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We enjoyed Christmas in Clearwater Beach this year. At the last minute, we booked a week at the Opal Sands, a new resort on the beach that opened earlier this year. You'll see from the pictures, the view of the Gulf was amazing, and an open door to the water was just what we needed.
We ate well, with Nick getting his bairdi crab at least once. We played pool and had Mexican food at Pan Filo's one evening (a 'family restaurant'.) Post Corner Pizza across the street from the hotel came in handy, particularly on Christmas night when most other places were closed.
Nick built several creatures in the sand, from a crocodile to a snake. His komodo dragon was a huge hit with the Asian families on the beach, who took pictures. We got two good days on the beach, with temperatures fifteen degrees above normal and sun every day. The rest of the time was by the pool, which was so awesome there was no reason to leave it: meals served to our lounges, beverages on demand, Nick entertained by the pool, a little cornhole (with a couple other kids), and just enough shade for me not to burn.
We walked the beach each morning, which inspired the adoption of two hermit crabs (Bob Loblaw and Hermie), and each evening along the boardwalk, where there was a playground for Nick.
Our room was decorated with a Christmas tree, lights, and a non-stop supply of cookies.
And I had a great bike ride with Donny, who now lives in Largo, just a few miles down the road. He can pedal all day, I wear out fast. But a couple miles on the bikes along the beaches was very relaxing, and then we played cards one evening with Don and Rick, poolside at the hotel.
The general consensus is that this should become a tradition.
Photos here.
- Jason
We celebrated Christmas Day a little early at home, the weekend before the holiday. Our small tree had plenty around it, and it was a pleasantly uneventful day.
Nick got Mama a cat toy, which was specifically forbidden after this mistake had been made in the past. Didn't go over well, but he recovered from it. She makes sure he has a full Christmas of outstanding gifts, except for those that aren't at the top of his list, which he calls, "consulation prize gifts."
We had planned a trip to Gatlinburg this month, but the fires squashed our plans, as a city choked in smoke and fire retardant wasn't in our best interest. We stayed home, and the snow fell in full-force with the first blast of the year. At least Nick got some sledding time down the drainage ditch next door to our condo. We also stayed back for his school presentation, which the kids do an annual Christmas-themed play. I hear it was very good (I sat in a bad spot and didn't see Nick the entire time.)
Nick's odd one-liners of the month: "That is the holy grail of dressings!" (referring to the discontinued Asian Chicken Salad at Panera, which has caused us to boycott the establishment.) "What would happen if... ", which is his new ice-breaker into conversation. "When I was young..." And "Merry Christmas, Suiciders", which I think is supposed to be sympathetic and funny all at once. He just blurted it out at the dinner table, no idea why. He continues attempts at writing his own jokes, and every once in awhile he hits on one. "Why did the deep sea diver kill himself? He was scuba-cidal."
Pictures here.
- Jason
This was a busy month for family activities. Jessica got married mid-month, so there was a small wedding to be attended. About half way through the evening, we realized the boys were entertaining themselves and the venue was still standing. This is a first for all of them (Noah, Nick, Mason and Myles) together. Usually someone must be contained (usually, it's Nick). Nick sat down at a piano in the bar, and began playing, sat there a good 20 minutes. So Noah grabs his trumpet. Now, I'm pretty sure they weren't playing the same piece, but it was close enough that they sounded good.
Fayling brought his boys up from Atlanta for a week, which was filled with swimming at the YMCA, lots of pizza, lights at the Toledo Zoo, and a day at Kalahari water park. At Kalahari, we had a great setup with an indoor cabana, TV, and a place to relax. We lost Thatcher in the first hour, but otherwise, the day went smooth. On Friday evening, the kids enjoyed the Toledo Zoo Christmas Lights, which was a bit wet out, but overall not too busy. Todd and Aiden joined us for the week. Nick and Aiden get along really well... they are on the same (short) wavelength.
The pictures you don't see (because there aren't any) are from our moving across the complex to a new condo, and back again to the original unit, in a single week. I'm only mentioning this because someday we'll try to remember which month that was! I got two turkey dinners from the month, which soothed the anxiety.
Pics here.
- Jason
Obviously it's Halloween this month, and Nick decided to be a ninja. Have no idea where this came from. His costume had rubber nunchakus, which I showed him how to use properly... for a moment, I impressed him. He made the rounds this year without getting tired early, covering a couple of blocks and filling his bag. We got to focus on running with him while my Aunt Connie came by to hand out candy from the front door. I got my usual Halloween beer from my Aunt Peggy (which Nick quickly swiped from my hand... Amber's kids are of the age they can't get near a beer yet, Nick's still young enough I don't notice), and shared some photos with my niece Haleigh, who we saw earlier in the month as part of the flag corps for the University of Toledo football game. Along with this experience, he's more into the OSU v UM game, which they wore jerseys to school. He can now use the term 'Suckeyes' appropriately in a sentence.
Nick went to his first live football game, BG v UT, where we had front row seats at mid-field. Really, it was too close, at least for this venue. But a Fall Saturday afternoon with the temperature around 70 degrees, and decent food at the alumni tent (for BG, of course), made it a great experience.
Photos are from the pumpkin that his Grandpa grows for him every year. After the holiday, they were placed in our back yard where the young deer found them edible. You can also see Nick was helpful in closing the pool this year, and somewhere in there was a trip to the zoo.
Pics here.
- Jason
Nick and I stopped by the flower shop to get his mama her monthly rose, and he handled the transaction completely on his own... knew what he wanted, and resolved the bill. While we waited, he was shopping the wine section by name. I have no idea how he knows anything about wine. ("Is that a Riesling? I love the aroma.") His taste buds are getting expensive, not only with his consumption of seafood, but now he has a thing for Jamón Ibérico which is $94/lb. Kids all have their way of getting what they want. My younger nephew is still learning about religion as well, and his point-of-view is, "I wish Jesus would get me a Sprite." They figure it out young to ask God for stuff they want, I suppose.
He made buckeyes with his mama this month as a treat. Then proceeded to press them against his face and create chocolate circles around his eyes. But he's got a responsible side of him, it's not all blab. As we finished dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant one evening, I volunteered to be the passenger as I had a margarita. "I think you belong in the back seat, Dad." I was nowhere near intoxicated from one, but he's got the idea.
School is still bumpy, as he continues to fall out of his chair. I can't picture how it happens. He says, "It happened again. Unprovoked." He has good weeks and bad. He asks, "So other than all the bad stuff, I got a good report?" He's making the grade (all 'A's with a 'B' in Religion, I can work with that.)
He's forming his own tastes in entertainment. He favorite band is currently Skillet, a metal band from over a decade ago. And he loves the slapstick film Kung Pow. As Nick tells it, "It's better than bread crumbs and beaver spit." I have no idea what that means.
We went to the local Mustang show, spent an afternoon at Crosby Gardens, he had an afternoon with his buddy Jack, blueberry picking, and did science experiments with dry ice at home. It was a full month.
Pictures here.
- Jason
