The Creamer Family Vacation, 2012 - Day 7

Day seven, a.k.a. the day we came home, started early with packing and checking out of the hotel. After heading out, we stopped at The Donut Hole on the way towards the interstate.

We stood in line to wait for a table, and when we finally got inside, we had one of the best breakfasts EVER!

Gulf crab benedict, corned beef hash, and enormous pancakes are just a few of the items from their huge menu.

We highly recommend their blueberry donuts also (we took home several for the weekend).

Although, from the looks of the sweet rolls in the cases, I think everything might be good here.

The uneventful trip back ended at home where Harley was waiting for us after a week with Zachary. I have rarely seen her so excited to see us. We were so glad to be home!

The Creamer Family Vacation, 2012 - Day 6

Having absolutely no plans for this last full day of vacation, we headed out around lunchtime to find some pizza. Lo and behold, we found a Mellow Mushroom in Destin.

We like going to Mellow Mushrooms in different cities as they are decorated to reflect the city. The beach mural on the wall of the Destin location was a perfect example of this.  Unfortunately, Tallahassee's is too, but when I think of Mellow Mushroom, I don't imagine the sorority decoration and crowd that Tallahassee's attracts.
Once finished with our delicious pizza, we headed to the beaches to Emerald Coast Wine Cellars (did you really think we'd go on vacation without visiting a winery?) for a tasting and a bit of shopping. By this time it was cloudy and the seas were getting rough. What better time to go out into the surf for some fun, right? While I took pictures on the beach, George and the kids braved the unusually large waves.

Danny, after watching Megan and Daddy for a while, was unsure of his fate

but he bravely faced the waves, maintaining a vice grip on Daddy.

He even managed to ride the waves a bit near the end.

When they'd taken enough of a beating, we went to the indoor pool at the hotel, and they swam and played in calmer waters for a bit.

After a quick cleanup, we went to Tommy Bahama's restaurant for dinner. The food was excellent, but the desserts were phenomenal. If you get the chance to go to one of the restaurants, get Blackbeard's Butterscotch - you will not be sorry. When we got back to the hotel, we stopped at the arcade for an air hockey tournament.

Everyone played really well, but Mom is the master. I even tried to go easy on them, but it was no use. Really! I did!

The Creamer Family Vacation, 2012 - Day 5

The kids had been looking forward to day 5 the entire time. This day consisted of sitting in the rented cabana by the pool and swimming all...day...long.

In fact, except for a few trips out into the riptide again

(What is my husband's obsession with rough waters?), we did little more than read in our comfy chairs and swim and eat.  Around dinner time, we cleaned up a bit and went to dinner at Cantina Laredo at Grand Boulevard.

This was seriously some of the best Mexican food we've ever eaten. Unfortunately, the long day of swimming caught up to the kids, and they were falling asleep at the table. We called it a night for their sakes.

The Creamer Family Vacation, 2012 - Day 4

On Day four, we we still a little sunburnt, so we wanted to plan some light-sun activities. First, the kids made some tie-dyed shirts at the hotel.

Then, we decided to hang out at the Villages of Baytowne Wharf. Before going though,  When we first got there, it was around lunchtime, so we headed straight to Hartell's Diner.

Megan and Danny really enjoyed picking out old music on the table juke boxes,

and the food was classic diner fare. After lunch, we went through a few of the shops and then down to the water to feed the fish.

The kids also wanted to ride the carousel, and although Danny was a little upset that Megan claimed the dragon, I think the zebra was a better fit for him.

We continued around to the arcade where the kids had fun winning tickets and picking out prizes,

and then on to the candy shop to pick up some treats on the way back to our hotel.

It was a quiet day of shopping and play, but the clouds were moving in and the wind was picking up. Before the rain started, we trekked out to the  beach to fly a kite (a nice family gave us one in the elevator as we were arriving at the hotel and they were leaving).

Megan to a turn, but left it mostly to me, while George and Danny went out into the water during riptide to experience rougher waves than we'd been in yet.

Once we tired of the wind and water, we went back in the hotel just in time for the heavens to open up. While it poured, the kids went to Kids Night Out's Spy Camp at the hotel while George and I went on a date at the hotel lounge and restaurant.

By the time I picked the kids up in the middle of their tube sock battle, we were all ready to turn in. It was a long, relaxing day.