We're back.

A detailed review will come later.  Here are some observations and just fun facts about our cruise.

1) there was a jansen onboard from breese, il. 

2) our comedian was from st. Louis, mo.  I hope to see him sometime again.  He was funny.

3) if you can get past the structure of eating at 6 pm doing reservations are worth it.  We had a good relationship with our wait staff...wasudon, Nazer and leonoldo.  And Stan the man was awesome too.

4) hasbro game show is worth it.

5) punchline comedy was worth it.

6) xander did not get sick from car or sea...but serena had a miserable time on both sea days. 

7) evidently tropical storm anna tried joining our party few times and made for rough waters....the ocean had speed bumps!

8) Loved our cruise entainers.  Our assistant cruise director was phenomenonal...CD was pretty good...but ryan was my favorite.

9) the dr. Seuss features were great.

10) loved nassau. ...freeport was sketchy

I will do a review with pics later.

Edited to add I love camp carnival and circle c. 

Best Traveling Tip

What is your best traveling tip?

We have done car trips (not 14 hours) but I am not really worried about that.

I just want any tips you can give us for while we are on the cruise.  I already know a few-

-Pack an insulated cup for water and bring water enhancers (mio, crystal light, etc)
-decorate your door
-bring magnets
-bring surge protector
-don't bring beach towels
-bring over the door shoe organizer for bathroom (thanks tanya)
-bring anything you think you might need (meds, hygiene products, etc) because it's expensive on the ship
-bring lanyards or ask the casino for some
-use velcro straps to wrap charging cords

Random

Random.

That's what this is.

Just random thoughts going through my head. 

I miss my dad.

A lot.

I knew I would miss him.

It's no secret that our relationship was rocky, at best, for years.

But it got better over time.

Specifically it was immensely better after I became a parent.

Maybe because I put forth more effort so my daughter would know grandpa.

It's no secret I gave him a hard time.

Part of me feels guilty but part of me knows that he probably didn't expect any less from me

because afterall I was his child and I very much have his personality and attitude

I love my dad.  I miss him more than I thought possible 

and would give just about anything to talk to him one more time.  

Scratch that.  I talk to him ALL the time. 

I would give anything to hear bite me.

I loved our late night conversations when I would get to his apartment. 

I could be dead tired but when I got there and started talking I would wake up.

He would always ask...How's your mom and Ken?

He would ask about the boys and my grandma.

Lately I think a lot about him.  

I read the emails I kept from him. 

Towards the last few months, they were very short because it was all he could manage.

I still have not deleted his number from my phone.  I can't.

His memorial is coming up in May.  Maybe that's why he is on my mind. 

Now we are going on vacation and it just brought back a flood of memories of him.

He approached me about taking serena on vacation with them after he beat his cancer.

We also tried to plan a Disney trip years ago.

I have a mousepad on my desk with his photos on it.

They make me smile and tear up.

I miss him.

Round and Round We Go, Where We Stop Nobody Knows....

Just kidding.  I never stop.  

That is an issue. 

The next two months will be a whirlwind. 

A lot is going on. 

We are holding a quarter auction in March to benefit 

our Relay for Life Team for Clinton County Relay for Life. 

This has been a lot of work and cannot wait for the day to get here.  

I hope we have a good turn out. 

Our team is small but I firmly believe we can do big things.

I want this even to be more than just raising money for cancer. 

I want it to be family fun event. 

I am beyond thrilled that my mom, sister, daughter and I are doing this together. 

Without their help, I'd go nuts. 

We have eye appointments, a passport appointment and band event covering every Saturday in March, in addition to the quarter auction. 

In April, we have my niece's birthday, Easter and Xander's birthday.  

Not to mention, probably another band event and getting ready for vacation.  

The car needs maintenance before we go (not yet but before making a 14 hour drive).

Items need to be bought (more summer clothes, swim suits, travel stuff)

Arrangements need to be finalized for the dogs.  

We have someone lined up but I think we need to do a meet n greet with them

 because Abbie is a bit protective of the house. 

Goal Met

On January 2, I posted my goals for this year.  

One was to plan a family vacation.  Somewhere beachy.  

Well I did and we are going somewhere beachy but not just beachy.  

We are going on a cruise. 

Thanks to my sister's encouragement of how wonderful they are 

and a impeccably timed Facebook post by KMOV 

we are going on a cruise to the Bahamas. 

All four of us. 

We have been married 10 years this fall. 

Never had a honeymoon.

We have never done a family vacation 

aside from a group vacation to Holiday World 

and frequent Chicago visits which I don't count 

because that is a 2nd home to me. 

Ryan has done GenCon, 

I have done girls' trips to Nashville, Chicago, and a float trip. 

We need a family vacation.  

So yes, I suppose we could ditch the kids and go just us.  

A lot of people have asked why we are taking the kids.  

Because...that's pretty much it.  Just because.  

Because nothing beats seeing your kids excitement of doing something new. 

Because nothing beats getting away from it all with your entire family. 

Because our kids are at a "perfect" age to remember and enjoy this trip.

Because NOW is the time to enjoy our kids.

Because later we can go on a trip just the two of us. 

Because this just seems like we would enjoy it more.

Because I don't want to regret not taking them. 

Because I don't want to miss them. 

Because I don't want to think, ahh Serena would have liked this
or Xander would have enjoyed that. 

We could go just the two of us but what's the point.

We will still get alone time. 

We will get family time. 

We will have fun and they will have fun.  

Changes

People have asked me because of my posts recently of how "wonderful" my job is 

if I hated my old job that much or if it was that bad there or if I miss anything from there.  

My job had good days and bad days like any job.  

It’s just being this close to home and working for a family oriented company cannot be beat.  

Hands down the best move I ever made.  

I miss some parts of working there and I miss some people from there.  

But this job change truly is the best thing I have ever done 

and opened new doors for me like getting my producers license.  

I am just happier here.  

That’s all.  

Yes I am still in my honeymoon phase 

but seriously even in the worst of days I walk out of here smiling. 

 I am able to leave it all here.  

I used to let things fester inside all the way and just get more and more mad about things 

so when I got home, I was in a foul mood.  

Now, if something is bothering me, I have a 2 min. drive until I pick up Xander and once I see him anything that I was thinking about just goes away because that kid is a nut.    

This job was a good move for me.  

A good move for my family and good move for my sanity.  

I feel blessed that this opportunity came when it did.  

That's all.  

I am happy.

Welcome 2015!

2015 is here.

What are my goals this year?

Aside from the normal lose weight, I want to:

Participate in a 5k.  

I say participate because if I say Run and never get to that running point, 

I won't go through with it.  

So I say participate...meaning probably a run/jog/walk combo. 

 But I will do one. 

Go on a family vacation.

I want beachy but Ryan is not a beachy person.

Maybe mountains would be nice.

but I see GenCon being in a future before beach or mountains.

I also want to do Holiday World.  

I think Xander would love it. 

Figure out what's best for me and my family.  

Took a huge step last year by changing jobs

and by taking my insurance exam. 

So the job situation has been figured out 

but now I want to figure out other areas. 

First by decluttering our house.  

I was going to go through stuff and do a yardsale 

but decided I have been trying that route for 7 years

and made no progress and it is overwhelming.

So somebody will be getting donations.

I need to declutter.

I need to declutter our house but also our lives.

Some people just cause way too much stress.

Stress that I don't need.

Stress that causes problems.