*Sept 10th 2011 WB Transatlantic* - From Spain to Space Mountain - Part 5

[magic123]

Good morning or should I say almost afternoon, after the excitment of meeting the others last night I'm sitting here thinking I may try to pack a few bits ! DH thinks I'm just going to try lots of things on and makes a right royal mess but none of them will make it into the case. I hate to admitt it but after 25 years he knows me too well.......I'm not going to let that stop me, so here I go.... it's got to be better than doing the ironing


And just to say thank you to those who posted suggestions for must have items... they are in my little black book,

margaret

 

[MandyGirl]

Okay, not sure if I know how to do this, but here is a pix of the kids trying on their formal clothes (sans pants)

http://s1120.photobucket.com/albums/l490/GatorMomInNC/?action=view&current=IMG_1139.jpg

Love it!! They will be so cute!

So mass chaos around here today. Evidently Sam got into the law school in San Diego but they sent the letter to her Hawaii address and she never go it. So she gets a call today from Admissions since she left a message asking her status. Turns out orientation is Monday!!

Many congratulations!!
I do have to find it amazing there are still some institutions that send out hardcopy acceptance letters. So much has seemed to have gone electronic, at least when I was applying to grad schools. They could have saved you some last-minute headaches sending her acceptance electronically, but I know you will have her down there ready to go Monday morning.

Just had a great meetup with Hazel&Annie and Magic123/Grumpy234 (?) we had a great time and really made me realise how real this cruise is and how close it is.

Sadly Karentan could not be with us, but we will all be together in 29 days!

YAY for a great meetup!! And glad Karen got to at least see you briefly.

Just got to glasgow, spent a couple of minutes stood at the front door trying to get in as gary and his mum were both out cold asleep, so was stood in the porch like an idiot while the dog was barking like mad!
Again thank you all so much for all the kind words, it means so much to both of us.

I'm glad you made it there safely, Karen.

Erik (TheViking, my DH) are not traveling with our children either. We are leaving them home with my mother. This is going to be the longest I've ever been without my children. I'm a little nervous. I am sad about not because able to see the magic of the Magic through my kids eyes. I love watching kids get excited it is one of the best treasures, ever!

Hugs for leaving them! We cruised 8 nights a couple years ago without DD1 (only child at that point) and I think I cried everyday. I actually chose a port intensive cruise so that if something happened and we had to fly home to the US, there was only one sea day. Luckily all went well.
We are the opposite... this is our first cruise WITH the kiddos (although since #1 was born, we have cut back on our yearly cruising... so this will only be our second cruise since she was born!). This will also be their first Disney experience, and when I think of the first time Sarah gets to see Mickey, I get tears in my eyes! I'm going to have to work hard on keeping tears away - this is such a dream come true for us.

Good morning or should I say almost afternoon, after the excitment of meeting the others last night I'm sitting here thinking I may try to pack a few bits ! DH thinks I'm just going to try lots of things on and makes a right royal mess but none of them will make it into the case. I hate to admitt it but after 25 years he knows me too well.......I'm not going to let that stop me, so here I go.... it's got to be better than doing the ironing


And just to say thank you to those who posted suggestions for must have items... they are in my little black book,

margaret

Yay for 25 years, Margaret! And I hear ya about the little black book for suggestions - this board has been such a plethora of wonderful information!

 

[hazelandannie]

Good morning or should I say almost afternoon, after the excitment of meeting the others last night I'm sitting here thinking I may try to pack a few bits ! DH thinks I'm just going to try lots of things on and makes a right royal mess but none of them will make it into the case. I hate to admitt it but after 25 years he knows me too well.......I'm not going to let that stop me, so here I go.... it's got to be better than doing the ironing


And just to say thank you to those who posted suggestions for must have items... they are in my little black book,

margaret

Funny I think you and Hazel may be of same stock. For past 3 weeks she's been saying can you get the bag out I want to start packing so I know how much space I have. That tells me clothes will be all over the place for the cat to sleep on that will need re washing and then ironing the day before we leave! I'm more of a get the bag out 2 days before and then decide what I might want to take!!!

 

[Pinky166]

Good morning or should I say almost afternoon, after the excitment of meeting the others last night I'm sitting here thinking I may try to pack a few bits ! DH thinks I'm just going to try lots of things on and makes a right royal mess but none of them will make it into the case. I hate to admitt it but after 25 years he knows me too well.......I'm not going to let that stop me, so here I go.... it's got to be better than doing the ironing


And just to say thank you to those who posted suggestions for must have items... they are in my little black book,

margaret

I'm just sitting here having a cup of tea trying to muster up the will to switch the iron on and tackle mount Everest!


Some things i've read about/used in the past:

If you're in an inside cabin i've heard it's good to have a little night light of some kind, perhaps a small torch, or battery operated candles incase you get up in the night to use the bathroom it's pitch black. (I've not been in a inside cabin before but we are taking some little battery candles).

Lots of single $'s for tipping room service and bar staff.

A bottle opener is essential! (Well it is for me anyway )

I have a wash bag which unrolls and hangs in the bathroom, I find that really useful so the limited bathroom shelves are not so cluttered.


I'm sure there is more but that's all I can think of for now.

 

[Pinky166]

This will also be their first Disney experience, and when I think of the first time Sarah gets to see Mickey, I get tears in my eyes! I'm going to have to work hard on keeping tears away - this is such a dream come true for us.

Awww this gives me a lump in my throat just reading it! I would be a sobbing mess. It is going to be such a magical cruise for your DD's, they won't want to get off the ship......mind you neither will I!

 

[MandyGirl]

Awww this gives me a lump in my throat just reading it! I would be a sobbing mess. It is going to be such a magical cruise for your DD's, they won't want to get off the ship......mind you neither will I!

That's what I am afraid of! Both the sobbing and not wanting to get off the ship! I woke up the other morning to find that Sarah had started putting her packing stuff on the dining room table. We had four princess dresses, four pairs of shoes to match, jewelry, tiaras, wands, gloves, and the play makeup her grandmother bought her. I sent Curt a message at work, and told him to be prepared to pack in only a carryon! And that did not include the actual CLOTHES I have started taking out for her. We are planning on doing laundry, and I have big post-it charts up laying out what we are wearing each day and packing, but still... I am sure Sarah will have over 50% of luggage space while the other three of us cram it all in. After all, she turns five the week we board the cruise, and thinks the cruise is for HER birthday! I'm going to let her wear her birthday shirt on embarkation day though so she DOES feel like it is. The excitement in her voice when she says "Mommy, do you think ARIEL will be on the Dizinee cruise with us?" just sends goosebumps.... Dang it tears - go away! I can't even type!

 

[squitty]

Mandy if I were anywhere near you and saw such a wonderful sight I would be crying too - you get to a certain age and you can't help your emotions

 

[TxMermaid1]

That's what I am afraid of! Both the sobbing and not wanting to get off the ship! I woke up the other morning to find that Sarah had started putting her packing stuff on the dining room table. We had four princess dresses, four pairs of shoes to match, jewelry, tiaras, wands, gloves, and the play makeup her grandmother bought her. I sent Curt a message at work, and told him to be prepared to pack in only a carryon! And that did not include the actual CLOTHES I have started taking out for her. We are planning on doing laundry, and I have big post-it charts up laying out what we are wearing each day and packing, but still... I am sure Sarah will have over 50% of luggage space while the other three of us cram it all in. After all, she turns five the week we board the cruise, and thinks the cruise is for HER birthday! I'm going to let her wear her birthday shirt on embarkation day though so she DOES feel like it is. The excitement in her voice when she says "Mommy, do you think ARIEL will be on the Dizinee cruise with us?" just sends goosebumps.... Dang it tears - go away! I can't even type!

Mandy.. I'm tearing up too...lol brings back memories of when we took the grandkids on a Disney cruise a few years ago. One of them was 5 also... The last night of the cruise she came to dinner ( we insisted she leave her lab and have dinner with us) As we were waiting for our food she began to tear up.. we asked her what was wrong and she started crying and said... "We leave tomorrow and I don't want to go home. I want to stay on the ship" We were all in tears.... They have so much fun but when it is time to leave and go back to the real world.... well I'm with them.. I don't want to go either!

On another note Mandy.. do I remember that you live in the Fort Worth area?

 

[IansGran]

Okay, not sure if I know how to do this, but here is a pix of the kids trying on their formal clothes (sans pants)

http://s1120.photobucket.com/albums/l490/GatorMomInNC/?action=view&current=IMG_1139.jpg


AND, I don't. So here is the link to it...

The boys look angelic! I especially enjoy the stranglehold!

 

[MandyGirl]

Mandy.. I'm tearing up too...lol brings back memories of when we took the grandkids on a Disney cruise a few years ago. One of them was 5 also... The last night of the cruise she came to dinner ( we insisted she leave her lab and have dinner with us) As we were waiting for our food she began to tear up.. we asked her what was wrong and she started crying and said... "We leave tomorrow and I don't want to go home. I want to stay on the ship" We were all in tears.... They have so much fun but when it is time to leave and go back to the real world.... well I'm with them.. I don't want to go either!

On another note Mandy.. do I remember that you live in the Fort Worth area?

I don't even want to think of disembarkation. I saw a youtube video of a child having to leave, sitting in the minivan, and it was so pathetic. Kinda has me worried!

Yes Jill! And I have been thinking about you! We have a birthday party at 1:00 in Colleyville near hwy 26 next Saturday, August 20. (A friend just moved back from London with her 1-year-old!) Would you want to get together for an early lunch somewhere? Are you in town? I know we have a couple others from DFW!

 

[TxMermaid1]

That's what I am afraid of! Both the sobbing and not wanting to get off the ship! I woke up the other morning to find that Sarah had started putting her packing stuff on the dining room table. We had four princess dresses, four pairs of shoes to match, jewelry, tiaras, wands, gloves, and the play makeup her grandmother bought her. I sent Curt a message at work, and told him to be prepared to pack in only a carryon! And that did not include the actual CLOTHES I have started taking out for her. We are planning on doing laundry, and I have big post-it charts up laying out what we are wearing each day and packing, but still... I am sure Sarah will have over 50% of luggage space while the other three of us cram it all in. After all, she turns five the week we board the cruise, and thinks the cruise is for HER birthday! I'm going to let her wear her birthday shirt on embarkation day though so she DOES feel like it is. The excitement in her voice when she says "Mommy, do you think ARIEL will be on the Dizinee cruise with us?" just sends goosebumps.... Dang it tears - go away! I can't even type!

I don't even want to think of disembarkation. I saw a youtube video of a child having to leave, sitting in the minivan, and it was so pathetic. Kinda has me worried!

Yes Jill! And I have been thinking about you! We have a birthday party at 1:00 in Colleyville near hwy 26 next Saturday, August 20. (A friend just moved back from London with her 1-year-old!) Would you want to get together for an early lunch somewhere? Are you in town? I know we have a couple others from DFW!

I was thinking we should have a "get together" I would love to meet up with the ones from this area.... I am in North Fort Worth off 35W north

 

[MandyGirl]

I was thinking we should have a "get together" I would love to meet up with the ones from this area.... I am in North Fort Worth off 35W north

If we did it in the North Richland Hills area, in-between where you are and where our b-day party is, that would be about a 15 minute drive from where we have to be at 1:00 on Saturday. We could definitely do 11:00 lunch!

So many restaurants there. If Italian, I could suggest Italliani's at 183/Precinct Line, and the last I drove through the area, there were also tons of new restaurants by the NorthEast mall at 820/183. SouperSalad, Red Robin, Genghis... tons.

We would definitely love to meet up!!

 

[TxMermaid1]

If we did it in the North Richland Hills area, in-between where you are and where our b-day party is, that would be about a 15 minute drive from where we have to be at 1:00 on Saturday. We could definitely do 11:00 lunch!

So many restaurants there. If Italian, I could suggest Italliani's at 183/Precinct Line, and the last I drove through the area, there were also tons of new restaurants by the NorthEast mall at 820/183. SouperSalad, Red Robin, Genghis... tons.

We would definitely love to meet up!!

Afraid next sat would not work for me. I will be diving in the Blue Lagoon in Huntsville. It is a dive club outing and my DH is president... I'll PM you my phone number. Give me a call and we can work it out.

 

[MandyGirl]

Afraid next sat would not work for me. I will be diving in the Blue Lagoon in Huntsville. It is a dive club outing and my DH is president... I'll PM you my phone number. Give me a call and we can work it out.

Sounds good!

 

[Pinky166]

That's what I am afraid of! Both the sobbing and not wanting to get off the ship! I woke up the other morning to find that Sarah had started putting her packing stuff on the dining room table. We had four princess dresses, four pairs of shoes to match, jewelry, tiaras, wands, gloves, and the play makeup her grandmother bought her. I sent Curt a message at work, and told him to be prepared to pack in only a carryon! And that did not include the actual CLOTHES I have started taking out for her. We are planning on doing laundry, and I have big post-it charts up laying out what we are wearing each day and packing, but still... I am sure Sarah will have over 50% of luggage space while the other three of us cram it all in. After all, she turns five the week we board the cruise, and thinks the cruise is for HER birthday! I'm going to let her wear her birthday shirt on embarkation day though so she DOES feel like it is. The excitement in her voice when she says "Mommy, do you think ARIEL will be on the Dizinee cruise with us?" just sends goosebumps.... Dang it tears - go away! I can't even type!

That made me tear up!!!! Too cute, Sarah is going to have the best birthday ever!!!! As she is the birthday princess I think she should bring however many princess dresses she wants. I can see it now, you & Curt will be arriving at the Port each wearing 7 layers of clothes, so you can wear them all twice, dragging along bags containing the contents of Sarah's closet & dress up box.

 

[TotallyAngelic]

Some things i've read about/used in the past:

If you're in an inside cabin i've heard it's good to have a little night light of some kind, perhaps a small torch, or battery operated candles incase you get up in the night to use the bathroom it's pitch black. (I've not been in a inside cabin before but we are taking some little battery candles).

Lots of single $'s for tipping room service and bar staff.

A bottle opener is essential! (Well it is for me anyway )

Thank you so much for reminding me ..... last time we forgot a bottle opener and corkscrew and had to go the bar to open our bottle of champagne. Must put it in the bag ready.

Battery candles sound like a good idea too .... must pick some of those up.

 

[TxMermaid1]

That's what I am afraid of! Both the sobbing and not wanting to get off the ship! I woke up the other morning to find that Sarah had started putting her packing stuff on the dining room table. We had four princess dresses, four pairs of shoes to match, jewelry, tiaras, wands, gloves, and the play makeup her grandmother bought her. I sent Curt a message at work, and told him to be prepared to pack in only a carryon! And that did not include the actual CLOTHES I have started taking out for her. We are planning on doing laundry, and I have big post-it charts up laying out what we are wearing each day and packing, but still... I am sure Sarah will have over 50% of luggage space while the other three of us cram it all in. After all, she turns five the week we board the cruise, and thinks the cruise is for HER birthday! I'm going to let her wear her birthday shirt on embarkation day though so she DOES feel like it is. The excitement in her voice when she says "Mommy, do you think ARIEL will be on the Dizinee cruise with us?" just sends goosebumps.... Dang it tears - go away! I can't even type!

What day is her birthday? Mine is the Sep. 5 Thinking I could wear a birthday T-shirt too

 

[granmaz]

Just done our Jet2 online check in for our flight to Barcelona. Another thing to tick off the list! Mind you for some reason doing online check in always stresses me which is so silly I know.

 

[sinnika]

I finally purchased my travel insurance yesterday. You just never know what could come up to delay or cancel your flight, lose your luggage, or like last year, a volcano created havoc! I haven't ever had to use it yet, but I like the piece of mind. Just printed out my packing list so will start looking at things I need to buy. I would love to get an i-pad and a great set of binoculars, and may be packing snorkeling gear if the weight in the suitcase can handle it.

 

[MandyGirl]

That made me tear up!!!! Too cute, Sarah is going to have the best birthday ever!!!! As she is the birthday princess I think she should bring however many princess dresses she wants. I can see it now, you & Curt will be arriving at the Port each wearing 7 layers of clothes, so you can wear them all twice, dragging along bags containing the contents of Sarah's closet & dress up box.

Sad to say... I can totally envision that! Curt is flying standby and has to dress nicer, so I am the one hauling the baggage. The girls and I have tickets, hence baggage allowance, so I am HOPING to get by with three checked bags. I am already figuring out that diapers may have to just be purchased in Barcelona...

What day is her birthday? Mine is the Sep. 5 Thinking I could wear a birthday T-shirt too

YES, you should wear a birthday shirt on embarkation! You ARE celebrating a birthday after all!
We were ALMOST Sept 5!! Just squeaked in Sept 4 because I think my OB was ready to go home to sleep that night. It was a holiday after all... LABOR Day! (And after 15 hours of labor, she made me resort to Plan B... operating room...) But Sept 5 is when we fly to New York City for that part of the trip. And luckily the girls and I are now reseated closer to each other. We had a plane swap a few months ago, and they placed Em about 10 rows behind me and Sarah about 5 seats away. Now we are at least one-behind the other for that leg. Curt... well.... hopefully he'll be same flight, but if not there's a flight every hour.

Just done our Jet2 online check in for our flight to Barcelona. Another thing to tick off the list! Mind you for some reason doing online check in always stresses me which is so silly I know.

WooHoo!!!