Grand Cayman - Do you have 10 minutes?

Well, a month after the fact, I thought I would post our personal photo of Grand Cayman! It took us so long to get "over" the vacation mode, and then it has been crazy with Home Improvements, a clothing show here, a baby shower here, and then an impromptu trip to Plano/Dallas! And so, here we are....alive & well, just wanting another vacation like this one, REAL SOON!

Chad & I took a photo in front of this sign 8 years ago with our niece & nephew, so we wanted to make sure that we got another one, with our kids this time!

We anxiously awaited the plane!

And then the cousins showed up!


When we got to Grand Cayman, we arrived into customs, with some Midland friends, Wynne & Stephen, waving at us through the glass! We were the happy ones on the start of our vacation & they were the sad ones, going home!!
The kids waited some more!


and some more.....

Then we were able to get into the pool once we got to our house in Cayman Kai at Rum Point!!

We were just so happy to be on the beach & in the pool, and back & forth!

Baryn loved the hot tub!

We found a coconut on the tree outside, and so we had Chad see what was in there! The milk was not too bueno, but worth a try!

I had the 4 youngest kids one day while everyone else over 13 (8 of them) went scuba diving! We Each got to go at least 3 times, but the 2 moms & the Sassy had to rotate & entertain the kiddos!

We went & saw the "izards"

and waited for Margaritaville to open!

and took some photos.... (Remember that I was trying to kill time with 4 kids!)

Once, inside Margaritaville...we chilled!!

and had lunch!

and then went back the next day with everyone....

while the kids played on the slide right behind our table where we ate!!

The kids had a blast at this 2 story slide!

Especially Little Man!

We were in 2 cars, since there were 13 Browns in total, and 1 day, "the other car" got us lost, and Sassy wanted OUT!!!

We went to go see the Jimmy Buffet of Cayman, Barefoot Man! We have his CD's and just love his music (funny stories to a tune!)

We had a couple of drinks & ...

had a good time....

Braden wanted to show off his "faux-hawk"

And we did some dancing!!!

We did a great Pirate cruise...Can you tell?

The pirates had to "inspect" all the kids to make sure they were worthy of being on the ship! Then they made them think that they had to Scrub the boat to earn their keep! When the show was over we were able to drink Rum Punch & wait to get to our destination!

Braden was so brave to walk the plank & then swam around to the other side of the boat to climb up and do it all over again!

Then after an attempt, and a turnaround to rethink it.... Braden jumped off the 2nd story of the boat!! The whole boat watched him "try" it the 1st time and turn back, and then, this time... Everyone was yelling for him & the crowd went wild when he did it, like a big boy!! It was HIGH, and I didnt try!!

Baby Sister got in for a little bit, but not by plank or 2 story jump! I just lowered her in so she could hang with Daddy!

We spent a day going to do "non-wet" things! We went to a zoo/pirate cave! Baryn found a "izard" that she wanted!

Connor, Chancellor, Claire, Baryn, Brenston, Bee Dub, & Garrison!

ALL THE COUSINS!

Claire was a big help!

They had fun in the pirate caves!

Then we went to the other side of the island to go to the Turtle Farm! The kids got to hold the younger turtles! The older turtles are like 3 feet wide!!

This one is middle aged! and middle sized!

Braden was a little scared but did real good!

Baryn was just a little scared!

We all loaded up and went on a Stingray Adventure! The adults & kids over 13, scuba dove, & the other 3 boys went snorkeling & actually got to feed the stingrays!!

This is what a windblown hairdo looks like on Little Man!

Baryn just hung out on the boat.....

after a good little nap!

We were pretty tolerant of the long days, but once in a while we saw not so "Pretty"!

This was NICE!

Baryn loved to play on the pier behind our house!!

This is the house that the Browns got for the week! It was awesome! It allowed us to be as loud as we wanted and be all by ourselves in the pool! What a nice change!!

We had fun playing our loud music and drinking our pina coladas!!

These were our mode of transportation! Chad's had the steering wheel on the right & They drive on the Left! TOTALLY BACKWARDS!! Even more confusing, was Dan's who's was a correct car, but having to drive on the "wrong" side of the road!!

Here is Bee Dub Snorkeling on our Stingray trip! I guess the photos got put in a bad order!

That white thing is the stingray that our guide brought to the surface for the boys!!

We were down below scuba diving with them!!

This was a small group of the Stingrays compared to 8 years ago, so NO big deal!!

This was a great trip for all 4 of us! We had a blast and the kids just loved being with their cousins! They are ready to see them again, real soon! It is ashame that we have to go overseas just to see them these days!!

Chad & I are really proud of how well both kiddos did, so with that in mind, we are already thinking about our Basham family trip for 2010!! I am definitely ready for a vacation again!!