Christmas 2016

                                                            December 21, 2016

The views out our patio changed daily making our stay on the Gulf so enjoyable!

Just had to capture this picture of a southern car. Sorry for those who disagree and there you go, for those who do!

December in Gulf Shores, AL was awesome this year.

Clouds and clouds, and more beautiful clouds!

And of course it was that time of year to make Christmas cookies with the grand kids at my daughter Alisha's home.

The next day my oldest grand daughter Hayleah and I made pies.

I tried out a new crust recipe using butter instead of Crisco (my mom always used Crisco and she makes the best crust, but Crisco is considered a very processed and toxic fat). Why is it the bad foods always taste better! I will keep trying new recipes until I find a healthy and yummy crust.

Christmas Eve: My Oldest daughter Alisha and her oldest daughter Hayleah who turned 20 this Christmas Eve.

My youngest daughter Tiffany who is always sending be text with apps added to her pictures.

Christmas Eve wouldn't be the same without Christmas Eve service, though it can get long for the young ones.

Tiffany, Blake, and Lennox on Christmas Eve after church.

Alisha, Hayleah, Jamie, Maddie, & Noah after church.

Our 4 grand kids and growing up fast!

Beautiful Bella (Tiffany's cat who is now 15 years old).

Maggie May, Alisha's white Husky, had to be put to sleep last year, and it didn't take long before Alisha rescued Harley. A week later she rescued,

Stewey!

As long as I am showing the fur babies in our family, I can't forget Robin (with beautiful Hayleah) who is also in Alisha's home.

Robin

Christmas Day on the beach with Tiff and Lennox.

Me and Lennox (8 years old)

Merry Christmas 2016 with our white snow!

There was always something to watch out on our patio as show in the video below:

                This day we got a feeding frenzy and a 2 for 1 extra with       the Blue Angels in the  next video. ( You will need to enlarge the picture to see it. Just click in the bottom right corner of the video).
                                                            

Before sunset!

Sunset

A walk on the beach on last few days of 2016.

We usually walked about 1.5 to 2 miles down the beach and back. This spot of the beach always had kites up.

The great weather during Christmas and the New Year brought out a lots of people enjoying the beach.

Mr. Great Blue Heron got  passed a fish from a nearby fisherman.

In one gulp its gone!

The beach shore changes daily with the tides. One day there is a sand ledge like Lennox is sitting on, the next day it can be gone.

Temperatures reach almost 80 this day.

And before sunset a group of young people were swimming. Not a good idea- sunset is the time shark come along the shore for dinner.

Mid morning as sun was rising.

Gulf Shores gets a lot of storms that go north of them. We would get the edge of these storms, but 9 out of 10 times it would miss us on the beach and hit the next town north Foley.

Sunset

Close up of the sunset.

                                                                   December 30, 2016

Sorry can't help myself with such beautiful sunset paintings every evening.

                                                              December 31, 2016

The kids and grand kids enjoyed the hot tub all winter long. Well that wraps of the year of 2016! See ya in the new year.

December Happenings

                                                        December 11, 2016

Alisha invited us to go with her and Jamie and the kids to the Open House of the Gulf Shores new Zoo's plan and promotion opening.

It was suppose to be open a year or two ago, but the money wasn't there so it is still in the donation phase.

It was free to get in, free yummies, popcorn, ice cream, pop and water.

Joe and Lennox enjoying the free ice cream.You know Joe, he like the free stuff!

Lots of zoo employees exhibiting zoo animals. I'll stay back a ways from that big old snake, Thank you.

Now this was a really cute bird. If I can remember it was called a Laughing Bird and it laughed! 

And of course the cute and funny cockatoo!

They had a picture and layout plans of the zoo to be some day!

The kids found the snow bubble machines to play in for a while.

My poor Southerner grand kids have to play in make believe snow in their flip flops!

After the first week in Gulf Shores, we had to make a decision about where we were going to stay next winter. The owner was giving an incentive to book in the next two weeks for next winter, so we needed to check out the competition. First place we visited. Not  going work------  Long side distance ocean view!

Here was  another condo we visited. Way to high for me and Joe. Third floor is high enough. I could maybe go 4th or 5th but not 8th floor like this one. We met a couple who were on a 14 floor unit and I couldn't even go out on the patio.

This one was a long, long way to the gulf waters, so not great views.

This one was too high, too expensive and Joe didn't like the kitchen separated from the living room, plus in the kitchen, the sink, and work spaces faced away from the Gulf views.

Plus this one was set up so the balcony views were not private.

We don't really want to enjoy our patio with neighbors looking on or listening to our conversations. You know I just might want to sun bath nude! Gotcha! Just kidding!

But it did have a great inside heated pool and work out equipment room.

I really like this one, but only if you could have one of the end units. But of course the end units were too expensive. The bathrooms were impressively large, with double sinks, huge shower and Jacuzzi tub, plus large drawers for towels or cloths. Then to top it off, there was a vanity area for us women to do our makeup. All units had these large bathrooms.

Plus it had a heated pool, and was across the street from the bike trail into the state park. We just can't do the view on the units that were affordable.

We had a lot of great weather during December,

which made it nice for beach walks and when we babysat the grand kids.

Just a picture of our 2 grandson after a hours drive to my daughter's church. We weren't with them, but Alisha sent me pictures of both boys getting car sick along the roadside during the drive.

We had many, many beach walks with both girls and their kids. This day it was Tiffany and Lennox off in the blue shorts.

Before Christmas, we did drive to Alisha's church to see Jamie, Alisha, and Noah doing a Christmas skit. Maddie would have nothing to do with being in front of the church. (I can't blame her, I wouldn't either) I agree with the kids, the church is too far (about an hour drive). But I did enjoy the skit, and they did a really great job.

One evening we were heading home and crossed the bridge to Paradise Island of Gulf Shores. The sky was beautiful with the clouds and sunset.

Moments later, Tiffany sent me a picture of the sunset to my phone from her workplace window.

Another moment later my other daughter Alisha, sent me this picture as she crossed the bridge. (I had no clue they were behind us a few cars behind) I texted them both back and told them all 3 of us had taken the same sunset picture within moments of each other. Then without knowing each of us were viewing and photographing at the same time, sending me the pictures within moments. This was one of those moments you knew the hand of Lord was behind it, with a smile and I love you! Our lord is so awesome!

Once I got home, I ran out to the beach, but it was too late for the spectacular view.

Last rays from our balcony.
We have been back to Michigan for about a month, and have been crazy busy. As hard as I try to get caught up, it just doesn't happen. I have slowly got behind when I bought my I Phone a few years back.  My computer and phone are not compatible, so it is a real chore to load my pictures. What took minutes before, takes hours now with lots of extra steps. Then this winter I got notification that my Dropbox (computer picture folder) was full and I needed to pay $99 a year for it. I think not! So at that point, I had to figure out another way of storage that was not going to bleed the turnip! I finally went out and bought a external storage, and uploaded my picture to it for $50. How many picture I will get on it, time will tell!