Summer Vacation, Part 2

Seriously, could I have picked a more boring title??

Despite the lame title, our beach vacation was fun, relaxing & quite the time we all had hoped for. We rented a cabin at Topsail Hill State Park in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. This is the 3rd year we've come here for a beach vacation. The park is very family oriented and child friendly. It's quiet, peaceful, and bargain priced for the accommodations. I highly recommend this place if you are ever looking for a relaxing beach vacation.

Once we arrived, we had to check out our place. The kids claimed the screened-in wrap around porch and picnic table as their special place. Well . . . it IS pretty special.

We went out for lunch one day and managed to take a family photograph (lovin' my self timer, thank-you-very-much).

 

After lunch, I had to take a few images of the kiddos. They weren't really that interested . . .

BUT, eventually they warmed to the idea of photos - well, my daughter did. My son tolerated the camera only because I was going to take a picture of the blue marlin too!

 

These munchkins love their daddy (and I do too!).

 

I'm very fortunate that she still likes to hold my hand - just had to snap this image to remember!

But what's all this talk about a beach vacation, but no beach pictures yet? Well, don't you worry, I've got it covered. There were just too many to try to whittle it down any further, so here ya go . . .

But don't think that just because this was a beach vacation and beach park that the beach is the only thing to do at Topsail Hill . . . Nope, there was plenty to keep us occupied. . .

We even visited the Gulfarium on opening day where we learned all about tidepools, and we got to see a seal & dolphin show.

 

Our last night there, we took the kiddos to a family-fun center where we rode bumper boats, go-carts, carnival rides & even played a few video games. When we asked our son what his favorite thing was that we did, he said it was the video game when he got to shoot buffalo . . . hmmmm. . . he's quite like his dad!

Such a fun trip. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Summer Vacation

We headed down to Florida to hang out at the Beach for a week, but along the way, we stopped in Mississippi and visited with my family. The trip to Mississippi is a long drive . . . I mean a REALLY LONG drive. I do have to say that for the entire 11 hours, these kiddos were good troopers.

Oh, and driving through the Mississippi Delta at night will leave your window looking like this . . . and for the record, those bug guts are very, very hard to wash off.

Once we got to Mississippi, my boy lost his first tooth! He was pretty excited & the tooth fairy left him a very generous donation for this first tooth!

We loved visiting with family while we were there. Uncle Allen helped us fish in his pond.

We got to visit and play with our cute cousin - Carey Beth.

My boy got to "drive" this tractor.

And I just love seeing my kiddos with my Papaw - he's their great-grandfather, and I'd swear he loves them more and more each time we see him!

Just like everytime we head home, it's never long enough. I'm so glad my children will have these memories of Mississippi. We left here and traveled the last 7 hours of the trip down to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. More to come in a later post.

Happy day!

They'll Always Have . . .

Each other. And for that, I am eternally grateful!

Saying Goodbye

For the past 5 years, my kiddos have seen this beautiful woman on a weekly (almost daily) basis. She has become their local grandmother, and oh, how she loves them (and they, her).  This is the last week that they will attend daycare with Grandma June. I may have cried more today than I did when I left my tiny 8 week old in her most capable & loving hands so many years ago.