Ahhhh...A Vacation

Last Saturday we packed it up and headed to Destin to spend the week with our family. We all arrived around the same time and the kids picked up right where they left off, screaming, squealing, laughing, chasing, crying, playing, etc. and they didn't let up one single bit for a week! It was great, though, and we all had just as much fun as them. We would wake up each morning and head to the beach to relax and play until lunchtime. We had beautiful weather every day we were there, which I think is the first time that's happened on any of our family vacations. The water was soooo pretty and Ella Ann was like a fish! Once she got in that first morning, she was in it every morning for hours! Someone would have to go to relieve Spencer from having to play with her in the water everyday! We were able to walk out very far and still touch, even Ella Ann, so she was able to navigate by herself except for when a big wave came along. We saw lots of sea life each day, too, which the kids enjoyed. Zach bought 3 nets for them to catch things in, but all Carter and Ella Ann could "catch" were broken shells! Zach took over most of the time and brought them a ton of hermit crabs to play with on the beach. Spencer and Crag also would catch some pretty interesting animals like fish, jellyfish (dead ones), and she crab. Ella Ann had no problem whatsoever sticking her hands in the bucket of hermit crabs and pulling them out to examine! She even stuck her hand in Zach's net to pick up a baby crab! She's much more brave than me!

Ella Ann really enjoyed playing with Seth, not only in the sand, but also at the house. She loved to chase him around the house and imitate his squeals! Speaking of our house, it was a great one for all of us and was very close to the beach. We had a pool too and the kids enjoyed that. Carter and Ella Ann even slept in bunk beds in the same room! This is the first time they've shared a room so I was a little apprehensive because I know my child and how crazy she can be at nighttime with crying out in her sleep, waking up before dawn to chat (which they did at 5:30 a.m. one morning), and having a hard time falling asleep. Even with all of that they did great together and there were no major issues.

Late in the week one night Ella Ann woke us up complaining of her pajamas hurting her. After bringing her to the 3rd floor to our room Spencer looked her over and she was covered in head-to-toe hives. She had scratched them so badly that her whole body was one giant whelp. She was beyond miserable and with her sensitive skin and allergies we were dressed and ready to go to the ER at 1 a.m. After giving her a big dose of Benadryl and putting her in bed with us, she fell asleep and we just waited until morning to talk to her allergist. She still had them just as bad the next day but once we started giving her some antihistamine drugs the symptoms went away but the hives themselves stayed until the next day. She seemed fine by late afternoon and we were able to get out and about. Thankgoodness!

After cleaning up in the late afternoon, we would either go out to dinner or cook at our house. We mainly wanted this vacation so badly so that we could just relax and enjoy our precious time together. It was such a fun week and we were very sad to come home, especially Ella Ann. She said, no less than 30 times on the way home, "I don't wanna go home!" She's really going to miss Carter and Seth!

I have a lot of pictures so click HERE to view them.