September 24, 2023-Mostly Camping on the Beach

(click for today's pictures)

I woke up at least 3 times last night to go to the bathroom. I actually went to bed at 11, and Robby made fun of me. I told him that I would get my second wind soon, and sure enough at 12:30 just as he was going to bed, I did wake up. 

The last time I woke up to go to the bathroom, it was 7:15. I didn't want to wake Robby up climbing to the bathroom so I just waited as long as I could before getting out of bed. By 8 though we were slowly moving around. We woke up the kids and left the Bass Pro. 

As we were leaving, Campbell was surprised about where we were. She said that it looked so different at night time. And indeed it did look different at night time. Robby and I were just on a walk, and a camper pulled in to the campground. We commented how we never want to pull into a campground when it is dark. We have done that once, and it was an ordeal.

We had about a 20 minute drive to make it to Buccees this morning. We stopped and enjoyed a good walk around. We all did buy drinks, but that was all that we bought. Their food is yummy there, and I love a good gift shop, but drinks were all that we needed today.

From Buccees it was just about 2 hours to Camping on the Gulf. We stayed here in 2020 on our first big trip in the camper. We had been on 2 or 3 little instate trips, but that was the first time that we went a long ways and the first time that we pulled the car. All of that was super stressful the last time we did it, but not so much anymore. (Though don't get me wrong, there are still some super stressful moments in camping, but not nearly as many as there were when we first started out.)

We have a perfect campsite-just for 3 nights and then we have to move to another spot since we were thankful to get what we could get. We have shade and lots of it which is wonderful. We backed in and started getting thing set up. 

Just about as soon as we were done, we started seeing two families that were already here. The third arrived a bit later with the fourth, fifth, and sixth all arriving tomorrow. They were all heading to the pool because the water slide was open until 3 today. It is only open on the weekends, so our kids ran to get their suits on. 

We grabbed sun screen and towels and soon headed to the pool. The kids did the water slide for a good while-mostly Whitman actually. Then the others stopped to get lunch. We walked back to our camper to do the same. Actually, Robby and I walked back to the camper, and Keaton just came to pick up their lunch and take it back to where the others were. 

A bit later, it was time for the beach. The water was crystal clear plus it was fairly shallow with little waves so that was nice. You were able to go pretty far out. Now the last few times we have been to the beach, Whitman has been stung by jelly fish so he really didn't have any plan to get into the water. He would have been content just sitting and playing in the sand.

However, since the water was so clear, I made him go out to where Robby was. He didn't want to, but he did. Then he went back to the sand, and soon came back out to us. This time he was on a boogie board crawling all over it because he didn't want to get nibbled on by the fish that were out there with us. 

Robby and I eventually got out of the water and sat in the shade though by this time I was getting chilly and had to move to the sun. Soon Whitman was way out in the water again with Campbell so I guess he has gotten over his jelly fish fear. (I did tell him that his dad would give him some money if he did get stung by a jellyfish again-that might have helped overcome that fear.)

Keaton has friends here and will have more here tomorrow so she is living her best life. Plus there are little girls to play help entertain which she loves. Campbell doesn't have many buddies here, but she truly is living her best life as well. She has played with all of the kids, and I know that she has helped so much to entertain the two little girls. She has played football, taken Bentley on walks, and that girl could just stay in the ocean all the day long. 

We were out on the beach until 6 when the sun went down. Then it was back to the our camper for chicken alfredo for supper. We then walked to the Ferguson's camper for a little bit before taking Keaton to spend the night at a friends. Finally, it was one last walk for Bentley and now Robby is working on his shower and I am next.

Meanwhile back at home-the kids are staying busy. They had church this morning. Then they all ate lunch at Grannymom's house. Next Nonna and Pops came to pick up Reagan and Grannymom to go to Reagan's soccer game in Greenbriar.

The soccer score was dismal, and it was super hot out there, but Reagan was glad that she didn't have to drive. Then Pops even took Reagan to her lifegroup tonight-this way the boys didn't have to be late to theirs plus they didn't have to drive the white van. Since we have the minivan here, if Anderson has to go somewhere when the suburban is already gone with Reagan then it is the white van for him. So if you see him driving this week, hug the shoulder and let him pass!

Reagan's life group is at a different place than the boys. The boys made it home first, and then Reagan was home some after. I am sure that they are pretty tired today-I know that we are!

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