The Green's: 2011 Beach Trip

Beach bound...Fort Morgan, AL was our destination! Logan had a very generous customer at the dealership who offered their beach house to us for the week & all we had to pay was the cleaning fee!!! This trip could not have come at a more perfect time. Logan & I found out 2 days before leaving that we had another miscarriage. This time we were around 6 weeks pregnant. After having 2 miscarriages & the upcoming holidays, this trip allowed us to escape reality for a short time. So enough about sad times, on to the wonderful family vacation that was provided for us...

We left for the beach early Thursday (November 17th) morning to beat the rush hour traffic in both Birmingham & Montgomery. We had originally invited Coco, Fletch, grandmomma, & Big Daddy (grandmomma's husband) but Coco was the only one who was able to go. But we still had a great time! This was Stryker's first beach experience so we were excited to see what his reaction was to all of the new things.

Above is a picture of the beach house. It was a 2 bedroom, 2 bath house that slept about 6-8 people. Each house had a golf cart (unfortunately, ours was broke down) to drive around the neighborhood. The neighborhood had a private beach, gym, outside & inside pool. The weather was perfect while we were there only requiring jackets at night.

We left Stryker in his pj's for the ride. As Logan got us registered & the keys to the beach house, Stryker wanted to take over the driving duties!

Stryker racked up with this huge bucket of toys that were in a closet! This was a life saver allowing us to not unpack all of the toys we had brought from home. Traveling with a hyper, young child is definitely different.

This was the view from the outside pool. Nothing better than a beautiful pool & workout gym overlooking the beach! Pure paradise! Now, you can see how we were able to forget about reality for 4 days.

My boys running down the pier to the beach!

Yay! He loves the sand! We may have a beach buddy on our hands.

My guys enjoying the sand.

This is one of my favorite pics. He loves running in the sand & chasing after the sea gulls.

I sure do love my guys! Daddy teaching Stryker about the ocean.

My guys relaxing...this is a rare occasion for Stryker to be still.

We went shopping at the Foley Tanger Outlets Saturday. Stryker enjoyed running around the nearly empty mall (we basically had the place to ourselves). He found some mulch to play in while we were buying his Christmas present.

The Tanger Outlets had a big play area that Stryker enjoyed for at least an hour. This was him after going down the slide too many times. Can we say static?!

Adventure Island was on our agenda Saturday. We played putt putt golf, rode on a paddle boat, & a mini roller coaster. Above is all of us on the paddle boat. Logan & I got our workout paddling the family around the lake. Stryker did great! This little boy loves water.

mom, Stryker, & daddy on the paddle boat

my little golfer

I think he's going to be left handed with sports & right handed with everything else.

Stryker loved to hit the ball hard & then throw it in the cup! This was him trying to figure out how the ball came out of the hole from the cup above.

Let's go fishing!

The Gulf Shores Pier!

looking out over the pier at the waves crashing

Friday night, Coco & I introduced Logan & Stryker to our favorite beach place...The Oyster Bar. It's a hidden place before you get to Florida. Not many visitors know about it. It's more of a locals place. They have the best seafood. You're looking out over the bay while you eat & can walk around the piers to see the massive yatchs & the fisherman cleaning fish afterwards. The picture above is Stryker wiping daddy's mouth after he took a bite! Such a mannerly boy!

Saturday morning, we went walking all through the neighborhood. We found some interesting places!

my precious little boy

Saturday we took Stryker to build-a-bear. Logan & I have been wanting him to build one & thought this was a perfect time. He chose a puppy as his bear. Stryker named him "Woof." This lady helped Stryker stuff his puppy. She let him pick out a little heart to put inside but Stryker insisted on putting 2 hearts in Woof. We thought that symbolized the 2 siblings that he has in Heaven (our 2 miscarriages). The lady wanted Stryker to kiss the hearts but Stryker held them to my lips for me to kiss them. It's the little things that can mean so much.

Stryker brushing Woof.

Saturday afternoon we ate at the best Bar-B-Que place...Down South Bar-B-Que. This is a picture of Stryker with the owner (Kenny). He is like family to Logan. Kenny worked with Logan's dad & was a friend of his. Kenny was the one who held Logan's dad immediately after the car wreck that took his life. He holds a special place in Logan's heart. Can't wait for Stryker to get old enough to hear stories from Kenny & Logan about his grand-dad.