March 5, 2011 - Bushwacker Wild Wild Westerners

[Micday]

Happy Late B-Day Russ!!!


"MicDay.... Wonderful to talk to you too. If I tell DS about the Potter, we may not be able to get you guys on the ship.... We will dress for Pirate night and you will have Potter night. He knows the series as well as you!"

Tink,

Do not even get me started on Potter!! James thinks I'm a nut anyway. You have to see this AWSOME picture thing James got for ME!

It's the spical poster like things the used to make regular posters from. It's the Potter's first movie poster thing........wait for it...............


SIGNED by EVERYONE even Potter and Rowlings herself!!

I LOVE IT!

I'll have to take a picture and post it. Or on your way down South everyone could come here and see it!

Michelle

p.s.
must be the name, I love using smiles too!

 

[Johnna_Story]

I love a good smilie here and there but DH says they give him headaches. So if you post something you really want him to read, make sure you leave the smilies out of it!

There have GOT to be more DIS'ers sailing this cruise...unless we scared them away.

Lurkers- Donna and I are the normal ones. Feel free to just ignore everyone else.

Ciao for now... from freezing West Virginia... Johnna

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Lady Story~
I know how else to get Marks attention......

Just put YANKEES and RED SOCKS on the post.... I will start counting down our cruises with how many seasons of baseball.... (SMILIE HERE... LOL).

Hey Everyone,, did you hear that next to the old ESPN bar they are putting in a Starbucks? (Whoop Whoop Smilie here).....

Ok, now that I have both the attention of Mark & Johnna..... That was so wrong and so not true!!!! (SORRY; Stinky Tinky I guess).

I really hope we have not scared anyone away.... Have you guys heard from Dave & Michael?

 

[LadyOfNawlins]

I am one of the lurkers. We will be on the March 5, 2011 Western Cruise. This will be our first cruise.
LadyofNawlins
Amy & Rich
Elena (9) & Phoebe (6)
Mandeville, LA (just north of New Orleans)
Stateroom 6110

We are very excited and can't wait!

 

[ejkjmom]

I am one of the lurkers. We will be on the March 5, 2011 Western Cruise. This will be our first cruise.
LadyofNawlins
Amy & Rich
Elena (9) & Phoebe (6)
Mandeville, LA (just north of New Orleans)
Stateroom 6110

We are very excited and can't wait!

Although I was not lucky enough to be considered to be one of the "NORMAL" ones in this group ..... I still would like to be one of the first to WELCOME you and your family!!!!

 

[Johnna_Story]

Welcome AMY and family!!

Tink - Dave and Michael are seriously considering it; they are waiting to see if their special rates (you know...some travel agency deal or something...) are going to apply to this curise.

We're hoping to have dinner or brunch with them soon - they're coming to DC... I'll keep you posted.

Ciao for now... J

 

[Micday]

I am one of the lurkers. We will be on the March 5, 2011 Western Cruise. This will be our first cruise.
LadyofNawlins
Amy & Rich
Elena (9) & Phoebe (6)
Mandeville, LA (just north of New Orleans)
Stateroom 6110

We are very excited and can't wait!

Apparently I'm not normal either and let me be the Third family to welcome you!



My BIL's family LOVE your state, I haven't had the chance to visit yet.

Will Elena be 9 during the cruise or is that her current age? My DD (Madison) is currently 10 and will turn 12 the day of the cruise. If you are comfortable with it they ( and anyone's child/children ) could start to get to know each other too. Through emails, safe chats and maybe even phone calls?

Anyone can PM me if they want to set something up.

Side note: Submitted my vacation request tomorrow to get approval then I'll be set! I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Michelle

Michelle

 

[Johnna_Story]

Side note: Submitted my vacation request tomorrow to get approval then I'll be set! I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Michelle

Michelle - you have to submit your vacation request over a year in advance? That seems odd to me... what do you do???

 

[Micday]

Michelle - you have to submit your vacation request over a year in advance? That seems odd to me... what do you do???

I'm a Shift Surpervisor/Receiver for Aldi's. Our department is very small, 6 people small. I also help run it so either my boss or I have to be present. Also I had a HUGE issue about taking time off last cruise ( Tink and BJ know about it ) so I'm just making sure THAT will not happen again!

I get to deal with VERY sleepy truck drivers as I check in the products Aldi sells.

Michelle

 

[LadyOfNawlins]

Elena will be 9 when we cruise. She turns 8 this week.

 

[atinkerbellmom]

I am one of the lurkers. We will be on the March 5, 2011 Western Cruise. This will be our first cruise.
LadyofNawlins
Amy & Rich
Elena (9) & Phoebe (6)
Mandeville, LA (just north of New Orleans)
Stateroom 6110

We are very excited and can't wait!

Ok, How am I "Late" to welcome Amy & Family to our Cruise Family? ( Oh, I forget that is nothing new.)
So here is a Tink Pixie Dust for you and your family....
We are so happy that you posted and that you made US your VERY 1st Post... We welcome and embrace you... Feel free to jump in whenever you can. We promise to not let the "Non-normal" people corrupt you. Remember I am the sane one of the bunch. They all me; needless to say.. Right guys....

Amy, your DD Elena & my DD are the same age. Just a couple of months apart. We for sure have to connect them so that they can exchange e-mails and pictures. She is in 2nd grade correct?

Again, welcome and we are happy to have you. If we ever get off on a subject you do not understand, feel free to ask. We all have a history together and we are more than willing to explain any of the inside history.

Lady Story~ When are they due to come here to the states? Keep me in the loop of what they decide. I guess they will come to the thread if they book.

What was the final $ on the car? Do I dare to ask?

Ask Mark if he liked the post just for him? Or is he still reading that other thread you started?

 

[Johnna_Story]

Lady Story~ When are they due to come here to the states? Keep me in the loop of what they decide. I guess they will come to the thread if they book.

What was the final $ on the car? Do I dare to ask?

Ask Mark if he liked the post just for him? Or is he still reading that other thread you started?

Tink - they are coming later this month. We're still unsure exactly when we'll get together... I'll keep you posted.

The final $$ on the car - close to $4K - OUCH! Any more and it would have resulted in us just buying a new car instead.

Not sure if Mark read your post yet... he's not on here as much as we all are.

Ciao for now!

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Tink - they are coming later this month. We're still unsure exactly when we'll get together... I'll keep you posted.

The final $$ on the car - close to $4K - OUCH! Any more and it would have resulted in us just buying a new car instead.

Not sure if Mark read your post yet... he's not on here as much as we all are.

Ciao for now!

OUCH........... is right... That is a bucket... So sorry... Let's look at some good news of it.... It was not next year, because a pricetag that large may have made Mark cancel the cruise... So close in time to the purchase of the vacation house as well.... Ok, let's get Johnna a car repair fund started... Sorry BJ, we have to put the Bushwacker $ into the car repair fund.
Well tell Mark, that it was very hard for me to type "Yankees" so that post was just for him...

Ok, BRB... 1:15 girl that is waiting for me... She is having a bay, what is my excuse? I was talking to my cruise friends? JS I PMed you.

 

[atinkerbellmom]

OMGoodness.... DS just brought me his lap top with the announcement up that DCL was doing away with the age categories on the ship... I have to be honest..... I am not happy with that.... Maybe it will change back by the time we sail. I just do not like the idea of older kids and younger kids mixing. It was actually the reason we DCL clubs. We liked that it is more like school. When they seperated the younger teens from the older ones, I was giving them many koodles Now this is a step backwards.

 

[Johnna_Story]

Tink - I just read this from someone who experienced it. Personally, at our kids' ages, I don't think it will be that bad, esp. given what she says:

******************************
I have already commented on the other kids club threads but I'll quickly recap our experience from a few weeks ago. We sailed 12/20 on the Wonder and my kids loved the freedom of choosing which activities they wanted. They were able to do some things with their cousins who are close in age but still wouldn't normally be in the same age group.

They choose things that interested them which were in the 8-9 and 10-12 listings on the navigator. There were never any really small kids with them and they never chose to do any activities that were targeted for younger (3-7) kids.

They actually wanted to spend time in the clubs this time around. We were all thrilled to death as were the kids to have the freedom to be with who they wanted to be with and do what they wanted to do.

It was wonderful for us. I know there are lots of concerns with bigger kids crashing the fun for the little kids etc but I didn't see any of that and I do think that the counselors are there to make sure everyone has a good time and is acting appropriately.

********************************

Curious to see how this works out. I think the biggest issue is probably with the 5-10 yr. olds. The 5-7 group then 8-10 groups often do seem like they can be combined to do a lot of the same stuff. I think there are PLENTY of counselors to monitor any issues. Plus - by the time we're there (still over a year away! ) I'm sure any kinks will be worked out.

JMHO...

 

[Micday]

Well, maybe Madison will spend more then an hour in the clubs this time?

Madison did not enjoy the club and stayed with us 99% of the time. I'm not sure if it was the clubs or just she LOVED hanging out with Kaylee. I'm thinking it was Kaylee.

We also had a very sweet young women who helped us out with Madison so we could see a couple of the Adult shows, Thanks Emily! We still owe you for that, also Love the short hair.


News update:

Boss approved the TIME OFF!!!!!!!!!!!


Michelle

 

[3Charbys]

from the 3Charbys to Amy and family! Glad you have you join us!
Yeah for you Michelle! Nice to know that you can go ahead and make those plans to join us!!
Johnna ... ooiieee... $4k that is a nasty unexpected bill especially at this time of year... hugs to you!
I too am looking forward and hoping (fingers crossed) that Lauren will enjoy the club a little more this time. It would be so great to make it out to some of the adult evening activities! (I would hate to miss the YMCA floor show).
I hope that she will just choose to stay with a crowd her age and hopefully as she is an only child being in school will help her develop some social skills that will help her deal with the environment of the clubs. Plus I had the utmost faith in the counsellors, there was one that she graviated towards and was quite excited to see her everytime, (well the few times) we managed get her to stay for a bit!
We are looking at getting out of the deep freeze later this week and the weekend and all next week we should be above freezing. Should make for a very messy dirty SUV but I will take that over the -20s and 30s we have been having since before Christmas! We have all this snow and can't even make snowmen.. how much fun is that???
Hope you all have a great day, I am excited to get Lauren back into school tommorow! Yahoo Mommy time!!

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Wanda~ Since the kids are all mixed together now, maybe Lauren will attach a bit to my DD. My DD little kids. She likes to be the "mama" I think and to help them out. We will see....

As far as the clubs go.... I think we have had good luck with them because our kids had wonderful experiences the first few times they went. Since they have medical issues, I was at first very scared of them going. So when we did first try the clubs with them, we choose activities that they felt they really wanted to do. We did that for several activities and they loved the activites and associated the clubs with having a good time. Now we are the parents that do not leave them there often. Again with the medical issues; especially the food allergies of DD, they eat all three meals with us. We also watch very close the activities that we think may cause issues and pull them out. We would not DREAM of ever leaving them on the ship in the clubs for ANY reason. I do not get how that is okay with some parents; (but to each their own. I guess they feel thier enjoyment is top priortiy and that enjoyment only can happen without their kids ). So, I guess there is a lot of time they are with us (which we like); but enough time away for us to do activities. If Lauren gets comfortable with my DD then maybe she will want to go to the clubs with her latenight for movie time. We will talk it up as a half sleep-over.

Now I have friend who took her kids last year on a cruise with DCL and she says the kids hated the clubs. Well guess what the first activity they joinned in on.... "Dodgeball". Guess they did not read that Navigator close enough.

 

[Micday]

Now I have friend who took her kids last year on a cruise with DCL and she says the kids hated the clubs. Well guess what the first activity they joinned in on.... "Dodgeball". Guess they did not read that Navigator close enough.

Yuck, I hated dodgeball in school! I guess it's because I sucked at it.

 

[atinkerbellmom]

News update:
Boss approved the TIME OFF!!!!!!!!!!!
Michelle

I am for you especially after what happen last time.. Happy he is not being a poop head this time... After all you are really giving him short notice.

Curious to see how this works out. I think the biggest issue is probably with the 5-10 yr. olds. The 5-7 group then 8-10 groups often do seem like they can be combined to do a lot of the same stuff. I think there are PLENTY of counselors to monitor any issues. Plus - by the time we're there (still over a year away! ) I'm sure any kinks will be worked out.

JMHO...

I too am curious to see how it plays out... Just keep me positive and focused and I will try not to turn it into one of my soap boxes. After all, I have other things to worry about right? Like who thinks they can wear jeans or shorts to supper. AND..... how many Bushwackers I can get down BJ this time. AND..... How I am going to order my military uniform for DH for the Village people performace... Hey, I think I better write to DCL AGAIN.... This time to remind them we are coming Villaged prepared and we want the show... Right Gloria? Speaking of... She was just on the television about 15 minutes ago. Recaps from famous performances at the Musical Awards over the past decade. She has nothing on you though Lady Story.

Yuck, I hated dodgeball in school! I guess it's because I sucked at it.

Yeah, can't you see the reason she said her girls hated the club? I did talk to her last night at the hospital as they just got back from a RCCL cruise on the Freedom.