São Miguel Island

Azores Portugal 

It was so fun to be able to explore another Azores Island. Each island is different an unique in it's own way. We were fortunate to be guided by a friend who lives on the Island.

To start off, get a car rental. You are going to need it. 

Bathroom

We stayed at the San Miguel Park Hotel. It was a nice hotel and I would stay there again. Good breakfast, nice indoor and outdoor pool, clean and comfortable. 

Our Room

View from room

Outdoor pool

P.s I would recommend staying at the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel for at least one night. See below for details.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first place we went to after checking into our hotel was Jardim Antonio Borges where we met up with a couple of friends who live on the Island.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night we went to Poca Da Dona Beija

It was awesome! The biggest hot tub I have ever been in. It smelt a little funny because of the minerals but there are several tubs and one small tub and dressing rooms. There is also a little gift shop there as well. I believe it was about 2 Euro per person; which is great!

I was so excited to be there that I didn't take much pictures and i didn't care how they turned out. Its a must go if you are traveling to this beautiful island.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day we tried to go see the view of Caldeira das Sete Cidades but there was way to much fog so we decided to go inside the abandon hotel right next to it. 

Everything was really foggy that day so I didn't get much.

(Went on another day and got this)

See a documentary on Hotel Monte Palace here. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                                 We also visited Portas da Cidade

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                     We went to a place that I would not waste your time on. 

Ponta da Ferraria

Like I said on my scuba diving adventure, I HATE cold water, but I love me some warm water. All the reviews I was reading were that this place was a hot pool in the ocean. 

First off, getting there was very difficult because we first went down the wrong hill. The hill was so steep. And we had rented a manual car so the fist 10 attempts we couldn't get back up the hill. I seriously thought we were going to fall off the cliff and die. We kept rolling down the hill backwards. Finally my husband tried going up the hill side to side. We made it on the 3rd attempt with the side to side technique. So scary!

 Anyways, finally made it to Ponta da Ferraria and the water was Freezing. It was a pretty view but it was just disappointing from the hype of all the reviews.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caldeira das Sete Cidades was beautiful. 

And the most popular thing on the Island to see. It's amazing how one lake can be green and the other blue. The myth behind it is pretty cool. Something about a king and a princes but you'll have to ask the locals when you travel here. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This next part was the best date night ever! 

We started it off with dinner at O Miroma.

A lot of people tell you to get the meal that's cooked in the Furnas so we did; it was okay but i wouldn't get it again. If I where you I would pick a different restaurant because this one is just average, and you are on vacation after all. 

Then we had some fun taking pictures around Furnas

We ended our date in the Terra Nostra Gardens.

This was my favorite place in São Miguel.

Not only was it the biggest and warmest pool ever, there was also no one around. Jared and I where able to have a great conversation and just relax. There was hardly anyone there because we went after they had shut the doors to the public and only kept them open for hotel guest. We were not aware that they closed early so we went. The lady at the front desk was so nice and let us go in anyway. 

If I would have know the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel was so great I would have stayed two nights here and three at the Park hotel. It took about 1.5 hours to drive from our hotel in Ponta Delgada to Furnas where all the cool hot water is. and we spent 2 days in Funas so it would have made things easier. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am really glad we had the opportunity to visit this island. It is breathtaking and with the right planning I know everyone could have a blast! 

First Deployment down

Heee's hooommmeee! :D

What a year. Some women make it look easier than it is. I don't know how they do it. So glad I was able to be with my family for the majority of it. 

I had major butterflies the whole day. I got to the airport a little late so I started freaking out. My heart was racing driving to the airport. Then when I got there his plane hadn't even landed yet. It took a very long time for him to come out that door. I started crying thinking about seeing him. My dear friend started crying with me. Then as I waited, and waited, and waited, the tears went away and I started getting impatient. People started coming out. More and more people. He was one of the very last. When I saw him a froze. I didn't know to walk to him or let him come to me. I didn't think I would freeze that way lol. But he looked so handsome. 

It's a little strange having him home. Not a bad strange at all. We are in our reconnecting phase so it will take some getting used to. But it is amazing having him home. I love having him there to hold me at night. We take advantage of the little things you wouldn't think you would miss until you don't have your special someone there anymore. 

  

We have a fun summer planned ahead. Summer posts to come...

Nearing the end of our first Deployment.. :D

   6 months ago I had to say goodbye to the most dearest person to my heart not knowing under what circumstances I would see him again. The last night we had together the song "Daylight by Maroon 5" kept playing in my head. The next day, when I took him to the airport, my heart sank. I tried so very hard not to let him see how badly I was hurting. I walked him to the security check point and watched him turn the corner. Half of my heart went with him. I could barely breath. I used all the strength I had not to fall to the floor. I cried the whole way home. I got home and looked around the empty house. I kept trying to trick myself by saying "he will be home after work", just to get threw the day. But there is no tricking your heart; maybe your mind, but not your heart. I can remember that day like it was yesterday
   I can't even imagine what it's like for spouses to have to go threw a 12 month deployment. I feel for them! I think God knew I wouldn't be able to handle a 12 month. But then again I didn't think I could handle a 6 month. Not saying I handled it gracefully or anything. There was lots of crying, why me's, taking things out on my husband, and stuffing my face until I couldn't anymore. But hey, how else do you get threw a deployment lol.
   Today I am feeling the complete opposite. Today i am grateful. Today I am preparing for my husbands return. I can already feel my hearts other half coming back together. I get butterflies just thinking about seeing him in the airport. There is so much a girl has to do before her mans homecoming after 6.5 months, if you know what I mean ;). I hope and pray that we will grow even closer after this deployment. I am so in love with him it's unreal. And I am So Excited to be in his arms once more.
 
.

My new shirt! :)

Solvang Sister Trip

CALIFORNIA

During my husbands deployment I went to the states to stay with family. I had decided to take them on dates to spend quality time with them. For my sisters, I wanted to take them somewhere that most California citizens don't visit. When I found Solvang it was perfect! I knew my time in Europe was soon coming to an end and I knew they would not be able to come visit me. I wanted my sisters to see and experience a little bit of what I have been blessed to see and experience.

A taste of Europe

Solvang is a Danish village in Southern California. It was founded in 1911 by a small group of Danish teachers. In this small but beautiful city there are dozens of Danish Pastry shops and quaint shops to explore. I do not drink but if you like wine there is plenty of it in this town. 

Hotel

  

   Our first stop was the hotel. They let us check in 2     hours early :D. For one night (Beginning of  March), 3 people (how many people you have matters at this  hotel), and 2 queen beds it was $119 plus tax. I  think it came out to $135. For me, Totally worth it!  Also, nothing is a far walk from this hotel. Very close to city center. 

Here is the link to the hotels website            I do believe it is cheaper to book on booking.com
         Hadsten House Hotel                               Booking.com Hadsten House Hotel

Hotel Room

The room had a table and chairs (inside and outside), tv, closet/trunk, and small refrigerator. The sink and counter top is separated from the toilet and bathtub with a sliding door so one of us was able to do our makeup while the other one took a shower. There was also a small chair so we had the option to site down while doing our makeup and hair. The rooms where kept nice and clean!

Hot Tub with Fire Place

After a day of eating and shopping we where able to buy strawberries and sparkling cider and sit in the hot tub while the fire was lit. It was SO relaxing and I think this was probably the best part of our whole trip. 

Heated Indoor Pool

The two doors go out to the spa. I would say the pool was about 80F. No one was in the pool area so we had a great time swimming.

Hotel's Dinning Room

Here we had our complimentary breakfast. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from but everything they had was Really Good! Even their eggs where good and I do not like eggs that are not cooked inside my kitchen.

 

Hotel's Dinning Room

We also chose to eat dinner here that night because I had read good reviews.  My sister and I split the GRILLED RIB-EYE STEAK roasted garlic mashed potatoes & seasonal vegetables in a cabernet reduction for $32. And my other sister ordered GRILLED BRINED PORK CHOP Apricot & fig chutney, seasonal vegetables, crispy herbed baby red potatoes for $28. I am not huge on steak so it was just ok to me. Plus my sister ordered it medium rare and I do not like any pink meat. She really like it though. But there was enough for both of us to share. My sisters Pork Chops where really good. We also ordered a soup as an appetizer. All of their soups are delicious!

Paula's Pancake House

After checking in to our hotel our first stop was of course eating! This place was the perfect place to start our vacation! The waitresses had on Denmark dresses and the food was amazing!

Pastries

Chocolate :D

Shopping!

     
            So Delicious and Fun!

Pastries and Hot Chocolate :D

Old Mission Santa Ines

Every European trip has history. Although this was not a European history site we still had to do some type of history. When my siblings and I went to 5th grade we had to pick a mission and build a replica of it. So I though it would be fun to finally visit one. This mission is right next to the main streets in Solvang.

Cheers to Solvang Sisters

If you are ever in the Santa Barbara area I would highly suggest staying a night here!

Halfway Through

My husband and I are now halfway through our first deployment. it has been going by very slow. When my husband first left, a friend, whose husband is also deployed, told me "the days go by slow but the months go by fast". Boy was she right. The days go by a lot slower than I wish they did. But somehow we're both making it. I thought that once we hit the halfway mark things would go by faster. But for some reason it seems to go slower. I know that once we're together again it will seem as though we have never been apart. And that's what I'm holding onto to keep me going. I'm so glad that this is not our first time apart. I feel that makes it a little easier then if we had never experienced being apart before.
I am so grateful to have the gospel in my life. Everyday I pray for comfort for my husband and I. Without it I feel I would be lost. In my life, church is a necessity. Without it I think I might go crazy. I'm having a wonderful time with my family. I'm so glad I have a great big family to keep me busy and keep my mind off of my husband. I'm very grateful for them.