Destin In Pictures

Apparently I took some time off from blogging this fall and summer and I completely didn't give you the day by day account of Destin!  We went the third week of July this year which is about two weeks later than usual.  I thought I was going to die of anticipation, but turns out I made it.  The Destin trip is really the highlight of the summer and going two weeks later prolonged the season in a good way.

We made an overnight stop in Ruston to see our family and these two got along famously.

The next morning we were beach bound early, and I snapped a picture of one of my favorite sights on the trip:

Alli always rides with her Tata and Diddy, so I love getting pictures of her from the road.

When we finally arrived, everyone ran out to the ocean.

We spent our mornings trying to spot dolphins off the balcony and drinking coffee.

We spent our days on the beach riding the waves, sunning, chatting, snoozing, and sipping.

We spent our evenings dining at our favorite spots, playing cards at the condo, and hanging out on the beach playing football and paddleball.

We found a sea turtle nest, rode on a pirate ship, and watched fireworks over the Destin Harbor.

 And then we took our Destin pictures using John Patrick's new tripod, camera, and remote.  It wasn't glitch-free...

But in the end, we perfected it and got some wonderful shots.

I'm so grateful for fantastic memories with these wonderful people and I can't wait to go back!

Surprise!

So this summer, Ryan and I did something a little crazy.  It really all started early in the summer when Ryan decided to take up cycling.  He'd been thinking about it for a while and decided in May to take the plunge and buy a hybrid bike.  Then it spiraled into a family of bikes for us and a trailer for Riley and even my parents getting in on the action.  Within a few months, Ryan was full-fledged obsessed.  He and my dad planned long rides, spent hours on message boards, and reading their endless magazine subscriptions.  Ryan was happier, skinnier, and really feeling great.  That led him to encouraging me to get a hobby.  I knew immediately there was only one hobby for me.

Me on Freedom - March 2012

Pre-Riley, I started taking lessons at our barn again on sweet Freedom pony, and I was hooked.  But once we got pregnant with Riley, I made the decision to stop and that dream ended up on hold for almost two years.

Ryan was very supportive of my riding and really pushed me to get back into it.  I warned him that this time I wasn't quitting and that it would eventually lead to us owning a horse.  Riding lesson ponies is wonderful, but I put my time in when I was little.  I've owned my own horse before and I know that I prefer that over not knowing who I'm riding week to week.  Ryan nodded, completely in support of me starting back on lessons and then us horse shopping "in a few years."

I took matters into my own hands a few weeks later and emailed Alli's trainer.  I just wanted an idea of what to expect cost-wise with the purchase and upkeep of a horse "one day."  We exchanged a few emails and all along I stressed that this was a long term plan.  A week later, she approached me at the barn.  "I know you aren't ready yet, but I do know of this really great horse.  Can I just send you his info?"  Never one to turn down pictures of a horse, I agreed.   Later that day I got two emails on Jabbar filled with pictures of he and his owner, a fourteen year old boy, swimming, fox hunting, and jumping.  He was a beautiful little bay with a stripe and a sock.  I am such a sucker for a bay.

So for three weeks, I chewed on the possibility.  Ryan was understandably very hesitant - I wasn't even back in the saddle yet and I was horse shopping.  This had been a long term plan.  What was I thinking?  And though I agreed with him, I just could not get Jabbar out of my head.  Finally when we were in Destin, Ryan said "Why don't you just bring him in for a trial?"  I don't know if it was the booze or the ocean breeze talking, but I went with it and a week later Jabbar was in for a visit.

On our first meeting, he was nervous and I was even more nervous!  What was I doing?  I hadn't ridden in two years and I was just going to hop on my maybe-future horse??  Jabbar was a first field fox hunter and a whip horse - he wasn't used to the ring so he was pretty spooked the first several lessons we had.  I wasn't sure he'd ever be quiet enough for Alli or even for me, but I was totally hooked on him.  I could go for a ride whenever I wanted!

After a two week trial, I said yes.  I had to!  I was head over heels and Ryan said that if Jabbar made me this happy, he was worth it.  And slowly over the course of two and half months, we've built a partnership.  He doesn't run the opposite direction when I walk out to the pasture and he doesn't spook at everything anymore.  He's learned really quickly in the ring and he's even taught me out at the hunt country going on two foxhunts (more on that later).

And I'm happy, happy, happy.  He's a special boy that came along at the perfect time for me and my family.

Alli even gets to ride him some!

I firmly believe that I've been good for him, but I know he's been even better for me.

Disney Vacation Day 5: Universal Studios

Since we'd already spent half a day enjoying everything The Wizarding World of Harry Potter had to offer, we started the next day Universal hitting up the roller coasters - including the truly scary Rip Ride Rockit where you pick your own personal music that plays for you during pretty much the most terrifying roller coaster ride of your life.  Which Alli made us ride three times.

Then it was on to Minion Mayhem, which much like several of the other rides is a 3D simulator that's about as intense as a roller coaster!

Please note that little Ginny Weasley is still wearing her Gryffindor robes.  We also wandered through the super hero section of the park to see if the Hulk roller coaster was open, and it wasn't (for now) so we decided it'd be a great idea to ride Dudley Do Right's Ripsaw Falls.  A word to the wise - if it's 70 degrees and breezy, don't do the log ride.  Otherwise you'll be spending $5 in the heaters they have just at the ride exit.  BRRRR!!!!

We went back to Hogsmeade to ride the dueling dragons roller coaster (we did blue the day before and had to try red of course).  We caught some shows and then wandered back through the park and met some characters on the way.

The Hulk roller coaster was finally open and it was everything Alli thought it would be, but I'll be honest.  This is the point where the entire trip caught up with me.  I was nauseated, I was worn out, and I was done riding rides.  So when Alli and Ryan hit up the thrill rides one more time across the park, I sipped a Butterbeer and stocked up on souvenirs from Diagon Alley.   We left the park well before closing because we were just beat.  In fact, I think a month later I am still recovering!  But we truly had a magical time with zero regrets and a lifetime of memories.

Disney Vacation Day 4: Universal Studios & Epcot

So a little less than a month later, I am finishing the Disney recap.  Listen, y'all.  Fall is so hectic that I. can't. breathe.  I am sorry for the delay, but better late than never right?

We had initially planned to spend an entire day at Epcot, but on the bus to Hollywood Studios we met a family who went on and on and on about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios.  As major Harry Potter fans and the parents of a daredevil looking for roller coasters, we decided to drop half a day of educational fun and hit up Universal.  We read that it was important to go to Olivander's to get a wand straight off, so we headed to Diagon Alley first.

Kids, if you are a Harry Potter fan, you owe it to yourself to get to the Wizarding World.  It's amazing.

The wandkeeper at Olivander's selects one child to fit a wand to and guess who he chose?  Not Alli.  So there was a really cool demonstration where the girl he chose tried several wands until one worked for her.  Then we were emptied out into the store, but not before the wand keeper stopped us, pulled us back into the room, and fit Alli with a wand.  Talk about special!  She got a ivy wand with a unicorn hair core.  We immediately went across the street to Madam Malkins to get Alli her Gryffindor robes so she was truly a wizard.

We rode the brand new Escape From Gringotts ride and then hopped on the Hogwarts Express through Platform 9 3/4 to see Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

We rode all of the rides in Hogsmeade and then hopped back over to Diagon Alley for lunch, where Ryan and I finally got a Butterbeer.

Interesting fact:  Diagon Alley is built on top of where the old Jaws ride used to be.  And if you know me at all, you know how much I love Jaws.  I'm sad the ride is gone, but I still got to pay homage.

After half a day in Universal, we headed to Epcot for a few hours.  We used our Fast Passes, spotted some dolphins, had a little Turtle Talk with Crush, and then made it to our dinner reservation at the underwater restaurant.

And so concluded another fantastic day in Disney World - only one day left to blog about!