Our college girls, Maddie and Caitlin, came for a visit last week.  We don’t get to see them as much now that they are away at school and starting their own lives.  And this makes the times we get to spend together even more special.  It was so great to see their smiling faces, listen to their stories, and sneak of peek of them laying in their beds each night knowing that they were safe and sound.  You miss that feeling when your kids no longer live under your roof.  A lot.  It is a week I will cherish and that will bring a smile to my face on some dark and distant January night in Wisconsin.

Because of travel logistics, Maddie and Caitlin flew into Antigua.  This meant that Sarah, Jimmy and I got to play Charter boat Captain and Crew for the week, visiting many of the same places that we enjoyed with our friends the Pellinos the week before.  Another clockwise trip around Antigua and Barbuda.  Another series of daily adventures.  We loved every minute of it, especially that part where our UW Badger Basketball team beat Kentucky to advance to the Final Four.

We Missed These Faces!

First Sunset

Sleeping Outside Under the Moon in a Windstorm (notice the parents were not joining!)

Walking to Uncle Roddy’s for Dinner

Fun with the GoPro

I’m a Lucky Dad

Barbuda Caves

Biking 

Go Badgers!

Hiking to Shirley Heights

Blue and White

I Love This Crew

Adventure

Adventure travel is a fantastic way to bond your family.  We started adventure travel with our kids at a very young age and I think it is one of the reasons the five of us are so close (you can see another example here).  You face daily adventures and challenges.  You come together as a team and learn each others’ strengths and weaknesses.  You trust each other.  And you don’t watch T.V. or complain about being bored.  You learn that working hard and delaying instant gratification amounts to real accomplishment and lasting rewards.  You embrace life head on, especially when it gets hard or messy, which often happens on our trips, especially those involving boats.  I’d highly recommend it to any family out there.

Thanks Maddie and Caitlin.  I’m so proud of you and so happy to be your Dad!