What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Sit back, relax and pretend it's elementary school and you get the first few days to goof off and listen to what other people did on their summer vacation.

Today you get to see the Top 10 Things we got to experience on our vacation to St. George Island. {Yes, I know this was over the 4th of July and it's practically the end of the month now. But I promised you pictures, so I'm delivering.}


10. We got to use the largest remote control in the world.
Here is my cousin Marcus modeling the Generic Remote for the Elderly. Don't adjust your screens, folks. It really is the size of his torso. We used this remote to flip back and forth from "Dora! Dora! Dora!" to constant MJ coverage.

9. The kids {Ollie pictured here} got to have fun with new beach toys.
It gives you the warm fuzzies when you get to spend $16.99 on a $5 snorkel, doesn't it?
But he wore the heck out of that thing.
And if you think complete sets of any new toys made it home, you would be incorrect. We only have the snorkel mask and bits and pieces of the kite.


8. We mad many disastrous family picture attempts.
This is the best of the worst. The ONLY good one from the week is here. Yes. Already posted. So don't hold your breath for any more! Just hold on to your kid... as seen below.

7. I got to wear one pair of khaki shorts all week.
I love a good khaki short. So much so that I bought a new pair for the beach! Well, "bought" might be an overstatement... according to the check out gal who apparently forgot to remove the tag.
Thankfully I had a couple other options. And a washing machine.

6. Mom made a Flip Flop Cake!
Is this not the cutest cake ever? {Click right back there for the recipe for your next summer event!} And Mom wants you all to know that the sand is graham cracker crumbles- not real sand.
Unfortunately, the cake was so terribly adorable, that no one cut into it. And, according to my dad, it has re-located to their freezer at home... surely to die a slow death. So, if you reside in LA (Lower Alabama, of course), then you might be able to swing a deal with my mom for the flops. Or if my dad answers the door, they will be yours in a heartbeat!


5. We spent major portions of the day on the beach.
Our rental house was right on the beach and- sadly for the sea turtles- very close to a sea turtle nest. We never saw any turtles, but that might be because we drug the kite, Frisbee, trucks, etc out of the caution-taped area every single day.
They put that caution tape there for us.
It was worthless.
Many sand castles were made and destroyed- the latter being the most fun part for little boys. And Henry was not afraid of the "sca-wy wat-ey" after all! I ran him in on one of the first days and he loved it after that. He kept chanting, "Fun Wat-ey!".
Here is Aunt Sister- the child magnet.
This is my cousin Marcus's wife, Holly's sister, Mary. Do you need a flow chart for that one?
Since Holly calls her, "sister" and SK {that cute baby right there} is going to call her "Aunt Sister", my kids took to that like cheetos. She is henceforth and evermore "Aunt Sister".

And since she is not yet a mommy, all the children flock to her. It's like they can smell the fun, creativity and freshness and long to be near the Fun Aunt. That's her!
And here's my favorite shot from the beach! This was push up 49 *ahem* sure...4. We got to hang out with Sally Kate. How can you not love this bathing beauty? We got to spend the whole week with her and fell in love with her cute little self! So precious!
Henry tried to teach her some new tricks about cords and blinds. 'Cause that's what older boy cousins do- ruin you for good! 3. I got some fun girl time with friends and bloggers!
This was a much- anticipated luncheon at our favorite Apalachicola Eatery, The Owl.
We had a wonderful luncheon and you see who was sans children? ME! That's Lane on the top left, then Holly with Sally Kate, Aunt Sister {Mary} with Lane's adorable son, Camp and emoi.
Look at those cute kiddos in the matching strollers! How 'bout that? They're already talking about an arranged marriage, which is obviously going to work from their already similar tastes. Here is my favorite shot of my blogging buddies. Mainly it's my favorite because Mary has a pelican on her head.
2. The St. George Island 4th of July Parade
This deserves it's own post. I took so many pictures that I made a little collage for you!
What do you think of my first collage attempt?
I can't begin to tell you about this parade without mentioning that my family was among the starters of this fine festivity. Over 20 years ago, my cousins and I would fill up a cooler full of water balloons, join the other dozen pick up trucks and drive down "the Strip" of the island and throw them at people, laughing and snorting all the way.

Now, the parade has turned into a FAAAIN-SEE affair with a long line of trucks, water guns, dogs with ads spray painted on their fur, flatbed trailers full of zany characters and a lawn chair twirling drill team.
I am not making any of this up. Our family truck entry, driven by my cousin Jacob, was decorated with a table cloth and some bathtub loofahs. Just click on the picture below here of my two cute Uncle Sams for my Flickr set of pictures from the parade.



1. Fireworks!!
Our rental house was near the center of the action for the fireworks, so we had a great view of the festivities! We celebrated with ice cream at 9:00 pmBut we forgot the ear plugs.
Thankfully the fireworks didn't last too late into the night and everyone went to sleep despite their sugar high.

Ahhh *sigh*. I would go back in a split second if I could. Do you have that one special getaway place that is perfect for you? St. George is definitely that for me and my family and I feel like I'm part of that small little piece of themiddleofnowhere that's like heaven on earth.

They accept me for my stolen shorts, they realize that my kids will destroy their sea turtle sanctuary {or maybe they don't} and they paint a picture perfect sunset most days. I won't even fault them for their over sized gadgets and lawn chair drill team. 'Cause friends forgive little things.
I'm still taking issue with the spray painted dog, but nowhere can be perfect.