Vacation day 5: Belize

Day 5, Wednesday March 26: This was our 2nd stop, this one to Norwegian's private island, Harvest Caye, in the beautiful country of Belize! It was a gorgeous beach and island and we had a great day there in the ocean, at the huge pool, and seeing their animal sanctuary. Of course once we were back on the ship, we had more swimming (because why not?), more ice cream, and more games. We had dinner every night at the same table in the dining room where we became good friends with our wait staff- Mary Ann and Norbert from the Philippines and Darius, the assistant maitre d, who was from Poland and a real riot. He didn't lift a finger to help his staff but spent most dinners making napkin animals for the kids or doing magic tricks and talking to us. It's fun and humbling to get to know people from such different backgrounds, away from their families for months, trying to get a leg up. They were all wonderful. 

Now of course, a million pictures.

Vacation Days 3 & 4

 Day 3, Monday 3/24 we were at sea! We played games, swam, read, ate all the food, had several more ice cream cones, and the girls loved their matching dresses! 

Day 4: Tuesday 3/25 we stopped in Costa Maya, Mexico! We watched the traditional air flyers, men in traditional costume who fly upside down while suspended from a rope by their foot-- pretty crazy. We spent the day at the beach and doing a little shopping. This was the first of several beach days to come! But, what's better?

Family Reunion Cruise: Days 1 & 2

 For Christmas this year, we gave our kids a cruise, along with all of their cousins and Grandma Lisa & Popp-e. This is the first big vacation we've had where everyone came! The kids have been counting down for months. We sailed from New Orleans on a 7 day cruise on the Norwegian Getaway. It was our first time sailing Norwegian, and it was a pretty fabulous experience!

Day One was flying to New Orleans and then checking into our hotel across from the cruise terminal. Day two, we spent the morning site seeing in New Orleans, riding the trolley, seeing Jackson Square, and of  course eating beignets. We also returned to a restaurant we really enjoyed when we were in NOLA in 2021 for our family trip. The gator bites were a big hit again 😝.

We boarded the ship in the afternoon anf commenced exploring! The kids wasted no time in trying the ropes course, far above the sea and sky, and getting their first (of MANY) ice cream cones. 

 

It was pretty neat to sail down the Mississippi River!

Sorry the pictures are out of order! Hard to put them the way I want them on my phone!

Just for fun, here's our family in the same spot in 2021 and 2025. A few of those kids have really grown!