I really enjoyed seeing all or your Aruba pictures on Facebook as we froze here in GA. No where near as bad as what everyone had up north but temps in the 20s is rough for us! Now today it's supposed to be 73 and tomorrow 77!
Thanks! I am glad you enjoyed them! It was a fun trip and one I hope to do a little more often.
Ahhh... I cannot wait for spring weather here! We've only been home for a week - but we've had about 14" of snow in that time.
Your Aruba trip looked amazing! I loved the nightly sunset photos!
I was definitely glad I was in Chicago the week BEFORE the vortex came through.
We had snow while I was there, but the temperatures and sunny skies made it perfect.
We are finally doing some of our cruise planning.
We are cruising with our BFF's from Chattanooga again. We actually met them in a FB group from our 2014 cruise, and have been inseparable since then. They are renewing their vows on one of the islands we port in. She has it narrowed down to either St. Kitts or San Juan, PR. And since my DH is an ordained minister now, they have asked him to officiate.
It is so fun planning for cruises. I ordered a few dresses onlne yesterday, and a new door magnet. We also have excursions picked out for Antiqua and St. Kitts. There is not as much planning involved with a cruise as with the parks, but still fun.
Thank you - I am glad you enjoyed seeing them.
I bet you were - LOL - I was so glad I wasn't here for that. But I did worry about the girls - just because we weren't here, they had to deal with a lot of stuff that we are normally responsible for... Like keeping the pipes for our furnace exhaust clear of ice and snow... Shoveling... Keeping the pipes in the house from freezing... Making sure the furnace stays running... And so on - BIG and important stuff. At one point - for several days - both girls' cars were frozen solid and they had to use my car - which was difficult, since both of them live in different towns now. But they made it through and learned a few things about MN winter cold survival.
Yay!!!!! So excited for you... After my Disney Surprise in Aruba - I am really dreaming of doing a cruise one day!
And how awesome that Brian is doing the vow renewal - what an honor!!!!
That will be a great trip for you all!
Eeeeep... I know - I've already started planning some of my trip outfits... And on the side (even though it will be 2 years - at least - before we get to go back to Aruba, I am planning those outfits too.
) I feel like the cruises would be more "vacation like" and relaxing... Where the parks - you need a vacation from your vacation.
I can't wait to hear how that came about!! My jaw dropped when I saw the pics on FB!
Oh, no
I hope he starts to feel at least a bit better quickly!
Oh, boy, oh, boy!!!! Secrets!!!!
Hey, now, no bragging! It's still freezing here. Blah!
Yah - I'll talk about it below... I wasn't gonna do that today, but everyone is still sleeping - so I have time.
It was pretty bad there for a few days... Poor guy. Literally, in bed screaming every time he moved - and he has a very high pain tolerance - so it was very difficult for me to watch. Finally, at the end of day 3 - I urged him to try and go downstairs - I felt like being cooped up in our bedroom was just not good for his outlook - no sun - isolated - coulnd't eat laying down. We were finally able to get him down stairs - it was rough moving him, as he couldn't walk unassisted... I remember thinking - at the top of the stairs "OK, if we fall now - I'll probably break my neck"... Then at the halfway point, I thought "if we fall now, I'll probably only break a leg"... Then towards the bottom, I thought "OK - I might just roll my ankle..." - but man, it wasn't easy. Once he got downstairs - even just being able to sit in his recliner so he could eat was a huge mood changer and motivator to move around. Yesterday, he was actually walking (mostly) unassisted... He is still sore - but not the screaming pain he was having before. Hopefully he can fully recover this weekend, and be back to mostly normal by Monday.
Hehehehe... I *may* talk about that below too...
Hahahaha... Um - it's pretty cold here too.
It has made a difference for me, i don't feel as hungry, i feel less bloated, i am so happy o started doing it, and i am almost used to the black coffee! I am still going 16/8 but hope to move to 6/18 at some point, but probably not for a while, to babies at home make it hard i always want to be eating!
I love Aruba! So happy you had a great trip!
Hope Josh feels better soon!
I am just loving IF so much too!!! I never thought I'd be able to do it - and here I am - not only doing it, but loving how I feel too.
I did try to IF a little on vacation - but for the most part - I didn't... It's just super hard when you are living on someone else's schedule... I figured I'd "ease" back into it once I got home - but I was able to fall into a really nice IF pattern much easier than I thought I'd be able to... and I've even been able to fast a bit longer over the last few days - just to kinda reset after vacation.
Mid-next week, I'll go back to my normal 19/5 schedule though, I think. I am surprised at how quick my vacation bloat has gone though.
I love it too - I sure hope to make it part of our "vacation rotation " schedule... Josh and I have been talking about doing Aruba and the Netherlands on alternating year schedules in the future - doing both in one year (one of them twice) is a bit much for us - we'll be able to cash flow both, no problem, but it just *seems* excessive... and every other year would be a nice compromise.
Thank you!
He is getting there - I did a nice long paragraph above.
Aruba looks so amazing! I'm glad you had a wonderful time. I sure hope Josh's back pain eases up for him. Can't wait to hear the Disney updates! Stay warm, my friend. ❄
Thank you - we loved it so much! I wish we could afford to go every year, it was so relaxing and just wonderful!
Thanks - I did a Josh update above in my reply to Jackie.
I'll be doing some Disney updates below too.
Sorry you had to get back to come weather and snow. Here in Ohio we had the polar vortex last Wednesday and Thursday. Our low was -5 to -10 and an even lower wind chill but by Sunday if was 50ish. Weird weather I guess.
I'm glad you got to enjoy some beautiful sunshine!
Well - since we live in MN - I kinda expected it. LOL But I was hoping we'd miss the worst of it - and it appeared that we did... Though we have received almost 14" of snow just since we've been home!
Crazy!
Yes - the weather has been so weird this year... For a while there - it almost looked like we wouldn't be having winter at all.
I was kinda hoping. LOL
Thanks - we loved Aruba so much!
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OK all... We are doing good. Josh is slowly moving in the right direction. I am just going to copy and paste my reply to Jackie above - because I don't feel like rewriting it all. LOL
It was pretty bad there for a few days... Poor guy. Literally, in bed screaming every time he moved - and he has a very high pain tolerance - so it was very difficult for me to watch. Finally, at the end of day 3 - I urged him to try and go downstairs - I felt like being cooped up in our bedroom was just not good for his outlook - no sun - isolated - coulnd't eat laying down. We were finally able to get him down stairs - it was rough moving him, as he couldn't walk unassisted... I remember thinking - at the top of the stairs "OK, if we fall now - I'll probably break my neck"... Then at the halfway point, I thought "if we fall now, I'll probably only break a leg"... Then towards the bottom, I thought "OK - I might just roll my ankle..." - but man, it wasn't easy. Once he got downstairs - even just being able to sit in his recliner so he could eat was a huge mood changer and motivator to move around. Yesterday, he was actually walking (mostly) unassisted... He is still sore - but not the screaming pain he was having before. Hopefully he can fully recover this weekend, and be back to mostly normal by Monday.
I haven't left the house since Tuesday, mostly because I couldn't leave Josh alone, but also - our weather wasn't conducive to going anywhere either. We've received about 14" of snow since we've been home - not kidding.
So, I've been busy with work, taking care of Josh, taking care of the house and snow removal, it has been a busy week for sure.
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Since everyone is still sleeping, I thought I would do a little Aruba post... Show you our room and my bit of pixie dust too.
So, Josh's dad and step-mom have been going to Aruba for decades... And they have been inviting us for just as long... They have a time share there and always wanted us to come and enjoy it. But - we have a family and financially - it just wasn't a trip we could afford to do with the girls. Finally - 2 years ago - Josh committed to going in 2019, and even though I was a bit apprehensive, I am glad we did. It was so beautiful!
Josh's dad has a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom unit... This was our room - we had our own full bath (which I never took pics of), small kitchenette (which we didn't use at all), a bedroom area with a king size bed, a TV and our own private balcony... It was absolute heaven - we slept with our balcony door open every night, and listened to the Ocean waves on the shore - I've never slept better in my life!
Rooms are set up much like Disney Deluxe rooms.
Looking from the room entrance towards the balcony
Looking from outside on the balcony, into the room
And then the marvelous view from our balcony.
(no zoom needed here - we were *that* close to the water!)
Then here is the rest of the living space... We had a full kitchen (which we didn't use much), dining room, living room, and verandah (with a private hot tub, which we didn't get a chance to use either)...
I really loved the color of the living room furniture cushions (my pics don't show it well - but it's very similar in color to our bedroom walls)... Not necessarily the style - though it fit very well with the "Island theme" - and I liked it there, just not in our home. Ya know?
And then, standing ocean side on the verandah looking back towards our room...
At the room, looking out... And Josh.
Enjoying some sun...
And the view from the verandah...
It was truly spectacular in every way! We are very fortunate that we can stay in such a beautiful resort, in a gorgeous room, with a marvelous view!
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OK - so my pixie dust...
Before Christmas, Josh's dad told us that he'd chartered a boat for the day, so we could go out on the Ocean and enjoy the island from that vantage point. Awesome! We spend a lot of time in the boats and on the pontoon at the lake - so I knew we would enjoy the Ocean too.
When we arrived, somehow - not sure how - but we saw the Cruise Ship schedule... We noticed that the Disney Wonder would be stopping in Aruba - I was hoping to see it - but pretty bummed that it would be there on the day we had the boat charter, I knew our day would be full with that - so I woulnd't get to see the Wonder. Disappointed, yes... but still excited for the day.
Well, as soon as we boarded the charter boat... our Captain - Captain Pauly - asked if there was anything we wanted to do that day... My FIL knows my love of Disney - and requested on my behalf - if there was any way we could see the DIsney Wonder - he knew someone who would really enjoy that.
Captain Pauly told us that was a possibility.
So, we cruised the shoreline of Aruba for a bit - looking at all the resorts - much like we do when we cruise the lakeshore at home...
We rounded the point - and there were the 3 cruise ships that were in port that day! Right in front of us and MASSIVE!!!!
And there she was - hiding at the front of the pack... The Wonder!
EEEEEK!!!!!!!! It was like seeing a famous person. LOL
And to see it from this vantage point - it was just jaw dropping!
Cpt. Pauly was able to get me up CLOSE and personal from every angle of the ship - seriously - it was so cool!!!
Seriously - I could have reached out and touched it! We were that close!
I am sure the Captain of The Wonder was wondering who these people in the boat were and what the heck we were doing?
The Cpt. backed our boat up so I could get a picture of the whole ship - which I couldn't fit (and I didn't feel like abusing the privilege, so I didn't ask him to go out further) - so I worked with what I had.
And then our Cpt. brought me in so close - the bow of our boat was UNDER the bow of The Wonder... I was a freak - yes I was.
But it was COOL!!! Really, really cool!!!! (again - no zoom needed)
Then he brought us into the harbor, so I could take a few pics from that angle...
Good-bye Disney Wonder... I hope we meet again one day!
So - yah - that was my little bit of pixie dust in Aruba... It was cool - super cool - to see that mammoth ship from the ocean - and to see if from a vantage point that so few people get to see it from.
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And finally - now that we are home - I am in *FULL* WDW planning mode...
Outfit planning.
Ultimate Park Bag (UPB) planning.
Surprise the girls planning.
So, which do you want to hear about first? LOL
The outfits and the UPBs kinda go hand in hand... I am tossing around a few ideas here. I am seriously considering (finally) re-making a Donald UPB - we will see if I actually have time... I am already struggling with which of my favorite themes to do on this trip - and this would just make it even more challenging for me to choose...
I am also tossing around the idea of doing a "birthday" theme this trip - since we will be in WDW on my actual birthday.
How fun would that be??? Of course - I am kinda all about making my own bags pretty versatile - and who knows if I'd ever get to reuse an actual birthday bag? So, the only birthday item may be a zipper pull or something removable like that?
We'll see - just an idea.
And then the "surprise the girls" thing I eluded to earlier in the week... We've been to WDW so many times now - we have our favorites and our "must dos" - just like everyone. And we rarely deviate from that. However, this time, since we are going for my birthday - I wanted to do something a little fun - something we've never done before, but something I've always wanted to do... I toyed with doing the Dessert Party (which *technically* we've done, but I got sick and we had to leave early) - quite honestly - the girls and I don't enjoy the crowds during fireworks - and we all get anxiety trying to get out of the park... We all like to be back at the resort early - ahead of the crowds - and rise early (well, except V - LOL). And seeing the price for the Dessert Party - well, that's a little off-putting as well. So, I thought - how about a dinner show??? Myrthe and I had a blast at the one in Paris.
So, I looked up availability for HDDR - and WOW - category 2 seating is CHEAPER than the Dessert Party, and you get a full meal - All You Can Eat - plus a show... It was kind of a no-brainer for me. I thought about it for the day and booked it the following morning. The girls have NO idea - not even a clue!!! And I am SO excited to surprise them with it!!!!
This is something I've wanted to do on every trip we have ever done - but I've never actually pulled the trigger. It's bought - it's paid for - we are going.
Super - super excited!
Oh and as a trip budgeting side note... We had a bit of cash leftover from our Aruba trip - Josh and I talked it over and decided to put it towards the Disney trip - the sooner we get that saved for, the sooner we can start saving for the Netherlands again, and then saving for the BIG WDW trip in Spring 2020 (which I will need to start booking in the coming months).
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So, that's it! I hope you enjoyed my little update.
I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend! Prayers and pixie dust to all!
D~