Book it. Buy it. BELIEVE it! - TR is started! link posted 8/11

[natebenma]

WOW- those are seriously beautiful pictures of the waterfalls. I love the one that has the teeny tiny person so you can actually get an idea of how large they are.

I continue to be impressed with all you are doing!

Have a most excellent trip, take great notes because I can't wait to hear all about it and see the fabulous pictures!

 

[Chilly]

You are the best juggler I know!

 

[eandesmom]

I love how organized you are! I wish I had that talent.

Oh I am sure I will forget something and that I spend too much time "getting" organized when I could be doing something much more predictable!

I can't wait to read your trip report especially the Vero Beach part. We are staying there one night pre-cruise. We are going on the Fantasy but I told my kids we were taking Grandma on a Princess cruise. She only cruises Princess so, the kids totally believe me. She also knits a lot so, I keep telling them it is a knitting cruise. They think they are going to be bored out of their minds. Also, I booked the cruise late so, we have fly into Tampa Bay and I figured we were already driving that Vero Beach would be cool to see. So, I'm excited about your trip and reading the Vero Beach part. Good luck with the final days.

I really hope the forecast improves, we won't get there until at least 1 on Sunday and that will be a huge bummer if that's the nicest day. I love your sneaky plan very very good.

A knitting cruise. That's hysterical!

Wow - those water falls are gorgeous. I have never seen a water fall in three sections like that. Very cool. Sounds like everyone had a great weekend, except, perhaps your sister who came home to dog poop and pee. At least it wasn't cat pee.

Well she had a great time there, it was just the coming home to a disaster part. She really needed the break and got a ton of sleep so it was very much a win win.

Glad to hear that Kendall's team did so well. That's great.

OMG turns out they beat the CA state champ and the overall results moved them up to being ranked 42 in the country. Very cool.

Now you are down to the home stretch. Very excited for you! It's going to be a great trip!

Counting the days that is for sure!

Hi, Cynthia! I had a very enjoyable time this morning catching up on your posts! Yeay for being only three days away from your vacation!!! You will have a great time, and it sounds like you deserve it after all the drama of the past week. Yikes!

I do have 4 full days of work which is a bit of a drag but hopefully it will go quickly!

Fingers crossed that Kendell gets her state ID or permit today! Chelsea took driver's ed this past year, but she still had to do the knowledge test to get her permit. We didn't see a whole lot of studying from her, either, and we really nagged her to do more, but she passed with flying colors. I am sure Kendell will be the same way!

I'm sure she will pass, concern is more about her mom taking her in in a timely fashion to allow wiggle room for hiccups!

The idea of decorating their own cakes sounds like a lot of fun -- everyone's turned out great!

Love the camera bag and strap! Very cute! That turquoise color is very pretty! And I love the idea of pins on your Vera -- I am always worried that mine will fall off, so I have a lanyard hanging from my bulletin board at home.

Anyway, in case I am not on here again before you leave -- have a great time!!!

Thanks! I love the strap, I put it on yesterday. It doesn't match my actual camera (which is red lol) but I love the color with my bag and wanted something very summery. I may add some bling to it to tie in the red of the camera we will see. I have a few ideas though not much time.

I do worry about the pins falling off as well, I've kept them to a certain part that is pretty protected and it's been fine so far but it is possible. Then again it is on a lanyard as well!

 

[eandesmom]

WOW- those are seriously beautiful pictures of the waterfalls. I love the one that has the teeny tiny person so you can actually get an idea of how large they are.

I continue to be impressed with all you are doing!

Have a most excellent trip, take great notes because I can't wait to hear all about it and see the fabulous pictures!

They were really pretty, my phone pictures don't do them much justice. What was amazing is how many waterfalls there were, we just went to one little section that had 3 but there were probably a dozen fall hikes/walks withing about a 10 mile radius plus the river plus some serious rock formations!

You are the best juggler I know!

Till I drop something. LOL!

 

[KatMark]

Great juggling act, Cynthia. Things seem to be coming together. And I wouldn't worry about the weather forecast...I really don't think they know what they are talking about half the time.

Your "to do" list is shrinking.

Now I just want your trip to get here so mine will get here faster (yes, we are going unless something happens the day of departure).

 

[eandesmom]

Great juggling act, Cynthia. Things seem to be coming together. And I wouldn't worry about the weather forecast...I really don't think they know what they are talking about half the time.

Your "to do" list is shrinking.

I agree about the forecast, we won't know until we get there but I can hope! It is definitely shrinking, hoping to knock out the rest of the FE tonight and then really I don't have much left to do, which is almost a little scary! How will I pass the time? thank goodness for piano and trombone lessons and doctor's appointments.

Now I just want your trip to get here so mine will get here faster (yes, we are going unless something happens the day of departure).

Me too, and that is GREAT news! Well, not great but I am really glad the plan is to still go.

 

[Poolrat]

3 DAYS

 

[eandesmom]

3 DAYS

3 sleeps and one fitful doze

 

[MEK]

3 sleeps and one fitful doze

Complete with Starbucks on arrival!

 

[dizneeat]

Wow! Time flies by now - only three more days!

 

[eandesmom]

Complete with Starbucks on arrival!

you know me too well! Actually I picked up another Starbucks Gift card tonight specifically for our arrival at MCO.



Oh and no word on the ID yet...in case you were wondering.

Wow! Time flies by now - only three more days!

3 long busy days but yes, THREE!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Oh and no word on the ID yet...in case you were wondering.

Oh, no! I was hoping to find out this morning!

 

[MEK]

Oh and no word on the ID yet...in case you were wondering.

I decided to stop asking. It's starting to stress me out!

 

[eandesmom]

Oh, no! I was hoping to find out this morning!

Yeah, we'd kind of like to know too.

I decided to stop asking. It's starting to stress me out!

Oddly, I'm not stressed. Bemused. Which I know is wierd but really, what can I do?

 

[MRYPPNS]

So what's the plan if Kendall doesn't have an ID in hand when you go to pick her up?

 

[eandesmom]

2 days!
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Or really 2 sleeps and one restless doze on 2 different planes. Kind of a bummer that 2 sleeps still equals 3 full work days! And as Mary Ellen so accurately pointed out, our first stop WILL be the MCO Starbucks. I actually picked up another card for gas points so I’d have extra funds for this very stop. I’m considering picking up bananas and pop tarts to carry on the plane for once we land as honestly if all of us want a drink AND a snack that becomes a very expensive first little stop! And if I don’t have a plan it will be hard to say no as they will be running on fumes and it will be breakfast time in Seattle. Plus it gives us something to do while we wait for DME to leave..though everyone around us might not appreciate the smell of bananas. Hmmn. Then again, it occurred to me this morning that there is no way they will eat all the bread in the house so perhaps I should make up PB&J and any leftover ham and cheese...then if our villa isn't ready, we have lunch. Kind of a lame arrival lunch BUT it does deal with leftovers and I'd planned to bring an insulated tote anyway for grocery moving from OKW to Vero. No reason we can't just carry it on instead of packing it. Yes. I think too much. This is not news!

The boys started packing. Evan says he is done but I have to check his work. Eric will finish up today. That will let me organize, check their work and stick extra stuff in their bags as needed! Of course I have at least 3 things that Jeff needs me to bring (exploding hair product in his checked suitcase. I assume he had it in something to contain it in case that happened but didn’t ask or want the details). The other 2 are reading materials.He is having a good time, and full of very funny stories about his dad. It’s good for both of them but oh, he will be ready to say goodbye on Friday morning. He’s been sending texts and pictures all day, hopefully it will cool down for them tomorrow as the bulk of their day today was spent doing the AC dash and the jigger bug dash. Sounds like his dad is pretty paranoid about them so Jeff wasn’t allowed to sit. Or at least not on the ground. Where there was grass. Or concrete. Except that was ants. Oh man.

Nothing nearly as entertaining here. I am ALMOST done with our FE items. I would be fully done but am awaiting a few more supplies that shipped out on the 14th. Which is annoying when I ordered them on the 6th! I’ll live if they don’t get here with what I have and I didn’t spend much but it’s annoying and a crafter I’ll never order from again.

I did bite the bullet and call DCL about the ID. Because of course, we have NO word on whether they got it today or not. We have of course heard about the college coach K sat next to on her return flight but no news on the ID. Sigh. Here’s the scoop. According to the CM I spoke to, despite the fact that the docs say 16 and over need both state ID and birth certificate, she said that really only applied to Vancouver sailings (which is a change, they required passports for the boys last year even though we’ve never needed them to cross the border driving before) and that as long as it was an original or certified copy of the BC, we’d be fine.

Of course our copy is a copy of the certified copy so…..

I sent Jeff a packing list for Kendall. Not really a full list but things I was worried she might forget and did list both the learners permit and the original or certified copy of the BC on the list. Which we know her mom has but…..
I also have not gotten a confirmation as to what time I can pick her up. I’ve requested 6, which works well for me since I have a chiro/pt appointment at 5 and it’s near her mom’s house but…

Here is what was left after my last update, with a few new things added (of course!) a little more progress made!

1. Pack – 98% done. Everything except the last FE items and things I need to use until then.
2. Add the grocery order into TripIt. It’s paid for, and confirmed but I just realized I didn’t have a copy of the actual order anywhere and it might be nice to check it against what shows up! DONE
3. Bag check (kids, make sure they stuck to their lists). Evan is packed, Eric should be by EOD so I’ll check them both later tonight.
4. Pick up cat litter GOT LITTER Actually got a new "paper" kind, hugely less expensive, I hope Melvin will use it! LOL have 2 days to test it.
5. Get Evan’s “missing” toiletries. DONE Gotta love a kid who tells you he:

​

a. “lost” his new toothbrush from the Dentist (2 months ago…never made it into the house) and really needs one

​

b. “lost/broke” his comb (s). Apparently he’s figured out trying to use them on his cat = a broken comb.
6. Put FE list into TripIt. Waiting on this one, we have a MAW family who is waiting on a stateroom assignment
7. Doctor appointments. BLEH. 3 for me, one for Eric. 2 today, 2 on Thursday.
8. Attempt a manicure of sorts
9. Pickup (Kendall)
10. Drop off (cats).
11. Make sure Kendall has new ID. Ok, that one is out of my control but I am going to call DCL in the am for a little peace of mind about the whole thing. CALLED so…as DONE as it can be!

The forecast is changing, Vero looks better, Orlando worse but it seems to vary daily so…it will rain at some point, just how much I guess we will see. With Florida I don’t really trust it anyway. Interestingly enough I got an email from the CC company after I added my alert, reminding me that purchases abroad (aka Nassau) even if in US $$ would be subject to a service charge. Good to know! It reminded me that my Capital One card does not have foreign transaction fees so if we buy anything in Nassau, it will be on that card and not debit or Disney Visa! I don’t see buying much there but you never know, a cheap t shirt or a bottle of rum could add up with fees involved.

So…on that note, lets think about souvenirs!

I have a wish list for me and I know the boys have thought about it though I do fear they are expecting more $$ than the souvenir gods have to give this trip. I imagine my mom will give them some cash on the way to the airport, she historically does plus there is Surprise money at the end. And since I got them so many pins, hopefully they will mostly just trade and not spend their money on pins, which should help. They'll have to deal with it.

Coffee cups! I always want new ones from a trip. I didn’t get a DCL on last year, just didn’t love any that I saw. Ideally I’ll get several, perhaps even one from each resort/ship. I’m hoping for “new” logo mugs from OKW and Vero. I am pretty sure I’ve seen them in a picture somewhere that they are in fact at OKW but Vero reports seem to be that they are not there yet. Maybe I will get lucky!

Either way, I do need to see it live, it’s all about shape and size…will it feel right in the morning? If I like it, I'll be buying it day 1, to use on our first morning wakeup, on the verandah! I PLAN to be drinking out of a new mug..and not the villa supplied version so we will just have to see what that new one looks like! I do have an AK one I love so will probably not get one from there. Other than that, I plan to get a set of kitchen towels right away and then use them the entire trip and maybe a t shirt for myself? I'm super picky about the tees, not often finding a cut and design in the same one that I like but you never know. When I get it right, I live in them so fingers crossed that something new and fabulous awaits, I seem to be more and more less overwhelmed with the offerings. Which is both good and bad. Good that I save money and don't buy much but bad when I come home without much for myself either. The real question is...

Just how many shirts will Jeff buy at Margaritaville?

He's created a monster, Evan is already planning to get something there as well.

 

[eandesmom]

The DOL was closed yesterday!

and yes, that's the extent of the information that has been passed on.

 

[Misskitty3]

Have a wonderful time! And it would be hard to believe that the weather in FL could be any worse than here! Yesterday was actually downright cold......humidity and a thunderstorm sounds pretty good to me right now! But I will keep my fingers crossed that you get sun and blue skies instead!

Good luck with all the doctor apps and work stuff - hope those all go by quickly and easily!

Not sure what to say about the state ID!

 

[eandesmom]

So what's the plan if Kendall doesn't have an ID in hand when you go to pick her up?

Darn good question.

Have a wonderful time! And it would be hard to believe that the weather in FL could be any worse than here! Yesterday was actually downright cold......humidity and a thunderstorm sounds pretty good to me right now! But I will keep my fingers crossed that you get sun and blue skies instead!

Yeah, it was cold! Doesn't matter much to me as I am working but it did keep the kids inside most of the day. It is supposed to improve but it was lovely when I got up and completely clouded over byt the time I left the house.

Good luck with all the doctor apps and work stuff - hope those all go by quickly and easily!

Not sure what to say about the state ID!

Thanks! Really hoping my morning appointment has some answers for me. The state ID is....

 

[glennbo123]

Are you beginning to think that the trip might actually happen? It will!

DOL = Department of Licensing? If so, oh boy.