Pensacola 2014: Days One Through Four

We returned last week to Pensacola for our second annual beach trip with Nola, Nopsi, Aunt E, Uncle Jeff, and Kate. And since we took my brand new car (with its built-in DVD player) on its first road trip, Kenny and I decided to turn Rory’s seat around to front-facing. Mostly so he could watch movies with his brother. Priorities, you know.

We left early on the morning after the Fourth and drove straight to Pensacola, as opposed to stopping in Loxley at the farmer’s market and in Gulf Shores at Lulu’s (like we did last year). MUCH preferable. We ate lunch at a place very close to our rental house to fill our bellies and kill some time before the house was ready for us. Shaggy’s was a happening place right on the water (the sound side), the food was tasty, and Valerie took great care of us.

Then it was time to check out our home for the next seven days. Unlike last year, the house we rented this year was on the sound side, not the Gulf side. Nopsi’s main request was to be able to bring his boat, so that meant we needed a place with a dock. Hence, the Fleur de Sound.

Its four bedrooms, three bathrooms, ample outside deck and seating areas, and crow’s nest (providing a 360-degree view over the house’s roofline) were more than adequate for our needs.

In fact, because we had our very own private stretch of sand just off the back of the house, we only went over to the Gulf side twice. The kids loved playing in the sand and in the sound, and the adults loved having shade and bathrooms and snacks and drinks so readily available to us.

We let the kids play in the sand for a bit that first afternoon before heading inside to unpack and start the bedtime routine. After a bit of silliness in the morning, we headed out to enjoy the gorgeous Florida sun on our first full day. Nopsi even took most of us on a boat ride before lunch.

After nap and snack, we were back out for the rest of the afternoon. As I expected, Rory didn’t want anything to do with the sand, so he stayed on the concrete and played. It took him about three days before he allowed me to sit him in the sand for an extended period of time.

With dinnertime approaching, we got the kids inside, bathed, and decked out in PJs. There is nothing like rinsing off the salt and the sunscreen and the sweat at the end of a beach day. Glorious. Evenings would become some of my favorite times of the week. But that’s another post for another day.

The next day was much of the same…..

  

…..until we got the tubing equipment out and decided to go on a couple of runs before lunch. Uncle Jeff went solo, and then I took Riley for his first ride. He did not want to even get on the boat at first but then he didn’t want to get off the tube. Success.

Lunch, naps, snacks, and then back outside. We even let the kiddos get really messy with popsicles before dinner. Then everyone headed in to clean up and prepare to do it all again the next day.

Our third day was another great one, and Erin and I spent much of it enjoying the moments with our own eyes instead of through our camera lenses. Riley and Kate spent lots of their time together, which was so cute to watch.

 

 

Seen enough pictures yet? Don’t worry. There’s plenty more to come. I have at least four more beach posts to put up. Y’all just may be tired of them once it’s all said and done!