trip talkin'

Do you have any idea how long it takes to sift through a couple hundred photos

and get a few of them uploaded on a blog?

My word.

I started that post (having already sorted -somewhat- through pictures) at 11:40 last night.

I figured I'd be in bed in no time.

Ha.

I am such a funny one.

~

The trip.

Can I just say I hate going on trips?

The getting ready totally stresses me out,

and the drive? Hate it.

Add to that, the forecast for Cape San Blas 

was calling for

storms.

All week long.

I pictured a dreary week of being stuck in the house (albeit a nice big one)

watching nasty weather through the sliding glass door;

that took the wind out of my sails.

Long about Thursday, I was ready to say 'forget the stupid beach!'

We somehow managed to get a houseful of people

ready to live elsewhere for a week

and left the house Saturday at 2:21 am

twenty-one minutes behind schedule.

I felt frazzly the entire drive

(which actually went quite well,

 in spite of the fact that most of the kids never went back to sleep)

until we saw the Gulf 

and I immediately felt a little bit excited

(Then Tyler told me it wasn't actually the Gulf. 

So what - it was big water

and it sounded good and smelled good)

When we pulled up to the beach house,

I may have squealed in delight.

Then I texted my sister :-)

The weather was varied (but never really stormy)

but it was all good.

Overcast days we didn't have to worry about getting burnt

and the water was much rougher, making for great boogie-boarding.

The sunny days, the water was prettier (but there was more sea weed on the beach??)

and the guys were able to do some kayaking and skimboarding.

I was amazed at how the beach was constantly changing.

One day, just a few shells; next day, the beach was overflowing with 'em.

Most days the shoreline was 'shallow' - one day it was much deeper and 'ridge-y'

and there was a sandbar way out that hadn't been there before.

Food.

We ate in the car on the way there

and

we fixed all of our meals at the beach house.

I had planned on eating our regular healthy food

with a few treats sprinkled in.

It was a vacation after all.

We ended up restocking the treats a few times ;-)

The big ones were quite ready to get back to good eating;

the little ones think they would be happy to continue with the junk...

Let's just say that when one don't regularly consume sugar and such,

it's definitely noticeable when you do.

I hadn't planned food for the way home,

so we ate out.

Kripsy Kreme for breakfast.

A not very good Mexican place for lunch,

followed by Frosties from Wendy's (did you know they sell a vanilla frosty? wrong!)

Dinner was David's Burgers in Conway

(which was delish and just a fun family-owned place. Plus you get fry re-fills!)

We topped that off with ice-cream bars.

Whew!

It is quite possible that I gained 2 of the 3 vacation pounds I gained

on the drive home!

We were busier than I anticipated being,

which is bizarre, since we weren't doing anything except playing.

I guess that's just how it is since there's a bunch of us.

I brought my quilt along, thinking I'd get it finished except for the binding.

Didn't add one stitch.

I did mange to read a book over the course of the week,

by reading when I laid Lex' down for a nap the few times she took one,

and during my lovely nighttime baths.

(the tub in this house is so uncomfortable, I have only had a handful of relaxing

baths since we moved 6 + years ago. All of them have been on vacation.

We don't take many vacations..... I really enjoyed my baths!)

~

oh.

a little Lexi story.

As you probably know,

Lexi has 'read' Kelle's blog with me since she was a year old.

Lexi loves baby Nella.

When we're shopping, she'll look at an outfit and say, "Nella would look so cute in that!"

She's just part of our life. From a distance....

Lex' came out to the beach not long after we'd gotten there

and in an extremely disappointed voice said,

"I've looked everywhere for Nella. She's supposed to be in Florida

 but I can't find her anywhere." 

Poor sweetie. 

She thought she was going to get to play with Nella at the beach.

~

I told Tyler I didn't know why so many people go to Disneyworld (land?) for vacation;

a week at a  house on the beach has got to be about the best vacation there is!

The only thing that would make it better

would be another week.

or two ;-)

And maybe a cook....