~A XMAS STORY~decorations, crowds, pixies..AND A BLOODY NOSE~ACTUAL UPDATE 11/9 p190

[xoktenox]

Dawn I love your videos! They make me feel like I'm there Great gangsta pics too, you guys are very thug-ish Poor Luke you can tell hes getting tired but hes being a trooper!

 

[Happy Elf]

Great updates! You have awesome night time pictures of Epcot! Luke is so funny!

 

[punkin413]

since a lot of you asked, i just wanted to let you know that my arm is healing nicely. i can actually touch it now without screaming in pain. i do forget sometimes and put weight on it like on the arm of a chair or something and that hurts. but i think that's more the bone than the cut. thanks for thinking about me. i went and had my teeth cleaned today and that was almost just as bad of an experience as slicing my arm open! i hate the dentist. sorry, erica.

Dawn, I'm so glad your arm is getting better. But it wasn't fat that was leaking from that slice. It was blood plasma. It's a clear liquid that is part of blood. That's all the technical I can get.

Looking forward to seeing your pictures and update.

thanks! oh, and thanks for clarifying. i have no clue about anything medical - that's why i became a court reporter!

Wow! Great photos, Dawn. Loved the black and white photo. And yes, it is a great day for all Americans to remember.

thanks!

Great update!!!

I love the pic of you and Ray in front of the ball with the poofy-wand-looking lights!! Its really pretty!!
I hope your arm is better!

I thought of you today! A co-workerd grabbed a file off of my desk today and as they pulled it, the side hit my arm and I felt it scratch me! I freaked and blurted out, "You dumba#$, your gonna make my arm fat come out!!" ......they looked at me like I was stupid and had something growing out of my head...oh well! And I was serious..that has really freaked me out my arm now!

yeah, i love that one, too. that is so funny about your mishap at work! sorry i have you all paranoid now though!

Great update... would the unexpected surprise to the Illuminations have something to do with the finale? DH saw the Illuminations 4 times this past trip, because of the finale. This is his favorite firework show to begin with, but this was his ultimate favorite.
And BTW, we were at that CP that you have a picture of, on that Thursday. It was unbelieveble. That and the Osborne Lights at DHS were my favorite things to see.
Can't wait to hear more.

you will have to wait and see! i would tell you but i don't want to spoil it for the others that haven't seen it during christmas. we will definitely do CP next time. we just couldn't do it with luke and even if ray and i had done it i feel like we would've been so rushed that day. when you only have 4 days it's hard to get everything in! but it's a must-do next time.

Awesome update! I love your pictures!!!!!!!!

thanks!

Hi Dawn, I'm late to the party - I've been so incredibly busy and tired - I get too sleepy to post.

I'm so sorry you hurt your arm - hope it is starting to feel better.

How exciting you're going to NY! You're gonna love Wicked! We saw it in Hollywood - even DH loved it, and he never likes plays!

Loved all the Night time shots - some beautiful camera work! Luke is such a ham! I love his excitement about the Dinsosaur puppet.

hope you're getting caught up on your sleep! i can't wait for NYC and wicked! i'm sure it will be a blast. thanks about the nighttime shots.

great update and pics.

love the b&w photo.

thanks! that's a favorite of mine, too.

Mega update! Woo Hoo! Great nighttime shots. Ya know I hated out photopass pics too taken by the tree and under the lights. I thought they were horrible. Yours are way better than ours. We were completely washed out. The one of you guys by the white decoration turned out really good!

Nice gangsta shots too.

it must be the way they have the lighting set in order to handle all those christmas lights or something. weird!

Dawn, So much to say, lets see if I can remember it all. Great news about the trip, so cool! So sorry about your arm I agree, proud to be an American yesterday, what a cool day .
As for the TR, what an INCREDIBLE installment. Everytime I read one of these I am more and more convinced that I HAVE to experience Disney in December soon, what amazing pics and video. Loved the pics of Luke, that kid cracks me up. The mask photo's were halarious and the one with him and the puppets were priceless. You guys look like you had an amazing time together. Can't wait for more, thanks as always for a great and entertaining report.
Lesley

yeah, i'm excited about the NYC trip! it will help me deal with my disney hiatus. i thought yesterday was just a really neat day. i got sappy a few times! i hope you guys get to go to disney at christmas time someday! you'd love it. hey, maybe you can go in december 2010 when we go! probably not because i'm sure we'll go in early december since if we have a kid by then they won't be in school yet.

 

[punkin413]

Awesome update Dawn !! oved the phoptpass pix of you and Ray infront of the white thingies !! Nt sure if I like the colored or B&W best they are both so good !!

thanks! i like both of those too.

Huge update! Great photos! You all look like your having so much fun! Luke's faces just crack me up!

thanks! we were having a good time. i wish i could go back!

I love Epcot at night SIGH Great pics!

I hope your arm is feeling better today. Yikes, that had to have been scary!

I agree, yesterday was a very emotional day for me. I was glued to CNN on my computer at work most of the day. It feels good to be an american today!

BTW, you look like you have lost some more weight!? You go girl!

thanks! i agree about feeling good to be an american. i haven't been all gung-ho about obama from the beginning and i'm not one to defend the last administration. but i just love how we can have a peaceful transfer of power and how a lot of people have been able to look past race and embrace him as president. ray's been a huge obama supporter from the start. it took me awhile to get on board though. he's really changed my view of him in the last few months. good thing he did it before the election!

thanks about the weight loss. but no, i haven't lost any. i've actually gained a little bit. i didn't diet at all during the holidays and when i weighed myself after new year's i was at 141. so now i'm trying to get back down to 130. when i weighed myself yesterday i was at 137. 7 pounds to go!

It's such a treat to get so many good pictures!

I think if I could invent something, I would invent a way to jump into our pictures and videos whenever we just needed a little Disney fix and be there again.

At the end of a work day, it would be so nice to jump into a World Showcase picture and watch Illuminations before bed time. I would love to end the school day by watching a parade in Magic Kingdom or splashing down or rumbling 'round a mountain. I'd take a quick stroll under the Osborne Lights after dinner or enjoy the music of Beauty and the Beast. Or maybe walk the trails of Animal Kingdom early in the morning. If I could walk those trails every day, I wouldn't have any problem being motivated to move!

When I see such awesome pictures, I can just feel like we are there, and I want to jump into the screen and be there for real.

If anybody ever invents an instant transporter, I'm going to be at the front of the line to get one!

What are we going to do with you not going for two years???

oh, i would totally help fund that invention if you started working on it! you'd be a very rich lady if you succeeded. maybe you could buy us all annual passes and DVC memberships?

i don't know what you're going to do but i'm going to live vicariously through others! including you!

Dawn - I'm all caught up with your TR. Sorry about your arm, that sounds really painful. Yeah on the NYC trip, I just went in October, just for the day and can't wait to go back and do more things. My DH and I went for our anniversary. We had a great time, next time we want to stay overnight so we can see Time Square at night. Love the Epcot pictures are night. I'm getting more and more excited about our trip reading yours. We will be going when the Christmas things are up too so I'm taking noted on what to do. I agree Germany preztels are NOT the same as American preztels

i'm really looking forward to NYC. i remember your pics from the disney store there. that's one thing i'm definitely doing. i'm sure you guys will love disney at christmas time. i can't wait to see how your trip goes and read all about it!

Oh wow, this was a great update! And my favorite pic? The black and white one of you and Ray!

P.S. You are the best gangster I know.

thanks! i like that one too. and yes, we are thugs.

Okay, I'm caught up again. I'm sorry about your arm--I don't handle stuff like that very well, either. I am an early childhood major and planning on working with 1-2 year olds so I'm hoping that the extent of their injuries will be skinned knees and elbows, at least when they are with me. And your house with the wiring?! What the heck were they thinking?! I'm glad that it was caught when it was.

I love WS at night, and your pictures with all the lights were gorgeous! I'm really hoping to go around the holidays sometime because all the pictures and videos that I've seen are amazing.

I love all the Photopass pictures too; Luke cracks me up.

i'm so bad with things that involve blood, gore....or arm fat! i couldn't be a teacher because of that. thanks about the pictures!

 

[IluvXU]

Another awesome update! What great photopass pictures, and I must say Luke is just too cute. He looks like quite the charmer!

 

[punkin413]

along with the germany pretzels the brats with kraut there are awesome i will get one next trip for sure

i love kraut but i can't deal with brats! so you enjoy those - more for you! i tried one once when we were camping and i literally had to spit it out. just not my thing. my taste is very texture-based and it was just too coarse for me.

Dawn great photos, I love all the photopass ones with the lights, so pretty. I saw CP during my trip and you're right Luke is far too young to sit through it, I thought it was nice but I doubt a 5 y/o would want to sit still that long I can't wait to see all the Christmas world showcase stuff next trip, I didn't get to see any of it last month and I know my girls will love it!

thanks! we will definitely do CP next time. i want to see it! oh, you guys will love WS at christmas time - so much to look at!

Great nighttime shots of Epcot. Colby loves those puppets too. We saw the Candlelight proc on our Thanksgiving trip (from afar). John O'hurley was the speaker. The lines for it were massive!

thanks! yeah, we saw the lines too when we came out of dinner in japan. ray couldn't believe they were that long!

Great pictures! I love Epcot at night, it's always so gorgeous but it's even prettier all decorated for the holidays!

thanks! oh, it was so pretty at night! i wish i was there right now.

Everything looks so pretty! It sounds like you had a great day! Looking forward to seeing how your night ends. I'm glad your arm is feeling a bit better.

thanks! we did.

Beautifull picutes Dawn!!
I love the one of you and Ray infront of the "ball".
Luke with the nutcracker was hilarious!

thanks! that's one of my favorites too. and those pictures of luke are just so funny - they really show his personality!

Dawn... Awesome pictures and video. Definitely made me want to be there. Luke is a crackup LOL. I love the colors in yours and Ray's photopass picture. I can't wait to go to the world. I've got two years to go!!! As long as school doesn't suck all of my money out of me!!?!

thanks! hang in there with school - it's expensive but it's an experience you don't want to give up. disney will come soon enough. i will be there in 2 years, too! well, actually it's 1 year, 10 months and 1 week and 5 days, but who's counting?

Hey Dawn - I can't believe I missed so many pages!

First, and most importantly, - how's your arm? I hope it's ok!

How wonderful that you're getting a trip to NYC - THE greatest city in the world! I miss it so much - miss the pizza, the shopping, the bagels, the street vendors! OMG - you will have a blast. I'll throw out one recommendation for dinner - Patsy's. It's an italien restaurant up on 58th, I think, between 7th and 8th. Anyway, it may be a little out of the way but sooooo good!

Loved your pix at Epcot. Germany is beautiful at night! And I love your shots in front of the archway and those white light trees. So festsive!

And, yes - yesterday was a very historic and wonderful day. Here's to a new and brighter future!

And, on a side note to MeMom: loved the idea of that invention of yours! Get working on it, will ya?

thanks! see above post about my arm. it's doing better. i'm really excited about NYC! i will definitely add patsy's to my list. thanks for the tip!

about memom's idea - i told her i'd help fund it as long as she promised me a DVC membership and annual passes when she gets rich from her invention!

Hey Dawn! Now that I finally have access to the internet everyday I can keep up with everyone's report. Brooklynn and I have spent the afternoon reading the whole thing. She really enjoyed your videos. She said that was her Epcot and she lives there everyday. I think MeMom and I have officially warped her.

hey, jill! so glad you can join in the fun!!! i'm so happy that you and brooklynn enjoyed the videos. that really made me smile! and don't worry - you've warped her in a good way!

GREAT update and pics!!! Isn't Epcot gorgeous at night? And with the holiday lights it just makes it so magical! Oh my gosh...the gangster pictures..... Love it! Can't wait for your next update!

thanks! yes, i just love it at night! we are such thugs - watch out now!

Dawn I love your videos! They make me feel like I'm there Great gangsta pics too, you guys are very thug-ish Poor Luke you can tell hes getting tired but hes being a trooper!

thanks! me too - i love watching them! don't you think we're such hardcore thugs? um....yeah.

Great updates! You have awesome night time pictures of Epcot! Luke is so funny!

thanks!

 

[punkin413]

Another awesome update! What great photopass pictures, and I must say Luke is just too cute. He looks like quite the charmer!

thanks! yes, and luke KNOWS he's a charmer, too!

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

I suppose. I guess if we really want a professional shot I set it up myself or hire someone to take them of us. I only get Photopass for the borders.

 

[troobabiee7]

So when do we get to this mysterious bloody nose?? (That smiley cracks me up!)

 

[VandyFan10]

ray doesn't have any interest in going, either. hey, maybe you and i can go together someday!

I would love that. I've got a couple of girlfriends that always say they want to go so I guess we are just going to have to PLAN it!!

Right now I'm to worried about getting back to Disney at christmas time

But if someone 'falls out' you know who to call

I de-boned and skinned some chicken breast today................it reminded me of you and your arm fat.

Oh I about spit my drink all over the computer

I love this picture!!!

We were so stupid we saw a lot of the countries but never actually went up to that tree and looked at it. There is one evening I can think of that we would have had time but didn't think of it.....
Oh well

then i called erica since i had a few minutes to kill and figured she'd be at home on a thursday night! anna walked up as i was on the phone....

HI!!

 

[punkin413]

hello from atlanta! ray's company is doing a stock market seminar down here tomorrow and saturday and he has to be here to help them with the computer stuff. so i'm keeping him company. it's a little adventure to atlanta! hey, it's something to do! the boys are staying with ray's mom until saturday. anyway, just thought i'd say hello!

I suppose. I guess if we really want a professional shot I set it up myself or hire someone to take them of us. I only get Photopass for the borders.

i love the borders too! i had fun with them on this trip.....as you will see.

So when do we get to this mysterious bloody nose?? (That smiley cracks me up!)

i shall not reveal my surprises!!!! you will just have to wait and see. and just FYI - you're gonna be waiting awhile. it was one of the last things that happened. what a finale!

I would love that. I've got a couple of girlfriends that always say they want to go so I guess we are just going to have to PLAN it!!

Right now I'm to worried about getting back to Disney at christmas time

But if someone 'falls out' you know who to call

for sure! i will definitely let you know if we have a traveler bail on us. keep me updated with your disney plans - i have to live vicariously through you if you go this year!

I love this picture!!!

We were so stupid we saw a lot of the countries but never actually went up to that tree and looked at it. There is one evening I can think of that we would have had time but didn't think of it.....
Oh well

well, we actually hadn't PLANNED on going by there until later that night. but anna wanted to go back through morocco, france, england and canada because they had literally ran through them trying to make our dinner reservation in japan. so it just sort of worked out that we went there sooner and i'm glad we did - we had the rest of the night to enjoy WS! i'm sure you'll see it next time.

 

[troobabiee7]

i shall not reveal my surprises!!!! you will just have to wait and see. and just FYI - you're gonna be waiting awhile. it was one of the last things that happened. what a finale!

Sounds good! And have fun in Atlanta!

 

[hlrababy]

Awww, have fun in Atlanta!!!!!!

 

[lmillercrew]

Oooohhhh. I want to go to Atlanta! I've told my DH, in the last couple of weeks, that I want to live in Atlanta. How far is it to Disney, do you know?? It just seems like the perfect weather.

 

[punkin413]

Sounds good! And have fun in Atlanta!

thanks!

Awww, have fun in Atlanta!!!!!!

thanks! i bet i'm not too far from you. i'm near the airport.

Oooohhhh. I want to go to Atlanta! I've told my DH, in the last couple of weeks, that I want to live in Atlanta. How far is it to Disney, do you know?? It just seems like the perfect weather.

ugh....i wouldn't live here if you paid me! the traffic is HORRIBLE. no way. i'm happy being far enough away to be in the country but close enough to just hop on the interstate and be there in 45 minutes. plus i have stuff in all directions: i'm 20 minutes from athens, 20 minutes from gainesville, 20 minutes from a really nice mall and 15 minutes from a huge outlet mall.

well, from my house disney world is exactly 500 miles (on the nose) and it takes us about 7.5 hours (sometimes less) to get there. cut about an hour off that because i live almost an hour north of atlanta.

 

[VandyFan10]

Have a great time in Hotlanta....although I bet it's not very hot right now

Talk to you soon....go eat at Cheesecake Factory!!

 

[MeMom]

I would love that. I've got a couple of girlfriends that always say they want to go so I guess we are just going to have to PLAN it!!

A bunch of our teachers are always talking about it, too. One day, we just have to sit down and really start the planning and do it! I hope your girl trip works out, too!

hello from atlanta! anyway, just thought i'd say hello!

Hello back!

Have a good time! It's fun to go anywhere different just for a change in routine.

 

[englishrose47]

The Gal who is going with us in Sept. called me yesterday to tell me she just discovered something where you can get pix taken at Disney . She thought she had stumbled on something I didn't know about !! It was funny as I explained Photopass to her and said I had planed for us to split the cost of a cd and told her about all the neat little add ons they do !!

 

[lmillercrew]

It sounds like you are in the best kind of location. That's kinda how Toledo is. Except, Toledo sucks, it's cold here and your towns are minutes away, not hours. The unemployment here is growing so badly. Anyway, we are 2 hours from Cleveland, 2 hours from Columbus, 4 hours to Cincinnati, 4 hours to Chicago, and 45 min to Detroit.
I WISH I lived 7.5 hours away. I wouldn't have to worry about airfare that way.
Thanks for answering my questions!

 

[KittyKat08]

Hi! Just read your entire TR so far. I really like your pictures, keep up the good work. Oh and I can't wait to hear about your NYC trip, I LOVE IT THERE!