Thursday, May 31, 2012

The photo doesn't look like much....

Looking back through the pictures I remember taking this shot~
It is a terrible photo but what it represents was something so special to me. It was cloudy that afternoon, I was at The Roman Forum just after leaving The Colosseum. It started to rain pretty hard, so I ducked underneath an area of ruin with about 8 other people squeezed awkwardly in a very small space. I wish I had turned around and taken a photo of the actual space when I left it but I didn't. It was basically about a 6 foot high arched shaped cubby with a faucet and large sink full of water, there was moss all around and vines hanging from the inside and out around the arch.
I was inside looking out at such an amazing place and thinking how lucky I was to have gotten such an incredible opportunity to travel and experience all of this.
I started to think about my mom, and my tears fell silently with the rain. There was something so special about that moment. I think my mom was right there with me.
It was a moment that I needed and one that I will never forget.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

June 2nd...

June 2nd is the national holiday in Italy~ Basically like the 4th of July in America.
I was trying to walk to The Colosseum that day but could not get through, it was all closed off for the first half of the day for the celebration~
I was walking back to another area to spend a few hours until I could get through and I heard a crazy loud noise~ Luckily I had my camera ready and snapped this shot!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Italy....finally Italy....

It was this time last year that I spent 10 days in Italy to round out my European adventure~
What an incredible place. I can feel it in my heart now, just thinking about it.
Originally when I was planning the Italy portion of my trip I thought I did not want to go to Rome since I was going to be by myself and had heard things about pick pockets etc....But I AM SO GLAD I DID! My friend Andy said I HAD to go, that it was really such an incredible place and he was so right!
It ended up being one of my very favorite places in the world~
ROME...
The fountains
The architecture
The statues
The artwork
The Pope!
The crowds
The history
The Espresso and pastries
The food…
The list goes on and on~
I think I left a piece of my heart in Rome~ I just loved it!


Thursday, May 24, 2012

One last push for donations!

My family, friends and I will be walking on Memorial Day to raise money for brain cancer research!
If you want to walk with us or donate please click the link below~
Rena's Dragonflies
Every $1.00 helps even if you only have a few bucks to spare!
Our team is Rena's dragonflies~so you can find our team and a donation link on the side.
I hope you all have a very safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

...love this too...

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Sunday, May 20, 2012

A year ago today...

I started my first (and hopefully first of many) European adventure....
It is so crazy to think that it has been a year already~
I suppose it is time to get my butt in gear and post about Italy~ I will work on that very soon.
For now, a few photos from England~



Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mothers Day

Dear mom,
There are no words to express how much I miss you~ With all of my heart I wish I could see your smiling face today. I would tell you how proud I am to be your daughter. I would hug you so long and tell you how grateful I am to have you as my mother. I would tell you that you are missed so very much by all of us.
I know you are watching over us and guiding us through things in life. I know you are watching Brooke and what an incredible mother she is, and an incredible sister too! I don't know what I would do with out her.
I hope that you are proud of me. I know I have made some big mistakes in this life, but I am trying to live the best I can. Your smile, your heart, your inspiration helps me through every single day. I think of you ALWAYS and miss you so very much.
I love you mom~
Love, Tiff



Wishing a Happy Mothers Day to all of the amazing moms out there~

Friday, May 11, 2012

I had no idea...

Two years ago when I started this blog I had no idea that I would "meet" so many incredible people.
I had no idea the amount of support and encouragement I would get from people that I had never met.
I had no idea that you could become such great friends with people through blog comments and posts~
But to my surprise I have gotten to know some of you and consider you very important people in my life and great friends!
I had the privilege of meeting 2 fellow bloggers while I was in Arizona~
They were both so amazing and sweet and I am so glad that we finally got to meet in person!
Jen Coen
and
Ruthy Garcia
I hope that I will have the opportunity to meet more of you!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Arizona via instagram....

Instagram, my new obsession....
I love the fun things you can do with photos. And it makes me want to take more!
Gotta love that.
Here is my girls weekend trip in Arizona via instagram
~If you are on instagram, find me ~ iamrenasdaughter







Saturday, May 5, 2012

girls weekend in sunny arizona~


Girls weekend in sunny Arizona~



Photos from Heathers cell phone~Thanks Heather!

Friday, May 4, 2012

It's official....

I am a student!
I decided to finally go to school, I will start the summer semester in June~ (I am not sure I can really say I'm going "back" to school since I have only taken 3 classes in the 20 years that I have been out of High School).
It may be one or two classes at a time, but I have nothing to lose and education to gain.
I work full time so I will only be taking a couple of classes in the evening, but for some reason I am so excited!
I don't know why it has taken me so long to catch this bug but I am ready to try!
The past few years when I go on "walk and talks" with my step dad, he always brings up going to college and for some reason it has always made me frustrated and I get emotional and defensive. But the last time we went, and he brought it up again, it clicked!
Finally! :)
I figured....why not!
If other people believe in me ~ I can believe in myself too!
Math is my biggest fear and probably the main reason I have never gone. If anyone has any tips in getting through the math portion please let me know! I am not going to try and tackle a math class yet, but I know someday I will have to!
I also have no idea what to major in ~ or what I want to be when I grow up!:)
What have you gone to school for? What career path did it help with? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!