Our Vacation Days

We were up early on vacation. Usually by 6:30 at the latest. A few times Juliet woke up around 5. She slept so soundly, though. Vacation exhausted her. 

 We would wake up to this beautiful view. We got really lucky and got on one of the highest floors in the resort. The views were to die for! 

 After we woke up, we would head to breakfast around 7. Juliet loved the fruit and plain bread. Leah rediscovered her love of chocolate sauce, and had it every morning with her french toast and pancakes. Leah also loved the fruit this time (last year we had to bribe her at every meal). Both girls would get "done" with breakfast and I would usually take them out on the beach when the lighting was good to try to take their pictures. I was sometimes successful. 

Then we would go feed the fish and birds. Leah loved feeding the fish, and grandma loved feeding the birds. Juliet usually stayed on the beach with Chris. By the end of the week, though, she would come out and feed the fish, too. 

After getting all the sunscreen on, we would usually go play in the tide pools. Both girls LOVED to do this. Juliet taught Leah how to "pop" snails. Leah wouldn't do it at first, but then wouldn't stop. The snails weren't hurt, just moved to a new location in the tide pool. :) We would also look for other sea life like crabs and fish. One day Leah made an entire rock home for the fish. It probably took her an hour. She really wanted the fish to have a nice home. 

We would also look for sea glass and shells while the girls played. I would also look at the old hotel down the way. This hotel fascinated me! It's 1/2 of a hotel. This part is abandon--varying stories of why--Hurricane? Bad foundation? There are still people living on the first 3 floors, and you can see them lit up at night. It's also attached to a water park where people from the cruise ships go. 

We would also look for iguanas. Juliet had a really good eye and loved looking at them. The hotel people had one you could pet at the pool one day, but Juliet wouldn't. She did, however, love looking at them from a distance. :) 

After we played, we would usually head back to the hammocks. Both girls loved the daiquaries (virgin) and being pushed on the hammocks. 

 After that, we would usually hit the pool. Both girls loved playing in the pool. 

After lunch, the girls would nap. Juliet would fall asleep in 2 minutes. It was really funny. Grandma would come over and watch the girls while we went back to the beach. Chris and I would drink and talk. It was perfect. 

 We would get ready for dinner around 5. Both girls were better about the shower this year, but not by much. We usually ate dinner at the sit down restaurant on the resort. The girls would play and eat, and I would usually leave early with them to play chess in the lobby or play outside while my mom and dad and Chris finished. 

Or we would take pictures. I am so happy I got a new camera before vacation!

Then the girls would watch movies in the room while the grown ups drank wine and talked on the balcony. Juliet was beat every night! She was such a trooper!  

 There were beautiful sunsets every night. 

I love vacation. Next year we are doing Disney, so I am sad to not be returning for the next year. Leah kept reminding me that we were going to come back when she was 6. :)