Cisel Family Vaca in Destin

Love the sand. Love the beach. What I love even more is surprises.

I called Derek during one of my 30-second breaks at work. Here's how it went:

Hubby: "Don't get too excited, but I am planning something for us."

Me: "Oh yeah.... what?????!!!!!!"

Hubby: "Well, I'm thinking we need to take a family vacation."

Me: (freaking out, shaking my head... no words)

Hubby: "I'm thinking Destin, Florida. You have never been and the beaches are gorgeous."

Me: "Yeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhh!"

So, that's how it started. Our first official Cisel Family Vacation.

After working a night shift and getting home at 7am Saturday morning, all I wanted to do was get in the car and take off - "Let's go now!" the anticipation was killing me! My husband said no. Apparently I'm not fun to be around after being up for more than 24 consecutive hours. So, I backed down (which is hard for me), and somehow made myself take a cat nap til noon. I woke up, ready to roll.

We headed out, Daddy driving (again, hard for me), and embarked on the journey through 3 states and 2 time zones. But still.... even with all that hype.... it was only 5 hours.

This was such a special time for us. I felt so blessed my husband took time off work and dedicated the week to our beach vacation. We drove until the horizon met the water - just in time for sundown. It was beautiful to see the sun and the water meet at the end of the day. Bianca was a trooper - being a good girl the entire way.

Everyday we would wake up, eat breakfast, go back to the room, take a morning nap, and then head out to the beach. Daddy and B would spend some quality time together in the mornings.

I think one of the best parts about beach vacations is the first time your feet hit the sand. I just love digging my feet in and rubbing them together. Bianca watched and tried to do the same with hers.

We would spend hours on the shore, just hanging out. Bianca loved touching the sand. She would scoop with her hands and then hold them up in the air, letting the sand pour out.

I think B was amazed at all the things she could do. We let her crawl anywhere she wanted. The beach was her sandbox.... and it was a BIG SANDBOX!

OH.... how she loved the birds. I can't stand seagulls.

Once she got used to the water, it was fun.

All that sand and salt water can do miserable things to a girl's hair.

Sometimes we liked to bury ourselves in the sand.
Sometimes we liked to eat the sand.

Dinners were pretty amazing. I loved eating out - no cooking!!! We had fresh seafood every night. The restaurants were so open - this is a pic taken from where we sat. There are no windows - just open air.

Nana, this one's for you..... she's holding up 1 finger all the time now!

A coworker of mine, Jen, has a condo on the beach. She happened to be there the same week we were there. It was awesome to get to stop by and say hi.

We got up and went to the beach to watch the sunrise one morning. The last night, we watched the sun set on the beach. It was breath-taking. This is proof to me God is a very good artist.

Destin is a gorgeous, friendly, easily-navigated beach town everyone should visit. White sands, picturesque beaches, pristine gulf waters...... and a bit of heaven all sprinkled into one place.

We'll miss you, Destin! See ya next year. Thank you again, husband, for being more than I could ever ask....

happy bday nans

Happy Birthday Nana! We miss you and hope you have a great day. We wish we could be there to help celebrate.

Love,
Derek, Liz, & Bianca

I'm work'n on it!

I've had a few texts and emails about our Cisel Family Vaca 2010 and when I am going to post some pics. Well..... the truth is..... I'm being lazy. I've got a lot of pics to sort through and I'm just tired!

We spent 5 beautiful, sunny, God-blessed days in Destin, Florida. Ahhhhhh..... the ocean! Why is it no matter what is going on in your life, no matter how tired you are - the ocean always calms you? It calmed, it soothed, it bathed us in its wondrous mystery and relaxing effect. Then we laid back and let the shining sun soak up every drop. Loved it. It was just the 3 of us. Our first family vacation. Bianca's first venture on sand and sea.

We got home this evening and between doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms, unpacking, catching up on phone calls, dinner, and getting ready for starting my work week tomorrow- I'm beat! Here's a little snip it. Kinda boring, but I'll do more details later after I have time/energy to get into editing.

Furthermore, my pics are way better than my film. Sorry this is a bit foggy/Blair-Witch-movie like. My camcorder skills are just not there. Half the time we forgot we had it with us. I will be posting pics later. Not sure when..... but sometime in the next week!

Fall & Alive After Five

Fall already.

I mean, seriously. I'm a Midwest girl. I can't take this 90-degree-late-September-gotta-plant-mums-decorate-for-halloween-go-get-pumpkins kinda girl. Fall is my favorite season - but only when living in the midwest. Nowadays, my favorite season is winter - but only when living in the south. So, this last week, I didn't care. I planted the mums. Sweat like crazy cause it was 92 degrees outside when I did it.... but hey - there're in that georgia clay ground. Busted out the fall wreath on our front door, too. I'm just going all out. I can't take it. I keep checking the weather - no chance of highs in the 70s until late October. Great. The leaves don't change until then, either. I've given up. My plants outside have also given up and surrendered - they are done for the season. Better luck next year. Reports say this is the hottest Georgia weather in years..... perfect.

So, we beared the heat and went to Alive After Five in Roswell last night. My friends called and said we should head up to Roswell to check it out. I've wanted to go every month. It is a time when the "small" (use this term loosely here....I am a small town Midwest girl afterall), quaint town of Roswell hosts a nighttime gathering the 3rd Thursday of the summer months. The adorable and eccentric little shops open their doors and pour out their goodies onto the bricked sidewalks, allowing customers to overflow into the streets and check out all the portable vendors in the area, too. It's awesome. And the kids had a ball.

2 little old ladies having dinner

Little Callie just needed a small pile of dirt to make her happy

My daughter just needed a thumb and lovey to make her happy

Erin got to jump in the air jumpy and that made her happy

I cannot wait until Bianca is old enough for this

Thanks again, Dearies, for a fun-filled evening. We loved it!!!

And next week......... I cannot wait....... Cisel family vacation pics!!!

Nana

Dear Nana,

Thank you so much for coming to visit me. I wish we lived closer to each other so you could come and visit me more often. I really miss you. Mommy says there are days she just wants to be able to call you and have you appear at the front door. I think she misses you as much as I do.

We had a lot of fun together. We played, shopped, played some more, and ate ice cream! Sorry I got sick the last couple of days. I really didn't feel myself, and you knew it right away. You made me feel better by holding me and massaging me. I loved it. Next time I'll be back to my happy, smiley, outta control self and we can play a whole lot more.

Can't wait to see you again. You are so special to me. We have so much fun and we have a great time together. You and I kinda work out real well......

I miss you with all my heart. I cannot wait for the day when we live closer to each other (mommy says she can't wait either). Oh yeah.... and Disney Land. Can't wait for that, too.

Love,

Bianca Dee

Labor Day

We loved today.

It started off with Momma make'n homemade french toast - with syrup.

2.5 hour nap.

Followed up with shopping and lunch out at Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Finger Paint.

Repeat 1.5 hour nap.

Then - dinner at neighbors' and visit with boyfriends.

Does it get any better??? Oh yeah.... to die for chocolate dessert.

Finish the day with a warm bubble bath with momma.

Its just doesn't get better.

Busy make'n a card for Nana... She visits tomorrow!!!!

My camera can take 3 pictures in 1 second. That still was not fast enough for these three.

Thank you soooooo much to Katie and Erik for the awesome dinner. We loved it. It was so good to hang out and get the kids together. The dynamics are hilarious. Can't wait to do it again.

Friends Forever

There are some people that you are given a chance to meet in life that will undoubtably strike a newfound friendship. In some circumstances, this friendship consists of a cheerful, "We should do something sometime" or "We should all get together and go out." In a rare, occasional chance - there is that friendship that two paths actually do collide and cross one another. It isn't a "we should" but rather a "when we" discussion about going out and spending fun time together. Do you remember in grade school how you would have one-half of a "FRIENDS" necklace and you'd give the other half to the friend you wanted to share it with so you could be "friends forever"?

Derek and I have met these friends. Our paths have collided. We have been imposed upon a newfound, ever-s0-lucky friendship. I work with Joe. He's an ER doc at the hospital. About once a month or even more frequently - he, his wife, me, and all the kids do lunch or dinner.

We really have a whole lot in common:

Bears & ND fans

They are Catholic (hard to find in the south)

They love traveling

Heather (wife) is a nurse

They have 2 girls, ages 3 & 1

They're Irish

The wives run the show (hahahahaha)

Heather is from the Midwest (Chicago, baby!!!)

Our husbands like to golf, but never get to (yet we don't feel sorry for them...oops - did I just write that?)

We will all end up in the Midwest someday

Our kids are super cute

There's more.... but we'll leave it at that. Heather and I have talked quite a bit since I found out I was pregnant with Bianca. She was an unbelievable resource for me. I had so many questions - she could answer them all. Now we even have the same pediatrician - thank you so much for that recommendation. Heather encouraged me to breast feed and was a huge reason as to why it was such a success for me for 7.5 months. She's just an amazing, incredible mother. I remember going to lunch with her and her girls, just watching her with such ease handle everything. And she travels. I mean - this woman will pack both her kids (and the little dog!), check in, fly, connect, and get to her destination......ALL BY HERSELF! And, they even fly overseas (yes, the kids have been to Ireland). Such an inspiration - Heather - you are amazing. You are an amazing mother, a supportive wive, and a total package. (Joe.... again.... how did you do it/get so lucky????!!!!)

During this craziness.... our little one managed to eat/choke/vomit up leaves. Derek swears he was watching her close (he was, after all, sitting next to her).....

Thank you so much, Dearies, for the wonderful afternoon/evening. We had a blast. And if we were in grade school (which, yes, sometimes the boys might act like it), I'd give ya the other half of that necklace.

(and Happy Birthday, Pammy!!!... I so miss you and wish we were there)