Team Leip Travels

Thursday, June 4, 2026

24 May 2026 Sanford: Cooper's Graduation Party

The big celebration for Cooper started at 2 PM. In reality, that was just the beginning of the party because the prep for the party started long before that. Shaun smoked some racks of ribs overnight, Erin whipped up several dishes including three tins of mac and cheese. So much great food really put this celebration over the tip. Lots of family and friends showed up. The attendees included Lake Mary teachers as well as Cooper's classmates. At one point the entire house was filled to the brim and it was impossible to walk through the house. What a great time and our hats are off to Erin and Shaun.

Yes this is the right place

Red and black for Lake Mary High

Meat man

Ribs getting reheated in the sous vide

Fun with Cooper's Prom King Crown

Diane and Zach

King Charles

Bill be rocking the crown

Leslie's second tallest cousin

Laura getting caught up

Evan brought his planes that he purchased at the Air and Space in DC

We bought a remote controlled shuttle on the sly while we were all in DC

Athlete of the year Jaxon

Matt and Maxine

Everyone is getting involved

Gavin next to Cooper's hig head

A fancy fountain

Mac and cheese for everyone!

Linda and John entertaining Lily and Brie

Or were Lily and Brie entertaining Linda and John

Hemingway is putting the great in Great Dane

Talking all things Spanish

Cooper is impervious to ice between his toes

Hemmy!

Leslie is trying to fix some dates

Time to head home

Unless you want to get some fishing in

It has been 3 years and 350 days since we began our Migration

20 May 2024 Sanford: Is That a Bear?

We try to walk Macy early in the day as she is heat sensitive. So imagine my surprise when I attach the leash and head outside where she is leading me towards the neighbor's back yard. I go along with it but I froze in my tracks when we turned the corner. There, in all her 300 pound glory, is a Black Bear in the neighbor's back yard. She is leaning on the fence that separates the two yards. Macy and I immediately return inside and I grab my camera. I take two quick pictures from our back yard and head back inside. I show Leslie the pictures and then venture out again and walk closer to where the bear was and I hold the camera over the top of the fence to get a picture with both me and the bear in the shot. As I look in the viewfinder, I see that I now have roused the sleeping bear and once again I quickly head back inside. After a few minutes to let things settle down I head back out and discover that there was a little cub with her! The cub was very cute but mamma demands respect.

Panels in the fence next doo were knocked out, bear sign

Large clumps of black hair, more bear sign

A huge bear leaning on the fence is no longer bear sign...it is a real bear

Perhaps I got a little too close as the fence is no real protecion

I scurried bac inside and when I came back out I see that there is bear cub too!

Don't worry little guy

You are safe around us

Perhaps the bunny was the bear's scentry. alerting them to any nearby humans

It has been 3 years and 346 days since we began our Migration

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

19 May 2026 Sanford: Cooper Graduates

Cooper McLane's big day has arrived. The Lake Mary Commencement ceremony is upon us. It was fun for the whole family and with a celebratory feast at the local Mexican Restaurant right after the ceremony it was a great time. Go Cooper!