At the Keller family Easter, some of Mark's family members were talking about how they were going to vacation to Gulf Shore in July. Everyone got to talking about how it would be so much fun if everyone went and it just kinda snowballed from there. The whole Keller family was in for the craziness, besides Uncle Patrick, Aunt Sarah, and baby Michael. Patrick didn't have enough vacation days to spare. Also, Mark's Aunt Debbie decided it would be a great time to marry her long time fiance Randy on the beach! The count down was on!!! This Keller family was pumped!! Madison was so excited to see the ocean, she asked about every month if we were getting ready to go to the beach. The day finally came. We started our destination to Fort Morgan, Alabama around 12:30 a.m. on Friday July 27th. Mark and I told Madison before bed that we would be waking her up in the middle of the night to put her in the car to head to the beach. I guess we should have explained ourselves a little better because she did not fall back asleep until 3:30 a.m. The poor girl thought we were going to be there soon and that she was going to miss out on seeing the beach for the first time. Bless her heart! She asked about every half hour if we remembered her swim suits, her sun hat, her beach toys, ect. She finally gave it up and I drove in peace and quiet till about 5:00 a.m. Mark took over from there and we made it with one food stop and a couple of potty/gas breaks around 1:30 p.m. Grant had a couple of melt downs and we found out soon enough Madison is pretty picky about restroom cleanliness and appearance. She wouldn't go if it wasn't up to her standards. I swear!! I think everyone was ready to get out of the car.
We stayed at a beach house called the "Luck Dog". It was located right on the beach. All we had to do was cross the road and our feet were in the sand!! Grandpa and Grandma Keller along with Uncle Brian, Aunt Sarah, their children and our Keller clan all stayed at the "Lucky Dog". It was cozy but a perfect house for the little ones. It had an upper deck that the kids could play on. Mark thought to bring our blow up pool and that ended up being the perfect spot for it. We could also see dolphins in the morning and afternoon from the deck. Pretty awesome! Attached to the open deck was a screened in porch. It was perfect for watching the calm beach in the morning, and relaxing at night with a beer and good company. We couldn't have asked for better! The McCall's and soon to be Beegle's stayed three houses down from us and rest of the family stayed about a half mile down the beach from us. All together I think there were a little over a forty of us!!!
All the grand kids testing out Poppy and Grandma's bed when we first got into the house.
After we all got settled in, decided who got what rooms, and a bite to eat, we headed to the beach! It really was like having our own private beach! Very nice!!!
Grant figuring out the sand for the first time. He didn't quite know about it at first, but he learned to love it.
Toes in the sand.......
The Schumacher's testing out the water for the first time. Grace and Adam loved it. Especially Adam, he was a fish!!
Madison testing out the water.......not to sure!! She actually looks a little scared.
Grant's first water test......I think he likes it!!
Awe......my two men!
Most of the clan, minus a few.
Our one and only beach family shot we got the whole trip. Madison was being so stubborn. But I'll take it!
Day two at the beach. Bright and sunny day. Madison found some shells she thought were pretty neat.
Mark thought this was a pretty good way to spend vacation. I would have to agree!!
Day three. The water was pretty choppy this day and it was over cast. By day three the kids were use to the water and refused to wear wings or life jackets. I think Madison loved the freedom a little too much! I also think by day three we all figured out it took a long time to get five kids ages three and under out the door! It never failed, once we made it out the door, someone was either hungry, had to go number two, or was crying about something! Lots and lots of patience!
My beach beauty!
Day four. The weather was the same as the day before, but the water was really choppy this day! I had a really good video from this day, but it wouldn't load for some reason. The girls thought they were surfers and decided to test out the boogie boards. Maddie's got some form.
Burying Daddy's feet.
Today was the day to build a sand castle Daddy style.
Grant was a wonderful helper.
Then the girls decided they wanted to be buried.
Grace and Maddie showing off their muscles!
By noon Grant had decided he had had enough. Sleepy boy on the beach. It really was the weirdest thing, Grant would fall asleep every morning on the beach. He doesn't take a morning nap anymore so I thought it was a little weird. But then we thought maybe the sound of the waves were so relaxing it made him fall asleep, or it was all the playing, sun, or just not sleeping the best in his pack-n-play. But it happened everyday. Even when he was in the water he would not really play, he would just snuggle close to Mark or I. On the last day Mark's cousin Ryan mentioned he might be sea sick. We both looked at each other and thought that could be it, because every time we took him back to the beach house, he would wake up and be his normal self. Then when we got home Mark made a good point, Grant has never liked to swing. So maybe we do have a motion sickness kid?
Mark of course had to get all engineer like and make tunnels for water to pass through.
Madison and Grace thought it was pretty awesome!
I tried to get a picture of Madison and Mark with their sand castle, but of course Madison would not cooperate. Mark was just being cheesy making Madison mad.
Then they had to make little forts around the big sand castle.
The grand finale!! Pretty awesome Daddy!!
On day five we decided to get out of the beach house and sight see a little. We headed only about three miles down the road to the end of the peninsula, the actual Fort Morgan from the Civil War. I didn't really think I would enjoy it very much, but it was pretty interesting. Mark loves history so he was pretty pumped.
There were no tour guides, you were kinda just on your own to roam the fort. Which was probably a good thing with our crew. The kids would have been such a distraction. They basically just ran everywhere! The old arched tunnels were so neat. It was like a maze. I guess they housed people, ammo, cannons, whatever. If the walls could talk!
We figured these were the horses stables.
So many cool tunnels!
Family photo opportunity with the awesome tunnels and cool looking brick.
The Schumachers did much better than we did. Madison was having one of her finer moments.
These pictures were taken from up on top of the fort.
Grant loved to run through the tunnels.
At least we had one happy child!!
The one and only picture I got of the two the whole day, sitting on a cannon! After we left the fort, we decided to treat ourselves to dining out. With five kids we had to pick wisely!! But we made it the two times we did venture out. We ate so well the whole week. Vickie basically brought a grocery store to us, and Steve picked up fresh shrimp and grouper from a near by store twice. I think Mark and I both gained some pounds on vacation week!
Day six, wedding day!!!!
Here comes the Bride.....and Groom? Poor Randy broke his entire leg two weeks before vacation. He was a trooper for still making the trip. He only got out of their beach house the day of the wedding. At least he had a beautiful view to look at.
The ceremony was beautiful with lots of meaning. Debbie was a little emotional. It was just a awesome moment I was glad to be apart of.
But poor Mark on the other hand, did not get to see or hear the ceremony at all. Grant was being a pistol. He hadn't taken a nap all day! The one and only day he didn't fall asleep on the beach! Mark chased him the entire time. Grant also thought he could just get in the water like every other day, so Mark was soaked and covered in sand. I felt really bad for him. After the ceremony everyone went back to Pat, Peggy, Janice, Dale, Deann, and Henry's beach house to eat. Everyone was sharing pictures and Mark was chasing Grant in the back ground of all the shots.
Mark's cousin Kelly, Debbie's daughter, got engaged while on vacation to her long time boyfriend Brent. Debbie sure had an exciting vacation! Kelly and Brent reenacted for some photo opportunities.
Second cousin Audrey loved Madison's accessories.
Poppy Steve with all his beautiful sisters.
Madison finally let me take some pictures of her, too bad Grant wasn't in the mood. It never happens at the same time.
Tired boy from all is running.
Debbie and Randy's new proud family. Debbie's son Kyle just got engaged as well to Cassie a couple of months ago. It's going to be a busy next couple of years!
Very beautiful sister-in-laws I must say!
Beautiful picture of Grandma and Poppy!
I love my boy!
Grant still running around like a mad man. That is actually our beach house in the back ground. It was nice to just walk out our front door for the wedding. Very relaxed! Besides Grant-O!
Grandpa Dude with his children.
A better shot of our beach house, with Grant and Adam I'm sure up to no good.
My handsome husband and I.
I love you honey!!!!!! Forever and always.
The washed up log or post kept the kids entertained for a little while.
The beautiful Brian and Sarah one moment away from kiddos hanging on their legs!
All four of our foot prints in the sand. It's really funny that Grant's and Madison's are the same size. They are in the same shoe size right now!
Day seven. Last day on the beach before leaving for Illinois.
Grant's favorite past time on the beach......sleeping.
Aunt Sarah thought to bring this tent for the kids to get out of the sun when they needed. It ended up being the perfect spot of snacks.
Grace and Madison enjoying Poppy and Grandma's bed for the last time.
One last family photo. It had been a long, but fast week!
We ended the last night with sparklers on the beach and the girls splitting the shells they had collected all week. We brought little containers filled with sand and shells for the girls take home.
Madison loving on Uncle Brian. Grace and Madison played so well together. I know Madison had Grace with-drawls for a couple of weeks after we got home!
The Schumacher's headed out that night once the kids got sleepy. Mark and I decided to head out the next morning after a nights sleep with Grandma and Poppy. On day eight, we left around 8:30 a.m. or so, and didn't make it to our front door till around midnight. We hit lots of traffic and stopped to eat a couple of times. The kids were great though. Not one meltdown the entire ride home!
To sum up Gulf Shore Vacation 2012 was in one word "awesome"! It is definitely a lot of work with kids, but all well worth it!!
