Happy Birthday to Joe, May 2011. . Trip Report Link

[Moira222]

Your DHS plans look good. I do have a question about the point system for weight watchers- what does it mean? Are the higher points better or worse?

Can't believe you have all your tip envelopes all ready, you are on the ball! I am always up till odd hours the night before getting everything together.

Hope Katie is feeling all better!

My points are based on the number of "good choices" on the menu -- like salads, grilled chickenl lower fat foods. So a place like Pizza Planet has 0 because its all pizza ....now we love pizza, but its not exactly weight friendly. DH & I figre by reviewing menus ahead we can aim for at least one lighter meal a day...and save those calories for grey goose slushies!! (I would rather spend calories on a yummy frozen drink than a piece of cake.)

Lol making thing like tip envelopes is fun...I'll do that any day. The week before we leave I will be madly trying to clean up my disaster of a house so that our as yet undetermined dog sotter won't see the sad truth of my miserable housekeeping skills. (smileys are hard on my phone!)

 

[blessedmom4]

Dear Mary Ellen,

I am so happy you signed our PTR so I oucld read about your beautiful fmaily. Praying Katie is feleing MUCH better, as you know strep is not a good thing for our CHD's children! She is such a pretty princess.

THREE MORE MONTHS!!! How exciting! I know it seems like it is a long way off; however, if you are like me you will blink and the time will be here and you will want just one more day to pack.

I hope the sandal choices get settled soon, feet comfort is THE most important concern when you are walking so much.

I loved the present you have gotten for your DH, where did you find it?

WAY TO GO on the weight loss, that is amazing, I am so happy for you and to get Joe to do it with you.

I am subbed, so I will get all the notices (at least I hope I do, sometimes they seem to stop for some reason and I have to unsubscribe and re-subscribe...I am certain it is my fault somehow, I am technologically challenged )

 

[blessedmom4]

PRINCESS

You are BEAUTIFUL!!!!

 

[Moira222]

PRINCESS

You are BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Judy - Katie will love that picture! I will show her tonight!

Once the antibiotics kicked in she was up to her usual antics. She has a wicked cough still but I think it also is fading. For as scared to death as we were when she was born, we are so thankful that her CHD really has been a minor fact of life. Its funny though - you know how some people only think about praying when things go wrong? Truly Katie's CHD helped bring me closer to God but in thankfulness. Before I had Katie I really hadn't been practicing anything, but had started "church shopping" right before and early in my pregnancy. After she was born I just became so much more aware of all the little every day blessings in my life, and am much more inclined to be thankful every single day for something, rather than be a "why me" sort of person. God truly gives you what you can handle, even if you don't know it at the moment. You just never know how the flapping wings of a butterfly may change your life.

oh there I go off on a little tangent. I'd better get to work now,I really just wanted to say welcome to my little PTR.

 

[AKL LOVER]

Finally all caught up on your report. Don't you just HATE it when work and other stuff gets in the way of the DIS???

I wanted to comment on this:

When we travel to crowded places--parks, zoos, etc -- we take a picture of Katie as soon as we arrive (or as soon as we know she is not changing her clothes ....again). Then if (G-D forbid) we lose sight of her, we have a photo of exactly what she is wearing that day. plus its great for those scrapbooks that I never get to work on.

...because we do this too! (Although I'm sure a lot of people do.) Also, on our first trip our kids were both so young (3 1/2 and 1) that I had ID tags made for them. I just used one of those make your own pet ID machines in Walmart. I put their first name only and both DH's and my cell phone numbers on them. It worked out well because they had a heart shaped Tinker Belle one for DD and a camo one for DS. I put DD's on the necklace chain it came with since she was older and would keep it on. I used a safety pin to pin on DS's each day to whatever he was wearing. We have used these on each of our trips since then. Even though DD is old enough (6 1/2) and now knows our telephone numbers, she is still going to wear hers in May! I figure it can't hurt--what if she got lost and was so upset that she couldn't remember our #s?? It may seem over protective, but I really worry about losing them in a place that is so packed full of people!

Good job with all your planning. I'm liking your ADR selections--you've got some yummy ones! I also feel the same way you do about planning for DHS, but it looks like you've got a good plan set up, so you should be good to go.

Can't wait to see more!

 

[Moira222]

I just used one of those make your own pet ID machines in Walmart. I put their first name only and both DH's and my cell phone numbers on them. It worked out well because they had a heart shaped Tinker Belle one for DD and a camo one for DS.

Oh I love this idea! DD does know our cell phone numbers but this is a great idea because she is still so little that if she were lost she might panic and then not be able to remember. I can pin it to her pin trading lanyard while we are there & she will like that.

And Welcome to my little PTR..... it is filling in the every so long days till May when I get to really be there!!!

 

[jm106]

I am subbing. We are arriving on the day you leave and I see you are from
N-E PA and I am from N-W NJ so hi neighbor!
Love your pictures, you can feel the magic, it gets me so excited to get back.
You are an awesome planner, down to mousekeeping envelopes! I have so much more I want to do but with college and kids and that darn work to interfer with fun, its hard. I too have not completed my '08 scrap book, so I think It will be a combo book now,lol. I always wait to tip and thank hotel cleaning staff until the end but seems much more common to do daily from what I read. Ill have to remember that,and see if I can get some nice thank you ideas as well. Once I get through some busy upcoming weeks, I hope to get busy and do some fun pretrip things. We did a 100 day "party" last week with movie and made homemade pizza (pizza planet of course.)
The black Flip Flops you posted I have from 08 WDW trip and love them so much other then when they get too wet(SQUISH, SQUISH.)

 

[Moira222]

I have been absent from my own PTR because I have been so caught up in reading so many other great reports. I just love reading everyone else's plans and reports, and I have gotten a lot of really great ideas of things to add to our own schedule. I don't know how I didn't know about the Animation studio at DHS but DD and DH were really excited to do this on our trip. We are all on the artsy side and DD has decided that she will be an artist when she grows up now.:artist

This leads me to the fifth day of our trip.
This day is DH's birthday and it will be his day. I didn't plan the day to the hilt because I want him to be able to pick his favorites. I think that a more leisurely morning and taking the WL at 10 am will be an easy start to the day. he plans on running every morning, so maybe DD and I will rent a surrey bike this morning to follow him.

By far Joe's favorite park is Epcot. He enjoys seeing all the WS countries but also many attractions in Futureland. We will for sure hit Test Track, Soarin, The Land and Innovations. We may do a bit of park hopping this day as he also really enjoys DHS TOT and RRC and while we haven't done it yet I think we will love TSM.

We have dinner plans at Poly for the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show ...we are SO looking forward to this!

I have to say that I don't have many concrete plans for the second half of our trip ---I plan to hit the parks hard the first few days, then spend the lst few days hitting our favorites, doing shopping, catching shows and rides that we weren't able to do earlier in the week. In our past trips, we focused on the parks and really did not visit other resorts. I've wanted to see more that the world has to offer, so this trip we are doing just that and having dinner at quite a few other resorts. We (ok, DH mostly) also tend to be creatures of habit so by seeing other resorts maybe we will expand our habits in the future.


Disneys Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course has been on my list too. DH is hit or miss on mini golf....but I just have a feeling that Disney's mini golf course is unlike any other we have been to and will be fun just to see. Any feedback here?

Aside from planning what to do while we are in the parks, I have been trying to plan what to do with Thor, our ever loving scary looking but rather codependent dog. We don't board him, and usually take him with us when we go away (we usually take our camper). With one SIL finishing up college courses, and the other SIL pretty much on full time duty helping my in-laws with a full gamut of health issues, and all of my siblings now having children of their own requiring attention. we have been sort of sweating this one. Happily my BFF has said that provided she is still among the unemployed, she will come stay and house/dog sit. whew! is it wrong for me to hope that she finds a job on May 25? (Love you Les )

 

[brookelizabeth]

If you end up hopping from Epcot to DHS that day, you know about the boat that goes directly there, right? It's a nice leisurely way to travel between those two parks.

I love your plan of just a "whatever Joe wants" day, it'll turn out great I'm sure!!

And what a relief to have your BFF watch your dog!

 

[Moira222]

If you end up hopping from Epcot to DHS that day, you know about the boat that goes directly there, right? It's a nice leisurely way to travel between those two parks.

I love your plan of just a "whatever Joe wants" day, it'll turn out great I'm sure!!

And what a relief to have your BFF watch your dog!

Thanks Brook - is it a FriendShip that goes from Epcot to DHS? I remember writing out boat rides, I am not sure if I caught one between the two parks.

 

[brookelizabeth]

Thanks Brook - is it a FriendShip that goes from Epcot to DHS? I remember writing out boat rides, I am not sure if I caught one between the two parks.

Your welcome!! I'm not sure if it's called a Friendship or not... If you go out the International Gateway (path between the UK and France, on the UK side of the bridge) there is a small entrance/exit gate and the boat is right there on the left. It will stop at the Swan/Dolphin, Boardwalk and Beach Club too. It's a nice, relaxing ride!

 

[eandesmom]

I think not having concrete plans is a fine thing! Especially if you've already hit your "must do's" then you can really blow whichever way the wind takes you which is a very fun, and freeing, thing to do!

 

[creativeamanda]

Joining in! Your husband's birthday is the day before my husband's! How cool is that?!? I would love to go when you are going--perfect weather, less crowds, and the beginnings of Star Wars weekends!

 

[Wonders10]

Hi there!

Joining in! I've only read the 1st page, but will be back to read through all your planning fun. I think both you and your DH look amazing! Definitely can see a difference in you from the 2 pictures you posted. Not sure how much you read through my pre-tr, but I am also on WW, but having a very hard time staying focused and losing. I will get there though! Your DD is adorable and of course, I wouldn't be me, if I didn't comment on cute Thor as well. German Shepherds are another of my favorite breeds. Not sure why - I did have one when I was a very young child so maybe my subconscious knows how great they are.

Just curious since you said your DH is a police officer, because my family is also in law enforcement (I saw family because my late father, mom and brother were/are in the police business). Is Thor a K9 officer?

 

[Moira222]

Joining in! Your husband's birthday is the day before my husband's! How cool is that?!? I would love to go when you are going--perfect weather, less crowds, and the beginnings of Star Wars weekends!

Thanks for joining! The birthdays a day apart is cool...and let me give you my sympathies for being married to a Taurus Does yours go from Prince Charming to Grumpy to Shrek in a short time span

Hi there!

Joining in! I've only read the 1st page, but will be back to read through all your planning fun. I think both you and your DH look amazing! Definitely can see a difference in you from the 2 pictures you posted. Not sure how much you read through my pre-tr, but I am also on WW, but having a very hard time staying focused and losing. I will get there though! Your DD is adorable and of course, I wouldn't be me, if I didn't comment on cute Thor as well. German Shepherds are another of my favorite breeds. Not sure why - I did have one when I was a very young child so maybe my subconscious knows how great they are.

Just curious since you said your DH is a police officer, because my family is also in law enforcement (I saw family because my late father, mom and brother were/are in the police business). Is Thor a K9 officer?

Hi Shannon! I did read you are doing WW - and know what you mean about having a hard time staying focused. We started doing WW on the "old" points system, so when they switched to the points plus we were done with out prepaid weeks and didn't go back, we've just been trying to follow at home. Joe is WAY better at tracking than I am. its a struggle!!

Thor is not a K9 officer. He does come from a line of schitzun trained dogs, and when we rescued him at 10 mos he had a really really high prey drive. I spoke with the breeder who recommended we NOT use him for any sort of k9 work because he would be unstoppable & not a good pet. So, lots of training later, we have a thoroughly co dependent baby. I will have to upload more pix onto flickr so I can post them.

I am looking forward to seeing more of your puppy pix along with your spring break plans!

 

[Moira222]

So tonight I am digressing a bit from my Disney planning because.....its my birthday! I am 21 (again). For dinner I enjoyed a yummy sangria for each time I turned 21. You do the math!

Life in our little corner of the world has been rather busy.My FIL fell on the ice in early February and as a result, had knee surgery last week to have screws put in to keep the bone and ligament in place. fun eh? So DH and DSIL have been spending a lot of time at their house to help out. and while I mostly just stick to taking care of DD, I do find myself cooking for 6 instead of 3 more often than not the past week or two.

Spending so much time at his parents had Joe waking to realize he had not bought me anything. So I happily offered to let him take me shopping before he took me to dinner at Red Lobster. Thoughtful, aren't I?

Work was nothing spectacular, but my co workers did try to surprise me with a little cake & coffee get together. I wasn't really surprised but I tried not to let them know. They figured it out though. I can smell coffee brewing from anywhere in the building! I am practicing taking pictures of food .... this will be something new for me. Here is the cake that we didn't finish....moist yellow cake topped with vanilla pudding, a thick whipped topping, toasted shredded coconut and mini chocolate chips. mmmmm

We picked up DD at school and headed up to the shopping area to Burlington Coat Factory -- great little treasures there. So I took a huge pile of clothing into the changing room, with my little fashion diva in tow. Narrowed my pile down to 4 things that I (and the diva) liked. I said "Go take these to Daddy and you and he can pick what to buy me for my birthday". Yippee, Daddy picked everything!! So a new skirt suit and three new tops later and we were out the door.

A 5 minute detour into 5 below landed me a bike helmet for DD, a nifty charger for our USB electronics for our Disney trip (MP3 players, digital camera), and some office supplies for $11.98. yeah! DD was ticked that DH wouldn't let her buy some piece of junk toy but we told her to save her $$ for WDW where she could buy cool stuff. She was not exactly thrilled but eh, she is not the boss, right?

Off to Red Lobster. No wait when we got there (love weeknights!) and a nice cold glass of sangria was quickly delivered to my table. DH and I tried to control ourselves with the cheddar biscuits --and Katie was happy to help by scarfing them all for herself.

After some tic tac toe and word find times, our dinners arrived. Popcorn shrimp for Katie,

Cajun grilled trout for Joe with shrimp on top,

Maine lobster and wood grilled shrimp for me.

Yummmmm we all three shared a Chocolate wave dessert. Holy crap Joe looked up the calories of the cake when we got home. One piece of cake (not including the ice cream) is a day's worth of calories - 1500!

We both realized that desserts at Disney are going to kill us!!!

Despite the fact that I will now have to eat like a rabbit for the rest of the week, dinner was great! Mostly it was nice to spend a very non-stressful evening out with my sweeties!

I'm off to bed but wanted to share my day with you all. Those sangrias have sort of added to my sleepiness so I will have to catch up on the boards tomorrow. Have a great night!!

 

[Moira222]

I just realized that Katie's "Pinky Promise" story was in the Disney Spotlight newsletter, and I must have missed it in my inbox! It was in last August. bummer. I would have printed it out! If anyone keeps their Disney Insider newsletters, can you PM me to forward it?

Here is a link to the Insider Spotlight: http://disney.go.com/disneyfans/insider/spotlight/20100831

 

[blessedmom4]

MARY ELLEN!!

It looks like you all had fun celebrating! The food looks delicious!

I am loving ALL of your plans, especially the slow Birthday day, to do as Joe wants! A surry bike sounds like fun! Looking forward to hearing more!

 

[brookelizabeth]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! Sounds like you had a fantastic day! I hope things with your DFIL ease up a bit and he starts to feel better.

I read the Pinky Promise! I NEVER read those things, but that one caught my eye for some reason! I have looked through my emails and can't find it though. I'm going to look again!!

 

[Moira222]

I am subbing. We are arriving on the day you leave and I see you are from
N-E PA and I am from N-W NJ so hi neighbor!
Love your pictures, you can feel the magic, it gets me so excited to get back.
You are an awesome planner, down to mousekeeping envelopes! I have so much more I want to do but with college and kids and that darn work to interfer with fun, its hard. I too have not completed my '08 scrap book, so I think It will be a combo book now,lol. I always wait to tip and thank hotel cleaning staff until the end but seems much more common to do daily from what I read. Ill have to remember that,and see if I can get some nice thank you ideas as well. Once I get through some busy upcoming weeks, I hope to get busy and do some fun pretrip things. We did a 100 day "party" last week with movie and made homemade pizza (pizza planet of course.)
The black Flip Flops you posted I have from 08 WDW trip and love them so much other then when they get too wet(SQUISH, SQUISH.)

Hi Neighbor! Welcome!! I popped over to your PTR -- your little guy is so cute! I will read in between working as my day goes on!

Mousekeeping -- I learned here on the boards that you may not have the same mousekeeper every day, so if you're going to tip, a little every day makes sure you get the mousekeeper of the day. I read that the average is $1 per person in your room. that's what we are going with unless there is some amazingly awesome thing in our room

Shoes are a struggle for me. I had a great pair of fake crocs for several years but their squishiness last summer just got too much to handle and the inside of the flip flop was too floppy and so I had to retire them. Yesterday I rejected my 3rd or 4th pair (I have lost track) of shoes from Zappos. sigh. I have one more on my favs that I will order once I return the latest pair. I have feet issues.

DH & I are going to have some Star WArs nights in anticipation of SWW opening our last weekend there. We are trying to talk our DD into letting us give her princess leia hair buns!!!