One of the highlights of every year, is the women's retreat that a group of my friends & I do! This was our 4th year in a row. We all lived in Ohio at the same time while our husbands were in school.
This is an amazing group of women and getting together with them means laughing, laughing hysterically, talking until all hours of the night, having a break from the kids, missing the kids & our husbands, and returning better women!
Last year, Lonica Rowley had the idea of going to Charleston, South Carolina. We thought it would be fun to see a new city together and fun to go somewhere close to the east coast, where several of our friends live. Lonica volunteered to be in charge and I can't say enough how amazing it was. It was so well planned out and so nice to just get on a plane and have everything planned out!
I flew out early on a Thursday morning with Holly Dotson & Angie Lines. We had a layover in Atlanta. Holly caught an earlier flight and Angie and I had a little longer layover. When we got to Charleston, we rented a car and found our way to this cute beach house!
(literally ALL these pictures were taken by Kirsten - an amazing photographer! Thank you for letting us copy them!)
Isn't this front porch gorgeous??!!
We stayed on Sullivan's Island - one block in from the beach!
Thursday night, we all arrived (except Lisa Hymas who drove up the next day). We had a delicious dinner - thank you to Becky Larson & Angie Kelly! Then, we visited and got all caught up on each other's lives.
There are usually babies that come along on our retreats! Last year, there were 7! This year, none! But so fun to have Becky Larson, Angie Lines & Lonica Rowley all expecting! That made for 44 kids between 11 of us, with 3 more on the way!
The next morning, I went on a walk with Beth & Kirsten on the beach to watch the sunrise. We came back, got ready, had breakfast and then left to go on a tour of the Boone Hall Plantation, which is just outside of Charleston.
Apple juice - in a fun cup!
Beth, Holly, Sarah, Lonica, Angie & Jenny
I absolutely LOVED the plantation! It was amazing! It's grown indigo, cotton, pecan trees & now has all sorts of vegetables growing.
This plantation was where the mini-series "North & South" was filmed as well as the movie "The Notebook." (That night after getting back to the house - I ordered North & South and have loved watching it since getting home.).
The oak trees have Spanish Moss hanging down from them. There's no use for this, but it sure makes it unique to the area.
Along the huge road coming up to the house, there are still the slave quarters.
Probably the perfect souvenier from Charleston, would be a sweetgrass basket. They are amazing (but also really expensive) and the slaves would weave these.
Getting ready to tour the house
Right out of a scene from North & South!
We were able to listen to a fun presentation on those from West Africa that were brought over on the slaves boats. They had a distinct language called "Gulla" and this cute woman was amazing!
On a wagon tour of the plantation, we saw this alligator in the lake!
After the plantation, we met down on the harbor for a picnic lunch. From there, everyone sort of did their own thing. Becky & I went quilt store hunting and found a really cute one! It brought back fun memories of quilt shopping together in Ohio!
That night, we had reservations at Vickery's and enjoyed looking out over the harbor and having dinner. No kids, no fits & no messes to clean up! Heavenly!
The next day, we got up early again and went on a carriage tour of downtown Charleston.
There is a law in Charleston, that any building or structure that is over 75 years old, cannot be destroyed or torn down. They renovate and restore them, but they aren't allowed to demolish them. It makes for a breathtaking downtown. The homes & buildings are amazing - despite events like Hurricane Hugo and destroyed a lot of it!
Getting ready for the carriage ride
All of us on the carriage!
(Which by the way, we had beautiful weather for!)
Some of the old, old buildings.
I loved how old the city was! Nothing like the cities out west!
This was the back of the Exchange Building. It used to be right on the harbor where people could come and trade goods. There's a dungeon in the basement (pictures below).
Look at that porch!
After the carriage tour, we walked around a little market and then went to tour the Exchange Building & Slave Alley.
There are 9 original cobblestone streets still in Charleston. The rocks were handpicked out of the harbor and laid down for streets.
Touring the dungeon - they would hold pirates & others (including signers of the Declaration of Independence).
After the dungeon, we toured the Slave Alley. This was a common alley for slaves to be traded. If families, by some miracle, had been able to stay together, this was usually the place where they were torn apart. I walked around for 5 minutes, and then got so emotional, that I had to leave. My heart broke for all those families and people that were treated so, so poorly!
Becky & Kirsten were kind enough to leave with me and we sat on a park bench for a few minutes before meeting everyone else for lunch at "High Cotton." Again, delicious!
After lunch, we had reservations for a harbor tour to see Charleston from the water. We saw Fort Sumpter (which was the fort that Charleston fired upon to begin the Civil War).
We were able to see several dolphins.
From there, some headed back to the house to go to the beach, some went to the store and my car decided last minute to get pedicures. So, so wonderful!
We came home, ordered pizza and enjoyed our last night of visiting. Jenny had put together a fun paper where we answered questions about each other. Then, we took a group shot (which of course created a ton of laughter and memories).
Early Sunday morning, we left for the airport - in the pouring rain! We had the best weather until that last day. We've made plans for next year's retreat to be in St. George, Utah and then the year after that, in Nashville, Tennessee.
I love all these girls! They inspire me to be a better wife & mother! We all have wonderful husbands too, who let us go and be crazy together and come home exhausted!
5 comments:
What a really cool thing to do!
This is such a neat thing that you do every year.
Charleston looks like a NEAT place! I want to go there some day. It looks like you had a great girls get-a-way!
Scott and I have been watching North and South too! I figured after seeing all those sites we had to watch the movie. Totally enjoying it and I laugh every time a scene comes on and I imagine your mom shooing you from the room!
Very cool Jeanette! You are lucky to have such nice friends and such an awesome trip!!
That is so fun Jeannette. I love that you do this. Looks beautiful there!
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