Hilton Head, 2013

Beach vacation bliss.  I could really leave it at that and say good night, but for posterity's sake, I'll jot some memories down.

Day 1: Wake up, go to beach, lunch, nap, pool, shower dinner, cocktails, bed.
Day 2: Wake up, Tom golf/be lazy, lunch, beach, nap, shower, cocktails, dinner, cocktails, bed.
Day 3: see Day 1.
Day 4: Wake up, Tom golf/take kids for sugar infused breakfast, playground, lunch, beach, nap...dinner or cocktails or both, bed.
Day 5: Wake up, Emily ride pony, beach, lunch, nap, pool, cocktails, dinner, nutty family dance party, bed.
Day 6: Wake up, Tom golf/(fake) tattoos, caricature portraits, shopping, lunch, beach, nap, dinner, drinks, bed.
Day 7: Wake up, beach, lunch, nap, pool, pack, dinner, cocktails, pack, bed.

This year we shared a place near the beach with our dear friends from Columbus, Ted and Melissa, and their son Teddy.  And it was a week of sun, fun, laughs and not a lot of pressure to do much at all.

 

 

Some highlights for us:
The weather was amazing!  In the 80's and not a million percent humidity and sunny.  Fab-u-lous.

 

 

 

Our girls NEVER wanted to go to the beach, but once we forced them, they loved it and had the kind of fun that only little kids can have, spending hours and hours digging in the sand and water.  Seriously, they did nothing but dig.  And dig.  And dig.  I'm pretty sure that was some intense occupational therapy going on for Emily all week.  And when they weren't digging they were covering my legs and feet with wet sand.  I'm pretty sure that was some intense exfoliating going on there for me.

 

 

 

Our girls went through an entire jar of Nutella while we were there.  I'm not sure why, but I find that amusing and noteworthy.  Maybe not my best parenting efforts for breakfast while we were on vacation but when the little devils woke between 6:15 and 6:45 every single morning, I had nothing in me but to spread Nutella.  With love.  After coffee.

We celebrated Father's Day while we were on HHI.  And by celebrate I mean Tom got to wake up, play Harbor Town golf course, text me to meet him with the camera on the 18th fairway to take his picture (ok, I offered because I knew he'd really like it), go to the beach then drink beer and watch the US Open on TV.  Again, not keeping score, but look back on the Mother's Day blog post and just compare.  One of us clearly won here.  (it wasn't me)

 

 

 

Ted and Melissa are better cooks than Tom and I will ever aspire to be.  And we've learned now to always go on vacation with someone who is a better cook than us because those duties will never fall on our shoulders :) 

This was the first year Casey was too big to ride a pony, so she had to sit out and watch Emily have all the fun.  Emily initially insisted she was not going to ride a pony, but we pulled the we're your parents and we know you don't really mean that card and forced her on one.  And she loved it.  Every year we've gone to HHI the girls have ridden the same pony- His name is Romeo and he is blind and both girls have developed some affection for him and request him by name each year.  By the way, Emily loved her pony ride and asked to do it again.  (I love it when that whole parenting-by-force thing works out!)

 

 

The one morning Tom golfed, I took the girls to Coligny Plaza and we did all the things daddy usually says 'no' to, like browse t-shirt shops, get spray painted tattoos and caricature drawings.  It was a fun little morning for the girls and I think they'll remember it as a special little blip on our vacation.

One of the best times we all had together was when it rained one evening, and we all just hung out in the condo.  What started out as parents with coronas watching Casey directing Teddy and Emily in a little skit turned into a dance party that was just plain silly and fun.  I did not miss the opportunity to whip the camera out and capture this evening because it was just as special to the girls as an afternoon surrounded by sand and the ocean.

 

Somehow dance party turned into tickle mommy for my crew.

 

For the 3rd year in a row, the last day on the beach for us has brought out the creatures.  The first time, a shark was spotted off shore by a fishing boat and no one was even aloud in the water, last year in the first hour we were at the beach 8 people were stung by jellyfish.  And this year, at least 6 or 7 horseshoe crabs were found (spiny tail up) hiding in the sand where we were camped.  Some people are creature and nature lovers and get into all the national geographic business.  I am not.  I am more of the I enjoy the white sandy beaches and waves of the water because it's all tranquil and spa like.  the occasional hermit crab or starfish I'm cool with but otherwise I am very content to ignore the fact that there are things with tails and teeth that sting, bite or poke people in the sand or water. 

 

 The last night we went out to dinner and Tom and the girls danced on the deck to the live music.

Like I said: beach vacation bliss.