Time to Get Away!

Here's a little departure from normal - a post just about Neal and me! Ahhh - we are just a few days out from going on an amazing cruise with just us two! I was a little nervous about leaving the girls for so long and then being stuck in the middle of the ocean in the event that they needed me....but I was thrilled to find that I was able to relax and just enjoy our vacation while our girls were pampered and loved with Gigi, then Bubbie, and then finally, Aunt Sandy.

We started off with a day at sea where we slept in, hit the gym (where I decided that if I had a treadmill within walking distance of my bed but with a beautiful ocean, I might work out every day - good thing I can't really make that threat a reality!), and then spent the rest of the day on the deck relaxing. I am sure there was a nap in there somewhere (I am pretty sure that was on the agenda each day!) before heading off to dinner - such great food the whole time!

Neal documenting us dressing for dinner the night we boarded the ship
Posing on the stairs with the Tron-esque elevators in the background
Here was the "atrium" all lit up - pretty fun!
Neal relaxing with a pretty great view
Me and my date on Formal night - which followed our first full day on the cruise.

Day 2 we docked in Progreso, Mexico. We were all about relaxing the whole trip, so we hit a beach resort, where we had a really great waiter who brought us our choice of drinks right to our chairs. The wind was really strong, so it was pretty chilly - I just left my jacket on and went on reading a great book and enjoying the view. The beach was also scattered with more seashells than I have ever seen in one place - so I had lots of fun collecting some for the girls!

Our ship, docked in Progreso...I guess I was too enthralled with my book to take more pictures while in Progreso!
We headed back to the ship for dinner - another great one, I am sure! And after dinner, we got to come back to our room for one of the towel animals. We took pictures of these every night to show the girls and this one included my bear, Sylas that Meredith insisted needed to come with us. Sylas was the first Christmas present Neal gave me, so he is really special and I didn't mind too much him being there with us! Poor towel bunny, however, Neal accidentally beheaded shortly after this picture :(

We sailed the rest of the night and arrived in Cozumel for another beach day! The weather was warmer, so I was able to leave the jacket behind and I actually even enjoyed some time in the waves!

Happy, relaxed Neal!
Man, I love the beach. I would go back right now!

After another fun day at the beach, we again headed back to the ship for, guess what? Dinner! We met a fun couple that we then headed to a trivia game together. We hit the end of the trivia questions but were there just in time for the cruise version of Minute to Win It. We all signed up, but only the two guys got picked.

Neal had to work to get a chocolate chip cookie from his forehead into his mouth before his opponent. Look at that perseverance!
It paid off!

Don't be jealous. Yes, he not only won the cookie-eating trophy, but he had also already won a movie theme show quiz trophy from earlier in the cruise. Perfect - one for the mantle and one for the office. Or maybe they have been given to a couple cute girls.

Our last day before we headed home, we splurged with a couple's massage and then lots more relaxing around the boat - this time inside because it was really cold and windy!

We braved the cold wind to say good-bye to our time at sea!

We came home to the girls at Aunt Sandy's - they both came to the door, Meredith kind of waved and Jillian pointed at Neal, declared "Dada" and then headed the other direction. This came after calling the girls from Mexico....first, Meredith told me "I don't even miss you, I just look at pictures of you." And Jillian would just ask me for snacks when she talked to me. This only further proved that they are very well-adjusted with all of the people that love them if we aren't there. I am so thankful for the time we had and the wonderful care Meredith and Jillian had while we were gone -is it too soon to ask everyone to repeat it so we can go back?