Tybee Island

Tybee Island is a beautiful place. We wanted to relax and enjoy some sun and fun before we drove back to the other side of Georgia to return to real life. The beach and sand and water were perfect. The kids found seashells, built sandcastles, splashed, ran, and had an amazing time.

Can you read the sign below? It says "DANGER. NO ONE BEYOND THIS POINT." Now look past the sign. See the man with a black shirt and three little kids? That's Erick and my children. Luckily they came back safe. When they did, I pointed out the sign. They had walked right past it without seeing what it said.

While we were still covered in sand, we drove to the Tybee Island Lighthouse. I learned that the first lighthouse on Tybee Island was built in 1736. The lighthouse that stands here now was built in 1773, at least the bottom 60 feet of it was built then. The rest of it was added on in 1867. It is still being used today.

Fort Pulaski

Fort Pulaski was built in the 1830s and 40s to protect the city of Savannah from naval attack. In 1862 the Union Army captured and took control of the fort. It then became a prison for captured Confederate soldiers. After the war, it was pretty much abandoned until 1924 when the government made it a national monument.

Interesting facts about Fort Pulaski:

• The first known photograph of people playing baseball was taken of Union soldiers inside Fort Pulaski. Although baseball had been around for a while before the Civil War, its popularity spread quickly as more men joined the military and learned the sport from their fellow soldiers.

• The Union Army was able to take the fort using their new rifled cannons, which allowed them to be a safe distance away from the fort but still cause significant damage. This damage can still be seen in some of the outer walls.

We were super lucky to be there when this man gave a black powder demonstration. His old rifle was really neat. And it really packed a punch.

Savannah

What do you do when you arrive in Georgia, already have a house lined up, don't have any furniture, have a week off of work, and have a rental car? You go to Savannah of course!

We did a quick weekend trip to Savannah before we had to return our rented minivan. Erick served his mission in Savannah, and he was an excellent tour guide. We saw his old apartment complex. He showed us where he would ride his bike every day. He showed us his church building. It was such a fun experience.

My favorite part was just wandering around downtown Savannah, enjoying the history, the buildings, the shops, the waterfront...

We found a delicious candy store. We watched the workers in the store make candied nuts and handmade chocolates and all sorts of treats. We all picked something. And we all got very, very messy.

That evening, we ate at Joe's Crab Shack. Erick and I used to love Joe's back in the day. It was fun and delicious. We ate outside with a beautiful view of the water. Not sure why I didn't take a picture of our view. Instead I took a picture of these adorable girls and their crab bibs.

Ah, Georgia! I look forward to our time together.