~~Part 2 ~ They're leaving the nest, sew it's time for a trip-or two-or three ~~Off plans 10/11 ~~

DMGeurts

Never open texts with the "Hand Sewn Button" attac
Joined
Feb 25, 2008
Welcome! For those of you that don’t know me – I am Dorine - but I go by "D~" on The Dis... I subsidize all of our trips to Disney with my sewing of custom items, I love what I do, and I love that I am able to add magic to many trips to WDW - including our own.

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Most of my days are spent here - in my sewing room... Everything I make and do is done by vintage machine - the newest sewing machine I own is from 1963. However, recently - I've managed to save up enough $$ for a used embroidery machine - which allows me to add fonts to my items... I am very adamant about keeping all of my items One Of A Kind (OOAK) - so I only use this machine for adding fonts or making zipper pulls. If you would like to see some of my most recent work - you can find here: 2013 Projects And here: 2013 Projects continued… And finally, here: 2014 projects

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My girls and I are well known for our “girls trips” to Disney. I am very proud of both of my girls for the wonderful young adults that they are becoming. I enjoy spending my time with them, and I believe it shows in every post I write and every photo we take. They are my entire world, their smiles and laughter brighten every single day, I am so very lucky!

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My DH is Josh… He normally doesn’t play a role in our trips, other than me finding ways to get his blessing for another girls trip… He knows about the girls’ graduation trips, and he now knows about the November trip with Suzi and Mo… It’s VERY important that we reveal these trips at the proper place and time. Josh is not a Disney loving guy… He does not like the crowds or the lines – he would much rather stay home. Some day – I hope to take him back to Disney with me – and hopefully he will see the Pixie Dust that makes all of us love it so much.

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Then there is Max… Often referred to in my TRs/PTRs as “MM” which stands for many things… Maxy-Moo-Moo, Maxy-Moose, or Maxy-Moosie… He comes to all of those names – which is sad and sometimes funny. He is a “crazy man” – he is often told, and has definitely earned that title… He does some of the craziest things! But we all love him, and our family wouldn’t be nearly as interesting without him in it.

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And the newest addition to our family - Cooper... Or Sooper Cooper, if you prefer. Last winter, our family took in a stray dog, after finally finding her rightful owner, we discovered that her owners were neglectful animal parents. Feeling helpless in this situation - Josh reported it to the authorities, but we never heard what came of it. Sadly - MM loved the company and was very sad and lonely after our stray left. When a friend of mine from HS had a litter of puppies, I jumped on it and begged her to let us have one of them... She chose us to be one of the lucky new puppy parents. Our family waited anxiously for Cooper Adam to grow up enough so we could take him home - stalking my friend on FB for any and all puppy pictures we could find. It was a LONG 8 weeks! But, finally, Cooper came home to live with us. As far as puppies go - he is a very good puppy... At 13.5 weeks, he is almost totally house trained. He has slept through the night since 3 days after we brought him home. He loves his big brother and picks on him constantly... His big brother loves him and allows him to do this. It's been wonderful for our family to add Cooper... and he is just the most adorable little (quite big for his age) boy. :lovestruc

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The intros for this PTR will be formatted a little bit differently… As I am sure you’ve guessed from the title – I have 3 trips planned within a year. So, I will have one post dedicated to a description/intro for each trip, which will include any links which correspond with that trip. So, hopefully I can keep everything running smoothly throughout this crazy year.

If you are looking to part 1 of this thread... You can find it here: http://disboards.com/threads/theyre...-a-trip-or-two-or-three-d-s-bag-9-22.3388850/


 
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My first trip will be November 2015…

This trip came about when Mo started planning her return trip with the Midgets…
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Suzi decided that it would be fun to meet up with Mo for a few days, if she could make it work… So, her and Bradey invited me along…

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Suzi, Mo and I go waaay back… We first met in 2013 when they came to visit me and enjoy our birthday weekend at the MOA…
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Then we met up again in 2014 in Chicago for our birthdays again…

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Our annual birthday trip this year took place in Suzi’s home state of “the Island of Maine”…

Suzi is mostly planning this trip… I am just tagging along for the ride…

I know nothing! Suzi is planning to surprise me with where we are staying... Super childishly excited about this! I am sure Suzi will post more info as things get going.

Mo already has her trip planned; Suzi and I are late to the game… So, sadly we won’t get to spend too much time with Mo and her family… But we plan to do our best to intersect when we can – without crashing their party too much… After all – this started as their family trip.

As a side note… I still don’t know for sure if this trip is going to happen – I want it to happen, but the girls’ graduation trips take priority over this trip. So, financially, if I can’t do all of them – this one will have to be the first to go. This trip will be a very hard trip for me to take, seeing as it will be my very first trip without my girls – so there will be many tears, I am sure. But at some point, I will have to learn how to take these trips without them… So – you all know me, and I will do my very best to make all of this happen.​

Updates by Suzi:


Okay, so D said I could post some pictures and start telling you our plans for the November trip. So here goes....

This is a surprise trip for my son. We will be leaving 4 days after his birthday and if I can keep it quiet until then....he will get a surprise box for a present. Thank goodness I have D and Mo to plan with or else I would be going nuts here! Bradey is usually very involved with the Disney planning. I have asked him a couple things with the excuse that it is for our next big trip (April 2016). I don't think he knows.

So Bradey and I will be flying down from ME and D will be flying down from MN. Looking at flight schedules, it looks like Bradey and I will get in around 10:30 and D will be there around 12. So we probably won't wait for her, but we will head directly to the DME and hop a bus to


Picture thanks to Google search....its not mine!

Isn't it pretty?? I have visited Wilderness Lodge on a couple separate trips, but this will be the first time staying there. We will be in a Studio Villa (paying "cash" not renting points) mostly because we need 3 beds. Both Bradey and I are horrible sleepers and cannot share a bed. So these rooms have a queen, a pullout sofa and a twin-ish murphy bed. See...





I think we will be very comfy here. There is only one sink int he bathroom, but we will have the "kitchen" sink too, so I think we will be fine.



These room pics are all directly from the Disney website, also not mine.

We will only have 5day hopper passes, and six days there if you count arrival day. So instead of going to a park when we arrive, we will explore our resort. Have some lunch at Roaring Forks and possibly rent a surrey bike.

My cousin Dani and I rented a bike a few years ago at POR and it was fun. I hear the trail between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness is great. Here's a pic of Dani and I a couple years ago.



Of course I will only pretend to pedal as D does all the work. You all know she's been working out, right?

So my only issue with the room is that there is one small closet and you know how many outfits D has, right?!


Courtesy of Google search once again

But each time we have gone, I bring along those hanging sweater organizers...you know the canvas things with 6-8 shelves. I think that will work nicely here. I don't have much that needs to hang up. And there is a large drawer in the "coffee table" that most of Bradey's stuff will fit in.

I am hoping they will have Christmas decorations up, but I have heard they don't usually do that until the Sunday before Thanksgiving. So I am preparing myself for no tree. It is still beautiful!


Again....from the Disney website

And I am very excited to have our own pool. I think it might be too cool for most people, so it should be pretty quiet.


Yep, Disney site again

I am hoping to have a nice dinner at one of the resorts. Probably a monorail resort, but I won't rule out Boma at AKL or even a DTD meal. Bradey and I will have a very early start, so I think just relaxing at the resort this arrival day will be just fine.

UPDATE

Suzi booked our ADRs this morning... She was able to get some fabulous food for us!!! :woohoo:

Quoted from her PM to me this morning:

So arrival night we have Boma at 4:40

First MK day we have Plaza Restaurant at 12:00 (couldnt get BoG this day)

Kona breakfast the next day at 8:30 (HS day)

Tusker breakfast at 8:20 AK day
Via Napoli dinner at 5:30 same day

Be Our Guest lunch 2nd MK day at 11:10 (kinda early, but will be EMHs that AM

Departure day, DME will pick us up around 10, so breakfast at Kona 8:00

UPDATE 8/5/15

Suzi switched resorts on me! Officially - I have NO idea where we are staying. She has dropped a few hints, but they are so vague - we could be anywhere. I am pretty excited to not know!

Also, yesterday, I purchased my (first ever) Annual Pass! :woohoo: I am super excited about this! A dream come true - truly!!!

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Then... I also purchased my MVMCP tickets! I am very excited for this trip! I love Christmas - it's one of my favorite holidays - and to finally get to experience the Christmas festivities at Disney - well - life is good, very - very good. ::yes::


The TR for this trip is finished - you can find it in my siggy, or here:

Sew the crowds in WDW were frightful, but the weather was so delightful.


D~
 
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The girls and I have been taking girls trips together for several years now, with PTRs and TRs to document each of them – links in my siggy if you are interested.
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Chronologically, Allison’s graduation trip is next… Taking place sometime in the spring of 2016. We have not settled on an exact date for this trip, as her spring break falls over Easter – and we are not sure we want to take a trip during the craziness of Easter. So, the exact dates have yet to be determined.

My oldest dd is Allison, but I call her Alli when I am typing fast (she hates the name Alli – so shhh… we won’t tell her). Allison is 16, but she will be 17 when we take this trip… She is ready to take on the world with all of her planned adventures. Allison is currently in 11th grade, but she will be a senior when she takes this trip... She is one of those people that you just can't take your eyes off of - she carries with her a vibrant love of life and laughter – not to mention, she is a fabulous photographer. Allison’s favorite Disney movie is Up! And she loves many rides, food and the atmosphere of WDW.

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Allison will be planning this trip on her own, my only job is to pay for it all. Sigh. I will be inserting her plans here, as I get them. I know where she wants to stay… but I know I can’t afford it – so it will likely be a Mod resort… Unless I can get some crazy awesome bounceback deal while I am down there in November.

Allison will be picking all of our meals… All of our Fastpasses… Everything. After all, this is HER trip.

Update April 25, 2015...

I booked our resort for this trip last night! I am super excited! :woohoo: As of now (unless Disney comes out with a better deal for us) - we will be staying at Shades of Green, January 2016. I happened to sign on to their website last night, and they were running a discount promo for our dates - 35% off of rooms... I just couldn't pass it up. As I was initially planning this trip, with keeping to our budget - I was only able to afford 5 or 6 nights - I was so upset about this, because I really want to make the girls' graduation trips memorable and also relaxing... Having that short of trip just wasn't going to cut it. So, I've been watching for SoG to release some sort of discount we could use. I was so thrilled to sign on last night and find one! So, not only are we able to go for 8 nights/9days, but we are still saving almost $250 off of our initial budget. :woohoo:

So, next up, will be planning our ADRs... Allison has already given me her list - so I am trying to plug it all in and make it work. ::yes::

Update August 5, 2015

ADRs are done... :woohoo:

We are not staying at a Disney resort this trip - so I had to be up early on many days to secure the ADRs we wanted. I am happy to say that we have everything! Sadly - since there is no DDP for this trip, we had to scale back our normal Disney Dining experience, and choose only the favorite of the favorites.

On the agenda is...

Tusker House breakfast - Before AK opens.
Crystal Palace breakfast - before MK opens
50's Prime Time - Dinner
Kona Cafe - a late breakfast on one of our off days
Beaches & Cream - I've always wanted to try the "kitchen sink"
Liberty Tree Tavern - Lunch

And yes - the above is the "scaled back version" LOL

I've been stalking airfare every single morning for weeks now... No luck.... Well, if I want to pay lots of $$... But you know me - I have a budget in mind for airfare, and hopefully I won't go over it. ::yes::

Update October 27, 2015

Finally - I was able to get airfare for this trip. After stalking every airfare website since July, we are FINALLY going to Disney World! :woohoo: On the dates we are booked - which is a bonus. The flights are not great flights, we have a layover both directions... A 3+ hour layover in Chicago on the way down and a 1.5 hour layover in Chicago on the way back... Buuuut - we are going to Disney and that's what's important. Thankfully the girls and I are pretty seasoned travelers, so doing a layover won't be a huge issue.

We land in Orlando a little later than I would have liked - but still earlier than some of the other flights that were in my budget. So, we will live with it. Our arrival time will still give us some time to swim and stroll around SoG and the Poly on arrival day.

However - our flight out of Orlando is EARLY - E A R L Y.... So there will be NOTHING on departure day, aside from waking up and going directly to the airport... But our arrival day was more important to me than our departure day - so, again, we will live with it. And we will get home early enough for Allison to recoup and go to school the next day.


Next up... I just need to pay for it all.... I am about half way there, and I am pinching pennies like crazy. Thankfully - the only thing that has to be purchased in advance is Allison's Military Salute ticket - which I will be purchasing on my November trip. Everything else can be paid for upon arrival - so I have until that time to save up enough $$ to pay for this trip. It's going to be close - and rough. I am just thankful that I have an additional 10 months to pay off V's trip - I am going to need all of that time to save enough $$ for her's.

Update January 8, 2016

This trip is paid for! :woohoo: As you see above - the airline tickets were purchased. Right before Christmas - Target ran a GC promo on the $25 Disney GCs, buy 2 and get a $5 Target GC... So, I stocked up - in the end, I ended up with an additional $100 in Disney GCs than what I had budgeted. :woohoo: So, we should have pleanty of $$ for food!

I have not physically paid for our hotel room yet - I do that at check-in.

I still have not called the town car company to pay off our reservation - I will do that soon. It just has to be done before we get there.

I also have to purchase our Universal Studios tickets - those have to be purchased in person at Shades of Green, so I will do that the first day we get there, and also reserve our shuttle for the day we intend to go.

I still have to pay for luggage fees... Sad that we are not flying SW, but oh well - it will still be a fun trip!

I think that's it? :scratchin I am hoping I didn't forget anything?

We are coming into the home stretch here... I have my outfits all planned out, and even though we leave very soon - I have thrown my stuff into my "packing pile", but I have not actually packed. :eek: I am hoping to start some of that today? :scratchin Here's a sneak peek at some of my outfit planning:

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So, that's about it... We are down to mere days! And I am about as done as I can be with planning and sewing.

Allison's trip is complete - and so is her TR, if you'd like to read about all of our adventures, here's the link:

~~~~ Sew your Disney side Alli-son-son! ~~~~


D~
 
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Next is Victoria’s graduation trip…

Again – this is a trip she will be planning… My only job will be to pay for it. Sigh again… These trips are sooo expensive!

She definitely wants to go to Disney for Halloween, and do MNSSHP… So, we will be taking this trip sometime in October of 2016. She does have a few days off of school during this time – so she will only have to miss a few days. Sadly – this locks us into certain dates. But it will be fun and it’s a good time of year to go.

My youngest dd is Victoria, but I often refer to her as “V” when I am typing… LOL – don’t ever try to call her V or Tori for that matter… She won’t answer to either of those names. Victoria is currently in 10th grade, but when we take this trip, she will be a senior. Victoria is a fun and sensitive teen… You will often see pictures of her having lots of fun – or not having fun at all… And it shows. Victoria has a way with kids, and enjoys spending her time babysitting the neighbors, she also loves baking, sewing, drawing and being an all-around “momma’s girl”… I love spending time with her. She can make me laugh like no other. Victoria’s favorite Disney movie is – all of them… She dreams of being a character in Disney someday – although, I think she would be very well suited as an animator, as she is an amazing artist. Victoria still loves wearing Disney customs and she loves designing them - so I do my best to create her dreams.

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If you've read any of my previous TRs - you know that V is NOT an early riser... Her mood greatly depends on the amount of time she is allowed to sleep in... So, I am sure her planning is going to look waaay different than mine. As a matter of fact - I am not sure that we will even arrive at the parks at the same time of day? LOL It will drive me crazy to watch her sleep while I am wasting prime park time watching her sleep... So, this could prove to be a very interesting trip and touring style. ::yes::

I know which resort we are staying at for V's trip... She only has ONE love at WDW, and she will probably never deviate from that... I will give you a hint - there's beignets and Santos there. ::yes::

Even though our touring (and sleep) schedules vary a lot - I am still looking forward to spending this time with her. It's not often that we get time alone. :lovestruc

Update 1/29/2016

I booked Victoria's resort stay this morning... I've decided to trump her wishes for FQ and stay at SoG - with 3 trips in one year - I must be budget conscious... And even if I were to get a good discount at FQ - it still wouldn't equal to the price of SoG. ::yes::

Update 3/16/2016

Link to my Halloween bag... Halloween UPB

Update ~ ADRs ~ 5/1/2016

Now for my BIG Disney trip ADR update!!!! [/b][/u]

It's May 1st and as promised, I can now share my ADRs that I've been working on for the whole month of April. :woohoo:

So, here they are - in no particular order...

* Magic Kingdom... As usual - we have a few ADRs here... We have a PPO Crystal Palace - I am still hoping to snag one that's a bit earlier than the one we have... We also have a lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern - Freedom Pasta... Mmmmmm....

* Epcot... V doesn't know about this one - and I am not sure that we are keeping it yet? But I was able to grab a nice lunch at one of our favorites - which we haven't done in a few trips... Garden Grill... Gotta love the characters here!

* Hollywood Studios... This was a difficult one... V desperately wants Lunch with an Imagineer - but with the very limited spots available, and very limited days they offer it - it's impossible for someone not staying on property. I am still trying to find it - but she is totally OK with the back up plan too... Which I DO have... Any guesses??? LOL We are pretty predictable, actually. 50's Prime time... One of our long standing favorites. :lovestruc

* Animal Kingdom... Again - we are predictable... We have a PPO ADR at Tusker House... Always a favorite - and there is nothing better than walking through an empty AK in the morning. ::yes::

MNSSHP... We've done MNSSHP in the past - twice actually, once in 2003 and once in 2008... We've always planned our MNSSHP days with a morning off the day of... So, I took this opportunity to plan a late breakfast at 'Ohana... Since we are staying at SoG for this trip - this works out perfectly, as V can sleep in quite late - and it takes us less than 10 minutes to get there from our resort.

Days off... It should come as no surprise... We have 2 days off... and on both of these days, I have late breakfasts at The Wave booked. I have NO idea what we will be doing for the remainder of those days - I will leave that up to V and what she wants to wander around and do - Unlike Allison's trip with Cirque planned for her one day off... Both of these days are true days off for us. We are hoping it is warm enough on this trip to get some time in at the pool.

Universal Studios... Well, we don't have any ADRs booked for Universal again... But I am planning to eat both meals in the HP area... One meal will be at The Leaky Cauldrin in Diagon Alley... and the other meal will be at 3 broomsticks in Hogsmeade. Of course - there will be much more snacking than necessary - to include, but not limited to - all forms of butter beer... And some Lavendar & Clotted Cream ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. This trip, I also hope to try the pumpkin juice - I missed it on the last trip, and I am a bit sad about it.

Travel days... Since I don't have our airfare yet - I have not booked any ADRs for our travel days - typically, we don't anyways... We usually wing these days - and to be honest, staying at SoG - this leaves any of the Monorail Resort quick service locations easy enough to get to... I suspect, on our arrival day, we will find ourselves at Captain Cooks though. :lovestruc

Also, as an added note... Some of you may (or may not) know that SoG's Evergreens restaurant has been going through an extensive remodel - it was totally closed when we were there in January. When we stayed at SoG in 2008, we ate many meals at Evergreens - they were a full bar/restaurant... Serving burgers/fries/pizzas - they had a full grill and menu. It wasn't long after that, they closed the grill - and just had grab n' go sandwiches - and the other restaurants at SoG did not receive the most stellar reviews. Which led me to completely ditching SoG and staying at Disney resorts for several trips. But with 2 trips to pay for within a year - I didn't have much of a choice and I had to take advantage of the affordable SoG again - on this last trip - I remembered how much I truly LOVED SoG - and even with out any restaurant availability there - it was still an amazing resort. So much so - that I don't think I will ever stay on Disney property again. Well, last week - Evergreens opened again... And from what I can tell - no official confirmations yet (I am working on getting that) - it looks to me that they brought back the full bar and grill. Fingers crossed. If that's the case... V and I will likely have a meal or two here on our days off. ::yes::

So - there's your big update everyone! :woohoo:

Update July 21, 2016!!!

We officially have airfare for this trip! :woohoo: So, we are definitely GOING in October.

Oh and also, I forgot to add - 3 of our travel days were on special at our resort - so I was able to call and get an adjustment for 3 of our resort nights... Awesome!


July 31, 2016 ~ Disney budget update

I am not sure if you guys get into the whole Disney budgeting "thing", but I do. I hate planning for it - but I love it when it comes together. Typically, when we stay at WDW, I just bring a whole stack of GCs + $40 cash ($20 for in the airport on the way there and $20 for on the way home)... But staying at SoG... I need to do things a little differently.

We all know there are different categories when planning a trip... There's airfare, which is always a huge unknown... Tickets... Food (many people don't think to budget for food and it's a biggie)... Resort... Plus all the little things that really add up... Tax... Tips... Town car... Souvenirs... Baggage... Some people have stroller rentals... So, I thought I would share my budget with you all - there are so many variables that happen with trip planning, but I am at a point now where I have numbers dialed in on all of it - mostly.

Resort (10 days) - $766 - due to the way I booked and the promtions, I've had to put down a pretty big percentage of deposits, so my balance is $507, due at check in... This is usually the very last thing I save for.

Airfare r/t MSP to MCO - $750 - My original budget was $600, but it just wasn't coming down... So, I re-evaluated and bumped it up to $800. I've booked and paid for it already, but I am still checking back - several times per day - for refunds.

Tickets - 4 day parkhopper salute ticket for V - $198 - Remember, I have an AP this year, so the only ticket I need to purchase for this trip is V's parkhopper.

Food - $1200 - as all of us know - this is one of the biggest variables... A person can spend a LOT or just a lot. LOL No matter how you do it - food still costs so much. Within my food budget, I also figure tax and tip where necessary. There are some days where we have 2 sit down meals, and some days where we have all counter service meals, and days were we have a mix... My total DISNEY food budget for this trip is $1200. I know that seems like a lot - and it is, but like I said, we like our Disney meals... and this is a celebration trip for V. But, due to our first trip in 2003, and not bringing enough $$ with for food... I learned my lesson, and I always bring enough for food, and then some, just in case. $1200 includes all of my buffers. LOL

Town Car - r/t MCO to SoG $150 - This is regular price, including tips both directions. In the past, I've been able to find discounts for the service I prefer to use, but if they are to be found - it won't be until closer to our trip.

Then we have a few extras thrown in... MNSSHP, because that's an extra on TOP of the extra I've already allowed for V to choose - she is paying for that one on her own. She has been working hard and saving hard for this and we will be ordering those tickets this week.

MNSSHP - $200 - This is V's responsibility to pay for - Not much to say about this... LOL It is what it is. It allows us an extra admission into MK though - and over a 10 day trip, only having a 4 day parkhopper for V, this helps a lot. ::yes::

Then, as V's graduation trip extra... She has also chosen Universal... This is a HUGE expense, and not one I look forward to paying for... Just this portion of the trip alone costs us about $500 for ONE day... Is it worth $500? Probably not, but it is fun and it's what V wanted to do as her extra. Within this - I have to budget separately, because, for some reason, Universal doesn't accept Disney GCs... :scratchin LIke Allison - we will be spending one day here.

Universal tickets - $310 - This includes park to park admission for 3 days... It's their "military salute ticket variation" 3 park to park days for the price of 1... even though we only go for 1 - I buy the 3 days just in case, since it's the same price. However, since I already used one for myself this year - there may/may not be some sort of rule that I can only get it once... If that's the case - I will just buy a regular 1 day park to park ticket for the same price. Make sense?

Cash food - $475 - now this might be strange for some of you... but since we are staying at SoG and they don't take Disney GCs either... I need cash for the airport, plus cash for our morning Starbucks & any snacks/food/restaurants we choose to purchase while we are at SoG... Plus, I need cash for our our food & souvenirs at Universal. So, this is a lot more cash than I usually take (BTW, it's not really in the form of cash - LOL - but it's the equivalent).

Souviniers - $ unknown - So, this is the final, final thing I pay for... It's usually determined by "what's left" at the end of our trip... I usually have a couple of items in mind when I go, and I try to bring with enough for those. This trip - I'd like to replace my Splash Mountain coffee mug... I'd also like to purchase my 2016 Alex and Ani bracelet... And maybe a sweatshirt/t-shirt or something... So, I'd really like to have about $200 with for that stuff, at least. But, like I said - I don't save for that until everything else is paid for. ::yes::

Any of my Disney GCs, I purchase at Target - I know the 5% savings off of that purchase isn't huge, especially since the only thing I'll really be using the Disney GCs for on this trip is Disney food and souvenirs... but over the course of the trip, the 5% still allows me an approximate additional $75 in GCs for my $$... And sometimes, that equals my only souvenir $$, so I will take it. ::yes::

If you add it all up... The grand total for this trip is $3849... That is EVERYTHING though - except for souvenirs... I honestly don't know how I'd pull it off if we didn't have the benefit of staying at SoG... That $79/night room rate really helps us out a lot. It makes the planning a little more difficult, as far as trying to figure out how much I need to bring for cash & Disney GCs... Plus the added cost of a town car... but in the end, it's worth it... Deluxe accommodations for the cost of less than Value... I can do that. :lovestruc

So there you have it...

What do I have paid for? And what do I have left to save for? Let's just say that I am well on my way... ::yes:: And what isn't paid for already, has a plan of attack for saving... This trip is right on track for being paid in full before we ever leave. I am very proud to say that I've never incurred any credit card debt from any of our trips, thus far... I always find a way to pay cash for them before we leave. :woohoo:

Update September 26, 2016

I booked our Towncar service this morning... So that's done and paid for - with exception to tipping the driver. :woohoo:

D~
 
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Saved for my Healthy living updates...

It's been while since I've done a healthy living update... First off... If you want to read more about my journey - I have a blog, which is in my siggy - I haven't updated it in so long, but you are welcome to read. :) I also have 2 posts here on the Dis, which span the last 2-3 years - where I have done monthly updates about my journey. You can find those here: Healthy Living 2013-2014 And here: Healthy living 2014-2015

March 2015

It's been a rough several weeks for me... I finished my Whole30 at the end of January, and even though I finished strong, it's been hard trying to reintigrate my "new normal" foods back into my life... Let me explain. Previous to doing my Whole30, I ate at approx 80-90% compliancy to the Primal lifestyle... This left me room for error, and let me live a comfortable eating life - with treats every now and then. But the Whole30 - while awesome - it is super strict... 100% compliancy for 30 days - NO errors, no slips, no treats - you mess up - you start over. I didn't want to start over, so I was very diligent. Once my 30 days were over, I started to allow a few items back into my life - the first being coffee with agave and real 1/2 n 1/2... Well, other things came into my house - all natural peanut butter (have I told you the pb is a weakness for me?)... I kept telling myself - that at least it was "all natural" with no weird stuff in it - true, but... Well - according to the Primal lifestyle, peanuts are a no go. Then, we went out of town for a weekend - I had to eat what was offered to me... Then Gus had his birthday and I made home-made orange rolls... The follownig day, I had to make monkey bread to use up the dough... And I couldn't resist any of it. It was bad. After all these years - I still have the cravings, I still can't resist. It was a really hard realization. I had to take a real hard look at myself, and refocus - which isn't easy. I am only 3 days back "into it"... but already I am feeling better - my belly bloat is totally gone, which is a huge boost to my morale. During this time - I must add - I continued to excercise and do my heavy lifting - so all was not lost. I did not gain any size... but I just felt awful.

It was a hard realization to come to... To know that I've been doing this and making changes for years - and to stumble into my old ways so easily... It brings me back to when I first read Primal Blueprint, and realizing that grains and sugar do have addicting chemicals in them... I get down on myself, but in the end, I remembered that it isn't all ME... The food manufacturers do add chemicals to our food, which trigger pleasure sensors in our brains - that's how they make their $$, and that's how we can't stop.

So, it's back to work for me... Continuing on this journey. I am so close... Really - one more size until my Ultimate Goal Size... I really want to concentrate on that over the next several weeks. I know I can do it - and I know I can do it before summer. :lovestruc

One progress photo for you all from this month... Gus and Allison tease me because I don't know how to take selfies... Sheesh!

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May 2015

Soooo... It's reality check time... I really need to get serious about this again... It seems, I get serious, then I get not so serious, then I am serious again. I just need a swift kick - that's what I really need. So, yesterday, I decided that it was time to weigh myself again... Yah - *reality check*... I haven't weighed since the end of January and the end of my Whole30... The verdict is that I am up 8 lbs. I am really not happy with myself. I know exactly what caused it... Starbucks and too much snacking on things I shouldn't be snacking on. It's time to be serious, really it is.

For the first time in eons, I logged into MFP yesterday... I've vowed to journal religiously for the remainder of May... I know - it's only 2+ weeks, but for me, this is a big deal. I DETEST journaling, almost more than anything else. But journaling keeps me honest - so I must do it. I journaled my first full day yesterday, and I must say - yesterday was an average day for me (minus the snacking) and I really don't eat badly at meals... It's the darn snacking and Starbucks. Starbucks is evil - just in case you were wondering... ::yes:: If you don't go there, don't start. Trust me on this. Slippery slope folks.

I am still working out though - and as usual, I think this helps me 2 fold. One, excercise is good for you - good for your muscles/bones/brain... Pretty much everything. Not only is excercise good for you - but doing it each morning (for me) helps me refocus on ME before I do anything else for the day. It really is part of my daily routine... Sometimes I really have to force myself to do it (Ok - most of the time), but when I am done, I know I've done something good for myself. And you really can't go wrong there. :thumbsup2 Last week was doubly hard on me (excuses, excuses), but DH was working from home all week, so I didn't have access to our computer - which is where I have all of my workouts stored... Not only that, but he had to be in the office by 7am every morning - so I just couldn't do my normal routine... I am VERY routine driven - if my routine is off, my whole life balance is off. Not sure if anyone else is like this out there, but it's hard for me to function... So, long story short - last week sucked. ::yes:: And I am very happy to be back to my work out routine this week, my life is so much better aligned.

So, this week - I am uber concentrating on my intake... NO junk - NONE... Seriously! NO, NO, NO Starbucks... Must be strong here. And I will journal everything I eat in my journal on MFP - even on the weekend. ::yes:: Hopefully my body will cooperate - and my brain too... And I'll be back to losing and finishing the last leg of this portion of my journey... For the record... I've been working on this for 3+ years! If you would have told me when I first started that this would take me 3+ years - I probably wouldn't have started. I am being honest. So, I really need to buckle down and get to work on the rest of my life. ::yes::

A few photos from the month of April/May (and my new glasses - which I love)... Wow... No real full-body shots of me this month... That was not purprosely done, I promise.

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August 2015

Wow - again, it's been several months since I've updated. Shame on me!

I am still here and still plugging along on my health and well being journey.

Not much has changed... I am still the same size... I am wearing all of the same clothes I wore on my August 2014 trip, and they fit me exactly the same. It's a little frustrating, because I do work hard daily... but at the same time, I am sort of at peace with it. I feel good, and I don't hate how I look. But at the same time - I tend to get down on myself because I DO work hard, and I feel like there should be progress. Oh well... It doesn't deter me from treating my body with respect and feeding it with good foods.

Oh - I did add one thing to my life... A BIG thing! Back story: When I was in high school, I always wanted to be a runner. There was this girl in my class, and she would run the school track every single day... She was always fit, and I just really admired her. So, one day, I decided to join her, but there was NO way I could keep up with her. Something she made look incredibly easy, and I couldn't even make it once around the track. I never tried again - not then. Fast forward a few years... Another trial... Another failure. Back in 2007, I tried again, in earnest... again - I did not have the lung capacity (hello... X-smoker here) or the endurance... Aside from the fact that I have bad knees... Chalk up another failure and the final assumption that I am not a runner, I never will be a runner and I won't even try to be.

So... While at the lake, over the 4th of July, I walked every single day. While I was walking - I noticed that walking really wasn't much of a work out for me... It was enjoyable, yes, but it was really easy for me. When I came home, I decided I enjoyed my lake walks so much - that I would continue to walk here at home - just a few times per week. One day, while I was out walking - I thought, hey - why not? So, I picked up my pace and started to run... Slowly - but faster than I probably should have been. To my complete and utter surprise... I did it! It was (guessing) about a half mile. More than I have ever in my life done successfully. I was in shock! And I loved it! A few days later, I went for another "walk" - adding more running... To my surprise - I was able to run about half of my normal 2 mile walk - not consecutively, but still - I was very proud. Well, as per my normal routine, now I started researching running and beginner running... I learned that I was probably still going too fast, and belly breathing is very important. So, my next walk/run - I slowed WAAAAY down and really concentrated on my breathing. This time - I only walked twice - for a very short time. Me... Really? I am still in shock. Then, I decided - my feet were killing me - even though I had just purchased new shoes, I needed to go get fitted... Yup - I was wearing one full size too small... Lesson learned. Trust me - my feet are still in slight pain a week + later. But now I am running the full 2 miles - would you believe that???

I firmly believe, the stars aligned perfectly for this to be possible for me... I've been smoke-free for 7.5 years... I lift heavy weights - so my muscles are strong and can take the endurance of running... I just never thought I would ever be in this place in my life - really. I am taking it super slow (quite possibly the slowest runner ever here), and being super careful. But I am very excited to be at this chapter! :woohoo: I don't have dreams of anything, at the moment - other than running a 5k... Not walking, but running... Then maybe I'll move on to bigger things. Some day - I would LOVE to particpate in a Disney race - that would be my ultimate dream goal. :lovestruc

A few pictures from the last month...

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September 2015

So... While going through some old photos last night, I stumbled upon this photo of me taken in November of 2012.... To refresh your memory a little bit... My journey started in March of 2012 with strict Weight Watchers and excessive cardio... By August of 2012, I was completely burned out, and as dedicated as I was before, I became the opposite and completely gave up - yet again. So, this photo was taken in the midst of my size climbing back up... I didn't get my head back into the game ~fully~ until March of 2013... So, this photo isn't even the "worst of the worst".

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Upon scrolling past this photo last night, I had to stop and back up, then zoom in. I was shocked! It looked like someone I once knew, and old friend, the old me. I sat there and stared at this photo for quite some time, and as I sat there and stared at it, I remembered how I felt all of the time... How I was almost scared to live every day. I was reminded of how difficult it was for me to move, how I could barely roll over in bed, or walk up my stairs to go to work, how difficult it was to stand, or walk, or get in and out of the shower. At the age of 37, my life was that of someone twice my age, someone I'd come to accept as society's description of "normal aging"... There were so many things I couldn't do, so many things I didn't even try to do. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror, and every time I put on my clothes - I stared at myself in disbelief, because the person staring back at me was lonely, sad and defeated.

It was sometime during the time this photo was taken, the person you see there, she began to really analyze her life... tried to put the pieces back together... Started researching on how to do right by herself, and her family. It was that person right there who had the courage to take a different path, the courage to find her own way, and the determination to start on a journey with no map and no compass. Just the sheer will for a better life, a life with purpose and a life that was truly enjoyable.

I remember laying in bed one night... Really on the brink of despair... not knowing where to turn or where to start. Truly, the hardest part of this journey was to find the starting line. I always talk about going slow... but if you were to ask the person above, how slow is slow? She wouldn't have been able to give you an answer, because even though she wanted to go slow and make the changes last, she wanted the loss and recognition to be instantaneous. There is nothing that person could have done to prepare her for the journey that was unfolding right in front of her eyes.

Never once, did that person realize what her life was about to become. A life of a weak person that barely had the strength to move about her day and accomplish the simplest of things... Was about to evolve into a strong person - a person stronger than she ever thought possible, a person with very few health problems, a person with confidence, and true joy for life and the people in it, a person - in her wildest dreams - she never thought she even desired to be.

I've said it many times before... It's taken a lot of courage to find a path that was unique only to me... A path that I could forge on my own - whether others have been there or not - the key for me, was finding things I enjoyed doing... And never, no matter what, push myself and force myself to eat things that I didn't like (because they were "healthy") or to force myself to exercise in a way that wasn't enjoyable. It led me on a path I didn't expect to find - ever. It led me on a journey of self discovery. It led me to find my own way.

I've faced many criticisms over the years. People, friends & family who thought I was crazy for taking the path less traveled, because it was right for me. Each person who didn't believe, drove me even further into believing in myself... And believing that my chosen path was the correct path. Those people forced me to learn to trust in myself - they gave me the power I needed to push forward and continue on. And they forced me to analyze every single detail, insuring that I truly was doing the absolute best thing for me. It wasn't easy, and many times I had to prove myself and my intentions to the people who are closest to me, making them see that I was doing what was right - even if it wasn't right for them. But in the end, I truly believe they are proud of me, and for the most part, don't question my ways anymore. They see the person I've become, and I do think they are proud of me.

I look at my life now, and how it's changed, it's very difficult to imagine how I once was. Yet, in the very same breath - I see and feel that person every time I look in the mirror. I struggle with this a lot, because no matter how much I improve my life, I am not sure I can ever truly run from who I was or where I started. I still struggle with how I see myself, and how others see me. Some days, I do look in the mirror, and the person I see looking back at me, is the same person you see above. It might sound convoluted, but I think many people who have been in my shoes struggle with this very same thing. It's totally a mental thing, and I think the only way to overcome it is time... Lots and lots of time.

This journey is an endless one. I say this a lot. Sure, I have a goal size... and if you've read all of my healthy living updates, you'll know that I've been stuck at this size for well over a year. Even though I have truly "plateaued" - that doesn't keep me from trying new things and trying every single day to start over and make it the best day I can make it. I think that is a huge key.... I could very easily shout "failure" from the roof-tops just because I am stalled... but rather than convince myself I am a failure for not reaching my goal with in a given time... I've convinced myself that I am never a failure, unless I quit trying. So, I try... Every day... Every meal... Every snack... I try. Some days, I try harder than others... but I always try.

There is no end here... It is always me against myself... Finding ways to make this work for me... Finding what truly makes life enjoyable and working that into my day, any way I can. Finding purpose and drive where I never thought I could find it. THAT is the goal - that is the true goal. Losing size and looking better is all a side effect of conquering my health and being absolutely the best person I can be, day after day, week after week, year after year.

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October 2015

Can you believe that October is well under way already? I am having a hard time believing that myself. But fall weather is definitely here - and if my girls had their way, the furnace would have been on last week already.

I wish I had something interesting to tell you all - but there is really no progress on the size loss front... However - I do have a trip to Disney coming QUICKLY - so I am in full-on size loss mode right now. I am hoping to be a little smaller for this trip. No drastic dieting or anything - just being a little more strict with snacks.

I am still heavy lifting - that is going well. I am getting to a spot where I don't feel safe lifting any heavier at home alone. So, either I am going to have to join a gym - with a squat rack - or I am just going to stay where I am at and be happy with it. Likely - I will do the latter, because I am not really a gym person.

And of course - the best for last - my running... Eeeeep!!! I still just love it!!! No one dares to bring up the subject in front of me - they quickly regret it - because I will talk their ear off about running for hours. LOL Currently - I am training for a Thanksgiving 8k (approx. 5 miles), up until this last weekend, the most I'd really run at one time is 3.5 miles - and this is steady running - no walking. But my cousin and I went out for a run - and she flat out told me we were doing 5 miles... and I did. With out a problem. So - now I am very confident that I will be able to do that TG day 8k with out an issue at all. I even have a fun running outfit to wear, and I won't disappoint - I'll have fun headgear too!

We won't even start talking about my running clothes/running shoes obsession... I love it all!

A few pictures from the last month - see - no change... But - I am mostly OK with that.

In the background of this first photo - you can't see the running track above my right shoulder - but it's there. This photo was taken in my High School parking lot - with that "famous" running track that first spurred my desire to learn to run, but I could never even make it once around that track. I contemplated doing a "victory lap" - but I didn't. It's amazing to me, because in this photo - I had just completed 5 miles!

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And in the last month - I've successfully completed my 2 very first 5k races, 6 days apart.

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February 2016

Wow - It's been 4 months since I have updated this! A lot has happened in 4 months! First of all - I've given up running - in the winter months anyways - once the temps started to drop, I began to notice that my lungs couldn't handle the cold temps - It's a pretty common thing. I decided after a few attempts, and having symptoms very similar to pneumonia - it just wasn't worth it. So, I gave up my dream of running through the winter. I do plan to begin running again this spring - as soon as roads clear and temps warm a bit more. I am looking forward to it. Hopefully - I can make more progress this season, as I do miss it, and running was something I was super proud of myself for.

Also - in the last 4 months - I've done 2 trips to WDW... Two trips where I did not watch my eating hardly at all... And 2 trips (plus Christmas) where I've had to recover. It's been rough, very very rough. For each of these trips and during the holidays - I've managed to gain a size... Thankfully - I was very dedicated to losing (for the most part) in between... But this led to a gain/loss/gain/loss/gain pattern for me, which has completely managed to wreck my confidence and my overall outlook on my health. In the last weeks - on the 1st of February actually, I decided to embark on a 2nd Whole30, as a reset. It was going great - and then I became sick, just as Josh's brother and family arrived from Holland. It was just too much to try to prepare meals ahead of time, on top of a lot of eating out while they are here... For the first time in many years - I gave up. And I am really struggling with that.

In a few short weeks, I will reach my 4 year healthy living anniversary. Can you believe that? Had you told me, 4 years ago, that I would still be on this same journey - I would not have believed you. To keep momentum for such a long period ~ for me ~ is just unheard of. Yes, my goals and perspective has changed and evolved considerably during that time, but for the most part - I have held on to a very firm belief in treating my body right and doing the very best I can by my own standards... Not giving in to the typical "weight loss stereotypes and methods" that most people are using for a quick fix that can't be maintained. I've chosen to take the long route - in the hopes that it will bring me overall wellness and health... I've realized - even more in the last few weeks and months, it will be an endless battle... I know I've said that all along, but I am coming to notice that the remainder of my life will be an endless battle of gaining and losing in an effort to maintain. It's kind of a sad realization - don't you think? There will never be a time in my life, when I look in the mirror and like what I see, and this just saddens me. It makes me want to give up. At the same time - it makes me want to try harder. And in that little space, in between, I have to find the spot in my mind where I am at peace with what I see. I am starting to doubt that there is such a place?

At this very moment in time, I am up one full size from my smallest - maybe even 2 sizes? And I am not OK with this... I struggle every single day with the food in my house, the food my family eats, the food I want to eat and lately - I've been giving in more than I should. I need to figure this out - I really do... And I just don't know how to anymore? I feel like I've done everything, tried every method, worked every angle, and there is nothing else that I can do to reach my goal. How do I come to terms with that? How do I make that right in my brain? I do not know. I sometimes feel like the harder I fight - the harder my body fights back. But even giving in and relaxing a bit - my body continues to fight me.

Sometimes - I tell myself - I should just give in and join some sort of weight loss program... But I just cannot bring myself to eat their cheap crappy non-food items... This absolutely goes against every single thing I've learned and come to believe in wholeheartedly.

So what does this tell you? What does it say to me? I have a few options. I give up - flat out, say no more, gain it all back and live life miserable and scared. Or I continue to spin my wheels endlessly, for the rest of my life, never reaching my goals... I feel so lost right now, in this place of "purgatory" - and I just don't know which way to turn or what path to take... What is right, what is wrong, or what will work?

It's never easy.

When it comes right down to it... This is what I DO know.... I know that I post here every single day. I know that many people read my posts. I know that my posts inspire people. I know that if I let myself down - I am letting all of you down. And some days, knowing this, it's the only thing that keeps me pressing forward. Nothing else. Yet - I feel like such a failure, because I can't reach my goals. And because I can't reach my goals - I feel like, not only am I letting myself down, I am also a disappointment to all of you.

So, as usual, brushing myself off... Today is a weekend... I don't work out on weekends - or I try not to. But I am just coming off of a week of way less than stellar food choices, a week of being sick, and a week of eating out... On top of 2 WDW trips and the holidays. Even though - I am not feeling 100% yet, and my lungs are revolting on my decision to work out - I worked out anyways. Nothing strenuous... Nothing extreme... but something is better than nothing, right?

I just have to swim my way through mud - or so is seems... Find my way again, somehow... Even if I do nothing other than what is habit to me, even if I never lose what I have gained. I have to keep trying. I have to keep pushing forward. I need to be determined not to let a few months of roller coasters derail 4 years worth of hard work and dedication.

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As usual - thanks for letting me share here. :lovestruc

D~
 
Quotes taken from Part I

What a bummer that you didn't find anything to have under your counter. Maybe you have to build something yourself so you get the measurements you need.

I'm sorry to hear you have stomach problems. I hope it gets well soon so you don't have to go to the doctor.

How great that you found cheap Pumpkins. :woohoo:

I hope you have a great day today :hug:


The day today haven't been that bad so far. Ulf want to buy a big family tent so that he and I can drive around Europe next spring and sleeping in a tent. Our plan is to get a tent that is so high that you can stand upright inside it. We went to some stores today to look at some tents. But the problem is that no store has tents on display so you get a lot more information about the tents from the internet than you get in the store. We ended up being confused and we don't have a clue what to buy. When I got home I searched on the internet for family tents and found a Swedish site that had reviews of big family tents. I found a tent both Ulf and I thinks looks good. The problem now is finding a store selling it. The only place in Norway I could find the tent was sold out. And in Sweden the tent is more expensive than in Norway. We need the tent in mid April because our trip is in the last week of April and the trip will last about 1 1\2 months. I suspect that next years tents won't be on sale that early. So I'm not sure what we should do.

I plan to keep my eyes open - I am hoping to not have to build anything - as I would like it to be metal... Josh can do anything with wood - but I am unsure of his metal working skills? :scratchin

So far - the last few days, I haven't had any issues - so it's possible I had a touch of a bug? Still being a little cautious though.

I know - I am so excited about them!!! I cannot wait to have my porch done (probably in time to decorate for Christmas - LOL) so I can shre pictures here.

I sure hope you are able to find a tent before they are not selling them anymore. I would be a little worried too. ::yes::

Thanks for the encouraging response on FB to not give up! I didn't do great this week with W30, but I didn't do awful work. We're getting the hang of the planning and prep. My daughter, on the other hand, continues to be compliant and is doing great! She's the best cheerleader for the world for my husband and I. Traveling next week to see my other daughter is going to make things challenging, but my daughter told my SIL that I'm doing W30 and so my SIL texted me last night to ask if there were specific things I wanted her to pick up for me at the grocery store to eat while I'm here. She's so sweet! I was shopping at Target yesterday (we have a Super Target) and they had beef kebobs in the ready-to-go section and they were on sale plus an extra sale with Cartwheel so I picked up a bunch of those and we grilled them last night, so I've got grilled beef and grilled veggies ready to go for the next few days for lunch or breakfast or whatever. Brie has decided she really likes omelets in the morning so we're going to prep a bunch of add-ins for her this weekend so it will be quicker for her in the mornings. I've found an eggless breakfast recipe that I really like and so I'm probably going to stick with that. Many of our favorite recipes are very easy to modify to be compliant and so that's been great, too. And a couple of nights this week my husband has grilled some chicken breasts without being asked and sliced them up for the fridge so I can quickly put together a lunch with grilled chicken lettuce wraps and compliant homemade caesar dressing. I love how we're all working together on this!

Sounds like things are coming together great for your trip! So exciting! And I love that outfit. Really cute.

Congrats on reaching 10 years with Target and getting your gift card.

I'm excited to hear about your FP reservations!

I am just so very proud of you - W30 is an incredibly difficult and strict program - and even with bumps in the road, you keep going! This is awesome!! WTG my friend - I cannot wait to see what your results are! :woohoo:

And I truly think it's awesome that you are doing this as a family and are all 3 committed to it. I find that is one of my biggest hurdles in living my life in a healthy manner - is that I am often doing this alone and it makes it hard... My family eats what ever they want to - and I am kind of off on the side rowing my own boat... So, it's just a huge thing that all of you can cheer each other on and hold each other accountable. :lovestruc

Yes - everything is coming together nicely! :woohoo: V and I are sooooo excited!

Thanks! I've been waiting for that bugger to arrive... Now if all of my SW refunds would roll in - that would be nice. I am not holding my breath though.

I am very excited to share them, I'll start sharing this weekend! ::yes::

Don't stop wearing shorts, just buy ones that are a little longer. I'm not a big shorts wearer, but always buy them longer as I also have saggy skin from losing weight. I haven't lost as much as you have, but I like to hide it and have found they are more flattering on me. We almost always wear long pants at Disney since we go when it's cool. Last year it was so hot my dh wore shorts and got that Disney rash. He said he will never wear shorts at Disney again.

You are doing so well not to give up on your eating just because you don't do well one day. Don't be too hard on yourself. It's great to see you and Allison getting out to walk together. That is a motivator both for you and her. I'm getting back to walking on the treadmill to get in shape for all the Disney walking. Even though we go shorter days now, I still need to get some miles in. My youngest son might come again this year. He really enjoyed Universal last year and we have annual passes so we will probably do that with him. He's not a big Disney fan, and says he'd like to spend more time just relaxing at the pool this year.

I'm looking forward to seeing all your outfits put together.

I know this - I am definitely more comfortable in longer inseam shorts... Sadly my favorite ones are a 3" inseam - not the greatest... I am really more comfy in 5" inseams - I go any longer and they go to my knees - LOL, I don't have very long legs. :lmao: I've been very comfy in my capris this year and also my crop leggings - these will both be staples on our trip - but I will have shorts with me too, just in case i need them. ::yes::

Thanks - I am still trying. Yesterday was a totally ROTTEN day, eating wise. Today - I am back on track... I need to consciously start adding stuff to my menu now - but the way yesterday went is not how it should be done.

Hopefully Allison and i can get out again - we did it that one time, and that was it. I am more of a "walk out the door and go for a walk" person - and Allison doesn't like walking near home, so we have to drive somewhere... Kind of annoying - but I am more that willing to do this to keep her motivated. ::yes::

I really love Universal - so I hope your ds goes with you - it's just a fun park. :)

Thanks - I am so excited to wear them! It's going to be a fun trip for outfits - since I have several new themes within the last year. :)

*******************************************************************************************************

I only have time for a really quick check in this morning...

I had a nice weekend - we enjoyed ourselves immensely... I need to share pictures - but I just don't have time... It took me a little extra time this morning to get everything copied to this new thread - so I'll try to do a bit more catching up tomorrow.

Quick highlights for today...

I booked our Towncar this morning - so that's done and paid for! :woohoo:

Allison is also taking V's Senior pictures tonight after school - so we will be running out the door just as soon as she gets home and gets ready. It should be a fun night! ::yes::

I hope you all have a great day and welcome to the new thread... Get comfy - however, we probably won't be here long? :scratchin

D~
 


I'm here! I don't think there is a page limit any more since they did the update. The rivers of light thread is over 700 pages.

I LOVE Victoria's Stitch picture! Such talent!!!!

How did Allison's wedding shoot go? Good luck with today's photos. We still haven't really found much for Lizzy to wear. We did find one sweater but I'm not sure it's the best for her. I was thinking of trying to do them myself but I'm going to have a coworker do them. I think she'll be able to get Lizzy to relax more and she's really good and very reasonable. Lizzy wanted to do them with her BFF but her Mom doesn't want to pay for them. I guess I'll just ask
BFF to go & get a few shots of the girls together & BFFs Mom is on her own to find a cheaper option. Coworker will charge me $100 but give me all the files. Seems very reasonable to me.

We went to a meeting for parents of seniors last week to talk about the college application progress. I think it's going to be a long year. I think Lizzy is feeling the stress not only of all the work to doing the applications but also the stress of picking the right place. This week she's leaning toward SUNY Oswego.

I better get to work. Mondays are tough! Oh I kept meaning to tell you I live your porch. Especially your gate. Oh and your Mickey bag!
 
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I love the cliff note version of your part 1 thread.
I'm also not sure if there is still a limit? Guess it makes sense to to test it out.
 
YAY for booking the towncar.

I hope Allison and V has a fun night taking V's Senior pictures.
 
I'm here! WOOHOO, the towncar has been booked!!!

Senior pictures how exciting. Cannot wait to at least get a sneak peek!
 
I'm here! Can I ask a really stupid question? What is a towncar? LOL I know -- dumb question.

I'm excited to see how V's senior pictures will turn out. We still need to have the second half of Brie's senior picture shoot done...I'm hoping my friend can get that in before she moves, or else I'll have to find someone else and spend a lot more money.

I am concerned about being able to stay W30 compliant during my trip this week...especially if I end up going to my MIL's house...I love her dearly but she has a mindset that doesn't match mine when it comes to food...she has always thought that I am too thin (and, truth be told, I was for a lot of years) but I'm fairly comfortable where I am now -- but it will be hard to eat at her house because nothing will be compliant and I'll never hear the end of it if I just eat salad! LOL I think I may try to circumvent the issue by taking her and my FIL out to lunch one of the days that I'm there...that way we can go somewhere with salads and I can get some grilled chicken or something to eat with my salad.... My SIL, on the other hand (the one I'll be staying with) is so excited to make sure she has W30 compliant foods in the house for me that I fear she's going overboard. LOL

Poor Brie hit the "kill all the things" stage in her W30 journey yesterday -- my husband felt that coming on last night. I haven't entirely hit it yet (although I was feeling a bit of that yesterday, but it passed relatively quickly) and I have a feeling that it's going to take me longer than 30 days to get the maximum benefits out of this journey but I'm ok with that. But trust me -- a PMS-ing teenager in the "kill all the things" stage who also has a horrible cold is not the most fun person to be around....

My trip is rapidly approaching...this morning I got an appointment scheduled to go look at the reception venue we're interested and talk with them, and I have an appointment scheduled at the bridal gown store she wants to go to...still need to schedule appointments with the florist we're interested in and the bakery -- although Brie insists that she will make all of the cupcakes for the reception (Alyssa wants a cupcake cake with a traditional top tier and Brie loves, loves, loves to bake and is very good at it)....I'm not sure she realizes how much work will go into making and decorating that many cupcakes...so I'm not going to tell her that I'm going to talk with the bakery about pricing on cupcakes in addition to a one tier cake.... I'm sneaky, but I think it's important to have that information and know what the deadline will be to place that kind of order with the bakery for when Brie comes to her senses...LOL!!!!

Have a wonderful day!
 
Hi!:wave2:
Since you've started a new thread I thought it was a good time to pop out of lurkdom and say Hi! I've been following your threads for quite a while and am so impressed with your design skills (bags, decorating, etc.). I love the trips you've taken with your girls, both together and individually; I'd love to do something similar with my DS over time, but he's only 5 so I've got some time. My DH is also not a big fan, so good ways to get to WDW without Mr Crankypants putting a damper on it all are always interesting to me!
 
I made it over. I haven't replied much because the Dis has been acting weird.
Liz
 

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