The Greer's: October 2008

Sorry it took me so long Becky.

Here are the rules:

A. You have to list 5 things/habits about yourself
B. Go to 5 of your friends and leave a comment informing them that they have been tagged.
C. List at the end of your posting who you have tagged.

1. I have a very bad habit of picking. I pick at my arms, my face, Kenny's arms. I love to pop zits. I know that is gross, but I find it so satisfying. Kenny doesn't much appreciate it.

2. I hate doing laundry! I will put it off until I absolutely have to do it. Once it is clean, I hate putting it away too. Sometimes the kids clothes stay in their basket and I just pull clean clothes out of it.

3. I have a weird obsession with Mariska Hargitay. I think she is just the most beautiful actress on TV. I hate it when she is not the main focus of the episode of Law & Order SVU.

4. I cannot sit still for a long time, unless I am reading. I am always moving. I am pretty sure I get this from my mother.

5. I hate, hate, hate it when I know I have said something and someone proceeds to tell me that is not what I said! It drives me crazy, just ask Kenny.

I tag:Becca, Lilly, Erin, Nathalie and Melynda

So be ready for what is probably going to be the longest post ever! Two weeks and 434 pictures later, it could be time consuming reading this. But lets start at the beginning.

Kenny, Livvy and I set out for our vacation on 9/20. We left Micah at my parent's. It was a hard decision, but I knew then and definitely know now he would be spoiled and wouldn't miss us. He hardly recognized us when he saw us at the airport! We took the vacation with Kenny's sister Meri and her family, then later Kenny's parents met up with us for the cruise!!

We woke up real early to get to the airport. It was Livvy's first time flying, but I think she did a really good job. Just a little nervous on the take off and landing. The first leg of our trip was a week spent at Disney World! We stayed at the Pop Century resort. It is themed for different decades from the 1950's-1990's. We were in the 70's and listened to a lot of disco music. At least it wasn't in our actual room!!

Now I bet you are thinking we spent a pretty penny on all of this. Well, yes, but no. We used our tax refund to pay for it and because it was hurricane season in FL we got a sweet deal on Disney dining. It was free!! Each day we got a snack, a quick service (hamburger/hot dog type of meal) and a sit down meal. All for free. I think in total we actually spent about $500 on the whole two week trip.

We spent two 1/2 days at Magic Kingdom. The half day was at night when we attended Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. We even dressed up as a pirate, Tinkerbell, and Wendy and then went trick-o-treating!! Livvy's favorite rides were Dumbo, Aladdin's Magic Carpets, and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (basically the people mover for those of you who remember that ride from Disneyland). We tried to stuff her shoes to make her tall enough to ride Splash Mountain, but we kept coming up 1/2 in short!! Oh well, she's only 2 1/2 right?! We had lunch with the characters one day. This is Livvy's first picture with Piglet, who she loves, because he never comes out at Disneyland. Why? I don't know, he just doesn't.

We spent a day at Hollywood Studio's (formerly Disney-MGM Studios). The girls got their faces painted and of course it decided to rain this day. The only day it did rain too!! They were all in good spirits though. We watched Fantasmic, rode the new Toy Story Mania ride (very cool!!) and ate yummy food. We used baby swap and rode Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster also. They are awesome rides.

We spent a day at Animal Kingdom. The New Expedition Everest ride is awesome, especially the part that goes backwards! We ate at the Tusker House for lunch. Really yummy ethnic food (I guess it was technically African food). Both Livvy and Lydia (Meri's daughter) fell asleep at the table. I guess we wore them out having so much fun! Our day here ended at 5pm, one because the park closes at 5pm and two, we spent the night at Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Not So Scary. We got a little redemption for our ruined painted faces because face painting was free tonight, so Meri and I got our faces painted too! This party is pretty cool because they only sell so many tickets so the crowd is low, there is trick-o-treating, villains are out that you hardly ever see, and the Headless Horseman rides down Main Street.

Expedition Everest in the background

On the Safari ride and some animals we saw

Dressed up for Mickey's Not So Scary

EPCOT was a two day event. Not necessarily because it takes two days, but Kenny and I really love this park. We love the World Showcase, especially the Japan pavilion (Kenny likes to look at the toys here, big surprise right?!). We got to go on Soarin' and the new Nemo ride (not like the one at Disneyland). We ended each night watching Illuminations on the lake. Livvy liked it until the fireworks started, she hates fireworks! Her favorite part of EPCOT was running through the fountain. She could have spent all day here. Just a side note, I ran into my ex in EPCOT. I knew he worked there and spotted him in a store. I also had heard he was getting married and I told him congratulations. That wasn't wrong was it? Kenny said he wasn't upset, but sometimes you never know with Kenny. He holds in a lot of emotions

At the Japan pavillion

A loving troll at the Norway pavillion

This is at the Living Seas, where you'll find the Finding Nemo ride

Before Illumination fireworks

Once fireworks started!

This globe is in the center of the lake at EPCOT for the fireworks. There are pixels all over is showing video during the fireworks. Pretty neat-o!

So Disney World was great. We rode lots of fun rides, met lots of characters, ate LOTS of yummy, fattening, sugary food. (Goodbye diet!! Okay, I dieted so I could eat lots of yummy, fattening, sugary food on my vacation, so no harm done!)

On to our the second leg of our trip, the Disney Cruise aboard the Disney Magic!!! A seven day, six night fun filled, relaxing trip with no kids! Well, of course we had Livvy with us, but she spent most her time in the Oceaneer's Club, by her choice!!! She never wanted to leave that place, we had to bribe her out of it with swimming or candy. Seriously, she would yell at us to leave when we came to pick her up because we wanted to spend time with her. I found out early what it feels like when your child goes off to school. I couldn't spend all day with her, she wouldn't have let me, and I missed out on all of the fun things she was doing. It made me very sad at times.

Our cruise took us to Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and back to Castaway Cay with two days at sea mixed in. Castaway was great. Kenny and I went snorkeling. Yes, me with the fear of putting her face in water, went snorkeling and LOVED it, except when I swan into a school of fish, yucky. I don't want them to touch me. The whole fish will swim away from you thing is a hoax, some of them swam right up to me, no fear whatsoever, they were curious!

Grand Cayman was probably Kenny's favorite. We got to go to the Tortuga Rum Cake Factory (the Cayman Island are the Tortuga Islands, the same ones in Pirates of the Caribbean). Kenny loved the rum cakes, I thought they were pretty gross. We also got to tour the Turtle Farm. It is basically a man made turtle mating ground. The turtles are born there, but eventually released back into the wild. Livvy and I even held a turtle. The highlight of Grand Cayman was definitely Sting Ray City. Livvy came, but wouldn't get off the boat, she stayed on with Grandma and Grandpa Greer. Kenny, Meri, Ian, Lydia, Lily and I all got in the water with the sting rays, fed them, pet them, got a string ray massage (really) and even kissed them! They really aren't that bad (a moment of silence for Steve Irwin). They are kind of like a big, slimy mushroom, but rough on top. We wished we could have spent all day here.

My birthday happened to land on the day we were in Cozumel, Happy Birthday to me!! I spent the morning getting a facial I won while dancing two night previous. Kenny surprised me and had the room decorated for my b-day, giant door magnet included!!Then we all (minus the kids) took a tour of the island. The beaches there are really wonderful. If you have ever been to Tijuana or Ensenada you know the cities are a little, um, dirty. I thought Cozumel was very nice. We did a little shopping, of course I bartered. I got a really nice silver necklace with a charm of the Aztec calendar on one side and the God of Fertility on the other. I hope the Fertility side doesn't come to fruition too soon.

We had a pirate night on the boat. Livvy enjoyed wearing her eye patch and saying "Argh". Some cruisers got WAY in to it, others didn't really care. We also had a formal night. It was night to dress up. I don't lead a life where I get to dress up ever. I mean, face it, I go to work in pj's! I have to say we looked pretty dang good. Especially Kenny in his new suit. Spiffy!

Now lets not forget the food!!! It was everywhere! We had dishes from different nationalities each night, there was always pizza and ice cream available. We had TWO chocolate/desert buffets. And room service was available 24 hours a day!! I ate to my hearts content, but I don't feel like I over indulged.

On our pirate night, we had a pirate party on deck, Mickey zip lined between the two stacks and we even had fireworks! Disney is the only cruise line allowed to have fireworks.

Wow, I am sure there is more, but I can't think right now. It was a great trip. At one point it seemed a little long, but now that I am home I could have spent another week on vacation easily. I love Disney so I am pretty certain we will go again. Livvy keeps asking to go to the "Club", playing with Mommy just isn't cutting it. She is happy to see Micah though. She cried two days before we came home "I want Micah!" When we got home we was walking! He had been taking a few steps before we left, but he was just cruising around at the airport. Livvy was a little unsure of it. She kept waking behind him trying to brace his fall! What a good big sister. But, I think we are hooked, at least I am. I can honestly say we will be traveling Disney Cruise lines again in the future.