Signing Off from Belize!
July 23, 2025
Hello!
We had yet another amazing day of diving! The kids have been absolutely thriving underwater and having the best time. JR quickly became a favorite of our dive instructor Nydia, and Shelby gained a new best friend in Moses, another beloved instructor. During our morning dive, the group spotted sharks, stingrays, and countless vibrant fish. Afterward, we headed back to the island for a quick break-though not before Mont and Char got in their signature jumps off the boat, something they’ve done after every dive!
While on the island, the kids built sandcastles, found hermit crabs, and soaked up the sun, just enjoying each other’s company. We then headed out for our second dive of the day. Joseph continues to impress- he’s such a natural underwater and even made up his own hand signals to communicate with the rest of the group!
After wrapping up our dives, we rinsed our gear at the Splash Center and made our (almost daily) pilgrimage to Tutti Frutti, Belize’s best gelato spot. It’s owned by the sweetest Italian couple, who split their time between Italy and Belize to run their two shops. They’ve come to know and love our group, especially Witt- he never hesitates to go big with two scoops of his favorite flavor, cream caramel!
That evening, we hung out at the villa before heading to our favorite dinner spot, Chicken Joe’s. The staff there adores our group and literally applauded when we walked in!On Day 12, we spent the day at a nearby resort where we played mini golf- Hill stole the show with an unbelievable three hole-in-ones! Then it was on to pickleball, where Weezy absolutely dominated the court-even after coming straight from her dive with Quinn. After lunch, we cooled off in the pool, with Bridger once again stepping up to lead the charge in pool games!
Before heading home, we of course stopped by Tutti Frutti again and then spent time on the beach playing volleyball and enjoying each other’s company. That night, we had dinner at a new favorite spot- Rick’s Cafe, a delicious Italian restaurant that was an instant hit with everyone.The next day, we pulled off our best surprise of the trip. We told the kids we had a 6-mile kayaking day ahead-needless to say, there was not much excitement. But after breakfast, just a few steps into our “kayak journey,” we revealed the truth: we were actually headed on a catamaran to a private island for a beach barbecue!
Once on the boat, we were met by an incredible crew who reminded us (about a hundred times) that we were on vacation and should not lift a finger. The kids had a blast on the ride over, especially Coleman, who tried to catch air every time we hit a wave. While the boys took the wild route up top, the girls relaxed below, enjoying McKenley’s handpicked Spotify playlist for the day.
When we reached the island, the kids jumped off the boat and swam ashore. We played volleyball while waiting for lunch, which was absolutely delicious. On the way back, we had the chance to jump off the top of the boat-Quinn led the charge with some impressive tricks. The ride back was calm and beautiful. We tanned, laughed, and had great conversations, all while trying to ignore the fact that our time together was coming to an end.
We wrapped up the day with one last trip to Tutti Frutti and had an unforgettable final dinner. Afterward, we had our traditional “Moonup,” where we handed out paper plate awards and reflected on the journey. It was a really special way to end such a meaningful trip.The next morning was full of hard, tearful goodbyes-without a doubt, the toughest farewells of the summer.
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing kids with us. We ended the summer with some of the most special, kind-hearted, hilarious, and adventurous students Moondance has ever seen. We love them so much and feel incredibly lucky to have had these two weeks together.
Signing off for the last time,
Jack & Haley
Thank You from 3C!
July 20, 2025
Some words of gratitude from 3C!
Joseph – Hi mom and dad. Thank you so much for sending me on such a fun trip with the amazing friends I just met. My leaders (Jack and Haley) are great but they are also sad to leave and so am I. I can’t wait to come home and see yall tomorrow. Love yall
Quinn- Hi Mom and Dad! Thank you so so much for sending me to Belize! I loved it so much and have so many fun stories to tell you. I miss you so much and can’t wait to come home! love yall so much
Louisa-Hi mom and dad! Thank y’all so so much for sending me on a Moondance to Belize!! It was the best two weeks I have ever had!! I loved meeting all of my new friends and my leaders ARE AMAZING!! I miss you and cannot wait to tell y’all all about it!! Love y’all so so much!!
Hill – Hey Mom and Dad, thank you so much for sending me on Belize I had so much fun! I can’t wait to see ya’ll! Love ya’ll!!
Witt- hey mom and dad thanks for sending me here it’s been awesome can’t wait to see y’all
Bridger- hey ma and pa thank u so so so much for sending me on Moondance it was so fun and I had such a good time can wait to see yall and Miller and Lucy and i can’t wait to tell yall all about my trip
Shelby- hello mom and dad thank you so much for sending me to Belize this has been so much fun!!! I can’t wait to tell you all about it
Charlotte – Hi mom and dad I miss yall so so much but I am having the most fun I have ever had, these are the best two weeks ever. Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip and I can’t wait to see you soon.
Mont- Hey mom and dad. I miss yall so much and can’t wait to see yall. I have been having so much fun. We have been scuba diving the past few days. Thank yall so much for sending me on this trip and I can’t wait to tell yall all about it.
JR -hey mom and I dad. I miss yall a lot I’ve been having a lot of fun. The scuba has been a lot of fun thank yall so much for sending me on this trip.
Coleman- Hey mom and dad. I can’t wait to see yall soon. This has been the best two weeks of my life. I can’t explain how fun it’s been. The scuba diving was incredible. Thank you for sending me on this trip.
McKinley – Hey mom and dad I miss you. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip it has been the most fun 2 weeks ever. I loved scuba diving so much. I can’t wait to see you.
Cocoa, Coral, and Cowboy Games
July 19, 2025
Hello again from Belize!
We’re having such a fantastic time down here and truly can’t believe the trip is already coming to a close. This group is absolutely incredible-each of them has brought something special, and they’ve made this summer unforgettable for all of us!
Day 7 kicked off with breakfast at one of our favorite beachside restaurants, where Hill, of course, stuck with her signature iced caramel latte. After breakfast, it was time for our adventure to Monkey Island! We took a scenic boat ride, complete with a top-notch playlist thanks to DJ Joseph. Cruising through the mangroves, we spotted all kinds of wildlife-Mont even gave his best monkey call impression, trying to attract the animals! After exploring the island, we enjoyed a delicious local meal before heading back to the mainland for a relaxing afternoon at the beach. Shelby showed off her volleyball skills and kept the energy high. After a full day in the sun, we all enjoyed a big dinner and slept well that night.
The next morning brought one of our favorite cultural activities: cooking class! We started the day with a visit to a local chocolate farm-JR was first in line to sample the treats (no surprise there!). After some sweet snacks, the kids got to work preparing a homemade Belizean lunch. Everyone helped chop vegetables, roll out tortillas, and cook over an open flame. It was not only the most delicious meal, but also such a special way to bond and learn more about Belizean culture together.
After an amazing week on land, it was finally time for the most anticipated part of the trip: Scuba Diving! Luckily, these rockstar kids were ready and excited. We fueled up with breakfast at Wendy’s-Char’s favorite breakfast spot-where everyone shared chocolate chip pancakes and fruit. Then we headed to Splash Dive Center to begin training. The kids were split into two groups to learn the basics, and the instructors were blown away by Weezy’s diving knowledge-it was like she was already certified!
Once everyone had a good refresher, they learned how to set up their gear, hopped on the boat, and headed for Laughing Bird Caye. The boat rides were smooth and extra fun thanks to a game called “Cowboy” invented by Coleman and Witt. The group picked up skills quickly-McKinley was even named the “natural diver” by the instructors. After mastering their dive skills, we enjoyed lunch on a stunning private island and relaxed on the beach before heading back to the villa for a fun afternoon of volleyball and downtime.
The next day, it was back to the water for more diving-this time, leaders Jack and Haley got to join in! The group spotted reef sharks, stingrays, and countless colorful fish. The kids couldn’t stop saying how it was the coolest thing they’ve ever done. After Dive 1, we enjoyed lunch and some beach games-Quinn even led a hermit crab hunt with a few of the boys. Then it was time for Dive 2, where Bridger showed off some cool underwater bubble tricks and learned a few advanced skills. The visibility was perfect, and the underwater world did not disappoint.
We ended the day back at the villa, soaking up the last rays of sunshine, enjoying beach time, and reflecting on just how lucky we are to be here together.
Jack and Haley
Having a Blast in Belize
July 15, 2025
We’ve had a jam-packed few days and could not be more grateful for every moment. This group of kids is incredible, and we feel so lucky that these are the ones we get to end the summer with!
On Day One, we headed to the Famous Mayan ruins to get familiar with the amazing land of Belize. The kids loved learning about the different historical stories and were super engaged with the tour guides-something we were so thankful for. Shelby was especially enthusiastic; we quickly learned she’s our resident history buff!
We also had a full day celebrating Joseph’s birthday: cake at lunch, ice cream in the afternoon, and another cake at dinner. After dessert, we hung out at our villa playing games around the pool, followed by dinner and then a surprise birthday party for Joseph where we danced, sang, and celebrated big time.
The next day, we woke up early for a drive to go cave tubing-an experience made even better thanks to Witt’s DJ skills during the ride. The kids had a blast floating through the cave, and Mont surprised us all with his backflipping skills during the cliff-jumping section!
After tubing, we packed up and headed for the beach side of Belize. We arrived at Placencia Villas, which is me and Hawkeye’s favorite hotel of the summer! We explored the town a bit and had dinner at a brand-new spot called Chicken Joe’s (which was a fun addition from last time). We ended the night with Moonup before heading to bed.
The next day was another packed one-filled with some of the kids’ favorite activities. We started the morning with a longer drive to go horseback riding. McKinley especially loved her horse, Genie, and the instructor even said Charlotte was a natural. Afterward, we ate lunch at a beautiful waterfall before heading out for river tubing. It was the perfect way to cool off after a sunny day on horseback. Bridger kept everyone laughing the entire float, and back at the villas, we finished the day with a beach volleyball session. John Robert led the charge with a group challenge to get 50 consecutive passes-so fun!
Day Four brought even more adventure. We kicked it off with another round of horseback riding, and Mont showed off some real cowboy skills, galloping past everyone! After a morning in the saddle, we stopped for a delicious jungle lunch before hitting the river again for tubing. Hill and Weezy teamed up with Haley for the cruise down-such a fun and refreshing break. That evening, we wrapped up the day with a beachside dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.
On Day Five, we had the opportunity to play sports with local kids. Quinn wowed everyone with her track skills, and Coleman was a hit, spending most of the time playing volleyball with them. The afternoon was spent learning about Belizean culture through music and dance. Joseph impressed everyone with his moves-he really brought the energy!
We are so exited for this next week and again thank you SO much for sending these incredible kids!!!Best,
Jack Slade and Haley Krucher
Mont- Hey mom and dad! I’m missing y’all so much. Camp has been so much fun and my favorite part so far has been horse back riding because Azula was very fast. Love y’all!
Hill- Hey mom and dad, thank you so much for sending me on the trip! I am having so much fun. Love y’all!!!
Louisa- Hey mom and dad, thank you for allowing me to come to camp!! My favorite part of camp so far has been horse back riding on my horse named poison!! Also, happy birthday dad!! I love and miss y’all so so much!!
John Robert- hey mom and dad thank you for sending me on this trip it’s been a lot of fun
My favorite part has been horse back riding love y’all!!
McKinley- Hi mom and dad I miss you so much. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip I have been having so much fun. I love y’all!
Bridger- hey mom and dad, this is a pretty cool trip and the people are chill and fun to hang out with. Love y’all
Shelby- hi mom and dad I am having a lot of fun. The people here are really cool. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! My favorite part so far has been horseback riding because my horse was super fast. Bye love y’all!!
Charlotte- Hi mom and day I miss y’all so much I’m having so much fun though, I love everyone here and my counselors. I am not getting typhoid, don’t worry and my favorite part was horseback riding because my horse’s name was Shakira and she was insane and ran through a big field really fast. Love y’all
Quinn- Hi Mom and Dad!! I am having so much fun! I miss y’all so much and can’t wait to see y’all in 10 days! Out of the many fun and exciting things I’ve done on this trip my favorite part so far has been horseback riding because my horse went super fast! I love y’all so much.
Witt- hey mom and dad I’m having so much fun the counselors are awesome and one goes to Sewanee and the girl got smoked by me in Egyptian rat slap.
Joseph- Hey mom and dad. I am having such a great time in Belize and I am meeting so many new people. Jack and Haley are great leaders and are so kind. My favorite activity that we have done so far is river tubing because we went on a lot of rapids. I love y’all and miss y’all lots!
Coleman- Hey mom and dad. I am having the best time in Belize and have met so many cool people. Our counselors are amazing and Belize is a cool country. My favorite thing I’ve done is horseback riding because we went very fast. Love y’all!
Safe Arrival in Belize!
July 7, 2025
Hello Belize Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Belize City! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
