If you can believe it....

If you can believe it, I think we're both sick...with colds. When I say "we", I'm talking about Andrew and myself. And you can totally blame my husband for passing on the sniffles and nose blowing - in the heat of summer. He caught the bug first. I can also blame the mosquitos for having a feast on my legs - which in the three weeks previous, I had only gotten bit once or twice. Now, an itchy feast. I swear, I am not bitter....if you can believe it.

It wasn't a weekend to be lost though...if you can believe it! We had a pretty nice one, having arrived back from LA to Florida on Thursday. Unfortunately, the Lee family, or at least half of them, are also sick...Mr. Lee (Brooke and Britt's dad, not my own) has the flu and Brittany seems to have caught the cold. What is going on - it is the summer blues! Anyhoos...we were supposed to stay with them for the two days that our condo in Seaside was rented but they generously helped to arrange housing in their friends', Chris and Roxie Wilson, condo so we wouldn't get sick. Chris and Roxie's condo is lovely and right in the heart of Grayton Beach, where the studio is. It faces the ocean as well as the Red Bar, which is a funky eatery-bar restaurant. On Friday night, we waited the hour and a half sitting on our balcony, waiting for our Red Bar buzzer to go off. And the crab cakes were...divine. We're back in our own condo now, which really has started to feel like home and it's nice to be back.

Yesterday night, we went to Matt Walker's (Brooke's ex-boyfriend) goodbye party. Matt is leaving Destin in August for a tennis coaching job in Memphis, TN. It was a fun party but the highlight was leaving - which sounds terrible but it's not what you're thinking. We were one of the last to leave and it was probably only because we started to see thunder and when they say the winds are 'a-changin'....the winds were really 'a-changin'! By the time we ran to our cars, the lightning lit up the sky just about every second and as we got closer to home, the rain had really started pounding down. I have never seen a "perfect storm" but this, was probably pretty close to perfection...if you can believe it.

Today was pretty stormy...but a sleepy Sunday for us. By the time we left the condo, it was lunchtime, and time for a date at "Bud'n'Alleys", a local restaurant in Seaside. The crazy thing is that with the exception of the hard-ish possibly-plastic roof, it's basically an outdoor restaurant and when the weather is nice, they roll up the plastic windows to show a spectacular view of the gulf. Well, when we arrived, it was sort-of nice weather (the sun had yet to appear) and within minutes of sitting at the bar to wait for our table, it was pouring - which literally happened in seconds...first, we heard the crack of the thunder and then it started to pour with hardly any warning. It had everyone scrambling...rushing to set down the plastic windows, saving food from getting drenched, trying to keep from getting drenched themselves ect.. It was really quite a chaotic scene and I can't say everyone made it through dry and though it took some effort to wipe down the tables and shake the water off the food, everyone, was safe....if you can believe it!

Otherwise, we had an unexpectedly quiet and relaxing Sunday due to weather. Our beach portrait got canceled because it was rainy and thunderstorming. So, I spent the afternoon doing house chores, cooking cheeseburgers for dinner and not doing much of anything significant. Andrew, however, is still working on his presentation for his meeting in Minnesota on Tuesday - he leaves tomorrow. I think that I'll be fast asleep before he even thinks about going to bed....if you can believe it.

Home, oh, Home!

We've spent this week in LA...and yes, I have totally loved living in Florida but there's nothing better than home! I'm sorry to say this...especially to Brooke and Britt...but I know now for sure, that we're not meant to be in Florida for good. LA is home.

Andrew and I had a really fun week here. It almost feels life-changing! HA! Just kidding...but it has been busy! We spent most of our trip sleeping in the living room on our dreaded air mattress ;) because it was devilishly hot and the only relief was being close to the open sliding door! My good friends, Matt and Becky, got married which was the entire reason we came home. But, boy, was it a hot day!!! I mean, who gets married in the dessert in the summer! Well...they did! On our way out there, the temperature gage in Julio (for those who don't know Julio...he's my car!) reached 113 degrees...hot, hot, hot...and I think it was at least 108 during the ceremony. Fortunately, we were seated in the shade during their vows and by the time the reception started, night had started and cooled down our party. It was a beautiful day and Matt and Becky were so happy. Mr. & Mrs. Lillig are a perfect match!

The rest of week was pretty low-key. I photographed two of my very pregnant friends and Andrew went into the office to work. We spent time with my family and enjoyed being at home. I think I'm ready to go back to Florida and enjoy the rest of our time there. And in August, I know for sure, I will be ready to come home. Because home is home and there is nothing better than home!

Ice cream-y ooey-gooey....goodness!

Have I ever told you about Brewster's Ice Cream? Shameless plug...for no reason except I love it: http://www.brustersicecream.com/. Last time we came to Destin, I went to Brewsters for the first time and have dreamt about it in the 2 years since. So, every time we drive by it during this trip, I tell Andrew, "Hey, there's Brewsters! We should go there sometime" and then go home at night and instead of sheep jumping over my head, I dream about my favorite flavor, Cotton Candy Explosion. And finally, after almost 3 weeks, tonight was the night and we got to go to Brewsters for dessert - a rare treat for us since we normally don't eat dessert when we're out. And, since Andrew returned from LA, we've been eating mulberries that my dad picked from our tree from home, as a dessert. But finally...Brewsters! Unfortunately they didn't have my favorite flavor so I went for the Cake Batter flavor while Andrew went for the Black Forest flavor (chocolate with cherries). We both went for the waffle cone which we soon learned would be a mistake, or a mistake for us! Boy, did they pile the ice cream on - our one scoop was at least 5...I don't even want to imagine what 2 scoops of ice cream really is! But, our ice cream was enough to feed a hungry family of 5...literally. And I knew if I finished my cone, I'd be sick as a dog - even as tempting as its richness and sugary goodness would be to eat and finish. I can't imagine how a person (and there were several people there!) could even think about finishing the whole thing! When my body said done, the rest went in a to-go cup. Needless to say, we have ice cream to last us until we leave for LA. Goodness to wish us a fun trip! And don't worry Mom, I took a few bites and put the rest away...don't worry Mom!

Not much to report....

There really isn't that much to report here from Florida...though this may end up being the worlds longest blog!

Andrew has kept up with his running every other day and I also would have but yesterday, I felt kind of under the weather so I felt like I should stay off the running path this morning. He, however, came back with the report that he had run nearly 3 miles! Good on Andrew, I am proud! Hopefully, I'll feel better in a few days so I can continue running with him - it's much more fun to have a partner to run with!

This entire week is totally booked at Beachside Photography! In fact, the past two days, we have been double booked so Brooke would take one portrait and Brittany and I would go on the second. And, thank the good Lord for Brittany...it kept me from being nervous and her encouragement really helped me. Also, Brittany had the harder job of getting the families into position for the photos that we had pre-planned before the shoot. I took the photo and if it didn't look like the pose was working out, we would put our thinking cap together and get a different pose going. I think the photos turned out well but I only hope for big orders so we can help Brooke out!

The only major disappointment of the week was the Laker loss of the NBA Finals. What a horrible loss....but in all honesty, the Boston Celtics (or as Andrew calls them, the Keltics) deserved the win. The Lakers really played awful and it was such a shame that they weren't able to hold onto seemingly insurmountable leads. The Lakers, at least this year, are not the champions and don't deserve to be....and that is a shame. Ah well, there is always next year...

Rock Crab and Water

Andrew and I have committed to running at least 3 times a week. This is a new commitment... and it has actually been fun - hopefully it'll last! We ran Saturday - 2-ish miles...but the best part was walking home on the beach - the water running through our toes, cooling us down. You have to remember how humid and hot it is here and on this particular day, it seemed exceptionally hot. When we completed our run, my face felt as if it was on fire in need of a serious cool-down. Like I said, however, the best part was walking home on the beach. It inspired us to go home to put our swimsuits on, take advantage of the nice weather and our close proximity to the beach! What a day...it was glorious. After about an hour, after we had taken a dip in the gulf, we headed home and dressed to help the Floridian economy by shopping at the outlet mall. If I ever mention that I'm buying Andrew a polo shirt, tell me to return it - we were both inspired and he has enough to last many years to come. Thankfully, the look is timeless.

I suppose the most exciting part of the day was going to my friend's Brooke's house for some wakeboarding and stone crab. Now, if you know me well, you'll remember that I'm not very coordinated nor steady on my feet...but, always willing to try something new...and that new thing was wakeboarding. I'd seen Brooke and Brittany do it and they both looked so graceful and so skillful. I was confident I would get as much air in my jumps (yeah, right) and look as, or not more, graceful than then. Just kidding...I thought, if I made it on my feet, I would be impressed with myself. And, I stood up on my second try! Ok, it wasn't anything close to graceful nor did I stand for more than a second or two but I stood...and that was a feat!

Well, while we wakeboarded, Andrew and Mr. Lee began to eat stone crab that Mr. Lee had brought back from the Bahamas. It was wonderfully delicious....and how we ate it was half the fun! We used large spoons to crack the shell and after pulling the meat out to eat, we threw the shell straight into the Gulf. What an experience...best weekend ever!

So...I survived!

Andrew is back from LA and I survived! Not that I didn't think I would but what I didn't expect was that it would be such a breeze to be here. During Andrew's absence, it almost felt like I was being entertained by my good friend...God. And of course, with the help of His people...Brooke, Brittany and Susan Lee! I spent most of my days with Brooke and Britt at the studio and then spent quiet evenings, cheering on the Lakers or watching my favorite tv show, "Jon&Kate plus 8". I really did have a great time by myself and I guess it was good that I had prepared for loneliness in Andrew's absence so instead of the worst, I got the best. I really feel like I am home (at least for the summer) and really like our life here in Seaside....

One of the oddest things, however, is the weather. The rain and thunder comes and passes - which pass as quick as you can blink your eyes. One minute storm, next minute sunshine. For photographers that shoot outdoors, this can play havoc with your business. Yesterday, for about 1/2 an hour, it poured and thundered - literally like it was the end of the world. And as soon as our clients left, sunshine returned and life was back to normal. Checking weather websites are as normal as breathing...and when Brooke saw that there was 60% chance of rain for the remainder of the day, she called off our evening shoot - you literally just have to predict what you don't know - will it be rainy or sunshine-y? Regardless, we did enjoy yesterday afternoon and spent it out of the office! We've rescheduled yesterday's portrait for this evening and though it currently looks semi-gloomy outside now, it's only noon-ish...so, plenty of time for the weather to change!

Rain, rain go-away...please, please come back another day!

Stinky FEET!

Ok, so I don't have stinky feet but I certainly came home feeling stinky! The time had come to exercise - get my body back into shape! So, I went to sleep knowing that I wanted to wake up and get moving...maybe to walk from Seagrove to Seaside and back. And I did! But, I also got a later start than I wanted mainly because it was a lazy morning but I will blame it on waiting for Andrew to call...and being 2 hours ahead of him, I figured a 6am phone call would make for a grumpy husband! So, being a polite wife :), I waited as long as I could to call - 7am long enough? Fortunately, he was already awake, getting ready for work. And hoorah - tomorrow, he comes home! Hoorah!
As far as the walk, I ran all the way into Seaside, which is about a mile or two away, grabbed lunch and walked home. I thought that perhaps, it might be a cool (well, as cool as Florida summers get) walk but the clouds that hid the sun when I left, floated on their merry way and out came the sun! Just in time to walk home...stupid humidity! And by the time I made it to the condo, I was huffing and puffing and boy, did I have stinky feet!
In case you are wondering, stinky feet is a term that we use to make the kids laugh during our shoots. Like, "Does your daddy have stinky feet"...giggle, giggle..."No! Do YOU have stinky feet!". And it must have worked yesterday! The dad who we photographed tipped us - a whole $40! It was kind of embarrassing but he stuffed it into my hands before I could do anything and ran away as we tried to give it back. How funny - we got tipped!
But today is definitely a late start. I'm leaving home in about an hour, so I'm off to enjoy my hour!
Happy day, happy sun!

To LA...and back (at least...on Thursday!)

Andrew has arrived safely in LA but not after adventure on both our parts. We arrived at the teeny tiny Fort Walton Airport already hearing of delays and delays and more delays. Andrew was supposed to fly through Chicago which is part of the mid-west which is having major weather issues. As we drove, we got warnings that his plane was delayed an hour, then two, then three, then four...oh boy! So, we kept calling American Airlines representatives hoping they could get him on a different flight, stopping over in another town. But, they said, nothing to be done - stay where you are! Andrew has flown enough to know the warning signs of a canceled flight before it happened. And, thank God for status. Because of Andrew's status, he was able to get a flight out of the Pensacola airport (which meant I would have to drive him another hour and then another 2 hours home) to Dallas and then LA. And...I didn't even want him to go home! Ah well...all worked out well...I made it home before Andrew made it to Dallas and Andrew made it to LA (after delays in Florida and Dallas!) at 1am (Pacific Time) and 3am (Central Time). Big, big thanks to my dad for picking him up! And, thank you Andrew...for all your sacrifices. I am immeasurably blessed by God for giving me you.
As far as me, so far, so good. Since Andrew has been gone, I've seen my first Floridian rainbow, my first Floridian thunderstorm, sat in my first Floridian rainstorm. I found my favorite Florida restaurant, "Dewey Destin" on my own - with a little help from a local. And, the Lees were kind enough to have me spent the night so I wouldn't be too lonely.
And...I am surviving, I am surviving...I really am.

Beautiful day, thunder and showers in Charlotte's world

Even though it's bright and cheerful outside, I feel a storm brewing in my world. Andrew is leaving today for LA...and yes, I can already see you sighing of how ridiculous that is but for me, I dread driving him to the airport, I dread saying goodbye, I dreaded waking up this morning, I dread every little minute that passes by. All this stress for 5 days! Sigh...
A few days ago, Mr. Lee, Brooke and Brittany's dad, asked if Andrew's leaving would be my challenge of the trip...and of course, I bravely told him it was no big deal, it happened to us all the time. But little did he know, I had been dreading this moment since I first heard about this trip, when we were in LA.
But, now...the time has come and I have to suck it up and be brave. Tell myself I am being ridiculously stupid and it is ONLY 5 days. And, work will be busy so I will be busy. And I will be ok...I will survive...I will be ok...I will survive.

Argh...Matey!

I wish I could describe Billy Bowlegs - the pirate, cannon-shooting event that we went to today. But I suppose any way I described it would do no justice to what an event it actually was. We started at Brooke and Brittany's house and boated out to the site of the event which, to be quite honest, was nothing we had ever seen before. So, I suppose the best way to describe to scene is to have you picture New Orleans. Now replace all the buildings with boats - with a space in between the lines of boats to stroll the boardwalk (no joke, this is what they called it - and yes, we did stroll the boardwalk). And the most important part: pretend a hurricane just hit (because it took place right in the Gulf of Mexico...where Destin faces) and no one cared - people still partied and celebrated with water surrounding every nook and cranny. Ok, I know how I describe is probably not imaginable...but, whatever I say, as I said, does no justice! Anyways as we got closer while boating in, people would shoot waterguns like cannons (and acted as the cannons). Since it was hot, the first few hits felt nice - especially when they used ice cold water instead of the icky warm water from the Gulf. However, after getting hit a few times we surrendered...it was just getting too cold and we didn't have "cannons"! After Brittany spotted several friends, we parked our motor boat to the edge of the mush of boats, all crowding for the best spot on the "boardwalk". As soon as we got situated, we decided to stroll (well, stroll in the water if there is such a thing) the boardwalk and, this is where it got interesting. The boats lined up on two sides of the area to create a boardwalk (as a previously mentioned) so we swam to where the water was about waste deep and we literally were able to stroll the boardwalk...in water. And, there were people either walking or dancing near their boat as far as the eye could see...it was literally...amazing. The party atmosphere was surely there - I think nearly 99.9% were drunk or on their way there (...and Brooke, Britt, Andrew and I were the .1% not drinking to craziness!)...people on the sidelines, already passed out from either heat or alcohol - I choose the later. It was...wild...but fun and quite the experience. But, there wasn't much to do but stroll and take in the scene - which was experience enough. And when we got back to the boat, it was time to move on home.
As soon as we arrived back to the Lee's dock, I discovered the horrible sin of the day...I had a terrible burn on my chest. I had put sunscreen on every other inch of my body except for the chest area...to which I forgot because of the t-shirt I wore on the way to Billy Bowlegs and when I finally took my covering off, I took for granted that I was already slathered in sunscreen. Boy was I wrong. Terrible, terrible, terrible...fortunately, or at least I am hoping, that instead of an angry devilish color, it is turning into the color of nice, tanned skin - if anything...to protect me from the pain of the day.
We did end the day with a lovely birthday party of Brooke and Brittany's cousin, Kristen, who was celebrating her 21 birthday with a small party at her home. We celebrated with a fun fish fry which I hear is like a clam bake (but then again, I have never experienced that either). We ate cheese grits, salad, beans and of course, the fish fry. What a meal it was...just perfect to end the day.

We left the bubble...

Living in Seaside is living in a bubble. Since we arrived a few days ago...we haven't left the bubble...and why? The studio, where I work, is about a 6 minute drive (unless you get stuck in Seaside traffic - which really isn't traffic....it is cars moving with the slow pace of life. Brittany says I'll get used to it but currently, I find it quite annoying). There is a market up the road and plenty of restaurants to try. And, a beach that we can see from our condo to entertain us. Andrew hardly leaves the house anyways...why, when you can work from home. I guess after about 2,200 miles of nothing but driving and road...the last thing we wanted to do was drive. But today...the time had come....and it wasn't even that we even went far but the fact that we left meant we left the safety net of the bubble.
Driving to Destin took us about 40 minutes and in fact, we'll go the same way tomorrow as well as Sunday. Tonight, however, we had dinner with Brooke. She is a fantastic host and has been showing us around and bringing us out to eat despite the fact that I'm sure, she's exhausted. Tomorrow, she's taking us out on a boat to see some sort of annual pirate boat event. I hear that they throw "cannons" from boat to boat and people just act all crazy. I don't know...it just sounds terribly odd to me but hey, when in Destin, do as Destin does. I'll let you know how it goes.
On Sunday, Andrew has to go back to LA. The only terrible, and yes, I do mean, terrible, price that I pay for coming here is that Andrew will have to fly back and forth. In fact, he goes back to LA twice, one of which I will be joining him - for a wedding. Apparently, he has to fly 3 other times - to Dallas, Minneapolis and Indianapolis. Oh bother....I guess I'll have to be a "bachelorette in paradise" for a few days.
Anyways...one more disturbing thing has happened. I have talked to my mom daily since we left LA and today, she proclaimed, "I think you have a southern accent". I couldn't believe it...I have been here less than a week and it already happened!!!! Well, I don't believe it...Brooke and Andrew don't hear it...so I will not admit that it has happened. Oh well...what can you do when everyone around you has a little twing and a little bit of twang!
When in Destin...do as Destin does.

We no longer live in So Cal...we live in So Wal!

Brittany and Brooke got us bumper stickers that say, "SoWal". What is SoWal you ask? Don't worry, we had no idea either. It means South Walton, the county we currently live in. So, to this I say...we no longer live in SoCal, we live in SoWal (if only for the summer)!
Did I ever mention the town we live in? Its called, Seaside - which is about 45 minutes outside of Destin (which is the main town in this area). Seaside is small town U.S.A. - complete with the beautiful town center where there are bands that entertain the crowds on the warm, balmy nights. Little restaurants line the little streets and there is a constant flow of people milling around. There is "small town" traffic - which consist of cars perusing the street, as if time doesn't matter. I am from LA where it's "go...go...GO for heavens sake!"...it will take time to get used to. The buildings are really cute here - the homes and office buildings in the area are all pastel colored. If you can believe it, the town next to us is called "Watercolor". What a name. We're a few stop signs out of the center of town, and though our condo doesn't have the lovely outside facade, it's lovely inside. The floors are all hardwood and the kitchen is large. Although we're pool-facing, if you look closely, you can see a slit of the Gulf of Mexico which is really fantastic. We're looking forward to having some visitors so we can show it off as if it was our own!
People are truly lovely here. There is something to be said about the Southern charm. You're greeted with a smile and looked in the eye when being spoken to. If you have met someone only once or spoken to them on the phone, you are greeted with a hug as if you are old friends that haven't seen each other in awhile. Totally different from our home...where looking someone in the eye means you could possibly get shot and getting a snort is the equivalent of a kind hello. We are still getting used to the local lingo and the strong Southern accents, though, Andrew seems to be figuring it out. Somehow, his New Zealand accent is working to his advantage...and thank God, because I need someone to translate!
Our everyday routine has also changed, quite a bit. In LA, Andrew wakes up while I'm still snoozing and trying to get myself up for the day. In LA, Andrew goes to the office while I try to busy my day doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Now, here in Florida - the roles are reversed. It is me that gets up to go to work while my husband snoozes (today, he snoozed - I think I might have even heard a snore!). He gets up shortly after I leave (or at least he has been) as I do in LA and starts his own day....since he is working "remotely". I think he has been pretty diligent in his work and spends most of the day inside our condo despite being tempted to play on the beach. We'll see what happens when he's not so busy at work.
But, we can't complain. Every day, Andrew and I wake up - look outside and thank the good Lord for the wonderful sunshine and the fantastic life we have. We're praying for no hurricanes. Until then, life is good....

Stars in the sky

Andrew and I just got back from a romantic stroll on the beach. Ok, romantic is us huffing and puffing as we walk through the sand and as we walk through the dark, I throw my poor husband in front of me to defend me from any imaginary shadows that seem to follow us the entire way down the boardwalk. However, when we did get there, it was quite romantic. The stars in the sky, and there are a million that light up the sky, twinkle - welcome us to Florida...since it is our first complete day here. And, I can't say it was a busy one but enjoyable...for me at least. Andrew woke early and worked for the next 12 hours, trying to catch up for the hours he lost during our drive out here. I, however, spent the morning...relaxing and running a quick errand to the market to prepare for dinner since we were having Brittany and Brooke over after our evening photo shoot. I thought, if I make it now, Andrew can just throw it in the oven to cook so it's ready when we arrive home. And then, I had this terrible thought, what if he didn't know how to use an oven...I know for sure he hasn't used one during the 9 months we've been married. So, I casually reminded him to warm the oven before he put the dish in and then when it seemed warm (about 5-10 minutes or so) enough, put the casserole in. I had made Chicken Devane, a dish we had eaten at our friends', Tom and Sandra's, home last week, right before we left. Anyways, I think Andrew was equally as horrified that I thought he wasn't able, in any aspect, in the kitchen. So, of course, he was quite indignant in his response...don't worry, there was no fight nor tears but I left the house quickly to avoid one.
As far as myself, being that it was our first day here...I finally went to work - the whole reason we came. It wasn't all that busy but I did go on my first photo shoot with Brooke and Brittany. Brooke is really an amazing photographer - so calm and knowledgable. She puts all her clients at ease and shoots with tons of talent and capability. I am very impressed. Our family tonight was from Augusta, Georgia - as many of Brooke's clients are from the south. Her clients were kind and funny and the girls say most of the people are this way. This, I think, will be a wonderful summer job.
It seems ridiculous that now, we go to bed so early - between 9-10pm. But then, the 9-10pm is in the wrong time zone...now that we have moved from Pacific to Central time zones - it's really 11-12pm that we're going to sleep. Anyways...I hope my mom is proud that I now get up at 6am, even if we are...2 hours ahead.

Good night, my friends...
Sending you many goodnight kisses...from Florida.

Brooke and Brittany Lee

I guess I should explain how I know Brooke and her sister, Brittany - who I have already told you are two of my very best friends. Brooke and I went to Brooks Institute of Photography together. I knew of her before I really knew her because we had similar social circles and went to the same church, Reality Carpinteria while living in Santa Barbara (where our school was). It wasn't until our first portrait class that we really hit it off - not because we weren't both wonderful people (HA!) but because we hadn't started Brooks at the same time and had never had the pleasure of being in the same class. Then one day, I noticed her sitting in my class and we became quick friends. We grew close in our last year and took many classes together, spending many hours working on projects together. I spent hours and hours at her house – getting to know both Brooke and her sweet black lab.
Brooke's sister, Brittany, spent countless hours being our "model" - especially when we were not allowed to use "Brooks people"...she became quite the pro! We were really lucky that she lived in Santa Barbara at the same time - attending Westmont College. Britt is one of the nicest, sweetest people...giggly and goofy. I love her...and seriously can say, I heart Brittany!
Mr. & Mrs. Lee, Brooke and Britt's, parents are two of the sweetest and most amazing people that I know. I think the name is amazingly close to my own maiden last name and we were meant to be "family" - if only for the summer. They have the southern charm and personalities....always so welcoming and amazing. I already have amazing parents but my Destin parents are quite the fine people themselves!
Then finally, there is Bogen, the most amazing dog...superdog if there is any. He is smart, intelligent, friendly and goofy. Bogen is a black lab and by his name, a hick (which is what "Bogan" means in New Zealand speak...even if their spellings are different).
The Lees (all of us!), I must say, are good people...we love them and look forward to spending the summer here with them!

We have arrived...in heaven...

Ok, so maybe not quite heaven but the fact that we have arrived in Destin, Florida is nothing short of completely heavenly! No more waking up in a new city, in a different bed...knowing that we only hours and hours of driving ahead of us - in the big, wide world - known as the U.S. of A. Admittedly, it has not all been bad - it has been fantastic...getting to drive through (or at least to) 8 states (California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida - 5 of which I have never been) - countless number of cities and even more stories to count. I will remember this experience for the rest of my life. But, in the same breath, I am SO glad to be home (or at least home for the next two months and a bit) - knowing that tomorrow, we will drive no more than a few miles and we can start to enjoy our time together and spend time with our great friends that we know (the amazing Lee family!!!) and those we will meet. My parents offered today to fly across the country and drive our car back so we won't have to do the return trip. While it is a wonderful, amazing, completely generous offer - neither of us can imagine putting them through the drive and giving them the honor of seeing the amazing U.S.A. - just kidding mom and dad!

We woke up late this morning - ok, late for us these days is at 8-ish am (which my body still claims to be 6am!) in New Orleans. I was in no hurry to ready myself for the drive ahead since Andrew told me the night before that he definitely had to put in a few hours of work before we hit the road for our final day of travel. But, I was still anxious to get on the road since I knew in about 5 hours, it would all be over and I could see my friends Brooke and Brittany again....which made the all the hours on the road completely worth it. But, this morning, we didn’t do much in New Orleans except putter on the internet and of course, I got my morning cup of coffee and anxiously stared at Andrew, willing him to finish his work!

As far as where we’ve been today – Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, I can't really claim to have seen Mississippi nor Alabama except we stopped at the Applebee's for lunch in Mississippi and drove by Alabama – where apparently stars shine down on this state.

Anyways, at the Applebee’s in Mississippi, I realized a few things.
1) It was totally apparent that neither Andrew nor I were considered “locals” anymore. I think Andrew’s accent gave it away ☺. Also, the fact that our poor waitress had to deal with the fact that when she tried to use Southern slang, I had absolutely no idea that she was speaking English. Amazingly, Andrew was able to translate – and yes, please read that word again – amazingly.
2) I hadn’t seen another Asian person since we left LA and at that, it was only because my parents happen to be Asian and we stopped by to say goodbye to them.
3) Tea is a totally different thing here. You have to say unsweetened tea or else they give you tea that is sickeningly sweet.

This is going to be a great summer.
Driving into Destin I think was the most exciting part of the entire trip! Knowing we were minutes away from our home and our friends just brightened my day. We have already stopped by the photo studio (owned by one of my very best friends, Brooke Lee) - where I will be "working" for the rest of the summer. We have also already made our first friends – a precocious little boy named Zane (who excitedly told me he skateboarded like Tony Hawk) and his father, Craig. They live on top of the studio.
Our condo is amazing! Even better than our apartment in LA. Hardwood floors, washer dryer, huge kitchen. We can even see a slit of the beach in the distance. Amazing. Please come to visit. I’ll post photos when I figure how to….maybe next week when my sweet husband returns to LA for work and I have more time.
We’re about to go watch our first sunset – which Brooke tells us is at 7:45….then off to have dinner with Brooke and Britt. Can’t wait!
Love and Hugs from Destin!

One more day! Hoorah!

Every morning on this trip, it has seemed harder to wake up and get out of bed. Today, in New Orleans, has been the same deal. But it's different this morning, because it's our last day on the road! Hoorah! I don't think either of us can take too much more of this - not that it has been a terrible trip or anything like that but I think the novelty of driving across the country wore off in Tuscon. My mom says that if we stopped and had a leisurely travel, perhaps I would feel differently...but we have been waking up and driving for hours at a time - our only stops are gas stations and restaurants. As we drive by signs for different tourist spots, we both say, "Maybe on the way back" though we both know, the trip back will probably be much of the same but in different cities. It's a nice thought though. We both look forward to Destin.

Literally, nothing interesting happened on our drive from where we stopped for the conference call to New Orleans. I suppose it was all smooth because I wasn't at the wheel ;). Life is good. We're still listening to Danielle Steele and we have another 2 1/2 disks to go. Hopefully that will last us to Destin.

Last night, after we arrived in New Orleans, we went to eat at this restaurant called Coops Place which came recommended by our hotel. It was totally local, complete with the soft accents. We decided to share Coop's sampler because it would give us a taste of everything - Seafood Gumbo (spicy as heck!), Jambalaya, Beans and Rice, some tomato, shrimp and rice thing and fried chicken. Unfortunately, as we were eating our chicken, our waitress came by to drop a spare plate and ended up dropping the empty plate straight into our gumbo. She was so stunned that for a minute, no one knew what to do - stunned silence. I had just only started to munch on the fried chicken and boy was looking to be good. Too bad when the waitress brought a new plate to us, it was sans chicken...boo. It was going to be the best part of the meal! Oh well - the jambalaya was awesome.

There is something sinful about Bourbon Street. Perhaps it's the bright lights, the smell or even the heat. But, there is a certain excitement about being here and walking down Bourbon Street and within New Orleans. There is a wonderful warmth to the people here and it is infectious. It makes me happy to be here. I heart New Orleans.

Destin...here we come!

Waiting on a Conference Call...

So, we’re at a La Quinta hotel in No-where-ville, USA or rather, somewhere in Texas. Andrew is on his afternoon conference call. I’m wasting time…for at least the next ½ hour or so – hopefully shorter. It makes me a bit nervous that we’re at a hotel, that we’re not staying in, looking kind of like two crazy people in their lobby on two computers. But, I suppose it’ll look worst if only one of us was on our computers and I spent the next little while staring at him.

Did I mention that I visited the Texas capital building? Pretty interesting – especially after I took the tour of the building, which has an amazing 15 minute interval within each tour. Andrew had to take a conference call back at the hotel so I took the tour with my aging elderly tourists (sorry if I offend). The information was pretty interesting and colorful. Did you know that Texas used to be its own country? It has been a part of Mexico, the US (twice) and a few others. Also, their Senate and Representatives meet every other year – unless the Govenor calls a special session together during the year (to which we are told is very rare).

It has been pretty uneventful since Austin. Andrew has been napping and I have been driving. There are some pretty amazing clouds in the sky here. (When I figure out how to download photos on the blog, I’ll let you see them). They are like blueberry juice spotted with marshmellows. We’ve been listening to Danielle Steele (to Andrew’s horror). It’s the opposite of the Nicholas Sparks book we had listening to on our way to Tuscon and Austin where the author is definitely NOT Christian and the tables are turned in the sense that it is not the man who is trying to save a marriage, the woman is trying to save her marriage – unfortunately unsuccessfully so far.

Oh bother – it is getting really loud here (women chatting). Poor Andrew is starting to get that nervous look about him. He is trying to simulate being in his own office, which he obviously isn’t. He’s in La Quinta offices – or the office of the world!

I suppose the only stresses in Houston, TX, It was my turn to drive and my GPS, appropriately named, Destin since it was purchased last time we were there, visiting Brooke, was telling us weird information since I haven’t updated the maps since I bought it. So, I turned the volume down after it told me to U-turn for the 10th time and then, got on the wrong freeway since it was trafficy and rather than trying to kill us, I got on a freeway going to Dallas instead of Houston. I yelled and Andrew shouted at me to get in the next lane, which I obviously missed. We are now back on path and Andrew has told me I am no longer allowed to drive in the big cities. The open roads are my domain.

Andrew seems to be wrapping up his meeting with final questions. Thankfully, I’m not bored – the blogging has helped cure that ☺. I say getting pretty good at this…3 days, 3 blogs. It seems to be wrapping up so I’m going to end here. Thank you La Quinta for letting us sit in your lobby to make our call and to enjoy your air conditioning. See you in New Orleans!

11 hours in Austin

My husband is a superstar in so many ways…but today, he shined brighter than most. He drove all but about 1 hour of our 15 hour trek to Austin, Texas where we have just arrived. By the way though I am posting this in the morning, this was written as my husband washes his weary body in the amazing bathroom in our hotel, the InterContinental. As I just said, we have just arrived, and it is nearly 1am – though we lost 2 hours on the road…and now are in the same time zone as we will be until August.
The drive today was pretty uneventful having woken up at 6 am and have spent the past 15 hours on the road. Thank you GOD for getting us to Austin, where the bed looks like heaven on earth! We spent most the time listening to books on tape as Andrew drove and I took an occasional video or photo. In El Paso, we stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch – which my friend Sandra says is like Ihop but so much better! And it really is...We learned from last night that our best option is to share – since we can’t take it on the road as a leftover and having seen even the largest guy carry out leftovers, perhaps this was the right option for us. We ordered a salad, side of mac’n’cheese and Chicken Dumplings. I swear, we never eat like this and I think my stomachache is the sign that my body is seriously unhappy from today’s very healthy meal!
I didn’t realize that El Paso and Mexico share a border and I was telling Andrew that I never realize that slums existed here – really, truly it really was quite a sight. Houses on a hill but all looking in great need of serious work. Later, I realized that we had seen Mexico!
The other only exciting thing was that Andrew nearly (and I say nearly) got a ticket from the Texas cop….
So, I was handing Andrew a jellybean to munch on for energy when all of a sudden Andrew let out an “Uh-oh” . Here’s what happened…
Charlotte – How fast were you going?
Andrew – about 90, I was distracted, oh man!
Cop (thick Texas accent) – Hello Ma'am, hello Sir. I just clocked you going 90mph. Can I see your license and registration?
(I hand it over)
Cop – Where are y’all going?
Andrew and Charlotte – Austin
Cop – well, I’ll be right back. I’m taking your license.
Andrew and I chat about how this is holding us up…my husband is amazingly calm.
Cop returns – Well, I don’t normally doing it because 90 is way, way too fast (the speed limit btw is 80) but I’m going to let you go with a warning…slow down.
Andrew and Charlotte – Thank you!
How lucky, how lucky….it is now nearly noon in Austin…I wrote the top part earlier this morning, literally when it was dark. We’re about to head off to New Orleans…another 8 hours on the road. Andrew is beside me, checking his email and he’s hurrying me…
See ya’ll in New Orleans!

6AM in Tuscon....

So it's 6AM here in Tuscon...and I'm still alive. I have never blogged in my life but I assume it's like keeping a diary - to which I am terrible at...but hopefully, blogging will be fun and exciting and totally different (to keep me motivated!)
Life on the road is...exciting. I didn't hear the phone ring - to which amazed Andrew. I guess it's because it's still 6AM and we did go to bed past midnight...tired, tired, tired! But, day one really was been fun. It was 8 hours on the road - to which I drove two of them. Andrew was a true trooper until his knee started to hurt...oh, the signs of aging ;). We've been listening to books on tape (a first for me!). Andrew let me choose 2 selections (I chose two romantic pieces...to which my poor husband is horrified!). Yet, we have really enjoyed "The Wedding" by Nicholas Sparks - which is the sequel to "The Notebook". I think we got through half so we have hours of listening fun ahead of us. We stopped for gas (once), one last Coffee Bean, and then, dinner in Phoenix...which was our only trouble spot. We tried to look for yummy bbq but it ended up being a lunch spot so we ended up at some Hilton hotel restaurant. Yum - HA!
Now we're at the Holiday Inn in Tuscon...and it's 6:30. Andrew's shower seems to be coming to an end and I think he'll soon be complaining that I'm still in bed, still on the computer and still in my pjs. SO, I'd better end this first blog experience!
Happy Travels to us...see you in Texas - where they say everything is BIGGER and BETTER...we'll see about that!