Fall, Family, Food, Friends = Asheville Part II

Beautiful Asheville

Always encouraging

Can never get enough of you!

But we sure tried in just a few short days..

Cramming so much in...in a relaxing sort of way!

The perfect combination.

and speaking of combination...

These two guys ruled the table 

at 

but this girl

spent some time

also.

(P.S. the green heart on her wrist is Jayce's!)

In keeping with the relaxing mode,

there was food, food, and more food

with long meals spent around the table; no agenda

except to spend time together.

Fortunately,

after the pasta, barbecue, salads/hoagies, pastries, artisan donuts,

cat head biscuits, and let's not forget the sangria,

 my Timberlands 

did get some action.

And let's not forget

the rainy day

meetup with friends

(oops...I missed out on the handhold in the last pic :)

where leisure once again ruled...

(notice incognito Joseph in the background :)

Rachel and Joseph,

it was so great spending time in your world

 and we can't wait to

head to your mountain home again!

P.S.

I would be negligent

 if I didn't highlight the

next photographer of the family...

and to take the time to give a shout out

to the 

DellaVecchia's

who needed to stay home and take care of 

sick wee ones.

We missed you guys!!!!

But now that everyone is healthy...

when's our next road trip?!?!

Healing Powers, Asheville Part I

I am a city girl by birth, but, most fortunately, I've had mountains in my life from the beginning... the Watchung Reservation and Poconos in my childhood...oh yes, Harvey's Lake! thank you for such wonderful memories!..., the Catskills, Delaware Water Gap and Voorhees State Park in my teenage years where a lot of exploring took place and Roundabout by YES ("mountains come out of the sky and they stand there"!) would be blasting on the cassette as the they came into view on the road trip out of the city. And, of course, the beautiful Smokey Mountains in my adulthood.  As Christa put it quite eloquently this past week, "A part of my heart belongs here!"  I so agree!

Recently I read a study that showed pain medication was reduced by 30% for hospital patients who were exposed to nature.  I so believe that.  Such powers are held by grandiose mountain ranges to tiny berries growing on a tree.  Again a Christa quote, "Healing happens here!"  Christa, all that money that was spent on the study... they could have just asked you...lol!  There is truth in those words.

Off to experience the power of nature...

Always the gentleman...

 My Timberlands were jealous...

And the challenge of rock-skipping

 caused Robert to risk his Jordans...

   

If nature reduces the need for pain meds by 30%,

what percentage would you guess that family/friends

further reduces the need....

And I don't think a study is needed

 to prove that fact!

Now, enjoy a great song...

It's a Football Kind of Day!

 

 

The alarm was set early this morning

because I had to get to North Jax to watch

this guy...

 

 

...play in his championship game!

 

(ok, family and friends up north...you can start laughting now)...

It was freezing out there!

 

You might think David was praying for a win here,

bur in reality, he was trying to conserve body heat!...

 

 

 

 

As you can see,

#28

is one of the shortest players on the team

 

 

But he's a little dynamo...

 

David is somewhere in the middle of this....!



 

Well,

the Saints didn't win,

this time,

but it was a fun, cold, exciting beginning of the day....

 

which then lead to this....

 

 

....and this...

 

(why are photo bombs so funny!)

 

And some sweet bonding time with this little guy... 

 

 

Andre and Sheri,

 

 

your family is BEE-UUU-TEE-FULL!

 

 

 

and fun

 

(cousins and all!)

 

And just a joy to be around!

 

 

Now to finish the day watching the Gators

dominate Georgia....OH YES!!

 

 



"I Am Touched by How I Touch Other People's Lives"

(disclaimer...this will be an ongoing, updated blog...because the one-liners keep coming!)

In our family

Robert

is known for his one liners...

not meant to be funny, but they

 constantly. crack. us. up.!

And when they don't fit in the "funny" category, they are very, very poignant.

So, for posterity sake, I will be

recording his comments.

I realize this will be esoteric for many,

but for those within hearing range,

the backstory will keep us smiling for years.

~"I am touched by how I touch other people's lives!"
                      His response to accolades of what a great guy he is.

~"I can be friends with anybody... unless they're not friendly."

                     Said while it was being mentioned how he can hold a

                               conversation with anyone in any place.

~"What if a raccoon walks out of the woods and walks through the ceremony!?!?"
                     Said while trying to pick out a wedding venue.

~"It's not about winning; it's about beating Charlie!"
                      Said during a heated family card game.

~"God gave me options!"  (Christa's response: "Then you got married!")
                      Said when it was announced there was a mandatory game night
                             during family vacation in which he didn't want to participate.

~To Christa:  "Do you need anything special, like a hug or a kiss?"
                      Said while they were going through the hardest time of their lives.

~"Are you laughing at me?!?" "You should be laughing at the movie!"
                      Said while we were having a family movie night watching 
                             A Christmas Story, and we could not stop laughing at
                                     Robert laughing at the movie.

-"How do you take so long in the shower?!?  You only have 4 major body parts to wash!!!!
   Whish, wash, splash and you're done!"
                      Said to Christa and Jess when it was being determined who would be first
                                     in the shower and how long they may take.

~ Robert  "What candy did you buy?"
  Christa "Reese's, M&M's, Hersey bars"
  Robert:  "Did you get the ones with almonds?!!!"
  Christa  "This candy is for the kids, NOT YOU!"
                     Said a couple of days before Halloween

So far, my vote for favorite,

and one of the reasons why I love this guy so much....

~"Oh, we were just passing out hugs"

                     Said when Christa & Robert were hugging two friends good-by in a parking lot and
                                      Christa turns around and Robert is hugging an eighty-year-old passerby!
                                            The silver-haired lady's parting comment..."You smell good!"

~Christa texted me this picture

along w/this message...
"Robert and I are just hanging out at the house watching tv. And he goes in the room and comes out wearing this. I asked him where's he's going and he says 'it's 9/11...I don't care if we're sitting home alone, I'm going to wear our colors.' Now he's in the closet finding red, white and blue for me to wear! God bless America! We will always remember!"

E(n)DIST(e)O BEACH

Edisto Beach,

population 691,

 a little South Carolina coastal town...

 

 

the perfect location for an urban family from Jersey!!

 

 

 ("Hey, where are all the people?!?!?")

 

Who wonder "where are the chain restaurants?,

 tourist attractions?,

bodies of water without alligators?,

 

traffic lights?,
noise?,

and people who react fast to situations...like serving food!?

WE ARE GOING CRAZY!!"

 

 ~~~

And then reinforcements arrived,

 

 

and the party began...

 

^^^

(Well, at least one person was a partier!)

Thank you, ShagFest, for providing entertainment from our balcony!

 

 

 

The town was still sleepy...

 

 

 

 

 

 

and

we had to find entertainment wherever we could...

 

 

 

 

 

^^^

Always the Princess

 

 

But add into the equation family who hasn't seen

each other in WAY. TOO. LONG.

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the setting becomes perfect!

 

 

 

Cousins,
big




and small,

have sweet moments together,

and they don't mind being seen carrying sippy cups...

 

~~~

 There are a number of
"You can't choose family...."
quotes
 out there,

but there is one thing for sure,

if you could choose family,




R's,

I would choose you!


Let's do this again next year,

or

next month,

or

next week!

 

 

 

We miss you!