Westbound Repo Ship of Thieves-Remember the Magic!

[JLSE50]

Shaelyn was telling me she was upset today because she missed the releasing of a butterfly at school.

Apparently while she was away they were learning about butterflies at school (all of her homework on the cruise was to do with butterflies and keeping a journal). As I understand that had a cocoon at school they were watching and I guess it "hatched" while she was away and they released the butterfly.

I asked her if she would have rather gone to school or gone on the cruise and she said "I want to do both".

Hmm maybe time to create a floating school! LOL

Check out SEMESTER AT SEA run by the University of Virginia.
http://www.semesteratsea.org/
A friend of ours is a Librarian for them, on land and sea.

Jan

 

[HollyTyler]

Ocean Quest during one of the open house times.....we had lots of fun with the simulator:

Oh my gosh, what a handsome guy!

I think this is cheese ravioli:

Some other yummy appetizer:

I'm pretty sure I had seafood every night.

And here's everybody's favorite dessert once again. LOL! I didn't think mine looked gray though. I thought it looked lavendar and pretty! Sorry to say, but I loved every single dessert, but then again, I've never met a dessert I didn't like.

 

[HollyTyler]

Check out SEMESTER AT SEA run by the University of Virginia.
http://www.semesteratsea.org/
A friend of ours is a Librarian for them, on land and sea.

Jan

Holy cow, that's so cool!

 

[HollyTyler]

Oh my gosh, I just saw the creepiest thing! The biggest ant I've ever seen just ran across my floor before I smashed it. It was OVER an inch long! What the heck?! I'm sure it can't be an ant and is just something bigger that looked like an ant, but have to go google to find out what that was. YIKES! I have a major bug phobia and can't have any. No way.

 

[HollyTyler]

It looked JUST LIKE THIS, but it was black:

 

[lillygator]

Hey, a quarter of the people here in the valley have moved in without 'permission'! (OK, a gross exaggeration...)





Something I always got in trouble for. The relish tray was never placed on the table before everyone sat down....otherwise they would all mysteriously disappear before dinner. I can't begin to tell you how many olives I had on the cruise...nearly as much of that as of pineapple (sorry I ate all the pineapple folks ) Transatlantic ran out of Mickey Bars, we ran out of pineapple. BUT, did you notice? They still had some in the bars for the adult beverages.




Ditto that! And Molly was my perfect bread basket partner.


.
Well, 5PM and I've managed to avoid work of any kind today. Good job, Jackie! I wonder how much I can shirk tomorrow? I did bring office work home OR I could go into the office for other projects OR I could do housework OR I could read my Jimmy Buffet novel. Hmmmmmm?

.

OMG - you should have seen Haley at DINNER....ALL BUTTER was HERS!

 

[lillygator]

I was mortified!

Really - she took it all, buttered everything in sight!

 

[MrsMork]

Well remembered with our GD's name there!! We're not into christenings really - more believer's baptism, but I guess they think differently. Should be a nice occasion though our other son and family won't be there. We do have a major family problem that rears its ugly head quite often. It was a shock to come back from the wonderful vacation and into the reality of this ongoing situation. Some life issues are almost unbearable at times.

I know that feeling exactly.

 

[MrsMork]

Michelle, Sonic was cool. Dennis and Angie had fruit slushes and I had a lime-aid. The night we went it was five burgers for five bucks, we were all full at the end of it.

Pj

And they were not bad burgers for a buck!!

 

[HollyTyler]

I was mortified!

Really - she took it all, buttered everything in sight!

Well, at least she put the butter ON something. Tyler kept opening the packets of butter and EATING it by itself. It was a fight to keep the butter away from him. GROSS!

 

[MrsMork]

HEY! Did you guys hear they changed the Character Breakfast back to the old way with this week's Magic cruise? Characters now come around to the tables for autographs and photos again. No more jamm'n in the center of the restaurant.

.

Great news! We will attend next trip.

 

[HollyTyler]

Last pictures for tonight, then I'm headed to bed.

A thumbs up at the top of the slide:

And a happy kid at the bottom:

 

[MrsMork]

I was mortified!

Really - she took it all, buttered everything in sight!

But Themba was happy to bring us more butter!

 

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

Hi everyone, I'm in Scottsdale with the diapered dog! I had a fun dinner w/Jackie and Peg Friday night and a very laid-back day today. I must say that the heat hasn't been nearly as bad as I feared, but I'm still anxious to get back to the mountains!

I'm really behind, so these are comments from just the last 10 pages or so.

the setting moon right before sunrise in PV

Sandy

This is beautiful! Did you use a tripod?

We are making provisional plans and second choices for next year. Keeps me from moping around!!!

One of our plans is to visit the west coast area for 3 or so weeks. This would be in addition to a few weeks at WDW. Dates are interchangeable at the moment.

You west coast people, would you recommend May, or September into October for your area? If we go to WDW in May, then we go to the west in September, or vice versa.

You've already heard plenty of opinions--I'm just glad that you'll be heading out west! Sept.-Oct. is a nice time of year up my way!

That's it.....that's all that's left of my family now. We have to pass the torch on to the next generation.

It's a strange feeling, I agree.

Isn't being an aunt fabulous?!?!?! I love that job! I got the cutest little outfit for Sydney in Aruba...hope it fits

Being an aunt is one of my greatest joys in life, especially now!

I so agree, Molly was just so lovely and charming.

Add me to the list of Molly fans! Wilson fans, too! My birthday serenade was so sweet!

Little video clip of the balloon drop the night of the Golden Mickeys. Click on it to play:

Thanks for posting this, Holly! I didn't get to see it. Looks like fun!

We do have a major family problem that rears its ugly head quite often. It was a shock to come back from the wonderful vacation and into the reality of this ongoing situation. Some life issues are almost unbearable at times.

to you, Marilyn. I can relate.

Every year John and I make a posterboard each on our new years goals.

What a cool thing to do as a couple!

Strangest thing is going places and NOT seeing familiar faces.
Jan

That's so funny that you brought that up! I went to the movies last weekend and when I was looking around the lobby, I kept thinking I saw people from the cruise!

HEY! Did you guys hear they changed the Character Breakfast back to the old way with this week's Magic cruise? Characters now come around to the tables for autographs and photos again. No more jamm'n in the center of the restaurant.

I hadn't heard, but I'm glad! Like Angie said, I'll go next time!

Speaking of changing things, it seemed like the Pirate Deck Party was a little more like the old one used to be, with a story line. The last one I saw was kind of like Minnie's Fiesta, just singing and dancing. The very first one I saw, in '05 was really cool. Did anyone else notice that or am I just imagining things?

It looked JUST LIKE THIS, but it was black:

*************

I'm really enjoying seeing everyone's pics! Thanks for posting! I'll get some of mine up next week when I'm home.

 

[LuvBaloo]

Greeting the characters at port. I couldn't get Tyler to stay still long enough to wait in any lines, these were the only 2 he was able to run up to before a line was started:

Great pics Holly!
One of the things I found annoying, is when you stay at WDW hotel and take DCL bus to the ship, you miss out on all the embarkation character opportunities. They should get the busses moving earlier. You have to be out of your hotel room an hour before the bus comes, so its a long wait hanging out in the lobby.

That pretty much described me. It was nice though that I could get up and let Shannon and the girls sleep while I went out on deck and walked around taking pics. I usually ran into a Diser or two that I could chat with as well. It sure beat lying in bed tossing and turning waiting for the girls to get up being anxious to get the day started.

It sure beat trying to sleep with somebody tossing and turning waiting to get the day started!

There were people who looked at me like I was strange or a stalker when I spoke to them when they had a lanyard and I did too.

We are home, hit the ground running and are doing fine.

Strangest thing is going places and NOT seeing familiar faces.

Jan

I loved it when you introduced yourself to me on the bus to port. I got off the bus and told Ken "I met a Diser!"

I don't know of one....but if you need someone to go WITH you.......

.


HEY! Did you guys hear they changed the Character Breakfast back to the old way with this week's Magic cruise? Characters now come around to the tables for autographs and photos again. No more jamm'n in the center of the restaurant.

.

The character breakfast was neat, but no chance to actually eat! Our server told us the night before to expect to leave hungry, because there is so much up&down with the activities.

The princess tea was neat, but it was annoying how they kept repeating throughout it "Don't worry about seeing the characters, they will be coming around to all the tables, so just stay at your table, and you will see them all" then they didn't all come to us. Near the end I told somebody we still hadn't seen Dopey, White Rabbit, Alice & Cinderella's Mice. Alice was still nearby and they got her over, but we were out of luck for the rest. The kids club staff they had helping were great helping out with the kids. They got us an extra princess-at-sea ribbon for the girls, and one heled Shaelyn stand on her chair to see the final group pose of all the characters.

Overall I loved the cruise and will do another one, but DCL is not perfect. Of course, neither am I

 

[nskjerven]

Well remembered with our GD's name there!! We're not into christenings really - more believer's baptism, but I guess they think differently. Should be a nice occasion though our other son and family won't be there. We do have a major family problem that rears its ugly head quite often. It was a shock to come back from the wonderful vacation and into the reality of this ongoing situation. Some life issues are almost unbearable at times.

sorry to hear Marilyn. I understand oh too well. It's so funny that family can bring us the most joy and pain

 

[nskjerven]

Like Mama Like Daughter......perhaps this is where dear Molly gets her bounce from.....the old apple and the tree thing.....Nan, you don't give yourself enough credit!

Thank you for that compliment Deb. I have found myself all day and night telling my friends that the best part of vaca was that I'm relaxed and not stressed. I feel so good these days. Not a feeling that I've had in as long as I can remember. Of course the not working these last 2 weeks have made it much more enjoyable to be home too.

 

[nskjerven]

I know....it's such a bummer. That's one thing I just didn't think to look for when I bought it because I really thought all new cameras have that capability. Most do. And it's too new to warrant buying another one just for that, and too old to take back, so I'll just deal with it and make sure I remember to make sure my next one has sound.

yup and enjoy it for what it is. It's nice to have moving pictures. Just think of it like the olden days

 

[nskjerven]

ok, pork in the crock pot for shredded pork sammies, beans about to go in the oven, coleslaw and 7 layer salad in fridge and the wine chilling.


Summer, I love it!

A gorgeous 98 here today. and I was jealous at the grocery store - I shouldn't be, I should love that people come here, where I live, to vacation....I just wish I had the vacation - don't care - 'tude!

that dinner sounds so good

That's what I have still the vacation - don't care - 'tude!

 

[nskjerven]

Holly, Doug and I were friends before we married. I had no intention of marrying him, just wanted to be friends. We have now been married 14 years. Being friends first is a good thing.

Nan, just wanted to say how much I enjoyed sitting across from you guys at dinner the first night at the Hyatt. I could not get over at how polite and well mannered your kids are. Wilson was amazing with his unsolicited please and thank yous to his father. Wish I could say the same for my grandsons.

Carol

Holly, I agree. Paul and I are friends first, then

Carol, thanks so much. I'm so proud of my kids. I always get so happy when I hear that they are bahaving even when we aren't around.