Florida 2014

I'm a little behind as usual…In mid-June we took a trip back to the same resort we visited three years ago in Fort Walton Beach, FL.  "Azure" is the name of the resort and again, it did not disappoint!   

Also, just like three years ago, G-ma and G-pa C were there to share in the fun!  Gavin would have been in the picture, but he was NOT in the picture taking mood.  You will see more evidence of this through out this post.

It was as if Ava never left…she remembered the resort and felt right at home in the pool…

and on the beach!  

She was so excited everyday to get out in the water and only came inside when forced to take a break, eat or sleep.

For someone who HATES to be hot, she sure doesn't mind it if there's water involved.

Ava was a bit more adventurous this time around.  After a couple long talks with Dad, she was willing to give boogie boarding a "try".  She accomplished looking the part...

She walked out with Dan who helped her get on her board and then when the right wave came, Ava rode it all the way to the beach!  She was so excited and proud I even heard…"do you want to boogie board Ella? I can teach you how."  However, even with all that pride and enthusiasm, she only wanted to do it another 2 or 3 times before she had had enough.

Ella has changed leaps and bounds from the last time we were there, probably because she was only 1yr old last time.

She enjoyed the sand, loved jumping waves, but did not like being deeper than her thighs.  It didn't take much of a wave to go right over her head.

After seeing Ava's success, Ella was willing to "just lay on a board while Dad held on" for a picture.

Unfortunately, in true "Dad" fashion Dan thought if he could just get her to catch one wave and ride it in, she would have so much fun she'd want to do it again.  That did NOT happen.  Instead, Dan let go, Ella fell off and the wave went over her head.  She was furious!  And in true "Ella" fashion, she marched straight up to the towels and pouted for a bit.

Once she recovered from boogie boarding we headed up to the pool where Ella was much more relaxed.  She rarely got out of the pool and when she did it was usually to run through the fountains.  she even made it under the giant mushroom!  Three years ago she wouldn't go near it.

I will say her technique of ducking her head, closing her eyes and running through, did pose a problem a few times when she ran straight into the white pole in the middle!  I wish I was joking, but this did not surprise any of us!!

Ella swam more than she ever has in her life, but I think at the end of eight days she was ready to get back to her own bed.

Not to mention the vacation ended the day before Ella's 5th birthday!  We couldn't leave without doing a little celebrating so we sang "Happy Birthday" out on the deck and had cupcakes, before spending our last night in a wonderful place!

Gavin was kind of present three years ago…he and I came as one.  I was nervous about how he would be with the sand, would he get bored with the pool, would he be outgoing enough for the sprinklers/fountains and would he take the much needed NAPS!!??

I'm happy to say Gavin loved the sand.  He would cover his hands and himself...

throw some or dig like a dog, tossing sand all over anyone behind him...

and then rinse off and start all over again!

He did not want to be deeper than his knees in the ocean and would RUN from the water when a decent wave was headed in.  Dan tried to take him into the water to get him to loosen up.  He had fun, but still preferred the water just over his toes.

He had fun on the beach but he was much more comfortable at the pool like Ella.  He was probably the happiest when armed with a "gun".  He had to be told numerous times to stop spraying people and I'm not talking about the rest of us.

He even got a kick out of being squirted back.

It took a few days to get his confidence up enough to tackle the fountains.  He would get close, but as soon as the water sprinkled near his face he would back up and start over.

By our last day he was running through them...

and even sitting on top of them!

 He was getting closer to the bigger fountains, but never wanted to tackle the giant mushroom one with Ella.  He did go under it with Dad, which just ended in tears. 

Also, most importantly, Gavin took a nap everyday!!  He desperately needed each and every one!  Lots of fun + lots of sleep = a happy Gavin!

We started each day on the beach and it was usually less than an hour before the kids wanted to go up to the pool.  However, there was one day they lasted much longer at the beach and that's thanks to our little friend  "Hermie".

Here's a closer look…you can kind of make out his legs on the right side.  I don't know if hermit crabs are likely to bite or pinch, but Ava had her hands all over him without incidence. (there's not many things that girl wouldn't touch) None of us were successful in talking Ava into letting her new pet go. (somehow it became Ava's?)  Instead we ended up with two hermit crabs…"Hermie" and "Crabby"…very original.  They have since resided at G-ma and G-pa C's house….THANKFULLY!

I mentioned earlier how Gavin was not in the picture mood.  He did ok throughout the week, but on the last day when we tried to get some pictures of us all together he wanted no part of it.  Here is Take #1…Gavin's screaming and refused to look at the camera.

Take #2…He's not crying anymore, but still refusing to look.

Take #3…nope, still not having it!

 Take #4…finally!  Gavin would look at the camera and say cheese, but now Ava had so much pain in her ear she was hard to catch without tears.  (bad case of swimmers ear and infection)

Other than Ava's pain stricken face this one with G-ma and G-pa turned out good.

I made one last attempt to get all three kids smiling before the vacation came to an end…not too bad…Ava said "that's the best smile I can do with the pain".

We had so much fun and some much needed R&R!  I hope we make it back there again, maybe sooner than 3 years from now!!??