Utah is Cold

The Caribbean is so warm. That's where I've been for the past week. On a boat. A really big boat.

Here are some of the highlights of our trip:

Nina and the girls flying out separately from Mike.

The adventure of taking Lily to the airplane bathrooms.

Lily making it all the way through security with a pocket full of dimes and pennies.

Nina trying to maneuver 3 suitcases, 3 backpacks and 2 children all by herself.

We all got to wear the same shirt as 40 other people.

Watching the BYU vs. Utah game a few hours late thanks to some kindly BYU fans on the boat who shared their sling box - even after they knew that BYU lost.

Nina wanting to die after spending the first full day of the cruise suffering from sea sickness (the water was really rough - I'm not that big of a wimp. A lot of people were feeling it)

Cass and Lily discovering "Kidland" (not to be confused with Disneyland) The deck of the ship reserved for those aged 3-8. I think it was really called Pelican...Something or other, but Cass dubbed it Kidland.

Mike ordering multiple dinners or desserts every night.

Nina is the only person in the world who loses weight after going on a cruise (The food wasn't quite the high quality we were expecting)

We all ate a lot of fruit. The pineapples and strawberries kept some of us alive. (mainly Nina and Lily)

Our steward who cleaned our room 3 times a day, and each time would arrange our kid's stuffed animals and blankets into a new configuration.

Cass fell into a swimming pool fully clothed while being watched by her grandparents for five minutes. She was standing on next to the pool when the boat jerked, and in she went.

Nina being bitten on the big toe by a crab while preparing to go snorkeling in the Bahamas. We both ran away from each other with lightening speed.

Building lots of sandcastles.

Looking for sea shells.

Finding big conch shells.

Discovering there was still something living in the big conch shells.

Science lessons involving hermit (or as Cass calls them "kermit") crabs.

Nina Trying to perfect the art of the self portrait with Cass.

Skipping Jamaica because the wind was too fierce to dock the boat. Who needs Jamaica anyway?

Spending an uninterrupted week with Mike.

Watching Mike's cousins invent games to amuse themselves on the boat. ("Ele-run" - their favorite, involves pushing the down button on each floor of the boat, so the elevator opens and no one is there)

Loving the warm water and the waves.

Finding out (while standing in the lobby) that the hotel where we had booked a room for the day in the Grand Caymans was closed due to hurricane damage.

Eating really good food in Cozamel.

Lily adopting Tim and Liz (Mike's brother and his wife) for the entire Thanksgiving evening including dinner and a show, and talking about nothing other than the Nutcracker.

Flying home with Brian Johnson.

Cass asking if the football player on our flight was Louie.

All of us being a little disappointed that it wasn't Louie.
Mike being embarrassed that I made him take a picture with Cass and Brian Johnson.

It was a good time, but I am so glad to be home. My house feels like a mansion to me now.

How was your Thanksgiving?