What a thrilling time we had on our trip...to sum it up:
I nearly blew off Hoover Dam...

 We saw an inspiring display of over 20 statues in Groom, Texas showing the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ...

The statues were life size and it really felt odd getting up close enough to get some good photos...

Also while in Texas we met Kim, Charlie and Justin's sister.  We have been in touch with her since the boys joined our family.  I was a thrill to meet this lovely young woman in person.

Had lunch with one of our favorite families, the Villapudua family.  They have a restaurant in Tyler Texas as well as our favorite - Mundos - in Turlock...

 We also stopped to have a delicious meal with my Uncle Raymond and Aunt Nancy.  Raymond is the last surviving sibling of my moms.

We spent a couple days with Justin and Netti in Florida...celebrated the anticipation of their daughter coming in September...and...celebrating them moving home in July...

We stopped in North Carolina to visit with Aunt Eunice and Uncle Bill.  Eunice is Larry's dad's sister.

We saw Niagra Falls...what a glorious site...

Went to Hell one day...discovered it has a post office...who knew?

We explored beautiful Amish country in Indiana...

Saw lots of things I've not seen before including these...

 Carson liked the gift we got Charlie for house-sitting...

It was a trip I'll never forget...especially one part of me which is now parked on the sofa!

And yes...I can't wait to go again!

June 6, 2012: Our Big Adventure...

June 6
Larry and I have begun a great adventure across the United States.  I thought I would be able to keep up with a blog a day as to what we've done and seen but I just can't.  I can't take my eyes from the scenery as it changes from our pick up window.  We have been in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and are currently in Texas.  While each state has spaces of scenery which stays the same so long it can get monotonous they each also have their own depth of beauty.  I just can't look to my laptop long enough to type.

I teased our kids when we left California saying I hoped we would encounter some rough and different weather.  Being a Central California girl all my life I'm not used to change in the weather.  I was pleasantly surprised yesterday afternoon when some big white clouds began drifting across the sky.  An hour later we were in a rainstorm.  I didn't take the picture above but it is much like the sky was yesterday.  When another hour passed it was getting dark and God blessed us with a magnificent display of lightening.  In the pick up we could only hear faint rumblings of thunder.

When we pulled into our motel last night the storm continued.  I was standing under the shelter at the front door with our suitcases as Larry found a place to park the pick up.  God put the finishing touch on my perfect day with a lightening strike that lit up the whole sky and a clap of thunder so loud it took my breathe away.  Out from one of the trees flew a huge flock of birds.  I'd noticed their beautiful singing before the thunder.  Now they were silent.  There were so many of them, I'm guessing at least two hundred, that I could hear their wings beating as they swooped by me and into another tree landing in unison in what was nearly darkness.  Immediately they began chirping and singing again.

The birds sang all night.  They sounded very familiar; like the Mocking Birds of home.   This morning I was watching them through the window.  I googled Texas Mocking Bird and found my guess to be correct.  At home I have only seen one and maybe two Mocking Birds at a time.  Here instead of hearing a solo I heard a choir singing  last night.  First the room would light up, then a clap of thunder, then song.  What a glorious night,  My bed wasn't too comfy but I caught myself smiling all through the night.

This is turning into quite a day.  Started by trying to count the tomatoes on one of our plants....too many to count and 100's of blossoms too.  I see lots of dehydrating and making sauces after our trip!

Yesterday Larry bought me a new suitcase.  It is huge!  It has plenty of room for everything I need to take on our trip.  It even holds a jacket, a heavy coat, and a pair of tennis shoes!

We had lunch at my favorite restaurant with my favorite 36 year old son and his family.  It's wonderful to see him now as a grown man, husband, and dad.  It makes me think we might have done alright after all!  Amy is another perfect daughter and the kids?  Brandon, Avery, and Zack are my grandchildren so naturally they are perfect!

This afternoon a full tummy, last minute packing, final plans being made, a soft couch, a big lemonade, and a smile on my face.  Tonight will be the last night in our own bed for a while, probably one of the things I will miss most!  I am excited for tomorrow.  First the office for a few minutes then our grand adventure will begin.

I remember the summer after I was in 6th grade.  It was one of the many times I was able to spend at one of various church camps in the mountains above our valley.  One of the great campfire songs we learned was "There's a Hole in the Bucket."  We shared many nights of stories and laughter including that song.

Now, all these years later, having a "Bucket List" has become a popular saying.  A bucket list is a list of things you would like to do before you die!  I don't like the idea of a bucket list.  I'm afraid I might make it too short.  Instead of a bucket list to check off I've decided to make up and use the basket theory!  I liked looking for

Easter eggs when I was a little girl.  Later, I enjoyed taking my basket out to the hen house in search of eggs.  I always felt each egg, be it an Easter egg or an egg for breakfast, was a treasure.  I've always gathered my "life treasures" as I've found them.  Some I knew were treasures right away, those were easy to put in my basket.  Some didn't seem like treasures at all but somehow found their way into my basket and my heart to mysteriously turn into some of  my very best treasures.

I have another blog you can find at peeksintojoyce.blogspot.com    "Peeks Into Joyce" is a lot of my memories I am writing down for my children and grandchildren.  It starts when I am very young and continues still.  "No Hole in My Bucket" is going to be more about my basket and what treasures I collect now.  This one is for me. You'll notice the picture is a BIG basket with room for many many treasures.  I might just find one today.  If you think you might enjoy....please follow along....   

Poor Liza

There's a hole in the bucket,

Dear Liza, dear Liza

There's a hole in the bucket,

Dear Liza, there's a hole.

Then fix it, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, dear Henry

Then fix it, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, fix it.

With what shall I fix it,

Dear Liza, dear Liza?

With what shall I fix it,

Dear Liza, with what?

With a straw, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, dear Henry

With a straw, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, with a straw.

But the straw is too long,

Dear Liza, dear Liza

But the straw is too long,

Dear Liza, too long

Then cut it, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, dear Henry

Then cut it, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, cut it.

With what shall I cut it,

Dear Liza, dear Liza?

With what shall I cut it,

Dear Liza, with what?

With an axe, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, dear Henry

With an axe, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, an axe.

The axe is too dull,

Dear Liza, dear Liza

The axe is too dull,

Dear Liza, too dull

Then sharpen it, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, dear Henry

Then sharpen it, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, sharpen it.

With what shall I sharpen it,

Dear Liza, dear Liza?

With what shall I sharpen it,

Dear Liza, with what?

With a stone, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, dear Henry

With a stone, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, a stone.

The stone is too dry,

Dear Liza, dear Liza

The stone is too dry,

Dear Liza, too dry

Then wet it, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, dear Henry

Then wet it, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, wet it.

With what shall I wet it,

Dear Liza, dear Liza?

With what shall I wet it,

Dear Liza, with what?

With water, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, dear Henry

With water, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, with water.

How shall I get it,

Dear Liza, dear Liza,

How shall I get it,

Dear Liza, how shall I?

In the bucket, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, dear Henry

In the bucket, dear Henry,

Dear Henry, in the bucket.

There's a hole in the bucket.

Dear Liza, dear Liza

There's a hole in the bucket,

Dear Liza, there's a hole.