Avery at 11

 

Physical Stats 
Weight –  89lb (65th percentile)
Height – 58.75" (76th percentile)
Nicknames – AA, Ave, Beannie, Goose, Bitty Boo

Likes 
Favorite Food – Gus' Mac and Cheeseburger
Favorite Activities – Riding bike, video games, listening to music, reading

Favorite Color – Mint Green
Favorite Toy – Slime (really her iPad)
Favorite Animal – Sea Otter
Favorite Thing to Wear – Ice Cream Sandwich PJs
Favorite Book – School for Good and Evil Series
Favorite Game – Roblox
Favorite Song – Lush Life by Zara Larsson
Favorite TV Show – Bunk'd, Savannah Bananas Games
Favorite Activity at School – Recess
Favorite Activity Outside – Ride bike
Favorite Sport to Play – Basketball
Favorite Movie – KPop Demon Hunters

 

Random Facts 
Best friends – Piper, Caroline, EK

What do you want to be when you grow up – Work for Banana Ball
What do you sleep with at Night – Pink Bear, Yellow Blankie, Avery Quilt
What makes you happy – Playing basketball and Roblox
What makes you sad – When dad goes out of town

If you could go anywhere in the world – Paris

Least favorite food – Green Beans

Least favorite things to do – Watch wrestling

Family Facts 
Favorite thing to do with Dad – Watch TV
Favorite thing to do with Mom – Shopping
Favorite thing to do with Carter – Play fortnite
Favorite thing to do with Parker – Go fishing

Sea Base High Adventure - Sailing

After three days and nights at our base camp at Sea Base, it was time to embark on the true sailing portion of our Keys Sailing Adventure.  We all woke early, took a final shower, performed cleaning of the restrooms (required of each crew before leaving) and boarded our sailboat for the next three days and two nights.  The 40' sloop named the Black Sea, captain by Mihai who is originally from Romania but now resides in St. Augustine and has been a captain at Sea Base for over 5-years.

Mihai did a great job letting the boys do much of the work on the boat including getting us untied from dock to allow the voyage to begin!

After motoring to a beach for a swim, we were able to find some wind, hoist the sails, and cut the motor for some true sailing.

On board the boys did all of the cooking and cleaning.  Mihai and the dads did provide some guidance and suggestions, but all items were prepared by the boys including pulled pork and a steak and mashed potato dinners.

Our trip was based on us moving from location to location.  First going to Indian Key Historic State Park which is a boat access only island that used to be a thriving town and original county seat of Dade County, but now is a ghost town inhabited by hermit crabs and large iguanas.  Additional stops included Alligator Reef and Cheeca Rocks reef.  While sailing from one location to another, the boys had a great time with minimal electronics socializing with each other, doing some fishing (we did catch a black fin tuna which was a delicious appetizer before our steak dinner), and learning to sail and drive a boat.  The evenings and mornings were punctuated with amazing sunrises and sunsets.  

All agreed that the highlight of the trip was the snorkeling.  The colors and vibrancy of the reefs were amazing and unexpected.  The boys all did a great job and even started to get adept a free diving by the end of the week allowing them to get up close to the wildlife below the water.  We were able to see thousands of fish, multiple sea turtles, lots of moray eels, a nurse shark and even two tiger sharks along with acres and acres of thriving coral reefs.

In the evenings some slept below deck in the front bedroom, while the rest took out a camping sleeping mat and found as flat a spot as possible on deck and slept under the stars (there were a lot of stars).  Sleep was only interrupted when it was time for anchor watch.  Per Coast Guard requirements, the boys created a schedule of 2-hour shifts where two scouts or dads had to be awake and alert ensuring the boat did not break anchor or have any other issues while others slept.  The boys performed their duties well with no complaints.

Ultimately, it was time to go return to base, cleanup the boat and ourselves and return back to Atlanta.  This was by far an adventure where lifelong memories were made and all had a great time.  

While at Sea Base, we logged approximately 50 miles on the motorized pontoon boat going to Donut Reef and the Pillars Reef areas (blue and green routes above).  Our sailing adventure included another 50 miles traveled with the yellow route being our first day's journey to Indian Key, the red route being day two to Alligator Reef and Cheeca Rocks (note the long run in deep water where we were successful in getting a tuna), and then capped with the purple route back to base on the third day.  We also logged approximately 5-miles of kayaking/paddle boarding around the island areas of Sea Base.  An exhausting but fantastic time on the water!

Sea Base High Adventure - On Base

At the end of July, Carter and Colin headed off to the Florida Keys for a once in a lifetime experience at the Boy Scouts High Adventure Sea Base in on Lower Matecumbe Key in Islamorada, Florida.  Our crew included Carter and four of his buddies from the troop who have all been in boy scouts together since 5th Grade (and cub scouts before that). 

Boarded and ready to take off

Key West here we come!

After landing, a bit of a drive up the Overseas Highway, and lunch, it was time for check-in.  Being a High Adventure camp, the paperwork and verification of qualifications does take a moment, but we were able to get through it without issue and were swiftly admitted to camp, took a group photo, and were quickly in the thick of activities guided by our "Mate" Sean who is a camp employee assigned to us while one base.

Flag parade ground outside the SCUBA dorms

For three days and nights we were based on land in tents (luckily air-conditioned...somewhat).  With the boys occupying one tent and the adults next door in another.  

Camp consists of a tent ground (where we stayed), dorms for those doing SCUBA adventures, a commissary, a snack shake, a game area, support facilities for SCUBA and snorkeling, and a very large and busy marina 100% operated by the camp for scouts.

While at camp, our activities included two reef snorkeling trips, open water kayaking through a mangrove forest and to a ship wreck, multiple attempts at catching some Florida Spiney Lobsters (it was early seasons while we were there), and some sailing lessons both in the classroom and on the water in small Hunter 18 sailing boats.

Lobsters are there, but we could not get a good drip

Learning to sail

Off to the Pillars Reef

One tradition at camp is to wear Hawaiian shirts the day before embarking on your sail boat (or your last day if you are SCUBA) and to place your unit numbers on the commissary walls under your Council's patch.  Lovett's Troop 304 is now and forever part of Sea Base for all.

One good looking crew!

Large pontoon boat used for our land based snorkeling trips

Our boys and our "Mate" Sean

 

 

July

The July heat was no joke so we hunkered down a bit inside to avoid it when we could. But we still had baseball and tried to get in some last summer fun before the school year starts.

At a grilling and wine tasting class

Avery (10 years, 11 months) - Avery went to a week of camp with the Smyrna Police Department. They learned self defense, visited the police/fire department, met the K9 dogs and spent a day at Sparkles. She still loves to bake and did a good job cheering on her brothers at their final baseball games. And she was really excited to go to the Dude Perfect show with dad after the boys went a few years back without her.

Dude Perfect Show with dad

She loves to do scoreboard but wasn't sure about all her helpers this time

Avery borrows a family phone on trips and we find all sorts of fun pictures on it

Parker (13 years, 8 months) - Parker spent most of the month playing baseball (Sabers or practicing with friends) and fishing. He has developed a real love of fishing this summer with several nearby places he and friends can go to. He had a sweet end of the season baseball party with his Slammers team and is looking forward to playing with the team next year. He also complained a little about his vision so he has a very low prescription, optional pair of glasses. He sparingly uses them but looks super cute on them!

All Star Village with Connor and Jack

Carter (15 years, 2 months) - Carter had a quieter month with activities. There was still Sabers baseball and he wrapped up his summer class. He had a great summer baseball season and is looking forward to a few weeks off before starting back in the Fall. 

All Star Village with Jake and Carter

Siblings - The boys finished up their summer all star baseball season with some special guest appearances by friends! It was fun to watch them on the same team and we are excited to do it again in the Fall.

Carter, Grayson, Parker, Jack 

Parker pitching with Carter at short

Carter, Grayson, JZ, Parker

Jack pitching, Carter at 3rd and Parker at Short