Christmas 2007 in 4 States

Phil and I enjoyed the first few weeks of the Christmas holidays in t-shirts, shorts, and warm enough days to walk along the beach. After moving into our new house on December 1st, we quickly decorated the tree and started Christmas festivities, including an annual tradition we are starting with making a homemade gingerbread house. After school got out, we enjoyed visiting friends and family in Atlanta, North Carolina, and Virginia. Silly me didn't take any pictures in North Carolina or Virginia, but we did see Phil's side of the family. The highlight of Christmas was giving the Purdy family, well the boys, their Wii. Jack had written a letter to the tooth ferry in the Fall of '07, asking for the tooth fairy to leave him a Wii and to just put it "outside his bedroom door." Well the tooth fairy came-in the form of Santa, a few months later. This picture of the boys is not posed, just perfectly captured.

After leaving Georgia on Christmas Eve, we made our way up 85 and spent several days visiting Phil's parents. And shortly after that, we went to Virginia to visit Freddie's family and then Chris' family. It was exhausting. In 10 days, we traveled through 6 states, slept in 4 different beds, and were ready to get back home to Florida.

We got back home on the 30th and enjoyed our "first Christmas" together and opened Christmas presents. Phil gave me a gift card to the spa, some Nike shoes, and scrapbooking supplies. He enjoyed his new briefcase, some "spending money," a few giftcards, and some new clothes. We were able to spend this Christmas with lots of family and friends and even were able to start some traditions of our own.

Thanksgiving Cruise-2007

Thanksgiving Cruise

November 2007

*San Diego

*Cabo San Lucas

*Mazaltan

*Puerta Vallarta

Phil and I spent our "second honeymoon" on the Pacific coast of Mexico aboard the Dawn Princess cruise ship. Many fun experiences took place. Before we even boarded the ship we were upgraded from an interior cabin, to a cabin with an ocean view. We enjoyed dinner each night with new friends, Lou & Gayle and Jim & Diana. We tried everything on the menu including beef wellington, lobster, crab, duck, veal, and rack of lamb. Many of the appetizers we couldn't even pronounce, but were fun to taste anyway. The average person gains 5-7 pounds on a cruise-Phil gained 0! Me, well, I'm not sure.

We enjoyed ATVing in the desert mountains of the Baja Peninsula. We rode about 20 miles through mountains and a dry river bed that ended along the coast with a gorgeous view of the ocean. It was by far the most challenging ATVing we've done, including steep terrain of 45 degree hills and canyon trails. Some of the people in our group couldn't handle the terrain and had to ride with the guides. Phil and I made sure we got out in the front of the pack so we wouldn't be slowed down.

We also spent a day in the arm pit of Mexico, Mazaltan. We got off the boat for about an hour and half and decided that we didn't need to waste our time walking around the city and quickly got back on the boat and enjoyed a nearly empty boat while in port.

Our last vist was to Puerta Vallarta. Certainly a place to go back and visit. Phil and I went on a canopy tour about an hour from the port. After a short boat ride and an hour long ride in an open air Jeep, we made it into the canopy where we swang from tree top to tree top among the canopy. I didn't enjoy this when I went to Costa Rica, so I thought I would give it another go. I didn't like it in Mexico, either, but I promised myself I would try again. It was fun watching Phil get so much excitement out of it.

We had a blast each evening getting dressed up, going to eat dinner and watching the Broadway like shows. A little gambling, lots of bingo, trips to the gym, meeting new people, and enjoying the coast of Mexico certainly added up to a great vacation. I think Princess cruiseline will see us aboard one of their ships again in the not too distant future.

Our friends, Lou & Gayle were full of energy and excitment. They stayed up later and did more activities in a week than Phil or I could ever have dreamed of doing. They were a truly inspiring couple!