The Tourists, Sites, Sand & Sea Edition

Part 5, Days 6-9  Beachy Days

This is a VERY picture heavy post!

This trip was taken in June, I am just getting around to posting more now...

We checked out of Pensacola and headed to Perdido Key for our full beach/sand day.  The water was rough.  The "funniest" thing on this beach was the squeaky sand - DD LOVED that she could run on it and it sounded like really loud courdoroy pants.

 The heron just hung out and watched the kids play in the sand. He wasn't bothered at all!

 We enjoyed lunch at the Shrimp Basket - it was quite tasty! No frills but good food.

 We drove to Orange Beach, Alabama (yes, we'd go back...). We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites - it was a great resort and we wish we'd spent a little more time there.

We started off with daquiris for all (virgin for the kids!)

We rented beach chairs and umbrellas for a couple of hours. It was wonderful to relax and enjoy!

 In the entertaining category for this stop....First up - These two ladies sat in the water, each with a beer and were going to do EVERYTHING in their power to keep the saltwater out of it. We were dying laughing watching them.

 Second - the WalMart parking lot. Yes....you're not seeing things - it IS a golf cart!

We ordered pizza for dinner - hubby and kids were in bed by 8. I sat out on our balcony absorbing the last of the surf I would hear on this trip. It was heavenly!

DH & I got up at sunrise and took a walk on the beach (sunburned and all...)

It was a gorgeous morning!

We had breakfast at the hotel and headed for Fort Morgan then took the Mobile Bay Ferry

We stopped at The Shed for lunch then drove on to Canton, Mississippi for the night.

Day 8: We headed north toward Tupelo via part of the Natchez Trace Parkway. I was the only one of the four of us who enjoyed this part.

We stopped in Tupelo to see the Civil War Memorial

 and Elvis' birthplace

We headed into Tennessee to Shiloh National Military Park

The funniest thing we heard was a visitor talking to a park ranger:

"It's so hot out there that I saw a dog chasing a cat. They were both walking"

He had summed up the heat very well!  WHEW!

 We headed further north for the night - Sikeston, Missouri

For those of you with weak stomaches....scroll fast!

Yes, that is armadillo roadkill. But let me tell you a story about this picture. My husband had wanted to see an armadillo SO bad. So we were driving down the road and he literally locks up tthe brakes, backs up so I can take this picture... So - I guess he got his souvenier photo!

Onto a cheerier note - food!

Day 9 - We had a quick breakfast and headed into St. Louis (YEA!!!!). We had lunch at Pappy's Smokehouse.  YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!! (if you're ever in St. L - make it a stop!)

 This is the "Big Ben" at Pappy's - it feeds all 4 of us.

We made it home by mid-afternoon and got started on:

Mount Dirty Laundry

We all had a great time!

Just the stats:

We drove 2,834 miles through 7 different states

The most expensive gas we saw was when we left home: $3.68

The cheapest gas we saw was near Canton, MS: $2.89

One of the things that surprised us most was all the pine trees in Mississippi

I mentioned this southern gentleman from our tour of Beauvoir in Biloxi

DS dubbed him "Sean Connery" because he kept flirting with all the ladies on our tour in what we can only assume was his impression of Sean Connery. It was somewhat entertaining.

Thank you all for going along on our vacation with us.

(IF you are interested in seeing the other segments, click on the 'travel' tag to the left)

Country thoughts

Hey all!  Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. I've been a little under the weather...thank you to my co-workers who keep coming to work sick...  I am feeling better today.

I'm feeling some rambling thought rolling around in my head, you've been warned before younread this....

As the leaves are changing and harvest is in full swing in our area now, I reflect on my former "country days". When I was a kid living on the farm, I hated it! I felt all my friends were MILES away - in reality, we only lived a couple of miles from town and half of my friends lived on farms within a few miles of ours. Who didn't grow up in a small community that didn't go to a road party now and then? (Mom, you hear/read nothing....) Anyway.... I long to live on a farm - or at least in the country - again. I am glad I work indirectly in the ag industry (our company lends money to farmers). I have learned a lot about the business side of farming working on this side of the industry. It has been eye opening for me the last five years. I hope that my ag education doesn't stop anytime soon.

On the subject of small communities, I grew up near a town of about 700 people, my graduating class was 24 students.  We all knew everyone in the whole school and had a pretty good idea what everyone was up to.  As a parent and looking back at that, it's not bad that everyone's parents knew where you were, who you were with and what you were up to.

For those of you who would like to read a little more about country life, check out these blogs (these bloggers are GREAT!)

Prairie Princess
Dixie Creek Farm

Thanks for reading my ramblings.

Happy Sunday morning!

Last week was a LOOOOONNNGGGG work week.  Friday it was the ladies in the office only in the afternoon. So we grilled burgers and had a leisurely lunch hour. It was very nice!  Then, as it was a rainy day, one of the ladies offered to use a gift card she had to get us all a coffee/tea/etc.  it turned out to be a decent work day.  I got home to a silent house....ahhhhh!  So I got changed, cleaned the bathrooms, did some laundry - then came the phone call... DH asked if I could bring him his extra keys.  So I grabbed those and ran them to the job site.  It was a quiet evening after that.

Yesterday I got laundry caught up, at least for a day!  It was a chilly, windy day yesterday.  I got the Halloween cards done for my niece, nephews and kids. Our Huskies beat Kansas yesterday, we are all excited!

Today we're off to run errands and meet DD's favorite author.

How has your weekend been? What have you done?
Wishing you a wonderful day!

TGIF!

Finally....it's here - the weekend!

What are your weekend plans? I am hoping to get the house cleaned, maybe a little baking done and a lot of relaxing! I have some sewing projects that I want/need to get started. See this....

DD almost lost her mind when she saw it...so, I'm guessing a Halloween costume for her dolls will soon be forthcoming.  Damn you, Pinterest!!!!!

You can find the tutorial here: Fun Threads

I have some other doll outfits that need to be cut out and sewn (of course, after bedtime...)

Sorry, I got sidetracked... Sunday we have errands to run and DD is going to meet one of her favorite authors.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a great weekend!

HUGS!

To my on line friends

I feel I have been blessed to get to know so many friends through various message boards and blogs.  A few I have gotten to know VERY well and am in constant contact! A few have moved on with our lives without further contact.

None the less, you have all touched my life in some way and I thank you for that!

Thank you!

First, thank you to all my blog readers. I love having visitors, it inspires me to post more often.  I appreciate your comments.

My WONDERFUL hubby put a new window in our kitchen. It opens and doesn't let every bug in the county in. It's so nice to open it and get some fresh air now.

Yesterday morning on my way to work, I came upon the scene of a car vs. motorcycle accident. It was VERY scary!  I saw a lot more than I wanted to and according to accounts this morning, all are in stable condition.  It made me realize that there are very important things in life that I forget a lot of times.

*Tell those you love that you love them.
*Don't be afraid to give a hug
*Appreciate each day you have
*Don't drive faster than your guardian angel can fly (I think my grandmother told me that when I got my license)
*Take a little time each day to appreciate a small detail in something or someone

Sorry, I don't mean to be preachy (and hope I don't sound so) but those little words of wisdom snuck up on me yesterday.

On another note...I finally got up the guts to hand over my VERY rough draft of a story I've been working on for about 4 years to a friend to look at. I think I'm at a point now, that I can take critism and a critique without taking it the wrong way. I've sent in some short stories to a couple of contests and publications to no avail, but I won't give up. My goal is to have it all written by February (sorry A - I know I told you 3 months...). 

Not exactly sure what this coming weekend holds for us. I'm HOPING maybe to visit a farmer's market somewhere. One of DD's favorite authors is appearing at a local bookstore, so we might try to make it there to meet her.  Other than that, perhaps it will be a relaxing/cleaning/crafty weekend...

Wishing you all a great rest of the week!
What are you up to this weekend?

Tuesday

Is it Friday yet?
Yesterday was a LONG day...hoping the rest of the week goes a little faster.
I got some scrapping done this weekend, a little writing and knitting too.

September is National Sewing Month (hoping to do a little of that this coming weekend...)
Check out these sewing blogs:
Gingersnaps
The Yarnarian
Cheese Pirate
Ok, not DIRECTLY about sewing, but still cool:  Quilt Trail

What did you do this past weekend? Any plans for the upcoming weekend?

Have a GREAT week!

Mindless & stupid post

For those of you who stop by here now and then, you know of my "love" of Kenny Chesney.  My husband knows there is no real threat.  ;). I have a new country music crush Easton Corbin.  I enjoyed his first album when it came out and can't wait to hear his second.

What celebs do you have a crush on?

Why do I do this????

I have recently started a new addiction....

Pinterest!

O-M-G!  That seriously has to be the most amazing site...EVER!!!!!!!  I've been busy pinning and haven't really done anything to MAKE any of the items I've pinned.  Perhaps...soon!?

And what's worse...there's an app for it!  Now I can sit with my ipad in my lap and browse around.  OY!!!!!  

Where and when will the insanity end? Do I want it to?
But just in case I do want to end it...

Is there a 12 step program?


PS: I have one more vacation post (yes from our trip in JUNE....) to get up and I hope to do that in the next week.  Watch for another chapter of The Tourists (see the "travel" tag)

A new day!

Good morning readers!

After a crappy day yesterday, I am determined to have a better one today!

I had a productive evening. I unpacked two boxes of my craft stuff and got that all put away - I am ready to scrap!  I unpacked half of DD's books before I ran out of room.   We'll remedy that....  (maybe a trip to Ikea....). I got started making a card and did some laundry.  Our neighbors across the alley brought over tomatoes and a zucchini from their garden!  I had a turkey and tomato sandwich last night...mmmmmm!!!

Then it was guilty pleasure time....Dance Moms.  I hate to admit, I enjoy that show. Those moms are nuts! Next week is the reunion show, I will make sure to be sipping a cocktail while I watch that!

Today holds work for my schedule.  I'm hoping the full time gig holds no drama (ok....I'm sure there will be some) and that the part time gig allows me to work by myself tonight. [for those of you who are new readers...I work full time for an ag lending company and part time at our local library].
Tomorrow night is the Bears/Packers game.  GO BEARS!

I hope you are all having a good week and thank you for stopping by!
Hugs!!!

Bug or windshield?

I am shocked at the audacity of people sometimes. I was in a situation in which it came into question why I talk to certain people (I am dealing with "adults" here, not kids...).  And how feelings are hurt because I DO talk to these certain people. And how could I do that?
Ummmmm....because!  (that's my kid reply)
(Did I mention these are NOT kids I work with?)
I am still reeling from the conversation I had today and the questioning of my character. I feel a little insulted and a lot angry. 

I figure things can only go up from here, right?

It's been a good week so far...

A short work week for me this week - holiday on Monday; work outing tomorrow & Friday.

I finished proofreading a book for an author - it is due out next month. It is a good story and as the pub date gets closer, I will post a review and give more info.  She made me week though! Thanks, Laura!!!!!

I have a niece to add to my three nephews! She is adorable and doing well.

I got a little scrapbooking done and I am hoping over the weekend, I can sneak a little more crafty time in...

Hope you're all having a great week and thanks for stopping by.
HUGS!

Gratitudes

I know I'm a day "late" this week, but....
*My new niece
*Ramona Quimby
*A wonderful author friend
*A nice weekend with my family
*Movies and crocheting
*DS feeling better!!!!
*My blog visitors and their wonderful comments

May you have a wonderful week!

Book review - The Twelfth Child

The Twelfth Child

by Bette Lee Crosby

I was honored by the author to be asked to read and review this book.  Thank you, Ms. Crosby!

Publisher summary:  Trust, love and friendship—Abigail Anne Lannigan searched for these things all her life; now, when she is at the tail end of her years she teams up with a free-spirited young woman, a nobody from nowhere, who suddenly moves in across the street. It’s an unlikely friendship which comes under suspicion when a distant relative, claims embezzlement. One million dollars is miss...more Trust, love and friendship—Abigail Anne Lannigan searched for these things all her life; now, when she is at the tail end of her years she teams up with a free-spirited young woman, a nobody from nowhere, who suddenly moves in across the street. It’s an unlikely friendship which comes under suspicion when a distant relative, claims embezzlement. One million dollars is missing and only Abigail knows the truth of what happened – but, she’ll never get the chance to tell.

The Twelfth Child, a novel rich with emotion, humor and tenderness, explores the splintered relationships of a Shenandoah Valley family and their willful daughter’s struggle to survive America’s Great Depression and overcome the past.

My summary:  Wow! What a great read! Fantastic, lovable characters, an interesting and entertaining storyline. Abigail Anne is a strong woman and a character I think female readers, especially, will like. I recommend you read this! Especially if you enjoy southern fiction.
I give this:  4 out of 5 stars