Spring Breakers

The girls and I joined my parents for a Spring Break trip to Mississippi. You know, the mecca of breakers around the country.

Mom and Dad have wanted to see as many things as they could while they have been here all winter.  They enjoyed New Orleans and Memphis, and this time, I volunteered to join them in Mississippi.  We visited the Civil War battle site in Vicksburg and then drove down to Natchez to see the antebellum mansions.

 

This park where the 47 day battle took place is HUGE and incredible.  It still has the trenches that were used in the war.  The girls and I loved running down them and imagining what it was like to dodge bullets in a battle.

The only "ironsides" ship left from the civil war.  All 7 sunk, but this one was raised from the bottom of the river in the 60's.  Very cool.

 The weather was incredible for our trip, and we enjoyed a lovely lunch in downtown Vicksburg.

After lunch, we enjoyed the old courthouse museum. I love old-school style museums that have the little typed yellowed cards to explain everything.  Most things are sort of falling apart.  But, they are genuine and packed with stuff.  My girls especially loved the courthouse cat, Maggie, who was probably twice as big as our cat.

Next, we drove down to Natchez and stopped along the way to admire the "Windsor Ruins".  It was an old plantation mansion that burned in 1890 due to a careless guest's cigar.  These pillars were so imposing and impressive.  It had a creepy element, as well as a romantic feel.  Very very cool.

Once in Natchez, we checked in (it was actually over the river in Louisiana) and then headed to dinner.  What would a trip down south be like without frog legs for dinner?!  (or, for that matter, an awesome mullet photo-bomb in the background)

Now, Jane and I are all smiles, but let me tell you, Grace had the right idea.  Those frog legs were not great.  I am not terribly squeamish, really.  I like escargot and caviar.  But, I can leave the frog legs in Louisiana.  If you are wondering how I got picky, picky Grace to try frog legs, I paid her $5.  --My mom finished all rest of the legs.

Next day, we toured this HUGE plantation home: Longwood. It was built to be 30,000 sq ft! Just add a zero to the square footage of my little home...

It really was incredible, but interesting, because the civil war stopped progress on the house and they never finished the interior above the basement.  But the basement where they lived was still 10,000 sq ft!!

 

Upper stories.

Next was the incredible Natchez Catholic Cathedral.  It was so beautiful.  I have been to some of the biggest cathedrals in the world.  St. Patrick's (New York and Dublin), Notre Dame, Westminster Abbey, the Duomo in Florence.  And I think usually with cathedrals, they are over the top.  In this case, it was stunning and not too much.  Just enough to invoke the perfect level of reverence.

 

This is where we had lunch:

What would a trip down south be like without some southern fried chicken and black-eyed peas?!

After lunch, a trip to the cemetery, of course!

Gracie really wanted to tour this house.  It was sufficiently beautiful.

I look right at home, don't I?

As we drove home Sunday, Dad saw a sign that said, "Cane River".  Knowing that Mom and I had read the book by that name, he pulled off the freeway, and we were able to visit the location of that incredible novel, based on truth.  If you haven't ever read it, put it on your to-read list.  We were able to visit the plantation that was built by former slaves who became free in the early 19th century.  They went on to own their own slaves.  Try that on for size.

The slave quarters:

It was a fascinating trip.  I had just finished "The Kitchen House", so plantations and slavery were very much on my mind.  At the visitor's center in Natchez, I bought, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl".  This is a WONDERFUL book, written by a slave who ran away and eventually gained her freedom.  She spent 7 years hidden in a tiny attic where she couldn't even stand.  Her book was published in 1861.  Reading these books about the lives of slaves put a whole new perspective on these huge homes.  They were really distasteful.  Though beautiful, they were tainted with the blood of those human beings they kept in bondage.  Even 150 years later, it is hard to conceive that this country actually practiced slavery.  But we did, and it was horrific.  More than once on this trip, we turned to each other and declared, "I'm SO grateful I was born now."  Amen.

Mexico

Our annual trip to Mexico was wonderful, as usual.  Every year, Greg's amazing family flies down from all over the US (and Canada) to hang out by the beach.  Even Grammy made it again this year.  Let's hear it for amazing 104 year-old grandma's!!!  She almost didn't make it, as she had a chest cold and her doctor advised against it.  After sitting silent and listless for the appointment, once she heard his decree, she sat up and yelled, "No one tells me I can't go to Mexico!"  At which point, she rallied and made it from New York to Mexico in the dead of winter.  What a trooper.  

Our only sad note was that we missed you, Alice!!!

Grace and I enjoyed morning walks on the beach, where we often found interesting things, including starfish, shells and a dead sea snake.

Speaking of walks, each evening our big family would find ourselves on the streets of the town, out looking for flan, churros or ice cream.  Rincon de Guyabitos locals didn't know what hit them!

   

And speaking of going out on the town, we enjoyed a fun Sunday trip into La Penita for church, where Ethan slept in Derick's lap and Greg blessed the sacrament, said the closing prayer and was generally the only one who understood anything.  We did sing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" for our closing hymn.  I'm pretty sure they threw that in for us gringos, but it was strange to sing it in Spanish.  Who knew it was even in the Spanish hymn book?!

  

Speaking of Spanish music, we had a wonderful impromptu dance party on the beach one night with a Mariachi band that only knew one song that they played over, and over, and over, and over....

And speaking of the beach, much time was spent in that sand or in the water crashing over that sand.

 

Is Jane not the most amazing backward boogie-boarder ever!?! 

 

Grandma and Grandpa devised this wonderful game of tying a balloon to the kids' ankles, and they had to pop each other's balloon.

 

And speaking of wonderful activities for the kids, we enjoyed the annual pinata:

And this year, Aunt Ellen brought all the supplies to make cute tie-dye shirts with the kids.  The most darling little boy came up off the beach to sell his wares, and was captivated by the process of tie-dying.  So, Aunt Ellen helped him make a shirt.  He was SOOOOO cute and became our best friend, coming to see us at least three times a day for the rest of the week.

 

And speaking of cute little kids, we spent a morning at the most darling school, distributing the school supplies that we brought down.  It was fun and tender and reminded us of how blessed we are.  I was conflicted, as on the one hand, I feel it is a good thing for my girls to see where their donations are going, but on the other hand, it felt a little, "We are the rich American benefactors, condescending to bless you."  Not sure where the right line is on that one, but hopefully, it teaches my children to be grateful and charitable and doesn't inflate their egos.  The school kids were darling and so happy and sweet. 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of happy, you should have seen us on our whale watching trip, that started off rather disappointing.  We had already declared it to be the worst in 13 years. But I prayed like crazy that we would see a whale, as we had three family members on their first whale watch.  God answers prayers, because we soon found a mom and her baby.  The baby jumped out of the water at least 30 times, and our boat trip jumped from being the worst to the best.  Also, my bro-in-law, Robert, brought an under water microphone and recorded the whale song.  INCREDIBLE!!!!

 

 Yes, I took this with my iphone:

 

 

Speaking of incredible, look how beautiful Grandma Tallmadge looks:

 

  

And beating everyone at Bridge:

 

And speaking of bridge, behind Grace, you can see where Ethan hangs out all day, when he's not swimming:

Speaking of swimming, we did a lot of it:

  

We also did a lot of eating:

 

Greg took Grace down to the beach to buy that drink, and the lady said to Greg in Spanish, "You come here every year, don't you? I remember your little sick boy when he was just a baby, and now he is so big!"

Speaking of...

And speaking of being recognized- as I was coming out of the waves one day, the older gentleman who was surfing near us asked if I was on television.  I didn't really know how to respond to that, as I wasn't exactly sure if he was talking about what I thought he was talking about...  He finally said, "Aren't you on the I'm a Mormon commercials?"  I was somewhat stunned, as I answered in the affirmative.  He is from Denver, where they played the ads last spring.  I was amazed that he could recognize me at all, much less in a wet suit, no make-up and my hair pulled back.

And speaking of looking scary:

The kids had fun indulging at the market.

And speaking of fun indulgences, Gracie got a pedicure.

The polish lasted 5 minutes in the pool.  She was pretty devastated.

At least her fancy hair-do lasted longer.

And speaking of being somewhat spoiled...

Oh, were we speaking of that!?  While we were sitting by the pool one day, Greg realized that exactly 30 years before, to the day, he had come to that same beach in Mexico with his family.

Oh, and while we're on the subject...

What does it say about these kids that they have a beach 100 yards from this couch, but they are choosing to watch Studio C on their phones???

 

Well, hopefully, they didn't get too spoiled.  They sure are loving and sweet with this little boy and his crazy brother:

Adios, Mexico!!  Until next January (as Ethan continues to remind me daily)!!