The night the 'Best in the World' got better...

After nearly 9 years of blood, sweat, and tears (literally)...and broken noses, ribs, bum knees, expensive knee braces, replacement knee braces, nights with ice packs, trips to the chiropractor, etc., Apoc is the PCW Heavy Weight Champion!!

The Big 3-4

California - check!

Thanks to some great birthday presents from my friend Jess and Dennis' mom & aunt, we boarded a SWA flight for San Diego to celebrate D's birthday!

When we arrived in SAN, and boarded the hotel shuttle for the quick trip to our hotel. As we turned the corner and saw the Hampton in the distance, you couldn't help but notice 'The World Famous' Body Shop...who can name the band/song!?!? I let D take a quick peek...from 200 yards away!

Friday morning we found our way to Old Town and jumped on the Old Town Trolley tour! It was a great ride through San Diego and across the bridge to Coronado (expensive!!) Island. We rode the trolley all the way to the San Diego Zoo, where we got off and toured around this famous landmark for several hours...so many great animals to see!! We ended the day back in Old Town at a fabulous mexican resturant for dinner, YUMMY!!

Saturday we were up and out early again, this time to figure out the public bus system (voted best public transportation in the nation in 2008!). We were off to Sea World!! We caught all the shows; Shamu, the sea lions, and even a preformance by hundreds of household pets!

We found our way back down to Seaport Village for a great seafood dinner at the Harbor House, and then finished off the night at a famous little restaurant/bar, Kansas City Barbeque...can you name the movie??? Maybe these picture clues will help...

San Diego was great! People were so nice, the weather was wonderful, and the hotel bed was comfy!

Hope you had a great birthday babe!

Celebrating 3 years...

My oh my, where has the time gone?

When we got married we thought it would be fun to try and celebrate our anniversary in a different state for as many years as possible. We've made it to our 3rd anniversary, and thus, or 3rd state! This year we road-tripped to Hot Springs, Arkansas. A quaint little town, with lots of history.

The Arlington Hotel...we enjoyed two very relaxing afternoons at the pool, a yummy seafood buffet dinner, and of course, our mineral baths and massages!

After lunch at Bubba-Lous, complete with chocolate malts, we spent Saturday walking up and down the main drag, touring the historic bath houses, some of which have been turned into museums.

Saturday night we splurged on a fabulous dinner at The Porterhouse! We started things off with giant, delicious crab cakes, and then both enjoyed wonderful steak plates!

Can't wait to see what year #4 has in store for us!

The Sox visit Arlington...

A fellow Parks and Recreation colleague was diagnosed with terminal cancer earlier this year, so in an effort to help his family we all purchased pairs of his season tickets to the Texas Rangers. Of course, we had to pick a game when the Red Sox were in town! Mom, Dad, and Sar ended up finding tickets the day before the game, and joined us for a fun night!

Sanderling

This is the nice little beach bungalow we're so lucky to stay in while we're in Cape May!

My own paradise...

CAPE MAY!

Every year, somewhere around the second week of July we say our goodbyes to family and the countdown begins to next year's reunion. This year, the reunion started July 1, and the party continued for 10 glorious days!


We had gorgeous weather, the kind that made me bring an umbrella to the beach a couple of days to prevent getting burned and having to stay away from the sand and surf for a day. The water temp was heavenly, warmer than we'd felt in years, and the ocean bottom was clear of sharp shells and pebbles...to sum it all up...PERFECT.


For those that don't know, Cape May is a lovely little victorian shore town located on the southern most tip of New Jersey. I have vacationed here every summer of my life, my dad, ever summer of his, and so on. But more than the location, it's the people we visit here that I love so much! My grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends...there isn't a group of 15+ folks I'd rather share a house with!


There are always tears when the goodbye hugs start, more from me than most! This year, 4 hours later on the plane ride home, with watery eyes, I was finally able to explain to Dennis why it makes me so sad to leave. Ten days is never enough! It's nothing new, to live so far away from my family, but it never gets easier!



And so the countdown is on for next year's trip...roughly 338 days to go!

First Timer

Alright. I admit it, I'm an avid blog reader! I figured it was time for me to try my luck as a blog writer. Here we go...