Hilton Head Island

A few weeks ago we went to Hilton Head for our first family beach vacation.  We stayed at my parents along with Todd and Maribeth.  We also enjoyed visiting with Holly, Nathan and Abby for a few days and seeing Jim, Patty and Connor.  The trip had a few mishaps with the ac breaking 150 miles into the drive and tropical storm beryl but it was a great vacation and a lot of fun was had.  The kids loved the beach and are ready to go back.

Here are some pictures... not in any particular order

Hadley enjoying Poppy and PaPa's long driveway

So great to see their friend Abby again

Hadley flying a kite on the golf course... tropical storms approaching are good for kite flying

Madeleine flying the kite

Hadley and her barbie kite... she kept saying look barbie we are at the beach until barbie flew away.  Barbie went so far she might have made it back to Missouri.

PaPa teaching Hadley how to bury her feet in the sand

Jim testing out Todd's kite

Todd and Maribeth about to get air from the kite

Tommy loved walking in the sand and water

More kite flying

Flying the baby angry bird kites bought to replace Barbie

Trying to get the perfect beach picture 

Note Hadley's elephant dress... the sample dress in the store had the elephant and she fell in love with it.  She was so sad I ordered the dress with her name instead so I went back in and changed hers to the elephant.  She was so excited for her special dress.  She was in the Elephant room at school so I think she thought it was perfect for her.

Madeleine waiting to see Gregg Russell

Hadley holding her sign asking Gregg to pick her to sing.

Hadley singing the ABCs... she did great up there and was so adorable 

Typical attempt at getting a good picture

This picture is just so Hadley

Madeleine's first reaction to the beach.  She went straight to the water and laid down.  Hadley's first reaction was to start screaming excitedly that she saw a crabbie and try to pick it up.  Madeleine jumped on top of the cooler for that.

Coloring at Poppy's table

Family picture in Harbourtown

Enjoying ice cream

At the top of the Harbourtown lighthouse... Madeleine walked up all 114 steps

Holly digging a big hole for the kids

Enjoying their own private pool

The beach was perfect for bike riding

So fun to be able to ride around

Napping on the beach in the rented stroller... I wanted to take it home with us

Relaxing in the shade

Practicing princess poses... can't wait to take these girls to Disney together

PaPa delivered McDonalds to the beach 

Running in the waves with Connor

Perfect end of the day at the beach with friends

Family pic on the beach

Tommy and Daddy

The kiddos

Madeleine saw this fountain in Savannah and wanted her picture by it

The candy store in Savannah... the highlight of the trip to Savannah

Waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for the trolley to come back and pick us up

Dinner at the Boathouse... great restaurant on the water

Hula Hooping while waiting for dinner

Looking for the dolphins

Hadley and her pal, Gregg Russell 

Enjoying our last day at the beach

Tommy splashing in the water

Tommy  loves the beach!

Madeleine really wanted to be buried in the sand

Once Madeleine did it. Hadley had to too

Exciting Day

Today was a very exciting day for the Krewets.  Madeleine and Hadley went on an excursion with their principal to get shaved ice this morning... one of the many parties from the school's auction. Hadley had a pizza party with her teachers... also an auction party.  Then we had Madeleine's preschool graduation.  It was adorable.  All the kids were called up to the front to get their diploma and say what they wanted to be when they grew up.  Madeleine said a ballet teacher.  Quite a few boys wanted to be ninjas, girls wanted to be princesses and there were a few practical ones who wanted to be dentists.  We came home after graduation for a quick hour before heading to the school picnic.  In that hour our neighbors had a very large tree branch (about the size of some large trees) fall into their backyard and rip the power lines off and start a very small fire.  Falling trees seem to be a problem around here.   Thankfully no one was out back... Gracie is very often in their backyard that time of day.  But the fire truck did come which was exciting for the kids.  Then it was off to the school picnic.  This is the first one in 3 years at KECC that hasn't been rained out.  Madeleine and Hadley have two more days of school and then summertime!  Can't believe Madeleine only has two days of preschool left!

Start of the day.  Tommy loves this guitar that Madeleine got for Christmas.  I mean he really loves it and gets very upset if you try to take it away from him.

The graduates processing in

The hats weren't really staying on very well.

Receiving her diploma

Taking a class picture

Preschool Graduate... off to Kindergarten

Madeleine and Hadley posing with Ms Lillian

The Glendale fire truck visiting our street

Easter

 So I'm a little late with the Easter pictures.  I have been having to work almost every night after the kids go to bed which is leaving little time for anything else.  But we had a great Easter and here are some pics .

Hadley opening an egg from her basket

Madeleine checking out her basket.

Tommy and his basket

Madeleine - she went back a few decades to celebrate

Preparing for Easter Egg Hunt #1

Tommy slept through the Easter Egg Hunt

Collecting eggs... Madeleine found the most real eggs.  I think next year she might wise up and skip those like the older kids did.

Going though the loot

Cousins

Tommy's first Easter and his first Easter outfit of the day

More cousins

Easter outfit #2... he had a little accident in the first one.  This is an old t-shirt of Uncle Dave's

Family Picture... tommy is in outfit #3 at this point. I  knew there was a reason I packed another nice outfit for him.

Preparing for Easter Egg Hunt #2

Searching for eggs

Playing in Uncle Todd's old cozy coupe

Trying out the new beach towels

Hilton Head here we come!

Summer is here!

Summer is here or at least it feels like it.  We did an Easter Egg Hunt today at Viz and it was very warm.  The last few years the Easter egg hunts have been very chilly.   The girls had fun hunting for eggs although it really isn't much a hunt since they are all laid openly in the grass.  Hadley sprinted to the very end of the field before she started picking up eggs.  Madeleine on the other hand filled her basket very quickly.  The only problem was all the chocolate in the eggs had melted.  It was very messy.  No one planned on 90 degree weather.

We also went on a bike ride this weekend.  Jim's mom came over to watch Tommy so I could go too.  It was a nice way to start the weekend.  We are looking forward to when Tommy is old enough to ride along too.  Although that will mean I will have to start towing Madeleine behind me.

Last weekend Jim and I headed south to Cancun with his work.  It was a our first trip away other than a night here and there.  It was so nice to have a few days to relax.  I loved sitting on the beach, reading a book, having a pina colada.   The kids stayed with my parents and had a good time.

Cancun

Stop at the park on the Saturday morning bike ride

Swinging

I think they were playing monster at this point

Picture with the Easter Bunny... Hadley was not scared at all this year.  I however am still slightly scared of the Easter Bunny.  That face just does not look friendly.

Hadley in the pink on the far end of the field

Showing off their eggs

Tommy and Jim

Cotton Candy!