it's official: #newhobbyalert

this past week was the actual birthday week-monday i received many warm wishes throughout the day as i traveled to texas for a training. it was good to be able to meet work with julie k in leander again. we had birthday dinner at chuys, a sweet card with some starbucks love, great conversation, and an early night!

the training was fun because we got to work with many of the educators we'd previously worked with, presenting small group formation and goal setting! they were super attentive and appreciative of the information!

when i got home, i had a couple cards in the mail, and something i'd ordered. and while it's alright to get shout-outs on social media, it doesn't quite beat the good ol' fashioned in-hand card! (although..video/ pic montages from friends are also very high on the list!! ICYMI: hurricane memoires)

warm fuzzies!

saturday we took advantage of the weather, as it was forecast to rain sunday. we went out to mixon farms (thanks, groupon!) because before you can take anyone out to see a new place, you want to personally check it out and give it your seal of approval, right? right! when we got there, we went in to check out the store which was full of all sorts of chachkies...then presented the groupon for a pass-sticker, and coupon for ice creams!

once we got out on the tram, the tour guide, kayla, asked everyone where they were from. this spurred me to talk to the people in front of us because the older woman was from ohio (most people were locals)...so me (who says i don't like small talk...and to be fair, i don't, but i think it's in my blood-thanks dad-and it just comes out like word-vomit. and every time i do it, i think i roll my eyes...when i blink so no one else can tell). ugh.

the small grove

because everybody needs a little vitamin c!

brings new meaning to the good, the bad and the ugly...

we splurged and got them chocolate dipped! 

making oklahomans everywhere proud! (smudge pot is not a drug)

i was shocked at how incredibly soft his skin was! 

well, we finally got off on our tour, and kayla from oklahoma drove us slower than most of us could probably walk. they had several different types of fruit in the little orchard, and she explained that this was just a small plot of land they kept for the tours, but their bigger plot of land was further out east. after several explanations, the smudge pot, and the creek, and several trees that had been damaged in the hurricane, we finally came to the 'exotic animals.' one of the local wildlife education and rehabilitation centers partners with their farm because they have the land and are on the outskirts of town, so they are able to house these animals that can never be released back into the wild. did not realize that there is an animal hospital on anna maria island, but the young man who works with them did a great job telling us all about the animals and their stories-all about being able to tell a great story!

on the way back, pulling around the building, kayla said, "and if you're interested in the self-guided tour, go through this door and back to the black double doors and the tour begins." shea and i looked to the left, and there were several doors on the outside of the building. so when we got off the tram, we went up to figure out which door it was....i looked in a double glass door, and there was an arrangement for some sort of meeting/reception...not the correct door. we checked another that looked like a tunnel leading down some stairs...then shea went to check another and i saw our tour guide walking toward the store, and called out to her to ask where the fruit factory tour was and she said at the back of the store.  OHHHHH! so what we both heard as: through this door was actually THROUGH THE STORE! hahaha!

i'm pretty sure shea tried all of the possible freebie-taster test things...twice (orange juice 4X)- i was about to have to start telling people she was diabetic and just needed to get her insulin. (?) the orange and vanilla swirl ice cream cones were like the creamcicles from kamp-yummers!

after all was said and done, we decided it might be wise to take a walk, so we headed over to robinson preserve, as it's always a pretty good walk, plus there were some geo-caches out there. i learned quickly that i am not as big a fan of the earth-caches, although they would be especially good if you were a science teacher with students, or something of that nature. lots of questions, lots of recording information...i couldn't remember the questions before trying to answer them in the app...

the preserve really has some beautiful areas!

one of the caches disguised as an electrical box-the hint: IT'S ELECTRIC! BOOGIE WOOGIE! (sneakies!)

when we got back from the fairly full day, shea disappeared for a couple minutes, then entered the kitchen with a beautiful 'woods-inspired' box (aka: Christmas trees), which got quickly upgraded when she saw a gift bag hangin' out on the table. i had no clue what to expect, but i was NOT disappointed!! fun gear!!! AND DONUTS!!! (the two go together!) the best kinds of gifts, if we're all honest with ourselves, are the gifts in which we can share in the enjoyment! am i right? duh!

forest themed...

gift-bag-upgrade...

it's official! #newhobby

and this morning we went to find a cache in our neighborhood, then off to lowes to find some ways to create our own...it's about time to take this adventure to the next level and share in the creation! we also made it over to target where i indulged in my other hobby and may have spent the majority of my time in the card section! it had already begun to rain sprinkle, so after 1/2 price sonic drinks, we returned to our separate abodes and i then spent the remainder of the afternoon creating cache-hiding-things, and watching netflix...good times!

let the games begin! did you see the spider? 'bout to be sneaky!!

if you don't have one, get a hobby!
julie