Join Us For Our July 11th MAGICAL Pre Trip Report("Cast" Pics Added On Last Page)....

[Granny Hawkins]

WHAT better way to start off our countdown for a Cruise that the first Port is Key West than going to....

The KICK-OFF Concert for Jimmy Buffett's SummersKool Tour?

That is exactly what we did last night! Concert was awesome and the weather was great. Backdrop scenes were all white sand,palm trees,blue waters and awesome sunsets with "just" enough Key West thrown in to make us want to set sail today.

Probably not a lot will be reported in the planning stages because we are sometimes a....

"Fly(make that Cruise) By The Seat Of Our Pants" bunch when it comes to planning....LOL

Oh,we will make a few plans but we are pretty good at "spur of the moment" trips too.


Our Cast Of Characters....

Me....Granny Hawkins(Connie,but I probably will not answer if I hear my name called)

DD#1....Special K's Mom

GD....8

GS....5


This will be our 2nd. Cruise. We did the Wonder last July and booked this year while still on the Cruise. Definately "spur of the moment".

Used to think nothing would take #1 for me over WDW until we crossed the bridge and saw the Wonder docked there waiting for us.

Literally took my breath away.

Hopefully my DD will come in and post along with me.

Will be interesting to see the different points of views as we get ready for our Cruise and....

To see any corrections/additions she will make during any of my "senior moments"....LOL

 

[Granny Hawkins]

I have been traveling a lot with my DD and grandchildren. There is a back story there but I will let her fill in that part if she wants to.

Our recent trips have been....

February 2006....This trip was planned and grandchildren knew we were going. We flew down and took Disney Transporation to our resort. I can get very spoiled by not having to see/handle my luggage until I arrive back home.

New Year's Eve to usher in 2007....Totally unplanned. GD said something to her mother on Christmas about thinking it would be fun to be at WDW and see it decorated for Christmas so....off we go! This trip was a surprise and the kids did not have a clue until we arrived at the front gate. We had to stay off site because of the no planning part but we were close and no hassles involved.

Thanksgiving Week 2007....This was planned and not a surprise because I had to fly down with the grandkids and DD flew from a business conference in Vegas to meet us.

Wonder Cruise in July 2008....This was planned and kids knew about it ahead of time. We flew but rented a car and spent the night before the Cruise at a hotel near the port.

New Year's Eve to usher in 2009....Another "spur of the moment" trip and another surprise for the grandkids. I could not make this trip so it was DD#1 and DD#2 and all 4 grandkids.

NOW....we are counting the days until July rolls around again.

 

[Granny Hawkins]

We had hoped to make this a "family event" but GD#2 had Competition Cheerleading commitments and DD#2 could just not make it work.

My youngest DD who is without a doubt the biggest Disney person in the family was going to go but instead is giving me grandbaby #5 sometime in mid June.

I am sure there will be another Cruise in our future and hopefully everyone can go.

 

[Granny Hawkins]

Oh....There is a bit of a surprise this time. The kids think they are going to be stuck in the car for an 8 hour drive when we are actually flying and using Disney Transportation again.

 

[Special K's Mom]

I have been traveling a lot with my DD and grandchildren. There is a back story there but I will let her fill in that part if she wants to.

Our recent trips have been....

February 2006....This trip was planned and grandchildren knew we were going. We flew down and took Disney Transporation to our resort. I can get very spoiled by not having to see/handle my luggage until I arrive back home.

New Year's Eve to usher in 2007....Totally unplanned. GD said something to her mother on Christmas about thinking it would be fun to be at WDW and see it decorated for Christmas so....off we go! This trip was a surprise and the kids did not have a clue until we arrived at the front gate. We had to stay off site because of the no planning part but we were close and no hassles involved.

Thanksgiving Week 2007....This was planned and not a surprise because I had to fly down with the grandkids and DD flew from a business conference in Vegas to meet us.

Wonder Cruise in July 2008....This was planned and kids knew about it ahead of time. We flew but rented a car and spent the night before the Cruise at a hotel near the port.

New Year's Eve to usher in 2009....Another "spur of the moment" trip and another surprise for the grandkids. I could not make this trip so it was DD#1 and DD#2 and all 4 grandkids.

NOW....we are counting the days until July rolls around again.

DD#3 and the baby to be were part of that Surprise Trip New Year's 2009!

 

[Special K's Mom]

Shortened version of the background to the travels........

We - DH, DD, DS and myself had planned a trip to WDW for February 2006. We started planning this trip in 2004 - it was to be the kids' 1st Trip and DH's also!

Granny was going with us to babysit and allow us date nights and much needed alone time. (The kids were to be 5 and 2 at the time)

Our world was shattered - DH passed away May 16, 2005. Sudden, unexpected and unprepared for shock. He was 34 years old.......

anyway......long story short......I had promised my kids a trip to WDW and that they were going to get.....so with some help from DH's softball buddies and new found determination on my part, we managed to still go to WDW in February 2006. Me, DM, DD, DS and my DSis...........

So.....Granny goes with us most of the time - my extra pair of hands!

 

[Granny Hawkins]

See....I knew she would come in handy for the "senior moments".

 

[Granny Hawkins]

We are getting very excited about our Fish Extender Hanger and planning what our FE gifts will be.

We are hoping a lot of people sign up to share in the fun.

Lots of cute clothes have been bought for the kids and are hanging in the closet waiting to be packed. Poor clothes,glad they cannot realize how long of a wait it will be.

Hopefully all of my clothes will still fit because it is not in the budget to buy more.

I lost a little over 20 pounds before the Cruise last year and have lost 5 more since then. I want to lose an additional 5 before we set sail but no more than that or I will not have anything to wear. and that would not be a pretty sight.

 

[Granny Hawkins]

Oh! Oh! Oh!....Can't believe I forgot to tell you this.

We will have a break to take our mind off the time moving so slow.

DD#1 Special K's Mom and the grandkids are taking us to Hilton Head Memorial Day weekend for our 10th Anniversary.

That trip and the new grandbaby due in June will definately make the time go faster.

 

[Granny Hawkins]

I want to apologize ahead of time for misspelled words and the "slaying" of the English language.

My fingers move a lot faster than my thoughts and I usually write like I talk which can be pretty "scattered" at times.

So any English Majors on the board or anyone whose pet peeve is spelling and grammar mistakes please forgive me in advance and don't give up on my TR unless it is really "driving you crazy".

 

[Granny Hawkins]

WOW!....As of last night DGD decided she wanted to go parasailing with her mommy!

This should be interesting....LOL

 

[Granny Hawkins]

The one thing I do have planned for me this go round is eating escargot(I was too chicken last trip) and staying hydrated.

I ended up in the ER the morning after our last trip and had to have fluids.

I "thought" I was drinking more than enough water but guess not.

I will also not hesitate to go to the medical center onboard if I start to feel the least bit like I did last year. I know now not to "shrug" it off until I get home. The whole ER thing could have possibly been prevented.

My doctor told me last week to drink drink drink water and then drink some more water and to eat fruits and veggies that would supply water to my system. Also said for every alcoholic beverage to drink at least 2 glasses of water.

 

[Granny Hawkins]

So much for not planning....LOL

Another thing I want to make sure and do this trip is have my picture made on the beach with Captain Jack.

I am old but that little guy last year was C-U-T-E!

 

[Louiepipbgeeco]

Love your TR.
You sound like an amazingly close and fun family.
Sorry to hear about DDs DH passing.
Sounds like she is blessed to have you and the grandchildren also.
I am about to embark on my first DC in March 2010 and love to read all the reports.
Thanks

 

[Granny Hawkins]

Love your TR.
You sound like an amazingly close and fun family.
Sorry to hear about DDs DH passing.
Sounds like she is blessed to have you and the grandchildren also.
I am about to embark on my first DC in March 2010 and love to read all the reports.
Thanks

Thanks for looking and for your comments.

Yes,we are a very close family. We have our "moments' but I think they bring us even closer.

 

[Granny Hawkins]

DD and I are trying to decide if it is too early to start packing.

I know for sure I will not unpack completely from the Hilton Head trip.

One year I did not completely unpack my suitcase from the end of October until the end of January.

 

[Granny Hawkins]

"I cannot start packing".

"I cannot start packing".

"I cannot start packing".

 

[Special K's Mom]

.....The magnets for our stateroom door have been made - the kids insisted that I display them on the refrigerator - so we have a daily reminder of what is to come!!! (DD wanted me to put them on the car until she realized they may disappear!)

.......DD the PICKY eater has promised to try something different every day! This will be a MAJOR accomplishment so we will see if it really happens. DS is no issue - he will eat anything that doesn't eat him first!

......Shore excursions were booked last week. We will not do Palo - no reason for me and Mom to have a "romantic dinner" -

.......more to follow I am sure!!!

 

[smeecanada]

......Shore excursions were booked last week. We will not do Palo - no reason for me and Mom to have a "romantic dinner" -

.......more to follow I am sure!!!

What about High Tea? Great Mom/Daughter event.

 

[Special K's Mom]

What about High Tea? Great Mom/Daughter event.

By the time I thought of that one they were all booked! I keep checking back every now and then though. There are SEVERAL dinner spots left for our cruise.....I bet they go tomorrow though - that is the 75 day mark!