Da Beach!

We were invited to spend the week after VBS with the family of Jamie's coworker. While it was a great deal to split a beach week, I was a bit nervous about staying with people I had never met. Boy am I glad my beach loving self won out over my introvert self. We loved them! The dad of the family had managed to get what I call the penthouse suite from a woman who had to give up her beach week to attend the birth of her grandchild. (I suppose I would have made the same choice...)

We stayed right on the corner of the 5th floor, overlooking the beach from both balconies. Although Jamie played tennis at the club almost every morning, the water at Hilton Head was so calm that I could take the kids out every morning alone. I am now spoiled for all future vacations.

At first Elijah was afraid of the ocean, even with Mommy holding him. For the first couple of days he kept begging to go to the "Da beach wif no sand. Da wittle beach. Wif no sand!" (aka the pool). Of course by the end of the week he did not want to leave the ocean. He fell in love with the friends we stayed with and was crushed when they left earlier than us. Thankfully my mom and niece came for a couple of days and made up for it.

Caitlyn signed up for two lessons with a tennis pro. She really did a great job following in her Daddy's footsteps. She also managed to pull out a tooth at the beach and get an ocean visit from the Tooth Fairy. When I told her to smile for a toothless photo, she tried to think of something funny. She imagined her brother with a girlfriend and really cracked up!

Jamie and I enjoyed a zipline adventure for one of his "40 Things". Later he and Caitlyn conquered the ropes course. That girl can climb! The week was busy with a sandcastle competition, finding sand dollars and setting them free, lots of ice cream, mini golf, hiking, letterboxing, playgrounds, climbing the lighthouse, exploring the island wildlife, biking the beach, and playing in the ocean. Whew!

Flipagram of a day at the beach - http://youtu.be/913yaYe7n2g
Elijah cheering Caitlyn on at the ropes course - http://youtu.be/8I6ea2MYVEE
Kids dancing to "Fins" at Shannon Tanner concert - http://youtu.be/_AU0PyIWVCE


Click here for more beach pics.