mousey

Margaret...I hope you're feeling better soon. I have to go next week and get my flu shot.

Thanks to all of you for your support re the party. At one point my SIL and I just hugged each other because we were so happy at how much fun mom and dad were having. When he first walked in, my dad spotted his brother first, and he kept saying "It's my brother, my brother!" He was so happy to see him. My mother actually started crying she was so overwhelmed with joy to see everyone. We're talking family that they haven't seen in years and years. It was just awesome! I'm so thrilled at how great everything turned out. We even made our own anniversary cake and decorated it ourselves. Everyone thought it was beautiful. The SIL and I were ecstatic at how my parents reacted.

As to wearing workout clothes outside of the gym...here in So Cal lots of women wear athletic clothing everywhere...to the mall, casual restaurants, the grocery store, bakery, etc., etc. I personally never leave the gym with my workout clothes on unless I'm going straight home. I always shower before I leave the gym.

I was thinking of wearing athletic wear on our upcoming Christmas cruise but have decided against it. I just love fashion too much and have so many new things I want to wear. I certainly don't have a problem with anyone wearing their athletic wear outside the gym. As a matter of fact I liked the look that Anita rocked on her recent cruise. She looked so comfortable. I'm not saying I would never do it because I have once or twice. It's just that I love other looks on me better.

I love Kate Hudson's new line of athletic wear...Fabletics. Now those are some really cute athletic clothes that I'd consider wearing out on trips to the drugstore, grocery shopping, to the movies, mall, and to casual eateries. They are adorable. The only thing is...and I haven't checked so I'm not sure, but I doubt they would carry my "big butt" size...LOL! Come to think of it I did once wear an athletic look on a flight to FL. It was a matching zip-front jacket with a pair of matching ankle length pants. I guess you'd call it a jogging outfit. My brothers and cousins were merciless in their teasing me about how I was wearing "flood pants" as the pant legs were belled at the bottom and hit just above the ankle. That outfit is still hanging in my mom's closet in FL. I've never worn it since! LOL!

Well, I'm on a high from my FL trip and have started hanging new things off the door to the guest room closet for the upcoming Christmas cruise. I'll be trying stuff on and putting outfits together towards the end of November. I'll be busy for the end of Oct. My friends, the DH and I are going to have lunch and tour the Queen Mary tomorrow. Then the DH's b-day is on the 28th and I'll be taking him to a really nice Italian restaurant for dinner. Next it's Halloween! After that my b-day is in Nov. and a couple of days later I'll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner and the DS will be home! Yea!

I bought quite a few new things in FL where I hit the mother-lode at the local Goodwill store. I got a great deal on a small, brown leather,"SAC"-brand backpack, a 100% Cashmere, over-sized, v-neck sweater (it's a man's large and I'll wear it over leggings and knee-high boots), and a brand new (tags still on it) 100% Alpaca wool cardigan. I'm stoked about my new treasures. I also picked up a really cool, baby pink, Jessica Simpson, faux-eather tote which I think is awesome! None of these things are for the cruise though. Just fun to have for the winter. I have been looking for something baby pink to wear and just recently found a pair of skinny-legged, baby pink jeans at Costco for $12.99. They fit great! So lucky!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Hi,

I'm back!

The anniversary and birthday party surprise turned out awesome! Everything went perfect and looked perfect. It was just so amazing how well it all went. Mom and Dad were so surprised and have been bragging to anyone who will listen about what a wonderful party it was.

It was fun seeing all my relatives and reconnecting with cousins I haven't seen in years. It was just a great time. My SIL and I are so proud of what we did for my parents.

I'm glad it's over though and now on to planning Thanksgiving dinner!

I would go to the excursion desk first thing when you board and see if anyone has cancelled.

If you ask him to there should be no problem. I've done it many many times before. If you don't ask, they won't do it.

What a sweet thing to do for your wife! I hope you pull it off and have a great cruise!:D

As soon as you get on board go straight to the dining room and try to get seated in the area that you want. We were once seated at a booth for 4 of us and we asked to be changed to a table of 10...our request was fulfilled no problem.

cruise and he is really good at trivia pursuit,Can anyone tell me how they play what you win and how do you know where and what time? Thanks in advance Im sooooo hoping he has fun so he will go again its my daughters last time as a child and who knows if she will still want to go her cruising experience has been making friends and hanging with them as much as possible

My DS is now 20 and will be cruising with us (he is bringing a friend with him) this Christmas. So maybe your daughter will want to continue cruising with you just like our DS. I hope so as it's so much fun to cruise as a family. I hope your DH loves the cruise and that you and he will cruise together again many times. My DH and I have been cruising together since 1971! The DS has been cruising with us every year since he was 9.:D

I agree...have your sister use frozen gel packs. I use them all the time when I travel.

Yep the MDR will be closed until dinner time. Most of the other venues will be open but not all of them. The buffet and pizza station are your best bets.

Good question...I don't see why not. I've never read anything on this board that says yea or nay! Let's see what others have to say.:D I was thinking of taking one on our Christmas cruise this year.

We love to take walks out on deck after dinner (we always do the 8:30p sitting), find a chair on deck, and just sit back and hang out together.

We will be celebrating our 30th Wedding Anniversary on board the Miracle at Christmas this year. Can't wait! I hope you and your wife have a great cruise!:D

Well ladies...

I'm off to FL tomorrow and I'm very excited about getting ready for the big family celebration. My parents are going to be so surprised.

The DS was here over the weekend and I was glad I got to see him before I leave for two weeks. We really enjoyed having him home for a few days. He's recouping great from all the drama he's been through and doing well. I just love that kid.

Okay, so I won't be posting here for the next two weeks so I want to wish everyone that are going off somewhere to have safe, fun, journeys. I'll report about the party when I get back from FL...Happy Trails....:D

What Anita said...great advice. My DS used to get motion sickness when he was that age. We didn't cruise with him at that young age but if we had...I would have double up with just-in-case stuff for him. It's what I did when we traveled anywhere with him at that age. He'd just puke at the drop of a hat...yuk! Thank goodness he grew out of it and turned out to be a great little traveler at about 5 years of age.

I'd say mom knows what the kids needs are so let her do her thing. Better safe than sorry. As this is the girl's first cruise...you don't know how they will react to the motion of the ocean. Just say'n.

I hope you and your family have a great cruise!:D

Go for it! Why not? Hope you have a great holiday cruise!:D

I love the website for Free People but they are very pricey. I don't shop much on-line at all. It's pretty rare. I love to go out shopping and check things out, try things on, etc. I love the whole deal.

I always buy something new whenever I'm going somewhere...it just makes it special for me even though if you saw my closets you'd know I more clothing or accessories like I need another hole in my head! LOL!

While I won't be cruising out of Galveston until February I just had to say how nice it is that you alerted travelers of this. Thanks for being such a considerate person.

I totally agree!!!:D

Here's hoping everyone arrives safely home or to a safe port. I wish the best for everyone who may be affected by Joaquin.

Whatever happens...I hope you have a safe and fun trip! Best of luck to you and all the other passengers being affected by Joaquin.

I thought about getting FTTF for our upcoming Christmas cruise but decided against it as it would have cost us $120 extra (we have two cabins). As seasoned cruisers we are in no hurry to get on the ship and don't mind carrying our personal stuff around with us. I don't care what time our checked luggage gets to our room as long as it all eventually shows up before embarkation day is over. On this particular trip we will be going on a Carnival excursion in the one tender port and in the other port there is no tendering so it's not a problem. We won't be in any hurry to get off the ship on debarkation day and I doubt we'll have any need for guest services as we've rarely used it before on our many cruises.

Maybe if we were to go on a cruise that had more than one tender port and we weren't going on a ship sponsored excursion, we might consider buying it. But at this time...we just can't justify spending money to be the first to anything! LOL!

I've said it before and I'll say it again...If I had listened to all the bad reviews I had read regarding a specific cruise line that I was planning on cruising on...I would have missed one of the best cruises of the many we've been on. Every review I read was negative to the point that I told the DH maybe we shouldn't take the cruise. He very wisely said what most people say..."Take it with a grain of salt!" So I went on the cruise with low expectations and we had one of the best times ever. Since then I've never been bothered by negative reviews and most of the time I find them to be wrong...at least IMHO.

So to the OP, don't worry about it, just go and have fun and make it your own. I hope you have an amazing time!:D

To all the East Coast ladies:

Are you guys keeping track of Joaquin? He's headed your way this weekend. I hope he doesn't hit any of you directly but it looks like he's going to be dumping lots of rain on some of you. Keep track of him.

I don't think any of you are cruising in the Eastern Caribbean next week. At least I hope not. I feel badly for people who booked cruises for next week. Especially those that didn't get travel insurance.

I hope it doesn't affect my landing in Orlando next Tues. But I think it's going to be further North by that time.

If you haven't heard about this hurricane...keep an eye out!

As long as I don't have to pay for the food (unless I want to get a special item)...they can call it whatever they want. Could care less.

Yes, you can decorate the outside of the door. It's metal just FYI.

I'd give them a tote bag for the beach or pool filled with a sun hat of some sort, a pair of sunglasses, a pair of flip flops, lip balm w/SPF, travel-sized bottles of suntan lotion and after-tan body lotion, hair ties or hair clips, some small bags of snacks (chips, pretzels, or whatever, and candy as these are expensive on board the ship), a lanyard for putting their sail and sign card in (you can get them at Walmart). I'd also throw in a bottle of nail polish and some emery boards. A sip-top bottle for refilling with water would also be nice. These are just some ideas that come to mind.:D

81 more days and counting until we board the Miracle for our Christmas cruise! Yea!:D

I too have been on many Caribbean cruises and I agree that what you'd wear in the summer is what you'd wear on the cruise.

I would however, pack a long pair of pants and some kind of long-sleeved top/jacket because it can get cool at night in some of the interior venues on the ship and out on deck...even in the Caribbean!;)

A sunhat is also a must for me and at least one pair of really good-quality sunglasses.

I hope you have an amazing cruise!