Fun in the Sun

Spoiled brat! He doesn't have a clue how good he's got it!

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!!!

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!

The Breakers

Pulling up to The Breakers in Palm Beach for our Spring Break getaway felt like the opening scene of an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous! It's truly impressive and just oozes opulence. I can see why Manhattan's elite consider Palm Beach their playground, and The Breakers is their home away from home.

Given the impressive wheels rolling through the driveway, I guess it's quite a compliment when they park your ride up front on full display. Seemed like a picture-worthy moment.

The resort is breathtakingly beautiful. The architecture and fine furnishing really set the stage and reiterate that you are in another world. Of course, when you look over and see Emeril Lagasse strolling through the main corridor, you're also reminded that beauty often comes with a hefty price tag. You only live once, right?! Oh, and you can't take it with you!

That's what we told ourselves when I made the reservation, at least! The boys loved the room, and I couldn't stop gazing out at the cerulean blue ocean. At some point, I did manage to leave our balcony, but it was tough.

I'm not sure there is an adjective that appropriately describes the grounds except to say that they are impeccably groomed. Their landscaping crew must be obsessive-compulsive because blade of grass looks like it's cut by hand. The flower beds are as artistically arranged as the floral arrangements that adorn every table and counter of the hotel. No, it isn't cheap to stay at The Breakers, but the maintenance bills for this place must be ginormous!

We didn't really explore much of Palm Beach. There simply were too many activities at the resort to justify leaving. If we weren't at the playground, then possibly, we were hanging out in the family activity center with it's arcade and activity rooms. The options were endless: arts & crafts, science experiments, a playroom bursting at the seams with toys, and of course, the arcade.

We spent mornings by the pool, and the boys enjoyed a round of golf one day.

Plus, the activities staff had a full weekend of Easter entertainment. Jaxon and Baylor participated in a glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunt. Talk about excitement! Watching the children disappear onto a pitch-black golf course. As they gathered glowing eggs, I couldn't help wondering if they would all make it back. Would the parents be hunting children shortly? It all ended well, thankfully. Along the way, we met a family visiting from Spain. Their younger son had taken a liking to Jaxon which resulted in an invitation for us to visit them at their home on the coast of Spain. Hmmm...let me check my calendar. I'm pretty sure we're available!

On Easter Sunday, a special guest made an appearance. Grant wasn't a fan! Oh well, at least Santa will know it's not personal now.

Shortly before Noon, the weekend's main event took place, the Grand Easter Egg Hunt.  Families gathered on the main lawn, and the children were lead with their age group to various spots around the resort. In total, there were over 10,000 (Yes, TEN THOUSAND!) eggs to be collected.

I could never adequately describe the spectacle of the egg hunt. You simply have to watch this video and see it for yourself. Mayhem! Pure mayhem!!! The children all dressed in adorable outfits sprint to fill their baskets. Several are followed by nannies who seem to have been instructed to carry the excessive number of eggs. Oops! Must remember to hire a nanny in time for next year's egg hunt. My poor kids, they had to go it alone.

As you can see, they did alright! Happy Easter!!!