The Bush's: Jake's 1st Beach Trip

Last week we had a mini-vacation at the beach with my family. Such a wonderful time! We were originally going to Orange Beach, oil spill & all. But on Sunday, some friends of my parents, who were already down in the area, said the smell was very strong. Because one of my nieces has asthma & the little kids, my parents felt like they needed to change locations. I was kind of bummed, because one of my best friends lives in Orange Beach, and I was excited to see her & her family. Plus, I had booked a photographer out of Fairhope to take pictures of Jake at the beach. But, I completely understood, so we went 2 hours over to Sea Grove Beach, Florida, next to Seaside. The beach was perfect! No smell & no oil. (Plus, I did get to see my other best friend who was vacationing at a nearby beach.) It makes me so sad though to see what the oil is doing, but also so sad to see how big the media is blowing it out of proportion. We've been going to the gulf beaches my whole life. Please continue to vacation in the area! It is still just as beautiful & fun. Yes, there is oil in some places, but that doesn't mean it is everywhere. Most places are offering a full refund if you decide due to the oil/smell not to come and lots are offering great deals & discounts. And there is so many other things to do as well! Please don't rule out the whole gulf coast area!

Now that I got that off my chest, back to the vacation! My parents & my oldest niece Maddox (almost 6) were down for the full week, Monday through Monday. Robbie, Jake & I traveled from Chattanooga to Prattville Wednesday after work, and spent the night with my brother, sister-in-law & niece Marrell (21 months). Then Thursday morning we all got up & headed down to join the rest of the family. My sister & her husband then joined us Friday night. Full house and so much fun! The house was right on the beach & perfect! (Except of the very long flight of stairs from the house to the beach. Carrying an arm full of beach gear & a 32+ pound little boy in the hot summer heat is NOT easy. Funny how people were always offering to carry Marrell, but no one volunteered to carry Jake! I don't blame them. He IS heavy! But so cute!!)

Ready for the beach!

Seeing the ocean & sticking his feet in the sand for the first time

I was really nervous about how Jake would do at the beach. He can be a scaredy cat sometimes. He surprised me. He LOVED it! The waves didn't bother him. Even the ones that splashed him in the face. And he loved the sand. He could have cared less that it was covering his face!

Funny Marrell!

Cousins playing in the sand

What a great first day at the beach!

Maddox, Marrell & Jake

Nana & Gran watched the kids so we could go out to dinner one night. Robbie, me, my sister-in-law Leigh Ann & brother Billy. (My sister & Brooks had not gotten into town yet.)Playing in the tent with Gran while the mommies & daddies went out to eat Nana reading to her babies
Marrell helping Jake tie his swimsuit

Jake braving the ocean with Gran

Nana & Maddox

Gran & Maddox

More sand!

Not feeling mom trying to take in pictures in the middle of the day!

Cue to end the photo shoot.... tears

Jake wasn't the only one having trouble, Marrell was in no mood to take pictures either. Maddox had to do it alone!

Marrell cuddled up to her dad

Refusing to get down!

Back at the house, Jake reading his book while mom reads gossip magazines

Playing in the shark tent with Marrell

Swimming in the pool with mom

Gran with his 2 munchkins

Jake sporting my first attempt at sewing. I sewed him some little shorts. Sewing is soooo much harder than I thought!

I also made the shirt for him :)

Nana & Gran with their 3 grandchildren. Can you tell it is getting towards the end of a long day?!?!

My beautiful sister Lindsey & her husband Brooks

Sweet family!

Mom & her 2 girls

Our whole family!

Last few pictures from the beach...

Jake's Mimi (Robbie's mom) made his outfit. He was supposed to wear it for his beach photographs, but when we had to cancel due to the location change, we couldn't get a new photographer in time. So he got stuck with mommy & daddy photographing!