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!

Birthday Boy

They clean up nicely for special occasions, don't they? What was the event? Grandfather's birthday! We treated him to a special birthday dinner at a local fish camp. Great food with an incredible view and a live alligator habitat...Yep, it was a hit with the entire gang!

We debated whether the alligator was real for a solid 20 minutes. Finally, the gator blinked. I think we were all a little shocked. Why? Well, the restaurant is filled with impressive taxidermy, and not just animals native to Florida. We almost felt like we were dining at the zoo! So, we were convinced the gator was just another stuffed animal. Wrong!

The birthday boy also scored a nifty convertible tablet.  The grandsons were just a little bit jealous!

Speed Week 2013

Baby Grant finally gets in on the action of Speed Week! Looks like we better plan on more tickets in the future.

Super Jax Speed Demon

To say the boys are competitive would be a bit of an understatement. They are wildly competitive! I wish I could blame their father, but I fear it's a trait they were doomed to inherit. It definitely runs on both sides of the family. At least, I can say that they are rarely if ever poor sports. We've tried to teach them that you always give 110%, but it doesn't guarantee you'll come out on top. Yes, it's awesome to win, but it's being a gracious loser that really shows what you're made of.  Luckily, we don't have to show that side often! Ha! See...competitiveness is in our blood!

January seems to be a highly competitive month in our household. Why? That's when our Pack holds their annual Pinewood Derby. It's a chance for young and old testosterone-fueled boys to plan and plot while daydreaming of trophies and more importantly bragging rights! I can't say I completely understand the fascination, but the energy is contagious. I'm not necessarily saying that is a positive. I don't enjoy surrendering every inch of my kitchen table to the building of 4 cars every January. Yes, FOUR cars! Why four? Well, each of the boys builds a car for the race that must be surrendered at check-in. Then, they each build a "fun" car. You see, the fast cars aren't the most eye-catching. They typically are low profile wedges of wood that produce little drag. The "fun" cars allow the boys to show their personalities and add character.

Last year,  the boys were rookies at the event.  Baylor isn't eligible yet for the real competition since he's not old enough to officially join Scouts, but he is allowed to race in the sibling category.  In two years of competing, he has landed squarely in the middle of the heat. His cars serve as guinea pigs. The boys can see what works and what doesn't which allows them to form strategies for future derbies. In 2012, Jaxon's car performed well enough to take home the First Place trophy for the Tiger heat, but the older more experienced Scouts dominated in the Finals.

This year, the boys set out to improve on last year's performance. Ok, that's sort of a given, but I'm not going to lie. I was nervous! Anh spoke of nothing but total domination for weeks leading up to the race, and I was afraid the boys might be devastated if they walked away without a victory. Grandfather was the one who constructed the boys competition cars last year. Anh only helped with the "fun" cars. I wouldn't say is particularly handy with tools. So, I had serious concerns about how these new cars would perform. I felt it would be wise to prepare the boys for a possible loss, but Anh had a much different approach. Needless to say, I was a ball of stress at the Derby. How would the boys handle disappointment after such a grand prediction.

Well...I guess I'll discover the answer another year. In 2012, Jaxon won...He won BIG!

Jaxon's car won the Wolf heat by a wide margin. As we sat patiently through the remaining heats waiting to race in the Final, we saw that no car had matched the track record set by Jaxon's car. Barring a catastrophe like a wreck, we all knew Jaxon would take top prize, and that's exactly how it played out. Jaxon was the Superstar! He walked out of there with two trophies and bragging rights for the year.

Of course, Jaxon also strolled out of that cafeteria as everyone's target for next year. He's public enemy #1 in their eyes. At least, he's got some time to enjoy the victory before the pressure to defend the title sets in. Enjoy your time at the top, Son! You certainly earned it!

Christmas Cheer

Merry Christmas!!!

The out-of-town family arrived and brought with them loads of good cheer...and presents! Grandfather & Grandma were their usual overboard selves. The United States thanks them for singlehandedly saving the nation from a recession. I'm also fairly certain that Toys R Us stock rose as a result of beating their projected sales goals. I know 3 little "wise" men that weren't complaining!

After Christmas Mass, we made our way back to the house to enjoy our traditional Christmas eve wine tasting! This year, we sampled wines from 3 different price points and determined that our palates are simply not sophisticated enough to differentiate. I guess that's a good thing, right? Bring on the cheap wine! Ha!

The boys passed on the wine, but not the presents.  Grant's new wagon was a HUGE hit! Good job, Grandfather & Grandma!

Even the bike left by Santa couldn't top the wagon!

Jaxon & Baylor received the much coveted Wii U. They disappeared within seconds after this picture, and I don't think they reappeared for a number of days.  I'd say Santa did good!

The other half of the family arrived the following day extending the Christmas celebration. Again, no complaints about the good cheer, great cooking, and additional presents. Life is good!

We tried our hand at cookie decorating this year. Some of us are better than others, but a little competition definitely yielded some impressive results!

The Jayhawk cookies were the most popular to eat. Probably because of their MASSIVE size!

I much preferred the ninjabread men!

This year brought us so many blessings. The greatest blessing being Grant, of course! We may lose control with the presents and overindulge in the wine & treats, but the true meaning of Christmas is never lost. As we celebrate the birth of our Lord, we are united as a family. Memories are created and traditions formed.  This amazing life and the people in it are the greatest gift! Don't ever forget it!