Starting the New Year Right

We arrived back in Gautier, MS on January 3 and on the 4th Cami, Jacob and family came for a visit.
Best Bros.. Ransom and Gage

Saturday morning found us at the Gulf Islands National Seashore hiking the woods and exploring the coast.

Grandma with her sweet Lily.

Oh yeah... we know how to have fun!

Everybody Smile!

The woods were quite entertaining for this bunch as they played hide and seek and we even took notice of the nature around us. Like these cool mushrooms.

Sunday after church we drove over to Dauphin Island to check it out. 

Even though it was cool and we couldn't 'play' in the water, it was beautiful ...

and some of us did a little wading,

and everyone collected seashells. Lot's of seashells.

Lily found quite a few shells and Darryl actually found an arrowhead.

Lily was very careful to stay dry. The boys.... not so much.

Hey Izzy... where ya goin'.?

"Gwandma.... look what I found!"

Oh Izzy! Those are beautiful! 

Gotta love that hair!

"There was a little girl who had a little curl

right in the middle of her forehead.

And when she was good, she was very, very good.

And when she was bad..."

She was IZZY! 

(Yeah... I changed the ending). 

Dauphin Island is beautiful and we enjoyed the couple of hours we were there. 

Oh... and we introduced the children to feeding seagulls.

We left the beach and drove over to Fort Gaines, established in 1812, to have a look around. Since it was Sunday and getting late in the day we didn't pay to go inside, but had a nice look around the outside of the Fort.

What do you see Marshall?

As you drive onto and off of the island you see these colorful "tiny house" Condos. They look like a strong wind might blow them over, but they sure are cute.

🕖🕗🕘
On Monday morning Cami, Lily and I went on a scavenger hunt to find the best doughnuts in Pascagoula. We went to 5 different doughnut shops and decided that:
🍩🍩🍩🍩
Yummy Donuts had the best King Cakes

 
Glazed Donuts had the best Kolaches

Delicious Donuts has the best variety..

And Jelly Donuts and Kolaches has the best tasting Doughnuts.

The beach was so much fun on Sunday we decided to go back on Monday so the children could play in the water.

It was a lovely and warm way to start off t he month.

🐬🐬🐬

In other news,

We got all moved in and decorated our apartment with our clocks, paintings, family pictures and map.

Gautier, Mississippi (FYI - it's pronounce Go-Shay) is right on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, so now I carry a towel in my car and if it's nice I stop for a walk on the beach or do some yoga. 

Age does many different things to our bodies. As I have grown older my hair has become thicker, bushier and wilder, especially with Mississippi humidity. Some days I look like the crazy Celtic Warrior women in movies. I couldn't take it any more, so I decided to do something about it.

Instead of giving into the temptation to cut it all off I got a permanent. I am loving it!

When Darryl leaves for work each morning I head out to walk. I am putting in between 12 and 20 miles a week.

I have so much sewing to do and the old machine was giving me so much trouble that Darryl bought me a new Singer Sewing Machine! 💖💖 Ahhh It' must be love!

Darryl blesses me every day and has been surprising me with flowers. I asked him "What are the flowers for?" and he said "Just because". 

He is a good and wonderful husband. 💗 I don't deserve him, but I am so glad he is mine!

How about a flash from the past. In the center of this photo are a very young Cindy Sue and Darryl. We think this picture was from about 1980 - 1982. It was taken in El Paso at John and Ruth Dunbar's Wedding. The Young woman sitting down is Nadine Pratt Whipple Her father is sitting on the left, her mother is standing behind her and her husband Willard is standing on the right. 

I just thought our children would like to see this photo because they have heard us talk of Willard and Nadine before.