Day 5...A morning of keeping my mouth shut!
Let me be the first to admit this, I have a big mouth!! Seriously, tell me a secret and it will never be uttered again but if you tell me about a surprise...I can almost guarantee that it will slip. I get so excited about surprises and I have this overwhelming urge to just spill the beans. Either that or I walk around looking like the cat that ate the canary. I am guilty as charged when it comes to being a surprise ruiner.
I had done so well in keeping the gigantic surprises that were to fill the rest of this day from my children that I didn't want to spoil it at the last minute. Thus, knowing myself and my big mouth (from whence surprises do freely flow at inopportune moments) I planned to spend the morning away from my family. Nothing short of that step would have kept my tongue from wagging on this special day. I was as nervous as a cat in a room full of rockers as I got up. I didn't want to wake any of the kids. I was afraid that if I did and they asked me what we were doing that day, that I might just tell.
Seriously though, I was in almost physical pain from not being able to spill the beans, so I kissed dh (who was once again logged on to the internet and working **UGH WORK AT WDW**) goodbye and slipped silently from the room.
I made my way down to the valet stand and asked for a cab. I was running a bit behind this morning and didn't want to miss out, I had a relaxing pedicure/manicure combination treatment planned at the Grand Floridian's spa. The reason I was running behind is that having four children, I rarely have to set an alarm clock to ensure that I am up in the morning, you can pretty much depend on at least one of them (usually the baby) to be up bright and early. As luck would have it, they all chose this morning to sleep in peacefully. Ha ha ha. Thus, the cab ride over. When I arrived I gave them my name and was led back to the women's changing area/lounge. Since I didn't need to change for a pedi/mani, I just poured a glass of cold lemon water, grabbed a banana and magazine and relaxed while I awaited my pampering.
It turns out between the IPO office and the spa schedule there was a time misunderstanding. My pedicure/manicure had been scheduled for the afternoon?! There was NO way I requested that (I had better things to do that afternoon!). I have no idea where the communication breakdown happened (although my printed itinerary that the concierge staff gave me had my spa time listed as 9:30 AM *the time I arrived*). The people at the spa were very nice about working me in. It turns out the scheduling snafu was actually a good thing. It gave me to time to relax while lounging around. I needed to calm down a bit.
I was just a tad bit excited over what was to come.
The pedicure/manicure was very relaxing. I thought the CM who did mine did a great job. And as it turns out, if you book a manicure/pedicure combination, you get a free (brand new) bottle of nail polish to go with your treatment. That was a nice little surprise for me. I spent over two hours relaxing and being pampered at the GF spa. When it came time for me to leave, they offered to call a CM with a golf cart over to pick me up and take me to the main building. I thought that sounded fun! Before I went out to climb onboard the cart, I ran back and grabbed an apple to bring with me as a snack. One banana does not a satisfied stomach make. I wanted to be full enough that I would not be tempted to snack before our 3:00 surprise.
Here is a picture I took of the spa while I was seated on the golf cart.
It was an enjoyable ride. The CM driving it was very nice. He asked where to and I said I needed to get back to the main building but I would love a "quick tour" before we got there. To my surprise, he said sure and took me all over the grounds of the Grand Floridian. It was a very relaxing fifteen minute ride. I got way more of a tour then I was expecting and it was a great addition to my day!
As he dropped me off at the main building, I saw the area I had been dying to see...the Summerhouse building/patio and small beach area.
LOOK at the red tables being set up!! They were going to be for us!!
The Summerhouse Patio area. Look at the lovely roses!
And here is the small beach area in front of it.
Ahhh, I was so excited I could barely handle it...in just a few short hours all of the plans/dreams would start to play out right here!! After taking it all in for a few moments, I headed back into the main building and up to the monorail station. Along the way, I took a few photographs.
And this...my favorite picture! We were on the resort events board!
And almost walking on air (with very pretty toenails if I do say so myself), I made my way up to the monorail platform and took a few more pictures as the monorail approached.
I departed the monorail at the Contemporary intending to catch a boat launch back to the WL from there. I changed my mind when it started to rain. I went to the valet stand and requested my second cab of the day. In a very few minutes I was back at the WL and heading up to get ready for the rest of our incredible day. I knew it would be hard to hold it in...but I was determined that I could pass the one remaining hour before our surprise was to start without giving anything away.
When I got back to the room, dh told me that our dear family friends had safely made it to WDW (step one in the surprise plan was now checked off). The boys then proceeded to tell me all about their morning as I got ready. I heard about how they woke up and headed up to the club lounge for a late breakfast. How they then chose to spend the entire rest of the morning (and part of the early afternoon too) in the arcade at the WL. Dh didn't want to tell me how much he let them spend there.
I took that to mean it was way more than he should have.
But I could have cared a less. My boys were all happy. They were freshly showered and starting to get dressed for the rest of our day AND that arcade time had bought me a reprieve. They were so busy telling me about what they had done so far that nobody thought to ask me just what was next!
What was next?! That will be revealed in the next installment!
TO BE CONTINUED...
Very clever ice cream keeper design! Can't waste the ice cream!
Can't wait for your next installment!
The big day is almost here! I can't wait to hear how all your plans came together! I love the surprise gifts and the invitation that was left in your room - how clever! Don't you have friends joining you for this surprise? Did you have the same invitation sent to them? Nevermind, I'm sure you'll get to that - I'm just being impatient! 
The food looks absolutely delectable. Mmmm...
Your family time watching the pageant seems absolutely heavenly. The lifetime memory book actually sounds like a really good idea. I think I might actually start one. 
Thanks for asking. 
I'm not moving!!!!!
