I've been so bad at blogging lately, but I have to blog about this. I went on my FIRST cruise ever and it was so much fun! I want to do another one VERY soon. I know that being with my family is REALLY what made it the most fun I've ever had, but the cruise itself, was pretty awesome too! I love my family, we have such a good time with them. They each are so unique: funny, serious, weird, laid back, everyone just brings so much personality and love to the family!
All the couples and those with kids got to be there:
Mom, Dad, & Isaac
Nate & Steph
Matt, Lu, Ellie & Baby boy on the way
AJ & Lauren
(Don't pay attention to AJ's face. He tried closing his eyes in every picture and in about half he succeeded, it was pretty funny we didn't realize til we saw all our pictures.)
Nick, Me, Katelyn and even.. Jacob!
He did so great for being 6 mos old and stuck on a boat for a week. The only time he would get mad is when he had to sit in his stroller during dinner time! He did not like it.
We took a 7 day Mexican Riviera Cruise on the Carnival Splendor down to Cabo San Luca and Puerto Vallarta, all provided by my parents. It was awesome!
The first couple of days we hung out on the ship and tried out all the fun activities. The food was AMAZING! I was in heaven. I mean, tons of food, everywhere and however much you wanted. I won't say how many pounds I gained on the cruise. :) Our favorite thing was the FROYO! I swear AJ, Lauren, Me, Nick, and Isaac went to the machine three or four times a day just to get frozen yogurt in a cone. THE BEST! And the worst if you're worried about gaining weight. ;)
Jacob crawling around in our room. He had just learned how to crawl so he really was anxious to move around!
We first went to Cabo San Lucas.
The view is seriously
beautiful. You know those pictures you see online sometimes and it's
like "How would you like this to be your view?" OR "Make this your next
vacation spot" And it looks like heaven with the gorgeous blue water and
the sparkling white sand? Well that's what it was. Beautiful.
We went to the beach in Cabo San Lucas. There were these little like sea
stinging creatures that stung all of us. Most people just got a little
pinch on their leg or something, mine wrapped around my hand and it hurt
and stung really bad! That got me out of the water for a bit, but I
loved being on the beach! Nate got it bad too one like wrapped around
his whole waist and it looked like it he had a ton of huge mosquito
bites all over him. Luckily it doesn't last more than a day. Mine was
gone in about an hr.
Being crazy and run out into the water
Just hangin out with Gamma.
Going back to the boat to get back to the cruise ship
Cabo San Lucas
Our huge ship. I really was so amazed that we have these huge ships just on water and it's like you're walking around a super nice mansion the whole time or something with a few thousand other passengers on board.
The Carnival Splendor!
We spent two days in Cabo San Lucas. The second
day we did our excursion. I think everyone can agree with me that this,
was by far, the high light of the trip. We had SO much fun on it! We
all got to go together on this fast boat. It's hard to describe, but you
straddle your seat and there is a bar in front of you that you hold on
to. We didn't know why at first, but we came to find out soon. :)
On the boat getting ready to go out-- I think I was putting sunscreen on my shoulder or something..
We first stopped at a beach called, Lover's Beach. You are on one
side and cross over and you're on the other side looking at the other
direction of the ocean. It was neat. This is where it gets funny.
We
had to run across the sand to get to the this cave, but you had to run
when the tide was low and before the waves came crashing back up on to
shore. There were these huge rock formations so you didn't want to be
slammed into one of those. So the first group runs across, this is AJ,
Lauren, Nate, Steph, and Isaac.
Nick & Isaac!
They all take off
running and then the wave starts coming back and I look at little Isaac
and think "Shoot, he's not gonna make it!" So we're screaming "RUN!
RUN!" and the poor little guy slips and the wave comes crashing into him
and the water rushes forward on the other side of the rock so we can't
see him anymore. Luckily it just pushed him up on to shore on the other
side so it kind of helped him get up closer, but we all were scared to
death wondering if he had made it!
Matt & Lu! Silly Matt ;)
SO THEN
We're in
the next group, Me, Nick, Lu, and Matt. And here's cute little preggo
Lu. Like 24-25 weeks or something like that. And we're all standing
there waiting then we say, "Ready? Run!"
Well we get to the other
side and turn around to make sure everyone made it and we're all like
"Crap, where's Lu??" She had started, but then didn't think she would
make it in time so kind of stopped and the wave caught her and kinda
took her down, but the tour guide caught her and helped her up! She made
it to the other side though :) My cute sister.
After
that we went back onto the boat and went cruising across the huge
beautiful Pacific Ocean. We were going so fast! And the waves were bumpy
it was fun. Then, the guy starts turning in toward shore and he then
flips around right as the wave is building up. He pushed the gas and we
start zooming toward this HUGE wave and we fly up into it and seriously
our boat comes 15 or so feet out of the water and we're like floating on
this huge boat with 15 people in the air. It was SO FUN! Everyone was
screaming and laughing.
We did that a couple of times and I loved it.
AJ!
Then
we stopped and went snorkeling at another beach. One of the guides let
us hold a sea urchin, it was cool. Then they would feed the fish so they
would come right up close to us. I swallowed way too much salt water.
And so did Lu. She started throwing up so she had to go back on the
boat. I can't blame her being pregnant and all.
After
that we drove to another spot to go snorkeling, but by this time I felt
like my head was spinning and I was about ready to toss up my breakfast.
So I sat in the boat with my head down.
The last
little bit of the excursion they were going to drop us off at a boat and
teach us how to make fresh salsa and tortillas and give us an authentic
Mexican lunch with enchiladas and chips and dip. However, I was feeling
so icky I didn't think I could go and Lu didn't want to hang around
either. Steph had a head ache too so basically all us couples left, but
the troopers, AJ, Lauren, and Isaac hung out and stayed. I really wish
we could have! And of course as soon as we stepped on solid flat land
and I got a drink of water I felt better. I think it was just all the
rocking and watching the water go back and forth and back and forth that
I just couldn't take it anymore.
So this whole time my parents watched Ellie, Katelyn, and Jacob. My
parents were seriously the best EVER! We let them go out after the
excursion and that night to enjoy their time just the two of them.
However, almost every night they would come to our room and watch
Katelyn and Jacob while they were asleep so we could go out and enjoy
the night activities, like comedy shows, games, dancing, etc! It was so
nice to have their help and I can't thank them ENOUGH.
The next day we were making our way to Puerto Vallarta! Puerto Vallarta
was also very beautiful, but we didn't go to the beach there, we had a
tour of the city, did some shopping, ate a Mexican lunch, and did ZIP
LINING!
Isaac & I in the streets of Puerto Vallarta
Me & my baby girl
Heading to go Zip lining! The place we went I guess was a set for a movie so there were a ton of people.. I forgot the name of it.
Katelyn & Uncle A showing off their war paint.
Katelyn got painted as a warrior! Even though she didn't go zip lining.
Nick and I (ok just me) acting tough!
I had never done zip lining before so I was really excited.
We went so high up and some of the lines went super fast!! It was so
much fun we really, really enjoyed it! And again, my parents watched
the kids so we could do this. They are so so amazing!
The zip lining clan
Hey, there I am!
And there's Nick!
After zip lining and lunch we shopped and got souvenirs. Nick bought a hammock, that I guess he has always wanted, so that was good. I bought some matching bracelets for Katelyn and I. We got Katelyn and Jacob a maraca. And I think that was it.
Puerto Vallarte was the last stop of our cruise :( The next couple of days we'd make our way back to the states. So sad. We had fun doing various activities on board though!
Playing in the arcade
Hanging out with Aunts & Uncles
learning the thriller dance and performing it, playing the gender game (the girls won),
swimming
taking the kids to the splash play ground (Katelyn LOVED it),
Although I'm not sure who love it more, her or Uncle AJ :)
eating FROYO
walking around the decks just goofing off,
Being sucked into the vents!
Baywatch Run.. who comes up with these ideas? ;)
going on the elevator and trying to get from the top to the bottom (12 decks) with out getting stopped by anyone (we never made it)
playing rook late at night with everyone
karaoke (Lauren is amazing)
showing Katelyn all the animals they would make for her every night out of the towels.
The dinner parties were so fun too!
Every night the lady would get on and say hi and then she'd play a fun song and we would all get up and dance!
The formal night were really fun too, it was exciting to get all dressed up and have a nice dinner (all the dinners were really good!)
Our view at dinner. It was so nice!
All dressed up and looking fancy
Dancing with Jacob!
Two cute little girls looking all pretty
Handsome little guy with the girlies
Everyone!!
The cruise was just so much fun and I wish I could write down every little detail to keep and remember. It's definitely a vacation I will never forget though. I love my family so much. They are so fun and enjoyable to be around.
UNTIL>>> OUR NEXT CRUISE!
