Save a turkey, eat a crab

As if I didn't already have enough to be grateful for this year, this was my beautiful view on Thanksgiving Day...

and this is my CrAzY child swimming in my beautiful view!!

I couldn't even put my big toe in.

But I'll admit, sitting on the beach in shorts and a T-shirt at the end of November is not a bad way to spend turkey day.  And speaking of turkey.  We had none.  Nada.  Which suits me just fine.  Instead...

We went back and forth for weeks about going.  Would it be freezing, would there be anything to do if you can't swim, would Keatyn scream bloody murder all the way down there???

But late Monday afternoon, when we realized we literally had nothing on the schedule for the next FIVE days, we thought... why not.  Sisty and Granddaddy were already there and said it was beautiful and to come on!

We had already done Thanksgiving with my family.  So we picked Trace up early from school on Tuesday and tried to beat the insane travel traffic.  We were in Destin by bedtime and spent the rest of the week playing! 

Busting a move to a little "Cotton Eyed Joe" at Joe's Crap Shack.

Too much Budweiser maybe?

 SPOILER ALERT:  To the 4 people that still read this blog... some of these pictures may appear on the Christmas card you will be receiving next week.  ;)

Secretly... it has always been my dream to be at Silver Sands on Black Friday! They were opening at midnight and I had planned to get up at 4 a.m. and hit it early, but then Jim happened to drive by at 8 that night and there were people there and lined up.  He asked and most of the stores were opening at 9 or 10.  This changes everything!!!  I threw my clothes back on and headed out!  I can NOT believe Jimmy agreed to go with me.  I think he was afraid of how much damage I would do unsupervised!  ha!

This was the line outside of Coach.  There was a barricade, security and an ambulance.  Craziness!!

The last night we were there, we went to the Wharf for Trace to do the zip line again.  This time, he wanted to try the ropes obstacle course.  I couldn't believe he did it.  Those 45 minutes he was up there, probably took 5 years off my life.  But he was so proud of himself!

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving and I could see this turning into a new family tradition!