Our Beach Trip

Hi everyone! I don't post personal blog entries very often but this one serves a dual purpose - sharing my latest environmental photographs and allowing you a glimpse into our lives. Not all of these shots will appear in my portfolio but they are all special to me for one reason or another. This past weekend, Cameron and I took a trip South to Orange Beach, by way of my mom's house in Fairhope. My mom and her husband, Barry, are in the process of building a new home on the banks of Fish River in Fairhope, AL. In the meantime, they are living with my grandfather, whom I fondly refer to as "Pop". So, in the spirit of family, Cameron and I piled in on top of them, filling the already small 2 bedroom house to the point of overflowing. Cameron and I got up bright and early Saturday morning for a homecooked breakfast of bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches and apple juice (Simply Apple - my fave!) courtesy of my mom, the cook. Then we packed up our beach bags, a cooler of drinks and snacks, and headed south to Orange Beach. We chose to lounge close to the spot where Chuck proposed 3 years ago and had the pleasure of witnessing at least 3 beach weddings over the course of our 9 hour day. We swam, sunbathed, built sandcastles, buried each other, made new friends, and enjoyed our picnic on the beach. Toward the end of the day, we were forced from the warm waters of the gulf by a large number of jellyfish encroaching on our territory. Unfortunately, my camera was tucked safely away in a plastic bag so I missed that photo opportunity. Shortly before sunset, Cameron claimed to be on the edge of starvation, so I reluctantly packed up and said farewell to our beach.As we loaded the car, Cameron said to me, "Mommy, this was a life changing day!" And so it was. After that major revelation, it was home to Pop's house for a dinner of boiled shrimp (which we had fun peeling ourselves) and shrimp salad. Yum! We were asleep before our heads hit the pillows. Sunday morning we were up and at 'em again - seeing my mom and Barry's new house and taking a boat ride down Fish river, across Weeks Bay, and into Mobile Bay. The pelicans gave us quite a show and the photo opp's were irresitable! So, after day 2 in the sun, we packed up and left with Tropical Storm Claudette snapping at our heels. This trip was amazing and after a long summer at home with all three kiddos, it gave me an opportunity to rediscover my son and how completely wonderful he is. Of course, I missed my husband and twin girls immensely, but Cam and I needed this and truly enjoyed our time together. I am so thankful for all my blessings and pray that all my family and friends will be just as blessed during their times together. Thanks for reading and allowing me to share with you. Take care and God Bless!