tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64940093476203567282024-03-14T13:49:11.034-05:00Randomness with RachelThe title says it all: just random thoughts that I feel the need to share with anyone who wants to read them.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.comBlogger882125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-87138972837765110772023-01-24T16:03:00.000-06:002023-01-24T16:03:10.218-06:00The Chosen: Season 1, Episodes 1-4 <p style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>**All photos and videos used in this post are courtesy of The Chosen. I do not own any of them.**</i></b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Thanks to all you read my <a href="https://averyfan.blogspot.com/2023/01/hello-blogging-my-old-friend.html" target="_blank"><b>last post</b></a>. I didn't know if anyone would actually take the time to read it. I get passionate about some things and pour my heart into talking (writing) about it, then realize that other people might not care. Lol. </span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sorry for the delay. </b>It took me longer to do this recap than I thought. I kept going back and forth how I wanted to post them. At first, I was going to do one episode per post, but that would take forever, so I'm going to do four episodes a post.<b> Obviously, this post is going to have spoilers</b>, SO, if you think you want to watch the show, I encourage you to watch the episodes first. Like I mentioned before, they have a free app (<b><a href="https://new.thechosen.tv/pages/new" target="_blank">click here</a></b>) where you can watch the episodes. I know season one is on Netflix and I think it's also on Amazon Prime.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you want a detailed recap of the episode scene by scene, I'm sure you can find those online (just Google <i>The Chosen</i> episodes recap). My recaps are gonna kind of be all over the place but if you know me, this won't surprise you. I tend to be all over the place telling a story. Lol. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you are a person who doesn't care about spoilers (or if you have already watched the show), keep on reading. But grab some snacks first, because this going to be a long post. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzb4L7t2NmSLKp2c9SyaGaeHKYzi5hNjJAfpQjv60lZeYqs8XGFTJ_lFlR5nrv5Wz5rGB8BZ6OFqE6ZTBn2_QVpSheBhIK_fj8rJ3bfUYncJ0P_RFH1m-4_JxmoJuKpa2YY33584JwIOBnoN4QZt8uHQp_xmO29Nt49vIqVIdbRk0U1-a6Dg2JKZZJ/s469/S1E1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="469" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzb4L7t2NmSLKp2c9SyaGaeHKYzi5hNjJAfpQjv60lZeYqs8XGFTJ_lFlR5nrv5Wz5rGB8BZ6OFqE6ZTBn2_QVpSheBhIK_fj8rJ3bfUYncJ0P_RFH1m-4_JxmoJuKpa2YY33584JwIOBnoN4QZt8uHQp_xmO29Nt49vIqVIdbRk0U1-a6Dg2JKZZJ/w400-h245/S1E1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>DESCRIPTION: Two brothers struggle with their tax debts to Rome while a woman in the Red Quarter wrestles with her demons.</b></div><p style="text-align: justify;">We meet a lot of characters in episode one-which is one reason I got confused the first time I watched it. But also, to be honest, I wasn't paying super close attention the first time I watched it (because I thought it was going to be your typical "cheesy Christian" production). </p><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is a breakdown of some of the main characters we meet:<br /><b>Nicodemus</b>: A leading Pharisee from Jerusalem and a prominent member of Sanhedrin. <br /><b>Simon (Peter) and Andrew:</b> Two brothers who are fishermen in Capernaum by day and gamblers the rest of the time. Like most of the Jewish community, they are drowning in tax debt.<br /><b>Matthew: </b>A young man who is a tax collector in Capernaum, because even back in the 1st century, the government demanded the payment of taxes.<br /><b>Gaius: </b>A Roman centurion assigned to guard Matthew's tax booth.<br /><b style="text-align: left;">Quintus:</b><span style="text-align: left;"> A Roman magistrate in Capernaum and the Praetor of Galilee (AKA, the one demanding the taxes). Heads up- he's the bad guy you love to hate.<br /></span><b style="text-align: left;">Eden:</b><span style="text-align: left;"> The wife of Simon (Peter). <br /></span><b>Shmuel</b>: A Pharisee in Capernaum who studied under Nicodemus.<br /><b>Zohara:</b> The wife of Nicodemus. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lilith</b>: A woman suffering from demon possession. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Rifka</b>: A friend to Lilith.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Jesus</b>: I assume everyone knows who He is. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>CLIFF NOTES SUMMARY:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The show starts with a flashback to a little girl talking to her father. When she says that she's scared, he has her quote scripture from the prophet Isaiah. <i>"Thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." (Isaiah 43:1)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The scene flashes forward, and we see an adult Lilith covered in blood with no memory of what the demons caused her to do the night before. Meanwhile, the great Nicodemus is touring Capernaum with his wife and is stopped by Praetor Quintus. He wants Nicodemus to help him collect all the unpaid taxes from the Jewish community. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdcZRRIn9gSXj-EPV4Rv77-_48jOu_2jmKTqHfbEootAYQkBx_5_v7EiDM_CtMrcv176M2YI-rj_MZYbee986DuoMkuQbIBR5f3cvDbkO05ObT1Q1ezTM6VxCA67iJA65t4LEYTD265_iAuHle3soQAk3ZoUBFX8Tm057_QD2zLqn-BsOz2dUjwQe/s640/the-chosen-quintus.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdcZRRIn9gSXj-EPV4Rv77-_48jOu_2jmKTqHfbEootAYQkBx_5_v7EiDM_CtMrcv176M2YI-rj_MZYbee986DuoMkuQbIBR5f3cvDbkO05ObT1Q1ezTM6VxCA67iJA65t4LEYTD265_iAuHle3soQAk3ZoUBFX8Tm057_QD2zLqn-BsOz2dUjwQe/s320/the-chosen-quintus.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Matthew is pushed and spit at as he walks to his tax booth, which is guarded by Gaius. He is considered a traitor by his fellow Jews and it becomes apparent he is liked by no one. Simon (Peter) and Andrew struggle with their tax debts to Rome and spend time gambling in hopes of making enough to pay off the debt. This gambling includes fighting with Eden's brothers. Nicodemus is ordered by Rome to go to the Red Quarter to perform an exorcism on Lilith. When it doesn’t work, he leaves saying only God himself can save her. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim07u6jkc0wVzAMYjuV46dFXWgF_7FF1SgwWjVnEBC4J27y8oj22lT_FQgtupX0dcHSpCV100B54MM1GbyLaVFeJzOJIrGizYky9DjqT0AUlq44weyXHCl5ZaJ1EDyBCZB3p3D117poy6P_vyhmGhv09JgAYwayUD5TMl0XQsLcoEgVehUgaV3ioRT/s220/the-chosen-shmuel.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim07u6jkc0wVzAMYjuV46dFXWgF_7FF1SgwWjVnEBC4J27y8oj22lT_FQgtupX0dcHSpCV100B54MM1GbyLaVFeJzOJIrGizYky9DjqT0AUlq44weyXHCl5ZaJ1EDyBCZB3p3D117poy6P_vyhmGhv09JgAYwayUD5TMl0XQsLcoEgVehUgaV3ioRT/w320-h320/the-chosen-shmuel.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">When Andrew tells Matthew he is unable to pay his past due taxes, Simon steps in and tells Matthew that he has an arrangement with Quintus, so they don’t have to pay. Simon’s arrangement is to let Quintus know the Jews fishing on Shabbat (Sabbath) but Andrew disapproves, considering it a betrayal to their friends and fellow Jews. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XCoacxVRVShjo29NuG2L7lYrGY8bs3jKga3coenBEvpXg9itpr-2-q22t7bpavlZRIywudXU1I6uQyBziEYK-5c2fv7okhn0LeO2IK3A24KceY26EEkOc4TLHubQFJlWTvJM1HD-Eymm023Rl87xSlZs2eMwpWXydOGpB0icddZ2J4nfNJSsn-88/s640/the-chosen-andrew.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XCoacxVRVShjo29NuG2L7lYrGY8bs3jKga3coenBEvpXg9itpr-2-q22t7bpavlZRIywudXU1I6uQyBziEYK-5c2fv7okhn0LeO2IK3A24KceY26EEkOc4TLHubQFJlWTvJM1HD-Eymm023Rl87xSlZs2eMwpWXydOGpB0icddZ2J4nfNJSsn-88/s320/the-chosen-andrew.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Lilith has lost all hope of ever being healed and is sitting in a bar. As she leaves the bar, she is followed by a man (spoiler- it’s Jesus). He then calls her Mary (of Magdala), and she stops. It's obvious that no one in Capernaum knew her real name. He quotes the same scripture that her father taught her many years earlier. He then places his hands on her head, freeing her from the demons that have tormented her. This scene is so powerful that I have to show a video and not a gif. This scene is when I decided <i>The Chosen </i>was going to be different than any show I had ever seen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uIolqFni50w" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>PERSONAL THOUGHTS:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">When I recommed the show to someone, I always tell them that the first time I watched episode one, I was confused, and it wasn't until the end when I was like, "oh, okay, I think I see what's going on." I know some people will start a show, and if they don't like it within 15 minutes, they will stop watching. <b>KEEP WATCHING THIS ONE</b>. This show is going seven seasons, so they take a bit of time introducing you to the characters. And yes, episode one is a little slow at first, but the show will pick up. Trust me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Knowing what I know now, I think this episode does a great job of introducing the viewer to the characters. Yeah, when you first watch it, it's a little annoying that you don't quite know who is who or what is going on- but it will eventually make sense. I feel if they had rushed it in episode one, it wouldn't have worked as well. Of course all of this is in hindsight. And, as I stated in my previous post, the writers have added some content and characters that are not in the Bible. They are not trying to ADD to Scripture, they are just trying to make the stories come to life. Another thing I like about this show is that they don't speak in "Old King James" speak. For those who don't know what that means, this is Isaiah 43:1 from the King James version of the Bible: “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” They DON'T speak like that- they speak in "modern" terms and use modern phrases. They do that so people can relate to (and understand) the show. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFercEc2JBSLdvwsbo9ojiajE53ifim2LcZWbt7Sjzhi9Yk_ar6zT22SUtDnb2CmxOibsMVoXLbmpywnfWhMCJDZpdTlzHX693iDoibR9VhnhxX1Lq9VqMCaNvQNSEDeAFuEd-H9qtGXTttxS1Qt33YTAaPwD54WS7QJ1HVyWhKbyZ0xHvHIdiwFYc/s471/S1E2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="471" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFercEc2JBSLdvwsbo9ojiajE53ifim2LcZWbt7Sjzhi9Yk_ar6zT22SUtDnb2CmxOibsMVoXLbmpywnfWhMCJDZpdTlzHX693iDoibR9VhnhxX1Lq9VqMCaNvQNSEDeAFuEd-H9qtGXTttxS1Qt33YTAaPwD54WS7QJ1HVyWhKbyZ0xHvHIdiwFYc/w400-h253/S1E2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>DESCRIPTION: Matthew validates Simon's claims with Praetor Quintus. Nicodemus investigates the miracle reported in the Red Quarter, and Mary receives surprise guests at her Shabbat dinner.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">New characters in this episode:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>Mary</b>: Technically we met her in the first episode as "Lilith", but from now on, she's Mary (Magdalene).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>James and John</b>: Two brothers living in Capernaum who run a fishing business with their father. This James will later be known as "Big James". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Zebedee</b>: Father to James and John.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Barnaby</b>: Friend of Mary Magdalene.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Shula</b>: Friend of Mary Magdalene.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>James</b>: Student of the rabbi Jesus. This James will later be known as "Little James". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Thaddeus</b>: Student of the rabbi Jesus.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>CLIFF NOTES SUMMARY:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Mary Magdalene (formerly Lilith) prepares for Shabbat dinner. Matthew confirms Simon’s agreement with Quintus is true. Simon continues to spy on merchants, all while buying them drinks at a local bar. He runs into fellow fishermen James and John, and their father, Zebedee. </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAd2ZuvBgXFMufinA8mq12rp3lJ6KbDTBGR6lPebpKG6QW6y5I-EMLwc00dNBZqOQ9WaBUA5W59P5l_0UFQnha53CFEQbHgjjeJo89pUW9Anrao3s-nWWk_rRoMjMoqTPykSf02fUs7KWgzd78qgQZiByITIiZ2QGGpz0b00V-EZuDInPgKw0BSKJz/s640/the-chosen-john.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAd2ZuvBgXFMufinA8mq12rp3lJ6KbDTBGR6lPebpKG6QW6y5I-EMLwc00dNBZqOQ9WaBUA5W59P5l_0UFQnha53CFEQbHgjjeJo89pUW9Anrao3s-nWWk_rRoMjMoqTPykSf02fUs7KWgzd78qgQZiByITIiZ2QGGpz0b00V-EZuDInPgKw0BSKJz/s320/the-chosen-john.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Nicodemus hears about a miracle in the Red Quarter. When he confronts Mary to see that she is indeed healed, he is surprised to hear that someone else was responsible for the miracle. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE3t6dSqqiPD284P4eZZ00y9gCxKCHJvZLNSK6_ENFtF_T87lAZfhzsUKnFee2WQuptz9a5vDlpuv4MrF8mcOzIBQDz6engvUIu3iP_NPBDlZy2Vn3tcOAPVki0KpqTQjEsQKG9r5zM_we1PB03dSrdsxKJs0k_qJnSiIkWA8s4XnhIqRIzXKXLEb/s220/the-chosen-mary-magdalene.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE3t6dSqqiPD284P4eZZ00y9gCxKCHJvZLNSK6_ENFtF_T87lAZfhzsUKnFee2WQuptz9a5vDlpuv4MrF8mcOzIBQDz6engvUIu3iP_NPBDlZy2Vn3tcOAPVki0KpqTQjEsQKG9r5zM_we1PB03dSrdsxKJs0k_qJnSiIkWA8s4XnhIqRIzXKXLEb/w320-h320/the-chosen-mary-magdalene.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Nicodemus leads a Shabbat dinner with the other Pharisees. Matthew approaches what we learn is his family’s home to observe Shabbat with them, but decides not to go in, and eats dinner with his dog. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpCB3zDFqlL5tEsaTUJcqkB5s_TtSd1Vu9_ViiKOMQxPsk7cwf8L4En0CESqMZAJQAug-Q3xnojKv75EI4rFUuEYnAf8MjkVh9jM2r6vLR0j57usssmLpLbDZfipZuAaYEaY4vcdie6OQPstzp0P880306mzrbXsI2vhvouZ_VDERKOap4yvX8s_s/s498/the-chosen-matthew.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="498" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpCB3zDFqlL5tEsaTUJcqkB5s_TtSd1Vu9_ViiKOMQxPsk7cwf8L4En0CESqMZAJQAug-Q3xnojKv75EI4rFUuEYnAf8MjkVh9jM2r6vLR0j57usssmLpLbDZfipZuAaYEaY4vcdie6OQPstzp0P880306mzrbXsI2vhvouZ_VDERKOap4yvX8s_s/s320/the-chosen-matthew.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Mary hosts her first Shabbat dinner with her friends Shula and Barnaby. She receives surprise guests, two young men named Thaddeus and James. When Jesus shows up to the dinner, we discover they are students of his. After leaving Shabbat dinner early, Simon is approached by the Romans at the Sea of Galilee to spy on the merchants again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>PERSONAL THOUGHTS:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This episode definitely moves faster than episode one. For those who know the Bible, it's kind of exciting to see the disciples slowly introduced. While these back stories in the show aren't necessarily the true backstories of the disciples (because we don't know them), it makes you stop and think who they were before they met Jesus. The first time I watched it, I kept thinking, "This is a Jesus show, and they have barely shown Jesus." Don't worry- they show him more as the show moves on. The show is focused on showing Jesus through the eyes of those who knew him best, so we have to get to know those people first. I also like the humor that they throw in the show. While Barnaby is a minor character, he does bring "comic relief" to his scenes. <i>*Note: This video isn't the best quality, but it was all I could find on YouTube. The actual episodes look better than this.*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cxFYs3V7vso" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center><center><br /></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBNyUB8K7E3dPZnaGimNNG1i6UVjJu-E3AtQacetFwm9sp6_tnh394UL02lhtPehwTUT3FQwPdakshEcbpm6j1-Smfrh9jH55ceSVreZmcUiWKCx3YQjDrypC8DVmqHdS15Ijv6KGhJbSWpgPOjbJns_7xAuu3WVEOYXpbxe06DdnLQD4SxrT7BqJ/s472/S1E3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="472" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBNyUB8K7E3dPZnaGimNNG1i6UVjJu-E3AtQacetFwm9sp6_tnh394UL02lhtPehwTUT3FQwPdakshEcbpm6j1-Smfrh9jH55ceSVreZmcUiWKCx3YQjDrypC8DVmqHdS15Ijv6KGhJbSWpgPOjbJns_7xAuu3WVEOYXpbxe06DdnLQD4SxrT7BqJ/w400-h258/S1E3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><center style="text-align: justify;"><b>DESCRIPTION: Jesus befriends and teaches the group of children who discover His camp on the outskirts of Capernaum.</b></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></center><center style="text-align: justify;">New characters in this episode:<br /><b>Some children from Capernaum. </b></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><div><b>CLIFF NOTES SUMMARY:</b></div><div>Jesus has set up camp outside of Capernaum. A little girl named Abigail discovers the camp and is intrigued by all the tools and brings her friend Joshua to see it. Jesus befriends Abigail and Joshua, as well as their other friends. The children help Jesus on his work as he teaches them about love, prayer, justice, compassion, faith, and wisdom.</div></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6yYndh-P2IKxWQea-Lvgr3cZ_5eG_nAxILgOkmNfAaoL7Uh3p7Si7sVeQdGYMdvlhvILWNTKqAlvIttSM1C-ZKAV2G6wlem-gwgekEFAByxhIOfEv9bGC8GmfVmBW0SmkiZ00WKxOfXzzAvfPD-iL2Jnk_uPMK3zocYXDIlmBC7fNsb6UGI_qjz8/s640/good-morning-the-chosen.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="640" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6yYndh-P2IKxWQea-Lvgr3cZ_5eG_nAxILgOkmNfAaoL7Uh3p7Si7sVeQdGYMdvlhvILWNTKqAlvIttSM1C-ZKAV2G6wlem-gwgekEFAByxhIOfEv9bGC8GmfVmBW0SmkiZ00WKxOfXzzAvfPD-iL2Jnk_uPMK3zocYXDIlmBC7fNsb6UGI_qjz8/w400-h201/good-morning-the-chosen.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><center style="text-align: justify;"><b>PERSONAL THOUGHTS:</b></center><center style="text-align: justify;">This is a short episode but I thought it was good. If only we were so eager to learn from Jesus like these children were. :) The timeframe of this episode seems to be the same as the first episode, because there is a scene where the children ask Jesus where he was the day before, and he said he had to go help a woman in need. I assume we are to believe that is when he went to Capernaum and healed Mary Magdalene. Also, episode four picks up where episode two leaves off, so I feel that episode three takes place at a different time (and not right after episode two). That is something super minor, but I still felt like mentioning it.</center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRE4NZqgHLYovDW_jTlCPc3sXUlRsYuNEKN7N6sbd0Xbu6zo0DTJqgJJmrHTDVi5mdC5tXQpnP92g5pgBLtTZExTzxVRrlwTsT7_knbKdg2wj2PkvU2VvwReiEmTh9CKir7p8PziG0Vh3YsmFjQkVMp68QtJiS_pWQdF9h-zOUd1bQB_ZAnhOLc6q/s469/S1E4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="469" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRE4NZqgHLYovDW_jTlCPc3sXUlRsYuNEKN7N6sbd0Xbu6zo0DTJqgJJmrHTDVi5mdC5tXQpnP92g5pgBLtTZExTzxVRrlwTsT7_knbKdg2wj2PkvU2VvwReiEmTh9CKir7p8PziG0Vh3YsmFjQkVMp68QtJiS_pWQdF9h-zOUd1bQB_ZAnhOLc6q/w400-h246/S1E4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><center style="text-align: justify;"><b>DESCRIPTION: With his life and family under threat from Rome, Simon spends one last night fishing in a desperate attempt to square his debts. Andrew spots a familiar face waiting for them on the shores of Galilee. </b></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></center><center style="text-align: justify;">New characters in this episode:<br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><b>John the Baptizer:</b> A wandering preacher in the wilderness, who baptizes on the Jordan River. He is the cousin of Jesus. </center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><div><b>CLIFF NOTES SUMMARY:</b></div><div><div>Simon has a change of heart and misleads the Romans to save fellow Jews from being caught fishing on Shabbat. Shmuel tells Nicodemus about a baptizer on the Jordan River. Matthew tells Quintus that Simon is not reliable, so Quintus has Matthew follow him to keep track of his actions. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUb0rPAgoEffNHnFZazGxehj62MVkYZES505MbXJvQhjyPrXPjmANY9-7NPX33TTbAO0r-7KgIH2-1C2gsH8RX1GVYTpE9FC7JgpFqkeoWJomYWEIENqbTAqSu9D3GWXuQSm18R-B_I1wdKBw7IpeU5S2Z51kzPcWtw50U6BvIcY8JN6OFOxIayOg/s640/the-chosen-matthew%20(2).gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUb0rPAgoEffNHnFZazGxehj62MVkYZES505MbXJvQhjyPrXPjmANY9-7NPX33TTbAO0r-7KgIH2-1C2gsH8RX1GVYTpE9FC7JgpFqkeoWJomYWEIENqbTAqSu9D3GWXuQSm18R-B_I1wdKBw7IpeU5S2Z51kzPcWtw50U6BvIcY8JN6OFOxIayOg/s320/the-chosen-matthew%20(2).gif" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Simon tells Eden they are in danger of losing their house if he doesn’t catch enough fish to pay off his debt. Andrew runs to Simon exclaiming that they are saved, as his rabbi John the Baptizer has identified the Lamb of God, but Simon (who called the baptizer "Creepy John") doesn’t believe him and leaves to go fishing. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85Lvr0qmWqd8P3s3njP3TdoCMSorXckd7DtnP9xNTDkJo0qwrPWr0RAcFV3UJnZrLFtP1iiRO_i5pRb6UU0CvuIkpauvqi3_JGGSdwd0fHofVfBwkgswVoklrU_YTYd3yLsMLVdhmxTyo78SurE-r5HYpJltfoIGwqzrwM2dkVVUPicsPGnHyrzwm/s640/the-chosen-andrew%20(1).gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85Lvr0qmWqd8P3s3njP3TdoCMSorXckd7DtnP9xNTDkJo0qwrPWr0RAcFV3UJnZrLFtP1iiRO_i5pRb6UU0CvuIkpauvqi3_JGGSdwd0fHofVfBwkgswVoklrU_YTYd3yLsMLVdhmxTyo78SurE-r5HYpJltfoIGwqzrwM2dkVVUPicsPGnHyrzwm/s320/the-chosen-andrew%20(1).gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Later, Andrew, Zebedee, (Big) James, and John arrive to help Simon fish, but they catch nothing all night. In the morning, they think the Roman soldiers are there to arrest Simon, but it turns out to be someone teaching to a crowd. Andrew recognizes the teacher as Jesus, who asks to preach from their boat so the crowd can hear him. After the sermon, Jesus tells Simon and Andrew to cast their nets again. They catch so many fish that their boat starts to sink.</div><div> <center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hWGCkovAUWM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div>Simon surrenders himself to Jesus. Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, and James and John to follow him. They join Thaddeus, Little James, and Mary, who were all listening to Jesus teach. After witnessing the miracle, Matthew is shocked by its impossibility. Meanwhile, Nicodemus visits the imprisoned John the Baptizer to ask about miracles.</div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><b>PERSONAL THOUGHTS:</b></div><div>The "miracle of the fish" is one of my favorite scenes in season 1. It was so well done. I watched the behind the scenes of the filming of it, and it's just amazing how it turned out. That <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dttEnIvdQQw" target="_blank">video is here</a></b>, but I recommend watching the scene first before you see how they made it. It just shows the quality in the production of the show. It's hard to pick a favorite character in this show (my favorite changes every time I watch it), but this episode is where I really starting liking Matthew. Yeah, he's hated because he was a traitor by being a tax collector (and for spying on Simon). Back in those days, tax collectors were the worst. Not only did they collect taxes that people owed to Rome, but they would charge them more and keep that extra money for themselves. So yeah, not a nice guy. But in this episode you can see that Matthew starts to question what he is witnessing. The wheels are starting to turn in his head. I should mention (because it took me until episode four to figure out) that they are portraying Matthew as having Asperger's Syndrome. This has been met with so much positive feedback by viewers and fans. I have family members and friends on the spectrum, and I like that they have a character that they can relate to. The actor who plays Matthew does a PHENOMENAL job in this role. I know I have given you a lot of videos to watch, but <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-veXCXOzPE4" target="_blank">check out this interview with Paras Patel, the actor who plays Matthew</a></b>. At some point, I'm going to have to do a post or two about the actors who portray these roles, because they are all AMAZING. I'm not just saying this because I like the show- I'm really blown away with the talent they all have. But I'll wait a while. I think after I finally recap all the episodes, y'all will want a break from me talking about the show. :)</div><div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned for my next post where I wrap up season one with a recap of episodes 5-8. I mentioned before, each season has eight episodes. </div><div><br /></div><div>XOXO!<br />Rachel</div></center>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-83563456396398160762023-01-12T15:34:00.004-06:002023-01-12T16:52:16.084-06:00Hello Blogging, My Old Friend<p style="text-align: justify;">I have been meaning to post on here for a while (aka 10 months), but it seems my dedication to blogging isn't what it used to be. To be fair, when I started blogging in 2009, I wasn't really on social media that much, and this was my outlet to post "random" things. Now I do that mainly on Twitter and Instagram. That being said, I'm still keeping my blog around (so it's not going anywhere, nobody panic), and I hope that one day I'll get back to updating it on a more regular basis (I think I've been saying that for five years, hopefully one year it will stick). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>ANYWAY</b>, now that the yearly pie crust promise of "I promise to blog more" is out of the way, let's move on.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So, if you follow me on social media, you might have noticed over the last 10 months that I'm a big fan of the TV show <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9471404/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0" target="_blank">The Chosen</a></i>. Quick shameless plug: <a href="(shameless plug- Twitter- follow me here, Instagram- follow me here), " target="_blank">Twitter- follow me <b>here</b></a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/averyfan/" target="_blank">Instagram- follow me <b>here</b></a>. I have a TikTok but am too old to figure out how to do cute videos, so I'm just on it to watch videos my friends send me. Lol. But if you want to follow me in case I ever figure it out, my user name is averyfan33 (because someone else had taken the handle of averyfan. RUDE).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To some people, my posting about <i>The Chosen</i> kind of came out of nowhere, so I want to give a little backstory on how I discovered it, why I waited so long to watch it, my reasons for watching the show, and then I'll eventually recap the episodes. Don't worry, it won't all be in <b><u>THIS</u></b> post. I figured if I started some kind of "post series" I would be more inclined to update the blog more. We shall see. So, let's get started!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8ZwHvfI9xBbZvU4cgcgpin6whLRT4JUTE2CN5ZXepegaNj9brw6dFhGK_1W_WAIlDCBxw2wcm_-8j8yDFsGn7V4-rm7G7gK85p7wTN4EY7dzNLq3uDbeMzT7j1JNOrQl9E7AwoqsqOjWwPY9JPpoXm8ZmNeJyYjk3iFBX_Cz_C8nkaiYq6ixB3wj/s1280/The%20Chosen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8ZwHvfI9xBbZvU4cgcgpin6whLRT4JUTE2CN5ZXepegaNj9brw6dFhGK_1W_WAIlDCBxw2wcm_-8j8yDFsGn7V4-rm7G7gK85p7wTN4EY7dzNLq3uDbeMzT7j1JNOrQl9E7AwoqsqOjWwPY9JPpoXm8ZmNeJyYjk3iFBX_Cz_C8nkaiYq6ixB3wj/w640-h360/The%20Chosen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Courtesy of The Chosen</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">A quick summary for those of you who are like "What is <i>The Chosen</i>?" <i>The Chosen</i> is the first multi-season series about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, told through the eyes of those who knew him. I know, some of you are going to stop reading here as soon as I mention it's a show about Jesus. You are saying "That's so Rachel" to talk about Jesus. I know, but stick with this post a little longer. Please. Don't make me beg. I spent a lot of time writing it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Okay, THAT BEING SAID, the creator of the show, Dallas Jenkins, has stated MANY TIMES- this is <b>NOT</b> the Gospel word for word. This is <b>NOT</b> a replacement for Scripture. <b>AND</b>, they are <b>NOT</b> trying to <b>ADD</b> to Scripture. There are characters and accounts in this show that are <b>NOT</b> found in the Bible. At the end of the day, <b><u>THIS IS A TV SHOW</u></b>. Let me say it louder for those in the back. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THIS. IS. A. TV. SHOW</span><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></b> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">They have made this abundantly clear from the beginning. They are just trying to bring these historical figures "to life" so they can be relatable to people today and encourage people to read the Gospels for themselves. Before the first episode, they even put up this disclaimer. **<i>Side note: If anyone associated with </i>The Chosen<i> randomly finds this post, I hope it's okay that I use these images. I'll be sure to credit y'all</i>.**</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKpj17zr5P9acHKGDd79nURPw9PjPf3LFb2a6CVaO1qMGrr9-Umb_BCoRtWU6ByJGv4zbF41UbZP0chn6q_xKinH-39oF7G2QRg171oFxP6eKYmLykp25zJ7n-6gw2YW-LVeChi5W-2T8K-jZmqMd1kDNuyshTpNkmhQEtNtfOf1ezBUVGPpYHvXm/s800/1_1mRQEHC8z3pwVUZielh4ug.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKpj17zr5P9acHKGDd79nURPw9PjPf3LFb2a6CVaO1qMGrr9-Umb_BCoRtWU6ByJGv4zbF41UbZP0chn6q_xKinH-39oF7G2QRg171oFxP6eKYmLykp25zJ7n-6gw2YW-LVeChi5W-2T8K-jZmqMd1kDNuyshTpNkmhQEtNtfOf1ezBUVGPpYHvXm/w640-h360/1_1mRQEHC8z3pwVUZielh4ug.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Courtesy of The Chosen</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Rachel, how did you discover <i>The Chosen</i>? </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm so glad you asked. I'm going to be honest. I first started seeing ads for it pop up on social media in early 2020. Y'all remember 2020, right? The world was on fire and we were stuck inside, unable to appreciate getting out of our homes and living our lives? Just in case you forgot, I wanted to remind you. The ads starting popping up, and I kept scrolling (like I do with most ads on social media) so I wasn't even sure what it was originally. I eventually realized it was a show about Jesus. So hear me out. At first I was like, "no thank you." <b>NOT THAT I DON'T LOVE JESUS, BECAUSE I DO</b>. BUT, in my experience with watching faith-based movies/shows, they are usually, well, cheesy (sorry God). I've seen my fair share of Jesus movies (this comes with being a preacher's kid), and don't get me wrong, they have a good message and all, but they just ooze with, well...corniness. Jesus and the disciples are usually a group of white British guys speaking in old King James talk and just seem so one-dimensional. You can't relate to them at all. My other thought was if Hollywood was creating it, they would probably do something in the show that made me mad (because Jesus is rarely a priority in Hollywood), and I just didn't have time for that in 2020. Okay, I had a lot of time in 2020 because we weren't doing anything else, BUT I never have time for nonsense. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOBde63kxpOPS0iCkfVw6LYuw005I-_vf2BuAtKXKi9jx0cq4izRUGwkDwCL4K0qfgIF2irGQkcK1NODsn2ARpVh3xJTz8wtsBfMBdCXC_rHAFT7RcK_ULeCBA2Ke5C6YEVfO-d6SLZP0mR-r2pzhPgFv1SaBwm0oVO7suGJgTlYMr4OSL00mhRoI/s500/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="500" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOBde63kxpOPS0iCkfVw6LYuw005I-_vf2BuAtKXKi9jx0cq4izRUGwkDwCL4K0qfgIF2irGQkcK1NODsn2ARpVh3xJTz8wtsBfMBdCXC_rHAFT7RcK_ULeCBA2Ke5C6YEVfO-d6SLZP0mR-r2pzhPgFv1SaBwm0oVO7suGJgTlYMr4OSL00mhRoI/w400-h233/giphy.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: justify;">Rachel, what made you finally start watching <i>The Chosen</i>?</b></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Y'all have great questions. To be fair, I had several friends mention <i>The Chosen</i> to me for over a year. Probably closer to a year and a half. And I gave my typical "Oh I'll add it to my list" answer that I give anytime a show/movie is recommended to me. Sometimes I plan to watch it, sometimes I just say that to move the conversation along. DON'T ACT LIKE YOU ARE BETTER THAN ME AND DON'T DO THE SAME THING. I was in a wedding in June of 2020 and received a DVD for season 1 of <i>The Chosen</i> in my groomsmaid* gift bag. I went home and put it on a shelf, with every intension of <i>eventually</i> watching it (no seriously, I was going to watch it at some point). And it sat there. For a year and a half.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fast-forward to November of 2021. I was visiting my folks for the Thanksgiving holiday and my sister Martha came over one evening (she lives next door to them). She said that she and her husband had watched a show called <i>The Chosen</i> and we should check it out. I said I had heard of it but had never watched it. So that night I decided to spare my dad of having to watch another Hallmark movie (which is usually what my mom wants to watch), and I suggested we watch this "Jesus" show. At that time, we watched it on an app that I subscribe to called <i>PureFlix</i> (more about that app on another day). Quick side note: I found out weeks later that <i>The Chosen</i> has it's own FREE app where you can watch the show. Stay tuned to this post, I'll talk about that at the end.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Mx5x4aoUxHaDuWhVayhpq4js2f9XdT8KM2E0tnLChepXBQAClVS6og-UORWX0bu6Nzaho_RxR7zBiBZdKBXKHADl_ICikSayagKe3wIGvUddkqkCN5cYEpiMu7PJX-0ovo8yRKrc1GFMTV0AqyOCm3KkbbZV2pKN5ZLrsRdwSKlxon6lMK0spoi7/s200/200w.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Mx5x4aoUxHaDuWhVayhpq4js2f9XdT8KM2E0tnLChepXBQAClVS6og-UORWX0bu6Nzaho_RxR7zBiBZdKBXKHADl_ICikSayagKe3wIGvUddkqkCN5cYEpiMu7PJX-0ovo8yRKrc1GFMTV0AqyOCm3KkbbZV2pKN5ZLrsRdwSKlxon6lMK0spoi7/s1600/200w.gif" width="200" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I will shamefully admit that the first time I watched episode one, I wasn't paying super close attention. My A.D.D. took over and I was on my phone and looking up every so often at the TV (because I still wasn't convinced that it wasn't going to be cheesy). I'll get into episode one later on in another post, but I will say, the ending of episode one made me go, "oh, maybe this is going to be better than I thought." We ended up watching the first four episodes that night, and finished season one the next day (there are eight episodes in each season). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Rachel, you are borderline obsessed with this show, why do you keep watching it?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Whoa, hey now, "obsessed" is a strong word. The main reason I keep watching this show is simple- it's GOOD. It's not cheesy. There is even humor in it (because I would like to think that Jesus loved to laugh). The writing is superb and the production value is Hollywood quality (if not better). The acting is masterful (to quote my dad). Yes, 95% of the show is made up by the amazing writers BUT I don't take the episodes as Gospel truth and I don't watch the show in place of reading my Bible. It has made these historical figures I've been reading about my whole life even more real to me. Growing up, I have always thought of the disciples as being "old men". Mainly because that's usually how they are depicted in illustrations (I'm looking at you, Leonardo da Vinci). But in reality, the disciples were very young. Like in their twenties (maybe even teenagers). This series shows them as young men. And they aren't portrayed by a bunch of blonde-hair, blue-eyed actors either. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsRMbfR5stVscXqd-aSzW_wD5Dm7mAyu2OFfaoa6lbj7IpuBml9CHSjGd5UtHXvwN8dGGvYGjaHsJFyjFJDDqx9B9AIcbediK77yqr6QmxVxzbLqVhFUkWv_NJNlSCSUuG271SG4wVLYRh9_F5J3f7Y_iUstH8vcbIMNlh42pPOdxgQvon9ABBtpv/s480/Chosen.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="480" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsRMbfR5stVscXqd-aSzW_wD5Dm7mAyu2OFfaoa6lbj7IpuBml9CHSjGd5UtHXvwN8dGGvYGjaHsJFyjFJDDqx9B9AIcbediK77yqr6QmxVxzbLqVhFUkWv_NJNlSCSUuG271SG4wVLYRh9_F5J3f7Y_iUstH8vcbIMNlh42pPOdxgQvon9ABBtpv/w640-h314/Chosen.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Courtesy of The Chosen. This is Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Also, I've always thought of the disciples as just followers of Jesus (which they were), but I never thought about the lives they had BEFORE they met Jesus. The show gives these characters a back story. While the ones in the show might not be completely accurate, they make the storylines something that could be plausible. There are some disciples that all we get is a name in the Bible, nothing else about them. Now we get to think about who they might have been. We see what their relationships might have been like as well. They weren't perfect. I'm sure they argued and got on each other's nerves. And they probably didn't like each other at first. I will also sheepishly admit that before the show, I couldn't remember all 12 disciples. I knew the big ones- Matthew, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, and of course Judas Iscariot. But the others I was "iffy" on. Now I know all their names. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjrayc_pecz45s4bQ7-w4soT-y0DJ9BtzDUhO7YRgLTYICUCkDMrNxHQ0iDt4lS3-HbFevXap9WIOmGNm4G50VZGsrhMkalKRgOvx56vfUWAIB1Nq3W7AfCw_1WPIIjpIpkrr6-6xo4WJSDd9qtehCpg0cZ53cKAOjZS91d8X-Np0BQMFTYIdcQAT/s200/Chosen%202.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjrayc_pecz45s4bQ7-w4soT-y0DJ9BtzDUhO7YRgLTYICUCkDMrNxHQ0iDt4lS3-HbFevXap9WIOmGNm4G50VZGsrhMkalKRgOvx56vfUWAIB1Nq3W7AfCw_1WPIIjpIpkrr6-6xo4WJSDd9qtehCpg0cZ53cKAOjZS91d8X-Np0BQMFTYIdcQAT/w400-h400/Chosen%202.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Courtesy of The Chosen</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">I mentioned that <i>The Chosen</i> has a FREE app where you can watch all of season one and season two. Also right now it has the first five episodes of season three. This Sunday they will add episode six, and then later on episodes seven and eight will be added. They hope to start filming season four later this year. They plan to do seven seasons. Fun fact- they film most of the show outside of Dallas in a town called Midlothian. If you are interested in checking it out for yourself, go <b><a href="https://new.thechosen.tv/pages/new" target="_blank">here</a></b>. It will tell you how to download to your phone/Roku/Firestick/smart TV. Like I said, it's totally free. You don't even have to give them an email address if you don't want to. If you decide to watch it and want to discuss specific episodes with me, you know where to find me on social.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://new.thechosen.tv/pages/new" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1675" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95XrNJMG9AQCS_67CdzSEFzPueZmWRtdhRiBGcWUW2wuagXQYZV9fDkGuW2JshdOuZE9aDVNzDFzXDvfwAN8hw4wDsAB4aK6ZUirt76kDHc-gSfpXpSbmtS9SyIcTqlX7y5XqHLbXK5budoHVpcj0WkRJxocNGu8tkeW7xhJV8ma0jZZ_v-Jov7fa/w640-h312/Chosen%20app.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">There are so many other things that I like about the show, but I'll have to divide those up over the other posts. This post has already gotten super long, and I don't even know if anyone is still reading. If you are, God bless you for sticking around. Much love.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>*I know some of you probably saw "groomsmaid" and were like, what the heck? Well, when one of your guy friends gets married and wants you in his wedding, you get to be a groomsmaid. Basically, I was the only member of the groom's party wearing a dress. And I have to say, being in the groom's party is so much less stressful than being on the bride's side. I've been in 427 weddings (give or take) and being a bridesmaid/maid of honor can be SUPER stressful, especially the day of the wedding. On the groom's side, we were chilling in the groom's changing room, laughing and throwing back Dr Peppers for two before the wedding. I think I only want to be a groomsmaid moving forward. Lol.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDZItcZRL5h_kaiX_czrmTzVorSbnY89qrRJ-UZzbMdakda7B5p5m54qXSt5GuvL1n5oKujhfB5SvElGEWMdj-kHS-s3ElWDQiijc26qyjaTT5FgKC-AycxG2kc_ltsp5sFcP6gaA-xEDlH7jvb_jybROONsR3nzUPlT1MZ9J1LU3J7NIN9HlNNss/s1280/thumbnail_IMG_2903.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDZItcZRL5h_kaiX_czrmTzVorSbnY89qrRJ-UZzbMdakda7B5p5m54qXSt5GuvL1n5oKujhfB5SvElGEWMdj-kHS-s3ElWDQiijc26qyjaTT5FgKC-AycxG2kc_ltsp5sFcP6gaA-xEDlH7jvb_jybROONsR3nzUPlT1MZ9J1LU3J7NIN9HlNNss/w640-h426/thumbnail_IMG_2903.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">XOXO,<br />Rachel</div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-69371562514112073662022-03-09T16:33:00.000-06:002022-03-09T16:33:48.877-06:00What I'm Loving Wednesday<p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhokEGrYDQN68UXTiN-sBk_5pCdY-_0gJh2qXahrCKa0otfr4t8_KqKoK8nIfFWMl8zJIEitZPt8sWEttL0F2UIhSSX8Y3IPvRrulA2VGlpQSmBq4OUZoN770V0BaxsyhH28ISSKfxvXkCyKP3dexqQtZwSgw5pgrxQd7kEmUeE7hirRxqfhHsBkys4=s1080" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhokEGrYDQN68UXTiN-sBk_5pCdY-_0gJh2qXahrCKa0otfr4t8_KqKoK8nIfFWMl8zJIEitZPt8sWEttL0F2UIhSSX8Y3IPvRrulA2VGlpQSmBq4OUZoN770V0BaxsyhH28ISSKfxvXkCyKP3dexqQtZwSgw5pgrxQd7kEmUeE7hirRxqfhHsBkys4=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I'm loving...</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">That I've stuck to working out multiple times every week so far this year. I've mentioned it before but I really like the app <b><a href="https://fitonapp.com/" target="_blank">FitOn</a></b>. It's free and has so many workout videos by different trainers (that way you don't get bored doing the same video over and over). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1HscPReFnjTWzswucXO2YH-HaKK70IFLG2e7TInQpsu1Jvadn9425LLQEduGB1Gt-ou5WDgv6QNK70I6Ds499zbyqB1UA5AuyoA21QdWUdtKOxpslyUF8kqPTvR1PHtAjsYFrN-Rz7dG3mMaD3e0Xwv5oWjWZByJjmnvdhEuwgZ-vbWxjrdVMcEww=s3264" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1HscPReFnjTWzswucXO2YH-HaKK70IFLG2e7TInQpsu1Jvadn9425LLQEduGB1Gt-ou5WDgv6QNK70I6Ds499zbyqB1UA5AuyoA21QdWUdtKOxpslyUF8kqPTvR1PHtAjsYFrN-Rz7dG3mMaD3e0Xwv5oWjWZByJjmnvdhEuwgZ-vbWxjrdVMcEww=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6WnecOlm57vhKHsHYhQAIZ5QVZgEtxekxo_ec-fxFCFc-SgZYqa8NlFd5b4hQCXw6f8B7aF7rhDyKGRuqqbxIoaHdryVqs1vOmBWfHue2Jm0b0-ufOT9X-b1idcw14CGNYMUo96m6YYIC0j1SLPevHhZT59Tj4Tpj-wFFGNqxvP6v8bdK6uE6UxcI=s407" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="407" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6WnecOlm57vhKHsHYhQAIZ5QVZgEtxekxo_ec-fxFCFc-SgZYqa8NlFd5b4hQCXw6f8B7aF7rhDyKGRuqqbxIoaHdryVqs1vOmBWfHue2Jm0b0-ufOT9X-b1idcw14CGNYMUo96m6YYIC0j1SLPevHhZT59Tj4Tpj-wFFGNqxvP6v8bdK6uE6UxcI=w400-h318" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Stats from last week</i></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><div><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm loving...</span></b><p style="text-align: justify;">That I've been able to see more friends lately. And even though I've been able to hang out with friends over the last two years (despite the pandemic), it seems more and more people are comfortable going out and doing things again. And pretty much everyone is hugging again!! NATURE IS HEALING!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivQsVIQIqDTBWczcUibryvO-BT-0CJzFqwd2PmE6u_4zZM_joTpGY4LKvCJN9PWKiV_s-CkIQRSeUlJvWd1FB4tuZkrFwakDHNDwQwF7VlztQZAf9kFBQEgP72eFVZLO47mOGeJmObw43jLurLXnOMZ3Eh43rarwAj7z9SG9vvwfm3Eux1FLWhGBbu=s3264" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivQsVIQIqDTBWczcUibryvO-BT-0CJzFqwd2PmE6u_4zZM_joTpGY4LKvCJN9PWKiV_s-CkIQRSeUlJvWd1FB4tuZkrFwakDHNDwQwF7VlztQZAf9kFBQEgP72eFVZLO47mOGeJmObw43jLurLXnOMZ3Eh43rarwAj7z9SG9vvwfm3Eux1FLWhGBbu=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I'm loving...</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">My new bobblehead. My friend Moose bought it for me months ago, but due to the high demand for it, it was just mailed last week. I love it so much! Oh, and side note, Norma's Cafe redid their menu, and I'm shook. Lol.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq2FLG4RxpNljsmTwJph8h6eDv1t2v1tdQsU5JqllK-S6Kg6dkyDEl03U3b0Dt2qxhu78vgl_93qs0Ypl-N8vJ0Mv7tmSsTSbYAMRZnoEDmSroeqfGSFhknHv42uW8yG-DhfmwKLCRw-gs5YentGsoEHCbzItJZFVWHx_vp7BK5evCfLCORboaBlDk=s1305" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1305" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq2FLG4RxpNljsmTwJph8h6eDv1t2v1tdQsU5JqllK-S6Kg6dkyDEl03U3b0Dt2qxhu78vgl_93qs0Ypl-N8vJ0Mv7tmSsTSbYAMRZnoEDmSroeqfGSFhknHv42uW8yG-DhfmwKLCRw-gs5YentGsoEHCbzItJZFVWHx_vp7BK5evCfLCORboaBlDk=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I'm loving...</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This company- <b><a href="https://1836farms.com/" target="_blank">1836 Farms</a></b>. It's a local company near Dallas and in my opinion, their milk tastes better than any milk I've ever had. I found it at my local Kroger but per their website, they even deliver. I love the glass bottles. And I love that you can give the empty bottles back and get $2 off your next purchase. Although I have kept some of the bottles because they are super cute, and hello- they are TEXAS related. :) I will find a way to use them for decoration. Or maybe a flower vase. And yes, I, the chocolate milk snob who has NEVER liked pre-made chocolate milk, LOVES their chocolate milk. It's like drinking a milkshake. It's just amazing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9r7ZIQEgiZUT9CXXEY45Ub-4F_J-ndGT2wMTbB75ehtPpfpSYIY_-2SUvHTYZYrjaHmz1RJilIkfEjXlHqyoKw5wLnWzYCWmv0KxxS7IGrLuiKA9tcWP3o9zzLBuoDchGZqxlYmmbk8DsZPj_7JWOY9ypElmZQs1IiC8_WTZ-244KQwL5Q2cC_3ha=s752" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="661" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9r7ZIQEgiZUT9CXXEY45Ub-4F_J-ndGT2wMTbB75ehtPpfpSYIY_-2SUvHTYZYrjaHmz1RJilIkfEjXlHqyoKw5wLnWzYCWmv0KxxS7IGrLuiKA9tcWP3o9zzLBuoDchGZqxlYmmbk8DsZPj_7JWOY9ypElmZQs1IiC8_WTZ-244KQwL5Q2cC_3ha=w562-h640" width="562" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I'm loving...</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">That I found out that the Dollar Tree sells books. And yes, they are only $1.25 (because the Dollar Tree should now be called the Dollar Twenty-Five Tree). Lol. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs89efTG8PQksm1omb1cyB3cNppe7v7MQbP38DbIFbpq9ai_RcQSRHBa3JFI-roXFdcQ7fD34zYJ5BoFzKmR3PcQyHBwi1p1g5qOAm6vdc110QRoChZ3NXi_mwAy1DnthpqKSwqVj-TVaNkmvimB3GLpp0M-HTP0E-KMrSshjHYAw7Z206yHW3W64P=s922" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="692" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs89efTG8PQksm1omb1cyB3cNppe7v7MQbP38DbIFbpq9ai_RcQSRHBa3JFI-roXFdcQ7fD34zYJ5BoFzKmR3PcQyHBwi1p1g5qOAm6vdc110QRoChZ3NXi_mwAy1DnthpqKSwqVj-TVaNkmvimB3GLpp0M-HTP0E-KMrSshjHYAw7Z206yHW3W64P=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">What are YOU loving today?<br /><br />XOXO!</p></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-53381629611323617452022-01-19T16:57:00.000-06:002022-01-19T16:57:28.152-06:00What I'm Loving Wednesday<p style="text-align: justify;">Well, 2022 hasn't been that great so far, but I want to try and focus on positive things, so I decided to try and get back into my habit of blogging more than once a year. I'm falling back on my old favorite, What I'm Loving Wednesday.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguMB_1OQ4a2HJaofMNAmZNetai8-2QpqKoXh92R58ca97seG7oZx9Fc8MGYGW0K7go_Jfllr5sfbW_Qs4eouuw_NFXBZXQITWRajB5agvd6Y-xX48yPAtDsifhbgJLaTQKXiwleddz2NECrpWWjqG3J4d3B3qx_q-auLPuXcrxZgUPEWjBuFVE36Hp=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguMB_1OQ4a2HJaofMNAmZNetai8-2QpqKoXh92R58ca97seG7oZx9Fc8MGYGW0K7go_Jfllr5sfbW_Qs4eouuw_NFXBZXQITWRajB5agvd6Y-xX48yPAtDsifhbgJLaTQKXiwleddz2NECrpWWjqG3J4d3B3qx_q-auLPuXcrxZgUPEWjBuFVE36Hp=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm loving...</span></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">That I've stayed on track with my workouts so far this year. Yes, I know, we are only three weeks in, but still, it's a start. I know I've mentioned it on here before, but I LOVE the app <b><a href="https://fitonapp.com/" target="_blank">FitOn</a></b>. It's free, and you get so many workout videos by different trainers (that way you don't get bored doing the same workouts over and over). You can select what type of videos you want: the area you want to target (abs, legs, arms) how long you want the video to be, the trainer you want, etc. I HIGHLY recommend them. All of the trainers are great, but my favorite is Kenta. He's amazing and he's so encouraging. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2SYM0CcPNJ4BziIFbuuGRx3Z8Mc0H0E3m2UGgE_Ko4ZWrypep7j5v9oGBKNm4-_U0Anw7NJVrSlr6VkPWaETJyiJlaXqyW-52n8w5BvrZUAGtohIlr96vJz1k4gxbvoEwKdYIdA6AGv0498y6fbshVKjlXmVsEEr8xk0qEVj4VTBNWHzaSriFhHaR=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3253" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2SYM0CcPNJ4BziIFbuuGRx3Z8Mc0H0E3m2UGgE_Ko4ZWrypep7j5v9oGBKNm4-_U0Anw7NJVrSlr6VkPWaETJyiJlaXqyW-52n8w5BvrZUAGtohIlr96vJz1k4gxbvoEwKdYIdA6AGv0498y6fbshVKjlXmVsEEr8xk0qEVj4VTBNWHzaSriFhHaR=w638-h640" width="638" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm loving...</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This Etsy shop: <b><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/CraftyCrutchStuff" target="_blank">Crafty Crutch Stuff</a></b>. I discovered them last year when I was on Etsy searching for Atlanta Braves stuff. I found a Braves gnome they had made and decided I needed it. I loved the quality so much I reached out to the owners to special order a Rangers gnome (which they made and sent to me in less than two weeks). The owners are super nice. I recently purchased some of their kitchen towels and another gnome. In one of my purchases, they threw in a free bar of their homemade soap, which smelled AMAZING. I highly recommend this shop. If you know me, you know I'm all about supporting small businesses. If you want a gnome with a specific sports team or design, you can reach out and ask for it. If you order anything from them, let them know that Rachel sent you! :)</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVt-FAZEr1uUkWGAOP1wFaU7EcbzhtJqxwpfCChdROBeIvqoP2qbDwKaYpzDKtGjRsC7R4rNiP_b3O-SUMyaxWNdmlhJeMeTqsJgasXys6kKpaZDemrXxhDyb9He_EY3jmk5K7u_pSx8Wj3AGr5C1imfEsac4juIpD4l-otgse7ZFbm7l94U9eE7po=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVt-FAZEr1uUkWGAOP1wFaU7EcbzhtJqxwpfCChdROBeIvqoP2qbDwKaYpzDKtGjRsC7R4rNiP_b3O-SUMyaxWNdmlhJeMeTqsJgasXys6kKpaZDemrXxhDyb9He_EY3jmk5K7u_pSx8Wj3AGr5C1imfEsac4juIpD4l-otgse7ZFbm7l94U9eE7po=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm loving...</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen" target="_blank">Mr. Ballen's YouTube Channel</a></b>. My neighbor introduced me to Mr. Ballen last year and I binged watched all of his videos in like a week. If you are a fan of the strange, dark, and mysterious delivered in storytelling format, Mr. Ballen is for you! Here is a sample of his videos. And yes, he really is a former Navy Seal (the second video will explain that).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k402yukZAxE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center><center><br /></center>
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TpbqUUsgED0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCmZI6qukrOCl99HnhJrCA9hziV5LCmwylZQn_y-nbw7BpFRkxew9g7UBhl11c0xkbSAv71pdoHWDDDygQMTEOGq1kbGfFOELvz7sup242x8Z4l_9kN2nSpEHvfWCB2vwj21lWtDsFjX-FSJb3n5ogWZbmt13X_hy24ln3nsZCqyuNFi7a2HZzYo36=s929" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="929" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCmZI6qukrOCl99HnhJrCA9hziV5LCmwylZQn_y-nbw7BpFRkxew9g7UBhl11c0xkbSAv71pdoHWDDDygQMTEOGq1kbGfFOELvz7sup242x8Z4l_9kN2nSpEHvfWCB2vwj21lWtDsFjX-FSJb3n5ogWZbmt13X_hy24ln3nsZCqyuNFi7a2HZzYo36=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I dressed up as Mr. Ballen for Halloween at work last year. Lol.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm loving...</span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Jurassic World Exhibit-I went last week and had a lot of fun. The last day for the Dallas exhibit was this past Monday, but if you ever see it near you, I recommend going. It is something that is enjoyable for people of all ages.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgokmMSgKGxQbUUXBSkPN3ePChKVwYlDXRNjd8sFeDgI9LBQQYXsl_yIftvpQsHDdjPadLC-Mzo5xDyx6DEzP2zVIEISwg9NWQHnDhUBRlu9cY-nNbMtHCAEo2787kW-tAaz7WXUtEAPv_zMDH0gzWRvBBWjFHn1Eq99lwzDVn8I9YLhby_7wsuUzc=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgokmMSgKGxQbUUXBSkPN3ePChKVwYlDXRNjd8sFeDgI9LBQQYXsl_yIftvpQsHDdjPadLC-Mzo5xDyx6DEzP2zVIEISwg9NWQHnDhUBRlu9cY-nNbMtHCAEo2787kW-tAaz7WXUtEAPv_zMDH0gzWRvBBWjFHn1Eq99lwzDVn8I9YLhby_7wsuUzc=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwK1IIMwFR3JcS2QMYW_2zT9ImKnAXvBBnrjPgje44hvVveO8K7TH3V4bzWLs_ifRBmIJCMQ72yAjY-i8kcXIc8aUxu1IPkYcB5r-XVgZicwjlBXYkuXfElIT9YK-z9JEjqes--tDEjCb05IWzPW4n-9tMwdM8dh39xECdvPKQ4JgG-5nmiqe1Dqb_=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwK1IIMwFR3JcS2QMYW_2zT9ImKnAXvBBnrjPgje44hvVveO8K7TH3V4bzWLs_ifRBmIJCMQ72yAjY-i8kcXIc8aUxu1IPkYcB5r-XVgZicwjlBXYkuXfElIT9YK-z9JEjqes--tDEjCb05IWzPW4n-9tMwdM8dh39xECdvPKQ4JgG-5nmiqe1Dqb_=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2X73yK_pC_7KRzrdGQrTJZ4q17XgEri-ycxkIl8gPrsPpj0mti9bL2srJSKaE5cGXXexYSMCRM5XSl13cNVGU2e-kzxWrR-BN1V169KODcikcKn-ZmJvuUKTOyV9CczS5uQRWGynBEymXnNCQRxXH1sEKywgAz5koyuX_Yg-PffUxHrXdu-lJ-cWM=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2X73yK_pC_7KRzrdGQrTJZ4q17XgEri-ycxkIl8gPrsPpj0mti9bL2srJSKaE5cGXXexYSMCRM5XSl13cNVGU2e-kzxWrR-BN1V169KODcikcKn-ZmJvuUKTOyV9CczS5uQRWGynBEymXnNCQRxXH1sEKywgAz5koyuX_Yg-PffUxHrXdu-lJ-cWM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGyexu29QRkKhV70niw-thQimFCx-O2Y43UyUvQju6YC3inN-5vWp2rhr_l53_FPnsZ657N5IbkEfz5J2s5cnkgfzRrBo21p6oQWqhUmlsh_X0_7ZJIFA_pOnLWvMDqFr2Yl8UL0fwJ0ISPwMcDeuy8PljlfNCpCCdqekKVwCPlzRFp2-9t5NMJio6=s4030" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4030" data-original-width="3022" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGyexu29QRkKhV70niw-thQimFCx-O2Y43UyUvQju6YC3inN-5vWp2rhr_l53_FPnsZ657N5IbkEfz5J2s5cnkgfzRrBo21p6oQWqhUmlsh_X0_7ZJIFA_pOnLWvMDqFr2Yl8UL0fwJ0ISPwMcDeuy8PljlfNCpCCdqekKVwCPlzRFp2-9t5NMJio6=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOFho2deaqFCWPNct78cQizGG1pGAXSMt3CNbHZoobh_0UJLVyurBoUoK5NyVaFevExUtz_QHnx5xd-PFJz3lNYT-CMDZIeozckZyAjbaEBsdGiU9FtHCHELHD44gz5W4TXH-CxtmdkmPxnhRg9QrF0Zq4bnDAr3khcepD0RzPd2KVhpCnHc_2XT_b=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOFho2deaqFCWPNct78cQizGG1pGAXSMt3CNbHZoobh_0UJLVyurBoUoK5NyVaFevExUtz_QHnx5xd-PFJz3lNYT-CMDZIeozckZyAjbaEBsdGiU9FtHCHELHD44gz5W4TXH-CxtmdkmPxnhRg9QrF0Zq4bnDAr3khcepD0RzPd2KVhpCnHc_2XT_b=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJNeuy-Wmn5SCM0II_YE5JuzAgPBIlE-MARY2CclkflvZgETAaLNw1W_Sjg9-10hAFClxWgck76v8Df7r9K1XDsz2WepRcv-R0mjSf2Wz_UeuRjZlrWXi8zjaQUSapHLvjVEZ7QVH-XSMFM-bV-FANQKNpmEDoX5rdCNMchoJM-IoqxdOxOXVZ4FiO=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJNeuy-Wmn5SCM0II_YE5JuzAgPBIlE-MARY2CclkflvZgETAaLNw1W_Sjg9-10hAFClxWgck76v8Df7r9K1XDsz2WepRcv-R0mjSf2Wz_UeuRjZlrWXi8zjaQUSapHLvjVEZ7QVH-XSMFM-bV-FANQKNpmEDoX5rdCNMchoJM-IoqxdOxOXVZ4FiO=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm loving...</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That I'm finally working on all the scrapbooks that I've been talking about completing for the last 100 years (okay, maybe not that long). I've had stuff in a box for twenty years from middle school and high school and am excited to get it cleared out and in an album. 2022 is the year of organization for me!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPd5Hipi0W8aIC1IUMU_rTDLJVC0rZxwO38t63lDTJkETtlh7jOW95IWB5a6Uz2Bs45jtLJxpqU6-RzlcBnp6BwJ_K7xe6kVeMUlrWTymcIxEW4jKeojgDzGyLEulcG1rNaSR3D5w8z0lEXFk_-H6Kxqr0QjhdVUE47Ub1ll1u1kCqQt8SCs5H_NUv=s1005" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1005" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPd5Hipi0W8aIC1IUMU_rTDLJVC0rZxwO38t63lDTJkETtlh7jOW95IWB5a6Uz2Bs45jtLJxpqU6-RzlcBnp6BwJ_K7xe6kVeMUlrWTymcIxEW4jKeojgDzGyLEulcG1rNaSR3D5w8z0lEXFk_-H6Kxqr0QjhdVUE47Ub1ll1u1kCqQt8SCs5H_NUv=w640-h590" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>8th grade Pep Squad Officer Rachel</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What are YOU loving today?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">XOXO!</span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-74528820541062686182021-12-30T12:20:00.000-06:002021-12-30T12:20:44.907-06:00Christmastime in New York City<p style="text-align: justify;">I know, I haven't touched this blog in a year. I'm so ashamed. Here's hoping 2022 will be the Year of the Return of the Blog. I think I said that last year, but hopefully I'll mean it this time. :) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">But for now, I did want to post at least once in 2021, so I figured I would post about my trip to New York City from earlier this month. Unlike last year, I was able to take a few big trips this year.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">My niece Alice and I (we are six years apart) starting planning a Christmas NYC trip in December of 2019. We originally had planned to go in December of 2020, but we all know how 2020 went. <span style="text-align: left;">THANKFULLY we got to go about a week before things started shutting down again this month (because I would have been devastated if we had finally gotten there only to have everything get canceled on us). </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I had been to New York City twice before, in 2007 and in <b><a href="https://averyfan.blogspot.com/2019/11/new-york-city-2018.html" target="_blank">2018</a></b>, but had never been at Christmastime, and that was something on my bucket list. Yes, I have a long bucket list.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We landed mid-afternoon on Dec. 8 and had just enough time to check into our hotel before we headed out to meet my friend Cara for dinner. Cool story about my friend Cara- I "met" her last year when my friend Eric starting having Facebook video group calls with a few of his baseball friends. It was something to do during shutdown, and I was able to meet some amazing people. She and I realized we had so much in common and became fast friends. We were both super excited to finally meet in person. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOFRF4zQv7Y331guQv3P7t5rtu34LVdf8XbXwz-ZcmVErmNjCqBb5nEXHSyzwi-hcYgabg6tb1ZF7sXeVwQSKdPO2fy9K-2Rh6WEh7lx1filLDBBMzV39-CqHuuod0Ixs39cZNBW0MuY8qEcvpPLv_vAgI7HaqbcxJaqEymFCyFX-L1nmM1GCNIHD7=s1124" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOFRF4zQv7Y331guQv3P7t5rtu34LVdf8XbXwz-ZcmVErmNjCqBb5nEXHSyzwi-hcYgabg6tb1ZF7sXeVwQSKdPO2fy9K-2Rh6WEh7lx1filLDBBMzV39-CqHuuod0Ixs39cZNBW0MuY8qEcvpPLv_vAgI7HaqbcxJaqEymFCyFX-L1nmM1GCNIHD7=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Me and Cara-the best of friends finally meeting in person!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">We ate dinner at an amazing Sicilian restaurant called Norma (not the same as my Norma's in Dallas, but still good) and were able to get a mini tour from Cara around her part of NYC. While we were out walking, it started raining lightly. Alice and I were like giddy little kids when the rain turned to snow. It only snowed for a little bit, but we got to be in NYC in winter and it snowed. The trip was a success at that point, and we had only been there a few hours. Lol.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_ra-7lwPxzoU5FZlWFawxgzYNa59MlKtUHD3fD3OST0e7pmfGgm4TYK-Ke40K5Zex06bcY1Ogd0pFgvBSJjjIcdl5QghrXiaHzD8HgHXZ_t3VzPOpiWhQzLyKFyCsIud9rNLI1jgtId3SqmQa7n7RnnbiTXg2TvZwYVcVnzFDrKoqnAJyVD2y98n6=s1124" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_ra-7lwPxzoU5FZlWFawxgzYNa59MlKtUHD3fD3OST0e7pmfGgm4TYK-Ke40K5Zex06bcY1Ogd0pFgvBSJjjIcdl5QghrXiaHzD8HgHXZ_t3VzPOpiWhQzLyKFyCsIud9rNLI1jgtId3SqmQa7n7RnnbiTXg2TvZwYVcVnzFDrKoqnAJyVD2y98n6=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We were very happy we bought warm winter jackets for our trip. We definitely needed them for the majority of our trip.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBi7OjWtCUPGfNOexBUuF8s9vLXhlAR-eOklbwqWXZE25xSfcAlkzHtY-1R9z6kTC8gTcYQj7FH7fqfaBpA34zX9MbVeiVY4IwuTUEZPg_C13cbEDRRvEofv1HbcNthCKL1nCBUC5GKQjuSDnCfPDMSelj92KRhEsVGCcNTJmlqAiwqghCJ41XmkO2=s843" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBi7OjWtCUPGfNOexBUuF8s9vLXhlAR-eOklbwqWXZE25xSfcAlkzHtY-1R9z6kTC8gTcYQj7FH7fqfaBpA34zX9MbVeiVY4IwuTUEZPg_C13cbEDRRvEofv1HbcNthCKL1nCBUC5GKQjuSDnCfPDMSelj92KRhEsVGCcNTJmlqAiwqghCJ41XmkO2=w480-h640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snow!</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Since I had been to NYC before, I made sure Alice got to see everything she wanted to while we were there. The first stop on our first full day was the Statue of Liberty. I went in 2007 but was excited to go back. We booked tickets on the first ferry of the day. I highly recommend going early in the day- it won't be as crowded. Last time I visited the Statue of Liberty, the pedestal was closed, so I was looking forward to touring that. The crown is still closed, so that wasn't an option for us. Let me tell you-it was freezing. It was 24 degrees, the wind was blowing, and we were by the water. We decided not to complain about our 75 degree winter in Texas after that moment. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdtxlBDQtPxEqCEdYLKvI2aryvnaUwUI-nqewK39zcwiVk5COQftQY0rmsOxzJ_T-Uk3ZE_gyVGa0xwRpkD15yhRXpJiqsROOp4e-lWpId-Fc2hNh_UAVjpFLh15_-JHhlv1C_rQlcAlMDbCyg93wrc898dY881JLnWbT0diEHqhfuveL_nuTnIVTa=s1124" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdtxlBDQtPxEqCEdYLKvI2aryvnaUwUI-nqewK39zcwiVk5COQftQY0rmsOxzJ_T-Uk3ZE_gyVGa0xwRpkD15yhRXpJiqsROOp4e-lWpId-Fc2hNh_UAVjpFLh15_-JHhlv1C_rQlcAlMDbCyg93wrc898dY881JLnWbT0diEHqhfuveL_nuTnIVTa=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>On Liberty Island</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">When we got into the pedestal, there was a sign that said it was 176 steps to the top of it and we thought, "oh, that's nothing, we will take the stairs instead of the elevator." By the fourth flight of stairs, we were regretting that decision (as you will see in a photo below). Lol. But we persisted. The view from the pedestal was great, I'm glad we got to go up it. I bet the view from the crown is even better, maybe one day I get to see it. We also went to the new(ish) museum on Liberty Island, which was cool. The original torch is on display there, as well as a replica of Lady Liberty's foot (I did a comparison with my foot). I even earned my junior park ranger badge. This is a long story that started earlier this year on my baseball road trip with my friend Lisa. I'll try and recap that trip at some point so you can see how my goal to become a junior park ranger at national parks is now a thing. Lol. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjC1UeDwXOtkYLqlnqRVyeCZX0TytZkAxUzwANyCNKrXpX5GGZNgsn0F2I9TZTpwcrqZpGvVz9KqTTwU71_UsKrXTahdOZuC9BKrPIkhN3ST8BW5KGU4KBA12PYHKt1sMVRf-Y-7Oyc1hNIVwhVUqcBdfK3E8NkQQwwcvTRGbidL9s2jgJtwJUX2JEp=s3264" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjC1UeDwXOtkYLqlnqRVyeCZX0TytZkAxUzwANyCNKrXpX5GGZNgsn0F2I9TZTpwcrqZpGvVz9KqTTwU71_UsKrXTahdOZuC9BKrPIkhN3ST8BW5KGU4KBA12PYHKt1sMVRf-Y-7Oyc1hNIVwhVUqcBdfK3E8NkQQwwcvTRGbidL9s2jgJtwJUX2JEp=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Liberty Island</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">We spent more time at Liberty Island than I thought we would. We had plans to meet my friend Eric for lunch, but we didn't leave Lady Liberty until almost 11, and we still had Ellis Island to visit. We told Eric lunch was going to be late. We didn't get to spend as much time as we could have at Ellis Island (honestly you could spend a whole day doing both). But it was still cool to visit again- some of it I remembered from my 2007 trip and some of the exhibits and layouts were newer and not familiar to me. And yes, I got my junior ranger badge. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwyplYUWmoNy7VuMxVOOjR2d8iElw3eId-yP6lahLUwQ3i3Qp1nr86Fn_E8OltvgXVRAM9Cq9KNIb9ijWvw3cqgaLlaUmu5k0Qn9pRKSKJ77maZeTr0DfuRfoV5sGUdHV04YOnCvcCJU2vwrRJ_r3p_AHOT_6LYYsOgY8TynxzQBugPdg0M9pWB1WT=s3264" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2177" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwyplYUWmoNy7VuMxVOOjR2d8iElw3eId-yP6lahLUwQ3i3Qp1nr86Fn_E8OltvgXVRAM9Cq9KNIb9ijWvw3cqgaLlaUmu5k0Qn9pRKSKJ77maZeTr0DfuRfoV5sGUdHV04YOnCvcCJU2vwrRJ_r3p_AHOT_6LYYsOgY8TynxzQBugPdg0M9pWB1WT=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Top: My trip in 2007. Bottom: My trip this year.<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKse91Yz8WM35BuqVdq3HMuMLs1mwMs7dP_85wWU1OJYkyxLQR77xfh80Y2w9havKBCgi_ZL0tkCC07DnOEBWK5K0Fs9t17WuOzQWZ2t2a4x2bavsMxUEzeVarx-jwD_gpvsP0cjDDGEieeWXV5_-YrDOtPqvlab3rQAletG1jJL8ZUsV-mSzhqnil=s1124" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKse91Yz8WM35BuqVdq3HMuMLs1mwMs7dP_85wWU1OJYkyxLQR77xfh80Y2w9havKBCgi_ZL0tkCC07DnOEBWK5K0Fs9t17WuOzQWZ2t2a4x2bavsMxUEzeVarx-jwD_gpvsP0cjDDGEieeWXV5_-YrDOtPqvlab3rQAletG1jJL8ZUsV-mSzhqnil=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It's crazy to think how many people passed through this room on their first stop in America.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuZMxGadzDCmpLhL0cjwhVLgqnIkaIXDJHpCAzGT5EhrYVb5bMJNz88eFF7ETsP-0FSZ3bJnHxwY16n99zqdIfgEMVdNM_XXZrtP4jGPg3EUj50-TlPTvudS2PlAe0SWGcGMMfNTSHu7NRXgVtz41fjP5dHE4y9Hy_JxRDT2Kj8IyfGZjcdAcQ3Cr_=s929" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="697" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuZMxGadzDCmpLhL0cjwhVLgqnIkaIXDJHpCAzGT5EhrYVb5bMJNz88eFF7ETsP-0FSZ3bJnHxwY16n99zqdIfgEMVdNM_XXZrtP4jGPg3EUj50-TlPTvudS2PlAe0SWGcGMMfNTSHu7NRXgVtz41fjP5dHE4y9Hy_JxRDT2Kj8IyfGZjcdAcQ3Cr_=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pretty sure if all the other park rangers aren't available, I'm in charge. Lol.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">By the time we left Ellis Island, we were STARVING and ready to meet up with Eric. We decided to meet at the dining area of Grand Central Terminal, since it was near Eric's office. It was so good to see my friend Eric again. I met up with him during my <b><a href="https://averyfan.blogspot.com/2019/11/new-york-city-2018.html" target="_blank">NYC trip in 2018</a></b> and also got to see him this past July when he and our friend Rob came to Texas to visit me (I'll try and recap that visit at some point). Eric only had a little bit of time to hang out that day, but he was able to give us a tour of his office lobby, which is the building used as the Daily Planet in the 1978 <i>Superman</i> movie. It's a good thing we knew him because a security guard was about to kick us out until Eric said he was an employee. Normally you have to be part of a tour group to be there. Eric agreed to meet up with us the next day so we could hang out longer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKNEyRMXibS7Vt427oZ8Wy4OLi1G6A8DXUjGDmeIEn2B_5oYlCnw3W7s5p6xwPtsUgfNUcHIu856PLDc2Q8C5WOsidnd1uu596AlIlpcjj9sjnBVQHNDB7cbPISDiQCuar2y3SHpwyVyUzoG-VYuicC5ghDTTdvIKayiznPqfMZceETTqpugj5VBj1=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2207" data-original-width="3264" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKNEyRMXibS7Vt427oZ8Wy4OLi1G6A8DXUjGDmeIEn2B_5oYlCnw3W7s5p6xwPtsUgfNUcHIu856PLDc2Q8C5WOsidnd1uu596AlIlpcjj9sjnBVQHNDB7cbPISDiQCuar2y3SHpwyVyUzoG-VYuicC5ghDTTdvIKayiznPqfMZceETTqpugj5VBj1=w640-h432" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">We had just enough time after saying bye to Eric to take the subway back to our hotel in Chelsea, change clothes, and get over to Radio City Music Hall for the <b><a href="https://www.rockettes.com/christmas/" target="_blank">Rockettes Christmas Spectacular</a></b>. Seeing the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall was a MUST for me on this trip and I'm so glad we were able to go. We saw them on Dec. 9 and by Dec. 17, they had canceled the remaining shows of the season due to COVID outbreaks. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The show was amazing and better than I could have imagined. Now, I wasn't that person who took photos and videos during the whole performance (like the lady on the row in front of us), but I did snap a quick photo during the curtain call, just to get a photo of the stage. Everyone working at Radio City Music Hall was so nice- from the concession workers to the ushers. It was just a wonderful experience.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimdpReSdudUNPODO7Hyw5NL28VNBkiZGg8xtbtPCqxbabJvpVmIsMveK1xKswLLRivrzmhNv6x_9YhYd2XuIf2Q5mGbdEr9gCUMjNjW6XVXnqVCxFY6bhP74PUOaoKc1Awuy16DQCjGKHxD5nFmMxiemwuRDVOC0mx6_TuJ_xHQNSePmhalnP8uVGL=s3264" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2917" data-original-width="3264" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimdpReSdudUNPODO7Hyw5NL28VNBkiZGg8xtbtPCqxbabJvpVmIsMveK1xKswLLRivrzmhNv6x_9YhYd2XuIf2Q5mGbdEr9gCUMjNjW6XVXnqVCxFY6bhP74PUOaoKc1Awuy16DQCjGKHxD5nFmMxiemwuRDVOC0mx6_TuJ_xHQNSePmhalnP8uVGL=w640-h572" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not gonna lie, I teared up when the show started. I was so happy to be there.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">After leaving Radio City Music Hall, we made our way to Rockefeller Center, because seeing the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was another MUST for me on this trip. Did I tear up again when I saw it? Maybe. You don't know my life. After we took all the photos of the tree, we walked around 5th Ave. and looked at the window displays and Christmas lights. We also made a stop at FAO Schwarz toy store. The doorman was dressed as a toy soldier and was so nice. He kept everyone waiting in line entertained (because yes, there was a line to get inside). </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Saks Fifth Avenue had a great Christmas light show on their building. I didn't take a video of it (because I always forget to take videos on my trips), but I found this <b><a href="https://youtu.be/jxpKOjBnRHc" target="_blank">video of part of it on YouTube</a></b>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJTHnWfSS_kQuH9ffpVHRQGkyYUB8La39EDiGsubhVwEsrAvR9U8GLkDYy5sV7S2wGDJjY6yoyBKuUL-N_vLck-r0-yGy2qnNsQJppwO6uWFbOE3AjtBkVP1XpminZ1sCpQf0lGcwZ5LEmmttUEneT0OwRcQz9nD7j56WGi9MyAZUVcxN-RWkq6cwS=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2440" data-original-width="3264" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJTHnWfSS_kQuH9ffpVHRQGkyYUB8La39EDiGsubhVwEsrAvR9U8GLkDYy5sV7S2wGDJjY6yoyBKuUL-N_vLck-r0-yGy2qnNsQJppwO6uWFbOE3AjtBkVP1XpminZ1sCpQf0lGcwZ5LEmmttUEneT0OwRcQz9nD7j56WGi9MyAZUVcxN-RWkq6cwS=w640-h478" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSus9VeabGoxtlJ9szYqvzMGo8JxgUenQXTZ7w8x_7vgQdQxtGG-dv5qDuZP6EddUBflyRCz_Fvg1JJjCApMwPDbsJiKBti6qFCs58crk93G3ptxEafGxQJz-FsCN9Ot4qbxij65yec0ZLxXU_WZh3yixxJT-y1fx8p0UZepmyBlEyYjoiQEufLBHg=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="1976" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSus9VeabGoxtlJ9szYqvzMGo8JxgUenQXTZ7w8x_7vgQdQxtGG-dv5qDuZP6EddUBflyRCz_Fvg1JJjCApMwPDbsJiKBti6qFCs58crk93G3ptxEafGxQJz-FsCN9Ot4qbxij65yec0ZLxXU_WZh3yixxJT-y1fx8p0UZepmyBlEyYjoiQEufLBHg=w388-h640" width="388" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHMbjAaYbzvu4JJGFcrGiE_-W65G0FWEC_9U3rRiB4Vclw4HIZ6tIWvkjfb4Z_aCONiCVgvtmrne9lTd45zHs0D_nW4Bes6vQxOdhXWBTDDUgBDf_vmSo_fPLteGDASFXuy4EpZhjlQk0M74TB-buZNppuIfeNuLx04HOvH5_W0B5wzjZZ_SSgLQQJ=s1124" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHMbjAaYbzvu4JJGFcrGiE_-W65G0FWEC_9U3rRiB4Vclw4HIZ6tIWvkjfb4Z_aCONiCVgvtmrne9lTd45zHs0D_nW4Bes6vQxOdhXWBTDDUgBDf_vmSo_fPLteGDASFXuy4EpZhjlQk0M74TB-buZNppuIfeNuLx04HOvH5_W0B5wzjZZ_SSgLQQJ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Friday morning we went ice skating at Bryant Park. We were told that ice skating there was better than Rockefeller Center because 1.) it was cheaper and 2.) it was less crowded. We didn't care where we were- we were ice skating OUTSIDE in New York City. And yes, those are matching Buc-ee's sweaters. You can take the girls out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the girls. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQf6JYcLgPvODnEfF_cEXxlcNDV4Er0Xnj3qE9HpvTKR3wfudDkNnljraF5hBD7lDFtVSGks7CFO_Xj8xiYP_s7962sXedZhWt1nVZ7LCYqOfSru0SCX64ZmnSuX2sNzZkGFoN4JOScU1V5poy3HNuHNVSXQdRamyp-yh9ufcT8jwQOLkuc8_oNKS5=s3264" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQf6JYcLgPvODnEfF_cEXxlcNDV4Er0Xnj3qE9HpvTKR3wfudDkNnljraF5hBD7lDFtVSGks7CFO_Xj8xiYP_s7962sXedZhWt1nVZ7LCYqOfSru0SCX64ZmnSuX2sNzZkGFoN4JOScU1V5poy3HNuHNVSXQdRamyp-yh9ufcT8jwQOLkuc8_oNKS5=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yes, that S'mores hot chocolate was amazing.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">After ice skating, we met up with Eric again and walked from Bryant Park over to Central Park and to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (we didn't go in though). Eric gave a great New Yorker tour of the city. I told him he should charge people (except me, of course) for these amazing tours. He also gave a great tour when I visited in 2018. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5SBUZ08eXzzMggM9hP1xWICt1L-gcmjOjy65hC49kDWwBx8mzr4OsGwQ5nFxFMEQ71AT3tuPeL_Y2uMp6JUEx5sC9CAnkpNh8zMo1bO1263v9_Ciqoh98kLO643yEx5ikYEXt0YHmDFxV4bBDMo0r3x8ilnmZ2pY_1_OeC21SQ7T2vOa_ynD7aDXD=s3264" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2455" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5SBUZ08eXzzMggM9hP1xWICt1L-gcmjOjy65hC49kDWwBx8mzr4OsGwQ5nFxFMEQ71AT3tuPeL_Y2uMp6JUEx5sC9CAnkpNh8zMo1bO1263v9_Ciqoh98kLO643yEx5ikYEXt0YHmDFxV4bBDMo0r3x8ilnmZ2pY_1_OeC21SQ7T2vOa_ynD7aDXD=w482-h640" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We went by Tiffany's but didn't have breakfast. :)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGKK2E_fytOG3rzW7IEV53Nt1d33Bhkdpe9XaUuQGaxSkhh8hP9eIdshJhD17qIeKNGVVZCl2yjtChVaGuy3E9wLB7r1ZMkTb4A_nl5xpWq1EsU4soTcDstd28PZut_XvkDbZeFPkhoe8BzFm1Vibgq4Vig2wBcXsorw9Hx4GV79zBbhR8dtSYXP0r=s1124" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGKK2E_fytOG3rzW7IEV53Nt1d33Bhkdpe9XaUuQGaxSkhh8hP9eIdshJhD17qIeKNGVVZCl2yjtChVaGuy3E9wLB7r1ZMkTb4A_nl5xpWq1EsU4soTcDstd28PZut_XvkDbZeFPkhoe8BzFm1Vibgq4Vig2wBcXsorw9Hx4GV79zBbhR8dtSYXP0r=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqZou_FVjQnFIMkA6LFoH58zsuVIZWtZ4MY0qCw8g-lXsmrikvt7Vdwxl-7wzQkxrtLd4pRGpVKKaQygxm-TjZAkILbWFHA4WVdQEOR7_H9AOss44EgeY1G8wIkqLWFxW3NrpPviHUAYp-E6hvuQKf8YGcRB8-IXSu9_o8iLQEBDYrX1DgjU7tll11=s1124" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqZou_FVjQnFIMkA6LFoH58zsuVIZWtZ4MY0qCw8g-lXsmrikvt7Vdwxl-7wzQkxrtLd4pRGpVKKaQygxm-TjZAkILbWFHA4WVdQEOR7_H9AOss44EgeY1G8wIkqLWFxW3NrpPviHUAYp-E6hvuQKf8YGcRB8-IXSu9_o8iLQEBDYrX1DgjU7tll11=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqMBnGb90XjRxxyuhwPww4BzSnszUsiE5x-wUR-iegGoOvjQ8_X28jVF7WnwbjMpgu1oH33Utm4bse7TZa342uYAcGcO3aE1enQHw9halZPmoa2QaUu9PO6XwbmEjGN-kJCKDaQmu2vdclARCNka6yUac4kSbQ6URvVc0IHrmdP7eq9_-E0_si17rb=s1239" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1239" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqMBnGb90XjRxxyuhwPww4BzSnszUsiE5x-wUR-iegGoOvjQ8_X28jVF7WnwbjMpgu1oH33Utm4bse7TZa342uYAcGcO3aE1enQHw9halZPmoa2QaUu9PO6XwbmEjGN-kJCKDaQmu2vdclARCNka6yUac4kSbQ6URvVc0IHrmdP7eq9_-E0_si17rb=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">After being able to spend a good part of the afternoon with Eric, we went back to our hotel to drop off some items we had bought, and then headed to Brooklyn to walk the Brooklyn Bridge and to see the Dyker Heights lights. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAoM6v8GdJYv2haiNuIzZPrrXmvlFdVCe2y-dbhut4oxfERMVXUdPASEgt2LH3fkYO-hYywgoz41o9StqoWyTPdQvnDVmWOg0-Cig12yTiOT6VHhyI7PsvMsKb_YHLeceE2Z2HAtiydFACyAVZDuKGJ7g_p1CBMysY7DY3nAME0DkysTxrgWJaucxV=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2846" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAoM6v8GdJYv2haiNuIzZPrrXmvlFdVCe2y-dbhut4oxfERMVXUdPASEgt2LH3fkYO-hYywgoz41o9StqoWyTPdQvnDVmWOg0-Cig12yTiOT6VHhyI7PsvMsKb_YHLeceE2Z2HAtiydFACyAVZDuKGJ7g_p1CBMysY7DY3nAME0DkysTxrgWJaucxV=w558-h640" width="558" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">We paid for a <b><a href="https://www.dykerheightschristmaslights.com//index.php" target="_blank">tour of the Dyker Heights lights</a></b> and really enjoyed it. You could see them for free but since we were from out of town, it was nice to have a guide walk us through the neighborhood, and even give us insider information about some of the homes. There was security and NYPD around the whole neighborhood directing foot and car traffic. The tour ended with a cup of hot chocolate from John's Deli (we were told it was the best deli in the area). If you are ever in that area around Christmas, I highly recommend this tour. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjz-JmoZCFo21nJRD0AqC7F9ARy7nKwJ6cVf4iQ-ozRQi4rQjqajXv3LF_pu0zYkxTupiNTif-oHn34A7zvekKUJFMi8Gm4_Jve7PUiPAHqVocR_JSFHX4fQ3up8sYb4gq4qL6GUUH2AIHPgW_oJcCbZB05GO5vAlV1xrWnnAsbUVaK-ln8cI638WTQ=s3264" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2841" data-original-width="3264" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjz-JmoZCFo21nJRD0AqC7F9ARy7nKwJ6cVf4iQ-ozRQi4rQjqajXv3LF_pu0zYkxTupiNTif-oHn34A7zvekKUJFMi8Gm4_Jve7PUiPAHqVocR_JSFHX4fQ3up8sYb4gq4qL6GUUH2AIHPgW_oJcCbZB05GO5vAlV1xrWnnAsbUVaK-ln8cI638WTQ=w640-h558" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bottom left: Our tour guide was actually a guy who portrays Santa in the area- he was super nice. <b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/dykersanta/" target="_blank">Check out his Instagram page</a></b>.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">While on the tour, we passed by a house decorated all in green lights (to resemble The Emerald City from <i>The Wizard of Oz</i>). A man was at a table talking about his son Michael, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. We stopped to talk to him and give a donation. He asked where we were from and when I said Dallas, he said he was a huge Dallas Cowboys fan (yes, they exist in New York!) He was so nice, we became instant friends. I highly recommend checking out their <a href="http://michaelscause.org/" target="_blank"><b>webpage</b></a> or <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MichaelsCause/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> </b>for more information on Michael and their non-profit.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTJ5QMB_N27iBcZQtxoJmrHfZmXV_2HDIs6z_OI3hzPZrEEceroKuYkXhSpfbmqltuuIA1EI-vJhkZG-DSUVmzduqFKlUPOFUe2JJlo3D5IqIR2zmCbXqAHQl9C8EJlDDCLN9CmF4jhcbNRnaGyWF2FmCUngJi-nDPbgrD-8Qh1n1NULbGuKtPHnTo=s3264" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2032" data-original-width="3264" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTJ5QMB_N27iBcZQtxoJmrHfZmXV_2HDIs6z_OI3hzPZrEEceroKuYkXhSpfbmqltuuIA1EI-vJhkZG-DSUVmzduqFKlUPOFUe2JJlo3D5IqIR2zmCbXqAHQl9C8EJlDDCLN9CmF4jhcbNRnaGyWF2FmCUngJi-nDPbgrD-8Qh1n1NULbGuKtPHnTo=w640-h398" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>New friends!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Saturday morning we were supposed to go to the Empire State Building but it was super foggy near the top and we were told we wouldn't be able to see anything. Thankfully, they let us inside to the second floor so we could switch out our ticket for the next day. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3Lq5ZAW0UFAyBD2C2X5qAYtLOeIoQyUY_vDdVnJpSilk0wh3oJSrJASH9NZeg3XU-cCURh9q3zv9iEpEQHuUFeVJNYMiU1IsrUhzAVV8H0HZ9U49hd560mDa4rsmEdZTrBI5tUn8q6yPelzXSA-91gGcFeMm6YgpBjG9o-Ox-hC6ubbvl0nOd3E9a=s843" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3Lq5ZAW0UFAyBD2C2X5qAYtLOeIoQyUY_vDdVnJpSilk0wh3oJSrJASH9NZeg3XU-cCURh9q3zv9iEpEQHuUFeVJNYMiU1IsrUhzAVV8H0HZ9U49hd560mDa4rsmEdZTrBI5tUn8q6yPelzXSA-91gGcFeMm6YgpBjG9o-Ox-hC6ubbvl0nOd3E9a=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A foggy Empire State Building</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDzl8XdwAPtzfVHsEXEXBphMzhlCMbdsgBdmuwl4h8m9B25R4fmZYsPYSXQVgYuNxWJe-upWHg1p7fH_9Oyf-GiYoDFC3Y4AcyNraHUZafdHDY6KLMOz-0ndS812iiFNrVzokK8rp7yNaLR7nalIe0-L9iaBQoJTgM2YUt1oqZprCVT-6LcrCYqHzE=s843" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDzl8XdwAPtzfVHsEXEXBphMzhlCMbdsgBdmuwl4h8m9B25R4fmZYsPYSXQVgYuNxWJe-upWHg1p7fH_9Oyf-GiYoDFC3Y4AcyNraHUZafdHDY6KLMOz-0ndS812iiFNrVzokK8rp7yNaLR7nalIe0-L9iaBQoJTgM2YUt1oqZprCVT-6LcrCYqHzE=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We did stop for a quick photo op before changing out our tickets. And yes, we were all about matching outfits this trip. We used to do that as kids, so we brought it back. Lol.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">After the change of plans that morning, we were able to meet up with my friend John for a few hours. Yes, I have several friends who live in NYC and can't miss an opportunity to see them. He gave us a tour of his office (he creates costumes for musicals and plays), which was super cool. I don't want to post photos of those costumes without permission, but here is a photo of me and John. We've been friends for 25 years. :)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheb7E_ZXEWZ-t17Zzkijf5u1JoHyGKr88mkQOCe2QTVB270l7dUyM1LHeeYhDfo_aQAhOANRSTR2T-mNDXyyoTmtanEj5WVkWduQhVYEJ181yyA-Pj5SEMMNxxKUBsEKIAKLNb--5m2FArCW8kbiAX8Htz_kxGqxt9m4MtUxmKzxBCWXnDtOM_7-2r=s843" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheb7E_ZXEWZ-t17Zzkijf5u1JoHyGKr88mkQOCe2QTVB270l7dUyM1LHeeYhDfo_aQAhOANRSTR2T-mNDXyyoTmtanEj5WVkWduQhVYEJ181yyA-Pj5SEMMNxxKUBsEKIAKLNb--5m2FArCW8kbiAX8Htz_kxGqxt9m4MtUxmKzxBCWXnDtOM_7-2r=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">We decided to take in another show on our last night in town. We looked at getting tickets to a Broadway show, but decided we wanted to stick with a Christmas show, so we got tickets to 'Twas the Night Before...by Cirque du Soleil at Madison Square Garden. If you have never seen a Cirque du Soleil show, I highly recommend it. They were great! It was my first time to see one of their shows and I really enjoyed it. I found <b><a href="https://youtu.be/M8KcuUBHqeY" target="_blank">this on YouTube</a></b> if you want to see clips from the show.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggjbiFJgS1sHBHkpje0S_iztI9HpfMCqZmyFlJfOPrkGE6TEXoB7rSOaTpOPhAyGQPeKMrgfRyalyWpgC7LuK8W8sCQbDiivrMEsPZEkslQT5nh8YutQOV5VeIZGbmiDrDOCSIqhWjV8uE41zEz5NWshJaZA0-L3PFTqDlD-L2_DVVbBHZucpatRC-=s1124" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggjbiFJgS1sHBHkpje0S_iztI9HpfMCqZmyFlJfOPrkGE6TEXoB7rSOaTpOPhAyGQPeKMrgfRyalyWpgC7LuK8W8sCQbDiivrMEsPZEkslQT5nh8YutQOV5VeIZGbmiDrDOCSIqhWjV8uE41zEz5NWshJaZA0-L3PFTqDlD-L2_DVVbBHZucpatRC-=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_1nySrrwl5eXnK4BjM5lHT1idJbAS2vuWAiPaz17ZMbjIX7CgLSbWLfGcUxT2CCNKlBm-7h9VRtBQSlY47RZ3bQuwxF2DLzUx-fy6NXwoc_bKQznIJIXaGEJF33519AYCVfihjDE-8qGiU6AlGkWh8TZzspJIOIIargfLMOp6lNdOhz-AQ_w9GiMI=s627" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="627" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_1nySrrwl5eXnK4BjM5lHT1idJbAS2vuWAiPaz17ZMbjIX7CgLSbWLfGcUxT2CCNKlBm-7h9VRtBQSlY47RZ3bQuwxF2DLzUx-fy6NXwoc_bKQznIJIXaGEJF33519AYCVfihjDE-8qGiU6AlGkWh8TZzspJIOIIargfLMOp6lNdOhz-AQ_w9GiMI=w640-h482" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Sunday was our last day in town. Our flight didn't leave until 5pm and we used every bit of time we had before heading to the airport.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The last "MUST" thing that was on my NYC Christmas Bucket List was to get a photo with the Macy's Santa Claus. <b><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039628/" target="_blank">Miracle on 34th Street (the 1947 version)</a></b> is one of my favorite Christmas movies so of course, that is what inspired this. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgogsIT7OIqtVWYl8vvRchKPYqMJYdZ3ianWCukza5kmBCy7Yc-CYKmJpyGwq2y46iMgyMzfaZkHoHXszZiKJkvqu4fmDrskUnGGeQiDePR-n786WSQRY4gqasbcgpAfcVC4R5G9Xoztj3OVLR79vFSWbK7qU2bIWlAkOhfDRY4KJHIhFHPsoY5fP49=s843" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgogsIT7OIqtVWYl8vvRchKPYqMJYdZ3ianWCukza5kmBCy7Yc-CYKmJpyGwq2y46iMgyMzfaZkHoHXszZiKJkvqu4fmDrskUnGGeQiDePR-n786WSQRY4gqasbcgpAfcVC4R5G9Xoztj3OVLR79vFSWbK7qU2bIWlAkOhfDRY4KJHIhFHPsoY5fP49=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">You had to book a reservation online (no more than 5 days in advance) to get a photo with Santa. They don't even allow walkups to see him. We tried so many times to get a reservation, but there kept not being times available. I got a tip that they released time new slots at 5:30am EST every morning. The Monday night before our trip, Alice (who is an overnight ER nurse) logged on at 4:30am CST and was able to get us a reservation for that Sunday morning. Weehoo! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS-kPc0ZPexc6LJmTPli_arRg7uXW97Bn6jrl0Wn6VPnRm101HbgDHkIXUfBOzjsJAAL8SCc8ooRpfbcMUQKf5nkOAHelduBH1xjagKVA2wxBhOZgVPlg5NZxxrLCL-80-W1YY-kKfSBdA5vK24jHw-YfQeVWo43Clf1ezx8_V9djWV24DQAVlLqHF=s1124" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS-kPc0ZPexc6LJmTPli_arRg7uXW97Bn6jrl0Wn6VPnRm101HbgDHkIXUfBOzjsJAAL8SCc8ooRpfbcMUQKf5nkOAHelduBH1xjagKVA2wxBhOZgVPlg5NZxxrLCL-80-W1YY-kKfSBdA5vK24jHw-YfQeVWo43Clf1ezx8_V9djWV24DQAVlLqHF=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhefDEXpd3SsqfMccPBrjuudzIXK2rqPnnf8dDGB9UoFtnMcOqalF4l05iJbg-JzEVN_KBcLQ6a9AKT0801HLWEY7f1EyYCALIZjyF2iE1W1y4ogiRvZH0JTlo1pWbmm2PHyZi0y93dkrIBHsX-kH3OaItp_imwL1838U-XDPejmUC0dxQ_sMvQaVDD=s843" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhefDEXpd3SsqfMccPBrjuudzIXK2rqPnnf8dDGB9UoFtnMcOqalF4l05iJbg-JzEVN_KBcLQ6a9AKT0801HLWEY7f1EyYCALIZjyF2iE1W1y4ogiRvZH0JTlo1pWbmm2PHyZi0y93dkrIBHsX-kH3OaItp_imwL1838U-XDPejmUC0dxQ_sMvQaVDD=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Santaland was great-we got there five minutes before our reservation time and were allowed to walk right in. You went through a maze of decorations and photo op spots. Once again, everyone was super nice. And yes, we dressed alike once again. When we finally got to the room with Santa (fun fact: there were multiple rooms with a Santa so they could see more people) he was so friendly and asked us what we wanted for Christmas. I said I wanted the Texas Rangers to win the World Series and he chuckled (umph). We all had to wear our masks, but it was okay- we got our Santa photo. We were probably giddier than we should have been about it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5MhcBBA18nW_1X5cj1ipB6ToJc75esXzDa6pkDJRtll-XBPoU6pDmtV7rfaRue1dV1Io7yTJpqZT0qJKa6FLv2nYYry5BhQbxMAC5sbYqWbNg9U7wKCxzjeHrNU0FjxMxxoCqwzUN2UKzDcTWvbH74kBIfuBgQD5LLxN4ETJsK9SepBfR5_HhF9jO=s1239" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1239" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5MhcBBA18nW_1X5cj1ipB6ToJc75esXzDa6pkDJRtll-XBPoU6pDmtV7rfaRue1dV1Io7yTJpqZT0qJKa6FLv2nYYry5BhQbxMAC5sbYqWbNg9U7wKCxzjeHrNU0FjxMxxoCqwzUN2UKzDcTWvbH74kBIfuBgQD5LLxN4ETJsK9SepBfR5_HhF9jO=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzs-ijDjyC6vs9G7yIlJM3TNplS0ZZGkVuj9jTlS673Y6UdgIVcQaQvQRHRMEyOQ18jrz_I8eEekCTKzeSWPoIr0_Lx82-Fn4eZ_Qoww8BOAlR_cQX8xB6BSbFm-0fjY_uOKbfclukQN9udx_ECn5okLVztGI1Vi375sIe-HHtyk7n_uAGNCa9MZ0k=s1124" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzs-ijDjyC6vs9G7yIlJM3TNplS0ZZGkVuj9jTlS673Y6UdgIVcQaQvQRHRMEyOQ18jrz_I8eEekCTKzeSWPoIr0_Lx82-Fn4eZ_Qoww8BOAlR_cQX8xB6BSbFm-0fjY_uOKbfclukQN9udx_ECn5okLVztGI1Vi375sIe-HHtyk7n_uAGNCa9MZ0k=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT7ia5HBFMt4d-378PGlI-ZQUpQAmL2-GlPh_zMWXv8268c3N0-HRezOeEfA4pYVB0J6qIR_DhWctXNofwMIWJgIasdMXo9s8LTlRPExQQ9SyXzk0dRituMSK8u7zPNMHKv_2jiyKNFr0470tilpLCm4wantmU9kj2a_bmQtwin_8SlN0uEjOKbiv_=s1124" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT7ia5HBFMt4d-378PGlI-ZQUpQAmL2-GlPh_zMWXv8268c3N0-HRezOeEfA4pYVB0J6qIR_DhWctXNofwMIWJgIasdMXo9s8LTlRPExQQ9SyXzk0dRituMSK8u7zPNMHKv_2jiyKNFr0470tilpLCm4wantmU9kj2a_bmQtwin_8SlN0uEjOKbiv_=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkFE2TQI9I50Wgi5pAhy0sMI8weGEddLVilAz0076pRkOSoBP-TC7KRU6VWa4Oa8VbHST8ZT8AP0OBvsiLzukzTmTK0ICwfl_dNOxDa77TMETnlBl7KRiHHv1W45nL-C675vxME-0Dv9MPdCc1J-PcNhTowQLG0xSbRryzBzVjP2t2LpWByktCjnki=s843" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkFE2TQI9I50Wgi5pAhy0sMI8weGEddLVilAz0076pRkOSoBP-TC7KRU6VWa4Oa8VbHST8ZT8AP0OBvsiLzukzTmTK0ICwfl_dNOxDa77TMETnlBl7KRiHHv1W45nL-C675vxME-0Dv9MPdCc1J-PcNhTowQLG0xSbRryzBzVjP2t2LpWByktCjnki=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD3lgc0tUQNSndBxV9vRN4SzZ3PeGqkhCsIp5UgxZQVFXqeS--AZZz0hnDsp3dG0mMel2jGaDNEtE4vr0lUWEEylBXIoquDRHle8qeMzBz8SLAVSVPmWoETBJUqu7yrH1WLyBEr2sMqsaSmHaATJGlIkBQa7Eq5guVAAbl8eAocSvnzyd2sZDXIY4x=s1124" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD3lgc0tUQNSndBxV9vRN4SzZ3PeGqkhCsIp5UgxZQVFXqeS--AZZz0hnDsp3dG0mMel2jGaDNEtE4vr0lUWEEylBXIoquDRHle8qeMzBz8SLAVSVPmWoETBJUqu7yrH1WLyBEr2sMqsaSmHaATJGlIkBQa7Eq5guVAAbl8eAocSvnzyd2sZDXIY4x=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3MyaNbnrOsc_u4xKY7y40UOamHnieeJOYcdXNCZJzymXrj1eN8aRy4Cg7rAlN23fECoO7N7Ts5xgM9yfpPkXCEjsxXi0GJVSskgz2iC8ENshyYHhOSTnvOqKzwW1-E_O9Ldt4xnNla0hCYFgWw84JeaJAGLTHuktzbLy8rn-CQm2h1Ot1EeYdYzWH=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="2917" data-original-width="3264" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3MyaNbnrOsc_u4xKY7y40UOamHnieeJOYcdXNCZJzymXrj1eN8aRy4Cg7rAlN23fECoO7N7Ts5xgM9yfpPkXCEjsxXi0GJVSskgz2iC8ENshyYHhOSTnvOqKzwW1-E_O9Ldt4xnNla0hCYFgWw84JeaJAGLTHuktzbLy8rn-CQm2h1Ot1EeYdYzWH=w640-h572" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">After our photos with Santa, we went down the street for our tour of the Empire State Building. It was a BEAUTIFUL day- I'm so glad we were able to reschedule our visit. We only went to the 86th floor and not the very top (102nd floor) but it was still a great view. I had never been before in my other two visits to NYC, so I'm glad we went.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmFcdETSXt41IUceCppX68Cbb0CSMzfbpAANzvHeFdFMQ1uwYAhnChcWF76b31BlCl5ER-vrEeNIusk5RN9yh3t_EYrjvQIUuOXpiBiuqL9gqRX6UtoD2oZlla98LUuBXuDkwUsqPtbiTNVSa84L3BKqpQ33l4fU-OdjwadMUPjFI-QOlK8L5bDlW8=s1651" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1651" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmFcdETSXt41IUceCppX68Cbb0CSMzfbpAANzvHeFdFMQ1uwYAhnChcWF76b31BlCl5ER-vrEeNIusk5RN9yh3t_EYrjvQIUuOXpiBiuqL9gqRX6UtoD2oZlla98LUuBXuDkwUsqPtbiTNVSa84L3BKqpQ33l4fU-OdjwadMUPjFI-QOlK8L5bDlW8=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Me: Don't be dramatic.<br />Also me: </i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-xcf6YINSxjGH8d0OMY1PzJtqu_atsaZz1PmNdKJyZ5yZ_777QBXUg1nY1lv4hfC8P56H9RWLfuurTBGkpTroNnfIW9ywuodZMrTBQCulKC7e0uWgka_057MPkqhDZCq3FgxBUCuPnGVp38BKH6S87XFXfS_EBpEMcefsxrKPuipUj3Hrkxc5lwCP=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2462" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-xcf6YINSxjGH8d0OMY1PzJtqu_atsaZz1PmNdKJyZ5yZ_777QBXUg1nY1lv4hfC8P56H9RWLfuurTBGkpTroNnfIW9ywuodZMrTBQCulKC7e0uWgka_057MPkqhDZCq3FgxBUCuPnGVp38BKH6S87XFXfS_EBpEMcefsxrKPuipUj3Hrkxc5lwCP=w482-h640" width="482" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Our hotel was about a 12 minute walk from the Empire State Building. We were able to get a tour, visit the gift shop, and get back to our hotel by 2pm. A car service was picking us up at 2:25 to take us to the airport, so that gave us 25 minutes to spare. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We stayed at the <b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60763-d641209-Reviews-Hilton_Garden_Inn_New_York_Manhattan_Chelsea-New_York_City_New_York.html" target="_blank">Hilton Garden Inn New York/Manhattan-Chelsea</a></b> and it was a lovely stay. Everyone was super friendly and they provided free coffee and hot tea all day. People complained online about the rooms being small, but honestly, the only time we were at the hotel was to sleep, so it didn't matter. And it didn't seem super small to me. It was clean and we had no issues while we were there. It was a close walk to so much that we wanted to see, and we were one block from a subway station when we needed to take that. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY7H4VAd-Rw5VQKy2otsN53IGmwbD9HPRaRr6bvAaZTxEVxXUX8PblPBM5KOTtsasmy2Jotj-0oKL_wVvIx9SstE9wZRiqy_RC5pbK2oop687nsp6vln01MvksbgrEsbRU4UNRX1V1BB44YVf3j2rnlPwAJVpb8AodJJxPRRW7DSbASAQjM9ynABKP=s843" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY7H4VAd-Rw5VQKy2otsN53IGmwbD9HPRaRr6bvAaZTxEVxXUX8PblPBM5KOTtsasmy2Jotj-0oKL_wVvIx9SstE9wZRiqy_RC5pbK2oop687nsp6vln01MvksbgrEsbRU4UNRX1V1BB44YVf3j2rnlPwAJVpb8AodJJxPRRW7DSbASAQjM9ynABKP=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXpJmzar7NoJf0gKCSUMiy6ln1SkKMmY38w6MRiQ18B1K04MjUjfDGaKg-tCXClcmGDIaKVuYNyZro-uT6MoTetFlQj0Jqcev9NYYolsl7YaBIWVkQ4jOEhP7bh2P5PwOXg2t9oVPnc1TdpOwhCF3B_2wgw5b54rrNPAJuXy1xQGYNqk9ZFftCzv1a=s1124" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1124" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXpJmzar7NoJf0gKCSUMiy6ln1SkKMmY38w6MRiQ18B1K04MjUjfDGaKg-tCXClcmGDIaKVuYNyZro-uT6MoTetFlQj0Jqcev9NYYolsl7YaBIWVkQ4jOEhP7bh2P5PwOXg2t9oVPnc1TdpOwhCF3B_2wgw5b54rrNPAJuXy1xQGYNqk9ZFftCzv1a=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View from our room on the 19th floor</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">So that's a recap of my NYC Christmas trip. I'll try and recap my other 2021 trip by Saturday. If not, maybe next year. As always, thanks for reading!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">XOXO!</p>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-62823254523634250872020-12-31T22:49:00.001-06:002020-12-31T22:51:23.340-06:002020: What A Year<p style="text-align: justify;">There are a lot of words that can sum up 2020-but I try and keep this blog family friendly, so I won't post any of them. I have no excuse for not posting since February- it's not like I was too busy going out with friends, or traveling, or doing anything "normal". It just goes to show, a person can be lazy even during a pandemic when there is nothing else to do but stay home.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So, I decided to end 2020 with a recap of my year and how I coped during all of this craziness. That being said, I do hope that everyone is doing well and staying safe. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I last posted in February, and until about March 16, things were going "as normal" as they could. I had already planned out my annual baseball trip with my friend Lisa and I was going to see a Padres game in late March when I was on a business trip in San Diego. I also had a front row ticket to see the Monkees on their 50th Anniversary Tour, and I had tickets to see Julie Andrews speak. Oh, if I had only known what was in store for us this year.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Feb. 28-Mar 1: I worked at my first comic con show in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was a lot of fun- and I even got time to meet some of the guests who attended. My friend Donna was the organizer of it, and I hope one day we can start having cons in person again because I would love to volunteer at another one.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h08FU205uGQ/X-5LFtS6LlI/AAAAAAACCqg/07xK2o1ZqTck9m56n8zs2AlRyZU88s_9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h08FU205uGQ/X-5LFtS6LlI/AAAAAAACCqg/07xK2o1ZqTck9m56n8zs2AlRyZU88s_9ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Top left (clockwise): Guy Gilchrist (cartoonist for many things, including Muppet Babies and Fraggle Rock); Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson from Little House on the Prairie); volunteers of the con with actor John Wesley Shipp; John Wesley Shipp (best known as Dawson's dad on Dawson's Creek); Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle on Little House on the Prairie). </i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Mar. 7-8: I went to San Antonio for my first half-marathon- the one that I trained like four months for. My sweet friend Corina decided the week before to go with me (and I'm so glad she did, she kept me from giving up when I felt I was in over my head). We got there the day before and visited the Alamo (because that's what you do in San Antonio) and we had dinner with my Aunt Beth. We stayed at the Menger Hotel (which is supposedly haunted), but we sadly didn't see any ghosts. The half-marathon actually went very well. It was nice having a friend there with me. She is an expert at races and gave me a lot of good advice. She also told me to suck it up when I started complaining. Lol. We were able to stop in Austin on our way home, and I got to see my BFF Mandy for the first time in over two years. It was a great trip. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGuB4pYSwAM/X-5OEfI-zgI/AAAAAAACCqo/i8R1j5I9pYwwAidboLpyHzd6Puixnfo8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1830" data-original-width="2048" height="573" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGuB4pYSwAM/X-5OEfI-zgI/AAAAAAACCqo/i8R1j5I9pYwwAidboLpyHzd6Puixnfo8ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h573/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Why yes, I did have Alamo socks for the Alamo Half Marathon. Also, I bought that red cap at the Alamo, and it is one of my favorite caps now. I wear it a lot when I'm out jogging or walking (you'll see it in many more photos). </i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Monday March 16 is when things started to change. We heard rumors going around the office that different departments would work from home one day a week, and by the end of day, we were told we would work from home that Wednesday. I got a call that night from my supervisor that we would work from home Tuesday and Wednesday. By Wednesday afternoon, we were told we would be at home for the rest of the week. And then by Friday, we were told we would be working from home until further notice. I never imagined that in December, we would still be working from home. To be honest, I love working from home. I like that I can wear my "daytime pajamas". I also feel I'm more productive and I get more accomplished during the day. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1GEtCGiAh50/X-5P6SHKx4I/AAAAAAACCqw/5Mraf05m5gMT-icRHrcbAoDc7KKYVccXQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1GEtCGiAh50/X-5P6SHKx4I/AAAAAAACCqw/5Mraf05m5gMT-icRHrcbAoDc7KKYVccXQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My company still offered free flu shots, so I went up to the building for that in September. They had socially distanced areas set up out front of the building for the flu shots. It was well organized. I did go back into the building for the first time since March a few weeks later so I could sign a retirement card for a coworker. I went by my desk and it was how I had left it- with my calendar still on March. It was weird. Lol.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">So, what all did I do to pass the time in 2020? I took a LOT of photos while wearing masks.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ftZbIA3ZZc8/X-5R8abr6TI/AAAAAAACCq8/V7KlIFVGgXQKLH5CWvcYaZRhf3nUK6tWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1830" data-original-width="2048" height="573" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ftZbIA3ZZc8/X-5R8abr6TI/AAAAAAACCq8/V7KlIFVGgXQKLH5CWvcYaZRhf3nUK6tWgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h573/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ab1ALmRf29s/X-5R8WL1eYI/AAAAAAACCrA/VRauZAKOhtEoZc92nR0GTyL3tQjFjyiLwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1830" data-original-width="2048" height="573" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ab1ALmRf29s/X-5R8WL1eYI/AAAAAAACCrA/VRauZAKOhtEoZc92nR0GTyL3tQjFjyiLwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h573/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UZL5IdmwsaM/X-5R75jimgI/AAAAAAACCq4/eenoyqostjcH9fJtJCGOQ_R4tqvFOjsFACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UZL5IdmwsaM/X-5R75jimgI/AAAAAAACCq4/eenoyqostjcH9fJtJCGOQ_R4tqvFOjsFACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1kxDUGmPQ60/X-5myx1K-GI/AAAAAAACCt0/Ks_lD4z90pUJOIvzfdJrz6XzYVfoQYoLACLcBGAsYHQ/s960/5.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="726" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1kxDUGmPQ60/X-5myx1K-GI/AAAAAAACCt0/Ks_lD4z90pUJOIvzfdJrz6XzYVfoQYoLACLcBGAsYHQ/w303-h400/5.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">I also took unmasked selfies. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E7jb-fFDYFg/X-5SIYs49zI/AAAAAAACCrI/xbTu3ALo-2kHtdBmzBa_o8mOyc73ANnrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E7jb-fFDYFg/X-5SIYs49zI/AAAAAAACCrI/xbTu3ALo-2kHtdBmzBa_o8mOyc73ANnrQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/1%2B.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6jOH5BacY0E/X-5SIfQd19I/AAAAAAACCrM/iB2UtR8BVW4OnXC7pBjeXcF-XS-5zTzkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6jOH5BacY0E/X-5SIfQd19I/AAAAAAACCrM/iB2UtR8BVW4OnXC7pBjeXcF-XS-5zTzkwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mtdnyyR4Yts/X-5SIfhLwWI/AAAAAAACCrE/e1QGUwc_GIg61ZBQANB0ld9BCLC_q5t3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mtdnyyR4Yts/X-5SIfhLwWI/AAAAAAACCrE/e1QGUwc_GIg61ZBQANB0ld9BCLC_q5t3wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gY45Sgecwuw/X-5SI_WAq8I/AAAAAAACCrQ/aSn10r4PWEAWLP1__gdUcRsrYzvFc-g-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1830" data-original-width="2048" height="573" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gY45Sgecwuw/X-5SI_WAq8I/AAAAAAACCrQ/aSn10r4PWEAWLP1__gdUcRsrYzvFc-g-wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h573/4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I got excited when I was cleaning under my sink in April and found two new bottles of cleaning supplies. Lol.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gKxVfuoFQzM/X-5jVBUdAsI/AAAAAAACCtc/UJpZVCvTPvQfKkdDI3dkOIHdauVE2oHJACLcBGAsYHQ/s960/03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="724" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gKxVfuoFQzM/X-5jVBUdAsI/AAAAAAACCtc/UJpZVCvTPvQfKkdDI3dkOIHdauVE2oHJACLcBGAsYHQ/w301-h400/03.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I also stocked up on Elderberry to keep my immune system in good shape. I had started taking it in February to make sure I stayed healthy for my half-marathon. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kbUZb2fcm24/X-5jsh7o0NI/AAAAAAACCtk/VNeU-4N8Blcwx_Kzaj_dn8mF29da55gvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="960" height="399" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kbUZb2fcm24/X-5jsh7o0NI/AAAAAAACCtk/VNeU-4N8Blcwx_Kzaj_dn8mF29da55gvwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h399/02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><p style="text-align: justify;">Since all in person races were canceled, I signed up for a lot of virtual 5Ks, and three virtual 10Ks. For those not familiar with virtual races, you sign up and they send you the shirt, bib, and medal, and then you log in your time once you are done. Yes, it's all on the "honor system", but if I'm spending money on a race, I'm going to complete it and earn that medal. Lol.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-waATlO4Lxmc/X-5S8ydOHII/AAAAAAACCrk/P133shxcJI4hDlsQUv28x5v1Kj42IRbCACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-waATlO4Lxmc/X-5S8ydOHII/AAAAAAACCrk/P133shxcJI4hDlsQUv28x5v1Kj42IRbCACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/1%2B.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmvrarRRsmw/X-5S8_lMExI/AAAAAAACCro/OM4K599etV85f61psz5AUfALKZzcVB2OwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmvrarRRsmw/X-5S8_lMExI/AAAAAAACCro/OM4K599etV85f61psz5AUfALKZzcVB2OwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">After spending 11 weeks alone in my apartment, I was able to safely go see some of my family for my birthday in May. Let me tell you, 11 weeks without a hug was almost the death of me. My sweet kiddos made sure Aunt Rachel got plenty of hugs that weekend to make up for it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SpIqs7M72Lg/X-5T4edoBGI/AAAAAAACCr4/nt4cs5gnLAQ6gRcRHAzKkfuP_oAV8_XgwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SpIqs7M72Lg/X-5T4edoBGI/AAAAAAACCr4/nt4cs5gnLAQ6gRcRHAzKkfuP_oAV8_XgwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/1%2B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eL8D1sd982k/X-5T4cMCF8I/AAAAAAACCr0/5BpfDCLfurEb2fhHk3N9D0LnGUvGKSYygCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eL8D1sd982k/X-5T4cMCF8I/AAAAAAACCr0/5BpfDCLfurEb2fhHk3N9D0LnGUvGKSYygCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I did more eating at home this year, but I made sure to support local businesses by during curbside pickup every so often. You can probably guess the three places I supported the most. Lol.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-igbAumcBZpQ/X-5VQub6mUI/AAAAAAACCsE/W8WLO8HeLzQV5UiRWfSDW1mjPN_6WdjrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-igbAumcBZpQ/X-5VQub6mUI/AAAAAAACCsE/W8WLO8HeLzQV5UiRWfSDW1mjPN_6WdjrQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/1%2B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fweoRFVVAcc/X-6faJ6Ub0I/AAAAAAACCvA/_hta2KFdNRA8Wmr-W1XGJQcrroW158PtACLcBGAsYHQ/s960/01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fweoRFVVAcc/X-6faJ6Ub0I/AAAAAAACCvA/_hta2KFdNRA8Wmr-W1XGJQcrroW158PtACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>When restaurants opened back up (to limited capacity), I did make a trip to Norma's Cafe (as you can tell, I was very excited). I have felt very safe and comfortable the several times I've had a meal there during this time. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Since I was eating at home more, I was excited to get a Mandoline from Tupperware, which slices and dices vegetables (I love cooking veggies in my air fryer). It was all fun and games until I sliced opened my thumb. **insert face palm emoji**. Thankfully I didn't have to go get stitches (this was decided after sending a lot of photos to my niece, who is a nurse, and she told me how to take care of it and that it didn't need stitches). I'll spare you a photo of the actual injury. For those wondering, it has healed quit nicely. And yes, I have even used the Mandoline since then. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pOsFtlbkICg/X-5aA62bc1I/AAAAAAACCs0/YFAHLTFrN9YViS3fsXbrNrr90w3WsJnDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pOsFtlbkICg/X-5aA62bc1I/AAAAAAACCs0/YFAHLTFrN9YViS3fsXbrNrr90w3WsJnDQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">By early summer, I was finally able to see some friends in person. Well, I could see their eyes since we had masks on, but it was better than nothing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GSAR3K31CN0/X-5WSo11plI/AAAAAAACCsM/9QLtvHaKvRQiOu_6z1pMkWD9UjcB2bttgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GSAR3K31CN0/X-5WSo11plI/AAAAAAACCsM/9QLtvHaKvRQiOu_6z1pMkWD9UjcB2bttgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/1%2B.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rzAJ-z9n4sg/X-5WSvhrtXI/AAAAAAACCsQ/L3_PmB5WygYadWn9oVc4IHrmkS3MMiaAACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rzAJ-z9n4sg/X-5WSvhrtXI/AAAAAAACCsQ/L3_PmB5WygYadWn9oVc4IHrmkS3MMiaAACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I also worked on some crafts during the year (I should have worked on more, but again, laziness took over). I am leaving out photos of some of the crafts because they are gifts I haven't delivered to friends yet. The top two wreaths are ones I made for my apartment. The bottom wreath is one I made for my neighbor because I noticed he didn't have a Christmas wreath up. The map at the top are all the states that I've visited, I have four left to go to. I have a photo of me in each state. The bottom photo is a tissue box cover that I made for a friend- his bathroom has a Batman theme.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rcen9WkArgk/X-5WxtiAoLI/AAAAAAACCsc/ofoTKDTrITkAgVGtwMbdc79V48JlzBGvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rcen9WkArgk/X-5WxtiAoLI/AAAAAAACCsc/ofoTKDTrITkAgVGtwMbdc79V48JlzBGvwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">When I wasn't working on crafts, I spent time working on jigsaw puzzles. I don't have a table, so I have a large foam board I use for puzzles, The only problem is that I forget I can't sit on the floor too long, and my back will start to hurt. Getting old is horrible. Lol.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-scIy5enfiLo/X-5YLJL_f5I/AAAAAAACCsk/C9uKD5VKVPUHq2hPrn-uH39DmZuoLSaigCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1531" data-original-width="2048" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-scIy5enfiLo/X-5YLJL_f5I/AAAAAAACCsk/C9uKD5VKVPUHq2hPrn-uH39DmZuoLSaigCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h478/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">My folks, oldest sister, and I took a short trip to Galveston in August. We were able to social distance on the beach for a day and it was very relaxing (the closest people were over 200 yards from us).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WePPfA76LDY/X-5iDA3xNPI/AAAAAAACCtU/nR6RAeDW0B8C581EYL_OFi-K49Hi5rJCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WePPfA76LDY/X-5iDA3xNPI/AAAAAAACCtU/nR6RAeDW0B8C581EYL_OFi-K49Hi5rJCwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My dad and I recreated a photo we took when I was seven. :)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">I also took a stab at baking during the pandemic (despite being a walking disaster in the kitchen). I know, this is a shocker for anyone who knows me. I'm by no means ready for my own cooking show, but I've had fun. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Te5GtVfTpZA/X-5ZawnAKSI/AAAAAAACCss/UlM6n6J054oZdu8UJW_yAzNgPXZcCaXKwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Te5GtVfTpZA/X-5ZawnAKSI/AAAAAAACCss/UlM6n6J054oZdu8UJW_yAzNgPXZcCaXKwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I shared my political opinions on social media.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P1DPydun7Io/X-6eQg3WVxI/AAAAAAACCuw/FgLTskkANM8eHLWTvLLu_31_dky5mwD8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P1DPydun7Io/X-6eQg3WVxI/AAAAAAACCuw/FgLTskkANM8eHLWTvLLu_31_dky5mwD8QCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/4.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>If you know me, you know this is as political as I get. I hate politics. Lol.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Two friends and I went to the town of Jefferson over Labor Day weekend for a little getaway. It's a cute town and we had a lot of fun. We went on a ghost tour and stayed in a haunted hotel, but again, I saw no ghosts. I was kinda bummed, maybe next time I'll see something. But, we did meet a professional paranormal investigator- Jeromy Jones. He and his wife bought and now own the Jefferson Hotel. I plan to stay there next time I visit Jefferson. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EvrQ5YC6pKo/X-5dzftwn5I/AAAAAAACCtI/s6rymlEpwL0n4g_qaZCLX6gCKsbZUHZpQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EvrQ5YC6pKo/X-5dzftwn5I/AAAAAAACCtI/s6rymlEpwL0n4g_qaZCLX6gCKsbZUHZpQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>So, my college roommate Mel and I went to New Orleans for Spring Break our senior year. We realized when we got home that we didn't get a photo by the Louisiana state sign, so 20 years later, we got a photo by it. Lol.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RbAVVsjtddg/X-5dzIaRB6I/AAAAAAACCtE/3UYVYxq3IhYarV3peYAibSGmv57LyUBuwCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="960" height="472" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RbAVVsjtddg/X-5dzIaRB6I/AAAAAAACCtE/3UYVYxq3IhYarV3peYAibSGmv57LyUBuwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h472/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Meeting Jeromy Jones</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">We also went to the town of Elysian Fields (which isn't far from Jefferson). This town was founded by my great great great great-grandfather, so I wanted to go by and see it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qe_SQD8Q9lw/X-5bpNFrepI/AAAAAAACCs8/emP_JLmdFaEpElUb6C0XQCYTXsCbGXlEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qe_SQD8Q9lw/X-5bpNFrepI/AAAAAAACCs8/emP_JLmdFaEpElUb6C0XQCYTXsCbGXlEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I also did a day trip to Waco with these same friends in October (to celebrate Mel's birthday). We went to the Waco Mammoth National Monument, Dr Pepper Museum, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. It was a lot of fun. I did put my hand on the wall of the Dr Pepper Museum like I was entering the Promised Land (and yes, I used hand sanitizer afterward). Lol. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4_aBLRGrMe4/X-5mBsk3zKI/AAAAAAACCts/Q6I_9AphLhg9YIJQWqbNylwWmEBJ3zsCQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4_aBLRGrMe4/X-5mBsk3zKI/AAAAAAACCts/Q6I_9AphLhg9YIJQWqbNylwWmEBJ3zsCQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">My alma mater's Homecoming was all done virtually-they mailed alumni these Homecoming decorations and supplies so we could celebrate at home. It was the 175th anniversary of our school, and we were supposed to have a big celebration. Maybe we can do that next year. And yes, that cake mix and icing is what I used for the cupcakes in the baking photo above.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Wx_0Vx1yW4/X-6e9C5XmiI/AAAAAAACCu4/lpXLuQwSCrQKfY08bm9mgmY6UjyZASuWACLcBGAsYHQ/s960/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Wx_0Vx1yW4/X-6e9C5XmiI/AAAAAAACCu4/lpXLuQwSCrQKfY08bm9mgmY6UjyZASuWACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">The State Fair of Texas was canceled but they did have a drive thru option. It was a lot of fun, and I have to admit that I liked being able to get a photo with Big Tex without a lot of people in the background. They had it set up very well. The entry ticket got you a photo with Big Tex, lots of food, a drink, and a Midway game prize (AKA a stuffed animal). I really enjoyed it. And yes, I did my annual photo of my corny dog with ketchup so I could cause great controversary on social media. Lol.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d5hfngfJdhg/X-5ox396HvI/AAAAAAACCt8/FkprvCvJWCEBiaHPA2Gllu_J1qKctT3hQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d5hfngfJdhg/X-5ox396HvI/AAAAAAACCt8/FkprvCvJWCEBiaHPA2Gllu_J1qKctT3hQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Even though there were more important matters going on, I was sad that we didn't have in person sports, especially since it was the inaugural season of the Rangers new ballpark. Not only was baseball season shortened, but then fans weren't allowed in to see the games. At least, not until the NLCS and World Series, which were played at the new Globe Life Field (sadly the Rangers weren't playing, but hey, I got to see live baseball). I was able to attend a game of the NLCS and the World Series. They only sold 11,000 tickets and they were sold in pods of four- you had to buy four (it was to keep people by people they knew). They had the seats not sold zip-tied together so people couldn't move around to other seats. And we had to wear a mask unless we were eating or drinking. The Braves were in the NLCS, so my first photo in the new Rangers ballpark is of me wearing my Steve Avery shirtsey. :) The new ballpark is nice and I'm sure it will grow on me, but I do miss the old one.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mYFIENqX8BM/X-5p4zfSdDI/AAAAAAACCuI/piFZGTFhdiErfHb4MdHAyZO07iJZbDI4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mYFIENqX8BM/X-5p4zfSdDI/AAAAAAACCuI/piFZGTFhdiErfHb4MdHAyZO07iJZbDI4ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_WMe2uL06w/X-5p4lWAkvI/AAAAAAACCuE/Hla1ZfL6GKsnGlg9QklxZoq7-rCPGBXxACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_WMe2uL06w/X-5p4lWAkvI/AAAAAAACCuE/Hla1ZfL6GKsnGlg9QklxZoq7-rCPGBXxACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLYFIBaDBa8/X-5p4988q1I/AAAAAAACCuM/BrCoAbnTDfYQK0ci6eEs0yghY9iVKlerQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLYFIBaDBa8/X-5p4988q1I/AAAAAAACCuM/BrCoAbnTDfYQK0ci6eEs0yghY9iVKlerQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Like a lot of other people, I did online church for the first time ever. My church has done a great job during this time. After watching the "Big Church" service, my Sunday School class would meet via Zoom. Yes, I still call it Big Church, I don't know what else to call it. The church held our spring food drive back in April- but instead of dropping supplies off in boxes inside the church, like we usually do, we did a "drive by" food drive. A church staff member (wearing a mask and wearing gloves) took the canned goods from our trunk or back seat and then left a packet that included our Good Friday communion (Lord's Supper to you fellow Southern Baptists). We did about six months of only online services before the church opened back up (to strict guidelines). Rows are spaced further apart and you can only sit next to someone who lives in your house. **Cue the song "All By Myself" playing as I sit alone on my row.** They also limit how many people are allowed in each service. Masks are required to enter and they recommend no handshakes or hugs, only elbow bumps. (**Full disclosure: there are a few members who are okay with hugging so I totally hug them- with masks on of course**). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R9rGb_yM-8o/X-6bcW8FVUI/AAAAAAACCuY/Xa_xQysomrQlGiL2IznQ5ed9HQ8KNp6fgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R9rGb_yM-8o/X-6bcW8FVUI/AAAAAAACCuY/Xa_xQysomrQlGiL2IznQ5ed9HQ8KNp6fgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Some photos from the Spring food drive "drive by". Also, for Easter Sunday, I actually got all dressed up for online services. And yes, I gave myself an Easter basket. My mom was upset that I was going to miss coming home for Easter, so I bought stuff so I could have a basket. Like I need an excuse to buy chocolate. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UK0Jly4GVys/X-6cLRwR6uI/AAAAAAACCug/aWrv4hiZyBQMs-I4G-39vwqif8cWCdUFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1901" data-original-width="2048" height="371" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UK0Jly4GVys/X-6cLRwR6uI/AAAAAAACCug/aWrv4hiZyBQMs-I4G-39vwqif8cWCdUFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h371/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Going to church looks a little different right now</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">The non-profit I work with (<a href="https://www.whoneedssleep.org/" target="_blank"><b>Who Needs Sleep</b></a>) was able to hold our 4th annual 36-hour telethon, despite the pandemic. We limited staff members to only about seven of us, and all guests had to wear a mask until they were on stage. It was a big success and we raised over $5,000 for two local cancer-related charities. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CSNOf9llM8M/X-6d6VzjJ9I/AAAAAAACCuo/OYc3V3ww7yozSqXNoUTqDQePQsUVgb1yQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1830" data-original-width="2048" height="572" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CSNOf9llM8M/X-6d6VzjJ9I/AAAAAAACCuo/OYc3V3ww7yozSqXNoUTqDQePQsUVgb1yQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h572/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">So, it might not be as exciting as previous year recaps, but I can't complain too much about 2020. It's made me appreciate the little things in life- and what I've taken for granted. I hope after all of this we all can be better versions of ourselves.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Happy New Year to you all and I hope 2021 brings you happiness, blessings, and peace. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Much love,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rachel</p></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-41385701263612975392020-02-13T20:27:00.000-06:002020-02-13T20:27:03.162-06:00It's Ok!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's OK...</span></b></div>
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...that I only updated my blog once last week (and so far just once this week). I've already posted more in seven weeks than I did ALL of last year.</div>
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...that the Renegades didn't win their season opener, I still had a blast at my first XFL game. I had field access before the game and the atmosphere was amazing. Fans seem super excited about the new league. :)<br />
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...that I needed a night out on Tuesday and went to the Stars game with some friends. Thanks to <b><a href="https://uballn.com/" target="_blank">Uballn</a></b> for the AMAZING tickets. Side note-if you are into pickup basketball, check out their app <b><a href="https://uballn.com/" target="_blank">here</a></b>. They are awesome!<br />
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...that I stopped in the middle of my run last weekend for this photo op (it's a giant baseball glove, why would I NOT stop?) :)<br />
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...that I'm less than five visits away from achieving Red Status for ANOTHER year on my Chick Fil-A app.<br />
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...that I will legit weep the whole time I'm there if I'm able to score a ticket to see Julie Andrews when she is in Dallas in June. Fingers crossed that I can get one!<br />
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What's OK with you today?</div>
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XOXO!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-51139913175674715422020-02-05T21:18:00.000-06:002020-02-05T21:18:17.615-06:00What I'm Loving Wednesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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...that the XFL starts this weekend. I'm excited about the new(ish) league and I really hope it succeeds this time around. I became a season ticket holder for the Dallas Renegades and I look forward to their home opener on Sunday. They had a kick off party last weekend where fans could see the new field at Globe Life Park (it still looks weird having a football field instead of a baseball diamond). Fans were also able to mingle with the coaches and players for autographs and photos.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Renegades head coach Bob Stoops</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View from my season ticket holder seat</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5DehY-UCC4/Xjt76aj1Q7I/AAAAAAABnsA/ZFcDk3LBbiYfzUkrbIOEFbn6Tb9BWZIKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_5223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="690" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5DehY-UCC4/Xjt76aj1Q7I/AAAAAAABnsA/ZFcDk3LBbiYfzUkrbIOEFbn6Tb9BWZIKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_5223.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Former Cowboys player Daryl "Moose" Johnston. He is now the Director of Player Personnel for the Renegades.</i></td></tr>
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...that I'm back to regular training for my half marathon. I did 6.5 miles on Saturday afternoon. I walked it, just to see what my time would be if I wasn't able to run any of the half. Not a great time, but I would still finish the half in the allotted time allowed, even if I walked the whole thing. I'm still freaking out a little about it, but not as much.</div>
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...that I was able to watch the Super Bowl with some amazing friends last Sunday. And yes, I wore a baseball themed shirt to a Super Bowl party. It was a lot of fun. I was cheering for the Chiefs (their quarterback is a Texas guy) so I was glad that they won!</div>
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...that actress Marilu Henner started following me on Twitter this week. :)</div>
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...that my friend got me this authentic All Star game jersey while on vacation a few weeks ago.</div>
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...that one of my favorite authors released a new book this week. I've been listening to the audiobook version. It's VERY good!</div>
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What are YOU loving today?</div>
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XOXO!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-38536365667789156252020-01-30T22:21:00.000-06:002020-01-30T22:21:31.235-06:00Thursday 13- Hallmark Channel Style<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I haven't done a Thursday 13 in FOREVER, so I thought I would post one today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you follow me on Twitter, it's no secret that I'm a fan of Hallmark Channel movies (shameless plug, follow me <b><a href="http://www.twitter.com/averyfan" target="_blank">here</a></b> for hot sports opinions and live tweeting of Hallmark movies). I don't know how it happened. One day I wasn't really a fan of the channel and then BOOM, I'm addicted. Sign me up. I'm here for all of them. Gotta watch them all. Lol. I even have the Hallmark Movie Checklist app that keeps tracks of the ones I've watched. I can sense that you are judging me, even through your computer or phone screens, I can tell- yeah, I'm looking at you. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">ANYWAY, I thought today I would list 13 of my favorite Hallmark Channel TV series/movie series. Yes I like more than 13 but the post is called Thursday THIRTEEN. I'll be honest- I'm a bigger fan of the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel (because mysteries are my jam), but I do watch movies on the regular Hallmark Channel as well. I don't discriminate. :) So, in no particular order, I give you my list. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/signed-sealed-delivered" target="_blank">Signed, Sealed, Delivered</a></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Starring Eric Mabius, Kristin Booth, Crystal Lowe, Geoff Gustafson</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">10 TV episodes (including 2 hour pilot movie)</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">11 movies, but we are supposed to get a new SSD movie this year!</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll be honest- I didn't watch it when it first came out (because I didn't have cable at that time), BUT it quickly became one of my favorites once I started watching it. If your remember back in 2018, I had a bad accident (<b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2018/03/update-on-me.html" target="_blank">you can read about it here</a></b> if you would like) and I discovered this series online. I watched the 10 TV episodes and 9 movies (that's all they had at that time) in a span of less than two days. I was hooked. I will say that fans of this show (#POstables) are some of the best people out there. I enjoy chatting with them on Twitter! Hello to any of them who saw my link on Twitter and are checking out my blog today! :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/aurora-teagarden-movies" target="_blank">Aurora Teagarden Mysteries</a></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Starring Candace Cameron Bure, Marilu Henner, Peter Benson, Miranda Frigon, Lexa Doig</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">12 movies (and per a tweet I saw today, another one is being filmed right now)</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Candace Cameron Bure was a big part of my childhood, so I will watch any movie she's in (no shame). These movies are based on some Charlaine Harris novels. (If you ever watched the series <i>True Blood</i>, those were also based on books by Charlaine Harris.) I enjoy these movies and am always anxious to see what color and style Candace's hair will be (because it changes for every movie). Lol. I know Roe is the main character but I have to say I think my favorite character is Arthur Smith, played by Peter Benson. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/crossword-mystery-movies" target="_blank">Crossword Mysteries</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>3 movies (but per IMDB they are filming at least three more)</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-41bLAOa0N9c/XjOiRmi_k7I/AAAAAAABnU0/-PJ8O5l5EB0os9zainZ7KnZTO8kj9xRCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-41bLAOa0N9c/XjOiRmi_k7I/AAAAAAABnU0/-PJ8O5l5EB0os9zainZ7KnZTO8kj9xRCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/80.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While most people will always think of Lacey Chabert as Gretchen from <i>Mean Girls</i>, I always think of her as Claudia from <i>Party of Five</i>. She has made a name for herself on the Hallmark Channel and this role is one of my favorites for her. She and Brennan Elliott are great paired up together. This series just started last year and has become a favorite amongst Hallmarkies (as we are called on Twitter). I have to say that Brennan Elliott is the best at talking with fans on Twitter. To be fair, all of the Hallmark stars are good at interacting with fans, but Brennan does it the most. And yes he has responded to me a few times. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/hailey-dean-mysteries" target="_blank">Hailey Dean Mysteries</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Kellie Martin, Viv Leacock, Giacomo Baessato, Matthew MacCaull</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>9 movies (not sure if there will be anymore)</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u3OJazbOk7c/XjOj1DntyBI/AAAAAAABnU8/yTLvtkBvz-kkuA1wNqlWcEi4B0MtvQFyACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u3OJazbOk7c/XjOj1DntyBI/AAAAAAABnU8/yTLvtkBvz-kkuA1wNqlWcEi4B0MtvQFyACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/0.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I just recently watched this series after the Hallmark Channel had a marathon of all of them one day. I'm showing my age, but I remember way back when Kellie Martin was in the TV show <i>Life Goes On</i>. She's a good actress and I like her character in this series. I hope they make another one but I don't see anything online about a new one coming up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/morning-show-mysteries" target="_blank">Morning Show Mysteries</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Holly Robinson Peete, Rick Fox</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>5 movies (there is one other listed on IMDB as being in "post production" but I can't find any more info on it. I hope there are more, I really like this one).</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wLU8hQrf3iw/XjOkA9ZkJGI/AAAAAAABnVA/mo8cncQeCAQmE_ghAD1tYq-bK36DPyBlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wLU8hQrf3iw/XjOkA9ZkJGI/AAAAAAABnVA/mo8cncQeCAQmE_ghAD1tYq-bK36DPyBlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, this movie series stars Rick Fox, as in former L.A. Laker Rick Fox. I absolutely love Holly Robinson Peete and I feel that she and Rick work so well together in this series. I actually got a guy friend hooked on this series (although I'm sure Holly Robinson Peete and Rick Fox starring in it had something to do with it). :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/chronicle-mysteries" target="_blank">Chronicle Mysteries</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Alison Sweeney, Benjamin Ayres</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>4 movies</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gbG_OQiBBVU/XjOkKiwfgsI/AAAAAAABnVI/ozhxM4fLlGQ0DyPCTHayvmMCkhYP5WREwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gbG_OQiBBVU/XjOkKiwfgsI/AAAAAAABnVI/ozhxM4fLlGQ0DyPCTHayvmMCkhYP5WREwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I never watched <i>Days of Our Lives</i> (what most people know Alison Sweeney from), but Hallmark has made me a fan of hers. A lot of times these movies put so much makeup on the actresses that it's distracting. Alison is naturally beautiful and they don't cake her make-up on. She looks like a "real person" (if that makes sense). This series started last year and I hope they continue it. This is the second series that Alison has done for Hallmark (not counting her one off movies here and there). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/murder-she-baked-movies" target="_blank">Murder, She Baked</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Alison Sweeney, Cameron Mathison</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>5 movies</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-paILRQt8plE/XjOkW-mi74I/AAAAAAABnVQ/8lkCpvnqwNsLHTOszbkAkbNty32AWDcswCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-paILRQt8plE/XjOkW-mi74I/AAAAAAABnVQ/8lkCpvnqwNsLHTOszbkAkbNty32AWDcswCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These are cute movies- I probably don't like them as much as I like the <i>Chronicle Mysteries</i>, but they are still good to watch. And Hallmark is good at showing their movies a lot, so you can probably catch it at some point. Cameron Mathison is in it and he is another Hallmark Channel favorite. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/a-beautiful-place-to-die-a-marthas-vineyard-mystery" target="_blank">Martha Vineyard Mysteries</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Jesse Metcalfe, Sarah Lind</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>2 movies (so far)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p7oLkY2Auas/XjOkodGbWeI/AAAAAAABnVY/pwi7ta22nK8i3xhnG2IiC5OMnjrBBkXdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p7oLkY2Auas/XjOkodGbWeI/AAAAAAABnVY/pwi7ta22nK8i3xhnG2IiC5OMnjrBBkXdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a new mystery series that just debuted this month. The next movie in the series will air in February. The first movie had a little more action than most Hallmark movies, which was exciting. I really hope this series continues on a while. I think it has a lot of potential. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">9. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/when-calls-the-heart" target="_blank">When Calls The Heart</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Erin Krakow, Jack Wagner, Kevin McGarry, Chris McNally</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>7 seasons (still ongoing)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c3yWJpT2YzU/XjOkocnGLYI/AAAAAAABnVc/KKLaWIZf98A60TgvHMfucAvIwH-OaF48QCEwYBhgL/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c3yWJpT2YzU/XjOkocnGLYI/AAAAAAABnVc/KKLaWIZf98A60TgvHMfucAvIwH-OaF48QCEwYBhgL/s640/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is my mom's favorite show ever. If Hallmark cancels it, she will riot. Yes, Lori Loughlin was on this series until last year. I'm still bitter with her because I loved the <i>Garage Sale Mystery</i> movies and they had to cancel it after her debacle. Thankfully they just wrote her off of this show and kept it going. But anyway, enough of that. I'm excited about the new season. I was excited when Kevin McGarry joined the cast last year. He is one of my top three favorite Hallmark actors. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/darrow-darrow" target="_blank">Darrow & Darrow</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Tom Cavanagh, Wendie Malick</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 movies</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBmg1hZkjbc/XjOkohFHmPI/AAAAAAABnV0/lIY-7ATh-3ojbqgla0F5nx8TUc7LxkV9QCEwYBhgL/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBmg1hZkjbc/XjOkohFHmPI/AAAAAAABnV0/lIY-7ATh-3ojbqgla0F5nx8TUc7LxkV9QCEwYBhgL/s640/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i><i></i>I LOVE both Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Tom Cavanagh. I was super excited when Hallmark put them in this series together. I hope they continue this one, I don't see any signs on IMDB of a new one in production, but Hallmark movies are filmed in like three weeks, so maybe we will get a new one this year. **fingers crossed**</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">11. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/gourmet-detective" target="_blank">Gourmet Detective Mysteries</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Dylan Neal, Brooke Burns</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>5 movies</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nKhGlojLM7A/XjOko29nARI/AAAAAAABnV4/VPUau503bs0ieqZb3-MlD8noVvNlRq_cQCEwYBhgL/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nKhGlojLM7A/XjOko29nARI/AAAAAAABnV4/VPUau503bs0ieqZb3-MlD8noVvNlRq_cQCEwYBhgL/s640/7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></i>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I just watched these movies a few weekends ago and really enjoyed them. Dylan Neal is great in this series (so is Brooke Burns). And the last two movies have had Bruce Boxleitner in them-I loved him in <i>Scarecrow and Mrs. King.</i> Yes I was like five when that show was on, but I watched it with my older sister. And I possible own all four seasons (don't judge).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><i></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">12. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/mystery-101-mysteries" target="_blank">Mystery 101 Mysteries</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Jill Wagner, Kristoffer Polaha</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>4 movies</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cynetocnu-w/XjOkpID7UrI/AAAAAAABnV4/NQvGBsF45-0AHVFSncCi5afVm6Vkm_W4wCEwYBhgL/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cynetocnu-w/XjOkpID7UrI/AAAAAAABnV4/NQvGBsF45-0AHVFSncCi5afVm6Vkm_W4wCEwYBhgL/s640/8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is another new series that started last year and per an Instagram post from Jill Wagner, they are filming another one. I love this series and hope there are more mysteries to be solved. I really like Kristoffer Polaha and always enjoy his movies. And Jill Wagner has become one of my favorite Hallmark actresses. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">13. <b><a href="https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/flower-shop-mystery-movies" target="_blank">Flower Shop Mysteries</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Starring Brooke Shields, Brennan Elliott, Beau Bridges</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>3 movies</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i><br /></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02q8oE-oPYs/XjOkppUkQqI/AAAAAAABnV8/NjLwUUGUSEY2ATKJqODjY1M3cTXzuD6vACEwYBhgL/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1440" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02q8oE-oPYs/XjOkppUkQqI/AAAAAAABnV8/NjLwUUGUSEY2ATKJqODjY1M3cTXzuD6vACEwYBhgL/s640/9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There hasn't been a new movie in this series in almost four years, so I think this one is done, but I enjoyed it, so I'm listing it. Like I said before, I like Brennan Elliott and enjoyed his character in this series. It hasn't been on the air in a while, but they will probably show it again at some point- they do show their older movies frequently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I know it's late, but that's my Thursday 13 for today. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>All photos used in this post are courtesy of <b><a href="mailto:https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/" target="_blank">The Hallmark Channel's webpage</a></b>. I thank them for not suing me for using them. :) Randomness With Rachel does not receive any compensations for the reviews and comments in this post.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i><br /></span></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-88467254539150638402020-01-29T20:22:00.001-06:002020-01-29T20:22:36.208-06:00What I'm Loving Wednesday!<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sorry for the lack of posts last week. I was still recovering from being sick and I didn't have the energy to blog when I got home from work. </div>
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I know the last few days have been full of sadness and mourning. I felt today would be a good day to focus on positive and happy things, so I'm going with my usual What I'm Loving Wednesday post.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b><br />
That I'm feeling well enough to work out again. I went almost three weeks without working out due to being sick. I managed to get in a virtual 5K on Sunday after church and yesterday I got in 3.5 miles after work, as well as a few FitOn App workout videos. T-minus 5.5 weeks until my half-marathon. I'm starting to think I jumped the gun signing up for a half-marathon, but I'm committed to it, so I have some time to make up on my training. EEK! Oh, for those not familiar with a virtual 5K, you sign up online and they send you the running bib, shirt, and medal. You are on the honor system to actually follow through and complete it, but honestly, if you are going to pay for a 5K, why WOULDN'T you complete it? I want to feel that I've earned that finisher's medal. I don't even take the medal out of the packaging until I've done it. This virtual 5K was supposed to be done in December, but December was like, three days long for me, and I ran out of time. But I got it done on Sunday and finished in 45:11. Boom.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0akTqMn-CV8/XjI0hiitzmI/AAAAAAABnSU/-Gu3mnuGM64Satm418b7yyYYaFhmt63qgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_5052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="548" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0akTqMn-CV8/XjI0hiitzmI/AAAAAAABnSU/-Gu3mnuGM64Satm418b7yyYYaFhmt63qgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_5052.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This was after running 3.5 miles and doing two workout videos yesterday. I was beyond exhausted.</i></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b><br />
That I got all my Christmas decorations put away two weekends ago. My living room seems so empty without all of them.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fjtBOoAferw/XjI2OWMrUYI/AAAAAAABnSg/BymJIPGriEYpF5el7tHBcA2Ni5suuVdjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="919" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fjtBOoAferw/XjI2OWMrUYI/AAAAAAABnSg/BymJIPGriEYpF5el7tHBcA2Ni5suuVdjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_4841.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>I'm loving...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The newest additions to my Damsel Den (AKA sports room). I found these panoramic framed photos at a sports memorabilia shop a few weeks ago, and with the help of a friend, they are now on display (I had to rearrange my wall layouts some). The top photo was taken at Game 3 of the 2010 World Series and the bottom one was taken at the Winter Classic on New Year's Day. I felt I needed both of them since I was actually at both of those games. :)</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b><br />
That I got to spend time with friends last weekend (after staying home for three weekends in a row). On Friday night some friends and I went to Texas Live for food, fun, and an 80s metal cover band (the band was an added bonus, we had no clue they were playing). Lol. I was out until after 11pm for the first time in I don't know how long. You would have thought I was back in my 20s. On Saturday I went to the Rangers Peek at the Park (which took the place of Fan Fest this year). I didn't feel like waiting in line for autographs (because we all know I would rather have a photo with the player than an autograph) but I did check out the foundation booth sale and got a Mike Minor framed photo. After the other photo purchases earlier this month, there is no wall space in my Damsel Den, so he's in the hallway for now. One day I'll have a bigger house with a bigger Damsel Den. ONE DAY. Lol.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our new ballpark, Globe Life Field. It's not as pretty as our old Ballpark, at least from the outside. I keep telling myself when it's 112, I will appreciate the roof and the AC though.</i></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b><br />
My new running shoes. I figured if I'm going to run (mostly walk) 13.1 miles on March 8th, I needed good shoes and I needed time to break them in. I went to Run On! Coppell and a nice kid named Carter helped me get the right shoes for my feet. Evidently I've been wearing the wrong size shoe for years (who knew?) He found the perfect shoes for me and also hooked me up with a 20% discount. Yes, I have big feet and these look like clown shoes, leave me alone. :)<br />
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What are YOU loving today?</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-12183903131846244782020-01-16T15:56:00.000-06:002020-01-16T15:56:52.270-06:00It's OK Thursday....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ucBCW2HxkHA/XiDDgXy208I/AAAAAAABm2o/Gx0qO94t7qUifBFnCUoJ7rk9M27_qi99gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/It%2527s%2BOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ucBCW2HxkHA/XiDDgXy208I/AAAAAAABm2o/Gx0qO94t7qUifBFnCUoJ7rk9M27_qi99gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/It%2527s%2BOK.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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...that my Christmas decorations are still up. Before you start judging me, I had every intention of taking them down last week, and then I got sick. And I just haven't felt up to it this week. My goal is to have them all packed away by next week. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yes, I had two big trees, one in my living room and one in my sports room. I'm extra like that. Lol. And yes, the wise men were on the other side of the room from baby Jesus.</i></td></tr>
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...that I'm pretty sure I'm going to bail on all my weekend plans because I just don't think I'm going to feel like going out and socializing. I really just want to stay home and rest some more. I haven't been able to work out while I've been sick and my half marathon is SEVEN weeks away. I've lost valuable training time. I want to rest this weekend so I'm able to get back to training next week. Also I don't want to go out and risk aggravating my cough and congestion in the cold air (because Texas has decided it wants cold weather this weekend). </div>
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...that I haven't seen any of the movies nominated for Best Picture. To be fair, I can't remember the last time I saw a movie in the theater. Per my Fandango app, the last movie I saw was in April (<i>Avengers: Endgame</i>). There were other movies I had intended to see, but just never got around to it. I honestly don't watch the Oscars (not that there is anything wrong with them, I just don't care for awards shows). The last time I saw a movie that won Best Picture was in 2003- <i>The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, </i>so my track record isn't that good. Lol.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5sOub7on4Es/XiDaSKzvzBI/AAAAAAABm24/p8v-RxWcnCMcc5s7YZvAoYOJlAdf2yaRgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/oscar_statuettes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="928" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5sOub7on4Es/XiDaSKzvzBI/AAAAAAABm24/p8v-RxWcnCMcc5s7YZvAoYOJlAdf2yaRgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/oscar_statuettes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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...that I don't like Girl Scout cookies. Yes, I'm sorry, it's true. Yes, I don't even like the Thin Mints. I'm not a fan of chocolate and mint mixed together, but that's a story for another day. </div>
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...that I'm already planning at least three trips this year. Maybe four. I've started saving up for them (because I'm all about budgeting these days). More details as they pan out. :)</div>
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What's OK with you?<br /><br />XOXO!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-46009035455139506602020-01-15T21:25:00.000-06:002020-01-15T21:44:48.271-06:00What I'm Loving Wednesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J5ed34D-qwE/Xh-QT0EQEwI/AAAAAAABmys/2cQSOObQ9TExr_A-qlqC-Ob98kWxe_ONwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/WILW%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J5ed34D-qwE/Xh-QT0EQEwI/AAAAAAABmys/2cQSOObQ9TExr_A-qlqC-Ob98kWxe_ONwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/WILW%2Bpost.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That I'm taking an interest in my blog again. I even spent tonight doing a little redesigning. Some of it's the same, but I changed up the fonts and I made a new blog title header. Here are some headers that I made, but decided not to use. For those wondering, I used the website <b><a href="https://www.befunky.com/" target="_blank">Be Funky</a></b> for the new headers.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OHgRSL-0os4/Xh_FsVnjVaI/AAAAAAABm0k/CfSx-VmUHTseqIKHGMsJ26WDnUN8Boo9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/header2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="975" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OHgRSL-0os4/Xh_FsVnjVaI/AAAAAAABm0k/CfSx-VmUHTseqIKHGMsJ26WDnUN8Boo9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/header2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the previous header</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oIvdbJ-T5D8/Xh_FsSZmB8I/AAAAAAABm0s/qPfWNsxqVPc_P16qEUbOFOrPAB0VU7uRACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/new%2Bheader%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="828" height="242" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oIvdbJ-T5D8/Xh_FsSZmB8I/AAAAAAABm0s/qPfWNsxqVPc_P16qEUbOFOrPAB0VU7uRACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/new%2Bheader%2B1.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lis7m-wxywY/Xh_FsVM2ERI/AAAAAAABm0o/ZqOBJnOHiDQx0HJ7G2WFOM1njF4wiJu7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/new%2Bheader%2B2.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="681" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lis7m-wxywY/Xh_FsVM2ERI/AAAAAAABm0o/ZqOBJnOHiDQx0HJ7G2WFOM1njF4wiJu7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/new%2Bheader%2B2.5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b></span></div>
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That I'm slowly feeling better. I got sick last week-allergies turned into a horrible sinus infection-which had me in bed for four days. I'm still congested but my cough is A LOT better. I'm still taking it easy this week, just to be sure I'm 100% better. I'm just thankful it wasn't the flu. Yes, I got my flu shot but evidently there is a flu strain going around that the shot didn't protect against).</div>
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That I got my Rangers season tickets for this year-this is my 9th year as a season ticket holder. That means that my Opening Day ticket at the NEW Rangers Ballpark is SECURE! This will be my 15th straight Opening Day. For those who only keep up with me through my blog (and who don't follow baseball), the Rangers said goodbye to their old ballpark last year (it was very emotional) and are moving next door to a new one (that will HOPEFULLY be finished by March 31). This one will have a retractable roof and AC (meaning no more days of sitting out in 112 degree temperatures watching baseball). I wasn't too excited about a roof at first, but I'm trying to tell myself it's a good thing. No more sunburns. No more heat stroke. No more boob sweat (seriously, it's horrible). No more sitting for 4 hours just to have a game delayed or canceled due to rain. Hopefully we will have some pretty days where the roof will be open and we can enjoy baseball the way it's meant to be played- in the open air.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dEDJnoHzra8/Xh_GRuTAkiI/AAAAAAABm1I/4CZbARYw6i8ZDsf9Jt8A81RTeT51ImqGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_7505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="518" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dEDJnoHzra8/Xh_GRuTAkiI/AAAAAAABm1I/4CZbARYw6i8ZDsf9Jt8A81RTeT51ImqGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_7505.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I guess I won't be needing my Steve Avery fan at Rangers games anymore.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KkYrbQMaoNk/Xh_GR0VANrI/AAAAAAABm1Y/43zkivMFDgAJGZeJXt329HLfppC1FG_JACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="919" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KkYrbQMaoNk/Xh_GR0VANrI/AAAAAAABm1Y/43zkivMFDgAJGZeJXt329HLfppC1FG_JACEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7546.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not gonna lie- I'm gonna miss this view.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-0PbV8TgU0/Xh_GRN8KZsI/AAAAAAABm1U/UUiS9BrY0zUFWh0ZMes0XF34ZU4Myg5JQCEwYBhgL/s1600/3FD6A62B-06AA-4F29-92ED-026E0D50901C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="689" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-0PbV8TgU0/Xh_GRN8KZsI/AAAAAAABm1U/UUiS9BrY0zUFWh0ZMes0XF34ZU4Myg5JQCEwYBhgL/s640/3FD6A62B-06AA-4F29-92ED-026E0D50901C.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>T-shirt giveaway for the last game.</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBGhIQ3DIDw/Xh_GRCoxOrI/AAAAAAABm1c/bo_ngZ0EDJwQkWI2Y28kSQGCJIRX7I_PQCEwYBhgL/s1600/BFF14067-C7CD-4383-B05F-55596D3808B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="689" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBGhIQ3DIDw/Xh_GRCoxOrI/AAAAAAABm1c/bo_ngZ0EDJwQkWI2Y28kSQGCJIRX7I_PQCEwYBhgL/s640/BFF14067-C7CD-4383-B05F-55596D3808B4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>They started the countdown in 2018, I think it started at 100 games left. Got my photo by the sign before the last game.</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YiwD85lPOE0/Xh_GRP2p0dI/AAAAAAABm1Q/jHdUB43reesA3hm1BoCF7Tkvj6wLuu6ZwCEwYBhgL/s1600/60B6EAC5-F680-41B5-89E4-D4A0BEA695E7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="689" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YiwD85lPOE0/Xh_GRP2p0dI/AAAAAAABm1Q/jHdUB43reesA3hm1BoCF7Tkvj6wLuu6ZwCEwYBhgL/s640/60B6EAC5-F680-41B5-89E4-D4A0BEA695E7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My last photo at a Rangers game at the Ballpark.</i></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The ever-changing Texas weather (okay, maybe I'm not loving that too much). Last Friday morning it was 72 degrees. That evening we had tornadoes and severe storms come through the Metroplex. Saturday morning we had snow (not a lot, just enough for people to flood social media with "it's snowing in Texas" posts. Today we had a high of 81. Tomorrow morning when I leave for work it will be 48. It's a never-ending fun game of "will I use my AC or heater today?" Sometimes you use both in the same day. This is probably why I can't get to feeling better. Lol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What are YOU loving today?<br /><br />XOXO!</span></div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-59718672577585688242020-01-14T20:52:00.000-06:002020-01-15T16:08:43.277-06:00Book Reviews 2020: Cozy Mysteries<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_86Z6gXNcz0/Xh5C9Io_i8I/AAAAAAABmrY/XDH5H5nbhHUnuj3v22FArIHaKsu7IypZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Rachel%2527s%2BBook%2BReviews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_86Z6gXNcz0/Xh5C9Io_i8I/AAAAAAABmrY/XDH5H5nbhHUnuj3v22FArIHaKsu7IypZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Rachel%2527s%2BBook%2BReviews.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: red;"><i>**All reviews on Randomness With Rachel are done on a five-star rating system. The reviews are solely my opinion and no one else's. Randomness With Rachel does not receive any incentives or compensations for reviews.**</i></span></b></div>
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I know, it's been a LONG time since I've posted book reviews on here. I said I was going to try and be better about it in 2020, so here we go. So far this year, I've listened to three cozy mystery audiobooks, so I'm putting them all in one post. I'm a big fan of cozy mysteries so you will see more reviews of them in the future. I won't go back and post book reviews from late 2017-2019, but you can check out ALL my book reviews on <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/averyfan" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b>. (<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/28245859-rachel?order=d&sort=date_read&view=reviews" target="_blank">Click here to see my past Goodreads reviews</a>.)</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42409974-murder-at-blackburn-hall" target="_blank">Murder at Blackburn Hall</a></span></b> by<b> Sara Rosett</b><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IBPf6drca-0/Xh5H7nZNJmI/AAAAAAABmrs/4WlWCfMKP940e9Qb2GP5Q4YrQDrIoLaCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/5%2Bstar.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="20" data-original-width="91" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IBPf6drca-0/Xh5H7nZNJmI/AAAAAAABmrs/4WlWCfMKP940e9Qb2GP5Q4YrQDrIoLaCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/5%2Bstar.png" /></a></div>
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Format: Audiobook (<b><a href="https://www.audible.com/" target="_blank">Audible</a></b>)<br />
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I am LOVING this series! I enjoyed the first book (<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43152583-murder-at-archly-manor" target="_blank">Murder at Archly Manor</a></i>) and I think I might have enjoyed the second one even more. I love the main character, Olive, and am enjoying seeing her character grow from the first book. She seems more sure of herself in this book and is not afraid to do what she has to in order to find a solution to an issue.<br />
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I'm interested to see what will happen with Jasper, I feel a hint of something "more" in their relationship. I hope to have more of his character development in the next book!<br />
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The author's writing is so good you can actually imagine that you are in England in the 1920s. The description of the setting and clothing makes you feel like you are there. At the end of the audiobook, the author explains how she came up with the story idea and what kind of research went into it. I can't wait to see what Olive's next adventure will be! <i>Spoiler alert: I just started listening to the audiobook for book 3 today.</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39168404-the-body-in-the-attic" target="_blank">The Body in the Attic</a></span></b> by Judi Lynn<br />
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Format: Audiobook (<b><a href="https://www.chirpbooks.com/" target="_blank">Chirpbooks</a></b>)<br />
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I'm a big fan of cozy mysteries so when I saw this one, I had to check it out. House-flipping. Murder. Family Drama. Mystery. Oh my.<br />
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I thought the mystery storyline was well written- it had me guessing until the end. Although I felt the mystery plot was more of a "sub plot". The rest of it isn't bad, it just felt like I was reading a normal fiction novel with a little mystery sprinkled in. I like the characters though- they are well developed and thought out. This is the first book in a series so I hope to see some of the supporting characters have bigger roles in the next one.<br />
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I don't mind romance in mystery novels, but I feel this one was a little bit of an overkill and took away from the mystery too much. Even with all of that, I enjoyed it and will check out the next one in the series. This is an easy read for a lazy Saturday afternoon (or in my case, an easy listen).<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17707766-lending-a-paw" target="_blank">Lending a Paw</a></span></b> by <b>Laurie Cass</b><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QbrtBD_yLo4/Xh54HuGDXII/AAAAAAABms8/nl9Y7VtaJ5Ebvi9iLHxzyYk5-2OsNTcvACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/4%2Breview%2Bstars.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="19" data-original-width="73" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QbrtBD_yLo4/Xh54HuGDXII/AAAAAAABms8/nl9Y7VtaJ5Ebvi9iLHxzyYk5-2OsNTcvACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/4%2Breview%2Bstars.png" /></a></div>
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Format: Audiobook (<b><a href="https://www.chirpbooks.com/" target="_blank">Chirpbooks</a></b>)<br />
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Okay, I'll admit, the plot description sounded a little cheesy: <i>With the help of her rescue cat, Eddie, librarian Minnie Hamilton is driving a bookmobile based in resort town of Chilson, Michigan. But she better keep both hands on the wheel, because it's going to be a bumpy ride. </i><br />
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BUT, this turned out to be a super cute cozy mystery. I was hooked from the moment I started listening to it. The main characters are charming and likeable. Even the minor characters have an endearing element to them.<br />
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This is the first book that I've read by the author and I really like her writing style. The plot was well thought out and there were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until almost the end. This is another book that is a perfect weekend or vacation read. I listened to a good portion of it while out training for a half-marathon. I look forward to checking out Minnie and Eddie's next adventure!<br />
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-72919774837538153232020-01-08T21:55:00.000-06:002020-01-08T21:55:22.322-06:00What I'm Loving Wednesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EcG5XSTMSAs/XhaS3VADMOI/AAAAAAABf0k/IBKFrLVfSYQsV9pGuUuoyp-LFR2XCyJFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/WILW%2Bheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EcG5XSTMSAs/XhaS3VADMOI/AAAAAAABf0k/IBKFrLVfSYQsV9pGuUuoyp-LFR2XCyJFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/WILW%2Bheader.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b></div>
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That I got my craft closet organized last weekend. It was a DISASTER. After working on Trunk or Treat decorations throughout October, I let it get so disorganized. I bought a cube shelf from Target and spent about four hours getting it all organized last Saturday. Here's hoping I can keep it this way from now on. My goal is to declutter and stay better organized in 2020.</div>
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<b>Before photos:</b></div>
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<b>After photos:</b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7hnXMYjDiz8/XhahARJvB4I/AAAAAAABf04/R3PmXaWp_Q87rvBEMzYdNjInhXGlC9RvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="491" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7hnXMYjDiz8/XhahARJvB4I/AAAAAAABf04/R3PmXaWp_Q87rvBEMzYdNjInhXGlC9RvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_4484.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b></div>
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The workout app FitOn. It's amazing. I've been using it for 24 straight weeks. I absolutely love it. It's free to download and all the videos are free- no hidden cost. They did just add a FitOn Pro option where you can pay to have a meal plan customized for you, but I'm just using it for the videos. And there are so many (and they keep adding new ones). They range from super easy to "OMG I want to die" hard- and there are 18 different trainers so you can workout for weeks and not get bored with the same trainer. In the past I've become bored with workout videos because it was the same person every day (and a lot of times the same workouts). They also added a section called Before Bed where it has 2-3 minutes videos of stretches to do before you go to sleep. I HIGHLY recommend this app.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After each workout, it gives you the option to take a photo (it saves it in the app, it only shares it if you want it shared). It can help show the progress you are making. Or just remind you that you did the workout and didn't die. Lol</i></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b></div>
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That I saw my first musical of the year last night. My friend Rob had an extra ticket to the production of <i>The Color Purple</i> at the Winspear Opera House. This was my first time seeing it and the cast was AMAZING. I can't image another cast topping their performance. If you are in Dallas, go see it. I think it's here through early next week.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm loving...</span></b></div>
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That I completed my GoodReads book challenge last year. In years past, I've fallen short (way short). I actually started my 2019 challenge at 30 books, and I met that in early October, so I bumped it up to 40 books. I finished book number 40 on Dec. 31, but I got it done. This year my goal is to read/listen to 45 books. I just started book 5 yesterday. Speaking of books, I know I'm behind on my book reviews on here. I'll try to start doing those for this year (I won't go back the last few years and post any older ones though). I DO keep my reviews up to date on GoodReads if you would like to add me there. <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/averyfan" target="_blank">Click here for my link</a></b>.</div>
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What are YOU loving today?</div>
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XOXO!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-15600138121690132292020-01-02T16:40:00.001-06:002020-01-03T08:56:06.303-06:00Thankful Thursday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URil1E4Y2G8/Xg5iSOCBNTI/AAAAAAABfn0/O2s4xF0zL8kzrEOapc2xpPGM9SRvlt6JgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Thankful%2BThursday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URil1E4Y2G8/Xg5iSOCBNTI/AAAAAAABfn0/O2s4xF0zL8kzrEOapc2xpPGM9SRvlt6JgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Thankful%2BThursday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For the last few years, I've talked about getting back into my "blogging groove". I'm not going to lie, I've missed it. The motivation was seriously lacking though (hello laziness). It's felt good to have people tell me that they miss my posts, so I am going to try my hardest to update this as regularly as possible, and not just when I travel, like I have the last couple of years. Although I will still recap my travel adventures, don't you worry.</div>
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I thought today I would start the new year off with a Thankful Thursday post. Some of you only keep up with me through this blog, so you might have missed a few of the things that have happened over the last few <strike>weeks</strike> <strike>months</strike> years.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm thankful...</span></b></div>
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...that I was able to attend the Winter Classic hockey game on New Year's Day. Shout-out to my friend Monica 2.0 for the ticket. <i>(I have two good friends named Monica so I call them 1.0 and 2.0. I met 1.0 first, hence why she is 1.0. I love that pretty much everyone who knows both of them now uses the 1.0 and 2.0 nicknames as well). :)</i> The Winter Classic was a once in a lifetime experience to not only attend an OUTDOOR professional hockey game, but an outdoor hockey game IN TEXAS. The weather gods were good to us. It was cold (well, cold for Texas-low 50s), overcast, and not rainy. The atmosphere at the game was amazing. There were over 85,000 fans there. The NHL grossly underestimated how many fans would show up to a hockey game in Texas, so I'm not going to lie-how they handled the crowd lacked a lot (blame the NHL, not Dallas, the NHL hosted the whole event). BUT that doesn't take away from the wonderful experience. Even though the lines were long and we stood for a long time NOT moving because there were so many people, it wasn't too unbearable (I can say that now that I'm at home sitting down). Even the fans from Nashville were nice, I didn't see or hear any ugly trash talking- everyone was there to experience a great hockey game. And it was fantastic. Mainly because the Stars won, but even if they hadn't, it still would be a day to remember.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Monica 2.0, Monica 1.0, and me</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A fun day with my hockey homegirls (and Tim, with the photobomb). </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>See what I mean about the crowds</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The second largest crowd in Winter Classic history</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Stars came back to win the game 4-2.</i></td></tr>
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...that I was able to spend a week with my family during the holidays. I rarely get to spend a whole week at my folks house, so that was nice. I was spoiled because I was the only one staying at their house, so I got them all to myself. It was nice just to relax and be able to sit and talk or watch movies with them. Also I got to meet my new great-niece (grand-niece? I still don't know the proper term). She's the daughter of my nephew James. They were in Texas visiting, so I finally got to meet Baby J (she was born in November).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>L: Me in 1990 holding my nephew James-rocking a NKOTB shirt. R: Me at Christmas holding his daughter, rocking a NKOTB shirt. :) What's funny is that they were the same ages when these photos were taken (just about a month old). James was an 11 pound baby, his daughter was just over 6 pounds. :)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My nephew James today- he's a little taller now. :)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Christmas with my folks</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CLPRsvOqqbs/Xg5rU9H5kWI/AAAAAAABfok/oi2lKCmgQEE7IaBxlQwQJsBl2HR2REPlgCEwYBhgL/s1600/C1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CLPRsvOqqbs/Xg5rU9H5kWI/AAAAAAABfok/oi2lKCmgQEE7IaBxlQwQJsBl2HR2REPlgCEwYBhgL/s640/C1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My great-nephew C- he's a big fan of Snapchat (so is his brother).</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>My great-nephew E, he's a mess. Lol. </i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>C, E, and K all came over to my folks early Christmas morning</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My sister Martha and I thought it was a good idea to go to Hobby Lobby two days before Christmas. Lol. We were so tempted to buy 66% off Christmas decorations, but thankfully we got out of there before causing too much damage to our checking accounts. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2lU0yJ5QKzQ/Xg5rXKSr0wI/AAAAAAABfo8/TH3ZyYWPR74sIR7uZ2aCX8Y5d2dZYpTDQCEwYBhgL/s1600/C9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="672" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2lU0yJ5QKzQ/Xg5rXKSr0wI/AAAAAAABfo8/TH3ZyYWPR74sIR7uZ2aCX8Y5d2dZYpTDQCEwYBhgL/s640/C9.jpg" width="442" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My great-niece K- we thought we would try out a new look</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My niece Alice, the mother of C, E, and K. We always tell people we are like sisters since we are only six years apart.</i></td></tr>
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...that I'm trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle by participating in races. I completed my first 5K in <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2017/12/what-im-lovingthursday.html" target="_blank">December 2017</a></b>. Then in 2018 I finished two 5Ks. This year I ran (okay, mainly walked/jogged) seven 5Ks and one 10K. I didn't break any records by any means, but this newly discovered passion for races has surprised a lot of people, including me. Lol. I used to think people who did these races were crazy. Guess I'm crazy. I signed up for my first half-marathon (that's 13.1 miles, for those not familiar with races). It's going to be in March in San Antonio- I'm very excited/nervous about it.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDHBm-IpEtI/Xg5rr2C86pI/AAAAAAABfpc/1YBcNO_3oeIg9E7whas7xp4Jf4QgSI0JwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/C1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDHBm-IpEtI/Xg5rr2C86pI/AAAAAAABfpc/1YBcNO_3oeIg9E7whas7xp4Jf4QgSI0JwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/C1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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...that I have fully recovered from my shoulder surgery. As you might remember, in January 2018 I had that horrible accident where I burned my leg (if you want that recap, you can <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2018/03/update-on-me.html" target="_blank">click here</a></b>.) I had hoped to get through 2019 without any accidents or hospital visits. Unfortunately, I had to have shoulder surgery Feb. 1 for a torn tendon and to remove some cysts caused by bursitis. The surgery went well-it was my first surgery, so I was super nervous because I had to be put under anesthesia, but I had no complications (and I didn't propose to my orthopedic surgeon or call him Dr. McHottie. Lol.) I was on bed rest for two weeks and had to do physical therapy for five months, but I visited my doctor last month, and I'm completely healed. He's very pleased with the range of motion in my shoulder and that the pain is gone. So, if the Rangers need me in the bullpen, I'm good to go! : )</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>With Dr. Ghattas before my surgery in February</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You lose all sense of modesty when you have to call one of your homegirls to come over and help you take off your shirt so you can shower. Lol. Nothing like not having the use of one arm to make you feel totally helpless.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3uKNpYJAx0o/Xg5ryXLasbI/AAAAAAABfpo/cmA3Cg8ivIIj1vnO_BUTFbqg713IZcJswCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/C3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="690" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3uKNpYJAx0o/Xg5ryXLasbI/AAAAAAABfpo/cmA3Cg8ivIIj1vnO_BUTFbqg713IZcJswCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/C3.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>These were my awesome physical therapists at ATI. They based my pain level from a 1 to a "I want to punch you in the face". (because I possibly said that a lot when I first started going). Lol.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JtakAbsR69s/Xg5ry4cWl0I/AAAAAAABfps/cBzFA8vuTs8IGe-DJ1frQCDg_aZJFD9KQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/C4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="691" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JtakAbsR69s/Xg5ry4cWl0I/AAAAAAABfps/cBzFA8vuTs8IGe-DJ1frQCDg_aZJFD9KQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/C4.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Last month when I got the all clear from my doctor!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Thank you to the faithful who keep up with me, I appreciate y'all! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I hope your 2020 is amazing and the best ever! Much love!</span><br />
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XOXO!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-26100715906413370112019-12-31T22:44:00.000-06:002019-12-31T22:44:04.651-06:00#OML Road Trip 2019<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><b>This is going to be one of my longest posts ever, so if you want to read it in one sitting, I recommend getting snacks and taking a potty break first.</b></i></div>
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I could go into the long, VERY LONG, story how this road trip came to be, but honestly that would take forever to explain, and I'm tired and just want to get this posted, so you are just going to have to accept that somehow my friend Lisa and I thought doing a road trip that started in Portland, OR and ended in Portland, ME was a great idea (and it was beyond great, it was amazing).</div>
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To be fair, the first few days involved flights between locations, and I've been told that's not technically a road trip, but you know what, I'm counting it. Over half of the trip was spent driving. </div>
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The trip started this past May when Lisa and I flew to Portland, OR (mainly because I had never been to Oregon and I wanted to cross it off my states list). Our whole reason for going to that part of the country was to see a Mariners game in Seattle and I was like, hey, let's fly into Portland, spend a day there, and then go to Seattle. So that's what we did. And that is where this OML trip started. It's called OML, which stands for Oh My Lord, which was the response we got from most people when we told them what we were doing. Lol.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We flew first class to Portland (pinkies out).</i></td></tr>
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So, we took an early flight (of course) to Portland and spent the day seeing as much of it as possible. And to our credit, we saw a lot for two people who spent less than 24 hours in the city. After we landed, we were able to check into our hotel early and headed out for lunch. We had tickets for a trolley tour of the city (which is honestly the best thing to take if you want to see the city and don't have a lot of time). What I liked about the trolley tour is that you could get off at any location, and 45 minutes later, another trolley would come pick you up. We only got off of it once, and that was to see Powells Books (because of course I go on vacation and go to a bookstore). After the tour, we went through the Saturday Market where I had to get some homemade ice cream. </div>
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After the trolley tour, we took a tram to the top of the city, which gave us a fantastic view. I highly recommend it if you are in Portland. The trams run like every 15-20 minutes, and you can stay up there as long as you want and take whatever tram you want back. Since we were getting hungry, we only spent maybe 20 minutes up there. But the view was breathtaking. </div>
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We were told we had to try VooDoo Donuts while we were in Portland, but the line was super long, and honestly, we weren't feeling up for it, so we went to a pizza place a few blocks away. It was a cute little hole in the wall pizza place, but the food was good and the server was super nice. After a very long day (and a two hour time change), we went back to the hotel and crashed early.</div>
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Originally we were going to rent a car to drive up to Seattle, but we found out that a train was cheaper, and I had never ridden a train before (not counting the one at Six Flags or the public transit train in Dallas). I have to say, I love traveling by train. I think next year we need to take a train the whole trip.</div>
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Both Lisa and I had already been to Seattle, so we didn't have much sight-seeing to do once we got there. We did go by the MoPop so Lisa could see the new Prince exhibit. I like the MoPop (last time I was in Seattle it was called the EMP). We spent about an hour there before we were off to T-Mobile Park to see the Rangers play the Mariners. Again, the whole reason we were on the west coast was to see a Mariners game.</div>
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We were able to get photos with some Rangers players before the game. We evidently distracted them because they played horribly that night. Oh well. T-Mobile Park was nice, and I was able to cross another ballpark off my list. And if you are new to my blog, I'm sorry I'm not a foodie- I stick to ballpark basics like hot dogs and nachos, so I can't review some amazing food to try out there. I did like that you got free refills on your soda though.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uM7C44vOQcA/XgwPmjpwhpI/AAAAAAABfUc/sBNN23shOlMrBFap-z_dJPRHcu80bLc1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/collage%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uM7C44vOQcA/XgwPmjpwhpI/AAAAAAABfUc/sBNN23shOlMrBFap-z_dJPRHcu80bLc1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/collage%2B3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I will not confirm or deny that the photo of me and Mike Minor (center) is my phone wallpaper. Swoon. Lol.</i></td></tr>
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The next morning we had a SUPER EARLY flight to Tampa. Yes, Tampa, Florida. Because it makes perfect sense to go from the west coast to east coast to see back to back games. I will leave out how the Seattle airport was packed and we had to stand in line for TSA for almost an hour and came close to missing our 5 hour flight. But we made it. Sadly we didn't have first class that time so we were back with the peasants in coach. </div>
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By the time we landed, got a rental car, and grabbed a quick lunch, it was time to head to Tropicana Field for the Rays game. We had heard horror stories how awful The Trop was- and you know what- it wasn't that bad. It's not pretty by any means, but we had a great time. And we made history that night. We were part of the smallest crowd to attend a Rays game. And I think it also set a MLB record too. But the few fans that were there were nice. And the usher that was on the field during warm ups was nice and let us sit in seats that were way closer than the ones we had bought. We did take time to walk around. There are live stingrays in the outfield, and you are able to pet them. It took a while to work up the courage but I finally manage to do it.</div>
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After another long day, we headed back to our hotel because once again, we had an early flight to Miami the next day. Our flight to Miami was the only delay we had on our trip- and thankfully it was the one time we could afford to have a delay. We were only delayed about 90 minutes. Since it was originally an early flight, we still landed in Miami a little before 10am.</div>
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The only thing we cared about seeing in Miami was the Marlins game that night, so we opted to rest at the hotel instead of sight-seeing. After three straight days of going nonstop, we needed the break. I got a three hour nap and felt like a new person by the time we left for the Marlins game.</div>
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Marlins Park was another ballpark people warned me wasn't that great, but again, I enjoyed it. It was a small crowd (but not Tampa small). They had an amazing Bobblehead museum that made me insanely jealous. We found great seats on StubHub near the dugout. We even had our own server who waited on us all night. I would totally have those seats if I lived in Miami (and had money). </div>
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Marlins Park is where I discovered the best hot dog in all of baseball- Nathan's Hot Dog. It was amazing. My life was changed. Lol. After the game, we had one more early morning flight until our flight home the following week.</div>
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We were able to bump up to first class on our flight to Philadelphia (yes, we are flying snobs now). Lol. We had a minor hiccup getting our rental car at the Philly airport, but we were still able to get over to Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies afternoon game without being late.</div>
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I'll admit- I was a little underwhelmed by Citizens Bank Park. It just didn't seem to have anything that stuck out as being spectacular. The fans were nice though- and I did meet two sweet older gentlemen who sat behind us- we talked baseball the whole time. </div>
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We were worried because rain was in the forecast that day, but it didn't start raining until the last out. I'm not even kidding. The last out was caught, and then it started raining. Like it was on cue. We didn't even care at that point. We ate dinner and went back to relax at the hotel. It was the first night we didn't have to get up at an ungodly hour the next day to catch a flight. </div>
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The next day we made a quick side trip to Delaware (because we were that close and I wanted to cross it off my states list). As soon as we crossed the border, we saw a sign for a ballpark. As it turned out, Wilmington, DE is home to the minor league team- the Blue Rocks. They were on the road, but the nice person in the ticket office radioed the guy in charge of the gift shop, and he let us in to buy souvenirs (because collecting minor league baseball shirts is now a thing for me). We got a quick tour of the ballpark, and got some cool souvenirs.</div>
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We had a few hours to spend in Philadelphia before heading to Trenton, NJ for a Thunder game. We made another stop at Citizens Bank Park to get something at the gift shop, and were able to get a few more photos we didn't get the day before. </div>
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After that, we went to Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. It was amazing- such a beautiful church with so much history (<b><a href="https://www.visitphilly.com/things-to-do/attractions/mother-bethel-african-methodist-episcopal-ame-church/" target="_blank">you can read about it here</a></b>). The volunteers there were so nice- and they offered us bottled water and snacks (they were having an event and had some snacks left over). I know Philadelphia has a lot of tourist spots, but I highly recommend going by here if you are in town. This was probably my favorite stop in Philly.</div>
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After the church, we made a quick (and I mean quick) stop at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, famous for the scene in <i>Rocky</i> where he runs up the stairs. We took a photo at the statue and then ran (okay, walked) up the stairs. We were in a hurry to get to Trenton because the Thunder were giving out a bobblehead, and we know how crazy bobblehead games can get in Texas. We possibly decided to go to this game BECAUSE of the bobblehead. I know, I'm an addict.</div>
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Lisa and I both agree that the Thunder game was probably our favorite of the trip. I got to meet my Twitter friend Aaron (we have been Twitter friends for like 10 years). The ballpark was nice, and the game was good, but the people were fantastic. We made new friends who sat in front of us. They were so nice and wanted to hear all about our trip- I am Facebook friends with them now. I want to go back to New Jersey just to go to a game with them. At the end of the game they introduced us to their friend sitting at the end of our row- Mr. Ken Griffey, Sr. (yes, that Ken Griffey). He was super nice and took a photo with us.</div>
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The next day we took a 90 minute detour to New Rochelle so I could take a photo by the Dick Van Dyke Show street sign. No I'm not kidding. In the show, they lived on Bonnie Meadow Rd in New Rochelle (it's where Carl Reiner once lived, we went by his old house). They added an honorary street sign to it, and yes, I needed a photo by it. Lisa humors me a lot on our trips- she's a top notch friend.</div>
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We then made our way to Connecticut (I was determined to cross all of those northeast states off my list). We originally were just going to stop at the state capitol but we found out the Connecticut home of Mark Twain was also in the same town, we so made a quick stop there as well. Sadly we didn't have time to tour it, but we went to the little museum next door and took some photos outside. I will have to go back one day for a tour (because I'm a nerd).</div>
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We had to hurry on to Pawtucket, RI for a Pawtucket Red Sox game against the Syracuse Mets. It wasn't until we saw the starting lineup that we realized that Tim Tebow played for Syracuse- we both had somehow forgotten that. It got a little chilly (below 70) so I had to buy a sweatshirt (because I had left my hoodie in the car, which was blocks away). I have to say, that Pawtucket sweatshirt is the most comfortable thing ever- I've worn it many times this winter!</div>
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I love minor league baseball- the game was fun and there were fireworks afterward. It turns out the Red Sox are leaving Pawtucket next year, so I'm glad we got to see them there.</div>
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Before leaving Rhode Island the next day, we stopped at their state capitol, the first Baptist Church in America (my Baptist preacher father was pleased), and the Roger Williams National Memorial Visitor Center. We learned a little bit about Roger Williams and I definitely have some books about him on my to read list. He was a fascinating guy. No rest for the weary as we headed to Boston to visit the JFK Presidential Library. I had already been there but Lisa wanted to see it, and I didn't mind going back. I enjoyed some of the exhibits that weren't there in 2013. The JFK library is the one that made me want to see all the presidential libraries. </div>
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After a quick dinner at Wahlburgers, we were off to Vermont to our AirBnb. Sadly I didn't see Mark or Donnie Wahlberg at the restaurant. A photo with the standee is as close as I got.</div>
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Vermont was beautiful and the owners of our AirBnb were so nice. They kept recommending local places for us to visit but we told them we were on a tight schedule and had to leave the next day. It was another night where we got to spend the evening just resting. </div>
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We did take a recommendation for breakfast the next day at a little diner. I got pancakes and was told I had to have authentic Vermont maple syrup. Don't tell anyone from Vermont, but it tasted just like every other maple syrup I've ever had. But it was still good. </div>
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We were on our way to Maine, but made a few stops in New Hampshire on our way. I found out that the childhood home of President Franklin Pierce was on our route, so of course we stopped. We couldn't take photos inside the house, but our tour guide was great. I think it was one of her first days because she seemed a little unsure of herself at first, but by the end, she was a natural. I also learned about President Pierce and his family- I have to say I knew pretty much nothing about him before the trip.</div>
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Another state, another state capitol. Turns out the New Hampshire capitol is the oldest state capitol where the legislature meets in the original chambers. They had a replica of the Liberty Bell on the grounds, and since we didn't have time to see that in Philly, I took a photo by it. No one could tell the difference if I showed them a photo. Lol.</div>
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Also along our route was another minor league baseball ballpark. Sadly they were not home, but of course, we stopped for souvenirs. And it turns out the girl in the gift shop once worked for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Small world.</div>
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We FINALLY made it to Portland, Maine before nightfall (or Portland 2.0, as we called it). We went out to a ledge light (which is like a lighthouse, but it's not). Don't be fooled by the photos, it was a long walk out there, and it was super windy. And the rocks were not spaced close together. But it was fun- and we saw an amazing sunset.</div>
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The next day was the last full day of our trip. We took a ferry to Peaks Island, which is a little community, mainly for tourists. It reminded me of Cabot Cove in the show <i>Murder, She Wrote</i>. I kept expecting Jessica Fletcher to ride by on a bicycle. Lol.</div>
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Just like in Portland 1.0, we took a trolley tour of the city, just to see as much as we could in an afternoon. This tour didn't have a lot of stops like the one in Portland, Oregon, but it did have one stop at a lighthouse. It was a lighthouse that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used to visit. I sat on a rock that is believed to be where he sat for inspiration for his poem <i>The Lighthouse</i>. </div>
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After the tour, we hurried over to Hadlock Field for our last baseball game of the trip- the Portland Sea Dogs. Okay, so the whole reason we ended up in Portland, Maine is because when we first planned our trip to Portland, Oregon, we thought the Sea Dogs played there. When we found out they were in Maine, I joked that we needed to just go to Portland, Maine for a baseball game. When we added Philadelphia to our trip, we realized we could drive up to Maine and see a Sea Dogs game, so there. That is how we ended up going Portland to Portland. Yes we are crazy. Lol.</div>
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The Sea Dogs game was fun. Once again, I felt the need to buy a hoodie, just because it looked comfortable (and it is). The opposing manager got tossed from the game, but I can't remember why (it's been six months). Lol. The ballpark was cute and the fans were very nice. The concessions were reasonably priced too. I would go to games all the time if I lived there.</div>
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Well, that's the end of our insane OML Road Trip. We keep wondering how we are going to top that next year (because it's now a tradition that we take a baseball trip together every year). </div>
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<br />Thank you for reading (if anyone actually made it this far).</div>
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I did it- I got all my trips done before the new year (with 90 minutes to spare!)</div>
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Happy New Year.</div>
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XOXO!</div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-10775622016532930272019-12-31T13:14:00.000-06:002019-12-31T13:14:54.623-06:00San Francisco Trip 2018<div style="text-align: justify;">
I said my goal was to recap my 2018 trips and my 2019 trip by the New Year. I have until midnight today to get both done. Lol.</div>
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My last trip of <b>2018</b> was to San Francisco with a group of friends to see a few baseball games. It was a blast! We all became friends because of our love of baseball (mainly Texas Rangers baseball). This was the second baseball trip for our group- most of us went to Washington D.C. in 2017 (<a href="https://averyfan.blogspot.com/2017/06/my-washington-dc-trip.html" target="_blank"><b>see recap here</b></a>).</div>
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We took early flights so we could catch an afternoon game in Oakland to see the Rangers and A's. Not all of us were on the same flight so we met up in California. My flight was on Alaska Air and thanks to a SUPER nice gate agent, I got bumped up to first class for free (pinkies out). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>All the leg room!</i></td></tr>
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When we got to the Coliseum in Oakland, it was overcast and threatening to rain, but after the game started, the sun came out and it ended up being a beautiful day. I'm not gonna lie, the Coliseum is NOT the prettiest ballpark in the world, but it wasn't a bad experience. I know a lot of people complain about it, but we had fun. We were at an afternoon game in the middle of the week and there were a good number of dedicated and passionate A's fans there. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy Rangers fans after a win in Oakland</i></td></tr>
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On this trip, I was able to meet my Twitter friend Cori- she and I had been Twitter friends for like nine years. She's a Rangers fan living in California, and I'm so glad she could join us!</div>
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This game was broadcast on Facebook Live, and it turns out I made it on "TV" a few times. I really need to learn to just smile and not make weird faces when I'm at a game. The cameras always find me at the worst time. Lol.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jWk_kKs-YR0/Xgt2gsdxI9I/AAAAAAABfN4/C8FJtqzJAMspPBgOhtGeBzzIH_MBpr3ZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Collage%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jWk_kKs-YR0/Xgt2gsdxI9I/AAAAAAABfN4/C8FJtqzJAMspPBgOhtGeBzzIH_MBpr3ZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Collage%2B4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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By that evening we were exhausted after traveling and being out in the sun all afternoon, but we did make time to have dinner at Mel's Diner before heading off to our hotels/AirBnbs (we didn't all stay at the same place). I possibly talked the waitress into letting me keep the menu. My college roommate is named Mel and her kitchen has a Mel's Diner theme. :)</div>
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The next morning we were up early for a tour of AT&T Park (now called Oracle Park), home of the San Francisco Giants. I haven't toured all the ballparks I've visited, but I've toured a good portion of them. The tour in SF was awesome, I highly recommend it. The Giants have a lot of history and I loved learning about it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We were told not to touch the grass. Of course I had to take a photo of me touching the grass. Lol.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p6-0s7nY9lg/Xgt6whnGAnI/AAAAAAABfOQ/cL-VbvGE6monEWIeTZzz0ND1NWqFWnD7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/collage%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p6-0s7nY9lg/Xgt6whnGAnI/AAAAAAABfOQ/cL-VbvGE6monEWIeTZzz0ND1NWqFWnD7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/collage%2B3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After a trip to the gift shop, the group split- some of us went for lunch while others went shopping. I was part of the group that wanted to eat (act surprised). We went to this hole in the wall pizza place called Za Pizza in SF Russian Hill and it was AMAZING. Hands down the best pizza I've ever tasted. The slice of pizza might look ordinary in that photo, but it was fantastic. If you are ever in San Francisco, I highly recommend that you find a way to get to Za Pizza. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The guy in the photo is Brooks Berstein, he's the owner.</i></td></tr>
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After lunch, most everyone else wanted to go shopping, but I wanted to go sight-seeing, so my friend Moose and I took off walking to see the sights of San Francisco. We did A LOT of walking that day. We got a week's worth of steps in just in that afternoon. Poo Moose had to keep up with my fast walking (I have long legs, I can't help it). </div>
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When we left Za Pizza, we discovered we were about a 7 minute walk from the famous Lombard Street, so we made our way over to it. Lombard Street is that curvy street they always show in movies and TV shows about San Francisco. I honestly thought it would be a longer street, but it was maybe a block long. They have a sidewalk for pedestrians to walk down so you aren't in the middle of the road. It was pretty crowded, so obviously everyone else wanted to see it while they were in town as well. </div>
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From Lombard Street, we made our way to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 to meet up with some of our group. If you are going to walk around San Francisco, just know there are a lot of hills. Your legs will get quite the workout! I loved Pier 39- there were musicians and lots of shops and places to eat (again with food, I know). :)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I swear I thought that bird was going to attack me.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip...</i></td></tr>
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While on Pier 39, we had to check out the sea lions. They actually have an interesting story about how they ended up there (<b><a href="https://www.pier39.com/the-sea-lion-story/" target="_blank">click here for it because I'm too lazy to retype it</a></b>). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Richard Olsen was one of the musicians playing on Pie 39. He was an amazing clarinet player (much better than I ever was back in the day). :) I bought two of his CDs.</i></td></tr>
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That evening we had tickets for a night tour of Alcatraz. I must say, I put Alcatraz as a "must see" while in San Francisco. And I HIGHLY recommend the night tour if it fits into your schedule. The tours book up fast, so it's best to buy you tickets in advance (that's what we did). We were there in August but it was quite chilly in the evening (hence the beanies and jackets). My Texas blood doesn't do well in the cold. Lol. The boat ride to Alcatraz was extra chilly (the wind coming off the water was so cold). As the saying goes, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My friend Monica accidentally took this photo, and it's one of my favorites. It looks like the cover of a rap album. Lol.</i></td></tr>
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Once you get to the island, there is a pretty good size hill you have to walk up to get to the actual prison. Tip: Wear good walking shoes when you go to San Francisco. They do have a tram that will take the elderly and people with walking challenges up to the prison though. During the walk to the top, a tour guide gives a brief history and points out places of interest along the way. Once you get inside, you are given a headset with a recording, and you can go through the building at your own pace. Some people in my group were done in just over an hour. I took my time and took almost two hours. </div>
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The recording was made by people who were actually in prison there at one time or who worked there. The recordings are from the 1980s (I believe), so some of the people you are hearing have passed on. I will say, Alcatraz is super creepy at night, but it was fun. I learned a lot, and as a history nerd, I was all about it. I must admit, it was eerie standing in one of the isolation cells. The inmate talking on the recording said it would be so dark he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. In order to pass the time, he would take a button off of his shirt, throw it in the air, and then spend time trying to find it. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>They heard how many Whataburger number tents I have at home. Lol.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My souvenirs </i></td></tr>
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We got back well after 10pm, which made for a long day, and day three was going to be super long as well. After grabbing food, my group got back to our AirBnB after midnight- and we had to be up early the next day for another day of fun. We obviously don't go on vacation to sleep. :)</div>
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On Day 3, a group of us drove around the city sight-seeing (giving my legs a much needed break). We took photos of the Golden Gate Bridge from every angle possible. One can never have too many photos by the Golden Gate Bridge. :) We walked about halfway across it and then drove over it. We later drove down Lombard Street (so I got to experience it walking and in a car). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Day 3 posse</i></td></tr>
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One of the things I wanted to do was to put my feet in the Pacific Ocean (not the San Francisco Bay, the actual ocean), so we drove over to Pacifica, CA, and found a lovely beach to spend some time at.</div>
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For those who don't know, the Pacific Ocean is VERY cold. I had a rude awakening when the first wave hit my legs. Lol.</div>
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After lunch at a cute little cafe in Pacifica, we headed back to San Fran for the Rangers/Giants game that night. Oh yeah, we were in California to see baseball, we almost forgot. Lol.</div>
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We had amazing seats for the game and again, the weather was not what we were used to in August, so we were bundled up. We noticed about the 8th inning a huge flock of seagulls starting circling the ballpark. I guess they were hoping to get some scraps of food. It was interesting and terrifying all at the same time. I've seen the Hitchcock movie <i>The Birds</i>, it doesn't end well. Lol.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I finally got to meet my Twitter friend Matthew. We both live in Dallas and go to Rangers games all the time, we just had never met up. We were able to meet up at this game though!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The gentleman in the center photo caught balls along the first baseline all night. He was adorable. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Top left you can see the flock of seagulls. </i></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The next day was our last full day in SF. We went to the Giants day game (so we could experience a night game and a day game). Also it was a bobblehead giveaway and we are all bobblehead junkies. It was funny (not really) that that game the Giants were celebrating their win of the 2010 World Series...where they beat the Rangers. So yeah, that was fun reliving that. Lol. It was a bobblehead set, but you only got one. I ended up with the Buster Posey one, so I needed the Brian Wilson one to complete the set. The family in front of me had three Brian Wilson bobbleheads so I offered to buy one for $20. They were nice and agreed, so I had the complete set by the time I left.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jeVcawLxrHI/XguLqtOEt1I/AAAAAAABfRI/TmeVqV2pHMc1BQYQcFtahcJh5sCViJOzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/collage%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jeVcawLxrHI/XguLqtOEt1I/AAAAAAABfRI/TmeVqV2pHMc1BQYQcFtahcJh5sCViJOzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/collage%2B4.jpg" width="576" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The guy in the top right is Andres Torres. He played for the Giants when they won the World Series, but he also briefly played for the Rangers. Of course I got a photo. Lol.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Our seats for game two were higher up, and in the sun. I never travel without sunblock so I was sharing it with everyone around me. I was very popular. :) </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">My first trip to California was so much fun. I can't wait to go back. I still have three ballparks there to see and two presidential libraries!</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">So, as 2019 comes to a close, I'm FINALLY done recapping my 2018 trips. WHEW!!!</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><br />As always, thanks for reading. I hope to get back to blogging in 2020. I kinda miss it. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">XOXO! </span><br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-75547406426875007472019-11-08T16:17:00.000-06:002019-11-08T16:17:11.959-06:00New York City 2018<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now that 2019 is coming to an end, what a great time to finish my trip recaps from 2018. #facepalm</div>
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I really hope 2020 is the year I get back in my blogging groove. But for now, I will keep recapping my 2018 trips AND the big trip I took earlier this year. Luckily I didn't travel as much in 2019, so I won't have as much to update once I get to it.</div>
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I know in the past I've divided long trips into multiple post, but I'm going to keep my five days in New York City all in one post. So bear with me- you might want to grab a snack and beverage, because this is going to be a long post.</div>
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ANYWAY....after my amazing trip to Cooperstown in July 2018 (<b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2019/07/cooperstown-2018.html" target="_blank">see recap here</a></b>), I parted ways with my awesome travel buddies and headed out to have many adventures in NYC.</div>
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I stayed with my amazing friends John and Ryan. John and I go way back to our college days so we have been friends FOREVER. John was delayed on a business trip the first day I was there, so Ryan played tour guide my first evening in town. I visited NYC back in 2007, but of course, there was so much I didn't see my first trip, so I was excited to do some more sightseeing. </div>
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I'm a history nerd (anyone who has read my blog or follows me on Twitter knows this), so Ryan took me to do some sightseeing around their neighborhood. Our first stop was in Harlem at the former home of Harry Houdini. It's not a well-known tourist spot- I think mainly locals know about it. But it was still cool to see. It's now a private residence, so we couldn't go in or up to the door. But of course, I posed by the gate (because I'm a nerd). </div>
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We decided to walk the 37 miles to General Grant's National Memorial-aka Grant's Tomb. Okay it was really like 2 miles, but to my feet, it felt like 37 miles. Lol. The festival, <i>A Great Day in Harlem</i>, was going on that day, so we got to hear some good music while we were there. We stopped for a bit on the stairs to rest, so we got to enjoy it for a while. It was awesome.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Resting our feet after walking</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Great Day in Harlem. There was a fashion parade going on at this time</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Paying my respects</i></td></tr>
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We were starving after all our walking (and I hadn't eaten since earlier that morning), so we stopped at a place called Hop House Harlem. The pizza was amazing. This was NOT the last time I had pizza while I was in New York. Lol.</div>
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I knew I had a busy schedule the next day (Monday), so I went to bed early(ish), but not before making friends with Clyde. Bonnie was too shy to come out and meet me (although she made a quick appearance on my last night).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Just call me the cat whisperer</i></td></tr>
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That Monday I took my first ever solo subway ride. I know this isn't a big deal to most people but it was to me. Thank goodness for the map on my phone so I didn't look like a tourist trying to figure out my stop. <b>(NARRATOR: She still looked like a tourist)</b>. My good friend Eric (more about him in a moment), managed to get me a VIP ticket to <i>Live with Kelly and Ryan</i>. Kelly Ripa was on vacation that week, but it was still cool to be in the audience. Evidently I was on TV more than once (friends back home texted that they saw me). It was neat to see how a talk show was filmed and what went on during commercial breaks. Ryan Seacrest and his guest co-host Jenna Dewan mingled with audience members during the breaks. </div>
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After the taping, I met up with Eric, who was going to be my tour guide for the day. Eric and I had been social media friends since 2014. We became friends when I mentioned his book, <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FK9EYSK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1" target="_blank">Rally Caps, Rain Delays and Racing Sausages</a> </i></b>on my blog. Shameless plug for Eric, check out my review of his book <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2015/01/book-review-2015-rally-caps-rain-delays.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </b>His book is available on Amazon (click <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FK9EYSK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1" target="_blank">here</a></b>), in case you are looking for a Christmas gift for a baseball fan in your life. Anyway, he found my post and reached out that he hoped I liked his book. We became fast friends. When his son was born, I mailed a little gift to him and his wife. Eric is a Yankees fan so of course I had to send the baby Rangers stuff. :) I'm now his son's honorary aunt- it's amazing how social media can bring such important people into your life. For all the bad things on it, I focus on the good that it brings.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My amazing friend and tour guide, Eric!</i></td></tr>
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SIDETRACKED. Sorry, back to NYC 2018. So, Eric had planned an entire Rachel Tour for the day. It started with behind-the-scenes at <i>Eyewitness News 7</i> and <i>Kelly and Ryan Live</i>. I told him he needed to start his own tour guide business- it was fantastic. We did A LOT of walking, but it was all worth it. We went through Central Park (something that I had wanted to do my previous trip but didn't have time). There was an <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> statue, but it constantly had kids on it (of course), so I couldn't get a great photo with it. It was still fun though.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Friends in high places allows you to get this photo op</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Maybe next time I'll get a photo with Alice</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>So we walked onto a set where they were filming an episode of </i>God Friended Me.<i> Because of that, I decided to try out the show (I like it!)</i></td></tr>
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Eric knows that I love the movie <i>Breakfast at Tiffany's </i>(okay, everyone knows that), so we stopped at some locations used in the film, including Holly Golightly's apartment (well the outside scenes were filmed there). I did research online to make sure I was standing on the correct apartment steps. As we were leaving, a group showed up and it was obvious they wanted the same photo op. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Breakfast at Tiffany's filming locations</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A photo of me in 2007 having "breakfast" at Tiffany's during my first NYC trip</i></td></tr>
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We met Eric's lovely wife Chrissie for lunch and we ended up going to Wahlburgers (the burger chain owned by Donnie and Mark Wahlberg). It was a fantastic burger! <i>**Spoiler alert: I ate at another Wahlburgers location on my road trip this year. You'll eventually read about it. Lol.** </i></div>
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The tour wasn't even close to be over. After lunch, Chrissie had to return back to work but Eric and I continued on. What's cool about having a local be your tour guide, is that you find interesting things most tourists wouldn't recognize. We went by the apartment used in the opening of <i>The Jeffersons</i> and we also went by a place where the Marx brothers once lived. There was no sign, so unless you knew to look for it, you would have just walked on by.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Moving on up...to the east side.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Marx brothers once lived here</i></td></tr>
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Our afternoon tour made stops at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center (I got to see where the ice skating rink is during the winter-during the summer it is a patio seating area), Radio City Music Hall, New York Public Library, and Grand Central Terminal. After a very long, but fun day, I had dinner at Eric's apartment with his family (where his toddler son and I became fast friends) and then took an Uber back to Harlem where I showered and immediately crashed. I had almost 30,000 steps and walked 13 miles that first day. We won't talk about the condition of my feet after that first day- it wasn't pretty.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>St. Patrick's</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rockefeller Center</i></td></tr>
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Yes, all of that was just the FIRST full day. I know, I squeeze a lot into my trips. I don't go on vacation to rest, I go on vacation to explore. Lol. So John wasn't able to meet me until lunchtime the next day, but that meant I was able to sleep in on Tuesday morning (I got some much needed rest). I read that the location of the first baseball game was in New Jersey, so I figured since I was <b>RIGHT BY</b> New Jersey, I should just "pop" over for a quick photo op, and I could cross New Jersey off my states to see list. Poor John. It took a lot of walking, several misguided subway rides, a water taxi ride, and an Uber to get to it. And he doesn't even like baseball. Lol. Yes, we went all the way to New Jersey just so I could get a photo. Don't judge. We did eat a late lunch/early dinner at a fantastic little diner while we were there though. And I got to keep the cool place mat (after a little begging to our server).<br />
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After that "much longer than expected" adventure, John was ready to call it a day, so Ryan was sweet enough to go to the Yankees game with me that night-that way I wasn't taking the subway alone. I was okay during the day, but alone in NYC at night is way out of my comfort zone (to be fair, being out alone at night ANYWHERE is out of my comfort zone these days). Ryan also isn't the biggest baseball fan (meaning not at all), but he was a trooper and sat through the whole game. And I think he even enjoyed it, but he probably wouldn't admit it. :)<br />
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I attended a game at OLD Yankee Stadium back in 2007. I thought the new stadium was cool, and the concourses were nice and wide- it just doesn't have the history that the old one had. BUT it was still a fun stadium to visit. The fans we sat by were all nice, we had no issues. I'm not a foodie, so when I go to baseball games, I stick to the baseball favorites- like hot dogs or nachos. Yes, I'm boring like that, sorry. Lol. I did like that on each level they had a map of what food was available on that level and where it was located. They also had where amenities like ATMs or restrooms were located as well. That way you didn't have to walk around aimlessly. That's smart- I think all ballparks/stadiums need to have that available.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Outside old Yankee Stadium in 2007</i></td></tr>
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On Wednesday, John took the day off work to hang out with me (I promised him no more trips to New Jersey). We decided last minute that I needed to see a Broadway show while I was in town. I saw one in 2007 when I visited and didn't think I could squeeze one in (I also didn't think I could afford a ticket). We went down to Broadway early to get rush tickets (which are last minute seats to performances, they cost $45 and are normally VERY good seats). John had seen <i>The Play That Goes Wrong</i> and said I would love it (we were both in theater in high school), so we went and got in line for rush tickets for it. There was only one person in front of us when we got there so we knew our chances of obtaining good seats were very good. We ended up with tickets on the second row- those normally cost $125 a piece.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Times Square 2007 vs 2018</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>NYC street art</i></td></tr>
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Our next stop was at One World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial. I had decided to skip the 9/11 Museum this trip (I will definitely check it out next time I go). The line just to get tickets for the museum was a four hour wait (word of advice- get your tickets in advance online if you want to go). We didn't go up One World Trade Center, but I did pay my respects at the memorial. During my last visit to NY, that area was fenced off and still being called Ground Zero. </div>
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Across the street is St. Paul's Chapel- which is the oldest public building in continuous use. In 1789 George Washington prayed at the chapel after his inauguration as the first president of the United States. The days and weeks following 9/11, the chapel was used by Ground Zero rescue workers and volunteers as a place to rest.<br />
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My history tour continued as we went to visit the birthplace of Teddy Roosevelt. For newcomers, I try and see anything related to a president (childhood home, presidential library, etc). It's so interesting to see this old house in between all these skyscrapers, but after all, it was there first. I highly recommend this tour if you are in New York and have time to go by. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and I learned a lot.<br />
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After a pizza lunch (told you I ate my share of New York pizza), we went back to the apartment to rest and get ready for the Broadway show. Now, I didn't pack like I was going to see a Broadway show, so I didn't have much to work with outfit wise. I did the best I could. Lol.<br />
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<i>The Play That Goes Wrong</i> was FANTASTIC. I highly recommend seeing it if you ever get a chance. This past summer I saw a traveling production of it here in Dallas and it was just as amazing. Hands down one of the best plays I've ever seen.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In true Rachel fashion, I waited at the stage door for autographs and photos</i></td></tr>
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Thursday was my last FULL day in NYC (stay with me, you are almost to the end of this recap). One of my dear high school friends lives in New York and works at the Tenement Museum in lower east side Manhattan. Before I knew he worked there, it was actually on my list of places to visit, so it was perfect. I hadn't seen him in several years. I highly recommend visiting the Tenement Museum if you are ever in NYC. They have several different tours to choose from, sadly I only had time for one (and of course I picked the one my friend Kirk was giving). :) You can't take photos inside so I only have outside shots.<br />
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My cousin Richard also lives in New York (yes, it's good to visit cities where you know people), so I went from lower east Manhattan to Brooklyn to have lunch with him. It was a cute little place called Delaware and Hudson. The food was very good. I hadn't seen my cousin in a while, so it was good to catch up. I'm sad we didn't have more time together but I'm glad we were able to work in lunch while I was there.<br />
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After lunch I had just enough time to head back to the apartment to start packing. My flight was going to leave VERY early the next morning and I knew I was going to be out late with Eric at the Mets game and would be too tired to pack afterward. Once I was all packed, I hopped on the subway (I was becoming a pro at riding the subway at this point) and met Eric at his office and then we were off to Queens to Citi Field to see a Mets game. I was glad it worked out that both the Yankees and Mets were home while I was in town. I never made it to Shea Stadium, so this was my first time seeing the Mets. And they were playing the Braves (my favorite National League team). I was worried that a potential storm was going to delay or postpone the game. There were storms in the forecast every day of my trip and the most I saw were scattered showers, and none that lasted very long or were that strong. The clouds looked threatening at the beginning of the game, but the most we saw were very few sprinkles.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This was my 7th ballpark to see in 2018. I loved the dog, he was so sweet. And yes I tipped him. I'm not sure where his owner was at, I assume somewhere close, keeping an eye on him. The home run apple at the top is the one that was in Shea Stadium</i></td></tr>
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Citi Field was great. I loved the layout, the concourse area, and the fans were super nice. So when you hear that New York has horrible fans, please know that some of their fans are very nice!<br />
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We had AMAZING seats (shout out to Eric for finding them). We were in the section where a server waits on you, so you don't have to get up during the game. **PINKIES OUT** Although I did go get my own ice cream because I wanted the Home Run Apple souvenir cup (and that was in a different area). I was afraid I was going to overpay for ice cream, but they were not shy in the amount of ice cream they gave you. Holy cow. It was worth every penny.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our love of baseball is how we became friends, so it was so great to actually see a game with Eric!</i></td></tr>
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After the game, we took the subway back to Eric's, and I got an Uber to go back to Harlem. My New York trip was coming to an end. My sweet friends knew I would be exhausted when I got back to their apartment, so they had my bed on the couch all ready for me. And they even had Netflix playing <i>The Dick Van Dyke Show </i>when I got in. Top notch service. They were amazing hosts, so thankful they let me take over their living room for five days. :) I got just over three hours of sleep before my alarm went off. I had scheduled a car to pick me up to take me to the airport (so I didn't have to risk finding an Uber at like 4am). It was an exhausting week, but was so much fun!!<br />
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So, okay, that was my week in New York (yes, last year). Again, sorry for the delay. If you stuck out until the end of this post, God bless you. That was a lot of information and photos. But I had so much fun so I didn't want to leave anything out. Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. I wish I could get paid to travel for a living. Lol.<br />
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One of these days I'll wrap up the last trip I took in 2018. And then my 2019 trip. And then you will be caught up. I hope everyone is doing well!!<br />
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XOXO!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-42197550931592133082019-07-09T12:32:00.000-05:002019-07-09T12:42:54.437-05:00Cooperstown 2018<div style="text-align: justify;">
The only good thing about being SO LATE with updating my blog with my 2018 trip recaps is that I get to reminisce while going through all the photos. So many fun memories- I love it.</div>
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So, last July some friends and I went to Cooperstown to the Baseball Hall of Fame for Induction Weekend. Cooperstown had been on my bucket list since I was a kid so I was BEYOND excited to go. I lucked out that not only did I get to go during Induction Weekend (probably the best weekend of the year there), BUT I got to go when Chipper Jones was being inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is my second favorite Atlanta Braves player. If it wasn't for Steve Avery (who stole my heart first), y'all would know me as Chipperfan. Lol.</div>
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I made the trip with my friends John, Corina, Rodger, and Irene. They were amazing travel buddies, we had such a good time. I wasn't sure I would be able to go on the trip until a few months before we left, so by the time I purchased my plane ticket, there were no seats available near them. Part of my 40 Through 40 list was to fly first class at least once, so I splurged and bought a first class ticket (pinkies out). <i>This proved to be a big mistake because now I'm a plane snob and want to fly first class all the time. Lol. </i></div>
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We flew into New York City and rented a car to make the drive to Cooperstown (which is about three hours from the NYC). We flew in on a Thursday and arrived in Cooperstown about 5pm. The Hall of Fame had extended hours for the Induction weekend, so the museum was still open when we arrived. Everyone else had been before, so they decided to hit up some shops while I went to the museum. I lucked out because it wasn't that crowded, so I got some great photos of the exhibits without a ton of people in the background.</div>
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Fun story. When I got to the front door an older gentleman was walking up the ramp with a walker. I decided to wait and hold the door for him. He thanked me as he walked in and I thought to myself, that man looked a lot like Rod Carew. I decided I would check out the gift shop before touring the museum and as I walked over to it, I noticed the older gentleman sitting on a bench with a small crowd around him. I was like, okay, that's DEFINITELY Rod Carew. He was happily talking to everyone, so I walked over to him (I'm not shy). When he saw me, he was like, "it's the young lady who held the door for me." We made small talk (because of course I just make small talk with a Hall of Famer). When I said I was from Dallas, he was like, "My heart doctor is from Dallas, I like people from Dallas." He was a sweetheart and he even took a photo with me.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hall of Famer Rod Carew. I didn't notice his shirt until I sat down to take a photo with him. It literally says Rod Carew. Lol.</i></td></tr>
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The Hall of Fame was amazing. I honestly felt like little kid at Disneyland or something- I was that giddy. I spent a few hours in the museum on Thursday night (because I'm the person who has to read everything in a museum). I only got through the first floor and half of the second floor on Thursday, so the next day I went back to finish my tour. It was a little more crowded then, but that was okay. The best thing about Cooperstown is that everyone there is a baseball fan. You don't care what team people around you like, you all are fans of the same sport. Cooperstown is a place where even Yankees and Red Sox fans get along. :)</div>
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The street that the Hall of Fame is located on has a ton of gift shops and sidewalk sales. It has a small town feel and I loved it. During Induction Weekend they closed off part of the main street so visitors didn't have to worry about cars driving up and down the road. That weekend there were a ton of former players at different locations signing autographs (for a fee, but some were fairly inexpensive). And most of the players took a photo with you after the autograph. I lucked out and ran into a few players just walking around the town, and got photos with them that way.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Top (l-r): Darryl Strawberry (for the record, he approached me and my friend and started talking. We just asked if we could have a photo and he said yes); Bert Blyleven (he played for the Rangers in 1976-77); Frank Thomas (he calls himself the original Frank Thomas. He was a peach-he played for the Pirates in the 50s and I mentioned meeting Phil the usher when I was in Pittsburgh. He said he was good friend with Phil); Bottom (l-r) Pedro Sierra (he played in the Negro League); Dan Gladden (he played for the 1991 Twins, who sadly beat the Braves in the World Series that year); Pete Rose (who isn't in the Hall of Fame, because well, you know why) </i></td></tr>
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In one of the shops, an artist named Justyn Farano had set up a bunch of his paintings to sell. He's an amazing artist- check out his <b><a href="https://sportsartillustrated.com/" target="_blank">website here</a></b>. His paintings were great, but were out of my price range (and also it would have been impossible to get on an airplane), so I opted to buy a print of three of his paintings (which were MUCH cheaper, and easier to put in my carry on). </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ujBe6w5zHA/XSS2EpZ6TPI/AAAAAAABOZ0/d1HEesNNlTYMgpvAgphmyWh6p2tNhHGOACLcBGAs/s1600/11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ujBe6w5zHA/XSS2EpZ6TPI/AAAAAAABOZ0/d1HEesNNlTYMgpvAgphmyWh6p2tNhHGOACLcBGAs/s640/11.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>He said he almost didn't bring the Beltre prints because he didn't think they would sell, but he almost ran out of them (granted me and my friends purchased four of them). Lol. And of course I got the Chipper print and the Class of 2018 print.</i> </td></tr>
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Saturday was parade day but we had a full day of autographs and sightseeing before the parade that evening. We purchased lawn chairs at a local Dollar General so we could mark our spot for the parade. That's another great thing about Cooperstown, people respected other people's property. We set up our chairs on Friday night and no one had touched them or moved them on Saturday morning. </div>
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Saturday was also Braves day for me, mainly because I had an autograph session with former Braves manager Bobby Cox. I wore my Steve Avery shirtsey and received SO MANY COMPLIMENTS from other Braves fans who passed by me. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k02YPy6hLy8/XSTCWBIsCNI/AAAAAAABOaw/klZQscNAFHco4vnmTxLeTwe1VKryW-Z_QCLcBGAs/s1600/8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k02YPy6hLy8/XSTCWBIsCNI/AAAAAAABOaw/klZQscNAFHco4vnmTxLeTwe1VKryW-Z_QCLcBGAs/s640/8.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The guy in the photo made these amazing baseball signs (it was out of my price range for that trip, but maybe one day I'll get one). When I walked by and he saw my Avery shirt, he was like, Steve is a good friend of mine. He asked if he could take a photo to send Steve. I said sure but was like, oh, he knows who I am. Lol. I think I've mentioned before on here that Steve and I are Facebook friends. :)</i></td></tr>
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My friends and I once again split up (because they had autograph sessions that I didn't), and I walked around checking out the various booths. I passed by the booth of <b><a href="http://www.danschlossberg.net/" target="_blank">Dan Schlossberg</a>. </b>He has written many books, including one about the Braves of the 90s and early 2000s (that caught my attention). He complimented my Avery shirtsey as well and said he knew Steve too (EVERYONE KNOWS STEVE AVERY HERE- I HAVE FOUND MY PEOPLE). I opened the book and the page I happened to turn to had a photo of Steve Avery. SOLD. <span id="goog_1697865312"></span></div>
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There was another book booth set up next to Mr. Schlossberg's (because I'm the girl who goes on vacation and buys books). The book was about the legacy of Babe Ruth. Since I visited his museum <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-very-yolo-trip-baltimore.html" target="_blank">in Baltimore</a></b> a few months earlier, I stopped to hear more about it. I made small talk with the author and then he introduced the gentleman sitting next to him- that man was Babe Ruth's grandson, Tom Stevens. Of course I had to buy the book. I'm gonna need a bookshelf for just my sports books at some point. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KXW0A1Qmapw/XSS6wIlOxCI/AAAAAAABOaM/X17T9hxch-glSD70BSIgXhMRGRMADN_wQCLcBGAs/s1600/3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KXW0A1Qmapw/XSS6wIlOxCI/AAAAAAABOaM/X17T9hxch-glSD70BSIgXhMRGRMADN_wQCLcBGAs/s640/3.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The man standing next to me is Babe Ruth's grandson Tom Stevens. Next to him is the author, Jerry Amernic</i></td></tr>
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It was almost time for my Bobby Cox autograph session so I made my way to the shop where he would be signing. The ticket information said he would be signing outside on the sidewalk in front of the card shop. When I got there it was organized chaos. Pedro Martinez was also signing at that same shop, on the same sidewalk. No one knew where lines were beginning or ending. I saw some guys wearing Braves shirts so I assumed they were there for Bobby Cox. We made small talk (yes, I tend to do that with everyone). They were from New York but grew up watching the Braves on TBS (like me). We joked that we were the TBS kids that ESPN did a story on a few years ago. Anyway, Bobby Cox was outside for about 3 minutes when they realized it was just going to be too hot for him (the man is 78 years old after all). So they moved him inside. So they had to move the autograph line inside. My new friends and I made a conga line so we didn't get separated and made our way inside the shop. They were nice enough to take my photo when Mr. Cox was signing for me (they weren't allowing posed photos with him). We decided to celebrate surviving The Bobby Cox Autograph Signing of 2018 with some beverages, so we went to a restaurant across the street. </div>
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I spent the rest of the day hanging out with my new friends. They decided to get Leo Mazzone's autograph (former pitching coach for the Braves), and they offered to pay for mine. When Leo saw my Avery shirt, he was like, I love Avs (same Leo, same). John Smoltz (former Braves pitcher and Hall of Famer, for the non baseball people reading) was sitting at a table next to Leo. Smoltz was charging $199 for an autograph so I had passed on that opportunity. I just wanted a photo but you had to buy an autograph in order to get a photo. Smoltz didn't have a line at that moment (I think he was on a break), so I took the opportunity to just walk up and say hi. He was very nice. I apologized for bothering him (he said it was no bother). I rambled on about growing up watching him play and thanked him for being there that weekend. I then asked if I could just have a photo, and he smiled and said absolutely. Boom. Free photo with Smoltz.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pe-CsUdJ0qc/XSS_LFucpKI/AAAAAAABOaY/vGm80qxwHTMI1qWj0J9aiO_MrgpMg7CMQCLcBGAs/s1600/9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1024" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pe-CsUdJ0qc/XSS_LFucpKI/AAAAAAABOaY/vGm80qxwHTMI1qWj0J9aiO_MrgpMg7CMQCLcBGAs/s640/9.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My new friends. And some former Braves. :)</i></td></tr>
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At this point, it was almost parade time. I took video instead of photos during that, so I don't really have photos of the parade. I'm having issues getting a video to post on here, but just trust me when I tell you that Chipper waved at me as he went by. :)<br />
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After the parade ended, our time at Cooperstown was sadly coming to an end. I said goodbye to my new friends (after becoming friends on social media, so we could keep in touch), and my peeps and I headed back to our AirBnb (which was about 40 minutes from Cooperstown). It was a super cute place in the middle of nowhere, but during Induction Weekend, rooms are hard to find near Cooperstown.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My baseball peeps!!</i></td></tr>
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We left the next day for New York City, which is where we parted ways. My friends were going to head on to Cleveland from there and I was going to stay in NYC for the week visiting some friends. I'll post my NYC trip recap in another post. :)<br />
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XOXO!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-10429590143168302702019-07-08T17:09:00.000-05:002019-07-09T12:06:07.881-05:00A Very YOLO Trip: Ohio<div style="text-align: justify;">
We left Detroit early the next day to make our way towards Cleveland for the final game of our baseball trip. We did pass through Taylor, Michigan on our way, which is the hometown of former Atlanta Braves great Steve Avery. :) I'm sad to say there was NO statue of him by the city limit sign. Oh well. </div>
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We had one scheduled stop along our way in Fremont, Ohio to see the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum (because- history!) To be honest, before we made the stop, I knew absolutely nothing about President Hayes. But, that's one reason I love stopping at places like this- I learn something new. And there was SO MUCH to learn at this one.</div>
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The house where President Hayes lived was next door to the library and museum, so we took a tour of that first. We had an amazing tour guide who knew so much about President Hayes and his wife, Lucy. You could tell this guide had a passion for the history of the president, and it wasn't just a script he had memorized. We weren't allowed to take photos inside the house, but we learned that over 90 percent of the furniture and artifacts inside the house belonged to the Hayes family. </div>
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First Lady Lucy Hayes seemed like an amazing woman, I'm still determined to read up on her. She was the first First Lady to receive a college diploma. She was an advocate for African-Americans before and after the Civil War and she invited the first professional African-American musician to perform in the White House. She is known as Lemonade Lucy because the Hayes family didn't serve alcohol while they lived in the White House.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lucy's college diploma</i></td></tr>
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We were there on a Tuesday in early May, so it wasn't super crowded. Although I'm not sure how crowded it gets on a weekend or during summer months. If you ever find yourself near Fremont, OH, I recommend stopping. Even if history isn't your thing, I think you will find it interesting.</div>
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We continued on to Cleveland, where we got to Progressive Field two hours before the game started and just as the gates were opening. Oh, but wait. At Progressive Field, you are only allowed to stay in the outfield and Indians Hall of Fame plaque area until an hour before the game starts. This means you can't walk around the concourse or try and get photos of batting practice. Kinda dumb. </div>
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Finally when they allowed us to walk around we went to the Indians side because Lisa wanted to try and get some autographs and I was hoping to see my high school friend Matt Belisle (who was a pitcher for the Indians at that time). She got a few autographs (but not the one she really wanted), and I saw Matt from a distance, but sadly not close enough to say hi. As we were heading up towards the team store, a Cleveland fan let us know that the Indians players would sometimes sign autographs at the gate by their parking area. We decided we would check that out after the game.</div>
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We had great seats behind the Rangers dugout. It was season ticket holder club level seating (and we got the seats for a great deal on StubHub). It was so fancy that the ushers checked your ticket multiple times to make sure you were supposed to be sitting there. We had access to the season ticket holder club inside but with a view like this, why would we want to leave our seats?</div>
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At one point during the game, Elvis Andrus noticed my Rangers gear and told the usher to give me a ball. Halfway through the game my phone starting blowing up because the Rangers telecast put us on TV and everyone had to tell me. Lol. Of course they didn't catch us smiling, but oh well.</div>
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The Rangers had a four-run lead going into the bottom of the 9th. SOMEONE (not me) decided to say that our closer was going to blow the game by giving up a grand slam. And guess what, that is what happened. Thanks a lot Kela. So, we got free baseball. Two innings worth of free baseball. BUT THANKFULLY, the Rangers were able to get a win for us in the 11th. </div>
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After the game we decided to stalk, I mean, wait to see if any Indians players would sign as they were leaving, so we camped out by the Indians parking lot. There were a lot of other fans there, so evidently it's a well-known fact that they sometimes sign. While we were waiting, I noticed a Rangers pitcher (Jake Diekman, who is actually no longer on the team) walking out of the Indians parking lot. A few other people approached him, so I walked up in my Rangers gear, congratulated him on their win, and asked for a photo. As you've noticed, I go for a photo op over an autograph, it just means more to me. He was super nice (and his super nice wife took the photo for us). I told her she was a champ and she laughed and said she was used to it and she really didn't mind doing it. </div>
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We were just about to give up and leave when the player Lisa had wanted an autograph from came out. SUCCESS!! At first we thought he wasn't going to sign because he got in his car, but he then backed it up closer to the gate and signed for several minutes. We were close to calling it a night when my friend Matt walked out (FINALLY). We hadn't seen each other since high school (we were on newspaper staff together), but we were able to catch up for about 15 minutes. It was good to see he was still the same nice guy that he was in high school- the majors hadn't changed him. He thanked me for waiting around so we could catch up. We had tried to meet up a few times before (once in Texas and once when I was in Minneapolis for a game when he played for the Twins), but it never worked out. </div>
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Our flight home to Texas wasn't until late in the afternoon that next day, so we decided to squeeze in one last sightseeing option- the James A. Garfield National Historic Site. Fun fact- we were originally going to see the William McKinley presidential library, but our tour guide at the Hayes Library said if we only had time to go to one, to pick the Garfield National Historic Site. He said it was better than the McKinley library. Don't get me wrong, I will still make it to the McKinley library one of these days. Lol. The Garfield historic site was actually closer to the Cleveland airport, so it worked out better that we decided to go there. </div>
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The only thing I knew about President Garfield was that he was assassinated, so it was interesting to learn a little more about his life and his short presidency. He was shot in July of 1881, just four months after taking office, but he didn't die right away (he eventually died in September 1881). It was stated that he most likely died from the treatment he received. If they had taken better care of him, he might have lived. We also learned that after his death, his wife added the Memorial Library wing to the house, which set precedent for presidential libraries. She felt the public needed to be able to see his papers and writings. So, we basically have Lucretia Garfield to thank for our presidential libraries.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The top hat in the top left corner is the one Garfield was wearing when he was shot. The chair on the far top right is one that Garfield would sit in while reading.</i></td></tr>
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The tour of the house was interesting- again, the crowd was light. In fact, Lisa and I were the only ones on the tour of the house at that time. The tour guide at the Garfield house was also very good. There were sections of the house built after the president had died, so she also made sure we knew if we were in a part of the house that Garfield had lived in or not. I also recommend visiting this historic site if you are in the area.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This wreath was placed on Garfield's casket during the funeral. It was a gift from the Royal Family in England.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Obligatory photo on the front steps of a president's house</i></td></tr>
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We got to the Cleveland airport a little early, but that gave us time to grab something to eat and just relax before boarding our flight. We finally got back to Texas on a Wednesday evening, almost a week after we had left. It was an exhausting, but fun trip. Lisa and I decided at that point that we traveled well together and made plans to take another trip in 2019 (which we have already done and I will eventually recap). Lol.</div>
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Again, if you have made it this far, I thank you for reading. Two more 2018 trips to go and then on to 2019. Maybe I'll get back into this blog thing after all! :)</div>
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<b>40 Through 40 Update:</b><br />
3. Visit three presidential libraries on my Presidential Library to Visit list (2) (3)<br />
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XOXO!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-16823843457767930812019-07-07T23:09:00.001-05:002019-07-07T23:09:26.850-05:00A Very YOLO Trip: Detroit<div style="text-align: justify;">
I know, I'm horrible. Yes, I'm STILL recapping my 2018 trips. **insert face palm emoji**. Yes, I've already taken a trip in 2019. I've had A LOT of people giving me guilt trips lately about letting my blog updating slide, so here I sit trying to at least wrap up my 2018 road trips. Here's hoping I'll get my 2019 trip recapped by 2020. Lol.</div>
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Okay, so the last time I updated we were in Toronto. I know it's been a little while (five months), so here is the <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2019/02/a-very-yolo-trip-buffalo-ny-and-niagara.html" target="_blank">last post I wrote if you want a recap</a></b>. </div>
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We left Toronto on a Monday morning to make the four hour drive to Detroit for the Tigers game that night. I'll spare the details of how we made a quick stop in a small Canadian town and the gas station restroom looked like something straight out of a horror film. I honestly don't think customers were supposed to be back there but the guy at the register took pity on us and let us use it. I swear I'm a <i>48 Hours</i> episode waiting to happen. "After posting that she was leaving Toronto to head towards Detroit, she was never heard from again. Her cell phone last pinged in the small town of **insert the name of the town that I have now forgotten because this was 14 months ago**. </div>
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I may have been humming <i>America the Beautiful </i>as we crossed back over into the United States (I don't really remember). We had to explain at the border why we were from Texas but were driving a car with a Pennsylvania licence plate (because the rental car we got in Baltimore had PA plates). The border patrol agent was pretty excited when she found out we had been traveling to see baseball games (she was also a fan- female sports fans unite!) </div>
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I'm not going to lie, Detroit isn't the prettiest city, BUT I loved Comerica Park. So many people put it down, but I really enjoyed the ballpark experience there. I loved the design of the outside of the park.<br />
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Random side note (that has nothing to do with Comerica Park, but it does have something to do with the Tigers so I'm going to mention it): When I was a kid, there was a Disney Channel movie called <i><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Town" target="_blank">Tiger Town</a></b></i> that I absolutely LOVED (because it was about baseball and my baseball obsession started early in my life). I remember watching this movie when I was like 5. It starred Roy Scheider (from <i>Jaws</i>) and Justin Henry (the little brother in <i>16 Candles</i>). The movie was filmed in Detroit and a lot of scenes were filmed at Tiger Stadium (which sadly was demolished after the Tigers moved to Comerica Park). Scheider plays an aging Tigers player named Billy Young who is on the verge of retirement. His dream of playing in the World Series is fading (because the Tigers aren't doing well and he has lost his ability to hit the ball). Billy is the favorite player of Alex (played by Henry). I could type out the rest of the plot but I'm lazy, so you can just read the Wikipedia recap <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Town" target="_blank">here</a></b>. It's not available for purchase, but I just checked YouTube and a copy is available <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7siI_MqTgZw" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>. I will be watching it after I finish this post. Aw, memories. Lol.<br />
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Okay, so sorry for getting sidetracked. For those who know me, it's not unusual for that to happen. :) ANYWAY- back to 2018 and Comerica Park. I loved it. Don't @ me. The concourse area was great- they have a carousel AND Ferris Wheel. We found Mickey, a baseball fountain, a giant bobblehead, and I got to sit on the Triple Crown throne. :)<br />
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Before the game, we walked around the whole ballpark (because we were not able to get there in time for a tour). They had a lot of statues just beyond the outfield (if you know me, I'm a big fan of statues). I liked the open concourse (which allowed you to see the field as you walked around).<br />
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They had a lot of food choices but if you know me, you know I'm NOT a huge foodie- I stick to "normal" foods when I go to baseball games. So, I'm sorry to disappoint if you were wanting some great food recommendation at Comerica Park. Oh, and yes, the Tigers give you a lid AND a straw with your souvenir drink. I don't know what the Rangers deal is by not giving us lids and straws with our drinks. The majority of the ballparks I've visited give you at least a straw. Sigh. Maybe in the new ballpark.<br />
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We had great seats for the game. We once again got to see the Rays play on the road. If you remember WAY BACK to last July when I first started this trip update (this is so embarrassing that it's taking me a year to recap this trip), we saw the Ray play the Orioles in Baltimore. If you would like a refresher, here is that <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-very-yolo-trip-baltimore.html" target="_blank">post</a></b>.<br />
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We actually saw a pretty good game (if you like a pitching duel). The game was scoreless going into the 9th. The Rays scored three in the top of the inning and despite a good attempt by the Tigers in the bottom of the 9th, they came up short and lost the game 3-2. The Rays also won the game against the Orioles so evidently we are good luck for them.<br />
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This game was in April, and the temperatures got a little too cool for this Texas girl (okay, it was like 70 BUT BREEZY), so I had to put on my Rangers light jacket during the game. Fun tidbit- we ran into other Rangers fans as we were leaving. They had noticed my jacket during the game and they happened to bump into us outside afterward. They were excited to find fellow fans.<br />
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Like I said, I really enjoyed my time there. I would definitely go back. BUT next time I'll be sure not to get lost. We possibly made a wrong tour leaving the ballpark (there was construction and the detour signs were not well marked and our GPS freaked out and we ended up going the wrong way). We also ended up in a part of Detroit no one really needed to be in at night. We possibly made some illegal turns, but you know what, we didn't care. Lol. We finally got back to our hotel safe and sound (obviously, since I'm here a year later talking about it).<br />
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Okay, I have ONE MORE POST for this trip, and then my recap of A Very YOLO Trip 2018 will be DONE. It's late so I will post that tomorrow. At least I hope I will post tomorrow. Or maybe in five months, who knows? Lol. And I have two more trips from 2018 to recap after that. Sigh. I guess traveling has gotten in my way of blog updating. As always if you made it this far, thank you for reading. Much love!!<br />
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-56632163770529167612019-02-15T18:21:00.000-06:002019-08-15T15:23:16.226-05:00A Very YOLO Trip: Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls AND Canada<div style="text-align: justify;">
My goal is to recap all of my 2018 trips before I take my first trip of 2019. I can't believe I'm still recapping my April trip from last year. I just have had no blogging motivation. I am currently on bed rest after having shoulder surgery on Feb. 1 (so I'm updating this post with one hand, which is fun-not). I am going to do my best. My apologies for any typing errors. :)</div>
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It's been several months, so refresh your memory <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-very-yolo-trip-pittsburgh.html" target="_blank">here</a></b> on where I left off. On our way from Pittsburgh to Toronto, we had a stop in Buffalo, NY on our itinerary solely because I wanted to stop at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site. Yes, I'm a nerd.<br />
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On our way into town, we passed by a baseball stadium. After some research, we discovered it was a minor league team called the Buffalo Bisons (and we both thought it was a great name). We decided we wanted to swing by and get a T-shirt on our way out of town. But first, we made a quick stop at the home where Teddy Roosevelt took the oath of president after the assassination of William McKinley (because I'm a history nerd and will stop at any place that has some historical reference). Unfortunately they only allowed guided tours in the home, and it was a 90 minute wait for the next tour, so we just took a look around the outside of the house. </div>
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We had to look up the address of the Bison's ballpark, and when we did, we discovered that they had a home game that day. A day home game. And it had just started. Mind you, it was 37 degrees and drizzling, but we HAD to go. We were on a baseball road trip after all. </div>
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We purchased cheap seat tickets and made our way through the gate. We were in luck- it was free ice cream day! It doesn't matter how cold it is-I will always take free ice cream. After a quick stop at the gift shop, we made our way to our seats. Well, actually our seats were in the far corner of right field (meaning they were getting drizzled on). A nice usher said we could sit under the covered seating area. We overheard a conversation in the gift shop that only 94 fans were braving the cold weather that day so there were plenty of seats.</div>
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In the gift shop we noticed they had stuffed celery toys, but we were so confused why (we later found out it was a mascot that used to race in between innings, he is now retired). Anyways, we hadn't been sitting long when Lisa grabbed my arm and screamed "it's the Celery!" And of course we needed to get a photo with him. We also got one with the official mascot- Buster the Bison. We became fast fans of the Bisons. And I have to give credit to the fans that were braving the weather- they were passionate. </div>
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We left in about the 7th inning. We were supposed to go to Niagara Falls and we were already leaving Buffalo way later than we had planned. Since the weather wasn't exactly perfect for viewing the Falls, we didn't mind much that we had a detour.<br />
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Niagara Falls is one of those places that I've always wanted to visit. It's something that I've always seen in books and on TV and just wanted to see it in person. I definitely want to go back when the weather is nicer, I would like to take one of the boat tours. The day we were there was NOT a day I wanted to be on a boat right under the falls. It was dreary and cold. It even started to snow at one point while we were there. I will say that the Falls were a wonder to see. SOMEONE took one look at them and said "it's just water", but I won't name names. :) We were able to see Niagara Falls from both the New York side and Canada side. If you go visit, I highly recommend going to the Canada side.<br />
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After a quick dinner stop, we made our way to Toronto, which was less than two hours from Niagara Falls. After several late nights, it was nice to get to the AirBnb somewhat "early" and just have a relaxing evening.<br />
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The next day we made the short one block walk from our AirBnb to Rogers Centre to see the Rangers take on the Blue Jays. We lucked out and saw the Rangers twice on our road trip. There was no batting practice because it was a day game, but we were able to get photos with several Rangers players as well as the third base coach Tony Beasley. We also met Evan Grant, a beat writer for the Rangers.<br />
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The game wasn't that good (because we didn't win), but we still had fun. We were told that Rogers Centre wasn't going to be that great, but I actually thought it wasn't that bad. Everyone was so nice. The Blue Jays mascot and his sidekick were a little creepy looking, but overall, we enjoyed our visit there.<br />
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After the game, we ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant called Hey Lucy! (it was a recommendation from someone I follow on Twitter who is from Toronto). Fun fact. In Canada the meal portions are a lot smaller than in the US. Also fun fact: Canadian money has a clear portion you can see through.<br />
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Later that evening, I faced my fear of heights and we went up in the CN Tower. I will admit that the view was spectacular. I was even brave and sat on the "glass bottom" and was doing fine until some kid started jumping up and down on it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sadly this is the only "Mounty" I saw because The Royal Canadian Mounted Police doesn't police in Ontario. </i></td></tr>
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We left early the next morning to make the drive to Detroit. My visit to Canada was short and I hope to spend more time and do more sightseeing on my next visit.<br />
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I make no promises when I will post my next update. It took me almost a week and a half just to complete this post. :)<br />
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<b>40 Through 40 Update:</b><br />
2. See a game at six different ballparks on my MLB Ballparks To Visit list- this trip made ballpark #6<br />
13. Travel outside of the United States (not including Mexico or the Caribbean)</div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-15808443933511307402018-11-20T15:30:00.000-06:002018-11-20T15:30:11.660-06:00A Very YOLO Trip: Pittsburgh<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Yeah, I know, it's been four months between updates. I'm horrible. I'm STILL recapping a trip I took in April. Okay, time to get back on board this blog train and start posting again. I'm not even gonna make any excuses. Just bear with me. Maybe I'll get another post up this week, maybe it will take me another four months. Who knows? But, for now, enjoy day two of the awesome road trip I took with my friend Lisa earlier this year. :) It's been four months, so if you want a recap of day one, <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-very-yolo-trip-baltimore.html" target="_blank">go here</a></b>.</i></div>
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Despite a late night the night before, we were up bright and early and were on the road by 7am the next day. We had tickets for a tour of PNC Park at 3:45 that afternoon, so we were sort of on a time limit to make the drive from Baltimore to Pittsburgh. We did have a few planned stops along the way, so we made sure we started the day early.</div>
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Our first quick stop was in West Virginia in the town of Berkeley Springs. The only reason for this stop was so I could cross West Virginia off my states to visit list. Yup, we took a fifteen minute detour just so I could get THIS photo.</div>
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The "Welcome to West Virginia" sign was not in a place where we could stop and take a photo. A little further down the road, we saw this sign, and it was good enough for me. It had WV on it, that's all I needed. </div>
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We were back on the road and took a slight detour to the town of Stoystown, PA. This is where the <b><a href="https://www.nps.gov/flni/index.htm" target="_blank">Flight 93 Memorial</a></b> is located. I wanted to pay my respects to those who lost their lives on 9/11. The memorial was very somber but respectful. The Visitor's Center was closed, but we did walk down the path to the Memorial Plaza at Crash Site and took time to read the Wall of Names. There were flowers and wreaths by some of the names. To me, it was a very moving experience to be there. It was hard to walk through with dry eyes.</div>
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Our next stop was in Latrobe, PA, which was the hometown of Mister Rogers. I read online that there was a Mister Rogers exhibit on the campus of Saint Vincent College, and since I'm a big fan of Mister Rogers, we had to stop by. I will not confirm or deny that I possibly teared up a little bit in the exhibit. The exhibit included many items that belonged to Mister Rogers (sweaters and tennis shoes), as well as props from <i>Mister Rogers Neighborhood</i>. The trolley, Daniel's Clock, and many of the puppets from the Land of Make Believe were there. I will not confirm or deny that I was excited to have my photo taken by them (just humor me).</div>
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We had to hurry from Latrobe to get to Pittsburgh in time for our tour of PNC Park. I have to say that PNC Park is by far my favorite ballpark that I've visited (so far). The view was wonderful, and the history of the Pirates was fascinating. </div>
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Once again, we were on a small tour, but I really like that better. The tour guides were great and so informative. We were on a "pre-game" tour, which meant we got to see the Pirates batting practice. It also meant that we were able to get the giveaway item ahead of time (instead of worrying about getting back in line). We got autographs and photos with some Pirates players after batting practice, which is always fun. I'm a big fan of getting photos and Lisa is a big fan of getting autographs, so it worked out great for both of us!</div>
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The giveaway item the night we were at the game was a Pirates umbrella. If you remember one of my trips last year, I went to Minneapolis with Lisa and our friend Michelle to a Twins game, and we got Twins "Purple Rain" umbrellas (<b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2017/06/im-gonna-make-it-after-all-weekend.html" target="_blank">recap here</a></b>). I seem to be collecting MLB umbrellas now. Oh, remember that they gave out umbrellas at the game. This will factor in later on in my recap.</div>
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We found out during the tour that the Pirates were honoring a man named Phil Coyne before the game that night. He had been a Pirates usher for 81 years. Yes, 81 years, that's not a typo. It was his 100th birthday and they were holding a ceremony in his honor. He had retired the year before. They said he probably would have worked another season, but he took a bad fall last winter, and the doctor told him not to work anymore. Anyway, until that day, we didn't know that Phil existed, but we became instant fans. Cooperstown even sent a notice that they are going to put Phil's badge and shirt on permanent display in the Hall of Fame. He was adorable.</div>
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The game was a lot of fun. We sat in the upper deck, mainly to have a few of the skyline and Clemente Bridge. </div>
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The game was fun. Like I said, I LOVED PNC Park. There was a group of guys sitting on the row in front of us at a "Bachelor Party". They were... interesting but they weren't annoying or rude. We enjoyed talking to them and had great conversations. Once again, we had people impressed that two females were on a baseball trip (really people, it's the 21st century- girls can like sports). </div>
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Remember how we got giveaway umbrellas before the game? Well, during the game, it started to rain. Hey- that's okay, I thought. I have an umbrella to use. Less than 30 seconds after opening the umbrella, a not-so-nice usher came over and snapped at me to close it. He was like, you can't have umbrellas in the ballpark. Really dude, because the ballpark gave it to me when I came in the gate. He said that I could have it, I just couldn't open it. EVEN IF IT WAS RAINING? I asked. He said he could eject me from the ballpark just for opening it. I thought he was kidding so I laughed. He wasn't kidding. He made a point to pull out his handy-dandy usher notebook and pointed to the rule listed. Sure enough, no open umbrellas allowed. So, in all my years of attending MLB games, I'm almost ejected for opening an umbrella. Go figure. Oh well, it made for a good laugh after the fact. You would think they might have mentioned to us when they gave us the umbrella "hey, don't open it, even if it starts raining." What's really funny is that there was no one behind me, so it wasn't like I was blocking anyone's view. Ah, Pittsburgh.</div>
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So, throughout the game, our new friends tried to convince us to go out with them afterward, but we politely declined. Several times. The game went to extra innings after the Pirates tied it up in the bottom of the 9th. Our new friends wimped out in the top of the 10th, but we stayed until the bottom of the 11th when the Pirates won on a walk-off hit. We got to see them Raise the Jolly Roger-which is their victory flag. I know, I wasn't sure what it meant when I first heard the phrase either.</div>
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We were exhausted as we were leaving PNC Park, but it had been a great day so we didn't even care. We decided to walk around and take photos of some of the statues outside the ballpark. We were in a hurry to get to our tour on time earlier that we didn't walk around the outside. We joked with each other, wondering what time Phil left (because the man is 100 years old, surely he left in like the 6th or 7th inning). We turned a corner, and who do we see waltzing out of the gate- PHIL. Looking like he had more energy than the two of us combined. I possibly grabbed Lisa's arm and mouthed "IT'S PHIL!" He was adorable and I had to have a photo with him. I went up to him and politely said hello and happy birthday. I asked if I could trouble him for a photo, and he said it was no trouble. He's obviously used to being a star. HE. WAS. A. PEACH. </div>
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Once again we hadn't checked in to the hotel before the game, so it was well after midnight before we got to our room. Another long, exhausting day, but we didn't care. We were looking forward to day three!</div>
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I hope to give you the next update in LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS, but I refuse to make promises at this point. :)</div>
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<b>Quick 40 THROUGH 40 update: </b></div>
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2. See a game at six different ballparks on my MLB Ballparks To Visit list- this trip made ballpark #5</div>
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4. Visit three states on my States To Visit list- WV made state #3!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-44245110892208554952018-07-13T20:17:00.000-05:002018-11-20T14:52:10.799-06:00A Very YOLO Trip: Baltimore<div style="text-align: justify;">
Like I mentioned <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2018/07/business-trips-arent-all-bad.html" target="_blank">last week</a></b>, I took an amazing road trip with my friend Lisa back in April. This was such a last-minute-we-are-crazy-to-do-this-thrown-together trip. Have you ever had a crazy idea for a trip? Well, I did. I was texting with my friend Lisa one day and told her about my insane idea for a baseball road trip. I was trying to mark stuff off of my <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/p/40-by-40.html" target="_blank">40 By 40 list</a></b> (which is a now a 40 THROUGH 40 list since I didn't quit finish it. Hey, it's my list, I can change the rules. I have until May 23 of next year to complete everything). :) BUT, this trip did allow me to mark off a few items before I turned 40. Anyway, when I told her my idea I expected her to just laugh at me. She didn't (well, she probably did), but then she said, "hey, I would totally go with you if you did this trip." I responded, "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" She was serious, and so, this is how my friend Lisa and I went on this AMAZING You Only Live Once road trip.</div>
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The whole seven day trip is too much to put in one post, so I'm gonna divide it up. I am going to try and post MORE than once a week. I have a trip coming up in two weeks and another one in August, so you will be seeing a lot of travel posts over the next few months.</div>
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Our trip started on April 26. We left Dallas super early (like 5am) and flew to Baltimore.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>So, we booked tickets on Southwest, and our flight was the same week as that incident where the window broke during the flight and that passenger got sucked out. I was terrified to sit by the window so Lisa braved it.</i></td></tr>
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When we landed in Baltimore, we had so much to do in so little time. Originally we were going to drive to Delaware (just to say we had been to Delaware), but we changed our plans and decided not to go (which worked out for the best in the long run).</div>
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After picking up our awesome rental car (shout out to Dollar Rental Car- they were awesome and super inexpensive), we headed to the Babe Ruth Museum (which is a short walk from Camden Yards). Lisa had been there before before but didn't mind going back.</div>
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The museum is located in the home where George Herman Ruth was born in 1895 (they have added on some to it since it was a very small house). It's a small but very nice museum (you would think a museum about Babe Ruth would be bigger, I mean, HELLO it's Babe Ruth). I recommend checking it out if you are in Baltimore. It's maybe two blocks from Camden Yards</div>
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After our visit to the museum, we made our way to Camden Yards for a tour of the ballpark. There were baseball painted on the ground between Camden and the Babe Ruth house advertising the museum. Camden Yards had been on my baseball bucket list for a long time. I was never a huge Orioles fan, but I grew up in the era of Cal Ripken, Jr. and I was a big fan of his (how could you not like him?) I was watching the game the night he broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak (I actually skipped youth group so I could go home and watch the game on TV). I regret nothing. Lol.<br />
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Our tour guide was named Ed and he was awesome. We had a small tour group, I think there were six of us. I love hearing the history of other teams, especially teams who have an older history. Since it was a game day, we couldn't go into the locker rooms, but we were allowed in the press box, the media room, on the field, and in the dugout.<br />
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We passed by the umpires locker room and the door was open. Ed said the door was rarely open during tours, so we got to see the inside of it (we couldn't actually go in it, but we took photos from the door). It was nothing all that exciting, but still kinda cool.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Inside the umpires locker room</i></td></tr>
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During the tour we made small talk with the other members of the group. When we told them we were on a baseball road trip, they seemed impressed.. We made friends with one nice man named Tim, and he followed us on Twitter so he could keep up with our adventure! We seem to make new Twitter friends when we travel to ballparks (we made a new Twitter friend last year when we went to Minneapolis).<br />
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After the tour, we decided to get something to eat and relax for a bit before the game that night (we did this instead of driving the two hour round trip to Delaware). We both had been up since about 2:30 that morning in order to get to the airport to catch our early flight. We laughed that it was only day one of a seven day trip and we had already done a lot.<br />
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We ate at a sports bar across from Camden Yards. It wasn't anything spectacular, just regular bar food, but it was still good and it was nice to sit for a while.<br />
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After we finished our late lunch, we thought about going to see Edgar Allan Poe's house and museum, which was a 10 minute drive from Camden. The road to the museum was under a lot of construction, and there was no real safe parking (mainly just street parking along an already narrow road that had been made even narrower). And not to sound paranoid or anything, but it didn't seem like the best area for us to park our car and walk several blocks in. Soooo, we decided to skip it. We found a street just a block over from Camden Yards to park for the game. We were about to put money in a parking meter when this man across the street called out. He said the side of the street he was parked on was free all day (it only applied to about half of a block worth of cars, but he said he parked there every day for work). We didn't see any tow away zone signs so after he left, we moved the car over there. And, spoiler alert, our car was there and un-ticketed when we returned after the game. Hooray for free parking!<br />
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We were able to see some of batting practice. The Orioles were playing the Tampa Bay Rays that night. Fun fact: We would see the Rays play again on our trip when we were in Detroit. Carlos Gomez is a former Rangers player and he's now with Tampa Bay. We were hoping to get his autograph (well, Lisa wanted the autograph, I always opt for a photo instead). The usher wasn't letting people too close to the field, we had to stand several rows back. When Gomez made his way into the dugout we called out at him and said we were Rangers fans and that we missed him. He smiled and motioned for us to come down. The usher had to let us down at that point since Gomez told him it was okay. Gomez was nice enough to sign and take this quick photo with me.<br />
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After batting practice, we went off to get food, our souvenir cups, and my magnet from the gift shop. We found good seats on StubHub for a VERY cheap price (it was to our benefit that the Orioles are not playing well this season so tickets sell for very cheap). Everyone we came in contact with was super nice. We found this to be true at every ballpark on our trip. The employees, the Orioles fans, the non Orioles fan- everyone was just a joy to be around. It was nice to see, especially in a time where there seems to be not a lot of nice people out there. I would like to point out that the Orioles provide both a lid AND A STRAW with their souvenir cups. It's something that I wish the Rangers did, but alas, they don't. Also, our souvenir cups are trash next to other stadiums. Step it up Rangers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We tried to get a photo of us with the field at every ballpark on our trip</i></td></tr>
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As we were leaving the ballpark, we were sad that we hadn't run into the mascot (we wanted photos). FUNNY SIDE STORY: The whole game Lisa and I both kept calling the Orioles mascot Jerry. Until TODAY we both thought that was his name. I found out he doesn't have a name. I texted Lisa earlier today and neither one of us remembers how or why we called him that. We are so confused. We think maybe we learned it in the tour. I'm gonna have to reach out to the front office to see if that is what they say on the tours. We need answers. Lol. ANYWAY, whatever his name is or isn't, we did see him on our way out and got a photo. :)<br />
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So, by the time we left the game, it was about 11pm EST. We both had been up since 2:30am CST. We still hadn't checked into our hotel (which was about a 25 minute car ride from Camden Yards). We finally got to our hotel room a little before midnight. We knew we had a lot to see the next day, so we had to set our alarms for 5:45am. We don't go on vacation to sleep (we averaged 5-6 hours of sleep each night of our trip). BUT, our first day was a success. Yes, that was only THE FIRST DAY.<br />
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<b>Quick 40 THROUGH 40 update:</b><br />
2. See a game at six different ballparks on my MLB Ballparks To Visit list- this trip made ballpark #4<br />
19. Pay off all of my credit cards. This one was HUGE!!! I paid off my last credit card right before I took this trip. I can't tell you how nice it is to not have any credit card debt.<br />
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Thanks for reading. If you stuck around to the very end, you are AMAZING!!<br />
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XOXO!!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6494009347620356728.post-53561079554074451972018-07-06T16:06:00.000-05:002018-07-06T16:06:26.514-05:00Business Trips Aren't All Bad<div style="text-align: justify;">
I know, four months is a long time to go without an update. I'm so sorry. I really have missed updating my blog and hopefully this is a start of somewhat regular updates. So, the last four months have been insane. Mainly because my job keeps me crazy busy and at the end of the day, the last thing I want to do after being on a computer ALL DAY is get on my computer at home. I know, it's just laziness, that's not even a good excuse really. But I've also been traveling some (so my first few posts will be updates for Rachel's Travels). </div>
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<b><i>Before I get started:</i></b> So, for people who only follow my blog, I'm sure you are wondering how my leg is healing. It is healing SO MUCH BETTER than I ever imagined. (For those who are maybe checking out my blog for the first time, <b><a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/2018/03/update-on-me.html" target="_blank">click here for the backstory</a></b> on my accident.) I honestly didn't think it would ever look this good. I'm very pleased. Yes, I will post an updated photo, but I'll do that at the end of the post so people aren't shocked with a photo of my naked leg as soon as they click on the link. :) </div>
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So, where to begin? Well, I guess I'll start with the business trips I took back in March (yes MARCH). I will spare you the boring details of the business part of the trips and focus on the little sightseeing I was able to squeeze in.</div>
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My first business trip was to <b>Charlotte, NC.</b> We were there during March Madness and just happened to be staying in the same hotel as the Virginia basketball team. For those of you not interested in college basketball, Virginia was the number one seed that lost in the first round to number 16 seed University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Let's just say the hotel was not a happy place to be the night they lost- there were a lot of disappointed fans and players. </div>
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This wasn't my first trip to North Carolina, so I couldn't cross it off of my states to visit list. The conference I attended kept me very busy but I managed to free up a few hours one morning so I could visit <b><a href="https://billygrahamlibrary.org/" target="_blank">The Billy Graham Library</a></b>. I have to say, this is a must see if you are in Charlotte. I admired Dr. Graham and was fortunate enough to hear him speak in person while I was in high school. The visit was very moving for me (I will not confirm or deny that I cried during my visit). </div>
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The library and surrounding area was just beautiful. Everything was so green and all the plants were blooming (this probably explains the horrible allergy attack I had while I was there, by the time I left NC I couldn't smell or taste anything because my allergies were so bad). But besides that, it was a beautiful place to visit!</div>
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Dr. Graham passed away earlier this year- both he and his wife are buried on the library grounds. Well done, good and faithful servant.</div>
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The tour of the library is for the most part self-guided. It starts with two films, but after that, you can walk around at your own pace. I got through in about 90 minutes (but I was pressed for time so I would probably go back when I didn't feel rushed). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This bag and book are given out free to each guest of the library</i></td></tr>
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The next week I was on another business trip to <b>Sandy, UT</b>. Again, I've already been to Utah so it wasn't a new state to visit. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This was me getting ready to leave on week two of my business trip. I don't know how people can travel all the time for work. I just travel once a year and it exhausted me. Lol.</i></td></tr>
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Again, the conference I attended kept me crazy business so we didn't have a lot of time for sightseeing. I did take LOTS of photos of the mountains though. I will spare y'all and only share two of them. Lol.</div>
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When we tried checking in to the hotel, there was a mix up and some of our rooms weren't ready (my company graciously gives everyone their own room when we travel). While we were trying to get everything straightened out, one of my coworkers nudged me, and subtly motioned to look behind her. Karl Malone was standing behind us. For non-professional basketball fans, Karl Malone was a phenomenal player for the Utah Jazz. We played it cool and didn't say anything in the lobby. We decided to go shopping while we waited on our rooms to be ready, and while we were in the parking lot my coworker kept saying that she wished she had talked to him. At that moment, he walked out of the hotel towards his truck. She couldn't resist and ran over to him (I followed, of course). He was super nice and talked to us for a while. And of course, we got a photo with him.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Mailman (that was his nickname)</i></td></tr>
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On our last night in Utah, we made the hour drive through the mountains over to <b>Park City</b>. I wish we had more time for sightseeing there, but we enjoyed the few hours we had. I will definitely go back when I have more time to explore. There are so many cute shops. Park City is where the Sundance Film Festival is held every year. It started snowing as we were driving in. I was with a few coworkers who had never seen snow in person before (minus the snow flurries that we sometimes get in Dallas). My friends back home in Dallas were posting on social media about how it had been 90 degrees that day back home. So of course, I had to post a photo of me in much cooler temperatures. Lol.</div>
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Okay, that's a little update. There is a lot more to come soon. I took an EPIC trip with my friend Lisa in April. That might have to be broken up into several posts. That trip involved six ballparks, two presidential libraries, two states I had never visited, and some national parks- all in seven days. </div>
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Oh, for those who wanted an update on my leg, new photo below. It's not as gross as the ones I posted last time. I promise. But as always, I will give you the option to not look. So, this is your out. If you are curious and want to see the photo, keep scrolling......</div>
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Seriously, it's a very pale leg. I'm just warning you......</div>
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Turn around......</div>
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Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round...</div>
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Props if you caught the song reference there. </div>
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Okay, here it is. Now, when I take a shower or bath (yes, I'm able to take baths again, it's so wonderful), the area gets super pink, but it fades. It is still bruised looking in some areas.</div>
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Most of my friends say you can't tell unless you know to look for it. The skin feels a little bit different than the rest of my skin, but hey- the skin grew back, isn't that awesome??</div>
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XOXO!!</div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512363858602116279noreply@blogger.com0