Vacay

We returned home yesterday afternoon after spending a few days in Charleston for a little vacation. we all had a good time, despite being on a somewhat careful budget. It's no secret that as a SAHM we live on just what my husband brings home, so our budget is always a bit tight. It's even tighter in the month of July since my husband's workplace closes down for the week of July 4th. But this mama needed a vacation.

Now, some of you might foolishly suggest a staycation. I am a SAHM which means that nearly every day is a staycation. We go to the local zoo and museums and parks. We have fun doing those things, but sometimes we need a change of pace. We needed to get away, even if just for a few days.

 In order to keep our vacation more in budget, I decluttered our house and sold some unwanted and unused items online (mostly via Facebook) to get us some cash for spending. I also allowed Client One to take some of her money that she had leftover from Christmas and her birthday (about $30). This cash was all we spent the entire vacation. It covered everything from gas to activities. It had to stretch. To make it easier, we stayed with some of my hubby's family that live in Charleston. This meant that we didn't have to shell out extra money for a hotel and they were gracious enough to feed us breakfast and dinner each day we were there. For lunch, we carried a cooler and bag with us filled with sandwich supplies, water and snacks, so we didn't get stuck spending a ton of money on food while we were out and about. I also researched activities to do while we were vacationing and figured out exactly how money we would spend, including parking. In the end, we stayed well within out budget and had a great time!

Day One
We left early Sunday morning and stopped about halfway in Columbia to visit the Riverbanks Zoo. Since we are members at our local zoo, we got in at half-price. Yep, only $16 for all four of us! Client One had a great time checking out all the animals, but the penguins were by far her favorite. In fact, we had to see them twice before we could leave the zoo. Client Two loved the fish the most. I emailed the zoo ahead of time and found out that toddler snacks and water were allowed inside the zoo, so we took a break halfway through our visit for a snack break. Client One used some of her money to buy a pink, stuffed zebra she promptly named shiny. She also spent some of her money (and some of ours) riding the animal carousel a couple of times. After all the animals had been seen, he had a nice picnic lunch outside the zoo in their wooded picnic area.

After being sufficiently worn out at the zoo, we headed the rest of the way to Charleston where we spent the rest of the day just hanging out with family.

Day Two
We headed to Beachwalker Beach! This was Client Two's first trip to the beach and he had a blast! Client One had been to the beach a couple times before and she was psyched to go and had even more fun once she arrived. We spent a little over two hours playing in the waves and building sand castles. After sufficient fun in the sun, we headed to the picnic area near our car for some yummy sandwiches, chips and cold bottled water.

On our way back to the house where we were staying, we stopped by the Angel Oak and took in the view of the massive tree, Client One found it very fascinating. She called it a "dinosaur tree," which was a very accurate description!

After a good nap and a delicious dinner, we headed out with family to Demetre park where we looked at boats, islands, and fish. Hubby and Client One played with her big ball. It was windy fun! On the way back from the park we stopped and got ice cream! Client One's ice cream was nearly as big as she was! (Client Two may have had a nibble or two from mine.)

Day Three
We went downtown to the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry (CML). At first glance, it didn't really look like much, but it quickly proved to be worth the $24 for us all to get in. It had a medieval area with all kinds of passages that made it seem like a real miniature castle with fun dress-up clothes for the kids. It also had a pirate ship and pirate dress-up clothes, which was Client One's favorite part. She also had fun on a little indoor playground, mini Publix shopping area, an art and craft area and an outdoor area that included a firetruck, hopscotch, balls and water fountains. It was a super fun morning.

We then swung through McDonalds and got some lunch before going back to the house to rest. Client Two took a good nap but Client One was much more resistant. Her naplessness made us hesitant to go back out, but we wanted to get in as much fun as we could so we headed to Charles Towne Landing which was only a few minutes away. Client One loved the little cargo ship they had on display for people to walk through. She also seemed to enjoy some of the little history displays they had set up. There was also a little zoo with some fun animals that both clients really seemed to enjoy. The best part was when the otters followed Client One's teddy bear! Wherever she moved him, they went!

After a hot time at Charles Towne Landing, we headed back and had a little celebration for my birthday with some more family.

Day Four
We took a relaxing morning to pack up and head home. On our way out we stopped at the Tanger Shopping Outlet where I spent some birthday money. I also bought Client Two his first Crocs. (A milestone in our family.) Client One had fun riding one of those cheap little carousel toys. After we got worn out from shopping, we swung through Chick-Fil-A and got lunch while heading home.

So, there you have it! Our fun vacation in a nutshell! And we even made it home with a few dollars leftover. Now, I just have to go unpack...