Travel & Vacation: Cruising the Gulf of Mexico
!['Relaxing and beautiful views from our balcony....I could get used to living this kind of rough life, ha! Thanks for spoiling me with a week away my love, @[749272290:2048:Jake Hayes]! :)'](https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p370x247/12043144_10153273103053590_6880629700358405865_n.jpg?oh=f2ecf399ba0707c8c7e89dd4f0076533&oe=57DA739D)
Our last full day on the cruise! The week went by too quickly, but it was relaxing, packed full of great memories, and wonderful having extra time together! We need to do this more often Jake Hayes! 🙂 Thankful for an opportunity to celebrate our 15th Anniversary and looking forward to many more amazing years together with this handsome man! XOXO
Handsome guy on our balcony!
Last night on the ship with my Babycake!
Thankful for time with this man!
Enjoying one more quiet breakfast before hitting the road again!The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family, ways we relax, and tips on how to make trips more enjoyable. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: Beautiful Roatan, Honduras
Jake and I in Roatan, HondurasVisiting beautiful Roatan, Honduras! It was a sunny day in Roatan and we did probably one of my favorite ocean activities so far – Snuba! I LOVED it!!!! We were able to go down 25 feet and explore the bottom of the ocean. The ocean ecosystem was fascinating! All the sea grass, fish, coral, sand, and everything moving smoothly and peacefully in the ocean was simply AMAZING! I would do it again in a heartbeat! We were each hooked to an oxygen tank and could go down to 25 feet without needing to come up for air. Snuba is kind of a cross between snorkeling and scuba diving! If you have a chance to try it do it. It was much more gorgeous then even the pictures reflect!
Watching the sunrise as we arrive in Honduras!
Ready to explore this beautiful place!
One of us has small feet and had to wear the kid fins…..can you guess who, ha!?
Beautiful place! Definitely want to go to do Snuba again sometime!The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family, ways we relax, and tips on how to make trips more enjoyable. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: Exploring Cozumel, Mexico
Beautiful ocean sunrise in Mexico!
Exploring Cozumel, Mexico! We had a blast sight seeing, meeting people, shopping, and going Snorkeling at 3 different reefs during our day in Mexico. We even got to talk with the girls for a tiny bit because we got cell phone service while walking through the area!
This little guy caught a ride on our balcony and stayed there for several hours.
Talking with one of the security guards about the bird he was holding.
Ready to go on our snorkeling adventure.
I get to check out Mexico with this hot guy!The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family, ways we relax, and tips on how to make trips more enjoyable. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: 15th Anniversary Cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas
Thankful for an opportunity to get away with my man for our 15th Anniversary Celebration! Our first day cruising! Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas.
Ready for take off!
First dinner on the ship!
Loved my time with my Handsome man!
It is hard to believe it has been 15 years. Thankful for this amazing man who loves me despite my craziness!The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family, ways we relax, and tips on how to make trips more enjoyable. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: One Last Trip Around the Ship (Part 2)
One last walk on the track around the ship – Daddy and Brina
Since we had a little extra time after breakfast we decided to go for a walk around the ship one more time to soak in all the memories and the girls wanted to take a few extra pictures. We were one of the last few people off the boat (we weren’t in a rush anyway because our flights didn’t leave until the afternoon) so we didn’t see a lot of people mostly just workers cleaning and prepping for the next crowd to come aboard later that day.
Another view of the kids pool area. This one has a better picture of the “circle” pool that the kids enjoyed. It looks like its currently being cleaned.
Brina walking on the track of the open deck
Brina soaking it all in one last time!
Karlie loved cruising!
Travel & Vacation: One Last Trip Around the Ship
Karlie and Brina hanging out by the dolphin
On the last day after eating breakfast our family took one more trip around the ship to soak in all the memories before getting off the boat and heading to the airport. We had a great time on our cruise with the kids. It was hard to believe Saturday was here and it was time to start heading home again. So many memories were made during this fun week. Thankful for a great time with our family.
Last stop by the Adventure Ocean club before heading to the airport. Karlie’s giggling at Brina displaying the sign for the picture.
Karlie snapping a picture
Karlie is mesmerized by the view
Brina shivering while Karlie takes another picture
Travel & Vacation: Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas
Our ship was the biggest one that stopped at Grand Cayman today
We have been on three Royal Caribbean ships in the past few years. The Independence of the Seas is the biggest one that we have been on. I didn’t realize how big it was until we stopped at Grand Cayman next to several other boats and ours was the biggest one. The girls enjoyed looking at the other boats too, they spotted a Disney one as well as one that had a face. Since we couldn’t dock directly at the Grand Cayman Island we took a ferry over which gave us a chance to look at all the other neat boats that day.
Look Mickey Mouse is in the Grand Cayman Islands! The Disney ship was right next to us when we stopped for the day. It was smaller than our boat, but they did have a pretty neat horn (instead of a horn it played Disney music).
That circular piece in the top left of the picture is actually a hot tub hanging out over the ocean. Yes, when we were in it I was thinking about how far it would be if we dropped!
We were in a water taxi looking up at the boat. You can see how little the people look on the balconies. The yellow items are the life boats. Thankfully we never had to use one!
Our big boat – Independence of the Seas
A view as we are leaving the boat and heading to Grand Cayman. The little ferry boat beside ours holds 200 people and it looks so tiny.
Passing in front of the boat, I wouldn’t want to get in its way if it was moving!
The girls thought this boat was pretty funny next to us at port because it has a face. The eyes and lips are awesome!
A view of our boat next to the Disney one from Grand Cayman’s shoreline.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: Always Something Fun to Do
Brina hanging out with Grandpa and Grandma before breakfast
We had a blast on our first full day on the ship. The girls were up early before breakfast even opened so we hung out with Grandpa and Grandma a little bit. We went swimming, ate great food, went to the Freeze Frame Show, had our first formal dinner, relaxed, attended the Once Upon A Time Show, and not long after that the kids crashed. They were sound asleep within minutes of getting back into the room, cleaned up, and into bed. Thankful for a great time with family during our time on the boat.
Where is Karlie?! Oh, there she is up in her bed reading a book! Karlie loves to read. She finished a couple chapter books while we were on the cruise.
Relaxing for a few minutes before taking off to the next activity of the day
Pizza and fruit were always a hit for lunch at Windjammers!
Reading “Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing” to the girls while we wait for the rest of the group to get ready
Travel & Vacation: Once Upon A Time Show
Once Upon a Time Show
The first full day on the boat was packed full of fun activities from swimming, playing, Freeze Frame Ice Show, our formal dinner together, and more! After dinner we went to the Once Upon a Time Show. They re-told a lot of the traditional fairy tales from Cinderella to Snow White to Pinocchio and more. The kids were fascinated by all the action on the stage!
They even had fairies flying around!
Fascinating to watch
They even had Cinderella
Some of the outfits made me laugh!
The girls loved this show!
Once Upon a Time Show – Rapunzel
Travel & Vacation: Our First Formal Night
Karlie and Brina all dressed up for our first formal night
Earlier that day we went swimming, played, and went to the Freeze Frame Ice Show. Now it was time to get dressed up for our first formal night on the ship. The girls wore their red dresses for the first formal night on the cruise ship. They looked so cute! We took a family picture but I thought you would enjoy some of the snap shots we were able to get while waiting for our family picture. Everyone looked really nice for dinner that night.
Our little ladies
This one cracks me up…..they have obviously spotted someone they know, ha!
Brina taking a picture of Jake and I
A snap shot of Jake and I on the trip
Grandpa and Zach are ready for their picture
Karlie girl all dressed up
Nicko looking sharp
Brina, Nathan and Brandon ready for their pictures
They look thrilled
Uncle Josh looking all snazzy too
