EARLY CHECK IN: December 15th, 2007 - Seven night Western - 12/15/07

[cristit14]

Tammie... How did the interviews go? We drive I-64 through that stretch of Illinois and then head on into Kentucky. My grandmother lives in Cadiz, Ky which is not far from Hopkinsville and Paducah. It is a very pretty area.

My DH is going back to school right now too. He is a pharmacist originally, then when DS7 was a baby he decided to back to school for computers so he has been a QA engineer for the past 6 years or so. Now, he feels like he need a higher degree to move up in the computer industry. He is currently working on a Masters in database administration( I think.... ) He is only doing one class at a time so it is going to take awhile. The great thing is his job will pay for his college. I think they pay up to $5000/year as long as he has at least a B in the classes.

Our first cruise was a 4 day as part of a land/sea. It was fun, but it was even more fun on the 7 day since we knew so many people. We were always running into someone we knew. Some of them I didn't recognize, but they knew me from seeing my kids pics on the DIS boards.....

 

[dutch_girl_scout]

Cristi--
My DD will be in 6th grade also. She is excited because they will be the last 6th grade class to go to middle school, after that they are changing the elementary from K-5 to K-6 and the middle school from 6th-8th to just 7th and 8th.

Cristi,
I'm sorry, it occurred to me this morning when thinking about Dec 2007 that DD will be in 7th grade. She will be 12. My brain can't think that far ahead, I'm lucky to be able to think about next week!! I haven't even looked at how many days away it is, that would truly scare me. Our December 2005 land/sea was booked at the end of August, three months was the perfect wait time for me, just long enough to get info not long enough to go crazy. The December 2006 cruise is NEVER going to get here, we still have to wait all summer. Sorry about the confusion

 

[cristit14]

Stacie, that is okay, I was kind of thinking she must be in 7th grade then, since she is will be almost 13 when we sail and my DD will be barely 12 when we sail.
You will be fine waiting for the Dec 06 cruise. It is the 07 cruise that will make us crazy
Our first cruise we booked the end of March and went that July. That was a pretty decent wait. Next cruise we booked Sept 04 and went Dec 05. This one is way too long from now. At least we have WDW to look forward to for this summer and then once that is over it will be just a little over a year away. I don't know if I will make it that long.....

 

[Pinkprincessmom]

I agree about the long wait. We booked our September 05 cruise in July, I think. That was almost too little time to get prepared. Now all I can think about is December 2007. I'm trying not to wish my time away...

We're going to WDW in April and probably again in January 07. Our first trip as a family was in November/December of 04. We're totally hooked now!!

 

[cristit14]

I know what you mean.... our first cruise was a land/sea in July 04. It was going to be a "once in a lifetime" trip. Well..... now we have our third booked... we are hooked too......

 

[dutch_girl_scout]

Where does everyone stay when you go to WDW?

For our land/sea we stayed at the Dolphin because it was the only option left since we wanted a Cat 6 stateroom. For the cruise this December we are staying at Coronado Springs. I've read really good things about it on the resort thread I hope that it lives up to my expectations. The All-Star family suites look like something that my family would like too, my kids HATE sleeping in the same bed on vacation.

Tammy-I hope your interviews went well and that they don't keep you in suspense too long.

 

[Pinkprincessmom]

We bought a time share other than Disney in 2002. If I had only known about Disney then...

On our first trip we stayed at the in-laws time share...can't remember the resort, but it was nice, had a nice pool and play area. We had tickets left from this trip, so after our cruise, we stayed at All-Star Music for 2 nights.

This April, DH is there for a business trip. We are using bonus time of our time share and hoping that the company will reimburse us the total cost.

After we pay off one of our cars...we might join DVC...we'll have to wait and see.

 

[cristit14]

For our land/sea we stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort. The resort property was really pretty, but I don't think I would stay there again. It was just too spread out. For our past Dec trip we stayed off site at the Sheraton Safari. We liked staying there much better. They had really comfy beds! For our WDW trip this summer we are staying offsite again in a time share with my parents, brother and his family. It is WAY too early for me to be thinking about the 07 cruise, but more than likely we won't be flying in until the day before the cruise, so we may stay close to the airport or maybe close to the port.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Thanks for all the good wishes!!! I have my dissertation defense next week and I am waiting on news from all the interviews that I have been on. I appreciate all the prayers and good thoughts I can get.

I will let you guys know how it is going.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Whose ready for spring? ME! ME! ME!

No news on the job front yet, but I did get an email from one school that they are in the midst of talks with top administration (ahem, about salary I am sure), hopefully they will get some more money to offer me. In higher education right now, salaries for Accounting professors are going through the roof because the supply is way low and many sitting professors are reaching retirement age quickly. Good Ole Suppy and Demand, how I love ya!! Well, top administration can't understand why you pay an Accounting or other business professor a humungous salary when the history professor from Harvard is making peanuts. So, when the department chair mentioned that they are going to top administration I am assuming it is over money.

I have student loans out the kazoo!!!!!

Happy Weekend everybody!!!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I am getting lonely!

I told my mom this weekend that I want a micky mouse waffle maker....

Maybe she will get me one for graduation.

Was today the first day of Spring?

 

[dutch_girl_scout]

Tammy-

I'm definately ready for spring. We woke up this morning to 2+ inches of snow and it's still coming down. It is spring break week for my kids. They are outside sledding! At least they aren't in the house driving me crazy!!

I'm glad you have a ticker going. I haven't put that one on becasue we haven't told the kids (still debating what to do).

Mickey wafflemaker---I was stocking up on groceries before the snow last night and bought Pirates of the Caribbean cereal. We all had it for breakfast today, YUM!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Stacie--

That ticker is for my cruise for this fall with my kids and brother. LOL! I haven't put the ticker for the 2007 one either because there is no room. I have a disney sickness, I know. Admitting it is the first step to recoverey. I think you have to want to recover!

Snow!!! Oh My! We have had a very light winter here in Southern Illinois. Knock on wood! But it is very cold this week. I am glad the kids have something to keep them busy and out of your hair. I absolutely know what that is like!!

I have been to Davenport, Iowa. I was there for two days and the weather was absolutely beautiful and perfect the whole time. They told me that those were to only two pretty days they had had all year!

Well, I have to get something accomplished before the "little angels" get home from school. I should get busy!!

Thanks for not letting me feel so lonely!!

Tammy

 

[dutch_girl_scout]

DUUHH! Guess I was wishful thinking about the ticker?

We went to Lion King last night in Des Moines. It was a fabulous show!! We got home close to midnight.

We don't have much planned for today, DS13 is up already playing computer, DD11 is still sleeping soundly.

Have a good day!!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I am just trying not to freak out too much about my dissertation presentation tomorrow! I am more than a little scared. So I am trying to get my mind off of it by doing other stuff, maybe even some laundry! Amazing for me!

When my kids are on Spring Break, I let them sleep as long as possible!

I am going to try to talk my brother into going on this cruise with us but after the four night this Christmas is over. I want to see how it goes.

I think that four in a room for four days is one thing, but for seven! I don't know. Others have done it, but it seems crowded.

Have a great day and enjoy those kids!

 

[dutch_girl_scout]

Tammy-
I'm sure you'll do fine tomorrow. Youv'e made it this far, one more thing to be done and over with.

Four in our room for the three day was definately crowded!! For our 2006 cruise we went with Cat 4 and are waitlisted for a suite. It isn't bigger than the Cat 6 we were in last time but just a little bit of extra floor space will make a huge difference.

 

[cristit14]

Tammy, sorry you were lonely.... I was out of town sort of .... The kids and I went up to Loveland to spend a couple of days with my parents. THis is the first spring break that we haven't had any trips planned so I felt the need to get away for a couple of days.

We were fine with 4 people in our cat 9 room, but I don't have teenagers yet so that may change with time...

 

[kath1210]

Hi everyone - we just booked this cruise today! Our family is me (DW46), DH45, DD12 and DS14. My kids will be 13 and 16 (I can't believe it!) for the December 2007 cruise. Seems SO far away right now.

Tammy - We are also booked on the December 17, 2006 4-night Wonder cruise, but may cancel it. I just can't decide. We got a good rate, so I will wait. We booked an August 2006 Western cruise, but I am worried that a hurricane may change our plans. If so, I'll definitely keep the December 2006 cruise.

It looks like an all Girl Scout cruise so far! I am a co-leader for my daughter's troop, and cookie mom. I was leader and the perpetual cookie mom for about 5 years, but our troop got so small this year (5 girls) that we "merged" with another troop. Their leader stayed the leader and I became a co-leader. Yay!

I am looking forward to getting to know everybody on this cruise, and hope we can get our kids to know one another via e-mail or IM as well.

 

[dutch_girl_scout]

Kathy--Welcome aboard!! My DD will be 12 and DS will be 15 on this cruise. Sounds like the kids will have plenty of company!!

An all Girl Scout DIS group would be cool! Especially if we all bring GS cookies from our councils. I've heard that different areas have different kinds of cookies. What better food to have a DIS meet than a conceige spread and GS cookies!!!

 

[cristit14]

Kathy.... Welcome aboard!

Stacie.... what a great idea about the cookies. We will have to post what kinds of cookies our council has so that we know what different kinds to bring.