Tag Archives: Myrtle Beach

Summer 2026 Myrtle Beach Visit

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South Carolina in August? Some people might say we were crazy but we felt we would have been crazy not to. When you have family living in the state, there is never a bad time to visit…no matter how much rain or humidity we encountered.

After attending an Engaged Encounter national conference in Atlanta, the four of us drove the 360 miles with Sidney’s mom and dad from A-Town to Myrtle Beach for a week of vacation with Sid’s parents, siblings, and their families.

Sloan takes a photo with her grandparents (aka Gami and Dada). What a blessing it was to be around them this past week.

It was seven much-needed days that kept us busy but relaxed at the same time. The trip produced many memories and bonding experiences. I decided to summarize our Summer 2026 Myrtle Beach vacation by detailing 10 themes from the week we spent out on the east coast…

Sloan and Beau got to do a lot over the past week. One fun moment was taking them to the Marsh Walk on Murrells Inlet. This photo was taken at the exact spot where I proposed to Sidney.

Family – First and foremost, the absolute most important/best theme from our time in Myrtle Beach was family. In fact, most of the themes below will dovetail from it. While we welcomed Sidney’s parents to Spokane for a visit in October 2025, Sloan and Beau had not seen their aunts, uncles, and cousins since our Disney World trip in May 2025. It was so nice to see everyone again as we hung out together, ate meals as a group, and did activities throughout the week. The cousins keep growing at rapid speed so it was a blessing to at least slow things down for a bit with multiple days of continuous time together.

Most of us (minus a couple youngsters) visit in my sister-in-law’s kitchen during this most recent visit to Myrtle Beach. It was great to see everyone.

Outdoor Games – What a blast I had with the kids! During the day when most of the adults were working, I was running Camp Uncle B. I bought a cheap $5 plastic bat that allowed us to play lots of wiffle ball. Hacky sack was also an activity that kept us constantly active no matter where we found ourselves (indoors, outdoors, the mall, etc.). And then of course we couldn’t shy away from the nation’s hottest game as we sweated it out on the pickleball court.

My 14-year-old nephew, Harrison, plays pickleball with Sidney. We played a lot of outdoor games over this past week.

Laser Tag – On Thursday afternoon, a group of us went to Stars and Strikes Entertainment Center to play a game of laser tag. However, our intention of playing just a “game” was extended by a very nice employee who allowed us to play several different rounds. From multiple team challenges to a few free-for-alls, everyone from Sid/me to my 14-year-old nephew to all the kids under 10 had plenty of fun.

Our laser tag crew getting ready for another mission inside Myrtle Beach’s Stars and Strikes location.

Poooool – Let me hit you with a fact: a swimming pool is more refreshing in humid weather! In some instances I might be content to just read a book poolside but this entire week in South Carolina I found myself jumping in every chance I got. I took the kids to the pool in my mother-in-law’s neighborhood and we also hit up the pool in my sister-in-law’s neighborhood. It felt so good! A football water toy we bought at Buc-ee’s prior to arriving in Myrtle Beach ended up providing solid entertainment beyond what I could have ever imagined.

Sidney, Sloan, Beau, and cousins splash in the pool during a humid afternoon this past week.

Putt Putt – A “must-do” item on Sid’s list for the vacation was to take everyone mini golfing at one of the elaborate Myrtle Beach putt putt courses. On Tuesday night, eight of us—including Sid’s dad—went to Spy Glass, a pirate-themed course. Playing under the lights, we played as two groups of four and enjoyed a competitive/good time. My 14-year-old nephew beat me by one stroke in our foursome but my father-in-law recorded the lowest score of all as he played on a foursome with Sid and the two 9-year-olds.

Sloan and her cousin, Henry, pose for a photo between holes at Spy Glass.

The Best Dinner – A highlight of the trip was an outing we took with Sid’s parents. On Thursday night, we went to the Marsh Walk in Murrells Inlet. I showed Sloan and Beau the exact spot I proposed to Sid and then we ate at perhaps the best restaurant in Horry County—Drunken Jack’s. The restaurant has a very inviting and homey vibe and that doesn’t even begin to describe the food. Sid and her mom opted for fried shrimp while us men ordered prime rib (Sloan and Beau ordered burgers). Every bite was delicious but the hushpuppies were second to none. In fact, perhaps the only thing that beat the hushpuppies was the company of my in-laws.

A true highlight of the trip was a special dinner at Drunken Jack’s in Murrells Inlet.

Boating – Thanks to my brother-in-law, John Henry, we had the chance to go boating on Saturday afternoon. We cruised the Waccamaw River as the kids (and Sidney 😉) had the chance to go tubing. We also pulled off at a couple different sand bars for food and swimming.

Beau and his cousin, Jack, watch Sloan and other cousins ride the tube during our boating outing.

Gym – As I tried to compensate for the thousands of calories I was consuming with all the yummy food around me, I did attempt to keep up an exercise routine. I worked out at my first ever Crunch Fitness gym and I even hit up the local YMCA. However, I eventually returned to where I feel most at home. Iron Legacy Gym is where I worked out when I lived in Myrtle Beach and I have exercised there over the past several years when we visited the area. Walking into Iron Legacy on Thursday and Friday brought back a lot of really good memories and produced a couple of great workouts. I also had the pleasure of chatting with the selfless owners, Nancy and Ted Capp.

There isn’t a better gym in Myrtle Beach than Iron Legacy. I felt fortunate to exercise there this week.

Worshipping At A Special Church – On Sunday, we returned to the parish where Sid and I were married, Sloan and Beau were baptized, and Sid was welcomed into the Church. Needless to say, St. Andrew Catholic Church is very special. Making this time even more meaningful was the fact that it was my first time there since renovation was completed…it is beautiful! Fr. Roger Morgan presided and preached about distractions, a perfect message for me as I continue to navigate a very busy summer.

Sloan walks up the steps into St. Andrew Catholic Church in Myrtle Beach on Aug. 9, 2026.

Ice Cream For Dayssss – As we wrap up this reflection, it is time for dessert 😋. With it being August in South Carolina, there isn’t any excuse not to eat ice cream. Thus, you probably aren’t shocked to hear that we ate a lot of it. We raided the carton of vanilla ice cream my mother-in-law had in her freezer, we sampled custard from Freddie’s, and we tried treats from the new soft serve ice cream truck in the Myrtle Beach area called Sprinkles. But our favorite ice cream of the trip came in the form of milkshakes from Cook Out. They are thick, they are packed with goodies, and they are only $3.99. One night I had a cheesecake shake and another night I had a Snickers shake.

Sid, Sloan, Beau, and cousins purchase ice cream from Sprinkles, a new Myrtle Beach soft serve ice cream truck.

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We were sad to leave Sid’s family but we felt blessed for the opportunity at the same time. Sidney deserves every chance possible to visit her home and I found plenty of joy watching all the cousins play so nicely together.

Beau is pictured with his cousins, Patrick and Jack. All the kids got along with each other so well!

In addition to Sid’s family, I also took advantage of the opportunity to see some of my old friends. I had lunch with my former co-workers, Kim Harper and Judy Johns, and also stopped by the house of my mentors, the McCormicks.

Sloan and I pose for a selfie with Tim McCormick during our Summer 2026 visit to Myrtle Beach.

But at the end of the day, the chance I had to visit those who shaped my wife’s upbringing proved most meaningful to me. I feel very fortunate to be accepted by Sid’s family. While in Myrtle Beach, Sid and I were talking to my sister on the phone and she asked me, “Brent, are you as weird in front of the Mathis family as you are in front of ours?”

I am fortunate to have incredible in-laws who raised the best daughter.

Without skipping a beat, I responded with utmost confidence: 100%.

Thanks to my in-laws for being great grandparents to my kids and for accepting me for the weird dude that I am.

Thank you to my in-laws for having us. It was a truly wonderful trip. Don’t Blink.

The Positives and Negatives of Myrtle Beach

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Today is the 12th anniversary of when I arrived in Myrtle Beach to begin work at Coastal Carolina University. However, my time in South Carolina was MUCH more than a career stop. I found my soul mate and because of that I will forever be grateful for the chance I had to live in the South.

I spent six years in the Grand Strand and now it has been six years since I left. I thought tonight was the perfect time to give a very brief and objective rundown of the positives and negatives of living in Myrtle Beach.

My dad and I took a celebratory picture after turning in the U-Haul after our cross-country trip to Myrtle Beach. This photo was taken 12 years ago today on April 28, 2014.

Positives

The Beach – Yes, it is right in the name. When I moved into my apartment, I was about five minutes from the beach and it was so close that I could smell it (literally). The water was warm, the vibe was great, and the seashells plentiful.

Location – Myrtle Beach is in an advantageous spot for road trips. Whether I wanted to drive north to Baltimore or south to Charleston or Savannah, there were always fun options to escape for a weekend. Sid and I even drove to Disney World once and made numerous weekend trips to Charlotte.

Food – Can’t say enough about the food. In fact, it was so good that within a year I reached the heaviest weight that I had ever been (😂). Myrtle Beach offered all the tourist trap chains you can think of but also the best fast food restaurants (Cookout, Bojangles, Zaxby’s, etc.). However, nothing beat the Southern cooking of my wife and mother-in-law that I was introduced to.

Prices – A lot of things are cheap in Myrtle Beach despite it being a tourist town. From gas to real estate to food, you simply pay less compared to other places.

Weather – Although the summers are ridiculously humid and Myrtle Beach had a harsher winter than Spokane this year, being able to trick-or-treat without a coat is pretty sweet! It was also nice to have pleasant weather in January and February.

Myrtle Beach had so much to offer and I was so blessed to spend six years there. But the absolute best part of all is that I met Sidney there!

Negatives

Traffic – Did I already mention that Myrtle Beach is a tourist town? 😉 I still get anxiety when someone mentions 501 (hint: that isn’t an area code). I waited in some awful traffic jams but shout out to CCU for allowing its employees to leave at noon on summer Fridays to get a head start on it.

Allergies – Because of the pollen situation and other things floating in the air, I actually developed allergies during the years I was there. When people told me I could be susceptible to them when I arrived in town, I thought they were crazy. I ate my words.

Bugs – The only time I see a cockroach or Palmetto Bug these days are in my nightmares. Man, those things were nasty (and everywhere).

Income Tax – When I started at CCU, my boss braced me for the shock. He said my paychecks might be a little less than what I might be expecting because of the state income tax. Because I moved from Montana which also had a state income tax I wasn’t caught off-guard but it sure is nice living in a state (Washington) that doesn’t have one.

Hurricanes – Don’t miss the hurricane season that seemed to get longer and longer each year I lived there. There is nothing funny about those storms. The damage, anxiety, and hysteria can break you down.

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Sure, there were positives and negatives, but like I already mentioned, nothing can take away the fact that moving to Myrtle Beach was the best decision I ever made. Among so many other special things that happened during those incredible six years, that little piece of heaven on the coast of South Carolina gave me a beautiful wife and two healthy kids. Don’t Blink.

Thanksgiving 2023

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I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving weekend! Speaking of Thanksgiving weekend, it is usually my custom to write a recap of ours. However, as many of you know, I am currently in Myrtle Beach. I will eventually write a recap of our time in South Carolina and that summary will include the Thanksgiving weekend. So in order to not duplicate efforts, tonight’s post will just focus on our awesome Thanksgiving day. With all that said, let’s begin…

The four of us, Sidney’s sister, her husband, their son, and my in-laws pose for a photo outside the barn on Thanksgiving Day.

My Thanksgiving started with a workout at Iron Legacy Gym. It was my feeble attempt to justify the exorbitant overeating that would take place later in the day but I don’t even think running a marathon would cover the calories I would consume. Nonetheless, it was a packed gym as other like-minded people (but probably with more self-control) gathered to exercise and get the endorphins flowing.

My Thanksgiving started at Iron Legacy Gym.

When I returned to my in-laws’ home, it was all about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our family tradition continued as we watched the floats, Broadway acts, and musical performances. There was something for all four of us although I think we all scratched our heads at the Broadway skit devoted entirely to corn.

Our family enjoying the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

By the time Santa was about to make his parade entrance, we were off to our Thanksgiving gathering. We drove to Conway to the property of my brother-in-law’s (the husband of Sidney’s sister) parents. John Henry’s mom and dad always host a large Thanksgiving feast for extended family and friends in the barn! The menu included fried turkey, chicken bog, mac and cheese, and a barbecue pig! It was a true Southern Thanksgiving and every bite was delicious.

The scene of our Thanksgiving gathering. Thanks to John Henry’s parents for hosting us…it was such a good time!

After dessert, Sloan and Beau hopped on a tractor operated by John Henry’s dad for an exciting joyride. Sid and I then joined the kids on a flatbed trailer pulled by an ATV driven by—you guessed it—John Henry’s dad 😂. The journey took us through the wooded areas of the property. The sun decided to shine on Thanksgiving as the rays shooting through the trees added to the beautiful scenery.

Sloan, their cousin, Jack, and Beau, enjoy an ATV ride on Thanksgiving Day.

We returned to my in-law’s home and had the most perfect afternoon/evening. The four of us Resers and Sid’s parents hung out in the living room and watched football, read our books, and visited. It was such a relaxing end to a very nice day.

A peek at the pig that was part of our Thanksgiving spread.

Thanks be to God for so many blessings. Don’t Blink.

Heading to Myrtle Beach for Thanksgiving

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It will be a memorable Thanksgiving for sure!

After nearly two years, we are returning to Myrtle Beach for this special holiday week. The four of us are at the Spokane Airport and ready to fly through the night skies to the other side of the country. By early morning we will be in South Carolina.

I know Sidney is excited to return to the place she was born and raised. Sloan and Beau are ready to see their east coast grandparents, aunts, and uncles AND play with their cousins! I am looking forward to stepping foot on the Grand Strand soil that provided me with too many blessings to count.

We are at the Spokane Airport waiting to depart to the east coast.

Yes, it will be awesome to spend a holiday that is epitomized by family with my wife’s family. We have a lot of catching up to do and can’t wait to spend quality time with them.

The trip will also allow us to worship at the parish where both our children were baptized. Additionally, we will take some time to hang with friends who are forever special to us. Oh yeah, we might also be hitting up some spots that can whip up certain delicacies that we just can’t get out here in Washington.

So here we go…just 3,000 short miles separate us from sunny (or rainy) Myrtle Beach. I hear these pilots want to fly fast tonight. Please pray for a safe journey. Don’t Blink.

Our Christmas 2021 Trip to Myrtle Beach

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Sidney, Sloan, Beau, and I were blessed to visit my wife’s family (and our old home) this past month. Myrtle Beach treated us well as we celebrated the holidays and spent time with loved ones who hold special spots in our hearts. To summarize our trip, I thought it would be wise to briefly describe 10 happenings/themes from our time in South Carolina.

Staycation – Sid’s parents rented a condo right on the beach for our family and the families of Sid’s two sisters. We spent several days playing at the resort’s water park, creating Christmas crafts, eating family dinners, and enjoying the beautiful ocean scenery. It was a great opportunity to for everyone to come together, catch up, and get into the Christmas spirit.

Beau and Sloan look out at the ocean from one of our condo windows.

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day – Ah yes, the reason for the season! We attended the 4 p.m. Christmas Eve mass at St. Andrew. After that we went over to my sister-in-law’s house to hang out and eat baked ziti. We came back to my mother-in-law’s house and I stayed up until midnight until it was officially Christmas. On Christmas morning we all gathered to open gifts and later that day we went back over to my sister-in-law’s house for a prime rib Christmas dinner.

Sloan and I after Christmas Eve mass.

Gorgeous Weather – The previous two times we traveled back to Myrtle Beach we had no shortage of rain and cold. Not this time. We basked in numerous 75 degree and sunny days over the course of the two weeks we were there. The conditions allowed me to take Sloan to the park, play basketball outside with my nephew, and go for a run through my in-laws’ neighborhood. While Spokane was being pounded with snow, I made sure the savor the sunshine and warm temperatures.

The weather was beautiful and plenty of Otter Pops were consumed.

Old Friends – In addition to spending time with Sid’s family, we also got to re-connect with some of our dearest Myrtle Beach friends. One particular day Sloan got to visit the trampoline park and go out to lunch with Jacqueline, the BFF she was inseparable with when we lived in South Carolina. The day before we traveled back home, we went over to the home of our spiritual mentors, Tim and Kathy McCormick, for breakfast. I even got to see my former Knights of Columbus brothers when they invited me to drop by before one of their meetings.

Jacqueline and Sloan were re-united again and did lunch together.

Old Places – Over the course of our trip I worked out at the gym I used to exercise at on a daily basis, Iron Legacy. It is still old school and it still has the nicest owners. Best of all, we returned to St. Andrew a few different times for mass. So many good things happened to our family within those walls and it is always special to return to worship God.

A photo I took of Iron Legacy in Dec. 2021. This was taken from inside the class studio and it spans the main workout floor.

Baby Jack – We had plenty of time to see the newest addition to the Mathis family, Jack. When we visited Myrtle in June, he was only a couple weeks old. Now past the 7-month mark, he had grown considerably but was still as sweet as could be. It was fun and hilarious to watch Beau interact with his new cousin. Sid and I each made sure to get our snuggles with our handsome nephew over the time we were there.

Sidney holding Jack and Beau.

Sing 2 – The second week we were there a group of us went to see “Sing 2.” It was a super cute film that had us singing and dancing in our seats the whole time. Just having the opportunity to watch a movie in a theater was a special experience by itself.

Sloan and her cousins at the movie theater to watch “Sing 2.”

On the Small Screen – Going to the theater was really nice but watching programming on television wasn’t bad either. I had the pleasure of watching numerous college football games. Laying in bed at night, Sid and I would watch “Fear Factor” re-runs and after she fell asleep I watched poker. Probably best of all was watching “It’s A Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve. Believe it or not, I had never watched the movie until that point. I truly was missing out!

I watched “It’s A Wonderful Life” for the first time this Christmas season.

Good Food – We ate and we ate and we ate. The best part? It was all delicious. From the prime rib Christmas dinner to our takeout favorites to the baked ziti we didn’t obsess over calorie counting. All the baked goods available kept us munching the whole trip.

We baked Red Lobster cheddar biscuits to go with our baked ziti on Christmas Eve,

Bananagram – A game we played both at the condo and at Sud’s parents’ house was Bananagram. It is kind of like a more individualistic, faster-paced Scrabble. It was the perfect game to relax and enjoy a snack with. I had a nice time playing it and even won a few rounds.

What one of my rounds of Bananagram looked like.

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What a blessing it was to spend some solid time with Sid’s family. We were sad to leave everyone in South Carolina but thankful for the memories we were able to bring back. We can’t wait for our next visit. Don’t Blink.

Myrtle Beach Eve

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Let me tell you, the excitement is sure brewing in the Reser house! Not only did the four of us just have our Christmas gift exchange but it is Myrtle Beach Eve. Just one sleep separates us from boarding a plane to South Carolina.

Beau and Sloan opened up gifts from Sid and I just moments ago.

As you can imagine, we are elated to head to the east coast to spend the holiday season with Sid’s family. It has been more than six months since we last saw everyone and Sloan can’t wait to give her “Gami” and “Dada” a hug. Little does she know all that is planned so that she can spend a lot of time with her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Of course air travel is a slight concern. Beau is at an age where he can’t stay still for more than a minute. The flight from Spokane to Atlanta will be a big challenge but it will all be worth it when we land in Myrtle Beach around 10 p.m. on Thursday. We have become pros at flying cross country with kids and we will just have to give it our best effort come tomorrow.

This trip will mark the second time we get to see the newest addition to the Mathis family, Baby Jack. Sid’s sister, Court, had her first baby in May and we will soon know how much he has grown since we saw him as a newborn in June. Speaking of getting big, Jack isn’t the only one growing. It will become apparent that Beau has not slowed down one bit since the early summer.

As a child, my family would always travel during the holidays and I can still feel in my heart that youthful exhilaration when we would make the trek to my grandparents’ house. Although Beau might be a little young to feel it, I know the feeling isn’t lost on Sloan. This is a special time and we plan to make the most of it.

Making the most out it for me means that I will be taking a holiday break from this blog. I will publish a Thursday Rundown tomorrow and I will offer my top 10 blogs posts of 2021 and my year in review post at the end of the month. But between tomorrow and my annual posts on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, I don’t plan to write much (if at all).

Please pray for safe travels for our family. I will touch base with you tomorrow before we head to the airport. Don’t Blink.

Our Summer Vacation to Myrtle Beach

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Yesterday I returned from a nice trip to Myrtle Beach. In our second trip back after our move out west, our schedule wasn’t as packed as our holiday visit last December. This allowed us to both enjoy some more downtime while also connecting with people we had not seen in a year and a half. As I typically do with vacation recaps, I thought it would be best to identify five themes from my* June trip to Myrtle Beach.

We were all smiles as we flew to Myrtle Beach.

Meet the Newest Member of the Family – We were most excited to meet our new nephew/cousin. Sidney’s sister, Court, and her husband welcomed their first child into the world on May 17. FaceTime can only fill the geographic void to a certain extent and we couldn’t wait to hold Jack for the first time. He surely didn’t disappoint! I know Sidney fell in love with Jack the moment she laid her eyes on him and it was a pleasant reminder to me about how little newborns truly are (crazy how you forget so quickly). What joy it brought us to meet Jack!

Meet Baby Jack!

Family – Yes, we were ecstatic to see the newest member of the family but we couldn’t wait to see the non-newborn members as well! The four of us spent majority of our time visiting with Sid’s parents, sisters, brothers-in-law, nephews, and niece. We ate meals, played volleyball, watched baseball, and spent precious time visiting. A couple of my personal highlights included Sidney and I having a sleepover with our niece (Russell, 12) and nephew (Harrison, 8) and also enjoying a birthday celebration for Russell and her youngest brother, Henry (4). I am so blessed to be part of Sid’s family!

Being with Sidney’s family was the reason for the vacation.

Summer Activities – Although we didn’t receive summer-like weather while we were in Myrtle Beach, it didn’t stop us from engaging in summer fun. It may have rained more days than not, but I still wanted Sloan to do things while on vacation. We hit up a Myrtle Beach Pelicans game and despite only getting to see a few innings due to rain, we still ate plenty of ballpark food and were treated to a fireworks show. One day I took Sloan to Myrtle Waves, a huge water park in Myrtle Beach. While it drizzled most of the time we were there and I secretly hoped that the sun would come out, Sloan didn’t know the difference. She loved the lazy river and the kiddie slides. My last full day we were there we headed to the beach. It was Beau’s first time seeing the ocean and Sloan spent the time with her cousin building sandcastles and collecting seashells. Throughout the trip we didn’t let a little rain dampen our fun!

Yes, it rained. However, it couldn’t keep us away from the beach, water park, and ball game.

Nice to See You Again – In addition to spending lots of time with Sid’s family, we also saw some of our closest friends. Sloan played multiple times with her Myrtle best friend, Jacqueline, and I got to visit with her mom, Susannah. We went over to the home of our spiritual mentors, the McCormicks, for pizza and conversation. I also stepped foot on the Coastal Carolina University campus for the first time since February 2020 and had a reunion with my University Marketing and Communication team. It was so nice to catch up with everyone and see how they successfully managed through the pandemic. After I left the offices I went across the street with my CCU bestie, Geoff, to our favorite burrito joint for lunch (Welcome to Moe’s!).

We joined the McCormicks for an evening (top photo), I got to have lunch with Geoff (bottom left), and Sloan and Jacqueline got to see each other a few times and I got to catch up with Susannah (bottom right photo).

Enjoying Our Favorites – Sid and I managed to do some of our favorite Myrtle Beach things. We attended mass at St. Andrew, got dessert at our favorite ice cream spot (Bruster’s), went through the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru countless times, and managed to find Mr. Softee. I also got in several workouts at Iron Legacy, the gym that holds a dedicated spot in my heart. We didn’t take for granted the opportunity to visit and enjoy these places that are so special to us.

From church to ice cream to the gym, we got to enjoy some of our favorite Myrtle Beach things/places.

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Myrtle Beach will always be part of who I am. I met my wife, had two kids, and spent some of the best years of my life there. To have the opportunity to go back and visit is something I am incredibly thankful for. I am happy that Sid, Sloan, and Beau still have several days left to enjoy. Don’t Blink.

* – I say “my” because Sid, Sloan, and Beau are still making memories in Myrtle Beach. They will be returning next Tuesday.

Vacation to Myrtle Beach

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It is an exciting day! After our summer of adventure started a couple weeks ago with our trip to Walla Walla, we will be traveling again today. However, this time it won’t be by road.

Our family is hours away from flying across the country to South Carolina. We are going to Myrtle Beach to spend time with Sidney’s family. All of us are excited but I don’t think it is possible for anyone to be as stoked as Sid. She is ecstatic to be with her family and who could blame her? This is going to be a lot of fun!

We are headed to Myrtle Beach!

Although our move west worked out better than we could have hoped, we still refer to Myrtle Beach as “home” and miss everyone there. In addition to all the time we will be spending with Sid’s family, we look forward to connecting with friends we have not seen for well over a year. Thank goodness for the dwindling influence of the pandemic.

Just a quick note: the month-long celebration of the 10th anniversary of Don’t Blink will conclude tomorrow with my personal top 10 blog posts. I hope you get a chance to glance it over.

Now it is time to finish packing. Hoping for the best as we travel with Sloan and Beau. It is vacation time! Don’t Blink.

Little White Crosses

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This morning, I came across a unique work of journalism in my local newspaper. Hannah Strong of The Sun News wrote a piece titled “Horry’s Crosses to Bear.” The front page feature told the stories of various crosses and memorials that motorists pass by while driving on Horry County roads.

A partial look at today’s front page of The Sun News. The article is titled “Horry’s Crosses to Bear” and it is written by Hannah Strong.

Strong carefully detailed numerous memorials around the Myrtle Beach area, describing what they are constructed of, who they are constructed for, and the relief they give to loved ones who visit them. She also recounted the tragedies that led to existence of each one. Many vibrant photos are also included in the story – but you will have to follow the link to the story because I don’t want to steal the images taken by The Sun News. Overall, it was a very informative piece but also very sad.

When I was younger, I remember driving around with someone in a big city. This certain area had homemade memorials on the side of the road seemingly every couple of miles. When we would pass one, whether it be a white cross or something more elaborate, the driver would say in a more amused than sympathetic tone, “Oh, look, someone must have died.”

All around the country you can find white crosses like these, or other more elaborate displays, on roadsides marking where people have died in automobile accidents.

It didn’t take me long to realize that these memorials deserved much more respect than that. However, what does this respect look like? To be honest, for the last several years, aside from not mocking them, I don’t think I have really given much thought or reverence when speeding by.

In Strong’s article, some insight is given on how to allow ourselves to take roadside memorials to heart. The Horry County coroner challenges motorists when passing one to reflect on why it is there. Further, the coroner advises, remember that we are all mortal and the same tragedy can happen to us or our family members. It is important to always drive carefully.

Perhaps even more powerful was testimony given by a father still stinging from the motorcycle fatality of his son. He told Strong that the roadside memorial he visits is sacred ground to him because it was the last place his loved one was alive.

I think the concept of “sacred ground” is what we need to keep in mind when we drive by a location where someone has perished. Whenever we enter a church or cemetery, even if it is a church we don’t belong to or a cemetery where a loved one is not buried, we still give it respect. We need to keep this attitude when we pass by roadside memorial sites.

If we challenge ourselves to say a quick prayer for the person or make the sign of the cross when driving by, I think this will at least help us to reflect on the life that was lost. How would we want someone to react if the cross on the side of the road was meant to memorialize one of our loved ones? Don’t Blink.

Native Sons Super Warehouse Sale

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You know what I like almost as much as cheap food and cheap beer?

Cheap t-shirts.

Yesterday, I sure scored some cheap t-shirts thanks to Native Sons of Myrtle Beach.

Last Thursday, as I finished my workout at Gold’s Gym, I noticed a flyer taped to the main entrance/exit doors. It advertised the Native Sons Super Warehouse Sale. I was intrigued enough that I took out my phone and snapped a photo of the poster.

This is the Native Sons Super Warehouse Sale flyer I saw in the Myrtle Beach Gold’s Gym.

For those who aren’t Myrtle Beach locals, Native Sons is a screen printing business that has been in the area for over 30 years. In any given year, Native Sons produces t-shirts for countless events along the Grand Strand. Sometimes, not all the product is distributed. Likewise, the company will run extra t-shirts for other purposes as well. As you can imagine, over time, a large surplus is created. This was the weekend for Native Sons to make that surplus available to the community.

As the flyer made known, the Native Sons Super Warehouse Sale would run Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. T-shirts would be priced as low as $1. When I got back in my car after the workout, I immediately followed Native Sons on Facebook so I could track the sale.

I watched the photos and Facebook Live broadcasts published to the page on Friday and Saturday. From those posts I could tell that the inventory was large and the event was as advertised. So, yesterday, after I went to pick up our grocery order, I swung by Native Sons to scope out the sale.

I arrived at around 3 p.m. as the t-shirt blowout was starting to wind down. I walked into the warehouse to do some browsing. Native Sons offered sweatshirts, long sleeve shirts, hats, shorts, and promo items at low prices. However, I was there for the t-shirts. By this time, t-shirts could be purchased at 10 for $10 (earlier in the weekend some shirts were more expensive than others). No arguing with that deal! I made the decision that I was going to purchase 10 shirts.

No doubt about it, I was going to take advantage of the 10 for $10 sale.

With Sidney in mind as well, I started to pick out shirts. I wanted to get an assortment of styles and sizes to allow us to wear some in public, some in the yard, and some as night shirts. I was easily able to cover all my bases.

This was my first glimpse of the sale.

A few events were very well represented at the sale. Merchandise from the Myrtle Beach Marathon, the Carolina Country Music Festival, and the Salt Games were all plentifully available. And, lucky for me, a lot of CCU gear was on hand too.

A look from the back of the sale.

I took my time browsing the tables and racks before selecting the 10 shirts I wanted to bring home with me. Once I did, I took my loot up to the makeshift register and paid the simple, straight up price: $10.

Once at home, I laid out the shirts in Sloan’s playroom. We had a draft of sorts as Sid and I selected which shirts we wanted for ourselves. It all went well as we each got what we wanted along with the satisfaction of feeling like we made out like bandits.

After our draft, Sloan sure enjoyed herself rolling around in our new shirts.

Some sales are better than others, but it is hard to beat the Native Sons Super Warehouse Sale. I would like to thank this area business for letting the community have a shot at its surplus inventory. Don’t Blink.