Is your face melting because of the sheer force of cute shooting out from your computer screen?  I understand if you need to take a minute to adjust.  Yep. Those are my boys. They’re cute.  They’re smart.

They’re also KIDS.

“Mom!  Hey mom! Mom! Mommy! Ma! Mother! Mom! Mummy! Mom!”

Yep.  Just like Stewie in that “Family Guy” commercials.  We all love our children but there are just some times you need them to go somewhere else for a while.  Just a little while.  Just long enough to see what it’d be like to sit down at a restaurant or swim in a pool without the stress and worry. An hour, maybe six if you love me.

Traveling with a five year old and a two year old isn’t always fun and games.  In fact, statistics show that nearly 68.9% of all family vacations end up making the parents wish for a vacation after a vacation.  It’s also likely that ‎83.5% of all statistics are made up. I travel with my kids quite a bit and if you read my posts often, you know how many trips I’ve taken and roughly 82.4% of them haven’t gone the way I planned.

So when Carnival Cruise Lines invited me to be an Ambassador on this trip I nearly peed my pants. Instead of going that route, I handled the call with as much professionalism as I could muster (I giggled a lot) and before we ended the call I politely thanked them for this opportunity and calmly let them know I was about to hang up the phone and do a happy dance.

Why?

Because Carnival Cruise Lines has Camp Carnival.

I’ve been to beaches, stayed in hotels, visited family.  While beaches are good, there’s the sand factor to consider.  Hotels are cool because they have indoor pools but those can be icky and family – well, it’s family (Oh COME ON! You know what I mean). 

Camp Carnival is parent nirvana. It’s a safe and secure place you can take your children after you watched them go down the water slides, ate lunch or played a round of mini-golf.  Camp Carnival is a place where you can leave your kids knowing they’re in a safe and secure environment and then high five your spouse as you make a beeline for the pool, daiquiri in hand.

So there we were, basking in the beautiful sun poolside.  Nothing but the sweet sounds of Caribbean music playing as we enjoyed time alone.  It’s been a LONG time since we’ve had a chance like this.  Between having the boys and my hysterectomy, my life took a toll on everyone and Carnival is helping us reconnect.  I love how we can play together as a family but there is some serious grown up time needed, and Carnival met and exceeded my expectations.

Especially today.

Today I was lounging in the chair and my husband was in the pool.  Out of nowhere I hear it. “Mom! Dad! Hi! Look! It’s me!  Me and Joshua!  We’re going to eat lunch!”

Shit.

My children were in a group a deck above us and walked clear on by.  We waved and prayed they wouldn’t throw a fit and our fear was that they’d see us on their return and insist on leaving the group to swim with us.

Having said that, I was a little caught off guard when they finally did head back our way.  I was on my belly texting *shock!* when I heard voices.  I looked up, saw a group of kids and I cannon-balled my hot ass right into that pool.  Ryan was already in there and we both pressed ourselves up against the wall and hovered as low as we could go without having to hold out breath.

The people in the pool with us were laughing hysterically as I explained the value of alone time and while I desperately love my children, a little “us” time needs to happen.

Then I heard it.

“Mom!  Hey Mom! MOM! Dad! Daddy! Dad! Mom! Hey everyone, look! That’s my mom and dad!  Hi mom! MOM! Moooooom! Hey dad! Hi! Joshua look there’s daddy!”

NO! No no no no no…..no don’t tell your two year old brother!  Please Jacob, please!  If Josh saw us we’d have no choice.  Our two year old loves his daddy and the second Jake said Josh’s name I yelled “No!” and apparently had a look on my face my son recognized because he didn’t repeat himself again, and for that I am grateful.  I’m sure he’ll cash in on that one this evening around dessert time though.

I have to say, I was really worried about something like this happening and I was afraid if it happened once, it will happen again.  In my head, my kids would see us and scream at us and it’d be a nightmare trying to balance their total meltdown and we’d all end up frustrated and stressed out instead of all relaxed and smiley.

Today I applaud you, Carnival Cruise Lines.  You not only managed to walk my children past us once with a smile on their faces but you also managed to keep them so happy and excited that all Jacob wanted to do was make us proud on his return trip to Camp Carnival.

Proud I am.  I’m super proud of him for waving and smiling at me. I’m proud of him for seeing that “Don’t tell your brother” look and respecting my wishes and I am giving Carnival Cruise Lines a massive high five for having such an amazing staff.  A staff talented enough to keep my children so amuzed, I don’t have to hide in the pool until some stranger tells me they left.

Oh, and by the way – the people in the pool who witnessed the entire show start to finish are still laughing at me.

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