Olivia Leigh Photography

Monthly Archives: May 2010

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Texas Trip: Part 1

May 31, 2010 – 9:48 pm

As a college student, I have begun to feel as though no place is truly home. I suppose our Georgia house feels the most like home, as walking into my bedroom after two weeks of traveling was still an extreme relief and comfort. But really, there are different things about each place I “live” that feel like home. Texas was my home for 19 years. The people and places that were familiar for so long will always be a part of me. Southern is the place that I live 2/3 of the year. Although the dorm is not that homey, it feels like home in a way due to the amount of time I spend there. Georgia is still new. The people are beginning to grow familiar, the places not so unusual, but since most of our time here I’ve been away at school, it is not completely like home. Yes, Georgia feels the most like home. Our back porch, my bed, and the kitchen all bring great joy and comfort to my heart. But the older I get, the more I realize that I will probably never feel truly at home anywhere until Heaven.

Now on to my most recent adventure! From Florida, where I was visiting my friend Sarah and her family (see posts below), I flew straight to Texas. We spent the first part of our vacation with our “family,” the Sexsons. I love waking up to the sight of three eager girls peeking into my bedroom, knowing that the snuggles and giggles that are soon to follow are priceless. Nothing beats lounging around the house in pjs with my girls, their Momma, my Mom, and Dave. When we finally got up and around on Wednesday, we headed to Saltgrass Steakhouse for baked potatoes and salad.

Mom and the girls woke David up with the help of this kind sock puppet

To Saltgrass we go

A normal picture and a silly photo with each of my girls

Two of my favorite guys

Even meal times are entertaining…

After devouring our baked potatoes and salad, which were fantastic, we could not resist ordering dessert. Saltgrass has some of the best desserts I’ve ever had. No joke. Here’s Kim’s reaction to one of the desserts the girls and I split.

The cause for her astonishment:

Mickynzie, Brenna, Shaylee, and I (plus anyone else that wanted some bites) split this sundae AND an incredible piece of cheesecake.

My affections were torn. Saltgrass has some of the best cheesecake I’ve ever had. Seriously. But I am, as anyone who reads this blog at all can tell, an ice cream addict. SO, I shared the sundae and the cheesecake with the three girls. Too much enjoyment for one day…

Once we were thoroughly stuffed, we headed to a Putt Putt place we used to go to when we were kids. It was a hot day, and everyone was dying to ride the Bumper Boats, so that’s precisely where we started. (There are tons of pictures. Got a little carried away… Kim just took too many fun ones!)

Since we wanted pictures, Kim sat out and played photographer. We had two tickets left over, however, so I volunteered to go out for a spin with her once everyone was done. Her famous last words: “I don’t want to get wet!” The following photograph was taken while I was still on her good side…

Our final adventure for the day involved braving the heat for a game of Putt Putt. We split into two groups and played a fun round of golf. Dave, John, Brenna, and Shay took the “Adventure Course,” while Mom, Kim, Kenzie, and I embarked on the “Harbour Course.” Fun, but oh so very hot!

Brenna was the overall winner. We won’t mention who came in last… Several stops were made on the way home, and many of us indulged in naps during the ride home. Shaylee was out within minutes. Brenna held on for a little while longer, but eventually dozed off. I couldn’t sleep good because I was holding Brenna’s head up, but snoozed a little while parked in the Target parking lot.

I guess being the overall champ wears a kid out…

When we got home, the two girls that had napped were pumped and ready to go. Ms. Karen introduced them to a new song, and they were eager to dance to it with her. Here are two blurry, action-packed shots of the four “Great Googa Mooga” dancers!

Shaylee slept a little too long and was a crazy dancer

The next morning, we relaxed at the house. While the we older girls chilled inside, Dave and the two energizer bunnies played outside. Doesn’t Dave look fantastic on a pink scooter?

I am so grateful that Mom and Kim have both prioritized staying in touch. These girls are what I miss most about Texas, and spending time with them was such a treat. Tune in soon for Part 2 of our visit to Texas…

By Olivia | Posted in Children, Personal, Portrait | Comments (2)

Florida Trip: Miami

May 31, 2010 – 8:00 am

My final Florida post. Wow, so many fun memories! Fun to relive it all. Sunday morning was spent packing up the camp and hauling luggage, kayaks, and campers to their various locations. Showers were much appreciated at the Paris home before the car was re-loaded for our trip to Miami. Sarah’s brother, Thomson, is doing butterfly research and had to collect caterpillars in an urban setting. What better time to do so than when you have three eager companions? Sarah, Taylor, Thomson, and I piled back into the suburban Sunday afternoon for a 6-hour drive to Miami. And our Miami adventure begins here:

When we arrived in Miami, the temptation for ice cream was too great. Although we had already passed up this ice cream shop, we went out of our way to turn around and make our way back for a tasty treat. After many u-turns and much laughter, we pulled into the parking lot to discover that the shop was closed! This brought on a new bought of laughter and many jokes.

After checking into the Hostel we were staying at, we made a trip to Walmart. What did we happen to find while out and about, but another ice cream shop! This time, we had more success…

Goodmorning, Sunshine!

Sarah poses in front of our Hostel

Thomson headed out for a day of caterpillar hunting, while Sarah, Taylor, and I spent a few hours at the Miami Zoo.

LOVED these trees. They were all over and so beautiful.

The Amazon exhibit was by far my favorite. Unlike any other region, this section had music playing, misters also adding to the effect. It was very cool.

When we finished, Thomson was still about 30 minutes away. So, we sat down at a table near the zoo entrance and watched the birds.

Looks like fun, no?

Chipotle was the place chosen for lunch. On our way, we picked up a homeless man and took him with us. He was hysterical! Wish so badly we’d taken a picture with him. He had us in stitches throughout the whole meal. Definitely one of my favorite Miami memories!

Pictures of Sarah and I in the car, where we spent the majority of our time together during my visit

Welcome to Miami!

As the final hoorah of our trip, Sarah’s parents treated us to an evening of water skiing. Thank you, Paris Family! It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. By the time we got logistics worked out and got out on the water, sunset was rapidly approaching. On our trip back into the marina, we were blessed with a breathtaking view of the setting Miami sun. I wish so badly that I’d had my camera. The sun setting over the city was truly spectacular. And I don’t even like cities! Alas, our adventure was truly to wonderful to describe.

Fruit smoothies complete our day. Thomson picked us up around 9:15 and we began our drive back to St. Augustine. Our trip was full of laughter and fun music. Getting back to Sarah’s house around 2:30 AM, we staggered into the house and climbed into bed. I was up at 7:00 for the next step of my journey: a flight to Texas. I couldn’t have dreamed up a more fun time in Florida if I had tried. Thanks so much to the Paris family for making my stay in Florida one to remember!! Next blog adventure? More Texas times!

By Olivia | Posted in Personal, Portrait | Comments (0)

Florida Trip: Treehouse Camping

May 30, 2010 – 8:00 am

Yes, I really did experience it all during my trip to Florida. Friday, after enjoying another slow morning, we packed up and headed about an hour away for some treehouse camping with the St. Augustine youth group. It was extremely warm, but we had fun in-spite of the heat. The youth group is a fun bunch of kids. Here are some photos from our adventure:

Sarah and Decker enjoy the chill morning

Remains from the previous nights fun…

Loading the car!

Getting cozy with the kayak

It took Sarah and I both to pull this load in for Momma D. Talk about feeling like pack mules…

The all-important camping ingredient: ROOT BEER!!!

And no Sarah-Liv adventure is complete without Lime Chips!

Welcome to Tree House 7, temporary home of Sarah and Olivia

Sabbath morning, we woke up before the rest of the group for some kayaking. It was gorgeous and oh so much fun! I didn’t want to risk taking my camera out on the water, and besides, sometimes you just have to enjoy the moment and forget about the pictures. Here is Sarah, eager to get out on the water:

Sarah got tired of waiting for 7:00, the time we had agreed to meet Taylor and Thomson, and snuggled back up under her towel.

When we got back, everyone was up and about and it was time for breakfast. The kitchen crew got right to work, heating up griddles and mixing up pancake batter. Making pancakes was tons of fun!

Loved this lid! So fun!

After “breakfast,” the rest of the group headed out for their own kayaking adventure. Sarah and I indulged in showers, naps, and some reading time. Other than the stifling heat, my first treehouse camping experience was a good one.

Final Florida post airs tomorrow!

By Olivia | Posted in Personal, Portrait | Comments (0)

Florida Trip: The Beach

May 29, 2010 – 8:00 pm

The next day, we enjoyed a relaxed morning of devotions, exercise, and breakfast. Around 10:00, we piled beach gear into the Paris family suburban and headed out for some fun. After stopping at Target and a surf shop to pick up some more stuff, we drove onto the beautiful sands of St. Augustine Beach. Surf boards were waxed, sunscreen slathered, beach umbrellas and chairs positioned, and surf instructions explained. Sarah and Taylor spent the morning trying to catch a wave, while I splashed through the salty water on a boogie board and played in the sand. It was exquisite. The sun was hot, the water was cold. Perfect combination. Nothing feels quite so good as laying on the hot sand right at the water line, allowing the water to rush over your body every few minutes. After a few hours, we all chilled under the umbrella before taking one last romp through the waves. That afternoon we enjoyed Grillers and relaxed. Sarah and I finished the evening with Little Women and ice cream. A record good day for the books.

Sarah enjoying her devotions

Sarah squints as she follows Taylor’s surfing instructions

If only it was as easy to surf in the water, right Sarah?

Cool story: Taylor lost his wallet while we were at the beach. We were all praying that he would find it, but after retracing all our steps, he still hadn’t found it. The next morning, he got a call from some people who had found it that morning in the ocean! How cool is that? God is so good! More fun pictures to come!!!

By Olivia | Posted in Personal, Portrait | Comments (0)

Florida Trip: The Marsh

May 28, 2010 – 8:00 am

“I never though I’d be this excited to come to Florida,” read my text to Sarah, sent from the Atlanta airport. Growing up, my family accompanied my Dad to Florida on numerous occasions. While we always had fun, Orlando was always hot and crowded, neither of which are my cup of tea. At Christmas, however, I found that St. Augustine is much more fun. That might have something to do with the fact that my best friend lives there, but hey. This past week, I had the incredible privilege of spending 5 days with Sarah and her fantastic family. We had more adventures than I ever had dreamed of. So prepare for some fun posts!

My trip to Florida was quite the adventure. I got on my plane just in time, after being delayed by an electrical fire on the airport tram system. I spent 1 1/2 hours wading through masses of sweaty, frustrated people. Needless to say, I was more than overjoyed to see Sarah’s face that afternoon! We enjoyed some Panera (of course…) before heading to her house. Once settled in, we decided to head to the marsh near her house for a walk. It was gorgeous! Simply breathtaking. My evening could not have been better: Panera, a beautiful, refreshing walk, a rejuvenating shower, and some quality talk time with the best friend. Here are some pictures from our incredible walk:

The walk to the marsh