Our First Family Vacation

Our first family vacation was amazing.  Although it was only a mini-vacation, it still ranks as my best vacation ever.  Spending the entire weekend with Matthew and Sumner makes me feel happier and more complete than anything else in the entire world.  To say it was a good vacation is an understatement because this weekend brought us even closer together as a family and Matthew and I created memories we will never forget as long as we live. 

I have to brag on my sweet baby, Sumner.  He was the best little passenger!  Matthew and I were actually shocked when the weekend was over because we never dreamed he would have done so well. 

Our vacation started Friday afternoon around 3:00 when we left our house and headed to St. Augustine Beach.  We stopped in Adel for a snack and then again about an hour later to fix Sumner a bottle.  Sumner barley slept the entire trip down there.  In fact, the only time he slept was between our house and Adel.  Once we left Adel he stayed awake until he went to bed that night at 9:00. 

We got to St. Augustine around 6:00, unpacked, and headed out to find a place to eat dinner.  We found a place near our hotel called Sunset Grill.  The food was very good.  I brought Sumner a banana and sliced it up for him to eat while we waited on our food to be served.  I ordered him green beans and a sweet potato.  He just about ate every bite.  We got back to our hotel around 9:00.  Matthew and I were both worried about bed time because Sumner usually doesn’t sleep unless he is at his house and in his crib.  To our surprise he went right to sleep in his pack-and-play and didn’t wake up until 6:00 am the next morning. 

Thanks to Sumner we got an early start on Saturday.  We were out of the hotel and headed to town by 7.  I forgot to buy swimming diapers so we went to Wal-Mart.  Unfortunately, even out of town I cannot seem to avoid that place! We got back to the hotel and headed to the beach around 8:30.  Sumner enjoyed playing in the sand but wasn’t too fond on the ocean.  When the surf came up Sumner would get this terrified look on his face and run in the opposite direction.  When the water did reach his feet he cried and held up his arms for me to pick him up.  Needless to say, we didn’t go to the water but a time or two.  Sumner got sleepy so we decided to take a walk on the beach and push him in the stroller around 10:00.  He fell asleep immediately.  Matthew and I probably walked four miles because we knew if we stopped moving he would wake up.   Sure enough, five minutes after we got back to our spot on the beach Sumner woke up.  It was getting close to lunch time so we decided to go in and find somewhere to eat lunch.  Sumner was very sandy and I know I hate to feel like that so I gave him a bath before we left.  We drove to Vilano Beach and ate at a wonderful restaurant called The Reef.  It was such a pretty day and they had a beautiful deck overlooking so we ate outside.  Sumner loved eating outside, watching the birds, and all the attention he got from the people.  I ordered him a fruit cup, green beans, and a sweet potato and he loved it all.  After lunch we drove to St. Augustine to sightsee.  We got back to the hotel around 4:00.  The plan was for Sumner to take a nap, but that didn’t happen.  So, around 5:00 we went back to the beach.  We came back in around 6:30 and got ready for supper.  We decided on Outback.  It was late, so Sumner fell asleep on the way and stayed asleep for the thirty minutes we had to wait outside.  We finally got a table around 8:30. Sumner ate the mixed vegetable side, a banana, and some grilled chicken.  We got back to the hotel at 10:00 and to our surprise, Sumner went straight to sleep in his pack and play as soon as we laid him down. 

            Sumner woke up Sunday morning at 7:00 am.  We got dressed and packed everything up and were out of the hotel by 8:15.  We ate breakfast at the restaurant at our hotel and caught the shuttle to St. Augustine.  Once we got to the city we got on a Trolley and took a sight-seeing tour.   Sumner did so good riding on the shuttle and on the trolley.  He got a little sleepy at the end of the tour so I put him in his stroller and he went to sleep.  After the sight-seeing tour we went to the Fort and took a tour of it.  Once we left the Fort we walked around St. Augustine for about an hour.  We stopped at an ice cream shop and had the best ice cream in the world.  We got back on the shuttle headed towards our hotel at 1:30.  The car was already packed so all I had to do was change Sumner’s diaper and clothes and we headed home.  We stopped in Jacksonville to eat at Joe’s Crab Shack.  Sumner really liked it here because there was so much going on.  Unfortunately there wasn’t much on the menu for him to eat so I gave him some of the hamburger meat and potatoes.  I also had a banana that I sliced up for him to eat. 

            We made it home around 6:30.  We had a wonderful weekend.  If I had to describe it using one word it would be “blessed”.  When I said my prayers Saturday night I felt very humble and very grateful.  I thanked God for the wonderful life he has given me.  No, I don’t have all the money in the world, or the nicest things, but I have much more than that.  I have a beautiful family.  I have a Godly husband who loves me with all of his heart and loves to spend time with me.  I have a healthy son that I love more than words can say.  Basically, I have everything I ever wanted…  I have my sweet family.  When we left the hotel room for the last time I nearly cried my eyes out just because I was so happy and thankful for the special weekend I had experienced.  I pray our little family will take many more trips in the future and make many wonderful memories.  But regardless, this weekend has been very special and I will never forget it.