Beach Trip!

We got back Sunday from a wonderful, relaxing, exhausting, fun-filled, sunny, sandy week at Hilton Head Island with our family.  We remarked almost every day we were gone about how very different our vacations have now become.  No more sipping drinks until the wee hours and sleeping in...No more soaking the sun in all.day.long.,,No more quiet reading by the pool...You know, I didn't miss those things at all. :)

No...I didn't take this.  But it is a photo of HHI, borrowed from here. 

Chris' parents, his brother and sister-in-law and their three kiddos, and the three of us all stayed together in a house right off the beach.  It's kind of funny; we rented the exact same house seven summers ago.  How different life was then!  Chris and I were in college, and Brian and Amanda were (relatively) newly married, and expecting Eli.  Fast forward seven years later....they've gotten a flat screen in the living room, and we've added four more faces to our little clan.  What a blessing to get to spend this whole week together!

Our little family in the beach house.  Chris and I took a photo in front of this same fireplace seven summers ago.  We look a little different now! :)

Saturday 7/14

We left around 5:00 am, hoping to get some travel time in before Collier woke up.  It worked well, and we managed to make the entire trip with only three stops, and minimal crying.  Our last stop was technically in Hilton Head, about 2 miles from the rental house.  Collier decided that he could NOT wait any longer to eat.  We tried out the pool when we arrived.  Collier loved "swimming" around (meaning us floating him around and him putting his arms backwards like he was flying)--plus he looked totally adorable in his suit. :)

Who needs to see out the back window? 

I'm ready to go, guys!

Chris and Collier at our traditional on-the-way-to-vacation Cracker Barrel breakfast

Looking studly in his swim trunks

Sunday 7/15

Beach Day!  Collier's first time feeling the sand and sea.  He didn't seem to mind too much.  We also ate dinner at Marley's, which is my fave dinner spot on the island.  You've got to try it if you're in the area--delish!

What is this place?

Monday 7/16

The guys went golfing, and the gals and the kiddos spent some time on the beach.  I had a major catastrophe involving a beach chair, our stroller, and, as it turns out, several new bruises.  Let's just say that I'm very glad that our stroller is heavy duty and Collier was strapped in.  We also had a photographer meet us on the beach to take family photos.  We had a blast, and I can't wait to see the pics!

C playing in his baby hut (this nifty little pop up tent with spf built right in)

Everyone got sculpted into a sand mermaid (well, merman in Brady's case)

Callie loves the water!

Eli and Brady building a sand castle village

Tuesday 7/17

We had brunch with some friends (Lori, Michael, and Ryder--friends from Winchester who were vacationing too!), then beach time, followed by reading/naps/listening to a thunderstorm on a screened in porch.  I really could live my entire life on a screened porch, I think (As long as it's at the beach.  And it has a ceiling fan.).  We spent the evening playing mini golf (which Eli later said was his favorite part of our trip) and had a great time!

Pirate Golf!  Everyone got a little pirate flag.

Callie, Brady, and Eli ready for some putt-putt

Chris is such a good golfer than he can putt with a baby strapped to his chest. 

Wednesday 7/18

We did some shopping, had lunch with Papa and Gram, and were lazy on the beach.  We all went for a yummy dinner at the Crazy Crab.  C was not so impressed by the noisy environment, though.  He wanted to be outside where it was a bit more relaxed (Which meant that his mommy and daddy didn't get to eat at the same time.  Oh well.)

After dinner

Thursday 7/19

More quality time on the beach (we figured out by now that Collier could take his morning nap in the stroller at the beach without much complaint while mommy and daddy relaxed in the sand.  Hurray!)  and at our pool, followed by an evening out to dinner and to a kid's concert at Shelter Cove.  Shannon Tanner has apparently done concerts on the island for like 20 years, and he has some really hilarious songs. The show was as much fun for the grown ups as it was for the kiddos.

Cousins!

Ocean sounds are a great nap soundtrack

Eli entertained Collier on the way to dinner.  When he got impatient with the car seat and started to cry, E said  (with hands clamped over his ears) "This is kind of annoying, by the way."  Ha!

Friday 7/20

We soaked up our last day on the beach and at the pool, and went for a great dinner out at a place called Alligator Grille (our second choice, but was very tasty).  We went for one last walk on the beach, and enjoyed a little more time together before we headed back to our landlocked state.

Hmmm....what is this giant bathtub?

C liked to superman-fly around the pool

Saturday 7/21

Reluctantly, we packed up and trekked home, back to real life.  Don't worry, we brought back plenty of sand in our laundry to help us remember our trip! :)