Vacation, all I ever wanted...

Vacation, had to get away...

Little did I know when this trip was planned last November just how much I would need to get away.  After this winter of zero degree temperatures and shoveling snow everyday, it was time for a little vacation.

Destination: the Southern Carribean
Mode of Transportation: Cruise ship
Cast of Characters: Me and 4 of my BFFs

Let the review begin!

Our cruise was the April 26, 2014 sailing of Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas out of Puerto Rico. We flew down on Friday the 25^th. It is always advisable to fly down the day before a cruise. There are too many things that can go wrong the day of the cruise. Thunderstorms, high winds, mechanical malfunctions…we were not going to miss the ship.

Our car service came at 8:00 am and we were at the airport by 9:00 am. After a nice breakfast at the airport, we boarded our 11:35 am flight and were in Puerto Rico by 4:00 pm. It was sunny and 90 degrees when we arrived! Much better than the cloudy, 60 degree weather we left behind.

We were staying at the Embassy Suites San Juan. It was literally 7 minutes from the airport, very convenient. 

I would highly recommend this hotel. It was clean and the service was great. Amenities included Happy Hour from 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm. and breakfast the next morning. These features weren’t shabby. Happy Hour included alcoholic drinks (they were giving each person two of what they asked for), chips, salsa and popcorn. Breakfast included a fresh-made omelet station. It also had a beautiful pool, hot tub and casino.

After a short walk to the beach, we indulged in the Happy Hour as an appetizer before dinner. We had dinner at The Outback, which was one of the restaurant venues in the hotel. Delish!

Exhausted, we headed up to our rooms to get some sleep. But who could sleep? We were going on a cruise tomorrow!

Almost Famous?

Maybe famous?

Show of hands: How many of you have seen someone famous? Unless you live in a cave, I think most of us have seen a famous person. We watch TV, go to concerts, and take part in the occasional baseball game.

Now, how many of you know someone famous? Not quite as many. My brush with fame, I worked with someone that was an extra in the movie "New Year's Eve".

Now, how many of you can say you are related to someone famous? Me, me, me...I can. I am actually related to someone famous. And who is that you may ask? My mom.

About a week before Thanksgiving, I was driving to Hoboken when my cell phone started ringing. My caller ID indicated that it was a woman from my mom's church—all kinds of thoughts went through my mind. The only reason I would get a call from mom's church is because something was wrong. The scenarios played out in my head. She had taken a fall or was being rushed to the hospital! Boy was I wrong.

For those of you that know my mom, you know how involved she is in her church. One thing in particular that she has gotten involved with over the years is the church's preschool. As a way to thank her for her years of service and dedication, the preschool wanted to do something special. Usually this sort of thing is done after the person has passed away and they never know that something wonderful was done for them, but they wanted to do it while she was still around to enjoy it.

I know you're all waiting to know what they did.

Are you ready?

They named a library after her! The Elsie Muller Children's Library, dedicated on December 5, 2013.

How. Cool. Is. This. A hundred years from now when we are all long gone her name will be around for all to see.

So yeah, I am related to someone famous, definitely famous.

Love you mom!

Until next time...

365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months...

525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year?

I thought I would start the new year off by sharing some of my goals for the year. Goals, not resolutions. Resolutions tend to get broken within the first week of being made. With a goal, At least I have a fighting chance of actually completing them. I have broken these goals into three aspects of my life, well-being, financial, and hobby.

365 days
My well-being goal for this year is to exercise in some form everyday. Piece of cake, right? While this may seem like a no-brainer, I think it will prove to be harder than it looks. I work full-time, have a house to take care of and a pretty active social life. Actually setting aside some time everyday is the challenge. Will it happen? I'll let you know a year from now.

52 weeks
This goal came from my daughter. It has to do with money, something we never seem to have enough of. She found this challenge online and proposed we do it.

Whatever the week of the year is it, save that amount of money. It's pretty simple, requires a little discipline and is very doable. The added bonus? When we complete it, I see a nice vacation in our future.

12 months
You may or may not know that my hobby is quilting. My love of sewing started in 7th grade in Mrs. Kuca's home ec class. I started quilting about 25 years ago. I am very passionate about it, but I never seem to have enough time for it (too much Candy Crush maybe??). The goal for this is to complete 12 projects over the next year. I have a number of things started, things I want to do and things that just need finishing. Sounds easy, but I tend to get side-tracked, especially in the summer. I have been known to go months without stepping into my sewing room. I want to break this cycle and I will do it this year!

We are 3 days into the new year. YES! So far I have found time for exercise every day (shoveling snow at 8 am this morning is quite a workout), I put my dollar in the jar for week one, and the quilt that I have been working on for the past 3 years is nearing completion.

How are you doing with your goals?

Until next time...