any November 15th eastern 7 ngt cruisers out there?

[Jo-Anne]

Gordon - welcome, you are the 4th Canadian family on this cruise. My family (Jo-Anne - me Dave-hubby, Katie-7 and Michael -4) are from Toronto, and Linda and her family are from just outside Toronto, and my friend's family is from Peterborough, Ont. I'd heard that Alberta was getting snow...looks like you'll be good and ready for this cruise!
Dana - I'm prone to motion sickness, especially when not sitting in front seat of car and have no idea if a big ship will affect me in any way - I have no problem in a boat at cottage, but you never know! I used to live on gravol as a kid whenever we had car trips! I'm taking the sea bands, ginger gravol, bonamine, liquid gravol for kids...all just in case. I'm going to start out on the Saturday wearing the sea band and taking a ginger gravol - I'll probably want a celebratory drink that night, so will stick with the natural stuff unless it really gets to me

 

[Cruising canuck]

Michelle
Our 22 month old is Vanessa and no she is not coming on the cruise and is staying with my parents.

Mary
We are putting Carly in the kids club, she is ga-ga about crafts, dressing up, puppet shows and all that jazz, so I hope she loves it. Also I see that you needed a new water heater, we replaced ours in Jan. 2001 and the building code up here is all new water heaters have to be installed with a pan that the water heater sits in and has a drain pipe which goes to the floor drain. This is so that if the water heater bursts and no-one is around the drain pan catches the water and it is drained away to the sewer only about a $20.00 item but priceless in that no floods will occur.

Jo-Anne
We are connecting thru Toronto on Thurs. Nov.13 on the 7:40pm flight to Orlando, don't know when you guys are getting there but hope to see you down there.

Gord

 

[Jo-Anne]

Gord - whereabouts are you in Saskatchewan? Is it a long journey down to Orlando between driving and at least two flights? We're actually going to drive to Buffalo to catch a flight from Buffalo to Orlando on Friday morning...way cheaper - the taxes on Canadian flights just kill you! We're saving at least $800 by going from Buffalo and its only a 1.5 hour drive from TO. I must have missed it in the messages, but how old is Carley? It's turning cold here in Toronto today, but please keep the snow in the West! Way too early for snow anywhere..hope its not staying for you!

 

[mcampbell_22]

Gordon, sounds like your Carly and my Devon are cut from the same cloth and will get along famously!

Can you guys believe we're into the single digits!!! I'm soo excited. Finding that I'm lying awake at night with lists running through my head and butterflies in my stomach!

Gordon, also want to ask if you are celebrating any special occasions on this cruise. Our "cast of characters" have quite a few. Off the top of my head there's my and DH's 15th anniversary, Conor's 7th birthday, Lisa's son William's 5th birthday, Kim's pending retirement, Julie & Glen's 10th (i think) anniversary, their son Leif's 1st birthday, Dana & Tony's 10th anniversary, and Chuck & Sherry's 25th anniversary. Whew! Quite a few reasons to raise a glass and eat cake!!!

The majority of us are in early seating for dinner and eating together. Are you going to be there with us?

Well off to get some things done so I can cross them off my list (notes for bus drivers, teachers, homemade luggage tags and thumbnail travel info/numbers etc list - gotta love laminators!).

Have a great night all. Talk to you tomorrow.

 

[lbgraves]

WHAT A DAY!!! Yes that is probably what I look like. LOL! Thanks for all your PD!!! The skies cleared & the sun came out. It was 85 at noon! Whew! We were all in shorts in November!!! William had a great time. We were done by 12:50. Now I can handle a 50 minute party where I don't have much to clean up.

Gord & family. If you would like to send me your information, I will add it to our list. Alex maintains the website, but since he & Jessica had to cancel and he has been promoted he has been busy. Has someone sent you the password? Email me at graves@ncfreedom with your names again (sorry I am bad about that with so many post), cabin number, and dinner seating. I am sending out a works list with the times we are getting together. In addition to the sail away and DIS meet on Sunday, the ladies are meeting for High Tea on Sunday afternoon. We are also planning a cabin tour on Monday so that we can get a chance to see other categories. We are ending in Linda's cabin & visiting with wine & cheese.

This is a great group of people and I think that we are going to have a blast on this trip!!! I was talking to some of the moms at the party today & they asked me what group I was going with. I laughed & tried my best to explain to them that I met all of you on the board after we booked the cruise. They said that the way I talked about us all getting together & celebrating birthdays & anniversaries, then putting together the goodies for the kids along with the magnets...it sounded like a reunion of some kind. I can't wait to meet all of you FINALLY!!!

I am just about done packing for myself & the kids. Now I have to light a fire under DH!!! I told him to pull the clothes he wants to take & I will pack them up but I wanted to take care of that tomorrow & be DONE with this!!! I am going to warn him that if he doesn't do this by tomorrow night, I am packing whatever I think should go Friday morning. I am going to need to pack up the car Saturday & clean the house. I want it ready to put up the tree when we get home.

OMG!!! We are leaving here in less than 3 days!!!!

 

[Cruising canuck]

Jo-Anne

We are from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, temp. here today
high -14C or about +5F. Quite cold for this time of year but I have seen it colder. Am quite ready to blow this pop stand.
We booked the cruise in Feb and we are flying on Aeroplan Air Canada and arrive in Orlando on the 13th, staying at AS Movies before and after the cruise. Not bad flights leave Regina, SK at 1:05 pm and get into Orlando at 10:30 pm. Only 40min drive for us to airport.

Mary

No special occations on this trip just booked it for our yearly goal of something to work for.

IBGraves

Sorry don't have your first name but we are spending fri. at the Magic Kingdom and we have a Town car booked for the transfer to port. Our cabin # is 6585 Inside (our first inside cabin) but we got a great deal so WTH. No password has been sent but Michelle was going to e-mail me something today. I will send you the details though.

Boy it sounds like you guys sure have got things planned just from getting to know each other on this site (wish I had found it way earlier) I am driving the rest of the family nuts talking about leaving next week so thanks to you guys I can channel some of my excitement your way. Talk to you soon!!!!

Gord

 

[kimszath]

Thanks to all of you for the kind words about my friend and my sweet Mom. Can't wait for you all to meet her! Of course, my DS will be so thrilled to see her that I may not be able to get Mom out to see the ship! He adores Grandma Neida.

Happy to hear that I'm not the only one who hasn't started packing, too! Hey Dana--have you "tanned" yet? I'm gonna have to use mine, looks like, as I haven't had time to go to the tanning place in a week, and I'm fading.

Lisa--it would be so cool to run into you guys at MK on Thursday! I wouldn't necessarily set a time/place yet, but maybe we can get in touch once we're all in town! I'll send you a PM with my number and the like--maybe we can get in touch while we're there! I have no idea when we'll head over there, or what we'll do first. I usually map it out with Luke, tentatively of course, the night prior. He loves the geeky little "People Mover" in Tomorrowland, and that's usually an easy place to find folks. You've never been to the MK???

More tomorrow guys--it's way past my bedtime. I've been cleaning every minute this evening getting ready for hubby's friend to arrive tomorrow for a couple of days. (Did I get any help? Of COURSE NOT. Oh well... he better buy me something nice in St Thomas!)

 

[lbgraves]

Kim, No, we have never been to ANYTHING Disney before. Sounds great to try to meet up Thursday at MK or maybe even Wednesday at Downtown Disney. We are planning on stopping at the Lego store & checking out the McD's. IDK about many other places. We are pretty much just going to pick up a few things like autograph books & some pins.

Gord, Sorry, I'm Lisa. The kids are acting up this morning so no time for intros but I will check back today. I have added you to the list. We are also staying at the AS Movies Wed - Friday nights. We will be in the Toy Story section. I can't wait to see the look on the kid's faces!!! We are going to MK Thursday and Seaworld Friday. I'm not sure about the hours at SW yet but maybe we can meet for a quick hello Friday. Afterall, I doubt many of us will be getting much sleep that night. I have plans to do laundry after being away from home 6 days already but besides that, nothing else is planned.

 

[mkauffman]

Kim, you better get something nice in St. Thomas for cleaning for your HUSBAND'S friend! It's bad enough to clean for your OWN friends.

Gordon, I sent you an email with the original document that Lisa made for us. Lisa, if you make changes to it and add Gordon's info, feel free to send it back out. I know you're leaving in a few days and are really busy. Gordon gave me his email address and I can PM you with it.

Gordon, the references of early and late are dinner seatings, in case you didn't know.

On a funny note.......Garrett told me this morning that he'd be quite happy if he could just sleep until he wakes up and it's time to leave for the cruise (he wasn't ready to wake up for school)!

Michelle

 

[lbgraves]

OK, popped in for a quick bio. DH Mike is an aero space engineer working on the V22 program. I am a SAHM with our 2 kids William soon to be 5, and Kaitlyn 3. We live in Eastern NC.

Off to start packing DH's clothes. I refuse to do that this weekend!!! DD is watching Blue now so I need to take advantage of the time.

 

[mkauffman]

Lisa, I PM'd you with Gordon's email address.

Good luck packing hubby's clothes. That's the one thing that isn't done in my house, either!!

Michelle

 

[lbgraves]

Thanks Michelle. I added him to my group email list & just sent out a revised copy of our plans for the ship with them included. Well, the packing wont get done afterall. I looked for his tropical shirt first...he must be wearing it. I will be bugging the heck out of him tonight!!!

I have gotten a few things done off my list though so that is good.

 

[mkauffman]

Originally posted by lbgraves
I looked for his tropical shirt first...he must be wearing it.

At least you know he's getting good wear out of it!!

Michelle

 

[lbgraves]

LOL! He actually got this shirt a couple years ago. It's a golf style with a neat blue & moss gree pattern of ferns. I figured that it would be easier to get him to dress for a theme if he liked the shirt.

 

[Cruising canuck]

Thanks Lisa and Michelle we got the updated info and we can't wait to meet everyone!! We are wondering if we are to bring anything special.

Snowing up here again today, GET ME OUTTA HERE!!!

Gord

 

[mkauffman]

Gord, I love the way you have us down to how many sleeps we have! It's great!

I'm feeling your pain with the snow. 7 sleeps and you'll be basking in the sun. Hang in there!

Michelle

 

[Cruising canuck]

Lisa

Just a quick note about AS Movies, we don't know where are room is but we may check out the pool if it is still open fri night, Carly will probably fall asleep on the way home from MK on the bus but if your up for a late coffee feel free to call our room if it's not too late.

Also just wondering if anyone of the group plays Cribbage, I will bring my board only if there is someone to play with L doesn't know how and I almost certain they won't have it on the ship.

Something just brief about us I have farmed our family farm full time for the last 6 years, part time for 20 years before that. Lorraine works at a local Post Secondary School in the registration office. The rest of the time she is a consultant for Partylite Gifts (candles, brass, glass that kind of stuff).

Gord

 

[mcampbell_22]

Just wanted to drop in for a quick "HI" to everyone.

We decided to take our friends up on their offer to let us borrow their digital camera (Canon G3) for the cruise. This came after we had to shell out all the green backs for the water heater! At least I'll get to try one out before making any decisions.

Busy day. Working on getting a bunch of Ebay auctions ready to go once we return. Shooting to have 200 ready so that the first weeks back I'm not feeling stressed trying to get back in gear!

We're now going to decorate and fill the "Loot" bags for Conor's party. Yes, I know you're all thinking why didn't she just buy goodie bags, well.....I must be a masocist! We're a crafty, make it yourself family (I love to get the homemade presents from the kids). The kids really enjoy doing the crafts and feel a great sense of pride when they give out their gifts. I'm such a sentimental old fool! I keep EVERYTHING! Each kid has a memory box (not to mention scrap books) that are already pretty full. Ask DH what I keep, he'll tell you the crazy "only you Mary" things I keep! LOL

Can't wait to see you all in 8 days!!!

Have a good night.

 

[Jo-Anne]

Gord, I'm not a cribbage player, but love Euchre and my DH doesn't play that, so our friends and I will be looking for another partner if we can get a card game going one night! Can't believe my DH is from Cape Breton and doesn't know how to play cards! I was talking to a co-worker in Alberta today and he said it was going to be a high of -4 and I couldn't believe the snow was still on the ground...what wacky weather we've had this year! Hang in there. I'm heading off to Walmart to get a bunch of last minute things and have brought the luggage bags up from basement...progress! Gord just the 30 second skinny on us...I am a Logistics Manager at Procter & Gamble in Toronto and Dave just accepted a new job yesterday and when we get back wil be working for Robin Hood/Multifoods as their Packaging Engineer Manager for Canada (he's currently Sales Manager for a Robotic Equipment Company). Katie is 7 and in grade 2 and Michael is 4 in Junior Kindergarten. We love to travel and spend time at cottage in summer. What type of farming do you do? I know farmers in West have had a rough time over last few years with the weather and other factors - hope all is well in your corral!

 

[lbgraves]

Gordon, sorry neither of us knows how to play cribbage but there is bound to be someone in the group who does. As far as bringing anything...whatever you want to. Some have talked about bringing wine or treats for the cabin tour. A couple people have gotten boxes of the little bubbles for the sailaway. My kids are bringing a small goodie for their friends at the meet on Sunday. Oh, I have made magnets for the door too. I just added it to my list to make one for your door!

Mary, I don't do the crafts with the kids that much but I do put my own goodie bags together. The kids always like what they find & I can fill one with real toys for under a dollar with my yearround bargain hunting. I also love scrapbooking, but it is down on my list of things that I can do at the moment. I have a book all ready to go when we come home & hoped to have a bundh of stickers & papers ready by now too but haven't been able to make the hour trip to the nearest store.

Jo, congrats to your DH about the new job. Great timing! He will start that one refreshed from the cruise!

Mary again, I hoped to have more things ready for Ebay but I just haven't been able to do it. I have gotten some major clearing out done with paperwork though so at least I can see the difference with that. I picked up some good finds at Target yesturday for Halloween next year though so the stashing has already begun again.