Giving Thanks in 2011

The camera lens was not pointed in the direction of family this Thanksgiving, and for that I'm sure everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief! Instead, the food was the focus, and there was plenty of it! I spent "Thanksgiving Eve" baking up an assortment of tasty fat-free, sugar-free, calorie-free, carb-free, & guilt-free treats...yeah right! Thanksgiving is not a diet-friendly day so why pretend?!

My personal favorite was courtesy of Paula Dean...Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting. YUM!
For apple pie, I turned to the Hampton's Queen Ina Garten for advice. While tasty, I think I might have overdone it with the orange and lemon zest because the pie was VERY tart.
Thankfully, we had Jaxon's peanut butter brownies to fall back on! Gooey & delicious!
Speaking of Jaxon...he got a little extra hands-on time in the kitchen this year. Jax served as Brad's sous chef when stuffing the turkey. Personally, I'm shocked Jaxon was willing to assist with stuffing the bird. He has never liked getting his hands dirty & was up to his elbows in herb butter and aromatics!
As always, Aunt Kelly set a beautiful table...
which served as the perfect backdrop for the lovely spread that Brad prepared for us! The turkey was the source of much debate this year. I'm a bit of stickler for tradition and wanted to prepare a whole bird. Brad, however, convinced me to try a turkey breast and to purchase additional turkey legs to provide the dark meat. I will say that there is no right or wrong choice here. If anything, Brad's method scored points for a mere reduction in the amount of oven time required. The end result was a moist, juicy, flavorful bird. So, clearly, the family was pleased.
We turned to Bobby Flay's Bourbon Glazed Sweet Potatoes for a bit of cooking excitement. Imagine a sweet potato version of Bananas Foster. I dare say this was my favorite dish. Of course, we threw in a few roasted mini marshmallows to win the boys' approval.

The final result of Brad's efforts was definitely a traditional Thanksgiving spread because the menu was planned by me and that's how I like it, but traditional in this case certainly did not equate to boring. Either I chose some great recipes or it's true that food prepared by others always tastes better! We'll give Brad the credit he deserves for treating us to an incredible Thanksgiving feast!
I can't wait to see the Christmas spread!

Over the River & Thru the Woods to Disney We Go

Who are the luckiest kids in the world?Jaxon, Baylor, & the other Super Cubs, of course! Thanks to Grandfather and Grandma, Jaxon and Baylor were able to join their Scouting friends on a camping trip to DISNEY WORLD! Seriously...these are some lucky boys!
This was the Pack's first trip to Disney, and it sounds like there were a few bumps in the road. Thankfully, the kids were completely unaware. They were with friends and doting grandparents and did I mention there was a heated pool & WATERSLIDE?! Yeah, the kids didn't notice that the usual arts & crafts and games were eliminated from the itinerary.
The Cub Scouts weren't the only characters roaming the campsites. Chip & Dale hosted nightly campfires before showing one of Disney's blockbuster movies as the evening's entertainment.
And, it wouldn't be a campout without s'mores and hot chocolate!
Something tells me that despite a few "bumps," this trip will earn a spot on next year's Super Cub calendar. The smiles present in these pictures are proof that the trip was a success! Thanks for making it happen, Grandfather & Grandma!

A Very Important Date

11/11/11...What a day for a birthday!!! Anh usually forbids any "fuss" over his birthday, but this year, it was sort of unavoidable. You can't let a date like 11/11/11 pass unrecognized! Anh simply provided the perfect excuse to celebrate, and boy oh boy did we celebrate in style with the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year...Taylor Swift!Our close friends joined us in a private suite as we sang along to all of Taylor's chart-topping hit songs. It was a special evening for a very special birthday boy! Let's hope it's only the start of what will be an incredible year!

All Treats, No Tricks

Finally, the main event was upon us...All Hallow's Eve! We started our evening at a friend's neighborhood party, but when darkness fell, we hit the streets in search of candy! Darth Vader and Snake Eyes could hardly contain their excitement as they sprinted from door to door.Jaxon has the routine down, but Baylor hasn't quite memorized the script. Instead of echoing Jaxon's "Trick or treat," Baylor shouted, "Happy Halloween!" At least both boys said, "Thank you!" That's probably what's most important.
House after house, door after door, the boys were collecting quite the stash of sugary treasure. Just what we needed...more sugar! As if our candy bowls weren't already overflowing after trick-or-treating at the Alligator Farm and our various Halloween parties.
By the 20th house or so, Baylor declared he had "enough candy" and started to consume rather than continue to collect. Much to Jaxon's disappointment, we decided to end the evening on the early side. That's the consequence when Halloween falls on a school night. I'd say we made the most of the holiday though, and I can only imagine what Halloween 2012 will hold for us!

Costume Chaos

What scares you most on Halloween? Monsters? Witches? Evil spirits? Nope. A preschool Halloween party! Ekkkkkk! A classroom full of little kids hopped up on sugar, losing their minds and all sense of control. That's what sends my pulse skyrocketing! BUT, it's also a lot of fun and nothing was going to keep me from attending Baylor's class party. Sanity is way over-rated!I'm not sure whether it was coordinated, but Baylor's best buddy Gabriel was also dressed as Darth Vader. The evil twins seemed quite pleased with their matching costumes and together vowed to crush anyone that posed a threat to the power. Looks like Buzz Lightyear might want to watch out!
Both Ms. J and Ms. S, Baylor's teachers, deserve a lot of credit for dedication to early education. I don't know how they do it, to be quite honest. Now, granted their typical day is hopefully a little less chaotic, but I still doubt I'd last a week in that environment. Let's just say, I take their requests to have Baylor in class 5 days a week rather than 3 as quite the compliment. There were a handful of kids in that class that I'm certain they would be delighted to see less of on a weekly basis. What a relief to know that my little man doesn't fall in that category!
Ms. J and Ms. S actually make corralling that many 3-year old years look easy. They never broke a sweat once during the 3-hour party, and if they were ever flustered, they hid it well. That was definitely not the case for the majority of the parents. I'd say half looked ready for a drink by the 60-minute mark, and the other half were plotting their discreet exit about an hour later. There were only a 2 other die-hards like me that lasted the entire party. Yes, I think I deserve a medal, and Ms. J & Ms. S clearly deserve sainthood.
Snack time was surprisingly healthy and even more shockingly...the kids actually ate the food! Who knew?! Oh, and Ms. J and Ms. S weren't kidding when they announced at the beginning of the year that cupcakes are a forbidden food in their classroom. One mom brought in 2 dozen "Martha Stewart-esque" cupcakes, and they sat in their container untouched for the duration of the party. Apparently, cupcakes are tasty but result in a colossal mess. Even saints have their limits!
Snack time was followed by arts & crafts stations which involved all the parents. I was lucky enough to be assigned to the Ghost Station which involved bottles of craft glue (Yay!) and tissue paper, and wouldn't you know it, we were lucky enough to be stationed directly under the classroom ceiling fan. Flying tissue paper EVERYWHERE, and no matter how many times you try to explain to a 3-year old that less-is-more when it comes to glue, they just don't get it! Fun & very sticky times!
Am I glad I made the time to attend Baylor's Halloween party and witness the utter chaos...I mean fun? Of course! However, I'm equally thrilled that this is a once-a-year event. Now, the countdown is on to mentally prepare for the Christmas and Easter parties. Oh my!

Creepy Critters

It's every child's favorite time of the year...Halloween! Rivaled only by Christmas, I'm sure. Jaxon and Baylor have been anxiously awaiting permission to suit up as Darth Vader from Star Wars and Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe, and FINALLY the highly anticipated moment had arrived!With the official holiday falling on a Monday this year, we decided it might be fun to engage in a little warm-up trick-or-treating with friends at our local Alligator Farm. Needless to say, the boys were thrilled with the idea. While cleverly disguised as a construction worker, Ethan didn't seem too threatening. However, this big green guy resembling a ferocious alligator wasn't about to fool us into letting our guard down. No sir! That gator is not to be trusted! Without a doubt, he'd be looking to swipe our candy or even worse take a bite out of one of the gang!
I'm sure little defenseless Grace looked like a tasty morsel!
This fellow was much smaller in size, but just as creepy as that shady alligator. He kept a careful eye on the boys as they visited his trick-or-treat station. Jaxon and Baylor didn't seem on bit intimidated by his evil gaze as they eagerly reached out to pet him. While less than thrilled by the experience, the lizard was tolerant of all the attention he was receiving on that particularly spooky evening.
The reptile fun continued as we made our way down the trick-or-treat trail. There were more lizards, turtles & tortoises, bugs galore, and my personal "favorite"...SNAKES! Ugh!
Lots & lots of snakes. Oh joy!
By comparison, the meal worms and maggots seemed like no big deal!
All kidding aside, it was a night of family fun made even better by the company of our friends. The brotherly love was flowing as you can see by this picture of Baylor shoving Jaxon's head into the gator's mouth. The bond those two share is amazing, I tell ya!
Sure the critters were creepy and the moss-covered oaks created spooky shadows, but the evening was filled with the magical laughter of carefree children enjoying one of their favorite times of the year. What else could a parent ask for?

Eight

EIGHT YEARS! That's an anniversary and milestone worthy of celebration! Especially in this day and age when it's considered "Breaking News" that a celebrity couple made their marriage work for 72 days. Not only did we celebrate, we did it in style at a world-famous hotel, The Cloister Hotel. As the sight of the 2004 G-8 Summit, I'd say it was a pretty safe bet that we had a fabulous weekend ahead of us.
It's possible we over-hyped the experience in Baylor's eyes. As we walked through the grand entrance hall, Baylor muttered, "This isn't perfect." Jaxon, however, saw things differently. He exclaimed, "I bet our room is going to be nice!" I asked, "Why?" and Jaxon responded, "Because this room is super nice which means our room will be nice too." One could only hope!
The boys engaged in a chess match as Anh checked us in at the front desk. When I asked Jax where he learned to play chess, he matter of factly stated, "I saw it on TV." Oh...right! Of course! Allow me to introduce the next Bobby Fischer!
Situated on the Black Banks River, The Cloister offered amazing views of the surrounding low-country marshland. It was easy to see why this Sea Island is so highly regarded by generations of guests.
As soon as we exited onto the patio, Baylor retracted his earlier statement and declared, "Okay, it is perfect!" Yes, buddy, I'd have to agree. Perfection might not even scratch the surface.
As it turns out, Jaxon was 100% correct as well. Our suite was VERY nice and would serve as the perfect "home base" for our getaway. The living room was exquisitely furnished yet still comfortable. The boys seemed thrilled to discover there was a second bathroom just for them!
The bedroom was equally luxurious, but it was the grand master bathroom that really took top honors. As soon as the boys discovered the soaking tub complete with a TV, they promptly declared that was "their" bathroom. Anh and I could use the other one. Thanks!
As nice as the interior of the suite was, I'd have to say that the balcony was my favorite. With a view like that, you couldn't help but relax and enjoy the moment.It was hard, but we eventually left our beautiful suite and started to explore the grounds of the resort. We discovered the breathtaking spa and marveled at all that it had to offer. All that pampering would have to wait for a future visit though. We had other activities in mind.
Although, we did make several visits to the spa so the boys could feed the Koi. Just more evidence that they are desperate for a pet!
Speaking of pets, the resort staff really goes out of their way to establish a family-friendly environment. Both boys received backpacks at check-in complete with some stylish shades and stuffed sea turtles that for the time being will work as a pets. Soon they'll have a little brother that will hopefully buy us a little more time. Unless, of course, Jaxon repeats his request for a cat in the hours leading up to my delivery.
The resort Beach Club served as yet another luxurious spot to relax and unwind, but who had time for that?!
The boys and I had playground equipment to climb...
Shuffleboard to play...
And the beach to explore!
Oh! One can't for the pool either! Actually, POOLS is a more accurate description. That's actually were we spent the majority of our time. The boys made some new friends while Anh and I soaked up the warm rays of sunshine. Ahhh! It was certainly a "This is the life!" moment.
With the sun setting, we made our way back to the suite to get ready for dinner. To our surprise, the resort staff had delivered a bottle of champagne to complete our celebration. It was a thoughtful gesture on their behalf, but we decided it would be best to delay the bottle opening until after kiddo #3 is done baking. That'll be true cause for celebration!
Instead, we simply relaxed for a bit and watched as the sun dipped below the horizon. Even the boys got caught up in the beauty surrounding us, and that's saying a lot!
As tempting as it was to simply spend every waking moment on Sea Island, we decided it would be a shame to not venture out to the nearby community of St. Simons. With its quaint, charming streets and active fishing pier, we knew we were bound to have some fun.
The resort's extensive list of activities would have wait until our next visit. I can hardly wait to book our fishing expedition or enroll in the shooting school, and the boys seem eager to participate in the kids' camp. Anh will surely insist of a round or two of golf, and one must not forget that spa!
Moving on, we found a cute little cafe for breakfast, explored a few shops, and then made our way to the waterfront. The boys were feeling especially photogenic that morning which was a gift for their photo-happy mother.
Sadly, despite being crowded with fishermen, we saw very little "action" at the pier. I guess the fish just weren't biting that particular day much to the boys' disappointment.
Luckily, we did find some excitement at the community playground. It was actually an impressive facility complete with a community pool and waterslide. Sadly, the pool was already closed for the season. At least we now have a legitimate excuse to plan a return visit. That list of "excuses" was growing rather lengthy.
From the playground, we made our way down the waterfront to the lighthouse.
The boys were the voice of reason for that particular stop. I had high hopes that we would make the climb to the top, but I was alone in my excitement. All three of my comrades vetoed my suggestion. In hindsight, it was probably for the best given that in my condition I'm winded when I make the climb to the second floor of our house. I'm not sure how I thought climbing to the top of a lighthouse would be enjoyable.
Truth be told, I could go on and on about our fabulous little family getaway, but it wasn't really what we did that made the trip so memorable. It's the fact that we celebrated as a family. Sure a romantic getaway between husband and wife is the norm, but our family trip somehow seemed like an ideal way to mark the occasion. We'll see if Anh and I feel like sharing our special day next year when there's THREE looking to tag along...