We are Home!!!

We had so much fun , but I have to admit it is GOOD to be home!!!! We have been home for 2 days and I have my laundry and blogging finished. So now it is really good to be home( Bri the blog thing is for you I know you were waiting for it :) I am always so grateful to be able so spend time with my family and to come and go in safety. Though it is hard to have my kids and Trav go back to work and school........... I get SPOILED when we go on vacation!!!

This is at the Port of Call

the entrance to where the ships load and unload

This was the FUN customs line.

The FBI,and Immigration were all over the place , so it was full of nice happy helpful people who loved kids. NOT !!!!!

The first look at our ship

you could feel the excitement in the air

As we are taking off from Long Beach

on the lido deck

This is a better look at the ship as Riley was driving us back from Catalina

It is a lot bigger than it looks

What we did on the ship.

I just wanted to post a few random pictures of what we did on the ship, but it would take pages and pages to do it individually . So I did it with slide show .( You can put your mouse on the picture and it will tell you a little about what you are looking at.)We hope you enjoy, I know we sure did!!!!!

Catalina Island !!!

Isn't this beautiful?!?! Catalina has a lot of cool things to see and do; however you just don't have a lot of time to do it in.(5.5 hours) So since Trav and I have been here before, and the kids REALLY wanted to go snorkeling , that is what we did most of the time. We spent a few hours in the morning shopping and looking for a good place to snorkel. (that is also kid friendly) We finally found a beautiful spot with a nice beach and bathrooms close by:) (with Tyler around it is all ways a good idea to know where one is close!!!) We all had a blast!!!!We are in a little boat headed for Catalina. Just like the one you see coming toward us in the picture.

(It is to shallow for the ship to dock there so we have to take little boats to shore, it takes about 5 mins or so)

We all sat in the back of the boat ,because they said you get a little wet!!!!

(and of course the kids were all over that)

The boys are going to try out the water for us

cold!!!!

Brayden was a little nervous so he rode piggy back on Trav's back for a few mins first.

(anyone who has been in the ocean knows how intimidating the under toe can be ex specially when you are in the deep water!!!!)

Awe, there you go Brayden. There were a lot of cool fish and things for them to look at. It was so much fun. They did this for hours and hours. Time flies when your having fun !!!!

Catalina Island part 2

Tyler about got attached by a bird and didn't like snorkeling ( it kind of scared her) so we did other things...........
We relaxed on the beach in the shade for a while

(It was around 100 degrees)

Then the kids went looking for crabs and shells

Tyler and I played in the sand while the boys snorkeled some more.

Here are two shells Tyler found on the beach

Catalina Island part 3

What in the world ?????

(these shells move!!)

I guess they are not just shells after all .... they have little crabs inside of them.

(darn it now we can't take them home.)

This brave boat driver let Riley drive us back to the ship.

It is not cool to let people know how excited you really are about this..... so not trying to smile is the best idea :)

FINALLY , after much pleading we got him to look at us. What a great job he did!!!!

As everyone got of the boat they told him what a great job he did, and because he was the 1st one off ,and we were the last ones off ,he got to talk to every one ! WAY to much embarrassment for a 13 year old to take.

Back to the ship to get ready for Mexico .

Ensenada, Mexico

Ensenada is a Beautiful place!!!!! In spite of the fact that it is so poor, It has some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. The people are so nice ( the ones who are not begging you for money) And there culture is fascinating. It is very interesting to me any way to learn about other peoples culture.though it is also kind of sad to see little kids begging in the streets, and playing in who knows what. (we are glad we don't know what) Good lessons learned this day........ Very HUMBLING!!!!!!!!!This guy was playing some cool ocean type music, The guy(pollo) who showed us around said these guys (native Indians) don't speak English or Spanish they have there own language only the Natives know.

cool outfit huh???

Riley enjoying the view waiting for La Bufadora

(the blow hole)

This is La Bufadora one of only 3 natural blow holes in the world

It is a cave below sea level and when the waves come in, it builds pressure until it finally blows!!

And there she blows !!!!!!

This picture just doesn't do it justice , It was cool

Ensenada, Mexico part 2

After we watched the blow hole for a while, we went shopping. Now everyone knows I like to shop, but shopping in Mexico is a whole different ball game and a real eye opener. It sure make me appreciate all that I have and how thankful I am to be an American with all of our luxuries that we take for granted every day. It was a good lesson for the kids so see that not every one is as lucky as we are. And we should be so thankful for the life style in which we live. We may not have every thing we want but we have every thing we need and so much more!!!!!

Look at the beautiful back ground.

We are approaching Main Street

(the main shopping area where you get attached by shop owners begging you to stop by their store . It can be very over whelming and a little scary!!!! )

Yep this is it !!!!

Aren't you glad you don't have to shop here every day.

This is the store where Tyler bought her sandals.

The girl who she bought them from was about 10 years old

This is Trav's new friend :)

(Tyler thinks this is so funny)

Magic Mountain

I know I did it again . So just read the one below this first. SORRY!!!!! Any way the first two pictures were taken in the Fun House and the name couldn't be more true. Even the big kids liked it there. We spent about 2 hours all together, and then we still had to drag them out. Riley is now a professional sniper, so watch out ( he spent all his time shooting poor unsuspecting by standards just trying to take pictures:) and The 2nd picture is of a stove that would blow the balls up so it looked like they were floating . Mckay was fascinated he spent a good 30 min trying to figure out how in the world this magic worked . The fun house also had hoses ( 10 or so) that would suck up the foam balls and then when it would suck up 500 balls it would blow them all over the place again . It reminded me of home just when you get a mess cleaned up...... 2 seconds later you would NEVER know.

Doesn't he look innocent!!!!

He is amazed!!!

Tyler and Brianna were picked to be in one of the shows. They had 1 min. to get a costume out of the box and put it on. It was cute to watch and they had fun, so good times!

Don't they look great!!!!

The fun always has to come to an end and before you know it, it's time to say good bye .(SAD!!!!) But hopefully we will see each other soon . We all made it home safe and sound. We can't wait for the next trip!!!!

Magic Mountain

We LOVED Magic Mountain!!!!!! It was so fun and we really enjoyed seeing everyone! I was going to just do a slide show because there are so many pictures but then we couldn't tell about them so Tyler wanted me to do it this way instead. So hope this isn't to much..... I know every ones vacation pictures are some times way too much if you weren't there. This is at the entrance of M.M

What a cute bus full of kids (and Brothers)

Tyler , Brianna, and Baby G enjoying a roller coaster ride!!!

Look how big they are getting !!!!!!!

( take your pick of who. From Riley to Baby G ,

they all grown up so much in a year)

Here are the CUTEST kids ever!!!!

This is for the Girls..... Bri, Kirst , Chris, & Mel

(just click on the picture to make it bigger)

See You In A Week!!!!!!!!!

Well , It is that time already. We are leaving for our trip ( we will be going on a cruise to Mexico and the we are going to Magic Mountain in L.A when we get off the ship) . We will post all about it when we get back . Can't wait to see everyone who is going to be there:) and will be missing everyone who couldn't make it this time:( We will be home the night of 10/18/08.

Ahrrrrr.................. Matey's

What cute kids (pirates)!!!!

And the winner is ........Captain Brayden

The kids had Pirate Day at school (Brayden's Favorite ) So they dressed up like pirates and had a contest to see who was the best (one per grade) Tyler was a little sad because she didn't win(and if you ask her she was the best) but, Brayden Won for the 5th grade !!!!!! Way to go Brayden. What fun.

It happened again!!!!

Tyler is a toothless wonder:) and she is so excited!!!!!! She just hopes they don't grow in before Christmas. I can't believe she is old enough to be missing so many teeth.