it's all fun and games: amazing trip part 1!

before we left, i snapped a few pics of the kids to take with me. i looked at these pics every day! nate and ellie with matching tats

ellie jumping and being adorable

and joey. typical finger up her nose, fun loving joey!

before i start this redic long, way too many pics and details...blog....i have to share personal stuff. when i left for this vacation almost 2 weeks ago i left in a bad place. i was on the verge of a mental break down. i was tired, over whelmed, discouraged, drained and lacked any zest for life. i was mentally depleted. physically exhausted, spiritually empty and in a bad place. i was getting sick over and over with out any end in sight. home school was taking up my life. me time did not exist. my marriage was struggling and i really needed to get away

so my sister and i went away. it was a trip that opened my eyes to life outside my own little bubble. i discovered that i am a person. people see me. people want to talk to me, other than getting them food, wiping their bum and teaching lessons too....

the trip!

cry and i flew out fri nov 11 at 6 am, we had to get up at 3. after sleeping 2 hrs we were on the plane. the LONGEST flight to toronto. EVER. it took almost 3 HOURS. then we sat on the tarmac for another HOUR. almost missing our connecting flight to fort lauderdale...but we had lots of leg room!

pretty cry at 6 AM. ha

me. sick and tired at 6 am

on our flight to fort lauderdale

once we landed we went and got the car rental and went shopping, only to leave after 2 hours

why? because i was a hot emotional mess. i missed my family. i heard a kid cry and i burst into tears. seriously. so we drove the 30 mins to miami and grabbed our hotel. i cried the whole way to the hotel
we checked in and took a nap. i was then ready to hit up supper and go to a store. we went to bed early that night around 9 and i slept until 10 AM!!! i didnt budge. i was exhausted. but no worries, i made up for the lack of shopping the day before and we did some serious damage

check out crys bag

i couldnt lift it. hahaha

sunday morning we left for the boat terminal to get in line to board the ship first!
after waiting an hour in line we got a ticket to wait another 2.5 to then get on the ship....to get into another line....

us waiting in the terminal. i think i only cried once on sunday for the kids
after we got on the ship, we RAN to guest services and buy our ticket for this bad boy!!!

TADA! they only sell 5 cabanas and we GOT ONE! we paided 350 for this peace of heaven. we got a pass for the ADULTS only area, with our own bar and bar tenders, whom we got to know very well....the cabana had coolers on the side, and an ocean front view with enclosed privacy. we LOVED it. and used it every day but one

check out the line to get on the ship! crazy. we sailed on the norwegian getaway, much larger than the other ships ive been on and a completely different environment all together. i would NOT take my family on one, but i WOULD go back myself

our bar tenders would bring us water and drinks...all day. long!

cry with her first of many drinks

we were greeted with this in our room. i gave the wine to our room attendant steven, who we got to know really well and spent many hours talking to him in our room. he loved us. and would sit on our bed and chat...great guy