Hi my babies,

April! April! Guess what April is?  Our very first vacation as a family of 4!  I cannot tell you how PUMPED I was for this trip.  Your cousin Heather Atkinson (Daddy’s cousin, so really your second cousin, but whatever) was getting married in Georgia, and since it’s such a long trip, we planned to add on a beach vacation.  Daddy managed to borrow an awesome minivan from a dealership for our first family roadtrip.  We packed up waaaaaaay too much stuff and headed down to our awesome condo in Florida.  We made it all the way to Alabama before we stopped to sleep for the night, and then got up the next morning, and drove the rest of the way down.  Our condo was AWESOME!  It was  at a resort called Splash, that is a water park right on the beach.  It was such incredible views with a balcony the spread the length of the place, a master bedroom and bathroom, a separate bedroom  and bathroom for you kids, washer/dryer, kitchen- everything!  It really was the perfect place for us.    You guys (and us) were absolutely enamored with the balcony, and the view of the ocean.  Lucas, you were so pumped to dig in the sand with all your new toys, and LOVED play in the waves.  Emme- you hated the feel of the sand on your toes, and would cry unless you had your shoes on, or were sitting on a blanket hahaha!  Although you loved digging in the sand, so long as you could sit on a blanket to do so.  You also loved playing in the ocean, and really were annoyed we wouldn’t let you plunge yourself to your death amongst the waves.

We did all sorts of fun stuff on this first part of the trip, some of the highlights being the SeaDragon Pirate Cruise, where we went out on a real pirate ship, with a bunch of Pirates in awesome costumes.  You guys got to have sword fights, walk the plank, hear old pirate stories, find treasure, dance, have water gun fights, and more!  It was so awesome.   Lukie, you especially loved it!  We got you both matching pirate swords, Emme’s with a light pink handle, so we could tell them apart.  It was a blast to see you guys enjoy yourselves.  And Mama enjoyed the rum punch those pirates served! hahaha!    We got to cruise out on the ocean, and even saw dolphins.  We ended that trip, and went to a hole in the wall restaurant nearby that the pirates recommended where you both got to play in the kids area, and Daddy and I could eat our oysters and fried shrimp in peace.  So much fun for all of us!!   We also loved going to St Andrews State Park and setting up our sun tent, and chairs, combing the beach for seashells, walking in the waves, and playing in the sand.  We went to Panama City Beach’s pier and watched the fishermen reel in these GINORMOUS fish, and it was such an unexpected fun activity.   You both loved to clap when the guys would catch one.  We shopped in Destin, walked their marina, and ate at more fun and awesome restaurants.   I could go on and on and on about what a wonderful family vacation it was.

We stayed in Panama City Beach for 6 nights before we left, and headed to Donalsonville, Georgia where your great-grandmother, Granny Lou, and other family live.  Granny Lou is Daddy’s Granny, and it was the first time either one of you had met her, or any of Daddy’s extended family in Georgia.   Your Aunt Jera, Grandaddy, and Granny Pat had come down from TN for the wedding too.   Lucas- you loved racing around Granny Lou’s house, and taking walks down the dirt road (named after your Great-Grandaddy, Walter C. Atkinson) with your Aunt Jera.   Aunt Elise even went and got her school bus and drove us around in it! Boy oh boy, you guys loved that bus!!     The next day after we arrived was Heather’s wedding, and everything was beautiful!  You guys loved dancing on the the dancing floor, and you both looked amazing in your outfits.  Lucas- we had bought you a little blue and white searsucker dress pants and vest when we were in Florida, and you were so handsome.  Emme- you had a little floral dress on that matched the wedding party, were absolutely precious.    So, as I already said, this whole trip was amazing.  It was so awesome to spend this time together as a family, and it made it so much more special that we had such a good time!   And you guys did really well on the drive too!!  (Although, on the way down to Florida, Lucas- you began asking how much longer before we had even left our NEIGHBORHOOD! hahahhaha.  I won’t make the mistake of mentioning it’s a long drive again, lol!)

This is what life is all about!  We work to be able to afford to do these experiences for you guys.  It brings such joy to us to watch you have so much fun.  We love every second of it.   Love you both so so so much.  Love, your Mama.