December 9, 2007 4 night

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Glad you get to go back! It was hard to stay at home when I had my little ones. I had always worked. I had a live in Nanny with Chrisite and William made me quit when I had Howard. That is when I got my General Contractors license. That way I could be with my children and work!!! You sound like a people person. I am very happy for you. Also, being volunteer that have to understand your travel!!!

 

[krdisneybound]

good morning everyone


It is hot outside already. Didn't sleep too well last night - maybe a nap is in order for the day

Everyone have a great day

 

[GooFy_4_DisnEy]

Hello Everyone!

It has been a while since I checked in, sounds like everyone is doing ok, krdis congratulations on returning to work, thats great that you want to do that and get too! MOTM, I have suggested to my wife that she should become a GC since she enjoys building our house right now, and yes the land search can be taxing at times, but its all worth it! We are Owner-Builders and have just finished framing on our house, lots of work, but lots of reward/fun too. Congratulations crsndsny on Ernie, are you going to have more? or is it to early to tell ? We decided to stay onboard during Nassau, with the size of our little ones we thought it better to enjot the ship? Well, looking forward to making Palo reservations and whatever else we may do, talk with you all soon
G4D

 

[krdisneybound]

Hello everyone - just checking in to bump us up - don't want our thread to get lost. ha ha

Have my g/baby today and don't do too much with her here.

Hope all have a great day.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Goofy4disney - I have enjoyed being a GC for almost eleven years now. It is a rewarding job. I have only ever built custom homes and have had most of my same subcontractors for the entire time. At first I was a little intimidated because I was the only woman in the room testing. I was also shunned by alot of the local men contractors and inspectors. It probably took a year for them to realize I was there to stay. I did have to call the state board of contractors on one inspector because he was clearly not going to have a "woman" in his line of work. "Amazingly" his attitude changed rather quickly. I am now very good friends with several of them and they even come to my annual Christmas party. We often joke about how I freaked them all out!!! I didnt want "their" job. I just wanted to have fun working doing something I enjoyed. I have two houses going right now but have slowed down considerably to help William in his office. I have to say my children working with me every day until they started school and every summer could probably build a house!!!! They are very happy that I have slowed down. She should do it if she is enjoying it. I had worked in building materials for five years and built two of our personal houses and the test was fairly simple.

We are racing locally tonight so I need to go!

Good luck on the land search Crystal 27.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. The weather here is awesome. It was 97 two days ago and only 87 here today. I actually needed a jacket at the races last night.

Kay enjoy the grandbaby!!!!!!

 

[Crystal_27]

Hi everyone! I sure hope that a great weekend was had by all. MOTM - hope your son had a great time racing this weekend, and krdisney I'm SURE you had a wonderful time with your sweetie!

Our weekend was pretty good. My work had a company summer party that we did on Saturday, and I spent most of Sunday bumming on the couch finishing Harry Potter. Anyway, I hope that everyone has a great day and week!

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Time seems to be flying by to me for some reason. Not telling the children ...is making me feel so unprepared for some reason. I am still not going to tell them. I just put everything I think of in my notes. (in my office computer that they are not allowed to use)

We had a wonderful weekend. The weather here has been so nice. Just since Friday and had remained nice. Strange for Memphis in July.

We are going to Gulfport, MS to race this weekend. We will leave Friday and come back Sunday or Monday. There is a 30% to 40% chance of rain down there everyday for the next ten days.. I hope we dont drive 6 hours to rained out race!!!! Howard place 4th out of 8 this weekend. It was a good race. We all had a great time. It was on the local dirt track not the asphalt. He rocks on the asphalt!!!! Dirt is a challenge no matter where we are and that is why he running the series. I keep telling him...Dirt is for farming! (not racing) but he wont listen.

I hope everyone has a great week.

 

[lakefairy]

Hi everyone! Hope you all are having a nice summer! Mine is going by too fast! The only good thing about that is that it will be December before we know it and we will be on our cruise!

Maine has been cool and cloudy so far this summer. We haven't had any heat yet to speak of, but supposedly some is coming in tomorrow for the rest of the week. Maybe I will get my bathing suit on after all! I hope it still fits!

I have been doing some serious "window shopping" on my computer for new stuff for disney and the cruise. The only thing I have bought so far is a baggalini. Everyone seems to love them! I have to admit I really like it. It has a ton of pockets!

I have ADR for Crystal palace breakfast and Boma dinner while we are at Disney before the cruise. Has anyone tried those?

Talk to you later!

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

We have done Crystal Palace dinner and we loved it. It was one of our favorite character meals. We had wonderful interaction with Pooh and friends. I would say the food was average but we would definately go back.

I have never been to Bomas but have read some good reviews.

Are yall going to WDW before or after the cruise?

 

[GooFy_4_DisnEy]

Woo Hoo! Let me be the first to say it (maybe not the first to get it) but I got my ship and shore vacation guide today! with my dates that I will be able to make my various reservations
G4D

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Hello All!!! I just got to the hotel from the track in Gulfport MS. Howard was in a word Awesome tonight. In one kart he qualified 5th out of 10 and ended up placing fourth. The Highlight of our night was qualifying FIRST ....on the pole...He only kept first for only two laps but held second 44 laps!!!!! There were 14 karts and who knows how many cautions but Howard stayed focused and out front. He was one hot and worn out little fellow as it was in the nineties but Awesome is all I can say! I am SO PROUD OF HIM!

Goofy4disney - I cant remember what happened to us last year, but would I get it from Dreams Unlimited or straight from Disney? Being on the coast really makes me want to be on that ship.

In Gulfport two years after Hurricane Katrina it is still almost total devastation. It is very depressing. I really feel sad for these people. There is very little left on HWY 90. The casinos are rebuilt and very little other than that. I wanted to drive over to New Orleans since we were so close but noone else did, but then later on someone told us if we thought Gulfport was bad not to go.Even seeing it on the news you just dont realize the "big picture". Christie and Howard was let down. We had been here October 2004 so they knew the destruction of most of the strip. It really makes you appreciate the small things in life.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Woo Hoo! Let me be the first to say it (maybe not the first to get it) but I got my ship and shore vacation guide today! with my dates that I will be able to make my various reservations
G4D

I got mine when we got home!!

 

[Crystal_27]

Woo Hoo! Let me be the first to say it (maybe not the first to get it) but I got my ship and shore vacation guide today! with my dates that I will be able to make my various reservations
G4D

We got ours last week too! I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more in there in terms of excursion information, but I've already done a TON of research so I guess the additional information wasn't really needed, *but* it still would have been nice to read Disney's "sell" on the various excursions.

lakefairy - we are going to Crystal Palace on Dec. 7th at 8:05 a.m. I've never eaten there, but I'm sure that my DD will have a blast. Never been to Boma, but all of the reviews I've ever read have been very positive.

MOTM - congrats to your son on his racing excellence! It's so neat that you guys are all so passionate about something you can all do as a family. It is really sad to hear about Gulfport still being in ruins, though. It's so easy to forget about the devestation that's occurred in the past 10 years in the country (including 9/11).

We had an "interesting" weekend. We've decided to put our land search on hold for a couple years and just sink some money into our house for upgrades. The house market in Atlanta is just horrible right now - too much saturation and foreclosures. Anyway, our project this weekend was to set up a wireless internet. WHAT a pain in the butt! All total, it probably took about 5 hours. BUT, now that it's up and running, it is very nice.

Ahhhh, another week closer to December. YAY.

 

[princesdi]

Haven't got ours yet Hopefully soon--I found the information of no use to me last year, but it is still cool to look at. I have found keeping the secret from the kids easier and easier. However I think I have lost excitement over the whole trip because we can't talk about it. I know that the wait and surprise will be well worth it in the end--but right now I have kinda lost the excitement.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Crystal27 - You are probably making a wise decision. Our housing market here is the same way. You can buy a house cheaper than you can build one. If we keep searching we hope to find a good deal on land but selling a house right now in your situation is not good. It is a "buyers market". We are keeping our house in Midtown Memphis when we move. Making the upgrades will only help you when you do decideto sell.

Christie is thinking she wants to race so we are going to take her out for a practice session and go from there. Howard moved up a spot in one class this weekend. He is so happy. His goal is top ten in the Nationals. That would make his year!! (and mine too!!! I love to see my children excited about their accomplishments.) I never tell Yall about Christie but she did move up to level four in gymnastics. I am very proud of her. Her sport is just so low key.

I like getting anything with Disney on it in the mail. I agree with the information packet though especially if you havent ever been and not on the discussion board you would be lost.

PrincessDi I feel the same way. Although I am still very excited. I still wonder everyday how I am going to tell them.

 

[princesdi]

Got our planning book today!!!

Curious what excursions everyone is planning on doing and your plans for the at sea day?

 

[Crystal_27]

Got our planning book today!!!

Curious what excursions everyone is planning on doing and your plans for the at sea day?

Well, we are back and forth about booking the dolphin encounter for our 3 year old DD. This week we are deciding to not do the dolphin encounter, but who knows how I will feel tomorrow. We may just plan on hitting Nassau for a very brief time to shop and then just hang out on the ship for the rest of the day. I do want to get some of the famous rum cake that I read so much about here on the Dis. As to the sea day, that day is actually DH's and my 10th anniversary! I was planning to do the wrap/massage that morning and then hopefully we can do Palo that night.

Since I'm new to cruising, I just don't know what to expect, so I'll really have to take a lot of this stuff as it comes and see what seems fun at the time.

 

[krdisneybound]

Crystal: Great idea taking it as it comes. Don't plan a whole lot - you can always book onboard, if you decide to do something. IF you do book and then decide not to do it onboard, it is really hard to cancel and get a refund.

Have a great evening everyone

Well, we are back and forth about booking the dolphin encounter for our 3 year old DD. This week we are deciding to not do the dolphin encounter, but who knows how I will feel tomorrow. We may just plan on hitting Nassau for a very brief time to shop and then just hang out on the ship for the rest of the day. I do want to get some of the famous rum cake that I read so much about here on the Dis. As to the sea day, that day is actually DH's and my 10th anniversary! I was planning to do the wrap/massage that morning and then hopefully we can do Palo that night.

Since I'm new to cruising, I just don't know what to expect, so I'll really have to take a lot of this stuff as it comes and see what seems fun at the time.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Hello Everyone!!

Well school starts here next Friday and I think that stinks!! I dont feel like we even had a summer break. I am more upset than the children. I like having them with me. They are going to the Gipson Guitar Factory today with some friends. We are having a small going away party for a boy they have gone to school with for 8 years on Tuesday. (They are moving to Ohio.) Then we are back in school!

I guess we are going to do the stingrays again. We looked at our pictures the other day and they both expressed how much they enjoyed it. I think they will enjoy it more this time since they know what to expect and arent so anxious. I also want to rent one of the boats or water trikes for some family interaction before they "ditch" us for their new found friends. Our pictures from Castaway last year were some of the best ones with their buddies. That was our favorite day. William and I just chilled under the palms watching them from our loungers oblivious to everything else going on around us!

No spa treatments for me this year. I dont want to go alone. William refuses and my little ones arent old enough. I will be playing bingo alot. I also want to play some of the other games....we didnt the last time.

I need to work on our "surprise" announcement. I dont know if I should tell them the whole thing all at once or if I should break it up and tell them about the cruise on the last night of the land portion. My thinking is I dont want them focusing on the cruise in three days while on land since they didnt have a part of the planning.

Also Sue Ellen at DU is booking my transfers with FloridaTours. I hope I dont regret that but have read so many things that it was becoming too overwhelming. We may also be upgrading to cat4 if there is availability. She is checking. It is just a little bigger but enough more room to spread out a little and for the luggage. I also want to see if we like it better than the cat6 as far as location. I hope I can remain starboard mid ship.

 

[ElenitaB]

Hi all!

I've been incredibly busy between work and medical stuff... but I did want to stop by to say hi. We haven't gotten our cruise info yet but then again, lately all I've been doing is going through mail and sorting out bills and my scrapbooking magazines. So it might be somewhere in my pile of "other" mail.

Howard is doing great with his racing this summer. Congrats! I haven't told my DS about him yet because I know he'd want to make contact NOW! He is rather bored this summer, but didn't like the camp so did not go at all. What can I say? We don't go back to school until after Labor Day. I really do miss my routine. I'm eager for him to go back and he just might be by then.

Crystal Palace and Boma are both great buffets. This year in October I'll be trying Boma for breakfast so I'll let you know how that was.

MOTM, what time are you booking the stingrays for? Maybe the kids can do that together.

Well, back to work for me. Just wanted to stop by and say hi!