Tag: vacation

23 Blessings

Diana B.4 Comments

Today I write in celebration of God’s divine goodness toward our family during our Boundary Waters vacation earlier this month.

  1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
       he leads me beside quiet waters,

 3 he restores my soul.
       He guides me in paths of righteousness
       for his name’s sake.

 4 Even though I walk
       through the valley of the shadow of death,
       I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me.

 5 You prepare a table before me
       in the presence of my enemies.
       You anoint my head with oil;
       my cup overflows.

 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
       all the days of my life,
       and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
       forever.

Psalm 23

Father in heaven, thank You for leading us to this captivating place where I count so many blessings.

1. Fresh, gentle breezes drifting through open windows.

2. Daisies showing You love me.

3. Raspberries ripening, wild and sweet.

4. Waters parting as canoes glide quietly.

5. Water lilies floating elegantly.

6. A strong man persevering.

7. Hikers exploring new boundaries.

8. Rocks welcoming young climbers.

9. Water falling like stairsteps.

10. Little girls wading deep in clear water.

11. Pine trees scenting the air.

12. Wind rustling the leaves, which encourage it to slow down.

13. Hummingbirds darting to and fro while chickadees sing cheerfully.

14. Chipmunks bravely scurrying to play hide-and-seek.

15. Friends treasuring time together.

16. A sailboat whisking away in the wind.

17. A dog flying, fetching into the water.

18. Lupines growing tall but fading.

19. The moose evading the camera.

20. Popcorn promising to pile up like winter snow.

21. Tired little girls resting in snug bunk beds.

22. Loons crying lonesome in the night.

23. Your Love Lights, aurora borealis, brightening the dark night sky in the wee small hours.

Thank You, Father in heaven, for this peaceful place beside the water, this place where You give me rest and restore my soul. Your goodness and love follows me. My cup overflows.

“Gratitude is the culture of the sinners made saints.” –Ann Voskamp

Our Oregon Trail – Part 3

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12 Reasons to Go Back to Oregon

Aside from the fact that we now have relatives living in Portland and several relatives within half a day’s drive of that charming city, we came up with still more reasons to visit Oregon again someday. I thought I’d share them with you, just in case you get there before we do!

1. Silver Falls State Park

2. Portland Aerial Tram

3. Tillamook Cheese Factory

4. Moonstruck Chocolatier

5. Myrtle wood

6. Oregon Dunes near Florence

7. Portland Children’s Museum 

8. World Forestry Center

9. Astoria

10. Columbia River Gorge

11. Pendleton Woolen Mills

12. Mt. Hood

Our Oregon Trail – Part 2

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8 things we loved about Oregon:

1. Wooden Shoe 25th Annual Tulip Fest    

the cousins
my girls and me
more than 150 tulip varieties
more than 40 acres of tulips
and mud puddles to boot!

2. The Bishop’s Close Elk Rock Gardens 

a magical place
a peony in April
looking at salamanders
the cousins beneath an old growth Redwood

3. Tillamook ice cream 

photo courtesy of Oregon Coast Today

4. Pipe organs at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral

an organ in Oregon
another organ in Oregon

5. Willamette River and Falls

the Willamette River
Willamette Falls

6. Floating Vacation Homes  

the houseboat
feeding the geese
The houseboat on Willamette River is very near the falls.

7. Mt. Hood  

our view of Mt. Hood from the airplane window

8. Oregon Zoo

We finally saw live elephants! Photo courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.
The zebras were Laurel's must-see favorite animal. Photo courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.
The polar bears were the favorite for me and my 2-year-old nephew Joseph. Photo courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.

Our Oregon Trail – Part 1

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More than 150 years ago, pioneers traveled west along the Oregon Trail — from Independence, MO, to Oregon City, OR,  — in wagon trains. In early spring, folks loaded their most essential belongings into covered wagons, and their difficult journey took months. They overcame countless challenges along the way, like encountering unfriendly Indians, crossing raging rivers, passing over vast mountain ranges, and dodging herds of buffalo and other wild animals. If and when they finally arrived, they had to start anew just as winter weather set in. But the beautiful, lush and fertile lands of the Willamette Valley offered settlers great hope for a bright future.

Those old covered wagons were probably only slightly more roomy than the space allowed our family of four airline ticket holders bound for Oregon. We packed our most essential belongings into five suitcases, a camera bag, and two small backpacks. 

our trail of luggage

By comparison, our journey west wasn’t difficult at all. It took only a few hours to fly from Minneapolis to Portland. Cruising at 36,000 feet, we safely crossed many a river and mountain without even noticing them. The only challenges we faced were crossing through airport security, hunting for much-loved relatives scattered across the city, and adjusting our stomachs and sleep schedules to Pacific Time.

jet lag

But like those early pioneers, we found the Willamette Valley lush and beautiful.

Willamette River

During our five-day trip, we rendezvoused with my grandma and lots of other extended family to celebrate her 90th birthday.

Grandma at 90

Also during our stay, my uncle was ordained and consecrated by the Episcopal Church as the 10th Bishop of Oregon. It was quite an elaborate ceremony, especially for a Baptist like me who rarely experiences “high church” as some call it. His attire included these ornate vestments – a cope, stole and mitre.

the bishop's vestments

On Sunday, our family attended church at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Portland.

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
the window from the original building
inside the cathedral
the courtyard

The century old building is a work of art, and the beautiful blooming magnolia tree in the courtyard was quite a sight to behold as well.

a magnolia

Come back soon! I’ll share eight things we loved about Oregon in Part 2.

Top 10 of the Florida Keys #9

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Number Nine: Tranquility

Tranquility is thousands of little twinkle lights wrapped around the palm trees.

Tranquility is a bright little beach house away from home.

Tranquility is relaxing on the back porch with someone you love.

Tranquility is having time to paint your toe nails orange.

Tranquility is a cozy spot under the covers, sharing secrets.

Ahem.

Tranquility is not hearing your 7-year-old call from the bathroom,

“Mommy! There’s a dead lizard in here!”

Tranquility is not hearing your husband say, “It’s not dead! Where did it go?”

Tranquility is not hearing your daughters race downstairs shrieking, “It went into our bedroom!”

Tranquility is not hearing your husband calmly but seriously calling, “Honey, you better come up here.”

Tranquility is not seeing your husband, down on all fours, sheepishly looking up and quietly admitting, “I can’t find it. It’s just too fast!”

The Florida chameleon is tiny and fast but not exactly a threatening creature. It’s fun to spy one on the sidewalk or in the garden or even on the porch. But the thought of one creeping around in your bedroom while you sleep? Clearly that’s not a tranquil thought for most.

At bedtime, Laurel was especially worried about the chameleon sleeping in her room or crawling into her bed. Michael and I couldn’t offer her complete assurance that the lizard was gone. All we could do was pray that Laurel and Linnea would sleep well and not be disturbed by any lizards. So that’s just what we did.

“Do not be anxious about anything (even lizards in your bedroom), but in everything (even lizard emergencies), by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. (No lizards in our beds, please God). And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding (of where exactly said lizard might still be hiding), will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

By the way, we never saw that little chameleon inside again, thank God!

Click here to find out more about Tranquility Bay Beachfront Resort in Marathon, FL. We highly recommend it, lizards and all.

Florida Keys Top 10 Series

Number 10: Sunsets

Number 9: Tranquility

Number 8: Seascapes

Number 7: Swimming

Number 6: Sand Castles

Number 5: Key West

Number 4: Seashells

Number 3: Sailing

Number 2: Dolphins

Number 1: Sea Turtles

Top 10 of the Florida Keys #8

Diana B.1 Comment

Number Eight: Seascapes

“There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number —  living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro…” -Psalm 104:25

Watching the ocean waves come and go is so theraputic. This stretch of beach — which belonged to the resort — was on the Florida Bay side of the island.

The beach had not yet been combed, so the area was full of an assortment of seashells and a few sea creatures, too. A hermit crab had already laid claim to a seashell Linnea liked. She was quick to surrender it when she observed that it had legs.

Seven Mile Bridge is the longest bridge on the Overseas Highway.

We cautiously drove across it several times, and the awe of endless sky and sea never diminished.

A section the old Seven Mile Bridge, part of the historic old railroad running from Miami to Key West, runs parallel to the Overseas Highway.

The old Seven Mile Bridge takes you to Pigeon Key, a ghost town full of railroad history.

The new Seven Mile Bridge can take you here:

Bahia Honda State Park is one of the prettiest parks I’ve ever visisted. Once we discovered it, we made three separate trips there because it has such irresistible views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Just two more to posts left in this Top 10 series, and you won’t want to miss the funny story coming up next!

Florida Keys Top 10 Series

Number 10: Sunsets

Number 9: Tranquility

Number 8: Seascapes

Number 7: Swimming

Number 6: Sand Castles

Number 5: Key West

Number 4: Seashells

Number 3: Sailing

Number 2: Dolphins

Number 1: Sea Turtles

Top 10 of the Florida Keys #7

Diana B.2 Comments

 Number Seven: Swimming

What vacation with small children would be complete without a swimming pool?

The lagoon-style pool at the resort where we stayed was amazing. Michael and I couldn’t get over how beautiful the landscaping around it was. So green and tropical, and so different from the snow-white landscape of the Frozen Tundra that we’ve been staring at since November.

We also couldn’t get over the iguanas that strolled around the pool on the warmest day of our visit. Creepy! Of course, that was the day I didn’t bring my camera to the pool. We did count at least five iguanas — one even had orange spikes! The girls didn’t want to go anywhere near those creatures, but they didn’t freak out as much as I thought they might. We also saw many tiny lizards — Florida chameleons — near the pool and elsewhere around the resort. But that’s another story…

Back to swimming. Linnea loves her goggles; Laurel has a love-hate relationship with hers.

Linnea loves leaping into the water.

Laurel still needs a little help getting into deep water. 

Her little toes just didn’t want to let go!

But pretending to ride on her own personal sea turtle was great fun.

The 70-something weather was a smidge cold for Linnea, who crept out of the pool to warm up for a while. This is the same kid who often complains about being hot when she is outside wearing her snowpants. Go figure.

And then there’s Laurel, never happy to leave the pool.

Our Florida Keys Top 10 nears the finish with Number Eight coming up soon!

Florida Keys Top 10 Series

Number 10: Sunsets

Number 9: Tranquility

Number 8: Seascapes

Number 7: Swimming

Number 6: Sand Castles

Number 5: Key West

Number 4: Seashells

Number 3: Sailing

Number 2: Dolphins

Number 1: Sea Turtles

Top 10 of the Florida Keys #6

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The Florida Keys Top 10 continues with Laurel’s favorite today.

Number Six: Sand Castles

“God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.” 

1 Kings 4:29

If you read this earlier post about Linnea collecting seashells, you might have wondered if Laurel was at the beach at all. Well, she was. But seashell searcher she is not. For her, building sand castles was the most fascinating part of the beach.

Laurel knew she needed wet sand. So at first, she tried carrying it by hand back to the building site.

Next she tried the shovel.

Then she got brave and tried using the bucket.

Really brave, especially when you are 4-years-old and not wearing your swimsuit.

She constructed this cute, cozy little castle all by herself.

Then she had to wash her hands, with a little help from her dadddy.

Here’s another castle they made together.

As you can tell, Laurel loved the beach and didn’t at all mind having a little sand between her toes.

Nor did she mind having sand as her toes!

Florida Keys Top 10 Series

Number 10: Sunsets

Number 9: Tranquility

Number 8: Seascapes

Number 7: Swimming

Number 6: Sand Castles

Number 5: Key West

Number 4: Seashells

Number 3: Sailing

Number 2: Dolphins

Number 1: Sea Turtles

Top 10 of the Florida Keys #5

Diana B.1 Comment

Our Florida Keys Top 10 continues at the home of the sunset.

Number Five: Key West

Relax. Pull up a beach chair.

Forget life in the fast lane. This is were the highway ends.

This is the southernmost point in the continental U.S.A. — Key West, FL.

Go any further south, and you’ll be swimming to Cuba!

The perfect spot for lunch was Jimmy Buffet’s Original Margaritaville Cafe.

Michael enjoyed a “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” And as the menu put it, I “sailed off to the Virgin Islands” with a yummy pina colada. In retrospect, I should have ordered a margarita in honor of my grandma’s upcoming 90th birthday. She secretly loves margaritas, but please don’t tell her I told you that!

After our meal, we strolled along the colorful and historic Key West Seaport boardwalk.

Michael admired this schooner as it took on the high seas.

And Linnea admired this giant conch shell. Too bad it wouldn’t fit in her little blue bucket. We did find and purchase several smaller seashell treasures at a delightful shell shop nearby. Another notable find during our shopping excursion was dessert! Michael delved into the best-ever key lime pie, and I devoured a dreamy ice cream cone with a scoop of fresh toasted coconut ice cream and a scoop of dark chocolate ice cream. Yum! It was so good, I don’t even remember what the girls ordered.

As we continued sight-seeing on foot, we paused at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. As you can see, Laurel has a slightly eccentric obsession with cannons. (I have no other theory than perhaps it’s related to her much more understandable Nutcracker obsession.) This particular English cannon — a four pounder long gun and carriage  — was a replica. The original was recovered from the wreck of the Henrietta Marie and was typical of the smaller guns carried on merchant ships and pirate ships during the 18th century.  

We didn’t tour the museum this time because just visiting the gift shop was fascinating enough for our crew. The man behind the counter gave us a mini-tour of all the shipwreck treasures for sale. He actually let the girls hold a gold Spanish coin from the 1600s. I nearly fainted when he told us it was worth $22,000! Whoah! What was he thinking?

Later we swung by Harry S. Truman’s Little White House. Though it appeared to be a quaint little piece of history, the admission was pretty steep, so we simply admired it from outside.

Random question: Does anyone know why there are chickens everywhere in Key West? This one was on a grassy spot at the Post Office!

The sun wasn’t yet setting when we left Key West, but I promise to deliver some stunning sunset pictures before our Top 10 concludes. We’re halfway through, so stay tuned for #6!

Florida Keys Top 10 Series

Number 10: Sunsets

Number 9: Tranquility

Number 8: Seascapes

Number 7: Swimming

Number 6: Sand Castles

Number 5: Key West

Number 4: Seashells

Number 3: Sailing

Number 2: Dolphins

Number 1: Sea Turtles

Top 10 of the Florida Keys #4

Diana B.2 Comments

Our Florida Keys Top 10 continues today with Linnea’s favorite.

Number Four: Seashells

She searches. And she searches.

For seashells. By the seashore.

Slightly satisfied.

Still she needs to search for more.

So she searches.

And she searches.

She scurries to.

She scurries fro.

Will she ever stop? I don’t think so.

Florida Keys Top 10 Series

Number 10: Sunsets

Number 9: Tranquility

Number 8: Seascapes

Number 7: Swimming

Number 6: Sand Castles

Number 5: Key West

Number 4: Seashells

Number 3: Sailing

Number 2: Dolphins

Number 1: Sea Turtles