Myrtle Beach, SC, Kids Stuff and ........

The Past Few Weeks at the Empey house have been busy, partially not here at all and just more busy. With only 4 days of school left, we have been running around like crazy and trying to get prepared for a long and probably very HOT summer!

First of all I have to tell my Hubby Congratulations as he recieved a promotion!!! Yeah for you and all your hard work, they best news is that it will keep us where we are.

Steve and I, thanks to D&J, were able to go on a much needed, much loved, and much enjoyed vacation. We headed off to Myrtle Beach, SC and it was great! In order for us to have someone watch our kids, we had to head to Utah. Julie, despite her full house and busy schedule agreed to take Josh and Steve's parents and sisters all helped with Ty and Brooks. A huge THANK YOU to them all for all their help!!!

Our Drive to Utah was relatively uneventful, we drove until very late, or very early and then finally stopped in St. George for what was left of the night. After a few hours of sleep we were off again, arrived at Julie's house spent a busy day seeing some of Steve's family, holding baby Maggie and getting the kids taken care of. Once all of that was done we left on a Red Eye flight to Atlanta and then on to Myrtle Beach. Although tired we hit the ground running and Dad and Steve went golfing and Mom and I went to the pool. The week was mostly spent by the pool for us girls, with a few trips to the spa!! And the boys were golfing! We ate at some good restaurants and just had a wonderfully relaxing week. A few of the highlights were our trip to Charleston, SC with a stop at a plantation on the way. The Plantation was really cool and we found out that they used to grow rice in SC, they called it South Carolina Gold. It was all very interesting and neat to see history from that part of the country. In Charleston we went on a carriage tour and I enjoyed every minute. The homes were amazing and the old feel and history was wonderful to learn about. Someday I wouldn't mind going back for more.

Another highlight was seeing some Sharks. We went out to a pier called the Apache Pier and apparantly it is the longest pier on the East Coast. It was just a few miles down the beach from where we stayed. We walked out to the end and the place was crawling with Fisherman. Along the pier they had some sinks so that they could gut and clean any fish they caught. Whenever those sinks were turned on, along came some sharks. We are talking 6 to 8 foot sharks. It was super cool to see them swimming around and they weren't that far from the beach. We also saw some Jelly Balls, which are similar to jelly fish but do not sting, and some Sting Rays. Steve would have stayed out on that pier all day long. All in all it was great.

The Jelly Ball

I Loved this, it looked so cool

The Only Picture I have of me and Steve, I'm not so good at taking pictures without the kids around.

As for the kids, Tyler and Brooklynn had a wonderful time. Ty went to school with Grandma everyday and Brooklynn was able to go a couple of afternoons as well to be the helper. On Friday as Brooklynn says, "We had a Major Lockdown," What does that mean you ask? Well, in case of any threats from the outside or if someone dangerous had gotten into the school they go into lockdown and all the teachers lock their classroom doors and everyone huddles under a table in the corner in the dark. Mom Empey's class was out on the playground when the call for a lock down came, she assumed it was a drill and got everyone settled in the dark, under the table. Mind you she had Ty and Brooks with her this day. After a while she saw a policeman and dog go by her window and she told me she thought, 'Wow, they are really going all out for this drill today!' Of course, it was no drill. Down the road from the school they had a seatbelt check point and when one guy saw it, he abandoned his car and headed toward the school (he was a former student) thinking it would be a good place to hide. He was a little nervous about the checkpoint because there was a warrant out for his arrest. Well, as it turned out it was not a good place to hide and he was soon captured after what Brooklynn has told us was a 'Major Lockdown' She says this with such seriousness and drama that you can't help but smile!

Now for Josh, while cute and adorable as usual, he did not win the champion sleeper award for the week at Julie's house. Julie was most exhausted, but endured her week with my crazy two year old well. After me only being gone for one day he started calling JuJu, Mama. One night, after a mega bedtime tantrum, he laid on the floor in front of her room and started falling asleep, after he had already fallen asleep against her upstairs banister. Since coming home this habit has continued and he has fallen asleep in the hallway twice and at his bedroom door twice, once at 3 am. The only thing I can figure is that he is scared to go to sleep because he is worried I won't be there when he wakes up. As you can tell, I slightly traumatized him by leaving. When we got home and went to Julie's to pick him up, I was so excited. When we went in the house, I scooped him up and started to snuggle him, but he was so sad and his little chin started to quiver and he was holding back tears. Julie came over and he dove back into her arms. I was so sad and feeling mildly guilty that he was upset with me. Steve then took him and he was just fine with daddy, but when I tried to kiss him or talk to him he would snub me and put his nose in the air and not look at me. It was super funny, but of course I cried too because I felt bad. After 15 to 20 minutes we were back on and since then I can hardly close the bathroom door without a freak out because he wants me in his sight.

Josh, three different nights, asleep on the floor

After we picked up Josh we went up to Idaho to pick up Ty and Brooks and to be there for baby Maggie's Blessing Day. It was fun to see everyone, except we missed Katrina and her crew. It was great to finally meet baby Amani and just hang out, even though it was for less than 24 hours. Of course it was back in the car to head home.

Josh loving Amani, she didn't mind at all!

Josh loving baby Maggie, she was really a fan!

Jake, he is so cute

Josh took this picture of Maggie, I thought it was funny!

We really had a wonderful vacation and both felt refueled and ready to come back to Real Life. Only 4 more days of school and then who knows what we will do all summer!