All Good Things Must Come to an End...

...and this vacation has certainly been a good thing. We have enjoyed bike rides, spotting deer and alligators, dinner out, family meals together, sunny days on the beach, craft (coloring and play dough) time, and so much more. Mostly we have enjoyed each other's company without interruption from outside responsibilities. Thomas and Julie, thanks for making the long drive and staying the whole week.  We loved spending time with you and getting to know our grandchildren better.  Faith and Ethan, thanks for having fun with us and helping out with the little ones. Seth, thanks for going a little out of your way on your way back to Boston from Taiwan.  I know you are tired, but you were a trooper, and you really added to our vacation fun.

I will leave you with one last photo.  Here is Mercy going all out and enjoying her first Drumstick with gusto!

Thursday

It has been another fun day here at Kiawah Island.  Here are some high lights:

1. Seth has been able to manage his jet lag pretty well. Wilson made sure that he didn't sleep too long this morning.
2. The rain stopped around 11:00 A.M., and we enjoyed a bright sunny day after that.
3. Ethan's sunburn could be worse. We are thankful for aloe.
4. Mercy finally did say, "Please," and was able to have her cookie after our Taco Thursday lunch.
5. The boat was great fun.
6. Wilson made a couple of awesome drip castles.
7. We survived the family photo shoot, but just barely.  Photo evidence below.
8. Walter, Marcia, Ethan, Faith, and Seth enjoyed a yummy dinner at Chez Fish which is just 10 minutes up the road. We will definitely be planning a return visit on our next Kiawah vacation.

Bravo!

The recital was so impressive and beautiful! Well done, Thomas! And now vacation begins in earnest for Thomas and Julie.

We had a lot of rain this morning, so Ethan and Faith had to stay in the villa with Mercy and Wilson all morning.  But they had a great time coloring and playing with play dough.  By late afternoon the skies had cleared and some of us headed for the beach while others took a nap.  Mercy still doesn't like for her feet to touch the sand, but she is certainly not opposed to riding in the wagon, especially with a red solo cup of party mix.

Wilson and Papa built some really creative sand castles and tunnel systems today.  They also flew the kite and played in the waves.

Now we are all very tired, but we are waiting for Seth's flight to get in. I am so glad that Seth will be here to help us make memories.

The rain this morning made it a good morning to play with Grammy's Kindle.

Vacation Limericks

We are all having a blast, and we have so much to be thankful for.  Here are some of Today's highlights:

• Sand castles
• Boogie boarding
• Sea gull feeding
• Kite flying
• Rickshaw rides (although Mercy was not a fan)
• Deer and a snake
• Ice cream

They all bare their skin oh so fair,

Except for the one with dark hair;

They slather on lotion

With so much commotion,

And sit on a rented beach chair.

On manicured lawns filled with deer,

They are pretty tame; have no fear;

Young Wilson does walk,

And Mercy does squawk,

When those silly seagulls are near.

They're Here!

Faith and Ethan arrived around 1:30. We ate lunch and then headed for the beach.  It was a nearly perfect afternoon. Sunshine, but not too hot. A nice breeze, too. Those two even agreed to go on a bike ride to the marsh tower,

Thomas and Julie and the kids arrived around 8:00. So much excitement! We filled their  hungry tummies with BBQ and then watched some deer on the gulf course and went for a moonlight walk on the beach.  We didn't need to worry about strolling in the darkness.  W and M had flashlights! Everyone except M is not ready for bed.  Papa is working on that.

Tomorrow promises to be a fun day of beech activities and mandatory craft time.  I can't wait!