Beach Babies, Beach Babies

These three children are {thankfully} definitely BEACH BABIES:

Banks loved the ocean for really the first time.

Mary Reese made sand castles and decorated them with sea shells.

Owen spent the week in the shade under the tent swinging to the ocean sounds!

We just spent a wonderful week in Orange Beach! We loved our switch from the Phoenix X to the Phoenix IX. The condos were fabulous, and the entire complex was smaller with more families with small children. {Banks of course met everyone on the beach and around the pool...everyone knew him by name. One family even said goodbye to him on their last night.}

What would a trip to the beach be without lots of delicious seafood? We ate crab claws about every night...sauteed and fried, I ate Grouper every night except the last {Red Fish that night} and devoured delicious oysters! We ate at some old standbys {The Crab Trap, Louisiana Lagniappe and Cosmo's} and tried out some new ones {Fatback's-formally Bayside Grill-and Tin Top}. Mary Reese discovered fried crab claws and Banks ate his first oyster!

Tin Top has become my new favorite! It is actually located in Bon Secour off County Road 10 {you turn by a Shell station on 59 in Foley}. We shared for appetizers their Crab Claws sauteed in a delightful Parmesan Cream Sauce, Dirty Oysters {baked with a crawfish sauce with tasso and Parmesan} and Tin Top {same as the dirty but without the tasso}. Their menu is printed on an enormous chalkboard. They have not-your-norm sides...fried green tomatoes, gouda cheese grits, fried okra, turnip greens, lima beans...to accompany their lip smacking entrees!

Mary Reese with her picnic lunch on the beach {pizza pinwheels and popcorn}!

When we weren't eating...we spent lots of time on the beach {even squeezing in some pool time}! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the week:

Banks surfing

Mary Reese in her typical stance.

Owen's first dip in the ocean...and he didn't even hate it!

A great conversation between siblings {I can only image what was being said}!

After their conversation, I looked over and found Owen wearing pink sunglasses. I lost it...poor thing doesn't stand a chance!

Owen also had his first dip in the pool! He loved it...kicking around...maybe he will be an Olympic hopeful one day!

On Friday, cousins Sarah Laine, William and their family arrived at the condo complex next door. It was wonderful! The kids could just run back and forth between tents!

Mary Reese and Sarah Laine had lots of tea parties.

On Saturday, Banks went fishing with his "Almost" Uncle David {and his family}.

"I caught the only keeper!"

Banks even finished his first chapter book in the car on the way home {Junie B, First Grader Aloha-ha-ha!} and I even found the time during the week to read a book on the beach! We had a marvelous vacation and can't wait to go back next summer!