Sunday, October 26, 2014

Last Vacation of the Summer

So I started school the day after our last trip of the summer which is why its almost November and I'm just now posting this. It's long and I still probably left out a bunch of stuff. I had so much fun with Dave and Erika on this trip.




Saturday, August 9th
We woke up at 3 AM to catch our flight to New Orleans at 6. Dave's mom was nice enough to pick us up this early and take us to the airport. We were SO tired. Erika was delirious and cried laughing while in line at McDonald's at the airport over some joke she made that wasn't even funny hah. We got to New Orleans around noon and DANG was it HUMID. We walked out of the airport and it was so moist it was crazy. We picked up our rental car which was a new silver hyundai elantra (which I love) and it even had a Colorado license plate so that was awesome.

We headed to my Aunt & Uncles in Metairie about 20 minutes from the airport and had lunch with them from Danny & Clyde's. This place has the BEST shrimp po boys ever. They were awesome...just like Erika & me remembered from when we were little. We also enjoyed visiting with their sweet little Yorkie puppy, Pixie. She was so tiny & cute & way too squirmy for me to get a good pic of her.

After we visited for a while we headed out to New Orleans. It rained on the way there but stopped before we got parked and started walking. We went to the riverwalk mall and walked around the French Quarter & Bourbon street. There were a ton of people, guys & girls, wearing red dresses because they had a red dress run that afternoon around that area.


We ate at Cafe Maspero's and me & Erika shared a muffaletta sandwich which was yummy. Then we walked down Bourbon street and it was gross. There was trash everywhere and I guess cuz it rained it made it feel even more nasty. After that we went to Cafe DuMonde for beignets and MMMM they are amazing. Dave had never had them and he loved them so much. A random stranger even gave him their extra one cuz they didn't want it.

Bourbon Street

After beignets we were full & super tired so we headed back to the car and to my Aunt's & Uncle's and went to sleep.

Sunday, August 10th
We left New Orleans around 8am to head for Fort Walton Beach, Florida. It took 4 hours to get there and we checked in at Venus Condos (where we've stayed for YEARS) and then headed to the ocean with Sean & Michelle who were just there for the weekend. We hung out in the ocean talking for a couple hours and then Michelle & Sean had to leave :(

We ordered pizza from Hungry Howie's since we never had lunch and then hung out by the pool for a while. Later we went to Wal-Mart for food & drinks and also to Publix for some sushi & delicious crab dip. I loveeee seafood :)

Monday, August 11th
Erika & me layed out all day by the pool. Poor Dave got burnt so bad our first day when we were all floating in the ocean so he stayed in the room all day. After laying out we all napped and then got ready to go to Destin and eat at McGuire's Irish Pub for dinner. They have awesome burgers and the best spinach artichoke dip & chips you will ever eat. Erika & me got so full on spinach dip that we took like 2 bites of the burger we were sharing and had to just get a to go box for that. But it made for a yummy lunch the next day.

Dave & me waiting on our table at McGuire's

 sometimes we like to take pictures like they did in the old days when they didn't smile 


Tuesday, August 12th
Dave came out since it was kinda cloudy. We all played in the ocean for a while and it wasn't that clear. That green mushy seaweed that gets in your bathing suit was everywhere but we still had some fun. Since it was so cloudy Dave & me decided to go on a lunch date instead of dinner like we were originally planning. So we went in around noon and showered and got all fancy for our date.


We went to Angler's and we shared some nachos that were huge and we shared a seafood platter that was also big so we had leftovers. It was super yummy. Then we came back home and hung out in the room since it was still cloudy and then around 6:30 we packed up sushi and wine and headed to the beach to watch the sunset.

It was SO nice. We finished our sushi & bottle of wine and a while after the sun was down we went back to room and then hopped in the pool before it closed.


Wednesday, August 13th
We spent a lot of time in the ocean because it was absolutely beautiful. Super clear & no seaweed and it was just the prettiest I've ever seen it. So we hung out on our floats in the ocean and Erika was searching for sand dollars. We also played games to see who could stay on their float the longest without using legs or feet to balance when the waves hit us and that was fun.

After more pool time we got ready for dinner in Destin again. We went to AJ's because Michelle & Sean had recommended it. We got seafood platters that were huge and also very delicious.

Thursday, August 14th
We went to the ocean for 1 last time. It was really pretty but you could see the seaweed start to come back in before we left. We went to the pool for a while and then packed & checked out to head to Birmingham.

Before heading to Birmingham we had to get wings at Buffalo's Reef. They have really good wings and curly fries. On the ride home we played the Alphabet game. Dave had the great idea to do ghetto black names that way we'd have to make them up and also it would be harder to remember since they'd be made up. Some of my favorites were Herfweshon, Pearl Nay Nay, Von Twee Twee, Ramadainniqua. That game lasted like over an hour and usually we play it in probably about 10 minutes. It was hilarious.

Made it to Birmingham around 9 and it was so good to see my Mom and Dad again since I hadn't seen them in over a year. Also good to see my puppy Emma. She's been really sick and not eating & her sister Chi-Chi passed away earlier this year and I just feel so bad for her. She is so skinny. Poor thing :(

Friday, August 15th
We woke up and went to get a wedding gift for Lindsay while my Dad and Dave went to return our rental car from New Orleans and pick us up a new one for the couple days we'd be in Birmingham. Then they met us at Academy & then we went to Munoz for delicious mexican and WHITE cheese dip! Michelle met us there and we had margaritas and I got a spinach & mushroom quesadilla & a lot of white cheese dip. It was so good. I miss Alabama mexican food so much. We have no good places in Colorado for mexican and NOWHERE has white cheese dip. It's all orange and spicy & not as good. After lunch we went home and Dave and I got ready to head to Lindsay's mom's house for the wedding rehearsal.

We got to Lindsay's moms house and then headed down the street to Sweet Apple Farm where they were getting married. It was such a pretty venue with all the rolling green hills & trees. For dinner we had BBQ & banana pudding that was amazing. I think it was from Golden Corral. After dinner we helped decorate some and then Dave & me headed back to my parents to sleep.

Leslie (Maid of honor) me (bridesmaid), and Lindsay (bride) at the rehearsal dinner

all the bridesmaids with the bride
Jennifer, LeeAnn, Leslie, Lindsay, me and Stephanie
Jennifer & LeeAnn are the twins older sisters and Stephanie is their cousin

Saturday, August 16th- Lindsay's Wedding Day!
Saturday morning Dave & me woke up early to head to Lindsay's since I had to be at the salon to get my hair done at 10. Which ended up being totally pointless since they didn't even start on my hair until after 12 and by the time we took pictures my hair looked like crap cuz of the stupid humidity. ANYWAYS. Dave dropped me off there and then headed to Lindsay's house to hang out with the guys. The salon was fun. Especially when I agreed to wash Lindsay's mom's hair to help save time since they were short some employees. Well I turned the water on and the sprayer that was pointing straight up sprayed so hard and right into my face and hit the ceiling. Leslie, me and her mom started dying out laughing and I just stood there like ow my eye. hah. That thing had some power to it. So we cleaned up the water from everywhere while we were laughing and then I did successfully wash her moms hair. So thankful that I had not done my makeup or hair yet cuz that would've really sucked.

After we all had our hair done we went back to Lindsay's moms house and changed into our dresses. Then we rushed to the wedding location and almost immediately started taking pictures. They took us on a golf cart over the hill and through the woods for some pics and yea it was hot and like I said my poor hair that was pretty had fallen to just be a frizzy, stringy mess. After pics we pretty much just cooled off inside again before the ceremony started.

Lindsay looked so pretty!

Lindsay's 2 older nephews walked her down the aisle and it was so cute. Her cousin Brody is hilarious and he loved me since he saw me in my turtle backpack and anytime he saw me the rest of the night he'd say "Hey Donatello!" So cute :) After the ceremony and more pictures when I was done I took my shoes off (FINALLY they were so uncomfortable I hate heels) and went to find Dave. We ate and oh man was it delicious. Lindsay's cousin had grilled sausage & peppers and stuff and there was this awesome spinach dip and seriously it was the best wedding food I've ever had. After eating we danced. The DJ was good and played a good mix so it was fun. After the reception we helped clean up and then went to get something I left at Lindsay's mom's house then went to Lindsay and Dean's house to say goodbye to them and everyone else since they were kinda having a party everyone was there. Dave and me got home around 1am and passed out. We were exhausted.

Brody and Kasen walking Lindsay down the aisle

Lindsay & Dean


Brody & Me aka Donatello ;)


Sunday, August 17th
We went to have lunch at Michelle's and she is an amazing cook. We had shrimp and grits and they were like better than restaurant good. AMAZING. Then we returned the rental and Dave & me had to say goodbye (Erika wasn't leaving til the next day). I hate saying goodbye to my parent's. My mom always cries and it makes me so sad to see her sad.

Our plane stopped in Chicago but we didn't have to get off the plane. We landed in Denver at like 10:50 PM and went to baggage claim where we waited FOR FREAKIN EVER for our bags. Apparently they got "jammed" and it took forever to fix. Then when the bags finally started coming out again only about 5 made it before they stopped AGAIN. And then a worker guy came and jumped down in the hole and pulled out MY bag and held it up and said "This is the bag!" My bag. My houndstooth bag....yea you can't miss it. Totally implying that my bag was the reason we had to wait for an hour for them to un jam a freakin bag. WHATEVER. I was so aggravated by this point and went over to get my bag. It ended up working out to our advantage cuz Dave and me both complained to South West about the long wait for our bags and we both got $75 towards a future flight so it was ok that I didn't get home until 1 am and started my 3rd semester of nursing school the next morning.

So for the whole Summer Dave and me went to 11 different states. Go us!
1. Colorado
2. Utah
3. Arizona
4. Nevada
5. Wyoming
6. South Dakota
7. Nebraska
8. Louisiana
9. Mississippi
10. Florida
11. Alabama

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