We had been looking forward to this family trip all year and it did not disappoint! Our week in Belize was perfect! What a fun and beautiful country. We loved our beach house that included a pool, outside kitchen/bar, and private beach and dock! We really could have stayed at the house all week and had a blast, but of course, we went on a few adventures. ;)

Our first excursion was a long, four-hour drive to Guatemala to visit the Tikal ruins. Wow. Stunning! Our guide, Amado, was so interesting and loved hearing McKay and Quinn speak Spanish. He wasn't the only one. By the time we finished our tour, we had a line of people lined up to take their pictures with us! They got the biggest kick out of the Spanish speakers and wanted to friend request everyone on Facebook. It probably helped that we were all wearing matching shirts. We also got to see howler and spider monkeys! It was fun to experience a new country and explore the ruins. They were breathtaking. 

My favorite day was our trip out to the Silk Cayes. The water was crystal blue and it was awesome to be out in the middle of the ocean on a tiny island. We saw some interesting fish around the caye, but the best part was when we were dropped off near another fishing boat. What we saw there was incredible! HUGE loggerhead sea turtles, nurse sharks, and spotted eagle rays. I will never forget swimming next to those amazing animals.

Cave tubing was another fun and interesting adventure. We didn't get great photos of this one because it was so dark in the cave. Our guides told us we had to eat termites in order to get to the cave, but I somehow managed to make it without putting a single termite in my mouth! WIN. Quinn, on the other hand, was all too eager to eat the termites ;) That afternoon, we zip-lined through the jungle and it was just plain awesome. I think we did seven or eight different lines. We didn't want it to end!

Some other highlights included visiting a local waterfall, shopping in the village, paddleboarding, jumping off our dock, night swimming, enjoying Chef Domingo's delicious meals, and waking up to the sound of the ocean right outside our door. Of course, none of this would have been possible without my fabulous in-laws, Stephanie and Kevin. What an amazing summer trip with some of my very favorite people. See you next time, Belize!