We recently returned from our fourth Disney Cruise! Needless to say, we had an amazing time, but we missed Kate. She stayed home to attend Cheer Camp for her middle school. We missed you, Kate!
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Saturday, July 23rd: Departure from Port Canavarel
A view of the port terminal, just before boarding the ship.
While on the cruise ship, we can all text one another using an app that Disney provides. It's awesome. Walker and Lainey loved texting everyone - especially because they don't get to do it at home. Walker's texts made us all laugh out loud. He would send numerous texts to his family members on a daily basis. He would write very funny, very honest things (like how formal night is "horrible" - a statement to which he later issued a retraction).
Lainey with Mickey :)
Minnie was so excited about Lainey's jingle bell pen! Lainey brought it for that exact purpose. She knew that the characters would be so excited about her pen.
Stitch is always a huge hit.
I took this picture about 3 minutes after Ben started reading the second Harry Potter book to the kids. Walker was done.
Lainey was, too.
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Sunday, July 24th - At Sea:
A view of Cuba. Probably the closest to Cuba that we'll ever be. ;)
Walker, just before seeing Finding Dory. Walker said it should have been called Finding Charlie and Jenny (Dory's parents) because Dory was looking for her parents the whole time.
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Monday, July 25th: Cozumel
on the bus in Cozumel
Brooke and Lainey at the beach in Cozumel
Ridin' on the banana boat! I don't think it was quite as exhilarating as one might have initially thought. :)
view of the beach from the banana boat
My favorite part of Cozumel was the water park! Our "Beach Break" excursion into Cozumel included private beach access with a connecting water park. It was fun! Walker LOVED the big slide - he went down it again and again. And Walker is usually very cautious when it comes to big slides.
When I showed Walker this picture of himself, he said, "Don't ever delete this picture." Ha!
Ella on the water slide.
Underwater pictures are so fun!
Hey, Fish.
on the bus ride back to the boat
Walker, totally passed out.
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Tuesday, July 25th: Grand Cayman
Walker wasn't a fan of the salt water. He didn't like the salt water inside, around, or near his mouth. Which made beach days a bit tough for the kid. Before each "beach" day (there were four of them), he requested that we only stay for "one hour." (He originally requested that we only stay about 20 minutes, but we told him that we were going to stay a bit longer than that. And we did. And he survived.) :)
Lainey took this underwater picture of a piece of coral.
Daddy's eyeball
Lainey's picture of her dad
Walker's cute little feet.
the kids and me on the beach
I spy a lizard...
Lainey wanted me to take this picture of her looking at the sand. ;)
And, I will not post the whole story on the blog, but this will forever be known as the day that Ben left his family on the island of Grand Cayman. Which basically led to me toting around a heavy backpack full of beach necessities, a tote bag full of snorkel gear, and two exhausted, hot, and sobbing children who were convinced something happened to their "one and only Daddy." But that's all. No big deal. We were all reunited later. :)
An ocean all to themselves...
Ben in the background, Lainey and Walker in the foreground
Walker developed a very special bond with Collin on this trip. They spent a lot of time together, and Collin was so patient with Walker. They played Terraria on the iPad and and went to movies and shows and enjoyed hanging out in one another's rooms. Collin even took time to swim with Walker in the pool and at the beach a few times. Thank you, Collin, for being such a kind-hearted cousin. Walker loves you!
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Wednesday, July 26th: Jamaica
Lainey and her friend Lauren, a dance friend whose family was on the same cruise! :)
the girls with Lauren's brother Ryan
in Jamaica
Walker got a stingray with his name etched on the bottom.
Lainey was so excited to get her hair braided!
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Thursday, July 27th: At Sea
We made a stop at the Bippity Boppity Boutique. Lainey chose to be a mermaid version of Ariel.
Ella was Jasmine!
Lainey was presented with a crown upon her entrance to the Royal Court...a fancy gathering with several princesses.
pretty sunset
Our "drawings" were featured during dinner at Animator's Palate (the name of the restaurant). Yiyia: far left; Ben: guy with long neck; Brooke: floating circle head; Abby: girl with giant smile.
Walker's guy is blue. How stinking cute. I about died. I love it so much.
There it is again.
(For some reason, Lainey's wasn't featured! Thankfully she didn't seem too bothered by it!)
the credits :)
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Friday, July 29th: Castaway Cay
Everyone loves Olaf on a beach.
Lauren and Lainey
Ha! She doesn't normally stand this way. :)
Collin carrying Walker
the boys with Cally
Minnie! :)
lots of fish
I was determined to find Mickey on this cruise! I missed him last year. But I found him this year.
Ha! This makes me laugh. The water was a bit murky.
This strange white fish loved the shallow water. It would literally swim around your feet, your chair, your body. It wasn't bothered in the least.
Lauren on the ropes course
Ella on the ropes course
After our last dinner on the cruise, Lainey and Ella performed in the talent show. Brooke had choreographed a dance for them!
last night with the characters
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Saturday, July 30th: Headed home!
We had 7 hours to kill in the Orlando airport before our flight left for Dallas, so we had to find some creative ways to occupy ourselves. Thankfully, the kids held it together really well. We were proud of them.
showing some love for the astronaut
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And that's a wrap! Can't wait till next year! :) Only 316 days to go.
AND - just for the sake of cuteness - this is Walker, on our first Disney Cruise, in March of 2013.
And here's Lainey. :) I'm pretty sure she was dancing.
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