I told Michael we were getting to see the house and he wants to make sure he gets to see the house too. I think he wants to live in your walk-in fridge.
If you're in the parks, of course we want to meet up.
Let me know what your week looks like those dates.
So while I don't have a ton of cruise stuff to report I'll go ahead and reveal our very loose
Disneyland plans. Cynthia, I'm calling this my LFP.
Chloe's birthday is the 21st so we're calling this part family trip and her birthday gift. She's going to flip if I can pull this off.
Wed 12/18: Have the car packed and ready and drive to So Cal when M gets off work that morning. Do not stop, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Potty breaks and that's it. Arrive at my bestie's house. She works all week so unfortunately I don't think we'll see her as much as I like but she's always so wonderful to open up her home and heart to us.
We are going to have 2 park days, non hoppers, so I need to do a little research, darn
, to see which day will be better for each park. We'll have one at Disneyland and one at DCA. I think this will enable us to really dive into DCA. I am always so inclined to hop back over to Disneyland but M really likes DCA and always feels a
little ripped off because DL occupies most of our time. This way everyone wins and there's no pressure to hop. The only bummer will be if the fireworks get cancelled due to weather on our Disneyland day. If so, I'll be watching them from the esplanade. I'll miss the snow but I'll live. Heck, I may not even want to wait for firework on Main St and enjoy our old stand by of riding BTMRR during the fireworks.
I have also always wanted to nab one of those elusive Disneyland candy canes but with only a day, I do not want want to spend my time waiting in line for a ticket and then waiting in one to buy a candy cane. Maybe next year.
As of now, we won't make any ADRs except for on Chloe's birthday. They don't love character meals anymore
because I originally thought Goofy's would be fun as we'll be in DTD so now I am looking at other ideas and am open to suggestions. We'll have a car so we're not obligated to stay at DTD.
Thursday 12/19: Disneyland or DCA
Friday 12/20: DCA or Disneyland
Saturday 12/21 and Chloe's Birthday: M will fly home from Long Beach on a 6 pm flight so hopefully we'll be able to see your house today Alison, but truly, let me know what works for you as the kids and I will be there a couple more days. We'll spend the day in DTD and the GCV. M wants to enjoy our fun little tradition of a hot drink and cookies by the fireplace. G-d I love that man.
We'll take him to the airport and I'm not sure what that evening will hold. I'm looking into maybe Build a Bear for Chloe's birthday that day in DTD? I know she'll be 15 but she's a kid at heart, like me, and loves her stuffed animals still, especially if they're Disney. Maybe a movie? The Hobbit comes out the 14th and there's no way she'll wait a week to see it. She's my LOTR girl. I think Frozen will be out so maybe a movie in DTD would be cool?
Sunday 12/22: open but we'll go visit my dad for an hour. He lives in Anaheim at a care facility. He suffered a major stoke about 8 years ago and it left him paralyzed. He's wheelchair bound, mind intact, except he's unable to communicate legibly. I know an hour sounds like a very short visit but he gets agitated easily and it's very hard on us all. I've learned that shorter visits are better. The kids will be able to open his gifts with him which will be nice. I will call his social worker once I've got confirmation on the trip and go from there. Last time I brought him Mrs. Knott's fried chicken and he was very happy. I think I'll do that again. I am thinking I should order that fairly soon.
Depending on the weather we'll either drive home the 23rd or the 24th.....If the weather looks clear we'll drive home Christmas Eve and if it looks dodgy, we'll drive home the 23rd. If we leave the 23rd, we may stay in Vegas overnight. It's truly all weather dependent. Michael works Christmas Eve but will be home Christmas Day.
Monday 12/23: open unless snow is in the forecast.
Tuesday 12/24: drive home.
It'll be a short but full of magic, I have no doubt.
Now while Disneyland is always on my mind, this was Michael's idea. Yesterday, while enjoying our Starbuck's Buy One, Get One Free he suggested this. Starbuck's is his mother ship. He feels inspired inside one. We all have our things and adult time, at Starbuck's, is his. He's gone for the next 10 days; can you tell I already miss him?
139 days!!!
Understaffed? High acuity? And yay for 5 day weekends.
I think non-Disney folks call that a vacation.
We get our share of med seekers too. Addiction can be quite sad.
134 days until the cruise!!! 
34 days until Disneyland!!! 
He won't have to cover any shifts at the FD which is perfect.
Don't count me out until I'm out. Clearly things change rapidly around here. 
