Folly Beach

 Finally!  Photos.  It took me awhile to get these ready.  But wasn't it worth the wait?  Don't be surprised if you see some of these on my photography blog soon (hence the watermarks.)  I love the way they turned out.

Our trip was wonderful, however it started off with a bang!  We rented a beach house for the week with my parents.  They beat us down there by an hour or so, and had wine ready by the time we arrived.   The house was on the second level as are all beach houses, with one set of stairs to an outside deck, and an elevator from the driveway area up into the living room area.  The deck had 4 sets of french doors.  It was lovely.  We noticed that the locks on the doors were on the doorknob, the kind where you just turn the lock from the inside and the door is locked.  As Sarah Beth, who loves doors, was running in and out repeatedly, we talked about how easy it would be to lock ourselves out.  Well, within seconds of us saying this, wouldn't you know it, SB ran inside the house and slammed the door shut.  Locking us all outside!  Holy crap.

Well, cool collected me ran over to open the door and as soon as I couldn't get it open, started freaking out.  SB, of course, thought it was soooo funny, laughing and pointing through the window.  Meanwhile, I started a Mommy meltdown.  My phone was inside along with the homeowner's phone number.  Awesome.  Kurt had just gone downstairs to get the dogs, so when he came back up, you can only imagine how thrilled he was to see his daughter locked in the house by herself.  I suppose there was no immediate danger, but when you can't get to your kid, you start to panic.  Thankfully Kurt had his iPhone in his pocket, so I was able to go into his email and find the owner's phone number.  Meanwhile, Kurt was in full rescue mode, trying to kick in the doors like Steven Seagal as my parents tried to remain calm.  Fortunately, the owner answered his phone (thank you Jesus) and had a spare key hidden outside (thank you again Jesus) so we were able to get in without breaking the doors down. Sarah Beth thought this whole episode was quite hilarious, and wanted to continue playing "slam the door" so we quickly decided to stash the key outside to avoid any further incidents.   Meanwhile, Mommy and Daddy lost about 7 years off their life spans. 

So that was the first 30 minutes of our vacation.  On Day 2 of our trip,  SB got a jellyfish sting after about 15 minutes at the beach.  Really?  We were afraid of what day 3 would hold, but we managed to sail through the rest of our vacation without incident.  We had a wonderful time actually.  The house was great (other than those pesky doors) and we loved the town of Folly Beach.  The beach itself was beautiful, and the restaurants were fantastic.  We highly recommend Taco Boy, Rita's, and Lost Dog Cafe if you ever visit.

Anyway, on to the good stuff. Photos!  Yes, I did manage to haul my butt up out of bed at 6AM on vacation to photograph the sunrise.  It was totally worth it.  Look how beautiful this place is!

 

 

We did some driving around the area and stopped to see the Angel Oak Tree.  It's a massive live oak tucked away off a dirt road in the middle of nowhere.  According to the website, it's the oldest thing in the U.S. east of the Rockies - estimated at 1500 years old.  SB was asleep in the car when we got there so I only snapped a few pictures, but it was one of those things that makes you feel pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things.  To think of all that this tree has lived through.  It has had some help in recent years.  There are metal piers and cables holding up some of the branches, and it is protected from stupid humans who would want to climb it or carve their initials in it.  It's well worth the stop if you're ever on the road from Charleston to Mount Pleasant.

Here's our bathing beauty in her Copacabana inspired swimsuit.  She loved building sandcastles.  We spent hours sitting in the surf, building impressive structures only to have the ocean wash them away.  And if the ocean didn't knock 'em down, Sarah Beth did.  Not sure what would trigger it, but at a given point in the building process she would get a gleam in her eye and yell "destroy!"  

The next set of photos are from the tip of the island facing the Morris Island Lighthouse. 

We did a little family shoot before dinner one night.  I love how Sarah Beth is gazing at her Grandpa in this first one.  She thinks he hung the moon.  At the beach house, she determined that a certain chair was Grandpa's chair and that no one else should sit in it.  She would kind of lean in the chair, saving it for him, and when he walked in she would say "Panga's chair!  Sit! Sit!"  So sweet.  She loves her Panga.  Where "Panga" came from is anyone's guess but that's her name for him.  Grandma, incidentally, is "Paga" which makes things a little confusing.

A family photo!  No one was hurt in the taking of this photo.  Using a timer to take photos sucks.  I need to replace the batteries on my remote clicker thingy.  This turned out pretty good though.  What a handsome bunch we are!

Mountain Adventures

Last week we got fed up with the oppressive Charlotte heat and retreated up to my parents’ house in the mountains for some relief.  We ended up spending the whole week there.   Kurt worked a few days and took the rest of the week off.  We would have worried about overstaying our welcome, but we had a cute little blonde ambassador who fell over herself trying to please Grandma and Grandpa, so we figured we were good for a few extra days. 

Sarah Beth is head over heels in love with Grandpa.  Or  “Pawgaw” as it sounds the way she says it.  Poor Grandma does everything to keep this girl happy and entertained, from tap dancing to rolling around on the floor, but it is Grandpa sitting in the recliner who has her wrapped around his finger.  The slightest glance or act of silliness from Grandpa and she is in hysterics.  It is about the cutest thing I have ever seen.  We all went on an outing to the WNC Nature Center which was fantastic, btw.  But for Sarah Beth…cougars, wolves, and bears…whatever.  It was Grandpa who got all her attention.  She was quite concerned about leaving him behind so when he lingered a little, she would holler “PAAAAAAWWWWWWGAWWWWWW” and wait until he caught up. 

So a little about the WNC Nature Center since I brought it up.  It’s in Asheville.  And it’s amazing.  The animals have wooded and wild enclosures, but some of them were right up at the fence.  We were 10 feet away from two wolves.  One stood up and stared us right in the face.  There was so much intelligence behind those wild eyes.  Sounds corny, but I felt like he was looking right into my soul, sizing me up.  A humbling experience.   We saw the newest residents, two beautiful cougars, pacing their enclosure.  They were so graceful and quiet as they moved their huge bodies, jumping effortlessly, showing off to their slack-jawed visitors (including us) by bouncing off trees like a Kung Fu movie.  I could have sat there for hours watching them. 

The bear exhibit is a little unusual as you are actually viewing them from above on a wooden walkway.  One could technically lean over the barrier and fall right into the bear enclosure.  I have visited before and it never bothered me, but standing there with my 2 year old it freaked me out a little.  Especially since the bears below us were clearly in the midst of a domestic dispute.  The larger of the two bears stood up on his hind legs to prove a point, I’m assuming, and it definitely got my attention, if not his partner’s.   Bears are fast by the way.  You are not going to outrun one.  Of course there was the token redneck there dangling his toddler over the railing.  Seriously, people are so stupid.  I didn’t want SB anywhere near the edge, much less hanging her juicy little feet over the side.  And I swear I felt the wooden platform sway a little bit, so that was the end of my bear watching.  On to the turkey vultures, Sarah Beth, let’s hurry!

Another one of our unplanned adventures took us to Cherokee, NC.  We love the Blue Ridge Parkway and spend lots of time driving around up there, soaking in the views and the fresh air.  When SB falls asleep in the car, we tend to just drive until she wakes up, so this time, it led us close to the Southern end of the Parkway.  We decided to see what all the fuss was about in Cherokee and kept going.  Well, let me just do y’all a favor and spare you the trip.  It was downright depressing.  We pulled off the parkway and as soon as we hit Indian land it was trailer after trailer after burnt out shack after trailer.   We passed by closed up motels and broken down cars.  Other than the big “Tribal Bingo” building with the glowing neon sign, there was barely a building that looked inhabitable until we rounded the bend and saw the towering Harrah’s Casino blocking out the sun.  It was so startling to see this shiny structure in the midst of such poverty.  I wonder if the folks living there see it as a slap in the face or is it their salvation, the only money-making operation in the area.  Anyway, we cruised past the casino, past the “hourly drop-in daycare” in case you need to dump your kids somewhere while you gamble (shudder) and then reached the tourist trap of souvenir stores selling moccasins and tomahawks amongst other random items.  (I get the Indian paraphernalia, but statues of lighthouses? Really?  The closest beach is like 5-6 hours away.)  We stopped to get out of the car and get some ice cream, but that was about it.  The whole experience made us feel sad.  I’m sure there are other parts of Cherokee that celebrate the Indian heritage in a more appropriate way, but we never got that far.  We were ready to go home at that point.

Here's a few shots from our ice cream stop.

Hugs!

 We ventured into DuPont forest one day for a beautiful morning hike.

It's not a long walk to the falls, but SB always seems to go halfway regardless of length before wanting Mommy to carry her back.  Why Mommy?  Daddy is strong and she thinks he hung the moon, but apparently Mommy is the designated pack mule in her life.  Good thing she's so cute.

  

Our last adventure was something of a ghost story.  We again, were driving on the parkway aimlessly.  I was reading the Lonely Planet BRP guide, realizing we had hit every stop in the book except for a few, so we decided to go to one of the random places the guide mentioned.  The Balsam Mountain Inn in Balsam, NC.  Near Waynesville and Sylva.  So really in the middle of nowhere.  Back in the day, however, it was a bustling rail town and this hotel was a big destination resort in the 1900s.  We like historic places so off we went.  The guide described it as "luxurious" which by Lonely Planet standards could just mean you get your own toilet, but we were shocked by the condition of the place when we arrived.  You cross the old rail tracks and climb up a dirt road to see what must have been a fine hotel but is now a crumbling mess.  Peeling paint, missing siding, overgrown landscaping.  The place was in utter disrepair.  It definitely had the makings of a Stephen King horror story, but we figured what the hell, we were there, we'd get out of the car and check it out anyway.  Take a few pictures on the old porch.  

We pulled into the nearly vacant lot and unbuckled SB from her carseat.  As soon as she got out, she wanted to get back in the car.  That NEVER happens.  Kurt picked her up and walked over towards the steps of the building and she kept turning around saying "CAR CAR" which was the oddest thing.  I picked her up and carried her up the steps.  She tried to get down, I thought, to run along the porch, but she turned around and went down the steps back to the car.  Completely freaked out and demanded to go back to the car.  We were like, um ok is this place haunted or something because she has never acted like that before. Sure enough, we look up the hotel and there are a few "known" ghosts that reside there.  Including a sheriff who was gunned down at a box lunch social in the 1900s right in front of the hotel.  So maybe SB just didn't feel like getting out of the car, but I wonder if she sensed something that we couldn't see?  It was pretty spooky there.  Boo!

4th of July.

We had a fabulous 4th of July in Hendersonville this weekend with Grandma.  Sarah Beth, we've learned, is infatuated with her Grandpa.  From the moment we arrived, she started bringing all her toys to him, one by one and then by the armful.  She smiles at him coyly and waits for him to do something silly, like put a bucket on his head or make Elmo dance.  And then she falls into hysterics, laughing at Grandpa's comedic genius.  If Grandpa strays away from his chair, Sarah Beth grows quite concerned and begins the search.  Usually he can be found in the kitchen or maybe starting up the grill on the deck.  Sarah Beth waits, little teacup in hand, until he comes back in to enjoy his imaginary refreshment.  Grandma thought this was all cute and endearing for a while, but I think there may be a little jealousy creeping in.  Of course, Grandma still receives the same fanfare when she enters the room and is immediately taken by a little hand to "play play play."  But it is obvious to all the Grandpa is the apple of Sarah Beth's eye right now.  I suspect the feeling is mutual too.

Yesterday after breakfast we went downtown to see the Hendersonville 4th of July Parade.  Small town Americana at its best, the main attractions were the Tractors, some antique, some just big and impressive.  There were also a few Fire Trucks, some Motorcycles, Police Cars, a few groups of Veterans (God bless them) and even a float or two.  There wasn't really much music, but it sure was loud.  Sarah Beth was not a big fan, but she stuck it out and was rewarded with a romp through the toy store afterwards.  Frankly, the toy store was way more frightening than the parade in my opinion - jam packed full of little people and their parents, but SB didn't seem to notice.  We all managed to escape unharmed and returned home to rest up for fireworks.

We weren't sure how the fireworks would go over with SB, but we figured we'd give it a shot.  We headed up to the clubhouse for the Cummings Cove spectacular around 8:30, which is her normal bedtime.  She hung in there for an hour while it got dark, but as soon as the first few boom boom booms hit the sky, she had crawled in my lap with her head buried, sucking her thumb.  Apparently fireworks are not her thing. Maybe next year.  From what we could see as we headed back to the house, the Fireworks were amazing.

Here she is at the parade.  She how thrilled she looks?

 This is her "Mommy put down the camera" look.

 Checking out the parade with Daddy.

 

 A much happier SB playing in the cul-de-sac.

 A neighbor's Grandkids did some awesome chalk drawing and SB added her touch.

Giving Grandpa all her stuff.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

Fun with Grandma and Grandpa

We were up in the mountains this weekend visiting Grandpa and Grandma for Grandpa's birthday celebration.  Sarah Beth had an absolute blast, as you can see!  We went to the Carl Sandburg house to see the baby goats.  Only 3 days old and they were the cutest things ever.  SB didn't really care so much about the goats, but found lots of sticks and rocks to keep her occupied.  And she loved Grandma's sunglasses!  More pics to come...

Grandma the Great!

Yesterday was a blast for Miss Sarah Beth.  She not only had the undivided attention of Grandma and Grandpa, but also stole the heart of her Great-Grandma.  Grandpa and the Grandmas drove down for a visit and Sarah Beth did not disappoint.  She immediately reached our her arms for Grandma, which totally made the 2 hour drive worthwhile.  She played games with both the Grandmas during lunch and then we went to Latta Park to show off her swingin' and splashin' skills.  Here are a few pics:

Grandma and Grandpa

(notice how their outfits are coordinated?  

Apparently that's what happens after 40+ years of marriage without even trying.)

The Grandmas!  Grand and Great.  You can see where SB inherited her good looks.

4 Generations.

Spraygrounds!  Man does this baby love some water.  We thought it would be too much for her but she thought it was awesome and kept dragging us back in every time we shuffled her to the exit.

Whatchoo talkin' bout Mama?

I'm hoping she doesn't get too comfortable spending time behind bars.

We are so happy we had this day together.  Great-Grandma is a beautiful, sassy lady who always knows how to carry herself with class and style.  I love that she got to spend some time with our little girl.  I talked to my mom on the phone today and Great-Grandma said to tell me that I was a great Mom which is about the nicest compliment she could give me.  Thanks Great-Grandma for your visit and for all the love you send us.  We love you lots!