Remember When......

On our date, Charlie and I went back to Ravine Gardens in Palatka, Florida. This beautiful gardens is were he proposed and 12 years ago we were married. It was exciting to remember the dreams we had and share new ones for our future together.

These flowers are growing right where we were married.

The path at the bottom of the revine. We had a picnic dinner at this very spot the day he proposed. He was very romantic and swept me off my feet!

We walked down the path to this bridge when he read me an awesome letter he wrote and then got on one knee. He has his phone in this picture because he put some music on to dance in the crystal clear spring water.

Our Bridge!

PS. Charlie, Thanks for the name!!!!! ;-)

Bridal Shower

Jessica is an amazing person who would do anything for her family and friends. She is always looking for the best in people and situations! I am so excited for her that she found the man God had planned for her. I remember when she first told me about Peter on the phone and I could tell that she was in love. I am so happy that God brought them together and I am looking forward to one of my sisters getting married!

We aren't all together very often, so when we are it always ends in a photo shoot!

Yes, I am the oldest and the SHORTEST!!!! From Left to Right (Age order): Jessica (2nd), Christa (4th), Rachel (3rd), Me (1st)

Mom and Jess

Jess and her baby!

Hopers and one of her favorite aunts.

Excitement in the Air

The night before Jessica's Bridal Shower we all had fun with the preparations and spending time together!

Diana is a special family friend who was the wedding planner for my wedding and is now the wedding planner for Jessica. She does such an awesome job with remembering every little detail, helping anywhere she can and she amazingly hand writes all the invitations. She has amazing hand writing! Thanks Diana!!!!

Back Home

I do have to say that I love the small town feel where you know everyone! I love going to the local post office where the clerk knows you by name (one of my high school friends moms or my volunteer softball coach). I love running into some one you know at the grocery store and having a family catch up conversation (ok, only if I am decently dressed!). And I absolutely love small one of a kind places to eat. They always have at least one item on their menu that is to die for and a fun atmosphere. Just a few things I love about where we grew up.

Corky Bells

Corky Bells (used to be named Gator Landing) was in the reality show 18 Kids and Counting! This is one of our favorite spots with it solute to the Gators, good food, big open deck on the Saint John's River and the local resident that you can usually spot off the banks (a live gator). Unfortunately he wasn't around the night we went. Maybe that is why they had gator tail on the menu!

This one Florida State gator is the only reason Charlie will tolerate the otherwise overwhelming University of Florida decor.

SanMateo Seafood

SanMateo Seafood: (Funny story-When I got home that night my mom asked where we ate. I told her I couldn't remember the name, but it was that seafood place in SanMateo! lol) This restraurant has some amazing Minorcan Chowder! The whole place looks like you on on an old ship with treasures from ship wrecks. There is a framed newspaper clipping on the wall about the owner and his dog, who actually lands the fish on a fishing pole! :-)

Smokin' D's Bar-b-que

This is a popular stop on the way to and from the beach!!!! Oh My Gosh!!!! If you are ever in the area you have to try their brisket with Alabama sauce and their baked beans(the best I ever had!)!!!! You know they are open if their smokin'! I just love their signs!

Moses Creek Water Conservation Area

At the beginning we tried to avoid the water!

Hope teaching Nana how to read a compass!

Avoiding more water!

Charlie is showing hope how to tell deer prints!

This one was huge!!!!!  He must be Bambi's dad!  You can even see the indentions of the back part of his hoof.

This is Charlie's finger near the smallest deer print we found.

I remember catching these grasshoppers when I was a kid!

An Asprey!  Beautiful!

We saw a ton of baby frogs.

Eventually we were not able to avoid the water.  This was not fun.  The only thing I could think of was leeches!  Thankfully we didn't encounter any!

Charlie was going to turn around and head up the other trail, but Hope talked him into continuing on.  So he decided to run through it.  We were all laughing!

The outcome!

I have to say that even though we had fun together, I don't know how much "hiking" (strolling though the woods) we are going to do in Florida.  We were bombarded by mosquitoes!!!!  We also discovered over 30 tagalongs (ticks!) when we arrived home.  Lisa told me I should stick to the tourist towns and historical sites instead!  

Upcoming wedding

My sister Jessica is getting married next month!!!!!  YEA!!!!!  We are all so excited and it is so nice to help with the preparations.  One night we all stayed up late joking and laughing as we put the party favors together!  Her colors are black, white and light pink.  I don't have a picture of the finished product, because we didn't get to the bows yet.

Visiting Grandma

It was great to visit Charlie's grandma!  It was so nice to see her sense of humor!  She loves Charlie to death and told him she wanted a picture of him.  Mom asked if she wanted one of him in uniform.  She said "one with and one with out and I don't mean clothes!"

Evening at the Beach

I love that you can drive on Crescent Beach!!!

Storm loved the romp at the beach!

A stranded jellyfish

I was so excited this osprey was flying up the beach towards us when he decided to fly inland to avoid the paparazzi, me, taking its picture.  We walked a little ways and turned around to see him flying up the beach again.