Merry Christmas

               

Last week we went to church to watch the Christmas Concert.  We arrived about 40 minutes before it started and went to the balcony so we would have good visibility and sound acoustics.  By the time it started, the downstairs was full and the balcony was three fourths full.                        

There was a brass section, a string section, two 7' grand pianos and a soloist performing in the concert.  The music was superb and the decor was stunning. 

Opelika has a tradition each Christmas in that the houses in the Historic District set up Victorian characters in the yard or porch of houses in a 2 street section.  Each street goes about 2 or 3 blocks before you turn to the next street and repeat the same process.
We wanted to share a few of those decorations...          

As we celebrate Christmas, may we reflect on the truth that God came to earth and dwelt among us, and there was purpose in His presence.

From our tiny home to yours, we want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas.

 

An Awesome Travel Day

Today we have a very short post just to share that we move sites.         

Our old site

We have a new site!!  Since we are going to be here a couple months we decided to move over to loop 2 in our campground!  We prefer loop 1 but with winter upon us most campers are sent to loop 2 which leaves us pretty much alone!  Now that's not entirely a bad thing but it can get lonely after awhile.  So Sunday afternoon we noticed this awesome, huge site had been vacated so we packed up and made the ultimate roadtrip of 1 mile!!  A short and safe travel day!!          

Our new site...notice how much more room we have

The good news is this loop is pretty vacant this time of year as well but our site sits back into the woods, like we like it!!  We are private and the campground hosts are just a few sites away!  They are a nice, fun couple that we've gotten to know!               

The host site. Pic taken this summer.

So all is good!!

Home Again, Home Again!!!

           

We have had a grand time for the past few months!!  Being able to travel is such a blessing...we never want to take it for granted!!  With Thanksgiving upon us and Christmas down the road in a few weeks we decided to head "home" to Auburn!!              

We left Rainbow Monday morning, Nov. 20th, heading for Chewacla State Park, our home base.  We weren't exactly sure we'd have a site since this was not only the week of Thanksgiving but the BIG game, the Iron Bowl, with Auburn playing Alabama!  It is definitely a BIG game and as we discovered a big draw to the area for RVs!!  We called the state park on our way to Auburn to see if there were any vacant sites and learned that there had been a cancellation that very morning so we were safe to come on in!!  A huge blessing since every other campground in the area was full!!

When we pulled in Monday afternoon we noticed right away another Oliver sitting in the site right next to where we had been assigned!!  It was our "Ollie" friends from Texas, Kiefer and Brenda Vermillion. What a wonderful surprise!!! They had decided to come to Auburn to visit their daughter and family!  Hey!!!  A mini rally!!!          

We visited with each other each evening and just had a great time together!!   We stayed on the site next to our friends the entire week until they decided to return home to Texas on Friday!  Our site wasn't quite as large as our previous site, we couldn't put our Clam up because it was too close to the fire pit!!  So as soon as the crowds cleared out Sunday.....we moved to our old site, #12.  We will be here until the end of January.  January is the month of a few doctor's appointments.  I have to see my oncologist every six months and this January is my yearly CT scan as well.  I welcome your prayers!!
              
I have always been a big fan of Christmas decorations and loved decorating my home in LaGrange!
So it is only fitting that I try to make our Ollie as festive as possible in such a small space.  I have managed to put up two trees (little trees) inside our Ollie and a small tree in the Clam.  I also bought a few small items to sit around to make it as colorful and warm as possible.  The finished product looks pretty good and we both feel it gives us a warm Christmas feeling inside as well as outside in the Clam.  It feels good to be all set up for the holidays!!         

We decided this year to have our Thanksgiving dinner at The Mariott Grand National in Opelika, Alabama.  This is nearly a first for us.  I can count on one hand the number of times I haven't cooked for Thanksgiving!!   The Mariott Grand National is a beautiful place and the meal was delicious as well as the ambiance!!  Needless to say, none of us left hungry!!  We always enjoy our family time together but on a special day such as Thanksgiving it becomes even more special.  It doesn't matter where or what you eat...you are together and that is the true blessing of the season!!

Gerri and our son Stephen

Mike & our son Stephen 

Mike & Gerri                   

So with Thanksgiving behind us and the shopping almost completed its time to begin to really sit back and enjoy this wonderful season that we set aside to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!!                    

I hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and wish you an amazing Christmas season ahead.
Don't forget to take time to just sit back and relax and take in the true blessings of this season!!

Wrapping It Up in Gulf Shores for Now

                       

The time in the gulf area really flew by!!  They say time flies when you're having fun and it sure did for us!!        

As we got closer to our departure time we decided to do a few last drive throughs some of our favorite places.
 
Foley, Alabama
We noticed that Foley had really gotten in the Christmas spirit with decorating their town.  Downtown Foley is a sweet place and our favorite stop there would have to be Stacey's Rexall Drug and Olde Tyme Soda Fountain.  No we didn't get sick....we got hungry!!  They have delicious ice cream and quaint little tables and chairs to sit at and enjoy the many flavors of ice cream and other foods.   But most of all they have a model train that runs around the inside perimeter of the building!!  We were introduced to Stacey's in 2010 by Darrell and Judy Patterson and enjoyed ice cream with them then and enjoyed it once again this trip!!        

After getting our tummies full we decided to stroll the downtown sidewalks and enjoy the festive Christmas decorations.  Come along and stroll with us!!          

                   

Fairhope, Alabama
Without a doubt our favorite city in Alabama!!  So quaint and charming!!  We tried to make as many sunsets as possible on the pier in Fairhope and on this night we noticed that many of the streets were about to be blocked off.  What is happening??  I got on my trusty iPhone and googled "what's happening in Fairhope today?"  and it told me they were having the annual grand lighting of the trees!!  What luck!!  So we not only got to see one last sunset from the pier, the beautiful fountain but also the gorgeous trees lining the downtown streets of Fairhope!!  Come along and enjoy the sunset, fountain and beautiful Christmas decorations with us!!!
           

The Beach at Gulf Shores
The beach is a place I grew up on!!  I was born in Daytona Beach, Florida and remember so many family outings on the beach there.  The beach in Gulf Shores is just as spectacular but I must say the sand at Gulf Shores is incredible!!  So white, thick and clean!!  I had to take another walk on this beautiful beach!!  I was so excited to see our Blue Heron friend was still hanging around at this particular place on the beach and got to visit with him pretty up close and personal!!
       

We made a stop by Billy's Seafood in Bon Secour to pick up some fresh shrimp right off the boat.  Well, not exactly but pretty close....the boats were docked right outside the area where we purchased our jumbo shrimp!!  Boy I can't wait to eat those guys!!          

               

    

This pretty wraps up our gulf area visit for this trip!!  We really love this area and plan to return very soon!!                      

A house near Rainbow Plantation decorated for Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!  We all have so much to be thankful for!!