family photo - L is crying 'cause she wants down to walk

view from our hotel room overlooking the main pool - Nina and Papa are in our favorite chairs waving

wha-jen and L lounging near the pool

Thank You God (and the wonderful folks of Benadryl)...We're Back!

We got back late last night after a wonderful flight with the kids- an answer to prayers and the wonderful side effects of Benadryl. I don't know whose kids we brought back on the plane from Jamaica but we'll keep them for sure! If you would have seen the kids that arrived in Jamaica last Wednesday and stood in the customs line in a hot un-airconditioned airport for over an hour, you wouldn't have known they were the same (I was imagining the unspoken conversation running through the Jamaican's minds behind us in the slow moving line - ya mon, we ting you should take dem kids home). So a bit of medicine and a full day of swimming helped knock our little darlings out for most of the flight. L had been pretty sick the day before so I reasoned it was necessary anyway, right?

We really had a great time. The weather was in the low to mid 80's with sunshine all but one day (and that was just overcast) and a breeze that kept you from being uncomfortable and sticky. The resort was great for families - lots geared to kids like shallow pools, shallow beach fronts, playgrounds, easy access to food and a great nursery. It wasn't five-star luxurious but the Jamaican people who worked there were friendly and everything was clean. The rooms need to be upgraded which I think they are starting on next year but it is your typical Holiday Inn type of room, either you are fine with it's standard non-descript decor and mediocre mattress or a bit grossed out by the weird ten year old stain on the corner of the bathroom tub. But the all-inclusive was a nice experience to have. You never had to worry about having enough money or where you were going to have have a meal - it was all "free" - the food, the bars, the snacks. Kind of like being on a cruise except on land.

We got into a bit of a routine which was nice. We'd wake up, claim our pool chairs, eat breakfast and then spend the entire morning at the pool or beach. We did the beach one day and realized just how much work it was. It was hotter and L kept eating sand by the fistful. Even after I strapped her down in her stroller, she managed to find creative ways to eat it. Either by licking it off the bottom of her shoe or dropping her sippy cup and licking it off the sides when some unsuspecting person handed it back to her. J preferred the pool with it's cooler water, waterfall and "tunnels" under the bridges that passed over it. A boy after his own mom's heart. After lunch we'd drop the kids off at the nursery where L would nap and J would have his down time - watching a video or playing quietly with the nanny and we would go out and explore Jamaica (more stories of our adventures to come). We'd pick them up late afternoon and get ready for an early dinner. We'd then walk or kill time until time for bed. Keith and I would go out for the night to a late dinner and to play cards and listen to the entertainment with Jen, Mom and Dad while a nanny came to our room each night to sit with the kids while they slept. Routines are always good for kids and it was nice to have one on a vacation where your days are usually anything but routine.

More stories and photos to come. Too much laundry to attend to now. But a nice break indeed. We miss you Meibers'! Thanks for joining us on our Island adventure.