Carnival Valor

That is the name of the cruise ship that will take us to the Caribbean next month. Can I say I'm excited? A Caribbean cruise has forever been my dream vacation, and now we're doing it! But I just keep thinking that it's too good to be true; something will get in the way and make it so we can't go.
It's a 7 day cruise leaving from Miami. Our first stop is going to be Grand Cayman. We have gone through and done some preliminary excursion choosing. In Grand Cayman we plan on doing the Ray Runner Stingray City Snorkel Tour.
In which we will

• Take command of your own inflatable boat and speed out to world famous Stingray City.
• Swim with these wondrous creatures of the sea.
• Reboard your boat for the short trip to Coral Gardens for snorkeling.
• See Grand Cayman’s underwater world as you explore this colorful coral reef.
• Possibly catch sight of a green sea turtle.
• Pilot your boat back from Coral Gardens to the dock.
• Board a bus for the return trip to Georgetown for shopping or your ship.

Our next stop is Isla Roatan, which is an island off of Honduras. I think it's owned by them too. Here we will

• Drive along the north road of the island to the park.
• Discover many things that will spark your curiosity and appreciation for the outdoors.
• Listen to the tranquil sounds of the waterfall as you stroll through the nature trails with your guide.
• Cross the rope bridge over the pond. Watch the colors of the Caribbean come alive as you interact with the parrots and macaws in the bird sanctuary.
• Hold and play with spider monkeys, white face monkeys, and a howler monkey in the Monkey Refuge.
• Explore the history of the pirates at Coxen’s Cave. Roam through the botanical gardens where you will discover the indigenous plants of this region.
• Plunge into the pristine waters of the Caribbean or relax under the canopy of the trees.
• Head back to the pier along the coastal road.

Next is Belize. We think we'll do a Land Rover and Cave Expedition.

• Take a 45-minute ride to the “Landing”, the base camp for your expedition.
• Participate in a short orientation before your expedition begins.
• Set out in convoy formation and head along the highway.
• Experience the Jungle’s natural beauty as you make your way from the Tourism Village into the heart of the rainforest.
• Ride over some of the most challenging terrain imaginable in the jungle around Gracie Rock.
• Arrive at base camp where local guides will lead you in small groups over a foot suspension bridge.
• Reach the first cave that tunnels through the mountain and emerge into a hidden cirque.
• Be outfitted with a safety helmet and headlamp before your guides lead you through the caves.
• Be entertained with various stories along the way.
• Return to the camp and swim in the river or simply relax as you enjoy some light refreshments.
• Take an open-air 4x4 jungle truck back to the Tourism Village in Belize City.

Then the last stop will be at Cozumel Mexico. We definitely wanted to see some ruins on this trip, and Cozumel seemed to have the best ones. So we're going to go to the Mayan Ruins of Tulum.
So, yeah. We're excited.

My cousin and family have offered to take Morgan for us. They have two little boys around his age to play with. We are very grateful to them. And Morgan is stoked too. He keeps talking about going to play with the boys. He might ask, "it's getting closer Mommy?" He can't wait for us to leave him for over a week. I know I'll miss him though.