Florida or BUST Part I; On the Road

Florida Trip

Vacation 2015

We started out at 4:46pm on that Friday afternoon making our way South....

Only after about an hour and a 1/2 or so we were in Pennsylvania......

Everyone was still pretty cheerful at the PA welcoming center.... even Gavin gave a little smile.

(Do you see the snow on the ground?) At one point I fell asleep and Mark was driving in a blizzard. PA was the longest state to drive both there and back...oh why oh why do you take so long to cross PA??? I missed a  few of the signs going down due to driving and the boys sleeping...but we went through Maryland....

West Virginia and Virginia...

North Carolina and......

Somewhere around 4am we hit South of the Border....

Enjoying Pedro...

A quick stretch, a bathroom break and a gas fill we we back on the road running down RT 91 in South Carolina.

We found an unfamiliar eatery which became my son's all time favorite, a Waffle House restaurant and had a much needed food and coffee break.

 Bring on the COFFEE!!!

 ...and just get a look at the food...

 Gavin was in his glory.

Can you BELIEVE these Waffles???

 After filling up with breakfast food we were back on the road again...next state just ahead is Georgia.....Mark takes a much needed nap..

 We start to see Palm TREES.....can you feel the excitement?

 Passing the Georgia signs...

 Stopping to get a pic with Georgia...Gavin looking less enthused.

Of course there was Scarlet to remind us of Everything SOUTH. I simply LOVE this movie...

I think this was a Gavin shot....

and finally.....just about 18 hours later...

The looks I got from Gavin were not from a child happy to be in Florida....18 hours in a car can make anyone grumpy...

I on the other hand was THRILLED!!!

We had lunch and the birds were interested in what we were eating.

Just because we were in Florida didn't mean we were at our destination.....back on the road heading to Daytona....

 Quick....get a flash pass of Jacksonville.....

Then we were again on our way....
Daytona Beach here we come,...

Passport to Health: Spain

Passport to Spain
Double Tree Hotel
Syracuse, NY
March 12th 2015

Mary, Tammy and I have been trying to attend these FREE fun Health pumps hosted by Crouse Hospital through the Spirit of Women since last year and tonight was the last one...let us travel to SPAIN.

There is always some food generally healthy and most often a reflection of the themed culture. YUM! This time we also got to visit with some of my co workers; Melanie and AnnMarie. (Pictured below).

Mary got some Reiki massage

and Annemarie got a surprise by this silly but fun massage.

There was a featured presenter and these are always informative. The topic this evening was on the heart.

There are prizes at the end, but we never win.....bummer. We didn't win the big prize either, but its simply a nice evening out with the girls. Next event to be announced, but they are offering a healthy women's Day of the Dance in April. I will definitely be there.

Oswego Alumni at The Crunch and Crafting with the ladies.....

March 6th 2015
Onondaga County War Memorial
Crunch Game: Oswego Alumni
March 7th 2015
Crafting with the Ladies; Kate's house.

I am a graduate of Oswego State University and had signed up as part of the Alumni participants to attend an evening at the Syracuse Crunch. The Alumni had seats together, the mascot came to visit several times during the game, we got small pendants, and were announced during the game. Sounds much more exciting then it was and the Crunch lost.
I know, I sound like a grouch. I did meet up with a co-worker (Nicole)who had also graduated from Oswego so that was nice, but I didn't know any of the other alumni and I guess I had hoped for more considering we came as special guests to the game. Perhaps if I had more allegiance to Oswego I might have more of a lure to be involved with the alumni. I attended Oswego in Grad school. My engagement and school life consisted of 2 classes a week at most skipping the spring semester (I hated the winter commutes and it was so terrifying driving after my first attempt I decided no more classes spring semester.) I really don't consider myself a fellow alumni with that kind of commitment to the school. I don't even think I ever purchased any items labeled Oswego until I picked up a sweatshirt at a garage sale a few years ago for $3-. So my blah attitude about the event may have something to do with this. At any rate,...we did enjoy the hockey game. That is always fun no matter who you are with.
That Saturday I spent some time with the girls at Kate's house crafting.

Sandy....

Johnnie-Lyn

Christine

Kate

Lynne

Judy

And...just look at that YUMMY lunch. I just love that I am so blessed to have these amazing wonderful talented fun loving dear friends. The fact that they seem to enjoy me too makes it even better!!!! What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon...good friends, good food and lots of CRAFTING.

Little boy Blue...

Kate's Baby Shower
Auburn, NY
Feb. 21, 2015

My girlfriend Kelly's family has always been like part of my own family, Her younger sister Katie was only 8 years old when I met her but she is all grown up and having her second child, She invited me to her baby shower although her sister, Kelly was still in Florida at the time. It was a blizzard outside making the commute to Auburn a disaster, but so wonderful was the celebration.   

Katie and her boyfriend's mother...

My goodie bag filled with fun sweets all in the color BLUE...

I won!!!

Anne; Kate and Kelly's mother. She too has been like family to me over the years.

And here we all are,...

It was such a nice celebration. Kate ended up having a beautiful baby boy who was weeks and weeks early although he weighed nearly 13 pounds. WOW Kate you rock. Skyler was in the hospital for a while after his birth, but he is now home with his family and doing wonderful... (stealing a picture from facebook. Katie's page). Congratulation Katie...

 beautiful....

A little boy was brought into the world, and his Aunt Kelly has moved back New York since this great celebration. Life is WONDERFUL.