PTR: 6-5-4-3-2-1 !!! NY-CANADA-NY June 2012/ Organizing the FE gifts! - 7 June

[ksloane]

Originally Posted by pkmingo

I think you have it covered pretty well! It is harder for me to figure for Canada instead of Caribbean! One thing suggested to us was a rain poncho in case of damp/showers in one of our ports. I got the cheap $ ones at walmart that are in a little pack so I only have to open them up if we need them. And an umbrella too but I am hoping not to have to use either!!!

Good idea about umbrella. I need to remember to add that to my list.

[HermanTriplets+1]

Yes, I totally left off rainwear! Guess I wasn't allowing that thought to play any important role!! I think I'll pack some dollar-store ponchos and three fold-up umbrellas. Thinking that those "pedways" might be good if perish the thought there is rain!

[HermanTriplets+1]

Well here I am, here to report a brainstorm! I was trying to figure out how to move ahead making up the FE gift bags while some of my stuff is here but some I'll only have when we get to the States. And we have almost all the names but there are a few for whom we only know age and gender. SO, here's what I've done: I made up 9 categories of FE participant, ranging from the biggest group, two adults sailing together, to the smallest group, toddler. Then I assigned each group a Disney character and I'm making up stickers with the characters. I have a master list: which group/"character", what DISboard name, what stateroom #. I'll make up a bag for every person in every group with "their sticker" on it, and I know what goodies each character group is getting. Then I can just add what I need to when we get to the States! Sound good? Am I obsessing on this? YUP!

[ksloane]

Great idea. We pulled out our bags last night and made sure that our gifts were going to fit in them. Luckily they did.

I have ran into a snag in that a material I need one for one of my gifts I thought would be readily available is not so I have bought out 2 stores in one of our neighboring towns and will be going to 2 more in another town tomorrow.

Other than that, things are going great and can't wait to meet everyone!

[llqool]

Gosh! You guys are so organized! This is why I can't do the FE thing...I'm freaking out as it is just dealing with work, end of school, kids' activities and packing.

Your packing list (clothing wise) is short and sweet. Wish we could be like that, but my girls are still in the phase where I can't count on them being able to wear anything that they wear to dinner over again (especially if marinara sauce is involved). I always end up having to do laundry, either at the parks or on the ship. I bring those Purex all in one sheets.

We are also doing the pirate thing to the hilt this time (pun intended). Last time we flew, so just brought a couple of things, but this time we all have costumes, so a lot more to lug!

[HermanTriplets+1]

Originally Posted by ksloane

I have ran into a snag in that a material I need one for one of my gifts I thought would be readily available is not so I have bought out 2 stores in one of our neighboring towns and will be going to 2 more in another town tomorrow.
!

I was running all over the place looking for those little charms you put on charm bracelets etc! I'd gotten a bunch at Michael's when I was in the States over the Winter, but ran out - Israelis don't have a clue about them! I finally found one craft store that had one type that was passable - bought them out!

Originally Posted by llqool

Gosh! You guys are so organized! This is why I can't do the FE thing...I'm freaking out as it is just dealing with work, end of school, kids' activities and packing.

Your packing list (clothing wise) is short and sweet. Wish we could be like that, but my girls are still in the phase where I can't count on them being able to wear anything that they wear to dinner over again (especially if marinara sauce is involved). I always end up having to do laundry, either at the parks or on the ship. I bring those Purex all in one sheets.

We are also doing the pirate thing to the hilt this time (pun intended). Last time we flew, so just brought a couple of things, but this time we all have costumes, so a lot more to lug!

Yes, I'm organized -- for the tasks which I can control! If you look at my house, you'd NEVER say I am organized!
I started my own packing today - I'm not sure how I'm going to hold up to the minimalistic packing list I gave the teens! Maybe they won't notice if I take a few more of everything?
That's great that you're doing the pirate thing! I'm not sure that I'd get my crew to go all out with it. But I'm aiming to get them all to at least wear a t-shirt made for the evening - we'll see!

See you all SOON!

[taximom00]

Originally Posted by HermanTriplets+1

Well here I am, here to report a brainstorm! I was trying to figure out how to move ahead making up the FE gift bags while some of my stuff is here but some I'll only have when we get to the States. And we have almost all the names but there are a few for whom we only know age and gender. SO, here's what I've done: I made up 9 categories of FE participant, ranging from the biggest group, two adults sailing together, to the smallest group, toddler. Then I assigned each group a Disney character and I'm making up stickers with the characters. I have a master list: which group/"character", what DISboard name, what stateroom #. I'll make up a bag for every person in every group with "their sticker" on it, and I know what goodies each character group is getting. Then I can just add what I need to when we get to the States! Sound good? Am I obsessing on this? YUP!

I'm not on your cruise....but stumbled upon this thread from another so hope you don't mind my commenting

We travel on the July 8 NY to Canada ...our first Disney cruise.

Our FE group has 11 cabins....seems manageable. Last night I sat down and looked at a ship map to find out where the cabins are and I made a list so I would know where to go. Forward, middle or back (I know there is a ship word for forward and back but don't know it!)

I was happy to see that amazingly, most cabins are clustered together! Most are middle or front. So, delivery should be easy.

If you haven't done this, it was pretty easy and should make the delivery easy, too!

Now I just need to make my FE (somehow....guess I need to search those directions for the millionth time!!) and make my adult gifts...have the supplies, know what I'm doing...just need to do it!!

Kids are set (except for the two boys who are 16 and 17.....candy and light up bracelets...those are fun on a ship at night even if you are a teen boy, right?) Tell me if they would think they're silly!!

Any suggestions appreciated!

BTW, I have friends in Israel who also have a son, Nadav, who is now 20something!

Looking foward to hearing all about the Canadian trip!!

[HermanTriplets+1]

You are certainly welcome here, maybe we can help you deal with your LONG wait all the way until JULY for your cruise! Seriously, welcome! I promise to write a TR when we return!
The wonderful FE organizer for our group did an annoted deck plans with all the staterooms labeled. It really does help! Isn't it funny how rooms are grouped? Do you think they have a DIS filter and put all of us together on purpose?! On our little end of the 2nd floor hallway there are 5 cabins in our FE group!
Candy and light-up bracelets sounds good. My teens are quite in favor of candy.
Here's a funny thing about the name Nadav. When I was a teenager I was a daycamp counselor and one of the little boys was named Nadav. I loved that name (and the kid - maybe that's why I loved the name!). Who'd have known that I'd marry an Israeli and live in Israel and get to name one of my own kids Nadav! Originally I thought we might nickname him Davi, but that never happened. He's everything else but - Nadavi, Nad, Nads, etc!
Keep pluggin' on your FE stuff, it is definitely more of a project than I ever had imagined but absolutely worth it, such huge fun already and we're not even on the boat yet!

[Hygiene99]

Headed to NYC!!!!! very excited we have not been on magic since sept 2008!
Other ships yes but not the magic.... updates to follow.. i hope.!

[mickeyluv]

Originally Posted by Hygiene99

Headed to NYC!!!!! very excited we have not been on magic since sept 2008!
Other ships yes but not the magic.... updates to follow.. i hope.!

Have a GREAT cruise!!! I want to hear all about it. Did you get the card I sent you before you left? I really hope so!!

[jlawall]

Wow, I'm not sure if I'll ever get there....thx for sharing!!

Originally Posted by HermanTriplets+1

Well about a week ago we managed to get all of us out on a family daytrip, to go hiking near the Dead Sea. We only left our house around 11 am, due to a morning math lesson and some last minute supermarket shopping for picnic supplies. The drive from our house takes us basically in an Eastern direction, skirting around Jerusalem, past Jericho, and on to the Dead Sea. It took us one hour to get to the Northern tip of the Dead Sea, and another 1/2 hour to get to the Ein Gedi reserve where we wanted to hike. Ein Gedi means "Wild Goat Spring". It is the name of a kibbutz/communal settlement on the edge of the Dead Sea, and of a national park there. There are two main trails, and we decided to do Wadi Arugot. On this schematic map, it's the trail on the left side of the map.

Because we didn't get an early start, we knew we'd only get up part of the trail, but that was ok! It starts to get dark at around 4pm in this season at the Dead Sea - there is no light pollution and as soon as the sun dips behind the mountains, it is DARK! Here's another view (from the Internet) to show you where we were. It is as if you were hovering in a helicopter over the Dead Sea and looking at Ein Gedi:

It was very, very hazy and dusty that day. This is how it really looked as we set out on our hike
About 10 minutes in,
you have the option of a "wet trail" or a "dry trail".
The kids did "wet", of course!


Don't worry, that jumping kid isn't one of mine!
The trail continues onward and upward....

We made it about 2/3 of the way to the end of the trail. Made me want to come again and start early enough to do the whole thing! On the way down we saw some local residents:


Cute! The bottom one is called a Boulder Bunny in Hebrew, and is a distant relative of the elephant! Maybe someone here knows the name in English?
Afterwards, it was time for refilling our water bottles and ice cream for some. Then a quick dip in the Dead Sea for 4 of us, while the other two chilled out. I finally got to my son's pictures : here is a typical scene of bathers in at the Dead Sea, and the rocks on it's shore.




By 5:30 it was pitch dark. And we headed home. Even though we live here, we really don't get out to do these kind of hikes enough. Like living in NY and not visiting the Empire State Building!
Hope you enjoyed this detour!

[HermanTriplets+1]

Originally Posted by Hygiene99

Headed to NYC!!!!! very excited we have not been on magic since sept 2008!
Other ships yes but not the magic.... updates to follow.. i hope.!

Have a GREAT time!
We'll follow the DIS this week! Hoping some of our friends from Halifax and Saint John will write that they've seen "you"!

[HermanTriplets+1]

Originally Posted by jlawall

Wow, I'm not sure if I'll ever get there....thx for sharing!!

My pleasure - I love sharing photos from here, it really is a beautiful country! I also think I just never got out into nature enough when I lived in the States. Here, it's just part of life! Glad you enjoyed!

[taximom00]

Originally Posted by HermanTriplets+1

You are certainly welcome here, maybe we can help you deal with your LONG wait all the way until JULY for your cruise! Seriously, welcome! I promise to write a TR when we return!
The wonderful FE organizer for our group did an annoted deck plans with all the staterooms labeled. It really does help! Isn't it funny how rooms are grouped? Do you think they have a DIS filter and put all of us together on purpose?! On our little end of the 2nd floor hallway there are 5 cabins in our FE group!
Candy and light-up bracelets sounds good. My teens are quite in favor of candy.
Here's a funny thing about the name Nadav. When I was a teenager I was a daycamp counselor and one of the little boys was named Nadav. I loved that name (and the kid - maybe that's why I loved the name!). Who'd have known that I'd marry an Israeli and live in Israel and get to name one of my own kids Nadav! Originally I thought we might nickname him Davi, but that never happened. He's everything else but - Nadavi, Nad, Nads, etc!
Keep pluggin' on your FE stuff, it is definitely more of a project than I ever had imagined but absolutely worth it, such huge fun already and we're not even on the boat yet!

Isn't that true about kids you love and then the name! I teach Kindergarten and there are names I love just because of the kid!

I'm looking forward to your post trip report! Particularly Halifax which we have decided to do on our own....still not sure on our route/details so I'm hoping others will pave the way! Are you on the cruise that leaves next week??

BTW, where I live in Boston we have tons of Israelis who come to school/work for a year or two and then return to Israel. Wouldn't it be funny if you knew some of our friends here?!!

[taximom00]

Originally Posted by Hygiene99

Headed to NYC!!!!! very excited we have not been on magic since sept 2008!
Other ships yes but not the magic.... updates to follow.. i hope.!

Can't wait to hear all about the cruise! We leave on July 8!