Seeing Stars

Bryan can you believe we are approaching 10yrs of marriage.  Gosh we have been dating/married for 15.  Seems crazy.  Glad we have this crazy thing called love.   Play this video for the song… while you read the rest :)

Thank you Bryan for being my MAN.  You do so much for me:

 

So on to some frugal fun in Gainesville (this was our date night this past Friday): 

I’ll start with the stars!!!  So I highly suggesting going to the UF Observatory (has it own little side road that takes off from the parking lot across from the Reitz Union).  There are a few signs, though I have walked and driven past them several times and missed them.  This is a great time of the year from what the Astronomers told us.  We got to see the moon - beautiful detail, Mars - "the red planet", a forming nebulous, and the 7 sisters.  God shows off his amazing creation by allowing us to enjoy it yet again in a fun and refreshing way.  The evening was magnificent. It is open from 8:30-10.  We got to look through the huge refractory telescope that is inside the building with the roof pulled back too.

We also want to give some props to Peach Tree Cafe.  A little restaurant that has been here for a while that is yummy.  Bryan had some of the best Shrimp and grits either of us has ever tasted.  And you know we have had a few versions of them.  I think it was the full fat cream that might have made them yummy.  (thank you to Ms. Debra too for keeping the girls)

I would love to take Adeline, but I don't know if she can stay up that late and not be completely frustrated with looking through the telescope.  Maybe we will have to work on that some with a paper towel roll or something.   We are going on a cruise soon and should have some opportunities to check out some stars there, and skip the paper towel roll. 

Psalm 136 3-9,26 (The Message)

³Thank the Lord of all lords.
His love never quits.

⁴Thank the miracle-working God,
His love never quits.

⁵The God whose skill formed the cosmos,
His love never quits.

⁶The God who laid out earth on ocean foundations,
His love never quits.

⁷The God who filled the skies with light,
His love never quits.

⁸The sun to watch over the day,
His love never quits.

⁹Moon and stars as guardians of the night,
His love never quits.

²⁶Thank God, who did it all!
His love never quits!

Thank you God for doing it ALL!  Creating this earth, sun, moon, stars and us silly little people redeeming us, adopting us, allowing us to be your children to spend eternity in heaven (and abundant life on earth) with you through the price of your son’s, Jesus, death on the cross, burial and then resurrection!!!  

Bryan you are a significant part of my abundant life on earth!

Epic Family Adventure

This post is not in order.  We made this trip when we had that last COLD spell.  Needless to say when we left the house it was 50 or so.  When we got home after it was 38.  It was the first time we have ever heard Adeline complain it was too cold.  We went for a bike ride to the La Chua trail, walked to the sink and then had a picnic dinner as the sun was setting (very cold).  Then we had the best finale chosen by freezing cold Adeline – stop for Ice Cream.  We were warmed up by then :)

Misc Fun

Happy New Year!!!

Bath time:

Princess Aurora

Essie:

Hats:

Best Buddies:

Spontaneous

Well!  A yummy start to French Toast made by Adeline and Bryan.

 

Delicious!  Next we boxed up some important stuff (and actually even had Martha and Bill drop in for a quick visit – and pick something up):

Then we got to thinking… cold 17 degree weather is gone and we happily welcomed the rainy, cloudy 70 degree weather today.  Though due to the very rainy start we started out with a simple trip to the FL museum:

Then it got a little crazy… we started another Epic Family Adventure and decided to go on a “ day trip”  without having more than the diaper bag we started out with.  If we get wet we get wet.  We will have to have joy in the journey.  Every adventure starts with food right? So we went to Jimmy Johns for lunch!

Next the St. John River (and played right beside the pier in Palatka).  No pictures for proof, but we had a lot of fun looking up at the cloudy sky, playing chase, hiding and seeking Adeline style (count to 5, hide in an obvious place, if not obvious enough say where you are going to hide, call out to the seeker as soon as they are done counting, giggle the entire time… it is the most fun version of hide and seek I have ever played). 

Next was the beach in St. Augustine.  It was slightly cool and windy.  We threw sand – Esther style – down your back over your ears and a little out in front of you.  We watches some cool kites, some kite boarders, some kite wheel cart things, played chase, made sand angels (the cutest kinds), burried feet in the sand to see if it was warmer there or on the sand (didn’t matter, by that point it was all cold).  Bryan won the “who can stay in the freezing water the longest”, so a big congratulations to him for toughness.  Though Adeline and Esther were handing with him for a while.

Then to the most awesome of awesome play grounds there in St. Augustine.  S.I.N.G. was over the walkway in, though I don’t have a clue to what it stood for.  We had all kinds of   playground fun.  It was off of Ponce De Leon Drive I believe and right by some huge historic district parking.

 

Then Chick-fil-A on the way home.  Perfect day wouldn’t you say?!  Thank you God for a wonderful day of enjoying all you created and each others company.  We loved seeing so much along the roadside too.  I would say I feel we have arrived to some level of accomplishment/growth when you can be “spontaneous” and it be more than getting ice-cream.  What is next?  We have been thinking of camping – the 4 of us… brave or crazy.  I’m sure we will tell you all about it either way!