Charleston, Part 3

Well, of course the whole reason for the trip to Charleston, SC was because dad's brother got married that weekend. Here's the lovely bride and groom afterwords at the reception. I'm not going to put any names on this page because it's the Internet and all that, but they all know who they are! Don't they look like a perfect couple?

Here's mom with one of dad's sisters. At this point in the evening the fun was just getting started! Dad and his sisters started off by attacking the buffet line and things degenerated from there.

Nate found all sort of yummy foods to keep him happy so he didn't mind that mom and dad spent much of the evening socializing. Hey mom, what's that bottle in front of you? The person to the right is one of Nate's cousins. Sean and Nate saw lots of their cousins at the reception but unfortunately none of the younger ones. But that didn't stop them from having a great time, and at points, stealing the show with their uniquely boisterous dance moves. Sean got so tired from running around that he nearly fell asleep on the stage next to the DJ booth! That's when grandma brought him back to the hotel.

Now here's a picture! In the foreground, one of dad's sisters and a niece are dancing away. In the background, Nate and mom are showing of their fancy footwork too! I'm not sure what kind of dance Nate was doing, assuming it was a dance, maybe more like acrobatics that happened to have music in the background.

Charleston, Part 2

The next day we had a chance to tour around the historic district of Charleston, SC in the morning before the wedding. Here, Nate looks like a little angel with wings made of water. Or maybe a bat. Yes, a bat would be a much better analogy for Mr. Nate. He was a good sport though, and didn't whine too much as we dragged him along one cobblestone street after another.
Monkey see, monkey do, of course so Sean had to pose on the exact same granite pillar in front of the same fountain. Two years old, going on six. It's tough to get a good picture of Sean because he's so indifferent to the camera (unlike his glamor-shot brother) so this was an unusual opportunity we had to take. Sean also did remarkably well on this little adventure even though we didn't have enough time to take him on the promised carriage ride.

Here's a rare photo of dad and the boys all together. Usually dad sits on the other side of the camera taking the pictures. It's not apparent from the picture but it was a very windy day. We were about blown off of that little pier on Charleston Harbor. Once the clouds lifted we ditched those windbreakers and got on with our day.

Charleston, Part 1

We drove for several hours on the way to Charleston, SC to attend a wedding. Nate and Sean were about as well behaved as anyone could expect. Thankfully we had grandma along as a "granny nanny" and that made a world of difference, an extra pair of eyes to help keep watch over them. But after a few hours of being cooped up on the ride, the kids needed to get some kicks and wiggles out. So when we finally arrived we marched them right up to the top of the Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River, with it's great views of Charleston Harbor.

The next morning it was time for a little sightseeing and some history lessons. Nate missed three days of school for the trip so he needed some "education." Nate and Sean sure enjoyed the boat ride across the harbor to the little island with Fort Sumter. I'm not sure they truly appreciated the significance either of the Civil War or the fort's prominent role at the start of it, but they liked walking through the ruins and onto the battery. What is it about guys and guns?


At Patriots Point we got to tour the USS Yorktown, a retired aircraft carrier that's now a floating museum. It's a big ship but there were lots of tiny, narrow corridors all throughout it. Nate and Sean explored from one end to the other, climbed up more ladder staircases than anyone can count, and finally made their way onto the flight deck.

All that history, all that touring, and even so, Nate's favorite part of the day happened when he saw two live dolphins by the dock.

Waterfalls

It was a beautiful day, too beautiful to spend indoors. Mom and Dad rushed Sean and Nate out of the house early that morning to get to the waterfalls before the parking was gone. As always, the waterfalls did not disappoint. Their amazing power, created as the river dropped down to the coastal plain, carved these stone steps from solid rock. Water spilled over and through every nook of this narrow gorge.


It's easy to see the falls. There are a number of gentle paths and walkways to take people right up to the edge of the bluff. Mom could even carry Sean on her back without any problems. Everyone liked looking at the rushing water, while Sean and Nate enjoyed hunting for 5-Line Skinks. Fortunately we saw two of these little lizards within minutes of arriving so Nate could then concentrate on flying grasshoppers and daddy-long-legs once he got tired of whitewater.


We hiked along the river loop trail. Nate even seemed to enjoy it! He said it wasn't really like walking because there were lots of things to do along the way. Here he stopped in a "pot hole." Even though we were high atop the bluff, at one time this was below the surface of the river. Rushing water created twisting currents that carried sediment. Over time the abrasive sediment drilled into the solid rock to create a hole that Nate so ably displayed centuries later.

Sean & Dad's Excellent Afternoon

Dad needed to get out of the house and stretch his legs. Nate wanted to sit on the computer and play his Head Sprout reading game so he didn't want to go anywhere. Sean was up for it as long as he could bring his little 3-wheeled scooter along. So Dad and Sean headed out on their adventure down to a nearby park. The two of them don't get a whole lot of one-on-one together time (with nobody else along) so this was a rare treat. They walked a paved path through the woods and stopped by a creek so Sean could wade out into the cool waters to collect pebbles.


Further into the park they stopped at an outdoor stage where the county holds theatrical performances on summer evenings. Sean pretended he was an actor while Dad sat in the audience and clapped. On the way home they stopped at a playground where they swung on swings and built sand castles.

I bet Nate wished he'd gotten away from that computer!

Music Festival

We started off the Labor Day weekend by going to a music festival on Saturday. We've gone before so we knew just what to do. Dad parked the car on a quiet side street, mom brought a picnic dinner along, and we all set up our chairs under a big shade tree to enjoy the show. Nate and Sean sure know how to relax! Most of the time they were a little more active though, chasing a helicopter toy that Dad shot into the air. Sean was wishing for a soccer ball.


The festival was located atop a high hill overlooking the city. We saw this great view when we walked over to the Ben & Jerry's truck after the picnic. There were also lots of booths and stands to wander, with crafts and food, and providing all kinds of information about different county services.


Before long, Nate go into the spirit and started to dance to a band that played Cuban-influenced African beats. He proved he still has a long way to go before finding his inner rhythm, but what he lacked in skill he made up for in enthusiasm. Don't quit your day job, Nate!