Trip to Destin, Florida

We decided to FINALLY take a vacation this summer.  We’d been taking 1-3 big vacations a year until we had Beckham!  A year and a half later and we I still wasn’t ready to leave him behind.  So we decided to go to Destin where we could drive and still enjoy a beautiful beach!  I have a fear of flying so this trip was way less stressful even with a toddler.  We also made it a family trip…my little brother and sister, with their spouses, also went with us! 

My camera broke several months ago and I’ve been too lazy to see if it can be fixed or if we can be reimbursed, so all the photos I took are from my iPhone.  My brother is a professional photographer so the “good” photos were taken by him!  Ryan usually takes all the photos on our vacations, but he had his really old non-digital camera that still requires you to get film developed, so he was busy testing that out.  Needless to say, I missed out on a lot of photos I wish I had taken.  Lesson learned: Bring a good camera on vacation.

Warning: Humid weather = Frizzy, Curly, “Monica” (from Friends) hair + no make-up

We left for Destin on Friday night after dinner at Panera.  We picked up cookies from Tiff’s Treats on our way out also.  I’m sorry, their cookies are good, but I can definitely make cookies that taste better.  Sea Salt Chocolate Chip cookies!  I should really sell them!  I’m just sayin’.  Anyway, we wanted B to sleep for most of the car ride so we drove all the way to Slidell, LA (8 hours away) where my sister lives.  He slept most of the way.  He was a champ otherwise.  Here’s Ryan complaining that the flash was too bright. 

Oh I forgot to mention, Beckham developed a new fear on this trip…fear of car lights.  We got into our rental car and he was petrified of the over head light.  It took a lot for him to calm down that first time in.  He cried each time we put him in the car or the light came on.  Other than that, he was awesome.  Totally weird.  This pic was taken on the last day…much calmer, but still whined when we put him in.  Maybe he thought the two circles were eyeballs looking at him???

1:30 AM pit stop…gas and a dirty diaper change!  Hanging out while daddy pumps gas!

I have a hard time sleeping in the car when it’s dark outside, so I only slept maybe 1 hour.  Arrived in Slidell at my sister’s apartment around 5:00AM and didn’t sleep very well there either.  Maybe 1-2 hours.  Little man didn’t ever fall back asleep once he was in his pack n play, but he did lay there so we could sleep a little.  My brother and his wife, Kerry, met up with us around noon and we grabbed lunch and headed to Destin (another 4 hours).  We hit horrible traffic, making it about 6 hours instead of 4.  Ugh.  Here’s Logan giving us their iPad for Beckham to play with on the highway while we sat in traffic!

FYI, did you know there is an app that let’s you follow people wherever they are?  We used it for the trip so we could see each other’s location during travel.  It’s slightly stalkerish, but really cool.  I’m totally using it when Beckham has a phone!  It’s called “Find My Friends.”  You can click on picture to read about it.

We finally arrived around 7-8PM and dropped off our luggage at the condo and grabbed a bite to eat!  We ate at DONUT HOLE.  I highly recommend if you’re in Destin.  My friend who lives in Destin recommended some restaurants and this was one of them.  They pretty much have everything.  I got pancakes, eggs, hash browns, and ham…yes, for dinner!

We rented a beach front condo with three rooms and three baths!  Absolutely the way to go on vacations with the friends or family.  This condo was ridiculously awesome!  My favorite part was the balcony overlooking the beach!  Destin has the WHITEST sand.  It felt like sugar!  I LOVED our condo and we are definitely planning to go back!

The next morning this is how I woke up! 

And the first thing I did was drink a cup of coffee on our balcony with this view!

Sunday we headed to the beach!  This was Beckham’s very first beach trip.  He was really happy to go since he’s obsessed with sand.  Here he is carrying all his sand toys!

He played in the sand and wasn’t one bit afraid of the ocean!  I actually had to hold him back.  I do not like going in oceans (I prefer laying on the beach next to it…I have a healthy respect for the ocean), so his Aunt Kerry took him in, as well as Ryan.  We walked up and down the beach!  He really loved it!

That day we had egg burritos for breakfast, turkey sandwiches for lunch, and burgers and hot dogs from the grill for dinner.  My friend Dannielle and her hubby, Ross, came over for dinner.  She lives in Destin!  I’ve known her since 5th grade and we went to SMU together also!  I LOVED seeing her there.  Although I forgot to take a picture of us!  Boo!  If I had to do it over again, I would do breakfast and lunches at condo and dinners out!  It’s just easier since you’re in and out of the pool/beach to eat there!  This was the only day we ate all three meals at the condo.

Monday we did the same thing…beach, pool, eat, relax!  We went to Bubba Gump’s for lunch.  Did you know I’ve never watched Forest Gump all the way through?  It bores me!  We played trivia and I knew nothing!

We ordered take out from McGuire’s Irish Pub because we really didn’t want to get back out.  It is the happenin’ place there in Destin.  We should’ve gone but the wait was long!  They had $2 margaritas that night.  They must be busy for the atmosphere and beer because the food was just “good!”  Nothing I would wait an hour for.

Beckham enjoyed the condo thoroughly.  We took some of his favorite toys and bought some new ones.  We also bought some new videos of Cat in the Hat (his favorite) for him to watch in the car and at the condo if need be.  New toys, new videos…both great tips for a vacation with a toddler.

Tuesday we ate leftovers for breakfast and spent most of the morning in the pool!  The pool was directly under our balcony right in front of beach!  That ledge was awesome..he loved to play with his toys while “sitting in the water.”

 

I read my Bible study book on the balcony with some coffee while little man took his nap.  I stayed at the condo during his nap each day and just relaxed on balcony, cleaned up, and visited with the fam! 

For lunch we ordered take out again from another recommended BBQ place called Lillie’s Q!  Holy moly it was good.  It’s owned and operated by this elderly husband and wife couple!  They were the cutest.  I highly recommend this place if you are in Destin.  So this guy makes a banana pudding dessert that he only makes 7 of to sell for the day!  Only 7.  We called ahead to reserve 3 of them and that’s exactly how many were left to reserve.  Lucky us.  Now I will say that I believe I make a better banana pudding dessert.  I know I’m totally bragging on my baking skills in this post, but I’m just being honest!  Lol.  I’m really picky about my desserts…and by picky, I mean it better be freaking fantastic for me to enjoy!  Nonetheless, I enjoyed my pulled pork sandwich.  Ryan got ribs and they were yummy too.  Potato salad good, baked beans, good!  Their sauces were really good.  Sorry no picture.

After lunch, Kerry and Logan left to get back to their 9 month old daughter.  They did very well leaving her for the first time!  Cami and Brian left also to get back to work the next day.  So we had this big condo to ourselves!  It was kind of lonely when they left!  Beckham napped, I cleaned up and relaxed.  We went to the beach one last time after his nap.  5 minutes in and it started to down pour!  I made it in before the torrential rain…Ryan and Beckham were not so lucky!

We cleaned up and headed to dinner.  He loved the elevator rides.  We landed at Shrimp Basket!

After dinner watching the cars drive by!

Wednesday we woke up and headed back to Dallas.  I was really nervous about this trip back since Beckham would be up for a lot of it!  It ended up being great!  We grabbed breakfast on our way out.  Stopped for lunch at Subway and took our time so B could move around.  Stopped in Shreveport for dinner.  Ryan used to play here in the summers when we were dating.  It was neat to be back…it was like home away from home!

Thinking about the good times he had!

Bunny needed some shades…we officially take bunny everywhere with us now.

Last minute photos of us!

Bring a CD your child loves…happy we did this, although we were humming these songs in our dreams that night.

It was a pretty drive back to Texas!

He was so good in the car.  He would be so quiet and we’d think he was asleep, but turn around and see this!  Just sitting there quietly.

No high chair for this guy!

Shreveport lights and Ryan’s old stadium!

We got home around midnight.  It was a great trip, but would stay longer next time!  I hope our whole family can go next time, although we’ll need a bigger condo!  We didn’t know what to expect with this vacation since we were vacationing with a toddler.  I’m not big on lot of excursions for beach vacations, but I would plan a kid friendly one next time.  I’ve been on a lot of beach vacations and I would say the best amenity we purchase is an ocean FRONT room.  Till next time!