March 2016 PTR - How do we keep this a secret? -Uptd The Surprise!!! Pg 8

[Gracefulskinny]

Have any of you gotten the water parks and more option before?

Sorry, DH and I are very much anti water park people so I can't help you out here.

I just went on an Amazon Shopping spree

Ooo fun!

His prices are 50.00 for 25 pins. The problem with him is that I love to collect sets and sometimes the sets he sends are ones I want to collect... so I have no trading pins left.

Oh gosh yes! Its why we get a lot of 50 because generally at least half are pins that we end up wanting to keep!

Anyone else have this problem? Do you like to trade pins?

This is totally reminding me. I never got around to getting the pins from our trip in May out of the pin book and on our pin board. I still have to go through them. ( Little Miss got her hands on the pin book a few months back and lost the backings on a bunch of the pins. I kept hoping more would turn up in the move but they never did. I need to get that all sorted so the pin book can be ready for March. At least I can blame the activity on just getting the pins in order and the newer ones on the board and she won't be suspicious about why I'm getting the book organized. )

 

[Jasperann]

Oh gosh yes! Its why we get a lot of 50 because generally at least half are pins that we end up wanting to keep!

This is totally reminding me. I never got around to getting the pins from our trip in May out of the pin book and on our pin board. I still have to go through them. ( Little Miss got her hands on the pin book a few months back and lost the backings on a bunch of the pins. I kept hoping more would turn up in the move but they never did. I need to get that all sorted so the pin book can be ready for March. At least I can blame the activity on just getting the pins in order and the newer ones on the board and she won't be suspicious about why I'm getting the book organized. )

I have a pin board too!! I put all my pins that I want to keep on it when we return from our trips. My DD12 has a smaller version for her pins in her room. I collect Chip and Dale and Cheshire Cat. I do find other ones I like, like the shoes they had for the villains and the princesses a few years ago. I have all of those (my oldest bought them for me for Christmas). I buy a Flower and Garden pin each year too, because we end up going during this time.

Good plan on getting your book together with a back up story.

I'm still trying to figure out what to say to the kids if they realized that I ordered a lot of 50 for trading pins... I would not be able to talk my way out of that one. I will have to go through them in my room. But I won't be able to add the keeper pins to my board until after the trip.



Although I do have that Jack pin purse type thing from one of my trips and I could just say I'm moving some of my keepers from there. I think my Orange Bird Collection is still in it actually... And a Chip and Dale pin I purchased.

 

[Jasperann]

More shopping!

At first for the surprise I really wanted to buy Mickey Ears for each of the kids (and us) to have hanging on their carry-ons when the elevator doors opened at the airport, for something in their face Disney. So they would KNOW without a doubt what Dad and DD19 were doing waiting for us.

...

...

...

I changed my mind. I kind of feel like they would block traffic at the elevator with the shock of it all, which means I need them to want to GO over to Dad and BB and find out why they are there.

They will still have our bags that are not getting checked, so the kids will know 'something' is up. But now I am going to have magic bands hooked to each of their bags. The special ones... I figure they will get more use out of them then the hats they would only wear for a few minutes. So I ordered 6 Magic Bands for our surprise.

DS9 - Figment/Epcot one, He LOVES Figment (that is an understatement)

DD11 - Belle, I asked them this morning, all in 'conversation' who their favorite character at Disney was (not thinking princesses) and this is the answer I got from Kelsey. I was like, 'uh, character not princess' and she of course says 'mom, they are all characters, it's just a face character.' So she will love it.

DD12 - Goofy, I really don't care for the green that he is on, but Emma and I were going through the Shop Disney app yesterday while waiting for her brother to get out of school... which is completely normal behavior for the two of us... and she love Goofy, he is her favorite character in all the world. She also likes Stitch and Cinderella, but not as much as Goofy. I think it's because she is so clumsy and Goofy is very similar. She will also love it.

DD19 - Stitch, she has loved Stitch forever... that has never changed or wavered (although Chip and Dale are also favorites) when she is given a choice of merchandise at the parks it is always the Stitch stuff she goes for. I think if Chip and Dale was on the online store though it would have been hard to decide which one to get her. Even though she is aware of the trip, I want her magic band to be a secret until the surprise is revealed. Even if we have to make her think she didn't get one... Yes we are that kind of family... But she will be thrilled once she realizes she wasn't left out.

DH - I told him about my idea this morning and he jumped on his work computer and went straight to the Disney website without any prompting and told me which one he wanted. I think I've converted my former 'Disney is just okay and I only do it for your and the kids' Hubby into a full fledged lover of Disney! But he picked his favorite character as well, Jack Skellington. I think if Jack wasn't available then he would have gone with a Star Wars one.

And of course I got myself one. I picked out BB8, because she is such a cinnamon roll! Love her. I call her a her because I feel like she kind of had a crush on R2-D2 and R2 has always been a boy to me. Although I suppose if BB8 was a boy he could still have a crush on R2... But in my world she is a girl.

Now if they see the Disney Box when it arrives they are going to want to know what is in it. I'm kind of hoping it comes in the same type of box the magic bands come in... the plain brown that just has the Disney return address. My DD11 is observant enough to read where it came from, but the rest really don't do that, so as long as they don't see it I can just hide it in my room and they will forget all about it. Of course if it comes when my DD19 is home she may just think they are the regular magic bands.

I just love surprises.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

I'm still trying to figure out what to say to the kids if they realized that I ordered a lot of 50 for trading pins... I would not be able to talk my way out of that one. I will have to go through them in my room. But I won't be able to add the keeper pins to my board until after the trip.

I have one pin book that goes with us and I have a system I put the pins I know I want to trade at the front and work backwards page by page in likelyhood of being disappointed if I got home and it wasn't traded. I then start at the last page and work forward of ones that are keepers there usually ends up being a few pages in between. As I trade down there I add the new ones that we are keeping to the back and grab a few more traders from the front to add to the lanyard that hangs off the backpack.

If you get caught with the lot of 50 just say that you stumbled across a deal that was too good to pass up and that you thought you could just go ahead and get them and save them for the next trip. (totally something that would happen in my house.)

I changed my mind. I kind of feel like they would block traffic at the elevator with the shock of it all, which means I need them to want to GO over to Dad and BB and find out why they are there.

Smart thinking!

The special ones... I figure they will get more use out of them then the hats they would only wear for a few minutes. So I ordered 6 Magic Bands for our surprise.

Nice!

Even though she is aware of the trip, I want her magic band to be a secret until the surprise is revealed. Even if we have to make her think she didn't get one...

FUN!

Yes we are that kind of family... But she will be thrilled once she realizes she wasn't left out.

Don't worry we're the same way. Little Miss is being told that we are just going to stay at the "boring adult hotel" with Nana and Grandad.

DH - I told him about my idea this morning and he jumped on his work computer and went straight to the Disney website without any prompting and told me which one he wanted.

Hey that's even better than DH! Impressive. I have to find the options for my DH and give him a narrowed options list!

I call her a her because I feel like she kind of had a crush on R2-D2 and R2 has always been a boy to me. Although I suppose if BB8 was a boy he could still have a crush on R2... But in my world she is a girl.

I'm totally good with your logic!

 

[Jasperann]

I have one pin book that goes with us and I have a system I put the pins I know I want to trade at the front and work backwards page by page in likelyhood of being disappointed if I got home and it wasn't traded. I then start at the last page and work forward of ones that are keepers there usually ends up being a few pages in between. As I trade down there I add the new ones that we are keeping to the back and grab a few more traders from the front to add to the lanyard that hangs off the backpack.

That is similar to what my DD19 does. She will put the pins that are her keepers in the front of her binder and then put the traders in a baggy, but she only brings a few to the parks (10 or so) each day to trade. Sometimes she runs out and regrets not bringing more, or she will borrow from her siblings. She actually has over a 100 trading pins right now and she was talking about buying more for our trip.

If you get caught with the lot of 50 just say that you stumbled across a deal that was too good to pass up and that you thought you could just go ahead and get them and save them for the next trip. (totally something that would happen in my house.)

That is something I would do too. But they came today and they did not get to the mail first, so Yay!!!

Smart thinking!

Yes. Except now Hubby is like "How long do you think it will take them to realize... before or after security...?" And I was like, "Uh, they will be realizing before security because I am video taping... and so are you."

Don't worry we're the same way. Little Miss is being told that we are just going to stay at the "boring adult hotel" with Nana and Grandad.

We have started the plan today. I was talking about the change of plan while she was in the van with DH and I and she pipped up and said, "What one did you get for me? Did you guess for me too?" I was all, " Uh, no... I was just getting them for the kids that are being surprised... I didn't even get Dad and I one. " She totally bought it. I feel only sort of bad about it.

Hey that's even better than DH! Impressive. I have to find the options for my DH and give him a narrowed options list!

That is what I used to do, or I would pick out what I thought he would like... he told me today that he did it because he knew it was the only chance of him getting a say in what he got. He is learning.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

That is something I would do too. But they came today and they did not get to the mail first, so Yay!!!

We have started the plan today. I was talking about the change of plan while she was in the van with DH and I and she pipped up and said, "What one did you get for me? Did you guess for me too?" I was all, " Uh, no... I was just getting them for the kids that are being surprised... I didn't even get Dad and I one. " She totally bought it. I feel only sort of bad about it.

 

[Jasperann]

Disney Bounding on the simple side.

This will be a picture heavy update compared to the other updates so far. The stuff I ordered for the girls to do some Disney Bounding finally came in. I will probably get more outfits. My oldest DD wants me to get her some too... all characters that wear blue... because that's her favorite color. So I'll have to figure that one out. Stitch is one.

Okay on with the pictures:

Pooh (DD11 Outfit)

The necklace for Pooh.

Side note - I was just editing this necklace's photo on photobucket and I'm basically in a corner of our living room... no way to see from behind me. What does my DD12 do? She comes over and leans over my laptop to look at my screen. It's like she has a radar.

Then she was like "What was that?" "Nothing, you nosy daughter..." "Well, I like it what ever it was."



Too bad it is for DD11...

Aurora - The skirt is a little darker than I had planned for... but I think it is still okay. (DD12 Outfit)

Necklace for Aurora. I looked for a pink rose, but I couldn't find anything that I thought would work (and was not over $100.00 )

Rapunzel. (DD11 outfit) This is my favorite one I put together. Mainly for the necklace.

The NECKLACE!!! I thought it was PERFECT!

Snow White. (DD12 outfit) I also have a red bitten apple necklace coming in the mail... The issue with it is that it will may not arrive until a day after we leave... So she may just end up with a red bow for her hair. Hoping the Apple arrives though, it is super cute!

Cinderella. (DD11 outfit) Cinderella is really my DD12's favorite character... but that's okay.

Cinderella Necklace.

So this one is for my DD12. I originally thought Minnie Mouse... but now I'm leaning towards Queen of Hearts and then creating an outfit for my DD19 that is Alice in Wonderland (which is one she requested.)

I have not bought anything to go with this outfit yet, so I could find a Queen of Hearts bow or something to go with it.

Ariel (DD12 outfit) When I found this skirt I couldn't pass it up, so it was my very first purchase. LOL

The Necklace.

So my DD19 has agreed that she is going to go as Ursala (posing as the little mermaid), so I am going to order her a Black skirt with a dark purple shirt and the shell Ursala puts Ariel's voice into. In bracelet form because my DD19 can not have anything around her neck without having an issue.

I will share more when I get it.

I found the shirts at Walmart for 3.00 a shirt in the juniors section! That was an amazing price! And I found all the other things on Amazon.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Side note - I was just editing this necklace's photo on photobucket and I'm basically in a corner of our living room... no way to see from behind me. What does my DD12 do? She comes over and leans over my laptop to look at my screen. It's like she has a radar.

Then she was like "What was that?" "Nothing, you nosy daughter..." "Well, I like it what ever it was."



Too bad it is for DD11...

Aurora - The skirt is a little darker than I had planned for... but I think it is still okay. (DD12 Outfit)

Love this one!

The NECKLACE!!! I thought it was PERFECT!

PERFECT!!!!!

So this one is for my DD12. I originally thought Minnie Mouse... but now I'm leaning towards Queen of Hearts and then creating an outfit for my DD19 that is Alice in Wonderland (which is one she requested.)

Oh that would be cute! will DD11 feel left out though if DD12 and DD19 are bounding together?

So my DD19 has agreed that she is going to go as Ursala (posing as the little mermaid), so I am going to order her a Black skirt with a dark purple shirt and the shell Ursala puts Ariel's voice into. In bracelet form because my DD19 can not have anything around her neck without having an issue.

 

[Jasperann]

Oh that would be cute! will DD11 feel left out though if DD12 and DD19 are bounding together?

I thought about this, and I just ordered my DD19 a gray skirt with a pink bow and I'm going to pick up a gray shirt to go with it. She can Bound as Eeyore while DD11 is Pooh. Although I also bought a striped pink shirt to go with the pink skirt (we wash cloths on our trip) for my DD12 to go as piglet (one of her favorites). So they can go as a trio. Although I don't have anything for my DS... He will probably not care to much. He is not into fashion.

I was also thinking of finding a blue/teal skirt and a yellowish shirt for my DD11 to go as Flounder. OR I could get those combos for DD12 to go as one of the step sisters and then the Pink and dark pink for DD19 for the other step sister. It would really be perfect anyways, since DD11 often acts like she thinks she is Cinderella and the other two are the wicked step sisters.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

I thought about this, and I just ordered my DD19 a gray skirt with a pink bow and I'm going to pick up a gray shirt to go with it. She can Bound as Eeyore while DD11 is Pooh. Although I also bought a striped pink shirt to go with the pink skirt (we wash cloths on our trip) for my DD12 to go as piglet (one of her favorites). So they can go as a trio.

Cute!!!

Although I don't have anything for my DS... He will probably not care to much. He is not into fashion.

I'd say your probably okay on that front. Your DH would know if he thought that DS would be left out or not.

I was also thinking of finding a blue/teal skirt and a yellowish shirt for my DD11 to go as Flounder. OR I could get those combos for DD12 to go as one of the step sisters and then the Pink and dark pink for DD19 for the other step sister. It would really be perfect anyways, since DD11 often acts like she thinks she is Cinderella and the other two are the wicked step sisters.

I love both Ideas! YOu would need really really big bows for the stepsister looks though.

 

[Jasperann]

Oh Gosh...

The surprise...

It's compromised...

That sort of conversation with my DD12 has put my DD11 and DD12 on high alert for surprises. I'm hoping that I have avoided the real surprise by redirecting, but with the two of them being detectives I'm hoping I can throw them off the scent.

Most of our conversations happen over dinner. We are that kind of family. We eat together, with no electronics to keep us from hearing about each others days. I know it is a little rare these days, at least that is what I hear from my kids. Which is really sad.

But tonight over dinner this is how the conversation went...

DD12: So, mom, do you have a surprise that you are keeping from me?
DD11: Yeah, like a trip? A surrrr--prrrizzzeeee one?
Me: Uh, no... what are you talking about? *looking to DH for some kind of help to his face looking like this - Then looking to my DD19 and she is all - Thanks guys... lots of help... -- Then I looked at DD11 with a straight face and said -- That is wishful thinking...
DH: You know we don't have the money for a trip this year. *finally stepping in to help me out*
DD12: I know what I seen on your laptop earlier was a surprise.
Me: Uh.. what do you mean? What did you see on my laptop? When did this happen? ***Too over the top?
DD11: What about the purple shirt you just bought Brittany (DD19)?
DD19: I needed a purple shirt. What does that have to do with surprises?
Me: Yeah. No surprise here. **Totally failing at keeping it in... So I excused myself to get some water... by time I returned to the table they were on the topic of Bra's...

I know that seems a little random, but that is what I told them I ordered from Amazon... Lots and lots of bras... They wouldn't want to see my bras so it was safe.

But we were eating at a buffet place tonight... so there were tables all around... And my DD11 was turning bright red each time we said the word Bra.

But it didn't last long before my DD12 was back on the topic of surprises. I was now like this -

DD12: I know it is a surprise.
Me: You are right! It is, but it's not for you.
DD11: *peeking out of her hoody* Who is it for? Is it for me?
Me: I'm not telling.
DD11: It is for me!! What is it?
Me: *Bright idea* It's a birthday present. I'm collecting them for your birthday's.
DD12: For 'our' birthdays? That is 3 and 5 months from now.
DH: We have to start early.


WE DIVERTED THEM...


...


....


....


Until we get home... when my DD12 corners me in the living room...

DD12: So was it for my Birthday? What I seen?
Me: No.
DD12: Was it for Kelsey's (DD11) Birthday?
Me: No. **Pretend like I don't want her to know it really is for DD11's birthday...
DD12: It IS for her birthday!!!
Me: Nope.
DD12: I can tell it is, because of your face, you can't keep secrets.

DD12: I would make a good detective wouldn't I?
Me: ....


37 more days!! These are going to be the longest 37 days ever!!!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Oh Gosh...

The surprise...

It's compromised...

NOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I know that seems a little random, but that is what I told them I ordered from Amazon... Lots and lots of bras... They wouldn't want to see my bras so it was safe.

But we were eating at a buffet place tonight... so there were tables all around... And my DD11 was turning bright red each time we said the word Bra.

DD12: I know it is a surprise.
Me: You are right! It is, but it's not for you.

Glad I'm not the only one flat out lying now. LOL

WE DIVERTED THEM...

Until we get home... when my DD12 corners me in the living room...

Oh... uh oh...

DD12: So was it for my Birthday? What I seen?
Me: No.
DD12: Was it for Kelsey's (DD11) Birthday?
Me: No. **Pretend like I don't want her to know it really is for DD11's birthday...
DD12: It IS for her birthday!!!
Me: Nope.
DD12: I can tell it is, because of your face, you can't keep secrets.

DD12: I would make a good detective wouldn't I?
Me: ....

Good thinking! BTW next time one of these conversations starts up try distracting her by derailing the conversation into a conversation about proper grammar. Doubt it will work but if you make them work too hard for it they will either learn from the conversation or not want to bother next time! lol....

These are going to be the longest 37 days ever!!!

Hang in there you can do it!

 

[kwbrad]

Just found this report and am loving it! We will be there the 12th-19th of March ourselves. Hubby loves flights of wonder and is really bummed it will be closed. I'm kinda bummed about Soarin', but mostly bc that means other lines will be longer. Being spring break already I know it will be crazy busy already I'm sure.
Our first day in the parks is Sunday the 13th - time change. So we lose and hour bc of time zones, then an hour bc of time change. Plus I bet the 9am opening gets moved to 8am opening. I'm a morning person but getting up at what was 4am the day before at home, to start vacation, is for the birds!
Looking forward to more posts!

 

[Jasperann]

Glad I'm not the only one flat out lying now. LOL

No, it is creative storytelling.

Good thinking! BTW next time one of these conversations starts up try distracting her by derailing the conversation into a conversation about proper grammar. Doubt it will work but if you make them work too hard for it they will either learn from the conversation or not want to bother next time! lol....

That is totally something I would have done. But I was so distracted by trying to misdirect her it did not occur to me.

Just found this report and am loving it! We will be there the 12th-19th of March ourselves.

Maybe we will run into each other!! Are you doing a PTR?

Hubby loves flights of wonder and is really bummed it will be closed. I'm kinda bummed about Soarin', but mostly bc that means other lines will be longer. Being spring break already I know it will be crazy busy already I'm sure.

My hubby is in love with that show, so when I found out that it was going to be closed it made me sad. I like Soarin' but I also get a little motion sick on it, I think it is because the screen had so many 'flaws' in it with the video they play. And I figure that all the rides will be crazy long starting the week you are arriving. Last year for the same time frame the crowds really started to arrive. I have some crazy crowd pictures.

Our first day in the parks is Sunday the 13th - time change. So we lose and hour bc of time zones, then an hour bc of time change. Plus I bet the 9am opening gets moved to 8am opening. I'm a morning person but getting up at what was 4am the day before at home, to start vacation, is for the birds!
Looking forward to more posts!

That would be crazy!! I get up for work at 4am, so I could do it, but my kids.... It would never happen. And here I was thinking the hour time change would really matter to us. Although that means you can do more late nights!! That is a really awesome bright side!

 

[kwbrad]

Maybe we will run into each other!! Are you doing a PTR?


My hubby is in love with that show, so when I found out that it was going to be closed it made me sad. I like Soarin' but I also get a little motion sick on it, I think it is because the screen had so many 'flaws' in it with the video they play. And I figure that all the rides will be crazy long starting the week you are arriving. Last year for the same time frame the crowds really started to arrive. I have some crazy crowd pictures.


That would be crazy!! I get up for work at 4am, so I could do it, but my kids.... It would never happen. And here I was thinking the hour time change would really matter to us. Although that means you can do more late nights!! That is a really awesome bright side!

No PTR - I obsess enough as it is, if I were on here more my family may revolt!

We are sure the crowds will be insane, but hoping we might get a little reprieve with Easter being earlier so a lot of schools out the week after us. We will have touring plans, be at rope drop as much as possible, have fast passes booked, and ADRs booked. Really all we can do to get ready for the hoards.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

No, it is creative storytelling.

There you go!

 

[Jasperann]

No PTR - I obsess enough as it is, if I were on here more my family may revolt!

We are sure the crowds will be insane, but hoping we might get a little reprieve with Easter being earlier so a lot of schools out the week after us. We will have touring plans, be at rope drop as much as possible, have fast passes booked, and ADRs booked. Really all we can do to get ready for the hoards.

That is really all you can do. Then you show up and relax! We love rope drops (really I love rope drops) we discovered on our October trip with my hubby's mom and step dad that not making it to rope drop REALLY changes the way you can tour. We missed most of them that trip. :/

 

[Jasperann]

I think my DD12 knows...

Last night, over dinner (because who doesn't talk over dinner?) she was talking about Disney again... Really we were talking about it and she says, "I think I'm really lucky to have Emma as a best friend."

Random...

Me: "Yeah you are."
DD12: "Yeah, I can talk to her about my trip to Disney as much as I want and she just lets me."
Me: "Trip to Disney? What trip to Disney?"
DD12: "Not like 'now' but a few years ago and last year."
Me: "Emma (my daughter not her best friend) is going to Disney babe, I'm going to go with her."
DD11: "Me too!!"
DS9: "Me too!!"
DH: "Hate to break it to all of you but we don't have the money."
All of us: "Awwww"

We did carry on for a while after this about how DD12 is going to plan our next trip to Disney...

But it is because of this conversation that I am sure my DD12 knows and it is just like the Santa thing... she isn't going to let me know she knows. She still says she believes in Santa. My DD11 also says she believes in Santa, but with the way she says "These boots you got me for Christmas or This game that you guys got me for Christmas..." tells me she is pretending for me. Either that or she doesn't want all socks... My sister growing up decided she didn't believe in Santa anymore (she was around 14) and my mom got her nothing but socks because people that do not believe in Santa get socks. So this story is alive an well in our family and has kept my even DD19 saying she believes in Santa even though I know she doesn't.

But even if they think they 'know' I already planted the seed of my 'possible' work trip... which I just found out isn't really a lie now, I may have to go on another work trip before our trip. Which would REALLY help them believe my reason for going to the airport on the day we leave. It will keep them guessing for sure. Even if my DD12 'thinks' she knows enough to talk to her BBF about it I am not sure she knows 'when' we are going to go.

Oh and a random life update... That makes me super happy!!!

So I call DH my hubby because we have known each other since the 7th grade... a very long time... we dated all through high school and were engaged... then I got pregnant with my now 19 year old and we could not handle the emotions that came with it due to being so young and we ended our relationship. About 10 years ago we decided to get back together. We both had another child during that time (DD11 and DD12) and I got pregnant again shortly after we got back together. But we never got married. We never really 'needed' that paper to say we weren't going anywhere. We love each other and nothing is going to change that.

Well, we had a meeting with DD11's mom (who has been absent most of her life.. I'm really mom) and I had mentioned to DD11 a few months ago when she had an outburst about no one loving her that IF I could adopt her I would in a heart beat. During this meeting my DD11 is like "Mom ask her." (She calls me mom.) And I was like... "I'm not sure now is a good time..." (We were talking about visitation.) DD11: "No do it... come on Mom ask her." So I gave in... and I asked... and she said, "Sure, no problem..." That is what I looked like I'm sure, I was shocked, DD11's real mom is not an easy lady to talk to, she likes control and I can not see her ever signing over her rights. I was also a little mad that she didn't even think about it... Mad for DD11...

I'm sure that it hurt her even if she didn't act like it. But inside I was very much:



So this got my DH and I talking... about actually getting married. It's been a joke for a while now. Our DD11 and DD12 even staged a 'fake' marriage... making a 'wedding' cake and everything. I even posted on Facebook: 'I did not go to jail! I'm getting married!' Right after leaving the meeting. And the Congratulations really filled up that post. Along with a lot of About times... But we were still at the toying with it stage.

Then yesterday happened... my DH started sending me pictures of rings he is looking at. (All Disney inspired... ) They are simple bands with Mickey designs or something similar. Not traditional, but everything about our relationship hasn't been traditional. We are seriously talking about getting married. So that I can adopt DD11 and he can adopt DD12 (DD12's dad has not been in her life since she was 2, he stopped coming around when he found out I was talking to DH again.)

Of course we love each other... But that means that this surprise trip may turn into a family honeymoon...

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Even if my DD12 'thinks' she knows enough to talk to her BBF about it I am not sure she knows 'when' we are going to go.

She may suspect but that is indeed different from actually knowing. Just let slide.

As for the Santa thing... I once as a Nanny slipped and accidentally confirmed the Santa thing to the younger child. I felt so bad!

Well, we had a meeting with DD11's mom (who has been absent most of her life.. I'm really mom) and I had mentioned to DD11 a few months ago when she had an outburst about no one loving her that IF I could adopt her I would in a heart beat. During this meeting my DD11 is like "Mom ask her." (She calls me mom.) And I was like... "I'm not sure now is a good time..." (We were talking about visitation.) DD11: "No do it... come on Mom ask her." So I gave in... and I asked... and she said, "Sure, no problem..."

Ouch. At the same time I am glad to hear that the other mother doesn't want to use DD11 for power games and is willing to let go of DD11.

That is what I looked like I'm sure, I was shocked, DD11's real mom is not an easy lady to talk to, she likes control and I can not see her ever signing over her rights. I was also a little mad that she didn't even think about it... Mad for DD11...

I'm sure that it hurt her even if she didn't act like it. But inside I was very much:

Family stuff like that can be tricky and hard.

Of course we love each other... But that means that this surprise trip may turn into a family honeymoon...

Well that's one way to throw them off on Reveal day! Hide the surprise of the trip behind the surprise of making things official and BAM!

 

[Jasperann]

Monday, March 14th




Okay back to our actual day plans. Day 6.


We are planning on going to Hollywood Studios (minus the hat).


Our Fast passes are:


The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ -9:05 AM - 10:05 AM


Toy Story Midway Mania! -10:05 AM - 11:05 AM


Star Tours – The Adventures Continue - 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM


This is one of the days that I am planning on following EasyWDW plans. So we will arrive before the park opens and go straight to Toy Story. From there we will go to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (which I probably will not ride and sit out with my children who are also not riding). Use our FP for Tower of Terror… try to bribe my two unwilling children onto the ride… lol


Maybe catch Voyage of the Little Mermaid 10:25am show… Not sure if we will, sometimes we skip it. Ride Toy Story with our FP. Ride Star Tours with our FP (although I think I might switch this to the Frozen Sing along. I’ve heard so many good things about that show). After the show or ride we will grab another FP for The Great Movie Ride (or Star Tours if we did not do that already). We have a lunch ADR for 12pm at 50s Prime time! Our favorite place to eat at Disney, seriously, when asked my kids will say that is their first pick.


After our yummy lunch, we will probably do Beauty and the Beast if we have not done it yet. Then ride the ride we picked for FP and then go grab another FP for another thing later. We do want to see Lights Motor Action today, since it is going away and I know my son loves this show.


We have a dinner ADR at Hollywood and Vine for Minnie’s Silver Screen dinner, but I’ve been seriously waffling on this one. I may cancel it in favor of going to DTD and going to Disney Quest again depending on if the kids like it. (I rearranged our plans for our AK day and we will probably be doing DTD on that day as well.)


If we decide to go to DTD then we will grab a bus from DHS to Saratoga and walk over to DTD from there. It isn’t a long walk and it will save so much time not going back to our resort. We could also go to POR and take the boat if we want to spend some time relaxing on it. My daughter and I did that one-year and we grabbed food from the food court there.


I’m really sad that DHS no longer has the Animation class but I know that Disney Quest has something like it (at least people have said it’s like it) and we will want to do that a few times. I’m so glad we decided on the water parks and more pass.