Saturday, September 27, 2014

EVER LOVIN’ SATURDAY ~ FUN WITH GRANDPEEPS!

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Grandpeeps Shelby and Elijah spent the afternoon with us. We enjoyed lunch at the D.Q. and yummy frozen treats for dessert.
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Headed over to the pumpkin place to check out all the goodies there.
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Shelby was on a quest to find the tiniest pumpkin.
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Elijah loves the gourds and squashes and picked out some gnarly ones.
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Shelby found her itty bitty pumpkins. She says they’re like kittens and puppies ~ so cute you can’t help oo-ing and ah-ing over them.
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We always seem to find one like this and have to take a picture because it’s so funny [in a self-explanatory way, wink wink].
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Granny’s little punkins in the pumpkin patch
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Later, after the Vols lost a heartbreaker to the Dawgs, we finally put down our electronic devices and headed outside to soak up some more of this gorgeous day.
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We went for a walk, and Elijah threw the Frisbee with Grandpa.
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Street Frisbee ~ got to watch out for cars ~ not only so they don’t run over you, but also so you don’t smack one with the Frisbee
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For me, Autumn/Fall is the most wonderful time of the year.
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The temperature is perfect, the sky is a deep blue you don’t much see throughout the rest of the year, and the clouds are simply awesome.
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On our trek around the block, we walked through Capshaw woods. Neil spotted this spider’s web stretched between a tree and the ground. It was glistening in the sunlight ~ otherwise, we might have walked right into it. Hard to take a picture of it ~ kept getting sun flare.
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Shelby and Elijah love to walk through these woods. Who needs electronics when you can scratch your name in a tree trunk with a stick or fly through the air on a vine like Tarzan?
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The leaves are starting to turn. That’s always bittersweet. Good times with the grandpeeps! Hope your Saturday was awesome!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

PHOTO SHOOT

Grandkids Shelby, Elijah and Knox were all at my house yesterday, and I figured it was a good time to get a group shot since we hadn’t done one in a while. How hard could it be for three kids to sit still long enough for Granny to take just one good picture?
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[That wasn’t so hard, was it?]

Monday, September 15, 2014

BEACH BUMS

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I never get tired of this view
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Red flag day
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I love the morning light ~ everything is silver
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The guys racing cars before we hit the beach
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Knox was content to watch his dad build sand castles
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Some family time in the sand
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Kimbrough selfie
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Been there ….
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…. done that ….
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…. got the T shirt ~ I was bummed to learn that my fave seafood restaurant is closing in November ~ I’m glad I found out while we’re here ~ got to enjoy one last plate of snow crab legs ~ sure will miss it next time we come to Destin
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Full circle ~ the guys racing trains this time ~ Knox was thrilled to get a new toy. We’ve had such a great time here. We must be having fun. Our time here has flown by as it always does. Hard to believe tomorrow is our last full day before it’s time to head back home.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau

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Hi! We’re the Runfts! That was the name on our reserved beach chairs today. [FYI for those who have no clue who we are, our last name is Ranft - no one ever spells it right, ever.] Hey, daughter Kelly, thanks for taking this picture of us!
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Grandson Knox and his dad Kerry back in the pool this morning, riding the gator
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Beached whale
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Sand is way more fun when you wallow in it. Neil and Kerry kept making these cool sea creature shapes and castles and Knox kept gleefully bulldozing them.
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The water was awesome today ~ Kerry and Kelly enjoyed the warm, placid waves ~ no seaweed so far since we’ve been here
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Knox liked floating around in the Gulf waters, too, with his water wings
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Daughter Kelly ~ is she reading or is she checking her iPhone? ~ I think she was actually reading a novel ~ behind Kelly you can see the tent set up for a wedding reception
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A flock of sea gulls ~ 80s group, right?
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We enjoyed some fresh shrimp for supper
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Storm clouds rolled in late this afternoon
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From our balcony, we watched this couple tie the knot in a small ceremony by the sea ~ I said a little prayer for them to have dry weather for their wedding ~ she walked down the sandy aisle to the Beatles’ Here Comes The Sun. While they were getting married here …
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… this was going on right next to them ~ there was a spectacular lightning show happening, but the wedding party never got rained on [God heard my prayer and probably the bride’s prayer, too] …
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… and He blessed them [and us] with this totally awesome sunset which made for a colorful backdrop for her wedding reception. Just might be the perfect way to start a marriage [and end the day, for sure]

Friday, September 12, 2014

B.E.A.C.H. = BEST ESCAPE ANYONE CAN HAVE

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This morning before we hit the beach, we went to Destin Commons to browse. Grandson Knox is a train magnet. Choo choo!
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Drive My Car ~ Son in law Kerry hijacked this car ~ his passenger never even noticed
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Kerry and Knox enjoyed some pool time fun in the hot sun
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Water Baby
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Knox looks like he’s buried up to his ears in this picture ~ the beach slopes quite a bit in some spots
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The view from beneath my pretty blue umbrella
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Knox and Grandpa got a kick out of burying Knox’s leg in the sand
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Attack of the killer lobsters (gratuitous pic of my beach towel)
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It was another yellow flag day ~ the waves were a bit choppy ~ seems there’s a storm brewing around southern Florida ~ hope it misses us
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Surf’s up!
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Selfie
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Another beautiful day in Destin
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This is my favorite sea food place in this town because …
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… they have THE BEST snow crab legs in the history of snow crab legs. True story. This is why I came here. I can go home now. Happy.
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Walked along Fisherman’s Wharf, admiring the boats after dinner, and found Frazier Crane sitting on the dock of the bay
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Aaarrgh!! We found these pirates as we strolled through Harbor Walk Village ~ Long John Knox and his Mommy Matey Kelly. They look dangerous. As many times as we’ve been to Destin and walked along the pier, we’ve never walked far enough back to even know this place existed. It’s like a tiny village full of cool restaurants and shops. We were looking for the Harbor Walk live video cameras ~ called my sister Jane who had the link to the live cam ~ thought she might be able to catch us walking by. She thought she saw us but wasn’t sure it was us. Hard to make out faces on the live feed. It was fun watching the crazy people doing the zip line. Yo Ho Ho! Happy TGIF from the Emerald Coast!