Fall Break 2017

In Alabama, the school system has whet they call "Fall Break." It's suppose to occur after the first nine weeks of school. Basically, after each nine weeks you get a break (Fall, Christmas, Spring, Summer). Last year was our first year to take a vacation during Fall Break, and we enjoyed it so much, we did it again this year.

We found a place we really like. It's a great resort that is in a retirement community but has great amenities for kiddos.

Each morning, we go out to the beach. After lunch, we'd hang out at the hotel.

On our first day, we saw sting ray! They came right up to us.

They swam pretty close. While I was in the water, I thought I'd be fine letting them circle around me (they were swimming up and down the coastline), but on their return lap, I chickened out and ran out of the water with Pfitzer in my arms.

Little JCrew later read the hammerhead sharks love sting ray as a snack, so he was then scared hammerheads were nearby.

The second day started cold and windy. The wind was the worst part and was blowing sand everywhere. It really frustrated the boys, especially Mr. Pfitzer.

While on vacation, Mr. Pfitzer learned a new trick. He gives a "thumbs-up" sign, but he can't quite get that thumb up!

At the hotel, there was a DJ at the pool. He was playing all the songs my boys knew and my boys were jamming! There was lots of singing and dancing.

They even met a friend from our city at our hotel. The boys looked for her every day to play with.

My sister, Kerry and her husband met us at the beach, too!

On our next to the last day, we went on an excursion... a Pirate Cruise! It was so cute! The boys got face painting, had a sword fight, a water gun fight, mopped the deck, learned pirate legend stories, and found sunken treasure!! It was a great experience.

The water on the gulf coast of Florida is my favorite. And I feel like we've found a spot that is all our own that no one has discovered.

We'll see you next year, Beach!

Florida Beach Trip

Last year at school, Little JCrew was told that you go to the beach for vacation. He then spent an entire year talking about the beach.

With Baby F's due date in May, I knew I would not be up for a beach trip during the summer. However, in Alabama, the schools have a Fall Break! I never understood it, but now I embrace it! We can postpone our summer vacations to the Fall when everyone else is in school.

My mom had a trip to FL planned to meet my sister. When I asked when and where they were going, I asked if we could tag along. We would be her transportation. She welcomed the idea and we booked our travel. We were going to the beach!

Little JCrew had been to the beach when he was 10 months old. Mr. Brigglesworth had never been. Our trip was planned for right after Mr. Brigglesworth's fourth birthday, so he thought you had to be four to go to the beach.

We made it down to FL right as Hurricane Matthew was predicted to come. We stayed on the Gulf Coast in the Panhandle, so we were unaffected. However, my sisters were coming from central FL, so their plans changed a little to accommodate the Hurricane.

We spent our mornings on the beach and headed back to the hotel for lunch. Instead of naps, we played in the pool all afternoon. Poor Baby F took his naps on the go.

The first day there were loads of jellyfish. There was no way we were getting in the water.

The boys liked tasting the salty water.

We built plenty of sandcastles. We got better and bigger each day.

There was always a moat around the castle that we tried to fill with water.

It was such a fun and amazing trip. We made no plans and woke up each day excited to have fun.

A bonus was that I got to get swim clothes for cheap as most places were marking down their summer gear right before we left. I bought the boys swim shirts and they wore them. It was my lazy way of no sunscreen reapplication every 3 hours, but I mainly got them so that we would avoid sunburns knowing we'd be outside all day. They were a lifesavor.

And Baby F had a 3-month size shirt and shorts, but those no longer fit his chunky self, so I bought new ones for the cheap and didn't care that this would be the only time he wore them. Score!

He also got some cute sunglasses!

I didn't realize how much I loved the beach. Growing up around it, you know you love it and it's there whenever you want it. Now, it is at least a 6-hour drive, meaning you have to rent a hotel room and make plans. But it was so nice to have no agenda and be able to play all day.

My mom enjoyed her time on the beach as well. The boys had her playing with them.

And we discovered the sensitivity level of Mr. Brigglesworth's skin. He cried in the salt water. The sand irritated the skin, and then the salt water burned. Every time he went in the ocean, it was full on tears. Then we'd check the skin on his legs and see them inflamed. I thought salt water was a healing agent?

The fun of jumping waves did not last long. We have since been able to manage the sensitivity, but it was an eye opener for us on the triggers.

It felt like we had the beach all to ourselves. There was only one day that felt crowded, and it was not the kind of crowd I would call crowded, but it was compared to the other days of our trip.

We were refreshed and ready to come home. And I was excited I could check the beach off of Little JCrew and Mr. Briggleworth's bucket list. They got to use their sand toys, so it was a success.

We have now had TWO vacations in one year! I still can't believe it. We will definitely be making a beach trip an annual thing. It was just too nice.

Until next year!