FINAL ADVENTURE BEFORE SURGERY

We came to Waco for a week of surfing with friends, but this trip turned into something much more emotional than we expected!! We loved Waco Surf so much last year, we just HAD to come again in 2026! We had an incredible week surfing, playing on the water slide and just enjoying all our time with our friends we hadn't seen in a while. Definitely check out Waco Surf: https://wacosurf.com/ Special Announcement: Berry Island is OPEN for the season! There's a few open dates so check it out here: https://www.thebucketlistcollection.c... And to our friends who came to rage with us, THANK YOU! We love you. You all crushed it! Madsen Family:   / natmads   and   / alexpmadsen   Justin Baldoni Family:   / justinbaldoni   and   / emilybaldoni   Chiccareli Family:   / quinn.il.eskimo   Garrett flew from Hawaii to Texas with the kids while Jess was up in Canada helping with staff training at Berry Island, which is officially open for the season! After a few days apart, the family reunited in Texas, picked Jess up from the airport, and settled into an unforgettable week at Waco Surf. Before Jess arrived, Garrett, the kids, and friends stayed in one of the suites overlooking the wave pool, and once everyone made it to Waco, the whole crew moved into an amazing lake house on property. Between the wave pool, the lake, the fishing dock, the water slides, cereal mornings, late-night laughs, and so many kids running around with friends, this trip quickly became one of those memories we know we’ll be talking about for years. One of our favorite parts about Waco Surf is that you don’t have to be an experienced surfer to enjoy it. We showed up with a big group of kids and adults, including plenty of people who had never surfed before, and by the end of the week, everyone was catching waves, cheering each other on, and growing in confidence. This trip also came with an unexpected twist. Just two weeks before coming to Waco, Garrett tore his ACL playing soccer. Surgery was already scheduled for June 16th, so for most of the trip, he was planning to stay on the sidelines, push everyone into waves, and celebrate everyone else’s progress. But after getting a waterproof knee brace and talking with his surgeon, Garrett got the chance to carefully paddle out for one last surf before surgery. It was scary, emotional, and honestly really special. Anyone who has gone through a serious injury knows how much of the healing is mental and emotional, and that first wave back meant a lot. The kids each had their own surf camp story too. Cali made huge progress from the beginning of the week to the end. Manilla brought all the fire, passion, and “angry little surfer” energy we love about him. Dorothy kept charging wave one with so much confidence and consistency. And Jess got to watch all of it unfold while soaking up time with family and friends. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Bucket List Family trip without a few extra adventures: fishing off the dock, catching and releasing fish, racing down water slides, laughing with friends, and ending the week with Garrett and Alex planning a full awards ceremony for all the kids. Every child got to feel seen and celebrated, from “Dark Horse Award” to “Brave Surfer,” “Best Celebrations,” “Charger Award,” and finally, the 2026 Best Surfer Award. We are leaving this week feeling so grateful. Grateful for family. Grateful for friends. Grateful for places like Waco Surf that help create these kinds of memories. And grateful for the reminder that sometimes the best adventures are not just about what you get to do, but who you get to do it with. Thank you, Waco Surf, for such an awesome experience. We loved our time with you and hope this becomes a yearly tradition. Thanks for following along with our family. We love you guys. The Bucket List Family