A Magical Place at a Magical Time of Year

[swwake]

You have a VERY busy couple weeks!!!

And... a birthday in there!!! I want to wish you well early since I know that the next couple weeks for me will be very hectic and... I will have already left for WDW and be without internet (I don't have a data plan) on your birthday. So I do hope you have a relaxed and special one! Especially in the midst of all you have planned to get done before the trip!

Yes, it's going to be a crazy December. But that will make the time fly as we approach our trip.

Thanks for the early wishes. It's kind-of a big one for me - 45. But I have loved my 40s so far. I just don't like some of the stuff that comes with them. Like chiropractors.

 

[swwake]

Here's today's trivia:

19 days until Disney (18) In "its a small world', what nation is represented by figures dressed as chess pieces?
a.) Italy
b.) England
c.) The U.S.
d.) Germany

And today's photo:

Yesterday's answer:

In the pre-show of which of these attractions will you find a little girl holding a Mickey Mouse doll?
a.) Star Tours
b.) The Great Movie Ride
c.) The American Adventure
d.) The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Answer: D. References to Mickey are hidden throughout the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction. Most people will be able to spot the 1930s doll held by the little girl getting into the elevator. But can you find references to the Main Mouse in the sheet music in the Library...and the Hidden Mickey outside the hotel itself?

Point to Amy for her sleepless correct answer D.

This is quite possibly my favorite picture from our 2008 trip. It was one of the later days in the trip. I never thought the girls would be into the characters, but as the trip went on, they got more and more interested. It culminated with Chip & Dale outside of Animal Kingdom. We were walking into the park and they appeared near the trees to the right of the entrance. They got into a fight over who would get to take Katie with him, since they had both fallen in love at first sight. So they were pulling her back and forth between each other. So adorable!

Looking at this photo is what made me want to book a dinner at the Garden Grill one night. But, I checked today and there are no ADRs available for our dates. If we're in Epcot during dinner one night, maybe we will "wing it" and see if we can get in without an ADR.

Point to Amy for Animal Kingdom

Point tally:
Tammie - 61
Ann - 49
Ashley - 16
Betsy - 24
Amy - 12
brandanobash - 1

I know some of you are leaving very soon for your trips. Please send me your addresses so I can send a little participation gift (and maybe a grand prize to the BIG winner).

 

[shocky5]

for two shots in a row to answer!!

I'm going with B) England for the trivia answer.

And the picture is definitely Haley, trying the Beverly, in Club Cool in Epcot!

 

[swwake]

for two shots in a row to answer!!

I'm going with B) England for the trivia answer.

And the picture is definitely Haley, trying the Beverly, in Club Cool in Epcot!

Not Haley

 

[swwake]

18 days til Disney (17) Where can you find "Niue"?
a.) Adventureland
b.) Disney's Polynesian Resort
c.) World Showcase
d.) Downtown Disney

Today's photo:

Yesterday's are still up for grabs. I accept duplicate answers and I haven't scored yet.

 

[tankgirl427]

I"m thinking yesterday's photo is Caitline trying Beverly for the first time in Club Cool with Katie standing behind her?

Today's photo is Chris and maybe your mom or MIL. Chris is trading pins with a CM in the Brown Derby in HS. You must be waiting to be checked in for lunch.

And I'm going to guess B for today and yesterday.

 

[shocky5]

I think today's trivia answer is also B!! Love the Poly.

And that's Chris, at Hollywood BD, trading pins, waiting to be seated to eat.

 

[annmarieda]

Yes, it's going to be a crazy December. But that will make the time fly as we approach our trip.

Thanks for the early wishes. It's kind-of a big one for me - 45. But I have loved my 40s so far. I just don't like some of the stuff that comes with them. Like chiropractors.

I am just a bit behind you... and December is my birthday month too. So far, 40s aren't too bad. Course, this year has been a bit hard on me...and I wish I had not put on a few pounds. Oh well, still fit into the jeans (even if they are snug) and easier to take off a few...than to take off more....

 

[swwake]

I am just a bit behind you... and December is my birthday month too. So far, 40s aren't too bad. Course, this year has been a bit hard on me...and I wish I had not put on a few pounds. Oh well, still fit into the jeans (even if they are snug) and easier to take off a few...than to take off more....

Didn't December birthdays s.u.c.k. growing up? I don't mind so much now.

Hey, you are in single digits! I haven't been to your PTR yet today, so hopefully you're already dancing over there. But I'll do a little dance here too.

 

[annmarieda]

Didn't December birthdays s.u.c.k. growing up? I don't mind so much now.

Hey, you are in single digits! I haven't been to your PTR yet today, so hopefully you're already dancing over there. But I'll do a little dance here too.

Yes, as a kid my bday did suck. I was aaalmost born on Christmas day. So glad that I wasn't. Now though, you are correct... it isn't such a big deal.

And yes... happy dance for the single digits. I can't believe how close we all are now. It will not be long until it is under a week.

 

[shocky5]

I can't relate to December bday personally - but can relate as a mother with a child who has a December bday. Thankfully it's early in the month (Saturday, 3rd, to be exact) but it comes so quick after Thanksgiving that I find myself scrambling to make sure we celebrate it appropriately. Currently, I have not ordered a cake or bought a bday present for his party in 2 days.... Party is however planned as far as location and invites.

So who's packing already??

 

[annmarieda]

I can't relate to December bday personally - but can relate as a mother with a child who has a December bday. Thankfully it's early in the month (Saturday, 3rd, to be exact) but it comes so quick after Thanksgiving that I find myself scrambling to make sure we celebrate it appropriately. Currently, I have not ordered a cake or bought a bday present for his party in 2 days.... Party is however planned as far as location and invites.

So who's packing already??

me, I have!

 

[momabaarjo]

Way to go Ann...I have my list going!

 

[shocky5]

me, I have!

Yeah! SEVEN DAYS for Ann!

I'm officially going to start doing some of it tonight. It's time... I need to know what I'm missing...

 

[swwake]

Let's do some scoring!

In "its a small world', what nation is represented by figures dressed as chess pieces?
a.) Italy
b.) England
c.) The U.S.
d.) Germany

Answer: b. Some of the children in the United Kingdom portion of "it's a small world" are dressed to look like dancing chess pieces. To spot them, look at the figures to the left as you approach the large clock tower.

Points: Amy and Betsy - 1 point each

(She'd kill me for posting this!) This is Katie (with Caitlin standing behind her) at Club Cool in Future World in Epcot trying the Beverly in 2008.

Points:
Amy - 3 points for Beverly, Club Cool, Epcot
Betsy - points for Katie and Caitlin (both in the pic, but not in the order you guessed), Beverly and Club Cool (4 points total)

18 days til Disney (17) Where can you find "Niue"?
a.) Adventureland
b.) Disney's Polynesian Resort
c.) World Showcase
d.) Downtown Disney

Answer: b. Disney's Polynesian Resort opened with the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971. It has 11 guest room buildings, known as "longhouses," and a main building, known as the Great Ceremonial House. When the longhouses were named, all were given Pacific island-related names (some real, some imaginary). The longhouses were renamed on October 28,1 999, so that the buildings would be in approximately the same geographical relationship to one another as the islands they are named after: Tonga, Niue, Samoa, Tahiti, Rapa Nui, Tokelau, Hawaii, Rarotonga, Aotearoa, Fiji and Tuvalu. Don't believe me? Take a map of the South Pacific and lay it over a map of the Polynesian Resort to see the correspondence. Niue, by the way, is located next to the Great Ceremonial House and is the smallest building at the Polynesian Resort.

Points: Betsy and Amy - 1 point each!

This is Chris trading pins with the hostess at Hollywood Brown Derby at DHS while we were waiting to be seated for our ADR. That is Mom on the left, Katie in the back (blue stripes) and a pinch of Caitlin thrown in for flavor (brown stripes and shorts behind the hostess). This was part of the Fantasmic! dinner package, and our reservation was at a ridiculously early hour to be labeled "dinner" (4:30pm).

There's a bit of a story here. This 2008 trip was our "trip of a lifetime" (at least at that time). We went Deluxe, stayed at the Beach Club for the teens' (and ultimately the adults') access to Epcot WS, did lots of cool signature dining, the Keys to the Kingdom Tour, etc. I did tons of planning and had this thing planned out to a tee. I knew about pin trading, but thought NObody in our group would be interested in that. Well, during our KTTK tour, they showed us the "pin bank" where cast members go to get their pins to trade, showed us some hidden Mickey pins and told us the significance of that, and that was all she wrote. Chris was hooked and on a mission. So first, he bought a couple of high priced "starter kits" (I was borderline furious because I knew I could have bought them on eBay before the trip for a fraction of the cost.) and started trading.

Chris's pin trading soon took priority over almost everything else on the trip. More important than rope drops, Fast passes, ADRs on time, parades, or fireworks (well, almost more important - at least it seemed that way). So I have several photos of Chris trading pins. I think it's funny. And cute.

Points:
Betsy - points for Chris, my mom, trading pins, the CM, Brown Derby, and HS. Plus a point for waiting to be checked in (but it wasn't lunch - but it might as well have been - 4:30pm - sheesh!) - total 7 points
Amy - 4 points

Point tally:
Tammie - 61
Ann - 49
Betsy - 37
Amy - 21
Ashley - 16
brandanobash - 1

 

[swwake]

I can't relate to December bday personally - but can relate as a mother with a child who has a December bday. Thankfully it's early in the month (Saturday, 3rd, to be exact) but it comes so quick after Thanksgiving that I find myself scrambling to make sure we celebrate it appropriately. Currently, I have not ordered a cake or bought a bday present for his party in 2 days.... Party is however planned as far as location and invites.

So who's packing already??

That is sweet that you still try to celebrate Nate's birthday appropriately. When I was little, I wouldn't let them put up the Christmas tree in our house until after December 10th. That way we weren't celebrating Christmas and skipping right over my birthday.

Oh, and one year, I gave my sister a gift on her birthday (June 21) and told her "this is your birthday AND Christmas gift". Because that's what she always did to me. I should have wrapped it in Christmas wrap like she did.

Way to go Ann...I have my list going!

At least you've started your list! I haven't.

Yeah! SEVEN DAYS for Ann!

I'm officially going to start doing some of it tonight. It's time... I need to know what I'm missing...

Oh I need to do that too. I have on tomorrow's to-do list to at least make my packing list.

 

[swwake]

14 days until Disney (13)!!! In The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, you can find a picture of Mr. Toad giving a deed to the property to:
a.) Winnie the Pooh
b.) Owl
c.) Eeyore
d.) Piglet

 

[swwake]

I've been lazy about updating. It's because work and real life are so busy right now. I come to the DIS and read all my subscribed threads and check in on you guys, but then I'm out of energy to post my replies, score and update my own PTR.

Two weeks from today, we'll be at IOA/USO, having just finished lunch at Mythos at this time. I'm sure we'll be all Harry Pottered out after an early morning at WWOHP, but we'll want to make sure we hit a few things (like HULK, Spiderman, Simpsons, Rip, Ride Rockit, Mummy, etc) before we hail the cab to the Polynesian. It's starting to feel pretty real!

Chris watched Men In Black last night, and I was kinda listening to it and watching in the background of all my DISing. That is one funny movie. He said he's watching things to get him in the mood for our trip (the MIB ride at USO, specifically).

I need to figure out if there's ANYTHING else I need to do for our trip. I know I need to estimate how much cash we'll need, and divide out mousekeeping, bellman, and other tips into 1s and 5s - haven't done that yet. I do have a folder with all of our travel docs. I am waiting for our Mickey Mail. Every day I get a text from Chris saying "no Mickey Mail ". So cute.

So here's today's to do list (and realize, it's already noon! Oh my!):

• Decorate Christmas tree - I'll have to get Sandy to help, since this year Katie's not here to help me (for the first time ever - sniff ).
• Wrap gifts - I only have a few to wrap.
• Christmas gift list/budget. (Yeah, I'm a little behind)
• Address and stamp Christmas cards.
• Update the DIS (yes, that is actually on my to do list) - Done!
• Find a good roast beef recipe - Done!
• Prep roast beef - Done! (I made this harder than I needed to. Found a recipe that called for seasoning and browning the roast in a skillet before moving to the crock pot. Plus, I used fresh veggies (instead of frozen), added a few of my own twists (thyme, oregano, rosemary, red wine, mushrooms), and spent some time carefully cleaning and slicing my veggies. It's starting to smell REALLY good!)
• Find a "Casa Bonita" sign for my mom's new apartment. Her name is Bonita (nickname Bonnie). I thought this would be a great Christmas gift for her, but I can't find one online. I give up!
• Post Haley's daily trivia - Done!
• Do my chiro exercises, and hopefully 30 mins on the elliptical
• Find Christmas pics of Mom for her Assisted Living facility to use in some kind of display
• Gold Ribbon Rescue phone interview

I should be able to get all of that done today, right?

And tomorrow:

• Christmas shopping (?)
• Pay bills/reconcile accounts
• Make a to-do/wish list for the house
• Disney packing list and maybe some packing
• Grocery shopping
• Chiro exercises
• clean out personal email account, follow up on everything I need to do
• clean the refrigerator
• box up my china and store in the attic for Katie's future
• brush the dogs

Finally, let's see where I am on my previous calendar/to-do list. With our new chiropractic regimen, there are some additions. I'll mark the "done" items in green, the "not done yet" items in red.
Monday, 11/28 - work, reconcile accounts/pay bills, address Christmas cards
Tuesday, 11/29 - work, chiropractor, address Christmas cards
Wednesday, 11/30 - LONG day trip to Houston/Beaumont
Thursday, 12/1 - work, evening open (at the moment), probably wrap gifts (chiropractor and dinner out took precedence)
Friday, 12/2 - work, hair You can tell where my priorities are, huh? As an aside, we FINALLY got my ombre where both of us wanted it and I LOVE it! Watch for ombre pics in my post-trip postings (not gonna promise a TR at this point)
Saturday, 12/3 - put up Christmas tree, decorate house, see above for the rest of today's list (didn't have to put up the tree - Chris did that for me Wednesday while I was in Beaumont - Husband of the Year Award. )
Sunday, 12/4 - bills, finish decorating, shop, wrap gifts (see above for details)
Monday, 12/5 - chiro, work, fly to Las Vegas
Tuesday, 12/6 - training in Las Vegas
Wednesday, 12/7 - Training in Las Vegas, fly home
Thursday, 12/8 - work, evening open (at the moment), may shop, wrap gifts
Friday, 12/9 - work, ladies' holiday luncheon, company Christmas party/dinner until late
Saturday, 12/10 - MY BIRTHDAY! Mani/pedi and lunch with Mom, dinner at Melting Pot with my sister and BIL
Sunday, 12/11 - Gold Ribbon (golden retriever) Rescue - holiday brunch, last minute shopping, pack, bills
Monday, 12/12 - work, present internal training class, pack
Tuesday, 12/13 - LONG day trip to El Paso
Wednesday, 12/14 - work, Beauty and the Beast (Broadway in Austin)
Thursday, 12/15 - work, pick up Katie at the airport, last minute trip shopping, last minute packing, visit with our house/pet-sitters, introduce their dog to ours
Friday, 12/16 - chiro, most likely will work from home in the morning. Head to the airport at around noon. (I think Haley has a half day of school, so we'll have to pick her up on the way.)

I am exhausted after typing/reading all that. I think I'll go take a nap...

 

[momabaarjo]

14 days until Disney (13)!!! In The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, you can find a picture of Mr. Toad giving a deed to the property to:
a.) Winnie the Pooh
b.) Owl
c.) Eeyore
d.) Piglet

A...Winnie the Pooh

Katie and ??? MK Mickey's Philarmonic?

 

[momabaarjo]

Sorry about decorating the tree by yourself...I dread the year that this happens...I guess that is the one good think about Goo...I have 12 years still before I decorate it alone!

Personally...I don't think there is anyway to be Harry Pottered out! Are you guys planning on being there at 7 am! I know that means we have to be in line by 6:30 am which means out of the hotel by 6:00 am. YIKES! But trust me, the crowd pattern is awful and it is so important to get there early...mainly just to be able to enjoy Hogsmeade and the shops!

I heard yesterday that after Jan. 2nd, there is no more Jaws. Frankly, I think the time has come. Bruce was looking bad a year and half ago...plus how many of this new generation really know about Bruce...and no we did not do a Jaws movie night!