Beach Vacation 2012

We just got back from a really great week in Surfside Beach which is just south of Myrtle Beach. We stayed at my cousin Jacky's condo there which was a cute place on a golf course with a pool and a gator! We did so many fun things while we were there.

We went to the beach daily and actually saw a shark on our last day - crazy!!! Very happy it was the last day and not the first - LOL! The kids loved frolicking in the ocean, digging for clams, finding shells, making castles, knocking them over, getting buried and going for walks!

We did rides at the Boardwalk in Myrtle Beach which was great - there were so many there they could do and of course they enjoyed them all! After we hit up a Italian restaurant (Villa Romana) that was SO GOOD! YES, I said it, GREAT Italian in South Carolina - kids gobbled up their veal, pasta, soup and salad and Alex and I got to enjoy our meals!

We visited Broadway at the Beach which was SO much fun. We ate a Key West Grill right on the water and got to enjoy watching the crazy boat rides! We went on some rides and walked around checking it all out - very cool place! We came back another night to Planet Hollywood for dinner. We had never been to one and although the food wasn't great, there was a DJ playing loud music we all knew and could sing along to and all the memorabilia around was SO COOL!

After going out to breakfast one morning we went on a Alligator Adventure and saw tons of gators and crocodiles, including the worlds largest alligator! We saw a live feeding which was awesome! AJ got to pet a baby gator and Dylan got to feed a gator (his new sunglasses!) - fun times! After this we went and saw the House of Blues and I stopped in a Christmas shop for a MB ornament and picked up 2 Mountaineer ones as well! There were WV's and Mountaineers ALL OVER MB! It was nice to see so many!

Our favorite place to eat and hang and listen to music on the water by far was Murrall's Inlet on the Salt Marsh Walk. We went twice and had seafood one night which was awesome at Drunken Jacks which had a pirate theme and the kids got pirate hats and lots of gold coins! The next night we hit up Dead Dog Saloon and had a great time out on the deck listening to the band! Dylan loved dancing! The kids got tattoos and bracelets on the Salt Marsh Boardwalk and we took in all the scenery!

Twice we had lunch and drinks right on Surfside Beach at River City Cafe. It was such a cute place that you can go in all sandy and in your suit and sit on the deck and watch the ocean.

On our final night we did a awesome pirate dinner show. It was so cool and the kids LOVED it. They both got cool pirate tattoos and the both watched the action packed show and ate so nicely - we got the premium seats and had such a unclose view of all the action. There were sword fights, divers, a sealion, dogs that swam, mermaids, cannon blasts, fires and all kinds of fun things - it was a great way to go out on a bang!

BYE BYE BEACH! We will miss you!

Almost forgot, I got to go into a Piggly Wiggly!!!! And of course I got a t-shirt because after all, I am big on the pig!

Broccoli Slaw Salad w/ Avocado

Made this for lunch today and it was SO SO SO good!

Broccoli slaw (WF's makes a organic one?, avocado, red onion and grape tomatoes topped with fresh ground pepper and the juice of a 1/2 a lemon!

My Friend Dylan!

So we were in the library the other day getting more books for AJ's summer reading which I am really enjoying doing with her! We were checking out and of course Dylan sparked up a conversation with the librarian - he introduced himself and then me. He said "Hi, my name is Dylan and this is my friend Mommy"! My heart instantly melted!

And here's one of AJ & I reading at night snuggled on my bed-

Our Extended 4th of July!

We had a great 4th of July here in GA! Alex took off a few days and we did lots of fun things over the long weekend! Alex got out at noon on the 3rd and we celebrated with some orange jello shots and some chips with homemade salsa (made from tomatoes and peppers from my garden) and homemade guacamole!

On the 4th our pool had a big party with free pizza and drinks and they had a dj and we played games. AJ and D loved trying out hula hooping and AJ was really good at it. Dylan was happy to get to drink a coke and we were all excited for some grilled sliders with sautéed onions and dogs and the fireworks - we even lit off a few of our own this year! Our neighborhood put off the most amazing display - it was incredible and SO unclose and personal - really cool to watch out on the golf course!

Thursday we went out for a nice breakfast at place we have never been - J Christopher's - and it's a keeper! Very yummy - I had eggs benedict, the kids had their first chocolate chip pancakes and Alex a smorgasbord!

On Friday we hit up 6 Flags (Great Adventure for all my Jersey peeps)and we were amazed how many rides had no line and how many cool roller coasters, water rides and slides and other rides the kids could do. This meant I only got a few shots of them on the more babyish rides because Alex and I were riding on the bigger ones with them!

Saturday we hit the pool up early and then came home to relax and I cooked up a awesome meal of crab legs and clams - SO good!

Sunday we hit the pool early again and came home to relax more and I cooked up another delicious meal of sausage, cannelloni beans, white wine, broccoli rate, garlic and parm reggiano cheese - YUMM!

It was a great extended weekend spent with my 3 favorite people! 2 weeks of normalcy (camp for the kids, lots of running and chores for me, work for Alex) and then we hit the beach! Can't wait!

Splash of RED by Linda Gale!

In my last post I mentioned my amazing newly decorated living room thanks to Mimi! LOVE LOVE LOVE-ING my splash of RED people! Mimi you are awesome!!!

Mimi & Miss Margie's GA Visit

I was beyond happy to have my mother and God Mother come for a visit - we were all TOTALLY surprised when we saw Mimi walk out of the airport with a familiar face in tow - it was AWESOME. Not only did they get to spend AJ's 5th birthday here with us but we got in tons of shopping, eating and other fun family time! They kids were SO happy that my mother's sister (my God Mother) finally got here for a visit. They totally came up with the best nick name ever - Dylan out of the blue called her Miss Margie on the car ride home from the airport and it stuck - we all totally enjoyed the sound of it each and every time! We were so excited to get to some antique shops here and all the home accessory shops. My Aunt bought me the most fantastic antique chest and a great lamp and my mother's decorating skills made the amazing living room complete with new art work, lamps, pictures, a new accent table, a floral arrangement she did herself and quite a few other knick knacks! Always love having family and so do the kids and this visit was very special - so happy Miss Margie finally made it down south - we all hope she comes back again soon, next time with Joo Joo!!!

AND almost forgot - Alex and I got in a Mexican date night! Woohoo!!!