In 9 short days....

Look..... we're all in love!!!!
Bryan's other love, besides me!!!
A very tan Kate with Amy, Heather (not going this year!), and Nikki
Oh yeah, this is what I do on the cruise!!!!
These are the people I love!! Tom, Sharon, Ken, Amy, Bud, and Nikki
Here it is.... the Norwegian Jewel!!!! (This is the same ship we were on 2 years ago!)


....... I will be getting on an airplane and flying to MIAMI!!!! Then the next day after that, I will be stepping onto the Norwegian Jewel and I will begin my cruise to the SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN!!! I get butterflies just THINKING about it! Yesterday I went on a HUGE shopping spree and bought 3 adorable pairs of flip-flops (with sparkles and bling of course), 3 super-cute bathing suits, an insane amount of tank tops in every color, as well as a black and white dress, shorts, and toiletries. It was a blast, and many, many thanks to my sister for tagging along with me and helping me make decisions. I am SOOO excited for this trip for the following reasons:
1. I need time with my husband. I need romance, and laughs, and relaxation, and love, and TIME with him. UN-Interrupted time. After our last cruise I said, "Bryan and I fell back in love." After 3 kids and a house and jobs and 8.5 years of marriage and LIFE, it is so hard to keep those flames burning. I love this guy like you wouldn't even believe, and I cannot wait to feel the flame again and fall back in love!!
2. No more cleaning. I am SOOOO sick of laundry, and stickiness, and pee all over my toilet and dishes, and sweeping and vacuuming. I cannot wait to not make my bed, not fold and put away laundry and not clean all those smudges off the bathroom mirrors. I will GLADLY pay 12 bucks a day to have SOMEONE else do all that stuff.
3. No daycare kids. Last week I cleaned up a puddle of pee on my floor, poop smeared all over the toilet and the kid's butt, and puke on my couch all within 10 minutes. I need a freaking BREAK. I won't even mention all the poopy diapers, snotty noses, and spit-up stains on my shirt. Oh wait, I guess I just did.
4. No email, no phones, nothing!!!!!!! I am so bored lately. This no Facebook thing has been really rough for me. I am so bored!!!! I can't wait to kayak and go on a catamaran and get dressed up every night. I can't wait to see the GORGEOUS scenery and enjoy this beautiful world God created. I can't wait to leave ROCKFORD, which is a rare treat for me.
5. I do need a break from my own kids too. They are so whiny lately. They are so much work. They exhaust me. The BEST feeling is when I start to miss them on the last day and I am excited to get back to my every day life and routines. Absence DOES make the heart grow fonder.
6. I think I am the only one in my group that likes the days at sea the best. I will be in my lounge chair, sipping on a $12 strawberry daquiri, reading "Twilight" (yes, I am going to give it a try), and SOAKING up the sun... and I am going to LOVE it!!! I am addicted to the sun. I am going to be SOOOO tan on this trip. And wait til you see the ADORABLE swim suit I found at TJ Maxx. Let me tell you, it's not every day that I try on a bathing suit and say, "OMG!!! I LOOOOVE IT!?" It's a one-piece, but it's black, it's a tummy sucker-inner, and it has SILVER SEQUENCE that swivel thru the mid section. My boobs fit in it, and it looks pretty darn hot on me. Bryan said, after I modelled all three for him, "Why don't you just wear that one the whole time?" I replied, "I cannot wear the same bathing suit every day for a 9 day cruise!!!!" DUH!!! But OMG, I cannot wait to get in my chair and LOUNGE. It's going to be HEAVEN ON EARTH!
7. Do I really need 7 reasons to explain why I am excited for this cruise? Yes!! And I have one more... I am going with the GREATEST group of people. Bryan's aunts and uncles are SOOOO much fun. They make me laugh, I can just be myself, and they are just great people. His cousins, Amy and Nikki, are going too. They are close to our age, and we just click well with them. Amy's boyfriend, Doug, is going too, and I love him tons! He has the softest hair ever and he is a blast. Nikki's fiance, Mike, is going. This guy is GREAT. I cannot say enough fabulous things about him. I am actually planning on marrying Mike if Nikki dies and Bryan dies. I love him!!! ;) This is just the best group of people. They like to party, they know how to have a good time, and there is NO ONE I would rather go on a cruise with! And it's perfect because we have this fun group of people to hang out with, but we are still free to go off alone and spend some time with just the 2 of us. It's going to be the trip of a lifetime. I can't wait!!!!!!!!! PLEASE GOD, let these next 9 days FLY BY!!!!!!!!!!!