R.I.P. Stinky

We'd now like to take this time to give a special memorial to Stinky the Snail, the backseat pet that Jennifer didn't know she had. 

Nobody hears of horror tales like this one. 

Things like this just don't happen.

At least not to good people, right?

Walking along the beach you pick up all sorts of rocks and shells and neat looking ocean trinkets and for the most part you end up perfectly fine. This is a warning to the naive that not all shells are harmless.

Our first day on the beach, Jennifer picked up a really neat conglomeration of multiple shells fused together.

Unaware of the tragic events that would befall her (and the rest of the car), she placed the shell in the back of the car without thinking twice.

We opened up the car two days later to be greeted by a ghastly smell. 

Searching high and low for food that could have been accidentally shoved underneath some bags, we came up clueless for what the source of our soon demise could be. 

"I think it's something in the trunk!" Jennifer said because the stench just got stronger the farther back in the car you went. After deconstructing the trunk as well, Sarah reached in the back window and pulled out Jennifer's beautiful shell collection. Inside, was the incognito home of Stinky the Snail!

Sadly, there was no time for a proper burial service, but Stinky did get a nice green view of the bushes.

Jennifer has been trying to get the girls to let her get a Road-trip Pet since Michigan...maybe she'd have better luck if she got ones that already have had their baths.

(Ryan & Heidi)

"I wake up in the morning for my friends and Ryan."

"I get up in the morning for my girlfriend Heidi."

"Every morning I get up to live---to experience life and to live expressively. Especially through music!"

"I get up early every day to go to work."

"To enjoy my day."

We spent the day on the beach, and went back later for an evening with our Connecticut family!

We were all sitting in the living room chatting over ice cream one evening.

Sarah turns to the little boy whose family we're staying with.

"John, how was school today?"

John gets these really big eyes and kind of looks at her for a moment.

"How do you know my name?"

"I asked your mom." She states, "Do you know my name?"

"Sarah." He says, taking a big bite of ice cream.

Jennifer chimes in, "John! What's my name?"

He gets a huge grin on his face and without missing a beat, replies back.

"Monkey!" 

"When I wake up in the morning I am excited to start the day. I look forward to the rhythm of the day, the routine and the unexpected events of the day. I am lucky because I live just a short block from the Church Saint Agnes so I get to enjoy the hourly Church Bells and am able to get to 9:00 mass most mornings. This makes for a good start to my day!"

Thank you to our incredible Connecticut family! You all were too kind to come join us on some of our beach adventure! And John, thanks for letting us take over your room for a few days! :)

R.I.P. Stinky the Snail. You will forever be near and dear to our hearts---and far away from our noses.

Love, 

The Crew