Our weekend in Charleston, SC

At the top of the steps of the US Customs House

We were able to stay at the Anchorage Inn with some American Express points we had.  They upgraded our room to a suite when we arrived.  It was a cool room!

In the barracks at The Citadel

Posing in front F troop

Inside the battalion

The girls posing on the parade field while waiting for parade to start

Petting a very cute bulldog that we met.  His name was Hercules.

Gotta love a band with bagpipes

Watching the afternoon parade at The Citadel

The girls with their new Citadel hats

The beautiful stained glass in The Citadel chapel

Posing in the park

I love exploring all the alleyways......they are so beautiful!

Fort Sumter

When we arrived at Fort Sumter it was pouring down rain....we were a little cold and wet in this picture.

Elisabeth posing by one of the cannons at Fort Sumter

Ansley and Elisabeth getting a lesson in basket making.  This lady was sooo nice!  She even gave the kids a flower she had made (for free!)  They thought that was so cool!

A few weekends ago we decided to take the kids to Charleston.  The kids had Friday off from school and we had American Express points that would get us a free hotel stay AND it was Corps Day at The Citadel so we couldn't pass it up.  The weather was wonderful!!  It was in the 70's and breezy.  It was perfect.  We had a great time staying at the Anchorage Inn right off East Bay Street.  It was a great location because we could walk to so much.  We walked to the Battery, the riverfront park, up and down streets looking at churches and down alleyways.  I love Charleston!   We were talking to a cat we found sitting in an alley and there was a lady in the next alley that heard us and asked us if we were visiting.  We said yes and she invited us to come and look at the hidden garden behind her house.  It was sooo cool.  Unfortunately we were on our way to dinner so we didn't have our camera with us........we didn't want to carry it and keep up with it at dinner.  The house was owned by the French Huguenot church.  It was built in the 1700's.  She invited us in and we were able to look around the 1st floor.  Pretty cool!  It's amazing the history that house must have!

We went to The Citadel on Saturday morning to watch the parade, show the kids the chapel and the museum and just hang out for a while.   On Sunday we took the boat out to Fort Sumter.  For the 20 years I've been visiting Charleston I've never been out to Fort Sumter.  Ansley just finished studying it in Social Studies so we thought it would be a good place for her to visit.   It was a good weekend!

Mini Me - Which one is Ansley and which one is me?

That 70's dance

Elisabeth and her friend, Julianne

This guy and his big afro hair cracked me up

Ansley's friend, Grace.  Don't you love her outfit?!

Elisabeth dancing with her friend Emily

Elisabeth and Emily

Ansley and her friend Cate

Ansley and her friend Amanda

Cool boots

Who is that?   Oh........it's Bobby Woodson. My oh my.

Dancing the night away to some 70's funk

The kids loved it when the DJ turned on the bubble machine

That necklace really was made in the 70's.  Mom - do you remember it?  I think you have the matching bracelet at your house.

Sweet Girl

She'll be starting Kindergarten in the Fall.  How did that happen?

Another favorite picture

I have always loved this picture.  The kids and I were looking through some old pictures today and we came across this one.  I used to have it in a frame on my bookshelf.   I was 9 months old in this picture. 

Ansley's Baptism

We spent a whole weekend celebrating Ansley's baptism.........

Elisabeth painting her cat at the paint your own pottery place

Ansley painting a cheerleader

Mom painted her initial

I painted a plate with what seemed like a million dots.  It took forever!  I can't wait to get it back and see what it looks like after it's been fired.

Playing a game of Sequence at our house

Waiting with her monogrammed handkerchief

Getting ready...

Holding her nose.....

Going under

Woo Hoo!  Ansley has been baptized!  (my flash didn't work on this picture for some reason)

Afterwards we all went out to eat at Olive Garden.  Yummmm!!

Ansley was baptized on Sunday, February 28th, 2010.   Lots of family came to celebrate with her and several neighbors and friends came also.  It was very exciting to see her want to do this.   We believe God has great things in store for her!