A Savannah Anniversary and a Bowl Game

We ended 2021 on a high note with an anniversary getaway and a Wake bowl game. It was a quick but fun trip! We have been lucky to usually take a small trip each year for our anniversary. This year, we delayed planning a destination until we knew where Wake might be playing their bowl game. They had such a successful season that we knew a bowl game was likely; we just didn't know where. When it was announced that the Deacs would be playing in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, we started our planning. My dad had the suggestion of stopping through Savannah, and so we were able to add a new city to our anniversary list. We left on Wednesday, the 29th and arrived in Savannah around 4:30PM. There was a delay in checking in at the hotel, so we headed to an early dinner at the Savannah Seafood Shack on Broughton Street. I got the shrimp po' boy, and Boomer got the low country boil. We then made a quick stop back at the hotel to drop off our things and walked to River Street to meet up with our 7PM ghost trolley tour. The tour lasted an hour and a half, with two different stops and ongoing commentary from our tour guide. We both liked being on the trolley, and it was a fun and entertaining way to see the city. The tour ended back on River Street, and we finished off the evening with slushies from Wet Willy's: an Attitude Improvement for Boomer, and a Dreamsicle for me. Cheers to 11 years of marriage! :)

On Thursday, the temperatures were again mild, in the mid 70s, and I talked Boomer into going for a run before breakfast. We did a couple of miles and then went to Cafe M's on Bay Street. After walking around a bit more, we stopped for beignets at Huey's and enjoyed them at a park bench overlooking the river. Later that evening, we had a dinner reservation at Repeal 33. Beforehand, we stopped for an appetizer at Jazz'd, an underground tapas bar off of Barnard Street. We walked back along River Street and picked up a praline and some almond bark. At dinner, we shared each other's entrees: a ribeye with a twice baked potato and shrimp & grits - delicious! If you can't tell already, the food was definitely the highlight of the trip. We sure had a wonderful time in Savannah and hope to go back again soon. 

 

Our time in Savannah was short - barely 36 hours, but we enjoyed every minute. On Friday morning, we hit the road early to make the two hour drive south to Jacksonville. Kickoff for the game was at 11AM, and we wanted to be sure to arrive early. Luckily we had no trouble with traffic and were parked by 9AM. We walked around a bit and then went into the stadium. Wake was originally supposed to play the Aggies of Texas A&M, but a few days ago, in yet another twist in a year of twists, they withdrew. Rutgers was selected to play instead. Wake had a better record and was favored, but it was still a close first half. Wake pulled away after halftime and won comfortably 38-10. It was exciting to see a win! Go Deacs!

Our getaway would not have been possible without Grammy and Grandpa! My parents watched Emmy and Eli while we were gone, and judging from the photos, the kids didn't seem to miss us one bit. Grammy continued to work on potty training with Eli and had several successful attempts. Since returning home, I have noticed a difference - yay! While we have switched between standing and sitting, Eli seems to be more successful sitting down. He also likes to play with a toy or hold something in his hands while sitting. We continue to reward with a treat and with adding a sticker to his chart. I am so thankful to Grammy for helping Eli. He is becoming such a big boy. Grandpa sent these photos of Emmy and Eli watching a movie, with popcorn of course! 

We arrived home pretty late yesterday after driving home from Jacksonville. We had about an hour to spare before midnight. After unpacking, I watched the ball drop, and Boomer was already asleep. We had a pretty laidback New Years today. We walked up to the neighborhood park in the morning, and in the evening, we went over to my parents' for the traditional meal of pork and sauerkraut. We are glad to have one more day off before it's back to work and school on Monday. We've had a nice ending to 2021 and look forward to what is ahead in 2022!