Destin 2008 Trip

OK, sit back, get some wine, coffee, whatever... This one could get long, really long ....


First, let me say, ugh, that is a long drive!!! My back may never forgive me(only, it needs to considering we are going to Guatoberfest in just a month). Gabriella did so great on the trip up. The return trip? Not so much. I was pretty well over the whining, fussing, crying, screaming and hissies by the time we pulled into the driveway.


On our way to Destin, we stopped in Panama City Beach to visit Ferdy's great uncle and aunt who hadn't yet met Gabriella. We had a nice visit for a couple of hours. Wish it could have been longer, but we still had another hour or so to go.

Ferdy and his uncle enjoyed looking at old family photos and filling in some blanks in the family tree.

The best I could get of a family photo.

By the time we got in to Destin and waited out some heavy rain to get to dinner, Gabriella didn't get to bed until 10pm local time, which was 11pm Orlando time due to the time change. She is normally in bed at 8pm. She then proceeded to wake at 6:30 am and did so like clockwork the entire week - ick.

The next morning the weather was definitely not beach weather due to the early effects of Hurricane Gustav, but we did take Gabriella down for a little while to let her play a little since she had been begging for the beach since we got there.

There was no keeping her out of the water even though I hadn't dressed her for it. Needless to say, we all got showers afterwards.

While she napped, I went to the store to get some groceries and stuff and got her a big basket full of sand toys. You would have thought it was Christmas when she saw them!

All ready to go out for dinner (thanks for the dress Savannah and Carrie!).

Monday, the weather was nasty because of the hurricane. In fact, it wasn't until our last day there(Friday) that the red flags weren't out and the water was calming down. These are from Monday afternoon when I was able to go out in between rain bands.

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I bought Gabriella a dress that I fell in love with(Connie, I'm thinking of a future photo shoot!) and she was insistent that she try it on. She was so excited and twirling around in it.

After two miserable dinners out (ugh, she was awful!), I decided that the Japanese Steakhouse might be just the ticket to keep her occupied. Thankfully, I was right and she enjoyed the show.

Finally, on Tuesday we were able to go the beach for the day, though we couldn't go in the water past about our knees. The rip currents were really, really nasty.

Our future rock star playing her "guitar".

Is this not the cutest bathing suit???

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Moving on to playing the drums now.

By the middle of the trip, we figured out that one way to ease the major fit that ensued when you told her it was time to leave the beach was to tell her we were going to go take a shower. Who would've thought this was the child who was terrified of running/falling water just a short time ago???

She didn't even know the pirate had snuck up behind her.

On Thursday, we headed up to Pensacola to visit with another aunt and uncle of Ferdy's.

Fishing with daddy. They live on a beautiful bayou and the view is gorgeous.

Our last day at the beach.

Miss G apparently thought this sandcastle looked like an ice cream cone.

Calisthenics on the beach....

Last dinner on the beach.

No, mommy, I don't want to leave!

I was so thankful that finally on the last night, there was actually a sunset since there hadn't been one the entire week to that point.

All in all, we had a very nice vacation. I will say, I will think twice about doing this in hurricane season again as it would have been nice to have been able to really go in the water and float around. Miss G is a beach bum extraordinaire, that's for sure. She absolutely was in heaven.

Phew.... Anybody still with me????? That was the mother of all posts. Can't say I didnt' warn you.