Weekends with Grandparents

Growing up my brother and I would often spend the weekend with our grandparents. David and I would eat our favorite foods, go for drives (my granddad let us driving under age), eat junk and stay up late. Inevitable we would fight and my grandmother would offer to pay us if we would be quiet! I am so glad to have those memories of weekend trips to the mountains where David and I would go down sliding rock together. I'd almost pass out from the cold water but my brother would manage to keep us both afloat and then we would do it all over again.

Thankfully we live close enough to all of our family that our boys can have close relationships with their grandparents. They say there is nothing like a mother's love, but I think a grandmother's love may be the exception.

Two weekends ago, Ashley, the boys and me all went to Goose Creek to spend the weekend with my Granny Meg and Pop! We visited the aquarium, ate out and went swimming in the community pool. The boys got to stay up late, watch movies and play with new toys that my mom had picked up for them. My mom and I even went shopping while the boys napped and it was so nice to get out together; we had not done that in a long time.

Wyatt loves Honey.

Granny Meg and Pop pose outside the aquarium with all the boys (facing the sun).

We had just enough time to do laundry and pack our bags again before we headed off for another fun weekend, this time with Ashley's parents. Our party of 7 checked in at the Yacht Cove Resort (after a minor hiccup with our online reservations that added an hour to check in) Friday night around 8:00 PM and then headed out to dinner. (Note: Wyatt goes to bed at 8:00!) It was a late for us all, but the boys did very well. Saturday we woke up to a gorgeous day; Will and Ashley played golf while Sandra and I took the boys to the beach. They love all things dirty. The boys made sand angels and had a ball playing in the water and looking for shells. I am still getting sand out of their ears.

Sunday and Monday were not as sunny, but we still had a wonderful time together shopping and eating (I think I gained 5 pounds). It was such a blast and was it very hard to come back to the real world of work (getting there on time), laundry, cooking dinner and bedtimes.

We are so lucky to have such involved parents who love our children as much as we do.

Shopping with the boys...Wyatt had had enough at this point.

Sleeping beauty!Nana and the boys!This is a 50 year old turtle. Did you know that these turtles live to be 110+ years old and continue to grow throughout their lives???
Lovebirds...after all the years. :)

Wyatt's well visit

On August 19th, Wyatt had his 18 month well visit.

He is in the 50% for height at 25 pounds 8 ounces and 75% for height at 33 inches tall.

Some of my favorite things that he says:

"mama, hold me"

"love lou" (love you)

"nigh nigh" (night night)

Wyatt's favorite thing to say:

"NO!"

Where does the time go??

1996.

I decide that the thought of moving home for the summer cramps my style. My parents decide that footing the bill for my summer (if I'm not taking classes) cramps their style. Fair enough. I can get a job.

I'll wait tables. Who cares that I have never done it before?? There is training, right?

Yes, sure there is! Ashley will be your trainer. I was expecting a girl named Ashley, but could not have been more wrong.

So there you have it. The "girl" I was expecting to train me turned out to be the cutest guy I had ever seen with the bluest eyes imaginable. I was swooning.

What started as a crush turned into a proposal...although it took patience on my part.

August 18, 2001.

I marry that wonderful guy and begin my life as a Gilfillan.

8 years and 3 children later I could not be happier.

I just do not understand, where does the time go??

Triple Stroller

Man, I would love a triple stroller, but have you priced those things? Ridiculous.

The time to get a triple stroller would have been right when Wyatt was born. When we had three under two. When everyone was in diapers. The problem is that when you have three in diapers, you typically do not have an extra 700.00 bucks to blow on a stroller.

My next stroller wish would be a twin jogging stroller; it needs to have a bench seat though so I can squeeze my three into a space for two. This plan would save me a couple hundred bucks and would allow me to take my boys on walks that are actually fast enough to count as exercise.

The reality is that no one (including Wyatt) wants to stay in a stroller long enough anymore to make it worth the still very expensive price tag for a twin jogger (if I could even find one with a bench seat).

So when everyone wants to ride....we improvise!

Vacation Part II

The second half of our week was spent in Edisto. The weather was gorgeous and we had a great time. Ashley was able to join us Thursday and Friday which made the week complete!



Panoramic view of the beach

Wyatt playing in the sand
John coming out of the ocean...if you have a child who needs assistance swimming, this swimmie is the best flotation device ever invented. Unlike a life jacket, which pushes a child's head forward, this supports their neck and chest in the front and allows the child to "swim". This discovery (thanks to Libby Tucker) allows us to take the kids swimming without an extra adult.

Andrew having fun with his watering can.

The last day we were in Edisto, we decided to drive to Charleston for the afternoon. It was an hour drive through the most rural parts of South Carolina that I have ever seen. The boys loved Charleston too. They were troopers while we walked all over downtown. We did have to stop to rest our feet a few times.

Last stop...the fountain! The boys LOVED it. I can not wait to take them back.

It was a great week. I am hoping for a repeat over Labor Day...or any random weekend.

Vacation Part I

Our family just wrapped up a two part vacation that consisted of half a week having fun in Columbia and another half a week having fun at the beach. "Our family" is actually a stretch because Ashley worked most of the week, but it was wonderful for me to be off work.

Saturday our fun started with a visit from Granddaddy Terry and GG.

We washed the car, went to visit my Granna Ann, visited the zoo and Saluda Shoals Splash Pad. I could not have asked for a better start to my week off with the bears.

Andy was not really interested in helping. John was a worker, Wyatt had fun splashing and Andy spent a lot of time letting us know how displeased he was with the whole thing.

We got to see the vultures at feeding time. The zookeepers fed them raw meat of some kind. I like sushi and all, but it was NAS-TY!!

Brotherly Love

Sometimes the boys are so sweet. Our little angels. Giving hugs and kisses, professing their love for each other and mommy and daddy. They even hold hands on their own.