Time to Fiesta! Bowl, that is!

December 31, 2018

It has been a bit since I have blogged but we set out for an adventure and thought I should document it. New Year's Eve was spent with "the Adventure Girls plus Jeeves" flying out to Phoenix. We had a lot of other UCF fans on the flight with us. Our destination? The Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona.

We loved New Bern "Beary" Much!

October 19-21, 2019

Road trip, anyone? Away football game and we decided to pack up and go! Greenville, NC, here we come...in 15 hours. Cue the "Are we there yets!" Wait, we left the kids so just us to struggle with our back and leg pains from the drive...haha!!

"Jeeves" drove us the whole way  it was a pretty and uneventful drive. We were looking to see the leaves change for the fall season that is nonexistent at home. Well, looks like it was too early for that this trip :( It wasn't too early for some nice sights though. Although New Bern, NC was hit by Hurricane Florence about a month ago, they said they were open for business so we headed over. What a gorgeous town!

The town has a ton of bears that were donated to them from their sister city in New Bern. Bern means bear so what more of a fitting mascot for the town. Each is painted uniquely to the area that it is placed in. I wish I had the Flag Bearer.

We visited the Pepsi museum. My favorite source of caffeine, Pepsi! Pepsi was born in New Bern.  Disappointing they demolished the first Pepsi plant so the museum had to do.

We decided it was be easiest to learn about New Bern with a guide so we hopped on the trolley for about a 2 hour tour. It was very interesting and informative. The trolley didn't go to some usual spots so we went in our car later. It was so sad to see the destruction from Hrricane Florence. They had done a lot of cleanup already but still so much to do and so much loss! It hurt your heart :(

I wish we had time to visit Tryon Palace but that will have to be on the next trip. I also hope one day to meet Nocholas Sparks who writes about New Bern and sparked my interest to visit there. We missed him by 3 days for his new book signing. One day!

We ate at a wonderful bakery for lunch! Baker's Kitchen Restaurant & Kitchen.If you are looking for some good country food....go here! Yumminess! If you see the baked goods you want upon entering...scoop then up...they go quickly!

After lunch we headed to Mitchell's Hardware  it was a hardware store and so much more. Love small town, country stores. They have the neatest things you absolutely need ;) Check it out if you are ever in New Bern.

I learned that cotton is grown in NC. How did I not know this? I don't think I have seen it growing since I was in the 3rd grade so it was really cool to see it and to see it bundled in big "marshmallows".

Now that we got our tourist fix on...off to the UCF football game for another victory! 20-0...Undefeated!

Until next time, New Bern!

Our crew

Birthplace of Pepsi

National Champions love Pepsi

We wanted to see the leaves changing for fall. This was about what we got but we will take it with the beautiful weather. 

The original USA flag

                      So pretty

Our trolley

We learned these tables are over graves so family can come after church to gather and eat with their loved ones. I think I would pass on this.

Such pretty homes

Loved this house and the curved windows.

See the bear coming out at the top?

Such a pretty church.

Handpainted...not stained glass.

Just one example of the hurricane destruction.

Tryon Palace

"Marshmallows"

We had a "cotton pickin" good time.

Maybe my team will be headed to the Cotton Bowl?

Take a Dive!

Take a dive!

7/1/18

Today we celebrated my baby brother's 40th birthday at Skydive Spaceland in Clewiston, Fl. I had a pretty rough week at work this week and it was nice to get out of my head and chill in the clouds! Skydiving is such an adrenaline rush! Michele was my tandem instructor and I had The Cracker as my cameraman. 

I have jumped before but this time I felt more at ease. I knew more what to expect. For 20 minutes I forgot my cares. I took a leap. A leap of faith. A leap of adventure.  The cool wind on my face. Spinning and flying! Twisting and turning! I even pulled the ripcord and steered out chute. We had a picture perfect day and a landing!

Skydiving

(I do not own the rights to this song.)

What a rush!

Leap of faith!

Steering the chute

What a view!

Coming in for a landing!

I did it!

Until next time...

Summer draws to an end and so do our summer adventures. We watched the movie Christopher Robin on our last night. It was very appropriate about showing how too much work and no play (time for self and family) is so detrimental. I will try to remember that coming off of vacation when I tend to get caught up in work stress. As Christopher Robin says, "Doing nothing leads to the very best somethings". Until our next adventure...

2 months...9,620 miles...33 states...32 hotels stays & 1 in a tipi, caboose, treehouse, covered wagon & 1 with a friend...countless adventures & memories to last a lifetime!

I wasn't sure about SO much driving for just me but we prayed a lot and we did it. Adventure Girls for life!

Pinball Wizard

After our glamping trip we have been taking it easy. We have been binge watching Grey's Anatomy and having a nightly pinball tournament. So far the little has won 4 nights in a row. Don't worry...I'm going to come in strong tonight...haha! Sometimes it is nice to kick back and recharge. Even Adventure Girls need rest every now and then. Until next time...adventure on!

Disco fever

We started the summer with 3,424 miles. We have done a lot on our road trip this summer! #Memories

Glamping Stop #3..."Train Wreck"

                                                                                July 26 - 27, 2018

Glamping stop #3...a caboose on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The positives of the property are that it has a wonderful view with a beautiful sunset! You can sit out and watch it in one of the many wooden swings. Donnie, the owner, is a friendly, talkative guy that is very welcoming. The cabin was well air conditioned and had a clean, mountain air freshness to it upon entering. It was open and plenty of room for the two of us. The caboose is closely located to some really awesome antique shops. Be ready to pay Blue Ridge Parkway antique prices if you are shopping there. We did a bit of window shopping and had fun. The caboose is also close to Mt Airy (Mayberry). We have been there twice so we skipped it this trip. It is a neat town to visit though. I mean...who didn't love Andy Griffith?!

Grassy Creek Cabooses boasts 3 cabooses and a "train depot"/cabin. From a distance it is the cutest setup and is even decked out with railroad crossing signs and railroad cars "loaded with dynamite". Can you say "Kodak moment"? As you get closer to the cabooses, you realize that the cool factor has worn off and it is really "lipstick on a pig". The cabooses are in need of a good blasting away of the old paint and a fresh new coat of red paint. Updates inside the cars are also needed and decor truly fitting with an old time caboose would make be more aesthetically pleasing...not Lionel the train curtains & "grandma's" handmedown sofa and calling it a day. Foregoing decor, I think the hot tub may have leaked (trust me...we did NOT use it...must've been the people before us.) onto the carpet as there was a water stain around it and the carpet felt damp. We wore our flip flops. We stripped the bed and went with our sleeping bags & pillows, just in case. We were good. We opted for a spit bath as the shower needed some Tilex. We are headed home in the morning so we are fine. 

The is no wifi in the cabooses, nor majority of the property. Yikes! We found one spot approaching the owner's home. It would be nice if he shared. We have been binge watching Friends during vacation at nights so we were quite disappointed! Adventure Girls come prepared though and we quickly unplugged from the world and kicked it old school. We broke out the cards and Mancala games. We walked around and took pictures and then realized a word game we like on my cell didn't need internet to work. We worked together to solve word puzzles...giggling and laughing and had a really good time. 

The caboose was a disappointment...no lie. Was it the worst place we ever stayed? No. Did we both slam our hand in the big, heavy train door? Yes...and it HURT...safety hazard! Did we take a look at each other and both say, "We should have started with this, gone to the treehouse and then to the tipi?", yes. However, we do try to find the adventure and fun in each experience. This night brought us giggles and quality time together. For that I am grateful! Now, am I recommending this place to others?...no...not unless some work is done to make improvements. 

We caught the 1st train out in the morning!

A stark contrast to the photo on their website that is 15 years old!

Break out the sleeping bags!

This door slammed both of our hands on 2 separate closings...ouch!

We did have a gorgeous view :)

The "train depot"...cabin for rent.

Whoa! It's dynamite!

The full moon.