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Bower Power

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Bowersik Instagram Vacation

TRAVEL

It’s quite obvious that I dig my camera.

I reach for my DSLR pretty much without even thinking about it these days.  There are just so many moments.  Moments I want to remember…moments I want to forget but remember that I forgot….moments that stir up emotions that I never even dreamed about.  Moments are really all that we have.  Our looks, our possessions, our health, our jobs….they all fade into nothingness.  But our moments….those whizzing, flying, fleeting blinks of an eye…we cling to them.  We never know our quantity but we all try to make them quality.  It’s our commonality.  The thread that runs through us all.

Which is why I need to confess that while I love my good camera….I also have fallen hard for the iphone.

Instagram was just another catalyst in my love affair.   My love for moments…converged with the convenience of capturing them good enough…melded with some of my favorite people on the planet….well, that my dear friends is a recipe for one iphone vacation recap.

 

Our dear friends the Petersiks arrived on a Wednesday.  They settled in before Sherry and I had to head to Haven the following days.  Haven was awesome…I’ll have to fill you in later….but while we were gone, John took some of the cutest little shots of our cuties as they played together.  After our duties at the conference was over, we packed our cars and headed south.

 

Let’s just say that traveling is not Weston’s strong suit.  And as cute and happy as these two three year olds look….they definitely were working through some moments of, let’s call it, “personality”.  There were definitely some moments where the adults all looked at each other with that look in our eyes that said “three year olds in the same room is not a good idea”.  In the end though, they both worked out the kinks (as all engaged couples do) and were pretty much inseparable.

 

When we first arrived in Destin, the kids and adults checked out our house-for-the-week and then changed the kiddos so that they could get in an evening ocean dip.

 

But the real ocean fun started the next day.

Oh and let me just say….we’ve been to Destin and Miramar beach several times now and this was by far one of the nicest weeks we’ve ever been.  We had two days of ULTRA-calm water…and we stayed near a sandbar which allowed the kids to have the freedom to swim all by themselves on those un-wavy days.

 

Our tent neighbors built a pyramid.  It was amazing.  So of course, in the true spirit of competition, we had to build a truck.  Is your name Mater too?

 

Weston had the hardest time.  He really wanted to ingest all of the sand and was really frustrated that I wouldn’t let him.  Plus, this was his first sleep-on-the-beach experience….so the first day took three hours to get him to go down for his nap in his ‘birds nest’.  I’m sure our fellow beach goers loved listening to the soothing rhythm of his screams.

 

On the calmest day we did something that was hands-down my favorite.  PADDLE BOARDING.  Seriously guys….why have you not told me that I need to own one of these.  I know it’s not practical for 99.999% of my days but this one day was the highlight of our trip.  And that is saying something because there was a moment where I yelled “I’M PARALYZED WITH FEAR!!!”.  That really happened.  And it was due to a hoard of jellyfish surrounding my board and trying to climb on top.  Ok ok…there was two.  But still….fear happens people.

 

I don’t know what it is about that first photo….it’s like something I would see in an old album where the family gets captured in the moment and little Jimmy…I mean…Will…is forever commemorated as a future professional paddle boarder.

 

We also did a great amount of eating.  It was divine.  I got to eat at my favorite place (it’s called Stinky’s and with a name like that, you know it’s good!)….and we visited the Donut Hole.

 

They retaliate in the best kind of ways sometimes.  Be still my little heart.  If only we all did this 🙂

 

Big news…Weston has officially started walking.  He took his first steps about a week and a half before the beach….but a step doesn’t always mean walking….plus, I didn’t want to believe my 8 month old was actually walking.  Seriously, someone kick the legs out from under him!

Well, he showed me because now he is movin right along.  His record at the beach was 8 steps.  It helps if there is a food reward.

 

See Will in that photo?  Not smiling.  Yeah.  It’s because he had a belly full of salt water and none of us knew.  Later that night, we went to eat and he sat there….refusing to eat anything more than a French fry or two (which is actually pretty normal for him) and then while we were in the quaint little town of Seaside trying to get some ice cream….it happened.  The salt water decided to make it’s appearance….all over him and Jeremy’s shirt.

Thank goodness for friends that have patience and strong stomachs.

 

The next day though the kids were all fine.  We watched them intently…limiting beach time and getting some solid naps before heading to The Track.  It’s a flying good time 🙂

 

There were also some moments of shopping, sea kayaking, singing 80’s under stringed lights, synchronized Barbies (I was the choreographer, Sherry was the camera person and John was the pushover for letting us talk him into it/director of quality control because if he had to be involved…gosh dang it was gonna be awesome) and just laid back eat an orange ice cream float kinda moments.

 

Our very last day we all skipped down to the beach for some family photos.  It was so fun to shoot Clara and her graceful little tip-toe dances and get some time to just capture us as we are right now.

Thanks for the awesome time you guys.  And I hope that next time we get a decent group shot on the beach.  Or at least get the video of the guys in the pool during the daylight 🙂

***Follow me on instagram – @bowerpowerblog

***Follow the Petersiks on instagram – @younghouselove

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Comments

  1. Katie Bower you are some kind of funny! This post had me in stitches 🙂 I’m jealous of all the fun you had!

  3. Ya’ll are so darn cute! My little guy just turn 8 months old and is trying to do the whole “watch me let go of the couch when I stand” deal. Ummm, someone slow down time. I’m not ready!

  5. Gorgeous pictures! Do you mind me asking where you stayed? We are planning our annual Gulf Shores beach trip for next summer, maybe we need to give Destin a shot this year 🙂

  7. I heart the Donut Hole BIG TIME. Their Bavarian Creme filled powdered donuts are my crack. I once double fisted them on the way to my favorite nursery on 30-A. When I arrived, I had to get out of the car and do some major dusting. I really just needed a bath. So good! Thanks for sharing your pics. I miss the Gulf.

  8. What a fun trip!

    I had a random question – I wanted to take a stab at that knife art that you did last year in your foyer and I was wondering how the craft paint has held up on the canvas. I am debating whether to splurge for oil paint or if I could take the less expensive craft paint route. I would love to hear how yours looks after a year of hanging, if its still up. Thanks!

  10. Poor will with his salt water tummy. We just took my puppy to the dog beach this weekend and he started gulping the salt water. About 20 minutes later it started to projectile out of both ends…ugh..It was so sad and really nasty.

  11. Looks like you had such a fun time! Getting our 6 month old at the time to nap on the beach was kinda interesting too. Glad you had beautiful weather, sounds perfect!

  13. True story: we were in Destin the same week…and my whole family teased me, because they just KNEW I wanted to find a way to casually “bump” into y’all. Sorry I’m not sorry for thinking you are the two cutest families ever.

  14. I loved following along with both of you on Instagram! It looked like a great time, thanks for this recap!

  19. My guy is the same way as Weston..easy going, mostly happy until you get him in a car seat. Not a happy roadtripper.. BTW-love your teal bathing suit! Where did you find one that color? I have looked all summer.

  20. I thoroughly enjoy seeing your trips through photos. You have such a talent for composition – even with a phone! Oh, and that photo of Will planting one on Clara is probably one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. Sweet friends.

  22. I love my camera too but instagram and my iphone make it too easy to quickly snap moments without my little suspecting and then make them look like i spent hours photoshopping them.

  23. You all have done a fantastic job capturing your vacation. Sounds like the chaos of making memories!

  25. Looks like an amazing, relaxing time! Well deserved! BTW, in that photo with Will and Clara and the rainbow umbrella in the background, do they not look about ten years older there?!

  26. That looks like an awesome vacation! I LOVE vacationing in the panhandle. Especially with friends. We live in Central Florida and have been up there a handful of times. Of course we always make time to visit Seaside and walk around and get ice cream. And of course take pictures in front of the Truman Show house. Did you get to see it?

  27. Looks like y’all had a blast! And wow, Westin is quite the little over-achiever!! We’ve been going to Destin for years but have never been to Stinky’s or Donut Hole – guess we better give them a try next time 🙂

  28. This is so awesome! I love that you guys have this friendship and you share it with all of us. I have a friend I met through blogging and it has been such a blessing in my life!

  31. We just got back from Destin last night! Donut Hole and Stinky’s were on the must-do list, but too crazy with a large group to fit it all in! Next time I hope. It was the first beach visit for our little girl- maybe next time she won’t eat the sand and enjoy it a bit more. 🙂

  32. So fun vacation recap. The first two pics are awsome. WIll and Clara look so adorable!

  33. Looks like such a fantastic time. Thank God for great friends and every which way they come into our lives. So happy for you guys!

  34. I love your blog and decided to start from the beginning, back in 2008, while you were on vacation last week and I read a post about how John & Sherry featured you on their blog “This Young House” and how you wanted to be BFF and that would never happen. Funny to be reading it while I saw instagram pictures of your vacation together 🙂

  35. Looks like a blast! What part of Destin do you stay in? We are trying to plan a trip there in the future 🙂

  37. What a great vacation! I’m so jealous you went to Seaside! I’m headed there in October with my family and we love it. Did you know that’s where The Truman Show was filmed? The owners of that cute little Modica grocery on the square actually appear in the movie.

  38. My family owns a cottage on that highway in Seacrest Beach off 30A (6 miles east of Seaside) and that stretch just East of Destin is a treasure. I highly recommend it – a very family friendly area and gorgeous Gulf beaches!

  41. That looks like so much fun! I would love to paddle board and sea kayak but I think I have seen one too many pics of sharks following people doing it! I know I would most likely be okay but sharks and I have a very healthy respect for one another. I think I will stick to lakes!

  42. I can’t believe you managed a trip to the beach with those boys while pregnant! My boys are the same age and and I don’t think I could have handled it. Kudos! Also, your jellyfish comment had me in stitches!

  44. What an amazing little holiday & such amazing pictures – Love instagram!!!
    Destin looks amazing!!!!

  46. It was not ocean front but in a neighborhood that was within walking distance to private beach access. It was definitely more cost effective that way.
    xo – kb

  51. It’s from Old Navy…I bought it the day before the Petersiks came because I was DESPERATE for a one piece that covered the rolls 🙂
    xo – kb

  53. We stayed in a rental house that was in Miramar beach. It wasn’t anything beach front…just in a neighborhood that had private beach access.
    xo – kb

  58. Those pictures are just so beautiful. Gotta love all that water. Hope you don’t lose them so you get to remember all those wonderful memories.

  59. looks like fun! and thank you SO much for the synchronized Disney barbies video! i showed it to my 3 year old yesterday evening and she was transfixed. i taught her how to restart it when it ended. hello 15 whole minutes of uninterrupted time to make dinner! i bookmarked it for future use! 🙂

  60. Love Destin! Looks like you guys soaked it all in 🙂
    My 9 mo old (we had the same due date BTW) is standing and taking steps as well!! The pediatrician warned us that the early mobile babies are heck on wheels. They just want to do what their older brothers are doing so bad! Enjoy it!

  63. Love Destin and going ourselves for a kid-free vacation next week! Where did y’all get the paddle boards? And we’ll have to check out Stinky’s. always looking for new places to try. Do you have any other spots you loved/would suggest?

  64. We rented one YOLO board and one that we scored from a local place…it was the only other one we could find available.
    xo – kb

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