Thanksgiving 2023 - Wild Dunes with Grandpa Rick, Grandma Alice, Alex, Laura, Charlie, Amanda, Ryan, Graydon and Griffin

 

This year we had quite the group with us at Wild Dunes. We drove up on Sunday before Thanksgiving and got to our rental house with enough time left to do a little biking and some family time. We enjoyed the new Pixar movie Elementals, it was very cute and creative. 

Monday morning we all played tennis in the Peak Performance clinic and we were on a court with a couple of strong players that made it interesting. I remember about halfway through that I was so thrilled with how well we all were playing and I am so proud of our family for how well we've all picked up tennis. It was the first time Paige did the adult clinics at Wild Dunes and she played extremely well. We went to Costco to pick up some pies (2 Apple and 1 Pumpkin) and some other goodies for the week. Grandma and Grandpa arrived in the afternoon and we checked out their rental house and biked with them a little before it got dark. We watched the Chiefs lose a close Monday Night Football game against the Eagles while Grandma and Grandpa picked up the Chicago Vernons from the airport.

Tuesday it was wet out, but thankfully Andrea and I were able to do our tennis in the morning. We went to Page's Okra Grill for lunch and in the afternoon we all went on a bike ride together. The Gobles drove up on Tuesday and arrived at our house late in the evening.

Wednesday was a rainy day, so our tennis was canceled in the morning. We ate at McAlister's Deli for lunch together and then were cooped up indoors. It was rainy pretty much the entire day, but we eventually were able to go for a bike ride and to play some pickleball. Unfortunately, the pickleball at the resort has changed and not only do you have to make reservations and have to pay for it, you also have to book reservations through the resort to be eligible to play. We played for a little while after the rain stopped, but eventually people came out and we were kicked off the courts.

It was a new dynamic to have the Gobles as well as the Chicago Vernons, but everyone got along well and I think Griffin liked having Charlie around. Charlie was a talkative and playful little guy, and it's the most time we've gotten to spend with him. He would pretend that people had "buttons" on them that he could control and would sometimes freeze us or turn us off. He liked to play with "Snitch" who is better known as Disney's Stitch, and Connor was cute chasing him around the house. We all played "hide and seek" with Charlie, and Paige and Andrea had fun telling stories with him and climbing around on the bunk beds together.

Thursday was Thanksgiving and we started off the day together at the parade. We got a nice spot on the main road and snapped a few pics together before the parade started.

The kids got balloons and candy during the parade and I think it was one of the best parades we've seen on Thanksgiving. There were quite a few golf carts in the parade, lots of people and dogs, and lots of candy. The only thing missing this year was Santa. Maybe there were only naughty kids in South Carolina this year.

We got dressed and went to our Thanksgiving meal at noon, at Coastal Provisions in the main hotel building.

The turkey meal was similar to last year's, and it was delicious. They served turkey with stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. There were quite a few options and I was surprised that many people in our group didn't order the turkey. Connor, Ryan, and Grandpa ordered the lamb. Grandma Alice ordered a tempura dish with veggies and shrimp. Charlie ordered pancakes. 

Grandma Alice remembered last year when we all went around the table to say what we were thankful for, and I'm glad she did and that everyone participated.

After lunch we went back to the house and then drove out to a nearby park where there were a couple of public pickleball courts. Charlie and Griffin enjoyed the playground nearby and everyone else took turns with pickleball. It got dark and there weren't lights directly on the pickleball courts, but there was enough light from the basketball that we were able to play a little longer on one of the courts.

Friday was another rainy day in the morning, but it cleared up just in time for a beach adventure at Folly Beach. I went with Grandpa, Grandma, Alex, Laura, and Charlie to a nearby beach that has a reputation as a good spot for shark teeth. Charlie had fun running around in the sand, and I had fun walking with Grandpa and hunting for teeth. I found a few tiny ones, a couple of sand tiger teeth, and one decent sized tiger shark tooth. I was chatting with a lady about what she'd found that day and her son picked up a big great white tooth that would have been the biggest in my collection if I'd spotted it first. It was definitely a nice spot for shark teeth and I'll have to go back again.

We lunch at the Lost Dog Cafe for lunch and then drove home. Charlie was a hoot in the car and we spent most of our drive telling stories about car crashes before he fell asleep. We played some games in the evening on Saturday and watched college football at the house.

Saturday morning was dry and sunny, which was an awesome change. Connor and Paige joined us for tennis in the morning and although it was windy and I didn't play my best, we still had some great points. The Gobles came to watch towards the end and Amanda filmed a few of the moments when all four of us were on the court together. They weren't our best points, but it's the only videos of us all playing together. 

Saturday afternoon we went to McAlister's for lunch and the Gobles departed from there to head home. We went back to the house and packed up the rest of our stuff before saying farewell to everyone else. Alex, Laura, Charlie, Grandpa and Grandma stayed until Sunday and we had our reservation through Sunday, but we thought it would be nice to get home Saturday. The traffic was a little rough on Saturday, but we were worried it would be worse on Sunday. 

Thankfully, we all made it home safely. We're happy that everyone came and we were able to spend the holiday together with family. Happy Thanksgiving!

Paige's Third Middle School Flag Football Gameday

 

On November 12th, Paige's Middle School team had their third flag football gameday. They play two games every time they compete, so it was actually their fifth and sixth games of the season. They won both games and Paige played well and scored a couple of times. I brought my camera and took a few action shots of the girls playing. 

There were a few serious injuries in their league and all the team parents got together and made the decision to have the players wear protective headgear. I don't think any of the girls like them, but we love that all the parents made it non-negotiable. It was the second week wearing them, and hopefully the girls are getting used to it.