Thanks! He's worked and is working so very hard. It's a lot too with just having started Junior High.
I'm okay with March now; warmer water, more time to have rates drop and PIF, and it's close to your birthday! Palo for your bday- whoop whoop. Plus I won't have a chance to look seriously at hotels until after the bar mitzvah.
I did peek at flights and they're HIGH!
Joshua's bar mitzvah is exactly a month, October 12, away from today so if y'all don't see me much, I'm drowning in Hebrew or preparations.
He knows what he needs to and is now in practice mode which makes me very very happy. He's tweaking his d'var Torah and practicing reading loud so his voice can carry to the back of the room. Good times for a 12 year old boy.
Michael needs to call Einsteins and set up the bagel delivery for the kiddush luncheon. We'll get their bagels and coffee but do our own lox, capers, onions, egg salad, desserts, etc....I'm meeting with a few bakers this week and next week.
The rabbi has his flight and hotel and we finally sent invites. I am in full freak out mode.
We are having a very small dinner that evening, not fancy, at a local brewery. They're doing a fixed menu for me. We really just aren't formal people. We'll bring our own wine and pay their corkage fee ($8) a bottle- kind of steep. They've got great beer and really good food. It's close too which is important. Bar/bat mitzvah days are VERY long days. I let Joshua choose the menu for the evening. Here's the link. www.roostersbrewingco.com Guess which 3 entrees he chose? I told him he needed to choose a pasta/vegetarian option, a chicken, and either a beef or fish entree. I've been in contact with the manager over this last week and a half and am now trying to explain the pace of the meal. It's similar to a wedding in the fact that we'll like everyone to have a drink so we can toast, praise Joshua, thank the rabbi and gabbi, and the others who read an aliyah during his service. I'm thinking we'll need about 2 hours for dinner. Plus these peeps like to drink. It's going to be a really nice evening.
I'm planning on serving one hummus platter per every 4 people and also a Margherita flatbread per every 4 so that'll be 10 appetizers for 20 people. I'm a feeder. Their pear and gorgonzola salad is amazing so that'll come with the entrees unless they want soup or a regular dinner salad. I've asked the manager what our soup options for the evening will be and I'm waiting to hear back.
They also do a daily special so I think that'll be the 4th menu option if we go for a 4th. Generally the kids are very involved with their party planning and since Joshua isn't doing a party, I thought he'd like to help with the dinner. He seems onboard.
Sorry I'm rambling but I thought since the bar mitzvah is the reason for the cruise, I should tell you guys what's going on.
I'm sorry to hear about your change in your plans.
I'm sure he'll be very relieved when it's over!
That was quick, I'm still a bit annoyed. But Palo for my birthay sounds fabulous
I haven't looked at flights and I need to cancel the rental car. Not sure if I'll head up to WDW now, I need to change some things.
WOWSA!
How dare they cancel your cruise! That seems brutally unfair. I didn't even know that could happen, which shows just how naive I am when it comes to cruises.
I am so sorry.
I hope the shock has started to wear off.
I hope March will work out. Of course, I will be bummed if it means you can't do the girls trip in May, but family and cruise absolutely first. There will always be time for another girl's trip.
I will check back frequently to see the newest developments.
March and warmer does sound lovely but oh how frustrating!!! I will be bummed if May can't work but completely understand. Thank heavens the flights were easily cancelled with no penalties, that could have been horrendous.
The Bar Mitzvah plans looks like so much fun, what a great menu. No one will go hungry Rhys for sure
I hope you had an easy fast! G'mar tov!!!
Amanda
I hope you're hanging on in here! Sounds like a great time although I couldn't really access the menu, so no clue what he chose!
So sorry about your cruise, but it sounds like you and Pam have worked it out again for a nice time in March.
Hang in there, you've made it through two of these, you'll get through this one.
Well I've booked BCV for post cruise just in case. I can always cancel but after some pondering I think I'll stick with the WDW plans. I didn't go with OKW like I had for January because April should be warm enough to enjoy the pools, and I've always wanted to explore SAB.
I've changed my flight pre cruise but now I'll be getting in at 10:10 pm. I wanted to leave the day open to have lunch with the family before leaving. This'll be perfect, I can celebrate with them and then be off for a fabulous adventure
The dresses sound cute, pictures? I hope the rabbi chat goes well.
My kids are thankfully too young to fast because they were super whiney even though they ate all day! Tom read torah on Yom Kippur morning. The kids were at babysitting (at the Temple). I went to get them to listen to their father read and only Jessica was willing to come. I should have forced the issue but I was too tired to fight with them....
Amanda
194 days!!!
I think April will be plenty warm enough to enjoy SAB.
You're arriving late but glad it'll enable you to have a nice bday celebration with your family before the cruise.
Then we'll celebrate it at Palo! Does the cruise give bday buttons? My bday is in March too but earlier.
I'll try to post a pic. The rabbi meeting went great. We are down to the wire.
Thanks friend. Yes, we'll get it through it and hopefully enjoy it as well.
Wonder why you couldn't see the menu?
I know you're with PIO and Bret today. Enjoy and can't wait to read all about it.
Good luck getting through it! I just had my big struggle period, now it's packing time!!!!
I could see the restaurant menu, but not the catering menu. I have no idea if he picked sandwiches or entrees or what, I was clueless!
Just got home from a fun packed weekend. I can't believe we had our first ever "only in the room to sleep" trip. It was exhausting, and I don't plan on doing that again soon! Fran is asleep in her chair. I'm surprised I got her up to check out of the hotel this morning and drive home. She is wiped out, and we have to go to band tonight!
I hope so. I don't think I'll go into the parks unless its late at night. This year's spring break crowds were too much for me to handle.
The earlier nonstop flight leaves at 2:55 and I wouldn't be able to have lunch with them before leaving. The 6:00 flight would have been ideal but that one is sold out...
That's wonderful Closing in on 3 weeks
Indeed! I can't believe we had to add so many days to our countdown.
I'm reading the dry dock thread and there are some very unhappy people and rightfully so. I'm so glad I booked with SW. I'm not glad my flights went up in price but I'm glad I don't have to deal with change fees and more emails.
I'm not a big crowds person either. I think our new cruise will be more crowded. Did you join the meet thread? They've got a FE going.
Its crazy how just a little shift in times makes everything more $$$ and sold out. No bueno but I'm glad you could make it work.
I better add my bday to the celebration list. One bar mitzvah and 2 bdays.
I'm to the point of not sleeping. I'm expecting a major flu the week after. Stress totally affects my immune system.
So you signed the house papers? I looked but must have missed it. I did see the cool Disney chandeliers though. Very cool! Do you have closing date and move in date?
Band tonight? You're like the Energizer bunny.
There isn't a catering menu. We just chose the dinner entrees off the regular menu. We did that for two reasons: one to make the service run more smoothly and two to stay in budget. Dinner will be 20-25 people. Ideally it would have been fun to host in our home but the days leading up and the day of are so busy so it's not realistic. Anyway Joshua chose a capellini dish that can be prepared with or without chicken. Gotta include any veg heads. He also chose the Chicken Milano. And finally he chose, and I know it sounds odd but they're SO good, the fish tacos. I'm still debating on adding a beef dish. M doesn't think we need it.
I thought the same thing
I didn't know there was a thread. Probably too much negativity on there for me. I'm so glad we didn't have to deal with change fees as well. Also glad there was no problem changing my vacation time, I can see that that could have been a big problem for some people. Were your flights much more? Luckily mine was only $50 more. Not that I wanted to pay that but better than it could have been. I still need to book the return flight.
Oh no I hope you're able to get some rest.
No still no papers, but supposedly soon. No idea on move in date. They have to do electrical and repairs first. We'll start movinf stuff first once enough stuff is in, we will think about a good day to move the cats. It may very well be January. We are going to my folks for Thanksgiving so not before then. We might want to go to Vegas for Christmas so we can't move the cats until we are done traveling for a while. We habe a lot of stuf. There will be a massive garage sale once we get the stuff we are keeping out!
No Flu! Not allowed.
If SW goes down in price between then and you've booked on points, can you rebook and get the points back? I've never used points on SW before so am clueless.
No flu allowed! Get some sleep and start taking some Vitamin C!
Jill in CO