Smores

After spending a relaxing afternoon we roasted hot dogs and made Smores. Even Misty took a break.

Kristen with the perfect marshmallow and Sarah with the perfect hot dog.

A great fire with a handy dandy log.

More Aquarium Photos

Atlanta

I extended my stay in the south to spend some time in Atlanta instead of flying home Friday afternoon. Cousin Keith picked me up at the airport where the bus dropped us after our 2 hour drive from Alabama. We ordered in Chinese for dinner.

Today Luke, the girls, Lisa, April and I went to the Atlanta Aquarium. Poor Josh isn't feeling well and stayed home to recuperate. It is the largest aquarium in the country. So many pictures and so few allowed on the Blog.

Kristen, Sarah and April inside a bubble in the exhibit. They have tunnels that you can crawl into and pop up in the middle of the exhibit.

Luke and I with the mascot, Deepo.

Fish

The girls inside another display.

Anniston, AL

This week I was in Anniston, AL for mass causality training for health care leaders at the Noble Training Center. The training center is on a decommissioned military base. The entrance of the training center.

We stayed in the barracks on the base.

The flowering trees were beautiful!

Actually, this is the dorm I stayed in. Each room was a private room, but had a share toilet/shower (a Jack and Jill bathroom). I guess it could have been worse!

My room. Motel 6 it's not!

Spring is in the Air

Our back yard is bursting into bloom and the scents are incredible!

Nectarines

Tangelos

Capistrano

It was suggested that I give a little more information about the Capistrano, so here is a blurb from a website:
San Juan Capistrano is the site of a Catholic mission for which it is named, Mission San Juan Capistrano. When the Mission was founded in 1776, the region was populated by the Acjachemen band of Indians, called Juaneños by the Spanish. The mission was named after the Franciscan saint Giovanni da Capistrano (1386-1456).
The city is the site of California's oldest residential neighborhood, Los Rios. It is also the home of the oldest in use building in California, the Serra Chapel in the Mission. The area was the site of both the first vineyard and first winery in California.
In the 1830s Richard Henry Dana, Jr., author of the classic Two Years Before the Mast visited the area as a sailor engaged in the hide trade on board the ship Pilgrim. Describing the locale, which then included what is now the neighboring city of Dana Point, he gushed, "San Juan is the only romantic spot in California." The area was also the locale of the first Zorro novella, The Curse of Capistrano, published in 1919 (later renamed "The Mark of Zorro" after the sucess of of the film of the same name).
San Juan Capistrano is also known for its Cliff Swallows. The protected birds are reputed to return from migration on St. Joseph's Day (March 19) each year, a day celebrated by the city's annual Swallows' Day Parade and other festive events. The are reputed to leave on October 23, the former feast day of St. John of Capistano.

Like the Swallows to Capistrano...

The Bontrager Sisters descend upon Arizona every March. This is the tenth annual visit.

They couldn't wait to bask in the beautiful sunshine. So much warmer than Indiana, Iowa and Kansas!
Last night we had an enjoyable candle lit dinner at home.