Okay everybody...if there is still anybody waiting...I found my passporter, I found my little notebook...I think I'm ready to start trip reporting on a somewhat regular schedule...although don't hold me to that...clearly I am one who is capable of massive absence!
I know that some people were waiting for and AKL review before their trips...that have come and gone by now. I'm really sorry for being such a slowpoke. I do so solemnly swear to put some scoot in my boot and get going!
This next chapter may be just a lot of ramblings...I suppose it all is. But I apologize in advance if this chapter is lacking...or has bad grammar...or poor sentence structure...or is missing words...
HERE GOES!!!
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Chapter 2: We have ARRIVED!!!
When last we met, the Campbellscots had just gotten safely off the plane with no injuries to speak of.
I was a bit disappointed to see the rain falling rather steadily outside. It had been my most fervent wish that the hurricane would have magically cleared up and the sun would be out.
No such luck.
Big fat rain.
I have to say
I was in a funk over this rain. I really was. It was reading all those posts on the Disboards written by people who live in and around Orlando and their dire predictions
about the hurricane being stalled right directly over DisneyWorld
parked for the entire ten days we were there
pouring rain on us and extinguishing the flame of our perfectly planned and long awaited vacation!!!
There was a constant and steady Donald Duck tantrum in my head
it was quiet, but it was there. I was not feeling the Disney magic.
*NOTE* do NOT read the Disboards when looking for completely reliable and accurate information on hurricanes. Unless the Diser giving the information is Sam Champion...in that case believe everything he says!
where was I? OH YES...trip report...
*ahem*
As usual
Teddy was his bouncy tiggery little self. He was thrilled to death to be at the airport with the pretend monorail!
As we were walking towards the pretend monorail, I became aware of how my Eeyore state of mind was affecting Sally. Where Teddy was mirroring his fathers eternal optimism, Sally was mirroring my extreme grouchiness. This would just not do. Sally had been extremely emotional this summer as it was. I didnt want to add fuel to her fire and I knew she was looking to me for her emotional cues. So
I gave myself a talking to, told myself to straighten up and threatened myself with a trip to Fist City if I didnt get my attitude adjusted right quick.
And while some may think that such a conversation warrants a trip to the padded room with a huggy jacket securely in place
which may in fact be exactly what I needed, but is completely beside the point
the talking to worked! I found my best Disney smile and plastered it on my face. Literally. I was smiling
not speaking
just smiling
trying to improve my mood
as smiling is supposed to do
even if you dont feel like it. It's true...it's medical. It is. I heard it on Oprah...
*ahem*
As I was attempting to improve my mood, my husband happened to look over at me.
We had a little conversation that went like this:
Jay: Are you okay?
Me: Yes. Im smiling arent I?
Jay: I know
you look a little crazed and its freaking me out.
Leave it to your family to tell you the honest truth.
I did laugh though.
Which helped.
Darling Teddy chimed in with We dont need to TRY to be happy right MissCammie
because Disney IS happy!
And a child shall lead them
...and shame their step mother into getting her Disney groove on.
Of course Sally felt it necessary to point out that
Were NOT at Disney yet Teddy
and STOP shouting.
Same old Sal.
We had the good fortune of hitting the pretend monorail arrival just right and hopped on without a wait. *YAY*
I made the kids sit on the little platform in the back
which annoyed Sally
b/c its dirty and germy
and she IS nine years old and perfectly capable of holding on to a standing bar...and STOP being so bossy
she said all of this with her eyes.
It only took half an eyebrow raise on my end to get her seated
Vacation Battle of Wills #1- The round goes to MissCammie!
wooHOO!!
The pretend monorail ZOOMED off at the speed of light
and since I wasnt holding the bar as tightly as I should have
b/c I was busy lecturing the children on the importance of safety on the pretend monorail
and b/c it's ME...I was, of course, thrown to the ground thanks to the force at which the pretend monorail moves. It wasnt very graceful. I ended up in a bit of a heap against Sallys legs.
Sweet Sally immediately wanted to know if I was okay, and reminded me that the floor was VERY dirty. I was trying to get back on my feet gracefully
which so wasnt happening. There was no grace to be had. I landed right smack on my dignity and the G-forces were keeping me plastered against the platform
and since Jays back was slightly turned...as of course he made a new friend in .5 seconds and they were talking about the price of fuel
or something male and conversation worthy
he missed the whole thing.
When he turned toward the sound of the thumping and scrambling
and saw me on the floor
he said,
Cam, what are you doing on the floor?
Im RESTING
obviously.
I nailed him with a dirty look and he laughed heartily as he hauled me to my feet.
Sally reached into her bag and primly handed me an anti bacterial wipe
and took the opportunity to share her sympathy with me
and slap me around a little bit
Poor you MissCammie
that you fell down
because you werent holding on...and being safe...
It must have done her soul good to say that. Her mood improved greatly afterward.
Nothing like payback to bring on a smile!
As the pretend monorail came to a screeching halt, I braced myself for impact. I didnt go flying this time b/c I was paying better attention!.
Teddy congratulated me with Good job hanging on tight MissCammie. Good job not falling down
As Teddy is usually the victim of gravity and tripping over his feet, he knew that staying upright deserved congratulations. At least in his book!
As we boarded the down escalator, I had my usual panic over the kids
crocs being eaten and reminded them to watch their toes. ( I saw a VERY alarming picture once of a croc that had had it's toe portion RIPPED off by an escalator...an image forever imprinted upon my neurotic mind!

) Sally's small sigh reminded me that she WAS nine years old and did NOT need reminding! Teddy made sure to shout JUMP when we got to the bottom.
Well trained that kid is!
I was very pleasantly surprised to see the driver holding the sign
with JAYs last name
after the hyphen
and my last name
that wasnt his last name.
what? I compromised.
The second nice surprise was Lucinda!! Who is Lucinda you ask? She was the same driver that Jay and I had when we came to Disney on our honeymoon!
She remembered us and gave us a very big smile
and welcomed us to Orlando!
We were very happy to see Lucinda and she chatted with us about the Hurricane and how things had been for the last few days.
Bless that sweet woman, she told me not to worry
that things were most certainly dying down and the rain we had at the moment was just the tail end of Fay.
So THERE everybody who said that we would be rained out. Lucinda said we would NOT!
I chose to believe!
Our luggage was nearly first on the conveyor belt
and not soaked
and we were in our Tiffany Town Car in no time flat!
We waved happily at all the people still waiting for Disneys Magical Express
b/c were a teensy bit mean that way.
We were off to Publix!!!!
The official beginning of Disney spending!!!!
*wooHOO*
After a dreary drive on the highway we arrived at Publix.
I must say
that I heart Publix Grocery stores.
They are just so much fun
and so Disney-fied!
And THIS Publix was the GODFATHER of cool Publix stores! It was HUGE!!! And bright and brand new. Lets spend some MONEY!!!
We hopped out of the car and into the velvety wet air...leaped over puddles and headed into the grocery store!
Jay put Teddy in the cart
to keep him corralled
and Sally held my hand...but not before she found the nearest Diet Coke cooler and brought me a fresh one! Good girl Sally!!! Now that MissCammie had a fresh hit of caffiene we were ready to start our vacation!!! I got the first real smiles from miss SallyRally at Publix!!
such LOVE...and paranoia...on my part. But seriously, how cute are those smiles?!
We walked up and down the aisles, trying to decide what we would need for a ten day stay at Disney. Of course we got caught up in that beginning of vacation feeling and got more than we probably needed
but we were on a high!!
Every few feet Teddy would squeal LOOKIT!!! DISNEY STUFF!!!
And how!
This place was a mini MouseGears Im telling yall what! We saw mouse ears and goofy ears and tee-shirts and PINS!!! So many pins!!
There were princess flip flops!!
Postcards Galore!!
yes. I am the dork who takes pictures while in the grocery store.
Seeing all that Disney stuff really got the magic flowing. We were all filled with that happy anticipation of being right at the beginning of our Disney vacation. The BIG one
the long vacation. The one that got away last year was now firmly in our grasp and we were READY!!
Sally reminded her daddy several times that we had to get Diet Coke
lots of Diet Coke.
We found the soda aisle and Jay put three six pack bottles into the cart
Sally gave him a look that said Are you KIDDING me with that?! The woman is addicted!!! What she said was Daddy, I think we need AT least one more
just in case!
How I loved this child. She feeds my addiction with such dedication.
*ahem*
We were nearing the end of our 20 minute stop time so we hurried to the checkout.
The damage wasnt that bad.
According to me.
We headed out to the waiting car and I was thrilled to see that the raining had ceased
for a moment. I was grateful for even that small reprieve.
As we piled our supplies into the trunk and our bodies into the car, Teddy bounced with joy in his seat and said,
This is IT!! HERE WE GO TO DISNEY!!
Then it started raining.
HARD.
Oh well. We were still officially on the lookout for the first Disney bus! Both kids were looking intently out the windows.
I handed Jay the camera so he'd be ready. (he was in the front seat and therefore in the best position to picture take!)
For some reason the man felt the need to remind me...once again...that we already HAD pictures of Disney Buses...lots of them.
I then felt the need to remind him that he KNEW I was like this when he married me...so zip it and make sure the flash is on!
He certainly couldn't argue with that logic...so he shook his head and rolled his eyes a bit as he took the camera from me.
so I lovingly gave his ear a tug...
Disney traditions!!! Gotta love em!!!
Not too long after, Sally spotted the Disney bus!!!
I'd say that picture definitely lacked passion...
*ahem*
Our next sighting tradition was of course....the arch...the big sign...Mickey and Minnie welcoming us to Disney...the happiest place on earth!!!
And before Jay could say ONE word, I told him that I KNOW we already have this picture several times over...but we don't have it from THIS vacation...
Lucinda laughed at us.
It's the place where dreams come true...I needed to memorialize the moment...for THIS trip!
look at that sky! The sign still looks fabulous...big black rain clouds or NOT!
As we passed under the arch signifying our actual arrival at Disney, I took a deep breath. I could feel the Disney air clearing out the cobwebs...giving me that high that I only get here, at Disney. I wanted to soak in the moment as much as I could. We were here. We made it. Our emotional life raft was about to reach the shore! Sally was humming "It's a Small World" to herself. Teddy was bouncing in his seat. Jay was keeping an eye out for the signs that would lead us to Animal Kingdom Lodge...it just doesn't get any better than this!
In no time at all we were making the turn that would take us to our resort. The resort we had talked about for months. I hoped that it would be everything we imagined it would be.
sappy I know...but that's me...and that's really what I was hoping.
We stopped at the gate and I took the camera back from Jay so I could take this picture:
and this one:
It was wet...but it didn't matter.
The Campbellscot's had arrived!!
Up Next: The long wait and the hunt for the watering hole...