Christmas Cruising 2005

[grimgrinnin]

Grim: Only $600, we got ya beat there by a cool $2K+ for our tickets.

Yeah, well I had to cut back somewhere for my Italian granite countertops

grim

 

[nskjerven]

Touche' (or however that is spelled)

Did I mention that we live in the house that I grew up in & that the kitchen was freshly remodeled in 1976???? Oh what a season for house fashion that was.....no granite here.

Lots of pictures of me Paul and the kids having fun on vacations...

Nite nite...

 

[nskjerven]

Mind you my son does have a tuxedo (still no granite countertops)

(and a freak of a mom that has him stand in the Disney store for pictures)

That is his Buzz empire lining up behind him....

N

 

[Aisling]

You guys are cracking me up!

Originally Posted by Aisling
I got a $100 bill for my birthday and decided to hang on to it for the cruise. I won't need that much for individual tips, will I? planned?
That's a lot of 'All Hands on Deck' cheese platters!



Am I the only one who feels that this cruise is costing more than planned?
Hope you saved a little money for your drinks & the store shopping & palo & the internet & if you use the phone & laundry & maybe I should hush.


do you think those people will be able to say our last name right??? Skjerven???
Nan, imagine Donald Duck trying to say your name!


Originally Posted by nskjerven
Grim: Only $600, we got ya beat there by a cool $2K+ for our tickets.
Yeah, well I had to cut back somewhere for my Italian granite countertops

and a freak of a mom that has him stand in the Disney store for pictures)


That's hilarious! C'mon kids, we're going to the Disney Store for our formal photos!

 

[KKB]

Funny stuff here, kids.
I TOTALLY agree...a new couch...or travel...TRAVEL WINS EVERY TIME! It's all about the memories!
Our last cruise seemed like such a bargain...we did very well on air/cruise, and won early at casino...gee, though, that final bill was SHOCKING!! And we don't shop much, no spa....if we could only give up alcohol!!!!!!!
I will be leaving our tips on our account...that's a $375 pill to swallow! (I AM NOT COMPLAINING---we only have to spring for hotel before, tips & spending $ ---I AM NOT COMPLAINING!)
Yesterday was so cool...I got almost all my errands run, the did the kid running around...got to drive in white out conditions---FUN! I had just commented what a pretty snow it was, no wind....then suddenly, "where did this wind come from?" then as I was crossing a major intersection, I could not see 3 feet in front of me! Luckily was right by Mom & Dad's neighborhood, so pulled over, went to their house, couldn't get in, so hung at their neighbors for half an hour until the worst of it blew over. And those winds brought BITTER cold w/ it--zero here this AM w/ brutal wind chills!
Lots o' layers today!
Gotta run....
Kris

 

[nskjerven]

eeek Kris is it really $375 for tips??? I was in obilvion not having added it up!!! That's an annual pass to Dland. Okay for that I want towel animals. and Donald Duck to say our name

Hey, only you guys would enjoy seeing my kids in a tux at the Disney store. Isn't that normal

Kris: Be safe on those roads, sound so scarey to me. I've been in one white out no need for another thanks.

Karen: Did the tees get shipped yet?

Working on the pile on my desk again today...boring....

See ya,

Nan

 

[grimgrinnin]

You guys see this

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/dcl/en_US/general/crisis?name=GiftDownloadPage&CMP=EMC-GiftDownload

grim

 

[Aisling]

Woo hoo! I got my ME tags today! Those docs can't be far behind! I'm putting them on my luggage right away! We each got 2, and they also sent 2 tage for Mel, which they said we can use anyway. Anyway, I just wanted to share!

 

[nskjerven]

okay I'm calling on those now!!!! How come I get stuff so late!!! Okay I ordered those late huh?

Dogs barking might be stuff....going to see....

 

[nskjerven]

nope just crazy dogs. I'll wait for the mail until I call. Oh how I wish we could have stuff like this transported via Star Trek magic....

 

[domiii]

That's hilarious! C'mon kids, we're going to the Disney Store for our formal photos!

Speaking of the Disney Store ..... (sorry this is the first chance I've had to post). Saturday we went to the City to see Hairspray - LOVED it! We went with Kayla's choir as guests. Kayla had SATs with extended time, so Dominick had to drive her in and I went with the kids on the bus. They had extra tickets so I asked my mom. (She is very lonely this time of year.) The SATs lasted until 2pm and curtain was 2pm. SO Dom raced into the City with Kayla and my mom in time for them to see Act 2. There is more to the theater story, but I want to tell you about the Disney Store.

Since he drove in we stayed in the City after the buses left with the kids. Where do you think our first stop was? Yup, WOD! If this visit was ANY indication of the cruise (they are an extension of the Disney Theme Parks, after all) we are in for a GREAT trip!

We were met with a CM who handed us a card with questions for us to answer. Fun! Next we hovered around a CM with a vest of pins. (Have I mentioned we are pin fanatics?) DM tells him she is taking us all on the cruise for Christmas. So what does the CM do, hands her a pin!

Next we headed to the 3rd floor to see the goings on up there. A CM is singing away with the Disney Karyoke (sp?). Yeah, like the Abbatiello family could not join in! So we sang a few songs and the manager told us to stay put, she'd be right back. She came back with a certificate and told each of us we could select a pin off of her and another CMs lanyard! Oh joy, rapture!

After we did some more shopping (pins, of course - exclusive to NYC WOD and some other items), we decided it was time to check out. DM and I had to go to the bathroom, so Dominick and Kayla went to complete our purchase. When we came back, Dominick is laughing and having a good time with the CM at the register. And guess what, she gave him a pin because he made her laugh!

Well, Kayla and I find a CM to answer our questions, which we did with joy and you'll never guess what our reward was ---- YUP, a pin each! So if you are keeping score that's 8 pins in one vist AND we didn't have any to trade.

The CMs couldn't have been nicer or more fun. We even were having fun with a couple of CMs who were doing the fun job of refolding the tee shirts. I tell you it's all in your attitude and Disney makes me happy, so the rest is a piece of cake!

It was a great shopping visit! After mom decided we needed to see the tree, so we walked 5 blocks - not too bad - to the tree. It was beautiful! I wish you all could come see it. Kayla took a few pictures with her phone. Not sure if Dom can download them or if they would even be worth it. That tree is just such a sight to behold.

Have to go home now, so I'll post more later! (Why stay at work any longer than I have to?)

 

[nskjerven]

Thanks Grim...the sea is playing in the background, it's almost like living in Half Moon Bay (not) but it's nice none the less Getting excited!!! Paul says hey that island is pretty big...me and my wealth of info and the ship stays docked just off shore so we can see it, cool huh?

Karen: WOD sounds great. Unfortunately our Disney store is nothing like that. Just a really small shop in the Mall. The CMs are just store clerks. I really don't visit very often, but figured last night Paul could wait in line for Santa while we sourced out good pciture posing spots. Wilson "is there ever going to be a time when you don't take our picture" Me "no" Wilson "bummer"

That kid is getting too old and wise for me....

back to my shrinking pile of work.

N

 

[Aisling]

Grim, how do you find these things?? The aft video is especially exciting. I emailed it to my kids. Thanks for posting it.

Karen, would you believe I live right here and have never set foot into the WoD store? Walked/drove by it so many times, but never went in for various reasons. What a marvelous experience you all had. I think I have to get over there right before we leave for the cruise just to start the Disney experience.

Was John Pinet starring in Hairspray? Chad saw it a few weeks ago, an he said John was outstanding. Have you seen Rent? It's not quite my cup of tea, but the music is great. And did you hear a Disney production of Tarzan is coming to Broadway? That should be sweeet, ya know, since it's Tarzan after all.

Nan, you better move to Half Moon Bay quick! Ithink you may be a tad obsessed!

 

[Aisling]

December temps:

Temperature
Mean Temperature 62 °F / 16 °C
Max Temperature 66 °F / 18 °C
Min Temperature 55 °F / 12 °C

Temperature 24 December 2004 4:55 PM 57 degrees F

This is for Cocoa Beach. Chilly, ya think? I guess we'll be wearing long sleeves for embarkation!

For Orlando,
Mean Temperature 73 °F / 22 °C
Max Temperature 78 °F / 25 °C
Min Temperature 68 °F / 20 °C
Temperature 23 December 2004 11:55 AM 77.0 °FC

Today in Orlando:
Mean Temperature 65 °F / 18 °C
Max Temperature 66 °F / 19 °C
Min Temperature 64 °F / 18 °C

 

[nskjerven]

I was right to be worried about being cold. Thanks for spying and posting that Aisling.

 

[3xthecharm]

One set of our docs came.

I hope the other comes soon.

 

[Aisling]

Wowee, 3x, may I join you in your dance??



Now I need some advice...can this gown be somehow made to be pirate night worthy? How about a sash around my waist with a sword attached, mussed up hair like a captured princess, and of course my famous tiara? Please be honest with the criticisms/advice. I didn't buy it yet. Thanks!

 

[trinibjill]

Our docs are at the TA, they came today.

Grim the link is just like being on the ship. I went & made the view larger to get the porthole out of the way. It was even more realistic.

 

[nskjerven]

Aisling: I like it, very renaissance like....

Where are my docs!!! Did I tell you they shipped them on Friday expected them to arrive Wednesday via UPS... I wonder why some people get them earlier than others....ya'd think those of us father away (like Lynn and she did) would get them sooner...don't ya think California is far enough away???? I was going to say something even stranger like far to the left, but now that's not very politically correct is it

Time for Oprah, who's she got today?

 

[trinibjill]

Oh, by the way, It was 79 degrees in St Thomas & St Marteen