Yesterday was my long run/walk day and I intended to type up this post right after coming home from the excursion while all my thoughts were still fresh in my head, but alas, the day got so busy that I didn't have time to work the post up until now. So here's the recap with a little background first.
Those of you who know me well know that I am a musical girl. That's not to say I'm a musically gifted or talented girl, just that I adore music. It speaks to me. It inspires and moves me. It courses through me. I love to sing outloud though I will admit I am probably off-tune more than I'm on. But that really isn't the purpose for me. I just love music. Probably even more than the music, I love lyrics. Again, if you know me well you know that I'm a word person, too. I love to read and write and edit. I love the written and spoken word. Put a melody behind some stirring words and I'm in heaven! Truthfully, the lyrics of a song are more important to me than the actual tune. If the song has a great sound but the words don't mean much to me then I don't really care that much about it. But give a ho-hum melody some sensational lyrics, something that speaks to me, and it's my new favorite song.
All that leads into my run yesterday. In order for me to jog/walk around a track for upwards of two hours, round and round the track I go, I have GOT to have some music in my ears. I couldn't imagine going long-distance without it. It's the distraction I need to keep me from giving up too soon.
I began yesterday's walk with the intention of completing 7 miles as I did last week, or possibly going for 8 if I felt I still had the energy left for that one additional mile. So I set out walking. I walked the first mile quickly to warm-up. Then I jogged the next two miles. Then I alternated jogging with walking for another four miles. For the last mile I speed walked to the finish for a total of 8 miles. And throughout those miles it was the music that filled my head and the thoughts that the music stirred up that kept my feet going.
Isn't it wonderful how the perfect song can come on at just the right time to spur you on? Eight miles is the longest I've ever gone and there were times I thought I might call it quits and head home. But I didn't.
Bon Jovi came on around mile 3, at which point I was still running, to the tune of "Runaway." Again, if you know much of anything about me you know I love Bon Jovi!! I grinned to myself thinking I was a little runaway at that moment.
A song that used to play in the daycare I worked at back in 2000 while I was an OSU student and Morgan was a toddler came on some time later. It was a beautiful song about "every time you smile, each time you look my way, with every little kiss you steal my heart away." I loved the music so much I bought the cd and this particular song found its way to my mp3 player. It brought back memories of my little girl and how much I adored her then and how much more I adore her now.
I had come to point in the run where I was getting really hot and cursing the Georgia heat and humidity when a Disney song came on, reminding me what I'm training for in the first place. And the song was perfect--from the movie Mulan, it was a song about making you strong and fit to fight. It's one of my favorite Disney songs. The chorus part of it sings, "We must be swift as the coursing river, with all the force of a great typhoon, with all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the
dark side of the moon." It pushed me to go further and be stronger than I had felt like being in the moments before the song came on.
At about mile 6 1/2 Kiss began playing "Beth." Just hearing my little girl's name being sung put a smile on my face and I began thinking of the example I'm trying to set for my children. I want the to be proud of their Momma, and I want them to grow into strong, confident, healthy and most of all, happy young women.
I think it was in mile 7 when I heard Hooked on a Feeling and the line in there about "keep it up girl." I focused on those words and told myself I absolutely could keep it up. I was going to finish what I started today. I refused to quit early at this point.
It was the final mile, though, where I really battled and needed the most help from my music to take my mind into another place. At mile 7 1/2 I got a dreaded side stitch and tried harder to control my breathing to get rid of it. I heard shots being fired from a nearby range and knew James was probably on that exact range firing his rifle with his guys as that's what they've been doing this week. Playing on my mp3 at the very moment I was hearing the range shots was Billy Dean's You Don't Count the Cost and the lyrics about a soldier fighting for his home. I burst with pride from all that my husband has endured over these past several years of war, and all that he sacrifices along with thousands of other soldiers, so that we can be free. I never forget, though, that freedom isn't free. But as the song says, "you don't count the cost."
My eight miles ended with me feeling an enormous sense of pride and a gratitude to God that I'm healthy and able-bodied enough to do what I'd just done. My time on the track was done just as Billy Dean's song was finishing, having reminded us all that "if you ever doubt it just think about the Cross, because when it comes to love you don't count the cost."
Final report, eight miles in 1 hour, 43 minutes. Completed with the help of a lot of music, thoughts of those I love, and pride to be who and what I am in America.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Monday, September 08, 2008
For my James
Babe,
This post is for you, the one who is my best friend, my love, my all. You inspire me everyday. For all we've built, for all still to come, you're still the one.
Journey--After All These Years
A faded wedding photograph
You and me in our first dance
Our eyes are closed
We're lost in one sweet embrace
Since those days the world has changed
But our love remains the same
God knows we've had our share of saving grace
And I'm proud of all the blessings
You have given me
The mountains we have climbed to get this far
You've learned to take the laughter with the tears
After all these years
You make it feel brand new
After the fires that we walked through
Against the odds we never lost our faith
In our house we've made our home
Where our children all have grown
Precious moments time cannot erase
Make a living up and down the gypsy highways
Seasons that we've had to share apart
Somehow in my heart I always keep you near me
After all these years
After all these years
You stood by me
The days and nights that I was gone
After all these years
You sacrificed, believed in me
And you stood strong
Cause with our love there's nothing left to fear
After all these years
After all these years
You stood by me
The days and nights that I was gone
After all these years
You've sacrificed, believed in me
And you stood strong
Cause with our love there's nothing left to fear
After all these years
(This song is in my playlist at the bottom of this page. Scroll down and click on the song to hear it if it's not currently playing on my blog.)
This post is for you, the one who is my best friend, my love, my all. You inspire me everyday. For all we've built, for all still to come, you're still the one.
Journey--After All These Years
A faded wedding photograph
You and me in our first dance
Our eyes are closed
We're lost in one sweet embrace
Since those days the world has changed
But our love remains the same
God knows we've had our share of saving grace
And I'm proud of all the blessings
You have given me
The mountains we have climbed to get this far
You've learned to take the laughter with the tears
After all these years
You make it feel brand new
After the fires that we walked through
Against the odds we never lost our faith
In our house we've made our home
Where our children all have grown
Precious moments time cannot erase
Make a living up and down the gypsy highways
Seasons that we've had to share apart
Somehow in my heart I always keep you near me
After all these years
After all these years
You stood by me
The days and nights that I was gone
After all these years
You sacrificed, believed in me
And you stood strong
Cause with our love there's nothing left to fear
After all these years
After all these years
You stood by me
The days and nights that I was gone
After all these years
You've sacrificed, believed in me
And you stood strong
Cause with our love there's nothing left to fear
After all these years
(This song is in my playlist at the bottom of this page. Scroll down and click on the song to hear it if it's not currently playing on my blog.)
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Quick update
We spent the Labor Day weekend at the beach in Destin, Florida, trying to get down there and back before Gustav reared his ugly head. I'll post more on that another time, along with some pictures from the trip. It was great to be back on the sand and enjoying the family time. We are definitely beach people!
I worked on tearing the wall down a little more today but am suffering for it a bit tonight. I walked an easy 1 mile with Beth this morning at her school before hitting the track on my own for 7 miles. I walked more than jogged, but I did do a fair amount of jogging in there if I do say so myself. I finished the 7 mile trek in 1 hour, 33 minutes. I haven't decided if I will up the mileage to 8 next week or repeat the 7 hoping for a better time. Either way, I'm pleased that I'm completing the tasks I set for myself. Oh yeah, I also taught an aqua class today.
Tonight my feet are aching from the plantar fascitis, and one toenail is really sore which James says is a common runner's injury (called "runner's toe," I guess). I plan to ice the feet and elevate them after I get the kids in bed. A good deal of stretching will probably help, too.
As James put it to me today when describing his own injuries, "you gotta know when to work through the pain and when to stop from the pain," or something to that effect. I'm working through the pain right now as it's tolerable and I'm feeling confident that I can keep this up. And if I have to stop at some point, well, that'll just be one more brick wall I'll have to battle down like the ones before.
Just a little more than 4 months left until the marathon. Hip hip horray!
I worked on tearing the wall down a little more today but am suffering for it a bit tonight. I walked an easy 1 mile with Beth this morning at her school before hitting the track on my own for 7 miles. I walked more than jogged, but I did do a fair amount of jogging in there if I do say so myself. I finished the 7 mile trek in 1 hour, 33 minutes. I haven't decided if I will up the mileage to 8 next week or repeat the 7 hoping for a better time. Either way, I'm pleased that I'm completing the tasks I set for myself. Oh yeah, I also taught an aqua class today.
Tonight my feet are aching from the plantar fascitis, and one toenail is really sore which James says is a common runner's injury (called "runner's toe," I guess). I plan to ice the feet and elevate them after I get the kids in bed. A good deal of stretching will probably help, too.
As James put it to me today when describing his own injuries, "you gotta know when to work through the pain and when to stop from the pain," or something to that effect. I'm working through the pain right now as it's tolerable and I'm feeling confident that I can keep this up. And if I have to stop at some point, well, that'll just be one more brick wall I'll have to battle down like the ones before.
Just a little more than 4 months left until the marathon. Hip hip horray!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
I've never liked Pink Floyd anyway
"Just another brick in the wall," he says?
YEAH, RIGHT!
Someone ought to tell him I'm taking those bricks out of the wall.
Remember the post not too far back where I mentioned all the brick walls I was running into with my training and how I wasn't certain I could make it through to the marathon but I was going to try my hardest and push through those walls to show how badly I wanted this? Well, I'm pushing, and I do believe some bricks are coming out of the walls. Little by little the walls are crumbling and I'm feeling more confident that I can and will finish that half-marathon in January.
Last Tuesday I did five miles on the track but struggled with a bit of foot pain while doing them. My schedule didn't allow me time to get back to the track again until today, where I upped the laps to 6 miles. I alternated jogging with walking and accomplished the mission in 1 hour, 17 minutes.
And miraculously my feet didn't hurt one bit while on the track! Now that I'm home I can feel them starting to ache a bit but I'll ice them and stretch them well to keep them from screaming at me.
I need to leave in a little bit to teach my aqua class and then this evening I have a step class to teach. Of all days, one would think I must be insane to plan my biggest walk of the week on the same day I double up on my class teachings, but this was the only day I could fit the training in.
But I'm feeling pretty proud that what I'm aiming for is within sight and my body isn't rebelling like it had a while back.
So take that Pink Floyd!
YEAH, RIGHT!
Someone ought to tell him I'm taking those bricks out of the wall.
Remember the post not too far back where I mentioned all the brick walls I was running into with my training and how I wasn't certain I could make it through to the marathon but I was going to try my hardest and push through those walls to show how badly I wanted this? Well, I'm pushing, and I do believe some bricks are coming out of the walls. Little by little the walls are crumbling and I'm feeling more confident that I can and will finish that half-marathon in January.
Last Tuesday I did five miles on the track but struggled with a bit of foot pain while doing them. My schedule didn't allow me time to get back to the track again until today, where I upped the laps to 6 miles. I alternated jogging with walking and accomplished the mission in 1 hour, 17 minutes.
And miraculously my feet didn't hurt one bit while on the track! Now that I'm home I can feel them starting to ache a bit but I'll ice them and stretch them well to keep them from screaming at me.
I need to leave in a little bit to teach my aqua class and then this evening I have a step class to teach. Of all days, one would think I must be insane to plan my biggest walk of the week on the same day I double up on my class teachings, but this was the only day I could fit the training in.
But I'm feeling pretty proud that what I'm aiming for is within sight and my body isn't rebelling like it had a while back.
So take that Pink Floyd!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
School is going to be the death of me
I know there are parents out there who relish sending their kids back to school because it frees up their day and gives them more time to themselves. Truthfully, I'd like to meet 'these parents' and find out if they're full of hogwash or not. My life has never simplified when school is back in session.
Never.
It's as if I'm back in school in a way. One challenge comes from helping my first-grader, who has never had homework before, get used to doing daily homework. This is so new to Bethany that she's been quite the little pain in the rear about doing it. She whines about it, or just gets irritated that she's having to do it, or gets lazy and would rather squirm or try to defy me. I'm doing my best to set the tone that schoolwork is non-negotiable and whining will not be tolerated. She has already lost certain priveledges over the homework battle so I'm hoping that the worst is over. But it ain't no picnic for either of us even on the best of days.
Then we have Morgan, my dear Morgan. I spend an enormous amount of time every day asking her questions about what homework she has, whether the books are being brought home, reading through her agenda to know what teachers assigned what, trying to keep her focused during the acutal homework, and then reviewing her schoolwork for accuracy. Middle school is a hellacious change from elementary school and poor Morgan and I are still trying to adjust.
From the time they get home from school we are so busy with after-school snacks and talking about the day, and then getting the homework done, that dinnertime rolls around so quickly and following that is bath and bedtime in order to start the whole process tomorrow. My goodness, I hardly get to just be with my children anymore.
Cuddling on the couch, laughing at a joke, reading a great book together, smiling in secrecy, just being with the girls...I think I actually learn more in those moments that I ever did in school.
Never.
It's as if I'm back in school in a way. One challenge comes from helping my first-grader, who has never had homework before, get used to doing daily homework. This is so new to Bethany that she's been quite the little pain in the rear about doing it. She whines about it, or just gets irritated that she's having to do it, or gets lazy and would rather squirm or try to defy me. I'm doing my best to set the tone that schoolwork is non-negotiable and whining will not be tolerated. She has already lost certain priveledges over the homework battle so I'm hoping that the worst is over. But it ain't no picnic for either of us even on the best of days.
Then we have Morgan, my dear Morgan. I spend an enormous amount of time every day asking her questions about what homework she has, whether the books are being brought home, reading through her agenda to know what teachers assigned what, trying to keep her focused during the acutal homework, and then reviewing her schoolwork for accuracy. Middle school is a hellacious change from elementary school and poor Morgan and I are still trying to adjust.
From the time they get home from school we are so busy with after-school snacks and talking about the day, and then getting the homework done, that dinnertime rolls around so quickly and following that is bath and bedtime in order to start the whole process tomorrow. My goodness, I hardly get to just be with my children anymore.
Cuddling on the couch, laughing at a joke, reading a great book together, smiling in secrecy, just being with the girls...I think I actually learn more in those moments that I ever did in school.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Loopy, lazy, listening, or livin' la vida loco?
All of these adjectives ran through my brain today as I attempted to label what I was feeling in regards to my days' workout.
As I woke this morning I was a bit unsure of what all I would do for exercise today. I really wanted to get 4 miles of training in and I knew I had an hour aqua class to teach at noon. Other possibilities included walking with Bethany at morning PE before school and attending a spin class. All these workout plans must mean I'm a little loopy, eh?
With a drizzle coming down the morning PE was out. No big deal as that's just a mile of light walking anyway. Due to the drizzle, though, I crossed off the 4 miles of training since that would be at the one mile track and I wasn't interested in doing that in the rain.
So I came home. Hence the laziness.
Then I told myself that I really, truly was still groggy from not sleeping well last night so I aimed to take a little nap. That's where the listening part comes in. I reasoned with myself that I was listening to my body and trying to give it what it really needed which was a little break rather than a day full of exhaustion. After lying in bed for about half an hour and not being able to sleep I gave up on the nap notion and formulated a new plan.
The time was now about 10am, with spin class scheduled to start at 10:30. I could grab a quick snack and get out the door in time to spin, but more than spinning I really wanted to log 4 miles today. The rain had stopped so my outdoor mileage was now back on the agenda.
I made it to the track, stretched, and began walking at 10:40. I had one hour until I needed to get inside to prepare for my aqua class. After 3 miles of walking it was now 11:25. I didn't have quite enough time to walk another mile, finish more stretching, and get to class on time. But I really, really wanted that fourth mile. So I made my mind up to jog/walk that last mile. I haven't really jogged in months due to the previously mentioned foot/knee/hip problems, but I gave it a shot today and finished the mile in 11 minutes. A few minutes to stretch, my laps were complete, and I was off to aqua.
Such is my crazy life. Gotta keep flexible, right? We're all livin' la vida loco. Better enjoy the ride.
As I woke this morning I was a bit unsure of what all I would do for exercise today. I really wanted to get 4 miles of training in and I knew I had an hour aqua class to teach at noon. Other possibilities included walking with Bethany at morning PE before school and attending a spin class. All these workout plans must mean I'm a little loopy, eh?
With a drizzle coming down the morning PE was out. No big deal as that's just a mile of light walking anyway. Due to the drizzle, though, I crossed off the 4 miles of training since that would be at the one mile track and I wasn't interested in doing that in the rain.
So I came home. Hence the laziness.
Then I told myself that I really, truly was still groggy from not sleeping well last night so I aimed to take a little nap. That's where the listening part comes in. I reasoned with myself that I was listening to my body and trying to give it what it really needed which was a little break rather than a day full of exhaustion. After lying in bed for about half an hour and not being able to sleep I gave up on the nap notion and formulated a new plan.
The time was now about 10am, with spin class scheduled to start at 10:30. I could grab a quick snack and get out the door in time to spin, but more than spinning I really wanted to log 4 miles today. The rain had stopped so my outdoor mileage was now back on the agenda.
I made it to the track, stretched, and began walking at 10:40. I had one hour until I needed to get inside to prepare for my aqua class. After 3 miles of walking it was now 11:25. I didn't have quite enough time to walk another mile, finish more stretching, and get to class on time. But I really, really wanted that fourth mile. So I made my mind up to jog/walk that last mile. I haven't really jogged in months due to the previously mentioned foot/knee/hip problems, but I gave it a shot today and finished the mile in 11 minutes. A few minutes to stretch, my laps were complete, and I was off to aqua.
Such is my crazy life. Gotta keep flexible, right? We're all livin' la vida loco. Better enjoy the ride.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Left foot, right foot, feet, feet, feet
Taking a quick hiatus from the cruise reporting, I thought I'd share something non-vacation related.
As I was walking this morning I had this particular Dr. Suess book title running through my head. People who know me well know that I am no Dr. Suess fan. Not in the least. I've never cared for the nonsensical rhyming type books. They just make no sense to me. I understand they are great for teaching children because of the rhyming and lilting tone of voice used to read them, and the repetition is good to help little ones start to read. But I don't like 'em.
Because of my aversion to Dr. Suess books it is beyond understanding how we ended up buying the Left foot, Right foot book before Morgan was born. I'm sure it was not my idea so it must've been James who put it in our shopping cart, probably despite my protests. I do recall we used to read the book to my expanding belly while waiting on Morgan to arrive. And no matter how I try, the crazy rhymes just won't escape my head.
Which is what was going through my brain today as I plodded along on a 2 mile walk at the track this morning. I had just finished up an hour and a half of teaching aerobics this morning and wanted to hit the track for some marathon training. I've been away from the training for the past two weeks as I'd started experiencing hip pain and didn't want to exaserbate the injury by pushing through the pain. But today things were feeling well enough to begin with that I decided to give it another go.
And when the pain started to come back in a less sharp/more nagging type of way, I heard Dr. Suess inside my head, chanting "Left foot, right foot, feet, feet, feet." I tried to hush him up but he kept chanting despite my mp3 trying to drown him out with some great 80's tunes. So I just went with the Suess non-sense and told myself that that was exactly how I was going to accumulate the mileage I need to complete this half-marathon I've registered for.
Despite all the roadblocks I've had along the way (and there have been many!) I'm still trying to follow through with the promise I made to myself back on January 1st of this year. And I remind myself of some powerful words that never fail to inspire me~~The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are there to keep "the others" out. The brick walls are there to test how badly we want something.
I have run into so many brick walls over the last few months with my feet issues (plantar fascitis), a knee problem, and then the most recent hip problem. I've considered that these are all signs from God that I'm not meant to be in this marathon. And then I reconsider that maybe these are all brick walls God is placing before me to see how badly I want to keep the promise I made to myself, how badly I want to prove to myself that I can accomplish this, how badly I want to drown out the high-school teasing that still echoes in my head.
I pushed through the brick walls today and want to keep pushing ahead, one foot at a time. The left foot, and then the right foot. Feet, feet, feet.
As I was walking this morning I had this particular Dr. Suess book title running through my head. People who know me well know that I am no Dr. Suess fan. Not in the least. I've never cared for the nonsensical rhyming type books. They just make no sense to me. I understand they are great for teaching children because of the rhyming and lilting tone of voice used to read them, and the repetition is good to help little ones start to read. But I don't like 'em.
Because of my aversion to Dr. Suess books it is beyond understanding how we ended up buying the Left foot, Right foot book before Morgan was born. I'm sure it was not my idea so it must've been James who put it in our shopping cart, probably despite my protests. I do recall we used to read the book to my expanding belly while waiting on Morgan to arrive. And no matter how I try, the crazy rhymes just won't escape my head.
Which is what was going through my brain today as I plodded along on a 2 mile walk at the track this morning. I had just finished up an hour and a half of teaching aerobics this morning and wanted to hit the track for some marathon training. I've been away from the training for the past two weeks as I'd started experiencing hip pain and didn't want to exaserbate the injury by pushing through the pain. But today things were feeling well enough to begin with that I decided to give it another go.
And when the pain started to come back in a less sharp/more nagging type of way, I heard Dr. Suess inside my head, chanting "Left foot, right foot, feet, feet, feet." I tried to hush him up but he kept chanting despite my mp3 trying to drown him out with some great 80's tunes. So I just went with the Suess non-sense and told myself that that was exactly how I was going to accumulate the mileage I need to complete this half-marathon I've registered for.
Despite all the roadblocks I've had along the way (and there have been many!) I'm still trying to follow through with the promise I made to myself back on January 1st of this year. And I remind myself of some powerful words that never fail to inspire me~~The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are there to keep "the others" out. The brick walls are there to test how badly we want something.
I have run into so many brick walls over the last few months with my feet issues (plantar fascitis), a knee problem, and then the most recent hip problem. I've considered that these are all signs from God that I'm not meant to be in this marathon. And then I reconsider that maybe these are all brick walls God is placing before me to see how badly I want to keep the promise I made to myself, how badly I want to prove to myself that I can accomplish this, how badly I want to drown out the high-school teasing that still echoes in my head.
I pushed through the brick walls today and want to keep pushing ahead, one foot at a time. The left foot, and then the right foot. Feet, feet, feet.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Day Two, Nassau, Bahamas PICTURES ADDED
I've let way too much time pass since our cruise ended, and sadly I'm sure some of my memories are not as fresh and clear as they would've been had I written these notes much sooner. Regardless, here I am now, retelling our adventure in the Bahamas.
We awoke early to the sound of room service knocking on our door with our breakfast which was devoured on our balcony as the ship pulled into port. It was not the best of breakfasts as Carnival doesn't offer anything hot on their breakfast room service menu, but we made do with some fruit, pastries, and of course the hot tea and coffee. I could've been eating cat food and not cared that much as the novelty of eating on our very own balcony as we neared Nassau was just too remarkable to sour. It was a great moment. If we'd had any doubts about whether the price for a balcony cabin was "worth it" they quickly faded. Having the balcony was definitely the way to go!
Our ship was to dock at 7am and it was my goal to have us off the ship ASAP, and that I did! As we exited there was not one other soul on the street ahead of us. As we left the port area and walked through the gates that opened to the city of Nassau, again, there were no other cruise passengers in front of us. I'm pretty darn sure by all of this that we were the first people off the ship that day. Not sure if that speaks to my compulsive over-planning or not, you be the judge.
Anyway, we arranged a cab to take us across the bridge to Paradise Island, where we'd ferry to Blue Lagoon Island for our dolphin swim. This was a special treat for Morgan, our future dolphin trainer/marine biologist. I thought this might make a strong impression on her and if it helped confirm her career path wishes then all the better. If not, we'd have terrific memories. And that we did!
The ferry ride to the island lasted about half an hour each way, taking us by some gorgeous mansions on the waterfront. The water was as clear and tourquiose as any postcard you'd fine would depict. The only sad point was that we never saw any wild dolphins, try as we might.
When we got to Dolphin Encounters James and I split up with the girls. I took Morgan to the "swim" area while he took Bethany to the "encounter" area. We had chosen not to have Bethany do the swim as she often gets very shy in new enviornments and will not interact with humans, let alone big animals. She did the exact thing here, even with just sitting on the side of the dolphin encounter exhibit. She clung to James and cried, hardly looking at the dolphin, nevermind even touching it. We could've gotten by with only paying $20 for her to be an "observer" had we known she'd react this way. Instead we'd paid over $100 for her to be able to touch and be close to the dolphin and that proved a waste of money.
All the while this drama was going on with James and Bethy, Morgan and I were in our area swimming with the creatures, holding onto them, getting and giving kisses, and finally having a swim moment for each of us where the dolphin pushed us by our feet through the water! It was exhilarating and awesome! We purchased the dvd of our interaction and some photos so we have some footage to help us remember the day.
We were back onboard the ship around noon, had some lunch, then relaxed for a while at the pool. We made it a priority to try out the water slide but it wasn't as much fun as we thought it would be due to the incredibily hot board floor on the Lido Deck. In order to walk up to the entrance to the slide we had to cross the very, very hot boards which burned the bottoms of our feet and discouraged us from doing it more than a couple times. It was fun the two times we did it, though, except for the rush of saltwater up your nose at the finish.
Dinner that night was the first of two formal nights and we all four dressed up nice and spiffy. James looked quite dashing in his uniform and the girls looked like the precious young ladies they are. I was so proud to be walking around with my three most favorite people in the world. I must have been beaming all night long!
We posed for a couple photos which we ended up buying to have as momentos of that great night.
The show that night was filled with dancers and costumes and singing. You know Bethany was lovin' it! She admired the dancers so much and wished that she could dance like that some day. It was a very well done show with top quality entertainment. We loved it all!
Our night ended with us going to sleep again to the sounds of the seas. Delightful!
We awoke early to the sound of room service knocking on our door with our breakfast which was devoured on our balcony as the ship pulled into port. It was not the best of breakfasts as Carnival doesn't offer anything hot on their breakfast room service menu, but we made do with some fruit, pastries, and of course the hot tea and coffee. I could've been eating cat food and not cared that much as the novelty of eating on our very own balcony as we neared Nassau was just too remarkable to sour. It was a great moment. If we'd had any doubts about whether the price for a balcony cabin was "worth it" they quickly faded. Having the balcony was definitely the way to go!
Our ship was to dock at 7am and it was my goal to have us off the ship ASAP, and that I did! As we exited there was not one other soul on the street ahead of us. As we left the port area and walked through the gates that opened to the city of Nassau, again, there were no other cruise passengers in front of us. I'm pretty darn sure by all of this that we were the first people off the ship that day. Not sure if that speaks to my compulsive over-planning or not, you be the judge.
Anyway, we arranged a cab to take us across the bridge to Paradise Island, where we'd ferry to Blue Lagoon Island for our dolphin swim. This was a special treat for Morgan, our future dolphin trainer/marine biologist. I thought this might make a strong impression on her and if it helped confirm her career path wishes then all the better. If not, we'd have terrific memories. And that we did!
The ferry ride to the island lasted about half an hour each way, taking us by some gorgeous mansions on the waterfront. The water was as clear and tourquiose as any postcard you'd fine would depict. The only sad point was that we never saw any wild dolphins, try as we might.
When we got to Dolphin Encounters James and I split up with the girls. I took Morgan to the "swim" area while he took Bethany to the "encounter" area. We had chosen not to have Bethany do the swim as she often gets very shy in new enviornments and will not interact with humans, let alone big animals. She did the exact thing here, even with just sitting on the side of the dolphin encounter exhibit. She clung to James and cried, hardly looking at the dolphin, nevermind even touching it. We could've gotten by with only paying $20 for her to be an "observer" had we known she'd react this way. Instead we'd paid over $100 for her to be able to touch and be close to the dolphin and that proved a waste of money.
All the while this drama was going on with James and Bethy, Morgan and I were in our area swimming with the creatures, holding onto them, getting and giving kisses, and finally having a swim moment for each of us where the dolphin pushed us by our feet through the water! It was exhilarating and awesome! We purchased the dvd of our interaction and some photos so we have some footage to help us remember the day.
We were back onboard the ship around noon, had some lunch, then relaxed for a while at the pool. We made it a priority to try out the water slide but it wasn't as much fun as we thought it would be due to the incredibily hot board floor on the Lido Deck. In order to walk up to the entrance to the slide we had to cross the very, very hot boards which burned the bottoms of our feet and discouraged us from doing it more than a couple times. It was fun the two times we did it, though, except for the rush of saltwater up your nose at the finish.
Dinner that night was the first of two formal nights and we all four dressed up nice and spiffy. James looked quite dashing in his uniform and the girls looked like the precious young ladies they are. I was so proud to be walking around with my three most favorite people in the world. I must have been beaming all night long!
We posed for a couple photos which we ended up buying to have as momentos of that great night.
The show that night was filled with dancers and costumes and singing. You know Bethany was lovin' it! She admired the dancers so much and wished that she could dance like that some day. It was a very well done show with top quality entertainment. We loved it all!
Our night ended with us going to sleep again to the sounds of the seas. Delightful!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Cruising....it's addictive! NOW WITH PICTURES
It may not be for everyone, and it may not be the type of vacation some would want to take over and over again. But for our family this was a fantastic vacation, one we could definitely repeat time and again.
Our Sunday morning began waking early enough at the hotel to fit in a workout prior to getting ready to head to the port. First James went for a run in the downtown Miami streets (YIKES!). When he returned to the hotel room I headed downstairs to the fitness center and got in a good sweat, all the while telling myself that in just a few more hours I'd be on a cruise ship where I would be facing all kinds of yummy goodies every which way I looked. Best try to keep in shape as much as I can to help avoid the pounds that seem to find their way onto most people's shapes while cruising.
Anyway, after getting ready at the hotel, and happy-dancin' a little bit about going on a cruise, we took off for the port of Miami, just a short 10 minute drive from our hotel. In port we saw OUR ship parked between two others, the massive Royal Carribean Freedom of the Seas and another Carnival ship, the Triumph. We parked our van in the parking garage, loaded our luggage onto the shuttle bus, and made our way through the crowds of people exiting the ship. Finally we found the inside of the terminal, had our bags scanned, and entered the line of people waiting to check-in. It wasn't a long line at all, mostly because we had chosen to arrive pretty early, about 11am. The cruise lines advise you to arrive around 1 or 2 but it is common knowledge among the cruise message boards I frequent that the ships begin checking people in around 11 and begin boarding very shortly after that. If you arrive at the terminal about the time we did you will likely be on the ship by noon and able to start your week long gorge-fest with a lunch time meal right after embarkation. And that proved true for us this time as was the case the last time we cruised in 2004.
We were on the Valor by noon, carry-on bags and kids in tow. Morgan's first impression of the ship had her jaw nearly touching the floor. She was astounded by the size and beauty of the ship and so completely grateful for the opportunity to cruise! We're certainly lucky to have a daughter who shows her gratitude and counts her blessings.
Our cabin was not ready for us yet, so we took our carry-ons with us as we made our way to the buffet area for lunch. I don't recall what any of us ate at the meal, or much about any of our buffet meals at any time during the cruise, but I do recall where we sat. The area we sat during that first meal came to be "our area," that which we found ourselves going back to most every meal in the buffet for the duration of the trip. James and I seemed to pair off with the girls, he taking one while I took the other, loading their plates, and having an understanding that we'd meet back at "our area" when the food for the assigned child had been gathered. It worked out reasonably well. Not as easy as eating in the dining room where we were waited on hand and foot, but for a buffet meal when we needed one (breakfasts and lunches) our system worked.
Moving on, when our cabin was finally ready about 1:30pm we made our way there and relished what would be our "home" for the next week. On our previous cruise James and I had booked an ocean view room, one with just a window to look out. This time we decided we wanted a balcony room to have the extra space and the view and fresh air. It was a fantastic choice! This room was perfect for us, although with children you can never have too much space, but we made do. The girls loved the balcony and abided by our ground rules all week long, remembering the safety briefings Mom and Dad had given them. Probably didn't hurt that we told them the balcony door had an alarm attached to it that would sound if they were to open the door without their parents' knowledge. Hee hee hee!!!!
The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around the ship, trying to get our bearings, marveling at the beauty, and thanking God that we were together as a family again embarking on such a great journey together.
Around 4:30pm or so the muster drill signal told us it was time to don our neon orange vests and proceed to our assigned station.
After standing there forever, crammed into the space like sardines, and hearing the lady behind me say, "I think I'm gonna pass out!", we saw the horizon starting to change. Morgan noticed it first telling us she thought the ship was now moving. Yes indeed it was! We were sailing away! It irks me to no end that Carnival sometimes does this. Why not wait until the muster drill is over so people can put away their life jackets and then make their way to the decks to enjoy sail away? What harm is there in waiting an additional five or ten minutes to depart? Regardless, we were on our way. As soon as we were released from our lifeboat stations we put the vests back in our cabin and made our way to higher ground to watch Miami growing smaller in the distance.
While sailing away we met a family from Ohio who told us they would be on the same dolphin swim excursion as us the next day, and they had a daughter somewhat close to Bethy's size. We'd hoped Bethy would make friends with her but after having swum in the ships' salt water pools earlier that day and the bright sunshine beating down on us during sail-away, Bethy's eyes were beet red and burning, so she was a little anti-social. We would see this family many times throughout the week and they always appeared to be having a ball!
It was time to get ready for dinner in the dining room, something we'd tried to prepare the kids for. They were excited to dress up and were on their best behavior. Again, I don't recall what we ate that first night but I do recall that our first impression was not terrific. Our waiter confused our order a couple times. I'm not sure if it was a communication issue due to him not understanding us well, or if he was overworked, or what. This was the only night we encountered errors in our meals, but the entire week we were a little bit dismayed at how our service (and the other tables of our server) was taking two hours or more when other tables around us handled by different servers were finishing their dessert before we'd even received our entrees. We didn't complain to the Maitre 'd about it, though, and just let it be. Our waiter did seem to be working very hard and we wouldn't want him to get in trouble for doing his best. Harris was very polite and it was a pleasure to meet him. We found nothing else negative to say about our dining experience so why not let the small stuff go, right?
After dinner we took the kids to their Camp Carnival meet-n-greet party. They danced in the club, sometimes dragging us out there with them and sometimes not. Bethy made a friend while dancing, someone she would hang out in the camp with over the next week. Morgan seemed to have a great time, too, and ended up making a couple friends with whom she exchanged addresses with on our final day.
Soon we retired to bed and enjoyed the wonder of being on such a massive ship, in the middle of the ocean, and going to sleep to the sound of the water rushing by outside. We had a big day to look forward to tomorrow, in Nassau, Bahamas, and we needed our energy for that.
Our Sunday morning began waking early enough at the hotel to fit in a workout prior to getting ready to head to the port. First James went for a run in the downtown Miami streets (YIKES!). When he returned to the hotel room I headed downstairs to the fitness center and got in a good sweat, all the while telling myself that in just a few more hours I'd be on a cruise ship where I would be facing all kinds of yummy goodies every which way I looked. Best try to keep in shape as much as I can to help avoid the pounds that seem to find their way onto most people's shapes while cruising.
Anyway, after getting ready at the hotel, and happy-dancin' a little bit about going on a cruise, we took off for the port of Miami, just a short 10 minute drive from our hotel. In port we saw OUR ship parked between two others, the massive Royal Carribean Freedom of the Seas and another Carnival ship, the Triumph. We parked our van in the parking garage, loaded our luggage onto the shuttle bus, and made our way through the crowds of people exiting the ship. Finally we found the inside of the terminal, had our bags scanned, and entered the line of people waiting to check-in. It wasn't a long line at all, mostly because we had chosen to arrive pretty early, about 11am. The cruise lines advise you to arrive around 1 or 2 but it is common knowledge among the cruise message boards I frequent that the ships begin checking people in around 11 and begin boarding very shortly after that. If you arrive at the terminal about the time we did you will likely be on the ship by noon and able to start your week long gorge-fest with a lunch time meal right after embarkation. And that proved true for us this time as was the case the last time we cruised in 2004.
We were on the Valor by noon, carry-on bags and kids in tow. Morgan's first impression of the ship had her jaw nearly touching the floor. She was astounded by the size and beauty of the ship and so completely grateful for the opportunity to cruise! We're certainly lucky to have a daughter who shows her gratitude and counts her blessings.
Our cabin was not ready for us yet, so we took our carry-ons with us as we made our way to the buffet area for lunch. I don't recall what any of us ate at the meal, or much about any of our buffet meals at any time during the cruise, but I do recall where we sat. The area we sat during that first meal came to be "our area," that which we found ourselves going back to most every meal in the buffet for the duration of the trip. James and I seemed to pair off with the girls, he taking one while I took the other, loading their plates, and having an understanding that we'd meet back at "our area" when the food for the assigned child had been gathered. It worked out reasonably well. Not as easy as eating in the dining room where we were waited on hand and foot, but for a buffet meal when we needed one (breakfasts and lunches) our system worked.
Moving on, when our cabin was finally ready about 1:30pm we made our way there and relished what would be our "home" for the next week. On our previous cruise James and I had booked an ocean view room, one with just a window to look out. This time we decided we wanted a balcony room to have the extra space and the view and fresh air. It was a fantastic choice! This room was perfect for us, although with children you can never have too much space, but we made do. The girls loved the balcony and abided by our ground rules all week long, remembering the safety briefings Mom and Dad had given them. Probably didn't hurt that we told them the balcony door had an alarm attached to it that would sound if they were to open the door without their parents' knowledge. Hee hee hee!!!!
The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around the ship, trying to get our bearings, marveling at the beauty, and thanking God that we were together as a family again embarking on such a great journey together.
Around 4:30pm or so the muster drill signal told us it was time to don our neon orange vests and proceed to our assigned station.
After standing there forever, crammed into the space like sardines, and hearing the lady behind me say, "I think I'm gonna pass out!", we saw the horizon starting to change. Morgan noticed it first telling us she thought the ship was now moving. Yes indeed it was! We were sailing away! It irks me to no end that Carnival sometimes does this. Why not wait until the muster drill is over so people can put away their life jackets and then make their way to the decks to enjoy sail away? What harm is there in waiting an additional five or ten minutes to depart? Regardless, we were on our way. As soon as we were released from our lifeboat stations we put the vests back in our cabin and made our way to higher ground to watch Miami growing smaller in the distance.
While sailing away we met a family from Ohio who told us they would be on the same dolphin swim excursion as us the next day, and they had a daughter somewhat close to Bethy's size. We'd hoped Bethy would make friends with her but after having swum in the ships' salt water pools earlier that day and the bright sunshine beating down on us during sail-away, Bethy's eyes were beet red and burning, so she was a little anti-social. We would see this family many times throughout the week and they always appeared to be having a ball!
It was time to get ready for dinner in the dining room, something we'd tried to prepare the kids for. They were excited to dress up and were on their best behavior. Again, I don't recall what we ate that first night but I do recall that our first impression was not terrific. Our waiter confused our order a couple times. I'm not sure if it was a communication issue due to him not understanding us well, or if he was overworked, or what. This was the only night we encountered errors in our meals, but the entire week we were a little bit dismayed at how our service (and the other tables of our server) was taking two hours or more when other tables around us handled by different servers were finishing their dessert before we'd even received our entrees. We didn't complain to the Maitre 'd about it, though, and just let it be. Our waiter did seem to be working very hard and we wouldn't want him to get in trouble for doing his best. Harris was very polite and it was a pleasure to meet him. We found nothing else negative to say about our dining experience so why not let the small stuff go, right?
After dinner we took the kids to their Camp Carnival meet-n-greet party. They danced in the club, sometimes dragging us out there with them and sometimes not. Bethy made a friend while dancing, someone she would hang out in the camp with over the next week. Morgan seemed to have a great time, too, and ended up making a couple friends with whom she exchanged addresses with on our final day.
Soon we retired to bed and enjoyed the wonder of being on such a massive ship, in the middle of the ocean, and going to sleep to the sound of the water rushing by outside. We had a big day to look forward to tomorrow, in Nassau, Bahamas, and we needed our energy for that.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Our Trip, Days 1-3, Tampa and Busch Gardens
Let the vacation begin...
Our vacation journey first led us to Tampa where we enjoyed a day at Busch Gardens compliments of Anheiser-Busch. We take advantage of their free military offer every year, usually going to Sea World. However, to break up the monotony we decided to visit the Gardens instead.
Upon arriving in Tampa we checked into our hotel, got settled, and had hoped to visit the pool but the story weather outside interfered with our plans. Instead of swimming we went to the local (ghetto) Wal-Mart for some items we'd forgotten to get prior to leaving home. We also grabbed some frozen, microwavable dinners to eat that night.
The rain never let up so our evening was spent in the hotel room, lounging around, and finding Mr. Been's Holiday Vacation on TV. I promise you, I have never seen a dumber movie than that one. I apologize if any of you love this film, but I couldn't stand it one single bit. It was as stupid as stupid can be.
The next morning we shuttled ourselves over to Busch Gardens and found the first ride of the day for our amusement park loving selves. James and Morgan rode a wooden roller coaster twice while I took Bethany to a tamer ride made for her age group. Then Morgan found me and asked if I'd like to ride the coaster with her. I oblighed while James stayed with Beth on the kid stuff.
I was quickly reminded that I don't like roller coasters when just a few seconds into this ride it stole my hat! Yep, it surely did! My blue ball cap was seized by the Gwazi gods to meet the same fate that James's Bubba Gump ball cap met a couple years ago by the Disney Splash Mountain gnomes.
So what does a girl with very thinning hair in the bright Florida sun do? Well, first she checks out the nearest souvenier stand for suitable replacement hats but finds that spending over $20 on a ballcap that she doesn't even really like won't do. Then she asks her dear hubby if he'd allow her to wear his for the day as he doesn't really have to worry about hat hair, thanks to the ever present flattop military cut he sports. Good and decent fellow that he is, he surrenders his hat to his bride and goes without for the whole day. Big time points scored on that one!
The rest of the day had us riding this and that, seeking shelter during this rainstorm and that, looking at this critter and that, and James drinking a little of this free beer and then that. It was a good family fun day.
After shuttling back to the hotel we went right next door to McAlister's Deli for a quick bite to eat before turning in for the night. We really enjoyed our quick meal and don't know why we've never tried this restaurant before as we do have one in our town. We'll definitely have to hit them up again sometime as they hit the spot for quick sandwiches.
The next morning was bright and sunny so we finally let the girls swim in the hotel pool for a little while before hitting the road for Miami. It was a great energy release for them before the upcoming 5 hour drive. The drive wasn't bad except for the heebie-jeebies I had the entire stretch of Alligator Alley, of which one alligator was spotted by none other than yours truly, the reptile-o-phobe that I am!
Finally, I'll end this post tonight with a picture of Bethany beside a statue of a Clydesdale at Busch Gardens in honor of the truly American beer company that will soon be no more. May they rest in Dutch peace....
Our vacation journey first led us to Tampa where we enjoyed a day at Busch Gardens compliments of Anheiser-Busch. We take advantage of their free military offer every year, usually going to Sea World. However, to break up the monotony we decided to visit the Gardens instead.
Upon arriving in Tampa we checked into our hotel, got settled, and had hoped to visit the pool but the story weather outside interfered with our plans. Instead of swimming we went to the local (ghetto) Wal-Mart for some items we'd forgotten to get prior to leaving home. We also grabbed some frozen, microwavable dinners to eat that night.
The rain never let up so our evening was spent in the hotel room, lounging around, and finding Mr. Been's Holiday Vacation on TV. I promise you, I have never seen a dumber movie than that one. I apologize if any of you love this film, but I couldn't stand it one single bit. It was as stupid as stupid can be.
The next morning we shuttled ourselves over to Busch Gardens and found the first ride of the day for our amusement park loving selves. James and Morgan rode a wooden roller coaster twice while I took Bethany to a tamer ride made for her age group. Then Morgan found me and asked if I'd like to ride the coaster with her. I oblighed while James stayed with Beth on the kid stuff.
I was quickly reminded that I don't like roller coasters when just a few seconds into this ride it stole my hat! Yep, it surely did! My blue ball cap was seized by the Gwazi gods to meet the same fate that James's Bubba Gump ball cap met a couple years ago by the Disney Splash Mountain gnomes.
So what does a girl with very thinning hair in the bright Florida sun do? Well, first she checks out the nearest souvenier stand for suitable replacement hats but finds that spending over $20 on a ballcap that she doesn't even really like won't do. Then she asks her dear hubby if he'd allow her to wear his for the day as he doesn't really have to worry about hat hair, thanks to the ever present flattop military cut he sports. Good and decent fellow that he is, he surrenders his hat to his bride and goes without for the whole day. Big time points scored on that one!
The rest of the day had us riding this and that, seeking shelter during this rainstorm and that, looking at this critter and that, and James drinking a little of this free beer and then that. It was a good family fun day.
After shuttling back to the hotel we went right next door to McAlister's Deli for a quick bite to eat before turning in for the night. We really enjoyed our quick meal and don't know why we've never tried this restaurant before as we do have one in our town. We'll definitely have to hit them up again sometime as they hit the spot for quick sandwiches.
The next morning was bright and sunny so we finally let the girls swim in the hotel pool for a little while before hitting the road for Miami. It was a great energy release for them before the upcoming 5 hour drive. The drive wasn't bad except for the heebie-jeebies I had the entire stretch of Alligator Alley, of which one alligator was spotted by none other than yours truly, the reptile-o-phobe that I am!
Finally, I'll end this post tonight with a picture of Bethany beside a statue of a Clydesdale at Busch Gardens in honor of the truly American beer company that will soon be no more. May they rest in Dutch peace....
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