May 10, 2009 Happy Mother's Day / Carlsbad Caverns

Being a mother and grandmother is the best ever! Happy Mother's Day to all who love and nurture and I am so blessed to have so many of you in my life.

This is my clan. My two son's their wives and 4 of my grandchildren. I had to dub Marina into the picture because she was the one behind the camera. Also missing is my step children Kim and Casey and my grandson Gabriel. Love you all!

Getting closer to home. I can't believe we have been on the road since Feb. 10th.

When we left I was showing you pictures of snow now the wild flower are in bloom.

Boy Texas sure was a long ride. It is 830 miles across. Look how the terrain is changing.

Looks like Palmdale. We are now in New Mexico.

Oh Yea! Feels like Palmdale.

We stayed 4 night and 5 days at a KOA in Carlsbad, New Mexico. It was beatuiful. They even had a dog park.

This is the natural entrance to Carlsbad Caverns. The seats are there because each night just befor dark the bats fly out for you to view. Ahhhh no thanks. We got to the bottom of the caverns in an elevator. The elevator dropped 70 stories in just a short time. Scarry!

I'm sorry my pictures did not come out better, but then we were in a cave and it was pretty dark. However, you would really have to be their to enjoy the beauty.

Well that is all for now. We head out tomorrow morning. Not sure where we are headed.

New Orleans Late Entry.........

We now have wifi so I'm uploading a video of the cemeteries.
The cemeteries in New Orleans are so unique. I was so amazed by them. They are referred to as Cities of the Dead.

May 2009 San Antonio, Texas

We hit a little weather on our way to San Antonio. When it rains anywhere back here there is alot of water! But that won't dampen our fun!

People back here are not shy about sharing and displaying there beliefs in Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. Last year we made the trip to Groom, Texas to see the second largest cross in the hemisphere. It is a trip I would highly recommend. It is only 40 miles east of Amarillo, Texas off I40. Google.... Stations of the Cross + Groom, Texas and see all the pictures.

We stayed at Fort Sam Houston Army Base which is know as "The Home of the Combat Medic". I wonder if Leo went there? It was pretty hot in San Antonio so we didn't do alot of site seeing. It was 96 degrees, but the humidity was also 90%.We went to see the Almo.

San Antonio is known for it's River Walk called Paseo del Rio. It's a network of walk ways along the banks of the river, one story beneath downtown San Antonio Texas. It would have been a wonderful walk but remember the heat!!!!!

A street in down town San Antonio. Oh and for my lady friends. This is where the SAS shoe factory is. Did I get a pair??? Yes, don't tell Larry. :):)

Don't miss tomorrow's blog. We are now in Carlsbad New Mexico. Getting closer to Home!

May 4, 2009 Pensacola, FL; Biloxi, MS; New Orleans, LA

Yep.....we are working our way west.

We arrived in Pensacola on Saturday and as we were searching for Pensacola Naval Air Station's RV Park we passed this beautiful Church. Yep.... that is where we will worship the Lord tomorrow. Surprisingly or should I say God ordained they had a guest speaker, Tara Brown. What a powerful testimony she shared with us. Check out her sermon at: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1434796

Only in Florida does the sand look like snow. This scene was just like in the picture books. White sand with patches of long grass reaching out. The grass is called sea oats.

And the boardwalks to get you out to this beautiful scene.

Pensacola NAS is the home to the blue angels. Just like Nellis in Las Vegas is home to the Thunderbirds. We've been so blessed to see so much.

Off we go to Biloxi, Mississippi were we stayed at Keesler Air Force Base. Did you know that Biloxi received much more damage from Katrina, 3 1/2 years ago, than New Orleans. 90% of the buildings along the coast and neighboring Gulfport were destroyed. Many of these homes were 100 year old homes. As you can see by this picture nothing on the coast has been rebuilt.

Looks like a pretty scene until you hear that beautiful homes used to literally hide the waterfront and now it is all gone. The Governor stated that after Katrina hit it looked like an American Hiroshimia. Biloxi and Gulfport are still trying to rebuild. Yes they did lose alot of material things but only lost 53 lives.

Were as in New Orleans 1,464 lives were lost. Not to wind damage from Katrina but from flooding. The levee's that surrounded much of New Orleans broke and the water level easily reached roof tops. After the water receded rescuers searched every house. A big X was painted on the house stating what they found and if the gas was turned off. Many of these homes are still there today.

This is a picture of old town New Orleans.

Beautiful Riverfront in New Orleans.

The Jazz Festival was going on. We had Shotzi so we couldn't go in. But we hear people come from all over to attend the Jass Festival.

Lots of VooDoo and Black Magic are still practiced here. We saw that also in Savannah.

I was especially fascinated by the cemeteries. New Orleans is actually below sea level, so all the bodies are placed in above ground tombs.

Schotzi spent the day at doggy day care so we could spend the day in the swamps.

We learned the difference between a canal, river and bayou.

I wonder what is under all that water?????

Looks like Larry found out. I want to hold him too!

Isn't he cute. Bet you never thought I'd hold him. And yes he is real!