Grove Park Inn

This is Grove Park Inn where we got to stay in Asheville. It is almost 100 years old. Ten U.S. Presidents have stayed here in addition to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Harry Houdini, Will Rogers, George Gershwin, Thomas Edison, Eleanor Roosevelt, Henry Ford, and lots of other celebrities. This photo of the hotel is the view from our room looking up to the main hotel area. The two smaller photos are of the spa (on the hotel property) that I got to spend the entire day in for my birthday. It is ranked the 13th best spa in the U.S. It has 43,000 sq ft of amazing-ness. It has heated mineral pools with underwater music. They also have "therapeutic" waterfalls that you can stand under and it will massage your muscles. My favorite was the outdoor hot tub. It was wonderful to sit in hot tub and breathe the cold mountain air. I also got an 80 minute facial was the most amazing 80 minutes of my life!

My Birthday

Double Decker Coffee Shop

Winter Wonderland

The Biltmore Estate

Grandad's Painting

I was very nervous about this gift for John, because he can be an extremely picky man (meticulous on every detail) and I wasn't sure if this is exactly how he would have wanted this photograph of his Granddad to be represented. I presented the painting to John on Christmas and he immediately became very quiet. Because I was so nervous, and he was so quiet, I began to talk incessantly to fill the silence. I explained how the artist and I discussed cropping it, we discussed giving his eyes a little bit of color, we discussed charcoal, we discussed size, and on and on and on. He nodded every so often and would give an "uh huh". So then I would continue to talk. Finally, I paused to take a breath and asked him what he thought because he was being so overly quiet and it was making me a nervous wreck. He said, "I was just thinking back" and he paused a little bit longer, and then said, "I don't think I have EVER in my life gotten a better gift."

John is NOT the type of man who says things just to say them or give out compliments just because it is the nice thing to do. You have to EARN his compliments. I discussed with him the idea of taking it back to the artist and paying her to put more detail in the background or that we could have the hint of color put in his eyes. But every suggestion I made he said, "No, I love it exactly how it is." He really does feel that it is absolutely perfect. We sat together for almost an hour afterwards just staring at it, with him telling me stories of his Granddad and telling me how wonderful the painting is. I found out that John owns that tackle box of his Granddad's that is in the photo, another reason the photo is so special.

Christmas Tree

Polar Express Party

Marcus's First Gun

Party Like a Rock Star

Marcus and Mrs. Davis

Old Time Christmas

One of the things the kids love most about the holidays is the Christmas lights! So what better place to see Christmas lights than Silver Dollar City’s Old Time Christmas. Kids had a great time. We rode a few rides, toured Marvel Cave, ate some homemade cinnamon rolls, and, of course, watched the light parade!

Ice Skating

Ice skating has become a tradition of ours every holiday season.. The kids get super excited about it, then they skate for about 20 minutes before they are ready to be done. They are getting better and better, but still have a long way to go in their ice skating confidence and endurance.

Thanksgiving Feast

Dogwood Canyon

Dogwood Canyon is a beautiful nature park south of Branson along the Missouri/Arkansas border. We all went on a long bike ride through the park. There were waterfalls and a lot of fun places for the kids to
explore. It was a perfect fall day for this park.

Halloween

Paintball

Fall Fun

Chateau on the Lake

Zipline

Honeymoon Island - Dunedin, FL

Capture the Moment

The Mona Lisa

The Mona Lisa was a very contemporary hotel in Celebration, FL. The pool is definitely impressive. It is a circular infinity pool with the hot tub in the middle. John and I only got a few minutes of down-time to relax by the pool, but it was wonderful!

Celebration, Florida

We had a great time walking around this adorable town near Orlando. There was plenty to photograph. Plus, there was a farmer’s market to stroll through. We ended up stopping at a small wine bar to enjoy some sangria while watching everyone stroll through the town.

Sunrise Sunset

John's sunrise photo of the Gulf from his fishing boat. My sunset photo of the Gulf from my favorite restaurant, The Hurricane.

The Don CeSar Hotel

Don CeSar Hotel on St. Pete's Beach in Florida is a pink beachfront icon with a romantic history. Don CeSar was built by an enterprising man. Rowe was young man when he studied in Europe and romanced young lady named Lucinda. The couple would meet by a beautiful courtyard fountain. Lucinda's parents did not approve of Rowe and put an end to the relationship. Brokenhearted, Rowe returned to America. Rowe sent love letters to Lucinda, which were returned, unopened. Sadly, Lucinda died young. She wrote Rowe a note on her deathbed: "Time is infinite. I wait for you by our fountain...to share our timeless love, our destiny is time. When Rowe built the Don CeSar in 1924, he included a fountain that was a replica of their rendezvous. Employees at the Don CeSar tell tales of seeing a couple who appear walking hand-in-hand. The gentleman is a dapper man in a white suit and Panama hat. The young lady is a dark haired beauty. matching the descriptions of Thomas Rowe and his beloved Lucinda. The attractive couple walk through the hotel and disappear.

The Don CeSar was Thomas Rowe's dream. Rowe's health was failing when he migrated to Florida and began building a "pink castle". Rowe purchased 80 acres on a narrow strip of land known as St. Pete Beach. Rowe transported building materials on a barge.

The Don Cesar was designed to emulate the pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel on Waikiki Beach.Hawaii. Thomas Rowe, had made a fortune and spared no expense creating this cotton candy pink vision with Mediterranean and Moorish architectural motifs. .Inside were ornate marble fountains, lofty ceilings and rich furnishings. Most guest rooms enjoyed views of the Gulf of Mexico or Boca Ciega Bay. Don CeSar, named for a character in a light opera named Maritiana, was a landmark that became a maritime navigational aid.

During the Roaring 20's, high society, flocked to the pink beachfront tropical getaway. Rich and famous guests. included: FDR, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Clarence Darrow, Lou Gehrig and Al Capone.


According to Rowe's employees, he considered Don CeSar his home. Rowe would sit at the top of the lobby stairs surveying each guest as they registered. Guests who did not meet his standards, would be asked to leave.

I felt very fortunate to stay in this hotel. It was absolutely stunning inside. John and I explored as much as we could and got so many amazing photographs of the grounds. We lounged on the beach looking at stars. We sat across from a very historical looking bar and had a few drinks while a piano player played Billy Joel tunes. Several times I would shake my head in disbelief. I felt like a fairy tale princess in a pink castle. What an amazing place with an incredible history.

Water Fun

The kids were REALLY looking forward to the tubing
adventure. They counted down the days until we could
get out on the boat. Marcus and Riley rode the majority of the time.
Abby went once and made me go with her at a really, REALLY
slow speed. All the kids enjoyed getting to drive the boat back.
They all agreed that they had an absolute blast!

Monday Night Football

Silver Dollar City

September 11, 2010: Good times at Silver Dollar City. Marcus rode a “big boy” roller coaster for the first time. Lots of upside down loops. He LOVED it. Riley and Marcus ended up riding the Wildfire roller coaster 4 times and even sat on the front row once. We rode lots of rides, got soaked on a few, and were exhausted by the end of the day!

Our Own Little World

One of the things I enjoy most about John is his ability to draw me out of my ‘type A’, planner, clock-watching self and into a live-each-moment kind of girl. No matter where we are he has the ability to make me feel like we are the only two people in the world and that time is irrelevant.

Everywhere

Driving from the Grand Canyon to Page, AZ was a long drive with only one static AM old country station to keep us entertained. I snapped this shot while making the drive listening to Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere”

Playful and Carefree

John has an amazing personality that can go from a serious businessman meeting with Disney Executives to a complete monkey climbing around on a dangerous old bridge. I love to see the 'kid' in him and I love that he brings out the 'kid' in me.

Sedona - Most Beautiful Place in America

Most Beautiful Place in America
“Ever since the early days of movies, when Hollywood has wanted to
show the unique beauty of the West, it has gone to Sedona ...
Beginning with The Call of the Canyon in 1923, some hundred movies
and TV shows have been filmed in and around town. We fell under
Sedona's spell, too, and while debating our No. 1 spot kept returning
to it for the same reasons Hollywood does: The area's telegenic
canyons, wind-shaped buttes and dramatic sandstone towers embody the
rugged character of the West--and the central place that character
holds in our national identity. There's a time-lessness about these
ancient rocks that fires the imagination of all who encounter them.
Some 11,000 years before film cameras discovered Sedona, American
Indians settled the area. Homesteaders, artists and, most recently,
New Age spiritualists have followed. Many cultures and agendas
abound, but there's really only one attraction: the sheer, exuberant
beauty of the place. People come for inspiration and renewal, tawny
cliffs rising from the buff desert floor, wind singing through box
canyons, and sunsets that seem to cause the ancient buttes and spires
to glow from within. We hear the canyon's call and cannot resist.”
(Author Unknown, 2003, http://www.usaweekend.com)

Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon is one of the most breathtaking and tranquil places on earth. Gently carved from the Navajo sandstone over the course of countless millenniums, the slot canyons are
majestic and narrow passages, just enough space for a small group to walk the sandy floor - and for the
occasional shafts of sunlight to shine down from above. It is a
photographer’s dream.

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

“The Princess” became in INSTANT hit for John and I. From the moment we walked in, we fell in love with the place. Even though it was so late when we finally arrived we were so excited we couldn’t sleep. We spent the whole night drinking cocktails at the bar, running around taking pictures, and swimming in the pool and hot tub. The Princess is our fondest memory of our Arizona trip. This is where our infatuation with the Fairmont hotels began. We can’t wait until we have the opportunity to stay at another Fairmont hotel!

Grand Canyon

City Museum - St. Louis, Missouri

Gone Fishing

Marcus and Abby have been begging to go fishing. Finally they got to go fishing at Grandma’s house. They waited and waited for a fish to nibble and finally reeled one in. Neither one wanted to touch it. When the second fish came in, Marcus became brave and decided he would hold it. Abby just screamed whenever it came close to her. Maybe next time she’ll overcome her fish fears.

Big Girl Bike

Abby got her first bike when she was three. It was a Dora the Explorer bike with training wheels. She has had that bike ever since. When she turned 7, no longer needed training wheels, and her knees almost hit her chin when she rode,...I decided it was time for a “big girl” bike. So for her birthday she got a pink and purple bike with a pink bag that hangs on it and pink and purple streamers on the handles. Everything a 7 year old girl could want in a bike!

Music Video

John and the boys' music video they made on their drive to Pigeon Forge, TN. You'll have to copy and paste the link, for some reason the video won't upload.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ELU-1aqycE

Ha Ha Tonka

First 5 Dates

1. My favorite restaurant, Flame. Amazing meal. We were both nervous but had great conversation and laughed a lot! We went to Parlor
88 afterwards for drinks.

2. Picnic at Nathanael Greene park. We brought McAllisters and walked around the park holding hands. Afterwards we ate in the “VIP Room” at
Arris Pizza.

3. Cardinals vs Tulsa Drillers. John cheered for the Drillers. I got mad. Cardinals won. I got happy. Beautiful fireworks display after the game.

4. Started off the date with dinner at San Francisco pizza and then headed out for a few rounds of bowling. John
won....of course.

5. My first time cooking for John.
I made Panko crusted chicken, with garlic mashed potatoes, and a parmesan cheese
sauce. Yummy!

Dance in the Rain

Republic Aquatic Center

Memorial Day