CARNIVAL CRUISE on the ELATION

I'm not sure where to jump in and START...we went as far as Vegas the first day and stayed at that same hotel we stayed at when we all went down for your State Football Championships Josh in the 9th grade (8th?) where we had such a memorable THANKSGIVING that year! We indulged at the Cheesecake Factory on the strip...we drove the whole thing and the lights were mesmorizng as always. But when you look closely at the masses walking by, you can feel the emptiness of all the glitter. Donny and Marie have a show there...I can't figure out for the LIFE of me WHO would go see that?? It almost felt like the washed up stars go there to relive their glory days. I don't love Vegas as I know you remember, but I would like to go back and see the O shows and the Blue Man Group--I've still never seen them. We watched the movie MY SISTER'S KEEPER ( I bawled through the book AND the movie!)
We went the rest of the way the next morning...we were about an hour or so away from San Diego when Sam started "tooting". It was so bad I had to roll down the window and when I did the map quest sheet flew out the window...we were all laughing SO hard! Megan had ridden with Jake, Lad and Andy (no lie, she brought only guy friends!!!)--they had slept in longer so they were behind us and we called them and they directed us the rest of the way into the port.
I only got sick one night, but strangely my head is STILL moving around inside without me.
It was fun to have so many friends there. It rained most of the time so I didn't get to drown in the sun...and the patch made me a bit drowsy so I wasn't so up for the dancing liked I hoped--most it started after 11pm. Michael was chosen to be a contestant on the game show Jeopardy and WON!!! He got a genuine gold plastic ship on a stick! We were dang proud and hooted and hollered plenty for him. He also was chosen for the hypnotist show but didn't get hypnotized and wasn't sure what to do so he just stayed on stage and pretended. :)
The food was good but not great. The boys were in HEAVEN...you can see that Sam had a plate of fries before the ship even left the dock! Our first night Spencer and Sam disappeared and when we came back down to our room Spencer and Sam had taken the putters from the mini golf course and were punching the elevator button and seeing if they could get the ball in the elevator from the hallway before it closed its doors. They kept those putters the whole time instead of checking them in and out...the same with the ping pong paddles and balls. They make me laugh. The boys had great poker games each night in the dining room after everyone cleared out.
The ship had a great gym EXCEPT the treadmills faced the moving water and I was too tall to see the horizon so I battled motion sickness each morning for the first half hour until I could get my eyes set on just the monitor...which I normally cover up with a towel because it makes me crazy to watch the numbers tick off. There was a small track upstairs (11 times around was a mile) on which I decided not to torture myself. It was pretty much the same group of crazies each morning.
I read a whole book and did some of my favorite people watching. I was surprised at what average people were on the boat. Somehow my misguided head was expecting something else and I'm not even sure what or who. We pretty much kept to ourselves during the day and then met up at night for dinner and fun...ok, except for when we went in to Ensenada...all the families spend the day shopping together. Can't ever get enough of the Sanders! My preference is to not do a cruise again but to do the all inclusive deal on LAND in Cancun...but I'll keep my promise Buddy and do it one more time for you if you want.
If there were any secret romances or hook ups with your brothers or Megan I am clueless and pretty sure they will have me remain so...so you will have to get the skinny from them. We did fall in love with all of Megan's friends and Andy even came for dinner tonight.
Week 50 Lovey!!! I love you. I missed you like crazy...I always miss you more when we are all together...its the MOM thing, I can just FEEL you missing. I just kept praying that you were having your favorite week of the mission and could feel wrapped in my love. Waiting for morning to read your thoughts and imagine your voice speaking to me.
XXXOOOXXX Mom XXXOOOXXX