Vacation Part I - Panama Beach City

We're on vacation ... well, actually, we're combining some vacation time with a business conference, but who cares! VACATION ... WOOHOO!!!

On our way to the conference, we stopped over in Panama City Beach, Florida. The water is a beautiful clear aqua ... gorgeous! The last time I saw a beach this beautiful I was in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. White, white sands and clear aqua ocean. That's what I'm talking about!

Our hotel was on the beach and our room was on the 14th floor. No problem. Except ...

I really hate high places. I mean I really, really hate heights.

When the boys were little and I'd take them to the observatory of a tall building ... the Empire State Building for instance ... I would always hold onto the back of their shirts while they peered out the windows. Intellectually I knew they weren't going to fall out the window, but I wasn't taking any chances. My palms would sweat and I would grip their shirts ... just in case.

These days if I go up in a high building, I stay to the center of the building. Glass windows, steel bars, nothing makes me feel safe. I have to hug the center of the building.

Sooooo, we went up the elevator to the 14th floor (I averted my eyes from the glass side of the elevator that shows how high we were going). We stepped out into the elevator foyer and around the corner to get to our room.

Big surprise! An open air hallway!

We were on the 14th floor and we had wide open spaces to our right. YAAA! I kept my eyes on the floor till I made it to the room.

And what a lovely room!

We enjoyed the view from the balcony.

And we loved our walk on the beach. Such a beautiful beach.


My sweet darlin' and I picking up shells.

Taking foot shots.

And having beach hugs. (Images in the picture are not as large as they seem. Really. Really!)

Probably the most interesting person we met on the beach was a rabbit named Gracie. Although we weren't expecting to see a rabbit on the beach, we were completely charmed by him. Yes, HIM. His owners thought he was a female when they named him. But isn't he pretty. He almost disappears in the white sand, doesn't he?

The last morning we were there, we sat at the table next to the window, both of us tapping away on our laptops and I began to feel strange. I looked out the window. Hmmm. Now what does that remind me of?

Uh oh.

Are we in a Hitchcock movie?

In spite of the thrills, chills and quirky rabbits, we're really enjoying this vacation thing so far. We may do this again. HA!

Family Picnic

Our family picnic went very well. There was lots of talking .... eating ... laughing ... eating .... singing ... eating and sitting around the fire ... eating.

It was great to visit with loved ones, young and not as young.

Andy & Jeanie

Ginger, Amanda & Bailey

Sunny & Hillary

It was great to sing with Uncle Junior playing the guitar. And I loved singing with Alice when we didn't want anyone to listen. We just love to sing together.

Jeanie's soup was fabulous.

Joe

James & Jamie

There was a little fishing.

Billie & Max

That's one happy fisherman!

And Jadon got to skateboard a little.

Something for everyone. Including ... did I mention? .... EATING.

Hillary & Max

When it was time to head for home I found myself teary-eyed. It was much. Too. Short.

I was reminded of the scene in An Affair to Remember when the boat whistle blows and Cary Grant's character tells his grandmother Janu it's time to leave. Her response is, "I don't like boat whistles!"

I felt the same way. I don't like boat whistles.

LOVE MY FAM!!

Sister's Weekend 2010

Every year my sisters and I get together for a long weekend of laughin’, singin’, hootin’ and hollerin’. How blessed I am to have 5 wonderful sisters and a long weekend to enjoy them! This year we stayed at a wonderful B&B really old log cabin in Fredericksburg, Texas. It was filled with antiques and was totally charming.

BEFORE THE TRIP. From the left Alice, Jeanie, me (hiding behind the others) and Billie. We look perky and ready to go, huh?

Before arriving at Fredericksburg, we stopped at Enchanted Rock State Park. Billie wanted to do a little hiking. She’s hiker #1. Hiker #2 made it a leetle farther up the rock than we did.

The Haussegen Bed & Breakfast is just one block from Main Street --- sooooo close to all that shopping!

There was a wonderful patio area on the side. Great place to share an early morning cup of coffee. Lovely, isn’t it? So cool and peaceful.

These are random shots of the lovely rooms and furnishings. I took soooo many pictures. There are some great decor ideas in this cabin.

Interesting furnishings & details.

Really loved this primitive cat pillow.

AFTER THE TRIP. What’s really amazing about this picture is that we’re still smiling and a little perky! Ha!

Mother's Day

Our house was in a bit of a turmoil recently. Andy came home for a couple of months to have hernia surgery and Mark's car was on the blink for a few weeks, so I was nursing one and chauffeuring the other. Not that I'm complaining -- I enjoy being with my boys and I got to spend some good quality time with both of them. But my time went from 12 hours a day alone to zero hours a day. Sooooo, not much was going on in production with my Etsy shops.

Due to the wonderful Neil Sperry class I took in January (a Christmas gift from DH), my focus has all been on landscaping. So when DH asked what I might want for Mother's day, I immediately said TREES!

We have a few trees on our property, but only one helps to shade the house in summer. Soooo, we took my Neil Sperry list of the best trees for North Central Texas and went shopping. Initially we were just going to get one tree -- digging a hole in North Central Texas takes a pick-ax ---literally a pick ax. However, the nursery had trees on sale, so we bought 4 trees. Two Shumard Oaks and two Chinese Pistache. I am especially excited about the Chinese Pistache because they offer spring and fall color as well as shade in the summer. And since they are deciduous, the sun can shine right through and give us warmth in the winter.

On Mother's Day we planted three of the trees -- digging those holes isn't easy! Andy was still pretty knocked up from the surgery, so he sat and watched while Bob and Mark dug the holes.

We took pictures with one of the Chinese Pistaches for posterity. Hopefully we can get a picture each year. It will be interesting to look back at how each of us changes ... including the tree.

Hope your Mother's Day was wonderful. Mine was!