Summertime

It may be 65 degrees in TN, but it feels like Summertime in Orange Beach, AL. We had a fabulous fall break and none of us wanted to come home. Here is a pic of the whole gang!


Here are some high-lights of the trip:

On the way to Orange Beach, Reid discovered mile marker signs on the side on the interstate. Now, you have to realize that we left at 4 pm and this was around mile marker 134 so it was around 9 pm and we've been in the car a little over 5 hours when this coversation started.

R: 1-3-4, what does that mean?

M: It means that we are on mile 134 in Alabama.

R: 1-3-3, what does that mean?

M: It means we've driven 1 mile since number 134.

R: 1-3-2, what number to we have to go to?

M: 37

R: So if we are on 1-3-2....I mean 1-3-1, we just passed it, how much longer is that?

M: About 100 miles.

Ryan now chimes in to the conversation:

Ry: So, Reid, if we are traveling 70 miles per hour and we are starting at mile marker 1-3-1....

R: (Interrupting) Ah, Daddy, we just passed 1-3-0....

Ry: Okay, so if we are traveling 70 miles per hour and we are at mile marker 1-3-0 and we have to go to mile marker 37, how far are we and how long will it take?

I am now texting Kimberly & Mark, asking if I jump out of the math equation filled car, could they please pick me up on the interstate as they drive by. (They are about 2 hours behind us, but I'm willing to wait.)

We woke up on Thursday to a beautiful 82 degree day. Cabana Boy Ryan took the chairs and umbrellas down to the beach and had us all set up and ready to go. I get up to use all of my Pampered Chef kitchen tools that I brought to make fruit salsa. "Ryan - now I know why you bring Mel to the beach, she cooks" says Kimberly. Everyone awoke to the loudest oven timer sound that I've ever heard when the orange rolls I had popped into the oven were ready! Sorry, I did not know it was so loud! So after breakfast and coffee, we headed to the beach for a day of lounging! Kimberly mentions that she loves America because you can drive for 7 hours and wake up at the beach. I love America, too!!!

I had purchased some quality beach reading material - Cosmo, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping and Rachael Ray's mag. While reading a Cosmo article late in the afternoon, I discovered that there are 3 things you should never discuss on your day off. They are: Your Job, Money, and Friend's Relationships. Well, beach gang, we just blew Thursday because we've discussed everyone of these topics and we threw in religion so we are just going to have to completely redo Thursday!

We discovered that going to the beach can actually improve your own self image even if you are a few pounds overweight. Have you seen what some women will put on (or not put on) and then walk around in public? There are many ladies out there who have on bikini's that have no business wearing a bikini. I may be overweight but my Land's End swimsuit covers everything that needs to be covered!

We officially snapped 1 beach chair on Thursday and discovered that one was toast - more on this later.

Friday we woke up to another beautiful 82 degree day and it was Collin's 18th birthday. We started the day with fresh beignets from Cafe Beignet and Starbucks. Props to Mark and Ryan! Reid starts telling Collin that we are taking him to the "ballerina" for Collin's birthday. (He meant ballet.) He kept saying this because we were taking Collin out for a special birthday dinner and to ride go-karts and in our family when you are trying to keep a secret, you insert "going to the ballet" for wherever you are going. This prompted a discussion of what male "ballerina's" are called. Collin was quick with his "They are ballerino's" answer and we all laughed. There is no way that male ballerina's are ballerino's but after a quick google search (thanks Kendall)....guess what....male ballerina's are ballerino's. Way to go, Collin! And Collin - did you say that you wanted a monkey card for your birthday???!!!???

Everyone headed to the beach after breakfast and presents except for Kimberly and I. We stayed back to bake a cake for Collin. We start getting out a bowl, pan, eggs, etc. but we can not find a mixer. We looked in every cabinet (we thought) and give up. Well, we decide we will just take turns hand mixing the cake batter. We start putting our ingredients into a bowl, and I open a drawer to find measuring cups. In the drawer were the beaters to a mixer. I pull them out of the drawer and say "if we have these, there's got to be a mixer". We open the one cabinet we did not open the first time and there sat the mixer. "Way to Go, Carolyn!" was shouted through the condo! We baked the cake, and headed down to the beach to lounge with everyone else.

When we got there, we were told that Collin had caught a fish....with his bare hands!! Yeah, right, really?!?!?!?!

We officially snapped beach chair number 2 on Friday! - Once again, more on this later.

We decided to eat cake before dinner but before we ate cake we decided that Reid and Mark were going to silly string Collin when he and Olivia came up from the beach. Let's just call it an ambush and say that the boys had way too much fun with the silly string!

We ate dinner at Cosmo's and it was fabulous!! I highly recommend it!! Kendall started falling asleep at dinner - this was because she had a busy day - surfing - not the ocean waves, the internet!! Thank goodness for condo 1016. But, we sure wish they would boost their internet signal! We had to save the "ballet" for Saturday night because we had a few showers on Friday evening.

Saturday was a little cool in the morning so the Johnson clan headed over to The Wharf to check out the shops. The Workman's went to Target. Can you tell the difference in our kids ages??? We spend the afternoon on the beach and officially snapped beach chair number 3. We either have to go home tomorrow or go buy more beach chairs. We are running LOW!!!

The Beach Chair Grave Yard - So you've heard me mention that we snapped a few beach chairs. Guess what Carolyn is getting for her next birthday. This was Ryan's beach chair snap. I'm not sure I can actually explain how funny this was! But trust me, it was funny, I don't care who you are!! "How can a beach chair snap while you are stilling completely still?" says Mark.

Saturday night we went to Lulu's for some awesome tuna dip, fried okra, crab melts, mahi mahi tacos and the best part......Krispy Kreme UnChristmas Bread Pudding. Oh, yeah, bread pudding with the Krispy Kreme donuts as the bread. I've died and gone to bread pudding heaven!!! While at Lulu's, Reid and I braved our way through the "BooLu" Haunted House. Reid rejoined the group telling everyone that Mom was totally freaked out!! I won't mention that I had to push him through the turns and twists of the haunted house. We sat around our table and all sang Margaritaville with the band and watched people who had consumed too many margaritas (not us) out on the dance floor. It was totally entertaining!!! Now, off to the ballet.....

One thing we always forget about going to the beach in the "off-season" is that stuff closes early. We got over to the go-kart track and it was closed but we did get in a few games of skee-ball before they kicked us out. Collin was able to win enough tickets to "buy" Olivia two rings! "Honey, how much did you pay for my ring?" "5 tickets, baby, nothing's too good for you!"

Sunday was a sad day for everyone....we had to pack up and head home. The Workman's had an interesting Waffle House adventure on the road....I'll share soon!

All in all, it was a great trip with wonderful weather, fabulous food, and even more fabulous friends! It is a Workman tradition to schedule our next trip to the beach before we leave the beach....so, 362 days and counting until we are heading back!!!

Melissa