Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Savannah Trip

**I've updated with Hailey's pics now!

At the beginning of June, Mom took Hailey, Lizzy, Virginia, and me to Savannah, GA for a girls trip.  We had a great time exploring the live oak-lined streets, eating at delicious restaurants, shopping, and just enjoying each others' company.  It basically rained (POURED) the entire trip, but I actually didn't mind.  I hadn't frolicked in rain and puddles so much since I was little!  Thank goodness for the rain shield we have for the stroller, though.  This trip would have been a disaster without it! 

The kiddos on the road trip there:



 We had dinner the first night at Lady and Sons, which we thought was just okay.
And that has nothing to do with Paula's recent controversies. :)

Kisses for Bebe
(all photos are from my iPhone, so excuse the quality)

Virginia was such a big girl on this trip.. I was so proud of her!
It was during this dinner that she signed "more", which I hadn't shown her in weeks (maybe months).  

On day 2, we just did a lot of walking and shopping.

Love this -






Liz became a stroller-pushing-pro




I could just eat her up!!


One of my favorite stores was Savannah Bee Company, which had all sorts of local honeys and honey products.  It also had a children's play area inside of a big beehive.  Winnie the Pooh was playing, there were books about honey bees... it was adorable.  And Virginia liked looking through the windows of it while she and Bebe were playing inside.  :)





We had lunch at Leopold's Ice Cream, which I loved.  
For those of you from Florence -- it was like a fancier, cleaner Trowbridges!
Of course Bebe got Virginia her own scoop of ice cream.






 That evening we attempted to take some decent pictures of the girls in their matching outfits, but Virginia was being a wild child and wouldn't stay still long enough.





Blurry, but her face is hilarious
(If you've heard V's "Ooo!" sound, you can imagine that she has found something very interesting here!)


Kisses for Lizzy



 We ate dinner at The Olde Pink House, which was fab-u-lous.  A must if you're in Savannah!

On day 3, it poured so heavily that I didn't get my phone out to take pictures, but Hailey got a couple.  We went on a tour of the Mercer Williams house (the setting of the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil story)... well, actually, everyone but V and me went on the tour.  We got kicked out before making it to the second room because V was being too loud.  :)




We spent several hours drying off/napping at the inn before heading out for more shopping and dinner. 

Day 4 we hit the road back to Alabama.

 V watched her first Disney movie, Robin Hood, on the long drive home.
I don't know why, but I was so excited for her to be enjoying it!



What a great trip with my girls!! 
THANK YOU, BEBE!!

Story Time

Today we went to story time at the library for the first time this summer, and Virginia opened up much more than her previous visits.  Cousin Jack came along and I think the two of them enjoyed hearing stories and dancing to songs about dinosaurs together.  :)

Playing before story time began



Jack wasn't so sure about story time at first.
(Or maybe he just wasn't sure about his crazy cousin, Virginia?!)

When it came time to do "the bean bag rock", Virginia handed her bean bags to Jack, ran to the other side by herself, and stood there watching all the other kids...
Haha!  What a goober.

 I threw her a bean bag and she started dancing along.

She got over her shyness pretty quickly and then wouldn't sit down.  She kept trying to walk up to the story teller.
(That hairdo is a mess from the back!)

As usual, Mr. Jack was perfectly delightful, although quite serious!

 After story time, we played a little while longer at the library and then Virginia threw a tantrum when I was trying to put her in the stroller to leave.  As in a kicking, screaming, shoe-flying off fit.  I gave her a paci, pulled the stroller shade down, and after Katie and I had talked for a few minutes outside, I looked down to find this:

All that bean bag shakin' wore V out!

And I enjoyed a nice (hot) stroll home with a sleeping babe!

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Seaside Trip 2013

This year, for our 2nd annual post-tax season beach trip, we headed south to Seaside.  Our buddies Meagan and Jason went along with us as our last hoorah before they moved to Charlottesville, VA for Jason to begin his neurology residency.  The weather was overcast most of the time, and a little too chilly to hang out on the beach for long periods of time, but we still had a wonderful, relaxing time.  

Virginia received an A+ every single day, which made this beach trip with a toddler a breeze!  It helped that there were two extra pairs of hands extremely eager to do anything and everything Virginia needed.  

"Can I put sunscreen on her?"  
"Can I carry her?"  
"Can I feed her?"

Yes, yes, and yes!

So when we made it down to Seaside, we dropped our bags and headed to the beach to feel the sand in our toes.


Virginia wasn't loving it!






We then ate dinner outside at Bud and Alley's Rooftop, where Virginia ate part of the table.  (She wouldn't stop chewing on it, and I decided I wasn't going to argue with her on our first night of vacation.)  A little fiber never hurt anyone, right?

The next morning, we hit the beach again after breakfast.  It was pretty chilly...




 

I believe it was that afternoon that we went on a stroll and got caught in the rain.


The next day we tried out the beach again, although it was still chilly.  I didn't even dress V in a swimsuit, but pants and a sweater!  As you will tell, she is clearly going to be a beach bunny...






These feet were NOT going to get sandy!!




Another morning we went for a stroll on the beach

(Can you tell she prefers a cabana to laying on the sand?  That's my girl!)


We had a grilled cheese picnic lunch on the beach one day, which was ended by a light rain.
(By the way, if you haven't tried The Meltdown on 30A airstream in Seaside, it is a must.  Josh asked for another grilled cheese approximately 3,465 times on our trip after this picnic lunch.)

We strolled to a green lawn for the guys to throw frisbee and V to practice her walking.




It sure would be nice if I could get videos to work right about now!!!



Breakfast and some morning reading




We saved my favorite restaurant for last - The Great Southern Cafe.  Mmmm. One bite of their cheese grits will make you want to slap yo mama.  Virginia was equally as excited...


And it ain't a beach trip without a photo shoot.








 Showing her belly button














What a wonderful trip we had!