any November 15th eastern 7 ngt cruisers out there?

[SINK]

Have you guys heard comedians while cruising, pointing out that the stateroom attendants seems to hid in the closet and cruisers packing their suitcase? Furthermore, comedians would comment on that there are ladies out there who would use a bedroom as a holding bin for all the stuff they are planning to bring (the war-room). Well, DW would point at me when comedians were making these remarks. Yes, I do use our guest bedroom to "layout" my gear weeks prior to our cruise. I use more suitcase space than DW. Typically, I would bring a tux, one dark suite and one tan (all custom made, since I'm very short and round, off-the-rack just don't do it for me). Furthermore, ladies, about the shoes, I would bring shoes for the gym, the tux, dark suit, tan suit (maybe two), and my favorite river-walk (sandals). That's five pairs of men's footwear which is equilivent to 15 pairs of women's in weight.

Furthermore, I would bring more clothes than DW. Due to the Caribbean weather, I would need about three shirts per day (one for the morning/afternoon, one for late evenings (I will change after dinner and show on formal/semi-formal nights), and one for bed.

 

[nedleycan]

I wouldn't bring nylons. I was never cold last year (although some people say they got cold in the dining rooms, I never did). We go to the Carribean at least once a year, and I have never brought nor needed nylons.
But, if you are a person who gets cold easily, you may want to throw a pair in.
Shoes: Fancy silver shoes, black sandals (can wear these with many dresses), running shoes, sport sandals.

 

[mkauffman]

I'm not taking them either, Linda. I wear trouser socks all winter long and I'm pretty sure they won't look to hot with my little black dress! That's why I need to get to the tanning bed. I guess if nothing else I can do the new spray on tan that everyone is doing. That seems silly.

The shoes....oh the shoes! I still haven't narrowed that down yet. You guys haven't gotten your docs yet, have you? I saw someone post that they got theirs and they're going the week before us.


Michelle

 

[mcampbell_22]

No doc here yet but I did receive a computer generated phone call from Delta alerting me to a change in our flight from Atlanta to Orlando (Michelle? Lisa? can't remember whose on it with us). It only changed by 5 minutes or so but for a moment there my heart stopped. We already had to totally redo our flights after Delta cancelled all the nonstops from Boston to Orlando earlier this year. Whew!

Taking the advice on the nylons. Don't need one more thing to "restrict" me on this cruise. Although if we don't do our walks I may end up needing something to hold me all in! LOL

OT a bit. What's everyone's kids dressing up as for Halloween. Devon is either going to be a ballerina or Snow White. She keeps switching back and forth. Luckily we have both costumes because she loves to dress up. Conor I think has settled on a mummy. I am now tearing up old sheets, tea staining them to look old and will wrap and sew them around an old white sweatsuit. Think I may be able to wrap them around a full-face knit ski mask so he has his head covered with easy on and off. Why oh why can't I just buy costumes? Nah, that's just not me!

Now, where's that "To Do" list....

 

[mkauffman]

It's me, it's me, Mary! I'll be meeting you in Atlanta. Won't it be funny if we pass on the plane. I just cannot wait (have I already said that?). When did you get your phone call from Delta? We booked through Orbitz and they usually send us email notices of changes. I'll have to check it out to see what changed. I just hope it's not a later arrival.

Your kids sound like they're going to be so cute for Halloween! My kids have pretty much outgrown Halloween already (Josh a long time ago and Garrett just this year). He may put something simple just to get the candy! You know how kids are.

Michelle

 

[nedleycan]

We will have a Spider-Man and a Hula Girl. The Spider-Man costume I bought a couple of weeks ago at Toys R Us. Meghan wants to make the Hula costume, by tearing a garbage bag (her idea). Hopefully it works, as she really wants to do this. Then we will buy a lai (sp?) and a flower for her hair, etc.
No docs yet. I think we got them 5 weeks before last time... so they should be here soon!

 

[Jo-Anne]

Katie is going to be Ariel - I bought the costume 75% off at Dis Store last year. However, it's usually cold on Halloween night, so she usually wears her costume over top of sweatpants and coat, but this Ariel costume is a little snug..not sure what our back up plan will be! Michael will either be a lion or Woody from Toy Story. He wants to wear Lion costume that he wore last year, but of course Mom would prefer the Woody costume....my guess is he'll be a lion. Woody will have to wait til next year! No documents here yet, but I do know we got of the wait list for dinner so we do have early seating. However, our friends TA didn't get them on the wait list on original reservation, so they are still on late but have just asked to get wait listed...so still unsure when we're eating...we'll switch back to late if they can't get early. I was off work today since my babysitter had a family matter to take care of and I had every intention of doing some clothes sorting, but the day just seemed to slip by with doing laundry, going to Costco (bought a really big hockey bag on wheels that would be a great "suitcase"), shuttling kids to and from school. I'll need to get focused over next few weeks!! Jo

 

[mcampbell_22]

Michelle, i got the call from Delta yesterday around 4 pm. The flight changes are departing Atlanta at 10:19 am (was 10:10) and arriving in Orlando at 11:45 am (was 11:36). Only a 9 minute difference thank goodness. This was the first call we've received. Never got a call when they cancelled all our original flights and moved us to ones that made us miss the boat!

Jo-Anne, I know what you mean about the day slipping by. I did manage to get the grocery shopping done today (alone!) and some laundry but the kids airconditioners didn't make it into storage, the Halloween decorations aren't out yet (kids are after me about this) and cat's litter box didn't get cleaned. The last is DH's job but he's been working 4 am to 7-8 pm every day so I can't really nag him about that!

Everyone's in bed (DH too, poor tired man) so I'm going to make a cup of tea and read the newspaper in silence. AHHH, Calgon (you know the rest)...

 

[nedleycan]

You are too funny Mary! I have been so busy at work (working late 2 days this week, plus the usual 8 - 10 p.m. working from home) that last night for the first time in months... I took a bath with scented bath stuff at 11:00 at night! That is when I finally finished working. It felt so good! I am looking forward to the vacation, as I have been busier than ever, and there are a few projects coming up that are due November 14th (just in time) that will keep me working and busy and stressed until the vacation... Calgon!!!!

 

[lbgraves]

For our little trip to VA this weekend. We are surprising the kids by going to Busch Gardens Friday then heading up to the family wedding. We will probably stop by on the way home Sunday. I just feel better in nylons so I always take them. My shoes fit better somehow. Now about the makeup...I honestly don't remember the last time I wore any. I just don't have time for the stuff but now I will have to remember to take it out for the trip since I will be dressing up & hopefully getting some great family pictures taken.

You guys ahve a great weekend & I will catch up with everyone when we get home. I have been getting a ton of clothes ready to list on Ebay next week. There is a pile of toys int he garage that need to get on there early this year due to the cruise. I want everything out of here before we leave.

 

[mcampbell_22]

Lisa, have a great weekend. You got me thinking about makeup. Yikes I've never worn much and since I've been home with the kids I can count on my hands the number of times I've worn it in the past 5 years!

I'll have to get some tips from Devon. This 5 year old can put on makeup (she curls her lashes, does eyeshadow, blush, lipstick) better than anyone I've seen! This freaks DH out. He sees his littlel girl in a few more years with a line of boys panting after her. (She already has one little boy in Kindergarten who is in LOVE with her!). I better practice so I don't end up looking like Jack Nicholson as the Joker in Batman or worse Tammy Faye Baker!!! LOL

Started to put some things in a suitcase and realized that DH has to go to Michigan on Sunday for a business trip and needs it. Don't suppose he could take a brown paper bag??...

 

[Jo-Anne]

Mary - my Dad, a pretty low maintenence guy, travelled to Africa & China with all his toiletries, pills etc. in a plastic grocery bag, so think your hubby should have no problems brown bagging it!! When Dad retired, one of his co-workers presented him with a new grocery bag to travel with!! I tried on both my dresses last night for formal and semi nights and will need to get to the tailor to have some alterations...another thing added to list! Have a good day everyone! Jo

 

[mkauffman]

Does anyone know where they sell mesh bags for us to put our dirty clothes in? I'd like to have one or two to stick our clothes in throughout the week (the boys tend to just let them where they fall, if you know what I mean).

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but is there a "clothesline" installed in the shower...one that you can stretch over to the other side of the tub and hook it in? I remember this from somewhere that we've stayed over the last couple of years, and I'm thinking it was on the cruise. Anyone know for sure?

Mary, I got those Delta changes a few months ago from Orbitz. Thank goodness, I can't handle any major changes right now. I had the nightmare again last night where I remembered that I forgot to bring our birth certificates and we were already at the airport. I've been having that dream a couple times a week!

Cool new smilies...are they new or have I lost my mind again?



Michelle

 

[nedleycan]

Yes, there is a retractable clothes line in the shower. It isn't very long (since the shower is short) but it will hold the family's bathingsuits.

 

[JulieGS]

All this talk of fancy clothes and makeup.... with my little one, I consider myself dressed up if what I'm wearing doesn't have spit up or snot or baby food on it! LOL! I do have some really fancy duds and I'm looking forward to wearing them again on the cruise... now if only I were tan or in shape! I'm planning on renting a tux for DH (any excuse) and even contemplating buying tuxes for the boys on eBay. As for makeup... well, it was our 10th wedding anniversary on September 25, and I had my makeup done professionally... for the first time since my wedding ten years ago. The makeup girl was just shocked by that information, but then again she was gorgeous, twenty-something, and kept using expressions I'd never heard of during the whole session, which made me feel really old. (Example: "Your kids must be really geeked about the cruise!!") All that, and I didn't even take a picture. Just didn't occur to me. Oh, well. I got my eyebrows and lip waxed, anyway, and to me that's a much better use of DH's money. (He refers to all those services as me being "detailed".)

Julie

P.S. Don't worry, I'll be detailed again before we cruise. I wouldn't want to scare all of you!

 

[SINK]

LOL. You ladies are a blast. I have so much fun reading all the posts here (the fun ones).

Only 6 more weeks. Boy, time flies. Weeks go by so quickly. I'm not sure if I can get all my work done prior to cruise (my annual bonus, which is 20% of my annual salary [2.4 months of pay or 5.2 bi-weekly paychecks], depends on projects that requires efforts beyond normal day to day operations, darn).

 

[mkauffman]

Julie, even without makeup you can't be as scarey as I am first thing in the morning! Are you taking the 20-something girl along on the cruise to detail you or are you going to detail yourself?

Only 6 more weeks! Yeah! Tomorrow I start my 2 pound a week weight loss goal. I would love to have 12 down by cruise time. That's a lofty goal and I know it, but a girl can dream!

Still waiting for that call from the TA.....

Michelle

 

[mcampbell_22]

Well it took me most of the day but I've transferred our summer clothes to storage and have put the fall/winter stuff into the closets. I now have a "mountain" of clothes piled in the corner of the bedroom waiting to be sorted and packed for the cruise.

Where oh where did the weekend go?....

 

[nedleycan]

We are closing up the cottage in 2 weeks, so I brought home all of our summer clothes. I am really looking forward to sort the "Disney Cruise" clothes from the "see if it fits next summer" clothes. Can't wait!

So, I lost another 2 lbs. YEAH! Another 2 lbs. and I am ready for the Magic and the wonderful food. I just bought 2 new pairs of jeans and they are 1 size down! I also went from 1 notch on the belt to 3 notches on the belt. I am so happy that I did this. I am happy with my weight now, but feel that I need the extra 2 lbs. for when I go off of low-carb, no sugar (I am sure that I will gain a little bit).

Shopping list: new bathingsuit (because I usually buy a new one before my Carribean vacations), one pair of shorts (may have to wait for my Nov. 2-6 Vegas trip to find shorts), new white t-shirt, ask friend at work if she will lend me her beautiful long velvet gown, tropical dress for me and DD (for tropical night!). Better get shopping soon I guess!

The make-up thing is a daily thing for me, since I work full-time and my clients wouldn't really like to see me without make-up. But, I don't wear lipstick (hate the feeling) so my special "dress-up" nights include lipstick and perfume!

All "detailing" has been carefully planned and will occur on the Thursday before the cruise.

 

[mkauffman]

Mary, it seems like I always have a mountain of clothes. I haven't figured out how to part with the stuff that I haven't worn in months or years....but there's always "what if I need it".

Linda...congrats on the weight loss! It's a great feelng, isn't it? You are now my motivation...thanks for sharing! I meant to get back on track this weekend, but I was so busy I found myself eating bad stuff at the wrong times, if that makes sense. It's so depressing...especially since we cruise in LESS THAN 6 WEEKS! Ok, tomorrow is it. I'm buckling down.

Saturday is Garrett's birthday and I'm so not ready. Then Sunday we're going to Gettysburg with DH's family. Another weekend of running around like a crazy woman. Josh has three soccer games this week. When, oh when, to get it all done?

It sure is nice to watch that countdown timer count down!

Michelle