It's Dance Picture Time!

Now, we all know that both the girls are pros when it comes to all of this dance stuff.

This is Allie's fourth year of dancing and she is amazingly good at it.

This is Meredith's second year of dance and she's a natural too.

I haven't danced since I was 5 years old and this is what I looked like.

I don't remember liking it very much.

I think stage fright got the best of me and I only did it for one year.

But now, in middle age, I've decided to challenge myself and take an adult dance class.

So here, some 30 years later, is my dance picture.























Wait for it...





























Wait for it...

























Ta da!

Disney Cruise: Q and A

What was your favorite part of the cruise?

Allie: "Everything, really."

Deef: "Meeting all of the Disney characters."

Sue: "I was really impressed with all the kids activities and counselors that were available both on board the ship and on the island. And while the kids were having their own fun, there was plenty of activities for the adults. The shows were great and the food was great. It was the perfect family vacation."

Jason: "The private Disney island, Castaway Cay."

What was your least favorite part of the cruise?

Allie: "Nothing."

Deef: "On the beach, it was windy and the sand hit my legs."

Sue: "We wasted precious time going on a shore excursion in the Bahamas. I would have rather stayed on the ship that day and taken part in more on board activities."

Jason: "The Bahamas."

Did you get seasick?

Allie: "A little bit, my tummy felt funny."

Meredith: "No. It was fun watching the waves."

Sue: "Yes, the first night on board, the sea was very rough. I had to go to bed early that night. Also, when we got home, I had 'sea legs' for several days. It felt like I was still on the ship, swaying back and forth."

Jason: "No."

Did you go to the Oceaneers Club?

Allie: "Just once."

Deef: "Yes, I went there a lot."

What is the Oceaneers Club?

Deef: "The Oceaneers Club was kind of like preschool except they didn't have the sharing bag or circle time or clean up time. They did have crafts, face painting, games, computers, and lots of other activities for kids. You could go there without your mom or dad."

What was your favorite activity in the Oceaneers Club?

Deef: "Singing on the big stage. We sang a song called Friendship Rocks!"

What does it feel like to get stung by a jellyfish?

Sue: "The jellyfish we saw were very small and transparent so I didn't even notice them until Jason pointed one out and it was right in front of my face! They were all around, you couldn't avoid them. You never felt them actually sting you but once we were out of the water and back on the boat, everyone had itchy spots on their arms and legs and those were the places where the jellyfish had stung you. It itched for a while, maybe even slightly burned, but the feeling gradually went away. But still, it sounds cool to say you survived being stung by a horde of jellyfish!"

Who was your favorite character(s)?

Allie: "Stitch."

Deef: "Mickey and Stitch."

Why did you like Stitch so much?

Allie: "He was really funny."

What did the stingrays feel like?

Allie: "Soft and smooth."

Deef: "I didn't touch them."

Sue: "They felt soft and velvety and their mouths were like a vacuum cleaner. Their stingers had been trimmed down, like fingernails, so they were not able to sting."

Why didn't you touch the stingrays?

Deef: "I was scared that they would bite me. And because Grandpa said, 'Look behind you!' and there was a stingray behind me. I'm just not used to them."

Would you go on a Disney cruise again?

Allie: "Yes, totally!"

Deef: "Yeah!"

Sue: "The savings account is already in place. I'd like to go again in about 3 years."

What would you do differently the next time?

Allie: "I'd like to meet the captain of the ship."

Sue: "I would avoid staying at the Disney Resort hotels before and after the trip. I'd also avoid traveling during spring break time. With the money we'd save on airfare and cruise prices by going at an off-peak travel time and staying at a less expensive hotel, we could do a 7 day cruise instead of a 4 day cruise. I'd also wear the patch for motion sickness."

Anything else you'd like to share about your vacation?

Allie: "The glass bottom boat ride was really cool. I got to see the fish and we fed them dried oatmeal."

Deef: "I had lots of fun. It was my first time riding in an airplane. I also liked sitting in the hot tub and sleeping in the top bunk in Grandma's room."

Sue: "If you're at all considering a trip like this...it's well worth it!"

Disney Cruise: Castaway Cay

On our third, and last full day at sea, the ship was docked at the private Disney island called Castaway Cay.

Just imagine...all the comfort, convenience, and service you've gotten used to on board the ship has now followed you onto a tropical island paradise!

We had two excursions planned for the morning.

Grandma took the girls on a glass bottom boat ride...

...while Grandpa, Jason, and I headed out to the same area of the reef to snorkel.

We saw a lot of pretty fish (just think "Finding Nemo") including a school of baby jellyfish. And yes, we all got stung and lived to tell about it.

In the afternoon, we all went to Castaway Ray's to learn about and feed the stingrays.

Allie could hardly believe that she was going to have the chance to actually snorkel.

Meredith, on the other hand, was like "You want me to touch what? No thanks".

I have to admit, I was a little freaked out by the stingrays. But I'm glad we all had the chance to experience it (or not).

Grandma, Grandpa, and Meredith headed back to the ship in the mid-afternoon. Meanwhile, Allie and I had fun floating in the ocean while Jason worked on his tan. On our way back to board the ship we came across the most unlikely island inhabitant...a cat!

Up Next: It's question and answer time!

Sue, Allie, and Meredith answer blog readers questions about our Disney Cruise vacation. So if there is anything you'd like to know, now is the time to ask!