Yes sort of, here in Nebraska instead of a certain number of days I have to homeschool a certain number of hours between June-May so in the summer we do fun things like go to the library, trips to the zoo, art museum or anything that can be a learning experience (that we would do anyways) I count all that time as school. They are all the places the schools go during the school year for field trips so why can't they count for us? We do go to some of those place the rest of the year too but if I count those hours during the summer then we can take all of Dec. off and do fun things for the holidays. We still do math and english in Dec but mostly just review. It also means we can take time off when the grandparents come to visit.
Thats great Jessica. Its so flexible. I agree those same field trips should count for you and while the public classrooms are full, Lexi has total quality time.
Good job on sleeping in and having pizza for breakfast.
I go into panic mode towards the end of a vacation as well. Glad to see I'm not the only one.
And I can't wait to see what happens next.
Pizza for breakfast takes me back to my college days.
I totally panic and start taking pictures of everything. Next trip though I am going to suck it up and lug around the proper camera. Your's, Bret's, and now Alison's photos are making want to take better pictures.
Sleeping in is gooooood! I am looking forward to a little of that myself sometime soon...maybe not on this next cruise, though- this is more of an up and at em kind of a trip- Alaska, I mean.
OK- you are KILLLLLLLLING me with the suspense!! What did they do now???
And I can't remember if I posted- but wow what a great night!!
I recall having the SAME experience on the Dream (dancing like maniacs and no one else really there). I don't know why, but on shorter cruises (that I have been on) it seems people arent dancin in there. TOTALLY the opposite on the 7 night ones. Always loads of dancin buddies- we had an especially great time on the Fantasy over NYE- all ages, all dancin together- it was my FAVORITE!!!!!
I may have to try a 7 nighted just for the night life.
Alaska will be wonderful and amazing and chilly. What will you pack, like winter clothes?
I'll get to more table mate antics as we get there in the report. I don't mean to keep anyone in suspense. Their crazy was a continuous turn of events; a journey of sorts. It wasn't an isolated incident.
I've been MIA since the end of May and thought I'd get caught up on the tablemates tonight only to find we're hanging in suspense.
At least I didn't have too many pages to get through.
Your cruise has been way more entertaining (people watching) than the ones I've been on or I've just been oblivious to what's going on around me.
I am generally oblivious too but they were our table mates, kind of hard to avoid.
Like I said above I am not trying to be totally suspenseful, okay maybe a little, but their drama wasn't a single vent but just kept permeating each day.
OK, this is just way too much suspense, what in the $%*^* did they do??????
We'll get there. But I promise its WAY worse than almost missing the boat and maybe rolling around with your adult child's boyfriend.
What she said!
Don't leave us hanging!
Jill in CO
Sounds like a nice day!
Love a pool, relaxing, sleep in kind of day.
The cheating couple is TOO BIZARRE for words. Seriously?! Blech.
I cannot wait to hear about the antics of your table mates...what did they get themselves into now?!??!
The cheating couple was super odd. Their whole dynamic was odd.
It was an amazingly gorgeous day at sea.
Chase and I had just grabbed snacks from the quick service and were walking on the upper deck when we heard the call. I knew from reading posts here that Bright Star was an emergency call, so we walked toward the commotion. We ended up with a table overlooking the kiddie pool just in time to see the whole fiasco play out. I couldn't believe it when I saw that it was your crazy table mates. Talk about dinner and a show.
I swear Beth, I am so glad you were all there to see it because I wouldn't believe it if I was just hearing about it.
I didn't know Bright Star was an emergency call, it sounded like some part of a kids' game.
When we get there
please chime in with what you saw.
You had it correct, bright star bright star.
I'm with you, why do the adults think it's ok to bring their kids in the adult only area. If you want to be with your kids go to the family pool...
That couple was too much. You don't think it's possible he was traveling with his sister? You definitely think they were married? I hate the idea of a dad sleeping around while on vacation with his kid. So low.
No, the woman was for sure some sort of date/partner/spouse. They didn't kiss like siblings. The children could have maybe just been hers but the couple was a mixed race couple and the children appeared to be the same so I am guessing they were their kids.
I cannot believe that one set of tablemates caused so much drama on one single cruise. You would expect crazy would be spread out on a ship that size and not necessarily concentrated to one group of people!
I know right?! They cornered the market on drama that's for sure.
We saw a lot of little kids in the adult pool area on our cruise. Lots of people cutting through (which, to be honest, seemed to be partially caused by a flaw in ship design regarding elevator placement on the Fantasy). But we also saw people bring in and park strollers next to their loungers. I guess because they thought if the baby/child is sleeping or being quiet, then the baby/child really isn't "there"?
I think it's funny how people think it's okay to bring their kids in the adult areas. I guess babies don't know but my Joshua wouldn't even walk through and purposely walked around because it's a rule.
I love babies and I have two kids myself who cruise with us, but I never bring them anywhere on the ship that they are not supposed to be. They are fine with that and so am I.
I LOVE all your food porn, Pam! Thanks a bunch! Only 1 more month to go for me- I can not WAIT to get onboard the Wonder next month!
Really awful about the World's worst musician- sure hope he's gone when I get there!!
His music was not fitting for the atmosphere for sure. It was too slooooooooow. It was more like elevator or mellow, not folk, music.
It looks like you had a lovely sea day, but what a cliffhanger. We love the ships when most people are either at early dinner or the early show.
Corinna
Its my favorite time on the ship. I also love that time of day anyway so out me on the water too and I am in heaven.
I've been lurking along quietly over here and enjoying your report but I have to chime in that I am on the edge of my seat with the tablemate cliffhanger...OMG
what now?!
You've got me seriously considering requesting a table for two on our first-ever cruise in November. I was a flight attendant for many years and, like you, seem to always attract the, ummmm, more colorful people in life.
Thanks for coming out of lurkdome and
Don't get a table for two- LOL! They were nice people just really off balanced and weird with each other. They were very nice to us. I know it doesn't make sense. The next little tidbit though may make one of them look mean but I think it's substance abuse. The tweens were very nice to Joshua, to all of us as was the mother.
I can't imagine the craziness you've seen as a flight attendant. I can't believe some of the characters I have sat next too.
that musician was horrendous.
Its going to be so much fun!!! 
That one family was a soap opera and I guess the cheaters were and maybe the disgruntled CM too. 
The couple was male/male. When we met them at the club there was nothing shocking, just a couple of nice guys. It didn't get weird until disembarkation when one was with what appeared to be some sort of love interest and their children. 
