Summer 2017 Part 1: The Visitors

As every summer before it, this one seems to have speeded past in a flash but we managed to pack in enough fun to last the whole year. Our home was a perpetual revolving door of friends and family visits and when they were gone, so were we, off to seek our own adventures far away from Casa Sirenas. When we returned from our Miami Orlando trip, we had the entire Harris/Chapman clan down for a visit. I attemted to make every single edible item  red, white and blue for our Fourth of July celebration.

And maybe even decorated a few of the bodies in the same color scheme. What can I say, I just love this country of ours.

The beach is always fun but made extra joyous with the cousins in town. I must give a special shout out to the grands for finding us an awesome tent that we could seek shade in and for grandpa in entertaining the troops.

When we tired of the beach we simply moved things over to the pool and the chicken fights were truly something to behold. I'm not sure who won but they sure looked like they were having a good time.

Nico likes to play in the sand at the beach. He likes his grandpa but only likes to run his feet in the ocean right now. Do I force him into the ocean anyway? Yes, he comes from a long lineage of ocean people, maybe even mermaids, so he will eventually frolic carelessly in the water for hours like his siblings. I've seen this a few times before with his siblings to know the outcome.

Say hello to my new tent. 

Carlos is really perfecting his diving. I wonder if he will choose swimming over soccer or baseball? Why does he have to choose I suppose. 

Eva's braces came off and every now and then I see the woman she is becoming. Especially in her new bathing suit I want to steal. I'm afraid to blink knowing she will be off on her own adventures in the single digit years.

The Blue Angels weekend was immediately following July 4th and who were we to miss the fun. 

Gigi and her countless poses

We caught the Blues at the beach and later on in the weekend we caught them from our own back yard. By the way, have you spotted our new floaty in our pictures. Hint: He really quacks us up.

My photography assistant helping me shoot the planes off the dock

In all of this excitement, true highlights for my two oldest were Golden got his restricted license and no one is safe anymore. 

And as her luck continues, Eva was invited to dinner.....in New Orleans with her friend Chloe on a private plane. Again, I fail to see the similarities in our two upbringing but it couldn't have happened to a better girl. She had a blast and we are grateful for thoughtful and gracious friends who think of us on these adventures.

I did have a nice consolation prize in one of the best sunsets yet.

With just enough time to clean the rooms and change the sheets from our cousin visits, we were once again a full house with both the Guerra and Torres families. My two best buddies now for over thirty years have not had a get away with our kids....ever as a threesome and one might think that eleven kids, five adults and a dog would seem crowded and crazy but we managed splendidly. Not an hour after arriving we had them all in the pool for a night swim and you would have thought that these kids played together every day with how well they got along. They saw the sun set and then some until they finally put the water guns away only to take up where they left off the next day.

Berta and I convinced Alicia to go paddle boarding for the first time....This picture below is of Berta on a nice calm night. We chose to take Alicia out on a rough chop with a wicked current instead. She loved it. Especially when my neighbor Phil had to tow her back on his jet ski..It was one of many attempts we made on her life this visit. She was a real trooper and just like in high school it never stopped her from trying any of our other crazy ideas like inner tubing down a rapid, or going down a deadly water slide. But I will say, her kids had a blast and lets not forget, she lived.

On a rainy day we paid a visit to NAS to see the jets. And came home to more paddle boarding, beach and pool. Wake up, swim, repeat!

When you have eleven kids in a pool you don't seem to notice that your little one has decided to go al fresco for a while. 

Busted!

I didn't have the heart to tell him "no". I mean look at him!

When they weren't making trouble above water they were posing below it.

Beau in repose

Here are the three desperados at the beginning of the vacation. I love these guys

Nico gave Tommy some dive tips.Luckily with pants on.

We took them out to the water park and even though we unsuccessfully tried to kill Alicia, we all managed to have a good time.

I even managed a smile from this one

The things we let them try!

I mean really, the things we let them try!

Gigi is a photobomb profesional

The visits went by at a record pace. Too fast and too short. I hope we sucked the marrow out of life while we had the chance to be together. I won't soon forget the nights out on the dock with four paddle boards racing around us as we lazily took in the sunsets. Here's to getting together again sooner than later. 

This is what summer looks like .

Harris Summer Miami/ Orlando 2017 Part II

     After spending a few days in Miami, we headed back to Disney World to catch a ride or two at the new Pandora world in Animal Kingdom based off the movie Avatar. I have to admit my expectations were high but Disney surpassed them. The world of Pandora at Animal kingdom during the day can only be beaten by the world at night. The incredible detail to all the flora and fauna not only in the section but in any trail leading to it is amazing. They have incorporated sounds of alien wildlife all around you as you walk and you have to do a few laps around to really take it all in. Don't forget to look up too since the land is floating above you as well. 

Eva in the wild

      But the best part was finally catching up with a hard working Mike who flew in to meet us so we could be together on Father's Day. 

We had fast passes for the two rides here and I am happy to say, we didn't have to wait in the over two hour lines people were standing in for each. That is even during the extended park hours from 7am-1am. I loved the river ride that goes through the jungle at night, all lit up and irridesent.It was totally my speed. The 4D ride on a banshee's back was unbelievable!....I will never do it again. I found that even though I consoled Gigi's fears by telling her that we would never be moving, the intensity of the ride put the fear of god in me and I the dips and turns had me begging for the end. Not to mention it felt like some beast I was riding kept breathing between my legs. 

Like I said, at night was when Pandora really stepped up her game. 

As a parent I will also say that the app to pre order you food for pick up was the highlight for me. In a day filled with lines it was nice to press a few buttons and then walk to an empty line for pick up and wave to all the suckers who decided to have lunch the old way. 

Speaking of food, Disney Springs (or what I still refer to as Downtown Disney has really expanded. We shopped and dined to our hearts content and celebrated an early Father's Day dinner at STK. The music was a bit loud but Mike seemed to like it and the food was  incredible which is nice since lately Orlando food seems to resemble  flavored cardboard, it is nice to see restaurants stepping up their game again around Disney. 

That ATM was genius

We supplied the bubbles for most of the parks. You're welcome

I'm glad to say that my back sling is still working hard in this family. It is so dang comfortable

I hope to have a million of these to compare our family throughout the years

 I love my family but I especially love them at Disney. They are gamers. 

Wait mom, let me stand like him first. My very own Captain America Jr.

Why must she continue to grow into a beautiful young woman. 

I only got one very bad picture at Father's Day dinner in the restaurant but I guess we are all in it to some extent. The trips were finally given their iPads and I'm in the reflection. 

Here is my family after a great meal. Disney did Nico in at he end.

We had a lot to be thankful for this vacation. Our health, new career opportunities, our kids health, smarts and kindness. But mostly I'm always thankful for this guy. He continues to be the best travel companion I have found in this life and I'm glad I'll be taking him to the next with me.