Tuesday, August 28, 2007

In the mouth of a shark!!



This is one of many souvenier shops in Gulf shores. Inside you can look in a hole in the sharks stomache (that says "Kids Only can look in the sharks stomache" and it has bones and body parts. Dalton & Triston thought this was really cool.

One little piggie, two little piggie...ok 70 little piggies on the beach!!



This picture was fun to take!! I am having it blown up in black and white for a new silver frame I got at Christmas (thanks Kim). Can you guess who is who??

Dad on "Beach Watch"



Johnnie was ALWAYS on "Beach Watch" with the kids. He did a great job...we all came back alive!

Our family in Destin



The bluest water is here in Destin. We were amazed!! The kids really enjoyed boogie boarding in this water because they could see the bottom of the ocean. Keeli and Triston were really good at it!

Me & My Honey on Vacation



First..I love this man! We didn't get a lot of pics of just the 2 of us because we had to depend on little people and half grown people to take the picture. I took over 20 rolls of film and some of them you can really tell were taken by an 8 year old.

Our Summer Vacation










Well, we are finally home from our summer vacation in Gulf Shores Alabama. Where to start? Well, I will try to sum it up as best I can on here.

Our trip to Gulf Shores was wonderful. We left Conroe Friday night the 17th and drove to Lafayette and stayed there the night. Got up bright and early Saturday morning and headed to Mississippi. Took a tour of a replica of the Holy Land, which was really cool and educational for the kids. Then headed off to Mobil Alabama where we stayed the night right next to the USS Alabama Battleship. What a sight to see!! The boys and Johnnie really loved this stop! Being in that huge ship was so exciting for Triston! He pretended to shoot people on land from the large guns on the deck! We laughed so hard!!

Left Mobil early Sunday morning to arrive at our condo on the beach of Gulf Shores! We were so excited to finally get there. So excited that it took all of 15 minutes and we were all at the beach! Melanie and her crew come to stay with us a couple of days.

Monday morning Johnnie and Eddie went and played golf at the Pennisula while Mel and I went to the spa and treated ourselves to a massage and pampering. This is when I knew...I AM ON VACATION!!! It was wonderful!! Later that evening we went to eat at this great place called Lamberts...where they toss rolls across the room and get up and do parade dances while you eat. A VERY fun place to eat and wonderful food!!





Tuesday was one of our biggest days! So exciting to go to the Naval Air Base in Pensecola Florida and see the Blue Angels practice show. I would have to say that at first, I really thought only the boys would enjoy this trip but boy was I wrong!! This was one of the most exciting things I have ever done and seen. It is amazing what those guys can do! We even got to experience a little of it when we toured the museum. We went to the 3-D IMAX show and it was as if you were in the plane with them. The view from there was amazing and stomache turning at the same time!! Several times I had to close my eyes...I was getting a little quezzy!!

Ok...there always seems to be a little bad with all the good...so here it goes. We took our video camera with us so we could capture all the great stuff! After leaving the naval base, we headed to Fort Barraccas (which is close to the base). Johnnie loves war stuff and we were excited to go. This fort was so amazing. You could just picture those guys in uniform, protecting this great land of ours. However...in the excitement and craziness, I set the video camera down on a bench and walked away to talk on my cell phone and totally walked off and left it there! We got back to the condo before I realized it was gone. Called back to the information center and they never found my camera. I was sick for 2 days from this. The only good thing was...I had taken many pictures and had that to fall back on.

Wednesday was another big day for us. We got up early and headed to Destin Florida. We thought the water and sand at Gulf Shores was wonderful until we arrived here. I have never seen bluer water or whiter sand. The water was so blue...in chest deep water, you could see your feet. The sand so white it reminded you of baby powder. The amazing thing was...it was never hot to walk on. Incredible what God has created!!! We plan to revisit Destin next vacation and stay there a few days. Emerald Cove was a small place of Heaven...right here on earth!

Thursday, we headed over to a place called Fort Morgan which is at the very end of the Pennisula (on the same road as our condo ...about 4 minutes away). Now this Fort was really amazing. We toured this fort for about 2 hours. This is the fort where the great saying "Damn the torpedos...full spead ahead" came from. During the invasion of Mobil Bay...there was no stopping them from coming in! It was like being back in time. In the museum there were original letters written from husbands to wives and from sons to their mothers. I spent 30 minutes crying right there. It was so sad! Amazing how when you see that and imagine having to endure something like that...it comes close to home and makes you realize all the precious things you posses. To God I am so grateful for the love of my husband and children. I am truly a blessed woman.

Friday was a stay at the beach all day ..day! We all came back so tanned. Just a relaxing day. We ate at the grill at the beach club. Went to the Resort Club House and the boys played in the gameroom while Johnnie and I sat out by the pool and sunned. The girls chased cute guys (or visa versa..there were several young boys chasing them around) and Cody worked out in the wieght room. This was the life!!

Saturday morning, knowing it was our last day, we just vegged out! Spent all day under an umbrella at the beach and built sand castles, found beautiful shells and sand dollars. Dalton got stung by a jellyfish on his arm and leg and Johnnie got stung on his belly. Nothing a little vinegar couldn't fix though and they were all back in the water. Saturday night around 9:30 pm we loaded up and headed back home to Texas. The drive is about 9 and 1/2 hours long. Johnnie and I took turns driving straight through while the kids slept. It wasn't that bad and gave Johnnie and I time to reflect on our trip and life in general. Great chats and lots of lovin!!

We arrived home at 6:20 am on Sunday. Whewwwww! We were glad to be home. Again, God has blessed us many times over and for everything....we are grateful.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Ouuuuucccchhhhh!!!!

Well it's Sunday around 11:am and I am just getting up. Missed church this morning because I was up until 3:30 am running to the drug store for medicine. I have been sick for 3 days with a swollen gland in my face from a boo boo on my ear (wierd...I know). ANYWAY....I am feeling a little better this morning and hopeing that I will be all better by tonight.
I have to...vacation is coming!! I know that I say a lot about vacation but I am telling you.....I REALLY NEED ONE!!

Johnnie and I are going to go to Best Buy today and buy a new lap top. Mine (that I just bought 2 years ago and spent over $2000) has died! I think it's all the junk my kids do while they are playing on it that has caused it to either get a virus that is unfixable or something!! But I took it to the geek squad and they said it would cost $200-$800 to fix it. I guess it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it would just be best to buy a new one!! So.....we are soon off to spend the money! :(((((

August is in full swing here at our home. Getting things ready to go back to school (Thank the Lord)! School shopping next week for 5 kids (everyone pray for me..ha).

Check back often...our lives are busy! To all my family...I love you and miss you.
Oh...p.s., don't forget to keep Aunt Margie in your prayers!!
Sonja