Vacation!

Lucas and I, my sisters and niece, nephews, parents and brother-in-law had an eventful week at Hilton Head Island, SC last week. We had lots of fun, staying in a four bedroom villa by Harbourtown. Can you imagine, four kids, 5 and under?
Unfortunately, Lucas tested positive for strep throat the Friday we left, and I'm not sure he was really getting over it. By midweek, he was coughing like crazy, had a fever and making me worry. After many calls to the nurse at home, I ended up taking him to urgent care. What a mess! Then he broke out in hives, so we didn't really get to go to the beach much or the pool.
But enough about the difficult part of the the vacation. If you can ignore the illness, we had a great time. Lucas loved the beach and playing in the sand. He was interested in the water and LOVED the showers that you use to get the sand off as you leave the beach. He was also really interested in the pelicans that flew over and so was I. We took long bike rides with him and his cousins in the little trailer and visited the horses. And we spent tons of time at Harbourtown and South Beach just browsing. Almost a perfect trip.
Just one more little complaint on my part, now I'm coughing like crazy! Summer colds are the worst!!!! But I'm hanging in there.
So now it's back to reality and Lucas is having a little trouble adjusting after over a week with me 24 hours a day. My sister was watching him the last 2 days while I worked and he's thrown some awesome fits for an hour each day. That is one stubborn boy! Hopefully, we'll be able to settle back into our regular routine soon.

Next we're making plans to attend the CHI reunion picnic in July. I'm really hoping to meet lots of families that so far we only know through the internet. So let me know if you are going and we can try to get together to show off our beautiful children.


Here's Lucas and Grandad with cousin Nathan in the background, checking out the beach for the first time.

Mommy and Lucas in front of the yacht basin.

A sweaty Lucas in the toy boat.

Lucas with his cousins, Nathan and Natalie posing in the tree

Another tree shot!

Natalie and Lucas at the playground

Mommy and Lucas at the yacht basin again!

Lucas at the beach

Grandad and Lucas looking at the birds

The boys and Natalie at South Beach marina. (Grandad, Uncle James, Nathan, Lucas and baby cousin Bennett)

Lucas eating an empty ice cream cone from the bottom to the top.

Another empty ice cream cone from the bottom - this boy was on a roll. Who needs ice cream!

Really working hard in the sand for the first time.

Sharing a rocking chair with Natalie and taking it easy with Nana and Grandad.

Natalie and Lucas with Aunt Ali (Uncle James and Nathan are way in the background in the red and orange shirts!)

Aunt Megan and baby Bennett - enjoying the evening in the rocking chairs at Harbourtown