Vacation

Tina and I have always had a goal  that we would take some type of fun vacation once every year regardless of how big or small. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people older and wiser tell us to take some time to relax and have fun every year lest we suffer the consequences of a heart attack or hypertension. We even got a lecture from the escrow agent when we closed on our house. I am pleased to say that we have been able to keep  that goal for the ninth year in a row. This is how it has gone down...although I can admit that not all of our vacationing has relieved stress but it has always been fun.

2000 - Our honeymoon to San Francisco. Since Tina and I had about two pennies to our actual names (which was used mostly for lunch money) we will be forever indebted to many generous donors who wouldn't let me take Tina camping in the bed of my truck to some crazy geological wonder.

2001 - Vegas and Bryce Canyon...I managed to slip some geology in here.

2002 - Disneyland...This is when I first learned what a Disney nerd Tina is.

2003- Kanas (to check out Kansas University), Missouri (To visit Dad)

2004 - We did lots of little weekend trips that year because we were in So. Cal. for my internship over the summ

er. We visited Disneyland (of course), San Diego, Laguna Beach. Basically the whole summer wa

s some work with a lot of vacation (yay no school!).

2005 - Nauvoo, Hanibal (MO) and .... Disneyland

2006 - Disneyland ... Cruise to Mexico

2007 - Disneyland ... Hawaii

2008 - New York, Manassas, Gettysburg, Washington DC .... Tina is going to Disneyland in June with her family... 

So here are some pictures from our most recent adventure. I had never been to the east coast. It was a surreal experience for me.

Tina just loves a Bull stock market. This is the Bull seen in the Movie "Hitch". We got a picture of Tina with the other end but I'll let you see that again sometime in the movie. 

The view from the top of the Empire State Building was unreal.

"Make it shine like the top of the Chrysler Building" right Mom?

Statue of Liberty (not 

me!...that gre

en thing 

behind me)

Useless waste of UN-office space

Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda (?) interviewing "Niles" (from Frasier) on the Today show. We were on TV behind them quite a bit making fools of ourselves.

The Radio Music/ Rockefeller Center where Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh sit high above the city and make us laugh. Directly below this building is where they have the big Christmas tree and the Today show is a block away. 

Between these two buildings in the gap is where the Twin Towers stood. They were working on the foundation for the Freedom Tower while we were there.

We were also able to attend Jenna's graduation (my step-sister) from Southern Virginia University, which is a very small but good LDS liberal arts college in the Virginia Shenandoah Valley. Congrats Jenna! She is sooooo smart.

Gettysburg, PA was the highlight for both of us (in more ways than one). It was incredible to walk the battlefields and stand where so many gave their lives. Seeing the terrain in person really brought the battle into perspective for me.

This is the field where Pickett's charge occurred. The wall in the forefront is literally where the tide of the war changed to the favor of the Union and the beginning of the end of the Confederacy. Again, it made such a difference to be able to stand in that very place. If you ever get a chance to visit you should... it is a sacred place with a very tangible feeling for sacrifice.

The tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Another very sacred place and literally the alter of freedom for our country.

The National Mall. We are standing at the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington National Monument and WWII monument behind us. We tried to see all of the sites in DC in one day...My advice is don't unless you like to walk and walk and walk some more. 

Another highlight of the trip was being able to meet up and have dinner with my mentor and good friend Roy Adams. We hadn't seen Roy or Janet in several years. Hopefully, we'll get to see Janet some time soon.

 

So there are some snapshots of our one-week trip to the east coast. It was a whirlwind tour. Very fun but a bit exhausting. Although, I think my hypertension and heart attack have been stayed for the year.

Tina put the whole thing together from the hotels and flights down to daily transportation and great eating spots. She has some major talent as a travel agent! Which is also why she is good at stock trading. I'm glad she didn't charge......it was a lot of work.