Towel Animals

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I have loved seeing the fun towel pets on friends blogs, so in a ode' to the towel, here is a peek at what we found on our bed in the evenings. Each animal would be set out beside our itinerary for the following day and chocolates. There was even a class on the Lido Deck on 'How to Make Towel Animals.'

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Today we returned to Galveston, well rested and ready to return to normal, . . . well, sort of ready.

Mexican Sunset

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Our last full day at sea! This was a relaxing day, we did well what you do on a cruise . . . enjoyed ourselves. We hung out by one of the pool and took on a slide our two. I stopped off at the spa for a mani & pedi (and a Diet Coke) and then checked in with the kids via my laptop in the Library. Jon stopped off at the Rolls Royce Cafe for coffee, and later struck a pose by the Harley outside of the casino. The ship is just beautiful, but what's not to like, clean sheets, fresh towels, chocolates on my pillow, cabana boys that deliver Diet Cokes . . . I'm sure the kids are taking the same great care of Granny while we're here!

Lawn Ornaments Don't Swim

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Cedric and Guinevere grabbed their passport and joined us on the Catamaran. Since there wasn’t snorkeling gear in their sizes they enjoyed a little sun. On the return trip to the cruise ship the two acted out their favorite scene from Titanic! Those crazy kids!

Hidden Jewels

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This morning we came into port at Cozumel. The ocean is so amazing, at Progresso it looked like a London Blue Topaz and in Cozumel it is a Blue Sapphire color and in Galveston it was more of a green Jade.

Today’s big adventure was snorkeling; this was a first for both of us. We took a Catamaran out to a beautiful reef with coral and sponge. We saw so many different types of fish and even an eel. It is so amazing that sitting on land you look out at the ocean and it is so very pretty. But there is a whole other world that is just as remarkable under that gorgeous water. We snorkeled in about fifteen foot of water, for about an hour. It is something I would definitely do again!

Following our snorkeling adventure the Catamaran took us to a private beach on Cozumel where we went Kayaking and played on giant inflatable trampolines and water slides. We did take in a little shopping before returning to the ship.

I Laughed, I Cried, You Moved Me Bob

After a full day at Progresso we returned to the ship for some pool time in the late afternoon. Dinner was another elaborate meal. I may have a tough time getting Jon to eat Hamburger Helper again! The evening’s activities included a comedian. He did a lot of physical comedy and I laughed and laughed. Most of it was silly humor poking fun of people with tattoos in foreign languages; body piercings; and people from Arkansas.

Chicken Pizza

This morning we were up before sunrise for a little breakfast and to debarkation at Progresso, Mexico. Upon entering Mexico, there we were greeted by musicians and dancers, kind of like Hawaii only no leis and Mexican!

We then took a 2 hour tour bus ride to the center of the Yucatan to Chichen Itza, sounds like Chicken Pizza only without the ‘k’ and the ‘p.’ Chichen Itza is an amazing archeological find displaying one of the largest ziggurats in the American continents. It was built by the Mayas. If you knew none of the history of the Mayas or Chichen Itza, it would be amazing displays of beautiful buildings that long pre-date their discovery by Cortez. There is the ziggurat, multiple sports arenas, temples and more.

If you know any of the history, it is still beautiful, but sad. These people were able to calculate star mapping of the planets. They created several calendars, including one calculating the arrival of a child to a 9 month calendar. Another calendar was exactly 365 days calculating simply on the stars without the modern instrumentation we have.

They created an arena with acoustical properties that still can’t be explained. They strategically built the ziggurat positioned so that at the Equinox it looks like a snake descending the pyramid.

A people with great mathematical and astrological wisdom, yet they participated in the tens of thousands of human sacrifices to their god Kulkulkan. Their eventual demise would be from poisoning their own water system with so many dead bodies. It is just so amazingly sad that they thought a ‘god’ would require them to cut out the hearts of their living children. Scripture teaches us to pass down to the next generation God’s word. And this clearly didn’t happen, after the Tower of Babel those people didn’t pass down God. Yes a sacrifice was required but Christ was the perfect sacrifice and willingly did so for us.

Chichen Itza reminds me of the scripture, ‘He gave them over to their own depravity.’ It was still amazing to see, how smart these people were and how advanced, yet so ignorant.

Magically Delicious

Have you wondered what a gnome and mastiff share for breakfast? I was curious too! So I followed them this morning onto the Lido deck. When I peered over the booth to see what they were eating, no surprise, Lucky Charms with Chocolate milk. Apparently Cedric likes the ‘Magically Delicious’ aspect and Guinevere, just likes chocolate!

That's Amore

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Today Jon & I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. The cruise was his gift to me for our anniversary. He made all the arrangements including child care at home for the kids! Today we spent most of the day pool side. We also roamed all over the boat snapping pictures, but mostly spent the day being together. In the afternoon Jon had arranged a spa day complete with massage! In the evening we dined in the Windstar Dining Room. Jon said his Cornish hen was perfect and I enjoyed my lobster tail!
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When it was time for dessert, the Head Waiter had us sit on the same side of the table, while he and three attendents serenaded us and presented a beautiful heart shaped cake that read Happy Anniversary. It was also served with a sweet message from Frankie, Caleb & Abigail. We were also expected to dance while the waiters sang, ‘That’s Amore’.’
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Following dinner we watched the musical country chorus dance line, with spectacular Russian dancer. Lots of classic & modern country music, including 2 Toby Keith songs! I sang along (quietly) with every song.

We also joined in the Karaoke night. Okay, by joined in, I don’t mean we were silly enough to get up and sing, I mean we joined the group of people laughing, and cheering on those singing-along with the LCD screen.

All for Fun and Fun for All

I’m sure by now you are wondering what Cedric and Guinevere do while we are off having a big time. They really love the view out our balcony. Sometimes they just sit there for hours and watch the waves go by!

Let Them Eat Cake . . . cheese cake

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.Our three course dinner was fabulous! Jon had an appetizer of fried shrimp, then a main course of Rib eye, mac n’ cheese and I can’t remember what else. Me, well I had the lettuce wedge for an appetizer and then the grilled fish and roasted veggies for my entrée. You see, I was saving my calories for the yummy gooey molten chocolate cake. Oh, and Jon had cheese cake with strawberries.

After dinner there was a fabulous stage performance, complete with a Broadway dance line, a comedian a musician, just lots of fun. It was the ‘sampler platter’ of entertainment to come for this week.

All Aboard!

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After checking our baggage with the Hawaiian shirt clad porter we were able to proceed to the ship. Upon arrival on the ship we immediately headed poolside. As you can see in the photo of Jon, the deck was still empty, within an hour or so, every lounge chair on the boat was filled. After I took Jon’s picture, he took mine . . .let’s suffice to say, he was a little close! This was actually to be a funny pic of what I brought for reading material on the cruise . . . four commentaries on the book of Revelation

Continuing Adventure of Cedric & Guinevere

Guinevere & Cedric weren’t really much company on the drive from north Dallas to Galveston Island. Cedric isn’t much of a talker and Guinevere; well she gets sleepy when she rides in a car. Both were awake however, when we stopped at a Mexican Diner Sunday evening. In the lobby of this family owned restaurant was this life size horse. Not wanting to miss a photo op, Cedric and Guinevere quickly posed on the saddle.

The following morning before boarding the ship Guinevere & Cedric made another appearance. Both enjoyed a ‘handmade’ waffle and a banana. With their sweet-tooth satisfied, we proceeded to the dock!

Give Me that Old Time Religon

Sunday morning being the Lord’s Day, where else would you find Cedric and Guinevere but worshiping the Lord. We stopped at the Eastside Church of Christ in Corsicana, Texas. It was nothing like the Plano mega-churches; it was that A-frame church building of the 1950’s. With Songs of Praise and King James Version Bibles in the pews and the attendance count on the board at the front of the building.
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It very easily could have been the congregation in Baltimore, MD that my mom grew up in or the church in Clarksville, Arkansas that my dad grew up in, or the original auditorium at Owasso where Jon was raised and we were married.

The congregation still does those things that the churches of Christ did well. There is a bus ministry that picks up the children, the single mom’s and the elderly that otherwise wouldn’t have a way to know the Lord. I guess I should mention that this was an all Negro congregation and we stuck out like. . . well, . . . visitors!

It was a wonderful experience. There was no denying that we were visiting and we were greeted by all 60 people in the congregation. Upon entering the auditorium we couldn’t help but notice the ladies in their very fancy Sunday dress and matching hats. There was no casual wear to be seen. They had come to worship the Lord and they dressed like it.

The other thing we noticed was there were no men in the auditorium, which seemed quite strange. Then the door to the left of the auditorium opened, all the ladies stood and began singing as all of the men entered the auditorium. Every man was in a suit and tie, it may have been the same suit and tie he had worn every Sunday for the last 20 years, but he too was dressed to worship the Lord.

The singing was of course Acapella, and if you have ever been in spirit filled Negro congregation, instrumental music would have only acted to take away from the experience. The entire congregation stood every time the Lord’s Bible was read, the men prayed before the Lord’s Supper and prayed for blessings over the offering after it was collected.

The sermon was hell, fire and brimstone. It covered boys pulling the backs of their pants up: ladies pulling their skirt lines down, not forsaking the assembly: God hates divorce; staying away from the new XXX store one town over; the evils of dancing; turning away from man-made churches; and I’m sure I’m forgetting a few of the other bullet points.

It was such a thrown back to my growing up days with such a love and sincerity for seeking God’s truth. There was more scripture quoted in that one sermon than in a year’s worth of the typical ‘feel good, politically correct’ sermons offered today.

I love our congregation in Plano, and don’t want to leave the wrong impression. But if you grew up in the churches of Christ, you would understand what a wonderful homage this was to the small town congregations across the U.S.

Meet Cedric & Guinevere

Years ago Jon did some traveling for work and spent several weeks away from us The kids and I purchased ‘Gary’ the traveling gnome, packed him away in Jon’s suitcase. On that business trip Jon would email us various pictures of Gary’s adventures. Gary actually was a cement lawn ornament and continues to guard our back yard.

In preparation for our vacation, it became clear that the kids wanted a repeat of the traveling gnome. Uncle David arrived with a miniature plastic version of Gary named Cedric. In fact Cedric arrived with his own passport too. As it turns out, Cedric doesn’t like to travel alone, fortunately he brought his favorite traveling companion Guinevere, the English Mastiff, (a gift from the Gungans).

Being that International ship to shore calls are outrageous be prepared to find various adventures of Cedric & Guinevere uploaded throughout our vacation. This is mainly to keep Frankie, Caleb & Abigail amused and to avoid postings of mom in her swimsuit on the World Wide Web!

Cedric & Guinevere’s first stop on their vacation was well, Sonic. As you know Guinevere likes her Carmel Java Chillers, with an extra Sonic Boom and as it turns out Cedric does too. Guinevere, ever happy to help, made sure to share with Cedric.

The Winning Run

I’ve probably mentioned before the Abigail’s softball team, The Blue Crush, have played together for the better part of 5 years. The girls are talented ball players and sweet sprits. Every one of them really seems to love the game of softball and playing together. Coach Ron has been their leader and when he can, Jon jumps in there too. Today’s game was another fast paced game that was tied when the clock ran out. We continued to play and t was Abigail who brought in Ashlynn for the winning run!

Glorious Double Header

Caleb’s team also played today. Caleb’s team has only won three games this season, but Caleb still loves to play and Jon loves being out on the field with the boys. Caleb had two good hits and it was an exciting game, (that’s Caleb on first base and Jon coaching first). The team finished with their fourth win of the season with a final score of 5 to 6.
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On a side note, Uncle David was a little weirded out that I shared my Sonic iced tea with Padme’, however in my defense, I only shared it with Padme’ after I was thru drinking.