Wild and Beachy Adventures

For a few years now, I’ve been wanting to take an overnight trip or even just a long weekend to the beach. Any beach.

We’ve gone to Savannah/Tybee Island a couple of times over the years we’ve been here in Georgia. It’s always so miserable driving home sandy and salt watery(yes that’s a word).

Every year when summer came around, it just never seemed to happen. We either already had other trips planned or visitors coming. Having a baby in July 2012 kinda blew my beach plans that year!  But this year we finally made it happen! We knew Kaydin would have a blast, and Kamryn is old enough now to hopefully enjoy it and be able to play on her own.

So Michael picked the best weekend for him to take off work, and gave me the go ahead to book our beach getaway. There were so many decisions in planning this trip! Gulf or Atlantic? Which hotel? How many days? Not as easy as I thought!

So after we made all of those important decisions, the day finally came and we headed off to Panama City Beach FL! Kaydin was just a little excited can you tell? hahaha

The drive was a little over 5 hours

I had a really hard time choosing a hotel. Especially since we had never been there before and didn’t know the area. I relied on pictures and reviews on all of the travel websites, which can be scary! Ultimately I kept coming back to the same hotel so that’s what I went with.

2 things that sold me:

(view from our balcony)

And this….

I wanted to be able to walk to the beach/room, have an amazing view, and have a decent pool. Check, check, and check!

Now the hotel/room itself wasn’t the greatest by any means. Definitely needed some updating! But it worked for the 2 nights we were there.

The first morning Michael took the kids down to the beach to reserve a set of chairs/umbrella while I was still getting snacks and things ready. I spy Kaydin near the water – white shirt red shorts and Michael sitting under the umbrella? M was probably texting me at that point “how much longer? Kamryn is screaming her head off!”

Yep, she hated the beach. She hated the sand. She hated the water.(noise of it maybe) She hated wearing her hat etc.

She liked the juice and snacks however! Some things never change 

So the boys played and swam….

HAHAHA…oh Kamryn

And found some unwanted friends in the water 

 

And us girls did this…..

I caught her “playing in the sand.”  Notice she’s not touching the sand at all!

 

This picture sums up our beach adventure this go around

~Michael in the water

~Kaydin playing in the sand

~Kamryn screaming on the chair

~Momma taking pics of everyone

 

I did get to have some fun though too!

I got her to play IN the sand a little!

And out in the water, but not IN the water….little stinker. I may have dunked her a few times

 

After 2 nights in PC, we headed to our next stop for the trip. Our favorite amusement park Wild Adventures! It was on our way home so we just couldn’t resist. 

Here we are on the safari train

Kamryn LOVED the water park this time! We were so relieved especially after her being so awful at the beach.

She had a blast!

Know how I know she had a blast?

This is how……. 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I great time was had by all. Kaydin keeps asking when we’re going to go to Panama City Beach again. I just say maybe next summer! 

Busy-er May!

May was very busy for us – with school coming to an end and summer getting started!

Kaydin still had soccer the first couple weeks of May

My handsome dude 

Daddy even made it to most of the Saturday games from work!

Had to have my bag of tricks(snacks) to try to keep Kamryn occupied so that I could watch the game. That and keeping her buckled in the stroller almost always did the trick 

Kaydin had a great experience playing on his first soccer team!

On Mother’s day this year, the Sac Fam headed to Wild Adventures!

Me and my babies(drinking their Icees)

I took Kamryn to change her diaper, and returned to find that Michael had made a new friend. LOL

My crazy herd

Next up…..Kaydin graduated from Pre-K!

I did not appreciate them plopping that funky visor on his nicely brushed hair! ~sigh~  Oh well, I really can’t believe he left it on!

All of the kids performed a few songs

Then the Pre-K class did a special song just for the big kids.

Our big boy is going to be in Kindergarten next year!

After school got out, it was time for some real fun!!

We crashed/joined some family and spent a few days at Disney World! Michael wasn’t able to get off work, so it was just me and my crazy kids for a few days away.

Yes I take pictures while I drive…..and I’m quite good at it

It’s usually a 5-6hr drive, but after 2 potty(diaper change) stops and a lunch break it took us closer to 7.

Our first full day at Disney, the kids and I walked over to the Polynesian Resort and hopped a ride on the Monorail. Here is Kaydin standing underneath the monorail track!

We got off the monorail at the Transportation Center and hitched a ride back to the hotel on a bus. Here they are on the “big bus”

We went back to the hotel for naps, then went for a dip in the pool.

Since it was just me with the 2 kids, I have limited pictures especially at the pool . A lot of selfies

Here are all the kids + Uncle Thom hanging out after dinner that night. Green shirt does NOT belong with us – looks like Kamryn was making a friend.  Kid sized chairs and cartoon area – gotta love Disney!

For our first park adventure, I decided Epcot would be the best choice. Originally it was me and my 2 kids going by ourselves, so I figured Epcot had the most rides that all 3 of us could ride together. Then at the last minute, Aunt Karen decided to join us! Score!

The kids are ready to go!

Here’s Kaydin and his buddy Aunt Karen on the monorail to Epcot

Kamryn’s first Disney ride was the Nemo ride

Here she is checking out the fishies with Aunt Karen.

I think this was the boat ride in Mexico

I always think I’m going to cut myself out when taking selfies with the camera…hence the long neck Lol

It was sooooo hot! Luckily we were able to find rides that were indoors and somewhat air conditioned.  We lasted until late afternoon, then headed back to the hotel for naps. I think we ALL napped! We were wiped out.

The next day we headed out for a full day at the Magic Kingdom!

Totally bribed them with that candy Can we go now mom?

AK went to a character breakfast with some of the fam before they headed home, so I was going to take the kids over to the kingdom myself and she would meet up with us there.

Piece of cake right? I thought so….

Until it came time to get us all on the bus to get over to the Kingdom. You have to fold up strollers to get on the bus – I wasn’t prepared for that.

This was our loaded down stroller!

I had to take everything off of the stroller, fold the stroller up, carry it and all the bags/stuff plus get both kids onto the bus by myself. It was tough, not gonna lie!

But we made it! Our first stop at the Kingdom was to get Miss Kamryn some ears!!

Clearly she loved them 

I could not get a pic of her wearing them. I’m pretty happy with this one though! They sit atop her lamp on her dresser in her room just like her big brothers’

It was super hot again, but the wait times weren’t bad. We were able to ride everything Kaydin requested in a fairly short amount of time.

Kamryn loved It’s a Small World

Dumbo

It looks like she’s screaming, but she really liked it!

Jungle Cruise

Kamryn’s favorite, the YeeHaws

Sweet little pink sweaty faces

The line was short, so I took her for a second ride

A pic by Rapunzel’s tower

Teacups with my boy!

Kaydin and I got a special treat – we got to ride the brand new 7 Dwarfs Mine Ride! Somehow it opened a few days early and we landed fast passes!

It was so fun, I think it replaced Big Thunder Mtn. as Kaydin’s favorite!

We had a great time at Disney. We headed back home the next day and took a few days to rest and relax and recover.

Until our next adventure…….