Dauphin Island 2014

Part I

Let me tell you how wonderful our vacation was!!!  I will admit that I planned this vacation with the thought that I don't have many years left to do family vacations with all of my girls at home together.  I had never taken the girls to the beach.  It is not the top on my list of things to do on vacation.  Don't get me wrong, I love the beach, but you can only do so many things at the beach.  Plus a 9 hour car ride with three kids didn't sound like a lot of fun to me.  Man....was....I....wrong..!!!

First we headed out Wednesday morning, June 4th.  We hadn't gotten the garage door closed all the way down when Molly asked the first time, "Are we to the beach yet?"  I knew it was not going to stop, so I decided to keep a count of the number of times she asked on the way there.  I kept tick marks on my information folder.  The big girls were asleep in no time and they slept until we got into Louisiana. 

 

The first stop was at Duck Commander in West Monroe.  We got a couple of t-shirts, but unfortunately didn't see any of the crew.  Sophie was really wanting to see Uncle Si, so she was a little disappointed.  But we directed her attention back to our destination and she was just fine.

 

We stopped in Jackson, Mississippi to eat.  Then stopped again in Mobile for groceries and gas.  Sadie fell in love with Alabama!  Everyone was so friendly and nice.  She said she wanted to move there.

 

After about 10 long hours in the car total, and 27 times that Molly asked, "Are we to the beach yet?", and about 4 naps for Sadie, and about 14, "I'm hungry." from Sophie......we finally arrived!!

 

The house was wonderful.  The beach was wonderful.  The sand was wonderful.  The water was wonderful.  The sound of the waves were wonderful.  It was pretty cool. 

 

 

I loved watching the girls love it.  I loved watching them play.  I loved sitting on the deck and just looking out over in amazement.  I loved there were no mosquitos, flies, and chiggers.  I loved that I got to sleep in the bed by myself.  I loved that we cooked out and ate in.  I loved that I got to take my girls on a beach vacation.  I loved that I actually loved it as much as they did.  I loved that I thought Larry would be miserable, but he participated and had fun too.  I loved I was the coolest Mom EVER, at least for four days.  I loved Dauphin Island. 

 

 

 

I took 923 pictures while we were there.  I have narrowed them down to 424.  I just can't part with any less than that.  I am going to make me a photobook with them all, even if I have to take out a loan to do it.  I am also going to make a photo video of them all, even if I have to break it into two parts.  I loved my pictures!!

 

Molly HATED the waves.  She decided that when we first got there.  She loved to play in the sand.  She loved the water, but when she could see a wave building up and rolling in, she would take off running fiercely!  It just freaked her out!  You can see the intense look of determination as she is running away from the waves. 

 

 

Sadie and Sophie on the other hand, LOVED the waves!  The bigger the better.  Sophie absolutely rode the waves the whole time we were there.  Sadie and I decided that if we lived there, Sophie would definitely be a 'surfer chic'! 

 

 



There are actually some pictures with me in them, which rarely ever happens.  But I am super proud of those pictures, which not only proves to the girls that I was there with them when they get older, but also that I was a cool mom who knew how to "stay fierce!"