NEW CONDO!!! July 2-6, 2010

Taylor went to his mom's on the 30th. We had ONE day in SF and headed to Huntington Beach to help Amy move out of her Tortuga condo - that she LOVED but needed to move to Dorado - same complex, one street over.

Dorado is also a 1 bedroom but has been upgraded in many ways. It has a LOFT!!! This means VISITORS are more comfortable!! Walk up the winding staircase and a large area awaits! Also, the bathroom downstairs has an access door from the living room, instead of the only access meant going through her bedroom!

Yes, after only one day home, we were off again! The things we do for love!! We left SF on Friday and stayed the night in Visalia with Dick's parents. We enjoyed a great dinner with them, David and Morri.

The next morning, Saturday, drove down to HB and surveyed the new condo. It was definitely 'turn-key' the way Dick likes. But, still, needed some TLC. We bought some supplies and got to work. We worked the rest of the day on Saturday and allll day long on Sunday, cleaning, painting, sweeping, mopping and bleaching some more.

We were invited to a BBQ on the beach with Amy's friend for the 4th of July (and really wanted to go) but had to pass since we were not finished. Instead we had a hot dog at Der Weinerschnitzel!! Can you believe that? hahahaha MOVING day was Monday morning. We had planned on leaving Monday afternoon so a lot had to be done!!

Her friends arrived and first thing on Monday morning and we ALL KICKED MAJOR BUTT!!! We hauled and walked all of her belongings down a few stairs out of her condo and up the many stairs to the new. We were SWEATING, huffing and puffing!! We don't get that much of a workout running 13 miles!!! DONE in about 3 hours!!

The end results? AMAZING!!! Amy is very happy on the top floor. She introduced herself to all of her neighbors and cannot believe she is in the SAME complex!! The eastside of this complex is the place to be!!

Here she is working to make it her own!!

While standing at the front door, you can see the stairway and loft area to the left

and computer workstation to the right.

Directly below is the bathroom door to the left, her bedroom to the back and the living room with the sliding glass door. Gabby liked it too! We made those wood floors SHINE with some Murphy's Oil Soap!!

The kitchen, BEFORE the new stove and microwave. Today she has a beautiful stainless microwave above a stainless stove. Yes, I painted the INTERIORS of ALL the cupboards! Cannot see, but it has beautiful dark granite countertops.

Of course, no trip through the Central Valley would be complete without stopping in and taking our granddaughter Kaelyn and parents out to dinner!!! Kaelyn turns 2 on August 23!

ALASKA!!!! July 8 - 17, 2010

So, ever think/dream of a cruise to Alaska? We have! I can clearly recall, thinking as a child it would be the ULTIMATE - something you dream BIG about. In fact, I can remember a childhood game, filling out a chart with 'Number of Children', 'Husbands Name' and 'Dream Vacation/Honeymoon..... EVERY TIME - mine was a cruise to Alaska. Hey, maybe THOSE THINGS WORK!!! This part came true for me!! Dick and I thought - yea, SOMEDAY, maybe we can cruise to Alaska.....

About 6 months ago, David and Janet Hawkins - college friends of Dick - called and said, "You know, we've been thinking about a cruise to Alaska and would LOVE if you joined us!" How can you say no to that? Dave's sister and brother-in-law have been twice and highly recommended the Celebrity Cruise Line. We searched online and found a 7 day, departing Vancouver on July 9 and returning the 16. THAT would work!

Yea, we felt we were JUST getting back from the East Coast trip with Taylor, and that in itself would be ENOUGH of a vacation. I'd never been on a cruise before, but was hoping it was as relaxing and glorious as people told me it was. Dick had been on three other cruises so he had more knowledge and he kept saying, "All I know is that it'll be great when someone else is doing the driving and taking care of all of the details!"

Making the reservation is weird because EVERYTHING is through the website - it made me a little nervous. I would often call and speak to an agent to double check status on certain items. We were told, because this is an "Inside Passage" cruise to Alaska, ANY cabin level would be fine since there shouldn't be much open water and swaying of the ship. We decided to take the 2nd level, outside cabin with a nice porthole window. Then came the excursions!! Sooo many to choose from and pretty pricey!!! Yes, this is a trip of a lifetime and you just have to pull the trigger and DO THEM. But, at the same time, we really wanted this trip to be a LOW KEY 7 days! We signed up for two excursions - 1) a Bike, Glacier view and Brewery visit and 2) a 3 mile hike up and river rafting down.

On Thursday, June 8 Dave and Janet drove up from Porterville. We set our alarm for 2:15 a.m. so we were ready when the Super Shuttle bus arrived at 3:00 a.m. Our flight out of SF was 6:00 a.m.! Ugghh....when making the flight arrangements, the cruise line did not want to take any chances on flight delays so better to be early than to be late!! We were all excited anyway and ready to start this party!

DAY 1

In our cabin, looking out over Vancouver, B.C and the Cruise Ship Terminal!

Departing Day has arrived!!

Our mini oasis! (mirrors on the left wall)

Large window! Vanity on the left and couch on the right.

Had to pay extra for the man in the room! He was worth it! ;-)

This little guy sat here and got a free ride for quite awhile as we made our departure.

First night Happy Hour!! Loved this spot at the back of the ship, sipping wine,

enjoying the Pupu's and watching the wilderness.

Dick found the Pupus!! Oh MY! It is 5:30 p.m., our dinner sitting wasn't until 8:30 p.m.

Just a little something to hold us over! hahaha

Every detail in food preparation!

Lots of Kodak moments!

Good-bye crazy world! We are entering our bubble for the week!

Then, at dinner time! Oh my!! Where is my Etiquette book?

Oh yea, 'outside in' or wait was that 'inside out?' LOL!

And it is just the beginning of many happy days ahead! I look back at these photos now....each and every one of them have a story! Definitely a once in a lifetime kind of vacation. If you every thought, perhaps one day.... DO IT! Do not hesitate!!! I remember thinking, "Is this really happening? Am I really on a beautiful cruise ship with my husband? Seriously, 'So somewhere in my youth or childhood, I've must have done something good!" There were many moments in the weak to come when I was overwhelmed with emotion - thankfulness, love, appreciation, respect, goodness, companionship and in complete awe of our surroundings and living in each moment. I also thank God for giving us loving and caring friends to enjoy it all with! I especially thank Him for this opportunity.... to be removed from the hustle and bustle of our busy lives and settle into the goodness of His glory and truly profound beauty!

Stay tuned, there is more to come!

Day 13 - Depart Williamsburg and fly out of Dulles Airport

Today is Tuesday, June 29, 2010.

We've spent the past 12 days traveling from Boston to Williamsburg. We put 1300 miles on our rental car driving from city to city. Traveling with an 11 year old is usually pretty challenging at times. NOT with this boy! Taylor definitely is the boy to take on trips!! He NEVER once complained "Are we there yet?", "I'm hungry!" or "I'm tired." We worked this guy EVERYDAY from morning til night!! He LOVES history and learning about new things. I know I complained more about my feet hurting than anyone else. Most nights I gave myself a hot foot bath and pampered them. I had good walking shoes but still, its a lot of walking nevertheless!!

We felt so blessed to be able to make such a trip and have everything work out. When we arrived at hotels early, we were able to check in, no mishaps, everyone stayed healthy and happy. We learned a lot about each other. We had good, quality time together, enjoying lots of laughs, and unforgettable adventures. We continued to pray each day that God watched over us and kept us all healthy and safe. Thank you God!!

On our shuttle bus ride home, I made the comment, "I don't FEEL like I've been living out of a suitcase for 12 days!" I felt fresh and relaxed! The last two days in Williamsburg was nice because we were in our hotel before 8 pm instead of 10 or 11 pm. It was a MUCH slower pace, we ate good food, not FAST FOOD and really enjoyed the company of each other.

This trip came in our radar because 1) Dick made a similar trip with his parents the summer before 7th grade 2) Taylor JUST studied about the Colonial Days in 5th grade last year. It was all perfect timing. During the trip, Taylor would say, "This is the BEST vacation I've ever had!"

Followed by, "Dad, we are studying Egypt next year. Can we go to Egypt next summer?" OH MY!!

Stay tuned!!

Day 11 and 12 - Leaving D.C., Mt. Vernon and Williamsburg

While our stay in Silver Spring was accommodating, in retrospect, we could have stayed in Washington D.C to get a better feel for this area. Taking the subway in for the four days was time-consuming but at the same time, always eventful!

Another stop, not really planned, but decided we'd better add it to our Colonial Days Vacation and we are so glad we did!! We traveled over to Mt. Vernon! It is well preserved and tells the story of another amazing man in history. We LOVE George and have the upmost respect for his character and how he formed our nation.

Ah, the green of this area!

Mt. Vernon - George and Martha's home!

Nice big yard eh?

Front

The well manicured lawns!!

We were early for our scheduled tour time so we just sat on the chairs on the back porch, over looking the Potomac River and enjoyed the warm afternoon. Only thing missing was my glass of lemonade!

At one time, many wanted George buried in the State Capitol Rotunda. He was placed there for awhile then he was moved back to Mt. Vernon. His final resting place along with Martha.

"I am the resurrection, and the life: He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." John 11:25-26

The next 3 words in the Bible are: "Believest thou this?" I would have liked to see the last three words on the plaque too but Dick says, "They must have ran out of space." ;-)

We read many signs the importance and influence church had when forming our country. We were saddened to measure it against what our country is facing today.

After driving 2 1/2 hours, we arrived in Williamsburg in the later afternoon. The town was closing so we drove around the College of William and Mary - SECOND oldest university - first of course being Harvard!

We found a nice restaurant for dinner - The Yorkshire - and enjoyed a quiet atmosphere and really really good food!! AND, they had a REAL wine list!!! YEAH!! We enjoyed one of our favorite Napa wines and I was HAPPY!! I guess I am a little bit of a wine snob - darn you Napa for spoiling me!! Our waitress was from Williamsburg and only left ONCE in her life - for her honeymoon 10 years prior - to Hawaii. She'd never been to California - just to switch planes. Kind of put things in perspective for Taylor - this was a pretty special vacation and we were so blessed!

After dinner, we had a relaxing evening, watching baseball in our room.

The next morning we were devoting to the city of Colonial Williamsburg - the capitol of the colonies when the colonies were under British rule. We found it to be a nice, slower paced attraction. Everyone is in period costume and would tell stories and behave as if they were currently living in Colonial Times. This is the artillery building.

These guys were misbehaving so I locked them up! It's only about 100 degrees outside!

After spending all day in the hot sun, we headed back to our hotel - we stayed at another Marriott and were very happy - cleaned up and decided what was for dinner. Since it was Father's Day WEEK and our LAST meal, we let Dick decide. In full Dick Nash style, he chose.......The Yorkshire again. His reasoning? Why try something new and unknown when we KNOW we all enjoyed our dinner the night before? So, we asked for our SAME waitress and enjoyed ANOTHER meal. Everyone chose something different than the night before. I chose the crab stuffed trout!!

I liked it! And was too full to eat the rice and beans.

Day 10 - Last day in Washington D.C

Another night of 9 hours of sleep and we were OFF!! Grabbed some breakfast and jumped on the subway. Taylor - aka our personal photographer - was on the move - snapping pics!!

Our first stop today - Fords Theatre - where Abraham Lincoln was shot. It is NOT ALL original. The building has been used as different functions through the years. Thankfully, it has been restored close to the original. We took the tour and was told the story of his last day on Earth as we all sat in the theatre and envisioned this very sad day in history.

This is the front of the building.

This is pretty much what the theatre looked like the night of April 14, 1865. He was sitting in the box decorated with flags. He died 9 hours later at 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865, across the street from the theatre. We were also able to tour the Peterson house where he died.

National Archives! Again, no photos allowed but I have to say, looking at The Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and The Constitution were pretty special! There was quite a wait in line to view these pieces. There were armed guards in a circular, roped off area. We hold these items in high regard!

National Archives building

There are just soooooooo many museums! Each FREE to us all!! I thought they should charge everyone $1 and our nation would be out of debt within the month!! I still need to write my letter. It is special we have all of this FREE for all to view.... but come on!!! The Smithsonian Museum of American History was fun - they save EVERYTHING!!

I especially enjoyed the inaugural gowns, purse and shoes worn by the First Lady's! I could not get a good photo with my camera but they were all very well displayed. It really gave a feel for the size of these women! Barbara Bush was a lot of woman!!

I wanted to see the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz but the line was an hour and a half long! Oh well, next time.

I did get to see Julia Child's kitchen though!!

Just like at the end of the movie - Julie and Julia!

Our last thing to find was the second highest lookout point in the area. While researching online the months before our trip, I discovered what people refer to as a little unknown secret.....when you cannot get a ticket to Washington Memorial - shown in the pic below - go to the bell tower of the US Post Office at no cost and NO LINES!! They were reconstructing some of the area so our views were a little restricted but I was able to get this shot!

Now it is about 4:00 pm and we were thinking about heading back to the hotel but Dick really wanted to show us the "old school" city of Georgetown. We decided to take the detour and hop on the subway. We walked about 1.5 miles from the subway over to the downtown area. Next time, we are staying HERE!! It is beautiful with high end shops on the main street - similar to Chestnut here in SF, and college town atmosphere!!

We ended up in front of 'The Guards' restaurant. We peeked into the window....linen tablecloth, nice glassware on the table, steak on the menu - fits our bill!! We later learned it was established in 1966 and a favorite of Frank Sinatra when he was in town. We'll always remember this restaurant. Taylor LOVES ribs. If they are on the menu, he will order them every time. When it was his time to order at The Guards, he ordered Prime Rib. We did not think any thing about it. Then, when it was served, he said, "Oh, I thought I was ordering RIBS!!" We just assumed he knew what PRIME rib was! hahahah! He does not!! He could not eat all of it so Dick and I helped him. It was probably THEEEEE best Prime Rib we'd ever had!

We walked around the downtown area, hopped on a city bus to take us back to the subway, then on to our hotel to pack up our time in D.C. We'll be back! There was soooo much to explore!! I was surprised 4 days wasn't long enough.

The weather was hot and humid, but thankfully, we left before the BIG heat wave arrived a few days later.

Downtown Georgetown

Day 9 - Washington D.C and dinner with Laura and Peter!

After 9 hours of sleep, we woke up ready to roll!! We were settling into this vacation mode, in a very good, relaxed way! Getting a good 9 hours of sleep is always a good start to ANY day!!

About 3 months prior to our trip, we went online to get our tickets to Capitol and White House. Well, I guess for the White House you need a 6 month in advance notice and we were unable to get those. Thankfully, we got a response from the Capitol and the tickets arrived prior to our departure.

You can still get a ticket the day of visiting, our tickte just cuts down on the lines to stand in and gets a private tour with a docent. Again, had the bags checked with high security. We decided to forego the personalized tour and join everyone else. It was a beautiful day!!

Inside, the Rotunda! Amazing! Talk about HISTORY!

Everything has a purpose and meaning behind the placement.

They say pictures say a thousand words.....not this....The Rotunda is beautiful. This is looking UP toward the ceiling!! Impractical, but beautiful! It creates an echo/lack of privacy effect. They moved this meeting place, to another room in the building. But, still, so pretty!

United States Supreme Court - couldn't go inside. But a beautiful building!

We toured the Library of Congress. This is where Dick did his research for the Heritage Foundation in 1987. No photos allowed inside.

We took a look around the Air and Space Museum. The artifacts are NUMEROUS!! Thankful these special, unique pieces are guarded and preserved for future generations!

I enjoyed Neil Armstrong's space suit and stuff!

Since my niece Laura has the privilege to LIVE in Bethesda, MD. Wikipedia that town!! It is beautiful and such a unique city! We were able to meet up with her and Peter, her boyfriend for dinner. We shared so much about HER childhood and the importance of the roll I played in HER life! It was very touching and a pleasure to spend the evening with these VERY busy, hard working 'kids'. It did my heart good! Laura graduated from Point Loma with her RN degree and is an officer in the Navy - working at the Naval hospital in Bethesda. Her boyfriend, a graduate of Annapolis, and just finished his first year of Medical School and from San Diego. A very lovely couple and we are so proud of them, and happy they've found each other! Good Luck to you both!!