Summer is full underway here in Alabama. You don't have to look at the weather channel anymore because you know it's going to be HOT HOT HOT with NO chance of rain! We've been keeping ourselves cool in the pool and at the beach lately, but our pool is quickly becoming a hot tub!
Last weekend we drove 8 hours and sang songs, played, games, and had a great time in the car resisted the temptation to tie our children to the roof before we got there! Although our blood pressures were highly elevated and our hearing ability slightly damaged, we arrived in sunny (and hot!) Charleston on Thursday afternoon. After checking into the hotel we ventured into downtown to walk around.
**Note** Some of the pictures appear a bit fuzzy on the blog, just click the picture to see the original, beautiful masterpiece made by me... Ha!
We first made a reservation for dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
Perhaps you've heard of it before?
Maybe this quote found on a bench outside will help refresh your memory.
Yep, this is the shrimp company that Forest Gump created!
After making our reservation we walked around downtown. This is the US Custom House. To be honest, I have no idea what they do there, but I thought it was a pretty building. No, I'm not a blond... just a typical tourist!
This was the start of the market. There were lots of fun things for sale, and I was determined to get a hand-woven grass basket on this trip, but I refused to pay $40.00 for a small one! (I guess Rob's Dutch-ness has rubbed off on me!)
This was a graveyard at a Catholic church. Rob thought I was weird for taking a picture of it, but I thought it was very serene looking.
This walkway led to a beautiful terrace where I would have loved to have eaten dinner. But after we saw the white tablecloths and the waiters walking around in white tuxedos we decided it wasn't quite in our price range!
Before we even made it to dinner the kids were pooped.
Lucas hadn't slept since 4.00 am ...
And Max was pretty exhausted too!
Horse-drawn carriages and bikes are common in Charleston. I think a carriage ride throughout the city would be lovely sometime... hint hint Rob hint hit ;)
Max loved playing in the fountains at Waterfront Park
And I did too when I was 8! (Yes, Rob informed be that I was the biggest dork ever and that he would have picked on me for wearing this outfit. It was 1995 and my mom picked out my clothes. Enough said.)
It sure was a great way to cool off!
Lucas enjoyed catchin' some rays
And Max couldn't get enough water!
Me and the Husband for the silly self-made picture!
Me and my little (big) man
He is the biggest cheeseball in the world!
Yep, that's our kid laying down in the fountain!
He is one cool dude
(Or at least he thinks he is!)
This was Lucas for most of the trip. Content and enjoying a free ride while the rest of us dragged our feet through the city!
This stand on kiddy board was the best invention ever!
After the fountains we headed over to Patriot's Point to check out the USS Yorktown
Yes, I'm that mom that makes my kids pose silly for pictures!
The USS Yorktown
Max was really excited to go on the big boat!
The Clamagore submarine was stationed next to the Yorktown.
Max was obsessed with the captains of the submarine and the Yorktown! He enjoyed the sub, but couldn't wait to find the exit after a while. It was quite long!
After taking a long (very claustrophobic!) walk through the submarine we climbed on board the USS Yorktown.
Max and Papa had lots of fun "fighting" in the flight similator
And Lucas and I had some fun waiting on the big boys!
Max got to climb into an old jet,
And of course Lucas wanted to do it too!
Rob reminded me that a stroller would probably not be too convenient on an old boat, so I had the absolute pleasure to be a kangaroo for the day! (Did I mention that it was HOT?!)
Max is more cooperative when it comes to having his picture taken..
And he had to remind Papa that he had to smile when Mama had the camera!
After an hour Max started to get worn out,
Did I mention how well trained he was for the camera? ;)
Here he was looking for the Captain's room, but when I asked if he wanted to be a Captain one day he said, "Nah, no thank you." Hey, at least he's polite about it!
If you ask me, I think he'd make a pretty cute Captain!
This is a view from the boat of the Charleston Bridge that was built just a few years ago
Rob and I really wanted to go up on the flight deck
But Max was getting a bit tired!
So we drug him out of his Captain's chair, and headed back to the hotel
Since I'm always behind the camera, I wanted a picture with me and the boys
Apparently Lucas thought this was a great opportunity to kick his brother in the face!
After a long day of play we went to a great local hamburger joint to have dinner with an old college friend.
Andreanna and I haven't seen each other in years, and it was so nice to get together again! She hadn't seen Max since he was a baby, and had never met Lucas or Rob!
Saturday was our last day in Charleston and we decided to wrap up a fun mini-vacation with a trip to the South Carolina Aquarium.
We got to see Dora & Diego in 4-D. Max decided that a 4-D movie was so overrated, and he wanted to see it in 8-D! Actually, he had never even seen a 3-D movie before and it was HILARIOUS to watch him try to grab things coming off of the screen!
Lucas kept the glasses on for a little bit, the 4-D effects such as water, and noises scared him a bit!
Shark Attack!
Max got to pet a baby alligator
Even though they are small, they are still quite mean!
I kind of felt like we were in the Brady Bunch during this picture!
Cheesy Sharks
Dorky Sharks!
Papa and Max petting horseshoe crabs
Mama and Max setting sail!
Fishin' for crabs
And takin' it easy!
I love how this redfish is about to eat Max's head off!
Lucas came to help steer the boat
And he did a pretty good job himself!
He made a good Skipper!
Don't let this picture fool you. Our always well-behaved children were screaming at each other because they didn't want to share!
Max the Octopus! This was the last happy memory of our vacation before we all lost our sanity during the drive home! Next time we will bring duct tape, a rubber hammer, and some strong whisky when we go on a road trip! Just kidding!.... maybe ;)
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