Slice of Life - Summer Trip

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When I began planning our vacation for this summer, I knew it would be amazing. Starting with a weekend at my Aunt and Uncle's home in Nokomis, Florida. Moving on to Disney World for five days. Ending with a weekend on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina with my parents and their friends. Eleven days. The longest my boys have ever been away from home, but I was sure it would be worth it. 

It was. 

2,600 miles, 42 hours in the car together, and we're all still speaking. 

I'm home for a day and then head off to the All Write conference tomorrow followed by the Choice Literacy writing retreat. Another week gone. Another week that I cannot wait to experience. Blogging will be sporadic, at best, until after the 24th. By then, I'm sure, I will have so much to share. Until next time, enjoy a video of some photos from an amazing eleven day trip. 

Daufuskie Island

When I was younger – end of middle school or beginning of high school – my parents started bringing our family down to this tiny island off the coast of Hilton Head for vacations. To say it was remote is an understatement. You need to take a boat from Hilton Head to get there. The boat ride is long, not as a result of distance but due to wake restrictions. After about forty-five minutes you would reach the island, then take a ten-minute bus ride to reach the resort. For the remainder of the week you would drive golf carts seeing very few vehicles. There were no shops on the island other than some local artists (no bookstores!). You spent your time lying by the pool, golfing, walking, and relaxing.

Iron Fish Gallery, pay by
putting $$ under the door.

I’ve been back so many times; I’m guessing this trip is about my tenth. I came here for more family vacations, our honeymoon, and vacations with Chris and the boys. This year we met up with my parents and an aunt and uncle. I was beyond ready to come.

As I’ve posted about already on this blog, summer is a time I think I will relax but truly I feel busier than I do during the school year. The boys are involved in so many things I feel like a shuttle most days. I do embrace that, I’m well aware I’ll miss it when they’ve grown, but I also crave downtime.

 From the moment I step on the boat to come over (now only thirty minutes) I begin to breathe deeply. Looking at the Calibogue Sound, my heart rate slows down. I know I have days stretching ahead of me with nothing to do. The biggest choice we have might be how many hours will we stay at the pool today? Should we tour the island by golf cart or go to yoga class. Ahhh. 

So I might be quieter online this week. You will find me poolside reading as many Newbery books as possible. (Five since Saturday – woo hoo!) I hope to be completely relaxed so that some of that feeling will survive the fifteen-hour drive home.