awesome! you totally should! American Mobile is who I go with- they are the largest. It’s been amazing so far! Go for it! 

Sanibel Island, Florida

letterstoscout:

Scout,

Yesterday we took a day trip to Sanibel Island from our home in Naples. It was a beautiful drive and even more beautiful once we got there. The beaches were littered with sea shells and the skies full of sweeping pelicans. We lathered you up with sunscreen and headed to where the ocean…

Naples Adventures

While I’m travel-nursing about I’m going to try and list off all the interesting things we do. Ya know, reviews of sorts. 

1. Third Street South Farmer’s Market

This is the most famous of the many farmer’s markets in Naples. It’s in the famous “Third Street South Shopping area” - which includes some super high end retail therapy opportunities. (Not for me- I’m the thrift store type!). Anyhow, this block-long market was full of tons and tons of VEGGIES, soaps, pastries, and jams. Every booth I stopped at was full of friendly faces eager to tell me why their ___________ was the best local grown, organic, and amazing thing around.
The upside to this area are:
+great people watching 
+tasty fresh food 
+best guacamole I EVER tasted! (and that’s saying a lot, I’m a guac connoisseur!
The downsides are:
- Crowded as all get up! These elderly Naples folk sure do love them some markets!
-Way less fruit than I imagined, I mean WAY less. The only two things I purchased was mango jam which I cooked chicken in later, and tons of strawberries, which I had to fight to find.   

2. The Greater-Naples YMCA
 
I love YMCA’s! Ever since college- I have found these community centers to be a mecca of awesomeness. It may sound cheesy- but when I hear the YMCA song, I am FOND of it. I am only reviewing this because if you relocate to Naples, or visit long-term, you would love visiting this Y.
The positives are:
+Tons of group classes, including spinning which is done in a small room under black lights and crazy loud rave music. It’s awesome  ya’ll!  
+Free childcare with family membership. Basically we have a babysitter now. And Scout LOVES those girls in the childcare area. She never cried or looked back.   
+Huge workout area for me and hubs to get aquatinted with.  
The Negatives are: 
- We have to stay on the PREMISE when we drop of Scout. Haha, Duh! We knew that.  
- Really, I don’t have any negatives yet.  

3. Fifth Avenue South Shopping Center.

Fifth Avenue South is the fancy-smancy shopping area in downtown Naples. My review of it would simply be a sentence like: “too expensive to buy anything, to crowded to even window shop, but excellent people - and fish watching.” Really though- we did settle down at a little coffee shop and we really enjoyed that. But restaurant wise- ummm NO WAY. We are far too cheapskate for that. 

4. The “Pier”

The iconic Naples Pier was a really beautiful place to go. It seems like a good local meeting place for fishing and sun-tanning. We were mixed in between a swarm of natives and tourists and even though there were few families with young children, we somehow blended right in. The pier was full of people taking pictures, pelicans swooping around you to grab fish (this was fantastic to watch), and people swapping stories about their best catch of the day. Our daughter loved sitting beachside and letting and water swoop over her. Oh- and she LOVED eating sand. awesome. 

5. The Villiage Pub

This little pub in Venetian village was cute due to its location and view, more-so than anything else. The service was average, food also average. We went at night so the view wasn’t spectacular, but still very pretty. One thing we liked was the inlet was partially lit up so you could see a lot of the fish down below. I got a Pork carnita’s burrito which I’m pretty sure was ALL pork and a tiny bit of tortilla. The mister got an un-grouper sandwich. Like I said, the food wasn’t spectacular, but I could see this being a great lunch break during a shopping spree through the village. 

6. Tin City

This what I now know is classified as a “tourist trap” is right where the Naples inlet hits Fifth Avenue South. It’s a giant indoor shopping center full of tiny stores and touristy things. It reminded us SO much of Wall Drug in Wall, SD. Although it was definetely not a place that locals might hang out, I would recommend going there at least once, I mean c’mon why search for sea-shells when you can buy as many as you want! (heh, sarcasm!) Just kidding, you should totally go at the bare minimum to pet an alligator. We made our baby do it. 

7. Resort Crashing

So- although I don’t have any pictures of this, the mister, baby and I went on a small crash mission last night in order to find a beachside grub site. On google maps we saw quite a few places. We parked nearby and realized that we couldn’t see the restaurants from the street, although we heard joyful music. Therefore we sort of snuck to the back of these beach resorts, (all with a stroller- making us look SO non-suspicous), and found some pretty exciting parties going on beachside. We were feeling pretty proud, except when we saw the menu- ($$$$$), we were out of there quick!!!!! Don’t you worry- we’ll be doing more “resort crashing” in the future.  

Letters to Scout: Travel Nursing Begins!

letterstoscout:

Scout,

We are on our way to a completely new life.

It’s a bit weird, leaving behind everything you know. It’s like saying goodbye to a city that has always been such a good friend to you. A city that never did anything wrong- except maybe have over-crowded tollways and weather that was…

Humble Ponderings: Last Thursday I went out with Childfund again for the second day but...

My little sister Jaci is in uganda right now doing social work for the month. Please pray for her. She is amazing and beautiful and words cannot describe how proud I am of of her. Thanks

- Rae

jmhr:

Last Thursday I went out with Childfund again for the second day but everything was just completely different. I had joy, energy, curiosity, eagerness and I could literally feel the prayers of my family and friends carrying me through the day unlike I had every felt before. I got really close…

New dress , haircut, what a fun night out.

New years eve.

No one I’d rather be smooching!

i feel stylish in my new boots

you know sometimes i just want to yell so loud

i feel drowned out 

i feel like i have to fake it all on tuesdays and sometimes fridays too

I just want to say F you PPD. 

I’m over it

but then why can’t i breathe? 

Why am I haunted 

Day 4/5 is over!!!! Back to work wed but tomorrow will be good; I SO have to regroup, sleep, take some muscle relaxants and see my baby girl!!!!! Being a nurse is great but so freaking hard on your body, emotions, and mind!