Jammin' to Jamaica - Aug 30 2014 ~ Fantasy ~ 7-Night Western

[sweetlovin']

Julie and Sabrina are talkig about parasailing on the KID ONLY thread

Virtual school sounds interesting. I think Sabrina has a friend that does that.

In our county, there is a middle school just for virtual school. It opened last year, although, Nico was only 5th grade, so we had to go with a National program.

I went to Julie's back to school night and found myself sitting in front of a 9th grade high school teacher. He explained that the high school stopped passing out books to the kids. No text books at all. If they want to do their homework, they have to get online, their books are all virtual.

I was talking to Nico about it and he said he still uses the text books they send home. His books are online as well, but he always uses his text book. I asked the 9th grade teacher why and he said too many kids were losing the books and there was no real proof that the kids were opening them anyway. I was shocked, but there it is. I'm not familiar with the county's online program, but maybe Julie will do that instead of the national one Nico is in.

For those who had kids in 6th grade, did your kids learn about Australia? I never did, but I had just come back, other wise Nico would have really been on his own. I thought it was so cool that he was learning about New Zealand and Australia and their history. But I went to school in Washington DC and I never once learned about Australia/New Zealand. So I was wondering if your kids took tests on those countries in 6th or 7th grade?

 

[sweetlovin']

Wow thats a lot of time on a plane. I was born in Cuba and when i came to the states as a little girl my family was aready in New Jersey. I do have a big Family on my mothers side. On year we had a total of 86 people with 5 generations.

LOL! I get it. My mom is 1 of 13 and my dad is 1 of 7. My 1st cousins and my aunts and uncles alone add up to over 100 people on my moms side. I have met all of my first cousins and could point them out if I was walking down the street and ran into them. However, I couldn't point out all of my moms cousins (there are a lot!!) or their kids. Some, as I have met quite a few, but most of them live in Ma where my grandmother was born. Almost all of my family lives up and down the east coast. I am the farthest south and I think New Hampshire is the farthest north. I have one cousin still in San Fran and another in Kansas. All of the others that ventured west have come back.

I have some family in Tom's River NJ. Most are in NY, Boston, and Washington DC.

 

[maiyoli]

In our county, there is a middle school just for virtual school. It opened last year, although, Nico was only 5th grade, so we had to go with a National program.

I went to Julie's back to school night and found myself sitting in front of a 9th grade high school teacher. He explained that the high school stopped passing out books to the kids. No text books at all. If they want to do their homework, they have to get online, their books are all virtual.

I was talking to Nico about it and he said he still uses the text books they send home. His books are online as well, but he always uses his text book. I asked the 9th grade teacher why and he said too many kids were losing the books and there was no real proof that the kids were opening them anyway. I was shocked, but there it is. I'm not familiar with the county's online program, but maybe Julie will do that instead of the national one Nico is in.

For those who had kids in 6th grade, did your kids learn about Australia? I never did, but I had just come back, other wise Nico would have really been on his own. I thought it was so cool that he was learning about New Zealand and Australia and their history. But I went to school in Washington DC and I never once learned about Australia/New Zealand. So I was wondering if your kids took tests on those countries in 6th or 7th grade?

Hi no test on Australia or New Zealand only where they are located. My daughter Oceana also doesnt get text books. She has online text books also.
I think the schools are trying to save money by not giving kids books now.
My little one Zoe also she is in the 3rd grade and she has online books also. I never gave it much thought. We just got a letter sent home from Zoe teacher. It said if you dont have a computer you need to go to the library. I think this is terrible.

 

[maiyoli]

LOL! I get it. My mom is 1 of 13 and my dad is 1 of 7. My 1st cousins and my aunts and uncles alone add up to over 100 people on my moms side. I have met all of my first cousins and could point them out if I was walking down the street and ran into them. However, I couldn't point out all of my moms cousins (there are a lot!!) or their kids. Some, as I have met quite a few, but most of them live in Ma where my grandmother was born. Almost all of my family lives up and down the east coast. I am the farthest south and I think New Hampshire is the farthest north. I have one cousin still in San Fran and another in Kansas. All of the others that ventured west have come back.

I have some family in Tom's River NJ. Most are in NY, Boston, and Washington DC.

When I go to New Jersey I also stay at Toms river also, it's so funny they always want to go swimming, there is no way my girls and I go swimming there it's way to cold. I live in south Florida I tell them lol

 

[sweetlovin']

When I go to New Jersey I also stay at Toms river also, it's so funny they always want to go swimming, there is no way my girls and I go swimming there it's way to cold. I live in south Florida I tell them lol

Same here. We head to Cape Cod and they want to go to the water parks. Uh, yeah go ahead, I will watch you Samantha (my 8yo) will not get in cold water at all. Julie and Nico (my 12yo) will jump in any water.

The water in the Bahamas and Castaway Cay can get super cold. Samantha wouldn't go in late Nov last year because it was freezing. I doubt we will have a problem with cold water in late Aug. As long as the weather holds up, we should be good to go.

 

[sweetlovin']

Hi no test on Australia or New Zealand only where they are located. My daughter Oceana also doesnt get text books. She has online text books also.
I think the schools are trying to save money by not giving kids books now.
My little one Zoe also she is in the 3rd grade and she has online books also. I never gave it much thought. We just got a letter sent home from Zoe teacher. It said if you dont have a computer you need to go to the library. I think this is terrible.

3rd grade??!! Wow that is young to not have a book. I guess there are still people with no computers, especially the kids that are in shelters. Here they were talking about passing out nooks or kindles to the kids, but if you aren't getting back text books, how do you expect to get back the Kindles??

I had a kindle or tablet or something. Whatever it was I was in the middle of reading Hunger Games (Nico was reading it for 5th grade Gifted and Talented Language Arts) and right at an intense scene when I was all into it, the stupid thing ran out of batteries. I was so mad and it was completely dead, so plugging it in didn't help right away.

I already was having a hard time switching from virtual books to actually holding a book, but I think Nico had to listen to me for three days about how books don't run out of batteries. I took his book and finished it in a night so he could get back to it, but I haven't used a tablet/kindle since. My SIL swears by them, but I just can't get into it.

 

[maiyoli]

Same here. We head to Cape Cod and they want to go to the water parks. Uh, yeah go ahead, I will watch you Samantha (my 8yo) will not get in cold water at all. Julie and Nico (my 12yo) will jump in any water.

The water in the Bahamas and Castaway Cay can get super cold. Samantha wouldn't go in late Nov last year because it was freezing. I doubt we will have a problem with cold water in late Aug. As long as the weather holds up, we should be good to go.

I agree both other time I have been on Disney cruise it was in the first week if September the water is perfect and it's not to hot and muggy

 

[sweetlovin']

Julie and Sabrina are talkig about parasailing on the KID ONLY thread

Awesome!! Hopefully they will be able to do it either together or with us. I'm really glad you thought to start the kids only thread. I think it's great for the kids to try to get to know each other.

 

[maiyoli]

3rd grade??!! Wow that is young to not have a book. I guess there are still people with no computers, especially the kids that are in shelters. Here they were talking about passing out nooks or kindles to the kids, but if you aren't getting back text books, how do you expect to get back the Kindles??

I had a kindle or tablet or something. Whatever it was I was in the middle of reading Hunger Games (Nico was reading it for 5th grade Gifted and Talented Language Arts) and right at an intense scene when I was all into it, the stupid thing ran out of batteries. I was so mad and it was completely dead, so plugging it in didn't help right away.

I already was having a hard time switching from virtual books to actually holding a book, but I think Nico had to listen to me for three days about how books don't run out of batteries. I took his book and finished it in a night so he could get back to it, but I haven't used a tablet/kindle since. My SIL swears by them, but I just can't get into it.

That's very funny, do you also read your children's books be for they do, because I do that. I make sure it's suitable for them and I can ask them questions to make sure they comprehend what they are reading.

 

[maiyoli]

I agree both other time I have been on Disney cruise it was in the first week if September the water is perfect and it's not to hot and muggy

Is your 8 year old going ? I also I have a 8 year old that is going with us.

 

[sweetlovin']

Is your 8 year old going ? I also I have a 8 year old that is going with us.

She isn't going with us. This is a "Julie mommy" trip. Samantha is going in Jan on the same cruise (not Jamaica) in January and then she is going to Disneyland late Nov early Dec for her "Mommy and Me" trip.

When we went on the Valentine's Cruise it was a "girl trip" just the two girls, myself, and my mom. Julie was not happy because Sam wouldn't leave my side. Julie had the best time, but her biggest complaint was that Sam monopolizes me. Sam is incredibly shy, never goes to the kids club, really has a hard time with people talking to her (once she gets to know people, she is a little better) but basically just clings to me. Julie wanted to go Parasaling and couldn't convince Sam to do it, so we didn't. Julie wanted to go to the fireworks, but at the late dinners, Sam kept falling asleep. So, I had to take her to bed.

That is probably too much information I tend to do that often. The short answer was no. Even years, my kids go on individual trips. Odd years are big family trips when all the kids go together. It's a bit of a story, but we are all doing the TA to Barcelona 2014. So we will do DLP and then tour the UK. It was not suppose to be a family trip year, but that did come about. That is how Julie and I ended up coming back to this cruise.

So glad we did!! I really like this group

 

[sweetlovin']

That's very funny, do you also read your children's books be for they do, because I do that. I make sure it's suitable for them and I can ask them questions to make sure they comprehend what they are reading.

Oh yeah! In fact, Nico's teacher first picked To Kill A Mocking Bird. Remember, this was in 5th grade. I was pretty sure I remembered that book, but just to be certain I reread it. I was on the phone with the teacher so fast saying that was not going to happen. So they read a book about a silversmith during the Revolution. Johnny Tremaine which was awesome and he loved it.

I would have objected to the Hunger Games, but I had already stopped the entire class on To Kill A Mocking Bird. I gave into the Hunger Games, but I did read it first. I thought the book was much more gruesome than the movie. He did a class field trip to the movie when it came out, and yes I went too. I was relieved to see the movie much more forgiving than the book.

 

[LiseG]

Sabrina loves the water. Cold is never an issue. She participates at the Polar Bear Swim on New Year's Day every year. It's at a local pool here in Oregon and the water temp is in the 40s. Then they go inside to the warm pools. If we go to the Oregon Coast or Lake Tahoe she happily swimings in the 50-degree water... Winter, June, it doesn't seem to matter.

Sabrina has taken a couple of scuba intro classes. I was a certified diver at 13. I'm debating scuba certification for Sabrina and a refresher for me before the trip. Chuck would rather enjoy the beach.

 

[sweetlovin']

Sabrina loves the water. Cold is never an issue. She participates at the Polar Bear Swim on New Year's Day every year. It's at a local pool here in Oregon and the water temp is in the 40s. Then they go inside to the warm pools. If we go to the Oregon Coast or Lake Tahoe she happily swimings in the 50-degree water... Winter, June, it doesn't seem to matter.

Sabrina has taken a couple of scuba intro classes. I was a certified diver at 13. I'm debating scuba certification for Sabrina and a refresher for me before the trip. Chuck would rather enjoy the beach.

That is so cool!! I should get certified, but so far, I have only been snorkeling. Never scuba diving. Polar Bear Club is awesome!! I could never do it, but Julie would. She loves water no matter the temps. Have you done the Dolphin Dive in Disney World?

 

[maiyoli]

That is so cool!! I should get certified, but so far, I have only been snorkeling. Never scuba diving. Polar Bear Club is awesome!! I could never do it, but Julie would. She loves water no matter the temps. Have you done the Dolphin Dive in Disney World?

That is so awesome Lise I'm so cold today it was 47 this Morning I had long johns on. I can't imagine polar bear club.

 

[LiseG]

That is so cool!! I should get certified, but so far, I have only been snorkeling. Never scuba diving. Polar Bear Club is awesome!! I could never do it, but Julie would. She loves water no matter the temps. Have you done the Dolphin Dive in Disney World?

No, we haven't done any diving at Epcot. We haven't spent much time at WDW. We're usually in Orlando long enough to catch one park and head to the cruise. The Epcot® DiveQuest (scuba) and Epcot® Seas Aqua Tour (snorkel) both look interesting.

Disney's Dolphins in Depth at Epcot looks a lot like the Dolphin options in cruise ports. Sabrina and I did the Dolphin Discovery in Cosumel on her 5th Bday. Chuck maned the video camera.

Has anyone here been in the water at The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion at Epcot with any of their offerings?

Lise

 

[LiseG]

Awesome!! Hopefully they will be able to do it either together or with us. I'm really glad you thought to start the kids only thread. I think it's great for the kids to try to get to know each other.

Sabrina being on the DIS Kids Only thread worked great last cruise.

• Before the cruise Sabrina was looking forward to meeting everyone and excited to help with the FE gifts for the other kids.
• At in the terminal, Sabrina spotted a DISfriend before we even boarded.
• Once Aboard, we all had lunch together then the girls were off to The Edge after that.
• After the cruise, she has stayed in contact with a few kids on the DIS and we met up to do DL together in January.

Sabrina has always enjoyed time in the clubs even when she was 4.

 

[LiseG]

That is so cool!! I should get certified, but so far, I have only been snorkeling. Never scuba diving. Polar Bear Club is awesome!! I could never do it, but Julie would. She loves water no matter the temps. Have you done the Dolphin Dive in Disney World?

That is so awesome Lise I'm so cold today it was 47 this Morning I had long johns on. I can't imagine polar bear club.

Most kids come down a giant slide and drop into the freezing water. AWESOME photo op. Others dip in a toe and quickly head inside to grab their mini stuffed polar bear and cocoa. I'm thinking Sabrina was 3-4 the first time she did the slide. Now, Sabrina and some friends manage to actually swim for a while in the lap pool outside then come inside to hit the zipline ... of course they enjoy the cocoa as much as the others.

 

[sweetlovin']

No, we haven't done any diving at Epcot. We haven't spent much time at WDW. We're usually in Orlando long enough to catch one park and head to the cruise. The Epcot® DiveQuest (scuba) and Epcot® Seas Aqua Tour (snorkel) both look interesting.

Disney's Dolphins in Depth at Epcot looks a lot like the Dolphin options in cruise ports. Sabrina and I did the Dolphin Discovery in Cosumel on her 5th Bday. Chuck maned the video camera.

Has anyone here been in the water at The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion at Epcot with any of their offerings?

Lise

We haven't done any of it. Disney World and Land offer classes for kids. Nico went behind the scenes learning about the water systems (and technology) the feeding, teaching, and behavioral techniques of the different people that work with the animals. He then went on to learn about how to figure out what is wrong with one of the fish. I think his dolphin had pneumonia. He also took a photography class that was amazing. Both classes were excellent and he loved participating in them.

We are headed to DL in Sept to take a Leadership class and a physics class. (I think that is what he is signed up to do.) Hopefully, they are a go. If they get canceled, we still get the tickets at the discounted price, but he is really looking forward to the classes. I'll sign Julie up once she starts home schooling or virtual schooling. I think she would really enjoy them as well.

We saw the divers and I have some friends that have done the dives in WDW, but we have never been certified.

Did you like the dolphin discovery in Cozumel?

 

[sweetlovin']

No, we haven't done any diving at Epcot. We haven't spent much time at WDW. We're usually in Orlando long enough to catch one park and head to the cruise. The Epcot® DiveQuest (scuba) and Epcot® Seas Aqua Tour (snorkel) both look interesting.

Disney's Dolphins in Depth at Epcot looks a lot like the Dolphin options in cruise ports. Sabrina and I did the Dolphin Discovery in Cosumel on her 5th Bday. Chuck maned the video camera.

Has anyone here been in the water at The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion at Epcot with any of their offerings?

Lise

Sorry I didn't get the names right. The Dive Quest was the one I was wondering about. I guess I should look up the names before I ask if anyone has done them.