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

[UKANGEL]

Had a great birthday this past December. We were in WDW and I had several days with my Birthday Button on. Happy Birthday was said to more than I can ever remember in my life!!

What a great way to celebrate a birthday, with DISNEY!!!

Have a magical day!!

Karen

You won't beleive this.....we were in WDW that week too for my Birthday.....I had my Birthday badge on too! The night of the 22nd we stayed at the Grand Floridian and Mark organised a day at the wonderful spa for me, then we had dinner at the V & A It was amazing!

Just think...we could have celebrated together!

It is an evil invention of a giant rat, formulated to make parents lose their minds . . .

thanks....got it!

 

[Jhalkias]

so the game has started and they are still here. I left to get some Hooter wings which are going to be ruined in the oven. FIL took John to Home Depot to get something...just ruins the whole Sunday sitting around.

Sunday is the only day we have to ourselves too, and I just hate it when something messes that up. And yes, we like just staying at home too - whether just sitting around, or getting the house cleaned up like Amy and I did today.

At least your's call V . . . Amy's mom usually just stops over, and walks right in like she did today (I need to take away that garage door opener). I could be walking around in my skivvies, and in walks MIL.

 

[clynne]

reckon Mum & dad got it right by the time my sister was born a few years later....she was born on June 14th!!!

Good day for a birthday! That's my DDs birthday, too. It's Flag Day here, so she'll always associate red, white and blue with her birthday. It's usually close to the last day of school, the fun week, and almost always on Red, White and Blue day. She gets to make up in festivities for my birthday.

Carolyn

 

[amesmom]

Never heard of December as the forgotten month for birthdays, but it sure makes sense. I feel for you, with an early January birthday here, don't know how many people have forgotten it (hangovers??) or how many times my mom used the excuse at Christmas, "This is for Christmas AND your birthday!" People are just kind of party-ed out by 1/5! (Personally, I kind of like it as I don't tend to like all the fuss!)

Carolyn

Is your birthday January 5th? So is mine! I wished I had a summer birthday when I was a kid, but now I'm with you. I don't like all the fuss either. I don't really need anything and I always feel like I'm having to come up with ideas of presents for loved ones to give me. Just give me some $$ for more Disney vacations! But that sounds so crass.

 

[Jhalkias]

CEC, I went as a child...and I took Samantha to a birthday party....what a madhouse...I had the worst headache when leaving there...but ours is in Bradenton and there isn't one in Sarasota, so that was the one and probably only time we'll make it there.

Another fan of the rat - NOT!

 

[fourmcds]

Well, got home from the IL's to 15 or so pages...trying to catch up before I go and redo the pantry (went to the $300.00 store on our way home, spent $340!!! )

Yes, I hate when I'm stuck talking to myself....but at least I didn't answer myself or quote myself. That would have been pretty sad!

I agree that everybody's probably out celebrating! I would be too if I could.

Yesterday night the very good friends of our friends were killed by someone who attacked them from another car with firearms. Apparently 45 caskets were found inside their car. As of now it looks like it was a revenge (the both come from very rich families, Peralta and Lopez Portillo) because of the way they were killed.

They leave a 4 year old boy and an almost 2 year old baby girl. My heart is breaking for them.

How tragic. Stories like that just break my heart

OOh I love Friendly's Happy Ending sundaes - mint choc chip ice cream w/hot fudge ( we dont' have Friendly's in CA, no Cracker Barrel's either...)

.

We don't have Friendly's in WA either, loved going there in HS after the movies! Strange how you forget places like that until someone mentions them. Like Bennigan's....used to eat there all the time when I would visit my college roomie in NY state.

 

[Jhalkias]

You know, most of the other women here, probably have NO idea what you're talking about! Including me. Are you still talking basketball? Our few men here (is it 3?) need to come back so you'll have somebody to talk to about the game! Sorry!

March Madness is on channel lock here at our house . . .

I am lucky, I married a woman who likes sports too - she yells more than me at the games! Last Basketball game we were in the second row from the court, this game, they put us in the first row. Amy thinks because no one wants to sit in front of her when she yells!

 

[clynne]

Is your birthday January 5th? So is mine! I wished I had a summer birthday when I was a kid, but now I'm with you. I don't like all the fuss either. I don't really need anything and I always feel like I'm having to come up with ideas of presents for loved ones to give me. Just give me some $$ for more Disney vacations! But that sounds so crass.

Yep!! It's so close to Christmas and New Year's that my own mom has forgotten it SEVERAL times. It's amazing I don't have issues...oh, wait...I probably do...

As for gifts, DH cashed a work reimbursement (we'd already paid the bill) and put it in an envelope with the gifts from the kids and told me to "put it in the cruise fund!" I'm not above a cash pay off!

Carolyn

 

[amesmom]

Thanks Noel! I told my aunt I had asked the people on this site and she started to cry. She has pretty severe MS and this just makes her so happy!

I placed my vote!

 

[fourmcds]

still working on catching up....remind me never to leave the laptop at home again

I'd rather buy new clothes than iron them or wear them wrinkled!

A woman after my own heart!!! I read on a DCL trip report recently that somebody went out and bought everyone in the family 10 new pairs of undies so she didn't have to do laundry on the cruise!!!! Totally something I would think about doing.

Those of you who said you would vote for my sweet cousin. You can vote now at www.Missusa.com. She is Miss Utah.
Kim

done! Good luck to her.

One of the points Julie mentioned in her post is that the family that was killed did not have a will. I believe it is imperative that every family have a will and Living Trust. It is so much easier if you start making them at a young age and review them once a year.

I was a young widow at 29 and if it weren't for the planning we did when we first got married, I would have been in very serious financial shape.

Just a word to the wise......

Totally agree with this statement. We did ours about 4 years ago.

 

[Jhalkias]

I know John1 will disagree...but I would love an all SEC final four....


us
Vandy
Tennessee
Kentucky



SWEET!

Up until that point I was cheering for the Gators (thinking you were cheering for our Buckeyes) . . . and so was Amy, now we have to change our allegiance.

Go BUCKEYES!​

Methinks a little REVENGE for football might be in order if the Buckeyes meet the Gators in this thing!

 

[amesmom]

We are in Utah. I asked her why this timing thing was so important when clearly comprehension is so much more important. She thinks it is stupid too and can really think of no reason to give me why this is important right now. The test is called Diebels. They all have it 3 times a year. I can basically see no value to it at all.

Kim

This is the exact same test we do here in Iowa, 3 times a year. If it helps at all, DS9 was very slow to start reading and always scored low. He was given special reading help in first grade, and then something just clicked and he took off. Now he's a reading demon. Of course, if it's nerves that are causing DD's problem, then that's another story altogether. As I said in a previous post, DS9 still has issues with his timed math tests. We just practice and hope for the best. He also thinks he is stupid no matter what I tell him. It's frustrating for us moms when we can't seem to fix something.

 

[clynne]

I am lucky, I married a woman who likes sports too -

Hey, now, don't equate not liking sports with not liking basketball. I like sports, in moderation. I just can't stand those squeaking shoes!

(It does come full circle back to shoes, doesn't it?)

Carolyn

 

[Jhalkias]

What a beautiful day! Sure, only 36 degrees, but bright sun, blue skies with only a few clouds. Had a short bike ride so Tyler could get some fresh air and get that biking urge out of his system. Too cold to go more than a couple blocks though because the wind is chilly. Brrrrr! I can see he'll need tons of practice this summer! He doesn't like having training wheels, but he's still so uncoordinated, has no sense of balance, tips over ALL the time, even with training wheels! Can't get started or keep pedalling if there's a tiny upgrade in a part of the sidewalk. No way could he handle a bike without training wheels when he can barely ride with training wheels! I don't want to discourage him, but.....for pete's sake! I told him if he practices every day and gets to where he's able to ride with training wheels more than a couple feet without tipping over, maybe by the end of summer he'll be ready. But he's only 4....and aren't most kids closer to 6 before you take training wheels off?

Sophia still has hers on. I think someone could make a lot of money with a service to teach kids how to ride. I would pay.

Sunny here too, but when I took the dog for a walk it was COLD! Very windy!

 

[HollyTyler]

March Madness is on channel lock here at our house . . .

I am lucky, I married a woman who likes sports too - she yells more than me at the games! Last Basketball game we were in the second row from the court, this game, they put us in the first row. Amy thinks because no one wants to sit in front of her when she yells!

You're sure lucky! I'm feeling even sorrier for whatever guy gets stuck with me: can't cook, can't sew, don't like sports. What else can we add to the list?! Yikes! Well, I'll try to take an interest in sports if whatever guy I end up with will go play bingo with me once a week! Sounds like a fair trade!

 

[kimerinc]

Holly - that is fantastic what you and your ex are doing for your son. Divorce is a tough situation, my mother is working on her third and she couldn't have been more bitter throughout each one of them. I would have loved for everyone to get along. To this day I still have seperate "parties" (birthday, xmas, tgiving) because she is unable to deal with my dad rationally.

V- I am so sorry! That can really destroy a kids childhood. I think you are probably making up for it raising those 2 adorable girls in such a happy home!

 

[Jhalkias]

You're too funny! You'll probably faint when I tell you we go about once a week!!!!!!!

 

[clynne]

altogether. As I said in a previous post, DS9 still has issues with his timed math tests. We just practice and hope for the best. He also thinks he is stupid no matter what I tell him. It's frustrating for us moms when we can't seem to fix something.

After DS8 learned his counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's (don't they call it skip counting, now?), I just had him start learning to count to 20 by 3's, then 4's, etc. That way, when he started multiplication, it would be easier. If he ever gets stuck, I just tell him to count by 7's. Yes, it takes longer than knowing the multiplication fact off the top of his head (I'd say that would be preferable), BUT he knows why 7 times 8 equals 56. It's 7 groups of 8 or 8 groups of 7. In the long run, I'd have to think knowing why is better than just knowing. (Oh, and there are some fun songs with the facts in them for pure memorization. We have a schoolhouse rock one...you could play it at night while he's sleeping...)


Carolyn

 

[fourmcds]

My goodness, what a lot there was to catch up on today!!!!

Well, we went to London yesterday, my sister and I and our Mum. had a lovely time all 3 of us and decided we really don't do it often enough.

If anyone goes to London and Harrods, do try their afternoon tea in the Georgian Restaurant. It's really wonderful! Felt extremely civilised to be drinking champagne and hvaing tea, sandwiches, scones & cakes I think Mum really liked her surprise so I'm please.

While we were in town we saw a great parade by the Irish Guards outside Buckingham palace too, as we drove by in our taxi. That was an added bonus! (We kidded Mum it was just in her honour of course!)

I'm a little sad today so could do with a hug or 2 as my 'baby' is n't here to wish me a Happy Mother's day, for the first time ever. She's still over in germany on her college trip, hopefully having a blast.

OK...back to catching up.......

Here's a few hugs, a bit late. I know what that feeling is like (from the other direction) I am an only child and my mom was divorced when I was young, so we were very tight. When we lived across the country from eachother, holidays like that were hard.

Never heard of December as the forgotten month for birthdays, but it sure makes sense. I feel for you, with an early January birthday here, don't know how many people have forgotten it (hangovers??) or how many times my mom used the excuse at Christmas, "This is for Christmas AND your birthday!" People are just kind of party-ed out by 1/5! (Personally, I kind of like it as I don't tend to like all the fuss!)

Carolyn

My birthday is 5 days before Xmas and DH is 2 days after. The rule in our family is when my DH asks "When is your birthday again? " I reply "A week before yours, you forget mine, I forget yours!!

Noel

DD's bday is dec 22. I tried really hard to have her earlier, but she wasn't cooperative and my midwife wouldn't let me go into labor any earlier I felt so horrible for not "planning" her bday better. I usually have her party in November, just to give her some space from the holidays. At the age of 5, she doesn't understand it yet, but I am sure as she gets older she will feel the frustration of a december bday!

 

[HollyTyler]

A woman after my own heart!!! I read on a DCL trip report recently that somebody went out and bought everyone in the family 10 new pairs of undies so she didn't have to do laundry on the cruise!!!! Totally something I would think about doing.

This totally reminds me of something I did on my last cruise, but didn't put it in the trip report. I purposely took all my old underwear that I would have been throwing away soon anyway, same with some clothes too, so that I could throw out a bunch of stuff before coming home, leaving more room in the suitcase for souvineers and other new stuff. Well, I did do laundry at one point, and threw away a bunch of old stuff in the laundry room. Then on the last night, as I was packing, I threw all that old underwear away in the garbage can in our room. We went to dinner, out to have other fun, etc. At the end of the night, when we all returned to our room for the last time, we found that when the room steward cleaned our room, he took all those underwear out of the garbage can and put them on my bed! We were just dying laughing at what that poor guy must have been thinking as he was fishing ratty old underwear out of the garbage can! I'm cracking up laughing as I'm typing this!