Rewind to March - Charleston

We are committed anew to updating the blog! Our legions of readers (cough!) complained incessantly that we weren't updating, so now we're back on track. We can't let our public down!

Many of you may remember the live blog of the drive to Charleston (http://nittanyhome.blogspot.com/2009/03/day-in-car.html). Well, it really wasn't as bad as we made it sound. After all, Jean and I were up at 4:30 that morning and were a bit punchy when we were writing it via Blackberry in the car. But it is always fun to spend 12 hours in the car with two kids and a dog...

But the drive was well worth it. Paul and Julie were great hosts for our Spring Break vacation - we had a fantastic time! And it was great to spend some time with Baby Benji. And Ripley (mostly) enjoyed her visit with Bear.

Highlights of the trip:
- The Weather. Sunny and 80 degrees every day that we were there!
- The Pool. Thanks to Paul and Julie for spending about $1000 heating the pool so that it was bathtub warm 24 hours a day!
- The BBQ. Our first full day there, Paul and Julie invited friends and neighbors over for a BBQ, and Paul smoked a couple of pork shoulders and a bunch of ribs. Now that's how we expect to be welcomed to the South! I will start a job search in Charleston as soon as I get over my meat hangover...
- Fort Sumter. An hour on a boat, two hours on an island, and another hour on a boat with a 5 year old and a 3 year old, all on an empty stomach? A recipe for a great time! We made it into a big adventure, the kids did great, and Jean snapped some great pictures.
- The Charleston Aquarium. Shark! Paul took the day off and the two families spent the morning racing groups of school kids to the cool exhibits ("We have to get in front of those crazy teenagers!") Good times.
- Date Night. Paul and Julie were kind enough to watch Alexander and CJ while Jean and I went out to dinner. Great local french restaurant called the Fat Hen. Look for an upcoming restaurant review -- it was terrific!
- The Beach. Even in the South, the beach in March is not a place for sunbathing. The wind made it a pretty chilly day, but we were well stocked with fleeces. So we took a long walk down the beach and collected shells. The kids loved it and, once again, Jean took some great photos.

Alexander and CJ posing at Fort Sumter.

Alexander showing off a crab claw.

Our big kids being good at a restaurant. Hooray!

CJ showing off her long legs at Fort Sumter.

CJ and her shell.