Beach Week Part II

I just realized why I have such a hard time scrapbooking. I just like so many of my pictures. Suppose that's because I haven't developed a very discerning eye, but hey, they're my pictures and my scrapbooks. Unfortunately for you, that bleeds over into some of my posts. So, now you are warned. Below are my favorite people pictures from the beach, except for a few for which I have a post idea. Maybe I'll get to that at some point although my track record for getting back to good ideas isn't that great. Sorry for the tangent....here they are in no particular order.

By the end of the week, the water was very smooth and calm. (I made the mistake of saying it was like glass one day. CBT quickly corrected me. Glass is perfectly smooth. This water was not.) They were able to snorkel in the water that was almost smooth as glass.

You all must promise not to tell Dr. Sabini, my dermatologist. Yes, I was fried by the end of the week. I tried to keep sunscreen on, but there are those spots on your back and shoulders that are just impossible. Notice the boys just tan. :(

We made more than one game for playing in the pool....even when it was raining. We had a blast out there - it was a very cool pool.

Besides the fact that I love James's smile in this picture, I confess it is a gratuitous plug for the Tide. Roll Tide, Roll. (What a great game last night, but that's for another post.)

This trip was a lot about Daddy feeling better after starting his chemo. Doesn't he look great? He was feeling better by the end of the week - I'm sure the "let's attack Papa" rounds helped. (And, I am happy to report he's doing better after adjusting the dosage.)

And, we must keep things balanced. This is my dear, sweet Mother. (Sorry, Mama. I figured neither one of us has on makeup and we're both in pajamas so at least we're even in my inclusion of this picture.) She worked really hard keeping us all fed and generally taking care of us.

Christopher found some critter and was sharing it with Aunt Tammy (I'm sure she was thrilled) and James. Did I mention I wish I was still there?

Beach Week Part I

I've been pondering if I should apology for being behind and catching up if that is my perpetual state. I'm guessing probably not, so I'll just jump right in.

Last week, we were at the beach. It always a wonderful time...we go with my parents and sister and just do NOTHING. This year's week was particularly well-timed. I hadn't had any real vacation time this year. My dad had just started his chemo (which he stopped before we left - an entire other story), but the rest did him so much good. We simply had a great time.

The first night we were there, Claudette hit land right where we were so there was a lot of rain and wind, but we survived just fine.

The first day was a little overcast, but the rest of the week was phenomenal. I love seeing the water, hearing the waves and walking in the sand. It always makes me think of just how cool God is to just make all this up and let us enjoy it.

Pictures of play to come. You can check at some other photos of our trip at www.candisnaps.com.

Free Time after Nationals

Yep. I do know we've been back a couple of weeks from Nationals, but I've been a little bit busy. I'll get to that part in due course (but not in this post).

We spent an afternoon at Elk Lake outside Bend. For lunch we had the most divine sweet potato fries and cheeseburger at the lodge. The root beer float that was out of this world.

How touristy? Just had to have James in front of the elk at Elk Lake.

He loves to try new things. Ms Asha wanted to kayak so, of course, James was game for that.

I enjoyed watching him enjoy himself and the scenery was simply beautiful.

He gave canoeing a go, also. I don't think there's anything he wouldn't try.

It was just a great afternoon.

St. George Island

Our almost annual trip to the beach was last week.  It was probably one of my most eventful trips ever.  It started out as part of a bribe of Christopher not to try out for All Stars earlier this summer.  Part of the negotiation was a trip to the beach, the choice of beach and the choice of house at the beach.    There were some extras (see Six Flags discussion).  Not a bad negotiator for a 7-year-old.  (Now, before I proceed, just a couple of comments.  I know the pictures don't match the verbiage.  I started out making it match, but after an hour of having pictures disappear and letters suddenly becoming 10x the size they are supposed to be, you are stuck with just some pictures.  Deal with it.  When I become a master blogger you will be able to expect more.  Also, I don't normally put pictures of myself, but my dad liked this picture and it was at the beginning of the download so this one is for him.)

We were supposed to leave for St. George Island on Sunday to stay at Cut Bait.  We stayed in this house in 2004 - it has some wicked metal steps up to the roof, which Christopher was terrified of then.  He has been been on a kick this year of conquering his fears.  I think that had a lot to do with his choice.  That and the fact that it has a private pool.  My parents had  gone with us before and they decided they wanted to go with us.  Well.....on Friday night, we got an e-mail that the electricity on the island was "intermittent" and going was at "our own risk."  Now, what in the world did that mean?  It was virtually impossible to get additional information.  Furthermore, Fay was beginning to bear down on the coast.  It looked like she would landfall close to us around Tuesday.  We didn't know what to do.  Christopher really wanted to go to  Cut Bait so he prayed we would have  electricity and that we wouldn't be in a hurricane.

We had electricity and beautiful weather until Tuesday or so when a park ranger sighted a water spout just off the island and a tornado warning was issued.  We ushered the kids down into the stair area and waited it out for a few minutes.  That quick thunderstorm blew over and the next day we were back to beautiful skies.  Wednesday we had some great waves, but James and I also met up with a jellyfish.  In 43 years of playing in the Gulf I had never met one that close and personal and I hope to never do it again.  (I'm not sure which was worse, that jellyfish or the seemingly millions of mosquitoes.)  Honestly, it was probably time to go in any way.  Keith and I were trying to hold onto the boys to help them catch waves, but were getting the snot knocked out of us.

As we went into Thursday we began to see that Fay would eventually get to us with a lot of rain.  We didn't want to get back late Sunday and had already started talking about leaving Saturday.  If it were going to be raining any way, maybe we should go ahead a leave.  Then, as the rain began piling up, we got a little concerned about getting stuck there so we left Friday when it started to rain.  I have to say, though, God heard Christopher's sweet prayers.  We had power the entire week and we had great weather until Friday.

We stayed with my parents 2 nights trying to avoid the tornadoes and torrential rains - they had over 6 inches in the roughly 36 hours we were with them.  My sister and I ran to Wal-Mart and saw cart corrals blowing across the parking lot.  Very weird.  Finally, Sunday morning we decided to head back to Atlanta.  Not 20 miles out of Troy, our engine light came on.  Long story short....we made it to Opelika where my brother facilitated a repair.

All in all, we had fun in the waves, at the beach, in the pool, visiting with my parents, staying up well past midnight watching the Olympics, going on at least one very long walk, riding bikes, playing tennis - now I need a VACATION!!