Deseret, Cactus, & Texas: Thanksgiving in Pensacola

Eric and Krystal had moved to Clinton, Mississippi (outside Jackson) earlier this year and we wanted to have Thanksgiving with them. They suggested that Clinton would not be very interesting and suggested we all get together in Pensacola, FL. The price of tickets was less to get there than Jackson and there was a surprisingly affordable resort to stay at. We solidified plans. They would drive down to Pensacola and Felicia, Haley, and I would fly and meet them.

The most affordable flights were from Phoenix early in the morning on Thanksgiving Day. We arranged to stay at a motel the night before that also allowed for affordable parking.

We stopped by the LightTheWorld Giving Machine in Gilbert and then had ice cream at the Creamistry before checking in.

Preparing the mix

Freezing the Mint Ice Cream with Liquid Nitrogen

Finished Mint Ice Cream Sandwich...Good

We checked in to the SureStay Motel in a sketchy area near PHX.

Room before Flight

We were up early for the shuttle. The flight went fine. We met Krystal and Eric at a Denny's in Pensacola for our Thanksgiving Feast. Well, it wasn't great but it was food.

We checked into the Portofino Island resort in the dark. The view the next morning was stunning.

From our 6th floor Condo

The kids enjoying the room

That Friday morning we went to the Naval Air Museum at the Pensacola Naval Air Station.

The original planes flown by the Blue Angels

B-25 used in the Doolittle Raid (left), Japenese Zero (above)

The only plane on display anywhere that actually took part in the battle of Midway

Grumman F6F Hellcat - Highest Kill Ratio of all USN WWII aircraft

First plane to land and successfully takeoff again from Antarctica. Skis froze to the ground after landing. Had to attach rockets to break it free from the ice.