Tybee Island: July 14

Just a little over a week after returning home from HHI, we headed to Tybee Island with Jonathan's extended family where his parents had rented a beautiful house near the North Beach, where the Savannah River meets the Atlantic Ocean.  On our first full day on Tybee we spent a lot of day on the Atlantic Ocean side of the beach, but the best part of our day was probably the parts I didn't photograph--card games, cousins hanging out, adults having a beer tasting contest (for two of our four nights, although there was plenty of drinking the other nights), and delicious food.  Unfortunately Aunt Chrissy couldn't join us on the trip, but we're so thankful for our time spent with the Williams clan this summer.  Thanks, Nana and PopPop, for bringing us all together! 

HHI Week: July 5

This year's HHI week taught me an important lesson--don't save the beach portraits/group picture for the last night!  Oh, and also don't forget to pack your tripod.  Oops. 

A huge storm was moving in by the time we made it out the beach and I set up a make-shift stand for my camera for our group shots.  We got the shots, smiling and goofy, but in all of the rush and looking at the ever-graying skies I had an aunt fail.  I forgot to get a portrait shot of Drew.  :(  I don't think he minded all that much, but it's nice to have pictures of the kids each year to compare how much they've grown through the years.  Luckily he's in many group shots.  I'll do better next year!  ....but, the moment we stepped back in the house after coming back from the beach the torrential rain began.  So, I guess I'm glad we captured them at all.  

The next morning, we were up early to pack our cars and double check the house was clear and then headed to Stack's for a filling breakfast thanks to Nonni and Papa.  They do spoil us!  Tracy and I hit the jackpot with them as parents and as our kids' grandparents.  

HHI Week: July 4

On the 4th of July, we always plan our day around being on the beach at around 1pm when the Salute From the Shore military aircraft flyover begins.  My dad, a retired Air Force Colonel, was a fighter pilot for the nearly 30 years of his military career, so I always enjoy any kind of flyover (makes me feel nostalgic to living on Air Force bases and hearing jets take off all of the time) and I love the visual to give the kids of just how cool Papa has always been.  So, on this day, we took our daily long bike ride in the morning (and conscious that I never get photos of such a big part of our week--bike rides--I made sure to capture some this year).

Other 4th of July traditions we've kept through the years, in addition to catching the flyover, is watching some of the hot dog eating championship on ESPN, eating our own hot dogs, hamburgers, and watermelon for dinner or late lunch, spending several hours at the beach, and then heading back to the beach at dusk, donning our glow necklaces and bracelets, to catch fireworks that people and hotels set off up and down the beach (and sometimes even across the water at Tybee).  Happy 4th of July!

HHI Week: July 3

It's fun to watch how the beach fun evolves with new games as they become teenagers.  They took advantage of the tide pools to play some chicken fights.  I think Drew's wrestling skills gave him an edge!

Our late afternoon fun was a long, scenic bike ride to South Beach for ice cream.  We probably went to see the Stoney-Baynard Ruins because ice cream is just about the only incentive we can use to go there so that this site doesn't "ruin" their vacation (cue the eye roll).

HHI Week: July 2

The whole crew's here!  Our caravan of 11 bikes (Ivy attached to a bike) rode to Harbour Town and, after exploring in small groups, enjoyed some time in the shade of the big trees on the playground (always a favorite to climb).  After our bike ride and lunch, it was a lovely afternoon at the beach. 

HHI Week: July 1

Jack had been wanting a good cast net for ages so while Ella was at Wake Forest Tennis Camp last month and Jack and I had a Jack and mom day planned, he made certain a trip to Walmart to select a cast net was in the plans.  It took a little bit of time for him to figure out how to cast it correctly, but he was a pro before long. 

And a windy day at the beach calls for some fun with Papa's fighter jet kite!  Ivy chased Ella all the way down the beach because she wanted a chance to hold the line, too.  We're looking forward to Jake, Zane, and Uncle Drew joining the fun tomorrow! 

HHI Week: June 30

2019 is year seven of the extended Slaton family reunion at the house in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island--one of our favorite weeks of the year!  We can't thank Nonni and Papa enough for committing to this vacation year after year.  It truly is such a special time with them, with my sister and her family, and with my own little family.  And I love how close my kids are to their cousins because of all of the HHI memories they share together.

This year our week started off a little quieter than usual because Uncle Ken, Jake, and Zane were all off on a Boy Scout adventure that overlapped with HHI week a bit, so they didn't show up until late on day two.  But, quieter or not, we maintained the relaxed HHI week rituals of beach, bike, cocktails, snacks, and repeat that fill our days.  It's truly VA-CA-TION (just a little inside joke with my dad) while we're there.