"Sparkly" Secret Santa

The SES girls of which I am a proud member have a secret Santa exchange each year. This year Debra was my SS and sent me so many wonderful gifts including handcrafted notecards using my photography on them . Deb also knows that Jiminy Cricket is my favorite Disney character and she got me the most perfect Jiminy statue that I will treasure forever.  Thanks so much to all the SES for another year of love and friendship. 

Holiday Lunch with Dear Friends

I ventured up to Fredericksburg this past weekend to have lunch and visit the holiday inspired decorated historic homes with several lovely ladies who I have known for a lifetime.  Doesn't get better than time with dear, lifelong friends.Lunch was at Sedona Taphouse and was fabulous.  The company even better :). 

Little River Band with Friends

Guy and I jumped back to our high school days by joining a few friends (from HS) to see the Little River Band perform at the Virginia State Fair this past week.We laughed because until Guy heard a few songs he couldn't remember who they were.  I mean come on, how could you be a teenager in the 70's and not know who LRB was. We blamed it on his old man memory.Considering it has been almost 40 years that they have been a band I wasn't expecting much but they were actually very good and I would go see them again. Just a few photos and video's from the evening. It was great fun and I look forward to seeing what throwback band they bring next year.  (I really hate that the bands of my youth are now known as "throw back bands").   

Shenandoah Crossing 2016

We were lucky enough to be invited by Guy's nephew David and his family to join them and some other mutual friends camping out near Gordonsville VA at a RV resort called Shenandoah Crossing. David and Stacy had been a few times before and raved about it, so we were very excited to check it out. A few words to describe the place... beautiful, peaceful, great place. One of the best camping trips we have taken. Not only were the sites fantastic, the entire resort was.

 

Video of Shenandoah Crossing

 

 

 Photos around the resort

 

 

The RV sites are located right near the pool and the camp store, and there are so many activities besides just hanging out at the beautiful pool such as mini golf, basketball courts, full size checkers, corn hole, walking paths, horseback riding, etc. We had several kids with us from 5- 19 and none of them were bored, not even for a minute.

 

The full hook up sites were full concrete, came with full hook-up (water, electric, sewer and cable). They all each had a built in grill and outdoor kitchen sink. I couldn't believe how great that sink was to have and we will miss it when we stay other places.

 

 

 

Camping with friend is always great but what I loved about Shenandoah is we know we can (and will) come back on our own and have a fantastic time as well.

 

 

The beautiful Pool

 

 

Hanging out with family and friends

 

 

Morning on Lake Izak

 

 

 

 

 

One of our favorite places we have camped so far.  Will we go back... YES!! when?? As soon as we can :)

Girls Week - Majesty of the Seas Cruise

 

Girls Week Pt #1 - OKW and Disney Springs

One a year I am blessed to be able to travel somewhere with a group of women who I consider the sisters I never had.  This year it took us about 4 hours (haha) to decide we would be taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean, book it and then start the planning. Anyone that cruises knows you always arrive the day before in order to ensure flight delays don't have you missing the ship, we though decided to arrive on Saturday for a Monday cruise so that we could head over to see the new Disney Springs area of WDW and get some sightseeing and shopping in.  Kathy was gracious enough to offer the use of her Disney Vacation Club points and book us into Old Key West resort, somewhere I always wanted to stay.  I loved this resort and if I were to ever buy DVC this is where I would target.We all arrived at different times Saturday so we all met up for munchies, gifts and a PJ party just laughing and catching up. Sunday started out with "brown things" a girls week staplethen shopped, ate and then did some bowling (and drinking)[gallery size="large" type="rectangular" ids="9954,9950,9949,9953,9951,9952,9955,9958,9959"]

We all headed back to the resort where we ordered pizza, gathered together for another fun evening of laughter then all crashed early as we had a ship to get to!