What a fun surprise! I was running around the house getting ready for tomorrow's BIG open house when I glanced down at my phone to check Facebook. I noticed that one of my demonstrator friends had just posted that her cruise documents had arrived. OH MY GOSH! The day the cruise documents arrive are one of the best days of the year! I wasn't expecting them until next week! But, there was one catch - the person who received them lives in Canada. Sometimes the Canadian demos receive things a day or two before or after us. So, I tried to be patient and tell myself that I wasn't getting mine. None of my US demo friends and said anything yet. And, it was noon. Surely someone else had received them by now! Then I heard the UPS truck. They have a distinct sound, don't they? He had stopped at a neighbor's house three doors down. I ran to my front door. I watched him climb in, start up the truck, and start driving towards my house! I didn't think he was going to stop, but he did. I was straining my neck to see if he had an envelope. And he pulled one out! I ran out the door, barreled down the steps, and started yelling - "Is it for me? Is it for me?" It wasn't my UPS guy and this guy had no sense of humor. He didn't respond. He didn't walk faster. He didn't even LOOK at the crazy woman running towards him! But, yes, it was for me. And, it said "Next Day Air". It was my cruise documents!
I contained myself so that I could take a picture and show you just what I saw. HOLY COW! THESE ARE GORGEOUS! Now, you may be wondering why I'm SO excited! These documents (and the packaging) usually reveal several pieces of information:
- The theme for the trip
- The BAG we get and any other coordinating items usually match the cruise doc packaging. For example, last cruise we received a travel document "wallet" that was teal with floral lining. We received a clutch AND a bag on the cruise that matched. Same thing with the Hawaiian trip and the Founder's Circle trip.
- The documents give us the agenda and tell us what SU events are planned for us (and our spouses).
Are you ready? I REALLY had to control myself to take each of these pictures. Then I let myself sit back for AN HOUR and digest everything inside!
Isn't this little agenda/organizer GORGEOUS??? I love how all of the new goodies from SU have a piece of rubber somewhere! My sweater from FC has a rubber tag on one sleeve. My purse from Leadership has a rubber tag sewn into the lining. And this agenda has a rubber tag that coordinates with the Curly Label Punch. LOVE IT!!! So bright and cheery!
So, what was inside??? This is EXACTLY how it looked. I didn't touch a thing. I see name tags, luggage tags, a booklet of some sort, and there were a couple of other items hidden in other pockets that you can't see here.
And here's ALMOST everything pulled out. There was a "savings booklet" for our cruise ship tucked inside a pocket that I didn't find until later. Aren't those luggage tags the cutest? The "band" is actually rubber. LOVE IT! We actually lost one of the snazzy luggage tags last year because they didn't clip real well. We shouldn't have that problem this year. And they each say "Stampin' Up! 2011"
The booklet is AWESOME! It gives us our agenda for each day. BUT, it also has places for us to make notes and journal about the trip! I love journalling about my trips, but I haven't done much of that since I created my blogs. I'm going to try to fill it each day with my highlights. But, here are some of the things we have to look forward to:
- Day 1 - we have an hour-long "Icebreaker" with the Corporate Team and Shelli in one of the lounges on the ship. It'll be nice to meet up with all of my demonstrator friends again, too!
- Day 1 - we can stop by the "Trading Post" to visit with the SU events staff, pick up our cruise jackets, spin the prize wheel, take photos of the display boards, and more! There's even a "Man Station" where the spouses can hang out while we spin the wheel. They've never done that before (at least since I've earned the trip).
- Day 2 - General Session - WOO HOO - This is where we might see some sneak peeks of things coming in the next catalog! There are door prizes (I won one last year). But, the best part about this meeting....they will tell us where we get to go in 2013!!! Max told me that it's a pretty cool trip. The tease!
- Day 2 - The spouses can attend a "Fly Fishing Demo" with one of the Corporate Team members, Dave Baugh. And, they even have a chance to win a Fly Fishing Excursion with Dave while we're in Juneau! What fun! They seem to be really trying to involve the spouses this year!
- Day 3 - I've been invited to enjoy dinner with Dave Baugh and Chad Richards - two members of the Corporate Team! These invitations are such an honor to receive! I can't wait to sit and chat and see what they want to pick my brain about!
- Day 4 - No specific SU events are planned other than visiting the Trading Post to spin the prize wheel!!!
- Day 5 - Share Night! This is a fun event. Demonstrators bring their "best work" to display or demonstrate. It's amazing to see the projects. I will definitely be there!!!
- Day 6 - Make & Takes - WOO HOO!!! This is where we get to play with some of the new products. I wonder what we'll get and what we'll make this year!!!
- Day 6 - While the women are makin' and takin', the men can participate in a 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament with the men from the Corporate Team. How fun is that?!?!!?
- Day 7&8 - No specific SU events are planned other than visiting the Trading Post to spin the prize wheel!!!


