camp fire pizza

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Shanda

When I was in Alaska I was blown away by the campfire pizza they made out in the backyard over a hot fire amongst the trees and canopied by a tarps just in case it started raining.

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While Hannah and I were out about town and exploring Glacier Lake, her daughter Rebekah prepped everything for the pizza. She made homemade sauce (red AND white!) and dough, busily chopped vegetables and got the meat ready, too.

Here are a couple of short videos to “set the scene” so to speak. Hannah and her husband worked like a well-oiled machine and had the entire process down like a science. I asked her about campfire cooking in general and she said they don’t really have any favorite recipes especially for campfires; they just figure out how to cook their favorite foods over a fire. They have done A LOT of camping over the years……

seven puppies, my friends, seven puppies…. and the first-time mother dog didn’t ever want to nurse them, thus Jacob’s foot on her neck. LOL The puppies spent most of the time wandering around exploring.

I wore thick clothing so as to discourage the mosquitos which were large and very plenteous. I could kill five in one slap to the leg.

I don’t know where everyone was when I took this photo……which is of a pizza on the fire, covered in foil held down by sticks. This is the final step in the pizza making, in order to get the toppings melted. LOTS OF CHEESE.

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This was the white pizza with bacon, chicken, and onion…the best pizza I ever had!!!!

(besides my moms…..)

BEAUTIFUL evening.

BEAUTIFUL family

The fire was extremely hot they had to work fast…….

They made pizza after pizza………

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And it was cooked to perfection!

Kennecott-McCarthy

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Shanda

There is LOTS of living going on in our house this summer. It’s one event after another with not much time to really think or try to be a writer. My Alaska trip is a fond memory but I haven’t done a thing with my photo albums or scrapbooks. I’ve hardly looked at my photos or brochures and papers from the trip. So I am taking the time this morning to post some photos from our journey of 178 miles from Valdez to Kennicott/McCarthy.

We weren’t even out of Valdez before we pulled over on the side of the road to take photos of the falls. As we opened the doors we were blasted by the loud roaring of the water. You can’t help but feel happily overwhelmed, almost like a burst of energy from the sounds and sights. Water poured down the mountains and fed the river below, which whisked it all away, down stream, as fast as it could flow.

We weren’t expecting to see men dangling from a helicopter. They were replacing the yellow spheres on the power lines. We had to stop for a few minutes and it was fun to watch them.

We stopped at a convenience store in the middle of nowhere and I saw that someone had planted a bed of flowers in the bed of this old old truck. Whoever that “someone” is must be a kindred spirit.

My beautiful friend on another one of our stops. We took our time driving so we could soak in every sight and breathe in all the fresh air.

I remember the wind was whipping our hair around during this particular stop.

Our favorite Alaskan wildflowers with the suitably romantic name of “Languid Ladies”

Coming into McCarthy I felt as if it were all a dream………

With children and dogs running free without a care in the world.

With my fisheye lens I was able to capture almost the entire town. 😉

“Kennicott and McCarthy sit five miles apart at the end of the McCarthy Road, about 90 miles from the turnoff from the Richardson Highway. Today, Kennicott is a ghost town and McCarthy has a year-round population of just a couple of dozen people. After copper was discovered in the area in 1900, a group of wealthy investors formed the Kennecott Copper Corporation (named when a clerical worker misspelled Kennicott) to mine the incredibly rich veins in the jagged mountains above Root Glacier.” ~the internet

View from an observation deck.

Hannah and I explored the old Kennecott mining town and enjoyed both the big and small details of this amazing place— like the big heavy door in the butchers, and the old iron heaters.

beauty in the details

Post office where I thought of Mom— and my brother who would have certainly quoted the “registered mail” line from the Anne movies……..

The scent of so much wood, sound of our footsteps on the floors, photos, displays, and information on the walls to bring the town to life again in our imaginations.

THIS is a great post to read for more information about Kennecott Copper Mines

All of the buildings are painted in the same color red….truly a sight to behold. Photos, as always, can’t tell the truth of the place, only give an idea of what it was like to visit. I felt small and almost lost amongst the grand but now empty buildings.

You can go inside several of the buildings, but then there are several that are still empty and shut off from wandering visitors.

There were tours that you could go on to see more rooms and get access to other places, but Hannah and I much preferred going alone at our free pace.

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This series of buildings was built up the side of the mountain.

Mountains beyond

Looking from an observation platform; our imagination could see the bustle and labor of so many men when it was truly a working town.

WOW

small family cottage (kitchen) We loved the creamy yellow paint.

We walked through and then turned around to go back again.

Same series of buildings built up and up the hill.

I stood on the bridge to take this photo of the water. Probably my favorite of the day.

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This is a photo of the tiny cabin Hannah and I spent one night in during our visit to McCarthy, Alaska.

Places we Experienced:

Kenny Lake Mercantile (where I saw the truck)
Chitina Hotel (stopped at along the way and ate dinner)
McCarthy Road (62 miles of gravel road we drove to get to our destination)
Wrangell -St.Elias National Park and Preserve (entered as we drove to McCarthy)
Kuskulana Bridge (525 feet long, height above the river, 238 feet) single lane bridge. Hannah had white knuckles driving across.
Chokosna Trading Post (tiny stop for fresh coffee and where we stopped on our way back with a flat tire) Small but very impressive with excellent coffee!
Gilahina River (sight of an old wooden trestle bridge for the railroad, and gravesite of Sam the dog)
Kennicott*McCarthy (our final destination and one night stay)
Blackburn Cabins (our accommodations)
McCarthy*Kennicott Historical Museum (SO interesting)
EDGE OF ALASKA (show filmed in McCarthy. We stayed at Mark’s cabins, Mark is one of the characters on the show. We saw a few of the other men at dinner in town.)

MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS ADVENTURE to come (Sorry, not sorry)…..

PS, please pray for Rich, as tomorrow he has corrective surgery first thing in the morning, and will be having two badly herniated discs in his neck replaced!!!!! THANK YOU

ALSO: Happy 13th birthday to my darling son CALEB, who is at wrestling camp until Wednesday with his brothers David and Seth.

June 17; first full day in Valdez, AK

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Shanda

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I thought I would post some photos that I took with my phone on the first day at Hannah’s house in Valdez.

She is a very good seamstress and has a whole large room devoted to her sewing. She has everything she needs there. Her husband made custom work spaces for her and she has picked up things here and there to decorate with (she even has things she found during her visits to CT!). She has a flannel wall so she can lay out quilt pieces on it before sewing and a most amazing stock of fabrics.

Hannah doesn’t do much sewing in the summer because she and her family also have a food truck. She spends most of her extra time keeping it stocked and running smoothly. They have delicious foods and the best ice cream. If you’re in Valdez, look them up and go enjoy some yummy Alaskan treats including Halibut tacos and Caramel Cinnamon ice cream.

She drove me all around town and showed me the points of interest, all with the backdrop of the most gorgeous mountains. It was a rainy morning and perfect for driving and visiting some of the small shops, the library, and a museum.

There is an old Valdez and a new Valdez…..or, “Old Town” and “New Town”. The first was so severely damaged in a major earthquake that they pulled it down and rebuilt at a different location. The museum had a scaled model of the old town, posters, photos, videos, and artifacts.

This man had such a friendly smile that his photo made me stop and notice. He “cared for pets in Old Valdez, acting as the unofficial veterinarian for the town.”

I did a touristy thing. I held the big gun for a photo. Thanks, Hannah!

There was a small room dedicated to handiwork and needlecraft. This quilt was on display with a plaque that explained that as the Quilter’s husband was dying, he asked his wife to spread this flag quilt she was currently making over him. It was his last request and she never completed the quilt.

As we were getting ready to leave, I heard this man and his wife tell the museum desk worker that they were from “upstate NY” so of course I had to ask where. Turns out they lived in the same city my Mom works and he grew up in a small town nearby. He was a Christian and his dad was a Baptist preacher. He knew last names of my family and my grandfather, the church I grew up in, the college I attended, and we had mutual acquaintances. It was such fun!

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Large mural in town.

The library!!

I did a whole blog post about our love for Rosemary Wells and she sent me autographed books! Therefore, it was a great thrill to see her original artwork in the children’s section of Hannah’s library.

We sat and spent the most time in the little “Alaska” library room, which was full of every book about Alaska that they had, including posters and papers.

Hannah found a book and read some of it out loud. It was written by a man who met the love of his life in Alaska and they had a lifetime of adventures together.

“Ruth with a fifty-five-pound beaver.”

Last photo in the book, “I longed to see Ruth picking wildflowers.”

Oh it was just too delightful.

Also at the library I was able to add Miracles on Maple Hill to my Newbury awards collection because it was on their free shelf. I also read the whole book while on my trip. It was delightful and don’t you agree that books are the best souvenier?

We visited the old town sight, which was very interesting. There is a map of it, and markers to show where each building used to stand. Some of the buildings were actually moved to the new town and we visited some of those, as well.

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**no words** for the beauty.

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Two of Hannah and Ryan’s girls; Sarah (the babysitter) and Bekah (the baker).

Their two boys; big brother Jacob set up a tent right in their bedroom and put cots in it. Then, they strung up the kindle so they could lay there and watch videos in the tent.

And little brother LUKE.

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Luke is 4 years old.

Sarah graciously let me have her bedroom while I was staying with them.

day cruise with my friend

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Shanda

GLACIER: an extended mass of ice formed from snow falling and accumulating over the years and moving very slowly, either descending from high mountains, as in valley glaciers, or moving outward from centers of accumulation, as in continental glaciers.

Hannah and I took a Stan Stephens cruise and it lasted all day (from about 10am-7pm). This was toward the end of the week but I was excited to see the photos so I’m going to post them today.

We had some beautiful weather days during my 10 day adventure, but it was raining the day of the cruise. The cost of the ride included unlimited hot beverages and a nice lunch and a cup of soup in the evening. The hot beverages were greatly appreciated on this cold rainy day. There were seats outside and inside. Naturally we spent most of the time inside, but we got up now and then to take photos of the views; waterfalls, animals, fishermen, mountains, and the glacier.

massive waterfalls tumbling down the mountains; if I were sitting at the top I would be a dot.

Seals

“Do you see the goat?”

I actually enjoyed the “not so nice” weather days, as the mist and rain and fog gave a beautiful mood.

Just in case you’re like my daughter I will tell you like I told her, “It’s just a boulder”.

“Glacier ahead!”

“Hannah in a red coat”

We heard creaks and groans as we bobbed in the sea watching the ice. Now and then, large pieces of it dropped off and into the water with thunderous splash.

The birds flying in this photo above the water make it easier to see how huge the glacier was.

MEARES GLACIER (click for more information)

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Sea Otter

Whale

Everyone was in awe to see a mother whale and baby. We stopped and stared at the sea for so long it is permanently & forever etched in my mind. You only have a second or two to take a picture. Don’t blink, you might miss it!

Sea Lions

with lovely brown skins

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Seals are funny.

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Geese

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more sea lions, they were also thunderous (like the glacier) and made such rude sounds that reminded me of my sons for some reason.

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It was really relaxing but Hannah got a little sick for a while on the choppy water. She recovered well though and we both agreed that it was an amazing day!

alaska

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Shanda

“To the lover of wilderness, Alaska is one of the most wonderful countries in the world.”
~John Muir, Travels in Alaska

I deliberately packed light so I could bring things home with me from Alaska. It’s a good thing, too, because Hannah and I visited several used bookstores and I found approximately 10 or more titles to add to my Newbery book collection. I was able to get everything packed and weighing less than 50 pounds for my trip back home, which was yesterday.

I was in Alaska, visiting my friend Hannah, for ten days.

After such adventures in travel and sightseeing, I am happy to report that I am perfectly well, just a little bit tired. Indeed, it was good to sleep next to my husband last night, with the light of a gorgeous June full moon outside our windows. Together again.

Thank you to Rich and Hannah’s husband, Ryan, for all they did to make this experience possible. I flew to Anchorage, and Hannah met me right at the baggage claim to drive me to her house, which was six hours away in Valdez. The two of us always along famously, with nary an awkward feeling or impatient word or disagreement about our activities. Well, except for the times when we were fighting over the check. By the end of our visit, we didn’t even do that anymore.

As I expected, the views and nature and fresh air were beyond imagination. The vastness of Alaska is only to be experienced, mere words are inadequate. I often felt in awe of what my eyes were taking in. The mountains, the clouds, the trees and flowers, the mosquitos……..

Hannah and I met through blogging years ago, and then we were pen pals, and then she visited my family three times here in Connecticut before I went to visit her. Our common interests in Jesus and His love and grace, family, motherhood, reading the same books, and many other things kept our friendship going over the last 10 years and more. We truly do get along comfortably “like two peas in a pod”.

It was a joy to visit Alaska because of her……..

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I’ll be sharing photos from the trip for a while.

magic kingdom

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Shanda

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I had flown down to Orlando the day before to meet Rich who was already in town for business. He looked so handsome leaning against a pillar in the airport at the end of the escalator to greet us. We spent the rest of that day hugging, settling in the hotel, swimming, and exploring.

The next morning we drove from our hotel to Magic Kingdom. Rich and I were looking forward to finishing up our parenting goal of making sure all seven of our children got to Disney in their childhoods. Sarah was the only one who hadn’t been; we had David, Caleb, and Seth with us too, and the older three were in college but we had taken them when they were little. In fact, it’s all on the blog. The only trip that I didn’t blog about was when David was a baby and that’s only because I didn’t have a blog back then (15 years ago).

We took the Ferry over to the park.

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A nice thing about the boys having already experienced Disney was that they could knowledgeably “inform” Sarah about all the things she would see and do. These types of conversations had been going on for weeks and she was very excited.

She and Seth kept their eyes on the castle all the way across the water.

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It’s always a lovely sight.

Okay—–honestly, Rich and I, now that we are back home, have already decided that never again if we can help it, will we go to Disney during Spring Break season. The crowds were next to impossible. There were some good things, however, as having so many excited people added to our own excitement. (It also added to the length of time standing in lines.) It was fun to hear different languages being spoken all around us and observing families from all over the world enjoying this famous destination. But it was a very vast sea of humanity. . . . .

Speaking of crowds, we only lost children twice. In fact, the first thing we did was lose children. And by “lose” I mean, it was all their own fault (a miscommunication of sorts). What happened was this: In the midst of a thousand other people, Caleb had to use the bathroom so badly that as soon as we got across the water and departed from the ferry boat we located restrooms. He and Seth ran just a little bit ahead of us into the men’s room, we were right behind them. Sarah and I went into the ladies room and Rich and Dave went in just after the other boys, who never saw them. Rich and Dave were still in the stalls when Caleb and Seth got done, so when they came outside and didn’t see us, they headed straight for the main entrance (just to the right of the lines) without any of us seeing them, either. So THEN, the rest of us finished up and waited outside the bathrooms. No Caleb, no Seth. Before we even knew they were “missing” my phone rang. They had immediately called me from a Security officer’s phone and found us. In a nutshell, they thought we had went to the ticket counter to wait for them to go to the bathroom.

The second time was similar. We were standing in line (a Very Long Line) waiting to go on a roller coaster. We could see the restrooms from where we were standing so Seth ran out of line to go to the bathroom and then got confused trying to find us again. Rich went to look for him just as my phone rang. Seth had asked the first couple he saw to use their phone. He was so close to us that I saw him talking to me on the phone. So I just yelled, “SETH over here!” gave the couple a smile and a friendly wave, and called Rich to tell him Seth was safe and sound.

So right away we knew that the children would be able to find us again if they ended up lost in the multitudes of people. Truly it was somewhat of a miracle that we didn’t lose them around every corner, it was THAT crowded.

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Main Street Parade

(we just caught the very end of it on our way to a ride).

Thunder Mountain.

It was so cute to listen to Sarah make plans with Caleb to sit together; and to actually have Caleb agree to do it was adorable. When we got home after our vacation was over, she had me print this very photo so she could take it to school.

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My beautiful travelers.

After a long winter, the sunshine we enjoyed in Orlando was such a treat. We just made sure to use lots of sunscreen.

We bought this photo from our next ride (Splash Mountain; Rich’s #1 favorite) to add to our collection. We bought the frame to go with it and it was nice that they could send our purchase to the front of the park for us to pick up at the end of the day. It’s now hanging on the wall next to a photo from Hershey Park, and one from Six Flags.

BD967BE0-EC96-4426-9855-52912599E529 “Before (sobs) and After (smiles)”

Sarah got the #1 Overcomer of the Day award for riding Splash Mountain even though she was terrified. The combination of water and a drop down was almost too much for her. That’s why you see me holding her like that in the photo.

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The Buzz Lightyear ride is a favorite.

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We didn’t buy this one but I thought it was the cutest ever with Rich’s big muscles and Seth closing one eye to aim and shoot.

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Waiting for the Presidents show, we enjoyed the displays of memorabilia. I took this photo of Projectile Points for Mom and brother Dave, only we call them Arrowheads.

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And of course the boys intently studied Teddy Roosevelt’s sword and asked me to take a photo.

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I did take my big camera with me to Disney. I took a handful of photos with it on this day, including this nice one of handsome Caleb with Rich in the background (in his own car) but after Magic Kingdom I left it in the hotel. I’m not saying I’ll never use it again, but I think when I have a bunch of other travel-mates with me and it’s a busy park it’s just easier to use the phone camera. It was more of a time to take candids for my family then to think about thoughtful photography. But I do love this photo of Caleb.

Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse; be still my heart.

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Standing in line for the Enchanted Tiki Room; “vintage” Disney at it’s very best.

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Fireworks to make all the sentimental grown ups cry. And I did, too. (We waited for them to begin next to another family. The dad was complaining almost in a desperate way because they had gone straight to the park from the airport and hadn’t even checked into the hotel. They were exhausted. He was wondering if the show would be worth it and almost didn’t want to wait. He wanted to leave to escape the crowds. But they stayed and later on during the show I could hear him singing along to the songs with his son up on his shoulders and I thought, “yes, it’s worth it.”)

Seth took this as we waited for Rich to get our photo; it was the last picture taken of our visit to Magic Kingdom. We had walked a total of 5.8 miles that day and went to bed at midnight after pancakes at Ihop.

Tomorrow I will share photos from Epcot.

hershey park

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Shanda

After we left Grace at college, we drove a couple of hours to Hershey, PA. Rich and I had both visited the park when we were kids and Rich especially was excited to go back to the place of such fabulous childhood memories. We went two days in a row so we could do everything. The weather was gorgeous and there were crowds and crowds of people, but the park was big enough that it didn’t seem too bad. It was fun to people-watch. It was fun to eat chocolate.

I thought the flowers behind Rich and Caleb were so pretty. (I took all the photos with my iPhone.)

(P.S. Our anniversary is on Saturday. )

We went on rides all morning and then went to the water park. I changed into my suit, but stayed on the side lines in a chair and read a book, which was really the only thing I wanted to do at that point. The kids were able to stay together as there was only one entrance and one exit out of this section of the water park. Rich took a nap next to me (he can sleep anywhere) and then he took the boys on the bigger water rides.

This was when then came to the fence to complain about something. LOL

The water was so cold. Seth had trouble staying warm, but Sarah was like a fish and stayed in the water the entire time….over 3 hours of swimming and enjoying all the neat fountains, slides, and so on. She LOVED it.

I was glad she had a bright bathing suit on….she was easy to spot.

There is a magic to amusement parks, don’t you think?

Cotton candy was on their bucket-list.

That night we went to a pizza place, it was much later than we usually eat (around 9pm). The kids were good and hungry and a little sunburned. I was absolutely enthralled with the very old man I could see working. This pizza shop was obviously a family affair. So I slyly took his picture and felt like a sneak doing so, but I wanted to remember that someday when I’m 90-something years old, I can still work. 🙂

(He was busy putting new sodas in the cooler).

Never did a pizza taste THIS GOOD. We ordered two and left with only one piece left. It was thin crust, cheesy, hot, and perfect.

The next day at the park, we began our visit at the chocolate tour.

My mom has a little cookbook with this picture on the cover. I used to love looking through it when I was little, just like a picture book for children, I would study each photo and recipe. Years later, when I was a grown up, I was happy to find a copy of my own at a garage sale.

Of course I texted her this picture, too.

“eight wholesome roasted almonds”

chocolate, chocolate, everywhere

chocolate of all sizes

KISSES !!!!!

And then, back into the park for another day of riding on all the rides. One of which was such a scary roller coaster that Rich went on it alone. I let the kids get their face painted as we waited.

It was a huge mistake for Seth, because by the end of the day nothing was left of his Panda-face but the black around his eyes. He looked like a zombie.

I think the zoo was one of our family-favorite parts. We studied every single animal…snakes, owls, everything. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

On a train ride together while the boys rode “the claw”.

She was soooooooo cute! She had no fear whatsoever. The kids were good sports. It truly was a wonderful experience for us.

Merry-Go-Round with my girlie.

She was full of encouragement for this one last ride of the night; the Scrambler. (I get nauseous on the spinning rides).

That night we ate at a diner next door to the hotel. And I finally got a good picture of my darling handsome Seth. He really is a mama’s boy and the adoration is mutual.

Tasted so good after a day in the park, especially the juicy fruit.

Caleb’s burger.

We went back for breakfast the next day and this is how they served my raspberry muffin–queen style.

so handsome.

On the highway we found ourselves behind a tractor trailer which was shedding feathers…white feathers…we were curious so Rich sped up. It was FULL of chickens.

When we got home, David wanted a pizza right away. I think he missed me pizza.

trip back home part 2

Posted on August 9, 2017 by Shanda

For the rest of our stay, we lived next door to Aunt Colleen and her four girls. The girls call me “Aunt Shanda” because Colleen (my mom’s baby sister) and I are practically the same age. The girls are creative and busy and are so good with little children. Seth and Sarah love visiting there. They have a wonderful back yard with lots of room to play, AND a swimming pool, so the kids went swimming every day.

Seth with his “bugs bunny” teeth, being kissed by mama.

We piled into the van one afternoon for a trip to the park.

It was a hot day so we splurged on coolattas from Dunkin’ Donuts for the kids and iced coffee for the moms.

Reesy (the kids love him but he nips so they couldn’t get too close).

Aunt Colleen removed Seth’s stitches over his eye. She’s a nurse. And awesome.

Molly painted the cool rock that Seth has his hand on.

We went back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house one evening after mom was done with work. Seth relaxed on the hammock.

Mom took this photo. Dave looks strong and manly and tough and he is, but he’s also a super-sensitive and caring guy. We text each other at least once a week. He’s great. He and Maria are devoted to their nieces and nephews, too.

We saw a mother deer with two babies when we were driving back to Colleen’s that evening.

Perry’s ice cream is the best!!! There is a stand right down the road from Colleen’s house and I think we went there 3 times over the week.

Blueberry sundae for Sarah Joy.

Perched in a perfectly splendid apple tree. This small bird. 🙂

We sat together on the wooden swing for a while one evening. Such a dear girl.

I wandered throughout one of my favorite local shops one morning while the kids were at VBS and had to take a photo of one of the “corners”….Mary Poppins, Little House, hello sacred life, markers, Beatrix Potter, all such good things. The shop owner is always warm and friendly, and while I paid for my selections we had a nice little chat, I told her that I visit every time I can and how much I love her store. With tears in her eyes, she gave me a free chocolate for being an awesome mom and told me to “Rock On”. We even hugged over the counter.

We met Mom for lunch on Thursday. Seth and Sarah gave her flowers, too, which I had picked up from a florist.

Outside the courthouse where his Grandma works.

As we were walking from the courthouse to Boscovs (where I had parked the car) I ran into a friend from High School!! I hadn’t seen her since graduation! (The skirt I’m wearing is one of the things I bought at the General Store…it’s organic cotton, so comfy! and my favorite color, too.)

Boscovs sells fiestaware so naturally………

Also, a note about Seth’s shirt. He collects baseball cards and recently sent one to Derek Jeter to sign. He wrote a fan note that began, “You’re my biggest fan……” (SO SO CUTE). While I was out shopping with Colleen one day we found a wonderful second hand store where I found the Jeter shirt for only 2 dollars. 🙂 It was fun.

The new color is that yellow in the bottom left…DAFFODIL…I took home two of the smaller bowls.

Seth and Sarah were invited to spend the night at Uncle Nate and Aunt Melissa’s house on Friday. Seth adores Tyke, their little doggie, and by the look on Tyke’s face the feeling is mutual.

At the playground with cousins.

The cousins went to VBS, too, so these kids had lots of time together last week. What a blessing!

Saying goodbye to VBS!

They absolutely loved it. On the first morning Seth said he was nervous but when we left after the last day he was sad “because it was only five days long”.

dave gets hugged

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Shanda

This is another blog post dedicated to our vacation to Jekyll Island, Georgia.

These photos were all taken with my phone.

I had bought Crackerbarrel gift cards for Christmas presents for last Christmas…but never gave them out…so we used them ourselves for a nice breakfast. I do feel kind of bad about that.

There was a tiny baby at the Crackerbarrel sitting at the next table over. She was so little I wondered how she was going to sit with out falling forward and bumping the table. But she was strong and did great and was sooooooo cute. I watched her as she kept her eyes on the spoon her Dad was feeding her with. I ended up holding my own very big baby on my lap by the end of breakfast.

This is Caleb doing artwork and eating oreos during the trip.

Taking naps during the trip.

We finally arrived! Sarah was just so thrilled to be “in Georgia”.

This is me and my sister, with our girls Abbie and Grace.

Food at the Pier was amazing. It’s my favorite place to eat on Jekyll. I had the boiled shrimp and this is the plate of seafood that Jacob and David shared.

One morning I left the Sans Souci with just my little Seth (6 years old). We were the only ones awake out of my family. We snuck outdoors, holding hands, and went over to the main Jekyll Clubhouse to get my complimentary cup of coffee. On the way back we met Isaac and Cassandra about to go on a bike ride.

While all the men in our family went golfing, I took Caleb, Seth, and Sarah to the little shops by the Clubhouse. Seth quickly chose this dog puppet. He named it Jekyll. At the next shop, I had him sit on the bench outside and play my phone so I didn’t have to keep track of three small kids. Later I discovered that he had taken this picture of his new friend.

If you bought a soda you got free refills with your cup all day long. The kids all LOVED the Shirly Temples. We got them over and over. There is nothing like an ice cold soda on a hot day.

Amanda took this one of my mom and me walking with Cassandra and Maria.

Rich took Caleb, Seth, and Sarah biking.

Mom took Ethan and me to Brunswick to do a little shopping at some antique stores.

I took this picture for my son David because he collects Coke bottles. This purple one was purple, heavy and cost 40 dollars.

In Brunswick there was a park square every few blocks. Each one was named and had nice places to sit and relax next to flowers and fountains.

I took Grace to the shops. This is one of my favorite pictures. We were missing our own cats back at home and were happy to find and make friends with this nice big one outside of the bookstore.

My favorite stationary….curly girl design.

Grace lost her necklace on vacation. It was her favorite one, too. (she’s wearing it in the picture).

I lost my new kindle fire. (!!!!!!!!!!!) makes me ill.

On Friday night we played beach volleyball.

It’s amazing to have a family big enough to have a game, and it was so much fun.

When we hit it out of bounds someone would say “Look out for the alligators!” or, “Look out for the rattle snakes!”

I was supposed to be playing my position but still managed to get some good photos!

Sunset making the road look like it was on fire…….

On Saturday morning it was time to say our goodbyes and travel back home. I love this sister-pic of Maria, Cassandra, Melissa, Amanda, and Shanda (yours truly). I love how all our names end in “a”, the “uh” sound. I especially loved visiting with Maria and Melissa because I don’t get to see them as much as I would like. I’m so blessed to have the best sisters.

Aunt Amanda, Uncle Jason, Grandma, and Grandpa leaned into the van to say goodbye to the children.

But one was missing!

It was Dave.

He had ran over to the pool to try to find his flip-flops (another thing lost..ugh)

So Rich and I hopped in the van, ready to leave, and watched as the family gave Dave lots of hugs. And he’s the type that gets shy with too much public attention! It was the best little moment……

He’s in there! Surrounded by his adoring family.

Look at that face!

goodbye, goodbye!

God be with you ’til we meet again.

“You can kiss your family and friends goodbye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.” Frederick Buechner

lunch at the club

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Shanda

Another full day has come and gone. At this very moment, I am sitting on a wooden balcony of the big beautiful Sans Souci Cottage in a rocking chair with my tanned bare feet up on a small white table. The evening sky is a multitude of blues, marbled with gray clouds and one small streak of orange sunset. Amazingly loud cicadas are filling the air with their sounds. Mom and Dad walked by on the paved sidewalk underneath me and we said hello, then Amanda and her family, then Rich and the children. They are all returning from an evening swim at the pool which I was too tired to participate in. As I sit and look at the photos we took today, my heart is filled with gratitude for this State, this Island, the land of our vacation of dreams.

Most importantly, the family–my family–is continuing to grow and bond through loving hearts, words, play, laughter, food, prayers, small gifts, and joy — making memories underneath a big Georgia sky.