Bill, Nolan, and I experienced our first family vacation last week in the lovely Destin, FL. Papa T, Nana, and Aunt Kelby joined us to add to the fun. We left Friday night, traveled to Alabama and stayed the night in a hotel, then arrived at our condo in Destin on Saturday afternoon. We stayed through the week and arrived back home late Friday night.
I thought it would be best to travel at night so Nolan could sleep the whole time, but Nolan thought otherwise. Poor bubba couldn't get comfortable in his carseat and he ended up with a stiff neck so bad he couldn't lift his ear off of his shoulder until I massaged the kink out.
Saturday we arrived in Destin, necks kink free and ready to check out the ocean, but first we had to unpack. Nolan was running around the condo screaming like a wild banshee wanting to go outside.
Nolan checking out the condo, while we unpacked!
Papa T, Nolan, and Nana walking to the beach
It was SO windy, but Nolan thought the wind was fun!! He kept raising his arms up like he was flying.
At first, Nolan did not like the sand at all!! He wouldn't let anyone put him down, but after awhile he warmed up to the idea and wanted to walk around like a big boy.
My two loves!
What is this stuff all over my hands?!?!
Since we had a long day on the road, we decided to eat at Longhorn's and then call it a night. Everyone was exhausted from traveling and slept great! Nolan slept in until 8:30am!! Bill and I decided to go down to check out the beach the next morning. A lady on the beach was nice enough to take a picture of us together.
Baby P and I
Bill and I finished exploring the beach and we returned to the condo for breakfast. Papa T wanted to check out the Air Force Museum in Ft. Walton, so we went there. Nolan had as much fun as Papa T and Bill did looking at the planes. There were a ton of neat old planes and weapons. Nolan especially enjoyed sitting in the cockpits from a couple of old training planes!! He went crazy pushing buttons and pulling levers. Bill had trouble removing him from the cockpit!
Future pilot?
Purcell Family Picture
Nolan working on the landing gear
Since the boys had their fun at the Air Force museum, us girls thought it was time for us to have our own fun!! We decided to go shopping at the outlet mall conveniently located in the next town over, only a 15 minute drive!! We loaded up on goodies. I finally broke down and bought my first Coach purse and wallet, which I love.
While us girls were out spending all the money, the guys decided to go to the beach and the pool for the day. Nolan developed some hilarious habits while in Florida. For instance, the blacktop parking lot was hot, so when he would take off running without his sandals on we would yell, "Hot Nolan Hot." After awhile Nolan caught on and would purposefully go onto the blacktop and say, "Hot" even when he had his shoes on. We couldn't stop laughing. Even since we have been home, he will touch something and say, "Hot."
Where are Nolan's toes?
Nolan loved the taste of the salt water in the ocean too. Once a wave splashed him in the face and he got a taste he kept trying to drink the water from the ocean. Nolan kept licking his arms and hands to taste the salt; hilarious habit #2. Nolan also loved the waves in the ocean. Bill would wade out into the ocean holding Nolan and I would go out a little farther on a raft, when a wave would push me in, Bill would jump with Nolan, and Nolan would scream with delight!! I've never heard the child be so vocal before. Once we switched over to the pool, Nolan kept trying to lick the water, but it just didn't taste the same!! Nolan liked the pool a little more because there wasn't sand to stick all over him.
Habit #3, Nolan was obsessed with pushing the elevator buttons! He couldn't wait to reach the elevator and push the button to go up and down. Once Nolan pushed the floor we needed to go to, he would stand with his legs wide appart with a huge grin on his face waiting for the elevator to move. As soon as the elevator would stop, he would run out screaming like a wild man into the parking garage, where his screams echoed even louder! Since being home, he likes to run around and scream even more than before!!
A different day we went to a state park and walked around. It was exactly the same as our beach, but it had dunes where no one was allowed to walk on. We tried to get family pictures all vacation and these were the only ones Nolan would cooperate halfway in.
"What's dat?"
The same afternoon we all ventured out for a competitive game of putt putt golf! Nolan was our caddy for all 18 holes and he did an amazing job!! He would hold the clubs and balls in his stroller and hand them to us when we asked for them. Papa T, Bill, and Kelby all made a hole-in-one. Aunt Kelby was the only one to hit her ball off of the course and had to have someone retrieve it. Nana fell down and almost rolled into the bushes and I took pictures. We all had a blast!!
Sisters
"Ooh ooh Aah aah"
Aunt Kelby searching for her ball.....
The little caddy and I
Papa T lining up his putt, we are just a little competitive
First hole-in-one
Bill got the second hole-in-one
Kelby got the third hole-in-one
Next to the putt putt course was a kiddy korner with rides for little ones. Nolan did such a great job while the adults played putt putt, Bill and I wanted to reward him with some play time for himself. He loves trains, so Bill took him on a train ride. Nolan loved it!!
Nolan waiting for his turn
Nolan did not like the swings. He didn't cry but had a look on his face like he wanted to puke the whole time. I let him ride the train one more time to make up for the swings.
Bill and I in the middle, while Nolan was in the engine.
Nana, Papa T, and Aunt Kelby were nice enough to let Bill and I have a couple of date nights while they watched Nolan. Bill is allergic to shrimp and lobster, but he can eat crab. Who knows?! I don't argue with him. We chose to eat at The Crazy Lobster for the first night. Bill wanted to try raw oysters so he did and liked them. I enjoyed a pound of snow crab legs!! Bill also enjoyed a pound of crab legs. I was more efficient with my leg cracking than Bill and finished eating before him. While Bill was finishing up his legs, he cracked one in half that went soaring over the balcony and hit a woman walking by underneath. She didn't know what to think. Bill and I laughed so hard!! I had to give him lessons the second night on how to correctly crack the crab.
The second date night was our last night in Florida and we went down to Harborwalk Village again. Bill and I decided to eat at Harry T's this time. Bill had 2 pounds of crab legs and I had a chicken alfredo. Yummy!! While we were eating we saw two dolphins swim past the restaurant in the bay. They had a mini air show, a live band playing, and fireworks. We met a nice couple from the local area and hung out with them most of the night.
The dolphins
Lovely view from our table
I asked an older gentleman if he would take our picture. I should have asked someone a little younger.
Bill and I could not have asked for a more perfect first family vacation!! Tomorrow it's back to work, but we will forever remember our first trip to the beach with Nolan.
