PTR/TR: Without the Mouse, Round 2. Flexpasses, Lego & Emerald Is. villa in Aug 2013

[coastgirl]

Not much new, but enjoying a quiet morning thinking about August.

Wanna see my doggie?? Let's see if I can remember how to post a picture here... She's the cutest little fuzz-bucket ever. I hope she enjoys coming on vacation with us. She flew to us from her breeder in November, as a 10 week old baby, and she arrived to us after 8 hrs happy, clean, and ready to play. She's really "bonded" to us--Havanese are known as "velcro dogs" because they just want to stick to you--and I think she'd hate being boarded or staying with a sitter. This time she'll be with us in the cabin during the flights, so we hope it'll be easy for her.



Here's one of me and my dd on Hallowe'en, Ravenclaw girls together. She's actually more of a Gryffindor, but I think she totally nailed the Moaning Myrtle look, and Myrtle is a Ravenclaw. (So, she's not sick, just wearing "ghost" makeup!)


And this is our Christmas tree hunt in December. Note two Ravenclaw scarves and one Gryffindor. DH also has a Gryffindor scarf, but he was taking the pic. (The scarves were a HUGE project last Christmas, the first useful things I'd ever knit. And, curiously, the only useful things I've ever knit...it was a BIG project.)


Now I guess I have to find one with dh in it. This is from our March break trip last year, to Quebec City. Yeah, it was a really neat place to visit. But I have totally had enough of snow.



Here's the picture I'm focussing on for our August trip:

It's the pool at the villa we've rented.

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hi ya, coastgirl! Great start to the pre-trip report so far!! Sounds like you have an AWESOME vacation planned. Time will pass quicker than you think for us office travellers, especially once the snow melts and the weather starts to warm up. And that's coming soon for us Canucks.......I hope!!!

And for the record, there is nuttin' wrong with being thrifty. My wonderful next door neighbour, who by his own admission is as "frugal" (ahem! cheap! ) as I am, has coined a term I love. He describes himself as "fiscally responsible" . I LOVED THAT DESCRIPTION!! Sounds so much better than cheap .

[coastgirl]

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

Hi ya, coastgirl!

And for the record, there is nuttin' wrong with being thrifty. My wonderful next door neighbour, who by his own admission is as "frugal" (ahem! cheap! ) as I am, has coined a term I love. He describes himself as "fiscally responsible" . I LOVED THAT DESCRIPTION!! Sounds so much better than cheap .

Hey Gina!

"fiscally responsible" sounds a bit too much like our esteemed prime minister! Ha! (Shh! No politics, shame on me...)

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

Time will pass quicker than you think for us office travellers

"Office" travellers? I meant to type AUGUST travellers . Office, August.....oh yeah, they're pretty close to the same . Clearly I should not type and watch TV at the same time .

[coastgirl]

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

"Office" travellers? I meant to type AUGUST travellers . Office, August.....oh yeah, they're pretty close to the same . Clearly I should not type and watch TV at the same time .

I thought it was a variation on "armchair traveller"...you know, sitting in the office, thinking about being somewhere else...

[pas130]

Originally Posted by coastgirl

Oh, Pas, I hear you! I wish we could do a few days at Disney without it costing a fortune, but they really price it to keep you in their clutches longer rather than encouraging shorter visits. Seven tickets--I get hives paying for 4!

Legoland has some good discounts usually, I understand. Right now we are probably going to get a "buy an adult ticket, get a kid in free" promo", which is only $80 through a Canadian loyalty program. If you look at the forum here, they seem to keep up on the discounts. http://www.legolandphotos.com/board/index.php There's also a Legoland contest on now on Facebook for 4 annual passes--not open to Canadians unfortunately.

We really loved Seaworld too...perhaps instead of Annual passes, I should price out Flex passes But Legoland is good for younger kids... Decisions decisions . 2 rooms...7 tickets, adds up, I need to be more thrifty with vacations (I really am in real life at least)

Originally Posted by coastgirl

Not much new, but enjoying a quiet morning thinking about August.

Same here! Very cute furbaby! And I love seeing family pics

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

"Office" travellers? I meant to type AUGUST travellers . Office, August.....oh yeah, they're pretty close to the same . Clearly I should not type and watch TV at the same time .

I figured it was autocorrect! It's gonna be fun passing the next 5 months everyone here

[coastgirl]

Just looking for my last set of planning docs and came across some pics I can't help sharing. This is a screenshot of the letter I gave the kids before our last trip. We told them the night before we left. I made up envelopes with a wax seal too. (Can you say "Over the top" boys and girls?)



Here's the design for the t shirt I made everyone wear. Actually the kids still wear them, though they are growing out of them now. (Yes, I clumsily obscured our family name. The t shirts don't have a big ol' smudge on them.)



And here's one I love of the kids in the queue for Flight of the Hippogriff. Is it any wonder my kid got picked to receive his wand at Ollivander's? Not exactly a double for young Harry, but a passing resemblance anyway.



Ok, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

[coastgirl]

Originally Posted by pas130

We really loved Seaworld too...perhaps instead of Annual passes, I should price out Flex passes But Legoland is good for younger kids... Decisions decisions . 2 rooms...7 tickets, adds up, I need to be more thrifty with vacations (I really am in real life at least)

Same here! Very cute furbaby! And I love seeing family pics

I figured it was autocorrect! It's gonna be fun passing the next 5 months everyone here

TY pas. I am having fun thinking about all the possibilities right now! I do love the flexpass, though they could leave Wet and Wild out. I am looking forward to spending more time at Seaworld, it's very kid-friendly. I know, it's easy to get pulled into the trap of wanting to do everything, though. Laughing a little at your ticker line--"will Mommy be able to resist being so close?"

[HarleyGirl514]

Originally Posted by coastgirl

Just looking for my last set of planning docs and came across some pics I can't help sharing. This is a screenshot of the letter I gave the kids before our last trip. We told them the night before we left. I made up envelopes with a wax seal too. (Can you say "Over the top" boys and girls?)



Here's the design for the t shirt I made everyone wear. Actually the kids still wear them, though they are growing out of them now. (Yes, I clumsily obscured our family name. The t shirts don't have a big ol' smudge on them.)



And here's one I love of the kids in the queue for Flight of the Hippogriff. Is it any wonder my kid got picked to receive his wand at Ollivander's? Not exactly a double for young Harry, but a passing resemblance anyway.



Ok, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

I don't think you're over the top at all! That's because I did the same thing... You should have seen the commotion in my house when my five kiddos opened their letters!! All except the littlest two, who can't read... Hahaha! But they got the idea really quick! I love your shirts, too! Your kiddos are so cute!!

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Originally Posted by coastgirl

I thought it was a variation on "armchair traveller"...you know, sitting in the office, thinking about being somewhere else...

While that would be VERY accurate, it definitely is not what I was intending to say!!!

Shhhhhhh........don't tell my boss I'm Disboarding from work......... .

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Oh....also meant to say that I love the T's you made for the kiddos!

I would love to do matching shirts for our trips, but I'm sure my boys would.....uh......revolt . We did matching shirts every day for our 2009 Disney trip, when Jake was 13. It was fun and the pics look so good!!!

I am just happy my boy still enjoys family vacations, even as he makes his way rather swiftly through his late teenage years. Guess I won't complain that he doesn't want to wear the special t-shirts anymore when he still approaches our getaways with vim and vigor (he would hate that I said that .... which makes it all the more fun). But you can bet your boots that I'll be dressing my grandbabies in matching tye-dyes when the time comes!!!! (but please, please, please let that be at least 10 years off..........just sayin').

[coastgirl]

Originally Posted by HarleyGirl514

I don't think you're over the top at all! That's because I did the same thing... You should have seen the commotion in my house when my five kiddos opened their letters!!

Neat. Now I know I'm among friends! Glad you didn't make the little ones wait around at the station for years like Ginny.

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

While that would be VERY accurate, it definitely is not what I was intending to say!!!

Shhhhhhh........don't tell my boss I'm Disboarding from work......... .

I must be clairvoyant.

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

Oh....also meant to say that I love the T's you made for the kiddos!

I would love to do matching shirts for our trips, but I'm sure my boys would.....uh......revolt . We did matching shirts every day for our 2009 Disney trip, when Jake was 13. It was fun and the pics look so good!!!

I am just happy my boy still enjoys family vacations, even as he makes his way rather swiftly through his late teenage years.

I loved that about your TR, that he's not too cool to hang out with his folks. When I mentioned something about "matching tshirts" for this trip, dh rolled his eyes and both kids said "we love the tshirts!" Yeah. Not for long maybe, but one more trip! The thing is, you get so much positive feedback when you wear them, we had so many people comment on them--in a good way. The people who roll their eyes at least do so silently and are easy to ignore. Also ds was wearing his mom-made t when he got picked at Ollivander's, so I'm considering doing an edit on the old design and reusing it, to see if it's good luck for dd. She'd totally be willing to give that a try.

She has a really cool shirt from thinkgeek, let's see if I can find it...
http://www.ugo.com/the-goods/geek-ge...y-potter-shirt I am considering recreating a set of these for the family, in appropriate sizes/houses. Looks like thinkgeek isn't selling it anymore, and it only came in teeny sizes anyway.

[pas130]

Originally Posted by coastgirl

TY pas. I am having fun thinking about all the possibilities right now! I do love the flexpass, though they could leave Wet and Wild out. I am looking forward to spending more time at Seaworld, it's very kid-friendly. I know, it's easy to get pulled into the trap of wanting to do everything, though. Laughing a little at your ticker line--"will Mommy be able to resist being so close?"

My DH says the same thing....stop adding more stuff I am trying! They all loved SW, feeding Stingrays even. Here's a tip. $5 for 3-4 raw shrimp....wonder if you can bring your own....it's right when you walk in so you wouldn't carry them around all day. Trust me the only thing keeping me from WDW is the $$$

We LOVE Hippogriff, last visit the ride stalled up top for quite a bit...August it's on!!!!! Your DS does sport a resemblance to young Harry

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

Shhhhhhh........don't tell my boss I'm Disboarding from work......... .

Never !

Originally Posted by Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina

Oh....also meant to say that I love the T's you made for the kiddos! I am just happy my boy still enjoys family vacations, even as he makes his way rather swiftly through his late teenage years. Guess I won't complain that he doesn't want to wear the special t-shirts anymore when he still approaches our getaways with vim and vigor (he would hate that I said that .... which makes it all the more fun). But you can bet your boots that I'll be dressing my grandbabies in matching tye-dyes when the time comes!!!! (but please, please, please let that be at least 10 years off..........just sayin').

Me too!!! On the Ts!

On being happy my DS likes family vacations

And on the grandbabies

[coastgirl]

LOL on the grandbabies. I still get nostalgic when I see a toddler or a preschooler, but am starting to reconcile myself to the next good opportunity to regularly snuggle little ones being grandbabies, but not for a long, loooong time. My ds, 12, wants to wait until he's 30 to get married, like his dad. (If he follows his dad I'll never get grandbabies, though...did I mention "late bloomers"??) But then that's also kinda why we got a puppy...and they toilet train so much faster!!

[indimom]

Oooh, a Universal PTR! I'm in! I'm in!!

We're also planning a "fiscally responsible" trip to Orlando this summer.
We're using Disney rewards to stay at Ft. Wilderness (in our tent) and to visit Epcot, DHS, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.
Then we're using BlueSky Rewards to cover two nights at Universal. (We did have to buy the 3-day tickets for the four of us, but it's worth it. lol.)

We haven't been to Universal since 2008 when the WWoHP was under construction and I can't wait to stroll through my favorite book series of all time! (We need a Hogwarts smiley, maybe one with a gryffindor tie...)

Our kids are 15 and 13, and we're keeping this trip under wraps for the time being. They just think we're going camping...

Looking forward to more of your planning!