We’ve traveled quite a bit this year and especially recently. I can’t help but be grateful for making it home safely after a great trip. We are Home Sweet Home!
Travel
Day 101 / The Annual Party
The night before the last day of our operations manager conference, our annual awards party is held. It is always a huge bash and a great time.
It’s a time for all of us to come together and celebrate a year of hard work, and honor those who put forth an outstanding contribution to the firm. I’m proud to be associated with this group of dedicated and caring professionals. And I’m thankful to have celebrated another year with them.
Day 100 / An Evening with Work Friends
Donovon and I spent the evening with my work friends from Dallas who I typically only see at these annual conferences.
One of my friends reserved a sunset cruise off Johns Passe this evening. It was a fun little cruise. We got to see some dolphins and snap pics of the setting sun on the Gulf of Mexico. The scene was gorgeous.
After the cruise we all had dinner at a local hole-in-the-wall where the food was amazing and the company so enjoyable.
After dinner, we all met back at the hotel bar for some after dinner drinks and to watch Monday Night Football. My beloved Cowboys are playing and my girls from Dallas and I cheered them on. We’ve had a really fun night, and I’m thankful for spending time with my work friends.
Day 98 / Vacation Adventures with My Hubby
Today was quite an adventure for us here in the St. Pete/Tampa, Florida area.
Donovon and I first drove to Passe-A-Grille beach in St. Petersburg for a day on the beach. The beach was gorgeous, but we didn’t have beach towels with us upon arriving, so once we parked (and already paid), we had to find a store that sold beach towels thinking such stores must be all along the beach…only to find the nearest one was 2 miles away. What we should have done was just driven there losing our already paid for parking spot, yet instead, we left the car and took a trolley – which ended up costing us the same amount of our parking spot. Yes, we weren’t thinking this through. At all.
Once we got all our beach necessities from the nearest surf shop, we decided to just walk back along the beach to where we parked. So, two miles and 45 minutes later, we finally made it back to where we started and finally got to relax on the beach. Adventure #1, check.
On to Adventure #2. Donovon looked up some nightclub spots when I mentioned wanted to experience some local nightlife. He came across The Castle, an alternative dance club in Ybor. After Adventure #1, I was already drained, so I was a little apprehensive about embarking on another adventure, but Donovon said I was being “old” and needed to live a little. Well, I couldn’t argue, so off we went.
I have to say, I’m really glad we went. Ybor is an area of Tampa that reminded us of 6th Street in Austin about 20 years ago. They celebrate Halloween for a month, so the streets were filled with people in very elaborate and creative costumes. It was quite a people-watching fest. And The Castle was an extension of that times ten. Add to that a really awesome DJ spinning an industrial mix with many of our 90s faves and Donovon and I danced like we were in our 20s again. Adventure #2, check.
We got back to the hotel after 1 AM, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the day’s adventures with My Hubby.
Day 96 / Mini-Vacay with The Hubby
I was scheduled to be in St. Pete for meetings this week and asked my hubby to tag along and he said, “Sure”, so we’re here in St. Petersburg, FL for 6 days.
Tonight, we are dining at local pub and watching Thursday Night Football. The food and drinks are freaking awesome and we are having a good and relaxing time.
I’m so grateful for another little getaway with Donovon, even if I have work for part of it.
Day 84 / Family Reunion
I learned the importance of family very early in life and more so later on – Our time with our family might be very limited, so every precious moment together counts. My family is a gift – my parents, my grandparents, my siblings, my husband, my in-laws, my aunts, uncles, cousins, my nieces and nephews, and my children. I have family spread throughout this county and this world and I thank God for all of them. Every. Day.
We spent the weekend in Hot Springs, Arkansas for Donovon’s family reunion. It had been almost 20 years since Donovon and I went to the last reunion for the “May” side of the family. It was a weekend of catching up, sharing memories, lots of laughter and love. The venue was Knollwood Cabins on Hamilton Lake where the descendants of the May family occupied almost every cabin.
Today, the children splashed around in the lake while adults talked lakeside and looked through old photos. It was picturesque. It was a great time. It was family.
I’m thankful for being a part of the 2014 May Family Reunion, and for sharing memories as well as creating new ones.
Day 83 / Road Trip
We took a road trip today to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Donovon’s parents rented a van and we made it through our 7-hr journey with 9 passengers, including a 2-yr-old and 4-yr-old, with great ease. Thank goodness for easy road trips!
Day 47 / Safe Travels
There’s an undeniable element of risk in international travel. Things can go wrong – ranging from flight delays to lost luggage to the more terrifying and unthinkable. So, I’m grateful that Donovon and I experienced safe and uneventful travels to and from Jamaica. We’re home safe and sound!
Day 45 / Paradise with My Hubby
I simply could not be more grateful to be in paradise with Donovon today. That’s all I got.
Day 44 / Jamaican Beach at Sunset
Oh. My. Word. I can’t over this beach. We arrived in Jamaica today in time for a gorgeous sunset. It’s so freaking relaxing here. I’m so grateful for this beach today.
Gratitude Daily 