Antigua 2

We signed up for the four wheeling excursion.  The guys who picked us up were 30 minutes late and then at least 30 minutes late to pick us up, the worst.   I was a little nervous to drive the four wheelers through the streets of Antigua especially since the drive on the opposite side of the road, but I hung on tight and was probably overly cautious, but I think that naturally happens when you become a mom.

 We were supposed to drive to the mountain peak in the background and have ocean views, but in the middle of our ride it started pouring rain.   I was so cold, but we had to keep driving and the puddles we were going through were so deep. It turned out to be really fun, but I think I would have enjoyed it more with sunshine, clear skies and ocean views :)

Antigua was so humid, goodness I don't know how the locals live in it. We ate at the Italian restaurant at the resort this night and it was ok.  The atmosphere was fancy, but the food was eh, probably not smart to get Italian in the Caribbean.   Almost everyone went to a bar in the resort called the drunken duck, but I was over it, haha.  I would've enjoyed it more if it was a fancy Vegas club with good music.  

Al's only request was to go deep sea fishing so we got up bright and early one morning to wait for a bachelor party to meet us, again late.  We had to drive to the other side of the island to get on the boat and then we got to feel the motion of the ocean for 3 hours, yuck.  

There were 2 other guys on our boat and when one of the lines started getting a bite everyone insisted I reel it in.  So I sat down and reeled for like 5 minutes and it wasn't easy.  

I ended up catching a huge Wahoo which is hilarious because I was there for Al to enjoy his day at sea.   What are the chances of me catching the only big fish on the boat?  Looks like we will be going again someday for Al to catch his : )   Al and the other guys caught some Barracudas, but let's just say they weren't like my Wahoo, haha.

I wish I could've taken this fish home, but the guys that work on the boat either sell it or give it to ladies in town to feed their families.  We were on the boat for about 3 hours and that was long enough for me.  If we weren't sitting outside I started to get so queasy.  There goes my dream of sailing a yacht for a week.  I couldn't believe how heavy the fish was, amazing!!

and then Al had me take a picture with it and of course I dropped it which bruises the meat, sorry.  I'm sure it was still tasty.   The guys on the other boat caught a few tunas and cut it up right there and ate it, so fresh and yummy.  They even had wasabi and soy sauce.

Als mom was so sweet and took the boys to my friend Heathers book signing at Costco.  Her and her twin sister Heidi wrote this cute book called Fairy Birds.

One afternoon we took a cab into town to go buy the boys some presents.  Another crazy flea market where they wheel and deal with you.  There wasn't any cruise ships docked so it was a little quiet, so we lasted about 30 minutes and then went back to the hotel.

On the way to our room we passed a Checkers board and played each other.  I think this is the only game I've ever beat Al at. 

A beautiful wedding on the beach.  I want to renew our vows someday!!

Antigua

Al and I booked a trip to Antigua for our 6 year anniversary a few months ago.  Originally we were planning on going to Bora Bora, but then we decided to take 2 trips for the price of 1, so hopefully that trip to Thailand happens next Spring :)     Grandma Cameron flew in from Utah to take care of Alex and Cole.  We are so happy that she's ready and willing to help and she's amazing for taking them to all their activities since she has never been to our home in Texas.

The beginning of our vacation, yay.  The lady who worked for the airlines asked if it was our honeymoon.

It took us a long time to get there.  We left Dallas around 8pm and got to Miami around midnight.  Then we got a hotel until our flight left at 10am and then we got to Antigua around 2.  I had been watching the weather for weeks and it kept showing severe rain storms, but we ended up getting really good weather.  I think it rained a couple days in the afternoons, but that's when we started watching Breaking Bad.

We stayed at the Sandals resort and it was so beautiful.

Al working deals with Tony on Deep Sea Fishing the first afternoon we were there.

How perfect is this picture.  We ate breakfast at this restaurant every morning.

One of our first nights there, so humid!!  We ate at the sushi restaurant which was so good and so awesome because we could order as much as we wanted. Almost every couple we met there was there on their honeymoon.  They were all our age and couldn't believe we had 2 kids, haha.

On our actual anniversary we got a couples massage and it was so bizarre!!  Some couples we met the night before warned us and we laughed when all of it happened.   Luckily we only signed up for the massage and not love package.   At the beginning of the masseuses sang a random Happy Anniversary song to us and then she made us both cup a candle in our hands and look into each others eyes and say one thing we loved about each other.  Al and I aren't cheesy so it was hard for me to keep a straight face and all I really wanted was a massage!!  After lunch we rented a Wave Runner from our wheeler and dealer friends on the beach.

We went to the little island behind us and then I let Al have the last 20 minutes to himself.  I knew he would enjoy it more without me holding his speed back.

We thought this was funny.

That night we had reservations at the fancy restaurant.

We had a yummy lobster dinner and then we were still hungry afterwards so we went to another restaurant and had more lobster.  That's the great thing about an all inclusive resort.

These were our friends we hung out with a few nights who were both on their honeymoons.

Klyde Warren

We took a trip to Dallas one day to play at Klyde Warren.  Last time we went here it was on a Saturday and there was way too many people to enjoy it.  We pretty much had the place to ourselves and Cole and Alex had a blast playing in the water.

I don't know what these two would do without each other.  Makes me wish I had a sibling this close:)

We had lunch by the green and then made a trip to Sprinkles cupcakes on the way home.

I let Alex help me buy one out of the ATM and then we bought some mini ones for them inside.

Alex said mama will you buy me a big cupcake and Cole a little one :)  

Al was in New Jersey for work and they ran into Governor Christie.  It's always interesting to compare our daily events.  Mine are definitely more entertaining :)

Hook em horns

We met Celia, Aaron and their kids before the game for dinner and then all went to the game together in hopes to find tickets.  We somehow found a scalper selling front row tickets and talked him into $40 each, amazing.  I borrowed some Texas apparel from my friend Ally to rile Al 4 up, but we never even saw him at the game.  

 Burnt orange is not a good color to wear when you have to walk through the humid heat carrying a 2 year old, yikes.

Check out those seats, awesome view.

These seats were seriously perfect and the kids had a bunch of room to run around and play in.  

hook em horns

Seaweed "sushi" break.  I wonder if they are deficient in something because they love it so much!!

Family pic, sure do love these cute boys.  We drove home after the game so Al could teach primary the next day.  It was a late night, but luckily the boys slept in the car.

Austin

Al's Dad and Coby were in Austin for the BYU game so we decided to take a trip up there to go visit them and go to the game.  Al went to San Antonio that morning for a meeting and left us at the outlets which was fine with me since I've been dying to go to Lulu.  We had an hour to kill before the outlets opened so I took the boys to McDonalds.  They got to play, have cinnamon rolls, and drink oj.

When we got to Austin we had a late lunch with Al's dad at the original Whole Foods which was amazing.  So many food options and beautiful food everywhere.  I could've spent all day in there.  That night we had dinner at the Hula Hut on Lake Austin.  Can you tell Cole was tired :)

We had a seat right on the water and for a moment I forgot we were in Texas, so pretty.  

I've been asking Al to take me to see the bats at Congress Avenue Bridge forever so tonight was the night.  It started pouring rain after dinner so I was worried we wouldn't get to see them, but it all worked out and we only had to wait for about 10 minutes.  It was so weird and so smelly!!   I've never seen so many bats.  I told Alex it was Batman and his family :)

Alex and I by the big bat statue.

We had a late night snack at Gordough's which was not as good as the trailer.  I love this picture of Alex.  Thank goodness for iPads.

The next morning we had to get up early to meet everyone to go boating.  I felt so bad waking up Cole, but he was a good sport and went with it.

A fun ride on the luggage cart with Dad.

We went boating on Lake Travis and it was so much fun.  The water was so warm and the lake is so pretty, but look how low the water levels are.  

Cole and Alex playing on the tube.

Alex loved tubing with Dad behind the boat.  We may need our own someday.

Cole was so sleepy he took a nap on me, love his squishy face.

I hadn't been wake boarding since I lived in Utah and I still got up, yay.  I wish we could go every weekend.

That night was the game so we took our stuff to Coby & Al's hotel for the boys to nap and everyone to shower.  So much fun packed into 1 day and look at these cute helpers wanting to do everything Al does.