Updates + a Big Family Announcement

Hey Everybody! *waves frantically*

It is definitely been too long, too much time, too much happening around here for me to have slipped away since…well…since a little while ago.

SOOOO many things going on around here.

We’ll start right about:

The Duchess is home for the summer – searching desperately for a summer job. She is definitely excited that classes are over, I just hope she realizes that this next year will be even more important than the last. The pressure will continue and intensify as her college career grows.

The King (aka Stable Boy) has been working his tail off (literally). He’s gotten dedicated to daily gym trips, cleaning up our garage (which honestly is like some crazy Hydra – clean one area and another messy one appears times two…) and staying busy with his dayjob. He works in construction so warmer weather means more jobs – always a good thing.

The furbaby Prince’s are precious as ever. Snickers is creeping up on his 1^st birthday and Peanut Butter is still crossing his fingers that his little brother is temporary…sorry Nutter.

I’m working on more art and more writing. I entered an art show in my home town and pleasantly surprised myself by placing – it truly is an honor. It was quite nerve wracking. It’s been since High School that my hometown has seen any of my art…these people have known me since I first grabbed a sketchpad and they are always there for me, they are important to me. I never want to let them down or fail them – they are family. The judge however is from another state – no connection whatsoever and is a highly accomplished artist – the fact that he loved it enough to award me second place…makes him a new favorite of mine ;o)

Oh and one more thing…..

WE ARE ADOPTING!!!!!!!!

Yep. We are. We are in the VERY beginning stage of applications, scheduling home studies and getting sooo excited about this step in our lives. It is only through the blessings of God that we are able to begin this process and it will only be through Him that we will see this process through. I cannot begin to express our excitement….There is so much to share and I plan on doing that ASAP! Look for my next entry to share our story of the whys? The with who? The process.

Please keep us in your thoughts, your prayers and send the best possible love to the universe…

 

Greetings from... A Royal Departure...

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air..."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson
***

All adventures seem to find their way to a conclusion. Yet it is in the final moments that we reflect on the events and marvel at their surreality. The steps that took us to the final scene, the moments that captured our breath and left us wanton; those glimpses of magic that remind us of all that fascinates and the surge of pleasure we get when we realize how amazing this life is.

Our Royal Adventure to the Gulf Coast has been truly an adventure. We came hoping to find a fun and fantastic vacation and leave with the child like exhaustion of a day in the sun. We are tired, we are tan, we are moving a bit more slowly, reacting with a bit more snark and grudgingly collecting all our goodies before the long drive home. Yet with every single damp towel, sand crusted flip flop, empty suntan bottle and over stuffed suitcase - we pack up a week's worth of smiles, a lifetime's worth of memories and the pleasurable feeling of returning to normal life knowing that we just spent 8 days having a blast with close family....we also know it will be around 2 -3 years before we do this again so we breath a little easier.

I have enjoyed this week and all its activities, waking each morning at 6 a.m (my dog decided to try a new time schedule...WHILE ON VACATION! ;o) ), wandering the sandy shores & wading in the water collecting seashells until after 9:30 a.m., then gathering together to discuss the day's options. So many of us, so many places to go, things to see and pictures to take. We are a big group and getting around restaurants, movie theaters and the swimming pool can be overwhelming but we do it and we love it. Yes, there are occasional snide moods and snarky teenagers, whining young ones and grumpy adults but the in between, the up & around, the middle moments are when we shine. I am thankful to have a wonderful family. One that likes to have me around and welcomes me with open arms.

We missed those that had to leave early and there were a few who were unable to attend at all due to uncontrollable injuries (yep a broken arm and foot fracture was not the worst that struck our family but that is another story - one that today has high hopes for a good recovery in the next months). We are all at such different points in our lives. We move in so many directions that often a printed map would definitely help us keep up if not get us to where we should be. It is trips like this one, full of laughter & excitement that finds the checkered flag on our personal GPS systems. It allows a win that we were not expecting, that feeling of contentment similar to winning a prize and wanting to display it on the shelf.

So here..my prize, my trophy is to sit upon this blogging shelf and shine for me to remember and for you to enjoy...

Kristin & Me driving up and down Front Beach (don't worry we are at a stoplight) ;o)

Me & My sister Nina!My niece Anna hula hooping at J Michael's restaurant - you can barely see the hula hoop spinnng around her..

Broken arm and all...texting is still the utmost important thing to a 16 year old..

Kristin in the Hot Seat at Ripley's - one handed she made it to 3000 points, not too shabby...

Watching the dolphins play...

Kristin & me on the dolphin cruise...

The "Spearhead" my sister stepped on while shellseeking...she is adamant about it being a giant arrowhead or spearhead. I must say the shape is definitely interesting as is a mark at its base that resembles an indention of where a post may have been..either way it is her treasure...

A snippet of the shells collected each morning...

A few of my favorites..

So there you have it...my trophies, my lovelies, my memories...treat them well and I hope you enjoyed perusing our Royal Ramblings...

Have a Fantastic Friday & Wonderful Weekend...check in on Monday for the return of Monday Memos & the winner of the Harper Lee Prize Package..

Good Morning...from the Gulf Coast...

Good Morning my blogging friends.... I have been sporatic and poorly posting lately...for that I greatly apologize.

BUT there have been some extenuating circumstances.

In the past month my family has grown by one.

We now welcome Kristin to our family. She is my sixteen year old niece and is now a permanent member of our household. We have been working on legal documentation, school enrollment, driver's license tests, shopping, redesigning, redecorating, laughing, smiling and loving the new addition to our lives.

Right this moment my husband and her are still sleeping as I sit on the balcony of a beach home on the Gulf Coast. I can hear the early morning beach traffic, the waves crashing and feel the sun warming my skin. My little dog Peanut is beside me sniffing the air - no doubt reveling in the myriad of scents. Downstairs my other nieces and nephews are waking up and stirring in the lower floor, above me my sister and a few other nieces and nephews are moving as well. On the first floor (we have 3 floors) my parents are quietly stirring and walking out towards the pool...

YES! we are on vacation. 9 days, beach fun, warm sunshine and lots of family. More will arrive this afternoon and then we will be here - a large group of people who genuinely enjoy each other's company.

We are here to relax, to bond, to indulge and to support the coast that we have loved our whole lives. The beaches truly are open and I will be uploading photos beginning this evening and letting you all vicariously enjoy the beautiful Gulf Coast; also so you can begin to plan your next vacation in hopes you might frolic in our pure white sands...The oil spill has wreaked havoc on perception of our coast and well, I want to let you see how it is really doing.

So enjoy the day, have some good food, and check back later for more info on these announcements:

*I have been dancing around 300 followers for a while now and well its about time for a F.I.C. (Follower Incentive Contest). I will be finding a special 'beachy' prize while I am down here as well as some other prizes. So be SURE to check in on all of that.

*Don't forget the To Kill A Mockingbird Contest ends next week so go enter it too (click on the sidebar link)!

Now I am headed to get some breakfast and see what the day holds...

"A vacation is having nothing to do, and all day to do it in..."

-Robert Orden

Have a Sunny Sunday!

Thankful...

So here we are on the eve of Turkey Day! (sorry no ToFurkey, Frankie :o( ). I have had the weirdest last week and well, lets just say I have so many things to be thankful for.

This year is different. I am not in the Big C celebrating with my siblings or parents. I am in Ttown at my home with one of my best friends, Tracy, & her family (Mike & Isabel) hosting Thanksgiving. To be honest this was unorthodox at first for my mind to process. I mean, I am the family girl, I NEVER miss a holiday with my parents & siblings. This year though we opted to stay home. Not that there are any issues with the fam, on the contrary, we are in great spirits with our immediate families. We decided that Thanksgiving really is about being thankful. Tracy is family. She always has been. The opportunity to celebrate a holiday with her was something I did not think twice about.

Though my immediate family won't be crowded around my table, I will feel them in every recipe that I complete. My mother's dressing sits waiting in the fridge for tomorrow beneath a beautiful sweet potato casserole. I was up until midnight last night making a Whipping Cream Poundcake that my mother is known for. We plan to watch football, the Macy's parade & veg out. All the traditions I experienced growing up are built into my psyche. They travel through my hands as I add each egg to the cake batter. I feel them as I think about that Southern Cornbread Dressing. Yes my family is two hours away, but again in many ways they are right here.

I am thankful for that.

For Tracy, Mike & Isabel who traveled from St. Louis to Bama away from all their family for a vacation & chose us as their destination.
For my mother & father who taught me that blessings are never the items we receive but the love passed from giver to recipient.
For brothers & sisters that gather around the table to share memories of our youth.
For Marcus & his amazing acceptance of who I am.
For Peanut Butter (my dog) for his unquestioning love for me no matter how grumpy I might be. For my other sister: Stacie. A friend who has been there through so much that I wonder sometimes if we have ever really been apart even though distance reminds me we have.
For gifts intangible: my writing, my art, my perception.
For blogging: I am thankful for all my followers, for all my readers... you all make me want to check my blog constantly! ;o)
For this moment. This time to be on earth and type an entry. No matter how trite - time is precious & moments are fleeting.
For reminding me that family is always with me no matter where I am and that family is more than blood.
For the friends I have made on here & Twitter. Truly amazing people who I now cannot imagine my life without. Thank you.
For a manuscript I am really enjoying!
So now that my list is long and lengthy I leave you with this thought:

As each day rises to be met, may you meet it with an open mind and heart.

As the minutes pass may you remember the feeling, the passion, the love around you.

As the night falls around your shoulders may you recount the days' events with a smile.

As yours eyes close and dreams weave into your mind may you welcome the sweet release of sleep that comes from a day in a life worth lived.

As the night becomes the day may you welcome the new dawn with an optimistic mind, eyes ready to see the good and a heart that welcomes the new as it discovers the best of the past.

Growing up too fast...

Okay my siblings have wonderful children. I remember so many births, vividly ;o)

Nina's oldest, Jon, just attended that ever spectacular and so important Homecoming. He is in the 7th grade. Yeah, 7th grade! He is so handsome and just going to drive girls crazy & his parents... ;o) Look at this cutie!

*on the end - far right

*on the left

My brother has twin boys who are the same age as my sister's oldest. Coy (one of the twins) is playing football this year. He is awesome. Finally beyond that awkward stage in sports, it just clicked one day. Look at this strong young man! (he looks so much like his dad!!!)

*obviously the twins get along as expected.... ;o)

Jessica, my sister's youngest girl just had a birthday. Not just any birthday either, that all important, I get to get my ears pierced 8th birthday! Check out the pics of her, her sister Anna, & their friends.

*Anna is second from the left & Jessica is third from the left

Anyway, this post is merely just to brag a bit about my nieces and nephews...This is just a snippet of them, too. Nina also has Christian & Anna who are always up to something. Eric has Colton who is constantly being a mess. Rob has Regan & Riley they are two gorgeous little girls. Jeremy has David - the fifteen year old & the grown Erica & John. All of them are amazing. I am constantly surprised, impressed, proud, and excited for everything I get to take part in during their lives.

Mickey Mouse, Big AL & Nascar....

OME! Our end of summer has been crazy fun times. We went to Orlando to stay at Mickey Mouse's house for a week with my brother Eric, his girlfriend Mindy, her daughter Hannah, & his twin boys Coy & Colton. 8 days in Disney World with one little girl who has never been...she is 6. Hannah was like a breath of fresh air on this trip. I have never been to Disney with a child who is seeing it all for the first time and taking everything in... her eyes were wide & excited for about 18 hours per day. (that 18 hours is not an exaggeration, we were going nonstop for the first 4 days). The boys had been there once before - when Marcus & I got married - but there were so many things that they had not been able to ride due to the wedding festivities. We did everything. (again a literal statement... we did everything that was not under refurbishment) Marcus & I enjoyed time with the boys & Hannah. We see Nina's four quite often but rarely get the one on one time we did on this trip with Eric's crew. They are growing up so fast and are absolutely adorable. I truly enjoyed hearing "Aunt Courtney look at this! Aunt Courtney can we do this? Aunt Courtney did you see that? Aunt Courtney can we ride it again?" every 45 seconds from 3 directions. They make me smile.

Then after returning from Orlando we had a weekend to just lay around and sleep but after that...well this weekend brought on College Football openers. We had planned to just stay around the house to watch the game unless tickets were magically found. Well on Thursday not only did Alabama/Virginia Tech tickets appear but also a bunch of Nascar Race tickets appeared. It just so happens that the game was in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and by coincidence the PepBoys night race was in Atlanta too.... Yep so quickly we packed on Thursday night and we loaded up the car: Me, Marcus, my mom & my dad. We were off to the races! (and the game ;o) ) Nina's house played hotel for us this weekend and with Labor Day we were able to really stretch out the weekend. Good thing too, because 3 a.m. was an early bedtime for our crew of 10. Craziness.

It turned into a wonderful getaway, Alabama gave us a great close game against Virginia Tech (final score 34-24) and the night race provided a different kind of entertainment.

We also snuck in some shopping & were able to catch Jon's team the WOLVERINES play as well. Whew! What a weekend. Well for us it was merely the opening to the Fall, the beginning of crazy weekends and fun times with friends & family...

PCB - Spa Weekend

Well the weekend of July 16 -19, I took my mother & sister down to Panama City Beach for a Spa Weekend.

(the pier outside our room that leads to Lime's)It was so much fun. We had no idea the Billfish tournament was going on that weekend, but we discovered it on Thursday night when we arrived at the Bay Point Resort & Spa to tons of cars & people. The Spa is located on the tip of the Bay right along the marina. It is absolutely gorgeous & huge! Our room was on the ground floor with direct access from our patio to the pier that goes over to Lime's (a Restaurant/Bar that featured live music). We ordered a club sandwich and some quesadillas from King Fish on property - OME so yummy.

There were so many pools - of all kinds: heated, lagoon style, whirlpool, salt water, chlorinated. They are surrounded by cabanas and lush landscaping. The staff was sensational! Due to having so many people on property and at the resort for the festival we lucked up & valet parking was complimentary our entire stay! woohoo!

The first full day was Spa treatments. We woke up early and headed over to Serenity Spa (it was right around the corner from our room). We treated ourselves to some bottle water, spa robes, slippers and then over to the whirl pool. AHHH!!! So wonderful. Nina ventured into the sauna. I really hate being overly heated so I stuck to the warm whirlpool. They called us when it was time for our massages. OME!! An our of luxuriating Swedish massages... so good. Then we were scheduled for hour long Facials. This was fun. I have never had a true facial before and my attendant was someone who actually studies the dermatological side of it. I only usually use soap & water to clean my face... um not good. lol. She lectured me (very sweetly, but firm) about what I need to be doing to take care of my skin. What she did was awesome! I felt so refreshed when it was over. Then we ordered our lunch and sat lazily by the pool before heading in for our pedicures. As I sat there sipping a mimosa and chatting with my mom and the attendant, I realized it has been too long since the three of us (sister, mom & me) have done something like this. It needs to be something we do more often. (I mean just the treat of a spa day is always great, but spending it with my two favorite females is even better!) The day was wonderful!

After that we decided to get dressed and find somewhere to eat dinner before catching a movie. Pompano's won the dinner choice due to driving on Front Beach in the evening is a trip so it looked good & did not seem to have been hit yet with the dinner rush. The food was good, the restaurant loud - but pretty, the restrooms - okay these need to be addressed by management of this facility - YUCK. lol. I hate public restrooms anyway, but geez. ew. lol

After dinner I decided to barrel my way to Pier Park where we would watch the movie. Yes barrel my way. If you have never driven, oh I am sorry, 'cruised' around PCB it is an experience. Horn honking, people walking, riding, beer flowing, crazy people driving (present company of course excluded) everywhere!

We made it to Pier Park & watched Harry Potter 6. My third viewing of the movie. It was around 12:30 a.m. when it finished and after returning to the Resort Nina decided she wanted to walk out to Lime's for some drinks & music. So around 1 a.m the two of us left mom to settle in for the evening and we went to watch the real crazies come out (again present company excluded *wink*). It was an interesting few hours. Almost a few fights, one girl did not like that she wasn't wearing regular underwear (though I am sure for those who saw them as she lifted her dress over her drunk head I am sure they were fine) and the music was pretty good.

Saturday we decided to just get in the pool for a little bit then do some browsing/shopping back at Pier Park. So many cute little shops, yummy eateries, and tons of people. After buying a few things we had some lunch then headed back to the room to chill before heading to dinner.

Dinner for our final night was Captain Andersons on the Marina. If you have never been - you should definitely go! It is so yummy!!! We had some great drinks, some delicious appetizers, our entrees were divine, but dessert was perfect!!

Sunday we ordered room service for breakfast. Did I mention the onsite food locations were awesome??? We had pancakes, waffles, eggs, grits, sausage, bacon, toast, juice, milk, fruit...we were stuffed as we finished packing and got on the road.

it was a wonderful weekend. I really enjoyed the relaxation that is a Spa retreat. Nina & Mom were so much fun! We tried some new things, talked incessantly, and just enjoyed each other's company!