Hot Air Balloons!

Every year over Memorial Weekend Simpsonville hosts Freedom Weekend Aloft- a hot air balloon festival with games, activities, concerts and of course lots and lots of balloons! We've never had the chance to actually attend the festival but each year we have been treated to incredible sites as the balloons fly over head- this year the excitement jumped up a notch when we discovered that the balloons were going to land in front of our house. At first Parker wasn't quite sure what to think but then really thought they were cool! What a cool experience and one we will always remember!

Columbia Zoo- June 2011

Parker has uncovered a new found love of zoo animals so we have taken quite a few trips to the Greenville Zoo as of late. The Greenville zoo is nice...but coming from a girl who grew up less than an hour from the World-famous San Diego Zoo and then lived in Omaha which has another amazing zoo the Greenville Zoo is sort of lacking. Let's put it this way- Don't blink or you might miss it. Never the less, we have become members so that we can take Parker whenever he wants and the best time is we can get in a shopping trip to Costco, go to zoo and make it back in time for nap on Saturdays!

One perk of becoming a member is free admission to other zoos around the country so on our way back from Hilton Head we decided to make a stop at the Columbia, SC zoo which was amazing. Parker had a blast and it was a nice change of pace for Patrick and I who finally had something different to look at for a change!

Look at these monkeys!

Checking it all out

It was a HOT day...most days are in Columbia!

Slow and steady wins the race

Wow- there are lots of elephants!

Hilton Head Island- June 2011

In June we took a part business/part pleasure mini-vacation to beautiful Hilton Head Island. I had a conference to attend for work and figured it would be a great excuse to take Parker on his first official trip to the beach. It was tough getting into a suit each day while Daddy and Parker "suited" up in a different type of suit to hit the waves. We did manage to find some time to enjoy relaxing as a family and Parker LOVED chasing the waves and birds. I see many family vacations here in our future and hope we can have good friends from the other "coast" join us one year for some fun in the sun!

My Little "Ham"- One of my favorite shots ever!

We tried and tried and this was the best family shot we could get.

I just love this shot- the innocence and wonder and he visits with his new "friend."

The beautiful light house on Hilton Head Island

Checking out the water and all of the boats

This is fun Mama!

Beach fun!

I could get used to this view- whydid we ever leave the beach again?

Hanging on the balcony

The boys enjoying the sunset

So much fun!

We didn't even have time to change him into his bathing suit- he just ran right in and there was no getting him out- oh to be young again!

I love my little man!