Thanksgiving 2012

We were able to spend this Thanksgiving on a cruise from Galveston, Texas.  We went to Roatan, Belize and Cozumel.  We had so much fun!

We started out on Thursday with Garrett being sick with the croup, not a great way to start.  But we were so grateful that it wasn't too bad and his breathing treatment worked and we were able to still go.

We left on Friday morning and flew to Houston and then drove to Galveston.  Galveston was a cute little town with the nicest people! Garrett was still a little sick so we didn't do a whole lot because we wanted him to feel better and rest.  Friday night we went to Rainforest Cafe and then Saturday we had to switch hotels because Galveston hotels believe in having bars attached to them with live bands playing until 1:30 in the morning. Grrr! After we got settled in our new hotel, Garrett was ready for a nap so while he slept Lauren, Stefanie, Ethan and I went and saw Breaking Dawn, then we came back and walked down the beach to the pier which was fun.  They had a bunch of rides that the kids rode and then we had dinner at Bubba Gumps.

 Lauren, Stef and not so happy Garrett throwing a fit

Lauren playing with her food

The next morning Garrett woke up with an ear infection and luckily we have a really good friend who is an ENT and he called us in a prescription and saved us.  We boarded the ship after a ton of lines!

Walking to the boat

We were on the Mariner of the Seas, it was a beautiful ship, not quite as fun as their newer ships but still fun!

The first two days we spent sailing. The kids had fun eating, laying out, swimming, being lazy, and ice skating.

Ethan ice skating

 Stef, Lauren, Kortlen and Ethan laying out

my hubby

Our first port was Roatan, an island off of Honduras.  It was so beautiful! The trees were so thick! We did an excursion to Gumbalimba Park.  We had to ride a bus to the park and we were a little afraid for our lives! The roads are very narrow and there are no traffic laws what so ever! It was so scary! I'm still wondering how we survived!

This is the dock we were on, can you see how thick the trees are? Its crazy!

The park was so much fun once we got there! It was so pretty and so well kept! We were walking to the where we would be able to hold the monkey's and it started sprinkling a little and the next thing we knew we were in a nice little rainstorm!  It was crazy how fast it started and it stayed all day! It wasn't like the rainstorms at home it was like walking through a waterfall! (Maybe a little dramatic, but it was pretty heavy!)

Gumbalimba Park

 The family before the rainforest rain drenched us!

 Jamen walking across a very swingy bridge!

 Mark and Garrett holding a Macaw

 Lauren fulfilling her life long dream of holding a monkey

 A very wet mom and Garrett holding a monkey that decided that I needed to hold him.

Stefanie and the monkey!

The next day we went to Belize.  We booked an excursion to go on a semi-submersible and to a private island for a beach break.  We were supposed to go at 9 but they moved it to 11, so we decided to still go but because of that we weren't able to see Belize, which was a little disappointing.  We did have fun on the excursion though. The Beach was really pretty and we were able to see the 2nd largest reef in the world.  It was beautiful! At the beach we went snorkeling and the weather was much better so we were able to soak in some sun finally!

Our little beach!

The last port was Cozumel.  Every time Ive been there it been stormy but this time it was perfect and so beautiful!  The water is crystal clear there!  We didn't plan anything here hoping that the Mark, Lauren and Jamen could go diving.  So, once we got off the boat we booked them to go diving and then found a taxi and went to Mister Sanchez's beach.  That was so much fun! The weather was perfect and the kids had a bunch of fun stuff to do.  When you walked in the water you could see fishes swimming through your legs! It was crazy! 

 Ethan doing a backflip off of the water playground

 Kortlen and Garrett playing in the sand

 A really funny video of Garrett singing

 Ethan holding a gecko with a diaper?!?

 Kortlen, same gecko!

The family getting off of the boat

Mark and Lauren did get to go diving and said it was amazing! It was clear and warm and tons of fish!  Jamen on the other hand didn't get to go! :-(  Apparently his regulator was having issues and the dive man was a big jerk and they had some issues and he didn't get to go.  I felt so bad for him!  Poor kid! I'm hoping maybe next year we can go back there and he will get his chance to go. 

Our last day was spent on the ship.  I can't believe how fast the trip went!  We had so much fun and ate way to much!!

A pretty sunset and cute Kortlen

Our sweet waiters in the dining room!  They are so nice and work way to hard!

These are some of the pictures from the dining room!

 Mom and Kortlen

 Dad and Garrett

 Mom and Garrett

 Stefanie and Jamen

 Dad and Stef

 Lauren and Stef

 Lauren and Kortlen

Mom and Garrett

Well that was a long post and a lot of pictures! (sorry) We are so grateful for the opportunity to take this trip!  It was so much fun and so needed!  I'm so grateful for my family and hope and pray one day we will have everybody there with us!  We missed Liana and her family and Brendan, who couldn't be there! I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!  I'm grateful for all my friends and for my family! I love ya!

-Celeste