Day #3: Bon Voyage!

I should probably stop and explain how this whole cruise business got started. My mom had been tutoring Big Boy #1, as well as my niece and nephew for a couple years. To reward the kids for completing the very difficult, yet rewarding, Barton program, she offered to take them on a cruise. Big Boy #2 worked on workbooks while #1 was getting tutored, so he was eligible for the adventure as well.

Then she opened it up to anyone else in the family who was willing to pay their own way and wanted to come along. We ended up with this motley crew (our family, my sister's family, and our parents.)

Yeah, the matching t-shirts was my mom's idea. We were recognized all over the boat for the rest of the cruise.

BB#1's favorite part of the entire trip was exploring the ship. He was beyond thrilled to come aboard.

Dinner the first night:

Mom had a special "Congratulations" cake delivered to the table the first night at dinner. When the wait staff sang to us she had tears in her eyes.

This is the thing about my mom. She (1) sees that her grandkids are struggling, so she (2) researched and figured out what they needed to improve, then (3) learned, at her own expense, the program that would help, so she could (4) tutor the kids for years - free of charge, and then (5) to encourage the kids in their efforts she comes up with a reward beyond all imagination. Yeah, that's pretty much my mom. Amazing doesn't even begin to describe her.