Sweet (Home) Alabama

As our family vacation we spent a week on the beach in Orange Beach, Alabama (basically Gulf Shores). It was a great week with lots of sunshine and water fun! I won't go through each day but we spent most of our time at the beach. Heath enjoyed getting up early and going to relax and/or play his guitar on the beach. We would fix something for breakfast and then head to lube up with lotion and off to the pool or beach. The pool was right outside our sliding glass door and the beach was just beyond the pool. The view from the beach of our condo.

And now a view from the condo of the beach. It was also nice for Brooklynn because the pool was heated so she could swim in the morning and night without being too cold. And even I got in a few times! That is Brooklynn in the life vest and our room is right behind the person laying out. A very convenient location! One thing that stood out at the beach was how many shells there were. We spent hours looking and digging for seashells. We brought home some great ones. The waves were different each day and Heath was able to body/boogie board a few days. Even Brooklynn surprised us and joined him the last day, which was the day of the biggest waves while we were there!

Here is Brooklynn boarding on her own. She doesn't hit any waves for awhile, but she is patient and it pays off! As you can see, the waves are pretty big in the background. We were able to use this shallow part for her to board easily. She was up and out again!

There were some highlights away from the condo as well. We ate at the famous Lambert's Cafe where they throw rolls across the room to you as well as come around and offer random food (like you see here - fried okra). We tried to take the Dauphin Island ferry from Ft. Morgan but after waiting an hour and a half we were informed that they steering broke down! So instead we played putt-putt and Brooklynn got in a few laps at the track. She was awesome at go-carts. Impressed us very much with her driving (quite different from her Barbie car at home).

Lambert's wasn't the only exciting place we dined at. We spent a wonderful coastal evening on the Intercoastal dining at Lulu's (Jimmy Buffett's sister's restaurant). Brooklynn was a guest of honor as she went to sing on stage with the two-man band (watch it until the end as she gets control of the mike).

Her and daddy danced along with the music too. It was a great family place and Brooklynn couldn't stop talking about it. You will have to ask her all about it.

On our way to MS we stopped in Mobile, AL to see the U.S.S Alabama battle ship. Although we didn't take the time to go through it was neat to be on the bay and see some of the enormous battle vehicles and ship.

One of the main reasons we visited MS, where Heath was born and spent most of his early years, was to visit his father's grave. He hadn't been back to the coast of MS since his father's death so it was a long overdue visit. We put one of the bats that we got in Louisville on the grave (where the flower vase was supposed to be). It was an emotional time for him.


There were some more positive places he took us to as well. Here is a picture were we ate lunch - on the "beach" park. We got his favorite food, Ed's drive through (surprise, surprise it was cheeseburgers, fries, and a coke) and came to the coast. He reminisced about his mom bringing him here when he was a kid. However everything was new thanks to Hurricane Katrina.

We spent most of the day stopping in to relatives and close friends of his father to reconnect and catch up on old times. It was quite an emotional day for Heath, but a good one and well needed.

Although we drove straight through to get home on Sunday, we made it a two day trip on the way down, stopping to enjoy several places. The first place (it was a spur of the moment choice as well) we visited was the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory. We were able to see bats being made in the factory and learn about the history of the company. Heath was in high heaven as we were able to see and even take batting practice using famous Major Leaguer bats. Here Heath is holding Mickey Mantle's bat - they made him wear gloves!

Heath has trained her well - she found a Cubs bat in the gift shop!

We even got mini-bats with the tour. It was a nice time but I think going through once is enough in a lifetime.

After a couple more hours on the road we stopped and took the historic tour of Mammoth Cave. Here we are outside the cave entrance.I have been there several times but it was a first for Brooklynn and Heath. We were able to see a couple bats - luckily they were sleeping high above us on the walls. I'm not sure what kind of bats they were but Brooklyn thought it was a chicken nugget on the wall! Ha, Ha! Here is Brooklynn inside the cave.On our way out of the parking lot we ran into a few scrawny deer. They let us within feet of them! We fed them some of my Subway sandwich bread and an apple (which they didn't even eat!). I would have thought they loved apples?!

We were supposed to hit the Grand Ol' Opry Hotel before hitting the sack in Nashville but after all our walking (several miles) I was pooped! I wasn't the only one either! So instead we checked into our hotel, ordered pizza, and were asleep by 8:30! We got up the next day to visit the hotel before we headed the rest of the way to Orange Beach. Brooklynn really enjoyed the hotel and all it's beauty. She had been there twice before, once at 2 1/2 months and again at 9 months, but obviously she has no recollection.

Overall it was a WONDERFUL trip. Brooklynn has been asking many times to go back. Feel free to check out all our pictures at shutterfly: http://drebailey.shutterfly.com/