My Great Adventures

Every day I think of how lucky I am to have a great family! People might say that they have a great family, but they're just saying that to make me jealous of their family! When really, they should be jealous of my family!

Over the years of becoming part of the Olds Family, I've gotten a lot of new cousins, which has made my adventure much more fun. For those of you that don't know this, but I absolutely enjoy every baby or toddler's company! They are the cherry to my banana-split, they are the syrup to my pancakes! Haha!

I love each and everyone of you! If I haven't told you guys that I love you all, then listen up, cause I'm tellin' ya now! I LOVE YOU!! :)

I've decided to write something in this blog every few days. It feels good to get things out of my system, so if I say something that source, just doesn't work.might or could offend, just talk to me. I probably won't talk about my family in a mean way, but since none of the people at school can see this I might talk about them, but it's only to get my anger out towards them. Since sometimes talking to the

There's No Place Like . . .

Okay, here are "My Favorite Things" about our cruise.

Raindrops on deck and whiskers on my towel kitten;
Bright copper kettles making chocolate cake meltin';
Brown paper packages I didn't bring back from Jamaica;
These were a few of my favorite hings-tahs.

Cream colored skin-called a tan for my skin tone;
Late nights playing cards, John calling on the room phone;
Wild fish that fly with the sun on their fins;
These are a few of my favorite thin's.

When the boat rocked,
When my stomach flipped,
When I felt jet lagged,
I simply remembered I am not doing dishes
And then I didn't feel so bad!

Fresh bread and butter at dinner was just right;
Feeling my waistband slowly get tight;
Robert 'dancing' but Neil is dignified;
These are a few things I still miss each night!

Ordering hors'de ouvres and knowing how to say that;
Again, towel animals but the seal not the cat;
Leaving my towels, wet on the floor;
No one is picking them up for me anymore!

I could go on forever, but I won't.
Well maybe just TWELVE more things!

Oh, the 1st thing I loved about going on a cruise was being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the 2nd thing I loved about going on a cruise were 2 days in airports (to get there) and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the 3rd thing I loved about going on a cruise were getting THREE stamps in my passport, 2 days in airports, and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the 4th thing I loved about going on a cruise was 1) seeing the Mayan ruins with Aunt Nancy, 2) getting a minor concussion on the bus, 3) eating Mexican Ruffles, and 4) using my foot to flush a toilet.

Oh, the 5th thing I loved about going on a cruise was mailing postcards from Hell! Seeing the Mayan Ruins, 3 passport stamps and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the 6th thing I loved about going on a cruise was 6 different towel animals, mailing postcards from Hell! Seeing the Mayan Ruins, 3 passport stamps, 2 days in airports and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the 7th thing I loved about going on a cruise were 7 fancy dinners, 6 towel animals, mailing postcards from Hell! Seeing the Mayan Ruins, 3 passport stamps, 2 days in airports and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the 8th thing I loved about going on a cruise were eight hours of sleep in that marvelous Sheraton bed, 7 fancy dinners, 6 towel animals, mailing postcards from Hell! Seeing the Mayan Ruins, 3 passport stamps, 2 days in airports and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the 9th thing I loved about going on a cruise were 9 new souvenir t-shirts, 8 hours in the Sheraton, 7 fancy dinners, 6 towel animals, mailing postcards from Hell! Seeing the Mayan Ruins, 3 passport stamps, 2 days in airports and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the 10th thing I loved about going on a cruise were the 10 days together, 8 hours in the Sheraton, 7 fancy dinners, 6 towel animals, mailing postcards from Hell! Seeing the Mayan Ruins, 3 passport stamps, 2 days in airports and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the 11th thing I loved about going on a cruise were 11 hours in the air- hora tiempo de local destinato is. . . 10 days together, 9 new souvenir t-shirts, 8 hours in the Sheraton, 7 fancy dinners, 6 towel animals, mailing postcards from Hell! Seeing the Mayan Ruins, 3 passport stamps, 2 days in airports and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Oh, the last thing I loved about going on a cruise was getting the most out of Miss Stephanie's soda card, 11 hours in the air, 10 days together, 9 souvenir t-shirts, 8 hours in the Sheraton, 7 fancy dinners, 6 towel animals, mailing postcards from Hell! Seeing the Mayan Ruins, 3 passport stamps, 2 days in airports and being the only one to chum in the Caribbean!

Cruising from the Under 5 Point of View

I've put a few blogs about the cruise on the boys' blog. If you want to see some of their pictures, head on over. Cuter Kids

Diane's Top 20, too many for 10

I want to let Tim and Kym know I had a blast!! Thanks again for the sunshine!

20- Meeting 2 really nice girls at Miami Airport going home, they were from D.C.
19- Seeing all the yummy Cuban men at Miami airport, especially the one who was wrapping the luggage when we walked in. He's only been in U.S.A. for " 1 yr. 8 mths.

18- World of Coca-Cola and the 64 flavors of Coke to test, yummy! My favorite was Bibo Candy Apple from S. Africa

17- Hanging with my niece Melissa at night
16- Watching John dance and wear red war paint under his eyes
15- Chocolate Melting cake every night of course
14- Towel animals, my favorite was the stingray!
13- Meeting and getting a pic with my favorite cruise director, Butch Begovich
12- Going to the capt.'s farewell party and turning down free drinks. We didn't know they were free, dagnabit!
11- Swimming with stingrays, what a blast!
10- Eating lunch at Margaritaville in Grand Cayman, yummy food!
9- Hearing a Swedish woman in casino say " MACHGINE " with lots of emphasis.
8- Meeting Joe, he was awesome and we had so much fun hanging with him even though he was Andrew's age.
7- Seeing the shows every night, they were awesome!
6- Self-serve ice cream, I must have eaten it 3 times a day or more!
5- Climbing Dunns River, what a beautiful place!
4- Sitting by 2 women from Wyoming on plane to Atlanta, they were going to a yoga retreat in Managua. Very interesting conversation and neat women!
3- Getting my nails done, tanning and getting brow wax before trip, I never get that much pampering done and it felt so good!
2- Elegant nights, I never felt more sexy and pretty, who would have guessed I could make myself look nice instead of frumpy all the time :-)
1- This truly is #1 for me, getting all our family together and spending so much quality time with Tony and our sons, I love them and am so glad we had fun!!

Another Top Ten

You've inspired me, Tony.

Here's my Caribbean 2009 Top 10 Things I Learned on Vacation (in no particular order of importance or impact on my life):

10. Cate does not enjoy showering.

9. Danny does not know how to whisper.

8. My children will never share a room. (I actually already knew that. This trip just solidified it for me.)

7. I am not elegant.

6. Diet Dr. Pepper doesn't own me as much as I thought it did.

5. A glass elevator can provide hours (ok, maybe just minutes...but it felt like hours) of enjoyment.

4. It is very possible to have too much of a good thing (that chocolate cake).

3. Do not let Danny enter the room first. If you do, the towel animal will be destroyed before it can be enjoyed.

2. It is hotter than Hades in Cozumel.

1. The drunkards at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville are quite entertaining (and a little bit scary).

And since I am not capable of having a pictureless post...

Love ya, Aunt Doozy!

Top Ten

I can't believe no one has written a post-cruise post yet, so I guess I will.
Here's my Caribbean 2009 Top Ten:

10- Dr. Linda Perry telling me I had "craggy tonsils"

9- Towel animals

8- Burying the kids in the sand

7- Butch and the live shows

6- Seeing Tim sing Viva La Vida

5- Seeing John dance the YMCA

4- Joe from Chicago

3- Climbing the falls

2- World of Coca-Cola

1- Chocolate melting cake

This is all i'm really concerned about.

T-Minus...

Well, we are down to just hours away from the big trip!

The crap of dawn...yes this is a good way to put it. I can't think of one person who is excited about getting up this early...except maybe my kids. They have said they will be too excited to even go to sleep. Great. MY kids will probably be the most ornery on the plane! Come to think of it, I probably won't be my normal cheerful self either. For those of you who don't know me, I am not a morning person. That might be putting it mildly. I have insomnia and am addicted to ambien. Which means in order to get the right amount of sleep and have the ambien worn off enough so I can function a little, I will need to go to bed (and sleep) around 7pm. Since I am not a morning person, that means that I AM a night owl. I don't normally go to bed till around 1 or 2AM. Even if we assumed everything that needs to be wrapped up was actually wrapped up by 7pm, going to bed at 7 is so not gonna happen. Which means I will TRY to be in bed and trying to sleep by 11. Which gives me only 4 hours of sleep (assuming I conk out right at 11, which I won't). That means that at 5am, when you all see me, I will still be sluggish from the left over ambien which won't have left my system yet and I won't have had any coffee yet to try to counteract this sluggishness.

Why am I telling you all this? Because, while all of you have had your concerns over little items gearing up for this trip, MY greatest fear is hurting someone's feelings. So, if you say something to me first thing in the morning and I look at you blankly, or I answer and it seems a bit abrupt, I apologize in advance. My brain doesn't seem to fire on all it's cylinders (is that the right terminology, Tony?) and we can't blame it on a slight overdose of sleeping meds and lack of coffee.

I'm glad there are those of you that are so detail orientated. I have racked my brain to remember how the luggage thing works. I have been on 4 or 5 cruises and for the life of me I can't remember how that worked, other than when we signed in, our bags disappeared and then magically showed up in our staterooms later. I'm not too worried.

I feel a little like I should apologize for not being as concerned about some of the details as some of you have been. To be honest, I have called the cruise lines so many times and asked questions. I have asked the SAME questions at DIFFERENT times and gotten DIFFERENT answers each time. It has been frustrating for me to say the least. We are 4 days away from boarding the ship and at this point it just seems easier to relax and try to fix whatever issues come up when we get ON the ship and the people who actually RUN the ship can help us with our concerns, rather than the idiots who just answer the phones. I know there are going to be things that have to be fixed, this trip isn't going to be completely smooth no matter how hard we tried to make it that way. I think that's just the nature of traveling in a group of 28. It will be an adventure for sure though and I am SO excited to be doing this adventure with THIS family...rather than the secret one I have.

The plan is for us to meet on the Lido deck before we run off to rooms, I will go to every one's rooms and make sure they are made up right, for the right number of people, that there is a crib for Cate, etc.

As a reminder for excursions... make sure to bring cash for any excursions that you have not paid for through the ship. They usually only accept cash or travelers checks. There is a safe in the room that YOU set the pass code up for that you can store your money, passports and any other valuables you might bring.

Well, that's all for now. See you the day after tomorrow!

Kym

Motion Sickness : An Essay

I'm forty-one years old and I love roller coasters. I especially love big, hairy, scary roller coasters like Ghost Rider and Wicked and Wild Mouse. Ever since I've been old enough to ride them I've loved roller coasters, and tilt-a-whirls, and teacups, and rides that go upside-down or really high. And I like boats and planes and sitting on a train in those seats that face backwards, and lying down to read in the back of a Suburban that's going down the highway on it's way to California.

I don't get motion sickness.

At least I didn't until this morning.

You see, most of the definitions for motion sickness have something to do with the inner ear. Your eye sees one thing and your inner ear tells your brain something else and it makes you sick. Believe it if you want, but ears have nothing to do with it. Here's the real definition: Things are moving in a way you don't like, your brain doesn't have control of the situation, so your stomach decides to mutiny and perform the only evasive action it can. Voila, the ride operator turns off the teacups and gets out the hose.

Now you see, the reason I didn't think I got motion sickness is because I thought it only applied to PHYSICAL motion. I didn't realize the same principle applies to FINANCIAL motion.

Let me explain. Back at the first of the year we were in pretty calm financial water, so planning for a cruise was no big deal. Since then we've had a few little waves. The dog has to go to the vet, the car breaks down, you lose some customers. You feel a little queasy, but you're still enjoying the ride. Then you hit some big waves, like the kind that make you hang over the side of the boat and hope you don't barf. So you do things like canceling all of your excursions and deleting all of your posts off of the cruise blog.

Blaaaahhhh! . . . . there goes the dolphin swim.

Bluuuurppp! . . . . there goes the stingrays.

Huuurrrrllll! . . . . there goes the shopping, the fancy portraits and the sodas.

You start to feel a little better, someone gives you a mint. And then the really big wave hits you. In my case that would be a letter from my lawyer about a month ago stating that since there hadn't been any activity on my case for a while it was time for me to pay the balance. He was nice enough to give me ten days. The balance due was basically everything I had set aside for this trip plus a thousand dollars.

Hhhhaaaaaaappppphhhh!!

Not everyone gets motion sickness. I didn't used to. Now I think I do. Sometimes things are moving in a way you don't like and your brain doesn't have control of the situation. Sometimes you just want to get your feet back on solid ground before your stomach decides to mutiny. Sometimes you think maybe it would have been better if you hadn't gotten on the ride.

Fortunately, motion sickness doesn't usually kill you. It can ruin your trip and sometimes people poke a little fun at you, but you usually survive. So let's all try to remember, when you see someone turning green and acting like they aren't having much fun, don't wave back and forth in front of them and make gag noises. Just let them get over it in their own way.

(Also, I was trying to figure out how to insert a joke in here about how "if you or your significant other has to take Dramamine or Pepto in order to get busy with the lights out, you might have bigger problems than motion sickness", but I just couldn't make it work. If you have any suggestions I'd like to hear them.)

(Suggestions about the joke, I mean. Not about the getting busy.)

Got to get my 5

So I went back and checked and it looks like I still need to post a couple more times. Here's an idea that Cindy and I talked about tonight when we got home.

Take into account that this is our observation from our cruise last year and on this cruise it may be entirely different, so play it by ear.

When we arrived the very first thing that we did was give our bags to the curb-side check-in. They simply asked us what room we were in so they could deliver our bags. They simply wrote down that number and off we went. Later that afternoon/evening we got our bags in our room.

The thought is that if you simply know the room you will be staying in and give them that number then you will not need to move your bags around later. We didn't have to give them any identification or anything to show them that we were in a specific room. As a matter of fact, they had a guy with a list of everyone's names and room numbers sitting at a table so you could verify what room you were in if you wanted to look it up.

Just a thought that might make it easier to get your bags in the right room sooner!



This was what our thermometer looked like this morning when I got up (13 degrees Fahrenheit). Can't wait to get away!

Scuba Diving in Cozumel

I spent a couple of hours looking at all of the different coral reefs where you can go scuba diving in Cozumel. Lots of places to choose from! Some with high currents, some dropping off into the abyss! Some with big fish, some with coral pinnacles. Wow! How to choose. Later today, I talked to Kymberly and we picked one and she sent an email to make a reservation.

We are looking forward to it, but we are also looking forward to stingray city and an opportunity to snorkel with the kids! That will be a lot of fun.

Of course, everything on the ship looks fun too. I finally got a chance to look at the Carnival Liberty dining rooms, entertainment areas, and it looks like there is even a room for the kids to have activities!

Grandma Gale

Tuxedo night

I don't know how to go about pre-ordering a tux for Rick, so he will be in the same category as Tim, he may have to show up for formal nite in less than a tuxedo.

We will be at the airport by 5:00 a.m. (even though this is definitely the crap of dawn) because you never know these days if you will need the full two hours to get through ticketing & security. You also don't know if you are going to be that lucky person that security chooses at random for the full body strip search. This search can take 30 to 40 minutes by itself! So those of us who look like terrorists should plan a little extra time for this fun activity! I guess its so close to time to leave for the cruise I am starting to get giddy!

Stop! In the name of the Mail

Did you know that you can have your mail held without stepping foot in a post office? Or out of your bathroom slippers? Yep, you can register to have your mail held for the cruise at USPS.COM. Check, check! One more thing off my list! Wahoo!

However, I can't figure out how to find out the international postage rate of mailing postcards from Hell. I might have to talk to a real person to find out. Or buy stamps in Hell-do you think they are scratch-n-sniff? Maybe Fire and Brimstone scented? Awesome! I hope so.

T-Minus 9 days

The countdown is officially on!

Here are a few last minute details I wanted to make sure everyone is aware of.

Formal nights-there are two and I think we have all pretty much decided to pick one and do it up ultra formal with tuxedos, prom dresses and the works. We have always been able to rent the Tux onboard, however, it does say in the guidelines that they want pre-orders with measurements no later than one week prior. I don't know if this is always the "policy" or if it might be because it is Thanksgiving week and they might have more orders than normal. I did find out that boys tuxedos DO need to be pre-ordered because they don't keep children's sizes onboard, so I will be going and getting Talon measured for a tux this week. If Tim shows up to dinner in jeans, I guess we will know they wanted the pre-orders. I can only make him do so much. :)

Let's talk about flights for this trip. After calling Delta again to verify group stuff, it seems that the Medallion status only applies to Tim for waiving luggage fees since this is a "GROUP" reservation. Lame, I know, and I am sure Tim will try to fight them on it. So be prepared to pay the luggage fees.

First bag is $15.00 max weight is 50 lbs

Second bag is $25.00 max weight 50 lbs

Each ticketed person is allowed one carryon and one personal item onboard.

Un-ticketed children do not have a baggage allowance, so Cindy and Cathy need to keep that in mind.

Strollers can be checked at the gate so you can use them throughout the airport.

For those of you thinking you were rolling out of bed at 5:30am to get to airport for our 7am flight...

WE NEED TO ARRIVE AT THE AIRPORT 2 HOURS BEFORE OUR FLIGHT!!! THAT IS 5AM!!!

It takes time to get ticketed, check bags and get through security. They will start boarding 1/2 before we leave, so it's only an hour and a half for all of that.

I know we will have TONS of luggage so I went and got bright ribbons to tie onto each suitcase to make identifying a little easier. Each little family will get their own. You can pick your color out when we come up on Sunday. :) That's my contribution this week. :)

See you then!

Kym

We are just about ready to go on the cruise. Kymberly has sent us the airline plans and we have printed it out. So nice to have someone plan the trip and just tell us which plane to get on and which ship to get on. I have managed to fit back into a formal dress I wore many years ago so I have something kind of special to wear for one of the formal nights. Being that I am getting on up there in years, I even managed to find some shoes to wear with it that are flat, so I could walk around for several hours and maybe even cut a rug or too before my arches resume their "fallen position."

Aarp has been all set to be "dog sitted" by my friend Mailia, who volunteered right after last Christmas to keep him. She loves dog sitting for us. She did Halloween as "Dorothy" from the Wizard of Oz and had to borrow Aarp for a photo shoot as Toto!

We are not too concerned about the seasickness. Sometimes you get it, sometimes not! But our past experience with cruises has been that the ships are so big you hardly notice the motion. However, let me add that our experiences in the past have had very calm seas, and we heard on the news today that there is a tropical storm brewing in the Carribbean. Hopefully, it will blow itself out before we leave!

I would also like to go to Stingray city. I got my scuba certification and would want to go on a scuba excursion if possible. If not, I would love to go snorkeling with any of you who are going!

See you soon!
Grandma Gale

Pa Paw with Grandkids Monster

Things nightmares are made of.

Since my schedule the next couple of weeks is crazy, I've started the packing. To some, my packing list would be the cause of nightmares, but with three little ones in tow, it is hard to downsize too much.

So, what is on my list? There is your typical clothing and hygiene stuff, goofy looking rash guards for the boys and Kevin to make sure they don't have sunburned shoulders, adorable dress up clothes for the boys on Elegant Nights, a 40+ year old dinner jacket for Kevin, too many shoes for all of us, a few books and favorite toys, and then the baby gear.

Ah, the baby gear. And how to maneuver the baby gear. For starters, it will be stowed in a suitcase that will not explode outside the hotel! (Hawaii WAS fun!) And I do plan to buy some of the stuff in Miami on our Wally World Excursion, but there is still stuff from home that my sweet Rusty will need. Should I scare you all by listing a bit of it here? I think I shall:

1. Peapod Tent/Bed: This is our solution to a crib being too big and taking up too much room in our cabin on the boat. It is small enough to pack into a suitcase and about 10 times lighter than our pack-n-play.

2. Two umbrella type strollers: The only reason to take two is to keep tabs on Billy as we move through the airports. I doubt he'll have patience for one at any other time!

3. Car seats: I just couldn't NOT have them, I decided. I will check Rusty's and Ricky's booster (since it will easily fit in the car seat bag, along with coats and such), but we plan to take Billy's onto the plane with us. We think he'll be better behaved strapped in like he is used to and might even fall asleep for us. This necessitated number 4.

4. Car Seat Travel Accessory: Envisioning ourselves moving as easily as possible through the airport, we knew we'd need something to help with Billy's car seat, so I got this. You just strap the car seat to a pilot-type bag and pull it along with you. It even suggests putting your child in it like a stroller, but I'm not sold on that one yet! I'll have to think about that though ... it would cut down on a stroller.

5. Baby Garb: Bottles, little spoons, sippy cup, disposable bibs, extra pacifier, baby medicine cabinet stuff, musical toy for bed time, familiar blanket, lovey, diapers, swim diapers, wipes (although I will buy most of the latter ones in port), and the kitchen sink.

6. Small inflatable pool: It isn't very big, but it is enough to entertain at least Rusty and Billy for a while. They aren't allowed in the regular pool on the boat since they aren't potty trained, but this can be filled by the pool and they can splash as they please. Shoot, it might even fit in our shower so they can have a bath!

7. Portable DVD Player: This one is still optional, but not really. We'll have Kevin's laptop for movies while on the boat, but will its battery life be enough for the plane? So, since we have everything else ...

When we enter the airport in two weeks and two days, with our luggage and carry-ons and children, please don't gawk at how many bags we have. Instead, be impressed with how compactly we managed to pack so much junk!

Checklist made, check, check!

Hello! I am starting to freak out a little. Not about motion sickness or pirates or drowning or foreign diseases, but because I have SO MUCH LEFT TO DO AND WE LEAVE IN DAYS!!!!! Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Not that I don't do well under the self-imposed pressure of procrastination, but there is a lot to accomplish and time is flying by! So, I started making a checklist.

1. Change batteries in fire alarms-that would not be fun to come home to squealing alarms with no energy to change the stupid 9-volt batteries in 8 of them.

2. Buy stupid 9-volt batteries x eight.

3. Empty suitcases of clothes I no longer fit in to replace with cruise clothes its too cold to wear.

4. Figure out what clothes I am taking and wash them and dry them and fold them and pack them and do the same for John and then change my mind a few times and pack extra just in case and then weigh my suitcase and repack cause it weighs more than Danny.

5. Make mailing labels for postcards. (AHA! THAT is done!) Check, check.

6. Buy stamps for postcards. (Crap, I forgot to buy stamps!)

7. Empty memory cards from cameras onto discs.

8. Pre-register John with Carnival.

9. Talk John into pre-registering with Carnival.

10. Take a deep breath in, deep breath out.

There is soooo much more on this list to do it is ridiculous, but I have no time to expound on it. But it did remind me of a few more things I need to be doing in the next few days. Oi vay! At least all my posts are done and I can just sit back and enjoy the last mad scramble for the wayward few who haven't finished posting. BTW, the gambling lesson wasn't ever finished, was it?

Just gotta min. . .

Okay, I know you are all eagerly awaiting my next blog-killing post, so here goes!
I have finally started to create my own souvenir t's! Aunt Snazz thinks the ones I showed her are great, but if you haven't seen "Overboard!" with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell they might be over your head!
Now just a few minutes to paint and time to dry and I will be the most originally/stylishly dressed cruiser ever!
Look forward to it!