Mums here

So much to say....

I got my mum from the airport.  That was a mad dash.  After running around picking boys up from school, and having lunch I jumped in the car as quick as I could.  A flight tracker app had alerted me to the fact her plane was going to be in an hour early!!! And it was.  She was there waiting for me at Charlotte airport.  It was so good to see her.  We drove home, to some very happy boys.

Paul had managed to get a car from work that had seven seats in it.  So the next day we all set off for Tybee Island.  I had managed to get a last minute booking on a house which turned out to be in a prime locate.  Right near a broad walk that took us directly onto the beach, and a 15 minute walk from the downtown area.  We were also just over the road from the supermarket.  We got some pizza, chips and garlic bread for dinner, and the essentials (beer).  We had a walk on the beach, which was lovely, then went home for some dinner.

The next morning dawned beautifully.  The boys did not wake too early, hurrah. We had a leisurely breakfast, and decided to go for a drive and explore the island.  It is a small place, full of really cool houses.  The downtown area is small, but full of bars and restaurants.  We drove to the north of the island and stopped at the lighthouse.  We got out of the car and took a little walk around the fort, then headed on to the beach.  This beach was beautiful, in fact they all are.  Paul spotted something in the water.  There was a couple of dolphins swimming along the shore line.  Amazing, as were the pelicans, so big, yet so graceful.  We took a drive back to the house, dropped the car off, and headed to downtown for some lunch.  Fannies on the Beach was a really nice eatery, with plenty of families eating downstairs.  We all enjoyed our lunch, and the cocktails.  In fact we ordered extra for the road.  We headed down the pier so the boys could see people fishing.  It was very picturesque, and the beach was pretty busy.  It was Easter weekend and spring break, the sun was shining, but there was a bit of a nippy wind.  Paul headed into one of the beachside shops to get some beach equipment, an umbrella was essential.  We got the boys back to the house and changed into their beach gear, and headed on down there.  The boys had a great time playing with their beach toys.  Oliver and Seb even went in the water.  It was too cold for Isaac.  The wind started to pick up, so we went back to the house, where the boys had a light dinner.  We packed them off to bed a little later than usual, and headed out for an evening on Tybee.   That was interesting...............  Lots of cocktails consumed, a couple of games of pool, some strange people, a pirate.  The whole place really felt like it was buzzing.   I can probably compare it to a night in a UK seaside town, but a little warmer, with cocktails.

Our heads were pretty sore the next day.  We took it easy in the morning, then headed to The Crab Shack for lunch.  I decided (in my stupid hungover state) to try a seafood platter, Paul went for ribs and mum had a shrimp sandwich.  I will not go into too much detail, but it was a disaster.  I don't like crab, or very much seafood it would appear.  It doesn't like me much either.  By the time we left, just looking at the plate of food was making me want to hurl.  One good thing about this place, it has lots of alligators (all captive) right next to it.  The boys loved it.  From there we headed to Fort Pulaski.  This place was awesome, the boys really enjoyed walking around it, and we enjoyed learning the history.  We even got to see a musket being fired.  I thought the boys would freak out, but they were really good with the noise (did help we were covering their ears).  We stayed in for dinner and had yet more pizza, sad in the fact the next day we would have to head home.

What didn't help was the fact we were all coming down with something.  Isaac and Paul both had colds, and Oliver appeared to be getting one too.  We drove back home on the Monday, and arrived back mid afternoon.  We took it fairly easy on tuesday, just a trip to the local garden centre.  Isaac has been on spring break this week, and him and Seb have been loving having nanny to play with.  Sure beats boring old mummy!!!!

To be honest, I have been quite ill this week, so we have been taking it easy.  I took my mum to Paris Mountain State Park, which was nice, and we have been out for a meal.  But I have been feeling sooooo rubbish.  Seb also has a streaming nose too.  We are all generally under the weather.  It has been a blessing having mum here, she has helped out loads.  The weather has been improving a lot, so we had a BBQ yesterday.  I have also done loads of planting, any excuse to be out in the garden.

We did make it into Greenville today.  We went for lunch at the Carolina Alehouse.  A little earlier than usual, but we could not get over how quiet it was.  We were the only ones sitting out the front for the whole time we are there.  Never seen that before.  Then we walked over the bridge, and back down the Reedy River, to show mum some sights.  It was a lovely relaxing day.

Isaac goes back to school tomorrow, Oliver has his first baseball game on tuesday, Paul goes away on tuesday, and mum goes home thursday......


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You can fiind the link to the photos from Tybee on Facebook (if you have not already seen them!!!)

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We did make it out to eat one evening too.  In case you didn't know, I also do a foodie type blog with restaurant reviews/recipes here

Parks

Hellooooooo

Sorry these are becoming so infrequent.  I have a re-sit exam coming up next month, and what with the visitors about to descend on us, we have been quite busy.

So what have we been up to????  Well I survived Oliver's Spring break, with a lot of help from meeting up with friends.  We did the zoo, which he actually really enjoyed, had our neighbors over, again another success, and met up with friends in the park on another couple of days.

The park..... It wasn't just one park.  On the monday we went to Simpsonville City Park.  This is about 5 minutes drive from our house.  It has a wonderfully fenced in play park (important when there is a Seb roaming around), and also a baseball diamond, fitness route and basketball court.
Cleveland Park is by the zoo, we nearly always go there after the zoo, cos the kids just aren't tired enough already....  This has 2 separate play areas, both under cover, yet they both have some play equipment in full sun ( thats gonna be fun in July).  The only major problem with this park is the complete lack of fences.
We did Gary Pittman Park on thursday.  This has another play area, with good equipment, a walking trail, and many many football pitches.  Good for the kids to blow off some steam.

First Ice cream of the season

Friday we did Heritage Park.  This one is also in Simpsonville, and is huge.  It has a good set of play equipment, all fenced into an area inside a minature train track.  This is opening to the public again soon.  It also has a walking trail, and is the home to Simpsonville Little League.  The amphitheater is just at the other end of the park.  We are going to see the Black Keys play there in July.  I am so excited!!!!

The best thing about all the parks I have come across here???  They all have toilets conveniently located to the play parks.  No more wee-ing in bushes!!!!!  It is so nice.  The amount of times i have been caught short, particularly by Isaac, I am most grateful to have good, clean, safe facilities at all the parks we have attended so far.

These are just the parks we went to last week.  The first 2 we do quite regularly.  The other 2 not so often.  As we progress further into Spring/Summer, we will be going to more and more, particularly the ones with water parks.  I cant wait.  It has been really nice over here for the last few days.  After we did Heritage Park, we went for an ice cream, and sat outside to eat it.  The ice cream station in Simpsonville is always busy, and at their prices, I am not surprised.

Isaac doing his Ronnie O'Sullivan pose

Over the weekend we went shopping, ate out, purchased some garden furniture.  I dug over the veggie patch, which is currently getting a good soaking, as it is chucking it down tonight.  We had some friends over for lunch yesterday, which turned into the whole afternoon, which was lovely.

Got a call from Oliver's Little League coach last night.  He has his first practice on tuesday.  He is really looking forward to it.  He has mastered putting the glove on, and his catching with it is improving.  He wants to do the Reedy River Run next year, I have said I will do it with him.  So far I have managed to put off going running with him, but it is only a matter of time.  It would probably do me some good anyway, prove to me how old and achey my joints are really becoming....

Tony arrives this week!!!!  We are all looking forward to our first visitor, and showing him this wonderful little life we have here.


Almost forgot to mention Paris Mountain State Park.  We took a drive up there last sunday.  It is $2 per adult to get in, and it is amazing.  We ended up walking along the Sulphur Springs Trail to an amazing waterfall and reservoir.  So pretty.  You can swim in one of the lakes there in the summer.  We didn't even go near the play park, we just let the boys roam free.  They loved it, and brought back loads of 'gold' to clean.  We will be back here a lot