2012? No Problem...but when?

[NiniMorris]

I can't believe I forgot my own doctor's appointment! I can tell you my kids appointments for the next YEAR but have trouble remembering my own.

As I was driving back for dropping Mr D off at school my phone beeped. Since I was waiting on a business related fax to come in (and I 'think' I have it set up to send me a text when it comes in) I checked it...I had a Doctor's appointment in 5 minutes! So...no shower (and no clean clothes) I headed to the office! She had a good laugh at me, and it was quick and painless and zero blood work this time!

sounds like a beautiful weekend. My mom is buying Sami her first AG doll a bitty baby but we can't decide which one to get because I can't decide what color hair Sami has

I also started Christmas shopping this weekend. I want to get a start though I just remembered that I am having the kids portraits taking on the 9th.

Miss Mia will either have blonde like her mommy or strawberry blonde like her daddy. So I felt I was safe with the blonde (or rather yellow) yarn hair that this one has. This is the ONLY gift I have actually bought. The TVs don't really count since husband bought that. He historically buys things the kids don't want...and I get the stuff they want! LOL! But he has come a long way in the past 36 years. He grew up in a house that did not celebrate Christmas so it has been a hard road for me to turn him! LOL! I start the planning process for Christmas on Christmas Eve!

SOunds like a fantastic birthday weekend!!!

I love that the Grand Princess did all of her ordering at OG!!! How cute...

And little Mia - she is just adorable!

Awesome that you have some of your Chrsitmas gifts figured out already - we have NO idea what anyone is getting this year... Except for the Stockings.

LOL about Cabbage Patch Kids... I don't have my original one... His name was Weber Marcel - I had him until I was about 22, and then my (then) Step-mother donated all of my childhood belongings I still had stored at my Dad's house - and I lost everything. A few years ago, I started "Weber" shopping on Ebay and a doll collecter friend of mine heard of my search - low and behold - she had a similar Weber doll in her collection - so she sent him to me... It's not exactly Weber - but he is close, and I was very touched by her sentiment. I still hope to find his original clothes on Ebay one day.

Also, on that note, my grandmother and aunt used to make CPKs from a pattern... Again, my original one (Sarah) was donated, so one of my cousins gave me another of my Grandmother's dolls... She is a cute little African American one - so not exactly the look-a-like one I had as a child, but at least it's one of my Grandmother's dolls. I loved her's the most, because they had the cute little noses and the fabric faces which she hand stitched all herself. Do you have any pictures of yours? Just curious if they are the same?

OK - better get a move on today - I have lots to do before I have to leave for Target. Have a fantastic day Nini!!! And I am very glad you had a great birthday!

D~

Alas...no pictures... and I am not sure if any of them are surviving. Although I did find a bag full of arms and legs a few months ago. I would make, stuff, and sculpt multiple arms and legs and heads while watching tv and put them in bags. Then when I wanted to make a doll I only had to worry with the faces. (I left the heads unsculpted). So it was easy to make a doll for a birthday present...I could finish one up in a few hours. Unfortunately, I can no longer find any of the fabric. I found some that claimed to be the same, but it was too different from the body parts I already had so I ended up getting rid of the arms and legs....

My older kids always told me it looked creepy to have body parts in my closet! LOL! I did find the pattern again (mine was way beyond salvage!) on ebay...it was something like $50 for a new uncut pattern. I decided I didn't need it that bad!

Sorry about your step mother getting rid of your child hood things...I keep threatening to do that to my son...he has enough baseball cards stored in my studio to finance a small country! I was finally able to get my daughter ot come and get her wedding dress...but her CPD are all still down there. (the real ones not the ones I made). Her grandmother used to get her a new collectible one each year for Christmas...and she always put them up in the boxes...so she never got to play with them. She didn't really like them because they had vinyl hair.

Sounds like someone had a great birthday weekend!! See, it pays to turn 29!!!

Funny...I have told everyone I was 18 for so long I actually FORGOT how old I was! Mr D keeps asking how old I am. He is the type that will blurt it out...just because he likes to say random things. So I told him I was 105. Well, the next birthday he informed me I was now 106, because when you have a birthday you get a year older. So, by that model I am now 108. He refuses to believe any differently! (of course Daddy is only 24....)

So, when I had to get my driver's license renewed this year I realized just how old I was!!! And it ain't 29! The youngest child I gave birth to will be 30 while we are at Disney! LOL!

Glad you had a great birthday weekend!

I can't believe you are still having router problems.

Can't believe our trips are fast approaching.

In all fairness...my router problems go way deep! We had always had a wired internet connection. No need for anything else. Only had a desktop. Then husband got me a laptop. Son in law (my IT guy) convinced me to set up a wireless network. Hence router #1. Everything was fine until we wanted to set up Netflix on the Wii...the one we had would not support it, so router #2.

This one worked fine for a few years. Currently we have 4 computers, three laptops, 2 tablets, 2 iPhones, a Wii, XBox 360, two 'smart TVs', a dvr, a wireless printer, and an external hard drive. All connected to the router.

The router did not like all those items.

It would frequently have a nervous break down.

At first it was every once in a while, then once a week, then once a day, then several times a day, and then several times an hour!

I bought the one my IT guy said I needed...and Fed Ex lost it...or more accurately gave it to someone else! Anyway, finally got the replacement one in...


And now....the modem seems to have decided it wants to die. But in all fairness to it ...it is about 8 years old!!!! And since it lives in the kitchen (not the BEST place for a computer component to live...kinda dusty and greasy...) it is probably due to be replaced. I just need to call Windstream and have it done. My son had his replaced a few months ago. They could not believe it was still working for them...it was a whopping TWO years old!





So......who is ready for Disney???????



Nini

 

[cogero]

Well I have no idea about Sami. Heck Chiara turned into a blonde with brown eyes and Sami has blue eyes so I am stuck since DH and I are brunettes but my mom and sister are blondes.

I am ready for Disney but I have 112 days

 

[NiniMorris]

Well I have no idea about Sami. Heck Chiara turned into a blonde with brown eyes and Sami has blue eyes so I am stuck since DH and I are brunettes but my mom and sister are blondes.

I am ready for Disney but I have 112 days

LOL... Miss Mia has not even got any fuzz on her head yet! We tease that she has her daddy's hair....AFTER chemo!

Mommy has always had blonde hair...started with blue eyes, went to light brown, then to light green.... Daddy's hair was blonde as a baby, then turned strawberry around 8 or 9, and has been almost hairless since his chemo 6 years ago.




Important Announcement!

I leave for Disney THIS month! My Magic Bands should be here TODAY!

Just a tad bit excited!

I have some pictures to post, and hopefully after grocery shopping today I can get it done! Stay tuned.... but remember it IS me, and I am a bit slow on getting things done!


Nini

 

[DMGeurts]

Yay for going to Disney THIS month!!! WHOOT!!!! I am so excited for you!

LOL about the doll parts in your closet... If it makes you feel any better - the little aa doll that my grandmother made is in my closet too... A few years ago - one of her leg seams opened and the stuffing fell out - I need to stitch her up, but I have yet to do that.

D~

 

[cogero]

Yeah for going to Disney this month.

My grandma and aunt used to make dolls out of dish soap bottles.

 

[DMGeurts]

Yeah for going to Disney this month.

My grandma and aunt used to make dolls out of dish soap bottles.

Oooh, ooh, ooh - I have one of those too!!! They weren't made by anyone special - but my aunt gave each of us girls one when we turned 10... We all still have them, they came home with us when we were married - we all have a different color... I know I have a photo of them somewhere...

Hahaha... Don't laugh - this is me at age 10 (just after I'd gotten my first set of glasses)... but the dolls are on the piano on the background - mine is the purple one off to the side of the piano - it's not on top because the nativiy scene is there for Christmas.

D~ <---- Sorry for the hijack Nini - hopefully you are used to it by now?

 

[NiniMorris]

Oooh, ooh, ooh - I have one of those too!!! They weren't made by anyone special - but my aunt gave each of us girls one when we turned 10... We all still have them, they came home with us when we were married - we all have a different color... I know I have a photo of them somewhere...

Hahaha... Don't laugh - this is me at age 10 (just after I'd gotten my first set of glasses)... but the dolls are on the piano on the background - mine is the purple one off to the side of the piano - it's not on top because the nativiy scene is there for Christmas.

D~ <---- Sorry for the hijack Nini - hopefully you are used to it by now?

Awww...you can hijack my thread any time! LOL!
Funny...I just got a doll my grandmother made like that...only not like that. My grand mother was an amazing seamstress. In her younger days she worked for some pretty famous people. My great grand mother was VERY unhappy about that..because women didn't even THINK about having a job...much less a career.
My great grand mother said she didn't go through all she went through with her late husband's family to have my grand mother turn into a 'commoner' (and that is the word she always used!) After my grand parents were married, she continued to sew...and when I came along I had the most beautiful clothes...she worked with a children's clothing designer... when I got older, she specialized in wedding trousseau's.

She made all kinds of dolls like that to show off some of her designs. But the one I just got from her was after her stroke. She made them for fun...and they were not very pretty. In fact the one I have is almost ugly...like something your 3 year old would make but you will prize it forever .... that kind of ugly. It was the last one she made before she died. My cousins decided I should have it since I was the only one that carried through with her sewing.

Yay for going to Disney THIS month!!! WHOOT!!!! I am so excited for you!

LOL about the doll parts in your closet... If it makes you feel any better - the little aa doll that my grandmother made is in my closet too... A few years ago - one of her leg seams opened and the stuffing fell out - I need to stitch her up, but I have yet to do that.

D~

LOL!

Yeah for going to Disney this month.

My grandma and aunt used to make dolls out of dish soap bottles.

See my L O N G story above! LOL


So Wednesday night after church we went out for ice cream. (very diet conscious ...don't you agree?) We were talking about Disney...when my husband said something about exactly one month from that moment we would be in Disney...and somehow the conversation went to...wonder what would happen if we showed up early... and...what time would we get there if we started driving now...and...would we have enough money to buy all new clothes when we got there...and then to how many families will be staying in our room between now and when we get there!


Yup... I think the whole family is Disney obsessed!



Last night was our regular Friday night movie and a pizza. My daughter and her husband and Miss Mia came over and they are a little depressed because they are not going to Disney...so I expect to get a call in a couple of weeks that they have decided to go with us! LOL! Which would totally be the norm for them!

Then of course my son and his wife and the Grand Princess came over...and we all had a great Disney fest! LOL

Too bad Grandpa had to work...

Our Magic Bands came in yesterday, and I discovered the bad news about the testing in Epcot...I am not going to complain too much, but I hope that Disney does not take away the FP+ we have already scheduled...

I only have a small bit of shopping left to do with this trip... once I buy my last item it will be more REAL to me....

Our count down chain is getting mighty puny looking lately! LOL



Nini

 

[babynala]

So funny how much your hubby has been converted to a Disney fan. Already thinking about next month.

I hate to say that the FP+ change might be a good thing???? When we were there in October the paper FPs were gone so quick each day in Epcot and HS for all the good rides so maybe they are trying to even out the fp distribution. The stand by lines were crazy long for all the rides at those two parks even in the first hour of opening. We usually get about two or three turns on TSM with a stand by wait and two sets of fp but this time we only went on once and that was with the fp plus we scheduled way in advance. The fp for TSM was gone by 9:20 with a 120 minute stand by at that time and it was a low crowd day basedbon easywdw and touring plans. We couldn't change our times in the parks because nothing was available. On one of our Epcot days and our HS day they didn't open the gates until exactly 9:00 so it really backed up the stand by lines for the good rides. Plus, if people don't show up for their fp plus options then they use the fp someone else could have used (in theory because I have no idea how this works).

I have a feeling you will be there on a good week so hopefully it will be a non issue for you guys. I did find the fp return lines moved very quickly.

I am curious to see if Miss Mia has her first trip this month.

 

[KatMark]

I am sooooooooooooooo ready for Disney. I hope our paths will cross while we are there.

 

[NiniMorris]

So funny how much your hubby has been converted to a Disney fan. Already thinking about next month.

I hate to say that the FP+ change might be a good thing???? When we were there in October the paper FPs were gone so quick each day in Epcot and HS for all the good rides so maybe they are trying to even out the fp distribution. The stand by lines were crazy long for all the rides at those two parks even in the first hour of opening. We usually get about two or three turns on TSM with a stand by wait and two sets of fp but this time we only went on once and that was with the fp plus we scheduled way in advance. The fp for TSM was gone by 9:20 with a 120 minute stand by at that time and it was a low crowd day basedbon easywdw and touring plans. We couldn't change our times in the parks because nothing was available. On one of our Epcot days and our HS day they didn't open the gates until exactly 9:00 so it really backed up the stand by lines for the good rides. Plus, if people don't show up for their fp plus options then they use the fp someone else could have used (in theory because I have no idea how this works).

I have a feeling you will be there on a good week so hopefully it will be a non issue for you guys. I did find the fp return lines moved very quickly.

I am curious to see if Miss Mia has her first trip this month.

If I remember correctly...in the original training for the FP+ it was always presented as a tiered system. And the first few weeks of testing ran as a tiered system, only it didn't actually tell you that. When you went in to select, it only let you choose one headliner.

It got a ton of negative reviews! And I agree, a tiered system works great for almost all the parks...Magic Kingdom not so much! The problem comes when they take away the Legacy FP system. Is anyone really going to want to spend that much money on a trip to Disney (for some it is a once in a lifetime trip) to only get to ride one headliner...and spend another 2 hours waiting for a second one.

Some point to the fact that other amusement parks do it successfully...but if you look at attendance numbers, those parks do not have the high attendance numbers that Disney has. so it really isn't a fair comparison.

I know without any doubt that once the bugs are worked out it will work great for everyone...just in the mean time ...not so much.

For our family, changing the GAC/DAS, then the FP+, and now the tiered system...it is just too much for us to deal with ...Any one of those and we could have still had a great trip. Actually even with two of them we had managed to work out a plan...but now, knowing that if we change a FP+ we stand the risk of having to choose our Epcot days only one headliner...well... Mr D is one of those kids that wants to ride one ride over and over and over...trying to explain to him why he can't do it this trip but he always has...well, it is kind of like explaining to the government that they can't do the same things over and over again... except you are explaining to a three year old!

I was initally happy with the idea that we could change the FP+ selection on the fly...meaning, if Mr D wanted to ride TT a second or third time we could change his and Dad's FP+ to TT and they could ride while the rest of the family went on to something else... now we can't...

If I was going on a trip without him I would not be concerned...and I would thoroughly enjoy the whole testing idea! I'm a geek and I love that sort of thing...but Mr D makes for hard touring.... (and I do tend to be a mama bear...)

I am sooooooooooooooo ready for Disney. I hope our paths will cross while we are there.

I'm sure we will...and if you see us and walk on by I will understand...I am very apprehensive about how well Mr D will do this trip. We are actually working on contingency plans for melt downs. We will have a chart each day as to who will take him and when... Mom deals with all the melt downs at home, we share when we are out in public!





+++++++++++++++

About a year ago I asked one amazing designer about a place on her waiting list. I was lucky and was able to snag a spot on her list before our trip. (if you know anything about her the lists is very exclusive. You have to be very quick with the keyboard to get on it!)

I wanted to surprise Miss B with a beautiful bag for Disney...a D~ original!

I asked Miss B what her favorite Disney character of all time was...she responded...Sebastian!

So the saving started. Then the waiting... remember, I said about a year ago...I am impatient!

Finally it was done...

I show Miss B all of D~'s bags when they are finished. She loves to see them and make comments about them (usually why can't Mom make something like that!) So I was holding my breath when I showed her the amazing Sebastian bag ...and she loved it!


Of course, being a typical teenager...she said something like, she didn't really like Sebastian all that much, but she really liked this bag...WHAT? Evidently, favorite character of all time is subject to change like boyfriends! LOL!

Anyway, I checked the tracking info and it appears that Sebastian will be arriving at my house tomorrow...and since the mail lady comes around 10 ish...I will be sure to stay home tomorrow morning!!

So far I have bought both girls a beautiful bracelet from Brenda (she really needs a business name... Like maybe Brenda's Boutique....) a bag for Miss B... and that is it! I have a little less than 4 weeks to put together goodie bags for the three kids.

Guess I had better get busy!


Nini

 

[cogero]

I am a D bag hoarder as you know. I love that sebastian bag.

Tell me more about the bracelets.

 

[NiniMorris]

I am a D bag hoarder as you know. I love that sebastian bag.

Tell me more about the bracelets.

Tinker_Tam here on the DIS was surprising the kids with a Disney trip. Her daughter was making the Rainbow Loom bracelets and selling them for "Black Friday" money...but that is now for Disney money!

They are cute...and I got one of them for both girls...

Again, I showed Miss B a picture on FB and asked her for her opinion...found out she loved them so I ordered two of them...

Nini

 

[DMGeurts]

Hahaha... I KNOW all about the favorite characters changing... LOL Our first girls trip - V's favorite was Goofy (still loves him though), the last trip was Monster's Inc (which met their demise after the crappy meet n' greet), so this trip, her favorite is Stitch... LOL I can't keep up. Sigh. Guaranteed - whether she likes them or not, she will be reusing all of her customs. LOL

Oooh - I love the rainbow loom bracelets... I have one that Bernadette's (LovesDumbo) dd made me - I wear it ALL. THE. TIME! It's, by far, my favorite! They are so comfy and water proof - love that!

Can't wait for you to get your bag and see it in person! And even more - I cannot wait to hear about Miss B's reaction (I sure hope you'll take pictures for me...)

D~

 

[NiniMorris]

Last year we went to the MVMCP using the military tickets and it only cost about 30 bucks each. This year no one wants to do it...except me. Since Thanksgiving is later this year there are no military tickets for when we are there...so the tickets will be $62 each if I buy prior to getting there.

I am seriously considering getting me a ticket and going without the rest of the family....


I mean SERIOUSLY!

Would you go to the party by yourself?


I would probably go on the Tuesday... Dec 3



Nini

 

[KatMark]

I can't wait to hear how DD feels when she gets her bag.

I ordered a total of 8 bracelets from Brenda.

YES...go the party yourself. And that is a good night to go as there are about10 of DISer's going to be there that night...us included and Tammy.

 

[DMGeurts]

I think I would go myself - or find a Dis friend going the same night and invite myself along. LOL OK - maybe not, but I'd try to plan a Dismeet or two.

I will go with you Nini... I've always wanted to go to MVMCP.

D~

 

[cogero]

I would totally goby myself. I think it might even be more fun.

 

[cogero]

I would so totally go by myself. It would probably be more fun too.

 

[NiniMorris]

Absolutely NOTHING to do with Disney here...



My husband was raised by his grand parents in rural Missouri. His mother was only 17 when he was born and was on husband number 2 (out of over 15!) Having a baby really did not fit into her lifestyle, so she dropped him off at her parents and basically did not come back until he was in school. They lived in a small 2 room log house and used wood for heat and cooking. In fact, they did not have running water or electricity until after he was grown.

His grand father ran a sawmill using an old steam engine.

His grandmother used to have a picture of the sawmill showing the horse drawn wagons that logs were brought into the sawmill. Sometime before she died the picture disappeared. My husband was upset when it disappeared because his grand father always told him he could have it when he grew up!

A family member posted a copy of this picture on Facebook. It was from the local county's historical society. Seems, the local pharmacy saved copies of all negatives they processed, and these were there...along with a ton of other family photos! As soon as they open today I will be calling to get some reprints of these...I have finally found my husband's Christmas Present!!! He is so hard to buy for...one of those who don't rreally want anything and gets what he needs on his own.

I am hoping that the picture shows up first time...but here it is...Not much, but will mean so much to him!

Nini


(OK...so it does not show the horse drawn wagons and I can not tell which of these guys is his grand father...but I know he is in there! LOL!)

 

[Tinker_Tam]

So much catching up to do! You take off one weekend and you fall behind on all the important stuff!

Brenda's business does need a name. She is too busy making the bracelets to think of a name! LOL That's ok, she loves it. I am so glad that you liked the bracelets. Brenda just got Belle and Ariel charms yesterday for her bracelets. I told her I want a Belle one and she told me "That will be $5!" Gotta love Brenda and her desire to make money!