Fall Break Recap

How I miss those long blissful school breaks with the boys when they were little.  Every spring and fall, whether we went anywhere or not, I would always take off the entire week to be with them.  Fall was my favorite - still is - and I could hardly wait for the vacation each October.

As the years go by, it gets harder to schedule time off, or rather coordinate everyone's when you have a teen who also works.  Though I took a couple days off, in anticipation and hopes we could get away, life did not cooperate.  But, as we Blair's do, we pulled up our bootstraps and made the most of it.

I was determined to carve out some type of fun last weekend so we crammed what we could into those days.  It took some creativity and planning, as Noah worked Saturday night and Tim Sunday but we managed and made some sweet memories in the mix.

cheers - Brain sandwiches!

Saturday we awoke early and headed to our now annual trip, the Nut Club Festival.  If you remember from last year's post, it was our first for me and Noah.  This year, we took Tim along for the all-you-can-eat feast.

Our fave food this year was the meatball sliders.  #Best.meatball.ever

Noah was thrilled to find a booth serving okonomiyaki. The cook even more impressed he knew the actual name of the dish.  They called them banzai pies.

Last year we were spontaneous, this year we strategized.  Not sure which way I enjoyed more.  Next year we plan to visit and eat what speaks to us, since we've pretty much tried it all now.

Tim's not as adventurous as we are but it was fun watching his expressions of horror as we nibbled on brain sandwiches and other weird foods.  Somehow Noah got Tim to take a bite and I managed to capture his face of disgust.  We enjoyed them though and it will certainly be our first stop in years to come.

We had enough time left Saturday to swing by my nephew's 2nd birthday party.  He's such a cutie and we enjoyed watching him run around chasing balloons, yelling at us to stop singing to him, and screaming for more choc-ate!

This was one of my favorite pics, snapped of Kaiden and his great Grandma.

So much sweetness...

Sunday we opted to play hooky from church and soak up a bit more "fall break" by sleeping in, watching a matinee (even opting for the big popcorn) and having appetizers for dinner.  Though we were less than an hour from home, it felt like a vacation day, as those are all splurges we don't normally do.

pumpkin pickin'

Though I took off Monday, both the guys had to work, but we had time to squeeze in a sushi "mom & me" date before Noah's shift.  Tim slept right through our excursion but, given that he despises rice, I don't think he minded.

As I went back to work Tuesday, Noah enjoyed his day off by having a friend over for a sleep-over and xbox marathon.  One of my favorite sounds is laughter from his room with a buddy.  Really anytime I catch him just being a kid is a delight.

Today was my typical Friday off, so I did get to spend extra time with boy before he returns to school.  Though most of our time was spent running errands, being with him made it fun.  We shared many a belly laugh, I introduced him to Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, Elvira and sorghum molasses, and of course, a yummy lunch was had together.  

It wasn't a luxurious trip, no sandy beaches or touristy destinations were explored, but I'm rather thankful for the bookend break we shared.   Any moment spent with family is always a precious gift.

How did you spend your fall break...or plan to?

Mountains and Majesty

My feet and bones are sore, every muscle I own is grumpy, but my heart is full of JOY!

I'm home from a jam-packed weekend with 30 other ladies, who traveled to the Smoky Mountains for a Women of Joy conference.  This year was extra special because my Momma came along.

Oh, the laughs we shared!

The conference was a first for mom - and many of the other ladies, so I stood in prayer for them.  I remember my first WOJ and how anxious I was, even if it was with women I knew and respected from church.  Never really being a "slumber party" type gal or having a roommate, those kinds of situations still tend to make me nervous. 

But as God does, he sends us hugs at just the needed moments.  We had a lot of those on our trip!  The first big one was upon our arrival.  Unplanned, we pulled into the driveway of our sprawling home away from home at 2:30 on the dot (Austin's jersey number and how he often says hello).  You could hear the bubbling creek from the car so, of course, that was our first stop before even going inside.  What we found were dozens of beautiful yellow butterflies, a symbol Austin has always used to send us hugs.  Needless to say, I entered the house a little teary-eyed!

We went down a day before the conference so it gave us time to relax, disconnect from the busy-ness of the world, and reflect on God's beauty.  I always am filled with a peace unlike any other when I'm in the mountains.  For me, it just feels closer to Him - and not because of the altitude!  In our free time over the weekend, we enjoyed lots of yummy food (too much!), a scenic drive through Cades Cove (mom's first) and a souvenir jaunt down the strip.  We did not do any outlet shopping and I was thrilled that my carmates didn't mind one bit.

The rest of our time was spent with 10,000 other women praising God and soaking up His word.  Have you ever sung Amazing Grace with 10,000 other women?  Truly, Amazing!  I get goosebumps still, just thinking about it.  So many moments in worship I was brought to tears in the sheer beauty of it, the privilege it was to be there, and the connection I felt to my Savior.

We were blessed to hear from admired writers and speakers, like Angela Thomas, and funny-til-you-pee comedian, Chondra Pierce.  Every speaker had a nugget of information and whisper from God for each women at the conference, I believe.  There were several salvations through the course of the weekend from the crowd.  Though every head was bowed, there was a sense of connection in hearing those words, "welcome to the family" and cause for rejoicing.

I scribbled notes in the dark when I could, as their words resonated within me.  The bad part was that I didn't record the speaker who said it.  So, if you're inspired just google Women of Joy and check out all the amazing women who are a part of it!  :)

As Satan does, he attempted often to spoil our weekend.  Months ago, he set to attacking Mom in efforts to keep her even from going.  He distracted and hissed, throwing up inconveniences and roadblocks wherever possible.

Our final night, both Mom and I were feeling a little weary.  The long walks to the conference, followed by a wobbly path on the strip, hustling to a concert (to catch the last two songs!), and lack of sleep saw us both in great physical pain.  So much so that going up two flights of steps for our prayer gathering felt daunting.  Though Mom would've done it, I could see in her eyes she really couldn't afford it.  My twenty-year younger body was screaming in protest so I could only imagine hers.  But I missed hearing the testimonies of our group.

As he so often does, Satan set to circling around me, trying to fill my heart with anger toward having so much pain.  Some of our physical issues are hereditary, though the majority of mine come from a motorcycle wreck ten years ago.  The devil loves to make me wonder why my God would put me through such daily pain and keep me from being able to move and do as I would like.

And I'm sure he would've wanted nothing more than to send us both to bed unhappy and second-guessing our attendance.  But I've learned that a sure-fire way to send him packing is by pulling out my Bible and standing in prayer.

So even though I couldn't join the group physically, I was there in spirit.  Voices above me became background music for my Bible reading.  And in their quiet moments, I would pray for whoever was sharing or might be in need.  In the end, our sweet friend who rode home with us shared some of the stories from the night.

Those testimonies were much needed fillers for the nearly 9 hour drive we would endure on our way back.  It should've taken half that time, but I guess when you have 10,000 people leaving one place, there's bound to be a traffic jam!

At several points along our ride, we were astounded at the hatefulness of others on the road.  Trucks tailgating and honking in areas we couldn't go faster if we wanted.  Fingers and curse words tossed our way.  But we didn't let it steal our joy.  Momma would throw on her bright red clown nose for a laugh.  At just the needed moment a fellow WOJer would let us weave.  And God kept sending us signs and hugs.

Now, I can't even recall most of them but, in one extra tense situation, He sent message after message, using billboards, bumper stickers and even an exit sign for "Trinity Lane" to remind us who was in control.

Dropping my passengers off to their loved ones, I returned home to mine.  Both of my guys had spent time straightening up the house and doing laundry and had a hot dinner ready for me, complete with warm from the oven brownies.  It allowed me to relax and soak up their company, sharing the highlights from the weekend.  My JOY was complete.

NashVegas Birthday

Normally, I'm all about planning birthday parties.  Since my boys were little, I would get as much enjoyment out of selecting a theme, choosing games, and coordinating decor as I did watching them experience their day.  As Austin grew older his standard request was a pool party at our house with the family.  Being a winter baby, Noah wanted adventure.  And truly, we needed something to entice people to trudge out in the snow.

Over the years we've done sundae and pizza making parties, lazer tag, surprises, excursions and numerous other themes.  One of my favorites (and most popular posts) was Minute to Win It.  The adults had as much fun as the kids.  Noah's all time fave was the hotel trip with his buddies, aka "bachelor" party, although he was only 12 at the time.

But my baby's 16th sort of snuck up on me.  Maybe I was in denial.  It doesn't help that holiday festivities, Christmas, and my birthday are stacked right before.  This year I struggled to figure out just exactly what to do to make his day special.  And he wasn't much help, as "i don't know," or a shrug were the only two answers he seemed to give on how he'd like to spend it.

Realizing we had a three day weekend with the MLK holiday, I offered him a get-away.  A mini vacation in a hotel from the city of his choice.  This idea enticed him.

He opted for Nashville so we wouldn't spend a chunk of our trip driving and because there are so many options to enjoy.  Dog/house sitter confirmed, bags packed, and we were on way.

The only concrete plan we had was where we were staying.  My aunt introduced us to Drury Inn a few years back and it has become our favorite hotel chain.  One big perk is that they serve a hot breakfast and a hot nighttime snack.  For us frugal gals, that means we only have to buy one meal a day and that is my kind of traveling.  Truthfully, with a mini frig and microwave, you could even get by with bringing your own.  At this point, I sound like a paid representative, so I'll move on to the rest of our trip!  (but seriously, if you're traveling, check them out!)

In the lobby, Noah picked up a few visitor brochures.  Between that and a Facebook plea for "fun teenage options" we were ready for wherever the wind took us.

And oh, what a whirlwind weekend it was!

Night one would see us at a glow in the dark teen club-meets-American Ninja.  Noah bounced, tight-roped, jumped, flipped and plopped his way around for a couple hours.  Just watching him exhausted us.  Once back at the hotel, I would've gladly retreated to the bed, but my birthday boy requested midnight waffles.  A tradition he's seen my cousin and her girls do while vacationing together, we bundled up and dodged traffic for craters of maple syrup.

Bellied up to the bar, midway through scrambled eggs, sausage, loaded hashbrowns and three waffles, he manages to get out, "New tradition, mom.  This is awesome."

Day two = Science. Sharks. Sauerkraut. And Statues.

Hoping he wouldn't be too old, we opted to go the Adventure Science Museum.  Noah's always been a fan of anything science and they had a planetarium, although we watched sharks instead of stars.  Three hours later we left impressed and glad to have spent the morning there.

Lunch was an adventure, more in surviving the trip than where we ended up.

Busy downtown venues are not my cup of tea.  One way streets, a delayed GPS, two men barking directions, and nobody wanting to pick a spot had my nerves frazzled to the core.  Finally pulling into the lot of a restaurant we knew and loved, we were shell-shocked to discover parking was around $25!  In the many circles and loops we took to find an empty space, I spied a German eatery and made an executive decision.  The big selling point was that parking was free; however, Noah's always up for a new culinary experience.  Also, he's recently been enamored with the culture, discovering our family tree has some roots there.

With our bellies full, we headed for our final stop, the Parthenon.
Or as I like to call it, the steps of death.

Heredity and old injuries from a wreck have my legs in terrible shape.  As such, steps are not my friend.  The picture above shows before... all smiles, since I'm currently dumb to the fact that those giant doors behind me are locked.  We walk down, around and up the other side only to find that isn't an entrance either.  Back down steep concrete monsters into the basement entrance, I'm grumbling (and hobbling in pain) about the lack of signage this place has.  My physical state at this point certainly didn't enhance the visit but I was grateful to see ramps and elevators once inside for the tour.  The only replica in the world, it was a been there, done that experience.  

By the time we made it back to the hotel, everyone crashed, though I did set an alarm for the free kickback snack.  Tim laughed at me, still full from our enormous lunch but by golly, free is free.  I told him he could eat and store it for when he became hungry later.  

Noah wanted to end the evening in the pool/hot tub but apparently so did everyone else in the hotel.  Every 15 minutes or so he'd trot down and scope out the situation, returning to the room with a frown.  At 9:20 he bounced back excited to report that only one kid was swimming and four grandfatherly figures were watching.  Tim bowed out and opted to relax on the couch bed.  

He didn't miss much.  

The pool was freezing, in my dysfunctioning thyroid opinion, as it connected to the outside.  Noah kept ducking under the wall and escaping into the frigid night air.  My common sense and claustrophobia would not join him.  As my teeth were chattering by the semi-heated flow of water I managed to find, a couple enters with a dog, just as I was about to escape to the hot tub.  Somehow, the thought of eau de wet pooch didn't appeal to me, so I didn't join them.  Yet later, said wet dog jumped in the pool with us to cool off.  Noah thought it was amazing, of course.  Upon returning to the room, I opted to lather, rinse and repeat.  Twice.

With Tim's nap, he was on his second wind so the boys stayed up late watching tv and wrestling each other.  I was thankful for the suite we splurged on and escaped to the quiet bedroom and a comfy bed all to myself.

Our final day, after lingering over our last free meal we traveled to the giant mall that is Opry Mills.  Never one to spend much of his own money, Noah treated himself to a shopping spree.  He's been such a saver since getting a job this past summer, so it was a joy watching him waste a little cash.  True to what I've taught him though, he didn't buy anything that wasn't on clearance!

Last stop was Dave & Busters for some arcade fun.  Noah and Tim enjoyed shooting at zombies and each other, competing over hoops and an aggressive game of ice hockey.  I snuck off to rest in the car, knowing they'd sleep all the way home.

Between the giant bear hug he gave us more than once and the uncharacteristic Facebook tagging of a slideshow with, "Loved today, thank you so much (mom) and (dad) for this amazing trip," I'd say Birthday 2016 was a success.

Hope it brought him a fraction of the JOY he continually brings us.

Trust me, he was laughing just moments before I snapped.  

This is his "seriously, how many pics are you taking of me today" face.

Sunday fun

29 photos

Schoolhouse Rocks

Talking with someone recently, I realized we've not been on a vacation since 2013.

Twenty.  Thirteen.

There are many reasons why, but given the stressful summer we've had, it became necessary to shift things around and take an impromptu retreat.

Fall break gave us the perfect opportunity to get away for a few days.  Now that our baby is a working man, it isn't as easy to plan outings.  An added snafu was two doggies with no sitter on such short notice.  So this momma set to googling for a much needed dog-friendly vacay spot.

I found three or four contenders, sent inquiries, and set to packing.  In the end, the top choice became a one room schoolhouse built in the 1920s on the tail end of Kentucky Lake, in Buchanan, Tennessee.

1927 Fort Henry Schoolhouse

The guys were a little hesitant staying in one room all together for several days.  They didn't say much, but I could tell there was doubt.  That all changed though the moment they opened the door.

This is where they spent a good chunk of our trip....

And here...

Of course, I did my did share of R&R too, snuggled with my buddy,who spent most of the trip with a stomach bug.  

He was such a trooper, never once complaining about spending lots of time in the boys room.  Lucky for me there were two restrooms in the schoolhouse.

As such, we didn't venture out much but I was content soaking up the views from here.

                                        

The one "good day" he had we took the boat to spend some time on the lake.  It was beautiful exploring the God's patchwork quilt from the waters.

When at the schoolhouse, I loved browsing through the photos and newspaper clippings about the history.  Growing up, Little House on the Prairie was among my favorite stories so I imagined what life must have been like in a one room school.  We even managed to find an episode to watch on TV one afternoon.  

Though a brief trip, it was nice to stop and soak up some much needed family time.  My boy is growing so fast, this momma often wants to push on the breaks and slow things down.  This retreat gave us that chance.

We received lots and lots of Austin hugs on the trip as well.  

The first we noticed was at our lunch stop.  Noah glanced down and commented it was 2:32 about the same time we noticed the phone number on the restaurant.  The town where we were staying had 232 as the prefix.  On the way to the house, we crossed an intersection for Hwy 232.  And while browsing an online map, I realize the main road beside was Austin Memorial Hwy.  Hanging on one wall were enrollment cards for all the former classmates.  I noticed that each frame contained 23 students.  

So many signs he was smiling down and with us each mile.

Pick a Pepper

We took the kids for a mini weekend getaway as a treat for spring break.  I told them it was a pre-thank you for all the work I knew they'd be doing later in the week.

The rest of their days will be spent packing up our living room, as our 15 year old hunter green holey carpet will finally be replaced.  (Yay! I can have company again!)

Before we hit them with the details of taking down bookcases and tackling dust bunnies, we enjoyed a few days in Nashville.  It was a teeny vacation and I'm still jealous of the beach pictures on Facebook; but just getting away from the house, sleeping in a hotel, and letting the kids raid a convenient store for ice cream and Fun-Yuns after 10 pm was a much needed retreat for us all.

One of our stops was letting the kids experience the Grand Ole Opry.  Neither of them huge country fans, it wasn't something they expected to enjoy but I think they were pleasantly surprised.  Tina thought the "legends" were cute old men.  Noah had fun squishing Tina in the pew and purchasing an overpriced ink pen in the gift shop.  He was already queuing up music from the singers on our short ride back to the hotel though, so I know he liked some of the songs.

Prior to the Opry, we ate at a new restaurant for us, a rule when we travel.  It was highly recommended from several of our friends.  I will say the fried pickles were yummy, Noah actually ate their coleslaw (which he never eats) and their chicken tenders were good, but otherwise I wasn't overly impressed.  The highlight of the visit was the giant rocking chair, playing Ms Pacman in the lobby, and watching Noah eat a pickled pepper.

Our chef-in-training, he's always open for a new eating opportunity.  And he does enjoy spicy things.  Whenever he cooks at home for us, we never quite know what concoction he'll whip up.  Sometimes the spices he chooses make no sense, but they work together.  Anyway, I spied an odd shaped bottle of white peppers on our table and Tina dared him.  The rest, as they say, is history.  He snorted, choked, we laughed.  Good times.

On our way home, we visited the giant mall.  For our kids, where the biggest shopping option is Wal-Mart, this mall is always a fun adventure.

Timing was probably not the best though, I was fighting a stomach bug and my hubby was hobbling on a hurt foot, but we muddled through for the kids.  They talked Tim into getting "real" tennis shoes and kicking off his work boots.  He couldn't believe how much lighter the rest of his walk was.  Silly hubby.... I attempted to find a dress on the busiest dress-shopping day of the year.  Silly mommy... Tim took lots of breaks and utilized every massage chair the mall offered.  I found Tina two cute dresses and strappy shoes and decided to shop my closet once home.

As we neared the corner to Bass Pro Shop, I knew we'd survived the loop, but realized Noah was leaving without anything.  Seeing a pepper shop, I offered for us to stop in, as I knew Tim would take four hundred hours at BPS.

Perusing the rows and rows of hot sauce (who knew they made so many kinds), I noticed their sample section.  Mustards, salsas, wing sauce, dips, and lots of yum.  There were even handy charts telling you the heat ratio so your mouth didn't get a surprise.  Tina, being a wimpy mouth who sometimes thinks ketchup is hot, made me sample everything she wanted to try first.  Surprisingly there were a few things she liked.

Noah went right to the extreme heat-get your momma's approval section.  You had to be 18 or over to even sample.  His build easily lets him pass and I decided, what the heck, we're on vacation...let him be wild!  His palate was feeling the heat after testing out many 8, 9 and 10 on the spicy scale.  He and the pepper guy were hitting it off, sharing chili stories, and Noah was trying to decide which bottle would give his secret recipe just the extra kick he's been wanting.

His eyes kept venturing to the last bottle on the sample row.  The FlashBomb hot sauce actually required a waiver, due to the heat.  He shuffled his feet, muttering how much he wished he could try it, knowing without a doubt this overprotective momma would say no.  But, to his surprise, I shrugged saying, "why not" and the pepper guy agreed.

Noah took a chip and dipped, getting only a tiny dot of fiery sauce on the corner.  He chomped down and we waited.  At first he seemed a little disappointed it wasn't very hot, but then he coughed, gasped, and his eyes watered simultaneously.

The pepper guy said, "Just wait...it's not even kicked in yet."

At this point, momma panic set in but I managed to keep an outer cool.  The pepper guy started a countdown.  3...2...1

Insert cartoon whistle and smoking ears.

Once I knew he was going to survive, Tina and me got a good chuckle out of it.  His dad too, when Noah ran all the way to Bass Pro for a couple dollars to buy some milk.  Mom had already spent the remainder of her money buying his hot sauce.  And I think he was grateful we didn't purchase the hottest one!

Faithful Friday: Never Complain

As were most of our days in Florida, last Friday morning stretched into the late hours and breakfast turned to brunch.  It was our last full day and, while we wanted to soak up all the day had to offer, we were tired.  In a way, I think, we lingered hoping if nobody moved time would stand still.

By the time we made it to Ft Pickens it was the afternoon and cloudy skies became our backdrop to the breathtaking scenery.

Raindrops spattered on my face and arm, as I was determined to keep the window down and take in the sounds of the sea and the peacefulness that surrounded us.  I was thankful for the 10 mile speed limit so we could leisurely stroll the beach. 

As we turned the corner and Ft. Pickens came into view, Tim and Noah's excitement grew.  Noah was already chattering about exploring the tunnels and seeing the aged cannons.  No sooner than the car came to a rest in the parking lot, he was out and off to see the sights.  Tim wasn't far behind.

With an effortless gait, Noah easily climbed the steps of the ruins,

putting him on one of the highest peaks so he could see the full scope of the landmarks.

An afternoon of exploring, followed by fishing on the pier,

and our last dinner on the beach.

Those were the plans we had...

How quickly life can change.

In an instant the sounds of laughter and excitement turned to concern and cries.

I found my strong boy crumpled on the ground biting back tears, his dad attempting to pick up his full weight without hurting him more. 

Tears soon began to flow, the discomfort too much to hide.  Noah's clinching grip on my hands, another non-verbal cue, told me he was in extreme pain.  Yet from the very beginning, his gentle giant nature came through.  He never complained, never snapped as the throbbing injury became more than he could bear. 

In fact, he was just the opposite.  Noah was concerned about us, about the family having to change plans, fearing he had ruined our vacation within moments.  Immediately he began to apologize, as Tim and I were punching in the nearest hospital into our GPS.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing - Philippians 2:14

 

Hours at the ER, he again never voiced a complaint.  Waiting at the pharmacy, driving past the sea for our final good-bye as the sun set - instead of the toes in the sand way we'd hoped for, skipping dinner, getting stuck in downtown traffic, trying to detour, never finding a restaurant as we pulled into the house deep into the evening, having to climb a gigantic set of steps to enter the house in crutches, not having a bedroom to retreat to, as his bed was an air mattress in the living room floor. 

Dinner wasn't delivered until 10:30 or so and I know he was a mixture of famished, hurting and exhausted, but he cheerfully ate, thanking us for the burger.  Without hesitation he asked for his mattress, expecting to climb down into the floor because that's just how he is.  It took a lot of urging to get him into our bed, as he didn't want either of us on the couch or the floor.  We ended the night in prayer, thankful his injury wasn't more severe, reminding ourselves of all the blessings we had from the week.

The next morning he was pouty, not because of his pain, but because he couldn't help us pack and load.  He felt helpless and guilty for booting Tina out of her seat in the back.  Needing to stretch his leg and elevate it as much as one could for the 12 hour ride, she was stuffed into the van with the rest of our family. 

Such a long ride, as my muscles longed to stretch and find rest, yet he never commented about his uncomfortable setting. 

From the beginning, he was determined to do things on his own.  We have to catch him moving or predict his needs, or we'll find him juggling crutches and a glass of milk.  Fitted with a boot yesterday, he found novelty in the air pump, instead of complaining of the itchy compression and pain.  I can list so many inconveniences he'll face the next two month - from starting school, navigating the bus and halls, his summer coming to halting end and plans being cancelled or postponed, to the upcoming therapy he's sure to endure as he heals. 

 

But my boy just smiles and takes each day with grace.  And as he's done so much in life, he teaches this joy-seeking momma lessons again and again.

 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous!

Do not tremble or be dismayed,

for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

- Joshua 1:9

Praising God for the good news of no surgery on Noah's foot! 
Heal quick, sweet boy.

Mom and Me...and the Sea

Ok, I know I promised not to go on and on about our trip.  Seriously, this is my last post. 
Pinkie Promise. ....I think!

Growing up, we really didn't go on many vacations.  My step-dad worked construction so summer was his prime season.  Many weeks he worked seven days straight from sun up to sun down.  It didn't give much opportunity for travel.  Our summer fun included short day trips, such as to the zoo, or swimming in the river, family cookouts or mudding.

Having such special memories with my kids and our vacations though, made me appreciate this trip with mom even more.  I treasured our time together.  I soaked up the moments she spent with Noah and Tina.  They loved their exclusive Mamaw time.

And I tucked away her smiles at experiencing firsts in Florida.

 

 

Her silver hair sparkled in the sun.  The sea was good for her.  Laughter filled the air. 

I could feel her letting go and relaxing, enjoying the warm weather and family time.



She joined me in semi-adventurous eating (never would try oysters!) but she was excited to eat at new restaurants and was always the first to share anything on her plate.  She's so selfless, one of the traits I admire most about her. 

The night the girls gave us manicures, she didn't hesitate in offering her newly purchased sea scrub she'd paid a pretty penny for at Hemingway's.

It was also wonderful to see Mom and her sister, Faye, spending quality time together.  We would catch them hugging or smiling to each other, commenting on the good times, and you could just feel their joy in having the memories of this trip.  And, of course, with two mamaws, we had GOOOOD food at home for many meals.  Biscuits & Gravy.  Fried Potatoes.  Beans & Cornbread.  Chicken & Dumplins.  Yum!

She was even Mamaw to the other kiddos on the trip.  Hayden went through the house looking for her one afternoon and asked us, "Where's that gray haired Mamaw?  Not my Mamaw but the other Mamaw?"

Such a blessing that she came with us on our trip. 

 I think she brought so much to many of us and we'll have extra special memories because of her.

I know I'm so very grateful for the one on one time I had with my Mom,

in such a beautiful setting as the sea. 

Vacation Blessings, indeed!

Pensacola...Sun, Sand & Sea

Home from a blessed beach vacation... with only a few bumps along the way.

A few years ago, we began doing "Rose & Thorn" with Noah, as a way to get more than one word answers after asking, "How was your day?"  Each of us would share something good and something not-so-good from the day.  And being the glass half full family we try to be, there were many days with no real thorn to share.

In the same token, and at an attempt not to go on and on about our trip, I'm going to share the

SUN (good), SAND (not-so-good), and SEA (peaceful/best/goosebump) moments from Florida.

Saturday...the long ride down

Sun – our funny book on tape (the only way my hubby will read!) to pass the time

Sand – Eel in the tub, which to me is the same category as a snake.  Noah brought a baby one into the house in a red solo cup to show me.  Eeek!

Sea –#23s, Austin's number.  Oh, how many we saw on our trip.  #23 miles to go, exit #23, vehicles by us with #23.  All little Heaven-sent hello's from our guy.

It was late and we were tired upon arriving so Tina didn't get to see the actual ocean but she did spend time in the bayou behind our house (where the eel was found).  She was so cute, wanting to hug the palm trees, excited to be in Florida for the first time.

Sunday...our first full day

Sun – Tina and the ocean at last.  Her expression at seeing it from a distance, crossing the bridge, jumping in the ocean, tasting the salt, building a turtle in the sand, finding crabs and jellyfish.  So many firsts.  So sweet!

Sand – Angry Beach flash.  Yes, Pensacola, I have arrived.  The big beach, aptly nicknamed "Angry Beach" by our family, sucked me down, knocked me on my behind, and attempted to rip my top away from the girls.  It was not fun for anyone in the vicinity.  And I'm cringing at the thought that someone caught it on tape...soon to be on YouTube or AFV!

Sea – Rainbow!  Such a blessing to see a giant double rainbow over Quietwater beach as our families played in the water all afternoon.  It stayed for what seemed like forever and I couldn't help but feel it was a hug from our boy, sending memories of our last time there.  Thankful for the saltwater to cover up bittersweet tears.

Another cute memory was our spa night, once back at the house.  The girls pampered the mamaws (and me) with salt scrubs, manicures and massages.  Oh, the laughs!

Monday...rainy day fun

Sun – crab escape!  The mini marine zoo that was collected on our deck found their way back to the Bayou overnight.  While the girls were initially disappointed, a quick run to the dock led to them finding many of the little creatures again.  They happily scooped the stinky things back up and onto our wooden prison.

Sand – hot mall shopping.  Mix in my dislike of shopping with humid Florida air and learning that the huge outlet mall was all outdoors.  In the A/C to shop, back out in the heat, over and over again.  At least we did find some good deals!

Sea – Butterfly shell!  Aside from finding my now favorite beach (Johnson), Tina discovered this precious shell that looked just like a butterfly.  What a hug for my heart! 

Tuesday...here, there and everywhere

Sun – Kids rule day.  A morning at the Naval Museum.  Slushies & Sonic.  Beach time.  And a night at the movies.  Whew!  But the kids had such fun.

Sand – Losing Mom & Tina in the museum.  Rule #42 don't leave without the group! 

Sea – Our own private beach.  Johnsons.  Literally half a dozen people other than us.  Resting in beach chairs with my momma.  Peaceful bliss.

Wednesday...just beachy

Sun – New experiences.  Both kids tried Hobie catting and kayaking.  Noah loved the kayak and would've paddled out to sea if we hadn't called him back.  Tina was a pro on the Hobie cat from the start.  Such fun watching them play.

  

                

Sand – Shark! Well, actually it wasn't really a low point, as it was pretty cool seeing real sharks swimming below us from the pier.  Kinda scary though seeing the people yards away on the beach and knowing my kiddos were swimming in the same waters!

Sea – Quietwater day.  We spent the whole day at the beach, minus a dolphin tour.  Had a great picnic of cold fried chicken and fish tacos, strolled the boardwalk, and the weather was picture perfect.  Great day!

Thursday...can you say T-I-R-E-D?

Sun – lazy pool day.  After a full day of surf & sun, we didn't want to do anything but eat and rest.  Thankful for the neighborhood pool, which was a cool retreat.  The kids played hot potato and the adults floated, read, sunned and napped.  Ahhh...

Sand – Not one, unless you count just being tired, but that's to be expected after so many days of go, go, go!

Sea –beach memories.  We ended our evening by showering and heading back to Johnson beach for some photos.  Lucky to have several talented photographers in our family and a stranger that snapped a group pic for us.  Precious mementos for years to come!

Friday...Final Goodbye

Sun – Oysters & Gumbo.  I have food rules when on vacation.  Never eat somewhere twice.  Never eat somewhere you have at home.  Avoid fast food.  We broke two of those rules, as kids dominated quick & easy choices on some days, but I was determined to try a few hole in the wall local recommendations.  Our last day we ate at the Oyster Barn and it was yum-o.  I could so go for a big bowl of gumbo right now!

Sand – afternoon in the ER.  After a beautiful drive through Ft. Pickens state park, we stopped to tour Fort Pickens, built over 200 years ago.  Uneven cobblestone and running down tunnels don't mix.  Moments into our tour we found Noah on the ground in severe pain.  Tears from a towering teen let us know this was no simple sprain.  Hours later and in a splint, we made it back to the house exhausted for our final night.  (Praying his MRI tomorrow shows a tiny ligament tear and not one requiring surgery.)  Not the souvenir we wanted to bring back!

Sea –bedtime prayers.  Tired bodies, drained, tear-stained faces. I gently eased myself to the bed where Tim and Noah snuggled.  Sweet boy that he is, he tried to apologize for "ruining our trip" so we ended our night with a family prayer, counting the many blessings from the vacation, not the minor bump from this day.



being silly





my baby hours before he got hurt



 

sisters


 

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