Jayden's New Swing at MomMom's & Dadoo's

Daddy and Uncle Bear strung up a new swing for Jayden at MomMom & Dadoo's!

Camping Time

A camping we will go, a camping we will go...it was a trip in the woods for us the weekend of July 9th-11th. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Camp Ground in Elmer. It was a beautiful weekend spent with Mom-Mom, Dadoo, Mommy and Daddy. Jayden had a ball playing in the park, watching the camp fire and even toasting marshmellows. Dadoo hung a red hammock between two trees for Jayden to play on.
Dadoo was the grilling master. We had eggs, sausage and toast for breakfast and yummy steak for dinner with corn on the cob and potatoos that we wrapped in foil and tossed into the fire to cook.
Jayden even slept in her own princess sleeping bag!

The speed limit in the campground was 5 1/2mph!

Cruising with Family & Friends

Another family vacation began June 18th (until June 26th). Cruising with us are Mark, Angela & Samantha, Barbara (Grammy), Brian & Jen. A Caribbean cruise to San Juan, St.Thomas and Tortola! First, we looked for tunnel weasels in the Lincoln Tunnel...we had to be quiet or they would eat your fingers! heehee

This is Jayden's first cruise. Carnival Miracle is the name of our ship sailing from NYC. The theme of our ship is "Fictional Characters"...959ft. 7in long and built in Kvaerner Masa Yards, Helsinki, Finland, delivered 2/10/04. After checking in, we disembarked at 4pm following an on board emergency drill. We had to report to our Muster Station "C" with our life vests. There were 19 life boats (Mommy made sure to count them) on our ship. Our room is on the Upper Deck (deck 5), room 5-261 with a balcony.

After dinner, Angela and I went to sign the girls up for Camp Carnival. There were lots of activities planned for the kids.

June 19th: our first full day at sea! The ocean water is a deep royal blue! Absolutely breathtaking! With breakfast finished, the girls went to check out Camp Carnival from 10am til noon. Jayden and Samantha played, sang songs and participated in a T-shirt coloring activity.
The ship had a huge buffet for lunch that spanned half of the Lido Deck. Off to the kiddie pool...Jayden & Samantha enjoyed the pool all to themselves while daddy & Mark watched.

The first formal Captains dinner was tonight in the Baccahus Restaurant. Towel animals on the beds!! It was a Bunny!

June 20th: Second full day at sea. We are about to the tip of Florida now. It was Pirate theme at Camp today. Jayden & Samantha greeted us with faces painted full of treasure and tattoos!
There was a jewelry raffle at one of the shops on the Promenade Deck. Mommy won a set of Gold hoop earrings.

June 21st: Port of call...San Juan, Puerto Rico at 3pm. Everyone on the ship was eager to exit the ship. The streets of Old San Juan were small one lane one way roads. Mommy noticed the street signs where located on the corner buildings. We mostly did some shopping and seeing the sights of the city. We were back on the ship by 6:30pm.

June 22nd: We woke up today already in our second Port of call...Charlotte Amalie, St.Thomas, USVI. Quick shopping was first priority for Mommy & Daddy. Afterwards, we decided to tour the Island. St. Claire Edwards, Taxi #1000 gave us a private 2 hour tour of the Island. Taxi's here are open sided vehicles. St. Claire took us up some windy one lane streets to tops of mountains explaining the sites. The Mountain Top was Home of the Banana Daiquiri. Daddy and I both had one. Yummy! The island was truly beautiful, real forest-like. Quick sun-showers lasting only 10 minutes came every so often. Around Megan's Bay, Jayden got a stuffed Iguana and almost lost it in the road. St. Claire turned around so that we could retrieve it.

June 23rd: Last port of call was Road Town, Tortola, BVI. All nine of us decided to relax at Cane Garden Bay beach located over the mountain. White sands and crystal water...angle fish swam at our feet! Another sun shower lasted 10 minutes--so that's why there were tents on the beaches! This was Jayden's first real beach adventure. Not bad for a 3 year old! However, it was short lived...we had to be back on the ship by 1:30pm.
This day, Jayden went to Camp Carnival after dinner. There was a Princess/Prince party. They made crown's with jewels on them and had pretty face paintings & cereal necklaces.

June 24 & 25th: Days at Sea. Mostly spent relaxing at the pool (kiddie). The final Camp Carnival farewell party for the kids. The girls had snacks, juice and made lots of crafts. Melanie was Jayden's counselor on board the ship.

We had towel animals, bunny, frog, puppy, monkey, ostrich and a snake!

Jayden and Samantha playing their Leapsters while waiting for disembarkment!!