Second Colorado Ski Trip -- March 29-April 2, 2014

Now that you've read about my first Colorado ski trip, you can enjoy the second, which I just got back from.  Happy reading!

Saturday, March 29, 2014 -- Woke up at 5:00 a.m., got ready, packed up the remaining things, loaded up, and headed out at 5:45.  We slept for about two-and-a-half hours while my dad drove.  It was a beautiful day with sunshine, good temperatures, deep blue skies, and the fields just greening up for spring.  Around 9:45, we stopped for gas and breakfast at Taco John's (egg-potato-sausage breakfast burrito, mini potatoes, orange juice) in Topeka, Kansas.  It was a bit of a longer stop (service was slow), so we didn't get on the interstate until 10:40.  We made it to Burlington, Colorado, for gas and a bathroom break, then I started driving and we had lunch on the road (sandwich, cheese cracker, clementine, water).  We went on to Limon, then exited I-70 and headed south through wide, open, empty, beautiful land.  I drove over two passes (good weather, thankfully), which was great experience for me.  As we zipped on through the increasing dusk, I just loved everything -- the cattle (babies!), evergreen forests, snow, amazing views, and a spectacular sunset.  The west is not my birth home, but I have adopted it as a temporary home.  It is a lovely, desolate place and I love it fully.  Only God could have created such an amazing region.  We pulled into our Rodeway Inn in Gunnison, Colorado, at 7:30.  We unloaded, headed for supper at Mario's Pizza & Pasta (we shared the Mario's Famous Salad with ranch dressing and the Mario's Supreme Combo pizza), came back to our hotel, showered, got ready for bed, and went to sleep at 10:55.
Weather:  Temperatures between 35 degrees and 40 degrees, perfect sunshine, great weather all around!

Sunday, March 30, 2014 -- Woke up at 7:00 a.m., got ready, had breakfast (bagel with cream cheese, sausages, orange juice), geared up, and headed for Crested Butte Mountain Resort at 8:15.  We got our tickets and were skiing by 9:20.  We enjoyed the usual blues, blacks, and a couple double blacks.  One of the double blacks was Rachel's, which we rode a t-bar up to and skied down.  It was pretty steep, moguls-filled, and had bowl-like qualities.  Lunch was at the Butte 66 restaurant; I had the Salmon Sammy (grilled salmon topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, and a dijon mustard blend on foccacia bread), beer-battered fries, hot chocolate with whipped cream on top, and water.  After lunch, at 1:00 p.m., we attended an on-mountain church service.  For about 20 minutes, we joined 20 others or so and sang songs, prayed, and listened to Bible verses and some reflections/thoughts.  It's always a really nice thing to attend these services -- the views are gorgeous, the service is short and simple yet very thought-provoking, and it's fantastic to join other like-minded Christian skiers/snowboarders.  Besides the service and a great morning, we also enjoyed a "racecourse".  It's marked on the trail map as a family run, meaning all ages can enjoy it, regardless of skill level or comfort zone.  For me, it was a chance to point my Lines straight, tuck into the racing stance, and cruise through the turns and burst over the little jumps.  It was so much fun!  And for our final run, it had a really steep, fairly long hill for the last part.  My dad and I tucked and zoomed straight down, pushing 50 m.p.h.  I've never gone so fast in my life.  It was great!  Skiing, for me, is all about having fun and cutting loose.  That's exactly what I was doing.  I was in control at all times and it was a terrific way to end the day.  Before heading back, Matthew and I got hatpins while my mom got new ski boots.  On our way back, we stopped for supper at Garlic Mike's Italian restaurant (I had a tasty salad topped with pine nuts, chicken Parmesan, squash and zucchini, pasta with marinara sauce, and water), then headed to the hotel.  We all showered, got ready for bed, and were sleeping by 10:00 p.m.
Weather:  Cloudy, temperatures between 20 degrees and 35 degrees, some sun in the afternoon.  The snow had a "fresh then baked" quality -- crusty at times, but mostly everything was groomed and good.

Monday, March 31, 2014 -- Woke up at 7:00 a.m., got ready, had breakfast (bagel with cream cheese, blueberry muffin, cocoa, orange juice), and headed for Crested Butte at 8:10.  We got gas on the way and arrived, geared up, and were skiing by 9:20.  It was another great day on the mountain.  They got about three or four inches of snow overnight, so we had wonderful fresh powder.  Early on in the day, my dad, Matthew, and I rode up a t-bar to ski The Headwall, a double black.  I love getting to these kind of runs -- traverse out on little catwalks, go around rocks, realize you can't make a mistake.  It's a great challenge.  For the rest of the morning, we skied blues and blacks, then had lunch at Avalanche Bar & Grill (chicken salad croissant, fresh fruit, water).  After lunch, we did The Headwall again and cruised through the racecourse a few more times.  Our last run was at 4:00 p.m.  We headed back down the mountain, with a stop for gas and pictures at Cranor Hill Ski Area.  It's Gunnison's "community hill", with maybe 400 vertical feet, a poma, and two runs.  It closed March 7 but there was still a lot of snow.  It's such a cute little spot.  Finally, we got to the hotel for showers, then out to supper at Las Palmas (enchiladas, lettuce, sour cream, rice, beans, virgin strawberry margarita), back to the hotel, and asleep at 9:30.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 --  Today I woke up at 6:50, got ready, had breakfast (bagel with cream cheese, banana-nut muffin, orange juice, cocoa), loaded everything up, and checked out of our hotel around 8:00 a.m.  We headed for Monarch Mountain (Colorado), got our tickets, and were skiing by 9:15.  Monarch is another small ski area, with not as much vertical drop, fixed-grip doubles (there is one quad but they rarely run it), and a small base area.  It's a sweet little spot with charm and a relaxed setting.  Monarch is unique in that all their snow is natural, so we were treated to some fantastic white fluff.  We enjoyed skiing its runs and seeing what it had to offer.  We had lunch in the cafeteria (tomato bisque soup, cocoa), then headed back out for more skiing.  To get to some of Monarch's black runs, you had to sidestep or herringbone up a short yet very steep slope, mince around rocks, and zoom along on a little traverse before finding the desired trail.  It was such an adventure and so fun!  For our final run, we went on part of a blue run, a long and flat traverse, and then finally hiked up the last uphill part.  It was my first "hike-to" run, a black named Gunbarrel.  Monarch's first lift, a rope tow (from the 1930s), still had part of it at the top, so we took pictures of that and then cruised the run.  It was powdery, nicely steep, and moguls-filled.  It was a wonderful last run of the season.  When we got to the bottom, we got hatpins, went to the bathroom, loaded up, and headed for home around 4:00 p.m.  We drove through a really pretty canyon, with towering rock formations on both sides, the Arkansas River meandering its way through, and beauty everywhere.  We skirted south of Colorado Springs and hit Limon at 7:15.  We grabbed supper to go at Arby's in Limon (roast beef sandwich, potato cakes, lemonade) and headed east on I-70.  We arrived at a Quality Inn in Colby, Kansas, around 10:30 p.m.  After showers and getting ready, we were asleep at 11:20.
Weather:  Overcast in the morning, with snow coming later and getting heavier and heavier with frequent bouts of poor visibility and strong wind.  It cleared up after lunch a bit and snowed off and on throughout the rest of the day.  Sunshine tried to poke through a few times in the afternoon.  The temperature ranged between about 15 degrees and 20 degrees.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014 -- Woke up at 6:15, got ready, had breakfast (cereal, biscuit with blackberry jelly, strawberry yogurt, apple juice), loaded up, checked out, and headed for home at 7:15.  We drove non-stop to Kansas City, Kansas, where we got gas and went to the bathroom.  Back on the interstate, we had lunch (PB&J sandwich, cashews, clementine, water), then just watched the miles to St. Louis diminish.  We pulled into our driveway right at 3:30, unloaded, I got ready for ballet, went to ballet (4:45 to 6:15), came home, organized/unpacked, showered, had supper (whole wheat pasta with alfredo sauce, crescent rolls, pineapple-orange juice), got ready for bed, and went to sleep at 11:00 p.m.  This was another nice, if quick, trip to enjoy snow, skiing, sunshine, God's gorgeous creation, and being together.  This concludes our 2013-14 ski trip season.  Until next year...!
Weather:  It was 28 degrees in Colby in the morning, but warmed up to 50 degrees by the time we were home.  It was overcast and we had a strong headwind.  It started raining off and on as we got closer to St. Louis.  That's the midwest spring!

The Headwall at Crested Butte (March 31) -- we skied it

Beautiful views at Crested Butte (March 31)

Mt. Crested Butte (March 31) 

Cranor Hill Ski Area (March 31) -- it's so cute!

Monarch Mountain (April 1)

Monarch Mountain (April 1)

Gunbarrel at Monarch Mountain (April 1) -- we skied it!

A lovely drive going home -- the Arkansas River and lovely rock formations (April 1)

A gorgeous western sunset east of Colorado Springs (April 1)

~Anna~  

First Colorado Ski Trip -- January 11-15, 2014

Hey, everyone, I'm back with an overview of my first Colorado ski trip.  I went in January and again just a few days ago, so check back to see Colorado Ski Trip Part 2!  Anyway, this is Part 1...enjoy!

Saturday, January 11, 2014 -- I woke up at 4:40 a.m., got the final packing done, hopped in the car, and headed west (west is best!) at 5:30.  My dad was driving and the rest of us slept for a few hours.  We stopped at 9:00 a.m. for gas and a quick breakfast at McDonald's 30 miles from Topeka (sausage-egg biscuit, hash browns, orange juice), then back driving around 9:30.  At 1:30, we stopped near Oakley (Kansas), to fuel up.  I started driving then and we had lunch on the road (beef brisket-and-cheese sandwich, veggie chips, tangerine, water).  I drove all the way to Denver, arriving around 5:00.  We went to the Children's Hospital to see my mom's cousin's grandson (he was pretty sick but thankfully he's better now), then to REI for glove liners, goggles, and ski tune-up supplies, then finally to my dad's cousin's home in Broomfield (near Denver).  We got settled in, picked up my great-aunt (she lives just across a golf course from my dad's cousin's home), and had supper at the Rockbottom Brewery.  It was pretty busy but it was a Saturday night, so that's to be expected.  I had the bruschetta chicken, broccoli, and strawberry lemonade.  Tasty food!  We talked with my great-aunt for awhile, headed back to the house, showered, and were in bed by 10:50.
Weather:  When we left, it was about 34 degrees.  The temps went up and down but it was 60 degrees in Denver.  Winter, anyone?

Sunday, January 12, 2014 -- Woke up at 5:15, got ready, had breakfast (peach and blueberry oatmeal, apple juice), loaded the car, and headed for Dillon at 6:20.  My dad's cousins have a condo in Dillon and we arrived at it around 7:30, unloaded, and headed for Beaver Creek Ski Resort.  I-70 was kind of slushy, not terrible, but it certainly was blowing snow...making for a slow-er drive to the mountain.  We eventually got there around 8:45, geared up, and started skiing.  It snowed pretty much all day, which made for awesome, fresh, fluffy powder to float through ever so softly.  My fantastic Lines happily cruised through (with a little help) the fluff that often came to my knees.  We did the normal mix -- blues, blacks, a little glade skiing, all that.  The wind and snow would occasionally blow so hard, we could barely see or move, even going straight downhill!  We got to ski on the Women's Downhill Raptor Course, the downhill course for the 2015 World Cup Championships.  I loved skiing the same run that Julia Mancuso, Mikaela Shiffrin, and others may ski on!  It certainly wasn't as icy as it will be for them, but there were still some ice spots.  We tried to avoid them...we weren't particularly trying to become downhill champions.  All in all, it was a pretty steep run and I loved it.  Lunch had been packed, so we ate in a cafeteria (sausage-and-cheese sandwiches, chips, veggies, clementines, hot chocolate, water), then headed back out to have some more skiing time.  When we finished for the day, Matthew and I got hatpins (we always get hatpins at every new place we ski at...it's a tradition) and we headed for Dillon at 5:30.  We eventually arrived at 6:30 (it was kind of an adventure getting back), had supper in the condo (pulled-pork sandwiches, chips, cookies, water), unloaded/unpacked, cleaned up, and hit the covers at 10:00 p.m.  It was, overall, a really nice powder day at Beaver Creek.
Weather:  Temperatures ranged from approximately 10 degrees to 25 degrees, with snow, heavy wind gusts, and a tiny bit of sunshine (maybe 15 minutes) in the afternoon.  Weather in one word?  POWDER!

Monday, January 13, 2014 -- We were able to sleep in until 8:00 a.m. today.  After breakfast (blueberry bagel with honey nut cream cheese, peach oatmeal, milk), we geared up and headed for Copper Mountain, arriving at 10:15.  We started our day by riding a shuttle to the bottom of American Eagle, then having a blast, as usual.  It was so quiet; hardly anyone was there.  Again, we had fresh, fluffy powder to plow through on our various runs.  Lunch was at the bottom of the Super Bee Lift, a $5.99 special for various meal options.  I chose the cheese ravioli with garlic bread, topped off with cocoa.  Portions were generous and yummy.  After lunch, we headed up to Rendezvous Bowl -- super skiing with nice steep parts at the top, powder, and more powder.  We also rode Storm King (a t-bar) and a couple of doubles to find some more nice steeps.  I love feeling strong and confident enough to power through tougher terrain.  A combination of a special workout from SKI magazine, my wonderful Line skis, dedication, and pushing myself has paid off.  It really was a wonderful day.  We headed out at 4:30, had an uneventful trip to Dillon (thankfully), got gas and groceries, showered, had supper (a conglomeration of leftovers -- fried chicken, pulled pork, pasta, biscuits, pineapple-banana juice, dessert -- chocolate chip cookies and milk), and hopped in bed at 9:10.
Weather:  Temperatures ranged from 0 degrees to 20 degrees, with light snow all day, high wind gusts above treeline, and a tiny bit of sunshine in the afternoon.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 -- Woke up at 6:45, got ready, had breakfast (strawberry oatmeal, bagel with honey nut cream cheese, milk), loaded everything up, and headed for Loveland at 9:00 a.m.  Once we arrived, we got our tickets, geared up, and started skiing.  Loveland is an adorable ski area -- kind of like a big Sipapu.  It has a low-key vibe, barely any base area, not as much vertical drop, and fixed-grip (translation: slower) chairlifts.  It's still a nice place.  It's also the place where, many years ago, I tumbled head-over-heels for 400+ feet down a steep double-black.  The reasons?  Too short skis, too little experience, blizzard conditions, and so forth.  So I was, naturally, apprehensive and very ready to conquer this mountain.  Once is enough for it to conquer me.  Unfortunately, because of high wind and blowing snow, the quad chairlift to the top of the mountain was closed so I couldn't ski the very run I fell down, but we were still able to have some nice runs in...yes, powder again!  It was very windy and cold, so we went in for an early lunch at 11:20 (pepperoni pizza, cocoa) and warmed up.  After lunch, my dad, Matthew, and I enjoyed some double-blacks with super powder, chute-like qualities, and nice steepness.  We also skied (with my mom) a nicely-steep black that went down through some trees and had some little bumps (moguls).  It ended in a tunnel which we walked through.  It was my favorite run.  Right before 3:00, we headed out.  My dad and I skied all the way to the car because it had snowed enough to cover the parking lot substantially!  By 3:15, we were heading down out of the mountains and towards home.  As we drove along through the eastern Colorado plains, we saw a gorgeous sunset illuminating Pikes Peak.  My mom and I sang America the Beautiful and said good-bye to the mountains and beauty of Colorado.  We stopped in Burlington, Colorado for gas and supper at Reynaldo's (chicken enchiladas, rice, refried beans, lettuce, water), then on to Oakley, Kansas, to spend the night at a Sleep Inn.  After showering and getting ready for bed, we were asleep by 10:20.
Weather:  Temperatures between 0 degrees and 15 degrees, wind chill around -35 degrees at times, poor visibility, high wind gusts, snow.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014 -- We woke up at 6:15, got ready, had breakfast (cereal, strawberry yogurt, apple juice), loaded everything, and started driving around 7:20.  I enjoyed seeing the pre-sunrise before I slept for an hour-and-a-half -- red, pink, and orange seemed to set the horizon on fire.  I do love sunrises and sunsets, especially out west!  At 11:30, we stopped for gas at the rest area we ate breakfast at on the way out.  I started driving after that and we had lunch on the road (PB&J sandwich, veggie chips, tangerines, apple rings, apple-cinnamon sticks, cookies, water).  We drove non-stop and arrived at our home at 3:30.  We unloaded everything and I hurried to get ready for and go to ballet (4:45 to 6:15).  After that, I came back, organized, showered, had supper (fish balls, macaroni and cheese, applesauce, grape juice), got ready for bed, and was cozy and sleepy at 10:45.  Our first 2014 ski trip was excellent, with plenty of powder and great skiing!
Weather:  Temperatures from 25 degrees to 30 degrees and gorgeous sunshine all day.  Of course sun comes after we're done skiing!

Beaver Creek (January 12) -- snow nearly all day

Me, my dad, Matthew, and my mom at Beaver Creek (January 12)

There was a brief period of sunshine in the afternoon at Beaver Creek (January 12)!

Here I am at Copper Mountain (January 13)

Copper Mountain (January 13) -- more snow

My only picture from Loveland (January 14) -- it was really cold and snowy

~Anna~

Final Tour & Home (for a day)!

Wednesday, August 7, 2013 -- Today I woke up at 7:20, got ready and checked out, and headed across the road to have breakfast at the Colony Inn.  Our hotel did not offer breakfast, but it did give us free coupons for breakfast at the Colony Restaurant.  So I had toast with strawberry jelly, bacon, scrambled eggs, and water.  It was nice to have that for free.  We headed on to our 9 AM Kinze tour after that, where grain wagons and planters are built.  We watched a video about the company (started in 1965) and took a 45-minute walking tour of the factory.  We saw lots of welding (done by humans and robots), hundreds of parts, and the finished products!  Kinze has been growing a lot in the past year and so we saw their new factory (much bigger) and their old factory.  After the tour, we walked through their museum (new in February 2013), where you can read signs and displays, watch videos, see the Tractor of the Month (from Kinze's owner/founder's private collection), and play!  Even though I'm not a little kid (neither is my brother), he and I played with the toy farming equipment on the little table.  It's fun to plant and harvest.  And I even designed my own grain cart (it's pink) and passed the planter mastery course (with my godmother Val).  After the museum, we looked in the product department/sales room, where the newest products are available to look at (and purchase, if you have the money).  After all that, they have a small shop selling the regular hats, shirts, toys, gloves, and other assorted items.  Then we proceeded outside to look at the "grain wagon tower" (starting with a full-sized grain wagon and ending with their biggest toy model, a 1:16 scale), "planter clock" (it really works and it really is made out of planters), and "autonomy project".  This final thing is crazy!  Basically, it saves farmers time, but I'm still not sold on it at all.  The farmer is in his combine, harvesting, and his hopper is full.  Typically, he would have to go to wherever he parked his grain cart (possibly at the other end of the field), empty it out, and then start over.  This all takes quite a bit of time.  Now, through high-end technology and GPS and other fancy stuff, the farmer continues harvesting.  His hopper is full?  No problem!  His tractor comes over with the grain wagon (mind you, no driver inside this tractor) and drives alongside so the combine can empty the hopper out.  All the while, the farmer can stay right in his seat and keep on harvesting.  When the combine is through emptying, the tractor drives itself out of the way, parks itself, shuts itself off, and waits until the farmer signals it to come back.  The tractor is able to sense is somebody or something is in the way and will go around it.  Still, my thoughts are skeptical.  Although it would be a great time-saver, I don't like the idea of a 40,000-pound tractor hauling a heavy grain wagon driving and controlling itself.  No one is in that cab and if something goes wrong, who can stop the tractor from causing an accident?  You're putting a lot of trust in technology that could fail.  My final verdict?  I wouldn't stop anyone from buying one (good luck and have fun) but I wouldn't personally get one.  Either way, we saw the combine and tractor/grain wagon practicing out in a field, and it is pretty funny to see this huge tractor going all over by itself.  It looked like the combine and tractor were dancing.

After a nice morning at Kinze, we headed home.  We stopped in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, for lunch (Quizno's...California Chicken Club sandwich, Sun Chips, raspberry lemonade) and gas.  A half-hour later, we were driving again and by 3 PM, we were at Denny and Val's farm.  We dropped Denny off, and a half-hour later, we were heading for our home.  By 4:45, I was back in my own lovely house.  I organized everything from two trips (Silver Bay and this), packed for the third time in two weeks (this afternoon I'm heading to southwest Missouri for my cousin's wedding...I get 20 hours at home this time!), showered, had pizza for supper, and hit the covers at 11 PM.

This was a nice, quick trip.  I enjoyed seeing the John Deere and Kinze factories and seeing amazing innovative equipment coming together.  All tours were free (reservations required) and excellent.  My favorite was the John Deere Tractor Works, but I did enjoy the others, too.  This was fun and a great little getaway.  However, don't ever come back from New York, and 14 hours later, head for Illinois!  It's crazy, hectic, busy, and a mad dash to the end.  But I'm very glad we were able to do this and it was great to be with my godparents and my brother, very special people in my life.

This blog concludes my nearly two weeks of travels.  I'm planning on staying home and having a quieter life for awhile (except for the wedding...that will be fun, though!).  I'll let you know when my next adventure comes up, but until then, have a great time and God's blessings!  Thanks for reading!

~Anna~

John Deere Factory Tours & Amana Colonies!

Today I woke up at 6:45, got ready, had breakfast (a cinnamon roll, bacon, a mini-waffle, blueberry yogurt, hot chocolate), and headed to the John Deere Tractor Works.  This is the factory where John Deere tractors are assembled.  It was so cool to see it go from hundreds of parts to the finished, beautiful product.  The 8 AM tour started with a video and then proceeded through the factory for an hour-and-a-half.  I enjoyed the paint department (like yesterday!), especially since there were robot painters.  Those things are hilarious as they spray green and yellow (classic John Deere colors) all over the tractor.  And although we didn't see this in person, we did see it on the video...the tractors go through a series of difficult tests to make sure they can withstand harsh climates and conditions.  For example, they have a "cold test", where they are run in a forty-below-zero (-40!) room.  They also go through the bounce test (several times...testing the suspension and other things) and the brake test (a 32-degree hill where the brakes and emergency brake are checked and double-checked).  It all goes toward creating a safe tractor that can be used and enjoyed for many years to follow.  After the tour, we saw (and climbed in) some tractors from the 1910's to 1990's, toy tractor models made by a welder at that factory, photos, and the store (more great stuff).  Next, we drove around for awhile and admired the lovely corn and bean fields.  SO beautiful!!

We had lunch at Olive Garden -- salad, soup, breadsticks, and strawberry lemonade.  Also checked out Farm & Fleet (a huge store selling everything farm-related) to kill some time before our 1 PM tour at the John Deere Engine Works.  By the way, both of these tours took place in Waterloo, Iowa.  Anyway, we got to the John Deere Engine Works, watched a video, took an hour-and-a-half tour all over the factory (fascinating even for people who don't know much about engines), watched a few videos during the tour (they explained very technical things in an easy-to-understand way), checked out some engines and history/progression of John Deere engines, and went in the small store.

Next, we headed for the Amana Colonies.  We looked all over the general store; it is huge and has an entire room dedicated to Christmas!  We also drove around and looked at all the Amana Colonies...they are so pretty with old churches, buildings, and stores.  We had supper in Amana at the Ox Yoke Restaurant.  We had the family-style meal, so we all chose our own entree and then shared large sides.  I had the two-piece fried chicken plate and we shared sides of coleslaw, potatoes, corn, sauerkraut, cottage cheese, and homemade bread with homemade strawberry jelly.  We wanted some dessert after that, so we had pie.  I had the coconut cream pie, which was delicious with creamy filling.  It was so superb!  We left satisfied and happy but not overfull.

We are now at a Heritage Inn & Suites, ready to get ready for bed and grab some sleep.  Tomorrow we have one tour in the morning, then we plan to head home!  Hopefully I'll be able to blog either tomorrow evening or Thursday morning to round out this fascinating John Deere factories trip!

If you are wondering about pictures, I apologize.  We are not allowed to take any photos inside any of the factories so I cannot illustrate what it's like.  Hopefully my simple explanations will help out a little bit.  Have a wonderful day!

~Anna~

Day #8 -- Home...then to Iowa!

Saturday, August 3, 2013 -- Today I woke up at 8:15, got ready, had breakfast (cereal, blueberries, milk), packed my suitcase, helped clean things up, said good-bye to the people leaving, went for a great canoe ride with Val and her mom, had lunch (turkey-feta-cheese sandwich, cucumber salad, chips, salad, strawberries, cherries, milk), packed everything in the car, and headed for Albany.  We were at the airport by 3:15, waited for a LONG time in the bag check line (nobody was being efficient), breezed through security (no lines, no problems), and arrived at the gate.  The plan was to go to Chicago, then to St. Louis, but we found out that the flight from Chicago to St. Louis was delayed by three hours...it would have put us in at 11 PM at night!  Thankfully, Southwest Airlines is very helpful and got us changed to a different flight (for free) and got our bags before they got on the plane to Chicago.  After we got things taken care of, we went to get some pizza and watermelon lemonade before getting to the gate for the flight to Baltimore at 6 PM.  The flight was right around an hour.  Next, we walked around the Baltimore airport a little bit and got some shakes before boarding for St. Louis.  We landed around 10 PM, got our bags quickly, took Val to her home, got to my home, showered, and got in bed at midnight.  This concluded the Silver Bay, New York, trip.  It was incredible, beautiful, and so much fun.  I experienced so much in God's gorgeous creation, and, as always, came away with a greater and refreshed appreciation for God and his power.  Lovely trip, and I hope to return someday.

Sunday, August 4, 2013 -- Today I woke up at 7:30, had cereal and milk for breakfast, went to church and Bible study at 8:30, went out to lunch at Big Chief (my brother, Matthew, turned 19 on August 3; my mom and I shared a salad and pizza), came home to pack quickly, and headed for Iowa with Val and Matthew.  We stopped to pick up Val's husband, Denny, at his farm.  With our party of four, we headed for Moline, Illinois.  We stopped to have burritos/tacos at Taco Bell, drove on, got to our Radisson at 9:30, showered, and were in bed by 10:30.

Monday, August 5, 2013 -- Today I woke up at 8 AM, got ready, had breakfast (sausage, a blueberry bagel, strawberry yogurt, milk), and headed for the tour at John Deere Harvester Works at 10 AM.  We watched a short video about the company (John Deere) and then enjoyed a one-and-a-half-hour tour of the factory where combines are made (very interesting...I loved the paint department).  We were pulled in little trailers by a John Deere tractor, which I thought was very fitting.  We then headed to have lunch at Lagomarcino's, a great place serving salads, sandwiches, ice cream sundaes, and candy.  I had the ham salad/potato salad/tomato plate, then topped it off with the Classic Hot Fudge Sundae (vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, cherries).  Next, we headed to the John Deere Pavilion (displays, videos, machines to climb in, brochures) and then to the next-door John Deere Store (I found a pink John Deere fisher's hat).  Finally, we went to the John Deere Headquarters, situated on several acres including a pond, rolling grassy hills, and forests...lovely.  There, we could see and climb in more equipment, see a large display of artifacts, and find lots of brochures on all of their equipment (Matthew has a 6-inch stack to take home...oh joy!).  After a great day of touring John Deere spots, we had supper at The Family Restaurant (Greek, Italian, American...I had spinach pie, a salad, peaches, cottage cheese, and a roll).  We headed on to Waterloo, Iowa; arrived at 9:30, checked in to a Holiday Express, and are now ready to get in bed.  More to come on Tuesday and Wednesday as we enjoy John Deere factory tours!!

~Anna~

Day #7 -- Relaxing!

Today I woke up at 7 AM, had a piece of raisin bread, and headed down to the lake.  Two motor boats took the swimmers (seven total), kayaks, and all others across to Diver's Rock (Val and I paddled over there yesterday).  Some of the swimmers jumped off Diver's Rock (about a 10 foot jump) before starting the one-mile swim.  My job was to paddle alongside the swimmers and be ready to get over to any of them if they got tired or in trouble.  Thankfully, no one did.  After a little while of swimming in the big group, about five headed on faster and there were two slower ones.  Val and I stayed with each of them, while the motor boats stayed with the bigger group.  All the swimmers said it was very nice to have the two kayaks; they felt more protected and secure.  It took around an hour for everyone to get across, and it was a lovely time of day...the sun was glittering on the water, it was pretty cool, not much activity was happening on the lake, and the weather was perfect.  I'm glad I did that.  After the swim and everyone was dried off, we had some breakfast (oatmeal and orange juice) and then relaxed and talked.  Lunch was assorted sandwiches (trying to use up everything we have), chips, and milk...funny story alert.  Val was not paying attention and I had set my sandwich (maybe three or four bites left) down for a minute.  Val didn't look down and she picked up my sandwich and ate it all up.  I looked at her and finally she figured it, so then we both started laughing really hard.  The hilarious thing is that her sandwich was a completely different kind but she didn't taste the difference!

After lunch, we went for a nice long swim and relaxed on the raft.  We also relaxed on the hammock, checked in to our flight for tomorrow afternoon (can't believe I'm already leaving), got some shopping for supper done, and made supper (a yummy dip with avocados, sour cream, beans, cheese, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, chips, etc.; tomato tart made my yours truly...many good comments; leftovers...turkey, beef brisket, salad, cucumber salad; dessert...brownies, ice cream, blueberries).  We enjoyed two slideshows of photos taken by Val's dad, and now I am ready to go to bed.  Tomorrow I will be cleaning/packing up/flying home.  Is it already over??!  I can't believe it, and I'm glad to have had this opportunity to be with my very favorite friend in a beautiful, cool place.

~Anna~

Day #6 -- Kayaking!

Today I slept in until about 8:45, took my time getting ready (I have a very sore knee after hiking yesterday), had breakfast (cinnamon rolls, blueberries, milk), and headed out in a kayak.  Val's cousins, Val, and I made up the group.  We went to Silver Bay, then Val's cousins went back.  Val and I went on down the lake to O'Dell Island and checked it out.  We also emptied the water out of our kayaks...they get some in them after being out for awhile.  We also paddled over to Diver's Rock and enjoyed the lovely views there.  Then some stronger winds came and we decided we better head back.  So we got in our kayaks and paddled all the way back across the lake to our nice bay.  We probably kayaked four or five miles...in pretty big waves and the wind was against us.  It was fun, though!!  I love kayaking!

We got back, had some lunch (Sloppy Joes, baked beans, and pomegranate-blueberry juice), headed up to Silver Bay to get ice cream (I had Moose Tracks and Brownie Batter topped with hot fudge sauce), looked in the lodge at Silver Bay (large and beautiful), and headed back.  It was raining too hard to do anything outside, so everyone just kind of rested and laid low.  I did some work on my computer.  Before we knew it, it was time to have supper (an egg-and-ham casserole, potato cubes, cucumber salad, juice).  Then we headed down to the cottage (down the hill from where we're staying) for dessert (I had a brownie and blueberries...there was also cake and ice cream) and some old home videos/photos (from 1926 to current).  We also saw some lovely photos taken by Val's dad.  It was nice to socialize with everyone.

Tomorrow, eight people are swimming across the lake, and I am on "lifeguard duty".  I have to paddle alongside someone in a kayak, being right there in case they need to rest, etc.  I'm due down at the lake at 7:30, so I'll say good night.  Sorry there's no photos...have a great day!

~Anna~

Day #5 -- Hiking!

Today I woke up at 7:30, had breakfast (toast and milk), got stuff together, and headed for a hike up Tongue Mountain...well, not quite that quickly.  The motor boat had a dead battery, the guys tried to jump it with a little lawnmower (not a good plan), they killed the lawnmower, and they finally jumped it with a car and it worked.  That took awhile, but by 9:45 we were on the trail.  This is a very steep, difficult, challenging hike but offers breathtakingly beautiful views of Lake George about every 10 minutes.  Many pictures were taken and memories made.  There was a lot of hand-to-hand boulder climbing...we were down on our hands and knees crawling up huge rocks.  We had sandwiches, crackers, chocolate treats, cashews, bananas, and lots of water to eat on the trail and at stops.  In all, we hiked 10.8 miles on the Tongue Mountain Trail.  It was, like I said, very hard (the hardest I've ever been on...even harder than Mount Washington)...but so much fun at the same time.  My body may be tired and my knees may be aching with so much steep uphills and downhills, but it's worth it!!  I just love hard, challenging hikes...especially since I can look back and have special memories.  We got to the end of the trail at 4:45 (seven hours later...including all the stops), savoring memories, views, and wild New York blueberries (all along the trail...yummy).

We checked out a beautiful waterfall (0.4 miles round-trip...approximately) after our 10.8-mile hike...bringing our bodies to 11.2 miles of hard-worked hiking.  Every second was great, though, and I loved it.  We came back, showered, and enjoyed turkey, baked potatoes, carrots, salad, blueberries, and milk for supper.  Then bananas foster for dessert, and a little play entitled The Saga of Little Nell.  I had the role of sheriff.  It was all very fun.

Now I am ready to sleep and rest my tired muscles and bones.  Have a great day!

Val and me after 10.8 miles of mostly up and not much down.

~Anna~

Day #4 -- Middlebury, Vermont

Today I woke up at 8 AM, went for a five-mile run (through the woods and out onto a lookout point over Lake George...gorgeous), had breakfast (cereal, toast, peaches, milk), went for a swim, went out in the two-person kayak, packed our stuff, and headed for Middlebury, Vermont.  First, we went to the University of Vermont (UVM) Morgan Horse Farm.  We arrived for the 12 PM tour, which started with a nice 10-minute overview video.  We were then taken on a tour of the barns, arena, and grounds.  After the tour (about 45 minutes...not including the video), we were able to walk around even more and get some great pictures.  We even got to pet some baby Morgans...the signs say "Don't Feed or Pet the Horses"...but we know what we're doing and the babies enjoyed it.  You understand, right?  How can anyone avoid the adorable face of a little precious Morgan foal??  After looking around, we had lunch (beef brisket/cheese sandwiches, cashews, chips, pie, water), then headed to visit some of Val's former college youth group leaders.  We chatted with them and snapped a few pictures, then headed on to her college friends.  They have a beautiful dairy farm and we enjoyed an outdoor supper as the sun set (grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, vegetables, water, lemonade, cookies, maple-syrup-topped ice cream).  We enjoyed visiting, talking, catching up, and photos.  Finally, we headed back to Silver Bay (stopped for gas) and arrived at 10:30.  We unpacked and I am now going to shower and get to bed as quickly as possible.  Have a great day!

A Morgan foal shows off his high spirits.

Two apprentices have some fun with Morgans.

Here I am petting a sweet little Morgan foal.

Two Morgan foals check out each other.

Here I am with the "Figure" statue (Figure was the foundation of all Morgan horses) and the main barn at the UVM Morgan Horse Farm.

~Anna~

Day #4 -- Saratoga Springs

Today I woke up at 7:30, went for a 4.5-mile run (so cool and pretty), swam in the lake for a little bit (cold at first...then pleasant), had breakfast (toast, peaches, milk), and headed to Saratoga Springs (about an hour south of Silver Bay).  Val, two of her cousins, her mom, and I made up the party.  First, we went to the New York Racing Hall of Fame.  This is an excellent museum filled with artifacts, paintings, displays, statues, movies, and the Hall of Fame -- which included jockeys, trainers, and horses.  I knew a lot of the names and enjoyed reading about their achievements.  The Triple Crown Hall of Fame is great, too -- it lists all 11 horses who have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont.  The plaques included their history, story, earnings, and photos.  This was a wonderful place to check out.

Then it was off to the races at Saratoga Springs Racetrack!!  With $3 per person, you've entered the area and you can browse the many booths selling horse-related items, check out the saddling paddock, enjoy live music, relax, and watch the races (either on a TV or live).  We did the $11-per-person clubhouse seats, which allowed us shaded, cool, comfortable seats overlooking the entire track.  We were able to walk right down to the rail to get some good pictures, too.  And of course, with horse-racing comes betting.  I'm not really into it and I didn't really know that much, but what I did know I was able to share with Val, her cousins, and her mom.  They made their picks and, unfortunately, did not make a profit.  I, on the other hand, made a bet in the fifth race (through Val...I'm too young) on a 19-1 long shot...and she came in second!!  So I got $9.40; I used $4 to bet on two in the next race and neither did well; therefore, I made a profit of $5.40.  Quit when you're ahead, don't be afraid to pick long shots, and have fun...my advice!  What was really special was that there were some really famous jockeys there (in my mind) -- Rosie Napravnik (she came in third in the Belmont...she rode my "winning" horse in the fifth race), John Velazquez, Joel Rosario (he rode this year's Kentucky Derby winner, Orb), Edgar Prado (he rode Barbaro), and many more.  I was in heaven.  It was an awesome day!

We headed out after the sixth race (there were still four more), grabbed a few groceries, came back, had supper (beef brisket, corn, salad, beans, strawberry or vanilla ice cream, blueberries, juice, and water), and enjoyed the cool air and lovely sunset.  Today was wonderful -- I experienced a lot of memorable events that I will never forget.  Enjoy the pictures!!

Rosie Napravnik (2013 Belmont third-place) gets ready to race in an earlier race...she didn't win that time!

It's a race to the finish!

Rosie Napravnik and Ricochet Court in the fifth race...they came in second in a photo finish.

Another photo finish...#2 (the gray) won by a nose.

~Anna~

Day #3 -- Silver Bay

Today we slept in until 8:30, fixed a nice breakfast (cinnamon rolls, eggs, ham, orange juice), talked for awhile with everyone, and headed out to hike up to Jabe's Pond around 11 AM.  From the house we're at, up to the pond, and back down, it was about five miles...a lovely hike through the woods with rocks, mushrooms, ferns, and trees all around.  We even saw a toad and a little newt-like critter.  He was cute.  When we got up to the pond (a very large lake...beautiful), Val and I waded around for awhile and snapped some pictures.  Then we headed back down.  It was nice because we went with two of Val's cousins, so we were able to talk with them and enjoy the cool weather.

We had a late lunch after a nice hike (sandwiches, pie, coleslaw, water), enjoyed a swim (the lake was pretty cold at first...we got used to it), kayaked in the rain (so quiet), showered, and made supper.  Val and I were very proud that we grilled two large salmon by ourselves.  Along with the salmon (yummy), we had sliced potatoes baked in the oven (with seasonings...so good), corn on the cob, salad, sparkling juice, chocolates, and a choice of fruits of the forest, peach, or apple pie.  We cleaned up everything pretty quickly, talked, and returned to our rooms for some relaxing and, soon, sleep!  It's been a wonderful day and I really enjoyed the hike.  Upstate New York is the best!!

Part of Jabe's Pond...mountains, water, trees, everything!

Here I am with Jabe's Pond behind me...such a lovely, fun hike.

The trail up to Jabe's Pond...at times it got kind of narrow, but mostly it was very nice.

~Anna~

STL to Silver Bay, New York!

Hi, everyone!

I did make it back from our wonderful Texas trip at 3:45 PM on Wednesday, July 10.  Now, two-and-a-half weeks later, I have headed east (to New York) for some fun.  In May 2012, I came up to my godmother's family's resort in Silver Bay, New York (approximately one-and-a-half hours north of Albany), with my mom, brother, and godmother Val.  We were cleaning and opening up the cottages for a few days, so we didn't have a lot of time to play.  This time, we have a whole week to just play.  So fun!

Yesterday (July 26, 2013) we headed off to Lambert-St. Louis Airport for our 4:45 PM flight to Baltimore, Maryland.  It took off about 20 minutes late (we were on Southwest), arrived in Baltimore right at 8:00 PM (Eastern time), changed planes, and were off pretty quickly afterwards.  We arrived in Albany, New York, right at 10 PM.  We got our bags quickly, took a taxi to our hotel (a Days Inn), showered, and were in bed by 11:30 PM.

Saturday, July 27, 2013 -- We were up at 7:20, had some breakfast (a blueberry bagel, mini cinnamon roll, banana, and apple juice), did some shopping for our meals, and headed toward Silver Bay.  We arrived around 12 PM, got settled in, had some lunch (sandwiches, grapes, cashews, coleslaw, water), and took a nice swim in Lake George.  Then Val and I went out in kayaks all the way up to Skipper's Jib and Scotch Bonnet Islands.  They consist of some rocks, flowers, and (on Skipper's Jib) two trees and a bush!  They are so tiny and very cute.  It's a pretty long paddle up and back, but we enjoyed it and loved bouncing over the waves.  After our kayak outing, Val, her brother, and I went up to the town of Silver Bay (about a half-mile up from Birch Glen...where we're staying) to have some yummy bowls of one-scoop ice cream.  I had cookie dough.  After our "appetizer" of ice cream, we went back to have Sloppy Joes, green beans, a corn-and-bean salad, pies (choose between apple, peach, mixed fruit, and cherry...no shortages!), and ice cream.  We enjoyed visiting, eating, and enjoying the sunset by the lake and the cool air (about 60 degrees).

Keep checking back to see what fun I have in the next week -- hiking, kayaking, swimming, Vermont, and much more!

~Anna~

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Today I woke up at 8:45, had breakfast (cereal, a mini blueberry muffin, water), got ready, and headed out. We went to the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center to get some brochures and join a guided, hour-long walk.  A kind and engaging ranger told us about the geology and history of the hot springs and the surrounding area.  It was an excellent lesson on this unusual place.  It is not like Yellowstone in many ways...one, the water doesn't get about about 140 degrees Fahrenheit, so there is no steam and no bubbling water.  Two, this water has minerals, but not too many, like Yellowstone (ever smelled the sulfur?).  You can drink this water, and we did.  They have many hot water springs and two cold water springs.  We drank out of a hot water spring on the tour and a cold water spring (called Whittington Spring) elsewhere in the park.  After the guided tour, we walked back to the visitor center on a lovely brick path called Grand Promenade.  Inside the center, we were able to see some displays and watch two videos -- one on the history of the area; another on the bath houses.  You can still come to Hot Springs today and go in one of many (often historic) bath houses to soak in the hot water.

After that, we went to take a hike up in the mountains.  We went on parts of several different trails to make a loop of 2.5 miles.  It was steep but beautiful and we even went all the way to the top of West Mountain (1,100 feet)...there's a gorgeous lookout near the top.  We also drove to the top of West Mountain and some other nearby mountains.  We also took a very quick 3/5-mile hike which did have a lovely creek by it, which Matthew and I walked in.

After a nice day, we returned to our hotel to shower and head to supper at Rolando's, a Latin American restaurant.  I had Jose's Quesadillas...chicken and cheese inside tortillas, along with a large amount of rice, beans, lettuce, and sour cream.  We shared a banana dessert and a chocolate mound cake for dessert.  Their computer and printer were not working and the original meal I wanted was not available.  Furthermore, Matthew had texted in to their "free dessert" deal and they had run out of that dessert!  So we just ended up getting the chocolate mound cake for free, which was fine.  Despite those problems, our waitress was very attentive, kind, and apologetic.  The food was delicious, too!  

We'll be getting home tomorrow!  I'll have one more blog (hopefully tomorrow evening).  Thanks for reading!

One of the hot springs we saw today.

My mom, Matthew, and me near the top of West Mountain.

Driving up the road on Hot Springs Mountain.

~Anna~

Texas, Louisiana, Relatives, & Arkansas...in Two Days!

Sunday, July 7, 2013 -- I woke up at 7:00, got ready, had breakfast (a bagel, yogurt, apple juice), and headed to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.  It's where my mom's cousins (that we visited on Saturday) all go.  It was a traditional service with hymns, liturgy, patriotic songs, a nice sermon, and communion.  The pipe organ was beautiful!  We had a quick tour of the church and surrounding buildings, then we went back to the hotel to change clothes and get on the road at 10:30.  I slept until 2 PM, where we had a stop for gas/bathroom/fixing lunch northeast of Houston.  I had a tuna wrap, crackers, cheese sticks, applesauce, and pineapple juice on the road.

We arrived at our destination in Gilliam, Louisiana, at 6 PM.  The people whose house we stayed at are my first cousins twice removed.  Their daughter, my second cousin once removed, joined us for a delicious supper of lasagna, salad, homegrown sweet corn, garlic bread, apple pie, and vanilla ice cream!  Prior to supper, we had gone up the road to see some skydivers!!  We also looked over their thousands of acres of corn, cotton, and soybeans.  The land is so flat compared to Missouri and the crops look beautiful.  It's like STL weather...warm and humid with slight breezes.  They also have 10 sweet little goats, which we visited with after supper.  The sun was setting and the air was cooler...so beautiful in Louisiana!

Monday, July 8, 2013 -- Slept in until 9 AM, had breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast, cinnamon rolls, fruit, orange juice), and started our nice and relaxing day.  We talked, walked around outside a bit, and met another second cousin once removed and two of my third cousins before heading to lunch at the Main Street Restaurant.  The grilled shrimp salad is excellent!  After that, we went for another drive to see equipment, grain bins, storage areas, and a cotton gin, plus a quick overview of the crops.  My mom and I went for a longer walk after that to look for the goats and the two donkeys (the donkeys actually escaped before we arrived!)...found the goats.  They are so cute and funny.  We also looked at the irrigation method (A flexible white vinyl tube attached to a pipe with a valve, which they could turn on to start the water flow.  Half-inch-diameter holes along the tube allowed to water to come out, which then went down every other row of the crop to keep them irrigated) and the cotton buds.

After a wonderful day exploring on a true southern plantation, we said good-bye and headed for Arkansas at 4:30 PM.  I drove the whole way to our Comfort Suites in Hot Springs.  We had supper at Belle Arti, a wonderful Italian restaurant.  The three-course meal ($12.95) had a variety of options, but I chose cheese sticks for the appetizer, chicken Parmesan for the main course, and cheese cake with strawberry sauce and whipped cream for dessert.  The food was amazing.  This concluded our wonderful day in Louisiana (and evening in Arkansas!).

~Anna~

NYG Days 4 & 5, Six Flags, & More!

Thursday, July 4, 2013 -- Today I woke up at 5:15 AM, had a POP Tart and water, and got on the bus to head downtown for the 5K race.  It was supposed to begin at 6:30 but really ended up starting 20 minutes late.  We did get running eventually -- all through the streets and along the Riverwalk.  It was really pretty.  My mom and brother ran, too.  I finished at 26:22.6, which was very satisfying to me, especially since it was a warmer morning.  It was gorgeous, though, especially when the sun was rising.  After the race, we headed back to the hotel to shower and have a nice breakfast (bagel, sausage, fruit, milk).

Then we headed to the Alamodome for the fourth NYG day.  In the morning, they held a one-and-a-half-hour worship service at 10 AM -- traditional service with hymns, videos, communion, a sermon by Matthew Harrison, and more.  After the service let out, we made our way over to the Convention Center for the 1 PM citizenship ceremony.  This was special!  People (51 total) from Australia, China, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, India, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, the Philippines, Somalia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, and Yugoslavia joined together to take the citizenship oath.  After they finished, everyone cheered and held up signs and flags.  It was so cool to see that!  Besides the oath, there were speakers, patriotic music from the 323rd Army Band, and a wonderful video to the tune God Bless the U.S.A. (by Lee Greenwood).  Plenty of the viewers were crying.  After the ceremony, a lot of people went up to congratulate and welcome the new citizens.  We did that and also complimented the Army musicians.  It was such a wonderful program to attend.

Next, we headed to a little hidden ice cream shop on the Riverwalk.  We all enjoyed very generous scoops of ice cream while looking out at the happenings (I had a scoop of blackberry cobbler and a scoop of peach/vanilla combo).  It was July 4, so we were patriotic and all-American!!  After resting and looking around the Convention Center a bit more, we headed to Bill Miller Bar-B-Q.  I had a large pork sandwich, potato salad, fruit, and water.  After a good supper, we headed to wait in line for 45 minutes to enter the Alamodome for the Mass Event.  Once again, there was great music (including Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus, Beautiful Things, I Am Free...plus many more), nice videos, real-life skits, dancers, devotional time, Gathering News, the Sand Painter, and, my favorite, Jessica Stevens as the speaker.  Jessica was 16 when a tick bite turned into serious nerve issues that left her unable to move for years.  At wit's end, she went to participate in a test study in Mexico, where she was induced into a coma.  It helped, but things soon turned downhill again, forcing her into another induced coma.  After months and months of pain and suffering, she finally received peace.  She now has full use of her arms and rides in a motorized wheelchair.  She gave her story and encouragement to everyone.  This was excellent!  Besides the regular Mass Event, there was a posting of the colors, the Pledge, and the national anthem due to Independence Day.

Finally, we headed out to watch the fireworks.  Unfortunately, we couldn't get through the disorganized crowd, so we only saw half of each firework.  After it ended, we waited 45 minutes to be allowed to walk to our vans.  Finally, we got back to the hotel to shower and go to bed at 12:15.

Friday, July 5, 2013 -- I woke up at 7 AM, had breakfast (Canadian bacon, fruit, bagel, milk), and headed to the final NYG Mass Event.  It featured Reverend Bill Yonkers, drummers, dancers, music and singing, videos, Gathering News, a devotional, inspiration to Live Loved (the theme), and a cool processional out.  It was a beautiful event and I was sad to say good-bye!

Next on the agenda was Six Flags Fiesta Texas, in San Antonio.  Before heading in, we had bagels and apple juice for lunch.  Then in to ride the following!
Superman Crypton Coaster -- A roller coaster with loops, twists, steep drops, and excitement!
Bugs White Water Rapids -- Like a log flume ride, this takes you on a winding course through the chute.  I was relegated to the front...therefore, I got completely soaked on the two drops.  It was hot, though, so it felt good...and I dried off quickly.
Train -- This classic takes you on a circular tour of the park as the speaker talks about different rides.  It was nice to sit down for this.
Poltergeist -- This is the craziest roller coaster!  It is bunches of track in the tiniest area ever.  You shoot out of the station and navigate this maze.  It's amazing how much track you can pack into such a little area.
Motorama -- Cadillacs and other old cars make their way around the track --you can steer and honk the horn.  It's funny to see kids and adults alike in these small cars.
Scream! -- This ride is similar to Superman Tower of Power.  It shoots you up and down at high speeds, then holds you at the top to look around before dropping you to the ground.
Iron Rattler -- The new, VERY popular roller coaster had a wait of about an hour (plus a mechanical breakdown while we were waiting).  It was worth every minute, though -- it took you on a wild "bucking bronco" ride up, down, around, and through.  We loved this!
Goliath -- Just like Batman, this roller coaster takes you through loops, corkscrews, twists, and turns.
Crow's Nest -- A nice ferris wheel with multiple colors took you above the other rides (mostly) to see the entire park, which is nestled in a former quarry.
Carousel -- Another classic!  We all rode horses -- I rode a nice gray gelding which I named Prince George.
Road Runner Express -- It looks like a mine train, but it's more adventurous and a bit rough.
After the rides, we grabbed pepperoni pizza, cheese bread, and water, and settled down to enjoy the Six Flags firework show.  For 15 minutes, patriotic music, a nice video, and impressive fireworks entertained us.  After the long day, we headed to a Red Roof Inn in San Antonio, arriving at 10:45.  We showered and were in bed at midnight.

Saturday, July 6, 2013 -- Today I woke up at 8:30, helped load the car, and headed to the Marketplace in San Antonio for breakfast at Mi Tierra.  I had the Huevos Rancheros, featuring eggs, tortillas, refried beans, bacon, and potatoes.  To top it off, I had a cup of Mexican hot chocolate...laced with cinnamon and whipped cream, yum!  After breakfast, we headed to the Alamo -- that glorious American landmark.  We walked all through the complex, courtyard, shrine, and surrounding areas.  End in the gift shop, where we found two books, hatpins, an ornament, and a DVD (The Alamo with John Wayne).  After the Alamo, we headed to the Marketplace to browse the indoor and outdoor shops featuring food, jewelry, crafts, paintings, clothing, and much more.  I found a lovely red Mexican dress, Matthew found a multicolored pottery lizard, and my mom found a blue dish to set on our table.

Then to Mission San Jose, a large and beautiful complex with a visitor center, museum, ornate historic Catholic church (beautiful), and lovely garden areas.  It is so cool to see history in person!  The entire complex was beautifully built...and it's still intact!

Finally, we went to spend the entire afternoon with my mom's aunt/cousins.  They had beef brisket, sausages, salad, beans, potato salad, fruit, lemonade, and vanilla/chocolate pudding for dessert.  It was so nice to meet and visit with them.  We got to our La Quinta Inn & Suites at 9:10, showered, and are in bed now.

~Anna~