Up, Up and Away to Atlanta on Another Adventure

Mid Life Crisis is so much fun! BECAUSE...
Being daring resulted in an incredible adventure!

Joe was working in Atlanta this past week, and so we decided to take advantage of the fact that one of the tickets was paid for and make a weekend trip to spend some time with our friends Greg and Valerie Gillis who live outside of Atlanta. I flew in on Thursday and spent the night with Valerie and Greg. We went to his parents for dinner and then stayed up until O'dark hundred just talking and catching up. The next day Greg flew me on his private plane to go pick up Joe who was staying in Peach Tree City. (A half hour flight away) So.... We drove to the regional airport and I was able to experience something that I have always wanted to do. FLY!
That was definitely the most surreal feeling in the world. And, because our good friend Greg is a "PRO", I felt totally safe. Pictured are:
Greg's Plane and "Greg the Pilot"
Greg pulled out his Piper from the hanger, and we boarded. It sure is a lot easier to bypass security and hop right on... Not to mention the view is SO much better from the cockpit!
Here I am flying "Co-Pilot" on our way to pick up Joe. The ride was a bit bumpy, but only because it was extremely windy outside. Not because of the pilot or co-pilot! We were doing a fine job keeping that bird in the air.


Ready for Take Off-










Going down the runway...Up, Up and Away...

At least I got a chance first hand to see the pilot check the aircraft out and make sure it was safe to fly. Ü

(Greg checking the instruments before he pulls back and goes airborne)








Whoa! We are flying! It didn't take much to get us in the air. The take off was quick and painless. It was amazing how smooth that plane was.

Ahhhh, the views were spectacular. We had a wonderful view of the valley, lakes and even the Nascar track. Definitely an arial tour of the greater Atlanta area. (Flying about 3000 ft above the ground, to stay out of the Atlanta Airport air space)




See what I mean? B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L




So serene and majestic from this point of view.
Look at the wing....
Notice how steady it was!









Then we then landed at Falcon Field in Peach Tree City where Greg and I went to look at aviation equipment while we were waiting for Joe. Once Joe was done with his conference we boarded again, and were off for the return flight.
Joe then had his chance to be the "co-pilot". He didn't fit as well as I did in the cock pit though. LOL. He was a bit more cramped up in front. ( It was a sight to see from the back seat, two big guys with no room to spare.... ha ha) Notice Joe still had a smile on his face though.

It was fun despite the really, really bumpy ride on the return. The winds had picked up even more. Joe even hit his head a few times on some of the bumps; Greg would just chuckle because he could see that it scared Joe a bit. Joe was only somewhat green when we landed however.

After our adventure we went to dinner and the movies that night. We saw the movie "Taken", and we would definitely recommend it. Very suspenseful! We later went out for dessert and stayed up late again just talking and talking.

The next day was the Super Bowl. Gillis's invited several friends over to have dinner and snacks and watch the game. So, needless to say....I fixed a "Yankee" style dinner for everyone (all 16 of us) and everyone of those Southerners' even liked it! We had so much fun eating, eating, hanging out, more eating while watching the game and playing games later that evening.

THEN......We we drove to Asheville, North Carolina to see the Biltmore Estate House. (Owned by the Vanderbilt's) What a place. I can't imagine that much money or the fact that they only had 1 child and needed/wanted such a HUGE home, not to mention the grounds and adjacent buildings! It is something that everyone should see in their lifetime. Can you imagine having 43 bathrooms to clean? Hmmm....No Thanks!

The outside of the Estate when we pulled up. This photo was taken quite a distance from the front door. You can't even imagine how massive this house really is.










Joe and Stephanie posing before the tour as well as our friends- Valerie and Greg.
After the Tour, we went to the Winery there. UH, can't say that we like wine though... Ewww. But the tour was fun and even though it started storming we couldn't help enjoy the moment.









A cute little Gargoyle that was at the Estate. I adopted him for my own. Ü

I haven't named him yet though. Any suggestions? (Thinking that he would be WAY easier than owning dogs?!)
Notice he already knows how to sit~ha ha.

We really enjoyed our tour, a yummy dinner, and lovely drive back. It is just too bad that all good things come to an end. It was absolutely an incredible weekend filled with friends and fun.

Thank You Gillis's for having us, and for being such wonderful friends these past 10 years!

BLOG "TAG"

Husband Tag!

Husband Tag!!

You know that blogs are becoming popular when you are tagged to fill out a questionnaire to post on your own blog. OK Jackie....Here ya go. Maybe some of our family and friends will find this fun and interesting too.

1. What is your husband's name? Joseph Denning

2. Who eats more? Usually Joe (But sometimes I can be a pig lol)

3. Who said I love you first? Joe I think. But it was probably at the same time. Heck that was over 30 years ago, I can't remember.

4. Who is taller? Joe by almost a foot

5. Who is smarter? Ummm...I think me. LOL. Actually Joe is best with the money and history and driving directions. I am better with computers, and basic smarts, ie School stuff. We are both pretty high on the IQ list though. hee hee

6. Who is more sensitive? Me but I hold things in. I am more sensitive to others needs though.

7. Who does the laundry? Me. But he will occasionally change the load for me.

8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? If you are looking at the bed, I do...If you are at the head of the bed , then it's Joe.

9. Who pays the bills? We both do it together. Keeps us in check and balance that way.

10. Who cooks more? DUH, I do. I love to cook, but Joe can make a mean piece of toast. Ü

11. What meals do you cook together? Not many. Unless it is in the summer and we are BBQ'ing outside or something.

12. Who is more stubborn? Joe for sure. He always gets his way. But, I can be very stubborn when it is something I have a passion for or something I believe in.

13. Who is the first to admit it when they are wrong? Usually Me. But Joe eventually comes around.

14. Who is more clean? We both are. I converted him to be organized and tidy.

15. Who has more siblings? Joe on a score of 8 vs 5

16. Who wears the pants in the relationship? Joe does definitely.

17. What do you like to do together? Relaxing, Traveling, Visiting Grand kids, Playing Wii, Movies....or just about anything.

18. Who eats more sweets? That's easy... JOE. He is a treat hound. Give him Chocolate and he'll be your best friend.

19. Guilty pleasures? For Joe...brownies, smoothies and running stuff. Me...clothes, shoes.

20. How did you meet? Joe used to date my friend actually. We were in the same Ward. We started dating in High School, got married in High School and are still together 30 yrs later.

21. Who asked who out first? Joe did.. He thought I was "HOT" in my Drill Team Uniform he told me. lol

22. Who kissed who first? Joe kissed me. I was shy.

23. Who proposed? Joe did after we had talked about it, and he made it official on bended knee.

24. Best features? His Strength. But...He looks like Patrick Swayze and he can fix anything! He is always there for you when you need him.

25. Who has the worst habits? Joe, for leaving the water running and leaving his keys places or other items (just ask our kids)..lol.

Ok, so now I tag KayCee and Sara!!

Aloha and Mahalo

Aloha (Hello and Good-Bye) and Mahalo (Thank You) in Hawaiian was something that was a treat to hear on my adventure to Hawaii. My good friend Anne needed to go to Hawaii for business...Yeah can you believe that? We had met the day before for our really late Christmas gift exchange and were talking about her upcoming trip the next day. Then she mentioned since she was going and had a room, and since I can fly on benefits, and since Joe was gone and I was free....Why Not Go?! Hmmmm.... I didn't have to think too hard on that one. So, that night I packed a bag and flew off to Hawaii the next day. I did feel really bad that Joe wasn't able to come along, or anyone else for that matter. BUT~ I did have a great time and it was a really great R&R experience with some sunshine and scenery; it sure was nice to forget all about the everyday things that can drive you crazy.

Here are a few pics I took while on my little "Girls Trip". Thanks Joe for encouraging me to go, thanks Anne for the invite! It was a very nice change of pace and besides I now have a tan!

Palm Trees Silhouetting the Morning Sky

We took a tour of Pearl Harbor, this is in front of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial (It was a bit windy as you can tell from my hair and my shirt filling with air)

Pulling up to the Memorial, and the view of the flag waving in the wind against the blue sky

I was amazed at the beautiful flowers everywhere, and realizing that they bloom all year there! I've seen the beautiful vegetation before when on previous trips to Hawaii, but it was such a nice change from the snow and inversion at home, that I couldn't help take a pic.

Diamond Head Beach. We had a nice long walk along the sandy shores and got a bit drenched when the tide changed. Oh well... I'm not complaining! Ü

Anne and myself at dinner our 2nd night there. We ate right on the water's edge.

One of the Battleships we saw when out at Pearl Harbor

Sewing Lessons Paid Off!

Look Mom... I learned to sew good enough to repair a couch! While it still looks like "Frankenstein" with all the scars, it is at least back in one piece. What a project that was. You can't tell too much unless you get close to the couch to see it, but it was a mess before this and frankly I wasn't sure we could fix it the way it was torn. Hopefully it holds! Keeping my fingers crossed! (If all goes well, I will take my hat off to the DIY network for the tips they had on fabric repair)

Motto of this story: DO NOT LET YOUR PETS ON THE FURNITURE!

For those who are wondering the status of our poodles, they still have a home here- go figure huh?! We are soft at heart. That is unless anything else is destroyed...

DOGS!

Last night I was all set to begin my adventure with the Wii Fit we just bought. I've been so excited for the "Fit" portion and we just found it! So, as I sit down to read the instructions on setting it up I see this....Needless to say I was a bit side tracked by the large rips in our NEW couch! You can see a shot of the humongous tears to the left, not great photography; mainly because I was using my cell phone and I was probably shaking from being so angry at our DOGS. Joe and I agree which dog it most likely was, but I can tell you that this couch was expensive, and only 5 months old! Grrrrrr.

Honestly, I truly wonder why we own dogs! Especially when we are always dealing with all the problems that come along with them, like our food getting stolen and eaten off the counter and the lovely stains that accompany the aftermath of throwing up the wrappers that were on the food they snitched. (Funny thing is that I am the one stuck cleaning it up always!) It must be because I love you Joe! Package deal I keep telling myself. Hmmmm? Oh well, guess I better see if I can either find a good fabric doctor or a good deal on a NEW couch...hee hee.

Wii...What a Weekend!

What a nice weekend... Joe was home from his work travels and for once we didn't travel. Instead we took some time and did some organization that we've been wanting to get done but couldn't because we were always off playing with our kids and grand kids every weekend. So, now we have more cabinet space after realizing that 2 of us (3 if Ashley is home) don't need that much stuff. Who needs that many cups, glasses, plates and so on? Apparently we thought we did.

After a much needed clean up day, we spent over an hour on our Wii boxing each other. What Fun! And....Stephanie beat Joe 3 out of four Games! Woo Hoo.... However, I am totally paying for it with my sore arms and back. Wow, that is a workout! I guess I should mention that I am horrible at tennis and only fair at bowling, so Joe did get some victories in. Ü

We invited Richard, Camille,Bree, Kyle and Becca & baby Hallie Rae to join us for pizza and more Wii games on Saturday night. We had a blast! (Hopefully we'll get some pic's posted that Kyle and Joe took showing just how silly you look playing the Wii) Thanks Rich and family for the donuts and ice cream and for making our night so fun.

Holiday Adventures...California to Idaho

Joe and I were able to visit our kids & grand kids this holiday season. We've included some fun shots of the kids while we were visiting. We spent about a week in California since we couldn't get to Idaho initially with the roads, and then took a trip to Idaho for 3 days. Notice the background and the weather difference. Yikes...It was an average of 77 degrees in California, and a frigid 12 degrees for a high in Shelley. But that is OK because we had a wonderful time playing with the kids, helping with projects, watching football games, and playing the Wii.

Gotta love the holidays!

Mason running away from Joe, who was chasing him with the leaf blower...much to Mason's delight. He had so much fun and didn't want "Bucca" to stop. As you can see from the next pic's...

"Help"....You trapped me! But, it is a blast...literally.

"Come get me again Bucca!"

Mason telling Munga all about the fun he just had while he was eating a snack.

THEN IT WAS OFF TO IDAHO...

The roads were all covered in snow

Lil PresLee bundled up for our 'outing' to get a movie from the RedBox.

PresLee just having a fun time sitting on the couch and playing.

I just missed capturing the BIG smiles.. I'm terrible with my cell phone camera!

PresLee watching me make weird faces and the little Glo-worm she has.

I think she was sad we had to go home! lol. She was so much fun!