Birthday Cruise: Comes to an End

We had 2 days at sea after our last stop and those were spent doing this and that around the ship. (Some pictures I have already posted like the water park and the challenge course.) We watched some pretty fun shows as well. Our favorite was an illusionist who was also a comedian and pretty funny and entertaining.

Oh and near the beginning of the cruise, we were visited by a magician at our table at dinner and Bella LOVED it. Here is a picture of him (I think this was the 2nd time we saw him at dinner though.) I think he is tricking me here into looking for the card that he actually has in his mouth. So after we saw him the first time at dinner, we saw that he had a magic show late. We at first told Bella it was too late. But she really, really wanted to go. So I then told her if she was still awake 10 min before the show, I'd take her. So we all got into bed and she managed to stay awake! I think the show was around 10:30p or so and we were getting into bed around 9:30p. It was fun to go off together for the magic show and she really enjoyed it. :)

Oh & here is Mike and I on one of our formal nights (as well as the kids).

I don't think I posted this but it is Bella & I dancing on the first day.

So our last full day had come and we decided to have a drink at their little pub they have on board. My parents had already been but we hadn't so we headed down before dinner to check it out. 

Bella and Mike played their first game of checkers together (which really was kind of a Bella, Papa, Grandma, & Mom against Daddy game). It was fun.

We had a nice last dinner and then headed to bed to get as much sleep as possible before we had to get out of our room. I will say that getting off this ship was a breeze compared to our past 2 other cruises... not sure if they've streamlined the process or if we just got lucky when we got off but it was so super easy and quick. A really nice cruise all around. (But I almost hate to say ... my body was looking forward to getting back to some healthy food!)

**On a side note, I ran on the track up on the upper deck one evening when we had some extra time... it was so beautiful and amazing to run out in the cool ocean air. And amazingly enough, I ran the longest I've ever run as well as the best time I've ever had. I at first thought it was the ocean air doing me some good. Then I thought it was maybe the flat track. Then I realized, that while I'm sure those things contributed, I actually think that it was all the carbs that I had had in the days preceding that run! I had been "carb-loading" without even realizing it (or meaning to!). :)