Heaven on Earth

We spent last week in Florida with Miss Eleanor. Our first stop was in Pensacola to visit Uncle Nick and Aunt Jane. They bought their first house in Cordova Park, and it is just perfect. The neighborhood has a midwest/KC feel - very Americana. (Dog) Cousin Norm welcomed Ellie with open paws sniffing and kissing her as much as he could. Ellie got a kick out of Norm and consistently flinched whenever he got close.

Next stop, Santa Rosa Beach (aka our Happy Place)! It's utterly impossible to visit SRB without completely relaxing and soaking in all that the Emerald Coast has to offer...  crystal clear ocean, white, powdery sand, insanely nice people - all in a super kid friendly setting. We rented a house in Watercolor with The Hales (Dylan, Maggie, and Jack), and it was amazing. We were just a stone's throw away from all of the Watercolor amenities and the Seaside shops and restaurants.

We spent the first two nights cooking at home after the kiddos went to bed (6:30 bedtime for both meant a full night of adults kicking back). Our last night there was parents night out! Thanks to Bama and Gampa (and Nick and Jane), we hit the "town" - sunset drinks at Bud & Alley's, dinner at The Pizza Bar, night cap at The Great Southern, and dessert at Heavenly. Doesn't get much better than that (except for our 10:00 bedtime).

Before we left on Sunday afternoon, Aunt Val graciously brought over a delicious breakfast for all of us. Cousin Rob also joined us from Tulsa, so we had a big Thomas/Detrick crew! It was great to catch up with everyone before wrapping up a fun filled week in SRB.

Every time we visit, Justin and I seriously contemplate selling everything we own and moving down there to become beach bums. So tempting! We always seem to plan the next trip before returning home. ... hoping for a Spring 2013 trip.

Now that we're back, Ellie is in full swing - SUPER close to crawling, eating solids, puckers up to give kisses, and is as active and vocal as can be. She loves her (homemade) sweet potatoes, peas, and squash. She's not so keen on applesauce. I've tried applesauce 4 times, and she makes the funniest face after every bite and spits out most of it. My most recent attempt was a couple of days ago, and she literally puckered and shivered after every bite. I'm going to table the apples for awhile why we try some new foods;)

Today is Grandma Betty's 80th birthday! Happy happy birthday, Grandma! How incredibly lucky we are to have you as a grandmother. 80 never looked better - you age with such style and grace. We hope you enjoyed your day!