Treasured Art

Since she was able to sit up in her high-chair, my Brown Eyed Girl has loved to doodle and draw. It's no secret, it's in her genes. Ignoring our nagging requests, forever resting along side Handy Man's chair can always be found a sketch pad and a bundle of colored pencils or markers. Our Brown Eyed Girl wakes up every morning and reaches for her sketch pads to doodle and draw while she watches TV. 

By no surprise, one of her favorite classes in school is Art. This last year she was even selected as a member of the after school Art Club. She is always excited to share her experiences working with some of the new mediums that Art Club allowed the kids to experiment with. 

Over the years, our Brown Eyed Girl has been selected to share her artwork as a part of several art shows and displays. This last winter she had a foil project selected. 

This mom got a little misty eyed when she saw the piece. 

Titled "Love For A Mother" 

Every year the school's staff get's together to select one piece of artwork from one student in each grade that will hang in the Library forever. In January it was announced that our Brown Eyed Girl was selected out of all the students in 5th Grade. 

Just days before the rest of the world would change around us, our last "normal" activity was to attend the evening dedication ceremony for the artists and their pieces that were selected. 

The school's lovely Art Teacher gave a little introduction of our Brown Eyed Girl and an explanation of the piece she had completed. The assignment was to take a shape and repeating it over and over again. She had drawn a friendly monster utilizing a square as the base of her design.  

Together they unveiled the piece. 

I was such a proud momma! 

My Brown Eyed Girl's most favorite teacher in her school was by far the school's Librarian. Since she was in Kindergarten, she has talked non-stop about this special woman. In second grade when the mean girl dynamics plagued her classmates, our little girl really struggled. The Librarian, seeing that she was needing a bit more, started joining her at lunch periodically and taking the time to check in with her. The Librarian said our Brown Eyed Girl would just glow whenever she would sit with her in the cafeteria. 

Over the years the Librarian became an incredible mentor to our Brown Eyed Girl and in 4th and 5th grade they had regular monthly lunch dates together, sometimes with 1-2 other students. They had many conversations about goals, dreams, reading and stories, being good friends, kindness and helping others. Our Brown Eyed Girl so looked forward to these lunch dates. 

That night, the Librarian pulled me aside and confessed that while she has the privileged to get to know all of the students as the "Librarian", only a few students come along now and then that truly inspire you, touch your heart and leave a lasting impression. She said our daughter was one of those special students. She said our daughter was one that rekindles you that fire inside as an educator and makes all the other day-to-day struggles worth while. She said she had a big influence in which art pieces were selected - as they hang in her Library. She smiled and said there was no question who's artwork she wanted to look at every day knowing she would be losing our Brown Eyed Girl to Middle School next year. And with that her eyes filled with tears she said, "Thank you so much for the opportunity to know, teach, and love your daughter - almost as if she was one of my one. I am sure going to miss this girl"

We hope her artwork hangs in the school for many years and we hope it continues to bring a smile to our friend, the Librarian. 

Soak It All In

Day 6: Final day at the beach.

For our last day in Grand Cayman, we decided just to chill. No schedule, nothing planned. We hopped in the kayaks mid morning and went exploring for more sea shells. We took the kayaks all the way out of the bio bay and walked around the point and sand bars. 

Mr Blue Eyes found some awesome coral washed up on shore. 

Mr Brown Eyed Girl found some too!

I just found a bunch of jellyfish...

A last dip in the pool for the girls in the afternoon

Water Skipper ball for the guys on the beach.

The iguana finally made himself present on our last day. 

A week of seeing tracks and looking in every tree finally paid off!

A perfect last day!

Day 7: All vacations eventually end...

My Brown Eyed Girl and I slipped out to the little dock early in the morning, one last time while the boys were fast asleep.  

Sure going to miss this laid back, no worry moment in my life!

I would book this VRBO again in a heartbeat. A great place to stay!

A bounty of sea shells to haul home!

All packed and one last good-bye to Rum Point!

Another first as we left - we got to board the plane from the tarmac. 

And that's all she wrote.

The end of the most perfect family vacation I have ever taken in my life! Even now (months later) writing about the experience and posting these photos I am filled with nostalgia. I cannot express how much traveling and making memories like this fills my heart with joy!

I hope I leave a passion for traveling deeply ingrained in my children's hearts. I pray they take the time to explore hidden spots around the world and make memories with their families some day. 

To more of this - over my next 40 years!

Life's Passion - Just Add Water

Day 5: A dream come true!

For the better part of my life, I have had a love affair with horses. They have been a part of the air I breath in each day. Something horse related runs through my mind each day. And without a doubt, they are forever resting in the depths of my soul for as long as I live. 

I have had amazing horse experiences and made a million memories with friends and loved ones over the years. I have met and ridden famous horses, talented horses, a few crazy ones, and so many precious ones. I have been fortunate enough to ride many places in my life so far. 

Amazingly enough, I had never ridden a horse on the beach in all my 40 years! This was something I really wanted to do on our vacation. I researched several different barns that offered horseback riding on the beach in Grand Cayman. And you know what is even better than riding a horse on the beach?

SWIMMING WITH THEM!

Handy Man gave me a lot of grief about planning this outing. We have horses. Why did we need to pay to ride them on vacation? I simply reminded him it was my Birthday trip, I have always wanted to and therefore, by golly, I was riding and swimming with horses on the beach as I crossed my arms and giving him a look not to be challenged.

I booked the ride!

An hour drive to the other side of the island, we pulled up to a little private home with a string of rental horses waiting out back. I had booked the 2 hour swim ride with Pampered Ponies, a highly recommended outfit known for it's well cared for, gentile and well trained horses. They were especially experienced with swimming in the calm, crystal clear Cayman waters off West Bay.  

After brief introductions, we were sized up as riders and assigned to our horses. Mounted and ready, we headed down the road towards the public beach access. There were 10 guests and 4 wranglers on our ride for the day. 

Handy Man was being a sport. 

Not overly thrilled but a sport none-the-less. 

There it was! A moment in time to always remember - the sand, water, horses and my two kids. A magical combination!

As we were walking the horses down the beach, I was chatting with one of the wranglers. He asked to see my phone and started taking pictures of us on our horses. I give photo credit to that amazing hand who managed to lead the group, photograph my family and keep us all moving in the right direction! We have the best photos of this memorable day, thanks to him!

After about a 20 minute beach ride, the group stopped at a little tie off point. The horses were unsaddled and we changed down to our swimming suits. 

After all the horses were unsaddled, we re-mounted for the swimming portion of the ride.

My Brown Eyed girl - smiling ear to ear like her momma! So excited. 

Mr Blue Eyes - very focused. Reservation and nerves nearly boiling over. 

Handy Man - half smile, for the camera only. The trooper.

Riders all mounted, it was time to enter the water. 

Here we go!!

Inch by inch, the water crept up higher and higher. 

Love that smile!

Nerves gone, his super star horse taking care of him!

As we ventured along and the water got deeper and deeper the shorter horses were obviously the first to start swimming. It was quite the equine observation. I could start picking up their changes in breathing patterns as well as noticed that a couple horses had started showing their teeth and almost grunting as they kept their heads above water and were conscious about not getting water in their mouths. 

I have felt a horse's movements beneath my seat for the better part of my life. It is something I "know" and it is ingrained in my sensory like muscle memory. Feeling the ground actually fall from beneath your horse's hooves and the unfamiliar movement of swimming taking over is beyond explanation. The rhythm and cadence I have known all my life suddenly replaced by fluid movement supported like air lacking substance. It is foreign and yet calming and inviting to embrace. 

Seeing this moment captured in photographs for each one of us truly made my heart burst. 

This grin on Handy Man's face was one of my most favorite! I knew he was enjoying the experience and having fun!

Mr Blue Eyes' horse was a rock star swimmer!

Bunching up a little bit made me somewhat anxious. Like people, some horses are faster swimmers than others. 

My Brown Eyed Girl's horse and mine were just steady swimmers. A mother daughter pair of horses - go figure. 

Handy Man later said his horse kept trying to use his hind legs to tippy-toe off the bottom and he would feel the hind end sink and then power kick back up through the water. It was making him nervous at first and then he just laughed. 

So amazing! 

Beautiful water, such a unique experience! 

And then... all good things must come to an end. The group made a banana-like sweep back to sold, sandy ground and we all resumed our single-file line back to shore. The waters slowly receding all around.  

Once back on shore, we dismounted, got dressed and the horses were re-saddled for the trek home.  

I truly did not want it to end. All four of us loved this experience. Even Handy Man admitted that it was one of the coolest things he had ever done! 

A million thanks to Pampered Ponies for making this horse loving girl's 40th birthday experience a memory for all times!

"There is nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse"

~Winston Churchill