beach trip 2011.

...a picture's worth a thousand words, and the 29 I kept from this trip tell most of the story.

four sunsets, all beautiful. and really one of my favorite parts of our trip. we went to the beach for three, packing just a bottle of wine, our cameras and a blanket (and remarked several times how much easier a beach trip is without small children!)

the first night was the only one with clouds.


and I thought those were the prettiest until this year. truly, the ones that started from a clear blue sky were stunning.


holly had a great time "off-leash" - she loved running around in the sand, chasing after the little seagulls...but made sure she didn't get her feet wet. and she didn't seem to mind getting sand in her whiskers (and surely in her mouth?!)

but she also loved to walk along the water. these two photos (thank you katie!) are favorites.




we enjoyed one sunset from our balcony - four stories above the street. the sunset really shows off the unique architecture of rosemary beach.


and we ate (and drank - especially loved katie's gin cocktails with fresh herbs and club soda and lydia's popsicles and wine...always a favorite and even more fun now that katie is learning about - and loving!! - it too!).


and went for morning walks (karen & lydia) and runs (mary & katie). I love the architecture in alys beach - thank you instagram!


the photos don't tell how much we knitted and read (and then read and knitted...those photos just aren't that interesting!).

mostly, though, it was about relaxing, enjoying the views and the company.


it was perfect.

a few more days.

...I should be used to feeling this way after a week "off" to play with katie and enjoy a very relaxing long weekend at the beach. but it hit me hard this morning how behind I feel. if you've seen my desk, you know a week-plus pile of bills and other mail sitting beside a disorganized pile of knitting (and now needlepoint, too :-) bags is just not like me.

before I retired, I loved taking a day off for no other reason than to "play"; those days were always productive and I went back to work re-energized. funny, now that I play everyday, it's just not the same. so while I'll be back teaching tomorrow, I've decided to take a few more days before settling back into my normal routine next week.

stay tuned. I have big plans:

• sort through, edit, upload and print photos (which are living on all three of my cameras right now);
• rejuvenate my blog (and dress it for fall - that's for you, sara!);
• finish my one little word prompt for september;
• make more knitting progress, update ravelry and organize that pile of bags;
• finish cutting for stone (oh my I love this book...and I'm sorry I waited so long to read it - thank you katie for the push!);
• catch up on two bible studies (both groups are meeting next week and I have not even started the material);
• sort through all that paperwork;
• enjoy the early morning cooler temperatures (we're into the 60's - woo hoo!) with a daily run or walk; and
• make sure marc leaves for china with all the clean clothes he needs :-)

truly, the only thing I'm not doing this week that I had originally planned to do is clean the house. and maybe right now, that's really all the vacation I need!

it begins.

...beach trip 2011 is officially underway. we think it's an auspicious beginning that the photos advertising the apartment we're renting didn't do it justice. this is the view from our front balcony.


karen and katie are making the grocery run (girls, we owe you big!!) while lydia and I are unpacking and settling in. and holly is making herself at home.

watching the weather.

...we've had our beach trip planned since june, saying we don't care if it rains, because we have plenty of movies to watch, games to play, wine to drink, yarn to knit, and just plain catching up to do. but still, after seeing the devastation from irene last weekend and spending most of today with tornado watches and warnings near home, I am excited beyond belief to see this forecast.

from weather.com, for rosemary beach, florida

we haven't seen temperatures like this in months. girls, we might even need jackets!