"I've Got Some Bad News and Some Worse News!" 11/14 Last chap!

[jessrose18]

along for the

 

[Disneymom77]

Ready for more

 

[Dizneydawn]

Guilty as charged. Will the sticker have a picture of the booger?

Maybe...but after you take a quiz on past TR's!!

Woo hoo another trip report.

Well woo hoo to you too!

along for the

Well if I would have known that I would have asked for $ for gas!!!

Ready for more

Buckle up sistah!

 

[manntra]

Scooted over here after finishing up on your last adventure!! Charleston has been a place I always wanted to visit....and thanks to you I get a sneak preview!!

Tracy

 

[lovegrumpy]

Can't wait. I would love to get stationed in Charleston but dh says no.

 

[teedee]

I'm here, and can't wait to hear all about it!

Terri

 

[Dizneydawn]

A Bit of Background!

This trip was based out of need.

#1 Treyner needs to get to college.
#2 I need to see the ocean.

You see my whole life I knew I did not belong stuck in the tundra called the Midwest. There is lakes a plenty here in Minnesota at least and the North Shore is absolutely beautiful, but there was just something that called my soul to the ocean before my eyes ever glanced over it's horizon.

I was 21 the first time I saw the salty bane of my desire. I was 4 months pregnant with Carsyn and one day was not enough. I started buying Coastal Living magazines and doing my house up in a beach cottage motif. I even had a light house faux waterfall that had the screech of seagulls as it played ocean waves to sooth me to slumber.

I also can take blame for the fact my kids love the same. When they were little they lived in the water when we went to Vero. If we attended the Smore campfire at 8 p.m. I can tell you my kids would be easy to spot! They would be the only ones with swimsuits on while everyone else went out to a fine dining experience.

I need to find out from Dan how to scan pictures! You all would laugh at the sight of them!

So when we knew we needed to get Treyner moved in, we thought of the fact that the beach is just a mere 4 hour drive away! At first we thought of Hilton Head but quite frankly, only being there one day in the past, did not give me the feel I would be at home. I do not care what is in your wallet and care even less if you golf. We pondered this a bit and decided to look elsewhere.

Ahhhhh, Charleston. She beckoned to me like the north star at night. Not that I had ever been there but Shannn had and she loves it and in my dreams, she was exactly what I wanted. A combination of eclectic dining, traditional charm, rich traditions and culture that oozes from it's pores.

There is the Gullah culture made from former slaves ancestors as well as the upper crust society of Rainbow Row.

I have watched Roots, Queen, North and the South , Blue and the Gray and read their equals to mention more notable crusts of today's media. I have always been amazed at the depths of hatred humanity can cultivate and the strength of individuals who can overcome. Treyner took a history class this summer and as someone who has 2 college degrees but entirely educated in the North, I devoured his books when he was not reading them. I am still stunned at how ignorant I was and am to so many parts of this countries history.

So we talked as a family and we decided to take this trip to Charleston. To mix a bit of history and education with our romps in the sand. To enlighten our brains and tan our buns.

I cannot begin to describe how powerful this trip was in so many aspects. It was everything and more than I could have wanted and to tell you how much this city enraptured my families spirit, I have four quick examples that I hope will make you continue to read and look forward to this TR.

Carsyn (here with a fellow burn camp kid) has decided to let go of a few serious college contenders. They are too far from the ocean she has explained and while a month ago Colorado or Michigan sounded fine, she rather have the ocean than Rugby in her collegiate experience.

Treyner (on the left with his African soccer posse) has decided he wants to be in Charleston for his 21st birthday. Not Vegas, not a huge bar fest. No, right on Folly Beach, relaxing with some great music, good friends and enjoying some legal cocktails overlooking the ocean. Drama free.

Baylor (at burn camp with his favorite Social Worker, Mickey. Yes her real name is Mickey....how awesome is that?!) asked on our last day while floating in the ocean, if we could move there. As in next year, after Carsyn graduates. He would rather live there than in Minnesota for the rest of his high school life.

Dan and I. We will be moving within the next 6 years, probably after Baylor graduates since his Dad lives here, but Charleston is our first choice by far. It just felt right and every single person I asked, loves living there. I asked plenty of transplants and they all said the laid back life style and true southern hospitality permeates this city.

The other person on our trip was Leah.

Our neighbor and now fellow beach junkie! Her parents will never forgive us for hooking that kid on the sun and the South. She was supposed to go to Marquette, Michigan for school. Now she says she wants her college to be beautiful.

Anyway, that is a bit of the background on this trip. That is the people who were the mainstay of this family.

I really fell in love with that place and hope I can convey even an ounce of it's luster through words for you all.

 

[Dizneydawn]

Scooted over here after finishing up on your last adventure!! Charleston has been a place I always wanted to visit....and thanks to you I get a sneak preview!!

Tracy

Glad to help out! Do you have any interest in Italy?

Can't wait. I would love to get stationed in Charleston but dh says no.

How come? Party pooper!

I'm here, and can't wait to hear all about it!

Terri

Glad you are here!!!

 

[lovegrumpy]

How come? Party pooper!

He has heard from some people he works with that the schools aren't that great.

 

[Dizneydawn]

How come? Party pooper!

He has heard from some people he works with that the schools aren't that great.

Well I can tell you that SC as a whole is not ranked well for public education. As in it may be ranked as one of the lowest in the US. I am sure like elsewhere though, there are good schools amongst ones not so good as well as the fact there are private alternatives.

Carsyn has her sights set on Early Elem. Ed. They have programs through the state where if you get your degree in SC and use it to teach in some poorer areas, you can get your student loans wiped out year for year. So four years teaching to help raise the education rates would pay off her debt if she just got her bachelors. A great way to help others and yourself at the same time.

 

[YukiPhnx]

I haven't heard anything else about this place and already -I- want to move there.

 

[lovegrumpy]

Well I can tell you that SC as a whole is not ranked well for public education. As in it may be ranked as one of the lowest in the US. I am sure like elsewhere though, there are good schools amongst ones not so good as well as the fact there are private alternatives.

Carsyn has her sights set on Early Elem. Ed. They have programs through the state where if you get your degree in SC and use it to teach in some poorer areas, you can get your student loans wiped out year for year. So four years teaching to help raise the education rates would pay off her debt if she just got her bachelors. A great way to help others and yourself at the same time.

Thats awsome!!! She should go for it.

 

[Dugette]

I'm here and can't wait to hear about your trip! I've never been to that part of the country, but it sounds like you had a great experience. Looking forward to re-living it with you!

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

SUBSCRIBING!!!!

I am ashamed to say that though I am only a few hours away, the last time I was in Charleston was back when I was too young to remember it. I've seen the video, but could not tell you anything from that trip. If I dance this year, our national competition will be there, so I'll be spending a few days down there. Competing vocally. At a dance competition. Yeaaaaaaaah....I'm cool like that.

Can't wait to read the rest of your story!!!! And if you ever get a chance, you should check out the Outer Banks in NC. Absolutely breathtaking, and full of lighthouses!

 

[javamom]

Hi Dawn, I see your weigh loss ticker! I have lost about 60lbs and have been fairly successful in keeping it off thus far. I keep gaining and losing about 10-15 lbs, because I AM LAZY! But the best part is that I have lost it all in a way that I can be assured is safe, and I can eat regular food like the rest of the world!

Anyway, I have been using a completely FREE website called Nutrimirror.com. Just Google it!

You log all of your foods and excercise (or lack of, lol) there and it helps you figure out how to balance it all to meet your goals.

Learning to log WILL take some time to get the hang of at first, but it totally works and teaches you a LOT about what you are putting into your body. Think of it as OCD DISing for better nutrition, and the weight loss that goes along with it.

They even have a new book out, for which I was asked to be one of 42 different contributing writers. Shameless plug, and NO, this is nothing that is ever going to make me rich.

The website is free, but the book isn't. No worries, you don't need any book to use the website, at all. However, in addition to the book, they have a store where you can buy kitchenware, work out equipment, and stuff like that. The store keeps the website FREE for anyone to use. No one is obligated to purchase anything ever though!!

I still have about 60 more lbs that I'd like to lose, ultimately.

Anyway, you should check it out. Log just one typical day of whatever you would normally eat, and see what you may learn! I call it the 1-Day Challenge!

You can even enter your own recipes, and it'll help tabulate the whole thing.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Glad to help out! Do you have any interest in Italy?

OOH OOH , I do!!! Are you going there next??

 

[scdisfan]

Dawn:

It sounds like ya'll had a great time in Charleston! I love, love, love Charleston! We are fortunate in that we live about and hour and half to two hours away from Charleston and can make a day trip down. My aunt and uncle also live on Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant....so a free place to stay sometimes too!! And to fall in love the with the city in the absolute worst heat that we have seen in SC in a long time must mean that it truly touched your family.

We have a friend who is a history teacher. He was a part of the program that you are talking about. He worked in a certain county in SC for 5 years (he received a masters degree so he had more to "pay back") and was not required to repay his student loans. It really is great!!

Side note....I joined WW in April and have lost 22 pounds so far! Congrats on your weight loss!

 

[eeyoresnr]

knock knock......got room for one more?

 

[burly]

Dawn! New trip report, and i am on board!

 

[jenniferkeala808]

I'M JOINING IN!! alrighty, going back to catch up!!