Silver River

We got lucky this weekend and didn’t have softball or T-Ball games, so we decided to take the boat out again.

This time, we tried the Silver River in Ocala. We’d heard the water was beautiful and you could see the monkeys (that had gotten loose from Silver Springs over the years and mated and made quite a population of wild monkeys that live in the woods on the river).

This time Pappy (Nie-Nie was out of town) went with us… again, a good thing, since I’m still not 100% comfortable with all the loading and unloading of the boat yet. Ha.

The river is really narrow, but very pretty. Lots of people were paddling it in kayaks and canoes, but there were quite a bit of boats, too.

We kept looking for the monkeys, and finally saw one, but that was it.

The water is clear and beautiful but there weren’t any spots to really stop and anchor so you could picnic or swim. We kept waiting for a spot and before we knew it we’d reached the end, which is at the old Silver Springs (now the Silver Springs state park). It was crazy that we could drive the boat right in the park, over the springs, where the glass bottom boats go. We were just at Silver Springs in February so it was neat for the girls.

Pappy had a disposable underwater camera in his dive bag left over from a recent trip when he’d forgotten his real underwater camera, and Mamie was super impressed with it. He let her take pictures with it, but she couldn’t understand why she couldn’t see the pictures. It’s crazy how far technology has come, that kids today don’t even know what film is or understand “getting it developed.”

On our way back down we decided to just let the boat float down and swim along with it.

Halfway back down the river, we passed a group of kayakers who told us to be on the lookout for a large group of monkeys up ahead. I was so excited we finally got to see some! It was crazy because once you spotted one, you’d start seeing tons of other ones. They are so camouflaged that I wondered how many we had probably missed on the way up. This face scared me and made me real glad we weren’t any closer to him than we were. ;)

It was a fun trip and I’m glad we’ve marked a new river off our list. We’ve heard good things about Salt Springs over that way, too, and we’re hoping to check it out this summer.

~amw~

Fun Times Ahead!

We bought a BOAT!  DW has been shopping for a family boat for a while. After researching and looking at all the options, he decided on a Hurricane Deck boat. We wanted something roomy and comfortable for the family, but something we could take out scalloping/fishing, too. We’ve gone the past few weeks and looked at a few and last Friday night went up to Valdosta to check this one out, and ended bringing it home.

We took it out on the maiden voyage this weekend. We decided on Crystal River and my parents came with us. I was relieved, because I still have to learn all the steps to loading and unloading it, so I was glad to have Dad there to do all that while DW drove it off and on the trailer.

We idled around Crystal River then took it out to the Gulf. We pulled up to an island to have our lunch and the kids had the best time exploring and playing in the water.

I think it’s going to be such a fun summer!

~amw~

Blueberry Pickin’

We love our local Blueberry farm and couldn’t wait for it to open up for the u-pick season.

Lauren & I took the boys (& Quinn) on an outing this week to pick. The boys had a big time picking (and mostly eating) the blueberries.

This year, they’ve added some concessions and you can have lunch on the farm. I think it was a great addition. We had DW & Adam meet us out there on their lunch break and we all ate together.

It was such a fun morning, I hope we can go back before the end of the season when the girls will be out of school and can come, too.

~amw~

Easter 2017

We had a wonderful Easter weekend.

Blue Run was open, so we decided to spend Saturday and Sunday afternoon down there.

We didn’t spend the nights since it was Easter, so we just drove back and forth.

Sunday morning we woke up to baskets from the Bunny and ate chocolate for breakfast. ;)

This year a church member encouraged all the ladies to wear Easter bonnets like most everyone used to do. I was totally in. My Granny always wore a hat on Easter and all I needed was a little encouragement and the promise of some others doing it too, to buy me up an Easter bonnet. Turns out I was like one of two people who wore a hat. Everyone totally left me hanging. The only thing I regret about the bonnet though, is that I blocked part of my family in our Easter pictures. Ha Ha.

The kids’ choir sang and there was a proud baby brother in the balcony again. 

My little darlings were looking especially precious on Easter Sunday.

After church we headed straight for the river and this might be the easiest Easter lunch we’ve ever had, because we just got KFC. After a fried chicken picnic we spent all afternoon swimming and sunning.

That evening, we stopped at Grammy & Pop’s for them to give the kids their Easter treats and when the kids told Grammy they hadn’t hunted a single egg all day, she and Pop hid some around the yard for an impromptu egg hunt.

It was a wonderful weekend celebrating our Savior’s resurrection and all of the blessings that come from Him.

~amw~

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is always one we look forward to at our church. The kids marching in with the palms is always precious and the egg hunt after church always gets them excited.

Tucker waved his first palm this year, and he was serious about his job…

After lunch, the kids all hunt Easter eggs at the parsonage. Lots of kids is what makes hunting Easter eggs so much fun, so the kids always love it.

After the hunt it was time for some pictures…

the Whitehurst grands…

Our little herd…

Our Cuties…

and then it was NAP time. ;)

Other Pre-Easter fun this week was Mamie’s egg hunt at school

and seeing the Bunny at the Bass Pro. He looked better than the mall bunny and it was FREE. Doesn’t get much better than that. Ha.

~amw~