A big thank you to GG for renting a beach house again for everyone to enjoy. We had a great time with everyone. The kids really loved finding the live star fish on the beach each day. There was never a lack of activity going on in the house. In Herse tradition, we even made Pavlova and completed another puzzle.
I thought I would include part of the journal that GG and Grandma kept during our trip:
Arrived on Saturday. Nate flew in from San Francisco, Gary and Kate from Eugene, Oregon , and Sarah from Ithaca NY. Scott and Marcia with Charlie (5), Natalie (3), and Darby (1) arrived by car from Greenville, South Carolina. With three kids and and all the toys, the Baker van was loaded. Craig and Emily with Kay (4) and Marissa (10 mts) arrived by car from Apex, NC. They had a new red Ford Flex, just in time to take to the beach. Cindi and Iris from Cary, NC also came by car.
Sarah is 28 and has one more year of graduate school at Cornell University. She had just finished a summer internship with Deloit and has already received a job offer for when she finishes school. Sarah took a run on the beach every morning and even got in a few yoga classes.
Nate bought fireworks in South Carolina for all to enjoy. The kids loved the extra long sparklers.
Darby is still learning to walk and Marissa is crawling. Kate has just retired.
We all unpacked and enjoyed BLT sandwiches with tomatoes from the Raleigh Farmer’s Market. We brought a whole box of Elberta North Carolina peaches which we finished off during the week.
Sunday was spent on the beach enjoying the sunshine. Gary, Kate and Sarah fixed pork tacos and we finished off two Pavlova desserts with fruit.
Monday, another beautiful sunny day on the beach. Craig and Emily fixed spaghetti. There was a large cast iron skillet that once Craig cleaned and seasoned it, we used for every meal. We decided a crock pot and a cast iron skillet could get us through the week of meals. Cindi made perfect egg pancakes in the skillet. Gary’s family had a chance to go out together for dinner. Charlie and Kay sleep on the floor each night in the bedroom with Grandma and GG. Charlie made his bed each morning so he could get his allowance and Kay had to brush her teeth before going upstairs for breakfast. Scott put up black plastic bags in the windows to try to get them to sleep later but they always woke up at 7AM- no sleeping in for anyone. We took a family picture on the beach so we could all be in it.
Tuesday is our last sunny day on the beach. Scott and Marcia fixed roasted vegetables with chicken on orzo pasta. Charlie said the Lord’s Prayer for us by memory. He said he had learned it in vacation Bible school. Nate has to go back to work and leaves late afternoon. We watched old 1992 videos of our beach trips together.
Wednesday begins to be cloudy and overcast. Scott, up early with Natalie, go to see a newly hatched loggerhead turtle find its way to the water. The nest was right beside us but we did not know the time was near for the hatching. Gary, Kate and Sarah go out for dinner and the rest of us get takeout. Some of us visited Brookgreen Gardens to see the sculpture gardens.
Thursday was a very rainy day. Craig and Kay left very early to bring back some Krispy Kreme doughnuts for us. Grandma leaves ducks and toys for the kids to find at breakfast. Kate and Grandma bring books to read to the little ones. Scott, Marcia, Emily , and Craig took Charlie, Kay, and Natalie to indoor miniature golf in Myrtle Beach. Kate had brought a round puzzle and by Thursday it was finished.
Friday, another rainy day but we did get some morning beach time in. One of Marcia’s friends recognized Natalie’s golden curls and knew Marcia would be nearby. We all decided that Natalie had the best beach hair. Scott tried to fly his kite but it was too windy to control. Emily was sick and they left early this AM. Marissa was not sleeping well at night and Emily and Craig were very sleep deprived. Emily had fallen down some steps the day before and bruised her elbows and broke her big toe.
Cindi took Charlie back to Brookgreen Gardens to see the zoo animals. Gary, Kate, and Sarah visited the sculptures. We all left just in time before another heavy rain. It cleared up and we all went to Murrell’s Inlet to walk the boardwalk and eat dinner together.
Mark and Kelle did not join us this year. John left for Peru South America and Jenna had to go back to Wesleyn where she is a sophomore. Jesse is an RN at the Hastings Hospital and was working.
Thanks to Emily and Scott for finding us this beach home with the 6 bedrooms and the wrap around deck and porch, right on the beach. Perfect for us this summer! We are thankful to our mom, grandmother, and great grandmother for paying for the rental but she reminds us that the money was saved for this by Dick/Papa.
