: the beach
There is nothing I love more on vacation than a great beach! Cuba so does not disappoint when it comes to great beaches! White sand, turquoise water and plenty of sunshine, it was simply beautiful. We got up early and went out walking two mornings, before breakfast. We walked along the beach, watching the sunrise while the waves washed over our feet. Lilah, of course, was always looking for shells. She said her teacher asked her to bring a shell back, so Lilah made it her mission to find the perfect shell! And so she did. The other thing we loved about the beach, was the ability to build sandcastles, lots and lots of them! Not to mention swimming in the warm ocean water, although I must admit, Lilah wasn't a fan of the salty water at all!
There is nothing I love more on vacation than a great beach! Cuba so does not disappoint when it comes to great beaches! White sand, turquoise water and plenty of sunshine, it was simply beautiful. We got up early and went out walking two mornings, before breakfast. We walked along the beach, watching the sunrise while the waves washed over our feet. Lilah, of course, was always looking for shells. She said her teacher asked her to bring a shell back, so Lilah made it her mission to find the perfect shell! And so she did. The other thing we loved about the beach, was the ability to build sandcastles, lots and lots of them! Not to mention swimming in the warm ocean water, although I must admit, Lilah wasn't a fan of the salty water at all!
: the kids pool
Lilah's idea of a 'great vacation' differs a little to us adults! Her idea of fabulous, is a kiddies pool! And again, the Tryp Peninsula did not disappoint! We had to alternate our days between the beach and the kids pool, just to keep everyone happy! The resort is very family oriented and the kids club was really awesome - lots of fun activities where we could watch Lilah right from our sunloungers! I know, we are THAT lazy on our holidays! Basically, we had to drag her to any of the kids activities, all she wanted to do was swim (with her water wings) and go up and down the slide a hundred times a day! She had SO much fun. One of the things I loved most about the kiddie pool is that she could stand, with her head above water, anywhere in the pool - the deepest part came up to around her neck. I don't like the idea of my girl in water that is deeper than her, even when she's wearing her water wings. So I was comfortable with her swimming her heart out and wearing that slide out... while we lay reading our books, with one eye on the page and the other on her!
Lilah's idea of a 'great vacation' differs a little to us adults! Her idea of fabulous, is a kiddies pool! And again, the Tryp Peninsula did not disappoint! We had to alternate our days between the beach and the kids pool, just to keep everyone happy! The resort is very family oriented and the kids club was really awesome - lots of fun activities where we could watch Lilah right from our sunloungers! I know, we are THAT lazy on our holidays! Basically, we had to drag her to any of the kids activities, all she wanted to do was swim (with her water wings) and go up and down the slide a hundred times a day! She had SO much fun. One of the things I loved most about the kiddie pool is that she could stand, with her head above water, anywhere in the pool - the deepest part came up to around her neck. I don't like the idea of my girl in water that is deeper than her, even when she's wearing her water wings. So I was comfortable with her swimming her heart out and wearing that slide out... while we lay reading our books, with one eye on the page and the other on her!
: the food
So lets just say, when you go to Cuba, you lower your expectations when it comes to food! Some things are fabulous, some things are different and some things are not so good! We were in Cuba 10 years ago, so I knew this was coming! I lowered my expectations and was very pleasantly surprised for the most part. It was an all inclusive hotel with 2 buffets and 5 a la carte restaurants: Italian, French, Mexican, Cuban and Japanese. You got to choose 2 a la carte restaurants during the week stay and we also paid for an extra one. So we had Mexican, Japanese and French. Our favourite was definitely the Mexican. Lilah lived on rice, noodles, boiled eggs, tomatoes, pickled onions, all the fruit you can imagine, ice-cream and chocolate ice-creams that were handed out in abundance at the kids club! She definitely did all right for herself!
So lets just say, when you go to Cuba, you lower your expectations when it comes to food! Some things are fabulous, some things are different and some things are not so good! We were in Cuba 10 years ago, so I knew this was coming! I lowered my expectations and was very pleasantly surprised for the most part. It was an all inclusive hotel with 2 buffets and 5 a la carte restaurants: Italian, French, Mexican, Cuban and Japanese. You got to choose 2 a la carte restaurants during the week stay and we also paid for an extra one. So we had Mexican, Japanese and French. Our favourite was definitely the Mexican. Lilah lived on rice, noodles, boiled eggs, tomatoes, pickled onions, all the fruit you can imagine, ice-cream and chocolate ice-creams that were handed out in abundance at the kids club! She definitely did all right for herself!
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Great memories from a fabulous vacation, that ended in an awesome way!
Phebe's referral, of course!
This is her little dress. We had her on our mind, but God knew, His timing is always so perfect.
(you can see 'Cuba' stitched on the bottom right corner of the dress)
[ the flickr set is here ]
What beautiful pictures! I have to say Lilah appeared to be perfectly dressed, so many cute swim suits and kerchiefs!
ReplyDeleteI so long to do a trip like this with Cory and my girls one day - just thinking how indulgent it would be to lay around in a lounger and watch my girls going up and down the water slide.
Glad you had a relaxing, family vacation!
What a wonderful family vacation! Nothing like a week in the sun:)
ReplyDeleteLOVE Little Miss Phebe's new dress, so special. All part of God's plan! You are so blessed.
Have a wonderful week!
God Bless,
Diane
really, lilah is so cute!! its like I WANT TO SCREAM she is so cute!! and that sweet baby dress...well done!!
ReplyDeleteps. she has definitely inspired me to wear bandana scarves on my head!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful vacation!!!! Fabulous photos! Beautiful Lilah and Phebe's dress.... love it all!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the perfect vacation. The photos are beautiful. I want to go there. Today.
ReplyDeleteWonderful little girl, a nice family, happy i ve been here. Sorry for my english...
ReplyDeleteOh I loved reading about your holiday, Jill :)
ReplyDeleteFirstly - love love love Phebe's dress and little bag, how cute is she going to look sporting that??
Secondly - photo of your hubby kicking the ball in the pool, reminds me so much of mine! Our hubbies would get on great............
And last, can you get your head around the fact that next time you go for a week in the sun, there will be another "cutie pie" with you on the beach???
Beautiful images from your Cuban vacation! I love that you had such a memorable vacation in and of itself and that you also had a memorable homecoming! Life is good!
ReplyDeleteThat is sweet about Colin buying Phebe a dress in Cuba (and one for Lilah years back). It reminds me of my own non-shopper of a hubby and a story related to Cuba. Just before we went to Cuba in 2008, he was at the mall and for some reason, had to stop into Old Navy. Well, there he saw a sweet little dress we subsequently called "the Cuba dress". It was the first dress he ever bought Claire. Now when we go on holiday, he likes to buy her a dress if he (or usually me!) sees something special.
I'm still dying to know where you got Lilah's blue dress from the photo a couple of posts below. I hope you'll share! :)
ReplyDeleteThat Lilah, such a beauty she is....I see a modeling career for her!
ReplyDeleteI love all you vacation photos. They are so pretty. Phebe's dress is simply precious!
ReplyDeleteWow, sounds like you had a wonderful vacation. The photos are amazing, Jill. Lilah really is a little beauty, and it's obvious she was enjoying herself. That sweet little dress, and the amazing little story behind it, brought tears to my eyes.
ReplyDeleteGin =)