Sun, Sand, Fun, and Family- Hilton Head Part II

We couldn't have asked for more ideal weather for our vacation.  Everyday after Easter the skies were clear and the temperatures were perfect.  We had a lot of beach time:

 

                                          

The beauty of this beach house is that the beach is a baseball throw from the beach, so if you forget something or need to check on a napper, it's just right there:

 

We took bike trips to get ice cream and search for alligator:

We played board games and dominos:

The kids stayed up too late, watching movies and adventuring outside to play with glow in the dark necklaces and sparklers and hear stories about Eight Claws:

 

We even got to spend a morning at Sherry & George's pool:

We held Alligators and snakes:

 

 

We celebrated Zoe Macalister Walker's big 7th Birthday!

We spent quality time with Bumpa & Grandma:

We did art projects:

We played with smoking "snakes"

We spent more time at the beach:

We rode bikes:

We went hunting for shark's teeth:

But mostly, we bonded with family.  There really isn't anything better than the relationships we have with our family.  It wasn't always easy.  The Abbott kids stayed up too late and were sleep deprived and whiney, but they loved being with their cousins.  We loved being with cousins and aunts and uncles and parents and brothers and sisters.  Big meals came together every night.  Bellies were filled, wine was imbibed, and stories were told.  

 

None of this would have been possible without all the behind-the-scenes work from Sherry and George.  Everything from renting bikes, to getting guest passes, to researching activities and supplying the house with pails, shovels, towels, books, puzzles, and more.  It really was a perfect vacation!  Exactly what this family needed!

Easter and Hilton Head Part 1

The anticipation was high for our trip to Hilton Head this year.  We hadn't been in three years, but the kids have seen pictures of past trips.  We purchased flights back in the summer and the kids talked up the plane ride, seeing cousins, spending time at the beach, etc. for months.

We got the 6am flight out of Burlington to Atlanta.  That means that we had to wake up at 4am and leave the house by 4:30.  The kids were great little travelers and the kids even got to sit in the cockpit after Hazen introduced himself to the pilot.

And the best part about leaving so early, is that we arrived at Savannah airport by 10:30 am and were on the beach by noon. It was a gloomy day, but the kids were still fired up to get out on the beach in the spitting drizzle.  And Cal was very fired up for me to take a picture of her (and her cousin) in front of a palm tree:

Uncle George had talked up how great this beach is for teaching kids how to ride a two wheeler.  He was right!  Cally was peddling on her own within minutes of trying!

After that monumental accomplishment, Aunt Sherry organized egg decorating:

The mother of the three lovely ladies on the left, my Grandma Isabel, started the tradition of getting cousins together for weeks at a time over years throughout our childhood.  The relationships she nurtured have sustained themselves over time and this year we had 25 relatives together!

Sunday also started out gloomy, but that didn't stop the Easter Bunny from visiting!

The cloudiness didn't stop these cats from playing at the beach and swimming in the ocean:

Swimmers

It's happened.  The kids are taking to the water like little fish!  We owe so much of it to Annie, their amazing swim instructor.

 I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to do this, but for the past year I've been offering Cal a "prize" if she goes underwater.  It's really just because I'm a "Nervous Nelly" when my kids are around water.  I've heard too many horror stories about kids drowning and it just isn't all that relaxing to be near water with kids who don't know how to swim.  Last summer came and went and the lessons made them more comfortable in the water, but going under didn't happen.  That has all changed.

Apparently, she's diving down for rings underwater!

And this is what she choose as her prize!  Can you see the pride in her smile?

And Hazey isn't far behind her.

He's super comfortable in the water.

And he's already ready to put his face in the water.

On a totally different note.  Here are the kids with their favorite baby, Mazzy Merritt. They adore her!