Hilton Head {Part 2}

Most days of our trip to Hilton Head Island we woke up and went straight to our spot beach side. The Cutes wasted no time hopping in the waves the moment we got there, and I was shocked at the fact they literally both have no fear. Luckily it was close to 100 degrees so I didn't mind wrangling in their adventurous sides as long as we were in cool blue ocean water. 

 Our evenings we frequented some of mommy's favorite spots. First order of business was South Beach Marina. The South Beach area has changed so much since I was younger, but there are some staples that are just the same.

The Land's End Tavern is always a delicious option with an atmosphere perfect for children. Decorated in kind of a pirate theme the kids always think it is a blast. 

The trip though we opted for the infamous Salty Dog Cafe. The Salty Dog was a smaller dock side cafe and t-shirt shop when I was growing up and now it has grown into a large portion of South Beach Marina. The original Salty Dog Cafe doesn't take reservations and there is continually a long wait, especially during busy season. The Wreck of the Salty Dog is just around the corner on the water from it's original counter part and serves the same food so we opted for that this trip since we wouldn't have to wait. 

The kids thought it was hilarious that they had life size statues everywhere, and even one of Jake - the  whole name sake behind the Salty Dog empire. 

Cute also informed me this is his favorite bird, and he needed to come home with us. Sorry buddy, Mr. Pelican is going to have to stay. 

There are tons of delicious options on the menu and I absolutely LOVE their hushpuppies. Sorry I didn't take a pic...they don't last long. For dinner I ordered the cajun chicken and shrimp pasta, and it was worth every indulging calorie. Keeping up with my two littles on the beach, I needed to carb load. 

Each evening in the plaza they have entertainment. The earlier entertainment is always for the children and it is so fun. Some nights its a musician and some nights its a magician, and each performer makes sure to have tons of child interaction for their show so the littles love it. They also usually have chalkboards kids can draw on, face painting and a few other fun side things for children to do.

After taking in the magician after dinner, we headed to the infamous Salty Dog t-shirt shop. They original shop is above the ice cream shop, but there is a larger store just off the plaza. The store has a few resident macaws in the back that you can talk to. 

During the day they are sometimes outside in the plaza to visit, but in the evenings they are usually in the store. There is a large observing area and its always fun to see them. 

And speaking of ice cream, we couldn't end the visit with out a scoop or two from the Salty Dog Ice Cream shop. They have tons of flavors and great milkshakes, and it is just as delicious as it was when I was a child. 

The Cutes concur. 

After a long day of beachside fun, and a yummy dinner and show you would think our little crew would be done, but the fun doesn't stop there. 

In the evenings, Cute enjoyed playing golf with grandpa for a few holes. This was the perfect time of day to play (other than first thing in the morning) because of how hot it was, and they both stayed out swinging their irons until it was too dark to see your ball. 

It was always so cute to watch from our condo, and I love that Cute gets to enjoy such a fun activity with my dad. 

Hilton Head has so much to offer for everyone and I can't wait to share even more fun with you tomorrow. 

What is your favorite beachside activity? 

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Hilton Head {Part 1}

Beach life! Summer in our house is all about the beach and you won't hear one complaint from our little crew. Right after we returned home from Jamaica, the Cutes and I did a quick turnaround and kissed Mr. Cute goodbye bright and early Monday morning to head to one of my favorite beach destinations here in the south - Hilton Head Island, SC. 

I grew up visiting the island when I was younger and for the last few years it has been fun sharing those memories with the Cutes. The drive from Atlanta is around 5 1/2 hours. Now here is where I learned, while Little Cute is great at flying she is not so great at car riding. I heard "Mama!!!!" screeched at the top of her lungs for a solid four of those hours. 

The moment I saw the Savannah Bridge, and peeked at the silence of sleeping children in my rear view was a welcomed relief. So much so that since there wasn't a car behind me I slowed to a stop and took a few photos and just enjoyed the fun drive I knew was ahead. 

My family thinks I am crazy when I drive this route, but I love driving through Savannah, and then through one of my favorite small beach towns - Bluffton, SC. 

I could only snap a few quick pics at stop lights as we drove through, but trust me when I say it is one of the cutest southern beach towns with some amazing downtown restaurants. If you get a chance one day, and want to spend some time at a not so commercialized beach town, Bluffton is your answer. 

I would have stopped and let us stretch our legs normally at the point to enjoy the town for a bit, but Little Cute was still sleeping and I was not about to wake her. 

Hilton Head is only about a 40 minute drive beyond Bluffton, and we typically stay in Sea Pines. We have stayed a few of the other plantations on the island, but Sea Pines is our absolute favorite. From the beaches to the bike riding to the restaurants I visited as a child, Sea Pines has our heart. 

We arrived late afternoon and wasted no time in putting our toes where they belong - in the sand! 

The kids absolutely LOVE the beach, and if it weren't for dinner they would have built sand castles, jumped waves, and chased sea gulls until they passed out. But I knew not to over due it on our first day, and begrudgingly loaded the kids back up to grab a quick meal at the condo. 

Later after the Cutes were tucked safely in bed (under the watchful eye of grandma and grandpa), I enjoyed a grocery shopping trip solo for some snacks and survival wine treats, and knew it was going to be a great week when I stumbled upon these extra large tubs of Talenti. Mmmm....

I seriously could live here. :)

Over the next few days I will share some of our favorite Hilton Head moments, and hopefully you fall in love with the island as much as I have. Until then...happy gelato eating!

Do you have a beach town that you just love? 

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A Minions Backyard Bash

A few weekends ago we hosted a Minions Backyard Bash to celebrate the movie premiering on July 10th. It was so much fun and we can't wait to see the movie this weekend!

We are blogging all about the villainous fun over at Savvy Sassy Moms. To read about the Minions Backyard Bash make the hop HERE. 

Will you be taking your little ones to see the Minions Movie?

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Share Your Summer: Red, White & Blue

We hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend.  Our families love this holiday and everything it stands for.  Today as part of our Share Your Summer series we are talking about all things red, white and blue.  We hope you'll link up with us!

My family was a the lake for the 4th, but that didn't stop my from celebrating at home before we left. I love decorating my house for holidays and this one was no exception.

I didn't do a whole lot inside this year since we wouldn't be in town, but I did change my chalk-board message and added a few flags in mason jars.

Outside I hung a mini American flag on my garden flag pole and added coordinating ribbons.

On the front doors I have my burlap anchors hanging and since they match, I just left them up.  I made these the same way I did the football ones.  You can find the tutorial HERE.

I added red pillows on the bench and also set out some fun red, white and blue pinwheels along with a handmade basket I've had for years.  I finally got smart and put all of the stuff I always need outside in the basket (dog leash, treats, bug spray, etc.) so it's out there and I don't have to keep running back inside for it.  

Our side door on the porch has some fun added to it, too! I used to use this on the front door at our old house, but since we have double front doors now, all of my old wreaths and things get moved to the side door.

We can't wait to see your red, white and blue so be sure to link-up below!

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Summer Bucket List - Update

Exactly one month.  That’s how long I have left with my kids home for summer break.  I think it should be a crime that they go back to school so early, but August 3 they will be back.  I love having my kids home with my on summer break. I love our relaxed schedules, I love sleeping in a bit, and I love the chaos of having them around the house.  

On our first day of summer break I shared our Summer Bucket list and all of the fun things I hoped to do with them this summer.  Now that we are half way through summer I thought I’d revisit that list, check off what we’ve done, and try to find a way to squeeze in most of the other fun into the next couple of weeks.  

*Visit a water park/splash pad - Not yet. 

*Have a picnic - We’ve had picnics on the boat, but it’s WAY too hot to eat outdoors otherwise. 

*Make home made ice-cream - I need to get on this for sure!  

*Sleepovers with friends - We have had lots and lots of sleepovers.  In fact, Boo-Boo has even had his first sleepovers with friends here and at their house. 

*Go to a Braves game - We're living vicariously through Jen's family right now on this one. 

*Take beach vacation - Heading there in a few weeks! 

*Play putt-putt - We’re planning to do this on our beach vacation. 

*Find local place to get shaved ice/snow cones - I have been searching and searching with no luck.  There is a little place near us that is a coffee shop and I’ve been told they have shaved ice, too.  But, because it’s a small coffee/smoothie place they have really weird hours and close early each day.   I really want to find a place I can take my kids after dinner in the evenings so if anyone is local and knows of a place, please share!  Otherwise, I'm tempted to open my own.  

*Lots of fun at the lake - Done, done and done! 

*Visit the library - We finally had a chance to visit the library this week for the first time.  The girls’ school library is open on Tuesday afternoons and this past week we took advantage of it.  It's funny how new books can spark their interest in reading.  

*Playdates with friends we don’t see often - Hoping to accomplish this in a few weeks, too. 

*See summer movies -We can't wait to see Inside Out, Max and the new Minions movie in the next few weeks.  

*Eat dinner at local food truck events - The shopping village across the street from our neighborhood has these events once a month and we were excited to go this week.  We are able to walk there from our house, which makes it even more fun.  There were 7 food trucks, music, kids dancing and playing with chalk and we ended our night with popsicles from the King of Pops.  

*Visit World of Coke - LOVED this outing.  If you missed it, check out my post HERE. 

*Visit Aquarium - Might be able to squeeze this in our schedule in a few weeks.  Otherwise we might wait and do it over Fall break. 

*Ride SkyView - Still wanting to do this, but haven't been yet. 

*Run through Centennial Olympic Fountains - Such a fun time.  Read about it HERE.  

*Practice “school” related skills - I have been making the girls read a lot, but we have not been working as much as I would like. Now that swim team is over I’m hoping our mornings can be spent getting ready to get back into school mode.  

As you can see we are making our way through our list and having lots of fun in the process.  I'm so sad that summer is half over and because we are going to be out of town for 2 of the 4 weeks we have left I just know it will fly by.  However, I'm going to try to soak up every second of having the kids home with me and keep trying to make it as fun and memorable as possible!

Don't forget on Monday we'll be having another installment of our Share Your Summer series and it's all about red, white and blue.  We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend and we hope you will come back on Monday to link up and share all of your red, white, and blue with us!

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Easy 4th of July Treats

Only a few more days until one of our favorite holidays!!!  We love the 4th of July.  We love the American flags everywhere you turn, spending time with friends and family, and of course the fun fireworks as a way to end the night.

Today we are over at Savvy Sassy Moms guest posting about some easy 4th of July treats you can create for your get together this weekend.

My kids were the taste testers for the dipped ice cream cones (well actually for everything) and they loved every bite!

I promise it is all super simple and really quick so you still have time to create an entire themed dessert spread.  Check out the directions HERE.

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Book Club: July

Yay, yay, it's book club day! We loved getting to read The Fringe Hours with you all and chatting along the way. What a fun format! We might have to do that again in the future! We have a super fun summer read (by one of our favorite southern writers) planned for July, but first as promised our final thoughts on The Fringe Hours by Jessica N. Turner.

Carrie Beth's Review: 

I had been wanting to read this book after seeing a lot of people post about it on social media.  I wondered what the hype was and wondered how I could make more time for myself.  As a stay-at-home-mom without a "real" job I often feel like people thing I have all the time in the world, but that just isn't the case. I might not go into an office at set hours each day, but that also means I have no childcare, no housekeeper, no nothing. It is all on me and I'm fine with that.  I choose to be a mom and make my kids my first priority. However, it can be a crazy, busy, and thankless job at times that is  constant.  It's 24/7 and that's why I think it's so important to find some time for yourself, no matter when that time is.  I will say, now that my kids are a little older it is easier for me to make time for myself.  They are more independent, not as needy, and happy to play by themselves so I do take advantage of that and see how "me" time has evolved over the years.

I loved how Jessica Turner talked about finding pockets of time in your day to do things that make you feel better as a person and to really fill you up.  Not just to find more time to get more tasks done, but to spend that time really being productive in a way that serves you.  I loved that she talked about finding time that works for you.  I am NOT a morning person.  At all.   I have tried.  For me, nights are MY time.  After everyone is asleep and the house is quiet, that is my time to do things for myself. Sure, I might throw in a load of laundry or pick up dishes in the kitchen, but the majority of that time is spent doing things for myself.  That's when I check social media, which might seem mindless and just a waste of time to some people (like my husband), but for me, it makes me happy and in turn fills me up. I love staying connected with friends in that way.  It's also most often when I blog.  Before this blog, I still had my personal blog and while some people might not understand why it makes me happy to stay up late posting pictures and writing recaps of our weeks, it is something I do for me.  I love looking back on all of the memories and I know my children will one day treasure the blog books and memories I am documenting of our lives.

Lastly, I'm awful at saying no and I know that is something I should work on.  I love to be involved in my kids' schools and sports and because I'm a stay-at-home mom I feel it is my obligation to do so.  However, I often find myself feeling stressed out, over committed, and constantly rushed.  I want to just be able to enjoy my kids and this season of life, without always feeling like I have a million things in the back of my mind that need to be done.  I was hoping this summer would be a little bit of a break since school is out, but I've somehow found a way to over-commit us all in a way that makes the time fly by instead of feeling like a relaxing and lazy summer. I do think that after completing this book I will be making a conscious effort to only say yes to the really important things, to make time for not only myself, but my family, and to only fill my time with those things that will truly bring me joy.  You know the funny sayings Happy Wife = Happy Life and If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy are really true. If I'm stressed and overwhelmed I know I take that out on my kids and my husband, and that isn't fair to any of us.  I'm hoping to really start choosing joy in my own life to make the other people around me happier and more joyful as well!

Jen's Review: 
Saying "no" to things was actually one of my New Year's goals. While I have somewhat gotten better at this, I have largely failed. I often say yes to something or volunteer to help out even when I consciously know it's going to be slightly overwhelming for me. During the school year our schedule was tight, and if anything out of the ordinary came up - watch out! Our whole schedule got thrown off and things began to stack up on one another. Not the most fun for anyone involved. Speaking with friends I know this is a common problem for many moms.

As I read Fringe Hours, I realized I whole heartedly believed in Jessica Turner's philosophy, and somewhat already actively did some of her suggestions. I realized where I had little pockets of time and would use those to do things that were fun for me. If I am driving in the car, I would call to catch up with one of my friends quickly. If I was sitting in carpool for over half an hour, I would read a book or a magazine. If it was time to exercise, I would turn on my favorite mindless television shows I had recorded earlier and enjoy two "me" things at once.

Following Turner's advice, I wrote down all of the things I am "in charge of" and realized where I can outsource a few things so that I can find some wiggle room in my routine. I also realized where our family can say no to a few things and actually enjoy our time together rather than rushing from place to place to fulfill each commitment. Hopefully we've made some changes for the long term, and will see instant stress relieving results.

Now to discuss: What did you think of Fringe Hours? Have you found little pockets in your day to get in some "me time"? What are some things you wish you could spend more of your time doing?

July's Selection: Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

From the Back Cover: 

Greer Hennessy is a struggling movie location scout. Her last location shoot ended in disaster when a film crew destroyed property on an avocado grove. And Greer ended up with the blame.

Now Greer has been given one more chance--a shot at finding the perfect undiscovered beach town for a big budget movie. She zeroes in on a sleepy Florida panhandle town. There's one motel, a marina, a long stretch of pristine beach and an old fishing pier with a community casino--which will be perfect for the film's climax--when the bad guys blow it up in an all-out assault on the townspeople.

Greer slips into town and is ecstatic to find the last unspoilt patch of the Florida gulf coast. She takes a room at the only motel in town, and starts working her charm. However, she finds a formidable obstacle in the town mayor, Eben Thinadeaux. Eben is a born-again environmentalist who's seen huge damage done to the town by a huge paper company. The bay has only recently been re-born, a fishing industry has sprung up, and Eben has no intention of letting anybody screw with his town again. The only problem is that he finds Greer way too attractive for his own good, and knows that her motivation is in direct conflict with his. 

Will true love find a foothold in this small beach town before it's too late and disaster strikes? Told with Mary Kay Andrews inimitable wit and charm, Beach Town is this year's summer beach read!

BOOK CLUB 2015

| February | March | April | May | June |

Happy Reading!

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