Stop A Moment

Birthday Boy

My son turned 11 today at 12:15 a.m.

Eleven years ago, he weighed in at 2 pounds 13 ounces. We are so blessed to celebrate each of his birthdays.

Today, we gave him a Lego set and gift cards for our upcoming trip to WDW. With the gift cards, he received this note which Nicolas seems quite fond of:

Have you ever wandered Walt Disney World and wondered…

Can I have popcorn?

I’d like to get some candy at the candy store.

I’d really like a root beer float.

Maybe I’ll walk up to the hotel store and get a snack or something.

I’d like to go to the arcade.

Well, wonder no more. These 3 gift cards are for your use. Anytime, Anywhere. Parental permission not required.

Happy 11^th Birthday, Nicolas.

Leiper's Fork Christmas Parade Part Two

There were such precious animals that I was left wishing that I had a ranch.

  The parade was a fun event for our family.

Leiper's Fork Christmas Parade

I absolutely love this little town, Leiper's Fork, which is less than 20 miles from our home. When I saw the announcement for the annual Christmas Parade and read about the wacky floats, I put it on our calendar. The first weekend was rained out and thankfully, the event was re-scheduled.

It was worth the wait!

We left our house about 12:45 p.m., parked at a nearby church and found seats on Main Steet. We were seated by 1:20 p.m. (I'm noting these times so I know what time to leave my house next year. LOL)

First, the Outlaws rolled into town.

Followed quickly by The Law.

There were bagpipes

Followed by Scotty dogs

Here's a close-up so Nic's Nana can see them. She has a Scottish Terrier. Adorable!

Vehicles were countrified

There were oldies and antiques

And animals dressed for the holidays

Then, Nic's Nana would have loved to see the Westies (since she has a Westie too).

Respite before Reality

We begin our last morning in Sandestin with an exploration.

A boy, a bridge, some rocks and water. Perfect combo for back-to-nature fun.

Next, we find a playground in this beautiful setting.

Further down the path, we find a quaint rest area. Michael takes in the scenery before our return to reality.

Down the trail, we diverge towards the water and find this hideaway:

Surf, Sand and Sandestin

Over Thanksgiving weekend, we also went to the beach at the Sandestin resort. It was chilly outside but the surf and sand was still amazing!

Back at the bay side of the resort, Nicolas tries out a comfy chair:

Nicolas does the ropes course again. This time he spends his own money! He must REALLY like it. Look at him ringing the bell at the top:

Zip!

Nicolas takes to the sky at Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin.

Fly, baby, Fly!

Sun in Sandestin

We went over to the playground located in Baytowne Wharf.

Nicolas played while we found a sunny spot to rest before heading back to our room. On the walk back, we passed this lovely courtyard.

We took a ride through the resort

and out then to the grocery store. We had lunch at a nearby Quizno's.

Back at the condo, we enjoyed the view from our balcony.

We then walked back over to the Baytowne Wharf area so that Nicolas could climb the Adventure Zone's rope course. $13.10 per person including tax. (November 2010.)

Way to go, Nicolas!

At least during this off-season weekend, there was no time limit for rope climbers!

Never too old

Nicolas has always loved this type of tug boat activity. And he still has to drive them in the Magic Kingdom in front of the Jungle Cruise attraction.

Nic enjoyed the boats at Sandestin too.

$3. We paid for Nic's first drive. Later in the day, he returned to drive again using his own money.

Walk this Way

Once Nicolas tired himself out on the obstacle course, we continued our leisurely walk around Baytowne Wharf at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

The shops, restaurants and entertainment areas are located around a central lagoon.

Looking towards the Adventure rope climbing course.

The decor and landscaping of the Village of Baytowne Wharf is definitely inspired.

Fresh Air Fun in Florida

Our outdoor fun continued after climbing down from the treehouse.

We continued on the nature trail towards the pedestrian pier.

We followed Nicolas back into Baytowne Wharf and found the path to the pier.

We walked out on the pier but didn't go all the way to the end as there was a chilly wind.

Back in Baytowne, we walked towards a shop that Nicolas wanted to visit.

And so, we ended up at the Candymaker for chocolate covered pretzels.

Next, Michael and I relaxed in the sunshine while Nicolas went through the inflatable obstacle course several times.