Memorial Day Weekend Fun

Memorial Day Weekend is crazy in our little beach town.  Every boat, smallest to largest, suddenly needs to make a trip out to Shell Island... Yes, we are among them and we head out too and are always amazed when we arrive to this...

Rich and I always look at each other and harken back many years ago to that moment in which he was treading water and demanded that I "throw him the d.... anchor" Not our best boating moment...but certainly memorable...HOWEVER...

 We smile at the masses of boats and continue along the island until we find a spot quiet enough that even the birds wander about...One of these years we need to get up reallllly early...!

On Monday Katelyn had to work all day at Deja Vu...so Rich and I decided to spend the day with Chelsea...she's been neglected lately what with Kate's graduation and all (HaHa);)

We started the morning in Rosemary Beach for breakfast...

Had to take a picture with the Fabulous Gigi's sign!!

 One day Claire (the superhero) will call me on the phone and say..."hey Gigi" :)...unless of course she decides to call me something else ;)... Okay, back to Memorial Day...

Next stop...Seaside...

Where we shopped...

Okay...well Rich found a newspaper...Chelsea and I shopped

And Chelsea tried a Lime-in-the-Coconut shaved ice from Frostbites

We stopped at Sundog books...Rich found a book by a local author and I found a book about England...

When we got back to Carillon, Chelsea and I headed down to the beach while Rich did a 14 mile bike ride...

We ate Salt Water Taffy and talked and read and I played cards...

While Chelsea napped...I took a walk...and looked for shells

Rested and feeling creative...

Chelsea decided to play in the sand

Awww cute!

Going to the Chapel...

Last night Rich and I went to a wedding.  The bride was beautiful, the mother of the bride was beautiful...I don't know the groom or his mother, but she was beautiful too! And the groom could not take his smiling eyes off of the young woman standing beside him at the altar!!

The bride's dad had tears in his eyes during the evening festivities, but you know mixed in with the wistfulness of watching his little girl take that step toward her future, he had to be thinking...but this boy loves her so much and that's a very good thing! 

At the beautiful outdoor reception there was dancing and eating and children running around and catching up with very dear old friends and cake cutting and a sweet Taylor Swift sing-along between the bride and her maid of honor. The bride's mom told us that she was happy because the day had been everything her daughter had wished for and planned (because that is how it happens you know...with a plan).

Isn't it wonderful that weddings are a celebration and a testimony before God and man...not a signing of a document in some stuffy office somewhere. And we the witnesses come away blessed...it's a God thing. And yes, I know that weddings are a lot of work...but I kinda think that being a wedding planner might be a grand job!!

What do you like about a wedding...

The Dress...

The Cake...

The Bride's Bouquet...

The ceremony when the rings are exchanged...

Perhaps the Getaway Car...

If you love weddings visit this blog... you won't be disappointed!!

http://www.postcardsandpretties.blogspot.com/

Getting Ready for Israel

Katelyn is going to Israel with her bible study group on June 8th.  Her group of 9 will team up with others as part of a Focus on the Family "That the World May Know" Tour. I have done some studies from this series by Ray Vander Laan and I am so excited for Kate (and a weee little bit jealous).  It will be an experience of a lifetime for her and the others!!

With graduation behind us now we have been focusing on paperwork and packing lists and breaking in hiking shoes!  In the last week Katelyn has logged 15 miles and has added running the bridge (the only "hill" in Panama City) to her workouts.  Because they will be hiking through Israel (approximately 100 miles total) in 100 degree heat her suitcase will be full of hiking shorts and dri-weave t-shirts and polos.  Those of you who know Katelyn know that she loves clothes and shoes...but in all of our shopping trips we have never had Bass Pro Shop on our list...until now!! But being the true shoppers that we are we managed...and yes...she even found a hat that will actually shield her face from the sun!

Yesterday I downloaded some final paperwork that needed to be filled out and returned...

Now I have dealt with a few responsibility consent forms as both parent and teacher in my day...However I don't recall seeing stuff about civil disturbances, epidemics, quarantines, acts of terrorism, and wars whether declared or not... listed as possible problems!  YIKES!

So all of you friends out there please add Katelyn and the Israel Study Team to your prayer lists... They will be gone June 8th-23 but some pre-trip prayers would be greatly appreciated ;)!!

What's in your beach bag?

I am at the beach for the weekend and actually today I was all by myself ...kinda nice :)  I decided a day of rest was in order so I put on a swimsuit and coverup and dashed across the street to Publix where I picked up just what I wanted for my day at the beach.  Back at the condo I gathered all of my stuff and put it in the biggest beach bag I have! I took Gabby out for a walk, and then off I went*

One look at this glorious day and I couldn't resist the call...

Going anywhere...even Publix waaayyy out on the west end requires a cover-up because I am certain that there is an unwritten rule about women of a certain age running about in a bathing suit!

This super cute cover-up is from a beach shop called

From Peaches to Beaches

Back from the store, I packed up my giant beach bag with all kinds of stuff to keep me fed, watered,

 and entertained for the day!!

Have you tried Coconut M&Ms...great beach snack that doesn't melt!!

Is there anything truly more relaxing than sitting under a giant umbrella eating watermelon while playing solitaire or finishing a good book or watching the water lap up onto the powdery white sand or drifting off into a nap??...Well I did all of those things and I have to say that today it was just what I needed!

That's our chair on the end...Paradise 501

It seemed a perfect day for kayaking or sailing...just a hint of a breeze

But not so much breeze that I couldn't play solitaire with my deck of GIANT can you see me now...cards!

But as it goes...all good things must come to an end and so late in 

 the afternoon I packed up my stuff and trekked back to the condo

So I am very curious...what is in your beach bag?

*This actually happened on Friday...but I couldn't get the pictures to load onto my laptop sooooo I waited till we were back in town on Sunday to post :)

SUMMERTIME!!

It is officially Summertime at our house...so to kick off this grand season here are a few of my favorite Summer things!

A windsock blowing in the breeze...

Blue adirondack chairs...

Windchimes...blowing in the breeze...

Claire enjoying a cold drink of water from a hi-tech sippy cup...

and sporting new Crocs...

A new sunhat by SCALA and the Best of Summer magazine...

This beautiful book about summer with Matthew Mead is better than cool

It is eye candy for the winter-weary soul...

blooming hydrangeas...pink or blue

Planning an awesome trip far enough in advance that I get to

enjoy the anticipation...

finding the perfect pair of white wedge sandals...

and a summer straw bag that literally holds everything...

Enjoying a slice of paradise...

blueberries, raspberries, and cherries...

doing bible study outside...

What do you love about summer?