Missing Summer

This summer we took the kids on a cross-country road trip to visit Grandpa & Grandma's house! Getting the family from Arizona to Florida seemed a little daunting, but in the end... the kids were great travellers and the trip was a lot of fun!

Here we are with my Mom & Dad and Grandma Y

One of the best things about heading South?

The food. I always eat way too much :)

Destin Beach is a family tradition...

it's where my Dad proposed to my Mom.

The boys had so much fun we had to go back for a second day...

good thing we did - we found some amazing shells and as we were out swimming a small shark swam by. I immediately started enjoying building sandcastles, but my boys thought swimming with a shark was pretty impressive.

Handsome Hubby w/Junior

OTG Boy

The Professor

Bubba


Junior w/Mommy

We also stopped to visit the Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin. It's one of our kids favorite places.

Grandpa's an amazing scouter - so he was more than willing to help the boys pass off some of their scout requirements. He helped OTG Boy learn to use a personal camp stove and let The Professor pitch a tent. And of course, Junior was there, right in the middle of all the action.

Grandpa and Grandma also put the kids to work...

Bubba was picking the blueberries...

while Handsome Hubby, OTG Boy and The Professor cleaned up pinecones and pine needles.

Grandpa and Grandma said they appreciated all the hard workers.

And in our family, when you go country...

we really go country.

We always go visit out where Grandma Y grew-up...

you can't get anymore country than that.

(Anyone else think it's kind of funny that my eyewear seems to match my Grandma's? I guess I know what I'll be looking like when I'm in my 80's!)

And of course, the old swimmin' hole at the Blackwater River.

My Grandpa was baptized here.

And yes, very country... while we were standing there something plopped into the water on the other side of the river...

Turtle

or

Alligator?

We'll never know.

The hardest part about visiting family?

Loading everyone into the car to head back home.

Saying goodbye is no fun.

We miss you Grandpa, Grandma & Great Grandma!

We had a wonderful time and hope to get back for another visit sometime soon!

Love You!