You’ll never get me on a cruise. Unless it’s to ALASKA! Recap and New PTR Link! 2/1

[Chilly]

cute photos of the boys at breakfast.

I think i'm going to need more spending money!

 

[MEK]

I absolutely can;t stand doing laundry on vacation, so kudos to you for doing it. I rather walk around in a pile knee deep when I get home. IDK - that's just me.

Beautiful pictures from the verandah. The last day must be so bittersweet. It seems like it went so fast.

Can you do a little recap at the end of your TR. I'd like to see the itinerary all pieced together.

 

[Hoosball]

good info. Thanks!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Nice update! I love the family pic - turned out really nice of all of you, and you look fully in vacation mode! Eric's pirate dance is so cute! I wish we could all just let lose and be ourselves without feeling self concious.

IKWYM about wasted time. Jim always feels the need to do laundry on a cruise. I want to spend more time having fun, and it ends up taking way too much time out of your day. At least you got some great verandah and reading time

Nice you could work from home with the snow. We got dumped on yesterday and with my new job it was the first time in 3 yrs I've had to go out in the snow when I didn't want to. Oh well, this is our last one!

 

[eandesmom]

cute photos of the boys at breakfast.

I think i'm going to need more spending money!

Thanks! Yes, you might need more spending money

I absolutely can;t stand doing laundry on vacation, so kudos to you for doing it. I rather walk around in a pile knee deep when I get home. IDK - that's just me.

When we are in a condo, I love it as I can start it and just leave. Hotel room...not so much!

Beautiful pictures from the verandah. The last day must be so bittersweet. It seems like it went so fast.

It did but...the day is still young, I've got at least 2 more updates just for the last day, and then the last morning so it's not over yet.

Can you do a little recap at the end of your TR. I'd like to see the itinerary all pieced together.

I definitely will be doing a recap!

good info. Thanks!

You are welcome!

Nice update! I love the family pic - turned out really nice of all of you, and you look fully in vacation mode! Eric's pirate dance is so cute! I wish we could all just let lose and be ourselves without feeling self concious.

Isn't that the truth? He was dancing like that the other day and it just makes me grin. I really like the pirate pic. It's funny, dressed up pics like that with borders are not things I usually buy, more or less frame and have out but it is a fun picture and makes me smile when I see it.

Do I see you are going to Hawaii????? How did I miss that?

IKWYM about wasted time. Jim always feels the need to do laundry on a cruise. I want to spend more time having fun, and it ends up taking way too much time out of your day. At least you got some great verandah and reading time

The funny thing is this was all me, no one would have noticed if I didn't do the laundry, I don't know what I was thinking! I say next time let Jim do the laundry.

Nice you could work from home with the snow. We got dumped on yesterday and with my new job it was the first time in 3 yrs I've had to go out in the snow when I didn't want to. Oh well, this is our last one!

I'm in the office today, I needed to ship and fax things so really had to come in anyway at least for a little bit. Plus there is so much wet icy snow that power is out in a lot of places (not us thankfully) and our internet went out. I may work from home tomorrow though. Poor Jeff is at a coffee shop! They keeps saying it's going to warm up but we've had light snow the entire day. I am spoiled though, I work 5 minutes from home so even going the long long way around to avoid hills..it's not bad.

AZ here you come!

 

[dennisbryce]

I have been reading your thread and I have to say it sounds amazing!!!
My DH and I are going to Alaska on the Wonder in 129 days and cannot wait!!!
Everything looks so amazing and sounds like you had a great time
We have been on the Eastern Caribbean Cruise twice with Disney and are worried we will miss Castaway Cay. I am sure we will but sounds like we will have an awsome time on this cruise also.
Thank you for sharing your story and wonderful pictures.

 

[eandesmom]

I have been reading your thread and I have to say it sounds amazing!!!
My DH and I are going to Alaska on the Wonder in 129 days and cannot wait!!!
Everything looks so amazing and sounds like you had a great time
We have been on the Eastern Caribbean Cruise twice with Disney and are worried we will miss Castaway Cay. I am sure we will but sounds like we will have an awsome time on this cruise also.
Thank you for sharing your story and wonderful pictures.

Well it will be VERY different than Castaway Cay that's for sure! It really was an amazing trip, I hope you have as much fun as we did!

 

[CarolynK]

When we are in a condo, I love it as I can start it and just leave. Hotel room...not so much!

I HATE packing dirty clothes...we've been on cruises that have a laundry special about halfway thru the trip (I think HAL, maybe also RCL) and whatever you can fit inside the bag is a set fee to wash and dry. Does DCL also do this?

I always try to make sure that we are taking home at least some clean underwear - one trip from WDW for winter break a few years ago, our flight was canceled and we couldn't get a flight out for 2 days (kids were so sad they had to miss school!) and it really helped that we had some clean clothes to wear.

 

[eandesmom]

I HATE packing dirty clothes...we've been on cruises that have a laundry special about halfway thru the trip (I think HAL, maybe also RCL) and whatever you can fit inside the bag is a set fee to wash and dry. Does DCL also do this?

Nope, they don't. That would have been cool! I don't like packing them either, typically they get their own dedicated suitcase!

I always try to make sure that we are taking home at least some clean underwear - one trip from WDW for winter break a few years ago, our flight was canceled and we couldn't get a flight out for 2 days (kids were so sad they had to miss school!) and it really helped that we had some clean clothes to wear.

I agree with that and tend to overpack a little in that area...just in case!

 

[jenjolt]

Awwww...I have been such a bad subscriber...just lurking through you trip!! But boy have I enjoyed this cruise!! I'm so sad to see it end!!!!!

YAY for more cruises to come!!!

 

[eandesmom]

Awwww...I have been such a bad subscriber...just lurking through you trip!! But boy have I enjoyed this cruise!! I'm so sad to see it end!!!!!

YAY for more cruises to come!!!

Aw, that's ok Jen It's not over yet, it was a very full last day!!!

YAY for more to come is right.

 

[KatMark]

There is nothing wrong with bed hair...I wake up with it every morning.

They both do look sleepy, and Evan certainly looks a lot younger in that picture.

Breakfast looks truly yummy. And, as always, your scenic pictures are spectacular.

 

[eandesmom]

There is nothing wrong with bed hair...I wake up with it every morning.

They both do look sleepy, and Evan certainly looks a lot younger in that picture.

I didn't notice it till I went to do the update and then it was like WOW, it looks like Evan 2 years ago...not now. Made me a little sad actually. He's still pretty cute in all his tween angst though.

I wake up with it every day too

Breakfast looks truly yummy. And, as always, your scenic pictures are spectacular.

It was a yummy breakfast and nice to eat outside. It was the only day we did breakfast outside, we did lunch a few times though but it was counter service by the pool.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Last day? How sad! Love all the shopping pictures! Did you tell us what you bought and I missed it or are you holding out on us? Too bad the laundry took so long, but you did get some cool photos from your verandah. So neat that you ran into Captain Mickey!

 

[eandesmom]

Last day? How sad! Love all the shopping pictures! Did you tell us what you bought and I missed it or are you holding out on us?

Actually, you are the first person who asked

And no, I didn't tell.

A bunch still to come on that last day, it was a long and full day!

Too bad the laundry took so long, but you did get some cool photos from your verandah. So neat that you ran into Captain Mickey!

It was fun seeing him. It's funny, both of my character pics are just chance on deck run ins, which made it so much more fun!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Isn't that the truth? He was dancing like that the other day and it just makes me grin. I really like the pirate pic. It's funny, dressed up pics like that with borders are not things I usually buy, more or less frame and have out but it is a fun picture and makes me smile when I see it.

Do I see you are going to Hawaii????? How did I miss that?


Hawaii was kind of a maybe for awhile. Jim is being sent there for work, so I'm joining him for a week! A few other wives are coming too, so when the guys are working, the girls can do spa and shopping!!!



The funny thing is this was all me, no one would have noticed if I didn't do the laundry, I don't know what I was thinking! I say next time let Jim do the laundry.

Good Plan! Maybe instead of feeling like I should stay there and help, I should just leave him to it!



I'm in the office today, I needed to ship and fax things so really had to come in anyway at least for a little bit. Plus there is so much wet icy snow that power is out in a lot of places (not us thankfully) and our internet went out. I may work from home tomorrow though. Poor Jeff is at a coffee shop! They keeps saying it's going to warm up but we've had light snow the entire day. I am spoiled though, I work 5 minutes from home so even going the long long way around to avoid hills..it's not bad.

AZ here you come!

Nice to live so close to work! Jeff is working at a coffee shop? That's gotta stink.

It poured rain here for about 24 hours and melted most of it and now it's blowing snow again. Good day to stay in!

I'm ready for the sun!

 

[eandesmom]

Nice to live so close to work! Jeff is working at a coffee shop? That's gotta stink.

It poured rain here for about 24 hours and melted most of it and now it's blowing snow again. Good day to stay in!

I'm ready for the sun!

LOL! He was working from home all week but with the internet down, he couldn't so had to go somewhere that did have it. This was on Thursday which was probably the worst road day and his car just isn't equipped for it so I dropped him off at a cool location that is a bookstore/food court/coffee shop as it gave him more options than being stuck at Starbucks all day. If he doesn't go in early to the office, he has to park a bazillion miles away so it can be far more efficient for him to telecommute.

Jeff actually working AT a coffee shop? I would pity anyone trying to get a coffee. He would never have the patience for it. He was there for a good 7 hours though, bleh. Thankfully when we got home it was back on and we never lost power.

It rained a lot here and has melted most of it but there is a fiar amount of standing water. On Friday I swear there was 3 inches int he parking lot at work, ick. Raining now.

I'm ready for the sun too....though I don't see any in my near future.

YAY for Hawaii! Poor Jim, having to work though

 

[Chilly]

We booked our Alaska cruise today!

 

[eandesmom]

We booked our Alaska cruise today!

How exciting!!!!!!!!!!!! Which itinerary/date?

 

[eandesmom]

My work complete, or as complete as it was going to get, I went to look for my family on deck. It was pretty empty up there although the family hot tub had some traffic!

The E’s were, of course, in the pool. Funnel vision and pool…what more could any kid want? Especially with unlimited fries nearby.

It looked worse out than it was, but it was a bit breezy.

No one was at the bar, that was for sure!

I finally found Jeff

And checked out the scenery

We hung for almost 2 hours, just reading and enjoying the sun and…a rum and coke which I’d been kind enough to bring with me once I made it out of the stateroom. We took pity on the poor Signals bartender and got a refill direct and were quite rewarded with a very strong drink. Which in the world of rum and coke is easy enough to add more mixer to! We had a decision to make though. If we wanted to hit Disney Dreams, the last show, we needed to get moving soon and shower and such. We were torn, the hot tub was clearing out and calling our name. We really wanted to see the show. We really really wanted to have one last hot tub. I walked over and checked in with the E’s. They really wanted to go to the show. They didn’t need us to go to the show. And so…they did. Go to the show without us that is. And we hit the hot tub!

In another small world moment, we soon found our tub filled with folks from the Northwest, including a gentleman who knew some people I knew and had some business connections that crossed over. He lived, literally, 1.5 miles from our house. We had a bit of a chat about business type things, more than Jeff would have liked but they left to hit the show and we had the tub…and a refill from our new favorite bartender, to ourselves. At about 6:30 we drug ourselves out and headed back to our room. One of my errands, while checking on our bill, had been to pick up the boys pillowcases. They didn’t know about these. Since they were at the show, it worked out perfectly for me to set them up on their beds.

We found ourselves a little hungry! I’m not sure if we skipped lunch or what happened but we decided to get a little room service.

And open our last bottle of wine

And then, enjoy our last sunset on our verandah!

He looks miserable huh

I may have gotten carried away with sunset photos…

Continued in next post