Gabe's Final T-Ball Game...

Austin and Hadley were looking for something to do this weekend while I worked.  I guess they decided to head to Akron to watch cousin Gabe play in his final t-ball game of the season.  It looks like the kids had tons of fun, and Gabe played very well!  Here are some pictures that Austin took today...

Happy 1st Father's Day!

I had to work yesterday, on Father's Day, so we decided to celebrate today.  When Austin got home, Hadley and I had a card and gift waiting for him on the table.  He was very excited! 

Hadley helped daddy open his first Father's Day card...

She also helped him open his present...

And I can't believe that I screwed up this picture by not checking it after I took it...it's blurry!  I think I was in a hurry to catch Hadley's smile.  Anyways, here is a picture of daddy holding up his gift.  Can you guess what it is?  No, it's not something handmade and sentimental...although I would have loved to have had the time to creat something like that.  Keep guessing!

It's a Rose-Hulman flag for the end of the pier! 

Happy 1st Father's Day, dear!  We love you very much and think you are simply the best! 

Wild and Wonderful West Virginia!

Today was our last day of vacation and we spent it in Charleston, West Virginia, my mom's home town!  We got into town around 5:00 a.m. this morning and checked into the Marriott for a few hours of sleep.  We got up around 10:00 a.m. and got ready to meet my Great Uncle Mick and Great Aunt Kay for lunch at the Cracker Barrel in Kanowha City.  This was Hadley's first trip to WV (shame on me!) and her first time meeting her Great-Great Uncle and Aunt.  

My Great Grandfather Wolfe passed away before I was born, and my Grandfather Bostic passed away when I was 2 years old.  I grew up, however, traveling to WV every summer to spend time with my Great Grandma Wolfe and my Grandma Bostic, along with tons of other family.  Because of these summer trips I became very close to my Great Uncles and Aunts...they are like grandparents to me.  In fact, Uncle Mick and Aunt Kay walked down the aisle in my wedding in rememberance of my Bostic Grandparents.

Hadley has had a long week and has been in unfamiliar surroundings.  Because of this, she is very clingy to me and does not want anyone else to hold her.  Uncle Mick and Aunt Kay wanted to hold her so bad.  You can see how the attempts turned out...   

After lunch I had to go to do some legal mumbo-jumbo with our trailer park.  Not something you want to do while on vacation...trust me!  I spent about 2 hours between the county magistrate's office and the Charleton Gazette.  I hope my hard work reaps good rewards.  After "working," we headed to Campbell's Creek, where my mom grew up, to check on the trailer park and visit with more family.  

I didn't take very many pictures after this...but I did grab one of the mountains from the entrance to the trailer park.  Ah...how refreshing and beautiful the view! 

While I did not grow up in WV like my mom, I do love it here.  It's so refreshing and relaxing.  Southern hospitality is a true thing, and you don't have to travel to SC or GA to experience it...it's right here in the Wild and Wonderful WV.  As we were driving out of town I caught a picture of this signage posted on the side of a building.  I love it..."Where is your West Virginia?"

Last Day in Myrtle Beach...Poolside and then Pier14!

We spent the day relaxing poolside.  Boy was it needed after the terribly hot day we spent in Charleston yesterday!  Hadley loves the water and had a great time playing and splashing around. 

Hadley even made a few friends while at the pool.  Kara, William and Thomas...all siblings who thought Hadley was just the cutest.  

Hadley and Grandma enjoyed lounging poolside too.  Hadley enjoyed the water bottle more than anthing else!

It started to get overcast around 3:30 p.m. so we decided to take a few last pictures and head in to get ready for dinner.

We ate dinner at Pier 14 in main Myrtle tonight.  Pier 14 is waterfront dining w/ an extended fishing pier.  Dinner was good, but not something I would run right back to order.  I had flounder w/ a salad and french fries.  Mom had prime rib...which looked yummy! 

Here is a picture of the three of us after dinner on the boardwalk.  The guy that took our picture had moved further down the boardwalk and was asked to take a couple's picture shortly after taking ours.  As we walked by he said, "Oh my gosh!"  Which caught me off guard.  I said, "Excuse me?"  He said, "Your daughter's eyes are so huge.  I didn't even notice them when I took your picture.  They are so pretty!"  I said, "Thank you very much.  That's usually the first thing people say and notice about her!"  I don't mind saying so myself...I do love Hadley's eyes! 

On our way back to the condo, we stopped to get some pictures of mom with a palm tree.  This was her first time ever seeing a palm tree!  How exciting, huh?

When we got back to the condo, we took an evening stroll out on the beach.  It was so nice out after the rain passed and so relaxing!

This was our last night in Myrtle Beach and the end to our 3 generation vacation.  We are packing up tonight and heading to Charleston, WV.  We are driving through the night so that Hadley can sleep.  I hope she will let me sleep when we get to the Marriott around 4:00 a.m. tomorrow.  Please, Hadley!

Good Bye Myrtle Beach, it's been a pleasure!

A day in Charleston, SC...

Charleston, SC is only a 90 minute drive from Myrtle Beach so mom, Hadley and I decided to spend the day there.  As we were packing up the car for the drive, Hadley decided that she wanted to get an early start on driving! 

We started out the day in Mt. Pleasant, SC, just outside of Charleston at the Boone Hall Plantation.  It is registered on the National Register of Historic Places.  The plantation includes a large Colonial Revival plantation house, a number of slave cabins (which were occupied by sharecroppers well into the 20th century), several flower gardens, and the historic "Avenue of Oaks."  I think I got spoiled by Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana, as this plantation was nice, but definitely not as grand.  

   

It was so flippin' hot today that we literally drove in the plantation, checked in at the visitor's center, took our tour of the house, sweated off a few pounds...or 20 pounds, and then decided to leave because of the heat and the humidity.  I can say that it is honestly the hottest I have been in a very LONG time.  We took pictures very quickly.  Hadley didn't seem to mind the heat though.  She had two fans on her stroller that she wanted to grab and play with instead of enjoy the cool wind. 

Did I already say that it was flippin' hot today?  We had 101 degree temperatures on Monday, 98 yesterday and 98 again today.  WHEW!

 

After our short visit to the plantation we drove 10 minutes into downtown Charleston.  I absolutely love it there.  Austin and I visited a few years ago and I have always wanted to go back.  It is a town in and of itself.  A step back in time, if you will.  Once again though, it was very hot.  We were going to take a carriage ride around town, but we thought that was a bad idea with Hadley.  Instead, we drove around to each attraction. 

We started out at Waterfront Park...

...and then headed over to Rainbow Row.  Rainbow Row starts at 83 East Bay Street and runs through 107.  Rainbow Row is the name for a series of colorful historic houses in Charleston.  It is referred to as Rainbow Row for the pastel colors used to paint all of the houses.  It is a common tourist attraction and is one of the most photographed parts of Charleston. Common myths concerning Charleston include variants on the reasons for the paint colors. According to some tales, the houses were painted in the various colors such that the intoxicated sailors coming in from port could remember which houses they were to bunk in.  In other versions, the colors of the buildings date from their use as stores; the colors were used so that owners could tell illiterate slaves which building to go to for shopping.

The first picture below is of an oil lantern that many houses in Charleston still burn, and the next picture is of a cobble stone street.  One of many that still exist in the historic district of Charleston.

 

Next, we parked the car and walked up on the harbor-walk that overlooks Charleston Harbor.  It is an elevated sidewalk that affords great views of the water, the park and many of the historic district's finest homes. 

Below are a few pictures of the carriage rides that we were planning on partaking in had the weather been more cooperative!

We drove down the main street in Charleston, Broad Street on our way to the Rhett-Aiken house.  We saw several of these baskets for sale throughout the south.  Now this lady means business...she accepts Visa and Mastercard!   

The Aiken-Rhett House stands alone as the most intact townhouse complex showcasing urban life in antebellum Charleston. Built in 1818 and greatly expanded by Gov. and Mrs. William Aiken, Jr. in the 1830s and 1850s, the house has survived virtually unaltered since 1858.

and we ended the day retreating from the heat and relaxing over dinner at the Hyman's Seafood Company...which was phenomenal! 

 

When we got back to the condo tonight, Hadley must have still been hot, because she took every opportunity to get into everything "cool" in the room! 

We are looking forward to a relaxing day at the pool tomorrow!