V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N : We're gonna have a bawl!

Just a little song that Ryan always sings as we set out on our vacations. We headed to Myrtle Beach, SC last week and we had a great time. We went with Ryan's mom and dad, we took his cousin Taylor to help with the kids, his sister Tera, her husband Brian, and both of their kids Kyle and Sophia. Here is a recap of the week.

Saturday: We arrived in Myrtle around 3:30. Checked into the room and quickly got out suits on to head down to the pool. Preston was extremely tired after our 12 hour trip and did not want to take his shirt of to swim so he swam in his shirt. The kids loved the pool. Our hotel had an outdoor pool with a water slide and a submarine kids toy, two indoor pools, an indoor lazy river and an outdoor lazy river. We headed back up to the room and decided to order pizza for dinner so the kids could get a good nights rest. At around 1:30 am we were all awoken by the fire alarm and we had to evacuate the building, of which we were on the 19th floor. We had to sit outside for about a half hour while the fireman checked the hotel and then headed back upstairs. Luckily Preston and Sophia went back to bed pretty easily.

Sunday: We swam all morning and then the kids napped. For dinner we headed to Broadway at the Beach and ate at Landry's a seafood restaurant. Outside there was a clown making balloon animals which the kids enjoyed watching, although he was a little scary so neither of them would look at him very long but were quite pleased with the airplane and flower he made them. After dinner we walked around the shops and the kids danced to the music and played in the arcade. We got Coldstone before we headed up. I got cookie batter ice cream with cookie dough and it was delicious.

Monday: The Fenton family were in Myrtle as well and had rented a house in South Myrtle so we headed over there to swim and cook-out lunch. They had a beautiful house and we talked about maybe all renting it next year. For dinner we went to Barefoot Landing. Ryan was standing on the edge of the dock and his flip flop fell in the water with all the carp. He had to take Sophia out of her umbrella stroller and flip it upside down and use the handle to scoop it out. The kids got a big kick out of it and so did we.

Tuesday: We swam all morning and then went to a Seafood Calabash for dinner. We probably had at least 50 plates of crab legs between all of us. Ryan dumped a whole dish of melted butter on his flip flop, the same one that fell in the lake the night before so it was deemed his unlucky flip flog the rest of the trip. We all had fun thinking up things that could happen to it everywhere we went. After dinner we went back to Broadway at the Beach and watched the firework show.

Wednesday: Another day of swimming and the beach and then we went to Umberto's for dinner. It is an unbelievable Italian Restaurant that serves a 4 course meal. I got pork chops and they were huge, the biggest I have ever seen and best i have ever tasted. Preston started a fever that night so we headed home a little early.

Thursday: The Fenton families came over to our pool to swim with the kids and check out our hotel. After naps we headed back to Broadway at the Beach to the Japanese Steakhouse. Preston still had a fever and was not himself at all so he didn't want to sit and watch much of it. I took him outside and then we came back in after they were done cooking and I ate and he had sherbet. The meal was absolutely delicious.

Friday: Our last night. Brian, Tera, Kyle, and Sophia headed home in the evening and the rest of us went to Broadway at the Beach. We ate at Pizzeria Uno and they had an awesome balloon artist there who kept Preston totally entertained making him a Mickey mouse and an Elmo hat. After dinner we went to Build-A-Bear. Preston wanted the "dragon" (which was actually a triceratops), he named him Ernie so hopefully we don't have to name his brother that now. After dinner we came home and packed up to leave early Saturday morning.

We had a great trip and can't wait to go back next year, with a new baby in tow.

Preston and Taylor at the aquarium
Sophia and Preston watching the fish
Playing on the pirate exhibit
The Elmo Balloon Preston got on the last night

Preston and Mommy at the fireworks
Cheese!
The kids playing in the water puddles
At the Aquarium with Pa
Look at that Sting Ray
Broadway at the Beach
How sweet is that.

Watching the fireworks
Preston loved the pool

Eating a Popsicle with Nonny
Playing in the water with Uncle Brian
Nonny, Preston, and Pa
Nonny, Taylor, Preston, and Pa
This is the water slide at our pool.
The kids having a snack by the pool
The submarine at the pool

"Wookie Daddy"

Playing by the pool

Look at those huge carp, yuck!