Disney Cruise, Part 1

We are back from the cruise. We had so much fun! Naomi loved it! We did so many things that my cruise posts are going to come in parts that way it doesn't have to be one giant post. So we'll start with Saturday and Sunday.

We flew out Saturday January 23 and landed in Florida around 8:30 pm. We got to our hotel around 9:30ish and got settled in and hung out with cousins for about an hour before going to bed.

Sunday January 24 we woke up and while Cory and I got everything out of our hotel room Naomi was running around with her cousins watching the alligator in the pond outside the hotel. So we get to the port around 10:30 so that we can get all registered so we can board early (you board based on your arrival at registration). Well while we were checking in we had to fill out a small questionnaire asking if anyone had been sick at all in the last few days. Naomi had had a runny nose and a slight cough so we answered yes. Yeah for honesty, we had to we 45 minutes to see the doctor, so that Naomi could be cleared to board the ship. And she was cleared since she was basically better. While we waited for the doctor, Naomi got to meet Mickey and see Chip and Dale and I registered her for the kids club.

Naomi and Caleb with Mickey Mouse

Finally we were allowed to board the ship, Naomi was so excited!

Once we boarded the ship we went to the buffet for lunch and then went to our staterooms. Our room was upgraded from the cheapest to the second cheapest room so the were a good size.

The cool thing about the TVs on the boat is that every channel only played Disney shows. They had a Disney classic cartoon channel, new movie channel, classic animated movie channel, Playhouse Disney channel, and so on; I wish that is how my TV could be at home.

After settling in we went to the Oceaneer's Club (the kids' club) so that Naomi could become familiar with the place.

She liked it there (as long as we were close by). It was a really neat place; the play area was like a pirate ship and they had an area for movies and a stage for other activities and the counselors were really nice.

After checking out the club we went to our room to get our life jackets and then headed to our meeting area for the mandatory boat drill.

Naomi fell asleep right before we headed up for the drill so she was really tired.
After the drill was over we went back to our rooms and changed into our bathing suits so we could see the Adventures Away show and then go swimming in the Mickey pool.

Part of the Adventures Away show

Naomi and cousin Zoey had so much fun in the pool.

After swimming, we got ready for dinner at the first restaurant in the rotation of 3 restaurants. Our first dinner was in Animator's Palette. The food was delicious and our servers were awesome. (The cool thing is that our servers rotated with us as we switched from restaurant to restaurant.)

Our servers were Zinzani (on the left) and Chakkapong (on the right)
After dinner we went back to our stateroom to find our room ready for bed, and this cute little bunny (the first of many towel animals)

Naomi fell asleep shortly after, so we hung out in our room and watched "The Golden Mickey's" (that night's show) from our TV.

Before I went to bed, I went to the lobby atrium to get Princess Tiana's and Snow White's autograph for Naomi (even though she was sleeping).

After getting their autopraphs I was ready for bed, especially since Cory and Naomi were already sleeping.

Well that is Day 1 on the cruise ship. Coming up, day 2 in Nassau, Bahamas.

One Week From Today

One week from today we'll be boarding the Disney Cruise ship. I'm so excited!! But I'm not quite done getting everything ready, luckily we have a whole week left and we only need to buy a couple more things for the trip. I'm pretty sure Naomi is excited for this trip because she tells people she's going on a boat, an airplane, and that she's going to see Mickey and Goofy. She even likes to wear her water shoes almost everywhere we go, she likes to call them her ocean shoes.

I know I haven't posted very many pictures lately (mostly because I forget my camera), but after this trip I'll have many pictures to post.

New Year's Resolutions

2009 was a good and crazy tough year for us. We graduated, we moved, then we moved again, adjusted to drastic climate changes, and adjusted to life changes. I'm so grateful for all that we were blessed with last year, but I am glad that that year is over. 2010 is going to be a great year, full of even more changes. I've been thinking about my personal resolutions and family resolutions and I feel if I don't write them down I may lose sight of my goals. I like how Brian Tracy put it, "Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines." So here goes.

Personal Resolutions
#1 Exercise consistently 5 days a week. And with this goal I plan to train for a half marathon.
#2 Be happier. I'm a happy person, but I feel that I haven't been as happy lately and that I'm more easily irritated. So to help fulfill this goal I'm going to write down 3 things I'm thankful for everyday. So today I'm thankful for Naomi and her lively spirit, I'm thankful that Cory has a secure job, and I'm thankful for the good friends I have.

Family Resolutions
#1 Find the right house for us. We have started house hunting, which is quite the process and we're excited to be making this step in our lives.
#2 Save more money. I know that sounds kind of funny since we are trying to buy a house right now, but we hope to get into a house with a low mortgage so that saving will be reasonable.

Naomi's Resolution (which she doesn't know yet)
#1 Learn to spell her name. She has the ability, I just have to be patient in teaching her. But I know she can do it.

I've had a lot on my mind lately, but I'm glad I finally got that written down. Now I can start focusing on the two most important things right now, finding the right house and getting ready for our Disney Cruise in a couple weeks.