Vacation 2013 {Part 9 - Family Pictures at GG's House}

In going through my vacation notes (yes, I took notes about vacation because I was afraid I would forget something we did), I discovered that I have 10 more posts to do about Vacation 2013. There are also 5 additional posts (so far) about stuff we have done / accomplished since we've been back. That's a lot but we are just going to keep working through them.

GG will turn 90 in November of this year but we decided to party a little early {next post}. Sissy and family were coming to PA so they could go to Washington DC and Mom had decided to come up too. Eric and Sydney weren't able to come with the soon arrival of Throckmorton and my Chris was back in CO working.

Since (most) everyone was there, we decided to take some family pictures. They turned out super cute too! Love the ones of Caleb and Elianna!

Vacation 2013 {Part 8 - Family Pictures}

While we were in NJ, we had a (former) teen take family pictures for us.  Amy is a talented young lady who takes beautiful pictures.  She did an excellent job with our pictures! 

Our amazing photographer, Amy

Vacation 2013 {Part 7}

The wedding was over.  We had fun at the Trenton Thunder game.  And now began our time of visiting with various and a sundry people that we wanted to see while we were in NJ.  Monday morning though, our first stop was to see my Toree.  I miss having "her" close by to where I can visit her whenever.  

We also stopped by to visit some friends, Sam and Ann.  While there, they mentioned their granddaughter would be by later in the afternoon so after our family pictures {next post}, we came back to Elianna could play with Olivia.  Elianna enjoyed riding around chatting it up with Olivia in her cool pink car.  

Dinner was with Tom, Cheri and Abigail at Longhorn Steakhouse.  It was our typical dinner with Tom and Cheri - a little bit of theology, a little bit of crazyness, some more theology and some catching up.  I've decided they need to move closer!

Tuesday we were supposed to meet my friend, Jeannie for breakfast but earlier Chris meet up with a friend, Gil, for coffee.  However, a 10 minute down the road excersion with Gil ended up being much longer than anticipated so it became more like brunch with Jeannie.  Thanks Jeannie for being so understanding!  Love and miss you!

Wednesday my Chris left bright and early to head back to CO.  Poor guy had to get back to work.  But Elianna and I didn't let that stop us from having fun and seeing even more people.  We meet up with a (former) teen, Mary, at Friendlys.  It makes ministry so worth it when you go back and hear how teens are doing years after they are out of youth group.  She warms my heart.

After lunch, during naptime and before dinner, another friend, Jackie, texted and asked if I could meet up with her at Starbucks.  Of course!  Ate a quick bite for dinner and back out the door for church.  No rest for the weary.  Well worth the rushing!

Thursday I meet my friend, Jan for lunch at our favorite lunch date restaurant, the Cranberry Inn.  Jan is so full of energy and I love sitting and talking to her.

The interesting thing about these ladies I meet with over those 3 days (with the exception of Mary) is that they are all 20 to 40 years older than me.  Godly ladies who have each in their own way been an influence in my life.  I value each of their friendships and am so thankful to have gotten to sit down and talk with each of them.

Vacation 2013 {Part 6}

The Trenton Times has a weekly contest to win tickets to a Trenton Thunder (baseball) game.  Elianna's "Jersey PopPop" won for the weekend we were there.  Rest?  After a full wedding weekend? Nah!  That's (apparently) overrated!  So, after church, we changed real quick and headed to the stadium to watch the game.  He had won the Times' box seats which basically meant I was able to sit in a cool room, eat food and visit with my friends who he also invited along.  Score!  It was good to hang out with my good friend, Cheri.  Cheri and I have this relationship that even though we don't talk very much (ok, really at all) when we do get together, it's like we've never been apart.  Love her!  We had other friends who came along who we had a nice time catching up with also.

At one point, Elianna was outside with some of the other people and she came in all freaked out!  The mascot, Boomer, had been outside and when she saw him, she went crazy!  She came inside crying and shaking and scared of Boomer.  I told her he wasn't even in our room so she needed to calm down . . . BOOM!  the door to our suite is thrown open and Boomer comes tearing in!  Thank you, Boomer.  I couldn't get her to calm down.  Chris couldn't get her to calm down.  PopPop couldn't get her to calm down.  That poor girl was scared to death!  Finally he left but that's all we heard about the rest of the day - Boomer.  PopPop had gotten her a little stuffed doll of Boomer earlier and the doll mascot thing, has big teeth.  She kept saying he was going to bite her with his big teeth.  Oh.my!

Oh!  And I think the Thunder won.  I couldn't tell from my nice cool spot on the couch inside.  Go Thunder??!

PopPop and Elianna

Cheri and Abigail with big teeth, Boomer