summer memories..

It is snowing..I am already nostalgic about last summer. What an amazing summer it was. What a lucky gal I am. Blessed with a fun-loving husband and a big chunk of wide open time. The children were done with another school year,no one was on a sports team and Kevin wasn't working. So why not write up a list of places we have always wanted to see, or go back to and share with others. And that is what we did..hit the road running with the whole dang summer Open in front of us. We paced ourselves and far from exhausting, the adventure became energizing. What better way to spend our money ( after writing out the Waterford tuition check of course ) than to see America with our family?!! I will never regret that we took this time and had ourselves a Real adventure.

There are so many new things to see in this world ! Imagine experiencing Both the Redwood National Forest and Acadia National Park in the same summer ! It was wonderful to let the little goats see Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine for the first time. To see how incredibly different the northeast is from home.One only truly understands this first hand. To visit historical sites from Concord&Lexington, to the John F Kennedy library and Fenway Park.

We traveled by plane, car, kayak, bus, hydro-jet, subway and tram for a total of 20,000 miles (includes a parental finale in Hawaii.) The dogs were the least excited about our travel plans since they had to stay home! I really wish that they could have come to Tahoe with us..they would have Loved the lake. Even in Tahoe, with all our traditional " have-to's" we found new and wonderful things this year.

Allrighty..some of the-best-of-the-best..

1. The art supplies at the University of Oregon's student bookstore..FABULOUS !!

2 . A funky little beach in Kauai COVERED with sea glass- WOW.

3. Kayaking on Long Pond in Maine.

4. Finding this little restaurant way late at night in Tahoe..an old ski cabin that someone turned into a dining spot..complete with twinkle lights in the trees and Excellent food.

5. Being so Impressed with the classic charm of Dartmouth..beautiful.

6. Whiskey Town lake in No. Cal. Why have I never even heard of it?!! Absolutely gorgeous.

7. How darling javalinas are when they trot/bounce along a desert skyline.

8. Wondering if sharon Vermont is THE most beautiful place in America.

9. Sailboats in the late afternoon sun ,they are the definition of summer.

10 .How many stunning shades of blue are there ? Each state has its own particular hue.

11. Is seafood better in Maine or Hawaii ? Not sure, further investigation is needed !!

12. Are blueberries or pineapple the best fruit ?! ( see #11 )

The list goes on and on..and i wouldn't have known any of it without traveling. My cup of gratitude runneth over. Thanks Kev..

Even in Tahoe, with all our traditional " have-to's"we found new and wonderful things to do