Scrapbook of Memories

Beloved opens his cards and gifts at breakfast

On the heels of my previous post, the chronicles of Beloved's birthday followed by Thanksgiving Day and other fun stuff continues  ... and yes, we had our usual healthy green smoothies for breakfast. (how do you think we got to this age, anyway?!!)

Beloved makes a point at the President's podium;
I stand in front of the miniature White House

For entertainment on his birthday, I took him to the Presidents Hall of Fame Museum in Clermont, Florida (a mere 3 hour-drive from our home in Thanksgiving traffic). My blogging friend Terri D from Your Friend in Florida recommended this place just a few weeks ago and I immediately thought it would be a fun adventure for this special day.

White House dining room in miniature

We thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits. My favorite was the extremely well-done miniature rooms of the White House, but the remainder of the museum proved to be very interesting as well, including some informative and entertaining videos.

Beloved in the Oval Office

As you can see, Beloved took full advantage of the opportunity to pretend he was the President!

"Mount Rushmore"

But he knows those are large shoes to fill and he would not want the job in real life.

the Florida Citrus Tower is very close by

For those who have been to Central Florida, the Presidents Hall of Fame Museum is just about a stone's throw from the famous Florida Citrus Tower. We did not investigate this attraction because we still had a 3-hour drive ahead of us to get home (again, in even heavier holiday traffic) and our goal was to be in our driveway by sunset.

Can you hear the candle playing "Happy Birthday"?

The birthday cake was delicious (gluten-free, of course) but by the second day, the leftovers were a little tough. (baked GF foods tend to be that way)

the Birthday Boy plays with his new toy

My gift to him was a virtual reality headset. I did not pay top dollar for this because I had no idea if this was something he would like. It was good for a few laughs. The roller coaster ride made me just a bit dizzy.

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Thanksgiving dinner menu

Thanksgiving dinner was on the simple side, made even more easy with the help of a pre-cooked turkey breast from Honey Baked Ham. We also enjoyed southern green beans, mashed potatoes, Stovetop Cornbread Stuffing, cranberry sauce, sparkling cider, and for dessert: pecan pie (courtesy of Publix grocery store) and more [now dried-out] birthday cake.

Surfer Boy, Granddaughter #5, Beloved, Surfer Girl, and Grandson #4

Our weekend houseguests arrived in time for lunch on Friday and then the pace picked up considerably. As per a prior request, we took them to see the riverwalk on the south side of the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville. 

Main Street Bridge is behind us
(this is a draw bridge)

The Riverwalk is a great place to take out-of-town company. If you go on a weekend or holiday, there is free parking and the walk itself is also completely free with the benefits of fresh air, sunshine, and fantastic views of water (sometimes a dolphin jumping out of the water), skyscrapers, and watercraft of all sizes. We hear that Carnival Cruise Lines is the only cruise ship company that uses the Jacksonville harbor.

making bubbles

Of course, I know that kids' appreciation of such things is short, so I packed a little surprise in my purse. Halfway through the walk we stopped at a park with a fountain and made bubbles with a kit purchased at the dollar store.

And you do know, don't you, that a bubble wand can also be used as a light saber?

Kismet, yacht owned by Shahid Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars football team

But back to entertaining the adults among us, this view of an amazing 95-meter yacht kept us spellbound for a few minutes. Look closely at the water line on the left end of the yacht to see a "boat garage" (for want of a better term by the uninitiated). 

Our fun continued that night after a home-cooked chili supper with a Christmas kick-off block party in our neighborhood. 

I'll write more about that in a separate post, but the lighting made for a good picture of my dear family members.

Grandad shows Grandson #4 how to tie a Boy Scout neckerchief

Other memorable moments during the kids' visit included an interesting conversation between the generations of men about Boy Scouts. Beloved showed his Boy Scout neckerchief to the newest scout in the family.

railroading with Granddad

We were delighted to see Granddaughter's enjoyment of the simple toys we had bought for this occasion.

holiday gel decor on sliding glass door

Those sticky gel decorations for glass windows were a hit, too.

baking with Grammy

Over the seventeen years that I have been a grandmother, I have found that most little people who visit us enjoy getting to help in the kitchen.

Surfer Boy and Beloved with two of [our THREE] grand dogs

The last adventure we enjoyed together was a visit to a local park with a wonderful out door play ground and a boat launching area, complete with a long pier. The weather and temperature were perfect. We couldn't have asked for a better day for outdoor fun.

As I said earlier, I've been a grandmother for 17 years. Our children grow up so fast. The words to a hymn come to mind and urge me to take advantage of the time we have to spend with our family:

Time is now fleeting,

the moments are passing --

Passing from you and from me...

from "Softly and Tenderly" by 

Will Lamartine Thompson (1847-1909)