Home, Where the Heart Is #TopTenThursday

Welcome to this week's #TopTenThursday. This is a fun writing challenge, that is hosted by Tamara of Confessions of a part-time working mom. Her, myself, and other bloggers, come together and post weekly Top Ten lists, which we create based on a chosen topic. I hope you enjoy reading my list, as much as I loved creating it.

Last week, we made a list of our Top Ten Rules. This week, we are revealing our Top Ten Favorite Places in our Hometown. Last week, I had an easy time picking rules for my top ten list, so much so I made two lists. This week, not quite so easy. Here is the thing... I really do not know which town is my "hometown". 

I have moved a lot in my lifetime. I have lived in many states (CT, NC, MA, NH, NY, RI, WY, CA, IN, NJ...) and many towns. I was born in New London, CT, and I did briefly live there for about two months, in 2007, but I really know nothing about it, and have spent very little time there. It just happens to be where I was born. So, I don't consider it my hometown. I spent about seven years in North Carolina, while I was young, and often I feel like North Carolina is "home", but the place I most consider to be my first home, was not really in a town. I lived in the country, on a road named for my family, in a place that wasn't a town, but more of a farming community. I did live in several towns, while in North Carolina, and I do have fond memories of North Carolina. 

The other two places I spent a huge portion of my childhood in, are Wyoming and Connecticut. After leaving North Carolina, I moved to Wyoming, and stayed there for the majority of my middle school years. I moved to Connecticut just before my fourteenth birthday, and remained there until after I graduated high school. I am very attached to Connecticut. I was born there. So, part of me almost thinks the town I spent the majority of my time in there, would possibly be my hometown. 

So, when trying to think of TEN places to have as a favorite, well, I cannot think of ten. I just cannot. I am not sure there is any place with ten places I LOVE. Another option that was given, was the Top Ten Places we will miss if we move from where we currently live. Again, when I think about where I live, I cannot think of ten favorite places or ten places I would miss. Is that horrible? I guess it is because a few of my favorite places (Starbucks, Costco, the park...) are places that are not only here. They are places I can have, nearly anywhere I live. 

So, this weeks list was very difficult for me. So, like last week, I have decided to do more than one list. So, without further ado, in random order....

Top Ten Favorite Places in California: 

(I need to preface this by saying, I have not been many places here. I have really not even scratched the surface, but I have visited plenty of places that I genuinely LOVE! So much so, that even though I have only lived here since August 5, 2008, I have grown attached to this state. Which is saying something, because I really do not know many people here, and I tend to grow attached to people more than places.)

1. San Francisco. I strongly urge everyone to visit San Francisco, if you get the opportunity. It is a wonderful city. It is beautiful. It is full of awesome things to see, do, and places to eat. There are Piers that you can visit. My favorite is Pier 39. It is so fun. Lots to see and do. You can eat wonderful food, walk to amazing places nearby, see seals, see Alcatraz, see the Golden Gate Bridge, and really enjoy yourself. It is where Chad and I got engaged in 2009. The city itself has a rich history, and you can experience it through the many historical places throughout. I strongly recommend looking into visiting. I know I could never do it justice, so just take my word for it. I have not even scratched the surface of San Francisco, but if I get my wish, I will be living in California for many, many more years, and I will have plenty of opportunities to experience all it has to offer. I will say that I have heard wonderful things about San Francisco during Christmastime, but I have yet to go there during the holiday season. My hope, is to spend my next birthday there. Fingers crossed! 

(Chad and I, 2-14-2009, San Francisco, right after getting engaged)

2. Half Moon Bay. In August of 2009, Chad brought me to the beach for the first time. He chose Half Moon Bay, as my first beach experience. The drive there was amazing, and the town itself was so picturesque. There are several beaches there, and you can just go to whichever one you want, or if you are motivated, you could go to multiple ones. It is known as a great place to surf. I was so excited to be there. The beach is a happy place for me, and it had been a while since I had been to a beach. He surprised me with the trip. It was a mystery destination, and it is still one of my favorite adventures of ours. Once we hiked the distance down to the beach, I made my way to the water, took off my shoes, and ran full-speed into the ocean. I remember thinking YESSSSSS inside, and that quickly turned to NOOOOOOOOO. The water here is so COLD. It was freezing! I had to make a quick retreat. I was in shock. I am accustomed to the warm waters off the East Coast states, and I was no prepared for the cold water of the Pacific Ocean. It was definitely a crash course in California beaches. It is not weird to wear a sweatshirt on the beach here, even in the hottest part of Summer. The water is cold, and the breeze is very cool. So, it actually makes for a nice beach trip, if you can handle the cold water. You can enjoy the sun and sand, without dying of heatstroke. We are actually planning an end of Summer trip back to Half Moon Bay, for later this month. I am quite excited. 

 

3. Santa Cruz. If you want to enjoy the beach, and have fun, then Santa Cruz is a wonderful place to go. Their is a mini amusement park on the beach. There are all kinds of shops and restaurants. There is a train you can ride. It is just a very fun beach. It is beautiful. I genuinely loved it, as did Gigi. It was her first beach experience, and she is definitely like her Mom. She has not stopped asking to go back to the beach, since our Santa Cruz trip last Summer. I am very excited about our upcoming beach trip. There is so much to do in Santa Cruz. I definitely recommend going there, if you get the chance.

(Pictures from our 8-8-2015 Santa Cruz trip)

4. Moaning Caverns. Not to far from us, in Vallecito, CA, is an amazing place, that I think everyone should visit. It is a National Natural Landmark. You can walk down into the cavern, or repel down into it. You can go ziplining, or walk on the trails, or do the climbing walls. It is just so much fun! I honestly struggled with it some, because I am a bit claustrophobic, but overall, it was an amazing experience. We are actually going back soon with Gigi and some friends of ours. I am beyond excited!! It is a beautiful, once in a lifetime experience. It is not often you can go so deep underground. You can read more of the actual details here!

(Pics from a trip to the Moaning Caverns 8-25-2011)

5. Stephanie's House. Have you ever checked out the Buy/sell/trade pages on Facebook?! When I was pregnant with Gigi, I bought quite a bit of the things we needed for her on the BST pages for our local area. I did not have a baby shower, so the list of things we needed to buy was very long. I needed everything. Well, through buying some clothes and a shopping cart cover, I met an amazing person named Stephanie. I will forever count that as one of my best purchases ever, because not only did I get some great things I needed for Gigi, but I gained a best friend. Stephanie, her daughter (who is 8 months older than Gigi, and one of her BEST friends), her other half, and her parents quickly became like family to me. I cannot even explain it. Sometimes you just know people are meant to be in your life, the moment you meet them, and that is how I feel about Stephanie and her family. My pregnancy was not easy, and it was Stephanie and her family who helped me make it through. Plus, they helped me survive Gigi's first year of life, which was one of the hardest years of my life. There were very, very few people I would even consider leaving Gigi with, and Stephanie and her family are on that list. More than once, they cared for Gigi when she was a baby, when I had to be in the hospital. Her mom was like a mom to me, and Gigi definitely loved her Mimi Julie. Yes, Stephanie's mom and I share the same name, and it is an honor on my part. We recently lost Julie to Heaven, and not a day goes by that I do not think of her. Stephanie's house is a favorite place of mine. I do not know many people here in California, and I am not often comfortable around people, but I have always felt "at home" at Stephanie's house, even the very first time I visited. 

(Mimi Julie and Auntie Stephanie with baby Gigi)

6. The Middle of nowhere, back roads, windows down, music up, farmland or coast. One of the most pleasant surprises California held for me, once I moved here, was how country it is where I live. I always imagined California as beaches and cities, tons of people, and gridlocked traffic. Yes, those things exist here, but a lot of California is actually covered in farms, orchards, and vineyards. An insane amount of this country's produce come from right here. I had no clue, until I moved here. One of my favorite things to do, is drive around on back roads, wind in my hair, music loud. Just relaxing and exploring new places. Whether it is through orchards and farms, or on the coast.... I love it. I am so grateful I get to enjoy the beaches and palm trees of California, and still get to enjoy the farm country that is in my soul, from growing up in North Carolina. 

(Random pics of California, I've taken while we are driving around.)

7. Old Sac. There is a town up by Sacramento, called Old Sacramento. It is so fun to walk around. There are stores, cafes, restaurants, and many fun things to do. I love exploring the boutiques and shops. There is an awesome candy store, lots of toy and souvenir shops, and plenty of yummy places to eat. You can get old time pictures taken, and watch street performers. We tend to go once a year. I love to walk around with coffee, while just enjoy all the places. Every year, Chad's work hosts a truck rodeo, and Chad competes in the Forklift competition. Once it is over, we head over to Old Sac, and spend the rest of the day. It is always a fun time. We will be doing it next month. I am excited. Gigi is older now, and I think she will enjoy it even more than usual. Though, I may attempt to skip the candy store this year. Something tells me it may be hard to get her to leave... Suddenly, when thinking of her inside the store, the term "a kid in a candy store" makes so much sense to me. The last two years, we have been fortunate enough to see their Christmas decorations... Christmas at the end of October, yes a bit early, but nonetheless, it has been awesome to see. The toy store there, usually has at least one tree that is all Hello Kitty. I love love love it. 

8. Folsom. I love love love Folsom. They have an amazing outlet mall there, plus it is just a really pretty place. There is a coffee shop there, that I really enjoyed. Plus, I was able to see the prison I have been singing about my entire life. Yes, I am a HUGE Johnny Cash fan. 

9. Jelly Belly Factory. Just a couple hours from us, is a Jelly Belly factory. They give free tours, free samples, and you can stock up on your favorite flavors for cheap. Plus, they sell bags of "Belly Flops", which are imperfect jelly beans, and they are delicious and super cheap. It was a very fun experience. I cannot wait to bring Gigi. I want to wait until she is a bit older though. I think she will love it... again... kid in a candy store... It was awesome learning about the process of making jelly beans. It is way more involved than I ever imagined. We went not longer after my hospitalization in 2012. You probably didn't know, but I was temporarily unable to walk at all. It was one of the worst times of my life. I overcame it, but for quite a while I was weak and had to be in a wheelchair. Despite being in a wheelchair, it was a fun experience, and they were very helpful. It was a great experience. Plus... Jelly beans! MMMmm! Our favorites are cinnamon, buttered popcorn, and root beer! :) 

(Pics from a Jelly Belly visit, 7-29-2012)

10. Home. Yes, home. Home is where the heart is eh? I love being at home. Sometimes, I get a bit stir crazy, because with us being a one car family, I am often stuck home Monday through Friday, but it is definitely still a happy place for me. I love being in my own space, surrounded by my loved ones. No matter how much cabin fever I have, I am always happy to be home. I know this may be a lame answer, but it is very true. I know I have encouraged you to visit the previous nine places, if the opportunity presents itself... I am not so sure you should visit this place though. I mean... Do I even like you?! LOL I kid, I kid. My house is very boring, but hey, I would happy visit one through nine, if you even found yourselves this way!! 

Growing up, I never thought I would live in California. I was not even really sure I would ever visit. I definitely considered myself an East Coast girl, and my heart was in New York, not California. Yet, the journey of life led me here, and I am so grateful. I really, truly love it here. I am glad things do not always go as we anticipate them to. Yes, I get very homesick for the East Coast, and I hope I get to visit many times in the future, but I honestly think I could happily remain in California forever.

Now, I want to a much shorter list for you all, not as in depth, but I wanted to share... Without further ado, in random order...

Top Ten Favorite Places I Have Visited in My Lifetime... (I have only traveled to most of the Continental United States and Canada)

1. New York City. A piece of my heart will forever be owned by NYC.

2. Boone, North Carolina. Stunningly beautiful, mountain town.

3. Warner, New Hampshire. Gorgeous mountain town. Some of my happiest days were spent here.

4. Kentucky. Now, I don't know that I would ever want to live there, but once while traveling through, I saw at least twenty scenes, that were literally perfect. I was young, and I remember thinking that those moments/scenes should be captured in pictures, postcards, and paintings. The natural beauty of the landscape was breathtaking. All these years later, I still remember the images. It was just so perfect. 

5. Yellowstone, Wyoming. It is so pretty there. Actual, much of Wyoming is gorgeous. It is just not a place I would ever want to live again.

6. Niagara Falls. Both the American and Canadian sides are beautiful, but admittedly, at night the Canadian side is way more spectacular.

7. Wilmington, North Carolina, coastline.

8. Boston, Massachusetts. A piece of my heart will forever be owned by Boston.

9. San Francisco, California. 

10. Las Vegas, Nevada. So fun, and such great memories.

So, there you have my lists!! What about you... Do you have ten favorite places in your hometown? Do you have ten places you would miss, if you moved from the place you currently live?! This was definitely a hard list for me, and I obviously had to bend the rules a bit. I did enjoy making these lists, and sharing my places with you though!! Have you ever been to any of the places I chose?! Let me know!!

Don't forget to go check out the top ten lists, created by these other amazing bloggers:

Tamara of Confessions of a part-time working mom

Pamela of The Wrights' Days of Fun
Lissa of Last Rain Girl

Stable Layne Pt 2 #UseYourWords Aug 2016

Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked four to six words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That is the challenge, here is a fun twist; no one who is participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

If you read last month's Use Your Words post "Stable Layne", then you know I used last month's words to tell the start of a story. Originally, I wrote it because the words just formed into the story in my head. I really had no idea if I would finish it, even though I already have the entire basic storyline in my head. To be very honest, I even have an offshoot storyline in my head also. Well, enough people seemed interested in wanting to know more of the story, I decided to continue it. I figured it would be best to do it with this month's Use Your Words post, and then I saw the words I was assigned. I almost chickened out. Well, here we are, and I decided to just to do it. I am up for a challenge. Right?! I hope.

My words are:

Scooby Doo ~ Shaggy ~ (your name- Jules) ~ Marty McFly ~ Professor X

They were submitted by: http://spatulasonparade.blogspot.com/ (Thank you for such challenging words!!)

Layne took a deep breath, and tried hard to focus back on the task at hand. Following Mr. Gorgeous to whatever room Gwyn would be giving her the physical therapy session in. "Sorry," she squeaked out, trying to hide her obvious admiration of the man before her. "I must have stood up too quickly."

Then it happened. He touched her. The gorgeous man reached out and gently gripped her shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern showing in his voice and gorgeous blue eyes. "We can stop for a minute, if you need to get your bearings."

"No," she said quickly, her cheeks burning bright crimson. "I am fine. Really. I just had a few moments of dizziness, but it is gone. I am right as rain, honest."

He smiled, slowly continuing down the hallway, his hand remaining on her shoulder, supporting her. "Okay," he said, the warm buttery smoothness returning to his tone. "Just let me know if anything is too much for you, and we will slow down. The goal is not to do too much, it is to do just enough."

Layne tried not to focus on his smile, the sheer beauty of it, or the way it lit up his already bright blue eyes even more. She tried to get her thoughts to focus elsewhere, and not on him. Mr. Gorgeous. Yes, that is definitely what she would call him. Call him. Man, she would love to have his number, so she could do just that. Right after she called her best friend Jules, and told her all about him. 

He led her into a large room, that had various pieces of exercise equipment all around it. Some of the equipment she was well acquainted with, and others she had only seen from afar. She did her best to exercise and stay fit, but riding and working with horses, was definitely her main form of exercise. Over, in the far corner, she saw a man that looked like Professor X lifting weights, but other than that, they were alone. His resemblance to one of her favorite movie characters wasn't just because he was bald and in a wheelchair, but he had the same overall look as well. She wondered if he shaved his head because of the strong resemblance he had to Patrick Stewart, or if it was just a happy coincidence. 

"I don't want to start off too crazy," Mr. Gorgeous was saying, his voice breaking through her thoughts. He led her over to a cushioned bench and stopped. "We won't do much today. I will mostly assess what you are capable of doing, and what limits you have. Then each appointment, we will work to lessen and eliminate your limits" He finished with a warm smile, that made her body tingle.

"Ummm," she stared at him, confusion filling her eyes. What did he mean by we? Would he be working with her and Gwyn? "Where is Gwyn?"

"Oh!" he said, a frown briefly adorning his beautiful face, and she found herself longing for his smile. "I forgot! You were one of the clients I took from Gwyn! You were expecting her huh? I am sorry! Forgive my lack of manners. I am Damon." He reached out his hand towards her. "Usually my clients come here expecting me. I am sorry that I forgot you were originally scheduled with Gwyn."

She quickly shook his hand and pulled her hand back, biting her bottom lip. This was not going how she had planned. She thought she would come and workout with some chick named Gwyn, possibly finding out some information about her history with Zayne, and then get back to riding horses as soon as possible. Now, she was going to be stuck here, appointment after appointment, with the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. Not at all what she had planned. 

"I am sorry," he said, his voice showing concern and possibly disappointment. "I assumed Gwyn had told all the clients she gave to me about the switch. Otherwise, I would have called you myself. Is this going to be a problem?"

"No," she said, trying to hide her nervousness. "Not at all. I was just taken by surprise. No big deal. I mean, if you work here, you are obviously qualified, and that is all that matters. I just want to get back on my horse." She turned around and busied herself with taking off her jacket, and laying it over the bench. She should have worn something more than sweats and a tank top. She took several deep breaths to steady her nerves. 

"I will give you a few minutes to get situated," he said, his voice having returned to his normal tone. A mix of sultry and energetic. She could not remember a time she had been this affected by a voice before. She kinda liked it, and kinda just wished he would never speak again.

She turned and watched as he walked over to a cabinet, and watched as he went through boxes of supplies. She took a seat on the bench and gave herself an internal pep talk. She could and would do this. This was the next step in getting her back in the saddle, and that is all she wanted. So what if this step included a man that looked like a Greek god. She hadn't felt this instantly attracted to a guy, since the time she was instantly attracted to Marty McFly, the very first moment she saw him on her TV screen, when she was a kid. Now, she was a grown woman. A thirty-three year old woman. Yes, she could do this. She would come to every appointment, do the necessary physical therapy, and get her clearance for Doc W. 

She had been so lost in thought, she had not noticed him returning to her side, and jumped just a little bit, when his voice broke into her thoughts again. "So, ready to start?" he asked, his voice showing amusement, "Or do you need a few more minutes with your thoughts, Miss Deep Thinker?"

"No, I'm fine," she quickly answered, looking down, hoping he could not see the full effect of her blush. "I was just thinking about Back to the Future."

He laughed loudly, so loudly Professor X looked their way. "Why on Earth would you be thinking about a movie from the eighties?"

"Oh," she mumbled, trying to think of a reason, that did not involve the words gorgeous or crush. "I was just thinking about time travel. How I wish I could go back and change things. Go back to before the accident, and avoid it all together."

He looked at her, a mix of concern and understanding showing in his eyes, he reached out and gently rested his hand on her arm, sending an immediate flame to her very core. "I can understand that, and I am sorry that you can't. I am sorry that we cannot change the past. We can however shape the future, and I will help you to get back to where you were physically. I may even be able to make your better than you were."

She laughed, relaxing a bit, looking up into his eyes. "I doubt that, Damon. I'll happily settle for back to where I was though."

"Doubting me already?", he asked, showing mock shock and outrage.

"No," she said, standing up to stand next to him. "I just know to be better than I was, habits would also need to change, and I have no intentions of giving up pizza or ice cream, or my Saturday mornings with Shaggy, Scooby-Doo, and nearly an entire box of Lucky Charms. I also don't intend to step foot back into a gym, once my physical therapy is over."

"Well, we will see about that last part," he said, a mischevious grin playing across his lip. "Seriously? An entire box of Lucky Charms?!" He quickly looked her up and down. "Where do you put them? You don't look big enough to hold an entire box of sugary perfection."

"Oh," she said, trying hard not to blush under his gaze. "It's all there. Trust me. It has been a tradition for over five years now. I have not missed a single Saturday morning, and I have watched most episodes of Scooby-Doo at least twice."

(to be continued)

Well, there you have it. Stable Layne part deux. I hope you enjoyed it! I will probably reveal more of the story in future posts. It was tricky to use this awesome assortment of words, but I did my best! Now, go and see what words my blogger friends received, and how they used them! I will see you there, right after I get another cup of coffee!

Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:

Baking In A Tornado

Southern Belle Charm            

Spatulas on Parade

The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver

On the Border

Confessions of a part time working mom

Sparkly Poetic Weirdo

Never Ever Give Up Hope

Climaxed

Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

Stay With Me #UseYourWords January 2016

Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked four to six words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That is the challenge, here is a fun twist; no one who is participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

My words are:

searching ~ birthday ~ resolution ~ baby ~ sparkles

They were submitted by: http://www.renasworld.com/  

(Thank you for such wonderful, and oddly appropriate words!!!)

When I opened the e-mail with my words this month, I laughed. They are so oddly appropriate. Of course it is the New Year, so there are people adopting a resolution or two. I have been searching the internet daily, trying to find a short list of things I need. I am on baby watch for about five friends, and two just welcomed their beautiful babies. Of course with this time of year, there are sparkles everywhere. Sparkles in the Christmas decorations. Sparkles in the New Year decorations. That leaves me with the word birthday. Oh yeah, I just turned 29!!! Again. Yep, I had another birthday. Another 29th birthday. Hey, don't judge me, and I won't judge you!!! Besides, you do not look a day over 21. :) So, yes, I saw the words and laughed.

For the record, I am actually 33 now. Lord help me. Well, they say you are only as old as you feel, so that means I am 96. Hehehe! Seriously though, 33. How did this happen?! Yesterday I was 21. Time flies. 

Now, onto these words... This is what I have for you....


Hey, Baby.
That is how you always greet me.
With just those two words you send my heart into a flutter.
My eyes searching yours.
Looking for a clue.
Wondering how long you will stay this time.
Are you here just for my birthday?
Will you stay longer?
Maybe one day you will make a resolution to stick around.
Maybe one day you will choose me.
Doubtful.
I know you love your life.
I know you love the way your diamond watch sparkles in the limelight.
I know you love owning the newest cars.
I know you love to travel.
I just wish I could be enough.
I wish you could love me just as much,
maybe even more,
than you love all of those luxuries.
I wish I could be your luxury of choice,
for longer than just a few nights here and there.
Until then, I will enjoy this.
I will enjoy you.
I will enjoy us.
I will take what I can get, 
when I can get it.
With a smile on lips, 
I return your greeting.
Hey, Baby.
Stepping back, letting you in.
Back into my home.
Back into my life.
Even if just for a night.

Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:

Baking In A Tornado

Spatulas on Parade  

Rena’s World

Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

Not That Sarah Michelle

Confessions of a part time working mom

Southern Belle Charm

Someone Else’s Genius

The Angrivated Mom

Climaxed

My Brain on Kids