My little pirate

Have I mentioned how much I abhor sand? No matter how many different ways I try to flush out my foot shell, I continue to snap, crackle and pop with each step. Each time I enter the pool I leave trails of tiny crushed shells in my path. I have come to the conclusion that I might be stowing enough sand in my foot to replenish Timmy's sandbox.

Despite my sandy frustrations, we have been having a great vacation.  Yesterday afternoon Timmy and I embarked on a piratical adventure. We had planned for Scott and Robby to come as well, but the scullywags bailed on us at the last minute. I should have made them walk the plank!

I was frustrated that I had paid for two tickets that were going to go unused when I saw a Mom with a five year old girl. The little girl was awestruck looking at the pirate boat. I could tell that she wanted to board and take part in the excitement. I also recognized the look on the Mom's face. She wasn't going to be able to pay for the pair to go on the adventure. I know that feeling, and it is horrible. Without thinking I walked over and explained that I was left with two extra tickets, with the buccaneer upgrade, that were nonrefundable. Rather than have them to go waste, I would love for her and her daughter to use them. The little girl squealed, which led to Timmy clapping with delight.  The Mom gave me a huge hug and whispered "thank you so much" as we embraced. The ticket agent, who witnessed the entire exchange, comped my parking. Scott and Robby may have missed our adventure, but I have no doubt that their tickets were enjoyed more by our new friends.

It was just Timmy and I, but we had a great time on the pirate boat. He thoroughly enjoyed wearing his new bandana and brandishing his little buccaneer sword. The water canons were a lot of fun until a rogue pirate accidentally shot him in the face. After the unfortunate waterboarding Timmy was content to sit by my side and wave to everybody and anybody on or near a boat. 

Late tonight, Robby and Scott embark on the highly anticipated turtle trek. I'm sure that the morning and afternoon will be filled with more time at the beach, followed by the pool to try to clean my foot shell.  Have I mentioned how much I hate sand?

Fishing!

Hello from our vacation!

True to his schedule, Timmy woke up early and was raring to go. After distracting him with cartoons and a doughnut until Robby and Scott were awake, we dressed and headed to the beach. I felt a bit like the odd man out. The boys loved the sand and the surf and were carefree and happy. I spent the majority of my time struggling to walk comfortable on the soft sand and maintain my balance in the waves. There is no other way around it;  wearing a prosthetic at the beach stinks! 

After two hours I was able to convince Timmy to leave the beach for a quick swim in the pool. Again I struggled walking across the sand, only this time it was worse because I was also contending with an extremely heavy prosthesis. While I was in the ocean and playing on the beach, sand had filled and packed  in my foot shell. I venture to guess that my leg was at least 1-2 pounds heavier because of the makeshift foot shell cement. (Trust me, a pound or two doesn't sound like a lot until it is strapped to the bottom of your limb.) I was relieved to have the sand float out of my foot shell in the pool.

Robby and Scott went deep sea fishing in the afternoon while Timmy and I repeated our beach and pool pattern. The fishermen had a great time, and came home with enthusiastic stories of huge catches and wonderful sea adventures.  (The highlight was Robby reeling in an imposing fish. He was delighted and quickly named his prized catch Steve. Apparently he was taken aback when the deckhand beheaded Steve and threw him into the "keep" pile.)

 

Timmy had a fun, albeit calmer, day and was sound asleep by 6. The boys returned to the ocean for an evening swim, leaving me in the room with a sleeping toddler. I took advantage of the downtime by enjoying a Jacuzzi bath without interruption!  

Today we are going on a pirate boat, which should be fun.  Stay tuned for more vacation adventures!

A Charming Passenger

Yesterday Hamlet surpassed all of our travel expectations (which granted were set low) by behaving like a little prince. He charmed everybody around him on the plane by flirting and happily playing with his new toy plane. I was both shocked and grateful for his stellar behavior. Hopefully he will continue to employ proper travel manners on our return flight. Who knows, perhaps we are turning the corner on his stubborn tantrums?

We arrived at our hotel in the early afternoon and we decided to forgo packing for the beach.  The water was warm and the soft rolling waves were fun to jump and bob.  We played for a few hours before we headed out for dinner. After we ate we stopped by a grocery store to stock the snack reserves in our room. Timmy was nearly asleep by the time we arrived back at our hotel. 

Robby and I went for a quick walk along the promenade when he saw a turtle nest. He was so excited he almost started to cry.  We went over to investigate, careful not to disturb anything in the area. I'm sure he will return to "his" next nightly until we leave.

Today will be spent at the pool, on the beach and just having fun.  Pictures to follow!

Florida Bound

Greetings from Baltimore!

This morning our little family will be hopping onto a plane and flying to Florida. We are looking forward to a few days at the beach, relaxing in the sun and the surf. The highlight of our trip, and the impetus for the entire vacation, occurs on Thursday night, when Robby and Scott head out on a "turtle trek." Robby has been over-the-moon with excitement since we revealed that he is going to join rescuers on a nighttime turtle egg excursion. He is hoping that luck will go his way and that he will be fortunate enough to witness the hatching and the journey to the water. 

While we are all looking forward to our Florida vacation, I would be remiss if I didn't admit that I feel oddly conflicted because we are using the gift cards given to me by my Dad for our hotel room. I know that he wanted us to use them, but it feels like I am giving up the only thing I have left from him. I have hung onto the cards as if they were a golden treasure since he died. Using them somehow feels like I am saying goodbye again, but I know that allowing the value to expire is silly. I need to redeem his gift, and this feels like a good time to let go. 

I'm sure that swiping the gift card at check-in will feel bittersweet, but I am going to enjoy this vacation because it is what he wanted.  My Dad would be delighted to know that we are going to Florida, and that Robby will be going on a turtle trek because of him. Perhaps the best way to honor him now is to have a fantastic family vacation in his memory.

Of course, in order to have a fantastic vacation we need to reach our destination. Wish us luck flying with Hamlet! This morning is sure to be an adventure, and Scott and I will probably be exhausted and travel weary by the time we reach the hotel.  Hopefully he will behave, but judging from his enthusiasm I'm not overly optimistic. 

Medieval Times

At the risk of sounding like a braggart, I hit yesterday's adventure out of the park. The trip to Medieval Times, with VIP "King's Court" access, was sure to become a highlight of the year. All of the kids had a blast from the moment and were awestruck by the splendor of the show and the special doting and perks flowered upon them throughout the afternoon.

As we mulled around the castle entrance, waiting for the gates to open for the show, the cousins were having a great time looking at the suits of armor and playing with their new wooden swords and shields. The kids were surprised when they heard their names called over the loudspeaker.  Unsure and apprehensive, they reluctantly approached the stage. The looks of utter delight on their faces when they realized that they were being publicly "knighted" is one that I will never forget. To add to my own personal amusement, the King read a proclamation with each Knighting, declaring that the honor was bestowed to celebrate Aunt Peggy's Week of Fun.

Our seats were in the first row, in the center of the ring. We were seated in the Yellow and Red Knight's section, and instructed to cheer for him and to jeer the opponents. We all embraced the experience, and our voices were hoarse by the time the show was over.  We dined on roasted dragon, toasted with "virgin" ale and fully immersed ourselves in the theme. The kids even tried to speak in British accents. 

By the time the show was over our voices were hoarse from cheering and jeering.  The kids were smiling so broadly I was certain their cheeks had to ache, and they chatted nonstop on the drive home as they recounted everything they had just experienced. It's been a long time since I have had so much fun!

When we arrived home the cousins took to reenacting the show. They spent the evening choreographic and performing versions of their favorite scenes. I'm sure that yesterday is a day that will be remembered by everybody.

 

A Bit of a Slip

Well, yesterday's Aunt Peggy adventure was not the rousing success I had anticipated. I was excited when I discovered a kid's themed tour of the Gettysburg Battlefields. I thought for sure that everybody would love learning about the Civil War through a kid's perspective. After all, who wouldn't love learning about the Battlefield in such an interactive fashion?

It turns out that only two out of the four enjoyed the tour. The other two, who are not history buffs, complained of being bored. I got to the point where I asked them to keep their complaints to themselves so that the other tourists did not become as annoyed as me hearing the lamenting. Oh well, even Aunt Peggy can't hit a home run every time. 

Today we have another adventure, not history related, that is sure to please everybody. We are headed to Medieval Times and will be seated in the "King's Royal Court." The kids will be seated ringside for the show, will be able to interact with the jousters before the performance and will be privy to a variety of special perks throughout the afternoon. I'm sure that everybody will thoroughly enjoy today's adventure. If they don't, Aunt Peggy may need to rethink her Week of Fun strategy.

Week of Fun Day 2

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the local science center and the kids had a blast. While the big kids were running through the three story facility as a pack, I spent the majority of my time with Timmy. He was thrilled to be included in our adventure but the majority of the activities were too advanced for him.

I thought that Timmy would enjoy the heavily publicized dinosaur exhibit. We were roaring and stomping through the house as we prepared for the adventure. The dino fun stopped as soon as he laid eyes on the imposing animatronic figures.  Although we all tried to convince him that he was safe, he was terrified.  We abandoned our dino aspirations and gravitated toward the toddler zone. Filled with a huge interactive water table and a variety of toys and play structures, he was a happy little boy.

After playing and exploring most of the afternoon we returned home for dinner. After I put Timmy down for the night we piled into the car for another adventure. We went to paint ceramics. They were all proud of their masterpieces and had a fantastic time painting, talking and laughing.

This morning we are leaving early for another adventure.  Stay tuned, this is going to be a great day!