vacation

November’s End {Thoughts From Me}

November 30, 2016 by Dana

Today is the last day of November. The past month has been busy for us. Work has started to return to normal and life is going back to how it was before Hurricane Matthew paid his visit in October.

I’m thankful this month is ending. I am looking forward to December and then to a new year in 2017. November has had some serious ups and downs for us.

One thing that happened is that Emmalee’s therapy has ended. I’m proud of her. She had surgery to correct her toe-walking on both feet on June 20th and has since worked hard to relearn how to walk, balance, run, and kick. The strength my daughter has is amazing to me. She’s come through so much and continues to become stronger every day.

November brought vacation time for my Mom this month and I will say it was the best week for us all. She enjoyed her time with my brother and his family and we enjoyed our time together as a family without her around. We rarely get to do that since she is currently living with us but it gave us a nice peak into our future. I look forward to having that day to day in our lives again.

November brought us challenges. We discovered mold in our bedroom which had been covered by paint that wasn’t appropriate for it’s treatment. We also found our outer bedroom walls needed to be replaced. We worked with our landlord to make this happen and are happy to say our home is now repaired.

November brought Thanksgiving. We had a great family dinner. We shared what we were thankful for. That one meal fed us for almost a week on the leftovers.

November also brought our family a scare. The wildfire in Gatlinburg, Tennessee where my brother and his family currently live. Another disaster. More families without homes who have lost everything. I’m thankful that my brother, sister-in-law, nephews, their pets and their extended family in the area are all okay.

One this last day of November, I find myself glad it’s ending and praying that December comes with no problems, with nothing but blessings for everyone to finish out the year. I hope that the next year is a better one because this one has surely been a struggle for so many.

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who have been affected by this years disasters. I pray that the next year will be a better one for us all!

Weekend Adventures {Thoughts From Me}

September 8, 2014 by Dana

The past few weeks have been so busy for us. Two weeks ago was Jack’s 2nd birthday. Last weekend was a trip to Florida to photograph a wedding. There’s been no slowing down. Thankfully, the next few weeks should be a stopping point. Nice and slow to get things done.

The wedding was beautiful. The Bride and Groom’s love truly showed through every single moment. It was such a wonderful thing to see.

The weekend went great except for the rain. But even the rain could not drown out the love from these two or their family. It also did not stop our weekend fun.

The kids didn’t make this journey. It was an adult weekend, seeing old friends who I haven’t seen in quite some time, spending time and introducing them to new friends. We enjoyed our time together and made memories we will never forget.

We visited the Original Ron Jon’s in Cocoa Beach and walked to the shore just to say we’d been there. We considered tattoos while adventuring as well. Then we went home and talked, joked and laughed until the wee hours of the night.

We ate great food, and rode to see Harley’s, visiting Daytona Beach and the biggest Harley store we’ve ever seen. We picked up souveneirs to remember our adventures, cute baubles that will help us to remember it always. And we will remember the times and the memories made.

On the way home, we stopped in Savannah to see Bass Pro, do a small bit of shopping and to the Savannah Harley store to see their collection. We didn’t find a bike but we did find lots of fun things to view.

We finally made it home and I know I for one was exhausted. I slept through last night and most of the day today. The kids were thrilled to have us back home. I was thrilled to be home as well because I missed them all terribly.

Today I have lazed and loved on my babies. The trip was fun and I greatly enjoyed the family I have missed but there is nothing like seeing my babies and spending time with them. I’m thankful for the love they give me and that I was deeply missed.

That was our weekend… how was yours?

A Week With No Kids: Day One and Two {Thoughts From Me}

July 28, 2014 by Dana

In an impromptu effort to encourage family relationships with my children, I have allowed them to travel with their Grandmother to Florida to visit their uncle (my brother) and his family. Anyone that knows me knows that this is totally out of character for me, as I rarely let my kids go anywhere that I am not, much less 2 states away from me. It was a last minute decision that I can honestly say I am pleased has happened though I miss my kids very much – I’m sure they are not-so-much missing Mommy with all the Florida fun and sun though.

It all started last year when Emma asked could they go with Grandma to Florida in which I replied no but she was so sad and so disheartened that it saddened me. So this year when time for the trip came, I first said “no” but at the last minute I changed my mind and told them they could go. I was looking forward to alone time with the kids per my original “no, you aren’t going” but I know they want to see their uncle and cousins who they rarely see due to the distance in living. Needless to say the kids couldn’t be happier!

So the weekend was spent washing up clothing, packing and gathering necessary items to send them on their way. We gassed up the Tahoe and filled it up with loads of things to keep them occupied on the overly long trip. Then early Sunday morning, we sent the four plus Grandma on their merry way. They stopped off and picked up their cousin Megan to go along on their travels too. Grandma gets a week with all seven of her Grandkids at one time! Whoo Hoo!

With the kids gone, that leaves me as a Mommy with no one to parent. You’d think I’d be living it up, enjoying this vacation that so many long for every day. Nope – I miss those four beautiful kids desperately in just the few hours they’ve been gone and have been keeping busy so that I don’t miss them more.

After the kids left yesterday, the Bestie (Tamara) and I all loaded up in Mom’s car since she has my car and went down to the beach for the first time in forever – definitely the first time this year but maybe the first time in 3 years. We sat in the edge of the water and played for several hours like young children would. It was wonderful and so relaxing.

By the time I left the beach, the day was almost over and I felt as though I’d had a relaxing massage from the beating of the waves hitting me as they washed upon the shoreline. Tamara and I also gathered some pretty shells while we were there. The whole day was just what I needed to keep my mind off of the kids being gone.

After the beach, we grabbed some Subway Subs and headed home. The rest of the night we sat around watching TV, catching up on missed episodes of our favorite shows. It was 4:30 in the morning before we finally went to sleep.

Today I woke up around 11. It was nice to sleep in. I immediately ate something and started on laundry. I cleaned up the living room and put all the out of place things away. I headed over to Grandma’s and did the laundry there as well. Just basic housecleaning that needed to get done.

I also had a wonderful surprise. The books I had ordered from my dear homeschooling friend Carole, had been delivered! The overstuffed large box was waiting for me on the porch. It was filled with books on animals, great readers, science educational stuff and more. Carole’s books are always the best! I can’t wait for the kids to return and find so many new, interesting things to read!

It’s now 7:30 in the afternoon. For the rest of the night, I will be working on pictures that I have been putting off. Tomorrow brings a new day and I will be working on more things around the house. You’d think this was a vacation from the kids but really it’s just catching up on all the things I am not able to get done when they are home with me. Lots of work that needs done while they are off having fun.