Target Audience: Parents
Every man tries to balance his time making money for his family, spending time with his family and becoming the best version of himself. It is rare I take one full week of vacation during a calendar year. In fact, twice, I have gone two years in my PT career without taking one full week of PTO. I will take extended weekends, but it is not the same. I am the type of person that tends to stay busy. After one week of being out of my routine on vacation I get antsy. However, when I take that annual week off, I am due.
This summer we spent a week in Florida at the end of July for my son to see his cousins. To say Jaxson was excited was an understatement. We heard, “Are we there yet,” more than multiple times in the car since we drove. Determined to get there, we drove straight through the night. Her sister, Jessica, was generous to let us spend a few nights in her Lakeland home. Aunty Jess, like her hooping days, is a boss at Longhorn Steakhouse. We enjoyed a clean home and a large HOA pool where I spent a good deal of time playing a tower in the water with Aunty Erica’s kiddos. The squirt gun in the left ear was a special gift from her daughter because it left Swimmer’s Ear for 11 days. It wasn’t until after some irrigation and a large squat took the pressure out when we got back.
Papa Scott entertained the whole family for Rachel’s third 39th birthday. This had to be my favorite part as he spent hours prepping and cooking chicken, ribs and hotdogs in his backyard. I got the meat sweats, or perhaps it was just Florida heat & humidity. It was pleasant to all be under one roof, and not have to worry about watching my weight for a comp. Her fam knows how to have a good time, but no family would be true family without a little bit of drama!
On Monday we spent the 95 degree day at Legoland. The clouds and water rides offered some heat protection. This was my first time in this theme park. Here I realized how much my seven-year-old prefers the bigger rides over the kiddie ones now. So much so that he ran off without our knowledge that he got a reaming when he came off the coaster. Peppa Land was nice for the kids to cool off in the splash park, and for Daddy to enjoy a $10 Frosty in the AC. I think Jaxson is ready for Cedar Point in Ohio next time we hit a theme park. My father took me and my brothers every summer for years. First, I just have to convince Rachel.
Indian Rock beach was a nice destination to escape for a day. By this time I was so sun burnt that I required a white, long-sleeved shirt. Rachel and Jocelyn are both afraid of going into the ocean, so how rare of a sighting was it to see both of them in there. Perhaps since the 90 degree water welcomed them. Jaxson, Ember and Duke (his cousins) didn’t let the heat and sand in the face stop them from having a blast. I caught a wave in my left ear that already had Swimmer’s ear. Hopefully when my son is older he have memories of all the summers him and I swimming in pools, waterparks and the ocean.
The latter part of the week had to be the most memorable. Papa Scott and Aunty Erica joined us at the Airbnb in Kissimmee that had a water park. The kids hit the slides and the parents hit the tiki bar. Daddy hit the Kissimmee Muscle gym for one day. I loved it. Every piece of equipment back to my Powerhouse days in college was under one roof. That evening was sailing along great, including the swimming, Olive Garden, bottles of wine, until we arrived back to the room. Jaxson found a two-inch cockroach in his room. Although common in FL, as our host reminded us (like we are weird for pointing out bugs), Rachel will not deal with bugs. Zilch. Of all bugs cock roaches are at the top, understandably. She told me to take the kids back to the water park as she planned out the remainder of our evening. That evening led us to Holiday Inn at midnight, with tired and cranky kids in the backseat. Rightfully so, I had a small Clark Griswold moment in the Holiday Inn, but we stayed positive so the kiddos would have a good trip.
The next day, slightly sleep deprived yet excited, we were off to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. In 2020 we were set to go, but then the lockdowns came. It had been twenty years since my previous trip, twenty-five for Rachel, and Jaxson and his cousin’s first time. Aunty Kathy and Aunty Kyla helped credit us tickets. We hit all the wonders, including It’s a Small World, Buzz Light Year, Pirates, Thunder Mountain and the castle to meet the princesses. Three years ago, Elsa would have been at the top of Jaxson’s list NO DOUBT; this year it was Stitch. We were pleasantly caught off guard during lunch when the parade came through. Jaxson terribly wanted to see Stitch, but he wasn’t present. Around 6:00 when we headed back, another parade came through. This time wouldn’t you know it? Stitch was the finale. Rachel swooped Jaxson up so he could see him up close. Exhausted, sweaty and hungry we took the monorail back to the bus to Holiday Inn. Nothing beats a long day in the sun like a cold beer and hot tub. Or, if you are seven, more swimming!
Rachel and I were proud we pulled off a successful trip. I remember as a kid driving down to Disney, watching my mom read as I stared out the window for 1200 miles. My brothers and I fought with swords and guns we bought from Pirates of the Caribbean (those guns are now long gone at Disney since Sandy Hook). My dad would throw us in the swimming pool, play miniature golf together and watch the fireworks at Epcot. A week like this was one for the Blogs.
