Christmas Homecoming

Sandestin Resort website

My southern roots lead me home for the holidays.  My mother, brother and his growing family live in Florida where I spent most of my childhood.  Our middle son also lives a few hours north of Florida with his new bride.   So we transplanted "Okies"  pack up and all head down to the gulf coast with our two furbabies in tow! 

Sandestin Website

 All the white sand and blue water is worth the 15 hour car trip that is always  fun and full of tradition.  When the boys were small we played all sorts of car games and made up a few of our own.

Pinterest

There are so many churches in the south that one year we counted churches all the way to keep the boys entertained.   I don't remember the exact number they counted but it was in the hundreds!!  They are grown now but still remember all the fun things we did before electronics.  I 'm sure if you are old enough you have played those car games with your children too.  After all back then we didn't have DVD players, cell phones and Ipads! 

When we cross the Mississippi River   we always take a break and marvel at the Mighty Mississippi River and bridge from a scenic visitor center.   

South of Jackson, Mississippi there is a fruit stand that my husband and I have been stopping at since we first got married over 35 years ago!

Donna's website

Donna, the lady that owns it has gone from a small roadside stand to a large store with a gift and ice cream shop.  She even has a website!  People stop there from all over the country on their journey home for the holidays.  I always have to buy some fresh produce and hot boiled peanuts!!

They give you lots of napkins so you can nibble your way home!

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Highway 98 is our last stretch of road and when we reach there we are "almost home".  The highway  winds through tall pines down to Mobile, Alabama and finally out to the
 Florida gulf coast.  

 You do have to go through a long tunnel that goes under Mobile Bay and that was always an exciting part of the trip for my boys. 

Another 90 minutes and we are home! 

This year we are staying in Sandestin  and I can't wait to see those sugar white beaches and spend time

 with my family. 

 Merry Christmas and 
Happy New Year!

See you next year!!