Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend was near perfect. Yes, Bert had to go into work everyday but thanks to technology and new monitoring systems, we were given much more time with daddy on a holiday weekend than in years past. I woke up Friday with all the grief of the previous days gone. It was gorgeous weather, unusually cool for Charleston. That coupled with kick offs for all the quintessential Charleston summer events, I couldn't have asked for a better start to summer.

I love that we have traditions with Loulie as well as other family friends that we now anticipate. It's a benefit that I didn't realize would come with Loulie getting older and it's a joy to see she and her friends at the same events year after year but experiencing it a new stage in maturity. Friday we packed up our picnic for the first of hopefully many Freshfields Concerts with friends down at Kiawah. I wish I had taken pictures because watching all those girls jam in front of the band was hilarious!  Loulie stayed front and center all night and never quit dancing!
Saturday we woke Bert up bright and early. I'm sure after a night of beer drinking, he loved having all three girls jump on the bed to T Swift. He finally gave in and got up to take us to the Piccolo Spoletto Kid's Festival, probably one of my favorite events of the year...

 All the children were mesmerized by this fairy that didn't say a word but sprinkled magic dust (glitter) on all the kids. This would have been Loulie's favorite part had we not then run into the pony rides, wall painting, face painting, a marching band parade and music performances. The downtown farmer's market now has an insane amount of food trucks compared to last year. Loulie is obsessed with Tianna, the Disney princess from New Orleans. She has asked 100 times what "Tianna's man catching beignets" are so we waited in line forever so that she could try that yummy goodness. Needless to say, she didn't really want to share.  

 On Sunday, we played hookie from church to attend another one of our favorite events. The Abominable Feed & Seed Marching Band from Atlanta comes every year and performs a patriotic concert on the front steps of the U.S. Customs House. It is both crazy and heartwarming. There's a part where they play the song for each arm of the military and those that serve(d) stand up--lump  in throat moment for sure. Afterwards we headed to Amen Street for lunch with Meme and Bruce.

 And for Memorial Day, we laid low, went to the pool for the first time this year and made a fun dinner.  Loulie and I made a berry pie together and talked about how thankful we are for those that served our country and what it means to be free. It was a sweet weekend filled with great memories. I'm super excited about this summer and hoping to make the most of my time with Loulie before she starts school 5 days a week next fall. I'm thinking about making a mini bucket list so that it doesn't blaze by without doing all the things we want to do.

Happy June Friends!

Bucket List Check--Today Show

I have never considered myself a starstruck person. I mean, they put on their pants on the same way we do, don't they? I would much rather meet an inspiring blogger or cancer survivor or faithful leader than some random star. But all that went out the window when my sister found out the Today Show would be in Charleston. 1)--I love Hoda! I read her book last year and think she is a class act. You would never know it because she seems so humble but she has done some pretty amazing interviews in some pretty dangerous places. She loves her family, worked really hard to get where she is, and has survived some rough stuff. So I would put her in the category of people I find inspiring. 2)--I have always joked that a bullet point on my bucket list is to be interviewed by Ann Curry on the Today Show. That is obviously out of the question for a number of reasons now, reality being the first. So getting up at 6:00am and heading to the Cistern was my closest chance of ever checking this off my bucket list. 

Loulie wanted to come since we are pretty sure Hoda's name was the inspiration for her imaginary friend, Hada. So we trekked downtown, waited in line with our poster and finally got in!!!

The energy was extremely fun--everyone was excited! The best part though--we actually met Hoda.  For just a second, she walked right by us and told Loulie "oh, I just love her." We were all like "We love you Hoda!" And got all giddy and ridiculous and star struck. She is as kind in person as she seems on TV which made me like her all the more.

 We posted this picture on Instagram of Loulie doing a fist pump after Hoda said hello and the Today Show "liked" it.

So there was my moment of being completely ridiculous but it was worth it and will make for a good story down the road. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend! We are heading to Windy Gap in the NC mountains for Young Life camp. This will be our second year and we have been looking forward to it since we pulled away last May!

On the farm, on the farm

We went blueberry picking with friends at Ambrose Farm on Johns Island last week. Before hand, I thought this will be either really fun or an epic fail. Thankfully, it was the former. We have been blessed with beautiful weather so far this summer and picked midday under a cool 79 degrees (unheard of for June!).
Bert is always saying he wants a farm and watching the kids roam so freely, laughing and splashing in the mud almost had me putting a sign in the front yard. I can't stop looking at these pictures--those little tushes collaborating on how to fill their baskets--I just love it!
We collected two pounds of blueberries and one of blackberries. Loulie and I followed these rules for cleaning which actually worked and kept them quite fresh. Then, we used this recipe for the most delicious breakfast bread.  The nice part of the whole adventure, Loulie helped with every part! Even clean up....

Out on the water

About three years ago Bert built me a piroque as an easy way for me to get out on the water. It's made from plywood, although you would never know looking at it, so it is super light and was supposed to be easy  for me to cart around. Not two seconds after he finished it, did we discover that there is no way my 5'2 frame can throw that sucker on top of a car much less carry it to the boat ramp. Long story short, I still need the Husk to help me get it in the water.

Because it was a mega hot summer and Bert works 24/7 from April to September, he has not been able to fulfill his longstanding promise to help me take Loulie out on her first tour. So as soon as the suffocating humidity disappeared and the days of rain stopped, we headed over to the JI park for Loulie's first launch.

It was a success. The whole time we pointed out turtles and egrets and talked about how she looked just like Pocahontas. I really wish I'd taken my sister's waterproof camera to capture some of the scenery. This is my favorite way of being out on the water because you so feel a part of your surroundings and a lot of the wildlife is completely undisturbed since you aren't making a sound. We toured all around the park and waterways off the Stono River.

We were doing just fine until we circled back to the area in front of dog beach and found what looked to be a furry manatee. After a slight freak out and some flailing around we switched out and the manatee-esque creature got her own tour. 

If anything has ever convinced me that Bridget needs to be on a diet it was this boat ride. Every time she took a deep breath, I thought the boat was going to flip.

Speaking of getting out on the water, has anyone seen this boat in the harbor. It is the fourth largest sailboat in the world and docked in Charleston for a few days. My nephews were here this weekend and approximately 65% of the conversation was dedicated to this boat. It is completely amazing but at $400,000 a week, I think I'll stick to the piroque.

July in Photos

I've always had a love/hate relationship with the Charleston summer. Usually by July I get a little contrary. Between the unbearable heat, influx of tourists and Bert's 24/7 work schedule, I always find myself counting down the days until fall begins. But this year has been different. After looking over the pictures from the past four weeks and thinking about how much fun Loulie has had with all the friends and family visiting, fun outings and finding creative ways to cool off. In addition to my change in attitude, I was talking to a lady this week visiting here from PA. Her family paid $7,000 to come to Charleston for a week! $7,000 just so they could be at the beach. And all I could think was, "Lauren, get your head straight. It is a blessing to live where people save to visit." 
Guess I'm now leaning towards a love/love!
Hope everyone is having a relaxing and happy summer, that in the midst of some yucky headlines in the news that you are enjoying family and finding thankfulness in the little things. I am!

 

 

Now what I think of when you say Myrtle Beach

For the past year and a half I have had a go phone from Walmart--it doesn't take pictures or video and barely receives text. Let's just lay it out there--I'm not big on technology. So I was pretty ambivalent when I got home last Friday afternoon to find a 4G iphone--apparently this is a big deal. As my sister put it-"you so don't deserve this. you don't even know what it is." And I almost convinced myself the same thing when I went to set my alarm that night and couldn't even figure out the most basic operation on what was supposed to function as my line to the outside world. 

By Sunday night however, I was hooked. I CANNOT believe what this thing can do. Between playing any band I want to hear, recording my sweet baby's breakfast conversation and capturing candid shots and turning them into this...

  

I'm not sure how I have ever lived without this thing. Which scared me to death at first. I don't want to be dependent on another piece of technology. I am holding on fast to the dog eared library book, the dvd that you blow on to make work, etc. Because what scares me the most is how fast the world moves now, how many great ideas are created, marketed and released by the minute and how we are all scrambling to keep up. This is the type A, neurotic in me but I worry "Aren't we going to run out of ideas one day?" If such beautiful things can be created at the push of a button, where does that leave the craftsmanship of an artist that has worked their entire life to do something by hand? Will a new era of art be established by the click of a button? And if so, will future generations still be shocked and surprised by new images, better ideas, nature, simple brush strokes, plain ole photos and acrylic on canvas or will everything have to be pushing the envelope to get a reaction?

(see how strange I am--I really need to fill my time with world peace and politics or something. I mean who worries about these things?!)

And then on Tuesday we went here. And in the midst of poetry carved into 100 year old walls and 900 acres of old plantation and enormous marble statues, I felt at peace. Because looking at the works of artist from 150 years ago, so detailed and magnificent, I couldn't help but be in complete awe that the artist's work was timeless. That I'm sure I was as taken back in 2011 as people were back in 1900. It made me relax to think that even though creation and the sharing of art has come so far and is so available that even future generations will still be impressed by the works of those who blazed the trail. 

I had no idea that this spot was just and hour and a half up the road and outside Myrtle Beach of all places, but it really was quite a treat. If you ever get the chance to go to Brookgreen Gardens, it is absolutely worth the entry fee. I seriously turned every corner saying "this is my favorite. Oh no, Bert look at this one." Kid in a candy store! It was way to much to take in in one day especially with a 21 month old so we are hoping to go up again this fall for one of the harvest programs. I'm a little disappointed because I thought I had taken more pictures but I guess I got side tracked between the almost July heat, the maze of flowers and keeping Loulie off the the Do Not Touch signs. But I hope you get the idea.

One of four statues representing the four seasons and stages of life. She is "Spring."

My other "favorite," Mother and Child

Children's Garden

Bronze Statue Hall

"Pegasus"--largest statue on the land

Getting tired

As a friend told Bert the other day, "There's no denying she's yours." They look like two peas in a pod.

I seriously LOVE how the statue just blends in with the landscape. There were tons of figures lining this waterway but they just looked so much like part of the natural habitat.

We came back from Pawley's Wednesday, just long enough to get a hair cut, do some laundry, fit in a little work, repack and tomorrow we leave for our first trip to TN. Please say a little prayer--this is the longest Loulie has ever ridden in a car. My childless sister and brother in law are driving Loulie and me up--I hope we are all still speaking when we pull up to my parents's. Which reminds me, I am going to go pack some ear plugs.

HAPPY FOURTH TO ALL!!!

(If you are in Charleston, go buy some lowcountry ice! :))