Vacation!!

Ok - it's been a week since I got home, but since I didn't have my computer cord or very many pics on my camera, I had to wait.
So basically this is the run-down. Kelly and I both left to meet up with the family who had already been exploring Florida for like 3 days. We left on saturday and met in dallas and then flew to orlando. After a very long day - with delayed flights from weather, crazy lines at the toll booths etc. etc, we arrived at the hotel and started our vacation - officially. The next morning (Happy Birthday to ME), we boarded the Disney Cruise ship WONDER.


It was quite a bit smaller than the ship that took us to Alaska...but as they say on Disney "they might have a bigger house, but they don't have the mouse!" We started off with a dance party on deck that included lots of kids and some confetti and waving at the little workers on shore wearing the big white Mickey hand. Mom made sure to (festively) tie confetti to my hair to make sure everyone knew it was my birthday.



After the deck party, we went down to our rooms and discovered two really cool things. One was that mom had decorated our room for my birthday - isn't she sweet? Two is that she had (SURPRISE!) upgraded all of us from Inside rooms to Outside with awesome giant portal windows!!! we had all decided on inside rooms b/c of cost, but seriously a cruise is made so much cooler when you have a window. And not only that but, except for the handicap room we had to Alaska, this was actually the biggest room I've seen. And it was cute and fun and isn't mom AWESOME??



We did our emergency training (the word for it has completely slipped my mind) inside the air conditioned theater room while seating rather than standing all stacked against each other outside as usual. That was nice.


At dinner that first night, I got some presents, a cake with a chocolate ship on it, a pin saying it was my birthday and lots of singing.

No - I did not really eat the whole thing! Gross!



We had a couple of stops on our cruise. The first - Nassah Bahamas...yeah not my favorite placce. We explored this resort called Atlantis over on paradise Island and it was pretty cool, But I like disney's private Island Castaway Cay a lot better. there we biked, snorkled, fed stingrays and swam. It was beautiful. The Flying Dutchman from Pirates of the Carribean was there and it was just a beautiful day.

Leaving the boat

Flying Dutchman

Stingrays

Biking

Snorkeling


Back on the ship, we had a lot of wonderful meals, some great waiters, some fun in the sun...it was super relaxing.

Sunning ourselves during lunch on our cruising day


As the "youngsters" of the group - we joined in for the dance and limbo after dinner!


Mom and Dad as pirates on Pirate Day


Our waiters at the black and white dinner...this is after it all turned color...obviously


i think I was about as done getting pictures taken as I am right now of posting them!!



There are like a million more pictures. I was too overwhelmed to try and put a lot more on here. So I'll just move this story up to the last three days. We got off the ship and booked ourselved up to Orlando where we could hit three parks in 2 1/2 days and stay at the Disney Resort Pop Century. It was awesome! Animal Kingdom, then Epcot, then Magic Kingdom. Considering this was Kelly's first foray into the world of Disneyland, I'd say we got her good and immersed.

Animal Kingdom - getting ready to ride the train and my parents take pictures of a dude making faces behind my back...well...what else is new??

Morroco at Epcot...why am I the one serving??

Magic Kingdom - the Disney Castle. Doesn't it look like we're really in a fairy-tale?


I think the only thing I was asking myself at the end of this vacation was...why didn't we do Disney World first, and then the cruise. I was SO TIREd at the end that I wanted another vacation to recover. And I had it easy! Poor Kelly's flight got cancelled and she spent the ENTIRE DAY in Chicago - yuck!

But all in all a great time! Thanks Kelly and family!