Christmas with the family in Jackson, TN

A few flurries of snow added to the wonderful Christmas Day spent with our family in Jackson, Tennessee! My sons Trey Cleek and Matt & his wife Lauren Cleek joined me and Darrell!

Lauren and Elaine on Christmas Eve

Lauren sang at First Christian Church in Jackson on Christmas Eve
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The Santa Express - Darrell's airplane

Darrell flew our plane - a Piper Saratoga - to the Carolina's for Christmas. It was loaded with presents!

The Christian Family Christmas

Visiting the children in North and South Carolina for Christmas! Chaos with the opening of the presents. "Papa" Darrell with the 5 grandchildren - Linnea (14), Emma (12) Matthew (4) Markus (10) and Lindsey (7)

Little Matthew received a "Darth Vader" with a light saber costume as a present. He called it "Dark Vader" and his "life saver"

Emma, Markus and Lindsey put on a show of modern dance!

A fun time!

Sold out performances

Jackson Theater Guild's production of White Christmas sold out all performances. Our daughter-in-law Lauren Cleek starred as Judy Haines (the younger sister)! A wonderful play!!

The Cast of White Christmas

White Christmas is my all time favorite Christmas movie! I have watched White Christmas over 20 times!! It is so much fun to watch the Jackson Theater Group's production of the play! Lauren is wonderful as Judy Haines. She is joined by Rhonda Greer as Betty Haines. David Stutzman plays Bob Wallace and Jimmy Glossom plays Phil Davis. Tonight was the Preview with Opening night tomorrow!! The production is almost sold out for the 5 performances!! Will be a fun week!! Way to go Lauren - you are fantastic in the play!!

White Christmas

Wonderful evening at the Preview for Jackson Theater Guild's White Christmas!! Our sweet daughter-in-law Lauren Cleek is playing Judy Haines. It is such a joy to watch her - she just lights up the stage!! She and Matt have celebrated birthdays this week - Matt on Dec 12 and Lauren on Dec 13. This has been a fun week!!

Tom Reed Book Signing

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Why we travel...

"People travel for many different reasons: some to confirm the sights they have seen in books, others travel to challenge their existing beliefs about the world; others travel to forget, and still others travel to remember. Some travel to feel connected with the world, while others travel to be alone. I travel for the sights and stories, for the people and the places; to hear the heartbeat of the world, and to beat in tune with it.

I travel for the beautiful conversations with strangers at unsuspecting moments, I travel for the common and the not so common, for the sights and the stories, for the people and the places; to hear the heartbeat of the world, and to beat in tune with it.

To travel, in short, is to understand the meaning of Life and all that's in it."

I found these quotes on a fellow traveler's (Jane P) blog while searching on Trip Advisor about our upcoming trip to the "End of the World" in Ushuaia, Argentina. It spoke to me!

West Tennessee Healthcare Gala

Darrell and I had fun at the West Tennessee Health Care Gala. This is the "big" charity event of the year in Jackson. Our dear friends - Katherine and Tyler Swindle received the Community Service Award that evening! I helped with the Gala Committee this year working on the Silent Auction - with a fun group of ladies!

Dream cars in Naples

Lauren and I went to a wonderful dinner at AZN in the Mercado. This is the "hot spot" in Naples. The cars in front of the restaurant were really cool - one of the new Gold Wing Mercedes (where the door lifts out and straight up), brand new Rolls Royce and a Lamborghini.
So glad Lauren came - we had a really great time!!

Beach Day in Naples with Lauren

Sunset at Pelican Bay Beach - we took a bottle of wine - and just caught sunset one evening. Another day - we started back to Pelican Bay beach. Robyn Lents was joining us for lunch. Elaine's foundation id card was left in Jackson for Darrell to bring. Of course - they would not let us through to go to the beach. So we went to Vanderbilt Beach. Had lunch at the Turtle Club!

Then - Toes in the sand! Yes - it was that kind of day! We stayed all afternoon and caught sunset again! Beautiful

Lauren's visit to Naples

I had a wonderful week with my sweet daughter-in-law Lauren in Naples! She was on Fall Break - so we traveled together to Naples. We worked hard and played too! Our condo needed repairs and cleaning. I was ready to quit - but Lauren said - let's knock this out!

We had to go shopping = just a little! Lauren liked "The Best of Everything" store. We had lunch at Riverwalk on Naples Bay!

Lewis and Clark Center - Sioux City, Iowa

The Interpretive Center for the Lewis and Clark Expedition in Sioux City sits alongside the Missouri River and features a day in the life on the trail. As part of the bicentennial of the expedition - a series a Interpretive Centers were built. We had already visited other centers. The unique larger than life statues welcome visitors to the centers. bicentenial

Lewis and Clark Center - Sioux City, Iowa 2

Interactive displays and recreations of camp life are featured in the Lewis and Clark Intreptive Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Lewis and Clark in uniform, Seaman the Newfoundland dog and Sacagawea are part of the exhibit.

Acting silly at Wall Drug Store, Wall, SD

The interstate is filled with signs about "Wall Drug Store". It is a famous landmark in the little town of Wall, SD. The store started in the 1930's as a drug store with an ice cream counter. Now - it spreads over 2 city blocks and is full of wonderful ways to spend your money. We were acting silly - I am on a "Jackalope??" and Darrell has a new hair style! But the 5 cent coffee and doughnut was really good!

Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD

South Dakota is filled with ingenius ways to get people to pull off the interstate. The Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD is covered in a "corn and grain" moasic in the fall to create amazing scenes on the side the of the "palace" in downtown Mitchell.

State Game Park Lodge, Custer State Park, SD

The "Summer White House" of Calvin Coolidge is now the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park, SD. Our final night in Custer - Darrell and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the lodge.

View from the top of Harney Peak, SD

Harney Peak sits at 7244 feet and is about a 7 mile roundtrip hike. This is above the treeline. The old stone Fire Tower tops the peak. The trip to the top of Harney Peak was rewarded with spectactular views. Brochures say you can see 100 miles and 4 states. As you can see - it was a "severe clear" day and the views were awesome!