Rosemary Beach 2014

We started out this summer with a bang!  This past week, the Wednesday after Memorial Day, we piled the truck up to the brim and traveled the skip hop and jump over to Rosemary Beach, FL for our first family trip.  We stayed in the most amazing little carriage house with two bedrooms in the best location: one block off the beach and a very quick bike ride or stroll to one of the four pools in Rosemary.  We are already planning our next trip, to stay in the exact same place.  {If you want any information feel free to email me: nattyroe at gmail dot com}

The kids all slept in the same room and, besides staying up a little late each night giggling and talking in their room before finally falling asleep, did wonderfully and didn't skip a beat.  Stephen and I enjoyed slow leisurely morning coffee and calm breezy afternoon happy hour out on our little balcony each day.  Emory and Jacob took naps {go Emory!} during which the rest of us rested, took turns taking Bennett to the pool, and shopped a little in town {me ;)}.

Bennett just finished swimming lessons the last week of school so he was primed and ready for the pool.  The other two, well that's a different story.  All three kids of mine happen to be quite "cautious" of the water, to say the least.  They are actually terrified.  A pretty strange conundrum when you live in a coastal city and, up until this point, had a beach house and pool at our disposal.  Not like they haven't been around water since {before} birth!  Stephen and I took turns torturing Emory and Jacob that first day in the indoor pool {thank goodness it wasn't crowded and their screams fell on few ears}.  They  both warmed up a little after awhile, but only at their own pace.

They spent much of the trip in their puddle jumpers {thank goodness - last year that was a battle in and of itself} and "swimming" on the steps, but by the last day both would come out a little deeper into the pool with us.  Bennett is also a bit cautious by nature but was a little fish - swimming/jumping/playing/never wanting to leave.  I am devastated that I did not get a single picture - real or iPhone - of him swimming.  He was in constant motion and making friends with the other kids and I guess I just didn't spend as much time right there with him TO take a picture.  *tear*

We went to the actual beach twice and the first morning there they all ran down to the surf excitedly - until it crashed and engulfed them in spray/surf.  Jacob and Emory wanted nothing more to do with those crashing waves from that point on and were perfectly fine parking themselves in the sand with their buckets.  Bennett ventured into the gulf with Stephen, half heartedly, but also ultimately preferred playing in the ankle deep water and sand.

As you can see it was rainy/overcast our entire stay.  I kept checking the radar praying the forecast would miraculously change.  It did not, but thankfully it only fully rained the first day and the other two days we were able to pretend like it was sunny.  It was actually nice not having to worry too much about getting too much sun.  We visited the beach briefly our last morning and they all were a little braver and more adventurous that morning. {aren't they always that way on the last day?}

MAAAMAAAAA I nee my SUN-GASSSSS-ESSSSSS!

She kept pushing herself closer and closer to the waves, wanting them to touch her feet.
Again, at her own sweet slow pace :)

...1...

...2...

...and 3...
He was soaked.  It was SO funny ;)

Rosemary really is such a kid friendly place/pace.  Not to mention it's easy on the eyes for the mommas and the daddies {who appreciate that kind of thing ;)}.  We rode our bikes everywhere - to dinner, ice cream, sight seeing, to the pool{s}, donuts in the morning, and the beach in the evening.  Since it rained/was cloudy the entire trip, we did venture out in the truck a few times to "kill time" - the first night we stopped by The Red Bar in Grayton, which was cute and loud and good for kids.  There are only about five things on the menu but they all sounded amazing and my grouper was phenomenal.  We also drove over to Local Catch, which I had completely forgotten a high school friend owned, and also had a wonderfully kid friendly meal - not to mention delicious. {Get the nachos!!!! Oh my...}

A few other notables were The Donut Truck in Alys Beach {short bike ride away}, Summer Kitchen Cafe {easy lunch after swimming in the indoor swimming pool the first rainy day}, and Cowgirl Kitchen {fun panoramic lunch outside one day, take out pizza the last night}.

The most amazing part of the trip was just being a family of five, uninterrupted, for five days and four nights.  Stephen and I both realized we didn't feel the urge to "go home" like we usually do after that many days, simply because we WERE home - we were all together.
It was intoxicating.
I am so greatly blessed by these people of mine and the Great God who let me borrow them for awhile.