A Hop, NO Skip, and Many Mishaps to a Disney Dream!

[jenseib]

I am so glad your phone was turned in! It is so frustrating when things get lost. My dd lost her KTTW card last September and her cell... luckily it all worked out, but the stress is about enough to send you over the edge....and after a week of being the one to keep everyone going, I know how much a needed cry is. I think I had my good cry on our last night of our trip last September too. I sat in the bathroom and let it out.

A good cry helps sometimes. But I felt so much better....especially since I got my phone back.

Kadence loves test track too, so that is a definate in our book! Love the B&B purse(s) I'm thinking about getting a wristlet, we'll see.

You got some nice pics of Illuminatons! To be honest, it didn't catch me the Wishes does, bit we did enjoy it.

Sometimes you do need a good cry, it releases all that built up stress. I bet you felt better afterward!

Finding the phone was the best luck What a sweetie Claire is for praying for her Momma! It must have helped!


Okay, if you start your new TR while I'm gone, be kind and keep it under a 100 pages by Monday!

You are in the air right now!
I doubt I'll get too far into it, if at all started before you get back. I want to finish up the Phineas and Ferb too, or get it closer to done. I've neglected it for a few days and Claire is waiting on the video.

You're right, that cry probably did you some good. I know exactly what you mean about being dog tired and mentally exhausted by the end of a Disney trip. It happens to all of us. In fact, reading all this makes me realize why so many people do the cruise AFTER Disney to try to recoup and relax some. I'm going to have to remember that for next time. I'm so glad you found your phone though.

I actually felt like I was running around more on the cruise. But we had a lot of long days, which catches up to you after a week.

Glad you found your phone and there ARE honest peeps out there....sorry you ended up in a mommy melt down tho

Is it normal for Moms to cry at some point during a Disney trip?

Your pix of Illuminations are beautiful. Just like I remember from 4 yrs ago!


NEVER be sad a vacation is coming to an end. You have pictures and a trip report to keep you busy when you get home.

Besides...THEN it's time to plan the next vacation...and, well...THAT's the fun part!!!
(....since I don't have anything but air/rental car to plan for next year, I'm working on 2013 already! )

Yes, it is very common for a good cry!
Ok, I KNOW I have done it 3 times at Disney myself. Once in 1999 when my stupid boyfriend at the time started throwing a tantrum. It was Mothers Day too and he was just a jerk and my 2 kids weren't being much better, so I walked away from them all and sat on a bench and cried a bit. Unfortunately they found me a half hour later. I couldn't lose them if I tried.
Then in 2009 I did a bit of a cry then too. My DH was going nuts about the rain we were having at home and was on the phone a lot. While on a crowded bus back from the Hoop Dee Doo show I kept asking him how bad was it and should I call my Dad to come over and make sure our basement wasn't flooding. He was NOT nice with his answer and again...lacke of sleep after several days, and the tears started coming and I just decided not talking to him for the rest of the night was the best thing to do. The next day he said he may have to go home and while he was out for coffee...I packed his bag! But he decided to stay and then got in a much better mood.
And with this trip, I know if I hadn't lost the phone, the tears wouldn't have come...well maybe a few for leaving, but not the sobbing.
It's amazing how many people I hear tell me they had a mom meltdown...or at least one member of the family does. I persoanlly don't let it ruin the trip though. I just keep going and make the best of it I can.
Honestly though, Claire has never made me cry (knock on wood), she is usually pretty well behaved for the most part and I enjoy the time with her...it's the men that do it to us. (remember my Dad was with me this trip. )

That sounds like a long mostly fun day not counting the misshaps. I think I remember the phone story was it in your ptr? How wonderful was it that someone found it right away AND turned it in?

I had my meltdown and cried in Epcot too. We were watching the fireworks and River was NOT feeling the Disney magic and being a brat. It wan't going according to my magical plans and I lost it and started crying and told him thats it we are going home in the morning (yeah right).

Thats great you got both purses you wanted. I have 2 Disney purses but not Dooney and Bourke mine were about $25 each but I love them.

I did write about it in my PTR. My son, Michael, was king of being a brat too. We were at Universal in 1999 and he wanted to buy a VHS of terminator that was really overpriced and I told him no. He cried for an HOUR about it. We got to the point of walking ahead of him and acting like we didn't know him. We still let Paige have fun, but he wasn't allowed to do anything until he stopped crying. It was so stressfull. I think we ended up leaving because I just couldn't handle him being such a brat.

Well, I was going to say that grabbing a good place to watch Illuminations was a good way to end the day. Until.....I read about the crying spell. Sometimes, it makes me feel lots better when I get the crying out and over with. Sounds like that's what you needed. Yay for finding your phone! I'm sure that helped to dry the tears up.

I am so happy the phone was found. I could've jumped over the counter and kissed that guy. And I could've cartwheeled out of the park...but I would've probably hurt myself doing that...badly.

Well, Claire thought you were crying because you lost your phone. We all know the real reason............. the Disney trip was over.

We've all been there.

To be honest, I was wondering how you were coping with so little sleep. I guess it finally caught up to you.

I'm knew you got the phone back, but it felt good to read it after living through the experience with your story..........

Yes, Claire was about to cry for that too. In 2009 she cried and cried the day we left and begged Skip to let us stay. (I love that little girl) This trip she was ready to go home....only to go see Daddy. She's a Daddy's girl.
Just thinking about that makes me tired again. It was a long week and it seemed like as soon as Illuminations ended, the gas went out of me and reality started to catch right back up.

 

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

A good cry is always theraputic in my eyes! You poor woman, you were exhausted, missing a phone, and at the end of your rope.
I am so happy that someone turned it in! You are right, there are still honest people left in the world!

 

[jenseib]

A good cry is always theraputic in my eyes! You poor woman, you were exhausted, missing a phone, and at the end of your rope.
I am so happy that someone turned it in! You are right, there are still honest people left in the world!

I was so happy to get it back!

 

[jenseib]

Day 8,~ April 6, 2011

The alarm went of at 6 AM. I jumped out of bed and went to turn it off. I about jumped out of my skin when I turned back and ran into Claire. She was right up and at my heels. She said she was excited to go home and see Daddy. This was the kid we had to shake awake all week long!

Claire’s note for today (and I can’t remember the gift)

And I don’t think I posted the one from the day before.

She got a muppets pencil, eraser and pad of paper set this day.

I also believe that Dad finally had lift off this day! LOL!

We all got ready and went down for a quick breakfast.
When we returned I took a few last pictures of the room…and yes it is very messy.

It was time to go. We packed up the van and also hoped all our bags would be under the weight limit. I had put some of my stuff into Mom and Dads bag to distribute the weight better.
We made the drive to Sanford and Claire started having tummy troubles again. Since I needed gas and we were fairly close I made a stop at a gas station. Dad was having a fit again. He said that I had told him I always got gas at the same station every year. One that was right next to the airport and why weren’t we going there….well because my daughter was having tummy troubles, so lets kill 2 birds with one stone…..
So Mom ran Claire in and I filled up the van.
Mom and Claire returned with no success. Like I have said before, sometimes it takes a few tries for Claire before she can actually go. I did go in and buy a roll of Tums and gave Claire one.

We took off for the airport once again and of course Claire’s tummy was still troubling her. When we got to the airport I dropped the family and bags off. Mom ran Claire to the bathroom again and Dad was going to wait with the bags till I got back to help.

I took the Van to the drop off lot and made the long trek back to the airport. Mom and Claire were coming out at the same time I arrived and we had success! Claire’s belly no longer hurt! YAY!
We went to check in and I decided to put one carryon through this time. They had the free carryon offer again and I was sick of luggage at this point in time. I set my 1 bag up and it weighed only 35 pounds. I was amazed. I thought for sure it would be much more. Then my 2nd bag….50.5…UH ooH! It was over, but the lady said she wasn’t going to worry about ½ pound. Good! We also checked the stroller in this time. We did not need it again so no need to actually gate check it.

We went through security, which if I remember right, had quite a long line, but moved swiftly.
One thing I realized after I got my stuff back was that I had sent a hand sanitizer strapped on my camera bag through…not in a baggie. They never said anything about it…just let it go.
Off to the gate, with a stop at Cinnabon for a few minis. We found some seats and Mom, Claire and I headed off to the gift shop for some drinks and Claire talked Mom into a coloring thing for the plane.

We all used the potty one last time and soon it was time to board again…of course with all those people without seating assignments standing in the way of those who have 1. I understand they want to get a decent seat, but honestly, if you wanted a really good seat, then you should’ve paid for one.

 

[bubba's mom]

oh no...is it over? If so...I really enjoyed your vacation. Prolly not as much as you, but I betcha I got more sleep

You had a wonderful trip! Awesome cruise followed by great trip to the World. A shame Skip couldn't it tho. Somethin tells me you woulda had more fun w/ him than Dad ...okay, not more 'fun' per se, but how about we say 'less stress'?

Yes, it is very common for a good cry!
Ok, I KNOW I have done it 3 times at Disney myself.

It's amazing how many people I hear tell me they had a mom meltdown...or at least one member of the family does. I persoanlly don't let it ruin the trip though. I just keep going and make the best of it I can.

Ya know...when we are ready to fly home each year (cuz we don't go to WDW), it's always easy to spot those who WERE there. First give away is their souvenir bags. Second is that everyone looks absolutely exhausted!

 

[jenseib]

oh no...is it over? If so...I really enjoyed your vacation. Prolly not as much as you, but I betcha I got more sleep

You had a wonderful trip! Awesome cruise followed by great trip to the World. A shame Skip couldn't it tho. Somethin tells me you woulda had more fun w/ him than Dad ...okay, not more 'fun' per se, but how about we say 'less stress'?



Ya know...when we are ready to fly home each year (cuz we don't go to WDW), it's always easy to spot those who WERE there. First give away is their souvenir bags. Second is that everyone looks absolutely exhausted!

I have a little bit more, but not too much.
Yes, we are the very tired ones. But I bet I would still be darn tired after Universal too.

 

[bubba's mom]

But I bet I would still be darn tired after Universal too.

You're not supposed to be?

If you are, I think 'you're doing it wrong'....

 

[stmize]

Jen I started reading your tr before my cruise on 9-15 aND JUST finished up clarie's dress was beautiful, glad you got your phone back.

 

[jenseib]

You're not supposed to be?

If you are, I think 'you're doing it wrong'....

It's mostly just because i don't know how to relax and actually sleep on vacation. I need to relearn that. I used to be able to do it really well.

Jen I started reading your tr before my cruise on 9-15 aND JUST finished up clarie's dress was beautiful, glad you got your phone back.

Thanks for hainging in with me.
How was your cruise. Let me know if you do a TR.

 

[jenseib]

We took off pretty much on time. Claire colored, and I wrote up some more notes from the trip.
I did take a few shots as we were flying.

And a few shots of my best traveling buddy.

After a bit Claire was a little bored and I told her I was tired and she was most likely too, so why didn’t she lean against me and sleep and I would take a nap too and we did. I think she went pretty much out and I dozed pretty good myself….for a good 40 minutes or so.
We landed and Claire and I made our way off the plane. Mom waited for Dad since he was several rows back.

Skip and I had joked that when I got off the plane and saw him, I would come running to him and jump into his arms and wrap my legs around him…like in the movies. Of course he has had his hip replaced…twice….so that wouldn’t work. He then had said he would do it to me instead! LOL! Well we never actually did that.
We came down the steps to see Skip waiting for us. Claire was soooo excited. He on the other hand pretended not to see us and Claire was having a fit. She ran and hugged him and then he pretended like he just realized we were there. I had to laugh, because Skip likes to be a clown at times….and he didn’t disappoint. He had on his most raggedly pair of work pants on….ones with a hole right in the crotch….Yep! ……Everyone, you can’t have him….that’s MY man….the one with a huge hole in the crotch of his pants. He’s a keeper!
Claire and I took a potty break and then met up with Mom and Dad and went on to claim the luggage.
We headed home, which is only about 10 minutes away from Toledo airport and I started the wonderful task of laundry.
I also loaded my pictures on the computer and that is when I discovered that I had lost a card. At first I thought I was messing something up, but it soon dawned on me that one of my SD cards was missing. Thankfully it was MOSTLY video, but I still did lose some good pictures. I think I also loaded my photopass that day or the next as well.
And then Claire and I slept. We were VERY tired and I swear it took me weeks to recover from the trip. I wanted to nap all the time and I couldn’t get energy. I guess that was the Disney blues too.
I did take a few pictures of the goodies we brought home as well.

Here is some of the Fish extender loot.

The glasses from the cruise.

I don’t think I ever took a picture of the watch Claire got, but here is a lot of her other goodies.

This trip was fantastic. Not perfect…and yes we …mostly me…had our share of mishaps, but in the end, it was still great fun. Now I need to try and talk Skip into going on another Disney cruise next year….so he can actually go on one. Claire talks about it still. She enjoyed her Disney time, but the cruise was very memorable for her.
Little did I know when I came home that I would be going back to Disney in just a few months time and also visiting the Dream as well! This year has been very good to me and I am grateful. I hope the pixie dust keeps flying this way!
Thank you all for reading and hanging out with me for these past few months!

 

[DaisynDonald]

Thanks for sharing your trip I enjoyed reading it. I'm going to read your AEP one next!! I hope Skip agrees to a cruise next year, I want to do one when my grandson gets a little older.

 

[bubba's mom]

okay...so you DID finish before me....

thanks for sharing your trip with us.

The only advice I can give you: take a 7 nite cruise. You will not be tired after that!! Plenty of time to see/do most of it AND relax.

 

[LuvEeyore]

Got to get another trip planned before you finish the next two trip reports. I have to have something to do for the next 15 months!!

 

[jenseib]

Thanks for sharing your trip I enjoyed reading it. I'm going to read your AEP one next!! I hope Skip agrees to a cruise next year, I want to do one when my grandson gets a little older.

Thanks for sticking with me. I hope to get the next one started over the weekend. I want to work on the Phineas and Ferb one a bit more and get that going. I fell relaxed now that I finished it. I can take my time on the next one now....as of right now, no future trip planned. But that all can and hopefully will change.

okay...so you DID finish before me....

thanks for sharing your trip with us.

The only advice I can give you: take a 7 nite cruise. You will not be tired after that!! Plenty of time to see/do most of it AND relax.

I did it! YAY! I feel relaxed now. Got 1 done!
I would love to take a 7 nighter, but Skip worries about being away from the farm that long, especially with no phone service. And then he doesn't like sea days very much. We went on a cruise for our honeymoon and I thought he was enjoying the day, but he later told me there wasn't enough to do on that day. But the newer ships do have more activities. And with Claire, thats an activity all by itself.

Got to get another trip planned before you finish the next two trip reports. I have to have something to do for the next 15 months!!

I "hope" to go next year. If we don't do a family trip, then I hope to at least go on another AEP trip. If it all works out and the stars align, maybe I can do 2 again. But we'll see how things play out. Next year we'll be married for 10 years and I'm pulling that trump card. I am hoping to do a 5 day cruise. Claire has spring break at the end of March and one of those 5 night Dream cruise sails that week. My sister went to Hawaii for her 5 year anniversary and to Canada for her 10. I have already told Skip that we did nothing for our 5th, so we have some catching up to do.

 

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

It only took you 141 pages to write about a 3 hour tour.

 

[jenseib]

It only took you 141 pages to write about a 3 hour tour.

 

[KatMark]

Jen, sorry I got behind again (family drama and getting ready for our trip today). The pictures are great and I really enjoyed your report.

 

[stephielela]

I can totally understand your meltdown! That's a long time to go and a lot to accomplish on such little sleep! It looks like your trip was highly successful! I hope you can talk Skip into a trip soon, and I hope you can make it to the next AEP because I WILL be there! I will not miss out again!!!

 

[bubba's mom]

I would love to take a 7 nighter, but Skip worries about being away from the farm that long, especially with no phone service. And then he doesn't like sea days very much. We went on a cruise for our honeymoon and I thought he was enjoying the day, but he later told me there wasn't enough to do on that day. But the newer ships do have more activities. And with Claire, thats an activity all by itself.

You *can* get cell service at sea...you need to talk to your provider about setting it up. Just find someone reliable to take over at home. My husband isn't crazy about sea days either...that's why only 2 on this cruise. The other 4 were port days. I think if you found the right ship (w/ activities) he'd be fine...and Claire is getting older each year, so she has more she'll want to do. So many ships, so little time

 

[JKSWonder]

I can completely sympathize with your last day meltdown. I've been there (more than once). When you are the vacation planner, the one everyone looks to for everything, it just gets really overwhelming. I wonder if I will ever have the experience of having someone else plan a trip for me. Somehow, I doubt it.

Claires tummy issues sound a lot like my Allison. It always happens to her when we travel. Not sure if its nerves throwing her system out of whack or what. She's always be hyper-sensitive in that area.

Your Dad sounds so much like my grandfather. I loved him, but the man could drive me absolutely crazy sometimes.

We are on a 7 night Fantasy in August 2012. I also have a dummy booking for a 3 day December 2012 Dream, unless I can convince DH that he should spend his 40th birthday with the Mouse.

It was a great report, funny and sweet! I hope you get to write another one someday soon.