Day Off School

Wednesday was a teacher workday, so we decided to swim/sun/eat/shop our way down the panhandle.

To make things better, we have two new-to-us vehicles, and I chose to drive Rick's because mine was full of merchandise for the shop. Due to finances, this had to be a low budget trip.

First stop was Taco Bell. Everyone got one item off the cheap menu.

A while later, everyone got one thing from the Dollar Tree for snack and we  drove on to find a good place to eat the snacks. We ran across Eden Gardens State Park.

 Part of the purpose of the trip was to find merchandise for our flea market shop, we we stopped at three Goodwill stores and a thrift shop. Sometimes Goodwill can be really expensive. We stopped at one that was a Home Decor store and things were $20-$60!! 

We planned to go to the beach, and we chose Henderson Beach State Park Beach.

 From Henderson Beach, I called the closest Cracker Barrel and ordered one meal with three sides. My kids know we have to share if we are going to eat somewhere like Cracker Barrel. Unfortunately I left my phone at the state park and didn't realize it until we got to Cracker Barrel. We went back and it was right where I left it.

We took the food to Destin Commons play area to eat. Then I let the kids wander around for 30 minutes on their own. They decided these stores cost too much and they liked Dollar Tree better.

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After another stop, we ended up at Dave and Busters which is a large and expensive video arcade, but I had points on my card from going with the adult children the Saturday night before. And Wednesday turned out to be half price day.

My points, my rules, and I said whatever we did, we all had to do it together. They didn't mind. In fact this day everyone was getting along great. Sometimes the twins shut Jasmine out and are pretty hateful to her, but today they all did great together. I think they are also starting to understand that as they earn trust, they earn privileges (like this day out) but that she has more privileges because she is four years older. And really she never takes advantage of any of them other than staying up later.

Jasmine and I also have a lot of history before the twins arrived. I've her her since birth and have taken her through at least ten surgeries. Those times were hard, but they were also bonding experiences as she realized she could totally trust me to look out for her.

They are already talking about the fun they are going to have on their next Wednesday off of school together.

Here are a few pictures from last Saturday night.

There were 12 of us in all, but we never got everyone in the same photo. Jessica had to work, so we all went to the restaurant where she works, but we were 8 minutes too late, we went to TGIF and she got there right as we were getting ready to leave .

 Unfortunately, Adam and Tara are not together anymore. It's been very off and on, and with Adam moving away for active reserves, things totally feel apart.

 Adam knocked his water cup over and into his pants. Not to be out done, Ty not only knocked his soda over toward me and my phone and camera, but the glass hit the pepper shaker and broke very dramatically.