Pensacola, Florida: April 16, 2022 to April 23, 2022

 As a family, we really wanted to go on a cruise.  Covid got in the way.  So, Pensacola, Florida was backup.  It was a great backup.  How fun for Lauren, Brookie and Jesse - their first plane ride(s).  First ride was from Salt Lake to Dallas. Masks were still required.

At Dallas, we had a four hour layover and so we called Aunt Neala to come visit.  She and Karen Ann drove the half hour to the airport and we had a grand little reunion.  

It had been a long time since Neala had seen the kids and she was so excited.  There were lots of hugs and oohs and ahs at how big they had grown.

We were never at a loss for Neala's laugh.

Next leg was from Dallas to Pensacola where we picked up our rental cars and drove to Pensacola Beach.  I had no idea we were that close to Alabama

 on this long narrow peninsula.  The sand was wonderful.  The weather - so, so.

You can't stop us from having fun though.  Some got buried in the sand; others laid out in the sun; some swam in the ocean and surfed the waves; and our resident teenager showed off his strength by throwing others around in the pool.

Taylor, where are you?

Then, there was the alligator farm.  We had some very brave people who held an alligator and some were just brave seeing them through a chain link fence.

And then there was the eating experiences.  The kids first time at a counter diner.

By the time we had flown from Pensacola to Austin to Dallas to Salt Lake, everyone was old hat at going through security, taking their shoes off and remembering to put them back on.  We had only one tragedy - Jesse took his hat off at a play area in Austin and forgot it.  New hat required.

We missed Marc and Brittney's family - they are doing braces this year instead of vacations.

Love this family and love that they like to do things!!!!