The HALLway: Life. Love. Simply Creative: Kiawah Island:

Since we moved to Charleston I have had a few places I knew I wanted to visit while we lived here and Kiawah Island was one of them. I am so happy to have finally checked it off of my list (even if the main reason behind going was for a Triathlon).

So on Friday afternoon, after picking up Charli from school, we made the short 45 minute drive out to Kiawah to enjoy a perfect little weekend getaway and Crew's very first vacation!

As we were entering the island we stopped at the Freshfields Village to do some shopping and walking around. From grabbing an iced coffee to share, the most delicious gluten free chocolate chip pumpkin muffin, an ice cream treat, and picking up some groceries at the Harris Teeter to take to the house... It was a great little time with my family!

Then we headed to our friends house

(And yes, that is a wine cellar... In the house!!)

One of Steven's friends dad has a house on the island and they were kind enough to allow us to stay there for the weekend! Our friends also made the trip to hang out with us and to cheer on Steven for his Triathlon on Sunday!

After getting to the house and unpacking, we loaded the kids up in the stroller, grabbed a couple beers, and walked a few blocks to the beach.

And on our way back to the house Charli fell asleep...

Can you say adorable! And a total first!

We spent the rest of the evening hanging out with our friends, letting the girls play, and opening up bottles of wine!

Perfection at it's finest!

Saturday morning we woke up to a not so sunny vacation day. It was grey and rainy all day but we didn't let that stop us from having some fun! So after breakfast we headed to the park up the street so the girls could play, the babies could snooze, and Steven could get his race packet for the next morning.

After the park, we headed next door to the little Nature Center...

From the turtles, to the fish, to the snakes, and the alligator...

There was plenty of things to look at and learn about!

We headed back to the house after a fun morning to enjoy lunch, naps, cocktails, and football!

Then the daddy's were nice enough to let Sarah and I head out to the Sanctuary Hotel on the island for a mommy cocktail hour with an ocean view and a quick peek of the sunset before getting the dreaded text that we needed to come home because all 4 kids had gone mad and Crew had not stopped crying since I left! It was still a perfect hour, just us girls, sipping on a glass of wine!

After 'Mommy Hour' it was back to what we do best... Nursing, baths, and putting some exhausted little ones to bed! Then we continued our Mommy Hour with the boys and opened a fabulous bottle of wine from the wine cellar and enjoyed a relaxing evening all together!

Sunday morning Steven was up before the sun to head out and get ready for his race.

We had a quick breakfast, cup of coffee, and all got ready so we could head out to cheer him on!

Steven has raced in a few Sprint Triathlons but had never raced in a true Olympic distance event, so this was a first for him! I can't tell you how incredibly proud I am of the man I call my husband. He is one of the most athletic and talented people I know and can truly do anything that he sets his mind to! He didn't have any goals of placing in something like this, as he was focused more on completing it in a specific time he had set in his head. I am proud to say he not only finished in the time he wanted to but actually finished 71st out of over 250 men. Pretty darn impressive if you ask me!

I think Charli enjoyed her seat while watching daddy race...

And cheering "Go Daddy, Go Daddy"