Christmas on the coast

Well, if you happen to follow me on Facebook or Instagram, I think by now you KNOW that I am at the beach.  Well, by the time some of you read this, (tomorrow), I will no longer be here!  But... it's been a fun few days. I just needed to get out of town to really make myself slow down and relax after this crazy surgery.

And besides that, my big girl, Mary Allison, asked me to bring her here.  And my babies were ALL about it!!  And I asked their babysitter, Alex, how she felt about leaving town and missing a couple days of school, and she was IN!

What BLEW my mind was that the coast was rockin' Christmas!!  Including a fake ice skating rink, which Gabbi fell in LOVE with!!

She started out very precarious and worried that she couldn't do this by herself.  She asked Alex to come join her on the "ice".

It was only a matter of minutes until she was gaining her confidence and was ready to try by herself.

I was SO proud of her and if I am being totally honest, I was a bit surprised at how well she did!

Please note above the picture of Ellie running into Mary Allison's arms and spinning around as if they were Olympians! You also see that neither of them actually have on skates!!

Unlike this VERY HAPPY little girl!!

I love this picture of her and Alex.  Alex is so sweet and accommodating to my girls!  How do I luck out with such GREAT sitters?!!

Blessed, I tell ya.
And in a way, this photo looks like NYC or something.  Weird to realize we are looking at the gulf just behind this building.

For future reference, we WILL be coming back here 2 weeks prior to Christmas.  At this time, there really are so many fun things for kids to do.  Who knew, right?!

Ellie didn't skate.  But she absolutely had me call her good friend from the summer!!  Xaveas works at the Beach Club and helps with the kids' projects poolside.

Ellie fell in love with her.  She has asked about her numerous times since we left in June.

On our way down, she asked me to call her.  I wasn't sure I could.  Lo and behold, I had her number still in my phone, so I sent her a text.  I said something to the effect of "my little girl, Ellie,  who loved you this summer wants to know if she can meet up with you while we are in town this weekend.  I'm not even sure you remember us."  Her response, "Ellie Sue?!"  

yep.  That'd be her!!  Seems that kid makes an impression on people!

So I let Xaveas and her niece and Ellie hang out at a coffee shop, and Gabbi was on the ice, I hung around and in between, shopping.  I saw this shirt.  Wanted it for Todd the Bod!

And as I felt the whole time was here, we were just BLESSED!!  There was a light show that we had no idea was occurring at The Wharf.

There was CHristmas music blaring and the lights were changing colors to the tempo/ beat of the music.  Might I add, lights on the PALM TREES!!  So cool.

Afterwards we made a quick little run to Target.  I needed some mailing envelopes for the many, many Christmas ornaments I've painted while being at the condo.  And while we were there, we had a little fun.  Mary Allison made fun of Todd and his new blazer he's been wearing.  She donned this velvet jacket.  And paired it with a turtle neck (AS IF)!!  We texted him our shenanigans.  We got no response!  ha

Alex and Mary Allison thought Gabs looked very "hipster" in her little lumberjack looking outfit.

ANd Ellie HAD to have this furry collared vest to look like her hero, Mary Allison.

The favorite purchase was footie pajamas... for everyone!!

Yes... everyone!

Mary Allison ended the night by making her favorite stepmom her FAVORITE Christmas treat.... peanut butter balls.

Yes, indeed.  We are in the spirit!!  And Christmas is alive and well on the Gulf Coast!!

Mo