Sophie got her ears pierced!

Asa and Sophie smiling for the camera, waiting for the
salon people to get the guns ready!




Sophie was SO excited and had been Begging for pierced ears for months, Mom finally caved! She sat in the chair, fidgetting, excited, and starting to get a little nervous.









There were 2 techs, working together. Poor Sophie, she went quickly from Smiling to trying NOT to cry--because it did hurt, just like Mom & Katy said it would! The look on her face when they snapped those guns! I bit more shocked than what you see here-and she had a Death Grip on Mom's hands during the whole process!







But, a little numbing cream, and a look at the pretty 'diamond' studs IN her ears, and Sophie is a HAPPY girl with PIERCED ears!!

Gentlemen-- Start Your Engines!

It's Pinewood Derby time, YoOoHoOoo!

The Winners' Circle! (or is the horse racing?!)

Ben took FIRST!!

Way

to

go

BEN!!!

Cruise Portrait!

Mexican Riviera Cruise! part 2

Our second port of call was MAZATLAN! We rented a boat, for just our party, to take us out snorkeling!!










After the snorkeling, and a quick stop back at the ship to clean up and drop off our towels and snorkels, we toured the back streets of Mazatlan, going 'deep' into the authentic parts! We were so 'deep' into town, we were shopping in the non-US money areas, and VERY little English or Spanglish spoken! Here is one of the markets we walked through! It was REALLY fun to see and do!









LAST stop: Cabo San Lucas!









The famous Arch of Cabo!

We didn't pre-book anything for Cabo, the plan was to step off of the tender (a small boat ride from the ship to port), and find something to do! Well, we stepped off the tender and were swarmed with 'marketers' trying to 'selling' their tour--we felt like we were being surrounded by the 'Finding Nemo' seagulls, "mine, mine, mine!"












Aren't we the daring ones! Parasailing was SO much fun and another great view of the port and ship!













After the excursion, we split up from the BIG group and did some more back street touring! And by this time, of course, we were all Starving, and where better to have REAL, Authentic Mexican food, than a Mom & Pop, "hole-in-the-wall" place to eat! (We did this in Mazatlan, also!) It was the BEST food, and FUN trying to figure out what the menu items were!











Back on the Ship--it was Robert's Birthday!


What are friends for, right?!!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY











And, we got to tour the Galley (the kitchen), along with everyone else on the ship that wanted to tour! Note, the galley was empty, but could you image the noise & 'organized' chaos that happens during meals, most especially Dinner! Whew!












And, of course, when there wasn't Anything to do on the ship--We played CARDS!! Anywhere we could find a table big enough for 10 people! (Not the ship's card room-the tables were big enough for 4 people, and they DIDN'T move!) We did learn-playing cards on the Lido Deck wasn't a really good idea! It was a little breezy, and when the cards blew off of the table-they got WET! (We ARE on a ship, in the 'middle' of the Pacific Ocean, and the deck is nearly always wet/damp!)

We got a lot of attention, with such a Large group. What suprised us more was the number of people that actually Knew what game we were playing!

Mexican Riviera Cruise! part 1

We just got back from our 7 day Cruise to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan & Cabo San Lucas!

We started on a Saturday, drove to Salt Lake City for dinner, then a hotel stay. Our flight was scheduled to leave Early, so we had to be there even EARLIER--6 AM, that meant catching the shuttle at 5:30! Ugh!! Then, there was some sort of schedule mix-up & there were no Flight Attendants scheduled, and they had to call some in at the last minute--so we waited!

Once on board, we made ourselves comfortable, dropped the carry-ons in our cabins, then started touring the ship! Our 'party' consisted of 5 couples Total!

Here is our 1st formal night (on a 7 day cruise-there are 2 formal nights) Aren't we Pretty?!

There is ALWAYS something to do on a Cruise Ship!

The AUSTIN POWERS

dance class!

Then the ports of call and shore excursions! Our first stop was Puerto Vallarta:

This was a Really WINDY ride!

This group usually performs on land in their own 'theater', and they charge. But, they were remodelling, so Carnival arranged for them to come onto the ship to perform-free (to us, I'm sure Carnival paid them!)

New Year's Eve Paartay!

We got together with a few other couples, you know, the friends we ALWAY hang out with! After setting the kids up with movies and Disney Channel New Year's Party, we headed out for dinner, then games and celebrating!

The big 'game' of the evening was a Photo Scavenger Hunt-most of the items required a picture as proof that you had found it!
The List (just to name a few):
shake hands with a policeman, a bouquet of flowers, a purple house, a dog (not your own), a stranger texting, a stranger listening to an ipod, an atm, the steps of the courthouse, and NFL sweatshirt/cap/t-shirt, a yellow traffic light, a message given to a team member from a nurse, etc...
We played WIVES



versus HUSBANDS

New Year's Eve Party cont...

Here we are, back at the office comparing photos and lists!

Scavenger hunt is over-we won't mention

who won-let's just say we called it a tie! No more running around,

we're just kicking back, snacking and waiting for midnight!

Next up while we wait--can you guess?! ----- CARDS!!

As midnight arrived, Robert broke out the Hard Stuff--Sparkling Cider!

** ** ** ** ** Happy New Year!!! ** ** ** ** **

We started winding down before midnight, once midnight came and went, boy, so did we!...

We must be getting old if making it to midnight on New Year's Eve is difficult! We were headed home by 12:15!!