"Just Another Day in Paradise": Our Trip to Mobile

We had a great time at Mobile Bay for the 4th of July holiday! Sissy and Big E went over and beyond getting everything ready for us to come and had each day planned with fun activities. Sanders and Mae were sooo excited to see their cousins. Sanders was connected to Austin's hip the entire week and Mae was obsessed with Emil. She kept saying "my Emil"." Her and Grace got along a little better this time. They still had their little fights but they also had fun playing together. They are both girls who know what they want and aren't going to stop until they get it!!

Here is a rundown of our week . . .

Thursday, July 1

We got in late the night before but that didn't stop the boys from planning an early golf game! They were out the door at 8am with wide grins across their face. Sanders and Mae were up bright and early because they couldn't wait to play with their cousins! After the initial welcome wore off, we got dressed and headed to the Grand Hotel pool. It was our first time to go to the member's pool and it was amazing!!! They had a lazy river, a water slide (which Sanders was too short to go on), a shallow pool and a regular sized pool. There was something for everyone!

It was so much fun.

a picture of the awesome pool

Mae is ready to swim!

sweet Grace

Mary swimming with Maddie and Grace

Sissy's little partner - Elle

Maddie

Mae LOVED baby Elle!

Grace loves to take pictures!

Emil and Grace

Everyone sitting on the stairs with Sissy!

When we got back to the house, Sissy had ordered a water slide for the kids for the week so they couldn't wait to start sliding! The dads got home around this time so they had fun sliding too! As you can see things got a little rough.

On your mark get set go!

Superman

Little Emil

Austin

Here goes the big boys!

Kids at heart

Grace is not so sure about the water slide

The boys also had fun swimming in the bay that afternoon. Little Sanders was a little skeptical of the water but that is no surprise. Sweet Uncle Alex took him swimming with Austin, Emil and little Emil.

That night we got everyone showered and dressed and headed to Big Daddy's on Fish River. It was great. They had outside seating and a big sand area for the kids to play in. It was perfect - we could sit, visit and have a few drinks while they played in the sand! It was a fun night.

Maddie looks cute in Sissy's glasses

my sweet boy

Mae is showing us her dance moves

Eating the yummy dinner

Mae and Grace - two peas in a pod

Relaxing on the dock after dinner

Friday, July 2

We woke up bright and early for the annual Graf Family photos. Sissy found a great photographer this year! Our family went first in hopes that everyone would cooperate which they did for the most part. It was definitely HOT taking the pictures. I think we were all drenched with sweat by the end. After we finished the pictures a few hours later, the girls headed to downtown Fairhope for shopping and lunch at Mary Anne's deli. The Shirley Special at Mary Anne's was even better than I remembered! It took a little while to get the sandwiches so we showed up a little late for our massages but they were great regardless. The boys stayed back at the house with the kids and swam and played on the water slide. They had almost all of the kids napping at one point. They make it look so easy. When we got back to the bay house, we went down by the water and enjoyed a few cocktails while the kids all played. It is always my favorite time of day down there.

Sanders and Mae walking down to the wharf

Emil and Sanders and their girls! They are actually sharing!

Maddie loved the water

Everyone having fun!

Alex and Jesse

Big E enjoyed his Heineken

Mary

Sissy and Elle

Sanders eating some popcorn

All the kids trying to blow up water balloons

Sanders and Mae are ready for the 4th!

That night we went to dinner at the Fairhope Inn. We had a babysitter come watch the kids which was great! The dinner was delicious! It was nice to have a few hours of "adult" time away from the kids.

Saturday, July 3

On Saturday, the boys took off for the golf course again - minus Phillip. They had to take Maddie to the emergency care b/c she had a rash all over her body. We all thought they were mosquito bites at first but it gradually starting getting worse. Poor thing woke up that morning swollen and completely covered with red bumps. Luckily she got a shot and felt better almost immediately. The rest of the group was moving a little slow from the night before but that didn't stop us from taking the kids back to the pool. We decided to try the guest pool at the Grand Hotel this time. It was nice too but definitely more crowded! And little Sanders couldn't ride the water slide here either. Both my kids were cranky so luckily we headed out after we all ate lunch. On the way out of the hotel, we noticed they had jumpies, face painting, a rock wall, a petting zoo etc. so we stopped and let the kids try it out. Luckily both of my two napped when we got home (including mommy). We all slept for a few hours and woke up happy and rested!

That afternoon we had a repeat of the day before . . . cocktails, swimming and a beautiful sunset!

Mae eating some cheese puffs - her favorite!

Maddie and Phillip swimming in the bay

A cute picture of Mae playing in the water

Mary and Madeline

Grace getting her daily spray down

Aunt Helen Marie and Elle

Mae and Grace playing with the flags. They always want what the other one has.

Sharing a Gogurt

The boys back at the water balloons again

Mae and Daddy

Sanders checking out the crab trap

Austin and Sanders

The beautiful sunset!

Me and sweet Mae

Emil baiting the crab trap. Just like old times

Sara and Grace

Ms. Sophisticated Maddie!

Miss Priss

Sanders loves his cigars!

What a wonderful family!

After we watched the sun go down we went back inside to start getting ready for dinner. We thought the kids were all worn out so we turned on a movie and put them all on the sofa bed. We thought surely they'd be asleep in no time.

The next thing we know the girls get the colors and coloring books out

And the boys were wrestling on the sofa bed. They were wild!

We all realized that we needed to eat quickly - especially considering it was 10 o'clock at night and the kids were getting out of control. Big E cooked up some fabulous steaks and Sissy had salad, asparagus and baked potatoes. It was delicious but we were all EXHAUSTED!

Sunday, July 4

The 4th had arrived!!! We had a fun day in store!

A few pictures of the kids playing around the house that morning . . .

Sanders and Alex

A great picture of Austin and Emil

The three amigos

The kids loving on baby Elle

Mae and Grace having one of their little face-offs

When the kids started getting restless, the whole family headed up to the Grand Hotel member's pool! We looked like an army walking in. Everyone had fun swimming with the kids and sipping on a few festive daiquiris by the pool.

Arriving at the pool

Mae and her shades!

Sissy and Baby Elle relaxing in the pool

Floating in the lazy river

Phillip and Madeline

Sanders and his babies

Sanders and sweet Mae

Mommy and Mae

Alex, Big E and Little Emil

Sara playing "Ring Around the Roses" with the girls

Big E and Sanders

Mae jumping into the pool

Time to go home . . .

One of cutest pictures I think I've ever gotten of my kids!

Time for the PARTY!!!

Once we got back to the house and cleaned up it was time to start getting ready for the party! Sissy made potato salad and tomato pie. I made the red,white and blue cupcakes and apache bread dip. Mary made a Brie dip and Sanders made yummy margaritas. We also had watermelon, hamburgers hot dogs etc! It was going to be a fun night!

A picture of the cupcakes