Beach Trip 2012!

Well I guess it is now tradition considering it has happened three years running that we have started our vacation off with the 4th of July fireworks at the church.  Each year we leave the next day or so afterwards for the beach.  I must say that I really do enjoy the  show that the church puts on each year and the kids both look forward to the games and train that daddy drives around each year.  The girls and I walked this year to the church after learning our lesson last year with all the traffic and as you can see Brit was in full mode to get there in a hurry!

 Daddy and Mr. Jim had their hands full with the kiddos this year like any other the kiddos were lined up as far as you could see to catch a ride on the train, luckily Brit had some connections and got to ride up front!

 AB and Peyton seemed to enjoy their ride from the back.

 The fam all decked out in our church gear and ready for some fireworks in the nice cool weather (yeah right as you can tell by all our faces it was a wee bit warm that evening!

 The kiddos all enjoyed the fireworks and even Brit seemed amazed by them which surprised me as loud as they seemed this year and as tired as I knew she probably was by that time.

 A couple of pictures from earlier in the evening of the bicycle race.  Little Ms. 4th of July.

 Miss AB was ready to ride with a little help from mom it was possible.  She is still trying to get this whole trike thing down we still need some help from mom to make it happen. But she was in charge of decorating the bike and did a fabulous job.

 Mr. and Mrs. 4th of July!

 The next day we headed out to the beach.  We had already decided to leave around 8 and drive til we wanted to stop but there was a little kink in that plan because once we started to call some spots along the way that night about 11pm well they were all booked! I was amazed that every hotel we called was booked even my parents and sister who were on their way couldn't find one as well, so we kept driving and driving and this is AB about 3 am on a restroom break....

 and this is Brit, needless to say she wasn't too tired at the time.  So we ended up driving all the way into Orange Beach and sleeping in the parking lot about 4 am til 6 when IHOP happened to gear up for breakfast.  A little bit of a bumpy start to vacation 2012 but by 10 am we were settling into our room and ready for nap time!

 The first night AB could not wait to get out there in search of those crabs so Uncle B was sure to hook her up with the gear she needed and this head light was perfect!!!  She found so many crabs she had to stop looking!

 Brit wanted in on the action this was her first trip to the beach so everything was so new to her and so much fun to watch!

 Uncle B and AB ready for the hunt

 Everyone was in on the action including Brit who actually spotted them for us on occasion but Addie had no problem asking for help in catching them when it came time.

 The next night we headed out for dinner at a great little spot on the bay and the girls had plenty to keep them busy while we were there.  Brit, AB and Lila riding the ponies, look mom "no hands!" silly Brit...

 Addie Blaire had decked herself out for the night all by herself and was so proud of her finished look.  I must say she is quite the little fashion designer and ensemble coordinator these days!

 Little Brit even made a new friend she kept holding his hand wanting him to come along with her,  poor guy.

 Addie Blaire and Nana enjoying dinner.

 Me and my girls!!  Makes me "happy happy happy" as the guy on that show would say.

At the restaurant Addie Blaire and daddy took their bets to the crab race table and she ended up a winner, way to go crab number 14!

 After dinner we went to the wharf were AB took on the trampoline bungee jump.  She really had a good time despite what she had earlier thought of it.  She just needed a little help from mom to get those feet off the ground.

 Brit, Pop and I took a spin on the Ferris wheel and it was pretty high but she didn't seem to care.  She got a kick out of seeing Nana, daddy and AB on the ground below us and Aunt T and Lila in the other cart.

 AB, daddy and I went out for ice cream late one night and found a great spot that let us make our own and unfortunately for each of us it was a bit too much, I overdid myself at that place way to much chocolate for a person like me to choose from.  AB had a blast though making her own creation!

 Beach time and bikini babes were on the loose!  The girls had a great time on the beach this year.  It took Brit a couple of days to get acquainted with the sand, which the main problem was that she couldn't wear her shoes and if you know Brit and her shoes that was a problem!!!  Once she realized AB and Lila didnt' seem to mind she became a little less cautious!

 Bikini babe!  She loves her bikinis this year that is about all she wants to wear.  She rode more waves this trip then ever before.  She even caught one that rolled her right up on to the beach, I think maybe that was a little more than she had bargained for at the time but it didn't stop her from getting right back out there.

Little Brit still trying to figure things out this whole footprint and sinking in the sand took some time to get used to for her.

Pop decided to just have her dive right into it all and covered her feet in sand which was a little confusing to her and probably not her favorite moment of the whole beach experience!

 Nana helped to make some beach animals and is also one great sea shell finder to have around.

 Our condo had a wrap around balcony since we were on the end and the two little ones loved racing their chairs back and forth and again and again.  It was funny to watch and even people walking by stopped to watch them in all their excitement.  Although with Brit being a little aggressive at times it was fun to watch how Lila learned to protect herself from the invading chair crazy and blocked her a few times from a collision.

 The next day we went on our second annual dolphin cruise.  We loved this same cruise so much last time we went we had to give it another try now with the two new young ones and AB memory of the last trip was still a little blurry so it was all new to her again as well.  Daddy and AB as we head out to sea.

 Pop and Brit checking it all out.  We like to sit on the back of the boat to be close once the dolphins swim by.

 Caught this moment and couldn't resist a photo, that Britann loves her some big sis and she is always so attentive to where Addie is and what she is doing that seeing her hugged up close to her made my heart melt.

 All 3 girls were anxiously awaiting the dolphins.

 Mommy and AB

 and come they did we saw several each time they found a little group of them they would drive the boat faster to create a wake and the dolphins came jumping out of the water.  It is so much fun to watch.

 It is soo neat to see the dolphins jump out of the water their little bellies are all pink and they say it is because they are so excited.  We even got to see a baby one in the mix.

Addie Blaire and Uncle B were hard at work one day on a turtle with eyebrows and completed with a snorkel!  

 The tutu girls beach trip 2012! So much fun to have them all together for the week!

 Nana and Pop Fowler (btw we told dad the hat was no good but as you can tell that only urged him to wear it more!)

 We made sure to have a night at the hangout were we ate dinner and got to boogie down to some good music too.  The girls in the big hangout chair.

 They even have a soap sud party that Addie Blaire and Britann could not resist.  I don't think Lila felt the same way about it though because Brit was chasing her around trying to get her wet!

 Addie Blaire and Lila loved getting to dance to the music there too.

Another great day at the beach!  The girls really spent alot of time on the beach and in the ocean this year more so than in years past I think. See Brit did actually get used to the sand afterall. Look no shoes!

 Relaxing, ah the life!

 This is her surfer girl pose.

 Brit and Pop watching all the action.

 We made a little trip to the Build a Bear so that Brit could make her very own bear just like sister did the last time we were there.  I think big sis enjoyed helping her more than anything.

 So happy with "Sassy" the bear.  We named the bear sassy because that is her affectionate name for her paci and since Mrs. Lashonda had broke her of the paci before our trip and that didn't last long once we got in the car and she started asking for it. We thought it was approriate for memories of the trip because that became her favorite word while we were away!

 Pool time, btw my husband doesn't normally wearing such pretty necklaces in pink and blue but AB in her spare time on the trip did lots of jewelry making and this is the awesome necklace she made for dad to wear on the trip.  Pop always gets her one each year (as you can see on her in pic) so she made everyone else one to wear too! Doesn't Mitch look pretty though, I think pink and purple are really his colors!

 The setup on the beach thanks to Uncle B.  We also had a blow up pool a couple of days underneath for the little ones and they loved getting to splash around and fill the water with sand.

The pool area was great as well.  We had the big pool in background and the baby pool as Brit is demonstarting in the picture.  This was nice for those afternoons of laying out or letting the kids unwind after the beach time was over.

 The view from our balcony was awesome!  So close to the water and so breezy and cool in the afternoons.

 The balcony was so nice and we had so much room for all of the family to hang out there which made it perfect for the trip!

 Addie Blaire and Pop have a tradition of cooking breakfast for everyone when we are at their house so this trip was no different AB still did the egg cracking and Pop took it from there.

 Tacky Jack's for dinner one evening and look at the girl's catch that night!!

 We had to attempt the ole family photo but I must say we underestimated how long it would take to set up the camera and get everyone placed so we were a little late in the evening for trying for photographs but we did get a couple of shots.  I guess if everyone is looking at the camera and no eyes are closed in my books that is success!

 Nana and Pop and the grandbabies! Getting two 1 year olds to look at a camera almost impossible!

 Daddy and little Brit!

 We tried again from the balcony the next morning but it was a little bright and Mitch threatened my life if I made him dress up again that night so this will just have to do I guess!! Maybe next year!

 My little princesses!

 Sadly enough this was as good as it got for these three!  At least you see the personalities shined through in the picture!!  They all have plenty of that to go around.

 Our little fish that we couldn't keep out of the water!

 She loved catching a wave almost as much as big sister.

 Awwww! Enough said.

 How cute are these three?  I just love all those cute little ruffle booties!!

 The girls made friends with Tori from Indiana and she was the sweetest thing she hung out with our family and helped with the girls each day on the beach and they are loved her! Such a sweet family she had.

 Our final night on the beach Addie Blaire decided we needed to have one last hunt and good thing because Nana and Pop had gotten all the girls their very own headlights for the beach.  Next year we come prepared so watch out you little crabs you!!

It was a wonderful trip with my family this year.  I always just love having us all together there hanging out late night watching Duck Dynasty or Gator Boys whatever it was it was so nice to be together and just relax.  I love that my kids are making memories with their family and cousins on both sides it will be something they will remember for a lifetime.  Sad to leave but so glad to have the chance to go this year and look forward to many more years to come!!