Matt Deployment Gathering

 We had Matt's deployment gathering and appreciation lunch yesterday.  Thank you so much to all our friends and family for showing your support and sharing your loving and encouraging words. As for the three of us, this next year is going to be different than the years in the past, but we will still have the love that nothing can separate.   Matt deploys July 8 to Kosovo and Caroline and I are going to miss him greatly!  This past week all the emotions and feelings have finally set in for both of us.  Lots of prayer will be filling the Ritchie home.

The Three of Us 

  

  

 

Father's Day

We had a great Father's Day!  Matt is a wonderful Daddy!  There is not a day that goes by that he does not show his love, support, and laughter with Caroline.  WE LOVE HIM!  Caroline was beyond excited to give him the gift she made for him at school this year.  I am really surprised she did not tell him in advance because that is all she talked about for a week...

 Caroline's Dad Rocks rock she made at SCDC.  She is so proud of her rock!

 Matt opening a few more gifts

Caroline's BIG Girl Bed

 We made the conversion from the crib to the BIG girl bed!  We were a little big hesitant since Caroline was still enjoying her crib, but she needed to upgrade.  Matt and Miles converted the crib to the bed this week and Caroline has been snoozing and snoring ever since.  I went bed set shopping on Thursday and was thrilled with the set I was able to find.  It matched her room perfect!  We are so happy to see her grown into a happy and healthy toddler!

Vacation Day 9-Savannah

We spent our last day of vacation in Savannah, Georgia.  The town is full of history, but we had a short period so we loaded up on the trolley which had the top 15 stops in the city.  I tried to absorb all the history, but it was way to much (and very hard with a two year old).  We did see where John Wesley lived for a short period of time (Founder of Methodism).

And we got to visit a gorgeous Catholic Church

Julia Robert's famous phone booth...

check out these fancy gutters...

Matt and Caroline riding on the trolley

We visited and walked the Savannah City Market

Saw the famous Paula Deen Restaurant

Saw the first SCAD building

...all from the seats of this lovely trolley

And who can forget the famous Forest Gump bench!  This is a replica in the Savannah museum.  The original bench is in the Paramount Studios, but we did get to see the lawn where the "bench scene" was filmed.

Savannah had one of the first public dental offices.  Below is a shade guide for the dental crowns.  I have to say...I was pretty impressed with the set-up.

We went to a lot of amazing, historic, and memorable places this year on vacation, but I think Matt and I will agree that the memories that will last forever are the memories of our family time.  We laughed and had so much fun with Caroline.   Those are the memories I wish I could bundle and keep forever.

Vacation Day 8-Hilton Head Island

 We journeyed to Hilton Head for the day.  We arrived early so we spent a little more time at the beach.  Anytime Caroline sees water she now asks if we can go to the ocean.  She is a beach lover! 

 After the beach we went to the park for a short bit and then for a New York deli lunch.

 Tonight we went to eat at Crazy Crab and after dinner Caroline participated in the crab race. 

 Caroline and Daddy picking out her crab

 Ready for the race...go crabs go!

 Off they go!

 Below is a picture of Caroline's crab, which won! Fast crab!

Vacation Day 7- Hunting Island, SC

 This picture below was taken before lunch yesterday on King Street.  Today we left for Hunting Island State Park.

 Happy Memorial Day (a little early)

Hunting Island is South Carolina’s single most popular state park. Five miles of beaches, thousands of acres of marsh and maritime forest, a saltwater lagoon, and  an ocean inlet.  Of all the lighthouses in South Carolina, the Hunting Island Lighthouse is the only one in the state that is publicly accessible.  Two movies-Forest Gump and GI Jane were shot in this lagoon.



We enjoyed playing on the beach, digging in the sand, and finding little crabs...

We are off to Hilton Head tomorrow...