4th Anniversary (for us) 2nd Anniversary (for DK) Cruise

June 7th J and I set sail on the Carnival Liberty with our best friends D and K! We are so lucky to share an Anniversary weekend so we can travel together! Not many people can spend 8 days together, arrive home, and still wish you could hang out longer! 

I really, really needed the break from all the stress that has been going on at home lately and it was so nice to spend time with my hard-working, ghost of a PhD student, husband. The ship was great and the weather was perfect the entire time!!! 

The only hard part about leaving was saying goodbye to my babies for that long!!! I knew they were in great hands with gramma and my brother B, but I still cried (which for those who know me, that NEVER happens!). We were so thankful to be able to leave them knowing they would be loved there just as much as with us! They also got to spend an evening at the in-laws/they're puppy cousins' house and a day with my aunt and cousins so I know they had a blast! My mom and B brought them to wave goodbye and it was B's birthday so I felt really loved!!!

My food allergies made it a little difficult, but I found that I could eat a hamburger patty for lunch and dinner in the dining room ( I would pick things from the menu the night before and the kitchen would do their best to make those things without contamination). I brought my soy shakes and ALT bars for breakfast and some lunches. It was hard to watch J and D eat 27.5 and 25.5 ice cream cones respectively, but at the same time, I didn't gain any weight on the trip and I still got to have my favorite dessert in the dinning room (Carnival's chocolate melting cake (gluten and dairy free version tastes just like the regular one!!!)). 

Port Canaveral 

 J enjoyed playing some very intense games of life-size chess throughout the cruise

 First Drink of the week (only day of the week I got to drink because even using clear Bacardi (supposed to be gluten free) and checking the ingredients of the daiquiri mix I still got sick. I really liked this drink though and then I had just Bacardi shots the rest of the night. Alcohol is probably the easiest thing to cut out of my everyday life though, so I guess it's all good.

 Hello Gluten and Dairy free goodness!!!

First Formal Night!!!

 I love this guy! 

 First Stop...

 Margaritaville!!!

 Its 11:00 am...but it's 5 o'clock somewhere!!!

Crazy awesome pool, with a whole lot of drunk people and tons of sunscreen residue 

SLIDE TIME 

Our favorite Ship singer Tom 

ST. THOMAS!!! No Flag picture needed :)

 Such a beautiful beach!!!

Can you spot the hanging Iguana???

 Night view of our only U.S. port, making my last phone call to check on my puppies!

 Tortola, British Virgin Islands

 It was an early morning

 Our ship for the day! 

 So cool in the caves!

 We totally didn't know this sequence was being captured on film, but I love it!

 Making snorkels look hott! :)

 I honestly have no idea what we were looking at, but it's beautiful!

 I love this of all 4 of us!!! Perfect un-planned shot!

 Look who they let drive!

 This captain doesn't even know what to do with all this hotness! ;) 

 Seriously the best day in the sun!

 Probably shouldn't have let me drive...Although probably only adult sober one on the ship!

 Captain getting a little too friendly ;) 

Results of sun and 5 rum punches in like an hour... He made it to the room, but couldn't wait for me to open door! Ha!

My favorite meal of the entire trip!!!

St. Maarten, Netherlands Virgin Islands 

Pulled up next to a huge new ship, Royal Caribbean's Allure. 

J was so excited to find $2 beer on the water taxi! Definitely beats $6-8 on the ship, but after getting off the taxi he learned they are only $1.25 so he was totally ripped off for the first!

We decided my bro B should stop working  in cocoa beach and move here so we can visit!!! 

We will come back to this place when it opens! $4 margaritas!!! 

Hmm... I probably should have stopped and gotten a foundation refil! 

No explanation needed...except maybe why they have a star was exhibit on the island...

Signing our names in the Florida and Georgia sections...

Like my water bottle? Yeah that kinda sucked (I think everyone thought I was prego when I said I couldn't have any alcohol! Ha!) 

FREE SHOTS!!!!

J got mine too lol

Long story, but Daryl was totally missing out ;) 

Last flag picture :( 

Awesome sunset!!! 

 We had lots of fun people watching at the deck party! 

So... J was a great sport this trip because half way through the cruise, he got water in his ear and we don't know if he messed with it too much or if snorkeling the next day took it over the edge, but he got an ear infection and also had a perforated eardrum. It bled quite a bit. The ship didn't have ear drops and it cost a fortune to talk to the doctor so he just tried to enjoy himself and saw the doc at UGA as soon as we returned! Poor guy couldn't hear much the last few days :(

Naps might have been one of J's favorite parts of the afternoon! I usually took a 15 min. one and then I'd go hit the gym while others slept! :) D did insanity with me a couple times so that was really fun! 

Our waiter dancing on a table!

2nd formal night!

J creepin'

J doing who knows what...

Our budget was $0.00 for the casino; J spent $4 but I figure I can let that slide :)

J saying hello from the other side of the elevator

Sad morning...but I was so happy to see my mom and babies pull up! 

Thanks to mom and the Rs for the rides to and from the port!!! We are so blessed to have such special friends! Sorry this post is more like a book, but hope you enjoyed looking at pictures from our very special getaway!!!! We have lots more videos from the GoPro, but they need some editing, so I will post those in a separate post :) 

Happy 2nd Anniversary DK and happy 4 years J!!! Can't wait until our next trip together!!!