Overwhelmed

I am overwhelmed. I have so much to write about and don't even know where to start. Actually I need to find time to do it. I haven't posted all the pictures from vacation, actually noticed that I haven't posted all the art camp pictures on my business facebook page. I need an IT person for my shop and someone to go online and do my state taxes, I am late. I am not an IT person or an accountant. I would love to be able to just paint and create with others.

My house is a mess, I am behind in paperwork on many fronts. Our foster care licensing is at a standstill due to issues related with Kassi. Noah is growing so fast and turned one today! Such a sweet, chunky boy.  

My mom is doing well and survived the week. My only concern was a cut across her arm. I believe that the drawer under her table ran across it. I hit it occasionally but she lets me know and I recognize the problem. I found a square screwdriver and removed that drawer. Her original social worker texted me on Sunday to see how things went. I haven't had time to put my complaints on paper.

Did I mention that my house is a mess. Yes, and the laundry. Ack. I need help, something like a wife would be helpful.

The entire time I was gone I was receiving messages about parties. I had posted that we were closed but in this day of computers we are always connected in some way. I put everyone off because I left my calendar at home. I am still working on scheduling everyone and January is full.

I guess I need to backtrack. 

We traveled to Fort Lauderdale and spent the night in a hotel. It was a long, uneventful trip. The hotel was better than the many reviews I had read. We needed four rooms and were limited in hotels. The next morning everything was fine. We got the cars parked in the cheaper parking area and transferred to the ship and the long lines. Benjamin tired of the lines and tried to run away. This got us put in a shorter line not next to the main road, haha. Vaida wasn't being any more cooperative and everyone was seriously stressed when I insisted that we all meet up and take a picture. Guess what, I love the picture. I thought that with everyone on edge it would be awful. For the most part this is our crew. My brother and his wife joined us later. They were late because they had someone break into their car to steal their luggage. They had to go get their window fixed and buy some clothing for the cruise. They stayed at a different hotel.

Once we got on the ship we all ran around like crazy until we had to do the security briefing. We headed to our rooms to watch the ship leave. We were already tired of crowds. I think that the worse part of cruising is the embarkation and disembarkation. For that reason I like 7 day cruises. I can't imagine doing all those lines for a 3 or 4 day cruise.

Pictures

Shuttling from parking to the ship

Benjamin checking out the cruise ship parked next to ours, or is it moored or some such thing?

Kids to the right of us...

The last of land for a day or so....

Our cabin for the curious. It is a 4 man room.

Kids to the left of us...

View of the room from the balcony. We get balcony rooms because we have little kids, when they need down time we have to be in the room. I can't imagine being stuck in the room with little kids without a view. In our room we had myself, John, Michelle and Benjamin.

Our room was co-joined with the 4 many room of Sarah, Larissa, Emma and Charlotte.

Our towel animal the first night.

How our first night went down. Vaida determined that she wanted mimi and papi and had no interest in staying with her parents

More tomorrow.......I promise to make it back.