Cousins

Beth sent me these pictures from a quick visit that she made to see us when we lived in Detroit.  I hadn't remembered the trip until we started to talk about it...it's crazy how you can forget an entire event!  Look how cute (and little) these guys are...Andrew, Eric, Nathan and Lauren.  So cute.  

At the pool with Greg.  

Lauren and Nathan.

These are pictures that Cortney sent me from when we were on our trip.  Ava spent time with her cousins on Greg's side of the family.  I know that some day I'll look back on these pictures and feel the same way I do when I look back at the pictures that Beth sent me.  

Look at those sweet girls!

Harry Potter World candy

We decided to bring candy home for the kids.  All of these are candies that Harry Potter eats in the books and we thought it would be really fun to try them.  The peppermint toads are really yummy and so are the fizzing whizzbees.  The every flavor beans are where the real craziness comes in!  

You can get watermelon or you can get earthworm...blueberry or earwax...the list goes on and on!  We went around 1 by 1 and tried the beans and then watched and laughed!  

It might not look like fun, but I assure you that we had a blast.  It was a fun treat to bring home.

Cruise Bounty

I had to post a picture of the stash we brought home from the cruise.  I think we also won another pen or two and another highlighter.  It's fun to win the little prizes...but the medals are my favorite!  How can a 41 year old still want to win a medal?  What can I say?

The Cruise Day 7

Our final day of the cruise was at sea.  We went out to the helicopter pad and watched the water for a while and discussed our next cruise/trip/plans.  We have done that the last few times we were together.  I love going out there.  

I'm not exactly sure how the conversation first started, but I was very amused at the idea of someone making out on the helicopter landing area...obviously the group was willing to oblige!  We had a good laugh...a very good laugh!

While we were out there, we were talking about how awesome it would be to see some dolphins and then within a few minutes, this huge pod appeared!  Luckily, Kim was fast with her camera and caught them.  It was magical.  

Greg Porter and Holly leaning into the strong winds...it's such a great feeling.  

 Holly and Juston didn't try the wave machine on the first day, but were up for it now!

 Go, Holly go!

 Juston!

We met a group of friends who were on the cruise and went to all of the trivia (just like us).  We called them Minnesota because they are from the cities.  We ended up striking up a friendship and invited them to play a game with us the last day.  We found out that there is usually a Harry Potter trivia, but they weren't going to do it on this cruise.  We asked for the trivia and they gave it to us so we could do our own!  But, because it is us, we had to add a twist.  If you got the question wrong, you had to play the shocking game!  We howled and had so much fun.

 It is intense...so fun, funny and intense!

Here is the group with our friends, Minnesota.  

When things should be enough, they never are for us.  So...we upped the stakes and played with blind folds!

 

We even got our favorite bartender to play a round!

That night there was another beautiful sunset.  

Then we went to play our favorite ping pong game from college...Around the World...where you hit the ball and then run to the next position.  Everyone eventually gets eliminated until there are just 2 people playing.  We picked up two girls who played with us (Chicago to us) and so that was really fun.

That night we had our last dinner together and the piece of chocolate on the top of the warm chocolate cake had melted into the shape of Minnesota.  Everyone else's chocolate was still a rectangle, but ours was definitely Minnesota.  I took it as our sign that it was time to go home...a perfect ending to the most perfect trip.   

That night we went and sang karaoke and went dancing for a while.  It was a really fun final night.  I always leave these trips feeling filled with all of the wonderful feelings of having such good, close friends.  It is a little bitter sweet to leave, but I know the next trip will be just as wonderful.  20 years of experience has taught me that!  Let the planning begin!

The Cruise Day 6

We arrived in Cozumel the next morning and got right off the ship and took the ferry to Playa del Carmen.  I saw this piece of artwork painted on this building and thought it was so strange and fun.  

 

We booked another private tour this day and went to meet our guide who was taking us to the Tulum Mayan ruins.  

At the entrance to Tulum.  

 

The remains of a home.  It would have belonged to a high level leader.  

 

Our guide with the group.  

This is the highest room of the temple.  The carvings on the top, center of the roof are still completely recognizable.  They are of a god who comes from the heavens and walks of the earth.   

 

The iguana in this picture seemed like it was posing!

The view from the top of the ruins.  Not too shabby.  

 

 

 

The small windows in the buildings line up with the moon during the spring and fall equinox.  The mathematical and astronomical knowledge they had was really amazing.  

 

Holly chasing the iguana!

Iguanas everywhere.  

 Our group leaving the ruins.  

This group of men were performing this traditional "dance" outside of the ruins.  They were swinging around the pole by one of their ankles...crazy!

After leaving the ruins, we drove to The Grand Cenote.  The cenotes are underground cavesthat are filled with water.  We went swimming and exploring.  They look awesome from above the water, but when you look below, it is mind blowing.  We loved it here!   

 

You can't see the turtles in this picture, but I still love it because of how excited we all were to see the turtles.  I think this picture is so cute.  

We finished our tour and took the ferry back to Cozumel.  

It is always fun to see the ships pulled up next to other ships.   

These were our tattoos for the night.  I was very amused that Greg was willing to make me laugh and make it look like the drill was going into his belly button!  He does love to amuse me.  

 

This statue is coming out of the ceiling on the main promenade in the ship.  The woman looks like she is diving down into the water and they light it up at night.  It's a pretty fun piece of art work.  We had a great dinner, of course played games, listened to a band and loved every minute of it!  It was another great day filled with adventures and fun.