Hilton Head 2009

This year our desire for a week away from the stresses of home and work led us to our home away from home, Hilton Head, South Carolina. We don't get to come every year (it is expensive to go alone), but when we can talk someone into going with us on vacation, it is our choice of vacation destinations. It has the beach, some shopping, bike trails, lagoons, and lots of wildlife. We love being able to bike to the beach baths and be on a relatively sparsely inhabited beach. We love going to the Salty Dog Cafe to listen to the water while having dinner, we love visiting the lighthouse and the nightly shows for kids at the harbor. It is truly a vacation! This year, Amy and Jo Ann were able to get five days off and flew down to join us. Let the fun begin!

Our first night there, we decided to take Chris's mom to the Salty Dog cafe for her birthday, followed by an evening on the beach. Sarah was beyond excited. Here she is getting acquainted with the "Salty Dog" himself.
Sarah was so happy that Amy or "my Amy" could come to the beach. They were inseparable!
Daddy is happy to have some much needed rest from work.
Jo Ann was happy to eat at her favorite restaurant in Sea Pines.

After dinner, we stopped by the surf shop to visit with the resident birds.




Isn't he beautiful?


Next came the big event...Beach time!

Sarah has become a fish. She could live in the water.

This smile remained firmly planted on her face all week long!


She made sure to bring her boogie board so she could, in her words "Catch the perfect wave".

We stayed until sundown and went home to fall into bed. What a tiring yet exciting first day!

On day 2 we went to church, had lunch and were planning to let Sarah nap. She had other ideas. At her insistence, we ended up riding our bikes down to the nearest beach walk to check out the waves for a few minutes. I wish we could afford to stay in one of the houses behind Sarah just one time. I guess we would have to take all of you with us to be able to afford it!

A rare Chris and Angie photo. I am not so much in a photographic mood these days. The belly seems to get bigger by the moment! (I know, this is what it is supposed to do)...

The tides were really erratic this year. Here is a very low tide. At night, the tides were so high that some roads were impassable!

Sarah loved riding the bikes. Why won't Kentucky invest in bike paths?

See what I mean? Total relaxation and no major car worries.

Behind our villa, we had our very own putting green just adjacent to a golf course. Chris and Sarah took many opportunities to practice their swings. I stay away from this area. See that bridge? A couple of years ago I was attacked by a gang of bees who were nesting on the underside of the bridge. I can do without golfing thank you very much!


The view from our back sun room is one of the main reasons we come back to this villa year after year. The view of the lagoon and golf course is very relaxing.

More Daddy Sarah time.

Apparently, Sarah saw this on a cartoon before we got here. I heard this statement many times this week. So cute!

This is the view I saw most; Sarah running toward the waves (board in hand)

She came back for a short visit. Let the vamping begin!


She became a huge fan of a bird book we found in the villa. She would "read" under the umbrella for 15 minutes at a time!


Now she is reading to me. Her stories are a hoot!


America's next Top Model? I hope not!

Sarah also enjoys photography. She takes pretty good photos, like this one.

That night, we decided to go to a pizza place and then to Shelter Cove to see the Shannon Tanner show. The kids love it and most go back year after year.

Sarah loved being seated beneath the surfer.

Sarah is pretending to be the Mad Mushroom surfer dude.

Mamaw and Amy laughing at our goofy girl.

Sarah was practically giddy all week. Nothing like pizza to please a youngsters taste buds.

Check out the look of concentration on her face. Visiting Shannon Tanner was serious business for this three year old. I prepared her for the events (he sings, you dance, you might even sing on stage). She has been practicing her "Jesus Loves Me" rendition for weeks.

Look how she seems to be studying everything the "big kids" are doing.

"Come on Dad, it's time to dance!"

Shannon always brings the kids up on stage to let them perform their best songs for adults. Sarah is lost in that mess somewhere. She was not chosen this year. She was pretty bummed about not getting her chance at the microphone.

Family photo back at the villa.

Sarah loves "my Amy" so much. She had this smile plastered on her face the entire week!

Sorry for the smokey look of this photo. It was so hot that the lens fogged up when I pulled it out of my purse!

At harbor town, you can shop, look at yachts (like this one... how much money must the owner make?) In the foreground you see a place where kids sing with a guy at night (similar to the show we went to before).

Check out the sticks in the harbor. Apparently, the tides were rediculously high the week we were there. By Thursday, every beach and harbor was covered in these sticks and tiny sand crabs. I am a regular beach goer and have never seen anything like what we saw this week.

This place is so relaxing. We love to go into the shirt shops and upscale sports memorabelia places they have here.

Sarah and Daddy move down to the shore to pick up sea shells.

Check out the debris in the water.

I took Sarah out to the pier, hoping to see some dolphins, but alas, no luck on this day.

Now for the lighthouse. Sarah was pretty excited to climb the stairs. She was the only one excited for this on this hot day.

What a far climb!

Even she was exhausted and hot by the time we reached the top.

There is a beautiful view of the harbor from up here.

More debris from the high tides.
We were hungry after all that walking so we decided to have lunch overlooking the harbor.

This is a typical view that I get from these two comedians at the dinner table. They take turns being silly. Sarah does not look amused by Daddy's antics. (Won't be the last time)

Our view from the table.

Sarah's turn to put on a show. She is her father's daughter.

Our last two days were spent mostly at the pool due to all those sticks and crabs. Sarah got really good at navigating in deep water. She had no fear!

As you can see here, she is a "fish". I could barely keep her head above the water!

Mommy daughter moment. We had such a great time this year. Just being together was reward enough. But there is no place quite as relaxing as Hilton Head SC. We can't wait to return!