Hello!
I'm back! And, remarkably, all caught up thanks to your chapter links!
I kept running commentary in the notes app on my computer.
I should do that! Great idea (running commentary)
I know there are definite downsides, but it always seemed cool to me to have a job the requires travel.
I think it seems far cooler if you haven't done it. It sounds cool, and occasionally there are nice moments but the reality of it isn't fun at all. It's drive to the airport, park, fly, haul stuff, sit in a meeting room all day, maybe eat, fly back, get home late and get up and go to work. usually sleep poorly as you are worried about oversleeping and it's only a night or 2 so you don't really settle in to a room.
The occasional perk like a good meal or sneaking off for a hike can lessen the pain for sure. I used to travel almost 90% of the time, don't miss that at all!
I do miss the miles that used to come with it though!
As for Evan thinking you're suprememly awesome for being able to get around the DME line... I have found that every time I've gone to Disney with people who haven't gone more than once or twice in their lives, they are amazed at all the little hints, tips, and tricks I seem to know. Most of which, honestly, I've gotten from peoples' TRs on the boards!
So very very true! My MIL just reached out for me to help her SIL/DIL who booked LAST WEEK for a week over Christmas.
Poor people, I think she may have confused them to death and then I probably overwhelmed them with paranoia with my giant bulliten that said MAKE ADR'S NOW!
I have visions of them, with their 4 kids, with a meal plan they can't use because they can't get in anywhere!
Having stayed at OKW I can honestly say it is a beautiful resort and I'm so happy for you that its your home resort. And you were in building 55? We were in 56 right across the parking lot. I thought it was a great location. We were halfway between a bus stop and a pool, although quite a trek from HH.
It isn't my home resort although for a long time I really wanted it to be. If it weren't for the THV advantage, I would prefer it as my home resort to be honest. But I wasn't doing resale, wanted THV and couldn't get what I wanted direct at OKW. It would have been on the table for our add on as well but no inventory.
The OKW main pool is definitely cool, although being an all adult group, we never used it. Sigh.
I don't think you need to have kids with you to enjoy the main pool...after all it is right next to the Gurgling Suitcase! Did you use the quiet pool by building 55? The E's did, I never made it in but did take a few pics on the last day there
The turtle krawl is super yummy. Our first afternoon, I really wanted a yummy Disney rum drink, as it would make feel like I was truly on vacation, so one of my friends and I trekked to HH and we had Turtle Krawls. It was also when we discovered that you can quickly hop on the Miller's Road stop to get back your villa, rather than go to the front of HH and wait for an internal bus.
Yes, we were clued into that after a bit and then I finally convinced the gang to walk and I didn't think it was far at all, felt like we should have just walked the entire time to be honest.
I completely agree with your opinion of Olivia's. It is fantastic. We ate there twice during a very short trip.
The kids REALLY want to go back there on the next trip, it seems like a lot of work if not staying there but we will see. I did love it too!
Amazing views from the Vero villa. Wow. I'd love to do a Florida beach vacation one of these days.
The turtlewalk sounds amazing.
It was wonderful all around! Except for the bugs of course.
Sorry about the wi-fi connection. Can I just say that Disney's wi-fi is really bad...and to have to get something done, for real...ugh. No doubt that was seriously frustrating.
The wifi is horrible. I didn't really test it at OKW so couldn't compare but had issues at AKV and then at BWV as well. Although at Boardwalk I think it was more the Alaska site than the wifi.
The dirt bike trails look gorgeous. All of the pictures are just making me miss Florida, in general.
You got some lovely shots of the beach. I'm surprised it isn't more crowded. Beaches up here are usually wall to wall people in the middle of the summer.
Impressive merman sand sculpture!
Oh...boy...bad bug bites heading into the cruise. Yuck.
It was fairly full right in front of the resort but not at all on either side, it's an awfully long beach that just keeps going and going and going.....
The merman was funny.
The bug bites were NOT.
Oh, and I just noticed your ticker...adults at Aulani? Sounds awesome!
Yep! Ditching the kids to have Mai Tai's with Mickey. I can't wait!
Oh no about the No See Ums........that doesn't sound good at all!
It wasn't. At all!
Great pool pics - looks like heaven!
It was a lovely pool, I really did enjoy it. A bit more crowded in the water itself than was ideal for me but from a lounger, it was just perfect!
Happy Belated 16th to Kendall... She is officially a young lady now.. and I hope her pancakes turned out well...
Yep, complete with college visits and all that rot.
Pancake morning will be coming up next
Teeny little bug bites... hmmm... Don't like the sound of that too much...
Oh we have wine too but since we're having 12 including the 4 of us... 3 children under the age of 10, 3 senior parents... we don't have that many drinks to make... A combo of bourbon, apple cider and ginger ale won... It was very autumnal tasting...
hmmm the eggnog sounds nice... did you doctor up store bought or did you make from scratch... I didn't Dis too much for Thanksgiving and the day after I was in a Turkey/Carb coma... I've got a fire on and am watching the Patrick Stewart version of Christmas Carol...
That does sound autumnal! And yummy. It is store bought eggnog although I do have an amazing from scratch recipe (courtesy of HappyDog) that I will make at some point over the season.
I am always happy to enable traveling... If you want I'll give you my short/medium travel bucket list... and you can enable me... and Aulani is definitely on that list so when you write about that I'm sure I'll be planning a trip there sometime in the next several years...
I'd love to trade travel bucket lists! And mutually enable
Wow Cynthia - talk about being overwhelmed with serious worries for loved ones and friends.
Prayers for you all that the Holy Spirit is with you all. Your uncle's story is the perfect example of how you never know what the best answer is (who ever heard of praying to lose a leg!) but He does.
Thank you so much
we are praying for the swelling to go down, it does sound like the other lower leg needs to come off as well and they aren't sure if they will try a prosthetic before or after that happens or just wait and try both at once. I just pray that all of it stops the infections.
My thought are all jumbled from your updates but YAY for Kendall! How exciting! I hope her UCSD visit goes well too. and a
for your couples trip to HI for Aulani. I know you've been wanting to go since they opened. HHOOORRAAYYY
Thanks, it is all exciting
Your Beach afternoon sounds just perfect, and that is a great family shot you have.
sorry you are so tasty to the bugs. Katie and I both get bitten a lot but not as much as you. ow!
Yeah, it's been a problem my whole life. Which is why I was taking all those B vitamins before we left, and then broke out like a teenager, heck almost like I had the measles! Can't win. It is worth it though most of the time to be outside either camping or at the beach or whatever it is, I just have to tough it out for a few days. Evan gets it bad, almost as bad but not quite. Even with spray, I'll get bit.
I chuckle a bit when I see the E's playing in the sand - they are def in that middle territory, not quite a teen but not a little kid either. sigh. it goes so fast! My own girl goes from wanting high heels and her ears pierced to playing with her dolls. I try to just savor the moment.
Eric has a lot more little boy in him still than Evan does but I love seeing those glimpses of it with Evan and we saw a LOT of it on the trip which was just magical.
Hope you are enjoying an extended Thanksgiving weekend. I am finally having a little kick back time...and enjoying the DIS for a bit.
It was lovely. Very very busy (cooked and then cleaned for 20) and then decorated my house, and my mothers. But it was still really nice and I did not want to go back Monday morning!
I am a bit bummed to hear they kick you off the loungers on the beach at 5pm. I get it... needing to clean up before the tide comes in etc. but I find sunset to be the best time on the beach. 
