Our {5th} Anniversary Cruise!

Get ready...this is a really long post! This year was our 5th anniversary and we celebrated in style on our very first cruise - four days and three nights with a stop in Ensenada, Mexico. It was also my first time to be away from Grant for a weekend. I was quite sad when Joy (with Grant) dropped us off at the cruise terminal, but soon I was getting excited for our first alone trip since Grant was born. Mexico - here we come!

Fri-May 30: Day One

The cruise terminal is about a 5 minute drive from our home, we see the cruise ships going by all the time and now here we are!

about to board Monarch of the Seas
Room 6085 - small, but cozy

Landon before taking on the rock wall

Getting there...go Landon!

Ringing the bell at the top!

First dinner in the Vincent Dining Room - by far the greatest thing about cruising is the food. You can eat almost 24 hours a day if you want and it's all-inclusive. We ate at the buffet for lunch, which was nice, but dinner was just awesome. Landon and I never get starters when we go out to eat, and we rarely get dessert, so we thought it was awesome that you could choose a starter, entree, and dessert. And not just one. That's right, if you wanted to try 3 starters, you can. Can't decide between two entrees? Try them both! And the desserts...

Saturday-May 31: Day Two Happy Anniversary to Us!

The next morning when we woke up, our ship was docked in Ensenada, Mexico. Here's Landon on the main drag where there's lots of shops and stuff.

Landon enjoying a ceviche tostada. That's basically fish cooked in lime juice topped with avocado on a tostada shell (don't say 'eww', it was absolutely delicious, and trust me, I don't eat anything too weird). I couldn't wait to try one here at one of the stands that the locals eat at.

La Bufadora - a little village and flea market near a large geyser-like blowhole of water that shoots out of a cave on the coast. Okay, so that's not exactly the National Geographic description, but it was incredible - one of only three like it in the world.

Back on board the ship...

Saturday night was Formal Night, so we dressed up a bit. It was the perfect night for this nicer affair - our anniversary! The waiters brought us out a strawberry cheescake with a candle in it and even sang to us. And the cheesecake was a-maz-ing.

Happy Anniversary, sweetheart! Five years, two moves, and one baby later, I love you now more than ever!

Sunday - June 1st: Day 3

Today was Sea Day - the ship went out to somewhere in the middle of the ocean and stopped. We hung out on the pool deck, walked around the ship, and lamented the last day of our vacation. A few things we enjoyed were going to the comedy shows at night and watching bingo - yes, watching. We really don't gamble (and it cost money to play), so we just watched others play which was surprisingly fun. The bingo caller was this hilarious guy from Costa Rica and we just laughed at all his silly jokes and funny comments. Poor Royal Carribbean - with our no drinking and no gambling they really didn't make any money off of us!

Landon and I with our {4} desserts at our last dinner: Key Lime Pie, Browine Supreme, Strawberry shortcake, and Banana parfait. Oh, and ice cream for the brownie of course. Almost everyone there gets more than one dessert! This was our last night to enjoy the yummy food before going back to our single entrees and shared desserts in the real world...

Monday-June 2: Day Four

We woke up back in San Pedro and just barely had time for breakfast before getting off the ship. The bad: ending vacation - - the good: seeing our sweet Grant again! I must admit that it was quite enjoyable just doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted to do it without any responisiblities, but I was so excited to see our little boy! Joy got him out of the car and he just stared at me for a second before realizing "Hey that's mommy!"

It was so great to hold him again! One last glimpse back out our boat...

We brought back maracas for Grant - we thought he'd like them and it seems that we were right!

Thanks Landon for taking me on such a WONDERFUL trip! And a big THANK YOU to Joy for staying with and caring so well for our Grant. It was so much easier to enjoy ourselves knowing he was in such great care. I loved our first cruise and (said in the voice of Ferris Bueller) would highly reccomended going on one if you have the means - it is so choice.