Mari's Week of Firsts!

THAT, my friends, is both of our cars covered in the first frost of the season! How exciting!! We don't normally get such cold weather until December- so this has been a freaky October as far as I'm concerned. As a kid, we had to choose our Halloween costumes wisely or we'd be drowning in sweat by the end of the night and experiencing a heat stroke. That won't be the case this year for the lil' chitlins. Lucky duckies. Now if I can only get it to snow......




As a result of our cooler than normal weather, I've decided this year to perfect my crocheting skills and make some nice winter scarves and hats. My first scarf? Oops. Who cares if it looks like a 5th grade art project. I'll wear it. I have no shame. I did however, manage to pull off the most adorable scarf/hat set for my little Emma (my pretend niece). The scarf is a miniature replica of the one I made for Joelea- how cute are they going to look when they both wear them!
Anyhow, Ta-daaaaaa!





I learned how to crochet when I was 7 but never really did anything with it until now.... 24 years later. Ugh, that made my stomach churn. I bought my first set of knitting needles and am working on a knitted scarf. The texture is much different from crochet, and it's taking me alot longer also. I watched a few knitting videos on YouTube- stop laughing. It was insightful, but I needed my mom to show me a few things or two that I wasn't picking up from the video. Who knew. I asked Fernando if he felt like he was married to an old geezer but he said it was hot that I was crafty and had skills. Werd.

Gimme Gimme Smore

Some of my earliest childhood memories include chilly, evening campfires with my family. My dad would build a fire and we'd lay our blankets/sleeping bags on the ground and nestle in. Mom would place hotdogs on our freshly made hotdog sticks, compliments of dad, and we'd hold them over the fire- or in my case, in the fire. I figured it would cook faster and who cares if half of my hotdog was covered in ash? Back then, I had no qualms getting my fingers sticky and gooey with roasted marshmallows or covering my face in ketchup with each bite of my ashy hotdog.

Fast forward 25+ years and you'll find us still enjoying our family campfires. You could say it's become a tradition- one that my father started and one that I'm so thankful for. It's a time for us to enjoy each others company and share countless stories that never seem to grow old. It's bonding. It's nostalgic. It's family. The weather is perfect right now- I feel a campfire coming on.

Here's a few photos of campfires past- sticky faces and all.


Kenji in one of dad's old sweatshirts- not sure what he's doing.


They trusted me to spear my own marshmallows... awesome.


What a sticky mess!

Nauvoo Nouveau

I found some pics from November 2000's trip to Chicago and Nauvoo. (Yes, I'm still scanning photos!) I had the opportunity to take a long weekend trip and until then, the only cities I had been to were DC, Atlanta, Miami and whatever may be in between. Chicago made me think of dark and dirty alleys, crackheads on park benches and the token prostitute at every corner. Little did I know.... it was the most beautiful city I have ever stepped foot in. It was amazing! I could have walked that entire city and not been tired. I guess I was so wrapped up trying to take everything in, that I forgot to get out my camera except for one time while waiting to cross the street. Random, I know. Seventeen? Really?

I got to visit the Sears Tower and various other Chicago landmarks. I also took the tour of Mar's Cheese Palace in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I don't even like cheese but when in Rome.... Ever wondered what the biggest mall in Wisconsin looks like? I found that out as well.



My favorite part of the entire trip, was the day spent in Nauvoo. I grew up LDS and though I may not be the best example, I have a deep connection and love for the history of the church and hardships that the early members had to endure. Nauvoo was almost like a wonderland for me. It took me back long before my time. It had a reverence about it and there wasn't a soul that I encountered who wasn't smiling or saying hello. I wanted to move there immediately but had to remind myself of my plans for SLC.



The first stop was in Carthage, IL to Carthage Jail where Joseph Smith was killed. My parents were converts to the church. I'm a first generation member and had always longed to be able to say my great-great-great grandparents travelled west and settled in the Great Salt Lake Valley. I felt that if I had that in my background, I'd feel more connected to the church. The thought never entered my mind that day as I felt an instant connection through the rich history provided. It was instantly real to me- not just stories I learned about every Sunday. Suddenly, it was real.



From there we drove to Nauvoo- nestled right on the Mississippi River, this small town was a paradise. The restored buildings from the days of Joseph Smith still stood and best of all, the Nauvoo Temple was being reconstructed. I wish we had timed it better- the following day, President Gordon B. Hinkley was to dedicate the corner stone. Just my luck. That didn't stop me from enjoying every detail about that day.



Fernando and I have the opportunity to go to Chicago this spring and I hope to be able to let him experience the beauty and reverence of Nauvoo, but most importantly, I want to make new memories with him.

Salt Lake or Bust!

I'm pathetic in that I have a box of family photos I still haven't finished scanning- over a year ago. Going through them tonight, I found some photos of the morning I moved to Salt Lake. I had originally planned on attending BYU in Provo and transferred with my company- it sounded like a great plan. That 3 day trek was undoubtedly the coolest thing I have ever done. I felt so alive- so liberated- so independent! It's sad, but I don't have many photographs from the time that I spent in Utah, even though it was short-lived. I did manage to get a few shots of my first actual "snow fall" and snow man. Awesome I must say.

For us Florida peeps, snow is something magical. We don't know what it's like to have a white Christmas or what it's like having to wake up an hour earlier to shovel the drive (thank goodness!) Once in my existence has it snowed here and that was on the morning of my 12th birthday, December 23, 1988. My mom woke me up and said my birthday surprise was outside my window. I remember rubbing my eyes and praying for a horse but quickly forgetting about any horse when I saw that white blanket of snow! I tore off my covers and ran barefoot out the front door. It was heavenly!... and cold. I made my very first snowman that morning. He was 6 inches tall and I dressed him in Barbie attire. Sigh... back to my move!


I left on the morning of April 1st (I think?) of 2001, with the my parents, Regan and Joelea there to see me off. Kenji and Susie were still in the hospital since the new arrival of Hannah just days earlier. It killed me to leave without getting to know my new niece, but I had to venture out there- something was forcing me to go. Can't explain it. After saying good bye and drying my eyes, off I went!


I didn't really have a plan. I just figured I'd wing it as I did so often. I was smart enough to bring an atlas (this was before I discovered Mapquest). I think I had a smile permanently stuck on my face all the way to Houston, TX that first day. I'm a total stickler for obeying speed limits now, but back in the day, 90mph made for "good time" on the interstate. Lucky chick. I spent the night in a Houston hotel only to be kept awake most of the night by the local vatos. I was young and naive and had no reservations until they attempted to break into my room. No thanks! Needless to say, I got an early start the next morning.


I'm sure there was a better route than the one taken, but I thought it would be "cool" to drive through Oklahoma and then head west again through Kansas, Colorado and eventually Utah. What the butt. Nobody bothered to tell me the only thing worth making note of when traveling the interstate through Kansas is that they boast the world's largest prairie dog. There was a silver lining however once I began to see foothills and a drastic change in the topography... only to be let down once I crossed into Colorado. One minute you see hills, the next minute you don't.



I stopped for the night in Hayes, Kansas. Never heard of it? No worries, I'm sure nobody else has either. Well here it was, day 3 and hopefully the final day of my journey until my final destination of Provo, Utah. (That was the original plan anyhow...) It felt like that scene from Dumb and Dumber when Lloyd drove all night in the wrong direction and protests the flat land by saying "That John Denver's full of **** man." Rockies? Where'd they go? I've been driving for 2 days and deserve to see something magestic and WHOA.. there they are up ahead! I was a giddy little school girl the entire drive through Denver- except for the insane altitude. I'm from Florida......



I finally arrived in Provo around 8pm and quickly found a hotel for the night. I managed to make a few friends on my first night there in fact and things were looking up. I had some friends that had moved to Salt Lake the year before and they invited me to stay with them until I found my own place. Vrooooom, off I went to Salt Lake. My first week there just happened to include their last snowfall of the season. I woke up and saw flakes falling to the ground and as if I were 12 all over again, ran out in my pajamas and played in the snow. That same day, I managed to make my very first snowman. He was insanely ugly but gimme a break.



My friends gave me a tour of the area and Bountiful Canyon. The hike down was great! I've always been a fan of the outdoors and have had my share of hiking- just not in the snow. My jeans were sopping wet and I was thankful I had worn my boots that morning. The only thing I can compare hiking in snow to, is walking through mud or trying to run in water.


David and I hiked for nearly and hour and I finally realized that if I took one more step, I'd never make it back to the truck. We headed back and I was doing fantastic until I looked up and realized I'd have to climb ALL THE WAY BACK UP the canyon. I didn't want to look like a sissy, and honestly, I'm not sure how I managed to do it as much as my legs burned and ached but I soldiered on. What a gorgeous view it was!!



Soon after, I had my first snowball fight and experienced driving in the snow. I'm glad it doesn't snow in Florida. Things happen and I had to move back after just 5 months. All good, everything happens for a reason. I'm still drawn to Utah and can't wait to return to Salt Lake one day- I just need to convince Fernando that he wants to move out there too. I met some amazing people, learned some vital life lessons and wouldn't change a thing.

Sunday Picnics.....

I had two of my brother's children this weekend, Regan (9) and Ashton (5). It just so happened that Fernando had the day off and the weather was more than perfect for a picnic down at the lighthouse. Once I mentioned it to my father, I knew it wouldn't be long before he would announce that he would like to join us. I love my dad.

He kept the kids entertained while I prepared and packed our picnic lunch. After stopping along the way for cold drinks and ice, we were off! I can honestly say that I have absolutely no idea how many times I've been to the lighthouse. I feel as though it was part of my childhood. Let me rephrase that, it WAS part of my childhood. I can recall countless trips there whether it was to explore trails, fish, hide Easter eggs, search for alligators or just hang with friends and make insane videos (Cathi....), St. Marks Wildlife Refuge plays a big roll in my life and appreciation for nature. In an effort to keep up family traditions, I love taking my brother's children there and watching them experience the very things I did at their age.

A mile or so after entering the refuge, there's a fantastic spot just off the road, scattered with picnic tables, large Oaks and Cabbage Palms. It's appropriately named "Picnic Pond." Convincing my nephew Ashton that it was important for us to finish our lunches BEFORE he started luring the birds to our table was impossible. Luckily, the birds didn't seem too thrilled about crumby, white bread left-overs. (Get it? crumby? moving on.... )

After Ashton's ill-fated attempts at converting my father into a bottle cap pirate, we packed up and headed down to the lighthouse. The road leading there is several miles long which makes for a great ride as everyone peers to either side of the road in hopes of finding the granddaddy gator of them all. The best time to go is mid-afternoon and you're sure to find them out on the banks, sunning themselves and offering fantastic photo ops. If gators aren't your cup of tea, there are eagles, osprey, deer, black bear, racoons, possom, armadillo, snakes and various other wildlife to peak your interest. Don't get excited about the black bear. I've lived here nearly my entire life and have only seen one in the wild on this very road.

After surveying several sunning gators, we reached the lighthouse and pulled into a surprisingly crowded parking area. The kids made a beeline for the lighthouse ledge and Fernando helped them up as I looked on and shrieked every time Ashton got too close to the edge. There's a great trail behind the lighthouse that leads to the beach side. Unfortunately, it was blocked off today but the good thing is it was due to sea turtle nesting. This small obstacle made no difference in our day as we managed to find some fascinating creatures along the way.

The first display we came to, was a crowd of fiddler crabs navigating in a sea of bodies. "Tap-tap-tap" was all you could hear as they moved in waves along the muddy shore.

As we ventured further, we followed the trail to the beach side and were greeted by thousands of snails on the salt reeds, as they waited patiently for the next high tide. Ashton found a baby crab and helped it on it's way. (Hopefully it wanted to go to the water.)

We found more fiddler crabs and the evidence of freshly dug homes. As a child, I was amazed when I stumbled across these perfect little balls of wet sand and couldn't imagine how they got there. Thanks to Animal Planet, I now know it's how the fiddler crabs clean out their waterfront abodes. Fernando and the kids scoured the ground, searching for something worthy of everyone's attention.

By this time, I had been bit roughly eleventy billion times by the ravenous dog flies. What's a dog fly? Demon spawn- but for those of you completely unfamiliar, they look exactly like house flies. You can't tell the difference between them until they land on you and bite. Anybody have a better description? This being said, I stuck it out as long as possible, but it seemed that no amount of gulf breeze could blow those suckers away. With that, I announced that it was time to head back in and look for alligators but not before I snapped a few shots of the lighthouse.

We walked to the marsh pools and had no luck with the gators. I have to admit though, I've never seen a kid so happy to be sitting next to bird poop.

It wasn't long before those darn dog flies found me yet again. Back to the car we went, but not before a few
more shots:









It was a beautiful day spent with some of the most important people in my life and I can't wait to have this opportunity again.

What a marvelous time of the year!

Fall is by far my absolute favorite time of the year. There's something magical about it though I'm not quite sure what my attraction to the season has always been. As a child, I remember riding my awesome "Pink Panther" banana-seat bike to my grandmother's house and noticing all the changes in the scenery along the way. The neighbor's maple trees would turn that amazing crimson red- the same color they turn just before nestling on the ground for the winter. The sun seemed a bit lazy too- always going down a little earlier each day. The crisp air was so easy to breathe and felt so revitalizing on my face as I practiced my "Look Ma, no hands!" routine. Maybe it's the gratitude I have for cooler weather after enduring the humid summers that Florida has to offer. Or perhaps it's the anticipation of the holidays fast approaching in the season next- whatever the reason, the very sight of leaves changing colors makes me feel like a little girl again. Now, if only I could find that Pink Panther bike......

This photo was the first thing I saw this morning when I opened the door to let the puppies out. That blanket of fog was rolling across the field and I couldn't miss catching it!

Don't make me get my powdah!!

Just thought this was kind of funny and sad all at the same time....

It was a quiet afternoon in the office today and everyone was out except for me and a sales agent........and that's when it happened.

"Oh! You have Palin glasses!"

Actually, no. Mine are not Palin glasses, but to avoid further conversation on the subject, I smiled and nodded. That was quickly followed by,

"Are you a Palin fan?"

I'm a Palin supporter. I'm not a fan. "Fan" doesn't sound appropriate when referring to future leaders of our nation.

"That really surprises me!"

What? What surprises you?

"Well, that you're a McCain fan."

(Again with the fan thing, but whatever) And why does that surprise you?

"Your husband's ethnicity and his dark skin, I just thought you'd naturally choose Obama."

Really........ Really??? What the butt does that have anything to do with when determining who I think is the better choice to lead our nation? How do you ignore something so insanely ignorant? To each his own but holy hell please tell me that Obama "fans" are choosing to give him their vote based on something a bit more substantial than skin!

On that note- Fernando's Cuban. He's not even dark. He's the whitest Cuban I've ever seen.

I was blessed with a mild form of patience and found it to be a true virtue today. I don't care who you vote for (kinda), just get out there and vote.