Forced Family Fun

Forced Family Fun. This is what the Hamilton family calls any family get-together. Of course, we always have a fantastic time together, so the phrase doesn't really fit. It's just for a good laugh.

So our most recent Forced Family Fun (FFF) was at Blue Mountain Beach. We rented a condo from Coach Parrish that comfortably fit our 7 adults and 4 children. The vacation week actually started while Barry and I were in Mexico, so MyGoo and Doc took Canon down to the beach with them on Saturday afternoon. I got to Dothan at 9:00 Sunday night and jumped right back in the car to rush to the beach to see Canon . . . I mean, my family!

Trey, Michele, and Kaden drove over from Texas, and Ann Steiner, Jason, Amelia and Ceil came down with my parents on Saturday. Barry spent one night with us because he had to work, but Robert, Dauren, and Graham couldn't make it because of the doctor-prescribed bed rest Dauren was committed to for the next two months. It was definitely a full house, and we tried to fill every moment with something. Unfortunately, Canon is not quite old enough to do most of the things that his older cousins can do, so we spent a lot of time hanging out in the condo or at the pool. The others rented bikes and rode up and down 30-A. They also took a boat to Shell Island after Canon and I went back to Dothan.

Canon had his first experience in the sand. My mom was holding him in the only picture that was taken of him on the beach, and she has threatened me with my life if I post a picture of her in a swimsuit on the internet. So, you're just going to have to believe me. He did actually go to the beach . . . and hated every second of it. Doc and I purchased a beach umbrella to give him some shade, but the lumpy sand just didn't conform to his chubby body. Eventually, MyGoo and Doc took him back to the condo while I stayed on the beach to hang out with my siblings, nieces, and nephew.

We went to Seaside one night to a Community Theater performance. It was a family-friendly kind of event. Amelia loved every second of it - princesses and wizards are her favorite! Canon met the Sce's for the very first time when he and I went to visit them in Destin. They are close family friends from Winfield and were spending their family vacation about ten miles away from us. We also went to the outlets and bought this growing chunker some new clothes. I'm sure we'll be back in a month!

It was a very fun week, especially considering that we only get together like this twice a year, maybe three times if someone gets married or has a baby. And let's face it . . . that's pretty much every year in my family!