Vacation 2011

We left Blackwell on Thursday morning June 23, 2011 and ended the day in Memphis Tennessee.  Emily came with us since she and Samantha were already pros at this roadtrip. She had to make it bearable again for Samantha!  We ate at Corkys Bar-B-Q and had their sweet tea and dry rub ribs...YUMMM!!!

The 24th was a drive day! We stopped in Flat Rock North Carolina for the night and stayed at Mountain Lodge. The pool was great for the girls and the sunset was beautiful from our room. 

Up bright and early on the 25th to head to Charlotte, North Carolina to tour Charlotte motor speedway.  We did not take the official tour, but did walk all over the grandstands. Gotta love a good racetrack!

Finally arrived at Litchfield resort at Pawley's Island South Carolina that afternoon and the first thing we did after buying a boogie board for Emily was hit the beach!  It was right outside the place we were staying, we just had to walk past the pool and lazy river to get there.  Bottom left of this picture was the view from our balcony.

June 26th was the official beach day.  We swam on the beach, we walked on the beach and just floated in the ocean.  That evening we went up to Murrell's inlet and ate at Drunken Jacks for seafood.  I had the Mahi Mahi which was wonderful.  Samantha and Emily split the steak and shrimp and Stephen had Crabcake.  YUMMY!

Gettin' our Americana on by touring racetracks and now an aircraft carrier.  The USS Yorktown is parked at Charleston so we drove down and toured it.  Stephen could have spent hours there. Samantha and Emily not so much!  They were great though and we had a good time.

Our last day...time to head home.  Goodbye beach.  Miss you already!

Since we were driving right by it anyway, we stopped at Talladega Superspeedway and took the official tour there. We got to ride around the bottom of the track to see the 33 degree banking. Our van driver told us all kinds of stories about the history of the track. I had forgotten that Davey Allison had died there when his helicopter crashed. Sad memory... Stephen could have talked to that guy all day! It was great to see him enjoy something so much! 

Almost home...good trip...great destination...good to be home.

Best Friends since Pre-school!

Samantha and Kimberlee...

Not always together, but never apart
Not always hanging out, but never on the outs

These 2 girls make me smile.
These 2 girls know what a friend is.
I am so proud of these 2 girls!

P.S. Notice the swatches of color each one has in their hair. That is why they posed for this picture.
Still lovin' these 2 girls!

It just makes me smile!

I don't know why I am blogging this picture. I have already blogged about Samantha's permit and this was taken before that even happened. I guess I am blogging about it because I just love this picture and what it represents.

I let Samantha drive home from Garber the Friday before Memorial day to get some driving experience on the highway before she had to drive for her class. That is the reason why she is in the driver's seat, but not the reason I am blogging about this picture.

We had just finished putting flowers on all our relatives gravesides (one of them is in this picture!). Samantha was with Patsy and I all day helping to sort/pack/ and disperse all these flowers. She was with us while we ate at the local diner on a lunch of fried food and iceberg lettuce salads. She listened to the required telling of the stories that have been passed down for generations. She wrote down names of all the relatives so we could keep better track of how many flowers we needed, and how many needed to be replaced for next year. She did all of this with just the 3 of us and still ended the day with this sweet smile on her face.  That is the reason I am blogging this picture. 

Thank you Samantha for the beautiful young lady you are becoming....inside and out.

This is a memory that will always make me smile. Yes, I'm smiling now!

Permission Granted!!!

Samantha got her permit!!! She didn't even miss a question on her test. All that worry for nothing. I was so proud of her. She handled herself very well, and the whole process was relatively painless! Yay Sam!!

This is just one of those next steps we will be rapidly experiencing together. Wish time would slow down, but yet can't wait to see how it turns out!!


CONGRATS!!

P.S. Also notice the new haircut! She loves it, yet misses the length it was. It'll grow back!

Memorial day

Why we do what we do on Memorial Day.



We decorate gravestones on Friday or Saturday before Memorial Day.
We attend a Memorial service at the cemetery where my family is buried. (This year they read the Gettysburg Address which I thought was very appropriate and a wonderful addition to the tradition)
We tell stories and remember our loved ones who have gone on before us.
We respect the ones who have passed by celebrating with our loved ones.
We get together and cook out.
We have homemade ice cream.
We remember those that have given us the freedom to do just that.

Driver's Education

School is officially out here in Blackwell. However, I got my daughter up this morning for her first day of driver's ed!  I knew it was coming, I was even the one who signed her up! But knowing it will happen and the reality that is HAS happened are 2 completely different things.  I am torn between not believing she is old enough to really be there and excited to see how she does.  This is just the next step of her wonderful adventure.  LEAD ON ADVENTURER!!!  I will be here if you need me. 

Happy Mother's Day!!!

This is what I think of when I think of being a mother. The many faces of Samantha! She can range from sweet to goofy to beautiful all within a matter of seconds! I love being with her and talking with her about her life and school and "boys"! She is growing up so fast that I find myself fighting the inevitable time when she will actually leave the house with a boy and I cannot dictate what she does or where she goes. I can guide and set limits, but it is up to her to follow them or not. I pray that we have instilled a good sense of "self" and a good sense of right and wrong. She has been put upon a Godly path and I pray that she sticks to it even though it is not always the easiest path to take. I pray that when she leaves our home even for a couple hours at a time, she uses her senses and knowledge (God given) to the best of her abilities. I pray that she can find fun and joy in any situation. Thank you Samantha for letting me mother you! Happy Mother's day to me!