Tuesday, February 23, 2010

DAY 2 - DAY AT SEA

Sunday was our first full day at sea. We spent the day in and out of the Hudson Room, laying out on deck, and eating! We ordered our breakfast to be delivered to our room at 8 am. We figured that with the time change, we would be up. Well, we were in an inside room with no windows. When breakfast came at 8, we were sound asleep! Brandon got up and let the guy in, I don't think I even budged! The Hudson Room was the meeting room that belonged to Provo Craft for the week. On Sunday, we were given a bucket full of supplies and a tote with kits that had everything to make an album for the cruise. I had a ton of fun "cropping" and meeting all the nice people with the cricut group. I was really impressed by how many of the husbands joined in and helped their wives make their pages, or even made their own. Brandon didn't join in, however, he said he got enough craftin at work, and he was on vacation. poor. sport. He did hang out with us croppers, and talked to the winners about his job. Some of my favorite times were spent in the Hudson Room!
That night was formal night. We waited forever to get into dinner, but had a nice time with a couple from Michigan. Amy was a Micheal's cruise winner. A big group of the cricut cruisers then went to the piano bar. It was a lot of fun to sing along with the group.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

LEAVING PORT

Saturday morning, we had breakfast with the 21 Cricut Golden Ticket winners and their companions, 10 Micheal's employee winners and compainions, a couple from HSN, and about 10 Provo Craft employees and their chosen companion. Brandon and four other PC employees won the cruise, the others were lucky enough to HAVE to work the cruise either as a craft class teacher, photographer, planner or PC exec.. No matter why they were there, the PC people were soooo fun. It was great to get to know some of my husband's co-workers. We also had an amazing time getting to know the Cricut winners! What a fun group! We quickly made a name for our selves on the ship!
I was shocked that even right after we boarded the ship, there was FOOD! We were a little slow to figure out that the first day is one big sales pitch. We took the "very quick" tour of the spa that lasted at least 30 minutes. We were almost suckered in to buying a couples pass for the sauna and mineral pool after we laid down on the hot stone beds. They were awesome!! Every area we went to, they were "almost fully booked" or "just a few left". Thank goodness we weren't suckered in, we had no time to enjoy the spa, and they unexpectedly closed for quite a while (see day 6).
We made our final calls home before leaving port. Calls #2 and #3 consisted of informing my mom that our pediatrition's office was open and that 75% of our children were being put on antibiotics.... SUPER AWESOME!
After leaving Ft. Lauderdale into the vast ocean, our main event of the night was the cocktail hour and dinner. Part of the deal for the PC employee winners, was to take their turn dressing up as "Cricut", a big green bug costume. Brandon was lucky enough to go first and spent an hour discoing it up, dressed as a green bug, with the cricut cruisers group. He was so cute and did a great job... not to mention being pinched in the rear MANY times buy some of the winners! I don't think he was to thrilled about that. I took the green bug back to our room and when he took off the suit, he was dripping! Apparently that is why he signed up to go first! After dinner we were so tired that we just went to bed, but overall, way fun day!

Doesn't Brandon make such a cute cricut? My video of him is pretty crappy. I tried to steal one from our group page, but was unsuccessful!

Monday, February 15, 2010

ON OUR WAY!

I usually don't travel well. The last few times I have traveled, I have ended up with a huge migraine the first night. Brandon was very sweet to make sure I ate and rested (what we think my previous issues have been due to.) We took a a decent nap from 2am to 4am before we got up to go to the airport. Checking in, security, eating breakfast, and buying replacements for the forgotten Tylenol took no time at all. I slept through a good deal of our flight to Atlanta, HARD. I think the fact that this was the third round-trip flight in seven months helped... oh and no kids and the Discovery Channel in the head rest in front of me. Cash Cab is a great show to nap to.:) Bogging about a flight may seem a bit overboard, but I am a very nervous flier, and I did really well! Yeah Me!
After arriving in Ft. Lauderdale and meeting a few Provo craft people and a Cricut Golden Ticket winner, we headed out to find me a place to get a pedi and another to eat dinner. I wore a cute pair of new pink sandals, that after my pedi and walking to dinner, the sandals had cut my feet to shreds. During dinner, we called home. The van wouldn't start for Jenna (my sis-in-law babysitting)... awesome! Not to worry, after some stress, she was rescued and the van received a new battery. (Note: call home #1) With my foot bleeding, it was time to walk the five or so blocks back to the hotel. Brandon was my hero, and lovingly helped me make it back to the hotel. He ROCKS! Worn out and in pain, we went to bed, getting ready to spend our first day on the ship!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

I "HEART" VALENTINE'S DAY

***********This post is over a month old, and I may or may not add pictures*******


So, it is almost 10 o'clock the night before the Valentine's Day parties at school. Brandon is down stairs printing stuff to adorne the shoe box that will become Bailey's in-box at tomorrow's party. I am taking a break from the crafting festivities. As I type, I am praying that the tin foil robot with hearts for eyes and also on the tips of his antanas, doesn't tip over and break into pieces. And that is just their Valentine boxes!!!
A few weeks ago, I saw a cute Valentine idea on a blog. They had printed a cute design on a little paper sack. The design was a free download, but what's the fun in just using someone else's design? Besides, each of my kids will want/need their very own custome Valentine goody bag to give out, right? RIGHT??? (I just informed Brandon that Reagan needs goody bags in addition to Bailey and Isaac.... pray for my safety :)!)
Interesting fact: No craft stores carry little paper bags without handles! How do I know this? Well, after putting Valentine's Day off until we returned from our cruise (I know, poor me) and then dealing with lack of motion sickness (again, boo hoo) and not having my van yesterday, today was the day to pull it all together. It went like this... Roberts Crafts(no red cardstock either), Gracie to the doctor (virus), Walmart, JoAnns, have Brandon check Creative Xpress website, call Micheals, call XPEDX, send Brandon to make purchase at XPEDX at lunch. (I heart XPEDX..... and Brandon)
With the bags purchased, it was time to find something to feel them with. After a pretty crappy nap by the sicko, we loaded into the van and headed to Target. It has been almost two full weeks since I have stepped into a Target. It was like coming home all over again. Yep, just like coming home, Gracie was grumpy and the other kids were only concerned with what they were going to get! (Actually, the three older kids were very sweet when we returned home from the Carribean.) Every single person at Target was in the Valentine's section. All the cool candy was gone! We still managed to fill our cart with goodies just as we saw the super fit P.E. teacher. Doesn't Isaac know not to say hi to the P.E. teacher when all we are buying is junk? Awesome! Oh well, it is a holiday and job security for her!

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It is days later, and I am going to finish this post. I made Isaac a pretty rockin' robot. Bailey, who said she was just fine with redecorating her box from last year, became a little bit jealous. Yes, she still has her last years box. Maybe this is an indication of why she can't get her room clean. She wanted to make a "Little Miss Valentine" based on the little miss/ little mr. books. SHE WANTED A BOX IN THE SHAPE OF A "LITTLE MISS". Much to her dissappointment, I informed her that at after 9pm the night before could we come up with that. She settled with her dad designing her idea and printing it. It turned out really cute! Brandon also took his design and branding skills to the max and branded our kids valentines. Bailey's had the Little Miss Valentine, Isaac's featured a robot and Reagan's had a cute little princess. No wonder they love him so much more than me!!! After all of that, our celebration of Valentines in our home was pretty much done. The kids received little gifts from both grandparents, which they loved. Maybe I will be more enthusiastic next year!

Now for the gushy part...
I am so in love with my Valentine! Brandon is everything to me! It was so much fun to spend EIGHT whole days with him, without kids! We need to do that again, soon!