The Beach... Final Day

It just amazed me how my child could go from sand lover to sand hater and back again so many times in one week.  Thursday we were back to loving our time on the beach and we were very thankful for that as Thursday was the nicest day yet.  All of the weather that we had been experiencing off and on during our stay had finally cleared up and the water was just gorgeous!  Just in time to remind me how much I love the Gulf coast and why we will probably go back every year from here on.

Ella Kate and Easton got in a little time doing some sand castle building with Papa Mike.

Kid just loves to observe everyone around her

She even showed Papa Mike how to correctly use the shovel! 

She spent lots of time running in and out of the water on our last day and became little miss brave.

Glad to see the smile on our last day after all the tears throughout the week when she couldn't decide if she liked the beach or not!

The trip was great and we definitely have lots of memories from our first beach vacation!  Now to just start planning for our trip next year... maybe

Oh Wait We Hate The Beach Again... Day 3

Wednesday was much of the same as Monday for our little beach baby.  She wanted nothing to do with the sand or the water so we didn't spend much time out of the condo.  Actually Courtney and I spent quite a bit of time on the balcony just letting the kids run around like crazy while the men played golf. 

Wednesday was also Brad's birthday so the 4 of us took advantage of having grandparents around and took the Portofino boat across the bay to the Boardwalk for dinner and drinks.

Of course we had to take a few pictures on our extremely windy boatride!
 

 

We had a delicious dinner at Hemingway's and I highly recommend it if you are ever in that area.  The best part was that the Portofino boat docked directly in front of Hemingway's so we hopped out and were able to get a great table on the balcony which over looked the bay.  It was a perfect spot to enjoy some adult only time with our very best friends. 

Now We Like the Beach... Day 2

Day two was completely different from Day 1.  Ella absolutely loved the sand and couldn't get enough of the beach! 

Papa had a blast playing in the water with Ella.  Though I am pretty sure he needed a vacation from his vacation to recuperate from 7 days with her.

We brought an old wagon with us to the beach and let me just tell you it was a lifesaver!  It was so much easier to pile all the bags in there and throw EK in and drag it down to the beach instead of having to carry everything.  It also provided a nice little spot for snack time!  Can you believe these two less than 3 months apart? 

I am pretty sure this child did not stop the entire time we were away.  I don't know how his mother does it, he exhausts me just watching him!  He sure did have a blast jumping in the waves... just love how my camera can catch all those action shots! 

Little brother on the other hand exhausts out easily and was ready for a nap after all that playtime.  Good thing there was a Gigi around for cuddles.  It was so nice having lots of extra hands around so that us Mommas and Daddys could enjoy the beach too! 

Ella Kate enjoyed a little more time in the sand the 2nd day and decided it was ok to build a sand castle with Cousin Ally.  Ally was the flower girl in our wedding and I just can't believe how much she has grown up in just 5 years!  She helped us so much while we were on vacation always keeping an eye out for Ella Kate and playing with her whenever she could.  Thanks Ally!

Beach Baby Day 1

As I mentioned in my last post, we took a nice family vacation with Keith's family to Florida after we finished up with the wedding activities.  We decided that this would be the best way to get a vacation at the beach in since we were already halfway there and we could then avoid the 10 hour car ride from Tyler to Florida.  We stayed in Pensacola Beach at the Portofino Resort and I highly recommend it if you are ever traveling to Pensacola.  The condo was great and it had all the amenities that you could possibly dream of!

The weekend prior to our arrival, Pensacola had some of the worst rain they have had in months.  We were told that downtown Pensacola alone had received well over 20 inches and more were forecasted for the week.  When we arrived on Sunday afternoon, the skies were still overcast and the weather did not look good for our weeks stay. 

But on Monday morning the skies had cleared and bit and even though the water was still cloudy and they wouldn't let us actually get in it above our ankles, we had to get right on out and see how our little Beach Baby would enjoy the water and the sand... let me just say it was a big bust and our week at the beach was not looking too good!  Ella absolutely HATED the sand!  She didn't want her touching her feet and pretty much screamed if you put her down.  We decided though that momma and daddy would prevail in this one and forced her hand!  Glad we did as she would eventually come around.

Daddy and Papa took her to explore the water a bit

and even convinced her to get down and feel what the sand was like.

Who doesn't love little baby feet in sand! 

Now even though Ella was not a fan of the sand, that kid loved her some ocean water!  She has always been a water baby as long as you let things go her way and being at the beach didn't change that!

Two peas in a pod!  Good thing daddy was around to trot her in and out of the water... 33 lbs is a little much for momma to be doing it.

One great thing about this vacation was that the whole family was able to attend and that included two wonderful little playmates for the little miss.  Easton, Rowan, and Ella Kate were pretty much inseperable the entire 5 days and EK is still asking for her Ro Ro and Easty. 

Stay tuned for day 2...

David and Lauren's Wedding

We have just gotten back from 9 days of traveling and vacation and let me just say we are all exhausted!  Ella Kate is working into hour 3 of naptime - kid missed her bed - and Keith and I are trying to catch up on all kinds of stuff before we have to head back to work, but I decided to take a few minutes and do a little posting.

Our trip started off with Keith's brother getting married on June 9th in Opelousas, LA (where Lauren is from) and it was a beautiful wedding!  We started Friday night with a rehearsal dinner at The French Press in downtown Lafayette and let me just say that the food definitely lived up to all of the Southern Living hype!  The food was amazing and the staff was wonderful to us!  I wish I had some pictures, but we were all too busy entertaining the little miss to have time to do that.

Saturday was the wedding and even though there was a torrential downpour about 20 minutes prior to the wedding when everyone was loading up it all went off wonderfully.  The ceremony was held at St. Landry Catholic Church and let me just say those catholics know how to build a church!  It was absolutely gorgeous and perfect for a southern night wedding!  The reception was held at Indian Hills Country Club and thanks to Lauren and her creative mother the place looked fabulous!

Now for the pictures!

The bride and groom for their first dance!  They both looked beyond thrilled to become husband and wife! 

When David and Lauren asked Ella Kate to be their flower girl I don't think that they thought she would just bust on into their bride and groom dance but oh she did!  What can I say my child is a dancing fool and she loves to be the center of attention.  That child didn't leave the dance floor until she was about to pass out from exhaustion! 

The bridal party and the most amazing cake ever! 

My little dancing queen!

The boys were in rare form that night including my husband.  Let's just say there might have been a choreographed dance that the groomsmen performed!

Congrats Lauren and David and thanks for letting us be a part of your special day! 

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all of the Daddy's in our lives!

Ella and Daddy - November 2011

 Ella and Papa - October 2011 

Ella and Papi - May 2012 

Ella, Austin, and Uncle Shawn - December 2011

We love you all!

Edited to add - yes I know I published this on the wrong day which is why I am republishing on the real Father's Day!

Who Says Kids Don't Like Brocolli!

 

 

Please note - Shortly after these pictures were taken my child proceeded to spit out all of the chewed up brocolli that was in her mouth... so much for thinking she actually liked the stuff!