Ever Eat A Cruise Ship? Many Parts Are Edible.

If you know who I'm referring to in that title, then you are aging yourself, I'm afraid. When Disney puts on a big event like we were lucky enough to go to last week, there are usually gifts involved. This was one of those gifts:

A solid chocolate Disney Dream. Right up my alley!

We also got a commemorative book and a crystal Dream-In-A-Bottle. Thanks for spoiling us, Disney!

Sweet Dream

Job perks can be a very good thing, and the perks that Bruce gets are tailor-made for me, being the Disney freak that I am! Disney invited a few folks from Getaway to the Inaugural Voyage of their new cruise ship, The Dream. Since we were in Florida anyway, we spent a few days before and after the 2 day cruise exploring Walt Disney World. Basically, it was lots of fun, lots of food and some serious jet lag. Even a 2 hour difference messes me up these days! Here's a quick overview of the big event:

Disney drove us in big Disney buses to the Art Deco dock at Port Canaveral:

 

Then we attended the official ceremony which had lots of singers and dancers, the President of Disney and people dressed like it was the Oscars:

 

Jennifer Hudson was the "Godmother" of the ship. She sang wonderfully and waved a magic wand to christen the ship. (Sorry the picture is blurry, but we were a ways away and I didn't have my big lens!) Then a helicopter hefted a huge champagne bottle close to the ship where it kind of exploded with fireworks. We couldn't see that part because those singers and dancers were in the way.

 

We waited a few hours to get on the ship, what with security and all. Some irritating Cuban security guard must have seen me as a threat, because he asked me to move 2 feet to the left several times. This was my chance to taste champagne, because it was flowing freely, but I decided to stick with the sparkling cider instead.Then it was our turn to board, which we did by walking through this awesome Mickey doorway:

 

Here's the amazing lobby of The Dream. It had quite a chandelier and a great Jazz Band played on the balcony. I didn't fall down these steps even once!

 

Admiral Donald had a place of honor at the bottom of the staircase- he looked like he might have been made of chocolate- I'm sure kids are going to be nibbling on him.

 

This is our stateroom! We were lucky and had a balcony. Disturbing fact: There are no irons in the room on these cruise ships! I had to walk down the hall to the laundry room to iron my clothes. Those of you who know me well realize what a burden this was for me.

 

Cool things about this ship: it's huge horn blows out Disney tunes. Very loud Disney tunes. Also, there is an awesome waterslide onboard that goes out over the side of the ship- 12 stories above the ocean. Very cool.  Surprisingly, I have a bunch more photos of the The Dream. If you wish, you can see them in this slide show! 

This free slideshow design personalized with Smilebox

Oh, The Places You Will Go!

Whew! It's been a busy 10 days. We've had lots of fun times, which I will be blog-sharing over the next few days. Here's a little taste of some of the places we went:I seem to be having some issues with my header photos. Some tweaking may be in order!

Little Missionary, I Am Your Father.

I thought you might want an update on the adventures of Little Missionary. Over the holidays, he enlisted the help of the sheep from the different Nativities in my family room, since he's so familiar with sheep nowadays in New Zealand. They looked like they had a pretty good offense going at that time:I had great hope for the LM and the Nativity sheep. But, alas, this is the situation facing Little Missionary now:Yes, the Ninjas and the Storm Troopers have joined forces. I'm sure the Death Star can't be far behind! How will LM get himself out of this one?

Merry Christmas To You, I Mean Us

I had an awesome Christmas this year. Bruce was really in a spoiling mood, which is just fine with me! One of my presents what a "choose between 2 good things" gift. My choices? A new camera, which I sorely need if I want to become a premier equine photographer, (watch out, world!!) or a cargo trailer to carry all of our horse show stuff. I've taken it upon myself to drag our barn out of the depths of ghetto-hood and into the world of awesome coolness. New barn display additions for 2011: a wicker sofa and 2 wicker arm chairs. With cushions. All of this awesomeness just won't fit in the back of the pickup.

From the time I opened the gift, Bruce started the persuasion- in the trailer direction. (But what about my SO awesome new Nikon, with the lens longer than the camera body? The lens that is so big that the tripod attaches to the lens and not the camera??) Over time I realized that it would make Bruce so much more happy if we got a trailer, which we did last week. It's pretty great, and a grundle of horse show things will fit inside. Bruce is making plans to haul it around to bike races on the weeks when I'm not at a show. Now if I can just convince Bruce that it's not an RV and I have no intention of sleeping inside...

What Does It Mean When Your Friends Give You Deoderant For Christmas?

One of my good friends at the barn gave me deodorant for Christmas.

I know she was not implying that I am stinky, although I am quite often stinky at the barn. She gave it to me because it has a lavender scent, and she knows that I love lavender. I really like the small of lavender! I found the bestest lavender soap last year when Shannon and I were at the horse show in Scottsdale. It's my favorite soap ever.I picked up some more last week while we were there. It comes in huge, like I'm talking 20 lb. blocks, and they cut off chunks for you to buy. I'd be ok hauling home a 20 lb. chunk of this soap. It have the perfect lavender scent- not too sweet, but not too far on the licorice side. I store it in my undies drawer, in case you were wondering. :)

Broken Tailbone Alumni, Unite!

Disclaimer- that is not an xray of MY broken tailbone. It belongs to someone else. I'm sure my broken tailbone was more attractive.

3 and a half years ago I broke my tailbone. How did I do that? Oh, the same way I break all of my bones- I fell off a horse. As I lay there in the dirt, instinctively clutching my buttocks, I knew that something was wrong. But I did what all good (aka, crazy) horse women do- got back on and rode some more. After all, I could still walk, couldn't I?

That night I lay on the couch with an ice pack under my bum, in great pain, and watch some lame 80's movie about a summer camp. I think Bill Murray was in it, but I might have been delirious.

After 3 days of uncomfortable-ness, I gave in and went to the doctor. Yes, I knew that if it really was broken that there was nothing they could do for me. I tend to break bones that can't be set- ribs, tailbones, toes- I must like the feeling of jagged broken pieces of myself rubbing against each other for 4-6 weeks. I just wanted to know for sure. The Doctor ordered an xray. The technician obviously thought I was faking the whole thing because she had no compassion as she arranged me just right on the xray table. Sidenote: One cannot move the lower half of one's body very well with a freshly broken tailbone. It hurts to bend over, to lift one's legs, to turn from side to side, especially when lying down.

Xrays were taken. I flattered the technician, "You read xrays better than most doctors. What do you see?" Humbly she looked at me and said, "It looks like you have every right to be sore." Ha! Take that, mean technician! So, I went home, after declining the doctor's offer of a foam donut to sit on, and healed over the next 4-6 weeks. Work was a challenge- I perfected taking pictures of 400 children a day while in a squat position. If they dropped their name card it took a few minutes for me to knee-bend to the ground to pick it up.

"Healed" is a relative term in the world of broken tailbones. Chairs that one were your friends have now become antagonistic. Sitting for a long time in one position irritates that tailbone tremendously. Shifting becomes a way of life. Sitting on one cheek and then the other is par. Long plane rides are the worst.

So, to all of you Broken Tailbone Alumni, I feel your pain. No, really, I feel your pain.