Flying High

Good news! It's been a full 24 hours since Wes coughed up a lung. I guess the salt air does cure all, or maybe the heavy doses of meds had something to do with his recovery.

Had he not been well he wouldn't have been able to do this.

Today he and Keagan parasailed 800 feet in the air over the reefs. Keagan said it was the best thing he has ever done. 

Evan did this. 

He spent the morning reading ESPN headlines and memorizing scores and stats. 

I'm still drinking Roatan's Kool aide and loving every minute!

Just Call Me LaLa

Have I mentioned that the snorkeling here in Roatan is the best we've ever seen? Today we took a boat ride to Spooky Channel and Blue Channel to snorkel.

We saw a lion fish, a barracuda, parrot fish, disco fish, and rainbow fish, just to name a few. I wish we had pictures of each and everyone, but it's job enough for me to keep water out of my pipe and mask. Camera maneuvers and my OCD to create perfect pictures would ensure my drowning.

We also went to a sand bar to snorkel with star fish.

And we visited a dolphin park where we caught a dolphin in mid-jump. Ah-mazing!

If the snorkeling wasn't superb, the national drink is enough to make me want to come back. I've had one, or maybe several, Monkey La Las in the two days we've been here. 

I even found a bar that serves two for one at happy hour. I got so excited about half price drinks that the boys have said my new name should now be Monkey LaLa.

Don't Count on my Return to Civilization

We made it, but better than that we flew for five hours yesterday and Keagan didn't get airsick! We have mastered administering Dramamine and will never travel with Keagan again without it. We didn't see many families with young children at the airport; I suppose we are the only ones crazy enough to bring our kiddos to Honduras!

We arrived to the resort yesterday to people everywhere. I was dubious of our choice. But a big group checked out this morning and the locals are not spending the afternoon at the beach. It's tranquil and perfect today! 

The garden outside the condo is beautiful and the coral is the best we have ever seen! The fish you see in Eric Carle's "Rainbow Fish" are real! I saw them today! I can't even begin to describe the snorkeling; it's probably the best we have ever seen. I want to drink more of your Kool Aid, Roatan!

We've been a lot of places and our bucket list is still heavy with places to see, but I just might have to come back here again next year. Let's just say Ex-pat is now in my vocabulary.

He's Still Got It

It's good to know he still has his dance moves.

Santa Was Here

Merry Christmas!

It wouldn't be an early Christmas morning if something wasn't being assembled in the wee hours. Mr. Claus was up until 1:45 putting together a basketball goal. Just a few bad words were said while in the garage putting the thing together. It was pushed outside in the early hours ready to surprise the boys at the end of a scavenger hunt. A big storm blew through in the middle of the night, though, blew the thing over, and the backboard broke! Mr. Claus was NOT happy. Another few choice words were thought if not said.

Keagan got a cross-bow, a new book, and a soccer trainer to wear on his shoe.  He said it was a wonderful Christmas because he also got new underwear that "feels great and hit my day off with a great start; these don't leave marks on my skin."

Evan is going to soccer ref school next month, got a football trivia book that he said was crap because he knew none of the answers, and a new wallet to replace the Mater wallet he has had since he was five. With new soccer gear, a basketball goal, and footballs all given as gifts this year, he said, "Man, this has been a sports filled Christmas." I can't say we haven't had a sports-filled Christmas, though, since 2009 when the top gifts were a Ben10 watch and Thomas the Tank Engine trains. It is now part of our Christmas tradition to give gifts associated with sports.

The only way that today could be better is if it were spent with our extended family. One day soon we will leave the Army behind and call the shots with how we spend our holidays. Unit then, we are blessed to be together when so many of our military are spending the day separated from family.

Merry Christmas Eve

There's nothing better than the joy of the Christmas season. Today it is 72 degrees, though, and a little hard to imagine that it is really Christmas. All I want to do is sit in the sun and drink a milkshake. It was so warm that we couldn't eat our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of potato soup. Wes was happy with that change in plans.

This morning we served the disadvantaged in our community and while serving sweet tea and cake, Keagan listened to every old person story imaginable. He did it all with a smile and not one complaint. Evan, on the other hand, had his fill after the first hour and voiced his disapproval every five minutes thereafter. After an hour of listening to him complain, we left the church to ensure our Christmas joy was still intact.

This afternoon we attended a candlelight service at church, and then we came home to open presents our family members sent the boys. I think these pictures of three mean we are in need of a selfie stick. Maybe Santa will find one in his bag for us!

Uncle Jamie sure knows how to wrap presents. Keagan went through six layers of paper when he finally got to this....a box of fig bars! Keagan actually believed he had been given food, but he really got football gloves, sick football gloves, I might add.

My grandmother sent the boys pocket watches that belonged to their great-great grandfather Shoemaker. Keagan was shocked and then wanted to take it apart and look at it ticking. Ummm, no!

Evan got Chewbaca pajamas that were endearing, ugly, and perfect all wrapped into one. He never laughed so hard, and yet he said, "This is the first time I have ever really liked getting clothes for Christmas."

Aunt Vikki sent a drone with an attached camera, and the boys immediately made plans to use it to spy on the neighbors when playing AirSoft, video backyard football games, and use it to stay away from "it" when playing tag in the neighborhood. All great ideas that certainly spell trouble!

Nonnie sent an autographed football from J Wit. We debated a good twenty minutes about whether or not it was authentic before Wes finally called his mom and asked. I lost that bet. It will be treasured by the boys for years to come.

The best quote of the night goes to Evan. He got soccer shin guards from Oma and Opa. He opened them and said, "Just what I needed. Now I won't be called Wal-Mart Shins anymore." I guess his old guards had seen better days. And then after opening a new pair of size 13 Sambas, "Oh, my gosh! They feel so good on my feet. They aren't even tight anywhere." I think that was my cue that the shoes should have been opened well before Christmas.

Our day has been filled with love, joy, and peace. Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve Eve

Christmas vacation day two and we started the day like this.

I really know how to spread Christmas joy with a dentist appointment scheduled the week of Christmas! I made it up to him, though, and took him to the local college to watch a men's basketball game.

Today we are listening for tornado sirens and decorating a gingerbread house. There were no tears with collapsed walls and no bad words said when the icing wasn't sticky enough. Pre-assembled houses are the way to go; all we had to do was ice and decorate.

The boys' finished product looks just like the perfect picture on the box. :)

Of course, Evan spent more time eating the building materials than actually decorating, and Keagan got frustrated when he ran out of peppermints because someone was eating them faster than he could spread the icing. But it was all in fun!

Even Wes got into the action. He's high on steroids and antibiotics trying to recover from pneumonia, but after today's breathing treatment, he has finally had enough energy to do something besides sleep.

Oh, how I love the family time and the family traditions we have created to practice no matter where we might be assigned or living!

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!