just another walk in the (splash) park....

and what a difference one year makes....let alone four. 

Four years ago the girls had to be within our site at ALL times, and I kept them in  life jackets the whole day. 
 

but this year....I gave them complete freedom to walk around the splash park, as long as they stayed together at all times. 
 
I think they enjoyed this independence:)
 
 

Towards the end of the evening, when the park was close to closing and was very empty, fairy girl approached me and was in need of a bandaide after falling, and I could see Little Angel talking to a lifeguard.....she couldn't see us, and was disoriented because all the intertubes were stacked up and she couldn't see over them too easily....she thought we left her.
 
 So close :D
 
 I admit I kind of enjoyed their new-found independence too :D


We tried a new smaller local water park in Georgia, but we are all very much in agreement that we much prefer James Island in Charleston.  But since J didn't go with us, I personally prefer this drive, as it's a much easier drive, and it's about an hour closer:)  I didn't feel too far away. 
 

We ended our Friday Fun Day with a stop at Hobby Lobby, a bit of a treat for us, since we don't have one near us.
 
 a great day was had by all!
 

james island waterpark....take two

Fourth Summer Visiting the James Island Water Park in Charleston

Fourth summer.....fourth summer?  How in the heck did that happen...seems like just yesterday we suddenly found out we were moving, drove down towing a boat, and a camper...with a golden retriever, a four and a six yr old....and NO place to live......

and here we are now three years later, feeling more at home than we've ever felt anywhere!  The only thing that will complete us is when grandma and grandpa join us!!!

Here are some photos from our day.   I should report that on our first trip here, both girls were wearing life jackets and watched very closely...but now, they are free to roam on their own (and they did), and are both swimming very well.  Further, both girls are now eligible (tall enough) to go on the big water slide, unsupervised...this was not the case even last year.  Times sure flies!


 We had a quick stop on the way back at one of my favorite little places I discovered when we first movedd down.  We live much further away than when we were renting, so unless we're going to Charleston, I can't really go there:) 







 

James Island Splash Park

 The last time we hit this waterpark in Charleston, we had just recently relocated from Wisconsin to South Carolina, and my girls were only 4 and 6, as pictured here.

 Now my girls are 6 and 8; and what a difference two years makes!  My six year old is now tall enough to go on the tubes down the "big" slide by herself.  And my eight year old was able to somewhat walk around the park and do the rides without a parent by her side at all times (there were life guards everywhere, and this is a small enough park; she wouldn't get lost.   And it's a very safe park.)

 The next change was, even as a homeschooling family, I'm adopting a "Bento" style lunch for us.  Grab and go...fantastic!  For this trip, I actually packed 8 containers....because I knew we'd be hungry when we left the park at 6:00 closing!

1 little monkey climbing in a tree....

Here they are!!! four lunches and four dinners, Bento style...to go; using water bottles that I had stuck in the freezer the previous evening, to keep everything cold.  I was so proud of me:D

Charleston and Bubba Gumps

James Island Splash Park

We had a wonderful day together today.  J's been working 7 days a week, plus very late hours for the two months we've been down here.   His hours are getting old, fast!!  So, today, he did NOT go in, and our family DID get out to James Island Splash Park in Charleston.  We also had a great night after in The Battery, Charleston, stay tuned...

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