<p>Our son will only have 25 days between HS graduation and report date. We normally take a beach front vacation in July/August. This year we are taking our three boys on a Western Caribbean Cruise. (Princess Cruises leaving Ft. Lauderdale on June 17th) Any others want to join us?</p>
<p>We'll be at a house on a lake in the NC mountains 10-17 June. That's our annual family vacation which we bumped the dates up for this year so we could still do it before I-day. It will be especially cherished this year I'm sure.
P.S. Momof3b - we have 3 boys also. Which one of yours is attending an academy? Where is he going? (I'm sure you've posted this, but I'll just ask rather than going back & looking it up!). Cheers!</p>
<p>I thought we had it bad with less than a week between graduation and R Day but the "townies", those kids who live at West Point/Highland Falls often graduate one day and report for R Day the next. We did out "last family vacation" during Spring Break of senior year.</p>
<p>Well, we'll probably working on haying machinery! Since an academy visit is going to mess up the haying schedule, we will have to be ready to toll when we get back. Not very exciting--I know! She can have fond memories of grease guns... ;-)</p>
<p>Before my son went to USMMA, he and I flew out to San Francisco to visit the SS Jerimiah O'Brien, on of the last Liberty Ships and then took two weeks to drive across the country. Grand Canyon, Santa Fe, the Alamo, New Orleans and back to DC. </p>
<p>It gave him a view of the breadth of the nation he was signing up to serve. We had a chance to talk to a bunch of great people along the way, including a trooper in AZ who let us off with a warning for speeding. And for me I learned things about my kid that I never knew.</p>
<p>When we got back we had a party for all his friends and teachers and family and then it was on his way.</p>
<p>Last year I had planned on a big send-off. I thought we'd go to New York and see some plays and other tourist stuff. What she really enjoyed most was watching movies in the hotel and having some good food delivered in. And I think the down time is just what she needed, too.</p>
<p>We did have a really big hooah party for friends and family before leaving. I was even able to buy West Point balloons and ribbons for decorations. And we had "West Point Grandparent" tee shirts for all of the grandfolks. Here's a link to do some shopping. <a href="http://vasily.com/%5B/url%5D">http://vasily.com/</a> The store is across from the West Point Visitors Center.</p>
<p>When our son was accepted we did the cruise thing as well. Celebrated over the holiday with a trip to the Caribbean. It was quite memorable (planned it in advance so we HOPED it was going to be a celebration trip and not a consolation prize -- we lucked out).</p>
<p>We really wanted to do a big send off party too, but I think time will be too short. Might have to do something small scale. </p>
<p>LFWB dad, loved the description of y'all's trip. What a WONDERFUL way to transition from high-school to academy! That must've been so special & memorable. You sound like such a fabulously dedicated dad - how many kids?? Thanks for sharing all of your great dad-oriented posts.</p>
<p>My son graduated Friday and R-Day was the following Monday. Fortunately, during his Spring Break I was able to use some of my airline miles to send him to Hawaii (from NJ) to visit his uncle and aunt - he had a ball.</p>
<p>From a future doolie's prespective...while my family is going on a nice vacation this spring break, I'm looking forward to just having some down time to hang out with my friends and do some other stuff I've wanted to do over the summer. Doing anything over the top just dosen't appeal to me before I ship out to USAFA.</p>
<p>Heartcross-I hate haying...with a passion. This summer is going to be great in that respect! No haying or detassling (plucking the soon to be tassles out of corn for all you non farm people)! I actually got to thinking after 17 straight days of detassling 4:30 am - 3 p.m that basic can't be that bad compared to it.</p>
<p>bz</p>
<p>Thanks, it was a neat trip. LFWB is the oldest, and we have two little girls we adopted from China. So, I have one plebe and one kindegartener and one pre schooler. Hopefully, I will still be able to walk when its their turn.</p>
<p>LFWB Dad~ God Bless You, And Your Huge Heart!</p>
<p>"So, I have one plebe and one kindegartener and one pre schooler"</p>
<p>You sir, are crazy :)</p>
<p>My bro and i are planning to go hike a 50 mile section of the Appalachian trail before I day, and my goal is to run in a half marathon on base (cherry point) before I day.</p>
<p>AFDAD2010: What ports did you stop at and what were your favorite day trips? We are doing western caribbean (Princess Cays,Cozumel,Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios). Are there activities you felt were not worth your time?
Please share. Thanks. MO3Bz</p>
<p>Last year we spent a family week in Colorado prior to inprocessing. It was a good trip and allowed for some "down time" before BCT. He had had about a month since graduation, but pushed to finish his private pilot ticket before leaving. I think the thing he enjoyed most about that time (aside from passing the check ride!) was just hanging out with his friends. Remember, most of their friends will have at least one more month, maybe more like two before they leave the nest!</p>
<p>We planned a special time together at our Plebe's Christmas break. All of us voted to forego Christmas gifts to each other and take a trip to someplace warm. So, we left on Christmas day for the Caribbean and spent 5 wonderful days in the sun together. Our Plebe thought this was the best gift he had ever received. Just a thought, if you can't squeeze in something "special" prior to I-Day, shoot for something during their break. They will be very relaxed at that point in the year and extremely grateful for the escape from their routine.</p>
<p>We were very fortunate in that our son graduated in mid-May, so we had a good deal of time before I-day. Being from Alaska, we are relatively close to Hawaii, so we took our son to Hawaii for 10 days. We did everything! Surfing on the North Shore (thought we broke him once!), snorkling in Hanauma Bay (sp?) swimming off of Waikiki, the swap meet at the stadium, and, yes, Pearl Harbor.<br>
It may seem like a strange choice for someone who was heading for the Naval Academy, but it meant a great deal to him. </p>
<p>His dad and I enjoyed listening to him play the ukelele on the lanai at night, and it just seemed that taking all of us out of the day to day gave us the opportunity to concentrate on, and enjoy each other. </p>
<p>However you decide to spend the time, I'm sure you'll find yourself just looking with wonder at your young person, feeling proud, reflective, and in awe of the choices that have led them here.</p>
<p>My daughter came up with this great idea...she made a list of all the things we have enjoyed doing as a family through the years...little things, like feeding the ducks at the local park, going to favorite local places for breakfast and lunch, activities like playing golf and board games, etc. She suggested we do each of these things "one last time" before our son goes off to Annapolis. It's a nice way to "wrap up" that 18-year phase of all of our lives that is now coming to an end.</p>
<p>Sacto Mom- there you go- making me cry all over again- :(</p>