Just a start...(but keep reading below for more)

July 10th - we left our house and arrived at the San Diego Airport, met my mom (who just flew into San Diego from New York) and boarded an early afternoon flight to Seattle, WA. We stayed overnight at the Embassy Suites in Seattle. Foster and Logan loved the indoor pool and hot tub and Seth was overjoyed at the "in-room Nintendo".

Seattle Airport

Logan at airport

Seth at airport

Foster at airport

We left after breakfast on Saturday the 11th via shuttle to go to the pier to board the NCL Star to Alaska!!! Upon check-in at the pier we were notified that we received a complimentary upgrade to two balcony suites (previously our cabins just had windows, not balconies) and we were so happy!!!

Check-in at the Pier

Bubbe at check-in

Seth at check-in



Laura at check-in

Logan (and monster hat) at check-in

Foster at check-in
NCL Star

Boarding the "Big Gay Boat"




View from our balcony of Space Needle and Seattle

Another view from balcony

And still another...

Okay, one more

Foster at lifeboat drill




Laura helping Logan put on his life jacket

Listening...

Bubbe at drill

Seth at drill

And much, MUCH more to come.

Time to get busy...

Now that we're back from vacation and mostly moved into our new home, I want to tackle the first thing on my "virtual" list. That is to get some pictures updated from our trip to Alaska. I've been putting it off because the task seemed too huge...but I've decided to break it down into the days we were on vacation and post pictures that way.

My ulterior motive is that I also need to put together 3 photo books of all the pictures - one for a gift and the two others for family. I'll be posting the pictures here at the same time as I start to put together the photo book.

Whew...I'm off to organize the pictures on the computer and then will start my postings. Well, I have to or I will soon start to forget all the little details!!!

Other than that we're doing well...some of you know about the low-point of the cruise, and if you don't you soon well...but rest assured we're "so not done" with the cruise line and we're back on track. We will NOT let that incident spoil our T.O.A.L. (Trip Of A Lifetime)...and so it won't.

Summer is going well, we're enjoying our new backyard and the pool. Logan and Seth start swimming lessons this weekend (I hope) in our pool...just easier that way and much more personalized. Foster is a true fish...executing near-perfect dives...I'm way impressed. All 3 are currently attending a summer program on the school grounds of Foster's old school. Unfortunately it's the only one open during the hours we need (after all, we don't get a summer break) and it's in the "old 'hood" so we're driving about 20 - 30 minutes 2x day. Perhaps we'll do some more research next year here in our "new 'hood" for a summer program that's a bit closer to home. But regardless, they are all having a great time. And for Logan and Seth, that also means a structured pre-K program from 8 to noon each day. Both have just grown so much since starting pre-K - Seth is doing math (real math, like addition and subtraction) and Logan is really enjoying working on his worksheets. Both had their Kindergarten physicals this week and Logan is still holding steady as the bigger "twin" at 38 pounds and Seth is so slim at 32 pounds. But both are healthy and no worries to be had - it's totally their nature and both have been following the same growth curve for 5 years.

Okay, off to organize my pictures and hopefully begin my posting soon!

Yes, we're still alive.......

We're back from Alaska - what a beautiful state. I really enjoyed it (minus some things which I'll get to another time) and the kids had a blast! The weather was absolutely perfect - I loved the cool, crisp Alaskan air.

We were all upgraded the day of boarding to balcony suites (complimentary) so we spent lots of time hanging out on our balcony watching the seals, the whales (!), the glaciers, etc.

Pictures and stories to come soon - I snapped over 300 shots so I have to pare down...or you'll be totally bored.

Just be patient...

It's "VACATION TIME" finally...

Whew...we worked so hard moving over the past few months that it seemed like vacation would NEVER get here...but here it is. Today was my last day of work until I go back on 7/21. Whohoo!

We're set to fly up to Seattle on Friday (meeting my mom at the San Diego airport on Friday to all fly up together), staying over at a great looking Embassy Suites hotel (with indoor pool for my 3 little fishies) and then Saturday at noon we'll be boarding the B-O-A-T.

We're going on NCL on the Star. A week sailing to Alaska. Can't wait. The kids are so excited...but I really don't think they quite get the magnitude of the ship...they've never seen a real cruise ship up close before. I know they will be totally thrilled. Foster is even more thrilled that he gets to miss a week of school (yup, still in school until 7/21) - but lucky kid that he is, his teacher made sure to supply him with a week's worth of school work! But it's more "fun" stuff than not...like a weather report each day; reading the next day's activity list; etc.

Anyway, tomorrow is a "free" day for us...the boy is in school and Logan and Seth are going to Pre-K...so we'll pack (hey, laundry is all done) and I need to get a haircut too...go out for lunch...go to a b-day party...and do some last minute things around the house...then it's a 3pm flight on Friday (so I guess we have some time on Friday morning too) and the vacation begins!

First Paint in the playroom

Okay, let's just barter

So, we have stuff to get rid of (the carpet we took up in the living room, an old tv (we bought some new flat screen ones that we mounted on the walls, a really old VCR, etc.) and our landscaping guy always has new ideas...so we decided to just barter some stuff and get another set of sprinklers (in a planter box near the pool), a security door hung, and a bit more landscaping...AND best of all, we get to get rid of stuff that we were just going to put on Craigslist for cheap. And he gets stuff that he can sell, use or donate.

It works for everyone involved and I think it's a good system...if used correctly. Yeah, like in the "good 'ole days".

Whohoo! 3-day weekend ahead! And our exciting plans include...what else...but...unpacking the garage now...aren't you jealous?

But see...at least our books are put away...