Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Summer Starts in the South! Hilton Head Vacation



A few weeks ago, we headed east then south on a family vacation to Hilton Head Island. In honor of my mom's retirement, my dad showed us true southern hospitality and took us all to the Carolinas!

Once we survived our "lap child" on the plane, we explored Charleston, SC! Here are some pics of our tour of the U.S.S. Yorktown and Harbor Tour:



Boarding for the Harbor Tour



Our Squirmy Wormy


That's more like it!


Exploring the Boat


Charleston, SC


Thank goodness we all don't live in one of these...
a Submarine!



Might as well have been on Cloud 9





Putting Ethan to work


Captian's Chair




Ethan couldn't resist a game of peek-a-boo!







After exploring this part of Charleston, we drove to Hilton Head and Ethan (praise the Lord!) fell asleep for the whole 2 hour drive. AND happy parents sat in our captain's chairs in the back of the minivan, enjoying the airconditioning and M&M McFlurries.

Now that's a vacation! :)

The next week was filled with lazy mornings, bbq's, dinners out, walks, visits to the pool and beach, reading during nap time, golf for the men, shopping, and an unplanned trip to Savannah, Georgia!

Here are some pictures of our week in HH:

Pool Fun!



Unfortunately, Ethan wasn't happy just sitting in the pool or being held. No matter how many times we put him in the floaty Mommy packed (which took up room in her suitcase!), he wanted out!
All he wanted to do was swim!! (scary, scary!!)
So, we let him stand on his own on the steps, and we helped our little fishy swim and held him up as he would "kick, kick" with joy!




Little Turtle


Handsome Man!


Popsicles are such a treat!




Ethan would swim until his feet were pruney.
We had to lure him out of the pool by promising bath time... only then was it okay.
"Bah?!" he would say, then head for the gate.


Bath time fun :)


Beachin' it with the boy



The sand was like powder!


Soooo happy!





Like bath water!
Warmer than Hawaii! :)




This was a new thing...
???


The sand castles Ethan destroyed...


Missing the pool and improvising...



Sunning with Mommy... using her glasses :)


If you think it's impossible to smile too hard, you're wrong!
(he was that happy)


These swings were by the beach.
Lovin' the South!!


Fountain fun!


Hanging out around the condo...






Dad on the grill...


Early Morning Walks...


(Ethan almost alseep)



One of my favorite parts of the south... Trees dripping with moss :)


An alligator... we kept our distance!



Dining Out...



Ethan's first time using the kiddie cup at a restaurant







Smelling the flowers outside a restaurant...
We saw a couple who had twins (about 2 years old) who brought their portable DVD player and the kids were watching it at the table...
Their table was more peaceful than ours ;)


Savannah, GA!







Seriously, Disney's Haunted Mansion was everywhere!



This little boy found water... even here!
Exploring the misters... 

Dinner at the Pirate House...
Oldest House (turned restaurant) in Savannah!





First Lollipop!


"Mmmmmmm!" Face


We usually encourage sharing...


Post Dinner Stroll
(I had to confiscate Ethan's sucker)








We strolled Ethan over to this saxophone player who played Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for him...
His reaction?...





The original reason why we (Mom and I) decided to go to Savannah...
Paula Deen's Restaurant!
We had some Peach Cobbler and Key Lime Pie, y'all!
As she says, we "put some south in our mouth!"
Trip complete! :)


Finally, our last day, we traveled back to Charleston where we visited the Magnolia Plantation and checked out the mansions on the wharf

The plantation had a petting zoo


Here he comes!
The goats ran away and hid :)







Southern Bells :)







A biblical reference for each plant.
So cool!


Checking out Charleston's Mansions on Battery Street




"Hah!"
(Hat)




Ethan trying to get in...








Dinner @ a Brewery
They had a glass elevator which Ethan adored!
"uh! uh!"
(Up!)


Fried Green Tomatoes!


So... that was our trip in pictures and in a nutshell :)

Thanks for checking it out...
Y'all come back now, ya hear?!