The Sunny State and Hoosiers

Look at this beautiful sunset! 

And then look at these beautiful people.

After Boston I met up with the Daetwylers in Florida for some beach time! It was the perfect setting to catch up on all the country music I missed out on this summer -- definite beach theme going on there.

Good people, good food, good beaches ... bad sunburn.

Just add aloe into the equation and life is great!

 Michael's dad is the captain of this sweet boat, but the wind didn't cooperate too much.

All the grandkids didn't mind though, it still made a great stationary pirate ship for them.

And look! Wild dolphins! I've only seen the SeaWorld kind.

These were way better.

They didn't want to have much to do with us when we got in the water, 

but it was so fun to watch them swim and play.

We also saw a (small) shark, an alligator, and plenty of jellyfish.

We didn't try to play with those.

But in Nashville we ate some fried alligator tail. That's even cooler than seeing one, right?

(I'm not going to tell you what it tasted like because you have to try it,

but if you're guessing it's like chicken you may very possibly be right.)

We stopped to walk around the Opryland Hotel, it was incredible.

I've never seen so many beautiful plants in one place!

From there we drove the rest of the way to the famous Evansville, Indiana.

It's famous to me just because Michael has been defending it to me for the past year -- 

I had no mental picture of Indiana before I met him. Then when I finally decided on prairies

fields and fields and fields, he got pretty defensive. 

Now I have to admit I was wrong. 

It's green and beautiful and full of fireflies, but it could use some mountains.

(I can't admit total defeat or Michael will just run with that.)

We visited a neighbor's farm to get the whole Indiana experience -- 

or maybe just to see lots of fun animals.

Miss Ella found a pony just her size! 

I'm sure she wanted to take that home to Japan with her.

Cows are my favorite. 

You just look into their eyes and they're nothing but pure.

Not stupid, just pure. Don't confuse the two.

Maybe milking goats isn't actually a typical Hoosier thing,

but it was definitely fun.

And so was this. 

That little white stream is exactly what you think it is.

Florida and Indiana and the road trip between was such a great time.

The Daetwylers were so nice to let me join them!

And I can't think of a better way to put off the dreaded job search.

But now I'm home, and I'll grow up ... kind of.

Creativity in a Bottle

Sorry my blog took some time off.

I'm still taking some, but my blog is back in business.

I've been running around BostonNewHampshireFloridaAlabamaTennesseeKentuckyIndianaUtah...

but I'm back now.

I'll tell you more soon.

Possibly the tomorrow kind of soon.

But for now, you just get this playdough hint of what I found in Florida.

It's kind of a big hint.

(For the record, that is a smiling dolphin. Jaren kept calling it evil, 

so I don't want anyone else getting that very wrong impression.)

Back to Beantown

Left DC with these on my lap. Naturally.

Got to Boston and picked up Al's. Naturally.

But yes, I do love my sister much, much more than cupcakes and sandwiches.

So this pic captures the best of Boston :)

And miss Rachel came along! 

I'm so glad she did. Except we took her to the beach in New Hampshire our first day,

and sent her home with a sunburn that committed us both to never getting a sunburn again.

For real this time.

Look at beautiful Boston! This is a view from a Duck Tour...

...driven by yours truly! I'm not even ashamed of how excited I look about it.

The Duck Tour boats go straight from the road, to the water, back to the road.

Incredible.

I really do promise this isn't turning into a food blog...

but we had to take part in the Cannoli battle in Boston.

Mike's Pastry vs. Modern Pastry!

Just get both.

This was Rachel's first time to Boston, so she needed the Freedom Trail experience.

I love the old cemeteries in the middle of downtown.

On Sunday we walked around Harvard after church.

We're thinking these steps had something to do with Legally Blonde? 

Mt. Auburn cemetery has a great view of Boston.

Stop noticing how sunburned we are.

We had a nice woman take a picture of us and Paul Revere,

but Paul Revere didn't make the shot.

He's there though. Picture him on a horse.

Beautiful Boston Common.

I'm sad the week is already over!

Wrapping Up Summer

Last day of work! 

Had to throw this up to prove I didn't just move to DC to play all summer.

I'm going to miss taking walks in DC, and constantly stumbling upon history.

The theater where Lincoln was assassinated is just a couple blocks away from my office.

And Lincoln himself (ok, the commemorative version) was just a couple blocks away from the Barlow.

I'm going to miss taking walks to his memorial and thinking about life on those steps.

That right there is my favorite spot in DC.

So long, July.

Maddie meets August.

I wish I could tell you I was on the right.

Pretty sure I heard life plans are overrated, anyways.