Trip on the Destiny

The beginning of June we went on the ultimate family vacation, a cruise with  my extended family.  It was my dad's side and my parents gifted us our passage.  We flew to Fort Lauderdale and spent our first night on the beach there.  We then got on the Carnival Destiny at the Port of Miami.  The ship stopped at Jamaica and Grand Cayman.  The total trip was 7 days.

Now our highs were real highs, but our lows were real lows.  Let me start by saying that Beau was an absolute angel.  He loved every thing and if he wasn't happy he immediately went to sleep in my arms.  He cuddled with us 24-7 (there was an adjustment period when we got home).  I am so grateful for a week to not have to clean, cook, do laundry, in fact do nothing but hold my sweet baby.  It is the best gift I have ever been given. 

But our dear dear toddler threw some tantrums that were epic.  I had no idea how to handle it, but thankfully my sister was prepared with a disciplining book and gave me some tips.  I have never had to deal with major tantrums, but I might have just seen it all now.  But the other 99% of the time Sawyer had a blast.  Words cannot describe how much he loved the beach.   He also loved having so much time and attention from his dad and being able to eat cheeseburger and french fries three meals a day. Oh and Sawyer's favorite people were there, Ellie, Jack, and Xander.

All in all we would do it again, but I think we will drive. : )

Heading out to the airport.  Flying was very hard with two babies who need naps.

The boys loved wrestling on the king size bed.  They spent a lot of time doing that.  Also Sawyer got super excited about the chocolate on the pillows every night.

Clint and Jay decided to have a speedo contest.  Though they both chickened out about the speedo, Clint lost about 20 pounds and Jay 60!  They both worked out a lot this year too.

Late night ice cream cones.

Thank goodness for ipods when traveling.

Victory!  We are almost home and we found a dunkin donuts.

And because there is no better way to capture a trip than a top ten list, here ya go.

Summer Vacation Top Ten List

10. Pizza anytime.
9.   A magically clean room with chocolate (which Sawyer ate every night).
8.   Martinis
7.   Spending time with parents, sister, brother-in-law, neice, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
6.   Not cleaning up a kitchen after a baby and toddler eat
5.   Lobster tails and Bitter & Blanc
4.   Cappuccino (hot cocoa for Sawyer)
3.   Sweet, cuddly Beau.
2.   Family time in our tiny room.
1.   Beaches!!!

My family on the cruise.  We weren't in the picture because we were experiencing a temper tantrum in the ladies bathroom right around the corner.