Our Family Vacation - Destin, June 2010

I've been looking forward to this vacation and this beach in particular since the minute we left it last July. Even the drive to Destin brings me down memory lane and all of the fun times I had there with my family when I was a kid. I'm hoping that we are creating these same kinds of memories with our own kids. Our drive was good... and I drove the entire way except for about the last 15 minutes when my legs were falling asleep! BP did NOT ruin our vacation, thank goodness. Not a drop of oil to be seen or smelled any where near Destin and I pray that it remains that way. The first day welcomed us with sunshine and relaxation and we got our customary 'family shot' by some happy 'vacationer' on the beach. We had an amazing time as you'll see and so glad we came back again!

Playtime!

Nicole and I kicked back as all the guys hit the water. The 12 hours of driving over two days was soooooo worth it!

Taking their first dip

The boys all jumped into the water together tonight! They were so giddy and their little faces lit up with laughter. The Ocean welcomed us with open arms and frothy white waves. I love Breck's teeny, tiny little legs in the first pic, he sort of reminds me of a sleestack there. sssssssss

My vision of Heaven

What an amazing start to our family vacation this year! As soon as we arrived on Sunday, we dumped our stuff in the condo and raced out to the beach to meet Nicole, Michael and Beck. Amazingly we all arrived in Destin at the same time.... imagine that for a 12 hour trip coming from two different cities! The sun was out, the sand was gorgeous and the ocean beckoned me like it always does.

A day at the Beach

AAAAHHHHHH...i'm doing the silent scream as i look back at these pictures. The beauty of it all and the feeling that I had when i was there..... too amazing for me to make any practical sense of it all out of speech. There is nothing like this soft, white sand and crystal clear blue water... I've been to many a beach, but this one still stands as my favorite! Brady and Breck had fun with their little cousin, Beck and their Auntie Cole and Uncle Mike too! So much fun to have my sister and bro-in-law's company on this trip.... way, way, way too much fun!

Da Boys!

I love that first picture of Brady and his Dad! What a little clone we have!! The boys LOVED playing on the beach and floating in the ocean waves. I want to go back so bad... want to be there right now instead of sitting behind my computer. Transport me back.... it's the best 'pick me up' in the world.

The Back Porch

Another 'must do' in Destin is the Back Porch restaurant. Sweet little Breck had a busy, busy day on the beach and just couldn't keep his peepers opened any longer. These moments are so rare and I loved every second of it! After dinner, we popped by the gift shop and Brady and Breck each picked up a cool 'beach necklace'! They looked pretty hip.

Happy 4th Birthday Brady!!!!

Here's our little super star and his Birthday Beach party! Nothing like the real thing!! Cake, ice cream, presents, then playing on the beach until the sun went down.

I'm 4

Brady stands proud and tall showing his big 4 year old self! Breck, Beck, Auntie Cole, and Uncle Mike all helped us celebrate Brady's 4th Birthday at the Pavillion on the Beach. Summer birthdays are pretty cool and Brady is a lucky lad!

Good Night Beach

A superb way to end Brady's 4th Birthday celebration on the beach. I totally have two little surfer dudes... it's awesome.

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise

This was a super cool thing to do. The Dolphin Cruise was most spectacular and we were able to see tons of dolphins with the occasional shark or two. The breeze was nice and the view even better. I do believe I had the two most handsome little dudes on the boat that day.

Captain Brady William Harrison

You can see we were all in good hands once Brady took over the wheel. He was absolutely serious about this endeavor and steered us in all the right directions.

Ahoy Matey

Ahhh, avast ye scurvy dog. Here are my mates on our virgin voyage of the Mighty Dolphin Cruise. Totally cool excursion. Loved it all!

Another Perfect Day in Paradise

Mother Mother ocean I have heard your call
Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall
You've seen it all
Watched the men who rode you
Switch from sails to steam
And in your belly you hold the treasures few have ever seen
Most of 'em dreams
Most of 'em dreams

Fudpuckers

What's a trip to Destin, without stopping by Fudpuckers? The boys had fun on their playground and watching the Alligator show. Funny, I've been coming to Fudpuckers since I was a child, but I don't believe I had ever seen the downstairs alligator gallery before. A little creepy, but interesting.

Beautiful boys!

Look at these two handsome little fellows! The world is their oyster...

Family

Isn't this why we're all here.... family. Whether it's the family you grew up with or the family you've since created, it's definitely one of God's greatest gifts. We are all present here... living the moment, even our littlest yet to be born. I wish i had the words to describe how much i love all the boys, big and small in these photos.... but i'm left sitting here speechless, but with happy tears in my eyes. No one can take these awesome memories from me and in my heart they will stay forever.