January......Perfect Weather For Outdoor Events

January brings us Floridians the perfect weather for outdoor events. OK so it is still winter and we still dip below freezing and the nasty cold fronts pounding the north create storms that drop inches of rain an hour down here but when it's right it's perfect.  The last couple of weekends have been exactly that.  Cool mornings perfect for getting out and about early, mild temperatures in the low 70's just cool enough to enjoy a day full of bright sunshine.  On days like this, there is nothing that can keep us cooped up inside.  Thankfully, everyone in the family enjoys the different events but everyone seems to enjoy them for different reasons.
Last week Caitlyn joined us and we all went to the Native American Festival.  This is an annual event held in Ormond  Beach and each year we partake in buffalo burgers on fried bread and corn soups while immersing ourselves in the culture of the Native American's.  As I said everyone gets a little something different out of it and it's interesting watching it all unfold.  I really enjoyed watching Kristen and Caitlyn spending time catching up and just enjoying a day out with the family.  Both of them looking for the perfect creative picture to take and hanging out together watching the kids and watching the shows all the while with me enjoying the smiles on their faces.  Connor is all about the learning.  He moves from booth to booth and is fully engaged asking questions and wanting to try everything.  Mining for gemstones and learning what he has found, throwing a hatchet, targeting with a blow gun, watching someone make fire with two pieces of wood and how a blacksmith molds items out of heated metal.  He is focused, asking questions and you can see him figuring out how he can replicate it himself.  Sydney on the other hand is becoming more social.  The event is more about the friends that she is meeting there and having time to spend with them running around being a teenager.  Laughing, giggling but also participating by joining in to the circle of dancers.  Most enjoyable to me is that she takes a break from her friends to make sure she comes spend some time with the family.  I keep thinking about watching the alligator wrestlers with a huge crowd around the enclosure and Sydney asks to get on my shoulders.  Fifteen, almost full grown but reminding me of the promise that she will never be to big to go on my shoulders.  Maybe someday we can walk down the aisle on the way to the alter with her on my shoulders.  It wouldn't surprise me a bit.
Moving on to this past weekend we went down to the New Smyrna Art Festival and met up with Russ, Terri, Jeff, Ariana and Aidan.  What an absolutely beautiful day and you couldn't ask for better company than family to spend it with.  The cousins paired up and were like peas in a pod.  For them the art is OK with Connor appreciating it more than others but they mainly they're there for a good time.  We all took in the art wandering from vendor to vendor with the occasional stop for ice cream, roasted nuts and a hot dog or two.  Afterwards it was on to Elaine's for dinner.  Kristen's mother always works hard to put out a meal that pleases everyone attending and we had a great meal.  It was a great afternoon with family, food and fun.  These are the days that make memories and if it is up to me we will spend every weekend finding some way to build those memories together.
Until next time.......

Friendships Meant To Last A Lifetime

The past couple of weekends helped remind me that true friendships last time, distance and life changes no matter what happens.  I have seen it posted and read it but it always helps to see it for yourself.  The weekend before last Kristen went down to Fort Lauderdale to visit her Aunt with her Dad.  Even though she was only there for a day and a half she was able to reach a few friends from school and past jobs in the area and took some time to catch up. After many years those conversations with those friends where like second nature.  Jumping forward to this weekend one of her friends from middle school chose to drive up here for the weekend.  No real reason other than getting out of town and visiting a friend.  This was one of Kristen's best friends during her early teens but was also one that she had lost contact with due to time and distance.  But lo and behold through FaceBook they reconnected and after 27 years they just hung out and spent the weekend together.  From the outside looking in I would have thought they spoke weekly.  They sat on the couch drinking wine or coffee or whatever and just chatted.  The similarities that there life paths had taken was uncanny.  Not necessarily their social economic levels but the core principles that their life path is based on. 
Shortly into their visit I myself headed to Fort Lauderdale for a day visit.  I literally ran down for the day leaving at 3:30am and returning home by Midnight the same day.  The trip was to help sort some things with my Dad and a quick visit with my Dad, Mom, my sisters, my nieces and shove in a little time with friends and my extended family.  Breakfast with Dad was expected and visiting with Mom came next with my sisters and nieces to follow.  As time has passed I have learned to cherish the times I get to spend with family no matter how short but it was important to me that I fit in some time for others that have come to mean just as much.  Chuck and Misty called Mom Charmae, Gram and Gramps and with the help of our mutual brother from another mother, Robert, hosted and old friend for a few hours.  It is truly amazing that conversations pick up as if you had just spoken yesterday.  No hesitation, now expectations just natural conversation with the feeling of comfort.  I am only sorry that this visit was rushed and I am looking forward to the next one sooner than later.  I have promised myself that the next visit will encompass more of those friends from the past and again I am hoping it will be sooner than later.  There are so many people in Fort Lauderdale that I want to rekindle that old friendship with and share that feeling that lasts a lifetime.
We are so lucky to not only have created these bonds but to be able to reconnect occasionally throughout the years.  I can only hope to teach my children the importance of building and nurturing these relationships.  How these special people that you surround yourself with help develop the true you.  How important it is to keep these friends in your life for they help steer you through the tough times and they are the substance that your best memories are built on.  The funny thing is. I'm sure that no matter what they do, they themselves with build those relationships, those bonds of a lifetime and probably won't even know it until many years have passed.
Until next time...... 

And here we go....

Welcome to our little section of the World Wide Web.  I have been trying to figure out a way to express myself, share my family and created a little something that my kids could look back at and maybe help them understand their crazy father.  I have tried a journal but somehow writing in a book lacks that certain something that drives me to keep it current and relevant.  Social networking sites have helped but anyone that isn't a member would not be able to partake and I'm not a big member's only type of guy.  So this year after I created our annual family newsletter I got the idea to take that electronic format a step further and create an ongoing forum to share what's going on with me and the family.  Believe me, it seems almost egotistical to think that anyone would ever want to read, let alone follow, the ramblings I may put out.  But then again everyone seems amazed that I create the newsletter that we send out each Christmas and they seem to enjoy it.  Hopefully if you choose to read this you will gain a little more insight to my family and if I can entertain you along the way, well that's a bonus.
So, it's the beginning of the New Year and I am actually really excited.  For some reason this year feels like there is so much pent up opportunity.  Hopefully, you will see us taking advantage of that excitement and choosing creative ways to have fun and make memories.  I am really looking forward to just getting out and finding ways to spend that quality time with the family whether it's geocaching, camping, biking, hiking, boating or just taking in a sunrise.  I'm not sure if I'm just getting older but I really have this internal feeling to cherish every moment with the family.  This will probably drive them crazy and fill our schedule to the brim but they will thank me for it in the long run....I think.  There is this feeling of energy to want to work even harder so that I can play even harder.  I don't know if that makes sense but I am dedicating myself to be even more productive at work so that I can have even more quality time at home.  Hopefully you have that same sense of optimism and we all enjoy a great 2011 and beyond.  Till next time.....