Category Archives: family

My Jewels: Phillip and Alice Smoot

Posted on March 19, 2021 by Kelsie Lou

I told my mom that we should have some photos taken.  Our last photography session was in summer 2016 before my parents moved to Florida.  We needed to break the monotony of the pandemic restrictions and have a reason to … Continue reading →

Posted in family, fashion, Florida, mothers, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Tribute to Lucy L. Smoot

Posted on March 10, 2021 by Kelsie Lou

I want to share the beautiful obituary written by my aunts and uncles to pay tribute to my paternal grandmother, Lucy L. Smoot:   LUCY LINTHICUM BENNETT SMOOT passed away peacefully at home at the age of 96 on March 3, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, family, mothers, West Virginia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Points of Interest in Senegal

Posted on February 10, 2021 by Kelsie Lou

Senegal, Africa is divided into 14 regions, which are broken down into 45 departments, branching to 103 subdivisions, and several ethnicities.  The term “African” should not be used loosely as a generalized term to identify people who are born or … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Culture, Education, family, landmarks, Photography, restaurants, Senegal Africa, Teachers, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Gorée Island, Senegal

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Kelsie Lou

“Welcome home.” Those two words held so much power when I was greeted at the historic site of the transatlantic slave trade which took place on Gorée Island.  The largest slave trade area off the west coast of Africa is … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, Education, family, landmarks, Photography, Religion, Senegal Africa, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

When the Reward Outweighs the Risk

Posted on November 3, 2020 by Kelsie Lou

I went to visit my Grandma in West Virginia after a long interruption to protect her from possible exposure to Covid-19.  We spoke on the phone and she genuinely wanted to see me.  My Uncle Rodney, who is her primary … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, family, landmarks, Photography, Teachers, Travel, West Virginia | Tagged , , , , | 21 Comments

Kick-off the 2020-21 School Year Virtually: How to Create a Welcome Back Slide Deck for Your Students & Parents

Posted on August 14, 2020 by Kelsie Lou

A lot of school districts will be teaching classes remotely to start the 2020-21 school year.  We do not know how long this is going to take, but we have to hit the ground running as we would if we … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, family, Louisville, Teachers | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Meet Me in the Mangroves

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Kelsie Lou

I’ve been back and forth from KY to FL all summer in between teaching and professional development training.  I was helping my Mom recover from knee replacement surgery, and reminding my Dad of how wonderful a daughter I am.   This … Continue reading →

Posted in Beaches, family, fitness, Kayaking, landmarks, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Carnival Elation Cruise Ship Review

Posted on December 29, 2019 by Kelsie Lou

Oh Ship! It’s a Mother Daughter Trip! My Mom exposed me to cruising as a teenager when we took our first Carnival cruise to the Bahamas. Over the years, we have sailed to Bermuda, Cuba, and all over the Caribbean … Continue reading →

Posted in family, fashion, Florida, food, Travel | Tagged , | Comments Off on Carnival Elation Cruise Ship Review

Thankful for Miles

Posted on December 1, 2019 by Kelsie Lou

My Mom had a 48 hour notice about the Lake Wales YMCA Turkey Trot. I gave her the option to participate based on how she felt on Thanksgiving morning. She said if it was too hot, she was not doing … Continue reading →

Posted in family, fitness, Florida, running, Travel | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Thankful for Miles

It’s Fall Good

Posted on November 9, 2019 by Kelsie Lou

Over the last few months my focus has been setting the tone for a successful school year, keeping a foster care routine, and getting settled into my new home. It is important to set high expectations and to remind my … Continue reading →

Posted in family, running, West Virginia | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on It’s Fall Good