May 2019 - Planes and Hotels and Cars - OH MY!
San Diego (Flight #1)
What is more fun than a GIRL'S TRIP? Cyn, April, Tammy, and I decided that we needed a get-a-way to sunny San Diego - Bonus! I got to visit with Tasha and fam. April needed one more day to work, so Cyn, Tammy, and I headed out early Tuesday morning. Of course, we were running a little late, and then we hit traffic almost all of the way there. We were so nervous that we were going to miss the flight that we almost ran into the airport. Luckily we made it on time, but waiting in line at security was tortuous. Finally, we got to the front and then we were notified that we actually had TSA precheck tickets so we could have skipped the line! Oh bother! I thought I had checked before we got in line, but I missed the little notice on our boarding passes, probably because I was so stressed about getting there on time.
We flew Southwest and felt very fortunate to get seats all together because the flight was very full. Look at those happy faces just ready for an adventure!
After picking up our rental car, we headed right over to Tasha's house. There is nothing like getting to see my baby and her baby! Ish is getting so big! Up till now he hasn't wanted to talk much, he was much too busy exploring. But now it seems as if he is learning at least one new word a day! He refuses to call Tasha mom, he knows that it is her name, but he always smiles and calls her dad, he is such a little tease! He loves to give hugs and kisses and blows kisses clear across the room. He is absolutely fascinated with busses and big trucks. If he hears one outside he rushes to the window yelling, "boose, boose!"
We stayed in the Mission Valley WorldMark Condo. It is a nice little place that is only about 10 minutes from Tasha's house. Early the next morning Cyn joined me while I attended an Owner Education meeting. They are always longer than planned, but the compensation is usually worth it. That night I used that money to take Cyn, Tammy, and the Hunzekers out to dinner at a restaurant called C Level. It was right on the shoreline and we had a fantastic view of the San Diego skyline and the Coronado Bridge. It was absolutely beautiful! The food was pretty good too.
That evening we picked up April from the airport so she could join our fun. The next morning we got ready to head for a day at Sea World. I can purchase discount tickets from my work, so I used the condo computer and printer to access the tickets. It turned into about an hour of trying to get things to work before we finally got the tickets. Needless to say, I was extremely stressed by the time we got on the road.
Of course, by the time we arrived at Sea World my mood had improved dramatically! I love to watch the shows - the sea lions, the dolphins, and of course the orca whales. It is a very happy place for me. Last time Tammy and I went to Sea World I bought a pearl ring and necklace that I still love and wear often. Apparently Tammy has been wanting to get herself one, so we headed over for her to make her purchase. It is so fun because you actually get to choose an oyster and find your own pearl inside. Tammy ended up getting two pearl pendant necklaces, one gold, and one silver. I bought another pearl pendant necklace. They are so pretty!
April and Cyn were very brave and tried out all of the rollercoasters while we shopped. We talked them into riding the "Electric Eel" back to back - they said it was fun, but they were too nauseated to ride it again!
The next day we spent some time at the beach. Zane's friend, Hector, was visiting and brought his dog, Baymax. I don't care much for dogs, but Max was very well behaved and just loved playing catch in the water with Hector. (I only wish that all of the dogs at the dog beach were as well behaved!) Ish loves playing at the beach and it was so fun to watch him dig and run and laugh. He is so darn cute!
While Tammy and I drove further down the beach to find a parking place, Cyn and April walked along the beach about a mile to Coronado. Along there way the found some dark sand that looked like there were speckles on gold in it. We tried to get a picture, but of course, it didn't turn out as good as it looked in real life. On Coronado Beach we found a man creating custom sand castles. It was really cool! We just took pictures of those already done but were tempted to have him create something unique for us. He was very talented.
The only thing that could have made this vacation any better would have been more of it! Thanks for the wonderful time Tammy, Cyn, and April. And of course - Tasha & Ish!
Kansas (Flight #2)
Two days after arriving home I headed back to the airport - at 4:30 in the morning! Imagine my surprise when I found that Aaron Matheson at the airport also getting ready to take the same flight! If I had known I would have given him a ride since Robyn had gotten up early to drive him to the airport. Oh well.
This trip was scheduled to do an NCLEX review in a town 70 miles east of Witchita, KS. It was a long day of flights because I had a 3-hour layover in Dallas, TX. How fortunate that the Parrishes live near the Dallas airport! I called them and they agreed to meet me so we could spend some time together over lunch. It was so great to see them again! We had a great barbeque lunch and then Mont took us on a quick tour of Elm Fork, the shooting range he runs. It is truly amazing that there is this huge parcel of land right of the heart of Dallas that is devoted to target shooting.
After lunch I flew to Witcha and rented a car and drove to the hotel. As I was driving I noticed just how flat that part of the country is. I have heard that, but I don't think I have ever really noticed before. As I was getting close, I heard a radio announcer say that there was a tornado watch in our area! I didn't worry too much about the watch, but when it turned to a tornado warning I got just a little nervous. I was alone and I didn't have a clue about where the nearest shelters were. Fortunately, it passed and other than a lot of rain and wind I was no worse for the adventure. The 3-day class that I taught was AWESOME! I really enjoyed teaching. This class only had about 10 students, so they weren't very intimidating. I did feel the need to study intensely each evening, so I didn't even get out to see the area or even check out the pool. I just stayed in my room and studied and studied.
Because there are no direct flights to Witchita I actually had to take a whole week off of work. I don't like to take time off during the time there are classes - especially this week because it was the first week of the semester, but it couldn't be helped. I was planning to go into the office for at least a few hours on Friday afternoon but my flight was late of course. And the airport was crowded! It seemed like it took forever to get my luggage and catch the parking bus. The bus was so full that almost everyone was standing. At each stop it seemed as if even more people crammed onto the bus. I stood to give my seat to an elderly lady and somehow got pushed to the back of the bus. At my stop I had to fight my way off the bus, but I finally made it to my car and headed to work. After driving about 1/2 hour my phone rang. It was Kim who asked me if I had forgotten my luggage on the bus. OH MY GOODNESS! I had forgotten to get my bag because the bus was so crowded. Dang, I then had to turn around and drive all the way back to the airport, park the car, and then go inside to find out where my bag was. Luckily I had placed a tag on the bag that had Kim's phone number or I don't know how I would have found out. Anyway, by the time I got my bag and drove to my office it was all locked up. So much for getting work done that day!
JoCee Wedding
The next day my cute niece, JoCee, got married. We were able to attend the ceremony and reception at a really fun barn in Cache Valley. They served yummy crepes for refreshments - so good! JoCee was absolutely beautiful as was her mother and sister.
Mother's Day
Mother's Day was a very low-key event this year. I believe that I had the luxury of a nap. I really miss the days when my kids would make me breakfast in bed. I always looked forward to the french toast and bacon they made for me. Sometimes the toast was a little soggy and sometimes a little overdone, but it was always perfect.
Here is a picture of BJ and Tasha bringing me breakfast, I'm not sure why Shandra wasn't in the picture because every year all of the kids participated.
Kim and I sent Tasha an airbrush for her birthday to help her decorate her cookies. She was absolutely thrilled! It was fun to see her so excited over a gift. Of course, we only saw her through a video call because she was in San Diego. Her cookie business is going better than she had hoped! Here a few of her latest creations:
I honestly have no idea how she can make such amazing cookies! I think the Star Wars cookies are so cute!
Chicago (Flight #3)
That Friday I caught another flight, this time to Chicago to do another ATI NCLEX review class. When I picked up my rental care, I was upgraded to this fun Jeep! Since it was orange I never struggled to find it! I only wish that I could have taken the top off (no time and it was raining).
There were almost 40 students in this class! But it was a great review. I am starting to get more comfortable with the material and I feel that it was much smoother. I really enjoyed this group of students. They were very friendly and even gave me great tips on where to get yummy food. I wanted to try official Chicago pizza but knew that I wouldn't be able to eat a whole one by myself, so I went to:
Portillo's is unique to Chicago (according to the students) and they literally had the best hamburger I have ever tasted. I don't know what they did, but it was so good!
Here is a picture of the inside of my hotel. It was interesting, it had a triangular shape and it was open from the floor to the ceiling in the middle!
There were rooms all along the halls and you could look over the railing no matter where you were to see the bottom floor where there was an open restaurant. It was cool!
I came home from this NCLEX review feeling like I was on cloud nine. Doing these reviews is amazing! The information I provide is vital and the students are so hungry for the knowledge that they lap up every word. I kind of felt like I was on stage and received a standing ovation. The students were so excited to learn everything and then several of them asked if I would move to Chicago and get a job teaching at their school! Needless to say, it certainly makes a person feel good!
On the way home I was able to watch the movie called "Breathe".
It is the true story of Robin and Diana Cavendish. He contracts polio and his entire body becomes paralyzed. He and Robin refuse to let his disability stop him from living life. It is a truly amazing movie that has touched me greatly. I frequently get upset at my lack of ability or time or energy to accomplish things, but here they are overcoming huge obstacles to even breathe and they find ways to live life to the fullest. He was also an advocate for disabled people and was able to make great strides in making life better for others with disabilities. Great movie!
It felt so good to be home with no more trips scheduled (for 3 weeks anyway ... stay tuned).
Memorial Day
We were able to hit all of our family's gravesites for Memorial Day this year. It was nice to visit them, however, I am so strange in that it doesn't really "do" much for me. Kim feels the need to visit BJ's grave often, that is where he gets peace. For some reason, I don't get the same feelings from being in a cemetery. I guess we are all different.
What is more fun than a GIRL'S TRIP? Cyn, April, Tammy, and I decided that we needed a get-a-way to sunny San Diego - Bonus! I got to visit with Tasha and fam. April needed one more day to work, so Cyn, Tammy, and I headed out early Tuesday morning. Of course, we were running a little late, and then we hit traffic almost all of the way there. We were so nervous that we were going to miss the flight that we almost ran into the airport. Luckily we made it on time, but waiting in line at security was tortuous. Finally, we got to the front and then we were notified that we actually had TSA precheck tickets so we could have skipped the line! Oh bother! I thought I had checked before we got in line, but I missed the little notice on our boarding passes, probably because I was so stressed about getting there on time.
We flew Southwest and felt very fortunate to get seats all together because the flight was very full. Look at those happy faces just ready for an adventure!
After picking up our rental car, we headed right over to Tasha's house. There is nothing like getting to see my baby and her baby! Ish is getting so big! Up till now he hasn't wanted to talk much, he was much too busy exploring. But now it seems as if he is learning at least one new word a day! He refuses to call Tasha mom, he knows that it is her name, but he always smiles and calls her dad, he is such a little tease! He loves to give hugs and kisses and blows kisses clear across the room. He is absolutely fascinated with busses and big trucks. If he hears one outside he rushes to the window yelling, "boose, boose!"
We stayed in the Mission Valley WorldMark Condo. It is a nice little place that is only about 10 minutes from Tasha's house. Early the next morning Cyn joined me while I attended an Owner Education meeting. They are always longer than planned, but the compensation is usually worth it. That night I used that money to take Cyn, Tammy, and the Hunzekers out to dinner at a restaurant called C Level. It was right on the shoreline and we had a fantastic view of the San Diego skyline and the Coronado Bridge. It was absolutely beautiful! The food was pretty good too.
That evening we picked up April from the airport so she could join our fun. The next morning we got ready to head for a day at Sea World. I can purchase discount tickets from my work, so I used the condo computer and printer to access the tickets. It turned into about an hour of trying to get things to work before we finally got the tickets. Needless to say, I was extremely stressed by the time we got on the road.
Of course, by the time we arrived at Sea World my mood had improved dramatically! I love to watch the shows - the sea lions, the dolphins, and of course the orca whales. It is a very happy place for me. Last time Tammy and I went to Sea World I bought a pearl ring and necklace that I still love and wear often. Apparently Tammy has been wanting to get herself one, so we headed over for her to make her purchase. It is so fun because you actually get to choose an oyster and find your own pearl inside. Tammy ended up getting two pearl pendant necklaces, one gold, and one silver. I bought another pearl pendant necklace. They are so pretty!
April and Cyn were very brave and tried out all of the rollercoasters while we shopped. We talked them into riding the "Electric Eel" back to back - they said it was fun, but they were too nauseated to ride it again!
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| The Electric Eel Not only scary but nauseating! |
As the day wore on, we found another beach just in time to catch the sunset over the ocean. It was incredible! There is something so emotionally satisfying in watching the sky turn beautiful colors as the sun gradually sinks into the water.
“And yet day and night meet fleetingly at twilight and dawn. And their merging sometimes affords the beholder the most enchanted moments of all the twenty four hours. A sunrise or sunset can be ablaze with brilliance and arouse all the passion, all the yearning, in the soul of the beholder.”
― A Summer to Remember
The only thing that could have made this vacation any better would have been more of it! Thanks for the wonderful time Tammy, Cyn, and April. And of course - Tasha & Ish!
Kansas (Flight #2)
Two days after arriving home I headed back to the airport - at 4:30 in the morning! Imagine my surprise when I found that Aaron Matheson at the airport also getting ready to take the same flight! If I had known I would have given him a ride since Robyn had gotten up early to drive him to the airport. Oh well.
This trip was scheduled to do an NCLEX review in a town 70 miles east of Witchita, KS. It was a long day of flights because I had a 3-hour layover in Dallas, TX. How fortunate that the Parrishes live near the Dallas airport! I called them and they agreed to meet me so we could spend some time together over lunch. It was so great to see them again! We had a great barbeque lunch and then Mont took us on a quick tour of Elm Fork, the shooting range he runs. It is truly amazing that there is this huge parcel of land right of the heart of Dallas that is devoted to target shooting.
Because there are no direct flights to Witchita I actually had to take a whole week off of work. I don't like to take time off during the time there are classes - especially this week because it was the first week of the semester, but it couldn't be helped. I was planning to go into the office for at least a few hours on Friday afternoon but my flight was late of course. And the airport was crowded! It seemed like it took forever to get my luggage and catch the parking bus. The bus was so full that almost everyone was standing. At each stop it seemed as if even more people crammed onto the bus. I stood to give my seat to an elderly lady and somehow got pushed to the back of the bus. At my stop I had to fight my way off the bus, but I finally made it to my car and headed to work. After driving about 1/2 hour my phone rang. It was Kim who asked me if I had forgotten my luggage on the bus. OH MY GOODNESS! I had forgotten to get my bag because the bus was so crowded. Dang, I then had to turn around and drive all the way back to the airport, park the car, and then go inside to find out where my bag was. Luckily I had placed a tag on the bag that had Kim's phone number or I don't know how I would have found out. Anyway, by the time I got my bag and drove to my office it was all locked up. So much for getting work done that day!
JoCee Wedding
The next day my cute niece, JoCee, got married. We were able to attend the ceremony and reception at a really fun barn in Cache Valley. They served yummy crepes for refreshments - so good! JoCee was absolutely beautiful as was her mother and sister.
Mother's Day
Mother's Day was a very low-key event this year. I believe that I had the luxury of a nap. I really miss the days when my kids would make me breakfast in bed. I always looked forward to the french toast and bacon they made for me. Sometimes the toast was a little soggy and sometimes a little overdone, but it was always perfect.
Here is a picture of BJ and Tasha bringing me breakfast, I'm not sure why Shandra wasn't in the picture because every year all of the kids participated.
Kim and I sent Tasha an airbrush for her birthday to help her decorate her cookies. She was absolutely thrilled! It was fun to see her so excited over a gift. Of course, we only saw her through a video call because she was in San Diego. Her cookie business is going better than she had hoped! Here a few of her latest creations:
Chicago (Flight #3)
That Friday I caught another flight, this time to Chicago to do another ATI NCLEX review class. When I picked up my rental care, I was upgraded to this fun Jeep! Since it was orange I never struggled to find it! I only wish that I could have taken the top off (no time and it was raining).
There were almost 40 students in this class! But it was a great review. I am starting to get more comfortable with the material and I feel that it was much smoother. I really enjoyed this group of students. They were very friendly and even gave me great tips on where to get yummy food. I wanted to try official Chicago pizza but knew that I wouldn't be able to eat a whole one by myself, so I went to:
Here is a picture of the inside of my hotel. It was interesting, it had a triangular shape and it was open from the floor to the ceiling in the middle!
I came home from this NCLEX review feeling like I was on cloud nine. Doing these reviews is amazing! The information I provide is vital and the students are so hungry for the knowledge that they lap up every word. I kind of felt like I was on stage and received a standing ovation. The students were so excited to learn everything and then several of them asked if I would move to Chicago and get a job teaching at their school! Needless to say, it certainly makes a person feel good!
On the way home I was able to watch the movie called "Breathe".
It felt so good to be home with no more trips scheduled (for 3 weeks anyway ... stay tuned).
Memorial Day
We were able to hit all of our family's gravesites for Memorial Day this year. It was nice to visit them, however, I am so strange in that it doesn't really "do" much for me. Kim feels the need to visit BJ's grave often, that is where he gets peace. For some reason, I don't get the same feelings from being in a cemetery. I guess we are all different.
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| Notice the cute Mario leggo at BJ's headstone. I think Shandra put it there. |
Comments
I still can't get over the talent of Tasha! She is AMAZING! I know personally how hard it is to do those kind of cookies and she is gifted!
So good to see the Parrishes!