Isle of Palms

 

It's been an extremely rainy summer but we grab beach time at the Isle of Palms whenever we can. 

First Day of Summer

We're kicking off the first day of summer soaking in the sun and playing in the surf at the Isle of Palms.   

Spring in Charleston

The grass is turning green, the tulips are blooming and the air is getting warm and sticky.  It's spring in Charleston!  We kicked off the first weekend of April by decorating Easter eggs.

And having a picnic lunch on the Isle of Palms.  Although a little breezy, we still walked away fully relaxed and sun kissed. 

Bring on the summer!

Roaming Free on the IOP

Yesterday we took Bruco and Paolo to the Isle of Palms to let them roam free on the beach.

While the dogs ran around like maniacs, we collected shells and took in the salty air. 

I love days like this. 

Summer Days Are Drifting Away

We've been getting in as much pool and beach time as possible before the summer slips away.  The temperature still remains in the high 80's so we hope to squeeze out a few more weeks playing in the pool and lounging at the beach.  Summer 2010 was a memorable one—we had lots of visitors, made some great friends and hosted and attended lots of parties.  I don't want this summer to ever end.  I’m sad to see the season change. 

OMG, BFF on the IOP

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the Isle of Palms with Rya's bestie, Riley.  They're adorable together!  It was a perfect day for the beach... mid 80's, nice breeze and hardly a soul in sight. 

Rya and Riley

Rya made a friend at the gym daycare and today we met Riley and her mom at the beach for a play date.  These two look like they could be sisters and will undoubtedly be trouble together when they're older. 

Father's Day 2010

Trent was working in DC all week but quickly finished the job so he could be home for Father's Day.  We spent the day on the Isle of Palms playing in the sand, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, soaking up the sun and cooling off in the surf.  I had a really rough week without him and it made me appreciate him all the more.  Happy Father's Day, Trent.  You are the best father and husband I know.  We love you.

Boating to Capers Island

Yesterday, Stacey invited us out on her sick boat!  Temps have been in the high 90's so it was the perfect relief from this scorcher.    

 

She took us to Capers Island for the day where we ate lunch, played in the water and sand and didn't leave until we were all sun kissed.  Perfect day with great friends. 

Isle Of Palms with Newburyporters

Arthur and Erin, Newburyporters living in Charleston (we're taking over down here), invited us to Erin's mom's sweet beach house rental on the Isle of Palms yesterday.  We arrived late afternoon for happy hour on the beach while the kids played in the sand and a brave few (Art, Trent and Currier) went swimming in the brisk sea.    

When the sun went down we enjoyed hot dogs on the grill, shrimp cocktail, cocktails and cupcakes while listening to the waves and breathing the salty air.  Wicked good time!

Valentine's Day

On Valentine's Day we did a few things we love.

Stirred up a seagull frenzy on the Isle of Palms.

Let the dogs roam free on the beach and took in the salty air.

A Little Fresh Air

After being cooped up in the house with an illness and freezing temps for over a week, today we finally got out for some fresh air. We went to the Isle of Palms to walk on the beach, feed the seagulls (straight from our hands!) and collect some seashells. I'm so happy to be feeling better and finally have some warmer weather... Now it's time to start working on those resolutions!

Summer Days Drifting Away

Today we squeezed in one last beach day before the summer slips away. Currier's new friend, Kaelee, and her mom, Nicole, joined us. We met Nicole and Kaelee a few months ago when they bought our German dining table off Craigslist. They're from Germany, we immediately hit it off and have been friends since. Funny how people come into our lives!

IOP Dinner and Drinks

Another Newburyporter was in the Charleston area this week. My friend, Jenny, was staying at the Wild Dunes resort on the Isle of Palms for a conference and we met up one night for dinner and drinks. Jenny works for the Cape Cod Chip Company so she greeted me with a large box of kettle cooked goodies. We had such a great night out together= beers on the beach, years of catching up, an evening without kids, a delicious mahi-mahi dinner and then more beers. Good times.

The Learys Hit Chucktown

My friend Amy, her husband Terry and their three daughters, Isabelle, Grace and Fiona came and spent a few days with us on their way to a resort on Myrtle Beach. Amy and I became fast friends in the 5th grade, took years of dance lessons together and have remained close all these years. She's funny, smart and kind and does one hell of a Janet Jackson dance impression!

They packed in as many activities as possible during their short stay: a picnic by the pool, the aquarium, a beach day at the Isle of Palms and the Children's museum.

It was a fun filled three days—lots of giggles, gossip, good eating, beer, sun=sunburns and Irish step dancing.

A Visit With Paul Newman

Cornelius, my dad from Newburyport MA, came for a visit. Cornelius thinks he looks like Paul Newman and has been known to pass by a mirror, wink at himself and say, "Looking good Newman!" My father is a lover of jigsaw puzzles, Moxie soda, scratch tickets, onion rings, horse races, ice cream and dirty jokes. He arrived last Tuesday and stayed until yesterday afternoon.

This was my dad's first time meeting Rya and he was smitten by her. Rya and her Papa share a special connection. Rya Diane is named after the love of his life and she was born on his birthday, November 17th.

During my dad's week long visit, he tagged along to Currier's swim lessons and got a little taste of Currier's naughty/wild side—two near drownings because he disobeyed instructions to stay on the steps, several scoldings by the teacher for splashing the other children in class and one big yank out of the pool by his Mama for not paying attention. *Sigh* My father of course snickered at my frustrations and said, "Payback is a bitch ain't it!"

Most my dad's visit was spent at the pool but one day we mixed it up and headed over to the Isle of Palms for a day. We played in the sand, swam in the warm ocean, ate a picnic lunch, admired the oceanfront mansions and left with sunburned cheeks and shoulders.

You can't spend a week with my dad and not have ice cream. We had several ice cream outings. My dad is an ice cream connoisseur and gave Marble Slab Creamery the thumbs up. If you haven't been to one of these chains, you must. You select your desired ice cream and toppings and they scoop it onto a frozen marble slab and blend it all together. Wicked yum!

On my dad's final day with us we took him downtown Charleston and went to the Pavilion Rooftop Bar where we sipped drinks while overlooking the best view of historic Charleston.

It was a good visit and we hope Mr. Paul Newman will grace us with his presence again soon.

Fun Filled Weekend with Uncle PJ and Eliza

Uncle PJ and his girlfriend Eliza arrived late Thursday evening for a quick weekend visit. We stayed up late Thursday night talking and laughing and didn't go to bed until every beer in the house was gone!

Friday we nursed our hangovers at the pool all day and then rushed home to prepare for Currier's 3rd birthday party at the Mount Pleasant Fire Station that evening (we celebrated 2 weeks early because the fire station was booked for his actual birthday).

It was great to have PJ and Eliza here for the party. They were a big help—Eliza with holding Rya during the entire party and PJ with catering. The menu included Cajun Crab Stuffed Peppers, Green Bean Shrimp and Feta Salad, Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets, Boursin Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, and a Fruit, Cheese and Cracker Tray. Pretty fancy fare for a 3-year-old's birthday party!

The kids had a great time. They crawled all over the fire truck and squirted the fire hose. The Mount Pleasant Firemen have the patience of saints and were wonderful with the kids. Currier said that it was the best day of his life—Aawww.

On Saturday we headed downtown Charleston for some shopping, sightseeing and lunch at the Charleston Crab House where we ate fried green tomatoes, crab cakes, raw oysters and crab legs.

Saturday evening we ordered pizza from Mellow Mushroom and lounged on the couch with the dogs and watched Madagascar 2.

On Sunday I woke to a huge Mother's Day breakfast cooked by PJ and fresh squeezed orange juice made by Currier. After a leisurely breakfast we packed up the car with a picnic lunch and headed to the Isle of Palms for the day. About 30 minutes into our day at the beach a huge thunderstorm rolled in so we packed everything up and made a mad dash to the car.

After a long Mother's Day thunderstorm nap (the best kind of nap!), PJ cooked a fantastic gourmet dinner that I can't stop thinking about! PJ and Eliza left early Monday morning and we miss them already.

First Walk Along The Shore

The weather warmed up a little this weekend so we introduced Rya to the ocean for the first time. She looked so content as we walked along the Isle of Palms shore collecting seashells and watching the sunset. I hope the weather stays this warm so we can do this more often.

Last Days of Summer

Summer is coming to an end here in South Carolina. The autumn chill comes every morning but by the afternoon it's back up in the 80's. We're trying to get in as many trips to the beach and pool before fall comes full time.

And we play with the hose in the backyard most days because it's still Currier's favorite way to cool off. I'm going to miss our hot, lazy summer days but my pregnant body is craving some cooler weather already!

Potty Prize

Captian Caca made a marvelous comeback this week. Currier did numero dos in the potty several times! Of course I had to bribe him with a trip to the Isle of Palms Fire Station, a solution to the sub-prime mortgage mess, world peace and a hot dog.