Puerto Rico 2012!!! {part I}

I've felt overwhelmed at the sheer number of pictures I took while in Puerto Rico so that's why it's taken me so long to post them!! Rather than try to edit them down to a reasonable number I'm just going to break it up into several posts and just go with it! So please bear with me! I know at least my family will be happy to see all the pics :)

On our way...

Thank you for the rolling backpacks, Aunt Marilyn! They were a lifesaver!

Hanging out with Noonie and Papa J!

This little guy was so excited to find a lucky penny! He carried it everywhere!

Soooooooooooooo excited to be back on a plane! The little pumpkin loves to fly!

We made it to Puerto Rico!! Yeah! Hudson wanted to know what type of "juice" was on the sign and Grace, well, was just being Grace :)

Forget the hotel, we went straight to my grandmother's house to see her!  Yes, she looks disoriented - that's the Alzheimer's - but we were so happy to hug her and just love on her...

Cousins meeting for the first time...

Bright and early the next day we headed to El Morro!

The views from El Morro are breathtaking...my pics don't do them justice.

I grew up flying kites right in this spot so it was really neat to be there with my own littles. Too bad I forgot the kites I packed for this very purpose in our hotel :(

The littles loved exploring the fort!

The lighthouses were super fun...even if it was a hike to get up there!

These galleys were sooooo scary with two littles in tow....they are slanted down and widen as you go closer to the edge and then they just open to a huge drop.  But of course, I wanted a picture - ha! Can you tell Lance was thrilled??! ha ha ha

Sooooo super windy!

Down, down, down we go...

Afterward, piraguas!
{traditional Puerto Rican snowcones}

Yum!! If you ever go to Puerto Rico, try the "tamarindo piragua", trust me.

The littles were still cute, but Lance and I were drenched so we headed back to the hotel for a dip in the pool! A quick bath later and we headed back to my grandma's house to see her and meet up with the rest of my cousins.

Grace and Hudson wanted to feed Tata...they were so gentle with her. It was really sweet to watch.

My sweet grandma and I...

My three cousins and their children...next to me Virginia with her little girl Lorena (her son Jose Antonio is standing in front of my youngest cousin Maria), my cousin Nina with her little girl...Olympian caliber swimmer Abigail, and Maria, who is in college.

The men...my uncle Pedro, Jose Antonio, Papa J, Lance and Hudson. 

It was so nice to see my family...I had not seen them in 4 1/2 years...too long!

Up next...Underground Caves and the Beach!