My Trip

Whew! It's been a rough week. When I got back from Denver, I brought the flu home with me. Then I threw my back out again and am just now feeling back to normal. I think a lot of it was the stress of travel and the whole "son home from deployment" thing. My sister, Janice, and I flew out a few days ahead of time and got the house ready, did some shopping, ate out, looked at houses and basically had a great time.

I'm sorry this picture isn't better. If you are meeting deployed military personnel at the airport you can get a gate pass to meet them right when they get off the plane. It was so very exciting and emotional! Denver International Airport is only about 20 minutes away from my son's house. It is a huge airport, and after a couple trips there, I have it down pat as to where to park and where to go inside.

This is a great retro-type diner in Aurora. Classic 50's with great food!

Janice and I were able to look around at houses. She and her husband are not sure where to retire to so we took the opportunity to see what the area had to offer. How would you like that view every day?

This is a picture of Southlands Shopping Center in Aurora. It's new but made to look like middle-America main street. It has wonderful shops and restaurants. Janice said if she lived near there she would go there every day just to power walk around (and maybe visit the candy shop)!

Another view looking towards the Rocky Mountains. This is just a couple minutes away from my son's house. Beautiful!

We even had snow a couple days. Of course, it was melted and gone by 11:00 a.m. every day but at least Janice was able to see it.

After Janice went home I did some shopping on my own. I was really sad to see this quilt shop closing. The owners are retiring and I wish them well. Luckily there were other shops in the area that I was able to visit.

This was my splurge for the trip. I bought an I-Touch and hubs loaded The Pioneer Woman's book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels on it for me to listen to. I do not absolutely know what I would have done without it!

We had beautiful scenery the entire way.

Enlarge this picture: See the little dots towards the left. I was looking at a map and when I glanced up there were three huge, magnificent moose! I couldn't get my camera up and on before we were past them. Drat!

Once we pulled into Reno, the problems started. California had a horrible snow storm just as we were arriving. After a couple attempts to continue on, and getting part way to Truckee, we were sent back to Reno. An avalanche had covered the track and the snow blower equipment and we couldn't go on. So Amtrak put us up at the Silver Legacy Hotel for the night. Course, by the time we checked in it was 3:30 a.m.. At 2:00 p.m. we boarded buses for the trip home. I don't think I have ever been so tired! I ate big breakfast because I had a feeling it might be my only meal for the day. I was right. I also had two candy bars and a bottle of water. If a train can't get through,why they thought a bus could is beyond me!

Snow, snow, snow!!!!

I sat right behind the driver so I had a bird's eye view of - snow!

Little bit scary here! What should have been a four hour trip, turned out to be an 8 1/2 hour trip. At one time we were stopped for almost an hour due to an accident. Our driver was awesome and I never really felt afraid. Although the fact that we were going over Donner Summit (as the Donner Party) didn't escape my mind. Once we got into Sacramento, Amtrak sent us all home in taxi-cabs. So rather than getting home at 6:25 p.m. on Sunday, I got home at around 1:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. Like I said, my I-Touch was a God send.

Now you know why I was so tired when I got home!!!

HOME!

I'm home - I finally arrived home in the middle of the night on Tuesday morning. I brought a "special friend" home with me, the flu! (Yes, I had a flu shot!) When I'm feeling better I'll tell you all about my trip - meeting my son at the airport (YAY!), visiting Denver (YAY!) and my trip home (not so yay!)

Toodles.

Blog Break

*A quick hello from Denver! My son got home from deployment safe and sound!!!! HURRAY!!! I'm having a wonderful and restful visit and will tell you all about it when I get home. Thank you for all of your prayers for Aaron's safety.

I'll be taking a blog break for a couple of weeks. My sister and I are flying to Denver on Wednesday so we can meet my son at the airport when he gets home from deployment! To say I'm excited is an understatement. Janice will be coming home next week and I'll stay until the next weekend. Then I'll be taking the train home.

When I get home I'll tell you all about our adventure! In the meantime I'll be able to stop in and check on my bloggy friends via my son's computer.

In the meantime, please take a look at my previous post and consider doing something to help our troops.

Thank you from this military Mom!!!!

Just One Star- A Military Mom Asking A Quilt Favor

As you know, I love the military! My son has made a career out of serving our country in the Navy. I'll be greeting him at the airport on March 12th, flags waving and tears falling, as he comes home from deployment. My husband served in the Army, as did my dad, father-in-law, brother-in-law, nephew and uncle. I'm sure many of you have family member who serve or have served. Sadly, statistics show that only 1% of the country know anyone serving in the military at this time so information as to what you can do to help our troops doesn't always get directed to the American public.

We are of a generation that still remember how our country vilified our military personnel during the Viet Nam war. Somehow, the citizenry couldn't look past their own personal opinions to support the troops who were coming home, many of them wounded physically and mentally. It was, and is, still a national shame.

Thankfully, we have come to our senses and regardless of our beliefs, we know that these brave men and women need our support and encouragement.

I know that you may be aware of the Quilts for Valor organization. You make a quilt top and send it off to be quilted and then it is given to a service person who has been wounded. I also know that we as quilters are busy with our own quilt projects. Making an entire quilt top is not in the realm of possibility for most of us. Besides working on our own quilts, my little quilt group makes quilts to donate to cancer patients in need of a warm hug. The latest project calls for us each to make one block, which will be put together and saved for such a need.

Here is the favor. I just found out about an opportunity through Moda where we can help by making JUST ONE STAR - to make just one block!!!!! Their goal is to receive 1,800 blocks which they can turn into quilts and pass along to our troops. To me that is a do-able request! Click on the link to get the information. I learned about this just this morning over HERE so thank you Polly and Laurie for getting the word out. And thank you also to Lissa over at Moda United Notions for spearheading this endeavor!

Please consider doing this.


God bless you all and God Bless America!

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

You know what they say. Treat yourself like you want others to treat you. So I treated myself to flowers yesterday. In all actuality, I have cut flowers somewhere in the house most of the time.

Usually in the master bathroom.

Then in the hall bathroom.

Often times on the dining room table. Lucky for me we have a Trader Joe's near our house. They always have an amazing assortment of flowers and I was able to buy three bunches of tulips and one bunch of iris for less than $20. In the summer, I can also go to our local farmer's market and get flowers rather inexpensively.

If you are feeling a little down, go get yourself some flowers and see how much better they make you feel!