4.12.2011

Camping Days 2 & 3

On day two of camping I had to go buy a swimsuit...yeah...couldn't find my one that fits(long gone are the days that I had a draw full to choose from) and we needed to go to my favorite store Target to buy a few items that first time campers didn't know to pack. While we were out we also went to eat at Shuckums. I had a delicious baked oyster trio and B had an oyster po boy. E will pretty much try anything that we do. She ate crackers and cocktail sauce. Healthy...I know! We got back and headed to the beach. At the state park they have two swimming areas. We chose to swim at the pass. It was so clear and beautiful and we felt really safe having E there. The water was really shallow for a long way out. I was really worried about how she was going to like the beach. Last year she had a breakdown in the sand when we went to Orange Beach. No problems at all this year. She loved it! I'm talking about making sand castles and everything. We were only out tree about an hour. It looked like she was getting sunburned but thankfully she didn't.  We headed back to our campsite. E took a nap and B went fishing. I sat out under our awning and did yesterday's blog post. The weather was absolutely perfect. When B got back he started a campfire and I took E across the street to the playground. She was fearless! She went on all the big slides, ladders, and tunnels...until she tripped on a step and bit her tongue pretty good. It took a while to stop bleeding.
We had camping favorites hot dogs and fire roasted corn for dinner.
After dinner E and I took a walk to the shower house. She got her second ever shower. The first was also here earlier in the day. When we got back B made one of my all time favorite foods s'mores!
Last night E and I really didn't sleep so well. She slept between B and I since fell off of her bed the night before. We feared she would so we had lots of pillows on the floor. I was freezing and B thought E was too, so we slept really close to her. I felt her and she was burning up. She and I got up to sat on the sofa. I was afraid she had a really high fever and I didn't have anything to treat it. After I held her for a few minutes she cooled off. So we got on the single bed with her Disney princess comforter. My gosh...I was still freezing. This popup has the most powder AC I've ever felt. B says he offered to turn it down but I refused...I really don't remember. Evie seemed to wake up every thirty minutes. Neither of us rested well last night. We woke up to a completely cooked breakfast. Yummy! B took E back to the playground while I went to shower. He said she was still hesitant. We packed up and headed home a little later.
Before we go camping I would really love to get a granny bike with a wicker basket and baby seat. Everyone rides bikes A LOT while camping. I think E would love it too. Also I would love to start C25K. A very fit family had their popup in the spot next to ours. The father and daughter would get up every morning and go for a long, long run. This girl was so fit. Brett noticed that I would just watch her. He reminded me that I could do it too...I used to do it all the time.

I know this is very, very long...but I wanted to make sure to include lots of details of our camping adventure...including this stynx lizard that appeared when we pulled and funny enough when we left.





4.11.2011

Camping Day 1

Yesterday right after church we set out for PCB. It only takes about an hour and a half to get here. We decided to get everything set up before we headed out to the grocery store. The pop up is really is easy to setup and we got everything unpacked. We decided to just pick up some steamed from my favorite Buddy's seafood, but we were 10 minutes too late. They were closed. So we went on to my very favorite grocery store...well besides Fresh Market...Publix. We had their seafood department steam crab legs and shrimp. We got some crab dip and key lime pie (one of my very favorite desserts). We sat out under our asking complete with rope lights and devoured our meal. I think we were all in bed by 9:00. I don't think a baby could be more happy than Evie was last night. She filled her little Vera Bradley purse full of rocks and went to town. I can't wait to watch her around the campfire tonight. Today has been amazing also. I'll post about it soon. I hope this looks good. I am typing on the new Blogger app on my phone. E is awake and B is back from fishing.




4.09.2011

Vacation Home

This coming week is my spring break and we have bought a vacation home! Ha! Probably not exactly the kind you imagined when you read this blog title. We bought this pop-up from Brett's friend at work.

We had a Mexican beach vacation all planned out when Brett came home with this idea instead. For the same price we were going to spend on one vacation we could have many, many vacations. So we went last weekend and made the purchase. It sleeps seven if you can believe that. It has a queen bed on one end, a full on the other, the u-shaped table lets down to make a full bed and the booth table lets down to make a single bed (Evie's bed). My only requirement was that is has AC...which it does and a heater with a thermostat. It has an awning that lets out in the front and you can cook inside or bring the gas stove outside and it hooks on the side of the camper. Who knew that pop-ups could be this nice? I am so excited about it!! My parents had a pop-up and we always loved camping.

Our first family trip will start tomorrow and I CAN NOT wait! We're going to St. Andrews in Panama City Beach. Perfect timing too, because our Realtor is showing our house to a young couple after church (please pray it sells soon!!!). We're spending our day today cleaning and packing. I think we're even going to spend the night at B's parents tonight to start the vacay a little early. I might even give a little update from the wilderness...ha ha. I got the Blogger app for my phone now. Maybe I can keep up with this thing a little better now!

4.06.2011

Lately I've Had the Strangest Feeling...

Remember that song? I think it was by Jodeci...
Anyway, lately I have been really down about Daddy. Maybe it's just seeing pictures of his headstone and knowing that it truly is real. He won't be here to see Everly grow up. Now that she is talking so much more and showing her hilarious personality I can imagine them interacting. If you knew my daddy, you know how much of a character that man was. I think it rubbed off on me alot. I would rather be known as a little crazy than a stick in the mud.
Another reason I'm probably so down is because Easter is upon us. This was a holiday that we always celebrated with the whole family. What to do? What to do? Should I try to plan something here at our house or is it easier for us to travel? No one has even mentioned it. I think we are all a little scared!
We bought a pop-up camper over the weekend and I am so proud of it. I have so many wonderful memories of camping with my family. No it's not a luxurious vaction (I gave up a trip to Mexico to buy it) but the memories we make will be more meaningful to me.
I guess I just needed to get a little of this off my chest. Take pictures with your loved ones this Easter. We didn't take a whole group shot last year. I would give anything to have had one more family photo.