The weather in Destin is GORGEOUS! Not too hot. Not too cold. Ok. The water is freezing. But other than that, our first day was a perfect beach day!
The View from The Backyard
Barrett went to the beach last summer, saw the ocean, and got to feel the sand under his feet. But this was was his first time to PLAY.
Think He's EXCITED
Cousins and Sandcastles
Boys on a Lunchbreak
The girls hit the beach in the afternoon after it warmed up a bit.
Beach Babes and My Surfer Guy
Parks apparently didn't love the sand as much as we did. As long as someone was holding her, or her body wasn't actually touching it, she seemed fine.
Parks and Aunt Rachel
Catching Some Rays
After warming up to the idea, and after she realized sand is not really for eating, Payton loved playing in the sand!
Giving Sand to Mommy
Trying to Figure Out the Shovel
Pay Playing with her Triplet ... I Mean Cousin Nathan
Barrett's Big Kid Cousin Play Time Activity
Twinkies, Mommy, Aunt Kelley
The Wilson 5
That night we all sat down for a steak dinner. And we celebrated the March Birthday Girls with cake!
Wilson Family (Minus Some Littles Eating at a Different Table)
"Hey Barrett. Take a Picture With Papa"
Day two was overcast and windy. So instead of the beach, we hit the boardwalk! The kids loved walking around and seeing the fishing boats. They even talked to a fisherman who showed them how he hangs up his fish after he catches them. Gross.
Cousins and Aunt Kelley Being Silly
Barrett and Hannah Walking Down The Boardwalk
Cuties
What's Down THERE?!? Exploring With Aunts and Uncles
Barrett Eating Lunch With Daddy
Selfies With Mommy
Post Lunch Nap
Barrett and Aunt Rachel Watching the Big Trampoline
Parks Snuggling With Uncle Thomas
But I Don't WANT To Be A Pirate!
.... And Off to Find More Adventures
We woke up the next morning to more sunshine and bathing suit weather. So we hit the beach!
This Little Wasn't Feeling Great ...
.... So She Stayed Close to Mommy
Brief Moment of Being Distracted By The Sand
Parker Got a Turn With Mommy Too!
I got LOTS of baby cuddles on vacation :)
Boys Playing
Parks and Daddy
Cousin Story Time After a Day in the Sun
We used the evening light to take some family pictures on the beach. We actually took quite a few good ones! These might be some of my favorites though:
I Mean .... Yep. That Pretty Much Sums it Up
Not Happy
Selfie Stick Problems
Success!
Our Little Family
Feeling My Hair Growing as the Picture Was Being Taken
All the Grandkids with Their Grandparents
After the babies went to bed that night, the "big kids" went out to play! We took the older grandkids to the Track for some Mini Golf and Go-Kart Races
Concentration
Barrett's attention span lasted SO much longer than I thought it would! He LOVED playing. He didn't really understand the point of them game. He understood that he was supposed to put the ball in the hole. But after he hit the ball with his club once, he decided to pick it up and take it to the hole himself. Next thing I knew, he was picking up OUR balls too!
I Love This Game!
I Mean ... I REALLY Love it!
Let Me Just Take Care of This
"Puutttt Puttt!!!!!" with Aunt Kelley
"Golfing With Daddy"
Little Man was tall enough to ride Go-Karts with Daddy He stayed interested for about half a second, and then asked his daddy if he was going to just drive around "allllll day."
Ready to Go
AND They're Off!
Playing with Uncle Jeremy
This was really the best picture I took. But sweet Jeremy ran back and forth and back and forth with Barrett for EVER. Barrett was yelling and laughing and running ... and having the best time. Thanks for entertaining him for a while Jeremy! We appreciate it more than you know.
Hannah doesn't get to spend much time with her girl cousins. I think she missed them while we went out to play the previous night. So the next morning she was determined to get some girly time!
Pay Girl and Hannah
Parks and Hannah
We spent the afternoon in Seaside, which is probably the cutest little town I've ever seen.
Barrett Enjoyed "Hiding" From Us
Everybody Say "Cheeese"
Picnic Lunch
Hanging Out With Daddy
On To The Next Stop
Shopping With Mommy
Ice Cream Time!
These Girls DO Love Ice Cream
Love These Boys
Sweet Boy Wanted In The Picture
Even With The Sun In His Eyes
Cruising Around Town
When we got back to the house, or "Florida" as Barrett calls it, Hannah was waiting for some more cousin time.
Don't Worry Hannah. You'll Win Her Over Someday
Meanwhile .... Nathan and Parks Were Playing Behind Us
Barrett and I went out for a little mini-date on the beach before dinner:
Let's DO This!
Love This Little Guy
Uncle David Came Out to Play
Matt and I went out to eat at
Harbor Docks by ourselves. We had a great date, and I loved celebrating my birthday out by the docks!
Date Night Picture
Foggy Sunset ... But Still Very Sweet
When we got back to the house, we had to wait for the twins to fall asleep before putting Barrett into his bed without them crying again. So he got to stay up and play poker with the boys.
Man Time
Our last day was a little cloudy, so the boys went back for more Mini Golf and Go-Karts
Good Grip Buddy!
Fun With Daddy
Love Those Smiles
For our last night, we headed out to dinner by the docks on the boardwalk.
Mommy and Parks
Last Beach Meal
Daddy Making Parks Laugh
Twinkies Watching Happy Birthday Celebration
Mommy and Pay
Family Selfie
We thought it would be fun for the kids to have a party on the beach in the dark our last night. I mean, we HAD to say good-bye to the ocean! So we pulled out a bag of glow sticks and let the kids run around on the beach after the sun went down. It was WAY more fun than I had anticipated! We played tag, used Uncle Brandon as a basketball hoop, and threw them all the air to make the lights FLY!
Wish You Could Hear the Giggles in a Picture
Barrett LOVES Glow Sticks
Am I Smiling?
Parents Can Be Silly Too
Glow Stick, Beach, and Family ...Pure Happiness
Random Vacation a Moments:
Playing on the beach is hard work!
Sleeping Beauty
Snuggled with Lovie
Sleeping on the Floor, Using the Mattress As the Pillow
Bye Bye Ocean!
