A Fourth of Pixie Dust! A Fourth of Fun! A Fourth of Attitude! NEW! 4/6 pg. 26

[Mndisneygirl]

I bet we have to wait until school is out.

 

[Native NYer]

Hi Jackie!
Stopping by to catch up. I feel like school has consumed my life. I haven't had much DIS time. Hope you and your family are well.

 

[Poolrat]

Merry Christmas Jackie

 

[jillyb]

Merry Christmas to you, Charles, Chelsea and Connor!!

 

[jordanyosh]

Merry Christmas Jackie!!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Happy New Year, DIS Friends!!! May 2013 be magical for everyone!

My first goal for the new year is to catch up on everyone's TRs and update my own.

 

[addictedtothemouse]

I'm finally caught up on your TR! I totally understand the teen attitude. Finally on teen #3, at least one outgrew it before another entered, I don't know what I would have done if I had two to deal with at the same time.

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Hurray!!! You're coming out to Play!!!

Happy New Year!​

 

[MeMom]

Happy New Year, DIS Friends!!! May 2013 be magical for everyone!

My first goal for the new year is to catch up on everyone's TRs and update my own.

Yay!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Your kids concern for Disney rules cracks me up!
The breakfast platters at Sunshine Seasons are so good, but HUGE!
I'm with you on Mission: Space. I've done it, but am not in a rush to repeat.
I love your coordinating 4th of July colors. I guess teenage girls just have to be different.

Are you planning your next Disney adventure?

They were appalled at me for breaking them.

Chelsea constantly asserts her independence.

Not planning yet, just dreaming.

Hehe, love their concern over breaking the Disney rules. Bending them really!
Chelsea's shirt colour choice isn't too bad, with everyone else in some red and blue, she just completes the primary colours.
Sounds like good timing for your mid-day break!

Wait until you see her next wardrobe choice.

All caught up again.

The fireworks day sounds like fun and a little testing.

Glad you stayed and got to see it.

That is funny about them with the Disney rules. Unfortunately I have a big kid like that but makes it more fun.

Glad you got in before the rain.

Hope she finds her ears.

Vinny is like that about the rules, too? Too funny!

Those ears...

It sounds like a great adventure so far so I am joining along.

Thanks for sharing!

Welcome!!! I usually update more than once every two months.

Connor and Chelsea would have a serious outbreak of hives if there hung around me too much.
It's not that I don't respect Disney rules, but when it comes to parking all bets are off and I'll do or say about anything for admittance to a preferred parking lot....

I feel the same way about parking!

Connor: Do you hear something?
Me: Like what?
Connor: A sizzling sound. Maybe it's bacon...Oh, nope, that's my skin sizzling and burning.

Oh my Jackie, can I please borrow Connor some time? Please? I love his sense of humor ...

Connor does have a great sense of humor, but it is getting more acidic as he enters his own teenage years.

Emily probably would not have gone color coordinated at Chelsea's age either... She's been a pretty easy going teenager... but at 14-15-everything is embarrassing then-they're really self conscious...

So true! We won't even talk about Chelsea cutting her own bangs last night and the brouhaha that ensued.

but then around 17-18... I think they feel they don't have anymore to prove or something because Em would do it again now-for me-she'd still think it was corny though ... (I just bought us matching pink and white power outage pjs to wear over my in laws... and she wore them...and thought it was cute...)

Cute!!! What a fun idea!

Hurray for Dismeets and Grey Goose Slushies...

Yeah on the pins and yeah on those costumes on Mickey, Goofy and Donald... I love those...

It was a fun morning!

Hmmm... aren't some of those Disney rules more like- suggestions...?

Glad to hear you survived Mission Space...

I prefer to think of them as such.

Where do they get this from. I am at it. Mine would be all over pushing the rules.

I blame myself for invoking, "Those are the rules," too many times when they were little.

Oh I feel your pain! Vividly. But YOUR shirt is adorable.

Wait until you see what Chelsea does to me later in the day about clothes. Thanks!

Oh how funny is this! WTG Charles. Too funny.

He stuck to that mantra the rest of the trip, too.

I want a book of Connorisms.

Me too!

You beat the rain....hope that it doesn't last long and impact any of the break plans! Ah Chelsea...won't wear the shirt but wants sparkly ears.

Those ears become a thorn in my side.

Breaking the Disney rules and getting busted for it by the kiddos? That's too funny. No one is ever the wiser. No need to worry that you won't be meeting them until later. Where exactly you'll be meeting up is a non-issue.

That was my point, too. LOL!

Chelsea acting like a typical teenager going against the grain. Haha.

Always these days!

Hahahaha, my skin sizzling and burning. I feel like that's going to be my reaction when we go next year on the 4th.

It will be. LOL!

Saw the update on your FB page. I didn't know you were doing a new TR. Bookmarking it now.

Hi! Welcome and enjoy! I always love seeing your pictures on FB!

Chelsea's Minnie costume was so cute!!!

Thanks! She had fun with it!

Hahaha you were breaking the Disney rules left and right!!! Hopefully Connor stopped cooking and Chelsea found her ears soon!!

Well...one out of the two isn't bad...

 

[Charleston Princess]

Happy to read an update!
I am not on Dis much lately and my TR is suffering as well. Why is it when we are planning there is all the time in the world... and then there is not!

So true! The end of this year was way too busy for my taste.

While you were getting in from the rain just in time, I was packing! we left the next day.

Packing is so sad.

We can pretend that her yellow is the mighty sun that shines over the red, white, and blue....right?

That is certainly one way to look at it. LOL!

After our rainy, rainy, rainy start to the trip, I think this was the only other day it rained during the 13 days Brooklynn and I were there, and it didn't last long, as I recall.

It rained for awhile at Riverside, but I think that was the last of the rain for us.

at all of it! Charles telling you you had to ride Mission Space, the kids worrying about that silly parking rule (same thing happened to us actually - the CM didn't even ask what we were doing there!), the unmatching shirt and the "sizzling skin" comment! TOO FUNNY!

Such are our trips. LOL!

Glad you met up with some DISers and got a slushie - that had to make the day good!
And I'm happy you made it "home" before the rain poured down! I hope it didn't last too long!

Our DIS meets were very fun! You shall see soon how we occupied our rainy afternoon.

Hooray for the Grey Goose slushie & boo for stubborn teenagers. Chelsea is just like I remember being at that age!

I won't ride the orange side, but I do like Mission Space. Getting too old for all that spinning!

Chelsea reminds me so much of myself at her age -- I feel pretty badly about the way I acted as a teenager now!

One day I might have the nerve to spin.

Jackie, didn't you know? Yellow is the new red!

Is Perry a replacement for Kim Possible?

I had no idea that yellow was the new red. LOL!

Yes, Perry has replaced Kim Possible -- pretty much the same premise.

Connor is too funny! I love the my skin is sizzling comment. I also like how Charles made you ride MS. Sorry Chelsea didn't wear the color scheme. Can't wait to see how the rest of the day went.

That skin sizzling comment was so Connor! LOL!

Chelsea's minnie mouse costume is great! She looks so cute!

Thanks! She certainly enjoyed herself as Minnie.

How neat the Chelsea and Nolyn hit it off so famously. No, I am not at all surprised that Charles left before the fireworks. Exactly what my SIL did in June.

They were too funny together the entire trip. Charles is just not a night person -- I am coming to realize that after twenty years.

Your kids would think I am a MAJOR rule breaker. Let's see - HOW many times have I eaten at Beaches N Cream (cough....cough) just to park at the BC? Your reason was way more legit than mine. And - hey - that parking lot is plenty big.

Fun updates.

LOL! We have "eaten at Beaches and Cream" several times as well and yet, I wouldn't be able to actually find it.

Oh, the yellow shirt! That is something my teenager would have done to me as well. Why do they think we always are trying to embarrass them or ruin their life? It's still a super cute picture though Jackie!

I do think that Chelsea believes that is my goal in life these days.

I'm glad you were not busted by Disney security and the kids could breathe a sigh of relief. Heehee!!

They were beside themselves all trip about my rule breaking.

I hope Chelsea got the ears she wanted. Morghan got silver sparkly ones!

The ears saga is far from over.

I'm late, but I'm here! I was so excited to open your TR (finally!) tonight and have a lovely CP story in front of me.

Yeay! Brook is here!

The ORDEAL on Pirates...ugh!!! Not an ideal way to start the trip, but overall, it sounds like you all dealt with it the best way you could and didn't let it bother you for long!

It was nerve-wracking at the time! Those Fast Passes were nice later on, though.

Every time I read about a trip over the 4th of July I want to go then! Someday!

It was a lot of fun! I am glad we went.

Work, work -
go away!
Little Jackie
needs to play!

That is all.

Happy Friday!

I do need to play! Can't wait for this silly degree to be done, so I can have time to myself again! May can't come soon enough.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Just a few more hours!!!!

Thanksgiving was a much needed break!

Look at you breaking all the Disney rules miss Jackie! Love it!
As for the colour coordinating, if it makes you feel better, you guys still look great! (And red, blue and gold were my highschool colours ) I'm glad you were able to get a little Dis-meet in too!

Thanks, Stacy! Our DIS meets were definitely a highlight of the trip.

Oh, Chelsea. One day you will be so glad that your mother recorded all of these anecdotes of your teenage years.

I will be sure to trot them ALL back out when she has a teenager of her own.

Loving the installments so far! Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your Fourth!

Maybe I will be able to finish before the next Fourth of July.

Hope you are have or will have ( Not sure when you left or are leaving but it is soon)


HAPPY THANKSGIVING


Have fun in Tybee.

We had a blast in Tybee! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Have a wonderful trip. It must be great to be someplace warm or semi-warm or at least not frigid!

Thanks, Mary Ellen! It was colder than we had hoped, but you just can't beat being on the beach!

What she said.

Thanks, MeMom! I want to share some of those adventures as well.

YES! Enjoy Tybee! What a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!!!!!

We had a great time!

I just hope she got packed!

Happy beachy turkey day!!!

I did finally get packed. It was touch and go there for awhile.

Jackie,

Hope your safe at Tybee and the clothes made it into the suitcases... and

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving...

We had a blast, and, believe it or not, I managed to pack everything and not forget a thing!

You're such a rule breaker!

Sorry Chelsea wouldn't comply with the color scheme. The colors do look good together, nice and bright. I know I've said it before, but it does get better. Michelle is such a joy now. I'm really not enjoying going through round 2 with Danielle right now. At least you'll only have one round.

I'm happy to hear Connor didn't completely melt.

I hope Connor is an easier teenager -- Chelsea is certainly adding to my gray hair.

 

[MEK]

Happy New Year, DIS Friends!!! May 2013 be magical for everyone!

My first goal for the new year is to catch up on everyone's TRs and update my own.

Yeah!!!!! I was hoping you were going to say that!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hi Jackie! Hope you had a great time in Tybee! I am finally all caught up - thanks for waiting for me!

It's so funny how you are adventurous and break rules, and your kids are freaking out! Maybe you have taught them well? It sounds like taking a mid-day break was a good idea!

Loved Chelsea's Minnie costume!

We did have a fabulous time in Tybee!

I do blame myself for the rule following -- I am pretty sure I brainwashed the kids into their way of thinking -- it's coming back to haunt me now.

Knock, Knock....

"Can Jackie come out to play?"

(I hope all is well)


I'm bumping you up... cause you're getting close to the end of the threads...

I know you are really busy...

but inquiring minds would like an update as a Christmas gift...

& I miss your writing...


Maybe just a little one?

I am finally allowed to play! Hurray! Of course, here we are at the tailend of the vacation, but I am hoping to get a couple of updates in during these final days.

I bet we have to wait until school is out.

And then some.

Hi Jackie!
Stopping by to catch up. I feel like school has consumed my life. I haven't had much DIS time. Hope you and your family are well.

School is definitely consuming my life! So not fair.

Merry Christmas Jackie

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Pat!

Merry Christmas to you, Charles, Chelsea and Connor!!

Merry Belated Christmas to you, too, Jill!

Merry Christmas Jackie!!!!

Jordan!!! Merry Christmas to you, too!

I'm finally caught up on your TR! I totally understand the teen attitude. Finally on teen #3, at least one outgrew it before another entered, I don't know what I would have done if I had two to deal with at the same time.

I am hoping Connor is easier! I don't know if I can handle another one like Chelsea!

Hurray!!! You're coming out to Play!!!

Happy New Year!​

Finally!!!

Yay!!!

Fingers crossed that I don't become consumed with "real life" again!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Yeah!!!!! I was hoping you were going to say that!

Getting ready to write one right now...if I can remember how.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Can you believe I am finally updating??? I almost can't either! I had to go back and read what I had last written because it had been so long ago. So sad. Not to mention, I did not keep a journal on this trip, so I am having to look at pictures to refresh my memory. I better hurry up and finish this TR before I forget everything. LOL.

Back at Riverside, we watched the rain come down and down and down. It probably wasn't THAT long of a storm, but it was long enough that we were beginning to feel way too rested and a tad bit claustrophobic. Chelsea was champing at the bit to find her sparkly Minnie ears, and, of course, when Chelsea wants to do something, she wants to do it right that minute and will make sure we are aware of it.

As soon as the rain slowed to a drizzle, she and I took umbrellas and headed to the gift shop. It was fun splashing through the puddles and over the bridge. Alas, there were no sparkly Minnie ears in Fulton's General Store.

"I want to go to Downtown Disney to look," proclaimed my daughter.

It was still drizzling and DTD sounded as good an idea as anything else. Back to the room we tramped, got the boys, and headed around the corner in the car (I do like how close Port Orleans is to DTD).

At World of Disney, guess what? No sparkly Minnie ears. Anywhere. We looked. More than once. Everywhere.

The boys left with a coffee mug for Charles, a t-shirt for Charles, and a t-shirt for Connor. I can't remember if they bought anything else or not, but I don't think so. This is what happens when I don't write things down.

At Tren-D, guess what? No ears.

But a darling Mary Poppins window. Don't you just love it???

Seems like we may have looked at other places while we were there, pretty sure that is when I went to Basin, but the overriding memory of that DTD visit was that there were NO sparkly Minnie ears anywhere. None. Sigh. We headed out knowing we would be back later in the week for T-Rex, the Lego Store, and the Christmas store.

Back at the resort, I started making noises about heading back to Epcot. Charles decided he didn't want to fight crowds and would be having a quiet night at the resort. We ate dinner at the food court. I had the muffaletta sandwich, Charles had a burger, the kids had nuggets and soup.

Chelsea changed (oh, just you wait) and then the three of us were in the car on the way to the Beach Club -- that's right, I was doing it again.

No problem with parking that time, either, (we won't go into how the kids practically begged me to park in the Epcot lots), and we leisurely strolled towards Epcot.

Connor loved the telescope. I even let him feed in a couple of quarters to look.

That's right. Now Chelsea changes into what I wanted her to wear earlier in the day.

Not having found her Minnie ears, Chelsea declared it was time to get her henna tattoo. It took some time for her to decide which one she wanted.

It was the same lady who has done all of Chelsea's henna tattoos on previous trips which we thought was very neat. When she was done, I had her pose with Chelsea. I hope she is still there on the next trip as well.

On my wish list for the trip, I wanted to get American Dreams -- slushies with soft-serve vanilla ice cream -- and see the Bon Jovi cover band, Slippery When Wet, and that's just what we did.

Waiting for the show to start and enjoying our drinks.

The stage.

It was the perfect summer night, and the band was sensational! High energy, playing all of our favorite Bon Jovi songs...it was just great! At one point Connor leaned over to me and said, "Why can't music today sound like this?" He is so old school. LOL.

After the show was over -- and really, they could have played and played and I would have been happy, we fought the crowds and found Happydog and her crew to watch fireworks. Another fabulous show -- and it was the perfect celebration of our country's birthday and made me feel all patriotic! I liked these even better than the Magic Kingdom ones -- they just seemed bigger and more lavish. Plus, the soundtrack was awesome -- I would like to have that music for my car.

Tired and happy, we headed out of the park, met up with MeMom, Brooklyn, Anita, Marc, and Baylor at the pool, and were treated to a tour of Marc and Anita's Beach Club villa. I want to stay there one day!!!

Chelsea enjoyed relaxing and pretending to be one of the princess dolls.

The only downside of the night was trying to get back to Riverside. It was a 45-minute trip in all the traffic as the parks emptied their crowds. It was not fun, but we made it back.

Our next day would be our big Magic Kingdom day! Would we be up and ready for rope drop?

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

It's nice to see you posting again, Jackie!

I love Chelsea's henna tattoo! How much do those cost?

Mmmm! Those American Dreams look delicious! Especially since they have ice cream mixed in

Sounds like a fun evening!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I seriously had to laugh at Chelsea changing to the shirt you wanted her to wear earlier. That is such a teenager thing to do! I do love her henna tattoo. Morghan also had one done during our October trip too. They are so pretty!

Connor is so cool. I love that he enjoys old rock.

It sounds like a really fun night for you three! What a great way to end the day!

 

[eandesmom]

Well, even if she missed the official photo op, it is an adorable top.

What a fun fun night! Bummer Charles missed it but it sounds just about perfect all around other than the drive back. Bus would have been just as bad or worse I'm sure.

Nothing worse than searching forever for something specific like that, that should be easy, and isn't.

That is a LOT of princess dolls! Do they have their own room in the villa?

 

[MeMom]

Fun night!
Isn't Beach Club awesome?!?!?

I see a mismatched little girl in the corner - navy blue dress and purple Crocs.