Returning back to life as a Navy SEAL

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Before we get to the Navy SEAL fun, I have to write about another crazy moment in our lives!  

For now, I'll share this one cool picture from the 39th Annual Muster and Music Festival held at the Navy SEAL Museum.  

So I just have to share this story!!  As we all know, the Atlanta area is absolutely one of the worst when it comes to traffic.  Just google it and you'll see I am not making this up!  

Here's the crazy part - we went to visit Scott's parents, on the westside of Atlanta and then headed home - east!  There was an accident on the interstate so I thought I would bypass the accident.  4 hours, yes, FOUR HOURS later, we finally made it to the eastside of Atlanta and decided we weren't going to make it home at a decent hour (and on Halloween weekend).  

What to do?  Use our points and stay at a Marriott in Athens, GA (normally only 2 hours from Scott's family, but it took us 6 hours to finally make it there).  

How fun when we realized it was a Halloween weekend (yes, I totally forgot) and there was a big celebration that was going to take place that night!  

Welcome to Athen's Wild Rumpus Parade and Spectacle!  

Although Athens is a college town, people of all ages (animals too) participated in this parade that kept us entertained for over an hour!  People watching was so stinking fun!

Not bad for an unexpected detour!

We finally did make it home and got back to our routine.  

First things first - we had to wash the car!  You know what I am talking about, right?  I mean, who doesn't come back from a road trip without all the dead goop of bugs on your car and windshield?  Fortunately Eli is a huge fan of cleaning the car, so I just sit and relax and enjoy the special treatment!

Back at home, Enzo is back to playing Hide 'N Seek!  He's starting to realize if he counts faster, regardless of errors, he gets to 20 faster.  😅. So you better hide quickly before he spots you!

Yes, we went straight back to our routine of homeschool.  As you can see, Eli was totally ready to dive right back in!

Once we settled back into our routine, it was time to head out again.  PHEW!  Fall days are just so full of  events!

Next event... The 39th Annual Muster and Music Festival at the Navy SEAL Museum!  We had heard about this event the last time we were there, but already had plans, we were traveling to the Bahamas.  So we had to skip it.  

But not this year!  This year we were ALL IN!  Well, at least Scott and Eli were. 

Enzo and I hung out in the parking lot.  The race began at the museum but it was on the beach and there was no way Enzo and I could participate.  

Like I said, it was on the beach.  Coincidentally, the tide was high so a lot of people ended up taking their shoes off because there was just no space to run but near the water or wet sand.  Scott somehow didn't get too wet, but he's carrying Eli's shoes!

Before the awards were handed out, the announcer asked all the kids to come up front.  Then he proceeded to make them do pushups!  It was so fun to watch!  These kids did it!  They are our future and they are strong!

After the awards ceremony, both of the boys got to play on the Navy SEAL obstacle course.  Eli must have done this a half a dozen times before he decided to take a break!

Enzo loves the obstacle course too and never ever turns down a chance to hop on and swing!

The funny thing is, unlike Eli, Enzo will stick around one obstacle until he tires of it. As you can see from the pictures, he never tired of the Monkey Bars.  

Eventually it was time for the Muster Ceremony!  As always it fills my heart to hear the Star Spangled Banner sung by a veteran for you KNOW he KNOWS what the flag means.  

After some speeches, the demonstration began!  Good guys against the bad guys and it was so fun to watch!

Naturally the good guys (USA) defeated the bad guys and peace was restored!

I think Eli was blown away by it all.  The demonstration, the smoke, the booms and bangs of everything.  Even the helicopter kept us intrigued by it all - from the simulated firefight to the simulated rescue!  

What I found even more impressive was the level of fitness by the active and retired veterans of the Navy SEALs!  

I felt like I was witnessing one heck of a family reunion as we walked around the grounds enjoying the music, food and displays. 

Favorite part?  For Eli it was everything physical.  For us adults, it was meeting David Brown.  

David Brown is known to be the smallest Navy SEAL in history.  He stood at 5'3" and 110 pounds when he entered the Navy SEALs training ground and was considered the unlikeliest candidate ever!  Yet this guy was determined to "Live his biggest life" and proved to everyone that his mental toughness and determination were bigger than anyone could imagine!

We bought his book "And Goliath" and Scott could NOT put it down!  He wouldn't stop talking about it at the dining table!  Read it if you can! 

What a day!  What a trip!  What an event!  Who knows, maybe one day Eli will be out there doing a demonstration with his Navy SEALs!  Until that day, we will continue to enjoy venturing down to the museum!  

Until next time!  Have a blessed day!