You Can't Handle the Cute: Florida, oh Florida!

So, we've returned from our trip to Destin, FL, and it's time for some reporting and reflection.

Bonsai Children

"I driving!"

Baby in a Box!

For those of you who aren't aware, we drive to Florida. It's a huge long ordeal. Luckily, our children are used to being tortured in the Bonsai tradition. As we were packing for the trip, Sean discovered Ainsley preparing herself for the drive. Notice how she contains herself within a 1X1 box.

Xander is less arduous about his trip preparations. As a matter of fact, this year, he didn't prepare at all. However, the drive down to Florida must have conditioned him well because once we got there, all he wanted to do was return to his natural Bonsai position.

The Beach! (...or My Kids Don't Like Sand)

Parker Ladies: Loving Said Beach

The cottages in Destin are probably one of my favorite places to stay. They have a pool (my favorite part of any vacation) and they're just across the street from the beach. As I don't go into bodies of water that support life other than humans and I don't really like the pervasiveness of sand, the Gulf and the beach don't hold much appeal to me. The Parkers, however, love it. So, I go. Plus, I do enjoy playing in the sand with the kids...oh yeah, and I don't want my clearly insane water issues to wear off on my kids.

This year, we took a bunch of beach toys...and they were greatly enjoyed. We didn't make a monstrous sand castle like some of the other families around us, but A and X didn't care. Ainsley like dumping the water that I went out to get onto the sand within 10 seconds of my giving it to her. ...And, well, Xander enjoyed smashing things around on the sand. Video evidence below.

The kids really enjoyed hanging out under the umbrella with Grandma...it created for some ridiculous cute pictures.

Ultimately, the sand would wear out Xander, who would pass out and be super cute in a towel.

Ainsley would continue to play in, and then reject, the sand.

Dad's Giant Barge Thing

Dad's Giant Barge Thing

This year, Dad bought this float thing for the Gulf. Admittedly, it looked really cool. However, please reference my previous statement re: water that supports life other than humans. Also, I've watched an OBSCENE amount of Shark Week, and I know that they're curious beasts that would clearly check out a giant floating thing. Also, FYI, Dad, after Sean showed me this today, I likely won't be going on boats much in the future. Plus, pools are AWESOME! What?!

The Story of Chomps and Andy

This is the annoyed face
of almost heat stroke.

So, Wyndham has this faux Build-a-Bear thing that they do, and we thought it'd be fun to take the kids and make them stuffed animals. Debbie, the kids, and I walked from the cottages to the main resort place. It was small walk, and a gajillion degrees, and I'm out of shape. I believe at one point I sent a text to Sean indicating that I was going to have heat stroke and die. As you know, I lived. Xander, on the other hand, passed out quite nicely.

Loving Andy

Ainsley decided to make a dog. Sean asked her if it was a boy or a girl; she said yes.

Sean: So, it's androgynous?

Sleeping with Chomps

Ainsley: Yes.

Sean: What's its name, then? Andy?

Ainsley: Yes, Andy!

My dad made Xander's stuffed animal--a crocodile named, appropriately, Chomps. Xander greatly enjoyed Mr. Chomps. Particularly as a pillow.

Family Pictures

Super talented Alysse took some pictures of the Stewarts while we were there...and below are some of the gems. She has an uncanny knack for getting awesome pictures!