Savannah

Our recent real estate transaction went south last week and I had the perfect "pick me up" - a weekend in Savannah for a family wedding. My mom, sister, grandmother and I rented an apartment on Jones Street right next door to the famous Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House. We had read reviews about paranormal activity in the apartment but thankfully we had a pleasant, ghost-free weekend. And I realized that although I spent a lot of time in Savannah in college, I had never gone beyond River Street to see the real beauty of the city.

Our apartment

The shopping was amazing. My favorite store, One Fish Two Fish, was just doors down from our apartment. They had beautiful artwork by Bellamy Murphy. Once we find a house, I want this Oyster picture...

photo courtesy BellamyArt.com

Next to One Fish Two Fish, is my all time favorite lighting store, Circa Lighting. I've been coveting the Bryant Chandelier for years and it was so great to browse their entire collection.

And no weekend in Southeast Georgia would be complete without a trip to my alma mater in Statesboro. My sister and I drove to Georgia Southern for lunch a Snookies and a stop at the ADPi house. What fun!

It was a quick weekend but a 5-hour flight with no kids is not so bad! And I hope to return to Savannah again soon.

Relaxing at the beach

We spent Labor Day weekend at Seabrook. As I always say after a vacation on the coast, it is relaxing....so relaxing. This time was extra special because my in-laws tagged along and one of big kid's friends from school was staying in a house down the street. My mother-in-law and I bonded over a 1000 piece puzzle and the boys were content riding their bikes around town.

School started today (do I hear a hip hip hooray?). The kids were excited to be back and I'm thrilled to be back in the routine.

Stay tuned for new holiday card designs!!

At the beach...

We just returned from a long weekend at the beach. Washington beaches are so different than the beaches I am accustomed to. For example, I'm not sure I've ever stepped on a Washington beach without a jacket and rain boots. Something's not right about that but I can't complain, it really is relaxing and gorgeous.

We stayed at the adorable Seastar Cottage at Seabrook. So cute! And if I find a few hundred thousand dollars sitting around I think the Huckleberry Cottage would be perfect for our family.

And I, of course, took a million photos! Here are a few...

Cold beaches and Disney

We've returned from our chilly Florida vacation and we're back to the reality of school, work, laundry, etc. While away, Mr. PaperCourt and I were able to leave the boys with my mom and escape to the Gasparilla Inn in Boca Grande to celebrate ten years of marriage. TEN YEARS...that seems so long yet has gone by so quickly.

The Gasparilla Inn is the quintessential old Florida preppy hotel. No jeans are allowed in the public spaces of the hotel after 6pm during the "social" season. Seriously, this place is amazing, even in the cold weather.

We also surprised the boys with a trip to Disney. It was crowded but fun. And dare I say, as a Florida native, that I prefer Disneyland. I like the smaller park and the proximity of the hotels. The people watching at Disney is priceless. I've had my fill and won't be back for a few years.

Now we're on to the celebration of my baby's 4th birthday. Party details coming soon....

Dear Mother Nature,

Dear Mother Nature,

We need to chat. You see, we planned a mid-winter break vacation to Florida to get out of the cold. Now the weather channel is informing me that it's going to be cold on said vacation. This vacation also includes 2 nights away from the kiddos at a fabulous hotel on the beach. Sixty degrees isn't going to allow for much beach time.

I understand that it's El Nino but you need to whip things right back to how they should be. And hurry up...we leave tomorrow!

Thanks,

PaperCourt

Hey there, it's Yogi Bear

Over Thanksgiving weekend, we packed up the family (and a 20 pound bird) and headed to the Washington Coast. We have a favorite spot in the quaint town of Seabrook. It's lovely, just lovely! This was our 4th visit but our first time staying in a house that backs up to the woods. On Saturday night, our last night there, the Mr. and I put the boys to bed and readied ourselves for the last dip in the hot tub before our departure. Bathing suit, check. Wine, check. Towels, check.

We headed out for our dip and left the back door open since our oldest was still awake in his room. The jets were roaring and as I was readjusting my short self, I stood up looking over Mr. Papercourt's shoulder toward the woods and staring back was a bear. Like a GINORMOUS bear! He was on all fours but staring right at me only 5 feet away from the edge of the hot tub. I don't camp in Washington for good reason, people.

I slowly sat down staring at my husband with my eyes literally popping out of my head. Mr. Papercourt kept asking me what was wrong and all I could do was whisper, "bear, bear, bear". I considered throwing my wine glass. Luckily, the Mr. had read up on his bear scaring techniques and made him self big and scary. Off went the bear into the woods.

What if he'd gone into the house? Two tasty boys inside. The door was wide open right next to the hot tub.

We believe he weighed at least 300 lbs. Apparently, he and a buddy have been hangin' around those parts for a while. So there will be no camping trips on the calendar this summer. I can mark "get up close and personal with a bear" off my bucket list.

(the photo above was taken at Cabela's the day after the sighting...mr. bear looked just like that)

Off to the beach.....Happy 4th!

Back from vacation

The PaperCourt family is back. What a great, relaxing vacation! Our vacation started with a 5am flight Wednesday morning. As painful as it was, it was awesome to be checked into our hotel at 9am with a full sunny day ahead of us.

sandy beach leading into the pool

The Hyatt Gainey Ranch is a perfect family destination. They had no less than five kid activities planned per day....bracelet making, Native American dancing, Birds of Prey show, bumper boat races in the pool...the list goes on. And they have a Camp Hyatt for "drop-off" opportunities! It was like a real vacation.Birds of prey show

We had two great meals in Scottsdale - Frank & Lupe's and Cowboy Ciao. Check them out if you're in the area.

Now...back to laundry.