Say Goodbye to San Diego

I can't believe how fast these last few days have gone by!  I've been so fortunate to be here with Dan & Scott showing me all around.  I've loved our adventures!  It's been a time to catch up with old friends from home and from Bentley!  I will always cherish my time in San Diego.  It's been years since Dan & I have spent non-stop time together.  I miss that so.  My "Will," yes, we were truly Will and Grace in college, is one of the most amazing guys I've ever met.  He always knows just what to say or do to make you feel amazing.  I could not have imagined my adventure in California beginning any other way.  And then there's Scott.  Over the last few years, maybe I've been able to spend a few hours with him during the yearly visits to CT.  This week I've really gotten to know him and have seen first hand why him and Dan are such a great pair.  Just the way that they both make you feel welcome at all times.  It's just amazing.


Yesterday was truly an event!  We went to Disneyland!  I've been in Florida, but it's been about 5 years!  So seeing the sights through their eyes was fantastic.  They know all of this cool trivia about the places.  I felt like I was on one my TAH Trips getting the in's and out's of a place!  It is the happiest place on Earth!

We started off with Soarin' which I revealed to Jenn, I was totally a dork and singing the song from High School Musical in my head while on the ride!  I love all the sights and smells that are thrown your way while flying through the state of California!

And then there's the Tower of Terror... Ok, I've done this before, but I still totally jumped.  The people behind us screamed the entire time... which kinda made it a bit scarier!  But it's all good.  It's kinda hard to see, but thats one of the group shots they took of us.


We hit the "Games" from Toy Story.  OMG!  This was hysterical.  Everyone is playing against the other people in your car.  Scott was amazing... kicked my butt the whole time!  And then there's Dan - he beat all of us!  A great time was had by all!

Then there were the little shops as you come off the rides!  I still think Dan would look great in his Buzz Lightyear costume!  But my favorite there was the Mr. Potato Head shirt that said "Don't make me get my angry eyes!"  Hmmm... could I wear that at school... hmmm...

We ate dinner at a really cool Mexican place and listened to a great Mariachi band play throughout the restaurant.  Just a very chill and relaxing time!  From there we ended our time in California Adventure and headed into Disneyland!  We had to take a little detour back to the lockers since I forgot my ticket!  Sorry guys... I thought the hand stamp meant I could get back in... Oops!

When we arrived the sights and the sounds were brilliant.  I love the old school Disney look to downtown.  Hearing the bands play and crazy amounts of people everywhere.  But then again... nothing beats the view of the castle at night!  It is just breath taking!



We waited and watched the most beautiful fireworks I've seen in a long time that were set to Disney music which we all sung along to!  And then there was Tinkerbell who flew all around during the fireworks!  She's just dancing her way through the fireworks!

After the fireworks, we had to make our way through the crowd.  It was wall to wall people that you had to navigate in and out through.  This is where I have to say I love Scott.  Dan was getting us through and Scott was constantly checking to make sure I didn't get lost.  It may sound stupid, but it was a great feeling!  He is just a great guy!

We hit as much as we could before the park closed!  We were able to do Pirates of the Caribbean,  Space Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, and Indiana Jones.  Indiana Jones was truly my favorite adventure.  They don't have that ride in FL, so it was a first for me!  It was something that was well worth the wait!  They had a the coolest path to get there.  The way that these rides are designed in AMAZING!  But I'm truly a sucker for Dr. Jones!  I definitely jumped many times throughout the ride, but a great time was had by all!  I checked the Body Bug at the end of the night... We did over 25,000 steps - which about 5,000 was from my morning walk... but still!  CRAZY!

Of course we ended the night with a group shot by Downtown Disney!  This is a night I will truly not forget thanks to the most amazing men in my life!  I love you both more than you know!

Now I'm all about laundry, packing and traveling to meet a dear friend who I haven't seen in probably 10 years - Judy Bothelo!  Dan & Scott are going to drive me half way and Judy is going to bring me the rest!  I can't wait to see her and I can't wait to just get to the ranch!

San Diego

Hey all!  I know it's been a while since I've posted!  I've been relaxing and loving it in San Diego!


It took me over 14 hours to actually get here after all of my delays and travel issues... but this trip is well worth the wait.






Today was great!  I started out by enjoying a book outside by the pool.  Dan and I then took a trip to REI to get a few last minute things for the Ridge.  It was just fun tooling around the store...



From there, we spent time at the Beach and drove all around the county.  It was amazing just watching the waves and seeing the surfers.








God... I LOVE SAN DIEGO...  Honestly... If the education system was not as screwed up as it is here, I would totally live out here.  It's such a chill lifestyle.  I can totally see the appeal.   We did drinks at a fun beach bar and then I was off to meet Matt!









Dan dropped me off at the train station to meet Matt!  It was such a great day hanging out with him!  We haven't seen each other since Christmas, so it's always fun when we get together.  Matt and I walked through the beach and all around.  From there we headed to Union to just chill!  We relived old times... and did a TON of Laughing!  We even had to get his Mom, Robyn and Brian in the fun!  All I can say is... It's all your fault!






One of the best parts of this whole adventure is just hanging with Scott and Dan.  I've had such an amazing time just talking and chilling with them.  This trip is exactly what I needed to relax before the ranch.  I love them both dearly and so lucky to have them in my life!

Tomorrow will be fun!  We'll have dinner with Christy and Erin who I haven't seen in YEARS!  I'm psyched!  And yes Robyn & Val... tomorrow I will finally post pics of the house for you!  More later!  Night!

Posts from Last Week

Ok... so I know I'm totally behind!  We didn't have internet access... and well... time to post.  So I'm going to put a few in now... and I'll do more later!

I can't believe that I only have 1.5 days until Cali... This is CRAZY!  God... I'm getting nervous... but it's a good nervous.  So here's blogs from Alabama and New Orleans!  Enjoy!  Steph

Today started off with a wonderful sunrise swim.  The sun just looked glorious as it rose.  It was great to be outside before it got truly oppressive because of the heat.  Honestly, it was just nice to be outside doing something.  For so much of this trip we’ve been inside.  I miss being outside and doing things!  Four months ago, I don’t know if I would have said the same thing...  It’s so interesting what happens as time changes.  As they same in Camp Rock, “It’s a brand new day, and I feel good!” 

I was able to talk with a new friend over the phone at breakfast.  It was an inspiring conversation.  It was great to hear how much we have in common and how we seem to be thinking the same things about life.  It’s refreshing to hear that someone thinks like me and it’s not a one-way conversation.  Someone has something to add... and that keeps things interesting.  Who knows!  Only time will tell!

So I’m going to quote Camp Rock again... Yes, Jenn – I’ve been listening trying to get these songs memorized myself so it’ll be a smooth start in September!  I should be set after Cali since I need to hike to upbeat songs... most of these fit!  Anyways...  the song “This Is Me,” is on my mind today.  Over these last two weeks, I’ve been thinking about me for a change and I love it!  I love the way I’m feeling.  In the past, I was just floating by, making things work the best the possibly could. Just running through the motions of life, but that just wasn’t good for me anymore. I need to be happy.  I finally feel like I know who I am, or at least starting to get to know myself again. 

This is real, this is me

I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now

Gonna let the light, shine on me

Now I've found, who I am

There's no way to hold it in

No more hiding who I want to be

This is me

I’ve come to the conclusion; you can take me or leave me (hmm... insert Rent here!).  I am a new person who stands up for herself and I’m going to tell you what I’m thinking.  I’m not going to say what I think you should hear... or sugar coat it...  I’m going to share what I really feel.  For so long I was stuck doing what others thought I should do... not any more.

Today is been a great day so far.  We started off at the National Voting Rights Museum.  This was a great place... I just wish their exhibits were finished.  They had to move buildings due to water damage, so they’re setting it all up still.  But what was there was truly inspiring.  I got some great shots of pictures from the Selma – Montgomery March to share with the kids.  These pictures will help make this event come alive for my kids.  They’ll be able to see the pride and purpose in the faces of those who marched.  Powerful!

The next part of our trip was something that I’ve been waiting for, to actually cross the Pettus Bridge from Selma on the way to Montgomery.  People actually marched for 5 days on this great journey.  The fact that we were able to see the church in which they started from, to bridge itself and where the State Police stood in their path.  There is nothing like experiencing history for yourself.  Walking and thinking about what those people must have been thinking as they marched for the right to vote.  It was a very moving experience!

Then its time to get back on the bus and head to New Orleans!  I’m so excited for this part of the journey.  I’ve never been and just want to see the beauty in the city.  Not to mention... finally a place with some nightlife!  I’m not sure where we are headed tonight, but it should be a great night for all!

New Orleans... OH MY GOD...  We’re finally here!           

The bus ride... well... it was very long... It took us over 5 hours to actually drive to New Orleans from Selma, Alabama.  We traveled through Mississippi, which now makes 13 different states that we’ve been through in two weeks; granted, that is included airports.  It’s crazy to think that I’ve been in each of those.

New Orleans has to be the coolest place I’ve been in, in a long time.  Burbon Street is truly the southern Vegas!  I LOVE IT HERE!  Judy, Marisol, and Sister – I think we need to think about coming here for the last day of school!  The night started off with us getting dressed up a bit, not to the nines, but we still looked good, even our guys noticed!  Then again, it’s been so hot this past week that none of us wore make up!

The streets were lined with people... The smell in the air... yeah... that is one the worst parts – the smell.  There are sections that smell like piss, others that smell like trash, and then there are those very special places that smell like vomit.  It’s great... That’s mostly on the side streets, but when the wind does pick up a bit, every now and again, you’ll catch a drift.

The food is amazing.  We had dinner at Pat O’Briens – Thanks Missy for all of the tips!  Stacey and I decided to try some of the local cuisine – We had Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Catfish.  It was fantastic.  Of course we also had a have a hurricane!   This has to be the strongest drink I ever tasted.  I ended up splitting it with our Professor that joined us this week – Jim.  

Back on the bus to Montgomery and Selma, Alabama

Today we got back on the bus... We traveled to Montgomery to see the Civil Rights Memorial Center.  If you thought you knew anything about Civil Rights before... after leaving this place, you heard the untold stories of 40 of the many people who lost their lives to fight for freedom.  It was a moving experience that challenged every thought you had.

For many of us, the part that truly touched us came at the end.  They have a wall of tolerance that was created for people to sign their names to help support the cause.  We all went in line, typed our names and saw them scroll throughout.  Now I know this sounds like a tiny action, but when you see your name on a full size movie screen scroll through with other people who believe in the same things as you, it's moving.  It truly is.

Lunch... well yeah... that was hysterical today.  I had the pleasure of eating with Donna and John, from the Sound School.  We sat at table 12.  The quote that could be heard from our side of the room was, "When do we get to eat?" and John's answer, "In about a half an hour," which was already said a half an hour ago.  We laughed!  We had no choice but to laugh.  As my dad would say, well... what did you learn... we need to sit closer to the front.  We were the last ones to get our food.  The restaurant served table, by table.  Almost as if they didn't already have our order... that they were making them fresh each time.  By the time we got our meal, an hour later, everyone was getting their dessert.

We then got back on the bus and trekked to the Rosa Parks Museum.  This museum was like the Disney World of the Civil Right's movement.  They had amazing displays that caught your interest.  You just wanted to find out more.  We also had a wonderful tour guide that tried to give us part of the untold story.  This was a great experience!

We then journeyed onto Selma, Alabama where we're spending the night.  We left the hotel for dinner - where we ate at the historic, St. James Hotel.  Its right across from the Pettius Bridge, which we get to walk just like Dr. King and the others did in their fight for freedom.  I can't wait to experience history!  This walk is something I'm truly looking forward to!

We spent the night with Tom, our group leader.  He started to open up and relax with us a bit.  We had lots of laughs and shared with him about the favorite parts of our journey from last week – especially the Red Shoe Tribe Pictures!  We also shared our Cockdents theory.  Tom thought we should call them CockRats.  Yeah... the conversation just went downhill from there.

It’s been a long couple of days, so I’m calling it a night!  Tomorrow will be a LONG day with a 5 hour drive to New Orleans!  I can’t wait to get there!

Birmingham, AL

Ok... so the night of day 1 was pretty eventful!  We ventured out into the city... which well... it's a busy city during the day... but there is NO nightlife.  I repeat... NO night life!  We went to one bar called the Speak Easy... Hmm... there was definitely someone who was "easy" in there.  She put on a show with her interesting man... yeah... It was like a train wreck... you didn't want to watch it... ewee!

Plus, the bar smelled like smoke - since people still smoke in places around here.  Yuck!  We left after a little while and headed down the street to explore.  Again, there was NOTHING open.   We found a bar... there was no one in it... and it was smoke free!  SCORE!  We got beers and just hung out.  I got to know Sarah who is in the ELL/Sped Teacher group.  That's the great thing, we always have a chance to meet new people.

The walk home was HYSTERICAL!  As were walking... we see these big black bugs... Of course the first thing we think is cockroaches.  YUCK!  The thing is, these bugs were MASSIVE!  I mean the biggest we've ever seen.  They were rodent size.  Now we've had a bit to drink, so of course we made up a new word - CockDents - Cockroach size rodents.  We screamed and laughed most of the day home!

The next morning, we walked all around the city.  There were no cockdents in sight.  We did find a cool artsy section.  In there, they had a music area where it featured a statue of the Temptations.  It was beautiful.  There were metal music notes throughout the walkway and music of the Temptations coming from a speaker high above.  It just put you in a great mood.  Once I get the picture from Donna, I'll add it... yes.... we took pictures!

The rest of the city is truly a depressed area except for all of the financial buildings and court houses, most of the buildings were empty and for rent.  Now this made us think, if it's this way here, and they're supposed to be more "advanced" here, what would it be like in Mississippi?!?

Even more strange was there seemed like there was NO ONE in the city at all.  Our walk began at about 8 am... people have to goto work, yet we don't see any.  So weird!

Tuesday was filled with the Civil Rights Institute followed by the 16th Street Baptist Church and a tour of the park.  This was honestly a hard day.  This trip is not like the last one.  The Oregon Trail was a time filled with adventure and finding out new things.  This trip, well... it kinda messes with your head.  You have feelings brought up... that you may not want to have dealt with.  It's not a place that leaves you with a happy feeling, but it does open up your eyes to injustices that you may not have learned about.

This isn't a place where we truly go around posing for pictures everywhere, but we did do a nice group shot outside the museum!  Aren't we cute!  These are most of us from the last trip... Hurwell was shopping, so he isn't with us!

We ended the day with a debrief from hell!  Sometimes people can just go on and on.  We seriously thing there are people that just want to hear themselves speak and keep going on and on. We had just enough time to shower and change before heading out to the college section of town called 5 points!  The shuttle brought us into town for our adventure.  We originally thought... we could walk this... boy were we wrong!

 

Here’s our own version of the 5 points with our feet!  Yes... we had fun with it.  I embarked on an adventure of my own at the Sushi/Thai Restaurant.  Years ago, my friend Danielle tried to get me to eat Sushi, and I don’t think it was too successful.  But tonight, I was up for the challenge.  Who else can I say that they ate sushi for the first time in Alabama!  I was lucky to be with a bunch of experts who guided my way through the menu!  I tried it all and loved it!  I think I’m hooked! 

From there we walked around a bit before we settled in at the Fuego Saloon!  There were lots of comic relief throughout the walk!  We were seated in a trendy little area, all 8 of us!  They had to bring in more chairs, but it was great!  The conversations were amazing!  I was even able to check out a few of a friends' videos online.  It’s great to hear when people are passionate about something.  I loved just seeing his excitement when he talked about sword fighting!   

We waiting outside for a while to get our shuttle... so it was picture time!

The drive back to the hotel was just like the drives on the Oregon Trail.  I swear our drivers name was Steve!  We got back to the hotel so quickly!  

We all weren’t ready to call it a night, so everyone came back to our room.   Chris came by to share with us his songs, which if I do say for myself, were pretty damn good.  While we were downloading songs, I was able to share with him shots from Annie, so he could see my AMAZINGLY TALENTED students.  Still looking back at each of these photos, I am so proud of each and every one of them!  

When it came time to listen to his original songs, the best part was the way he introduced them.  It was just like MTvs  Storytellers.  He set up each song before we listened.  I liked watching him while we were listening.  He was getting lost in his own songs... pretty cool.  He’s truly an artist.

The night ended with us finally calling it quits.  We were EXHASUTED!

The Last Few Days & Birmingham, AL

So these last few days have gone by super quick!  I got in Saturday morning by 3am after an amazing adventure on the Oregon Trail!  The next 48 hours were a whirlwind of adventure.  From hanging out and working on my BL playlist with Robyn to finding a new apartment with Regina in a great area too!  Then onto hanging with Mom and Dad followed by dinner with Judy, family, and neighbors.  Next I went to see Jenn to catch up on the week and ended the night with my Bro and Harry Potter - the final chapter!

Sunday was all about hiking and hanging with Judy, Marisol, and of course Sister!  Before I got there, I dropped by Weight Watcher to weigh in... I can't believe after everything over tha last week... especially all the wine... I still was able to drop 4.2 pounds!  This puts me down 29.3 pounds.  All I have is .7 to go to hit 30!  Wow... I've come a long way!  Onto the Giant...

We hit Sleeping Giant made it to the top in about 45 minutes.  We hung out at the top talking about our adventures so far this summer and then powered down the mountain in 25 minutes!  It was unbelievable!  We have to start tackling something more difficult!  From there Judy and I went with the ladies to get them their own hiking gear!  We're totally set for when I get back!  Love you ladies!

I went onto lunch with the parents, bro, and his buddy Nick - always eventful!  Stopped in to see the grandparents and went home to pack... well procrastinate... and pack!

Monday morning came very quickly!  The best part about Monday... SHORT FLIGHTS!  So much better than last week.  Joan hooked us up with the best seats, since she checked the group in the night before!  Big thanks to Mamma Joan!

The day was not too bad... hot as hell in Birmingham!!!  We ended up having dinner and lecture and then it was out for some night life... well... so we thought.  Birmingham is not a night life town... especially where we were.  We're in an AMAZING hotel located in the financial district.  What we came to find out was that everything closes by 6 pm... Some places even close after lunch at 2.  So... yeah... that let us with not much to do.

Well... what did ya learn???

So growing up, I always heard from my father, "Well... what did ya learn?"  This week has truly been a learning experience for me.  Not only did I get to learn all about the Oregon Trail and the pioneers, I've learned that I'm a pioneer in my own life's journey.  I'm setting out on uncharted adventures, ready to see what comes my way.

I learned this week, that I have AMAZING friends everywhere that will do anything for me.  They pick me up when I'm feeling down, they tell me the truth, and they rejoice when I'm having a BLAST!  This week has been filled with TONS of excitement, laughs, and fresh starts.

Not only was Wednesday night a good night with friends, but it helped me realize a lot.  One friend asked me, "Hey, how's your husband dealing with you being away all this time?"  I stopped... and thought... and was like.. hmmm... he doesn't know.  I shared with him the dramas of the last few months.  He told me that if I didn't just shock him, like I just did, he never would have known.  He let me know how special I was and that I didn't deserve what happened.  He let me know what an amazing woman I was and that he was proud to call me a friend.  Talk about a wow moment.  I am truly lucky.  Stacey, backed him up by saying, whatever I need, they're there.  Again, wow... These are people that I goto class with once a month.  People that I get to take amazing trips with during the summer and see nonstop for almost two weeks, and they've got my back... It just really feels great.

This week, I've heard things that I haven't heard in a while.  I was told by one friend that I was beautiful.  Now I'm sitting here, after hiking, and all day on a bus... and he thinks I'm beautiful.  This is something I haven't heard in years.  It's so sad to say that, but it's true.  The last two years have been so hard.  We were just going through the motions.  We were more roommates than partners in a relationship.  I thought, I don't need to hear things like that.  I thought that, I'm fine.  But you know what, it felt damn good to hear.

I also realized how much of life I wasn't living.  When you're with a group of people, who you know, but don't get to hang out with all the time, and hear their stories... something just clicks.  It makes you think, why have I wasted so much time not being happy.  Well, as Britney Spears says, "I'm stronger than yesterday, It's nothing by my own way,"  I am ready to get out there.  I'm ready to see and have life changing experiences during the Summer of Steph.

I'm ready to live!

Now all I have left is a days worth of flights back to CT.  I'll be home for less than 48 hours before I leave for the Civil Right's Trip and New Orleans!  For those that hike with us, we're going to hit Sleeping Giant on Sunday at 10.  Then I'm off to the airport early Monday morning!  I love you all and thanks for checking in on me on the Summer of Steph World Tour!

The last two days...

Last night... well yeah... we had too much fun, so no blog.  Today I’ll do a double.

Yesterday we hit the Whitman Mission, which we learned about the day before.   The day started off with a film and then we went over all the National Parks Service has to offer for teachers.  I couldn’t imagine all the things we actually have at our fingertips, but never knew about.  My Columbus ladies – you can be sure I’m bringing it all back for us! 

Next, our group trekked outside to play games.  Set up for us, was a mini Native American experience.  We had a spear-throwing contest using actual tools developed by local natives, played catch with hoops and sticks, and wrote with quill pens.  It was fun and we all thought about how we could make this work for our classroom.

Then it was time to hike!  We walked around the area that the Whitman Mission once stood.  To preserve it, they buried part of the wall in the soil, but it was interesting to see the way the land was laid out for the mission house.  It was awful to think about how the Native Americans were treated.   From there we hiked up to the “Shaft” as it was called or the monument for the Whitman family.  We saw a snake slither across our path.  Judy – I totally thought of your DRA book – the lizard sunning himself.  That was exactly what the snake was doing.  The rest of the hike was filled with the wonder and excitement of the landscape. 

The drive was spectacular.  Our route followed along with the Columbia River.  The landforms on the sides were nothing like I’ve ever seen.  I sat for much of the ride in awe and in wonder just about what we were going to see next.

Last night’s dinner was at the Baldwin Saloon.  This place, in its former days, was a brothel.  So needless to say, there were interesting pictures that adorned the walls.  Dinner was spent with great friends enjoying each other’s company... and AMAZING LOCAL wine too! 

The final stop of the night was at the Clock Tower.  We will never forget our trip to the bar where we formed our own tribe – The Red Shoes Tribe and created the TAH Folk Tale.  This tale is a story of the Red Shoes, that screamed to Stacey – Wear Me.  The shoes could be found on the ledge of a window sill high up in the bathroom.  We were drawn to them for they were red open toed shoes that screamed the sassyness that we all desired.   

Stacey the first inducted to the tribe and she wore the shoes with pride, which of course was followed up by a photo shoot to commemorate the experience.  Then the rest of the ladies, one by one, followed suit.  The poses were glorious.  The shoes excited everyone’s inner being.  The shoes truly had special powers.  They even entranced Chris to join us in the women’s bathroom to wear them.  Hurwel, who was a little more shy, needed the shoes brought outside for his own experience.  PRICELESS!  

This night will live in infamy with TAH and shall never be forgotten. 

Today was amazing.  We experienced so much at Mount Hood.  The sights were breathtaking on the way up to the mountain.  We saw winery after winery... hmm... if we all lived here, we’d be in trouble!  I can equate this experience to what it must be like to see something as majestic as Everest.  We stood at the base of the mountain and were just in awe of it’s spectacular sight!

The first stop on our way to the mountain, was at Government Camp.  This was a complete and total ski town.  It’s a place where Shawn White spent most of his summers since they can ski 10 months out of the year.  They were currently running snowboarding and ski summer camps.  I never thought that was even possible.  It’s just a very chill type of town, filled with interesting architectural sites.  Most of the buildings were A frame – so that the snow would just fall off the roofs.  

While at Government Camp, we were able to find out about Barlow Pass and how the pioneers were able to travel up and down the mountains.  The best part about this place, was the temperature.  I couldn’t get over how cold it was.  It was 48 degrees when we got there.  Very cool, but nice.  We toured around the town for a bit, had lunch and then made our way up to the Timberland Lodge.

The Timberland Lodge was built by the WPA program back in the days of FDR.  It took 600 men and women to build this amazing ski lodge that belongs to the people.  The craftsmanship of this building is to die for.  They didn’t use any nails or screws when putting it together.  Talk about a gorgeous building.

The fun part about the lodge, besides the cold – almost 40 degrees, since we gained 2,000 feet in elevation on the way up – was the snow.  You would think that we never saw snow... but hey... It’s July 14^th, I’ve never seen snow in July.  There were tons of skiers and snowboarders on the mountain today.  We had some fun of our own with the snow... come on... how could we not.

 

From there we headed to Wildwood... now we just left an area with snow on the ground, to hit an area that was like a tropical rainforest.  To me it was amazing that it was only 30 minutes away. 

Now it was during this time that the fun began.  After using the bathroom, Stacey and I both headed back to the bus.  That is where we thought everyone was going.  They in fact followed our Rangers, Caleb (who was from CT) and Jonathan, on one last hike.  Stacey had lost her phone on the bus, so we thought, well we’ll look for it.  Score!  We found the phone.  Our bus driver Steve got off the bus with us.  He said the group should be coming out here – following a path in front of us.   We followed the path and came to a family that was cooking out their latest catch.  We asked them if they saw a group of 25 people come by.  When they said no, we decided to go back and try the other way.  We walked and walked, and ended up back where the bus just was, not where we had just left it.  Steve said, “Look, here’s the tracks from the bus, we can follow them and get back to where we need to be.”  Stacey and I thought... Ok... he just parked the bus, he has to know where the heck he’s going... 

We were walking and walking when we get a call from Donna saying they’re back at the bus.  Steve said we should ask them to get on the bus, since it was open, and honk the horn so we could figure out where we needed to go.  So... we’re lost... in the woods... in Oregon... with our bus driver... who then sees a car.  He asks the woman have you seen a big blue bus.  When she says no, he asks her to take him around to find it.  He tells us to stay put.  So we’re in the middle of the street... in the woods... waiting for someone to find us.  And they did.  We saw our two ranger buddies, Caleb and Jonathan.  They said they would hang with us until the bus got there.  We laughed and laughed thinking about how oh my god... we really got lost.

We kept getting phone calls from Donna and Leslie both telling us to stay there.  Telling us Steve just got there.  Telling us... the BUS WONT START!  Now Stacey and I lost it... we just kept laughing and laughing.  Then comes that same green car... Steve asked her to go back and get us.  We left our ranger buddies and got into her car.  The bus had stalled a few times while we were gone.  We got on... and finally it started back up again.  Talk about an adventure!

The Oregon Trail then onto Walla Walla, Washington

Today was the BEST YET!  The view was incredible and we got to have the adventure that many of us were seeking.  While on a walk in the early am... we all thought, wouldn't it be great if we could do something as a group... like white water rafting or hiking.  Today we got our wish.  We arrived at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center which was set high atop a hill.  It's that little dot at the top left section of the picture below.

This picture was actually taken from the wagon ruts at the bottom of the hill.  We had a chance of a lifetime to hike along the trail.  The entire time was spent figuring out how families could actually spend months at a time on a trail having to cross in such harsh conditions.  It was breath taking and frightening at the same time.  Below is the group of us that decided to climb together.  From left to right we have Chris, Jen, MaryEllen, Missy, Donna, Leslie, Me, Stacey, and Huwerl.  Our bus driver Steve even joined us too.

The best part about the hike was the conversations.  We all had a chance to walk with one another and just talk about the beauty in front of us.  It just made us think about the greater picture and whats important.

The wagons and the wagon ruts were impressive.   To think that after all of this time, we are here today, in 2011 examining the trails that were made back in the 1840s.  Yeah... it was a lot to take in.

 

What we really enjoyed on the hike back up was figuring out where the trail actually was.

It was a sight that I am so glad I had a chance to see and that I got to experience it with amazing company.  It's all about the company that you keep.  If you are around positive people, you'll have a wonderful experience.  It is for that, that I am truly lucky!

Once we got back up to the top, we watched a reenactment - a one man show about what was better to take with you - an ox, mule, or horse. (Horse.. mule... horse... mule... Tradition... Tradition... - That's for you Donna!)  The guy presenting was great.  He told the story from the eyes of different people in his family, which helped us understand the full picture.



Once the reenactment was finished, I had a chance to view the museum with Chris.  Our time was filled with TONS of laughs.  It started off with a kid in front of us touching one of the life-size buffalo.    We saw the kid going up to the buffalo, and Chris sensed it... he knew what was going to happen next.  This young child inappropriately grabbed the buffalo's loins.  I think I turned all shades of red... and just couldn't stop laughing.  That set the experience off right.  Here is a picture of Chris with the buffalo.



We just walked and talked about what a great experience this was.  At the end of the tour, we stopped in the kids room for a photo shoot.  Chris dressed in authentic clothing of the time... and well... pictures speak louder than words.

 

It was just a great time... we checked the costumes... backdrop... and props to make sure it was perfect.  A fun time was had by all!


Once we left the museum, it was off to lunch and then back on the road again.  This time, we were journeying towards Walla Walla, Washington.  I find myself unwinding on these long drives, just getting lost in the glorious view while listening to some great tunes.  Today, there were two influential songs.  First we have the classic, Survivor by Destiny's Child.  My favorite part in that song has to be:
I'm a survivor
I'm not gonna give up 
I'm not gonna stop
I'm gonna work harder
I'm a survivor 
I'm gonna make it 
I will survive 
Keep on survivin'

I think that is what I did for so long... survive... I lived through something that just didn't make me happy... but now, I'm not going to give up until I'm happy.  I'm not going to stop being me.  I am going to work hard to make sure I make it!  It's kinda like a little mantra for me.  Something that I need to remember at all times.

The other song that fit today isn't a popular one.  It's by Kelly Clarkson entitled Long Shot.
It's a long shot but I say why not
If I say forget it I know that I'll regret it
It's a long shot just to beat these odds
The chance is we won't make it
But I know if I don't take it
There's no chance
Cause you're the best I got
So take the long shot
I'm all about taking chances right now and just see what happens.  Of course... all of these amazing tunes were followed up by my favorite Glee, which I showed my support for today with my T-shirt!





From there we traveled onto the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute in Pendleton, Oregon.  One of the highlights from today was Bobby, the director of the institute and the way she wanted us to view the Native American Culture.  She wanted us to take back that there weren't just indians in the movies and during the 1840s - they're still around today, just like you and me.  It's something that I don't think I will forget.  We were also able to view the many shelters that the tribes lived in.


Dinner tonight was just one of the experiences that we'll never forget... Our poor waitress that had to deal with all of us!   Then we had our favorite quote of the night from Huwerl... When on the bus... it can rain, but it can't thunder... when talking about our bathrooms!  Needless to say, it was a long night followed by a presentation of what were going to see tomorrow.  That is, if we're awake by then!  Leslie and I just decided to stay in tonight and hang out... We're exhausted!  I'll write more tomorrow!

Today's Step Count: 15, 716!  Oh yeah... we rocked it!

Idaho to Oregon

Today started off with an amazing walk around the city of Boise.  It was so nice and cool - temperature wise, but it was so quiet.  This city is immaculate.  I can't believe while we were there, we saw city workers cleaning up everything - from removing stickers and repainting poles to cleaning the streets.  It's definitely not New Haven!

Breakfast was great... it was all about good decisions - I had a Fritata.  Tasted amazing and low in points on the WW scale!  From there we walked to Boise Historical Museum.  We were surrounded by beauty in the Rose Garden.  It really makes me think...

I need to slow down and take time to smell the roses and appreciate things.  All of us are ALWAYS in such a hurry to get things done.  Maybe I need to spend more time with the little things...

The Historical Museum was Fabulous!  It was lead by a fellow elementary teacher, so it caught our attention.  He taught us with the excitement and the joy for history that every teacher should have when they're teaching.  We even made time for a fun... We learned how to rope cattle.  Pictures speak louder than words... Here they are!

I never in my life thought I would rope a "steer" in Idaho!  This trip is full of new and exciting things.  We also had the opportunity to try out a few saddles and a canoe too!

There is nothing like reliving history with friends!  It makes everything awesome!

The Capital building... well... yeah... not so much fun.  I guess everything can't be great!  At least we found ways of amuse ourselves.  We took pictures everywhere we possibly could!    We even went a few places that maybe we shouldn't have gone... hmm... Leslie... nothing like setting off a motion detector with coaxing from Robyn who was still in CT!  Agh... the good laughs and fun!  We also walked a TON!  After lunch I checked the Body Bugg and saw that I had already hit over 12,000 steps!

The drive from Idaho to Oregon was a great time to think about life and see the beauty in the country side.

The tunes on my phone just took me to another place.  I think I can get lost in the music.  It's a way for me to cope and think about things.  Today's song of choice was Don't Get Lost in the Crowd by Ashley Ballard - It was in Center Stage for those of you who love dance movies.
The lyrics that got me were:

Don't get lost in the crowd
Be the one to be strong and turn heads around
Even from dark to light
You are the spark
You have the fire
You are the heart
Now be a believer
Don't get lost in the crowd

For the first time, in a long time, I feel like I'm back.  I feel like me again.  I know in life, we all change. Sometimes we grow together, and other times we grow apart.  It's time for me to get my confidence back and tackle anything that comes in my path.  The last two mornings, I've woken up and been excited for the day.  I haven't felt that sense of happiness in a long time.  Each day I feel like I'm gaining my spark and my fire for life back again.  For that, I am excited.  I can't wait to see where this new chapter in life is going to bring me.  

Checking out the country side, also let me know that there are bigger things in life.  There are things that are much bigger than we will be able to handle, but that's why you have amazing people in your life to help you get through it.

Dinner was filled with lots of laughs and excitement as always.  I think our group leaders are kind of afraid of us.  They at times will walk by us, maybe while we are enjoying a tasty beverage and just shake their heads, but we are the ones to get things going.  Example, tonight we wanted to start our Debrief so we could be finished and just hang out.  They leaders thought we should enjoy dessert first.  No one was getting up for dessert, so we decided to serve everyone their dessert just so we can get started a bit faster... It worked!

After dinner we took a few group pictures which I will upload soon and had the opportunity to hang out with great people.  I love the conversations... and the music we had outside while enjoying our tasty treats.  

To end the night, we enjoyed time in the hot tub. Love it!  The conversations I shared with my new friend were so genuine and honest.  We both spoke about what we were passionate about and what made us tick.  You can learn so much when you take the time to listen and care about what someone is talking about.  I've missed that.  I've missed feeling like what I say matters.  Tonight it mattered... We talked about the turmoil that has filled these last few months for me.  It was great to get that out there.  Open and honest...  that's it.  We ended the night with him saying that he's glad I'm doing so well.  

I'm going to bed happy and excited for the future.