Our second full day at sea today, and you’d think we’d be bored. That’s not the case. The kids are enthralled with the pools and the waves in it that the ship makes when it rolls from side to side.

But Emily and Patrick’s favorite parts of this vacation so far were before we even got on the cruise ship. Patrick most enjoyed the airplane flight to San Diego. Emily’s favorite? Going to lunch with Jim and Lesley. “I got to work on my workbook with Uncle Jim,” she said. Sometimes I just think she’s smarter than we give her credit for and she’s just trying to make points.

Jim and Lesley were kind enough to treat the entire clan (minus a few) to a wonderful “Bon Voyage” seafood lunch at the Fish Market in San Diego. We had a satisfying view of the harbor. I, of course, made Jim and Lesley sit facing the inside of the restaurant. The view was well worth my small amount of guilt.

After a night of dancing on stage last night. Emily told me she wished her grandma Mary was here and asked why she had to die. Then she followed up the question to Grandpa Les. What followed was a tear-filled conversation that spread from one family member to another until they had to kick us out of the theater because everyone else had left 15 minutes earlier.

The end of the night was capped off by a well-planned coming-of-age ceremony for my nephew. Matt joined all of the guys on the fan-tail deck after dinner for his first cigar and brandy. Never mind that the cigars were mediocre and the brandy was served from a Kirkland Signature water bottle. The ceremony was sincere and was capped by a bit of advice for the 14 year-old from each of his uncles, his grandfather and his dad.

We just cleared the Baja Peninsula and tomorrow at noon we arrive at Acapulco. The weather’s warm and getting warmer by the hour. Wish you were here as they say…

Check out some more pic’s from the trip (and a few of the same) here.