Seaside Day 2...

Our tiny Sweet Pea of a condo had a little balcony right off the kitchen. It, of course, had the most perfect water view that was just begging for a morning tea date! You know me, I almost couldn't sleep-in over the anticipation of this book-tea-view combo! This is how we started our day!

After tea and coffee, we threw on our Halloween ensemble, and got our first time ever Seaside massages at The Spa. I'm not going to pretend these massages were up to the Vegas massages standards we have come to be spoiled by, but it was relaxing and successfully gave my face sleep lines that I got to showoff over breakfast!

From here we hopped on our bikes and headed to Watercolor. Bike riding to brunch at Scratch is another tradition that I look forward to every single year. It was my typical avocado toast and a strawberry peach popsicle mimosa for the win! 

From here, we swapped our bikes out for the jeep and cruised over to Santa Rosa to hit up Lulu Lemon. We always do this and for some reason this store seems so much better than all the other LLL's! We then headed over to The Hub and Rosemary Beach where I got to visit my favorite little tea shop and The Hidden Lantern Bookshop! 

Spot a teeny tiny little art gallery? Snap a picture! Fall in love with a local artist mural... snap another picture! Find more chalkboards... keep snapping! In case you can't tell, I am like a one man show paparazzi! I just can't help myself!

After our day of shopping, we spiffed up for a new little dinner spot called Aja 30A. It was yummy lettuce wraps,  California rolls, crab wonton and tasty drinks! We ended the night at Bud & Alleys, right across from our condo, where we got to catch-up with our old bartender friend, Danny!

We stayed up way past our bedtime and I most definitely insisted that we take a few rounds in the neighborhood before parking our bikes.... I am pretty sure it was well after midnight when we finally took a load off! What a fun little night out we had!

Seaside 2024...

This cozy, fall getaway makes year 4! 

Each year, looks a little different and I'd say this year did more so than any other. God has a way of rearranging relationships, taking us through storms, and landing us in places far better suited for His glory. As we shut certain doors behind us, we get to open new chapters, embark on fresh adventures and create new memories.

Of all the years we have visited the little beach paradise, this was the year that topped them all. This year was freeing. We shared so many laughs that were healing for us both, we ate good food, we took our time, we watched movies and savored a trip that started a new journey for this friendship that I hold so very dear. 

Old habits die hard, and so without question, we started at Pickles for pimento cheese and fried pickle burgers. From there we strolled the square and shopped the boutiques that we love so much. We were both craving a quiet ending to our first day, and so got pizza to-go from Bruno's in Watersound. While we stuffed our faces with some of the best pizza and garlic knots I've ever had, we turned on Netflix for a little true crime with the Menendez brothers. Our day was perfect and exactly what we both needed!

And don't worry I went ahead and took pictures of every cute chalkboard I saw because I just knew you would want to see them!

An Upgrade for Remi...

Remi tends to be pretty practical- not really my child who wants the over-priced pair of sneakers, not afraid to use something until it's completely worn and definitely not one to get rid of something he *might* need. Really, I think he was born a few generations late... my Pa would have been his most favorite partner in crime!

All this to say, Remi has been using the same faded, tattered, and just plain worn out golf bag for years because as a freshman it was his goal to make the high school golf team. He absolutely refused to get a new bag because there was just no reason to- I think Roen is on his 3rd one in the same amount of time, hahaha (cue over-priced sneaker boy)!!

Well, the day finally arrived and I made him go out to the garage later that night, drag his new bag through the house because there was no way I wasn't documenting this exciting day! Making one of the top spots on the varsity golf team earned him a brand new monogramed golf bag, and that is something he was pretty darn proud of!

Celebrating Roen...

Well, that whole 'better late than never' thing.... yes, 5 months late, we celebrated Roen turning 13!

He actually wanted to do a fishing trip, but May is always so busy and then summer proved to be even busier, so when fall rolled around, he decided he wanted to do a little golf day with his three best buds! I actually liked this better, because I'll take being on the course over a boat full of teenage boys at sunrise any day! 

The day gave us perfect fall weather- sunshine with a breeze just hinting at cooler days. I chauffeured solids and Micah took patterns in his cart! I don't think any of them could really put aside the fun long enough to actually focus, but I can promise you one thing, they all had the time of their life, having a round to themselves, surrounded by some of their favorite company!

The birthday boy requested steak, green beans and mac-n-cheese for dinner, so while Micah and I got that going they promptly hit the Kiowa course when we got back home. Following dinner they took a late night dip in the pool which led to a bit of wrestling and romping about in the yard- they may be teenagers, but they aren't too old for running through the yard with flashlights! Remi had a Halloween party with his crew, so it worked out perfectly for Roen and his friends to have the house to themselves.

I was in bed before they were, but based on the tired eyes before church, I think it's safe to say, the fun having went late into the night! This age really is so much fun and this such a great group of boys!

*Micah and Pearson showed up to the course matching, so I had to snap a pic!

FWSSR Junior Sporting Clay Shoot...

This is our 3rd year in a row to do this shoot. It is always SUPER early in the morning with 1.5 hour drive, but once we get there, it so much fun! The boys move through 13 different stations where the clays are thrown and coming from all different directions- harder than trap but a lot more exciting. Plus, we get to end our morning with an all-time favorite, Joe T Garcia's!! 

Here lately, Roen is shooting consistently better than Remi and though no words are said, I know it is fueling his fire! The boys enjoy shooting trap so much and if we had the time, they would love to put in way more practice! BUT... golf, lol! Regardless of scores, they have both made progress and are loving  the time they are able to put into this activity!

Remi: 55

Roen: 68

*Lets go ahead and mention that Roen's score qualified him for the afternoon finals.... we didn't think a 68 would do it, so we headed to lunch and the little booger missed out on winning money and competing in the finals...oopsie! If he would have shot a 68 again, he would have won $100, but don't fret, he forgave us!

And as always, I am going to throw in a little 3 year comparison at the end because I never can resist seeing how they have grown!

Trap Shooting...

The boys just finished up their first trap shoot of the school year! Some of Roen's very best friends shoot trap with him, so it is always a fun day of getting out of school with buddies for him. There aren't many in Remi's age group, but Remi is typically more than happy to hang with the younger boys! Roen just got a new shotgun for Christmas, so he was especially looking forward to his first competitive shoot with it! 

This is a L-O-N-G day.... Ben Wheeler is quite the drive and safety meetings are almost always super early in the morning, and then there is the waiting because, rarely are they running on time. But, this season of life is about being with the boys no matter the place or activity and a long day as a family is a day we get to be together! I'll take that over us all being in different directions any day!

I'd say for first go of the fall, they did pretty good and fun was had by all!

Remi: 47

Roen: 61

Fall Days...

We loved every minute of our visits with Anne- I think she came four weeks in a row, helping us get moved in and settled! 

We have also loved having a pizza oven again and have had pizza night more times than I can count- Remi and Micah have become quit the little pizza team! 

I feel like the house is always buzzing with teen boys, where you will find them golfing on the simulator, eating on the patio or taking a late night dip. The boys seem to be going non-stop these days and Remi plays catch-up on sleep anytime we are in the car it seems, Roen prefers catching up with an early bedtime.  

Micah has taken Remi fishing to scope out fishing holes and I have had several quiet pool days to myself where the weather also lends itself to a mug of hot tea. I have started my spooky reading for the season and have done a bit of spooky shopping for some upcoming trips! I can't wait to share my upcoming travels, but you will have to wait until I have pictures to share and adventures to report!

I am also sharing a little glimpse into the most magical room in the house... my library! Since this picture was taken I have moved in some comfy seating in front of the fire place, but this little retreat is where you will find me most evenings after getting the boys to bed. I click on the fire, get out a good book and settle in, not quite believing this space is all mine!

Right now life is pretty wonderful. New normals have started setting in and this season of life is shinning with the little things- prayers with the boys at bedtime, boyhood friendships, cooler mornings with pumpkin spice sunsets, reading in front of the fire and dinner on the patio as a family. 

This fall has been a reminder of life's little blessings and given an appreciation for new chapters!

*Also my sweet Little Lady has an obsession with sitting on things! She sits on Benny all the time, but on this afternoon while I was alphabetizing my books, she found her a cozy little seat on some books! A poodle on some books in a library... that is just too much!