Category Archives: Family

Michael (PFMan) and I have wanted to visit Colorado for years now.  It’s also a place we’ve thought might be nice to live sometime.  We brought our kids out here this past Saturday and I’m sooooo incredibly happy that we still have four days before returning home.  It is even more stunning then I could have ever imagined, the terrain, the landscapes, the weather, the people.  I’m soaking ever bit of this in to carry with me until we can get out here again and again.  My family is sitting behind me contemplating how much food to bring on our hike to Mohawk Lake today.  Seems we may be out there longer then we thought.  We just ate a yummy breakfast at Blue Moose.  I so love a good pancake.

Anywho, PFMan is now at the grocery store getting some grub for our hike and I’ve just completed enhancing an image that I took with my I-phone from our balcony.  Nice view huh?  Wouldn’t mind waking to this every morning at some point.  Oh my, and to see this with a blanket of white snow, (Big Sigh here, then smile).

I have a lot more to say about this trip, but I have to git for now:-)  Be back soon with lots more details and photos too!

Coco Cay - Royal Caribbean Private Island

Sickness? Maybe. I was around 8 or 10 when my parents took my sister and I on our first cruise. We took several more and I was hooked. There was an 8-year gap from our last family cruise, during my childhood, and 1995 when my husband (then boyfriend) and I took our first vacation together on the Carnival Sensation. He was hooked too, yay!! Well, 20 plus cruises later and I still can’t wait until our next departure. January 2011 on Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas leaving out of San Juan to the Southern Caribbean. Big Smiles inserted here!

Living in Florida, we are only 30min-4hours away from four different cruise ports, it’s hard not to cruise. It’s so easy, lightly pack, get on board and think about nothing for 4-7 days, it’s all done for you. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE an adventure vacation just as much, I think of it as being well-balanced, ha!

So what’s to love about a cruise. For us, everything, it’s the perfect family vacation. We have family time, adult time and the kids have their time too. Most cruise lines today have really amazing youth and teen programs which keep the kiddos happy and occupied for hours. Our kids have to be pried away to spend time with us sometimes. Then there are pools, mini-golf, rock-climbing walls (on some lines) and so many other things to keep you busy. The food is all planned out and available most hours of the day and many cruise lines are adding My Time Dining so you can now choose to eat when you’re ready instead of the predetermined early and late sitting being your only option.

Then the ports of call. We can’t get enough of the Western Caribbean, Mexico. Over the years I’ve seen Cozumel go from a beautiful mostly non-touristy destination to Cancun #2. But I still love it! I even love all the pushy sales people trying to lure you in the shops. It’s part of the charm and a simple No Gracias, a smile and keep walking works every time. But whatever you do, don’t miss Pancho’s Backyard!

As far as costs go cruising is an affordable vacation, especially if you go during off-season like September and January. Plan on spending top dollar during Spring and Summer Break.

I spend some free time on my favorite cruise site Cruise Critic. If you have questions about a particular cruise line, ship, destination or any minute detail, this is where you go to find the answers and opinions of other cruise addicts.

Here’s a lengthy review I wrote on Cruise Critic of a last minute Carnival Cruise we took once.