As it has for several years now...the end of September brings the culmination of the Skateathon Fundraiser for Spiritus Sanctus Academy. It's kind of a lot of work but I coordinate each year to help pay back the school for all they have done for us and every year I'm happy and sad to see it come and go. This year it was just me and the boys...all 3 skated and both Mateo and Petey did pretty good. It's cool to see how so many of the kids start off so shaky and then are flying by you by the end of the 3 hours!
The day after the Skateathon we got up at 4am to take a quick trip to see Maria...kinda for Mateo's birthday, but mostly because tickets were so cheap and mom wanted to see her girl!
Maria picked us up at Fort Lauderdale - which was a new place and pretty darn big. Since she'll fly out of there for Fall Break to come home (in just one week as I post this!) I was glad we got to scope it out so she'll know what to expect. When we arrived in Ave Maria just around noon, this signed greeted us from Maria's roommates as did this rain when we got done eating lunch in the cafeteria...so we decided to skip the football game.
After checking out the bookstore and Publix and returning home with the goods to make guacamole, the boys and I went to check out our very own dorm room. It was a little pricey but well worth it on a quick visit to be literally on campus as otherwise the closest we would have been was Naples about 40 minutes away...they were also kind enough to charge me for a "single" even though they added an extra mattress so we could each have our own bed :)
For our first dinner out, we went to "The Pub" Not the greatest picture but we had a nice time. Mateo and I walked there early so Mikey and Maria could take a walk out on the other side of the canal to explore. No alligator or snake sightings as hoped for...
After dinner we headed back over to the union for
Ave's Got Talent. Since it's also where the cafeteria is, Maria used her "meal plan" that was unused since we ate at the Pub to score ice cream cones for me and the boys ;)
After the late show (and such an early morning) the boys and I called it a night and headed back to our room. The next morning we were up earlier than I thought so we headed out to explore a little since Maria's roommate wasn't quite up yet ;)
You can't tell in the picture above, but while Mateo and Maria headed back to her dorm to get ready for Mass, Mikey and I walked down the canal and did indeed find a gator! Mikey is taking a video.
After Mass we decided we'd eat lunch in Ave to avoid anyone getting "hangry" before we headed east again to Fort Lauderdale. Mateo was really enamored with the Pub and since he was the birthday boy, he got to pick and we headed back there for birthday lunch :)
Wanting to do something a little fun for the birthday boy and get Maria her gator sighting, I looked up some Everglades tours and we hit up an airboat tour/animal sanctuary just on the eastern edge of the Everglades National area. Captain Shawn took us out and boy did he get us close to a gator! The airboat ride was fun too.
After the airboat ride we checked out the animal sanctuary. They had a ton of different big cats and many gators, lizards and snakes. Maria really wanted to get the little fox below for Isabel :)
Probably more exciting than the airboat ride (I think based on Mateo's face) was holding the baby gators. They were surprisingly calm, warm and smooth to the touch.
Once we returned home from FLA, the Houghtens arrived in Michigan. Again, it was a quick visit but we were able to make it over to see them at the condo for dinner and I drove them to the airport the following morning. Mike and Paulina got a little more time with them as they met at Three Cedars for cider and donuts while I was still at work and everyone else was still in school.
Houghtens left Friday morning and Saturday was Homecoming. The girls took "my" car while I drove mom/dad's van for the day after the airport drop off and got their nails done and picked up Katie on Saturday to be Isabel's date for homecoming at SCA. I swiped these from Snapchat :)
I was allowed to take some pics just before Mike drove them to the dance. I took most with the good camera and haven't uploaded them yet, but here is one from the trusty iPhone :)
Carmen left Saturday afternoon to get ready with a friend and they went out to dinner with a big group at a country club in West Bloomfield. On the right is one of her besties, Skylar.
Carmen and her date, Katie, below. They went to homecoming together freshman year and reunited for junior year. Carmen spent the night with Katie and thankfully since the tornado alarms were going off decided against any after parties which meant I actually got to sleep on Saturday night :O
Love these beauties <3 p="">
After Homecoming, Sunday was 10am Mass, followed directly by Flag Football pictures and a practice and game. This is Mateo's team. They are doing alright. He is doing great!
