Seaside/Watercolor and Hilton Head 2014!!

We ended the summer with a great 10 day drip to Seaside/Watercolor, Florida with our friends and then on to Hilton Head Island with my parents.  

We joined friends in Seaside/Watercolor midway through their week long trip "on our way" to Hilton Head for our annual trip with my family.  Seaside is near Jason's parents place in Sandestin, but it was our first time spending real any length of time there.  We LOVED it.  We rented two houses among five families and had a great time going to a concert in the park, a movie night and an adult night, too.  We rented bikes and enjoyed the local food and beautiful beach and all of the shops as well.  I definitely am anxious to go back someday.  Such a beautiful location.  

The kids had an absolute ball on vacation with all of their buddies and sleeping in the "bunk room" with all of their friends.  It was like sleep over after sleepover.  One day all the "big kids"  went to camp across the road and the moms (and John and Mallory) went shopping and to lunch.  Jason went deep sea fishing with the guys and we hit both three gorgeous pools.  One better than the next.   A favorite was just steps from the beach and had full food and drink service.  Another had crafts for kids, and another yet, the frog pool, had huge mosaic frogs fountains that spilled water into the pool.  

The adult night was a highlight.  It was a special night that was such a treat.  We got babysitters through the resort, that came to our house and we hit the beach first for drinks and some pictures.  Then we went to dinner at a delicious spot, Crush, that had great wine and fresh seafood.  We stayed there for a long time over wine enjoying each others company and our great waiter who was moving to Chicago!  Jason Nitschke made a toast- "My favorite people, in my favorite place!" After dinner we went for a late night bike ride tour that was SO fun!  All of the bridges were lit up and we had a great tour.  We ended the night with a  late night swim were we laughed SO hard.  I joked the next day that it was the best night of my life.  It was THAT fun.  

Saturday morning we said our goodbyes and headed to Hilton Head to meet my parents.  We had a fabulous time as always and relaxed away.  We swam at the pool at the house we rented for the week and spent a lot of time at the beach.  We also went to three new, really fun restaurant spots.  The beach club had been fully renovated and we had a great time exploring that and making crafts daily at our beach break.  We went for breakfasts at the Harbour Town bakery, and played at the Harbour Town playground- both favorites.  We went on the bubble gum cruise with Gregg Russell that the kids and adults loved alike.  Jason and I had a golf lesson at the Sea Pines brand new renovated club house for Heron Point and Ocean courses.  We relaxed and had a great time together all week.   

A highlight of the trip was when the girls were picked to sing with Gregg Russell.  Jason took the girls to get supplies to make a sign for him like the kids do, so that they would be picked.  He came out with a styrofoam beer cooler and markers.  They made a sign on the cooler that said, "Pick us; we're cooler"  and the top of the cooler said, "Gregg Russell is the coolest."  Gregg Russell loved it, made a joke how it was definitely a dad sign, and picked them FIRST!  The girls were ecstatic.  They were poised and spoke clearly, and answered his questions, as if they stood in front of hundreds of kids and their parents every day.  They chose to sing "Annie" ("The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow").    They were adorable and so good!  We all were beaming with pride.  

There is something about going back to a familiar favorite place with the ones you love.  You don't need to take any time to "settle in" or find the lay of the land.  It's like coming home.  It's comfortable and relaxing instantly.  I love it!