Concours d'Elegance

Living in a house full of boys, there are certain events that pop up on the calendar that I just know will be a HUGE hit. The Concours d'Elegance on Amelia Island is one of those events. With over 250 classic and exotic cars displayed on the Ritz Carlton golf course, I knew we were in for an eventful day. The boys were in HEAVEN, and I'll admit, I also had a fabulous time.

Daydreaming is easy! Returning to reality is NOT!

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.

Rough Day

It's tough to be a baby & shots from the pediatrician don't help matters!

Racing Rookies

I'll be the first to admit that NASCAR isn't for everyone. I don't get into the rivalries amongst the various teams and drivers. College football is my fix for that! I don't get the fascination of watching cars essentially drive around in circles for hours, and while it's EXCELLENT people-watching, some of the fans really do tarnish the whole experience. That said, there really is nothing like attending your first race. The ROAR that echoes through the speedway at the start of the race is an adrenaline rush like you've never experienced, and while you never want to witness a tragedy, it's pretty cool to see the resulting chaos of a multi-car crash.

My growing interest in the sport should really be credited to the boys though, Jaxon especially. That kid has always been captivated by cars. Always! Since birth pretty much! This year, we thought it would be fun to serve as Ambassadors and introduce a few friends to the insanity of Daytona's Speed Week. As always, the boys enjoyed posing for pictures in the cars. They've obviously grown a bit since we first attended the Daytona 500. You can easily see them behind the wheel now. Before, they were too short!

Each of the boys has their favorite driver. Jaxon is fairly loyal to Jimmy Johnson, and Baylor roots for the much hated Kyle Busch. I think Baylor really just likes M & M's. Ha!

Having their best buddy Ethan tag along on the adventure pretty much solidified the night was perfection. The 3 Amigos could not have been happier. I'm not sure that Ethan really cared about the cars, but he was more than happy to enjoy the junk food and company of his best friend.

Little did we realize, but this video of the start of the race would turn out to be quite eery. Exactly a week later, the people sitting in our exact seats were peppered with debris from a wrecked car that broke through the safety cage. Sadly, a few fans were seriously injured. We were able to compare the video of the wreck to this video. It's clear that we would have been engulfed in the chaos. Thankfully, we went home to our warm beds without incident. Let the countdown to Speed Week 2014 begin!

Mardi Gras Madness

What? Doesn't everyone celebrate Mardi Gras? Well, they should! It doesn't always have to involve a lot of fanfare. Yes, a large gathering adds to the festive atmosphere, but a small family dinner can also mark the occasion. It's the joyous feeling in your heart that really matters. Embrace it!

King Cake

Baylor found the baby Jesus! Lucky boy!

Character Counts

When debating what to do on a beautiful, balmy February day, playing in a giant hamster ball isn't the first thing that comes to mind. However, sometimes it's best to embrace the unexpected! Participating in the inaugural 3K/6K Character Counts race benefiting our new school, has been on the calendar for weeks. We just didn't realize it would become a full-day affair with such a wide variety of activities. First up, the hamster wheels. The boys made it look easy. I didn't dare try it myself. I need to be able to show my face around the school for several more years.

Now, hold on to your stomachs. Booger Wars was up next! Similar to football, but you throw beanbag boogers to your team mates that must be crammed up your goal's nostril. Oh yes, it was delightful to watch. It's probably best that Booger Wars followed the hamster balls. I would hate to imagine the reverse. The inside of the hamster ball could get messy after all that visual imagery.

By comparison, laser tag seemed mild! The boys ran themselves silly, and I worried they wouldn't have any gas left for the actual race.

The turnout was impressive. It's great to know that we have so many active and involved families supporting our new school. It really demonstrates that we have a caring network of parents that appreciate what an asset the school is for our children and the community as a whole.

We elected to run the 3K. I used the excuse of the children not being able to complete a 6K, but I'm fairly certain I would have been the one laying down in the middle of the road crying in misery had we decided to attempt the 6K.  That distance will have to remain a bucket list item for now. One day...

The boys really gave it their all. We gave Jaxon permission to run ahead of us rather than crush his competitive spirit by forcing him to wait for us slow pokes. Aunt Kelly was supposed to try to keep him within her eyesight, but even she proved to be no match for our little speed demon. Baylor really pushed himself through to the finish line. At times, he was definitely dragging, but the strategic placement of cute cheerleaders really worked to our advantage. Just when we would resign ourselves to carrying Grant so we could load Baylor into the stroller, cheerleaders would magically appear on the sidelines and boost Baylor's spirit. Yep, he's all boy!

Jaxon crossed the finish line and greeted us with a smug grin as we finally jogged his way a good 10+ minutes later.  What can I say? We can only do better in the future. Well, unless we decide to sit and have a picnic lunch along the way.

In the end, we were all still smiling! Well, until we realized we still had a long walk home!