Shutting it Down Saturday

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Saturday, June 2nd

Second day and going strong! I got up a little earlier, and we went all day long! The run was good, but the wind was strong, slowing Mom and me both down some.

PS, Mom is now addicted to Starbucks Triple Mocha Frappuccino. So if you want to get her anything, this would be the winner. You could also call this a "hack" I guess, not to be trendy, I hate that, but she would get them in the morning and freeze them until afternoon! When I went up to get some food from the room I would bring it down and it was like eating ice cream! For my afternoon treats, I tried lots of new drinks I had bought over time. I need to hydrate, especially running and tanning in the heat and humidity all day every day, so flavor helps me! Today was a Neuro.

My Bible Study for today was tying up some loose ends of an old daily devotion and a Daniel Plan that I had gotten in my email. The last day of the month was the best one and so encouraging to my place in life.

"Keep Improving"

"No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:27.

Not that I haven't heard and read this verse many times, but it means something different in different situations. That's why you can never get enough of the Bible, because God is always at work.

I admit that I am way too hard on myself both physically and mentally. But why do I push myself so hard? Rather than get caught up in the moment, I need to think about the future. Will this small mistake I made (that no one even notices but myself) matter tomorrow? I might spend "5 more minutes" on something, then "5 more" and so on because it's never good enough, but who cares!? I could be missing things or draining energy and motivation for things that God has in store for me here and in the future. If I wear myself out being a perfectionist, I won't have the focus or energy to give to other works, family, friends, and fun. I have a difficult time doing what I need to do now so I can do what I want to do later, but that is something God is teaching me to discipline myself in.

Second was a Daniel Plan devotion titled "Real Life" with the verse in John 10:10 where Jesus says that He has come so that we can have full life. LIFE is found in Him, not in my daily pursuits. I find that when I struggle emotionally, I have gotten caught up in trying to do more than be satisfied in what Jesus has already done. Even before we left for vacation, I had a hard time thinking things like, "What if it rains? What if I can't run as much as I want? What if we don't get to go shop here or there?" I had to remind myself that my joy does not depend on this beach trip. It will be over and done before I can feel like I've been there. Then we will be back home. That was a depressing thought. Not getting to go to the beach last year has made this a huge anticipation in my mom's and my mind, but it is just a thing that will come and go. I will always have Jesus. He has an ongoing plan for my life, and everything else is just details!

For the day on the beach, I read some comics and a part of a book and some word searches. It was a great day on the beach, and by the time we got to the big Coastal Grand Mall and sat for dinner, we were much quieter than we had been. We laughed at ourselves being so tired! We also joke about how "fancy" we eat at the beach; we use gift cards from over the year, and we go cheap! But that's how we enjoy it. We enjoy the beach and simply being there, so we don't have to spend so much money eating out at the places like Margaritaville. Tonight was Chick-fil-a! We hadn't been there in a long time, and it was very satisfying.

 

Mom and I split up to shop since the mall closed at 9, so that way we could do more faster. I looked around more than I bought (which is kind of a good thing!), but I did get some good stuff at GNC! I had a rebate for Optimum Nutrition Cake Bites, which look really good, so I got a few flavors as well as a carrot cake No Cow Bar. (PS, if you are interested in the rebate app I use, I can send you my referral link so we can both get extra points! I love it and currently have around $100 stored up) I also had an American Eagle giftcard from a return from my birthday I think, and I have not been able to get rid of it! I am highly disappointed in the quality of clothes over time. Prices go up, and quality goes down. Not just quality, but also coverage. Why should I pay so much money for clothes that look like they came out of the trash, are paper thin and/or have holes, paint splatter, whatever!? They're ugly. I could go on, but I'll stop. Finally I found some jeggings on the clearance rack to take care of one of the items on my "wish list" and a decent and cute shirt also on sale at Aerie! Before we knew it, the doors were starting to close all around us, and we had to head out. I can't believe how time flies. I used to think we shopped for hours and would run out of places to look. Well, tonight we shut the place down, literally!

On the way out, we heard some thunder and saw lightning off in the distance, but little did we know of the rain that was coming! I got drenched in the parking lot, even though I only had to walk two steps from under the awning... In the hotel, I had seen a brochure paper for a new ice cream and candy shop that was between the mall and the hotel, so Mom took me by! I got some great chocolates from the do-it-yourself section and tried lots of new flavors! For the chocolates, I got dark chocolate covered pretzels, espresso beans, and pomegranates, chocolate coconut almonds! I love the places that aren't so generic. These flavors I got were banana pudding, salted caramel cheesecake, rum raisin, maple nut, white chocolate raspberry truffle, heath yogurt, and peanut butter pretzel! Their to-go containers were so good! The styrofoam kept it cold already, but when I got back to the hotel and opened it, there were Yeti brand paper things on top! All that goodness and care for packaging, and it still wasn't expensive.

National Donut Day and Again with Dad!

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Great discovery that I've had in the past year: I love warm, moist, decorative doughnuts. (Yes, that is also how it is spelled.) Myrtle Beach also has a Krispy Kreme and a Peace, Love, and Little Donuts that I would love to try, but they are farther away, so I'll have to find another time for that.

There were several options around to get free donuts on National Donut Day, but there is a Dunkin just 4 blocks from our hotel, so that is where I went! It was such a simple little thing, but there is something about riding a bike that is so refreshing for me. In a 1 mile, 6 or so minute ride, I had so much fun! I put on a new top from VS Pink and new donut headband from Sweatybands and rode to DD! Adventure activities like this are my favorite.

The donut I got was the "Royal" one, limited time for the royal wedding. It was jelly-filled with chocolate and strawberry icing. Delicious!

Another little thing that made me happy inside was my new-ish (got it in the fall, have maybe worn it once) pineapple shirt! It was my goal to get a picture wearing it with a real pineapple. Two missions accomplished in one day!

Later that night, Mom and I ate dinner at Cracker Barrel with a giftcard she had, so basically for free. We love their fish! Since we were at the beach, I couldn't pass up an opportunity for fish anyways.

After dinner, we went to Marshall's and shopped around way longer than we thought! I got myself some shorts and a couple presents for Father's Day. The last stop was Mom's favorite ice cream spot, Cold Stone. This cup was new flavors for me: mint, chocolate caramel, and peanut butter cookie batter. Cold Stone has all plain flavors with a lot of mix in options, so you can make any creation right there on the spot! I was taking it to go, so I mixed stuff in at the hotel. Day 1 was a success for sure!

For Dad's first day with us, we decided to stay in for dinner to give us all more time on the beach and be ready for the next game of the NBA finals at 8. We usually go out to Ultimate California Pizza at Barefoot Landing one night, but it takes a while. However, they also deliver, so I had the idea that we order it for one of the nights we stay in. After Dad had spent so much time sitting in the car driving here (although he drives pretty fast to get here), he felt the need to loosen up, and I had the craving for some more donuts! Solution! Bike to Dunkin! This was not only a solution for both of us, but it was also a fun way to spend a little time together and pass the time waiting on the dinner delivery. When I was younger, we used to do Dunkin runs/bikes/trips more often, leaving from my house and finishing at DD. Then Mom or someone would come pick us up. While it only took about 3-5 minutes to get there, it was still fun. I got some jelly-filled munchkins this time since they didn't have the chocolate strawberry ones anymore. Dad got a cookie and a brownie.

 After we got back, I showered and finished up just as the delivery guy got to the door! Mom and Dad split a pizza and I got some mango habanero wings! Mom is addicted to Little Caesar's at home, but she admits that Ultimate California is way better. I also agree. I like getting to make my own pizza there, but tonight I went for wings! They were also the best of any place I've ordered wings. What made it even better was that I could get them boneless. Less mess, more meat. We enjoyed our dinner while watching Big Bang Theory, then we had our dessert during the game. Warriors are heading for a sweep! (At least we hope).

Working my Way into Vacation

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A day delayed but still passed just as quickly, it is finally the day to leave for the beach! Technically it will be around 3 a.m. tomorrow, but I consider that today. It's a long day ahead, but I know that it will pass quickly...hopefully not too quickly because I still have a lot I need to do!

The run wasn't too bad; I was so thankful for good weather yet again! It was super humid, and rain came hard later in the day. It also really helped me through the run knowing that vacation was up next! I told myself that I wouldn't have to run those hills for two more weeks, but then that was maybe not such a good thing...coming back to them would be just as killer.

I spent basically all day packing. I was a busy bee for sure. No nap, no Bible study, no laptop, just packing and cooking. I made myself breakfast, lunch, and dinner all at once so I knew I had everything done to sustain me into the closing shift at work. I could stay up later and pack if I needed to, but thankfully, I got it all done beforehand!

Work wasn't too busy as it was a week night, but it was still a pretty good flow. The shifts before me were not as OCD as I am about working through a mess and cleaning later, so I walked into a mess and spent most of my shift cleaning rather than baking. People...it's easier on you and everyone else if you are careful with food/drinks/ingredients and clean as you go...also, oil makes a mess. It doesn't mix with water. It is not easily cleaned. It makes everything slick. The longer dirty dishes sit uncleaned, the harder it is to get stuff off of them. If you leave batter on the outside of cups and squirters, gelato on scooper handles, it then gets on your hands and therefore on everything you touch thereafter...I digress.

Once back home, I ate some leftover poppyseed chicken casserole before getting ready for bed. That was short-lived. Bed around 12:45, awake again to go to the bathroom at 2:15, then didn't get to sleep too much longer before having to get up again to load the car. Sweet Dad was awake with us; he and Phoebe wished us farewell as we pulled out of the garage around 4 a.m. Needless to say I didn't sleep too well  or too much on the ride, but we ran into a traffic jam when a semi-truck had caught on fire somewhere between our Spartanburg bathroom break and our Camden breakfast stop (both McDonald's that we dare not go anywhere else...creature of habit). I had a blanket, pillow, and stuffed animal to cover me and support my head, substituting for the comfort of my bed and darkness of my room. I was half-sleeping, often woken up by Mom's huffing and puffing at other drivers and the occasional (yet restrained-volumed) road rage. I also appreciated her playing KLove instead of classic rock, even though she previously said she needed something to keep her more awake. You will see later in the week just how much this woman does for me.

At the McDonald's/gas station we go to for breakfast, I have started choosing to treat myself to a gas station coffee instead of McD because I can get much better flavors! And how often do I do that!? Maybe a couple times a year when we are traveling. Gas stations are always so temping for me to buy all the snacks!

Cool Bible study connection from the ride over! One of the daily devotions I read was on the same topic that we had just done in Sunday School the weekend before. Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord.” This can give us great peace when we accept that there are things that we simply do not have the answers to. No matter how hard we try, there are things we will never understand, at least not on our time and efforts. God knows all the ins and outs of everything, and He keeps it that way. When He wants to reveal something to us, He will. We don’t have to worry in uncertainty but can have peace because He is in control. Personally, I am glad that I don’t have insight into everything. I screw things up often enough with what I do have responsibility in, so it is good that there are things God has such control over!

When we got to the hotel around 1 p.m., we walked into an entirely remodeled lobby! Unfortunately, the weather wasn't great, but it was much better than if we had come the day before! We sat on the beach for just a little bit then went back upstairs to finish unpacking and get ready to go out for dinner and groceries.

Fuddrucker's! I am not a burger person, but I will eat the one's at Fudd's. I especially like the buffalo burger. It's more expensive, but bison meat is so tasty and lean, and it is something I rarely to never get. It is the highest-iron meat, too, and I really need that. To make it better, they also have really good wheat buns and the Fudd-famous topping and sauce bar. I can load that sucker up with whatever and how much I want.

Ever since I was little, I loved going to Walmart that first night to get all the snacks and essential items for the week. It is just more anticipation for the big trip in the coming days. I was also excited to try some new foods and products that I got there. (To be featured soon, including but not limited to: Breyer's 2-in-1 ice cream blasts, Not Your Mother's Plumpfor Joy dry shampoo, and the best coconut conditioner on planet earth.)

We ended the day in my favorite beach way: dessert and watching NBA! Sadly, it is the finals already, but our evenings will usually be filled with things to do whether or not there is a game on. The past couple beach trips, Mom and I have had a fun time at night with a sweet treat and NBA or Big Bang Theory.

Unfortunately, this was also the beginning of even later nights…I guess I am a teenager/young adult in more ways than I thought.

God's Beautiful Power

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While we were gone to the beach, we had fantastic weather!  It only rained once, and it didn't even mess up our plans.  That is a huge blessing to get to enjoy over 2 weeks of perfect beach weather.  We had all the sunshine, heat, and humidity we could handle.  One night there was a lightning storm.  All lightning.  No thunder.  It was amazing!  It was constant lightning with no noise!  We stood out on the balcony and watched it for a really long time.  I thought this was an awesome demonstration of God's power.  He is the one who controls the weather, something powerful, and so unpredictable to us. I believe that is one thing He uses to show us that we are not in control; He is.  We can't know what will happen or how it will happen.  He is in total control, and His plan is amazing.

The golf night was a late night, and I was exhausted. I cherish my sleep, but I got in bed after midnight!  It was worth it though. If Dad had not wanted to stay longer and practice putting, I wouldn't have gotten to experience this amazing lightning storm.  It was truly amazing and made me watch in awe of how powerful our God is. He makes beautiful things happen that we can't understand so that He can demonstrate that awesome power.


This also led me to look up some verses about lightning and brought to mind a song by the Newsboys!  Here's some of what I found.

"The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning."  Psalm 29:7

Light light light up the sky
You light up the sky
To show me You are with me
I I I can't deny
No I can't deny that You are right here with me
You've opened my eyes
So I can see You all around me
Light light light up the sky
You light up the sky to show me
That You are with me

"See how He scatters His lightning about Him, bathing the depths of the seas.  This is the way He governs the nations and provides food in abundance.  He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike tis mark.  His thunder announces the coming storm..."  Job 36:30-32

"When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.  He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses."  Jeremiah 51:16

I'm All About That Beach, Bout That Beach, No Trouble

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We consider ourselves locals.

 

The past several years, Mom and I have stayed a whole week, just us, before Dad comes for another week after that.  We were born for the beach.  We don't get bored.  This year, we were having such a great time, Dad left while Mom and I stayed another extra couple days!  We had to move rooms, but I actually liked that room just as well!  How do we not get tired of the beach every day for over 2 weeks?  I'll show you how we roll.  Or roast.  It was hot.

 

 Peace & Quiet

Mom's coffee cup fit the occasion perfectly. And matched our towels.

And matched my bathing suit!

Room service got fancy
I always take my Christmas Moose Hal with me on big trips, just for fun.

At the beach I got a little extra time to get into some of my Bible study things I had been saving up. One of those is the book The Purpose Driven Life. Several chapters in a row that I read were about fellowship and the church family. These were two things that really stood out to me. Over the past few years, my small group has become really special to me!

Exhibit A of my color coordination addiction.

Mom and I hit Ultimate California Pizza for night #1!

We each get our own personal size just the way we like it. Mom goes traditional pepperoni and extra cheese, while I load up on the toppings.

This year I started getting back into the swing of running while we were on vacation!  Not only was it great to be at the beach, but I got to start really running again, too. That's a win-win situation if I've ever had one. 

Looking at my runs on Garmin Connect is always cool since it maps everything out. Mom had a flat tire that we didn't know about, so I had a last minute change of plans for the first run, and hit the sand.

Cold Stone Creamery at Myrtle Beach is my favorite. No lie, we went there at least 6 or 7 times. I am in love with the Salted Caramel frozen yogurt, and after the first couple times, one of the high school guys who worked there remembered what I got and fixed it for me without me even having to order!

Dinner and/or dessert in bed while watching the NBA playoffs was a fun thing mom and I did to relax in the evenings.

My little crab friend

This year I have started taking extra care of my face. Sunburn is painful, but it has also killed my nose over the years!  

I am also really starting to like hats...any suggestions on where I can get a nice floppy one?

Salsarita's is always the first restaurant I search for when we are looking for a place to eat out.  Even though we can eat it in Knoxville, you don't find little Mexican men decorations everywhere!

I don't support all the things that Ben & Jerry's does, but we always go there at least once while we're at the beach.  I love the peanut butter banana greek, and I also tried the spectacular speculoos this year!  I had no earthly idea what speculoos was supposed to be, so I asked and tried some.  It is a kind of cookie butter, like peanut butter or something, but not nuts.  It tastes like snickerdoodle!

The queen in her paradise

One night we took dessert down to the patio outside our hotel Starbucks.  The in-room kitchen didn't have big enough bowls for my dessert, so I used the ice bucket instead.

I asked our umbrella-and-chair neighbors if I could take a picture of their towel.  Not awkward.

The future is so uncertain, but it's not about what we know will happen.  It's that we know God is with us every step of the way.

This book is also great evidence of experiences of just that.  God is everywhere!  If you're looking for a devotion, this could also be a different way to do that.  The stories all have scriptures with them, just a page or so each in length, and are sure to brighten your day and give you some perspective!

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

The cross before me, the world behind me, no turning back...no turning back!

When I first saw this yogurt I thought about how cool it would be to have one on the beach.  Just looking at it makes me think of the beach!  So that's just what I did!

What is the beach without pictures?  I'm not the biggest picture-of-myself person, but I'll do it.

My mom is a pretty great photographer, too!

Again, I always shop the clearance rack, and the beach has some of the best deals.

This bathing suit was on sale at American Eagle, top and bottom, for less than $15.

And when the oceans rage, I don't have to be afraid because I know that You love me.  Your love never fails!...You make all things work together for my good!

More photos for mother.

I saw this in a magazine.  I've never tried it, but it could be a project I get into in the future!

Dad's first night was Ultimate California Pizza again!  It is fantastic food, but this year it took wayyyy too long both times that we went.

Whole wheat crust, Ultimate Red Sauce, red and green bell peppers and onions, broccoli, spinach, roasted chicken, and an array of seasonings

Thank you 2014-15 sub deb tank tops for being the cutest shirts of the club so far.

Into marvelous light I'm running, out of darkness out of shame.  By the cross You are the truth, You are the light, You are the way!
...It will be my joy to say Your will, Your way!

My watch matched so perfectly, it was tempting to wear it all day.

The blue crew!

I tried to take a nap.  I just can't sleep during the day!  I kept my face shaded with my hat, pinned to the chair so it wouldn't blow away!

Mom and I like to explore the neighborhoods and beach houses while we run/bike.

Stay hydrated!  Humidity will seriously take it out of you!  As my mom said, even though school is starting, our hottest weather is yet to come.  If you're like me and don't drink much, make it taste better, and you're likely to drink a lot more.

We also hit Fuddrucker's 3 times during the trip!  I love their buffalo burger.  Buffalo as in bison, not spicy flavor.  Another thing that puts Fudd's a step above the rest is that you top it any way you like it!  It's like a buffet for your burger.  I add hot sauce, pico de gallo, jalapenos, onion, tomato, mustard, pickles.

Yogurt Mountain.  I have never been to a yogurt shop with so many and such unique toppings.  the yogurt is great, of course, but the toppings is what sets Yogurt Mountain aside!  I mean, look how many!

At Myrtle Beach, the Yogurt Mountain is in the Books-A-Million in the mall.  If you go there, please tell them that I recommended it to you. Trust me, if it's the lady who works there in the evenings, tell her "the girl who built the biggest one you've ever seen told me to come here."

Even though it is all the craze, this was the first and only time I've ever had Nutella, another topping on their bar!  Not that I'm going to buy any, but it was tasty.

She wanted me to take this picture to post on their Facebook page. I think she should give me a discount for product endorsement. This is one of the prettiest self-serves that I've made.

Every once and a while mom will let someone take her picture.

This store must have been named after me, the color-coordination queen.

Traditional /annual Tiki Jim's picture with Dad!

Followed by Ben & Jerry's with Dad. No matter how old we get, some of our yearly things never get old. I think everyone has those certain things that they feel like they always have to do when they go certain places. The family memories we have and will continue to make are something I cherish and look forward to continuing!

Another place we always get a picture is on the dinosaurs!

There are so many cute little kids at the beach!  Mom likes to people watch the oddballs, but I like to watch the little ones. They're so precious!  This little girl on the elevator was the happiest baby I've ever seen!  I'm also kind of jealous of all these toddlers have super-cute floppy hats.

Pippy Longstocking hits Myrtle Beach. 

This is how you improvise when the wind keeps blowing your hat away.

I have a new addition to my absolute favorite restaurants list!  Dickey's Barbeque Pit in Myrtle Beach is located nextdoor to Salsarita's (two favorites in one place!?), and we also have on in Knoxville, Turkey Creek. Their menu has many more option than Buddy's, is prepared even fresher, and is so much better!  And it gets better!  Every meal comes with free self-serve soft-serve!  This is a one-stop-shop to satisfy my stomach for sure. 

We've made it into a family outing. Dad doesn't stay with mom and me, but we all head out together!  It makes me happy to start out my vacation mornings at the beautiful beach, all of us getting fresh air and sunshine right away!

I like action shots better than poses.  They're real!  Mom wanted to get a picture of me after the run, too, though, so I awkwardly smiled for her photo!  This one on the left is one of my favorites because of all the bright colors, sunshine, and palm trees.

Gotta keep that protein going!  This protmeal has pumpkin, protein powder, granola, egg, and cinnamon

We had burgers a lot over the trip, so the second time we went to Steak 'n Shake, I got a turkey sandwich, and they sure piled it up good!

Another seasonal yogurt I got hung on is passion fruit mixed with fresh raspberries!  I enjoyed having a cold, fruity snack while I took my afternoon walks down the beach.

The clouds looked pretty scary, but Dad and I were safe at the driving range!  A little lightning in the distance didn't keep us from having fun. I'm not a golfer, but Dad enjoys taking me some while we're at the beach.

Chacos are acceptable golf shoes, right?

I made improvements from last year!  I didn't miss the ball near as many times.

More things that I found at Walmart in Myrtle Beach that I've yet to find around home. These are the best ice creams I've ever had. We went back to the store again so I could buy some more!  At our nearby stores, I've only been able to find the basic chocolate and vanilla and cookie dough, but these were beyond "delicious."

 

The golf night was a late night, and I was exhausted. I cherish my sleep, but I got in bed after midnight!  It was worth it though. If Dad had not wanted to stay longer and practice putting, I wouldn't have gotten to experience this amazing lightning storm. There was no thunder, just constant lightning for hours!  It was truly amazing. It made me watch in awe of how powerful our God is. He makes beautiful things happen that we can't understand so that He can demonstrate that awesome power.

Outside the cafe I found a great place to do my Bible study!  The hotel had done tons of renovations since last year, so all the tables, chairs, floors, and much of the interior were brand new. They also put in new fitness equipment, which I was very thankful for!  They even totally redid and moved the Starbucks and hotel office!

After we got the very last available room in the entire hotel for our last spur-of-the-moment nights, we had a bit different setup, but I still liked it!  Instead of overlooking the ocean, we now overlooked the kiddie pool and new slide!  This is the book I mentioned earlier that I have done some study with my small group from church with.  It is so challenging to how a Christian should live life!

For four years now, we have been blessed to have the same lifeguard!  His name is Colby, and he knows us by name, too.  We feel special because he treats us like good friends, talking to us often, giving us anything we need, joking, and even giving us an extra chair for me!

The last night, I talked Mom into trying another new place.  It was not what I expected, but in a good way!  I thought since it was a "market and grill" that it would be small, but it was huge and really nice!  The Flying Fish at Barefoot Landing was lined up for hours for the wait.  However, Mom and I have come to find that with just 2 people, you can often get seated right away.  That's just what happened, and we got this beautiful view along with it.

Here while you wait on your meal, you don't get complimentary rolls; you get mahi fish dip and crackers!  That stuff was amazing!  I ate up the whole thing and would've had more if they brought it.

I wanted to commemorate our last night of the best and extra long vacation here at this new, beautiful, very yummy restaurant.

Look at that portion!  That's a lot of fish to eat (if you can't see it, there are two big slabs on that plate)!  The prices vary depending on the fanciness of the fish you order, but for the most part, they are all reasonably priced, not bad at all.  There are at least 12 or more types of fish to choose from, meals, cooking varieties, and even food that isn't fish, so you are sure to find something you like!

For the final partial day, I tried to stay all in the sunshine and walking or playing around.  We stayed until around 2:00 before cleaning up and heading home.

I didn't get to run because mom said she needed the extra energy for the long drive, so I did some barefooted sprints in the sand for fun!

Dad and I used to always build sandcastles, but there were really none at all this year to see!  I saw this shark and sea turtle on my walk that day, though.

Mom likes selfies.  I wanted her to jump, too, but this worked out great!  I enjoyed this vacation so much, and I wish we could've stayed even longer.  It's such a blessing to be able to have so much fun with my family.