Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust...or Cash

All it takes is FAITH, 

TRUST and something I forgot...

DUST! Just a little bit of pixie dust 
(and a medium amount of cash)!

Our window of opportunity was small...ONE YEAR.
Lauren couldn't be too old and yet Hayden had to be just old enough...
This was our year...

For Christmas we gave the kids a Disney Cruise and a week at Disney World. And since we survived our last cruise sans any icebergs, shark attacks or hurricanes the kids response was actually ecstatic when we told them!

Exploring the Oceaneer's Club and Lab

 

This place was AMAZING! There were two separate places the kids could go play. The Club(where they engaged in more imaginative play...like dance party with Minnie) or the Lab(think Captain Jack leads you on a treasure hunt through the ship or the nutty professor builds volcanoes with you).

 Once they were checked in, they could transfer between the two places and there were always at least two different organized activities in each club at all times. From 8am to midnight-playtime!!! They would page us if the kids needed us, but they all LOVED IT!!! We got off the ship & Grandpa asked if the kids wanted to go on to Disney World or just get back on the ship for another week..."THE SHIP!!!" Too bad for them, Grandpa wasn't in charge & I'd already paid for a week at Disney World-no going back!

 We loved having Grandma and Grandpa Cooper come with us!

The kids room and their verandah

Water Sliding @ Sea

Hello, St. Marteen-so nice to finally meet you!

This beach was great
 (except for the locals stopping every 2 minutes to try to sell you their wares)

Lauren wanted a hair wrap as one of her souvenirs. Just as a fair warning-the price they quote you is PER INCH OF HAIR. 
They don't tell you that, until AFTER they are finished and waiting impatiently for you to scrounge together a zillion dollars. That was one expensive souvenir!!!

Ended the beach day with lunch and a little touristy shopping.

We got to meet quite a few characters while on-board ship

 

Aahhh-St. Thomas(Maegan's Bay)...
so we meet again old friend!

What could make breakfast better than napkin hats?

Our Family's Favorite Port

Newest Family Member? 

Jack Sparrow...

"There should be a captain somewhere in there."

 This island swim platform opened once the tide came in. The kids could swing from the rope monkey bars and drop into the water.

This is the water slide island that is located a short swim off the beach.

Since there was no surf for Ben to play in, he spent his time paddling around the bay in a rental tube

You might be asking yourself, so was it worth all the STRESS, HEADACHE AND MONEY...I mean FAITH, TRUST AND PIXIE DUST?

It was worth EVERY OUNCE!!!