Colleen... you're so sweet. It really was great to have a new Disney experience. After having been to the parks so often I realize I've become somewhat jaded. It's nice to be able to look at something through newbie eyes and remember the magic again.
Now, as for saying that we're nice people... c'mon girl.. you're going to ruin my reputation!
Okay... on with the trip report.
KC's right... the sailway party was fantastic. As expected based on the videos I've seen on the net, Disney put on a fantastic, high-energy show. But it was the throng of people on decks 9 and 10 that really made it perfect. Everyone was in such a great festive mood (and why shouldn't they be? Every one of them is about to go on the vacation of their lives). Disney gave out these marvelous metallic paper streamers that everyone was waving (so if you're planning a trip don't worry about getting bubbles or anything... they've gotcha covered). I only took a few pictures at the sailaway party and only one really seems to exemplify the party atmosphere so here it is.
Of course, the very best part was hearing that magical horn. For the past 90 days or so, I'd heard it every morning. We went and got lots of those mickey head paint chips from Home Depot and I put one up for each day that we had until we sailed. Each morning the kids (in rotating fashion... those of you with kids know you have to keep it fair
) .. each morning they'd remove a Mickey head as I played the ship's horn on the computer. It was our own personal little cruise advent calendar. But nothing can compare to being on deck among the festivities and counting down from 10 and hearing the really real horn itself. And no, I wasn't crying... I think that was a speck of dust in my eyes. Okay, okay.. I'll 'fess up. I turned to KC and hugged him tight and started crying because it was really, really true and we were really, really there and everything was so perfect.
After the sailaway party we wandered around the deck for a bit and got some shots of us leaving port.
The lighting was so perfect we were able to get this really cool "reflection" shot. The shot was KC's idea... he noticed how solid the reflections were.
Goodbye Port Canaveral.... now bring me that horizon!
After wandering the decks for a bit I decided it was time to get unpacked. KC and I went back down to the room and we told the kids that if they stayed they had to help. Yes, I wanted to get rid of them. Four of us trying to unpack would have been ungodly. So we gave them a time to be back (and they were late, of course) and got the unpacking done. I was surprised at how much storage space there actually was in the room. Of course, the over the door hangars were a great idea I'd picked up here and it helped cut down on the clutter on the desk. But just the sheer amount of closet and drawer space was surprising. We had so many drawers that the Gideon's bible by the bed didn't even have to share with our stuff.
After the boys finally got back and we all dressed for dinner (yeah, the guys and KC hated having to dress for dinner but I was insistant) it was off to Lumiere's. I was so excited and loved everything about it... even the fancy napkin folding.
Of course, the boys had a good time trying to live up to the fanciness of the restaurant.
Here's DS14 being all dignified and refined and drinking with the pinky out.
DS12 looks more like he's got a brandy snifter or something.
Yes, I actually ordered and ate escargot. Let's just say it's not something I'll be ordering in real life (or ever again) but I was able to finish it.
My fine looking boys at dinner
KC and Hypermommy (there, ya happy? A picture of me.... don't expect too many of them
)
I think this was called Croque St. Jacques. Whatever it's called it was delicious.... scallops surrounded by mashed potatoes and all of it baked. I gotta get this recipe becuase it was yummy!
No matter how stuffed you are from dinner, you're not really having a Disney experience unless you get one of the Mickey premium bars, right KC?
After dinner we cut the boys loose again. They were pretty good at making it back in time for curfew... it was just dinner and other meetings during the day that they couldn't get back in time for. KC and I went wandering around the Beat Street area of the ship which is the adults only nightclubs area. We walked into the Rockin Bar D and they were doing some type of contest that involved men wearing bras over their clothes and acting as over the top female as they could. The audience voted via applause at which guy got it best. That looked like a lot of fun.
Then they were about to choose couples for the Match Your Mate contest. I wanted to play really badly but KC was adamantly against it. Just not his type of thing. So we left RBD so we wouldn't get picked. We wandered down to the piano bar but as we were about to walk in we noticed there was no one else there. I mean no one. Okay, maybe there might have been a bartender but that was it. We stopped in the doorway and looked at each other and turned around and left. We both felt that it would be awful to be the only folks in the place and to walk out on the piano player. Since we didn't want to have to insult him by leaving, we just didn't go in. We looked into Diversions for a moment and checked out the stuff in the duty free store but then we wandered back to Rockin Bar D.
By this time they'd selected their contestants and the game was on. This game is like the old Newlywed Game on tv except for the RBD version they pick a couple who's been married the shortest (we had honeymooners on the cruise so it was them) and the couple who's been married the longest and then someone in between. I don't remember all the questions (even though I was answering them for us in my head) but two will forever be etched in my memory. One was when they asked what's the most unusual place you've ever "discovered the magic". The newlywed couple agreed that it was in the dressing room at KMart. Okay... now that just gives new meaning to the whole idea of a blue light special.
But I think the best answer of the night was when they asked the wives what the first thing their hubby grabbed, poked, pressed or prodded was in the morning. The new couple and the mid couple both agreed that it was the alarm clock. But the older couple, now here's a man after KC's own heart. He very calmly and elegantly replied "well... I've always been a bust man." That brought the house down!
After the RBD we went and got the bottle of champagne out of the room and took it out to deck 9's smoking area to enjoy. I've never been much for champagne but it's KC's celebration drink of choice. I had some -- I guess I must have had too much. It was wonderful sitting there with him out on the open ocean and enjoying the peace and quiet. But after we went to bed at 1:30 AM, I had a terrible night. I was up several times during the night getting sick. At first I thought it must have been seasickness but it didn't happen again (although don't let anyone tell you that you don't feel the motion of the big ships because you do, you do, you do). But since I didn't get sick the rest of the trip I'm guessing it must have been the champagne. It was still worth it ... just think of what a lucky girl I am to be sitting out on deck watching the ocean go by with this marvelously wonderful man at my side. Man, life doesn't get any better than this, that's for sure.
Next up from me... Early Morning Onboard
I am lovin this tr. 
I'll just say that I'm glad you've quit again. Now talk to your wife. We need this comedic genius around for a long time. OK, I'm stepping off my soapbox. Thank You.
