Back from the dead....((more added))

....or from vacation at least. I have had a really hard time getting myself to come and enter in my blog....in case you didn't notice. I don't know, it's like having that week and a half away just got me used to not doing it and not even being online, for that matter. That plus I got my nails done long for the trip and it is very hard to type with them on made me keep putting it off. But....I'm at risk of my friend, Debi, coming to my house to make sure I'm still alive so I better get on it, huh? Haha...Muah mama!
What can I say!? The cruise was all and so much more than I ever could have hoped for. Now, I admit, this is coming from a person who needed a break so badly you could have sent me to Duluth and I would have been thrilled. But the tropical air, the smooth (well, mostly smooth) swaying of the ship, and all the time in the world was just what the dr. ordered for this run-down mom. Couple that with the fact that it was, in my mind, a celebration of over a year and half of daycare being DONE. What a week!
Here's the shortened version of our 8 days.
We spent Friday at Epcot in Disney World.....my favorite of all the parks. That was a really fun beginning to our vacation. We spent the night in a hotel and got up early to head to the coast and board the ship. Just seeing it in the distance as we drove closer was breathtaking. To think that was going to be our home for the next 7days was so exciting!
We spent the first day in awe of the whole thing. Getting used to the waves and rocking. Getting adjusted to not having the boys around....that was weird. And just being able to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted.
We went to 4 different ports over the course of the week, although our "stay" in Costa Maya was a short one because they weren't even able to get the boat into the port and safely dock due to the windy conditions and the high waves. That was okay, we just had another day at sea. The places we did go were Cozamel, Roatan, and Belize. We had a great time in all and I'd say Roatan was probably my fave, although I did have a lot of fun shopping in Mexico. I just love the people there at the markets. When you can get passed the fact that they hound you to come buy their 'junk' and 'authentic' Cubans and 'real' white gold....all for low, low prices...LOL ....they are really a lot of fun to talk to. We had some really great encounters and conversations. We got so used to them saying what everything was as we walked by that when one guy held out a Mexican sombrero, my brother looked at him and said "white gold?" HA!
We had a lot of fun shopping in Roatan, which is a part of Honduras. They had the most beautiful handmade wooden items. I couldn't resist getting a new salad bowl set. We also got something for the in-laws. I could have gotten tons more but had no way to get it home.
They had this great chair lift that took us from the shopping part to the beach. It made for a great view of the coastline.
When we went to Belize, we went cave tubing. Now, that was an experience! After a 30 minute hike through the rainforest, we got to the river and had about an hour and a half lazy river ride....most of which was inside a cave. It was pitch black except for the lights we wore on our heads. It was really beautiful (except for the bats on the ceiling) and kinda creepy at the same time. I'd say the hi-lite though came when we got hung up on a rock in a shallow area and Mike's tube got blown out. It was hilarious cuz all of a sudden he started to sink. Luckily our guide let him use his and we were almost at the end. Too funny!
All in all, I have no complaints. It was so much fun! It is a great way to vacation with a large group cuz you can all do your own thing or get together as a group and do things. Either way....there's something for everyone. I even played some blackjack and left the ship up $500 by the end of the week. WOohoo!
We have already said that we want to go on another one in 3 yrs. I am already counting down the days.....well, sort of.
It was good to get home and see the boys though. That's a long time to be away from them and we really missed them by the end of the trip. They were very anxious for us to be home as well. ;)
Here are just a handful of the over 600 pics I took. I'll let them speak for themselves.

Hi boys!!

Hi my boys!! Dad and I are on the big ship and it's Thurs. evening. We are going to a comedy club show tonight and then to a fancy dinner where everyone has to be very dressed up. I wanted to take a minute to write to you and tell you that we are missing you all so much! We can't call you while we are on the ship because it would be sooooo expensive. In fact, I am even paying almost a dollar per minute to just use the computer and write this, but you are all worth it!!
We are having such a great time! The temperature has been close to 80' every day. A little warmer than Minnesota, right? We have been to Mexico and Roatan (in Honduras) and a country called Belize where we went on a 2 hour tubing ride down a river through the rainforest that went through caves. There were even bats in the cave, you would have LOVED it! We have been to stage shows and done some shopping and we get to eat whenever and whatever we want. We haven't been hungry for a week. Haha!
We keep saying how much fun you would all have here. We wish you could see what we are seeing. We are on the ocean and there is water all around us for as far as we can see. There have been a few nights, including tonight, that have had really high waves (like 10ft.) and it makes the ship rock. Sometimes we are walking and lose our balence and look funny because we can't walk straight. hehe...it's funny. At night, it feels like you are being rocked to sleep. It's a very cool and weird feeling. We actually even saw dolphins swimming near the boat on the first day. That was very cool!
Are you all being good for grandma and grandpa? I hope so. I'm sure you are. Make us proud of you. I know it's hard when we're away this long and can't call you, but have fun and don't argue or fight....or wrestle (remember??) I know you are all being very good. We miss you very, very much and are anxious to see you. We will call when we get back to Florida on Saturday. Grandpa won't be getting us until really late at night, so you will be in bed, but we will come in and give you a kiss goodnight.
We love you all very much! We'll see you in a couple days. Bye boys!!!

And....we're off!!

In 12 hours Jason and I will be basking in the Florida air at Epcot! Then, it's off to the coast in the morning to catch our cruise ship of fun! I've been so busy counting down my daycare days that I haven't hardly mentioned the vacation we've been planning for a year. Jay and I along with my parents and siblings and their spouses....oh and Amy D. to even out the numbers....are heading on a Carribean Cruise tomorrow. Jason's parents are coming up from Illinios to stay with the kids...we are SOOO grateful for that. We can really use a break these days. We sail from Sat. to Sat. I'm so beyond excited, I can't stand it! What a great way to celebrate being done with daycare and break up the frigid Minnesota air.
I might try to write while we're out to sea....depends on how much it costs to get online and how much I lose at the Blackjack tables. :)
Don't be jealous now.....be happy for me....I friggin' deserve it! ;)

Tanner's bowling party

When each of the boys have turned 5, we let them have their first 'friend' party. I gave him a few different choices as to where he would like to have it and he chose bowling. Works for me. No mess at home.
We ended up having it on Monday during the day cuz the kids had the day off. It was a good time for all!

where the heck have I been?

You've gone to bed every night thinking that same thing, haven't you? I knew it. How could I not be online last Friday when I enjoyed my LAST day of daycare?? How is it I never even mentioned the fact that the Vikings won their playoff game...leaving only one more to win to get to the Superbowl.
Well, for one thing the computer has been at Best Buy getting a Windows 7 upgrade. Buh-Bye Vista...I will NOT miss you.
But, on Friday night, as soon as my last and final ever daycare parent arrived...we headed to St. Cloud for the wake of my aunt, Sr. Teresa. She finally lost her year long battle with pancreatic cancer. We never thought she'd make it to even Thanksgiving, much less Christmas and the New Year. But, God has His own timing and He wasn't quite ready for her until now. It's always sad to lose someone you love, but there is a calm about it as well when you know their suffering is over. She looked beautiful and her community of nuns celebrated her life beautifully. They were so loving to all of us and so honoring of Sr. and her life. She had a prayer cross that she held when she prayed and that she held when she couldn't pray any longer. She had told my mom and her close friends that she wanted Tony to have it after she died. He was her Godson and she always had such a softspot for that little stinker. She was holding it until the moment they closed the casket. Her best friend took it out and got it to us after the funeral. I know Tony will cherish it always. She will be dearly missed. Her laugh, her smile, her prayers, and her unconditional love for all of us. We loved her very much.

Logic from a 5 yr. old

Tanner is watching a commercial on PBS that says you should appreciate nature and the next time you're outside you should go and hug a tree.

Tanner: (totally serious and perplexed) Why in the world would anyone hug a tree?

Ahh...my son. I'm so proud.