Disclaimer: This post has TONS of photos. I made them smaller so it's not quite as much scrolling down. If you're not family...you may not have an interest in all of it. Sorry. We'll still love you even if you don't make it to the bottom. =)
This summer we went on a highly anticipated vacation with my family (The Browns side). We have been talking about taking this vacation for years. We went on a cruise. Which just may be one of the absolute best ways ever to vacation...just sayin'. The reason this post is round 2 is because our family all went on a cruise together several years back when my grandparents sold their house on Lake Wylie. My grandpa, Rara to us and most close friends, turned 75 this September. Those that know him know how great he is. =) We love him. He, along with my grandma (Tutu), is a wonderful person. He loves his family and sets a great example for all of us. So, for his big birthday he deserved a big surprise. For a full year we all worked behind his back (okay only some of "us" worked) to make it happen. On July 31st all 26 of us (sadly Buck couldn't make it--he had just started his new job in CT) headed to Tampa, FL to depart on our 7 day Exotic Western Carribean cruise on the Carnival's Legend. We spent 2 days at sea and spent time at the ports of: Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Grand Cayman.
We started off the cruise the perfect way...eating! Lunch was ready for us before our cabins were! If you like to eat (especially trying some new things) a cruise is perfect.
Then, we made it to the top of the ship to watch us leaving Tampa.
More food. We like to dine in the formal (although it's only really formal two nights) restaurant. Something about you get to pick your courses and try all kinds of things that we love. There's also the hamburger/hot dog restaurant almost always open on deck and the buffet style open for hours in the middle of the ship. There is no shortage of food on board!
Monday and Saturday were "Days at Sea". We spent a lot of time out on the deck or by the pool on those days.
In the evenings we had lots to do. We hung out, ate, sang karaoke, danced, saw shows went to activies, and even played a game. One night we even learned how to do the Thriller dance. We got to celebrate Rara's 75th birthday (early) with a special lunch and Steve's birthday with some special dessserts.
Friday we went to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. We had a blast! We went on an snorkeling/string ray excursion. I'd highly recommend it.
Amazing. All of it.
This summer we went on a highly anticipated vacation with my family (The Browns side). We have been talking about taking this vacation for years. We went on a cruise. Which just may be one of the absolute best ways ever to vacation...just sayin'. The reason this post is round 2 is because our family all went on a cruise together several years back when my grandparents sold their house on Lake Wylie. My grandpa, Rara to us and most close friends, turned 75 this September. Those that know him know how great he is. =) We love him. He, along with my grandma (Tutu), is a wonderful person. He loves his family and sets a great example for all of us. So, for his big birthday he deserved a big surprise. For a full year we all worked behind his back (okay only some of "us" worked) to make it happen. On July 31st all 26 of us (sadly Buck couldn't make it--he had just started his new job in CT) headed to Tampa, FL to depart on our 7 day Exotic Western Carribean cruise on the Carnival's Legend. We spent 2 days at sea and spent time at the ports of: Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Grand Cayman.
We started off the cruise the perfect way...eating! Lunch was ready for us before our cabins were! If you like to eat (especially trying some new things) a cruise is perfect.
Then, we made it to the top of the ship to watch us leaving Tampa.
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| Steve, Xan, Heidi (Mom), & Karen |
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| Molly, Millie, Niki, Aaron, Nora, & Lucy |
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| Ruby, Lily, & Suzy |
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| Nora & Tutu |
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| It was so nice up there! |
More food. We like to dine in the formal (although it's only really formal two nights) restaurant. Something about you get to pick your courses and try all kinds of things that we love. There's also the hamburger/hot dog restaurant almost always open on deck and the buffet style open for hours in the middle of the ship. There is no shortage of food on board!
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| Aaron, Lani, Bridget, Carl, Xan, & Niki |
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| I love this picture of Millie digging in! |
Monday and Saturday were "Days at Sea". We spent a lot of time out on the deck or by the pool on those days.
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| Waiting in line for the water slide |
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| Aaron sliding down |
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| Playing in the splash pool |
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| Kids singing karaoke |
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| Nora dancing on the deck |
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| Silly Riley & Lucy |
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| Rara dancing. Love the picture Lily took. |
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| Millie hanging out |
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| Nora's Juicy Couture skirt thanks to Brookie |
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| Waiting for a show with Lucy |
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| LD & LD playing a game |
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| Did I mention we ate? Emma, Aaron, & Xan getting a late night snack. |
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| Rockin' out in Medusa's Lounge |
Tuesday we docked in Cozumel, Mexico. Some of us never made it to the "frog" meeting station which could be partially my fault, but we all had fun nonetheless. We shopped around but definitely made it back to the ship in time to eat.
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| Aaron trying on ostrich skin boots |
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| Aaron, Xan, & Rara |
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| Beau & Elle |
Wednesday we docked in Belize City, Belize. There were some exciting excursions planned but they had to be canceled. Belize is a beautiful city but a 3rd world country so we (those pictured) rode the tender over and got off but did not go out and explore. Aaron & some men explored it earlier and didn't really encourage it.
Thursday we docked in Isla Roatan, Honduras. It is beautiful with clear water and white sand! Just may be a future vacation spot for us. The beach (and a few shops) was all there really was at port so that's what we did!
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| Nora ready to go to the beach |
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| Nora had an issue and ended up naked. =) |
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| Studly Aaron |
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| A pier you can fish & swim off of |
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| Rides to/from the beach |
Friday we went to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. We had a blast! We went on an snorkeling/string ray excursion. I'd highly recommend it.
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| First we took a tender over to Grand Cayman |
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| There were so many of us we took our own bus for the excursion |
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| It had a nice fold down middle seat |
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| Give Way=Yield |
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| We had this sweet little girl as our captain |
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| Lucy, Katie, & Nora |
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| The snorkeling was fabulous! |
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| Nora stayed aboard most of the time & enjoyed Cheerios. |
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| Then, we rode to the sting ray sand bar |
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| Aaron kissed one |
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| I kissed one (after it spit water all in my face) |
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| Nora wasn't a big fan |
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| Nora preferred swimming with Aaron & Millie |
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| Rara, Lily, & Emma snorkelers |
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| Lily kissing it. We all (well most) did it. |
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| On the way back to land we spotted this bad boy |
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| And Nora had had enough already |
Misc.
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| After a blow out, I had to bathe her in this world's tiniest sink |
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| In the midst of getting ready one day Nora crashed. Fell asleep while eating Cheerios....talent. |
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| All packed up and waiting to disembark. |
Amazing. All of it.
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