This was a last minute decision, but one that I have been looking for this whole quarantine period. I have been working from home, and the kids were schooling from home for awhile, but we never were able to take advantage and work/school from a fun location. Well, as soon as I heard that the kids had the first week back from Christmas Break virtual, I got on vrbo and found us a sweet place at the beach for a really good rate. We found a place right on the beach (so they wouldn't pick on me anymore about the Destin hotel) that had 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, large living room and dining room. The resort was great with two hot tubs and one heated swimming pool. Not the best for my fear of heights as we were on the 20th floor, but I made it.
Our first two days were full of play time at the ocean and the pool. Temperatures were in the mid to upper 60s, but some heavy winds. Haha, Magan bundled up like it was snowing to watch over Belle and Davis that were jumping out completely into the ocean. I stayed up in the room at the dining room table, but it was nice to break watching them play, and take lunches down at the beach with them. Ruby, Belle and Davis liked jumping into the waves, and I think Sam just wanted to stay warm, and playing with Ruby in the sand.
At the end of my work day, me and Ruby built a village of sea shell dunes that Ruby was so excited that we could see from "5 feet" up (Pool was on the 5th floor) and from "20 feet" up (Our room on the 20th floor). And I also remember Ruby excited to show me her "turnel". Wow, that water was FREEZING cold tho, but they kept at it, playing most of the day.
On Wednesday, Magan took the kids to Destin to shop. It worked out for the best later in the week, but was somewhat disappointing for the kids as the wind died completely on that day, and the temperature was amazing, even in the ocean. Perfect beach weather, but shopping is also fun, and what can go wrong there. So for my lunch I took a walk down to the nearby pier where I got the call from Magan that someone had just bumped into her van. So it just added to their fun day to get a police report and pictures of the damage, as I went back and forth with our insurance company on what we needed to do. In hindsight, it was minor damage, and probably could have been worked out with the other driver, but it was a crazy day, and I was not there, and on a sunny pier where I could not see the pictures well...anyway, put a damper on their day, but I told Magan to sprinkle some Disney magic on the day and treat the kids to some special surprises...which helped a bit.
Thursday was rainy and brought with it even colder weather than before, so this day ended up as an inside day with the kids painting with Magan and just relaxing. I am sure they were doing their school work at times, but that never seem to take long at all. And since Friday was another cold non-beach day, I took off work to go with them to Gulfworld. That is another blog, so I will leave those stories there.
And Saturday was a day of departure. The condo owner almost talked us into another week for only $240 total. I wish would could have stayed, but the real world was calling. The kids know that I already have florida on my mind for every january/february once we get them out of the house, but maybe this virtual world will help that dream get here even sooner. :)
We had some really good meals while down at the beach, hitting the Panama Pizzeria one night, then Triple Js steakhouse another night. At Triple Js, we all got a laugh as the waiter brought sam and davis these super tiny kids cups of water. That was definately not going to work. But then later, Magan and the kids were searching frantically for the hidden items on these little kids cups. As in, they were taking it very serious. And one last story at Triple Js...I ordered the crabclaws to let the kids try them, but I had to show them how to eat the crabclaws by using their teeth to pull the meat off. Ruby looked up at me like I was crazy, then said "Dad, I don't have those teeth". haha. A Moe's BBQ joint was right across the street from our resort, and a night at Tazikis. So we had a lot of authentic seafood. :)
So what is left in the pictures below...Sam, Davis and I made the 1.2 mile hike to the pier together, having fun running along the beach trying to not get soaked by some huge waves crashing in. Davis jumping off the sand ledges. Walking the Beach at night. Hank Williams boyhood home on the way back home in Georgiana, AL. And a weeks worth of boxes making a large wall of mail when we made it back home.
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