Another Boogaloo Camp is in the files!  I honestly don’t know how they keep getting better…but they do!  This year was a blast!  Our little boys are growing up and changes have to be made to accommodate their changing interests.  What used to be loads of fun is just so-so, now.  But, we are nothing if not flexible!  And so we move on to newer and exciting things.

We arrived on Thursday and the fun began immediately!  Our theme this year was ‘A TRUCKLOAD OF FUN’.  I usually set up a scene on the table to welcome them in…

Joy and I arrived a day early and did a little cooking for the group.  So we had a good supper of chicken salad, fresh tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries…fresh salsa dip…perfect for a beach night. And, Joy had special cookies made for us!

Then we visited and played an exciting game of charades.  It was the boys against the girls.  I won’t say who won, but the fun we had was equally divided!

Joy and I showed off our new matching flamingo pajamas.  They girls said we were ‘standing on sinking sand’…so she and I treated them to an old hymn…”On, Christ the Solid Rock, I Stand’ (all other ground is sinking sand’.)  They may not agree, but I am sure it was a highlight for them!

On Saturday morning, Suzanne treated us all to a delicious breakfast…eggs, bacon, sausage,  grits, fresh fruit, toast…it was so good! Then the younger crew took off to the chaos that is Shipwreck Island…Joy and I chilled at the house!

Sunday dawned bright and beautiful.  Breakfast was from Thomas Doughnuts!  Yummy!

The boys and I did a little art project and the girls gathered together our provisions for our big adventure!  This falls under the heading of trying ‘new and exciting things!’

We rented a pontoon boat and took it to Shell Island for the afternoon.  What a fun time we had!  Suzanne and Tara were the designated driver and navigator…and they did a fabulous job!  We skimmed across that water like we had been doing it all our lives!

A beautiful old tree trunk, sculpted by the water, and the winds…reminded me of a crown.  I love to see the beautiful things Mother Nature does with remnants of things that are of no use anymore.  With just the right touch she turns them into a thing to marvel at!  You just have to have eyes that look for beauty in unusual places.  I think that could lead into a sermon, but I’ll save it for another day.

We swam and explored and floated and had the best time ever!  Joy and I remarked that it was so nice to just sit back and let the girls take us where we wanted to go and bring us back!  A perk of our advancing ages, right?  They did so well!

Monday was filled to the brim!  After another Thomas Donuts run, next on the agenda  was a paint gun fight between the boys!  Well, we thought it would be fun…but they didn’t think so.  They managed to muddle through…enough for a picture…but that is definitely off our list in the future!  Those smiles are 100% fake!  Ya win some…ya lose some! (All the paint washed out!)

But, as usual, Funland was right up their alley!   The old school arcade just suits us all.  The boys love it, it’s not crowded, and full of things they love to do!

Then it was our night to splurge and savor some great seafood   We ate at Schooners…grilled grouper, fried shrimp, oysters, fried fish, scallops, crab claws…and even some chicken fingers!  Can’t you just taste it?  So yummy!

Then a walk out the back door to take in a little sand and sun…perfect for more pictures!  Wow!  That sun was blinding!

Next stop…Go Karts!  A few laps around the course and we were off to the City Pier.  We had been working our whole day around being able to watch the sunset from the pier.  And, we managed to hit it just right!  Now the sunset was not a showstopper like some we have seen, but the breeze was wonderful!  We watched the waves and the fishermen, saw a rescue on the beach, watched the people hurrying to and fro.  It was so relaxing and gave us the perfect time for just talking and reflecting on the beauty and life around us!

And as Tuesday rolled around, it was time to pack up, clean up and head back home.  Of course we had to take more pictures!  This year we got shirts made for us all…blue for the boys and pink for the girls.  They have a big pontoon boat on the back.

The girls and boys helped with clean up before they left.  Joy and I stayed another night to get all the sheets and towels washed and to just chill a little in the quiet!  Actually, it was too quiet…we had to go do something…a little shopping and a great supper at Mike’s.  Next morning we packed up and headed towards Dothan.

And, so this season of joy comes to a close.  How blessed we are to have a family that loves one another and wants to share times together.  It gets harder and harder the older we all get.  But, we will continue as long as God gives us strength.  I could make a list of things we are grateful for and I would not have a stopping point.  God is so good.  It is because He ordained it that we are able to share these times together.  It is because of His goodness that we have the health to enjoy it.  It is all thanks to Him.  It is not something Joy and I take lightly as we plan for this each year.  We were missing 3 of our family this year, due to an unforeseen medical issue. Issue solved…and they are looking forward to joining us next year!  Now that’s going to be a fun time!  Looking forward already!

“Thank you, dear Father, for this glorious time together to laugh and sing and dance and play and enjoy one another!  You are the Giver of All Good Things and we praise you with grateful and overflowing hearts!”  Amen.

It has been really hard for our family to get together recently.  Nothing new and major…just illness, age, lingering health issues, work, etc.  But we gave it another try on Memorial Day.  Still some were not able to be here, but the celebration went on!

This was the first time our sweet Ella was old enough to join us for a  little family fun!  Her first time in the pool, too!  She did great.  Ian and Samantha had gotten her a great, very safe and secure water device to use.  She really loved it.  I, of course, went with the girliest thing I could find and got her a baby flamingo!  She liked theirs best.  Really, I think she will enjoy the flamingo when she can sit up better and has more control.  Anyway, she really enjoyed the water!

Levi has yearned to spend more time with Ella, but with his school, and ball and tennis, and his and Ella’s parents work and school…it has been hard.  So he enjoyed some time getting to just talk with his Aunt Samantha and Ella.

And, to all our great delight, Alex was able to be outside with us for a while today.  And Levi and he had lots to talk about..Star Wars and video games and stuff!

Our sweet Hudson really enjoyed the pool.  He is so fun to be with…such a sweet boy!

We had delicious barbecue, with coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, chips and dip, and a big strawberry shortcake!  Yum!

Adam was at work, but Suzanne was with us and she enjoyed the pool and the baby!

…….Imagine there is a beautiful picture here of Suzanne in the pool…looking so lovely.  But, she would not let me post it!…….

We were so glad that Joy and Tommy came, too!  It’s always great to have sister/brother time!

One of the last days I spent with my sweet Mother was at my house on July 4th, 2008.  We had a cook out at my house soon after we moved into our house here on Cross Creek Lane.  I remember her and Pop sitting out by the pool and us just talking and visiting.  She died 9 days later…quickly and unexpectedly.  I miss her every single day!  She would be so proud of her great grand children.  As I hold our her namesake, I remember my lovely Mother.

Here are the precious children, Hudson, Ella, and Levi…

My beautiful daughters-in-love…Suzanne and Samantha.  (And no, I do not know how to make it big like the rest of them…it is beyond my bag of skills).

Levi, Joy, Alex and I popped crackers and found crowns inside…so Alex dubbed us the King and Queen of the day!

Another sweet memory of times together.  We missed our absent members, but included them in spirit.

And we remember the reason for this day of celebration.  We owe our freedom to gather together to the brave men and women who paid for it so dearly.  We are indebted forever.  I feel one of our greatest gifts from God was to allow us to be born in or become citizens of America.  With all the trouble and strife and unrest in our country now, we still live in the greatest country on Earth. And we are thankful!

Spring Break 22 is in the books!  Everyone who entered and spent time with me at The Sandcastle had a blast!  It just never does last long enough!  Time always seems to go by too fast near those gorgeous beaches!

Suzanne, Levi and I went down on Fri. of the week before.  We found lots to occupy our time, as usual.  We did a little shopping in Destin and in PCB, they rode go carts, we went to the FunLand Arcade, and we ate at our favorite places…for breakfast and dinner!  And, Levi had some birthday money he needed to get rid of, so we helped him do that, too.

Below:  the docks outside of Boondocks, Fun Land, and The Sandcastle…

Levi, Suzanne and I have been coming down for spring break since was a toddler!  It has become a special time for us to share together.  God blessed me with these 2 dear ones and I love all the time we spend together!

They left for home and I had a couple of days of quiet just to myself.  I read and watched movies and snacked and rested!  Then here comes the girls!  Tina and Shirl arrived early Thursday and we had such a fun time catching up with each other.  Even though Tina and I live in Dothan, we both have been so very busy with our families and Tina moved into a new house.  So we haven’t spent much time together except on the phone.  Shirl lives in Moultrie and she stays busy all the time with her church and their ministries and her family.  So we spent the whole first day just talking and laughing and remembering !  Such fun! We are so blessed our friendship has continued for so many years!  Of course, Tina and Shirley are sisters in law, so they have that sweet bond, also.

The next day, we knew there were places we needed to see.  We have some favorite shops we love to visit every time we are at the Beach.  They have all the stuff we like…old stuff, new stuff, stuff to wear, stuff to carry, jewelry stuff, stuff for our home…just our kind of stuff!  And so we made the rounds.  And ended up at a great restaurant for shrimp and fish and hushpuppies…oh my!  Then we watched movies till we crashed!

Alas, they needed to leave Saturday, and so we cleaned up and packed up and off they went.  Shirl lives about 2 hours further than we do.

But our time together was perfect…we hashed out what everyone needed to do about whatever was going on in their lives as only the very best friends can do!  Sad to see them go, but we have already got plans for our next escape!  I followed a few hours later and spring break was officially over for us!

How thankful it makes me to be able to spend time at our little beach cottage. Don keeps it looking nice and has just finished doing repair work on the deck and porch.  I love to hear this little place filled with kids and noise and laughter and secrets and tears and prayers.  And I love sharing it with the people I love most in the world!  of course, if I gathered them all at one time, we could not fit in!  I thank God for his beautiful world, his beautiful people, and his beautiful love.  Till next year!

Below:  The Sandcastle, Turtle Girls Market, The Salty Mermaid, Salty Sues…

Here it is January 3…Christmas is past and the new year is here already!  It has been a busy year for us…lots of ups and downs and lots of blessings to count! Here is a little run down of our festivities!

Our season started off, of course, with decorating the house and the porches.  Then we had our annual craft day with John Thomas and Levi.  They were full of crafty ideas and ready to work!  They both made snow houses and ornaments for their trees and to share.  Below: my mantle, using antique boxes, and accents of white…Levi’s tree of red trucks and cars carrying trees.  We have been collecting these since he was 2 and we manage to find new ones every year.  Several he has painted or built himself…then a tree for our new grand baby, Ella, born in November.  Her tree is filled with cuteness all in pink!  Finally, the boys and I after the crafting was done!

Our first gathering was with our complete family.  Oh, how wonderful for us to all get together again.  With Covid standing in our way, we never had a chance to celebrate together last year.  This was at my house, on the Sunday before Christmas, for lunch!

Below: Suzanne and Adam…Lori, Tonja, Tara…Tonja and Adam…Samantha with Baby Ella…Tara and John Thomas.  Then out to the bridge…Just a short walk…Joy and John Thomas…The boys and I acting silly, Levi, Hudson, John Thomas…My sweet sister, Joy and I.

Below:  Adam, Levi and Suzanne had a private meeting with Santa…I took a little day trip to do a little more shopping with Tina and Shirl…and Sweet Hudson posed for lots of pics with Miss Ella.  John Thomas tried out his new kayak on the River…with Aunt Lori along for the ride!

And, it’s Christmas Eve!  Our immediate family all met at Ian and Samantha’s this year.  And, What a blessing…Alex was able to go with us!  They had prepared a light meal complete with fruit cake and pecan pie!  Yummy!  After filling our tummies, we sat and read those precious verses from Luke together and we thanked God for blessing us all this year and adding a new one to our family.  Then on to presents…such lovely gifts from everyone!  Another sweet night to remember.   Below:  Adam, Alex, and Ian with Miss Ella…Adam and Levi in matching shirts…Alex and Hudson…Miss Ella on Adam’s shoulder…My precious daughters-in-love, Samantha and Suzanne, as sweet as they are beautiful…Hudson and Levi posing and playing on their new games!  And our new family of four!

We left early so parents could do what it is that parents do on Christmas Eve…and little boys could get to bed early!

Below:  Levi is all set to welcome Santa in a big way!

And each in our own houses, we spent Christmas day…playing with new toys, figuring out a new phone, testing out fishing lures…planning ways to spend that Christmas cash, or just reading and napping.  No rushing here or there…just a relaxing day!  I heard some of us stayed in our Christmas pajamas all day!!!

To round out the year, on December 30, Don and I celebrate 49 years of marriage!  Joy and Tommy celebrated 46 years on the 28th!

God has richly blessed our family in so many ways.  We thank Him for seeing us through the difficult times, leading us through uncertainty and giving us joy in our hearts through it all.

Wishing you and yours the very best in 2002.  Friendships are what God gives us to help carry out His goodness to us!  Some of us are friends in real life and see each other often.  Some of us have met once or twice, but live far away,  some of us are friends who live in other countries, and some of us are friends who have never met…only online.  Isn’t that a wonderful thing?  Feeling a kinship with those you only know through the WWW.  It’s the body of Christ…the family of God.  Thank you for your friendship and love!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Just a tad under 60 miles from Dothan, there is lies the little town of Bainbridge, Georgia.  It is such a lovely little town, very old, with brick paved streets, a town square right out of a Hallmark movie, delicious restaurants, and some fabulous shopping!

How do I know this?  My friend Tina and I set off early yesterday morning and our other bestie, Shirl, set off from her home in Moultrie, Ga.  We are about the same distance away from our destination for the day.  And oh, my! the Lord gave us the most glorious day.  Just a hint of coolness and plenty of sunshine!

Bainbridge has done an excellent job of using their downtown area to entice shoppers and browsers to visit.  There are plenty of tables set up in the square and we saw quite a few people taking their lunch breaks under these grand old trees.  We ‘borrowed’ one of them to snap this picture!

There is a wide variety of shopping venues here.  My sister, Joy, had brought me over here several years ago to visit a neat little gift shop.  It was amazing, but I had no idea all the other places that were here.  Shirl and Tina had been before, so they kinda knew the ‘lay of the land’.  To me…it was a treasure hunt!

We had lunch at a well know restaurant on the square, The American.  Delicious!

After a yummy meal and a heart to heart catch up that only the best kind of friends can have, we set out to explore more of the goodies just waiting to be found!  And we are ‘mighty hunters’…yes, we are!

Shirl and Tina found these great ponchos in a little boutique.  Yes there were three of them…however, due to my lack of height, I looked like a hobbit!  So, a ‘no’ for me…but they were perfect for them!  Aren’t the colors just perfect for jeans and boots?

After finding a few sweets to restore our strength, we browsed a little more,,,found a few more treasures…and decided to call it a day!  We wanted to get home before dark.  We split up the packages, exchanged our personal gifts to one another, and set our sights toward home.  Tina and I one direction, Shirl, the other.

We all have our definitions of what a friend really is.  And, each friend plays different roles in our lives.  God put these two ladies in my life so many years ago because He knew they were going to be with me through thick and thin.  He knew I need their guidance, their prayers, their acceptance and love.  I am forever grateful for this gift that  makes me a better person.