This year our family’s over thirty years of vacationing at the grandparents’ condo in Miramar Beach comes to an end.

When I got engaged to my husband Alan in 2002, I took my very first trip to Miramar Beach. Alan’s mom, who we call Nonna now, took me to her parents’ condo. We walked on the beach, ate out, went shopping, and had a great time.

Nonna’s dad was a contractor. He built these condos in the 1970s. How cool is that? He built them, and he bought one for himself. It seems like he rarely visited the beachside getaway himself. Instead, Grandaddy and Grandma Cunningham kept this condo up so all of their children could enjoy the beach with their families.

They made summer vacation an affordable pursuit for all of us. Without this condo in Miramar Beach, I doubt many of us would have seen so many beach days.

Since the condo was built in the 1970s, Alan and his family and cousins and aunts and uncles have summered in Miramar for as long as Alan can remember.

When I discovered this place, it was pure magic.

I have always loved the beach! This place was perfect. It is across the street from the beach. In the earlier days, there were two pools. Now it’s one larger pool, very small child friendly.

There used to be a playground too, and for a while, a giant sandbox surrounded the playground. John David buried two of his Batman toys in that sandbox one year. He buried them so well nobody was ever able to find them again. JD’s sand obsession was kind of a problem for a few years there.

Joshua went down the slide on that playground a million times the year he was a toddler with no younger brother. He had our full attention for about twenty months. After that, things got crazier and crazier.

There were so many wonderful years. Let’s go through all of them and start at the beginning. Don’t you love it when stories are told in order?

Let’s start with Alan’s early years of going to Miramar Beach. Throwing it back to the 1980s/early 1990s.

Alan’s mom and her sister, Janet, used to take their kids to the beach together every year. Doesn’t that sound fun? Cousins really are your original built in friends.

And then in 2002, Alan and I got married and we established our own family beach traditions.

But my first trip to the family condo was actually with Alan’s mom. I think Alan was away on an Army assignment. I remember well how amazing I thought the condo was that very first visit. I mean, wow! Imagine having a beach house you can go stay at every year for free.

To quote an adorable preschool boy I overheard at the condo pool a few years ago, “Is this life?”

My heart melted when I heard him ask his mom that, as they sat on the side of the pool, literally enjoying life. I feel that too when I am relaxing by the pool or the beach.

2002

My second condo trip was far less relaxing, but quite exciting. Alan and I were married by then. Alan was stationed in Oklahoma for five months for training. Meanwhile, I was finishing up my degree at the University of Alabama.

One weekend, Alan was the best man in his college roommate Tom’s wedding. Alan flew into Destin for the wedding. Alan’s sister and I drove down from Birmingham to join him and attend the wedding. We all three stayed at the condo together.

I think Amy and I drove into Destin especially late at night that weekend. Then the wedding was the next night. All I know for sure is somehow we were both extremely sleep deprived. I don’t know why exactly we were so tired.

On our drive back from Destin to Birmingham, we could not drive safely or think straight because we were so sleepy. We pulled off whatever highway we were driving on, found a small church parking lot, and conked out. I don’t know how long we slept, probably twenty minutes. It was long enough to survive driving the rest of the way home.

2003

In 2003, Alan flew off to Iraq. He didn’t get to lounge by the beach that year. For Mother’s Day weekend, Nonna and Amy invited my mom and me to join them for some Destin shopping and Mother’s Day photos. Pretty cool, huh?

2004

When Alan came home from Iraq, and got all of his required return-home-sanity classes done, we headed to Destin. Alan and I basically set up housekeeping for ten days at the condo. We entertained family and friends there and enjoyed all that Miramar Beach has to offer without a care in the world. This is how we did the beach back when we had no children. I cannot even remember what that was like.

My mom, Aunt Ann, and Melony even came by and visited. They got in some pool time. Then Ann regretted sitting quite so close to the water.

I love Ann so much. Finding these pictures was such a blessing. Ann passed away in the fall of 2023, and this was such a humongous loss to our family. I haven’t been able to bring myself to blog about Ann yet, but someday soon I will. It’s just hard.

I stayed at the condo when I went to Jennings’ beach wedding. I think that was 2004.

2006

In 2006, Joshua was still in his first year of life, and the photos are a preciousness overload. I love these so much.

2007

We had to go to the beach early that year. I knew once we had a newborn it would be too challenging. We went in March, and I was six months pregnant with Caleb.

The condo was booked, as the “snowbirds” were staying there. We are creatures of habit though, so we booked ourselves another condo at the same place, right across the pool from Alan’s grandparents’ condo. It was a smaller one, with only one bedroom, on the bottom floor only. The small condo was perfect for us in those days though. Joshua slept in a pack and play in the living room, and all was well.

This next photo is hilarious to me. It was back when the vendor in front of the condos rented bicycles, not just motor vehicles. We rented ourselves a tandem bike with a bike trailer. Poor Joshua might not have enjoyed his bike ride as much as we did.

2008

Somewhere down there, we found a Gulfarium. We got to see parrots and dolphin shows, and it was a great place. I don’t know if it is even still there.

I remember Alan and I managed to squeeze in one last beach trip that year before he was off to Iraq again.

This story, y’all!

The photo above with baby Caleb and Joshua in the little pool is a key moment. that was right after, or right before, Caleb picked up a whole, live, beta fish, and put it in his mouth!!

You see Alan out there, bent over in the ocean? He had a bucket, with which he scooped up a beta fish. Then he put it in the baby pool, and the baby went right to work with his chubby little hands. He was determined to catch that fish, and he did! Then he tried to eat the fish!!! We laughed so hard that day. I mean there was a moment of panic, but we got the fish out, and then we laughed.

When I saw this photo, and as I pass the outlet malls down there, I feel a twinge of sadness. I forgot about how I used to get to go shopping on vacation. Can we bring that back? I have not done that in ten years, at least.

2009

In 2009, Alan was in Iraq. Dad and Mom and my brother came down and visited us for the day while we were staying at the condo. Back then, my dad had a bay boat he used to love to take out fishing in Florida.

That was an incredible day. Number one, I love boating. For another thing, my parents were a consistent part of our parenting team during the second Iraq deployment. It was wonderful to get to share this with them and take the boys out on their first boat ride.

Caleb had a little trouble with seasickness, and then he fell asleep. Joshua, on the other hand, was old enough to thoroughly enjoy to the boat ride, playing water guns, and stopping on an island and looking around for seashells.

2012

Summer 2012 was an extra exciting beach year. Alan returned home from Afghanistan in April of 2012. We did several fun family things that year, to include this beach trip.

I worked so hard that summer to get back in shape. I remember walking on the beach each morning, feeling ecstatic that my size 12 Bermuda shorts were falling down loose on me.

I spent the winter of 2011-12 living with my parents until Alan got back from Afghanistan, and I had consumed an ungodly amount of chocolate chip cookies. Dad and I had ourselves a ball buying the dough at Sam’s and making cookies. Poor Mom had to go to work everyday, and we were at home baking and playing with babies. That was before gluten turned against me.

2015

For 2015, we made time for the condo again. Even though we lived in California, the beach there was not the same. You cannot beat the Emerald Coast with its white sand, warm weather, and aquamarine water.

I swear we were more fun and adventurous when we were younger. Nowadays, we go to the pool, the ocean, and a restaurant or two. Back then we’d go to malls, movies, and we even checked out the Harbor Walk Village.

2016

In 2016, we moved back to the South, and we went to Disney World. I have no idea how we found time to go to the condo too, but I found this photo from 2016:

I don’t know what year they reconstructed the pool, but it was definitely done by 2016. JD destroyed that poor Woody doll between all the sand, the pool, and the markers. But if Woody’s goal was to be played with, he was the happiest toy ever.

2017

I remember taking so many boys to the beach and the pool used to be so much work. It was draining and hard, but I always knew it was important and it was worth it. The photos and the memories are glorious preciousness and I love it so much. Now when we go it’s so much easier. No one even runs away when I whip out the sunscreen. It’s too easy.

2018

I know Alyson’s kids used to enjoy that float too. We all shared it for years. That storage closet of floats and buckets was so awesome. After a few years, the favorite float died, and we were all sad to see it go. There is an awesome new one down there though that is basically a boat!

In 2018, we were moving again, so the fact we even made it to the beach was a miracle.

2019

I remember this trip well because it was a moving year and the summer of my 20th high school reunion. Before the reunion, we went to the beach. We were kind of between houses. I think we’d moved our stuff but had not really unpacked it all yet.

In earlier years, we used to always go to Destin Commons at some point for either a movie, a Bass Pro Shop visit, or Barnes & Noble. Look at how nicely they all used to read. We aren’t as good about that as we used to be.

2020

In 2020, we didn’t make it to the beach until August. We all remember what a disaster that year was.

2021

After a year of solid quarantine in Maryland, it was extra special to go down to Florida and get to live life free and mask-less. The strict, drawn out lockdown policies in Maryland were a real downer.

2022

In 2022, we were again in the middle of a move. I didn’t take as many pictures that year.

I always make everyone take at least one evening walk on the shore. JD and Joshua usually throw the football the whole time as they are walking. It sounds impossible, but they make it work. In fact, I’ve been dragging everyone out on these evening beach walks for so long, I think they are starting to like it.

My mom laughed and laughed in 2022, when I told the boys, “Okay, everybody let’s go to the beach!”

And they said, “Nooooo!!!”

Sometimes, I think maybe their life may have been a little too exciting because they seem to crave low-key, couch time.

Alan isn’t much better about it than the kids. He was excited about chillin’ in the condo too. We were out walking on the beach that night, and Alan turned to me and said, “Is this what you wanted?
What do you do with a bunch of homebodies on vacation? It’s hilarious. I laughed and laughed. We now say that all the time whenever we go anywhere at all. “Is this what you wanted??”

2024

Many years we manage to get Nana to come down for a day or a night. We always enjoy that, and I think it’s good for Nana too. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just go to the beach all the time??

I’m proud to report that everyone went to the beach without complaining in 2024. They were all good, energetic sports this year.

I think 2024 was the year everyone in the family was most excited to go. Everyone expressed their regrets that this was our last time at the condo.

When Grandaddy passed away, we knew no one else would be able to afford to keep it up for everyone. The condo has to be sold at the end of this summer. It will always hold a special place in our hearts and memories. I have no idea what we will do for summer vacations from now on! I guess we will all have to try some new things. That’s fine too.

But for now, it’s an end of an era, and we are all so grateful for the time we shared at Seacove Condominiums in Miramar Beach.

I hope everyone in the family (and it’s quite a large family) gets to enjoy the condo one last time this year!

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