Day 5 & 6

Day 5

I need to start off by saying that the kids left our door open all night. They’ve been using our patio as their hanging out place. Oh well, between Butch giving away the safe code (and he actually left it open one day) and the kids leaving the door open, it’s a wonder we haven’t been robbed!

 The kids were "creeped out" when they saw the rose petals on the bed. I told them that Butch had ordered them! They're young, they don't know any better yet!

 Last night at dinner, we surprised the family with our plans for today---the 4^th of July. We chartered a private catamaran and crew to take us snorkeling. I didn’t want one of those big party boats with a bunch of people we don’t know. We like to book private guides, drivers and tours on all of our trips. Sure, it costs more, but it is so totally worth it.  This trip was no exception.

They picked us up from the hotel at 8:30 and drove us to the marina of the “rich and famous.” Julio Iglesias, Bill Clinton, and Sukura have homes and boats docked there.

Our boat was called “Why Not?” Exactly! Why not take a cruise? I wish I’d have taken a picture of the boat docked so you could get an idea of the size.

 It's pretty darn big!

It was a gorgeous day. There were unlimited “premium” drinks. They always refer to alcohol her by the term premium drinks. It’s really just regular stuff, but I guess that differentiates it from the local blends.

When we reached our private snorkeling destination, the family was outfitted and took off. I stayed behind with Victoria and Elizabeth. The ocean was a little choppy, but they all had a good experience---except for Greg who had to come back right away. He kept getting water in his mask because he missed the part of the lesson that if you had a mustache, you were supposed to smather it with sunscreen to get a good seal.

The gang snorkeled for about 45 minutes. They all saw a lot of beautiful fish and coral. Fresh fruit----grapes, cantaloupe and pineapple---awaited their return.  We were then taken to a calmer swimming area. The crew put a floating bar in the water and served nachos with salsa in cups so you could enjoy it in the ocean.

 David and his floating bar.

Such a great experience----just our family, the gorgeous aqua water, party music, food, drink and the crew of 5 to cater to our every need. Now that’s livin’! Here’s the best part. You might think this cost an absolute fortune. It was only $7.00 per person more than the “public” party boat.  For us that meant $77.00. As far as I’m concerned, that’s one of the best kept secrets. The only reason I found out about it is because I ASKED for something private. They NEVER offer that up. Obviously they make more money if they can cram 50 people on a party boat. Lesson learned---always ask!

We got back at 1:30 p.m. Everyone headed to the beach. We all did our own thing for dinner. Half the family went to the 4th of July celebration on the beach. I enjoyed a little down time reading. Busy days make for one tired gal! I miss my naps!

Day 6

I got a little burned on my face yesterday as I didn’t have my hat on---it was too windy. I completely forgot to put sunblock on my face. It’s not bad at all and doesn’t hurt, but the downside----it triggered a huge hive that covers my entire forehead. I’m just hoping it doesn’t get worse. (I'm updating this in the evening and my hive hasn't gotten worse. I should be gone by tomorrow).

We had a relaxing day at the pool. Butch and Greg played golf. They played with Mitchell on Tuesday.  

This place is pretty disorganized. We are a family that likes to participate in ALL the activities. It's frustrating when they tell us one thing and it never happens. 

We all had dinner together tonight at the hibachi grill. I'm not a huge fan of that, but it was good. I still don't like sushi.

After dinner, we went back to the casino where I managed to lose my winnings. Technically, I still had my $50 stake, but Steph lost her money (as in lost it, but not at the table), so I gave her half of mine.

Mindy, Morgan and Mitchell are trying for the 3rd time to see a movie on the beach. I'll find out tomorrow if it happened this time or not.

The rest of us were pooped!

Our family book club discussion is tomorrow, poolside! Last day at the beach too.

It's almost over!