Winter Excursion 4, Day 59

The Kiddos did not wake up until 0800 this morning. We all had some breakfast and Wesley put on an art show. Here's a few of his creations.

Kennedy only wanted to snuggle and you know what.

It was a lazy, wake up morning.
We all headed back to the Kid's house. Brain and I got the desk all painted. I'll post a pic after we get it put together.
Watched some football and Brian and Nicole made a great dinner of ribs.
We headed home after dinner. As usual sleep will come fast!

Winter Excursion 4, Day 58

We went over to the Kid's house after breakfast.
Brain and I got started on Kennedy's desk. We stripped it down and then Brain had to leave for work. I continued to work on it. Got it sanded, cleaned, and prepped for painting. We will paint it tomorrow.
Brian, Nicole, and the Kiddos came over to the campground around 1800. They brought pizza for dinner and we all enjoyed a nice campfire.
The Kiddos are staying the night so let the craziness begin. After Brian and Nicole left we watched a movie. I feel asleep on the couch with Kennedy.

Wesley fell asleep in our bed with Cath.

A good night sleep was had by all!

Winter Excursion 4, Day 57

Moving day for us. We have to leave our favorite campground as we have been here 14 days. We took our time packing up and left camp around 1100. This little guy was on the hitch as we were hooking up the camper.

It was a short drive to the Mt Pleasant KOA. We will only be here for four nights.

Brian, Nicole, Mary, and the Kiddos stopped by in the evening for a night cap after their Mexican dinner. We said goodbye to Mary as she is leaving for home in the morning.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 56

Here's the morning after Christmas!

Around lunch Cath and I drove out to the camper to check on things. All is well.
Back at the house we started getting everything ready for another Oyster Roast. The weather was perfect and a great time was had by all of Brian and Nicole's friends and neighbors.
Cath and I headed back to camp around 2100. As usual, sleep will feel good!

Winter Excursion 4, Day 55

Merry Christmas! The weather continues to cooperate!
Here's the family Christmas morning, before the presents got opened.

Opening the presents had the Kiddos in a tizzy! They could not wait for the next package. We all sat down to a nice breakfast, but all the Kiddos wanted was to play with all their new things.
Later in the afternoon we got the new "Slack Line" set up. The Kiddos loved it and of course the adults had to try also. Here's Cath doing her best!

Brian got home around 1400. The Kiddos were still wound up and played outside most of the day. Nerf fights were the hit of the late afternoon. Wesley has this "cannon" that will literally bruise you when you get hit!
We all had a great Christmas dinner of beef filet and lamb chops. The stuffed baked potatoes were a big hit.
Everyone was exhausted by 2100 and I think everyone was asleep by 2200. It's been a wonderful holiday!

Winter Excursion 4, Day 54

Christmas Eve. The weather is fabulous!

We went over to the Kid's mid morning. Brian took the day off! We did a little fishing with Wesley and Kaylee had to supervise.

Later in the afternoon everyone got ready for church. Here's a three generation pic of some cuties!

After church we did a "Low Country Boil". 

After dinner we had a few festive toddies, watched the Polar Express, and waited for the Kiddos to go to sleep. They are totally jazzed as Santa is coming tonight.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 53

We spent the day camper bound!
The rain started yesterday afternoon, did not stop last night, and rained all day today! I think we received over 5 inches in the last 24 hrs. Brian said they had 4+ at Yeamans.
Here's the view toward the back of the camper.

Here's the view toward the other back.

And the view toward the front.

We are obviously on an island here!

I was going to do some fishing and kayaking on the three lakes within feet of the camper, but stayed in and played cribbage instead.
Rain is supposed to stop sometime tomorrow morning.
Good news is Christmas day will be beautiful, sunny, with temps in the 60s.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 52

We went over to the Kid's house around noon. Brian was already home! Spent the afternoon watching a movie with the Kiddos and just relaxed. Cath made her last batch of Christmas cookies and they really smelled good!
Brain grilled some super burgers for dinner!

The look on Wesley's face is priceless.

After dinner it was time for another Kiddo movie, but Cath and I elected to head for the camper. It was a nice lazy day.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 51

Ater a good night's sleep we had a lazy morning. Late morning we went into town and did a little grocery shopping.
After we got home and grabbed some lunch we drove up to McClellanville, just north of the campground. Stopped at the local seafood market, which is right at the dock where all the shrimp boats are. The shrimp there looked great. We bought some shrimp dip and the clerk told us to come back next week as they will have some pickled shrimp. We are looking forward to trying it.
Snapped a pic of the winning "Best Decorated Boat". There are a few others throughout the little down. Check out the Oaks in the background!

Back at camp we watched the football game, had dinner, and headed to bed.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 50

We spent the morning relaxing and yakking with Mary. Brian woke up a little sick and took the day off. After a quick doctor visit he spent the day in bed.
The Kiddos had a half day at school and got home before lunch. After a bite to eat the cookie painting started.

By mid afternoon Brian was feeling a little better. We all packed up and went to Baker Brewer for an early dinner. We left there and headed to the James Island Festival of Lights, an annual tradition. First the train ride:

After the ride the Kiddos got to talk with Santa. They wouldn't say what they talked about!

It's been a busy day and Cath and I drove back to camp as soon as we got back to the Kid's house. Bed will feel good!

Winter Excursion 4, Day 49

Happy Birthday to Brian! It isn't everyday you turn 40!
We got over to the Kid's around noon. We spent the afternoon waiting for Mary to arrive. It was good to see her again.
Cath baked up the cookies for the Kiddos to paint tomorrow.
In the evening the four of us went to Fuel for a drink and appetizers then went across the street to R Kitchen for dinner. We had a really good five course meal in a very relaxed atmosphere. We had fun talking to all the other diners and the staff. Here's a few pics:

We Ubered it both ways and got back to the house. It was a fun evening and we will all sleep good.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 48

We drove into town this morning to pick up a few last minute gifts and do some clothes shopping for me. It seems I forgot to bring any decent clothes for going out to dinner.
Back at camp we had a quick lunch and then I went fishing. I managed to get two whitings.

The weather was a little cool, but the sun was out. Some of our fellow campers were also fishing. It was nice to chat with them.
A few toddies and a nice dinner, then off to bed.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 47

We drove to the Kid's house this morning. Cath is doing laundry and I'm finishing my shelving project. We are all happy with how the project turned out. Here's a few Pics.

We even got the pictures in the hallway up!

Brian got home early and we stayed for dinner. Afterwards we headed back to camp.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 46

Cath stayed home at the camper today. I headed over to the Kid's house to start my closet shelving project. Got all the materials we needed at Lowes and got the project started. I'll finish it up tomorrow and post some pics.

Stayed at the house until the Kiddos got home from school. Stayed for a little while, then headed back to camp.

Cath and I sat outside and had a few toddies. The owl came back and I got an OK pic of him.

Had some more of our sea trout for dinner and seasoned it with a little garlic sea salt. It was very good.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 45

The Kiddos raided our bedroom just after 0700. I was sipping coffee by 0715! We all had a lazy morning and took our time waking up.
Cath made a nice breakfast and life started to get back to normal.
Most of us went on a hike down the Palmetto Trail. The dogs had a great time off leash, but came back with a few ticks.
Brian and I played cribbage for awhile (he won).
We all headed to Seewee for a late lunch and as usual we ate too much!!
Kids and Kiddos headed home. Cath and I went back to the camper.
We will sleep very, very good tonight.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 44

We got up at 0630 and headed to the basketball games for both the Kiddos. Today was team pictures for the Kiddos.

Here's Kennedy's.

Here's Wesley's. 

Kennedy and her teammate waiting to get back in the game.

After the games Brian went to work for a few hours. Cath and I brought Wesley back to camp and Nicole and Kennedy went to a Girl Scout function.
Brain made it back to camp around 1630 and brought the dogs. Nicole and Kennedy arrived shortly thereafter.
Cath made a super spaghetti dinner. Then the campfire got started, the Kiddo's watched the Grinch movie, the adults had too much to drink, and a fun night was had by all! Everyone was in bed by 2300.
As usual it's been a whirlwind day!

Winter Excursion 4, Day 43

We got really lucky this morning. We got up at 0730 and were on the road by 0830 and not a drop of rain had fallen! We got to the new campground at 0930 (we took the long way) and our site was empty. We got all set up and still no rain! A 1030 the skies opened up and it rained cats and dogs for hours.
We drove over to the Kid's house in the afternoon in a torrential rain. It finally slacked off around 1700.
Brian got home about then and brought some live Maine lobsters from work for dinner.
Here's the Kiddo's reactions to live lobsters.
Wes thought they were pretty cool.

Kennedy's face tells it all!

But she ended up kissing the lobster before we steamed them. She learned to kiss fish (and I guess lobster) from a fishing show she likes to watch.

Dinner was great!
We headed back to camp with full bellies after dinner.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 42

We slept in a little this morning and then had breakfast. We ran a few errands and spent the day getting the camper ready to move as we head to Buck Hall tomorrow. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow morning, so we wanted to get everything as ready to move as we can.
We played some cribbage in the afternoon and got Chinese take-out for dinner.
Here's another picture of Spike the Spidey. He's doing well and even got a new leaf!

We are looking forward to getting back to Buck Hall our favorite campground.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 41

Cath & I got to the Kid's house around 1100. Cath started her baking again for the Christmas cookies. She needed some chopped hazelnuts and sent me to the store looking for them. I went to the local Harris-Teeter with no luck. I drove into Charleston to pick up some stuff for Brian and stopped at a Publix with no luck. On the way back to the Kid's I stopped at Walmart on a whim with no luck. I guess hazelnuts are not a popular item in the Charleston area.
Back at the house the Kiddos got home from school and Wesley and I finished up the Ant Farm and put the ants into it. They got right to work in their new home.

Brain got home early and made a nice dinner for everyone, then Cath and I headed home.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 40

We left camp this morning and headed to the Kid's house. Cath had some more baking to do and I have an ant farm from last year to renovate.
Brian got home around 1700 and we all got ready to go to the Christmas Pageant at Kennedy's school.
Here's Mister Wesley acting crazy before the show got started.

Here are the "Mini Monarchs", Kennedy's (2nd grade) chorus.

It's hard to pick her out, but she's right in the middle to the left of the antlers.

They did three songs.

Back at the house the Kiddos had their new Christmas PJs on, then it was bedtime.

Cath and I headed back to the camper and were asleep by 2130.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 39

We had a very lazy day at camp. Call it "recovery"! Even Kaylee slept all day, she hardly came out of her bed!
Watched a little TV, did a little food shopping, and had a great dinner.
We did have a really nice full moon this evening.

A little more TV then off to bed.

Winter Excursion 4, Day 38

The Kids got home around midnight last night, so we all slept in a little today. Brian made pancakes and sausage for breakfast. We hung out and watched a show or two in the morning.
We all headed to Home Team BBQ for lunch. A good time was had by all.

After lunch we went Christmas tree hunting. The first place we stooped was expensive and none of us were impressed with the trees. We went down the road to another place. They had beautiful Vermont trees at a reasonable price. The Kiddos fell in love with this one.

Back home we got the tree up, but not decorated, and then headed for the Mt Pleasant Christmas Parade. Both the Kiddos are on Floats, so Cath and I dropped the four of them off and drove to the parade drop off point. We all joined back up after the parade and bucked the traffic on the way home. We made it to the house by 2000. The Kiddos are tired and so are Cath and I. We made it back to the camper by 2130. Sleep will come really easy and I'm sure we will sleep in a little in the morning. It's been a whirlwind day!

Winter Excursion 4, Day 37

We all had a quick breakfast, said goodbye to Brian as he is off to work, and we headed to the basketball courts. Both Kiddos have games to day.
Here's a few shots from Wesley's game. It is a hoot to watch them play. They all tend to migrate to the ball!

After Wesley's game we went over to Chick-Fil-A for an early brunch. Then headed back to the courts for Kennedy's game. Here's a few pics from that game.

Wesley's team is boys and girls (kindergarten and first graders). Kennedy's team is all girls (second and third graders). The highlight of the day was both Kiddos scored today for the first time ever in a game. They were both thrilled.

Cath, Kennedy, and I drove over to the campground to check the camper and put the laundry away.

WW again tonight, the Christmas Parties never end around here....LOL.