Beach 2014 - A Much Needed Retreat

With my 11-month contract at work, my first vacation days came mid-June after a busy start to summer.  I was having major beach withdrawals and as soon as I uttered that phrase Tootsie started trying to find us a place to stay for a few nights in Destin.  How blessed (and probably spoiled) am I that my parents would throw together a beach trip for us all in just a few days?

The weather was beautiful, the water was crystal clear, and it was the perfect retreat.  Just what I needed!

Mark had packed up some of his homemade spaghetti for Turner - we didn't expect her to ask for that for lunch, which she ate in the back of my car and on the beach (out of a Tervis Tumbler) since the room wasn't ready for a few more hours when we arrived.

Turner loved playing in the waves this year and she's finally big enough (and a strong enough swimmer) for me to feel like she can be out there on her own without someone having their hands on her for support all the time as the waves crash in.  She became an expert wave rider and would play in the water until she was completely exhausted!

Of course we had our beach photo session and I laughed at Turner when she started down the walkway, turned around to me and said, "Mommy, you are supposed to be taking my picture while I walk down!" Goodness knows this isn't her first rodeo with beach pictures!

What really made me laugh was her posing and modeling like this was just an every-day occurrence. Most of these locations and poses she picked out herself!

Love this look - so true to her personality.

Now we are starting to get to "fake smile - let me stick my tongue through my extraordinarily large gap in my teeth" stage.

Then Turner determined that she wants to change into another dress we brought and have a multi-outfit photo shoot.  :)

Tootsie and Pop celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on Saturday. My Instagram post: "Happy 40th anniversary Tootsie and Pop! What a privilege to watch them live out "better, worse, richer, poorer, sickness, health" and to see them love each other more today than 40 years ago. Thank you for your example of a God centered marriage, full of laughter and life."

Saturday beach fun before we made the trip back to Auburn!

And this was how she spent nearly the entire ride back to Auburn!  Totally exhausted!

Thank you Tootsie and Pop for taking us to the beach!!!