May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 3

[nskjerven]

OMG! That looks like a great party! It looks like a ton of work too....how many girls did you have? AG dolls are huge here still and that looks like a great party idea. I might have to try something like that...but it probably won't be outside. DD's bday is in June, but June here is lovely WA is almost always a yucky rainy month (and cold).

we had a party of 8 (as it was her 8th bday) my rule is the number of kids for how old you are turning. Keeps it manageable for the early years. I think now that she is 10 I will place an up to 10 limit on that idea.

Hey Julie: Nice to see you, I figured you had gone off to some important non Dis location...alas you fell under the laundry I'm sure....

We made the mad rush and almost suceeded only to be caught by the darn pile of socks.....they mulitiply and subtract from themselves when we aren't looking you know.

feeling a bit crabby here tonight...spring in the air it was 84 degrees here and too much clean up required around my house/yard. I feel this way every spring....I wish I had a wand to fix these troubles. But it will take a few weeks of me crabbing at DH and the kids to help, help, help then one major blow up and then we all get the point and get it cleaned up. Hmmmm....perhaps I should take a vacation from myself soon....

 

[been2marceline]

Whew! Had to do a major search for a picture I could copy/paste.

To all you youngsters out there, that is Alejando Rey. He did a bazillion TV shows and lots of movies, like "Fun in Acapulco" with Elvis. He had a great smile, wish I could have found a picture of him smiling.

Smiling or not, he's cute and I remember him very well. Flying Nun anyone??

Karen

 

[calmom]

A few things. First

LAUNDRY - is basically the main reason why I work full-time. By doing so, we have to have a nanny and one of the nanny's jobs is to do all our laundry. I can never quit as I can't stand to do laundry. I had tricked my husband into doing it for years by keep leaving lipsticks in my pockets when doing the wash. The red on his shirts would bother him so he would say "I'll just do it myself." After a few years, he caught on.

BIRTHDAY PARTIES - Craziest I did was my son's 8th birthday. I thought it would be fun to invite some of his friends to a Hockey Game (San Jose Sharks). So we sent out the invite, figuring only few kids would be allowed to go. I thought some parents might not allow their kids to come, so we had a larger invite list. Turned out 18 children (including my 3) RSVP yes! Oh my, it was crazy. Had to get more adults and trying to get the kids to the seats without losing any of them. Talk about anxiety! It was great fun though. We had Sharkie come visit. But I WOULD not recommend it for 8 year olds!

I finally got my thank you cards done from the holidays and such. Great to get that off my list!

Good night for awhile. Have to work on my board meeting that is tomorrow night. ARGG.

Lisa

 

[been2marceline]

In Mexico last month, we lucked into a Sea Turtle Release. It was amazing...there were about 80 baby sea turtles that the foundation had been raising. At dusk, everyone got to take one and put it on the sand and watch these little guys make their way to the water. It was so great.

That sounds so cool!!!

Would love to experience that!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

I'm a certified Birthday Party freak!

Molly's best at home so far was AG spa slumber party. I set up the backyard like a spa; facial and relaxation lounge, hair style station, manicure, pedicure. I staffed the stations with her aunt, another troop leader, our old nanny and hired a friend who does hair to give them a "libby lu" do. Each station had a doll spot too. When they arrived (in their robes per the invitation instructions) we greated them at the door with a little purse and Molly Money (had another friend make money with her face on it, the best was the 8 dollar bill) they made spa slippers and then each got a schedule took 20 minutes at each spot to enjoy and relax....way over board, but beautiful. Best part I found the matching color accoutraments from Target on the clearance section (towels, shower curtains that hung from the overhang to create rooms...) pictures (of the day before set up stage).....

Hair Station

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Mani station

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Pedi station

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facial/relaxation station

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Our group did the little flip flops for both the dolls and the girls as well at our AG party!! Very cool!!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

Nanette,

What a great idea. I think I am done with home parties now. Both my girls have summer birthdays and we always do the pool thing. It turns out to be so much work for me. I will do this one next though if we do it at home. You really did a great job on this!

Nanette,

As you'll notice by my previous post, I don't do parties at home. (Ok, it's a few post after this, as the post got lost!!)
I totally admit to being too intense about mess and other things and having them elsewhere has always been great with very little clean up and prep.

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

Can you tell that I've really missed chatting with all of you...it's great to be back....[/QUOTE]

We're glad to have you back!

Glad your mom is doing better!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

No, not carpel tunnel...about a week before thanksgiving all four of us were in a serious auto accident. We were tboned by a uninsured driver (on a suspended license). She turned left on a green light, erroneously thinking she had a green arrow (we were heading straight) and slammed right into us without even braking. The windows and doors were crashed in and her pickup came to a stop literally inches from Ryan and Mark's heads/faces (Mark was driving and Ryan was the left passenger). Anyway, amongst all our injuries, Mark's was the most involved...he broke his wrist on the steering wheel and he required surgery to put a screw in to attach the two broken bones. It's been a huge ordeal. That's his third cast and it's removable. The first two were not. Hopefully at the end of the month he'll have it off completely. He had his surgery on Jan 5th, so it's been a long, long nightmare. Of course, she went to jail and basically since she has zero money, she's off the hook in terms of her responsibility to us. Garnishing her wages costs a ton of money, not really worth it. It's behind us now, I can't waste my energy on becoming bitter about the situation when I have a wonderful cruise to dream about....

Wise words to live by!! It would be so easy to be mad or bitter.

I'm so glad that none of you were seriously hurt!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

Irish Coffee....now, why didn't I think of that??? You are so right! Cheers!

I finally got the puppy pictures up and I even did it myself with the kind help of others here. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them. And those baby teeth will OUCH you even while they're still in the mouth!

You are so welcome to visit with your fish extender in hand as long as you have a DOD in the other hand. We're GTY5. I will let you know exact room as soon as we know. I hope it doesn't take until we arrive at the port, then how will we let everyone else know??? Maybe we need an on the boat update for all people with GTYs??? Any ideas would be welcome!

I love pictures of other peoples puppies!! (Less mess for me!! )

Karen

 

[LiserAnn]

I'm so glad that none of you were seriously hurt!

Me too! I think that's what kept me from getting bitter...how truly fortunate we were...the police kept saying that over and over. It could have been much worse, thank God, it wasn't! I count our blessings every day!

Well, it's so hot here with low humidity that in Northern Orange County there is a raging fire going on in Anaheim Hills. It was started by a car and it's so windy it took off. The fire dept. had to evacuate 200 homes but it's now 50% contained so the people can go back home. Tomorrow is expected to be warmer, which means continued red flag (high fire) warnings for the OC and Inland Empire. We live at the base of a hilly ecological reserve (called the Santa Rosa Plateau)--we have brush within a few streets of our home, which is unnerving during this heat. Hopefully it will pass so that the brush won't be of fire concern. We lived near Laguna Canyon in 1994 when they had the big fires....it was so terrifying that I have no desire to go through again. There was fire on every ridge surrounding our house...you could feel the heat and see the ashes and embers in the air. Scarey! Hey east coast...send some snow our way!!!

 

[been2marceline]

Hey all! The last of DH family just left and I have to go do laundry before it attacks. Hope you all had a great weekend!!!


Kim

Kim,

I'm on my 7th of 7 loads!! WOOOOHOOOO!!

I've been at it all day along with going to Home Depot to buy a new range as ours has decided that it is done!!

We also bought some roses to put in the front, it was a glorious 77 here today!! (Too hot too soon for me, but that's just me...) We really do need more rain and I just heard on the news that "Mavericks" surfing championships may have to be cancelled because the waves are not big enough!!

Karen

Sorry John and Holly!!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

Oh man, I hate when my laundry attacks! Especially when I have unexpected company. Friday night my bedroom was nothing but PILES of laundry, so there was really nowhere to walk but ON the dirty laundry! SO embarrassing!

(Hmmmm....verging on TMI)

Holly,

Wasn't that the night that you met, was it Alejandro?

HMMMM, more than just TMI, me thinks!!

Karen

 

[nskjerven]

Lisa:

Glad to hear you are safe. The news up here just tells us there is a fire in the Anaheim Hills but not much more. Those santa ana winds and the fires freak me out...they seem so often these last few years. stay safe.

btw, I totally get the no party at home rule...Wilson's are all outta the house. With Molly's most of her friends are very well behaved and don't make many messes so I've been okay with hers to be at home. (okay I'm reliving my life thru my daughter I admit it )

last year for her 9th in keeping with the AG theme we took a girls weekend away for her and 2 best friends and their moms. We stayed at the Four Seasons and enjoyed our shopping, private dinner party and doll hair styling without the boys (each girl has a little brother 6 years old) for the first 2 days, then the boys and the dads joined us for brunch on the last morning. Of course we had one more night for just the family at The Grand CA and Dland to complete the birthday weekend.

we're in a holding pattern regarding making plans for this upcoming #10 as Miss Molly has not written thank yous very timely so her party planning fanatic mother is a bit miffed.

Since the clock says past 11:30pm I think I'll take advantage and go to bed now..nite girls...

 

[been2marceline]

Great pictures Lisa...thanks for sharing. I love BAB, it is such a great place. DD's latest animal is named Tinkerbell Love Heart and of course is dressed in the tinkerbell outfit.
So, does anyone else stress over the birthday parties?! What to do? Where to go? How many kids? DD (5) had hers at Libby Lu in December and that was great, made it all very easy. Now, I have to figure out a party for a 9 year old girl....what to do? Any great party ideas that were easy, stress free and a success?

Ok, little mad at the moment... I had written this really long post about all of the cool birthday parties that we had done for our DD and it froze and lost it!!!

Talk about irritated. Anyhoo, over it...

For our DD's 9th birthday we took her to Q-sar, a laser tag type of place. They serve pizza and have a party room for cake and presents.

For her 10th birthday we rented a 2 room suite at the Residence Inn. One of my best friends stayed with me and 10 girls. We had pizza, cake and ice cream and watched a movie that was on the hotels system that was not yet out in DVD, the Incredibles (still one of my favorites, No Capes!!) The girls slept in the big living room and my friend and I each had our own bedroom. The next morning the girls trudged over to the breakfast room, which is included, had breakfast, and then two more of my friends joined us for a mini-make-over session. The girls had their hair done, nails and make-up done. Great to have the two bathrooms and the kitchen counter for all of the stations. I took pictures (of course!)

For her 11th birthday we did the American Girl spa day at the clubhouse at my friends condo. I had five of my best friends do stations for doll hair, girls nails and toes, girls hair. We had lunch first and the girls made the cute flip flops for the dolls and themselves first. My friends and I also had lunch and wine, of course, while the girls were doing their flip flop project. It was very fun, I'll dig up the pictures.

This year we did the bowling alley. Our place has great birthday packages with 2 games of bowling, food and beverages and a party room for cake and presents. Very fun, and once again, very little clean up!!

We have also rented the clubhouse and done a magician one year and a clown another year.

Hope this helps, sorry it's so long (again)

Karen

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

Now that puppy on the other hand....that looks like a snuggle fest waiting to happen

What a great expression!

feeling a bit crabby here tonight...spring in the air it was 84 degrees here and too much clean up required around my house/yard. I feel this way every spring....I wish I had a wand to fix these troubles. But it will take a few weeks of me crabbing at DH and the kids to help, help, help then one major blow up and then we all get the point and get it cleaned up. Hmmmm....perhaps I should take a vacation from myself soon....

Isn't self-awareness a wonderful thing???

 

[been2marceline]

PC or Mac does not matter for this.

First you have to find a photo hosting site. The DIS has one here,

http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/index.php

You use your same user name and password, and photos must be sized to a certain size before posting (uploading).

Many people here also use photobucket :

www.photobucket.com

Once you have your photo(s) uploaded, it is fairly simple. Right click on the photo wherever it is hosted, and select "copy image address". Then when you are posting here, and are ready to insert your photo, bracket it (put it in between) these two commands . . .

and paste the link you copied when you right clicked where you see the "and" here.

That should do it for you![/QUOTE]

John,

OK, I'm going to give it a try!!

[

It works!!!! Photo bucket actually has the IMG address beneath the picture and you just copy it instead of right clicking!!

This is us, Karen, Alexandra and Ted at the Prime Time Cafe in WDW this past December!!

Thanks John!!!!

 

[been2marceline]

And here we are at Autopia in WDW in December!!

I'm a photo posting fool now!!

John, you have created a monster!!

Thanks again!!

Karen

Even resized them in photobucket!!
WOOOHOOO!!!

 

[been2marceline]

OK, last one!

I love this pictue of our DD in our room by our Mickey Xmas tree this past December!!

Karen

 

[been2marceline]

OK, the post time says that it is 11:05 and it is 12:26!! It is really even farther off since daylight savings time change!!

Just me with my pictures here, so I will return later!!

Karen

 

[LiserAnn]

Karen-you're cracking me up....like a kid in the candy store! I can tell you're tickled that you figured out how to post pictures!!! You guys look like you're having a great time! You're daughter is beautiful! Oh, and I have that very same Brighton wallet but in black (although that pink is pretty darn cute)!!!!