Thanks to Ima and Shesh we went on another full family cruise and it was the absolute BEST! We had a fantastic time in fantastic places with fantastic weather and with our very favorite and more than fantastic people! It was SO MUCH FUN and we are so grateful to be loved so generously by Ima and Shesh and to have such wonderful families who we just love spending time with. L and I are very aware of how lucky we are to be surrounded on both sides by families that love, support, and encourage us! This was a dream trip and there are 7,000 photos...here are just a few.
The first stop on our itinerary was Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. What a beautiful place! And lucky for us, Molly had spent a few months living here when she was in college so it was so fun to walk around town - beyond the cruise port- with a Spanish speaking tour guide of our own!
Team Tully in the Dominican Republic! A new country for all 3 of us.
An old military fort along the coast
Massive art installation welcoming us
A downtown street, so pretty and cool!
The big kids - the little girls opted for the pool at the port instead of hiking around through town and the coastline...it was a very hot day. We joined them after lunch
So pretty! A very shallow ocean entry so we saw fisherman mostly walking way out with nets for their day's catch
When you find a playground with a seesaw you use it - no matter the age
Next stop - Grand Turk of the Turks and Caicos. Just gorgeous. We did not bring our phones here but we spent the day snorkeling (with thousands of the tiniest jellyfish) and swimming in a gorgeous pool.
L and the big boys wandered a couple of miles off the beaten path for more secluded snorkeling (and no jellyfish)
The big three were gifted water park passes for Christmas from Ima and Sheshy so they ventured off to ride some pretty epic water slides. The two little girls did not miss out on the water fun though as they spent lots of fun time at a mini water park complete with slides. They LOVED it!
James was able to sign up for a scuba excursion and had a great time! This dive also helps to keep his scuba certification up to date. So cool!
There is nothing quite like having lunch (prepared by someone else) while barefoot on a beautiful tropical island.
This. This is how I spent most of my day on Coco Cay. A niece (or two) nearby and snorkeling my heart out! L and I love to snorkel! When I wasn't with Evelyn and Amelia, L and I swam out as far as we were allowed to go to take in all of the cool sights and creatures. We were lucky enough to see lobster, sting rays, and even an eel, not to mention the other hundreds of beautiful tropical fish. It was so awesome! And to hear the excitement in A and E when they would see something cool was just the best! Love
So, we had three port days and two days at sea and let me tell you, I'm not sure which I enjoyed more. Just being together - no matter the activity was just the greatest and we certainly did it all! On the ship alone we partook in Basketball, Pickleball, Ping Pong, Miniature golf, Rock wall climbing, Flowrider surfing, Napkin Folding, Trivia (of probably 10 different topics), Dance Parties, Ice Skating, Karaoke shows, Comedian shows, Dancing shows, Singing shows, Casual dinners, Dress Up dinners, Game show watching, Abs class, Water aerobics, Dance class, Cannonball contest, So much delicious food, Shuffleboard, Water slides, Swimming, Ice cream machine visits. I am sure I am forgetting something but gosh we really stayed busy with lots and lots of fun activities. Cruises are just the best because there is something for everyone!
Dinnertime! Ima is the most creative and came up with a system for the seating arrangement each evening and she had one of the kids as her 'co-host' each night to help put the assignments (using a deck of cards) out before we got to the tables. The kids always sat together and the adult couples would rotate - always having one adult couple at the kid table each evening.
Napkin folding - we really hold our own at this! #HiddenFamilyTalent
The adult table on this particular evening
The Shesh! Everyone on board had anywhere from $1 to $100 preloaded onto their Seapass card but you had to go to the casino to determine your winnings. Of course, OF COURSE Shesh was the big winner!!!! And in true Sheshy form he cashed out immediately...didn't gamble a single cent!
Ima and Sheshy and their grandkids. Love
Us
Mit and I did the Abs Class in the morning and Mit and Daney took part in the water aerobics (advertised as "Aquacise"). Hilarious!
Pre-dinner gathering
The lovely and gorgeous Molly celebrated her birthday on the ship and we were so grateful to be able to celebrate with her! We love her so!
The teenagers. Man oh man are they hilarious and clever and just so much fun! They made lots of cruise friends and stayed out waaaayyy later than their parents living their best cruise lives.
Thanks to Luke for taking a screenshot of a screenshot that was captured by one of the on-ship photographers of Luke and Jeffrey and their new cruise pals. So funny!
My very favorite sister and me!! Love
Aunt Kit and Amelia talking about all the things we are going to do on our vacation.
James and Evelyn taking a spin around the on board ice rink
Twins!
Hours and hours of basketball for the boys
Poor L....It wasn't all that long ago that he was taller than both of them
These two...gosh I loves these little love bugs!
Our outfits of pink and navy coordinated one night and I wanted to document it!
Deep thoughts with Mit, L, and Luke
The greatest duo!!
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