February

Jo, Bob, Lynette, Bob, and we had a great time celebrating Valentine's Day at Steak 954. What a great time and the food was fantastic!

January 2014

I spent 10 days during the coldest part of the coldest winter in Minnesota watching the girls--but it didn't bother them!







We took a short cruise when I got back looking for some warmth--found some and a gorgeous full moon evening on the ocean.

The rest of December

 We baked Christmas cookies with the Smiths. One of our traditional cookies is Mom Mitchell's Norwegian kringla.

 We celebrated Christmas with Jason's Florida family at Caryn and Jason's house.












The boys spent time with us since school was closed for the holidays. I wrongly assumed that giving them markers would be creatively used on paper.

Transatlantic

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean--it will take seven days.

Madeira, Portugal

Funchal, Madeira, Portugal (on a island in the Atlantic) is a beautiful coastal city.

 Besides the Botanical Gardens, the cable cars, the statue of Christ, they have their own "Rock 'n Roller Coaster". Tradition says you ride two and a half miles down the center of a city street in this wicker basket (a local craft) with two white garbed men wearing shoes soled with tire rubber to guide you down.


Yup, it was fun! 

Barcelona, Spain

The torpedo shaped building is one of the new landmarks for the old city. We found Barcelona to be a beautiful, modern, fast, busy, colorful city and we have to go back!









The famous and flamboyant architect Gaudi has his fingerprints all over the city, this being the La Sagrada Familia church.

Florence and Pisa, Italy

One day in Florence is not enough time to see the tremendous artwork and architecture that abounds in that city, so after a morning of driving (with a driver) to as many spots as we could we stopped for a cup of cappuccino--more artistry--and the best cup of hot chocolate I have ever had!

Our late afternoon trip to Pisa was again filled to the brim and I tried to keep the Tower in an upright position!