It was the day of our 3rd Wedding Anniversary and the snow storm just started.  I woke TS with a breakfast in bed.  It was nothing fancy really.  I only prepared bacon strips, scrambled eggs, bagel with Philadelphia Cream Cheese on it and a glass of orange juice.  I made sure I got up earlier than him so I can somehow surprise him a little bit other than the presents that I already gave him the day before.  Since I made more than enough breakfast for TS, I ended up sharing it with him in bed.

The snow was falling heavily outside.  TS kept on checking on the weather news and made sure it is safe for us to go out without getting stuck along the way.  I had no idea where he is taking me and was totally clueless.  I had been guessing and attempting to squeeze some info from TS but I was unsuccessful.  It was only when we arrived at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, MN that I realized that we are going to see the Vatican Splendors!  This is indeed one great gift from TS.  He had not only kept me in touch with my faith but he also brought me to the Vatican without enduring the long and expensive flight.

The Vatican Splendors showcases artworks dating back to the third century.  From the venerated relics (bone fragments) of Saint Peter to items from the election of Pope Benedict XVI, this exhibit comprises one of the largest Vatican collections ever to tour North America. Many items have never before been on public view.  Since pictures are prohibited inside the exhibit, I had my intellectual memory to work its wonders and grasp the splendors in mind.

No matter how grouchy you’re feeling,

You’ll find the smile more or less healing.

It grows in a wreath

All around the front teeth -

Thus preserving the face from congealing.

~Anthony Euwer

We certainly don’t like to smile in front of the camera with a set of yellow teeth.  However, this could not be avoided as certain foods that we intake (e.g. coffee, coke) causes some discoloration in our teeth.  We always wanted to have a sparking white smile and we think that our only hope is simply by going to our dentist and undergo the bleaching treatment.

Whether you are planning to relocate to another state or simply want to have an intelligent discussion about the community you are living in, Talk States is the right place for you.  It gives people an avenue to share their thoughts, recent events and updates about the community they love.  The site also provides significant information from tourist attractions to crime rates in a particular area which could be a consideration if one decides to move in that certain area.  What better way to learn more about an area than learn it from the locals themselves, right?

Take for example, Wilmington, North Carolina, you can get information about places to visit, demographics or any information you need by simply posting a question.  The other forum members are eager to give you their opinion and share their thoughts about the area.  You can learn this information before you decide to check out Wilmington NC real estate.

The forum will not only give you the information you need, but you can also meet new friends by sharing your knowledge.  Join now and I’ll see you there!

In a development that will facilitate travel in Europe, the Swiss-EU Schengen agreement becomes operational last December 12, 2008. According to this agreement, Switzerland will start issuing Schengen visas—valid not only in Switzerland, but also in other Schengen countries. In addition, those with valid visas issued by other Schengen states will be permitted to enter Switzerland without an additional Swiss visa. This arrangement is the result of the bilateral Schengen agreement signed by Switzerland and the EU in October 2004.

After a short time spent in Georgia and Florida with even a longer travel time, I have finally regained my energy and I’m back blogging. The drive down South wasn’t bad at all. However, it was just so long especially crossing the state of Illinois that I wish the state would just disappear.

We arrived in Madon and Dean’s place at the expected time.  Manoy Brandit and Madon was still up when we arrived.  I am very pleased with Madon’s place as it is very cozy and filled with Christmas spirit.  It is neat and well-adorned from the living room to the guest bathroom which has a Frog theme and Kohler faucets.  We instantly felt at home! 

We have been planning for this occasion that we will spend Thanksgiving with my side of the family while we spend Christmas on Travis’ side.  The original plan of this Thanksgiving celebration was for us to fly in to Atlanta and my sister- Rosarie and her husband-Christian will drop us in Jacksonville to take thing things that we have left including our baby – Cougar.  From Jacksonville, we would then rent a bigger vehicle like an SUV to have everything fit.

After careful consideration of the prices and the busy airports, we have decided to cancel flying and rent an SUV from here in Minnesota and take it to Jax.  On rough estimation, it will cost us at least $500 for the rental and the gas for the entire period of our trip to the South.  But then TS came up with another idea.  He told me that we can actually fit everything in our car (Mitsubishi Galant) with the exception of the cheap folding tables which for him is not worth the $300+ rental.  His idea actually makes sense and it won’t be a problem since we just had the vehicle and the car parts checked.  So, I did not hesitate on embracing his idea.

Changing plans has been a part of our lives.  I don’t seem to have a problem with it as long as the change will bring more benefits to us.  In this case for instance, it can save us the rental cost.  It was not only this time that we had changing plans.  And because of such recurrence, I have learned to become more flexible.  I like to plan things but if there are changes necessary, I don’t mind it.

The Holiday Season is a late-year season that surrounds the Christmas holiday as well as other holidays on the November/December timeframe. Traditionally, the Holiday season includes Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  However, it has now extended to the later part of Autumn with Thanksgiving commencing it.  It is this season that we tend go back to our roots and be reunited with our family and its tradition.

During New Year, it is a tradition to trun our attention to the world countdown which is held in a dazzling place filled with digital signage, billboards, lights and bustling energy – Time Square.  Some would in fact go there to witness the event live.  With star-studded musical performances, balloons, pom-poms, confetti, a colorful pyrotechnic display and the warm company of close friends, it’s a different way to celebrate New Year in New York.

Whether you are going to New York or staying at home with your family, the Holiday Season is the season of traditions and sharing the happiness with our loved ones.  Happy Holidays!

Halloween may be a booming holiday for those who like the scare factor, but fall is also a great time for children and adult alike to celebrate the harvest season.  And Lebanon, Ohio, is just hte place to party.

Those who visit the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad any Saturday or Sunday from September 27 to November 2 can ride the Pumpkin Patch Express.  Passengers will ride the restored train to Shappacher Farm to pet farm animals, explore the corn maze and, of course, pick a pumpkin.  Advance tickets are recommended, so contact www.lebanonrr.com.

Mothers have often clipped baby’s locks to save, and we spend countless fortunes on products and styling, but the idea of working hair into jewelry often repels the modern culture.  Not so in an earlier time.  Born from the practices of of England’s Queen Victoria, making personal keepsakes such as watch fobs, pins and bracelets from a deceased loved one’s hair was common.

Those who visit R. I. P. – Victorian Mourning Customs at the Center for History in South Bend, Ind. will see a collection of those keepsakes, including a  crica- 1870 hair wreath.  Victorians had strict rules regarding mourning, which often lasted for months, and late 19th-century clothing reflected the practices.  So, representative black bonnets, a mourning cape and black dresses are on view as well.

Rarer items include an 1845 wooden tombstone; coffin plates, small decorative markers that were removed from the coffin and given to the family; and remembrances captured by a new technology at the time, photography.

A couple weekends ago, after Travis and I went to look at an apartment, he took me for a ride along Lake Minnetonka’s majestic Crystal Bay.  He took me to one of the most beautiful and prestigious gardens in the state – the Noerenberg Gardens.  It is located in the north shore of Crystal Bay in Orono.  It offers a tranquil retreat to the quiet elegance and grace of days gone by.

Widely regarded as one of the finest formal gardens in Minnesota, this endearing place of endless blooms and enchanted history once was home to Grain Belt Brewery founder Frederick Noerenberg and his family.  Noerenberg’s daughter Lora Noerenberg Hoppe bequeathed her family’s estate to Three Rivers Park District in 1972 with the directive that the estate be maintained as a garden for the public’s enjoyment. The park’s formal flower gardens are open for tours, informal viewings and outdoor events.  The gardens include a wide variety of unusual annuals and perennials, an assortment and a large day lily collection.  The park features accessible brick pathways and an ornamental boathouse/gazebo overlooking the lake.  Noerenberg Gardens is the perfect place to sneak away for an evening stroll or a weekend outing.  It is an ideal location for shutterbugs with the variety of subjects and beautiful scenic views to capture.  The peaceful lakeside setting has made it idyllic location for young couples to wed.

As you stroll through the gardens, you will notice several striking architectural features, many of which are original to the Noerenberg estate.  These structures showcase a variety of architectural styles that were popular at the close of the 19th Century.  With its distinctive Oriental style, the Noerenberg boathouse/gazebo is a Lake Minnetonka landmark.  Boaters often use the boathouse/gazebo as an aid to navigation as they work their way along the lake’s many bays and inlets.

A memorial colonnade now stands in place of the Noerenberg family home, which was razed at the direction of Lora Noerenberg Hoppe when the estate was donated to the park District.  The colonnade features a circle of eight white columns on a raised granite foundation.  The columns replicate columns that graced one of the mansion’s porches.  They encircle a commemorative plaque which reads,

“Noerenberg

Memorial County Park

is Dedicated to the

Use of the Public

in Memory of the

Frederick and Johanna

Noerenberg Family

Who Once Lived Here.”

These are few of the many striking edifices in the park.  There are still more to see and for someone who just loves to getaway from the hussle and bustle of the city life, here you will find tranquility and relaxation.