Cocoa Beach - Anniversary Trip

A few highlights of our annual anniversary trip ... this year to Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Emeril's Orlando.

Emeril's restaurants are always our favorite, no matter where they are found.  Orlando, Atlanta, New Orleans and Las Vegas so far.

Our dinner:

Stephen

Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo

Roasted Grouper served with Brazilian fish stew with mussels, calamari, tomato and coconut milk, served over scallion rice pilaf

Emeril's Banana Cream Pie - graham cracker crust, caramel sauce and chocolate shavings

Amy

Braised Pork Cheek with Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Divers Sea Scallop with Tomato Marmalade

Grilled Swordfish with Chanterelles and Porcini Sauce served over Whipped Potatoes

Butterscotch Cheesecake - pecan crust, milk chocolate sauce with chantilly cream and chocolate triangles

Our wait staff surprised us with this as well!  (Chocolate cake with chocolate sauce and whipped cream).  It was a very delicious and fun night.

The Beach, of course.  Our favorite is the one less populated.  No offense, Humans!

Golf with Stephen and seeing some of native birds on the course.

Happy 12th Anniversary to my wonderful husband!

Pirate Parties and other Eastman-type things ...

To celebrate Seth's birthday in grand style, and also just to liven things up around here, we decided to throw a Mystery Dinner Party.  Oh and the theme was 16th century Pirate.  So the young folks who are normally together for Sunday School and Thursday night Bible Study, and a myriad of other tame small town stuff came together as pirates and colonial elites to solve a murder.  We all had a blast.  A few pics below.

Back L-R:  Mad Rose (Rachael), Commodore Clearning (Jordan), Gurgling Uma Scarr (Kat), Sealegs Sam (Ryne), Buccaneer Bradshaw (John), Sharktooth Brandy (Diedra), Cutthroat McPhearson (Luke), Merciless Morgan (Michael), Thumbless Jacky (Leah), Cap'n Redbeard (Seth), One Eyed Wanda (Jenna), Dirty Wiggins (Rachel).
Front L-R:  Antonia Napier (Kalee), Governor Napier (Andrew), Breathless Betty Napier (Kristen). 

Post thought:  while completing paperwork at The Costume Shop for rentals (in nearby city - Warner Robins), the clerk automatically knew by heart the Eastman zip code.  Odd, since Eastman is a very small rural town.  When I asked how she knew?  She replied with a sparkle in her eye ... "Oh, we do A LOT of business in Eastman ..."  Things that make you go hmmmmmm.

Different, but Same

As I was getting ready for our 4th of July get-together on Thursday, I couldn't help remembering how I celebrated the 4th last year.  And although, there were some very extreme differences, it made me laugh at how similar our celebrations are, even worldwide.

Men getting cooking gear ready to go outside ...

This Year.

Last Year.

Women in the kitchen.

This Year.

Last Year.

Lovely patriotic decorations ...

This year.

Last year.

This girl.

This year.

Last year.

Lots of good food.

This year.

Last year.

Lounging around and good conversation.

This year.

Last year.

And what's any decent get-together without some good ole tom-foolery and 'rasslin.

This year.

Last year.

Wait.  We mustn't forget the dancin'.  

Last year.

Darn.  We didn't have dancin' this year.  I knew something was missing.