Seymours Take Savannah

Forsyth Park

With the prospect of a long weekend ahead of us for President's Day, at least long for everyone except Tim, we decided that a change of scenery was in order. Since Tim had never been to Savannah but was curious, we cashed in some Marriott points and headed south for a quick overnight jaunt.

We arrived just in time for lunch, which we enjoyed along the river (indoors, however, as it was quite brisk outside). Then we decided to try the hop on/off trolley tour to show us the sights. I was a little apprehensive as to how well this would go over with all the kids, but it turned out to be a great way to get around. We got off once to stretch our legs and get some hot chocolate/lattes, but the rest of the time we enjoyed the views as well as the information from our tour guides (Laura did take a 20-minute nap along the way, too).

We timed it so that the kids could get in a swim in the much-anticipated indoor pool before dinner. The set-up was terrific, because the pool was located in the atrium part of the lobby, so it did not feel as claustrophobic as indoor pools often do. More importantly, the bar was just across the way, so Tim and I enjoyed some happy hour beverages while the kids happily swam. #winning

Dinner was a very touristy affair at The Pirate's House, selected with the younger kids in mind. Despite our reservation, we had to wait a fair amount, and this after swimming, so we had a tired and hungry crew on our hands. Once the biscuits appeared, however, spirits revived and we enjoyed ourselves. Tim and Clare, as usual, had more energy than the others, so they wandered to a nearby "very cool" bistro for dessert and coffee while the rest of us headed back to the hotel (where Danny enjoyed the immense number of sports TV channels).

As our last hurrah, we made our way to the swanky Bohemian Hotel for a big breakfast before hitting the road. The restaurant had great views of the river, and we all ate well, with Laura moaning that she did not want to leave Savannah! It was a quick trip, but we all really enjoyed ourselves, and Tim and I are inspired to hit the road a bit more often with our brood.

Swimming Through the Winter

By her own request, Laura returned to swimming lessons as soon as the holidays ended. I had originally intended to get her some brush-up lessons in the spring, before the summer pool season began, but I was more than happy to support her enthusiasm sooner. For one thing, a lot fewer kids take lessons in the winter, so she gets much more instruction time this way.

Not sure where she picked up this pose, but it's her go-to... Sigh.

Given that she was taking lessons, and Clare was joining their swim team, we decided that a membership to the Y made the most sense. Which means we have steady access to their indoor pool - a glorious way to burn energy on the long weekend days! (Happily, Meghan's family belongs, too!)

The above photo shows Laura learning to dive through a hoop. As her end-of-session progress report stated, "Laura is always happy to try anything and likes to push herself to get better." We'll see what happens when she gets in the big, outdoor pool with the big kids, but I think she could have a serious future on the swim team!