Catching up

What a whirl wind it feels like we have been living in! Finally, I have some time to sit down, blog, relax and get back into the groove.

So...to catch you up:

The cruise was great. We had a really nice time and Cooper loved being on "Grandpa's Ship". We sailed on the Carnival Sensation, Thurs-Sun to Nassau. I did freak out with anxiety before we left, stressed that I had packed everything we all needed and that I had gotten all I needed for work done before we left of Thurs. around 1:00 pm. I also had a hard time at the cruise terminal. All the Carnival employees who worked with my dad came up to say hello and trying not to cry got really hard, the men in the uniform he used to wear was hard to see too. Being there without my dad just felt so wrong but we pushed on as I held (not so well) the tears back.

Thursday we ate, got our bearings around the ship, ate some more, and Rob and my mom took in an 80's show, which if you know Rob he loved! as I put Cooper down to sleep.

Friday we woke up in Nassau and Rob and I took a morning to ourselves and got to go on a historical tour while Cooper napped back on the ship with Grammie. The weather for the weekend wasn't great, cloudy and kinda cold but lucky for us we are used to the sunshine so we didn't miss it. We got to enjoy our time outside and not be too hot. After lunch we all got off the ship and went to the straw market.Rob was so taken by the children selling things in Nassau (wooden flutes, necklaces etc) that I think he spent like $20 giving all the kids dollars as they asked him to by something. He knew this would happen as it always does but he said he couldn't resist their little faces even when he didn't know what would happen to the money. He smiled and talked to all of them and even if you see in the photos from the previous post, took a picture with one little girl. He told her "go get those tourists like me and sell, sell, sell!" So cute. Cooper napped most of the time we were out in his stroller and really did well the whole trip. The entire staff on board really loved making him smile and as you can imagine, Cooper ate up the attention! That night Rob stayed in the cabin with Cooper and Mom and I gambled (winning only what we lost, it was a wash really) and had a night out.

Saturday was our day at sea where we relaxed, read, took naps and ate....what else but eat, eat, eat. Every time we sat down Rob would say "I am not going to eat, I am too full from - insert last meal eaten here-" and then we'd agree and then we'd all eat like we hadn't eaten all day...crazy! That night Rob and I took in a show and Mom stayed back with the Coop. For all you who know we are crazy Bingo players, Mom and I did play bingo but won nothing but a bottle of champagne from the "lucky losers drawing" but I yelled for my mom when we she went up to get it like she won big money! "Yeah Joann!"

So we are home and I am also posting late tonight since I took one more day off work to go down to Stuart with my mom to finish getting everything out of Aunt Gracie's place for the donation people to pick up all the furniture, the TV etc. This past month seemed to have flown by with obligations like this, the trip, visits etc.

I posted these pictures with this post as a THANK YOU to my hubby whom I NEVER brag about. As you all know, I always give him a hard time. Today he stayed home to take care of Cooper all day as I was out taking care of things down in Stuart. Rob has really being pulling more than his share of the weight around here this month as I have been super busy with work, the Aunt Gracie stuff, grief in general etc. Today I came home from the 4 hour there and back drive to find: 1) Cooper so happy (the photos are the proof), fed, clean and his hair all rocker spikey 2) the house clean (I am talking bathrooms, floors vacuumed, kitchen cleaned) 3) laundry from the trip and in general washed, folded and all things trip related put away EVEN the dryer lint was cleaned out of the dryer. 4) clean up the yard and pool from all the wind we have had 5) have a meeting with the contractors who are putting in new windows in our house and a new garage door 6) get all the paperwork completed AND signed and noterized for the permits for the work 7) update our car insurance policies....all in the 6 hours I was gone today. Taking care of a 6 month old is really enough all day but looks like someone learned how to multitask!

I never publicly commend him but...I think the dryer lint sent his duties above and beyond so..thanks hon!

Oh, one more thing I almost forgot.... we all also shared one cabin on the trip (we are cheap like that you know!) and Rob got to sleep on the top bunk as Mom and I shared two twins pushed together underneath. Let's just say, Rob was a tremendous sport for not only putting up with this arrangement and really having a great trip but for taking Mom and I cackle with laughter as he got up and down that tiny ladder for three days! I prayed he wouldn't kill himself on that thing and I guess my prayers were answered :)