in addition...

to our great experience at Sony Ericcson, Doug also took me to some of my very favorite places from the past and we discovered some new fun places too:

Lunch at Bice

 

 

 

 

A drive along South Beach enjoying the historic architecture and crazier than ever pedestrians who apparently were on their way to the Ultra Music Festival which was also this weekend in Miami

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found some great tennis courts near our hotel and played a couple of matches ourselves

Then it was back to

 

We had another delicious lunch, this time at Amici

 

 

         

Then a stroll along the avenue before starting our journey home

sony ericcson

 My husband knows that I like gift surprises.

Sometimes when he is having trouble on his own, he goes to one of his four favorite "gift advisors".

 

A big surprise Christmas present this year was tickets to the Sony Ericcson Open in Miami.     We saw three great matches! Lopez/Nadal playing doubles,  Roddick playing singles and a WTA match with Ivanovic.

 

It was so fun to be there, and I am hoping we get to do it again next year!

here's the church

Seldom does more than a few days go by without, at the very least, a drive by our new stake center. If we have visitors in town then we make a whole field trip excursion with in depth information about the progress of the building past and present. I just keep adding pictures to the blog I began at the beginning of the year. But today was special.

We got our first brick.

 

 

 

and here's the steeple

  

There were a few dozen members watching the events  this beautiful morning and a few dozen people who happened to be driving by who also caught the spectacle.

shoe memorial

My husband bought a pair of shoes...just like these 9 years ago. But a year later when the stitching started to come apart, he mentioned it to a salesperson at Nordstroms and received a new pair gratis. You gotta love Nordys. So...that was 8 years ago. Today he left the house and returned just a minute later with one of his shoes in two pieces.

Doug is a very loyal customer. I had a quick look at their website tonight and he's in luck. They still sell them. No doubt we will be stopping by sometime this weekend to  pick up a pair. And I guess that means he should be good to go until 2017.

our boarder

It has been a beautiful week in central Florida. The orange blossoms have once again fragranced the air. The temperatures are mild and the humidity is low. I think it is one of the nicest times to be here.

Brianna and Aja

Aja has been staying with us for the past week. She is visiting her boyfriend who is a member of our ward. We have supplied her with a bed, and occasionally, I think she even got breakfast at our house.

Tomorrow she will be heading home to Minnesota. Have a safe trip...and keep warm!

trek kick-off

My husband loves the trek experience. He has been working on the various aspects of this event for weeks.

Obviously, tonight was the kick-off and dance. I am not going on the trek, but I did get invited to the dance.

                    

This is Sister Nance. She and her husband, both octogenarians, taught us the dances. They were great. Even Doug got into it.

 

 

spring training

I celebrated the advent of spring this week with two trips to Leu Gardens.

I went for a class on Thursday night to learn about container gardens, but I learned ever so much more from a master Florida gardener. On Saturday, I went to their annual plant show. I realized that I hadn't seen the home of Harry P. Leu on my first visit and so after making my second trip with plants to the car, I returned again to the gardens in time for the first tour of the day. I was the only patron and therefore received a private tour, which I enjoyed immensely.

739 random facts

Carter Clips turned 3 years old today. While pondering about my milestone in bloggdom, I remembered Jacob's comment in the Book of Mormon. "...the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream." My personal record of the dream that now tallies 739 posts.

My blog

is mostly about the happy things in my life--the moments that bring me joy from day to day. I am grateful for this venue to

 

recount and remember and appreciate again.

wild blue yonder

One of the perks of living in Florida is the opportunity to watch the space launches.

I had forgotten about this one because it had been delayed several times. Usually we go up to our second story balcony for a good view, but last night Brianna and I were just leaving to go visit an ailing friend. As we were pulling around the driveway, Brianna gasped and told me to look quick. I grabbed my camera from the back seat and jumped out of the car.

What an incredible sight!

You can watch the real thing HERE.

gbbd--signs of spring

Some herbs are like snow birds that go away for the winter. They are making preparations for their return.

 

Some herbs like the tarragon on the left, I thought that I had lost in the freeze, and would have pulled out if I had had the time. Luckily for me, I didn't and lo, it survives looking heartier than ever. Other herbs like the dill on the right have been steady performers all winter long unfazed by the extremes in temperature.

I am changing my cutting garden to a butterfly garden this year.

   

This palm has such interesting flowers.

The faithful Easter lilies are making their annual appearance once again behind the geraniums.

I thought this was some kind of night blooming jasmine, but now I am not very sure about that.

 

 

This is my poor sad garden. It should be planted by now :(

 

 

All those leaves that never fell in the fall have to go somewhere now that spring is here with her new dress.

  

Doug and I took a walk yesterday down to the lake and saw this tangerine tree. The tangerines look like deflated balloons--the innards all gone. Can you see the cardinal on the upper right side of the photo? When I went back this morning to take the picture, I was amused to watch this guy enjoy his tangerine juice for breakfast. How easily he is hidden looking so similar to the fruit.

 

The azalea bush has outdone herself once again.

 

 

 

 

 

These are the  bulbs that grow wild on our property.

 

 

 

 

These are the ones that I buy at the grocery store that remind of other places in my life.