Until Next Year....

Vacations take forever to come and go by so quickly, leaving only memories (and a lot of photos).  I'll spare you the gory details, the mundane sand-and-shovel shots, but here are a handful that leave me itchin' to return.

March to the Sea

I'm not sure how far he would have gone, but he tried every chance he could.  Maybe he's going to follow in his sea-faring uncle's footsteps.

Dining Out

The first few years we vacationed as a group, we went to one meal out as a group.  The logistics are daunting and we quickly changed to one-couple-at-a-time mode which has worked nicely.  Here are some of the places in and around Charleson that we've tried over the years.

Hyman's:  This is the tried & true favorite.  The owner once brought me an extra bowl of hushpuppies after I said I liked them; a server once delivered a slice of pie to my dad with 3 extra spoons 'cause he saw the envious looks in our eyes.  One year Doug and I enjoyed a pleasant meal on the top floor, and when were leaving, saw my sister and brother-in-law downstairs eating.  The really weird thing?  We had ordered the same dishes!  You can't go wrong here (though you'll probably have to wait).

The Wreck of Richard and Charlene:  This eatery is mentioned only for its unusual name and ambiance.  Wreck is a apt word.  It's difficult to locate and could easily be mistaken for a shack.  The menu is limited and the food comes out on paper plates.  Trip Advisor gives it a good rating overall, but after reading the comments, I'm definitely not alone in my assessment.

Garibaldi Cafe:  This is one of the most memorable meals that Doug and I have had.  The food was pricey but delicious.  Doug had the Crispy Flounder, and it was absolutely amazing.  A couple near us said that they drove down from Atlanta just to eat there.

Mustard Seed:  Both my parents and my sister/brother-in-law have enjoyed this reasonably priced restaurant; we never could find it.  Maybe this year.

Fleet Landing:  This is a great place right on the water across the bay from Ft. Sumter.  The ingredients are fresh (and many local).  A definite winner!

So much good food, so little time.  Guess we'll have to come back again next year.

Burgers & Dogs

This is a no-brainer since it allows the men-folk to get in on the action of food preparation.  Plus, we make lots to have as left overs for lunch.

This year we've decided to add Onion Rings to the mix.  They were a delicious treat in my childhood, but rare as my mother only made them once a year (too much trouble, too much grease).

Onion Rings

1 c. self-rising flour

cheap beer

dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

2 sweet onions, sliced thin

oil (I use canola) for frying salt

Heat oil in heavy pot or Fry-Daddy. 

Combine flour and beer until you reach the desired consistency (not too thick but not runny); add pepper.

 Toss in a few onions and shake off excess batter before slipping them into hot oil. 

Fry until lightly browned. 

Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

Crab Cakes

We inlanders have to gorge ourselves on seafood when the opportunity presents itself and so we do.  Even so, I'm not willing to sit around digging out crab meat when I could be digging in the sand (or into a good book) so we use the canned, pre-picked product.

Crab Cakes

1 # crab meat

2 eggs

1 c. crushed saltines

4 T. (1/4 c. cup) minced parsley

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

4 oz. pimento, drained

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 c. green onion, sliced

2 T. Creole seasoning

1/4 c. mayo

Combine all ingredients.  Shape into 12 cakes and chill at least 30 minutes. 

Pan fry on both sides (3-4 min. each).

Shrimp Boil

It's not a trip to the beach without this favorite.  I always wonder if some of the boats we see in the early morning are catching the shrimp we'll eat for dinner.

No, I don't always separate the ingredients.  And we don't purchase shrimp with heads (though we accidentally received a head one year and it was certainly a highlight for the kids).

Here's a great cocktail sauce for dipping:

3/4 c. chili sauce

2 T. lemon juice

2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. horseradish

1/2 t. each finely chopped onion, pepper and celery

Perfect Pimento Cheese

I was never a fan of the stuff until my sister introduced her version during our vacation one year (to die for on a fresh grilled burger).

It's now a year-round must-have at our house, but especially perfect with a home-grown tomato and fresh baked bread.

Perfect Pimento Cheese

4 oz. diced pimentos, drained

1/2 c. mayo (the real stuff)

1/2 c. sour cream

1 t. finely grated onion

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 t. red pepper

8 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded

8 oz. white cheddar, shredded

Combine, chill & chow down!

Beach Vacation Shopping List

In the immediate weeks after Andrew was born, I sat on the couch, fearful of moving lest I awaken the sleeping infant, and made detailed lists for our family vacation.  It was 5 months away.

That was six years ago.  There are 5 more kids now which means less time for planning.  We gravitate to old favorites that please both adult and child alike and many items that don't normally appear in our own pantries somehow make their way to the beach house. 

Here are the highlights of what we acutally used last year:

• 4 boxes of junky cereal
• 3 healthier options
• 18 mini boxes (my sister & I actually used to cut them down the front and pour the milk in)
• 2 bags of mini bagels
• 48 oz. coffee (high test)
• 24 oz. coffee (decaf)
• 40 count juice boxes
• 3 boxes fruit snacks
• 16 packs of Lance crackers
• 8 bags chips (potato, Doritos, Cheetos)
• 5 loaves of sandwich bread
• 3 loaves of French bread
• 7 not-quite half-gallons of ice cream

What I was unable to measure, however, was the bounty of garden vegetables that accompany the meals: fresh tomatoes with biscuits and gravy, Greek salad for lunch, peppers to munch, and fresh corn on the cob.

Multimedia Education

Charlotte Mason was a major proponent of "living books": texts that "pull you into the subject and involve your emotions, so it’s easy to remember the events and facts."

And while she was teaching nearly 200 years ago, I feel like her approach is just as applicable today.  Engaging books teach like no other...well, almost no other.  Now we have YouTube. 

I will proudly admit that on more than one occasion I have supplemented our school work with appropriate clips found on this internet resource.  We're currently in the midst of studying Rome.  While they're just not quite ready for Gladiator yet, Ben Hur was a great historical piece.

"It's kind of like NASCAR!"

Andrew, Stephen, and Matthew were completely mesmerized by the chariot race.  Suspense and action, crashes and blood.  These are the things that will be remembered.

Backwards Boy

From the backwards shirts to the mixed up shoes,

from the silly faces and amusing comments,

this kid is always good for a laugh!

Sorry, Uncle Wiggly

Maybe Nurse Jane wasn't able to warn you in time.  Or maybe your rheumatism was acting up.  Or maybe you were busy trying to catch your pink, twinkling nose.  This adventure turned mis-adventure unfortunately.

And the perpetrator of the crime?  Not the Woozy Wolf nor the Fuzzy Fox nor even the dreaded Skeeziks.

Just the Busy Baby who is always eager to do a little nibbling and your ears just happened to be handy.

Ten Months

... and he's just as jolly as ever (except when those pearly whites try to appear).

We'll forgive him a little fussing, however, for those precious, slobbery kisses and sweet smiles. 

Like Father, Like Son

Just another reason why we call Matthew "Little Doug."

Sweet

Simply adorable!

So precious!

How sweet!

I can just hear my dad saying, "They're just wonderful!" - and they are: Cake ball tutorial from Pioneer Woman, Joy mini ice cream cones from Target, candy melts and sour cherry balls from Hobby Lobby.

I couldn't have done it, however, without the assistance of my two big boys who sprinkled and stuck on cherries with great gusto (and lots of conversation).  Andrew declared of the cherries: "When I first tasted one, I thought that my head was going to explode (pause) but then I realized from my many years that it would not actually kill me."

I can't wait to explore other possibilities for these sweet little concoctions.

Pray Without Ceasing

From Matthew: 

Pray Matt-Matt, pray Papa, pray Stink-Stink, pray Matt-too, pray Daddy, pray Angie, pray Mama, pray food, pray Matt-Matt, pray ice tea, pray noo-noos, pray John-john, pray Matt-matt, pray Angie, pray Stink-Stink, pray Mama, pray Papa, pray Nana, pray Matt-Matt, pray meat, pray Grandma, pray Grandpa, pray Stink-Stink, pray John-john, pray Angie, pray Daddy, pray ice tea, pray appets, pray Matt-matt....

National Butterfly Month

In honor of this prestigious month, I offer you these beauties.  It is always a highlight to visit the Butterfly Garden at our local aquarium.

I was favoring the striking orange one against the beautiful pink calla lilies until I saw her:

Spectacular!

Waterplay

This time God's creatures played second fiddle to the man-made "river" outdoors at the local aquarium, but it was so nice to enjoy the cool water and a picnic lunch before the real heat of the day set in.

"Tomorrow You Will Laugh"

...Or so my husband assures me.  This after one of those moments that will go down in family history.

It was almost dinnertime.  The boys (all four of them) were in the bedroom playing peacefully, and I was assembling dinner.  Having looked at the pan of vegetable scraps for nearly 24 hours, I decided to seize the moment to carry it out to the compost bin.  Out and in - as simple as that.

Upon my return, I was met with a group of confused and excited faces, and the loud declaration, "Matthew pooped." 

Matthew, in the midst of diaper training and therefore bare-bottomed, was apparently unable to get from his room to the bathroom, thus leaving a trail down the hallway.  Pleasant thought, right?

Wait, there's more.

Apparently the older boys sensed his urgency and followed him down the hall.  Then he was followed by Jonathan.  Who doesn't crawl on his knees.  He slithers.  Joy, oh, joy!

It doesn't stop there.

I also need to note that Jonathan consumes anything he finds in the floor.
(I'll pause while you find a trashcan.)

The two little guys got baths, and then I parked them all on the couch to watch Thomas while I donned my hazmat suit.  One of Doug's old t-shirts got recycled; there was much use of vinegar and lemon oil drops.  Doug made it home just as I was finishing up (convenient timing, eh?) but he still got to experience the lovely aroma.

All is well, and indeed it was quite funny in a way.  The thought occurred to me to take pictures, but it's not really something I need to be reminded of visually, and I'm sure you'll take my word for it.

The only really disappointing thing is that I really loved Jonathan's open-mouth-slobbery-kisses;  I just can't quite view them in the same manner anymore.

Wacky Watermelon

It seemed like an innocent piece of vegetation, a refreshing remedy for the summer heat.

Needless to say, I was astonished to find bright YELLOW flesh in my watermelon.  Surely this must be a joke?  So I tasted, and indeed, it tasted just like watermelon.

The shade was bright and cheery; the swirls were an amazing touch of artistry; and while I truly enjoy all colors of tomatoes (Cherokee Purple, Orange Pear, Green Zebra Stripe); watermelon, on the other hand, should only be red.

Swimming at Suzy's

My dear friend Suzy is persistant.

She has invited us over to swim more than once, but I've been a little overwhelmed by the prospect of keeping all four of my children from drowing when I have only two arms (not to mention that the few previous attempts have been met with little-to-no enthusiasm).

She kept asking, and since my mom was around to watch the little guys, I had a trial run with the big boys.  Only a little coaxing was needed before they both were wet and having a fun time.

My confidence soared; Suzy called again; it was time for the whole gang.

Little did she realized, however, that our family is jinxed.

Back in my youth, my dad would periodically take my sister and I on dates.  (Now that I have small children of my own, I realize that these "dates" were probably more like directives from my mother who was tired and needed a little peace and quiet).  Sometimes we went to the movies (cheap night, of course); sometimes to the local pool.

Memories are funny things.  It may have only happened once or twice, but in my mind, every time we reached the ticket office at the theater, the person before us bought the last ticket; or in the case of the pool, there was suddenly a thunderstorm brewing in the distance and a far-off rumbling cleared the overly-chlorinated water.  All was not lost, however; the Baskin-Robbins still had mint chocolate chip and all was right in the world.

Anywho, this brings me back to Suzy.  Had she only known that inviting the Hamills to swim would instantly erase summer drought, I'm sure she would have insisted earlier and saved some time and money on watering.  Two outings were rained out.

Third time's a charm, however, as "the sun shone bravely down and a lovelier day could not have been wished for."  

 

Finally something to help ease the heat of summer.

So Blessed

If I were paid for everytime I heard the comment "You sure have your hands full!", I'd be a rich woman and thoughts of future college tuition bills wouldn't be so terrifying.

Still, I was taken aback when a woman approached our pew Sunday morning, our brood trying to get out those last wiggles before the service began.  As she walked past, she said with a smile, "You are so blessed!"

And indeed I am. 

Sure there are tantrums and tears; Mother's Day lunches that involve discussions on the relative differences between diarrhea and vomit and the numerous synonyms for the latter; there are unpleasant tasks like discipline and nights when sleep eludes us.  But, as Babar so wisely tells Celeste, "Truly it is not easy to bring up a family....  But how nice the babies are!  I wouldn't know how to get along without them any more."

Sons are a heritage from the Lord,

children a reward from him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are sons born in one's youth.

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127 3:5