parenting

8 Comments Posted on parenting, People, Pregnancy, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: You are Definitely a Girl!

19 weeks.

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Dear Holly,

We just learned the news… There is no doubt, you are our daughter. We are having a girl!

Your name is Holly Joy Shell. And you have actually been 7 and a half years in the making…

Back when Mommy and I were planning our wedding in 2008, we were showing my parents (your grandparents) the venue for our reception; the Vanderbilt Legends Club.

The facility was serving brunch while we were there getting the tour of the place. I remember superstar Michael W. Smith and I happened to lock eyes from across the room; as he was sitting down eating. I definitely knew who he was and he apparently thought he was supposed to know me- and I could tell he was in deep thought trying to figure out where he knew me from.

That moment was interrupted when shortly afterwards, your Mommy made a comment about how one day we would have a little girl and name her Holly.

You are that little girl. You are the epic, legendary Holly.

Everyone has been guessing this week whether you were a boy or a girl. The guesses came in at about 50% “Team Holly” and 50% “Team Logan…

However, now that we are telling everyone you are a girl, people seem genuinely amazed that I could have actually been right this whole time. It didn’t help that Mommy thought you were a boy.

Again, my basis of you being a girl is the fact that Mommy has been having different symptoms with you than she did your brother Jack.

But from the very beginning, my heart was always told me that you were a girl; even before Mommy’s symptoms of nausea that she didn’t have with the last pregnancy.

I take it as my fate that God has much more to teach me about life… lessons that I can only learn from raising a little girl named Holly Joy.

Love,

Daddy

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11 Comments Posted on marriage, parenting, Pregnancy, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Cast Your Final Official Vote for Whether It’s a Girl or a Boy! Team Holly or Team Logan?

Cast Your Final Official Vote for Whether It’s a Girl or a Boy! Team Holly or Team Logan?

On Wednesday morning at 8:00 AM, our family will be finding out whether we’re having a boy or a girl. I will reveal the results on Thursday; which is Thanksgiving.

By leaving your prediction in the form of a comment, your guess can be forever preserved. If you’re right, everyone will know it!

Before you make your prediction official, I’ll give you some things to consider…

I have said from the beginning that I think it’s a girl. I base this on the fact that my wife is carrying this baby much differently than our first.

This baby is positioned differently; plus my wife has symptoms she didn’t have last time; like nausea in the first trimester.

So I think it’s a girl. And most other people I’ve talked to believe that as well.

To that degree, that would make Logan the underdog, as so many people, like me, have been long assuming it’s a girl.

But… my wife thinks it’s a boy.

And now, I admit, that has got me second-guessing this.

As it stands, I am the final Shell man in my family to pass on the name; other than my son, Jack.  My dad has 3 sisters and just one brother, who himself had 3 girls.

So it would make sense that we would have another boy. It would help strengthen the chances of the Shell name living on beyond just my son; in case that matters.

Plus, people say if the mother is carrying the baby low, then it’s a boy; but if it’s high, it’s a girl. But I’m confused on what a “low” or “high” baby looks like…

Here’s your chance. Vote for either Team Holly or Team Logan, then came back to Family Friendly Daddy Blog on Thursday morning (Thanksgiving) to find out if your prediction was correct.

Who’s right? Me- the dad, who thinks it’s a girl?

Or my wife, the mommy, who thinks it’s a boy?

Team Holly and Team Logan. This is the final countdown!

4 Comments Posted on car reviews, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized, vegan

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

This year for our son Jack’s 5th birthday, we decided to do a “destination birthday party” in Destin, Florida; instead of having a party with his friends back home in Tennessee.

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

We figured if we were going to spend a few hundred dollars either way, we might as well make a fun family vacation out of it; especially right now, before the new baby arrives in April.

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

Something that made the trip extra special is that we were able to drive a 2015 Lexus GX 460 there and back! Therefore, our road trip was luxurious, large and laid-back.

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

Since we currently only have a family of 3, we kept the 3rd row seat folded down and used it for cargo space instead. Therefore, we packed our largest suitcases for the trip.

Usually on a road trip like this, we all try to pack light- but with all that room in the Lexus GX, we were able to pack liberally:

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

So in addition to the 2 giant suitcases, there was also my camera tripod,  2 of giants beach toy buckets, our plant-based food supply (we’re a vegan/vegetarian family), and all of Jack’s birthday gifts from us. And I was able to fit all of this under the cover too; which maintained the wonderful driver’s seat visibility, which I shot a quick video about.

We had so much fun on our trip. I’ve actually highlighted the main events in previous blog posts. (I put them in bold links below so you can click on them to read those separately.)

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

Before we even left for our trip, Jack drew and colored a special map so his Mommy and I would know were to drive.

separately

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

As for some highlights of our trip; first, my son got to pet and feed dolphins at the Gulfarium.

See Dear Jack: You Got to Pet and Feed Dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park!

Dear Jack: You Got to Pet and Feed Dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park!

Then our family took a dolphin cruise out in the Gulf of Mexico…

See Dear Jack: We Went on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin!

Dear Jack: You Got to Go on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin!

Not to mention, we let him spend his $100’s worth of gift cards on whatever he wanted during the trip.

See Dear Jack: What Happens When You Give $100 to a 5 Year-Old Boy for His Birthday?

Dear Jack: What Happens When You Give $100 to a 5 Year-Old Boy for His Birthday?

The whole time, we stayed in a really fun resort condo that was right across the street from the beach. We could see the ocean from the living room!

See Our Amalfi Coast Condo Rental in Miramar Beach Near Destin, Florida.

Our Amalfi Coast Condo Rental in Destin, Florida

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

And we had so much fun playing out on the beach. There was a lot of water underneath the sand and it kept sprouting out the more we would dig trenches for our sand castle.

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

Having a destination birthday party for my son’s 5th birthday was the right decision for us! It was such a special time for our family.

Lexus GX 460 Family Road Trip: My Son’s Destination Birthday Party in Destin, Florida

1 Comment Posted on parenting, reviews, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: We Went on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin!

5 years.

Dear Jack: You Got to Go on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin!

Dear Jack,

In addition to you being able to pet and feed the dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, another really fun thing our family was able to do last week while on your “destination birthday party” in Destin was we sailed on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise.

What the event personally revealed to me was that I could probably be out on a ship all day long every day and be completely happy.

Dear Jack: You Got to Go on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin!

But it’s even better when you have an experienced captain give you a tour of where all the dolphins hang out in the Gulf of Mexico.

Basically, whenever anyone on the ship thought they saw a dolphin, the captain steered in that direction, so everyone could get a closer look.

For about 2 hours, that’s what we did. And it was awesome! Not to mention, it was so relaxing being out on the water.

Dear Jack: You Got to Go on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin!

Once we got out there, the captain gave you kids an opportunity to feed the seagulls… that was hilarious!

Plus, we even saw a bride and groom across the water on a different ship.

Dear Jack: You Got to Go on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin!

Part of the adventure of the cruse was the mystery of it. The captain explained at the beginning of our voyage that each time is different; he never knows exactly when or where the dolphins are going to appear.

I thought it was really cool how the captain depends on audience participation for the dolphin cruise to come alive.

Dear Jack: You Got to Go on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin!

Near the end of our voyage, the captain gave an opportunity for all the kids to be able to get in line to sail the ship with him.

Captain Jack sailed the ship safely back to shore tonight.

You couldn’t get enough! You totally were in the zone as you held onto the wheel. I Instagrammed the event:

Captain Jack sailed the ship safely back to shore tonight.

Captain Jack sailed the ship safely back to shore tonight.

The captain even wrote out a special award for you, making you an honorary captain!

Afterwards, you got to pick some toys from the treasure chest.

We were so pleased with the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise. It’s a completely worthwhile experience and I absolutely recommend it to any families staying in the Destin, Florida area while on vacation.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: You Got to Go on the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise in Destin!

1 Comment Posted on parenting, reviews, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: You Got to Pet and Feed Dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park!

5 years.

Dear Jack: You Got to Pet and Feed Dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park!

Dear Jack,

Six months ago when we stayed in Pensacola, Florida, we had planned a trip to the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach. However, when we arrived, we learned that a baby dolphin had just been born that day, so the place was closed as everyone was taking care of the newborn.

Now, six months have passed and we decided to visit the Gulfarium again, while staying in Destin for your “destination birthday party” for your 5th birthday.

It was a short drive in the 2015 Lexus GX from our resort. The first thing you did was buy some souvenirs with some of your birthday money.

Dear Jack: You Got to Pet and Feed Dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park!

You loved being able to see all the marine animals, right there on the Gulf Coast. But by far, the highlight of our visit was when you got to pet and feed the dolphins; for something called Discover Dolphins.

I was particularly impressed by the way the staff handled the situation: After having already paid the extra $22 for you to be able to go out to the tank to pet and feed the dolphins with a few other children, you became afraid to go out there so close to the water.

Dear Jack: You Got to Pet and Feed Dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park!

Mommy and I were unable to give you enough of a pep talk to convince you otherwise.

However, the dolphin trainer took notice that you had stayed behind instead of going out to the dock with the other kids. After she had already let the other kids pet and feed the dolphins, she came back especially for you.

She recognized that at the minimum age requirement for the event, which is 5 years old, you needed some extra attention to gain the confidence to out to the water.

Had it not been for her being gently proactive on her end, you would have missed out on such a magical opportunity.

Being able to pet and feed the dolphin is definitely one of your favorite memories from our trip to Destin for your birthday; and that’s saying a lot, because our family did a lot of cool things during our stay!

It was such a “once in a lifetime experience”. It’s not something kids get to do on a regular basis.

Dear Jack: You Got to Pet and Feed Dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park!

I totally recommend the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park to all families vacationing in anywhere in the stretch between Destin and Pensacola.

Dear Jack: You Got to Pet and Feed Dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park!

It was a very exciting family experience. Granted, I would recommend budgeting the extra money for the Dolphin Encounter. It’s completely worth it.

I’m so glad we finally were able to go there!

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: You Got to Pet and Feed Dolphins at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park!