One Week Later

A week ago today, I was on my fourth load of post-cruise laundry. Miles was headed to work and spending the weekend dog-sitting for friends. The weather was much like today-rainy-and the grass was looking like a jungle. We needed groceries and a few home-cooked meals after days of all the food you could eat. Isaac was getting ready to head to Lexington to celebrate McKayla's birthday with her. Life had settled back into our everyday routine of normal.  I think that's what make a vacation so special - it gives us something to look forward to and teaches us to be grateful for the times we get to spend with our kids.  For us these days, that doesn't happen all that often.

COVID disrupted the first family cruise we had planned together. After sailing on Utopia of the Seas last summer with our friends, I knew I wanted our kids to experience that same kind of vacation. Miles was fortunate enough to go on a cruise last spring, but I was excited that this time our whole family would get to experience it together.  We started our planning last Christmas and secured the 8th floor which is the same place we'd stayed last year BUT with adjoining rooms and balconies.  It was perfect!

I can't say enough great things about Home2 Suites by Hilton on International Drive in Orlando.  Since we wanted to fly in the day before our cruise, we needed a hotel for the night. I had accumulated enough Hilton Honors points to book our room completely free. Our plan was to catch a shuttle from the airport to the hotel which Home2 Suites provided complimentary.  However, they also provided free transportation to areas around the hotel which included tons of food options and shopping.  The area is walkable, and we did that some as well because waiting for the shuttle sometimes took longer than walking to where you wanted to go.  But it was HOT and the weather always looked unpredictable.  Because we arrived at our hotel early, the room wasn't ready so we decided to have the shuttle take us over to Cracker Barrel where we ate a big brunch and then did some shopping.  

When we got back to the hotel, the room was ready.  We all wanted to crash, but I was too restless so I headed down to the pool.  This is where I met the sweetest family which as it turned out, was going on the same cruise as us.  It didn't take long for Matt to come down.  It's hard to unwind, and we were both excited about spending time together with our kids who eventually came down too.  We ate Jersey Mikes for dinner and also had some Coldstone Creamery before turning in.

The next morning's agenda consisted of eating the free breakfast at the hotel, catching a Lyft to Port Canaveral, and boarding the ship as early as possible. Our boarding time was 11:30 a.m., but passengers can usually board as early as 10:30 a.m. which we did!

Matt and Miles checking out the gym on Utopia.

You have to pack a small bag when you board early because your cabin isn't ready.  The stewards take your luggage directly to your room which you can usually get in around 1PM.  We got our wifi set up, did some exploring of the ship, and changed into our swim suits, and headed to the pool which was not crowded at all.  In fact, Miles and I did a couple of the water slides because the wait was super short.  We had some drinks, ate some food, and participated in launch party which is a giant dance/pool party when the ship takes off!

 

After our cabins were ready, we headed back to shower and get ready for dinner.  We had selected My Time Dining, which means you aren't assigned a specific dinner time and can eat whenever it works best for you.  When we arrived around 6:30 p.m., we were surprised. Instead of waiting in line, we were escorted to a special dining section and told it was a "privilege" reserved for guests who consistently arrived around that time. They explained that if we continued coming at 6:30 each evening, we could skip the lines and head straight to our table for dinner.  It sounded like a great plan for us!

My stomach is usually a wreck on vacations, but it doesn't stop me from eating everything!  Cruise dinners and breakfasts are my favorite, especially in the formal dining room.  There is so much to choose from, and while it's not the best meal you've ever had, it's decent considering the amount of people they have to feed daily.  Our waiters, Dhiraj and Andra, were two of the sweetest people we met on the cruise. Dhiraj was always smiling and enthusiastic about the menu, and loved surprising us with things - like an anniversary dessert with the staff singing to Matt and I, or specially prepared steaks. Their kindness always made us feel special.  After dinner that night, we enjoyed the Ice Skating show.

 

Matt and I learned our lesson last year about the Windjammer and avoided it all costs.  I'm sure the food was/is great, but the crowd is nuts and something we wanted to avoid. We enjoyed breakfast in the main dining room every morning, and Karson joined us each day. It was a much more relaxed way to start the day, and breakfast is made to order.  We usually brought the boys back something as well - cinnamon rolls for Isaac and pancakes and bacon for Miles.

 

 

 Our first port of call was the Bahamas.  We'd planned an excursion that day, which we hadn't done last year.  The plan was for Miles and I to go to Pearl Island Beach and for Matt, Karson and Isaac to go to the same place but with added snorkeling option.   Lunch was provided on the island - it sounded fun.  What I didn't anticipate was how long it would take to coordinate and organize the shuttle transportation. The boat ride took forever and was hot.  The food was okay, and the area was a little run down.  Karson, Isaac and Matt enjoyed the snorkeling and saw some neat things.  Miles and I got in the ocean and chilled uner an umbrella.  Overall I think it was a fun experience, but I wouldn't recommend it or choose to do it again.    There is plenty to do walking around the Bahamas, visiting the shops, and seeing the sights.  The ship is also less crowded which makes it enjoyable too.  

The kids got a picture with the Carnival cruise ship famous for the documentary The Poop Cruise.

Once we got back on the ship and cooled down, we got ready for dinner.  We were supposed to go to another show but after a hot, long day, none of us had the energy or desire to do that.  Matt and Miles went to the Promenade and ate pizza, went to the 70's/80's dance party and then headed to the night club (which was also at the ice skating rink).  They had some funny stories to share later that night.

 

The next morning, we arrived at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas. Lunch is included on the island, making it easy to spend the day there. It's a beautiful beach where you can relax in a lounge chair, read, play games if you want (Miles enjoyed ping pong and pickleball) and swim in the ocean. 

That night, we went to the Aqua80s show, and it was amazing the second time around for us!   The acrobatics, diving, music, and overall production is a must see, and I believe the choreography was different this go around because there was quite a bit I don't remember from last year.

What made it an even more memorable show was the atmosphere. The AquaTheater is located on the same deck where people watch sporting events (there's a big sports bar on this deck), and the USA World Cup match was taking place at the same time as our show. There was a lot of excitement and overall energy especially when the USA won the match!

The next and final full day on the ship was a sea day.  There's no rush to get off the ship or stick to a schedule, which is nice.  You simply get to enjoy everything the ship has to offer.  This was our second time on Utopia, and I still don't think Matt and I have experienced everything there is to do. It's amazing how much there is packed into one ship.

Isaac running the chess table on our deck!  He played quite a few opponents during the week!

 

Miles wanted some Utopia T-shirts, knowing they'd go on sale the last day of the cruise 2 for $30. Once they snagged a couple, he and Matt proudly wore their new shirts. We wanted to coordinate the 4th of July with some festive outfits.  I did my best to coordinate outfits during our cruise.  The kids were good sports about it which I appreciated.

That night we wrapped the evening with a comedy show.  Me, Matt and Miles were the only ones that went.  Karson and Isaac wanted to go back to the room and chill.  We got all our stuff packed up and ready to go.  The next morning, we weren't in a rush to leave because we had a flight later in the afternoon.  We did take advantage of the dining room breakfast one last time. 

We left the ship, grabbed an Uber to the airport, and prepared for a long wait before our flight. Thankfully, Orlando's airport is one of the nicest I've ever been to, so spending several hours there wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. 

Nashville welcomed us home with sheets of rain and storms (YAY), which actually delayed our landing.  It also made for a long drive home. And just like that, we were unpacking suitcases, doing laundry, and settling back into routine!  And here we are, one week later.

The cruise went by in the blink of an eye.  I'm grateful for a special trip with my family, and I'm excited about our next adventure.  We're thinking a fall trip to Destin might be necessary!

The Midyear Reset

We say it every year, almost with surprise: half the year's already gone. It doesn't seem possible when Christmas feels like yesterday.  I'm not sure I've always felt like time moved this fast, but this year, I definitely do!  Maybe it's because I started a new job. My days are filled with new responsibilities, new people, and plenty of things to learn. Between trying to keep up with new tasks and settling into a different routine, the weeks seem to disappear before I even realize they're gone.  And NOW, it's June. Half the year is behind us.  Life can make time feel different.  I can only assume it will get even quicker from here on out.

 

Like most summers during our kids' younger years, spending time at Pap and Nana's is still one of their favorite things to do! I can certainly see why - there's always something fun going on. Whether it's riding around on big toys, going to the lake, entertaining the younger cousins, or just enjoying time together, Pap and Nana always make it a place where everyone wants to be!!!

Our big kid reunion and graduation festivities celebrating all the college grads in our pack! While not everyone is pictured, this group has been together since their Cradle Roll days at church. It's hard to believe they're all grown up and heading off in different directions. We're so proud of each of them and excited to see what lies ahead!

Speaking of college graduates, we finally got Isaac back home...woohoo! I'm not sure he shares quite the same level of excitement, but he knows it's only temporary and seems happy to be back.

Before moving out of Richmond, he sold most of his belongings to lighten the load. He also enjoyed a trip to Myrtle Beach with McKayla's family, Karson got to spend a day visiting with him, and we got to hang out with him in Lexington when the SWHS girls softball team made their historic 45-0 run  to the state finals and won the championship game!

 

Matt and I celebrated #27 at Salento's Italian, a new restaurant in Bowling Green because we simply don't have enough dining options to choose from.  It was wonderful!  The staff had signed a card for us, and treated us to a dessert even though we spared NO expense on the meal. We ordered salads, an appetizer, drinks, meals, of course, separate desserts.  I had the traditional tiramisu and Matt got our waitresses favorite called Budino which was FABULOUS! Afterwards, we went to the Mint and won some dough.  It didn't quite pay for the meal but came close!

Matt and Miles have been enjoying some golf this summer. They played in the Member/Member tournament earlier this month at Franklin and won their flight. Miles doesn’t get to play as much as he did in high school, but I’m thankful they had successful rounds together and got to enjoy the sport they both LOVE.

Matt was also able to join a quick golf trip with our friend Brad and play some courses in Alabama for a couple of days. He’s competed in the Club Championship at FCC and had a heartbreaker yesterday, losing on the 18th hole. He still has plans to play in the Member/Guest at Indian Hills CC and the Member/Guest at FCC-golf is his thing and his way to recharge during the summer.

 

We celebrated Ben's birthday on the 15th at Longhorn.  We definitely take up lots of space with a fun crew!

SKYPAC recently took over the summer Concerts in the Park series, which happens right in our front yard at Circus Square Park. I love that our community has the option to come out and enjoy something completely free and open to everyone.  There’s something special about seeing folks spread out on blankets and lawn chairs, kids AND adults dancing, and everyone enjoying live music together. It’s one of those fun community traditions that makes Bowling Green a special place to live.

If you’re lucky, you might catch me on stage announcing. I don’t really have a fear of public speaking because I rehearse everything ahead of time… but somehow it all falls out of my brain the second I start speaking into the mic, and I go off-book pretty quick. Oof.  At least my friends told me I did a great job last night and I didn't fall off the stage, so I’ll take that as a win!

Our vacation starts tomorrow, and I am ready for a weeklong break with the family!

Our Colonel Graduates! + One

Our kids make us proud. They are dedicated, kind, and have accomplished so much in a short amount of time.

I am especially proud of Isaac.  I’ve said it before, but he has truly done the college thing on his own—and now he’s finishing a year early.  And while that is something to celebrate, he's also missing out on another year of fun.  I'll never regret encouraging him to challenge himself in high school - it opens doors, gets you scholarships and saves a LOT of money, but it also cuts your college years short.  But here’s the thing I’ve always known - Isaac is meant for something bigger.  Both he and Karson are pursuing paths that require more education, which means their time in school isn't shorter, just different.  

Because each of our children attend different schools and are on different paths, graduation looks different too. Karson was a nursing graduate at UofL, which meant she had a pinning ceremony in addition to the university’s formal graduation.  Plus, since it was in winter term, I think it was structured different than the spring.  Tickets weren't required. Our extended family attended the pinning but did not attend the main ceremony.  

At EKU, all graduations take place on the same day but are split into different ceremonies based on college. Isaac's graduation consisted of the College of Business and College of Criminal Justice, and his ceremony was the last one of the day. It's also a ticketed event which is (initially) limited for graduates. I didn’t realize you needed to reserve them as soon as the portal opened. I did manage to get the six promised tickets, but I knew I would need a couple more. Additional tickets were released later in April, and I was ready, like someone waiting for concert tickets to go on sale, to grab extra seats. I’m really glad I did, because they went fast. Who knew so many people wanted to come to graduation?

Having a daughter graduate from college feels different, at least from what I’ve seen looking through Instagram. It’s filled with young women in caps and gowns, posing all over campus. You don’t see that as much with guys.  I like to send out graduation announcements to close family and friends. For Karson, it was easy, she already had great photos thanks to her cousin Elizabeth. For Isaac, I wasn't about to ask him to arrange a photo shoot for a card. I opted for the Josten's formal cards, not really my style but something to commemorate the day.

  

Our group of 10 headed to Richmond today!  I ordered him a cookie cake which always feels appropriate when celebrating.  The plan was to gather at Jackson's Restaurant which is close to his place.  I wanted to get there a little earlier and make sure his gown and stoles were steamed and ready to go.  Plus I had some cards, pants, and other things to deliver to him.  Even though we left early, it still feels like it takes forever to get to Richmond.  We rolled up to his place about 30 minutes before we were supposed to meet everyone at the restaurant.

A Wild Turkey toast was made - we enjoyed hanging out with Isaac's friends Luke and Reed.

 

Jackon's is a local resturant with your basic hometown cooking.  We all enjoyed the food!  Isaac's friend Luke (above in the Wake Forest sweatshirt) has his photo on the wall for finishing the Big Hoss Burger Challenge which means you eat two half-pound patties with bacon, city ham, pepperoni, American, Swiss, and beer cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles, and all the condiments which include BBQ sauce, mayo, mustard, ketchup, and an onion ring. It’s served with a pile of fries and a drink. If you finish the entire meal in 20 minutes - it’s free plus you’ll get a Jacksons' t-shirt and your picture on the wall.  Yep, that pretty much sums up Isaac's best friend!  They share a love for movies, wild stories, and good times!  Isaac plans to go to Wake Forest next weekend to see him graduate from his Master's program.

No surprise that Matt bonded with him too!

The crew takes over Jackson's!  I'd told Isaac that I wanted to eat somewhere local similar to what we did for Karson in Louisville.  He told me about this place and that is was close to his house.  It was fantastic, and the people who work here could not have been sweeter or more accommodating.

  I wanted to snag some photos before dropping him off at the ceremony.  Thankful he was cooperative.  I know this isn't a "guy" thing but this mama wanted some pictures.

We started out in front of Telford Hall where it all began.  

 

 

The day was windy, and this guy can be so silly!

 

I had been stalking some photo ideas on facebook from EKU to grab some shots I liked.

Isaac spent a lot of time in Case Dining Hall - so much so that he became best friends with the Chick Fil A manager, Rhonda.  He was hopeful she would be on campus Friday and popped in to see her.

This is one reason why my son is so special - he makes a big impact on people. Rhonda was overcome with emotion, tearing up a little and told me what a wonderful job we did raising him and that he was the sweetest young man she had ever met.  She told him how much she would miss him!

 

Trying to recreate the Beatles Abbey Road Picture - he's a character!

Our final stop before the big ceremony was the business campus. I knew we’d be cutting it close to the time we needed to drop him off, but I’m so thankful we were able to capture so many pictures along the way!

 

Got him to the coliseum, went and collected the rest of the family and made our way to Baptist Health Arena!

 

 

Isaac graduated Magma Cum Laude and did it in THREE YEARS earning his Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration in Risk Management and Insurance.  His program is one of the strongest ones in this industry and the only one of its kind in Kentucky.  Because of his internship with Charles M. Moore, he has already received two licenses in Property and Casualty.

One thing that Dr. McFaddin, President of EKU, said in his commencement speech was that Isaac and his class would join the 38% of students who receive their bachelors degree.  I think this is what makes Isaac's degree even more meaninful.  While many students start this journey, only a fraction of them finish.  He stayed committed and crossed the stage!

We grabbed a few more family pictures after the ceremony before the grandparents headed home!  We took Isaac to Zaxby's for dinner before dropping him back off at his place!

 

Isaac and his professor bestie Dr. Easterling!

Isaac and his buddy Jacob who was honestly the reason Isaac chose EKU in the first place.  Jacob graduated from South early and started in EKU's Aviation program.  Isaac stayed with him some during his first year and fell in love with the campus!

While I wish he'd chosen to move back home this weekend, he has decided to stay in Richmond through the end of his lease which is mid-June.  

I can’t forget to mention that not only did Isaac graduate this spring, but Matt technically did too (not officially). He finished his last class at WKU in April getting his superintendent certification which he began last summer. I honestly don’t know how he manages to juggle it all.  I am proud of my ambitious family. They work hard and stay committed to their goals, always pushing themselves to do more and be better. It’s inspiring.