Our East Coast Road Trip.....

...to Hilton Head Island, SC! We loaded up the family and headed to the east coast! (a 2000 mile round trip road trip) My inlaws used to live there and were coming to stay a week. They were so kind to invite us to come along! Thanks again to Chris and Sally--it truly was a fabulous week! We stayed in the beautiful Sea Pines Plantation. It is just gorgeous with the tall Oak trees and Spanish Moss everywhere. Minutes from fabulous beaches, bike paths, shopping, restaurants, golf courses, etc. Here are a few highlights:

--Spending time family. We don't get to see Nana and Papa very often, so we very much enjoyed visiting with them. Greg's sister Ashley was also there--she is so much fun! The girls of course think she is "cool"! We enjoyed many wonderful meals with everyone, and survived an intense game of Phase 10. (Well, intense for the people who were losing!)


The girls enjoying the beautiful scenery outside on the patio. Had to remind them to be quiet when there were golfers!


On a water break during one of our bike rides. Nana showed us all around the plantation.


We trespassed on private property to get this photo, but the view was so beautiful! Unfortunately, my SIL that took the picture got eaten by mosquitoes.


We explored some ruins of an old plantation.


Nan (my child with the most energy on any given day) decides that she is pooped and can't walk anymore. Sus offers to help her out...

--Harbour Town and Gregg Russell.

Harbour Town is just gorgeous at sunset, with the red and white striped lighthouse, shops, restaurants, HUGE boats and trees. We climbed to the top of the lighthouse (114 steps in all, in case you wanted to know).


Every night in Harbour Town, a performer named Gregg Russell puts on a free show under the Liberty Oak Tree there on the harbor. He has been doing this every summer for 33 years! It is great because he involves the kids, but keeps the parents and adults laughing! He has all the kids come up and sit around him. Kids who know the drill make signs and posters asking him to "pick us" to come up and sing. He goes around and reads every childs sign, then picks a few to come up and sing a song. He does not allow jokes--apparently a 4 year old boy ruined it for everyone on the jokes! The first night we went, the girls made a sign. They did not get picked during the show. Here they are getting it autographed after. Gregg Russell told them to come again and he would pick them. We went again on our last night there, and he did in fact pick the girls to sing. They sang Que Sera Sera and he teased them about their ages, being twins, and being from Texas! (I have a video of this performance. I will send it to you if you are interested. Sam had a case of the giggles.)

--Bike rides. Sea Pines has over 50 miles of paved bike paths. They are so fabulous! Nana rented us bikes for the week. We rode most every day, in the morning and evening.


LOVED the biking!


After 8 pm at night we were allowed to ride on the golf courses. So beautiful. One night I unknowingly parked my bike right on top of a sprinler head that went off as I was sitting there. SOAKED!!!!!! I was completely soaked, and since I am not a good sport about things like this, I went back to take a shower!


Greg, Papa Chris, and Nan.


The girls loved riding by the stables to pet the horses.


We saw at least one of these in EVERY pond or lagoon we came arcross. Kind of gave me the creeps to think about how many were lurking nearby!

--We took a day trip to Savannah, GA.


Such a beautiful city. We stopped along River Street and sampled homemade, warm pecan pralines. Yummy!!! We also ate at Paula's, but since the wait was 4 HOURS long, we loaded up as much as we could carry and got take out! Oh my word, the fried chicken and creamed corn....delicious!


We loved seeing all the beautiful squares in the city. I would have loved to have seen more, but the girls....it just didn't have the same appeal for them.

--Beach time. The girls just love the beach! We all enjoyed soaking up some summer sun.




It really was a great vacation. The girls were such great travelers. They watched many movies, and we were able to get in some family reading time along the way. I am gearing up for another road trip in just a few days......stay tuned.

A summertime favorite

Fresh Peach pie. Oh my word, soooooo good!!!!!! (if you like peaches)

I got this recipe from my mother in law when Greg and I were first married. It has been a hit ever since.
Crust:
1 and 1/2 c flour
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c crisco oil
2 TBSP milk
Mix together. It will look crumbly, but that is ok. Pat into pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool slightly.

Peel and slice peaches (about 8) aand arrange in pie shell.
Mix together in a pot:
2 TBSP corn starch
1/4 c water
(mix these together first, then add sugar and hot water)
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c hot water
Bring to boil and add half a package of peach jello. Pour glaze over peaches and refrigerate.

Go ahead--try it. You won't be sorry!!!

July 4th

We headed down to the cabin again for a few days before the 4th with our friends Camden and kids. Greg and her husband joined us a couple of days later. We did the usual--lake, tree swing, bikes,campfire. The kids had a ball! It was super hot weather! I actually had to get in the lake this time to try to cool off. On the fourth we went to my parents for some four wheeling, great food and fireworks. So fun!!!


Adyson and Sus displaying the things they found on a scavenger hunt that Camden made for them.


They obviously found everything but a caterpillar!


We popped fireworks a couple of nights at the cabin. Nan and Sam were goofing off.


Our girls and Tanner getting ready for the fireworks show at my mom and dad's church.


Mama Leslie and Grandpappy. They always make our stay at the cabin and their home so much fun. Thanks again!!!!!!!


A photo of Greg and I together, courtesy of Susanna.


After the fireworks at the church, we of course popped more at my mom and dad's. The kids LOVE this! (So do the "big" kids! Kids at heart!)


Hope your 4th was wonderful!

Summer update

Last weekend my brother and his family made a quick stop in Big D. It was great to see them even if it was just for a short visit. Cousin time is precious since with we don't get to see each other as often as we would like! We had my family and girls, D and her girls, Lori and her girl (soon to be girls in just a few weeks), my brother and his 5 girls and 1 boy, Mama Leslie and Grandpappy, and Mama Judy. We gathered at my sister Lori's. The cousins played--it is so fun to watch them together, and ate lots of good food as usual with our family gatherings. After, we made a quick trip to the cabin to celebrate Nan and Sam's 10th b-day! They are 10!! I can hardly believe it!




The cousins with Mama Judy.


Samantha reading books with Emilee.


Me and my siblings--sans Maria.


Sus and Serena.


The cousins playing 20 questions with Mama Leslie.


Samantha and Natalie--10 years old!!


Nan and Emilee.


Splashing in the little pool on the deck of the cabin.


Lake time.


Grandpappy with Serena, Blake and Nan.

School's out...Summer's on!

We are so excited for Summer and no school! Some of our friends were having a get together after school on Thursday at Hawaiian Falls, so we all went and celebrated. It was a gorgeous afternoon, just perfect for a water park and hanging out by the pool.

Field Day

This is a day that the kids look forward to all year! A day of being outside, playing games with classmates and teachers, and getting very wet! The girls always enjoy it!

10 great years!

I don't like change. I don't like it one bit. It's hard. I get VERY cranky when my ducks are not all in a row. We recently sold our home where we have lived for the past 10 years. It happened very quickly. Good thing too, because I would've taken it off the market after about 1 week! Greg wouldn't let me. He kept telling me it was hard now but would all be ok in a little while. He was very calm throughout the whole thing. I on the other hand was a wreck--couldn't sleep, couldn't eat (I lost 5 pounds on the stress diet. Works wonders.) I lived in this home longer than anywhere else in my life except the home where I grew up, and that my parents still live in. It was a tough move emotionally. Much harder than I thought it would be. I shed MANY MANY tears throughout the process. We moved into this house before we had any kids, but Natalie and Samantha were born just 3 weeks later. It was a wonderful home for 10 great years!! Many, many wonderful memories were made there. It was interesting to go through the process of packing up and watching how our wonderful home simply became a house. At one point at the end Greg commented how the house had lost it's "spirit". I know my "home" is coming with me--Greg and the girls--and that wherever we are together is home. I am so grateful for my mom and all her help during the packing up and moving out!! She helped our family in so many ways! Also a huge thanks to our many friends and ward members who so willingly gave their time to come and help us!

We have been out for almost a month now and I am starting to feel a little less sad about moving away from our house and neighborhood. I know we will make many more happy memories in our next home, and I am trying to just "find joy in the journey" as we transition.