Some of our 2024 travel

 So I made it to 2024....

We started out the year right with a cruise with my best friend and her hubby to Mexico  

Then in February it was another cruise with the "little kids" to the Bahamas

Love them so much

We have a family joke about this particular pose we've been doing it for 20 years  The kids roll their eyes but they smile for me 

In July/August we took our yearly trip to NY for Sam's eye appointment.  To be honest I didn't really want to drive or go!  I tried to talk Jon into flying up with Sam but my son Steve talked me into going because he said Jon really wanted me to go.  Now I'm so glad I went!

We stopped on the way up at Chimney Rock NC  It's one of my first travel memories as my family went up there for a church camp meeting in South Carolina and our friends took us to Chimney rock.  Since then I've gone as a young married then as a mom so it's a big part of my life.  Little did we know that in just a matter of weeks Chimney Rock and so much of Western NC would be devastated by Hurricane Helene (which happened to affect my hometown severally!)

/Chinmey Rock Inn is where we stayed in the Lady Bug cottage.  They just reopened this weekend so go to their website and reserve you a room or cottage.  

I'll never get tired of this iconic picture 

YES we made it to the rock!  Sam is pretty good about climbing stairs and he did it!

is this the most precious picture????

This is so precious!  Sam doesn't do this often but when he "sings" for us it just melts our heart.  He was very proud of climbing up the steps and was very happy to be the "only child" for a week!  It was a perfect trip

Jon helping Sam go down the steps

who could dream this little stream would soon almost destroy the town??

this entrance was very damaged.  Can you imagine the force of water that could damage these rock stone pillars???

  from North carolina we headed to Rochester NY but stopped at the New River Gorge in West Virginia.  Our family has stopped there a number of times over the years.

Then we had a little time for sightseeing in Rochester between appointments.  This is down on Lake Ontario

See that lighthouse?  I climbed to the top.  It's not that tall but it's a spiral then a straight up ladder!  The hardest point ws getting down-I did it but almost cried!  Sam was smart he sat in the garden as Jon and I took turns going to the top! 

Sam stole Sarah's bear for the trip LOL

we did the merry go round

Our dear  Dr Aquavella!  Sam got a good report.  This year makes 18!!! years since he had the implants!

He's always been fascinated by this hall mirror at the Ronald McDonald House

We've spent a total of about 10 months at this RMH over the past 18 years

On the way home we stopped at Savannah Georgia for a couple of days.  Let me tell you it was hot as HADES!   

we have a thing for old Catholic Churches

yes more church pictures lol  I love them!

We love our dear friend David Wine and his Aunt Barbara!

You may wonder how we did three cruises back to back.... first two were planned for over a year so that gave us time to pay them off slowly.  We don't go out much at home, I cook A LOT at home and we'd rather spend our "fun" money on something that's really nice.  We also get really good deals and usually we get interior rooms to save even more money.  We don't drink (I will confess to about 4 pina coladas a year ) and if we do an excursion most of the time we do it on our own (yes we are brave) and spend very little!  In fact on our most recent cruise we did two different Mexican town tours and spent $0 on the first one by walking and $26 at the next town by taking a taxi between a couple of places.  So we spent $26 for two excursions!  

And let me give a shout out to Kay's Tour and Cruise the owner is married to one of my childhood friends and always finds us great deals and takes good care of us!  They are located in Lake City Fl but we do all our business online/on phone and are so pleased with them!!!  Ask for OVI and tell him Yvonne sent you!

Please feel free to share my blog and I'll be back soon to finish up 2024!