Going on a Bear Hunt

It's T-minus 2 days until our Beach Week with Grammy and Grandpop Shaiko, which translates into a plentiful picture harvest for Suz. So, what should you do after midnight when you should be packing...or sleeping? Emptying those pictures off the camera to make room for new ones. Here goes...

Here are some shots of the count-down to Charleston (or as Allie would call it, the countdown to Grandmom and Grandpa's). We loaded up the car and headed south to North Carolina where we pit-stopped at my parents' who graciously entertained our almost 2.5 year-old while Chris and I headed to Charleston to eat and walk our way through the beautiful city for a short stay. We're not sure who had more fun, us or Allie. We know for sure that the prize for most (joyfully) exhausted went to my parents. Not sure if you've picked up on the fact that our girl is, shall we say, spirited. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Someone just realized she wasn't coming with us. 

We made a whopper of a $19.95 purchase to get this little beauty (the pool, Allie is much more expensive :o). We loved it! Just as soon as the hour and a half-blow-up/fill-up time was over.
Who needs a yard, right?

Someone's new favorite game, throw a beach ball down a breeze-filled-alley and watch Mommy run after it in flip-flops...repeat. Never gets old.

What? I gotta work out the cobwebs for the beach.

You can't see it, but I've strategically hidden the beach ball (a confiscated find from last-year's graduation ceremony) behind her chair.

It was a huge hit.

Enough of this playtime. Take me to my Grandmom and Grandpa's.

Allie may have a nice round belly, but we wouldn't call her 'husky.'

Did she have SO much fun? Yep...there's more than a kernel of truth to that statement.

Turns out it gets pretty steamy in Charleston in July. Even this camera-toting-lady didn't take the big one with me on our marathon walking outings, so you'll have to make due with these cell-phone shots as evidence that we did survive two nights without our girl. The copious amounts of seafood and grits helped to get us through.

So what do two parents without their toddler do for fun in Charleston?

Take over the Armed Forces, one inoperable aircraft and submarine at a time (Patriot's Point).

Hang out at a historic plantation from the 1700's (Drayton Hall)...

And a lot of this...:o).

Back in the North (it's all relative, right?), we continued our Summer-duties of day-trips and visits with buddies. This time we tag-teamed with the Gonzales trio to take on the National Zoo. It was a huge, hot, sweaty, chocolately, success.

Allie gave her boys a proper greeting and check-up, making sure all were ready for 'SO MUCH FUN!'

Please note the cleanliness of this crew...it didn't last long. 

Brady, trust me. I'm a catch.

Fine, but don't think this is over.

I know, I'll wow him with my monkey imitations.

Pretty good, huh?

I'll dazzle him with long explanations of things that I make up or hear and repeat.

Uh-huh...Works every time.

Let's go!

These are seals. I only know a little about them, but I'll tell you a whole lot anyways.

 And, what trip to any kind of public place would be complete without a belly-show by our girl in a public fountain. Live it up while you can still get away with it, Al.

Oh! This feels...

GREAT!!!

COME ON, EVERYBODY!!!

Nathan, or as we like to call him, the most patient baby ever, decided to give it a try from a safe distance.

Allie...not so much.

Nothing helps to beat the heat like a dark chocolate covered frozen banana...O...M...Goooood.

This used to be a white shirt.

 And the best way to wrap up a trip to the zoo is with a little farewell to the bear-statues. And what does that farewell include? Well, if you're our girl, it means...

a little scratch on the head, followed by a gigantic...

ROAR!!!

RRRRRROOOOOAAAAARRRR!!!!

Just remember folks. We scare because we care.