Florida Vacation 2018

Great egret sitting on the fence at our condo. 

Florida Vacation 2018

Dana, Kenny & Gabriel Koogler

Adam, Crystal, Michael and Tessa Lindsey

Sunday May 27 through Sunday June 3, 2018

Florida Vacation Pix

   We planned way back in January to take a vacation together as a family.   It was the first time we'd been to the beach in ten years!  It was also the first time in a long time we'd been on a trip like this with our extended family.   It was Gabriel's first trip ever to the beach and his first flight on an airplane.   First time ever booking a condo on the beach.   It turned out to be a good  decision.   The company we used was super and I'd go with them again in a second. 

We had been to the Gulf Coast of Florida once before, but that time we stayed in Destin.  

We were eager to see what the area further down the coast was like.

Nanny and Tessa swimming.  Michael in the background. 
I gotta say... I always loved the water as a kid and have never stopped loving it.
I love the ocean AND the pool or the river or whatever.... I can out swim the kids or grandkids most times.  It is a real triumph when you're a grandmother and are the last one out of the water. 
Tessa is probably the most like me for not thinking water is cold.  

      
   Adam, Crystal and the kids went down a week earlier than us.  They went to Disney World to celebrate Adam's return from a military deployment.  It was also a celebration of school being out for the kids and Crystal.   She got teacher of the month the last month of the year!

Way to go!   Gabriel does not travel well in a car for long distances so we'd booked a flight on 

Allegiant air.   It was a package deal.   It is far more affordable and it is nice to be able to go to Florida and have it only take one hour and 20 minutes as opposed to a twelve hour drive.

We had packed and planned for all sorts of contingencies.   Our luggage was sent ahead with 

Crystal and Adam in the back of the truck.   A hurricane came up the coast the evening we were to fly out. We called the kids in Clearwater and they said not to worry that it was missing them and it would be ok.   We headed to the airport on schedule.  Long story short it turned into a fiasco that just couldn't be helped.   The flight was delayed due to weather and flooding.

We had a five hour wait at the airport instead of a two hour wait.   

Papaw Michael and Gabe. Adam in the corner of the frame.
     We finally made it to Clearwater and the condo and got to bed at four in the morning.
Monday we were groggy, but did get out and enjoy the beach.  The condo was everything we'd hoped and more.   It was spacious and beautiful. It was like having vacation in a Better Homes & Gardens magazine house!  Three bedrooms. Three bathrooms. Spacious kitchen and living area. Balcony with bikes for the beach. Ocean kayaks for the water.  Cart to tote all your stuff to the beach.  Private beach. Private pool and lounge area.  Very family oriented place.  Redington Shores is lovely.   We soaked up the sun. We dug in the sand. We swam in the pool. We swam in the ocean.  We picked up shells.  We ate too much. We slept late and took naps.
We shopped on Monday... the one day it rained.  We hit up lots of thrift stores in Clearwater.
It was great fun.   We enjoyed some fantastic seafood.   It was great spending time with my kids and grandkids.   We checked out Anna Maria island which was beautiful. 

Adam being funny imitating a whale for us with a pool noodle.
       We didn't want to leave when it was time to go.  We are already looking forward to the next Florida vacation.   One hilarious moment was when my sweet daughter Crystal said she liked the bedspreads on the childrens beds so much she was tempted to leave the condo owners a $100 bill on the counter with a note saying I took one of your bedspreads. Gitchyall another un.
I figured out who made the spreads. Adam found it online.  We were able to order us brand new Bealls of Florida bedspread sets for 40% off and free shipping!  No tee shirts or snow globes for mementos of this trip. We got something better! New bedrooms with a light airy motiff of Florida. Crystal's was sea horses and fish and it is lovely. Mine is floral and named Evangeline after the Acadian legend.   Doesn't get more Southern than that.  
Shop Bealls OUTLET... not so much Bealls of Florida.. The outlet stores are where you save big.   Great quality stuff at discount prices.  My final souvenir of the trip was making a wreath for my bedroom out of the shells I collected.  I had to buy one, but the rest I picked up. I was only finding broken shells, but I decided it didn't matter.  They were pretty anyhow.

 

    Papaw Gabe and Tessa in the surf. 

    The Long Pier was closed for renovations so we did not get to enjoy it.  It was taken over by brown pelicans who were using it as their base for fishing! 



Crystal and Michael on the boogie boards in the surf.

Gabe and the toy wheel barrow.


Gabriel liked the beach a lot. First time to the ocean!

Adam, Tessa and Michael. Michael was like a fish. He was in constant motion.

This was Anna Maria Island.  It is nice, but it was not as good a beach as Redington Shores.  There is a large drop off to the water not shown here.

  

Our family photo. We planned this from the beginning. It is pretty good, but we got a beam of light on Gabe's face.  but watch this.....



You can see the gradual deterioration of the family photo. Gabe has no beam of light on his face, but he has begun the schlump that says let me go! I'm over it.  Oh it gets worse...



And now Gabe is in full blown toddler melt down.  You better get it right the first time cause with toddlers you don't get do overs. Ah well... that's reality.  You learn not to take yourselves so seriously.

Our new Beall's of Florida bedspread. I love it!

And my new seashell wreath I made.