school is stressing me OUT! best de-stressor? a trip to Disney of course! pg 25 p 364

[longing2Batdisney]

Ashton, Chloe and I just walked in from the Audubon Zoo (we spent the day with WONDERFUL fun friends, that we met here....love it!! laashely and her children)....

we had a wonderful SURPRISE! and Ashton was SOOOOOOO excited when we walked in the house this afternoon....


and MAIL!!!!! he was so excited! ....I believe I know who sent it; but, not entirely sure....

Have a great one! everyone...

I'll be back! to finish my mini report...

 

[KatMark]

Great photos, Connie. Can't wait to see more.

 

[longing2Batdisney]

update of Freeport
above http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=41293149&postcount=336
the rest to come....

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Nassau
we spent the day relaxing and (again) drinking on the beach!
I had asked Danny if he wanted to go snorkeling and he said no we would just be beach bums today....fine with me!
we walked off the ship, found a taxi to take us to a "free" beach/public beach...we had to drop off some other fares at Atlantis (I would love to book a long week there one day with Ashton --but, the only way I will be going there is to fly to the island and stay at the resort. It is to expensive to visit if not! Our cab driver was telling us how since the ships has started selling excursions to the resorts they (the cab drivers/locals) were suffering. Danny and I did learn that (our TA, had mentioned this before hand, too) that is you are not watching/pushing for time it is cheaper to book the SAME excursion just off the ship then with the ship line. BUT if you are doing an ALL DAY excursion and will be close on time, IT IS BEST to book with the cruise line. If you book your excursion with the cruise line they have to get you back to the ship; if you do not and you are late, you are out of luck! see ya!! when on Freeport, we watched several people running for the ship! (in fact there was a group of kids that must have spent all their money as Mom was running off the ship to pay the taxi driver as the plank was getting ready to be loaded up/boy you could see her chewing them out! They had lucked out because just before they arrived there was a van with a group from an excursion that had pulled up (security was waiting on them, when the Mom had run out for the boys)...

Nassau:

arriving at sunrise, gorgeous

MY FAVORITE SHOT OF THE ENTIRE TRIP!

this was on a strip by the port, boy would I love to live here...the canal on one side and a private beach on the other...

once at the beach we were greeted by locals who walked us to the beach, rented us chairs, an umbrella, and sold us a coconut with free refills and a bottle of our own dark rum (LOL!)...Danny was in heaven!

these ladies walked the beach, along with other ladies offering to braid your hair....looked like hard walks...

sorry that is all the photos I have....I am not big on taking photos, I try to enjoy everything with out a camera all the time...not sure where I got that from; my only problem now is since I have had Ashton my memory is not what it was; I was blessed with an almost photographic memory and I miss it, I guess I will learn to take better pictures to help with my memory
a few from our second dress night and bit of our entertainment; the last few shots are a sunset and oilrig as we were getting ready to enter the mouth of the river...another night of rocking on the river!

video clip

our table mates that we spent time at Freeport with, and two days in the pool; happened to be our neighbors as well!

Well, everyone hope you enjoyed our mini cruise report....we can't wait to do it again next year! trying to decide on a Disney cruise out of Galveston to the Mexican carribean or another Carnival cruise to the Virgin Islands (guess it will depend on who we plan it with).

On Monday the sixth Danny and I will celebrate for real our 25th anniversary...we loved spending time alone and meeting new friends, it really is a great way to relax and get a taste of something new!
Have a great weekend! everyone

back later with an update of Disney plans! and reply to everyone's comments

 

[kcandbella]

Looks like heaven Connie! I took a cruise in 2003 and would love to do another one someday. I just have to say also that all of your dress choices ended up working out perfectly--you look fantastic in those pics! Also, on a side note, I used to own a Sea Doo back when we were at the lake all the time...but I always refused to ride on the back. I had to be gripping the handlebars or I was terrified of falling off. And yes I have heard it HURTS at 30+ MPH! So I understand your fear!

 

[mickeystoontown]

We are home from our trip and I just got caught up on your cruise pictures and stories. It looks like ya'll had a wonderful time.

 

[aprilisis]

You took some great photos!! It sounds like you had a wonderful time.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!

 

[PittypatBR]

Great pictures - y'all look great! I would love to cruise to the Bahamas. I have only done the western Caribbean.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY tomorrow!

 

[jenseib]

I love your pictures. I have a couple that aree similar to your favorite shot too....which by the way I LOVE

 

[BelleTinkMom]

Hey Connie! Just stopping by to see how yall are doing. Hope your summer went well.

Jaime

 

[my2disneyboys]

Hey Connie! Hope your having a good week!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Hello? Connie....where are you? We miss you here on the Disboards! Come out, come out wherever you are!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

I agree with Lisa! Where are you?????

 

[longing2Batdisney]

aww... thanks for checking in on me you guys...
I have a serious case of DISNEY BLUES! we are thinking we are going to have to cancel...I have re-booked our ressies for the POP for Wed Sep 28 to Mon Oct 3; but, I really don't see it happening....if it were a week later I think we may be able to pull it off but since everyone I was looking forward to meeting up with will be there between Sep 24 and Oct 4 just don't see it. Danny said we have really spent enough money on vacations this year and he is probably right....but, I'm holding on!

so, IF we go...
we will drive Wednesday Sept 28 check in and if not too late visit DTD
Thursday 29 - DHS
Friday 30 - Epcot with a seminiar on "how things move" for Ashton and big "dis meet" for Illuminations along with Grey Goose slushies
Saturday 1 - AK
Sunday 2 - MK for the MNSSHP
Monday 3 - drive home
Ashton has off of school on the 30th so if we check him out around 10:30 just before nap time and after lunch he would officially miss two days of school and Danny four days of work...

again, thanks for checking in! and if I normally follow you along on your thread I will be back probably in about a week or two...


so, what's going on over here?!?
I left off in May, Ashton and I had a wonderful summer with Chloe visiting field trip sites and lots of learning and playing....
on July 21 Ashton turned "5" and we spent the day at the Audubon Insectatiurm and Aquarium with my mom and Ashley (laashley) and her kids! then on July 28 to Aug 1 we met up with Leanne (leamom2princesses) and her family in Fort Walton Beach we had an awesome time.

when I came back from FWB I was informed that Chloe's mom had lost her job and would no longer need Ashton and I to keep Chloe; so, not only are we really missing her (she has been a part of our daily life for the past two and half years-most of the time it was like having twins). But, also put a damper on our "fun" money...

I'll be back later to post and share some pics from our summer fun!

Ashton starts Kindergarten tomorrow and I have the flowers to do for a friend's son's wedding; I plan to tackle that next week, while looking for something to do when I am child free for the first time in five years

Oh! and other news, Gwendolyn WILL finally graduate in December! and has informed me that they plan to get engaged for her graduation and a wedding to follow 6 mo to a year later....told her I need TWO YEARS to plan and pay; so, they have agreed to a very small celebration and hopefully inexpensive (they said they were thinking about 50 people including our family). I think they have been thinking a beach wedding in FWB, so we'll see?!?

I have also been busy testing and studying to start school myself...I have now been placed on the waiting list for the "practical nursing" program and find out on Nov 11 if I made it or not. If so I will start in Jan 2012 and finish up May 2013....

again, thanks! for checking on me and I will be back to catch up with everyone next week!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I knew that you'd been busy over the Summer 'cause I've been seeing your posts on Facebook. Well, I hate to hear that you may have to cancel your trip to Disney but I can understand money being tight. It's pretty tight around our house too. Maybe you can book a stay for next May when we are going to be at Disney. I'd love for our families to finally meet.

Congratulations to Gwendolyn! Both on school and the soon to be engagement. You know that I can certainly sympathize with paying for a wedding. Lacey's wedding is the 20th, followed by a reception and then there's another reception in Louisiana on the 27th. My pocketbook is screaming NOOOOOOOO! right about now.

 

[jenseib]

Glad to hear from you Connie. What a bummer about the trip. Does Aston know yet? I would keep holding on to hope as well.

 

[aprilisis]

I'm glad you're back! It sounds like you are having a very busy, but fun summer!
Congratulations to Gwendolyn!!
I hope you don't have to cancel your trip. If you do, though, you know Disney will always be there...there's always next year!

 

[stephielela]

It looks like you guys had a great time on the cruise!! I still haven't finished my cruise TR, I'm stalled somewhere in the middle.

Sorry to hear about your possible cancellation! I will keep my fingers crossed for you!!

 

[longing2Batdisney]

I knew that you'd been busy over the Summer 'cause I've been seeing your posts on Facebook. Well, I hate to hear that you may have to cancel your trip to Disney but I can understand money being tight. It's pretty tight around our house too. Maybe you can book a stay for next May when we are going to be at Disney. I'd love for our families to finally meet.


sorry Lisa May would be out for us this coming year IF I am accepted into the nursing program; you trip falls just as my summer session would begin....BUT I would love to plan some time soon to meet up....we don't live far enough from one another that we can't arrange something soon!
Congratulations to Gwendolyn! Both on school and the soon to be engagement. You know that I can certainly sympathize with paying for a wedding. Lacey's wedding is the 20th, followed by a reception and then there's another reception in Louisiana on the 27th. My pocketbook is screaming NOOOOOOOO! right about now.

I bet it is! I am really thinking the most expensive thing will be her dress (JK--I hope it won't be too bad; thinking if she does not change her mind I will have to find seamstress--google Nene Thomas "Direwood" that is the dress she wants)

Glad to hear from you Connie. What a bummer about the trip. Does Aston know yet? I would keep holding on to hope as well.

Thanks! Jen looks like you are having fun on your TA trip! Yes, Ashton does know...he and I have decided to fill his piggy bank with quarters and nickles (I keep dimes in a glass star) "we" are saving for our tickets!!! I am throwing in a few bucks here and there....Danny was complaining yesterday, Ashton had raided his change and stole all the silver for his piggy bank...he looked at Danny and said "But, Daddy it is for our Disney tickets" haha! the dimes are his spending money when he gets there--so, he has two stashes going....BTW we have enough for his tickets now we are working on the next person

I'm glad you're back! It sounds like you are having a very busy, but fun summer!
Congratulations to Gwendolyn!!
I hope you don't have to cancel your trip. If you do, though, you know Disney will always be there...there's always next year!

Yes, April, Disney is not going anywhere and we had a great year so far....I am really starting to think about a Christmas trip! might be a great stress relief for me next year...

It looks like you guys had a great time on the cruise!! I still haven't finished my cruise TR, I'm stalled somewhere in the middle.

Sorry to hear about your possible cancellation! I will keep my fingers crossed for you!!

Yes, we had a wonderful time on our cruise....wishing I was on another one about now!
I need to go catch up with your news....hoping next week when Ashton goes to school full time I can catch up with everyone!

Connie

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Welcome back Connie! I know all about the Disney Blues. I have no idea when we will actually be able to get back. SO sad.....

I've been following you on FB so I've seen that Ashton started school. How are you holding up?? I'm sure he's fine...we tend to adjust much more slowly than the kids!

Yay for Gwendolyn graduating and for a wedding!