Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble

     My safe haven, my escape, a comfort zone if you will.  I've always loved bookstores, we didn't have any in the town I grew up in so when we went to bigger cities that had a Books-A-Million or a Barnes & Noble I would insist that we go in.  It was more important than shopping for clothes, I had to go stock up on books and I was always, after being in the store for over an hour, being rushed to just pick something already so we could go home!  Nothing has changed, and, what with my internet still being on the fritz I am enjoying the WiFi at the Starbucks in the Barnes & Noble down the road from my home. 

        

       With my laptop in hand and the other cradling an iced latte I ask you does it get better than this?  Coffee, books and internet.  I still won't be able to update my blog daily but since I've remember a little thing called WiFi hopefully you'll be hearing from me more often!

Love and Lattes:

Stephanie

Blogging Downtime

I wish I looked this glamorous in a bathing suit! 

Traveling with "The Four Hats' Crew"

     I have so much to catch up on.  Our internet has been down at home and being that we were leaving for a vacation we weren't all hell bent on fixing it.  But it will be fixed on Friday so I can return to the regular world of blogging!  (sigh of relief) 

Dan and I at the Peabody in Memphis, TN

me and my tree at the zoo!

     Our vacation went fantastic and I should have caught up on some blogs then, but, what with trying to cram in as much as each day could hold then eating a big meal and drinking an adult beverage, well, I just didn't feel like busting out the old laptop and trying to think creatively!  The first day I found a Sand Dollar at a sandbar that we went to.  I've spend many-a vacation time, not mention living in Florida, looking for one of those damn things and I finally found one!  It was the perfect way to kick off a South Florida vacation!  Then we tried to go to the zoo but a tropical storm blew in and we decided that wasn't a good idea, so we spent the rest of the day at Bayside Market and eating!. We went back to the zoo the next day and had a great time!  You can rent bicycle cars that fit up to six people in them and feed the giraffes!  Mike kept trying to run people over in our car!  Some of the people in my opinion needed to get ran over!  Feeding the giraffes is always my highlight of that zoo! Really how many times in your life have you got to feed a giraffe?  

Raww!

Look at that tongue!

He was trying to steal my lettuce!!

   Next on the agenda was Universal Islands of Adventure to visit Hogsmead and Hogwarts.  My inner Harry Potter nerd went crazy! Butterbeers, owls, castles and chocolate frogs- I didn't know which way to go! We also saw comic book hero's, comic strip characters, Dr. Sues Land and stopped by Jurassic Park.  The River ride scared the life out of me.  I mean you know that log rides have a drop but this one has a DROP!!!  I wish I had bought the picture because the face I was making was priceless!

Hogwarts Express!

Yap! That's what the cold Butterbeer will do to ya!

Me and Chad waiting to go into Olivander's Wand Shop.  It was raining which felt great after the humid day!

Mike, always keeping people laughing!

   After that we were pretty tired and spent the rest of the time beaching it.  We were also there during the kick off of lobster season and we ate a lobster feast!  Oh man I would walk back to South Florida for more of those delectable little morsels!

The guys on South Beach!

South beach!

    Then, like all wonderful things in the world, good things come to an end- it was time to pack out bags and leave.  So sad to see our time there come to an end.  Plus, I wish that our family lived a little bit closer.  We only get to see them once a year if we're lucky.  Which really sucks!


                                                         


     The way back was not that great.  No longer were we on the vacation high, just exhausted from six days of running ourselves ragged.  I really don't know how Dan did it because he drove most of the trip while the rest of us selfishly slept.  We stopped in Memphis for the best barbecue I have ever eaten.  Rendezvous.  Do yourself a favor if you ever find yourself in Memphis stop by.  Your taste buds won't be disappointed! We also went by the National Civil Rights Museum where Dr. Martin Luther King was shot, Sun Studios and The Peabody Hotel.  I hope to be going back to Memphis this year for a long weekend I would like to see all these things again and have more time to actually appreciate it!

    Now we are just trying to get back into our routines, which is never easy when you've been somewhere great.  We are busy planning a new vacation and dreaming of more vacation time away from our jobs and Oklahoma!

The Four Hats' Crew 

   Love and blogging,


Stephanie and the rest of The Four Hats Crew