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

[lmillercrew]

It's o.k. Dawn. I feel the same way!! Just when I get caught up, I fall SO far behind once again.

 

[Sunset Cliffs]

Hi there! We just got back from our trip and I have had some catching up to do myself. I just finished reading all of your updates, so here some thoughts (sorry so random).

First of all, SO sorry about Lucy. It looks like she was such a sweet dog. Our dogs are very much a part of our family so I can understand how hard that must have been.

Luke's birthday looks like so much fun. He looks like a happy little boy in all of those pics.

The castle lighting is amazing! How lucky for you to see it in person. Thank you for taking the time to post the video.

Last, we were on our trip in Orlando when MJ died. It was very surreal and everyone was talking about it everywhere we went at WDW. People were all very sad, and I think it was nice that people were remembering him for his positives and not the negatives.

 

[jlindemer]

I started your TR yesterday, and have read all of your updates (I will admit, I skipped over most of the replies). I have laughed and cried with you over your last six months. I am so glad that things are working out for your brother, and I am even more happy that your next trip is going to be here before you know it!

We are going Dec. 23-Jan 3 & I am so glad I was able to see all of the decorations, etc. I know exactly what I need to add to my itinerary!

Thanks Dawn!

 

[MeMom]

hey, guys! i just wanted to take the chance to tell those of you who have TRs going on that i'm so sorry i've been MIA for the past week! it seems like since march i've been so behind on the disboards and just when i feel like i'm getting caught up, something happens in real life that puts me behind again. these past few days have been CRAZY so once again i'm way behind. i will catch up with all of you....promise!

Stupid real life.

Don't worry about us. You know how slow I am at getting updates up, anyway. You can be gone a while and not miss much.

However, I am working faster right now trying to finish up the March trip in the next three weeks so that we can concentrate on the new trip. I need to finish it up in the next week and then devote some time to my grad course and try to get that behind me, too.

Have a fun Fourth of July weekend!

 

[LISAMWDW]

Don't you hate it when real life gets in the way of Disney?

 

[punkin413]

wow.....i'm way behind on the responses!!! sorry. i'm having wisdom tooth issues now just when i thought life was going back to normal! i'm scheduled to have them taken out next friday but two days ago the upper right one started hurting and it's just gotten worse. today i woke up and my cheek is swollen. so i called my dentist and his office said it sounded like it was infected. the problem is he's out of town on vacation so he couldn't call in an antibiotic for me. after calling several people to try to help me (including erica - thank you!!!!!), his office got in touch with him and he called me in a prescription. i just took it so hopefully by tomorrow morning i'll start to feel better.

Hmmm the capsule should dissolve if it will dissolve in your stomach. Maybe that's the point. The acid in the vinegar is almost the same as stomach acid. You can check if your vinegar is still active by dropping a little baking soda in it - you remember the volcano from grade school? Maybe it is old

i got some new vinegar and some a new prenatal because the other one was not helping in the potty department. this new one dissolved right at 20 minutes.

All caught up - all the babies are so cute! I'm glad you got to spend time with Miss Margot - she is really precious! You will have a hard time not buying out the Disney store for her - I know I do with Miss Londynn.

Nice MVMCP pics so far! You did a great job with the castle light up! Your Ray is so sweet - you have a keeper

oh, i've already spoiled her rotten! i agree about my keeper.

Just gorgeous! I saw it a couple of nights later.... Christmas is the best time. I just LOVE it! Your pictures are fabulous!

thanks! it really is such a great time to go.

Crazy ladies dancing....

Can't wait

sorry you've had to wait so long for the crazy ladies!

Thank goodness Anna, Chris, and Luke got there in time so you could see the show!

The pictures and video from the Castle Lighting show are wonderful! I got goosebumps watching the castle "turn on."

i know....i was worried they'd miss it! and you can see why i didn't want them to. it's beautiful!

I love the castle pictures! It looks so pretty! One day I hope to be there around Christmas time! Hmm....maybe our next trip could be at Christmas time. But, that is still several years away!

thanks! i hope you get to go one day at christmas. it really so pretty!

Wow, so pretty!! You're still really, really making me want to go to Disney at Christmas!!!

Were the crowds crazy!? I think I could put up with it though, for the prettiness of the Christmas lights and decorations!!

i hope you get to go at christmas time someday. you'd LOVE it! no, the crowds weren't too, too bad. more than i saw in september or april/may but nothing unmanageable. the worse crowds we saw were at DHS on friday. but i think that was just a fluke thing. i think the first/second week of december is probably the best time.

 

[punkin413]

Your pictures bring tears to my eyes. I love how beautiful the castle looks in those lights. I hope they keep that decor around a few more years because I think it will be 2011 before I get a chance to be there in person.

awwww....thanks! i can't imagine that they'd get rid of the castle lights. everyone loves them so much!

How cool you got to watch the lighting up ceremony, when I was there I managed to be at the back of the castle when it happened

i'm sure you will get to see it someday from the front. but you've stayed IN the castle so that beats seeing the show for sure!

oh i love it!! such great memories...i just adored being there at christmas time...thank you for bringing me back!

you're welcome!

The castle is beautiful all lit up, and the show is very cute. It mesmerizes little girls and boys and brings chills to grown-ups. The whole thing is very well done and makes December trips so special. It's nice that you have the video so that you can have that few moments in time over again and again.

oh, i just loved it. it was soooooooo pretty and was the one thing i had to see while i was there (well, that and the osborne lights).

I think most of us know your last name. Are you sure you didn't do any rolling stops?

only my facebook friends know my last name! i'm not positive i didn't but i just don't think i did considered i've been driving for 17 years now and i've never gotted cited for running a stop sign.

Fantastic Update!

I share your DH's frustration over the children on shoulders thing. It is so rude. We had that happen to us recently at the Disneyland fireworks. We had a perfect view then a man puts his child on his shoulders. When we hold our children up we hold them at our waist. It just isn't fair to hold your children higher than the crowd when there are hundreds of people behind you.

I can't wait to see the castle lighting in person. It looks just amazing.

Looking forward to your next update of MVMCP!

thanks! thank you for being considerate with your kids! some people forget common decency in order to make sure their kid is up front and sees everything. i hope you get to see the castle lighting in person!

OMG that castle is just amazing! I got chills watching your videos of the lighting show. I can't wait to see it in just 5 more months! LOL

How cute of Ray to smooch you Sounds like a perfect night so far to me.

glad you enjoyed the video! you get to see it this year!!!!

Ooh! I looks so pretty!! I can't wait to see it. I am looking forward to the rest of what you thought of MVMCP. I can't decide if we should go or not. So many people have said it was elbow to elbow people and they wouldn't do it again. I am eager to see if you thought it was worth it.

just make sure you don't go on a discount night for passholders/florida residents. that always makes it more crowded. our night wasn't a discounted night and it was fine. i didn't notice crowds at all!

so so pretty!!! I'm glad you got to see the show!!

me too! and yes, it was beautiful!

Amen sister!

I LOVED him as a kid. I remember dancing to Thriller over and over and over again. From the 15 times I've seen that video just tonight I find myself doing that dance in my head seeing it so many times.

It's really weird b/c not caring about him for so long, today brings back so many memories of how much I really enjoyed watching him.

I hope all of his friends and family can find some peace, and to add to that along with him....Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett.

And here at home we had a Metro officer that got shot on the job. He is in critical condition and hopefully will be ok.

I say a little prayer for him and for all of these celeb's and their families....it's been a strange day for sure

it's so odd that ed mcmahon, farrah fawcett, michael jackson AND billy mays all died around the same time. such a side time! i hope your police officer is okay. let me know!

RIP Michael - I remember sitting in my room watching the Grammies and being so excited every time he won! I just loved the Thriller album!

me too and i still have it! i just don't know where it is.

On a happier note



AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely incredible......gives me chills just looking at your pics of the show again. I can't believe I'm going to be able to SEE IT AGAIN!!!!!

glad you enjoyed them! you get to see it soon!!!

man that castle lighting is amazing. I hope they have that again this Christmas...but did they only do it on MVMCP nights??? *not the stage show, the actual lights on the castle*

LOVED the videos!

no, they do it every night. just check the DIS around mid-november. people will start commenting when they start the show. last year it was at 6:30 every night but the year before that it was at 5:45 so it could change again. but it's every night, not just MVMCP nights.

Like Erica said..Amen sister!!! I was very saddened by this when I saw the news as we were leaving for Hollie's VBS parents night. As we got in the car to leave, I had tears in my eyes!! I had to make Chad get my mind off of it by saying something totally goofy! I have sat here for 2 hours watching news reports and watching a special on CBS about him. RIP Michael and Farrah!

i cried the day after when i was listening to some old CDs of his. he was just such a big part of most of our lives!

 

[punkin413]

Great pics of the party and castle lighting. Those are some cute baby pics too Dawn! Margot is a doll!

thanks! i agree about margot but i'm a little biased.

It is sad about MJ, Dawn. I feel like his life was so crazy from the age of 7 that he couldn't ever turn out "normal." I feel really bad for his family.

Okay, when I was in middle school, he was 12 like me, and the song was "ABC, 123" (I'm actually not sure of the title, just the words.)

Loved "Man in the Mirror" and of course "Thriller" was fun, but I was already a mom, so I didn't learn the dance - it looks like lots of fun on 13 Going on 30. Wasn't Michael responsible for the "We are the World" CD, too?

i agree.....there's no way he could've turned out normal. i think it's kind of telling that he didn't leave his dad anything in his will. i have "the essential michael jackson" and ABC is on there so i'm very familiar! yes, he was responsible for "we are the world." i think i was 8 years old when that came out and i loved it!

First of all, your castle lighting photos are gorgeous! I hope I get to see them one day.

Your Michael Jackson post was really nice. I was in 6th grade when Thriller came out and it was the first pop album I owned. There are lots of fun memories there. It's strange to know that a big part of my childhood is gone. He was a tragic figure with a great talent. RIP.

thanks! so true about part of our childhood being gone. it's so sad!

Thanks for the great update! I haven't been to the Christmas party in years! I think my daughter was 4 or 5, she is 12 now!

Also, thanks for the great tribute to MJ! I'm also a child of the 80's. He will be missed!

you're welcome! maybe you'll get back for the holidays sometime. MJ will definitely be missed. i wonder if we'll ever really know what happened.

I love the castle lights! I was also around the Plaza when it was lit. It was beautiful to see, but it was hard to hear anything. Next time I want to be close enough to hear everything.

I too loved MJ when I was a kid. We listened to him all the way on a 10 hour trip to FL on a vacation with my grandparents one year. I am sure they enjoyed that.

it was a cute little show! i bet you guys were screaming the MJ songs from the back seat on that trip!

Those castle pics really make me want to take a Christmas trip!

The whole story of Michael Jackson was just sad. I spent an hour last night on the phone with my 2 best friends remembering our childhood. Discussing how we had the Thriller ALBUM...and We Are The World on '45. He's one of those artists that when you hear a song on the radio you just have to sing along. I just hope that his family can keep his children as far from all the craziness as possible!

it is so pretty there at christmas!

me too! i feel so bad for his kids. i hope his mom is able to give them sort of a normal life.

I'm a "little bit" older then you and was already out in the dance club scene when that Mowtown 25th anniversary show aired. You have no idea how much that performance rocked our world !

oh, i'm sure! i bet you guys were mastering the moon walk left and right.

MJ.....oh reminds me of countless dorm parties in the early 80s!!!! So sad....

good times, good times.....

First off I agree completly with your post about MJ. My friends and I would play Donkey Kong on my ColecoVision and listen to my Thriller album over and over again while waiting for the school bus. Those castle pictures are the most beautifull I have ever seen. Do they only do the lighting show at MVMCP?

sounds like fun!

thanks about the pictures! last year and the year before they did it every not, not just on MVMCP nights. this past year they did it at 6:30 and the party started at 7:00 so people who weren't going to the party could see it, too.

So sad No performer will ever compare to MJ. He is a legend and changed music forever, in a good way.

I remember when they remade the song! I danced to the original in a dance recital when I was like 8 and then when I was a freshmen in high school my dance team did our pep rally dance to the remake. Such a great song! One radio station was playing the original while i was driving to work this morning and I couldn't help but get a little choked up

i love that song, both versions!

Its very understandable!! I feel the same way, I can't get caught up fast enough!

real life stinks sometimes!

No worries Dawn - keeping up on TR's is like a full time job - LOL!

seriously!!!! especially when you're writing 3.

After a week of being back, I'm finally feeling caught up with things! Phew!

It was really great to meet you too, and I'm sure we'll see more of each other around the boards Maybe someday our paths will even cross on a trip?

Love your castle shots- sorta makes me "homesick".

Liesa

oh, hi!!!! i'm so glad you came by! it was so nice to meet you too. we're not going back until december 2010 so keep that in mind! we're taking some time off disney to start a family.

I am getting married on Michael Jackson's Birthday!!! August 29!!! How funny. I didn't even realize it until I read your post!!!!


The Castle Lighting Show is adorable. I love Cinderella.

cool! that's also my brother's birthday! i hope your wedding is everything you dream it will be!

 

[punkin413]

It's o.k. Dawn. I feel the same way!! Just when I get caught up, I fall SO far behind once again.

glad you guys understand!

Hi there! We just got back from our trip and I have had some catching up to do myself. I just finished reading all of your updates, so here some thoughts (sorry so random).

First of all, SO sorry about Lucy. It looks like she was such a sweet dog. Our dogs are very much a part of our family so I can understand how hard that must have been.

Luke's birthday looks like so much fun. He looks like a happy little boy in all of those pics.

The castle lighting is amazing! How lucky for you to see it in person. Thank you for taking the time to post the video.

Last, we were on our trip in Orlando when MJ died. It was very surreal and everyone was talking about it everywhere we went at WDW. People were all very sad, and I think it was nice that people were remembering him for his positives and not the negatives.

thanks about lucy! she was such a sweet girl. you're welcome about the video. i knew a lot of you would enjoy it so no problem! oh, being on vacation when that happened was really odd, i bet!

I started your TR yesterday, and have read all of your updates (I will admit, I skipped over most of the replies). I have laughed and cried with you over your last six months. I am so glad that things are working out for your brother, and I am even more happy that your next trip is going to be here before you know it!

We are going Dec. 23-Jan 3 & I am so glad I was able to see all of the decorations, etc. I know exactly what I need to add to my itinerary!

Thanks Dawn!

oh, no worries about the replies. i don't read all those either on other people's reports! just don't have the time. you are so sweet....thanks for your kind words! i bet you guys will have a blast in december!!!! the new years fireworks are just awesome! i saw them on a live webcast last year but i'm sure it's nothing like being there.

Stupid real life.

Don't worry about us. You know how slow I am at getting updates up, anyway. You can be gone a while and not miss much.

However, I am working faster right now trying to finish up the March trip in the next three weeks so that we can concentrate on the new trip. I need to finish it up in the next week and then devote some time to my grad course and try to get that behind me, too.

Have a fun Fourth of July weekend!

are you kidding me? you are TR speed writing queen! i can't believe you guys are leaving in three weeks. LUCKIES! you guys have a good weekend too! i just hope i can eat by tomorrow with this stupid tooth!

Don't you hate it when real life gets in the way of Disney?

YES!!!! the nerve of real life!!!!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Oh, I hope your tooth feels better soon! Once that antibiotic kicks in, you should!

 

[tinkgurl]

Hey Dawn! It was so good to meet you! I'll be starting my TR tomorrow hopefully!

 

[punkin413]

first i wanted to share a picture of the AWESOME throw i got during this trip as i promised you guys i would ages ago. i LOVE it - it's soooooo soft! i keep it in my guest room so the dogs won't lay on it and when i need it i just run in there and get it, then put it up when i'm done.

on with the trip!

there will be no updates with anna, chris and luke here because she didn't have any pictures for this time period. i'm sure they were shopping or something.

after the castle lighting show ray and i were starving since we hadn't eaten anything since breakfast that morning, so we headed to cosmic ray's for dinner. we both got burgers and grabbed a table outside because it was so nice out that night.

here's my burger. i think ray had gone in to put toppings on his when i took this and i didn't remember to get a pic of his when he came back.

while we were eating the party "officially" started. goofy and pluto walked right past our table and into cosmic ray's to start their dance party. so much fun! i snapped these when we went inside to throw our trash away.

as we were walking away i texted chris to tell him that goofy and pluto were at cosmic ray's doing a dance party and he responded by saying, "so are we." so we must have just missed them!

as we headed towards the teacups i saw the queen of hearts. i was really happy to see her because when erica and i went to MNSSHP back in september she was the only villian i didn't get to meet at the villians mix and mingle show.

we made our way deeper into fantasyland and saw donald at the christmas tree lot.....

i have to share this video. the beginning is of the queen of hearts and me meeting her. but the second half is donald. listen to the song playing in the background. it's "the 12 days of christmas," the disney version. donald's line is "four calling birds" and EVERY time that part plays he nods his head and waves his hands like he's singing it. it was SO FUNNY!!!!! me and ray were cracking up at him.



after cracking up at donald, we made our way over to the dance party near ariel's grotto. this was anastasia, drizella and lady tremaine's dance party and i definitely wanted to check it out since the stepsisters are two of my favorite characters. i'm glad i did! they were hysterical!

right after we walked up they started dancing with two guys to "staying alive."

here's the video.....



you'll see at the end they start doing the hokey pokey. well, i coudn't resist....i had to join them! i ended up doing the hokey pokey RIGHT NEXT to lady tremaine.

she was so stoic.....she'd barely move when she put "whatever" in and put "whatever" out. it was funny.

here's the video. you will see me just to the left of lady tremaine. i don't know how she never cracks a smile!



after that the DJ started playing, "i like to move it, move it," which the crowd loved! the stepsisters have some sweet moves!

this video is great! ray was just standing there filming and lady tremaine starts walking towards him and these two men try to start dancing with her. she turns around and goes, "EXCUSE ME!!!!!" it's hilarious!



the dance party with them was really fun!

next up....making friends with a BEAST!

 

[jlindemer]

first i wanted to share a picture of the AWESOME throw i got during this trip as i promised you guys i would ages ago. i LOVE it - it's soooooo soft! i keep it in my guest room so the dogs won't lay on it and when i need it i just run in there and get it, then put it up when i'm done.

Ok, WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS! It's awesome & do you remember how much it was?

 

[Lamping3]

The party looks great! You might have me rethinking not going for our December trip!

 

[pmama]

You are so much fun!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Okay, that's it, I have found my future job at Disney -- I want to be one of the stepsisters! They have too much fun!

 

[MaceysMom]

The Characters are so cute. Especially the stepsisters, they look like so much fun.

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

My mom bought that throw. Wish I had gotten one! Those step sisters are a trip aren't they?

 

[Spartangirl]

The dance party with the stepsisters looked like a blast! Love how you got out there to dance too!!!

 

[Sunset Cliffs]

The stepsister's party looks like so much fun. Those 2 guys look like really good sports to dance with them to Stayin' Alive w/ everyone watching. How funny!