Pensacola Beach 2008

We woke up bright and early at 3AM on Saturday morning, and headed out for Pensacola Beach. Moose was wide-eyed for almost an hour while we drove toward the highway. Once we got on, he finally drifted off to sleep.

I actually sat in the back with him, which if you know me, is practically a death sentence. Mainly because of my tendency to get motion sick. I made sure to take Dramamine, and it was not too bad at all. Moose woke up around 6 or 7 AM, and we stopped at got breakfast. He was great, and even went potty in the big boy potty with me holding him up. It was quite a feat, and something I have mastered by the end of the week.

When we got back in the car, we hooked up our portable DVD player, and popped in Cars. That thing is worth it's weight in gold, let me tell you. It held him in rapt attention, and actually? It held my attention too. Not bad at all, man. Seriously.

We finished Cars, stopped and had the picnic lunch I had packed, and headed off. We watched Nemo next, then started The Little Mermaid, when we arrived in Florida. The first sight of the beach and ocean (it is actually the bay, but hey, still cool) is always awe-inspiring. It was about this time that we realized we had printed the wrong directions off of MapQuest. When I searched it, it found a different address and suggested a different destination, I just shrugged and clicked okay, MapQuest wouldn't lie to me, right? Well, it was wrong and we would have ended up in the get-to if I hadn't noticed the trademark three-mile bridge was missing from the directions.

We called my Mom, who was already down there, waiting for us, and got some clarity. Then we headed to the realator to pick up our keys. We met Mimi at the house, and looked around briefly, dumped out stuff on the beds, and promptly put on our suits and headed out to the beach.

We got cleaned up, and headed out for seafood for dinner that night.

Then we collapsed in a heap in front of the TV. We ended up going to bed at like, 8 PM or something, but Cory and I were exhausted! We had been up since 3 AM! A storm rolled in that evening, and our little house on stilts was obviously made to sway slightly in the wind. I didn't feel it until the next morning, but Cory said he laid awake feeling it.

Sunday day we spent playing on the beach. And Sunday evening we got all dressed up and went out for more seafood, for my aunt's birthday.

The restaurant had a large salt water aquarium, complete with a Nemo and Dori fish.

We spent Monday day out at the beach too.

Here is the crab that Cory caught. I believe it is the one that attacked his foot.

Eating brownie batter, hey, we're on vacation, right?

Tuesday dawned cloudy and a bit rainy, so we headed off to Florida's Gulfarium in Fort Walton.

One of the sea lions was named "Cory" we thought that was pretty amusing.

We headed home to blue skies, and went out on the beach for a few hours.

Thursday we woke up to a beautiful rainbow.

The Blue Angels also made an appearance around 8 AM. Of course, we were already up, but everyone in the other house was still snoozing. Moose really enjoyed the "jeps" and talked about them for the next couple days. They did a few tricks and passbys. It was pretty cool. I got some pictures, but they are too far away to appreciate them. Cory got some video, so I will try and make those web-ready for you to see.

Thursday evening Cory and I headed out for a date night. We ate dinner on the patio at Peg Leg Pete's and then headed over to the boardwalk to buy some souvenirs. I got an awesome hat that I love unconditionally, and a T-shirt and sweatshirt. Cory couldn't find anything he wanted. He has requested some flip-flops with the bottle opener on the bottom, so I guess I will be picking those up for him.

Here is Moose after wearing 50 SPF all week!

Moose's hair has turned almost white-blond, and even with the sunblock, he has bronzed his skin somehow. Cory sunburned his shoulders at some point and then his stomach later in the week. I had an unfortunate encounter with spray sunblock that affected my ankles and the backs of my legs. This is the second time spray sunblock has screwed me over, so I will never use it again. Overall our sun protection was sufficient, and has never been something I worried about before!

Mimi picked up a Frisbee and a kite which we thoroughly enjoyed on the beach.

Overall we had a wonderful time. I knew this would be different from any vacation I had ever taken, and it was. Everything hinged Moose's happiness instead of my own, and while I am used to that at home, it was different to experience it here. We had a great time, and have been discussing buying a beach house and renovating it, and renting it out to vacationers. White Sands, the condos we typically stay in, are completing their rebuilding, so they would be available for us the next time we come. We have talked about trading off years, doing a family vacation one year, then a home improvement the next and so on. So I think that makes the most sense for us, seeing all the things we have to do with our house.

We talked with the family about coming to Pensacola again in two years, and we have also discussed just me and Moose coming down with my parents next year. We have nothing set in stone yet, abut I would really like to take Moose to Walt Disney World when he is about four or five years old. I have read that this is the best age when everything is really magical, and they are really seeing "Mickey's House" and meeting Pooh and stuff.

So I am tentatively planning a Disney Cruise. I have not done any research yet, but I think we can get an all-inclusive package that will include everything. And if I start saving now, and start paying now, I think I can afford it. Mom is going to talk to her friend Vicki, who just did a Disney Cruise a few years ago, and I am going to talk to Mom's travel agent and get some more info. I'll keep you updated on that front as I know more details!

Pensacola-we'll see you in a few years!