Happy Birthday JULIE !! - Wednesday - July 20, 2011

Today is our daughters 38th Birthday.  She and her family have rented a Pop-up Camper, their first camping experience as a family!!! They are staying at the Ocean Lakes Campground in Myrtle Beach along with 20,000 of their closest friends;o))  Ocean Lakes is one of the largest campgrounds in the country and even still, this time of year, the campground is full and campsites are at a premium!!

They wanted to try camping before they put a lot of money into the equipment needed. Nancy and I give them a lot of credit for renting a pop-up for the six of them.  As our son Brian said, “that does not exactly sound like a formula for success – six in a pop-up!!” However, Julie, Steve and the kids are having a blast.
01 - Pop-upTheir Rented Pop-up!
01a - Pop-up - Corner CampsiteTheir Site on the Corner!
01a1 - Pop-up - Street where you liveView down side street of neighbors and the walk way to the beach!
01a2 - Pop-up - Street where you live & bath houseOther side street with bath house and neighbors!
01a3 - Pop-up - Neighbors - Nobody Walks hereBackdoor neighbors across the main road.  By the looks of all the scooters, I don’t think anyone in this group walks anywhere!!

The close quarters of the campground is a non issue to them.  They have the beach, the pool, a rented golf cart and lots of sun and heat.  To them, that’s why they came to the beach!!

We caught up with them at the beach early Wednesday morning and spent a short time watching them enjoy the ocean. 
 02b - Beach - Julie, Steve, Samantha, Andrew, Daniel
02c - Beach - Andrew on Boogie BoardAndrew riding the waves!!
02d - Beach - Samantha and Daniel jumping wavesDaniel and Samantha jumping waves!!
02e - Beach - Big Sis Little SisBig Sis…..Little Sis!!
02f - Beach - Andrew and PelicanAndrew and the Pelican!!
02g - Beach - Emily riding boogie boardSurfing Emily!!
02h - Beach - Samantha and the shovelSamantha having shovel problems ;o((02h1 - Beach - Samantha and the shovelI know I can make it work….02h2 - Beach - Samantha and the shovelMaybe this will work better…. not really ;o((02h3 - Beach - Samantha and the shovelOK….Now I’ve got it :0))))

Nancy really should not be in the sun too long. She is on a ‘just in case’ antibiotic and sun is a NO, NO!! So we agreed to meet them back at their camper for dinner.

We brought three large Pizza Hut pizzas, a gallon of sweet tea, a six pack of apple juice, strawberries, watermelon and a dozen cupcakes for Julie’s Birthday Dinner!! 03a - Happy Birthday - Julie and kids
03a1 - Happy Birthday - Make a wishMake a Wish…Julie!!
03b - Happy Birthday - Grandpop I need the PINK oneGrandpop… I really need the pink one!!
03c - Happy Birthday - Sugar for EVERYONEEveryone getting their sugar fix!!
03d - Happy Birthday - Andrews Big BiteThe BIG  BITE technique!!
03e - Happy Birthday - Daniel Icing First TechniqueThe ICING FIRST technique!!
03f - Happy Birthday - Samantha and Emily Sugar High!!Oh, perhaps we’ve had a little too much sugar!!!!!

Everyone enjoyed the party meal even though we had it outside in the 95 degree heat :o((  The kids just take it in stride!!

I went on a golf cart ride with Steve, Andrew, Emily and Samantha.
04 - Daniel Video Games Daniel stayed back to play a hand held video game and Nancy got a “tour” of their TIGHT quarters;o)) 
01c - Pop-up - KitchenKITCHEN
01b - Pop-up - Dining RoomDINING ROOM
01d - Pop-up - Boys and Girls RoomsBoys room in the back, girls room in the dinette area.

Each afternoon, after playing so hard in the ocean all morning, they all take a rest from the sun and heat.  Julie emailed me these next two photos of the kids in their respective room :o)01d1 - Pop-up - Boys and Girls RoomsPlenty of room for the boys.  However, I think the girls may have already outgrown their room ;o)01d2 - Pop-up - Boys and Girls Rooms

01e - Pop-up - Mom and Dads RoomJulie and Steve’s room at the other side. This is not our idea of camping. However, I know the grandkids will remember this for a lifetime!!!!


After being offered a bed for the night!!!01f - Pop-up - Room for Grandmom and GrandpopYes, we were offered the foldout sofa…this pop-up is rated to sleep 8 people ;o((  It was tough to turn it down ;o)) However, Nancy and I left for home about 7:30pm. They were all going to the rec hall to play BINGO!!  We were going back to an air conditioned house.  Good for ALL of us :o))

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
03 - Happy Birthday - Julie
Julie

9 comments:

  1. Looks like fun - but HOT!!! Glad there's water nearby where they can all get cooled off! :)

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  2. What fun for you and your family! Brings back memories of our pop up days with our daughters.

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  3. What a great day! Happy Birthday Julie!

    Kids don't seem to notice the heat like we do. It looks like they were having the time of their lives...the parents too ;) I agree with you about the tight quarters/sites, but they had everything they needed. Except A/C!!!!
    I would have passed on the overnight offer too!

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  4. Need to clear up one thing... The Pop-up does has A/C!!! If it didn't, I would be having serious concerns about what my adult daughter and SIL were thinking;o)) So at least it is cool where they sleep!!!!

    Oh to be YOUNG again!!! Nancy

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  5. The beach, pizza, cupcakes, and Bingo -- can we come?? Happy Birthday Julie!

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  6. GREAT BLOG!! I remember the days of pop ups but no AC in them then. I'm amazed.

    Looks like they and you were having a great time in spite of the heat. Is intollerance to heat a sign of aging? I have a serious case of both.

    Any reason they went to Myrtle rather than Huntington Beach State Park. The latter is one of my all time favorite places.

    Happy Birthdya Julie!!! Ahhhhh to be 38 again but ah maybe not with 4 children. :-)

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  7. Sherry,
    The do not plan on camping in a pop-up if they do camp. They want to buy a larger camper and leave it at a campground in Myrtle Beach. They do not plan on towing it. So their are 2 campgrounds, Ocean Lakes and Lakewood, that will store your trailer and pull it in and out to your site when you want to come down. But before they make any decision, they wanted to try camping in both.

    I'm with you Huntington Beach is the BEST!!! However, it will not work for them;o((

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  8. Hey there Bill (and Nancy). I was just reading Howard's blog and saw your comment, so I clicked on the link to see if you were the Bill and Nancy we met at the Rally. You are! How'd you like the motorcycle ride we took to the golf course? Aren't you glad I had a spare helmet? 8^)

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  9. Hey JC,

    It was great! I never went to a golf course on a motorcycle before and probably won't even get the chance again....Thanks!

    Hope you and Bev are doing well. We hope to get out on the road soon and maybe see you down the road....Bill

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