Day 2 at Fripp

More fun in the sun. We went to a part of the beach where you could actually drive your golf cart on the beach and unload it and then park it, which made getting all of the "stuff" down there. The kids didn't like that part of the beach as well as our first day because the water was really filled with shells and grit. I guess it was from the way the surf comes in?? We then went back to the house to eat and hang out. John and the girls found their first alligator spotting. There was about an 8 foot one on the grass on the golfing green. It just laid there still as can be. Occasionally you could see it moving a little and its jaws puffing when it breathed. John said the thing with the alligator is that he isn't afraid of all the commotion around him because it knows no one will bother it. We had a huge rain storm came up that evening and the Lynches were on the golf cart and got drenched.

First full day at Fripp

Yeah our first full day was AWESOME!!!!!!!! We got out on the beach at 11:30 and didn't come in off the beach until 5:30. We played in the sand, caught some rays, played boccie ball, jumped the waves, listened to some tunes, drank some beer, and the big even was when I got to teach everyone how to find sand dollars at low tide. We found 19 sand dollars, and TONS of conch shells with the conchs still in them. We kept the sand dollars but threw back the conchs especially after Andrea Berry's niece had to go to the emergency room to get 5 stitches in her finger from cutting it on a conch shell. Those here are the Berrys, the Rutlands, the sloops, the Lynches and us. All together with the Lynch's and Berry's extended families make 33 people!! I can't imagine what the rest of the week has to hold. I am so glad that we planned this and that we are having a great time.

Golf Cart Woes

We finally made it to Fripp Island for our long awaited family vacation with 5 other families, more about them later, and we get on our much desired golf cart to go see how everyone on the island is getting settled in. We were excited to see that the Sloops and the Rutlands were the next house down on the opposite side of the road. We stop by to say hey and see that they are still unloading the car. So we told them that we would come back later once they are settled and start down Bonita Rd. and all of a sudden our golf cart loses power. So.......... we all pile out and tell Mallory that she has to drive while we push since she is the smallest. That didn't work so well. She drove as though she had never driven her Barbie Jeep for years past and couldn't stay on the road, so we "Forced" Taylor Grace to drive. She started objecting and saying "no we I am going to get a ticket from the police!!!!!!!!!" She had seen signs posted everywhere that without a valid drivers licenses you would get a $200 fine. That's our rule follower! We must have been the afternoon entertainment for everyone watching. We were all barking out orders to TG, Mallory included. Then she gets the cart stuck up against this post as we are trying to get her to steer the cart through this just big enough space between some post and a palm tree because John wouldn't move the car before we left and wanted to maneuver around it. John then tries to lift the cart and pull it backwards. Well he does do P90X every day, BUT he could not lift the cart. Then he starts to push it and it won't budge. He is really made now!!! I suggest that once we get the cart out maybe it would make things easier if he moved his car. He moved the car and then suggested that we all go upstairs to take a breather. I send the girls both to their rooms because they are asking so many questions and making things worse. I grab my cell phone and go downstairs to call the golf cart owners to see if there is something that we aren't doing because we can't even get the battery that charges the cart to go on. Well after talking to the owners and they have told me everything, from checking to make sure it is plugged into the cart and is the plug to the battery plugged into the wall, etc... I told him that it was sparking and he said that it definitely shouldn't be doing that and to go to the Island Excursion to see if someone can take a look. I walk over there and get someone to come and look at it. On my way back I see both girls looking out the window like captives. So sad, yet so funny!! Comes to find out there is a whole in the battery and we had to get another golf cart. To get another golf cart we needed our amenity cards that we haven't picked up yet, so off John goes to get them. He gets there and they can't find the cards or no reservations for us to get them. So Fripp gives them a call and there is no answer, meanwhile I have the guy telling me that he is sure that all the golf carts have been rented out. I said no way, please go and ask BJ if I can use something because otherwise we would have to go without a cart until Monday or Tuesday. Funny how I know all these people on a first name basis by now. Sure enough BJ found me a cart and he told me that he would bend the rules some and let me rent a cart without an amenity card if I could get the owners club number. I got the card number and the golf cart saga was fixed. I hope the start of our vacation doesn't continue like it started.

Mallory says the sweetest things

Today, I was lying down while reading and Mallory came up and crawled up beside me and gave me a big hug. She head on tight for a long time. I asked her, "Do you love me?" and of course she said yes. Then I said, "How much?". She said, "The most I can." Then she hugged me again for a long time and after thinking about it, she said, " I don't love you the most of something little, but the most of something BIG!". So sweet!!!

Tidewater

We went to the beach with Marty and Ashley Motz and stayed at Marty's parents place in Tidewater. We had a great time and the weather was BEAUTIFUL!!!! We played at the pool all day the first day, then we went to the beach for 5 hours the second day, then shopped and pool on the third day. The girls did really well in the evenings. I thought it was going to be hard to get them to bed, but each night we put a movie in the bedroom and they were asleep by the time the movie went off. We were very fortunate to be invited by Marty and her parents.

Last Day of School 2010

Well today was a bittersweet day! The last day of school brings mixed emotions. We are glad to get out for the summer, but sad to leave a class where it won't ever be the same. I am sad too because that means that my babies are growing up and another year older. 4th grade for Taylor Grace was awesome!!! I believe that it was the best year yet. She had the sweetest classmates and a teacher that gave her heart and soul to the kids. Every year has been like that at Richmond Drive for Taylor Grace and when you think that there is no way that the next year can get any better, we keep getting surprised. Of course, she misses something about every passing grade, but Mrs. Johnson is one VERY SPECIAL teacher!!! Mallory had a great year too. It was awesome to have Mrs. Cox as her first grade teacher. She has a great sense of humor and control all at the same time. We were sad when she had to go out on disability in March, but we were blessed by having Mrs. Sabetti fill in for her. If it had to happen, we were glad that it was Mrs. Sabetti, but I wish especially that it hadn't happened to Mallory during her first grade year. She was part of an extra special and sweet class also. They are excited to be out of school, but already looking forward to next year and who they will have as teachers and who will be in their classes. I can't believe that will mean that I will have a 5th grader and a 2nd grader!!!!!!!!!!

Mallory loves making lists

Mallory has been known for leaving notes for me of things to do for her before she gets up in the morning. Well this particular night Mallory didn't get everything she was suppose to do done before she went to bed. She was upset because she thought that she was going to run behind in the morning getting ready for school. She went to bed crying. I heard her stop and later went in to check on her. When I did she was asleep and on the floor by her bed where she could see it when she got up in the morning was a list she made of things to do so that she could get ready for school fast! I will translate what it said.

Morning

Get on dress!

Eat Breakfast!

Brush my teeth!

Fix my hair!

Look for lunch!

She thrives on lists!