Welcome Back E, now get to work on the Fish Extender Gifts

The last few hours waiting for E to get off that bus felt like FOREVER. But he's home and it was a great reunion. Here's a recap ..... We left for base 2 hours before they were to arrive just in case they came back early. Before We left we put up the sign I had made (usually we just paint on a white bed sheet but this yr I found a website that made signs for free for military)





Next I write on the back of the car (E hates this.... getting the car dirty, and embarassing him.. yet I think a part of him loved that )





We get to base and proceed to wait... story of my life with the military hurry up and wait UGGG The boys keep themselves entertained. Thanks to the jumper they had.





Then we see the most magical site (aside from seeing the Magic herself last week)





WOOHOO The busses are here. Now the hard part trying to pick him out of the crowd... never an easy thing to do when they all are wearing the same uniform. But we have always had a way for E to find US. Signs... Original signs. This tour we had a great one to advertise.





Then we see him... wait is it him they all look alike.. yes.. yes its him!





The boys go running to him, I let them have there special time with him 1st.. you know before I mall the poor guy





Boy did they miss him! And Im sure vise versa!





Together again at last





The boys couldnt wait to help dad and take him home.





Had to change the car sign to make it fitting now that he has "arrived" (cant see it to well but I crossed out the Coming part to make it appropriate!)





Then of couse the 1st thing he did was check out my car. MEN lol





So far we have gone out to eat, grocery shopping and to get ice cream. (all the weight I lost before he came home is back on UGGG, back to the gym I go before our cruise LOL) Today we are off to shopping for some school stuff for the boys and new cruise stuff for E. Guess its allowed since I have stocked up already while he is gone. Took the day off work to enjoy my men.



When we get home, I will show E my stash of Disney "stuff". He walked into the closet and just shook his head. I said I CAN EXPLAIN IT ALL LMAO. Then he said THIS is why Im only allowed 1 piece of luggage huh.. all this other stuff is flying with us too. NO NO NOT allll of it...



I let him and the boys know when we get back from the mall we will be working on the fish extender gifts. I was met with blank stares from all 3 of them. Does NO ONE listen to me?



Next Up: THIS is a Fish Extender... This is a Fish Extender Gift.... ANY QUESTIONS?

Only 20more hours Till E comes home!

Ok so work is done, in between watching the Olympics im putting clothes away and just doing last minute straighting up. But MAN OH MAN these last few HOURS are killing me. 20more to go thankfully I will be asleep for aprox 7 of them LOL that leaves me with 13, ok not so bad for the next 3 Ill be finishing up laundry. Then tmrw get up get the boys haircuts, get some grocerys. Put up the sign in front of the house, take off then wait for him to step off the bus.


WHAT only 20more hours I have so much to do still LMAO

Goodbye E, Now the Countdown Begins (T-7weeks)

I told you I was going to take you back... way back.. Ok aprox 8months back.


So as much as we didnt want the day to come. IT DID. As it always does. (and sad as it is, probably will 1-2more times) The day we had to take E to base to leave on an 7-8month depoyment to Iraq. But as sad as were to see him go. We knew we had that much more to look forward to when he came home. We get him PLUS a VACATION.. A very very much needed vacation.


I wont bore you with details so here is the condensed version. Alarm goes off at 0230 (ya I do military time, I also call things the deck= floor, chow=food, and head=bathroom lol) This is what I saw at that time.




We get ready, bags are already in the car. Wake the boys up (that took a bit), drive to base. Now comes my favorite part of the military. Hurry up and Wait. You have to be there at a certain time BUT why.. your just waiting around. But I digress. E goes and picks up his weapons. Yes plural, usually he just has a pistol but this time they needed to take the big boys with them too. (Some high ranking never been to Iraq thought they would need them HA E told me they got there and locked them in the armory!) He comes back and they start loading there stuff in the bus. (He was only allowed 2 bags plus a carry on. I dont know how BUT every time he goes, he has more then that. This time 3 PLUS he sent this huge footlocker ahead of him. (Im worried at how he is going to pack for the cruise. I have told him only 1 suitcase but doubt thats going to happen)



E gives the boys "THE TALK" (you know BE GOOD LISTEN TO YOUR MOM... I believe it went in one ear and out the other lol)




He hugs and kisses them good bye.




Then he gives me my talk (Be Patient with them, DONT KILL THEM LOL... I listened to part... WHAT? Their not dead or hurt!) Can you tell how tired I am also!




We load him into the bus.




Then we FOLLOW IT. Yes thats right I follow 3 Marine Corps busses. WHY? Well they meet at the base they are stationed on then travel to a larger one to fly out of. The one they fly out of it about an hour past our house. So I follow it all the way to our exit. Funny how I have a whole bus waving goodbye to me now. They miss us, as much as we miss them already.



I have to admit once the deployments are over they do feel like they went fast... its just getting to the end that feels like forever.

So all the time he is gone, Im getting info from the DIS regarding the cruise, ports, our pre and post stays, The World etc. I am constently emailing him things, and getting squat for answers. I come to the conclusion that, I share, and If I get input great if not oh well. But if I ONCE hear why did you plan/do/arrange this on the trip... someone will be going overboard.


I also need to slowly show him all the fun stuff I have purchased and how yes we do need the Pirate sunscreen, and High School Musical antibactterial wash. Let alone tell him AGAIN for the umteenth time what a Fish Extender is and how AWESOME ours is that Tiffany made us... let alone fill him in our Secret Mickey Cabin. Oh so much to do and so little time to do it in.


Check List Before E gets home:

• Welcome Home Signs (check)
• Clean the house (eh its a work in progress)
• Wash the cars (doing his truck tmrw, he knows I dont do it till the day before he gets back Im horrible with that stuff, then mine on Friday LOL)
• Mow the lawn (check)
• Get the boys haircuts
• Go Grocery shopping for all his favorites
• Put new pretty sheets on the bed

After 8months of counting down... we are down to the wire folks. Believe me the last few days are killing the boys and I too. We know once he is home we are one step closer to BLISS. If Saturday would just come a lil faster.


Next Up: Welcome Back E, now get to work on the Fish Extender Gifts

I interrupt this irregular Trip Report to bring you this special message

GUESS WHAT I SAW TODAY???

Well GUESS already.....

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YUP I got to see the Magic in all her glory leaving out of San Pedro!

Went to my great neice and nephews baptizim (Im actually from Pedro my hometown) and made a pit stop on the way to the reception to take the boys to see her! So we stopped at the Ports O'Call area and had some tasty beverages, chips and salsa at the Acapulco Resturant. We didnt hear the horn as we were inside (I couldnt remember if she took off at 415 or 445. Once we saw her moving from down the dock we ran outside to take pics.


Have to tell you how funny it was, some ladies were behind where we were standing and they saw me taking pics and said you telling your boys to get a good look since there not getting on it..I kind of laughed and said "oh No I told them the next time you see her we'll be on it!.. we set sail in 55days once she gets back to FL." They choked on there margaritas after that remark!


I cant wait to get on her now! The boys saw the Dumbo-tron and they cant wait to watch tv on it in the pool. They did ask so which level will we be sleeping on.. umm no clue yet we dont have a cabin number still (holding out for the Walt Suite still ) They were asking all kinds of questions, which of course made me happy cuz any time I try and share with E I get ahh huh.. ok ya sure... and Im sure its in one ear out the other!


So here are a few more pics of her!


see why I need a new camera my flash did nothing





She is a beauty!





Man Goofy works hard!





there she goes.... see you in 55days!





lil video of her sailing by





and now back to your irregular Trip Report already in progress!

Logo's, Magnets, & Passporter? You mean Passport, right?

**NOTE... I would let you know.. Im not a writer. Im a reader! But Im doing this as a documentation of our fun tale! Please excuse my poor POOR grammer, missuse of upper and lower caseing and my over use of cyber talk (lol, IDK, omg etc) and my tagents away from the subject matter. If you dont mind that... by all means keep on a reading! : ) END NOTE**

For this next episode I thought I would take you on a trip back in time aprox a yr ago. Actually the next few episodes will be "back in the future" to give you an overview on all that was dont to get us to where we are now. Plus I have 8weeks to fill here, and I can only tell you so much how excited I am to go.

SO, After booking the cruise (through Dreams Unlimited) my mind starts going a million miles a minute.. We need airfair, hotel, transportaion, do we do a stop at the world before, after, or not at all. To me that last one was not an option, but for E... it was.."Why do we need to do the World, when we are already on a DISNEY cruise?"Me- "Its a boat, not a ride"Him- "Your riding on it RIGHT??!

It was at this moment I gave him the shut the H-E-double hockey sticks up, along with the stop being a smart fart look. He then gives me the retelitory umm ok my bad, whatever you want shoulder shrug. Score 1 for me, 0 for E. You might take note that most of the major decision making goes like this.

I start keeping a lil note pad next to the computer for lil things I learn from "the DIS". Then realize this is too hard to keep track of. I have 12gazillion (YES I COUNTED) ideas, tips, notes etc. I have wrote on the back of paper, front of them, side, inbetween other notes, its so crazy I dont understand some of my notes. I need to find a new way to keep track.... Being the scrapper that I am. I go into Martha Stewart mode and make "Our Disney Planning Notebook" Complete with dividers, charts and graphs (ok just kidding there...sort of LOL )

With that I figure we need a Cruise Fund Jar too.. the loose change will serve as our extra spending money. I then make this up.Basically its just that a holder of change, and not much. So I compensate by taking money out of my check every 2weeks. I put it in a safe place... my underwear drawer... what not like anyone is going to be going through that for a few months with E leaving soon (remember this was like Sept 2007) Not that he goes through my underwear drawer ... hmm this isnt coming out right.. oh well you get the point!

I read on the dis we need magnets for the door. E's response was why does it not close if we dont have one? NO knuckle head you decorate the door with them. That was met with a confused look and he proceeded to go back to watching ESPN. Im sure words were uttered under his breath about how OVER COMPLUSIVE I have become with this planning process. To which I ignored. I find pics, use micro paint to jazz them up and vola' signs all done. Just need to print them out. (notice how I take care of the important stuff 1st the signs etc.. not like we need airfair or a place to stay before NO we need SIGNS. I have priorities people! LOL)

I also read that I should get a passporter... wait is that a typo in someones post.. they had to mean passport right? Come to find out nope PASSPORTER as in the BIBLE for Disney Cruise's. I sort of hmm and haww over buying a book for only 1 cruise. (MMWWUUAAHHHH HA HA again more on the evil laugh later) So I go to my local library where they have an older copy. I get home and read it cover to cover over the weekend. I couldnt put it down. I really think this should be in Oprah's book club! Best seller here! So I model my planner after the Passporter. I have to say I think I did a pretty good job on it too. If only the rest of my life were as organized as my vacation planner.

Lets see what else do we need... SHIRTS yes we need shirts with our cruise logo on them.. wait we dont have a cruise logo yet. Hmm ok so I have joined this cruise meet thread on "THE DIS" and notice when people post they all have logo's in there signature. Well we dont have a logo, we NEED a logo. I then become obsessed in making a logo. Well my graphic design skills arent so hot, (I knew I should have gone to school for that ) I take a million designs back to the thread of cruisers and I truley think they made a logo just to shut me up! I was a mad women over there with designs, graphics, pics etc.

(BTW if any of you Creative Dis'ers are out there... thank you for all your help with not only our logo but some of my signs also!) Here are some that didnt make the cut (yes my fellow cruisers I saved them! )

Eventually we got one thanks to Eric, Chris and oh man someone else on our thread Im sorry I cant remeber right now! (someone help me give the props to the other disigner.) I then take our new hot lil logo over to cafepress.com. Make a shirt for each of us. Which also doubles as an xmas gift for the boys. This was before we got word we would have to alter our logo/port.



Next Installment:I interrupt this irregular Trip Report to bring you this special message

Double Dipping w/a Marine and a Mouse...

...also 2 goofy boys , and me your trip reporter. Who would I be your asking, well a princess duh. Yet DH and the boys probably would say more like the evil stepmother at times LOL.

Your probably waiting for some names and faces to go with our "titles". So drum roll please....

DH- Elbert (aka E, Mac) Marine currently serving in OIF #4, (Who needs Prince Charming when your married to a Marine?)

Me- Drea, wife of the Marine, Mom of the 2goofy boys. Suffers from a case of OCVP (Obsessive Compulsive Vacation Planning)

DS#1- Phoenix (aka P, Bubba, Big Fry) age 10 PlayStation efficianoto, the "whatever" kid, protecter of his lil brother (most the time)

DS#2- Justice (aka J, GG, Small Fry) soon to be 6, lover of cars... and food (kid after his moms own heart!), the "OK" kid, idolizes his big brother (most the time)

E & I

P & J

Figured I would get a jump on writing my pre trip report for a few reasons, 1 my fellow cruisers anc22, and zweihund have been been pushing us fellow DDD'ers to do something productive besides just make door magnets and figure out f/e gifts LOL. and 2, I need something to keep me occupied for the next 59days. Yet I will be plenty busy soon check out my ticker (no not the one on the right Erica, I know that one catches your eye 1st) the one on the LEFT. Yes my fellow dis'ers my dear sweet huggable loveable husband is on his way home soon after 8months in Iraq. (*note* the mushy gushy stuff is mostly due to we havent seen eachother in 8months, Im sure once we get on ship it will be, ya that GRUMPY dude over there ya he's mine LMAO)

Guess I should bring you up to speed on how we got to this point in time. It all started with a retorical question... We really should plan a family vacation.(hmm guess thats not a question huh.. well in MY story it is!)..E and I were talking in mid May 2007 stating we really should plan a good vacation. Not a go see the family type vacation, not just a mommy and daddy vacation, but a real honest to goodness FAMILY vacation. BUT WHERE? Since we live in Ca, Disneyland is out of the question we go there once a yr. What about the Grand Canyon E suggest... umm Ya I'm not into seeing dirt and rocks being that our backyard still isn't finished. We both mention a few other suggestion that the other turns down... then E says it would be fun to do DisneyWORLD. Being as he has NEVER been nor the boys, and I have only been once when I was 7 and it rained then.

So that was it, we run over to the computer (ok I walked, he sat on the couch watching ESPN) I start pricing the tix for the world, a hotel, car rental, flight, food etc... and shout over to him for how much its going to cost we could do a cruise. We both light up... CRUISE, DISNEY.... a DISNEY CRUISE (Light bulb moment folks literally ). Off I go typing getting info and pricing. I wont bore you with too much step by step planning but lets just say it is August before we actually make the finale decision and book it. What stalled us you say, well the Marine Corps. See E was slated to do ANOTHER (#4) tour in Iraq and we were worried he wouldnt be back in time to go (I told him I have no problem taking the boys by myself, but that didnt seem to go over so well). After a few calls to some very nice CM's (cast members for you newbies!)We find that if he does get extended and cant come home in time Disney will move our cruise, insured or NOT with no loss of $$$ to us no matter the time frame. (Can I just say I love Disney )

I email Tracey at Dream Unlimited (whom by this point has received a thousand or so emails and questions from me ) and put a deposit on a 7day Disney Cruise from Sept 27th-Oct 4th with stops at Cozumel, Costa Maya (which later gets changed to the Grand Cayman) and 2stops at Disney's Private Island Castaway Cay (hence the Double Dip) and 3 days at the WORLD . I do the whole song and dance of how we probably wont be in Fl again or not for a long time (MMWUUAAHH Ha HA more on this evil laugh to come)so we should do the parks while we are there. It really didnt take much for me to convice E either. I love it when a plan comes together!

My next mission to complete was to find flights, car rental, hotel info etc... then I find the The DIS . This new website becomes my home away from home, my safe haven, the answer to all my questions ... and believe me there were TONS! Also E and I decide to keep it a secret from the boys till Xmas. Oh man oh man this is gonna be hard but we do it.

Next Up: Logo's, Magnets, & Passporter? You mean Passport's, right?