we're all just seeds: Florida/Caribean Cruise Vacation

Jason's parents are celebrating their 40th Wedding Anniversary this year, and asked our family and Jason's brother, Joel and his family to join them on a Caribbean cruise. So much fun to get to have all your family traveling and exploring together, all of us were very excited.

We arrived in Florida a few days before our cruise left to check out Jason's parents new house. They are in the process of relocation from Wisconsin to Florida and wanted to have us see they beautiful new house. It was beautiful. Unfortunately Hurricane Sandy was moving by Florida while we were there so beaches were closed and there was limited time spent outside in the pool because the the dreary rainy and windy weather. We made the best of it and found a great indoor play place to hang out.

After a couple days we were off on our cruise adventure. Grant loved being outside the ship and was truly amazed at how large the ship really is. We spent our first day figuring out the large ship, really a small city on the water, and getting our sea legs. I struggled with motion sickness the first couple days. Norah struggled with her balance, something I didn't think about until we were on the ship. Norah has ataxia and then to put her on a rocking ship, poor girl. She was a trooper, taking everything in stride and working hard to stay on her feet.

Our first stop was Key West. We walked off the ship and walked around the shopping area. We explored what was nearby, found some parrots, and had some ice cream.

The next day we were at sea. We found the small kids pool hidden up high in a corner of the ship and enjoyed it to ourselves most of the afternoon. Grant and Jason went mini golfing, quite the experience while the ship was moving and the winds were blowing.

Arriving in Grand Cayman, the ship had to park on the opposite side of the island because of the recent hurricane so getting off and on the ship to some time and parts of our excursion was cancelled. We still loved seeing all of the island and Jason and I both agree, Grand Cayman is a place we want to return to and explore a bit more.

One of stops was at a turtle farm, where we watch the turtles eat, and then held some baby sea turtles. We also got to see baby turtle hatching and climbing out of the sand, amazing.

The next day we arrived at Jamaica. It was a rainy day. Mason woke with a bit of a fever, so Jason and I decided to stay on the ship. We had planned on spending the day at the beach, but we were able to get our money refunded. Norah and I went off to the spa and had a manicure and pedicure. Norah was absolutely spoiled, as the manager of the spa adored her and fed her ice cream as she had her nails done.

I spent some time taking pictures of the Jamaican port in the afternoon before we headed back out to sea.

While on the ship we celebrated Halloween. The ship did a great job having activities for the kids, even having trick or treating and a dance. Our family won a prize for best group costumes, we were all pirates and Mason was our pirate parrot.

After eating dinner each night we would take in a show on the boat or enjoy the walking on the deck.

The kids loved going to our room at the end of the day to find their beds turned down waiting for them with chocolates and a towel animal.

After disembarking the ship for the final time, we found ourselves with 10 hours to waste in the airport. We are very excited to be on the plane going home at the end of that day.