So much fun.....

we decided to stay for more!

Ok, so maybe that isn't how it worked, exactly.... Today we arrived at our first port, Grand Turk Island (or as Haley says, Great Turkey Island!) The comedian said it best at the show tonight, "2 days at sea to get to an island where the beach is too small, there are exactly 3 shops, and the cruise ship doubles the population of the island"! Yet somehow, it is still beautiful. Just the water, so clear, so blue, so warm, and the bright hot sun shining down. How could you not love this place? We took a cab to the beach and spent a few hours there. The girls enjoyed the sand, looking for sea glass, which they have never collected before. We found it in all shades of blue, green, white and clear and now have enough to mosaic an entire coffee table. We got a raft and tried to take the girls out to float above some of the fish and rocks and it was an interesting turn of events. Erin, the brave explorer of the two, screamed, cried, and wanted to go back. She saw a school of fish each the size of, I don't know, tiny, and was in fear for her life. Haley, the one who was most hesitant and unwilling, got out there on the raft and thought it was sooo cool! The same school of fish went by jumping and swimming and she laughed and squealed with delight! Needless to say, we immediately returned to the ship and canceled the excursion where Erin and I were going in the ocean to swim with the sea lions and instead will be going to the Butterfly Garden. Erin decided she likes the sandy part of the beach, pools, and dry land. Marine life just "isn't her thing".

Upon retunring to the ship we also made a few interesting discoveries. First, Erin and Haley had smuggled about half the Grand Turk beach back on board in their bathing suits. And second, well, this will be the part where you find out exactly how we are "extending" our vacation...

You see, there is a steak house on board, a nice restaurant you need to make reservations to eat at. I really wanted to have dinner there one night, so Ira went to the desk to see if he could arrange that around the kids program so we could have a nice dinner, just the two of us. When he asked the lady what night there was room available, she said she could get us a table on Saturday night. Well, he said he didn't want to have dinner there on the last night, since we were getting off the ship on Sunday. She laughed, in some accent, and told him, "The only way you are getting off the ship on Sunday is overbaord! We don't get into New York until Monday!" Keep in mind, he is talking to a lady working at the front desk of the cruise ship and being Ira, he now proceeds to argue with her for a good two minutes that, no, we do not arrive in NY on Monday, we arrive on Sunday. He knows this of course, as a passenger, because he booked the trip, and he has appointments on Monday... Bet she had a great story to tell the other cruise staff members at the bar later tonight!

So, needless to say, we are putting this spin on it.. we are having such a great time, we have decided to extend the cruise an extra day and teh cruise line and all the other passengers are willing to accomodate us! Good thing we over packed a little, huh? That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Now, someone pleae go feed my fih the extra day and call the kennel and tell them the dogs will be extending their visit as well:o)

not missing you so much, a Pina Colada will do that to you!
me