Sandestin part 2

We have had a wonderful week! We have spent the week NOT on a schedule, relaxing and just enjoying some "down time". We had fun kayaking, biking, swimming, and watching movies together. We have found our new favorite place to vacation- Sandestin Club Intrawest! We will be back! :)

The kids were excited to do the EuroJumpy!

Getting ready to jump!

Fireworks went off while they were jumping! They were very impressive! They kids wanted to watch the fireworks AND jump- hard to do two things at the same time! 

Doing some biking on Jolee Island

Check out that huge nest! 

Pirates ship found on Jolee Island

Arts and crafts fun at the resort! Decorating their own surfboards

Last day of biking! I think we have a new family hobby/activity!

All good things must come to an end....

Sad to leave but can't wait to come back! Great fun, lots of relaxing and lots of memories!

Sun & Fun part 1

Family Vacation 2015 was much needed. We were not able to go anywhere last year due to our summer hospital stays with Makenzie. So we were very excited to be able to finally get away for a few days. 3 years ago we discovered a wonderful resort in Sandestin, FL. We decided to go back there for some relaxation. Our plan was to have fun but just RELAX by the pool. 

The kids make friends with everyone at the pool. They love to make up game and swim.

Day 1- One of Glen's favorite spots is the hammacks by the pool.

Just a little snuggle time with dad. 😘

We had a blast kayaking. We didn't get any pics on the kayaks due to the amount of water that came on the kayak and I didn't want to ruin my phone! We did race and don't let the boys convince you that they won! 

Where we Kayaked

Apparently they hold the World Record for the biggest Lure! 

So much fun getting away for a few days with the 3 loves of my life!

A Few Shelby's

Our final destination this past weekend was Buchanan Resort near Paris Landing, TN.  When I was a kid, I went here every summer with my dad and the Shelby side of my family. I haven't been back in probably 20 years so going this weekend for a Shelby family reunion was lots of fun. There had been several changes to the resort but a lot has stayed the same. I was also excited to see lots of my extended family that I hadn't seen in many years. There was about half that Glen and the kids had never even met.  We all had fun swimming, hanging out at the pool, going out on the boat, staying up late visiting and having a big grill out. The kids met new cousins and made new friends. It was surreal to see my kids playing and experiencing the same memories that I have of growing up at the resort. Now it is my turn to sit back and watch them make their own memories. 

Everyone visiting while the meat is grilling

Glen was voted on as one of the grill masters for the cook out. He did a fabulous job! :)

Mama Francis, the oldest "Shelby" at the reunion

Miller Shelby, my 1st cousins son, aka- Nathan Shelby mini

Walker Shelby, isn't he adorable!

Makenzie loved catching up with "Aunt Cori" 

Makenzie told Cori she would come live with her if she got a boat. Cori said "DONE!" 

The Parthenon

After our fun filled day at the Space Center, we drove on to Nashville to see my sister Abby. We loved seeing her new apartment and spending a few hours visiting and hanging out with her. Friday morning, we had just a small amount of time for sight seeing before Abby had to head to work. So we made a quick stop at the Parthenon. Yep, that's right! But we never left Nashville! Wesley had just studied the Parthenon so this was particularly interesting to him. The inside is an art museum which we didn't have time to visit but seeing the outside of it was cool enough for us.

Wesley posing in front on the Parthenon

It was a full scale replica- very big and impressive!

They love their Aunt Abby!

If you want to visit here is more information about the Parthenon - http://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/Parthenon.aspx

To Infinity and Beyond!

This past Thursday we set out on a mini family vacation to Tennessee. But we decided to make a few stops along the way. The first stop was in Huntsville to the US Space and Rocket Center. The kids were VERY excited to see all of the rockets, ride the rides and learn just a little more about space. Makenzie didn't get to ride every ride due to her recent surgery, but the ones she did ride, she LOVED! Wesley and Glen rode the G-Force Accelerator and that may have caused them to feel a little "weird" after wards :)  

When we got to the building that was housing the Saturn V Rocket (on loan from the Smithsonian), we were all taken back by how HUGE it is!  There was SO much to see, feel and experience there.  The kids did correct the plagues a few times when they were reading and it stated that the moon, earth, planets, universe, etc was created BILLIONS of years ago. They would get SO frustrated when they saw that. At one point Makenzie even wanted to go tell an employee/volunteer that it was wrong and the earth/moon was NOT created from a "Magma Sea" as stated on the plaque.  It was a proud parent moment :)

Astronaut Makenzie

Astronaut Holly

Astronaut Wesley

Astronaut Glen

The kids had fun at one of the traveling exhibits- The Robotic Zoo- where they could experience what it is like to be different animals. They both loved being chameleons. 

Wesley the Chameleon

Where some astronaut training takes place under water. 

All the different rockets on display

If you look close enough you can see the kids underneath the rocket boosters. 

The Space Shot that Makenzie and I conquered. 

I think she was just a little scared when it took off and how fast it shot us up. 

"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

One of the rides was a Hmm V simulator ride. It was a video game where they had to fight off the bad guys. 

We all attempted the rock climbing wall. Glen was the only one to make it to the top though :)

It was a fun day! I highly recommend going if you ever get the opportunity to make it to Huntsville. I hadn't been in 15 years and Glen was just a small kid when he last went. A lot had changed in that time. We know our kids had fun and look forward to bringing them back when they get older and to see how much changes take place in space exploration by that time.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1