Part 2

Wow! Just used the staple gun for the first time hanging Christmas lights along our fence. It was very fun -- usually a tool that I don't really want to be bothered with -- too much potential to fire a staple into my face when my brain doesn't register that I shouldn't pull the trigger when staring at the staples. But I used it safely and successfully hung a row of lights. Too bad I didn't check first to see if we actually had power in the electrical boxes. We don't.

I'm in the mood to get back to blogging about the cruise. Courtney and friends are cooking in the kitchen. My computer is in the kitchen. Quiet time is over and for the first time am seeing the benefits to having a laptop so I could remove myself to somewhere else.


As we cleared Disney security, we met up with two other families who we've been friends with forever. We've been talking about taking a family vacation forever but have new babies between us for so long that it's been difficult. Finally, however, we did it!


When you check in you receive a boarding number. While you wait you take pictures with Mickey, register children for kids clubs and buy lanyards so said children can wear their room key cards (which also have charging privileges so they can purchase smoothies, arcade games, candy, souvenirs, etc. Wise to limit charging privileges or give kids big lecture so they don't go crazy. (Actually I have to say ours did pretty good about asking permission after said lecture.)



Our numbers were called and we got to enter the ship and take our arrival photo! As us moms rushed off to make adults-only dinner reservations and spa appointments the dads and kids went to get lunch up on deck.

Funny spa story... we tried to get massages for all three of us girls at the same time. They didn't have three separate appointments but could fit us in with one individual appointment and another "couples" massage. So my first couples massage was with Tiffany. I loved checking in at my appointment and having the receptionist say she couldn't find my reservation. "Oh...check under Tiffany." She tried to look unaffected as she found the appointment and looked up at me..."Here it is... a couple's massage?"

We changed to robes and then I noticed that the toilets were out of order. The masseurs had to stand guard while we used the men's bathroom. I guess given that we signed up for a couples massage and used the mens rooms and Disney is a family ship, they believed we were unpredictable so they left the lights on during the massage and covered our eyes with dry tissue paper. After all was said and done they asked us to get dressed then sit on the edges of the bed and wait for them to return. Tiffany and I looked at each other -- never having been interviewed after a massage. They returned and essentially got after Tiffany for having so many knots in her back. I didn't get a lecture. Next time I'll skip the massage.