As always, Surfers Healing was awesome this year. It was huge turnout, bigger than ever! Gavin even had his own little fan club there to "Ooh and Aah" over him! It was an unforgettable day, especially since Sara was starting to go into labor with Bodie! We knew from the previous two births that she labors slowly and methodically, so we felt it best to spend the beginning stages of labor at the beach! It sure beats staring at the ceiling in a hospital room!

Gavin did pretty well this year. I was worried he would be scared, because he's been a little bit leery of things lately. We had a bad experience at the waterslide in town this summer. I spent ten minutes talking him into trying it with me, and he loved it! That is, until the very end when we flipped off the tube under the water. I felt pretty awful about that. He was only submerged for a second or two, but he got a nose full and came up screaming. I lost a little bit of his trust on that day, I think. When it came to surfing, though, he was prepared. We showed him lots of surfing videos and home movies of a younger Gavin surfing in prior years. He really loved it, but he wouldn't let his feet touch the board. The poor surfer had to hold him up the whole time!

It was a perfect day at the beach. Gavin's entourage included his Grammy and Papa Geno, Aunt Mollie, his school counselor, teacher and developmental therapist. All of these awesome, caring people got such a kick out of seeing Gavin's happy face while he rode the waves. We feel lucky that Gavin has so many people in his life that love him. It takes a village to raise a child, and Gavin's village is full of the best.

If you haven't seen the "tribute to Surfers Healing" video we made, you should go watch it. On our home page, click the "learn more" in the green box, and it'll take you to a page with the video. Or, here's the address:                          http://www.snugfits.com/Surfers-Healing.html

I tell ya, there's nothing more fun and satisfying than sitting down at your computer and putting pictures together with music to make something uncommonly cool. It's even more fulfilling when the pictures are of your own kids! I learned how to use my Mac's "iMovie" program when I made Gavin's Surfers Healing video. It was so easy, even a novice like me figured it out in just a couple hours! You can get to Gavin's video from our home page by clicking the Surfers Healing box. You need to see it because it is really beautiful. Sara found the song and gave me all the pictures, I just put it together.

With that first video under my belt, I felt like I could do anything! I came up with this notion of a quick tempo swingy song playing while our kids dance in different Snugfits shirts. That effort proved futile as our kids' dancing skills haven't even risen to the level of "Amateur Bottom Shaker". It wasn't going to be the iPodesque hip commercial I wanted. I still might do a knock-off of the iPod ad which features the Fratelli's Flathead song with my boys just going berserk. That shouldn't be too hard. Anyhow, we just took a bunch of cute shots of Garrett and Ava (Garrett's cousin) and put them together with the music and BAM! The quick tempo swingy part of my original intention is still there, just without the live action. Check it out below. Feel free to comment! Does it leave you spellbound? Or does it leave you dazed and confused? I sent the video out to our friends and family to get feedback before posting it on YouTube, and the response I received was mostly "It's too fast." So this version is actually much slower and easier to follow.

I'm trying to come up with more ideas for future ads. I like the concept of a giant Garrett in a black onesie (with a skull on it ) stomping on Star Wars figures. Set to some heavy rock music, of course. That would be so much fun. Like a little Godzilla! Or maybe something to do with the election. Garrett at the podium in a "Me For President 2056" shirt, laying out his positions. I'm sure his policies would include a new holiday: Mickey Mouse Day, and another amendment to the constitution: The Right to Bear Stinky Diapers.

If anybody has another idea for a video I'd welcome it. As you can see, I'm really reaching here.