Spring is Here!

I am a firm believer that I suffer from that "no sun--no fun" disease...can't remember the exact name, but I need my vitamin D, and NOT from a bottle!  We just got back from a wonderful spring break vacation and I do feel rejuvinated!
We traveled by car for three days to get to Ft. Lauderdale, FL, where we boarded a cruise for the Western Carribean.  Those first three days were truly wonderful...really!  Who would think that driving nearly 24 hours would be fun...but breaking it up into three days, visiting those sites we've always seen on previous road trips but couldn't stop to see, made all the difference in the world.

We first stopped in Chattanooga, TN to visit some Civil War sites.  Lookout Mountain was incredible! They say you can see 7 states from the top, and while my geography has never been strong, I believe it!  Of course, the amateur ghost hunter in me took several photos of the grounds, looking for any sign of a past life...but nothing showed up!

Our next stop was to Daytona Beach and The Shores Resort and Spa.  (I'd eagerly recommend this place to ANYONE visiting the Daytona Beach area!) We were surprised to see a Navy Seal event going on at our hotel that weekend!  My youngest LOVES the military, particularly the Navy Seals.  This was fate bringing us all together.  The Navy LeapFrog team literally jumped from an Air Force plane onto our beach...and since we had the benefit of getting upgraded to a balcony room ON THE BEACH...we saw it all!  They then had some competition where teams of about 5 guys had to run, swim, and then do 1,000 push ups, 1,000 sit ups, and 600 pull ups!  Of course, the team members took turns doing their 100 or so, but it was amazing to see the physically fit athletes doing what they did.  Joe was in heaven!
Our third day took us to Port Everglades to board our cruise.  The process was seemingly smooth and our bags even arrived to our room well before dinner!  Having difficulty finding my sea legs, I always need to wear my "sea bands" to keep the stomach in control...I never even pulled them out until the second night, when our captain was "driving the ship" rather fast and even staff onboard were feeling the effects! 

The boys absolutely love having control of their own time--being able to have the run of the ship and check in with us every now and then. Except for one night, we always ate breakfast and dinner together.  And we did do our onshore excursions together...which Ocho Rios, Jamaica totally won all the points on! We planned our own excursions, saving money on what we would have paid on the ship, and visited Mystic Mountain in Ocho Rios.  We took a chairlift up the mountain where all three of my bresboys rode the bobsleds (really a bobsled on a rollercoaster); and then they prepared for the ZipLine Adventure, soaring through the trees of the mountain!  After recovering from my back surgery just one year ago, I decided against the bobsled and the zipline, although the boys say I could have easily done the zipline. That's ok...I'm perfectly content capturing those moments!

As our trip came to an end, I came home feeling relaxed and ready to take on the next few months.  Speaking of which, I am grateful to have had this opportunity of a "break" since the next few months will be more grueling than the fall...or perhaps, just like the fall!  My oldest has two baseball teams to play on (many days playing 4 to 6 hours of baseball on a weekend!) and my youngest has two hockey teams he'll be playing with for the spring.  Suffice it to say, my teaching two night classes in the month of April is quite challenging on my husband!  Thank goodness for the support of good friends to assist with some carpooling needs!!

And so...a relaxing and wonderful spring break...bring on the hectic crazy spring sports schedule!