Pirate Night!

Pirate Night on day three.

Junie getting her braids done on our cruise

The pictures seem to have loaded in reverse order, so start at the bottom and scroll up!

The Nutcracker and Dinner at the Water Street Brewery

Yesterday LuLu and her pointe class went to lunch at the Water Street Brewery (they had reservations at Bucca, but a pipe burst there) then had a backstage tour at The Milwaukee Ballet before watching the Nutcracker. What a great opportunity!

 

Moana

On day four Lisa took Smiley and Junie to see this on the ship. Junie loved it, Smiley thought they introduced too many characters and lost focus.

Some Vacation Pics on the Disney Dream

Disney Dream 12/12-12/16

Good Taste

In the last week Junie has had duck confit, leg of lamb, and mussels; Smiley had duck breast, crème brule and sushi; YaYa had one of my escargot; and I had lamb shank (I haven't had lamb in maybe thirty years). I'm glad the kids taste buds don't start and end with chicken nuggets.

Junie and the Disney Selfies

Junie made a habit of taking a selfie with the Disney characters she met on the cruise.

Our Stateroom Door

The door to one of our staterooms. Lisa had the decoration designed for us. 

Now and Then

The first photo (with the white shirt) is from Cruise #2, in 2014, and YaYa asked to recreate it this time around. (click on the pictures to see how close we got). It was *much* harder than it looks, because the bright Bahamian sun was in our face and we couldn't see the camera screen at all LOL.

An Iconic Photo

The picture with the 3 year old Olivia is from our first cruise, back in 2006. In honor of its tenth anniversary, we recreated the picture on Day Four of this trip :)

We're Back!

So, from Monday morning until Friday night the family enjoyed a short cruise aboard the Disney Dream. There's no internet access (well, none I'm willing to pay for) from the middle of the ocean, so for a week there was no news, no Words with Friends, no Facebook. I enjoyed that break, and apparently so did you. Quoting Sandra Si "I didn't even realize you were gone!"

A Great Pic from Our Cruise

 

We're Home!

 made it safely to mke.. there's a ton of snow!! - YaYa

Rogue One

Last night at 11 pm eastern time -- or, as Disney proudly told the crowd, "An hour before any other fan in the hemisphere!" --  Smiley and I saw Rogue One. Watching it on the ocean lent a VR quality to the movie, with each roll of the ship making you feel like you were in the action. As for the movie itself: Aside from being visually gorgeous, it has a strong, dark story, great characters, and very little of the schmaltz that burdens the series. Plus it has Peter Cushing. What else could you ask for? #DisneyCruise

 

 

 

While We Wait

We've taken up residence at the in-airport hotel while awaiting our flight. While the rest of the family napped, Junie and I hit the gym downstairs. It's the first time she's ever gone to the gym (she's prohibited by age at home).

Almost There!

On our way to the Dream!

Thank You!

Thanks this past week to Ervin for looking at Smiley's Nintendo DS, Socialist for a last second repair on my door, and  JJ for something that honestly slips my mind right now LOL. (Sorry JJ). Anyway, it's good to have folks we can count on. :)

Great game today, the Packers legitimately looked like a playoff caliber team. I don't know if you heard him say it, but Buck at one point said Russell Wilson's five interceptions in a single game was a "career high." Well, I should f'ing hope so.

Fan Mail

I just received an email about the Pearl Harbor column. I hesitate to use the term "fan mail," but technically it *is* accurate.

We Love it!

Thank you Jeanne for the Swiss Colony gift! The kids be tearing it up!

Thank you Junie!

With 5-7" of snow on the ground I called upstairs and said any kid that was awake had to help me shovel. Shockingly, the previous mayhem abruptly stopped and all was silent. Ten minutes later tho my Honey Bunches of Oats Sweet Baby Doll - aka Junie- came out and did the whole front by herself and then helped me in back.

By the way, I know plow drivers are working hard. BUT I've been driving in snow for three decades, and in worse storms, and the roads are junk. Ab-so-lute junk.

The Semester is Done

The last final of the semester is now complete. It was brutal, despite the prior assurances from the Professor that it would be mild and comforting. Bah. I fall back on the old reliable: I'm never *the* dumbest person in the room, and The  Curve Shall Set Me Free.

Gym time

At the gym with Lulu. Tired? Stressed? Busy? Under the weather? Sore? Check X 5. But I've spent enough of my life sitting on my a##, thank you.

My Tax Final

My tax final is done. My analysis was strong and flowed easily enough (IMO) but I choked on the computations. I did not fail, I know that, and with luck someone imploded and the curve will be in my favor.

Hitler: Ascent 1889-1939 by Volker Ullrich

Meticulously researched, comprehensive in scope, scrupulously even handed, and imposing in length, this well written biography of Hitler from birth to the cusp of WWII is superb. I look forward to part two.