We recently returned from our bi-annual trip to Captiva Island, FL. These trips are always much needed battery (and soul) re-chargers since they consist of a full week of fun-in-the-sun with little to no work/school/sports/activity interruptions....For the most part, these trips involve plenty of R&R (at least, when the kids aren't fighting over sand shovels, or needing "more milk," or rubbing sunscreen in their eyes)....Nevertheless, we always have fun, whether we go with family friends, spend the week by ourselves, or in this recent case, spend time with impromptu friends we meet along the way.
On this trip, we befriended another family from Zurich, Switzerland. Although the parents, Monica and Ralph spoke very good English, their son, Jaden, spoke almost none. However, I was blown away by how little this mattered. 'Fun in the sun' clearly has no language barriers. Our three children had so much fun playing with him throughout the week, they were practically inseparable. It was so sweet to see how the simple thrill of discovery and curiosity is clearly universal, crossing all cultural boundaries. Similarly, the natural tendency for children to laugh, play, share, fight, tease, and joke around almost never gets lost in translation.
Furthermore, it turns out we shared similar interests/stories including career stints as CPAs/auditors for big 4 firms, European travel adventures, trips to San Fran, motorcycles (thankfully, my husband's is history), a love for yoga/pilates, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, and the inevitable trials-and-tribulations of parenthood. Accordingly, our little ones seemed to share similar interests as well including braving the ocean waves, catching crabs, looking for manatees, riding the resort trolley, attempting to master the ring toss game, and perhaps the most fun: a dance party to live island music.
Attached below are some photos to illustrate...
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| Jaden certainly has a fun sense of humor, teasing Charlie! |
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| Riding the trolley with our new buddy! |
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| Jack showing Jaden the huge manatees in the harbor |
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| Ready, set, go! |
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| Swimming and playing with water toys...Jaden was VERY good at sharing his action hero figures, which was a huge relief considering my boys were obsessed with them, particularly since they belonged to someone else! |
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| Jaden's Mommy, Monica, found a crab on the beach... |
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| Jack and Jaden playing the ring toss game at Mucky Duck |
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| Charlie and Jaden digging in the sand and burying their toes at the Mucky Duck |
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| Dance Party at Mucky Duck! |
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| All that I can say, is that I am happy she is only 2 yrs old with this pose... |
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| More beach fun after dinner... |
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| The boys braving the waves while we enjoy the sunset (until Daddy dunks Mommy into the ocean)... |
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