October 17, 2009 Western

[TheDawnPatrol]

Woohoo! 10 months and counting. We are also approaching the 1 year mark since we booked the cruise.

Pete

 

[shancan911]

Wow, you guys are planners, booking almost 2 years in advance? I'm reading that that may be necessary to combat high DCL prices. I must confess that we are extremely lucky. DFIL is a cast member at our local Disney Store. He did the booking for us, so we got an incredible deal. If not for that, I don't know if I could justify it. I know we're going to have a great time. I'm going to enjoy every minute of it, because I know it won't happen again for a while. Not when we can sail a mainstream line for almost half (DFIL discount not included). The inlaws have taken multiple 7 days on DCL just the 2 of them. We sailed RCI's Liberty of the Seas in February with a large group, and they came along. I don't think they enjoyed it very much, they are used to the Disney way.

As for our holiday menu, very traditional. DH is not a fan of ham, so we'll be having turkey and all the go alongs. I'm baking an apple pie and a cheesecake for dessert. My grandmother passed away this past May , and I have one last jar of her home grown beans. She grew halfrunners probably since she was old enough to pick 'em. She was 85 when she passed. That's a lot of beans. At her service, someone had a great story. One of her bean plants had crawled up a corn stalk. Well, evidently this corn stalk was on steroids, cuz he said it was nearly 10' tall. And he said, "Alphie, the only way to get those beans is to cut down the corn stalk, and it's not ready to be picked yet, what do you want me to do?" Her response? "I need those beans" So, Granny's green beans will definitely be enjoyed.

The new job is going well. I am finding my way around the office, and through the cycle of public housing. I never took anything I have for granted, but boy oh boy does this job make you extra grateful for what you have. I'll just say it has been very eye opening.

Talk to you all soon, waiting to hear some more holiday traditions!!!!!!

 

[yazee1]

Woohoo! 10 months and counting. We are also approaching the 1 year mark since we booked the cruise.

Pete

Long time, no see, Pete!

 

[TheDawnPatrol]

Hello! It has been a while. Hope everyone is well.

Pete

 

[yazee1]

Shannon, what a great story. Sorry to hear how much you miss your grandmom. It's wonderful that she was so loved.

Everything's good here, Pete. I'm working a little overnight shift job to make Christmas cash. It's a fun job but the overnight thing is getting to be a drag. I feel like I live in an alternate universe from my family sometimes. Only three more shifts and I'm done for the year.

 

[yazee1]

Merry Christmas~Happy Hanukkah

 

[shancan911]

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!! Santa was very good to our family, and we are so grateful for all we have. My dinner went off with just a few minor, if not comical mishaps. I'm already looking forward to next year. I simmered my stock overnight. So when DS woke up at 8:15 (yes, Christmas morning), the house already smelled good. Then I got the celery and onions cooking, and before long, the apple pie into the oven. It smelled just like Granny's house. I was so proud. I ran to the basement to turn the heater on. When I came back up, all I smelled was burnt something It couldn't be my pie, there was almost 20 minutes to go. Everything looked fine on the stove, and then I opened the oven to see that I did not put a pan beneath the pie. So all the yummy juice that bubbled up was now carbon on the bottom of my oven. So much for the smells of the season. That same pie went sailing later on when DH was helping to arrange food on the table. I had it on a cooling rack, and when he moved the rack, the pie fell right off, onto the cat's ceramic (no more) food dish. After ascertaining there were no injuries, I scoped out the damage to find my pie landed right side up! A Christmas miracle. This was the comedy relief of the day. Everything tasted wonderful, thanks to Mom for the gravy, my downfall. We opened presents, and I made the executive decision that next year, presents will be in the basement, as there is nearly twice the room. We had a blast. Anyone else have some Christmas stories to share? Anyone get a WDW or DCL trip as a gift?

Yatzee, glad to be down to 1 job? I bet your pillow is glad to have you back full time

 

[bourgie]

YEAH!!! We are crusin THIS YEAR!!!!!

 

[sherreis]

Hi. I'm popping in to ask a question...


We're currently booked on the Magic for Thanksgiving week. We took our boys to WDW this past October and they handled missing school very well so we're thinking of changing our cruise from Thanksgiving week to sail with all of you and save $$$$.

Have any of you sailed this time of year? We're especially interested in the numbers of kids because it is during school-time. Our boys will be 9 and the other 13-14 at that time.

Thanks.

 

[doberlady]

We were also in WDW this past Oct

I will have a 10 year old son, a 13 year old daughter and a 4 year old daughter on the cruise

 

[yazee1]

Hi, Sherri,

Welcome. Based on the reading I've done on Disboard the past few years, there is never a lack of school-age children onboard. You can see from my sig line, we haven't sailed in October but have sailed twice in September. I'm guessing that's close enough to give my two-cents. Lots of kids!

 

[yazee1]

It couldn't be my pie,

But of course! Murphy's law. Everything's perfect up until it's not. I bet your grandma had moments like that too.

It is very good to hear that Christmas went well at your house. Hmm, maybe, now, Christmas will be at your house from now on. No trips for Christmas here, but that's okay since the people who would have given us one are already going with us in October. In fact, we have another family member going that we didn't know was. I just found out my older BIL is going. We were under the impression that he wasn't able to go because he's moving to Alaska in May and couldn't do it. In fact, I'm sure he said he wasn't going. Nevertheless, he is now. We can probably save him some money by adding him to our reservation. We have two rooms.

Tomorrow is back to the regularly scheduled program of daily life. Between Christmas and today, we didn't do any school and I didn't go to work outside the home. Yes, it is nice to be finished with my third shift job. It took at least a week to get back to going to sleep at night and waking up in the morning. Tonight is my first night returning to my regular job.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

 

[ajzwahlen]

We just booked the other day!!! I can't wait!! It will be Me, DH, DD11, and DD5. I just wanted to say that I am amazed and awed at the patience of those who booked so far in advance. I am already having trouble with the waiting.

 

[dcannon101]

Sherri -

We have sailed many times in October and there are a number of kids on the ship. It is usually just me and DW that sail so we spend a good portion of our time in the Adults Only area of the pool deck or the spa. The good thing is you never really see all of the kids. The activities that they have planned for them must be outstanding because it always amazes us to see the number of kids on the last day when they put on a little program for all of the passengers. Sometimes I think they bring in some kids just for the show because you never see them.

Shannon -

Thanks for letting us use your house this year for Christmas. I agree the basement would have been a better place to open gifts. The food was excellent and the cheesecake was GREAT. Oh by the way - have you found any more marshmallows?

Dale

 

[shancan911]

Shannon -

Thanks for letting us use your house this year for Christmas. I agree the basement would have been a better place to open gifts. The food was excellent and the cheesecake was GREAT. Oh by the way - have you found any more marshmallows?

Dale

Well, for anyone reading along who hasn't figured it out yet, Dale is my DFIL, the one that turned me on to Disney, the DISboards, and DCL. Thanks As for the marshmallow comment? He bought each of his kids (3 in total) marshmallow guns. They were flying about, and they hurt!! Yes, I have found 3 additional, and still have not looked on our behind the fridge. Oh, and to all my friends here...Dale is retiring at the end of March, and he only has 25 working days left, ah government employees...

We have friends and family cruising next month, a 9 day Southern on NCL. I am wanting to go sooooooooo bad. But, I can handle the wait, kind of, cuz I know we're going to have a fantastic time in October. DS said 10 months wasn't a long time. Then the other day, DH told him we won't be cruising till he's in 3rd grade THAT seems like a long time.

Talk to you soon,

 

[dcannon101]

Yes I am retiring at the end of March. We are celebrating that by going to WDW the two weeks before retiring. I then come back for two days and it is living on a "FIXED INCOME" from then on.

We are planning to move to Florida after I retire and then we will be a lot closer to the cruise terminal.

Shannon - Just remember, you are now a government emplyee TOO.

 

[yazee1]

We just booked the other day!!! I can't wait!! It will be Me, DH, DD11, and DD5. I just wanted to say that I am amazed and awed at the patience of those who booked so far in advance. I am already having trouble with the waiting.

It was during Christmas of 2007 that my MIL and I agreed on a double anniversary cruise in October of 2009 (their 50th and our 20th). I booked our reservation as soon as we got home. Please, don't be awed or amazed, though. I couldn't wait the almost 2 years. I got a part time job in order to pay for a little parents-only cruise this past September.

Our first cruise, I booked 3 months out and thought it was forever! LOL


I'll add your party to our growing list on post one of this thread.

 

[yazee1]

We are planning to move to Florida after I retire and then we will be a lot closer to the cruise terminal.

Close to the terminal - Cruise more frequently - Sounds like an excellent retirement plan.

 

[northern mickey]

Hey! We will be on the October 17th, 2009 Cruise. Can't wait. We were on our first disney cruise last year (our first cruise ever) and enjoyed it so much, we booked while on the ship to go on this cruise. With me will be my DM, DF, DGF & DGM. 5 of us in total. My DGF & DGM have never been on any cruise before. What cruise better to take them on than the DISNEY CRUISE LINE!! See ya all there!

 

[northern mickey]

Hey! We will be on the October 17th, 2009 Cruise. Can't wait. We were on our first disney cruise last year (our first cruise ever) and enjoyed it so much, we booked while on the ship to go on this cruise. With me will be my DM, DF, DGF & DGM. 5 of us in total. My DGF & DGM have never been on any cruise before. What cruise better to take them on than the DISNEY CRUISE LINE!! See ya all there!