Vacation Scrapbook 2019

We spent last week at the beach. It was a last minute decision for our family to go because it was a vacation we could not afford.  Because I know that anytime we travel, it could be our last trip for a while, I do my best to really soak up every minute.  This is the first of what I expect will be 3-5 posts about our trip.

We stayed in this super cute house with yellow doors and purple shutters.  It had great space for all 22 of us - yes, you read that right - 22! We had a private pool that was slightly bigger than a bathtub and sufficient for the group.  Our walk to the beach was easy.  The kitchen was well stocked with dinnerware, silverware, cookware etc. so that we could cook for the group.  (We typically eat out one meal on vacation and sometimes don't eat out at all).

Our group:

The Page party of six

Paul, Tiffany, Austin, Logan, Justin, and Sydney

Jonathan, Danielle, Regan, Ira, and Isaac

John, Tessa, Kinsley, and Kallie

Joshua

We had bikes to get to local stores.  We were in walking distance of an outlet mall, a few restaurants, surf shops, a grocery store and a pharmacy.

This will go down as the vacation/location where I first replaced my wedding set.  Let me just unpack that since the first line of this post indicated that this is something I cannot afford. The day before we left I was overdue for the mani-pedi that I allow myself every 10 weeks during sandal weather.  Our 26th wedding anniversary is this month, and I have never stopped wearing my rings.  My rings have been snug for some time. I could barely get them off for my manicure and could not get them back on.  I was  am so disappointed in myself.  We started vacation with my ring finger naked.  I kept switching a ring Andy bought me years ago from my right hand to my left-hand ring finger.  It just didn't seem right.  It is also bigger on my left-hand ring finger, so I didn't really trust it in the ocean.  I don't really want to resize my original rings for a few reasons, but I have not ruled out that possibility. I have been torn about getting a new set.  Inspired by some of the guys who buy ceramic rings in various colors and switch out their wedding bands, I decided to explore different, affordable options as a filler until I decide what I want to do.  I had no idea what my ring size is. On a trip to a mall to find my nephew a picture worthy outfit for the beach, I popped into a Brighton store to see if there were rings on display I could try on.  I was the only person in the store aside from the lone employee who was sweet and chatty.  I started trying on rings, but the display rings were all size 8s and way too big.  The salesperson pulled out a tray of rings for me to play with.  I was only going to get an idea of my size.  Well, I tried these two rings on, decided I really liked the look, and purchased them.  Brighton is not a fine jewelry store, so going with even good quality fashion jewelry risks a gaudy, cheap look, so I immediately asked Andy and Savannah what they thought, and both liked the paired rings.  My most vocal critic has yet to notice them, so I am thinking they must not be too gaudy looking.  In fact, only one person noticed them without being told.  For now they are an inexpensive place holder while I decide whether to replace the original set, resize it, or whether to just try a few inexpensive options and play for a while.  Regardless, I will get my money's worth out of these rings.  I know how long it takes me to decide on something that seems so permanent.  I am thinking that if I do opt to replace my ring set as I am leaning toward doing, I will likely pursue that closer to my 30th anniversary - God willing.

Proud to be an American

Is it too early to show off patriotism? I did take the plunge and do the wreath.  It took four trips to Hobby Lobby to get supplies (all on sale or bought with a coupon).  It took 78 feet of ribbon (60 burlap and 18 accent), and working with burlap leaves a mess.  I suspect it will be like the post Christmas pine needles that still appear months later after many runs through sweeping, vacuuming and mopping. I am pleased with the result.  It's certainly not as nice as a similar Etsy wreath, but I saved at least $30.  This post is for my own records.  It will likely be 3 or more years before I do another burlap wreath (if they are even still in style in three years), and I want a digital record of  how many feet of ribbon it took and how long it took to make it (2-3 hours).  Yes, I did hang it - all that effort for five days or so? Not this year.  We are getting a good nine days out of this - maybe more :)

Purging

When purging the basement turns up these gems:

Julia was approximately 9 years old when she produced these- an unfinished "Daddy and me" portrait

Can we say daddy's girl?

My personal favorite - a Christmas break bucket list

At first I thought she wanted to visit another country then realized she was referring to an ice rink.

Every animal is special.  We have two right now that are living proof.

Savannah thought this might have been hers, but Julia remembers doing it.

Much of what I am finding does not bring me joy.  So far I have repurposed a small, animal habitat.  Most of the first aide supplies under the sink fit in it nicely.  I have tossed a couple of things and am getting ready to start a donation pile, but these gems are keepers - even if only digitally:)

So I awoke this morning with such hope.  We decided yesterday to splurge on a vacation. Then we spent about 8 hours without power and concerned that our recently stocked fridge and freezer were in jeopardy.  All is well.  Today I can't get a reservation at a kennel for the dogs.  Andy came home from work and figured out that the air conditioner is not working, and it's a fix beyond his expertise.  UGH!  So my hope is sinking.  

6/28/2019 update: The good: The air conditioner is working again and only cost $69 and resulted in lots of purging in the basement.   I found a kennel for the dogs. The bad: The air conditioner repair came with a recommendation to replace the whole unit, and the kennel I found is slightly pricier than our normal kennel, but it's closer to home.

So grateful for family

We squeezed a birthday celebration in for Julia before she took off for Bible and Beach.

After further inspection some of those birthday pics from Savannah and Julia weren't so bad.  Julia is not wearing her new dress but a jumpsuit that she likes better.

There was noise, running, drumming, humor and lots of just gathering in the kitchen where we always seem to land.

That's about as good as I can do for a whole group picture.  Paul is hiding behind Tiffany.

Can you find the birthday girl?

This girl had a fun week - three sleepovers capped off by a birthday celebration then an all-nighter to pack herself up for the beach and a 14 hour or so ride to the beach with about 1500 of her closest friends.  She requires lots of sleep, and this is not a trip that offers much sleep, but she's pumped and will do just fine.

The Day After

Andy and I had to get up super early and have both our teens at church by 5:30a.m. for their trip - on a Saturday after a particularly busy week.  Did I mention that Julia and I were shopping for last minute items (like sunscreen) at midnight prior to this crazy early wake up call?

The veterans

The newbies

After dropping the teens off, I really thought I would go work out, but I crawled back into bed and did not emerge until almost 11:00a.m. -too late for Saturday Jazzercise classes.  

My family gathered again on Saturday, this time to get my parents' house picture perfect inside and out for the realtor.  We still have some work to do today, but most of it is finished.  I imagine that we will be there every weekend just clearing out the miscellaneous items left in the garage and basement until it sells.  We had some little helpers, and the labor was fairly cheap.  Tiffany paid them in Blizzards and reminded me that this earns her the title of favorite aunt.  Ha!

The girls - Mom's youngest three granddaughters sit on the swing of her gazebo.  She only met one of them before changing her address.

The youngest five cousins.  Mom never met the boys.  Dad met them all.

Many hands made the work lighter, but it was still a long, full day.  I personally enjoyed the company of having everyone there to work together on this ongoing, daunting project.  We got hot, sweaty and nasty but also enjoyed a moment here and there where the breeze in the gazebo was nice.  Like Andy says, at some point you call it finished with a house because you can always find something else to do.  We are kind of there.  It's go time because I think the house is technically on the market even though it will be later in the week before it is advertised.  

A Grateful Nation

I learned this week that 75 years ago today, my paternal grandfather landed on Omaha Beach while serving in the 234th Engineer Combat Battalion under General Omar Bradly.  I caught little of yesterday's D-Day celebration and coverage, but learning this had me digging deeper.  He was building pontoon bridges.  What's that?  I looked it up and learned how difficult it was for combat engineers - constantly in danger and working under the cover of night for their own protection.  I read the account of one engineer who noted that he was pulling bodies of his companions out of the waters as they were under fire in Normandy.  So brutal!

After looking at the fractured images of his campaign map, I realized that it was quite possible that my grandfathers were on each other's heels in the final push against Germany near the Roer River.  This intrigued me so I pulled out the war journal from my maternal grandfather and compared the dates.  They were indeed just weeks apart in the Battle of the Bulge.  My paternal grandfather was actually there for the battle. It sounds like my maternal grandfather followed for the clean up.

My maternal grandfather noted seeing France from the ship on his way to Liverpool and stated that the number of ships was too great to count.

My grandfathers never met each other.  My mom's dad died when she was just two years old, so there wasn't even a small meeting at the wedding.


It's so unbelievable to imagine that massive onslaught that turned the war.  Then, as many did, the surviving troops returned to their families and lived ordinary lives.  Truly the greatest generation.

My patriotism was high as I looked into all of this.  I just bought the beginning of a wreath I plan to make for the 4th of July and future Memorial Days a week ago.   It includes the center piece pictured below.  I kind of wish I had just hung that on my door for D-Day.

Just a side note for this wreath - I have a burlap wreath on my door that I made a couple of years ago. I am pleased with it.  I was talking with a friend on the phone while buying the ribbon and this insert for another burlap and told her I could spend $45 on Etsy or make one myself for under $20.  Her response was that I should start making the wreaths and selling them for $40+.  Ha!  I hated making that burlap wreath, hated it!  It was messy and tedious and not my thing.  So there's a little note about me - no patience for crafts but happy to save $20+.  So this little hanging might end up on the door all by itself for July 4th.   I've already tried to convince Savannah to make the wreath for me and was rejected.

Another note on June 7th.  It's Julia's gotcha day.  When my grandfather fought whatever internal battles it took to put himself out there 75 years ago to fight for his nation, he couldn't possibly have known that a couple of generations later he would have a great-granddaughter from the other side of the world who would meet her parents, siblings and both grandmas on the anniversary of his landing in Normandy.

Remembering

I waited today to get an estimate to have the air ducts cleaned at my parents' house.  While doing so, I remembered

The exact spot where I set up my first cell phone

The very place where Julia (maybe four years old) hugged her Christmas present after telling us she would.  Also, the place where she put on that fancy beret, her last Christmas gift from Mom.

The copier where I left Zach's passport the night before we flew out to meet Julia - thankfully, I caught my mistake in time for Mom to deliver it to the airport.

the place where we enjoyed burgers and warned the kids not to touch the grill

The crash pad during the ice storm of 2009 when we had no power at our own house...one of a few times we had to crash there including a couple of days this year.

My mom's recliner was right against that window on the left, and around that corner, Tiffany curled and twirled Savannah's hair for school events.  This was the big room where we had a Wii party one holiday weekend.  

In the pantry you could find peanut butter crackers and paper plates - always!

Of course this doesn't look like it did.  The floors are different and the walls a new color, but the bones didn't change.  

If the walls could talk...there would be stories I wouldn't want them to tell and stories of lots of laughs and fun and love.  

Birthday Girl

When you were barely a year old, your orphanage director called you impressive.  You are indeed impressive and so much fun.  Thanks for the laughs. Happy Birthday!

I am still working and am overwhelmed with responsibilities outside of work right now.  Julia has a new dress, and Savannah was home, so I asked them to take some photos.  I can't share the photos they took.  They don't know their way around a camera.  Nothing bad, just not flattering. How you can make two beautiful girls look unflattering is beyond me, but they did it.  

I did, however, love the selfies, so I am sharing those.

Our celebration was simple--Salsaritas and frozen cheesecake.  Zach had to go to work early, so he missed it.  We plan to get extended family together on Friday to have some fun together.