Florida Vacation and Happy Birthday America!
Vacation!
After learning that Owen did not make the Missouri Dual Team and would not be going to Utah, and after Mizzou Softball did not make it to post season, I decided that we should take advantage of the unfortunate situations and get away as a family. Who knows when we might be able to do this again, right? We picked a weekend when Chase could come with, as well, and made it a belated, impromptu senior trip for Gracie. Columbia airport added Allegiant flights directly to Destin, which sounded perfect! We had a trip only meant for fun and relaxation, without any athletic competitions attached to it! I don't think we have had that for a long time, altogether, as a family. Maybe spring break 2023 to Florida? And maybe Thanksgiving in 2022 to Colorado. It's been awhile. Anyhow, we had a long weekend of sun, sand, and water. Ironically, some of our favorite neighbors planned the same thing during the same timeframe...worked out so well!
These pics are in reverse order, but we left on a Friday, had three days in Miramar Beach, Florida, and came home Monday morning without missing anything.
a
Chase, me, Gracie, Nick, and Owen at the beach
Sunset on the last day
Nick and me - it was a little breezy on the beach
Gracie and Chase
After dinner on the last day
It seems like we are never home on Nick's birthday, which I guess is ok.
Brad was thoughtful enough to go get birthday cake to celebrate with our friends!
Nick and Gracie on the beach
Boys playing beach games, probably spike ball
The big group
Talleys, Burns, Brittons, and Bonnots (plus our bonus kid- Chase)
22 people in all.
The other three families (two of them, our neighbors) have senior sons, Hudson, Brian Burns, and Pryce Bonnot, and had been planning a senior trip for them. Little did we know when we planned this that they would be staying only about 15 miles from where we were, and that our vacations would overlap. What a treat! We got to spend a whole afternoon and evening with these awesome families! I'm so glad it worked out!
The teenagers - 12 boys, 2 girls
I guess Holland isn't a teenager yet, but she and Gracie were the only girls.
Amazing group of kids. Can't say enough good things about all of them.
And the parents
Nick and me, April and Brad Talley, Mark and Alana Burns, Julie and Tom Bonnot.
I think we're pretty awesome too. :)
What a fun afternoon, and everyone was predictably sunburnt.
The hat is very fitting
April, me, and Brad on the beach
Junior boys in the water
Gracie and me
This is actually the first day we were there.
We couldn't check in yet, so the kids wasted some time in the water.
Flight out of COU
It was not even close to full on the way down, but very few seats were open on the return flight.
Owen took the single seat originally assigned to Chase
Made it to Destin.
First stop was lunch at AJ's.
It was right on the water and we had our first course of fish/shrimp tacos.
Back in the car for the rest of the drive to our VRBO
The rental kitchen...It had NOTHING in it.
The skillet handle was broken, but I guess we made it work for cooking.
The rental was otherwise fine, but very few beach things to use.
Needless to say, our first destination after we checked in was walmart to get some supplies for the few days that we would stay there.
Gracie bought some goggles and a snorkel that lasted all of about 10 minutes in the ocean.
Moo-La-La Creamery
2X
It was really good.
I completely agree with this
Very clever
Our first full day was very full. It started with a walk across the lake we stayed on to the beachfront road. Nick and I found the coffee shop about 1/2 mile from where we were staying. It was a very pretty morning, but I don't think it every got cooler than about 82 degrees, even at sunrise. Very humid, hot, and sunny, every day. It was great to be by the ocean and a pool. After a good sweaty walk, we got ready to go to the outlet mall for a little bit of shopping. I think everyone found something they needed/wanted. Gracie gave herself a budget and made sure to reach that by the end of the trip.
After shopping, the boys decided to try out the golf course. I can't even imagine how hot they must have been. Gracie and I chose water. We first went to the beach for an hour and a half, then we finished by the pool for another hour. The pool was great at first, when no one else was there.
A few hours of golfing for the boys
Owen taking a swing - right handed
How far did it go?
I think this is Chase and Owen
Chase, Owen, and Nick went for a swim after golf. I took a brief nap, and Gracie took a longer nap before getting ready for dinner. That night was a pizza and wing place, pretty close to where we were staying. It was really good and had great service. We drove around for a bit and made our way through Al's Island Shop. The boys found noisemaking animals and were appropriately ridiculous with them. They made the most annoying sounds. Finally, we had ice cream again and then called it a night.
Last full day we celebrated Nick's birthday. Gracie and I made a coffee run for him after I walked/jogged about 3 miles. I took it easy for three days in a row, and it was great. After that, we got ready and headed east for our fun afternoon with our friends.
Monday morning came so fast and we had to depart from the airport at 7:00am. SO tired! We were back in Columbia by 9:00am and home before 10am. I highly recommend this if possible. I loved not having to drive back home from St. Louis or KC after flying. It was great. We were back in such good time that Nick worked a full day, Gracie was able to get her workouts in, and Owen went to wrestling practice that afternoon. I was the only one who was a bum and stayed home. (actually, I did laundry and cleaned.)
So, three days of work, then another 3 day weekend for America's 250th birthday! 4th of July was a three-day event for us this year, and we were home for all of it, without any sports interruptions!
Happy birthday America!
July 3, Drummonds had their annual pool party, so we joined the fun for several hours in the late afternoon. July 4th was a Lake Day. We spent the afternoon with my parents and Annie and her family at Reefers for a fun afternoon before heading home and going to a different party in Ashland. We did it all. The lake activities were cut a little short by a brief, but very strong thunderstorm that rolled through the lake. They made it back in from tubing just in time, but the storm knocked out power to their area for the rest of the afternoon. Luckily we made it back for the fireworks just outside of Ashland. So many festivities. Then on Sunday, a different friend we know through wrestling had his annual party and cooked for everyone. (same guy who catered Gracie's grad party.) That was amazing! It was a very full weekend!
Fireworks on Saturday night did not disappoint.
We all got sparklers and glow sticks for the 4th celebration!
Hanging out with Jaime and Jared Drummond on the 4th!
Floating in the lake. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
Annie, me, Anna, and Mom
Vince and the dads took kids tubing behind his pontoon. I think Nick stayed behind to float with us, as I'm pretty sure our kids did ok without their parents on the boat.
Gracie and Nova found the paddle board
We had quality Anna time. It's always fun with these two.
Anna made me one of her fantastic margaritas, too!
Gracie in the water
More floating
Nova, Owen, and Nick
Very festive, Gracie!
Nick found Gracie's prop from one of last year's football black hole USA theme nights.
I thought it was very appropriate.
So, June is gone and we are into the first full week of July. Gracie will keep doing the same routine, and has a trip planned with Chase's family in a couple weeks. Owen leaves for Fargo on Wednesday with the Missouri Freestyle team, and we will be close behind him, also heading north. Nick has been to Fargo for this tournament a few times while coaching the Iowa freestyle team. He always seemed to have fun, but I have never been there and am a little apprehensive about the magnitude of this national tournament. Not quite sure what to expect. I'm looking forward to watching Owen compete again, though.
I mentioned that this June has been different from the past several years without the constant pull from one thing to the next, and traveling to several different states within a couple of weeks. I do love watching our kids compete, but I am definitely not missing all the driving. Right now our destination has just been to Columbia, for the most part. We are still busy with a full schedule, but staying much closer to home. I love that we were able to take a vacation together with only the intention of having fun without a real schedule or obligations to anything except our own family!
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