December 9, 2007 4 night

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

ElenitaB - The last time we did the stingrays like at 10:30 I think and it worked out well. As soon as we can start booking excursions I will let you know what time. I may even give them a call and just ask the hours of choice so I can better prepare for it. If we can do it a little earlier I wouldnt mind. The water is freezing no matter what time it is!!!!!! Once we were in the water it was fine but that initial dip into the water was a shock. I say that but my children stayed in it the rest of the day.

 

[princesdi]

motm--I am like you summer is winding down to fast---I love my kids so much and every moment we are together is special--breaks my heart when summer is over and they have to go back to school. This year will be new for the kids--MaKayla starts HS (9) and Damian start MS (5). They will adjust fine.

Let me know if you get your category 4 upgrade. I called about a month and a half ago and was told that the only ones available were on the ends of the ship so we decided to stay with our category 6 statroom. 6548

I am really torn on doing excursion and going to Atlantis. A part of me just wants to take the laid back approach and be lazy. I am however interested in the trikes and boats at castaway. The four days will go by so fast, I want to be rested when we come home not exhausted. I think that just browsing around Nassau would be fun and enjoy the ship. I wished we would have had more time last year to look in some of the shops too on shore. Although we had a blast last year we over booked ourselves in some ways and couldn't enjoy the ship as much as we would have liked. Plus, in December the water is going to be a bit chilly!!

 

[princesdi]

TGIF

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Sometimes I dont know what to do with my Wonderful DH. It is tax free weekend in Memphis on school supplies, clothes and computers up to $1500.00. I think he tries to overcompensate when it comes to Christie versus Howards racing expenses. We were set on clothes and he decided since we could save 9 3/4% we should go shopping! (in a conversation with Christie not me) Minus him of course and may I note I was with everyone else in the city of Memphis. I pulled a quick one on him and ended up in Mississippi which was empty because they were all in Memphis!!! Saying this, if you have a Dillards Store they have 30% off their clearance. Christie was shopping for a dress for "The Lion King" at the Orpheum and "The Jingle Bell Ball" (at Christmastime) at the Peabody. I got one dress for $27.00 regular $119.99 and one for $11.99 regular $79.99. I was thinking to myself....."Oh how cute for the cruise". I will get more than one use out of it. Those two deals got me "unmad" at my wonderful DH.

PrincessDi - I have one in the fifth and one in the sixth. All of Chrisites friends are in the seventh and one in the eighth and I dread it. They are changing before my very eyes. I often look back in my albums with them just remembering the sweet times. It is then I miss having a little one around. In an instant one of them will say something sassy and I am checking out colleges!!!! LOL I AM JUST KIDDING!!!!

I think SueEllen at Dreams Unlimited must be out. I havent heard from her in a couple of days since I responded to her email. Right now I am room 6618 which is right outside of the aft elevators. We were aft last time and it was nice. I dont have any desire to be forward on the ship. I prefer aft starboard if possible. If I could just hear from her. You are midship which is sweet so I wouldnt move either!!!!!! That looks like an awesome location.

The water in December at Atlantis was not bad. At Castaway Cay I was in Shock at first but got use to it. The children had no problem.

As ya'll already know.......We are racing this weekend. Just a couple hours away. No having to stay over or get up early. The gates dont open until 3:00. We are practicing for our State race coming up August 18th.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. We are getting ever so close to our magical destinations!!!!! I am so excited for my family and ya'lls too! The little ones are just not going to know what to think! I will never forget our first trip and the awe in my childrens eyes!!! Especially with the parades and fireworks!

 

[ElenitaB]

Hi all!

It looks like several of us will be neighbors onboard... we're in 6560 (last year we were in 6060 and loved the location).

My DS is going into 6th grade but his school runs through 8th grade, so no pesky middle school issues for us! They also make the upper classes mentors for the younger classes and the kids (both the mentors and the mentees) really enjoy that. Even though he doesn't go back for another few weeks, we already did a lot of school shopping. Hopefully, his uniforms will still fit him from last year, especially the pants I never did get around to hemming last year.

The cruise papers arrived yesterday from our TA... just in time for my birthday! This coming week we'll set my treatment schedule for the rest of the year, so I'll see if we get to spend some extra time at WDW at either end of the cruise. It would be really nice because otherwise DS won't have time in the parks this year. Can't have that happening!

Hope everyone is enjoying the height of the summer.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

Hello everyone. Ready to start a brand new week? We just got in from racing and Howard Qualified first in one and second in the other. We brought home two first place trophies!!!! He was awesome...now if he can do the same for the state race that is there in two weeks.

ElenitaB - I hope your treatments work out for ya'lls travel. I cant imagine the stress this brings upon you. Take care of yourself. Christie and Howards school sounds like yalls. They go to a Montessori School. Alot of mentoring and no textbooks. It is a great school. We only go to eighth grade also.

Kay - I hope you have been feeling okay. Have you started your job yet?

CRSNDSNY - Are you and the baby doing okay? How is Princess Amelia?

I am about to fall asleep so I will finish in the morning.

 

[princesdi]

motm--congrats on the wins--I am sure you will be glad when that activity is over for the season so you can slow down a little bit.

What is a Montessori School?

In our community we have 2 elementary schools--one is k-2nd and the other is 2nd-4th. Our middle school is 5-8 and then High School is 9-12. I hated the Middle School years for my daughter, but I think there is so much more drama for girls too!!! I am anxious for her to go to high school so she can get involved in activities and broaden her horizons on friendships!! Now that my DS is starting middle school I hope it treats him a little better.

If you cross over into Colorado my neice goes to schools that focus on 2 grade levels only, last year she was in a 5/6 school this year she goes to a 7/8--I like the idea of separating the kids ages out a bit. If you go further into Colorado like Denver and Colorado Springs you will find year around schools---which in a way I kind of like the idea, they had most the summer off but have longer breaks throughout the year--really gives families opportunities to travel during the school year.

we have about a month left to make ressies----I was browsing the threads last night and the british Colonial Hilton caught my eye. I remember seeing it right next to the straw market---looks like they have a nice beach---its close to the ship and might be enough to entertain us for part of the day.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

PrincessDi - A Montessori School best I can describe is all hands on. They touch everything they learn through mini projects. Everything is material not a text book. They do a workbook only for spelling. They start as young as 18 months pouring out of pitchers and scooping beans with all utensils their size to building blocks and towers, they even wash their own dishes after lunch. This is the sweetest classroom because everything is so small. The sink is even at their level. The classroom and materials get bigger as they move to three to six level and then again to elementary which is 6 to 12. Saying that, Christie and Howard have been in the same classroom most of their schooling. It really works out great. I like that one child can be better in a particular subject and not be held back by the rest of the class. They dont have desk. They have the freedom to do their work where they want within the classroom. The older ones teach the younger ones. The work is always fresh on their minds because they are learning new work and teaching old work. I know it sounds like they wouldnt be learning but you would have to observe the classroom to see how well this works. When they move to Middle School which is 12 to 14 they make the transition to a "normal classroom setting" and test taking in order to prepare them for their high school years. I am not bragging but my children are pretty smart compared to their friends in our public schools. They also learn alot more life skills that they wouldnt be able to in a public school here. They learn to garden. Like I said they clean up after themselves in all areas and they also get to learn kayaking on the Mississippi River (School is on the river). Spanish is taught in middle school. I found the school when I went to enroll Christie for preschool at 3 years old. They were going to teach her a bible verse a week and one letter a week. I was like I can do that. The lady said if you expect any more than that you need to check out Montessori. I went straight to the library. We only have three Montessori schools here and only one is AMI certified and that is how we got there. Eight out of twelve teachers got their schooling in Italy.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I am so impatient!!! I absolutely cant wait to hear back from SueEllen at DU!! I would have sworn it had been two weeks since I first asked her about the change. I looked back at my emails and has been only a week today!! She emailed me over the weekend to tell me it would be today whent she got back with me and I think I have checked my email about 20 times. I am leaving the office with hopes that when I come back I will have the email. Isnt that crazy? Once I am onto something...i just cant wait.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I just got my email. We are 8578 cat4 which is right outside of the aft elevators which I like and we stayed starboard and main dinner seating. I am so excited!! I think we will enjoy that little bit of extra space. My transfers are all set up. She sat us up with a limo for all three legs with Florida Tours. That is probably my only worry. I have never used a transfer service other than Disney. What if they dont pick me up? I guess worst case scenario we would have to take two cabs to the airport!! Our flight leaves at 12:40 so I wont have time to play around. Anybody with any experience with this? Now I just wait to make our excursion reservations.

 

[ElenitaB]

MOTM, congrats on Howard's placing in this past weekend's races!

I wanted to put DS in a Montessori school around here but there were none nearby. He went to public school from K through 2 and I wasn't very happy with the quality of the education he was receiving nor with the way he was being treated (from the day he entered school they wanted to put him in bilingual education... his dad and I were both bilingual but the child doesn't speak much Spanish at all). I found a small Lutheran school in the neighborhood next to ours and that's where he's been ever since. His first year his class only had 9 kids! It's at 16 kids now which is still small (they cap out at 18). He's doing very well academically and pretty much likes it (as much as a tween likes school ;-> ).

I can't wait for our cruise... I do want to lose around 40 pounds before then... ask me how I'm doing. Maybe I can be accountable to y'all because I'm not too good at being accountable to myself!

How is everyone else doing?

 

[Crystal_27]

MOTM - congrats on getting yourself successfully moved! Glad that your DU agent came through for you.

Elenita - hey girl - good to "hear" from you. Did you ever get my PM to you a couple of weeks ago? Let me know if you didn't and I'll resend it. I don't want you to think that I'd forgotten... Hang in there with the weight loss - 40 pounds is a HUGE goal, but just keep doing what you're doing and you'll get there. I've been dieting since March, and I've only lost about 11 pounds, and I haven't lost any weight since June (which is incredibly frustrating but I'm still exercising every night with the hope that it will start coming off again). I've just hit a plateau, but I'm hopeful that I'll break through soon and start losing again.

UG - it's been miserably hot here in Atlanta, so we've been staying inside a LOT. My poor DD doesn't understand why we can't go out for walks and play outside at night like we were doing earlier in the year. Hopefully, this weather will cool down soon!! Other than that, we are just hanging in there - counting down the days and weeks until December.

I think that we are going to try and rebook a 7-day cruise on board for my 30th birthday, which will be July of 2009 - - I hope we're able to rebook that far out. Isn't it silly that I'm already planning my second cruise when the first one hasn't even sailed yet? Anyway, I hope that everyone is doing well - we're getting there!

 

[princesdi]

Hi all!!!

Elineta--hang in there I am in the same boat, just wish I could find the motivation, I dream about losing weight, but can't seem to put it in action!!

It has been soooo hot here in Nebraska also and no rain to help. Pretty much stay in the house all day, the kids go outside in the evenings when it is cooler. Sounds like it is supposed to get hotter this weekend.

We are headed to Denver this weekend with my family, I am looking forward to this little trip, will be nice to get out of town. We are going to the Denver Nature and Science Museum, they have the Titanic artifacts on display. It is a huge museum that is incredible. I do not like museums but this is far beyond history--very interesting and captivating for the kids. I am not sure what else we will do besides SHOP ---but it will fun to just get away and not worry about running kids here and there and worry about work!!! I am hoping I can keep DH mind of work--its all he thinks about night and day.

The kids start school on the 23rd--my babies are growin up ---makes me want to cry just thinking about it!~ We have the best jobs in the worlds ladies--being moms, isn't it the most rewarding!

Well ressie day is quickly approaching---the more I think about it, the more I am almost convincing myself to skip Atlantis and just hang out and walk around Nassau and maybe go to the beach at British Colonial Hilton. We will see!!

Have a great rest of the week!!

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I know we have a variety in the ages of our children so this may matter to some and not the rest but they have set the dates for Hanna Montana!!!
She is coming to Memphis the Thursday after Thanksgiving. Yall will have to check the dates out.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

It is TOO hot in Memphis!!!! 105 today a record high. I dont want to do anything. The children went back to school today! I have talked DH into rebooking onboard for Christies 13th birthday. Now I am working on a seven day instead of a four day and the parks!!! Wish me luck because I am going to need it!!

We have been so busy and we are racing five out of the next six weekends and will be out of town the next six weekends with one being alot of fun in Pigeon Forge!!!

I am ready to make some reservations....How about yall? I have everything ready to go and now just waaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttttt! It seems like forever.

I hope everybody is staying cool and enjoying themselves.

 

[ElenitaB]

Hi, all!

Sounds like the summer is just rushing by! I'm looking forward to the routine the school year brings but I'll miss having DS around too. He's at that age though where it's either feast or famine (either we're fighting or laughing), but we definitely share one thing: we both are looking very much forward to our cruise!

Crystal, got your PM. I'll be looking for those materials later this week when I take a few vacation days (I've been working lots and lots of overtime and on weekends as well so a vacation day is "earth-shattering"). Crazy for planning to rebook while on your cruise? Absolutely not!

MOTM, Hannah Montana + my DS = But he'll be dying to talk to your DS about racing (and video games and Pokemon).

 

[princesdi]

Hi all!!!

I cannot believe that summer is quickly coming to a halt! However it is still SO hot here.

My kids start school next Thursday---I think the last few weeks before school are the worst, once they get going and adjusted things run smoother. The kids will adjust fine, just right now there is that extra anxiety.

I can't believe it, I started Christmas shopping today. The kids birthdays are both close to Christmas so I figured with the cruise and all I should get started on something so I don't have the expense so close to the cruise. Can't believe it is time to already be thinking about the holidays!

Is everyone ready for the cruise??? I think I have done far less preparation and planning this year than I did a year ago---I know that when the cruise gets closer I will be bursting out of my skin, but time seems to be going by so slow!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[krdisneybound]

hello to everyone

I have been following the thread but for some reason I have not posted. Honestly, I thought I had from time to time.

I started to do volunteer work at our local hospital in their home health/audit department. It is only three mornings a week but it is a good way to see if I am ready to go back to work. The first week I thought I was a gonner after not working for 4 years.

Yep, it has been so hot for all of us this summer. And the children all going back to school next week, if not already. It really did go by very fast.

I am off on another Disney cruise next Wednesday. Then I come home and go to Salt Lake City and meet up with some friends and we are going to DL and were invited to Club 33 for dinner one evening. I can't wait to go there. It will be a quick five day trip over Labor Day weekend.

Then when I get home my sister is coming to visit me and we are on another Disney cruise on 9/13. She is going to visit me for a little over a week. I always have so much fun when she is around.

Then on Oct. 21 we have the DVC member cruise and the B2B right afterwards so we get to stay onboard while everyone leaves to go home.

Believe it or not, I am home the month of November. My children probably won't even notice. ha ha


Hi MOTM - I would like to book something onboard also. I'll trying and figure that out later on. It is nice to get the discount and the onboard credit.

Also, I have been keeping up with your racing. That is wonderful.

Have to go eat something before I go to bed. It will be light, as I don't like to eat heavy at night.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Hope none of you are in the path of the Hurricanes out there.

 

[ElenitaB]

Hi, Kay! Glad to hear from you and that you're doing well. You certainly do have a lot of travel in your future! Can we tag along? We promise we'll behave!

Enjoy your trips!

 

[princesdi]

So, did all the girls get High School Musical 2 out of their systems last night

FYI--I heard in 2009 there will be a "High School Musical Movie" coming to the big screeen