The journey begins...

So you may have noticed our cruise countdown picture is no longer on the blog. Saddly enough, our trip is over. We have now returned from one of the best vacations ever. I have been struggling with trying to figure out how I can blog a 9 day adventure, and I think I'll just have to take it one day (literally) at a time. I took 270 pictures, so I will obviously give you just a touch of them here. I also took 8GB of video on our new flip video camera, and I am investigating You Tube to figure out how to post those also. In other words, lots more to come. In this installment, I will post our journey to the boat:

The girls and the traditional Carroll countdown poster. We have marked off the last day:



Another Carroll family tradition, picnicing at the Alabama rest stop. We all played hookie from school the last Friday and left home around 10 am (we were shooting for 9). We ate at the reststop, then hit the road again.

The girls after lunch:

We broke the drive the first day into two parts. (insert laugh here, Julie and Matt...) We stayed in Monticello, FL, right past Tallahassee the first night. I don't think we could have driven much further. The drive home was much easier, but I guess getting up for school that week made the drive down slower.

Emma in our hotel room the first night:

Katie outside the truck the next morning before we left for Port Canaveral:

We stayed at the Radisson at the Port the night before the cruise b/c they had a cruise deal which saved us parking at the terminal. We left the car at the hotel and took a shuttle to the boat. It was very convenient. They had a great pool at the hotel, which we all enjoyed after the long days of driving.

Mark and the girls at the pool. I love this picture:

Swimining at the pool:

I used the timer on the camera for this one... not that bad:

Our packed bags the next morning while we wait for the shuttle. I got the cutest matching duffle bags from the Disney store online. They had our names on them, but rolling would have been better (but they did look good!)

Waiting for the shuttle... too excited to sleep!

Next... arriving at the terminal and our first hours on the boat!

Kindergarten Graduation

Emma had her Kindergarten graduation this week at Northside. It was very nice b/c Northside has a new all purpose type facility (like a gym) that makes these kinds of events a lot less crowded. Here is the graduation sign:

Emma was so funny b/c she could not stop smiling the whole time. Every time she saw Mark and I she lit up! Kinda tugs at your heart strings:

Singing one of the songs they has memorized the previous weeks. Maybe " You are My Sunshine":

Emma and her BFF Addie. She is in all the pictures b/c besides being her best friend, Addie also has a "C" last name like Emma Carroll!:

Waiting to get their diplomas from Mrs. Jordan:

The proud graduate:

Emma and Mrs. Jordan (the best Kindergarten teacher ever, also one of Katie's favorites!):

Addie and Emma after graduation:

Emma and Daddy:

Emma and Mama:

First t-ball practice

Emma had her first t ball practice this past week. She was not interested in playing soccer again this year b/c there were boys on her team, but when she found out t ball would be only girls, she was ready to go. (Funny she has such a problem with boys on the team, b/c its not like she doesn't like being around boys - just ask her about her "boyfriends" at school!) Anyway, the pictures arent' that great b/c we were sitting pretty far from them, but here they are. Emma is going for the ball here (in the white shirt and purple shorts):


Here she is hitting off the tee with Coach Tommy:



Here she is posing after practice:

Mother's day 2011

There were lots of secrets and whispering around the Carroll house this past week because for some reason the girls were very excited about Mother's day this year. They made lots of cards at home and school which they presented to me this morning. Katie had made some coupons at school for free car washes and vacuuming and so forth. I have already taken advantage of a few of those.

Here I am with breakfast in bed. (don't I look hot?):


The delicious breakfast fixed by Katie and Mark:

Emma before we left for church. She looked like a "little lady" to me in this pic:

This was supposed to be Katie's and I's "self portrait", but I didn't realize she was making this lovely face!

The Carroll girls before church - notice Katie's height!

Eating at LaCarretta's after church:

Emma picked up the check after we ate and said "I got this":

Hope everyone out there had a lovely Mother's day. I sure did. By the way, did I mention that we will be setting sail with Mickey Mouse 2 weeks from today! I can't believe it is almost here!

The new "water park"

Our new "water park" (and I use that term generously) opened this week, and the girls and I visited Friday. It is a really nice facility, but my aggravation with it, is that it is connected to a brand new work out/ swim facility that the Carrolls seriously considered joining.... then we found out the 'water park' was not included. They are also not selling a summer pass, and you can't leave and reenter in one day. It will cost the girls and I $15 a pop every time we visit. Is it nice... yes, is it Blue Bayou... uh... no!

Anyway, here are some pics:





Katie and Emma on the lazy river (aka... the lazy small circle):

Katie in the lazy 'river':

Playing in the water playground:

The girls before we left:

I know, I'm a big talker.... we'll be there once a week this summer!