smith smattering: Just Peachy at the Beachy

Last week we drove to Destin with my sisters, parents, and the Cramblett friendmily. The Setzlers and the Crambletts have vacationed together since the early 90's. We've caravaned to Colorado and Disney World. Carpooled to Miami and New Orleans to board cruise ships. Driven to Mexico, Florida, and other places for missions trips. Gone to camp, softball tournaments, and church together. Carpooled to school until we could drive ourselves. Erin and I lived together in college, and so did Elizabeth and Lauren. That's why they are called friendmily. They are such good friends, and we were basically raised together, so we are a lasting mixture of friends and family. And we haven't ALL been reunited since my wedding day 4 years ago. Needless to say, it was a ton of fun hanging out with them for a week. The perfect beach weather just added to it.

The drive there and back was..... long. My one and two year olds do not love sitting still for the 10 1/2 hours it ended up taking us. And this momma doesn't have THAT many tricks up her sleeve for keeping them happy. Hopefully we will get our hands on those cheap Vision Airline tickets the next time we go. They kept selling out just before we got online to book them. But, with chocolate, Caillou, suckers, cheetos, my sisters', and stops at Play Places, WE MADE IT.

Here are some of our sweet memories that were well worth the long drive....

Isaac took the whole sand castle building thing pretty seriously,

while I took the sit and read thing seriously.

mrs. jan took this via iphone. i think she must have some awesome photoshopping app.

We all played at the beach or pool in the mornings. Thanks to my mom and Isaac, I got to lay out at the beach during naps. Priceless.

Isaac would bring the kids back down after naps.

our 5 story beach house had an elevator in addition to a spiral staircase. thank goodness for a baby gate. who knew pushing the elevator buttons would turn out to be a good incentive to go back upstairs from a fun time at the beach and pool?!? :)

would not have been a very relaxing trip without my mom, dad, and sisters. they entertained the kids at the pool and at the house at least a few hours a day, so that I could have some time to enjoy just sitting. and reading. and be lazy. very lazy.

porch time. plus baby doll. happy annette.

charlie and granddad

Charlie's cute orange swim trunks. I love these things! Found them at a rhea lana sale:)

When Annette first saw the beach, she RAN to it. The waves made her a bit nervous at first, but not for long.

It took Charlie a couple of days to actually 'enjoy' the beach. As much as he plays with the blue sand at our house, I was sure he would love it. BUT, expect the unexpected. At first he didn't like the way it felt to walk around on it. Cried when we put him down and everything. I was hoping he would be a good beach bum. Luckily, by the end of the week, he was soaking up the sun and the sand, and eventually even started liking the waves. Licking the salt water off his chubby chin:)

Baggo by day. And baggo by night. I was more than terrible.

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The Red Bar Restaurant

The 20 something's dinner night out at the Red Bar. Amazing.

erin, bf eric, mattie, michael, isaac, me, lauren, and elizabeth

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Grand Boulevard Shopping Center

the day before these fountain pictures, isaac and i had eaten lunch with the kids at cantina laredo. yes, i know we have one in LR, but i wanted to go the j.crew store in this Grand Boulevard shopping center ....

and of course, we got hungry for some chips and dips and mex food after trying on shorts and headbands and such.... it was yummmo. no matter how many times we've eaten it.

the kids wanted to get in the fountains right away once they spotted them, but i didn't have a towel or a change of clothes or anything. soooo, i promised to bring them back in swimsuits the next morning.

i stuck to my word, and brought aunt lauren. even better:)