Memorial Day Mayhem

Florida boys through & through! Oh yeah, I'm not looking forward to the dating years!

We're incredibly lucky to live at the beach, but that said, we really don't enjoy the sand & surf as often as one might expect. We lead a busy life and downtime on the beach seems to fall pretty low on the priority totem pole. That's why we look forward to holiday weekends. We can cast the usual responsibilities to the side, and enjoy a fabulous beach getaway without the hassle of traveling! Priceless!

Jaxon continues to work on his surfing skills. That should easily attract the ladies in the future.

Baylor prefers to stay a little closer to shore, but can put on quite a show with his boogie board.

 

Grant would be completely happy to never even get wet! Something tells me that will change!

Surf's up!

You want me to do what? No thanks, I'll just watch.

Staying hydrated! It's very important!

A little mid-day siesta!

With the sun setting, we reflected on our wonderful day and life's many blessings. Life is good!

Goal

Jaxon & Baylor's first soccer season was an epic success! Both boys worked hard on the field and embraced the fun of being part of a team. Jaxon's competitive spirit was on full display, but he also demonstrated that he was gracious and a good sport. I'm so proud of him for showing such maturity at a young age.

Baylor also made us proud. In his division, the kids were less focused. Many were more excited for the half-time snack than the game itself, but that's okay. The kids worked on learning the fundamentals and had fun. That's the true goal, right?

Both Jaxon and Baylor seem to be naturally athletic. We had almost zero soccer experience prior to this season, but both boys' skills improved dramatically in a short period of time. I'm hopeful that next season will be even better.

Even Grant seemed to enjoy watching from the sidelines or maybe he was also just looking forward to the halftime snack?!

Our little soccer studs with their medals at the end of the season! Great job, guys!!!

Graduation Day

Today, we watched the first of hopefully many graduation ceremonies for Baylor! Our baby is leaving preschool behind for Kindergarten! Whoa! Somebody hit pause on life's remote control! Posing with his buddy Ethan, Baylor enjoyed every second of the spot light.

He has never been a wallflower, and today, we saw our little entertainer shine on stage during the class performance. I seriously need to get this boy an agent! He is Hollywood bound!!!

Baylor, we really don't say it enough, but you are our shining star! You bring a joy & energy to each day. You're going to do amazing things in your lifetime!

The Real Deal

Turning 5, Take 2! This celebration is the real deal on Baylor's actual birthday. Double the celebration. Double the treats. Double the presents. Yep, five is a good year! We love you so much, buddy!

FIVE

Turning five is a BIG deal in this family. It's your first chance to have a full-scale birthday party with all your buddies. Well, I guess that's not a true statement anymore since we had a big blowout for Grant's first birthday. However, the guests were technically our friends not his. Just saying! Anyway, back to Baylor's big birthday. I told him we could have his birthday party anywhere he wanted and proceeded to rattle off an extensive list of options. Baylor's choice wasn't one that I included. I point that out to demonstrate that his party was exactly what HE wanted. Baylor decided on a bowling party. Yes, bowling! I think he had bowling exactly twice before, but apparently, it was loads of fun!

Baylor's fabulous bowling cake & cupcakes! Our baker truly outdid herself. As cute as the cake was, it tasted even better.

Bowling Pin Cookies

At Baylor's party, everyone was a winner!

I can't remember if I ever blogged about Baylor's random announcement that he planned to one day change his name. As we were riding in the car one day, Baylor said, "Mom, did you know that sometimes people change their names?" I paused and responded, "Yes, I have heard that some people make that choice." Baylor joyfully shared, "When I grow up, I'm going to change my name to Hector!" Really? Hector? Well, after I saw this picture, I agree Hector might be a good choice.

Hi, Aunt Kelly! Who is this cute stranger with you?

Baylor's bowling party was more fun than I could have imagined! I should have known our little party animal aka Mr. Personality knew how to have a good time! Happy 5th birthday, Baylor!

Fort Wilderness

The primary reason we participate in Scouting would have to be the opportunity to go camping with friends. I'm sure that statement surprises some of you. You probably thought I would say something about the Pinewood Derby! As much as all the boys enjoy the Derby, camping is definitely the best part of being a Scout, and our Pack's Disney camping trip has to be the highlight of the year. Fort Wilderness is great, but honestly, Disney excels at just about everything they offer.

While most of our Pack was "roughing it" in tents on the manicured grounds of Fort Wilderness, we were spending our weekend in a cabin. Anh says I can't call it camping when we're staying in a cabin, but I beg to differ. Four adults and 3 children in a 1-bedroom cabin is far from luxury. It's as close to camping as I'm getting with a 1-year old in tow! Grandfather & Grandma joined us as well, and I know for a fact they much preferred the cabin to roughing it in tents as they had done a year before when they escorted the boys alone.

While there's only 1 bedroom, the cabin is set up to hold a large group. The bedroom has both a double bed and bunk beds, and the living room has a murphy bed that folds down from the wall. Throw in a portable crib and we were all quite comfy.

Forget the beds, it's the luxury of having a private bathroom that really makes the camping experience luxurious!

Grant's attempt to claim the murphy bed! Not happening, kid!

It wouldn't be Disney if there wasn't an awesome pool, and Fort Wilderness does not disappoint. There's an elaborate playground complete and a waterslide!

And, there's always Dad!

And campfires for roasting s'mores! S'mores!!!

I was a little worried about how Grant would handle the experience, but he really enjoyed himself immensely. Not only did he score new Chip & Dale Chipmunk babies...

He met the real deal!!! He liked them, but didn't want them to touch him.

Even without a visit to the parks, Disney magic was in full effect!