December 31st--Cozumel, Mexico

It has been a great day!! This  morning Anne and I woke up a little early and walked around the upper deck. It was nice to chit chat.  Although we've been together all week, I feel like we hadn't talked much so it was nice! 

Then  we decided to not do an excursion and trusted a travel agent that mom talked to on the boat which said to go to Paradise Beach.  Boy was that agent right!!

It was absolutely beautiful. It was a $40 taxi ride for 10 of us (Anne, Nolan, Peter, Mary Kay, Dan, Dad, Mom, Drew, Thom, and me).  Then $3 to use a beach chair. We chose to pay $18 to use all of the water equipment. 

They had a PHENOMENAL water inflatable toys. We got to play on all of them!! It was sooo fun! Drew, Thom, Anne and I all got passes. We had a blast!!

Dad, Mom and Nolan went jet skiing for 30 minutes. 

Peter loved playing in the sand.

They also had a beautiful pool that was heated. This  place had a resort feel without the resort.  Because we got there early we also had the place to ourselves for a bit. It was so much fun!

We went paddleboarding which was fun! But then Drew fell off his board in shallow water and cut his knee pretty bad. To clean it they put iodine and chlorine water on it. It just so happened that a doctor that Thom and Drew met two evenings ago at the Johnnie Walker tasting was there. He was able to give Drew an antibacterial thing and offered to use the liquid stitching that he had on the ship for him later.  Very kind of him.

After a bit we headed back to the shops. I got some vanilla, but found out that it isn't the true real pure vanilla as that is very expensive and they don't sell it at the ports or shops close here.

After bartering with Ken at the port, Thom and I are now enjoying chips and salsa at Senor Frogs.  Soon we will head back to the boat for our New Year's Eve fun! 

December 30th--Costa Maya, Mexico

December 30--Costa Maya, Mexico

Today was a down day for the Evans/Kedley crew. Thom and I woke up at a decent time, but by the time we ate breakfast, finished writing yesterday's blog post, and got ready it was almost 10. We then went to the port to see if we could find Mom, Dad, and Drew. Luckily within 15 or so minutes we found them-they were on their way back toward the boat.

Thom and I stayed and shopped around the port. The people were very welcoming and really wanted you to visit their shop.  We went to many shops, although many of them carry the exact same items.  Thom bartered with a worker and got two football team bags for $25 instead of just one for $25.  He also purchased a Mayan woodcarving head that says "Harley Davidson".  He talked that worker down from $35 to $20.  I bartered a little myself. I talked a man down from $8 for an ornament to $5. Not as much negotiating as Thom, but I did it.  

We then found ourselves at a restaurant/bar on the pier.  Thom ordered a DosXX and I had a lemonade. My lemonade came in a palm tree shaped cup.  We sat by the beach and watched the waves.  To the right in front of us were dolphins. Thom nearly had a heart attack when he saw a dolphin jump from the ocean into the water area where they do dolphin shows.  We didn't know there were dolphins there so it was rather surprising.

The Funkes/Rohdes went to a beach/village called Mahahual.  This was a village I did some research on and wanted to visit, but we decided to just stay on port today.

After a bit we got our picture taken with some people who were dressed as native Mayan people then headed back to the boat.  

Once back on board we decided to get in the pool and hot tub. After relaxing in the hot tub we moved outdoors on the deck. I started reading a new book called "Wonder".  It is about a little boy who is going into fifth grade and going to school for the first time. As if this wouldn't be hard enough, he also has a face deformity. I'm just in the beginning of the book, but I really like it.

Thom had to run back into the port to switch out his bag because it was already falling apart, so Mom and I walked the deck.  By the poolside they were teaching 70s line dancing.  So we joined in and danced.  Then it was back to the room to get ready for dinner. A couple of us met up for a drink before dinner.

Dinner was good as usual. I sat by Mary Kay and we had some good conversations about traveling and our days. The majority of us had chicken cordon blue for dinner. I had a crab cake and arugula/pear salad for an appetizer and a strawberry trifle for dinner. All were delicious. The strawberry trifle was very light and fluffy.

Peter has really taken a liking to our second waitress, Sarah. He is a big flirt with her. It is very cute. He laughs and giggles when she moves her eyebrows quickly. 

We then went to the centrium to get our picture taken, but they were also having name that tune. Thom won 3 Royal Caribbean writing utensils.  

Then we headed to the Masquerade Theater for "Slippery When Wet" a Bon Jovi tribute band. They were good.

Then most of us headed to bed. Dad went to the casino and came out ahead again.  then we grabbed a quick snack before bed. 

Tomorrow is our last port-Cozumel.

December 29-Belize

December 29--Belize City, Belize

This morning we ported a lot earlier than yesterday. Nobody had official plans for today, so we decided to wing it. We all met up at 8:15 to come up with a plan. It was decided that most people wanted to do some sort of a beach.  However, this would be tricky due to the fact that Belize is not a beachy place where we were. 

Due to the fact that the port does not have large enough docks for the cruise ships we had to be tendered in. It was a 20 minute ride into shore.  Of course there were many people who wanted to get off, so our group actually got split up before being tendered. Drew, Mom, and Dad went ahead of the rest of us and scoped it out. Dad was on the mission to figure out our plan for the day.  By the time we arrived on the pier, Dad had a couple options for us. The best option was to go outside the gate, get a water taxi, and head to a small beach at Caye Caulker. 

The next water taxi didn't leave for an hour so we had a chance to walk around the port. Thom enjoys bartering with the people. He got a pair of sunglasses, a Belize flag, a Hawaiian shirt that says "You better Belize it" and I got another "speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil" group of monkeys and a Christmas Ornament.

After shopping a bit we met back up and headed out for the Caye. In order to get to the water taxi we had to go out of the gates. Of course we got heckled a bit for things like taxis and tours, but we just said we had plans. Walking through the area outside the gate you could see the beginning of how poor the country was. Then we arrived at the water taxi station.  It was very true to the culture. I think we were the only tourist people there, the rest were locals.  It cost $30 BZD (Belize Dollars) or $15 American dollars for a round trip to Caye Caulker. 

At 10:30 it was our chance to load the water taxi boat. We were close to last to getting on. Saying that it was packed is an understatement. There were people nearly sitting on each other. There were benches around the outside, but also in the middle. There were all ages of people including a baby which was only a couple months and a dog. Due to the fact that it was so packed the lady came in and asked for a group of 3 to get off to take a different boat. We offered a group of 11. So we got off the first very stinky, close quarters boat, and moved to another boat. 

This boat had more room and a bit more of the touristy crowd. Mom, Nolan, Drew, and Thom sat at the back of the boat, while the rest of us were up at the front. It was a bit of a bumpy ride, but was very beautiful.  After 45 minutes or so we arrived at Caye Caulker. We weaved in between other islands so we were never quite sure where we were going. As we were going occasionally you would see little houses pop up in the middle of the ocean. We were told these were basically fishing houses. Fishers would go out all day in their boat and then would find a fishing house and stay there for the night. That way they didn't have to go all the way back into town. They were open to anyone. We also saw a huge house in the middle of the ocean. Come to find out, it was the owner of the ship tenders that built himself his own private island with his own house on it. It looked like it was still under construction.

Caye Caulker is a town of about 3,000 residents.  It truly had the Belize feel. From one side of the island you could see the other. To cross the entire island took 2 minute walking. The only motorized vehicle I saw was the big truck moving sand, other than that all I saw was golf carts and bicycles.  I would not define it as touristy at all.  After walking around a bit we found a small beach. It was more of a laying on the beach reading a book beach instead of a swimming beach.  Dad was the first to head out with his snorkeling gear. The sand turned to clay which turned into sinking clay. It was like walking in snow, at different times you could sink up to your knees.  There was also seaweed.  There was a tiny shopping market across the street from where we were so some people went over there to explore and get a drink. After that Nolan, Drew, and Owen went out into the ocean to meet Dad. Anne got a fabulous burrito from a local little hut. Then Ellen, Anne, and I headed out. As we were walking a local hollered at us come back and jump of the dock. He said there were yellow sting ray and sea urchin out there and we shouldn't be walking there--oops! We never saw any and Dad and Nolan said they didn't see anything through snorkeling.  

We really just walked around and enjoyed being at a local place.  Thom and Ken met a local from Colorado who said he came there six years ago and never left. I enjoyed walking around. Toward the end Thom and I stopped at a little drink hut to get a drink. He enjoyed the Belizean beer, Belikin, and I got a piña colada. It was by far the best piña colada I've ever had. It had fresh coconut and pineapple and he added a touch of cherry grenadine.  It was delicious. Then we headed back to catch the next boat back. In order to use the bathroom anywhere you had to buy another drink so I bought another piña colada so we could use the bathroom. This one tasted much different than the first, but was still completely delicious. 

On the ride back to Belize City Thom and I got to ride on the upper seats of the taxi. It was beautiful being able to look around and see everything. 

Once we were back on the port Anne, Nolan, Dad, Thom and I grabbed a bite to eat at the Wet Lizard. Dad got killa shrimp (when asked if it was spicy or not the waitress said it was mild--it was not!), Thom and I got coconut shrimp, and Nolan and Anne tried the Belizean sampler dish. Everything was delicious. 

Then Thom and I walked around the pier a bit before heading on board. We needed to be ready to go for geography trivia at 5:00. However, once it began it was not geography trivia because the person who was supposed to lead it was sick.  So we all played regular trivia. We did ok...not great though!

Then it was off to dinner. I had garlic soup, shrimp cocktail, and tiger shrimp. For dessert I had a bread pudding with caramel glaze. All of it was phenomenal. I do think the highlight of the dinner was convincing Owen and Nate to try escargot. Owen had no idea what it was and actually thought it was okay...until he found out what it was. Thom and Dad wore their Hawaiian shirts so toward the end of dinner Ken raced to his room to put his on. He was super speedy--made it in 2 minutes and 45 seconds!

After dinner there wasn't much going on. Mom and I looked at the different photos that had been taken while others went shopping. Thom, Drew, and Nolan signed up for a whisky tasting so they went to that at 8:00.  Mom and I put on our swimming suits and met Ellen and Margaret in the hot tub. Dad, Nate, and Owen watched Skyfall on the big screen by the pool and under the stars.  

As I was heading back to the room I met Thom in the hall who was all excited about an offer to buy Johnnie Walker Blue Label (over $250-$300) in US for only $140.  This kind will no longer be able to buy in a few years as they have stopped production. Some of the bottles of the green label which are no longer available are selling for thousands of dollars.  The man who led the tasting told them this is just a bottle you put on display and don't drink. So we bought a bottle. He also received a flask and a rolling bag for his purchase. 

Then we got pizza and watched a bit of the cultural dance show (put on by the crew) before heading to bed.

Tomorrow--Costa Maya!

 

December 28th Evening

After hopping back on the ship we headed to dinner.

Dinner was enjoyable because everyone had a lot to share about their day. Ken, Ellen, and Margaret went to the Gumbalimba Park. Margaret and Ellen seemed to really enjoy it...although a monkey did steal Ellen's earring. Ken even enjoyed a massage on the beach. Anne, Peter, Dan, and Mary Kay went to a beach that was just a 1 minute boat ride away.  Drew got a very enjoyable cultural experience going around with Oscar.

After dinner we went to the broadway show put on by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers.  It was ok in my opinion.

Then we headed over for our tradition of karaoke.  No one in our group sang.

After that was the most enjoyable part of our evening in our opinion.  We participated in the game show, Quest.  It is more of adult game show. You are in groups of up to 10 and it is a sort of a search and find.  The host would ask for something and and you had to take your number plus the item up. THey asked for everything from men's shoe laces, to lipstick, to bras, to fruit. It was a blast!! Best of all, our team won! We each won a medal and a backpack.  We had an older couple who had cruised a bunch on our group too so they were very helpful in giving us heads ups.  We also had a man named Doug with us. He is from Tampa and very nice. 

Drew, Thom, and I ended up talking with him a bit after and we met up with him and his sister at the Voyager's Club on the top. It was very enjoyable.

December 28--Roatan From Brian

Kathy, Drew and I did not plan an excursion for today.   We thought that we'd walk around a few shops and head back to the ship.  As we exited the gates of the pier, I was overwhelmed by the mod of people wanting to offer us their services.  First impression was that it wasn't safe.  We joined another couple and went to the first trinket store.  When we went to the next store, a young man about Drews age started following us and talking with us.  After a few minutes, I gave him a $5 and asked for him to show us around (the store).  He ended up walking us into town and telling us about the town and shops (from churches to hooker bars).  We spent several hours with him and finished with a drink.  We went back to the ship and he took Drew to the zipline.  Drew decided not to do the zipline so Oscar, the young man, took Drew on an extended tour of the town showing him his home and introducing him to his family.  It was an interesting day to see the culture and the very poor community of Roatan.

December 28--Roatan, Honduras

December 28--Roatan, Honduras

Phew! What an awesome day! 

This morning we docked at the Island of Roatan, Honduras.  It is beautiful!! Due to the travel, this is the latest docking time (10:00). So we got to sleep in a bit and enjoy some breakfast. 

Then we were off on our excursions! Nolan, Nate, Thom, and I went on the Caribe Extreme Zip Lining.  It was fabulous!!

The car ride there was beautiful. It was a true taste of the culture.  

Once arriving we got geared up in our harnesses, helmets, and gloves. Drew let us use his GoPro, so we should have some amazing videos to share when we get back!

Then we were off to the Zip Lines. The crew was so quick at getting us on and off.  Each zip line lasted between 15-30 seconds.  The longest one was 1,958 feet. Which is the longest on the island and the second longest in Central America.  It was BEAUTIFUL!!! You forgot to be scared at how high you were up because your surroundings were stunning.  To the right there were lush green jungles, and to the left, the beautiful blue ocean.  

There were 12 zip lines all together. It was amazing! Words cannot even describe it!

Once we got back we toured the port a bit. There were many nice shops. We went outside the gate for a more cultural experience. We had two boys, Anthony and James, both 13 who showed us around. They took us to markets and even helped lift Peter's stroller down the stairs.  Of course they were working so we tipped them at the end. They were very conversational and kind.  They said they go to school February through November.  Then we walked around with Owen for a bit before retreating to the ship.

Now I am sitting at the port posting this right now. Mom and Dad are sitting with us. We sure are looking forward to dinner and listening to everyone's stories!

December 27- Come Sail Away!

December 27-Come Sail Away

It's sail day #1! 

Thom and I slept in and then worked out...nothing super exciting there. 

Mom enjoyed her birthday gift from Dad, a massage at the Spa. She said it was very relaxing.  

I think everyone has just been using today as a relax day. I've seen Ken and Margaret in the pool, the boys enjoyed some shuffleboard, and I sure enjoyed sleeping in!

We enjoyed lunch at the buffet while Drew went to an art auction.

At 2:30, Anne, Mary Kay, Drew and I did the wine tasting. We had four wines with cheeses. They were from a winery called Lafite. It was very enjoyable. This wine is very special because they have a special contract with Royal Caribbean. You cannot even order it off the menu here, only at the wine tasting. 

Tonight was formal night on the boat. For dinner I had a shrimp ravioli with a chicken gnocchi appetizer.  For dessert I tried a chocolate soufflé, a chocolate sensation mousse, and lemon meringue pie.  All were very good. We got our tables placed together so now we are one large table. It is very nice. 

After dinner we went to the magician show, Puck. He was on America's Got Talent.  He did some interesting tricks.  We sat with Owen, Nate, Ken, Margaret, Ellen, and Mom.  Then we made our way to karaoke.  

Ken sang "The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel.  Thom sang "Take it Easy" by the Eagles. Both were very good. It was a really fun night at karaoke.  I think it is becoming a bit of a tradition for us. I know they are already planning what they might be doing tomorrow night! 

After karaoke, Ellen, Thom, Drew, Nate, and I went to the Voyager's Lounge which is on the top floor above the smoke stack pipe (I think).  It was a dance club.  The DJ played some great dancing tunes.  

The boat was rather rocky today.  We definitely could feel it moving. Even the crew commented on how rough it was.  

Tomorrow, Roatan, Honduras!

December 26

Once we were on the ship we enjoyed walking around. We explored everything! 

Dinner was at 5:30 in the Aquarius Room. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed by our first dining experience. The staff must have been very new. We didn't get asked if we wanted any drinks and our service was rather slow.  Hopefully it was just first day issues and all will be resolved tonight. 

I enjoyed a stripsteak with baked potato and vegetables with an almond chocolate cake for dessert. For my starter I ordered a kiwi, strawberry, and pineapple plate, but it came back with all melon and a strawberry. So I gave it to Peter as he was loving all the fruit.  

After dinner half of the group went to the evening show and the other half explored some more. I walked around with Dan, Mary Kay (Anne's Parents), Anne, and Peter. We listened to some music and went in the shops. Thom and Drew explored the bars with Nolan. 

Then some of us met up with Dad in the casino.  He was lucky on the video poker. Nate and I tried to be as successful, but we were not. Thom also received $10 in free play, but he did not win. 

With everything we did I think the highlight of the night was karaoke.  We all joined in the Some Enchanted Evening Lounge and watched karaoke. All along Ken had said he was going to do karaoke, but everyone thought he was fooling. He was not! He sure got up there and sang "Forever and Ever, Amen" by Randy Travis.  He did a great job too! 

After Karaoke, Nolan, Nate, Owen, Drew, Thom, and I went and walked around the upper deck. It was WINDY! There were moments where you had to use all your might to keep going! Thom and I also explored the Voyager's Lounge. It is more of a dance party and it was disco night!

Then we checked in for the evening. 

Tomorrow is a sail day!

Saturday, December 26- We're on the boat!

We made it on the boat! We left Orlando around 8:30 this morning. We parked in Tampa with ease and were loaded on the boat rather quickly! No waiting in line for us! We've walked around the boat a bit and are now enjoying lunch at the WindJammer buffet!

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Funke/Rohde Family! They'll be here soon!

Friday, December 25- Disney

Merry Christmas!!

Our day was spent at Disney. We got up extra early this morning to make it to Epcot so we could be there before it opened. The park was to open at 8:00am. We arrived at 7:35 and it was already open! Our plan was to rush to Soarin' (Dad's favorite ride). Due to the new FastPass system we couldn't get a FastPass to it so it was either wait in a very long line, or get there early. As you enter the park you need to scan your ticket, then your finger. All of us got through with no problems....except Thom. Thom's finger wouldn't work, so the supervisor had to come over. Turns out, it was a blessing in disguise. We found out that the ticketing system was using the 10-day passes that we have instead of the 1-day passes like they should have (considering they expire at the end of the year). So we had to head over to guest relations. Of course there was a little line there. We saw our chances of getting into a short line at Soarin' slipping away. We worked with the Disney cast member to sort out the situation and after 20 minutes it was all figured out. For our troubles she even gave us 3 more bonus FastPasses to be used at Epcot anytime, anywhere!-Awesome!!

Once we got in the park we still headed to Soarin'. We were able to get through twice in a relatively short amount of time.  At 10:00 we headed to the World Showcase (countries).  Because it opened at 10:00, there were very few people walking around. Drew decided to do the Holiday Passport that they offered. It was completely free. Just go around and get stamps from each of the countries. It was interesting to see what each country's stamp was. They also wrote "Merry Christmas" in their native language.

One of the main things we wanted to get while we visited the countries was Creme Brulee. Dad had been talking about it all morning They have it in France. It was tasty.

We also tried Sake in Japan for the first time. Mine was the best. It tasted like lemonade. Drew and Thom's were a bit drier. And very alcoholy tasting.

We enjoyed the ride Test Track before we had lunch. Last time we were here the ride was sponsored by GM. Now it is sponsored by Chevrolet. Due to this change, the ride had also changed. The track the ride stayed on was exactly the same. However, with the new version of the ride you got to create/design your own vehicle. You get to pick the shape, color, face, graphics, everything! Then the ride is based on testing your vehicle. So as you go, they test all things like efficiency, power, energy, and resilence.  You are competing against other people in your vehicle to have the best rated car. The first time Mom, Dad, and I (we were a team) beat Drew and Thom (the other team). The second time we went on the ride Thom won best car by 1 point. The new changes to the ride really made it better.

In between our Test Track rides we enjoyed lunch at the Nine Dragons restaurant in China. They have the best Chinese food that we've ever had. It is so delicious. We got honey sesame chicken, kung pao chicken, pepper beef, and chicken/beef skewers. We were channeling The Christmas Story...Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra! (without the duck).

Next we headed to Hollywood Studios. We took the Friendship Ferry over from Epcot. It was relaxing. Hollywood Studios is the park that we've visited the least. I do not know how to get around that particular park very well, although I have a much better grasp after tonight. I was the instigator of wanting to go to Hollywood Studios because I wanted to see the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, as this is the last year they will be doing it, and I had never seen it before.

First though, we had FastPasses to use to Rockin' Rollercoaster (Drew's favorite ride) and Tower of Terror. Unfortunately Rockin' Rollercoaster was down during our time, so we headed to see a 3D Jim Hansen's Muppets Show instead. It was cute.  By the time the show was over we headed to the area that the lights would be.

The Spectacle of Dancing Lights could not have been more amazing. All the buildings on the street were covered in lights. They also flashed along matching the music! We absolutely loved them! It was just about to get dark, so we decided to come back when it was dark to see more.

So we headed back to Rockin' Rollercoaster. It was fun--such a good rollercoaster. Quick, but good.  Then Drew and Thom went to Tower of Terror while Dad, Mom and I went back to the lights. They were even more gorgeous in the dark. It was almost breathtaking. Just really put you in a good Christmas spirit.

After that we met back at the entrance to head back to the condo. Drew, Thom, and Dad enjoyed a drink by the pool while Mom and I ran to Subway and Walgreens.  Now, people are heading to bed as we have a very exciting and eventful day tomorrow...we load the boat!

Anne, Nolan and Family have all made it safely to Tampa. We look forward to meeting them on the ship tomorrow!

On the boat I won't have internet, so this may be my last post until Monday.

Bon Voyage!

We made it!

Whelp, we made it! We left yesterday (Wednesday). We had a bit of a struggle getting out the door. The down pour that was occurring in Osceola didn't help much. Due to the rain, we had to load the back end in the garage. Wasn't much of an issue, but because of it, we couldn't kick the cats out of the garage because they'd just waltz back in. Thom, Drew, and Dad worked on bagging the suitcases in heavy plastic bags and then strapping them down with a tarp over them while Mom and I finished up things inside.  The goal was to leave by 2:00.  After loading all the suitcases and trying to get the cats out of the garage, it was about 3:00 by the time we set off. We got about a mile or two away before I looked in the video camera case to begin our "we're off!" video, and found that the charger for the video camera was not in there. Because we were so close we decided to turn around and get it.  It was a good thing we did, because Dad realized he forgot to set the house alarm! So Mom and Dad ran in the house (keep in mind it is still pouring out) to set the alarm, kick out another cat, and get the charger. As we were leaving the house for the second time, I checked facebook. Luckily, someone posted that there were tornado watches and possible 2" hail in southeast Iowa, where we were headed. So we decided to reroute ourselves. We headed south to Kansas City.

Once though Kansas City we shot east to St. Louis and then headed south on our normal plan. Dad started out driving, and I took over after Kansas City.

We drove through the night--nothing overly exciting. Thom and Drew watched almost the entire first season of "Game of Thrones".  Mom was a great co-captain for both Dad and I. There was a pretty bad rain storm near Nashville that Dad drove through, but I slept through it.

Dad also realized he forgot a part for his breathing machine, so that began the journey of trying to find an open medical supply store which carries the part along the route we were traveling. Luckily, we found on in Lake City, FL. We made it to the condo (in Kissimmee) around 1:00 and checked in no problem.

Then began the unpacking.

Keeping in mind that the suitcases were in strong bags and covered with a tarp, we didn't thing anything bad would happen.  Unfortunately we were wrong. Dad and my suitcases were just fine. Drew's was a little damp, and Mom's was SOAKED. Almost everything in it was soaked. This included all her nice formal clothes, toothbrush, shoes, etc. Two things got ruined. She bought a new navy shirt, which unfortunately when it got wet, bled all over her white lacy blouse and her new cream cardigan. She was such a good sport about all of it. After all, what can you do?

We did what I think anyone would do---we went shopping! There is a very nice outlet mall close to the condo, so we drove there and did some quick shopping to replace the ruined items. We may have gotten a couple other items :)

While Mom, Drew and I were shopping, Dad was reading by the pool, and Thom worked out. Once we were all back together we headed to UNOS for pizza. We got the Numero Uno (meat and veggies) and Hawaiian. Both were delicious. I also got a candied walnut and goat cheese salad. It was tasty. We were so hungry considering all we had eaten was a little breakfast at 6:30 from McDonalds.

After that we headed to Walmart to pick up a few things. Of course, wine for the cruise was on the list. You can take 2 bottles per stateroom onto the ship.  As I was checking out I went to grab the bag and somehow the bag broke, or the wine wasn't in the bag, or who knows what, but it shattered all over the ground.  

So between forgotten items, soaked suitcases, and broken wine, we aren't off to the best start! However, no injuries yet!

Once back to the condo we exchanged Christmas gifts (thank you L&L, Karen, and Nana!) then headed to a much deserved hot tub. It was quite relaxing.  It is currently 9:30 here in Florida and two people are already in bed. Everyone is rather exhausted.

The weather is absolutely GORGEOUS! I think it was mid to upper 80s today. Will be the same tomorrow. I heard on the radio that they said it is the warmest Christmas ever.

I don't have many pictures from yesterday/today.
Tomorrow to Disney!