Fall Break Fun in the Sun

Hello!

Well, we’ve been back from the fun in the sun for a few days now, and today’s post is all about our trip to 30A with friends.

This is the second year that our district has given us a week long fall break, and we decided back in February to make this trip happen again.

Here’s what went down:

Saturday:

There were five families going, and everyone left at different times. It’s about a ten hour drive to Destin/30A from Lexington, and we didn’t get our rental house until Sunday late afternoon.

Like last year, the plan for most of us was to leave Lexington in the morning and stop in Birmingham for the night. Well, of course, Kentucky football takes precedence, and they were playing Florida at noon. So…Travis and Hayden stayed back for the game with another family’s guys, and Hadley and I left with the girls in that family around 12:30.

I was glad to have the morning to sleep in a bit, pack, and then leave around lunchtime. So, we had a car of girls while Travis, Hayden and three others drove after the game.

We made it to Birmingham around dinnertime along with a couple of other families.

We met for dinner at Taco Mama which was perfect for all of us. There was an outside sitting area, and we enjoyed the weather, tacos, and margs.

We went to the hotel around 8:00, and the guys arrived around 9.

Sunday:

On Sunday, we were all up and eating breakfast by 8, and we left the hotel around 9. We drove the rest of way, about 4 hours, and stopped for lunch at Hurricane Oyster Bar in Grayton Beach like we did last year.

After we ate, we drove about twenty more minutes to our house. Last year, we got lucky and the house was ready around 3. This year, it wasn’t ready until the “guaranteed” check in time of 5:00.

We stayed in the same house in Seagrove Beach as last year which was the perfect fit for our four families. The fifth family that was a part of our crew found the cutest house in our same neighborhood, and they let us hang until our house was ready for check in. We were so excited that it worked out to have them nearby.

The groceries were delivered, and we unpacked before heading to the beach.

We were there about an hour before sunset. I will say that’s a “downfall” of going to the beach for fall break…the sun sets so early!!

I had cute cups made again thanks to @cupsoncochran and they were perfect for sips at sunset.

Like last year, we just grilled out the first evening. It was nice to have that option after a long day. The Chiefs were on tv, so some of us watched the game before hitting the hay.

Monday:

We had a slow start to the morning, and I enjoyed my coffee on the front porch.

Then, we headed to the beach. (Our house was in a neighborhood across the street from the beach.)

We were there a few hours. This trip, the kids kind of went back and forth from the house more than last time…teenage perks, I guess. Our house came with quite a few bikes, so they would bike about a mile to Seaside to walk around, get food or get ice cream…or they’d bike to and from the house to the beach as needed.

That evening, the adults headed to Seaside after the beach and look who we saw:

Haha…they were living their best lives.

The adults enjoyed happy hour and apps at Great Southern. They have a delicious mojito.

We walked around for a bit afterwards…

…before heading to the beach for sunset.

Then, we went back to the house and had tacos for dinner and s’mores by the fire.

Some of of use played the card game Phase 10 while our friend played his guitar. We were spoiled with nightly entertainment.

Tuesday:

Tuesday morning, everyone kind of did their own thing. Travis and Hayden went on a run while some played pickle ball. There was a pickleball/basketball court in our neighborhood.

A few of us walked to Seaside to get a Modica Market mimosa. Try saying that three times fast. You can’t after having one of these! haha

After that, we headed to the beach. I was thankful to snag this pic of my fam before the kids ran off…

I was at the beach for most of the day…which isn’t my norm. I’m a three or four hours at the beach type of girl…on this day, I was there for about six!

I got lots of reading time in which was great. Have you read Mad Honey? It was my book for the week.

That afternoon, the guys went out for oysters and when they got back, the moms went to Wine World in Watercolor.

We had a “girl” dinner…wine and charcuterie.

Then, we met the guys and the kids back at Seaside. Everyone kind of did their own thing for dinner. There are lots of food trucks, so the kids got what they wanted for dinner. Modica Market has wine and beer by the cup, so we all had a glass while the kids walked around and ate.

The post office in Seaside is soooo cute. So, of course we had to take more pics.

Once we were back at the house, some of us placed Phase 10 again before bed.

Wednesday:

The guys were up early for fishing.

I took it easy, and went to the beach around 11.

I love my new cover up…

They caught a few fish, but unfortunately my guys were very seasick the entire time. Very sick. Ooof. So sick that they had to cut the trip short. (Apparently, the waves were super high and the water was far from calm.)

After the beach, we were at the house most of the afternoon, and then it was our night for the adults to go out. We ordered pizza for the kids, and they hung out and watched a movie for the couple hours we were gone.

Before we left, I snapped a pic of the girls in their Seaside sweatshirts. I wasn’t sure if we’d get a beach pic of them like last year, so we went with this option.

We ate dinner at Old Florida Fish House which is where we ate last year.

Then, we drove to Rosemary Beach. I’d never been there. We went to the Pearl for a drink.

We were home by 9:00 because we are such party animals…haha

We hung out on the front porch for a bit before going to bed.

Thursday:

On Thursday, my friend and I went and got a permanent bracelet at a pop up shop called Spark Collection in Watercolor.

The girls tagged a long and then we went to Seaside to shop a bit. I even checked out the cute bookstore!

Then, it was beach time…

The boys graced us with their presence…

…and then they were back at the house…lol

We spent most of the afternoon at the beach. We all kind of took turns using the golf cart to leave the beach for lunch and come back. We wanted to make the most of our last day by hanging at the beach as much as possible (at least that’s what the adults wanted to do…) but also eat out once more for lunch.

My family and Hayden’s friend had a late lunch at Great Southern before going back to the beach until sunset.

The kids joined us back at the beach…and the girls were in their Seaside sweatshirts again. haha

Here they are last year:

…and we wrangled the kids for a sunset pic…

…and a few group pics.

Before taking in one final sunset.

Once we got back to the house, it was time to shower, eat dinner and start packing. For dinner, we just raided the fridge and freezer. There were lots of pizza rolls, chicken tenders, and tater tots to eat. My friend Megan fried and grilled the fish the boys brought home, and it was so good.

My friend Allison was the brave one to go check out the girls’ carriage house situation. We thought it was best not to go up there until we absolutely had to. haha

Thankfully, they did a good job packing up.

After dinner, we hung out in the backyard by the fire before going to bed around 10.

Friday :

We were up around 7, and hit the road around 8:30.

With no one winning the Powerball earlier in the week, we all said we’d buy lotto tickets at random towns on the way home. It’s always the random small town gas station that has the winning numbers, right?

(Plot twist: we all headed to work this week…lol)

What should be about a 10 hour car ride was more like 11 hours. Oooof. We were so happy to see Homer when we finally got home.

Much like last year, one more day would have been nice, but it was great to have the entire weekend at home to just relax, unpack, get groceries, do laundry and more.

This trip was similar to last year in how we meal planned and spent our time, but the kids did have a bit more freedom and I think we found a good compromise on mixing in family time, girl/guy time, kids time, beach time, and more.

I had a few questions about logistics and travelling with a group, so I hope to get that post out tomorrow.

Thanks for following along on our fun in the sun vacay.

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