How I spent my 30th Birthday....

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Yep. It's official, I am now 30 years old! I can't believe it...I don't feel like I should be 30. haha. But, everyone keeps telling me that 30 is the new 20, so I feel a little better about it. Except, could someone please tell my, "slow as molasses" metabolism that i'm still 20?!

Anways, onto how I spent my birthday (and gained 6 pounds)....Craig and I went on a CRUISE! Our very first one, and actually our very first vacation together without the kids since we have been married these 9 YEARS! I can't believe it has taken this long for us to take a vacation together, we take the kids all the time, but it was SO NICE to just be the 2 of us and relax. I decided it needs to be new tradition we do every year.

 For our cruise we went to Catalina Island/Ensenada Mexico for 4 days. It was A LOT of fun! I wish I had taken more pictures, but it was so hard carrying around my big camera on our excursions. I wish so bad I had purchased a small point and shoot for the trip. But, of course I still have lots of pictures :) So here we go...




I took this picture of our boat as we were being taxied to Catalina Island. It was a pretty cool ship, smaller than most other Cruise ships, but still really nice inside. We had a window room and woke up each morning looking out at the water. I have to tell you though, the boat rocking all the time  made me pretty sea sick. So, I defiantly had to take some medicine to keep my stomach settled.







We picked two excursions, one for Catalina and one for Mexico. We decided to do snorkeling in Cali not thinking about how cold it would be. I guess "snorkeling and January" do not belong in the same sentence. So, yes it was COLD! But, it was still A LOT of fun. And thank goodness for the wetsuits because they helped a lot....except for my face...they should make wet suits for your face :)



We met the COOLEST couple there as we were sitting there suiting up. Cory just casually asked me how I was liking the Cruise so far, and I said something like, "It's fun but we are not big drinkers and partiers".  Then he told me that him and his wife weren't either. Well, red flag went up. And yes, they were LDS also. So from that moment on Cory and Shelly were our official sober cruise buddies. So glad we found them because they made it that much more fun :)



Craig's reaction to the cold water makes me laugh so hard every time I see it. He told me not to post this picture...but I am going to anyways because this is our journal right?! 

We didn't have an waterproof camera, so Cory was nice enough to take some pictures for us. THANKS Cory :) So glad we have some great pictures of us in our sexy wet suits and masks.




Even though it was cold, it was fun and there were lots of fish ,and the guide even pulled out a huge lobster (which TOTALLY freaked me out) and some different ocean life.  I am really glad we did it :)

After snorkeling, we went back to the ship and got warm, ate for the 5th time that day and then went back out to the island to explore...


and eat some more of course. I tell ya....gained 6 pounds! Catalina is a cool little island with lots of fun little shops. Crazy fact about this Island, you have to be on a waiting list for like 12 years till you can have a car. There is not enough room on the Island for everyone to have one. So, as soon as a car leaves the Island, then the next person on the list is allowed to bring one on.  A shop owner was telling us that they put their daughter on the list when she was born. haha. Most everyone just gets around by golf cart. 



After we got back on the ship it was formal night and so we got all dressed up. I totally forgot to take a picture of us in our fancy duds :( I am sad about that. But, I did take a picture of my awesome shoes I got just for the cruise...


We went to a show and then to a really nice dinner. It was fun to get all dressed up and eat with 3 different forks and have your chair pulled out for you  :) After we got back to our room this little guy was sitting on our bed...

The next day we arrived in Mexico...and it was my Birthday!


Our excursion for that day was horseback riding. I think this was my favorite part of our trip. We took a 20 minute bus ride on a rickety old bus that I thought would die at any minute, and arrived at ranch high up in the hills. 


 It was the coolest place and so pretty! There were about 14 of us all together, and we were each assigned horses and then off we went. Of course I couldn't take my big camera on a galloping horse (ok. slowly trotting horse) But, the people at the ranch took one of us that we could purchase. So, this picture is a picture of a picture. make sense? haha. Yes, I know we look adorable with those cool helmets :)  But, at least I have a picture of us on our horses.

We rode for about an hour way up in the hills and it was beautiful up there. Again, wish I had a small camera. Really, a lot of fun!

 After riding and a super sore butt, we came back to the Ranch and had some authentic tacos and punch (instead of taquilla like everyone else ).


 Then we explored the ranch for a little bit.






After our excursion, we went and bartered in the streets of Ensenada. I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would. People are so up in your face, if you even glance at anything, they start telling you how much and you have to have it. Even if you walk past their shop they almost corner you and force you in. They tell you how beautiful you are, how much you look like a movie star, and even sing to you to get you to buy their merchandise. I felt so bad for the little kids selling chicklets and bracelets. We ran out of quarters really fast. We did end up buying a few things though. Craig bought me a really nice purse for my birthday, and we got hand-stitched dresses for the girls and a little toy for Mckay and Craig got a baseball hat.


 By the time we headed back to the ship the sun was setting. It was a really fun and relaxing birthday; best one I have had for a long time.




The next day, we spent the entire day at sea heading back to Cali. Which, made me pretty sea sick. But, of course that didn't stop me from eating every 2 hours and always having a drink in my hand :) It was a really relaxing day. We spent all day with our cruise buddies playing board games, eating and exploring the ship.


We even joined the "Digital scavenger hunt" game the ship put on. There were a bunch of teams we were up against and we had a list of things all around the ship to take pictures of, and the first team to find everything on the list, won. There were things like: Grand Piano, The pool, A smiling bartender, Someone with a tab more than $25, and British crew member...etc.


Well, thanks to Shelly and Craig knowing the ship really well (I get all turned around)... WE WON! haha. Here we are laughing at our cheesey medals. No freakin' cash prize...geez! They give hundreds of dollars away for a bingo, but running your butt all over the ship gets you nothing. j/k it was still a lot of fun.


After we were done killing it at the scavenger hunt, we realized it had been 2 hours since our last meal, so of course we were starving! Then more eating and relaxing and eating and relaxing and have I mentioned eating? Oh ya, only about 6 x times in this post! haha.




This Pina Colada in a freakin' coconut cost me $14! Shoot, for that price I should have got the booze in it!


What a fun little vacation we had!!! It was really nice to do something different. Thanks Craig for a GREAT time...Love you :)

8 Say What's:

Parker and Carly said...

FUN!! What a GREAT 30th bday!

Unknown said...

Your next :)

Heather said...

Oh the memories this post brings back! That is the cruise Jon and i went on for our honeymoon. I hear you on the food- I gained five pounds that week! Pretty sure we had more self serve ice-cream than I generally have in an entire year. We had no money so we didn't do any excursions- so it was kind of lame. The weather was crap- and it was June! so yeah, we at A LOT! What a fun way to celebrate turning 30- wonder if I can convince Jon to take me on a cruise for my 30th this year AND for a babymoon- he owes me. Email me- I would be curious to hear who you booked through, and, if you don't mind, what the initial cost was. Did you drive to Long Beach or fly?

BensonFam said...

HOORAY! What a fun and wonderful trip! Cameron and I just did our first couple trip last year (also nine years into marriage and over his birthday - go figure!)

Amy said...

Sounds like you guys had an amazing time! So glad you got to escape your adult responsibilities for a bit! Love you lots! Happy 30th!

Megan said...

Hey. I have gained 6 pounds in the last few months and I haven't gone on a cruise - so at least you got a vacation out of it. lol. I can only imagaine the damage I would do if I were left to eat whenever I wanted ;)

I love all the vibrant colors. It looks like so much fun....but then again, anything sans kids sounds fun ;)

Happy (late) Birthday! Glad you had a good one, you old fart!

Shelley said...

Sitting here reading this I was thinking, Man! that sounds like so much fun! And then I said, wait, I was there, it WAS so much fun! We are so glad that we met you guys, the trip wouldn't have been the same! Since we don't love close we just need to be vacation buddies...Disneyland in October!!! :-)

Shelley said...

I meant live close, not love close. I think it's a little early in our relationship to be telling you that I love you. ;-)

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