Life's Postcards

Time for an update!

Life just gets better and better...I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted here but I figured it's about time for an update. 

I'll give you one guess about the picture...that's right, we're preparing to welcome a new member of the family and her room is shaping up nicely.  Emma Lynn is expected around April 14th (although we're hoping sooner rather than later) and we can't wait to have her here.  Big sister Kelsey has been a great help already and there is already so much love being put into preparing for her arrival, I can only imagine how amazing it will be once she's finally here.  Expect many more updates and photos to come in the not so distant future!

Canadian Fun

Canadian Butterfly Garden
Originally uploaded by kerrybflies

I finally have a moment to write more about our trip to Canada, which was just spectacular.
We made our way leisurely through NY, stopping in places like Nana's hometown, Lewiston NY, which was really quaint and beautiful and we took lots of pictures of the house she grew up in which is just adorable. We made it over the border to Canada (even though Nana had no birth certificate) and quickly learned that we were glad not to be staying in Niagara Falls, it was crazy busy and completely full of tourists.
We followed the QEW to Niagara-on-the-lake and set up home base at our hotel. First stop for Kate? Tim Horton's of course, for one of their delicious club sandwiches. Next stop, closest place to order Poutine, the yummiest creation of boardwalk style fries covered in cheese curd (tastes better than it sounds) and then dripping with warm brown gravy, my mouth is watering thinking about it...
Each day we saw something new and different, the Butterfly Garden, the Botanical Gardens, the Flower Clock, the Falls at night, delicious wineries and small town restaurants. It was a great trip and I highly recommend Niagara-on-the-lake for anyone looking for a nice quiet place to stay close to Niagara Falls, but far from the tourists.
Check out the pictures of our trip by clicking on the picture above.
kisses,
Kerry

Kelsey, Sparkle and the Canadian Falls

Kelsey, Sparkle and the Canadian Falls
Originally uploaded by kerrybflies

Here we are in sunny (and HOT) Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.  Here's what I've learned so far...a) they make a mean Ice wine and a meaner Poutine b) any and all statements are to be followed with "eh?" c) family vacations can be fun, even after age 12!

Click on the pic to enjoy more of our Niagara Falls experience, more to come as well.

Special thanks goes out to Marianne Swearingen who recommended Inniskillin Winery in our favorite little town Niagara-On-The-Lake from which we purchased the import maximum of 2 bottles per person of drinking age - it's the YUM!

Not so drizzly afterall

Go Sox!
Originally uploaded by kerrybflies

My day started with a somber drizzling rain, and I thought Nora Jones a fitting soundtrack to accompany my slow hour long drive to work. The air was even chilly so besides the smooth mellow sounds coming from the car speakers, I couldn't think of what would brighten this day. Then I remembered...my recent purchase from MLB.com would be arriving today!

The contents of the package was anything but dreary, quite the opposite. My new Red Sox gear had indeed arrived before me this morning, much to my happy surprise, so naturally I had to post this for you all...my brand new sparkling and blissful loot!

Not a Red Sox fan, that's ok, we still love you :-)

Rappahannock County, VA

Sharp Rock Vines
Originally uploaded by kerrybflies

Looking at this photo reminds me of why I love the wine country of Virginia, the rolling hills and the endless rows of vines, growing the sweet delicious nectar we love. 

On a long spring weekend not too long ago, we took the jeep on a road trip west on 66. Along the way we toured three local wineries (only an hour or so outside of DC) - Unicorn, Grey Ghost and Sharp Rock.  We met beautiful people and tasted some wonderful wines! 

Not only were the wineries wonderful, but the B&B we stayed at in Sperryville was absolutely charming and lovely. The Hopkins Ordinary run by innkeepers, Sherri & Kevin, was such a treat!  From the rooms named after herbs to the delicate porcelain key fobs that matched the signs on each room door, everything was just right. They made dinner recommendations (and reservations) to the most amazing restaurant just across the street at the Thorton River Grille.  One of my favorite treats of the evening was the home made chocolate chip cookies and wine waiting when we returned from dinner.

A short drive down the road was White Oak Canyon, a national park with multiple trails, some of which include waterfalls!  A beautiful picturesque place recommended by a new friend and local author, whom we met at one of the wineries that weekend…photos can be found by clicking the photo above. Sláinte :-)

Flickr Photos

Private Beach II, originally uploaded by kerrybflies.

Ah HA, found a great way to blog about the photos we upload to Flickr!  This will make keeping everything up to date super easy, which we of course love love love.

Just for fun take a look at photos from our trip to Bermuda over the New Year's holiday (click on the photo to view the rest of the collection). We stayed in the most adorable Cabana style resort, 9 Beaches, and loved every minute of it.  A two person scooter will take you from one end of the island to the other, and the views along the way are some of the most breathtaking I've ever seen.  There is so much to do there - we visited local beaches, kayaked to a shipwreck, snorkeled the reefs, and ate at some spectacular restaurants - our favorite was a little Italian place just outside the entrance to Horseshoe Bay Beach called Tio Pepe, the sauces were to die for and I'm having a craving just thinking about it!  Bermuda was by far the most beautiful place I've ever seen, there really is pink sand, crystal clear water and just about the friendliest people around. Enjoy!

Tootles - Kerry

Time to update...

I was lying in bed last night thinking how it was about time to get back into blogging and thought, why not today?  Well I was too tired to get up and get the computer back on so here I am, the very next day, blogging for the first time in a little under a year. 

So, another summer, another project. This time we'll just stick to what we know, where we've been and what we're up to.  I'm hoping I can get Kelsey to send at least one letter or postcard during her two weeks at Camp Friendship but I won't hold my breath.

In two weeks we will be off on a fabulous adventure through New York, a week long visit that will mostly consist of visiting Corning, NY - the home of Corningware - complete with a visit to the glass factory.  We'll then set up a home base in Niagara on the Lake, Canada from which we will visit Lewiston, NY (nana's home town) and all the amazing and wonderful things that surround Niagara Falls to include but not limited to...wineries, forts, falls, adorable little towns and beautiful things.  I'll blog about our adventures each night (if I haven't had too much wine) so that our friends and family can be "virtually" there!

Till then - I'm off to order a new Red Sox t-shirt and hat before our next game with the O's!

Love from Florida

We had to share this adorable postcard from a loved one during their recent trip to Orlando, Florida. Hopefully next time we can all go and make it a family event – we vote for Thanksgiving 2007! Who needs a turkey when you can have Space Mountain!

Sunny Bermuda

Picture perfect Bermuda! Pink and blue hues, someplace wonderful we'd love to be! 

We learned recently that Bermuda is located roughly 580 nautical miles (1074 kilometers) east-southeast of Cape Hatteras on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Hatteras happens to be our favorite vacation spot so that was neat to learn!

 

China

This strikingly vibrant postcard is a photo of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests located in Beijing, China. It is the place where emperors came to pray for good harvests on the 15th day of the first lunar month every year.  Special thanks to Aunt Suzie, and this is just one of about 15 we've received from her already!

 

Frankfurt today

When we first saw this postcard we fully expected that it was from our local contact there, Uncle Ryan, who is currently based in Germany.  Little did we know that Pam was our key to some beautiful postcards from Deutchland!  With plans to visit this fall, this is a great glimpse of what to expect!

Grüße von Deutschland

Look who sent greetings from Germany (thanks Pam, what a wonderful surprise!)  This postcard is a photograph of Frankfurt in 1947...what a wonderful glimpse into the history of this city.

Italy!

YAY - our first postcard has arrived!  Thanks Abby (Kerry's very first best friend ever) for this beautiful card from your trip to Italy! There are some really nice images on this special card - we can't wait to visit there someday.

Working hard

While we attempt to scan the postcard that arrived today (YAY) Iris takes this moment to completely take over use of the scanner, making our next post near impossible. Why not just move her one might say...but then again, one might not understand the cutness of this Kitten we love so dearly, how could we move anything so absolutely darling?

Key West - January 2006

This is a gorgeous postcard we picked up in Key West, Florida this past January.  The water was crystal clear, dolphins swam by every morning and the weather couldn't have been more perfect!  Look forward to going again, this time to a different and very beautiful resort that we recently found online...if we're lucky we'll be going next year for Spring Break!

I'm So Sure

. . .

C'mon . . . Let's try to convince people that this would actually arrive pristinely in the mail.

. . . not in pieces all stuffed inside a post office ziplock bag.