Spring Break

Spring Break pictures FINALLY! It has taken me forever to get these on hear. So much has been going on as you will see later.

For Spring Break we met my mom and dad in Destin, Florida. We left on Friday when I got off work and drove through the night, with a little 2 hour cat nap at a rest area. We got to Topsail National Reserve Campground Saturday afternoon. Of course, the first thing the kids want to do is go to the beach. After seeing everyone it was about supper time so we went down to the beach to take a walk. Little Hobbie was tired and did not feel like going to the beach just then so he stayed back with Grandma and Grandpa.

This is Hobbie, Justin, and Erin at the end of the boardwalk. They stayed dry for a while, but that did not last long at all. It was nice to walk and stretch your legs from being in the car for hours.


Sunday we went to the beach to go swimming. It was an overcast day, windy and around 70 degrees. It was to cold for me to go swimming, but my crazy kids did not hesitate to get into the water.

See mom, they don't fight all of the time.


Erin dug a huge hole in the sand and then decided that Justin needed to bury her. Hobbie helped a little also, who could possibly pass up the opportunity to bury your sister.

You could rent bikes at the campground. Hobbie and Erin were able to get their own bike. They did not have any bikes with training wheels, but they did have a bike with a kid seat on the back. Justin was a little too big for it, but it worked out nicely. I made Hobbie ride the bike with Justin, because I am not the most coordinated person on a bike to begin with. I would have crashed and scabbed us both up. I rode my dad's bike around. The kids had a blast riding all over the campground, and we would ride them down to the beach.

This is my mom and dad's camper. The were such nice sites.

Erin and Hobbie, coming back from the beach.

Erin posing for her mommy.

Monday was cooler, but the kids still wanted to go down to the beach. The sun was out, but it was only around 65 degrees and very windy. They played in the water a little bit, but eventually got out and just played in the sand making tunnels. It was still a great day on the beach.

Erin and dad did take a crack at boogie boarding. Hobbie said the water was fine once you got in it. That is what everybody says. The only reason it is fine once you get in the water, because you are numb from the cold.

I love this picture of them looking and talking to each other. Hobbie is a wonderful dad and I love these moments.

Erin has taken up my hobby of scrapbooking and she took this picture of us. She did a great job.

On Wednesday we left Destin and went to Gulf Breeze to visit Jeff and Myrts family. Jeff is Hobbies brother, he was not there, he is over in Iraq again. Above is Emma, Branden, Tucker, Erin, Hobbie, Justin, and Alex.

Since it was going to be Easter we died eggs and decorated sugar cookies. Cousin Emma made her daddy an egg with his call sign "Cooter" on it.

Emma and Erin at Peg Leg Pete's, were we ate dinner.

On our way home to break up the time we stopped to visit Elvis at Graceland. I went as a kid, but Hobbie had never been there. It was nice to get away for a little while. Usually you need a vacation when you get back from your vacation. This trip was very relaxing. I did not feel like we were constantly going and going.

For the love of horses

What does the horse say when he falls?.....Help! I've fallen and I can't GIDDY-UP! He, He, He, Yuck, Yuck, Yuck! Ok ok ok, it was pretty corny, but you've gotta love Laffy Taffy jokes!

Erin started riding lessons with a new instructor at a different barn and LOVES it. She liked the other barn she was at also, but her instructor moved out of town and they quit giving lessons there right before Christmas. She started back at the new place a month ago and is having a wonderful time. She is learning how to ride Western style right now. Everyday her teacher gives her a choice weather she wants to ride with a saddle or ride bareback. She always chooses bareback. She also always gets to brush and get the horse ready before she rides her, which she really loves to do. I think this place is a really good fit for her. She enjoys it so much. She is riding bareback in this picture. So serious, listening to her teacher.



Of course since it is out in the country with a few barns full of horses, there will be cats. This is the only reason Jutin loves to come watch Erin ride, is to see the cats. There are quit a few of them, but only a handful that will let you pick them up.

The Dogwood trees were just starting to bloom when I took this picture. There is one right behind Justin with white blooms, but they did not show up very well. Awesome picture of Justin though. Which is really the only thing that counts. I came across a blog by Karen Russell http://karenrussell.typepad.com/ who teaches photography classes on-line and also gives pointers on her blog for better pictures. It is a pretty neat blog. The pics of Justin was me trying out some manual settings on my camera. If I can brag on myself a little, I think this one came out pretty good. It helps to have really cute subjects too.

I hope everyone had a great Easter last weekend. My family went to Destin, Florida last week for spring break. I will have pictures from that once my ancient dial-up internet gets them uploaded. Talk to ya then.

Funny story follow-up

Tuesday when Hobbie came home from school I asked him if he found out who wrote the love note and he said that it was Summer. I asked him if she had told him herself and he said no. Then the big question was....then how do you know it was really Summer? Well, Samantha asked Summer if she wrote the note and she told Samantha that she didn't, but when Summer answered that question Austin saw her with her fingers crossed behind her back. Aaaahhhh, the days when you can cross your fingers and your fib doesn't count. It is such a wonderful thing to hear little stories like this from your kids and then remember that you went through the same exact thing when you were their age.

Being the scrap booking mom that I am, I asked Hobbie if he still had that note. I thought it would make a cute page about his first anonymous love note and the story behind it. He took it back to school to show his best-friend Josh. Derek and Eric also wanted to see it and then Samantha snatched it away from Derek. Samantha got caught reading it and it was taken away buy their teacher. The end of the note. Never to be seen again. Well, I never got caught passing notes it class. No, No, No, not me.

We are leaving to go down to Destin, Florida to stay with my parents for a few days and then visit with my sister-in-law for a couple of days in Gulf Breeze. I will have pictures when I get back. Have a good weekend.