Day 1 - At Sea

This day was a "No Agenda" day. We were at sea with nothing for miles and miles but water. We had sunshine, a couple of swimming pools and Tim had the brand-new copy of Harry Potter.

This is how we spent our day:

And this was our view:

1. Eat.

2. Lie in the sun.

3. Read.

4. Look at the view.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Juan was our cabin steward. His job was to clean up the mess we made in our cabins on a twice-daily basis, turn down our bed at night, leave chocolates on our pillow, and oh, yes, make really cute towel animals and leave them on the end of our bed each evening.

Towel animal of the day:

Day 0 - Embarkation

Well, cruise day had arrived! We left the house around 8:00 a.m. and Tim and I went out to breakfast where he gave me my own digital camera as an early birthday present. Tim has a great camera, but during the school year at least, he has it with him all the time and if I'm going to be a proper blogger, I need a camera available to me.

After breakfast, we headed off to Galveston, about a four hour drive away. We got there about 2:00 p.m., found the parking lot we had prepaid parking for, loaded our luggage on the shuttle and off we went to the Port.

And then the fun began. Carnival told everyone to arrive between 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. for embarkation. I'm sure lots of folks chose to arrive earlier, but I don't think they let you on then because they're still disembarking all the folks from the previous cruise that just docked that morning. This was a 7 day cruise -- Sunday to Sunday, so they get one bunch off and load another bunch on. So we got in line (a LONG line) at 2:15 p.m. and waited an hour before we even made it inside to the air conditioning. Now, the line was moving, but it was 90+ degrees outside and there were a lot of people. Long story, short, we waited in line for 2 1/2 hours before we even made it on the ship. I don't know if that's due to Carnival or immigration or what. I suspect it's Carnival. I understand that they were having to move 3,000 people on to the ship, but geez, people. I think there's definite room for improvement with this process.

However, while I was in line (still outside), I realized I had left my sunglasses in the car six blocks away. I didn't notice before because I was wearing my glasses instead of contacts that day. I knew I was going to need them and if I had known it was going to take me 2 1/2 hours in line, I really would have gone back to get them. But I didn't, and Carnival got $20 more from me than they might otherwise have, since I had to buy sunglasses on the ship.

Carnival takes your credit card information, takes your photograph, and issues you a Sail & Sign card before you embark on the ship. This card works like a credit card on the ship for any purchases you make. They run a tab basically and then charge it to your credit card at the end of the trip. The Sail & Sign card also allows you to get on and off the ship at the different ports. You put it in this machine and it brings your picture up on the monitor so they can tell if it's really you getting on and off the ship. You would have a very difficult time getting on and off without this card -- it is your lifeline for everything and you've got to have it. More on that later.

Once we made it on the ship, we found our cabin. It was small, but most cruise cabins are and Tim & I take the view that you're rarely in your cabin anyway, so it really doesn't matter. We spent the first evening exploring the ship and going to dinner. Here's a sample picture of our cabin, but with a king bed instead of two twins.

You have so many options for eating -- because really, that's what it's all about -- but you just can't beat the main dining room for dinner. It's like being at a 4 or 5 star restaurant every night. There were also three buffet lines running at every meal, a pizzeria that was open 24 hrs, a sushi bar open in the evenings, a sandwich deli, a chinese place, a serve-yourself frozen yogurt/ice cream machine, hamburgers and hot dogs, everything you could imagine, really.

There were 4 or 5 music venues, a main theater/lounge where the live shows were held in the evenings, a casino, an art gallery, a spa, a fitness center, a hair salon, a track on one of the decks, 3 swimming pools, a waterslide and 2-3 hot tubs. I'm sure there are things I'm leaving out. They called it a floating city and they're right. There were almost 3,000 people on the ship and approximately 1,200 crew members, but you never felt like there were that many people.

Here's a picture of the ship.

Oh, and I almost forgot. The entire ship was art-themed. The artwork, the murals, even the wallpaper, had something to do with French Impressionists. It was just perfect for Tim and he loved it.

Sometime during the evening, (after we departed Galveston) I realized I had also left both of my hairbrushes at home. Now the guys out there may not realize the magnitude of this, but I suspect the girls will. I thought, "No problem, I'll buy one on board." But, no. There were no hairbrushes to be found on the ship, not even at the hair salon. It was suggested I try to find one when we were in port. Hmmm, that wasn't going to be until Wednesday! So I had to blow-dry and finger-fluff and make the best of it. This got worse as the week wore on and I'm sure the pictures will tell the tale.

Our vacation had begun!

Back to Reality

So we're back to reality. We got back yesterday from our seven-day cruise to the Caribbean. Lorna and I had an AWESOME time! Who wouldn't....... no kids, pretty food served with linen napkins, drinks, lots of warm Caribbean sun, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, sleeping late, beautiful island scenery, live shows and the list goes on and on..... THEN it's back to reality ----- dirty laundry, dirty floors, kids, work, grocery shopping, no cabin steward, no waiter, no bartender, boo-hoo, I'm making myself sad. Oh well, now we can start thinking about our next cruise. Photos forthcoming from Lorna's surprise early birthday present, a digital camera. Wait til you hear about sting rays, scary Jamaica, plastic cards and our "fun" ship. Stay tuned.

Celebration

Well, we are off! We will be sailing the high seas this week from Galveston, to Jamaica, then Grand Cayman, finally stopping in Cozumel, Mexico before returning to Galveston. This is to celebrate Lorna's impending 40th birthday in August. We are both very excited as this will be our fourth cruise and we enjoy them greatly because they are very relaxing for us. You don't feel pressured to run around and see every sight there is to see. Our last cruise, we snorkeled, lounged on the beach, ate fish tacos and swung in hammocks. It was THE most relaxing vacation we have ever taken. This will be the longest cruise we have been on, so we will see if the relaxation factor maintains throughout and if we still like each other at the end of the week. Our ship even has an artist theme to it - how appropriate for me. It is all French Impressionists --- this will be fun for the art in me. This little outing however has not been without a bump. You see our wonderful government has failed to get Lorna her passport. Soooo I had to scurry to the county courthouse on Friday and get her a second birth certificate, since the passport people have her original! This after she sent it more than 12 weeks ago. They had more than ample time. She was told that now it is taking upwards of 15 weeks to get them processed. Losers. Despite that, we will be off to the high seas for lots of good food, sun, snorkeling, adult beverages, swimming, time without kids and no thoughts of work or school. The in-laws are moving in for the week as I write this to stay with the kids. God bless them --- they are gonna need all the help they can get to keep up with our kids. There is a reason this blog is entitled Outnumbered. See ya next week.

Tim-

It's Here!

Whether you're a reader or not, how could you not know that the very last Harry Potter book went on sale at midnight last night? And yes, I was there. Tim went to lie down "just to rest his eyes" about 11:00 p.m. When I went to get him to leave, it was clear he didn't really want to wake up, so I let him sleep. I took Lane and Maren with me instead. We went to Walmart (I know, I know. But it was the closest place to me that was selling the book and it WAS midnight.) and waited in line with about 100 other people until the witching hour arrived.

Tim, Lane & I have read every Harry Potter book and own them all. We thought it was quite convenient that this one was released the day before we leave on a week-long cruise. However, we only buy one copy, so it has to be passed around. Tim will read it first (on the cruise) and then I was planning to let Lane read it next, so he could finish before school starts. But! My mom called this morning and said she had bought a copy. So maybe Lane can read hers while we're gone.

I do think Harry Potter has been a great thing in getting children to read that otherwise wouldn't. I also think probably more adults read them than kids -- they're great books whether you're 9 or 90. Younger than 9, though ... maybe not. I keep trying to get Maren to start reading them, but she won't. Says they're too long. I tell her to think of each one as three books instead of one, but I'm having trouble convincing her. Much to her mom's dismay, she's not much of a reader.

Will Snape turn out to be a good guy after all? Will Harry die? Go get the book, folks and find out!

Civilization Comes to the Hood

What can I say? I am excited that civilization has finally found us! For those that have visited our commercial void burg will know what it means for a Lowes, Kohls, banks, and finally the best things for our family Taco Bell (Maren), McDonald's (Reed) and hmmmmmmmmmmmm, Starbucks (Tim and Lorna) coming RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET! How awesome is that? Add our recent addition of HEB Plus! and all the other small things that follow, we are gonna be in the middle of (gasp here!!!!) TOWN! No more driving 30 minutes for the basics and specialities of life, they will be just around the corner. I can smell the Cafe Mocha brewing now.................. Check it out!

Tim-

Fajitas, FEMA and Funny Family

Today gentle readers, we will be discussing the three "F's". Yes, I mean fajitas, FEMA and funny family. Let's begin with fajitas. I LOVE fajitas! Especially the ones that my Dad makes.... we were discussing fajitas at the river this year. What we would be like if we hadn't moved to South Texas and discovered this wonderful skirt meat. For our out-of-state readers, fajitas are a skirt steak grilled and sliced, placed in tortillas with cheese, sour cream, and tomatoes. My special love these days in regards to fajitas revolves around going to our new HEB Plus! supermarket and getting piping hot, fresh tortillas from the tortilleria. Who knew this awesome service would be such a revelation to my suburban existence?



The second "F" for today is FEMA. Yes, you read right, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has come to the hood. Right down the street as a matter of fact. They have set-up camp at the local fire training facility to help people who have lost homes and property due to recent flooding because of our CONSTANT rain this summer. We have had the wettest summer since I think Lorna and I have been in Austin. Check out the HUGE directional signs they have out.


The final "F" for today is funny family. Recently my brother-in-law commented on this blog about his lack of attention to our lives or was it simply that we didn't communicate to them , but we were willing to post to the web for the whole world to see. Today, said brother-in-law has set up a blog of his own. Now my brother-in-law is truly a quite humorous writer. For years he has has been the family invitation writer, meshing his words in double entendre form with a slicing wit. However, both Lorna and I have questioned his initial blogging endeavor. Lorna says, check out the photo he chose as his image for the blog banner --- what the heck does the Eiffel Tower have to do with football, ballet or beer? The vote is still out on this fledgling effort - time will tell if he truly has the follow-through.


Finally, if you are a lurker in our blog - comment occasionally so we know you are there.


Tim-

Birthday Buds

July is a big birthday month in my family. My brother Todd turned 39 on the 15th and my sister Susan turned 36 today. It is funny that both my siblings have spent their lives having birthdays two days apart. When we were younger, my mom would always let us choose what was for dinner on our birthdays. The photo was taken at Todd's birthday while we lived in Brownwood and I think Todd was turning 7 and Susan would have been turning 4. Todd was a big boy's boy and this particular birthday he got the BB gun pictured. Who would have guessed the BB toting 7 year old would grow up to work with my dad and the pigtailed, co-pillow carrying girl would become a mom to three and working for a large company managing money. The co-pillow thing is one of those family stories because Susan carried around a pillow instead of a blanket or stuffed animal like most kids, because the pillow was "cold" it got morphed into co-pillow. At this time in our life, VCR's were HUGE (literally), microwaves were the newest thing and kids still roamed the streets til the street lights came on "playing." How times have changed. My loving wife Lorna has also noticed that my mother's quirk for the birthday picture holding the cake continues to day - check out my Dad at his 63rd birthday this June. Happy birthday Todd and Susan! I love you!

Tim-

Swimming with Boo

Reed began swimming lessons today. From the looks of his outlook -- it was more playing in the pool to him than instruction. This is Reed's second year of swim lesson at this particular swim school. They reviewed putting their heads underwater, floating and kicking their feet. However, when it comes to water, fishboy Reed is all about self-play and creating his own story and action. Oh, to only be five again. Swim! --- Boo ---Swim!

Sunday Pond Hopping or Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous or ARRRR, I'm a Pond Pirate

Day two of pond hopping was even better than day one. We started on the south tour at a home that had transformed their sloping backyard into a series of falls, catchments and ponds. Incredible doesn't even begin to describe this beautiful space. Natural rock and tumbling water ending in ponds filled with lilies and koi. Then it was onto a home on the banks of Town Lake. The pond was formal with niches containing small Buddhas --- however, the view of Austin was stunning. They had a negative edge pool that hung over the lake and had a view for miles. In addition, there were numerous formal garden spaces. Check out Lorna and Reed with the view behind. AHHHHH, what a view to wake-up to every morning. I told Lorna it would be too hard to go to work each day if you lived there. In total we viewed 12 of the 14 ponds on the south tour. There were two we had seen last year. Mid-day Reed got cranky and hungry, soooo we went to Long John Silver's. Reed became a pond-hopping pirate! Once replenished, it was onward to more ponds. Check out the flicker badge to the right and view some of what we saw. At the last pond, the owner gave me some marginals for my pond --- score! We'll see how they do. While pond hopping was TONS of fun with a side of crankyness, we returned home where I worked on the mess.

Tim-

Saturday Ponding

So evidently I am going to get into the blogging thing. Today, Lorna, Reed and I went on the 2007 Austin Pond Society Pond Tour. While it was a bit rainy, for the most part is was awesome pond-hopping! For those unassociated with garden tours or the hybrid of a pond tour, you pay $$$ to the society that is donated to charity and get a map and admission to see other people's beautiful gardens and ponds. Lorna and I have been doing this particular tour for about seven or eight years. Each year there are new ponds to be seen. Reed went with us today for the ones that were fairly close to home. He is such a ham, wanting to have his picture taken at each stop and with one couple's dog, Mr. Wiggles no less.

Some of these people have really elaborate ponds and gardens. Some pay others to install, but for a lot of them, ponding is their hobby and they really get into it. I feel very inadequate with my pond when I go see what a lot of these ponds look like. Despite pouring down rain during a couple of visits and some marital strife with directions and driving in the Wells Branch area, we fared well and had a good time. Today was only the north side of town with 16 ponds to visit and tomorrow there are 14 on the south side of town. If you live close to Austin, this is a really fun event to do with your sweetie ---- just be clear about who is giving directions and avoid the cranky Wells Branch area as that seems to be where we always get cross ways every year.

Tim-

Japan Friend in Texas

Do these folks look familiar? Yes, we all know Reed, Maren, Lane and Tim, but who is the guy in the blue plaid..... Can it be? Yes, it is, Bob of The Four of Clubbs, my compadre from our trip to Japan last summer (Hence all of us displaying the peace sign - VERY Japanese). Bob is in Waco for a week attending a debate conference / camp with HEAVY emphasis on the camp! He is staying in a dorm with alot of teens who shall we say don't keep regular sleeping hours. Bob came and met us in the Central Texas metropolis of Belton for Mexican food tonight. Food was good, but the company was better. We recommend Jalisco's in Belton if you don't mind looking at your fajitas while waiting for silverware to be washed and brought to you!

It was great to see Bob and catch up with what was happening in his life (other than the stuff he blogs about). It was kinda funny to see my state through his eyes over dinner. He commented on how many Texas flags he saw driving around and may even make a game of it going home ala "I Spy." That was when he could actually talk to Lorna and I. See Reed REALLY liked Bob and they had riveting discussion about Yuckyman and Weather Woman from Backyardigans! Reed was really the motor mouth, but since Bob has young ones of his own at home, he can totally hang with discussion in the preschool set and talks Playhouse Disney, Diego, Dora (from which he gets his Spanish instruction evidently) Backyardigans and all the others! Reed did tell us when we got home that he "really liked going out to eat with Daddy's friend." Good first impression on my kid Bob, hope you felt the same way about my little jabberjaw. All three did have nice manners this evening.... no one to my knowledge tried to talk to you with their mouth full or anything.

Bob heads home tomorrow (he hopes) as there is just kids camp stuff left. We invited him to come back with Brooke and crew to see more of Central Texas that what Waco has to offer. Austin rocks! Our part of the world is really beautiful in the spring and fall --- come see us!

Sayonara Bobbysan!

Tim-

Messy, Messy, Messy!

OK, So Lorna has wanted me to join the blogging effort ---- what can I say, I read'em, I lurk behind the scenes, but I guess I'm just lazy in that aspect or uninspired. Soooooo I am going to help out between the MESSES like the ones pictured from today. I have been repainting the family room / kitchen combo. For those readers in the teaching community, you know that summer is the time of year to catch up on all the maintenance "stuff" around the house. So I am on a whirlwind work tour trying to do many projects before having to go back to school. While this mess was going on in our family room / kitchen combo, outside, I HIRED people to make an even bigger mess of my groomed front and back yards. Check out this mess! Yes, as you can see we are getting a sprinkler system, so now my yards look like a spiderweb of trenches! It will be worth not dragging hoses around and forgetting to water tomatoes everyday, but we currently look like the worst house on the street. Oh well! What's a guy to do but BLOG about it I guess. Check out the next post.

Tim-

Tagged!

So, I've been tagged by The Four of Clubbs to list eight random things about myself and then tag eight (or however many I come up with!) other people. I'm a few days late on this, but I've spent the last four days leisurely tubing down a river. The absolute best tubing we've had in years!! But I digress:

1. I taught myself how to swim when I was 12 years old. My parents sent me to swim lessons when I was six, but I was a latchkey kid (at SIX years old! Can you imagine? But that was 1973.) and I was supposed to come home, change into my bathing suit and then walk down the block to the park and pool. Well, the first lesson completely freaked me out, so I spent the rest of the week coming home and wetting my suit in the tub so my parents would THINK I'd gone to the lessons. Until the day I forgot. My parents found out and my dad swore he would never pay for any more lessons. And he didn't.

2. I have almost caught our house on fire...twice. Once was last summer while Tim was in Japan and the other time was a couple of weeks ago. Both were from inadvertently starting a bonfire in our gas grill. Lesson learned: never grill anything overly fatty which will drip grease onto a gas fire, which will then lick out of the closed grill cover and singe the railing of the wooden deck that said grill sits on.

3. I hate Walmart. So-so merchandise and never less than a 20 minute wait in line to get out -- even at the self-checkout. I don't know that I'll ever be able to fully extricate myself from it's grasp, but when they open the SuperTarget two miles from my house in October, it'll be a lot easier. Love Target. Hate Walmart.

4. Tim's family goes tubing down a river about four hours from us every July 4th. Totally a family tradition. I've only missed one year since we were married and that was two years ago after I had a hysterectomy. But they've gone every year since Tim was 13 years old. This was the 29th year.

5. I can't stand the taste of beer. I guess it's an acquired taste and I've never acquired it. I can drink wine, margaritas, lots of other things, but beer? Yuck.

6. I have given birth to my three children in just about every manner possible. One completely natural, no drugs whatsoever, and with back labor due to an upside down baby. One completely natural, drugs given at the last minute, but they didn't kick in in time, baby right side up. And one born six weeks early, breech and thus, a c-section.

7. I haven't cleaned a bathroom in the 19 years I've been married. My mother was a complete and utter clean freak (especially about bathrooms) when I was growing up. She'd make me clean my bathroom over and over until it met her standards. So today? I don't do bathrooms. And, no, we don't live in filth thanks to my awesome husband who DOES do bathrooms, and without complaint. He also does dishes, vacuums, dusts and sweeps and mops floors. I love him.

8. Speaking of my husband, we will be leaving in less than two weeks on a 7 day, child-free cruise to Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Jamaica to celebrate my upcoming 40th birthday. My birthday isn't until August, but that's the busiest month of all year for me at work, so it was not in my best interest to go then.

And there, my friends, are eight totally random things about me. How about you?

I tag:

Daily Musings

So that's only one. But I don't know many people personally that blog, so what's a girl to do?