I woke up super early to help her get ready since she and my parents had to leave earlier. Then I rushed to get ready, and brother bear and I left a little later. The ceremony was good. Long, but good. We had good seats, too. I took videos of it all, and after I edit it, I’ll put it up on my channel. Brother bear was the photographer :) After the ceremony, we went to a Mediterranean banquet style lunch for sister’s graduating class. The food was DELICIOUS. And it’s a good thing we all ate well because it took us two hours to get home. We should get an award for braving LA traffic on a Friday afternoon… We went on six different freeways, basically zig-zagging it all the way home.

I’m so proud of my seestar and I’m so excited to be back at another commencement for her in another four years.

Now I am exhausted. And the photos are not edited. And the video is not done. So. Yeah.

HAPPY WEEKEND, YA’LL! 

xoxo

Breakfast came together beautifully! We also had mango and orange mimosas. Can’t have a brunch without mimosas!

 Our brunch was the perfect balance of healthy and indulgent!

My Little Punkin and I!

 The mom’s opening their gifts…

 They were excited! Joanne and I visited Barb, our step-mom the next day, and she got her homemade gifts as well. We are blessed to have 3 wonderful Moms in our life!

On another note, my father-in-law made this beautiful entertainment center for our living room. We have a huge wall in our living room, so he took the measurements and designed this amazing piece of furniture. He is an amazing carpenter and far surpassed our expectations! We are super excited. All we need are some nobs and glass for the doors. Then I will need to figure out how to decorate it!

]]> http://yourfamilyrealestateagent.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/happy-friday-considering-a-vacation-property-this-article-is-for-you/ Fri, 17 May 2013 20:30:15 +0000 yourfamilyrealestateagent http://yourfamilyrealestateagent.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/happy-friday-considering-a-vacation-property-this-article-is-for-you/ Thinking of investing in a vacation home?  You aren’t alone.  The below article, copied from  Zoe Eisenberg is a very interesting read on what the trends are as they relate to vacation homes!

~If you like what you read, and it gets you thinking, check out the listing I have in beautiful SWFL!!

Riva Del Lago Dining Space

More Pictures of your dream vacation home

As the market continues to shift, one industry trend seems to be making continuous waves: vacation homes.

With low prices and mortgage rates still available in most parts of the country, affluent buyers — or those who have always dreamed of a cabin on a lake — are making their move and purchasing second homes in exotic locations to be used as vacation getaways.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, sales of investment and vacation homes jumped last year, with the combined market share rising to the highest level since 2005.

NAR’s 2012 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, covering existing- and new-home transactions, showed vacation home sales rose 7 percent to 502,000.

It’s easy to understand why the vacation home market would be on the rebound; not only is the overall real estate atmosphere brightening, but U.S. travel expenditures are picking up, too.  In 2011, we saw an 8.8 percent rise in travel expenditures, and according to the October 2012 Traveler Sentiment Index„¢, traveler sentiment neared pre-recession levels, within 0.7 points of the October 2007 pre-recession high of 91.1.

People are getting away again, and as the economy stabilizes, many are looking for a standing vacation spot.  But what does this rebounding market look like, and what does it mean for you as a real estate professional?  Let’s take a look at the numbers, according to the 2012 NAR survey:

42 percent of vacation-home buyers paid in cash, and 39 percent purchased distressed properties.

Vacation-home sales accounted for 11 percent of all transactions, up from 10 percent the previous year.

The typical vacation home buyer was 50 years old, with a median household income of $88,600.

Purchased vacation homes were located a median of 305 miles from the buyer’s primary residence.  Thirty-five percent of vacation homes were within 100 miles, and 37 percent were more than 500 miles.

Typical buyers plan to own their recreational property for a median of 10 years.

“There are lots of investors buying rental properties and second homes right now,” says Goran Forss, a broker in Temecula, Calif., whose company has had a consistently strong base of investors over the past several years — approximately one-third of all buyers — and has copious amounts of vacation rentals.  In Forss’ market, a myriad of investors keeps the inventory scant.

Aside from a location that will allow them to enjoy their new home to the fullest, Forss notes that buyers are interested in maximizing their return on investment.

NAR’s survey showed that 91 percent of vacation home buyers planned to rent their new home out within the next 12 months for at least part of the season.

Of this 91 percent, 40 percent plan to rent the home between one and eight weeks of the year, possibly to make a little extra money during the time they won’t be using the property.  Thirty-two percent plan to rent their properties between nine and 26 weeks per year, and 27 percent plan to rent their homes between 27 and 52 weeks per year.

“Those vacation properties have become more and more popular for the savvy investor and stay booked year-round due to our moderate temperature and abundance of sunny days,” explains Forss.

U.S. vacation home seekers aren’t solely staying within the country, either.  The trend seems to be percolating worldwide.  Shannon P. Murree, a real estate professional in Barrie, Canada, says she has seen an increase in U.S buyers looking for additional properties in her market as confidence in the economy grows.

“People are looking at vacation homes for their own use, and renting them out weekly during the times they won’t be using them, as well,” says Murree, who notes that she has seen an increase in this trend as of late.

When working with buyers looking for a vacation home, it’s important to understand that lending is different for non-primary properties.  Get to know this financial arena so that you can help your clients as efficiently as possible.  Lenders are stricter with vacation home mortgages than those for traditional homes, so your buyers must have immaculate credit — often 720 or greater — and be up-to-date with their primary mortgage.

Additionally, many lenders have been giving out “jumbo” mortgages for vacation and investment properties.  Unfortunately, new mortgage guidelines put out by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will go into effect in 2014 and may put an end to these popular loans.

If you’re interested in working with vacation buyers, you should start by getting to know the niche market.

According to Forss, the best way to do this could be to consider investing yourself.  ”The most successful agents working with investors are investors themselves,” says Forss, who owns nine rentals along with his wife and business partner, Lisa.  ”It’s very easy then to connect with the investors, as we know all the insights and best practices of handling investment properties.”

Perhaps it’s time for you to develop this niche and, following Forss’ advice, build your own portfolio for the future.

By: Zoe Eisenberg, www.rismedia.com

As usual they couldn’t decide, ‘big one’ wanted to go on a family bike ride whilst ‘middle one’ wanted to go to Gullivers (little one wasn’t bothered!) Oh no, not Gullivers, Arsene & I cry!! Every time we’ve been to Gullivers we’ve not been impressed for various reasons so do we really want to spend our bank holiday doing this??!!

Ok, so to keep both of them happy we decide to go to Gullivers but to cycle there, which means ‘middle one’ who hasn’t been cycling for very long, hasn’t been down a hill & doesn’t believe in using his brakes, has to cycle there – it’s going to be interesting & eventful…

We eventually get to Gullivers in one peice, a journey that thats 5 minutes in the car took us 1 hour but we managed it, no falling off from ‘middle one’ and we had to navigate through the marathon runners!

Well it was a great idea from the kids to come here and we had a brilliant time. After a pit stop for an ice cream we hit the rides, from the flying carpet to the lazy river, the pirate ship to the log flume we did it all and we ALL did it, even ‘little one’. I’m a bit of a baby when it comes to rides so I was screaming more and louder than the kids who were just laughing at me. Here’s some pictures of our fun at Gullivers and yes we’ll be back…..

It is a fair question when you consider how much time we spend working, exercising and even just watching television.  Maybe deep down we are uncertain if our prayers will be answered or whether God is even listening.

My oldest son is four and he craves my attention.  He is always asking me “Daddy will you play…help me with a puppet show…take me outside..build a robot?  Please, daddy!”  Sometimes I jump right in and grant the request.  Other times I can’t, like this morning when I was on my way to the office.

Sometimes, when I am unable to play, he will ask again as if he didn’t hear my answer.  He thinks by being persistent, I will briefly change my schedule.  And sometimes, his persistent faith works.  Why?  He brings such joy to my life.  My son, after all, is my son.  I love him, love bending my ear to his requests, and enjoy pouring out as much generosity into his life as I can muster.

Jesus said He came to reveal God.  He talked about God.  He taught on prayer and told stories about prayer in hopes we would become like my 4-year old son.  My son asks and asks again.  He believes in his dad, and by now knows his dad will hear and bend his way.  God hears us and desires for us to pray, to ask, and to abide in relationship with Him through prayer.

Do we really believe this about God?  Do we believe he cares about each of our lives enough to listen to every prayer?  How often would we pray if we dared to take Jesus’ teachings seriously on prayer?

Sean Mitchell
Director of Stewardship Development

I hope everyone had a great week and is now ready for the weekend. If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, then you should check this out…

If you’re into ceramics and pottery then go check out the MudFire Gallery: Print on Clay exhibit in Decatur.

At MudFire, they’re exhibiting a group of artists that use image transfer techniques as decoration on pottery. Decals, silk screens, monoprints, custom stamps & photo transfers are just some of the methods being used in this special exhibition. Combining modern technology with age-old pottery traditions, this collection features over a dozen artists, including: Charlie Cummings, Paul Andrew Wandless, Keith Phillips, Kristen Kieffer, Justin Rothshank, and more.

And if you’re looking for unique pieces to own they have some of these incredible works on sale. It’s always great look to have original artwork.

Listed MudFire Gallery hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 8:00 pm. They are also available by appointment so call them at  404-377-8033. And MudFire staff members are also available to give gallery tours during Open Studio Hours – just show up at the Studio door.

Have fun this weekend!!!

Just one of ‘fatboyfavs’

You see, my half marathon is coming up this Sunday (as in three days from now) and I haven’t been following my training plan like a good obsessive planner would do.  It’s my second half marathon so it’s not like I haven’t run 13.1 miles before.  I’m sure I can do it even if  I’ve missed several mid-week runs, skipped a dozen or so cross-training workouts and missed just one long slow distance run.  Sure, it was the longest run of the training program that I missed but whatever…it was just 11 miles.  Besides, it’s not like I sat around on my butt that weekend and did nothing at all.  I did something just as challenging and strenuous as an 11 mile run.  I had a family dance off, yo!

A couple of weekends ago my youngest sister, Amy, graduated WITH HONORS from college.  Impressive, I know.  I flew to California and met up with my younger sister, Andrea, my mom, my step dad and my niece, Angela.  Since we live in different states, it’s a pretty special occasion when we are all under the same roof.  Throw in a college graduation and a good time is guaranteed!  Spending time with my family always brings me great joy and this trip did not disappoint!

On Saturday night, after all of the graduation festivities, Angela and Amy suggested we play a fun game called, “Just Dance 4.”  What?  You’ve heard of it before?  Well, apparently everyone in the universe has heard of it except for me.  It’s a Wii game and you follow the dance moves of the pretend dancer on the screen.  The better you follow the moves (using the remote thingy) the more points you get.  I’m not a dancer.  I have no rhythm, no groove, no grace, no nothing.  But when challenged to a dance off by my little sister and niece, I said, “Bring it on, you little whippersnappers.”  And so the evening began.  A snap shot of the night:

Amy is on the left, she’s the one actually dancing.  I’m on the right, trying to not pee my pants from laughing so hard.  That was my second dance outfit of the evening.  Lesson:  Don’t ‘Just Dance’ after drinking a ton of water all day….jumping up and down does not mix well with hard-core laughter.

I pulled myself together, put on my game face and danced to this fun song, “Call me Maybe.”  I lost but was given bonus points for best facial expressions.  Yay me.

$h!t got real when the song, “Moves Like Jagger” came on.  A little dance off with Andrea was underway…I wanted to win SO bad.  I didn’t.

So you see…sometimes when you ditch the plan, there is a WAAAY better plan out there.  For me, it was dancing like a dork with my family all night long.  Did I deviate from my training plan and miss my 11 mile run?  Yep.   Did it really matter in the grand scheme of things?  Nope.  Was I sorry that my family made me laugh so hard  I peed my pants?  Not really.  Am I going to buy my own Just Dance game so I can secretly practice my moves for the next reunion/Dance Off?  Hell yeah!

As for my half marathon that’s coming up in three days…I’m feeling fine physically and great mentally/emotionally.  My head’s in a good place, I feel like I’m going to kill it.  I’ve completed a 10 mile run during my training so what’s a few more miles?  Honestly, I think spending time dancing with my family was more beneficial to my race preparation than running my scheduled 11 miles all alone.

To Sunday’s Half Marathon:  Ready or not, here I come!

Does emotional/mental preparation play a role in your training?  Do you freak if you deviate from your training plan?

I love that song by Marc Cohn. And as I make my way across America I’m thinking of different songs that I know and how they are related to certain areas. I’ve always loved this song. And if you’ve never heard it before you should really listen to it. Here is a link to it on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK5YGWS5H84

We arrived here last night about 6:30 after an uneventful day of driving. And having an uneventful day of driving in an RV while towing a car behind you is a blessing. We set up camp, got cleaned up a bit and went out for dinner to a well-known BBQ joint called Charles Vergo’s Rendevous for some charcoal ribs. All I can say is YUM!! Of course it was served with non-Paleo sides of baked beans and coleslaw, which I had to at least try (and maybe eat a few spoonful’s of).  This is a very famous rib joint and has been featured on such shows as Man vs. Food so you know it had to be good, plus it was featured in a book I have called 500 Things To Eat Before It’s Too Late. There is another supposedly good place to eat ribs here in Memphis called Cozy Corner, also featured in my book, so perhaps lunch today or even dinner may be a visit to this place, we’ll see. When I travel I love to try regional specialties. And I love ribs so why not eat ribs where they are famous, right?

After breakfast this morning we are off to Graceland to visit the home of Elvis Presley.  We visited here about 10 years ago and I honestly don’t remember it all too well. But my in-laws have never been so it will be a first for them. I’m looking forward to it myself. Funny thing is that when we were here 10 years ago it was raining and this morning it is raining again. It’s supposed to clear up by mid-morning though.

Here are some pictures from the last couple of days.

1. Salem, Masachussetts:  They turn it spooky every year around Halloween.  Experience Salem’s dark history and take a walk back in time on the candle lit Witch Trial Trail.  Participate in the histroric Hawthrone Hotel for its Annual Halloween Costume Ball and check out the Festival of the Dead.
2. Transylvania and Bran, Romania:  You can visit Bran Castle, where  Dracula is said to have lived. As well as areas like Poenari Castle and Hunyad Castle that were associated with Vlad the Implaer in the 15th century.
3. New Orleans,Louisiana:  With a history of Voodoo worship, and the above ground cemeteries it is spooky indeed.  You can take a Spirit Tour traveling through the cemeteries and a haunted neighborhood.  There are also voodoo shops that are still in use today.
4. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada:  One of the most actively haunted places in Canada, The Bytown Museum has reported 6 ghosts known to live there.  The Doll Exhibit is known to have some spooky activity as well.
5. Orlando, Florida:  Every year in Universal Studios after hours they turn it into Halloween Horror Nights.  There are haunted houses, entertainment, and  shows. At Walt Disney World the Magic Kingdom they also host Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party.  Check out Fright Fest at Six Flags as well.
6. London, England:  Experience the bloody history of the London Dungeon.  This museum includes scary tours from Bloody Mary, Jack the Ripper, and Sweeney Todd.  Other fun activities include Highgate Cemetery, the Tower of London, and William Shakeaspere ‘s Globe Theater.
7. Long beach, California:  The Queen Mary transforms the ship into the Ship of Terror with mazes and terrifying surprises.  other activities include live music at Purgatory Park and dancing at the Dome of Doom.
8. New York, New York:  Stop by the Nightmare Haunted House for a frightening experience or dressed in costume go to New York’s Village Halloween parade.
9. Rachel, Nevada:  Check out Area 51. The closest observation point is at Tikaboo Peak, about 26 miles from the base. Located 27 miles to the North of Area 51 is the town of Rachel, tucked in the Sand Springs Valley, Nevada.
10. Oaxaca, Mexico:  Dia de los Muertos is a tradition that fused celebrations.  The city is decorated in skeletons and they host a  huge cemetery parade .

They also have tons of haunted places all over the world that can easily be found online to which you can travel to if you want to be spookified.

www.kowasadventure.com

kowasadv@iafrica.com.na

Tel:  (940) 440-8998

Best time for your safari:

At Kowas, our team are driven by a passion to enable you to experience Africa, Namibia, the natural way in all its complexity.

To inform. To inspire. To share.  To create.

All for the sake of creating memories to cherish… forever.  Make the right choice!

You have dreamed since childhood about a safari to Africa.  You have been planning (not to mention save money for years) to visit Namibia as a safari destination.  People talk about the best-kept hunting secret on the African continent.  You read about the land of contrasts, the wide-open spaces, the abundance of free roaming wildlife and the never-ending hunting opportunities in Namibia.

Choices – BEST TIME FOR YOUR SAFARI

NOW is the best time…

You were confused about all the choices needed to be made:  outfitter, packages, services rendered, route to Namibia, travel agent, meet and greet service, photographic safari, non-hunting activities, rifle, ammo, passport, currency – the list is never ending….  You have drawn comparisons and have contacted references…  At last, you took your final decision, the final preparation starts before you are finally on your way to live your dream… But WHAT IS THE BEST TIME FOR YOUR SAFARI?

When choosing Kowas Hunting Safaris for your African safari to Namibia, always bear in mind that the quality of trophies are not being influenced by the TIME OF THE YEAR (season) that you conduct your safari.  The Kowas hunting territory always have abundance of wildlife and good quality trophies.  The Kowas team have excellent PH’s guiding you to outsmart the “big ones”, always prepared to go that extra mile to get to the good quality trophies, no matter the time of the year.

Rather than seeking advice on “which time is the best time for your safari” rather ask yourself:  “What type of weather / temperature do I prefer when hunting.”  The answer would determines the “best time” for YOU to conduct your safari.

Climate in Namibia

Namibia’s climate is the driest in Africa with generally sunny, warm days and cooler nights throughout the year. During the winter months, June to August, occasionally temperatures can drop below freezing at night. The seasons are opposite since Namibia is below the equator in the southern hemisphere. No matter what the season, you should expect lots of sun as Namibia receives on average about 300 days of sunshine a year.

Kowas Hunting Safaris is situated in the Central Highlands, bordering the Kalahari.  The central plateau region, has a semi-desert climate, with low humidity and extremes in temperature between day and night, somewhere between a 30 degree F to 40 degree F in variation.

The most popular time to travel to Namibia is between March and October, in particular May to August, when rainfall is almost nonexistent and temperatures are mild. Rainfall can occur during the months of November through March and generally will average about 14 in (35 cm) in the central region and 1 to 6 in (2.5 to 15 cm) in the south. The rains can fail and droughts occur roughly every ten years or so. Some areas of the Namib Desert have gone nearly a century without a drop of rain.

Conversely, the fertile northern region of Namibia, including the Caprivi Strip is always much warmer with high humidity, having a climate more similar to that of southern Zambia with rainfall of more than 28 in (70 cm).

We suggest you log into www.yr.no to check the weather in Namibia.  Kowas, Windhoek district, Dordabis area, is situated in the Khomas region, Namibia, Africa.

Below is an indication of the temperature of the various Namibian season:

SUMMER:                  December / January / February

FALL:                         March / April / May

WINTER:                    June / July / August

SPRING:                    September / October / November

Namibia Hunting Season & When Hunting is Allowed
Trophy hunting season:  1^st February – 30 November
There is no regulation controlling the number of days of hunting safaris.

If you know where you want to go, you can map out how to get to Kowas.  You can make plans, create a strategy, work methodically toward reaching your goals, and finally arrive at you desired destination – Kowas Hunting Safaris!

We trust that you will gather memories to cherish forever while the employees of Kowas Adventure Safaris take very good care of every aspect of your safari…

You will arrive as a stranger, but leave as a friend…

Kowas Hunting Safari:  Ethical hunting is our pride and passion…

To truly be happy I don’t need much. (or shouldn’t anyway, but that is a whole other post). After faith and family I found everything to bring joy on a sign at the King Williams Art & Craft Fair during Fiesta in San Antonio. The true necessities of a full and happy life. Keep it simple.

• Do you get more excited about work than about family?
• Do you take work with you to bed? On weekends? On vacation?
• Is work the activity you like to do best and talk about most?
• Have your family or friends given up expecting you on time?
• Have your long hours hurt your family or other relationships?
• Do you think about your work while driving, falling asleep or when others are talking?

Put your family first!

I cherished this family time together especially with Ryan so busy with work.  I loved enjoying some yummy frozen yogurt with my boys.

Brycen loved the environment, the colors, the flavors and the mess!

He was even Double Spooning it!

We went to Frozone on Lititz pike (501) http://gofrozone.com/

Share some sweetness with your babies and your loves.

‘As a mother, I cannot imagine what it must be like for parents who cannot afford the most basic necessities for their babies.

‘No child, regardless of his/her family’s socio-economic status, should ever be without diapers, food, clothing or hygiene items. Our goal is to help alleviate some of the burden on these families by providing them with these essentials.’

The organisation Baby2Baby supplies families in need with essential baby gear and clothing for their children up to age 12. By distributing new and gently used items to over 50 non-profit organizations, Baby2Baby reaches over 50,000 children per year.

If you check out the website you will also find an exclusive necklace designed by Nicole Ritchie and her fashion brand House of Harlow. http://www.houseofharlow1960.com

Last week, you and Mommy embarked on a big adventure – your first trip to California!

It also marked the first time you and Mommy flew on a plane alone, just the two of us. It was your third plane ride, but Daddy had been with us every time. Therefore, Mommy was a busy, frazzled bee making plans and packing a thousand things to try to keep you entertained while muttering prayers for long naps and cheerful grandparents to sit next to us!

We actually lucked out big time both flights. Even though both of our flights were technically ‘full’, the seat next to us stayed empty. This truly made alllll the difference. You could sit there if you wanted to, I could put your snacks and toys and food on that seat if need be – it was great.

You had great fun reading your new big book.

And you doodled on a crossword puzzle for a long time.

I did a lot of research on best tips for flying with a toddler and here are the ones that proved true: 1.) Bring more snacks than you think you’ll need. If you think you have enough, pack more.

2.) Same goes for food. I usually make most of N’s food at home, but I bought a bunch of organic food pouches because I knew they’d be nutritious and mostly no mess. They were awesome and N ate way more of them than I thought she would.

3.) Buy new, cheap toys. I bought three new toys/books per flight. I purposefully bought them from either the Target dollar aisle or at the dollar store. New to her, but cheap enough that if they got lost I wouldn’t care. And the simpler the better folks – N was entertained by a little slinky that cost $1 for over 30 minutes.

We landed in CA and immediately began soaking up time with Ama and Papa. They were so happy to see you!

You loved hanging out with the “woof” Rusty and all the “meows” who were too skittish for pictures. =)

You also experienced the glory that is In N Out for the first time. =)

You loved doing coloring and crafts with Ama.

And you fell in love with Ama’s Raggedy Ann doll, carrying it with you everywhere and cuddling it during your naps. =)

Then we got all dressed up and went to Auntie J’s bridal shower!

What a splendid time it was, a fantastically planned party. You very quickly fell in love with Auntie J, especially when she shared her phone with you. =)

You even got to sit with Auntie J in her seat of honor. =)

All the decorations and set-up were beautiful. It was an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Tea Party theme.

I have to give a huge shout-out to my Auntie D who moonlights as a cupcake maker. She could seriously be on Cupcake Wars. Her work is so amazing! I was blown away by what she brought for the shower.

For instance, she made cupcake wrappers for one of the cupcakes that had a queen of hearts card motif, but she superimposed J’s face on it.

I mean, really? How creative!

On the other cupcakes, she crafted these incredibly tiny, incredibly intricate and detailed fondant teacups to go on top of the cupcakes.

Her presentation is breath-taking. And the cupcakes taste pretty darn good too!

We played a lot of fun games inside, and then the games moved outside. You were raring to explore, so Mommy skipped out on the outdoor games and walked around the pool with you over and over and over and over. You thought it was so fascinating! You kept pointing to it, saying “Baff?” “Baff”? =)

It was a lovely, lovely party, and it was so wonderful to see Auntie J. Mommy can’t wait for when you grow a little bigger and truly realize what an amazing person she is. =)

The next day we celebrated Mother’s Day. We three ladies were feeling a bit punky with head colds, so we mostly laid low. But Mommy snapped this picture with you.

I sure do have a beautiful daughter. =)

The next day, we hopped back on a plane to fly back home to Daddy. This flight went really well too. You slept for an hour! =D

You didn’t really play with your toys this time. You just ate your food, snacked on your snacks, and when you started getting grumpy, Mommy just propped you over her shoulder so you could talk and wave and smile to the people behind us. You loved doing that! =)

All in all, it was a great trip. We’ll be heading back for the wedding in about 7 weeks. Thanks for being my best little traveling buddy, sweet girl! =)

]]> http://158mainjpd.com/2013/05/15/table-talk-26/ Wed, 15 May 2013 22:51:10 +0000 158 Main & JPD http://158mainjpd.com/2013/05/15/table-talk-26/

Table Talk #26 – You accept a challenge. It’s easy enough. Maybe. For the next 6 months, you are only allowed to watch one television show. You can watch it whenever it’s on, but that’s the only show you can watch. No news, no movies, just that one show. What show do you watch? Why that one? What activities could fill your time while you are not watching television?

Got an idea for a Table Talk topic? Let us know!

Think and discuss over breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or a pizza.

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Find more Table Talk in the sidebar

The street was lined with vendor tents and colorful merchandise, aromas of tasty treats like hot dogs and kettle corn. There were many community and local organizations promoting their businesses and religious or political interests, and upcoming events. We received many coupons and freebies to try out new things like gymnastics classes for our daughter, a pediatric dentist, beauty salons, etc. Madeline was quite excited to receive two balloons from a pre-school and after school program in town. I, of course was on the hunt for something tasty, I settled on one of my most favorite treats – kettle corn and I also  had a sweet and tangy ‘homemade’ lemonade. I loved the sign shop that was selling handmade wooden signs and metal vintage signs, we purchased a “Ventura” sign for our daughter’s beach-themed bathroom, I also bought a (probably overpriced) soy candle that smelled amazing. Despite the heat we had a great time walking around, seeing all the vendors, running into people we knew, and sampling some treats. Here are some pictures from our family outing.

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We went out for a little family walk at the beginning of the month and happened to be at the port at the exact moment that the Calanques Classique race was starting. For being a little town I do quite admire that they try to stay active around here.

Love and light,

Danielle