4/29/06 Eastern Magic...We're Going!!!!!

[castlegazer]

Yay! It's a snow day for us!!!! I said to my mom last night that snow days were so much more fun when I worked somewhere else, cause I got to stay home with the kids for once. Now, my work will just stare at me from my office and my kids will ransack the house....again! Arghhhh!

Yeah, I had to drive in for an 8 am meeting and it took me an hour and a half in this blizzard. Get in, find out meeting has been moved to 9 am!

 

[suziemva]

Snow day here too. Unfortunately, on top of that snow is ice - yuck! And I need to go to the grocery store and the pharmacy. Too much going on yesterday didn't get a chance to do it and then didn't want to face the madhouse and the stores when I did get time!

Today is trash day too....remembered that about 11:00 last night. DH does the trash, so it's not on my mind. But since he was in Savannah last night, it was up to me. So I freeze my butt off getting it collected and in the darn receptacle. Geez, I still can't feel my toes (yes, I was barefoot - Ihate wearing shoes!)! Then I remembered it's recycling day too! So, back outside in the sleet to take that out. Neighbors just got home from a party and, yup, there I am in my pajamas. Pretty!!! I felt like my face could have been a stand-in for Rudolph!!! Didn't think anyone would be outside and I could just quickly do this without anyone seeing me....guess what? THOUGHT WRONG!!!! Let me just say, my neighbors know a little more about me now. How embarassing!

Alright, everyone get your cheese out! Here comes the whine!

So we are on Day 2 of daddy gone and Tori still can't understand why he isn't coming home from work. I keep telling her that daddy is going to Florida for a while and she asks why he didn't take her to see Mickey, too. Doesn't understand that Florida is NOT Disney. But this is a 3 year olds mind. Sad thing is that when he calls to talk with her, she won't get on the phone. So, any advice from the part-time single moms out there? The ones where daddy has to travel from time to time. I know we'll get throught this - we have to, no choice! - but starting to get frustrated with the 24/7 thing of being the only parent. (BIG kudos to all the single parents - I don't know how they do it!!!)

Alright, I feel better. Whining over. Time to go clear off the Subby. Got some stores to haunt and presents to buy. Tori's are already wrapped and under the tree. I feel good about that. One thing down, a million to go. Why didn't I do online shopping this year?!?!?!

 

[suziemva]

Funny stories, etc.

Got home and looked at pics from our trip in Oct. Noticed in this one picture the little blonde haired boy. We'll just call him demon. Turns out he was on our plane going home - recognized his obnoxious sister in another picture. That brat screamed and cried the whole way home!!!! It was kinda of funny because Tori kept telling him to shush! The kid was running up and down the aisle when we were trying to take off because mom and dad didn't know what to do with him. The whole plane was so ready to get to the airport and get off!! Couldn't believe it when I saw him and his family in our picturs! AARRGH!

Took a day to go to one of the other theme parks (gasp!) in Orlando. The guys went off to ride Kraken with the older girls and we stayed back to look at the sea lions with the little ones. Lo and behold there is a sea lion not with the rest of them, looks a bit different and....isn't moving!!!! Told Diana to keep the kids over to the other side so they couldn't see this. Boy, what kind of therapy would that require for the rest of the day?!?! After ten more minutes, we're ready to head over to see something else, when all of a sudden, the sea lion moves! OTG! What a memory!

Picture opportunities at every corner, right? Tori saw this one once I loaded it over to the computer. "Look, mommy, it's Shampoo!!!" Gotta love it!!

Okay, my mom does NOT play video games of any sort. So, Buzz Lightyear was a real interesting ride with her. First time, I think she scored like 400 points. She and Tori said they wanted to ride again. So, this time I rode with mom, Tori with daddy. You know at the end of the ride they show you the board with the different points labels. I look over at mom's and OMG!! She scored 804,500 points!!! WTH?!?! Mom asks if she did better this time - ya' think?!?! The picture unfortunately didn't show the score, but we all saw it and signed the affidavit mom wrote.....never in history would I have figured on that one!!

 

[castlegazer]

I forgot that this was the week. Mine is in the first part of January.

I don't have advice I only know its gets bad and then gets better. They start to sulk and cry at a moments notice. My husband had a ton of night and morning meetings a few weeks ago so that he wasn't seeing hte kids at all while they were awake. My son one night just started crying at the dinner table and I couldn't figure it out. I asked him what was wrong and he didn't know either. Then I asked him if he missed Daddy and he started really balling and ran to cuddle with me. Its tough on them that's for sure. But by day three he was over it and would talk to Daddy on the phone.

I actually do better when my DH is off in the mornings, we have a better more structured routine for some reason that works better. I have no idea how this happens (I have been trying to figure it out), but it does. What I do at night is all about having two kids at home. I will set my son up with a video while I take my daughter up for night time routine. Then I get undivided time with both of them for night stuff. I have gotten pretty good at this too. But again, after day two, my son doesn't like being left alone to watch a video every night and starts to rebel. Bath night is a mess, though - I've got to work on that one.

Good luck with the rest of the time alone. Enjoy yourself too. I enjoy being able to take a bath or do scrapbooking after the kids go to bed and not worry about being antisocial to my husband. Also, do what your husband would do - don't worry about the mess every night, just go to bed and forget about it.

 

[ohsodisney]

Susie - Is the second picture down an sealion ? I had too look a few times because honestly it looks like something else, a big pile of doodoo Is he on his back ? Where was the first pic taken ? I cannot imagine a screaming and crying kid all the way home on the plane , I think I would have tosay something , I'm suprised noone did .I LOVE the picture of Tori at Sea World , my Dad worked for Bud since they opened here but even now that he is retired he still gets 12 free tickets to Sea World , Busch Gardens and Sesame Place each year, which is wonderful because it is how much now to get in $60.00 ? oh , I also know the feeling of DH being gone , mine goes away for 4 months to Washington every year , but flys home on weekends . This year thou he is also going possibally to New Orleans which is a year long project . I told him we may go with him this time if thats the case !!!
I cannot believe the prices for one day passes at Disney $92.00 !!!!

 

[mketting]

Biggest Loser

Week 3&4 Results
this week/total

castlegazer 4/4
inthemood 3/3
mketting +1/2
OhJulie 1/3
Phillyjen 2/4
Suziemva 3/5.6
partypat 1.6/1.6
ohsodisney +4/+4

Let me know if I missed anyone or made an error.


Snow Days!!!! You have got to be kidding, PhillyJen is right, here in Upstate NY we almost never get a snow day. We did live in KY for 3 years though. They cancelled school if there was a forecast of snow. The town we lived in there did have a salt truck.... it was a pickup truck and a guy with a shovel dumping the salt on the road.

 

[suziemva]

Susie - Is the second picture down an sealion I had too look a few times because honestly it looks like something else, a big pile of doodoo Is he on his back ??

Yes, that is the strangest looking sea lion I had seen and the only one with that coloring. That's why I was wondering what was up - off on his own, not moving, different colors. He was laying on his side in the drain.

Where was the first pic taken ?

It was in the new Hundred Acre wood playground across from Pooh's ride. Really nice play area!!

I LOVE the picture of Tori at Sea World

Thanks, so do I but I'm a bit biased!!!

 

[mketting]

Suzie- I not the only one up late tonight online. My Dh is at the U2 concert in Buffalo tonight with his brother and I have my 3 neices here spending the night with my kids. They just finished Miracle on 32 Street and came up to ask if they could watch the Grinch now!!! I said they needed to go to sleep but I can hear the 3 oldest down there jabbering away the 2 young ones are asleep..

The only thing I can say about being left at home while Dad travels is it does get easier as the kids get older. (mine are 6 and 8 now) When my Dh is out of town I try to do some things with kids they don't normally do like, let them go to sleep in our bed (I move them when I go to bed) and, they think this is the best... I let them pick a frozen dinner at the grocery store, they loves those Penguin meal things. Simple pleasures but they really enjoy them.

 

[castlegazer]

Good ideas! I just had my first taste of it last night as my husband began throwing up when we got in the door from our weekend away. This left me alone with the kids through the night. Catrina is stil waking ALOT right now because if teething (I am about to take sandpaper to that girls mouth!) and my son is such a heavy sleeper that the whole night wetting the bed thing is not going well. I think I will put him in pullups when my husband is away.

So, Friday and that illustrious snow day.... my company decided that the height of the storm was a good time to let us all go home - it took me 2 1 /2 hours to get home. I was soooo not happy abou the whole situation Friday - we got 12 inches.

Oh, and you can take me off that list for Biggest loser now as I gained all 4 pounds back this weekend apparently. Totally sucks!

 

[suziemva]

Quick post - gotta make dinner then going out with friends tonight (Girls nite to the movies, haven't had one of these in a while!!)

BL weigh in - down 1.6 pounds

To all with sickies in the family, I'm so sorry! Hope they all to get better soon to be healthy once again.

Big issue today: Looks like we have a credit card thief strike us this weekend. Still talking with the banks, contacting the police tomorrow. Bummer for Ed because this was his card that he has for his trip right now. So, how do you book airfare without a credit card? We shall find out!

Have a great night all! Snow's coming again!!

 

[mketting]

castlegazer- my DS didn't stop wetting the bed until just this past spring. But finally now at 6 we have conquered it, I hope. My doctor said that there is a hormone that helps control bladder issues and that for some kids it takes longer for that hormone to kick in. Even when we would take him to the bathroom at 11:00 or so when we went to bed he would still sometimes have an accident. He hated wearing pull-ups but it was so much better than having to change the sheets several times a week. Good Luck with that.

Suxie- sorry about the cc issue, hope you get it resolved soon. I need to plan a girls night out soon!!! Hope you had fun.

 

[ohsodisney]

Hi CG and Mketting

Well you are not alone with the bedwetting , my Holly is also one of those kids that if a bomb goes off in her room she will not wake up . We too have tried getting her up at 12:00 or so but she still seems to manage to wake up wet . McKenna on the other hand was super easy and trained by 2 even through the night .
I think a stomach flu is going around here too , my newphew had the pukes for 2 days . I'm sure my girls will get it because my Mom neglected to tell me she was babysitting him today , so when I dropped my girls off I was a bit suprised to see my newphew there . Holly is the one that picks things up really easy .

We went to Lights on the Lake tonight . It is always so pretty and gets me into the Holiday spirt . I am almost done shopping WOOHOO finally ! OMG I found the best sheet for my bed and the girls beds at PBK , it is chamios and a bottom fitted sheet . SOOOOOOOOO Soft , I am always cold and hate getting into cold sheets so this is wonderful !

I did get the girls that Pixter thing , that looks so neat and portable with lots of games , it also plays video , they can make there own pictures and print them out on the computer and I did get the digital camera that they can take pictures with and it hooks back up to this Pixter so they can view them and add effects to the pictures. I think the girls will love it

 

[partypat]

Ok...I've been lurking I've been so busy, even without kids. I wonder how y'all do it and then I think back to the "Time of Children". There really is a life at the end....a life with Grandchildren......My Granddaughter spent the night last night, and it was Grandma where is this, and Grandma where is that. She's around alot, but because of your thougths of doing it alone when your husbands are away for days on end, I appreciate my time alone.

As to a Snow Day! Can't imagine. We have a flood day once every 5 years when it rains on end for 6 or 7 days straight. I live on the Russian River and when it rains for days on end the river overflows its banks. It used to flood main street, and everyone would end up at the bridge at the south end of town with umbrella and drink in hand, but they finally took care of that. I've moved helpedmany of friend move their belongs out of their basement only to go back and help wash off all the silt (nasty stuff) a week later.

Last time I drove in the snow, I slid across a parking lot and went nose first into a snow bank. I had that car for the next three years and I always thought of that wild ride with my sister riding shotgun and my two best friends in the backseat screaming put on the brakes. Everytime they looked at it they would say "Remember When"?

As to the Biggest Loser....I have great news on my turf....LOST 6.8 lbs (since October 1st) and according the the 30 day challenge at Curves, I lost 7-1/2 inches.... Yea Yea....I'm on my way. I've lost 20 to 30 lbs before, but never kept them off. I'm determined to reach my goal and go on a cruise. The Magic, of course.

Thanks Susie, for the Disney Holiday Greetings.....I also loved the Sand Angel.
And as to the mailing I finally received from my TA, Pearls are my birthstone.

As a final goodnite, here is a picture of my front yard. I collect Flamingos and a friend gave me this one to me to light my way.

 

[partypat]

Ok, whats up with the last post I made? Why is it so big and how do I make it smaller? I would also like to know how to reduce my pictures. Does anyone have any suggestions?

PartyPat

 

[ohsodisney]

Hi Pat
Wish I could help but apparently I am computer illiterate because I don't even know how to put pics up . It was funny trying to read your post thou

 

[castlegazer]

Thanks for the bedwetting support group. I talked to my son about the pullups while Daddy was away to just start to broach the topic and it went OK - not great, but not hysterics either. I just would simply not be able to handle that too.

Funny, this may be the first time I am thankful for not seeing pictures I could read her post just as good as can be.

Man, you guys, we have pissed off the gods of sickies in our house. Yesterday my son was again a mess and couldn't go to school so I was home again. But, it allowed me to reorganize the playroom prior to the influx of toys.

I then got sick again last night - same thing happened to my son. Apparently this stomach bug comes back after being gone for a day. This just stinks.

OK, I truly need a mental siesta today:

This is Coki Beach and Coral World on St. Thomas where I want to go to:

 

[Belle and Rella's Dad]

Just checking in with everyone,

CG, that picture looks awesome, I was talking to the Queen about taking our own boat over to St. John and doing Trunk Bay because it is supposed to be one of the best beaches in the carrib. We have to figure all that out but we do have a little bit of time, last time we had so much fun in St. Marteen that we only made it to paradise point in St. Thomas and then went back to the ship for family nap time, in fact my Tweener fell asleep at the lunch table.

It is cold here so keep the pictures of the tropics coming.

Tom

 

[castlegazer]

TOM!!! Wait, if you are going to do that - DO NOT GO TO TRUNK BAY!!!! I repeat, do not go to that tourist place! Go to Honeymoon Beach or Cinnamon Bay. Trunk Bay gets all the tourist groups. If I had a boat at my disposal I would go to Honeymoon Beach or to another hidden gem reachable only by hiking through the forest.

See this web site: http://www.stjohnbeachguide.com/Honeymoon.htm

But, that being said Trunk Bay is beautiful - its just that it gets crowded. We loved the isolation and absolute beauty of Honeymoon Beach.

Here's a photo of Trunk Bay - plus it has facilities which is nice when travelling with kids.

 

[Belle and Rella's Dad]

CG,

Thanks, when I said our own boat I meant that we would not be going on a planned excursion thru Disney, we would take a ferry over to St. John. We have one that would be to young to qualify for Disney, so we have to do something on our own. We love the beach so we want to go as a family and have a great time together. That is our plan for all of the stops, is to hang out at a beach and do a little shopping, it is one of the reasons that we just loved St. Marteen, besides the fact that it was Pangos Birthday and the beers were 3 for 5 bucks, and we had Anna the Swedish waitress who would get into her bikini and bring our drinks to us in the ocean. Had a tough time explaining that one to the girls when they got back from shopping and we had this blonde half naked girl in the ocean with me and Pango, but as soon as she took their drink order we were good to go.

We are looking to relive that day approximately 2 years to the date, probably won't be the same, but I know it will be a great time. Smoking Cubans and having a beer with my buds, it don't get any better, in fact that is where the term TDS came from. (This Don't S*ck).

Tom

 

[castlegazer]

T certainly D S!!!!!!

Yeah, I hear your pain as I have the wee ones too. That's why I am settling for Coki. I dream of renting a boat to get us over to St. John but I just cant figure out how to make it happen within reason for us. My husband and I have been trying to relive our perfect moment for five years now with no luck and two subsequent stops to St. Thomas. T does S!