How I Survived 11 Days at WDW with a Disney-Resistant Husband **2/20 THE END **

[chepic]

Trish;

Ate in Canada's Le Cellier on our honeymoon 22 years ago, and my DH still raves about how good the food was. We are planning on eating there on our next trip. And you are right, what a perfectly horrible waste of a food credit for a $15 sandwhich!!!!

Looking forward to your photo shoot.

cheryl

 

[cdotla]

The Backstory to our Photo Session with the Roots

After 3 out of 4 of us enjoyed a delicious lunch at LeCellier, we took a leisurely 10 minute stroll back to the Beach Club.

On the way back, I reminded Chris that we were scheduled to meet photographers Nathan and Jensey Root early that evening for a family photo session over at the Boardwalk.

I have been a fan of the Roots since I first discovered them on my friend Carrie's hilarious and fabulously entertaining Wedding Trip Report.

Since then, I have been a faithful follower of this gorgeous Blog which sets forth the photographic adventures of Mr. & Mrs. Root. All the while dreaming that one day I would be lucky enough to have a Roots family photo session of my own.

Unfortunately for me, the Roots' main business focus is weddings. However, I still decided to contact them more than a year before our trip to see whether they would be willing to schedule a family photo session. Perhaps I caught them at a weak moment...perhaps they decided to take pity on me when they realized how desperate I was to have them photograph my family. Sincere flattery could not have hurt. The fact that we had friends in common can't be overlooked. I expect the deal was also probably cemented by the fact that I freely volunteered to move our session around as many times as necessary in order to accomodate their wedding bookings.

Whatever the reason, I was positively thrilled that before our trip dates were finalized, our Disney Resort Reservations were made, or our airfare was booked, I had a Roots photo session pencilled in for sometime during our trip.

Given that we had an early evening session booked with the Roots, I wanted our afternoon to be quiet and restful. So after we arrived back at the Beach Club after lunch, we quickly changed into our bathing suits and took a quick dip at the pool before making our way back to the room for a little rest. Chris fell asleep along with the kids as soon as the shades were drawn. I took the opportunity to do a little clean-up, a load of laundry, and packed away some items into the suitcases that we would no longer be needing during our stay.

I also spent some time coming up with some alternative clothing choices for the photo shoot. Although I had packed a dress and cardigan sweater to wear for the shoot, it was obvious this was not going to work. Even into the early evenings, the weather that first week of May was still scourching hot. Unfortunately the cardigan I was planning on wearing was a wool blend. Clearly, there was no way I could have lasted 5 minutes out in that heat with any type of sweater, let alone a wool blend. Which was really too bad. In giving up the dress and cardigan outfit, I was losing the pop of color that I had envisioned for the photos.

To further complicate things, I had color coordinated everyone's wardrobe for the shoot. So, once my outfit was scratched, I really had to start back at the drawing board.

This was the outfit I originally intended to wear:

And Chris' outfit:

Katie's:

And Declan's:

In the end, our wardrobes were choosen with one criteria in mind: coolness. I picked out for everyone the coolest, lightest fabrics and outfits we had in the closet. Unfortunately, in doing so, I had to give up the pop of color and bright color scheme I originally intended for the shoot. But there was simply no competing with the heat.

About mid-afternoon I jumped into the shower and started to get cleaned up. As Chris and the kids were still sleeping and I didn't want to wake them with the blowdrier, I called down to Periwigs, the Yacht & Beach Club's Salon and was able to get an appointment right away for a blow out. Perfect! There is nothing I love more than having someone else blow out my hair. And since everyone else was sound asleep, no need to feel guilty thinking I was taking time away from the family.

By the time I arrived back to the room after my blow-out, the kids and Chris were just getting up. Since we were just over an hour before we were scheduled to meet up with Nathan and Jensey, I told Chris to get a move on, hop into the shower, and I would focus on getting the kids ready.

That is when it was dropped on me that Chris had decided he was too tired and not in the mood for pictures and would not be coming.


UP NEXT - Photo Session with the Roots - Part 1

 

[chepic]

I have to tell you...I love reading about your husband....although you must find it so difficult not to pull your hair out, I chuckle because as I told you, my Dave was the same way!! For the longest time he wouldn't even go into Providence (a 15 minute drive mind you) because it would mean leaving Warwick (the city we live in). Such a RI mind set....but upon further analysis I realized he was just being stuborn. He eventually caved...especially when it comes to Disney.

cheryl

 

[cdotla]

Trish;

Ate in Canada's Le Cellier on our honeymoon 22 years ago, and my DH still raves about how good the food was. We are planning on eating there on our next trip. And you are right, what a perfectly horrible waste of a food credit for a $15 sandwhich!!!!

Looking forward to your photo shoot.

cheryl

Wow! I had no idea LeCellier was around that long!

I know ages ago it was a cafeteria. I have a vague recollection of this, but I can't be sure if I was there then or not.

Maybe one day Chris will get to taste that mushroom filet and realize what a tragic mistake he made with that sandwich!

I have to tell you...I love reading about your husband....although you must find it so difficult not to pull your hair out, I chuckle because as I told you, my Dave was the same way!! For the longest time he wouldn't even go into Providence (a 15 minute drive mind you) because it would mean leaving Warwick (the city we live in). Such a RI mind set....but upon further analysis I realized he was just being stuborn. He eventually caved...especially when it comes to Disney.

cheryl

You know...up until this point I had tried to let everything roll off my back. This was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

 

[kschafer]

That is when it was dropped on me that Chris had decided he was too tired and not in the mood for pictures and would not be coming.

NOOOOOOOOO!!! Oh Trish Now I'm dying for the rest of this story hoping he will change his mind! Or maybe that you and the kids went without him and after seeing the results, he realized how foolish he was and will never question your wisdom again (I hope! )

 

[DisneyDoc5]

The Backstory to our Photo Session with the Roots

That is when it was dropped on me that Chris had decided he was too tired and not in the mood for pictures and would not be coming.

what in the world?I would have absolutely died at this point!

 

[jagmom]

No way! Heads would roll if my husband tried to bow out of a "family" photo shoot. I can't wait to hear how it went!

 

[oboedm]

I am on the edge of my seat! I have looked at the Root's photography before and would just DIE to have at WDW session with them!

 

[cdotla]

Roots Photo Session - Part 1

Suffice to say, over the course of the next hour leading up to the Photo Session with the Roots, my family experienced some of the most unmagical moments of our trip.

For awhile I wasn't entirely sure if Chris would be joining us. I even considered whether at that point it would have been better to leave him behind. Unfortunately, the kids had picked up on the fact that Chris was not interested in standing around in the hot sun getting his picture taken, and now they weren't particularly interested in going either. So unless I wanted to have a whole bunch of photos of me...alone...frolicking along the Boardwalk I knew that I had to somehow convince my family to do this with me.

Ultimately I ended up dragging 3 unwilling participants over to the Boardwalk Inn where we were scheduled to meet up with an unsuspecting Nathan and Jensey.

Mortified and thoroughly embarrassed does not come close to describing how I felt during the photo session that evening.

I expect that the unwilling, moody, and uncooperative subjects Nathan and Jensey had the misfortune of meeting that evening were the polar opposite to the clients they typically come in contact with during their wedding photography.

Even my kids, who can be just about the most fun and loving people I know took it upon themselves to show their most obnoxious, uncooperative and defiant sides.

If every family has a handful of moments each year where their family bond and connection is broken, this was ours. Somehow, miraculously, Nathan and Jensey still managed to capture some amazing photographs of my family. Which, in my mind, shows not only how talented they are as photographers, but how personable they are as individuals.

Photo Session with the Roots - Part 2

 

[cdotla]

Roots Photo Session - Part 2

UP NEXT: Dinner in France and Illuminations

 

[pinkle]

Such wonderful pictures I'm sooooo glad you didn't have to go solo. I can't even imagine...I know that I would have had a major melt down!!!! Roots does really great work! Chris doesn't even look so unhappy .
(and your hair did look great!)

 

[SimmerBaggins]

It just goes to show you: while you know all about what was happening behind and around the picture-taking, all we see is your beautiful family. We see magic, and love, and fun, and mischief, and life -- and these moments are what you wanted to remember, I'm sure! Even if no one but you wanted to do it, these pictures epitomize everything we could imagine a Disney family vacation to be (aside from the parks) -- and I'm sure you'll treasure them.

I really like them -- they didn't get some feigned (hold still for the picture) moments -- those photographers captured the real moments.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I'm so glad you didn't leave us hanging for too long Trish. I caught the backdrop of your Roots thread and moved away rather than respond because I felt so awful for you.

Your shots from Roots are FANTASTIC and I'm pretty sure that the entire family are looking at them fondly....NOW. And your hair looks amazing too; time and money well spent!

 

[mermaid764]

If I hadn't heard the backstory before looking at the photos, I would never have guessed the circumstances that happened before so.

They turned out Amazing! and the photographers are sooo talented to think up so many of those poses.

Luckily you were able to convince the rest of your family to go after all

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Thank you so much for sharing your pictures...they are AMAZING and I'm sure everyone in the family will appreciate looking at them later on especially your husband. Your family looks so wonderful.

 

[kschafer]

WHEW!!!!! What a relief!

I think the candids are so great! They caught some really great candid shots - you all look great!!

 

[kate_wdw]

What fantastic pictures! I hope you got at least one good "I told you so" out of them

 

[Glite]

I've only read your intro paragraph, Trish, and I'm in!

We leave in 33.5 HOURS for our first family vacation ever (and my only vacation with my DH since our honeymoon 5 years ago!) and my DH respond to 100% of (what he has named) my "Disney talk" with "shhhhh..." It's just me, DH and our DD who is almost two. and I am SO excited to show her "the World." ......and daddy's coming too. I pray daily that he is just hiding his excitement, and that the magic of Wilderness Lodge will melt his shell of "shhhh...." Ok, going back to read up on your story! If you need a good laugh (or 50), journey over to my PTR. Nice to meetcha -Stacey

You must be excited to be leaving in 1 day. DW and I are excited you you and your family. Have a blessed and wonderful time!

 

[eandesmom]

oh wow Trish, some of those are AMAZING!

And I daresay...worth the drama, heartache, headache and potential heatstroke!

 

[mkluvsmickey]

Oh man, I'm so sorry you had to go to the much anticipated photo shoot with an unwilling family. I really feel for you. But, the pictures did turn out fantastic. Like others have said, you'd never know they didn't want to be there.