Rosemary Beach Family Vacation

We just returned from a wonderful week of family vacation in Rosemary Beach, FL. This was the maiden voyage for our suburban, and a test of how well our 1 and 3 year old's would do with 4 days of driving. We were invited by family friends and Cupcake to stay for a full week. The 6 bedroom house was just a few minutes walk to the beach, and we practically had our own suite in the basement of the house where the kiddos could run around and be loud without bothering everyone who wanted to sleep past 6 a.m.!

Here is Trip at one of our stops on the way down. I was thoroughly impressed by this kid's ability to hold his liquids. I thought for sure we would be taking potty breaks every hour. Turns out, it was his pregnant mom who needed the most stops. He was perfectly content (actually, I think he was in heaven) watching back to back movies the entire way to Florida. One of his eyes even became blood shot after staring at the tiny screen for 12 hours!

Not surprisingly, it rained on us the entire drive there and part of the drive back. The forecast called for rain every day, and there were "no swimming" and "dangerous sea life" flags up on the beach the first 2 days. Who was the first one stung by a jelly fish? That would be me! Day one, hour one. On day two, Trip joined the club with his own jelly fish sting. We both toughed it out, but I think that scared him from the water for at least another full day. Thankfully, after the first two days, the weather was close to perfect.

It is an understatement to say that this little angel was not made for the beach! We lathered her with sunscreen and protective gear to protect her pale skin, which I'm sure only made the experience more miserable. For the first two days, we weren't really sure what to do with her on the beach. She had sunscreen and sand in every crevice and she was not a happy camper. We finally figured out that she loved playing in the water, just not in the dangerous waves. So, we would set her up on Trip's boogie board with buckets of water and toys, and from then on she was a champ.

 

Isn't this picture cute!? Trip is actually taking his first potty break in the ocean, but from behind it just looks like a cute father/son moment. J said that Trip peed all over him :)

The house we stayed at had this really awesome golf cart that we took to dinners and around town. Trip called the golf cart "my car". The town of Rosemary Beach is a little family paradise. Everyone rides bicycles or golf carts around and there are families everywhere.

One of the few family pictures captured. I left the memory card to my camera at home, so all of these pictures are from J's camera. Side note: J and I decided that Anna Kate throws of the camera's white balance. You almost can't see the sweet girl, only a flash of light!

 

 

 

 

One of the best parts of the trip was having J's cousin and her family just minutes away in Seaside. We always want our kiddos to get to spend more time with theirs. They are so sweet and fun and really loving to our little ones. Trip looked like he fit right in with the boys, and Anna Kate and Kathryn look like they could be sisters. We met up with them for dinner and had a day on the beach together. 

Anna Kate enjoying some milk after THREE donuts at Charlie's Donut Shack. We rented bikes and rode them there early one morning thinking that our early risers would make us the first ones there. Apparently lots of people had the same idea and they were almost sold out by the time we got there.

Right next to the house was the neighborhood swimming pool. With no ocean swimming on the first few days, this proved to be a life saver! Trip loved the pool and it did a great job wearing both kids out.

Check out that boy's eye lashes!

 

After all of the gear we made AK wear to the beach, she was happy to swim in her diaper only at the pool!

 

 

Here is Trip roasting marshmallows with one of his favorite people, Mr. Trey. Trey and Trip were kindred spirits because they are both the third. Trey and J also share the same birthday.

Every ounce of this daddy's girl was satisfied with a full week of non-stop attention from him. 

Here is the whole group. From left to right: Jordan and Trey (Janalyn's daughter and son in law), Janalyn, Trip, J, Anna Kate, Kay Lynn, and me :)

Janalyn and Kay Lynn are childhood friends, and Kay Lynn is Jordan's godmother. It was such a blessing to get to spend time with Janalyn and part of her family. They were all so good and patient with the kids. Trip called Janalyn "Ms. Jaywen" and I think besides Trey, she was his other favorite person. He is still talking about how she swam with him in the swimming pool. And Anna Kate, who gives everyone the evil eye and serious stare these days, decided that Jordan was the only one she would be sweet to.

I think we learned on this "vacation" that there truly is no relaxing with little ones, but we're okay with that. We know it is only a season, and they will be running off to find their own adventures soon enough. We filled every minute with time spent together and lots of wonderful memories. We are so thankful for the blessing that this trip provided before our slightly crazy family of four becomes a seriously chaotic family of five!

Thank you Guerkinks, thank you Cupcake, and praise be to God for family vacations!