My Beach Getaway With Summer!!

I have said it over and over again - to myself as well as others - that if we don't PLAN something it will never HAPPEN!! Well, Summer and I put pen to planner and wrote in a few things for this summer which is just about to end!

Friday morning I woke up and packed my bag for a short Beach Getaway with my first born daughter!!! I was so excited! Both of us love nothing better than a day with our toes in the sand and our face in a book with an occasional walk on the beach and wading in the water.

I was packed, ready and waiting for her to pick me up early that afternoon.

Snacks for the road, beach and hotel!

Louis Dean and I hugged goodbye and we were heading out!!

(I think LD was secretly looking forward to being Home Alone for a couple of days!)

First stop when heading down Interstate 45 is ALWAYS Collin Street Bakery!

Summer had put together an amazing play list of tunes for the road.

She told someone on the phone as we were driving down about our music and said, "You know, my mom and I grew up together!!" That's kinda true! There's only 15 years and one month's age difference between us.

Summer has a super cool driving direction program called Waze.

'She' directed us off the Interstate and along some back roads to avoid some extremely congested traffic due to an accident.

However, there was not much she could do to help us in The Woodlands until we got off on a Toll Road! No worries! We still had fun listening to the music and being together!

The drive down brought back memories of the numerous times we drove back and forth to Houston  back in 2012 - 2013 before the quads were born and while we were living down there in our camper for 7 months.

We arrived in Lake Jackson and decided to try this restaurant Summer had seen before but never visited. We had an AMAZING evening!!!

First of all was the wine tasting.

We each had a flight of wines to sample.

I did a little discreet video-ing so you can see and hear the charm of this restaurant.

I had the Blanc Flight while Summer opted for the Sweet White.

They were ALL good but my favorite was Dreaming Tree from California.

We had a cheese sampler tray to start with.

My sweet Summer Dee!

We split an entree that was absolutely delicious!!

It was salmon stuffed with crab and a sauce that had strawberries in it and served on cornbread.

Believe me - it was a memorable meal!

When we arrived, the table up by the musician's corner was empty so Summer asked if it was available. Any other night but Friday it would be.

The lady said a gentleman has it reserved for EVERY single Friday night.

I could not WAIT for him to arrive.

That's him sitting there with his laptop open and answering emails.

They must know him well because they immediately brought him a glass of red wine - and brought him a second glass before he had even finished his first one.

I was intrigued by him and Summer and I think he may be an attorney - he had a briefcase or satchel with him. People watching is such an interesting thing to do and who knows? Perhaps people are watching US as well!!!

We loved everything about this restaurant! From the wine to the cheese/bread/fried almonds to our waiter who looked like a young Brad Pit to the music to the art in the bathroom!!

That's where Summer took this photo!

I just may ask Louis Dean to use some of OUR wine corks to fashion a fancy frame for a wine painting!

It was a perfect first day and I am so grateful for the time with my daughter!

It may be too dark to see it but you can hear the surf!

We just HAD to drive on down and ONTO the beach for a short stroll before checking into our hotel.

Our beds were comfy and the room was COLD - just as we like it!!!

We were in bed by 10:00!

Saturday morning we woke early - since we went to bed early - and headed downstairs for what we thought would be the traditional 'hotel' complimentary breakfast.

Boy, were we surprised to find cheese blintzes, bacon, quiches, yogurt, fruit and so much more.

They had biscuits and gravy, cereals, oatmeal, pastries and on and on.

By the way, this morning, SUNDAY morning, they served a different menu with scrambled eggs and sausage and all sorts of other wonderful breakfast foods.

We were late to come down but they continued to bring out fresh food right up to 9:30 and THEN the ladies went around telling everyone to please help themselves as the kitchen would be closing in 5 minutes. We will be BACK to this hotel! Summer has been there before. It opened 18 months ago and is as pristine as it was on opening day.

Summer knows how to do a Beach Trip!!!

The chairs, canopy, beach blanket, ice chest - all hers!

By 9:00 Saturday morning we were all set up!!!

By 11:00 we were pouring some tequila into our Sonic Limeade Slushes!

We added salt, put our phones in zip lock bags, picked up the bird watchers guide and settled in for 

the entire day!!! As in 11 blissful hours of RELAXATION!!!

Ahhhhhhh......I was loving this!!!

No cares, no chores, nothing but sit back and relax!

My favorite sound.

I go to sleep every night to a sound machine set to 'Ocean!'

Summer read an entire book!

 I brought it for her and it was Sail by James Patterson.

I kept my nose in The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend which my dear friend, Dawn From Florida, sent me. 

“For as long as she could remember, she had thought that autumn air went well with books, that the two both somehow belonged with blankets, comfortable armchairs, and big cups of coffee or tea.” 
― Katarina Bivald, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

It was nearly dark when we left the beach Saturday evening. 

We bought Chinese food at the Panda Express drive through, showered and ate in our room and fell promptly into bed.

All good things must come to an end and so does our Beach Weekend.

We packed up and checked out and stopped for dinks at Buc-ee's before heading home.

That's when her Jeep wouldn't start!

It's some kind of a starter/battery problem that she thought had been fixed. NOT!

She asked a couple of people if they had jumper cables and, no, they didn't.

The third guy said he was in his wife's car and he only lived 2 minutes away.

He came back with his truck, his wife, and jumper cables!

After the Jeep started, Summer said, "My mom blogs and she's gonna want a picture!!"

Not only did this young couple help us - he insisted we KEEP the jumper cables as he knew we still had 200 miles to drive to get home.

I knew that God does, indeed, send angels to help us in time of need.

I didn't know he sent them in PAIRS!!

You better believe that sweet couple will be prayed for and I know God will bless them for their kindness.

No matter how much fun you have on a trip - it's always good to be home.

I thought Louis Dean would enjoy his time without me and I think he did for the first day.

Saturday evening he watered the front yard and then came to do the back. That's when he noticed more of the old elm tree had fallen. It fell across the pond there and onto the fence and into Stephanie's back yard. It missed her gazebo and didn't damage the fence or much else that we can tell.

It just made another mess for Louis Dean to deal with.

He cut up limbs after roping and pulling them off the fence, adding to our stack of firewood - all from our elm tree.

Something is always happening but we are so grateful no one was hurt and no damage was done.

I arrived home to the fragrant smell of roast with veggies!

Summer couldn't turn her Jeep off so we unloaded and Louis Dean had fixed her a plate of food to take home. I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture....

but Summer sent this in a thank you message.

Guess how long it took me to do Damage Control after I got home????

Are you ready for this???

LESS than 10 MINUTES!!!

I am counting myself as one very blessed lady tonight!

It was a wonderful weekend and it's equally wonderful to be home.

Now! I MUST pour me a glass of wine and go in there and FINISH that book!!