A Very Disney Christmas! Nov/Dec 2010 PTR (Trip Drama & 2 Days! 11/24)

[ReneeDisney]

So nice to have you back! Glad everything worked out for you and your family with your new church -- good things happen to good people!

Looking forward to more trip updates....

 

[LilAnn]

Hooray for Claire being potty-trained! It's fantastic to not have to buy diapers anymore. I am enviously awaiting pics of your new playroom. I may have to message you here or FB later to ask you about some of your dining experiences from May. We have booked some new meals that I am curious about how Lily will do and I am pretty sure you've already done them. I'll have to look through your pics again.

 

[999ghostslover]

So glad she potty-trained. We are working on it with B. He is so stubborn. I really need him to learn because he is such a heavy wetter. He must hold it forever and then in one minute a clean dipe is soaked. And his clothes. And my newly steam-cleaned couch. Ugh!

That basket is so wonderful. Our basket's theme is...wait for it...Alabama stuff. It will be a popular item no doubt but I would prefer Disney. I'm so excited to go to Gala in February. It is a black-tie event and the theme is a night in Oz. Should be great.

Your playroom looks great. That is what we have upstairs. Well, it is over two of our garage bays and the third is a second finished attic space that we may turn into an upstairs office one day. We have a downstairs one but it is in the front of the house and I am a neat-freak and you know how offices can get. If it was off the upstairs playroom I wouldn't care so much. And that is why I love my upstairs playroom. I don't have to see the toys. Okay, well I won't when they finally stop dragging them down here!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Yay! I'm so glad you're back Becky, you've been missed

Congratulation on your new church home and on selling your old house, it must be a huge relief not to have that 2nd house payment!

I am in the process of planning a road trip ending in a Disney cruise for next summer and one of our road trip stops is going to be Atlanta so I was really glad to see all the great pics from your trip there.

The girls birthday party looked amazing, you do such a great job planning their parties. I know they will have wonderful memories of them when they grow up and look back on their childhood.

I love the basket you put together for the auction - I would have been all over that!

 

[mom2mek]

Great pics from Disney on Ice and the scholarship banquet! And YAY on the potty training! No more diapers is a good feeling....unless of course you are planning on trying for another little one (3 is a great number....)

Your playroom is HUGE - wish I had one...then maybe my kids rooms wouldn't be disasters!! Can't wait to see progress pics!

That is too funny that you bid on and won your own basket! Woo-hoo! It looks like a great one!

Sara

 

[klacey1]

Go Claire! Sounds like she's very independent minded if SHE decided when she was potty-ready!
Wow, can't wait to see pictures of your playroom when it's finished! The girls will have tons of space!

 

[meggymouse]

I think Laura Bush is a great lady! I love all the work she's done to promote literacy in this country.

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

Yay for no more diapers! I love your Disney basket! That would have been so much fun to put together!

I can't wait to see the pics of the finished playroom - it looks huge!!!

 

[Tinker_Tam]

Sounds like you have been super busy lately!! I think Fall gets that way and slips away before we know it... makes the days till our trips go so much faster!

 

[ladybugmom]

Hurray for Claire being potty-trained! Isn't it wonderful???

The girls are so cute in their dresses for Disney on Ice, and I am in love with the Disney basket you put together! I totally would have had to bid on it, too!

Sounds like you had a great night at the scholarship banquet!

It IS wonderful!! It makes things sooo much easier! I don't have to drag around a bag full of diapers, wipes, etc. It's great!!

It's so good to see your girls again. They are a dose of happiness, as usual.

Love that Disney basket, of course. Excellent job!

We saw that Disney on Ice and would gladly see that one again. It was a good one.

I have two more days of fall break and then the weekend. Whenever I come down from my Disney trip high and get the house completely back in order, I have to think about finishing up just a little dab of schoolwork before we get back.

Awww! Thanks MeMom!! Enjoy the rest of your Fall Break!!

So nice to have you back! Glad everything worked out for you and your family with your new church -- good things happen to good people!

Looking forward to more trip updates....

Thanks Renee!! It's sooo great to be back!

Hooray for Claire being potty-trained! It's fantastic to not have to buy diapers anymore. I am enviously awaiting pics of your new playroom. I may have to message you here or FB later to ask you about some of your dining experiences from May. We have booked some new meals that I am curious about how Lily will do and I am pretty sure you've already done them. I'll have to look through your pics again.

Sure!! I don't mind answering any questions you may have about restaurants!! Just let me know!

 

[ladybugmom]

So glad she potty-trained. We are working on it with B. He is so stubborn. I really need him to learn because he is such a heavy wetter. He must hold it forever and then in one minute a clean dipe is soaked. And his clothes. And my newly steam-cleaned couch. Ugh!

That basket is so wonderful. Our basket's theme is...wait for it...Alabama stuff. It will be a popular item no doubt but I would prefer Disney. I'm so excited to go to Gala in February. It is a black-tie event and the theme is a night in Oz. Should be great.

Your playroom looks great. That is what we have upstairs. Well, it is over two of our garage bays and the third is a second finished attic space that we may turn into an upstairs office one day. We have a downstairs one but it is in the front of the house and I am a neat-freak and you know how offices can get. If it was off the upstairs playroom I wouldn't care so much. And that is why I love my upstairs playroom. I don't have to see the toys. Okay, well I won't when they finally stop dragging them down here!

Me too!! It has been such a struggle to get to this point!! Claire was stubborn as well--I just had to wait until she was ready.

Oh wow!! I'd LOVE a BAMA themed basket, too!! NICE!! Oooh--the Gala sounds really nice! Our auction was tied in with a 5K so it wasn't formal at all.

I cannot WAIT to have the playroom done! All of the girls toys are in our office downstairs right now (it's supposed to serve as my hairbow room). And yes, the toys seem to get spread out downstairs b/c of it. It will be nice to have them all upstairs when it's completed!!

Yay! I'm so glad you're back Becky, you've been missed

Congratulation on your new church home and on selling your old house, it must be a huge relief not to have that 2nd house payment!

I am in the process of planning a road trip ending in a Disney cruise for next summer and one of our road trip stops is going to be Atlanta so I was really glad to see all the great pics from your trip there.

The girls birthday party looked amazing, you do such a great job planning their parties. I know they will have wonderful memories of them when they grow up and look back on their childhood.

I love the basket you put together for the auction - I would have been all over that!

Aww! Thanks Michelle!! I'm sooo glad to be back!! I've missed you as well! Oh--you will LOVE Atlanta!! Sooo much to do!! Oooh--and a Disney cruise--I sooo want to go on one!! Still trying to talk Brent into it!

Great pics from Disney on Ice and the scholarship banquet! And YAY on the potty training! No more diapers is a good feeling....unless of course you are planning on trying for another little one (3 is a great number....)

Your playroom is HUGE - wish I had one...then maybe my kids rooms wouldn't be disasters!! Can't wait to see progress pics!

That is too funny that you bid on and won your own basket! Woo-hoo! It looks like a great one!

Sara

Thanks Sara!! Umm--yeah, no--we are definitely done after 2! Claire has certainly given me a run for my money! If she had been first we would have only had ONE child!!

Go Claire! Sounds like she's very independent minded if SHE decided when she was potty-ready!
Wow, can't wait to see pictures of your playroom when it's finished! The girls will have tons of space!

She is VERY independent minded for sure! Ugh!

 

[ladybugmom]

I think Laura Bush is a great lady! I love all the work she's done to promote literacy in this country.

She certainly is!! She talked a lot about what she has done and will be doing regarding literacy! AMAZING!!

Yay for no more diapers! I love your Disney basket! That would have been so much fun to put together!

I can't wait to see the pics of the finished playroom - it looks huge!!!

Thanks!! It was so much fun putting the basket together!! I became quiet attached to it--hence the need to win the basket!

Sounds like you have been super busy lately!! I think Fall gets that way and slips away before we know it... makes the days till our trips go so much faster!

Yes I have! I agree--this is my favorite time of year--so many fun holidays and things to do!

 

[ladybugmom]

So are ya'll ready for some trip updates?! The last time I updated we still weren't sure which dates we would be going with for our trip. If you remember, we booked a Bounceback Offer during our May trip for Nov. 28-Dec. 5th (40% off room rate) and right before our trip we had booked Nov. 27-Dec. 4th (in case we didn't get a BB offer). Well, it was pretty much decided for us that we were going to have to go with Nov. 27-Dec. 4th. Brent found out that he had to be in India for a business trip by Monday morning on Dec. 6th. Thankfully free dining had been extended for our dates and we were able to get that applied to our reservation! So to recap we are staying at the Wilderness Lodge in a Woods View room (with FREE dining) Nov. 27-Dec. 4th! We booked our flights last week and only ended up having to pay for 1 ticket thanks to Brent's frequent flyer miles!! AND we were able to get the earliest flight out of Memphis (8:30 am) and the latest flight returning (5:30 pm)--both direct flights! But since Brent has to get to India the girls and I will be flying back to Memphis by ourselves on Dec. 4th. Brent will be leaving from Orlando in order to get to India on time.

So we cancelled the BB offer we had booked and the ADRs that went with it. Here is what we kept and the parks we'll visit each day (and you'll notice we booked a Candlelight Processional dinner package for Le Cellier, we bought tickets for MVMCP, and I booked a 1st haircut for Claire):

11/27: touring other resorts decorated for Christmas
Whispering Canyon Cafe
7:30pm

11/28: Animal Kingdom
Boma
5:30pm

11/29: Magic Kingdom
BBB (Ally & Claire)
Castle Location
8:00am

11/29: Cinderella's Royal Table
4:20pm

11/30: Magic Kingdom
O'hana
5:00pm

11/30: MVMCP
7:00pm-midnight

12/1: Epcot
The Garden Grill
4:55pm

12/2: Hollywood Studios
1900 Park Faire
8:00am

12/3: Epcot
Le Cellier
5:25pm
8:15pm Candlelight Processional show (narrator: Corbin Bernsen)

12/4: Magic Kingdom
Claire's 1st Haircut at the Harmony Barbershop
9:30am

I also found out that Jim Shore is going to be at WDW signing his work while we are there!! I collect Jim Shore's Disney figurines--I just hope I can figure out how to work it out to see him! Here is his schedule: Jim Shore will be on hand in Walt Disney World, December 3rd at Art of Disney in Downtown Disney Marketplace (3pm – 7pm). Then on December 4th at Heritage Manor in Epcot (12pm-2pm & 3pm-5pm). I guess I would have to find some way to get to Downtown Disney on Dec. 3rd. Do you think it's possible to get there and see him and get back to Epcot by our CP ressie for 5:25 at Le Cellier?! Thoughts?! I wonder how many people show up for things like this? Any ideas?

 

[disneybarbie]

hmmm I think you could make it to Downtown Disney for the Jim Shore event.. if you got there for 3pm ish.. then rather than get a bus from the market place, I'd suggest walking over to Saratoga Springs (it's a 5 min walk from Market Place bus stop) and get the bus to Epcot from Congress Park bus stop


Lovely to recap on all your plans again! Not long to go now!!



Emma x

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Hi Becky and welcome back! I'm so glad I've been able to keep up with you and your family on FB, but it's nice to have you back here.

How exciting that your trip is so close! Your plans look fantastic so far.

The first hair cut at the barber shop will be great! We loved our experience there....not a first hair cut, but still very memorable.

Yay for Claire being potty trained! My youngest did the same thing...just decided one day to not wear diapers any more and never looked back. Sweet!

 

[999ghostslover]

Your trip looks awesome. We did a woods view at WL. I had heard that there were a few rooms that you could watch the fireworks from. I requested a specific room number and it was awesome. BUT it was a hike from the busses!!
Here is what I wrote on All Ears:
We are so pleased we were finally able to stay at the Wilderness Lodge for a week in June. We had room 5004 and we had a perfect view of the fireworks and Cinderella's castle. This was in the Woods category. We could also see Bay Lake and greet the boats as they pulled up. The one drawback to this room was that it was a hike and a half. Next time I would request to be as close to lobby as possible. I cannot believe how far we had to walk to get to our room. The Lodge is really charming and I encourage you to hang out in the lobby if you get a rainy evening.

 

[ladybugmom]

hmmm I think you could make it to Downtown Disney for the Jim Shore event.. if you got there for 3pm ish.. then rather than get a bus from the market place, I'd suggest walking over to Saratoga Springs (it's a 5 min walk from Market Place bus stop) and get the bus to Epcot from Congress Park bus stop


Lovely to recap on all your plans again! Not long to go now!!



Emma x

Thanks so much for the tip, Emma!!

Hi Becky and welcome back! I'm so glad I've been able to keep up with you and your family on FB, but it's nice to have you back here.

How exciting that your trip is so close! Your plans look fantastic so far.

The first hair cut at the barber shop will be great! We loved our experience there....not a first hair cut, but still very memorable.

Yay for Claire being potty trained! My youngest did the same thing...just decided one day to not wear diapers any more and never looked back. Sweet!

Hi Missy!! Thanks! It's sooo good to be back! I had meant to do the 1st haircut on the last trip but time got away with us! So I made sure and made a reservation this time!!

Your trip looks awesome. We did a woods view at WL. I had heard that there were a few rooms that you could watch the fireworks from. I requested a specific room number and it was awesome. BUT it was a hike from the busses!!
Here is what I wrote on All Ears:
We are so pleased we were finally able to stay at the Wilderness Lodge for a week in June. We had room 5004 and we had a perfect view of the fireworks and Cinderella's castle. This was in the Woods category. We could also see Bay Lake and greet the boats as they pulled up. The one drawback to this room was that it was a hike and a half. Next time I would request to be as close to lobby as possible. I cannot believe how far we had to walk to get to our room. The Lodge is really charming and I encourage you to hang out in the lobby if you get a rainy evening.

Thanks Erin! Thanks for the info on the rooms! I know that my TA requested a higher floor, not over the loading dock on the reservation. Should we be more specific?

 

[DWGal210]

Hey girl!! Glad to have you back! Now I am going to go back and read your updates. Hope life's been treating you well! Take care!

Katie

 

[DWGal210]

OK, now I'm back.

Nice updates! I am sure it was hard going to another church; I did that myself a few years ago and it was hard but the right decision. I love where I am now and the most important thing is that you're right with God, which you are. People will talk (as they always do) but that's not important. Glad to hear this is all working out!

The DOI pictures are just great! Looks like everyone had a fabulous time!

LOVE your renovation project - how fun!!! That will be so great when it's done; seems like one of those things that is a pain in the butt once it's being done, but the end project is so worth it.

And your ADR plans look wonderful!! You're almost there, girl!!

Have a great day!
Katie

 

[aharbin88]

Hey, Becky! It's great to see you back on the DIS, although I've sorta taken a hiatus myself. No particular reason, just that life seems to get in the way. I'm glad to hear that things have worked out so well for you and that you can get back to the business of building Disney excitement!

I also found out that Jim Shore is going to be at WDW signing his work while we are there!! I collect Jim Shore's Disney figurines--I just hope I can figure out how to work it out to see him! Here is his schedule: Jim Shore will be on hand in Walt Disney World, December 3rd at Art of Disney in Downtown Disney Marketplace (3pm – 7pm). Then on December 4th at Heritage Manor in Epcot (12pm-2pm & 3pm-5pm). I guess I would have to find some way to get to Downtown Disney on Dec. 3rd.

Oh, man! Thank you for letting me know about this! We arrive on the 3rd, and our only plans that day are to hang out at Downtown Disney. We have a 5PM reservation at TRex, so I hope to be able to either get there early enough to see him before our reservation, or get out in time to see him before he's done. It sounds like I'll miss you, though! We'll be two ships passing in DtD!

Are you going to bring something for him to sign? Or are you going to try to buy something there?