You might be a redneck if....

The past few weekends have been quite busy. We visited with friends who are moving away and enjoyed the children's end of year school activities.

End of School Year and Moves

Our friends Lisa, Mark, Jacob and Jeremy are moving to Colorado Springs and they had us over to their home last weekend and visited with us one last time on Sunday. Being the great influence that we are, Lisa and Mark bought a truck with a camper on it that will be Lisa's home in Colorado until the house is sold here in Georgia. It is a great alternative while in transition like that. They have decided to "stop and smell the diesel." :-)

Rachel and Anna both had water day parties and then their end of year school programs. We stayed for Anna's program but left for Florida and missed Rachel's end of year program. We gave her the choice of leaving for the beach earlier and skipping the program or staying. She chose the beach. Her teacher presented her with her certificate and a beautiful scrapbook that Mrs. Crawford made for Rachel throughout the year.

Memorial Day Weekend

We traveled to Florida this past weekend and stayed at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach. This was our second trip to Topsail. Our first visit was last June and we enjoyed it so much that we wanted to go again this year. It didn't disappoint us either time.

The park itself is immaculate and the camp sites offer a good bit of privacy. And, the best part is that it is only a short distance to the beach. It's a good idea to bring a bike as that is the easiest and quickest way to access the beach from the park. The beach area for the park is pristine and not very crowded. The best part is that it is more of a family beach so it's relatively peaceful and lacks the huge skyscraping hotels, tiki bars and loud boom boxes. Of course the emerald waters and white sand beaches are absolutely beautiful. One day while at the beach, we caught one of the small crabs and Rachel named him "Sandy." We let Sandy burrow back in the sand shortly after catching him.

We met Harold and Gail there for the weekend and their camper was parked behind ours. Rachel and Anna slept each night with them instead of in our RV. They enjoyed the time spent with Grandma and Poppa. And, Jeff and I enjoyed having the camper to ourselves each night. That is a rare treat.

We arrived on Thursday and came back home on Monday. We spent Friday at the beach, Saturday at the park pool, and then back to the beach on Sunday before deciding that we had enough of Vitamin D to last us a long while. Anna is our coppertone baby. She just tans in the sun. Rachel, on the other hand, is like her Momma. Even with the same sunscreens and other protective measures, we still get sun burn. Rachel even has freckles on her face like me. In many ways, she is a mini-me.

The wind was blowing pretty hard so it was perfect for flying a kite. But, the ocean was pretty rough. The temperature of the water was still pretty cool too. So, we didn't venture far into the water. While taking a break from the pool on Saturday, I rode my bike around the park and found a beautiful pond filled with lilly pads. You'll see a close up of one of the lilly pads at the beginning of this post.

On Thursday night we had dinner at Bayou Bill's Crab House. And, on Saturday we traveled to Panama City and enjoyed dinner at the Treasure Ship's Main Dining Room. I have to admit that Panama City was very disappointing. It has been over 13 years since I visited Panama City and I couldn't believe on delipidated it seemed. Panama City used to be the place of choice for seniors after high school graduation and for House Party and Spring Break during my college years. The Miracle Strip was the place to cruise each night. Yes, it's always been known as one of the "redneck rivieras" but what we saw was not the Panama City I remembered.

Dinner at the Treasure Ship was a treat. It was my first time to ever eat there and a first for Rachel and Anna. They enjoyed visiting with the pirates and we all enjoyed the view of the bay from the restaurant. We tried the main dining room for dinner. The food was a bit pricey but I would definitely recommend it for other families visiting Panama City. And, Bayou Bill's is a great family choice in Santa Rosa Beach.

We drove on Hwy 98 while traveling to Panama City and then we took Hwy 30A driving back to Santa Rosa Beach. All of the quaint towns along Hwy 30A were interesting and some were very nice. We drove through Seaside and other similiar developments. Seaside is a town where some scenes in the movie The Truman Show (starring Jim Carrey) was filmed. After a long drive back to Santa Rosa Beach, we decided to visit Brusters Ice Cream for some dessert. We have a Brusters in our home town but have rarely patronized it, mainly because it is located very close to Baskin Robbins and Baskin Robbins has my favorite ice cream. The ice cream was a great treat to end the day.

The weather was absolutely beautiful throughout the weekend and we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather.

Those reading this may be wondering why I titled this post "you might be a redneck if...." It's not because of my discussion of Panama City. It is because of a comment made to us while staying at Topsail. We brought our ferrets with us which we usually do. The ease of portability while traveling was one of the reasons we chose ferrets. Because we do take them with us, we bought a portable, configurable fence that is large enough that the ferrets can run around and play and the girls can get into the fence with them to play. This works great as it allows the ferrets some time out of their cage without the fear of them running away...or at least the fence slows them down so that we can catch them before they scale the side and jump out. One afternoon the girls were playing with the ferrets in the fence outside on our patio. A man and woman walking by our camper noticed them and asked us if Rachel and Anna were "playing with puppies?" We replied that they were "playing with ferrets." So, this couple walked up and struck up a conversation with us asking us about the ferrets. Now, this isn't unusual. Most people that we have encountered have been extremely friendly and a pleasure to speak with. And, it's not atypical to strike up a conversation with people to discuss their camper, places they've traveled to, etc. We met one man this past weekend whose wife died in December of 2006. He now travels with a lab that his wife bought for him before he died. He has tried to find a companion who might enjoy traveling with him through e-harmony on-line but hasn't had any luck just yet. He reminded me of just how fragile life is and how every day is precious. Then there is an 80-year old man who had trouble walking through the parking lot but tells us he is still active square dancing. He reminded me of how despite our circumstances, we can still make the best of what we have. And, last but not least, the family whose son was camping for the weekend who is in the Army and will be deploying to Iraq in a few months. They reminded me of how precious time is with our family and friends. Now, back to the couple inquiring about our ferrets.

After we answered their questions about the ferrets the man said "Well, rednecks never cease to amaze me." To which Jeff replied, "I'll take that as a compliment." You could tell that the woman then realized that her husband may have overstepped some congenial bounds with the comment and they quickly excused themselves and went on their merry way.

Jeff Foxworthy defines a redneck as someone who lacks sophistication. And, we aren't sophisticated nor high maintenance people. And, if being a redneck is what those people weren't, I will definitely take that as a compliment too.

Westward Bound

Jeff will be starting a new job in a few weeks. Before he starts his new job, we are planning time off to drive west in our motorhome. Rachel and Anna will be staying with Harold and Gail in Alabama during this trip. We figured we did a family trip for a week in Orlando at the end of April and this recent trip to the beach. The trip out west may be the last long trip that Jeff and I will be able to take for a very long time as leave from work is always tough to come by for long periods. We plan to go to Yellowstone National Park, Badlands National Park, the Grand Teton National Park and other areas near there. Jeff worked at Yellowstone one summer while in college and he has always told me about the beautiful areas out there. After almost 13 years of marriage, I'll finally get to see all of the areas that he has told me about. It will be the longest road trip we have made to date in our motorhome. And, I can't wait. We never had a honeymoon after we got married. So, I guess we can call this our much delayed honeymoon. And, with our 13-year anniversary coming up in June, I'd say it's about time that we had a honeymoon. I can't wait for our western adventure to begin. We'll be leaving June 7th and won't be back for two weeks.

Mother's Day 2007

Children are a great comfort in your old age - and they help you reach it faster, too. ~Lionel Kauffman

I called my Mother the day before Mother's Day. And, Jeff and I called his Mom on Mother's Day. Since they live several hours away from us, we weren't able to visit with them on Mother's Day.

I had a great Mother's Day. We packed a lunch and headed to the lake for a picnic and to feed the ducks. Anna always stands up on the picnic table to feed them. I guess duck are a bit intimidating to her since they are her height. After lunch, we stopped at the RV campground that we used to call home and visited with the camp hosts, Norm and Sharon. They backfilled us on the happenings at the campground since we left.

Rachel and Anna made the sweetest gifts for me at school. On Friday morning, Rachel's class hosted a "Muffins with Mom" breakfast. And, both Rachel and Anna brought home crafts they had made at school for me. Anna gave me a picture she painted and the whole entire page was red. I didn't really think much of that fact until she told me "Mommy, I painted it red because that is your favorite color." I thought that was so thoughtful of her....something that seemed so benign had so much thought put into it...particularly for a 4 year old.

Additionally, Jeff helped them make a framed photo/hand print gift for me. Jeff jokingly started complaining about how he didn't get any gifts and Mom got everything on Mother's Day. Rachel replied, "Dad, stop grumping. You'll get something on Father's Day." It was pretty funny to witness. Now, if they would just be so understanding when they don't get a gift when it's their siblings birthday.

While I love my children with all of my heart, I will be the first to admit that there are days I wonder if I'm cut out for this motherhood gig. You will always hear women go on and on about how wonderful motherhood is but you won't hear many tell you about their crazy parenting moments. I think one of my favorite videos to watch is "Bill Cosby, Himself." He has the funniest commentary about parenting in that video and so much of it is true! One prerequisite for parenting is having a sense of humor; otherwise you just won't survive. How many parents can remember saying, "look at the camera and smile." All we want is one good family photo...is that too much to ask. But...noooooooo. As you can see, Anna is not smiling in my Mother's Day picture. But, then again, I have given up on those perfect photos. And, in the end, I guess this photo is more indicative of who she is anyway.

I think God sends us the moments of "Mommy, I painted it red because that is your favorite color" so we don't go running screaming into the night. :-)

And, when you show up at work with two different shoes just remember this....

Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children. ~Sam Levenson

Stone Mountain, Georgia

"....let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia."~~Martin Luther King, Jr.

We visited Stone Mountain, Georgia, this past weekend for the first time. We decided to make this trip to meet our friends, Pete & Gabrielle and their children Lia & Krista.
We had hoped to take the RV and stay at the park but we didn't because we had just got it back from service again and the camper had a bunch of ants. So, we decided to drive up for the day only and return home that night.
We left first thing in the morning on Saturday and arrived by 10 am. The weather was gorgeous for the bulk of the day but we did get a few showers in the late afternoon.

The town is named for Stone Mountain, the largest exposed granite dome in North America. Stone Mountain is also the site of a famous giant carving commemorating the military leaders of the Confederacy as well as a state park and museum, including a tourist railroad.

Not longer after arriving we ate the lunch I had packed and then started touring the park. The first thing we did was ride the train. The train stopped at the base of the mountain and in our infinite wisdom, we decided to hike up the mountain. The hike is approximately 1.4 miles and all uphill. It was a bit hot on Saturday as well. The heat combined with the height was not a pleasant experience for Rachel and she made it known to everyone. I believe she screamed for the entire last 1/4 mile up to the top. She didnt like the heat (she's not much into sweating). She didn't like the height. Anna did a good job on this trip where the hike was concerned. Usually, she's not very fond of physical exertion either when it comes to walking. But, she actually did well this time. Despite much moaning and groaning, we did make it to the top. Anna had the most fun splashing in the water puddles at the top! Then, we rode the skylift back down the mountain.

The children were then ready to go play at the various playground areas and the Talking Water Fountain (which we determined didn't talk but shot water out at people). While at the playground, Rachel attempted the rock climbing wall. She made it a little over half way up before deciding to quit. She's not real fond of heights. Anna wanted to do it but they would not allow her to since her shorts were wet. I would've loved to see her climb as well to see if she would've continued to the top or not.

The girls had a blast getting soaked. It was shortly after that when the first rain fall hit. We went to the 3-D movies on site after the playground and then started heading to the barn when we got caught in the rain fall.

We stopped at the covered ticketing area and the girls had a great time playing in the rain. Last up on the list was the visit to the barn where every male who entered became a child again. While there are signs that state "no throwing," every man (and child) immediately picks up the foam balls and starts throwing.

After a full day, we decided to head home around 3:30. We stopped a O.B.'s Bar-B-Que in McDonough, GA. All I can say is, "yummy!" And, since it was Mothers Day weekend, I got my meal for free. It was a yummy dinner and I highly recommend the ribs to anyone traveling through who stops there.

Orlando, FL....again

A man should never neglect his family for business. ~~Walt Disney

We had already scheduled a trip to Orlando for the weekend so that we could make good use of the annual passes that we purchased. Our plans were to meet up with Thomas, Nicola and their children for the weekend. As it turned out, I was requested to stay the following week for business so Jeff and the children stayed with me and we enjoyed Orlando for the entire week.

We spent the weekend with Thomas, Nicola, Britney (& Ricky, Britney's boyfriend), Trenton, and Trevor (aka "The Bear"). We arrived Friday afternoon. We spent Saturday at the Magic Kingdom and Sunday at MGM Studios. Thomas and family joined us at Fort Wilderness Sunday evening for dinner at our camper. We grilled burgers and hotdogs and then spent a short time at the Fort Wilderness outdoor theater enjoying s'mores.

Thomas and family returned home on Monday and we continued our stay through the week. We went to Sea World on Monday. We ate lunch at the Sharks Grill and the girls enjoyed the water play area in the afternoon. We sat in the splash zone for the Shamu show and Rachel was panicking at first. We were high enough that we didn't get wet but she was still fretting over it for the beginning of the show.




For the remainder of the week, we hit various parks as time allowed after I was done with work Tuesday-Thursday. Some firsts for us on this trip included Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom. We never did this ride previously because we were there when the weather was cooler and a water ride never seemed appealing. Anna loved the ride. Rachel hated it and vows to never get on it again. Rachel isn't too keen about getting water in her face and she got pretty wet on the ride.

I took Anna on the Kali River Rapids ride at the Animal Kingdom. We both got soaked but loved the ride anyway. Rachel rode Mount Everest at the Animal Kingdom on this trip. She loved the ride and keeps calling it "Mount Neverest." And, we all rode Test Track together at Epcot for the first time on this trip. The children weren't tall enough to ride it with us before this trip. Rachel, Jeff and I all rode Mission Space on this trip as well. Anna was still too small to ride Mission Space. I did the wimpy version with Rachel and Jeff did the full version alone. Honestly, there are much better rides than Mission Space. I've flown in a real aircraft and pulled real Gs. I don't need a simulator for this thrill and I knew it would make me nauseous anyway. I've never been able to stomach the simulator rides very well or any ride that goes fast backwards.

Our friend, Roger, joined us a few nights and hung out with us as well. It's always great to see Roger!
We also watched the Spectro Magic Parade one night at the Magic Kingdom. It reminded me a lot of the electric light parade of old. It was nice to see once but overall we skip many of the parades...if you've seen one....you've seen 'em all pretty much. We'd rather be on the rides!

Rachel also got to meet Captain Jack Sparrow on this trip and she was dubbed an honorary pirate. She's pretty proud of her certificate. And, I have to admit, the cast member looked just like Captain Jack Sparrow.


Having annual passes has been great. It removes the pressure to squeeze everything in to a short period. And, honestly, you can't see everything in a short period anyway. There is just too much to see and do at each of the parks. I could spend days at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot alone. We had planned to return this summer for the Star Wars time period at MGM but I think we have reconsidered that trip. I just can't imagine standing in 100 degree heat when its packed beyond belief.

I received notification while we were out of town that Anna was selected for the 4-year old pre-k program at the local public school for the fall. Children locally are selected by lottery for the 4-year old program so we were one of the lucky families selected. Now, Rachel and Anna will both be going to the same school and Rachel will be starting kindergarten in the fall. I'm glad we got the annual passes this year so we could really get our moneys worth from them. When they are both in school full time, we won't have the luxury of going any time of the year that we want like we have done this year.

In the end, I think Walt had it right when he said, "a man should never neglect his family for business." Life is too doggone short and in my case, I actually got to to mix a little bit of business and family together this past week and it made for a nice long visit with Mr. Disney's theme parks. We had a blast!

The Clueless Parent of the Year Award Goes To....

The Clueless Parent of the Year Award Goes To....Me!

We left over a week ago to go to Orlando for a vacation. I packed up the RV prior to leaving.

As usual, I packed some snacks including Anna's favorite snack...cheetos.I bought the baked crunchy type of cheetos and never noticed anything else unusual about the bag. However, each time Anna ate the cheetos, I always noticed this blueish-green coloring around her mouth. I kept thinking maybe she had wiped marker across her mouth. Our children have the washable markers and its not unusual for Anna to wear as much color as she puts on paper. But, it seemed so unusual that the timing of the blueish green color on her mouth to coincide with a snack or meal. I guess this happened about three times over the course of eight days.

Well, today, my next door neighbor's 13 year old daughter, Landon, ate lunch with us. And, during the course of the meal we were joking that Anna had that color on her mouth again. Now, Jeff and I were wondering if she had been sucking on a marker. We could not figure out where in the heck she was getting this coloring from.Landon said, "I wonder if Anna is eating the new Shrek cheetos?" She went on to say "they've been advertising it a lot on TV." Jeff and I rarely watch TV...much less commercials. We don't even have cable or satellite service because we just don't watch much TV. So, we had not seen any of the commercials.

Sure enough....I had bought the Shrek cheetos and right on the front of the package are the words "Turn thy tongue Shrek Green." The cheetos look like normal cheetos in the bag. But, once saliva touches them, the cheesy powder turns green. Duh!!!!! I am so not with it these days.

On the road again.....

On the road again. Just can't wait to get on the road again. The life I love is makin' music with my friends. And I can't wait to get on the road again. On the road again. Goin' places that I've never been. Seein' things that I may never see again, And I can't wait to get on the road again.~~Lyrics from "On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson

Just a quick post to note that we are heading out this weekend after a long hiatus from traveling in our motorhome. It will be great to get the RV "on the road" again. We wanted to take it to Birmingham last weekend but the weather forecast made us concerned about bringing it there. As it turned out, the weather wasn't stormy at all....overcast at best. But, boy were the winds strong coming home. Jeff would've been fighting with the RV the whole way.

We're off to Florida for a week. I can't wait!

Frogs

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while.....but our hearts forever. ~~Author Unknown

Since we got a late start, we decided to not travel through Atlanta. We stopped at a restaurant in Alabama for dinner. It was there that I introduced Rachel and Anna to buttercups. They had a blast sniffing them and rubbing the yellow pollen on their noses and ours.
For a 90 year old woman, Frog still has some spunk. Her mind is sharp but her body is getting weaker with each passing day. Even still...she keeps on going. And, there is nothing she loves more than spending time with her grandchildren. And, that's a good thing as she has quite a few grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Frog was the sixth (out of 10) child born to Papa John and Mama Nancy. And, she is the only remaining sibling at this point. She married a man named Joe at Saint Anthony's Catholic Church in Ensley, AL, in 1905. She was introduced to him by a friend, Sam (who was married to Joseph's sister). Joe was the only man she ever dated before marriage. And, she never remarried after he died of a massive heart attack in his early 50s. Together, Joe and Mary had five children.
Years ago, it was socially unacceptable to have a child outside of marriage. And, one of Mary's sisters, Angelina, became pregnant and she was unmarried. Angelina lived in a Catholic Home for unwed mothers in Mobile, AL, during the final months of her pregnancy and gave birth to a baby girl in February 1942. That baby girl was named Mary, and she is my mother. Mary was adopted by Joe and Frog. So, while Mary has no biological ties to Joe's side of the family. She does, and I have, biological ties to Frog's side of the family. Frog, my Grandmother, raised her five children alone after Joe died. She had some assistance from Joe's sisters (one, Rose, who never married, and another, Mary, who was the widow of Sam). Jointly, these three ladies helped one another through life. And, these same ladies played a large role in my life as a child.My Grandma worked as a nursing assistant in a local nursing home until she retired. After that, she spent her time taking care of her grandchildren until her arthritis got so bad that she no longer felt able to look after them properly. She is a devout Catholic. She is up every morning watching mass on TV and saying the rosary daily. And, like the mailman, nothing stops her short of hospitalization from showing up for mass on Saturday night. One interesting note...she never learned to drive. Interestingly enough, one of my husband's grandmothers never learned to drive either.
Three years ago, we had a large party for Frog. Her big party in 2004 was a surprise for her. We even made it a family reunion so that the entire family would be there. It is her 87th birthday party in 2004 that prompted me to take the cake decorating classes. I made her the most equisite cakes for that party. This was for a woman who never had a baby shower. She never had a fancy wedding cake. But for her 87th birthday, she had cakes that would make the most pampered bride jealous. I wanted her to feel the love that she has given so freely to all of us through the years. I wanted her to feel special. And, she did. She was the belle of the ball that day with over 100 guests in attendance to honor her. She may not be rich in material wealth but she is rich in love. And, at almost 90 years of age, I hope I can say the same some day.

This year, her cake wasn't as fancy but it was still made with as much love. I was glad to have a kitchen again where I could bake cakes comfortably. That is one thing I missed while living in the RV.

(Four generations in the pictured above, from left-right, my mom, Rachel, Frog, Anna and me)

Why did I title this entry "Frogs?" That is because "Frog" is my Grandma's nickname. She has what we call "knock knees." The knee joints in her legs turn inwardly creating a curved effect to her legs. A long time ago, everyone began to call her "Frog" as a result. My younger daughter has the same knock knees. My Grandma has never taken this name to be an insult. If you call her "Frog," she will proudly answer.

Yet another interesting tidbit about frogs, on my husband's side of the family, frogs were dubbed good luck figures. So, I guess some fairy tales do come true. I am married to the man of my dreams; my prince who came from a family that values frogs. And, my family has a frog too. Sounds like destiny to me.

And, my frog is our Grandma.

Happy 90th Birthday Frog! We love you!

Annapolis, MD

"Damn the torpedoes, Full speed ahead!"~~Admiral David Glasgow Farragut

I had business trip to Annapolis April 10-11. It had been several years since I visited Annapolis. Of course, one of my favorite reasons for visiting Annapolis is the seafood.

The trip to Annapolis was for our corporate awards banquet in the evening on April 10th. I met with some of our personnel in our headquarters in the afternoon on the 10th and on the morning of the 11th. My flight back home didn't leave until 4 pm on the 11th and I couldn't get an earlier flight so I took the opportunity to do a little sight seeing.

The awards banquet was interesting. One of my coworkers, Vince, was nominated for one of the categories and he was the winner. I have known Vince since we were cadets at Auburn together. I was so happy for him and his wife, Jennifer, who also attended the banquet.

I took a guided tour of the Naval Academy. It was very interesting. I think my favorite part was the chapel. It was absolutely breathtaking. The crypt for John Paul Jones was also interesting. For those who have forgotten their history, Captain John Paul Jones is best known for the words ""I have not yet begun to fight!" said the during the famous battle between Bonhomme Richard and Serapis on 23 September 1779.

I had lunch at the Officer's Club and then headed downtown for a very brief stop. I highly recommend a tour of the Naval Academy if you ever get the opportunity.

While in the historic district, I stopped at the mom and pop restaurant Chick and Ruth's Delly to grab a milkshake to drink during my drive to the airport. If you like the old style restaurant reminiscent of an old soda shop, this is the place for you. And, the milkshake was yummy!

Happy Easter!

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time. ~Martin Luther

This has been a wonderful weekend....except the weather. We had been enjoying weather in the 80s and it has been cold all weekend. Other than that, life is good. We finally got our RV back on Friday...just in time for some upcoming trips. Jeff and I both have had the bug to hit the road and it felt so good to have our motorhome back.

Gail and Harold arrived on Wednesday to spend Easter with us. Mary Grace, our niece, joined us on Thursday. The kids spent all day Thursday and Friday with their Grandma and Papa. Thursday, they visited a local orchard and picked strawberries. They brought home two large bags of strawberries and there aren't many left now.

We colored Easter eggs Friday night. I remember the first time I colored Easter eggs with Rachel and Anna. It was not a fun experience. My next door neighbor, Lisa, invited us over to color eggs at her home. She even said I could leave the girls with her. Lisa didn't know what she was asking for...I did. So, I stayed and Lisa understood later that managing my two alone was a daunting job where coloring eggs were concerned. I think the girls were ages 3.5 and 2.5 at that time. Needless to say, she was glad I stayed. This year's coloring event went a bit better but they still didn't grasp the concept of not dropping the eggs in the dye. They didn't understand the eggs would crack as they came in contact with the bottom of the bowl if they weren't placed gently in the liquid.

Saturday evening was busy. Once the girls were in bed, we began hiding plastic Easter eggs all over the house. One year previously, Jeff made paper bunny tracks and placed them all over the house. This year, he made a template and used baby powder to make bunny tracks. The girls enjoyed it when they saw them but they are just a little too bright these days. Both made comments about it looking/smelling like baby powder. At one point, Anna used a sponge to wipe up a sample and bring it to us to prove it was baby powder. We finally got them to drop it when we said the Easter bunny was a baby bunny. Maybe next year we'll use flour instead.

We attended service at a church we had never visited before. We had heard good things about this particular church and thought we'd try it today. We all enjoyed it. It is a non-denominational church and we could understand why it appealed to younger families because of the upbeat music and informal dress. On Easter Sunday, you were hard pressed to find many folks dressed up at this church. Most were in jeans or other casual clothing. They also offered coffee, juice and snacks that could be brought into the sanctuary. It made for a casual environment which we enjoyed; even though we were dressed in our Easter duds. I'm sure we'll visit that church again.

I'll be traveling to Annapolis, MD, this week for business purposes and will be gone a couple of days. On Friday, we'll be heading to Birmingham, AL, in our recently returned RV to visit with family. Our Grandma, who lives there, will be celebrating her 90th birthday this month. We'll be visiting to celebrate her birthday. The weekend after we'll be heading to Orlando, FL. It feels so good to have our home on wheels back so we can hit the road again.

We wish everyone a blessed Easter!

Massee Lane Gardens

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created spring.
~~Bern Williams

I brought Rachel and Anna to Massee Lane Gardens in Fort Valley, GA, this past weekend. Massee Lane Gardens is managed by the American Camellia Society. The gardens were still full of camellia blooms even though the peak times to view them are between October and March. Additionally, all of the peach orchards were full of color as the peach blossoms were out. Rachel and Anna learned a few things about types of flowers and I got to take some pics of my little girls against some beautiful natural landscapes. I'd like to go back in April when the roses and lillies are in full bloom.

During the weekend before last, we bought Rachel and Anna their own flower pots and some soil. They planted the seeds and have been watering them. They were so excited to see the sprouts coming out of the soil.

Some other good news....we should be getting our motorhome back from the dealer this week some time. We are all eager to do some traveling again. We were thinking of some short weekend trips to some state parks that we haven't done yet.

Anna Turned Four

"Mommy. I'm adoreable."~~Anna, 4 years old

I'm a bit late in posting birthday thoughts for my younger daughter so I wanted to take some time to do that.

Yesterday morning, I dressed Anna in a new outfit that I bought her. She loved it and after she was dressed, she said, "Mommy. I'm adoreable." And, that in a nutshell, is Anna.

When Jeff and I were trying to have children, we never thought we'd have one child much less two. And, to have gotten pregnant only six months after Rachel was born seemed like a miracle to us when it took so long to conceive Rachel.

Rachel made parenting easy. She was one of those easy babies that people talk about. She made the whole parenting gig seem like a piece of cake. So we had no reason to panic when I had gotten pregnant again so soon. We could handle it!

Anna made us rethink that shortly after she was born. Let's just say she wasn't so easy as an infant. Come to think of it, she's still not so easy. She was a challenge then and nothing much has changed. She entered the world three and half weeks early at almost 8 lbs. She was already making her choices back then. She's stubborn (Gee! I wonder where she gets that from?). She is a woman who knows what she wants. When she makes up her mind, she's done with it. She has a vibrant personality and is quite the jokester too. She's a bit too smart for her own good. I have to work at learning things. Anna seems to simply absorb knowledge by being in the same room. She amazes me with the speed at which she learns new things. She is joy but she is a one-woman wrecking machine too. We never had to put safety locks on cabinets when Rachel was an infant but we had to with Anna. She explores and climbs and if it can be broken, she'll break it. I suspect she'll be an engineer when she grows up. She is a brave soul. Her favorite ride at Disney World is the Tower of Terror.

She loves wearing "klippy-klop" shoes; that would be shoes with a heel that makes a sound as the shoes hit the floor while she walks. She has a shoe addiction in general. If finances allowed, there is no doubt she would have a suite dedicated to shoes. She loves shoes!

And, yes Anna, you are adoreable. At least, Mommy and Daddy think so.

Yes, We Are Still Alive

The only thing constant is change. ~~Author Unknown

I wanted to update the blog to catch everyone up on the latest. Much has happened since January. We finally got over the cold crud that seemed to never want to go away. But, it was probably the end of January before all of us were healthy again.

As I mentioned in prior posts, we began our search for a home late last year. And, after much searching, we found a home we wanted to purchase at the beginning of January. We entered into a contract with a scheduled closing date of February 2nd, which was Jeff's 38th birthday.

On January 24th, I received a call requesting me to interview for a job that I applied for in Huntsville, AL, that I applied for in August 2006. We were considering moving back to Alabama to be closer to family and since we were living in our RV, the move would be easy to do. However, I had applied for various federal jobs in Huntsville last summer with no promising leads. So, we had abandoned any hope that anything would materialize from those efforts and resigned to the fact that we would continue our life as Georgians for the near future. I was only applying for federal jobs as I am happy with my job and my existing employer and saw no need to leave unless it was for the stability of a federal job to get us closer to family. It was worth the trip for the interview because we were able to visit with Harold and Gail. We also attended Lia's birthday party and Rachel and Anna got to go roller skating at a rink for the first time for the party. We also stopped in Birmingham on the way back home to visit with my side of the family. Rachel and Anna wanted some of Grandma's spaghetti so they were thrilled when they were able to stop in and visit with family and eat their favorite dish.

I not only interviewed for the job but was offered the position. Ultimately, I turned it down. Suffice it to say, there were multiple reasons that made the move unattractive for us at this time. As I've mentioned before, I do believe in "signs" and I believe that the signs were telling us that it was not the right time to move back to Alabama despite our strong desire to be closer to family. So, we jointly decided to pass on the job opportunity in Huntsville, closed on our house in early February, and began moving our stuff from storage. The weeks have been a blur since then since Jeff's birthday was February 2nd, Anna's birthday was February 17th, and we have been busy painting the interior of the home and purchasing items that were needed to establish a home again. We sold many of our old belongings when we sold our previous home so in many ways we were starting from scratch. We didn't have any master bedroom furniture nor mattresses for Anna and Rachel's beds so that was on the first order of business to take care of. I won't even list the remainder of things but when you don't even have a garbage can, suffice it to say, I made many trips to stores just to get the basics for our new home.

Speaking of the home....it's not really "new" per se but it's new to us. It is 10 years old. It is significantly smaller than our last house. Our goal was to be comfortable without excess because we still wanted to keep our motorhome and travel as often as we could. The thing I mainly like about it is the location. It is in a cul-de-sac which means significantly less automobile traffic. I don't worry as much about Rachel and Anna riding their bikes and scooters in the driveway or road now.

Where is the RV you wonder and where will we keep it? It is being serviced. We knew it needed some service to fix some warrantied items but we kept putting it off since it was our home. We turned it in for maintenance a couple of weeks before we closed on our home. We lived in a hotel for that duration. As I've mentioned before, I hated that aspect of full-timing it in an RV. If it was just Jeff and me, I could deal with it. But, it is quite the effort to pack and move things for a family of four. I'm not sure when the RV will be ready for pick up but I can say I'm itching to hit the road again so I'm hoping it is soon. We specifically picked a subdivision and property where we could keep our RV on our property. That was a tough thing to find.

And, what home would be a home without a pet? We had heard too many horror stories from friends having adopted puppies as of late to know that we weren't ready for that. Although we were greatly intrigued by some bloodhound puppies that we saw. We just felt that with our travels and busy schedules, it wasn't a good match for us to have a dog. While we were at a local mall getting Anna's 4-year portraits done, we spotted some baby ferrets. Rachel and Anna fell in love. Jeff and I had ferrets in college so having them as pets was not new to us. We knew they slept a good portion of the day which removed the guilt from my mind of not being home a major portion of the day. These ferrets were 9 weeks old when we purchased them and they are brother and sister. Rachel chose the girl and named her Molly. Anna named the boy Meko. We have been pleased with these new additions to our family. To be so young, they are extremely gentle and loving. Rachel and Anna absolutely adore them. They will be easy to bring with us when we travel.

So the question I'm sure everyone wants answered.....how does it feel being back in a house again? Well, it feels great. But, it's not the space that makes it so nice. It's having a home base. It's knowing that I have a spot to return to at the end of the day that is ours. The RV was great. It was the problem of parking it on property that we didn't own that made it troublesome at times. That and the fact that service done on the RV meant hotel living for us. Interestingly enough, our children seem indifferent about the whole thing. Rachel actually said she preferred the RV. Although, I think they both have enjoyed having a bath tub again. As for me, I've enjoyed having a full sized kitchen again. I missed baking. I have found that I have a significantly reduced tolerance for clutter. After living in such a small space, my appreciation for simplicity has not left me.

And, what about Suede? Well, after her return to our campground, she met a single man who was also camping there. The last I heard, he had asked her if they could travel together. I haven't heard her answer yet. But, wouldn't that be something if she found a companion to enjoy her travels with?

In the end, would I recommend selling your home and living in an RV? Absolutely!!!! I'd do it again, and will do it again when my children are grown and it's just Jeff and me. We rearranged our expenses such that we still have a comfortable home but have a nicer RV. It was a journey and adventure of many sorts.

I will still keep this blog so that everyone can stay tuned with our travels and see what is going on in our ho hum lives. Actually, I think you'll find that even our daily life can be entertaining at times. And, I still plan to stop and smell the diesel. I hope that you will too.