In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s been quiet over here. It’s because I pre-loaded the last post before we went on vacation. And I’m kind of neurotic about not informing the entire world that we are out of town. I’m crazy like that.

We went on a cruise to the Caribbean with my extended family and my uncle. And it was amazeballs. And fascinating.

The last time we went on a cruise was in 2010. So, I had a basis for comparison.

This time we had zero internet connection or cell phone capability. Except for a few hours in St. Thomas on Day 4 or 5. But otherwise? NO INTERNET. NO PHONES. LIMITED TV. (Only on-board television and entertainment.) During the last cruise I had international coverage on my crackberry for work. And I checked it and responded to emails. Most every day until we got too far away from a satellite in the middle of the ocean. This time? Nada.

It. Was. Glorious.

Last cruise we packed about five bajillion suitcases for our family. This time? Much more streamlined.  And a large portion of our suitcase real estate went to gluten-free/dairy-free snacks. (Because, did I mention, that our entire family got tested for celiac/gluten intolerance and we all tested positive for one or the other? Medical Drama: The Bridges Story, airing on The Simple Living network.)

We lived in 153 square feet. A tiny space for 4 people and the contents of 1 large suitcase, 1 large duffel bag, 1 adult size carry-on, 2 kid sized carry-ons and 4 personal items (backpacks/purse). For 9 days. With activities spanning formal dinners to days on the beach.

The last time we came, we had SO. MUCH. STUFF. We couldn’t fit it all in the closet and drawer space. This time? Plenty of room.

Does that side table look like a wooden toilet to you?

Each person got 1 cubby and 1/4 of the hanging space. It was plenty. We had space left over, to be honest. (I wish I had taken a picture of it with our stuff in it, but I honestly didn’t think about it until it was too late.) And we were able to do this:

Could the water be any more beautiful? Or the book more gut-wrenching?

And rock climbing, ice skating, and swimming:

And dress up for formal dinners:

He will never like having his picture taken. Ever.

And everything in between. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to daydreaming about moving to a little shack on the beach and not worrying about stuff. I’d just spend time with my family, read, eat fresh seafood and listen to local music. Steel drums, specifically. Because that music is amazing and happy and free.

The best part about it, though? We didn’t have to fight our belongings. We weren’t overwhelmed by piles of clothes. Or by suitcases that had to be pulled out from under the bed because that’s where the rest of our clothes were stored. We unpacked and packed exactly once. And by the end of the week we all had clothes we hadn’t worn. And that’s saying something. Because that means we needed even less than we thought.

As if I hadn’t already realized it enough throughout this project, this 9 days made me even more confident that I need far less than I’ve been told I need. I don’t need 54 pairs of shoes or whatever. I don’t need 24 hour access to the internet or 486 cable channels.

We came back from our vacation pretty tired, to be honest. The kids especially, because they were busy constantly. I still found time for a nap each day, time to read, and most of all, time to reflect. I needed that time to reflect on this past year so I can verbalize really what I’ve learned. (That post is to come.) But we felt recharged and rejuvenated when we got home.

I hope each one of you finds that time for yourself, whether it’s on the beach or in a local coffee shop or in a closet with the lights out.