Beach Blast!

After almost three years, we finally went to the beach!  Yes, that is right-three years.  Now don’t feel sorry for me-if you read this blog enough you know that the lake is our home away from home. It’s just too convenient, close & relaxing!  And we have gone to Gulf Shores with Matt’s parents for Thanksgiving the last two years. But I am talking about hot summertime surf & sand beach that I grew up experiencing. The beach holds some dear memories for me and it took this past weekend to realize just how much I really did miss it!

There were entire summers where I spent more nights at the beach (my parents have a place in Bay Point/ Panama City, FL) than in my own home in Troy.  The beach was my retreat after graduating from college and Matt even proposed to me there at Bay Point in my parent’s condo.  So many great times!! But having children makes the packing and planning a hassle so we’ve avoided it for a long time-too long!

With the oil spill, I realized that I may not have those beautiful white, sandy beaches or delicious seafood for too much longer and I needed to take advantage of it all while we could so we decided my birthday weekend would be the perfect time so we took the Friday off and headed to the beach Thursday night.

We thought that it would be a peaceful drive with the girls sleeping but Campbell chattered the whole way with tons of questions (including lots of doubts!) about where we were going and what we were going to do.  When we go into Panama City, we stopped at Target to pickup some essentials and (at 9:30pm and wide awake) Campbell said “Mom, who put these crazy palm trees in the parking lot-this is a crazy place.”  It was then at that moment I knew how Yankees must feel coming to the Gulfcoast for the first time. 

We left early Friday morning headed to Sandestin so I could spend my birthday cash at the outlets. We came back on 30A and stopped to spend some time in Seaside and to meet up with our friends, The Nelsons, for dinner and an outdoor movie. Even thought it was SO hot, there was that fresh feeling of family memories being made in the air and I fell in love with the beach all over again.

Waiting on some fresh squeezed lemonade from the Queen Bee Cupcakes in the vintage Airstream “park” in downtown Seaside. 

While Campbell & Dad checked out the toy store, Sara Gray and I sat in the shade. She got into my lemonade and eventually started chewing on the lemon-I couldn’t believe it, she would not let it go.  Look at that face!!

All we heard all day from Campbell was how she wanted to go swimming. I knew we didn’t have enough time or supplies for a swim on the beach and as luck would have it (or God’s saving grace…literally our patience was running thin with the whining!), Matt ran into his cousin, Anna Katherine, who had rented a house with friends and had a Pool Pass!!  YIPEE!!  I had bought C a swimsuit at the outlets and happened to have SG one in the car so Matt bought him some knarly board shorts and we crashed the pool. I think we all needed a cool down by that point!

Sara Gray chilling in the baby pool and showing some midriff!

After the swim, we dried off and changed clothes and met the Nelsons downtown. We were so happy to see our friends!!  Campbell and Kate showed up wearing matching flip-flops and some floral headbands from Crew Cuts (they must have some stylish moms!)

TThe kids posing for their sunset portrait at the Coleman Tower/ Town Center Pavilion/ Seaside Gateway which is one the most photographed spots. While it appears Campbell is the only looking at me the truth is she is the only one not looking at the camera-Candace was taking the pics with her expert camera and I just snapped a quick pic-can’t wait to see how hers turned out!

She was soo excited.  We never even planned to go on the beach after dinner but C just couldn’t stand it and took off running. Remember, my poor Yankee child from Pike County has only been on the beach in November and was totally mystified by all that glorious white sand and had to get her feet into it. She is not posed-honestly. Just truly overjoyed!

The kids got to run up and down the beach and get their toes wet as Candace and I kept yelling “come back…don’t get wet…”. Campbell & Kate hugged up for another picture-is it just girls natural inclination to do that?  Again-no posing from mom!  Isn’t that funny?

Drew, Carter, Campbell & Kate lounging on the grass watching the outdoor movie.  It was so much fun to do that and totally free (if you managed to not buy into your kid’s please to buy them one of those glow-in-the-dark overpriced necklaces!) SG laid back in her stroller with her bottle and fell asleep. The movie was “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”.

 

 

On Saturday, we invited the Nelsons to go with us out on the boat to Shell Island (or “seashell island” as Campbell kept saying! )  We had to anchor out so we all had to swim a good bit into to actually get on the island.  It was Campbell’s first taste of salt water swimming and she kept wanting to wipe her eyes and mouth on our bathing suits!

We did take a break from building sand castles and finding sand dollars and shells to hunt for David’s wedding band.  He lost it playing football and after a long search and even finding a guy with a mask, we assured Candace & David they were still very much married and called the search off. Maybe it will be a good treasure for someone else later to find.

After lunch on the boat, we did some lazy sunning and then I got the crazy idea to jump with Campbell off the bow of the boat (which is pretty high!!) She is such the adventure girl! Anyway, that started a jumping contest with the kids off the stern of the boat to see who could make the silliest, highest, splashiest jumps. And when I say “with the kids” of course I mean David and Matt too!

I couldn’t get a good one of Kate, Drew & Campbell sitting on the bow of the boat-the sun was just way too bright!  But I got some great funny faces of them squinting and the girls wearing their mama’s hats!

 

Friendship Bracelets!! Remember these..who knew they were back in style?  I found them at one of the surf shops and bought one for Campbell and Kate because I could remember having one with Candace and David when we graduated high school. The whole Nelson family ended up getting one: These are Candace & Carter’s hands and Drew’s ankle—who says your kids can’t be your friends too??!!

1, 2, 3….I wish you could really see the depth in this picture and just how high of a jump this was for us!  Campbell definitely has her daddy’s daredevil ways but I think she is bringing it out in me! Immediately after we surfaced, I checked on her to make sure she was okay she said “Let’s do it again!”

 

Drew making one his first of many jumps off the back of the boat!

Back at the dock, the kids were super salty, sticky and silly!!!  They were waiting on us to unload so they could go jump more in the pool. Notice C is still wearing her lifejacket: earlier that morning while we were meeting Capt. Steve she accidently fell in and luckily I was there to catch her and pull her up (along with some seaweed!).  She got a pretty nasty scrape on  her inner thigh but as you can see, nothing got in her way of fun!

After we got off the boat we went to the pool to wash off the salt & sand and start feeling the sunburn. We were soo exhausted that we decided to just order in. The kids played on the lawn in front of the condo while Candace and I got to catch up on some girl talk and then one by one the kids’ engines ran out. Campbell was the first to go to sleep at 6pm (& Sara Gray one of the last!  She slept TERRIBLE on this trip not being in her own crib!)

And then Sunday came.  We spent the morning cleaning and packing and washing sheets  & towels (wow-that takes up so much time which reminded me why we hadn’t come more often-thank goodness we had taken off that extra day to make it worthwhile!).

I wasn’t quite ready to go home just yet so we packed up the care and headed back to Seaside for some last bit of shopping,a late lunch (Shrimp Shack-lobster roll and steamed crab claws-best meal of the trip!!) , ice cream (Matt had to try the key-lime pie on a stick featured on the Today Show) and a final peek at the beach.

Campbell playing in Bud’s House (the Seaside dog & mascot!) next to the toy store.

Matt getting into the Seaside spirit! Campbell was too grumpy and Sara Gray was too comfortable in her stroller so he got a picture all by himself!

Me & the girls already missing the beach!  Sara Gray is saying “Look at this place, isn’t it just boodiful?  Can you believe they’re taking me home away from all this?”

Matt and his girls, just outside the Shrimp Shack.

Campbell: “See ya later, alligator!”

Sara Gray: “after a while you croc-o-dile”

 

What a wonderful weekend!  Yes, we did a lot and it was a whirlwind but it was also wonderful! It was invigorating to get some fresh sea air, feel that breeze and reconnect with the Nelsons and my old love, the Gulf Coast.  I hope it won’t be nearly as long next time and I pray the oil doesn’t ruin this special place for all of us.

 

 

P.S.- I am so lucky to have Candace as not only my wonderful friend but also talented photographer with a camera heavier than totin’ Sara Gray in her car seat!  I know she captured some great shots that hopefully I can add in a blog addendum or link to one of her albums. Look for some great action shots of the kids running on the beach and splashing into the Gulf!

If you need some family pics at the beach she’s the best!  Contact her at CandaceNelsonphotography.com