McCormick Family Vacation 2013

Our Destin trip with the family is one thing I can always count on, it is a favorite vacation for sure (thanks to Bo and SuSu!) We always have a great time full of relaxing, fun, good food, and fellowship! Plus all the perks of having grandparents around 24/7, which makes my life a lot easier!

I promise I tried to limit my photos... there were just too many, I did cut quite a few out! My photography skills are laking these days. I need to brush up on them before we head back to the beach! I'm super worried about the sun and Lydia burning, so all of our cute swimsuits are covered with plain swim-shirts and her pretty little face is covered up with a hat most of the time. But hey, a least no one got burnt.... except Robert and Shaunna and they are too old for me to baby.

Also in almost every picture is someone's leg/arm because, for obvious reasons, we weren't going to let a 2 year old stand in the Gulf by herself. The red flag was out at least part of the day the whole time we were there, so we were all on guard. But Lydia did a great job of asking a grown up before she went into the water. We watched all the "beach" shows we have recorded and have been checking out beach books from the library for weeks, so she knows safety is important!

She did great with the stairs at the condo. We told her when we got there, she must hold onto the rail and have a grown up go up there with her. And for the most part, she stuck to the rules! She was good at suckering people to go up there with her though. Like the time SuSu had her fair share of the steps, and she kept asking, "SuSu, will you go upstairs with me?" And SuSu politely told her to go ask Bo. And she runs to find Bo only to ask, "Hey Bo, can SuSu go upstairs with me?" Everyone got a good laugh out of that one! She always has a way of getting what she wants!

We have been talking up the beach a lot to her and because I felt the need to pack the entire house to take with us, I started packing/washing clothes 2 days before. By the time the day to leave actually got here, Lyds was more than ready to go. She woke up that morning in a GREAT mood (it usually takes her about 20 minutes to realize she's awake and be happy) and she was yelling, "Mommy, Mommy... I had a GOOD dream last night!" When I asked her what it was about, she exclaimed, "I had a dream we were going to the beach today!" Also, the night we got home (7 days and 8 nights away from home is a long time!) she laid in her bed and said, "I'm going to dream about the beach and fun condo tonight!"

We didn't leave until about 2:30 Tuesday when AP got home from work, so it was a long day of packing the car for her. She slept like a light from home until Mobile. We couldn't have asked for a better trip there! She was impressed with the toll bridge, we attempted to explain it the best we knew how. But she was still convinced it was the "troll bridge" from "Dora the Sa-splorer"So she kept on about the Troll bridge for a while.

She loved the beach! She was content playing in the sand for hours and going into the water every once in a while to fill her bucket up. She informed us one morning that the sand is the beach and the water is the ocean. I don't know where she gets this stuff from, but I like it!

Those are all the stories I remember, I'll let the 100 pictures talk for themselves and remember stories as we go along!

I just want to give myself a pat on the back here..... I packed up this whole house, into the back of our car. Packed all Lyds stuff, my stuff, the house stuff, made two casseroles and a cake to take. Sorry, AP, you were on your own. But I've never packed a car so well, and I left the cooler accessible so we could throw the frozen stuff in at the last minute. It's work to be gone for a week!

Library books that made the trip....
We have checked out Mr. Cookie Baker 3 times in a row, so of course it had to go. These other two beach books were wonderful! She wanted to read Seven little mice go to the beach everyday.

Asleep before we hit 49!

A second attempt at the headphones so we could have some "adult time." It only lasted about 30 minutes again.

After a 6 hour ride, dinner, and good night's rest, we were heading off to the beach at 9 the next morning!

The tram just might have been her favorite part of it all! I don't know if it was the no car seat, "Mr. Dave" that was always so friendly and took us to the beach, or just her excitement of going to the beach. She loved it every time! When we'd said we were going to call the tram, she's just start yelling, "Tram, where are you?!" It was super cute!

She liked eating her sandwich on the beach, and it was a special treat because we had juice boxes too!

She was a daddy's girl, and I had NO problem with that!

An attempt at a family pic... not sure what she's up to, but it's one of the few we got, so I had to post.

A night out at Baytowne! I love this place and we rushed to get ready because there was music that night. She had a blast too!

Carrousel riding

A little jazz music and dancing

"I can't take a picture, I'm sleeping, see."

I love this one where she is looking up at Bo with so much love. We all love his gentle spirit and loving heart, but kids show it the best!

Tired baby on the way home.

Not the best videos, but I had to share!

Second day at the beach!
We were blessed with good weather the whole time, there were a few rains but we were able to go down to the beach everyday!

She loves her buckets.

Enjoying another tram ride.

Making "rainbows" in the sand

Cajun Shrimp! We painted these a couple of days before we left and she was super excited about it! She told anybody that would listen, her toes were cajun shrimp. And she said it almost every time she looked at her feet.

This was a compound that set up RIGHT next to us.... I think the generator powered, homemade boom box says enough. The were cajun, they were loud, they had 100 people, and didn't care that we were trying to relax. But in true LSU fashion, they did it up right if a party was what you were looking for, they even had a hand crank blender!

Uncle Robert and Aunt Shaunna got there a few nights later, and Alan was leaving the next day to fly to South Carolina to play in sectionals, because his tennis team won state.
It was sweet to see these two giggly brothers laugh like little kids. I hate they didn't have more time together. They really sounded like 10 year old girls giggling.... I mean look at his face, I think he was crying from laughter here.

Daddy's gone on his guys trip to play tennis, but Uncle Robby Do's here now! Another tram ride too!

Bo took us to Stinky's! We all gave it a thumbs again this year! 

Lyds was in a pack and play, but my bed was right beside hers.... it wasn't the best sleep I've ever gotten, but it was doable. One morning I woke up at 5 am to the sweetest little voice ever!
She was saying, "It's ok baby Patty, mama's here. I've got you. Let me tuck you in and you can go to sleep."
I have no idea where this came from, if she had been up for a while, or what she was talking about. It was so sweet to hear her being a little mama. Then I rolled over and realized it was 5 am, and I couldn't go back to sleep. So I haul myself downstairs and start uploading my pictures from the days before. It was a good morning though. 

Seaside

Saturday morning we drove down to Seaside to hit up the farmers market. She loved running around, but it was H   O    T and steamy.

Duckies was her favorite store. They had a huge rubber duck out front, and a tea party table and set inside!

She helped herself to the hat and a make shift tea party by herself. Of course when SuSu came back, we convinced ourselves that she needed this adorable hat. Thanks SuSu! We love it!

She said she wanted chocolate ice cream, but it was literally so hot and she was getting whiney, she wouldn't even eat the ice cream! What kind of child does not eat ice cream when put in front of them?!

She thought the little outdoor shopping area was a big magic show. She'd run into the separate booths and say watch my magic show.

We hit up the pool one morning because it looked like ran, but it never rained and she found a little sand by the pool. So she was happy with that!

We went out to Cantina Laredo this night and Lyds refused to take a picture with these two. So I got a solo shot of them, aren't they cute!?!?!

She was great at the restaurant, partly due to Nabi and the chips and dips. She stood outside in the busy walk way playing her games. But this is what she did when people came by. Look at her protecting her nabi and giving them a look like, "how dare you interrupt my game?!"

She posed like this when I told her to smile. :)

Adorable!

Lyds finally likes shopping.... if Aunt Shaunna could hold her like a baby while she plays games!

She loves these two!

Modeling her new hat from Seaside the next day!

Silly Robby Do.

It was so humid, my camera lens would fog up like this every time I opened it. I've really got to brush up on the photo skills sometime.

This was her pretending to take a nap on the beach. It was all her idea and she gathered her blankets, for about .05 seconds I thought she might really go to sleep.... silly mama!

We went in for nap this day because Alan had just gotten back from his trip and I didn't want to be without him (aren't I sweet!) And we had to send the rest of the gang back home for work the next day. But we got to come down the beach that night just the three of us. It was so sweet and special. The beach at sunset is beautiful, it's not crowded and it was some much need mama/daddy time!

Making more rainbows

Saying goodbye to the beach.... look how sad she is!

Eating chocolate cake watching Sophia. (The only show we could find of hers on OnDemand at the condo.... we watched the same episode twice a day!)

Daddy's pretty girl, on the way home!

We headed home at 9 Tuesday morning, and little miss would not sleep at all. This was about the time we hit Simpson county.... a little tired girl told daddy she wanted his hat and he could have hers. :)  I love these two!