Written by: Carrie Honaker | Photos: Rachel Moore
For Rachel Moore, life on Cannonball Lane is more than a Florida dream—it’s family, friendship, and a multigenerational story stitched together under the Watersound sun. She and her husband, Chris Moore, first came to the area in 2020, chasing a little sunshine and a break from the gray Connecticut winters and endless cycle of remote school with their two sons, Mac and Cam.
Now, their home in the Watersound Origins community hums with easy energy—kids racing around with friends, neighbors dropping by with margaritas, and Rachel’s mom, Bobbi, just a short drive away at Watersound Fountains.
“We bought an investment property down here, and the schools in Connecticut kept shutting down in 2020,” Rachel remembers. “So we were like, geez, we might as well go to our vacation house and have fun. We were coming down more and more, and then we were kind of like—why are we going back at this point? It’s much more enjoyable down here.”
That shift from occasional visits to full-time life started, fittingly, over a casual conversation at Great Southern Café. Seated near a local business owner, the couple mentioned they were thinking about moving south. He didn’t hesitate. “He said, ‘You should go to Watersound Origins. That’s where there are the most kids and families,’” Rachel recalls with a smile. “He wasn’t wrong.”
Finding Community—and Sunshine—on Cannonball Lane
What started as an extended escape quickly turned into home. “We wanted to be around a real year-round community, so the kids could build friendships, and we could enjoy the outdoors as a family all year,” Rachel says.
When you tour the Watersound Origins neighborhood, it’s a little like suburban heaven for families. The architecture, the outdoor lifestyle—it’s all just more our speed.”
Rachel and Chris’s sons, Mac and Cam, thrive in the neighborhood’s easy rhythm. “There’s always something happening,” she says. Halloween is a particular highlight. “We love Halloween here. It’s a huge block party that brings everyone out. My best girlfriends and I went as salt, lime, and tequila this year.”
And community is exactly what she found, so much so that she’s helped bring others in. “I think I’ve convinced probably 12 people to move into the neighborhood,” Rachel laughs. “So I keep making friendships, but also just luring my friendships to the Watersound Origins community.”
That spirit of connection spills over into her weekends. “I started a bocce league—six couples, we play on Sundays—and we have a pickleball group too,” she says. “In the winter, we shift to Farkle, this dice game, when it gets dark early.”
Two Generations, One Community
For Rachel, one of the best parts of living in Watersound is having her mom, Bobbi, close by at Watersound Fountains.
“My mom’s closing in on 80, and after my brother and I both left Connecticut, she was starting to need a little more assistance,” says Rachel. “I love her and wanted to help—but I didn’t want to move back to Connecticut. Luckily, she moved here.”
Before relocating, Bobbi lived in an active-adult condo community in Connecticut, comfortable but lacking the convenience and camaraderie she wanted as she got older. “It didn’t have any services like meals or classes or on-site physical therapy like the Fountains does,” Rachel explains. “She was just looking for that next step—not assisted living, but a place where someone could take care of a few things for her.”
At Watersound Fountains senior living community, Bobbi found the perfect fit: an independent lifestyle with extra support when she wants it. “She likes the dining room, eating with other people and not having to prepare all of her meals,” Rachel says. “Nobody wants to cook for one! Her favorite is the fancier Friday dinner at their steakhouse. She’s got her little girl gang that meets up every week for it.”
Rachel often brings the family’s dogs, Dune and Tyreek, over for playdates at the Watersound Fountains dog park. “It’s great to have a space where we can visit her, get the dogs out, and spend time together.”
The proximity has made life easier in countless ways. “It’s so much better since she moved here,” Rachel says. “We can have all our holidays together. I can take her to appointments without having to fly up or take time off. I used to be a nurse practitioner, so I’m her medical power of attorney. Now, instead of FaceTiming into appointments, I can just go with her. It’s made a huge difference for both of us.”
Home, Happiness, and a Hint of Salt and Lime
Ask Rachel what she loves most about living in a Watersound community, and she lights up.
“I love the small-town feel and that the climate lets you be outside 12 months of the year,” she says. “The people are so friendly. We’ve built such a strong group of friends to have fun with and lean on when we need support. I feel super lucky.”
As for advice to anyone considering a move? She doesn’t hesitate. “Don’t wait. If there’s something you’re not liking about where you are, and you’re thinking this might be better, you should absolutely try it,” she says. “It did not disappoint. Once I saw this place, I didn’t have to think about it.
Between her mom’s Friday steakhouse dinners, her sons’ days exploring the neighborhood, and her own mix of creativity and community, Rachel Moore has built a life that’s equal parts meaningful and fun—proof that in the Watersound communities, home truly connects generations.