I want to remember ... Hilton Head Family Vacation

I want to remember the drive which was uneventful.

I want to remember the delight in my children at the CrackerBarrel.

I want to remember the awe of the “fancy” residence inn of preschoolers.

I want to remember singing songs on the long drive.

I want to remember silly things grandma said.

I want to remember the detour to pick berries.

I want to remember how the van smelled of strawberries.

I want to remember the girl who loved the sand.

I want to remember the girl who delights in burying her feet.

I want to remember the girl who does NOT care about getting sand in her suit, hair, face, arms and legs.

I want to remember the girl who builds sand castles, volcanos, mud pits, and just shovels sand to make nothing.

I want to remember how the water refreshed me.

I want to remember how the sand smooshed around my feet.

I want to remember how the sun glistened on the water. 

I want to remember how we watched ghost shrimp and found crabs.

I want to remember how Thea pronounced Jenga blocks as “Jacob blocks’.

I want to remember how they all played Jacob blocks so nicely.

I want to remember how the big kids built towers for Ollie to knock down.

I want to remember how Ollie carried those blocks to every room in the house.

I want to remember how Ollie walked and babbled and spider-crawled.

I want to remember how I encouraged Ollie to say my name and then he did.

I want to remember the boy who loved the water.

I want to remember how he loves it washing over him both in the waves and at the shore.

I want to remember how he would punch it and dive into it.

I want to remember how he was NOT afraid.

I want to remember how he smiled and laughed as he rode waves with his aunts and uncle.

I want to remember the trip to the ER when my eye wouldn’t open or stop watering.

I want to remember the ER Dr. Snowman who works in a resort town.

I want to remember the Eye Dr. Johnson who proclaimed I would NOT go blind from my eye abrasion.

I want to remember when I could finally open my eyes again.

I want to remember that straw hats and giant sunglasses can hide the eye that looks like it was punched.

I want to remember early morning pool swims.

I want to remember how Jones wanted to be tossed in.

I want to remember how Thea preferred the hot tub and playing with sand toys in the pool.

I want to remember how Ollie loved to splash and found so much delight in the pool.

I want to remember pool noodle swords and cannon balls.

I want to remember matching swim suits.

I want to remember to check where the deep end is before I jump in.

I want to remember the late-night pool party.

I want to remember the water so hot “it will blow your mind”.

I want to remember post beach wash the sand off pool parties.

I want to remember the little children’s museum and Jones loved the racetrack, and Thea loved the kitchen/restaurant area.

I want to remember making crafts at the museum.

I want to remember pirate golf.
I want to remember how my kids really only wanted to golf for like 4 holes maybe 9.  
I want to remember that I did get a hole in one.
I want to remember the baby racoons we saw at the golf course.

I want to remember family dinners and clean-up.

I want to remember that ice cream is a staple of family vacation.

I want to remember Thea’s little song about Hilton Head South Carolina.

I want to remember our day trip to Savannah.

I want to remember the oak tree lane and our hike that Thea walked at the pace of a snail.

I want to remember how my siblings (and best friend) love on my kids. 

I want to remember the big moments and little moments and how a family vacation is not always ideal but we do it together.