I guess one of the biggest differences between vacationing in a condo and camping, is the long list of fun things we get to do around camp. With the exception of the water park, we don’t usually do go carts, mini golf or arcades. We are homebodies and usually stay somewhere between the campground and the beach for most of the week!
This is our pretty pool! It is huge and has a shallow end on both sides, along with plenty of shade under the pergolas and a huge splash pad on the other end. There is a fountain in the center and several concrete diving pads around the perimeter. Our kids favorite thing about the pool is the snack bar! Nothing beats $3 ice cream cones while dipping your toes in the water.
I hate it, but I have exactly zero photos of Ella on her bike this year. We took her training wheels off during the spring break before last and although she DID learn to ride her bike, she wasn’t exactly a fan. Last summer, I doubt she even got on it a single time. She was adamantly against mastering that skill. This year, Josh and I left camp to run a few errands and when we got back she was happily making the loop around our “neighborhood”. It only took her a few days to gain major confidence and after that if we weren’t at the beach or in bed, she was off riding trails with the big kids. And that’s why I didn’t get any pictures of her!
Sophie decided about half way through our second week that she wanted to learn, too. Josh took her training wheels off one night before dinner and they practiced for an hour or so, right in front our our campsite. I don’t think she’s quite coordinated yet to do it on her own, but it was a fun little lesson. I think every child in our family has learned to ride their bike on a camping trip!
Of course, daddy had to show her how it was done!
Later that same night, we got a chance to Facetime with Nana! The girls had been at the beach for almost two weeks at this point and she was missing them big. Not only that, but Ella was waiting on some very important mail to arrive and she needed Nana to stalk the mailbox for her.
I wish I had caught it on video, but her reaction was pretty priceless. Nana secured the letter and read it to her over the phone and after a little explanation from mom and dad, this was the face we got! Woohoo for big school news!
We didn’t have too many rainy days, but when we do the kids tend to hang out in somebody’s camper reading, playing cards, watching movies or playing board games. We have an extra copy of Candyland that stays in the camper and is well loved and this Cracker Barrel checker set is one of their favorites! It fits perfectly on the dining table and when they aren’t yelling at each other over it, they love to play.
As if we didn’t have enough “beach” things to think about on our vacation this year, we had one little excursion to Panama City for Platinum Nationals for Ella. She had to be dressed and ready to dance shortly after ten in the morning and we were three hours away! I scooped her up at 5 o’clock in the morning, we hit up a Chick-fil-a for breakfast in Pensacola and drove along the coast for a few hours right at sunrise. It was a beautiful drive and we got there just in time!
And right after she danced? We grabbed Chipotle for lunch and headed back to our beach. I barely made it out of PCB before she was snoozing in the back seat! It was a long day for this little dancer, but she was thrilled to see all of her friends. I think the only reason she didn’t want to stay at the beach any longer is that she missed seeing all of these girls!
While we were dancing, daddy took Tazzie to pretty much every souvenir shop on the strip. He texted me at one point and she was trying on bathing suits in the dressing room. What a good daddy! She came home with a new suit, an airbrushed t-shirt, a rock collection and these pretty shells. She stashed them in the drawer next to her bunk and left a note that is supposed to say “beach items”. Could she be any cuter?
Since no beach trip is complete without dinner out at the Hangout, we finally managed to make our way there on our last night. There was only a 45 minute wait {hallelujah} and we spent that time dancing in the sunshine. Ella was slightly less than enthusiastic {again}, but her silly sister finally got her all warmed up.
You’ll have to excuse how gorgeous we look right here! We had just endured a family photo session and it was blazing hot outside. We could only be expected to be cute for so long. As soon as we sat down to wait for a table, Josh unbuttoned his shirt and the tank top came out. I have him grief about it, but after he was such a good sport for our session, I was just rolling with the punches!
We were lucky enough to sit on the porch facing the water, in almost the exact same spot we had breakfast a few days earlier. How amazing is that view?
No trip to the Hangout is complete without some table dancing and bubble-noses, so as soon as we finished our meal, Sophie got right to it. She was particularly thrilled to “whip and nae nae”. We were in tears watching her get down!
Unfortunately, Josh and I packed up the trailer the next morning, put it in storage and began the lonely, five hour, two car drive home. The kids? They still had seven more days to enjoy!
