jsmla
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2001
- Messages
- 4,498
We are:
Me (41) Disney addict, planner, driver and mother to:
Sam (DS, 16) Extrovert extrordinaire.
and
Lizzie (DD, 14) Beautiful, charming and ruthless mercenary.
Mom/Grandma (?) Mother to me, martyr to all.
Liya (15) Our Russian exchange student.
Wednesday, November 14, 2001 5:00 pm
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Now my mini-van seats 7. We're 5, so no problem right? Ha! Sam and Liya have both packed lightly and I have 1 bag for me and a duffle for all the first aid, laundry and bath stuff. All looks well, but wait, the two heavy hitters of luggage are not yet aboard. Liz has three bags plus a miscellany of personal grooming and entertainment material. As I attempt to stuff this in along with the TV, videos, Nintendo stuff and camera bag I hear a small noise at my elbow. It's Lizzie, with clothes, hanging clothes. After a slightly disputatious paring down of the wardrobe we finally head eastward out of Baton Rouge. The vacation has begun!
Halfway to Mom's Sam lets us know that he's planned to dress according to a theme. Liz and I exchange alarmed looks. What will it be? Hawaiian, T-shirts with offensive slogans, nudity? With him you never know. On miss-match day at school he wore Birkenstocks, cargo shorts and a friend's cocktail dress, hairy legs and all. No, no cross dressing at Disneyworld, please!
Wednesday, November 14, 2001 7:30 pm
Slidell, Louisiana
We arrive at Mom's safely, but it appears only just. While conducting a pre-trip inspection of the van Dad finds a flat tire, well actually it was ripped to shreds. He can't figure out how I didn't notice. Never underestimate the deafening power of 3 teenagers in an overloaded car. So Dad whips into a convenient phone booth and emerges as AutoRepairMan! He is truly in his element. After a series of questions in my direction are met with blank stares and "I don't know." he sighs in disgust and makes a call to DH for an in depth consultation. I know I have probably set the feminist cause back, but if God had meant for me to change tires he wouldn't have let man invent the cell phone. Dad just doesn't understand that it's not everyone's dream to be a mechanic in a Daytona 500 pitcrew. No tires are to be had till tomorrow morning so we all sit down to the groaning board that is my mother's dinner. If you are from the rural Deep South you will appreciate this. Smothered steak, rice, potatoes, creamed corn, green beans and rolls, all from scratch. Liya declares it the best food she's had since she left Russia. Hey, wait a minute! See if I fix my leftover pizza and frozen fish stick surprise for her ever again!
9:30 pm: The kids move noisily off TV and computerwards and Mom and I turn to her luggage. My mother is an extremely modest woman (she's packed very little in the way of personal items) but I cannot convince her that Disneyworld is not in a third world country. She has caught wind of the fact that we will have a fridge and microwave. Filled, frozen Ziploc bags line the counter like soldiers for battle. Grocery bags cover the kitchen floor. There is homemade soup, two kinds of chilli and an entire roast. There are canned goods, fruit and homemade brownies. There is Corningware, dishes, knives and forks. Unless I can lay my hands on that shrinking machine we're going to have to strap one of the kids to the roof of the car (The girls choose Sam), so I enter into intensive negotiations with Mom and we reduce the stash by half. I con Dad, still muttering about tread and warranties, into repacking the car (she's his wife after all) and tumble into bed around 11.
Thursday November 15, 2001 8:30 am
Fortified with a new tire and a huge breakfast (Mom wasn't about to let anyone set off without a small snack of eggs, bacon, biscuits, etc.) we're off. I'm 3 1/2 hours behind schedule but who cares? We're finally on our way. The kids were up late fighting so they sleep until our lunch stop and the drive goes smoothly. After lunch they introduce Liya to American car games (ABC and 20 questions, we're a high brow lot). The only rough bit came when it was time to turn on the TV. Sam wanted Hitchcock, Liz "Bring It On" and Liya "Pretty Woman".
Caution, RANT ALERT: What is it with kids and the car? Mine can't travel more than 50 miles without a crateload of electronic games, tvs, cd players, etc. I don't know how the Japanese economy can possibly be in a recession. We're certainly doing our share. (They watched "Pretty Woman" just in case you were interested.) RANT OVER.
8:00 pm
We arrive at the Holiday Inn Family Suites in spite of all the construction on the interstate and the fact that I've left the directions at home. Check in is smooth though we can't get a Disney themed room. We're in 601 with the choo-choos. The "suite" is divided into a living/kitchen area with a pull-out sofa for Sam, a curtained off kid's room with bunks for the girls and a separate room for Mom and me. It's a handicapped suite so the bath and bedroom are large, making the other rooms a bit tight. Still, it's very snug and clean and I like the private room with its own vanity and blow dryer. The fridge is small (remember those Ziploc bags?) so we decide to bring in the ice chest for drinks and milk. Building 6 is very nice if you don't want to pay for a poolview or look at the parking lot. Our room looked out over a small lake with swans in it and a light display at night, very nice. I'd request this building again though probably on an upper floor. The first floor proved a bit noisy. All in all I was quite pleased.
Mom and I leave the kids to unpack and head out in search of groceries. Due to the dark and the late hour we go to Goodings where the prices send Mom into deep mourning over those groceries we left behind. Chastened, I pay up and we return "home". After a quick supper we're in bed by 11:30. So much for my early night, but we're here. Here in the happiest place on earth! I snuggle down in my bed and dream dreams of Cinderella Castle.
Tomorrow, if you can stand it, the Magic Kingdom and Epcot Food and Wine Festival.
Me (41) Disney addict, planner, driver and mother to:
Sam (DS, 16) Extrovert extrordinaire.
and
Lizzie (DD, 14) Beautiful, charming and ruthless mercenary.
Mom/Grandma (?) Mother to me, martyr to all.
Liya (15) Our Russian exchange student.
Wednesday, November 14, 2001 5:00 pm
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Now my mini-van seats 7. We're 5, so no problem right? Ha! Sam and Liya have both packed lightly and I have 1 bag for me and a duffle for all the first aid, laundry and bath stuff. All looks well, but wait, the two heavy hitters of luggage are not yet aboard. Liz has three bags plus a miscellany of personal grooming and entertainment material. As I attempt to stuff this in along with the TV, videos, Nintendo stuff and camera bag I hear a small noise at my elbow. It's Lizzie, with clothes, hanging clothes. After a slightly disputatious paring down of the wardrobe we finally head eastward out of Baton Rouge. The vacation has begun!
Halfway to Mom's Sam lets us know that he's planned to dress according to a theme. Liz and I exchange alarmed looks. What will it be? Hawaiian, T-shirts with offensive slogans, nudity? With him you never know. On miss-match day at school he wore Birkenstocks, cargo shorts and a friend's cocktail dress, hairy legs and all. No, no cross dressing at Disneyworld, please!
Wednesday, November 14, 2001 7:30 pm
Slidell, Louisiana
We arrive at Mom's safely, but it appears only just. While conducting a pre-trip inspection of the van Dad finds a flat tire, well actually it was ripped to shreds. He can't figure out how I didn't notice. Never underestimate the deafening power of 3 teenagers in an overloaded car. So Dad whips into a convenient phone booth and emerges as AutoRepairMan! He is truly in his element. After a series of questions in my direction are met with blank stares and "I don't know." he sighs in disgust and makes a call to DH for an in depth consultation. I know I have probably set the feminist cause back, but if God had meant for me to change tires he wouldn't have let man invent the cell phone. Dad just doesn't understand that it's not everyone's dream to be a mechanic in a Daytona 500 pitcrew. No tires are to be had till tomorrow morning so we all sit down to the groaning board that is my mother's dinner. If you are from the rural Deep South you will appreciate this. Smothered steak, rice, potatoes, creamed corn, green beans and rolls, all from scratch. Liya declares it the best food she's had since she left Russia. Hey, wait a minute! See if I fix my leftover pizza and frozen fish stick surprise for her ever again!
9:30 pm: The kids move noisily off TV and computerwards and Mom and I turn to her luggage. My mother is an extremely modest woman (she's packed very little in the way of personal items) but I cannot convince her that Disneyworld is not in a third world country. She has caught wind of the fact that we will have a fridge and microwave. Filled, frozen Ziploc bags line the counter like soldiers for battle. Grocery bags cover the kitchen floor. There is homemade soup, two kinds of chilli and an entire roast. There are canned goods, fruit and homemade brownies. There is Corningware, dishes, knives and forks. Unless I can lay my hands on that shrinking machine we're going to have to strap one of the kids to the roof of the car (The girls choose Sam), so I enter into intensive negotiations with Mom and we reduce the stash by half. I con Dad, still muttering about tread and warranties, into repacking the car (she's his wife after all) and tumble into bed around 11.
Thursday November 15, 2001 8:30 am
Fortified with a new tire and a huge breakfast (Mom wasn't about to let anyone set off without a small snack of eggs, bacon, biscuits, etc.) we're off. I'm 3 1/2 hours behind schedule but who cares? We're finally on our way. The kids were up late fighting so they sleep until our lunch stop and the drive goes smoothly. After lunch they introduce Liya to American car games (ABC and 20 questions, we're a high brow lot). The only rough bit came when it was time to turn on the TV. Sam wanted Hitchcock, Liz "Bring It On" and Liya "Pretty Woman".
Caution, RANT ALERT: What is it with kids and the car? Mine can't travel more than 50 miles without a crateload of electronic games, tvs, cd players, etc. I don't know how the Japanese economy can possibly be in a recession. We're certainly doing our share. (They watched "Pretty Woman" just in case you were interested.) RANT OVER.
8:00 pm
We arrive at the Holiday Inn Family Suites in spite of all the construction on the interstate and the fact that I've left the directions at home. Check in is smooth though we can't get a Disney themed room. We're in 601 with the choo-choos. The "suite" is divided into a living/kitchen area with a pull-out sofa for Sam, a curtained off kid's room with bunks for the girls and a separate room for Mom and me. It's a handicapped suite so the bath and bedroom are large, making the other rooms a bit tight. Still, it's very snug and clean and I like the private room with its own vanity and blow dryer. The fridge is small (remember those Ziploc bags?) so we decide to bring in the ice chest for drinks and milk. Building 6 is very nice if you don't want to pay for a poolview or look at the parking lot. Our room looked out over a small lake with swans in it and a light display at night, very nice. I'd request this building again though probably on an upper floor. The first floor proved a bit noisy. All in all I was quite pleased.
Mom and I leave the kids to unpack and head out in search of groceries. Due to the dark and the late hour we go to Goodings where the prices send Mom into deep mourning over those groceries we left behind. Chastened, I pay up and we return "home". After a quick supper we're in bed by 11:30. So much for my early night, but we're here. Here in the happiest place on earth! I snuggle down in my bed and dream dreams of Cinderella Castle.
Tomorrow, if you can stand it, the Magic Kingdom and Epcot Food and Wine Festival.
