Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Road Trip!
We're headed to Knoxville, TN this weekend for the UF-UT game! I've never been to an away game before...my goal is to not be nearly as obnoxious as some of the opposing team fans that come to Gainesville!
Friday, September 12, 2008
What to do with a free weekend??
So, the Gators do not have a game this week. We are having trouble deciding what to do with our free time! So many things we want to get done, so little time!
Jeff has promised to address a couple of items on is "honey-do" list and I have a lot of grocery shopping to catch up on. I'm hoping I have some time to go to the bead store, yarn store, or fabric store to do something creative! We're also hoping to get our tv issue resolved...we had to get a refund for "Phil" and are hoping to replace it with a "Sam" this weekend!
Hope you all have a good one. Since the Gators aren't playing tomorrow, I guess I'll be routing for USC tomorrow night (Ohio State is over-rated).
Jeff has promised to address a couple of items on is "honey-do" list and I have a lot of grocery shopping to catch up on. I'm hoping I have some time to go to the bead store, yarn store, or fabric store to do something creative! We're also hoping to get our tv issue resolved...we had to get a refund for "Phil" and are hoping to replace it with a "Sam" this weekend!
Hope you all have a good one. Since the Gators aren't playing tomorrow, I guess I'll be routing for USC tomorrow night (Ohio State is over-rated).
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Weekend Pics
Here are some fun pics from this weekend!
Lee Corso picking the Gators to win on ESPN's College Game Day...smart man (even if he is a Seminole).
Can you believe in 10 years I've never had my picture taken with Albert?
So, I had to do it twice!
Me and Ashley at the game
I love the Gators!!
Lee Corso picking the Gators to win on ESPN's College Game Day...smart man (even if he is a Seminole).
Can you believe in 10 years I've never had my picture taken with Albert?
So, I had to do it twice!
Me and Ashley at the game
I love the Gators!!
Monday, September 8, 2008
We're Siiiiick....
After a great Saturday--ESPN's College Game Day, a great football game, and some delicious Pokey sticks--Jeff and I are sick! I think this is the first time we've both been sick at the same time. We managed to go to church yesterday and then spent the rest of the day in bed. I pulled it together enough to make some Ramen noodles for dinner. We're both at work/school today but, boy do we feel hammered!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Something Fun About Jeff...
Jeff lovingly packs my lunch every morning. Everything always tastes as little bit better with a touch of love in it...even peanut butter and jelly! Thanks, love!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Last Day in France...Normandy!
Our last day in France we drove out to Normandy....a must-do if you go to Paris! Ashley, called it a pilgrimage and I would have to agree.
We rented a neat little European car. It took a little getting used to...we could not figure out how to put it in reverse to get out of the parking garage so, guess who had to push the car backwards while it was in neutral (thank goodness I work out!) and getting out of Paris was a little dicey...but, it was a good little car and our journey was a piece of cake once we hit the freeway!
We went to the museum in Caen first to see some war artifacts and a movie that reminded me of all of the D-day history I had forgotten. Sadly, much of what I could remember is from the movies. Then we drove out to the cemetery at Omaha beach. That really is an amazing place. It's so beautiful and peaceful...a fitting resting place for so many brave soldiers. Tears come easily there as we learned about the soldiers and the price they paid for freedom. I was proud to be one of the few Americans there! We walked through the memorial and down the hill to the beach. It was really cold but, I did put my feet in the other side of the Atlantic ocean!
We then drove a little further to Point du Hoc. This is the cliff that the marines had to scale with the mission to destroy the guns that could reach both Utah and Omaha beaches. There were many deep bomb craters left from the air attempts to get the guns and remenants of the German bunkers. We meandered back a ways and found where the marines actually found one of the guns that had been hidden. It was an amazing place to see.
We had a nice drive through the countryside as we made our way back to the freeway. It is incredibly beautiful and was so neat to see buildings here and there that had survived the war. It's just amazing that the French had the fortitude to rebuild after so much was destroyed. As we made our way back to Paris, we were able to see a double rainbow that was nearly a full arc. It was definitely something special...Heavenly Father really has a knack for beauty!
Our last meal in Paris was at Le Procope, the oldest cafe in Paris. It was frequented by Benjamin Franklin, Voltaire, and many other figures from the history books (or movies if you're sad like me). It was a real treat! I ordered the Salmon, "flora danica" style, which basically meant I got a marinated, raw filet of salmon. I was worried at first but, it was surprisingly delicious! The texture was a little wierd but, mixed with the salad that same with it...pretty tasty! There were two real highlights to our last meal...First, my fork slid off my plate and onto the floor not once, not twice, but yes, three times! I was great entertainment for the Spanish couple next to us and the waiter ended up bringing me two replacement forks on the third time. We were also entertained by the two escargo that the Spanish lady flipped over to us, "Pretty Woman"-style during their meal ("Slippery little suckers..."). Second, the creme brulee was to die for! Even if you don't go for dinner, dessert at Le Procope is a must!
We made our 24 hour journey back to the states the next day. I slept for four days to recover (thanks for the extra day off from Tropical Storm Fey). I am so grateful to have had such a great experience and wonderful memories with my sister. Next time, I'll have to bring Jeff along!
We rented a neat little European car. It took a little getting used to...we could not figure out how to put it in reverse to get out of the parking garage so, guess who had to push the car backwards while it was in neutral (thank goodness I work out!) and getting out of Paris was a little dicey...but, it was a good little car and our journey was a piece of cake once we hit the freeway!
We went to the museum in Caen first to see some war artifacts and a movie that reminded me of all of the D-day history I had forgotten. Sadly, much of what I could remember is from the movies. Then we drove out to the cemetery at Omaha beach. That really is an amazing place. It's so beautiful and peaceful...a fitting resting place for so many brave soldiers. Tears come easily there as we learned about the soldiers and the price they paid for freedom. I was proud to be one of the few Americans there! We walked through the memorial and down the hill to the beach. It was really cold but, I did put my feet in the other side of the Atlantic ocean!
We then drove a little further to Point du Hoc. This is the cliff that the marines had to scale with the mission to destroy the guns that could reach both Utah and Omaha beaches. There were many deep bomb craters left from the air attempts to get the guns and remenants of the German bunkers. We meandered back a ways and found where the marines actually found one of the guns that had been hidden. It was an amazing place to see.
We had a nice drive through the countryside as we made our way back to the freeway. It is incredibly beautiful and was so neat to see buildings here and there that had survived the war. It's just amazing that the French had the fortitude to rebuild after so much was destroyed. As we made our way back to Paris, we were able to see a double rainbow that was nearly a full arc. It was definitely something special...Heavenly Father really has a knack for beauty!
Our last meal in Paris was at Le Procope, the oldest cafe in Paris. It was frequented by Benjamin Franklin, Voltaire, and many other figures from the history books (or movies if you're sad like me). It was a real treat! I ordered the Salmon, "flora danica" style, which basically meant I got a marinated, raw filet of salmon. I was worried at first but, it was surprisingly delicious! The texture was a little wierd but, mixed with the salad that same with it...pretty tasty! There were two real highlights to our last meal...First, my fork slid off my plate and onto the floor not once, not twice, but yes, three times! I was great entertainment for the Spanish couple next to us and the waiter ended up bringing me two replacement forks on the third time. We were also entertained by the two escargo that the Spanish lady flipped over to us, "Pretty Woman"-style during their meal ("Slippery little suckers..."). Second, the creme brulee was to die for! Even if you don't go for dinner, dessert at Le Procope is a must!
We made our 24 hour journey back to the states the next day. I slept for four days to recover (thanks for the extra day off from Tropical Storm Fey). I am so grateful to have had such a great experience and wonderful memories with my sister. Next time, I'll have to bring Jeff along!
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Sunday, August 31, 2008
Paris, Day 4
Sorry for the hiatus in posting my Paris pictures! We've been enjoying the college football kickoff weekend (Go Gators!) and were able to spend a little bit of time with Chad, Janet & Violet (who is so cute!).
Our fourth day in Paris was spent at the Louvre. We found ourselves just as amazed at the building itself as we were with the treasures inside. So much to see, so easy to get lost! I particularly enjoyed the sculptures and was a little disappointed in their audio guides (too technologically advanced to really be useful). The museum was packed with people, making it really warm inside (the French haven't really got on board with the central AC-thing). We wandered into several areas that we did not intend to and really enjoyed seeing the off-the-beaten path pieces, with cooler temperatures, and a lot less people!
That evening we enjoyed a dinner cruise along the Seine. I don't have any of those pics (Ashley has them) but, it was very enjoyable! The food and live music were great. Although, we ordered the fillet mignon expecting beef and got pork instead...the waiter was kind enough to clue us in, "In France, fillet is pork." Oh...we thought they were pulling a fast one on us! It was a nice way to see the sites at night.
We went to bed early that night so that we'd be fresh and ready for our road trip to Normandy the next day!
Our fourth day in Paris was spent at the Louvre. We found ourselves just as amazed at the building itself as we were with the treasures inside. So much to see, so easy to get lost! I particularly enjoyed the sculptures and was a little disappointed in their audio guides (too technologically advanced to really be useful). The museum was packed with people, making it really warm inside (the French haven't really got on board with the central AC-thing). We wandered into several areas that we did not intend to and really enjoyed seeing the off-the-beaten path pieces, with cooler temperatures, and a lot less people!
That evening we enjoyed a dinner cruise along the Seine. I don't have any of those pics (Ashley has them) but, it was very enjoyable! The food and live music were great. Although, we ordered the fillet mignon expecting beef and got pork instead...the waiter was kind enough to clue us in, "In France, fillet is pork." Oh...we thought they were pulling a fast one on us! It was a nice way to see the sites at night.
We went to bed early that night so that we'd be fresh and ready for our road trip to Normandy the next day!
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Friday, August 29, 2008
Kickoff in 24 hours!!
I'll post our Day 4 Paris pics later today but, in the meantime, Gator football kickoff is in 24 hours! Whoopee!! It's officially my favorite time of year! GO GATORS!!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Paris, Day 3
Our third day in Paris was a Sunday, and so, we went to all of the churches!
We started at the Eglise du Dome, where Napoleon I is entombed. We really enjoyed this place. As you can see, it's just beautiful inside. It's definitely a must-see and was just a couple of blocks from our hotel.
Then we found our way to Notre Dame, where we walked through the inside of the cathedral (pretty cool that it was built in the 1300s...it's amazing what they could do back then) and then decided to climb to the top. The climb is definitely worth it. It's a windy, narrow, path to the first look-out. You essentially walk along the roof and can go see the big, Emmanuel, bell. However, just when you think you're headed back down, they usher up more stairs to the very top of the cathedral tower...and I thought the height of the Eiffel Tower was disconcerting! I was thinking even more about earthquakes up there! You basically walk along the very edge on a little path about a foot and a half wide with nothing but a little fence keeping you from plummeting to your death. The spaces are so tiny that I believe most people in the Southern states (as they all tend to be obese) couldn't make it around the corners! It was cool, but scary! We did our best Quasimoto impersonations and even saw a little lady that was sitting up there guarding the doorway that looked pretty Quasimoto-ish! I thought the "Hi, you look like Quasimoto can we take your picture" bit would be a little rude.
After a brief walk through the Latin Quarter and a delicious sandwich, we made our way to Sacre Coeur. This is a beautiful church on top of Montmarte. Another climb but, totally worth it. We happened to be there for a mass, which was really cool. I loved hearing the cute nun sing.
After the churches, we took the subway all over, popping up to see the Opera de Bastille and the Moulin Rouge. We had dinner in the Latin Quarter and caught a special presentation at Notre Dame on its history. Very interesting...
At the end of the day, we were pretty beat and Ashley's feet (and knee) had about had it! We needed a good night's rest before we hit the Louvre the next day!
We started at the Eglise du Dome, where Napoleon I is entombed. We really enjoyed this place. As you can see, it's just beautiful inside. It's definitely a must-see and was just a couple of blocks from our hotel.
Then we found our way to Notre Dame, where we walked through the inside of the cathedral (pretty cool that it was built in the 1300s...it's amazing what they could do back then) and then decided to climb to the top. The climb is definitely worth it. It's a windy, narrow, path to the first look-out. You essentially walk along the roof and can go see the big, Emmanuel, bell. However, just when you think you're headed back down, they usher up more stairs to the very top of the cathedral tower...and I thought the height of the Eiffel Tower was disconcerting! I was thinking even more about earthquakes up there! You basically walk along the very edge on a little path about a foot and a half wide with nothing but a little fence keeping you from plummeting to your death. The spaces are so tiny that I believe most people in the Southern states (as they all tend to be obese) couldn't make it around the corners! It was cool, but scary! We did our best Quasimoto impersonations and even saw a little lady that was sitting up there guarding the doorway that looked pretty Quasimoto-ish! I thought the "Hi, you look like Quasimoto can we take your picture" bit would be a little rude.
After a brief walk through the Latin Quarter and a delicious sandwich, we made our way to Sacre Coeur. This is a beautiful church on top of Montmarte. Another climb but, totally worth it. We happened to be there for a mass, which was really cool. I loved hearing the cute nun sing.
After the churches, we took the subway all over, popping up to see the Opera de Bastille and the Moulin Rouge. We had dinner in the Latin Quarter and caught a special presentation at Notre Dame on its history. Very interesting...
At the end of the day, we were pretty beat and Ashley's feet (and knee) had about had it! We needed a good night's rest before we hit the Louvre the next day!
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Monday, August 25, 2008
Paris, Day 2
While I loved each day in Paris, our second day at Versailles was definitely my favorite. It is an absolutely incredible place and we had such a great time driving around in our little golf cart, listening to our narrator and the lovely classical music that played as we drove. It was such a great way to see the grounds that a French couple tried to steal our cart while we were walking through one of the gardens! We're not sure in what country that's acceptable but, thankfully, we had our key!
We also climbed the Eiffel Tower that evening when we went back to the city. We thought we were in line for the elevators but, we quickly found ourselves climbing the 330 stairs to the first platform. It was here I realized that I have a little issue with heights...it was very disconcerting to see the ground and wonder...what if there was an earthquake!?! I held on to the handrails firmly all the way up.
We finished the day with a delicious dinner at a cafe near our hotel. I had the quiche, Ashley had the mussels, and we ordered the "cream cheese and strawberry sauce" for dessert. Surely, we thought, this would be like cheese cake...and then we thought, wouldn't it be funny if it were a block of cream cheese with jam on top? Alas, it was closer to the latter...a cup of really creamy cream cheese with a strawberry sauce on top. Funny and delicious all together. :-)
Enjoy some of our day 2 pics! Tomorrow, Day 3...the churches! (It was Sunday after all!)
P.S. A disclaimer about our hair...none of our usual hair tools worked in France. We had to rely on a vacuum-cleaner type hair dryer that wasn't worth its weight. I'm going to see what Photoshop can do to clean us up before I put these all in a scrapbook! Just know that we are not at the top of our game!
We also climbed the Eiffel Tower that evening when we went back to the city. We thought we were in line for the elevators but, we quickly found ourselves climbing the 330 stairs to the first platform. It was here I realized that I have a little issue with heights...it was very disconcerting to see the ground and wonder...what if there was an earthquake!?! I held on to the handrails firmly all the way up.
We finished the day with a delicious dinner at a cafe near our hotel. I had the quiche, Ashley had the mussels, and we ordered the "cream cheese and strawberry sauce" for dessert. Surely, we thought, this would be like cheese cake...and then we thought, wouldn't it be funny if it were a block of cream cheese with jam on top? Alas, it was closer to the latter...a cup of really creamy cream cheese with a strawberry sauce on top. Funny and delicious all together. :-)
Enjoy some of our day 2 pics! Tomorrow, Day 3...the churches! (It was Sunday after all!)
P.S. A disclaimer about our hair...none of our usual hair tools worked in France. We had to rely on a vacuum-cleaner type hair dryer that wasn't worth its weight. I'm going to see what Photoshop can do to clean us up before I put these all in a scrapbook! Just know that we are not at the top of our game!
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