End of Summer Vacation Faves

Friday!  

Time to reflect back on the week, find five faves and link up with Susanne to share and rejoice in what God has done for us!  Please leave a comment sharing one of yours!

image taken from tripadvisor.com

• SEA LION INN AND MOTEL!  Sunday found us traveling with a very loaded vehicle to a fave place to stay on the North Shore of Boston. The above pic is the pool for all inn guests and we enjoyed an evening here after a long trip out.  It felt so good to relax one more evening with our oldest daughter.  My youngest had a blast swimming and playing in the pool and we enjoyed breakfast by it the next morning.  We even met another family who were also moving their daughter in to Gordon College...she's starting her 2nd year as well but Courtney didn't know her....it was fun to chat with the mom! I love meeting other parents.

Dave, Courtney, Claire at Captain Hooks, Gloucester MA

• LAST EVENING MEAL TOGETHER!  This made my faves list because the weather was absolutely glorious.  74 degrees, blue sky, puffy  white clouds, full sun and the ocean breeze. (part of the bay with   several sailboats is behind Claire in the pic)  We ate here for our evening meal Sunday night.  It was so fun to have the waitress tell us, upon seeing Courtney in her Gordon tee, that her husband works in the student center kitchen and while we were out eating on the terrace, another woman came over and said she works the hot line in the dining hall!!  The college has an excellent reputation among the locals and that's always a plus!  And...it was just so much fun relaxing and eating outside with our girls. 

Jenks Library as viewed from the side of the Quad
Gordon College, MA

• BACK TO COLLEGE!  On Monday morning we moved our oldest girl back into her dorm......the favorite part??  Meeting a young man she's begun hanging out with, who had texted her that he was available to help her move back into her room. She had "squatters rights" from last year so being a sophomore now, she decided to stay in the same room....it IS a lovely room with a lot of closet space!  We moved her in, went out to this place for some lunch, and then did a few more things in the dorm.  It was  great to meet her roommate and the mom, to meet a few more friends and to look over the Scriptures that the RA, who happens to be our pastor's daughter and a friend of Courtney's, had displayed on the walls in the hall. Their theme this year for their floor is going to be all about how God created them for a purpose, other than what they're majoring in. We love it!

image taken from Dr Scholl website

image taken from famous footwear website

• BOGO 1/2 OFF!!  Whoo hoo!! There was a GOOD sale going on at one of my fave shoe stores.  I needed mid-high black boots for work with NO heel as I'm on my feet alot with the students.  And I really wanted a light brown pair with a chunky lower heel for work and church.  I found the above and only  spent a little over $100.  Now THAT'S a fave!

• FRESH FRUIT!  The apple crop of New York state is going to be very small this year.  Some local farmers were explaining that because we had a warm and very early spring, the blossoms were early, which meant the apples were early.  There was also a hard frost AFTER the trees started blossoming so.....apparently this makes the crop small.  Therefore, when I saw JonnyMacs for sale from one of my fave local farms, I decided to get a half peck.  These aren't my FAVE apples (that would be Empires or Cortlands) but these apples make a nice snack apple and I can make homemade muffins that my youngest daughter really enjoys.  These grapes are from the southern region of New York State.  Claire really enjoys them so today we are packing them up to bring to the lake with us.  There is NOTHING like fresh fruit.  Check back in a couple days as I will be featuring a post about things to do with apples other than snacking on one! :)

Also, a couple of you were asking about my back/sciatica. It is easing up!!!  I now get up in the morning and the sciatica is not in my leg....when I start walking, the pinched feeling comes back but it isn't as stabbing and doesn't last all day!  I still have the back ache at times throughout the day and on certain transitions, I'll have that pinched nerve feeling in my leg....but..the stretching exercise on the fitness ball to target those back muscles seems to be working!!  The chiropractor was able to get my right leg (where the sciatica has been for the last SIX weeks) almost completely straight up while I was lying down. I could barely lift it 5 weeks ago!  I have now been to the chiro for 6 visits and he/she have worked wonders. I love that they are a husband/wife team and I love the atmosphere in the place.   AND...he told me that by next week I MIGHT be able to get back to power-walking!! Still no kayaking or hiking and I haven't asked about biking......but.....the power walking is a good start!!  So thank you to those of you who have prayed for me and sent me encouraging emails. I really appreciate it.

I hope you all enjoy the last summer vacation weekend.......at this time next Friday I'll be back at work in a new classroom!!