Carnival Dream

On Saturday, we flew into New Orleans, with a layover in Denver.   We ate dinner at Sam's Seafood and Grill and got dessert at Cafe Du Monde in the Esplanade Mall.  We drove around downtown and went and found the cruise port.

On Sunday, we embarked onto the Carnival Dream.  We were in Cabin 9406.  I won One Hit Wonder trivia and got a ship on a stick.  We went and listened to Sweet Chin Music band.  We went to the Welcome Aboard Show and Rock the Promenade.

 

Monday was a day at sea.  We watched the Morning show.  We went to the Fun Ashore, Fun Aboard talk.  We watched the Single Ladies Dance Class. It was our first Formal night.  The waiters danced to Celebration from Kool and the Gang.  We went and saw the comedian/juggler, Tommy Drake.  We saw the show, Motor City and attended Motown Showdown.

On Tuesday,  we watched the Dr. Suess Storytime, where the Cruise Director, Lee Mason, read Horton Hears a Who.  We went to Creativity at Sea and embroidered some ship theme fabric.  We docked in Costa Maya, Mexico.    Mom and I went shopping, while Dad went to the Chaccoben Mayan Ruins.  I tied for first place in Beatles Trivia, and got a ship ribbon.  We went and saw the comedian, J.R. Brow.  We listened to the band.  We went to the Love and Marriage show.  We went to the 80's Rock and Glow deck party.

On Wednesday, We docked in Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Honduras.  We went on the Sea and See Island Tour.  We got on a glass bottom boat and saw a coral reef.  We went shopping in the West End.  We also went to the Rum Cake Factory and Cameo Factory.  We went and saw the show, 80's Pop to the Max.  We listened to Acoustic Jams with Flowoptuous.  We watched the mini Lip Sync Battle in the atrium.  We went to Carnival Quest.

On Thursday, we tendered into Belize.  Dad went snorkeling and Mom and I stayed on the ship and finished our sewing project.  I went and played Movie Quotes Trivia.  It was our second formal night. The waiters danced to I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas.  We listened to Sweet Chin Music.  We went and saw the show, Flick.  We went to Movie Tunes Trivia.

On Friday, we docked in Cozumel.  It was May the Fourth, so I wore my Star Wars shirt.   We went shopping in port.  I went to 80's Song trivia.  We went and saw the comedians, Shayma Tash and Jason Blanchard.  We went and saw the show, America Rocks.  We went to the Mega Deck Party and Caliente Under the Stars.

Saturday was our second day at sea.   It was also Cinco De Mayo.  We watched the Morning show and attended Country Trivia.  We watched Speak Out and played Cinco De Mayo trivia.  Dad bought Mom a bear for Groove for St. Jude and we went to Cinco De Mayo Deck Party.  We went to the Q and Awesome with Lee.  Our waiters sang, Leavin' on a Fun Ship.  We went and watched Lip Sync Battle.  We went to the Mardi Gras Party in the atrium.

On Sunday, we got off the ship in New Orleans. We went to the Esplanade mall and had some more beignets.  We walked around the French Quarter.  As we arrived, the Carnival Dream was sailing away.  We went to Jackson Square and saw where Streetcar Named Desire was filmed.  We went to Bourbon street and had dinner at Cafe Beignet in the Music Legends Hall while a band played Frank Sinatra music.  We went to the LaLaurie Mansion, which is haunted and was featured on American Horror Story: Coven.  

On Monday,  We went to the French Market.  We went to the Riverwalk and saw the Carnival Triumph.  We drove around the Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery.  We ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory at the Lakeview Mall.

On Tuesday, we flew home, with a layover in Dallas.

I finished my embroidery from Creativity at Sea.  

New Orleans Playlist

At Last by Etta James
Almost There from Princess and the Frog
Blue Bayou by Roy Orbison
Born on the Bayou by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Born to Be Wild by Steppenwolf
Born Under a Bad Sign by Albert King
Brown Sugar by The Rolling Stones
Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man from Show Boat
Carnival Time by Al Johnson
Church Bells by Carrie Underwood
Christmas in Dixie by Alabama
Dark Lady by Cher
Dixie by Elvis Presley
Do You Know the Way to Miss New Orleans? by Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday

Down by Miranda Lambert
Down in New Orleans from Princess and the Frog
Exs and Ohs by Elle King
Frankie and Johnny by Sam Cooke
Friends on The Other Side from Princess and the Frog
Hold on, I'm Comin' by Sam and Dave
Honky Cat by Elton John
House of the Rising Sun by The Animals
I Put a Spell on You by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Iko Iko
Indian Red
In the Midnight Hour by Wilson Pickett
Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry
Jump, Jive, and Wail by the Brian Setzer Orchestra
Knock on Wood by Eddie Floyd
Lady Marmalade by Patti LaBelle
Lean on Me
Louisiana 1927 by Randy Newman
Louisiana Rain by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man by Loretta Lynn And Conway Twitty
Marie Laveau by Bobby Bare
Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin
Mr. Bonjangles by Sammy Davis Jr.
Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan
New Orleans Ladies by LaRoux
Ol' Man River from Show Boat
Only You
Proud Mary by Tina Turner
Queen of the Night by Whitney Houston
Soul Man by Sam and Dave
Southern Nights by Glen Campbell
Spooky by The Classics IV
St. James Infirmary Blues by Louis Armstrong
Superstition by Stevie Wonder
Take Me to the River by Al Green
Tangled Up in Blue by Bob Dylan
The Thrill is Gone by B.B. King
Tie My Hand by Lil Wayne feat. Robin Thicke
Truckin' by the Grateful Dead
Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix
Voodoo Doll by Heart
Walking to New Orleans by Fats Domino
When the Saints Go Marching In
You Never Can Tell by Chuck Berry

Spring Has Sprung

April Showers

I bought this wooden umbrella at a Thrift store, and decided it would be a nice decoration for April.  I had to paint it as well.

California

On Friday, we flew to Long Beach.  We stayed at the Ayres Suites in Mission Viejo.  We went to Tender Greens at the Irvine Spectrum for dinner.

On Saturday, we went to Target.  We went to Mission Viejo Mall to get some clothes for my niece and nephew.  We went to Downtown Disney and ate lunch at Tortilla Jo's.  For dessert, I got some mini cupcakes at Sprinkles.

On Sunday,  We went to Kohl's.  We went to church.  We went to Panera Bread for lunch.

On Monday,  We went to Irvine Spectrum and had lunch at Chipotle.  We babysat my niece and nephew.  We watched the movie, Leap!  We went to Pitfire in Newport for Dinner.  We went to Carter's to get some clothes for my nephew who is due in April.  For dessert, we went to Dolce Gelato in Laguna.

On Tuesday, we flew home.

Bold Brass Playlist

The Bitch is Back by Elton John
Birthday by Katy Perry
Brick House by the Commodores
Chapel of Love
Crazy in Love by Beyonce
Focus by Ariana Grande
For No One by the Beatles
Got to Get You into My Life by The Beatles
I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me by Expose
It's Not Unusual by Tom Jones
Kashmir by Led Zeppelin
Love Shack by the B-52's
Love So Soft by Kelly Clarkson
Moondance by Van Morrison
Penny Lane by the Beatles
The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 by Bob Dylan
Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder
Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel
Spinning Wheel by Blood, Sweat, and Tears
Superstition by Stevie Wonder
25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago
(They Long to Be) Close to You by The Carpenters
Vehicle by Ides of March
When the Saints Go Marching In by Louis Armstrong
Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin
You Made Me So Very Happy by Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Daisy's Nest

Daisy has taken over a purple flower bush in the backyard, she likes to lay in it like she is a bird in a nest.

Look a Likes

I used the Google Arts and Culture app to see my look a like painting and this was my result:

Music of 2017

Albums of 2017:

• Barry Manilow: This is My Town: Songs of New York
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
• The Greatest Showman
• Harry Styles: Harry Styles
• John Mayer: The Search for Everything
• Katy Perry: Witness
• Kelly Clarkson: Meaning of Life
• Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues
• Pitch Perfect 3
• Seth McFarlane: In Full Swing

Albums I bought:

• Barry Manilow: This is My Town: Songs of New York
• Beauty and the Beast  Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
• The Greatest Showman
• Gwen Stefani:  You Make It Feel Like Christmas
• John Mayer: The Search for Everything
• Kelly Clarkson: Meaning of Life
• La La Land: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
• Lea Michele: Places
• Maroon 5: Red Pill Blues
• 98 Degrees: Let it Snow
• Pitch Perfect 3 
• Reba McEntire: My Kind of Christmas
• Seth McFarlane: In Full Swing
• Star: The Television Soundtrack
• Taylor Swift: Reputation

Most Listened to Songs:

• Dude (Looks Like a Lady) by Aerosmith
• 24K Magic by Bruno Mars
• (I've Had) The Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
• On Broadway by George Benson
• Love Shack by the B-52's
• If You Were Here by Cary Brothers
• Hotel California by the Eagles
• December 1963 by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
• Magic by Olivia Newton-John
• Turn Up the Radio by Autograph

Soundtracks:

• Baby Driver
• Beauty and the Beast (2017)
• Cars 3
• Despicable Me 3
• The Greatest Showman
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
• Kong: Skull Island
• Pitch Perfect 3 

Songs of 2017:

• Shape of You by Ed Sheeran
• Love So Soft by Kelly Clarkson
• Sign of the Times by Harry Styles
• Believer by Imagine Dragons
• Help Me Out by Maroon 5 and Julia Michaels
• Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato
• You Already Know by Fergie and Nicki Minaj
• Swish Swish by Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj
• Look What You Made Me Do by Taylor Swift
• Too Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith

Books of 2017

Books I Read in 2017:

• After Alice by Gregory Maguire
• All the Rage by Courtney Summers
• Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
• American Gods by Neil Gaiman
• Astray by Emma Donoghue
• At the Bottom of Everything by Ben Dolnick
• Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
• Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
• Camp by Elaine Wolf
• Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
• Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick
• Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
• The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren by Gerald Brittle
• The Disputable History of Frankie Laundau-Banks by E. Lockhart
• The Diviners by Libba Bray
• Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
• An Ember in The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
• Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway
• Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
• Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
• The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
• Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
• From Excuses to Excursions: How I Started Traveling the World by Gloria Atanmo
• The Geography Between You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
• Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
• Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Heartless by Marissa Meyer
• The Horse Dancer by JoJo Moyes
• Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
• Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
• I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios 
• The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
• Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
• Kids of Appetite by David Arnold
• Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
• Killing Reagan by Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard
• Landline by Rainbow Rowell
• The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand
• The Last Tycoon by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Leave Me by Gayle Forman
• Let it Snow by John Green
• Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs
• The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
• Love and Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
• The Luxe by Ann Godberson
• The Marrying Type by Laura Chapman
• The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
• The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin
• Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
• The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust by Edith Hahn Beer
• Now You See Me by Kathy Sanders
• The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
• One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
• One True Thing by B.J. Novak
• Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
• Panic by Lauren Oliver
• The Passage by Justin Cronin
• Paula by Isabel Allende
• Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
• The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine
• The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
• The Secrets of Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
• The Shack by William P. Young
• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
• The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes
• Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld 
• The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
• A Sudden Light by Garth Stein
• The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
• There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
• These Broken Stars by Annie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
• Torch by Cheryl Strayed
• Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
• Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
• The Twilight Wife by AJ Banner
• Us by David Nicholls
• Weird Girl and What's His Name by Meagan Brothers
• What Light by Jay Asher
• Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
• Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith
• Wonder by R.J. Palaccio
• The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
• The World Without You by Joshua Henkin
• You Know Me Well by Nina Lacour and David Leviathan

Best Books I Read in 2017:

• Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
• Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
• The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin
• Now You See Me by Kathy Sanders
• The Shack by William Paul Young
• The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
• The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
• Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
• The Twilight Wife by AJ Banner
• Wonder by  R.J. Palaccio

Best Book Series:

• Bridget Jones by Helen Fielding
• An Ember in The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
• Hercule Poirot by Agatha Christie
• Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
• Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
• To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han

Best Books Published in 2017:

• Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han.
• Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
• Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
• Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste NG
• There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
• Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
• Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

Gingerbread House

I decorated a Gingerbread house.