A Trip Sure to be FULL of Surprises! Updates - day 1 & 2 w/ pics!

[newtodis]

Alright...here's what needs to happen before we can leave:

TO DO SATURDAY
*fill van with gas
*Change batteries in dvd player remote for van
*Clean out van
*get a plan together on how to pack the van
*finish buying things from list (see another post - to be added!)
*charge camera battery
*hair cuts
*wrap birthday gifts to take
*make cards
*make puzzle to "tell" surprise (hopefully doing this today!)
*Clean house
*laundry
*pack Lynn
*pack Corbin
*pack Carter

TO DO TUESDAY
*Pack "bathroom"/medicine bag
*pack diaper bag
*Copy and notarize Corbin's birth certificate
*pack cameras and extra batteries
*bake (muffins, cookies, birthday cake)
*pack van
*cover stuff in back of van
*pack food
*Pack cooler
*Get ice from fire station
*Pack Dan

DONE!!
*finalize trip plans hopefully that's done - see previous post!
*list of food to pack in cooler list made!
*get luggage down Done and hidden in the closet!
*pay for Condo (plan on doing this 6/19) (waiting on this to see what happens with Carter's foot before we 100% committ to anything!) DONE!
*Dan's time off request Done and approved!
*Lynn's time off request Done and approved!

 

[newtodis]

Here's the current list of things I need to pick up before we leave:

*bread
*milk
*visor for Carter (so they don't fight over the one we have!)
*sunglasses for me
*lunch meat
*fruit snacks

Like I said, nothing major at all and we can always run to the store while we're down there if we need something!

 

[newtodis]

Here's how things will go down on Tuesday (I hope!). Everything's really gotten moved forward with Dan now leaving at noon! (now this is just from my memory -I'll have to confirm once I check my list at home! )

7:30 Get Dan out of the house for work - I'm pretty sure I can do this without a problem!
8:00 Start baking so things have time to cool off before they're packed
Start any laundry
Run dish washer
Trash day! Get all trash out
9:00 Show and snack for the boys to keep them busy and from asking questions
Pack condo tote, Dan's clothes, any other "last minute" stuff we'll need
10:30 Pack cooler and get ice from station
Pick up anything else while we're out that we'll need
11:00 Lunch for the boys then cleaned up, changed and into pull ups
12:00 Boys in van, cups and snacks in hand, set out Dan's clothes
12:30 Hit the road!
2:00 Stop at FL welcome center and give the boys their birthday cards! The cat will be let out of the bag at this point and I'm expecting some happy boys who are ready to go to DISNEY!!!!

 

[newtodis]

I still have a lot of work to get done....but am lacking motivation to get it done. We have an important meeting this afternoon so I'm trying to make sure I've got some work to "keep busy" during the meeting!




I think that's all the updates for now! The funniest part about the surprise is that Dan asked to leave at noon. Well his boss asked if it was ok since he knew about the surprise. I told him it was fine and appreciated his help! So Dan got home last night and was complaining about what a hard time he'd gotten about taking half a day off! I just smiled and told him to quit taking so much time off...he only needed to leave at 4 - not at noon! Boy is he gonna be SHOCKED when he figures out how many people knew and just didn't tell him!

I'm so suprised it's still a secret. I seriously thought just with the sheer number of people who know about what's happening that someone would say something to him.....if they have, he's certainly not saying.

Can't wait for Tuesday!!!!!

 

[Monny2AE]

I must say both your little guys are very handsome. Carter definitely has that look of mischief in his eye

 

[Monny2AE]

Oh my goodness...I don't know how you are pulling this off but HUGE kudos to you!!!!!

Your stress level must be through the roof right about now.

I'm keeping mine a secret from my kids but it's 100 times more difficult to keep it from the hubby.

Sending pixie dust that you get everything done on your lists, pull off the surprise without a hitch, and find that darn birth certificate!

​

 

[mrsksomeday]

I love your lists, it feels so good to check things off doesn't it? It looks like you have a great plan, just remember to breathe and relax from time to time .

 

[newtodis]

I must say both your little guys are very handsome. Carter definitely has that look of mischief in his eye

He is FULL of it! I always ask him "Who loves you more?" and his answer - with his big toothy smile and mischevious look - is "My very own Daddy!". But if you ask him who HE loves, "my mommy". I told him I love him more because I take him to Disney! Now I can REALLY give him a hard time about it next week! (not that I try to "guilt" my kids into loving me more.....we just pick on them!)

Oh my goodness...I don't know how you are pulling this off but HUGE kudos to you!!!!!

Your stress level must be through the roof right about now.

I'm keeping mine a secret from my kids but it's 100 times more difficult to keep it from the hubby.

Sending pixie dust that you get everything done on your lists, pull off the surprise without a hitch, and find that darn birth certificate!

​

I'm not sure how I'm pulling it all off either honestly! It's working out which is AWESOME! I only have 4 more days to keep it inside. Friends and co-workers know so I'm able to talk to them and here on the DIS so I don't have to keep it all inside which helps a LOT!

Not too much stress right now about the trip. I have the stress related cold sores more from my job (unfortunetly!) but hopefully they'll go away soon. This week has been a lesson in looking for the silver lining in EVERYTHING because there has to be one so I'm not stressed!

Thank you for the pixie dust! It never hurts to have some extra! Dan's mom went to the court house today and got another birth certificate and is over nighting it in case we don't find it thankfully! (Of course it's another thing added to our "tab" so we're going to owe her a ton when we go to MI in two weeks!)

I love your lists, it feels so good to check things off doesn't it? It looks like you have a great plan, just remember to breathe and relax from time to time .

Thank you! I love my lists too. With it all being "hush hush" I'm relying on them WAY more than I normally do. I think about something at work, write it on a sticky and add it to the list at home when I can so I don't forget things. I have lists for things I have to do, things I've done (so I don't worry about them and check to see if they're done), it's crazy. Thankfully it's all tucked away in my Disney binder that Dan doesn't touch so there's no way of him finding anything at all in there!

Alright.....the big meeting is done and we're just waiting for the magical "let's go home" from the big chief.......

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

 

[newtodis]

Good Morning!

Today's my last day of working!!!! Tomorrow it's running around and getting everything packed!

I brought my camera so I could post some pictures from yesterday's party so hopefully I'll have time to do that today. I need them off my camera before I leave anyways I don't want them to be accidentally deleted or anything.

Tonight's plan is to wash up the odds and ends dishes and laundry from over the weekend and try to rest tonight. I'm whipped from the party but I think everyone had a good time.

Alright....I have a TON of work to get done today and need to get a move on.


WE LEAVE TOMORROW!!!

 

[Grace and Mickey]

Good Morning Lynn

Doing The ONE Day DANCE

Sorry I did not post earlier about youe plans, I have been trying to catch up on some tings around here, BUT I never seem to get caught up

Your plans for the trip which days in which parks look GREAT


even though we have only been once we have decide that Chef Mickey's will be our tradational star of every WDW trip.

And starting the birthday day with that and being at rope drop to see Mickey come in on the train is a awesome way to start the trip

Looking forward to seeing your review of TH will be eating there on 9/18

How did the party go? Looking forward to see the pictures

I bet it was hard not talking about the surprise, when i sure it all you can think about
Did you get the puzzles done yet?

Did you get Corbin birth certifate yet? don't you hate it when you know/think something is at and then you can't finf it. It can drive you crazy
I love you saying about the silver lining my mother always said this. You can find a Silver lining in everything you do ever if not what you looking for.

I bet it hard to work today today with so much on your mind.
Try to get some sleep tonite, it will be hard becasue
Tommorrow you're going to DISNEY and you be TOO excited to sleep

Take care and I will be thinking of you
Grace

 

[englishrose47]

Good luck TOMORROW!!!!!!

 

[Monny2AE]

Good Morning!

Today's my last day of working!!!! Tomorrow it's running around and getting everything packed!

I brought my camera so I could post some pictures from yesterday's party so hopefully I'll have time to do that today. I need them off my camera before I leave anyways I don't want them to be accidentally deleted or anything.

Tonight's plan is to wash up the odds and ends dishes and laundry from over the weekend and try to rest tonight. I'm whipped from the party but I think everyone had a good time.

Alright....I have a TON of work to get done today and need to get a move on.


WE LEAVE TOMORROW!!!

I'm glad the party was a success!
I can't believe you are pulling this off!!! You've got to be ready to burst at the seams with excitement!

Hope all goes well tomorrow and your DH doesn't leave work any earlier than noon.

 

[newtodis]

Good Morning Lynn

Doing The ONE Day DANCE

Sorry I did not post earlier about youe plans, I have been trying to catch up on some tings around here, BUT I never seem to get caught up

Your plans for the trip which days in which parks look GREAT


even though we have only been once we have decide that Chef Mickey's will be our tradational star of every WDW trip.

And starting the birthday day with that and being at rope drop to see Mickey come in on the train is a awesome way to start the trip

Looking forward to seeing your review of TH will be eating there on 9/18

How did the party go? Looking forward to see the pictures

I bet it was hard not talking about the surprise, when i sure it all you can think about
Did you get the puzzles done yet?

Did you get Corbin birth certifate yet? don't you hate it when you know/think something is at and then you can't finf it. It can drive you crazy
I love you saying about the silver lining my mother always said this. You can find a Silver lining in everything you do ever if not what you looking for.

I bet it hard to work today today with so much on your mind.
Try to get some sleep tonite, it will be hard becasue
Tommorrow you're going to DISNEY and you be TOO excited to sleep

Take care and I will be thinking of you
Grace

Hey Grace

No I can never manage to get caught up either! I try but it just never happens! Then I have days like Saturday where I clean from sun up to sun down and get as close to caught up as I'll ever get!

We love TH - I think that's the one place we've been on every trip - or almost every trip! It's awesome. Can't say enough good things about it!

I got Corbin's birth certificate in the mail today. Thank God for Dan's mom! She saved the day for sure!!

Party was good. A couple people knew about the surprise and asked about it and we were able to chat so long as Dan wasn't around. I hid in the house most of the time to keep out of the sun but still managed to "repower" these stupid cold sores!! I went to the dr this morning (don't have enough time in the day today!!) but there's nothing right this minute that I can do. So I grabbed a refill on my prescription and dropped our deposit for work off at the bank and am trying to get my HUGE to do list done here so I can go home!

I cannot wait for the morning to get here. I'm exhausted from cleaning all day (as Corbin said "why do we have to clean and clean and clean???" Welcome to being a Mommy! I ask myself that all the time!!) and the party yesterday, I'm ready for some sleep tonight! I'm sure I'll be up bright and early tomorrow and ready for Dan to get to work so I can get everything done.

Good luck TOMORROW!!!!!!

Thank you so much!!

I'm glad the party was a success!
I can't believe you are pulling this off!!! You've got to be ready to burst at the seams with excitement!

Hope all goes well tomorrow and your DH doesn't leave work any earlier than noon.

The party was quite good - better than I'd thought which is great!

I can't believe it either honestly!! Dan was talking with his "other" boys (at the Island) and they told him it had to be Columbia or Jacksonville that we're going to. I cannot believe he hasn't figured ANYTHING out yet.

I'm so ready to burst it's not funny!! I've been debating all morning "should I tell them tonight?", "should I tell them before we get on the road tomorrow?"....I'm thinking I really want to stick with my plan about telling them at the FL welcome center! I *might* give Dan one piece to his puzzle tonight just to keep him guessing! I need to take a picture of the puzzle too. I tried to put it into photobucket and post it here but it won't....

Oh he won't leave earlier. And I told him he has to call me half an hour before he leaves. His secretary will text me when he leaves I'm sure to give me a head's up. Must be prepared! I plan on having it all done by noon so even if he does leave a few minutes early, I'll still be ready for him!

Alright.....I'm going to try and provide as many updates as I can along the way without having the laptop this time. I'll do my very best but can't make any promises! I will take lots of pictures and good notes so I can fill you all in when we get back. ( and finish my other TRs )


OOOHHHHH!!!! I think I forgot to tell you guys.....we finally have another agreement on the MI house. Hopefully all will go well and it will close within the month!!!! That would be AWESOME - we would be totally debt free, have some money to put down on a new house and be able to go to the Poly in Dec! I'm so hoping it all works out!!!!

If I'm not able to make it back, have an AWESOME week everyone!!! I must get my work done today!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Wishing you safe travels, surprising surprises, and many magical memories!

 

[lmillercrew]

HAPPY SUPRISE LYNN!!!! We'll all be here waiting to hear all about how it went down. I still don't get how you'll get all the way to the Florida border without him figuring it out sooner. Maybe you should blind fold him.
Think of me on Fri. It's my B-day and would love to spend the day with you there. If I had a "flat" me, I would have a picture taken of me with you at the parks.

 

[Grace and Mickey]

[=newtodis;32647438]Here's how things will go down on Tuesday (I hope!). Everything's really gotten moved forward with Dan now leaving at noon! (now this is just from my memory -I'll have to confirm once I check my list at home! )

7:30 Get Dan out of the house for work - I'm pretty sure I can do this without a problem!
8:00 Start baking so things have time to cool off before they're packed
Start any laundry
Run dish washer
Trash day! Get all trash out
9:00 Show and snack for the boys to keep them busy and from asking questions
Pack condo tote, Dan's clothes, any other "last minute" stuff we'll need
10:30 Pack cooler and get ice from station
Pick up anything else while we're out that we'll need
11:00 Lunch for the boys then cleaned up, changed and into pull ups
12:00 Boys in van, cups and snacks in hand, set out Dan's clothes
12:30 Hit the road!
2:00 Stop at FL welcome center and give the boys their birthday cards! The cat will be let out of the bag at this point and I'm expecting some happy boys who are ready to go to DISNEY!!!! [/quote]


It's Tuesday July 16th 2009
SO what Are Lynn, Dan Corbin, Carter
going to do today



Their GOING TO

WALT
DISNEY
WORLD


Have a Magical time
Give Mickey aFor me, SayTo Donald for me
Have a dole whipTake a ride on "It's a small world"

Take Lots of pictures for us to see
Make Lots of Magical Memories to enjoy FOREVER.

I be thinking of you around 2oclock sending you vibes
as you let the 'Cat out of the bag" about the SURPRISE!!

Love ya
Grace

 

[lmillercrew]

They should almost be there! It's 4:45 p.m.

 

[Grace and Mickey]

Welcome Home

I hope you had a magical trip
can't wait to hear about the the reation the the surprise.

Looking forward to seeing ALL the pictures
and reading about all the awesome and wonderful things you did.


my mission for today is the find my "pal mickey'
He missing and I really need him for my trip.
Have a good day, it hard to go back to work after vacation.
Grace

 

[newtodis]

We're BACK! More details soon I promise. I DID manage to pull it off!!! Thank you all so much for the sweet little notes while we were gone - I so appreciate it!

Wishing you safe travels, surprising surprises, and many magical memories!

Thank you! It was a great time!

HAPPY SUPRISE LYNN!!!! We'll all be here waiting to hear all about how it went down. I still don't get how you'll get all the way to the Florida border without him figuring it out sooner. Maybe you should blind fold him.
Think of me on Fri. It's my B-day and would love to spend the day with you there. If I had a "flat" me, I would have a picture taken of me with you at the parks.

Aww!! Happy Birthday to YOU!! I wish I would have seen this before I left - I so would have taken you with me - even a "flat" you! I hope it was a great birthday!!

It's Tuesday July 16th 2009
SO what Are Lynn, Dan Corbin, Carter
going to do today
Their GOING TO
WALT
DISNEY
WORLD

Have a Magical time
Give Mickey aFor me, SayTo Donald for me
Have a dole whipTake a ride on "It's a small world"

Take Lots of pictures for us to see
Make Lots of Magical Memories to enjoy FOREVER.

I be thinking of you around 2oclock sending you vibes
as you let the 'Cat out of the bag" about the SURPRISE!!

Love ya
Grace

Hey Grace! It was an awesome time!! We did see Mickey and Donald. No Dole Whip and no it's a small world - believe it or not! I did take about 800 pictures and I brought my camera today so I'm hoping to get at least a couple up here for everyone today!

They should almost be there! It's 4:45 p.m.

Right on! We were there just a little bit after 5 on Tuesday!!

Welcome Home

I hope you had a magical trip
can't wait to hear about the the reation the the surprise.

Looking forward to seeing ALL the pictures
and reading about all the awesome and wonderful things you did.


my mission for today is the find my "pal mickey'
He missing and I really need him for my trip.
Have a good day, it hard to go back to work after vacation.
Grace

Good Morning - good luck with the pal Mickey! We didn't take ours this time. I know they were phasing him out so I'm not sure if he works in the parks anymore or not. I would hope he still would!

 

[newtodis]

So, I'm going to give you the real basics of what went down the day we left since I have a huge stack of work waiting for me!

Dan hit the road for work about 7:30 Tuesday morning which was perfect!! I got to work baking the cake and muffins so they'd have time to cool and bake before I had to pack them. While they were baking, I spread my lists out all over my bed and started to pull stuff out of the closet. The boys were playing quietly thanks to the new toys from the birthday party on Sunday!

Once the cake and muffins were done, I pulled them out and had them cool on the counter. The "quiet" playing had long stopped so on came Lilo and Stitch. Corbin had been in and out of my bedroom and was getting into the suitcases so I knew I had to do something. He even told me "I see you packing for MI on your bed!". Packing but not for MI dude!

Once I got everything packed and the van loaded, I had to run to the library since no one did it Monday night. I also had to put gas in the van since I'd been running around. And, when I went to Target, they didn't have all of the pills for my prescription so I had to go back (I'd tasked Dan with that to make sure I had enough time after he left work even though I was in the Target parking lot to get gas) to get the rest.

Well, all went well at the library. We got our stamps for being great readers and Carter got his sticker. Corbin got playdough this week which he was thrilled with. Then it was off to the gas station. The freaking card reader thing at the pump didn't work so I gave up since I couldn't leave my kids in the van full of stuff while I ran in to pay. On the way home we stopped at my fire station to get ice from the ice machine and the boys were teasing me (big boys - firefighters) about packing everything up and no one knowing what was going on!

Then I called Dan to see if he was going to be able to stop and get my pills since it was almost noon and time for him to leave work. He said he was going to be able to and was done at Target by noon. We literally had to have been driving home at the same time. Thankfully I'd had everything already packed!

We pulled in the drive way and I had the boys get into their pull ups and I grabbed Dan's clothes that I'd kept out. Just as the boys were changed, Dan pulled in the drive way. I sent him to the bathroom to change his clothes and we were off!

He insisted that I'd bought him a big screen tv and that's what was under the blankets in the back of the van. I just smiled and told him "if that's what you think". It was a pretty quiet ride to the FL welcome center. We had to stop there because I'd drank a HUGE glass of water and couldn't sit in the car any more! So we all piled out. Dan and Carter went to the boy's room and Corbin and I went to the girl's room. I told Corbin if he was good I'd tell him where we were going when we got back to the van. He hustled through going potty and was right back out at the van. Then we had to wait for Daddy and Carter.

Corbin couldn't wait for Dan to get back. He was yelling in the parking lot "hurry up! she's going to tell us where we're going!!" People thought we were crazy I'm sure.

So there they stood in the grass at the FL welcome center thinking we were going to Jacksonville. I gave them their papers (I didn't cut them up because it was windy that day and I didn't want to loose any pieces) and told them on the count of three they could turn them over.

1


2


3

Turn it over!!!! Where are we going?????


DISNEY!!!!

No one had any clue! I pulled the blankets off the stuff in the back and revealed that everything was ready and we were already on our way!!! Corbin and Carter had less than stellar reactions - I don't think they got it at that point honestly. They just knew we'd been in the car awhile and were ready for some dinner or a snack. (everything seems to revolve around food in our house!)

We piled back in the car and headed to DISNEY!!! As we got closer, the boys got more and more excited!!

(If any of you have ever watched The Real Housewives of Orange County, think Vicki. Corbin likes his "wooohoooos" as much as she does!)

We left by 12:30, I revealed the secret about 2:15ish and we were at the condo by about 6. It was perfect!!

Alright....more pictures and details to come!!!