Exuse the length, I was on a cruise

I'm officially addicted. Cruises are THE only way to go. Ross and I just got back from a 7 day Western Caribbean cruise. It was our first cruise and definitely not our last. Ross and I like to get out and see a lot, but on longer vacations it gets exhausting moving around so much, but with a cruise you get the same room and you don't have to pack up so much, your room moves for you and you wake up in a new location. Not to mention the food. I think by myself I ate a half of a cow, so much prime rib, steaks, fillet minion etc. I think I did start off kind of strong cause by day 4 of 7 I was getting tired of food. Every meal in the dinning room starts with appetizers, main course and ends with desert and you can order as many of each as you want. My downfall was ordering a couple appetizers and a couple main courses and many deserts each meal. I def slowed down after day 4. But I did get to try lobster and escargot, I didn't care for the lobster but the escargot wasn't too bad at all. For the dinning room we were assigned to a table with 2 other couples. Before we got to dinner we watched the people outside waiting and I was so paranoid of who we would be sitting with but it turned out very good. We had two other young couples and we all seemed to get along and have good conversations, not the awkwardness I was dreading with some of the weirdos we had seen on the boat.

On the ship there was almost always something to do and something to eat. They had food around the clock and usually had something happening from 9am to 12:30am and that's not counting the pools, water slide, mini golf, basketball court or running track. At night they had comedians and Vegas style shows, lots of trivia and game shows and bingo. We watched a lot of the trivia and game shows, we were always too late for Ross to get in on them, but Ross knew most of the answers so the next cruise he has to participate.

Every day we got our room cleaned twice a day. Usually mid morning while we were out doing activities or off the ship and then when we were at dinner we got turn down service where they cleaned again, turned down the bed and left towel animals on our bed. It was nice to always have a clean room and clean towels.

Grand Cayman

I think this was one of my favorite ports we stopped in because due to the rain it was not sweltering hot and humid. It was warm enough that we didn't freeze when it was pouring and it was cool enough that the rain didn't make it more humid. My understanding was that the Island was at the edge of a hurricane when we were there. But, since we were there to get wet a little rain was ok. The hard part for me was the wind. When we were on the little boat stopped at the snorkel spots the water was so choppy that the boat was all over the place and it was making me sick, luckily I wasn't one of the 2 on the boat that actually threw up. The snorkeling was ok, what I was really looking forward to was Stingray City. On the excursion we booked we were to go to a reef to snorkel and then go to Stingray City and then another snorkel location. Stingray City was a sandbar out in the middle of the ocean (we were so far out we couldn't see land at all) that was between waste and chest deep and there were hundreds of wild stingrays swimming around. They also brought some squid we could feed the stingrays, which was quite the experience. I had to talk Ross into it, he was a little nervous of their tails. We got to kiss and hold stingrays too, the legend on Grand Cayman is that if you kiss a stingray you get 7 years of good luck, needless to say Ross was kissing every stingray he could get a hold of.

On our way out to the first snorkel site we looked to the side of the boat and this random wild dolphin was following the boat. It was so cool, it was able to keep up for a while.

With our excursion we didn't have much time to do anything else at this port. Next time we want to go to Hell. There is a city a little ways away from the port named Hell. We were told it was named that cause it looked like what they thought hell would look like. That's on our list if we ever get back to Grand Cayman. We did get some shopping done at the beginning of the day but didn't dare do too much after. We went to a thing the cruise director did on the ship talking about all the ports, what there is to do, how the tender works at a couple of the ports and most of all he stressed to NEVER be late back to the boat cause you will get left, so we were a little nervous to make it on a tender to get back to the ship. But it all went well and we were never left behind.

Grand Cayman was pretty cool, the port was in Georgetown, and the town was a pirate theme. Tortuga, the slutty island from Pirates of the Caribbean, was on the island and everywhere you look its pirates.

This was the only day I got sea sick. After being on the small boat snorkeling and then I had to get on the tender (small shuttle boat between the boat and the port) and was sitting in the back breathing in the exhaust, then even the ship was really moving, I think half the ship was sick that day. However, I would rather hit the outskirts of a hurricane and be a little sick than have to be averted to a different port or miss a port all together.

Roatan Island, Honduras

We learned the hard way in this port that you need to have excursions to get the most out of the ports. All the ports had the same shops and it was an expensive taxi ride to get anywhere else. When we got to shore here we were going to shop a little and then maybe check out the island, but the taxi would be like $30 a person each direction, which is about as much as an excursion would cost, so we decided maybe staying around port wouldn't be so bad. We did find a zip line company in the jungle across the street, once you got out of the shopping section.

This port was so freaking hot and humid, I could have swum through the air. This was the only port that had a beach right off the boat but it was so crowded most of the time so we just went in for like 10 min before we had to get back on the boat. The beach was pretty, soft white sand and very blue water.

Belize City, Belize

I think this was one of my favorite ports. We signed up for extreme cave tubing before we left home and on the bus ride to the location we got to go through Belize City and a lot of the country side. This one and Roatan Island were very 3rd world, not the best living conditions. When we were going through the city in Belize and the driver was pointing out parts of the city, I wanted to get pictures but the windows were so tinted I wasn't able to get photos. Most of the city was dilapidated shacks that were 10' by 10', some were up on stilts and some were just boards stuck together on the ground. We passed a part of the town that was a tad nicer and the driver said it was where the doctors and lawyers lived, those with money, and they were 20' by 20' homes made of cinder blocks on stilts. He said they usually cost about $200-$300,000 US. The conditions got worse as we went through the countryside. We had a 45 min drive and my eyes were just glued to the window.

While we were driving one of the tour guides breaks out some cashew wine and little cups and started passing it around to the passengers. He said he doesn't care how young you are, if your parents are ok with it then take a drink. I think the legal drinking age in Belize was 18. Also, while we were driving through the city if the bus didn't answer with the amount of enthusiasm the guide was hoping for they would stop the bus in the middle of the busy road. They don't have much in the way of traffic laws here, the red lights are more of a suggestion and no one cares if you run them. We did pass a checkpoint where there was soldiers in full military garb with machine guns standing at the side of the road.

The cave tubing was pretty cool. Our guide told us the history of the caves and the blood letting rituals and human sacrifices the Mayans used to do in the cave. The history was really interesting.

To get to the opening of the caves we had about a 30 min hike through the jungle/rain forest. It was really pretty scenery and it was really pretty hot too. We didn't have but spray and I got eaten alive by mosquito's and their mosquito's there put our puny little brown ones to shame. They are big and black and have long legs that just dangle and they are HUGE. I was joking with Ross that maybe we will come home with Malaria and later that day he came down with a nasty nasty cold and sore throat.

Cozumel, Mexico

We learned in Honduras we needed excursions to get the most out of the ports and the night before getting into Cozumel we decided to do a swim with the dolphins. The other two couples at our table was doing it and we had heard from others how amazing it was and decided we may as well, after all its something I have always wanted to do. The big shock was how excited Ross was. I never thought he would get this excited to swim with the dolphins. When we got to the facility we found out there were 3 babies and we got to swim with one of the moms and her baby. It was fun, but they wouldn't let us take our cameras so I didn't get many pictures. They did have some you could sell your soul for and I bit the bullet and got 3 of them. I mean, how can you swim with the dolphins and not have a picture to show for it. We got to kiss, be kissed, dance, hug and ride a dolphin and lots and lots and lots of petting.

What is Normal?

I have heard the saying, and have even said it myself, "once . . . . . is over things will get back to normal." I have been thinking lately that once summer is over and things are back to normal then I will be able to get a lot done around the house and other projects I have been procrastinating on (I'm pretty excited to open a store on Etsy). However, I was saying that once winter is over and summer is here things can get back to normal and I can get things done. I am beginning to wonder if I really know what normal is, or even worse, that the chaos in our life and our house is normal.

Oh YouTube: How I Love Thee . . . . .

let me count the ways. Youtube has officially become my new best friend. It has saved Ross and I lots of money and it has helped to alleviate boredom and stresses. You may wonder how YouTube has helped to save hundreds of dollars, if not more and I will tell you. With the purchase of our new home, although not new it was new to us, and with it not being new there were plenty of things that needed to be fixed and many of these items were small and not covered under our home warranty. After spending all our home allotment on carpet and flooring and paint, etc we found out part of our kitchen sink was not hooked up (we found out when guests dumped water down the drain and we heard it leaking into the cupboard underneath) and in order to hook it up we needed to get a and hook up a new disposal. Now, Ross and I can do some things but neither one of us have hooked up a disposal and the instructions that came with the new disposal was not at all clear. Ross pulls out his computer and watches YouTube and BAM! he is able to hook it up and it works. That saved us at least $100. Then, the breaks on Ross' car needed to be changed, and though he has done this before he needed a slight refresher. He pulled up YouTube and took his computer out to his car with him and with just the cost of the new pads was able to replace his breaks. This saved at least $150. The breaks on my car were going out, it wasn't the pads, I could push the breaks almost to the floor before they started to do something (I had to start breaking 1 1/2 blocks in advance) and Ross found out on YouTube how to bleed my breaks after changing the pads to get the breaks working. This saved about $150. Yesterday we had a repairman come and look at our garage door motor (hasn't worked since before we moved in) and found out the morons that had the house before us somehow got spray paint inside the motor and on the mother-board, so this wasn't covered by our home warranty. The guy told us it would be cheaper to get a new motor at Home Depot than it would be for him to get it and install it for us. We may need to pull out YouTube for this project this weekend, especially when it comes to the key pad. This will save us $300. And the last, to date, project we need to get done soon is my blower/fan in my AC went out. I can deal with not having an AC but with this fan being gone I also won't have a heater this winter to defrost my windows and I really don't see how that can be safe. So, Ross has been researching on YouTube the last couple of days to see how to change this beauty, saving us another big chunk of money.

And for me, lately I have gotten back into crocheting and its a great time passer at work. I have been doing hats that one day I will list on my Etsy account, but in doing hats I have come across stitches and phrases in patterns that I have never heard of and don't know how to do the stitch. I just plug it into YouTube and I can easily find a video that shows me how to do it. This is such a miracle because usually when I can't figure things out with crocheting I would get frustrated and give it up and the project never gets finished. Now, I have tons of finished hats, and they are so cute if I do say so myself.

This is my newest hat and it has the picot stitch around the bottom. I had never heard of this stitch but thanks to my new best friend I was able to see how its done and was able to finish my hat.

Oh, and not to forget the gems that you can find on there like auto tune the news, Bon Qui Qui and all the painful bloopers that make me laugh so hard I am crying.

So, 6 of the many reasons I love YouTube and I am sure they will continue to grow.

Today is the Beginning

Today starts a new chapter in our life. I flip between being very excited to feeling it will be a sucky 3 years. Ross starts school at UVU today and between working full time and going to school full time I won't be seeing much of him and I kind of like seeing the guy. It will eventually be a very good thing. The plan is for him to go to school full time, including summer, for the next 3 years to get it done and over with and move on to the big bucks. I guess I will have plenty of time after work to try new hobbies and projects before Ross gets home at night.

Domesticated

I have been wanting to build our food storage for a little while, I think it started a couple months after we got married, and just haven't had the room, until we bought our house. Now I feel this push/drive to get our food storage started and to where it can support Ross and I, if even for a short time. When we were looking at houses one of the things I looked for in the yards of all the potential homes was if there was fruit trees, and if not if there was room to plant some and there HAD to be room for my garden. I grew up with fruit trees and gardens and the produce tastes so much better when you can go into your yard and pick it and eat it. My cherries came and went, I did eat some, but those aren't something I really care for bottled, but I have been anxiously awaiting my peaches. And let me tell you, they are every bit as delicious as I anticipated. Earlier in the week I cut up a bowl full and had peaches and cream and let me tell you how amazing it was. Unfortunately my peach tree is dying so it wasn't as full as I would have liked but there is still enough for me to do a little with. Yesterday I decided to bottle some of my peaches before the ants and birds eat them all. I have grown up bottling fruit and so its nothing new to me, but I usually have help or am helping someone and so I have never realized how much I had to get ready, between washing and sterilizing the bottles, blanching the peaches and getting the pot to process them. But I did it and if I do say so myself I think they turned out pretty good. I did some jam and some halves. I did have to get creative since I don't have all the tools and little household items that makes it easier, I guess I took for granted all the things my mom's kitchen has.

Commence Freak Out

I realized yesterday that my cruise is less than a month away, which is pretty exciting and I must admit I am a bit giddy with excitement. It will be so nice to get away and relax and de-stress since things have been a bit hairy lately. It will also be the first trip Ross and I have taken alone in the 2 years we have been married (can't believe its been 2 years already!!) and our very first cruise. I am not totally sure what to expect with some aspects of the cruise and there is still a few more reservations to be made but thats not too big of a deal.

Even with all the good points I just mentioned I have started to freak out, but just a little. I bought some board shorts at the beginning of summer and set them aside for the cruise. I tried said shorts on yesterday to see how they are going to fit and they DIDN'T. I know its not been the best summer for working out and eating. Its hard to cook for myself and eat healthy when I am exhausted from my yard work and my kitchen is 95 degrees and then my run isn't . . . . well, it just doesn't happen. Now I have less than a month to get my butt in gear and in my shorts.

Another Weekend Come and Gone

I have never, in my wildest dreams, thought I would be anxious for a weekend to be over, however I found myself ready for Monday to be here. My desire for the weekend to be over had nothing to do with going to work, I do not enjoy getting up before the sun and going to work for the man for 10 hours a day. However, I have found since we have bought our house that our weekends are quite often taken up with house stuff and that stuff is never ending, there is always something that needs to be done. This weekend it was the lawn.


Ross and I spent the previous week ripping out the lawn and the 2 remaining tree stumps in the front. The problem is the stumps didn't want to come out, they fought Ross for 3 days. While Ross wrested with and cussed at the stumps I got the "privilege" of tilling up the front yard and removing all the dead grass and weeds. 3 days and 9 hours later I finally finished and we were ready to put the sod down. We were able to get the sod in 3 trips with the trailer, the hardest part was unloading the sod from the trailer for the next trip (who knew sod was so heavy). I was trying to help Ross unload the sod, what little he would let me help with, and I ended up tweaking my back. I am just so grateful for all the help we got on Saturday morning laying the sod, my dad and sister came and helped and one of Ross friends just showed up to help. I knew it would have taken Ross and I forever with just us and with all the extra help we were able to get 1200 sq feet laid in about 3 hours, and that's with a Popsicle break.

We weren't able to get it all done, probably need another couple of pallets worth, but that's for another time, but it looks so good. A couple times both Ross and I just sat and stared at it, enjoying the view and how nice it looks. A couple times during the lawn removal process I got frustrated and annoyed at the soreness and was ready to just hire a landscaper, but now that its all done and I just need to water I am glad that we did it ourselves and have a sense of accomplishment and am almost ready to tackle another of our many projects, just not for a couple of weeks.

My other big project this weekend was a cake. I really enjoy making cakes and its fun to go through the creative process and see a cake turn into something more fun. My problem this weekend was fitting in the time and energy this weekend to do the cake justice. We were making it for my nephew's 4th birthday and we wanted to try something pretty different. We had been planning this cake since the middle of June and were pretty excited to try the idea and I think it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.

The whole cake was edible, except for the fish in the fishbowl. Well, I guess you can eat those, but they are not cake or sweet and I think a little boy would have been upset if you ate his fish. We did have some comments about the rocks around the bottom of the cake, they thought they were real rocks and were shocked to hear that they were fondant. My sister and I are looking for our next cake project, it may not be until Jan but that gives us time to come up with a theme. Its for another one of my nephews and it was suggested yesterday that we make a cat cake with a live cat in the middle tier. I think its something we should keep in mind.