Sailing takes me away ... Back to Reality

 

 

A Cruise is a cruise is a cruise.... but a Disney Cruise..... OHHHH BOY!!!LOL!! Honestly I've only been on one other cruise many years ago so I vitually have nothing to compare the Disney Cruise to but, Needless to say we had a wonderful Western Carribbean Cruise. From the welcome aboard party to the the Welcome Show,"All Aboard: Let The Magic Begin!" ( the shows were AMAZING!! complete with pyrotechnics and all!!) We caught a new show everynight (The Golden Mickeys, Toy Story the Musical, Dreams the Enchanted Classic, and the Good Bye show) before dinner (which were extravagant feasts to say the least) Just boarding the ship was an awesome experience!! The crew is lined along the gang plank entrance in full uniform and they announce you as though you are entering an awards show via the red carpet!! "We've been waiting for their arrival and here they are now.... The Fadden Family!!" and thunderous applause erupts all over!! Wow Disney sure knows how to welcome you "home" which is the banner they hang over the gang plank at every port adventure. Our first evening we dined in Parrot Cay which has an Island dinner theme,next was Tritons with French Dining (yes we loved the escargot) and also Animators Palette {the restaurant animates itself with every course so when you arrive its black and white and becomes more colorful as your dinner proceeds}where we were greeted by our Head Waiter, Our Personal Waiter, and Our Assistant Waiter!! (Well if you know how much food they serve on the Disney Cruise then you know that you need 3!! waiters to staff your table!! LOL!!) In our humble opinion we had the best wait staff around!! They follow you on your dining room rotations so they know you and you don't even have to request your favs they already have them ready and waiting for you!! They anticipate your every want. The next day we awoke to a fantastic day at sea!! It was beautiful!! Lounging around the pool, taking a dip in the hot tub, enjoying frozen drinks delivered to your lounge chair while enjoying the fantastic ocean views from the deck! However Connor was preoccupied with creating Flubber!! in the Oceaneer Lab and competing (and winning!!) in a game show, Mickey Mania, with Daddy in "Studio Sea".We enjoyed Ice Sculpture demonstrations pool side(Goofy's pool after all there are 3!! pools to choose from) and Connor also got to be the Guest Announcer for the Mickey 200 (a vegetable car race!!) after they found out he was a 2 trophy Pinewood Derby winning Boyscout. Connor brought his pinewood derby car with him and they asked him to demonstrate how the race was done, then he announced all the following races, he also got to judge and choose the ultimate winner of the races and if that wasn't enough they had Connor race his car against the veggie car winner and proclaimed him the "Mickey 200 champion"!! Between Magic shows, variety shows, parties, dinner, fireworks, port adventures, etc. It's a wonder we felt so very relaxed!!! Cozumel was our next port adventure and it really was an adventure!! We toured ancient Mayan ruins, had an opportunity to attend an authentic Mexican Fiesta complete with Pinata, it was so fun being able to socialize with the Mexican people and enjoy the customs and traditions of Cozumel. While visiting a Cozumel Cultural Art Museum we were afforded the opportuntiy to observe an ancient rain ceremony WOW!!

 

Of course no trip to Cozumel would be complete without SHOPPING!! Which Brittany and I did plenty of!! Everything from Jewely to beautiful handpainted glassware, beautiful tote bags and of course one of a kind treasures to love back at home. Once back on the ship a dip in the pool and hot tub was in order than off to dress for our Pirate Party at Sea!!

Well.... all I can say is no Pirate Party is like a Disney Pirate Party with all the Characters, the entire ship decked out in Pirate Gear, the crew all costumed as pirates, and the participation by our fellow cruisemates was 100%! It was an all out "Pirates ON the Carribbean" blowout!! Mickey ziplined in to "I need a hero" to save us all from the evil Captain Hook!! His victory was celebrated by a fantastic fireworks display on the open ocean!! It was incredible!! Castaway Cay was our next Port Adventure and I have to say ... I could live on Castaway Cay!! Floating in tubes in the turquoise water swinging over the white sand on hammocks and lunching on bbq favs at "Cookies" yummy yummy!! We felt a million miles away from everything!! After all of this wonderful pampering aboard the Disney Wonder we were sad to leave but happy to get home to the people and pets we love!! and just so I know that indeed I am back to reality we are Puppysitting "Keller" this week, he is my sister's blind "Boxador" and he is a cutie pa tutie!! Our doggies love their cousin <3 My Mom,sister,brother, sister-in-law, and nephew <3 are visiting Pa. this week so when we meet back up for Easter Sunday we will all have vacation adventures to share with one another!! TTYL

 

 

T minus 2 and Counting!!

I cannot believe that we are getting on a ship and not just any ship a Disney Cruise Ship on Saturday!!! My Hubby just decided to surprise us not even two weeks ago!! Needless to say it has been a whirlwind getting ready marathon which is now coming down to the wire. I am packed, Brittany is packed, Connor is packed, but... the one who planned the whole surprise, surprisingly is not packed!! LOL!! Our wardrobe "theme"for our cruise is traditional Cruise wear i.e. nautical!! except of course for Pirate Night which will find us Aaarrgh!! Mateying!! with the best of em!! We have last minute things to address naturally, such as one more trip to our fav stores for accessories which we cannot sail without. Hair, Nails, & teeth whitening are all scheduled for tomorrow. So after dinner we are off shopping yet again! Speaking of dinner, since we will be sailing on the high seas for St. Patrick's Day we decided to celebrate with an early Corned Beef, Potatoes, Carrots, Cabbage and of course Irish Soda Bread dinner!! Can't wait, the whole house has smelled like we landed in Ireland all day!! We are sooo.. looking forward to boarding our Cruise Ship and sail away!! We're off to Cozumel, Mexico where we will be investigating ancient Mayan ruins along with celebrating an authentic Mexican Fiesta complete with traditional yummy's and of course a pinata!! What fiesta would be complete without one? Have to run... so much to do, so little time!! TTYL <3

 

Shoes,Shoes,Shoes

 

I've noticed a recurring theme as of late.... Shoes <3

Now don't get me wrong I've long been obsessed with these heavenly things! I mean Salvatore Ferragamo's, Jack Roger Navajo's, Stubbs and Wootten needlepoint mules!! Who wouldn't be just the least bit obsessed ?! But lately however, they seem to be a topic creeping up all over. For instance what shoes does one wear to a McEnroe tennis tournament?... Cute green and white espadrilles were my answer to this question. What shoes does one wear to a Mayan Ruins excursion?... Grey or Black Enclosed Walking shoes as the sand/dirt is nearly black and quite abundant is my answer to this. Appropriate shoes to sport to the Honda Classic at PGA Nat'l.? Cute but comfy flats (think looks like a shoe feels like a sneaker)no heels, as they poke holes in the golf course(for shame!!) Which shoes should compliment your outfit and not injure your feet while purusing theme parks in Orlando? I went with Driving Mocs soooo... comfy cushy yet more stylish than tennis shoes. While visiting with friends this week, shoes again were a hot topic of discussion.... The first "heels" of a young lady!! Isabella and Mom went shopping for her first pair of Ladies shoes! They choose a lovely pair of white eyelet lace espadrille wedges sooooo.... cute!!! Almost as cute as the lovely young lady wearing them. So whether searching for New Balance 990 running shoes for my hubby or new Sperry Topsiders for Brittany (pink is her choice) and Connor (traditional tan is his choice) shoes definitely seem to be an obsession shared by many. Sooooo... what are your favs? Care to share? We'd love to hear from you! TTYL <3

Itchy Eyes, Sore Throat, Sinus Pressure Oh My!!

 

Let's face it nobody likes allergies, but there are a few things we can do to make ourselves a bit more comfortable. A few of my favorites from my allergy defense team are Puffs Plus Lotion with the scent of Vicks... these are irreplacable in my book. Hot Rooibos Tea with honey (I must confess I love this allergies or not!!) Organic Coconut Oil in your Rooibos or any tea you prefer is a great way to get more of natures goodness ingested as well as on your lips, which if you're anything like me are chapping. I am in love with applying both hot and cold compresses to my eye and sinus areas.For the cold compress I prefer a facemask, my fav is by Earth Therapeutics they have a lovely Cucumber Eye Care Kit that is not only helpful for allergies but a wonderful indulgence for tired eyes as well. Now for a warm compress I prefer a Lavender Flaxseed Microwave Wrap I love mine by Biomed Design (pictured below in blue however I love mine in pink) I not only use it for my sinus headaches but also for a neck or back wrap as well. Organic Coconut Oil was brought to my attention by my "bestie" (o.k. I confess Wendy is my GURU when it comes to all things natural and homeopathic!) this stuff is like gold!! there are so many uses for Organic Coconut Oil I would never end this post if I named all of them!! So I'll keep with the allergy theme for my uses of this "nectar of the gods" I apply it to my face and temples(with a few drops of Essential Lavender Oil for the temples), lips, & nose for moisturizer & help with chapping. I also can't help but apply to my hands/feet with moisturizing gloves/socks (doesn't help allergies,but it sure feels great for ultimate hydration!!) I do try to use homeopathic remedies but I must confess that tried and true brands like Vicks Vapo family of products, Claritin, & Halls Honey/Lemon drops sure make combating allergies a bit more bearable. What are your fav fixes for sinus and allergy symptoms? Please do share with us, all help is appreciated. TTYL <3

 

Weekend Getaway

We "escaped" to Orlando for the weekend, always a fun jaunt! First stop Dunkin Donuts natch. Have you tried the Brownie Batter Doe~Doe's and/or the Dark Chocolate beverage offerings yet? If not... What are you waiting for?!?! Lol! *Warning these items may become addicting!! We checked into the Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando, it is simply divine. This hotel is one of my fav hotels in Orlando, it's decadent yet comfy an awesome combo!! & the best part.... They love pets!! Our German Shepherd,Chiahuahua ,& a Valentines gift, our new Chipin (Chiahuahua /Miniature Pinscher DesignerHybrid) puppy <3 enjoyed our weekend escape too!! Universal Studios is always fun but this weekend there was definitely no shortage of fun pursuits, with a Demi Lovato concert and Mardi Gras Parade/Celebration taking place the attractions were endless!! We opted for a Dinner Show and decided on Medieval Times, needless to say we were not disappointed!! A fabulous time was had by all! Huzzah!! *cough,cough um.. excuse me LOL!! Next up was Islands of Adventure, & between Jurassic Park, Seuss landing and of course Wizarding World .... it was phenomenal!! I hope you all had a lovely enjoyable weekend as well. After this weekend vaca, I just may need a vaca from my vaca!! TTYL <3

Our "security system" 'Lord Darth Chad Vader'

Connor enjoying the sights

The "victor" our knight was the red one and much to our delight he won the tournament!

Congratulating his victorious knight

Discussing the evenings festivities with eyes on tomorrow

Always time for a quick checkers challenge with Daddy

T-Rex

The "longneck"

Had a blast looking through the eyes of Dinosaurs

Truly a Discovery Center, from scans & xrays of Jurassic giants to "hatching" the first Dino's in Billions of years!!

Hulk coaster, Spider Man , X Men and sooooooooo... much more!!

So much fun so little time... What to do first... Poseidon's Fury it was amazing!!

Seuss landing is full of fun endeavors from "The Cat in the Hat" Ride to the "Car-o-seuss-el"

On to Harry Potters Wizarding World

Shops,shops,& more shops!!

What Hogmead visit would be complete without Butterbeer.... yummy,yummy,yummy!!

Wonderful Pumpkin Juice!!

All aboard!!

What I wore, Chambray Oxford by Brooks Brothers, a vintage LLBean wool nordic cardi,Vintage Pearls,a vintage Dooney & Bourke bag, Chanel sunglasses, Dark wash skinny jeans by J.Crew, and Fur lined driving mocs by AirWalk.

Preppy Pursuits Etc.: Hello there, thanks for joining me today. Why not ...

Preppy Pursuits Etc.: Hello there, thanks for joining me today. Why not ...: Hello there, thanks for joining me today. Why not pour a cup of tea and let's muse over the daily digest. Ooohh.. speaking of tea, my ...

Hello there, thanks for joining me today. Why not pour a cup of tea and let's muse over the daily digest. Ooohh.. speaking of tea, my absolute favorite new obsession has got to be Nordstroms Red Tea Latte. If you've not yet indulged consider yourself invited to a delicious opportunity to sip and browse one of my fav haunts. I'm sure this luscious delicacy will not disappoint. Let me know what you think of this delectable mix of Rooibos,vanilla,honey,& of course a sprinkle of cinnamon. While on the subject of Nordies ... have you spotted the spring Kate Spade line?!? The neck candy, the arm candy, it's a regular party!! Do check it out when grabbing the Red Tea Latte (or your fav beverage) at "house" the cafe at Nordstroms natch.TTYL <3