Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach conjures up so many memories for Nathan and I... it was where we were when Nathan proposed to me and it was a place we got away to several times each year while we lived on the East Coast. So it was fun to take our kids to see this place we love so much. We had perfect weather and since it was in September, we also avoided all of the beach crowd. It was like we had the place to ourselves.

Our favorite thing to do in Myrtle Beach was just to hang out at the beach. Micah was so excited he went hopping across the sand to the ocean.

Ashlyn enjoyed the freedom of walking along the beach

Showing off his big guns!

It wasn't until we got into the water that I remembered why I love the Atlantic Ocean so much... it is way warmer than the Pacific Ocean (which I refuse to immerse myself in). So we all had a blast one day playing in the water and riding along the big swells that come up to the shore. Not exactly good for surfing, but just right for a family day at the beach.

Time to get out the sand tools and get building...

Ashlyn wants to help too

Working with Daddy

Tada! The finished product! So sad that it only lasted about 15 minutes after this picture was taken because the tide came in and washed it all away.

We also had a great time at the resort we stayed at. Not too many pictures though, but here are a few of the boys floating in the lazy river at night time.

You can't go to Myrtle Beach and not go miniature golfing since it is the mini golf capital of the world! So we spent one evening testing our golfing skills.

Micah loves to golf and he did a great job too!

Ashlyn also got in on the action with her own little golf club

Broadway at the Beach

Nathan and I always love going to Broadway at the Beach whenever we went to Myrtle Beach. It is full of fun shops and restaurants, which the kids could care less about. But we found quite a few fun things for them to enjoy too!

Ashlyn and Daddy... ready for another day of fun

The kids LOVED feeding the huge fish from the bridges

Micah loved the dinosaur!

But Ashlyn preferred the cow!

Micah and I had fun cruising around the little lake in the paddleboat. It was a great day to be out on the water!

But the rides were their favorite part of Broadway at the Beach. Micah got to try some crazy fast rides with Daddy.

Then he joined Ashlyn for a gentle boat ride.

The carousel is Ashlyn's all time favorite ride, no matter where it is at.

Wow! Micah was pretty brave to go on this. He did well, but said he would prefer not to go on it again.

Ashlyn's last ride was on the teacups. She liked it as long as I didn't let it spin. Uh-oh!

Micah can never resist the temptation to splash in water

A little ice cream treat to cool us all down.

Ashlyn loves ice cream!!!!

The ducks were also a hit!

Especially when they came right up to the kids and ate out of their hands.

And we couldn't pass up taking them out to the Pyramid shaped Hard Rock Cafe, one of our faves in Myrtle Beach

Ashlyn being her silly self!! What a crack-up!

And a family picture to finish up our day at Broadway at the Beach

Charleston

We were sad to leave Myrtle Beach because we were having so much fun there, but we already had a reservation to stay in Charleston so we all hopped in the car and headed south.

We did a lot of driving on this trip, but the kids handled it pretty well because it was broken up quite a bit. They enjoyed the rental car, feeling like we had a new car.

Crossing the Cooper River into downtown Charleston across the new bridge that was finished in 2005. It is a beautiful structure!

Our first agenda for the day was to take the ferry out to Ft. Sumter, where the first shots of the civil war were fired in 1861.

Micah had fun exploring the old fort.

Ashlyn loves to mimic. If Mich got a picture like this, then she wants one too.

Checking out the cannons

Looking out to sea...

What a cutie!

Micah loved the boat ride out there. He enjoyed looking out a small hole near the front of the boat.

Back in Charleston, we drove down around Battery Park and then walked around the marketplace. Ashlyn loved all the horse-drawn carriages that she saw.

We finished our day with a ride on a bike taxi around historic Charleston.

The kids always love a ride on the luggage cart at hotels.

Georgia

The next day we headed to Georgia. It was the longest drive of our trip, so Ashlyn struggled a bit, but we finally made it. Our purpose for traveling to Georgia was to see an old friend from high school, one of the only people I still keep in touch with from that period of life. It had been nearly 8 years since we last saw each other so it was fun to finally catch up again and meet one another's kids.

Micah and Levi hit it off immediately and had fun jumping on the trampoline

Or course Ashlyn wanted in on the action too!

She also enjoyed playing ball in the yard

Sophie, Micah and Levi having fun at the park.

Ashlyn always loves to ride around on a big kid bike!

Jennifer and Barbara

It was so great to catch up with you Jen and to meet your sweet family. Thanks for your southern hospitality. Hopefully we find you guys back out on the west coast within a few years and our visits won't be so far and few between. Love you!