4th of July Vacay!

This is going to be a long one, so bare with me.  We've been on vacation for over a week now, and I haven't had a chance to get caught up.  We started our vacation with a trip to Carowinds with the Millers and Tophams.  Everyone had so much fun!  Griffin is getting more comfortable in the water now, and loved running around the water spouts and sprays.  I even sent Griffin down the waterslide alone!  Payton and Jacob LOVED the slide, and went down again, and again.  Sam, well he just loved the wave pool and didn't want to leave!  It's pretty cool, so I can't blame him!

Sam and Payton

Jacob and Payton

Little Sharks...Sam (4 in August), Payton (3), and Jacob (4.5)

We spent the weekend going to birthday parties, getting the house cleaned, laundry done, and bags packed for our upcoming beach trip.  My good friend from junior high, and high school, lives in Mount Pleasant, SC, and invited our crazy crew to stay with her, and her family.  It was an awesome 4th of July week!  It's always fun to catch up with old friends, and get to know their families.  Jenny and Will's girls, Camden (8) and Riley (11), were awesome with our kids.  Payton even got to have "sleepovers" each night in Camden's room.  It rained off and on our first two days, but was gorgeous the rest of the trip.  With the weather here in Charlotte and in the mountains, I'm thankful we got to enjoy the sun.  While we were there, other friends of ours, who live in Leesburg, VA, were at Folly Beach.  We went to visit them a couple of days, while Jenny and Will had to go into the office.  Lots of kids and lots of smiles...somehow we managed to turn rainy days into lots and lots of fun!

Ryan and Griffin

Lauren, Payton, Camden, Riley, and Sophie

Sophie (4) and Payton (3)

Griffin loved playing with all of Connor's Legos!

Me, Anna (Connor and Sophie's mom), and Christine (Ryan and Lauren's mom)

Payton, Riley, Camden, Sophie, and Lauren

The awesome Ravenel Bridge, over the Cooper River (this is the bridge I run across each spring for the 10K).  2014 will be my 10th year running this race!!

Camden was dying to hold Griffin the whole trip...this was one of the times he actually let her.

G was teasing the birds with his sammie.  He had everyone sitting near him laughing.  It was hilarious watching the seagulls fly at him and him running away and laughing.

Jumping waves!!  Griffin wanted to be in the ocean over and over again.  When he tasted salt water for the first time, I asked him what he thought.  He put his index finger in his mouth, popped it out, smiled, and said "YUMMY!"  It was so funny!

The waves were fun!  Very choppy seas.

Little Sophie said she did NOT need a nap :)

Brian and Anna

Little Sweet P!

Aaron, Me, Payton (and her bag 'o popcorn), Sophie, and Anna...we want these guys to move to Charlotte SO badly!

What do you do when it rains at the beach, the kids are going crazy, and you just want a moment of quiet time with your friends?  Crate the kids...lol!

One evening, we were able to catch up with another old friend of mine, Whitney Bridges.  She lives in Charleston, and we always try to meet up when we're in town.  We had an awesome waterfront dinner on Shem Creek, in Mt. Pleasant.  All of the paddleboarders passing by made me quite jealous.  I REALLY need to get one!!

On the 4th, we took a long boat ride to a place called Capers Island...a secluded island.  On the way, we went under the Ravenel Bridge, in the Charleston Harbor, passed Sullivans Island, IOP, and Goat Island.  The SUN WAS OUT!  The kids all had a blast, seeing that they could basically go wherever they wanted on the island, since we could always see them.  The kids fell asleep (briefly) on the way back.  They were TROOPERS the entire week, as we pushed them, staying up late, and sometimes not even getting naps.

Boat.  No water.

Water added :)  By the way, those sunnies are now at the bottom of the Cooper River.  Griffin thought it was a good idea to toss them overboard.

Jenny and me...PS-my hat is also at the bottom of the Cooper River :(  My favorite hat.  RIP.

It was very choppy, and we were moving fast.  Payton (with Daddy's close eye), sat up front, holding on TIGHT, with Riley, Camden, and their friend, Kayla

Approaching the Ravenel Bridge!!

We saw LOTS of dolphins!

Griffin loved all the "pools" and would ask to go in them as the tide came in (and they got deeper quickly)

The kids jumped off the boats all day.

As the tide came in, we headed across the channel to Dewees Island.  There are so many beautiful shells, and we came back with several conchs.

King of the beach jungle!

Re-Hydrating

Friends since junior high!  We played softball together, in church youth group together, and managed to stay out (mostly) of trouble together!

Lights OUT!

Jenny and Will's friends invited a crew to their gorgeous, waterfront house, for a cookout and to watch fireworks.  It was a great time, super nice people, lots of food, and lots of kiddos.

Payton's new friend, Charlie (5). They spent the day jumping off boats together, then played really well together that evening.  Here, he was sharing his storm troopers.

This little girl, Sydney, looked a lot like Griffin.  My goal was to get a picture of them together...this was about the best I ever got.  She's about 2 months younger than G.  They were fighting over a car...go figure.

I got all the kids together (with a little help!)  Happy 4th of July!!

Our last day was spent at Isle of Palms beach...one of my most favorite places to be.  We met up with another old friend of mine, also from junior high.  Amy and I haven't seen each other since the 10th grade, when she moved away.  I'll give it to Facebook for reconnecting me with so many of my old friends!  

Noelle (9), Amy's daughter

Me and Amy (and no, I'm not standing in a hole, lol!)  But I do have ghost-face thanks to all that zinc oxide!

Little Mermaids

Becoming a mermaid...and yes, Payton was a big helper!

And if all this wasn't enough, we thought we'd pack a little more into our vacation...we got back home around 6:30 Friday evening, just in time for unpacking and bed for the littles.  We headed to Stonie and Chris' Saturday morning, for their annual 4th of July party.  And we stayed there for the rest of the weekend.  Talk about exhausted!  We had a WONDERFUL vacation, and I'm already looking forward to our next TWO beach trips in August.  YAY!  I hope the sun finds its way out by then!

Tyler (4), Payton (3), and Carter (6.5)

This kid jumped off the docks.  Over and over again.

Griffin, what does a firework say?  "BOOM!!!"  The guys LOVE buying these each year.  It's like Christmas for them.

Payton and Raegan, being patriotic

Raegan, Payton, Griffin, and Camryn

Me and Stonie...getting the party started!

Cheryl, my bestie!

Kugler and Kennington kids...Griffin was NOT about to cooperate.  At all.

Again, we managed to round up most of the kids for a group shot.  Griffin, still not thrilled about being included.

Grady and Payton

My lovebug

LOVE those curls...although I think I may get it "trimmed" this week.  Just a little shaping.

Watching the first little fireworks

Payton can "pump" the swings now!  All by herself!

This boy is hilarious.  Truly.

 

The older kids would pick up the debris after each firecracker, then run under the tent for cover.  Griffin joined them :)

2 of the biggest kids at the party.  Both figuratively and literally.

No one scared here.  The kids LOVED the fireworks!  Griffin, Payton, and Mattie

My love.

Miss Karen cuddling with Payton during the show.

The rain interrupted our show...so the kids raided Carter's toys.  Our kids decided to dress up.  Here's the Green Lantern.

And a Power Ranger (I think?)

Happy birthday, America!

Lastly, here's a cute "Paytonism:"
I've taught her how to count between lightning and thunder, to determine how far away a thunderstorm is.  I say "One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, etc."  The kid's Mother's Morning Out program director's name is "Ms. Lippi."  So Payton says, "One Mrs. Lippi, Two Mrs. Lippi," and so on.  She's a trip.  And since Griffin follows her lead, he is also saying the same.

Griffin calls a motorcycle "MOTORPSYCHIE!"  And yes, with such enthusiasm.  But interestingly, he says "tricycle" just the way you're supposed to.  His vocabulary and ability to speak more complete sentences has really evolved in the past month.  We're loving it, and wait on pins and needles to hear the next "cute" thing out of his mouth.