4/29/06 Eastern Magic...We're Going!!!!!

[Belle&RellasMom]

Oh yeah, and as far as Palo's goes, we are definitely planning on doing it for dinner and are contemplating brunch as well. Our plan is to still take the kids to the regular rotation dining room that night (where we may have a "snack") and then drop them off at the clubs and go to Palo for a late dinner. Not sure which night we're thinking about...that is up to Super Planner Tom! Although he doesn't sound like much of a Super Planner any more compared to the rest of you!!!

 

[PhillyJen2006]

Hi Julie! Hannah's cookie meeting is tomorrow night, where I am SURE they will be asking for volunteers. Thankfully, I don't have that Volunteer disease like have in past years.

My tree is staring at me from the family room where I just don't have the strenth to take it down. I spent the whole day cleaning yesterday after Hannah went back to school. Katie helped where she could, but you know how 4 year olds can be!

Katie and I are going to go nuts if we aren't separated. We have been together- except for a quick trip to the grocery store on Saturday, and a short break on Christmas eve day for literally 14 days straight! ARghhhhhh!!!! And a 4 year old is NOT like a fine wine......where she gets better the longer time you spend with her.... She NEEDS to go to school, Wednesday can't come soon enough!

I started my first workout today for the Biggest Loser Contest. I guess I will follow the Body For Life workout routine. I did upper body today, cardio tomorrow and lower body on Thursday. Then it starts over again. I gained, get this, 5 lbs over the holiday season. At one point, it just kind of became a game, how much we could eat...hoping that we'd get sick of junk food. we had elaborate "cocktail parties" every night(just the 2 of us). It was sick!!! It worked, however, I have now 5 more lbs to lose than I anticipated......

I think my goal is going to be 15 lbs for cruise time. You all are responsible for making me stick to it!! I haven't been able to lose even 5 lbs in the past so this ought to be interesting! I bought the cutest jeans from J Jill in the fall, since I wear jeans pretty much every day now. And ladies, you know what happens when we find a pair of jeans that fits us perfectly and looks great----Yep-we buy 3 pairs or 5....Unfortunately, they are stretch and I didn't really notice the weight gain until I tried to put on my dress black pants for New Years Eve. Needless to say, I didn't wear them.

Alright, got to go get Katie ready for soccer! It is so cold in there, I might just wait in the car....

Sending all losers good thoughts for the rest of the day!
PJ

 

[carolina_yankee]

Dirk - (funny, my first cruise when I was younger I played a video game a lot that has a main character "Dirk" - your name always makes me smile) I still owe you a welcome sign. I had a big post about this a day or so ago, but it got lost in the "ectoplasm" too. I have no idea why either.

But here goes (I thought this one fits you and I don't even know you YET)

I'm not sure you want to associate that with me. The first time I went fishing with my father was the first summer we owned a boat - a nice 30 foot cabin cruiser we used in Sandy Hook Bay area in NJ. There was a lot of pollution under the water, and we ripped a nice hole in the hull running into a submerged pylon from NY harbor! My step-mother and I stayed on the bow, catching 1 fluke after another, while my brother and Dad bailed. The Coast Guard came and towed us to dry dock. Best tasting $600 fluke we ever had (and those were 1975 dollars). At least the CG captain and I kept raving about "Jaws" (released that summer) as he towed us through the bay. Many more successful summers of boating, less successful fishing.

Your welcome sign did get me to find a new avatar though - I think iPriest sums it up pretty well. Penguins always work, too. They were the mascot of my seminary in Manhattan because the faculty procession for Evensong often resembled a Penguin Parade with all the vestments and what-not.

Dirk

 

[OHJulie]

Happy New Year everyone!

Welcome to all of the newbies!

I know that it has been awhile since I have posted. I was on vacation and the kids were home, so I was trying to stay out of this office as much as possible! It didn't always work though - why is it that there is always some crisis that HAS to be handled during vacations?

Another good reason to be out of the country on a cruise where no one can reach you! And of course, they don't have the internet on the cruise (or at least thats my story).

Suzie - I'm with you on booking things! It drives me crazy to wait - I want to know that all of the details are taken care of. I also booked our flights last week. We had thought about driving to same some cash - but it is 15 hours and I am afraid we would be too tired to enjoy our first day on the ship. BTW - I think that I saw a headline that Independence Air is going out of business.

We are definitely going to Palo - Dinner and Brunch. It was a highlight of our last cruise. The kid's will be in the clubs that evening. My son will be 13 and he wants at least one dinner without us! Imagine!

CG - we will need 2 large and 2 medium bands. How should we pay you? Thanks so much for organizing this!

 

[castlegazer]

Aw, how wrong I was in your welcome sign selection - just kidding, I still think it fits. But here is a new one more in keeping with who you are (by the way, you must have hit a sweet spot in my heart as I have never tailored a welcome sign for any of these motley fools yet). I enjoyed your photos. What denomination are you?

I have a new thing for all of us to write in about. Why doesn't everyone write out their cabin number and I will try and keep a list. If you want to remain private, well, just ignore me - and if you have posted your number already - POST AGAIN as I am lazy and don't feel like scrolling through the thread.

castlegazer: #6608 its an aft starboard cat 6 verandah room.

carolina_yankee: #2064 (told ya you were in a sweet spot for me - see you get a pass because I was paying attention )

By the way, because I admitted to you all that I am a stinky short range planner I got off my duff and made my car rental reservations before it gets too close and I leave that by the wayside. I chose to rent for the period prior to the cruise, return the car and then rent again after the cruise.

Now I am off to make some PS's - ta ta for now.

Oh, as for payment for the bands, I haven't quite worked that out yet - but once I order I will try and get it figured out and will let you all know. By the way, nice to see you again OhJulie, you were missed!

 

[Belle&RellasMom]

7005 & 7007 Connecting, inside... Hopefully I won't die of claustrophobia!!! It was a whole lot cheaper to get two inside cabins (category 10) for our family of five versus one of the larger category 4 cabins (which sleep 5)...and this way the kids can be in one cabin and we can be in the other...remember they are connecting! All of you verandah snobs better invite us down (we're on top of you ) for a drink!!!

Last year we had the two SPH connecting cabins on Deck 5 and they were awesome...when we booked this cruise they were already reserved...

 

[partypat]

Heres our lineup:

"Myself - Deck 7 - Verandah - Room 7046 (yep...that's right I have the room to myself
Sister and DH - Deck 7 Verandah - Room 7048
Daughter and DH and DD (7)- Deck 5 Outside - Room 5506
Son (25) and Nephew (16) - Deck 7 Inside - 7009
Niece and DH and DD (10) - Deck 5 Outside - Room 5508
Nephew and DW and DD (4) - Deck 5 Outside - Room 5510

PartyPat

 

[suziemva]

CG - We're right next to you - sort of - we're in 6604!!!!!! I never realized that!!

Well, the Big Game is tonight! Chicken wings, chili, sauerkraut, chips and salsa.....that's the menu but Lordy, I won't be eating any! I don't know how men eat all that stuff! I'd be rolling around, grabbing my stomach all night long.

WE ARE..........PENN STATE!!!!

 

[OHJulie]

We are in cabin 6562 - starboard midship verandah. CG and Susie, looks like we may be running into each other!

We had a verandah last time and I absolutely loved it. I tend to get up earlier than the rest of the family, so I can sit out there and enjoy the peace. It was awesome to see the ship docking at CC, BEAUTIFUL!
We were on port side last time, the view at CC was of the dock. It was neat to see the docking procedures and watch everyone coming and going, but I am hoping for a view of the island this time.

OHJulie

 

[mousecrazy]

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! We're in SPH 5522.

Hey CG: How about using Paypal for the bands??

Just wanted to throw out my encouragement to all you 'Biggest Losers!' I lost approx 30 lbs last winter when I thought we would be cruising in April, 05. That cruise was a big motivation! I need to get back on the wagon tho!

 

[Belle&RellasMom]

PartyPat...too funny, your son and nephew are in the cabin right next to us!!! Hopefully we won't keep each other up!!!

 

[mketting]

Trying a picture again. OUr family on Christmas at my parents in PA.

 

[mketting]

I did it!!!

Here are the 8 kids that will be with us. This pic was in Myrtle Beach this past Summer.

 

[mketting]

Ok, I tried to shrink them as Suzie suggested.

Here are my niece and nephew in outfits for the cruise My Brother-in-Law said that we all have gotten so many outfits for the cruise that all that we are going to do for the whole trip is change clothing

. To meet the princesses

For Pirate Night

 

[castlegazer]

Awesome photos mketting!!!! Good job with the posting too! Your family is just wonderful! Isn't it amazing how our kids are such a fantastic amalgamation of the both of us - your kids are such a mix, you look first and they look like your husband, then you look again, and they look like you.

Suzie - how cool! GO PENN STATE!

I have to share with you all, but don't make fun of me for the sappiness - it's pretty bad - but I am on-line sending my husband a day #1 update. Here it is (now don't laugh)



Oh and for all the newbies who are wondering if I am a raving lunatic - here is the photo I shared at Christmas time for everyone (hopefully you come to the conclusion seeing this that I am not, but you may firm up your original opinions for all I know):



Now, isn't it funny how I started posting pregnant and now Catrina is so big! We have been at this anticipation WAAAAAYYYYY too long!

 

[castlegazer]

WOA! mketting, YOU MUST ELL ME WHERE YOU GOT THAT PIRATE COSTUME FOR YOUR SON! I am so glad I was on-line tonight to see these - how cool!

 

[carolina_yankee]

Aw, how wrong I was in your welcome sign selection - just kidding, I still think it fits. But here is a new one more in keeping with who you are (by the way, you must have hit a sweet spot in my heart as I have never tailored a welcome sign for any of these motley fools yet). I enjoyed your photos. What denomination are you?

carolina_yankee: #2064 (told ya you were in a sweet spot for me - see you get a pass because I was paying attention )

Ahh - that sign reminds me of my New England days. I came through the Diocese of Rhode Island and lived in Providence area for 4 years. We're Episcopalians. Thanks on the pictures.

Our TA booked a car for us from MCO to Port Canaveral the other day when we canceled the transfers. The rate was in the low 30s, about $10 less than I expected. We'll probably take a towncar back to WDW for our stay following the cruise since it would be cheaper than a week's rental, and I don't want to deal with returning a car just after we get there.

Actually, the only thing I have to plan for the cruise/WDW trip is where to stay the Saturday night we get back. We're renting points for a studio in the Boardwalk Villas starting Sunday night. It'll either be Pop Century for Saturday, or Saratoga Springs if we actually buy in to DVC before long.

 

[mousecrazy]

...sappiness - it's pretty bad - but I am on-line sending my husband a day #1 update. Here it is (now don't laugh)...

I'm not laughing, but I think I might cry...that is so sweet! (The cat is unrelated, I just like it)

How did you do that? It's awesome!

 

[mketting]

My Mom got that costume for my nephew Ryan at the Disney store right before or after Halloween, but I think I remember seeing the same one in the Disney Catalogue at Halloween, maybe they still have some.

I'm addicted now.

 

[mketting]

We hope to do Palo for Dinner and Brunch. I read they have a private room for large groups and hope to book that for dinner the 12 adults in our group.

We are in cabin 6049. The rest of my family are in 6045, 6047, 6051,6053 and 6055.

These are my kids outfits for Pirate Night. Not quite a fancy as my nephew's.