Coffee and Sweet Treats

Alice's coffee cup

As I recently started to reflect back to my coffee experiences I realized pretty quick that coffee and sweet treats is my passion.  You hear throughout your life you need to find your passions, what is it that you like, love.  You should work at a job that you don't feel like you are working but rather doing what you love. Those wise words given by others are so easy to hear but to figure out its a journey.

When I was little I remember my family drinking coffee.  I remember the smell of coffee being inviting to me.  A smell that I knew the day had started and it was time to go forth into whatever you had to do. I had two grandmothers that drank coffee.  I remember my grandmother Alice would take out a metal can with a red label and a black lid, put two dollops of coffee grounds into her cup, add piping hot water that she boiled on the stove and then she would drink it black. I remember thinking 'how can she do that?'  My grandmother, Rosario would drink it with milk and sugar. She would sit at the table with her spoon and show me how to stir the spoon in the cup without even knowing that was what you were doing. ( I would be drinking chocolate milk, pretending it was my own cup of coffee)  She would say, in her lovely Spanish accent  "You put the spoon in the cup ever so quietly and then put the spoon in the middle to the bottom, stirring in a rotation without letting the spoon ever touch the cup." On the side she would have a plate with her sweet bread or danish.  As a teenager I would watch my parents drink coffee from the coffee maker. They would add milk or creamer and sugar. Filling their reusable cups with coffee and then head out the door quickly to start their day on the long road to work. This is when I first started drinking coffee. I would drink the left over coffee in the coffee pot after my parents would leave.  I would put an abundance amount of sugar and creamer and more sugar and then wondered was there any coffee in my sugar and creamer.  Nope just the unnecessary amount of sugar.

When I was nineteen, the summer after I graduated high school, I went to Germany to visit an aunt. It was there I had my first cappuccino.  That is when I was introduced to what I call a real cup of coffee.  All these years later I can still remember how good that cappuccino was.  In a little cafe, in the evening, at a little table with soft lights around with other people sitting around drinking their coffees and eating their sweet treats.  I found a new love for coffee.  

In my twenties I went to work in a restaurant that had an Italian espresso maker. The first time I saw the copper top with a brass eagle sitting on top, I knew I wanted to work in this place and make coffee from that machine, not any old coffee maker but that machine.  I went on to work there for a few years.  I also learned a lot of my baking skills here from the owner and a fellow coworker.  Instead of going to school to learn about baking, I would just just sit there in the kitchen next to them asking questions and following their lead. They were experienced and I wanted to be like them. I had the opportunity to do this twice in my career of baking.  I worked at an orchard and quickly put myself in the position of sitting in the kitchen watching what the bakers were doing in which they quickly put me to work making the sweet treats, because they could have always used another pair of hands kneading the dough or sprinkling the cinnamon and sugar on to the tops of the sweet treats they were making.

Many years have passed since those first experiences of coffee and my passion lead me to learning so much about coffee. I know that I have yet to learn so much more. When I moved to California in 2014 and I had no idea where I was going or what I was doing I had a friend ask me "what are you going to do?" I told her  "I am going to go to Starbucks and get a job."  

I just didn't go into a Starbucks brick and mortar store I went to the Target down the street less then a mile from my new home.  I worked there part time doing much of the same thing I have done with all of my jobs, embrace myself into the middle of knowing and learning everything there is to know about what I was doing.  Making coffee was fun. Meeting new people was fun too.  I am a people person and I love the connections I make with people.  I took the knowledge I had of coffee and made something out of it. After eighteen months I was given an opportunity to open a new Starbucks coffee shop.  One inside of a new Target, a flex format store.  It was hard but exciting to see something grow from the ground up.  Putting in hours of building a team, putting things in place and doing it all with a smile and encouragement to others that it was going to be worth it.  It was a fun and a wonderful addition to this chapter of my life. Starbucks is not my favorite coffee but its a business I have learned a lot about.  Things like: how to start a business,  how to grow a business, where does that business come from, where has the coffee been, what it took for that particular plant to get to you to become a cup of hot or cold coffee.

I have met some really amazing people along this coffee journey that started oh so many years ago. I have met people who have taught me so much along the way. My coffee passion has lead me to places I didn't even know I was going.  From sitting at my grandmothers kitchen tables, running out the door in the hustle of the morning, sitting in a cafe in Europe, making a good cup of coffee in a restaurant, learning to bake some really good sweet treats, learning to grow and run a business and sitting in new cafes all around the Bay Area taking in the experience of what my place will look like.  I have told many people for a long time that my goal is to open my own coffee shop with sweet treats.  My own place to call my own. I am in a place in my life where I can sit and reflect on those ambitions, goals, dreams, passions and turn it into my reality.

All the while through my passions I have been a wife to my best friend, a mother to my two beautiful children, a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a sister in law, a daughter in law, a niece, a cousin, an aunt and a friend.

I tell others including my children that you have to start somewhere,  you can't just start at the top. Taking your passion and turning it into your life. You have to gain experience and one day you will look back and say "Hey, look what I did!" 

I haven't posted in a long time....2 years

I started this blog thinking that I would take time to post the adventures that I go on.  I have done so much growing these past few years and leaving it all helped me grow.  I had someone close to me tell me, sometimes you have to push the bird from the nest so that they can fly.  That person wasn't talking about me when she told me that but I reflected on what she said at that moment in my life and it was me that had to be pushed.  I post a lot of pictures on my social media to share all the adventure I go on.  I believe that Instagram took the place of my blog for a time being.  I thought today as I went to post a post on my Facebook, that I wanted my post to share a little more then a typical post.  I wanted to share some of the things I have been doing.  It was too much in one post and it got very lengthy.

I don't proclaim to be the best writer and I am by no means a professional writer. I hope you enjoy the things I have to say.... and if you don't, then that is ok!

I have my stuff (insert the other word) together

Last night as I was awoken by Claire, 'mommy sugar pi just puked in my bed'.  Oh the luxuries of having a dog.  Every now and then my dogs get these bugs, and I think they have nerves just like me. I couldn't go back to sleep.  I found my mind racing and thinking of all kinds of things.  One was should I take a full time job.  After a few thoughts and few hours later I had the thought, I wonder when and if I will get my stuff together! I thought by now I would have it all together.

While growing up I often thought 'I can't wait until I have my stuff (insert the other word) together'. Yes, I would think when I grow up I will have all my stuff together!  How many of you have thought that or still think that?  Someday I will have my stuff together.  Someday when I have all my stuff together.  So and so has their stuff together, I can't wait to have my stuff together like that!

I have been struggling for a few months now and I keep thinking I will start to feel better soon and things will all come together.  I have to say and I have said this before, this is a great adventure that I am on.  Knowing that God put me here for a reason and trying to figure that out is not as easy as said. I keep my head up and try to focus so I don't miss anything coming my way.  I have built a life as best as I can for me and my family.  I don't know where it will lead us and if it's all the right reasons but we are doing the best we can.  I go forward blindly knowing it will all be ok and it will all come together.

I know what some will say, 'you have it all together'!

Well, I then thought back to when I would say 'I can't wait until I have it all together'.  I think it is as far back as I can remember and I mean far back, like when I was 12 maybe 13.  'I can't wait to have my stuff together'.  So as I thought about this in the middle of the night and I asked myself, what would that look like exactly and what other stuff do I need to have it all together?  I realized that I do have my stuff together and I have had it my whole life.  As far back as life began for me I have had my stuff together.  Working for small goals even if I did not know they were goals.  Working to get from one place to the next.  My stuff has always been together.  It has been with me and accumulating as I go.  Right now seems like a blur because I am trying to keep all of that stuff together!

What does having your stuff together look like? Being married for 19 years in counting. Kids becoming teenagers over night. Dogs puking all over the place in the middle of the night, you are on your hands and knees cleaning it up knowing that if you don't do it now you won't want to do it later. Doing the dishes after you made a mess in the kitchen because you desperately want your family to eat a good meal.  Drive up and down the road taking kids back and forth to school and other activities.  The pile of clothes on your couch in the living room that you took out of the dryer but you leave it there because you think I will come back to that later in the day because I have other things that are more important to do. Bickering with your children over what the word NO means. Bickering with your children over why they can not wear that to school. Crying yourself to sleep because you miss something so badly that it hurts.  Laughing with your children and your spouse until you cry. Running to the store at 8pm to pick up worms, algae and a snail so that your kids can do a project for school. Making a difference in someones life with just a smile.

This is just a few things at what it looks like to have your stuff together! I guess I have my stuff together! Do you have your stuff together?

Time

Many years ago, about 17 to be roughly exact, I was told by an older wiser young women that when she left Indianapolis she took off her watch.  She was headed down to Longboat Key, Florida.  She said she ate when she was hungry and slept when she was tired and did not care what the time was because she was on vacation.

I have lived a many years that I felt like time was always what I had to worry about.  I had to be here or there and be there on time.  Of coarse many that I know will say, I did not always make it there "on time" but I sure tried and I let it consume my life, in which it would stress me out so bad that it made me sick.  I would rush myself and then later my family all on the fact that we were going to be late.  As those years went on I would vacation down in Longboat Key with my family, as I started so many years ago.  After that wise old younger women told me about taking off her watch, I started taking off my watch when I arrived to my destination of Longboat Key.  I have worn a watch as far as I can remember.  I had a swatch watch as early as middle school and then after I meet my wonderful husband, he would buy me some really nice watches.  I recently received another really nice watch from my husband and I really like it by the way.  I found myself doing in a tradition fashion, taking off my watch.

I do still have my phone, which by the way has replaced the ever so popular watch.  I find myself looking at my phone often to see what time it is.  However, I still have put my watch on the shelf and will not wear it until I leave Longboat Key.  I love the fact that when I am here I can escape the feeling of being somewhere "on time'.  I love the feeling of being so blessed that I can come here to get away from time.

Thank you Claire Morris for saying something so small that has stuck with me for so many years.   Something that helps me be on vacation.

A picture is worth a thousand words...

...however the memories you make are worth forever.

I had this moment yesterday, one that you have that makes you think, "well, I can't take it with me."
I was sitting in the bleachers at Jacobs eighth grade graduation starting to take pictures with my camera.  I pushed the button to take Jacob's picture as he walked to his seat on the field.  I realized that the camera would not let me take a picture. I was curious as to why it would not let me take a picture.  The thoughts that go through my head at this time is, 'I know the battery is not dead because I have been in this position before so I made absolutely sure that the battery was charged earlier in the day so that I could use my ever so fancy camera to take the perfect picture of Jacob during his eighth grade graduation.'

Quick side note: this was a real graduation, like one that you attend for high school or college.  They called off every name of every student as they walked up to the stage to receive their elementary education diploma. Continued:  I looked down at the screen to see that my memory card was full and I could not take anymore pictures.  Well, shoot!  I did not think of that.  I usually, after taking several hundred pictures, upload my pictures to my computer so that I have them.  I have not had this problem ever before on my camera.  I decide that I will go ahead and delete some pictures because to tell you the truth I do sometimes take a lot of pictures, like maybe a couple of 1,000's of pictures and then go through them later to delete the ones I really do not want.  The nature of having a hobby of photography!  I hand the camera to Dan and tell him I need to delete some pictures so that I can take new pictures, ones that I think are important.  Dan says quickly, "can I delete all?" I say, Yes I think so....wait...no I have my pictures from our trip to Arizona on their that I have not taken off yet." Dan says "I just deleted all."

I have the feeling of oh no!  Oh no, I just lost all my pictures of the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and Rio Rico.  I just deleted all of my last vacation pictures.  I do have some on my phone and I have a few that I have already shared with Facebook and Instagram friends.  I think to myself how crazy is this, I asked Dan to turn around the car after we left our house to go back and get my lens so that I could take awesome pictures at the Grand Canyon.  It was a forty minute turn around and I was truly thankful that Dan turned around to go back and get it.  I thought, as I sat there after deleting my pictures, what a waste of time to turn around. Then I thought, well at least I have a few from my phone and you know what I have the memory of going to this amazing place and that is all I really need.

California Living

I have not posted in some time and actually thought I would have posted more before now.  I have been on one world wind of an adventure!  I found myself busy with kids, a new job and life!
I spent the early part of my months living in California trying to find myself and where I belonged!  I may have come here on the wings of another but I am living the life of blessings and the free.  So truly blessed by the life I have and the adventure I am on.  I have to be truthful,  I said this from the beginning, my only wish for this amazing adventure was to bring everyone with me!  I have been blessed in this life with so many wonderful people and a wonderful family.  People who support me and my family even if it doesn't make any sense or if it's going to hurt!  Along the way I knew it would hurt but it would be ok.  Being able to see my family, every few months has helped with making the loss of a life that was a good one into the gain of life that is good too!

God has put people in my life that I will be forever grateful to.  Some I don't even know their names and will probably never see again to others who were just people that were meant to be there for a time in my life to lead me to the next part of my journey.  I am truly grateful for each of those memories.  I have meet others that I know I will take along with me in the journey and it feels good that I have that.

This is a good life.... you only live once....make it the best day ever!

<3

Dreams

Do you dream when you sleep?  Dreams that you can remember? Whether it is a small dream or a long dream, dreams can really play a role in your life, or at least I think they do in my life.  I know my dreams are just things my brain is playing out from what is going on in my life.  I have had dreams as far back as I can remember and I know when I wake up that it is just my brain trying to make sense of things that are going on in my life.  I have reoccurring dreams and those that I can not even remember.

Recently, since I have moved, I have been dreaming every night about people that have been in my life at some point.  People that I have not seen in my life for more then 25 years or people that have been in my life throughout the years.  I know these people played a role in my life then and I know they play a role in my life now.  Now after 7 weeks of living here and having a different dream every night, it is just my brain trying to make sense of what I have just done. Moving and leaving people in my life that I have either saw everyday for years or even people that I used to see every once in awhile.  All people that make up who I am along my life's journey.

One thing I wish I would have done is started to write down the people I have in my dreams.  I thought about it last week that I would have quit a list of names if I had started to write them down.  I knew at first that I was having these dreams to help me cope with not seeing the people I knew in my everyday life.  After about week five I started to think, how long will I be dreaming like this?  Today I know it might be awhile.  Some dreams have multiple people so that helps.  I realize that I have known a lot of people in my life.  From jobs that I have had to school.

I have told people when I have had them visit me in my dreams, however there are quit a few that I have not.  How weird is it if you tell someone, 'oh I had dream about you last night!'  I know that these dreams are not harmful but there are many dreams where I wake myself up crying.  I know it's my brains way of coping with a loss.  Not that those people are dead but the loss of not having those in my life everyday, once a week or even once a month.  Some people I have not seen in years and I don't even know how to tell them.

I wonder what to do with all these dreams.
Happy dreaming.

Smiling faces

I have not written in awhile because I really did not know what to write.  After a couple of weeks with a topic in mind I have finally decided to write about smiling faces. 

A little smile can make a big difference in someones life. As I took this journey to move across the country I have come across so many different people.  All of which are smiling.  Everywhere I go I look up and people give a simple smile.  While at the grocery store I am walking through the isles and I look up to see someone smiling at me and even saying HI.  It is almost like when I first lived in the rural area of Morgantown, Indiana while driving through the country side people would wave to the oncoming driver.
I find myself wondering if those random people I come across would be smiling at me if I were not smiling too or even looking up at them would I see them smiling? I have made this adventure a positive one.  Don't get me wrong I feel sad on some days but I remain positive and try to smile as a walk along. Everyone from the people at the check out in the store to meeting people at the church that we have found.  People are generally happy and full of smiles to give to a stranger.

I have come across people on this journey that I know were put in my life to get me through this journey.  I meet a beautiful women on a flight back to Indiana from San Francisco when I came here for my birthday back in June.  I did not even get her name, but she was so kind and we talked the whole way home on a flight from Las Vegas.   She had been visiting her daughter here in California and was on her way home to sell her house and pack her life up to come back here to live with her daughter.  She had lost her husband to cancer a few years earlier and really had nothing left back home in Indiana but she was reluctant to leaving her life that she knew behind to possibly finish her life here in California with her daughter.  I felt so blessed then to have someone to talk to about a journey that I felt might be a possibility in my life and in hers. It was almost like we were meant to meet along our journey to get us through to the next step. 

Another women I meet while sitting in a hotel bar waiting on a friend to meet me from Boston. I struck up a conversation with her because there were famous people there at this hotel and that is why she was there, to see these famous people.  The famous people ended up being the Mexico soccer team.  Being that I have some soccer experience I thought this was pretty cool however, I didn't know any of these famous people and really did not know much about team Mexico.  As I sat there and had this conversation with this women she was so nice and shared so much about the surrounding area, the bay area.  She helped me pass the time while I sat there waiting.  In the end I offered my name and she offered hers.  Her name was Cecilia, my mothers name.   I gave her hug and told her that it was meant to be that our paths crossed.  Just a little smile to get me through on my journey. 

I am so thankful for smiling faces that I meet along the way.  It definitely makes a difference to have smiling faces that are so welcoming and inviting to a new a different place.  I came here to Cupertino not knowing anyone but having people not only here in Cupertino, but also in the San Jose and San Francisco area, a little smile does help me get through along the way. 

SMILE! :)

STUFF

As I had all of my belongings packed up into boxes before I moved to California I found myself in a boggled dilemma of purging.  What should I take with me and what should I get rid of.  I went into closets that I had not been into for years.  Things that I had not looked at because I didn't need it for immediate use.   I saved so much, as many do, thinking "I might need that again!"  I felt like I had purged so much before I left for my new journey.  I threw things away, I donated many things to goodwill, and I even gave some of the things away to my family. I also told myself I do not know where I am going to live and "I might need that there!"
Once I got here to California and I didn't have any of my belongings other then some clothes. I started to think about all of my stuff that was making it's own journey here and wondering how much I really would use once it got here.  I also had to find a place to live within a month and that quickly changed when I realized that if I find a place to live I can register my children for school.  Looking at houses I was overwhelmed with where exactly to live.  We decided on the third day that we would rent a place until we knew more about the area.  That too quickly changed to finding an apartment over a house.  All of my thoughts on where I was going to live changed in a matter of weeks if not days. I was looking for someplace close to work and to schools. Some place that would accommodate our family and two dogs.  With moving here I had no idea what the area looked like and I did not do much exploring before I came because I was busy making time for family and closing up my life there in Indiana.
I know that I am not alone when I say that I have a collection of things that I believed I needed to save for what I do not know.
Once my stuff arrived here and it was being unloaded off of a truck I stood there looking at it like "what the heck am I going to do with all of this?"  I have furniture now that will not fit into an apartment.  I have stuff, decorations, childhood memories, clothes, books, papers and more stuff I have no idea what I am going to do with.  I had the movers deliver my stuff in two deliveries.  One to our new apartment and the other to a storage shed.  I have spent the past week and half, which seems like a lifetime, going through the boxes in our apartment wondering where I am going to put my stuff and also purging a few items that I know I really don't or ever needed to hang on to.  I will say purging is refreshing in someways I never imagined would be and I also can say I should have purged way before now.  I am a collector of things such as old belongings of my grandparents.  I have a collection of tea pots that were my grandmothers collection.  I have furniture that was both my grandmothers and Dans grandparents.  I love nostalgic things that someone once used and to know that my family used it to make memories is a feeling I like.  However, what do I do now with all these things that I thought I needed to hang on to?  Do I keep them in storage?  Do I try to sell them?  Do I give them away?
I am thankful in someways that I have this task ahead of me to keep me busy.  I am also frustrated in other ways that I have burden myself with so much stuff I thought I had to have.
Let me end on a note to say "YOU DO NOT NEED ALL OF THAT STUFF!!" "START PURGING NOW, DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE TO!"
If you do feel like me that maybe one day you will use it again, I am hear to tell you that NO you won't!!!  If you have the chance you are going to find something else to buy that you have to have to add to the collection of things you already have.
Down sizing is one of the best things I have done with my life.  I will say I never thought or pictured myself living in an apartment again but I am thankful that we made the choice.  It helps us to get rid of all of our stuff we will not use and it gives us time to see the surrounding areas and enjoy our time here, once I am done purging my stuff.

Direction

When you want to find your way while you on vacation or to a place you have not been before you typically would ask for directions or use a map, well that's the old school way. I can remember going on a road trip when I was growing up and my dad had a map that he kept in the front with my mom.  I can remember looking over my moms shoulder at the excitement of seeing where we going and which way the map told us to go.  The adventure was always different but it was always a journey.  




I have used my google maps more then I can count and I will tell all that my saving grace these last couple of weeks has been Yelp.  We definitely hit the ground running.  Everything about our old life is different.  From grocery shopping to restaurant options.  I knew it would be and watching it unfold before our eyes has been fun and challenging. Challenging because we know no one and we miss everyone we know.   Living in an apartment for one is different from the vast open country that we have come from.  Country living is nice.  Looking at the trees and listening to the birds.  Seeing all the green grass and open fields of corn or whatever the farmer has planted.  As I looked into the maps to find my way around I found that I traded the open fields for pavement and buildings.  There are trees here and there are birds.  There are also mountains to look at.  Driving through the mountains were amazing and see the crops here were pretty cool too. The ocean view was amazing in itself.

After using my yelp to find stores and food, I used my google maps app to find directions to things like the mountains, the beach, different cities, the golden gate bridge and even muir woods.
I am thankful for my maps and yelp to help me find direction to where I am going.  Without direction I do not know where I am going.  I have direction from not only a map but from Dan and my kids.  They do not come with a map but they have helped me find my way as to where I am going.  With Dan I have found a new way of living and a new place to live.  Because of his job I had direction as where to live, very close to work.  Because of my kids I had direction as to where to live, close to good schools.
We will be living in an apartment for the next year but it will all work out.  It's not what I had imagined for my life in the direction it was taking but it is a good choice.  I know that with any direction I go in I will be ok.  I have my family by my side.  It isn't easy and there are challenging days.  We don't have all of our family with us and those are days that are challenging.  The days we wish we had everything we were used to.  However we know that the new direction will be ok and finding our new direction will work out.

Can't wait to see and hug our family!

Indiana to California

One week ago I was cleaning up after I had a farewell party in my back yard.  I invited a few close friends and all of my family, both sides of coarse.  It was so amazing that I was able to have this apart of our adventure.  There were lots of tears that were shed but I was doing it with the ones I love.  As I sat there on my porch the next day I reflected that how amazing it was to be able to have the people in my everyday life all come together in my back yard.  Some knew each other and others didn't but it was all such a blessing and a good feeling to have hugs from all.
On Monday July 28 we had packers arrive at our house in Peoga and start the packing process.  They packed everything, including all of my clothes.  All I had was the clothes that were dirty. (oh my) I tried not to panic as I watch all of my belongings go into boxes.  I told myself there was no use in a panic to just try to relax and let it happen.
On Tuesday July 29 the first people to arrive at our house were Hendrickson/Trietsch family to say goodbye to our dogs.  Shortly after that there was a gentleman that arrived at our home to pick up Gracie and Sugar Pi to take them on their journey to Chicago and then to fly to California on a direct flight the following day.  After they left there was a tow truck that arrived to take are vehicles.  Both cars were loaded up and then left.  Ginger came with the boys to be with us for the day.  Ginger helped me with trying to clean out closets and throw away left over belongings that were not going to California.  After several hours of waiting for the movers to come and pack all of our boxes into a truck, we realized that they were not coming.  With great disappointment I tried once again not to panic.  I was upset because I wanted to be able to clean up after they left and that was not going to happen.  My parents came after work to say goodbye to us.  Hugs for everyone and Ginger, Tristan, Kellen, Mom and dad were on their way.  I spent a few more hours there at the house and then we left to have dinner with the Trietsch/Hendrickson's.  We came home for a last minute packing of our personal belongings and then we held each other in the hallway to say our nightly prayers and said goodbye to our home.
We said our goodbyes to the Trietsch/Hendrickson's and as the other goodbyes it was hard too.  Hugs for everyone more then once and then we were off.
On Wednesday July 30 we left Indianapolis on a direct flight to San Francisco.  It was a four and half hour flight.  The flight was good and we arrived safely to our new home city.  We got our rental car and then found a place to eat lunch.  After lunch we found our temporary housing, an apartment.  Sugar pi and Gracie come right after we arrived.  They were happy to see us.
We had pizza for dinner and then went to bed early since we had not gotten that much sleep the night before.  Early was 7pm here and 10pm at home.
After being here I will say I am very overwhelmed with all of my senses.  Just the fact that I am five minutes away from everything.  Everything being "town" where all of the stores and food and work are.  As many in my life know I am used to driving about 30min to an hour just to get where I was going..."going to town" :)

New Blog ...New Adventure

I have not written in a few years.  I just opened up my blog account to look at it and I realized after reading my blogs posts I missed this and why didn't I keep up with it?  Why? Because I started on a new adventure and it was going to school.  I decided back in 2009 to go back to school and I did.  I have been taking college courses for the past four years full time.  I am still not done and I am not going back to finish at this time.  WHY?  Because at this time I start on a new adventure of a life time.
My love of my life has gotten the job of his dreams.  Ok sounds sappy but its true.  I really do love my husband and he really is my soul mate.  I would follow him to the moon or even to the end of the universe into the other universes that lie out there in galaxies far far away.

I am moving 2,400 miles away from everything that I have known for the past 27 years.  I swore when I was 18 that I would never end up where I am and now I am sad to see that part of my life end.  I am confident that I will find a new normal.  One that is a good as this one. Only because I moved when I was younger several times and ended up here.  At first I thought it was the end of the world.  As I have gotten older I realize that this is not the end of the world but only the beginning.   Trafalgar Indiana, or Peoga Lakes to be more exact, was never a home I could have dreamed of it being.  I followed the man of my dreams here and made a home for me and my family.  I know that now as I prepare to take my my family on a new adventure that it will be ok because as before I am following the man of my dreams.

I know that this is going to be sad and many tears have already been shed.  More are going to come but I know just as before God has given me so much and he will continue to give me more.  God is good!
I therefore have started this blog up again to help me express myself and my adventures.  If no one but myself reads this that is ok but if others do that is ok too.

On to the new adventures of Spice Girl Cinnie!

<3

JUNE BIRTHDAY MONTH

It's my birthday month and I have to say I am not complaining at all. It's only three days in and I have been busy busy busy! I expect nothing but the less.

I had a wonderful bday day! I went to market downtown with Apple works stuff and the weather was beautiful. Sunny and 80 which we have waited all year for that kind of weather. I took Jacob to his soccer game on the westside. On the way we picked up Ginger and her two kids and Dan. Split a chickfilet sandwich with ginger and then Dan made a nutella and banana sandwich...YUM!

After the soccer game we went to the yogurt shoppe for some yummy frozen yogurt.

Thursday we stayed around the house and then we went to the airport to see my friend Tracy land from China with her new baby girl Elise. This was an amazing experience I know for Tracy and her family but for me it was truly amazing to see the love in them. It left a good feeling in my heart! :)

Ok...so now this weekend we have Claire's recital and we have Jacobs soccer tournament. This will be a fun filled weekend and I will post pictures up here as soon as I can. One more week till our out west vacation!!!

Summer 2011

I can do it

Ok so with the winter months that have just past I have realized that I do not like....let me repeat DO NOT LIKE the winter here in Indiana. I look back at my life and I can honestly say the winters are probably my most unsatisfying experiences of my life.

Now I have to tell you that when I have good experiences of winter I am most likely on an adventure and not even here in Indiana. I will admit that there are somethings that I like....such as maybe a good dinner for christmas.....maybe even a get together with friends...or even a birthday celebration of Dan's. But that does not get me through the long boring days of gray and snow.....and not to even mention the snow.

So, with that in mind I haven't had much to write about in my adventures because well to be frank...i haven't been on any adventures in the past two months.

I have however been on the up and down of college life. I have studies my head off and didn't do well on exams. Made me think twice about what I was doing but isn't that what all college students do. Study and cram for a test and then take it to realize you didn't study enough or get exactly what the professor told you. Yep I know you have been there! you can not deny!!

With that said I have been on a challenge of my life. wondering if I am doing what I need to be doing with myself. I have asked myself ...."am I doing the right thing?" I don't know is the answer.

I will say this no matter how hard I try it will be ok. And the doors that will open up for me are endless. I do lack the confidence that I need to use the key to the doors to be open but it is ok it's all part of my journey. do not know where I am going but I know that there are doors that will be there to open when I am ready! :)

My adventure is this....

I was told recently by my professor....of a class I am not doing well in might I add....let me give you back ground on this one......

Ok....I have not done well in my class of which I thought I would do well in because I LOVE the subject....I went to my professor because well I really do like her, and I told her OMG I am not doing well...she admitted I was a bit of disappointment and thought that for my enthusiasm I should be doing much better in the class. I literally had a boo hoo moment with her and then she said something to me that let me just say might stick with me no matter what I get in this class or even if I get anything out of my college life......she told me as she grabbed my shoulders and said..."repeat after me.....'YOU CAN DO THIS'....." really did my teacher just say that to me? yes she did!!!!!! she just told me to tell that to myself......

WOW took that with enthusiasm!!!!!

so even if this winter was a blue one...which if it was any better for you, you are free to tell me about it because I know others had a blue winter too and still waiting on the much needed warm weather....I can walk away with this...I CAN DO IT!!!!

<3 love ya

Cinnie

I have sat here all day thinking I should do something but I haven't done much of anything. Looked outside a couple of times. Told the kids about oh at least 100 times, I am not kidding more like 125 times that they could not walk down the road to their cousins house to play. If it were snowing I feel safer that they would actually make it there safely. But it's not snowing....it's Icing! Not like icing on a cake but icing in your freezer. Wouldn't that be cool if it were icing like on a cake. Be very sticky but at any rate you could probably walk somewhere without falling make some cupcakes to dip in the icing on the way. LOL

ok so I have been inside too much....as you see I am day dreaming about cupcakes and icing now.

I did get up and make a dinner for us all, Dan, the kids and I. I made a lasagna. Cleaned the dishes and well that is about all I did for the day. I did attempt to do some homework but that didn't go so well, found myself looking up things on the internet instead and telling the kids, nope you can't go to your cousins. lol

The kids did venture out and I told them they could walk around the house and not to go anywhere else. They were out side for about an hour.

My parents bought the kids a ping pong table for Christmas. It is a big table and takes up half of our living room. At first it was a shocking surprised to see how big it was and I realize that it is ok. I had to tell myself it was OK! They did, well I did too, play some today. I was told by Dan that Jake would beat me. I told him to bring it on. Jake beat me.... :P

We will be in our house for at least two more days. I don't see myself trying to get out at all unless I know I can. I am pretty adventuresome and don't mind trying to get out when it snows. We live at the bottom of a hill, in the woods, on a lake about 10 miles from town. I am hoping with all the trees there is not too many of them down.

I have even not once but three times this winter already tried to go up our hill in the snow to get out and have not made it up the hill but only to make it as far as half way because I can not get a running start up the hill and start sliding or spinning that is on the hill. Thankfully we have a nice gentleman....troy...that plows for us. In this case with all the ice I am pretty sure it isn't going anywhere especially since the weatherman, lady, has already told us that the temperature is going to be cold cold cold for the next few days and when it does warm up a little by Saturday theres going to be another chance of snow by then.

Maybe I should get motivated and finish cleaning out my basement so that I can move the ping pong table down stairs. :)

cinnie

Scottsdale, AZ #3

Ok so I serious thought that I would get to the third day before now. I have consumed my weekend with 'the girl with the dragon tattoo.....the girl who plays with fire....and the girl who kicked the hornet's nest'.

I might say this was good trilogy. I had not heard too much about them but those who have said they have seen them say only good things about this movie or book. I loved them. I am glad I got to watch all three at once. I can't imagine if I had to wait for the next one. :)

So on to my third Arizona day...which really was our last day there. On Monday our true last day we didn't do a whole lot checked out and returned the rental car so I would have to say that it was not as exciting as our other days but a good day to do what we did and that was sit around the pool in the sun! :)

On Sunday, Jan. 23 we went on a trip to Roosevelt Lake which is just east of Phoenix. I have told Dan of stories about going to this lake as a little girl to camp there with my dad's family....cousin who he says is a true mountain man. I remember a few things about this trip and they are ....my dad's cousin actually camped in a Teepee. They had horses and I remember getting to ride them, even if it was a short ride it was the coolest ride when I was kid to do. The other memory I had of this trip...the one when I was little girl....was that my sister and I sat in the sand on the beach and dug up indian pottery. Now as a kid this was truly a neat thing to do but as an adult I think it would be almost surreal to actually be sitting in the sand and find an artifact that a person used so many years ago.

As I remember these pieces were not very big. They were no bigger than a sticky note. Just a little piece history. Something that someone made to use for everyday use. Makes you think about a part of life that I do not have to do. Make my own things other than a meal.

So, as we set out on that day we took the road north to see the lake from that north. No plan was made other than to just drive over there to see what it was like and for Dan to see something that I talk about, a memory. When we got just north of the lake we stopped at a store to pick up a drink and lunch. We picked out guacamole and salsa.

We made a stop on the lake to eat our lunch. Dan and I walked the shore line to see if Dan could find any pottery. But I was pretty sure that we would not only because that was 25 years ago if not more. If there was any it was long gone ....or on a hill somewhere. After reading the literature at the rest stop we realized that in recent years they have redone the dam there to the lake and raised it 77 feet. If that were the case....which it was....the part that I even explored 25 + years ago was now under water.

After lunch we drove south and saw the newly built bridge and dam. Pretty amazing site to see. We took pictures and then realized that the road we were about to take back to Phoenix was about 24 miles of dirt road all on a side of a mountain. The apache trail. Roosevelt claimed that it was the most scenic route in the world.....and it was very scenic if I might say so myself. Most parts were narrow one lane road that you had to yield for other cars. Up and down the mountain we went. We saw several lakes and mountain cliffs that were very unique and not of what we see here everyday in Indiana. We even saw a cave that I know Dan really wanted to explore but there was not a parking spot because others were exploring and we didn't have a flash light.

Once we made it back to the paved road we came out where we were the day before...the lost Dutchman's park. We started to the north and made a circle to the loop back to the phoenix area.

We did not make it back in time to catch the bus to dinner with the rest of the group but that was ok because we found a restaurant by using 'yelp'. It was in walking distance from our hotel. Petite Maision, a french restaurant rated 5 stars for the scottsdale area.

It was a very good dinner. Nice to sit outside in January and enjoy a nice meal.

I must say this adventure to Scottsdale, Az was an amazing one. I really enjoyed spending time with my best friend. Making me realize once again I am truly blessed to have such an amazing person as my husband. He is my best friend and I am lucky to have found that in my life. I only wish that everyone could experience my adventure with me. :)

cinnie

Scottsdale, Arizona #2

So... on the second day of our trip we decided to rent a car and go to a trail that was recommended by another Angie's list traveler. The Lost Dutchman's mine....siphons drawl. This trail is located in the superstition mountains.

This day of our trip was Dan's bday.

On our way there we were amazed at the beautiful mountain. When we parked the car we had no idea what was in store next. We started on the trail just with the goal that we would go as far as we could. Two hours into it Dan did leave me and that was ok. He went up the mountain to the spot called flatiron. The top! :) ( 4,300ft) I was really excited for him that he did it! At first I was upset with the disappointment that I did not make it as far up the mountain. It was ok after I thought about it. I actually started to sing the song....."just the way you are" by bruno marcs. Your amazing just the way you are...I thought of that because sometimes we try to do things that we just can't do and we need to know it's ok. Just try. Even if you can't climb that mt. the first time, try again another time. Sometimes it takes up more than one try to get to the top. Now it makes me want to start working out and train to other mt.s and trails. ;)

I was just happy to be in the sun. Looking at the scenery. I love the mountains. I love looking at them. I lived in Tucson when I was a little girl and one thing I missed the most (other than my grandmother) when I moved to Indiana was the look of the mountains.

After we were finished with the hike we went to a mexican restaurant which we found on yelp.

It was really good and I could see why it was rated 5 star on yelp. Dan had a second helping because it was so good! :)

Truly a fun day! Didn't know that when we left for the day that our adventure would be so awesome.

Scottsdale, Arizona

My husband and I recently went to Scottsdale, Az. We went without our children. We have done this now for the past three years. It was a hard thing at first to leave our children, but we got used to it and it helps that we have family watching them for us.

We went with my husbands work. There were about 100 people that went on this trip. We stayed at 'Hotel Valley Ho'. This was a very nice hotel and I loved the decore. Very retro....modern look. Humphrey Bogart stayed in the suit there at the hotel.

Dirty Martini style is what I would have called it. There was even a martini set with a small mini bottle of Belvedere vodka. I love martinis.

We partied on the roof top the first night. The scenery was 'amazing' on the roof top.
We had a mashed potato sundae bar. Never had one before but my mother in law has already thought of the idea herself. The toppings there were such as blue cheese crumbs, onions, bacon, cheese, sour cream, butter, even pecans for the sweet potatoes. :)

Boy I am going on and on about the food and the first night. I think I will take a break and write more tomorrow about the second day and what we did on our adventure to AZ!

Cinnie