We had the time of our lives!

This past Christmas is unforgettable.  We could try to forget it, but it was so wonderful that I think it is etched in our minds.  To begin, we went on a Disney cruise.  We left San Jose on Saturday, December 17 and drove to Santa Barbara and spent some time with my brother and his family.  The kids LOVE their cousins and had fun hanging out with them, and we had fun just hanging out, too.  The next morning we got up and left for the Port of Los Angeles, and I am pretty sure I was the most anxious one. 

DAY 1:
Once we boarded the ship, the fun began.  Dante immediately changed into his swim gear and jumped into the Mickey pool (even though it was cold and windy) and went down the slide at least ten times.  Nick and Marisa immediately began exploring the ship. Settling into our room was the next exciting part because I wanted to see what the verandah was like.   The last time David and I were on a cruise, our room barely had a window.  The room was great even though it was small for the five of us, but the verandah was bigger than we thought it would be.  So, we were happy. 

We totally overpacked.  Next cruise, we will be smarter, because this time we were overwhelmed with suitcases, clothes, and shoes.  Dressing for dinner every night was fun, and we enjoyed be treated like royalty.  When we got home we joked about our family dinners and asked what the appetizer, main course and dessert was going to be that evening.  It really was strange to have no chores.  People made our beds, cleaned our room, cooked our food, entertained us, and told us we were beautiful pretty much every day.  We became accustomed to the fanfare. (o:

Entertainment:
The shows were top notch.  Dante and I went to most of them, but I begged David and Marisa to see Dreams.  It was just fantastic, and yes, even David enjoyed it.  It was so good Dante and I went twice in one day!

There were two huge movie theaters on board.  We (except for Dante) saw War Horse on opening day, and it was an incredible film.   We all watched The Muppet Movie and agreed we would see it again.  Darling.

Family game shows were on the nightly list of things to do, and one night Dante and I were chosen to participate.   I laughed so hard I cried, and of course David captured it all on film.  Ahhh, memories!

Kids' clubs make the ship fun for parents.  Nick and Maris had their own private spot (staffed with counselors) called The Vibe, and they both absolutely loved it.  Believe it or not, our 17 year-old son had a blast on a Disney cruise!  Dante was able to go between two clubs:  the Oceaneer's Lab and the Oceaneer's Club.  Both "totally awesome" according to Dante and the activities were endless.  Loved, loved, loved it!

We even played shuffleboard, once.  (o:

Back to the fun for adults.  While the kids were having the time of their lives, David and I went to the upscale restaurant on the ship called Palo.  This was a 'reservations and adults only' restaurant, and not free.  BUT, the food at this restaurant was truly outstanding.  The rest of the food on the ship was fine (the kids loved it), but David and I both thoroughly enjoyed our dinner one evening, and brunch on a separate day.  

More later.