Our vacation in pictures.
Daylan ready to go pick up Dietrich from school so we could get on the road for Florida.
Dietrich’s picked up, they have their McDonald’s meals in their buckets and we are getting ready to get on the road.
Bye Bye Indiana, Hello Kentucky. We stopped at the Speedway I-65 Exit 133.
Forgot to take a pic entering Tennessee, so what’s second best? Murfreesboro WSM tower.
Happened to realized we were almost done with Tennessee and hadn’t filled up my tank. Guess the fuel mileage wasn’t too bad, eh?
Entering Alabama. My first time driving through this state. They must call it “sweet home” because once you enter Alabama it takes forever and a day to get out of it!
Here’s one reason it took so long–Birmingham rush hour traffic. Lots and lots of red brake lights. For an hour.
Welcomed into Montgomery with some familiar sights and sounds. Didn’t realize Maxwell AFB was near us. We stopped at Starbucks after seeing this. It was our last stop until we got to our hotel in Destin.
Lord have mercy, we were seriously ALMOST there.
My perfect co-pilot and partner in crime stayed awake the whole drive down with me. His smile says it all– We were glad to be at the hotel. Hampton Inn & Suites, Destin was a great hotel. Great hospitality, always cleaning, friendly staff always available. Free full breakfast. Coffee all day long. Fresh baked Otis Spunkmeier cookies all afternoon. I did gain 5 pounds… eek!
Excited to go to the beach Thursday morning!
Daddy had about 4 or 5 hours of sleep, but was a good sport. Daylan’s first time at the beach.
The hotel staff made us a little anniversary gift.
We spent a majority of the time here in the hotel pool. The waves were too high to swim most of the days.
Daylan’s loot and relaxation after a morning of beach, swimming, and shopping.
Dustin had to work at night, so the kids and I went out for a walk along the beach. The picture is kind of blurry. That’s pollen that accumulated on my phone’s camera.
We found a playground just down the road.
Daylan’s first day at the beach was quite exhausting.
Day 2: “Beach Mommy Beach.”
Waves too high to swim.
Trying to bury himself.
Anniversary dinner at Osaka Japanese Steakhouse. Our chef was Korean… Excellent food though.
He wanted buried in the sand. The kids kept calling the sand snow.
Made a few trips to Eglin AFB. Had to get my favorite pizza for lunch.
Our last afternoon consisted of a boat ride to see dolphins on the Seablaster. I highly recommend this ride. Free all you can drink (beer, wine, water, pops). The captain of the boat lets the kids drive.
Fell asleep on our way to the half way point hotel–Days Inn in Athens, Alabama.
Woke up, full tank of gas, Starbucks run, and off we went back on 65 headed home.
Indiana at last!
As I sit here writing this, our vacation already seems a long lost memory. Dustin’s packing up for his flight back home tomorrow. It’s been a long two weeks, but a great two weeks full of respite and solitude. I made the difficult decision to literally not do anything or go anywhere after coming home. I did take Dietrich to school and kept his commitments. We even had a very relaxing and fun play date. Everything else, though, has been very laid back and full of relaxation.
I think this is much needed in my life–more organized/unorganized vacations with the family. Time to just go and shut off the world that isn’t in front of me.
