OCTOBER 30th & NOVEMBER 3rd Cruises (FE and Meets)

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Are we going to be cutting off the FE to new members?
We are at around 30 staterooms now.

No need to do that. When the list gets really big we can just divide it in 2 sets of people.

Example: If we had 60 rooms participating we could say everone on the list from number 1 through 30 will exchange with each other.
31 though 60 will exchange with each other.

That way EVERYONE can enjoy the fun and it will keep the list down for peoples budgets and room in their luggage.

We still have a few months until the cruise so I am sure the list will grow a more.
So if you want people here can even vote if they want to divide the list if it reaches a specific number. Its your cruise so lets hear what people would like to do???

please speak up everyone and deicde if we should divide the list and at how many should we do this?
Kathy

 

[myelton01]

Wow! I need to try harder to keep up! I really need text reminders now to check this since we have been outside all day every day for the last couple of weeks.

DD has another softball game tonight, and the season ends on the 21st. I'm so ready for it to be done and over with so we can start gearing up for the cruise! DS starts swim lessons on the 20th, so I'm hoping he can swim out to the pelican plunge thing at CC. MAN! Our summer just keeps getting busier! DD goes to church camp the last weekend of the month and I go to counsel for a whole week in July... Plus, I need to get on making cookies for our 2 day road trip down to Cocoa Beach and start getting the kids working on their pillow cases for the cruise... So much to do and time seems to be ticking by fairly quickly!!!! We actually leave in 141 days!!!

Hope everyone is doing well! Kathy, I haven't forgotten your email, I WILL respond to you tomorrow.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Thankyou for asking about Pixie,
she is doing very well. They got the entire tumor although it was a bit harder than anticipated. We wont get test results back until late next week.

I took the lazer light she loves to distract her which helped because she is terrified of the vets office. The vet even came out to the waiting room to give her the shot to make her groggy so she would already be relaxed when she went back to the surgery area.
But instead of getting a shot in the extra skin on the back of the neck she had to get it in the muscle of her back leg. Thats very painful.

It was a good thing i had a tight grip on her collar or that vet would be missing a hand!! Pixie is 95 pounds and most of that is large teeth. She turned, growled, yelp and bit at her all in 2 seconds.

But after that it all went well. I have to leave the bandage on for a few more days. Luckily they used disolving stitches so we dont have to go back to get them removed.

We finally have a bit of sunshine today. High around 60.

I feel badly for those of you back East in the heat wave. I wish you could send about 15 degrees back to Oregon. Then I could have a nice warm day and you wouldnt be roasting.

Back when I get some time, I have cookies to bake this morning.
enjoy your day everyone,

Kathy

 

[FrigulettoEA]

We finally have a bit of sunshine today. High around 60.

I feel badly for those of you back East in the heat wave. I wish you could send about 15 degrees back to Oregon. Then I could have a nice warm day and you wouldnt be roasting.

Back when I get some time, I have cookies to bake this morning.
enjoy your day everyone,

Kathy

My son's baseball league canceled games for the next few days because of the heat. We are hotter than Florida today.

 

[ArielRae]

I'm fine with one big list cause I can make enough for everyone.
I was just curious cause I read that some cruises cut the FE off at 30.
Makes you feel sorry for the late comers.

No need to do that. When the list gets really big we can just divide it in 2 sets of people.

Example: If we had 60 rooms participating we could say everone on the list from number 1 through 30 will exchange with each other.
31 though 60 will exchange with each other.

That way EVERYONE can enjoy the fun and it will keep the list down for peoples budgets and room in their luggage.

We still have a few months until the cruise so I am sure the list will grow a more.
So if you want people here can even vote if they want to divide the list if it reaches a specific number. Its your cruise so lets hear what people would like to do???

please speak up everyone and deicde if we should divide the list and at how many should we do this?
Kathy

 

[AmandaRG]

It was a good thing i had a tight grip on her collar or that vet would be missing a hand!! Pixie is 95 pounds and most of that is large teeth. She turned, growled, yelp and bit at her all in 2 seconds.
Kathy

Kathy, I had to LOL at that. Not that your poor dog being ill is funny, but with the name Pixie, I kept envisioning a teacup poodle or some tiny pup. I was confused for a second until I got to the 95-lb thing! What kind of dog is she?

We had several spoiled pets over the years, but when we brought the girls home (they were adopted) the animals didn't take kindly and we had to find new homes for them. Luckily we have always taken plenty of pics, so we are able to look at them and smile remembering when!

 

[Dreams83]

Extreme couponing is bizarre to me. Why do I need tons of stuff when I have to pay for the storage of it?? Don't get me wrong, my coupon binder stays in my trunk except for when I am adding/removing them so that I have them when I go to a store.

I shop the sales with my coupons. I also follow coupon blogs so that I can get some great deals. I have even started buying items for my mom as I have several months worth of personal care items but still can find incredible (free or almost free) deals. I then cook from our pantry/freezer. I do buy fresh fruits, veggies, dairy, and bread weekly. Not having to have a certain brand helps a great deal! Our grocery budget has been cut in half. I need to do a better job of saving it. I usually find somewhere else to spend it!

Im not saying buy alot but if u can get 10 of something that u use ALL the time for instance in the summer months my husband works side so if i can get 40 gatorades for free that will last all summer then great. Or i have a son who loves cereal and if i can get them for cheap with coupons thats good like last week i got 8boxes for 5bucks and almost gone through them he likes it for breakfast and snacks. You just pick and choose how extreme u go for yourself or your familys need. We do alot of game nights and parties and if i never have to go to the store for that item cause i have it on hand for a potluck even better. I am not as extreme as them who needs 40 items of each thing though.

 

[AmandaRG]

Im not saying buy alot but if u can get 10 of something that u use ALL the time for instance in the summer months my husband works side so if i can get 40 gatorades for free that will last all summer then great. Or i have a son who loves cereal and if i can get them for cheap with coupons thats good like last week i got 8boxes for 5bucks and almost gone through them he likes it for breakfast and snacks. You just pick and choose how extreme u go for yourself or your familys need. We do alot of game nights and parties and if i never have to go to the store for that item cause i have it on hand for a potluck even better. I am not as extreme as them who needs 40 items of each thing though.

You aren't converting your garage to house 2 pallets of something (and I did see that on one of the shows). I just think that it gets impractical at some point. Getting 4 years' worth of something (that will expire before you get to it) is not my thing, even if it is free. Again, I am all for getting the free stuff and then giving it to family/donating it to a charity!

Our local food bank is always in need of donations. If I can give them things I for for free, that's great!

 

[ppartekim]

No need to do that. When the list gets really big we can just divide it in 2 sets of people.

Example: If we had 60 rooms participating we could say everone on the list from number 1 through 30 will exchange with each other.
31 though 60 will exchange with each other.

That way EVERYONE can enjoy the fun and it will keep the list down for peoples budgets and room in their luggage.

We still have a few months until the cruise so I am sure the list will grow a more.
So if you want people here can even vote if they want to divide the list if it reaches a specific number. Its your cruise so lets hear what people would like to do???

please speak up everyone and deicde if we should divide the list and at how many should we do this?
Kathy

I like one big list. I mean what if the person I wanted to exchange with was number 40 and I was number 20 would I have to sneak a gift in when no one was looking as I was breaking the FE rules?

The FE list is totally voluntary, if you don't want to give a gift don't. I have already been put on notice that I will not be receiving some gifts because I am not a child (tho, my wife says otherwise at times). Sad - yeah; will it destroy my cruise - never. I'm on a Disney cruise even hurricanes can't destroy the fun that being on the cruise is.

One big list is fine. We are all grown ups and can handle not giving/getting everyone's FE. Kinda like Christmas, some years they are big, some years they are small.

Heck, on the inaugural Alaskan cruise there were only about 30 FEs but when Holly and walked around I think we saw 60+ FEs hanging on doors and gave each and every one a gift (we happened to have enough). Otherwise, we would have just gave to the list. I also don't think we got a gift from everyone on our FE list either, but didn't care as it was just fun giving and getting what we got.

As they say it is not the destination but the journey that counts. And doing the FEs added a little extra fun on the cruise as well as decorating our cabin door. I also, have no clue as to what happened to any of the gifts we gave out and in truth don't give a s*&!, it was just fun giving them out. Besides, we also forgot to include a from tag so, no reply was expected.

Sorry, for the soapbox. I will get off it now.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I have no problem with one big list either.

I do think we should set a cut off date though of at least a few (2 or 3) weeks prior to the cruise to ensure that everyone has enough time to purchase or make whatever they are giving.

And ppartekim, no worries - you'll get an FE gift from me! (I'm doing one gift per family - whatever the definition of your family is).

 

[ArielRae]

I think a good cut off would be about 2 months before the cruise, So September. Gives enough time to finish up all FE gifts and then direct focus to preparing for the cruise.

 

[ppartekim]

I have no problem with one big list either.

I do think we should set a cut off date though of at least a few (2 or 3) weeks prior to the cruise to ensure that everyone has enough time to purchase or make whatever they are giving.

And ppartekim, no worries - you'll get an FE gift from me! (I'm doing one gift per family - whatever the definition of your family is).

Cool, I look forward to seeing what it is...

I think a good cut off would be about 2 months before the cruise, So September. Gives enough time to finish up all FE gifts and then direct focus to preparing for the cruise.

How about a 2 month cutoff for guaranteed FE gift (assuming one is giving), but still allow late comers to the list with no guaranty of gift recieving. That way no one is denied a chance to participate in the FE list; just no guaranty of receiving a gift (which is always the case with volunteerism).

The list could be split into two parts. Cabins before and Cabins after a certain date.

 

[Dreams83]

You aren't converting your garage to house 2 pallets of something (and I did see that on one of the shows). I just think that it gets impractical at some point. Getting 4 years' worth of something (that will expire before you get to it) is not my thing, even if it is free. Again, I am all for getting the free stuff and then giving it to family/donating it to a charity!

Our local food bank is always in need of donations. If I can give them things I for for free, that's great!

agree i am not a pallet person the most i have got of one item is 30 gatorades and thats cuz my husband will finish them before july LOL cause he works outdoors.. 4yrs of stuff is off the wall i could never go that far. I do like free stuff just as much as u but not to that extreme of buying 80boxes of things u know.

 

[Dreams83]

How long is the FE list now i know my husband fastpaks signed us up but i have no clue on where the list is at the moment or what the updated one looks like since he really doesnt come on this board much?

 

[BealsRwe]

I love www.southernsavers.com

I also use www.feedinggodspeople.com (Missy was featuered on Extreme Couponing, and I have met her-she is seen on the show using a grocery list from southernsavers!)

www.couponersunited.com (Orlando)

www.couponingtoDisney.com

My best advice is if you don't have time to clip coupons get a specialized filing cabinet, or expandable file folder to put your inserts in by week, and then match up and clip as needed. I personally clip all the coupons for products I would buy if the price is right...I have found incredible deals in clearance sections, and I love getting paid to take things out of the store. I keep my coupons in a 4" 3-ring binder, which I take everywhere!

 

[BealsRwe]

Omg I just got into couponing recently since i started watching extreme couponing on tv i have been addicted just created a binder. I am still new to it so we will see how long this will last. I did buy alot of items tonight and only spent .50cents sometimes i never know i need to prepare more but its hard. I work fulltime in a gym here in the day my husband works nights and we have a 7yr old son by the time dinner is served and stuff its like time is gone and of course playing on here alittle But yes please share ur coupon sites i would love them i love the savings and anything to help me save for this trip. Cant wait to meet i saw we both are staying at countryinn and suites our whole family is there is 17 going should be fun.

I watch Extreme Couponing more for the entertainment value in it. I will share a few secrets I learned from Missy Eby, from Auburndale, FL, who was featured this season. She told me to be on the show, they told her to stockpile everything for 2-4 months, and not donate at all. They are also told they have to have a huge trip (I, as well as a lot of other couponers I know, do smaller trips). They do call ahead for things, but it doesn't show that, it shows them clearning shelves, grrrr! Missy told me, she usually drops 1/2 or more off at a food bank or church before she even gets home. For me, it's a competition with myself. We don't double coupon in FL, so I do a lot of my shopping for non-food items at drugstores to take advantage of coupons, register rewards/ecb, etc.

I have been tracking my stuff on a spreadsheet since March. Since then, I have spent $1541.45 on household needs, groceries, and all health and beauty items. I have saved $3698.78. I have also earned $390.48 in free register rewards/Extra Care Bucks. I buy 3-6 months of stuff (or more when free) at a time when I have the coupons and sales that match. What we won't use by expiration date, I donate or give to family and friends.

I am working on the organization of my stockpile, and will take pictures to share when I am reorganized. I just sent approx $450 in donations, retail, to Alabama to help with tornado victims...I paid $52 (ish). My $52 went a very long way to help others in need. I was able to do so much because of my couponing.

On another note, we love CI&S...we have stayed there for the park & cruise the past 2 cruises, and we are booked there for our next 2. Rusty's or Fishlips for dinner at the port...fun times!

 

[AmandaRG]

BealsRwe, thanks for sharing the perspective of the show! I hadn't even thought about what they required.

LOVE getting those cheapies at the pharmacies! I'm learning to use those better (like getting to the store first thing rather than wait to the end of the week!).

We love CIS and are staying there, too. We wanted to do Rusty's or Fishlips for dinner in March, but we were later than expected getting there, so we ate at Zachary's. It was good, but I had my heart set on seafood! I'll put it in our GPS next time so that we aren't trying to look for it when we are tired and hungry!

 

[BealsRwe]

Good morning. It's DD last day of school. This afternoon my 1st grader will be out for the summer! We will take advantage of some free movies at a local movie theater, spend time in the pool, and WDW, Universal, and Sea World. Kayla'a 7th bday is July 8th, and then our vacation is a 3 night cruise on RCCL in August. I'm sure summer will fly by!

Stephanie

 

[myelton01]

Hope your DD has a great day today Beals!!!

I was trying to do an inside day with just my kids today, but that didn't last long. Now I have neighbor kids inside, outside and my kids in the middle somewhere. Oh well. I guess that gives me more time to read up on the DIS. I've been so busy with kids, I guess this summer will fly past, even though I thought it was going to drag on forever.

Hope everyone has a great Thursday!

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Kathy, I had to LOL at that. Not that your poor dog being ill is funny, but with the name Pixie, I kept envisioning a teacup poodle or some tiny pup. I was confused for a second until I got to the 95-lb thing! What kind of dog is she?

We had several spoiled pets over the years, but when we brought the girls home (they were adopted) the animals didn't take kindly and we had to find new homes for them. Luckily we have always taken plenty of pics, so we are able to look at them and smile remembering when!

Pixie's (female) mom was a pure golden lab, her father a pure greyhound.
She takes after the lab for size but can run fast like a greyhound. We have measured 12 to 14 feet in her stride as she runs on the beach and thats not her top stride.
my kids are all grown so I didnt have the same problems you did.
I love a sign here where i live that says:

We had to get rid of the kids,
The dog was allergic

She doesnt quite fit in the chair, look at the long legs

This shows her face better

Kathy