Cruisin'

Its been awhile....a LONG while since Adam and I took a REAL trip by ourselves. Yes, we had overnight type get aways sprinkled over the last 4 years but that was it. When we went to Chicago I swore to vacation with my hubby more often but such has not been the case. Having and taking care of babies keeps one verrrry busy and I hate to leave my kids before they are two. SO, Megan turned two and we were outty!

(I was also 20 weeks prego and therefore needed to squeeze a trip in 

before this little girl rocked our world!)

We got up at about 3:30 in the morning to get ready to catch our 6:30 flight to Long Beach airport. Too, too early but at least our flight was cheaper...

This was mine and Adam's first cruise and we were super excited. I was really anxious about leaving our kids and embarking on this new adventure but when I saw new home away from home docked at Long Beach harbor, I was very excited. This trip was about 8 month in the making. We were invited by Jason and Kim Bailey and we are so glad they did. I don't think we would have done it on our own. We'd joked with some other friends that for 10 year anniversaries we would go on a cruise but never really got anything planned. This was perfect since yes, we are celebrating on 10th THIS year.

Pulling away from the dock to start our 7 day/night trip to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

We only had 3 days on land (2 ports) during our cruise so we and our friends did our best to get involved in the ship activities during our "fun days at sea". Adam really got into it by wearing blue eye shadow for a picture scavenger hunt. Unfortunately, it was all for not. We still (unfairly) lost the game. :(

Adam also auditioned for a part in a show on the ship. We were up until midnight. This was late for this 20 week prego mama! In fact, I'm not sure why I look so perky in the pic above.

Some of our friends and Adam participated in a game show. Mike and Megan won a coveted golden "ship on a stick" but alas, Adam lost. 

Karaoke was popular especially with my attention loving man. Here he is singing and grooving to Elvis's Jail House Rock getting the attention he craves from a very appreciative crowd. He got stopped on the ship a few times by people who recognized him from karaoke.

Us girls sang Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. As you can see from our stiff posture, we are having SO much fun....

Day one in Cabo

We mostly just hung out on the beach and enjoyed the scenery. The guys rented wave runners but I wasn't about to put my pregnant body on one. The water was really choppy and cold. So I got myself a big umbrella and sat myself down in the shade with my friends.

Day 2 in Cabo

I fell in love...

I love tigers so when I was told I could go catch a glimpse of a BABY tiger I just followed. Turns out, Megan is a big fan herself. Of course when we got there all they would allow us to do was look. No touchy. No pictures. Just LOOK. After seeing these precious babies I needed more. So for a small fee (of course!!) of $25 we both got to hold the sweet little baby girl tiger. It was a neat experience and I'm glad I got to have it.

Lover's Beach

I regret not taking an excursion to spend some time there. It was beautiful especially in real life.

We took a snorkeling excursion out to a little cove. We only got to snorkle for about 20 mintues and then we had lunch on board. I was sad not to snorkel longer even if it took major courage on my part to jump in because the water was really cold. Have I mentioned that the water was cold?

The girls.

Puerto Vallarta

This was our favorite day because we got to do a lot more exploring.

We started our day off with 13 ziplines through a lush river valley. They don't allow pregnant women on the tour but I was feeling rebellious and just dared someone to question my pooch. (Side note: On our friends excursion, this actually DID happen and the woman wasn't even pregnant!)

Lunch at the end of our tour. It was some of the best food we had in Mexico.

There was a house for sale that was wide open for all to walk through. Including small rodents, bugs, whatever. It was very bizarre but interesting to see. Very different from the American real estate market.

After our zip line tour we met up with our friends and went on a city tour and hunting for churros. Yes, I said hunting because they aren't as easy to find in Mexico as you would think. But when we found them it was worth the hunt. They were so good if not ADDICTING!

On the busy, busy boardwalk.

One of many dinners with our friends.

This is only half the group since we had to divide between two tables.

A few of the many towel animals we were presented with every night. A few of them had us stumped and even made us blush. (see botton pic)

Adam and Cody. Not sure what is happening here...

I was pleased to find out that our room had a nice big window and not a porthole like I had originally thought. I was big enough for my big guy to stretch out in. And get a good look at the sunrise as well.

We had a really good time on our cruise and went with some really fun people but when it was over we were more than ready to get back to our babies.

San Francisco (my favorite day)!!

We got up bright and early on Monday so that we could catch the 10:00 ferry from Larkspur to San Francisco.  I'm so glad we decided to ferry in.  Despite some cold temps on the ferry, it was so great to see our first glimpses on the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the city from the boat. It was beautiful. I love big cities and San Francisco is no exception.

When we first got on the ferry it was sunny and fairly warm but as you can see in the picture above, we are headed toward cold and overcast. (see below)

 That ferry was bookin' it, making it very cold and WINDY.

Brrrrrr...
It was so great coming in on the ferry and seeing the city from that vantage point.
It was beautiful.

 Looking at this picture it seems weird that I have sunglasses on...

These two pictures are interesting for two reasons. 

#1- one was taken by me and the other by Eric. We must have clicked at almost the exact same time. The kids look the same in both pictures.

#2- the way the kids are posing it looks like they are imitating the sculpture.

At least Will and Taylor look excited about their first cable car ride...

Megan and Mommy on the California line.

On the streets on San Fran.

The brick building in the background is the cable car museum.

Original cable car.

Adam explaining to the boys how the cable wheels work.

I was really quite amazed at it all.

Noah, trying to figure out his "China sticks".

We were quite the site in this restaurant.

I took and posted a lot of pictures of this restaurant because this was a really funny and fun experience.  This restaurant is in China Town but I felt like I was in China.  It all was so foreign.  The food was, like, real Chinese food.  People looked at us like we were the foreign ones (I guess we really were) with our big families and white children. We stuck out like a sore thumb.  It was great!

Kyle, however, would beg to differ. As we walked down the street in China Town with all its different looking food and ducks hanging in the window, Kyle became very wary. So by the time we got to the restaurant he had already decided he didn't want to eat there.  He did not enjoy the food really at all even though he normally isn't a picky eater.

He saw me working on this post and when he saw these pictures he said, "Ew, I never want to go back there again." Ha ha.

The pictures above are funny because you'll notice, Megan is a celebrity.
This lady from China kept taking pictures of her and then wanted her picture taken with Megan.

Funny.

Ghirardelli ice cream!

The kids really didn't eat anything at Chinese restaurant so we went and got some nutritious ice cream.

The pack mules...er...stallions...

Fountains at Ghirardelli Square. 

Fountains are just so irresistible!

The following few pictures are of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park.

We didn't have plans to go here but it turned out to be one of the kids favorites.

This was, of course, dubbed the pirate ship by the boys.

Balclutha from 1886

 (Otherwise known as "the pirate ship")

This ship carried goods around Cape Horn (tip of South America) 17 times

Megan also loved climbing around inside and outside the boats.

Aboard the Eureka steam boat ferry (1890)

A couple of little pirates. Arrrrrrr...

 Toots and Aunt Ernie

Kyle, Will and Noah on the 1907 steam tug, Hercules 

Yummy sour dough lunch at Boudin Bakery.

The kids were fascinated by the bakery itself and 

the baskets that moved on a track from the bakery to the store.

 It was pretty cool.

Famous Pier 39 sea lions.

We stayed in Windsor while going to and from San Francisco. This was the condo we stayed in.  All of the places we stayed were very nice and I was grateful to have separate bedrooms and a kitchen the entire time (except in Battle Mountain but that doesn't count...).  I think we are spoiled now...