May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 5

[birkner]

It is so nice here. We had a great time visiting friends in Tahoe City last night and seeing the fireworks from their home owner association's beach. The kids had a blast running around - I think there was a total of 21 children under 13. Today we have stayed by the pool at Old Greenwood. http://www.tahoemountainclub.com/index.cfm?event=club_amenities&id=78 My parents have one of the fractional ownership for 4th of July and then we share one for President's week. Between the two ownerships we get 6 weeks plus available "spontaneous time." It is really nice - if anyone is local and want us to refer you let us know. They give you I think 3 free nights and then ask that you listen to their pitch (although we never did - it was very low key). You can PM your full name and I can leave it with them tomorrow. We are unfortunately having to go home tomorrow and go back to reality. Some day I would like to have summers off completely just to play with the kids. But for now, mortgage, taxes, and Disney cruises need both our incomes!!

I think we will ship as well - I wonder if there is a place in LAX to send things back??

I still can't get United SFO-MCO under $390 one way. CRAZY! There are other flights, but non direct. We HAVE to have direct - with 4 young boys I do not want to get off until I'm in Florida!
Lisa

I am going to take United from SF. I think the flight is 292 or something like that. We are going home on Sunday.

 

[birkner]

Happy Belated Anniversary Noel . . . glad to see you back.

Thank you. I am glad to be back!!

V, I know you haven't flown much . . . they weigh your bags at the check in counter. I have not yet checked on Frontier's policies - every airline has different limits.

From the Frontier airlines website:
What can you take onboard? What do you need to check?

We allow each ticketed passenger to check up to two pieces of baggage free of charge, with some size and weight restrictions. We allow each passenger to board with one piece of carry-on baggage and a personal item, such as a handbag or small tote. The total dimensions of your carry-on bag can't be more than a total of 49 inches (length + width + depth) and it can't weigh more than 35 pounds. It must fit underneath the seat or in an enclosed overhead bin.


Alex (our son) is having a great time in London, he says it has been an awesome trip. He is going to try and make it to Bath over the weekend. He made friends with a bunch of Canadian kids at the hostel, and I am afraid has gotten used to the lower drinking age . . . (he is 20).

I am so glad to hear that Alex is having a wonderful time in London. London is one of my most favorite cities in the world!!

Finally got to use someone's wi-fi here who left it on. Missed talking to all of you over the week. If I get a chance, I will post some photos later.

I absolutely loved the pics of Sophia and her cousins. What darling matching dresses in that one picture!!

 

[JLSE50]

Jan, I'll read that out to John and see what he says!!! You are very inventive and have got me thinking about what I could do myself. Me, a pirate wench with John, in normal smart trousers and shirt!!! I might get him to put on the bandana if everyone else does though.

When we went on the Halloween 2002 cruise we traveled with college friends. On Halloween I dressed as Snow White, DH as the Prince-King, our friend as Malificent and her DH as "A retired engineer on vacation." He spent the whole cruise dressed as a retired engineer on vacation.
Jan

 

[granmaz]

When we went on the Halloween 2002 cruise we traveled with college friends. On Halloween I dressed as Snow White, DH as the Prince-King, our friend as Malificent and her DH as "A retired engineer on vacation." He spent the whole cruise dressed as a retired engineer on vacation.
Jan

That would be John!!!! I am hoping he sees the folk dressed up on our December cruise and think it might not be too bad, but I'm not getting my hopes up.I will probably sneak a few basic pitate things in the case and see what happens!

 

[JLSE50]

That would be John!!!! I am hoping he sees the folk dressed up on our December cruise and think it might not be too bad, but I'm not getting my hopes up.I will probably sneak a few basic pitate things in the case and see what happens!

Sounds like a good plan. Maybe during the days preceeding Pirate Night you can ask people at your dinner table or on excursions if they are dressing for Pirate night. If they are--great, if they never thought of it, you will have ideas of how they can make it work which they might like. Either way it might get contagious for John.

Jan

 

[pjpoohbear]

When we went on the Halloween 2002 cruise we traveled with college friends. On Halloween I dressed as Snow White, DH as the Prince-King, our friend as Malificent and her DH as "A retired engineer on vacation." He spent the whole cruise dressed as a retired engineer on vacation.
Jan

I think I will like this DH as much as those I met on my last cruise.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

John, the pictures of Sophia and her cousins looked darling....and the beach and the water looked inviting. Does Amy's sister Sara live in Atlantic Beach or are you all just meeting up there? It looks like another beautiful spot in the world and I'm going to have to make John take me there for a trip!

So glad Alex is enjoying London and is staying safe. Glad he met some good friends to share it with. You'll get details of all the stories when he gets back home....maybe he'll let you share a picture or two on here....we would love to see some.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

We're supposed to be leaving in a half hour to go see fireworks tonight....but the sky is threatening thunderstorms....trying to decide if we should just go anyway or cancel. We're meeting mom and ray and sandi and joe and tom and kris.

.....decisions, decisions.....

Did any of you reality junkies out there catch Big Brother last night.....I LOVE the new twists this year....looks like it's going to be a fun summer. Then they added BB After Dark on Showtime2 everynight. Gotta love it!

OK, I think we should go for it....even if we get rained out, I'll at least get a funnel cake out of the ordeal....that'll be worth it. Gotta go get ready. Cya later.

 

[Jhalkias]

John, the pictures of Sophia and her cousins looked darling....and the beach and the water looked inviting. Does Amy's sister Sara live in Atlantic Beach or are you all just meeting up there? It looks like another beautiful spot in the world and I'm going to have to make John take me there for a trip!

So glad Alex is enjoying London and is staying safe. Glad he met some good friends to share it with. You'll get details of all the stories when he gets back home....maybe he'll let you share a picture or two on here....we would love to see some.

Deb,

Amy's sister lives in Williamsburg VA, about a 5 hour drive from here. It is 11.5 hours for us. It is very nice here, we have been coming here (other than two years when we splurged on a house up by Hatteras) since Alex was 3 years old. Seventeen years . . . seems like yesterday. They call this North Carolina's "Crystal Coast" . The one thing that is really neat about this barrier island is that it is right after North Carolina reaches it's furthest Eastern Point, and recedes, so the island, rather than facing East/West, faces the Atlantic due South. The sun rises over the Atlantic here, and sets in the Atlantic, traveling directly overhead from one end of the island to the other.

You may have also heard of Emerald Isle. It is the community on the other end of this same island.

 

[pjpoohbear]

Did any of you reality junkies out there catch Big Brother last night.....I LOVE the new twists this year....looks like it's going to be a fun summer. Then they added BB After Dark on Showtime2 everynight. Gotta love it!

BB is my guilty pleasure in the summer. We don't get Showcase 2 up here, that would be interesting to watch, lol.

 

[gouodux]

Uh, oh . . . . . . have had a few minutes to play around. It is picture time!!

Jenna's piano recital:

Part of the dance recital - Jenna hip hop (at home afterwards)

Kayla's first ballet recital - she was very excited!

 

[gouodux]

Dana Family reunion - Eden, Utah

Kayla and Jenna horseback:

 

[gouodux]

Kayla and her cousin Ruby

Jenna working on a card all the family made for her Air Force Uncle who is in Afghanistan.

Kayla with Daisy

 

[gouodux]

Wake up!!! Last one . . . . .

Some of the "GIRL" cousins

New "BOY" cousin Andrew

Bottle of wine from the "Wings of Heroes" gala that Dad was invited to

 

[Jhalkias]

Great pictures!

 

[pjpoohbear]

Your family makes adorable kids. Wow!

 

[JLSE50]

When we went on the Halloween 2002 cruise we traveled with college friends. On Halloween I dressed as Snow White, DH as the Prince-King, our friend as Malificent and her DH as "A retired engineer on vacation." He spent the whole cruise dressed as a retired engineer on vacation.
Jan

I think I will like this DH as much as those I met on my last cruise.

If you mean you will enjoy meeting the "retired engineer on vacation" sorry to disappoint you, he will not be with us. They went on the Panama Canal in 2005.

gouodux: lovely kids!! Thanks for the photos.

Jan

 

[kimerinc]

Hi All!

This is what I do all the time now.... I am a skating mom.

 

[Jhalkias]

Hi All!

This is what I do all the time now.... I am a skating mom.

Sophia just came back from her cousin's condo and got to see her friend! Great picture Kim!

 

[kimerinc]

Sounds like everyone is having a great holiday week! Keep drinking, the heat wave is on!

V - just for you, I actually got a survey from the state auditors on how i felt my audit went. I was professional and honest, I did have mean thoughts, but I did not share them....

Kim