A very cool getaway

We had the most wonderful little getaway to Cocoa Beach, Florida. We arrived there after a quick nine hour trek to be greeted by ominous skies and the scariest downpour that you definitely don't want to see as you are crossing bridges over more water. We were so happy to finally reach our beachfront Hilton and waited as the rain faded out, so we could check out the area. We hit the famous city pier, grabbed a yummy bite to eat and nestled in our room to get ready for the morning. When we saw the newscast that there would be evening downpours for the next 10 days, we knew we had to prioritize our itinerary. We were happily greeted with a sunny morning and made it a point to get out on the beach. We were on the beach for hours. We packed up and visited the internationally famous dinosaur store just a few blocks from our hotel. This store was a haven for Quadson. They had items there like simple kids' games, all the way to $50,000.00 fossils for sale. It was fascinating. Little did Quadson know that after we left Cocoa Beach on Sunday morning, we would then take him to a dinosaur lover's dream, Dinosaur World, located on the other side of Orlando, near Tampa.

The road we covered (highlighted above) blows my mind. 75 South from Atlanta through Orlando to Cocoa Beach on the east coast of Florida, then across the state, 9 miles short of the west coast of Florida (Tampa) to Plant City, FL where Dinosaur World is located, then back up 75 to Atlanta. Wheww!!!!

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We are on the Cocoa Beach Pier, the longest pier I have been on with so many restaurants, shops and activity on it. Behind me is sooooo much water. While I am smiling, what I am actually thinking is "How am I going to make it on our November cruise...this is way tooooo much water."

There were so many fishermen on the pier. Here is a sting ray catch. He was thrown back in.

Quadson, on the pier, reporting in to his fishing buddy, Papa Jack, about what he had just witnessed.

Leslie might look prissy, BUT.....

Our night walk on the beach

The ocean atmosphere put Leslie to sleep so easily

A family portrait during our night beach walk

A little breakfast in the hotel before a day on the Atlantic

Feeling a little "Hollywood"

I got him!

Beach Beauties

Leslie got some great napping in, oceanside.

Dinosaur World

So authentic looking

Wooden dino puzzle

Leslie and Quadson at the foot of a T-rex

Leslie had a great time

Everything was so life-like

Leslie likes whatever her brother likes

Eaten by a T-rex

He even got to pose as a paleontologist and mimic an actual dinosaur find, with his own brush and shovel

He did very well on this matching game

It was as if we were on the set of the movie, Jurassic Park

He "read" each and every plaque as if he could actually read it and was 99% correct with the info he was regurgitating from memory, and what was actually printed on the plaque. We were amazed.

Pigtails

Our boy had had 4 haircuts by the time he was a year old. At six months, Quadson's hair was way pass his ears. Enter, Leslie Mykael!!! The slowest growing hair ever!!!

We are so ecstatic to finally be able to make little girly, girl pigtails!!!! The ponytails are on the way!

Too Smart

We visited a cousin Saturday with the kids. She found a token under her sofa that is for use at the Chuck E. Cheese (CEC) pizza/game restaurants that are all over Atlanta. She gave Quadson the token and told him to save it for the next time he goes to CEC. When we left her house, he stated he wanted to go to CEC. We had more errands to run, so CEC was not on the agenda, especially on a Saturday eve, which is super crowded at CEC, we've learned from the one time we had been there. Quadson was upset about not going, but he got over it, stating before he went to sleep that "we can go tomorrow." When we were dressed and out the door on Sunday, on the way to church, Quadson stated he was ready to go to CEC with his token. When we told him we were headed to church and would watch his behavior before we went to CEC, he proceeded to have a FIT. HE WAS MAD. When we finally arrived at church, he was fast asleep, which is unusual, so we dismissed his behavior as exhaustion from Saturday's running about. When service was over, we proceeded to his class to pick him up, and his teacher told us that "Quadson told me to tell you both that he was a very good boy today and you should definitely take him to CEC." We were in shock. Just the Sunday before, when we were picking him up from his class, the teachers surrounded Monique and I, telling us that they have been mispronouncing his name all along and that we should have made sure they were calling Quadson what sounds like [kayson]. We assured them that [kayson] was the correct way to pronounce his name. We were then astounded to find out, that he told them and insisted that he be called [quad-son] and that [kayson] was wrong. We could not believe it and told them that they were being toyed with. Anyways, after he laughs his head off about the teacher telling us about CEC, we head out and have to break it to him that we have too much going on to go to CEC. Again, HE WAS MAD!!!!! His tantrum was making us mad. Although he asked 50 more times this day about CEC as we were running about town, he kept his temper down, sort of. When we finally made it home and were winding down the evening, I told him that we had to chat about his behavior and had to explain to him how much his tantrum disappointed us, let him know what his consequences would be, etc.

He looked me square in the face and said, "Aw, Dad, C'mon, delax!!! I could not help but burst into laughter and tell him the word is "relax." He was "playing" me.

A full 4th of July

Independence Day was truly full. We drove to a city transit station, parked the truck and rode the transit to Peachtree Street in the heart of Atlanta, for a long-standing city tradition, the 4th of July parade. The weather was most cooperative for July. The kids enjoyed all the sites and sounds. After the 2 hour parade, we convened to Great Grandma Katherine's for a wonderful July 4th lunch. When most sane people would head home after being out from 10-6, we went to our church's Wednesday night service. After a short message, the congregation convened on the church property for "a movie under the stars." It was a great 4th of July option that we were certainly appreciative of.


Leslie showing her patriotism at the parade.

Quadson getting into the spirit.

We were truly puzzled by this site the whole parade. She was a nice lady, though. We were glad Quadson kept quiet about it. Yep, that would be her bra!!

Papa Jack getting an early start on the fireworks after our lunch, as Quadson watches.

The awesome movie set up after our church service.

Monique and I brought two chairs for us and a blanket for the kids. Before the night was over, we were on the blanket, the kids were chilling in our chairs. Go figure!

Summer visit to Louisiana

Our Father's Day roadtrip to Louisiana was also a transporting of the kids to Louisiana to spend a full week with family. They had a grand time. Since Monique's folks work outside of the home 9-5, Monique's aunt, Glynette, affectionately called Nanny by everyone, was their 9-3 caretaker. Monique's mom arranged for her work days to end at 3pm, so she could be home with her grandbabies by 3:15. Monique's dad arrived home, as usual, by 4:30 pm. They are very routine-driven folks, so their evenings usually consist of kicking back having dinner and watching TV, or having 4 or 5 of the other households on the street, all relatives, come by for a visit. We know for sure that having those kids there just for them to look at every evening as they went about their routine, meant the world to them. And the kids didn't come back spoiled too bad either!!


Leslie having her oats, brown rice, barley, corn, buckwheat, quinoa, and millet cereal.

Quadson hanging out with Morgan and Marissa from New Iberville, LA and in the rear, a visiting cousin, Nicholas, from Denver, Colorado.