Monday, September 23, 2013

Our Last Camping Trip in a Tent (Hopefully) || Labor Day, Panama City Beach, FL

All photos taken on the iPhone.

Yeah, about that title. We’re desperate for a camper (again). We used to have one but you know how things go and now we don’t. The end.

Anywho, David has been utilizing Mr. Craig and his List since we got back in the hopes that we’ll be camper owners again soon. Tent camping really isn’t that bad, but it’s just not very convenient. And of course we live in a very convenienced world so convenience is what we would like.

I like nature and all, but when you go to snuggle into your window unit fitted tent one night and find this friendly little gi-freaking-normous fella waiting on you, you may not enjoy it so up close and personal.

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Sorry to start this post off with a giant arachnid. We’ll get back to what it’s really about, camping!

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We met my parents at Waffle House and we were off! It’s the same spiel every year. Labor Day comes and we go camping. It’s a Griswold Family Tradition. This year we stayed on my parent’s site. Next year we have our own site and like I said, let’s hope we’re in something on wheels.

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Ya dancing Ma? Or just getting up?

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First ones to arrive.

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We had a nice big site on the water. The weather was pretty nice the entire trip with only a few blips here and there of rain.

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Our little “beach” right off of the campsite.

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Feeding zee animals.

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Dad slinging the cast net.

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Down by the real beach!

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See the picnic table? That’s a campsite!

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Oh deer.

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Beach wagon!

We did a lot of bike and golf cart riding and were in awe over the amount of flooding in the campsite. It was quite sad, so many sites were unusable in what is usually a no vacancy park this time of year.

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Ariel lost her shades.

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This picture turned out really funny. I was using the ProHDR app which takes two pictures and merges them. Well my Dad walked through one time and it burned his image into the sky! Ha!

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Ma and Pa.

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We enjoyed pretty evenings hanging out by the water too.

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Yikes! This storm resulted in a water spout which I regretfully didn’t get a picture of.

The beach this year was nothing like we’d ever seen before at Panama City. In the mornings it was clear and gorgeous, but by mid day, the water from the flooding would seep into the ocean turning it an ugly brown color. No bueno. Also, there was just a sliver of beach left. Quite different from years past. I really hope when we go next year there’s still a beach. At this rate there may not be!

Even though I was on vacation, that didn’t mean I was totally free of doing anything productive. I had to get my workout on!

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David and I went down to Pier Park and watched the sunset one evening. We got to see so many dolphins. I just love them!

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Canoe sessions!

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Justin and Mom.

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It’s sort of a ritual for everyone to go to the “weigh in” while we’re in PC. We like to go down and watch the head boats come in and check out their catches. It’s a lot of fun but it makes me sad too. Especially this trip because there was a pretty big shark that was caught. Now I don’t want to get eaten by a shark any more than the next person, but it’s sad to think that the big majestic creature is dead. Just like that. See him at the bottom?

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Tip: Lock up your stolen buggy. You wouldn’t want it to get stolen!

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The rest of the trip consisted of R&R and another Pier Park trip.

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Huddling out of the rain.

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Steak night.

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Mammy.

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As always, we had a great time. Can’t wait to go back!

Friday, September 20, 2013

High Five for Friday!


1.    Retirement. No not me, unfortunately I still have a year left. Plus or minus 25. Tomorrow is my Dad’s Retirement party. Holy cow how can that be? He has been a Firefighter since before I was born and it’s going to be weird to get used to the idea that he’s not anymore. Well, at least not actively. Once a firefighter always a firefighter I reckon. Congratulations Daddy-o! Now you can take me to lunch every day!


2.      Embroidery. Every ounce of free time I’ve had lately has been poured into MONOGRAMMING ALL THE THINGS. It’s pretty much an obsession and will most likely be out of control in the near future. I should probably stop making myself shirts. How many monogrammed t-shirts can one person really need? Never enough! That is the answer people.


3.      Softball. In middle school I played softball. I loved it. In high school I played tennis. I loved it. In college I missed softball and tennis, and I hated Organic Chemistry . After I graduated college I played tennis for fun when the urge struck. I missed softball. I said I’d play softball again someday and now I am! A few months ago I subbed on a recreational league and it ignited my spark to want to play again. Then my brother Cole and his girlfriend Logan decided to get a team together to play Fall Ball. I wrestled with the idea of being committed (mind you David is in a competitive softball league and plays flag football – we already live at the ballpark) so I said put me on the sub list. I have played in every game so far and as of last week I’ve officially joined the team. Yay! I am loving it!  

4.      Weight. Y’all. I’ve lost 16 pounds. Somebody smack me! I’ve got a big ‘ol post in the works with the ins and outs of my progress so far, I just have some fine tuning to do before I publish it. I’ve got a long way to go but can’t help but be proud of how far I’ve come since June! Until that post comes, here’s a little before and “progress” for ya!


5.      Fall? Yeah, you read that right. Fall with a question mark. It’s teasing its arrival, but is it really coming? The past few mornings have been quite delightful and I can’t wait for the temperatures to continue to drop. Everyone here in the South knows we don’t get to experience a real Fall, but for the few weeks of nice temperatures we do have, I cannot wait to embrace them! I once heard, “Fall is the Southerner’s reward for surviving Summer”. Amen to that. We’re stocked up and ready!


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