The Simon's: Christmas Cruise

For those of you who didn't know last week Nick, Karis, my sister, Mom and I were all on a cruise to the Caribbean. It was wonderful and challenging all at the same time. I didn't realize quite how much work vacationing with an infant was. Sure we have taken her on lots of trips, but nothing like this. Despite the few tantrums, she was really great through the whole trip (the ariplane was a little difficult at times)! This entry has a lot of pictures (not even close to what I captured) and I entered it with the most recent pictures first. Whoops. So here's a big thank you to Mimi (my mom) who gave us this generous gift for Christmas. Where are we going next year :)!

Let me give you a little set up for the scene here. The rooms on the ship are small because in all actuality you really don't spend a lot of time in them, but when you do and there are three people, 4 suitcases and a pack and play inhabiting a 10x10 room the natives become restless. Karis here decided that she and Dad were going to wrestle. She is enjoying her victory.

Nick doesn't need a boy to teach wrestling moves. He has her. Yes I am going to be the mom in the office at school that gets called because her daughter has just beat up a boy in gym class. Thanks Dad!

Everyday your room attendants clean your room and stock new towels TWICE! But the evening clean they leave an animal made from the towels. Here is a monkey!

Nick, Nikki (my sister) and I went on an excursion in Belize. We decided that snorkeling would be fun (after some serious convincing to Nick. He wanted to do some jungle river tubing and cave dwelling or something). The morning that we went the weather was overcast but there were slight breaks in the clouds where sun would breakthrough. It made for a really great picture. This is a picture of the ship. It was seriously HUGE!

So a boat picked us up to go snorkeling. After passing several larger islands thinking those were all the final destination to snorkel we started to slow as we approached this one. Everyone thought it was a joke but it was the real deal. This is the island that we snorkeled off of. It was smaller than our backyard!

The instructors on the boat explained that as we started to approack the location we should start getting ready. Apparently Nikki and I missed those instructions. We wanted to be prepared for anything at any time. I think people thought we were nuts.

This is the picture that I thought was so cool. There are three ships sitting docked in the middle of the ocean. You had to have a boat come pick you up off the ship and take to you to the actual island. But as you can see the sun was starting to come out. It is directly over our ship which made me feel good.

Here is Nikki and I in the port of Belize. Nick said that I didn't look enthusiastic enough, so I cheezed it up a little. It was 7:30in the morning and cold (probably like 70's)

There weren't a lot of areas that were "kid friendly" so Nick and I did a lot of sneaking around. We are such rule breakers. Here they are playing with the metal horses. Nick is pretending that its eating his hand off. Karis doesn't even looked phased.

Here's the lady responsible for all the fun. Karis and Mimi had a good time together over the week. Mimi babysat for us quite a few times so we could have some adult time. It was a nice retreat and I think Mimi enjoyed the time with her as well. (Who is the lady behind them smiling like an idiot. You would think that she knew us!) We are in Cozumel enjoying a beautiful day on the beach!

Here's the princess herself enjoying a snack. Cute suit huh!

The water was so clear and warm. Karis however was a little unsure. I think that she thought it was the biggest bathtub she had ever seen! Nick had to convince her it was a okay.

Nick and Karis found lots of sea shells! They found quite a few of those Conch shells. Karis thought it was fun to try and put them in her mouth. You should have seen me trying to chase after her!

It was truly unreal being there and looking at my watch seeing the date. Everyone who lives in a climate like ours should really take a vacation like this. It was a little break from reality.

Here is all three of us. We were having such a good time. It has been a few years since I have been to the ocean, and I am not sure if Nick has ever been and I know it was a first for Karis. P.S. Karis has a passport and she is 14 months. Impressive!

Like a postcard!

Here is after we got through the madatory drill (muster drill) where everyone stands out on the deck under their life boats wearing their life jackets like a bunch of idiots!