Vacation Part Four: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Well, here we are!  The last stop on our vacation, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. AND, it's only taken me two entire months to complete the vacation blog entries. I've come to accept the fact that I'm a terrible blogger this year, you should too.  I'm sure it will only get worse as the birth of our third child is rapidly approaching.

Hilton Head Island was fabulous.  Loved it...can't wait to go back some day!

We did a little bit of shopping when we first arrived in Hilton Head.  Every store, business, and restaurant on Hilton Head Island is lovely and very well-manicured. Even places like Walmart and Wendy's looked fancy from the outside.

The entire island is also covered in shade.  There are huge live oak trees everywhere and they have gorgeous Spanish moss hanging from them all.  Did I take a single picture of them? No.  But I loved them.

We spent most of our time at the beach.

I love this picture.  It perfectly portrays how much fun they had.

Hayden proud of her sand castle she adorned with sea shells.

This boy keeps me smiling.

The kids wanted to be a mermaid and merman.  After some drama, (Deacon putting sand directly onto Hayden's face) we successfully transformed them into sand mer-people.

Hayden's sand castle

Because of all the trees on Hilton Head Island it does make it a tad challenging to spot different places by simply driving by.  One night we got on urbanspoon.com to find a good place to eat...that wouldn't break our budget.  I found "A Lowcountry BackYard Restaurant."  The reviews were great, the menu looked awesome, and it was family friendly.  

It took us several times driving around the same block to actually find it!  It was tucked away behind some other businesses.  However, I'm so so so happy we didn't give up on locating it.  It turned out to be our FAVORITE place we have EVER eaten.  It was that good, I want to go back just to eat there again!  We literally ate in the backyard, and while we waited for our table and food there were outdoor games for the kids to play and live music to enjoy.

Kerry and I both had the special that night:  crab-stuffed triggerfish--caught that day--covered with shrimp and some divine sauce, and then lots of yummy sides.  

Hay and I

always a clown

After entire days on the beach the kids crashed hard every night.  Look at my sweet babies.

Deacon and Hayden trying to jump over the waves, laughing the entire time.

On our last night in Hilton Head we went to The Salty Dog Cafe.  How could you not try out a place with this name?  While I still loved Lowcountry BackYard the best, The Salty Dog was pretty good too.  I also loved hearing Deacon call it "the salty doggy."

Gorgeous setting on the water

After the salty doggy, we drove over to the Harbour Town Lighthouse.  We arrived right around sunset and it was just perfect.  

We hadn't planned on walking up to the top of the lighthouse, but we had two little monsters who had near meltdowns when we tried to say no.  So, Kerry and I sucked it up and PAID to walk up over 100 steps to the top.

Now, I'm not normally what you would refer to as "in shape," but oh.my.word! Pregnant AND out-of-shape, I...was...struggling.  My legs were twitching and shaking for a good 30 minutes after the lighthouse stair climbing.

I was so happy to see this.

As painful as the climb was (i'm such a loser) the view was spectacular and I'm glad the kids "insisted" we go up.