Sorry for the long break there in blogging! Chris & I spent a glorious week in Florida visiting with family and enjoying the beach. It was SO NICE to be home for a more extended stay than usual! Here is the rundown of our wonderful week:
Saturday we arrived into Tallahassee & Mom & Dad picked us up. It was so nice to catch up along the drive back to Panama City. We went out to eat for dinner (Sonny's of course - NYC is a little lacking in the BBQ department) and had a little impromptu driving tour of Panama City (at my insistance =).
Sunday morning we went to church. It is always so great to be back at Jenks Ave. - it certainly feels like home to us. And of course, that feeling is only enhanced by the good number of my extended family that is now attending there. Seeing my Granny Barry, Grammy Jean, and cousin Holly were special treats! In fact, in bible class when the visitors were asked to go around and introduce themselves, Chris totally didn't realize that everyone was waiting on him =p. For lunch we went to another one of my hometown favorites - Po Folks - with Aunt Diane, Uncle Bill, Barry, Granny Barry, Jamey & Leah. Sunday afternoon we spent up at Chris' dad's lake house. Chris' sister & brother in law were there with their children (who are growing up SOOOO fast) - it was great getting to spend some time playing outside with them! From there we headed back to church - we don't have evening service here, and I must say I kind of miss it. I really love the more relaxed, family setting of Sunday p.m. worship service. Sunday mornings can feel so hurried and it's hard to catch up with everyone you want to, so I'm glad we had Sunday night to visit too! After church we headed over to visit with Chris' mom & her husband. After a nice visit we headed over to Chris' sister & brother in law's house to watch the season finale of Desperate Housewives - which in my humble opinion, was one of the show's best finales thus far!
Monday morning, we started out by visiting my Nanny & Poppy's gravesite with Grammy Jean & PawPaw. The flowers were beautiful and in seeing their joint tombstone, I felt a strange comfort knowing they are finally together again. We also took the opportunity to visit Chris' friend Tom's grave, who was our age and died in a car wreck this past year. Afterwards, we headed out to the beach to get settled in at my parent's condo, where we stayed for most of the week. The beach was so beautiful and I couldn't wait to get a little sun! We spent four wonderful hours laying out and swimming in the pool before heading back in town for dinner at Grammy Jean & Paw-Paws. What a treat! On the menu (everything was homemade): celestial chicken with white gravy, cracklin cornbread, butterbeans, macaroni, sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, and lemon ice cake. There was so much food, I feel like I'm forgetting something! Various members of our family ate leftovers throughout the week - so yummy! After dinner, Grammy & I beat the boys in a highly competitive game of Yahtzee - good times!
View from the condo balcony looking over St. Andrews State Park
Boardwalk down to the beach from the condo
On Tuesday, we hit another local haunt, Coram's for heavenly hash & the world's best hot chocolate (okay, the world's best whipped cream - if you know me, you know these two things are practically synonymous). After breakfast, we got a couple more beach hours in. It was actually really funny - Chris is not very attentive with his sunscreen application, so he was pretty burnt from our previous beach day. So, we picked up a big beach umbrella for him to stay under. But of course, the wind was so strong that in no time at all Chris was racing across the beach trying to catch his runaway umbrella! We also got up the nerve to swim in the gulf - those early summer waters can be a little cool - but I'm so glad we did! It felt so good to be swimming in the gulf and brought back so many wonderful childhood memories. After an exciting time at the beach, we headed back into town for leftovers with Grammy Jean & Paw Paw and I went birthday shopping with Grammy Jean. I can't remember the last time we shopped together & we had a really good time. Tuesday night we also got to watch our church back home play softball. It was great to see so many of the guys I grew up with. But, the biggest treat of the night was that my nephew, Will, was home! He was definitely the main show!!! His little voice saying "A-unt Kay-deee" is the sweetest thing ever!
Wednesday was essentially dedicated entirely to Will =). We came in town that morning & headed over to my sister's house. We took Will up to church (which is right around the corner from my sister's house) & played on the playground up there. Chris & I stayed with him during his nap and watched him while my sister & brother-in-law ran some errands. When he woke up we fed him lunch & played with him some more. Then, before church, we headed over to my Granny Barry's for another excellent home cooked meal - delicious pot roast, fried cornbread, squash casserole, corn pudding, peas & okra, and pecan pie were the highlights for me!! Wednesday night at church we got some more time to visit with old friends and it was wonderful catching up. Afterwards, we played Apples to Apples with Mom & Dad, Kristy, Jamey & Leah - it was a lot of fun.
Will on the slide with Uncle Chris
Will showing the love =)
Thursday morning, I went to breakfast with a good friend, Jamie, who just had a baby (3 week old John). It was wonderful catching up with her! I then went to my parent's house and hung out with them & Will. There Will & I played the most wonderful game, it was called "Grandma's comin'" and he would say that, come up to me with his arms stretched up, I'd pick him up & he'd lay his head on my shoulder as I ran away from Grandma. He must have been sleepy because even if I sat down in a chair, he'd just stay in that position. It was golden! That afternoon, my sister, brother & I took my mom to tea to celebrate Mother's Day - it was a really lovely afternoon. Finally, that night, Mom, Dad, Kristy, Payton, Jamey, Leah, Chris & I went to perhaps my alltime favorite restaurant, Capt. Anderson's, to celebrate mine & Payton's graduations. It was a wonderful meal with fabulous company!
Friday we headed over to Destin with Chris' dad & sister. We had a wonderful, lazy day of meandering though the beautiful beach towns of 30-A on our way to Destin and then doing some shopping at the outlets once we got there. For lunch, we went to one of Chris' favorite spots, P.F. Changs - oddly enough, we don't have one of those in Manhattan. When we got back to Panama City Beach, we shopped at the new Pier Park - such an awesome shopping center! The Super Target was wonderful - another luxury not in NYC. We then went to dinner with his entire family at Mikatos - a local hibachi restaurant that is also one of our favorites! It was delicious as always. Afterwards, Chris' family came by the condo for a few minutes to visit before heading back in town.
By Saturday, it was already time to start getting ready to head home. We cleaned up the condo Saturday moring & then head into town to my parent's house. By the time we ran a few errands during the day, it was time for the big birthday bash that night. Our May/June B-days included Uncle Bill, me, Will & Chris. My dad outdid himself as usual with the steaks, mom with the twice-baked potatoes and everything else, and my sister mad a delicious butter nut cake. Mom also bought Chris & I a store-bought cake (on our request) that I wish I could have taken home with us!! The evening was rounded out by watching Will play with his birthday toys - each one he opened - "I anna play wit it".
Our week in Florida ended a lot like it began. Sunday morning we went to church one last time for this trip and said goodbye to dear friends and family. After church Mom & Dad drove us back to Tallahassee to catch our flight. It is always hard saying goodbye, but after such a wonderful week, one can hardly be disappointed. Our time in Florida was the perfect mix of relaxation and time spent with the people we love! We also managed to get plans in the works for trips to New York come August/September (after the Bar Exam) for Chris' sister and friend Tara, my Mom & Dad, and Grammy Jean & Paw-Paw, so that gives us something to look forward to!
Saturday we arrived into Tallahassee & Mom & Dad picked us up. It was so nice to catch up along the drive back to Panama City. We went out to eat for dinner (Sonny's of course - NYC is a little lacking in the BBQ department) and had a little impromptu driving tour of Panama City (at my insistance =).
Sunday morning we went to church. It is always so great to be back at Jenks Ave. - it certainly feels like home to us. And of course, that feeling is only enhanced by the good number of my extended family that is now attending there. Seeing my Granny Barry, Grammy Jean, and cousin Holly were special treats! In fact, in bible class when the visitors were asked to go around and introduce themselves, Chris totally didn't realize that everyone was waiting on him =p. For lunch we went to another one of my hometown favorites - Po Folks - with Aunt Diane, Uncle Bill, Barry, Granny Barry, Jamey & Leah. Sunday afternoon we spent up at Chris' dad's lake house. Chris' sister & brother in law were there with their children (who are growing up SOOOO fast) - it was great getting to spend some time playing outside with them! From there we headed back to church - we don't have evening service here, and I must say I kind of miss it. I really love the more relaxed, family setting of Sunday p.m. worship service. Sunday mornings can feel so hurried and it's hard to catch up with everyone you want to, so I'm glad we had Sunday night to visit too! After church we headed over to visit with Chris' mom & her husband. After a nice visit we headed over to Chris' sister & brother in law's house to watch the season finale of Desperate Housewives - which in my humble opinion, was one of the show's best finales thus far!
Monday morning, we started out by visiting my Nanny & Poppy's gravesite with Grammy Jean & PawPaw. The flowers were beautiful and in seeing their joint tombstone, I felt a strange comfort knowing they are finally together again. We also took the opportunity to visit Chris' friend Tom's grave, who was our age and died in a car wreck this past year. Afterwards, we headed out to the beach to get settled in at my parent's condo, where we stayed for most of the week. The beach was so beautiful and I couldn't wait to get a little sun! We spent four wonderful hours laying out and swimming in the pool before heading back in town for dinner at Grammy Jean & Paw-Paws. What a treat! On the menu (everything was homemade): celestial chicken with white gravy, cracklin cornbread, butterbeans, macaroni, sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, and lemon ice cake. There was so much food, I feel like I'm forgetting something! Various members of our family ate leftovers throughout the week - so yummy! After dinner, Grammy & I beat the boys in a highly competitive game of Yahtzee - good times!
View from the condo balcony looking over St. Andrews State Park
Boardwalk down to the beach from the condoWednesday was essentially dedicated entirely to Will =). We came in town that morning & headed over to my sister's house. We took Will up to church (which is right around the corner from my sister's house) & played on the playground up there. Chris & I stayed with him during his nap and watched him while my sister & brother-in-law ran some errands. When he woke up we fed him lunch & played with him some more. Then, before church, we headed over to my Granny Barry's for another excellent home cooked meal - delicious pot roast, fried cornbread, squash casserole, corn pudding, peas & okra, and pecan pie were the highlights for me!! Wednesday night at church we got some more time to visit with old friends and it was wonderful catching up. Afterwards, we played Apples to Apples with Mom & Dad, Kristy, Jamey & Leah - it was a lot of fun.
Will on the slide with Uncle Chris
Will showing the love =)Friday we headed over to Destin with Chris' dad & sister. We had a wonderful, lazy day of meandering though the beautiful beach towns of 30-A on our way to Destin and then doing some shopping at the outlets once we got there. For lunch, we went to one of Chris' favorite spots, P.F. Changs - oddly enough, we don't have one of those in Manhattan. When we got back to Panama City Beach, we shopped at the new Pier Park - such an awesome shopping center! The Super Target was wonderful - another luxury not in NYC. We then went to dinner with his entire family at Mikatos - a local hibachi restaurant that is also one of our favorites! It was delicious as always. Afterwards, Chris' family came by the condo for a few minutes to visit before heading back in town.
By Saturday, it was already time to start getting ready to head home. We cleaned up the condo Saturday moring & then head into town to my parent's house. By the time we ran a few errands during the day, it was time for the big birthday bash that night. Our May/June B-days included Uncle Bill, me, Will & Chris. My dad outdid himself as usual with the steaks, mom with the twice-baked potatoes and everything else, and my sister mad a delicious butter nut cake. Mom also bought Chris & I a store-bought cake (on our request) that I wish I could have taken home with us!! The evening was rounded out by watching Will play with his birthday toys - each one he opened - "I anna play wit it".
Our week in Florida ended a lot like it began. Sunday morning we went to church one last time for this trip and said goodbye to dear friends and family. After church Mom & Dad drove us back to Tallahassee to catch our flight. It is always hard saying goodbye, but after such a wonderful week, one can hardly be disappointed. Our time in Florida was the perfect mix of relaxation and time spent with the people we love! We also managed to get plans in the works for trips to New York come August/September (after the Bar Exam) for Chris' sister and friend Tara, my Mom & Dad, and Grammy Jean & Paw-Paw, so that gives us something to look forward to!
1 comments:
It was SOOOO great to see you last week. I really enjoyed getting to spend time with you and Chris and hope to see you both again soon! Love you bunches!
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