Most of you know I am so blessed to be a business owner with an amazing company called Arbonne International. Every year, we have the opporutnity to earn an international trip/vacation for ourselves and our family, even an extra $1000 bonus based on the level you achieve.
God's hand has always been a part of my business, and I fully believe He gave me this platform so that our family could redirect the way we focus on life and living. It's not about money. It's not about things. It's not even about trips. It's all about Him being glorified in whatever role He places us. Daughter. Sister. Student. Nurse. Friend. Teacher. Wife. Nurse Practitioner. Mommy. Business Owner. He wants the best of us, and what we have to offer, all the time. Not just when we "feel" like it. These are high expectations, and while His ultimate goal for us may not be perfection, it IS His desire for us to work diligently and press on towards the Higher Calling He has for us, and let Him determine the outcomes.
I've for the most part been a preeeeetty head-strong person all of my life, and when something is offered before me, and it requires QRS to achieve....I will give it QRSTUVWXYandZ to achieve it. Doesn't always mean it will happen, but I will always know I gave it my best, and then some.
That being said, we have earned 3 of the 4 trips offered since I began Arbonne. The first trip was to Los Cabos. Mexico. This trip unfortunately couldn't be redeemed due to a devastating Hurricane that impacted the resort where we were scheduled to stay.
Arbonne gave us a very generous check in place of that trip, and our flights were reimbursed. I'm so thankful we weren't AT the resort when the hurricane hit!!! God's protection. This time, our trip was an all-expense paid cruise on the Royal Carribbean Oasis of the Seas that would sail to the Bahamas, St Thomas, and St Maarten.
This was his very first time flying, and he was so very excited that we had bought him these special (Vitamin C) suckers for him to have while on the plane.
One of my favorite things about these pictures as I look back is that there are FOUR of us in this picture....because mommy is pregnant!!!!! And loaded up on Zofran ;)
Tuck is just like his momma, who usually won't let anyone else even think of sitting in the window seat because that's my favorite....but of course I let him sit in the window seat, because he's my favorite. He was glued to it!!!
And so excited to fly on a big big plane and then go get on a big big boat ;))
Oh my goodness, he is so little here!!!!
We had all the goods for him. Cars...Fireman Sam....
...Postman Pat....Veggie Tales...
But maybe that wasn't not enough????... we started to taxi out to the runway, and anytime he gets a little nervous, he whisks his blanket up and over his head, secretly sucking that thumb under the covers....
....and after 10-15 minutes, we take off!!!! He doesn't even make a peep, and once we get up into the sky, he peeks out from under his blanket and then starts to look out the window again...BUT...
it's a pretty sunshiny day, so we needed Daddy's aviators =))
oh goodness.....toooo cute for words!!!
love his little heart, he was just the best little guy flying....
....and mommy and daddy had time to chat and catch up a little too....
...ummmm because the floor is always way more comfortable than the seat!!!!
.....or it just made for a really good race track...
...up .... down....
...all around....
...and around again....
...OH!!!! so one fun fact if you remember back several posts ago, this kid decided to potty train himself like TWO WEEKS BEFORE this international trip for us!!!! So while I had planned on cloth diapers, diaper detergent, washing diapers on the ship, etc etc etc.... Nope!! He decides he can use a potty to go pee pee and go poopy.... so off to the lavatory they went with a successful pee pee!!!!
And yes, I'm totally sharing this and totally proud of him!!! 2&1/2yrs old, using the lavatory on the plane!!!! =)))
...he was pretty proud too, and I think just thankful for another sucker!!! We timed them perfectly for the take off and landing to help with his ears, and they worked like a charm!!! Thumb-sucking actually works too...
...special moments I won't forget. We flew into Fort Lauderdale, so we were able to see loooootttttssss of water as we were descending and landing.
Very special moments and "firsts" with daddy too!!!!
We made it safely to ground!!! All four of us ;) Next, we grabbed a snack and drink, had to wait a little while at the airport, then boarded the charter bus to head over to the big big boat!!!
....and I mean BIG BIG BOAT!!! If you've never cruised before, there is nothing like approaching that massive CITY floating on the water... I was blown away.
Sweet little guy. I remember he was pretty worn out at this point, from all of the excitement of flying but never napping, riding the bus, and now strolling through the bottom of somewhere to get our pass and board the ship...
I'm not sure how it happened, but we ended up getting TWO rooms for this cruise!!!!! Of course we only used one, but we felt like royalty when he gave us keys to both!!
These pictures just do NOT do justice at all to the magnitude of this boat.... I do NOT understand how its floating on the water.
If there's one thing you know about Arbonne, or if you don't know I'll share with you... THEY. COMPLETELY. SPOIL. YOU. ROTTEN. I don't 'have' to have any of this, and I would be just as happy and content to be home on the couch watching movies with my littles.... BUT when you get to experience this level of gratitude for working your business with heart and passion, AND your family gets to experience it as well.... THAT makes it all such a gift and a blessing from above.
A super soft, plush, clean, king bed for us to crash on...
....and for momma and baby to relax a little toooo!!!!!
Oh yes, the very first thing Tuck saw when he woke up were the cupcakes =)
So we indulged together!!!
....and he was soooo excited about our little bathroom with a potty seat he could use!!! =)
We were given ocean view rooms with a balcony and everything!!!
...and we took some time to explore this CITY on water...
Before this trip, I can honestly say I never would have chosen a cruise for a family vacation. I didn't understand why in the world anyone would want to be stuck on a boat for a week... hahaha!!
Well, I kid you not...during our ENTIRE 8 day, 7-night cruise on this ship, there were soooo many restaurants we didn't have a chance to eat at, floors of this boat we never even walked on, pools we didn't get to swim in, movies we didn't get to watch, shows that were over before we made it there to watch, and sooo much more that we just couldn't even fit into the time we had!!!
It's truly an entire city on the water, just floating along.. I don't understand it, but I LOVED IT!!! And now I absolutely want to cruise so many more destinations. It's a phenomenal way to see so much more of God's creation than we would otherwise be able to by traveling to one destination and staying inland...
We finally set sail, around 5pm that Saturday!!!
It was a pretty amazing feeling, watching such an enormous ship move in the water!!!
Bon Voyage!!!!!! We're off!!!
We literally spent hours on our balcony watching waves upon waves as we passed by...
Then it was time to find some dinner!!
I can't remember if it was the 4th or 5th floor, and the north or the south end of the boat, but one of them had the most amazing carnival all of the time, with hotdogs and a merry go round, and animal balloons, and clowns, and a candy store, etc...
...so we spent many evenings hanging out here...
...and the rest of the evening on the balcony...
....listening to the waves crash...
...snuggling in daddy's arms...
...watching the sunset...
....watching rain showers in the distance...
...watching cities and other islands pass by...
...playing with cars and trains..
...until the sun finally set completely... so gorgeous!!!
...then we head down for 4th meal, because that's what you do on a cruise that's all inclusive!!!!! Momma is hungry!!! So. You eat, and try out as many restaurants as you can!!! =)))
...then its off to shower and get into jammies...
...brush our teeth...
...comb our hair...
...and call it a night...
This little one slept like a DREAM the entire trip!!!
Day 2: We woke up to this incredible sunrise view of Atlantis!! We sure enough made it through the night to Nassau Bahamas, and docked for a day of excursions, or a day on the boat if you wanted...
Sweet little guy, all snuggled up again in Daddy's arms.
We watched as another "big big boat" went by.
Tuck pretty much stayed glued to the balcony window.
He stayed caught up on his veggie tales the whole time, mostly while mommy and daddy were packing our bags for the pool!!!!!
We decided to stay on the ship for our docked day at Nassau, and enjoy the pools while everyone else was off ship!!!
There are LOTS and LOTS of stairwells!!!
We took lots of pictures of the pools and even walked around the top floors to get some pictures of the views and other pools, so enjoy aaallll these coming up...
...and this cutie who would 100% agree that life is better in swimming trunks!!
Lunch time!!!!!!
Momma's favorite time =)
We had our pick of a hundred different places we could eat...
...this one became a favorite =))
...and why not just take a little nap on the bench while we're here!!! More pics of the ship and the views!!
...a little putt-putt action =)
...and a few sweet moments with my babe...
and maybe one of the best perks too, is getting to travel with some of your dearest friends in this business as well... who also worked hard to earn this trip and enjoy this time together!!!!
VP sisters!!!
our thankful and blessed little family of four
More time on the Merry-Go-Round...
...and then an amazing dressy dinner together!!! You'll just die over these next few pics!!!
YES!!! Tuck was given fruit in a silver cup to munch on while waiting for his chicken fingers and fries!!
And to top that, we brought his movies so he could be entertained and "quiet" maybe??? during our "fancy" dinner!!! =)))
All the smiles... and could he be any cuter!!!
Oh yes, water from the fancy glassware, too!!!!
Momma's little love... so forever thankful we could share these moments and memoreis with you!!!
Captain of the ship!!!
So of course we had to strike up a conversation with him!!
And have our picture made with him!!
Another evening on the balcony =)
and movies in bed before crashing.
Day 3 sunrise!!!
Another incredible rain storm miles across the ocean.
Today we were at sea all day, so we let Tuck have a little time playing with some other boys and girls his age..
...and mommy and daddy had some time together in the sunshine!!!
We spent the morning together mostly by the pools
But also walked around a little and then indulged in a nice lunch
And cookies...
...WITH coffee!!!
Cherished time together as husband and wife!!!
We picked Tuck up after lunch and had a great update from his teachers...
...and the little guy crashed for his afternoon nap!!
Then GUESS where he wanted to go...
I could ride this thing with him for hours!!!
so that's what we did!!
We enjoyed another "casual" dinner tonight in the same dining room, and Tuck asked for TWO silver cups with fruit!!! He's not getting spoiled at ALL!!!
Super fun dinner with friends!! And all of the waiters and waitresses danced and clapped to amazing festive music to wrap up the night!!
A little night-time putt-putt,,
Day 4!! We began ordering lavish breakfasts to be delivered to our room, so we could dine together on the deck each morning!!! So many fun conversations....
...and little Tuck sharing all of his favorite things from the day before. We have some really sweet videos Todd captured with his GoPro of conversations with Tuck about our trip... Priceless memories we will forever hold in our heart!!
More Veggie tales while we make plans for the day!! And we have a VERY exciting day in store!!!! Today we docked arrived and docked at St Thomas, so we will be taking an excursion off-ship to one of the smaller islands....eeeeek!!!
Riding in an open safari truck with my husband and son was truly one of the most fun things we did!!! The warm air, the breeze, the smells of the city and ocean combined, the sweaty bodies your sitting next to, new friends you make on the trip, GoPro's all around, ... so so fun.
This little one....all he needs is a bumpy road, warm air, and noise...and he is down for the count!!!
Sweet Becky!!! I remember sitting here chatting with her about being a mom, and she asked me if we wanted more kids... we already knew at this point we were expecting (and 8 weeks along), but we hadn't told a single soul. So I just replied "we would love to" =)
Hotness, hitting the snorkel-fest!!!
The skies and the water are just as everyone describes...completely blue and perfect and breath-taking!!!
Tuck LOVED LOVED LOVED running in the sand on the shoreline!!! His very first time (because he was only 10 weeks old when we first went to the beach in Miami with him...)
..this is pretty much all he did. Run, throw the little soccer ball into the waves as they brought it back to him on the shoreline!! Then run some more, then back again...
Absolutely amazing...
We had several hours to enjoy the island for the afternoon...
..then we packed up into the safari truck again and took a tour of the rest of the island.
Back to our amazing cruise ship!!!!
...to spend the rest of the afternoon at the swimming pools!!!
and enjoying all the ice cream we want =)
one of tuck's favorite things to do was tackle his daddy in the really shadow play pools!!! He would laugh until he couldn't breathe!!!
We are all a little tired, but made time for this spectacular show, and dinner..
Day 5: St Maarten...... I take the vastness of the ocean so much more to heart now. As well as the vastness of my Father's love for us. It's wider than the ocean is wide, and deeper than the ocean is deep, and to me that is just incomprehendable.
but what a beautiful promise it is...
We arrived at St Maarten, and had another adventurous day planned!!!!
We got off the ship again at the St Maarten ports of call, and we planned a very special sailing day on a catamaran.
Even aboard our pretty large-size catamaran, among 20-30 people total, that cruise ship just stood out like a monstrosity in the oasis. At the time we cruised, the Oasis of the Seas was Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ship.... and we were treated like ROYALTY the entire time, not just by the staff of the ship, but by this incredible company.
Tuck's first time sailing!!! There are LOTS of pictures to capture many fun and priceless moments, and they truly just speak for themselves, so I'll let you peek through them and will catch up more further down...
...but oh I love these two more than words could ever say!!!!
Daddy getting suited up to snorkel again!!!!
Tuck and Mommy decided to get in the water and play a little too for awhile...it felt amazing!! I'll try to add some videos from Todd's GoPro...they are out of this world!!
the rest of the afternoon was spend sailing around the island and our sweet little Tuck man was gettign pretty tired!!
but what better way to nap than on a sailboat!!! I'm so so thankful he never felt sick or queasy, or upset, or cranky or anything...
he was truly the perfect little angel this entire day, and really this entire trip...
Goodness I can't forget the staff of this catamaran!! They prepped and served us island subs and fresh fruit!! Sooooooooo gooooood!!!!
They helped this guy reel in his catch for the day!!!
sweet tuck...just waking up as we arrived at one of the bays to swim to shore and find sea shells!!
We found LOTS but Tuck held on to this one all the way back to the ship...
SUCH an amazing day, and BY FAR our favorite experience of the entire trip!!!!
Now, back to the pools to get more ice cream
and swim and eat more ice cream...
We watched another glorious and magnificent sunrise from the balcony. Just sitting quietly, hearing God speak through the ocean waves, the sounds of the ship engines, and the stillness of thanksgiving in our hearts...
Day 6 and 7 were at sea, and we spend all of our time together as a family...
enjoying more snacks and desserts and treats in our favorite restaurant...
purchasing souvenirs from the ship, and Tuck wanted a captains hat, just like our captain had...
stocking up on balloon animals from the carnival floor...
...more fun and games and tricks and treats at the carnival...
..time playing in the kids area with our new souvenirs...
pressing the "take off' button on our very own big big toy plane ;)
...and getting dressed up and fancy...
...for our last dinner on the ship...
...model status... ;)
...cuteness status...
...then it was lights out for our last night asleep in the most amazing cruise ship room we could have asked for, with this big bundle of joy in our arms, and a little teeny tiny bundle of a baby on the way inside... Goodness, our hearts just overflow with gratitude and love and humbleness for the blessings He has given us this day, this week, this month, this year, and throughout this life.
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