Had a wonderful time with my oldest daughter and family a couple weeks ago. Got most of my pages done, but will no doubt be doing some extras here and there. Hope the kits I used will inspire you!
Cover
Journaling reads: On the way down to Cape San Blas, FL we stopped at the Best Western Hotel in Richmond Hill, GA for the night on Monday, August 11th and continued the trip on Tuesday.
We wanted to avoid going through Atlanta, GA on the way home. That is also one of the reasons we went towards Savannah, GA on the way down to Cape San Blas.
Credits:
Scenic Layered Template Album No 13 by Anna Aspnes
Ebb and Flow Kit by Art Addicts (bg clipped to mask from template)
Remembrance Messy Edges by Aimee Harrison
Remembrance Artsy Papers by Aimee Harrison
Remembrance Quotes by Aimee Harrison
Remembrance Titles by Aimee Harrison
Remembrance Page Kit by Aimee Harrison (butterfly)
Monday August 11th 2025
Up at 8. Finished packing and loaded up the car. Topped off Asher's water and the bird feeders. Left the house about 9:30.
First stop was the bank for the church deposit. Next was McDonald's for egg McMuffins and hash browns. Then we were on our way. We will stop for the night at the Richmond Hill Best Western and finish the trip to Cape San Blas Florida tomorrow to spend the rest of the week with Jessica and family.
The car is packed to the hilt and looks like we're going to be there for a month instead of 4 days!
The humidity is very high with temps in the 70’s. The sky is cloudy with slight rain.
At 10:55 we crossed into South Carolina. 255 miles to the hotel.
12:40 stopped at Pilot on 26E for gas and potty.
26 miles to I-95.
Entered Georgia at 2:18. 26 miles to the hotel.
Arrived at the hotel at 2:40. After we got checked in, we took our stuff to the room and then went to the Burger King right up the street. We were back to the room by 3:40.
Credits:
All by Anna Aspnes
WaterColor Template Album No 9
ArtPlay Palette Inclement
ArtsyTransfers Inclement
MultiMedia Rain No 1
Tuesday August 12th
Awake around 6 for potty and Tylenol for my hips. I tried to go back to sleep but didn't. Mark got up around 6:45 and got his shower. When he finished I got in. Showered and dressed and ready but it really hungry we went to the lobby for breakfast. We were packed up and on the road by 8:30. We have 6.5 hours of travel ahead of us.
It is super humid and already in the 80s! But the sky is beautiful!
I decided it was time for a pitstop around 11 so Mark filled the gas tank while I emptied mine. We are scheduled for arrival at 2 pm CDT time.
State highway 84, while less stressful than a high traffic interstate, was painfully slow speed-wise!
We received our “Welcome to Florida” at 12:11, but ain't no sunshine currently in the Sunshine State!
We stopped at Piggly wiggly in Appalachiola and then Burger King.
Credits:
All by Anna Aspnes
WaterColor Template Album No 9
ArtPlay Palette Inclement
ArtsyTransfers Inclement
MultiMedia Rain No 1
Tuesday Spread
Journaling reads: We arrived at the house at approximately 4 EST. Everyone was in the pool. They helped carry our stuff into the house and went back to the pool while I worked on unpacking.
It is a beautiful, spacious house sitting very close to the CDT time zone so Mark's phone keeps switching back and forth from EST to CDT. And the sun is shining!
After unpacking I grabbed the camera and went to the pool to get action shots of the kids playing.
Credits:
Scenic Layered Template Album No 13 by Anna Aspnes
Ebb and Flow Collection by Art Addicts
Ebb and Flow Addon by Art Addicts
Wednesday August 13th
I was already stirring and had been up to get some Tylenol and potty when the HOA people started weed eating and leaf blowing at 7:30 this morning. Give me a break! So Mark and I got up and fixed coffee and ate some breakfast. Soon Jessica and Terry appeared to take a walk on the beach. I was going to drink my coffee and check my email on the balcony, but when I cracked the door to the balcony open to test the temperature and immediately shut the door. No, thank you! I'll drink my coffee in the house!
It was a hang-around-the-house day with no plans. We played in the pool, relaxed on the porch, played games, ate sandwiches for lunch and hotdogs and hamburgers for supper with mac-and-cheese, pasta and potato salad. We “went to church” via the Internet, played more games and went to bed earlier than midnight.
Thank You Lord for another great day with family.
Ode to a Seagull
by Annabell Sheila
Seagull, how I envy you!
You are wise and strong and free,
With silent wings you soar on high,
Catching only the fairest breeze!
Credits:
Scenic Layered Template Album No 13 by Anna Aspnes
Remembrance Page Kit by Aimee Harrison
Ebb and Flow Elements by Art Addicts
Thursday August 14th
Up at 8 and Jessica and family were headed out for the day. The guys were going ocean fishing all day. Jessica and Araya shopping for a girls’ day out. Mark and I are just going to hang around here. We decided to go to the North point of the Cape for some sight seeing and pictures. And pretty quickly decided we better leave early before the heat and humidity showed it’s hottest face! So we left around 9. The point had 1 other person on the beach. There were very few shells and even fewer birds, which surprised me! No sand pipers at all! I love watching them run after the receding waves to find goodies before they burrow into the sand. It was very windy, but was welcome and kept the heat at bay….or at least the feel of it! We walked down the beach a bit and took some pictures but didn’t stay very long. We got back to the house at 10:20. I ate the rest of my creme brûlée filled donut from the hotel, Mark ate a hotdog and hamburger. Then we played some games. I finally had a couple of hotdogs. We played for a couple of hours and then got dressed for the pool. I guess we stayed out for about an hour before coming in. I could tell Mark’s head was starting to get red and I was already red from being in the pool with Jessica yesterday. After coming in, I showered and we listened to our daily devotion before I started working on some scrapbook pages of our trip. We probably won’t see Jessica and family until late. I want to go back to the north point of the cape later and hopefully get a beautiful sunset picture! We shall see!
We went out to eat supper and then came back to wait for Jessica and family to get back. As soon as they returned, we piled in their car and barely made the sunset. By the time we left the park, the gate was closed so no one else could come in. After we got back to the house we played a few games before going to bed. I posted my art journaling challenge at OScraps and then went to bed and fell asleep quickly. Jessica was up until later and said she heard me snoring pretty quickly.
Credits:
Scenic Layered Template Album No 13 by Anna Aspnes
Remembrance Page Kit by Aimee Harrison
Ebb and Flow Elements by Art Addicts
Friday August 15th
Hard to believe this is our last day. Jessica and I fixed scrambled eggs and bacon and toast for breakfast for the adults. The kids slept late. When they woke up Jessica and family went to the beach until early afternoon. Jessica and I then sat on the porch for some time just chitchatting. Terry went to pick up pizza for a late lunch at around 3:30. Then Jessica and Terry went back to the beach.
Mark and I began the packing process and took stuff not needed out to the car. Then we did our daily devotional before playing Qwirkle Rummy, the card game.
At 7 we all went for ice cream. When we got back we went to the beach to watch the sunset and build a fire on the beach. Another beautiful sunset and another beautiful day with the family. Thank You Lord for your many blessings in the beauty that surrounds us in Your creation and the time we have been able to spend in wonder and thankfulness for all things!
Credits:
Scenic Layered Template Album No 13 by Anna Aspnes
Ebb and Flow Collection by Art Addicts
Ebb and Flow Addon by Art Addicts
Saturday August 16th
Up at 7 to finish the last bit of packing. Out the door after kisses and hugs from everyone and prayers for safe travels. GPS says we have 617 miles to go and will arrive home at 6:43 pm with no stops.
Thank You Lord for a wonderful time with family.
We entered Georgia at 10:16 after many turns and weird speed limits! About 10:30 we made a bathroom pitstop and ended up getting some chicken. Are at the picnic table and back on the road a little after 11. 500 miles to go.
We made a pitstop for Mark and he topped off the gas tank too. Ran into the pouring rain around 3 as we traveled Fall Line freeway. Stopped again for potty and gas around 3:25 but it seems everyone in town decided to do the same. We made it to the potty but not the gas pump. But we may have enough to get us the 265 miles to home. ETA is 7:35. Jessica said they still have 582 miles to go. Yuck!
At 4 we hit major highways and Mark's stress began! At 4:09 we entered South Carolina with 230 miles to go.
We entered North Carolina at 6:08 with 83 miles to go. Made it home around 7:30! Ah! Feels good to be home and our bed will feel even better tonight! Thank You Lord for a wonderful trip and time with family!
Credits:
Scenic Layered Template Album No 13 by Anna Aspnes
Ebb and Flow Collection by Art Addicts
Ebb and Flow Addon by Art Addicts
