No new pictures for this blog, but some updates on what we have been up to. On Sunday, Jeff and I dove twice. On the first dive we did a couple of swim throughs in the reef and at the end of the dive saw two sting-rays, that was really neat to see, as we were ascending Jeff saw an Eagleray which I would have love to seen. The second dive I was constantly looking for more rays but didn't see any :(. This was a shallower dive and without having seen the reefs before the hurricane, I would say this is the one that was most noticeably effected, due to sand being washed upon it. It was still a gorgeous dive with lots of wildlife. After we were done diving, we drove around the island as a family. Blade had a great time "treasure hunting". He was disappointed when we had to leave, especially when we wouldn't take a coconut that he had found. On Monday morning, we traveled to the other side of the island again to play on the beaches and look for shells. I found a hermit crab that the boys had a fun time playing with. On our way back into town, we stopped at a little restaurant that we had found in one of the neighborhoods and it was probably the best meal that I have had on the island, it was fantastic! We did a twilight and a night dive, back to the same place that we did our first dive. On the twilight dive we were in the sand specifically looking for seahorses. We saw three seahorses, many pipefish which look like a little snake with a seahorse face, a couple of sand crabs, two puffer fish, two yellow rays, shrimp, a little octopus that blended in with the vegetation, many little flounders. On the night dive we many octopus, crabs, lobsters, eels. The rest of the fish were hiding under the rocks and laying on the sand, they almost looked dead. What a difference to see the same location in the day and again at night. It was just as exhilarating to dive it at night as during the day. Today we plan to go to the local shops and possibly take the boys to a museum where I've been told that they have many of the fish that we've seen for the boys to see.

Happy Birthday Matt! We love you and wish that you were here! Have a great day!

Hola! from Cozumel

Tarek got his first hair cut just before we left to Mexico. Also, just before we left Tarek started to say I Love you!, It sounds more like "I LA", but it sure is sweet and melts his mamma's heart.

Tarek hangin' out with dad as we were getting ready to board the plane to Cancun.

The boy's first plane trip. They did excellent! The plane in the background is the plane that we took from Seattle to Cancun.

The boy's first view of the ocean as we were ready to board the ferry in Cancun.

We went to Carlos N' Charlies for lunch and a clown made these for the boys.

Blade jammin' out connected to nothing... in his birthday suit. That has been the norm so far on this trip.

So far, we are having a great time. Jeff and I have made 3 dives. The first to Paradise Reef, Wow! What an incredible sight! We saw 2 sea horses, a huge lobster and an abundant amount of beautiful fish, coral and sponges. It was so much different getting use to a drift dive, I constantly felt like I might be swept into the coral. Today we did two dives, on Palancar reef. The first was more of a wall reef- we went to about 85', we saw two green turtles, a barracuda as long as me (yikes!), and more of the same fish and sponges. The third dive we saw an small octopus hiding in cave, a hawkbill turtle. We are looking forward to diving again in the morning and on Monday we are doing a twilight and a night dive to Paradise reef again.
The one of the two cruise ports is just out our window and we have enjoyed watching the ships come in, in the morning and leaving in the evening. It has also been neat watching the sunset from our balcony. Blade and Tarek have also been enjoying playing in the hot tub in our room. Blade is "diving" for his plastic fish in the bottom of the tub.