Can a PTR be therapeutic?YUP!!Addictive?**2/14-I'm home...**

[heath-and-javens-mom]

Hi! I love your PTR~ I too get overwhelmed reading all these PTRs but LOVE IT!!! What a rough time you have had...So sorry for all your losses! Like someone else mentoned already "what doesnt kill you only makes you stronger"! Ihope that things start looking better for you- It just about has to right

The pictures are great ...you and your family Look like very FUN people....cant wait to read more!

 

[jordanyosh]

Hi! I love your PTR~ I too get overwhelmed reading all these PTRs but LOVE IT!!! What a rough time you have had...So sorry for all your losses! Like someone else mentoned already "what doesnt kill you only makes you stronger"! Ihope that things start looking better for you- It just about has to right

The pictures are great ...you and your family Look like very FUN people....cant wait to read more!

Thanks for your kind words. Things ARE looking better already because I have a better perspective now. I understand that grieving takes time and the healing process has begun...

As far as the pics go....yeah, it's not vacation unless we are taking wacky, madcap pics....after 13 trips to WDW, it gets old to take the same pics in front of the same icons. So, we mix it up a bit......

Off to work....Thanks again for popping in..

5 months and 6 days left.

 

[jordanyosh]

More trip related information

Tickets: Since my cousin's are DVC owners, no package necessary (does anyone need an extra coupon for miniature golf? ). They are getting a nine day park hopper pass and I am getting the 10 day park hopper plus pass. I figure that I may get one or two trips to DQ and perhaps a day at TL if it's warm enough--that will make the plus options worth it. That leaves me w/ 2 days that I would have to pay for since WDW doesn't have tix longer than 10 days anymore. Another cousin, Wyan, works at Pixar and gave me 2 passes so I will probably use those, although I would prefer to save those for DL.

Dining Plan or Not?:At this point we are probably still going to use the Dining Plan. We eat at TS almost every day anyway, so this is probably a good value for us even w/ the changes.

EMHs or Not?: We never do Morning EMHs. We are on West Coast time and doing an EMH would be like getting up at 3:30am to get to the park by 5:00am (8:00am EST). Evening Magic Hours are hit or miss. I think we'll try the AK because none of us has seen the AK at night. MK offers the most attraction options and Epcot WS is empty or so I've heard. Hmmmm....I think I just talked myself into doing more PM EMHs...just another reason to tinker with the itinerary

Restaurant Choices: Although I listed ADRs on my itinerary, we haven't actually made any yet. I leave that duty to my DC, Wendy. She is currently still in recovery/depression mode from her DCL cruise to the Mediterranean, so it may be a while til those get made. The only 2 that I am worried about are Le Cellier which tends to book quickly and CRT which at this point, may already be booked since we're way past the 180 day mark. No worries though, it's not like we're never going again..... DCH, Derek, loves Flying Fish and CA Grill so those are pretty much givens.

Recreation and Relaxation: The women will have a morning at the Mandara Spa. Has anyone been there? Any comments would be appreciated. I guess I could also do a search....I think at some point we will do the Sea Raycers on the Seven Seas Lagoon/Bay Lake. I think we're all hoping for a bit more down time than our previous trips, but with DCD and DCS, Erin and Dylan, that may not happen. We'll see. No trip would be complete without some quality time at ESPN. Hockey season will be in full swing so I am hoping to spend 1 or 2 evenings trying to catch a Ducks game.

Gotta go again, have another meeting a church. Time to raise some.....

 

[WendyO]

WDW Memories

1992-the Dark Year

We went w/ Wendy's boyfriend.

EX-boyfriend. Let's make things clear.

Hee hee hee.

Edit: Ok, sorry - didn't see you noted we broke up. Maybe it should be "boyfriend at the time" or "current boyfriend". Oh wait, then it sounds like I had a lot. Hm. Maybe best to let things lie. I'll shut up now.

 

[WendyO]

1996--The Dark Year Part 2

Most memorable events: Lots of liquor and the song--It's none of your business by Salt N Pepa. For some reason, we were into using gangsta lingo and gangsta signs that year. You know terms like "yo homie" and "Let's go back to the crib"--things you often find Asian/Americans saying. Our first look at the Boardwalk..

Don't forget "vodka-y"

And Derek and tequila do not mix.

Hee hee.

 

[WendyO]

2000

I was working in Ft Lauderdale w/ Sweet Tomatoes for a few months doing some training. I flew my parents out to meet me at WDW. One of my former roommates also came. We went at the end of January

Stayed at CBR....guess where? Yup, Barbados.

Memorable events: Cold,at least cold for Florida. Low 40's during the day and high 20's at night. Getting to experience millenium building at Epcot w/ all the different countries. Seeing my parents having such a great time.

What?! No "first trip without Wendy" notation on this one? Hee hee hee.

After all, it's all about me. Oh wait, it's NOT all about me. Thank you Rick Warren.

 

[WendyO]

2002

Derek, Wendy and I (Erin in mommy's tummy) again. Our first DVC trip. We stayed at the VWL in a studio.

Wendy was limited due to her pregnancy. We went in February and did another 3-day DCL trip, but after our WDW stay.

Memorable events: Water mice boating around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon.

Here's my notes from our 2002 trip (from an email to Thumper on 2/27/02). You might find it amusing.

- cruise was nice - weather cooperated on castaway cay so that was nice
- was totally bitter at the "who wants to be a mouseketeer" game since it's chosen by random (seat number) and i totally could have answered all the questions and the grand prize was a 7-day cruise for 2
- was also bitter b/c the lower prizes were for shipboard credit (which we could have used) and the host was *totally* "helping" the contestants who obviously didn't know some of the answers
- got massages and facials on board (ahhhhhhhhh)
- watched lots of movies on board (saw monsters inc again in the big theatre with the outtakes)
- had the best dinner and service we've ever received at Palo's restaurant
- became obsessed with these parmesan crisps and looked for them everywhere after that
- wilderness lodge was NICE but having to drive everywhere was semi-inconvenient
- but overall having a rental car was nice - NO BUSES!
- weather was nice but cooler than we expected - never had to wear long pants as much as I did this time
- bummer having to skip all the good rides (because I was pregnant) but okay b/c i've been on them before
- got to ride those water sprite boats which was a blast in the bay around MK, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary and WL
- met up with some friends (w/ their 2 kids) so Derek got lots of dad practice in - ha ha
- got to visit them @ AKL and although it's nice to wake up to giraffes and ostriches, etc. on your balcony, we like the WL better overall
- totally ignored the warning for expectant mothers on Kilimanjaro Safaris (2x) because I wanted to ride it - rebel that I am
- discovered that there are about 100 different makes/models of strollers out there - yowza
- spent extensive time discussing potential baby names (in line, at lunch, on benches, etc.) - ventured into car model names - decided on Sonata Okada, Miata Okada and Kia Sephia Okada - ha ha
- saw the tail end of spectromagic (i haven't seen it all either!)
- saw the snowglobe parade and the movie stars and motor cars parade and also part of the mickey's jammin jungle parade
- finally ate at Mama Melrose's (@ MGM) for my cousin after 8 years of his wanting to eat there (something always prevented us from actually making it there)
- figured out it would take us about $800,000 (initial investment) to live there year-round until 2042 (when the timeshares expire)
- drove through Celebration and deduced it's a total Stepford town (which we knew but never really experienced) - weirrrrrrrrrrrrrd - it's very twilight-zone-y

Hee hee.

 

[WendyO]

I love those pics too. It kind of represents my personality the best.

I'll have to dig up some other "classic" shots. Chinese laundry. You and the witch from Snow White. Etc.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

w

 

[WendyO]

Restaurant Choices: Although I listed ADRs on my itinerary, we haven't actually made any yet. I leave that duty to my DC, Wendy. She is currently still in recovery/depression mode from her DCL cruise to the Mediterranean, so it may be a while til those get made.

Ok, ok. Guilt is heaped on. I'll get on it. (uh, as soon as I finish posting my DCL Med pix. Ha ha.)

Recreation and Relaxation:No trip would be complete without some quality time at ESPN. Hockey season will be in full swing so I am hoping to spend 1 or 2 evenings trying to catch a Ducks game.

Oooooh, watching the Ducks at WDW? Heaven.

 

[jordanyosh]

If you haven't already figured out, WendyO is my DC with whom I'm going on vacation. Her DH, Derek, and she have been gracious enough to invite me on several.....wait, all of the their WDW vacations. The last 2-3 have been w/o having to pay for the room since they use their DVC points. I ante up by paying for tix, DDP and watching their little ones on a few nights so they can go to out.

Wendy has many WDW blackmail pics. I am curious to see which ones she actually posts..... I guess I'll just have to wait w/ the rest of you.

 

[WendyO]

Ok, the first of several "enlightening" photos. Mostly older as yours are more current. To provide insight into our weirdness. Readers, continue at your own risk. Remember, we're out there walking amongst you like regular people. Scary.

Expressing our Asian roots. Me kicking; Jordan receiving. Ai-yah!

More "Asian" pix. Although not Chinese, we can growl along with the best of those lionheads out there.

Typical Jordan. It's pirate night on the cruise. Arrgh me matey.

 

[jordanyosh]

Ok, the first of several "enlightening" photos. Mostly older as yours are more current. To provide insight into our weirdness. Readers, continue at your own risk. Remember, we're out there walking amongst you like regular people. Scary.

Expressing our Asian roots. Me kicking; Jordan receiving. Ai-yah!

More "Asian" pix. Although not Chinese, we can growl along with the best of those lionheads out there.

Typical Jordan. It's pirate night on the cruise. Arrgh me matey.

I think in the first pic, Wendy is pregnant. Nice flexibility w/ Erin in your tummy.

In the pirate pic.....like my hook

 

[WendyO]

A couple of "Horizons" tribute shots. I'm missing the 2001 year (our WDW trip on the heels of a DLR trip celebrating the opening of DCA) as that year I used Advantix film (pre-digital for me). We had some great shots of our shock and horror realizing that Horizons was no longer there, and was torn down to make way for M:S.

Here we are paying tribute to our long lost attraction.

Now we've looped Erin into our madness. She has no idea what sick tradition she's been roped into. Muuuahhhhhahahahhahaah.

 

[WendyO]

Our younger days. This is Ramona, our favorite hostess at the Adventurers Club who was there year after year after year. We discovered now we're too old for Pleasure Island and now we've moved on to Matt, at the ESPN Club.

Jordan corrupting a minor. At CA grill offering Erin her first martini at the tender age of one.

Then, when you've had too much to drink, things like this happen:

We turn into giants at the Boardwalk.

Then this... Jordan and Fred caught in the act

And finally... things happen when you are totally out of it....

 

[WendyO]

Then you might wake up to find yourself married off...

 

[jordanyosh]

Okay, I am going to go stick my head in the sand.

As an FYI, ever since I've discovered ESPN Club, PI has become inconvenient. I think the last time we went was in 2001. Plus, no way can I drink like that any more. One, I wouldn't want to. Two, my 45 year old body doesn't recover as quickly.......

 

[WendyO]

Here are some faces to the names of Jordan's report.

Josh and Joanne (pre-Jordan)

Baby Jordan

Kim ("the single girl") I'm sure she wholly appreciated me saying that. Hee hee. How about "the beautiful single girl"?

The niece and nephew (posted by proud mommy - so they get more coverage - my perogative)

 

[jordanyosh]

I've had alot of fun in my day....but I am much older and much wiser now.

 

[IlovemythreeC's]

This is awesome

I am very sad to hear about your losses.

Please keep writing

 

[daisy hughes]

Jordy...

Is Mandara Spa on Disney property? I tried GF last time and wanted to try a different spa in 2 weeks and 2 days . Was thinking about Saratoga...