Thursday, September 6, 2018

Summer Travels

We took a big trip as a family this summer to Alabama.  We also took 2 other trips.  Ryan and the Bigs went from Alabama to South Carolina.  Then Ryan and I took the Bigs to NYC and West Point. Here's the highlights..

Alabama
Zac's baseball team, that Ryan coaches, played a tournament in Gulf Shores so we made it our big family trip.  I'll be honest with you, I am not a great baseball mom.  I'm a much better football mom.  At football, I'm further away from the players and coaches, I can't hear what they're saying.  Also, football is more of a team sport. If you mess up in football your teammate might be able to cover for you.  If you mess up in baseball, it's pretty much you in the spotlight.  Especially when your kid pitches. 

Thinking back on our trip, I remember crappy things - the heat, the jellyfish on the beach, the gnats.  But it really was a good time.  It was fun to be with the families of Zac's teammates. It was fun to be together with only baseball games to worry about!

photo cred: Hannah Laird

so sweaty

B mediating at a water park

South Carolina
Ryan and the Bigs left Alabama and drove to South Carolina.  Ryan's family is from South Carolina and they met up in Myrtle Beach to spread his Daddy's ashes at some important places.  We had been in Alabama 7 days when they left.  Mom, B and I left to come home. I wish we could have gone but we decided that it would be too much for B.  I didn't want him upset and putting a damper on things. 

We are big Clemson fans so Ryan and the Bigs went from Alabama to Clemson to stay the night. They poked around campus and the town and did some shopping. We are totally set for Clemson football! The next day they met Ryan's mom, his sister and her family and his brother and his family in Myrtle Beach.  

The Bigs were able to see a lot of places that are important to Ryan and were important to his Daddy.  They got to see Pops' college and where he proposed to GG.  They got to spend time with Ryan's uncle and family.  They really enjoyed it.  I missed them and I was a bit jealous, but I'm so glad they got to go. 

on the dock at Ryan's grandma's house

New York/West Point
Wow! This was an awesome, whirlwind trip! I love New York. I am generally quite anxious in crowds but, somehow, I was totally relaxed walking around New York and in the mass of people in Times Square.  We went with 3 other families and it was so fun!  

We went to the 9 11 memorial and I cried straight through it.  It was my birthday and they place roses on the memorial on the victims' birthdays.  I bawled.  There are ladies listed on the memorial with their unborn children.  I bawled.  There was a special sports exhibit about how sports reacted and rebounded after 9 11.  I bawled.  

We had a very through and committed tour guide at the Statue of Liberty.  We became Uber experts. Ryan and the Bigs went to a Yankees game and I saw Frozen. Everybody wins!

On Saturday we rented car and drove to West Point for the boys to attend football camp.  My brother in law played at West Point.  It was really cool for the boys to see the exhibits about him.  Personally, I was super happy to watch the boys play football! 

Times Square!

The original torch at the Statue of Liberty



2 comments :

Paul R. Wood said...

You know, the best thing about you is that you are a MOM, a great mom in my book and you do so much for your family and I love that I get to read about it. I love "the BIGS." I love "B man". It is really inspiring to hear what you do, what you try and that you are OK if something doesn't go the right way. Thank you for being the inspiration that you are to me and I am sure so many other folks and thank you for sharing your family with the world.

aimee said...

Thank you Paul! I love sharing my boys with y'all!