South Carolina

On the last day of school I picked Cameron up and the kids and I headed to the airport.  We took a much anticipated trip to South Carolina to see my sister.  Because of some confusion with Southwest we had to fly into Jacksonville.  It was about a four hour drive to Columbia where my sister lives but it was a fun drive.

The kids were very excited to get on the airplane.  The girls had never been on a plane before.  They traveled great.  After spending the first night in Jacksonville we headed north.  Our first stop was to St. Simon's Island.  There is a quaint little lighthouse there.  I drug the kids out to the island to see it.

I loved this little lighthouse.  It was lovely.  Of course I have never met a lighthouse that I didn't love.

The girls climbed the 129 steps to the top.  Cameron stayed at the bottom and pouted.  I dropped my camera at the top of the lighthouse so unfortunately our next stop was to Target to buy a new camera.

My sister and her husband were kind enough to vacate their bedroom for us.  This is how my kids sleep when we travel.  If you can imagine I also slept in the same bed and yes we all slept great.  I don't know how we do it but somehow we do.

 We went to Lake Murray.  I love all the rivers and lakes in the south.  They are all so pretty and refreshing. 

 We played in the sand.

 and ate ice-cream

 Clara will almost always pose for a picture.  I am wondering if I should be worried about her.  This is quite the pose she struck for me.

 Cameron made a new friend.

 When your kids says "Mom, why don't we just take a picture like this?" Well then you take the picture.

 One day we drove to Georgia to see one of my good high school friends.  He took us to Stone Mountain.  It was a very cool place.  If you are ever in the Atlanta area you should go there.  We took a picnic lunch and watched a laser show.  It was really fun and so great to see my friend.  I am lame and forgot to take a picture with my friend. 

 We went to Charleston to go to the beach.  Cameron, Lauryn and Clara love the beach.  We could have stayed here the whole vacation and they would have been plenty happy.

 Cameron is just chillin in the water.

 covered in mud

 We saw a few of these jelly fish.  It caused a moment of panic.  Cameron wouldn't get in the water for a while.  It took some time to convince him that once these jelly fish are dead they don't sting.

 OK so now I am really starting to worry.  Do you realize how warm that sand is?  She was freezing.  This is how she chose to get warm.

 three little beauties.

 after a fun day at the beach we went into Charleston.  When you visit this city with adults you go see all the cool and historic homes.  When you go with your kids you stay far away from anything historic.

 When your daughter says take my picture while doing this...you better get out the camera.

We played in this fountain

 
 and in this fountain.

 Columbia has a great zoo.  We had a great time.  We saw a Koala bear.  He was very active and so darling.

 The girls fed the nectar to the birds.  Today Lauryn said "I wish I were a bird so I could eat nectarine"

When Cameron was in occupational therapy they tried to get him to climb  a rock wall.  He wouldn't do it.  He was terrified.  I was shocked when he asked me to climb this wall.  He scaled it like a pro...about ten times.  I was so proud of him.

 
He was also very proud of himself.  As soon as we finished, he wanted to call his Dad.  Way to go Cameron.

 We rode ponies.

 and trains

 We fed goats

 and giraffes

 If there is a football stadium around we will go find it.  This is the stadium of the University of South Carolina.  It was huge.  Cameron wanted to get to the field but we had no such luck.  bummer.

 On the way back to the airport we stopped in Savannah, Georgia.  I love these mossy trees.  I wanted to show my kids some cool things in this city but all they cared about was...

the candy store. 

We had a great time in South Carolina.  We are grateful for our family and that we were able to go see where they live.  We love you Carolinans.