May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 9

[HollyTyler]

I remember visiting the Vatican as a teenager. VERY amazing to see.

 

[HollyTyler]

OK...Depsite getting a 3 hour nap today, I'm wiped out. Have to get up in 8 hours to drive out of town to my mom's, then my dad's, then back to town to pick Tyler up from his dad's. Busy day. Need lots of sleep to make it through. Goodnight all!

AND......

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

 

[calmom]

Drive by post.....


MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Lisa

 

[1Grumpy John]

I checked into the hotel in Bethlehem, PA....yes John1...and realized that I brought my new ibiza without the head phones. So I couldn't play with that like I had planned. I was waiting for John to meet me there after work. I intentionally didn't bring my laptop coz I knew John would have his....hence, it's me using his login. So I checked out the movies and places to eat dinner and John arrived about an hour after I got there.

We went out to dinner and it was great. We drove down main street Bethlehem, where mom's moseleum is and wished her a merry christmas. We stopped and took pics of the lights in town.....you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see them coz I didn't bring the connector thing to DL pics to the laptop.

When we got back to the hotel, we went for a dip in the hot tub. We were the only ones there and it was nice. Then we went back to the room and watched Knocked Up because we wanted to see a good comedy and laugh. It was pretty funny.

Now, I'm checking in on here and John is channel surfing.

We'll get some breakfeast here in the morning then we'll head back home. The worst is over for me and I can look forward to tomorrow. For the most part it was a good christmas eve....it just got a little rough when we passed the moseleum....but that's ok too.....I was still with mom on christmas eve....well in the same town anyway. How nice to think that she'll always be in Christmas City.

 

[1Grumpy John]

John1 and V....nice to have the two of you back. We have really missed you!!!

V....I can't believe your stamina.....you just keep going and going like the energizer bunny. You're amazing.

John1....it's good for you to finally get some time off and be home with your family.

Holly....I loved seeing your christmas with Tyler....he looks like he had a fun time. Glad you get to spend some time with your family too.

Noel....A much much better day than yesterday I would say. Glad your family is now all together again.

Marilyn....brace yourself for the chaos to come.....but oh what fun!

Kaylee....take pics of the girls faces when they realize they're going on this cruise....have a blast with them and the scavenger hunt!

Angie.....I hope Dr. Hug makes it home safely and quickly so you can be together again. That's such a nice thing for him to do for your family.

Everyone else....thanks for the sweet christmas wishes.....hope you all enjoy yours too.

I love hearing everyone's christmas stories, keep them coming. We're all having such a merry little christmas.....it's nice to share.

 

[1Grumpy John]

Ginamarie....they have the yule log in Bethlehem.....it's on right now.....John went to bed....and it reminds me of my youth growing up.....we had it on in the house every christmas eve while we opened presents. It's comforting to have it on tonight.

 

[granmaz]

Good morning everyone and a Happy Christmas.

Holly, loved the pictures, thanks.

Noel, glad everyone is there safely now even though it was such hard work!!!!

Deb, thanks for logging in and sharing your Christmas Eve.

Have a great day all.

 

[HollyTyler]

Here's a cute story I forgot to share from yesterday. I looked out my kitchen window at some point and saw big bootprints in the snow (we only had a dusting of snow) and realized the mailman must have delivered, so on our way out to the stores I went to check the mail. While I was checking the mail, Tyler was checking for reindeer hoofprints on the roof. We had no snow on the roof, so he didn't see any, but when he saw the mailman's bootprints, he said, "Hmmmm.....I see your footprints and they're right there, the smaller ones are mine, so WHO could have made those GIANT bootprints?! They HAVE to be Santa's boots!" He was so excited and was so sure they were Santa's footprints, it was just so cute! He thought they might be his dad's footprints coming over to trick him, but he says he knows his dad's feet aren't that big.

THANK GOODNESS FOR A MAILMAN WITH GIANT FEET AT CHRISTMAS TIME!!!!

 

[HollyTyler]

Another cute story: Tyler's not one who likes hugs and kisses...never really has been. He gets really irritated. Well, when I dropped him off at his dad's, as I left, I asked him if I could have a big goodbye hug and he ran across the room to me and said, "Oh yes! ESPECIALLY at Christmas!" and gave me the biggest hug in the world! And a bunch of kisses too, which is uncommon for him.

 

[lillygator]

Good morning!
Merry Christmas everyone. We are watching the Dinsey parade.....how fitting!
Samantha opened up battleship and it was the back and she said, oh finally my own laptop!

 

[gydell]

I hope everyone is having a nice Christmas as ours is winding down. I had requested a quote for the private villa in Cabos and DCL responded today. For anyone that would like a last minute gift for someone the price for 4 hours is $2200. You can have up to 12 people so feel free to invite us as your guest!

 

[nskjerven]

Merry Xmas everyone

We are all unwrapped and well fed and now just hanging out. Soon off to the movies we are going to see National Treasure.

Glad to hear all you checking in and saying Hi !

We are all feeling like the cruise is now just around the corner

I hope everyone is having a nice Christmas as ours is winding down. I had requested a quote for the private villa in Cabos and DCL responded today. For anyone that would like a last minute gift for someone the price for 4 hours is $2200. You can have up to 12 people so feel free to invite us as your guest!

While $2200 isn't cheap this really isn't that bad a price per person, ~$184 as far as excursions go. I wonder how they plan on renting this out. I assume it will have to go to one ressie/group, what if they booked it for multiple people and you didn't like who was there with you???


Gotta get ready for the movies. Hope everyone is still enjoying the rest of your day

 

[gydell]

While $2200 isn't cheap this really isn't that bad a price per person, ~$184 as far as excursions go. I wonder how they plan on renting this out. I assume it will have to go to one ressie/group, what if they booked it for multiple people and you didn't like who was there with you???

One person rents it and it's up to that person to invite who they would like up to 12 people total. And my understanding is that you can go ahead and book it now, They also have what they call signature tours that you can pre-book.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Christmas is coming to an end.....we did everything we planned to do, we said goodnight to everyone with us and we're just chilling at home now. John is watching yet another christmas movie and I'm here.

Santa brought me a mickey kissing minnie under the miseltoe pin and the miseltoe moves, more tink tee shirts and tops, more tink slippers and 2 beautiful tink statues....and some other clothes. I got a football jersey for the giants #80 shockey....in the big blue color....oh, I also got a white gold bangle bracelet with diamonds.....nice. Santa was really really good to me.

Santa brought John PC games, movies, clothes, slippers and a dragon calendar....he loves dragons, especially figment...hence his avitar. But he has a big surprise coming for his birthday early Jan....actually two big surprise gifts.....and I'm not telling coz he reads these posts....we'll have to wait and see.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

What did everybody else get? Did anybody get anything Mickey?

 

[EllaEnchanted]

Sorry, but I can't share pics of the Bethlehem lights from last night....not one of them came out good....we even took pics of the Bethlehem star sitting high on a mountaintop and that didn't come out either. Not the right camera for lights at night.....but they were so breathtakingly beautiful....the whole city on main street was lit up and lots of old estate homes were decorated and the surrounding area houses get carried away....one had a lighted working ferris wheel and a big blow up of Mickey and Tigger. It was really nice.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

One person rents it and it's up to that person to invite who they would like up to 12 people total. And my understanding is that you can go ahead and book it now, They also have what they call signature tours that you can pre-book.

I think that $185 pp is not unreasonable for a luxury excursion for a couple without any children....when you start adding kids it gets expensive in a hurry. For just me and John, it would be a good deal. If I had ever been to Cabo before, I would jump on it. But since this will be my first time there, I want to see other things.

I love the excursions because you're city or island hopping and one is so different from another one....I want to see them all. I want to do the water and I want to do the land everywhere I go. I usually pick only one per place and then have to go back again.

Let me go to Cabo two or three times then I would jump on an opportunity to do the condo excursion. It was worth it to me to get the hotel rooms at Atlantis. We did actually use our room for a short while and I would do it again if I went back there. But we're probably not going to take any more short cruises. Once was enough and once with the family was enough. I like the 7 night or longer specialty cruises and I like just me and John going together, but friends are always welcome to join us.

 

[disneylover5]

Well, the saga continues with a phone call from DD Jennifer at 11:45 am on Sunday morning to let me know that they were stirring. I was still comatose but decided I better get up and get moving. Staggering to the shower, it took me at least 10 minutes to fully wake up under a steady stream of water.

Next thing on the agenda was to call DH since he should already be at airport and no phone call. Call his cell phone and no answer. Call the hotel and have them ring the room, no answer. About now I am completely freaking out that he is still sleeping and going to miss this flight when the cell phone rings and it is DH! He has bags checked, gone through security and flight is on time!! HOOORAY!!

DD's Jen and Samantha call and say they are on the way to pick me up to go grocery shopping and to get some clean clothes for Pete. Doesn't that sound fun? NOT!! They pick me up and we spend the next two hours buying out the grocery store to the tune of $400. and three carts.

After unloading, DD Samantha makes lunch and I am told our next mission is to go shopping for a swim suit for GD Aspen and Rash Guard shirt for Pete. Next two hours are spent in a dressing room with GD who can not decide which suit she wants. Finally a decision is made and we can go home!!

At this point, I am blitzed and I want to sleep but can't because still have to pick up DH at 10:00 PM. Can't have a glass of wine either because I have to drive!! So everyone goes swimming or into the hot tub and I type on the computer for a bit.

DD Samantha comes upstairs at 9:30 and we are off to the airport. All goes smoothly with DH's flight and he is off the plane and has his bags by 10:25 PM. We drive back to the Dolphin and DD Samantha drives back to condo.

After unpacking DH's suitcases and plugging in all electronic gizmo's, we are ready for bed by 12:40 AM.

Much better end to this day.

Sounds much better.....glad your vacation is on the way!!

What did everybody else get? Did anybody get anything Mickey?

I got Mickey Socks!!

 

[HollyTyler]

What did everybody else get? Did anybody get anything Mickey?

Your gifts sound great Deb!

I got a few jar candles from my mom and a $50 Walmart gift card from my dad & stepmom.

 

[HollyTyler]

I hope I'm figuring out my VCR right. Tyler wants me to tape "The Christmas Shoes" movie. He heard the song for the first time a couple days ago and after that, every time we were in the car, he kept asking me to keep switching stations on the radio to see if we can find it playing. I told him a movie was made based on the song and of course he told me he wants to see it, so I told him if I find it playing, I'll tape it for him. Sure enough, it's on now! He told me the song makes his heart think of his great, great, great, great grandma. That's his great grandma, but he always adds a few "greats" to her name! She died when he was 3 and he still remembers how sad he was that she was so sick that she couldn't get up out of her chair. Such a sentimental kid!