Rosemary Beach…Family Vacation Recap

I think we need to start turning our one week beach vacations into a two week adventure…by the time we get good and settled and start working on a nice tan, it’s time to leave, and this time was oh so bittersweet. We had one heck of a time in one of our favorite beach towns and were sad to say goodbye, but here is a little look back at our fun-filled trip!
Saturday we packed up the car and left at the crack of dawn to have plenty of time for road tripping, and arrived in Rosemary for a late lunch at Wild Olives/Bistro 104. Of course we all had to start off with seafood and fresh blackened cobia sandwiches hit the spot! Afterwards, we checked in to the house we rented…can I say unbelievable? It was the PERFECT location, with incredible views and plenty of space-I’m hoping we can rent this beauty again because we loved it that much! After unpacking, Mom, Dad, and I headed to the grocery store to stock up on all the essentials we would need for the week. That night, we headed over to Seagrove to Angelina’s for pizza and pasta, which is ALWAYS a hit, and a first-night tradition we hold near and dear.

Sunday, we got up early (thanks to Caroline who doesn’t believe in sleeping in, even on vacation) and saw it was going to be a bit of a chilly day (that means 70 and windy for beach speak). We still headed down to the beach with all our gear, set up shop, and made the best of it. No water action that day, but we still had plenty of sunshine! That night, Jeff and Dad grilled grouper for us while us girls indulged in some fun beverages…P.S. yes, I FINALLY found the non-alcoholic wine/champagne everyone has been telling me about and HOLY MOLY it is amazing! Tastes just like the real deal which I was shocked by, and at a mere $8 a bottle, you cannot go wrong. This momma most certainly had her fair share of “fimosas” (fake mimosas) all week. After dinner, we walked over to the yummy Sugar Shak for some much needed ice cream and candy!

On Monday, we spent the entire day at the beach..from pictures, you might be able to tell that Caroline wasn’t the biggest fan of the sand, as she would draw her little feet up like a hermit crab any time we attempted to set her down in, but she sure enjoyed playing with her sandcastle toys with Jeff. She was perched in her beach tent pretty much all day, and then would walk to her beach chair for some sippy cup action. That night, we went to another favorite, Great Southern, so the boys could have fresh oysters and I could have shrimp and grits, AND key lime pie. We came back home and had game night, with a round of Ticket to Ride, our favorite thinking/strategy game.

Tuesday brought warmer temperatures, so some of the extended family came over for a visit. We spent time at the beach in the morning, and then hung out on the lawns that afternoon so Caroline could walk while we played games. That evening, we kept it simple and stayed at the house and cooked out hot dogs and hamburgers…all american I tell you!

By mid-week, the winds had died down and the perfect, 80 degree weather was just what the doctor ordered…Caroline finally got to use her new swim float, which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, and she loved every minute of it. We spent nearly all day getting some sun, reading, and entertaining Jeff with beach and pool games. Jeff and I got all dressed up and went on a solo date night to V Seagrove for dinner, since I had been wanting to eat there.

Thursday brought more fun in the sun action, as I went over to Watercolor to spend some time with one of my favorite bloggers, Samma from Spice and Sass, and her adorable Dell Harper. I was so glad we finally got to meet since we know a lot of the same people from Knoxville and our girls definitely had fun taking over the beach club kiddie pool. That night, we went to eat dinner at another one of our local faves, The Red Bar. It’s so funny taking Caroline to loud restaurants, because that is where she thrives… girl loves her some music and lots of people watching! She was in prime form that evening, entertaining table after table with her antics. After another night of games back at the house, we hit the sack so we could be all rested for our last day.

Aunt Meg arrived in town bright and early Friday morning so Jeff headed over to the airport to pick up our precious cargo. We spent the morning at the beach, dined at the Cowgirl Kitchen for lunch, and then spent the afternoon lounging on the lawn and taking a dip in the pool. That night, Meg’s dad Bob came over for an al fresco dinner with us and we had a ball…never a dull moment with my “other family”!

It was a WONDERFUL trip, one that I can look back on fondly as our last little trip as a family of three. I know next year’s beach vacay will bring about non-stop craziness with two tiny ones to chase after…Lord I can’t wait!
Thanks for letting me spill all the details of our family “babymoon”!