DAY 4 : FINALLY GETTING OFF THE BOAT. DUE TO STRONG WINDS THEY WOULD NOT LET US TENDER IN THE CAYMEN ISLANDS SO THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE WE BOARDED ON SATURDAY THAT WE WERE ALLOWED TO GET OFF THE BOAT!

COZUMEL WAS FUN! THE SUN WAS OUT AND THE WEATHER WAS FABULOUS. WE ARRIVED IN COZUMEL ABOUT 2 HOURS EARLIER THAN WE HAD EXPECTED. WE HAD SOME TIME TIME TO WALK AROUND (OF COURSE I SPOTTED A MCDS RIGHT AWAY) THE KIDS THOUGHT THE MENU WAS FUNNY ... THE RECIEPT STATED OUR FOOD WAS 230.00 THAT WAS FOR 5 DRINKS AND 2 HASH BROWNS! OF COURSE THAT WAS IN PESO'S . WE DID A LITTLE SHOPPING, TOOK IN SOME CULTURE THEN HEADED TO OUR PRE ARRANGED JEEP EXCURSION. THE KIDS LOVED RIDING THRU THE COUNTRY SIDE OF MEXICO IN OUR CONVERTABLE, SEEING THE MAYAN RUINS, A LIGHTHOUSE AND SNORKELING IN PUNTA SUR. OUR TOUR GUIDED HAD A CB RADIO AND HE KEPT SAYING " VAMANOS AMIGOS! DONT LET THOSE CABBIES IN" THE KIDS GOT A KICK OUT OF THAT "VAMANOS AMIGOS!"

HAPPY EASTER! EASTER WAS ABOUT AS TRADITIONAL AS ONE CAN GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. THE KIDS CLUB ON THE CRUISE HAD AN EGG DROP, EGG HUNT, EASTER BASKETS/TREATS FOR THE KIDS, AND A VISIT FROM THE EASTER BUNNY. WE ATE DINNER IN THE SEVEN SEAS DINNING ROOM AND ENJOYED HAM . HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT EASTER!

RELAX

SWIM

EAT

****************REPEAT - OVER AND OVER FOR NEXT WEEK ******************************

Principals List ! yahoooo ! - Andrew has been working so hard for the past 4 years! He finally reached one of his goals! Straight A's ! Congrats Andrew we are so proud of you! Your hard work hasn't gone unrecognized :D (and as you can tell he is pretty excited as well!)

Also wanted to add that Aryn and Alyssa have both had very successful quarter as well! Alyssa made the honor roll(A's and B's for the first time) and Aryn got straight S's (letter grades start in 3rd grade)

I can see clearly now !

Alyssa got her new reading glasses today. She looks so smart and stylish! She loves them!

A busy week around here . Last Tuesday night we went to see Cats. It was a suprise for the kids. They enjoyed it alot and from time to time we have caught them singing sings from the musical.

The kids had a 5 day weekend last week . Martin Luther King holiday and 2 teacher work days. They really enjoyed having some down time.

They went back to school on Thursday. On friday Alyssa's class had a compliment party . It was a career day party. She dressed as a chef. wasnt she cute !

Today was Biography day for the 3 rd graders. Alyssa chose to do Sacagawea . The indian princess. She had to write a 5 minute biography about her and dress in costume. She also took in a golden dollar w/ Sacagawea's picture on it. She really enjoyed this project and we all learned alot about the Lewis and Clark expedition and Sacagewea!

This weekend we had our first official sleepover. The girls has a great time, we had pizza, we danced, we watched High School Musical 2, did a craft, and painted out toe nails . Tons of girly fun stuff ..... as for the boys.... Andrew sought shelter at this buddy Nolans house and Kevin found comfort in Andrews room playing Playstation 2

Happy New year ! We spent new years eve @ the Raleigh First Night festival ( w/ 80,000 of our closest friends :D) The kids had a blast the theme was a 60's flash back - they made tissue paper flowers, we drank Squirt out of champaign glasses ( yes, grandma hilda North carolina finally has Squirt) , we saw a circus, a juggler, street performers, a parade, we dances to a band called strawberry fields(it was a beatles tribute band, we saw fireworks and the highlight was the acorn drop.

A little note about the famous acorn .... they do 2 drops on new years eve - we saw the kids drop . The acorn is a statue that has a home on moore square in downtown raleigh . The acorn is the " famous raleigh thing to do " - although the Andy Griffith statue at pullen is a short second . The acorn is also featured in the Nickelback "Rockstar " video :D

Oh, yeah and Alyssa was a volunteer for one of the street performers.... he was a juggler and she blew bubbles for him to juggle ! :D

Our cousins Rock ! we had a great time playing with our cousins ! sure glad they were able to visit during the holiday season!

Happy birthday day dear Kevin ..... I am so proud of Andrew he made Kevins birthday cake - from start to finish! The girls helped w/ thanksgiving ... Alyssa made the cranberries and Aryn buttered up the turkey .... Hope everyone had a great Turkey day - and happy birthday honey!

Happy Halloween - These shots were taken before TRUNK OR TREAT at church last week.

Say hello to my little friend...... ( this line is repeated frequently in our house and comes from "Shark Tales" -

My mom gave me some money for my birthday and i treated myself to this oh so cute vera bradley bag - LOVE IT !

Today Andrew finally started his Hockey lessons. After many a canceled classes at the local ice rink we enrolled him at classes in Cary . He spent alot of his birthday money getting suited up for the class( new helmet, shin gaurd, pants, elbow pad.... am i starting to sound like a visa commercial yet ??? ) ok so here is the PRICELESS part...... enjoy !

They did some really fun drills and they got to shoot a few pucks around.

in other news .... roller hockey starts tommorrow night ! Andrew did not try out to be goalie this year . he said he wants to score some points ! First game is thursday . They have 2 teams in his age group .

recital photos - The studio where alyssa dances computer crashed , thankfully i was sent the proofs first . I am not sure i will get the professional shots so thought i would share them here . The recital was on June 16th, 2007

tee ing it up! Aryns tball season is full swing! (no pun intended) doesnt she just stand out from all the boys in her pink helmet and bat :D A few pictures from tonights game ...

Love the shot of coach dad cheering her on! You go girl!

Andrew and friends finally got to celebrate his 11th birthday ! He has won an ice skating party at the Garner Ice house . It was exciting to say the least! When we got there the teen agers that were "in charge" had new clue we were coming , there was a hockey game in process and they were using the party room as a locker room ( so we had to wait almost an hour before the party was allowed to begin!) , they served burnt cold pizza ( but by this time the kids didnt want to eat so they could care less!) , and our poor neighbor brian had to go the emergency room - thankfully no stiches needed just a very large knot on his forehead! Andrew and friends all had a good time ( including brian!)

lol - i wish this would have turned out better - This is a picture that we took for our church directory. Dont worry , its not the one we submitted ! :D