time away

Matt and I took one of his two weeks of vacation time and spent it on ourselves - no children!

I felt guilty, but the time together is definitely a gift to our children, too.

Simon just explained to everyone that we were on a really long date.

We brought our bikes with us which was a lot of fun - and lots of fun to be in Matt's fun red car and not the minivan!

We bought the bikes on our second anniversary - and this year was our tenth!

We were blessed with the chance to spend a week in St.Petersburg and a lovely and clean place.

You'd have to know me well to know how much it meant to me to feel 'safe' as far as clean and organized. As I age, I am becoming more aware that I might have a disorder of some sorts -- maybe o.c.d. but really I hear everyone has a little o.c.d.

the view from the breakfast table!

garden area one tenant created

throughout the week, I kept telling Matt that St.Petersburg was reminding me of India.

Then I realized why - plastic chairs!

I had never seen so many plastic chairs as when we were in India!

Here is Matt trying to decide on a movie to watch -

We applied ourselves and watched all of the Lord of the Rings movies while we were there.