Spring Break - Perdido Key, FL/Gulf Shores, AL

Reunite with Kira and David. Nice vacation rental on the beach. Weather in and out of rain and sun. Food. Waves and sand. Battleship and submarine. Games. Alligators.

Our view from the balcony

Fun on the beach. Wading, walking, taking photos, swimming (with non-stinging jellyfish), snorkeling. Weather ranged form about 70 degrees to as low as low 30s. Sunny, cloudy, raining, foggy, windy. If we couldn't be out having fun we were home resting with good books, movies (finally had our kids watch Twister!), games, and naps.

Sophie imitating the bird that's in the foreground

Food. Meals in and out. Kids trying raw oysters for the first time. Obscene milkshakes.

Outings. USS Alabama Battleship and USS Drum Submarine, shopping, Alligator Alley, glass blowing, nature walks.

Oh no! Poor Kira.

Sophie imitating a mannequin

Creepy tight spaces with red lighting.

Tight spaces and smiling faces!

Passage ways for skinny 20 year old seamen/seawomen.

Getting all the loves!

Large nest with a pair of what may possibly be osprey

Love having adventures with Kira and David! Will miss them but happy for our good memories.

Spring Break - New Orleans

 Mid March is how early our district has spring break. Neal had been wanting to spend time at the beach and planned a trip several months in advance to meet Kira and David there. On the way we planned a visit to New Orleans as the kids and I had not been there. 

Good: Walking everywhere since our hotel was in the historic Jackson Square area.

Bad: The smell of urine and garbage everywhere in the Jackson Square and French Quarter areas.

Good: Being able to view a jazz band and wedding party parade below us more than once. 

Bad: Not realizing the balcony door was left cracked the first night and being wakened from drunkards, revving cars, and police sirens (silver lining--no gunshots!).

Good: Fun food! Beignets both mornings, first Cafe Du Monde (Keri's favorite) and Beignet Cafe (Neal's favorite). So much powdered sugar. Po Boys, gumbo, jambalaya...

Bad: Bad drivers and people yelling obscenities at each other.

Good:The sights and sounds! Seeing the architecture in Jackson Square, French Quarter, and the Garden District. Statues, giant live oaks, the Mississippi above us, the beads and streamers of Madis Gras hanging heavily form trees and iron works, the above ground cemeteries, riding the tram, hearing the jazz music in the streets.

Breakfast at Cafe Du Monde

Rhys at the Mississippi across from Jackson Square

Louis Armstrong

 

 

Po Boys at Johnny's

Sophie knocking at the door of a tomb

After leaving New Orleans, we were off to Florida with a stop at the Gulf in Mississippi, at which Rhys stepped into the water and was immediately startled by a ray floating in the water not far from his foot. It turned out it was dead.

On Target

 Sophie has shown interest in archery, hunting, and shooting while taking her outdoor adventures class this freshman year. We got her an archery experience for Christmas to see where she wants to go with it from here or if she just wants to have fun.

Valentine's Fancy Dinner

 For Valentine's, Sophie went to a church dance and had fun with her friends. For Valentine's Day, Sophie suggested that we make Chinese food for our fancy dinner because we had not done anything for Lunar New Year. Neal had a teriyaki chicken instant pot recipe he wanted to try so Wha-la! We decorated the table with crystal swans and a large porcelain flower that belonged to Neal's maternal grandmother, Ionne. Sophie had a recipe for cookies she wanted to make and we were going to start after dinner but then their friend, Matthew B., showed up with a large plate of cookies so we were happy to postpone. The following day, I got three beautiful potted flower plants for next to nothing. Neal knows not to buy me flowers on Valentine's Day.

Smitten

 Who is enamored by our chickens? Neal.

Snow! Okay, Mostly Ice but Still!

 Hooray for ice and snow! Hooray for 2 canceled school! Hooray for cancelled sub jobs!

Impromptu Family Getaway

 Long weekend. No plans. Great weather. Saturday I say to Neal, I think I'll take the kids out to Dinosaur State Park to do something on Monday. Neal: "I'm not working either." Me: Really?! Great lets go have some fun.

A couple hours later

Me: How about we just leave after church and stay in a hotel out there. It will be nice. Neal: Makes reservation.

We jumped in the car with our toothbrushes and clean underwear and headed out and 30 minutes later something dawns on me and I mention: I didn't pack any contact lenses...or glasses. 

So we added a little over an hour with that snafu but we still had a great time playing Rubberneckers trying to spot things on our drawn cards and listening to music. Also, at this time, I'd like to mention that this must me the first time ever that I have used the word snafu in my writings and I would like to thank spellcheck for being there for me.

We've done this trip before when the kids were toddlers. It was our first practice overnight trip with the kids. Close enough to home in case it all went wrong. It was new to the kids though because they remembered nothing.

We got into Grandbury and visited the shops on the square and ate German food-pretzels, cheese sauce, saurkraut, schnizel, German potoato salad--everything but beer. Back at the kids and Neal enjoyed the hotel swimming pool while I relaxed and watched HGTV.  

In the morning we did a driving tour of Fossil Rim Wildlife Reserve and got up close and personal with lots of animals. At the half way point we could get out of our cars and pet emus and goats. Neal was rather attached to one we named Elvis for it's cool "hair". Neal wanted to note he got bit by Elvis. I'd like to note that Neal touched the emu, then hugged the emu, twice. On the way out, we fed a giraffe which was a blast. 

 

 

Sophie eating a rhinoceros

Then to Dinosaur State Park where we looked at the footprints left by different breeds of what? Yes, dinosaurs. The long necks and the not-so-long necks. We walked near the river and waded across it. Then home. Get quick getaway!

Crafty

 Finished my second basket. This one with supervision also, but a lot more intricate. I also hit those sales on Christmas fabric after the holiday and made a tree skirt for next year. I am currently learning a new quilting method and I like the result quite a lot. Will post that one some day when it's finished.

Finally!

 Finally all the hens are laying! I thought a couple might be broken but turns out they just needed more time. Beautiful eggs!

Cozy

 It's 38 degrees outside and the heater is working fine.