Theo and Beckett’s birthday

The Big Eleven!

For his party, Theo chose to take a few friends to Dave and Buster's. For his party, Beckett chose to invite 18 kids to play soccer at Roberts school and then come back for pizza and an ice cream sundae bar. 

Theo's favorite gift--a gaming chair!

 

Reed’s classroom birthday party

 

Easter Egg Hunt(s)!

When we left for Florida, we didn't think we'd be there for Easter. So we had no egg hunt in Florida, though Grandma Joanie surprised the kids with some great Easter baskets. Also our friend Cheryl brought Easter treats for kids and adults in Florida. 

We arrived home on a Tuesday. On Saturday morning, the Easter Bunny hid a large number of eggs around the front and back yards but almost all of them were broken into and eaten by critters. So the Easter Egg Hunt was more of a trash collecting expedition by Bryn, punctuated occasionally by a happy squeal when Reed found an unopened egg and candy.

Easter Egg Hunt two occurred a few days later when Mr and Mrs Easter Bunny packed and hid an additional large quantity of eggs in the front and back yard just before the kids were expected home from school. Many eggs were found and the critters were stymied!

 

Sanibel vacation: Part 4

Some Grade A relaxing on the beach. This is a resident beach out on the west end of the island.

Baby alligator!

Turtle at Pond Apple

Jeff and I took a paddleboard lesson. We both really enjoyed the fun and challenge of it, even though we had some pretty good wind for a first time out. We saw bonnet head sharks, stingrays, mullet, and lots of other fish. I kept saying I typically fall off of every personal watercraft I have ever been on and, sho nuf, I fell in. This is a wet photo.

Chess at Joey's Custard, one of our favorite biking destinations.

Baseball on the beach

We got a bike trailer for Reed (the one where there's a wheel and seat and pedals that are attached to the adult bike) and he did ride on it with me and Jeff for the first week or so but then Beckett offered to let him ride on Beckett's pegs and that was WAY more fun. I imagine it must be quite tiring for Beckett but they just talked and talked and talked the whole way and Reed thought it was very cool to be riding on his brother's pegs. Beckett did most of the heavy lifting especially because Theo skipped a few bike rides but Theo did take him on at least one journey on the pegs.

 

Sanibel vacation: Part 3

The second week the boys, especially Beckett, really got into pickleball. Friends Barb and Paul were great sports, teaching us the rules and always up for a game with the boys. 

We took a couple walks through Pond Apple, where there were lots of baby alligators.

These guys are great at the luggage carousel

 

Sanibel vacation: Part 2

The boys and especially Reed got really into playing Wordle with Grandma Joanie!

Lots of tennis the first week before we moved into pickleball.

Beach day. The water was perfect for swimming.

Special Mama-Reed time at the Sanibel Historical Village

Beckett and Theo taking after Grandpa Stu. Checking out a green heron nest at Ding Darling.

Yellow crowned night heron on the beach.