Family Vacation

Each summer I make a list of things around the house I would like to accomplish before the summer is out. The usual, cleaning out closets, organizing drawers, etc... The month of June was dedicated to checking off my list. I told my sister that I would be blogging my brain out this summer and that is the one thing on my list that I have failed to do. With our vacation last week I am now working on keeping my promise.

Each summer we head out with my husband's family to a destination for a week and plan on just chillin'. At least as much as we can with the three boys. Our destination this year was Panama City, Florida. So with everyone in tow we headed out to the cabin we rented right off of Tyndall Air Force Base. With my father-in-law being retired military we get a great rate at the many military vacation spots all over the country.
We got settled in our cabin and stepped out onto the beach just in time for the thunder and lightening to start. Which was just fine with Jackson because he was not enjoying the sand or the surf!



So for the first day it was movies and the mall. Just what the boys had hoped for. The rest of the week however was perfect vacation weather.

We first hit the water park, Shipwreck Island. I am sad to say that the camera was left behind that day but I can assure you we had a fun-filled day in the sun. We even survived Trent losing his tube on the Ragin' River Rapids and vowing never to go on that ride again! We did enjoy the family water slide and Jackson even overcame his uncertainty of the water and loved stomping around and making eyes at the ladies!


The rest of the week we enjoyed the beach and the pool. But we mostly enjoyed not having anywhere to be or anything to do. It was exactly what a vacation should be about.





I do always enjoy being on a military base and seeing the life these men and women and their families lead. We enjoyed free bowling, swimming, hot dogs and hamburgers on the Fourth of July. It was great and it was neat to laugh with some of men and women of the Air Force and their families at the bowling alley that day. There were some wives there that were with only their children and you had to wonder if their husbands were overseas. It makes their sacrifice seem so real and opens my heart to the service that they provide so that we can enjoy a weekend like we had.



Finally we enjoyed a great fireworks show at Mexico Beach. It is a quaint little town with a wonderful beach and a family atmosphere. We sat right under the fireworks and actually were hit by a couple pieces of ash! Awesome!!


I say "we" enjoyed it but I really mean everyone but Jackson. He didn't make it through the families shooting off their own fireworks before the big show. So we settled down and slept through the whole thing! Oh the life!!





Well, the fourth always reminds me that the summer is halfway over and another school year is on its way. But, as Scarlett said, "I'll think about that tomorrow!"