12/29/07 Western - New Year's Eve

[Caitsmama]

Lisa, isn't always great when you score a good bargin?! LOL

Yes, one week from today, at about THIS exact time (6pm) i will be landing in MCO - finding my way to my room (staying at the Hayatt).. Then down to the food court and poke in some shops (aka the Disney Store!!! ) LOL

I'm doing good for prep, my shopping is just about done, gotta wrap though, i have nothing wrapped yet.. Me and DH decided not to exchange gifts (just fill stockings) b/c of the cruise - our money has to go there.. and my dd obviously.. she got her guitar (shhhhhh..... ) she has been begging for a guitar and lessons for almost 2 years now.. (yes, she is just about 7! LOL) so, i decided now is the time.

We also went to see Hannah Montana/Jonas Bros. last night - my dd's first concert, what a blast.. Miley was great, i totally love her - she just seems like she is so down to earth - hopefully , she will stay that way, and not follow other former Disney Channel stars paths -uh, aka, Lindsay Lohan! YIKES!
But, Miley seems cool, and i just thought it was great, for her encore - she came back on stage wearing jeans, a tank top, her hair in a ponytail, and bare feet - and sang a song playing her acoustic guitar , sitting on a stool. I just thought that was the coolest. No fancy smoke and mirrors, just her and a mike and guitar. I will post pics when i get them downloaded..

 

[JimV]

Just doing Noel's job of bumping this thread back up.

 

[birkner]

Noel,

Happy Birthday - Have a great time at WDW and we'll see you next Saturday.

Kate

Kate: Thanks for the birthday wishes. I had a smooth flight to Orlando where the flight attendant had the first class section sing me happy birthday and scored a bottle of wine.

Flight took off a hour and a half late so ended up spending from 10:30 AM (dropped off early by DD Samantha who had to work) until plane finally took off at 2:45 PM. I sat next to a lady Theresa and her partner with their two boys. She is the CEO and found of Graspr Inc, a direct competitor of my nephew Rob's company, Viddler. Small world, huh?

I helped them with the kids, who for a 4 year old and 4 month old were exceptionally well behave on a 5+ hour flight. My mom genes always come in handy!! Hunter, her son, wanted me to come home with them and be his "new" grandma".

Noel

 

[birkner]

Jim,

I did 31 years of Midwestern Winters - I grew up in Chicago. I don't miss those wind chills. It's funny when I moved to Vegas I thought that 54 degrees in the winter was wonderful - those people wearing coats were nuts. Now my blood has thinned and I think 54 degree is pretty chilly! My daughter was born in Vegas and is cold at 60 degrees.

Kate

Kate:

Believe me, I think any temperature under 70 is freezing!!

Noel

 

[birkner]

Happy Birthday Noel!

You are probably already in Orlando! Don't you just love the airport there? It's the best one I've been to! Hope you had a safe trip.

Enjoy your vacation. Happy Holidays everyone! Hope to meet everyone on the 29th... until then stay warm and healthy!

~janie

Janie:

Thanks for the birthday wishes. The airport is great but the United section is under construction so a bit chaotic. Since I got in at 11:44 PM, it was pretty quiet!!

Yesterday, I had lunch at Fridays at the Crossroads with my friend Monica. Afterward, we went shopping at DTD where I picked up our Disney passes since I was going to WDW, staying afterward for the Very Merry Christmas party at 7:00 PM.

Loaded down with bags, I proceed back to the car and we were off to WDW. Boy was it crowded!! I did all my favorite rides, POC, Railroad, Tomorrowland's Transit Authority, Carousel of Progress, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise and Liberty Square Riverboat.

The party started a 7:00 PM where after a 45 minute wait in line saw the Mickey's "Twas the Night Before Christmas: show at the Galaxy Palace Theater in Tomorrowland. Afterward, we lined up for the Belle's Enchanted Christmas where Belle tells the story of her Enchanted Christmas at Belle's Fairytale Gardens. Once that was over we checked out the Character Dance parties in at The Fantasyland Pavilion Cotillion in Ariel's Grotto in Fantasy Land and Cosmic Ray's Jungle Dance in Comic Ray's Starlight Café in Tomorrowland with Goofy and Pluto.

In between each event, we would stop off at the different holiday treat areas for a cup of hot chocolate and a sugar cookie.

Next came the firework and it was time to line up for the Holiday Wishes "Celebrate the Season" spectacular. We then made out way over to the Castle forecourt stage to see the Celebrate the season show. Afterward, was the Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas parade. Once the parade concluded, we headed for a bit of browsing in the shops and then off to the tram. I drove Monica back to her car which she left at DTD and I was back to my hotel by 1:00 AM!!

My body clock is way off from Florida time!!

Noel

 

[birkner]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How's the warm Orlando weather?! fill us in! LOL

Stacy:

The weather yesterday was about 78 but with the winds being 10-15 MPH, it felt a little chillier. It sure was fun to wear flip flops!! By evening, it was down to about 60 degrees so I wore jeans and two sweaters to WDW!! Same kind of clothes I would wear at home during the day.

This morning it is cloudy and supposed to be middle 70's. On Sunday, we except the temp to be 80!! Wahooo!!!

Noel

 

[birkner]

Just doing Noel's job of bumping this thread back up.

Thanks for doing my job!!!

 

[Caitsmama]

Hi everyone!! One week from today - we will all be boarding!! Yeaaaa!

 

[iloveokw]

Happy Bday (late) Noel. At least your body clock will have adjusted in time for the cruise.

We will be sailing along by this time next week! We all three sure are ready for vacation.

 

[JimV]

So my DW and I are out for our weekly date...

And she says to me while we are just eating our salad, "Do you realize that is the third time you have said that since we sat down?"

"That" which she was referring to was my comment about being only one week away from being on the Magic! Okay, so I am a little excited.

Am I the only one looking forward to the cruise more than Christmas. Ouch.

 

[GreenAcres]

So my DW and I are out for our weekly date...

And she says to me while we are just eating our salad, "Do you realize that is the third time you have said that since we sat down?"

"That" which she was referring to was my comment about being only one week away from being on the Magic! Okay, so I am a little excited.

Am I the only one looking forward to the cruise more than Christmas. Ouch.

Jim,

You're not alone. It's not that we're not giving Christmas all its due excitement, attention and traditions, but we're MORE excited about vacation. Here at GreenAcres we believe that if you work hard, you get to play hard. That's what vacation is for...reward for working hard. In this case it's reward mostly for my DD's hard work in school and her upcoming high school graduation.

I've been meaning to ask (yup, I'm too busy/lazy to read back over all the previous pages)....Does anyone else have a 17 year old (or close) cruising with us? What about anyone 12-13? My DS doesn't care for the lab and it would be fantastic if he had someone to hang out with.

Last night on our way out to dinner we were discussing exactly where we'd be and what we'd be doing in a week. We figured we'd be at a show at that time since we have late dinner seating...we've been doing that a LOT! LOL

Lisa

 

[pit303]

So my DW and I are out for our weekly date...

And she says to me while we are just eating our salad, "Do you realize that is the third time you have said that since we sat down?"

"That" which she was referring to was my comment about being only one week away from being on the Magic! Okay, so I am a little excited.

Am I the only one looking forward to the cruise more than Christmas. Ouch.

NO

 

[Ky Cruisin]

I agree Jim! I am just looking forward to being away from work and actually relaxing a bit. We are leaving on Wed. and I don't have the first item packed or even close to being packed. But I figure that I can do that Christmas Day. Because we do everything with most of the family on Christmas Eve. Except this year my baby sister will not be here until Christmas Day. My work as Santa's helper has almost finished. However, it is now time to begin my personal stitching and boy, I didn't realize how much I had. So right after church, it's back to the machines at least for a good 8 hours.

Hope you had a Very Merry Birthday Noel, say hey to the Main Mouse for us. Hoping all of you have a Blessed Christmas and safe travels to Port Canaveral.

Merry Christmas,
Pam

 

[Ky Cruisin]

Hey Green Acress,

Sorry I was posting and didn't see your question until I was checking my post. I have a 17 DS who will be graduating this spring. He will be 18 the 9th day of Jan. I also have a 15 DD, going on 18. Really , she will be 16 the
1st of Feb. I hope I make it with these two. I have been reading some distrubing post on other threads about the teens at night on the boat. I have no problems with my two, but you never know, when they meet others. I just hope that the mothers voice in their little heads it speaking loud and clear. My older kids hung pretty close to us on the last cruise. And my DD is in the state room with her grandparents... a Baptist minister and hospital chaplin, don't think she'll be getting into too much!

See ya Saturday,
Pam

 

[JimV]

Okay -- cleared one big event this morning with the Christmas service at church. It was an excellent service and DW (choir director/music coordinator) did a wonderful job with all of the choirs, bells, music, etc.

Tonight, DD21's birthday (today) hang out with the family. Everybody's busy getting the house touched up before 4:00. (Then why am I on the computer??)

Anyway, Christmas feels a little more special right now, and we will enjoy the celebrations and then panic, pack, pencil things off the list, plan, and propel ourselves forward to the plane.

We are under a winter storm warning. 40+ MPH winds that blew down the basketball hoop this morning. Near white-out from the snow with the mercury at 17 degrees. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And, can't wait for Key West a week from today

 

[iloveokw]

we are celebrating my daughters 16th (she will be 16 on Jan 16th) on this cruise - we often say she is 86 and more mature than mom and dad tho

 

[Caitsmama]

Ohhhh... i am definately looking forward to this trip!!! Considering it is our FIRST cruise -- and we get to spend it with such awesome people as you all, what more can i ask for?! It seems we all have been "chatting" for so long, it will be nice to finally meet all my thread buddies!!

 

[birkner]

Hi everyone!! One week from today - we will all be boarding!! Yeaaaa!

6 more days!!

 

[birkner]

Happy Bday (late) Noel. At least your body clock will have adjusted in time for the cruise.

We will be sailing along by this time next week! We all three sure are ready for vacation.

I don't know how much my body clock will be adjusted with as little sleep as I am getting!!



See you soon!!

 

[pit303]

6 more days!!

Happy belated b-day Noel!!

Change of plans for us Friday we are not going to the candlelight now we are going to MGM ( I know I know it has a new name), but to me it will always be MGM. We watched a special on the travel channel about Disney for the holidays and Joe reallys wants to see the lights so that is now where we are heading with dinner at the Brown Derby. Not a bad way to start our trip.

Here is hoping that AirTran is on time Friday!!!

Maureen