Quality time is what fuels Brandon and Hannah Clayton. These high school sweethearts married in 2010. They have a floor refinishing business and work well together. They also have three children — Heidi (12), Lydia (10) and Maverick (18).
“When people say time flies when you have kids, they aren’t joking. As I look at my oldest and see that she’s turning 13 this year, I just know that my time is running out with her being at home. I just want to soak up all the time I have with all three of my children,” Hannah shared. “Now that we live 500 miles away from our family, visits with them mean so much more as well. Enjoy time with those you love because you might not always get the chance.”
Originally from Tennessee, the Clayton’s visited beaches nearby for the first time in 2020 and just couldn’t get enough. After that, they started visiting the beach every summer and fall break.
“We just felt like we needed to be closer to saltwater. So in 2023, my husband googled the best place to raise a family in South Alabama. The internet said Fairhope, Alabama and the rest is history,” said Hannah. “Really, we moved here without having ever been here. Our first visit was to find a rental, and we only stayed a day.”
The Claytons have taken advantage of all the area’s beautiful amenities. From hunting in the Delta and fishing in the bay to family days on the beach, riding electric bikes in the Gulf State Park, and skateboarding at the Fairhope Park on Volanta Ave.
“I would say that I do most of the cooking unless it’s a fresh catch or other wild game, then my husband steps up to help,” shared Hannah. “This fish taco recipe is something we have on the regular, especially in the summer when we are going to the Bay after work in hopes of catching dinner or on the weekends at the beach in Fort Morgan.”
Brandon and Hannah love family dinners around the table each night. Their dinner table is an electronic-free zone — no phones or tablets. It is a space for the family to connect together.
“The older my kids get, the harder it seems to have them spend time together because they are all into their own activities. Dinner at the table allows us to spend some quality time together,” shared Hannah.
With warmer weather on the horizon, the Claytons are looking forward to after-dinner activities too. Hannah shared that they recently started playing pickleball as a family.
“We really love getting home from work and having daylight hours to do something together as a family,” she said.
“Especially now that we are giving pickleball a chance.”
Oven Baked Fish Tacos
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lb of fish or 2 lbs of shrimp
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp each oregano, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper
- ½ tsp each onion powder and cumin
- Corn or Flour Tortillas, 1 package
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the spices.
- Pat fish dry and brush with olive oil. Cover fish with the spice mixture.
- Place onto tin foil lined sheet pan.
- Cook for around 6 minutes. Timing depends on thickness of fish.
- Top with whatever you’d like and enjoy!
** Optionally top with Cilantro Lime Slaw and/or Guacamole.
Cilantro Lime Slaw
- 2 ½ cups of coleslaw mix
- 3 T mayonnaise
- 1 T lime juice
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- ½ tsp each sugar, sea salt and pepper.
Combine ingredients into bowl. Chill.
Guacamole
- 3 avocados, scooped and mashed.
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ small red onion
- 1 lime, juiced
- 6 tsp of Holy Guacamole! Seasoning (found at The Spice & Tea Exchange in downtown Fairhope)
Mix all ingredients for another delicious taco topping. Chill before serving if desired.
Author: Gabriele Jones
Gabriele has been married to her husband Daniel for 16 years. Together they have three incredible children - two boys, ages 15 and eight, and a sweet girl who joined the family last summer. She is a full time Pink Cadillac Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. When she isn’t spending time with family or building her business, she supports her husband who is the Lead Pastor and Planter of Forward Church in Foley.
