Fun Things To Do at Hilton Head

It’s that time of year again!!  The Hilton Head Hogbottoms are getting ready to head out east.

If you are looking for a good family vacation, Hilton Head is the place to go.  The beaches are clean and family-friendly.  The sign before entering the beach has all the rules and regulations and most people abide by them.  No alcohol is allowed on the beach, but there are some people that have it in cups or snuggies.  However, there are no drunks or couples lollygagging all over each other.  Just families having a good time.

Terah geared up for a morning beach ride

Although we didn’t play miniature golf, there are several really neat places to go.  Pirate’s Island Cove is one of them.   Adventure Cove is another great one.

Bike rentals are a big thing because there are awesome bike roads for riding.  A person can go all over the place on a bicycle!

floating tricycle

floating tricycle

Renting sailboats, big-wheeled floating tricycles, jet skis, or opting to fly high with parasailing are all available.

The food is fantastic!!  And, of course, we always take the 45-minute trip into Savannah.  Good, good food there!

There are the sea tours for sighting dolphin or kayaking for a close look at the local sea life.

Just click on Hilton Head Island to learn about everything!

My favorite croc back in the news!!

Where has the time gone?!  I start these posts, have to quit for whatever reason, and then it’s a month or more before I get back to it.

Lolong 2013

news.nationalpost.com

For the past couple of years I’ve been keeping up with the antics and adventures of Lolong, my favorite crocodile.  Even though he did eat several people!

So on occasion I would write about what was going on in the big thug’s life: his burst into stardom, how good he would look as a pair of boots, or even what a tasty meal he would make.

But today is sad news.  Lolong is dead!!  Of course, that is actually old news (this post was started on Feb. 11) but what you may not know is that he lives on!

Stuffed, of course.

Birthday Boy

Tuesday, January 29, is Steve’s birthday.  I don’t think I should tell his age.Double-Nickel

 

So  I will instead show you a picture of when he was very young.  I’m sure he will not mind this at all.

Steve age 14

There are a few things he still has to learn about me.  And when he does… I will remind him of the better or worse vow.

TIS THE SEASON!!!!

Tis the season for wonderful, exciting things to happen.

Since I’ve been sort of busy these last few months, and have let my little baby blog sit to entertain itself, I will try to give you some wonderful, exciting stuff today.

It’s been the season to mess up the house, the kitchen, the basement rec room.  It’s Christmas!!  Time to have the grandgirls over for cookie making and decorating:  aprons, butter, flour, eggs, sugar, food coloring, cookie cutters, gingerbread house kits with all the itty bitty candies that go with it, gingerbread men full of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves.

WHAT A MESS!!

WHAT A MESS!!

cutting out the cookies

cutting out the cookies

measuring, mixing, stirring...

measuring, mixing, stirring…

cookies and cupcakes to decorate!

cookies and cupcakes to decorate!

my sweet Kate

my sweet Kate

taste testing

taste testing

making the gingerbread house

making the gingerbread house

building her house

building her house

We’ve decorated the grandgirl Christmas tree down in the rec room with all the fun ornaments: soft ice cream cones, all the characters from the Christmas cartoon movie Rudolph, red-nosed Rudolf,  right under the manger scene ornament, colorful beads.  There was Christmas paraphernalia from one end of that room to the other!!

my little elves

my little elves

Kate

Tis the Season

one of her favorite gifts!!!

one of her favorite gifts!!!

they love to rip off the paper!!

they love to rip off the paper!!

ready to go to the next phase of Christmas.  Kate says Christmas is busy!!!!

ready to go to the next phase of Christmas. Kate says Christmas is busy!!!!

We still have to catch up on our Advent Soldier.  He needed a little repair this year, and hasn’t come back from the Old Soldier Hospital yet.  (I HAVE GOT to do that TODAY!)  The reindeer with the bells on his antlers is sitting patiently for his turn to get new batteries so he can sing and jingle away.  We’ve already got the manger scene out front; the girls carrying all the parties to that wonderful event out to the stable, placing them just so-so, right where they thought they should be.  Baby Jesus getting the center spot, of course.  They have oohed and aahed at everything else I’ve done without them.

This is the time of year to give to those people who are down on their luck, feeling hopeless, lost their jobs, have no one.  It’s the time to give monetarily as well as personally, with time to do something for someone, an ear to listen, a piece of wisdom to let them take to heart, a homemade goodie for an empty tummy or an empty soul.

It’s the season for snow!!!!  We got at least ten inches!

let it snow... let it snow.... let it snow

let it snow… let it snow…. let it snow

Tis the Season

Tis the Season

blading the snow off the driveway

blading the snow off the driveway

it looks a lot different in the summer!

it looks a lot different in the summer!

the stable was blown down; we fixed that.  Then the snow covered them.

the stable was blown down; we fixed that. Then the snow covered them.

It’s been a good Christmas.  Gifts!  Snow!  And…

Steve and Brenda Wood

Steve and Brenda Wood

I got married!!!

My Fairly Odd Family

Ava as a, um, uh, well, I’m not sure

In looking through some photos I’ve taken over the year, I have come to realize that we are a bit of an odd bunch.

This is Ava with her purse and glasses and crown and baby.  She strolled Baby Baldy all over the house in that get-up.

Wes and Owen on beach

I can only say, “Please, God, do not let anyone be looking at the ghost on the beach.”  “And even more important… do not let anyone realize it belongs to us!

Cousin Sandy can play Twister all by herself

Cousin Sandy?  Don’t even ask.

And the gypsy lady?  I can’t imagine who that is, but I know she’s definitely odd.  Ask anyone in town.

We have all kinds of personalities and all kinds of weirdness and all kinds of drama and all kinds of skeletons that refuse to stay in the closet.

But the really really odd thing is…

So does everyone else!!!

 

The gypsy lady

who is this big-nosed girl?

You talkin’ about MY nose?

 

 

 

I Dreamed I Was African-American in the 1950s

dreaming

My dreams last night were set back in the early 1950s.   Some of the details are fuzzy… all but the one where my home was set on fire.

We knew it was coming.  We had been warned by a good white man to put the children in the attic.  I know, I know.  That doesn’t make sense to put your children in the attic when your house is about to be burned to the ground, but in the dream it was what we had to do to save our children; somehow it worked in dream world.  The opening was only big enough for the children to get through.  It wasn’t big enough for me, so I knew I would be going down with the house.

In order to keep the children from suffering smoke inhalation from the insulation, (I know if it were true life, I would have had no insulation in my home) I was furiously tearing it all out and throwing it on the ground to smoke.  Hoping that the terrormongers would be smoked out themselves.  That exposed all my children in the attic (who would still be saved somehow as long as they were in the attic) and they were crying, scared.

I was trying to comfort them as I tore out the insulation as fast as I could go.  The house was becoming consumed with fire, and I didn’t have long.

Throughout this dream there was the constant worry of being hurt or maimed, the struggle to find work and keep work, the difficult jobs I had.  And today I am just a little depressed.  I am so very sad that the human race hates with such intensity.  Oh, what if that were just the opposite and we loved with such intensity?

So why did I dream this dream?  Is it because we are being blessed with Nia, a little brown girl (instead of blue, Owen’s choice) to be adopted in the next two or three weeks?  Does God want me to experience first hand what my sisters and brothers of another color experienced?

The one thing I know is that I will never forget how it felt:  the scary, scary feeling of helplessness and anger and hate and harm.  And how sad I am today.

Picking Pumpkins and Putting them Places

Every year when autumn rolls around, I get sad.  My favorite time of the year, Sweet Summer, is dying off, giving way to Autumn, the harbinger of Winter.  boohoo boohoo 

It’s just that I soooo love Summer: being outdoors, running around practically naked (all I can say is Avert Your Eyes), swimming, garden foods, running around practically naked (or as in Kate’s and Ava’s case: naked), vacation, the list goes on and on.

So in order to keep from getting too down in the dumps, I pick out pumpkins and either make Jack-O-Lanterns or just put them all over the place for fall decorations.  In the case of this year (so far) I have just put them all over the place.  And thought I would share.

It’s Autumn… Fall of the Year

See the leaves?  They’re falling, you know.

There is the neatest little outdoor pumpkin patch where I got all the gourds and pumpkins.  The man who runs it picks all these and puts them on a trailer with a roof, parks it, and I get to choose from the portable pumpkin patch which ones I want:  $3 for the big, big ones and 3 for $5 for the gourds or small pumpkins.  He has a money box on the end of the trailer and trusts people to pay for what they get.  Unbelievable in today’s world!

The Family Business

My family comes from entrepreneurs —  grocers, cattle farmers, grain farmers, insurance, horses, all sorts of businesses they started — from generations back.  Way back in 1973, when my younger sister married her husband, 39 years ago, little did she know that he had that same entrepreneurism ingrained in him.

Over the years Dave has envisioned and enjoyed, sometimes more than others, different businesses.  Some were successful; some were not; some he made the decision to opt out of them.  He has always been on the look-out for just that perfect business; the one that satisfied him totally as well as made him some cash.

I believe he has found it.  The whole family is involved making it a most rewarding adventure.  It’s something he’s very good at, very knowledgeable, something he really enjoys doing.  And I am so happy about the whole thing that I had to share it with all of you.

The website is www.ddenclosures.com but here is a preview:

About Us

Our company is based on the belief that our customers’ needs are of the utmost importance. Our entire team is committed to meeting those needs. As a result, a high percentage of our business is from repeat customers and referrals.
We would welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver you the best service and products in the industry.
At D&D Enclosures we are committed to building with excellence and integrity as we excel in customizing various electrical and communication needs. Our goal is to offer a very high quality product at an extremely competitive price.
We are a family-owned business that believes in the value of serving our customers with honesty, diligence and care as we aim to reflect the goodness and mercy of God found in Jesus.  Take a look at some of our products and contact us with any questions or needs.
Sincerely,  Dave, Darla, Davy, Julie, Wes & Amanda Martin
Location:
Harrisburg, IL 62946
Contact:
1 (888) 257-3390
ddenclosures@gmail.com
Hours:
Mon – Fri: 9AM – 5PM
Sat: 8AM – 12PM
Sun: Closed
MAPSATELLITE

©2012 MapQuest  –  Portions ©2012  | Terms
I’m so excited for them!!  Check it out!!

It’s That Time Again… Time To Remember

All over Facebook are pictures of the 9/11 destruction and stories of where people were on that harrowing day.  There are remembrance collages and photos.  Remembrance sentiments.

Since I couldn’t say it any better, I decided to post some of those things people said and created.  They are not my creation nor my words, but they do convey my sentiments.  The photos have no recognition of who took them or created them, and for this I apologize but I have no way of knowing.

So, as I remember:

Skyline of New York before 911

Remembering 911

Statue of Liberty and Twin Towers

Remembering

9-11 Destruction

fire fighter in 911 destruction

“Thinking of those who lost their lives, and the families and friends they left behind.”

” never will forget! it was (name removed) and me opening that tuesday morning, the entire store was dead but of coarse we stayed open, i got off at 4 and tried to get gas, but it was like 6 bucks a gallon, it took almost on hour to get home and i lived 5 minutes away!”

“I was in Equality on a roof.  (Name removed) and (name removed) were with me.  … had the radio on in his truck. When the horrible news started pouring in, finishing that roof or any other work was the last thing on our minds.We all just sat on that rooftop stairing out over the town praying for good news to come soon. For so many that day, good news didnt come, we will always share their pain and remember them in our prayers. God Bless Them and GOD BLESS THE USA.”

“I was at (name removed) Nursing home in the break room when it came across the TV. My heart sank into my stomach and eyes filled with tears.”

” I was at the Office in Old Shawneetown watching the Horror on TV, with (name removed), and (name removed)”

“Remembering….”

” was at work, had just sent out my landscape crews and getting ready to head out myself. Our branch administrator came running into the kitchenette and yelled “turn on the tv, my mom said a plane hit the WTC!” As we watched, we saw the second plane hit and were in shock, did that really just happen? What the heck was going on? The kids and I were to fly out the next day to Washington DC for my niece’s wedding on Saturday. All of a sudden the news flashed about the Pentagon, and that’s when I panicked. I had friends working there, my family was right across the bridge from the Pentagon. Were they safe? It was a long and terrifying day until I knew for sure they were all safe. A co-worker’s father was in Charge of Indianapolis’ Task Force One, and he was immediately readied with his crew to head to Ground Zero. And of course we had to drive to DC instead of fly, and it was so creepy to be in the busiest place of the US and not see a single plane or helicopter in the air. We went down to the Pentagon later that week, and I cannot express the multitude of emotions that coursed through me. I’ll never forget…”

” I was in Cancun, stuck there bc no planes …..scary to be out of the country”

‎8:00 a.m., I’d just dropped my two precious sons off for their day at Grade School. I turned the car radio on to catch up on the morning news…..”

The date that will be remembered forever……God bless the families of the fallen and injured.”

I rem I was at hburg er with mama she’d had a mild heart attack when I heard the news. (name removed) was 3 and at (name removed) funny how you know everything about that day”

“Remembering 9/11”

“Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?” Take a moment today to stop and remember…and pray.”

“My prayers go up for the survivors of 9/11 and their families, as well as the families of those who lost their lives. I pray for God’s protection of this great nation, and our emergency personnel and military personnel and their families!!!! I pray for a return to Christian morality for our elected officials and our nation as a whole!!! ”

“For the husband who told his wife I love you one last time before his plane went down in a field ~ For the wife who stopped in the stairs to call her husband to say I will love you forever ~ For the mothers and fathers who kissed their kids goodbye the morning they died ~ For the policemen and firemen who rushed in to help, only to die themselves ~ For the soldiers who fought back and lost their lives. Today, tomorrow and ten years from now…. WE WILL REMEMBER! ♥”

“Myself, my family and friends here in South Africa will never forget that horrific day xxx”

 

Joyce Meyer Ministries

Our thoughts and prayers are with those of you who lost loved ones on this day eleven years ago. As we remember and honor those who gave their lives on 9/11, let’s also remember that our hope in any situation is Jesus Christ. We pray that you know this hope and the comfort that only Christ can give. 

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” -2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

The Swimmin’ Hole

KATE ON THE LEFT WITH HER FRIEND, JENNA

The grandgirls have learned so much about swimming this year, have gotten the hang of holding their breath under water.   And not just my girls, but the girls’ friends have also learned to jump off the diving board, go down the slide, and swim without swimmies.  It’s been such fun to watch.Here are the novice swimmers taking a break for ice cream.  We went through a lot of ice cream this summer!

AVA’S USUAL LOOK IN ICE CREAM SEASON

THEN THERE ARE ALWAYS THE SNOW CONES TOO. COUSINS JACK AND OWEN PUTTING ON THE COLOR!

YUM! CHERRY

KATE

It takes a bit of persuading sometimes and even holding their hands the first time or two down the slide, but once they see how much fun it is, they’re off to plunge into the wild blue pool.

BRYLEE’S PLUNGE!

THERE SHE GOES!

SUCCESS!!!

There is nothing better on a hot summer day than spending it around the swimming hole with family and friends.

OWEN PREPARING FOR THE JUMP

MACI

AND HE JUMPS!

SAM AND OWEN MAKING A TENT

TAKING YET ANOTHER SNACK BREAK

MACI AND AVA RUNNING TO JUMP IN THE BABY POOL

AVA

AVA SLIDING INTO THE POOL