Tree houses and Pirates

On Friday we visited Palmetto Bluff Inn in Bluffton, South Carolina.  

After a full week on the island we'd all come to the conclusion that the mossy oak trees 

this far south are the most fantastic trees 

- and we were itching to climb them.   

The Inn at Palmetto Bluff was paradise - tree houses galore! 

We didn't even mind our scrapped knees.   

From Bluffton we headed over to Savannah.  

We enjoyed walking around on River Street 

and popping into the touristy shops.  

After a painfully BORING ghost tour in Savannah
(not a single bone rattled or scream shattered the drone of our
BORING tour guide as he rattled on about southern belles
jumping in the Savannah river to escape their cloistered lives)...  

We headed to the Pirate House for booty and cocktails
(seriously $7 for a kid's peachy treasure!)

Eddie was still bored.  

One in the Hand is Better Than Two in the Bush

Our new background is in honor of Alex - he's the next Donald Trump!!! 

Today Eddie and I came to the shocking realization that we simply can't have it all.  

As we circled Sea Pines, looking at real estate, we mulled over the knowing that our time in the mountains is limited, our time on the beach is limited, our time with the boys is limited, our time with family is limited...  No doubt we live a lucky life.  We travel continuously, live abroad, love each other, enjoy each other's families...  Still, in the small moments when we're not running to catch a connecting flight, jumping on a train, returning a rental car or packing a bag we can't help but wish for a smaller existence.  One that would give us the joy of spending weekends with the boys and holidays with family.  A life that doesn't require a different cell phone for the four different continents we rotate around.  And yet.  By our third loop on Maple Lane, we knew instinctively that life would come around for us in it's own time.  That for now, we live the way we do so that the boys can go to Newcastle School for Boys, so that we can discover each other while discovering new cultures, new food, new friends, good beer.  

It will be hard for me to say goodbye to this place.  To the Oak groves and the shrimp boats.  But this island isn't going anywhere and that knowing fills me with more confidence than mastering a level 3 yoga class in Beijing with a Chinese instructor.  

The boys back from their second day of Sailing Camp - off the water just in time for a storm

The rain clouds weren't going to stop them - chairs and boogie boards at the ready 

Able bodies 

Sun set off our deck this evening - kayakers in full force 

Eddie getting dinner ready 

The boys set a lovely table - their sunflowers made all the difference 

Erica's Bliss

The Low Country is where my heart is.  The place I am most wanted.  

It is where Eddie met my family for the first time, where I fed the seagulls with my grandpa Wendell, where I shop with my mom, bike with my dad, play football with my brother.  And now it's where Alex and Connor geocache, hurl themselves into the waves, bury each other with wet sand, devour barbecue, cheer on the dolphins and count the stars at night.  

Life Is Good

You Must Forgive Me, If I'm Up and Gone to Carolina in My Mind

Our first day on Hilton Head Island was just as it should be.  Pool passes in hand, bikes rented, fridge stocked, yoga classes paid for, geocaches found, kayaks reserved, sailing classes registered, beer cold...  Life Is Good.

Our little "hobbit hole" sits right over wooded marsh land

Sundowners on our private stretch of beach 

with little sand crabs keeping us company while we ate our dinner 

Cooling our feet in the Atlantic 

Heading home along our little marshy trail

Farewell North Carolina

We had a wonderful time hiking and camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina.  It was so great to stay with Chad and Jodi and Bonnie and Barley.  We've listed a few of our favorite things...

Hiking with in Bonnie and Barley (in the rain)

Camping in the yard (in the rain) 

Chasing the dogs when they got out of the yard (in the rain)

Playing Settlers of Catan with Chad and Jodi

Eating tapas in downtown Asheville (then running to the car in the rain)

Gorging ourselves on all things Mexican at Papas and Beer

Driving through the mountains (in the rain)

Catching up with our wonderful friends, Sandy and Paddy

Geocaching (in the rain)

Riding in Sandy's Model T

Yoga with Jodi

It took us five plus hours to go from the High Country in North Carolina to the Low Country in South Carolina.  For your pleasure, we've posted the best of our Mad Libs written on that LONG drive :)

Afraid of the Dark 

by Alex, Connor, Eddie and Erica

I was home alone and scared out of my horses.  I could hear the wind driving and off in the distance, a bag was howling!  I crossed the room, locked the house and climbed into bed, pulling the kittens over my testicles.  Then it happened!  I could hear a fish frolicking up the stairs.  My head started to chatter.  My knees began skiing.  The blanket was thrust open and there was a huge bucket with hair all over its breast!  It was my father.  "Hi.  We're home," he said patiently.  "Hope you weren't afraid of staying home alone."  "No," I said, lying through my eyes.