Cynthia, congratulations on starting your senior year.

I went back to school at 38 years old to become an Aesthetician. I juggled my daughters' schedules, my husband's business travel, appointments, kid's illnesses, carpooling, being the maid, sideline cheerleader for my girl's events, meals for the family.... just to get my degree and license. It was the single-most, personally satisfying, industrious thing I've done for myself. If anyone can understand how you feel, it's me. It's hard to return, especially when you're attending with basically, the 18-23 year old crowd. That, in itself, is difficult. You're perceived as the "old lady" by these "kids". When I graduated, I received top honors over the other students in my class. That was a defining moment for me. It just proves anything can be achieved. It just takes perseverance and dedication.


Now, regarding cruising.... If I can do only one excursion in March, it's a zip line canopy tour. I have my heart set on that. I told my husband that I want that to be in our cruise itinerary, and to base the cruise on where that excursion is.

A'ndrea

Hi Michele,
I haven't read any posts so I don't know if anyone replied to QM check in. When you exit the parking structure, you can make your way to the QM. Enter the QM at the back end of the ship. You will make a left as soon as you enter the ship and you can see a room that says carnival check in. There were many CARNIVAL personnel there leading the way so we had no trouble finding it. REMEMBER: check in no later than 10:45. They close at 11:00 a.m. and there was a long line for check in at the CARNIVAL check in after that.
We checked in at 9:45 and were on the ship and having lunch by 11:45 a.m.

Diana - Thanks for the directions! We are definitely planning on being there early for the checkin. As long as I can get the boys and my brother to stay clear of any near by golf courses!!! My brother seems to have a week of golfing planned for everyone...glad I chose not to arrange for the golf excursion in Mazatlan!!! Glad you finally checked in-I was about to give you a shout out....MARCO.... I hope your new kids are treating you well and you have a wonderful school year!

Yeah A'ndrea's coming back to the West Coast!!! One of these years we all really need to coordinate our cruises! Ya know the Alaska cruises are starting to sail from San Francisco - round trip! Group cruise anyone? Ok not much snorkeling...but wow can you imagine what those salmon look like under those icebergs!

A'ndrea & Cynthia - you are both wonderful examples of how it is never too late to accomplish those things in life that you put your mind to. That is awesome. My brother graduated from San Jose State. I wish I had had more support way back when to go to college. Maybe someday....2 more years until I'm 40...there's still time!

Cynthia - We are doing the Sea Life Park - Royal Dolphin Swim in PV; Stone Island and shopping in the Golden Zone in Mazatlan and Lover's Beach/Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo. If we have time left over in any of the ports...it will be just site seeing and such. Just want to take our time and enjoy! And of course everything is up to how the 3 yr. old feels. He can make any day go downhill quickly!!!

Brenda...it's almost here!!! Can't wait to hear all about your trip! Have a wonderful time.

Well back to work! Ya'll hae a great weekend if I don't have time to check in before!

Michele, if we cruise out of California again, it would be great if we could get together, even if it's just for a coffee.

Your excursions sound like they're in order. You are going to have a wonderful time on Pride.

Regarding going back to school. It's never too late. It made me feel like a kid again. I was cool to my kids and their friends. But, honestly, walking into the classroom the first day, my heart was beating out of my chest. It took a good week before I was accepted by the others. It was worth it.

Brenda, enjoy your cruise on Pride.

A'ndrea

Wow - Alaskan cruises from SF?? Are they Carnival ships? That would be REALLY convenient for me (no plane ride!) but I would rather go on Carnival than pay an extra thousand or so for a different line.

My mother went back to school in her 40's and graduated from San Jose State. Then she was a 1st grade teacher for 20 years until the day she died. My great-grandmother was one of the first women to graduate from SJSU - Class of 1909! I have her diploma, I treasure it. I did my first two years at a Junior College and it was scary the day I registered, then I just decided "I'm as smart as anyone here!" and ended up making lots of friends and graduating with honors. I was more nervous when I started SJSU, but I fit in within a week and have made lots of friends again - I don't think anyone even sees me as a 40 year old woman. That could just be a comment on my maturity .

But I do love school. The only thing I hate is that the school schedule prevents me from getting any good deals on cruises!!!!

Thanks so much, everyone, for all the well wishes and all the tips and advice.

THUMP THUMP THUMP...

That's my heart beating as we get closer and closer.

I think I am just about ready, except of course for all those last minute details, like all the stuff I have to use between now and then.

I am not letting the "little" things get me down.

The important thing is that I did a test pack and with a scale. It ALL fits with a suitcase to spare that folds up and goes fits in my checked baggage for the trip back.

I have a full day's clothes and necessities in carry on, so with our late arrival, if baggage is late, so what?

I have tried on my evening dresses three times, just to make sure they really do fit, unbelievable since I got them off ebay and they are beautiful.

All the cabin doo-dads are packed and ready. All the docs, copies of docs and copies of copies are ready and stored.

Oh well, I need a vacation from vacation planning, but my hubby says it's like his hunting trip every year, the best part of the trip is the anticipation.

We will have a wonderful trip and I will have laptop with internet if it works and yall might just hear from me while on board.

have a good one....


brenda

WOOOOOO Brenda! We would of course love to hear from you - but I hope you stay off the internet and just have fun. My whole family is very internet-addicted, but I can't say that we missed it for one second!

Hi everyone, I haven't had a chance to check in daily like I used to. Mostly once or twice a week, but i am thinking of you all. I know a few of you are heading out on your pride cruise soon. I just lost track of whom. Sorry.

Andrea how is the weather back east? It is 102-106 in Riverside, CA. and about 87 at night!

Michele,
how long in advance will you be staying in Santa Ana? Maybe we can meet, or I can come out and bid you fairwell on your trip!

I think i read that Brenda is off on a her cruise. Is that this weekend! Right now i really wish i was on that ship. but I am still trying to get rid of those extra cruise pounds. To no avail, but it was sure worth it!

Nope, still 10 days to go... but thanks for thinking of us...

brenda

OMG - 10 days until Brenda leaves....I am doing the happy dance for you I can't wait for your return...it will mean I am that much closer to leaving. I think by then it will be like 21 days...oh my that just scared me!!!! I guess I need start the whole packing/checklist thing! Need to buy a little bit here and there. I hate budgets!!!

Good NEWS...I got an email from the US Passport office...they "say" the passports are "in the mail". Will check the PO Box today. So yeah...I know we don't need them - but I am glad we didn't spend ALLLLLL that money for them and they didn't make it here on time to use! Now I just have to find someone to stamp them! I can't wait to do my first scrapbook page for the cruise. I already bought my Passport diecuts and have my Tropical paper just waiting for the cruise pics!

Cynthia I think it is Princess cruise line. I looked a few weeks back to size it up. I was talking to DH about it...and my 13 yr old mentioned that he would like to go to! So who knows...I may book a couple years out to afford it, but at least we'll get to go at some point. It is round trip from SF...and of course I would HAVE to get a balcony...the view would be awesome of the glaciers! My son actually races down at the BMX track right there in Santa Clara. It is located behind Great America - maybe one day we'll meet up!

And yes Diana I would love to meet up. I have a feeling myself and my 3 yr old will be on our own when we get back on October 7 and until we leave on the 10th! Sounds like my brother has plans to play every golf course with Mark and Kyle while we are there. My best girlfriend acutally owns a Quilt Store somewhere in the Riverside area, and I am planning on driving out there from Santa Ana on Monday or Tuesday. Maybe we can catch up for lunch or just to hang out. I am hoping to spend a day at the beach too...just depends if we all aren't too "fried" from all the beach time on the cruise! But definitely...let's meet up. Does your DH do any golfing...they could get a foursome together for one of the golfing days! I mean one of these days we will be cruising together...so we might as well get the boys together! Still thinking about the Splendor in 2009. That new ship just sounds too inticing. But the Exotic Mexican Riviera cruise sounds good too. Have to look into the boat...I think it is the same as the Pride. You know we don't want to sail on anything smaller or anything...that just won't work.

A'ndrea - you going to have to be on the cruise out of SF to Alaska in order for me to meet you for coffee. 7 hours is a bit much for a cup of Joe! Starbucks is good...but not THAT GOOD! I am actually in Northern Ca. About 45 minutes from San Francisco...or 45 minutes from Cynthia! Diana can come say hello though! She has promised to even come wave goodbye! What a gal! I think my suitcase is just big enough...it might fit her. I am going to sneak her onboard with me...we have some Drinks of the Day to consume!

Oops... my bad. My geography is way off!

Although, for the price of a cup of Starbuck's coffee, you can fill your gas tank and make the drive.

I'll keep you posted. I'm not even sure where we are cruising to yet.

A'ndrea

Goodness, you wouldn't get far from here on a gallon of gas, which is all the price of a Starbucks would get you!!

And Michelle, if I go on a reeeeeeeeeeally strict diet, can I fit in your suitcase too? I wanna go back!!!

Yeah, I thought it was Princess who goes out of SF, my parents took that cruise twice. I would definitely want a balcony too, but that brings the price up so high on the Alaskan cruises! I have the money, but it doesn't grow on trees, ya know? So for now I'm going to wait for Alaska (*sighhhh*).

What I really want to spend money on is a 14 day South America cruise. I think I'm going to give myself that for a graduation present. Just 3-1/2 years to go! Lots of time to plan the exactly perfect cruise!

Cynthia, what are you going to school for? I have missed so many conversations and I am trying to pick up the puzzle pieces. I think it is great that you went back. I went back after my divorce when first son was 2 and got my degree. It is never too late.

Michelle,Lynda is also into scrapping and it drives me crazy.We could pay for a couple of cruises if we sold all her supplies for her memory books.

I am in my Senior year working on a degree in English Literature. Then I work on my Masters so I can teach English in college. I was divorced for a few years before I realized it was definitely time to go back to school, and luckily there were so many online options available so I completed most of my first two years online.

I sort of wish I could change majors to "Recreation" haha, and maybe be a cruise director or something, but I bet it's not quite the same as being a paying passenger on the cruise!

Diana, I'm sorry. I missed one of your questions.

All this past week it has been cool and fall like temperatures. We had some rain last night and it brought the humidity in. Today we are expecting 90 and over the weekend, mid-90's.

Unfortunately, our pool temperature has dropped significantly with the cool temps. Time to put the solar cover on until we close it in 3 weeks. Very depressing.

A'ndrea

Terry - Can't wait to meet up with you guys! We are going to have a wonderful trip! I can't believe it's just weeks away! Tell Lynda I have been told not only does the gift shop sell scrapbook kits...but the cruise line is actually starting scrapbook classes on board. And should I even get started on the scrapbook cruises you can take.....oh my look at me I got started!!!!! Mark just rolls his eyes and asks when my next "crap" is or when I'm going "crappin". Obviously his endearing slang for a "crop"...when we scrappers get together and do our thing!!! Ok I'm done now-don't want to put you men to sleep....But it does sound like Lynda and I will have alot in common. I will check in over at cruisecritic and see what else it going on!

Cynthia - we can try and squeeze you in. Mark did just get all brand new luggage from his parents for his birthday. The outer one looks big enough for two...but Diana did mention she was still trying to get off some of those cruise pounds so it may be a tight fit for the both of you! I heard duct tape works for ANYTHING!!!

Okay, I'll stop eating NOW .
I never noticed any scrapbooking classes in the Capers, and I did not see any supplies in the gift shop... but there were definitely a lot of cute supplies in the photo viewing area. I don't scrapbook so I didn't take a good look at them, but what I saw was very cute.

Scrapbooking classes? I never saw them but I did see the cutest scrapbooking kits in the photo center and they were not expensive. I didn't purchase any since I have so much scrap booking stuff coming out of my ears!

eeeewwww Do I hear a cruise scrapbook page swap being born???

Ok I'm in!!!