MAGICal Christmas 2008 - December 20, 2008

[nzdisneymom]

I checked and our Cafe Press shirts are Hanes Tagless 6.1.

I love Hanes tagless shirts - they hold up well and last a long time. I'm glad I pulled it out because I've been meaning to take one to work to show my coworker.

I told DH that it is one month til we leave. He is getting really excited about it. I have a feeling that my desire to tell the boys is going to come back soon... yikes - hold me back!

 

[tinkerbell_29]

WOOO- HOOOOOO One more month. We were talking about christmas today at work and i was bragging to the people that I work with that while there up here freezing I would be nice a warm enjoying beautiful weather. I am so ready yesterdya our high was 29 today we had a heat wave it made it to 39. What ever happened to fall?

Lissa

 

[Grandma Latta]

What a great looking CrusinLattas family! I can't wait to see you. Love, Mom/Grandma

 

[nzdisneymom]

Renee - love the family pics. We are hoping to get some good snapshots of the family over Thanksgiving. My SIL often gets great pics without any effort, so hopefully she'll capture a shot of us. We haven't had a good family picture made since Dec. 2005 - on the Magic.

I was reading a trip report today and there was a post about an ice cream shop in Grand Cayman. here is the post - scroll down for the picture / info.

Tenya - thanks for coordinating the Secret Santa - I'm looking forward to the shopping!

 

[minnie1]

All I have to say is- One month from today!!

Angie

 

[nzdisneymom]

Angie - I think you put us all into calendar shock with the one-month reminder this morning

I got our walkie-talkies out a few days ago and found one didn't work but I couldn't figure out how to get it apart to change the batteries. I finally went online tonight and found out from the manufacturer, so we put fresh batteries in and tested them out. I want them for when we go to Castaway Cay because the first day I have an appt at the fitness center and don't want to hold the boys and Gary up from going out on the beach, but I want to be able to find them on the island, so I thought the walkie-talkies would be a great way to catch up once I'm done.

I also finished putting our fish-extender gifts together. My box is overflowing, but I think as things settle and some of the air comes out, I'll be able to keep them all in the same box and just give it to the porter to bring onboard. I was short on self-sticking tags that I was using to put everyone's DIS name / cabin number on them, but in the mail today we got some address labels that came with some self-stick gift tags, so that was my sign to finish things up.

I also need to trim the dowel rod for our fish extender so I can finish getting it set for hanging. I've asked DH to saw off the end so it will be shorter for me. The boys and I are heading out of town for the weekend (it's my mom's birthday) so hopefully he can take care of it this weekend (he has to work and has a commitment at church so he can't go with us).

Wow - this is getting so close!

 

[CrusinLattas]

Well, one month from today will be our first full day on the cruise - I am so ready! It was in the low 30's this morning here and that always makes me want to go to the equator.

I went Wal-Mart shopping yesterday. I got big bows for our doors and stockings for the F/E. They had some cute Princess and Cars stockings that I thought would do well. I think I am going to hang them from the fish with a red ribbon. I also found a really cute princess ornament that should travel well for the exchange – if we are playing and able to steal it is one I want…smile!

Last year before we left on our trip I gave the kids Princess snow globes. I got them at Wal-Mart. Anna gets Snow White and AJ gets Cinderella. This year I got two again. They are even better this year because they have a place for a picture – I am going to put pictures of the kids in there with their princesses they like! This is my project for the next week.

I also got the coolest thing! Polaroid has a little printer that can print pictures from your digital camera or bluetooth from your cell phone pictures! It is pocket size! The pictures are wallet size but how great is that for pictures on the go!

OK – I should probably get to work and try to pay for all the cool things I keep finding! I love the countdown when there is less than a month!

 

[DCLInauguralXmas]

I just wanted to wish everyone a great weekend! And, say that I have really been enjoying all the celebrating because we are within the 1 month mark. I felt like I was so prepared, but now I feel the pressure!!!!

Our high was 23 degrees today...I am so ready to head south!

 

[psharrock]

yipee , only 4 weeks to go

BTW How did anyone order the Xmas tree for their room from DCL?

Paul

 

[xsjackson]

It's a typical Saturday morning here in Washington, cool, rainy, and 5am!!! I have to work job two today and tomorrow and need to drive the 45 min to the gym for an 8am PT appt. Finished all my famlies (6 rooms) FE gifties yesterday, now I need to mail them to my sister in VA because she is driving and I can't fit them in my suitcase.

Someone mentioned cheerleading. My 18yr old traveled for PENN to Cornell last night to cheer a football game today. She said it was like a 5 hour drive, cold and snowy. When I talked to her at 8pm ET, 5pm my time she still had not arrived. I wished her warm thoughts though the chill factor is 10 degrees and more snow predicted. She said they might cheer in their sweats since they have no cold weather cheer uniforms. I told her for the cost of ivy league school and this vacation she better NOT catch a cold because her belly and legs aren't covered! She is sooo conservative i can't believe she wears a cheer uniform that has her whole stomach showing!!!! But I guess since it is the first time she has cheered in her life its part of the excitment of making the college team. She cheered rowing and volleyball last week. Interesting. How do you cheer rowing????

Off to Whistler BC Wednesday after I but my 10th grader on a plane to visit his aunt and cousin in Utah. Lexi, my college freshman is boarding a train to VA to visit another sister for the Thanksgiving holidays. The kids can't wait until next week for their mini trips to see aunts and cousins they will see on the Disney cruise 3 weeks later!

ahhh, better grade some papers or I won't get them finished.

 

[bigedwin]

Hi all!
Are there any current cupons for the Cruise T-shirt site?
We are planning on purchasing soon just in case any discounts are still around.
Ed

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Hi everyone! Hope everyone is having a great weekend. It is cold a snowy here I am so ready for some warm weather. I cancelled our flight and rental car we decided to save the money and drive down. We are going to leave right after I get off of work on the 18th and drive straight through. Thankfully our plane tickets were refundable. I'm not looking forward to the drive but with the refund of the tickets and not paying for a rental car that is a 3000 savings can't pass that up.

Lissa

 

[psharrock]

Hi everyone! Hope everyone is having a great weekend. It is cold a snowy here I am so ready for some warm weather. I cancelled our flight and rental car we decided to save the money and drive down. We are going to leave right after I get off of work on the 18th and drive straight through. Thankfully our plane tickets were refundable. I'm not looking forward to the drive but with the refund of the tickets and not paying for a rental car that is a 3000 savings can't pass that up.

Lissa

Thats certainly a massive saving.

How far is the drive?

I bet travelling down for the cruise will 'fly' by, but I wouldn't look forward to the drive back.

Paul

 

[tinkerbell_29]

With stopping it is normally a 13 hour drive but since we are doing the drive over night it will be less because we will stop less. It means we will get into Orlando way before EPCOT opens we will have to find something to do like going to the Polynesian for breakfast at Kona Cafe and have wonderful pancakes. We will drive back at night to so it won't take as long but no I have always hated ahving to drive back after a vacation it is very sad.

Lissa

 

[tinkerbell_29]

For those of us doing the dolphin excursion i had a couple of questions.
When do we need to leave the ship? Are we going to meet on the ship and leave as a group or meet at the park? How are we getting to the park? Since I'm on my own if we are going by cab would one of ya'll be ok with me going with yuor family. I really do not want to be in a cab on my own.

Since we jsut made all these chnages to the wya we are traveling my mind is working over time. That and I just realized we have three weekends until we leave. My how time flies.

Lissa

 

[dbxazd]

yipee , only 4 weeks to go

BTW How did anyone order the Xmas tree for their room from DCL?

Paul

Paul -
DH and I are going to order the decorations for the stateroom - not the tree.


Woo hoo!!!

Robin

 

[nzdisneymom]

Lissa - that savings sounds like a down payment on some new DVC points (LOL). So you all will drive overnight? Won't you be exhausted when you arrive? I know I would be.

I was also wondering about if we were going to meet on the ship and head over to Chanakaab as a group or if we'd just all meet up over there on our own. I think that we'd enjoy going over a bit early to enjoy the park area and see what's there - once we are done with the Dolphin Encounter, I know the boys will want to head back to the ship, and Gary and I will want to do some shopping in the immediate port area.

If they have the mini-van cabs that would take more than four, you are welcome to go with us - but if they can't take five, we're already four. I know that Nathan would worry if we split up on the way over...

I got our Secret Santa shopping done this weekend and also picked up our magnetic dry-erase boards for inside and outside the cabin door -- so if you all come by our cabin, leave us a msg The inside one we'll use for us and the boys to let each other know where we're going or where to meet up.

I've got to get our business cards done - I think I'll design them over Thanksgiving holidays as well as work on our door signs.

Here's to a productive week / weekend for all of us coming up -- and those who are celebrating Thanksgiving, enjoy it with your families.

 

[minnie1]

Happy Monday everyone!

I got most of FE gifts done this weekend. I just have to add one more thing to the bags and then they will be finished. I have 3 finals and 2 big lesson plans that are due coming up over the next 2 weeks and then I can concentrate on other cruise things. I still have to make my door magnets and my mickey mouse home depot head wreath. I guess it will all get done in the 2 weeks between my school and when we leave, while the girls are in school.

I am trying to make 100 posts before we leave. I guess I will be checking out the board a lot.

Everyone have a great week. I am going to see dd Madison (7) sing at her school today. It is always so cute to see the little ones singing up on stage.

Angie

 

[nzdisneymom]

I am trying to make 100 posts before we leave. I guess I will be checking out the board a lot.

You can do it, Angie - you can do it!

We have a lot of activities between now and leaving for the cruise. One of the things I need to do is check with the hotel for our post-stay because we are doing the KSC package and I need to find out if we can get our passes for Saturday or if they don't give them to us til Sunday -- because if that's the case, I'll need to change our reservations to not include the KSC tix. Because we're going to Kennedy Space Center on Saturday when we get back. I should probably do a little research about ticketing, etc., too.

I had over-bought for the kids for Christmas but my mom gave me some money to shop for her for the boys, so whew - not only have I now not over-bought, I don't still have to run out to get something I do need a day when I can pull things out to sort and wrap when the boys aren't around - or maybe just one evening I'll lock myself in my bedroom. I wonder if I can get enough work done to justify a mental-health day from the office.............

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Cindy we probable will be exhausted when we arrive but we will sleep in late on the 18th before leaving and take turns sleeping in the car. I still plan on going to EPCOT that day. I'm pretty sure adrenalin will kick in once we are there.

We are being hit by winter storm number 3 for the season and it is not even winter yet. Yuck i'm already sick of snow and ready for sunshine. Thankfully only one more day of work before a nice long Thanskgiving break.

Lissa