A Little Beach Vacation

Mom is a great sport when we do our typical family vacation of a state park and hiking, but it's not really her favorite.  For a while now, she has been longing to go to a beach just so she could put her feet in the water.  So Dad googled "what is the closest ocean to Kentucky" and found that it was Charleston, South Carolina.  After finding a good deal on a hotel room and a few days where we could get away, we headed southeast after church on Sunday for a couple of days in Charleston.

We are wired up and ready for the 500-mile drive.

A little supper break along I-40 in Tennessee.

 

We nearly canceled our trip due to a storm system that was supposed to park over Charleston for the two days we were there, but we went ahead.  When we finally got to the beach on Sullivan's Island on Monday morning, it was overcast, but the 84-degree water made it lovely.

Mom has her feet in the water!  Success!

Geared up and ready to go!

Dad and kids getting their feet wet

Essie heads right in

And is met by a wave

Keeping your feet under you takes some getting used to

AJ and Chloe are in search of shells

Chloe shows off her finds.

Lighthouse

Some awesome beach houses on Sullivan's Island 

AJ and Essie (This was AJ's first time at the ocean.)

Chloe takes a break from the waves to play in the sand.

Mom & Chloe

Chloe contemplates returning to the water.

 Heading in

You've gotta be careful posing in the ocean...

 ...because the waves keep coming.

"I'm okay!"

Essie is a wader extraordinaire.

AJ takes a hit

Happy kids

Heading over the bridge into Charleston

After lunch we went back to the hotel to get cleaned up before going out exploring.  I think the beach tired us out a bit.

Walking around historic Charleston

Of course, Charleston is a city full of history.

If you asked the girls what they did in Charleston, it is probable that the first thing they'd tell you is that they sat in a really huge chair (at Paige's Okra Grill in Mt. Pleasant).

D. & Corrie, two friends of ours from college, happened to be vacationing in Charleston at the same time as us!  So fun to be able to meet up with them for supper.

All our kids

A ladies' selfie with baby Phoebe 

Two reasonably intelligent gentlemen

The next day we started out seeing more of Charleston.  Here we are at the Waterfront Park.

A view of the bridge we crossed the day before

The U.S.S. Yorktown aircraft carrier in Charleston Harbor

Mom & Dad

Looking up the row of mansions along the bay

Statue memorializing Revolutionary War hero William Moultrie

Dad enjoying his vacation

Essie and Chloe were amazed by this long tree limb.

Cannonballs at the Battery

AJ looking to see if it's loaded.

AJ checks out the monument to the Confederate defenders of Charleston.

Essie was very concerned that fighting naked "would NOT be comfortable."

We loved the cool windows in this old livery stable

An ugly blemish on an otherwise beautiful culture - the slave quarters

The ladies enjoying a pleasant stroll through the Charleston streets 

A quick selfie while waiting for lunch at the Mellow Mushroom

Photo opportunity at the Moon Pie Store

For our second day, we spent the afternoon on the beach at Isle of Palms.  It was much sunnier, and the waves were much stronger.

Look what we found not far from our hotel!

While waiting for our food to be prepared, the kids were mesmerized by the Ethiopian music videos on the television.

Starting with the yellow food on top and going clockwise, we have cabbage, green beans, grilled beef, doro wat (spicy chicken), lamb, tibbs (spicy beef), and collard greens on a bed of injera.

Chloe & AJ

Dad & Essie

Didn't take long to put that away!

Of course, we had to grab some milkshakes to cleanse the palate.

Mom's other wish (other than putting her feet in the water) was to get some fresh South Carolina peaces.  So on the way home, we stopped and bought a peck.

Enjoying some peaches during a bathroom break in North Carolina.

1244 miles in 4 days!  Phew!  A crazy, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants trip, but we made it, and made some great memories along the way.