Bahamas 2023

Bahamas 2023

We went back to the beautiful Bahamas for Spring Break. I think I’ve said this before, but words can’t really describe this place. I’ll try a little… but it’s best left to pictures.

The water is that color you only thought was fake in photos, the catamaran is like a floating hotel, the nurse sharks are like cute stray cats, the sandbars feel like Mars, the conch shell blowing is our music class, the meals are an expedition in and of themselves, the snorkeling is like a National Geographic show and is now turning into free-diving, the amount of sunscreen needed is equivalent to your daily water intake, the yachts are inspiring/ridiculous, the remoras are real and the most annoying fish, the calm that being on the ocean brings is actually a true story and not a pirate’s tale, and lastly, the new adventures everyday never cease to fulfill all four of our wanderlust souls (a considerable feat).

Things to remember: The water park at Baja Mar before we went on the boat, Bahamas turquoise, nurse sharks, Easter egg hunt on a deserted island, breakfast, lunch, dinner, lazy rivers, Johnny getting locked in bathroom, John’s iPhone taking one for the team, Charlotte finding my Apple Watch in the ocean, being pulled on paddle boards, tubing, fishing (catching a shark … kind of), conch, remoras, barracudas, turtles, lizards, jumping off the boat, free-diving, Pablo’s plane, Charlotte and Johnny driving the boat, ChatGPT writing a script for us, boating/hiking/walking in the rain on a deserted island, wave diving/flipping, walking on the ocean floor with a rock, crab races, bug bites, sand bars, sunsets, rain, Phase 10, the (?) baths, wetsuits, paddle boarding, feeding/petting nurse sharks, the Bahamas playlist, Mucho Gusto, Hannah and Dom, calm, never wanting it to end.

Charlotte Turns 11

Our Charlotte continues to shape our universe. She‘s far beyond her years and her current age of 11 doesn’t quite fit her much older soul. I don’t want her to ever feel like she has to fit into a box, certainly not an age box. So we will continue on this journey of trying to “parent” her and also just let her “Charlotteness” flourish. She is an amazing person with so much she’s contributing to this world.

Charlotte’s passion for dance is still taking up most of her time (we miss her at home). It’s amazing to watch her evolve on the stage. Her dance company competed at many competitions this spring and she took her solo to Nationals in Anaheim, California. We’re proud of her commitment and hard work. She’s also en pointe in her ballet thanks to her hard work and help from her teacher Natalia.

Charlotte’s cat, Zeus, passed away unexpectedly last August and was replaced by Mochi who is the sweetest addition to our family. Zeus’ passing was a very sad time for Charlotte, but she persevered through it and came out stronger on the other side.

Charlotte graduated Parley’s Park Elementary (5th grade) with the Spanish dual immersion program. She’s now on her way to Ecker Middle School. Wow! It’s all gone by too fast!

Lastly, we have to mention Charlotte’s 11th birthday party. She wanted to do a rooftop pool party at the Pendry Hotel in Park City. It happened to snow several feet the night before and school was canceled the day of her party. We were still able to do the party with some fun snow challenges, but spent most of the time indoors at the Disco Pizza restaurant with music, lights, games, food and a giant chocolate cake. Happy 11th birthday, Charlotte! Please don’t grow up any faster.