Beach Trip Recap

Pull up a chair & grab some coffee (or wine, depending on what time of day you're reading this!)...I'm warning you that this is going to be a LONG post! :)

Our annual beach trip was quite an adventure this year, and we had a blast as usual. The only things missing were my sisters! This was the first year they were not there for at least a few days. Bec is a month away from her due date, and her lower back let it be known that it did NOT want to be in a car for the 8 hr drive. And Lora, well, we all know she's a workaholic and this was just a really busy time at work for her. So it was just me & Greg, the kids, and my parents (Nanny & Poppy).

We left last Wednesday and drove 7 hrs to Columbia, SC. The kids were excited to stay in a hotel and Greg & I were excited to only have 3 hrs left to drive on Thursday morning! We even got to have a little family fun night....dinner out, then movie & popcorn back at the hotel. Abby & Nate did not have a great night sleeping together at the hotel though - Abby was ALL OVER Nate and made him switch positions in the bed a few times. I vaguely remember saying "Abby, go to sleep!" about every hour. So, it was long night to say the least.

It was important to Nate to be the "first ones at the beach" so we made sure that we beat N&P. We arrived at the beach house around 12 and they were close behind us. The afternoon was filled with lots of unpacking/organizing, grocery shopping for the week, and the kids actually took naps as well. We headed down to the beach before dinner for a simple stroll, but it turned into so much more! Nate took off like a wild man and went straight into the ocean, fully dressed! Abby was the most hesitant one, and needed to be holding someone's hand at all times. We did some shell-collecting as well, and at the end of our "walk," both kids were soaked. I loved seeing the looks of pure joy on their faces....we were finally at the beach!!!!

Another thing we had been discussing for weeks was how the kids would get to share a room at the beach house....there were 2 twin beds and they were stoked to have a "sleepover" all week. Well, when bedtime came around, it seemed that Abby was more excited about it than Nate. Over the video monitor, we watched as she talked, danced, read books and did everything she could to keep Nate awake till 10 pm. What a little pest!

Friday morning on the beach, our first reaction was that it was a little chilly! The temp was perfect - around 80 - but the wind was brutal, and as soon as the kids came out of the ocean/tide pools, they'd be shivering. So pitiful! We still managed to have fun, but spent more time playing in the sand than the water. (Fine by me!) And each kiddo got to go on a "special walk" with Daddy; they loved it.

The beach house we use is not right on the beach, it's about 2 streets away and we use a golf cart to carry stuff to & from the beach. So when it's naptime, one of us always volunteers to take the "nap shift" and stay up at the house with the kids. My mom took that shift on Friday, and Dad had some errands to run, so Greg and I got to spend 2 glorious hours on the beach that afternoon by ourselves. Now, most of it was spent reading under towels & blankets to block the wind, but still, you couldn't ask for more peaceful or beautiful scenery.

Nanny heard/saw some pretty funny things on the video monitor during naptime while Greg & I were down at the beach:
-Nate: "Abby, just go potty in your pants."
-Abby: "No nap, Nanny! No nap, Nanny!"
-Abby was also seen "reading" a book to Nate, making a tent in her bed, and playing musical beds.

We had a delicious meal at Bovine's in Murrell's Inlet for dinner (I had shrimp & grits!), followed by a walk on the pier with lots of singing and dancing.

We finally got smart and decided to separate the kids at bedtime, so Abby stayed in the "twin" room and Nate moved into the bedroom with a queen bed. (The only good part about my sisters not coming this year was that we had PLENTY of room to spread out!)

Abby, who definitely discovered her love for the beach this year, decided it was appropriate to wear her sun hat at breakfast on Saturday morning. I think she was ready to go!!

When we got out on the beach on Saturday, it was a little chilly again. Luckily, we had visitors, so the kids didn't seem to notice the cold water & wind. My cousins (Julie & Bill Ervin) from Darlington, SC brought their kids (Will & Anna) to visit and see the kids. The tide pools were a big hit again, and Anna entertained the little ones with sandcastles galore. Abby was very smitten with Anna, whom she kept calling "that big girl!" :)

Thanks to Aunt Bebe for knowing ahead of time that my little Casperette would need some extra shielding from the sun (and extra warmth from the wind)! For the record, my sister is the only one that would buy a 2 yr old a monogrammed bathing suit cover-up!!

My other cousins, Andy & Kara Berly, came to visit from Charleston that day, but their kids are a bit older (think: high school & college) and couldn't make the trip due to work, camps, etc. It was nice to visit & catch up, and be able to say "thank you" in person for letting us use their beach house every year!

That afternoon was spent taking golf cart rides, swinging, playing in the hammock, climbing up to the roof platform with Nanny, and grilling out burgers for dinner. And attempting to make a dent in the 50 lbs of fresh veggies & fruit my parents had bought at the fruit stand on the trip there. Oh.so.delicious! And our night was topped off with a beautiful walk on the beach. I love that time of day on the beach!!

Not to sound like a broken record, but when I walked outside Sunday morning for my run, it was cold! 59 degrees to be exact. Usually during our morning runs there, it's already 85 & humid. So this was a VERY welcome change!!! Then I got to work on our special Father's Day breakfast feast. The kids gave their homemade cards and presents, and Greg ended up with an Omaha steak package from my parents and some Merle Haggard tickets from me. I would say he racked up!

We had another beautiful day on the beach and like I mentioned in an earlier post, Greg surprised us all and let the kids bury him in the sand! They had a ball decorating him with shells, jumping waves, and making drip castles with Nanny.

I joked that I was "living on the edge" this week at the beach b/c I got really lax with the kids' schedule (crazy, I know)! Our routine consisted of a lazy morning/late breakfast at the house, getting to the beach around 10, coming up for lunch around 1:30, and napping around 2 pm. It was nice to be a little more laid-back for once. Guess that's what vacation is all about, right!?

There is a really nice, shaded bike path that starts right near our house, and Greg had really been talking it up. It's one of his favorite things to do while we're at the beach, and luckily the Ervins had accumulated a few  bikes over the years and they are at our disposal. Mom had been wanting to go for a ride, and I volunteered to join her since I'd never been on the bike path. (Sidenote: the last time I was on a bike was probably 5-6 years ago; its just not an activity I usually enjoy. But I decided to take one for the team, and ended up having a really enjoyable ride with Mom! And - as a bonus - we didn't get hurt OR lost! Much to Greg's surprise.)

After some delicious steaks by Greg (yes, he cooked his own Father's Day dinner - he wanted to!), N&P took the kids for a joy ride on the golf cart.....they went down to the beach see fireworks, as well as the alligators down at the nearby swamp. I was happy to stay back at the house, ha! The night was topped off by an impromptu concert by the kids. They wanted to sing & dance for N&P, to show off what they learned at VBS. Can you say adorable!?

Monday, we decided to take a break from the sun/beach and go to Huntington Beach State Park. As mentioned earlier, it was a total bust. Both the Nature Center & the fort were closed. (On a Monday? Really?) So we walked on the boardwalk for a short bit, and then on the way out, Greg demanded our $20 back from the entrance guard. And he got it! (He's putting those debate skills to use, Stan!)

Mom & I got in some shopping at Kohls during naptime and then everyone but me went to the beach after naptime. Let's just say I needed some "me time!" :) We went out to Hanser House for dinner, and then walked next door to get ice cream for dessert. Love this tradition, b/c it's where both Nate & Abby (as 1 yr olds) had their first bites of ice cream.

Tuesday was our BEST morning on the beach. It had finally warmed up, AND the kids were starting to play happily on their own!! In fact, they grabbed each others hands as soon as we got down to the beach and ran to the water together. They played in the "baby pools,"  jumped waves, built more drip castles, had water gun fights, caught minnows, flew a kite with Poppy, and got pulled on the boogie board. A perfect morning!

And apparently, it wore the kids out b/c Miss Chatty Cathy f.e.l.l. a.s.l.e.e.p while Nanny was reading her a book at naptime! I don't think that's ever happened in her 2.5 yrs!!

My college roommate, Becca, arrived from Little River that afternoon, with her adorable 4 month old son, Drew!! I have known Becca for 14 yrs (wow, we're old!) and it's so neat to see her as a mom. Of course, she's already amazing one! And her hubbie David came to visit as well, and join in on the mexican fiesta for dinner. Drew was an angel, and the kids enjoyed holding the "little doll."

Another college roommate, Klug, arrived with her kids Wednesday morning. The four "big" kids took to each other right away, and fought over Nanny's affections as well.

And since it was our last day at the beach, we splurged and flagged down the ice cream truck. Each kid picked out the largest popsicles known to man!! (And surprisingly, not one of them dropped their popsicle in the sand. Believe me, they were heavy!!)

It was so good to catch up with Klug & Becca, and even more so, see our kids interact. I can't wait till next year when Drew will be in the mix as well!

We had a relaxing afternoon and then leftovers and an evening walk on the beach to cap the week off. And Miss Priss got caught in the act....sneaking some candy after dinner.

Greg, Abby, and I left early Thursday morning to come home. It was sad to say bye to the beach, but even more so, to Nate! He is currently at "Camp Nanny & Poppy" for 5 days in NC. Abby, of course, is slightly depressed and we have talked to "Bruba" on the phone many many many times already.

Our 10 hr drive home on Thursday was pretty uneventful (other than Abby getting a little carsick and us having to pull over to clean her, the carseat, and the van....fun times)! In fact, when we called Nate on the way home, Abby screamed into the phone "Barf, everywhere!!" It was hilarious. Luckily, she was happy as a clam after that and was very good on the way home.

Since Nate is away for 5 days, I thought I'd use this opportunity to potty train Abby. Day 1 is in the books and she did surprisingly well. But we still have a loooong road ahead of us!