My Birthday Adventure

This year, I had the chance to do something totally different for my birthday. My friend, Kathryn, got married to her sweetie, Stu, on Saturday the 17th. Kathryn and I met as pen-pals (or e-mail pals) probably 15 years ago and we have stayed in touch and actually become very good friends. We met in person for the first time about six years ago and have since looked for excuses to see each other. It hasn't worked all that well, but I knew that her wedding was the PERFECT excuse for me to go visit. Jeff and I were both invited, but when he found out how much plane tickets cost he decided it wasn't worth it to him. I still wanted to go, but I decided to make a weekend trip of it. Yes, that's an awfully long way to go for a wedding weekend. But I've done London a couple of times before, I was going to be by myself, and Kath and Stu were going to be otherwise occupied and not be available to entertain me.

I left home on Thursday, the 15th thinking I would land in London at 8am on my birthday and have the whole day to explore before heading out to meet up with the happy couple. Well, wouldn't you know it that life and circumstance intervened during my connection in Charlotte and I was re-routed through Frankfurt, Germany! I really didn't mind the delay too much, although I was a bit disappointed that I wouldn't get to go to King's Cross Station to see platform 9 3/4. Still, I got to London about 2:30pm and after I cleared customs and whatnot was all set to grab the 3:30 coach out to Hemel. What I didn't know about or bank on was some kind of massive wreck on the motorway around the airport where nothing could get in or out. I ended up sitting waiting on the coach for about 2 hours before finally getting to where I needed to be. There was definitely some stress on the parts of everyone involved, including Kath's sweet family, but we got it all worked out and I got there. It was so much fun getting to meet her family after hearing about them for so many years.

After dinner at her parents' house they took me to the hotel to get checked in and settled. They had surprised me with a birthday cake and a gift of all kinds of fun candy you can't get here in the states (I'm still eating on it slowly and sharing some with Jeff) After a few minutes to get freshened up and settled in, we headed to a cute little pub where we met up with lots of friends and family members to drink and chat and have lots of fun. Really, that seems like a nice alternative to the Rehearsal Dinner. Kath did insist on having everyone there sing to me which embarrassed me to no end, but was still kind of fun. Finally, about 10pm my 25 plus hours of traveling caught up with me and I was ready for bed, so back to the hotel I went.

I slept well Friday night and woke at a decent hour Saturday morning. I went for a walk around the hotel grounds and enjoyed the wonderful weather. I skipped out on a solo breakfast at the hotel restaurant in favor of birthday cake and tea in my room. It was great! Then I got myself all prettied up for the wedding! The wedding ceremony itself was very nice. Not at all what I'm used to, but it was really and truly the first time since my own wedding that I've really wanted to do it over but to do it like they did! I was not prepared for the marathon that was the reception, though. We started partying as soon as the ceremony ended (it started about 1:30) and I finally went back to my room at 11:45 pm and the party was still going! All the people were so nice, I had a wonderful time meeting everyone and getting to be a part of all the fun.

My return trip was much less eventful. The last leg of my trip, from Philadelphia to Birmingham, I was the last person on the plane (and seriously thought i was going to get left) because I got stuck in customs. Next time I will give myself even more time to get through but even then it wasn't a big deal because I knew I'd get home eventually!

It truly was an amazing adventure and a special way to celebrate my birthday. It's one I will never forget!

Vacation Re-Cap

 Yes, I'm still here. I went on vacation and came back. I simply haven't felt much like blogging lately. Part of it has been that I'm distracted by other projects. Stay tuned for more on those. But for now, the vacation re-cap.

I enjoyed getting away, but this vacation wasn't as spectacular as I'd hoped or thought it would be. I have said this before, but I really think I enjoy the planning of vacations as much (if not more) than actually taking them. But here's the play by play.

Friday - We left home around 3:15 am. Original plan was about six, but the more Jeff got to thinking about it, the more he wanted to get up and just go. So that's exactly what we did. There was only one point where I wanted to kill him and it was at least two and half hours in. The getting up and getting out was easy since we had loaded the car and put out the stuff for the dogs the night before so all we had to do was get up, get dressed, and get on the road. There was very little traffic the whole time and we got to our hotel about 3pm. We got checked in and promptly took a nap. Then we headed out to get some dinner and do a little exploring. It was definitely one of our better road trip experiences.

Saturday - Slept relatively late (for us!) and ate breakfast at the hotel, then caught the shuttle to the port. We were supposed to be on a slightly later shuttle, but we were up and ready, so we got on an earlier one. When we got to the port, it was easily the easiest check in experience we've ever had. We hardly had to stop from the moment we hit the door. We got straight through security, walked right up to a check-in counter, and breezed easily through everything else and walked right on the boat. Normally there's at least a little bit of waiting to get on the boat, but not this time. It was great. There was a wait to get into our room, but we still "slipped in" earlier than the official open time but it was fine. I was disappointed that we couldn't use the spa until after sail time, but I guess in the grand scheme of things that wasn't such an inconvenience. Overall, it was a nice day.

Sunday - Our first port day, we were in Nassau from 11 am until 5 pm. We got off the boat with Jeff's parents a little after noon and caught a taxi over to Atlantis to walk around. You really couldn't see much without buying a day pass and we weren't there long enough to make it worth that, so we lost a little money in the casino, looked around inside a bit, saw a little bit outside, then headed back to the ship. I'd be willing to go back and spend a week at Atlantis at some point.

Monday - our first sea day was spent largely hanging out. I took a yoga class which was ok, but not great. We went to brunch with Jeff's parents and it was nice. We saw his grandmother and great-uncle and aunt while we were there. We did spend some spa time and also did a little wandering. We went to dinner at the steak house with his parents and grandmother, which was a very nice evening.

Tuesday - Our second port day, we were in St. Thomas. This was probably my favorite port stop. We took the cable car up to Paradise Point and enjoyed a very nice view. We hung out up there and ate a very tasty lunch of grilled wings and frozen drinks. It was over-priced, but tasty. The rain was a welcome break from the heat and we got to see a nice rainbow and several wild iguanas hanging out in trees (which was a new one to me!) We wandered around a few shops near the ship on our way back. The sales people didn't seem to be as obnoxiously pushy either, so it was nice.

Wednesday - Our last port stop, we were in St. Maarten. We docked on the Dutch side and decided to just wander there rather than going over to the French side. We thought about taking a tour or going to Maho Beach to see the planes, but didn't. I was fine with it. It was so hot, it was hard to enjoy it, so I was ready to be back on the boat. We hopped on a golf cart going back and it was the best dollar I've ever spent. It was nice to avoid the lines and be dropped off right at the gangway.

Thursday - Another sea day. Not much to report. We wandered and played games and enjoyed some spa time, but it was a little boring.

Friday - Last sea day. The seas were really rough and I was getting stir crazy. It was time to get off the boat.

Saturday - Got up and off the boat. We would have been off even earlier but we were waiting on his family. Even though we didn't debark with them, we were taking things back for them (since they were flying and we were driving) so we were off only a little before them. We hopped the first shuttle back to the hotel (that dropped us off right at our car) and were on our way. I had convinced Jeff to go to Downtown Disney for a few hours so we headed across Orlando to the Downtown Disney Marketplace. We had a late breakfast at the Earl of Sandwich and it was quite tasty. I was definitely a fan. After several hours of wandering we decided to grab some lunch at the Rainforest Cafe before hitting the road. We were told there would be a 10-15 minute wait for a table or we could eat at the bar, so we opted for the bar. We sat down, were greeted promptly, and ordered our drinks which came immediately. After almost 15 minutes of waiting, there were plenty of people standing around near us but we couldn't get the attention of anyone to order lunch so we just paid for our drinks and left (although I really wanted to just walk out!) We ended up settling on ice cream treats until we got out of town a little ways and then stopping for lunch. We decided to stop for the night in Dothan.

Sunday - We headed towards home with a lunch time pit stop in Montgomery to spend some time with my family, which was great. We finally got home and it was great to be back!

One thing we agreed upon - we're done cruising for a while. It's time to take some land-based vacations. The next one we're planning? DISNEY WORLD!

My Latest Visit to the Georgia Aquarium

I love aquariums and sea life as a whole. I can't point to anything in particular that fostered this in me but I have a feeling that, like most things in my life, it can be traced through a series of small, seemingly insignificant and unrelated events that got me here. Regardless of the reasons, I love watching marine life. I'm not interested as much in the biology of them except for the social, community, personality aspects of it. I've been to the Georgia Aquarium several times, so when we started planning a trip back to Atlanta, I knew that a return to the aquarium was in order!

I ordered our tickets ahead of time, including parking, so we were all set. We decided to go on Sunday on our way out of town so I got our tickets for first thing in the morning. We arrived right at 10am, so we got a great parking spot not far from the reserved member spaces. We took the covered walkway to the entrance and were able to hop through the "advance purchase" line and there was no waiting, even at security. We strolled right in and got down to business.

There seemed to be a lot more volunteers there today than there were the last time we were there. They were all very nice, but you could tell that a few had worked really hard to learn their little bit and darn it we were going to hear it whether we wanted to or not! The guy at the sea horses probably got on my nerves the most. He wasn't rude, but as soon as we walked up to the exhibit, he started telling us exactly where all the sea horses were located. To me, the game of hunting for the various creatures is half the fun so it kind of killed it when he had already told me where they were!

My all-time favorite exhibit has always been and probably always will be the Beluga Whales. I could sit and watch them for hours. The cool, darkened room with soft music and the beautiful glow coming from their tank is very comfortable to me, and the way they move so gracefully and yet playfully is simply mesmerizing to me. I caught Jeff laughing at me on more than one occasion because I had this look on my face like I was in a trance but I was so calm and peaceful and happy that I couldn't help myself! I also had a "first" when I got to see one of them blow a bubble ring several times. Apparently that is something they learned, but it was very cool. Going early to this exhibit was definitely a plus because it was easy to get a great view and enjoy the atmosphere. When we came back later it was much more noisy and crowded and hard to get a good spot to watch for long. One day I'd love to do the Beluga interaction program, but I don't see it happening anytime soon!

Another neat experience was going through the tunnel under the Ocean Voyager exhibit where they have the manta rays and whale sharks. I always see neat stuff, but this time was probably my favorite because at one point all four of the whale sharks were within view over our heads at the same time! I also saw a lot more of the manta rays than I normally do, including one doing flips (which I learned is how they eat!) The "big tank" is another place I could normally spend a lot of time, but this time there was a dive show happening. It was very cool to get to see all the divers, but the room was so crowded with people who wanted to see the show that we didn't stay long.

Something new for this trip was the Dolphin Tales show. Because this requires a separate timed ticket, I opted for the second show of the day. That way, just in case we got a slow start from the hotel that morning, we wouldn't miss it. I discovered that was a bad mistake on my part. We ended up being done with everything else and having to kill some time waiting for the show. We were told we had to arrive 30 minutes prior to show time to get in, and getting into the theater was an ordeal in itself. It was very disorganized without much structure to the lines to go up the escalator. Then, when you got up the stairs it was tight, hot, crowded, and confusing. I came very close to just leaving if I could have figured out how to get out of there! Finally we came to the actual entrance to the theater, which again was kind of chaotic and involved lots of line jumping, shoving, and rudeness. When we finally got to our seats we were relieved except that we had to wait another 20 minutes for the show to start. I saw the same commercials about different aquarium things I'd already seen several times and a few bits about the creation of the show but that got old very quickly.

The show itself was kind of disappointing. It definitely had more theatrics than most of the shows we'd seen at Sea World, but the "story" was beyond cheesy. There was an "audience participation" part which is not something I enjoy or appreciate simply because there's a reason we're not the ones on stage! Still, we got through that part of it. I am all about the animals doing tricks to music, but at the "climax" the dolphins were doing their thing while there was a lot of other action happening on "stage" and because there was more lighting on the people than the dolphins, the animals kind of got lost at that point. If I had wanted to see a play, I would have gone to the Fox! The "end" when all the dolphins really got to shine was really fabulous, I just wish the whole show had been like that! The trainers really did a wonderful job. There were a couple of points when one dolphin didn't want to do what the others were doing, but with a little encouragement and a treat the trainers didn't miss a beat and just went on to the next thing. The most disappointing moment to me was when about four dolphins and four trainers popped over the front edge of the pool for the perfect photo opportunity. Why was that a disappointment? Because no photography was allowed! I get no flash and I even get no video, but if you're going to say no photos, don't work in the perfect photo-op as a trick of the show!

I guess I'm glad I went to the show because I know what it is but I also know that I don't want to see it again unless it changes! Despite all that, we had a wonderful visit to the aquarium. I will definitely be back, especially to see Baby Beluga!

My First Trip to Ikea

I will admit, I never quite understood what all the fuss was about surrounding Ikea. I mean, I know it's supposed to be good inexpensive furniture and it's a big store. I have a friend who, when her son was three, he would rather spend a day there than the park or the zoo. I have looked at the website and while some of the stuff looks neat, most of it simply wasn't to my taste. Still, we have been on a home renovation kick lately and decided that since we'd be in the neighborhood it might be worth a little field trip.

I will admit that it probably wasn't the brightest decision to make our inaugural visit on a Saturday morning (along with everyone else in the world!) but it was what worked into our schedule. It was a bit overwhelming, especially since we weren't in search of something specific. I completely understand how people can spend all day there! I also understand why you would go when you don't need anything at all and how that can be insanely dangerous! Even though neither of us are really into "modern" design, we found tons of stuff we liked.

Once Jeff figured out "how it worked" he was in hog-heaven. He's all about DIY, speed, and efficiency when shopping, especially making larger purchases. It really did seem to be the best combination of lots of worlds to make both of us happy. Furniture (something we both enjoy), hardware and saving money(his things), with accessories and organization (my things) in one fabulously huge place with snacks. We will have to come back with a list, funding, and the big vehicle for sure! It was a serious blessing that we had none of those things this trip!

In spite of all that, we couldn't get out empty handed. I found a fabulous set of candle-holders I had seen at an altar design workshop and just had to have. I may need another set of them just to have more options. We also got two neat, low profile LED lights to be mounted on the top of our bookshelves in the den downstairs. Those were Jeff's "must have" and I agree they were perfect. I can't wait to get them installed. I found a mirror I really liked and a picture of Paris that both would have looked perfect in our guest room that we are in the process of renovating, but since we aren't to the "accessory" stage of the decorating I'll just have to wait a while longer and then make my case for going back!

Mimi's Cafe - Mall of Georgia

Recently Jeff and I decided to take a long weekend and head over to the Atlanta area to visit with some family, take care of some business, and do some sight-seeing. We booked a hotel room across the street from the Mall of Georgia, thinking we were a little closer to town than we were. In addition to some good-natured joking on both our parts, we got the unexpected bonus of discovering Mimi's Cafe around the outside of the mall. We generally try to avoid eating at places where we can eat at home when we travel, so this was a great discovery, especially given how close it was!

Our first visit was for a late dinner on Friday. We didn't get "lunch" until close to 4pm so we really weren't interested in dinner until almost 9. They weren't busy at all, which was great. The atmosphere was casual, but still really nice. It had a New Orleans vibe to it, but it was kind of elegant, not an over-the-top Mardi Gras feel. Our first challenge of the evening came when we were presented with THREE different menus! Two were sort of specials and one was the "regular" menu. Oh, the decisions to be made. Despite all my pickiness, I had no problem coming up with a TON of options that sounded very tasty. Even my not-at-all adventurous husband was considering things like crepes thanks to a few strategically placed photos!

First, we started with an order of the spinach dip. It was very tasty and a little different, although it was a little on the oily side (I assume from some of the cheeses used in it). Still, it was very good and we polished it off quickly. I was really excited about trying a cup of tomato-basil bisque and Jeff got a garden salad with ranch dressing. My soup was great, but SUPER hot. I couldn't even take a bite for a good five minutes! Once it finally cooled enough that I could try it, it was delicious. Jeff tried it and Mr. "I don't like tomato soup" kept trying to sneak "just one more taste" and took full advantage of the two or three tortilla chips we had left from our spinach dip! I thought it was especially tasty with the crusty roll in the bread basket. Jeff really enjoyed his salad as well as a piece of the carrot raisin loaf, also in the "standard" bread basket. There was a third element, a couple of sliced of lemon poppyseed bread. It wasn't too sweet, which was really nice.

For our entrees, we decided on the Chicken Cordon Blue and the Pot Roast with the understanding we would share. Both were served with "seasonal vegetables" (broccoli and carrots) and mashed potatoes with gravy, although the chicken cordon blue came with the gravy on the side while the pot roast came with gravy on top of the meat and potatoes. The mashed potatoes were just ok. They tasted packaged. They definitely needed the gravy, which doesn't impress me much. I can't say much about the broccoli and carrots. Jeff liked them enough to eat most of his, but they weren't especially impressive. The pot roast was super-tender. I didn't use my knife at all because it just fell apart. It was juicy, but didn't have much flavor on its own. Once again, the gravy was almost essential. Normally I'm not a huge fan of brown gravy, but I really liked this. The chicken cordon blue was probably my favorite item of the evening. It wasn't a "typical" cordon blue. Instead, it was two small crispy chicken breasts with ham and swiss sandwiched between them and topped with a fabulous dijon sauce. Super-duper tasty and well prepared. After all that we were quite full but still in the mood for something sweet. For me, the lemon poppyseed bread was perfect at that point in the meal.

The service on that first visit left something to be desired. I don't know what our waitress had against us but she seemed none to pleased to be serving us. I would chalk it up to the fact that it was late and near the end of her shift, but she didn't have the same bad attitude with the tables around us. We sat for a long time before she ever came to take our drink orders, she pretty much just dropped our plates when she brought us our food, and brought our check before we could even inquire about a dessert. I also heard her offer several other tables to-go drinks and didn't offer us one so I wasn't about to ask. Despite that, we couldn't wait to come back.

Our second visit came for lunch the next day. This time, we were joined by some of Jeff's extended family who live around there. Although they came to us and told us to pick where we'd like to eat, they were thrilled when we picked Mimi's because we were informed that was one of their favorite places. When they inquired if we'd ever eaten there before, we admitted that we'd been for dinner the night before but wanted to come back. We came for a late lunch at 1:30, but we figured that would work to our advantage and it did. We had plenty of time to visit and didn't feel rushed at all. We were there for a total of four hours (probably three inside and another just standing outside talking) and no kidding, our waitress went on a break after we were finished with our meal and we were still standing outside when she came back and she was so sweet joking with us that she'd save our table for us in the back so we could come back in for dinner in a little while longer! I do remember her name (Jojo) and she was wonderful!

I couldn't get the fabulous tomato soup out of my head, so that with a grilled cheese seemed like the perfect lunch. The fact that it was 102 degrees outside was totally irrelevant. My sandwich also came with a side choice, and I got the kettle chips. It wasn't quite as good as the fabulous grilled cheese I got from Merchant's in January, but it was still excellent. Jeff's aunt and uncle both got the balsamic spinach salad with soup (one the tomato, one the corn chowder) and his cousin got the chicken dijon, which looked absolutely divine, and a garden salad. Jeff had in his head that he wanted to try the chicken crepes but when it came time to order he wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying and ordered the chicken parmesan with a caesar salad. The salad was good, but he was definitely surprised when his entree arrived. Even though it wasn't what he thought he ordered, it looked and tasted amazing and he didn't leave anything!

So, sadly, Jeff still didn't get to taste his crepes. There are plenty of other things on the menu I'd like to try as well, like quiche or that chicken dijon. We did some necessary digging and found out that there is a Mimi's in Montgomery, which is the closest one to us. Now, that's still a little over an hour away, but much more do-able than Georgia! This was especially good news to Jeff's cousin who will be moving to Montgomery after she gets married in the spring. I forsee a trip south in our not-so-distant future!

My New Favorite Travel Accessory

Recently I saw a giveaway on another blog for one of these fabulous travel pillows. I didn't win the giveaway, but I decided I really needed one. I'm generally a very cranky traveler and am always looking for ways to make myself more comfortable. I hate taking a big pillow because I'm not one of those folks that can only sleep on my own pillow and it's just one more thing to keep up with, but I like the idea of a travel pillow. Those squishy beads and those u-shaped things just don't cut it for me, so I thought this might be just the solution. After about two days of debate, I decided I wanted this one that said "Dream Big." It's flowery and has pink on it. Yup, it's perfect for me!

I was super-excited when it came, but of course my loving husband decided to tease me about it and how it looked kind of goofy. Yeah, the teasing lasted all of 24 hours when I came downstairs and found him napping in the recliner all curled up on my pillow! The worst part was that he wouldn't give it back! I'm going to have to get him his own! It really is very comfy. It's firm so it gives you some good support and will last, but it isn't like propping on a rock. I like that I can tuck my shoulder into the corner because I'm a side sleeper (especially on my right) so it feels very natural to me! I also like that the long part gives me something to hug on and a place to put my arms.

If you're planning any vacations in the near future (summer or otherwise) I would recommend you get one of these, especially if you will be driving! There are baby/kid sizes also for your littlest travelers. Most have a strap so it can be attached to your seatbelt. Mine didn't  have that, which suits me just fine because that means it's comfy for sleeping on either side. The pillowcase comes off so it can be tossed in the washer. The only thing I wish was different is that there's no "water resistant' covering to keep my inevitable spilled Dr. Pepper from seeping in, but I may go get some waterproofer that I can put on the pillow part. So far nothing has happened to it, but I know myself well enough to know it's only a matter of time!

Photography on a Cruise

One of the best and worst things on a cruise is the availability of photos. There are photographers all over the place taking pictures all the time. There's no cost to you to have photos made, and there's no obligation to buy any of the pictures that are made. The pictures usually come out pretty nice, but they are very pricey. The "fancy" ones are generally about $20 each and only come in the 8x10 size.

I have been on exactly one cruise where I didn't buy a single photo. The reason we didn't buy any was because we didn't have any made. We knew we didn't want to buy any so we avoided the temptation. We skipped the embarkation photo before getting on the boat. We didn't pose in our fancy clothes on formal night. We refused to stop getting off the boat in port. We declined the photos at dinner. Because just as there are no limits to how many you can have made, there aren't any that are required.

On our last Dream cruise, we took advantage of something new that was being offered, and that was private sessions with a photographer to take pictures around the ship (and it was also available in port if you wanted a few beach shots), not just a quick pose in front of a fake backdrop. (That's where the picture at the top of this post came from) The pictures were beautiful and I was very happy with them, but they were pricey. The advantage to these was that, because we made a minimum purchase, we got the ones you purchased on a CD so we could share and re-print them. Even with that block of time, it was kind of chaotic because we had a group of about 14. I am not going to coordinate it again like I did last time, but if someone else wants to be responsible for it, they are welcome to it and I will be happy to participate. One day, when we're taking a cruise with our kids, I could definitely see doing this with them!

This is an easy way to spend a lot of money if you aren't careful because they do add up very quickly. If you're a scrapbooker, they're very tempting because they often have props, dates, place names, and other details that you might like to have included. They can be cute and funny, and they don't require you to keep up with your camera, especially if you're going on a water excursion where something might happen to it! There is something to be said for the convenience of it.

There is a down side to buying pictures, besides the price, and that is getting them home! Sure, they put the pictures in a heavy-ish folder to keep it from getting bent up, but you need a place to store it and then transport it home. I have found that, if you have a laptop sleeve in one of your bags, that's a great place for keeping and transporting them!

Being aware of all of the good and bad, Jeff and I are probably going to have a few made on this next cruise. I like having good family photos made at least once a year, and the timing on this next cruise will be perfect for Christmas cards so to me, it's worth the cost to get one or two good pictures. I always hope that I end up with a couple of good ones taken by family members, but I'm not going to expect that. We're going to budget for a couple of good photos, and if we end up not getting them we can spend that money on something else!

I have heard that some cruise lines have started doing a "buy a CD of all your photos for a set price" and I really REALLY wish Carnival would do something like this. Even if it was $250 I would probably buy it, which is more than I would normally even consider spending on buying the printed photos, but I would make it a point to have pictures made and get my money's worth out of it! Plus, it would eliminate the whole transportation issue!

Saving on Shore

I know I've posted about shore excursions before, but that was pretty specific to my last vacation. In light of the money-saving tips presented on the infographic from coupons.org, I decided to re-visit the idea. This lovely photo is of me and Jeff (and several other family members) snorkeling in Mexico during our 2007 cruise.

Suggestion: "Booking private tours beforehand can be cheaper than taking the boat's tours" (section 5, number 5 on the infographic if you want to look at it)

Honestly, I'm not sure if this is referring to tours before and after the cruise itself or tours in the ports of call during the cruise. Here are a few thoughts on all of the above!

Cruise-Tours

If you're talking about a tour before or after the cruise itself, this may be a true statement, and is generally going to be more applicable in the cases of cruises like Alaska or Europe/Mediterranean where cruise-tours are popular. Because I've personally never done one of these, I can't speak to it. Jeff has done the cruise-tour thing in Alaska. On the whole, he really enjoyed getting to see different areas he wouldn't have gotten to see otherwise, but there were definitely down sides, not least of which was the cost. However, there is an element of the convenience factor. You may can find a cheaper tour after you get off the boat, but you may be responsible for getting yourself to the start of that tour, taking your luggage, and other things that are worth considering. Do you have to get a cab? Is there a "missing meal" you'll be responsible for? Just factoring the cost of those two things can make a big difference in what is cheaper!

"Home Port" Excursions

If you're talking about single day "home port" excursions, chances are that you're going to be doing a lot of paying for convenience. I'm going to use the specific example of an excursion some of our family members are considering for our next cruise - going to Kennedy Space Center for the day after we get off the ship because the flight home won't be until 6pm.

Pros

• It's something to with yourself between getting off the boat and getting on a plane
• Carnival will get you to the space center and then back to the airport (this may or may not be a major cost contributor)
• Carnival takes care of your luggage - not just getting it off the boat and onto the bus, but also checked to your airline. (You can do this without booking a tour/excursion but there is a cost for it!)

Cons

• It's expensive (more than twice the cost of simply buying the tickets on your own, but may even out depending on transportation costs)
• You're stuck on their schedule
• Carry-on luggage is pretty much impossible unless you want to carry it around all day, and you have to pack up everything to be checked and have it outside your room the night before. (In my mind, all I can think is that I'll have to sleep naked and then toss my toothbrush in the morning!)

As you can see, there are some important things to consider both ways. For some people, the cost is worth it. For others, it may be cheaper (or simply worth the price difference) to do something on your own for the day. Another option (and one that is most appealing to me at this point) is to plan to stay in a hotel that night and go home the next day. Even if you can't check in first thing, many will let you leave your luggage and then you can do something cheap or free (like going to the beach) and then take a flight the next day.

Port of Call Excursions

I suppose it's always possible to make your own arrangements before you leave home, but this one is kind of an odd situation. Some people swear that the best time to take tours would be on your first visit to a new place. Others prefer to explore on their own during the first trip and then see what is interesting and book tours during later visits. If you want to make your own arrangements, you'd probably have an easier time doing this if you're in the second group. However, if you do this, it would definitely be worth knowing what kind of cancellation policy or insurance you have, but don't assume it exists. This is one area where, in my experience, excursions booked through the ship or cruise line have an advantage. I have had an excursion (snorkeling) cancelled because the ocean was too rough since it had been stormy. We could still use part of what had been purchased (going to a beach park) but we did got a refund on the cancelled part.

Now, that's not to say you can't make your own arrangements on your first visit to a new port. You would just have to kind of fly by the seat of your pants and look for something as you get off the boat in the port and have the cash on hand to pay for it. There is a little bit of risk in doing this because you are going to be on your own and responsible for getting yourself back on the boat in time to leave! But, you don't have the risk of losing out on something because of inclement weather or just not feeling like doing it because you haven't committed to anything!

I would say to just think logically about your own situation and what you think is right for you and your vacation. My personal preference is often to pay for convenience and book things ahead of time so that I can budget for it and plan for it. Often times I can pre-pay for it (sometimes getting a better rate) and it's one less thing to have to worry about having cash for. I know plenty of people who would rather haggle and wait for the last minute deals, but that also runs the risk that you'll end up having to pay more because of high demand and do a lot more sitting and waiting. 

Saving at Sea

The cruising infographic I shared several weeks ago presented several suggestions for saving money on the ship (see section 5), and while they were good suggestions, they can stand to be expanded upon and I have a few tips of my own.

Keep track of your drinking and gambling expenses - This seems like a no-brainer, but you can actual control some of this before you ever set foot on the boat.

1. Know yourself - I'm not a huge alcohol drinker. I may purchase two cocktails during the course of a cruise. Don't get me wrong, I'll have a couple of glasses of rum punch during the previous cruisers reception (and let's be honest, they're a lot more "punch" and a lot less "rum" at those things) but it's just not a place that I'm willing to spend a lot of money. What I do love is soda. That is my weakness. I don't drink coffee. I get my caffeine via Dr. Pepper. I figured out that if you're going to drink more than two or three a day, it's worth it to get a soda card. I know on Carnival, you can find out the price online, but I've gotten them enough that I know about how much it'll be. If you do some google searching, you can sometimes find drink menus that include prices so you can see how much your favorite might be.
2. Bring your own - I know on Carnival, each adult who is of age can bring a bottle of wine in their carry-on luggage (DO NOT check it. It will be confiscated and returned at the end of the trip. My mother-in-law made this mistake last time!) There is a corkage fee if you want to take your bottle to the dining room and have it with dinner each night, BUT there is nothing preventing you from carrying in a glass of something from somewhere else. If you order something, just hang on to your glass. Pour up a glass in your room before dinner and just bring it with you! You can also bring sodas with you, but I think it's limited to one case per person, and it's just a headache to try to carry and keep up with that, so I never do. I know several people who have. It's a personal choice.
3. Share - I guess because of people passing around soda cards, the past few times they've been sticklers for swiping it and checking to make sure I'm the one using my card to get a soda, and I'm ok with that. However, even in a restaurant at home Jeff will often pick up my soda and take a sip, and so I am happy to let him do that on vacation, too. This also works the other way when he has a cocktail or something and I just want a little taste of it!
4. Use cash in the casino - until my last cruise, I could always use quarters in the slot machine (which is the only thing Jeff or I have ever played in the casino) so it was never an issue of charging to our account. This last time the quarters weren't an option in the machine but I THINK (so don't be mad if I'm wrong) you can go to the casino cashier, at the very least, to get chips for table games. If that's your thing, just use the cash and avoid using the account. When you're out of money, you stop playing. It's not a hard concept.

Use ship's phone and internet sparingly. Rates are usually steep. - Yes, they really are. However, you don't have to be completely cut off while you're on vacation (although personally I recommend it!)

1. Turn your phone on "airplane mode". If you can't stand the idea of turning it off for the week (or like me, you have games, music, books, and all you "fun stuff" on it) keep it on airplane mode to avoid charges for the call or text message from that person who forgot you were gone or sent something to everyone they know.
2. Use your phone OFF the boat in port. No kidding, you have to get off the boat and usually off the pier for the carrier to change (this was especially true in Mexico). If you HAVE to call home or check messages, it's cheaper to pay for that international coverage than the "cellular at sea" service, which is an option also.
3. Share with someone. The last cruise we took, there were about 12 of us who were all flying home together. And we all wanted to do the online check-in the day before. So rather than everyone individually buying a minimum of 15 minutes (or whatever it was) to do something that took maybe 2 minutes, each person chipped in a few dollars and we had one or two people that took care of checking everyone in online.
4. REMEMBER - IT'LL ALL BE THERE WHEN YOU GET HOME (or when you get back into port)

Always pay attention to your running balance on the ship. - I really don't know that I could break this one down into anything simpler, but I do want to suggest a couple of ways of doing this.

1. Keep ALL your receipts. Yup, even from the bar (for some people, especially from the bar!). At the end of each day, before you go to bed, add them up and see what you spent for the day. Maybe keep a running list in a journal or notebook somewhere so you can also see what you've spent OFF the boat to know your totals.
2. Check in at the purser's desk. There's almost always someone there and they can tell you your account balance at any time. Some ships now also have a sort of "on-demand" in room tv system that allows you to do this as well.
3. Limit charging privileges. You can have everyone in your family linked to the same account but only one or two people have charging privileges. This can help those who are prone to impulse purchases if they must consult with someone else!
4. Carry cash. No, you can't use cash in the gift shop or at the bar. But you can make payments at the purser's desk at pretty much any time. If you want to check in every day and make a payment every day, that's certainly an option. When you run out of cash, you have to stop charging! And if the casino won't take those rolls of quarters, never fear because the purser's desk will be happy to take them and apply them to your account!

A few more thoughts - Here are a few more tips not mentioned on the infographic, but are worth considering.

• If you're going to book a spa treatment, do it during a port day. It's generally cheaper. Also keep an eye out for daily specials
• Although room service is included, tipping for that is not. Make sure you have a little bit of cash for this if you think that's something you want to use.
• Bring your own water bottle to refill. The water on the boat is fine to drink (and take with you to shore) and while you can buy bottles on the ship, they're expensive.
• I always bring my own cup for my sodas rather than buying the cup they're selling (some cruise lines buying the cup is the only way to do their unlimited soda program, so know that before you carry one). I don't ever ask the bartenders to fill my personal cup, and I was warned by one that some wouldn't do it, but many of them will see the cup in my hand and offer so I will happily accept. Even if they don't, I can just dump it immediately from one cup to the next and not have to keep up with the glass! It's also the only way you can take something (not in a bottle) off the ship!

Cruising By the Numbers, Part II

Remember last week when I posted this infographic? Well I decided to make my comments in a separate post to let you know what I have learned about some of this stuff. In writing this, I realized I have a lot more to say than I want to put into one post, so expect a little more about this each week for a while!

There were several cruise lines specifically mentioned, but I have never cruised with any of them. I've only ever cruised with Carnival. But I have researched other cruise lines and this is what I've seen/learned.

Carnival boasts "some of the most spacious staterooms at sea". While I have no experience of this, I do know from talking to other people that this is probably a pretty true statement. Even with that, the rooms aren't huge (at least a standard inside room) Sure, you can pay for a balcony room (which is bigger) or a suite if you want that, but it depends on what your budget and priorities are.

One of the most appealing things about Disney Cruise Line (at least for me and for my future information) is that the child's price is based on their age. This is not true on Carnival (or any other cruise line I have seen.) On Carnival, you will pay the same for a toddler as you would for a teen. However, a Disney cruise is generally more expensive, so I don't know how this would balance out. In my opinion, Disney magic and attention to detail is always worth the cost, whether it's a park or a ship, but I'm a sucker for magic and details! Right now my dream cruise is on Disney.

Destination: All my cruises have been to the Caribbean. In fact all of them (at least until this next one) have been to the Western Caribbean and all have stopped in Cozumel. It's been nice enough, but I'm definitely ready for a change. Alaska is next on my list of places I would like to visit, and the Mediterranean is after that!

I have left from three different ports - Mobile, AL (which is currently not being used as a cruise port), New Orleans, LA, and Port Canaveral (Orlando), FL. Mobile was definitely nice and easy to get through, but I don't have any complaints about Port Canaveral, either. New Orleans was a mess, no two ways about it. However, I'm anticipating taking other cruises out of New Orleans eventually and I'm hoping for a better experience.

Spending: According to the infographic, the average cruiser spends $220/per day ON THE BOAT! I definitely understand the temptation. It's easy to forget that you are, in fact, spending real money when you just have to swipe your room key or sign a piece of paper to get a nice umbrella drink by the pool or a couple of nice 8x10 photos each day. It can add up pretty quickly. This probably also includes shore excursions booked on the boat or charged to your account, which can be really pricey.

Saving: There are several good suggestions for saving money on your cruise, like cruising during the off season, making a lot of your own arrangements for travel and excursions, and keep up with your spending. I have a few tips of my own, but I'll save those for later, so keep checking back for more on these and other fun topics.

Cruising By the Numbers

I know I just did a cruise post last week, but I'm really excited about the fact that we just finished paying for the blasted thing and wanted to celebrate with a little more vacation-related fun.

Several weeks ago I was contacted by Sarah from Coupons.org because she had seen some of my past posts about my previous cruises and she shared this neat cruising infographic with me. I thought it was really interesting and decided it was definitely worth sharing in my series of posts as I prepare for my next cruise. I've got a few comments about some of this stuff, but I'll save that for a few weeks. For now, check this out!

Source: Coupons

Counting Down to Another Dream Vacation

Yes, I know I'm a goober. I can't help it. I get really excited about anything out of the norm, especially when it involves going someplace or doing something new. This vacation really does combine the best of both worlds of things that are known and comfortable with those that are new and exciting. Add to it the fact that this will be one year since our last real vacation, and it makes for a very happy Sandy. Half the fun of a vacation (at least for me) is getting to prepare and anticipate it, so the more time I get for that the better it is!

Known: Cruise on the Carnival Dream leaving out of Port Canaveral and staying in the Cloud 9 Spa; Anytime dining

New: Port stops in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten; Cabin with a balcony. Jeff has only ever been to Nassau, so it'll be nice to share something new with him since he has a sort of "been there, done that" attitude toward a lot of cruises (because, let's face it, he has!)

We're still negotiating a few of the particulars like getting ourselves down there. Last time, we flew. It started as necessity but ended up as SUPER convenient. I like flying, but Jeff isn't a huge fan, especially of short flights (and BHM to MCO is only 90 minutes!) Originally I thought we would drive since we have more time, but the more we think about it the more appealing the idea of flying again becomes!

I really am trying to not get too over-the-top excited until after my birthday (which will still give me about 7 weeks of excitement!) but it's hard! This picture is from our last cruise on the Carnival Dream, specifically from a port stop in Cozumel. It was probably one of the best vacations I've ever taken and so it's very easy to look forward to doing it again! If it weren't for the pesky business of paying for it, I would be ready to get on the boat tomorrow!

I've got some great new info/resources about cruising in general, so if it's something you're interested in, stay tuned!

The Loveless Cafe - Nashville, TN

I have a confession to make. I never ate at the Loveless Cafe while I was a student at Vanderbilt. I knew about it. I saw the sign on the interstate whenever I would drive over to Memphis to visit some friends, but I just never bothered to investigate. I just never had a reason to be over there and it didn't seem like the kind of place you would go alone. And I was indeed right - it's not the kind of place you go alone (although I guess you could) and other than actually eating there, there isn't a whole lot of other reasons to be out that direction. It's not a place you'll stumble on accidentally, unless you are really lost!

I DID eat there once while I still considered myself a resident of Nashville. The day after graduation, my dad came back with the U-haul and Jeff was preparing to leave with him to haul ALL my stuff back except for my air mattress and a suitcase. My aunt was also still in town, and she said she wanted to take us all to the Loveless. She had gone to Vanderbilt many moons ago, so that's how she knew about it. We all packed up and headed out there for lunch and it was really good. I didn't know what I'd been missing!

So during our little vacation we decided to go back. One of the themes of our trip seemed to be wandering back roads, which I really enjoy as long as someone else is doing the driving! We took a different way out there, and it wasn't as far removed from civilization as I remember. Of course, this trip I wasn't already starving so it was a much more enjoyable journey, too. Even at 4pm on a Sunday, the wait was about half an hour. That didn't bother me because there are a few little shops around to explore, including one that held the creations of local artists. I fell in love with several pieces but didn't take any of them home. All the more reason for me to return.

The atmosphere is definitely laid back. One of my favorite things was the cute paper place mats with the story about the Cafe and little puzzles and games. Clearly, it doesn't take much to keep me entertained. Because of the history associated with this place and the fact that it's definitely a tourist destination, it would be so easy for the whole thing to be a little over the top with costumes and trying to make a show out of the whole meal, but thankfully they don't. It's just very genuine, friendly service in a comfortable atmosphere with fantastic food!

An oh, the food. There is a part of me that is convinced there are major corporate dealings that require less negotiation and cooperation than ordering a meal here (at least for us!) The problem isn't the way the menu is written at all. Most plates are pretty standard - an entree with two sides and all the biscuits you can handle. The problem is that there are SO many good options for both entrees and sides and choosing is really tough. Thankfully, Jeff and I are both sharers so we use that to our advantage.

Jeff got the sampler plate with fried chicken, country ham, and fried catfish. I settled for simply the fried chicken. Our sides consisted of macaroni and cheese, caramel sweet potatoes, turnip greens, and marinated cucumbers and onions. The macaroni and cheese was great. I was expecting more of the "casserole" style (which I like, but isn't my favorite) but it was very creamy and fantastic. I think I could lose myself in a family sized bowl of it! The sweet potatoes were a little too sweet for my personal taste, but they were still very good. I won't swear by this, but I think Jeff wanted to tip up his bowl and drink the pot liquor that was in with his greens. He restrained himself and soaked it up with a biscuit, but it was definitely not wasted. Of course there were the biscuits (a few of which "accidentally" ended up in my purse for breakfast the next day!) and we both ate way too many. But despite being ridiculously full, we managed to share a slice of peanut butter pie. It wasn't my favorite peanut butter pie, but it was not disappointing.

Obviously, this is now on our "regular rotation" of places to eat in Nashville. We're trying to come up with ways to get various family members up there so we can take them. One option that we really enjoyed during our first trip was the family style dinners. Since we had at least four people, we were able to get two entrees (fried chicken and meatloaf were our choices) and three vegetables (mashed potatoes and gravy, grits, and turnip greens) and share them among everyone. It's all you can eat, but I can't for the life of me see how anyone would need seconds. The platters of food put out for us were HUGE and, although the menu says no to-go boxes, since we never ordered seconds our waitress said she could give us boxes and we filled up three with our leftovers! If everyone likes different things this may not be the best option, but if everyone is going to order the fried chicken (which I recommend, especially on your first visit!) then it's perfect.

If you have an excuse to visit Nashville and the means to get away from downtown just a bit, go check it out! Just don't plan on eating much else for the rest of the day!

Merchants Restaurant - Nashville, TN

During our Nash-vegas Vacation, Jeff and I had lunch at Merchants, and it was quite possibly one of the best meals I've ever had in this fine city!

We didn't set out to eat here. In fact, in all my time visiting here and living here (and having friends living here) I had never heard of it, or at least didn't remember it if I did. In all honesty, even if I did know about it I probably would have been hard pressed to actually eat there because it was downtown and I loathed going downtown unless someone else was driving and I KNEW I had parking covered. However, now that I have the privilege of simply being a tourist and I do know about it, I'm going to have to put it on the regular rotation!

We went in about 1 pm on Saturday. Not only was it a holiday weekend, but there was a big hockey game going on as evidenced by all the people in town wearing jerseys for both the Predators and the Philadelphia Flyers. (And for the record, I not only recognized the Flyers stuff but I was the one to inform my husband about what it was. I hope you are imporessed!) There were about three couples in front of us in line, and the hostess informed each of us that she had places at the bar or on the patio, or there would be about a 20 minute wait. Nobody bothered to wait, ourselves included. We happily took a table on the patio. It was actually in the alley so it wasn't right out in the middle of everything but you could still do some people watching. Plus, it was enclosed with plastic and there were heaters going. At first I thought I was actually going to be TOO warm, but it ended up being quite nice with the breeze that was provided when people came and went.

The atmosphere was a combination of elegant and fun. I feel like a horrible person for not remembering our server's name, but she was great. Instead of a bread basket we got a little can of popcorn! I tried my darndest to figure out what exactly was seasoning that popcorn, but couldn't do it. Obviously there was an herb (I'm guessing parsley) and I'm thinking maybe some parmesan. Perhaps if I had a chance to savor and study it a bit more I could have figured it out, but it was exceptionally yummy and my loving husband was eating it by the fist-full so I joined in the gobbling!

We started our meal with the fried green tomatoes, which were served with a spicy tomato jam and pimento cheese. I'm not a fried green tomato fan, but that pimento cheese was fantastic. It was not overly-mayonaised and had just the right amount of kick. The cornmeal breading on the tomatoes came off quite easily and basically made the perfect little cracker for me to enjoy the pimento cheese. Jeff happily ate all the tomatoes and said they were some of the best he has had.

For lunch, I ordered the "Soup and Sammy". It's a grilled cheese sandwich made with cheddar, smoked gouda, and bacon and a bowl of tomato bisque. It's supposed to also come with freshly made potato chips, but since they also do sweet potato fries I substituted those. They were served with a fabulous smokey barbeque sauce. I honestly felt like there was some sort of little gremlin inside of my head who knew exactly what all my favorite flavors and textures were and was giving them all to me on one fantastic plate! I have to say, I love grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon and never have I had one made so perfectly! The soup was also delicious and creamy and not too rich. I definitely did the whole "dip the sandwich in the soup" thing and it was just wonderful! And the sweet potato fries? One was on the edge of my plate and I bumped it into the floor before I could move it to safety. I really almost cried at its loss, they were that good!

Jeff ordered a Cobb Salad with ranch rather than the vinaigrette described on the menu. Although my husband is not especially picky about many things, he is picky about his ranch. He is a sucker for good, homemade ranch dressing and that is one area that I have yet to be able to achieve his seal of approval because I can't get it exactly the way he wants it (and, bless his heart, he can't tell me WHY!) However, he really loved this ranch and was very happy with his salad. I also let him try a bite of my soup, and for someone who claims to not like tomato soup, he was very eager to get as much as he could!

Although we thought about it, we decided to forgo dessert on this trip. Although it wasn't an extremely huge, leftovers for days, sized meal it was more than enough to satisfy us and had I gotten dessert, I don't think I would have been able to enjoy it. I think a chocolate truffle was probably the only thing keeping this from being ALL my favorite things at once!

During these colder days of perfect "tomato soup and grilled cheese" weather, I have a feeling I will be longing for this lunch frequently. I know I'll be re-creating it at home and it'll be nowhere near as good, but I will eagerly anticipate a return trip. If I make it back in the summer, I'm thinking a burger with that pimento cheese on it. Who wants to join me?

(Nash-) Vegas Vacation

I have been longing for a weekend getaway for a long time. I love getting away any time I can, but it's definitely nice to have a break from church. Jeff and I decided near the end of last year that I would take my available Sunday off sometime after Christmas but before Lent, but that Jeff would do most of the planning for our little getaway. So I warned the key folks at the church that I may not be able to give them a ton of notice, but that I would make sure everything was taken care of. Fast forward through some logistical details that I'm guessing nobody really cares about, and we realized that MLK weekend would be the perfect time for us to not only have a weekend getaway, but a LONG weekend, since Jeff would have Monday off work!

After some discussion, we decided we wanted to go to Nashville. It's been a long time since we've been up there so it's time. Plus, the timing was sort of important. MLK weekend 5 years ago was the first time Jeff came up to visit me in Nashville! Hard to believe it's already been five years!

Jeff got off work a little early on Friday and we hopped in the car to head north. It wasn't as long a trip as I was expecting. I really enjoy road trips with Jeff because I love the (generally) uninterupted time together to just talk and laugh. We checked into The Baymont Inn & Suites in Brentwood (as much as I would have liked to stay downtown the budget this time just wouldn't allow it!) and grabbed dinner around 7pm. Our hotel was actually sort of in the midst of an office park so there weren't a ton of obvious dining options. We explored a bit and stumbled upon a Five Guys. Neither of us had ever tried it and they didn't look too busy so we headed inside. It was great and I'm glad I know I can get this at home now!

Saturday we got up and headed to town. It was early enough in the day that we were actually able to get street parking downtown. We wandered around a bit waiting for Bath Junkie to open. I have previously professed my love for their stuff, and this is officially the closest store to me now, so I had to stock up. They were all out of the body mist I wanted, but I got some other things and even a few gifts. After we dropped my purchases off at the car we wandered a bit more, and ended up at the Country Music Hall of Fame. I had been once almost five years ago, and Jeff had never been at all so we decided to do the tourist thing. It was neat, but we were only there a little over an hour so it didn't really seem worth the $20 each we spent on it. Still, it's a fun thing to see. On our way back to the car we were ready for lunch and found ourselves stopped at a crosswalk by Merchants. I'd never heard of it, but as we waited for the crossing signal we looked in the window and everything looked good so we decided to try it. I'm so incredibly glad that we did because everything was amazing. I'll post a more in-depth review soon, so stay tuned. After that we started making our way back down toward Brentwood, exploring as we went. We ended up at Green Hills Mall where we used to waste lots of afternoons while we were dating. We also took note of the "new" Trader Joe's and stopped in for some snacks. The English Toffee has been a long-standing favorite of mine and the Sweet and Spicy Pecans are a new favorite.

Sunday we *gasp* SLEPT IN! And it was absolutely glorious. After a lazy morning we headed over to Dave and Buster's for lunch and the ultimate ski-ball challenge. I kicked his rear end, although he got even in air hockey. While we were there we stopped by Bass Pro Shop to look at boats. We thought about seeing a movie, but there wasn't anything we wanted to wait around for. We decided to indulge in one of our favorite vacation past-times - exploring. We drove around just re-familiarizing ourselves with parts of town and reminiscing about our time there. Then we decided to head out toward The Loveless Cafe for dinner. This also requires a post of its own to cover all the details.

Monday, we checked out of the hotel about 9:30 and decided to head south to the Cool Springs Galleria, taking in some of the back roads. It was another fun, exploration adventure. We wandered around the mall for a while and left after lunch. We were very disappointed to find that the Dippin' Dots booth had closed. There really wasn't anything else we needed to do, so we headed home. We made a pit stop at my step-mom's and made it back home at a reasonable hour.

All in all it was a great weekend. I had a wonderful time and can't wait to go back!

Friday Five - Road Trips

Today's Friday Five is all about road trips. Particularly, listing five road trips we've taken. This is a tough one for me because I haven't taken that many road trips! When I was a kid that just wasn't something we did. We'd drive to our vacation destination, but it was usually all about the single destination, not the adventures along the way. However, now that I'm a grown up I like the idea of them more and more.

I started off thinking I'd only ever been on one, but the more I thought and wrote, the more I realized that we did in fact take one as a family when I was a kid. I have happy memories of it, but from a practical standpoint I realize that it was kind of a disaster and understand why we didn't do more of these. My dad hated the idea of doing anything except getting where you were going as fast as possible, so "adventure" wasn't high on the priority list. We went to Washington, DC and Williamsburg, VA. Then my aunt drove over from Ohio to take me and my brother home with her for a week to visit. I can laugh about the mis-adventure of so much of it now that we have survived, but I can't imagine the stress on my family at the time!

Our Honeymoon: Birmingham, Atlanta, Savannah, and Tybee Island. The whole goal we had for our honeymoon was to go someplace we had been before so we could just relax and enjoy our time together. Neither of us had ever been to Tybee, but my mom lived in Savannah for a few years so I remembered her telling us about it as kids so it was a nice, sentimental way of sort of involving her and her memory in it. We had a wonderful time and are looking to do it again!

We have discussed the idea of taking a few more trips, the earliest possibly being next May. So here are a few of the trips I would like to take

1) Midwestern Loop: From Alabama, loop up through St. Louis and stop to see relatives in Des Moines, then over to Mt. Rushmore and Devil's Tower, down through Colorado and Oklahoma and finally scooting back through Arkansas to get back home.

2) East Coast: Go down to Key West and work our way all the way up to Maine and maybe even slipping into Canada for a while. This one will probably have to be several years down the road!

3) Grand Canyon/Las Vegas: This is one of Jeff's dream trips and I have to admit it does sound very appealing. It would probably have to involve flying and renting a car rather than driving the whole way, but it's also on the short list!

4) Alaska: More specifically, drive to Alaska. I'm still undecided about whether to fly to Portland to see Jeff's step-sister and start from there or if we'd want to drive the whole thing from Alabama. An RV would definitely have to be involved in this one. This trip is probably many years away, too!

The ultimate goal is to visit all 50 states. I'm not particular about how we do it, but road trips seem to be the easiest and most economical way of seeing the most places. We have no idea when we'll go on a trip like this or what it would look like, but as long as we get to spend it together I'm not too particular!

Cruise Update

In case you missed it, Jeff and I FINALLY took the vacation we have been anticipating for over a year now on the Carnival Dream. We went with his mom (Barbara), step-dad (Ray), grandmother (Mamaw), great-aunt and uncle (Linda and Hugh), 2 aunts (Donna and Sherrie), uncle (David), and his mom's friends (Chris, David, Valencia, and Jana). See? We are a pretty good-looking bunch!

Jeff's and my vacation officially began on Friday, April 29th. We flew down to Orlando and were picked up in an executive SUV that took us to our hotel in Cocoa Beach. Heck yeah I got spoiled by that! We spent the night at the Residence Inn that was all of one mile from the port. We couldn't tell exactly how close we were that night, but when we left the next morning we realized the cruise ship was practically parked in our back yard!

Saturday we were up early enough to take advantage of the breakfast in the hotel and then catch the shuttle to the cruise terminal. It didn't take hardly any time for us to get through check-in and we were on the boat by 11:30. We wandered around exploring, got some lunch, and enjoyed the view. You could actually see the Nasa stuff, including the shuttle on the launch pad (because the launch scheduled for that morning was postponed). Pretty cool huh? We had a spa cabin, so we got to check out all that stuff and generally just hang out before dinner.

The spa cabin was nice. It wasn't all that much different from the other cabins, except that it was a much smaller area of the ship, you were a lot higher (we were on the 11th floor, actually ABOVE the Lido deck where the food and pool and stuff are!) and there were no kids so there was no running, screaming, slamming doors, or general mayhem. It was very quiet and serene. Plus, our cabin steward was AMAZING! Her name was Sunshine and she was just the sweetest thing. We loved her! The best part about the spa cabins was that we had access to the "Thermal Suites" (a variety of steam and dry saunas of varying temperatures) and Thalassotherapy pool (basically an overgrown mineral-filled hot tub). Oh, they were wonderful! I found myself falling asleep on those heated seats more than once, and spent lots of time in the pool turning into a prune. You had to be at least 18 to use this stuff, so again no screaming kids splashing around. Plus the pool was only slightly warmer than body temperature, so you could easily spend a lot of time there. Jeff and I probably spent at least two hours every single day in the spa.

The ports were Cozumel, Belize City, Mahogany Bay Roatan (Honduras), and Costa Maya. Cozumel was not bad. We were at a little dock about a mile or so from town. It was kind of nice because ours was the only ship there, so it wasn't too crowded. We found a nice restaurant on the beach where we had lunch and were joined by several iguanas. One got surprisingly close to my feet, but he didn't lick or bite, so we didn't have any problems. Belize was an absolute waste of time. We had to take a Tender Boat for five miles to get to shore, and when we got there, there wasn't really anything there! We stayed off the boat maybe 20 minutes. We spent more time going and coming than actually off the boat. At least we can say we've been there! Roatan was my favorite because it was nothing but a beach. We wandered over, found a couple of chairs, and I was able to read and nap in the shade of a palm tree while enjoying a fruity beverage. It was a good day! Costa Maya we didn't even get off the boat! We just slept late, wandered around the ship, and napped on the deck.

The most exciting part of the trip for us happened while we were at sea! We took a behind the scenes tour where we got to see the kitchen, engine control room, dressing rooms, crew areas, and of course the bridge. We got to meet the captain and have our picture made with him, and that was really cool. Jeff thought he was hot stuff. We got all kinds of fun stuff including the pictures, some goodies, a little soap carving of a swan (how they practice for the big ice sculptures!) champagne, and some yummy treats from the kitchen including chocolate covered strawberries and almond pralines! I'd say it was a good way to spend the morning! It was definitely a fun thing to do, but not something I would do every single cruise. As is tradition, I had to take $20 and hit the slots. I rarely lose any money (usually I just break even, maybe come up a buck or two on top) but this time I won big! Ok, not huge, but I won $90 on the penny slots! Not bad if I do say so myself!

Other good things we did included dinner at the steak house which was GREAT and I got a 75 minute hot stone massage. It was wonderful! My only regret was not getting to take the yoga class. Looking back I wish I had asked the guy to just teach me a little bit even though it was just me, but maybe next time.

So yeah, that's the complete run-down of everything I did on my vacation. It was wonderful, even if I am still sort of trying to get myself together being home again. I'm looking forward to my next one, whenever that may be!

Sips and Snacks on the High Seas

We interrupt these winter holiday festivities to bring you thoughts about the tropical paradise that awaits me in a mere five months!

It's no secret that I love to eat. In fact, it is often one of the highlights of my vacation (which is probably part of my problem, but let's not go there!) And one of the "advantages" of taking a cruise is that it is "all-inclusive" and your meals are already factored into the price of your ticket. Not just three meals a day, but pretty much all you can eat. There are a few exceptions that are optional, but if you want, you never have to pay for anything to eat or drink, and you generally will not be left wanting!

The first (and most obvious) of these exceptions is alcohol. Obviously, this is not a necessity. If you want it, it is there. And you don't have to carry cash because everything goes on your onboard account. This is very handy when you're out by the pool and someone has a large tray of fruity concoctions and all it requires is a signature. But they do add up quickly. There are some opportunities for free drinks, such as the Captain's Cocktail Party or the previous cruisers' reception. And you are allowed to bring 1 bottle of wine per person in your carry on. I haven't ever brought wine with me, but I'm thinking I will this time. Technically you aren't allowed to bring hard liquor on with you. If you buy any, it is supposed to be held until the end of the cruise. Of course, I have noticed that everyone seems to need their Costco-sized bottles of Listerine when they cruise. Also, the bottle of peroxide and rubbing alcohol. Hmm...

Another expense that seems rather unfortunate to me is that of sodas! You can get tea or some juices or water, but not sodas. Not even one! And on some level that seems unfortunate for kids, because the adults who want it can get at least a little bit of free booze, but there are no free sodas at all for kids. Now, if you really need a carbonated beverage fix there are a few options. First, you can bring a few of your own. That to me is the least convenient option because it takes up space in your bag. Or you can wait until you get off the boat in a port and get something there. This is usually not any better than your third option, which is buying them on the boat. Now there are two ways to do this. You can either buy them as you order them. Or you can shell out for an unlimited soda card. I have read where it is no longer a separate card they give you, but a sticker for your sail and sign card. Either way, this entitles you to as many sodas as your little self can drink. Technically it's only supposed to be for the one person whose name is on it, but I know that sharing does take place. Even if I didn't want to share with my loving husband, he has a bad habit of not ordering a soda if he wants one, then waiting until I set mine down and promptly downing half of it! I figured it up, and given the average price of a soda on the ship, if you drink at least 3 a day, you do slightly better than break even. Any more than that, and you're ahead. They aren't huge, so I can pretty easily go through three in all the time hanging out between about 5:30 pm and bedtime. This doesn't count any down time in the afternoons (or the fact that I drink them instead of coffee in the mornings!), so to me it's a very worthwhile investment.

One new-ish thing on some of the larger ships is the steakhouse. Some people swear it's great and some don't think it's worth it. I'm planning to try it for myself, so I will make up my mind after that. There is an extra charge of $30 per person, and unlike the main dining room, you can't get as many of whatever that you want. The food is supposed to be better. For me, I think the atmosphere would be worth it. You can get a table for two (a very rare thing in a main dining room!) and I'm assuming the waiter's don't sing and dance and it's a much more formal atmosphere. Maybe I'm old fashioned and a stick in the mud, but a conga line at dinner is simply not appropriate! It's the one thing about the cruises that I really dislike! I'll reflect more on my past experiences as time goes on, and also do a full review after the cruise is over.

For those with more exotic tastes, there are things like the Sushi Bar. Some of the larger boats have more "specialized" restaurant offerings as well. All have the 24 hour pizza place, as well as ice cream and some other goodies. There are also the late-night buffets which can be a lot of fun. To me, half the fun of these is looking at them! There is some serious artistry that goes into these things and it's really interesting to see what some very talented people can do!

Then of course there is room service. The room service menu is pretty limited, but it is an option, and it isn't bad. That is the one "tip" that isn't included, and one of the few reasons you would need/want cash on the boat! There is no charge, but you are asked to tip the person that delivers the room service. To me, it's just as easy to go up to the Lido deck and grab something, but there are times of day when the only thing available is pizza or nothing sounds good and the room service is a nice option to have.

As far as this cruise goes, there isn't anything food-wise that I am just yearning for. If you have any favorites, let me know!

Let the Countdown Begin!

In six months, I leave for vacation! Wahoo! Jeff and I are taking a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Dream. The Dream is the biggest, newest, and nicest ship in the fleet, and is the flagship for the newest class of boats.

We will be sailing out of Port Canaveral on April 30th, and visiting Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Costa Maya. We will be joined on this little adventure by Jeff's mother (Barbara), step-dad (Ray), grandmother (Mamaw), grandfather (Papa), and friends Chris and David and some of their family. I'm hoping some of my family will come too (hint hint!) We have been to Cozumel and Costa Maya before, but never to Belize or Roatan, so that should be interesting.

Everyone splurged a little on their rooms. Most got balcony rooms. Jeff and I didn't feel like splurging quite that much, but we (ok, I) decided we deserved a little bit of a treat and decided that if we were going to have an inside room, it was going to be a spa room! The Dream has one of the new spas, Cloud 9. Part of that includes "spa" accommodations which include some nicer amenities in-room (and I think the rooms are a tiny bit bigger), priority in booking spa treatments, and access to the spa areas that are not normally included for the average guest such as the Thallasotherapy Pool, steam rooms, heated loungers, and other great stuff! Guests who aren't staying in the spa rooms can buy a pass for these things, either for a day or for the whole week. A week-long pass is $250 per couple, so seeing as we're paying about half of that for the upgrade to our room and we're a lot higher on the ship than either of us has ever been, we think it'll be well worth it!

I am keeping myself occupied by researching, listing, comparing, and contrasting the various options for our vacation and the combinations of ways these elements can be enjoyed. Today I'm going to let you in on my major concern, which is how the heck we are going to get from Birmingham to Port Canaveral (Orlando). The first, and most obvious, option is to drive. If that's the way we decide to go, there is parking to deal with, and there is also the question of caravaning or renting a van so we can all ride together. We got spoiled with the big van we took on our last family vacation, so that is the general preference. The only down side to that option is the expense of having to rent a van for over a week, pay for the gas and tolls to get us there and back, and have to pay to park it for a week on top of that. Not exactly an ideal situation!

The other option is to fly. There are at least one (usually more) non-stop flights every day from Birmingham to Orlando (it's 90 minutes each way) and most of them are less than $100. This would be easier on Papa because sitting for an over 12 hour drive would be tough on him (not to mention I get a bit cranky if I'm trapped in the car too long!). Plus, we wouldn't have to be paying fee on top of fee for something we aren't taking full advantage of! The only down side to this option is getting to and from the airport and the cruise terminal. On the Orlando end of things, there are some relatively reasonable options that I am working my way through. That just leaves Birmingham, and Jeff has enough relatives that we could probably ask very nicely and get a ride! From an objective standpoint, flying is more expensive, but somehow I feel as though my sanity is worth it!

Other things I'm considering (and will therefore be processing by typing and sharing with all of you who care to read about it!) are shore excursions, food and drink options, packing, and anything else that comes to mind!

And if you want to come cruise with us, book it and let us know! I can give you the number of the guy at Carnival we called and he can make sure all the dinner arrangements and those other little details are all worked out!

My Favorite Things - p.40

Life has been a bit crazy lately. Cooking has obviously taken a back seat to other things. And I really do have all kinds of intentions of getting back to it sooner than later. But the schedule thing is still working itself out. Crafting isn't happening at all right now. Really and truly, life outside of work and being at the house isn't happening. So in order to keep myself motivated and accountable (and to prove I do in fact have some more stuff in the works) I decided to dedicate my favorite things today to my coming attractions!

Crock Pot Chicken Curry - I'm actually making this one today for everyone in the Pastoral Care office. We'll see how it goes!

Crock Pot Philly Steak - This could be humongous flop, or one of my best ideas ever. We'll find out soon enough!

My first University of Alabama football game - No, I'm not switching allegiances, but seeing as how ours is a mixed marriage the least I can do is make good use of a free ticket to the VIP section! I'm a good wife like that!

My next vacation - Yup, I already have something planned. I'll reveal the details when I start the six month countdown! I'm honestly starting to believe that the planning and preparation for a vacation is more exciting to me than the trip itself!

A CPE update - I'm going to have to be careful with what I say about CPE so as not to violate the privacy of patients, family members, or my classmates but I'm going to try to share some of my reflections about my own "stuff".