Halloween 2014

The Zoombie Bride

The Pirate

Winnie the Pooh

My pinterest creation, Aaron runs around holding this up saying "honey" showing me his candy

Trick or Treating at daddy's work

RRRR matey

This is Aaron lastest gid up.  Notice there are 2 constants in Aaron's Eccentric style.   The red basketball shorts and the boots.   In fact these shorts are the only thing he will wear around the house.  I guess he is just like his dad and prefers his comfy clothes.  I've heard stories about how Bart refused to wear Levis for years growing up.    It was really cute when we came home from the cruise.   As soon as we came in the door Aaron let out a big sigh and said "Home"  he then preceded to strip down to his tighty whities and stayed that way until a load of laundry was clean that had his red shorts in it.  He grabbed them and giggled as he put on his red shorts.
Last weekend I was going through my kids clothes putting away all the summer clothes.  Aaron of course was still wearing these shorts and I told Bart we needed to put them away.  Bart said Oh just let him wear them and be comfy.  I made a deal with both of them that I would allow it around the house but as soon as we leave the door Levi's are a must.  After all it is cold outside. 

Jane's 1st lost tooth

Can you see that itty bitty space in Jane's teeth.  Yep Jane's officially joined the tooth fairy club on Monday Oct. 27th.  Oh how excited she is to see her tooth come out instead of it being Emily's!!

Pirates, smurfs, and Dormi's of the Carribean

The best part of cruising with children was this fabulous place called kids care.   I give the staff and facility 5 stars when it came to taking care of my kids.  The only downside was they didn't accept kids until they were 3 so Aaron had to stick with his parents.  Not only did they have fun activities for them to do during the day, they also came and got them from us at dinner after they were able to eat with us so we could enjoy the remainder of the time without bored children.    A couple of nights they took them to the disco room and had a disco dance party.  

The funnest part was all the face painting they did.  Each night the club would go together to the Entertainment show.  I loved it when all the cute kids would walk into the theater dressed up like something from the show chanting something along the way
.  

The first night is was playing cards from Alice in Wonderland. 

The 2nd night the kids came in spelling something but non of us remembers what it was.  Here's Emily as an A.

The next night they had a fun pirate show so the kids came in as pirates! 

The final night it was blue smurf faces all around. 

The kids also got to participate in a talent show on the big stage of the theater.  Here's Emily doing cart wheels.

Jane was persuaded by the kids club leaders to sing "Let it go" 

And Aaron he got to be in a picture with the girls and Dormi

After a week of enjoying extra help entertaining the girls,  I wished I could bring the kids care home with me. Wouldn't that be the life!!!

A special thanks to the 2 in the middle for making this happen!!

Destination Paradise

1st Stop St. Maarten: Tuesday October 21

I often watch house buying shows on HGTV and often St. Maarten is featured as a spectacular 2nd home destination.  I'm guessing there must be other parts to the island than where our cruise landed because I didn't see anything spectacular.  To me it was an overpriced third world country that was way too hot for my liking.  My girls did enjoy getting the front of their hair braided into corn rows by a native and  luckily the ocean was spectacular and the kids and Bart enjoyed a splash and some time spent playing in the sand.  As for me I didn't come prepared with my swimming suit on and there was definitely no place to change into one.  So while the kids played I pushed Pauline in her wheel chair around the streets looking at souvenir nick knacks.  The highlight of our  journey was finding a store that sold linens.  While Pauline looked at their selection of table clothes I found a wonderful cold blowing fan.  

 

2nd Stop San Juan,  Puerto Rico:  Wednesday October 22

This by far was my favorite stop of the trip.  I fell in love with the old spanish architecture and feel of the city.    At a city park we ran into a man who owned birds.  There we took this picture.  Jane wasn't at all excited about the birds and demanded that none of them touch her.  Aaron thought it was great seeing me with a bird on my head and Emily was game having one perched on her shoulder.

Bart wanted to stick with his mom and help her around the city and Sarah, Kate and eventually Joe joined us for the adventure.  The fort was out of the question with too many stairs, so instead we visited some shops and the oldest cathedral in the Carribean. 

 

We then headed to a pidgin park.  Jane saw a lady get pooped on so she was not going anywhere near the pigeons.   Emily again was game but not without hesitation.  She told me she stood there really nervous that one would fly over her and drop some little presents.    Lucky for Em's she came out clean!!

At this point Bart, Aaron and the rest of the crew went back to the ship.  I stayed behind to catch a tour of the governors mansion and to spent some time with my girls walking through the shops looking for small souvenirs that could each take home. 

I was a disappointed that they didn't take us inside the mansion. Especially when they explained part of it was build to resemble a castle inside.  The outside garden was so beautiful with so many trees that were planted as gifts from around the world.   The dungeon was also pretty cool and creepy!!

It was pretty sad to leave behind Puerto Rico.  I would love to return and spend more time there again. 

3rd stop:  Grand Turk

After trekking around the previous ports.  It was fabulous to walk right off the ship and be on the beach.  This wasn't any ordinary beach either.   The cruise ships had palm trees and beach chairs available and a fresh water pool steps away.  In the morning we spent time at the beach. 

 

 

After lunch Jane was done with being wet and wanted to go the kids care.  I then took Aaron back to the room and took a nap while Bart and Emily experienced the fresh water pool by the beach.  I guess Emily, Ben, and Max wanted to practice some of the aerobatic moves they've been watching each night at the cruises entertainment shows.  It's so fun to see these cousins so happy together.  

Lost at Sea........

On the ship got an inside cabin i.e (Cave).  Positive part of an inside cabin is it's so dark everyone sleeps and sleeps and sleeps with no sign of daylight to wake little ones up.  The downside is without windows we had no idea if we were coming or going.  It created a sense of being lost at sea for me.  Even when we were out on the deck, I'd look out at an endless Ocean with a peaceful calm sense of once again being lost at sea.   Don't get me wrong, the feeling was great to not feel any urgency!!

On the cruise we spent the first 2 days at sea and the last day at sea.   The ship was well equipped to keep vacationers happy during those days. 

We spend a lot of time in the pools!!!

Bart played  a game of 3 on 3 with his brother

The kids played a few board games with Seth and Suzanne

A cruise isn't a Cruise without some yummy gourmet food.  Here's Bart and I at dinner and our fun waiter serving some cake. 

Kate and Aaron became dining buddies each night while his sister enjoyed kids care.

Bart enjoyed a daily nap with Aaron. I enjoyed spending some much needed time Reading and basking in the sun not  thinking about work or what to make for dinner, on the ships deck while the girls were thoroughly entertained at the ships day care.

A travelling we will go....

We were so lucky to go with Bart's side of the family on a week long Cruise of the Caribbean.     Here's all 12 adults and and 9 kids getting tickets to ride the train from the airport to our ship.  I'm sure we were quite the scene for the Miami folk. 

This is all of us crammed into a tram.   We happen to ask a couple of people where was the best place to stop and eat breakfast and before we knew it the two of them were yelling at each other about it.  

Here's a few pictures of my kids coming back all tan and happy! 

Jane and her buddy Kate on the train back to the airport

Such content and happy kids after a wonderful week together!

I think Aaron developed a crush on Cutie pie Kate.  Someday he might be embarrassed when we tell him about how much he loved to hug and kiss her, but for now it was so cute.     It's was so fun to spend time with the Preston's and see my kids become fast friends with their Idaho Cousin.

After Max won a Dormi stuffed animal in the kids club all the kids desired one themselves.   Emily and Jane saved some of their spending money and at the end of the cruise each bought one to take home.  It looks like the others did the same!!

Now you've seen the beginning and the end.   Stay tuned for the middle.........