Other spring break notes

I forgot to mention that I did two tours, one was walking with a guide through the historic section where I could get photos since we didn't go in homes and the other was a tour on my own through 9 homes where photos were not allowed. They were also very strict about keeping phones put away so no chance to sneak photos. I wanted to get some so badly. The first house was owned by a musician bachelor and the house reflected that, down to the dishes in the sink!! I could only chuckle to myself, no one was with me to make comments. (I did meet people on the tour, mostly older people and some called me Dorothy the whole time since I'm from Kansas.)  Other houses were better staged for the hundreds of people walking through. Most were pretty fussy, historical homes after all. Oh, one had sponge paint all through the main areas of the house. Like, bad sponge painting, not some subtle texture on the wall. Bizarre. I really really loved one home though, had been renovated for a family with 4 kids (6, 7, 8 and 9) which we were told MANY times are home schooled. A very photogenic family too and they live quite the life according to a public Facebook profile. I was hoping to find photos of the house so I could show people, but alas, no. I am sure it will show up in a magazine before long… brick walls, white kitchen, lots of Restoration Hardware influences. Lovely. They had a tiny side yard/driveway with basketball court but it backed up to the neighbor's house. I am just thankful that my kids can play basketball without annoying the neighbors every time they miss a shot.

So in our photo stream we can now see what I was doing in Charleston while the rest were here in Kansas. I would be out for a fancy dinner and Sean would be with the kids at Purple Swirl. He was at the Salt Mines with the kids and I was out for BBQ on Sullivan's Island. So here are some of those shots. I think the kids still had a good time here for spring break, lots of lazy days which they love.

 He took them biking down at the park. Now that three have real bikes we are pretty close to family bike trips. Oh wait, Sean and I don't have bikes… hmm, someday.

 Purple swirl, kids love it. I preferred the desserts in Charleston and I greatly look forward to Radina's Bakehouse opening soon. Real European style pastries!! I have been enjoying cupcakes from 4 Cakes in the meantime, love all the new places around town. Wow, I really need to get that pool heater fixed so I can work out again… ($50 part on the way!).

 Headed to work in the salt mines. Patrick told me all about the emergency masks that they had to have with them. He said if it burns his mouth, that just means it is working. Fun!

 Patrick told me they were supposed to touch these salt rocks. They were able to bring some home and I've been told several times that they can't touch wood. I think I need to spray them with some special paint to seal them.

 Big salt rock?

 Well, who is this little salt rock model?

 More salt mines, hard to tell but I think they are being goofy here.

 Old equipment that they can't get back up the elevator.

 They store movie memorabilia in the salt mines and here are some samples I guess. Ironically, I got to see this movie in a dance bar in Charleston (when I was too tired to dance) and realized it was one we could show the kids now. Suddenly they are old enough for movies we used to like too.

 Sean would like to point out that as always in these sort of displays, the x-rays are reversed. Also, there is no need to keep x-rays this long. No one is going to pull these for a comparison study 50 years later.

 Same goes for these, there is a time limit as to when patient records are useful..

 This was pretty cool though, the actual newspaper account after Lincoln was shot.

 Another fine film...

 This is the Batman suit that George Clooney wore. Sean is such a good husband for taking this photo for me.

 Patrick doesn't realize this is from the lame TV show version of Superman.

 Not sure what this is, fancy train?

 Old reels of Friends, in case someone doesn't catch them in syndication? Overall Sean said this was a good trip but wouldn't be worth it if it was even 10 minutes farther away. He stopped to get them dinner at Chili's in Salina on the way home. Best dad ever. I took him out for a good meal when I got home Monday night. He was afraid that I would be sick of eating out. No, sorry, I don't understand that concept. I could literally eat every single meal out in my life, except if I had to go to Chili's.

Charleston: Bachelorette, Food and Houses

The kids were not too happy to hear that they weren't going anywhere for spring break and even less happy to hear that I was going someplace by myself, ha ha! Bridget invited 12 of us to join her for a long weekend in Charleston to celebrate her engagement, so we all rented a house down on Sullivan Island and then ate our way through Charleston. I also managed to attend an event I've read about for years, the Festival of Houses and Gardens put on by the Historic Charleston Foundation, so double success for me. I explored the whole area too, doing research for future vacations. Used to think I'd like to move there but I'm over that. Bugs, snakes, alligators, extreme heat and humidity, houses close together, I'm going to pass. But great vacation spot!

 One of my favorite houses on the walking tour, important enough to have a plaque.

 These houses had a water view, unfortunately it was of the less attractive side of town, freighters come in there.

 So much great landscaping, they do so much with so little space. Perhaps this will motivate me to work on my own yard...

 One of my best meals, fried green tomatoes on grits from Magnolias.

 Tiny pink house that I thought my girls would love. Many homes there are just one room wide for ventilation purposes. It must have been hell to live there before air conditioning.

 Lots of private gardens there and some homeowners are kind enough to put little windows in the walls to peek through.

 Drinks on the rooftop. It was cooler than usual there but still lovely after our crap crap crappy winter.

 The bride!

 Turns out I love mojitos, who knew? I think the important part is that the mint isn't chopped up because I hate drinking bits of mint.

 Poogan's Porch for dinner on Friday. Best biscuits ever, seriously. We couldn't stop eating them.

 Caroline, Bridget and Ashley.

 Fancy mac and cheese and the biscuit. I realize it looks like a regular biscuit but it isn't.

 Lunch on Saturday, I love how Miranda and Jess look like they are ready to party walking in.

 Bridget's work friends, obviously a brilliant group, but also very funny and entertaining.

 Sisters. Everyone but Bridget was in all black for going out Saturday night.

A different kind of biscuit from Fish on Saturday. I'm so hungry just reviewing the photos...

 Fish and shrimp sliders with bacon french fries. Perfection.

 The bachelorette was a good sport.

 I drove down to Kiawah Sunday morning to check it out. The drive was lovely, a tunnel of trees with Spanish moss.

 Then brunch at the Lost Dog, kids would have loved it as it was certainly dog friendly.

 Mimosas while waiting for a table.

 Perfect cinnamon roll. Someone kept talking about the "white sauce". The glaze? I think I bake more than busy lawyers. No wonder they are all so thin, they don't make "white sauce" at home for snacks...

 Eggs benedict with fried green tomatoes on it. We were trying to see how many different versions of fried green tomatoes we could try. I even had some at the airport. I do not recommend those.

 We walked out on a pier above this swamp land stuff, alligator area I bet. Couldn't live here either. Shudder.

 This was in I'on which has many homes from my favorite magazines. I used to think about moving here but now I like my big yard where neighbors can't hear my kids yelling...

 View from our beach house. This lighthouse inspired home was on the point and we faced out at the strait that ran between islands.

 As such we could look at and sit on the beach but could not go in the water. Fine with me, it was chilly. The surfers I saw down on Folly Beach were in wetsuits.

The "Keenan Girls", instagram style. I finally figured out how to use Instagram, still need to figure out how to follow Megan on there…

Anyway, a great long weekend there, painful to come home to this:

Should be 70s this weekend though…

This week in bad photos

 Spring arrived an hour too soon.  I don't recall ever having such a bad reaction to the time change but everyone was crabby and tired all week. But the nice weather at least got us outside. I thought they would be more tired and thus adjust to the earlier bedtime but no.

 Patrick did look happy to finally get his own bike. As you will see in later photos, it was time and every single day he was begging us to take him to the store. He told us he wanted a Star Wars bike or a blue one. I think we are past the character bike stage...

 Here he is trying it out at the park while they waited to pick up the kids from track. Later in the week he pleaded with me to let him ride on our street as he was getting a little tired of the route around our house so I took him. Uphill, no problem for me. Downhill he got too much speed going and I'm a little sore today. We live in the dustbowl and I'm just glad he never wiped out on all the sand in the street still.

 Emily thinks she can use Patrick's old trick bike now. It's not too fast in the grass...

 Okay, and this is why he needed a new bike. Anna taught him to ride on this one and he was so eager that he didn't seem to care that it was pink. He was so proud that he could do it. But then he started to focus on the pink part.

 We also tried flying the kite from Bridget one day. It was pretty windy but still no success.

 While everyone else was playing outside, Emily decided she was wiped out from the party and needed a nap. She of course didn't nap but still shocking that she wanted to lay down and try. Maybe the sun precisely on her face didn't help.

 Scooter riding later in the week. Notice the wide variety of outfits that Emily wears. I should go start laundry now that I'm thinking about it...

 Oh, a tantrum about bedtime. Thank you time change. She never does this so we were having some good laughs. Oh, to be the youngest...

 And this is how she greeted me the morning after her tantrum. Came down all dressed, just needed me to button it.

 Then she put on tap shoes and we went to walk her babies.

 Iced tea day! It happened, it really happened. I converted from hot tea to iced tea, but only in the afternoon… really loving the warm weather but still not getting out to enjoy it enough.

 Dress #85 for the week. Channeling spring break. Sorry kids, you're just going to the pool.

 Okay, and the park. Usually we get a park date in a few times over the winter but not this year. So awful and long.

 She can do anything in a dress.

 Oh yes, driveway drinking. It was that kind of day, plus I have a few half bottles of wine left from the party. They mustn't go bad.

 Patrick was thrilled when some motorcycle group hung out on our corner for a while. Yes, I get photos of everything. It was kind of random though and they were there for quite a while. I should have sent Patrick out to meet them...

 I'm not sure what this is, maybe part of a leprechaun trap? All I know is that it made it difficult for the tooth fairy to get in.

 Here is the official leprechaun trap which I never taught the kids about but Patrick learned about it at school. Emily just walked in wearing yet another dress and said, "Let's get this party started". I'm going to need more caffeine. Patrick was up early begging for food. So much for spring break sleeping in. The kids have computer games to play!