A Daily Lesson in Parenting and Manners: A TR by a real life Wicked Stepmom!

[Hedy]

Glad the Living seas had a happy ending.

 

[Sugar 'n' Spice]

Ho-ly Mo-ly....I cannot believe what I am reading. I am so turned off by that very behavior. You absoluely did the right thing to speak up.

Sweet Sally. She makes me chuckle.

You have a great comedic talent, I must say.

 

[crzy4mickey]

Miss Cammie, if I recall you were hit in the nose on the airplane, how was that feeling? Did you ever go to the dr and see if it was broke? I was thinking if you were in line with those "rule breaking" boys and they saw you all banged up and black & blue, you could have said "if you think i look bad, you should see the other guy!"

 

[LITTLEKID58]

txs so much for sharing.

 

[mla1977]

Oh I know what the locals do to it. I have quite a bit of family living in Ireland. They regaled me with the most revolting stories they could come up with.

mean mean cousins have I!

but I'd had some liquid encouragement...so my germ phobia was rendered temporarily out of service.

I DID wipe the rock down with Purell before I smooched it, which is difficult to do when one is hanging upside down...not that that helped in anyway...but I tried!

I kissed the Blarney Stone too! I know about what the locals supposedly do. Thankfully there was torrential downpours the night before we went, so I felt safe kissing it.

 

[packerbeth]

Yay! I got to read two installments in a row!

Thanks for helping keep Disney World like Disney World for all of those families in line with you. I am one to speak up when foul language is used in my children's earshot; I usually get to hear more of it for my trouble, but at least I try!

Can't wait to read about the rest of your day at Epcot!

 

[CampbellScot]

Miss Cammie, if I recall you were hit in the nose on the airplane, how was that feeling? Did you ever go to the dr and see if it was broke? I was thinking if you were in line with those "rule breaking" boys and they saw you all banged up and black & blue, you could have said "if you think i look bad, you should see the other guy!"

Hey everybody, I just have a few seconds and I wanted to stop by and say howdy and thanks so much for reading!!

As for my battered eye, it was well covered with my superhuman makeup of STEEL!! My little sister gave it to me on my wedding day and said "Sis, if you ever have a monster zit...this will be your HERO!!" It turns out it works well for bruises and black eyes too!! (it is actually used for stubborn under eye circles and such...and this was a just a monster under eye circle!)

 

[LeeLee2U]

O.k. I'm all caught up and now feel lost because I'm caught up!!! Can't wait for the next installment!!
Yeah for the manners police!!!!1 We need more like Sally Sue!!
I actually read a very similar story on someones TR. I'm trying to remember who it was. I think it was a comment in anothers TR. I wonder if it was the same story?!!!
I'm so glad that the kiddos could feel the magic. It was definatly a fairytale come true for us!!! And I love your commando style of going to the parks!! Sounds strangely familiar!
Oh Yeah, I also love the comment "Miss Cammie talk TEXAS!!!!

I can remember my Sr yr in HS we moved to Va and people would just stare in amazement when I talked. GO TEXAS!!!!!

Also I have to agree you are absolutley a WICKEDly great stepmom!!!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I was so proud of my DS on our last trip to the world...

He finally admitted to me that he had a hidden Donald in him

I took the time to explain to him that because of you,

I understand his hidden Donald~thank you Miss Cammie~

... symbiotic relationship ...

wow...those two are off the hook!

In a good way~

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Another great update, MissCammie!!!!!!!!

Thanks!

 

[rsquare]

Sounds like you've got some amazing kids there! Count yourself infinitely blessed. I've only met one other young girl who even comes close to your kids (and I'm sure they think of themselves as "your kids"). You should make parenting instructional videos.

Having worked in an amusement park, I firmly believe that a persons' IQ drops at least 50 points upon going through the turnstiles. But I think some of the people you had the "pleasure" of dealing with didn't have that many points to start with! It's great that another dad stepped in to back you all up.

 

[Dixielady908]

Ok Miss Cammie.....dont leave us hanging so long again.....

Sorry about your "bad line" expierence....

Looking forward to more reports

 

[Briarmom]

Well, I had about 84,000 things to do this Sunday, but I am glad I skipped them all and read your Trip Report. The dishes will eventually do themselves, right?

Just want to say that you and Sally are good peeps. Jay and Teddy are good peeps too, even though they are on the BOYS TEAM.

 

[Shannie]

Another great part of your trip!! Cant wait to read more!!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Sending a big to your Mom for using just the right amount of guilt to keep you writing!

 

[NYPDwife]

Please Miss Cammie, we've been waiting for more than a week. You have the best TR here and I can't wait to read the rest!!

 

[CampbellScot]

After such a busy morning I found myself being rather parched. Seriously, having a diet coke addiction is rough...I start to crave it...and the crave turns to need...and the need turns to a headache...which turns into Jay and the kids running willy nilly all over the place to get me my fix...

even though it never really comes to that...anymore...as the children are well aware of the symptoms and head off the detox before it gets bad...

*ahem*

although on THIS day...this cursed day...this day of poot contests and near riots...the Diet Coke cart wasn't OPEN yet!

When Jay pointed this out, Teddy slapped his forehead and said

"Didn't they even know we were COMING?!"



INDEED little man!!!

But I wasn't quite to the twitching and ticking stage just yet. I figured I could manage for a bit longer.

We headed for the World showcase and found ourselves being herded through "temporary barriers"...the Food and Wine festival was in the process of being set up...which meant that those of us who WISHED we could be there for the Food and Wine Festival but could only get time off during late August, were MOCKED by those walls...and squashed against people going the opposite direction...which only added insult to injury. No food and wine festival, mocking walls reminding us of what we weren't cool enough to see AND having to squash by people who have something against antiperspirant!

yep...the grouchies were taking hold and I needed me some caffeine and FAST!

We made it through and headed towards Mexico. We always start the World Showcase with Mexico...don't know why...that's just the way we roll!

Jay got a sudden gleam in his eye and took off.

"Be right back babe!"

Sally wanted to know where Daddy was going...

"He's running away to join the circus dear..."

In a very reasonable tone Teddy said "Oh...to be a clown I bet!"



Luckily, Jay did not join the circus. He returned quickly with a rather brightly colored rainbow slushy something or other in his hand...it had what appeared to be SALT around the rim...

I looked at my cell phone...it was not yet noon...and I'm not much of a drinker...cuz it doesn't take much to get me singing karaoke and telling everyone I see that I love them...yep...I'm THAT sort. I know...

I looked at Jay and said "Is this legal?! It's not even noon yet..."

He shrugged and said "Tequila may help with the headache situation until we find some caffeine..."

Smart man is my husband.

And it was dang hot. And a slushy alcoholic beverage seemed rather appropriate with the festive music playing in the background.

It put me in the mind of my senior year of college and a trip to Mazatlan...we had no trouble whatsoever drinking brightly colored squishies before noon...in fact it was rather helpful one particular day when i was wearing darling little strappy sandals that were very brand new and not good for walking...after two bright blue squishies I couldn't feel my feet anymore...walked around all day and didn't feel a thing...which was good at the moment but those blisters were clicking right along, getting bigger and deeper...which meant that I ended up with the worst blisters in HISTORY...one of which got infected and gross and I was on crutches for a week after returning home...

what? Where am I? What was I talking about?

green?

*ahem*

OH yes...margaritas before noon.

DEFINITELY a good idea!!

plus those things have like...two drips of tequila even in them. Jay said he'd help drink it...which was fine...he could drink the yucky layer...I think it's the mango flavor...it's not very good. I didn't like it last year either...and it was just as bitter and gross this year as it had been the year before.

After explaining to the children that NO they could not have a sip... and distracting them with fruit snacks I kept in my handy dandy park bag for just such occasions, we headed into Mexico.

Both kids immediately started singing their favorite Toby Keith song...

"Baby if you’re good to go we’ll go down to Mexico
Get a place in Cabo, kick back in the sand
It’ll be just you and me and moonlight dancing on the sea
To the Spanish guitar melody of a mariachi band"



Those kids LOVE them some Toby Keith...thanks to their Southern Step mama...

Jason gave me a dirty look...he had wanted to keep them on a strict diet of Beatles and varied Rock...

I flashed him a grin and said

"Sorry hun...they love me more... "

well they DO...

*ahem*



Teddy hopped out of the kid transporter and said

"MissCammie, let's TWO STEP!!!"



Yes, I taught them to two-step...I HAD too...there was too much New Jersey and pasta in the house. I was feeling stifled. I couldn't help it. Besides...what are you supposed to do when you hear good country two steppin music? I mean REALLY. I had no choice.

*ahem*

Teddy is actually really good at it. He's a bit short to two step properly with, but man he tries!

(I actually started this public dancing thing as I've been known to call a "dance party" at random times during the day...bust a few moves...I'll be putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher or folding laundry and suddenly declare the need for "80's Dance party!"...or "Line Dance party!!"...or "Irish Dance Party!!"...whatever I'm in the mood for...and we'll rock out for a few minutes...just to add a little groove to our day! It usually happens when I'm feeling WAAAAAY too domestic...doesn't everybody do this? hello? anybody? )

Anyhow...our Teddy was hankerin to two-step...So we sang our Toby Keith and we two stepped right there in Mexico. (We weren't smack in the middle of the "road"...we were sort of off to the side...I wouldn't want people think we were being rude and blocking the flow of traffic...which we would NEVER do...not even to two step!)

Perhaps it was the two drips of tequila getting to me, but I thought we were very good! We even got some applause!!! Teddy and I blew kisses and waved to our fans!

Jay and Sally tried to pretend they didn't know us.

It's hard to be in the presence of such two stepping greatness and not feel a little jealous.

But Teddy and I tend to be rather forgiving sorts. It's not their fault that they can't dance nearly as well as WE can.

*ahem*

After our moment of glory...we parked our Kid Transporter cuz it was time to head inside! I was rarin and ready to see the "new and improved" El Rio del Tiempo...I'd heard tell that my alter ego was the STAR of this new and improved boat ride...I was glad this ride got a little Disney amp...cuz last year it was as entertaining as dirt.

Jay got a picture of us in front of the Mexico sign...which is traditional World showcase behavior!!


can you see us?! I'm the white girl in the back...I am SO Irish...I glow...

Time to go to Mexico!!!!

Once inside the cool darkness,Teddy was immediately drawn to the colorful zoo table! He exclaimed over the "WEIRD LOOKING animals!" That freak of nature thing...he could have looked all day.

Sally got her bunny nose thing going...

"It smells like that place where we went once and mommy made me eat something I didn't like and I got sick...it smells just like that MissCammie..."



I gave her half an eyebrow, told her to relax as we would not be eating here. We were having FUN here SO all worry about food that made us sick some four years ago was to CEASE immediately...

I got a sheepish look and half a smile. The child simply cannot help herself. With every new experience she has to brace herself and get her worry wart on that the rules might suddenly change or she may be forced to do something she REALLY does not want to do.

I hoped that we wouldn't have to go through this with every country change...I took a big swig of my rainbow squishie and felt immensely better...

kidding!!!

I only felt a little bit better...as two drips of tequila rarely amount to an immense ANYTHING!

*ahem*

The kids wandered about, looking at this and that. Teddy found something noisy to shake...Sally found him embarrassing...and Jay followed the kids with the camera and tried to get pictures of them.

I had to laugh when he tried to get them to put sombreros on. Sally and I said in the same breath "head lice".

Seriously. We are afraid of head lice. Terrified. We do NOT put hats on that we have not purchased and sanitized before wearing. EVER.

UNLESS...we have Lysol wipes with us and/or paper towels to line the inside of the hat with so it wouldn't actually touch our heads...

which I did...as I anticipated this picture opportunity. SO after close inspection of each hat, I lined the inside with two layers of paper towels each and allowed the picture opportunity to commence.

I know. issues. many. But better safe than infested right?

right.

Sally lasted about two seconds.

"Daddy, it SMELLS. The hat smells. A lot. Can I take it off now?"

It was at this moment that I really had to eyebrow arch Sally. Let me tell you why...

it drives me nearly batty when the kids fuss about smiling for a dang picture. I don't take 84,000 posy posy pictures of them...I take a few...here and there...mostly holidays...and when I do ask them to smile for the camera I take two shots at the MOST. It is my belief that Jay and I worked our rumps off to give them this trip...which we will ALWAYS do...we'd do anything to give them magical memories of childhood...but really, it was a lot more than financial stress...it was a lot of wrangling with a person who lives to make us crazy...but we worked this out for the kids...and all that we ask in return is that they behave themselves, and SMILE without FUSSING for a dang picture every once in a while. I don't think that is too much ask. Not from kids who are healthy and able bodied and fully capable of smiling for a camera...for two seconds...or more...if they FUSS! Because I can be MEAN that way.

QUACK!

SO, I politely reminded Sally, as I nailed her with an eyebrow, that I couldn't take the picture if she was talking instead of smiling...and if she kept talking she'd keep wearing the hat until I was satisfied with the smile that was produced...so smile like you mean it chica!

wicked. I know.

Being that Sally is a bright girl, she got the point and she gave her best smile. The one that dazzles you with its brightness and sincerity...She was committed...cuz she knows I'm mean and I would make her wear that hat till she was 30 just to prove a point...

don't judge.

It was one of the BEST pictures of the trip!

After their forced hat wear-age, they wandered about a bit more. I toyed with the idea of buying them Epcot passports, but in the end decided not to. Sally might have been in to it, but Teddy would have been oblivious to the significance of a passport. It just would have been another chunk of change set down for something he'd remember...never...after the trip. The "Kidcot" mask thingies were MUCH more suited to the purposes of memory making. It engaged them in the process of going country to country...gave them something to "search" for...which y'all know is Sally's FAVORITE thing to do, and they got to draw on it and get it stamped and autographed. Same thing as a passport...but free!

Teddy loved the tags he collected from country to country. The kidcot masks really were one of the best things they did on the trip. They still talk about it and Teddy still has his mask in his room.

FINALLY it was time to hop on the boat and find us some Donald Duck action!!! Sally was just thrilled to death that she and I were in the very front of our boat!

I realize that I am in the minority on this, but I liked the new version! Maybe it's because my Donald was in it, but I thought it was cute and more fun than it had been last year!

Teddy was thrilled to see a "MARIACHI BAND"!!!! (it's that Toby Keith influence!) I got to raise an eyebrow at Jay to justify the children's country music education! MOST five year olds do not know what a Mariachi band even IS!

Teddy was also thrilled to point out Donald Duck at the top of his lungs!

"LOOK MISSCAMMIE!!!! It's DONALD DUCK!!! YOU LOVE DONALD!!!"

Sally threw him a look over her shoulder and said,

"Everyone in the WORLD can hear you so PLEASE can you quit shouting...and being annoying...PLEASE!"



she sneaked a look to see if I'd heard that last part...which I had...and she quickly said,

"I know...we could have done without the last part..."



it's good to know I'm getting through!

Up next: More World Showcase...and attack of the Perfume Ninja!!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

"Come on Feel the Noise" (the pg spelling of the title of course) is a particular favorite...followed by "We're not Gonna Take it" and "I wanna Rock"...

now I don't know if y'all have ever heard a five year old quietly singing Twisted Sister songs to himself the way most children his age would sing the ABC's...but it is the cutest dang thing I've ever been witness to!

That is so funny...for my 9 and 3 year old it is "Holy Diver" and "Balls to the Wall"..those dang Guitar Hero and Bock Band video games they watch their father playing!

Glad to hear my babies are not the only rockers out there!

 

[castmemberb4]

Great update Miss Cammie !
I love Mexico and loved actually seeing a picture of you guys
Lynn

 

[NYPDwife]

Miss Cammie, you really know how to reel them in and keep them hanging. Your stories are great; can't wait for the next installment. So, um, how long do we have to wait?