Sniper Bear

Vacation

Babys at the Beach!

We have amazing friends. Honestly. The Friday before Memorial Day weekend SB gets a call asking to go to the beach for the weekend. Um. YES! The last few weeks of school are brutal for a teacher so I was in desperate need of a getaway. We packed, bought sunscreen, and hoped in the car by 8pm that night. 6 sleepy hours and one speeding ticket later we arrived in the middle of the night to the beach house. I could hear the waves in the distance. I swear I could live at the beach. I'm sure having sand in every place possible would eventually get old, but.....nah, it wouldn't.…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 2)

Day 2 of NC was a perfect way to wrap up our family road trip!  The boys and I, along with the Bateman's, headed off to play in the Atlantic for a few hours! After a quick stop at the "Shark Store" for a boogie board, a kite, and sand toys, we arrived at the beautiful beach! As a child, my family typically went to the Gulf for our vacations and the beaches there are gawgeous! I have to admit I was surprised to see how nice the Atlantic was how big and beautiful the waves were. Perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing. :) Chase had the best time…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 1)

I am an avid list maker...which inspired to me to change it up a bit make a list of all the fabulous things we did on our first day in NC. Survived horrible traffic on 95South, but made it to the Camp Lejeune Inn. Nice and economical! Visited the "mall" on base for last minute must haves. Had a cookout at the Bateman's! Watched the kids play in the water all day! Listened to Marines talk about things and acronyms I pretended to understand. Watched Marines grill meat! Met new friends. :) Drank beer and ate delicious food! Fashioned a homemade fly trap! Ate MORE delicious food. (Hey..it's vacation!?) Played…
Read More

Road Trip – Philly

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Pool time!"][/caption] Despite a bit of construction traffic we arrived in Philly a little after lunch time on Wednesday. Everyone was awaiting our arrival and it felt so good to be there! I love the constant flow of visitors and family through the house and MAN did we eat! The first night my Grandmom made us the most delicious meal: Ham, beans, potatoes, rolls. It was so nice to take a break from eating out or grabbing fast food on the road. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and learning how to play pinochle. It's a family tradition and SniperBen fell into place so…
Read More

Road Trip – DC

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise on the start of the road trip"][/caption] Every summer needs a summer vacation. This year our summer vacation was an epic road trip. Since Jess has family in Philly and I have some friends in NC that we hadn't seen in a while, we figured it would be the perfect time to see them both all while visiting our nation's capitol, especially since Jess and Chase had never been there and the last time I was there was when I was a kid. As with every great road trip we planned it all out, got all our ducks in a row and headed out early.…
Read More

Bienvenidos Atlanta!!

I'm not sure if it was the time difference or not...but the days in El Salvador were LONG! This was a good thing. I remember being at the beach or in the pool and it felt like 5:00. Thinking we should get ready for our dinner reservations, I would check the time and was always baffled that it was only 1 or 2 o'clock. Things moved slowly, time moved slowly, people moved slowly. The last month of school for me was fucking ridiculous a little busy so I soaked up the El Salvadorian pace as much as possible. No where to be at a specific time...no watch..no phone...just peace. [caption…
Read More

Mi mejor amigo La boda de

The day of the wedding arrived and by now, SJ and I were totally ready for the journey. We had made contact with the outside world, got a general idea of where to meet up with Neal, go the times, and were out the door in record time. The wedding was at 11am, so we knew we should be out the door by 8. This would give us time to get to the hotel where Neal was, change, then head over to the location of the wedding. What we didn't account for were road closings and the inability for Google Maps to give an accurate location of the hotel. [caption…
Read More

No habla Espanol…

So we survived travel day! I will tell you that my anxiety level reached record levels that day. It's funny how quickly my adventurous, spontaneous, free spirited ways drift away as I get older. I was literally a scared ball of nerves and felt so out of control. I kept telling SB that had I taken this trip with anyone else...I may have had a mental breakdown! Somehow...that man bring out a patient and level headed Jess. The next day was Thursday. Jueves. (I do remember some things from High School!) We started the day off with a massage on the beach. It was JUST what my body needed after…
Read More

EL SALBADOOOOR!!!

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="The map that saved our lives!"][/caption] When Neal asked us to come to his and Jude's wedding, I wasn't sure that an excursion to another country would fit within the things we were going to be able to do this year. However, after much deliberating, Jess and I decided to do it. So we budgeted out the next few months and booked the trip. The events that followed were something I will never forget. :) The morning of the trip sprang on us faster than we thought but we were ready. Chase was dropped off with his dad and we hit up the airport. We had…
Read More

Babys at the Beach!

We have amazing friends. Honestly. The Friday before Memorial Day weekend SB gets a call asking to go to the beach for the weekend. Um. YES! The last few weeks of school are brutal for a teacher so I was in desperate need of a getaway. We packed, bought sunscreen, and hoped in the car by 8pm that night. 6 sleepy hours and one speeding ticket later we arrived in the middle of the night to the beach house. I could hear the waves in the distance. I swear I could live at the beach. I'm sure having sand in every place possible would eventually get old, but.....nah, it wouldn't.…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 2)

Day 2 of NC was a perfect way to wrap up our family road trip!  The boys and I, along with the Bateman's, headed off to play in the Atlantic for a few hours! After a quick stop at the "Shark Store" for a boogie board, a kite, and sand toys, we arrived at the beautiful beach! As a child, my family typically went to the Gulf for our vacations and the beaches there are gawgeous! I have to admit I was surprised to see how nice the Atlantic was how big and beautiful the waves were. Perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing. :) Chase had the best time…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 1)

I am an avid list maker...which inspired to me to change it up a bit make a list of all the fabulous things we did on our first day in NC. Survived horrible traffic on 95South, but made it to the Camp Lejeune Inn. Nice and economical! Visited the "mall" on base for last minute must haves. Had a cookout at the Bateman's! Watched the kids play in the water all day! Listened to Marines talk about things and acronyms I pretended to understand. Watched Marines grill meat! Met new friends. :) Drank beer and ate delicious food! Fashioned a homemade fly trap! Ate MORE delicious food. (Hey..it's vacation!?) Played…
Read More

Road Trip – Philly

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Pool time!"][/caption] Despite a bit of construction traffic we arrived in Philly a little after lunch time on Wednesday. Everyone was awaiting our arrival and it felt so good to be there! I love the constant flow of visitors and family through the house and MAN did we eat! The first night my Grandmom made us the most delicious meal: Ham, beans, potatoes, rolls. It was so nice to take a break from eating out or grabbing fast food on the road. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and learning how to play pinochle. It's a family tradition and SniperBen fell into place so…
Read More

Road Trip – DC

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise on the start of the road trip"][/caption] Every summer needs a summer vacation. This year our summer vacation was an epic road trip. Since Jess has family in Philly and I have some friends in NC that we hadn't seen in a while, we figured it would be the perfect time to see them both all while visiting our nation's capitol, especially since Jess and Chase had never been there and the last time I was there was when I was a kid. As with every great road trip we planned it all out, got all our ducks in a row and headed out early.…
Read More

Bienvenidos Atlanta!!

I'm not sure if it was the time difference or not...but the days in El Salvador were LONG! This was a good thing. I remember being at the beach or in the pool and it felt like 5:00. Thinking we should get ready for our dinner reservations, I would check the time and was always baffled that it was only 1 or 2 o'clock. Things moved slowly, time moved slowly, people moved slowly. The last month of school for me was fucking ridiculous a little busy so I soaked up the El Salvadorian pace as much as possible. No where to be at a specific time...no watch..no phone...just peace. [caption…
Read More

Mi mejor amigo La boda de

The day of the wedding arrived and by now, SJ and I were totally ready for the journey. We had made contact with the outside world, got a general idea of where to meet up with Neal, go the times, and were out the door in record time. The wedding was at 11am, so we knew we should be out the door by 8. This would give us time to get to the hotel where Neal was, change, then head over to the location of the wedding. What we didn't account for were road closings and the inability for Google Maps to give an accurate location of the hotel. [caption…
Read More

No habla Espanol…

So we survived travel day! I will tell you that my anxiety level reached record levels that day. It's funny how quickly my adventurous, spontaneous, free spirited ways drift away as I get older. I was literally a scared ball of nerves and felt so out of control. I kept telling SB that had I taken this trip with anyone else...I may have had a mental breakdown! Somehow...that man bring out a patient and level headed Jess. The next day was Thursday. Jueves. (I do remember some things from High School!) We started the day off with a massage on the beach. It was JUST what my body needed after…
Read More

EL SALBADOOOOR!!!

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="The map that saved our lives!"][/caption] When Neal asked us to come to his and Jude's wedding, I wasn't sure that an excursion to another country would fit within the things we were going to be able to do this year. However, after much deliberating, Jess and I decided to do it. So we budgeted out the next few months and booked the trip. The events that followed were something I will never forget. :) The morning of the trip sprang on us faster than we thought but we were ready. Chase was dropped off with his dad and we hit up the airport. We had…
Read More

Babys at the Beach!

We have amazing friends. Honestly. The Friday before Memorial Day weekend SB gets a call asking to go to the beach for the weekend. Um. YES! The last few weeks of school are brutal for a teacher so I was in desperate need of a getaway. We packed, bought sunscreen, and hoped in the car by 8pm that night. 6 sleepy hours and one speeding ticket later we arrived in the middle of the night to the beach house. I could hear the waves in the distance. I swear I could live at the beach. I'm sure having sand in every place possible would eventually get old, but.....nah, it wouldn't.…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 2)

Day 2 of NC was a perfect way to wrap up our family road trip!  The boys and I, along with the Bateman's, headed off to play in the Atlantic for a few hours! After a quick stop at the "Shark Store" for a boogie board, a kite, and sand toys, we arrived at the beautiful beach! As a child, my family typically went to the Gulf for our vacations and the beaches there are gawgeous! I have to admit I was surprised to see how nice the Atlantic was how big and beautiful the waves were. Perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing. :) Chase had the best time…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 1)

I am an avid list maker...which inspired to me to change it up a bit make a list of all the fabulous things we did on our first day in NC. Survived horrible traffic on 95South, but made it to the Camp Lejeune Inn. Nice and economical! Visited the "mall" on base for last minute must haves. Had a cookout at the Bateman's! Watched the kids play in the water all day! Listened to Marines talk about things and acronyms I pretended to understand. Watched Marines grill meat! Met new friends. :) Drank beer and ate delicious food! Fashioned a homemade fly trap! Ate MORE delicious food. (Hey..it's vacation!?) Played…
Read More

Road Trip – Philly

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Pool time!"][/caption] Despite a bit of construction traffic we arrived in Philly a little after lunch time on Wednesday. Everyone was awaiting our arrival and it felt so good to be there! I love the constant flow of visitors and family through the house and MAN did we eat! The first night my Grandmom made us the most delicious meal: Ham, beans, potatoes, rolls. It was so nice to take a break from eating out or grabbing fast food on the road. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and learning how to play pinochle. It's a family tradition and SniperBen fell into place so…
Read More

Road Trip – DC

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise on the start of the road trip"][/caption] Every summer needs a summer vacation. This year our summer vacation was an epic road trip. Since Jess has family in Philly and I have some friends in NC that we hadn't seen in a while, we figured it would be the perfect time to see them both all while visiting our nation's capitol, especially since Jess and Chase had never been there and the last time I was there was when I was a kid. As with every great road trip we planned it all out, got all our ducks in a row and headed out early.…
Read More

Bienvenidos Atlanta!!

I'm not sure if it was the time difference or not...but the days in El Salvador were LONG! This was a good thing. I remember being at the beach or in the pool and it felt like 5:00. Thinking we should get ready for our dinner reservations, I would check the time and was always baffled that it was only 1 or 2 o'clock. Things moved slowly, time moved slowly, people moved slowly. The last month of school for me was fucking ridiculous a little busy so I soaked up the El Salvadorian pace as much as possible. No where to be at a specific time...no watch..no phone...just peace. [caption…
Read More

Mi mejor amigo La boda de

The day of the wedding arrived and by now, SJ and I were totally ready for the journey. We had made contact with the outside world, got a general idea of where to meet up with Neal, go the times, and were out the door in record time. The wedding was at 11am, so we knew we should be out the door by 8. This would give us time to get to the hotel where Neal was, change, then head over to the location of the wedding. What we didn't account for were road closings and the inability for Google Maps to give an accurate location of the hotel. [caption…
Read More

No habla Espanol…

So we survived travel day! I will tell you that my anxiety level reached record levels that day. It's funny how quickly my adventurous, spontaneous, free spirited ways drift away as I get older. I was literally a scared ball of nerves and felt so out of control. I kept telling SB that had I taken this trip with anyone else...I may have had a mental breakdown! Somehow...that man bring out a patient and level headed Jess. The next day was Thursday. Jueves. (I do remember some things from High School!) We started the day off with a massage on the beach. It was JUST what my body needed after…
Read More

EL SALBADOOOOR!!!

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="The map that saved our lives!"][/caption] When Neal asked us to come to his and Jude's wedding, I wasn't sure that an excursion to another country would fit within the things we were going to be able to do this year. However, after much deliberating, Jess and I decided to do it. So we budgeted out the next few months and booked the trip. The events that followed were something I will never forget. :) The morning of the trip sprang on us faster than we thought but we were ready. Chase was dropped off with his dad and we hit up the airport. We had…
Read More

Babys at the Beach!

We have amazing friends. Honestly. The Friday before Memorial Day weekend SB gets a call asking to go to the beach for the weekend. Um. YES! The last few weeks of school are brutal for a teacher so I was in desperate need of a getaway. We packed, bought sunscreen, and hoped in the car by 8pm that night. 6 sleepy hours and one speeding ticket later we arrived in the middle of the night to the beach house. I could hear the waves in the distance. I swear I could live at the beach. I'm sure having sand in every place possible would eventually get old, but.....nah, it wouldn't.…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 2)

Day 2 of NC was a perfect way to wrap up our family road trip!  The boys and I, along with the Bateman's, headed off to play in the Atlantic for a few hours! After a quick stop at the "Shark Store" for a boogie board, a kite, and sand toys, we arrived at the beautiful beach! As a child, my family typically went to the Gulf for our vacations and the beaches there are gawgeous! I have to admit I was surprised to see how nice the Atlantic was how big and beautiful the waves were. Perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing. :) Chase had the best time…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 1)

I am an avid list maker...which inspired to me to change it up a bit make a list of all the fabulous things we did on our first day in NC. Survived horrible traffic on 95South, but made it to the Camp Lejeune Inn. Nice and economical! Visited the "mall" on base for last minute must haves. Had a cookout at the Bateman's! Watched the kids play in the water all day! Listened to Marines talk about things and acronyms I pretended to understand. Watched Marines grill meat! Met new friends. :) Drank beer and ate delicious food! Fashioned a homemade fly trap! Ate MORE delicious food. (Hey..it's vacation!?) Played…
Read More

Road Trip – Philly

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Pool time!"][/caption] Despite a bit of construction traffic we arrived in Philly a little after lunch time on Wednesday. Everyone was awaiting our arrival and it felt so good to be there! I love the constant flow of visitors and family through the house and MAN did we eat! The first night my Grandmom made us the most delicious meal: Ham, beans, potatoes, rolls. It was so nice to take a break from eating out or grabbing fast food on the road. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and learning how to play pinochle. It's a family tradition and SniperBen fell into place so…
Read More

Road Trip – DC

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise on the start of the road trip"][/caption] Every summer needs a summer vacation. This year our summer vacation was an epic road trip. Since Jess has family in Philly and I have some friends in NC that we hadn't seen in a while, we figured it would be the perfect time to see them both all while visiting our nation's capitol, especially since Jess and Chase had never been there and the last time I was there was when I was a kid. As with every great road trip we planned it all out, got all our ducks in a row and headed out early.…
Read More

Bienvenidos Atlanta!!

I'm not sure if it was the time difference or not...but the days in El Salvador were LONG! This was a good thing. I remember being at the beach or in the pool and it felt like 5:00. Thinking we should get ready for our dinner reservations, I would check the time and was always baffled that it was only 1 or 2 o'clock. Things moved slowly, time moved slowly, people moved slowly. The last month of school for me was fucking ridiculous a little busy so I soaked up the El Salvadorian pace as much as possible. No where to be at a specific time...no watch..no phone...just peace. [caption…
Read More

Mi mejor amigo La boda de

The day of the wedding arrived and by now, SJ and I were totally ready for the journey. We had made contact with the outside world, got a general idea of where to meet up with Neal, go the times, and were out the door in record time. The wedding was at 11am, so we knew we should be out the door by 8. This would give us time to get to the hotel where Neal was, change, then head over to the location of the wedding. What we didn't account for were road closings and the inability for Google Maps to give an accurate location of the hotel. [caption…
Read More

No habla Espanol…

So we survived travel day! I will tell you that my anxiety level reached record levels that day. It's funny how quickly my adventurous, spontaneous, free spirited ways drift away as I get older. I was literally a scared ball of nerves and felt so out of control. I kept telling SB that had I taken this trip with anyone else...I may have had a mental breakdown! Somehow...that man bring out a patient and level headed Jess. The next day was Thursday. Jueves. (I do remember some things from High School!) We started the day off with a massage on the beach. It was JUST what my body needed after…
Read More

EL SALBADOOOOR!!!

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="The map that saved our lives!"][/caption] When Neal asked us to come to his and Jude's wedding, I wasn't sure that an excursion to another country would fit within the things we were going to be able to do this year. However, after much deliberating, Jess and I decided to do it. So we budgeted out the next few months and booked the trip. The events that followed were something I will never forget. :) The morning of the trip sprang on us faster than we thought but we were ready. Chase was dropped off with his dad and we hit up the airport. We had…
Read More

Babys at the Beach!

We have amazing friends. Honestly. The Friday before Memorial Day weekend SB gets a call asking to go to the beach for the weekend. Um. YES! The last few weeks of school are brutal for a teacher so I was in desperate need of a getaway. We packed, bought sunscreen, and hoped in the car by 8pm that night. 6 sleepy hours and one speeding ticket later we arrived in the middle of the night to the beach house. I could hear the waves in the distance. I swear I could live at the beach. I'm sure having sand in every place possible would eventually get old, but.....nah, it wouldn't.…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 2)

Day 2 of NC was a perfect way to wrap up our family road trip!  The boys and I, along with the Bateman's, headed off to play in the Atlantic for a few hours! After a quick stop at the "Shark Store" for a boogie board, a kite, and sand toys, we arrived at the beautiful beach! As a child, my family typically went to the Gulf for our vacations and the beaches there are gawgeous! I have to admit I was surprised to see how nice the Atlantic was how big and beautiful the waves were. Perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing. :) Chase had the best time…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 1)

I am an avid list maker...which inspired to me to change it up a bit make a list of all the fabulous things we did on our first day in NC. Survived horrible traffic on 95South, but made it to the Camp Lejeune Inn. Nice and economical! Visited the "mall" on base for last minute must haves. Had a cookout at the Bateman's! Watched the kids play in the water all day! Listened to Marines talk about things and acronyms I pretended to understand. Watched Marines grill meat! Met new friends. :) Drank beer and ate delicious food! Fashioned a homemade fly trap! Ate MORE delicious food. (Hey..it's vacation!?) Played…
Read More

Road Trip – Philly

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Pool time!"][/caption] Despite a bit of construction traffic we arrived in Philly a little after lunch time on Wednesday. Everyone was awaiting our arrival and it felt so good to be there! I love the constant flow of visitors and family through the house and MAN did we eat! The first night my Grandmom made us the most delicious meal: Ham, beans, potatoes, rolls. It was so nice to take a break from eating out or grabbing fast food on the road. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and learning how to play pinochle. It's a family tradition and SniperBen fell into place so…
Read More

Road Trip – DC

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise on the start of the road trip"][/caption] Every summer needs a summer vacation. This year our summer vacation was an epic road trip. Since Jess has family in Philly and I have some friends in NC that we hadn't seen in a while, we figured it would be the perfect time to see them both all while visiting our nation's capitol, especially since Jess and Chase had never been there and the last time I was there was when I was a kid. As with every great road trip we planned it all out, got all our ducks in a row and headed out early.…
Read More

Bienvenidos Atlanta!!

I'm not sure if it was the time difference or not...but the days in El Salvador were LONG! This was a good thing. I remember being at the beach or in the pool and it felt like 5:00. Thinking we should get ready for our dinner reservations, I would check the time and was always baffled that it was only 1 or 2 o'clock. Things moved slowly, time moved slowly, people moved slowly. The last month of school for me was fucking ridiculous a little busy so I soaked up the El Salvadorian pace as much as possible. No where to be at a specific time...no watch..no phone...just peace. [caption…
Read More

Mi mejor amigo La boda de

The day of the wedding arrived and by now, SJ and I were totally ready for the journey. We had made contact with the outside world, got a general idea of where to meet up with Neal, go the times, and were out the door in record time. The wedding was at 11am, so we knew we should be out the door by 8. This would give us time to get to the hotel where Neal was, change, then head over to the location of the wedding. What we didn't account for were road closings and the inability for Google Maps to give an accurate location of the hotel. [caption…
Read More

No habla Espanol…

So we survived travel day! I will tell you that my anxiety level reached record levels that day. It's funny how quickly my adventurous, spontaneous, free spirited ways drift away as I get older. I was literally a scared ball of nerves and felt so out of control. I kept telling SB that had I taken this trip with anyone else...I may have had a mental breakdown! Somehow...that man bring out a patient and level headed Jess. The next day was Thursday. Jueves. (I do remember some things from High School!) We started the day off with a massage on the beach. It was JUST what my body needed after…
Read More

EL SALBADOOOOR!!!

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="The map that saved our lives!"][/caption] When Neal asked us to come to his and Jude's wedding, I wasn't sure that an excursion to another country would fit within the things we were going to be able to do this year. However, after much deliberating, Jess and I decided to do it. So we budgeted out the next few months and booked the trip. The events that followed were something I will never forget. :) The morning of the trip sprang on us faster than we thought but we were ready. Chase was dropped off with his dad and we hit up the airport. We had…
Read More

Babys at the Beach!

We have amazing friends. Honestly. The Friday before Memorial Day weekend SB gets a call asking to go to the beach for the weekend. Um. YES! The last few weeks of school are brutal for a teacher so I was in desperate need of a getaway. We packed, bought sunscreen, and hoped in the car by 8pm that night. 6 sleepy hours and one speeding ticket later we arrived in the middle of the night to the beach house. I could hear the waves in the distance. I swear I could live at the beach. I'm sure having sand in every place possible would eventually get old, but.....nah, it wouldn't.…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 2)

Day 2 of NC was a perfect way to wrap up our family road trip!  The boys and I, along with the Bateman's, headed off to play in the Atlantic for a few hours! After a quick stop at the "Shark Store" for a boogie board, a kite, and sand toys, we arrived at the beautiful beach! As a child, my family typically went to the Gulf for our vacations and the beaches there are gawgeous! I have to admit I was surprised to see how nice the Atlantic was how big and beautiful the waves were. Perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing. :) Chase had the best time…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 1)

I am an avid list maker...which inspired to me to change it up a bit make a list of all the fabulous things we did on our first day in NC. Survived horrible traffic on 95South, but made it to the Camp Lejeune Inn. Nice and economical! Visited the "mall" on base for last minute must haves. Had a cookout at the Bateman's! Watched the kids play in the water all day! Listened to Marines talk about things and acronyms I pretended to understand. Watched Marines grill meat! Met new friends. :) Drank beer and ate delicious food! Fashioned a homemade fly trap! Ate MORE delicious food. (Hey..it's vacation!?) Played…
Read More

Road Trip – Philly

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Pool time!"][/caption] Despite a bit of construction traffic we arrived in Philly a little after lunch time on Wednesday. Everyone was awaiting our arrival and it felt so good to be there! I love the constant flow of visitors and family through the house and MAN did we eat! The first night my Grandmom made us the most delicious meal: Ham, beans, potatoes, rolls. It was so nice to take a break from eating out or grabbing fast food on the road. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and learning how to play pinochle. It's a family tradition and SniperBen fell into place so…
Read More

Road Trip – DC

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise on the start of the road trip"][/caption] Every summer needs a summer vacation. This year our summer vacation was an epic road trip. Since Jess has family in Philly and I have some friends in NC that we hadn't seen in a while, we figured it would be the perfect time to see them both all while visiting our nation's capitol, especially since Jess and Chase had never been there and the last time I was there was when I was a kid. As with every great road trip we planned it all out, got all our ducks in a row and headed out early.…
Read More

Bienvenidos Atlanta!!

I'm not sure if it was the time difference or not...but the days in El Salvador were LONG! This was a good thing. I remember being at the beach or in the pool and it felt like 5:00. Thinking we should get ready for our dinner reservations, I would check the time and was always baffled that it was only 1 or 2 o'clock. Things moved slowly, time moved slowly, people moved slowly. The last month of school for me was fucking ridiculous a little busy so I soaked up the El Salvadorian pace as much as possible. No where to be at a specific time...no watch..no phone...just peace. [caption…
Read More

Mi mejor amigo La boda de

The day of the wedding arrived and by now, SJ and I were totally ready for the journey. We had made contact with the outside world, got a general idea of where to meet up with Neal, go the times, and were out the door in record time. The wedding was at 11am, so we knew we should be out the door by 8. This would give us time to get to the hotel where Neal was, change, then head over to the location of the wedding. What we didn't account for were road closings and the inability for Google Maps to give an accurate location of the hotel. [caption…
Read More

No habla Espanol…

So we survived travel day! I will tell you that my anxiety level reached record levels that day. It's funny how quickly my adventurous, spontaneous, free spirited ways drift away as I get older. I was literally a scared ball of nerves and felt so out of control. I kept telling SB that had I taken this trip with anyone else...I may have had a mental breakdown! Somehow...that man bring out a patient and level headed Jess. The next day was Thursday. Jueves. (I do remember some things from High School!) We started the day off with a massage on the beach. It was JUST what my body needed after…
Read More

EL SALBADOOOOR!!!

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="The map that saved our lives!"][/caption] When Neal asked us to come to his and Jude's wedding, I wasn't sure that an excursion to another country would fit within the things we were going to be able to do this year. However, after much deliberating, Jess and I decided to do it. So we budgeted out the next few months and booked the trip. The events that followed were something I will never forget. :) The morning of the trip sprang on us faster than we thought but we were ready. Chase was dropped off with his dad and we hit up the airport. We had…
Read More

Babys at the Beach!

We have amazing friends. Honestly. The Friday before Memorial Day weekend SB gets a call asking to go to the beach for the weekend. Um. YES! The last few weeks of school are brutal for a teacher so I was in desperate need of a getaway. We packed, bought sunscreen, and hoped in the car by 8pm that night. 6 sleepy hours and one speeding ticket later we arrived in the middle of the night to the beach house. I could hear the waves in the distance. I swear I could live at the beach. I'm sure having sand in every place possible would eventually get old, but.....nah, it wouldn't.…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 2)

Day 2 of NC was a perfect way to wrap up our family road trip!  The boys and I, along with the Bateman's, headed off to play in the Atlantic for a few hours! After a quick stop at the "Shark Store" for a boogie board, a kite, and sand toys, we arrived at the beautiful beach! As a child, my family typically went to the Gulf for our vacations and the beaches there are gawgeous! I have to admit I was surprised to see how nice the Atlantic was how big and beautiful the waves were. Perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing. :) Chase had the best time…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 1)

I am an avid list maker...which inspired to me to change it up a bit make a list of all the fabulous things we did on our first day in NC. Survived horrible traffic on 95South, but made it to the Camp Lejeune Inn. Nice and economical! Visited the "mall" on base for last minute must haves. Had a cookout at the Bateman's! Watched the kids play in the water all day! Listened to Marines talk about things and acronyms I pretended to understand. Watched Marines grill meat! Met new friends. :) Drank beer and ate delicious food! Fashioned a homemade fly trap! Ate MORE delicious food. (Hey..it's vacation!?) Played…
Read More

Road Trip – Philly

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Pool time!"][/caption] Despite a bit of construction traffic we arrived in Philly a little after lunch time on Wednesday. Everyone was awaiting our arrival and it felt so good to be there! I love the constant flow of visitors and family through the house and MAN did we eat! The first night my Grandmom made us the most delicious meal: Ham, beans, potatoes, rolls. It was so nice to take a break from eating out or grabbing fast food on the road. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and learning how to play pinochle. It's a family tradition and SniperBen fell into place so…
Read More

Road Trip – DC

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise on the start of the road trip"][/caption] Every summer needs a summer vacation. This year our summer vacation was an epic road trip. Since Jess has family in Philly and I have some friends in NC that we hadn't seen in a while, we figured it would be the perfect time to see them both all while visiting our nation's capitol, especially since Jess and Chase had never been there and the last time I was there was when I was a kid. As with every great road trip we planned it all out, got all our ducks in a row and headed out early.…
Read More

Bienvenidos Atlanta!!

I'm not sure if it was the time difference or not...but the days in El Salvador were LONG! This was a good thing. I remember being at the beach or in the pool and it felt like 5:00. Thinking we should get ready for our dinner reservations, I would check the time and was always baffled that it was only 1 or 2 o'clock. Things moved slowly, time moved slowly, people moved slowly. The last month of school for me was fucking ridiculous a little busy so I soaked up the El Salvadorian pace as much as possible. No where to be at a specific time...no watch..no phone...just peace. [caption…
Read More

Mi mejor amigo La boda de

The day of the wedding arrived and by now, SJ and I were totally ready for the journey. We had made contact with the outside world, got a general idea of where to meet up with Neal, go the times, and were out the door in record time. The wedding was at 11am, so we knew we should be out the door by 8. This would give us time to get to the hotel where Neal was, change, then head over to the location of the wedding. What we didn't account for were road closings and the inability for Google Maps to give an accurate location of the hotel. [caption…
Read More

No habla Espanol…

So we survived travel day! I will tell you that my anxiety level reached record levels that day. It's funny how quickly my adventurous, spontaneous, free spirited ways drift away as I get older. I was literally a scared ball of nerves and felt so out of control. I kept telling SB that had I taken this trip with anyone else...I may have had a mental breakdown! Somehow...that man bring out a patient and level headed Jess. The next day was Thursday. Jueves. (I do remember some things from High School!) We started the day off with a massage on the beach. It was JUST what my body needed after…
Read More

EL SALBADOOOOR!!!

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="The map that saved our lives!"][/caption] When Neal asked us to come to his and Jude's wedding, I wasn't sure that an excursion to another country would fit within the things we were going to be able to do this year. However, after much deliberating, Jess and I decided to do it. So we budgeted out the next few months and booked the trip. The events that followed were something I will never forget. :) The morning of the trip sprang on us faster than we thought but we were ready. Chase was dropped off with his dad and we hit up the airport. We had…
Read More

Babys at the Beach!

We have amazing friends. Honestly. The Friday before Memorial Day weekend SB gets a call asking to go to the beach for the weekend. Um. YES! The last few weeks of school are brutal for a teacher so I was in desperate need of a getaway. We packed, bought sunscreen, and hoped in the car by 8pm that night. 6 sleepy hours and one speeding ticket later we arrived in the middle of the night to the beach house. I could hear the waves in the distance. I swear I could live at the beach. I'm sure having sand in every place possible would eventually get old, but.....nah, it wouldn't.…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 2)

Day 2 of NC was a perfect way to wrap up our family road trip!  The boys and I, along with the Bateman's, headed off to play in the Atlantic for a few hours! After a quick stop at the "Shark Store" for a boogie board, a kite, and sand toys, we arrived at the beautiful beach! As a child, my family typically went to the Gulf for our vacations and the beaches there are gawgeous! I have to admit I was surprised to see how nice the Atlantic was how big and beautiful the waves were. Perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing. :) Chase had the best time…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 1)

I am an avid list maker...which inspired to me to change it up a bit make a list of all the fabulous things we did on our first day in NC. Survived horrible traffic on 95South, but made it to the Camp Lejeune Inn. Nice and economical! Visited the "mall" on base for last minute must haves. Had a cookout at the Bateman's! Watched the kids play in the water all day! Listened to Marines talk about things and acronyms I pretended to understand. Watched Marines grill meat! Met new friends. :) Drank beer and ate delicious food! Fashioned a homemade fly trap! Ate MORE delicious food. (Hey..it's vacation!?) Played…
Read More

Road Trip – Philly

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Pool time!"][/caption] Despite a bit of construction traffic we arrived in Philly a little after lunch time on Wednesday. Everyone was awaiting our arrival and it felt so good to be there! I love the constant flow of visitors and family through the house and MAN did we eat! The first night my Grandmom made us the most delicious meal: Ham, beans, potatoes, rolls. It was so nice to take a break from eating out or grabbing fast food on the road. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and learning how to play pinochle. It's a family tradition and SniperBen fell into place so…
Read More

Road Trip – DC

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise on the start of the road trip"][/caption] Every summer needs a summer vacation. This year our summer vacation was an epic road trip. Since Jess has family in Philly and I have some friends in NC that we hadn't seen in a while, we figured it would be the perfect time to see them both all while visiting our nation's capitol, especially since Jess and Chase had never been there and the last time I was there was when I was a kid. As with every great road trip we planned it all out, got all our ducks in a row and headed out early.…
Read More

Bienvenidos Atlanta!!

I'm not sure if it was the time difference or not...but the days in El Salvador were LONG! This was a good thing. I remember being at the beach or in the pool and it felt like 5:00. Thinking we should get ready for our dinner reservations, I would check the time and was always baffled that it was only 1 or 2 o'clock. Things moved slowly, time moved slowly, people moved slowly. The last month of school for me was fucking ridiculous a little busy so I soaked up the El Salvadorian pace as much as possible. No where to be at a specific time...no watch..no phone...just peace. [caption…
Read More

Mi mejor amigo La boda de

The day of the wedding arrived and by now, SJ and I were totally ready for the journey. We had made contact with the outside world, got a general idea of where to meet up with Neal, go the times, and were out the door in record time. The wedding was at 11am, so we knew we should be out the door by 8. This would give us time to get to the hotel where Neal was, change, then head over to the location of the wedding. What we didn't account for were road closings and the inability for Google Maps to give an accurate location of the hotel. [caption…
Read More

No habla Espanol…

So we survived travel day! I will tell you that my anxiety level reached record levels that day. It's funny how quickly my adventurous, spontaneous, free spirited ways drift away as I get older. I was literally a scared ball of nerves and felt so out of control. I kept telling SB that had I taken this trip with anyone else...I may have had a mental breakdown! Somehow...that man bring out a patient and level headed Jess. The next day was Thursday. Jueves. (I do remember some things from High School!) We started the day off with a massage on the beach. It was JUST what my body needed after…
Read More

EL SALBADOOOOR!!!

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="The map that saved our lives!"][/caption] When Neal asked us to come to his and Jude's wedding, I wasn't sure that an excursion to another country would fit within the things we were going to be able to do this year. However, after much deliberating, Jess and I decided to do it. So we budgeted out the next few months and booked the trip. The events that followed were something I will never forget. :) The morning of the trip sprang on us faster than we thought but we were ready. Chase was dropped off with his dad and we hit up the airport. We had…
Read More

Babys at the Beach!

We have amazing friends. Honestly. The Friday before Memorial Day weekend SB gets a call asking to go to the beach for the weekend. Um. YES! The last few weeks of school are brutal for a teacher so I was in desperate need of a getaway. We packed, bought sunscreen, and hoped in the car by 8pm that night. 6 sleepy hours and one speeding ticket later we arrived in the middle of the night to the beach house. I could hear the waves in the distance. I swear I could live at the beach. I'm sure having sand in every place possible would eventually get old, but.....nah, it wouldn't.…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 2)

Day 2 of NC was a perfect way to wrap up our family road trip!  The boys and I, along with the Bateman's, headed off to play in the Atlantic for a few hours! After a quick stop at the "Shark Store" for a boogie board, a kite, and sand toys, we arrived at the beautiful beach! As a child, my family typically went to the Gulf for our vacations and the beaches there are gawgeous! I have to admit I was surprised to see how nice the Atlantic was how big and beautiful the waves were. Perfect for boogie boarding and body surfing. :) Chase had the best time…
Read More

Road Trip – NC (Day 1)

I am an avid list maker...which inspired to me to change it up a bit make a list of all the fabulous things we did on our first day in NC. Survived horrible traffic on 95South, but made it to the Camp Lejeune Inn. Nice and economical! Visited the "mall" on base for last minute must haves. Had a cookout at the Bateman's! Watched the kids play in the water all day! Listened to Marines talk about things and acronyms I pretended to understand. Watched Marines grill meat! Met new friends. :) Drank beer and ate delicious food! Fashioned a homemade fly trap! Ate MORE delicious food. (Hey..it's vacation!?) Played…
Read More

Road Trip – Philly

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Pool time!"][/caption] Despite a bit of construction traffic we arrived in Philly a little after lunch time on Wednesday. Everyone was awaiting our arrival and it felt so good to be there! I love the constant flow of visitors and family through the house and MAN did we eat! The first night my Grandmom made us the most delicious meal: Ham, beans, potatoes, rolls. It was so nice to take a break from eating out or grabbing fast food on the road. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and learning how to play pinochle. It's a family tradition and SniperBen fell into place so…
Read More

Road Trip – DC

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise on the start of the road trip"][/caption] Every summer needs a summer vacation. This year our summer vacation was an epic road trip. Since Jess has family in Philly and I have some friends in NC that we hadn't seen in a while, we figured it would be the perfect time to see them both all while visiting our nation's capitol, especially since Jess and Chase had never been there and the last time I was there was when I was a kid. As with every great road trip we planned it all out, got all our ducks in a row and headed out early.…
Read More

Bienvenidos Atlanta!!

I'm not sure if it was the time difference or not...but the days in El Salvador were LONG! This was a good thing. I remember being at the beach or in the pool and it felt like 5:00. Thinking we should get ready for our dinner reservations, I would check the time and was always baffled that it was only 1 or 2 o'clock. Things moved slowly, time moved slowly, people moved slowly. The last month of school for me was fucking ridiculous a little busy so I soaked up the El Salvadorian pace as much as possible. No where to be at a specific time...no watch..no phone...just peace. [caption…
Read More

Mi mejor amigo La boda de

The day of the wedding arrived and by now, SJ and I were totally ready for the journey. We had made contact with the outside world, got a general idea of where to meet up with Neal, go the times, and were out the door in record time. The wedding was at 11am, so we knew we should be out the door by 8. This would give us time to get to the hotel where Neal was, change, then head over to the location of the wedding. What we didn't account for were road closings and the inability for Google Maps to give an accurate location of the hotel. [caption…
Read More

No habla Espanol…

So we survived travel day! I will tell you that my anxiety level reached record levels that day. It's funny how quickly my adventurous, spontaneous, free spirited ways drift away as I get older. I was literally a scared ball of nerves and felt so out of control. I kept telling SB that had I taken this trip with anyone else...I may have had a mental breakdown! Somehow...that man bring out a patient and level headed Jess. The next day was Thursday. Jueves. (I do remember some things from High School!) We started the day off with a massage on the beach. It was JUST what my body needed after…
Read More

EL SALBADOOOOR!!!

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="The map that saved our lives!"][/caption] When Neal asked us to come to his and Jude's wedding, I wasn't sure that an excursion to another country would fit within the things we were going to be able to do this year. However, after much deliberating, Jess and I decided to do it. So we budgeted out the next few months and booked the trip. The events that followed were something I will never forget. :) The morning of the trip sprang on us faster than we thought but we were ready. Chase was dropped off with his dad and we hit up the airport. We had…
Read More