August 13, 2011 Med - Mickey's Marauding Mates

[Anal Annie]

Hey everyone! Almost the weekend - who's got beeeg plans?? DS has a swim meet. He is swimming 1 event this evening, 2 tomorrow & 3 on Sunday. I hate how these things get drug out over so many days! The aquatic center for this meet is about 32 or 33 miles away - this evening he has to be there by 5:00 for warm-ups & check-in. I have to drive down to the beltway & around to I-95 & go up that way. Trying to decide how long it will take during Friday evening rush hour!! Don't want to be late but also don't want to get there TOO EARLY & just SIT for any longer than we have to either. With rush hour & the beltway involved it COULD take a hour & a half I think so I guess we'll aim to leave around 3:30. Sat. & Sun. he has to be there by 7:00 am - so we'll leave home around 6:00 - but at least there won't be traffic at that hour on the weekend. So no rest for us this weekend.

Luke - you still enjoying your new car? Just in the past week I've noticed a couple of TV commercials for it here!! It IS smaller than what I thought it would be. It was difficult to tell on the Nissan website.

It is definitely fall-like weather here now. SOMEHOW we need to find time to get the yard mowed again this weekend so we can start our decorating for Halloween!! Our sprinkler system gets shut-down & winterized on Monday so I want DH to get the yard cleaned up. We have a whole Pirates in the Caribbean theme that we put out in the front yard for Halloween! We have a pirate graveyard & last year we got a ships wheel off of Ebay & built a little "deck" to put it on & we stand a skeleton up with it with a pirate hat etc. I wanted to add an anchor or ship mast this year to the set-up but never got around to searching for them. So oh well. I'll have to post some pics when we get it all done. We are "THE" house in the neighborhood that everyone comes to see!

 

[jd99]

Hey everyone! Almost the weekend - who's got beeeg plans?? DS has a swim meet. He is swimming 1 event this evening, 2 tomorrow & 3 on Sunday. I hate how these things get drug out over so many days! The aquatic center for this meet is about 32 or 33 miles away - this evening he has to be there by 5:00 for warm-ups & check-in. I have to drive down to the beltway & around to I-95 & go up that way. Trying to decide how long it will take during Friday evening rush hour!! Don't want to be late but also don't want to get there TOO EARLY & just SIT for any longer than we have to either. With rush hour & the beltway involved it COULD take a hour & a half I think so I guess we'll aim to leave around 3:30. Sat. & Sun. he has to be there by 7:00 am - so we'll leave home around 6:00 - but at least there won't be traffic at that hour on the weekend. So no rest for us this weekend. :

DD12 ALSO has a swim meet this weekend. We have the joy of getting up early for this one. Have the leave the house by 7 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday. She is swimming four events on Saturday and three on Sunday. Here's hoping she drops time as that makes her very happy. She's been working very hard at practice - going 3-4 times every week and working hard while she is there so we shall see.

Other than that, Sunday is the five year anniversary of my starting my business!!! So we will likely have a little family celebration for that! Any excuse for cake, I say.

Have a great weekend everyone.

 

[Anal Annie]

DD12 ALSO has a swim meet this weekend. We have the joy of getting up early for this one. Have the leave the house by 7 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday. She is swimming four events on Saturday and three on Sunday. Here's hoping she drops time as that makes her very happy. She's been working very hard at practice - going 3-4 times every week and working hard while she is there so we shall see.

Other than that, Sunday is the five year anniversary of my starting my business!!! So we will likely have a little family celebration for that! Any excuse for cake, I say.

Have a great weekend everyone.

We need a swimming smilie!! Tell DD to SWIM FAST!! I would take leaving home at 7:00 over leaving home at 6:00 any day!! I feel bad for my DS - he has a cold! Second one since school started. I DO feel bad for them having to swim when they can't BREATHE!! Not sure how this will affect his times... He is swimming 200's for the first time so he's a NT on a couple things.

(PS) congrats on your business accomplishment - that's great!! what do you do??

 

[jd99]

We need a swimming smilie!! Tell DD to SWIM FAST!! I would take leaving home at 7:00 over leaving home at 6:00 any day!! I feel bad for my DS - he has a cold! Second one since school started. I DO feel bad for them having to swim when they can't BREATHE!! Not sure how this will affect his times... He is swimming 200's for the first time so he's a NT on a couple things.

(PS) congrats on your business accomplishment - that's great!! what do you do??

Thanks! I am a communications consultant - PR, marketing communications, strategic communications planning, writing. I am a writer by trade.

 

[Kels Sem]

Hey everyone! Almost the weekend - who's got beeeg plans?? DS has a swim meet. He is swimming 1 event this evening, 2 tomorrow & 3 on Sunday. I hate how these things get drug out over so many days! The aquatic center for this meet is about 32 or 33 miles away - this evening he has to be there by 5:00 for warm-ups & check-in. I have to drive down to the beltway & around to I-95 & go up that way. Trying to decide how long it will take during Friday evening rush hour!! Don't want to be late but also don't want to get there TOO EARLY & just SIT for any longer than we have to either. With rush hour & the beltway involved it COULD take a hour & a half I think so I guess we'll aim to leave around 3:30. Sat. & Sun. he has to be there by 7:00 am - so we'll leave home around 6:00 - but at least there won't be traffic at that hour on the weekend. So no rest for us this weekend.

Luke - you still enjoying your new car? Just in the past week I've noticed a couple of TV commercials for it here!! It IS smaller than what I thought it would be. It was difficult to tell on the Nissan website.

It is definitely fall-like weather here now. SOMEHOW we need to find time to get the yard mowed again this weekend so we can start our decorating for Halloween!! Our sprinkler system gets shut-down & winterized on Monday so I want DH to get the yard cleaned up. We have a whole Pirates in the Caribbean theme that we put out in the front yard for Halloween! We have a pirate graveyard & last year we got a ships wheel off of Ebay & built a little "deck" to put it on & we stand a skeleton up with it with a pirate hat etc. I wanted to add an anchor or ship mast this year to the set-up but never got around to searching for them. So oh well. I'll have to post some pics when we get it all done. We are "THE" house in the neighborhood that everyone comes to see!

Can't wait to see your picks. My kids love Halloween but over here houses just aren't decorated like yours in the States.

It's my DS's 6th birthday today so we're just back from having dinner out with my parents and brother. It is his party tomorrow and then off to the in-laws on Sunday for more cake and celebrations.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

 

[west&east]

Hey everyone! Almost the weekend - who's got beeeg plans?? DS has a swim meet. He is swimming 1 event this evening, 2 tomorrow & 3 on Sunday. I hate how these things get drug out over so many days! The aquatic center for this meet is about 32 or 33 miles away - this evening he has to be there by 5:00 for warm-ups & check-in. I have to drive down to the beltway & around to I-95 & go up that way. Trying to decide how long it will take during Friday evening rush hour!! Don't want to be late but also don't want to get there TOO EARLY & just SIT for any longer than we have to either. With rush hour & the beltway involved it COULD take a hour & a half I think so I guess we'll aim to leave around 3:30. Sat. & Sun. he has to be there by 7:00 am - so we'll leave home around 6:00 - but at least there won't be traffic at that hour on the weekend. So no rest for us this weekend.

Luke - you still enjoying your new car? Just in the past week I've noticed a couple of TV commercials for it here!! It IS smaller than what I thought it would be. It was difficult to tell on the Nissan website.

It is definitely fall-like weather here now. SOMEHOW we need to find time to get the yard mowed again this weekend so we can start our decorating for Halloween!! Our sprinkler system gets shut-down & winterized on Monday so I want DH to get the yard cleaned up. We have a whole Pirates in the Caribbean theme that we put out in the front yard for Halloween! We have a pirate graveyard & last year we got a ships wheel off of Ebay & built a little "deck" to put it on & we stand a skeleton up with it with a pirate hat etc. I wanted to add an anchor or ship mast this year to the set-up but never got around to searching for them. So oh well. I'll have to post some pics when we get it all done. We are "THE" house in the neighborhood that everyone comes to see!

Wow, the swimming sounds intense. I was always scared away by the lengthy schedules for swim meets!
Your Halloween decorating sounds amazing. DS really loves Halloween. He and DH started decorating today but nothing that elaborate!

 

[west&east]

DD12 ALSO has a swim meet this weekend. We have the joy of getting up early for this one. Have the leave the house by 7 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday. She is swimming four events on Saturday and three on Sunday. Here's hoping she drops time as that makes her very happy. She's been working very hard at practice - going 3-4 times every week and working hard while she is there so we shall see.

Other than that, Sunday is the five year anniversary of my starting my business!!! So we will likely have a little family celebration for that! Any excuse for cake, I say.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Congrats on having a successful business! Looks like you've been able to travel a bunch so seems like it has paid off!!

 

[west&east]

Heading over to soccer practice for my daughter than out to dinner with my husband to celebrate my birthday. Kids are spending the night at my parents. Tomorrow will be DS' and DD's baseball and soccer games then preparing to host wine club tomorrow night. We will have a total of 4 couples. Serving butternut squash soup with chipotle cream, beef tenderloin with red onion marmalade, lemon potatoes, and greek salad, little chocolate cakes for dessert. Sunday will be all about football!
Have a great weekend all!

 

[Anal Annie]

Heading over to soccer practice for my daughter than out to dinner with my husband to celebrate my birthday. Kids are spending the night at my parents. Enjoy!
Tomorrow will be DS' and DD's baseball and soccer games GOOD LUCK KIDDOS! then preparing to host wine club tomorrow night. We will have a total of 4 couples. Serving butternut squash soup with chipotle cream, beef tenderloin with red onion marmalade, lemon potatoes, and greek salad, little chocolate cakes for dessert. What time should we be there?! Sounds YUMMY! I might have to hear more about these lemon potatoes & chipotle cream!! <insert lip smacking smilie here> Sunday will be all about football!
DH has another home Redskins game this Sunday - but it's a prime time night game! Means he will come home at 2:00 am and plop down to SNORE!! I WILL be sending his behind to the guest room that night!!
Have a great weekend all!

Well, tonights portion of the swim meet was ALMOST a NO GO!! Traffic in DC is bad enough but then there was an accident on the beltway before I-95. It took me 1 hour and 45 minutes to go 32 miles!! One hour was spent on just 2 miles of it!! I WAS FUMING MAD!! Warm-ups started at 5:00 and the positive check-in closed at 5:30! I don't usually text but so I called DH to ask him to send the coach an email for me to tell him we were STUCK so he checked him in for us...I drove straight to the front door & dropped him off right exactly at 5:30!! He only got about 10 minutes of warm-up time. At least he didn't MISS it after all that stress though. THAT would've been a real bummer!! It was his first time doing the 200 Back. He had another goggle malfunction and between that and his cold he didn't do NEARLY as well as I'd hoped he would... Crossing my fingers that the rest of his events go better!

 

[Anal Annie]

Can't wait to see your picks. My kids love Halloween but over here houses just aren't decorated like yours in the States.

It's my DS's 6th birthday today so we're just back from having dinner out with my parents and brother. It is his party tomorrow and then off to the in-laws on Sunday for more cake and celebrations.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Awww - tell DS a belated for us!!

 

[luke]

Can't wait to see your picks. My kids love Halloween but over here houses just aren't decorated like yours in the States.

I hate hate hate Halloween over here, just an excuse for kids to cause trouble.

Especially here in Liverpool, we have something called 'Mischief Night' which is the day before Halloween, and is just where lovely children get up to all sorts of loveable 'mischief' like you know, smashing windows and vandalising cars.
There are certain roads buses won't even go down on Halloween etc round here.

End of Grumpy Old Man rant

 

[Kels Sem]

I hate hate hate Halloween over here, just an excuse for kids to cause trouble.

Especially here in Liverpool, we have something called 'Mischief Night' which is the day before Halloween, and is just where lovely children get up to all sorts of loveable 'mischief' like you know, smashing windows and vandalising cars.
There are certain roads buses won't even go down on Halloween etc round here.

End of Grumpy Old Man rant

I must say I have never heard of 'Mischief Night'. Maybe I just live a sheltered life. I would probably hate it too if there was 'Mischief Night' in our area.

 

[jd99]

A successful first day of swimming for DD12. Four events, four times beat by at least 3.5 seconds. Her hard work has paid off and all are happy!

 

[Anal Annie]

A successful first day of swimming for DD12. Four events, four times beat by at least 3.5 seconds. Her hard work has paid off and all are happy!

Excellent!! I am frustrated as DS only swam 1 event last night & 2 events today. I got up at 5:00 & we left home around 6:10 am & just got home around 2:20!! YES - all that time for TWO events!! But on the bright side he dropped 2 seconds on one & 10 seconds on the other!! Tomorrow he has 3 events - 2 of which are new (NT's). I am going to make sure from now on we're trying to sign up for at LEAST 3 events per session, depending on the lengths. Frankly all this running around and hurry up & wait for 1 or 2 events is BS. I signed him up for what the coach wanted him to swim but this feels like a weekend lost!! It's hard when they want them to get a time in something that they don't have yet & it throws the rest of what they do off - like yesterday, there was only 1 event for him that his coach wanted a time in. For some reason his coach only wanted him to do about 6 events this time. I want him to try that 500 Free again at the next meet (hopefully with goggles ON) so I'll just have to be careful not to overload him on too many distance events on that day. They start with the 500 & he'll likely be in the first or second heat so he'll have some time to rest. But at least that event eats a substantial amount of time - it won't be over in 30 seconds!!! I think we catch the afternoon session on the next meet too! WHOO HOO!! Anything beats a 7:00 warm-up!!

 

[west&east]

Must have been a busy Sunday and uninteresting Monday for everybody. I received an email today from DCL thanking us for booking our 1st Disney cruise and informing us that we will have a blast. Indeed!

Strongly considering moving our cabins because of concern with sounds from the movie theater below. Don't want any trouble sleeping on this trip.

It's a late night for activities. My son's baseball game is about to start but I will be late because I have to take my daughter to her dance class first and DH is away. I will then scoot over to the baseball fields and catch about 40 minutes of the game if I'm lucky then back to the dance studio- class is over at 8:45pm. It isn't too late for DD since middle school starts at 8:45am but the late ball game is hard on DS7. He has to wake up at 6:30.

 

[Anal Annie]

Must have been a busy Sunday and uninteresting Monday for everybody. I received an email today from DCL thanking us for booking our 1st Disney cruise and informing us that we will have a blast. Indeed!

Strongly considering moving our cabins because of concern with sounds from the movie theater below. Don't want any trouble sleeping on this trip.

It's a late night for activities. My son's baseball game is about to start but I will be late because I have to take my daughter to her dance class first and DH is away. I will then scoot over to the baseball fields and catch about 40 minutes of the game if I'm lucky then back to the dance studio- class is over at 8:45pm. It isn't too late for DD since middle school starts at 8:45am but the late ball game is hard on DS7. He has to wake up at 6:30.

Oh I was absolutely POOOPED on Sunday when I got home from DS's swim meet. It was 2 very long days. Well, Sunday ended a little earlier than Saturday as the 500's were all on Saturday & Sunday - those things just drag on & on & ON!! DS got 2 more new times and dropped about 4 seconds on another so he had good swims over all. Anyway, when I got home I was starved as my 5:30 am bagel had worn off a long time ago so I ate a bite & laid down for a little nap. I just couldn't keep my eyes open. DH had a home Redskins game Sun. night (@ 8:20) + has a mid-term this week so he had stayed home to sleep in & study. Saturday afternoon I had drug all of our Halloween decorations up from the basement while he mowed. Then eventually on Sunday we went out to decorate before he had to leave for his game. I took a few pics - still need to get 'em off the camera card & upload them so I can share them here.

I was wondering if you knew your cabin was over the theater. I booked the other side of the ship on purpose so we wouldn't be over it. Better safe than sorry. If it were ME I'd probably move while there are still choices to be had.

I hear ya on the late night activities. I just spent 2 1/2 hours sitting at the pool. DS is still in the shower. Monday night is pizza night here. Papa John's has a Redskins special on Mondays after the game - $9.99 for a large & a free topping for each touchdown - double toppings if they win! I put an order in online for it to be delivered at 9:30. Pizza guy JUST came - he liked our pirate theme!

 

[west&east]

Oh I was absolutely POOOPED on Sunday when I got home from DS's swim meet. It was 2 very long days. Well, Sunday ended a little earlier than Saturday as the 500's were all on Saturday & Sunday - those things just drag on & on & ON!! DS got 2 more new times and dropped about 4 seconds on another so he had good swims over all. Anyway, when I got home I was starved as my 5:30 am bagel had worn off a long time ago so I ate a bite & laid down for a little nap. I just couldn't keep my eyes open. DH had a home Redskins game Sun. night (@ 8:20) + has a mid-term this week so he had stayed home to sleep in & study. Saturday afternoon I had drug all of our Halloween decorations up from the basement while he mowed. Then eventually on Sunday we went out to decorate before he had to leave for his game. I took a few pics - still need to get 'em off the camera card & upload them so I can share them here.

I was wondering if you knew your cabin was over the theater. I booked the other side of the ship on purpose so we wouldn't be over it. Better safe than sorry. If it were ME I'd probably move while there are still choices to be had.

I hear ya on the late night activities. I just spent 2 1/2 hours sitting at the pool. DS is still in the shower. Monday night is pizza night here. Papa John's has a Redskins special on Mondays after the game - $9.99 for a large & a free topping for each touchdown - double toppings if they win! I put an order in online for it to be delivered at 9:30. Pizza guy JUST came - he liked our pirate theme!

First, let me say that my husband is a huge, diehard Redskins fan. He is happy to hear there will be another fan on the ship! He usually tries to make it to one home game each season, especially when he is traveling in the area. Our bonus room is pretty much a shrine to the Redskins.

Sent an email to our TA about changing cabins. Hopefully we'll be able to move, even if we are not right next to each other. Since the verandahs don't connect, it really doesn't matter too much to us.

 

[jd99]

Oh I was absolutely POOOPED on Sunday when I got home from DS's swim meet. It was 2 very long days. Well, Sunday ended a little earlier than Saturday as the 500's were all on Saturday & Sunday - those things just drag on & on & ON!! DS got 2 more new times and dropped about 4 seconds on another so he had good swims over all. A:

Congrats to your son! Dropping time is what it's all about. My DD12 dropped time in six of 7 events. I think I had -- ahem -- overscheduled her a bit for this meet or she may have done even better. I think by the time she reached her second event on Sunday she was a little tired. But it was an awesome meet for her very motivating for her to get to practice this week.

Well we have purchased some of the pieces to put together our fish extender gifts. The problem is we have no idea when we are going to have the time to sit down as a family to do it. And I'm guessing that we are not even close to having enough of a vital decorative item.

Our original plan before this cruise was to make sure we got started on Christmas shopping/preparation before we sail because we remember last year coming back and having so little done that we had to really hustle and it wasn't much fun. Again, not sure when we are going to find the time for that. Ok. Now I"m stressing myself out. Back to work.

 

[Anal Annie]

Congrats to your son! Dropping time is what it's all about. My DD12 dropped time in six of 7 events. I think I had -- ahem -- overscheduled her a bit for this meet or she may have done even better. I think by the time she reached her second event on Sunday she was a little tired. But it was an awesome meet for her very motivating for her to get to practice this week.

Well we have purchased some of the pieces to put together our fish extender gifts. The problem is we have no idea when we are going to have the time to sit down as a family to do it. And I'm guessing that we are not even close to having enough of a vital decorative item.

Our original plan before this cruise was to make sure we got started on Christmas shopping/preparation before we sail because we remember last year coming back and having so little done that we had to really hustle and it wasn't much fun. Again, not sure when we are going to find the time for that. Ok. Now I"m stressing myself out. Back to work.

DS's next meet is the weekend before Thanksgiving - I want him to try the 500 Free again (he is now putting his goggles UNDER the cap so hopefully he can drop a good bit of time on it). I peeked at at the event listing & the 500 is the very first event on the first day. I would like him to do 3 events per session but am not sure after he does the 500 how much time he'll need to rest up before swimming again & what other events would be good for him to try. Will have to talk to the coach before signing up & see what he says.

We haven't really discussed doing a FE on this cruise yet.... I would be up for it as long as we remain a small group. If we were to suddenly grow to a really large group I don't think I'll want to schlep a whole bunch of stuff to Europe tho. Did you do one on your last Med cruise? I just can't imagine having the space in the luggage to bring too much extra stuff.


OK, I'm going to start posting some pics of our Pirates in the Caribbean Halloween theme. I didn't really get a lot of GOOD pics - camera was on the wrong setting I think but you can get the idea. We will add a couple of other props ON Halloween itself - I hide a CD player with a spooky sounds CD playing and we add a couple of fog machines & tiki torches plus DH built a coffin a few years ago that we have another pirate skeleton in. We don't put the coffin out now tho 'cuz we're afraid it will disappear. PLUS he made it out of some lightweight wood that won't hold up if it gets rained on etc.

Front door - this thing has a motion / sound activated spooky sounds, fog horn, laughing & howling sounds that it does. It just sounds very evil.

This is in our master bath window - not really a pirate but he's kinda cool. I put a lamp in the room on a timer to back light him....

This guy is in one of DS's bedroom windows...I back light him with a lamp too.

 

[Anal Annie]

And a few more....

Also not really pirate related but he's huge & has red glowing beady eyes so he's COOL

After dark

We normally keep an American Flag on a spotlight but for now we take it down & light up this skull & crossbones one that we got in the store at the end of the POC ride