Well I’m back from the beach. We had some friends who were going to Destin, FL for a week. They were persistant with the invitations to join them. We finally gave in. And we’re glad we did. They have three kids same nearly same ages as ours, and they loved playing together.

I’d blogged pretty much every day of May until the trip. And then I only did it once from the beach. Sorry.But I did have some random thoughts while at the beach. So here come the bullets:

  • There is no “quick” or “direct” way to get to Destin, FL from Oxford, MS.
  • Generally the hotel pools in Alabama don’t open until after Memorial Day. We left at night to head down and stopped in Montgomery, AL for a pit stop. Pool was locked up.
  • Staying in a condo with six kids ages 8 and under is sometimes wild.
  • You don’t need sugar to stir up that many kids, but it does add excitement.
  • I was a little curious as to how the weather would be. It was cold/rainy in Oxford the day before we left. But it was mid 80’s pretty much the whole time.
  • It didn’t rain a drop on us until the final day.
  • If you go to a restaurant with lots and lots of alligators outside in a pond and has handwritten Sharpie graffiti all over it, you can expect to pay about $20 for a bowl of pasta and 8 pieces of shrimp.
  • I brought more shoes on this vacation than I ever had, but wore only one pair the entire time.
  • That means I never went for a run on this trip.
  • Shuffleboard isn’t just for old folks. It was actually kind of fun.
  • I never saw or smelled any oil in the water.
  • The waves were really strong. Which means really fun. Good for making memories.
  • Outlet Mall” really means “yes, we have a few killer deals, but most things are just about 10-15% off, which you would have paid in taxes anyway. But we know vacationers are just looking for reasons to spend money, so we put a lot of your favorite stores together so you can give us your money.”
  • People that decorate beach condos really like floral print for furniture, wallpaper, and bedding. I mean REALLY like floral print.
  • The adults in my family need road-trip potty breaks more than the kids do.
  • Anything on the lower pantry shelves or in the fridge in the condo is fair game for kids to grab.
  • Seaside has gotten a little more crowded and busy since my honeymoon. But I’d still lik estay there again someday. Maybe Rosemary Beach could be a possibility too.
  • Every condo should provide wifi these days. Just saying…
  • Having an iPhone on vacation is really, really helpful.
  • I actually found an iPhone, but called the people and gave it back. My oldest daughter was disappointed.
  • I always bring books and magazines to read at the beach. But never read them.
  • My kids can’t get enough of the pool. They’d go to the pool at 6 a.m. if they could.