The Roberts Family: Spring Break Vacation

Okay...big surprise, I know...but I'm a little overdue on this post (and a couple others). I actually have an excuse, sort of, this time. Most of the "action" shots we took on vacation were taken with Jack's camera, and he had it with him for the past two weeks... Is that a good excuse?

So....here goes....

We took our first Spring Break Vacation this year and went to Fort Walton Beach, Fl. For anyone who doesn't know, that is on the Floriday panhandle, right beside Destin. Alex decided to stay and hang out with him Mom, so Gary, me, and the other 3 boys headed off to the beach for 6 nights! We had a wonderful time, and had mostly cooperative weather. The first couple of days were a little cool and we did have a little bit of rain, but the last few days were great!

When we go to the beach, we always go somewhere there on the panhandle because it is the closest, only about 7-8 hours. We have had 3 kids who travel wonderfully....and then...there's Jake! Oh my gosh! I was ready to jump from the moving car by the time we got there! He yelled...and I mean YELLED...almost the entire trip! Not crying, not even really fussing all that much...just YELLING! And he was into everything! As you can imagine, it's tough to pack for 5 people for 6 nights, with baby gear and toys, and pack light. So, it was almost impossible to make sure nothing was in his reach. He kept pulling Boogie Boards down on top of himself and then getting mad. Poor Jack was on Jake duty...good thing he is such a trooper! Jake only slept for about an hour of the entire ride down. When Mitch was that age, he would have slept most of the trip! I will say, though, the trip back went much more smoothly! Jake still didn't sleep much, but he was much more content.

While we were there, we hung out at the beach a little, and the pool a little, and Jack and Gary even went Deep Sea Fishing one day, Mitch wasn't quite old enough...one more year. I DON'T Deep Sea Fish! I love it, but my tummy doesn't...I am talking SERIOUS sea-sickness! We ate out a few nights and cooked in some. It was a wonderful vacation, and so nice to be able to spend 6 nights straight with my hubby!

Mitch really enjoyed the sand and the pool this time. Jake loved the pool, but not so much the sand! I remember Mitch being the exact same way when he was this age. The difference, though, is that Mitch would sit and play very happily under the umbrella for hours! Just guess if Jake did that... Ha! 30 minutes, max! I did forget how hard it is to be away from home with a 16 month old. The child was into everything! The first thing we had to do was rearrange the kitchen (knives in the bottom drawers...not a good idea)!

The sleep arrangements worked out great. Jack had his own room, and Gary and I had our room, Mitch had a little "bunk alcove" (nothing but bunk beds in a little corner, not even a door) and he was so excited to sleep on the top bunk! Jake...well...what do you expect from parents who make their child sleep in a closet? We set up his pack n play in the bathroom (yes, it was a big bathroom)!

Okay...enough of my rambling...I know you really just want to see pics, so here they are!

For once in my life, I actually planned ahead and got everyone white shirts and khaki shorts (and me a white dress) so we could get some pictures on the beach! Unfortunately, we didn't get any of all 5 of us together, but the ones we got turned out great...I just wish Alex had been with us! Oh, and, yes, Jack is that much taller than me...he is even standing down-slope from me!

Here are the pics of the fishing trip...They caught an AmberJack and a few White Snappers. We grilled them one night at the condo, and they were great! Mitch even ate them!

For the most part, Jake stayed on the beach chairs...

Leave it to Gary...I don't know how he does it, but he is a pro at getting the kids to do things they aren't comfortable with! Look at Jake walking on that sand all by himself! I think that was a one-shot deal, though!

Gary and Jack decided to take a kayak out one afternoon, and Mitch said he wanted to go with them. Okay...now this is the kid who is scared to do anything new...a kayak on the ocean...yeah right! Gary and I both thought he would last all of 10 minutes before they would have to bring him back in....Boy were we wrong! He LOVED it, and stayed out the whole hour!

Jack dug the sand out from under the legs of the beach chair that Gary was relaxing in and it tipped over! This was payback!

Jack dug a "seat" for Mitch...funny to think Mitch wouldn't touch the sand just 2 years ago!

Daddy really has the touch! I tried for over an hour to get Jake to go to sleep...Gary had him for a few minutes!

Mitch wanted to go around the Lazy River, but the water was too cold for his taste, so Gary and Jack took turns like this!

Mitch with his "circle"...he thought he was so big that he didn't need any help! Neither did he understand why he couldn't go where we couldn't see him! Jake "swimming" between Gary and Jack...Jake LOVED the pool! I couldn't keep him out of it...he would just slide right off the side into the water, whether anyone was there or not...definitely had to be on our toes!