The last week of 2009: New Smyrna Beach, FL

Vaca day 7

On Friday we prepared to go home and took a big, family nap. Sweet LJ basked in the glow of victory.
Our trip home on Saturday was uneventful and pretty quick. Mary Lawton did great.

We're so grateful to have such a generous aunt and uncle to take us on this great trip. Thanks so much, Bruce and Jan. We had a blast.

Vaca day 6

We had a lot of pool time on Thursday afternoon. I think there were also tug-o-war and relay races on Thursday, but I supervised naptime instead. I got to see tug-o-war from the balcony. It just looked painful.

The culminating decathlon event was a karaoke contest, complete with a karaoke DJ who claimed he is "the best karaoke DJ in the state of Florida." The numbers included:

Padaddy: Annie's Song/John Denver
Philip: Signs/Five Man Electrical Band
Emily and Olivia: Part of Your World/The Little Mermaid
Jan: Believe/Cher (in full Cher costume)
Kent and Heath: We Are the Champions/Queen
Bruce: Some Garth Brooks song/Garth Brooks
Andrew and Jason: Man of Constant Sorrow/Soggy Bottom Boys (in Soggy Bottom beards)
Kenny: Proud to be an American/Lee Greenwood
Carrie and Nikki: Bohemian Rhapsody/Queen
And me and Sweet LJ: Keep Your Hands to Yourself/The Georgia Satellites

Alisa, Biffy, and Kit judged. The criteria were entertainment value and actual singing ability. After about 10 minutes of deliberation, the judges announced the winners: Sweet LJ and me!!! I can't tell you how glorious and sweet this victory was. The win put Sweet LJ on top in the points contest, and he won the decathlon.

The quality of these pictures isn't so good. I think my sister was rocking so hard she had trouble with the camera.

Vaca day 5

Mary Lawton was so wiped out after her late night at Crabby Bill's that she slept in.

I was on the winning wiffle ball team on Wednesday. I like to think I won us the game, but I think all I did was catch one out.

Wednesday night we went to dinner at The Columbia, a fabulous Spanish restaurant. It was amazing--we had snacks and sangria on the deck and then a wonderful dinner.

Vaca day 4

Tuesday was another fun day. I missed the kickball game due to a sweet, sleeping baby, but I got a photo from the balcony. It was fun to watch. Sweet LJ was on the winning kickball team.
We ate dinner at Crabby Bill's. I love Crabby Bill's. Mary Lawton fell fast asleep after some carrots and milk.
After dinner we played family trivia. Each question was about a member of the family. Apparently, I made the questions too hard the last 2 years, because this year's organizers made the questions multiple choice. I still won.

Vaca day 3

On Monday of our vacation Mary Lawton played very hard in the pool again--so hard she fell asleep in Sissy's arms and slept that way for over an hour.
She missed the first event of the decathlon--the bellyflop contest. Ike won. No photo, but it was impressive.
Sweet LJ flopped. I was a little slow taking the picture, but here was his splash.

Liv also flopped. Good form.

Two years ago Sweet LJ and I brainstormed a competition consisting of 10 events and named it for my grandmother: The Jeanne A. Decathlon. Each event is worth points, and the person with the highest number of points at the end of all 10 events wins a trophy. The competition is fierce. My grandmother passed away last year, but she got to participate some that first year. She thought it was pretty cool.

Later that day was cornholing. Due to the number of people and time, we don't play actual cornholing rules. Each person gets 5 throws and 5 points for each beanbag in the hole. Susan won.
The sand was so blazing hot that the competition turned into how many people can fit under a standard beach umbrella.

Andrew showed up in style wearing Gail's hat.

Vaca day 2

On Sunday Mary Lawton had her first dip in the Gulf of Mexico. She was very observant watching birds and people go by, but didn't seem too impressed by the water and sand. She played in the pool for a long time then went in for a lunchtime nap. She had lots of fun swimming with her cousins. I wish I had some photos of them teaching her the backstroke and butterfly. They are so sweet and patient and LOVE her.

First time in the gulf

Poolside with Biffy

Poolside with Dad

Before we made it outside, Mary Lawton learned how to pull all of the paper towels off the roll.

Sunday night all 40 of us went for dinner at Ruth's Chris. Mary Lawton was passed around to lots of different people and didn't complain once. She ended up falling asleep in my arms, and then slept in her carseat until we left. This was the latest she has ever stayed out, I think. We left the restaurant at about 9 PM.

Biffy and Padaddy

Bruce and Jan

Heath, Sissy, Mary Lawton

Olivia and me