Myrtle Beach

Hey guys!!! I'm back!! I've got so much to do and say it's rediculous!!(I am currently uploading photos as I type. I will insert some pics and video as soon as the uploading is done.)

We started out last Sat morning at 0620 to head to the beach. I seriously do not know how I'm going to accomodate more children in the van because there was enough room for Jason and Moose in the front seats and AJ and I in the middle seats. The back seats had to be folded down and it was packed to the gills. (((rolleyes))) I seriously need a crash course on packing. I'll tell ya though, we used everything we packed. Anyway, we arrived in Colonial Heights, VA around 0915 and we met my mom and cousin Mikie at McDonalds for Breakfast. We finally packed up and headed out around 1020. After a few "U-do it's" d/t some missed turns and exits, I finally pulled into the parking lot of the condo around 1600. It was a long drive but certainly worth it. Jim and Vicki got there around 1700 and we all went out to dinner and we came back and put on the bathing suits and out to the pool we trotted. The water was so WARM!!! It was so nice! AJ is a little fish I kid you not! He loves him some WA WA. He woke up Sunday morning and the first words out of his mouth were "Wa Wa Wa WA"
We all ate some breakfast, put on the bathing suits and out to the ocean we went. It was the neatest experience to see my son take it all in. The sand, the sun, and the wa wa. He was a little leary of the water at first but it does not take my kid long to get brave. Seriously though, I'm not sure who had more fun....me, the kid, or MOOSE!!! That dog was water logged by the time we got home! She was literally jumping the waves and everything else. She had a blast. From that day forward, every time we would start heading towards the beach, she had this real excited whimper and bark she would do all the way to the beach. She was wild. Everyone loved watching her. We attempted to get the in-laws lab into the water but that priss wasn't even about to get her paws wet. She's the best dog in the world but the biggest chicken you've ever met!!! She sun bathed the whole time but never once could we convince her to get in the water. We couldn't even take the lead off of Moose because we were afraid she'd swim out too far and we'd loose her in the tide. It was great. AJ loved playing in the sand with his GG. Oma and Opa went with us every day to the beach. They sunbathed with their priss pot Sadie May. Mikie, Jason, Mom and I would pass off the dog and kid to ride some waves and get sand in places sand should never be. Mikie, who forever has me laughing, and for that alone I love him to death, starting this "Bay watch" thing. We would run into the ocean yelling "Bay Watch on Crack!!" We're just not as fit as those on TV so for some reason I would laugh so hard I'd swallow water. I couldn't believe how fast the ocean wore me out this time. I remember when I was a kid, I could fight those waves for hours on end. Ten minutes and I was breathing hard. I couldn't believe how strong the current was. One time I laughed so hard was when Mikie was riding the waves and he was right where the waves were crashing and all these fish started jumping out. He was screaming and running like a little girl. I thought I would fall out!!!
AJ loved standing in the water and letting the waves crash against his legs. He didn't like for you to let go (not that we were going to anyway) but as long as we were holding him, he'd even start chasing the waves as they receded. He really loved when GG and I sat beside him the last day and he was throwing shells back into the water. I seriously can't believe how warm the weather was. We went to the Aquarium and AJ was trying to pet the sting rays, he rode a carnival ride (cars) all by himself for the first time. My heart was pounding when they were strapping him in, the cars started going around and it only took him about 5 seconds to realize he LOVED it. I was so proud and so sad at the same time. He did it all by himself, without mommy. Argh, he's getting so big!! We went to the Dixie Stampede and the look of pure wonderment on AJ's face while watching all the horses and buffalo had me in tears pretty much the whole time. It was so neat to say that this was a place that my mama and daddy took me to while we were growing up and now my son had the same experience. It was amazing. God blessed us with BEAUTIFUL weather the whole time. There was only one day that we had a pretty good rain but we went to the aquarium and by the time we got out of there the weather was perfect and that was the night AJ had his first carnival ride by himself. We walked aroudn Broadway on the Beach and the Boardwalk. My cousin Mikie and I did the slingshot. I'm hoping I'll be able to post that video soon. That was WILD. I love the adrenaline rush. My mother-in-law asked me (right before take off) If I had lost my mind. It was great. My mom and I had done the same thing on a vacation to TN when I was still in high-school. Thanks mom for giving me the courage to have fun with life!!!! I hope I can pass that onto my son as well! I think Mikie really liked it. His face on the initial blast off has me cracking up every time I watch it, the funniest part was when he was....wiping his eyes!!!!! It was great. We did and saw so much that I really want to get it all down as I remember it. I'm going to post a lot of pics and hopefully the video's as I figure that out. The last night, Mikie, Jason and I went to play some Lazer Tag. I haven't played that since I was a teenager in the youth group at church. I thought I was going to wipe them out. Go figure, Jason's army training came in very handy. He scored like a bandit. We wore ourselves out! We played 2 games and were exhausted by the end of it. It was so much fun though. I would jump out at Mikie from behind a wall just to hear him scream. He would always shoot me because I was laughing so hard. Seriously though, at one point, I had to find a corner and sit down to catch my breath! When did I get old again??? Jason kicked our butts. I bet he was army crawling and everything else. He was stealth like. It wasn't until after that I remembered he once had his "sharp shooter" thingy in the army. (((rolleyes))) Oh well, we had a blast running around like a bunch of nuts. Jim and Vicki got to see the "All you can eat Crab leg Queen" in motion. I was literally ill from eating so much but it was SOOOOO good I couldn't help myself. Jason's only brave enough to take me to the all you can eat crab leg buffet once a year, my birthday. He promised me he was going to let me go on vacation though. He's such a good daddy!!!!
What a blessing to have everyone together for a vacation. We all had a wonderful time, the dogs did great, and we have memories that will last us a life time. Thank you God for being with us on the drive down, the drive around, and the drive home. Thank you for blessing us with beautiful weather and the opportunity to show our son just a little bit more of the wonderful world you have blessed us with. The whole time we were there a song kept playing in my head

"Have you ever looked at the sunset,
With the sky mellowing red
Seen the clouds suspended like feathers,
Then I'd say you've seen Jesus my Lord.

Have you seen,
Have you seen Jesus my Lord
He's here in plain view
Take a look,
Take a look open your eyes
He'll show it to you

Have you ever stood in the ocean,
With the white foam at your feat,
Felt the endless thundering motion,
Then I'd say you've seen, Jesus my Lord
Have you seen,
Have you seen Jesus my Lord
He's here in plain view
Take a look
Take a look, open your eyes
He'll show it to you"
God is truly amazing. I give all my praise. Jason and I were able to bring both families together to spend quality time with our son. In a world where families do not spend much time together anymore, this has really touched my heart. It's very important to me that AJ knows his grandparents and learns to love and respect them for who they are, differneces and all. I want AJ to know that his family will be the wind to help him rise to the top, and the cushion to comfort him when he falls. We will all be his biggest supporters and cheer leaders, as well as his biggest hugs and comforts and shoulders to lean on when he needs. Thanks you guys for loving my family, and for loving my son!!! We love you all!!! (Even if I did try to suffocate you in the van Vicki ***wink, wink***)

Well, I'm off to caption the photos on Snap fish. If the baby doesn't wake up from his nap, I'll try to post some here. We shall see!!!