Wow! The time is just flying by ... with 3 kids and all their end of the school year activities going on, we are just so busy. Plus, our pool construction is almost done and the kids already have two parties planned for the end of May. I've really got to get working on those FE and kids' gift exchanges!
We decided that each of our children will do their own set of gifts for all the other kids, rather than just 1 per family. That way, if another family has multiple children, they will each get their own "set" of gifts instead of having to share. We'll just do one FE gift per cabin, though. I know what I'm doing for that (kind of my traditional FE "end of cruise" gift when I've done FE's for 3/4 day cruises), so I can let that secret out - It's a cruise CD of songs played onboard, so hopefully, no one else is doing one! If so, please let me know - I can always figure something else out!
I am still trying to lose some more weight for the cruise, already 20 lbs. gone, hopefully another 10 before the trip. So, I am holding out on shopping for some new clothes until the cruise gets closer. Maybe I can even try one of those cute tankinis and get out of my skirted bathing suit (as my DH calls my "granny" suit). Hey - I like that extra coverage! Our formal night outfits aren't quite as formal as others are doing, but all the males (DH, DS14, DS11) will be in Dockers, long sleeve shirts and ties and DD8 and I will be in some type of dresses. I'm really trying to cut back on packing for this trip - With 5 of us, it can really add up! So we'll be in jeans on Pirate Night w/tshirts, again on the first/last nights (with polos/dressy tops), then the males in Dockers w/polos on the other nights and DD and I in sundresses/casual dresses. I'm hoping to only bring 2 pairs of pants for each boy and they can keep them clean for 2 wearings each. Otherwise, I might be visiting the laundry room!
Suz, we were looking at the same logo tees to get for our family! I'm sure we won't be the only ones wearing them, though. I'd love to get the matching shirts/dresses for our whole family, but even with the 25% off, it's still $116. We did another style of those back in 2005 for our
Disneyland trip, but the kids have outgrown theirs! DH and I can still wear ours, though. Count us in as another dork family that likes to dress alike (or at least humors Mom!).
I'm planning on a fruity drink (is it the Sailaway Drink that is half strawberry daiquiri and half pina colada) at the party and I want to dance this time - I'm not getting stuck with everyone's streamers again! My daughter Gina has enjoyed getting emails from Abby and Izzy and I'm trying to talk my sons Patrick (11) and Eric (14) into getting some email buddies, too. We are all really excited about taking a 7 night and getting to do all the extra stuff that doesn't happen on the shorter cruises.
Well, that's all for now! Looking forward to meeting everyone onboard and getting to know you better as the trip approaches.
Rose
