Our Cruise Cost so far...

Budget friendly vacation is always my top priority. But I have never been the type who can totally stick to the budget. Hence, I'm really attracted to cruising since the cost is pretty much fixed. Unless, we go on a shopping spree at the port or have $100 meal. Typically, I don't really budget on how much we want to spend on vacation. For this trip, I will be happy if we can keep it under $3000. Let's see what is the cost so far:

Carnival Cruise cost for 2 adults and 2 children : $2,012.40
Port Excursion - Grand Cayman (Stingray City Tour) : $132.00
Port Excursion - Orcho Rio (Bamboo Club) : $168.00
Port Excursion - Cozumel (Chankanaab National Park tickets) : $48.00
Transportation in Cozumel approx. : $20.00
Food and shopping : $120.00

So I think this will be the first time that I will have rough idea of our vacation budget. So far if I can keep everything in this range we will come under budget by $500. Not bad for a 7 days vacation in the carribean for a family of 4!

The rundown on Helen's trip

Now that we are in the budget mode. I want to look back at our weekend trip to Helen and analyze our spending.

Lodging for 2 nights : $358.76

Food & Dining : $174.39

Shopping & Entertaining : $101.55

Total for this fun family weekend : $634.70

A weekend with your kids and new puppy : PRICELESS

We got a room!

Don't get a wrong idea! This is family-friendly blog after all. We have a confirmed room for our Carnival Cruise this May. When we booked a cruise, I opted for the cheapest ticket which is Guarantee Room. It means I am guaranteed a room for at least the same category as I booked but I won't know my room until closer to the sailing date. I just checked my reservation today and found that they have assigned a room for us.

I was afraid that we will get a room at the bottom of the ship (which is probably where will be even if we reserve a room since that's all we can afford). But to my surprise I have a room up on the Verandah deck. The location of the room is perfect as well. This deck is one deck below the pool and the buffet area. What a bonus!! We don't need to wait for the elevator to get to food and fun!! I mean there is a chance that it might be noisy at night. But I'm sure that we will be too tired to care anyway. And based on information I gathered during my research the higher the deck the more expensive it is.. So I will say we got a good deal on this one!

I have also completed the pre-cruise registration and ready to print out my Fun Pass..

The last step on preparing for this cruise is comfirming the reservation for the excursion in Grand Cayman. We decided to go with Buccaneer Stingray City Catamaran excursion. The main reason is that I have never been on a catamaran before so it will be nice to get to sail in it. Now I just have to wait to get email back from them.

41 more days to go!!!!

Target Free Tuesday at Imagine It! Atlanta

This week is a spring break week here for us in Atlanta area. I will take Tuesday off to stay home for Miss J. So we are looking for something fun and budget-friendly to do around here.

My neighbor is thinking about going to Imagine It! Children's Museum. So I was checking out their website to see how much the ticket is and other info. I then found a link for Target Free Second Tuesdays. It's a promotion sponsor by my beloved Target for a free admission on Tuesday from 1-7pm. What a deal!!! I will be saving $33 in admisstion fee alone. I couldn't possibly pass that up.

I just hope that I can get in since with the deal like this and at the time of spring break it might be hard to fight for free tickets. Well, we will see!

I have been domesticated!

Yup.. I have never thought in my lifetime that I will make pancake and waffle in the morning from scratch. Ok.. Not entirely from scratch I use Bisquick but that's already too many steps for my book. I mean we normally eat pancake and waffle but it comes in the box by Eggo. :)

Last week, I went grocery shopping at Kroger for the huge sale and it dawned on me that I could feed my family breakfast for just a fraction of the cost we are paying for a box of eggo.

This morning, I whipped up blueberry pancake, chocolate chip pancake and chocolate chip waffle. It was so much easier than I thought. I made enough for a few more days so that I can just heat it up on the school day. Those days I don't have time to make it like this even though it doesn't take long.

So that's right my friend. I have moved up one notch of this housewife thing. Pad on the back for me and now I have 1 week worth of pancake.

Miss J got I.N.K.

Yesterday was Miss J's field trip with her kindergarten class. This trip they went to I.N.K. This is her 2nd trip there already. She went there last year with her Pre-K school. I have yet to make it there... What is I.N.K you asked?

I.N.K is for Interactive Neighborhood for Kids. It's a children museum in Gainesville, GA. The location is perfect as it's about 30 minutues from us and being in the suburb the admission price is more reasonable than says if it will be in downtown Atlanta.

The admission fee is $8 for any human being. Same price for adults or children. Fair enough. :)

As the name said, it's an interactive children museum that allows kids to be kids or even pretend to be adults if they desire. Miss J loves it there. I plan to take Mr. Z there one of this weekend. Since I'm sure he will love spend hours at the train section with 2 Thomas train tables. I know.. We have more than enough Thomas trains at home.. But I think it must be something about playing with others toys that more attractive than your own.