Day 164: Semper Paratus

It's Coast Guard Day!

Actually, it's not. YESTERDAY was Coast Guard Day. But today is "Celebrate the Fact that Yesterday Was Coast Guard Day-Day". 

I will say, Training Center (TRACEN) Petaluma takes the delicious orange and blue cake when it comes to celebrating Coast Guard Day. The entire helicopter pad is filled with outsourced food trucks (like Cousins Maine Lobster for crying out loud) and picnic tables, much better than TRACEN Cape May's galley burgers and shriveled hot dogs. Below the helicopter pad is the huge field with the softball fields in two corners (emphasis on BIG). That was filled with inflatable bounce houses and games for the kids, climbing walls, cornhole tournaments and volleyball. And if that wasn't enough for everyone, they had a video game trailer in the parking lot, and laser tag across the street (which my kids have talked about non stop since they played it a year ago). Not to mention the free ice cream, balloon animals, face painting and coolers of water all over the place. I mean really, they pulled out all the stops.

Pictures speak louder than words!

Colors. Brad is holding the US flag

Calen and his friend Mario saluting during the national anthem

Video game trailer. The kids are playing Mario Kart

I've been hearing about Coast Guard Day laser tag for a year. Last year, tiny little 4 year old Camden was so unassuming during his match (6 on 6 usually) that all the big kids forgot about him on the course, and he stomped through Rambo-style and beat everyone on the course. He may or may not have cheated a little by not returning to base once he was shot but who's keeping track. This year, he did well at following the rules and still beat a few kids a couple of times. They would have abandoned the entire rest of CG Day festivities to just do laser tag all day long. 

Laser tag! Calen and Mario

The reigning champ 

Let's talk about the unique inflatable games they had this year. There was an inflatable Hungry Hungry Hippos in which kids were strapped to a bungee cord and had to run and leap to the middle bowl and try to grab a ball and return to it's bag. Funniest thing ever especially since Cam was too small for the straps so he was allowed to just launch himself into the bowl strap-free. 

Calen is the yellow hippo

Hungry Hippos! Calen in yellow, Cam in red, their friends Mario and Zeth in orange and blue

They also had these mini hamster balls that you crawl into, put straps over your shoulders and have your legs sticking out, then run at each other full force and inso doing end up rolling upside down or doing barrel rolls or something equally ridiculous. It's like bumper cars meets a slingshot. I got inside one and threw myself at the kids a few times (and got knocked off my feet multiple times by other adults) and I seriously couldn't stop laughing. Funniest thing I've ever done. 

Hamster balls! Calen on the left

Camden spent most of it upside down since his feet couldn't touch the ground. But he just laughed and laughed.

Calen's friend Mario's grandma offered to take our kids with them to see The Secret Life of Pets on base immediately following the festivities, so Brad and I scooted away into town for a quick little date at the bookstore and a street burrito from our favorite food truck in town. Such a fun family day. Coast Guard Day is turning into one of our favorite days of the year. 

Our annual CG day picture!

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