VAN VOORHIS FAMILY BLOG

Smiling pretty

Originally uploaded by SisterPV

Had a fabulous weekend with a whole group of girls that made the trek to PV this weekend. 9 girls came down – 3 from Virginia, one from Mississippi and 5 from Ohio.

Thursday i had my last team tennis match of the season and a great lunch at my friend Trish’s house to celebrate the season and a couple of birthdays. Very nice time with some of my favorite PV girls. Came home to a house load of girls and hung out by the pool, played cards and put the new margarita machine to work.

Friday we all headed over to the spa joined by my mom. We all had a relaxing day soaking in the ambiance and enjoying good conversation and beautiful weather. After the spa we took a beach walk and found tons of sharks teeth. More cards in the evening and good time getting back in touch with everyone.

Saturday we slept in, took another nice beach walk and headed down to Caps in St. Augustine for an early dinner – joined by my friend Cheryl. Good food – nice to get out and make ourselves pretty Another round of cards (Shanghai) and another late night.

Sunday was the last morning to hang out together – one last group walk on the beach and a few more airport road trips. All in all a fantastic girls weekend. I’m so blessed to have so many good friends – and ones that are willing to come visit.

Sam was a trooper and in spite of his cold he drove the kids up to South Carolina to visit grandpa and grandma Van Voorhis for the weekend. We’re looking forward to seeing them again this weekend for Grandma’s 75th birthday.

We’re very blessed to have such great family and friends – and a great place to live to share with them. J

Ponte Vedra sunset sky

Originally uploaded by SisterPV

Another perfectly beautiful day in Ponte Vedra. Started off with Anna playing tennis at 8:00 a.m. She played very well in a field of 17 girls and came in 4th place. Very proud of her. After a short lunch break at home we headed back for Ethan’s tennis grand prix. In a smaller field, Ethan lived up to his tennis moniker “The Terminator” and won first place without giving up a single game. Fun to watch him and Anna play.

Enjoyed my last day of being 40 – tomorrow after church Sam and I head up to Savannah for a date day/night while the kids stay with Grandma and Grandpa Mc. Nice to get away even briefly with my hubby.

Looking forward to my girlfriends coming down this week – starting on Wednesday, with most of them arriving Thursday and staying through Sunday. Sam will head up to SC to visit Grandpa and Grandma VV with the kids. Anna is excited because she doesn’t have to experience “reptile day” at school Friday.

Enjoying living in this beautiful place. Come visit and hang with us! J

Surveying the sharks teeth

Originally uploaded by SisterPV

Another cute pic from the week with the McCollum cousins from Columbus. Ethan with Pak & Chien surveying the sharks teeth that we found when combing the beach last week. Can’t believe they’ve already been gone for almost a week – sad. Thankfully they were able to catch the last Skybus flight out of St. Augustine before they shut down for good.

Unfortunately, 8 girls from Columbus that were scheduled to come down on Skybus got shut out of their flights for next Thursday. Thankfully most of them are getting their flights worked out and in one week the house will be filled with my girl friends from Ohio and elsewhere. Really looking forward to that.

Sam will most likely be taking the kids and skedaddling up to South Carolina to hang with Grandpa and Grandma VV for the weekend. Always something fun going on. Beautiful weather here!!! Talk soon. J

I am in a hotel lobby in Albuquerque New Mexico at a meeting of the Republican National Committee.

It is nice here in the desert…and the golf is great. But my clubs are in the garage back home in Ponte Vedra and I am in a black suit and a dark tie. I look like Johnny Cash with male pattern baldness.

This is business…but it is also like ole home week.

I have been to nearly 40 of these meetings over the past 13 or 14 years. While I enjoy the involuntary reunion with many friends, clients and even competitors, I count the hours till I am home with Julie, Anna & Ethan.

Many people in business have to entertain clients from time to time. And much like a lobbyist in a DC watering hole, my limitless AMEX is often my most charming character trait.

I don’t regret the opportunity to feed & water the proverbial 5000 as many of these folks have been loyal friends for many years. It is really the least I could do…and I mean that literally. Many of the people here have done so much for me professionally.

I appreciate these folks. I am grateful to the old bulls, who are now my peers. And I am thankful for the young bucks, running the races and grinding like I used to be able to do when I was a “flat belly” in my late 20s. (one of my clients, former Columbus OH Mayor Greg Lashutka used to call me that. it was a comparative analysis.)

I just wish they would come to Ponte Vedra for these meetings… Julie certainly could feed and entertain 350 people…she really wouldn’t mind…she never complains. And I would grill out and deliver a Stella or a Red Stripe on command. It would be so much nicer than another Hyatt “resort” or the dreaded Washington Hilton.

I am down until 24 hours till Delta 1007 hits the tarmac at JAX…but there’s work to be done yet in Albuquerque.

So back to the lobby bar… The old bulls need a fresh scotch and the flat bellies need another Michelob Ultra.

Boys heading out

Originally uploaded by SisterPV

Enjoyed a long day at the beach yesterday with my brother John and his family. A little sunburned, but happy and with a nice slew of sharks teeth to show for it. j

beach beauty

Originally uploaded by SisterPV

Beautiful Xiu Dan on her first day at the beach.