Vacationing is great but ...there's no place like home!

Scott & I went to Negril, Jamaica for our 25th wedding anniversary.  

(Tho our anniversary really isn't til Sept. 22 we had to go when we could).

We left Monday afternoon for Chicago.  The bad thing is I hurt my back cleaning the house before we left.  I was in such pain on the drive up, I couldn't move.  By the time we arrived at our hotel in Chicago I could barely move.  We went to a walmart and bought a heating pad in hopes it would help.  I couldn't believe it.  The last time I hurt my back like that I had to get a shot of pain med and take oral pain meds.  But I didn't have any of that!  So I had to grin and bear it.

Anyways, on Tuesday we had to be at the airport like 4 am because our flight left so early.  I really don't like to fly and now I have this back pain....this was not going to be good.  Our flight was delayed by an hour and half.  Not bad I guess.  We had a couple hour delay in Charlotte North Carolina anyways, so that just took some of that time away. 

 (or so we think).

We finally arrive in Charlotte.  While in the airport we notice this family of three boys and parents.  I'm like please don't let them be sitting by us.  Well, needless to say we had these little bratty boys sitting behind us with their dad (who did not make them behave).  These boys kicked my seat the entire the entire 3 hour flight.  Not to mention the hour delay we had while sitting in the plane waiting for take off!  Ugh.  This vacation is not starting too well.  But I refuse to let it ruin any of it.

We arrive in Jamaica Tuesday afternoon.  We then have an hour and a half drive to our resort from the airport.  But it didn't seem that long because I fell asleep. (ha)

We love our resort.  Our room is right by the beach, close to the restaurant, just perfect. (granted it's not the ritz but we knew that when we booked it, we wanted quaint not luxury)

The weather is warm, sunny, and beautiful.  We lounged on the beach, walked the beach, floated in the ocean.  Oh, I can just picture it. 

 (Boy, do I wish I was there again).

We really enjoyed ourselves even tho we did get sunburned and are still peeling!!

It was a very enjoyable time and I'm so glad and thankful that my wonderful husband took me away for a whole week. 

 (I will say tho that by the last day, I was missing my family back home and realized that I really like living by my parents, having my girls at home with us, and even missed my silly dog).

Vacations are nice but there really is no place like home!

Thank you to my fabulous husband!!  I love you!!!

p.s.  I'll add pictures soon!

One trip down, three to go!

Kentucky trip:

We left sunday, April 26th for Lexington Kentucky.  Dad had a convention thing to attend so us girls, (mom, sister & myself) entertained ourselves.

  Monday the weather was absolutely beautiful.  We visited a shaker village which was really interesting.  They don't believe in marriage...everyones  considered brothers and sisters.  Anyways, we ate their famous lemon pie. YUK! can I say it again.?.YUK!  And the portions of food at this restaurant was hilarious.  They were extremely small.  But overall the whole shaker experience was very interesting. 

 From there we went to Old Friends Horse Farm.  This is a farm for retired race horses.  It was very interesting and those horses were beautiful.  One horse was actually saved from the slaughter house because of this farm. The below picture on the left is the horse that was saved.  He is blind and deaf.  The other picture is a race horse that looked like he was posing for the picture. ha.

Tuesday we spent the day shopping.  My sister was trying to find a dress.  We were not successful.  Oh well, she has time to find one around here.  We went to a micro brewery in Lexington.  That was really interesting.

Wednesday, we went looking for scrapbooking stores.  We drove a half an hour for one and then it wasn't open.  They had really weird hours.  Bummer.  And the other one was obviously just a online servious.  We eventually just spent the rest of the day looking at stores at the Lexington Center while dad was at his meeting cuz he was tired and wasn't going to be too long.  Then we spent the evening scrapping, because we had brought our stuff with us to work on our albums.  Very productive evening.

We did go to one Scrapbooking store in Lexington on either Sunday or monday I can't remember.

Thursday we headed home. Thank God for GPS it made the trip so much easier to navigate around.  We came home a different way, using the GPS, we headed to a scrapbooking store.  We spent an hour there before getting back on the road for home.  The usual 51/2 to 6 hour trip is always longer with dad because he has potty breaks every hour (which I don't mind, cuz I go too.  haha)

All in all it was an enjoyable trip.  

We had mostly nice weather, dad did fine sleeping, we were able to scrap, shop, eat and explore.

Thanks mom and dad for letting me go

Follow up to Travel or not to Travel blog

Well, it's been awhile since I've blogged.  Alot of plans are falling into place now.

Decisions have been made, prayers have been answered.

In my other blog alot was up in the air about where I was going to be able to go so here's what's happened since then.

Mom, dad, Sandy, and myself leave for Lexington, Kentucky on Sunday April 26th until Wednesday April 29th.  Not sure what we are going to do while dad's at his convention thing, but we'll probably hit the scrapbooking store there in Lexington.  

Scott & I are going on a trip for our 25th anniversary!!!!  We leave tues. May 12th and return tues. May 19th.  We are going to Negril, Jamaica.  Sun, here I come!!  Our anniversary really isn't until Sept. but we wanted to avoid hurricane season.  Start praying now for safety, etc.  (I hate flying!)

Then July 11th- 18th, Liz and I are going to Grenada with our church youth group on a mission trip.  Please pray for all the funds to come in for this trip.  We have to contribute so much and raise the rest by sending out support letters. It's expensive: $1600 each but I know it's nothing to the Lord.

Then August 3rd thru the 7th, Jenn, my mom, my Aunt Judy and myself are flying to Port Jefferson, Long Island for my cousin, Jeni's wedding on the 6th.  We are totally excited!!! Jenn has been searching on line for things to do in New York.  She's gotten books from the library.  She's even making a cd of music with songs about New York to get us all thinking about the trip!! haha.

So everything I wanted to do this year is coming true!  Well, almost Jenn keeps saying we need to go to Disneyworld in December. Ha.  I think it will have to wait!

Well, those are the plans.  I've been working extra hours trying to save for the different trips.  The Lord has been answering my prayers for the extra hours. PTL.

Thanks for praying! Keep it up.

What's in a name?

What's in a name?  I think alot.  My daughter just told me she changed her facebook name to Jenn Kelso instead of Jennifer Kelso.  I told her I had noticed.  I asked her why?  Her response was that noone really calls her Jennifer.  Then she added, well, except me, except sometimes Luke, sometimes Whitney, ....

So actually people do use her name.  It's a pretty name.  A name that was given alot of thought.  We had originally named her Jennifer so that we could call her Jenny, but then when we saw her we just couldn't do it.  She was Jennifer.  Our beautiful baby girl, Jennifer Kathleen.  Oh, don't get me wrong, we do call her Jenn.  But just never had her identified like that on facebook or whatever.

Our other daughter is Elizabeth.  It was always Elizabeth. or even Eliz, but never, never Liz or Lizzie.  Well, not anymore.  For some reason she's just Liz.  How odd that we let that happen.  She too has a beautiful name...Elizabeth Kristine.  

But I guess it doesn't change who they are, it doesn't change our love for them.  I guess they are still our beautiful baby girls whether they shorten their names or not.

So what is in a name?  Whether it's Jenn or Liz  ...it's still them.  The fun loving christian girls the Lord gave us,  God's special gifts to us.

to travel or not to travel

It's been awhile since I've blogged.  Sorry about that.  But I've been busy.

I went with my parents and my sister to St. Louis, Missouri.  We had a marvelous time.  While dad was at his convention thing, us girls had some girl time.  Sandy got her hair cut and highlighted at a shop in the mall. (brave girl!)  Then all three of us had our face done at Sephora's.  (My new favorite place).  Oh, before that I had my cartlidge pierced, (something I've always wanted to do!, thanks mom).  It was just a fun time.  We went to several scrapbooking stores which was the original goal we had planned on, not all the makeover stuff.  But hey, we're flexible.

Now my travel plans are starting to really mount up.  I may go with my parents and sister to Lexington, Kentucky in April. (Dad has a convention thing there, we drive him there and then shop).

Then in July, I may go with Liz and the youth group on a mission trip to Grenada....I need prayer on this!  It would take a bit of money!!  Not that God isn't able to provide it.  But it'll be over $1000 each for Liz & I to go.  Pray!!

Then in August, my mom wants to go to my cousin Jeni's wedding in New York.  I really want to go!!  So we are checking on flight plans but we'd have to be making arrangements soon so we get a good price.

The one thing I'm really bummed about is Scott & I's 25th anniversary plans have been put on hold.  He doesn't think we'll be able to go because of his work.  (I think that happened on our 20th too).    He's suppose to take me to a beach...out of the country.  He keeps threatening me with the fact that the Illinois river has a beach.  HaHa. YUK!  I think not!

So needless to say I need alot of prayer.  Safety, financially, health...

well, I'll keep you all posted on the travel plans.

Video that should be life changing

Check out the video listed on the column to the left of this post, under  LINKS

It's  awesome.   

Winners!

I sent my mom & dad the following e-mail:

You are winners!!

Just because you are such fun and exciting people you've been chosen to host an overnighter.

A special guest will be yours to entertain late monday night and all day tuesday!

Arrival time will be determined later.

But aren't you excited!

No special treatment is expected, you don't have to roll out the red carpet, or blow up balloons, just have a warm fire and hot chocolate ready.

You can request not to have the guest but expect tears and screams of disappointment.

If you choose to deny this guest please do so by e-mail so the disappointment won't be as devastating.

Read the fine print:

please supply food, bedding, tv, phone service, computer and hugs.

guest may cancel at anytime due to travel arrangements.

She responded by e-mail saying they would accept the guest.

Then I had to e-mail again saying that they were extra lucky because they were actually getting two guests. 

Jenn & I were going to go over after working out at the gym to spend the night.

When we pulled into the driveway, we looked and there was a note on the door saying:  

Closed due to illness.

It was too funny!

We went in anyways, obviously.  Then my mom was telling me how she told my dad by reading him the e-mail.  She hadn't told him who it was from so when she was reading the e-mail saying they were winners, he said just throw it away because they get contest winner e-mails all the time.  TOO FUNNY! She then told him it was us.

We stayed up way too late as we usually do when we are there, but it's always worth it.

But I did learn that next time I'm leaving Jenn at home.  I get more attention when she's not there. haha. We wanted two different things for breakfast, my mom ended making Jenn's and I had to make my own.  (totally not fair! haha)  

Jenn said I was the booby prize and she was the grand prize. NOT!

It was still fun, being lazy in my pj's, helping mom organize her scrapbooking room, hanging with the parents who would have thunk it.

oh, did I mention she made us watch the inauguration all day because after all it was "history in the making." (Well, we did watch some of it but not all, I think dad slept thru most of it)

thanks mom & dad for letting us come over and just hang out.

Love ya both!

Susan