Tales of the Traveling Tote, March 2023
Time for another Tales of the Traveling Tote!
Where did February go??
I can hardly believe it’s March 1
Spring is on the way!
Our last tale ended on December 1 2022
Looking back to December,
one of the highlights was a birthday/Christmas lunch
I had with the Alabama chapter of the Traveling Tote group
Ricki Jill , the Bookish Dilettante and I
both live in suburbs of Birmingham and
Emily, the French Hutch lives about an hour away
and comes to Birmingham occasionally to shop
In early December we met at a beautiful restaurant
located inside the Grand Bohemian Hotel
We celebrated Emily and my December birthdays
and exchanged birthday and Christmas gifts
On the way out we ran into ladies from The Red Hat Society
taking a holiday photo, aren’t they just the cutest?
I also threw myself a birthday party
and invited a few special friends over for cocktails and appetizers
I made a Snow Pea Tree, Italian Spirals and Pork Belly Bites
HHjr made my favorite Coconut Shrimp
They brought me wonderful presents
and I had presents for them too~
I decorated the kitchen island with MacKenzie-Childs gifts
from my Traveling Tote friends
The foyer was filled with birthday flowers
After Christmas we went to the beach house for a week
My tote, Miss Coquille, always carries my important things,
like my lap top and my Kindle
The weather was so nice, we couldn’t keep the kids out of the pool,
even though it wasn’t heated!
The temperature outside was warm but the water was very cool,
one morning we had such thick fog you could barely see the pier!
I mostly hibernated at home in the “city” January,
the weather was miserably cold most of the month
In early February the Alabama Chapter of the Traveling Tote group
met for a Valentine lunch at a local favorite restaurant
They have dessert shooters that are amazing,
but we were very good and only had soup and salad
and exchanged small Valentine gifts
Our family went back to the beach for the long President’s Day weekend
Mardi Gras was in full swing on the Gulf Coast
Schools are even closed on Fat Tuesday!
The weather was much colder this time
and even though Big E and Charlie Brown went in the pool,
they didn’t stay in very long!
We lost several plants when there was a couple of below freezing days
in January so forgive the sad brown palms~
we will replace them as soon as there’s no chance for another freeze
Everyone bundled up and went boating,
got to get those boat rides in!
Orange Beach living up to it’s name with this gorgeous sunset!
Back to the “city” for Fat Tuesday at home,
the schools don’t close in Birmingham and there aren’t any parades,
but I like to decorate a little anyway
Spring had sprung in my favorite store
The bunnies and woolly lambs looked so pretty
with the fluffy white hydrangeas and green plants
Can you believe this is a grocery store?
They always have fabulous displays when you walk in the door,
it makes grocery shopping exciting!
I hope you enjoyed your virtual trip to Alabama!
I hope you will visit my fellow toters
for more virtual adventures and MacKenzie-Childs fun!
You can visit all the Tales of the Traveling Tote on the links below:
Patti, Miss Kenzie and Miss Tizzy @ Pandora’s Box
Deb, 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, 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 and Carrie Ann Hall @ Entertaining Women
Be sure to comment on Rita’s blog, Panoply to enter the giveaway!
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Sundays on Silverado/ Love Your Creativity
What’s for Dinner/ Between Naps on the Porch
All About Home/ Common Ground & Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Oh My Heartsie Girl / Turn About Tuesday / Our Tiny Nest
Karin’s Cottage Linky Party / Creative Crafts / Crafty Creators
Whimsey Home Wednesday Full Plate Thursday
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Happy March Jenna, love seeing the grands bundled up for a boat ride, that’s how we roll. 😊 Fun you, Ricki Jill and Emily are all close enough to celebrate and enjoy lunch. Those Red Hat (and dress!) Ladies are too cute. Happy Tuesday. ♥
It’s not a trip to the beach without a boat ride 🙂
Happy Spring, and here’s to more travels!
Are you seeing signs of Spring yet? Things are blooming all over the place here!
Nope, just more snow, snow, snow this week! Wait, the sap is running, so yes, an important sign of spring!
Such fun you had Jenna. The grands are so brave to swim. Something about kids not afraid to swim in cold water. looks like a wonderful birthday celebration. it is so nice that you, Ricki Jill and Emily live rather close to each other. The Red hat ladies look fabulous! I used to be in a group with my mom. Happy March.
The simple things make me happy Linda, family and friends and a trip to the beach is all I need!
Jenna, I always look forward to and seeing you and RJ for our get togethers and lunches. January was such a miserable weather month and like you a time to stay inside. The beach trips look wonderful, you always make them so much fun for your family. The kiddos are brave, I know how that pool water is cold, even though is’s the sunny warm Alabama south! Yes, let’s plan another get together soon rather than later.
Thanks Emily, nothing too exciting, simple things make me happy and I love getting together with you and RJ!
Happy March, Jenna! The last three months for you have been filled with sweet friends, delicious, food, and the beach life. I enjoyed reading about your happenings. The grands bundled up for a boat ride is the cutest photo. Enjoy your day ♥️
Thanks Pam, all I need is family and friends and I’m a happy girl 🙂
Always enjoy my visits here. It makes me smile knowing you and Emily and Ricki Jill get to lunch and shop together. One day I’m going to join you girls! Love seeing all your celebrations and fun times. The Red Hat ladies are definitely photo worthy!
The Red Hat ladies were so cute! You are so sweet Sarah, we would love to have you join us!
What a happy post!!! I enjoyed everywhere I got to go virtually with you and Miss Coquille. It was even fun to revisit those cold months. From Birmingham to the beach, you have an adventurous life! You have a talent for turning lemons into lemonade, and that is the best way to live.😍
Thanks Linda, simple things make me very happy!
Mardi Gras in Mobile (and Orange Beach!) is so much fun. I’m happy you were able to get away during the season and have a fun time with your family. I LOVE the lunches I have with you and Emily. I’m so proud to call y’all friends! I hope we can get together soon and enjoy some sunny and beautiful spring weather. I love how you decorate for Mardi Gras at home in Birmingham. You’ve inspired me to decorate next year! I have to ask you which grocery store has the pretty Easter display. I love it!
Thanks RJ, I love our lunches too! It’s fun to go to the Gulf coast during Mardi Gras season, Orange Beach has decorations everywhere! The grocery store is Piggly Wiggly River Run, it’s off Overton Rd near 459 and Mountain Brook High School. Actually if you’re at St. Stephens, it’s not far from there. They have the best flowers and gifts!!
Love the picture of the boys on a boat ride!!
It was freezing!
I certainly did enjoy my tour with you, Jenna. How wonderful to get together with Emily and Ricki Jill. We have Seasons 52 here, too. Those kids and getting in the water…..brrrr! You sure get the best of both worlds and it’s fun to see what you and your family are up to!
Thank you Kitty, those 2 boys love their polar bear dips! Emily and RJ and have always have so much fun, our lunches are always special. Thanks for visiting my simple world!
I can’t believe that picture of the boys, especially in ski clothes – how fun. I think they will remember that one. Looks like you had a lovely Christmas and lots of fun. Sorry the weather wasn’t the best. I am sure it will warm up soon. We have had such snow and rotten weather too. Glad to have missed so much of it.
I would love going to that grocery store! Wow!!
Thanks Jackie, nothing very exciting like your glamorous trips, but the simple things make me happy 🙂 The grocery store is a treasure trove and they change it up all the time, and it’s always over the top!
That looks like my kind of grocery store! We have a similar one that I love more than clothes and purse shopping. LOL I love when the the Alabama Chapter of the Traveling Tote group gets together. You find fun places to celebrate! I would have joined the boys on the boat in my ski clothes. They definitely know how to have fun. Happy March Jenna!
Thanks Deb! You would love the store, it’s where I got my MKC knock off pumpkins for a fraction of the price and they look like the real deal! Those 2 crazy boys love to do polar bear dips 😂 Spring has sprung here, we’ve been in the 70s all week and things are blooming everywhere!
Don’t you just love being able to gather with friends and be at your special ocean spot with family? Just the best. I’d say the traveling tote did it’s thing and so did you. (And your pea-tree is adorable! I hope I remember that next year!)
Thank you Jeanie, yes it’s these simple things that make me happy 🙂
Jenna, I very much enjoyed my virtual trip to Alabama, both the city sights and beach living. It seemed strange to hear you guys actually had some cold winter days, but it seemed to be weird all over the US, weatherwise. We’ve barely had any snow to speak of. I don’t miss it! I love that you gals in AL can get together, wishing I could be there! Lots of celebrations for you in this past few months, a great way to pass through winter months. I love that the kids got in the pool, and that fog was great. Happy March!
Thank you Rita, simple things make me happy! I traveled so much when I was younger, I am perfectly content to stay home and just go to the coast~ freezing temps are rare on the coast but we had a very severe couple of days that killed some of our plants. I wish you could join Emily RJ and I for our lunches, we have so much fun! I am ready for Spring and sunshine!
What a fun post! I enjoyed all the happenings in your life these last few months! The kids all bundled up and then polar bear dips! WHOA!
I certainly enjoyed reading about your adventures. THANK YOU!
Thank you Nancy, you are sweet! nothing exciting, just everyday life…