The Most Beautiful Place in the World...

...or so I think :) First view of Croatian Coastline

Ok so lately, I have been thinking alot about my trip this past summer to Croatia. Figured I may as well blog about it since I never did back then! This was the BEST vacation I have ever had!

In May, my cousin, Bella, and I flew to Germany to meet up with Mom who had already been there for 2 weeks. We stayed in Germany for 4 days (I'll blog about that some other day) and then we flew down to Dubrovnik, Croatia. When we got there, I found out that we were staying for 10 days and not just a week like I originally thought. I was sooo bummed!! I had really wanted to stay in Germany and visit with relatives more or go on to London, which has been my favorite city up to date. But we were finally able to meet all of the cousins that we had heard so much about from my grandparents, Mom, and her siblings.

Our first day there was spent relaxing and getting to kinda know everyone and the city. The relatives we have living there are: Mom's aunt (Vjera), and her two sons and their families (Darko, his wife Marina and 2 kids Kike and Vedran...and Mladen, his wife Sanja, and 3 kids Tihana, Petar, and Valda). Kike, 29, had come to the states about 11 years ago and lived with us for 3 months so we already knew her. Vedran is my age and was our "tour guide" the entire trip. I was so thrilled to finally have a guy cousin my age!! haha Tihana is 11 and a very sweet girl! And Petar and Valda are 2 year old twins! :)

View down in to the water- a few minutes walk from my cousin's house.

The second day, we took Darko's boat out to a few of the surrounding islands.

On the boat

Vedran on the boat-in front of the Old City

The water is crystal clear blue! Simply perfect! I was in heaven. I love the beach, but I also love mountains and Croatia was greatest blend of both of them.

We stopped at an island with lots of peacocks and a beautiful little lake they call the "Dead Sea". It was an awesome place to swim.

Dead Sea-Darko is swimming to the rope swing

There was also a fort at the top a very very high hill. I don't know why, but Darko decided we should walk up it :( The view was nice, but it was a crazy walk up there!

Bella- at the top of the fort

Our third and fourth days were spent in "The Old City" . This is the part of Dubrovnik that has buildings still there from the 13th century (I think; could be a bit later than that) It's pretty much a fortress and has walls all around it. What's really awesome is that, even though this is now a major "touristy" place, there are still people living on the walls and throughout this part of the city. All the buildings have red tiled roofs and there are multiple levels throughout--lots and lots and lots of stairs!!!! I definitely got my workout over there and I loved it haha

My beautiful Mum on the city walls

The "Old City"- view from the walls

We took the boat out a few more times during our last few days. Vedran is a "skipper" during the summer so he pretty much knows everything there is to know about boats and sailing and all the different islands. One day we took a day trip out to the place where my grandfather was raised, Trstenik. We got to see all the land that is owned by our family. We also discovered where my grandfather grew up--his exact house!! Totally neat!

Trstenik

We tried lots of different food items in Croatia as well. I ate oysters for the first time ever! Disgusting!!!! I ate 2 just to please Vedran, but that is the last I will ever eat of them again. Soooo squishy. We also had "black risotto" --it was made from the ink of a squid. Very yummy, but turned your teeth black. Also I ate octopus salad-also very gross! Most of the dishes were seafood. I really began to like it after I was there. My favorite by far though is cevapcici--its similar to like a meatball but long--like those little vienna sausages that come in a can, only way better. Tastes amazing!!! Its pork,veal, and lamb mixed together. Yummmm I could eat that every day!!!

I really would love to move to Croatia. The whole time I was there I didn't miss the States one bit! It's funny how I didnt wanna stay for 10 days, but was completely sad when the time was up and didnt wanna leave!!

~It was pretty much heaven on earth!~

<div style="text-align: center;">...or so I think :) <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXkDJOF5JZI/AAAAAAAAABo/dAQ7C7hm9zY/s320/100_1135.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294266293887247762" border="0" /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">First view of Croatian Coastline</span> </div><p style="text-align: center;">Ok so lately, I have been thinking alot about my trip this past summer to Croatia. Figured I may as well blog about it since I never did back then! This was the BEST vacation I have ever had! </p><p style="text-align: center;">In May, my cousin, Bella, and I flew to Germany to meet up with Mom who had already been there for 2 weeks. We stayed in Germany for 4 days (I'll blog about that some other day) and then we flew down to Dubrovnik, Croatia. When we got there, I found out that we were staying for 10 days and not just a week like I originally thought. I was sooo bummed!! I had really wanted to stay in Germany and visit with relatives more or go on to London, which has been my favorite city up to date. But we were finally able to meet all of the cousins that we had heard so much about from my grandparents, Mom, and her siblings.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Our first day there was spent relaxing and getting to kinda know everyone and the city. The relatives we have living there are: Mom's aunt (Vjera), and her two sons and their families (Darko, his wife Marina and 2 kids Kike and Vedran...and Mladen, his wife Sanja, and 3 kids Tihana, Petar, and Valda). Kike, 29, had come to the states about 11 years ago and lived with us for 3 months so we already knew her. Vedran is my age and was our "tour guide" the entire trip. I was so thrilled to finally have a guy cousin my age!! haha Tihana is 11 and a very sweet girl! And Petar and Valda are 2 year old twins! :)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXj3moZOJJI/AAAAAAAAABY/kMeUIY6ucKI/s1600-h/IMG_3478.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 319px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXj3moZOJJI/AAAAAAAAABY/kMeUIY6ucKI/s320/IMG_3478.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294253605024310418" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">View down in to the water</span> </p><p style="text-align: center;">The second day, we took Darko's boat out to a few of the surrounding islands.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXjzZvidzpI/AAAAAAAAABQ/vlpe5tE54dM/s1600-h/IMG_3602.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXjzZvidzpI/AAAAAAAAABQ/vlpe5tE54dM/s320/IMG_3602.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294248985557323410" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">On the boat</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXkEh0GDPPI/AAAAAAAAABw/UmeW8jIF11g/s1600-h/100_1189.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXkEh0GDPPI/AAAAAAAAABw/UmeW8jIF11g/s320/100_1189.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294267815916944626" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Vedran on the boat-in front of the Old City</span> </p> <p style="text-align: center;">The water is crystal clear blue! Simply perfect! I was in heaven. I love the beach, but I also love mountains and Croatia was greatest blend of both of them.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXkF7jaMosI/AAAAAAAAAB4/y53xLrMKFaw/s1600-h/100_1199.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 319px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXkF7jaMosI/AAAAAAAAAB4/y53xLrMKFaw/s320/100_1199.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294269357626270402" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">We stopped at an island with lots of peacocks and a beautiful little lake they call the "Dead Sea". It was an awesome place to swim.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXkLsGTuU8I/AAAAAAAAACA/Y3k9JVtn2zE/s1600-h/100_1213.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NjgqfjhReEQ/SXkLsGTuU8I/AAAAAAAAACA/Y3k9JVtn2zE/s320/100_1213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294275689186218946" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Dead Sea-Darko is swimming to the rope swing</span> </p><p style="text-align: center;">There was also a fort at the top a very very high hill. I don't know why, but Darko decided we should walk up it :( The view was nice, but it was a crazy walk up there! </p><p style="text-align: center;">Our third and fourth days were spent in "The Old City" . This is the part of Dubrovnik that has buildings still there from the 13th century (I think; could be a bit later than that) It's pretty much a fortress and has walls all around it. What's really awesome is that, even though this is now a major "touristy" place, there are still people living on the walls and throughout this part of the city. All the buildings have red tiled roofs and there are multiple levels throughout--lots and lots and lots of stairs!!!! I definitely got my workout over there and I loved it haha </p><p style="text-align: center;">We took the boat out a few more times during our last few days. Vedran is a "skipper" during the summer so he pretty much knows everything there is to know about boats and sailing and all the different islands. One day we took a day trip out to the place where my grandfather was raised, Trstenik. We got to see all the land that is owned by our family. We also discovered where my grandfather grew up--his exact house!! Totally neat! </p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;">We tried lots of different food items in Croatia as well. I ate oysters for the first time ever! Disgusting!!!! I ate 2 just to please Vedran, but that is the last I will ever eat of them again. Soooo squishy. We also had "black risotto" --it was made from the ink of a squid. Very yummy, but turned your teeth black. Also I ate octopus salad-also very gross! Most of the dishes were seafood. I really began to like it after I was there. My favorite by far though is cevapcici--its similar to like a meatball but long--like vienna sausage. Tastes amazing!!! Its pork,veal, and lamb mixed together. Yummmm I could eat that every day!!!</p><p style="text-align: center;">I really would love to move to Croatia. The whole time I was there I didn't miss the States one bit! It's funny how I didnt wanna stay for 10 days, but was completely sad when the time was up and didnt wanna leave!! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: arial;font-size:130%;"> ~It was pretty much heaven on earth!~ </span> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> Sunset in Dubrovnik

First Week Of School!

Wow--I've almost made it through an entire week of school!! I must be doin pretty good; I haven't quit yet! hehe No, seriously-things are going very well so far. I am gonna be getting alot of homework, I know, but I think that if I stay on top of everything I can do it! I am loving that I only have one class per day. Before when I was in school, it was a hectic first week trying to figure out where all the classes are and having to run from one building to another. Now-I don't have to do that!! :) All my classes are in the same building and there is only one looong class a day. The only complaint is that my bottom gets VERY sore sitting in those hard chairs for 4 or 5 hours a day. Tuesday will be my longest day- I will work in the morning, go to class till 1830 and then Bible study at 2000. I learned this week that I will NOT be socializing afterwards because gettin up at 0630 the next day is AWFUL. Tomorrow(Friday) is my longest day of actual class- 0730-1630. Yuck! But it is my skills lab so it is hands on and I think that will be lots of fun! I hope, anyway.
Half my classes have one test a week(they are only half a semester classes) So I will be studying like crazy because I am bound and determined to get A's! So with that being said I am gonna get back to it! :)

Tuition+Textbooks=lots and lots and lots of money!

Today I went downtown to buy my school books at the college bookstore. I had already found a place to rent some of them online (thanks to my dear friend, Bailey!) so I only had to purchase a few of the workbooks. When I finally found all the workbooks I needed, I couldn't even carry the huge stack to the counter! I had to get someone to help me carry them. And sadly it was only half the books I need. I don't know what I am gonna do with carrying them to classes. :( Thankfully I never have to carry all of them at the same time. My classes have long breaks between them so I am hoping to be able to leave the books I don't need in the car...what a relief that would be! So, all the bookstore books cost almost $600 and the ones I am RENTING cost close to $200! I can't imagine the cost if I had actually bought the textbooks. Yikes!

On a different note, I went to the gym tonight and I have decided to never ever again go in the evening and in January. I think a million people must have made New Year's resolutions and they all must have gotten off work at the same time too! Yep, never again!

And on an even happier note, I started going to the College and Career Girl's Bible study last night. We will be going through Beth Moore's Jesus, the One and Only. I am sooooo looking forward to this study!! Its been so long since I have been in a Bible study (almost since I was in Pensacola) and I am way excited to learn and to meet some new friends. I'm finally getting plugged in at our church and that makes my future look so much brighter!

Here we go again.....

Ok so I am reeeeally terrible about keeping up with blogs. As much as I love to talk and as much as I am on the computer, you would think that I could do ok at this! Hahaha not so! I will attempt to keep at it this time around though.
I start school next Monday; so I am gearing up for that this week...registration, orientation, buying books, buying scrubs, and the list could go on!
My New Year's resolution (not that I really make one every year) is to get up earlier and go to bed earlier...I will have some classes starting at 0630!! Since I am generally a night owl, getting up early is something I will have to work pretty darn hard at! Well, with that being said...I must go to bed now :)