Freddie's Graduation Picture

It's hard not to love Freddie's preschool graduation picture.

I take that back.

It's IMPOSSIBLE not to love Freddie's preschool graduation picture.

our Stay in Savannah

We are just back from a wonderful weekend in Savannah. Jeremy won the trip as a member of Allstate's 2019 Southeastern Honor Ring, and the privilege of traveling on the Pressley Group is not lost on us! It was a great trip to a great town that I hope we will have the opportunity to visit again. Here are a few highlights:

For starters, the boys were BESIDE themselves to be able sit out of school on Friday. When we arrived at the Westin to find Jeremy had surprised them with an (adjoining) room of their own, you'd have thought Christmas had come early. 

Friday nite, we ate at the Pirate's House, where I can't imagine pirates ate the BBQ Spring Rolls that are on the menu, but if not, it's their loss. The boys loved several things about this place, whose property includes the oldest house in the state of Georgia (we were seated right by the sign that proves it!). They loved the pirates parading by tables to jaw with little boys like them (Jones even told one the joke about where the pirates eat: ARRRRRRRGGGHHHHby's). They LOVED the swords which held the cherries that came with their Roy Rogers(es) (this reminded me of when I was about their age, and my Uncle Bruce treated me to Shirley Temple after Shirley Temple at an Atlanta Bennigan's, where I was just as enamored with the garnish swords), and they LOOOOOOOOVEEEDDDD the treasure chest full of Dum Dum suckers that sat near the hostess station (in an act of decadence, I told Freddie he could take home TWO Dum Dums; that's what vacations are for, right?). We then hit up Leopold's ("Since 1919") for ice cream.

Back at the hotel, we went for a swim and, after that, made S'mores, poolside. It was a beautiful nite in Savannah, and the hotel, situated on the Savannah River, has a gorgeous view of the city, which, I now know, is called "the Hostess City." Whether Paula Deen or the nickname came first, I'm not entirely sure.

Speaking of Paula Deen, we had lunch at her Creek House Restaurant on Tybee Island Saturday. That was after we climbed 179 steps in the Tybee Light Station (the boys were thrilled, because of the many parallels to "Fireman Sam") and, afterwards, drove around the adorable island unsuccessfully looking for parking, so we could eat at Fannie's, which a friend had recommended. Tybee is totally adorable - and definitely a place I'd like to explore more, but I'm imagining the only time the Island is explore-able is, like, mid-January when no one else is even thinking of vacationing. It was as packed as Myrtle Beach in Bike Week, only with much, much less space to fill.

We were in such a rush, because we had a boat to catch. The Georgia Queen was awaiting our arrival for its 3:30 p.m. departure. Throughout the ride, we were treated to Savannah history, which I knew almost none of. We also saw some of the world's largest container ships, and hearing how they operate was FASCINATING. As we sailed by Fort Jackson, they set off a cannon, which was shockingly loud. I'm really glad we took the ride, though, to be honest, I feel like they could've accomplished in 30 minutes what they took 90 for. Then again, people probably wouldn't pay $27 a person for a 30 minute boat ride.

From there, we rushed again - this time, back to the hotel to get ready for Jeremy's big dinner. We got all gussied up and made it to the ballroom, just as they were recognizing folks (we decided to skip the Happy Hour, because ain't nobody got time for that). We found a vacant table and were just digging into the salad course when someone came over and said that, due to the hotel's liquor license, children were not allowed in the ballroom. I have ZERO idea who this person was, but I'm about 99.9% sure she was lying, because if their liquor license doesn't allow children, then doesn't that mean kids can't come to weddings that are held there?  "Hostess City" my hind end!

So our freshly dressed and pressed clan walked out. To be honest, I was relieved (the menus placed on our table did NOT sound appetizing AT ALL), but Jeremy was MAD. Now I know there are two things that will make him mad -- cold fries at McDonald's and people who kick his family out of a dinner he's won the right to attend (when previous events have been adults-only, Allstate has always let the agents know in advance. There was no such warning this trip).

Jeremy was so angry, in fact, that he stormed ahead of the boys and me, forgetting that, while the boys LOVE riding escalators, they still need some help navigating them. Jones attempted to board on his own, and I could see by his feet that he was going to face plant, so I grabbed him by the only thing I could get ahold of -- his hair (I know; I know. It did no good, but my instinct was to grab him). Jeremy heard the commotion and bolted back up the stairs to grab Jones, who was shaken up - as you can imagine - but handled it way better than he probably would have this time last year.

Jones was ultimately consoled by the promise of more poolside s'mores, so out we went. From there, we had a DELICIOUS dinner in the hotel bar (which, at that point, was pretty much our only option, since it was way too late to go out). The next morning, we were back at the pool. There were no s'mores, but there was a Sunday morning swim, and that was fine by the boys. I'd wondered how they'd do after several months of no swimming, but apparently, it's like riding a bike - once you've got it, you've got it, and thank Heaven for that, because the idea of more swimming lessons is about as appealing to me as whatever was on the menu at that dinner we were kicked out of.

Nevertheless, Jones goes great guns and feels very confident around the pool. Freddie is LESS confident, but he was willing to practice, and when he did, he stayed afloat, which I'm counting as a win.

From there, we gussied up again and headed to Independent Presbyterian Church. It's the oldest Presbyterian church in the state of Georgia and has one of the most beautiful facilities I have ever seen. I told Jeremy its setting was almost enough to make me move to Savannah. We then walked to a place called B. Matthews for brunch. I'd read online that it was one of the top five spots for a Savannah brunch. That probably just means they paid to be on the list, but still. My quiche was delicious, as was Jeremy's Crab Cake Benedict. 

One of the coolest things about B. Matthews was its children's menus. They were taped inside children's books. Jones, who prides himself on his growing ability to read these days, read "Winnie the Pooh" to Freddie, eventually replacing "Pooh" with "Poop." As you can imagine, they found this funnier than every episode of "The Three Students" (as Freddie calls the Stooges) combined.

Our trip home was uneventful - unless, to continue the stream of potty humor, you count the smell from the men's bathroom at that gas station in Woodruff - but as we drove away, I was wishing we'd had more time spend in Savannah.

I suspect we will be back!

Until then, thanks, Allstate, for another spectacular trip!

I NEVER sit in the back with the boys, but they'd been up
late the two nites before our trip and really needed a nap,
so I offered to be their pillow. I'll be honest:
it didn't suck.

Because OF COURSE, Freddie used his placemat
for a million games of Tic Tac Toe ...

These are those sword garnishes
the boys were wild about,
just as their mama was 30-some
years prior.

I'm really trying to get more pictures of Jeremy and me together.

Those narrow steps made me nervous.
The boys were completely unbothered.

This is a Pressley Family Selfie, just as we were about
to walk down to River Street from Bay.

Pressley Family Selfie with our hotel in the background 

How ANYONE could kick boys
who are as handsome as they are
well-behaved out of a party,
I will never know. 

He often gives me a run for my money,
but man. Is he handsome!

Mother's Day morning swim

Checking out

I wish I knew why I cocked my head
at such a bizarrely unnatural angle. 

I LOVE the smirks of the two folks
over the boys' shoulders.

Freddie is so fastidious when he writes.
I love to watch him. 

Jones used his copy of the hotel key
(which came with his adjoining room!)
as his phone. After church, he said, "Let's
go over here. I want to take your picture."
The next few pictures are of that process.

I fully gave in to letting the Savannah
humidity have its way with my hair,
and it was shockingly liberating.

If you zoom in behind Eeyore's "tiny hiney,"
you'll see lines drawn, which Freddie suggested were there,
because Eeyore tooted. So. There you go.