Family Pictures

 



Emma's Birthday

Emma is 3 years old!

Happy Birthday Shane

Happy Birthday Shane!!!

Jake was so upset that Shane blew out his own candles.

Water Guns

Having fun with water guns.

Easter Weekend 2014

We spent Easter weekend (Friday & Saturday) camping at Quintana Beach.  The water was cold, but the kids had a blast digging in the sand, splashing in the water, playing Bocce, flying kites and collecting shells.

 

Then Back home on Sunday for Easter.  Jared is our official egg-hider now.  He had fun thinking of creative spots, like in the fish tank and buried in the garden.

Atlantis Resort, Bahamas

Day 1 of the most amazing vacation ever!  Checked in to Coral Towers, Atlantis and headed straight to the beach.  We tried to walk down to the lighthouse at the end of Paradise Island (I asked one of the hotel staff how long of a walk it was, he just looked at me like I was crazy and said there was no lighthouse.... he asked who told me about the lighthouse.  I told him I read about it on the internet, that means it has to be there, right?)  Well, after that I was determined to find it and we did, but the shore was too rocky to walk all the to it. 

the lighthouse

Day 2 we took a sailing/snorkel tour to Rose Island.  The snorkeling was fantastic.  We stopped at a reef on the way to the island.  There were so many fish and the water was perfectly clear. 

On the catamaran, on our way out of the harbor.

Sun Cay lighthouse in the distance

Rose Island

Shane

Jessica, with the catamaran behind

Day 3 was our water day at Atlantis

First thing scheduled was our dolphin interaction.  We worked with a 1 1/2 year old dolphin named Katrina.   

  

 

 Next we went snorkeling in the Ruins of Atlantis (the largest open-air marine habitat in the world)

We walked thru the Dig just before we started to get a good look at what we were getting ourselfs into.  This fish were HUGE, including two Manta Rays, one 13 feet wide and the other 11 feet wide.

 Ready to start snorkeling

After snorkeling we hit the waterpark.  They have some of the most intense watersides I have ever been on.

This slide comes out from behind that waterfall into a giant cave abyss with aquariums in the walls.

There are marine habitats hidden everywhere on the resort.  We tried taking a different path everytime we went out, and everytime we would discover something new and amazing.  Sharks, rays, saw fish, turtles, and lots and lots of fish. 

 Hammerhead Sharks

 Sawfish

 Sea Turtles

 

 Lots of underwater viewing areas

Day 4 we spent in downtown Nassau

Shane on the watertaxi ride

at the dock in Nassau (I asked someone to take a pic of us with the lighthouse in the background, he took the picture with the lighthouse BEHIND our heads!  Is that still considered the background?)

 at the straw market buying souvenirs

 at the top of the Queen's Staircase

The stairs were carved out of limestone in the 1700s by slaves.  It is a pretty breathtaking sight (pictures dont do it justice).  Sheer limestone walls stretching up forever about a 100 yards long ending at the staircase.  When we got there there was a group of about 20 local school children doing exercises, stretching as a group and then running up and down the staircase.

 We heard a local tour guide say it took 14 years of up to 600 slaves working at a time to carve out the canyon and staircase.

standing at the far end of the canyon with the staircase in the far distance.

 at the top of the staircase

We also went by Fort Fincastle which is right next to the Queen's staircase.  Supposedly they used the limestone from the staircase to build the fort.

the view from ontop of the fort.  The highest point on Providence Island.

Last minute photos before dinner back at Atlantis

The next day was airport day again, time to go home, sad to leave, but ready to get home and see the kids.