Cruising the Caribbean

We were able to take the kids on a cruise again for spring break this year.  This time we went to the Southern Caribbean.  My sister Angie came along with us, which was fun.  Clay and I have taken a cruise with a similar itinerary before so we knew we would like this one.  We had a different port almost everyday, which was nice because our ship didn't have a whole lot to offer the kids.  We generally don't like being on the ship all day, so this was nice.  We went to the beach everyday and the kids loved that.
This cruise left out of San Juan, Puerto Rico.  We stopped in St. Thomas, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Maarten.  We flew out a day early and stayed over a day after, so we were able to enjoy San Juan a little.  We even attended church on Sunday before we got on the ship.  Clay thought he had found an English speaking branch but it turned out to be Spanish speaking.  Me and the kids could not understand anything, but it was a good experience for us.  We even met a couple from Twin Falls Idaho.  They were going on the same cruise.  They even knew someone in our ward who had lived in Twin only a year.  Small world!  It was testimony meeting.  One lady we met when we got there (we wondered if she was the Relief Society Pres.) translated for us.  However, she sat at the opposite end of my bench, in front of the Twin Falls couple, and I couldn't really hear her.  The hymns sounded the same though, only in Spanish.  I just sang them in English.  :) We found out San Juan is pretty expensive just in general.  Every time we got in a cab it seems like it was at least $20.  Sometimes we only went a mile or so.
We can't complain though.  The warm weather and sunshine was so nice! I'm grateful that we have been able to do these kinds of things with our kids.
The kids are wondering what cruise we are taking next year. :)

Clay and I got upgraded from Atlanta to San Juan.  He let Sophie sit in first class with me.  On the way home Clay sat up there with Max.

Checking out the birds in the hotel lobby on our way to church

Here we are outside the church meeting house, we went up the stairs for sacrament meeting.

Eating lunch before getting on the ship, Senor Frog.  

Our first night on the ship was also Clay's birthday.  Happy Birthday Clay!!

The kids with Ziggy, one of our waiters.

Eating dinner

The kids all got up and danced with the waiters after dinner

St.  Kitts

They all loved these monkeys.  Jack wants to go on his mission here so he can have one as a pet.

In front of our ship

They loved the towel animals

We saw a few iguanas around the pool at our hotel in San Juan

We saw the Easter Bunny at the mall in San Juan before dinner

Angie and Jack playing basketball at our hotel in San Juan.