July 1st, 2006 070106 07/01/06 20060701 07012006

[ldb1030]

Okay, things are moving REALLY fast now!

Paid off the cruise!
Booked our airline tickets!

Now if I could just find new swimsuits that I like!!!

 

[Husker4040]

It is going fast now! I think Deb and MrShiney can book excursions, etc tomorrow!

The shopping is coming along. We haven't even started on swimsuits yet!! This weekend will be for shopping, assuming we don't get the "significant snow" they are talking about. One estimate I've heard is up to 21". Ok, at this point, I don't want the kids to have any snow days! That will throw my schedule off! Like Mother Nature cares!

We are going to Kansas City next weekend. My DH has to cover one of the hospitals down there while another guy has the weekend off. We tried to get into Great Wolf Lodge, but of course it's Spring Break somewhere. So, we are staying in one of the hotels at Country Club Plaza. That way, if he gets called in, the girls and I can walk to the shops, etc. New shopping! My kids don't know anything about the trip. Let's see if I can keep it a secret for another week!

 

[ldb1030]

Everyone and their dog is on spring break around here next week!
The Kansas City area schools, Kansas side anyway, are on spring break this week.

We are headed up there next Wed. for a few days to see my sister!
I'll probably be there the same time as you! You will like the Plaza area better anyway! Great Wolf is okay but there really is nothing out there once you are done swimming except Cabellas and Nebraska Furniture Mart!

Dance team tryouts tomorrow!!! I'm sure getting sick of getting Alexa up at 4:45am every day for practice!! My nerves are shot!

 

[Husker4040]

LOL on your nerves being shot! Wish Alexa good luck for us! Sara starts practicing for her high school band audition this week. That isn't until May 8th. She is trying for a spot to borrow a baritone sax from the school. If not, she either goes back to playing the Alto that we own, or I come up with $2800 for one. She has already ruled out the Alto, of course.

Unfortunately, we had no idea when spring break was down there. Ours is the first week of April. If we had a choice when we went, we might have changed the date. Since we don't, we will just enjoy where we are at.

I'm trying out a new dog sitter that weekend also. If he works out, I will have my sitter for the cruise! One more thing off my To Do List! Come on over to the Plaza! We'll be the ones with NE plates! Cabellas and The Mart I can get without leaving home, and I hate to swim, so I think we are better off at the Plaza.

 

[MrShiny]

It is going fast now! I think Deb and MrShiney can book excursions, etc tomorrow!

I can't yet. I think Cat 3-1 can, but just Castaway Club have to wait until 4/2.

 

[happyatdisney]

Hi Everyone!
I finally had a chance to get back on. Great seeing that you guys are doing some shopping. I have not had too much chance yet: went looking for a formal dress last weekend, but nothing really appealed to me. Some were OK, but nothing special, so I decided to keep looking. Melissa said I was being too picky, but as I told her: "I don't get to do this too often, so I am not in a hurry to end it!"

We have not even started thinking about clothes for her! With her school schedule and social activities, there is no time to shop. Although, the one thing she WON'T need is a dress for formal night: between homecoming dresses, and her school's Father/Daughter dances........we've got that covered!!

What will really get me in the mood to shop is warm weather. I was there last week: we had 70's and 80's during the day!! Tomorrow they are calling for snow. I hate winter.......

We'll be paying off our cruise this weekend too, and we will also be able to book starting April 2 I think. So many decisions, so little time!!

Nancy

 

[Husker4040]

Somehow I got it stuck in my head that MrShiny was in a Cat 3. See, I need a vacation! The kids are out of school today, which is going to make it crazy to be out shopping. That, and the first estimates of snow are 15-24". It was really warm last week, and even earlier this week. Yesterday the windchill was upper teens, lower 20's. 40mph winds!

Hey Nancy, I lived in MD for a couple of years. We lived in Sharpsburg (about a mile from Antietam) and my kids were born in Hagerstown. We moved to Frederick when Sara was about 4 months old. We lived in an actual haunted house in Sharpsburg. It was a precivil war mansion.


Patti

 

[ldb1030]

I can't yet. I think Cat 3-1 can, but just Castaway Club have to wait until 4/2.

Yep! I'll be booking 4/2 also!!

 

[Husker4040]

Let us know how Alexa did with her Dance Team tryouts!! Here is some pixie dust for Alexa!

 

[happyatdisney]

We lived in Sharpsburg (about a mile from Antietam) and my kids were born in Hagerstown. We moved to Frederick when Sara was about 4 months old. We lived in an actual haunted house in Sharpsburg. It was a precivil war mansion.

Patti, I know that area well! We live about 30 minutes east of Frederick, and are often out that way. Melissa loved visiting Antietam several years ago, as she just loves American History. (We live in a great area for anyone who is a history buff....) I can't imagine living in a haunted house though! We just spent the weekend in Gettysburg a few weeks ago, and thought about staying in a B&B, but the thought of it possibly being haunted was too much for me!!

 

[Husker4040]

I love Gettysburg! We used to go to Antietam every few weeks. We were out there over July 4th one year, and that was spooky! You definately had the feeling you were not alone. LOL about the haunted B&B. I always believed in "ghosts", or whatever you want to call them, but after you live with one..... Things started a couple of weeks after we moved into the house. That is the only house I have ever felt uncomfortable in. If I was moving around the house, every light was on.

 

[happyatdisney]

Oh my, I don't think I would have lasted there very long at all!! How long did you live there? You have my admiration: I think after one night I would have had a "For Sale" sign out in the front yard !!

 

[Husker4040]

LOL! We were renting. We were there about a year or so. The property was spectacular, we just had to live with Rachel. It was actually a working farm. We had a few really spooky incidents happen, the rest were just weird.

 

[Skuba2]

Hey gang. I booked excursions yesterday. We get the 105 days out. Just a note that I didn't know, you can start booking at 3 am eastern time. I would make sure you have your log in all set up prior to this. You can also go through the excursions and put them to your wish list which makes it faster to reserve them later. Yes, I was crazy enough to set my alarm for 2:50 AM to get the ressies done. I'm the kind who can't sleep with it on my mind anyway.

We booked the Dolphin excursion in Cozumel not knowing that it is listed now as a 7 hour tour. Need to find out why since the brochure says 3 - 3.5 hours in duration.

We also booked the stingray city tour with me and my 2 dd's. The hubby and son may go by taxi and do the butterfly farm on their own.

Just remember guys, some things--especially land things---can be done just as well on your own with a taxi. On one island, we took an island tour provided by a taxi driver. He stopped at pretty much all the stops the bus would and then some. In fact, we saw the bus once or twice. Just negotiate price up front and what you want to see. They are usually excited for the chance to show off their island. Taxis are usually lined up at the port waiting for the cruisers. Also, the crew onboard is often a great place to get info and even taxi driver names.

All I can say is it is going to be HOT---HOT----HOT!!!! Did I mention HOT!! Remember that when booking excursions. It does make it interesting watching the booze cruises disembark. The heat and alcohol usually make for some pretty drunk people.

As a point of reference, we went 2 years ago on a disney cruise in April. If we didn't find our friends on castaway cay who happend to have gotten some umbrellas, I would have had a heat stroke. Still not sure I didn't. Was so red in the face. I only had one drink--but man I felt sick. It was sooooo hot and yet the water was sooooo cold it was hard to cool off. Hopefully, the water will be warmer and a good soak with be fun.

We are doing Palo at 7 on the formal night (sunset is 7:30 pm) and brunch at 10:30 I think on the last day at sea (brunch is only done on sea days). Got a pedicure for me and a full massage for dh. I enjoy Palo when I'm all fancied up and don't enjoy getting the kids gussied up. So, we order in for them while we get ready. Then off to the clubs they go. Saves us buying them fancy clothes/shoes/etc that they will never be able to wear again.

Good luck with ressies.

DG

 

[Skuba2]

MRShiny---did you ever find some good excursions for the alternative island to cozumel? I heard some crew members recommended just staying on board.

Fun--my daughter will be 12 on the cruise. She likes board games, but loves the club. Maybe your daughter could join her there and they could play board games. LOL!!

Our count is DD 12, DD 8 (turns 9 in August) and DS 5, me (40) and DH (42).

We still have to set a meeting time and place. Green Mickey's are usually the tag to wear to identify eachother the first day.

DG

 

[ldb1030]

Let us know how Alexa did with her Dance Team tryouts!! Here is some pixie dust for Alexa!

Patti-That was SO sweet of you to ask and send pixie dust!!!
YES, she made it!!! All 10 girls that were on the team this year made it again, thank goodness, and 3 more! 2 incoming freshman and 1 soon-to-be-senior who had been cheering for 3 years and decided to try dance team!

It was a VERY stressful week! She was confimed in our chuch this morning and I had my family here to surprise my Dad for his b-day tomorrow after mass! He was totally surprised!

Now, I"m going to go watch it rain FINALLY and see if we get any snow they keep talking about it!?

 

[Husker4040]

Congratulations to Alexa!! You have certainly had a busy week!

Any snow yet? After talking about it for a week here, it finally showed up. It appears to be everything they said it was going to be, unfortunately. What a crappy time for them to be right! For the first day of spring we will be digging out. We are looking to get 18" out of this.

I am getting the biggest kick out of watching the guy plowing our parking lot here at work. He has a serious redneck truck that is bright green with yellow squiggles of some sort down the side. He has his winter tires on (looks like he runs bigger tires than these normally) big plow, and yellow blinking light on top. He starts at the bottom of the parking lot, lowers the blade, and hits the gas. Lifts the blade back up, and comes back down the hill at the same speed. The truck is loud so I can hear everytime he goes up or comes back down the hill. Hey, it's the little things on days like today!



Patti

 

[MrShiny]

MRShiny---did you ever find some good excursions for the alternative island to cozumel? I heard some crew members recommended just staying on board.

Fun--my daughter will be 12 on the cruise. She likes board games, but loves the club. Maybe your daughter could join her there and they could play board games. LOL!!

Our count is DD 12, DD 8 (turns 9 in August) and DS 5, me (40) and DH (42).

We still have to set a meeting time and place. Green Mickey's are usually the tag to wear to identify eachother the first day.

DG

Great - I'm sure my DD's (7 & 11 - both have birthdays in August) will meet yours at some time.

If they have a dolphin encounter in Costa Maya, might do that. My youngest wants too (she's the better swimmer too). Might also do the ruins, as they are much closer than the ones in Cozumel, actually.

It'll be intersting to see when our excursion booking opens up - 4/2 is also when DST ends!

 

[MrShiny]

We booked the Dolphin excursion in Cozumel not knowing that it is listed now as a 7 hour tour. Need to find out why since the brochure says 3 - 3.5 hours in duration.

Let me know what you find out about this. Were kind of hoping to get 2 excursions in on Cozumel, but obviously can't if we do this! Did notice that it says there is a 45 minute tender ride and 25 minute bus ride each way - that's almost 2 hours right there!

Are they maybe using some place on the main land?

 

[Skuba2]

The answer to your other post was accurate. It is due to the attraction being on a different island---I think Playa Del Carmen. Anyway, I intend to still do it with my 2 daughters but my dh and son will probably back out. It is such a once in a lifetime thing to do. Hopefully, by our cruise, it will be back to the regular place.

I was wondering the same with Grand Cayman. Is the turtle farm back up and running? It was wiped out with their hurricane.

From what I was told, you have up until two days prior to sailing to cancel any excursions. Book what you think you may want and decide definite later.

DG