju-xowz8W_gjTwPJcInzwmdbVaa0ZrzXRSdRSrgGISd_YpVDnHYKbMt2-aQ/s4032/IMG_6785.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgXYP8A0JAHATRdngfO9vCOUSR-OTrfs31YtetkMwzsC9C3n8700aEqMI5uMt876b5lRDXPy8ejf2Etla-aK9nQ8TRyjm6ELMrBtEvJEc-hMuuIbKMStYKewSxVj2xtcQG2ju-xowz8W_gjTwPJcInzwmdbVaa0ZrzXRSdRSrgGISd_YpVDnHYKbMt2-aQ/s320/IMG_6785.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFTpLQscqs5xO99FozMwZR8VwXMtOYQR2WNk9Qs5orc0cGIjv9HOlguNNcLD9kYRB0rv98b107tJxf1NBm4LjkQJ3vGr3_jTHoYNLCiv5WFgsM7z-7UhBZMC3IyGjXbVqgoKIqsAGHzWPe8zYpRi7DCcAK5nyylV0lsEPAuXWY1TEYmcUuvbxlqlwJT8/s4032/IMG_6784.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjnFTpLQscqs5xO99FozMwZR8VwXMtOYQR2WNk9Qs5orc0cGIjv9HOlguNNcLD9kYRB0rv98b107tJxf1NBm4LjkQJ3vGr3_jTHoYNLCiv5WFgsM7z-7UhBZMC3IyGjXbVqgoKIqsAGHzWPe8zYpRi7DCcAK5nyylV0lsEPAuXWY1TEYmcUuvbxlqlwJT8/s320/IMG_6784.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As luck would have it, right about the time we emerged from the end of the trail into the parking lot at the lake - my Dad came through the parking lot to see what the lake looked like in the snow! So we hitched a ride back to the house, got cleaned up and then headed out for an afternoon of shopping! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKoQ3eXhypiQD1nVh_rMORQdwIKyXanqZQn3wVEmFknGVfE3tnIlnWgi_GBdEpbZPCU4k4YgOT4uzdrio2p0quAPARrHBZUTf8ftQ66nVsp6Vui118X3DrbgIG4UFoRO1daHMoEm9yDWLWKjOumVggJ0wOtolNI3DSe6ZyE9Zymag9HCp78_HkYy63rA/s4032/IMG_6783.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhuKoQ3eXhypiQD1nVh_rMORQdwIKyXanqZQn3wVEmFknGVfE3tnIlnWgi_GBdEpbZPCU4k4YgOT4uzdrio2p0quAPARrHBZUTf8ftQ66nVsp6Vui118X3DrbgIG4UFoRO1daHMoEm9yDWLWKjOumVggJ0wOtolNI3DSe6ZyE9Zymag9HCp78_HkYy63rA/s320/IMG_6783.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGc_U9zLu15MX681CokpLosz5zVvxv5TOoPaar2JG4IuHn74u0GAfRMKT6xWTZz9e2pRYWPP89SJaQQzz0Y6pe-iBZyUBBrc23uDdMuw2A2Ic8AJfDS0WGmf_AoIsqG1A2kssOzh_TYWhSMrbMVAxElF6G8qN9hNX9vHwrCrP7mlHD-ao3XUIZYIoHe-o/s4032/IMG_6782.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiGc_U9zLu15MX681CokpLosz5zVvxv5TOoPaar2JG4IuHn74u0GAfRMKT6xWTZz9e2pRYWPP89SJaQQzz0Y6pe-iBZyUBBrc23uDdMuw2A2Ic8AJfDS0WGmf_AoIsqG1A2kssOzh_TYWhSMrbMVAxElF6G8qN9hNX9vHwrCrP7mlHD-ao3XUIZYIoHe-o/s320/IMG_6782.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1DGtGAiuNZOpi2XjfOz9e_9QojbOG-3gNKlLb5GiQxcAQTjAVg4Opuhfl84hBJkIOU9yGvbLfzSiiWHIzNEQ57g2rs-zoys_qORg_iS06r6o0e2Jy_Zmzhhq2Wmki53kbMdUNK_HvWZdp1BvQ2gPkJcXt_2Joli3qh53NjTa77zcWcZ90Pd9SQexE38/s4032/IMG_6781.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgR1DGtGAiuNZOpi2XjfOz9e_9QojbOG-3gNKlLb5GiQxcAQTjAVg4Opuhfl84hBJkIOU9yGvbLfzSiiWHIzNEQ57g2rs-zoys_qORg_iS06r6o0e2Jy_Zmzhhq2Wmki53kbMdUNK_HvWZdp1BvQ2gPkJcXt_2Joli3qh53NjTa77zcWcZ90Pd9SQexE38/s320/IMG_6781.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-M1J4KYPl7LP7EwbI9hSHYS7xJaAaQgzuGT-Fd8OL4ASQcbXf765OO2PEmDeTMVS14zjiBc8_dh5SN-02gOuTzQpYwst4NUbmPWZjLNL2KTLb40TLTPNbTqCVm6HRaphRBSQ1RBCWsVkQE0Xt_1vFIA709fDM0RMGKtPeeK8e7yiLVTSPIAr3lkyWuSc/s4032/IMG_6780.jpeg" 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-M1J4KYPl7LP7EwbI9hSHYS7xJaAaQgzuGT-Fd8OL4ASQcbXf765OO2PEmDeTMVS14zjiBc8_dh5SN-02gOuTzQpYwst4NUbmPWZjLNL2KTLb40TLTPNbTqCVm6HRaphRBSQ1RBCWsVkQE0Xt_1vFIA709fDM0RMGKtPeeK8e7yiLVTSPIAr3lkyWuSc/s320/IMG_6780.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We found some really great bargains at some of our favorite consignment and thrift shops and I discovered I had two gift cards in my purse worth about $125 - so we had ourselves quite the afternoon around town! We had a chill Saturday evening; having some pizza and catching up on <i>Masters of the Air</i> on Apple TV. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6-ZUOhEHABtciRq3WMQiC45fEWX7U4OHT7FjI9Ehb8W2lzUxClU1IhEffE3hGh1Q904jwZUzkJ2rd6kysbt18dG4qy-82ACzlmlWsRGfzOejDMdh8u_qlVafgF-ljMcpCjxSoWcNOMMSUgaN0IR7L6zVpHgoXbYuHnOxyXG0nE-GdSpavIUXuIIQ3R8/s3088/IMG_6797.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6-ZUOhEHABtciRq3WMQiC45fEWX7U4OHT7FjI9Ehb8W2lzUxClU1IhEffE3hGh1Q904jwZUzkJ2rd6kysbt18dG4qy-82ACzlmlWsRGfzOejDMdh8u_qlVafgF-ljMcpCjxSoWcNOMMSUgaN0IR7L6zVpHgoXbYuHnOxyXG0nE-GdSpavIUXuIIQ3R8/w300-h400/IMG_6797.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sunday feels like it passed in a flash! We went to third service and then stayed after for the annual vision meeting - and that wasn't done until almost 2 PM! After a lunch of Mexican food, Ryan and I tooled around town some and got home shortly after 5:45! We had a very low key evening; we watched an episode of <i>Home Town</i> and actually ended up getting to sleep pretty early!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was off work on Monday (yay for that government job) and honestly - I didn't do a whole lot! I read, fiddled with a puzzle, did some laundry and was generally just a bum. Which you're supposed to be on your day(s) off, right?</div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-74658674870369729992024-02-14T05:56:00.000-08:002024-02-14T05:56:59.595-08:00Happy Valentines Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYqshXoXQkEMrscueKWk6XEAR7s0zqt5XTwxqH-RRKkI5r5_kepnSxVdkALekLwinD6TtLTnVGsLZmWGLumCbEuPTbqmgEmG_LVpCmpwUkLV2D7vGJ5PBRsvuHEtYEf1y429NWlWfW_BSaY0Jv9zNmApWozwqyRX5_rwWXAD_YLzyGi7OEySr-YSxZd8/s1800/IMG_6743.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYqshXoXQkEMrscueKWk6XEAR7s0zqt5XTwxqH-RRKkI5r5_kepnSxVdkALekLwinD6TtLTnVGsLZmWGLumCbEuPTbqmgEmG_LVpCmpwUkLV2D7vGJ5PBRsvuHEtYEf1y429NWlWfW_BSaY0Jv9zNmApWozwqyRX5_rwWXAD_YLzyGi7OEySr-YSxZd8/w320-h400/IMG_6743.jpeg" 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: x-large;">Happy Valentine's Day!</span></div><br /><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-51802575972026061682024-02-12T10:48:00.000-08:002024-02-12T10:48:47.388-08:00Weekend Recap - Valentine's Getaway<p style="text-align: left;">It's Monday and we are already closing in on the midpoint of this month of February! Are you kidding me? I'm back to really savoring the weekends now that I'm a member of the workforce again - and my first weekend after being back to work was wonderful and relaxing; just what I needed. It was probably what Ryan needed too! </p><p style="text-align: left;">After work on Friday, Ryan and I made the drive (about an hour and forty minutes) to Gordonsville, Virginia to stay for the weekend at Shenandoah Crossings! We made it into town around 7:00 and grabbed a quick dinner at The BBQ Exchange - which has been named as the best BBQ in the state of Virginia! The pulled pork, macaroni & cheese, ribs and pork belly were delicious... but I was less than impressed with the baked beans! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPupDdeJbVcQF8sQ2owUT8v729bRWPkHdFf5zklHJXbzWVPUieABTjMYRKSuukqNGb3O42EODgHzHetBDLbOdQO8Q5nR3yjpUW6kSbqwwg_SJpeBhZFg4XFUIi1oznpdhxAzGeIGOn9nuVgFRluYRC-r66A5GsS8dCBbgmAfY2-bqFIlvZHjPj8IBHyBE/s4032/IMG_6671.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjPupDdeJbVcQF8sQ2owUT8v729bRWPkHdFf5zklHJXbzWVPUieABTjMYRKSuukqNGb3O42EODgHzHetBDLbOdQO8Q5nR3yjpUW6kSbqwwg_SJpeBhZFg4XFUIi1oznpdhxAzGeIGOn9nuVgFRluYRC-r66A5GsS8dCBbgmAfY2-bqFIlvZHjPj8IBHyBE/w240-h320/IMG_6671.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheez4YDNksDN3m6bTFM8uKlP80eywn5imNzh0D_SRHSYWNaU53hg5cRcI3-UgwkqTTI36LfU2zIFEHTPX2yJ5qVaGSQ6FfWjk-QDIgX7lRHHayLVJNCEx0u1bXmf8iHiC2mG19viwQICj-D_i-x2SZmU16RrYvFyDcXgupYj9d3obfgEU8ozbwmVag-6o/s4032/IMG_6672.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEheez4YDNksDN3m6bTFM8uKlP80eywn5imNzh0D_SRHSYWNaU53hg5cRcI3-UgwkqTTI36LfU2zIFEHTPX2yJ5qVaGSQ6FfWjk-QDIgX7lRHHayLVJNCEx0u1bXmf8iHiC2mG19viwQICj-D_i-x2SZmU16RrYvFyDcXgupYj9d3obfgEU8ozbwmVag-6o/s320/IMG_6672.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YnNYQsx4UyKAx-14r7u6r8SLMiDubT5vlvhkPABYVbqMLZKMrYzFCnMc6IVm7bNVIdr-jbm1cIZz9aOxUmoLBA2qpMS1T_20n4jPBwYJsRd7wRZ8kKTl_wlppl8NFcLT_ULgGHM4VxS5QzozRDgKO2r9MLgCyHz49imwoxmuMJN1UWusqRMLgfS3QzU/s4032/IMG_6674.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEi6YnNYQsx4UyKAx-14r7u6r8SLMiDubT5vlvhkPABYVbqMLZKMrYzFCnMc6IVm7bNVIdr-jbm1cIZz9aOxUmoLBA2qpMS1T_20n4jPBwYJsRd7wRZ8kKTl_wlppl8NFcLT_ULgGHM4VxS5QzozRDgKO2r9MLgCyHz49imwoxmuMJN1UWusqRMLgfS3QzU/s320/IMG_6674.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwN9TQWUyUeAw1WdH3iMRMUMFqfpUSkCecH3HkJvzTat_waQnJW55FWjtnG1NcAfksdWbXcYFxl3OT-d0w1rAFj-Tp0x5bFb8whDNMNBlLJ4mmEeKuUeafOL_X9sKlZFg6oKAd6wFiEbr-c5myDILvVER_Qt-09D7lJPDX9g7hcpSyTkUn_mHDju3j64/s4032/IMG_6676.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiHwN9TQWUyUeAw1WdH3iMRMUMFqfpUSkCecH3HkJvzTat_waQnJW55FWjtnG1NcAfksdWbXcYFxl3OT-d0w1rAFj-Tp0x5bFb8whDNMNBlLJ4mmEeKuUeafOL_X9sKlZFg6oKAd6wFiEbr-c5myDILvVER_Qt-09D7lJPDX9g7hcpSyTkUn_mHDju3j64/s320/IMG_6676.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">After checking into our cabin and getting settled, we opened a Valentine's gift from my parents: a little travel bucket filled with some of our favorite treats, some doodads and a gift card to Well Hung Vineyard (yes - that's really the name). Ryan then surprise me with a bath pillow and a bamboo bath tray and then proceeded to fix a bath with candles and bath bombs - because that man knows me too well! It was the most wonderful surprise and a wonderful way to wind down and start the weekend!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nowut5j5p5PoSEevX91jppSQdexB01YkAGcKZhtkjFw_6Jo0yoif2tNq_vOfqjhY5dMxg0iLrNgKCJaAEhb9lOjshtkSC3x9vPkplkVG0PoQyIGgLifN1EOaIJ29BxBeR1SxUDacCxQwy2QFSGxOhZhC3vT5E59vxV90qLNTClCY31mwH9phfNgGG1E/s3088/IMG_6682.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nowut5j5p5PoSEevX91jppSQdexB01YkAGcKZhtkjFw_6Jo0yoif2tNq_vOfqjhY5dMxg0iLrNgKCJaAEhb9lOjshtkSC3x9vPkplkVG0PoQyIGgLifN1EOaIJ29BxBeR1SxUDacCxQwy2QFSGxOhZhC3vT5E59vxV90qLNTClCY31mwH9phfNgGG1E/w300-h400/IMG_6682.jpeg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">The weather was a bit overcast and threatening rain on Saturday - so after a relaxing start to the morning and some breakfast, we figured we'd better get out and explore in case rain rolled into the area. We poked around the resort, walking down to the lake and also peeking at the game room and indoor pool for later in the day, and then headed over to the General Store and Stables. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcF91j6ktH3TtHn40oHh3nvDkNs-L4ht_ql3jV5mfO2c2RReAeAhT4QO4VpRAC-I4_nOPFmMXkoWZrD8yerXdNv7mJZdbSFYi_j4_jSZvJDyfvVj5i20XqqF_WBdqsJxKUrJLu8dd2_cUfcwpWmo-lQqEcOaXMOc2M6ygJ8YtP0E4ZEw5Lxz4DFmTzuLk/s4032/IMG_0378.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgcF91j6ktH3TtHn40oHh3nvDkNs-L4ht_ql3jV5mfO2c2RReAeAhT4QO4VpRAC-I4_nOPFmMXkoWZrD8yerXdNv7mJZdbSFYi_j4_jSZvJDyfvVj5i20XqqF_WBdqsJxKUrJLu8dd2_cUfcwpWmo-lQqEcOaXMOc2M6ygJ8YtP0E4ZEw5Lxz4DFmTzuLk/s320/IMG_0378.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTs0me373DmKfVabiq1blnFq5gKTkq4WEGQOoBpplmxPmwoyCWoGZ3tOXS7C42LctyabnqIh5_WypihmAgfck8ybINRz3bW28dz-tmSb_YXt0pYO8ykPGX5lJja42p98hMDletpwbEG91hekRjr6tlb9A-8kOE9IJWR_yF0y-W08QrjoPr1SiZhCBN2Fs/s4032/IMG_6683.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhTs0me373DmKfVabiq1blnFq5gKTkq4WEGQOoBpplmxPmwoyCWoGZ3tOXS7C42LctyabnqIh5_WypihmAgfck8ybINRz3bW28dz-tmSb_YXt0pYO8ykPGX5lJja42p98hMDletpwbEG91hekRjr6tlb9A-8kOE9IJWR_yF0y-W08QrjoPr1SiZhCBN2Fs/s320/IMG_6683.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimkD8vDtW54AlF8nVL2n3NOkiVVnCdFacvTfAb3Xq4wz6gkucM89_rrLVLbIJ14YVQxeyRfKzdTA0njb00RxpBfGBp6i49GuMwfND88RhvxOlE0FUqEu2SSK7VFXY1yOLegn3km-EM1-bUMRH1Y8KpNbk4hwrIhjCgzjYnADChyfTbFu-kd6XphpcWtA/s4032/IMG_6693.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiimkD8vDtW54AlF8nVL2n3NOkiVVnCdFacvTfAb3Xq4wz6gkucM89_rrLVLbIJ14YVQxeyRfKzdTA0njb00RxpBfGBp6i49GuMwfND88RhvxOlE0FUqEu2SSK7VFXY1yOLegn3km-EM1-bUMRH1Y8KpNbk4hwrIhjCgzjYnADChyfTbFu-kd6XphpcWtA/s320/IMG_6693.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmlZa_3nxTNZ2i9VtJJFq7dROLFhjqa71vuOsKokz7lcnyMPNXgre1wQRNbmzrnR8wIsssegEXGqXLmmTxgIjKWKuQQ3jrq5rJPfCyms7bEsRZmhP5APvuuQwo5itAWKV2j5e3TQc7eZbsWAhf0a1iSX3yeyzWa3IT-KW1no1CWi9P8bIOv4yR85nQ6k/s4032/IMG_6691.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjqmlZa_3nxTNZ2i9VtJJFq7dROLFhjqa71vuOsKokz7lcnyMPNXgre1wQRNbmzrnR8wIsssegEXGqXLmmTxgIjKWKuQQ3jrq5rJPfCyms7bEsRZmhP5APvuuQwo5itAWKV2j5e3TQc7eZbsWAhf0a1iSX3yeyzWa3IT-KW1no1CWi9P8bIOv4yR85nQ6k/s320/IMG_6691.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We spent some time with the horses and Ryan ended up buying some treats so that we (mostly me) could feed them! The horses were pretty hilarious; especially a horse and mule that were tied together and seemed to be "fighting" with one another - those two were a whole mood! We perused some antique stores and other stores in the (very) small town of Gordonsville and we decided to just have a picnic lunch in our car when the rain arrived shortly after noon. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EVFSsdS6lgP1mJFSOMfUlullPR11JFtqIt1PEN7OJ86VToX7CiPItuUF154CsS5RvocdTDBZiydviz7jJDNV3BfQjVjmdmj5AGI0D6lbbm8c7JmSlNp0RXkJ_sT3j_FQnRM3uEZBnzuGr39M4QFTLyn35A6RMbiOEOI70A5XFvxLi2nY3xNBku7dFhc/s4032/IMG_6702.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EVFSsdS6lgP1mJFSOMfUlullPR11JFtqIt1PEN7OJ86VToX7CiPItuUF154CsS5RvocdTDBZiydviz7jJDNV3BfQjVjmdmj5AGI0D6lbbm8c7JmSlNp0RXkJ_sT3j_FQnRM3uEZBnzuGr39M4QFTLyn35A6RMbiOEOI70A5XFvxLi2nY3xNBku7dFhc/w400-h300/IMG_6702.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJgDlRpezb3CVQVBg3VC89t9BqTilNxknrkJQh-8bJf4ZYXF5E7ltiTHX3OtcJIF1zhizBSEInqLtdtvfOtT7covSkDPQ6idm-9lnHh9o7Cj4-tW_RUGLIB5Ujpu225TFoYawmQ_Odmno3ARYSCd21PcArBZJDfCOvKwWUOst4GC4B5hcRVfMQ_j0Lj4/s4032/IMG_6701.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgCJgDlRpezb3CVQVBg3VC89t9BqTilNxknrkJQh-8bJf4ZYXF5E7ltiTHX3OtcJIF1zhizBSEInqLtdtvfOtT7covSkDPQ6idm-9lnHh9o7Cj4-tW_RUGLIB5Ujpu225TFoYawmQ_Odmno3ARYSCd21PcArBZJDfCOvKwWUOst4GC4B5hcRVfMQ_j0Lj4/s320/IMG_6701.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2A5ff9LCw0rcopQRMOqDfZoAm6iNj_7sgMhksULewNDuB-bf4oPQcdddeYa0xYHyuTiLRPY1Ad6qF_T2qB6iPMz3X4La68gPrmbyU_l56Yuo4MGNyUr5agUpTKycbiyVMaOnPZSkx7lkz_sEwUqXRL3kkhXsRw3rgU_KWlkJp46QnJfEZXdUeYsNgPKY/s4032/IMG_6703.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEj2A5ff9LCw0rcopQRMOqDfZoAm6iNj_7sgMhksULewNDuB-bf4oPQcdddeYa0xYHyuTiLRPY1Ad6qF_T2qB6iPMz3X4La68gPrmbyU_l56Yuo4MGNyUr5agUpTKycbiyVMaOnPZSkx7lkz_sEwUqXRL3kkhXsRw3rgU_KWlkJp46QnJfEZXdUeYsNgPKY/s320/IMG_6703.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8vPSsK9BZWuHruvUNR9ZL06grzzgFGIDKavAl3TxKxoiyJR7LCyDWgUnjE1OW1LLtfra2nDJeM0cS0G0wQRjvc9DIfEgymmhPk1ZPsaM0metHUtz3qQCif47wC5iXSBMDp5RAYt5FQ13RLV7QYW9f_RuaCOMuVKnh8fAoXNWdt_JMN0c3fd8mbPL224/s4032/IMG_6705.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8vPSsK9BZWuHruvUNR9ZL06grzzgFGIDKavAl3TxKxoiyJR7LCyDWgUnjE1OW1LLtfra2nDJeM0cS0G0wQRjvc9DIfEgymmhPk1ZPsaM0metHUtz3qQCif47wC5iXSBMDp5RAYt5FQ13RLV7QYW9f_RuaCOMuVKnh8fAoXNWdt_JMN0c3fd8mbPL224/w400-h300/IMG_6705.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVxMzl5cWRFurh7VtbCLBFfSPgAkBUgjoovYuRe4fedC4dMUMrVcsZW09x-GGwJ81vFLFuW911HVhVpVyAx3luBzUAMqH47FjFz1Eff0ZCPMyNKF6tcpoWTNMUAAcfC3MRHaE0KdpNWMtAo2lwrgEzgBQ6GlAgQPBX2H6-gDtpGasuED10CraNtAin1A/s3088/IMG_6706.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVxMzl5cWRFurh7VtbCLBFfSPgAkBUgjoovYuRe4fedC4dMUMrVcsZW09x-GGwJ81vFLFuW911HVhVpVyAx3luBzUAMqH47FjFz1Eff0ZCPMyNKF6tcpoWTNMUAAcfC3MRHaE0KdpNWMtAo2lwrgEzgBQ6GlAgQPBX2H6-gDtpGasuED10CraNtAin1A/s320/IMG_6706.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4uDM9FSOiZ-ri4Do1oLy2TyfV6SD84FUoJNMJi6rPD8Sa3ZyORf10m78g4Fa5Xb4jiclseJ4guToI2yafwyBdqPZhpooXgJUAOLdUggTkuNAlBfxLQu7V0VoLAeJEiY-PwhTYn0th8Jfxfkv3Z9DtWELpEMNk_8YX2EQ88gEHOFczUU_TBEWJ6jGKls/s4032/IMG_6707.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEio4uDM9FSOiZ-ri4Do1oLy2TyfV6SD84FUoJNMJi6rPD8Sa3ZyORf10m78g4Fa5Xb4jiclseJ4guToI2yafwyBdqPZhpooXgJUAOLdUggTkuNAlBfxLQu7V0VoLAeJEiY-PwhTYn0th8Jfxfkv3Z9DtWELpEMNk_8YX2EQ88gEHOFczUU_TBEWJ6jGKls/s320/IMG_6707.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">After our picnic lunch, the rain had passed and so we drove about ten minutes to Barboursville Vineyards - where we actually didn't do a wine tasting - I know, that makes no sense, does it? Barboursville Vineyards has the ruins of an antebellum house that was designed by Thomas Jefferson, for the former governor of Virginia - who was named Barbour. The house burned down on Christmas Day 1884 and the ruins are now a part of the vineyards charm... and they are honestly the reason we went to Barboursville. I wanted to show the ruins to Ryan! </p><p style="text-align: left;">After our time at the vineyard, we made a quick Walmart run to grab some supplies for our dinner, then headed back to the resort and spend some time playing in the game room: we both won a game of air hockey, we raced cars and motorcycles and played some pinball. Ryan even won me a stuffed elephant from the claw machine! Then we spent some time in the hot tub before heading back to our cabin for to relax and enjoy dinner!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkTmRHviZTmz5xXfBzXgWpcXPE4eEF0rrMlH3c3kSJsNM3QxaasQ-cEonrWp-uF-zvinEJTLJvTRESraN0f-n8w-fWneEx19QAMLGGAv14Rj7LXpEeHvqj2s-5wx6A5AiogHWhzV-KcNV3V_5BF0yN5P5LBnZJS0VvX0ua13QnFA2EWaJBtB35O5lJFo/s4032/IMG_6715.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkTmRHviZTmz5xXfBzXgWpcXPE4eEF0rrMlH3c3kSJsNM3QxaasQ-cEonrWp-uF-zvinEJTLJvTRESraN0f-n8w-fWneEx19QAMLGGAv14Rj7LXpEeHvqj2s-5wx6A5AiogHWhzV-KcNV3V_5BF0yN5P5LBnZJS0VvX0ua13QnFA2EWaJBtB35O5lJFo/w300-h400/IMG_6715.jpeg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Ryan made the most amazing meal of chicken (steak for him), scalloped potatoes and asparagus! Everything was so divine and I cleaned my plate! I enjoyed some non-alcoholic wine with my meal - Ryan has gotten into the non-alcoholic beer, and so I decided to give the wine a try - and it was a win for me! We had a wonderful and relaxing evening and when we woke up on Sunday, the rain had definitely arrived in full force!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTcmHHi2TIhn6m7xt5bdOKnChRYpHe1jGu-sRuJZcaosxD3GyvYZt69Jsdxb35pFFEAnSx3mIA_pD7WnRvwrIJbjDMQ7DP_Rd4CAwHAc9AMEedoiI-yp_sy8kXAVybwawYNVr4NmTYRE4xzVG3ItQLF-PLfkxpusSmxepfKf5klF4HleiyrFJVrI9nGM/s3088/IMG_6720.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTcmHHi2TIhn6m7xt5bdOKnChRYpHe1jGu-sRuJZcaosxD3GyvYZt69Jsdxb35pFFEAnSx3mIA_pD7WnRvwrIJbjDMQ7DP_Rd4CAwHAc9AMEedoiI-yp_sy8kXAVybwawYNVr4NmTYRE4xzVG3ItQLF-PLfkxpusSmxepfKf5klF4HleiyrFJVrI9nGM/s320/IMG_6720.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmuEjTyNRHh1Uq6Dk0LIVdS1pg-mfY3q7q1STguflG2ZPRkCyTlZ9Ol6V6Iz-OAvW5-iX0ar7wW-xiqMITudQcUA4E2b6H3JvTvug03Buy5SnQQhskJ39Ahzmez9yYd2tXAYoJNg9DVfdjz3N_5TgiWC7YsCa1I0a7_nfE0ehCLUdzxls1NRq04f1sYY/s4032/IMG_6719.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhdmuEjTyNRHh1Uq6Dk0LIVdS1pg-mfY3q7q1STguflG2ZPRkCyTlZ9Ol6V6Iz-OAvW5-iX0ar7wW-xiqMITudQcUA4E2b6H3JvTvug03Buy5SnQQhskJ39Ahzmez9yYd2tXAYoJNg9DVfdjz3N_5TgiWC7YsCa1I0a7_nfE0ehCLUdzxls1NRq04f1sYY/s320/IMG_6719.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our last stop after checking out of the resort was Well Hung Vineyard for brunch! We did decide to try a wine flight here - we did the Sweetness Flight and I loved every single one of them, which is a pretty bold statement for me! I had the Banana's Foster French Toast and Ryan had Chicken & Waffles, before we climbed into the car for a rainy drive home! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Somehow I neglected to share a picture here, but for the Super Bowl festivities I joined my sister and my Mom in playing Super Bowl Eras Bingo - which was something a friend of Lindsey's sent to her! I was the first to "bingo" - and amazingly none of the squares that got my bingo were Taylor Swift related, although plenty of the squares on my card were! It was such a lovely weekend and I can't believe a three-day weekend is on the horizon! Y'all have a good Monday! </div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-38127110524724272662024-02-08T10:15:00.000-08:002024-02-08T10:15:22.771-08:00New Year - New You <p style="text-align: left;">We all know that old saying "new year - new you" and for most people it's just a trite saying that is repeated at the start of the new year to kick off resolutions and such; but most of the time, people don't really change - you know? I suppose I'm not so much a "new me" in the broader sense of the term - but I do have a new job, so that absolutely changes a part of the many things that make me... "me".</p><p style="text-align: center;">********************************************</p><p style="text-align: left;">My new job is such a blessing & also a sign of the Lord's faithfulness. I'll get into that all more in another post, but the main point is this: My last day at my former job was January 10th & I found out I'd been hired for my new job on January 12th! That's right - the Lord didn't keep me waiting long! When I tell you the Lord is working all things out for the good of those that love him - yes & amen!</p><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJJWCBPzcQEOnpu_ATIDmHfumRc-5N8H7OsKMHPvuL6Pl5cZMhwtNzg51MbLGur8aLiQLnY7d_gMJt2D6TRImSbO3lksVK3muSWpewa4UE6Jk_zX-liKlxJt4yTCp7JHLbEcQ6vvIyCXCiO_eMREwL2rv98g3NsaThlo-6T4RTmpgl7TH-35xo2ieEfA/s4032/IMG_6437.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgzJJWCBPzcQEOnpu_ATIDmHfumRc-5N8H7OsKMHPvuL6Pl5cZMhwtNzg51MbLGur8aLiQLnY7d_gMJt2D6TRImSbO3lksVK3muSWpewa4UE6Jk_zX-liKlxJt4yTCp7JHLbEcQ6vvIyCXCiO_eMREwL2rv98g3NsaThlo-6T4RTmpgl7TH-35xo2ieEfA/s320/IMG_6437.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7s1OqVWobp_np1VmsIcg3TVDfZFuBfCSKzGSUFIPfqG0gOJeSDVCq6R52WxCDYEcswq1fmu-lJbWN0HEMceazGzG_AGZ9zkmL5tDYSbHNzu9ApGbbHv4JfF-5GzoRBRsmM4IuITql-NhpUtqGEnp2mg4IRxDop8whxzNTUFf7jqIAQnx-2gU4n5xzBNw/s3088/IMG_6438.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7s1OqVWobp_np1VmsIcg3TVDfZFuBfCSKzGSUFIPfqG0gOJeSDVCq6R52WxCDYEcswq1fmu-lJbWN0HEMceazGzG_AGZ9zkmL5tDYSbHNzu9ApGbbHv4JfF-5GzoRBRsmM4IuITql-NhpUtqGEnp2mg4IRxDop8whxzNTUFf7jqIAQnx-2gU4n5xzBNw/s320/IMG_6438.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">I know y'all love my pre-interview pictures; trying to make sure I have on the right outfit & getting all the nerves out before I head in to chat with the people who might be hiring me (and hey - they did!) These pictures are from way back in early January; which sometimes seems like a lifetime ago & other days seems like it was only yesterday, ha-ha! </p><p style="text-align: left;">I left my former job on January 10th and I started my new job on February 5th - so I had three and a half weeks to decompress & just rest my mind, my soul, my heart - and it was so wonderful! I spent time reading God's word, doodling, reading books, doing puzzles, attempting to tackle some Legos & spent time with my parents. I made Ryan lunch & took it to him during the day - or had lunch with him when he came home in the middle of the day. It was a wonderful & much needed period of rest.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3dS2Mtwt85cDcTCYAvK8cJJd87S21SjdNMsjEcfLoWVkQ0qWVKHWcxU8doAUmMQME17dTtOqY469C0MBESg8vWNHJwxN2zh9CLuqACmlIs3uuZ0ws-SbAIBX7QYTm5ulP-QktHFtIxOAEJlzu3D5z6u0-mqhrgB6O4pilLTw5HXzDvJ3fcR3NiOBxwg/s4032/IMG_6467.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3dS2Mtwt85cDcTCYAvK8cJJd87S21SjdNMsjEcfLoWVkQ0qWVKHWcxU8doAUmMQME17dTtOqY469C0MBESg8vWNHJwxN2zh9CLuqACmlIs3uuZ0ws-SbAIBX7QYTm5ulP-QktHFtIxOAEJlzu3D5z6u0-mqhrgB6O4pilLTw5HXzDvJ3fcR3NiOBxwg/w400-h300/IMG_6467.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BlIXbmsMCATcRkewV5aRB1_YSzdlUxBfhdoRufONLccGDJl5HSfbaKTAvcHHkasf6vS5e-04pJ_hvt-suKTmORfniatw_xjXIw_G-8zFZpQI8i1ID1fvOj3cuPa_jw_7KWnH9gC1DV1XdRiShzwtG42HJ6vOO8JunJF5DsurnNHpIcCchWN5A2YSo0A/s4032/IMG_6570.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEh8BlIXbmsMCATcRkewV5aRB1_YSzdlUxBfhdoRufONLccGDJl5HSfbaKTAvcHHkasf6vS5e-04pJ_hvt-suKTmORfniatw_xjXIw_G-8zFZpQI8i1ID1fvOj3cuPa_jw_7KWnH9gC1DV1XdRiShzwtG42HJ6vOO8JunJF5DsurnNHpIcCchWN5A2YSo0A/s320/IMG_6570.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaDH_EvwdgionnRXilZ1kEBA-1XnQ8ldC4Cgveow5zfUhef1FUMitKLre_3NZHFptCUGLnuA9m6-yVgsjRz0fyzEqYUufVeuV5BcQYd1N1GU6Z4KF6kDkpAyX96sl0_dmCn9ueGoNYGu2rVT3KC6gdE-JWI1fiHN1fABFAKCVtfv7VywXGuKQloUJcdA/s4032/IMG_6576.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhmaDH_EvwdgionnRXilZ1kEBA-1XnQ8ldC4Cgveow5zfUhef1FUMitKLre_3NZHFptCUGLnuA9m6-yVgsjRz0fyzEqYUufVeuV5BcQYd1N1GU6Z4KF6kDkpAyX96sl0_dmCn9ueGoNYGu2rVT3KC6gdE-JWI1fiHN1fABFAKCVtfv7VywXGuKQloUJcdA/s320/IMG_6576.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo4TV2hUcanupor0cKzOilIqGnUCdzHlC7HI5ezpI580mHjsxeLmTowHlcyBxZTRthF9lAoF-bHi0o1Y5i5k64TCj4YnDDnCz6YzaQ7YH_tE1ueoRMTyxZBxFXee52cYuGtCIf3McoAE7Jg3_oSVZ4MeN8L9u0PLBcMMaYafUKlX548Ep_VApZypK0ZY/s4032/IMG_6458.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo4TV2hUcanupor0cKzOilIqGnUCdzHlC7HI5ezpI580mHjsxeLmTowHlcyBxZTRthF9lAoF-bHi0o1Y5i5k64TCj4YnDDnCz6YzaQ7YH_tE1ueoRMTyxZBxFXee52cYuGtCIf3McoAE7Jg3_oSVZ4MeN8L9u0PLBcMMaYafUKlX548Ep_VApZypK0ZY/w400-h300/IMG_6458.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My sweet husband brought me home flowers the day I found out I'd been hired; and a card to go alongside them! How blessed to have someone who thinks of me & cherishes me with surprises like that? I am blessed indeed! The weekend before I started my new job (last weekend) my hubby & I went out to have dinner at Regions 117 to celebrate my new beginning - the company was wonderful, the food was divine & the evening allowed us to have such a great time together. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWqVRmPEM832A6qXRCjSlR0PLhA0VGqFF46RpaAwhjSQntugEf9cgtFIdA0kTFWbDThErnri1osZxHHbhirrpFxuDDpMq07cCpwoZzkA6edqIsrI9uhAybX2u-6bKTAYa63Sji9mztyZG5spySWnFBnYb7KRimVapEilLA8gtAeXKitog5EjMkeOH2zo/s4032/IMG_4180.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgmWqVRmPEM832A6qXRCjSlR0PLhA0VGqFF46RpaAwhjSQntugEf9cgtFIdA0kTFWbDThErnri1osZxHHbhirrpFxuDDpMq07cCpwoZzkA6edqIsrI9uhAybX2u-6bKTAYa63Sji9mztyZG5spySWnFBnYb7KRimVapEilLA8gtAeXKitog5EjMkeOH2zo/s320/IMG_4180.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD6oROmQwGlv3kag5G_c9bjBEkfiQ8NpdJ2dHeBy2VuS6Rv5DTfj748Z4yNevLtKnr6x1z9QzQaff78u3D6WHwomYkHOWIPk8tv9OHdDXTr7c1_7zz0wzT1yhSLPx-m75qwy_sR1LB3D2RHMG4IMzx5RWd0yKcp-O-erpLzMWWp8nIAtntRqEHTDvpOU/s4032/IMG_4181.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgSD6oROmQwGlv3kag5G_c9bjBEkfiQ8NpdJ2dHeBy2VuS6Rv5DTfj748Z4yNevLtKnr6x1z9QzQaff78u3D6WHwomYkHOWIPk8tv9OHdDXTr7c1_7zz0wzT1yhSLPx-m75qwy_sR1LB3D2RHMG4IMzx5RWd0yKcp-O-erpLzMWWp8nIAtntRqEHTDvpOU/s320/IMG_4181.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9hP-wAUEU2L4MUzHW0JT2vKsMEX5GSiWJPqIrGZ3zlR-Z2jW08VgaE7hnuIOp3rjoHSxA3o2hnRVSKJl2-4HCxLh7zc8Vmw-gCYLT-8W9rErV10kV2LgmLhhTuO4WUM8RkWgV7g64JNSQZHpX7zY1FV1LuTlQbO0BvCBHTPINpTwcUpIC3CMF6GPsR4/s4032/IMG_6593.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9hP-wAUEU2L4MUzHW0JT2vKsMEX5GSiWJPqIrGZ3zlR-Z2jW08VgaE7hnuIOp3rjoHSxA3o2hnRVSKJl2-4HCxLh7zc8Vmw-gCYLT-8W9rErV10kV2LgmLhhTuO4WUM8RkWgV7g64JNSQZHpX7zY1FV1LuTlQbO0BvCBHTPINpTwcUpIC3CMF6GPsR4/w400-h300/IMG_6593.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7mYmwgJYcm5kUAEoY8BLP7CcDJ2HRii5krBh1FycgYTKseO7A4eWRV8609PxBQsCqJyxKJlg8Xj2iA2Acfpxj-nzE87wpqimROq-J8scWFzAUHdRiShJvgU-cPoRl2L2PqntSEh480FQjJZBadkd7EcgPhiwRkYuvUEr1VgyHRtD_JtRcMSFMjEHtwA/s4032/IMG_6594.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7mYmwgJYcm5kUAEoY8BLP7CcDJ2HRii5krBh1FycgYTKseO7A4eWRV8609PxBQsCqJyxKJlg8Xj2iA2Acfpxj-nzE87wpqimROq-J8scWFzAUHdRiShJvgU-cPoRl2L2PqntSEh480FQjJZBadkd7EcgPhiwRkYuvUEr1VgyHRtD_JtRcMSFMjEHtwA/w400-h300/IMG_6594.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWtzfYE6MitfFcZ-CyiSiOnyH4uwKI0v1lfntNrkoP3V31X6HRRzqbnC9Y_jjUEcB8ANseiuKOiqnCudX3hp8ApBtmHenxwc1deM7LNWGfp0fqZj0cshI1ixxq4Rl92jCdcCIHlQEZQzvzKuv7OFyys7YuKTTz9FmtdqhCH33AXeHSRxy2pYQkVic41o/s4032/IMG_6595.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgQWtzfYE6MitfFcZ-CyiSiOnyH4uwKI0v1lfntNrkoP3V31X6HRRzqbnC9Y_jjUEcB8ANseiuKOiqnCudX3hp8ApBtmHenxwc1deM7LNWGfp0fqZj0cshI1ixxq4Rl92jCdcCIHlQEZQzvzKuv7OFyys7YuKTTz9FmtdqhCH33AXeHSRxy2pYQkVic41o/s320/IMG_6595.jpeg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66sW_2-pcsVhR0uGqn0AtcUJejUYKeOzgnD8Z7n9m5s9EPlC-KXHJ5DGz1_lmRJlp4Jy8Iyy9r3Xtud4oNKS6wNX0Fbb6BQvlX5ZVpmlSNHWtnHlhjXJIyxjft89Ur7q5WFLjMp59TuLGUPnHiGJ77ulyWwaxudsX_W7KFBtC_K3YTONlIka7_-roPNE/s4032/IMG_4179.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEg66sW_2-pcsVhR0uGqn0AtcUJejUYKeOzgnD8Z7n9m5s9EPlC-KXHJ5DGz1_lmRJlp4Jy8Iyy9r3Xtud4oNKS6wNX0Fbb6BQvlX5ZVpmlSNHWtnHlhjXJIyxjft89Ur7q5WFLjMp59TuLGUPnHiGJ77ulyWwaxudsX_W7KFBtC_K3YTONlIka7_-roPNE/s320/IMG_4179.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I thoroughly enjoyed my three and a half weeks as a woman of leisure - but there was something nice about getting up & having a place to go & a purpose in the morning! I was so blown away by the warm welcome I received when I arrived at my new office! I had a welcome bag with some of my favorite candy and upon arrival at the office that would be mine, I had a personalized sign & a welcome note! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZbgLOocrGyrcoVdlodJjvTtflN5eNxQvVBW8jXudxdd-BhT4AD-CV5fhGXU6IQqvtaZWwCoSjG_sYZk0S_jlhDKbtGX3YveEQ3moEqdtw9zhvyicwERjO0SwNna-9s5RkOV4cWf7y6LCm85HsaNVEVSwILa175Rmr74q5blzWvoULw2dd291a9-CPFQ/s4032/IMG_6615.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhYZbgLOocrGyrcoVdlodJjvTtflN5eNxQvVBW8jXudxdd-BhT4AD-CV5fhGXU6IQqvtaZWwCoSjG_sYZk0S_jlhDKbtGX3YveEQ3moEqdtw9zhvyicwERjO0SwNna-9s5RkOV4cWf7y6LCm85HsaNVEVSwILa175Rmr74q5blzWvoULw2dd291a9-CPFQ/s320/IMG_6615.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmWbEZNDmk1ze1AFy8ZXemRUftVQI7LS5-cjwVxAUanMBuhgIEEQDxlW3zjsPPZpnoYmCZrx1ytdcS0wrIDRHRerLy0o8zAZ2D9uIWayas1YP018j1yLME-9tp76pwP-58d7OK2z5Ywgr5xKg8QfPL868X-PtGbuKdV198oGqIcY_wlbw0jexoxtukLM/s4032/IMG_6613.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhZmWbEZNDmk1ze1AFy8ZXemRUftVQI7LS5-cjwVxAUanMBuhgIEEQDxlW3zjsPPZpnoYmCZrx1ytdcS0wrIDRHRerLy0o8zAZ2D9uIWayas1YP018j1yLME-9tp76pwP-58d7OK2z5Ywgr5xKg8QfPL868X-PtGbuKdV198oGqIcY_wlbw0jexoxtukLM/s320/IMG_6613.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiVu6BQIm_qFbZcLh1LIGirh6bo99ZLA1hDzuMaElJlTtyQHpzHvh64cOwAGXJ-CWikt_k1ZcEzT_yMnRdf5jxea0seviiSSMeWVrspWkj0Awnn1-dyjaEvb8fWKdbx85PkT_4Vd8WrNYsicLjLpG_k-zFsww2PZG31F_BNEISM1XHLzpjA1n3UoSHtc/s4032/IMG_6642.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiVu6BQIm_qFbZcLh1LIGirh6bo99ZLA1hDzuMaElJlTtyQHpzHvh64cOwAGXJ-CWikt_k1ZcEzT_yMnRdf5jxea0seviiSSMeWVrspWkj0Awnn1-dyjaEvb8fWKdbx85PkT_4Vd8WrNYsicLjLpG_k-zFsww2PZG31F_BNEISM1XHLzpjA1n3UoSHtc/w400-h300/IMG_6642.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>If you need to find me - I'm now working as the Administrative Programs Assistant with the City of Winchester Department of Social Services! I am so excited to see what the future holds & where this job will take me! <p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-86509311942025849112024-02-07T06:07:00.000-08:002024-02-08T08:47:40.365-08:00A Look Back at Confidence <p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5q0JJ-SavL9M1vISL1aPZRzPeB0CejlgBXmsZD6Z5WD_23Qda9gEKe_vJvrEFoLs4nS5Z_3K8w6pjpZAnxzIq9y36KUCADIUj7hUVzKQogFVIERhVwgLHsxRCzaxTeEdHddMNrNMddrV_zcsWo2PP5A-zXr4gVxpS3Y_VD0rO2fymLQYHzkVa-OF/s1200/Word%20of%20the%20Year.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5q0JJ-SavL9M1vISL1aPZRzPeB0CejlgBXmsZD6Z5WD_23Qda9gEKe_vJvrEFoLs4nS5Z_3K8w6pjpZAnxzIq9y36KUCADIUj7hUVzKQogFVIERhVwgLHsxRCzaxTeEdHddMNrNMddrV_zcsWo2PP5A-zXr4gVxpS3Y_VD0rO2fymLQYHzkVa-OF/w400-h400/Word%20of%20the%20Year.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">2023 was the Year of Confidence! I mean - that was my word for the year and as always; the word has appropriately applied to my life this year in so many ways. That's how it always seems to go though, which is why I know these words are divinely breathed into my life. Sure; I just take a quiz on the Dayspring website, but you can't tell me God isn't in that - He's in all things.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I've never been what you'd call a particularly "confident" person. I tend to be more shy than most (although my friends would laugh to hear that). I'm not great in social situations & I'm honestly much more of a homebody. Due to a pretty damaging work environment early on in my career, I tend to question my ability to do things & do them well - and I'll just leave it at that. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I think I spent a lot of time in 2023 learning confidence: confidence in being a wife; that's definitely a whole new experience for most people who are newly married & marriage always comes with a learning curve. I tried to work on & learn confidence in my job; I ended up taking on a boatload of new tasks in 2023 & I did my best to maintain my confidence in learning how to do all the new things.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Sometimes confidence involved looking at situations that were really hard: like having the confidence to know that the Lord has a plan in place for my husband & I when we learned we'd lost our baby. That confidence lesson is a hard one to learn & I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It's a lesson I pray I don't have to learn again... or add to the original lesson, if you understand my meaning. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Another hard lesson in confidence came right at the end of the year: I finally found the confidence to leave the job I'd been at for almost nine years. It was a hard fought decision that came after some health scares, long conversations with my therapist (yes- I have a therapist & you probably should too) & many, many (so very many) tears. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnbGEGP9VtTjVX9GAzJOX_WOSsMh1rGH-DeZjHIIYG1demDgVCVQZ8uFYsBUj4EhJcGdgey3QHHw5tfh1pNaiUsrJjdvelmggItz2BsM0Crie5rg_xPGl-PudsAUYlywjdLYYTzlS36gPqrnx-qdw2OljycnS1NhUiUMXeaL4ZoVRZNAmnWaUPcTHJbU/s4032/IMG_6377.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhfnbGEGP9VtTjVX9GAzJOX_WOSsMh1rGH-DeZjHIIYG1demDgVCVQZ8uFYsBUj4EhJcGdgey3QHHw5tfh1pNaiUsrJjdvelmggItz2BsM0Crie5rg_xPGl-PudsAUYlywjdLYYTzlS36gPqrnx-qdw2OljycnS1NhUiUMXeaL4ZoVRZNAmnWaUPcTHJbU/s320/IMG_6377.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZMumRGlwqG36t9lJyhDCG-pLo5NWHkmwp5jjPuwN0SIPLLwgtI9esmMTR5p08qVSEkkhSah4SZPNR8ane5WBt_GCQt89gr83WqO4gVaqGIXk9GcPXNE8arJFfSjQ2Y9bXojzAHwEf4iLneam84VLKjwqqsHh4dMeBHruXL3hiSZGio-A8lTbDsrOiNQ/s4032/IMG_6379.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjdZMumRGlwqG36t9lJyhDCG-pLo5NWHkmwp5jjPuwN0SIPLLwgtI9esmMTR5p08qVSEkkhSah4SZPNR8ane5WBt_GCQt89gr83WqO4gVaqGIXk9GcPXNE8arJFfSjQ2Y9bXojzAHwEf4iLneam84VLKjwqqsHh4dMeBHruXL3hiSZGio-A8lTbDsrOiNQ/s320/IMG_6379.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The job I was in had incredible benefits - literally - they were incredible. Unfortunately the trade off was an extremely high stress environment & a work load that was demanding at best & impossible at worst; most days it fell into the category of way too much for one person to handle on their own. The office where I worked was under-staffed & also didn't really take the time necessary to train employees on standard operating procedures (there really weren't standard operating procedures). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The stress of the job & the interoffice politics became so overwhelming that I ended up going to the emergency room not once - but three times - due to severe chest pains that led me to think I was having a heart attack. After multiple blood draws, numerous x-rays, a cat scan, an ultrasound, a GI cocktail & hours of waiting in a hospital bed - I was given a clean bill of health for my heart; however my mind was a different story. I was suffering from severe anxiety. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After much prayer & the crunching of some numbers - my husband & I decided it was time I stepped away from my job & move on to other things. I shared my decision at work & when I knew the clock was counting down to my last days, it was like my whole body breathed a sigh of relief. The Lord knows I'm still a work in progress where the anxiety is concerned - but gaining the confidence to speak up for myself & make this decision was years in the making. Truly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">************************************************</div><div><br /></div>So - that's my look at confidence in the year of 2023. Perhaps that word wasn't used in my life in quite the way I thought it would be in 2023, but I certainly gained confidence in many different ways in 2023. I'll touch base soon to tell you all about my word for 2024 & how it's already impacting my life.Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-67248638679303156782024-02-06T06:02:00.000-08:002024-02-08T07:34:06.762-08:00Our Regularly Scheduled Programming <p>Happy Tuesday Everyone - I promised you that I'd be back, and here I am - back and (hopefully) better than ever! Before I get into the reason(s) I have been MIA the last month or so, I figured I would show you a little of what I was up to in January! I know for some people the month seemed like it lasted for 79 days - but it really seemed to fly by for me!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNwk0LJBErbNiFhyOHT3bdkp9ZkwaZfSmw9af729T0wm_4MFntv_k6xSaCknGT-U4tTYYR_ygOTL3I6rmz9mAUIs-Tv4fSsfzq3g8UCv36aZDrr5iqRq6ZWjqehwvMT8tUQob-DpEk-BD08EXbrtIpXZ9nfCxpoALI_tZwduvlQ5A5QJJEEYAT2G_LkE/s3088/IMG_4035.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNwk0LJBErbNiFhyOHT3bdkp9ZkwaZfSmw9af729T0wm_4MFntv_k6xSaCknGT-U4tTYYR_ygOTL3I6rmz9mAUIs-Tv4fSsfzq3g8UCv36aZDrr5iqRq6ZWjqehwvMT8tUQob-DpEk-BD08EXbrtIpXZ9nfCxpoALI_tZwduvlQ5A5QJJEEYAT2G_LkE/w240-h320/IMG_4035.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFiy_yDMic6X0r-hwOprPGkZcFKmN684vmvcagPEfKJygIHVp2wSQ6lp_uIicgyttHXQGegp-SlgGy_EzA4uIRyCyaKizQknw9EZaC-oQdTzrslpEdb0WFm0lFds4YzwdlOqUE4vSfzeDCa1hyphenhyphen4u9CzvJIhTDXIkEoCD9TWrun1ZM_4wXG_1LGTHZETc/s4032/IMG_6455.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEgHFiy_yDMic6X0r-hwOprPGkZcFKmN684vmvcagPEfKJygIHVp2wSQ6lp_uIicgyttHXQGegp-SlgGy_EzA4uIRyCyaKizQknw9EZaC-oQdTzrslpEdb0WFm0lFds4YzwdlOqUE4vSfzeDCa1hyphenhyphen4u9CzvJIhTDXIkEoCD9TWrun1ZM_4wXG_1LGTHZETc/s320/IMG_6455.jpeg" width="240" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxDf7XAzY6znlMXCh27VV7E7MObk72mYbN5CR71zojbmPxnjm1zh154UTSBk0X5yZDuGgoCUpHTvf8TufczxyJyVXLPGA6gqqAybOvugwFqSN6KWtqFjdWoy2UQ8_uvq07kZZGlYrM473KnVcWx3oPsfmhFxOZ835dvJyJT2FsOx-K1CBkbBtWkH7ULY/s4032/IMG_6456.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxDf7XAzY6znlMXCh27VV7E7MObk72mYbN5CR71zojbmPxnjm1zh154UTSBk0X5yZDuGgoCUpHTvf8TufczxyJyVXLPGA6gqqAybOvugwFqSN6KWtqFjdWoy2UQ8_uvq07kZZGlYrM473KnVcWx3oPsfmhFxOZ835dvJyJT2FsOx-K1CBkbBtWkH7ULY/w400-h300/IMG_6456.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">One of my Christmas presents from my parents was tickets to see <i>Frozen</i> at the Kennedy Center on Saturday, January 13th. Thankfully the drive into DC was quick and easy and since we had parking at the Kennedy Center, we just pulled into the garage and parked steps from the door! We were under the impression that the play started at 2:30...</p><p style="text-align: left;">So we grabbed lunch in the cafeteria portion of the Kennedy Center - I had the most incredible salad - and then we perused the Kennedy Center itself & remarked that it seemed like people were really in a rush to get to their seats. It was only about 1:45 - there was still tons of time. Thankfully my Mom pulled out our tickets and we noted it started at 2:00 - not 2:30 - and we jumped up to join all the people going to their seats, ha-ha!</p><p style="text-align: left;">The play was incredible - the leads were so talented, and while both women could sing amazingly, the actress playing Anna just stole the show because she was so perfectly cast! There were new songs that were created just for the play; since I didn't know them, they didn't necessarily roll off the tongue like the rest, but they were still great. It was a really wonderful performance & I'm so glad I got the chance to see it while it was in DC! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zOmVKDDm_pIdV5Eu39_2K-YxKuDd0schxnrFQoJfwSWH9CczEyBe3svW1fAYfNwhEPIB2bcPTp4g3VlcPu34rRTksvIKd6BMKKULTumwJnQWel76Xm1357M0K1V_GYCP76Yd4n_KYftqQFPXnXiTyra011aWTs16auEcwh5E4CbFR56ZRBaFp4Sm69I/s3088/IMG_6493.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zOmVKDDm_pIdV5Eu39_2K-YxKuDd0schxnrFQoJfwSWH9CczEyBe3svW1fAYfNwhEPIB2bcPTp4g3VlcPu34rRTksvIKd6BMKKULTumwJnQWel76Xm1357M0K1V_GYCP76Yd4n_KYftqQFPXnXiTyra011aWTs16auEcwh5E4CbFR56ZRBaFp4Sm69I/s320/IMG_6493.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5h5rA30ZTC6jW7TGX3aUE7m2XNDZXUnVEuAJm2-PC9Dgr-D6E427x_j0h8WDWyuR90VFWoapY3lpf_OT4xNOHG68fH1HFQWtTuZXaPX5D4VWgZtQzq5rw28_EZyC_SdDp5maHU8K8nMUuCqN4fNuOF_HA0uT2KyFBjgm_kJsDmgzftVkcDaiFa016E9w/s4032/IMG_6494.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEj5h5rA30ZTC6jW7TGX3aUE7m2XNDZXUnVEuAJm2-PC9Dgr-D6E427x_j0h8WDWyuR90VFWoapY3lpf_OT4xNOHG68fH1HFQWtTuZXaPX5D4VWgZtQzq5rw28_EZyC_SdDp5maHU8K8nMUuCqN4fNuOF_HA0uT2KyFBjgm_kJsDmgzftVkcDaiFa016E9w/s320/IMG_6494.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM402vNCz7lVzZacsjqqNBPgiZZGNJ4nnXwCUZHZLGpyxB7MDNEnKSocl8zhNfOtwFgMnnlq1IJpYWMbS_byN5SXVhE_bc9QYkIq6zyzv6TPc_JVZR39J9KK9mUhNLl3wNVYTHOi4LG0UFJnk1XdU6djq2yr-eaKvfFYtlXZ6eaRxdpMZXqUVsVnfpRT4/s4032/IMG_6495.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhM402vNCz7lVzZacsjqqNBPgiZZGNJ4nnXwCUZHZLGpyxB7MDNEnKSocl8zhNfOtwFgMnnlq1IJpYWMbS_byN5SXVhE_bc9QYkIq6zyzv6TPc_JVZR39J9KK9mUhNLl3wNVYTHOi4LG0UFJnk1XdU6djq2yr-eaKvfFYtlXZ6eaRxdpMZXqUVsVnfpRT4/s320/IMG_6495.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijs8id5ueb1xreuHLb3wPmgpRctFWSoE5Q7R_Z6awHlunV1u9850zPJtATF8_80vPxqIwrxiQuO6FERJBrL4lMrixj3roipIdS9aU_d1P6Sp3w7c7VMA4vjfXDrIDio411ECkJfmcnkA0CutgDMbZZeQzHF1Ut8cY9A3iqiS7XLces6NP6nmbyLaeLE80/s4032/IMG_6497.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEijs8id5ueb1xreuHLb3wPmgpRctFWSoE5Q7R_Z6awHlunV1u9850zPJtATF8_80vPxqIwrxiQuO6FERJBrL4lMrixj3roipIdS9aU_d1P6Sp3w7c7VMA4vjfXDrIDio411ECkJfmcnkA0CutgDMbZZeQzHF1Ut8cY9A3iqiS7XLces6NP6nmbyLaeLE80/s320/IMG_6497.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first snow of 2024 arrived beginning on Sunday, January 14th... & honestly, it snowed a little bit here & there all week long! The really long periods of snow were on Tuesday & Friday, but there was some element of snow happening almost every day of the week that week! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGitw-2lT8L74QryZ-rRHKqDRBN14JmeJB3jd8VXh_ZUaSpJNH9MxoK5o6Js26j42At81DNvFZQ0Fodn8yrqL1wYqpd4j1vLKE2Oyfz4t5XuSOVXgr1s4nHB70KkEY86aygn_dWSSUFbpoJ2rQF3iUozHfXKyTx4yxUpEb5P6QI_0e1Q7ep_MKhhTrbF8/s4032/IMG_6496.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGitw-2lT8L74QryZ-rRHKqDRBN14JmeJB3jd8VXh_ZUaSpJNH9MxoK5o6Js26j42At81DNvFZQ0Fodn8yrqL1wYqpd4j1vLKE2Oyfz4t5XuSOVXgr1s4nHB70KkEY86aygn_dWSSUFbpoJ2rQF3iUozHfXKyTx4yxUpEb5P6QI_0e1Q7ep_MKhhTrbF8/w400-h300/IMG_6496.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2uEr1yjy1aUxDJn4LHVaATV72KN2B241LqyGW6vb9psAsfTbN5aohIjHYrptzoCS_JNc4ajkEkAoN_U8Xak3mPL3Y8ZbpcBh25Gb-lW71zgtBEP-obvoDNPjgBjTouPCpfBszrtQSld1XE5MbXgu2sgvQKiSydHt_LYlimmoqBohV122MsaKfu80AzM/s4032/IMG_4077.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEji2uEr1yjy1aUxDJn4LHVaATV72KN2B241LqyGW6vb9psAsfTbN5aohIjHYrptzoCS_JNc4ajkEkAoN_U8Xak3mPL3Y8ZbpcBh25Gb-lW71zgtBEP-obvoDNPjgBjTouPCpfBszrtQSld1XE5MbXgu2sgvQKiSydHt_LYlimmoqBohV122MsaKfu80AzM/s320/IMG_4077.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3q6eXNsEgEKU5QxKYc3dSouNVWIN69qBWbwJwHQZs0bc6FRdBYZepDeh5L7FQ1S5aqJFnxdwshGXCsdUrJuYyV7V9oQNdZLrhY248PhnWpdEAOmzDhX7ZBPmo7Z6_TfY7rltil2rqfSSlOIZDSJqQ5wtvGUCxE26l9F83PgvMk4u3F8_dXkjzZdZTX0/s4032/IMG_6508.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEhY3q6eXNsEgEKU5QxKYc3dSouNVWIN69qBWbwJwHQZs0bc6FRdBYZepDeh5L7FQ1S5aqJFnxdwshGXCsdUrJuYyV7V9oQNdZLrhY248PhnWpdEAOmzDhX7ZBPmo7Z6_TfY7rltil2rqfSSlOIZDSJqQ5wtvGUCxE26l9F83PgvMk4u3F8_dXkjzZdZTX0/s320/IMG_6508.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When Saturday morning rolled around, there was still snow everywhere & the temperatures were hovering at around 30 degrees, so we made our way over to Bolivar Heights/Harper's Ferry to do some sledding! We tried to find a hill near our house, but the options weren't the best - so we widened our search area & my Dad thought of heading to the sight of the Bolivar Heights battlefield because it's set up on a hill. It was the perfect spot! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nnPkvIGG-MJNQ0PaGxOsPzKBTjU8OwjKRp_K_1vvB62J72pjvPDFZgdPUzSJPmvD9wFvIBFcXrHTccMXoGPSc1eTqTCeC4zBhLJOxM968K9Mts-zUMERifGBOANJXJkJJYN9vvtKNYumDTlLydM0DL3mRL6ddow02RmnGvivk2nA_sW4laxjvMEzf3w/s4032/IMG_4080.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nnPkvIGG-MJNQ0PaGxOsPzKBTjU8OwjKRp_K_1vvB62J72pjvPDFZgdPUzSJPmvD9wFvIBFcXrHTccMXoGPSc1eTqTCeC4zBhLJOxM968K9Mts-zUMERifGBOANJXJkJJYN9vvtKNYumDTlLydM0DL3mRL6ddow02RmnGvivk2nA_sW4laxjvMEzf3w/w400-h300/IMG_4080.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4_CLBDrft4bmekRYbUdut8HjBQPabz2UOc0D7V1OY8kdoJJNJncx9nkQTdHl-FyfYEmKs66FZ0aCk3jXREEgcGCsOdTCUaxY1MZjn7ey8KQPclYxMDQ-zpQCbwWZn3hqYqZEaQG5uTVy90tsyYkll9e6S1LCt9SyjFCR9DsIAtpcpr1onGGth7he1ZA/s4032/IMG_0650.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4_CLBDrft4bmekRYbUdut8HjBQPabz2UOc0D7V1OY8kdoJJNJncx9nkQTdHl-FyfYEmKs66FZ0aCk3jXREEgcGCsOdTCUaxY1MZjn7ey8KQPclYxMDQ-zpQCbwWZn3hqYqZEaQG5uTVy90tsyYkll9e6S1LCt9SyjFCR9DsIAtpcpr1onGGth7he1ZA/w400-h300/IMG_0650.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were able to get in plenty of runs; not surprisingly, we weren't the only people who'd thought of Bolivar Heights as the perfect spot. I am still pretty new to sledding; this was only the second time in my life that I've been able to experience sledding, but I'm definitely a fan! When we finished up, we popped into Bolivar Bread to grab some treats & then headed home to warm up, have some delicious football snacks & watch the playoff games.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKNk1KqR-fc1E-JZMraez_KFPfZmvThyYADTm4qlkctcPdwI2W8FKRgA2MiHqh1MaEHwZ61g_Ro1B1fEzuW3_lcOfPuRlB_AIsw-W9mi7l5ggIvXFDcBxzo173OO43K349p6Ge_EW4H5gFfOH9wxpiwHaMQZ6zm5m3qc5iSIVZqJMq7qylSm1a9oLJ_k/s4032/IMG_6509.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKNk1KqR-fc1E-JZMraez_KFPfZmvThyYADTm4qlkctcPdwI2W8FKRgA2MiHqh1MaEHwZ61g_Ro1B1fEzuW3_lcOfPuRlB_AIsw-W9mi7l5ggIvXFDcBxzo173OO43K349p6Ge_EW4H5gFfOH9wxpiwHaMQZ6zm5m3qc5iSIVZqJMq7qylSm1a9oLJ_k/w400-h300/IMG_6509.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJayiRARxPe-6OO58CvkGZriufFljDR_HVotcSoyuYm8TN1ZSIK7v9NvJZPYXKRNujnQZ0_W0DUTb0doO07LFxjkLQtUSMzamyA36Mz7FherkTRQcew9mgE9U5CJ0A61FozutkSXQEbgTLBDTUVg5O79wP8Jl_22G98dsRfPpqogmL86ugp_L8dMxsec/s4032/IMG_6510.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJayiRARxPe-6OO58CvkGZriufFljDR_HVotcSoyuYm8TN1ZSIK7v9NvJZPYXKRNujnQZ0_W0DUTb0doO07LFxjkLQtUSMzamyA36Mz7FherkTRQcew9mgE9U5CJ0A61FozutkSXQEbgTLBDTUVg5O79wP8Jl_22G98dsRfPpqogmL86ugp_L8dMxsec/w400-h300/IMG_6510.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Because the sledding was so great on Saturday - we decided to go snow tubing at Bryce Resort on Sunday the 15th. This was also something that was completely new to me but y'all - what a blast it was! Bryce Resort is only about an hour from us, so we headed over after church & had lunch, then Ryan & I changed into our snow gear & it was time to take to the snow tubing hill!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8goIAK_0gNd-kKJWH5V0NVkOrJxTXw8I3Q_d3dRNFKXwijuuheGSqt_vpT9QV__vdyYIKuYsKZUbbYFGEv4mSQMW6fvQn2hM5ixLkSDoMs8oSk3UygIy_6syJXFzPNdb3VG4GoHanultK2KUikoX7cpRxNA80ngQtsT3TTuMpaEIOPfvXbUZz9CzwKA/s4032/IMG_4112.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8goIAK_0gNd-kKJWH5V0NVkOrJxTXw8I3Q_d3dRNFKXwijuuheGSqt_vpT9QV__vdyYIKuYsKZUbbYFGEv4mSQMW6fvQn2hM5ixLkSDoMs8oSk3UygIy_6syJXFzPNdb3VG4GoHanultK2KUikoX7cpRxNA80ngQtsT3TTuMpaEIOPfvXbUZz9CzwKA/w400-h300/IMG_4112.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXuuBgkV1QSLf94kR_1S8IuuYZndpvbekUqrKFMDtCku_uV4M18DwUoQQSQ2-P8vF5rM0l7JNZU3P9RBmYG1lEIPpisl5Ke5PNtZawIVrCii3A7vt2FCMd2cdHZt47VfSY3cF5tl-vZ07Ug1krmxIxCT5JCOxsiRDnGxJ7xSfUwfnpduq6nJHYfBB-ok/s4032/IMG_6524.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEjKXuuBgkV1QSLf94kR_1S8IuuYZndpvbekUqrKFMDtCku_uV4M18DwUoQQSQ2-P8vF5rM0l7JNZU3P9RBmYG1lEIPpisl5Ke5PNtZawIVrCii3A7vt2FCMd2cdHZt47VfSY3cF5tl-vZ07Ug1krmxIxCT5JCOxsiRDnGxJ7xSfUwfnpduq6nJHYfBB-ok/s320/IMG_6524.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZ-XdNkGiDRYk7ZXzIsyw0vCVf-JilS0QQqNN_JqDE2aHF7X7x8xzXkcsQWcjv6L7ElO8pqJjajZwtQkwvj7LezqWFfOHqa73oNns6Pi3IkXvo5TzLU8YCChj1fMwEdHlAjRU7CvdNoMgzCIDe0fEoNS7UbmnrrzwAJanAR3cC5WiTLxtbNuS3DMrkOU/s3088/IMG_6525.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZ-XdNkGiDRYk7ZXzIsyw0vCVf-JilS0QQqNN_JqDE2aHF7X7x8xzXkcsQWcjv6L7ElO8pqJjajZwtQkwvj7LezqWFfOHqa73oNns6Pi3IkXvo5TzLU8YCChj1fMwEdHlAjRU7CvdNoMgzCIDe0fEoNS7UbmnrrzwAJanAR3cC5WiTLxtbNuS3DMrkOU/s320/IMG_6525.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUf0nPj4TFJ_cx_SCFozgS9smlSvyNUqJZ16qucutU5yxtC5MbS9Ub-5APvQNfNeJxyiKEMnMUkCyspVAn0-jQH50qWz3-XCABBkLhF5Gc7Kir_NLFl9CttRNLcH-n6YM4pfLpZhHbfrHukCjvmu09JqQuGkRpodHcUQel52Y_C4qba2oQg8gK2HaZvms/s4032/IMG_4113.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUf0nPj4TFJ_cx_SCFozgS9smlSvyNUqJZ16qucutU5yxtC5MbS9Ub-5APvQNfNeJxyiKEMnMUkCyspVAn0-jQH50qWz3-XCABBkLhF5Gc7Kir_NLFl9CttRNLcH-n6YM4pfLpZhHbfrHukCjvmu09JqQuGkRpodHcUQel52Y_C4qba2oQg8gK2HaZvms/w400-h300/IMG_4113.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While the runs themselves weren't that long, the tubes flew down the hills & with Ryan & I attached to each other, we actually made it all the way to the end of the run a couple times! Once you finish a run, you have to hop out quickly & then it's a quick little walk back to the magic carpet to be towed back up the hill to go again. You're given an hour and a half to do the run as many times as you're able - we got to go six times, so that was pretty fun! It's definitely something I'd love to do again!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNga4hcXod-mFRVjHxl-INzq_MdMpJChx0SCXnVtDJimSU6kihI5bxAE_aNuNzc1i1iUHeGYBucZoW2zPWa6oAT-QnwvMhwv4zzSlFtnaFsaJ6wTlmP9ynnwN0cvK-bgyiDkAsBh96GX4WfLrZEnquxAgJfjLWWBB8lKtUPuWcZRG05eLmk6ZLjlQGvQY/s4032/IMG_6557.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNga4hcXod-mFRVjHxl-INzq_MdMpJChx0SCXnVtDJimSU6kihI5bxAE_aNuNzc1i1iUHeGYBucZoW2zPWa6oAT-QnwvMhwv4zzSlFtnaFsaJ6wTlmP9ynnwN0cvK-bgyiDkAsBh96GX4WfLrZEnquxAgJfjLWWBB8lKtUPuWcZRG05eLmk6ZLjlQGvQY/w300-h400/IMG_6557.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last weekend of January, Ryan & I enjoyed a wonderful date night at Union Jack's Pub on the Winchester Walking Mall. The shepherd's pie that I got... I am still having dreams about it! It was delicious & I will absolutely be advocating to go back to Union Jack's so I can get it again! I also joined a group called Simple, Natural & Wholesome - it's basically all about homesteading. I don't know if I'm the perfect candidate for homesteading (that remains to be seen) - but we did make some slammin Chicken Noodle Soup and learn about being thrifty & thriving. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkC06UvPj5USHNYdx09At2aFuhdoIHxurnSHf11k-3r2CDOGDTZYUUiwApPqyc003SWD9p0QxT1qWfFeqadZJnCirrrYbWE6okPiRT6AdykFfT93duXT8mFXjFJqg3vrpqrYc06jHtlSRQ-70giCkp42I7crn6oMgH_wbUWuk3PghAY2yrqak3FfnfOU/s3088/IMG_6564.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkC06UvPj5USHNYdx09At2aFuhdoIHxurnSHf11k-3r2CDOGDTZYUUiwApPqyc003SWD9p0QxT1qWfFeqadZJnCirrrYbWE6okPiRT6AdykFfT93duXT8mFXjFJqg3vrpqrYc06jHtlSRQ-70giCkp42I7crn6oMgH_wbUWuk3PghAY2yrqak3FfnfOU/s320/IMG_6564.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkxXXw8d5jkbe57-k2pOfq4OdAbFuL6m63mz2TIb-Ng-anFT4LFvxazEKoe6wUkBRlV1H-yjvKg1OWLusxxngANpxqQYlFsG5pFGlonqW1vmolvEyr29iaBppunr3EOWtWU7F7WLVRMAAie0dacW2HfVwXPNiKc3hpIG85qNNYofNe-RABmZib83CjI0/s4032/IMG_6565.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiPkxXXw8d5jkbe57-k2pOfq4OdAbFuL6m63mz2TIb-Ng-anFT4LFvxazEKoe6wUkBRlV1H-yjvKg1OWLusxxngANpxqQYlFsG5pFGlonqW1vmolvEyr29iaBppunr3EOWtWU7F7WLVRMAAie0dacW2HfVwXPNiKc3hpIG85qNNYofNe-RABmZib83CjI0/s320/IMG_6565.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And while I said I don't know that I'm cut out for homesteading - my husband & I were invited to Randolph Macon Academy to see the Hydroponics Lab & get some supplies to start our very own system in our home! I was so impressed by everything I saw in the lab & our "Hydro Mentor" gave us tons of supplies for FREE! What a gift! We shall see how this all goes - Ryan is so passionate about it, so perhaps we'll have our very own greens later this year! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8OXTchLhW_9Q1P0CqLATpwF7Pwpjqc9futWl1i2faUM6SO1TyaTnSvMj4Bojrr7kVQsDbw9KepZuG-QORRaKysl9CqYW5ZEjbZcUkcDJqDlHpUimbmhezdWcMVRICq3iwFNcOXAPAgEIse1rGNYkizB9hG5mG3vOXqPFiDlF0vUOMFbZBz9AQx-IGhg/s4032/IMG_6601.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEiH8OXTchLhW_9Q1P0CqLATpwF7Pwpjqc9futWl1i2faUM6SO1TyaTnSvMj4Bojrr7kVQsDbw9KepZuG-QORRaKysl9CqYW5ZEjbZcUkcDJqDlHpUimbmhezdWcMVRICq3iwFNcOXAPAgEIse1rGNYkizB9hG5mG3vOXqPFiDlF0vUOMFbZBz9AQx-IGhg/s320/IMG_6601.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2u9R6Dv7aSR-n6Ci14RJIHmXkcvswFssU1DwwXPhrx9hf_VGGE39jtqpUgsir-ZwmQA7nFRV8LcD6GresbJoDjjQhhJ0iI28UcLI4vQIRbTJtSx3KZyNGM3FA9sd1wSPiQam4sYkBZ3exjHifnm_3gdqRfI7Z1E9zQdVeXXPwZRHlL8VsNe1lNN3u6Rw/s4032/IMG_6607.jpeg" 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/AVvXsEg2u9R6Dv7aSR-n6Ci14RJIHmXkcvswFssU1DwwXPhrx9hf_VGGE39jtqpUgsir-ZwmQA7nFRV8LcD6GresbJoDjjQhhJ0iI28UcLI4vQIRbTJtSx3KZyNGM3FA9sd1wSPiQam4sYkBZ3exjHifnm_3gdqRfI7Z1E9zQdVeXXPwZRHlL8VsNe1lNN3u6Rw/s320/IMG_6607.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's certainly not everything I've been up to in the last month - but it should give you a pretty good idea. I'll be back later this week to share more about all of life's changes... because there have been some pretty big changes! </div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-50140760567589703022024-02-04T12:52:00.000-08:002024-02-04T12:52:22.937-08:00Hello... It's Me<p>Can you hear Adele singing when you read the title? I certainly can - I hear her voice perfectly in my head. That song is kind of an ear worm; so if it's now stuck in your head, my sincere apologies. </p><p>I didn't intend to take over a month off from blogging but that's exactly what happened and now here I am in early February, and I cannot believe the last time I posted was on December 31st! I can - and I can't. The last month has been interesting - to say the least - and I'll get into all that in a post that will be forthcoming, but this is mostly just me saying - I'm here. I'm still alive. And I'll be back to posting again soon! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXMG5VPP9gyHSw7rOraPaX4Snq3sQtg3dtlSb-KmAFSLTWOv14ihLsBO_NRAZs5xMaitnDty51JrXvBV-7dDzdSauRB1a3pqU5TArnz03ebghNEDipy42aZ5CPOlCSkoEigkAp4dp8DGRe2AOVvL8YYq2m80E1W-F_bhLDsZgnUA11A4e_y-3voSVp5U/s400/adele-sassy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="400" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXMG5VPP9gyHSw7rOraPaX4Snq3sQtg3dtlSb-KmAFSLTWOv14ihLsBO_NRAZs5xMaitnDty51JrXvBV-7dDzdSauRB1a3pqU5TArnz03ebghNEDipy42aZ5CPOlCSkoEigkAp4dp8DGRe2AOVvL8YYq2m80E1W-F_bhLDsZgnUA11A4e_y-3voSVp5U/w400-h224/adele-sassy.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-76110163375356628642023-12-31T11:17:00.000-08:002024-01-02T12:13:54.577-08:002023 - Year in Review <p style="text-align: left;">And just like that - 2023 has come to a close! I'll finish this year out with my usual Year in Review post! I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year and 2024 is everything you hope it will be and more! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCor63oACxPmYgFyrscceYS5_Z1xm-gk5WyRb6XwPt8hwtE93s9HZAGStthCzdtbwevmDoyEY03YyInqbdLxnTvRHTEUwAqpVC12maFoFO-hrU32w-QVdJh-1r14ixXRiptX4j6cJAxacPcrXftlDu34O0IbBabdW6-IJJ70g1tOCf0Y2AZszuHp5k/s1800/IMG-1022.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCor63oACxPmYgFyrscceYS5_Z1xm-gk5WyRb6XwPt8hwtE93s9HZAGStthCzdtbwevmDoyEY03YyInqbdLxnTvRHTEUwAqpVC12maFoFO-hrU32w-QVdJh-1r14ixXRiptX4j6cJAxacPcrXftlDu34O0IbBabdW6-IJJ70g1tOCf0Y2AZszuHp5k/w320-h400/IMG-1022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>January:</b> A good month but a hard month. Ryan and I got in some ax throwing & traveled into DC for the DC Auto Show; Ryan was in his element. We also said good-bye to Watson. My pup was with me for thirteen years and what a wonderful thirteen years they were. We closed out the month doing some hiking to scatter Watson's ashes in some of his favorite places. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVcZaA8pU_XPoF5I-u9uOWDStDhvo9IhrUzEiQj9jiHEVbl2hh0QD_cbY2aO9-9OHOjm3JUDP-r1Z1WqaPj14VMBcB23fYO-2gFXE6oIzQ44vIKBWDf9evYM78Z7jCMN2sndaefc5E0cjS5uxKdN9GDIYwDk0szQ2z_pTcKuXjVF9a6lUyxxYIo9r/s1800/IMG-1056.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVcZaA8pU_XPoF5I-u9uOWDStDhvo9IhrUzEiQj9jiHEVbl2hh0QD_cbY2aO9-9OHOjm3JUDP-r1Z1WqaPj14VMBcB23fYO-2gFXE6oIzQ44vIKBWDf9evYM78Z7jCMN2sndaefc5E0cjS5uxKdN9GDIYwDk0szQ2z_pTcKuXjVF9a6lUyxxYIo9r/w320-h400/IMG-1056.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>February:</b> A pretty laid back month! Ryan and I attended the Marriage Conference at our church in early February and in the middle of the month we went to Seven Springs for a skiing weekend. Ryan was incredible at it and I barely made it down the slope once! We closed out the month getting tattoos together; that's what happens when I tell my husband to come up with "unique" dates. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKIFfMWv0GF8-lXIJTEJ6DZGqNIv_pRBYuGHNqPrrzPAZgLhGd6_wxWCumiAuSwiKSwp8crpCgD8-g3MMtDr7YDjlwfcwSXyHlRQb1G4yxAu0RgYl9cDzyOlIXnMZJUIZTX1UAH38E37mpBbP9VRyrdOtE86cpMI5Fp9FVoyVQZcRp1SwM2CuCt4t/s1800/March.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKIFfMWv0GF8-lXIJTEJ6DZGqNIv_pRBYuGHNqPrrzPAZgLhGd6_wxWCumiAuSwiKSwp8crpCgD8-g3MMtDr7YDjlwfcwSXyHlRQb1G4yxAu0RgYl9cDzyOlIXnMZJUIZTX1UAH38E37mpBbP9VRyrdOtE86cpMI5Fp9FVoyVQZcRp1SwM2CuCt4t/w320-h400/March.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>March:</b> What a full month! We began fostering Luna in March; she was a wonderful addition to our family for a short time! We graduated from Financial Peace University with goals to achieve for the rest of the year! The end of the month saw us traveling to Nashville for Ryan's graduation from Sales Fix Academy - we took in a Bu-cee's, downtown Nashville, Loveless Cafe and more before returning home!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDQ12i2Sp_vv0WH1wRVhxKRDcD7nqFovlArY22HI4zhvj-XZsbczI2MfWA3KIw5mojtigP0z6LJP4rQQL_SmR0WKjmFuEcyPaophZRIxk_OS9IgOtZnWoJ7V8mJvOTXyF_Suc7N3A33MOQSBLnqL1pFkXuR1p2N-hrd4t_xvgxi542hyZ0BoHoUvyVos/s1799/April.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDQ12i2Sp_vv0WH1wRVhxKRDcD7nqFovlArY22HI4zhvj-XZsbczI2MfWA3KIw5mojtigP0z6LJP4rQQL_SmR0WKjmFuEcyPaophZRIxk_OS9IgOtZnWoJ7V8mJvOTXyF_Suc7N3A33MOQSBLnqL1pFkXuR1p2N-hrd4t_xvgxi542hyZ0BoHoUvyVos/w320-h400/April.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>April</b>: Another month filled with activity! The month started as we were returning from Nashville, with stops at the Corvette Museum, Buffalo Trace Distillery and New River Gorge in West Virginia! We celebrated Easter and went to a DC Defenders game (shields up!) before the end of the month ... when we hopped on a plane and headed across the pond. The end of April found us in the UK!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fWU1ly1EuIozxUBcf4SK3n-HNlrKPogZeIRJ3bsbYMDDyaxAFBGLt-4n52GJyjRpk7zVLuXzKD4uFP2lu2u3tpPSxEZZNBB5zAiVx1WS0HhgdPrtJG8wCHjH3zo0JsN6RPIEGrgbGJCYnaeqSwyM2FYAbHHVkv1tU-dlYRsvgl7njlM2sTguJwlyMP4/s1799/May.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fWU1ly1EuIozxUBcf4SK3n-HNlrKPogZeIRJ3bsbYMDDyaxAFBGLt-4n52GJyjRpk7zVLuXzKD4uFP2lu2u3tpPSxEZZNBB5zAiVx1WS0HhgdPrtJG8wCHjH3zo0JsN6RPIEGrgbGJCYnaeqSwyM2FYAbHHVkv1tU-dlYRsvgl7njlM2sTguJwlyMP4/w320-h400/May.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>May:</b> What an eventful month! We spent the first week of May exploring the English countryside: London, Oxford, Lavenham, Cambridge and many more spots. It was a wonderful trip and we had a spectacular time! We celebrated Mother's Day with my parents at the Mimslyn Inn and on the last day of the month we found out we were expecting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_D5hpvm0vGIMkBTB3b9cGhXuMdW3EgvR000s4NRUF85-8miWDSd4rlH1oooysb0Nk2ocQcOF2za074qyul0R1A0sfscLFbCfHMrg-lXY-COfLfgJbOpkiry1-IBoJYR7SdvI45mYKHHinhSUZ2Gg9yI90vHawCCbYcwuCzJdql7kG5kzr82-qSuOS93g/s1799/June.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_D5hpvm0vGIMkBTB3b9cGhXuMdW3EgvR000s4NRUF85-8miWDSd4rlH1oooysb0Nk2ocQcOF2za074qyul0R1A0sfscLFbCfHMrg-lXY-COfLfgJbOpkiry1-IBoJYR7SdvI45mYKHHinhSUZ2Gg9yI90vHawCCbYcwuCzJdql7kG5kzr82-qSuOS93g/w320-h400/June.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>June:</b> Another hard month; really hard. After two ER visits and so many prayers, we lost our baby on June 15th. We trust and know the Lord has a plan and His ways are higher than ours, but goodness it hurt to lose that little person we were so looking forward to meeting. We soldiered on and ended the month with a weekend trip to Latrobe, Pennsylvania for an air show and to tour Falling Water.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrmVo1bmI4rfYAKWMl7S0zIqDt_kIxqXtLNDNjUA5kq9Mf1EdGJzbstlFnFdkAEjikI0lmAzVzt4s0h-MA8kxySsKpvHgZGJ3_hFiVEN2Y72yeu1-kDetzrXuZXHu9sg1-Oh2mpdo0cjFciUX6YjZ-qkC8K7dSJhjyY0wFdoOeKUAtG4lPhanKAJ7n5E/s1799/IMG-4744.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrmVo1bmI4rfYAKWMl7S0zIqDt_kIxqXtLNDNjUA5kq9Mf1EdGJzbstlFnFdkAEjikI0lmAzVzt4s0h-MA8kxySsKpvHgZGJ3_hFiVEN2Y72yeu1-kDetzrXuZXHu9sg1-Oh2mpdo0cjFciUX6YjZ-qkC8K7dSJhjyY0wFdoOeKUAtG4lPhanKAJ7n5E/w320-h400/IMG-4744.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>July:</b> I started the month with a much-needed break. I went to Florida for about a week with my mother-in-law and spent the days lounging by the pool, poking around at Lake Weir and reading on her lanai during afternoon thunderstorms. I even got to meet lemurs and play with them! It was a wonderful way to decompress from June and all it had held. We closed out the month deciding to put our house on the market.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hMrtkpn5ReLcCeOlaw0tbX6-V8x6rMFhkONP_Sk9m8sPBUC6hUy_D9BRcbeRed_gwWfxYkLp57Ep3gDyWH86FfEVDk0SFys9XRhYH31fdKPzYVN3BPOHqzY1MyE0dO3Lagbbn6wQgZ32-j4LIdDDPEY2LsgRzNjJ6yad97OFZbbR7iaCJzB-HHqM748/s1799/IMG-4745.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hMrtkpn5ReLcCeOlaw0tbX6-V8x6rMFhkONP_Sk9m8sPBUC6hUy_D9BRcbeRed_gwWfxYkLp57Ep3gDyWH86FfEVDk0SFys9XRhYH31fdKPzYVN3BPOHqzY1MyE0dO3Lagbbn6wQgZ32-j4LIdDDPEY2LsgRzNjJ6yad97OFZbbR7iaCJzB-HHqM748/w320-h400/IMG-4745.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>August:</b> We had something happening every weekend in August! We started the month fixing up our house to go on the market and the next weekend headed to Six Flags and Fredericksburg to see friends. The next weekend we were in Florida visiting Ryan's mom and we closed out the month with a trip to DC to check out the Bible Museum. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Zt12o0fpNMn060eU6uqHre3nDeze2tyNwsN-8olKOVj15oP2dc-LX3e4JPvKTbYT_jcB0SSp2WQy6YLrQvhjagzvqNvYe_42Bf13-PZ8MSxgfyq-1B8gQ19_e36XujECxh8Gdk7BuEnFUhrCgqx-tRriYlWv3xkbPIAQKzbDPoJSf6Qvge1LXQXQAjk/s1799/IMG-4746.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Zt12o0fpNMn060eU6uqHre3nDeze2tyNwsN-8olKOVj15oP2dc-LX3e4JPvKTbYT_jcB0SSp2WQy6YLrQvhjagzvqNvYe_42Bf13-PZ8MSxgfyq-1B8gQ19_e36XujECxh8Gdk7BuEnFUhrCgqx-tRriYlWv3xkbPIAQKzbDPoJSf6Qvge1LXQXQAjk/w320-h400/IMG-4746.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>September:</b> Another busy and good month! We spent a lot of time outdoors with the Scottish Festival, hiking, exploring and taking in an exhibit at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. We traveled to Virginia Beach for a weekend for an air show and enjoyed getting to walk on the beach... me a little more than Ryan. I also attended our church's women's conference! Oh yeah - we also closed on the sale of our house on September 20th and officially became debt free! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWXpSMvB-82dUeTxugNLMk_zOS6V76G3KQT6ALfWM93TKExb_JkRTU2Sx_b8an89pS6D7byxI-8W-l0mU1ZOD61JZZEjTAf01tOh7DeOZzc0Mwt0kTp2T2pG3bNtCFTutufkV66BOHCjJiMacBEZzoStsyNx5DSWYKo0RJUlrdfm426c05BaUT-49W6k/s1800/IMG_6344.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWXpSMvB-82dUeTxugNLMk_zOS6V76G3KQT6ALfWM93TKExb_JkRTU2Sx_b8an89pS6D7byxI-8W-l0mU1ZOD61JZZEjTAf01tOh7DeOZzc0Mwt0kTp2T2pG3bNtCFTutufkV66BOHCjJiMacBEZzoStsyNx5DSWYKo0RJUlrdfm426c05BaUT-49W6k/w320-h400/IMG_6344.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>October:</b> We kicked off the month with some birthday fun; exploring the National Botanic Garden and going to the Chocolate & Coffee Festival in DC. We explored nature as the leaves turned, I went to Luckett's Fall Market with friends and we all went on a ghost tour of Winchester the weekend ahead of Halloween. We closed the month with Halloween - we dressed as characters from Bridgerton! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio08NXCj25gUIMt2WojmybNZvwoaSngxsjt71nuZCEF2ZcEo8enjZo7jwhbuHZmqauaD15lOZ8O97fOz8GsEryi_bnM6GNB5gP9KbbNwVkV-gvdeMYbNB84Bo7JMMo4G1XuqFgCg54g7b-6L_vu3dSg7GGRp32d0kAYx0A0IUPthW_gSV3c62femO-t4k/s1800/IMG_6345.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio08NXCj25gUIMt2WojmybNZvwoaSngxsjt71nuZCEF2ZcEo8enjZo7jwhbuHZmqauaD15lOZ8O97fOz8GsEryi_bnM6GNB5gP9KbbNwVkV-gvdeMYbNB84Bo7JMMo4G1XuqFgCg54g7b-6L_vu3dSg7GGRp32d0kAYx0A0IUPthW_gSV3c62femO-t4k/w320-h400/IMG_6345.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>November:</b> What a full month! My husband absolutely surprised me by whisking me away for a three-day weekend to the mountains of West Virginia for our first anniversary! We started the weekend getting matching tattoos in memory of our baby and explored the countryside all weekend long, exploring caves and hiking to a waterfall! We closed out the month with a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and a trip to Luckett's Holiday House!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikFTnOtpnDpElhq8p97opFS9EBLlVROrcwq4SQ4ZNCdN25tKSHaR1sDjg9qC6fd_VizcvrTfMATEk9r-lGA-x8pdeeXDnuOkE8z51yKVxAMqcXLn7nMPFASWsSmQKkDI30AopUd08QCsZXv37Sf6OZlgl1GWzFB-zzJILl0-lcWsS-LhfndmUEHC88hQ/s1800/IMG_6346.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikFTnOtpnDpElhq8p97opFS9EBLlVROrcwq4SQ4ZNCdN25tKSHaR1sDjg9qC6fd_VizcvrTfMATEk9r-lGA-x8pdeeXDnuOkE8z51yKVxAMqcXLn7nMPFASWsSmQKkDI30AopUd08QCsZXv37Sf6OZlgl1GWzFB-zzJILl0-lcWsS-LhfndmUEHC88hQ/w320-h400/IMG_6346.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>December:</b> Another full month in so many ways! We enjoyed making cookies with Katie and her family and had so much fun at Ryan's office party! We celebrated Christmas with my family a week early with a trip to DC to see the sights and lights and then celebrated a Christmas together - just the two of us. We tried to keep things low key post Christmas and closed out the year as calmly as possible.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">*****************************************************</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This year held so much - some of it wonderful and some of it absolutely devastating. We made some wonderful memories in 2023 and there are some moments I won't mind leaving behind. We accomplished so much together and I can't wait to see what out future has in store - I know the Lord has great things for us! </div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-87072905711322189572023-12-29T11:00:00.000-08:002023-12-29T11:00:02.060-08:00Christmas Day and Then Some<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">Can y'all believe that there are only two days left of 2023? This year feels like it has completely flown by and here we are, just days away from a new year and a fresh start on all things! I wanted to share just a few snaps from our wonderful Christmas Day and the few days afterwards! Our Christmas was very low-key - it was just the two of us and we had a pretty relaxed day! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cTct-vgj-idR4Hkw4rthNHusUmdD0OPD7PdiS0tSiHohsO8uhm_Sq3FM2WsNt8_l2ACYUi4NknWhu9M4tfhpziYe_n_KXr_c9fagLmUOZ2AYZP-vcj7ELZBbjhGAbObu0kVyYyK_XHWpscVJ-gFHiz_yR0rskn8jdqSxBzCBiNMvEP1tSIbt1g8-z0c/s960/414153000_326778916994485_7672767476792413220_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cTct-vgj-idR4Hkw4rthNHusUmdD0OPD7PdiS0tSiHohsO8uhm_Sq3FM2WsNt8_l2ACYUi4NknWhu9M4tfhpziYe_n_KXr_c9fagLmUOZ2AYZP-vcj7ELZBbjhGAbObu0kVyYyK_XHWpscVJ-gFHiz_yR0rskn8jdqSxBzCBiNMvEP1tSIbt1g8-z0c/s320/414153000_326778916994485_7672767476792413220_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscZqUQkdoD7IWF48MbCw4TQ17hU9n11oMsKhyu4pOIg2C4VKxqs1GhR57wdvJQ8s2rrAyPjhdrWCuYjxQNDSDcG9tGttxqhKF0h3N4NrxS7VxMjCg4R0_Xa23O_M0w7vQ-PySYCoCwojDYD0j-rJXVq6QIaIzim31Ty2AIBL4b-iCXWto8QD5O-5ocDs/s2048/414071715_326781943660849_4885544187977624071_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscZqUQkdoD7IWF48MbCw4TQ17hU9n11oMsKhyu4pOIg2C4VKxqs1GhR57wdvJQ8s2rrAyPjhdrWCuYjxQNDSDcG9tGttxqhKF0h3N4NrxS7VxMjCg4R0_Xa23O_M0w7vQ-PySYCoCwojDYD0j-rJXVq6QIaIzim31Ty2AIBL4b-iCXWto8QD5O-5ocDs/s320/414071715_326781943660849_4885544187977624071_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTj7Ki2da5X589kwdczY09SmTOr1lX_FYHn5KfEYEdgqqfQfl4GnOlfhlVzU6f7YCwBE92oRgzy-SWsLxbursaOXi2qqOXFGFrQmEA7lqXf3lXHKCNpg5zXKBVN8NdN1OjWYknAtAtXUCWa-mHEvDrnbINMRhNGFO4KVe8wsozZ0yOXrN3mjWBhpAzn0/s2048/414053515_326782066994170_1037776189108310086_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTj7Ki2da5X589kwdczY09SmTOr1lX_FYHn5KfEYEdgqqfQfl4GnOlfhlVzU6f7YCwBE92oRgzy-SWsLxbursaOXi2qqOXFGFrQmEA7lqXf3lXHKCNpg5zXKBVN8NdN1OjWYknAtAtXUCWa-mHEvDrnbINMRhNGFO4KVe8wsozZ0yOXrN3mjWBhpAzn0/s320/414053515_326782066994170_1037776189108310086_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiQf3LSaZkKZb5GrdHLydC6N-lK59lVYnb_abGwgcv7r6S4OQkjinvXdsGFUURONUKzYD5U8pOl_c7QX6Wanr5M8u_pHHQuEt0nHaxf9L7KeuexFlSLTGDZhSm6gocWaMVsidOH6HKtvpDno7K72AkAfNV-I_EJel-G0tWA5OzV6p3Z1zH5Cf_QLeM4s/s960/414007939_326778836994493_824151898926989607_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiQf3LSaZkKZb5GrdHLydC6N-lK59lVYnb_abGwgcv7r6S4OQkjinvXdsGFUURONUKzYD5U8pOl_c7QX6Wanr5M8u_pHHQuEt0nHaxf9L7KeuexFlSLTGDZhSm6gocWaMVsidOH6HKtvpDno7K72AkAfNV-I_EJel-G0tWA5OzV6p3Z1zH5Cf_QLeM4s/s320/414007939_326778836994493_824151898926989607_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had an awesome breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls for breakfast while doing our Advent and reading the Christmas story. Then we busted into our stockings - Santa was very good to us - and exchanged our gifts! We are blessed indeed and had so much fun watching the other person open the gifts that were chosen and see their excitement! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImMq6fyS7TgT5Ui_M3PWCgFsR7YWXbh-TUGCzbkxLUDZPtnedrSZ8zQ3g1227QjOD3ckNiBJEIh2ZV744ac_Wf1U4T8_H84CYDv_Wo5-gGpaI1QGYDyJC5ab3BGIUJZDMbnUZ3ntH1jQujJYewpJFUGHWbjCy_rlw8v76KRUURNqGd-rUzjCBFynubr8/s2048/414074096_326781936994183_2158363880157104052_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImMq6fyS7TgT5Ui_M3PWCgFsR7YWXbh-TUGCzbkxLUDZPtnedrSZ8zQ3g1227QjOD3ckNiBJEIh2ZV744ac_Wf1U4T8_H84CYDv_Wo5-gGpaI1QGYDyJC5ab3BGIUJZDMbnUZ3ntH1jQujJYewpJFUGHWbjCy_rlw8v76KRUURNqGd-rUzjCBFynubr8/w400-h300/414074096_326781936994183_2158363880157104052_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69AV4_tsftQmk555-NxzGFxlf2g_EZdQxLEY0ghncfTTMr4_4owDHOpNUjLtd4rq-1AYejTfbh1bsw9BtgV60TXRyxmnKnb5HQefUSEE54o79GBOL2sMSMzLMc-vIl04GF_BwH_yoeaZ6XkM0flkmtccm6ZCJ3tR2VMesPLzYDGKFqzAYc5E-h1DV4bQ/s960/414137011_326779146994462_5428796139160712523_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69AV4_tsftQmk555-NxzGFxlf2g_EZdQxLEY0ghncfTTMr4_4owDHOpNUjLtd4rq-1AYejTfbh1bsw9BtgV60TXRyxmnKnb5HQefUSEE54o79GBOL2sMSMzLMc-vIl04GF_BwH_yoeaZ6XkM0flkmtccm6ZCJ3tR2VMesPLzYDGKFqzAYc5E-h1DV4bQ/w400-h300/414137011_326779146994462_5428796139160712523_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had a late lunch/early dinner on Christmas day: Brown Sugar Baked Ham, Stuffing, Roasted Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts, Scalloped Corn and Sweet Potato Casserole! It all turned out great and was delicious! Shortly before sunset, we headed over to the lake to test our Ryan's new monocular and then watched some Christmas Day football before calling it a day! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hsRWVbUxxjDDdOCVAc0S0WduCOTfkKwcUfzPd8D7qr877riYaLBGXg_Koeu48m4LvanA9dAiVpJldUDAGYkQbcLmCob1qYEDfE8QJcdZsca5h1QzsJCiW5hSeIBVn_NDz9Ac-xu2L_Zbf4EhfhFJWWuBrm_hgci7sAZxB_e1n1AFoq2JFdOozQ6p9pA/s4032/IMG_6320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hsRWVbUxxjDDdOCVAc0S0WduCOTfkKwcUfzPd8D7qr877riYaLBGXg_Koeu48m4LvanA9dAiVpJldUDAGYkQbcLmCob1qYEDfE8QJcdZsca5h1QzsJCiW5hSeIBVn_NDz9Ac-xu2L_Zbf4EhfhFJWWuBrm_hgci7sAZxB_e1n1AFoq2JFdOozQ6p9pA/w400-h300/IMG_6320.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ryan's birthday was on the 26th - I was off work, so after Ryan got off work we headed to Logan's Roadhouse for a celebratory birthday dinner for my sweet husband! Our meal was great and the little fellow you spy in the pictures spent the meal grinning at me... until Ryan would turn around, and then he would give Ryan the stink eye! It was hilarious and we couldn't quit cracking up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EGV_yTVaNMnTSOaqdxIRpVRQMK5kwc3trOp6GUtyQwKMUisQY6E1WG-H6unqx4Mncs8xzwceLu-JRdIoog_3lOW6lHHjnTt7eo9HZVQT6zOAY4oQAXTCBePS4wIGXhrOrYuJu1gswX8eGWfn_43GQzJzYtcAdClbJ4zrz__DBobRqS9fsTZfYDDRgVA/s1024/image000000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EGV_yTVaNMnTSOaqdxIRpVRQMK5kwc3trOp6GUtyQwKMUisQY6E1WG-H6unqx4Mncs8xzwceLu-JRdIoog_3lOW6lHHjnTt7eo9HZVQT6zOAY4oQAXTCBePS4wIGXhrOrYuJu1gswX8eGWfn_43GQzJzYtcAdClbJ4zrz__DBobRqS9fsTZfYDDRgVA/s320/image000000.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTqgfbf2oEjui5r0TAGRcMlrs5_L4n_JNVMes79cBMXBLibprCjXp806u_r5LZ0d486pCVQQcYG6L8WgGzjWoFuwt7ctUJ7y7qupfycvxo5YQcp8nRcQzmVz8qf8h-uBpARdO4tSvVuG0_sqYAMvQYf_7jYEynJS150h0K0MVdiDxakfUiIjZAiw_nUU/s4032/IMG_6322.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/AVvXsEjMTqgfbf2oEjui5r0TAGRcMlrs5_L4n_JNVMes79cBMXBLibprCjXp806u_r5LZ0d486pCVQQcYG6L8WgGzjWoFuwt7ctUJ7y7qupfycvxo5YQcp8nRcQzmVz8qf8h-uBpARdO4tSvVuG0_sqYAMvQYf_7jYEynJS150h0K0MVdiDxakfUiIjZAiw_nUU/s320/IMG_6322.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhYAuXs5EuMh5OYba3L9y0BzeePIypYwe8eqG0Qma8_iHCiouS7IaFzRgYIByHBjeVbJACVVGop5v2gR4il6RzI3vJ6FTCkCk-YCdIPl8_cVrEivWpb3dXVtANrIWVKEhQ6otF6vp_44bLyZ6DSTQOGwuqSyrpG2QjG2mjXl33EJDR6GGDUKjk7yLQ_c/s4032/IMG_6336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhYAuXs5EuMh5OYba3L9y0BzeePIypYwe8eqG0Qma8_iHCiouS7IaFzRgYIByHBjeVbJACVVGop5v2gR4il6RzI3vJ6FTCkCk-YCdIPl8_cVrEivWpb3dXVtANrIWVKEhQ6otF6vp_44bLyZ6DSTQOGwuqSyrpG2QjG2mjXl33EJDR6GGDUKjk7yLQ_c/w300-h400/IMG_6336.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last couple days have been a roller coaster for me and I've dealt with some health issues; again, nothing serious! My hubby brought me home flowers yesterday after a long day - and I have to say; while this year has been good, I won't be sad to see the end of 2023. It has been filled with good but the last month or so has kind of beat us up... so to speak! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am looking forward to another three-day weekend to celebrate the New Year - and I cannot wait to see what 2024 has in store for my little family! </div></div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-77116492061056405042023-12-27T13:05:00.000-08:002023-12-27T13:05:46.894-08:00Wednesday Word <p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtB5acJZ3QuFPTfIQbMaqbtG0mtHR-0i5Ix4GBU87qpdaTa0m1UdlSBx3dbBCfV154Hzsq6LimMl8idXY3tMRL4p2F2TY93WwkJDWL24xkei3FXo-nwQy5ejm9p3qV7Zp5Njigjf_pvywON9osR-hy6bY-EcRh6D1tHtRFTq8woh5URBTcNsSoZ4-jG7g/s1779/Heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1779" data-original-width="1016" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtB5acJZ3QuFPTfIQbMaqbtG0mtHR-0i5Ix4GBU87qpdaTa0m1UdlSBx3dbBCfV154Hzsq6LimMl8idXY3tMRL4p2F2TY93WwkJDWL24xkei3FXo-nwQy5ejm9p3qV7Zp5Njigjf_pvywON9osR-hy6bY-EcRh6D1tHtRFTq8woh5URBTcNsSoZ4-jG7g/w366-h640/Heart.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-79498231354446567542023-12-26T11:00:00.000-08:002023-12-29T11:02:52.480-08:00Happy Birthday to Ryan<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSl1C2gMagalozPrvNLDeOxCz2fuzAVO-knSQK7xV31hTjdLdK7Gg8gRiePbRJKdxnNXBbozfF19lIKxZdZ2LbAuTv2jvjJGHaif2Hi-sqJ9sP-kmZugotvECM3nb13o6ywYH_qhzICYB5TzunfzxncSpdOjuGTkjMAbTLSeJyES532pgFhOK2A0amMjg/s1799/Ryan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="1439" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSl1C2gMagalozPrvNLDeOxCz2fuzAVO-knSQK7xV31hTjdLdK7Gg8gRiePbRJKdxnNXBbozfF19lIKxZdZ2LbAuTv2jvjJGHaif2Hi-sqJ9sP-kmZugotvECM3nb13o6ywYH_qhzICYB5TzunfzxncSpdOjuGTkjMAbTLSeJyES532pgFhOK2A0amMjg/w512-h640/Ryan.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband - Ryan! I am so blessed by my best friend and so thrilled to have him in my life! He is a Godly leader for our family and my biggest supporter! He is kind to all, quick to encourage others, excited about life and absolutely a friend to all! I tell him all the time that every year I waited for him was worth it - and I cannot wait to celebrate him every December 26th for many, many years to come!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love you most - Happy Birthday to you Hubs!</div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-38019195695592548582023-12-25T10:05:00.000-08:002023-12-29T10:22:43.915-08:00Merry Christmas <h3 style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #424547; font-family: "Sentinel A", "Sentinel B", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: var(--serif-font-size); font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.25px; line-height: calc(var(--serif-font-size) + var(--line-height-offset)); margin: 1rem 0px 0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNpsvW5RwB3Kn9cngtOu-zlA1HDY4fq9-NskgxkHWWPdxXwK79A_xhpiPTo6ajSduIUWCLq_f9BBN6E9RYcU6am26ptPwxGy12d4KbxiT_xdTTtw-NqSIVl0ZlxJgSAfUpPye9nV0bof7AaY9I5gKeCenGspRHnmUadA563jmBo1s54rAEE_kk82xYMk/s2560/Nativity-Wood-Sign-scaled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="2560" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNpsvW5RwB3Kn9cngtOu-zlA1HDY4fq9-NskgxkHWWPdxXwK79A_xhpiPTo6ajSduIUWCLq_f9BBN6E9RYcU6am26ptPwxGy12d4KbxiT_xdTTtw-NqSIVl0ZlxJgSAfUpPye9nV0bof7AaY9I5gKeCenGspRHnmUadA563jmBo1s54rAEE_kk82xYMk/w477-h222/Nativity-Wood-Sign-scaled.jpg" width="477" /></a></div><br />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-21407657232432233012023-12-24T09:46:00.000-08:002023-12-29T10:03:58.677-08:00Almost Christmas <p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">Can you believe it's Christmas Eve? Time absolutely flies and while I was off from work a little longer than expected (thanks illness) - it seems like the days leading up to Christmas have sped by and here we are, on the threshold of another wonderful Christmas Day celebration! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ryan and I spent our Christmas Eve Eve (that's the day before Christmas Eve - duh) running some errands in our old hometown of Woodstock and having a delicious and chill lunch together at Cracker Barrel. After chilling at home for the afternoon, we headed to Clearbrook Park to experience Walking in a Winter Wonderland!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCj-bFa6CGYuXPfS2ecJrIOdfRSWOGyUjdjmBFHwESpyNnBlKAXtkLg8l7p_jIzvYk3GkV9TQyUrh0IfgWj7mCLtkgF-zHu_Eef1BSz7L3mI7IFlS6x2gqAQ8omLwEsb1Uf-cnvBKra7YXdnzsTfJhHzBBd98xbl5UGTUXRoNt3tCpXMkGdUqoI_Lq20w/s960/414189408_326778750327835_6335516358571529892_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCj-bFa6CGYuXPfS2ecJrIOdfRSWOGyUjdjmBFHwESpyNnBlKAXtkLg8l7p_jIzvYk3GkV9TQyUrh0IfgWj7mCLtkgF-zHu_Eef1BSz7L3mI7IFlS6x2gqAQ8omLwEsb1Uf-cnvBKra7YXdnzsTfJhHzBBd98xbl5UGTUXRoNt3tCpXMkGdUqoI_Lq20w/w400-h300/414189408_326778750327835_6335516358571529892_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwwNWyafMRQ9AHgwOVmAMjITWZ471Py-OKNUBiGhoDeWkhg8Q1xwFXhyphenhyphengXlP2XKpnsMSBGDuGSlcQTNj3l1VCUaliNSWCS4YjNNMyDqDWogC92QbDxQ_vNWZMlxCq6zuiJHT00lyDPXW-CaFF4pxtgjAbTDEBghXNeGvJmoGZWWUXwVRN95FfYqN4Azg/s960/414167618_326779286994448_3789963008110010094_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwwNWyafMRQ9AHgwOVmAMjITWZ471Py-OKNUBiGhoDeWkhg8Q1xwFXhyphenhyphengXlP2XKpnsMSBGDuGSlcQTNj3l1VCUaliNSWCS4YjNNMyDqDWogC92QbDxQ_vNWZMlxCq6zuiJHT00lyDPXW-CaFF4pxtgjAbTDEBghXNeGvJmoGZWWUXwVRN95FfYqN4Azg/s320/414167618_326779286994448_3789963008110010094_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9iEif_AYCP2tR1JX_lRn26czHoGou7yLl9kgmwVNYh5UyzE3KLD0-BcAX-4rcF21fUJ30ivzLnliTM0t0JtubVAA16LGy9swf9OXNXCr7nVhWrjhqp3nmuqbxX2ToGH0-VWSbg1Zb1iLwzU4hYIISz8hKlUkL66rJCP_ysVM10s-WjzafP2JEPAo8hE/s960/414154472_326778976994479_2789397884833929817_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9iEif_AYCP2tR1JX_lRn26czHoGou7yLl9kgmwVNYh5UyzE3KLD0-BcAX-4rcF21fUJ30ivzLnliTM0t0JtubVAA16LGy9swf9OXNXCr7nVhWrjhqp3nmuqbxX2ToGH0-VWSbg1Zb1iLwzU4hYIISz8hKlUkL66rJCP_ysVM10s-WjzafP2JEPAo8hE/s320/414154472_326778976994479_2789397884833929817_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOW4S1ikm8Qb5aPYPBuaARlXUfZKFnLqppt_ScOYiDF3eOPcRG0wsct5z1LolZdF5LYqixy3v_LIAZRIVF-YsWJZPsoOtNS-AUY-fI2aV9FAWWbcOjIk668EIKmsx6MF_z0659hkAdmENbHmuICnNUZvDwmSSeWZlgv0VlQyVt4QKmpSsf7RRlGhrgV0I/s2048/414096329_326781776994199_5700586945569894952_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOW4S1ikm8Qb5aPYPBuaARlXUfZKFnLqppt_ScOYiDF3eOPcRG0wsct5z1LolZdF5LYqixy3v_LIAZRIVF-YsWJZPsoOtNS-AUY-fI2aV9FAWWbcOjIk668EIKmsx6MF_z0659hkAdmENbHmuICnNUZvDwmSSeWZlgv0VlQyVt4QKmpSsf7RRlGhrgV0I/w400-h300/414096329_326781776994199_5700586945569894952_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a few years since I was able to attend the lights display at Clearbrook Park - but I must say, it was spectacular as usual! I do think that it's become much more popular in the last few years; unless our visit being on Christmas Eve Eve meant that it was especially busy! We had to wait in a line to park - nothing extreme - but man, there were people everywhere! Regardless of the crowds - we grabbed some hot chocolate and enjoyed strolling the park and taking in the lights!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuWTcmgJ9jmd_8GoI7MqgufUfe6CdZ5IbpjIaFobbDV08shfAJIeWbeOxaQUqcfEcIJjFklU6WvNEqCJHDeygCqmo0XEUzF5yLjyAyg4MoinVHVQQYP3FsBPVsUyzbSr-T7dDlH2nX6iUGzu9h7RvATZV3hpsfhNFuvpoKQhGkeYd2nYS6XMVYkd9_Do/s2048/414084923_326781846994192_786899504604214496_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuWTcmgJ9jmd_8GoI7MqgufUfe6CdZ5IbpjIaFobbDV08shfAJIeWbeOxaQUqcfEcIJjFklU6WvNEqCJHDeygCqmo0XEUzF5yLjyAyg4MoinVHVQQYP3FsBPVsUyzbSr-T7dDlH2nX6iUGzu9h7RvATZV3hpsfhNFuvpoKQhGkeYd2nYS6XMVYkd9_Do/s320/414084923_326781846994192_786899504604214496_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hW6t6XGJ8udIhAtz1ifVBljk6oE7x8htHgics6ySUBiBlHehbrS_8s1Pj051KQ3kG-QkKhLQTtsKjTJ2XsWVi3NjcJvEb50eGjb4N_4986_M4E9Hb39wE-88mJm8bR30r35aBDDpNcBZvTpbFBbpui-Q71FaYuHfPD7TwNe4v12mLAG0-hEFy5xRS70/s2048/414078526_326781966994180_6704988170737634127_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hW6t6XGJ8udIhAtz1ifVBljk6oE7x8htHgics6ySUBiBlHehbrS_8s1Pj051KQ3kG-QkKhLQTtsKjTJ2XsWVi3NjcJvEb50eGjb4N_4986_M4E9Hb39wE-88mJm8bR30r35aBDDpNcBZvTpbFBbpui-Q71FaYuHfPD7TwNe4v12mLAG0-hEFy5xRS70/s320/414078526_326781966994180_6704988170737634127_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQzRmf6yV9C1IDNBwRxybxXBCGS2Zj2ZqFC8nBbKG96UA82c2Mc6-FLYL0mrSBcoEWbJniOq7iO3HsiwRuGyOvntdJ3mx9vIPxWc3b1I4L4PmvjGEURzUVZd2vtzhroIGjZTPiKwOMgBxXbQNogOEvzeIA87MRd2yNUWeLGkIPSiAf6gDx76uoMDHWs8/s2048/414017656_326781900327520_7545099880643470029_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQzRmf6yV9C1IDNBwRxybxXBCGS2Zj2ZqFC8nBbKG96UA82c2Mc6-FLYL0mrSBcoEWbJniOq7iO3HsiwRuGyOvntdJ3mx9vIPxWc3b1I4L4PmvjGEURzUVZd2vtzhroIGjZTPiKwOMgBxXbQNogOEvzeIA87MRd2yNUWeLGkIPSiAf6gDx76uoMDHWs8/w400-h300/414017656_326781900327520_7545099880643470029_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sunday morning - Christmas Eve - today! We slept in and were a lot more "lazy" than we usually are! We ended up going to the 11 AM service; something we've never done before! The Christmas Eve service was beautiful and I so enjoyed being able to spend that time with Ryan and focus on the real reason for our Christmas season - the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We headed home after church and had a pretty chill Christmas Eve afternoon!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLwTnG38xie6KQuEpK7wqF-fDm9uE9ukjzUBekLD17ZEb_ZoxqqCKtPNLMSnTnGsaMkd9QqGyTVGCFaopMl4j48mWvPAwY0ZiF2_j-stPOldg3wW8cuWxmvq2a44Xzz4agdvv5pLQcji-Hzr1EQxme1IxazDj_i8X2jSHwXCeoVqxBtWxDcl2dOYMsF8/s960/414207846_326779106994466_1078298133748572758_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLwTnG38xie6KQuEpK7wqF-fDm9uE9ukjzUBekLD17ZEb_ZoxqqCKtPNLMSnTnGsaMkd9QqGyTVGCFaopMl4j48mWvPAwY0ZiF2_j-stPOldg3wW8cuWxmvq2a44Xzz4agdvv5pLQcji-Hzr1EQxme1IxazDj_i8X2jSHwXCeoVqxBtWxDcl2dOYMsF8/w300-h400/414207846_326779106994466_1078298133748572758_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlT-4pthstSmAmxdqDAXyCPxRpSw4Pr7qDk3oPhzeJ9pqvIDhdaXjQ67Lgj9DEh2L8QwekBojQBoaUEb3m8-06NrxZUodFfcXv26qslFnHb5eo8La8U6qu6rKVvrFZERNH9rPltmHM2nVYyoQjT2kFcWgNPUCdS9cD76X0W5GXk5KFLjdL5VTCKqhmT8/s2048/414047423_326781746994202_4812131567031479686_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlT-4pthstSmAmxdqDAXyCPxRpSw4Pr7qDk3oPhzeJ9pqvIDhdaXjQ67Lgj9DEh2L8QwekBojQBoaUEb3m8-06NrxZUodFfcXv26qslFnHb5eo8La8U6qu6rKVvrFZERNH9rPltmHM2nVYyoQjT2kFcWgNPUCdS9cD76X0W5GXk5KFLjdL5VTCKqhmT8/s320/414047423_326781746994202_4812131567031479686_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdIdO1AM9uyCUH0jeTUxmnb5ZlrT0j6hp8HOMdzhT2Rv5OQS3wHGmWnx3q7wI-Tzkl6AksySXmyEKyJzOT87gB15iNucBqX3shehzWQ1X87cnHH9Hr_i42iEnf4ivWTXuq-oo8O-sPN1oGUHf8Og_5nXv5WTXJJgGTiFZyLE9x6XfiGFspxe24XYergY/s2048/414102506_326781506994226_8592377596111960030_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdIdO1AM9uyCUH0jeTUxmnb5ZlrT0j6hp8HOMdzhT2Rv5OQS3wHGmWnx3q7wI-Tzkl6AksySXmyEKyJzOT87gB15iNucBqX3shehzWQ1X87cnHH9Hr_i42iEnf4ivWTXuq-oo8O-sPN1oGUHf8Og_5nXv5WTXJJgGTiFZyLE9x6XfiGFspxe24XYergY/s320/414102506_326781506994226_8592377596111960030_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0lY4edpWI9dYoi7sSDueKuWwB0kw254FRaUAIoan1vZbc_xeUbm1ZYTDtnhc7Fz92hKriaepX-g41RWfP5xHZa4amZce5RULUSYcxojc3FAIy4kLGqopKZQIBA_XLkWmaj4buQ7960_QHc-0YXcwUfJUKTHNMyEvVi7r0-u7HOBOSq5plh_HW61yk0g/s960/414214376_326778860327824_4456127580744356776_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0lY4edpWI9dYoi7sSDueKuWwB0kw254FRaUAIoan1vZbc_xeUbm1ZYTDtnhc7Fz92hKriaepX-g41RWfP5xHZa4amZce5RULUSYcxojc3FAIy4kLGqopKZQIBA_XLkWmaj4buQ7960_QHc-0YXcwUfJUKTHNMyEvVi7r0-u7HOBOSq5plh_HW61yk0g/w400-h300/414214376_326778860327824_4456127580744356776_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We made chocolate dipped pretzels and chocolate dipped peanut butter crackers and I worked on putting together some of our meal for Christmas Day! We watched a LOT of football and then watched my most favorite Christmas movie: <i>White Christmas</i>! It never truly feels like Christmas Eve until I've watched Bing, Danny, Rosemary & Vera sing that familiar tune! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a walk through our neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights - we headed home and hopped in bed, to be sure we were asleep when Santa came!</div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-5143113123657223792023-12-20T12:57:00.000-08:002023-12-20T13:15:49.341-08:00A Wednesday Word <p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0xZvqR14SKQGTv-KIURF9xpZILZUmCZ5xsXyd3FBn7zO_J-TEodyYgCOjyLK0pFz2ovNygaEpq11-0Y5cQbdhJ3tEuU0Ys91BiRNM97Uh7E9TBoVhF31e7NV-fldfSzrYQDyRoOB94sfhAQ8K71LKgS6UrXup1kRNMaT1hCM1zMnem_k4SIpURVzHPk/s1301/l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="1284" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0xZvqR14SKQGTv-KIURF9xpZILZUmCZ5xsXyd3FBn7zO_J-TEodyYgCOjyLK0pFz2ovNygaEpq11-0Y5cQbdhJ3tEuU0Ys91BiRNM97Uh7E9TBoVhF31e7NV-fldfSzrYQDyRoOB94sfhAQ8K71LKgS6UrXup1kRNMaT1hCM1zMnem_k4SIpURVzHPk/w395-h400/l.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-36625139614923451002023-12-19T08:49:00.000-08:002023-12-19T08:49:23.246-08:00Orchids & Cathedrals<p style="text-align: left;">It's me again - two days in a row! I didn't want to overwhelm the post on Monday with a million pictures; because I certainly had that many, so I split things up a bit! One of my favorite exhibits at the US Botanic Garden is the orchids and between Ryan and I - we took tons of pictures in the orchid exhibit! I figured I'd share those today - and some other photos! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdB62hP0SF8MeEomoPwNjFGUc3iZEndZreLD8BZ_LBPur6UD68_2NFa6zWNQV5RUafApz4vTntlGKsWtvA9eCzuiVpnzN9xq3uk7P7tHwYy9Jj1Vact_VfMtYQLkfWxF84c-sMCOz6gOZVDm1R61MbpUp99etl4J-YRAuKuTzEOTlt4tU85xUjuoVULI/s2048/411974773_321584920847218_6986781962094336520_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdB62hP0SF8MeEomoPwNjFGUc3iZEndZreLD8BZ_LBPur6UD68_2NFa6zWNQV5RUafApz4vTntlGKsWtvA9eCzuiVpnzN9xq3uk7P7tHwYy9Jj1Vact_VfMtYQLkfWxF84c-sMCOz6gOZVDm1R61MbpUp99etl4J-YRAuKuTzEOTlt4tU85xUjuoVULI/w400-h300/411974773_321584920847218_6986781962094336520_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonQAvDwsbxS11T0OuEbRI6FeHRo8d4KHrA4gKwbuaRGAgYAtrlTlVilZA9YTal5_x-0ctkzsjbHOHbdyUX9-m49VA8NhnNaQ5BAM87Rtyi7XZcrcPUpWOFpYu8WznH23BkWY71iGS0LYP1ilXDFltu8YA-pUK59vlt7jt1_oQuX7aD7IFGNrQIv3_MXQ/s2048/411627316_321585167513860_8167087140561066983_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonQAvDwsbxS11T0OuEbRI6FeHRo8d4KHrA4gKwbuaRGAgYAtrlTlVilZA9YTal5_x-0ctkzsjbHOHbdyUX9-m49VA8NhnNaQ5BAM87Rtyi7XZcrcPUpWOFpYu8WznH23BkWY71iGS0LYP1ilXDFltu8YA-pUK59vlt7jt1_oQuX7aD7IFGNrQIv3_MXQ/s320/411627316_321585167513860_8167087140561066983_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtVkm3a-ISH-ceQ_-6Z8jX6BLs6C6xc8p89Xl9L-7FM9fZpNSW_Ztp048r0PqDhRoYeqc3HPQrdxC-PveXSGnZV6HzEVgudzJZyIJIXWJaBB0s9cC0USoKAOFLUgDQ23OAUv_zdfck3dk9cSTW_mKytmXwYMnbDj3QJy6WCjvV3sbAuArGuUXUNvkUY0/s2048/411618775_321585430847167_4481619107410933696_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtVkm3a-ISH-ceQ_-6Z8jX6BLs6C6xc8p89Xl9L-7FM9fZpNSW_Ztp048r0PqDhRoYeqc3HPQrdxC-PveXSGnZV6HzEVgudzJZyIJIXWJaBB0s9cC0USoKAOFLUgDQ23OAUv_zdfck3dk9cSTW_mKytmXwYMnbDj3QJy6WCjvV3sbAuArGuUXUNvkUY0/s320/411618775_321585430847167_4481619107410933696_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJrrFrvPHm7XEPgkxzdP3LD8SOqlrSqFwLRsrf8j73V_I4cTuy5HDYouWm4RLBY2X-PLLmSIga5xE01DlLluQgd00nNF4DHUgT9OPNI3SD7EXCECt-S4eDs2o5ZyZz7vvhVMwe0VyW-o3FNyjng7b3ISjalLLKKeTtR4dZJsxMdb3Pu-zBojtOwNCKrw/s2048/411700066_321584704180573_4881903786200209137_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJrrFrvPHm7XEPgkxzdP3LD8SOqlrSqFwLRsrf8j73V_I4cTuy5HDYouWm4RLBY2X-PLLmSIga5xE01DlLluQgd00nNF4DHUgT9OPNI3SD7EXCECt-S4eDs2o5ZyZz7vvhVMwe0VyW-o3FNyjng7b3ISjalLLKKeTtR4dZJsxMdb3Pu-zBojtOwNCKrw/w400-h300/411700066_321584704180573_4881903786200209137_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The orchid exhibit is just absolutely stunning - and they have a much larger exhibit early in the Spring. I've only been once, but it was an amazing display of so much beauty! </div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_Lwe5oUNDnbBfbJvCMSbE7HcAnfgBaIsKtEXvIM8Dt6A4Z6MWRgwhVE4R4eddfAC6wUcTZTGyub0oBjeOjlfUeaB_iPLilRWSB8iAgH9smyk3pT_g308GsavQ6-CLzVn4qpF1_hKqAr73eDK__8_wsHjH3ohJd_cZj7Zs0VkaYW-p8o0X4G3nw1ATJ8/s960/412335084_321577997514577_68597022378762441_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_Lwe5oUNDnbBfbJvCMSbE7HcAnfgBaIsKtEXvIM8Dt6A4Z6MWRgwhVE4R4eddfAC6wUcTZTGyub0oBjeOjlfUeaB_iPLilRWSB8iAgH9smyk3pT_g308GsavQ6-CLzVn4qpF1_hKqAr73eDK__8_wsHjH3ohJd_cZj7Zs0VkaYW-p8o0X4G3nw1ATJ8/s320/412335084_321577997514577_68597022378762441_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBMUlBYgYCE4fjpr5Z2bFPUxanI-QYTrXCEdVVeXNNFz506urLw3PP0_urBCA3D2Vl-hH4YpxF72PnGO0Jl8F4WdVCQ9dme1tUzDKnpHIBqrIcNMW53Z-VhyULpSBDAb_ljybkcYcUoV0sBbiNN7vyoSbjjB2ChydhvnuvX7WlqeaI6oNVblxZLqZuWE/s2048/412026566_321584934180550_7318598273241305737_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBMUlBYgYCE4fjpr5Z2bFPUxanI-QYTrXCEdVVeXNNFz506urLw3PP0_urBCA3D2Vl-hH4YpxF72PnGO0Jl8F4WdVCQ9dme1tUzDKnpHIBqrIcNMW53Z-VhyULpSBDAb_ljybkcYcUoV0sBbiNN7vyoSbjjB2ChydhvnuvX7WlqeaI6oNVblxZLqZuWE/s320/412026566_321584934180550_7318598273241305737_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFPNa0-WJpv3UpDp7WJhxMjf9nA3BBb5j0nglnZgXO0TlE2GVhSuleKqoFjrUHG6gXNXjR2yQOhSKomvHL3KEEPg94z6XydFLne_0ipBedS8ZJ4oj9BwBfXq_M0Qe34MNAO8iBcFN65RdzHbGxkBkJR80abFbsFYMfFhl9G3slcycG-0X0Jj1e-NAGxs/s2048/411507769_321583797513997_1698462705830838133_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFPNa0-WJpv3UpDp7WJhxMjf9nA3BBb5j0nglnZgXO0TlE2GVhSuleKqoFjrUHG6gXNXjR2yQOhSKomvHL3KEEPg94z6XydFLne_0ipBedS8ZJ4oj9BwBfXq_M0Qe34MNAO8iBcFN65RdzHbGxkBkJR80abFbsFYMfFhl9G3slcycG-0X0Jj1e-NAGxs/w400-h300/411507769_321583797513997_1698462705830838133_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk09ExWxZsNCLegAy7jlJwU7vMW8VDD8Eey6GgQGmh-Q1aRB1D7-wWFQsQZOUXmHnKIZiym6dIEnCgDKJ39XAHhnfzoDcwFcflwiynW-e_O5h652bSkXO7Ut3A0AIW8I5dtUpUJdesp_XaJKNOb6Pqc5ZzdP9hqMENHUShIq4gTS6tspgXiJbmYs6pHC8/s2048/411700146_321584764180567_5868030861139988302_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk09ExWxZsNCLegAy7jlJwU7vMW8VDD8Eey6GgQGmh-Q1aRB1D7-wWFQsQZOUXmHnKIZiym6dIEnCgDKJ39XAHhnfzoDcwFcflwiynW-e_O5h652bSkXO7Ut3A0AIW8I5dtUpUJdesp_XaJKNOb6Pqc5ZzdP9hqMENHUShIq4gTS6tspgXiJbmYs6pHC8/s320/411700146_321584764180567_5868030861139988302_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJc1S08KZBzMwOEok98rU-IYLBZ91mA5hKMMnWJVUshbXriATCDyxyyx1rpWoRuY6ApDNP_Tr5FBLLQSq3RWB9kBpnJQjRArFMBg9dSaR9Ug_kImvigP25DIO9TRMNjugfXRvHcqxp7gJN4xE8zyrxtpCKedjk4N3Tw2gDi7K2EdPNV3-0rnS042wY20/s2048/411822698_321584747513902_314402903161161412_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">How do you possibly pick one over another? They are the most stunning things - I have to say, the orchid is definitely in my top three flowers. They are so colorful and different; so many varieties and each one unique from the others!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlGVinjrJJRBqt3beGub6Jf3Rz4z5i76bWDh4nl2GcVMGU1QqosxjkI5MMlpOY1e4O1BBjln9U_mN1RdzwqeV60VCQTbijN1KN9N6tS_8HLEt8LVJYBIYMTZ5xC4bb1XwD7vik_egQa9g_7-rA1DYaGU2nrY6CpKjcYvcmX6TpPlU_fENqQoGMYE6e3s/s2048/410820974_321584484180595_7135424995523585412_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlGVinjrJJRBqt3beGub6Jf3Rz4z5i76bWDh4nl2GcVMGU1QqosxjkI5MMlpOY1e4O1BBjln9U_mN1RdzwqeV60VCQTbijN1KN9N6tS_8HLEt8LVJYBIYMTZ5xC4bb1XwD7vik_egQa9g_7-rA1DYaGU2nrY6CpKjcYvcmX6TpPlU_fENqQoGMYE6e3s/s320/410820974_321584484180595_7135424995523585412_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HnhAiProP9njvWJIzN4LOChdqqbJey2gO7XA7FOefBmFotgMdF1cutcqN1R8gpqRR7bWpHMmndfb35tT6hxPSyc4SQ-F096H6e9fMMKgnGzv7rkswiR9kTYrn8Pzyf4BUa2y-vpXF6gLPQZF9Y20Sn19KFqb69FE-wZJTM1Wk1RNuhyphenhyphendYKIlUaBBJw4/s2048/411688724_321585400847170_1467507611585058618_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlQ6jfDGUXFgN2FqsYwid-Qmf3mFquEiq7KL2MNiyLis_NdBOQjenjN7L4RTn8NE2ZTPx3K7xQm5P5RSQ0RoQOEtLqL3A4PGzRCKtcamso0jgfBqAH6-A4-sA_xs4aMRzJ6bu4CN4g7x3c_Ub3jYluhrpy52ndH8xGFYeIqp91NXGghnlkuQrVbBGaT0/s2048/411591909_321584570847253_7742962880448052959_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlQ6jfDGUXFgN2FqsYwid-Qmf3mFquEiq7KL2MNiyLis_NdBOQjenjN7L4RTn8NE2ZTPx3K7xQm5P5RSQ0RoQOEtLqL3A4PGzRCKtcamso0jgfBqAH6-A4-sA_xs4aMRzJ6bu4CN4g7x3c_Ub3jYluhrpy52ndH8xGFYeIqp91NXGghnlkuQrVbBGaT0/w400-h300/411591909_321584570847253_7742962880448052959_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We'd hoped to go to Zoo Lights (sold out) or the Lights at Bull Run (sold out) but neither of those things really panned out for us. Christendom College is a small college located in Front Royal and they have been building a massive cathedral on campus for several years now... and it's finally finished. We discovered after a quick Google search that the cathedral is open from 6 AM - 1 AM every day - and so away we went!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2LNnk0wI7FbNm_3vyPixqF-qu60xTP2Vc3QLx-svnj2eMW2HqwuUEdk18VNJkG_fYH4RKfZErZ6km27ZxH96AXwtYOVuI0v0xddqPTZqd3ZmpEOrFEI1vOYRAdnyR8mLzowUVrVD0Q9is76hx8RSkeZqR7IA467U2MhPeojCBYuVo1EdRY5GsVng9VdI/s2048/411582306_321587367513640_6356017823541224059_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2LNnk0wI7FbNm_3vyPixqF-qu60xTP2Vc3QLx-svnj2eMW2HqwuUEdk18VNJkG_fYH4RKfZErZ6km27ZxH96AXwtYOVuI0v0xddqPTZqd3ZmpEOrFEI1vOYRAdnyR8mLzowUVrVD0Q9is76hx8RSkeZqR7IA467U2MhPeojCBYuVo1EdRY5GsVng9VdI/w400-h300/411582306_321587367513640_6356017823541224059_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWxTFnDPtSHDuB5iTCcijynZqKeY3LZDhM4C8FMQ5BkGF68E3uTVKedgww9wgooucRALzZYxFWne-oCUZBeprXU7N4eNvrG4PCFPJUYHnybJgPGQ3oTzjhOu7D_xZDSExfgqwGniUDCK536tfdyMzai541oQ5MoFidlk3LM1EKlI9X7jCp6FhSSfhnnI/s2048/411700110_321587187513658_7812500507426082520_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWxTFnDPtSHDuB5iTCcijynZqKeY3LZDhM4C8FMQ5BkGF68E3uTVKedgww9wgooucRALzZYxFWne-oCUZBeprXU7N4eNvrG4PCFPJUYHnybJgPGQ3oTzjhOu7D_xZDSExfgqwGniUDCK536tfdyMzai541oQ5MoFidlk3LM1EKlI9X7jCp6FhSSfhnnI/s320/411700110_321587187513658_7812500507426082520_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7F3rMvKCeSIwBG8hjKUVm_UPmL4F-MXKLNjZ2bc4kEYfQo9oEOw_jNhqIBDHCELdwvuLuGHh69xhHhOcYFnx-jNJpRTRYCoOD7HzA_PoJLzVifi3bQeRtdZLDaOYWcjMxBM73oEMRpiy3GzTqB25TXcO3uxY3GSwxjrtKDkigFZ5zUBI_M8zEZEw2xk/s2048/411722580_321587180846992_3012093099029048428_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7F3rMvKCeSIwBG8hjKUVm_UPmL4F-MXKLNjZ2bc4kEYfQo9oEOw_jNhqIBDHCELdwvuLuGHh69xhHhOcYFnx-jNJpRTRYCoOD7HzA_PoJLzVifi3bQeRtdZLDaOYWcjMxBM73oEMRpiy3GzTqB25TXcO3uxY3GSwxjrtKDkigFZ5zUBI_M8zEZEw2xk/s320/411722580_321587180846992_3012093099029048428_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7gbsK-2wIAm3kKzVOnHOwgFq8itp7BnklRc_h_eBU8o-IOn8hMfbGENCtKR7y0z9_siD2AABq8tTTn4p99CJ3htDSCscpeX-KbJEpWjUy08p0bH8UeXIrj9Vt4xWy5riHcX4X2vGAOqJj7hAGS_oCW1PWFBimzkIj1txp_5HK4pEHKOgTYag7d4Tjdmg/s2048/412046060_321587400846970_4229886797743308291_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7gbsK-2wIAm3kKzVOnHOwgFq8itp7BnklRc_h_eBU8o-IOn8hMfbGENCtKR7y0z9_siD2AABq8tTTn4p99CJ3htDSCscpeX-KbJEpWjUy08p0bH8UeXIrj9Vt4xWy5riHcX4X2vGAOqJj7hAGS_oCW1PWFBimzkIj1txp_5HK4pEHKOgTYag7d4Tjdmg/w400-h300/412046060_321587400846970_4229886797743308291_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While not exactly Christmas lights - it is certainly a stunning cathedral and I enjoyed perusing the cathedral and taking in all the beautiful stained glass windows, the gorgeous altar and more - the craftmanship that has been put into the building is incredible!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9wZIABVQTN27GLfoquWtjETUObIBN_8GPiB1sVoi61DAIDNneFz07U7wB6jtjkvViV2YKXMD8DPlHr33SiSBwREi_SGsBvhIzMsEWl8_qjdYoE5qnng_I-CPxWcLnb8YESyhC87byxwwR2pqG3nY7kK40BJ21j9qx8fR4I8GwjtHXvJQnocZNtMSEwY/s2048/412047024_321587380846972_1004897746400049215_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9wZIABVQTN27GLfoquWtjETUObIBN_8GPiB1sVoi61DAIDNneFz07U7wB6jtjkvViV2YKXMD8DPlHr33SiSBwREi_SGsBvhIzMsEWl8_qjdYoE5qnng_I-CPxWcLnb8YESyhC87byxwwR2pqG3nY7kK40BJ21j9qx8fR4I8GwjtHXvJQnocZNtMSEwY/s320/412047024_321587380846972_1004897746400049215_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCq4cQyjPoTC6BMQ5dd5vAEYa51JKqgDRNN13QMaAgkvr24vptTzMtda9DdLK2B8BOcFb2P2ZTQp9QZ9KWTZXliMmFERygtQbB7AJA5WVpA8vnNooDJqDXYHjHkVeJx-HAaTV7khOiSuuXbFc5P93c-Nz7zSgyhvSDt56_DiXZ15FWQgOBdkt4xBMBjsQ/s2048/412105075_10169218607925151_3280195225078280509_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCq4cQyjPoTC6BMQ5dd5vAEYa51JKqgDRNN13QMaAgkvr24vptTzMtda9DdLK2B8BOcFb2P2ZTQp9QZ9KWTZXliMmFERygtQbB7AJA5WVpA8vnNooDJqDXYHjHkVeJx-HAaTV7khOiSuuXbFc5P93c-Nz7zSgyhvSDt56_DiXZ15FWQgOBdkt4xBMBjsQ/s320/412105075_10169218607925151_3280195225078280509_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZok0b-SwBIrD6rmOxtk-0_QNAX6Y0ylgnKorYS6xh5HjEo16iWFfVIyQ3ZBqXZxpaMK8gEu8D8QWyIgwGv77gULmKAaxlQeQv9Ysw-2nRJxllTIjdFMDTXnN54nynhqxWX4XkZCeNy5deT25GsJS9iuhQoStVgGGjAdulfSH45vSsIf4X_XUF8l9lwM/s2048/412140230_10169218607735151_5094471405161660484_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZok0b-SwBIrD6rmOxtk-0_QNAX6Y0ylgnKorYS6xh5HjEo16iWFfVIyQ3ZBqXZxpaMK8gEu8D8QWyIgwGv77gULmKAaxlQeQv9Ysw-2nRJxllTIjdFMDTXnN54nynhqxWX4XkZCeNy5deT25GsJS9iuhQoStVgGGjAdulfSH45vSsIf4X_XUF8l9lwM/s320/412140230_10169218607735151_5094471405161660484_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsE99az6il4XOdg60dvK0N-sZJaSzrn5Ka3Pi0YrxFYOlbQz1iO2fzarZpOg4pkcrmLRP-2Gj0HU4RvsVIGhqkgqCQYmXg-QkJ9WdULmrCe9KL-wdnh6KY9VXbgQHfw0aF73E97muUpqP3QQqWKwZcgEmQnaeNh-SIpGGCbXLyC9iFpO5I2IOmIoDp3h4/s2048/411539618_10169218607660151_4571979748262193363_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsE99az6il4XOdg60dvK0N-sZJaSzrn5Ka3Pi0YrxFYOlbQz1iO2fzarZpOg4pkcrmLRP-2Gj0HU4RvsVIGhqkgqCQYmXg-QkJ9WdULmrCe9KL-wdnh6KY9VXbgQHfw0aF73E97muUpqP3QQqWKwZcgEmQnaeNh-SIpGGCbXLyC9iFpO5I2IOmIoDp3h4/s320/411539618_10169218607660151_4571979748262193363_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzWlc5UCdyrcFVfCi5aUodMxAm31Rq6ytZVJAXcnSjUHwAe8Kj4E3J8M2kS2wqdI0juY-QTP8g6_93WdqicGToQg3NDtLh4SaLnTceOuaRcYqhICn_ArUBGffRxRXaooKm6Kx5T7zIwJ2NsQ3cg2PCw8yJi9BhC2x5RBSXoZbRns7mxICubHdKll_7w8/s2048/411771837_321587147513662_8212501734403925964_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzWlc5UCdyrcFVfCi5aUodMxAm31Rq6ytZVJAXcnSjUHwAe8Kj4E3J8M2kS2wqdI0juY-QTP8g6_93WdqicGToQg3NDtLh4SaLnTceOuaRcYqhICn_ArUBGffRxRXaooKm6Kx5T7zIwJ2NsQ3cg2PCw8yJi9BhC2x5RBSXoZbRns7mxICubHdKll_7w8/w400-h300/411771837_321587147513662_8212501734403925964_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So - just a short and sweet post today - wanted to share the last of the pictures from our day out in DC and our Christmas celebrations! </div><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-52082372136874957402023-12-18T13:27:00.000-08:002023-12-18T13:27:05.611-08:00Christmas Festivities with the Family <p>Oh look - it's another absolute dump of photos! Tis' the season, am I right? One of the things about growing up is that your family may end up all spread out... for the last three years, my sister has lived in England (a literal whole other country). And this year, she does live stateside once again, but she's in Washington State! So - we celebrated Christmas with my parents this weekend - and we started our festivities with some time spent in DC on Saturday! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgfDc6_x6ZuQQ9xODmPuhOpkcUYhaHREDlG_BDvd7U8mnconk6Q6Y8BLLsWq2ButXKsZfI5VVl43lhgX9kAKms_XQ3kY9rJNCGHpQ2qpQUU2IsQBKYmpjc0JN6TkvRry9CX7XbPn4UaVS4nP9yQtfahxe7Ug3p3Pe6GVNya5zbm7q8QGZb3DFJ2DTQ9A/s2048/412053323_321584837513893_7912362667635076858_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgfDc6_x6ZuQQ9xODmPuhOpkcUYhaHREDlG_BDvd7U8mnconk6Q6Y8BLLsWq2ButXKsZfI5VVl43lhgX9kAKms_XQ3kY9rJNCGHpQ2qpQUU2IsQBKYmpjc0JN6TkvRry9CX7XbPn4UaVS4nP9yQtfahxe7Ug3p3Pe6GVNya5zbm7q8QGZb3DFJ2DTQ9A/w300-h400/412053323_321584837513893_7912362667635076858_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39MJi9S2PzRKmAEBQhH820NS9rNgWBdxaHhwpBxn4bGQ4RaKMKW4vzMDtOYj_pmd7pQc2tF6ljst-1mlFCGk-cll-QqZ83NpTyeUdoMVItujuilO9bLrjq_gt7QUHzKXqSiwXAs7LnjOZq8_dGyykxFryOZov3uTX1R2KY7pj3ajLCOzPpSLyEt9sgLE/s2048/411687255_321585264180517_9176516821191270001_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39MJi9S2PzRKmAEBQhH820NS9rNgWBdxaHhwpBxn4bGQ4RaKMKW4vzMDtOYj_pmd7pQc2tF6ljst-1mlFCGk-cll-QqZ83NpTyeUdoMVItujuilO9bLrjq_gt7QUHzKXqSiwXAs7LnjOZq8_dGyykxFryOZov3uTX1R2KY7pj3ajLCOzPpSLyEt9sgLE/s320/411687255_321585264180517_9176516821191270001_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELbfUafKGZCe0_c6WUmFyT6SpYjd-jtn3Fc14zQS0KjOIxfQAhI4UA3put2Of2FYI6i4v-AKC8T8QsHP9J3a-GSaW1frc08qYTPunsTzThqahj9z-5cqkSOlIArUtYrTfeXh2qLgdRi8m8QwF0DJGUUJlmkoX-kuZBob7Cc9oCei9saMFPlhECalQMBo/s2048/411705014_321584720847238_6903578130639388643_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELbfUafKGZCe0_c6WUmFyT6SpYjd-jtn3Fc14zQS0KjOIxfQAhI4UA3put2Of2FYI6i4v-AKC8T8QsHP9J3a-GSaW1frc08qYTPunsTzThqahj9z-5cqkSOlIArUtYrTfeXh2qLgdRi8m8QwF0DJGUUJlmkoX-kuZBob7Cc9oCei9saMFPlhECalQMBo/s320/411705014_321584720847238_6903578130639388643_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Union Station Christmas tree has been a gift from Norway for the last twenty five years (since 1998) as a sign of the friendship between the two countries. This year it's got some extra special meaning since my husband and I were gifted a trip to Norway from my parents - but we'll get to that in more detail later! It's always the most beautiful tree though - I love it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjas9BrA6sXYadBOkC9o8u1VVmB2_SRpxzOiV0iEp8rK5NmLJZuUHqgxMO1VI-3BNw0FdV3FMIflP5iRNif7_edT56xUQB_VJCD9KniM8avg_qOXTOX8Dq1aPXPMNGssSlU0cO1oHisEnb7V-Lp69vAIZlWG1oFpb1l8g_AbFi62sMTUtI6EZNE23JiNpY/s2048/411546532_321584654180578_7034699486328244353_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjas9BrA6sXYadBOkC9o8u1VVmB2_SRpxzOiV0iEp8rK5NmLJZuUHqgxMO1VI-3BNw0FdV3FMIflP5iRNif7_edT56xUQB_VJCD9KniM8avg_qOXTOX8Dq1aPXPMNGssSlU0cO1oHisEnb7V-Lp69vAIZlWG1oFpb1l8g_AbFi62sMTUtI6EZNE23JiNpY/s320/411546532_321584654180578_7034699486328244353_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobcMxCO_IL4zTgA_-kf5V00Eamo9j8NdFd5dLlNosudpO3zIxU0CDSpu6BSrHkmD46rpAIntSwzd07e0YYIdHVUAONQk-cq80SYiBc_wrJrPZjRrnuLL2ADRx1a_RfyFDAeXm18vK2axLNDy80vs81H6nWC-B6eFa3f3wIAlfLMEhXpOuReYr71ytzCM/s2048/411721147_321583767514000_8521876726748438005_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobcMxCO_IL4zTgA_-kf5V00Eamo9j8NdFd5dLlNosudpO3zIxU0CDSpu6BSrHkmD46rpAIntSwzd07e0YYIdHVUAONQk-cq80SYiBc_wrJrPZjRrnuLL2ADRx1a_RfyFDAeXm18vK2axLNDy80vs81H6nWC-B6eFa3f3wIAlfLMEhXpOuReYr71ytzCM/s320/411721147_321583767514000_8521876726748438005_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3lgCU3gA30dkCfJAn79F9VgwcE6V-5bRv2XUutqRQ7GHjx2Cz7O-t4a8esvk77FuTfYg7AVYl_xaj-L727XigTZy2b5OmkiE3luJ-6sHYnbzAvnmP_VTqnv3cuAm1wlrQ9g31pofcMh_KSSAOnTKXj8oNphSBhP9zbhyphenhyphenewky9QoVtArS-ymsHWM-sBs/s2048/411683014_321584770847233_4833187074609595537_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3lgCU3gA30dkCfJAn79F9VgwcE6V-5bRv2XUutqRQ7GHjx2Cz7O-t4a8esvk77FuTfYg7AVYl_xaj-L727XigTZy2b5OmkiE3luJ-6sHYnbzAvnmP_VTqnv3cuAm1wlrQ9g31pofcMh_KSSAOnTKXj8oNphSBhP9zbhyphenhyphenewky9QoVtArS-ymsHWM-sBs/w300-h400/411683014_321584770847233_4833187074609595537_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Capitol tree hails from the Monongahela National Forest, which is in the great state of West Virginia and so the tree is covered in ornaments that showcase West Virginia! The tree this year looks pretty good - it was certainly nicer getting up close than a few years ago, when I walked through mud puddles in the rain! The weather on Saturday in DC was gorgeous! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rXRrjibChSVWJaMM4glcIabr2S-8V0AwJ099Fuse5oP5uRLaAF2TFgVz9kuxBvuuIeLP5v1L57lflRkI64w_A6lQbD_OhMBp_6m5Encjccs5qXWqliASUuDdfc0JVG3mrUdR6yw888JibWpd_DrT7DI5Kk0eXAAeBU8jPiM7STG8Q7XP8C_KJMNDbCA/s2048/411765454_321584897513887_3174008679265535574_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rXRrjibChSVWJaMM4glcIabr2S-8V0AwJ099Fuse5oP5uRLaAF2TFgVz9kuxBvuuIeLP5v1L57lflRkI64w_A6lQbD_OhMBp_6m5Encjccs5qXWqliASUuDdfc0JVG3mrUdR6yw888JibWpd_DrT7DI5Kk0eXAAeBU8jPiM7STG8Q7XP8C_KJMNDbCA/s320/411765454_321584897513887_3174008679265535574_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDyHfzPleM1rYqV-adjim4f8W1meuXBEuikXdzJZsfcZYGbd5dn4kjuzk8hXT5APm7TtQRBOUwzTzokwQ8FFq-v7dy18eV_H9QUQH4g3ldWN8roHzqO-iKCkgJayBdp9qnLQcElylmM45v_Hy_Z6dP8l1JAT8hYFtsvCYs1Httk8tAMdJayeg-gcaVMA/s2048/411776638_321585344180509_2608898159417576181_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDyHfzPleM1rYqV-adjim4f8W1meuXBEuikXdzJZsfcZYGbd5dn4kjuzk8hXT5APm7TtQRBOUwzTzokwQ8FFq-v7dy18eV_H9QUQH4g3ldWN8roHzqO-iKCkgJayBdp9qnLQcElylmM45v_Hy_Z6dP8l1JAT8hYFtsvCYs1Httk8tAMdJayeg-gcaVMA/s320/411776638_321585344180509_2608898159417576181_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The US Botanic Garden always does a trainset-up and each year has a theme - this year it was pollinators! A little different but I suppose perfectly on brand for a botanic garden, ha-ha! I have to say - I've enjoyed the train display a little bit more when it's indoors as there is a little bit more of a crowd control. Regardless of the location - it was another really fascinating and unique set-up yet again!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwmKTCsvi7Am6CWNSnYtgoQMF5mQ5Y8I38i38dSACQ9j-TXpojwggdwl5dCEN20I2_am492QgO1W2E7vgOcpeAfI5N9EVvCcZvrpgOK5ckmC5j5TAay9GmmcjSMA8mYEaArE1PqM2B67m5gUb0TTipNl1sadk6jqUlZN0Cv-HIVkLo1Bznx2d61RiLh4/s2048/412026069_321585000847210_4721241179067226708_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwmKTCsvi7Am6CWNSnYtgoQMF5mQ5Y8I38i38dSACQ9j-TXpojwggdwl5dCEN20I2_am492QgO1W2E7vgOcpeAfI5N9EVvCcZvrpgOK5ckmC5j5TAay9GmmcjSMA8mYEaArE1PqM2B67m5gUb0TTipNl1sadk6jqUlZN0Cv-HIVkLo1Bznx2d61RiLh4/s320/412026069_321585000847210_4721241179067226708_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6Qui94_nAppJQ2IIOcdDI2_dgf1jtu7fuI4-_s0ktqAK0SuEvO4DA4vrKcbNZrIhHwdrbIuolDExKIFn_rWg5EojZQLpKE2qvG5y-pT_T3tqCSE-dMcOejii414klxbPAa1bElF6nGjmYDBFe-sml99k-oTP1hxyIo9uUqmkcc37S0XejFm5vkJdYMo/s2048/412026234_321585254180518_1324378707204223945_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyhRnXm2Vpk9gjAjo8SaeaakJidYCgdH65JB74CA_R5l670oRJb6LQMRD6wl7zDNN2S6IL_USDXEdUMrwF9YOus1RQZMgLPUAJ7dIqRKrL06euZpxKPyMuwUD2OzmldrGRbP4qKFOpfIUsOL9TwQcGD6p_YjQcQPUvnm9Qy8CTyCALa1wkm8En3EWieg/s320/411776895_321585017513875_5405521774797861073_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3uLwr7EREeWfb4c_F88iO4Lowra69vsX0KXaGEVbqYKtFpQFlfidUAeJeOnTydlHwv_i1iIOvI-JvOAeklQzYOMqeBk6g-abYhJGGMLMugYM9_YfTqxlq2XzFgXgEYPXAvmhnWhwkaJC15z1-Jg_Cp2odTJTKTfh4EdLyJD6ypgIVkeWBfVDh3o9HGAA/s2048/411778720_321584830847227_1561566964530086286_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3uLwr7EREeWfb4c_F88iO4Lowra69vsX0KXaGEVbqYKtFpQFlfidUAeJeOnTydlHwv_i1iIOvI-JvOAeklQzYOMqeBk6g-abYhJGGMLMugYM9_YfTqxlq2XzFgXgEYPXAvmhnWhwkaJC15z1-Jg_Cp2odTJTKTfh4EdLyJD6ypgIVkeWBfVDh3o9HGAA/s320/411778720_321584830847227_1561566964530086286_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGX5ZZjzf8ufeSKqUnWXDUBJ_mzudHrGZkFwlO6L67dB6e9soEl7B9y5so9l2sBI0kdBZm5AD5VpdV1URvfUrtALo4d6vOPOA1CSr29V2zlETKE2tdvZ_QkDMXna5wFZIo5iscI8N2iTjiqI63br1hx0Pj9Fk6WCQfS9EPOGnMZ8K9auNLJoAtokDsRWw/s2048/412017794_321585444180499_8720320632534757079_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGX5ZZjzf8ufeSKqUnWXDUBJ_mzudHrGZkFwlO6L67dB6e9soEl7B9y5so9l2sBI0kdBZm5AD5VpdV1URvfUrtALo4d6vOPOA1CSr29V2zlETKE2tdvZ_QkDMXna5wFZIo5iscI8N2iTjiqI63br1hx0Pj9Fk6WCQfS9EPOGnMZ8K9auNLJoAtokDsRWw/s320/412017794_321585444180499_8720320632534757079_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Everything in the displays is made from plant materials - and that theme carries over into the actual gardens interior portion, where the models of the US monuments and buildings like the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and the Capitol are on display. They are beautifully showcased surrounded by poinsettias that are in stunning shades of red, pink and white. I love seeing this clever models each year - I guess it's become something of a tradition! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC7w10FJuchVi3m-xM_uRmwFOxoXreBRprbF6Pb2ieeMJ8Z1DFB23SkpN41hQN8Rnyw1hMoG4oqVZSD3U491buNG_R4MsToBjSeblO_5M46hrI1vs9Qcfuzqz9Hz0KRXGZw4GBRCv1u0TsKchcoiOytOhPR3RazY2lKOWRN8n8D8jXM0f5s0znr7REqw/s2048/411700145_321585457513831_5207108034229655272_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC7w10FJuchVi3m-xM_uRmwFOxoXreBRprbF6Pb2ieeMJ8Z1DFB23SkpN41hQN8Rnyw1hMoG4oqVZSD3U491buNG_R4MsToBjSeblO_5M46hrI1vs9Qcfuzqz9Hz0KRXGZw4GBRCv1u0TsKchcoiOytOhPR3RazY2lKOWRN8n8D8jXM0f5s0znr7REqw/w400-h300/411700145_321585457513831_5207108034229655272_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXoFHfjKd0UK8MCJcj0gMSj7mK3livpB1EH7GcVfWJjepPUiEnhG-BI28mhknCczl-U_KRowcbHWhxEdbIP5kQfAO_FgRAq-Av1Kj_WTy5AEKDrE6D4lW0Su73VGjQQeuP3VFhDww1OCIUk8lPH3TCcpIxvJO9_UvguHrPfi6t412rOFxe1D9FGuKBG0/s2048/411683349_321584297513947_4834939306463512096_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXoFHfjKd0UK8MCJcj0gMSj7mK3livpB1EH7GcVfWJjepPUiEnhG-BI28mhknCczl-U_KRowcbHWhxEdbIP5kQfAO_FgRAq-Av1Kj_WTy5AEKDrE6D4lW0Su73VGjQQeuP3VFhDww1OCIUk8lPH3TCcpIxvJO9_UvguHrPfi6t412rOFxe1D9FGuKBG0/w400-h300/411683349_321584297513947_4834939306463512096_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBCtM42kADvjMd6L_3tMc7D5KzrhpouQ1alhkFqx8rBAoYu3Hoekm-Td-OhpV47GkwyBYGUt34351gxEj_zHN5JnfMM380E3OXsbCRUq6zmKSU9Lsa5JomH_0BYg_eQGlA2tVJcO8WR0eVOGsrM1aRO3ksR_fh5PYWNTkmQ7id1m2wgq9YwtaitTOB-M/s2048/411726755_321585470847163_8553923936235001323_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBCtM42kADvjMd6L_3tMc7D5KzrhpouQ1alhkFqx8rBAoYu3Hoekm-Td-OhpV47GkwyBYGUt34351gxEj_zHN5JnfMM380E3OXsbCRUq6zmKSU9Lsa5JomH_0BYg_eQGlA2tVJcO8WR0eVOGsrM1aRO3ksR_fh5PYWNTkmQ7id1m2wgq9YwtaitTOB-M/w400-h300/411726755_321585470847163_8553923936235001323_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After exploring the orchid collection and the giant main greenhouse - where I swear it was 90 degrees -we wrapped up our visit to the Botanic Garden and caught an Uber down to a location closer to the National Tree. We popped into the Willard Intercontinental to see their tree but couldn't find the gingerbread house anywhere - oh well! After a quick trip to the roof of the Washington Hotel and a pop into the White House Visitor's Center, we headed toward the National Tree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRaa5eFjY0Bvh6HXbfpA0q9B_rQV5xr1HVhDcARziB8ALCkuSu_STdyIBcZ6Kh0UXLmQZnm_HLpyiBVqoIjYliGJpI3bVwN-iXEkJ0nDUUy40LZWogfTLGfJTTBNBMsslgllwJKNbwn5pvxvjObmfp-mvgOGCg16k7B5XlR7-wprEKktxCqNWCN5HveM/s2048/411607946_321585337513843_5666656706905473140_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRaa5eFjY0Bvh6HXbfpA0q9B_rQV5xr1HVhDcARziB8ALCkuSu_STdyIBcZ6Kh0UXLmQZnm_HLpyiBVqoIjYliGJpI3bVwN-iXEkJ0nDUUy40LZWogfTLGfJTTBNBMsslgllwJKNbwn5pvxvjObmfp-mvgOGCg16k7B5XlR7-wprEKktxCqNWCN5HveM/s320/411607946_321585337513843_5666656706905473140_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyT9oGXO2Y-nlIpqNIh8Pt0rqWpJnBhezsLTF745NQNXKFfVxXPaqJ4OYPGvGnpFnL8jo0V7PAqaGrzueso-Ves-1WBz4FgYKslkJnL7G10j0M4mx6bfHlSuCwO0AzehwafxeeQEqI630ydzBiFoz1HfpujdeeV2i8OsuPv4MSztgo84bz6ksGe8jrRY/s2048/411682585_321584624180581_5226499321540896460_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyT9oGXO2Y-nlIpqNIh8Pt0rqWpJnBhezsLTF745NQNXKFfVxXPaqJ4OYPGvGnpFnL8jo0V7PAqaGrzueso-Ves-1WBz4FgYKslkJnL7G10j0M4mx6bfHlSuCwO0AzehwafxeeQEqI630ydzBiFoz1HfpujdeeV2i8OsuPv4MSztgo84bz6ksGe8jrRY/s320/411682585_321584624180581_5226499321540896460_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUP3kWdlo4FWBMI0gibVFOooQkd2tFqtJW6uAGz9phauN4TWodFdwoTTbOAgYzQ9gvwYTufAH2bR_mDMOh7ZScVJm59_ujKkXKbWa0dXBksj2C4tdLaqzgi0wDJa5XZtyt5gjvMtUGO2UXD9DoJDkLA7ZeljXjXvNgj5UzhOCBC-_KbFQgAua7Ph8Rxi4/s2048/411712738_321584664180577_3661166558218953091_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUP3kWdlo4FWBMI0gibVFOooQkd2tFqtJW6uAGz9phauN4TWodFdwoTTbOAgYzQ9gvwYTufAH2bR_mDMOh7ZScVJm59_ujKkXKbWa0dXBksj2C4tdLaqzgi0wDJa5XZtyt5gjvMtUGO2UXD9DoJDkLA7ZeljXjXvNgj5UzhOCBC-_KbFQgAua7Ph8Rxi4/w400-h300/411712738_321584664180577_3661166558218953091_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have to confess - it looks a little scraggly this year! I heard one woman; in a much scandalized voice, say "I can't even believe they put that nasty thing up"... and while I agree that it does look worse for the wear - you just have to have a National Tree! This one was also from the Monongahela National Forest, but I think it might have lost a branch or ten en route to DC, ha-ha! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOU-rLgbrCR4Gu4ZiRdwm86Y8g8Kb_uzA_q90Lw9A6BTpn42-EFYEgMo8KpC5b6hFHL6FF4P9wc004GzSqO73kq2fMsxd2GW7aPXdJgmuL0iy9oGWnRFqB3DUVHz2RtAEIb2dhNeelbAPY8PV915pMgQvSU5MnkAmSrXLz9-zJ9dpwOu70MOFlWT2vn4/s2048/411721109_321585110847199_81751259322229462_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOU-rLgbrCR4Gu4ZiRdwm86Y8g8Kb_uzA_q90Lw9A6BTpn42-EFYEgMo8KpC5b6hFHL6FF4P9wc004GzSqO73kq2fMsxd2GW7aPXdJgmuL0iy9oGWnRFqB3DUVHz2RtAEIb2dhNeelbAPY8PV915pMgQvSU5MnkAmSrXLz9-zJ9dpwOu70MOFlWT2vn4/s320/411721109_321585110847199_81751259322229462_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7c5XjmemHTePpaFhGd6dLdhk2fVU09NJ1cmkoZ2ADV2yb2rlOy1rBM-1Al3DSD09sgmUMiXb_NHjov2YqfJcySHpiZo6Yefhv146erMeEip8nwz6-gyvesgGF3SDx-1VkDahIZjdaxf-TBAcW3Rg4eMqLpPbpMcYlmBqLwAHpR5gDPuGcqBhwJccrOs/s2048/411776976_321585377513839_1146954932958301534_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7c5XjmemHTePpaFhGd6dLdhk2fVU09NJ1cmkoZ2ADV2yb2rlOy1rBM-1Al3DSD09sgmUMiXb_NHjov2YqfJcySHpiZo6Yefhv146erMeEip8nwz6-gyvesgGF3SDx-1VkDahIZjdaxf-TBAcW3Rg4eMqLpPbpMcYlmBqLwAHpR5gDPuGcqBhwJccrOs/s320/411776976_321585377513839_1146954932958301534_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAkHYgHqZIea1EPjRD6cNhRPF3RwfmvjOArE1tEmkknFYlaAKUCnl8VGah-Xdd75r2S2UStmHnBCD-dri06hRKdI6Ao1dKNefaLhBc2j9etwQcZmz8aWBSTpkTTylAQYON8tURYBxzKpTVcjNaOKyeLx63urhVg3tQOjC_4o3b1MHaUFlst3MqNgriFxA/s2048/412030463_321584634180580_8566899478601632659_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAkHYgHqZIea1EPjRD6cNhRPF3RwfmvjOArE1tEmkknFYlaAKUCnl8VGah-Xdd75r2S2UStmHnBCD-dri06hRKdI6Ao1dKNefaLhBc2j9etwQcZmz8aWBSTpkTTylAQYON8tURYBxzKpTVcjNaOKyeLx63urhVg3tQOjC_4o3b1MHaUFlst3MqNgriFxA/w300-h400/412030463_321584634180580_8566899478601632659_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmfr12UfsafnTfK-Ueggh-yTNmIPq1lW2aAahm5oCLUOoWNX532BeNsqoWGN-Jw-fgm0Q3dfTaxZGD1wigb-XAovIc6RDmJieUcjo_Dr_DZn7FtxBaJh-_5zjMhRMqLYwxQSW2dQy053cyvaiE2C12qo2BTa1yd2uI2icGxokpk8jUhBYGqVzZoWWU1w/s2048/411778291_321584857513891_7296074073823688521_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmfr12UfsafnTfK-Ueggh-yTNmIPq1lW2aAahm5oCLUOoWNX532BeNsqoWGN-Jw-fgm0Q3dfTaxZGD1wigb-XAovIc6RDmJieUcjo_Dr_DZn7FtxBaJh-_5zjMhRMqLYwxQSW2dQy053cyvaiE2C12qo2BTa1yd2uI2icGxokpk8jUhBYGqVzZoWWU1w/w300-h400/411778291_321584857513891_7296074073823688521_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5BMsfbwQ4UCc3ZnJ7G6Od_ZgKLP2jTxDcjZR2TNgJ2HmJNbistgjYmTDvQ39LbhuhYroifvRu9Q1qTSHxGJcxxlLvrWyqv7goqaOR5c6G9P_zMA22swqzKLjk9EwZETkRd6r4H-Kt68shbkAO95OafM27uYuQl6MFaEp3h2DdcuZiZAMD7aMWVKGoKI/s2048/412030598_321587134180330_4063210867954641371_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5BMsfbwQ4UCc3ZnJ7G6Od_ZgKLP2jTxDcjZR2TNgJ2HmJNbistgjYmTDvQ39LbhuhYroifvRu9Q1qTSHxGJcxxlLvrWyqv7goqaOR5c6G9P_zMA22swqzKLjk9EwZETkRd6r4H-Kt68shbkAO95OafM27uYuQl6MFaEp3h2DdcuZiZAMD7aMWVKGoKI/w400-h300/412030598_321587134180330_4063210867954641371_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had dinner on the way home at the Cheesecake Factory in Fairfax - always a tasty time to be had at the Cheesecake Factory! We watched a little football on Saturday night and Sunday, after a lovely church service we headed to Hunter's Head Tavern for Sunday Brunch! The food was delicious as always but the service... well, perhaps they will work on that before we go again. *shrugs* </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRxBUvkqwDIAcFrqaJttoaO1qogvMv6ITpGdd1libgRUTdQ51wQVGuTUSnxO44HoLLczjrkixZL3XY0-ukhYi8XzrIyTnHc8AFjupOed1VFRQIO66z_M9yoinMU7FfhgBTStl4BPSHRzB9uw1azi5W3WKLoyuflt1TK-wjUF1x4URlUqmxE44B9eD2DY/s2048/411771180_321587510846959_7463994851194227004_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRxBUvkqwDIAcFrqaJttoaO1qogvMv6ITpGdd1libgRUTdQ51wQVGuTUSnxO44HoLLczjrkixZL3XY0-ukhYi8XzrIyTnHc8AFjupOed1VFRQIO66z_M9yoinMU7FfhgBTStl4BPSHRzB9uw1azi5W3WKLoyuflt1TK-wjUF1x4URlUqmxE44B9eD2DY/w400-h300/411771180_321587510846959_7463994851194227004_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp9JaX361WLrwZOVMasnOhHvin-eFoFEYRxn3KkklMlt3Z48PNbH_eof7HadHRbe0oE-BExKJhkm-j8HWcdrBa8wGVgs4vfBX6_6OaRDDXOXvBIaRvgG925aRGB3AXbbu6LfIKKO4Zg31ekcYKvThYTZtUFFbm0Q_T4X1g11R11-L7gMF4CjZR57Msgo/s2048/411771149_321587517513625_6450194341990531469_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp9JaX361WLrwZOVMasnOhHvin-eFoFEYRxn3KkklMlt3Z48PNbH_eof7HadHRbe0oE-BExKJhkm-j8HWcdrBa8wGVgs4vfBX6_6OaRDDXOXvBIaRvgG925aRGB3AXbbu6LfIKKO4Zg31ekcYKvThYTZtUFFbm0Q_T4X1g11R11-L7gMF4CjZR57Msgo/s320/411771149_321587517513625_6450194341990531469_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6LDwUMiR1IEajEfOh9aH-35rnCfp6W20hum96BN2NNiGBQ7BAzmGpjlDEekbvDj9Vm_seDmliXORhQQSEHT7HDQvt9ywpqLVUGnI4fVGaZU8vFBbD00vcxUu0t9xfFa2M-2c3yYYm3Ycbdi_dRUex5mGoZFjNAjhDPwPSVNTFvY3tusqpY16O8V6grQ/s2048/412027605_321587437513633_1266674491571689216_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6LDwUMiR1IEajEfOh9aH-35rnCfp6W20hum96BN2NNiGBQ7BAzmGpjlDEekbvDj9Vm_seDmliXORhQQSEHT7HDQvt9ywpqLVUGnI4fVGaZU8vFBbD00vcxUu0t9xfFa2M-2c3yYYm3Ycbdi_dRUex5mGoZFjNAjhDPwPSVNTFvY3tusqpY16O8V6grQ/s320/412027605_321587437513633_1266674491571689216_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We opened gifts and we were wildly blessed this year - as we are every year! Our stockings were stuffed and the gifts were lovely! We discussed earlier in the year with my parents and they agreed that we weren't really in need of "things" but we'd always be up for experiences - and they'd like if we could all take a big family trip every year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So - our main gift from my parents is that we will be taking a trip to Norway in 2024! We are so thrilled and cannot wait to explore the beauty and majesty of Norway next year! We are blessed indeed! </div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7933600139513689723.post-46037806113561247202023-12-15T11:34:00.000-08:002023-12-15T11:34:44.290-08:00Our Christmas Card <p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNAe1zNzoRD3hgOjat5odBU77-vqhZZkKGV4szU6xEVZAsjX-SZkcz-C7tf7x-tTisUqXfwUbgNjjV8MahMxpDz6NBHd2v_PjDRQht1HVA4ks16fYkgqdMbwbz9LF-ae-ek7MW2os31YU8Cp_-KfjsQbYDER3JS4123i_U-d6mwj_r5ipl-gLcvPqXL7E/s3565/Christmas%20Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3565" data-original-width="2571" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNAe1zNzoRD3hgOjat5odBU77-vqhZZkKGV4szU6xEVZAsjX-SZkcz-C7tf7x-tTisUqXfwUbgNjjV8MahMxpDz6NBHd2v_PjDRQht1HVA4ks16fYkgqdMbwbz9LF-ae-ek7MW2os31YU8Cp_-KfjsQbYDER3JS4123i_U-d6mwj_r5ipl-gLcvPqXL7E/w462-h640/Christmas%20Card.jpg" width="462" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Almost all of my Christmas cards are going out in the mail today - so I figured I'd share a virtual look at our card this year! I can't believe this is the third card that Ryan and I have made together; we are so blessed to have one another. 2023 was a year filled with ups and downs - more up than downs, thankfully and I pray our 2024 is filled with blessings. </div><br /><p></p>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10779520706246689282noreply@blogger.com0