Hello from Sandestin and happy summer! My family and I are enjoying the beautiful weather here in the panhandle – Annabelle especially since this year she LOVES the beach! We were a bit concerned last week after seeing a forecast of cloud and rain for the weekend, but as usual the meteorologists were wrong and we’ve seen nothing but sun and low humidity. Being 31 weeks pregnant and not able to stand for very long (see why here) is frustrating since I can’t run and play with Annabelle like I want to. Thank goodness for Brandon and my Mom or the poor thing would be stuck sitting in the sand all day.
Brandon says that this Father’s Day was his favorite ever. We spent the majority of the day on the beach with what was probably the most perfect weather we could have asked for. The ocean is a little bit on the cooler side than normal, so we were in heaven. Who wants to cool off in bath temperature water? It’s funny to hear people say that the water is cold here when cold is what we are used to (i.e. Cape Cod water is anywhere from 54-64 degrees in the summer). Annabelle built about 6 sandcastles, swam like a fish, and ran up and down the beach giggling like a maniac.
Around 5pm, we headed to Red Bar in Santa Rosa Beach for dinner. We haven’t been to Red Bar in years and everything was as amazing as we remembered it to be. The food and the atmosphere at Red Bar are unlike any other place down here in the Panhandle. You have to arrive early for dinner if you aren’t up for a long wait because they don’t take reservations and they are always crowded. The menu is short and sweet with only five or six options – posted on a chalkboard. If you’re eating with kids, ask for children’s options as they aren’t listed anywhere. Another tip: bring cash! No credit cards are accepted. 
Annabelle ate a little bit of everyone’s dinner, but had her own Chicken Paheed (sort of like chicken picatta but a thousand times better). She loved my Shrimp Pasta and even tried her salad. The table’s favorite were definitely the mashed potatoes as they are quite possibly the best I’ve ever eaten.
After dinner we walked to the beach (Red Bar sits almost directly on Grayton Beach). The sunset was breathtaking and Annabelle probably said, “This is so beautiful!” about 100 times. She was in heaven.
We are headed out to the beach in an hour for some more fun in the sun and sand. I hope everyone enjoys the first day of summer!
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