Here it is! Our vacation recap, part one! We went to a new place this year and I think it might be my new favorite! Anna Maria Island, Florida. The weather was amazing, and the water was gorgeous! Here are the first four days…
Thursday, August 7
We flew out on Thursday morning! The kids were so excited to fly. I got both of them some new goodies to put in their airplane bag. Huxley’s stuff is on the left, and Hadley’s stuff is on the right. We parked at airport parking, and hopped on the airport shuttle bus. The kids were all smiles. We arrived at the airport, checked two bags, and headed to our gate. Got the kids some Dunkin Donuts, and we waited and watched all the planes come and go. My parents came with us on this trip, and they arrived a little after we did to the gate.
Hadley continues to amaze me more and more as she grows up. She voluntarily offered to sit in the seat by herself on the plane. We had three seats together, and then one by itself, but in the same row. She sat right down like she owned the plane, whipped out her headphones, and phone / things to do, and was just fine. Huxley has flown when he was a baby, but this was his first real flight he’ll remember. He did amazing! He wasn’t too loud or crazy for a three-year-old, I had plenty of things in his bookbag to keep him busy, and looking out the window every few minutes kept him occupied too. He did great! We sat in the second to last row of the plane, I thought that was the best idea for Huxley just in case he decided to act a fool. My parents’ seats were in the front of the plane; they had plenty of leg room.
Once we landed, we exited from the back of the plane and Huxley tripped over the mini ramp they put out for us to walk off the plane. He fell and scraped his knee on the sharp metal stairs. So, in true Huxley fashion, he is crying as everyone is trying to get off the plane. If you have flown before, you know how it’s always a mad dash to get off the plane, like it’s the last flight anyone is ever going to take. Poor Huxley was all upset; I half carried him down the metal stairs just to get out of the way of everyone. Meanwhile, Hadley is walking ahead of us all like the boss she is, with her headphones on, rolling her luggage, and walking into the airport like she knows exactly where to go.
My parents rented a big SUV for us all, it was a little tight in the backseat with all the luggage. Hadley and I managed to be crammed, just a 20-minute ride or so. Once we arrived at the condo, we all just chilled for a little bit. Flying is always tiring, for me at least. The condo was just the right size for us! The living room had two lazy boys, a couch, and a big tv. The master bedroom was right next to the living room, with a sliding door to separate rooms. Hadley and Huxley had their own room and beds, and bathroom. Huxley does great sleeping in a bed now; it’s time to get him out of his crib at home. I went to Publix with my parents and got most of the groceries for the week. We stayed in and ate dinner at the condo.
Friday, August 8
Both kids woke up around 7:30am. Huxley loved sitting on the bar stools in the kitchen, with his fruity pebbles cereal. One thing I love on vacation, is I always walk or do some form of exercise most mornings, by myself. It’s my time alone, and I love it. This morning, I walked on the street and ventured out for twenty minutes.
Once I got back, I hopped in the shower, and we got ready for the beach. I rarely wore makeup this entire week, unless we went out to dinner! We always pack lunches for the beach, sometimes the kids eat it on the beach, and sometimes they’ll eat it in the condo. Kevin and I take turns going up with Huxley to take a nap. He is just three years old, and everyone, including himself, is much happier when he naps. My kids will nap for as long as they will keep napping! The water was just beautiful, it was super clear, and super calm. It was amazing!
We decided to go out to dinner tonight. We hopped in the Nissan Armada, if you don’t already know I’m a car girl and the Armada is one that I would never purchase. It drove like a truck, and it was too crammed in the back seat. But it worked for what we needed for just a few days or so. Kevin found a place called Slim’s Place. It was okay, they didn’t have Tito’s, and the power went out while we were there and the entire restaurant was pitch black. It was a little creepy, but after a few minutes, the power went back on. It was a little dive sports place.
Saturday, August 9
Walked on the beach this morning! It was a little cloudy, but still so nice. The weather here was super low humidity! In the middle of August in Florida? Yes please! When I came back from my walk, Kevin took the kids for a short walk on the beach. I was up in the condo looking down at them coming back.
After my walk, we randomly decided to go find this coffee place my mom had heard about. The place was super cute but didn’t have very much parking. So, after driving around for five or ten minutes, no spots were freeing up, so we went to a random coffee place we googled nearby. We all went as is, Huxley kept his jammies on, Hadley changed into her suit, I came all sweaty from my walk, and didn’t care one bit. Hadley got a smoothie, Huxley got the cutest kid cup of milk, I got a dirty chai tea, my dad got a hot chocolate, and my mom got a spiked coffee. It was good! We sat at these little tables outside the coffee shop, my mom brought little whiteboards for the kids to draw on. It kept Huxley occupied for a little bit. We walked around to a few shops, for as long as the kids would let us.
Kevin stayed up at the condo while Huxley napped. Hadley and I put the beach tent up all by ourselves! My mom came down with us, and eventually everyone came down. It was an overcast, windy day. The water was a little rough, perfect for Hadley to catch some waves.
The sun came out later on, as it tends to do in Florida. We were so lucky that the pool was barely crowded.
Huxley had just said, “Dad I want to go to the ocean.” So, Kevin took him to the ocean!
Kevin and my dad grilling out. We stayed in for dinner tonight. Took some pictures of the sunset. And after Huxley went to bed, my parents came over to our condo and we played a few rounds of Uno. Hadley always wins!
Sunday, August 10
My mom walked on the beach with me this morning. It was another overcast cloudy morning. My mom brought some beach toys for the kids, and the condo had some also. The kids didn’t really want to go in the ocean when the waves were kind of rough. I don’t blame them. It was a strong current this day.
We rented a golf cart! It was the best thing for the kids, because they loved it! On Anna Maria Island, you can drive golf carts pretty much anywhere it’s under 35 mph. Which I think is the entire island. The kids just loved it. The company provided a booster seat for Huxley, and Hadley loved sitting in the front. We switched all around every time we went for a ride.
For dinner, we went to the Ugly Grouper. It was just okay, we had to wait over an hour to sit under the covered tables, and then the storm that was supposed to roll in had passed so we ended up sitting at the table we were waiting at the whole time. Long waits for dinner is never fun with kids. They did have a cool area for the kids to do stuff while we waited.
I drove the rental car to dinner, while Kevin and the kids took the golf cart. It looked like it was going to rain for a little bit, but it only sprinkled. So, on the way home from dinner, my parents hopped in the rental, and we drove around a little bit at night. The kids sat in the back, all smiles.
Just look at those happy faces on a golf cart! They love it! And that was the first four days of our trip! I’ll be back next week to recap the rest, so check back!
Have a great Wednesday!
That sounds like such a wonderful trip!
It was awesome!