Our first family of 6 trip, including a proposal at the castle on 12/12/12 at 12:12!!

[Lcaemom]

WHO: DF...fiance, that is! He is a marine and works in law enforcement. I am a nurse and the family Disney planner.

My DD17 and my DD15...both honor students and lacrosse players, my DD11...a 5th grader, my basketball player and budding lacrosse player; his DS14 an 8th grader with plans to follow in his dad's footsteps into the military and law enforcement.
This is my 7th trip; my girls 6th trip, DF's 2nd trip and DS's 1st trip!

WHEN: Dec 9-15, 2012
WHERE: The Cabins at Fort Wilderness

 

[DisneyFreak06]

Congratulations! Looking forward to reading all about it!

 

[Lcaemom]

Congratulations! Looking forward to reading all about it!

Awww, thanks! Happy to have you!!

 

[Lcaemom]

Without going into too much detail about how this trip came about...it's all in my PTR. A brief synopsis about how this trip came about. We decided on Halloween that we were going to surprize our kids...my three, his one...with a trip for the 6 of us. When the night's festivities were over we sat them down in our living room and told we had something to tell them...before DF could get it out...the kids screamed "WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY!!!" Well...there you go...SURPRIZE!!! As the planning went on, DF and I were talking about our future together and one night, I happened to mention that getting engaged on 12/12/12 would be so magical...and lo and behold...we'd be at WDW...can you get more magical than that??? Over the next several weeks, we made our countdown chain...

We have made a chain for every trip...in the past, starting at 150+ days out...this was nice because we started the chain with about 38 links...much more manageable than one loops around the house...literally!
Also, during the planning...there became lots of winks, and "shhhhs" from DBF and all the kids...and then one night he suggested that we sit down and pick out a ring!!!

After Thanksgiving, DD17s bday, my sinus infection, and DD17s car accident (she's fine...my car is still NOT!)

OUR TRIP WAS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No more links!!!!!!!!!!!! On Saturday, the 8th my DD11 got our nails done!

We dropped off the puppies.

And went to bed...at 8pm for our 6am flight...which meant getting to the airport by 4am...which meant the car was picking us up at 3:30am...which meant getting up at 2:30am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Signing on!

Can't wait to hear more and what a beautiful ring!

 

[Belle83]

Your puppy looks so sad in the car, but so cute! We have a lab too, it's hard to leave pets at home but WDW is worth it

 

[wed100105]

I can't wait to read it! Congratulations!!!

 

[jecskc]

I'm in !!! Looking forward to reading more !!

 

[taaren]

Wow, your ring is gorgeous! And how great that you got to pick it out together! Will there be a Disney Wedding in your future?

 

[Lcaemom]

Signing on!

Can't wait to hear more and what a beautiful ring!

Awww, thank you! I spend lots of time, just gazing at it!!! I love it!!!

Your puppy looks so sad in the car, but so cute! We have a lab too, it's hard to leave pets at home but WDW is worth it

It was so hard to leave them!!! There was no tearful goodbye though...there was a parrot in the office of the boarding facility and she was taunting Bella so, the staff wisked her and our other dog away. So, we were like...."bye puppies...." That was probably for the best.

I can't wait to read it! Congratulations!!!

Awww, thank you! Glad to have you along!

I'm in !!! Looking forward to reading more !!

Great!!! Happy to have you here!

Wow, your ring is gorgeous! And how great that you got to pick it out together! Will there be a Disney Wedding in your future?

Thank you!!! I love it!!! I have sent away for Disney wedding info...I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to get married at WDW!!!

 

[Lcaemom]

Continuing on....
We got pizzas for dinners, everyone showered, I finished the last load of laundry, cleaned the house...hate coming home to a messy house! But, I found myself NOT stressed?!? DF is so helpful...and was excited...and had forthought...something I'm not used to having...a real partner in life. I don't want to have a pity party about what I have not had in the past...other than to say, being a single mom is one of the hardest roles I have ever had to play. DF thought of things I hadn't remembered and/or even thought about; he took care of things without needing to be asked. This was the first big thing we had done, together and we truly were a team. Just to back up a little...my DD17 was in a car accident three days before we left...that created alot of extra headache of needing to add multiple things to my already overloaded to-do list. I had come home from the police station; the accident report from the police officer at the accident was the last thing I needed to pick up before the office closed for the weekend and before we would be leaving WDW. I came home and DF's cruiser was already in the driveway!!! Our first family vacation was starting early...he is never home that early! I walked in...so excited to see him! He put his arms around me and said "I'm home early because I've been called back into work for the night...and indefinately so, I'm packing up a few things and will need to head back into Boston." My heart stopped!!! He said he couldn't tell me what the situation was at work...which is not unusual but, I thought "NOW???????????" Then he smiled...and kissed me on the head and started laughing and said "I'm kidding...I'm so sorry...I never thought you'd look so upset...that was a really bad joke..." He picked me up and spun me around...and yelled "we're going to Disney!!!!" And then he picked up the FedEX package that had arrived the day before and said "Do you want to see what's in here??" He pulled out a little red velvet box...and I screamed "NO!!" But, I knew exactly what was in it! And even though my heart was slowly restarting from his "joke"...I had never felt so lucky in my life...I wanted just that moment to last forever!!!
Now, getting back to our final preparations...all that was left to do was go to bed...and of course, we couldn't sleep!!! DF got up around 10pm and watched tv...I tried to sleep...I think I was successful from about midnight until he woke me up at 2:30am. We all went to bed dressed, all we had to do was get up, brush our teeth and pack our toothbrushes. DF had brought all of the luggage out to the front walkway. He called our airport transfer company...they were on their way. So, we pulled our lattes out of the fridge...he had gone to Starbucks the night before because we knew there would be no Starbucks open at 2:30am and we would certainly NEED them!!! And then we waited....

We started a book of quotes, of all the silly things the kids say...we added a couple of "gems" to that...it was already becoming so different than any other vacation I've ever had...stress-free and lots of laughs...

 

[jwgm2012]

Hi It's me, Gina from the Dec. thread! I've been MIA for a while (work life, work, life...) but saw your link and HAD to jump over here and start reading!!! I was sooooo excited for you guys when I saw your update and read that you're ENGAGED! Congrats and can't wait to read the rest!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Joining in!

 

[Lcaemom]

Hi It's me, Gina from the Dec. thread! I've been MIA for a while (work life, work, life...) but saw your link and HAD to jump over here and start reading!!! I was sooooo excited for you guys when I saw your update and read that you're ENGAGED! Congrats and can't wait to read the rest!

So excited you found me!!! And, happy to have you read along!!! Hope your holidays were great!!!

Joining in!

Happy to have you here!!! Thanks for reading along!

 

[iwannbindisnee]

Subscribing. Loving it so far! Beautiful smiles on your family! Debbie

 

[Lcaemom]

One of the biggest things DF took charge of, was our transport to and from the airport. I sort of became anxiety ridden over that! Our flights were 6am departure and 11:05pm return...that meant a 3:30am pickup to the airport and a midnight pickup from the airport! I had visions of us scrambling to get all of our luggage and all six of us into two different vehicles and driving ourselves 90mph to the airport to make our flights because our chauffeur didn't show up and/or being stuck at the airport with no transportation at midnight when we arrived home, for the same reason. DF has a very authoratative deep voice...I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a distressed phone call from him, so I thought it best for him to take care of that. I sound like I am 8 years old...pizza places ask "can I speak to your mother?" when I place orders for pizza. However, I have to admit that I was skeptical of his decision making regarding the hiring of our transport. When he told me he had taken care of that task and that he had hired SMURF SHUTTLE I almost had a heart attack!!! WHO? WHAT? IS DRIVING US TO THE AIRPORT??? I had to eat my words because they were right on time...picked us all up including 6 suitcases and 6 large carryons...and delivered us to the airport and back home in one piece...in an Escalade. I was very impressed.

We arrived at Logan at 4am...quickly went through security...not too crowded at that hour. Our flight was on time!


We got settled in the terminal and waited for Starbucks to open. Hmmm...a little technology going on?!?

DF got us all breakfast, while I made lots of new Disney friends! Everyone on our flight seemed to be going to WDW.DF came back and yelled at me for talking to so many strangers! I told him he needed to get used to it...it's Disney!!! Then I pulled out my LGMH!!! He had no understanding so, he took the kids to play in the airport.

Our time waiting went by pretty fast!!! Soon enough, it was time to board our flight!!!!

WE ARE ON OUR WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lcaemom]

Subscribing. Loving it so far! Beautiful smiles on your family! Debbie

Awww, thank you!!! We were all pretty excited!!! Thanks for joining in!