03/01/2008 Eastern!!

[atinkerbellmom]

Hope you're all doing well as we head into fall. Perhaps the Vermonters and Minnesotans are taking out their snow boots already - I'm just such a cold weather wimp that to me, living someplace where it's winter 80% of the year is completely out of my comfort zone.

Ciao for now...Johnna

Last time I checked, you guys kept pretty even with us. No rush to get to the upper east coast. The only thing that will pull me that way are the people. . Maybe I should post a thread saying Anyone living near the mouse whom likes being a "host family", PM me!!!! I have to connect with some Florida Cruisers. Maybe when it is 30 degrees below zero, I can visit in January. SHHHHHH, do not tell DS, he is very much desiring to tour Washington DC. See he loves studying stuff like that. Total part of the G--K Squad Everyone says he will make some lady very happy and rich someday with his looks and academic abilities. I answer yes, his MOTHER........

Thanks for the weather up-date. I still need to get a couple pair of Capris. My girls at the office swear not to worry, they come back out in January. MMichelle

 

[tktstjohn]

The Vermonters cooked yesterday (92)! Yea Johnna, I remember the weather being perfect during the whole cruise last year. Your description sounded pretty accuurate.

Jet Blue added a dicrect flight from Burlington to Orlando last week. The problem is that they are not booking into March yet. I did book 1 way for the morning of Feb 29th. I will book the return trip as soon as they open March. We are going to stay with Kim/Norm/Josh at D.World for the night, and head to the port the next morning.

Hope all is well with everyone.

Tim

 

[Johnna_Story]

We are going to stay with Kim/Norm/Josh at D.World for the night, and head to the port the next morning.

Hope all is well with everyone.

Tim

Tim - good call to stay overnight the night before. We've always gone down on Thursday prior - even though it's early March, you never know if snow/ice or any other kind of weather will totally screw up the travel plans. With a buffer of two days, it takes the stress out. Plus it gives us a couple extra days of vacation! It helps that we stay free at Marriott Residence Inn - the benefits of planning meetings/events.

DS and I are watching the Red Sox currently losing to the Orioles... but I'm sure that will change soon. Mark and DS were so excited when the benches cleared last night!

Ciao for now! J

 

[ranidayz]

I was wondering what happened! I"ve been out of the pic for a while because of school and getting ready for the Jewish High HOlidays -- takes up all my time!

Heads Up: I just went to Target on Friday and all their speedo stuff was 75% off, flotation bathing suits, goggles, vests, beach socks, sandals, sun hats, etc....so picked some up for Tali.

I'm so retentive, I started my packing lists so I can make sure I don't overpack, but don't underpack....I don't want to spend my vacation doing laundry! I picked up some eyepatches from the Halloween store for Pirate night and have a backpack for everyone to take on the plane....still trudging along in my planning...love this hobby. I'll make my magnets and pillowcases when it's cold out - I still have some time.

Have a great week,
Rani

 

[ranidayz]

OK, so we just came back from the last day at the pool and I started wondering....do we have to bring our own towels to bring to the beaches or can we use some from the ship or what? I'm probably brining my own for the shower because Hotel size towels are not made so you can wear them comfortably for an hour while you get the rest of the family ready....but I just don't know about the beach....

Here's hoping your answers are what I want to hear!

Thanks,
Rani

 

[Johnna_Story]

OK, so we just came back from the last day at the pool and I started wondering....do we have to bring our own towels to bring to the beaches or can we use some from the ship or what? I'm probably brining my own for the shower because Hotel size towels are not made so you can wear them comfortably for an hour while you get the rest of the family ready....but I just don't know about the beach....

Here's hoping your answers are what I want to hear!

Thanks,
Rani

They provide towels for excursions and on Castaway Cay. They're not beach towel size - more the hotel size, but you can take as many as you want, so I usually grab a couple extra. So my advice is don't pack towels - they take up valueable space in your suitcase that you need for shoes!

 

[ranidayz]

Hey everyone - you are going to love this! If you go to www.vistaprint.com and click "promotional givaways" on the left hand side, it's going to have a link for t-shirts....

click on it and you can customize a tshirt for free - and only pay shipping, which is under $5.

When you say, "use design template" it's going to give you an option to enter some search criteria, and if you choose "sporting events" there is a great logo of a pirate!

So here's the deal, you can choose advanced editing and choose font, color, text, etc.... and you could even customize it to say the name and date of the cruise, Pirate Theme Night, the names of your family, whatever......and even better, you could make it for your husband and give it to him for the holidays!

The offer expires Sept. 15 --- btw, only one t per account.....

hope you enjoy!

Rani

 

[Johnna_Story]

Just want to bump us up in case anyone else is looking for us.

IT's a crazy week here at work and home - and DD is sick today. Many thanks to Mark who stayed home because I couldn't.

I have about 10 minutes to eat right now, but I decided to post and check in too. That leaves me 8 minutes to down my strawberry banana yogurt parfait! Yummy.

Ciao for now!!!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I got my DD and my passport today but didn't get one for my DS. It is delayed because he didn't sign the passport in cursive. But it shouldn't be too far behind. I hope.

170 days to go!!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I got my DS's passport today. We are ready to rock and roll.....

 

[Johnna_Story]

Tammy - you're a few steps ahead of us! I dropped off DD's passport application on Monday, but couldn't do DS's because he wasn't with me. Having his old passport and updated pictures, and all of his documentation wasn't enough. What was the guy thinking?? That I'd want to take some one else's kid on vacation with me!

Happy weekend everyone!

PS - Brenda: I didn't forget about you!! I'm swamped at work and can only take 2-3 minutes to post on the Dis these days. When I PM you, it's about 20 minutes to update you on life events, so I'll try to send one this weekend! Love ya IBF!

 

[ranidayz]

We got all three of the kids passports last week. I guess mine is taking longer because it's a renewal...and poor Craig...his got rejected because he had gotten on five years ago for work and they cancelled his tourist passport -- so he had to go reapply and get a new passport to start the whole process over. But I think as long as we have them all by Dec. 2 (at least for us first time cruisers) we're going to be ok...
I am just so excited for this cruise!

Rani

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Rani, sorry to hear about your DH passport delay. However, they are coming more quickly.

My DD and I went to HSM on ice in Nashville this weekend, and it was cute but the preteen girls in the audience went wild over the Troy character. And I saw Lisa Hartman Black there with her little girl. Another brush with greatness for me!!

164 days until we fly out to Orlando. I just made our dinner reservations for the night before the cruise and the night after we get off the boat. I had to make a reservation for o'hanas for the Saturday night after we get off the boat to make leaving the boat more painless. lol.

Woo hoo!!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Come on guys, you make me feel like a thread killer!!! lol. Yoo hoo? Is anybody there? lol. 162 days to go!!

 

[Johnna_Story]

Tammy - you're not a thread killer!!! It's just been crazy busy here at work and at home. I'm headed to "Moms Gone Wild" weekend with 7 friends on Friday, so I'm trying to get ready for that, pick my outfits, decide what shoes to bring, and shop for necessities - like tequila. Not to mention making sure the kids have enough clean clothes and there's enough food in the house for while I'm gone.

Oh, and we're busy watching the gap close between the Yankees and the Red Sox in the American League East standings. Only 2 1/2 games.... Gotta love Gagne.


(Sorry Tim, Kim, Travis, and Mark - had to get that in there!)

Ciao for now. J

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Moms gone wild!!!! What fun! I am taking off for a solo long weekend myself next month. My very first. I hope you have a good time. Be careful with that tequila, I tend to go a little crazy with tequila.....

Tammy

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Oh Ladies, you make me feel bad, I have not posted. I've read but not posted. We have been so busy on this end getting DD off to kindergarten and those pregnant ladies have kept me sooo busy at the clinic and hospital. What was 9 months ago, whatever it was, I was not there or "doing it". Maybe I was in cruise depression then since we had just got off the ship. I actually have to go into the office now. I took the morning off, because we are listing our house with a new agent today. Yes we are one of those crazy people trying to sell a house in a crappy market. We think it will work now. The problem is, we have already bought another, so this one has to go.

I'm a little jealous, Girls weekend???? Believe it or not, I only get away for an evening at a time. Maybe I need to start hanging out on the East Coast.

Rani- I hope you had a great Holiday. DS is loving the e-mails with the boys.

Talk to you soon,

 

[Johnna_Story]

... those pregnant ladies have kept me sooo busy at the clinic and hospital. What was 9 months ago, whatever it was, I was not there or "doing it".

When we took our childbirth class before DS was born (7 yrs. ago next week), they told us September and October are the two busiest months in the maternity ward. January and February are cold months I guess - perfect for a little snugglin'...

I'm a little jealous, Girls weekend???? Believe it or not, I only get away for an evening at a time. Maybe I need to start hanging out on the East Coast.

This is the first time I've ever done it. Friends have done it and I've always been jealous. I'm so excited. I highly recommend you do it if you can - I'll give you all a trip report when I get back - knowing it will be censored due to DH's reading this board too!!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Quick question....When is 90 days out from our cruise?

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Quick question....When is 90 days out from our cruise?

I think it is like December 2nd. Kim posted it a few pages back. Right before Rani joined. Anyone know without looking back????

JS, trip report. Remember you told me, that's what PMs are for. Hey ladies, after we get back from DCL maybe we can do a ladies cruise on RCCL or something. Oh no did I say RCCL, well at least I did not say the "C" one.