Tale of the Traveling Tote, Winter Tales & Hello Spring
Time for another Tale of the Traveling Tote!
Traveling has been difficult this past year,
but our spirits aren’t dampened,
we continue to enjoy our totes!
Our annual big family Christmas was different in 2020,
instead of a visit from Santa Claus
and a lingering lunch buffet on Christmas Eve,
only part of the family came over for one short hour…
The children played hide and seek in the yard
and the adults enjoyed a Bloody Mary on the holiday decorated patio
After Christmas we headed to the beach house
with a new boat from Santa
We actually caught a bit of really nice weather
And did some boating and outdoor dining
Luckily the day after we left, the roofers arrived
and YAY!
We have a new roof and no more leaks
from the damage left by Hurricane Sally
I was able to watch them through our ring cameras
So things are slowly feeling more normal,
the new boat was tied to what’s left of the pier
and then it was put back on the trailer when we left
We are hoping to have a new pier built before summer,
but just about everyone in Orange Beach needs pier work
so we have to be patient…
Miss Coquille {my tote} & I spent the rest of January
and the first part of February in the city,
playing with snowmen decor and wintery things
These cute Courtly Check napkins were a Christmas gift
from one of my fellow “Toters”
and so was the cute knitted hat ornament on the Martini waiter
We headed back to the coast for Valentine’s Day weekend
and a little Mardi Gras fun
Mardi Gras was different this year,
no parades or parties,
It came to be called “Yardi Gras,”
People decorated their homes and yards like floats
and in New Orleans it was a parade of houses instead
We ate King cake to celebrate
The first few days of our trip were nice,
but then the approaching major winter storm coming from Texas
arrived and the temps dropped to It 24 degrees at the beach
and 4 degrees in the city…
the water was warmer than the air which created an icy fog
I stayed at the beach house until the snow and ice melted in the city
Before I left I spent a few days decorating the house with Spring Things
and putting eggs and bunnies on an Easter Beach tree
I went back to the city and more frigid temps
One night we created a Fajita Bar and made Fresh Citrus Margaritas
to at least warm things up inside!
Finally the temps broke and warm weather returned
Miss Coquille helped me set a spring table on the patio
where I enjoyed lunch with a friend last week
There’s a little Spring on the mantel and I’m wishing winter away…
I hope you’re seeing some signs of Spring!
Please visit all my Traveling Tote friends on the links below
and be sure to leave a comment on Purple Chocolat Home
to enter the giveaway
Patti, Miss Kenzie and Miss Tizzy @ Pandora’s Box
Debbie, Miss Aurora and Miss Tassie @ Mountain Breaths
Emily, Miss Courtney Childs and Miss Lulu @ The French Hutch
Jenna, Miss Coquille and Hello Gorgeous @The Painted Apron
Linda P, Miss Lola and Miss Gigi @ Life and Linda
Rita, Miss Luna and Miss Penny C @ Panoply
Sarah, Miss Merri Mac and Miss Poppy @ Hyacinths for the Soul
Jackie, Miss Madi K and Miss Pansy @ Purple Chocolat Home
Ricki Jill, Countess De Monet, Miss Square Peggy @ The Sketchy Reader
Cherry Kay, Carrie Ann Hall and Miss Waverly @ Entertaining Women
Happy March!
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Sundays on Silverado Love Your Creativity Over the Moon
Between Naps on the Porch, Celebrate Your Story,
All About Home/ Common Ground Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Tasty Tuesday Oh My Heartsie Girl Turn About Tuesday
RSS - Posts
Happy March Jenna! Miss Coquille seems to be taking the new normal in stride. Love her hanging off your Nutcracker standing sentry and she’s so handy to travel back and forth to the coast. I had to chuckle at ‘Yardi Gras’. 🙂 Glad your roof is repaired and hopefully your dock will be soon too. I hope you’re enjoying some warmer temperatures this week ♥
Thank you Mary, yes Yardi Gras is just another example of adaptability, like drive by birthdays and other creative ways of having fun this past year! I’ve been lucky to be able to be in a “bubble” with my family and enjoy trips to the coast. Yes, I’m loving the warm temps!
I see you have spring fever like I do Jenna. Nothing normal about the last year. Sounds like you and your family worked out a plan to visit and be safe. Your cute grands look like the new boat made them very happy. Happy to hear your new roof is finished, hope the dock gets built before summer.Love how you use Miss Coquille as a helper at the beach and the city. Happy March……
Thank you Emily, I have been lucky this past year, still able to see my family and taking occasional trips to the beach house has been wonderful…
We’ve all been challenged to make it work this year, and you have done so with style and beautiful embellishments!
Thank you Dorothy, so nice!
Jenna, you are truly blessed with your lake home. I think that Miss Coquille might not even realize she’s been slowed down because of Covid. She’s been kept really busy! Love her hanging rack for Christmas. The McK nutcracker has really tried to tempt me several times. Darling! Thanks for taking us along on your travels. CherryKay
Thanks Cherry Kay, the beach house is my whole family’s favorite destination, and even with hurricane damage we’ve been able to get away and enjoy it. Happy Spring to you!
Wow! Seeing signs of spring through your eyes is just what I needed, Jenna! You even made the holidays and winter look good with your remedies of good food, family and friends. Yours is the closest to what I remember normal looking like in a really long time! Cheers to March and more of normal!
Thank you Rita, I have been lucky, still able to see my family and enjoy trips to the beach house…and we’ve even safely seen friends occasionally, outside at both houses…yes, Cheers to March and Spring!
Happy March, Jenna. Miss Coquille seems quite happy to journey back and forth to the beach. I know you are anxious to get the dock rebuilt, I hope that happens before summer. I love the photo of your darling grands. Hopefully, families can soon have gatherings. How fun to have a friend for lunch outside. Enjoy your day ☔️
Thank you Pam, I spent a lot of time outside the past few days, wasn’t it wonderful! I am looking forward to more time on the coast as the weather warms up 🙂
Jenna, you have made the best of living in this Covid world. Having the beach house is a joy.
So glad Santa got you a new boat. Hopefully soon your pier will be built. Your decor and food is always the best. Love the Yard Gras. Your Mackenzie Child’s tall nutcracker is such a joy to see.
I am still admiring your fireplace and pizza oven. Happy March.
Thank you Linda, between the beach house and the patio fireplace we’ve actually been able to see a few friends and getting away to the coast is such a spirit booster.
Santa was good to you, and boy, after the hurricane, you deserved it. Such fun to see your seasons! I long for those journeys back and forth to the cottage! good luck as work continues on the house!
Thanks Jeanie, yes it’s been a wild year, and my family is so thankful we still had our beach house to escape to occasionally. Now that it’s Spring I will be going more often.
Happy March, Jenna! Your little Easter tree is the cutest little thing….I love it! I’m happy that you are seeing progress on your beach house. Y’all did a great job decorating your Birmingham patio for Christmas. 😀 I really miss seeing you and Emily. Hopefully we can get together soon!
Thanks Ricki, I miss our get togethers so much! Having the roof finished at the beach house has been a huge relief!
Jenna, you know how to keep the action going! It’s fun to see all the family activity! Glad the beach house repairs are moving forward. A new roof is major! Love the darling spring tree. You make me want to pull out my Easter things!
Thank you Sarah, Easter is early this year, so it’s just about bunny season!
What a fun time during the pandemic you have had. I love viewing all your activites, I am so ready for spring!
Thanks Terrie, I think we’re all winter weary!
You stay very busy between your beach house and your city house, Jenna, and I’m sure that Miss Coquille is the perfect tote as your travel. I always love seeing the smiling faces of your grands! Your Easter tree looks so pretty, and soon you’ll be spending most of your time at the beach.
Thank you Kitty, we are so happy to have the beach house to escape to, especially this past year {except for the hurricanes!}
February was such a terrible month weather wise for so many people. I’m glad the weather warmed up for you and hopefully spring will be here soon. I enjoyed looking at your cute bag and happy March Jenna.
Thanks Julie, we are lucky in the South, weather can be crazy but we can also steal some really nice days…it was 80 this weekend 🙂
You have been busy! So happy you have a new roof and a new boat. Now, hopefully the dock can be repaired soon.
Your grands are adorable and I know you have so much fun at both houses.
Hoping things will be close to normal before too long.
Enjoy your week.
Thank you Bonnie, I have been lucky during this past year with still being able to go to the beach house and be in my family bubble…I am looking forward to being with friends again as we all are…stay well
Oh so happy to see that Santa brought you a new boat and a new roof and hopefully a new pier soon – glad you were able to spend some beautiful time there on the water. So happy to hear that things are getting repaired – what a lot of work and worry. I just love your spring tree! We just got home tonight and I still had Christmas wreaths on the front door – oops forgot about those.
ha ha, I know that feeling! Thank you Jackie, we are so happy to have our roof repaired, and being able to travel to our favorite spot this past year has made the pandemic bearable for us…
Fun tour of your year so far. You are very good at turning lemons into lemonade! Bless you!
Thank you Linda, I have been fortunate…
So happy Santa brought you a new boat and roof, and that you could still go to the beach house. You’ve been lucky to see your family and hopefully soon will get to spend time with friends. Miss Coquille is the perfect tote as your travel! Happy March Jenna!
Thanks Deb, yes being able to be with my family and still go to the beach house made this past year so much easier!
I’m ready for Spring too! 🦋🌷 Sorry to see you had damage from the hurricane. I love your bunny tree! You are so creative, Jenna! 🐰
Thank you so much Jill 🙂