Matthew West

On July 3, 2008 I went to Brooksville for my 2nd time at FreedomFest. Last year I went on vacation to it to see Mark Schultz. This year I live here, so it was easy for me to go see Matthew West. It was at a new location this year with lots of room. Matthew West rocks!! He really puts on a fantastic show and can come up with funny songs and stories on the spot. I came home with 3 new CD's to enjoy and I'll be going to one of his shows for Night of Joy at Disney in Sept. Can't wait!

July 4, 2008 at Sea World

On July 4 I was at Sea World. For many years in a row now I have been in Florida for July 4. Usually on vacation. This was my first July 4 as a local. I had a great time at Sea World. It was pretty busy, but fun! My mom joined me after she finished working that day and we watched the fireworks.

Singer Matthew West In Town

June 27, 2008 I went to The Joy FM radio event the Summer Cruise 3: June 23rd - 27th which featured Matthew West all week at 9 stops around Florida and a contest called “Where in the World is Carmen's Pink Flamingo?" I woke up at 5:30am to go hunting for a pink flamingo. The first clue was about a RV so we went to the RV store that was right on that road, and searched high and low. But the second clue led us to believe they were talking about the RV they had been using all week. I figured out it was hidden at the radio station, which was 8+ miles from where we were and by the time we arrived it was gone. It was great fun though to play. My mom was in town that weekend and we registered to win Disney Night of Joy VIP Vacation tickets that the Morning Cruise was giving away. We arrived at the restaurant at 6 a.m. and picked up 2 limited edition Summer Cruise 3 t-shirts, only 100 per city. Matthew was really nice and asked my name when he autographed my new CD. His music is great. It was a Friday so I only had to work from 10 to 4.

Being a Local

June 11, 2008 - Tonight I took the scooter to the beach for the first time. After all, I bought it to joy ride 4,000 miles ago back when gas was really cheap, I didn’t buy it to save gas, so take it 22 miles to and from the beach as a joy ride I will. : ) I decided I don’t want to become one of those locals who misses out on our back yard. I live a few miles from the beach. I can go every day. I just might do that. Tonight I experienced a lovely walk on the white soft sand. It feels great to walk in the water and its great exercise with the extra resistance the waves make and not to mention trying to stand upright while talking cell phone photos adds to the fun. The sunset was only ok. I guess that’s local talk for, I can go again tomorrow, or the next day or the next. Here’s hoping for the green flash next time. I have high expectations. Don’t know what the green flash is? Let me educate you. According to dictionary.com (a green coloration of the upper portion of the sun, caused by atmospheric refraction and occasionally seen as the sun rises above or sinks below the horizon.) On the way home the pretty white puffy clouds in the background turned to nasty black clouds full of lightening the closer I got to my house. I made it home fine on the scooter. I didn’t even get wet, but I hear it raining now that I’m home safe and sound. I hear a lot of talk on the radio about stay-cations. Vacations in our backyard reminding the locals we live in paradise, we don’t need to travel far away to have a great time. The water was warm, so next time I think I will go swimming. I spent the afternoon in the pool before going to the beach, so I was water logged enough today.

John Levique Days

On June 7, 2008 I went to the John Levique Days. Each year, John's Pass celebrates its heritage with John Levique Days. This three-day pirate themed event celebrates the discovery of John's Pass by John Levique after the hurricane of September 1848. Scheduled activities include a pirate ship battle and invasion of the Pass, street parade, story telling, a village-wide treasure hunt, Pirates' Ball, Auction, costume contests for children and adults and a hurricane expo. It was a great time. Very hot though. After we left there we had dinner on the beach. Who is John Levique? Find out here.

Comedian Chonda Pierce

I went to see the comedian Chonda Pierce, the queen of clean on June 5, 2008 in Lakeland, Florida. Who is Chonda Pierce? Find out here. As you can see I did not have all that great of seats. I didn't really care, she was funny from way back afar. I've met her twice at the EWomen conferences. She came to shake my hand before I even knew who she was. That's what makes it funny. Turns out she was the funny one. I was in the front row of the EWomen conference she was at and they told everybody to greet their neighboors. We did.

They cut down my trees

Today they cut down all the big trees behind the townhouses. :-( I talked them into letting me keep my small trees. It's now hot and sunny back there with no shade relief.

My New Pineapple Plant

Went to the Red Barn Market today. I came home with a pineapple plant. : ) It will be very tasty. : ) You have to love living in a freeze free zone. :)

Non-Existent Mark Schultz Concert in Virginia

My initial blog was filled with bummerness about this trip to Virginia. Mark Schultz concert canceled at the last minute due to rain, lightening, tornado warnings, getting stuck outside for hours and waiting for my ride, being soaking wet and cold, not having a working cell phone to call anybody, having difficulties with the kids, not making it home Monday and having to stay overnight in the Atlanta airport hotel, etc, etc.

My *update* is filled with the realization that I’ve ‘taken life for granted’ and have been missing the blessings in my life. The fact it’s my 17th Mark Schultz concert/event and some people have had 0 concerts or have not even been blessed with even experiencing Mark’s music at all. I get to travel “all the time” and have very few travel problems. The Floridians experiencing the fires burning down their houses would have loved the showers of rain I was annoyed with. I was able to spend the weekend with my favorite kids who I love so much; kids are kids, things happen. I miss them so much as I used to be able to see them every day if I wanted. I was able to spend a full day with my friends at Busch Gardens the day before the concert, that was a blast! We had never had an opportunity to go to the theme park together. Some people do not have a roof over their head and have to deal with storms all the time. I made it home eventually on the airplane and I have the blessing of being able to walk in my door at home and start working at home. I was able to meet some wonderful ladies who I spent from 10:30 am in line with getting to know and sharing Mark Schultz joy with. I was able to hear 4 wonderful bands before Mark was supposed to go on. During my struggles I kept thinking long and hard, there is a reason for all this, God had a plan, there is a reason he sent me all the way to Virginia for a praise and worship concert that was going to be canceled. I could not see it until I heard a story on the radio that woke me up. Life is good, blessings are good and struggles only make me stronger and appreciate life more. As far as my traveling, I’m all geared up and ready for another Mark Schultz concert on June 1. ;-) I love traveling and wish I could travel as often as Mark does. That would be a dream come true to be able to travel all around that often and meet new people. I love meeting new people. I will pray before I leave again, as I always do, that I will once again return home safe and be safe during the trip, which was exactly what I was given this last weekend.

Virginia

I'm up visiting my friends 6 kids in Virginia. We made "U Rock Mark" signs today for Mark Schultz because they love his music. They know the words to his songs.