A Winter Walk To The Boys & Girls Club

Today we finally got a break from the cold, we were able to go outside without our coats. It is a very short break in South Florida though, as the next arctic front will come down here tonight.

The boys and I took advantage of the break by going on a long walk. My oldest son had asked to go to the Boys & Girls Club, and since it is a 5 mile roundtrip for us, we only do that on Fridays, when there is no homework for the next day.

It was a beautiful day with blue skies, and we surely enjoyed our walk.

We saw bunches of fruit trees, and they had all survived the first cold front, and hopefully we won't get any freezing temperatures during the next spell that is coming.

 

Starfruits - I was able to get a couple, and this will be our next growing experiment.

There were bananas everywhere.

The banana flowers are always impressive.

We saw lots of papaya trees.

 

An orchid growing on a palm tree.

And last but not least beautiful bougainvillea in bloom.

 

We usually eat a snack at the park and play a bit before my son goes to the Boys & Girls Club, but knowing that the sun would go down early, we dropped him off as soon as we got there. I then went to the park with the two little ones.

Sky had brought his new Robotcar, that his little brother had given him for Christmas (great deal at CVS), and he surely became a popular boy. At first he did not want to share, but as soon as he let another little boy drive the Robotcar he instantly got himself three little friends his age.

He was so excited about playing with the boys, who were a year or two older than him, and it was obvious that he had just as fun as his older brother had at the Boys & Girls Club.

We went to pick up my oldest son an hour later at 4 p.m., and I am always overwhelmed with the noise level in the lobby. It is one of those high ceiling ones and with many kids walking around, it gets very loud. The kids are always so polite and helpful there, and not once have I gone there without some of the kids holding the door for me as I roll in the stroller.

Of course my son did not hear, when his name was called over the speakers, but really I could not hear it myself. The receptionist always surprises me, because even though we are not there often, she always seem to know where my son is (and believe me there are a lot of kids there). She said he had been in the gym playing ball, but that she thought he was in the game room, which is located right next to the front desk. I found him there all happy and playing with the other kids, and it is such a transformation.

He has not been to the Boys and Girls Club much, as it is such a big walk, but ever since he started there he has become more outgoing. I saw him playing hoops with another boy a little older than him, and he surely had a lot of fun.

For anyone, who has kids between the age of 7 and 18, I can definitely recommend looking into the Boys & Girls Club. It was my Gather friend Gwen (aka Cybergwen), who suggested the place to me, and for that I am very thank ful. For $15 my son got himself a one-year membership, and he can go there as much as he wants. This fits our schedule perfectly, as we are not too good about the twice a week thing, especially not since we are walking everywhere and therefore dependent on the weather.

Did you or your children ever go to the Boys & Girls Club?