Ponte Vedra

Our family of four enjoyed our first vacay together at the end of July. It's no small feat traveling with a newborn in a car 6 plus hours south. Landon and I felt a sense of accomplishment taking a vacation with just our family. In the past, we've traveled with my parents for an extra set of hands! Eliza Kate proved to be quite the little road traveler....what a trooper baby. It helped that we stopped midway in South GA to tour a small farm and enjoy homemade peach ice cream. Big brother used it as an excuse to burn off some pent up energy and stretch his legs.



We really loved Ponte Vedra. Most mornings, we set up camp on the beach to splash in the surf. I hung out under the umbrella and watched the little miss snooze under the safety of her baby cabana. This was the life safer of our trip. Even though she was protected under her tent, she still managed to collect sand in every little fat fold of her body!

It was HOT by the shore. I took a portable fan to cool off our baby. I think she appreciated a little breeze blowing her way. She is the princess, after all. I don't think lycra and toole breathe very fell in the sweltering heat, so I finally just stripped her down to her diaper. She's learning young that beauty is painful:)



We enjoyed the early hours at the beach before it got too unbearably hot. Like clockwork, we would pack up all our beach parafanalia around 11:30 a.m.. I swear it took us half an hour to hose our toys and bodies off. It was quite the production.

Does anyone else see the awkwardness of the photo below? Landon snapped 5-6 shots with this hovering man coming out of EK's hat. Most people would have ducked down. I can't even crop him out...ugh!

Miller wore himself out with Landon jumping waves. They created their own rating system to evaluate each wave as puney, medium, and Big Kahuna. You could hear Miller's shrills up and down the beach. He had a big time in the water. The Atlantic waves are rowdier than what we've been accustomed to in the Gulf.

After lunch and naps in the condo, we wrapped up the afternoons at the pool before dinner. Miller and Landon played flipping games on the raft. Between jumping, dunking and splashing you'd think this boy would exhaust himself, but he's our little energizer bunny.

Eliza Kate enjoyed her first little swim in the pool on this trip. We christened the floaty to let her enjoy all the fun of the water. She pumped her chubby legs in excitement. It's still a little too big for her, but it still was a big hit!

We took a side trip to St. Augustine for the day to see the lighthouse and the Fountain of Youth. While we were there, Landon surprised Miller with tickets to tour the Alligator Farm. Landon took on the persona of Steve Erwin the Crocodile Hunter the whole time we were at the swamp. He had us all in stitches almost to the point of embarassment with his accent and all of his "Oh Crikey" comments. I don't think Miller knows how lucky he is to have such a dramatic daddy!

Miller's favorite part was feeding the alligators at the swamp with special food. It created quite the feeding frenzy! Miller kept begging his daddy for more quarters to turn the slot for more food. I preferred viewing the alligators from behind the safety of glass.

Our junior croc hunter showed no fear putting his head inside this alligators chompers..wink wink!

Our favorite dinner spot was in St. Augustine at Santa Maria's on the water. A friend recommended this restaurant on FB while we were searching for a place to eat. Gotta love social networking sites!! The novelty of the restaurant is their special trap doors at each table. They bring bread for kids to feed the fishies while you eat. Miller was so intrigued opening and closing his special compartment to feed the teeming fish in the ocean below.

Here's to many happy memories of Ponte Vedra. So long beach, we hope to see you again soon!