We continue our adventures in Orange Beach, AL with a beautiful sunny day! It more than made up for the rainy afternoon that we had:
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach44.jpg:What a beautiful day:center:0]]
* Mouse over the pictures for captions
After a quick breakfast, we are on the beach! Vin makes his own sandcastle since Yaya insists on making sand-cement in her buckets and not being able to get the sand out.
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach25.jpg:King of his castle:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach26.jpg:Adik continues to geram the sand:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach27.jpg:Striking down Mama’s castle:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach28.jpg:Build me more castles to tear down, Mama!:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach29.jpg:Happy boy loves the sand:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach30.jpg:Yaya paddles while Papa takes a stroll:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach31.jpg:Adik loves being buried:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach32.jpg:Let’s throw sand!:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach33.jpg:Papa ensures that Yaya isn’t pulled out to sea:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach34.jpg:My family:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach35.jpg:Adik wades in the surf:center:0]]
Adik loved the sea – he kept running into the surf and giggling as the waves crashed around him. He stayed in until he started shivering and his lips turned blue, then he had to be removed from the water (he didn’t really voluntarily want to go).
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach36.jpg:Watching a kite in the sky:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach37.jpg:Yaya found a little friend, May:center:0]]
Next stop: the pool.
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach38.jpg:Papa and Adik in the pool:center:0]]
Adik is terribly sleepy and had to get out of the pool. Yaya was not yet ready to leave so…
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach39.jpg:Burrito Adik wrapped up and protected from the sun and wind in Mama’s arms:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach40.jpg:Rocked to sleep in Mama’s arms:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach41.jpg:Yaya plays in the pool:center:0]]
Yaya has come a long way – she can swim with her face in the water, and can swim out to the deep end. Sadly, she hasn’t yet learned to tread water so we have to be ready to rescue her. Her floaties (“water wings”) kept falling off her (time for new water wings!). But she still had a good time in the pool. We move the lot upstairs to our room for showers and a short rest, then we all go out to Cosmo’s for a late lunch. I had gotten carry out from them the night before and we liked it so much we decided to go again. Amazing food, awesome ambience. We highly recommend this restaurant! Lots of lovely fresh seafood on the menu. The kids get antsy so after I’ve eaten and while Vin finishes his lunch and waits for the dinner carryout (I know! We really loved the food!), the kids and I stroll around the patio area.
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach42.jpg:Yaya wanted a photo with the big spoon:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach43.jpg:Relaxing in “lemonade” (adirondack) chairs:center:0]]
Don’t ask me why Yaya calls them lemonade chairs. We got a jumbled incomprehensible explanation the last time we asked her. Then we go back to the room to put away the take out, and we get ready to hit the beach again!
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach45.jpg:Adik blows raspberries!:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach46.jpg:Papa and Adik, then Yaya:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach47.jpg:Adik points out to sea:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach49.jpg:More sandcastles:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach50.jpg:It’s dark now but this girl doesn’t want to go:center:0]]
It was late so we had to skip the pool despite Yaya’s pleas. But hey, after the kids get de-sanded and fed, they fell asleep very quickly. Vin and I enjoyed our take out dinner in peace. (The crawfish appetizer is spectacular!). We were checking out the next day. The front desk was nice enough to give us a late checkout so we hit the beach for the last time after a quick breakfast.
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach51.jpg:My favorite shot of the vacation:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach52.jpg:No this is my favorite shot:center:0]]
OK let’s face it, I love them all and that’s why there are so many photos in this entry. We make sure to stop at the pool this time:
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach53.jpg:Yaya surfaces while Papa and Adik watch:center:0]]
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach54.jpg:Yaya, Papa and Adik:center:0]]
Then we go up to our room, shower, pack and start on our two-day drive home. We all had an amazing time and loved it so much that we are booking our next trip there for this fall. 🙂 Until then, Orange Beach!
[[image:2013_april_orangebeach48.jpg:Yaya wrote her name right to left:center:0]]
