The kids were super cranky this morning. Not sure why when we had a fairly tame night with the early Luau yesterday.
It all started with Eeoyre and Jedi racing to open the front door to check on the weather. Eeoyre stepped on Cindy in the trundle bed. So she was annoyed. Of course since he slipped and consequently hurt Cindy it slowed him down and Jedi got to the door first. That annoyed Eeoyre.
Jedi was happy to have won the race but upset about the weather and his brother taunting him saying that the only reason he won was because he slipped on Cindy.
So it was a happy morning all round.
We dressed for the rain. This would be day three of our dollar store ponchos. Okay Cindy was on her second as I replaced hers after she threw up on her Daddy. But the rest of us were on day three. I had packed five ponchos each but Dh was determined to save them for good.
But the boys were beginning to rebel. They knew Cindy had a new one. All of ours were starting to show signs of wear. We had to tape the front part of the head opening together on some. Maybe I should have cut the duct tape in Mickey Head shapes and that would have helped make them more appealing to the kids? All I know is that I was sick of wearing my plastic poncho too.
I was also sick of the weather I tried to rally the kids into doing a "sun dance" with me. I grabbed Jedi in my arms and started dancing in a circle (albeit a very small one) near our TV singing…
Mr Sun, Sun
Mr Golden Sun won't you please shine down on me.
Mr Sun, Sun
Mr Golden Sun, hiding behind that tree.
This little family is asking you,
To please come out so we can play with you.
Mr Sun, Sun
Mr Golden Sun won't you please shine down on….
Please shine down on…
Please shine down on ME-E-E!
As I mentioned I am a Kindergarten teacher (and a former Kindermusic teacher). So I have a large repatoire of children's songs. Naturally as a disboards follower I know many a disney tune as well. So my kids are used to Mommy breaking out in song. I can't wait until they are teenagers and I'm able to embarrass them in public something fierce.
I broke Eeoyre down with my sillyness and he joined in. But Cindy had such a big grump on that even the subsequent tickle attack by Dh and I couldn't break it. Oh well, as the meatloaf song goes "two out of three ain't bad".
So off we go with two happy campers and one grumpy one all complete with poncho's on off to Epcot. We had a breakfast ADR and a whole park to do so I was once again pushing for rope drop.
Miracles of all miracles Nanny is ready and with the group.
She even leaves to walk to the bus stop while we are still fiddling with the stroller so that she arrives at the bus stop at the same time that the rest of us do. Day 3 of Disney and she gets it. Nanny will be leaving us on day 5 early in the morning so this is Nanny's second last day with us.
My great aunt (consequently Nanny's aunt) turns 90 this month. When we booked our vacation we booked it around Auntie Barbara's party. However, Auntie Barbara's children (consequently Nanny's cousins) changed the date. Apparently I get my planning genes from the other side of the family.
Then my Aunts and Uncles (Consequently Auntie Barbara's nieces and nephews and Nanny's sibblings) said they weren't going to bother flying in to the party if Nanny wasn't going to be there. So Nanny decides she must leave Disney early otherwise Auntie Barbara's party will be a bust.
Plus it should be mentioned that we were going to go for free dinning but because of booking around Auntie Barbara's (first) party date we had to miss free dinning. So not only did Auntie Barbara's party cost us Nanny it cost us missing out on free dinning.
Now let's face it I love Nanny but it's Poppa we need for Disney. So when it was decided that Poppa could stay with us and miss the party I sighed a breathe of relief. I had mixed feelings about Nanny leaving us. On one hand (I still feel guilty even thinking this) I was glad she would be going. She had a hard time keeping us with us and I know we really tired her out. But on the other hand she is really good with the kids and we would miss having her with us.
I was originally mad that Nanny choose to leave us but sad she was put into that predicament of choosing one part of the family over the other. Not that she needed it but I gave Nanny my permission to leave us. I could tell she was tormented (and secretly relieved not to have to do 9 days of disney with us) with the decision.
Anyhow back to the trip report.
We were early for Epcot. We got there at 8:25am. We entered the turnstiles at 8:50 and waited at the rope for soarin. We had never been at an actual rope drop before. Dh, Nanny and Poppa were amazed. This is what I kept referring to. Yes Virginia, there is an actual rope.
It was still raining. I just thought I would throw that in there in case you forgot we were having some weather issues. Most people huddled under the hangover from where they tell you about the wait times for the rides. But since we were covered in plastic we waited by the rope. We were about three in a group of people about 5 deep waiting.
"Nanny we are heading for soarin"
"Where is everyone else heading?"
"Soarin"
"Really?"
"Yes Mam'm" pipes up a young man in an actual Disney poncho beside Nanny. "You see that pile of people over the other way? They are heading for test track. My girlfriend is over there. I'm grabbing a fast pass for soarin and heading over to test track as quick as I can"
"Oh, that seems like a lot of work for a ride" Nanny declares.
I shrug my shoulders apolagetically at the young man.
I thought Nanny was "getting it" but I guess not.
"Just follow the crowd Mom. We will park the strollers but you keep walking towards the entrance. I am getting fast passes for later so Poppa and DH have the kids and are heading into the regular lineup too. I will join you there ASAP."
"Well, all right but it seems a bit much to me"
The whole family got into the excitement of the countdown. Even Nanny shouted out the numbers.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Off I ran. The puddles splashing me as everyone runs through them. The young man's legs are twice the size of mine and he is ahead of me likity split.
NonethelessI can feel the empowerment of the moment overtake me. As I pass the CM's waving the big gloves and playing the intruments tears well up in my eyes. I wish I had taken Eeoyre with me so I would have someone to hug. The young man I spoke with earlier passes me in the opposite direction and flashes his fast passes and a goofy grin at me. I give him a quick salute and think I see some tears in his eyes too.
I meet up with everyone for soarin. I beat Nanny by a few seconds. We wait for a few minutes in the standby line. We never end up using those fastpasses. The good thing about the weather was that we only used one set of fastpasses the whole trip and that was on our last day.
Once we are in line we go through our motions of putting the rain ponchos away and getting out our windbreakers from the back pack. We have it all down to a science. The ponchos get turned inside out and put into a plastic bag that we clip onto the outside of the back pack.
Even though it has been raining for days (I know I am harping on this) the air conditioning is still on full blast (or at least it feels that way) and we get cold on the rides and in the buildings. So we keep the windbreakers dry in the backpack and pull them out while we are inside.
Eeoyre grabs my shoulder and whispers in my ear.
"Mom how high does this ride go?"
"Oh Hon" His dragon is hard at work. While I won't let his anxiety take over his chances at enjoying this ride. I arm myself with all the arm chair pyschology I can muster up.
I give his shoulders a squeeze and pull out my Disney Bible. The book that holds all my information about Disney including where to sit for each ride. I show him the information. I can't share this information with you as it from the tour guide Mike site. I tell him I will talk to the CM in charge and if needed we will wait for the ride so he can have the spot he wants to sit in so he can feel safe. We arrange ourselves so that Eeoyre is in between Dh and I.
I gently remind Eeoyre that he enjoyed this ride last year. I get him to think about his experience last year. He remembered enjoying taking off his
crocs and swinging his feet in the air. I reminded him he could do that again.
"But it was hot last year Mom. My feet are wet and I'm cold now."
I grab our multi-purpose moisture soaking cloth out of the backpack and tell Eeoyre to wipe down his feet and crocs. It is busy work just to keep his mind off worrying about the ride.
It is our time to be placed on our numbers and watch the video. Luckily we are where Eeoyre wants to be and we don't have to wait. He hesitates and freezes on the spot while squeezing my hand so hard I wince from the pain and the shock. I can see his chest inhale and exhale. He looks me in the eyes and says……..
Click here to find out
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=29062386&postcount=422
(I'm sure with all those big animals... there's a BIG pile somewhere)
Somehow I missed the last chapter and was totally lost on all the dragon comments
trip to Buffalo some time! Do you like Boulevard Mall? I like to go every other month. I also want to go to downtown TO sometime this month for the holidays
. 
snow last night that looks so pretty this morning?
