Are You All Ears?

If all goes as planned...
Today the boys will wake up and eat breakfast. 

Kevin will act like he is getting ready for a normal Friday workday.

Then we will get all serious and call a "family meeting". 

Fletcher will read this poem*: 

 Then they will each open a package that has matching Mickey Mouse shirts and hats, a Mickey plush doll and the Mouse Ears hat we bought for Fletcher when we took him to Disney when he was 3 1/2. 

We are going to try to discretely video tape Fletcher reading the poem so we can catch his reaction.  Luke has never been to Disney World so he has no idea what awaits him.  We've been working for months to plan this trip while keeping it a secret from the boys. They have absolutely no clue. We packed most of the car last night.

Not sure what posting will be like next week since I'm not sure of our internet access at our hotel. 

Just know that we will be having so much fun in mid 70 degree sunny Florida.

Oh and that our house is guarded by a killer attack beagle and is surrounded by three former NY police officers.

*I must give credit where credit is due.  I found this poem by a mom on the forums at intercot.com named "rjmdds".  I modified it a bit to fit our trip. 

Don't Be A Stick In The Mud

It was hot, hot, hot in Louisiana.  The kids could go out around 7 am and 7 pm.  Any other time I think they might have had a heat stroke (or I would have had one sitting outside watching them). 
So one day Uncle D decided to turn on the sprinklers to let them play. 

 Seemed like a good way to cool off until my texture boy (Luke) discovered that the sprinklers were making mud in addition to spraying water.

 Their cousin Bear wasn't too sure what to think.  Is this ok?  Am I going to get in trouble? 

 They did this the last evening we were there.  Both boys said it was their favorite thing they did on the trip.  That and the coffee milk Aunt Dee made them in the mornings.  My mawmaw used to give me coffee milk too (mostly milk, a little sugar and a shot of coffee). 

 This is sweet baby Alice.  Remember she was born the last time we visited Louisiana in December.

 And this cutie patootie is Evie (Bear's little sister).  We had lots of fun painting our toenails and trying on my jewelry.  I could just eat her up!  She was a trooper keeping up with all the boys!

Fletcher and Luke with MawMaw and PawPaw.  Luke's "smile" just kills me.

 Cousins...actually second cousins.  Bear and Evie are my sister's grandkids.  I'd draw a family tree, but I'm too tired.

We stayed with Uncle D and Aunt Dee (and their whiney dog Tucker).  So much fun! We hope to get back soon. 

Explore!

 Crabbing with chicken necks. 

 They didn't catch anything.  I'm kinda glad since we found out after the fact that apparently one is supposed to have a SC fishing license to go crabbing. 

 Lighthouse at Hunting Island.

 That's Grant and Kevin at the top.  My camera has a pretty good zoom. 

 Time for a bike ride.  I scored the bike trailer at a consignment shop here in town for $60!  They sell for around $200.  This one looked brand new and worked perfectly.  Luke even took a few naps in it on our afternoon rides.  Must be nice!

 Live sea urchin. 

 Starfish

 More bike trails.  Lots of marshland too. 

 Baby alligator.

 We (I) didn't want to get too close since I am sure Mama alligator was close by.

 Collecting shells and sharks' teeth. 

 Not a real alligator.

 Alligator wrestling.

Play!

Told you this whole picture thing was going to take me awhile. 

We went to Fripp Island, SC for our Spring Break trip.  The island is only about 5 miles long and 3 miles wide.  Much less commercial than some of the other beaches we've been to.  Deer roam freely on the island and will eat right out of your hand.  Most people use bikes and golf carts to get around the island.  Our rental house had two golf carts and several beach cruiser bikes.  (We had also bought our own). 

There were several playgrounds on the island that the kids loved.