Sand, Oysters and New Years

Hi everyone! We are back from our week in the beach house. Mom and Dad Applegate and Kit's sister Sydnee and her husband, Dale, paid for a week in a beach house on Dauphin Island. It was fun to be in a house that accommodated all of us comfortably. We spent the days relaxing, tourist-ing Mobile and Pensacola, Florida and eating out (Applegate tradition!). The house had enough rooms for all of us and plenty of sand for the kiddies to play. Jos and Gav were in seventh heaven having playmates (their cousins Parker and Ellee) and spent a great amount of the time out on the beach. They loved it and toughed it out despite our chilly weather (it got to the 40s in day and teens one night Brrrr!). Both Parker and Ellee were enamored with little Gunner, who in turn loved the attention. He was spreading smiles every-which-way!

New Year's Eve we relaxed and feasted on a variety of snacks. We enjoyed eating Jan's jambalaya on New Year's Day, another long-standing Applegate tradition. Later in the week Kit prepared a lowland boil and delicious gumbo so our family could get a taste of the coastline south. He toiled over it all day and everyone chipped in to help. We ate out at our favorites: Lambert's (Home of Throwed Rolls) (I know it's Alabama'n speak, but throwed is what it is called) and McGuire's - a fabulous Irish pub with the most amazing burgers. Our family got to revel in fresh seafood and tasted the wonder of a shrimp po'boy. I was adventurous and tried an oyster. They're not bad when steamed and topped with yummy cheese. I still cringe when faced with a raw one; they look like a pile of slimy snot. Ewww!

Our in-laws got to experience their first Mardi Gras parade..."Give me your beads, please!" It started late and the baby next to us was thrown 5 stuffed animals while we only got one...but it was still fun. Our little family is slightly jaded since we've been to better parades, but it was fun to see the others experience it. It was made up of a lot of noise, moon pies and beads!

It was so fun to all spend time together, chatting, laughing, playing games ( I play a mean Old Maid) and of course eating! I will have to say, however, that even though we miss our family, it is nice to curl up in our own sand-free bed at night!

Parker giving Gunner loves

Sand Play

Parade Fun