HEAVEN Found!!!!!

I have often wondered how it was
going to feel to turn 40!
I can honestly say, for me,
it was HEAVEN!!!!

I can DREAM BIG!
But I never could have dreamed or imagined
what my birthday would bring
and the HEAVEN I would find.

It has been said
"A picture paints a thousand words."
However,
pictures can never capture the
PURE JOY and GRATITUDE
I feel for the pieces HEAVEN in my life.

My family has always been heaven to me
BUT I found heaven in them on my birthday,
for they gave me the gift of being
with my sisters in the Florida, Keys.

I am STILL overwhelmed that
my AMAZING husband would plan
such an amazing trip for ME and
that he knows how I would enjoy it best.
He IS MY HEAVEN!!

I found HEAVEN on my doorstep in Georgia
the night before I was to leave with my family,
Fred and the kids,
(what I had been told since Mother's Day)
to the Florida Keys.
It was my 3 SISTERS!!
THEY would be coming with me,
not Fred & the kids,
to the KEYS!!!
What a surprise! What a reunion! What HEAVEN!


And so it begins ...
I found HEAVEN IN ...

A trip to Charming Charlies to buy rings
to remember the trip.
The store was heaven for my sisters too.

Soaking in the SUN!!!
At the pool and on the beach.

We all found heaven in "toe-dulls"as
we visited the turtle hospital.

At Tranquility Bay in Marathon Key.

This BEAUTIFUL place to stay MADE the trip, for me.

The view from my bed as I woke in the morning.
(THIS is heaven.)

Finding this BEAUTIFUL branch on our beach.
A floral arrangement by nature.

DELICIOUS food and WONDERFUL conversation at dinner.

Morning "therapy" sessions.

SOOO relaxing!! SUCH Heaven.

Just BEING with my sisters.

SUNSETS!

Taking LOTS of pictures!

Boat docks are heaven.
Especially after a rough day at sea.

HEAVEN is TIME with the ones you love!
LAUGHING, LIVING and LOVING
That is HEAVEN - LOVE.
Not only LOVING others - sisters, husband, kids
BUT feeling LOVED - by sisters, husband and kids.

THANK YOU for the gift of HEAVEN!!
It was so much more than
I could have imagined.
The best part - it was so REAL!!

Thanksgiving Trip!

When we found out the kids had an entire week off
of school for Thanksgiving we made
plans to visit Illinois.

The purpose was two fold.
1 - Visit family.
Fred's brother, his wife and 3 kids live there.
2 - Experience Nauvoo.

Little did we know we would see and experience
SO MUCH MORE than we had planned!




Ammon's project for school.
was to research one
of the President's of the United States.
From that research he would need
to write a report and prepare a poster.

His choice -
Abraham Lincoln!

How exciting to be so 'hands on'
with the research!
He walked where Abraham Lincoln walked,
drank out of the spring where Abraham Lincoln drank,
AND followed the trail Abraham Lincoln took
many times through his amazing travels.

So excited to be here :).
Silly kids!!

--Louisville, Kentucky - 1st night's stay!--

Now that's a BAT!

We SAVORED a yummy Louisville style dinner
and enjoyed a relaxing evening at the hotel.


A morning visit to Churchill Downs.

--Time with FAMILY in Peoria, Illinois--
The main purpose for our trip.


A hike and a beautiful nature trail!

We saw deer and lots of squirrels.

Cousin "A's" 'form' while throwing rocks.
She takes rock throwing very seriously.

AAHHHH! --- Time with family!



--A day trip to Nauvoo!--

Truly a City Beautiful!

We performed baptisms for family names in the temple.
What a peaceful experience.

We visited several of the restored homes.
The Browning Gun Shop.
The Blacksmith Shop.

And of course, the Scovil Bakery where
Stephanie gave tours when she was
a missionary in Nauvoo.
Her favorite part of the tour -
the spice box.




--The morning we left--
Family dressed in their very best :)
for our departure.
Favorite part of the outfit -
the shoes.

--A stop in Springfield, Illinois--

to visit Lincoln's home and tomb.

The room where Lincoln was asked
to accept the Presidential nomination.

It amazes me that this is the mirror
Lincoln used to shave each morning.
Abraham Lincoln - one of the most influential
men to lead our country to greatness,
actually looked in this mirror!



--ST LOUIS - our last night's stay.--

The Arch.

Waiting in line to get in to the Museum and Arch.

The view from the top!

It was a GREAT trip
FILLED with many wonderful family memories.
GIVE THANKS for time with family!