Our Caribbean Get Away

As you all know, I spent the last year and a half literally working my butt off for a vacation to anywhere I wanted (per the fab hubby).  Well, I MET MY GOAL!!!  This will be long, since I've decided it will be taking the place of my journal.

Here is where I'll begin our long tales of travel.  I spent the few weeks pre-trip being crazy getting ready to go by:  getting Grandma here to watch the girls, completing SCUBA certification for 2 dives in the Caribbean, prepping lesson plans for work, last minute shopping trips, writing the busy life schedule for the girls while we are gone, redoing the front flower bed, prepping the lawn for winter, etc, etc...  I was soooooo ready for this vacation  Eight days before we are to leave on our trip, I find out I'm expecting.  Yes, you read that right, we're expecting.  We couldn't have planned it if we tried.  Nothing for over a year, then the week before the vacation of a lifetime, BAM! here we go!! LOL!  So, Israel and I began scrambling to change our excursions.  SCUBA diving is a big No, No when you're preggers.  I didn't want him to miss out, so I chose a snorkeling excursion, while he kept the reef dive in Costa Maya.  Then we decided to change the dolphin dive to a dolphin swim.  Then had to switch that one too, because apparently dolphins get all weird around pregnant women and try to drown them and stuff.  So we set up to go to Gumbalimba Park and Tabyana beach instead.  Isn't it funny how life plays with you sometimes?

Friday, November 12th we took Grandma Nichols and the girls to a great dinner at the Olive Garden then Israel and I drove to Salt Lake City to the Radisson Hotel that he stays at 4 nights a week for work.  This is what we found from the staff.  They threw in the Ben & Jerry's ice cream to congratulation us on our upcoming addition.

The next morning we woke up and ran 4 miles together in the 30 degree weather with great anticipation for getting to the warm, warm Caribbean soon!  The rest of the day was spent in airports.  Very boring, indeed. When we got into New Orleans our hotel shuttle driver drove us 80 miles/hr in 50mi/hr zones.  Very exciting! We then had our first experience with Seafood Gumbo.  It was actually pretty good.  The next morning I started a new wellness challenge (pregnancy track this time) and had to take a before picture.  So, here ya go.  I now have a picture that I can wish I looked like for the next 7 months. haha!

Okay, apparently all drivers in New Orleans are a little crazy.  Here was the cab that the hotel called for us.  Yikes.  The driver spoke such thick Creole it was really hard for us Idaho bumpkins to understand what he was asking.  It was the crack in the windshield right in front of the driver that gave me great confidence in our safety.
We embarked on this adventure aboard the Norwegian Spirit.

We took a picture for the girls to see what the kid play area looked like.  

Leaving New Orleans!

Next, we have a series of pictures from us on the boat.

DAY 1 PORT:  Costa Maya, Mexico

Israel and I had separate activities today.  I was suppose to power snorkel, but they said something lame about not being able to snorkel with them if you are pregnant.  Holy cow, did I ever get ticked off!!  Yeah, my emotions are pretty near the surface these days.  I had to take the only excursion left to a beach getaway.  Where I snorkeled on my own (hehe) off this beautiful beach.  Norwegian knew I was really upset about having to change my plans and they not only refunded my $$, but also did not charge me for this excursion.  It was pretty amazing, even if it wasn't what I'd had in mind.  They had bathroom attendants that opened the stall for you, turned on the water, pumped your soap and handed you a towel.  I felt kinda dumb letting them, ya know, since I'm not any kind of royalty.  When I was snorkeling (I didn't have the underwater camera) I saw all kinds of cool fish, including a barracuda!  And I didn't even die.  I was actually quite proud of me, out there trying stuff all on my own.  

 Here are some pretty amazing photos from Israel's Reef Dive off of Costa Maya.

Each night the room attendants make up the bed and fold the towels into the shape of different animals.  I LOVED it and made Iz take pictures every night.

Day 2 PORT:  Belize City, Belize : Excursion:  Lamani Mayan Ruins

We had a 20 min boat ride to the shore from the cruise ship.

Then a 45 min. bus ride to the river.  On which, we got to see the poverty of the area and be preached to by our tour guide.

Followed by an 1 1/2 hr river boat ride out to the ruin site.  Can we just say that I want to STOP moving for a while that night.  

This is where we stopped for our buffet of beans and rice.  

Spider monkey just hanging out in the trees.

I thought this was a really pretty shot of the reflection on the water.

The Mask Temple.  I climbed to the top of this one.

Here stands the Jade Temple.  This is HUGE!!  I chickened out and only made it up the the 2nd tier.  Israel made it all the way to the top and got some amazing video that would take 3 days to upload to blogger, so keep a look out on FB.

Do you see me waaaaaay up there?  I'm sitting at the top waving while Iz is teeny tiny at the very top behind me.

Happily returning to the ground.

The Jaguar Temple.  This is where the healer would accept offerings.

This is where they would play their games.  The winning team would then be sacrificed.  Yes, the winning team.  Makes you wonder how long the games lasted.  I'm sure I would have thrown the game. haha

 We had lots of fun on the cruise ship, too!  We danced nearly every night, saw a few of the entertainment shows and got all gussied up for a nice dinner out to Le Bistro, a French restaurant.  Sadly, since I was in week 7 of preggo-land, I struggled to truly enjoy the wonderful foods.  Here Iz had already taken a few pictures and so this was the look I gave him.  He says he gets this look a lot....huh....;)

DAY 3 PORT:  Roatan, Honduras
It rained the ENTIRE day!!  I mean the ENTIRE day!  We'll definitely have to come back here just to see all the beauty that we missed.  Even so, we had a great time at Gumbalimba Park and Tabyana Beach.

The visibility was horrible and begged to go back to shore since the rain was continuing to pelt on my back as we snorkeled.  I was freeeezing!  What happened to what was suppose to be the best snorkeling in the Caribbean?  bummer.

DAY 4 PORT: Cozumel, Mexico

We spent another night and day at sea continuing to dance and soak up the sun on the boat.  Funny thing, Iz wanted to purchase the cruise in review video (which they don't sell) because we were ALL over in it.  We got suckered into a twist competition and went to most of the fun themed dances such as 50 & 60s night, etc. We had such a wonderful time together and can't wait until we have another opportunity.  Though, I think I'll try a different venue.  Cruising was nice but I'm not real thrilled with the extra 5 lbs attached to my midsection.  And I'm not quite sure if it was just the pregnancy issues getting to me, but I think the constant motion was a little too much for me sometimes.  Though, I LOVED going up to the top deck and feeling the wind and looking out over the water as we sailed.  That was AMAZING! 

Our stateroom was on Deck 6 and pretty much everything we wanted to do was on Deck 12.  Iz wouldn't let use the elevators until we were back on our way home!  I was sooooooo tired. :D  Though he probably helped save me from a few extra pounds more than I'd packed on anyway.

I'm so grateful that we were able to do this. I'm also so grateful to all the wonderful people in my life that made it possible for me to meet my goal and for helping out with the girls and Grandma while we were gone.  You have blessed us in ways you may never understand.  Thank you!  Now I need some buddies to help me get back on the healthy track before I ruin everything I've worked so hard to achieve!