add new post about destin trip

content/posts/2025-04-29.md

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+---
+title: "Our First Big Family Adventure: Destin, Florida!"
+date: 2025-04-29
+draft: false
+tags: [travel, beach, family]
+author: Eric Taylor
+typora-root-url: ../../static
+featuredImage: "/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250429_231945105_med.jpg"
+---
+
+![Family Selfie at the Beach](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250429_231945105_med.jpg)
+
+Well, folks, we did it! We took our first *real* family vacation this April, and it was everything we hoped for and more. We have made trips to see grandparents and family which are wonderful, of course, but this was different. This was a road trip, just the four of us, heading south to Destin, Florida. It felt like a milestone, a proper family adventure, and honestly, we needed it after a long winter.
+
+## Hitting the Road & LegoLand Fun
+
+The drive down was… an adventure in itself! Six and seven-year-olds in the car for a long haul requires a *lot* of snacks and patience, lets just say that. We broke up the trip with a stop in Atlanta, Georgia, and a visit to LegoLand Discovery Center. Honestly? It was a genius move. The kids were absolutely *buzzing*. Millions of Legos, building challenges, and everything imaginable made from those little plastic bricks. It was the perfect energy boost for the rest of the journey. We got some great pictures of them immersed in the Lego world truly a blast.
+
+![Noah looking at Lego City](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250426_143547615_med.jpg)
+
+![Eve at Legoland Holding hands with Duplo minifig](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250426_162424871_med.jpg)
+
+## Destin: Sun, Sand, and Turtle Friends
+
+![Destin road sign](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250428_180236384.MP_med.jpg)
+
+Destin itself was exactly what we needed. Warm, but not scorching, with beautiful white sand beaches and thankfully calm waves. We rented a condo through Airbnb and it was perfect. Clean, comfortable, and - best of all - loaded with beach gear! The kids were in heaven. Eve, especially, took to the ocean like a little fish, fearlessly diving into the waves and having an absolute blast. Noah was a bit more cautious at first, but soon he was right there with her, battling the waves and building sandcastles.
+
+![Eve and Noah playing in the waves](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250427_160525143.PORTRAIT_med.jpg)
+
+![Noah in a sand castle on the beach](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250429_231516060_med.jpg)
+
+But the beach wasn't the only water the kids enjoyed. Our condo complex had a little lake teeming with turtles! They spent an hour each day feeding them and watching them swim. It was such a sweet, simple joy.
+
+![Condo Turtles](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250429_210524970.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL_med.jpg)
+
+## Gulfarium & Boardwalk Adventures
+
+We made a visit to the [Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park](https://gulfarium.com/), which was like a mini-SeaWorld. They saw penguins, otters, and even an albino alligator! The dolphin show was a definite highlight, and we managed to get a ridiculously cute photo of both kids sitting in a giant chair at the park.
+
+![Eve and Noah in a giant chair](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250428_172356619.MP_med.jpg)
+
+Eve also loved getting to gently touch the horseshoe crabs during one of the interactive exhibits.
+
+![Eve touching the horseshoe crabs](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250428_172954709_med.jpg)
+
+![Doliphin Show](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250428_150333583.MP_med.jpg)
+
+We also spent an afternoon walking the boardwalk, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the sights. The kids posed with all sorts of wacky statues (Noah in front of a giant shark was a particular favorite!)
+
+![Noahs Big Catch](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250427_202913755.MP_med.jpg)
+
+![Eaten by a Shark](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250430_130150052.MP2_med.jpg)
+
+We even found a restaurant where we got a silly family photo with the kids' Noah as ice cream, Eve as a hot dog!
+
+![Eve and noah boardwalk food sign](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250427_232715471.MP_med.jpg)
+
+We did venture to another beach further down the coast, but honestly, nothing quite compared to the one right near our condo.
+
+![Dinner at the boardwalk](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250427_204728447.PORTRAIT_med.jpg)
+
+
+## Sunset Memories
+
+Evenings were spent on the beach, watching the sunset and just *being* together. Jamie and I even managed to sneak in a few quiet moments to ourselves.
+
+![Eric and Jaime Selfie](/img/2025-04-29/20250429_181145_med.jpg)
+
+And the family portraits in the golden hour light? Priceless.
+
+![Sunset Family at the beach](/img/2025-04-29/20250429_182709_med.jpg)
+
+There were frozen treats, sandy toes, and laughter. Lots and lots of laughter.
+
+![Beach treats](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250427_153424943.PORTRAIT_med.jpg)
+
+Destin was more than just a vacation; it was a memory we'll cherish for years to come. It was our first big family adventure, and it reminded us how important it is to disconnect from the everyday and reconnect with each other. We're already dreaming of our next trip back!
+
+![Sandy toes](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250427_160431708_med.jpg)
+
+![Back Porch Chair](/img/2025-04-29/PXL_20250429_230748050_med.jpg)