Hilton Head Vacation Part 1

July 1-10 we went to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina by way of Atlanta.  We left bright and early at 2:00am on Friday the 1st (had to get that in there for future reference as grandma took a lot of ribbing for making us leave so early).  We flew into Atlanta where my brother met us and picked us up.  We stayed one night at their house and on Saturday we took our rented 15 passenger van on a 5 hour trip to a VRBO rental on Hilton Head.

We're on our way!

 With cousins Noella, next to Mason, and Vivienne, next to Kade

Of course Mason was beyond excited to catch ALL the critters you don't normally see in MN!

No lizard was safe.

Right away on Sunday morning we rented a fishing charter for a 3 hour shark fishing tour.

While we were waiting for the captain to get the boat ready, a different captain let Mason fish off the dock.

Apparently you can catch a sting ray with every cast in the marina.  And this cast didn't disappoint!

On our way to the fishing spot this dolphin paid us a visit.  I can't remember what his name is, but he knows all of the fishing boats because fishing boats have bait.  And sometimes the bait falls overboard, even though it's illegal to feed the dolphins.  But if it just happens to fall out of the boat, nothing you can do about that!  He stuck with us for quite awhile until he realized we weren't sharing our bait just yet.

Mason and Vivi

My brother, Jeremy, and Noella

My sister in law, Evelyn, and Vivi

Jeremy Kade and Grandpa

It was actually a pretty slow day, but it was so cool watching my boys fishing in the ocean!

This is it until next post.  I have SO MANY fish pictures, 

as well as beach pictures, they gotta wait til next time!

 

At the end of June we took our first camping trip of the season.  Unfortunately there aren't going to be many of those this summer due to sports and vacations.  

Just cannot resist the reenactment pictures!

I love it when they oblige too.

6 years difference, to the exact date, for these pictures

They spent hours trying to catch that turtle!

Lola enjoying the evening

Toughest 8U players I've ever seen

Has there ever been a cuter catcher?!?

This picture makes me giggle.  

Kade with his buddies at a birthday party

I love watching Mason doing what he loves.

Those chubby little fingers have been tying fish knots for YEARS.

He learned to tie fish knots years before he learned to tie his shoes...no joke.

Only tractor pull of the season.

Mason took home 3rd.

There was another tractor pull this past week.  When I asked him if he wanted to do it, he said, "nah.  I already got a trophy this summer.  I'm good."  I love his confidence!!

Mason also tried his hand at a pie eating contest!

He didn't love it.  He said it was hard to eat the crust without your hands and it was embarrassing everyone watching.  

Although, when I asked if he would do it again, he shrugged and said, "yeah.  sure.  If you want me to."  

 

Ok, I'm about 2 weeks behind on my posts but I have a good excuse!  We just got back from a 10 day vacation to Atlanta, GA and Hilton Head Island, SC.  Like, literally just flew in this morning.  

So, I'm still catching up with pictures from the last days of school and first weekends of summer.  Which feels like MONTHS ago.  

Kade had Owen and Porter sleepover for the last day of school.  They, including Mason, decided to make a blitzball field in our front yard.  It was raining and cold but they actually persevered and got a home run fence set up!  It's still up today but looking a little rough.

Success!

Mason talked me into taking him trout fishing.  My rule is I will sit in a chair, read a book, while he fishes.  I don't touch fish, I don't take them off the line, I don't bait the hook 

and my number 1 rule:  

I don't keep fish.

Little did I know, trout die super easily.  So, I found myself heading to the nearest grocery store to find a bucket and ice.  And Mason got to filet his first fish all by himself because Erik wasn't home.

That little stinker is asking me to take him trout fishing all the time now!!

The first weekend of summer Kade had a basketball tournament 2.5 hours away and a baseball tournament at the same time.  We were able to make all of the basketball games (they got 2nd) and only miss 2/4 games of baseball.

So we got up at 4:30 Saturday morning, watched 3 basketball games, drove 2 hours and watched 1 baseball game that didn't get over until 10:00 that night due to delay of games!!  It was a super long but super fun day!  Then we went back on Sunday at 7:30 for another baseball game.

This game was AWESOME!  It was one they'll remember for the rest of their lives.  It was at night, under the lights and they won by 2 runs in extra innings.  Kade pitched and caught and did fantastic.

That day was just too long for Mason so he spent the day fishing with Grandpa, Grandma and his cousins. Everybody wins!