Christmas Cruising 2005

[minniegrl]

Hi all!

Nan~ your kids look adorable! I love Molly's curls. My mom used to curl my hair for pictures every year, but its SO straight that they'd be gone by the time I got to school.

I went to the Arizona Teacher's Forum today. Got to meet the AZ Teacher of the year, and the National Teacher of the Year. The National guy was really great...so passionate about his job...made me feel like a total slacker. hehe
An interesting point was brought up in one of the sessions. The idea is that teachers are given 12 month contracts, with June and July being devoted to professional development, and time for lesson planning, reviewing student achievement scores, and goal writing for the upcoming year. The contract would come with a pay increase. It sounds like something I would be interested in.

I got my costume ordered for pirate night. Now I just have to pay for it this weekend and wait for it to get here. Oh, I also have to find a wig. I really don't know how I'm going to pack all of the stuff I intend to bring, but I guess I still have a couple of months to figure it out!

Grim and I started exercising tonight...now if we can just keep it up! We walked for about 30 minutes this evening. Its not much, but it will at least keep my stress level and blood pressure under control. Now if I can just drag my bum back to Curves. I keep saying "next week I'll have more time".

Well, I'm off to bed.

Karen~ glad your Mom's better!

Dede

 

[nskjerven]

Hey Dede:

Love that idea of a 12 month year for teachers. We are very lucky at our school, since it's a charter more flexibility in the budget to pay teachers for extra work and effort. Now sure I mentioned but my old roommate was one of the founding teachers at the school where the kids now go. I've watched the school grow and become quite a wonderful place. I believe that schools are like this else where, but few and far between and they take a special kind of adminstrator to run them. Good thoughts for you (& Kris) teaching is a hard job and you deserve all the kudos you can get for it.

So, as for that hair, it actaully stayed curled today for the first time ever!!! Not that we did anything really different. I guess it was just her lucky year.

Aisling, thanks for the comps on the shirt Wil had on. I just loved it. I have to admit it was abit over the top, but ya know if you have a kid that can pull it off I say go for it.

okay that red color, who knows where it came from...I think both our mom's had the trace of red as children, hard to tell they only have black and white photos of themselves, actually I have the colorize ones and they show red tint in their hair, but who knows, could have been poetic license. I think that might be why I'm such a photo nut now, I want to make sure we will have *everything* docuemented.

so, now to Disney. Tigg sent me the maps to the parks and over lunch today I started reading....got to Epcot and for the like of me I couldn't figure out why everything was in German...duh, German map....so other than that little glitch, it was great to have the maps and get an idea of what is the lay of the land to PLan plan PlAn...okay I'm a planning freak too....so with that I'm heading over to WDW site to see what the hours will be for our day (& nights).

check in tomorrow, kids are off school, teacher's in service.

oh one last thing, we are headed to Fairyland on Saturday. It's this place in Oakland (city next to SF) Highest crime/murder rate in US, but anyways I digress, this place has been around for 50+ years all about Fairytales..Should be fun, gotta take it in the right spirit, then to our favorite beach side place...Half Moon Bay to go pumpkin picking on Sunday, looking like it should be a fun 3 day weekend.

okay now night night...

Nan

 

[domiii]

okay that red color, who knows where it came from...I think both our mom's had the trace of red as children, hard to tell they only have black and white photos of themselves, actually I have the colorize ones and they show red tint in their hair, but who knows, could have been poetic license. I think that might be why I'm such a photo nut now, I want to make sure we will have *everything* docuemented.

I am the only redhead in my family, too! Some of my cousins on my mom's side have redhair. My mom says my grandfather was a redhead. I have been told it skips a generation! I am just happy because most redheads fade rather than go grey. Recent studies have determined the gene is so recessive that there will be no redheads in 100 years. That would make Beverly Crusher an anomoly!!! I HATED being a redhead when I was younger. Now every one wants MY color. Ok, now you know more than you care about redheads!

TGIF

Tig, can I come with you, too?

 

[jgalecpa]

Hey All,

I found this link on the Disboard yesterday:

http://disboards.com/announcement.php?f=9

It said there were discounts for the Magic Your Way package at Disney World for dates up to and including xmas.

MYW is apparently what all the packages are these days.

I called WDW and the guy who answered never heard of it. He asked for the code, I read him the add word for word. He said I really needed the code. Told him there was no code.

He put me on hold (for about 15 minutes) and came back and said he found three codes. The First two didn't work but the third one did.

It reduced my total cost by nearly twenty five Percent! They are crediting the difference back to my card. Absolutely no changes in other benefits.

I just called back this morning to verify there were no changes other than price. There weren't. Same Deal, just 24% cheaper.

Anybody going to The Mouse House before hand may want to call about this.

Hope you can use it.

Jim

PS: With this change, I calculate the Dis Boards have save me over $2,000 over the years!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Awesome deal Jim! Thanks for the info~

Nan-you should see if yours can be discounted...

Karen, of course you can come too. Which trip?

For our NC trip we rent a house every year depending on the size of the group going.

This year Rose's two and my two will be in college and most likely will only get to spend a long weekend with us. Besides that, we adults have the place to ourselves for two whole weeks!

For FL, we leave Oct 8th, and return the 15th and we have room for four more.

Grim and Dede Good news if you can get that contract eh?

I too cannot wait to get all of us together, my camera will be quite busy

Happy Friday All!

One more week done...only 84 days to go

I'm home today, needed a sanity day.

I have my cruise itinerary, who's going list and swap list just about ready to post. I also have to work on getting the kids pc back online so I can have my laptop back.

Nan, your weekend sounds fab! Have a great time lady!

Yes, I sent her a German map of Epcot. I wanted to send her a complete set of the park maps and that was the only Epcot map I had My hubby's family is german and I also studied the language. Somehow between the two I wound up with that map. An english set will be on its way to you upon my return my friend.

Aisling, I saw your ok for a visit to Lady Liberty, Karen-is that cool with you too? Have you ever visited her?

ok, I'm done for now...

 

[domiii]

I visited Lady Liberty a loooooooong time ago. I have not been to Ellis Island, however. My father's parents came through there. As long as we get to WOD, where ever you lead, we'll follow!!!

Tig - would love to go to WDW, but with the current production and upcoming cruise, it isn't in the cards this time. Should there be a surprise pin or a limited edition pin you stumble upon, would you keep us in mind? Will make amends upon your return.

We keep a set of maps from each visit to WDW. It is so much fun to see what has changed and what is new. The maps sure have changed over the years.

Does anyone have a VERY clean copy of the cruise logo? We are having difficultly with clean edges when we have copied it from other sources. I may have to change my tee shirt design, otherwise. Not to worry, I have other ideas in mind and they are brilliant, if I do say so myself.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Gotcha covered Karen, Pins duly noted.

Can Ellis Island be seen from the ferry over to the Statue of Liberty?

It looks gorgeous since the clean up.

~busy busy busy~ that's why it's only Rose and me going, noone else has the time, some don't have the money.

I told Rose yes as quick as John could get the word out of his mouth The airfare helped seal the deal!

I use photshop to sharpen edges-what do you have (what type of editing program?)

I cannot get the pc back online, now I think I need a new modem

 

[nskjerven]

Jim:

Help me out here. What number should I try at WDW to work this magic money deal? Also can you give the specific codes? I'll pm you so we can email directly. I've not had much luck in talking with DCL regarding my WDW portion of the trip, they act like I'm out of my mind when I ask about my tickets and the like. I'd love to save some bucks, we paid thru the nose for this trip, right off the rack rates.

Look for a pm shortly.

Nan

THe rest of you, I'll reply in a bit...going to try to save a little money this morning....

 

[tiggerwannabe]

OK Christmas Cruisers - New Links are Up!!!

I fixed and added back the who's cruising link and a detail link for the swap. My itinerary I'll do after I shower...yes, I've been working on computers ALL morning in my jammies

DS and his GF are here for lunch --- I'll Be Back!

 

[jgalecpa]

Nan,

Sent you a personal email, but for everyone:

I just called the general WDW number of 1-407-939-6244.

Still don't have a code, and even asked for it when I called WDW today to confirm my status.

They found it much faster when I mentioned I could cancel my WDW reservation and just rebook with Dreams Unlimited.

I know the code would be great to have, but they seem to be playing it close to the vest.

Jim

 

[domiii]

Tig: I think Dom is using PhotoShop. I'll have to verify with him. I must have something from the last cruise with the logo on it so we can scan. I'll have to look into the archives.

Thanks for the links!!

 

[LynnTarrant]

Codes for Dec try YQC and YQE do it fast they sell out quick!!!

 

[nskjerven]

I'm not on the swap list.....please add me
Nan

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I'm not on the swap list.....please add me
Nan

Oops!

That's why I have you Nan,

All fixed


Now off to add my itinerary...

 

[jgalecpa]

Codes for Dec try YQC and YQE do it fast they sell out quick!!!

Good Work Lynn. Figures someone from the land of Sherlock Holmes would figure it out. (Must've been Keith).

Jim

 

[trinibjill]

That's alright Nan. I thought I would be there automatically. Since I'm not.

My darling DD please put me on the swap list. Please Please Please

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I have learned never to presume, esp when it comes to you Mama

You are in too, 13 spots left to fill

 

[nskjerven]

I'm tired, but I figured out how to save the $$$$...It's called do it all yourself!!!! Darn DCL and there dumb package prices.

I can book my own airfare (today, not 30 days prior) and save $640.00....

I have a new ressie at AKL and GF and arranged for annual passes to costs (hear this) less than DCL's lovely offer and one more day's stay...so we can have a room when we check in rather than later that day....hmmmm...must check flights to see if necessary....

The codes are useful, if they meet your needs, but since we are conceirge snobs and we are getting APs the codes don't help us this time. One was for dinning package and the other was for tickets package. But next time.....(which means I've already prepared Paul, that when I find DING airfare this summer the kids and I are bailing to WDW for another week, or so) Wasn't I the one that said I wouldn't be back ever again???? See haven't even gotten there yet and making plans to revisit. Bad travel bug here, can ya tell....

Well, must go check on the boy he's in the house all alone....Molly & Paul are at horse riding lessons.

Ciao,

Nan

 

[KKB]

Kris: Make sure you get him 2 pairs of briefs. Dominick had to wear a kilt in a play and do a sword dance. They told him to wear one backward and they one front ways. Didn't want the boys hanging out!!!
GREAT IDEA! (the other is TOO frightening!) He isn't real into the idea yet. His excuse is that he owns no tidy whiteys. I said they were a LOT cheaper than most costumes!!!
Kris

 

[KKB]

Kids wanna play outside a bit before it gets dark...
All the talk about teaching from Dede & Nan...
I am not in the best place this year. I don't remember a year where I have felt I put in SO many hours, and am still behind. I refuse to short change my family, and I know I need to exercise & have dates w/ my hubby...I am valiantly trying to get it all to work. They are asking more of us this year than ever...No Child Left Behind is a horrid, horrid thing. Every school district in the land is wasting an inordinate amount of time, money & energy to make & pass tests. It had NOTHING to do w/ good education and what is best for children. Crazy thing is, it isn't districts like Lincoln that will flounder first. The most disadvantaged do not have the resources to ever meet such ridiculous standards. (EVERY child will get 100% on EVERY test by 2013--RIGHT!)
Sorry, it is this assinine law that all of this stems from...well, at least the things implemented stem from it, and are overwhelming me. I keep reminding myself that either an adminstration change will change the law, or frankly the absolute impossibleness of is (not a word, I know, but it fit!) will cause the law to impode before 2013....I CAN ONLY HOPE SO!
Sorry...personally I am looking forward to summers at the pool w/ my kids! We did have a school in town that tried year round one year...6 weeks off in summer, and 3-3 week breaks, so still 36 weeks (does that add up??). I could get into that schedule!
Well, gotta get the kids out for a few!
Kris