LET'S CATCH UP

Good Morning Kindred Spirits.....
well...here we are....the month of June...
and let me just say....the HEAT is on.....
Summer is now my least favorite season 
as I find the heat oppressive and it just drains my energy.....
but, let's make the most of our days, right?
I so hope your world is bright with happy days....
today's post is a catch up of what we have
been up to lately.....just family news to share....
and I would love to hear what y'all have been doing too!

Grandson, Luke the Duke completed his freshman year of high school....
he is continuing on the track team throughout summer and has
also obtained his driving learner's permit....this is a big deal if you remember...
he also has his first job and is working at Publix for the summer season....
he's a busy and active teen which we love to see...
cannot wait for their visit next month!

Down in Pensacola, these lovely ladies
arranged a lunch date to get together and catch up on their lives...
they have known each other since 1981 and worked in
Dermatology for years.....old friends who maintain their friendship....

Our son and daughter-in-law traveled to
a high end golf resort in Indiana to celebrate two birthdays.....

These two ladies were the birthday girls celebrating
milestone birthdays.....what a way to celebrate!!!

Exciting news....granddaughter and her fiancée
just purchased their first home and we are over the moon excited for them....

Son number one attended a wedding the other evening...
and boy did he ever look like a million bucks.....

The garden looks great thus far
but summer is hard to keep things thriving.....
the beauty is such a reward for hard work.....
don't these zinnias just make you happy?

The darling had a few doctor appointments so we treated
ourselves to a lunch date prior to the appointments....
our long time favorite mexican restaurant....

The food is always delicious and the restaurants are beautifully
decorated with an excellent wait staff...we have 
been patrons of these for years and years....

Our son is an excellent chef and created
a fabulous dinner one Saturday night....
he spoke of the BAKESALE BETTY chicken sandwich
for a long time and boy he created a masterpiece....
he had one of these while living in California and said
people lined up for blocks to have one.....

Have you ever seen such a glorious sandwich.....!!!!
Divine I TELL YOU.....




Lucy is a darling scamp.....
for a tiny girl, she has a huge personality....

So, summer is in full swing....
is anyone else dreaming of Autumn?

 

LAST MINUTE SHOPPING...CHRISTMAS WEEK BEGINS

Good Morning Loves!

We find ourselves at the beginning of Christmas week...

hopefully, your shopping is complete, you are listening to

your favorite holiday music during the day, and you

are baking cookies that your family declared their favorites!

We have had a very busy, yet glorious weekend!

The office Christmas parties are over.....

the gifts have been wrapped and are under the tree.....

The grandchildren will be arriving Christmas Eve and I have planned

a little "Grandma" time....I have special holiday aprons

for both of them and we are going to prepare a special holiday popcorn....

It is called Cinnamon Marshmallow Popcorn and THEY are going

to prepare this.....with just a little help from moi......

The Cali kids arrived Friday afternoon....and we have been in a

whirlwind of shopping and eating.....

We made a lovely afternoon of shopping at Target

where I purchased a few more goodies...now on sale.....

These were my Daddy's favorites and I LOVE their packaging......

I found this adorable little wooden holiday scene...

this is from the Wondershop collection and is SO darn sweet.....

I also added this gorgeous blush bottlebrush tree...
I will no longer say that I will not buy one more
Christmas decoration....as I simply love them all.....



The fur-babies posed for their Christmas portraits....
MAE MOBLEY 2019



PIPER ROSE 2019

BO-CEPHUS 2019

Miss Judy enjoyed her last Christmas luncheon with her office
down in Pensacola....they are all retiring in late March..
these ladies have spent years together....
the doctor plans on practicing for a mere five more years
and is moving to another office....
time marches on....

Enjoy your holidays....and have a very happy, and blessed
MERRY CHRISTMAS

HOLIDAY DATES

The Christmas season is a busy time with all of the shopping, baking,

wrapping and planning isn't it?

It is also the best time of the year to plan some activities to see

Little Theater productions and a really good movie, which these days,

proves to be few and far between.

Here's a look at what delightful holiday events our family has enjoyed this season!

The holiday tins are filled with our favorite chocolates....

ready for Christmas Eve......

The darling and I took in a late matinee over in Plano.....

“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

OMG....this is THE BEST film we have seen all year....
LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!!!
Great directing, acting and dialogue, not to mention a wonderful soundtrack!

As the late afternoon had turned a bit chilly and rainy

we popped into our favorite dining spot for cocktails....

Our favorite thing to do is enjoy a glass of wine or two

as we discuss the movie!

After an hour or so, sitting at the bar and people watching,

we decided we were both hungry and stayed for dinner.

Beginning with our favorite appetizer of fried pickles...

oh honey, this is a favorite from when we were teens and would

go to Buddy's Drive-In for their fried dill pickles......

Dressed in holiday style.....

In the air there's a feeling of Christmas....

As the shoppers rush home with their treasures....

This is Santa's big scene...

Last week, son #1 had to be in Atlanta for a huge
convention that covered four hotels.....
he did manage to take a few hours away on
Sunday afternoon, to enjoy brunch with Miss M and her family....

Our first two children....they were both
SOOOOOO happy to see each other and visit...
and both were a bit verklempt when it was time to say good-bye.

He was going on very little sleep..that was some production.....



Luke's class enjoyed a tour of the Georgia Governor's Mansion........
how darling are they?

The mansion is stunning and even more so at Christmas....
Luke came home very excited and thoroughly enjoyed every minute..
he even met the First Lady of Georgia, Mrs. Nathan Deal.

Play dates included christmas cookies and hot cocoa....
and....little boy laughter!

Miss Judy and her office enjoyed a day in Biloxi at one of the Casino's
and enjoyed their big holiday buffet...they won $20.00!!!!!

So that's some holiday fun here at Estelle's....
this week I will be sharing our dining room and the holiday mantel...
then, it's time for family and company!

A PERFECT BEACH TRIP

I think the elements were all in our favor

this time around....the beach, the water, the temperatures....everything

was just about all you could have wished for........

We began our trek down to Florida at 5 o'clock AM.

There was a thunderstorm going on in our drive

all the way to Alabama.

So this was a stressful beginning to our vacation to say the least.

We were a bit nervous on how Mae would make the journey,

but she surprised all of us by being a real trooper....

she took notice of something a bit strange

as we drove through the tunnel in Mobile......

The excitement begins as we turn the corner onto the bridge

taking us over to Santa Rosa Island.....

oh baby, baby......pitter patter goes our heartbeats....

We have arrived.....just in time for the cocktail hour!

This is everyone's favorite time......the sun begins to set

and we are finally here!

Our first trip was 2007 and here we are ten years later Mr. Wonderful......

it's all so grand!

Oh the thrill when your toes first feel those gulf waves.....

We were all in agreement.....the water never, ever looked so beautiful.

 Smiles all around.....tired travelers suddenly

feel energized!

Mae Mobley loved every minute....she loved, loved, loved

all of her views in the house.....

The best part of our vacations are doing nothing at all....

no schedules, no watches....just watching the ocean ........

I love hearing the waves and the muffled sounds of people laughing

and enjoying their families....

My darling and me......now in our mid-sixties....

I fell in love with him when I was sixteen ...

he is an amazing husband, father and grandfather!

We only experienced one afternoon of rain which

is so unusual for a week down by the gulf......

it was an afternoon of napping.....

We have enjoyed a few great family dinners at this table.....

Mae was fascinated by the views and the smells.....

her little pink nose was twitching away.....

Jenn enjoyed her HUGE swan float......

I managed to catch every sunrise....each one more spectacular than the last....

We all had an amazing view of the eclipse.....

and enjoyed Mimosa's in honor of the event!

We all loved the paddle board, even me...

but Jenn proved to be the one who managed to stand and

paddle all over the place......

Bo was a perfect gentleman....

he loved the dog beach and showed no fear of the ocean waves...

Sand like sugar and water like sea glass....

We drove all the way down to Rosemary Beach and believe me...

the water is this color...it's spectacular!

The last morning sunrise....

calm waters, nothing but the seagulls and 

a short time to be reflective and thankful......

GREAT GREAT VACATION 2017