Welcome to the Parade! {Arriving at PCB}

My family always goes to the beach the first week after school is out.  It's "Week 22" on our timeshare slot.  We have done this every summer that I remember.  Nonnie and Pops purchased two weeks nearly 30 years ago.  They would always come an extra week alone, and the whole family would come a week while Nonnie and Pops stayed (AND slept on an inflatable mattress under the bar in the dining area).  When our families began to grow in size and in number, we rearranged the two weeks into two condos for one week.  The Smith condo still had two people sleeping in the living room, so this year we lucked out with a three bedroom condo for our group.  It worked out great since Millie Janalee came along this time.  It was just Russ and me that woke up at 3:45 and 5:50 every morning.  Ha!

We all look forward to this time every year!  I was even more excited this year, because I could NOT wait to show Millie Janalee the beach!  The sand, the water, the waves.  It was almost too much to contain.  Russ worked all night Friday night until 8:00 Saturday morning.  We packed the car the night before, and my job was to have myself and Millie Janalee ready to leave when he got home.  We did it!  We stopped by to drop Farley off at the vet, and we were on our way!  I drove and let Russ sleep a bit (Although he didn't sleep much, and he drove the rest of the way after Tupelo.)  Millie Janalee did FAN-TAS-TIC!  We stopped in Tupelo to eat lunch at Atlanta Bread Company, and we stopped two more times.

That is all!

The girl never cried or whimpered at all.  She took two regular naps, and the rest of the time talked and giggled her way to Florida.  She did watch a movie and some Sesame Street after our second stop.  Nine hours is a loooonnnng time to sit in a rear facing car seat with nothing to do.  Ha!

We arrived at our condo just as the rest of our crew was unloading groceries.  They had taken the dreaded and traditional grocery trip to Walmart when they got in town.  We all unloaded together, and Millie Janalee was so excited to play without those shoulder straps and buckles!  Auntie Kristin and Uncie Lee gave Millie Janalee this little Adirondack chair for Easter, and Kristin found the table to go with it.  Millie Janalee loved it!  She really showed out.  She has become mobile since the family last saw her.  And she's doing much more imitating now...as shown by her putting the ring on her head after Auntie Kristin did it.

When we were all settled, Auntie Kristin brought out more surprises.  Millie Janalee knows that when Auntie Kristin comes out with a shopping bag, there is usually something in there for her.  Look at that knowing look she's giving her...

Auntie Kristin took a little Millie Janalee shopping spree at Target, while Maw Maw sent a few things as well.  The story begins when Belk calls Maw Maw personally to let her know the baby clothes are on sale.  Trouble instantly.  I'm sure Belk called every Belk cardholder, but to Maw Maw it was a personal invitation because she is such a loyal and preferred customer.  And she may be for all I know.  The woman LOVES a good Belk sale!

I suppose I really didn't even have to pack clothes for the child, because she now has a whole new wardrobe.  See?  It's not just me.  It's everyone!  Go ahead.  You have a little girl with all the ease of Paypal and cuteness, and see how you turn out!

One of my favorite things were these adorable jelly shoes!  It reminded me of Nonnie.  Which was appropriate since we were on their vacation.  Nonnie always had us jelly shoes, and she also had her own pair.  Or more.  She wore those things way past being in style.  Because, besides Maw Maw, who's grandmother really keeps up with the trends?  That's the comfort of having grandmothers - smells of moth balls, cedar, and jelly shoes!  Ha!  Man, I miss that cedar smell!

Russ and I took a sinful amount of pictures from our week, and you can imagine that I just couldn't reduce them to one summary post.  Soooo....welcome to the parade of Panama City Beach posts! 

We'll be here all week.