Vaction Recap

We made it! Our first family vacation to Jacksonville, FL was a great success and we all had a wonderful time! I'm still having beach withdrawals. ;)

We played in the ocean and on the beach, ate great food, spent time with extended family and enjoyed a lovely wedding for my mother-in-law. Hubs and I were even able to sneak away a couple of times thanks to the help of family members who watched the kids for us. 

I do have this to say about our first trip with small children... it was exhausting. Even though we did get some alone time it was minimal and we were in full-on parent mode the entire time. I wasn't expecting it any differently it was just not the same relaxing vacations of our childless past. Plus the kids were super wired and excited from all the stimulation and different environment. They got away with much more than they would have at home and stayed up much later than they would have at home. But hey, that's what vacations are for! 

As far as highlights go? There are many but the top of my list revolved around the kids. Little C's expression when he saw the ocean for the first time. The way Lil Miss Mayhem would run toward, then quickly away from the movement of the tide. Their laughter as the waves almost knocked them over. It was so much fun to experience everything through the eyes of our little munchkins. 

Another highlight was one afternoon while the kids napped, Hubs and I rode a couple of beach cruisers to the Town Center for lunch and adult beverages. It was a last minute getaway and we had a really nice time. I love riding beach cruisers and just being totally relaxed. The ocean/beach environment has such a calming effect, don't you think? We went to The Flying Iguana Taqueria and Tequila Bar. The bartender gave us the best tequila we've ever tasted! 

The wedding was the whole reason we were on this trip to begin with and being there with family to celebrate the happy couple was so great. I'm very happy for my mother-in-law. She's starting a whole new chapter of her life and I can't wait to see where it takes her. 

I will look forward to going back to Jacksonville and now that we've got our first vacation with kids under our belts, I'm also starting to think of where else we can go! Can't wait to make more memories!