More Space for our Adventure

We are so happy to have such a large amount of space to sprawl out here at the Inns of Charleston. We fully expected a hotel room with two queen beds and a bathroom. We arrived to find that we are staying in a fully furnished duplex, complete with kitchen, dining room, breakfast room, living room, 4 bedrooms, and two baths. Yesterday mom was planning on coming to pick us up in their extra vehicle, which just so happens to be a minivan that I've been able to use almost every time I've visited. As mom was on her way to retrieve the Hamrick clan, we walked over a mile to eat breakfast and the weather was nice. We ate at the golf course and, I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by how good the breakfast was! Omelet, pancakes, hashbrowns, grits, and, as I mentioned in my Facebook Status, sweet tea! Yes, it counts as part of the breakfast! While there I realized there was no way for my mom to contact us so I called the hotel receptionist and let her know we were at breakfast and that my mom would likely be calling. I asked her to let my mom know that and that once back in the room, I'd check in. The walk back to our room, or, house, reminded us that we were, indeed, back in the south. It was hot. We all changed into shorts and short sleeves when we got back.

After we returned to the house I called the front desk to find out if mom had called. She had and not with good news. She was stranded a couple hours away as the green van had about lost its wheels, literally. Mechanics were looking at it and dad was working on a back up plan. Off and on throughout the day we got calls from them, updating us on the status.

During the time at the house the boys played outside in the enormous back yard for a while and then took a short rest time. Matt and I used that 90 minutes to play "Hill Rummy." (It's a cross between Gin rummy and Phase 10... very fun.) Because breakfast had been sort of late, we ended up eating a rather late lunch. This involved another long walk, probably 1.5 miles. On the walk back to the house, Parker started to unravel. He was super tired and just wanted his bed. The big boys were troopers, but Carson's legs started to get tired. Matt ended up carrying him the last 10 minutes. Back at home we got a call that Mom and Dad were about an hour out! Excitement started to grow amongst the Hamrick boys!

Carson put in a movie and chilled in his room, Parker ate, Bailey went outside, and Matt, Hayden, and I played Scrabble. Then the call came... they were 10 minutes out. Matt and Hayden headed to the main gate to meet them and I gave Parker a quick bath. Afterwards, I had to put him down (how dare I?!?) as I needed to move his pack-and-play into the room he was going to use. He cried the entire time. In fact, he was still screaming when Nana and Papa came in the front door! It didn't take Nana long to have him perfectly content and all the reunions were sweet.

Dad had rented a huge, glorious 15 passenger van so I went out to install the car seat base, trying to stay out of Parker's eye sight while he was calm. (While Matt was in Garmisch last week Parker became something of a mamma's boy... bless him!)

Once the initial hellos were complete we all loaded up, for the first time ever, into the same vehicle. While they were visiting us in Germany we had to travel in two. There's something to be said about a 15 passenger van! It promotes togetherness!!! And, Matt is excited about this, we won't have to strap the luggage and extra kids to the roof to get everything to North Carolina!

Loaded and ready, our destination? CHICK-FIL-A!!!! Oh, the blessed Christian Chicken. We've missed that place! I had chicken strips with CFA sauce. Matt had the new spicy chicken, and the boys had nuggets. I may have to beg for CFA for breakfast to get the Chicken-Minis. And guess what?!? All 5 of the Hamricks who can eat solid foods enjoyed sweet tea with dinner!

The plan was to come back to the house and watch Myth Busters and eat popcorn. The Mythbusters was in but no one was hungry for popcorn. All three boys were asleep before the episode was over and, as it ended, the adults called it a night.

Parker woke up at 0600, ate, played for a few minutes, and then was back to sleep by Reveille. (Yes, it played at 0700 and I enjoyed every single note of it.) Bailey and Carson both woke up at 0700 to use the bathroom but have since fallen back asleep. Currently I'm the only one awake and the coffee has brewed. I think I'll go pour a cup...