Myrtle Beach

The kids and I started out this summer with a 2 week trip to Myrtle Beach with my family. It was ridiculously fun. The kids were AMAZING in the water. W was absolutely fearless, jumping in the waves, belly boarding, and getting knocked around.

L would go out way past the breakers with my family and stay out there just floating in the waves.

M wasn't so thrilled at first. She didn't love the hot sand and when it gave her blisters on her feet with her flip flops she almost decided that was enough of the beach.

With a lot of piggy back rides, blister patches, and different shoes, we could get her there.

Then she wasn't too sure of the waves. But, again, with a lot of hand holding and jumping around, she finally came around and by the last few days, she would run around on her own.

We made sure to visit Medieval Times...

...where I admittedly had a thing for the Green Knight. (But only when he was on his horse, he was just so cocky and arrogant. I Loved It!)

We got up and caught the sunrise one morning. M wasn't invited, but I either piggy backed her along, or stayed home.

Thankfully there were other willing arms to carry her because she was still in her "I hate the sand" mood.

We caught the fireworks for the 4th of July.

Actually, we saw them twice. The first time was at "Boardwalk at the Beach" before my cousin and her family had to fly home.

The second time was on the 4th at the beach over the water. They were delayed by an hour due to an accident and we were afraid that they had been cancelled. Thankfully the weather was beautiful and cool, and we spent time in the water until it got dark. My aunt brought glow sticks for the kids which entertained them once they couldn't be in the water anymore. It was nice to just sit and relax and the fireworks were well worth it once they started.

One of my favorite things that we did was Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. I saw a billboard for it and got it in my head that I had to go. Thank goodness I'm stubborn! Not everyone was up for it, just my mom, my sister, and one of her daughters. My kids didn't have a choice.

I know they don't look excited, but this was while they were still waiting in line. Believe me, the smiles didn't stop once we got in and it started. And to "top it off" we girls all wore our beautiful homemade garlands.

The preshow was an amazing juggler. He was balancing some things on his chin - a chair, a child's piano. W informed me that he wasn't impressed. Then the man balanced a 10 foot ladder on his chin. W turned to me and exclaimed "Now I'm impressed!" We were front row center for the show and it was worth every penny. Another memorable moment from W - I asked him on the way out if he'd had a good time. He said he loved every part of it except the woman with the huge blond hair. There were several women with huge blond wigs, so I asked which one. "That one!" he yells, and points to a giant picture of Dolly Parton on the wall. Apparently, he wasn't into her star-spangled pre-recorded medley. Oh well, to each his own. And the memories keep coming - we still use our "boot mugs" all the time.

Another of the best parts of the trip - the down time. Mostly, we just relaxed, played games, giggled a lot, and visited. It was wonderful.