Live, Laugh, Love...Dream: Mother/Daughter Cruise on the Disney Dream: Debarkation Day-Updated 3/29/11 - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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So glad to have you back writing TRs! I love hearing about you and your mother's trips. Because of your previous trips I actually got to take one with my DD for her birthday in 2009. I'm hoping there are some more in our futures!
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Dawn, you'll be boarding the day I disembark! I'll try not to leave too much of a mess for ya'!
Tara
Thanks Tara! I know you must be getting excited!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ilovedisney0_0
I am looking forward to all that you have planned! My DD and I are also getting ready for our first cruise. Mommy/Daughter vacations are the best!
Completely agree! Love my Momma/Daughter trips!
Quote:
Originally Posted by disneydani
Glad you are TRing again, Dawn! This will be a fabulous trip, for sure.
danielle
Quote:
Originally Posted by lexiemom
So glad I found your TR! I have always enjoyed your mother/daughter TRs!
Great start!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grammy Grumpy
So glad to have you back writing TRs! I love hearing about you and your mother's trips. Because of your previous trips I actually got to take one with my DD for her birthday in 2009. I'm hoping there are some more in our futures!
Can't wait for more!
Thanks! I'm really glad I dipped my toes back in. I'm having fun with it!
Barb: I hope there are more trips for you and daughter!
Quote:
Originally Posted by NanaTink
Wonderful start, Dawn! Can't wait to read all about your cruise with your mom! Sounds like the two of you are going to have a wonderful time!
Your Mema sounds like my kind of lady, and I hope my granddaughter remembers her Mema with the same love and happiness!
I haven't had the pleasure in meeting you but from what I have know, I am sure your grand-daughters will!
The Theme Gifts Begin and Apparel Decisions--Pre-Trip--Updated 1/23/11
The Theme Gifts Begin and Apparel Decisions
After booking the cruise, we were 8 months out and 5 ½ months out before we could book anything for on board meals and excursions. So what do we do to pass the time? I immediately ordered a PassPorter Cruise book for my mom so she could have something to peruse to determine if there was anything that she wanted to do in Nassau and Castaway Cay. Since this was her first cruise in 20 years, it gave her other valuable info and questions where a daily phone call was not uncommon.
One weekend in August, my mom came to visit, and made the normal stops at Michaels, Joanns, and Archivers. With each trip we have taken, I do make a scrapbook for the each of us. Having been successful for the past three trips in finding the PERFECT scrapbook that meets the theme, I was wondering if I was going to have luck with this trip. Well, the scrapping gods were on our side as it took 2 minutes after walking into the scrapbook album aisle at Joanns to see this:
Absolutely no hesitation on the part of my mom and me, and two albums were bought that day as the first of the “theme” items for the cruise. Another tradition we stated on trip two was finding a champagne flute/ wine glass in our theme. I spent hours looking online for something, but I found nothing. Remember what I said previously if my mom can’t find what she wants, she makes it herself. Well this time, she found someone that could make it for her as she’s not a painter. As one of my birthday presents this year, I was given this:
You can’t see it real well, but it does state “Live, Laugh, Love” between the flower petals. The picture just doesn’t do it justice.
Christmas brought its own exchange of themed items from one another. I found a frame almost immediately after booking the cruise that had been stored away until this moment. (And of course, I bought one for myself.) Yet another tradition is taken care of. Mom went with jewelry. Even though she knows I don’t take off the necklace that Chuck got me back in 2003, she figured just this one time, I could wear what she got me. She got hers in gold and sterling silver, and mine is complete sterling silver.
Mom had one more gift but it didn’t have to do with theme. The watches still have the tabs in them; therefore, they have not started. At the Sail-Away Party, she wants us to remove the tabs to signify the beginning of our trip. Mine is the one pictured, and hers is the same watch but with a circle.
Now, I will tell you that on our previous trips, my mom has a little gift for each day of our trip that appears on my pillow when I am usually in the bathroom getting ready for the day. (Yes, I am a little spoiled by my momma!) She tells me that this trip will be no different. I, on the other hand, tend to get one gift that I give her at the beginning of the trip that commemorates the trip as a whole. I have been searching for a couple of months for something that fits my mom’s personality and still within the theme of the trip. I hemmed and hawed over many different items, and it wasn’t until TODAY that I found the perfect item. I was searching Amazon and at the bottom of a search page was a link to Things Remembered that had an item with our theme on it. Within minutes, it was purchased. It has sparkles; it has our theme; and it is truly perfect. I had it engraved with Disney Dream; Mother/ Daughter Cruise; February 13-17, 2011.
She is coming over the day before we fly out, so I will give it to her that night so she won’t have to worry about packing it and me flying with it.
Apparel…now this is a subject my mom loves. I mean truly loves. And mom has been her creative self and has created a shirt for us to wear the day we board the ship. Once again, it’s a little out of my comfort zone as far as my apparel goes, but I will wear it happily. Truthfully, this shirt isn’t as sparkly and out there as the one on our last trip, but don’t tell my mom.
Apparently there is another shirt in the works but she won’t tell me much about it which always has me worried. She won’t say much other than she won’t add some of the stuff until I see it the night before we leave in case I think it is too “out there” the way it is. I’ll make sure to get a picture of this item that night for sharing as I have no doubt that it will be interesting.
It wasn’t until about two weeks ago that mom decided she wanted to dress for pirate night on the cruise. This decision resulted in a mad search for “pirate” type shirts, sashes, and such. Thanks to the wonderful world of eBay, we found some poet shirts that are tame enough to wear even after the cruise with a pair of jeans. Mom is jazzing hers up a bit, but I am keeping mine plain. Yes, I know I am a fuddy duddy. We each found sashes at different places. Hers is full of sequins in a turquoise color. Mine is satin in red. She has mentioned some other articles like a rhinestone eye patch and sequined head bandana that she is considering. I will find out what other items she has purchased once on the ship as she has been hush-hush.
Mom has been working on her wardrobe for this trip for months. She has switched things out time and time again. I keep telling her that it is only a 4 night cruise. I won’t lie and say I don’t over-pack but I have gotten a lot better over the years. Mom is a habitual over-packer. I am scared on what kind of luggage count we are going to have. I did give her my other large suitcase to use in hopes she can get everything in there. My wardrobe choices have been limited so far. My futon in the guest bedroom has been my repository of items that I plan on taking. The only items that are for certain are the “formal” night dress, pirate night apparel, and what I am wearing the day we board. I am truly struggling. I have a few weeks to figure it all out. It might be the night before we leave, but hey, that’s okay.
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I'll try not to leave too much of a mess for ya'! 
I’ll make sure to get a picture of this item that night for sharing as I have no doubt that it will be interesting. 
We each found sashes at different places. Hers is full of sequins in a turquoise color. Mine is satin in red. She has mentioned some other articles like a rhinestone eye patch and sequined head bandana that she is considering. I will find out what other items she has purchased once on the ship as she has been hush-hush. 
Your mom sounds adorable!!!
PassPorter Guide Author
What an amazing time you're going to have with your Mom! 
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