Bahama Mama (and Papa and Baby and Extended Family)

We weren't able to talk about it before we left because it was a surprise, but we recently returned from a vacation to the sunny Caribbean! Charlotte had many "firsts" on this trip: first time on an airplane and a boat, first time outside the U.S., first time in the ocean... Charlotte's great grandfather (Kristi's grandpa) John recently turned 80 and for his birthday his brother Andy threw him a surprise party. But not just your average cake and presents party, he organized the entire extended family (over 40 people) to go on a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Florida Keys and the Bahamas! Shortly after all boarding the cruise ship we threw grandpa John a surprise party I'm sure he will not soon forget.


Charlotte checking out the view from the plane.

The big surprise! All 37 of us waited in this room for my grandpa to be led (unknowingly) to his big birthday party on the top deck of the cruise ship!

What they call the "Muster drill." It's where everyone puts on their life jackets and lines up pretending the ship is sinking and there aren't enough lifeboats. Just kidding. There are enough boats, though we were suspicious...those boats look awfully small.

The top pool deck at night. This is a sea turtle we saw from the ship when we were anchored out in the Bahamas!
Our little family on the privately-owned (by Royal Caribbean) island of Coco Cay.
Charlotte didn't like the ocean very well but she did love feeling the sand in between her fingers!
Matt and Char on the beach at Coco Cay.
Funny to think how it is snowing in late April in Minnesota, isn't it?
This is a sting ray we saw on Coco Cay (we saw lots of them throughout our trip). Matt was really really close to this one!
The cruise ship is too big to dock at the island, so we had to take little boats called tenders from the cruise ship (in the background) to Coco Cay.
This is from formal night in the dining room on the ship. The food on the ship was absolutely amazing!!!
From left to right, Travis and Lisa, Kate, Laura, and Kristi, Charlotte, and Matt. Kristi's sisters + husbands (and baby).
A jelly fish! We saw tons of these everywhere.
Matt on the rock climbing wall on the very back of the ship.
Matt on the bungee trampoline on the very front of the ship.
Matt and Charlotte at sunset.
Fruit animals! We watched one of the chefs carve a bunch of these. Aren't they great?!
We played a lot of shuffleboard on the ship at night. Here Travis is showing off his skills.
The bright blue/green thing in the middle right of this picture is a mahi mahi (a type of fish). The blue water really is this color in real life!
Charlotte is not so sure about the water at first. But she got used to it and ended up loving it!
Laughing girl (on her flower towel from great-aunt Sharon)
Every night in the dining room the very attentive waiters would ask what Charlotte wanted to eat. They would get us anything! We told them one night she really liked avocado, so every night from then on we had a giant bowl of avocado waiting on our table when we got there! She also had lots of pasta, vegetables, cottage cheese, bread, fish, and curry. She would eat anything!
Family photo.
My sisters and I pretending to be Tyranosaurus Rexes. You know, they have really short arms close to their body.
Matt and Travis being T-Rexes.Kristi's family. Dad Mark, Laura, Mom Cindy, Kate, Charlotte, Kristi, Matt, Lisa, and Travis.
Looking down the central area of the ship.