A year without Disney? Who am I kidding?!(a PTR) LINK TO TR!

[DisneyCrafter]

So I’ve spent the last week or so reworking our ADR’s. Since we added the cruise, I hadn’t really changed much, only the important ones but now I think we are set. I do have one question that I would definitely appreciate your suggestions on!

On Thursday September 30 (Arrival Day), we have a 915PM ADR at:

California Grill

*This is where I’m considering switching. It would be nice to eat somewhere within walking distance from the Dolphin (our resort) but I don’t necessarily want to replace CG with something equal in price. We’ve never eaten here, though, and I really would like to. The desserts look especially appealing. I’m considering putting San Angel here instead and just eating at the Food & Wine Festival for dinner on Tuesday. (The day that San Angel is now.) But then I am conflicted about what to do for dinner on Wednesday. (The day that I have us scheduled to eat at the Food & Wine Festival for dinner.) I could move CG here. OR Cape May Café Buffet is on my lists of places to try as well so I could always put that on our arrival day or Wednesday. Then that takes away CG, though, and I’m not sure that I’m okay with that. BUT-We are eating at Narcossee’s and I want to eat there more than CG, so I’m not canceling that ADR. Decisions, Decisions, and Options!!! What do you think? *

On Saturday October 1 (Universal Studios Day), we have a 7PM ADR at:

Portobello in Downtown Disney

There are several things on the menu that caught my eye and I’m not into the loudness of many places in DTD.

On Sunday October 2 (Hollywood Studios PM EMH Day), we have a 445PM ADR at:

Sci-Fi Dine In

I originally booked this for later but then Greg told me he wants to see Fantasmic so we’ll have an early dinner here, fit in an attraction or two and then head over to the theatre.

On Monday October 3 (Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom PM EMH Day), we have two ADRS:

Lunch at 12PM at:

Yak & Yeti

Dinner at 725PM at:

Narcoossee’s

On Tuesday October 4 (Typhoon Lagoon and Epcot PM EMH Day), we have two ADRs as well:

Breakfast at 10AM at:

Olivias Café at Old Key West Resort

The banana bread french toast and strawberries with cream are enough to seal the deal on this place!

Dinner at 8PM at:

San Angel Inn

I know this place gets a lot of mixed reviews but we had lunch here last October and we loved every bite. We didn’t care for the dessert but being that we are paying OOP we don’t have to worry about wasting $ (or food) by getting dessert.

On Wednesday October 5 (Magic Kingdom and Epcot Day), we have a 1230PM ADR at:

Liberty Tree Tavern

I was able to fit it in! I really want to try the fried cheese and the ooey gooey toffee cake! Yum!

On Thursday October 6 (Cruise Embarkation Day), we have a 9AM ADR at:

Grand Floridian Café

On Sunday October 9 (Epcot and Magic Kingdom Day), we have a 655PM ADR at:

Ohana

We ended our last trip with dinner at Ohana and it fit perfectly here this evening. I think it may become a tradition!

Lastly (and very sadly), on Monday October 10 (Departure Day), we have a 1030AM ADR at:

Boma

We’ve eaten here every trip and we absolutely love it. It’s a must-do for us!

There you have it! Lot’s of ADRs but I am definitely a foodie so I like the sit down meals. I’m sweating thinking about the $$$ we’ll spend on these meals already, however.

 

[Nermel9]

Your ADR's look great!

I wish I could give you advice about your arrival day/CG...but it sounds like the problems I'm having with my ADR's, so I feel I'm the last person that should be giving advice! It just seems like you really want to try CG, so you might as well just go for it!

 

[Joyciemc]

I really, really love California Grill so that gets my vote
You have to at least try it once!

All of your ADRs look great!!

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

I'm going to agree and say keep Cali Grill. I always like to start and end a trip with a great meal, and I think that CG is a great way to start.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

Your ADR's look great!

I wish I could give you advice about your arrival day/CG...but it sounds like the problems I'm having with my ADR's, so I feel I'm the last person that should be giving advice! It just seems like you really want to try CG, so you might as well just go for it!

I think we're just going to keep it!

I really, really love California Grill so that gets my vote
You have to at least try it once!

All of your ADRs look great!!

I've been wanting to try it since our honeymoon. I actually had it booked for our honeymoon but wanted to get a later time closer to when we left but there wasn't an available time so we ended up at Citrico's. Which was great but I still want to try CG!

I'm going to agree and say keep Cali Grill. I always like to start and end a trip with a great meal, and I think that CG is a great way to start.

I feel like starting with CG will put DH and I right into vacation mode. I'm really excited for the amazing dinners we'll have on this vacation between the cruise and WDW-we're going to be spoiled!

 

[DisneyCrafter]

My newest craft endeavor is Digital Scrapbooking. I must say that I really enjoy it. I love scrapbooking but I hate that in order to work on an album I have to pretty much make a mess. Most times when I'm feeling like scrapbooking, by the time I get everything out and ready, I don't feel like it anymore. I even moved all of my supplies from the 2nd bedroom back out to the loft/office area and I was inspired-once. With digital scrapbooking, though, there's NO mess, no clutter, no space needed. (Well, except for the memory on my computer ) Anyway, I thought I'd share the first few pages I've completed. It loads pictures really slow so I don't have many completed yet, so I think I may need to have my computer optimized by my DBIL again to ensure it's working as quickly as possible. These are all from our October 2010 trip! I really like them! Especially the Grand Floridian Page, that's my favorite of the 3. What do you think?

 

[DisMomAmy]

Wow - I love your scrapbook pages.

How does that work? Do you use a website to build the pages then order them? I could totally get into that! I just don't have the space for scrapbooking... I make calendars for my mother & MIL every year at Christmas time but would love to do some stuff for myself to get the pictures out of the computer. I bring all of my supplies up from the basement every fall to make the calendars & end up living in a messy bedroom for months!

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

Digital scrapbooking sounds like a great idea! I like that it's less messier, like you mentioned. Is it any cheeper? I've only made one scrapbook and while I really enjoyed making it, it was so expensive!

 

[mackenziec123]

Sounds like y'all will have so much fun! I can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[DisneyCrafter]

Wow - I love your scrapbook pages.

How does that work? Do you use a website to build the pages then order them? I could totally get into that! I just don't have the space for scrapbooking... I make calendars for my mother & MIL every year at Christmas time but would love to do some stuff for myself to get the pictures out of the computer. I bring all of my supplies up from the basement every fall to make the calendars & end up living in a messy bedroom for months!

Thanks! Actually, I created those using scrapbook software that I picked up for $30 at Best Buy! You can find free downloads (backgrounds, graphics, etc.) all over the internet-and there are even downloads that you pay a one time fee for to keep (i.e. Disney themed-those you can't find for free). It's definitely worth it for me! My laptop is currently getting a new hard-drive and I'm so anxious to get it back so I can make more pages!

You can make 8x11 pages that you can print out yourself or shutterfly/snapfish have an option for you to download your pages to their website and you can order an album through them. I'm not exactly sure how it works, I'll cross that bridge when I have an album done.

Digital scrapbooking sounds like a great idea! I like that it's less messier, like you mentioned. Is it any cheeper? I've only made one scrapbook and while I really enjoyed making it, it was so expensive!

I love that it doesn't create a mess. As far as being cheaper-the program I purchased itself cost $30. However, you can find downloads to add to your collection for $ (or free) on the internet by doing a search (i.e. google). It does cost to have the pages printed (8x11 or smaller you can print on your own printer) and shutterfly/snapfish have options to download your pages to their website to be printed for a fee. They run specials all the time on books so I'd wait for a sale and order my books then.

Sounds like y'all will have so much fun! I can't wait to hear all about it!

Thanks. I can't wait to go!!!

 

[DisneyCrafter]

This past weekend was Greg and I's 2nd anniversary and we spent it in Pigeon Forge, TN in a cabin. It was very romantic-perfect for an anniversary trip! It was my first time seeing mountains (besides from the hotel room in Las Vegas). There was an outlet mall there and I had to stop in the Disney store where we ended up each picking out a t-shirt that was only $5.99!

Now, I'm not one to wear Disney shirts every day while in WDW but I am slowly starting the collection and pretty soon I don't think that I'll have a problem wearing one every day when we are on vacation!

I also made our Fish Extender for our cruise. I didn't feel much like using the sewing machine so I headed over to Michael's and purchased some felt and fusible adhesive.

I actually love the way it turned out and I can't wait to hang it!

Another update is coming soon, I promise!

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

Happy 2nd anniversary! Cute shirts! And I will admit, I have no idea what a fish extender is, but yours looks great!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Happy Anniversary!! Cute shirts!

I love the Fish Extender. I've read about them before but still don't completely understand... Is it like a Secret Santa type of thing?

 

[Nermel9]

I love the Minnie shirt! And I don't know what a fish extender is either, but it looks really cute! Do you hang it on your door or something?

 

[DisneyCrafter]

Happy 2nd anniversary! Cute shirts! And I will admit, I have no idea what a fish extender is, but yours looks great!

Thank you.

A fish extender is something you hang off of the fish next to your door and you go around each day and put gifts in each other's fish extenders. (Those that are participating.)

Happy Anniversary!! Cute shirts!

I love the Fish Extender. I've read about them before but still don't completely understand... Is it like a Secret Santa type of thing?

In a way but everyone gives everyone little gifts each day of the cruise and they go in the Fish Extender.

I love the Minnie shirt! And I don't know what a fish extender is either, but it looks really cute! Do you hang it on your door or something?

Thanks! You hang it on a fish next to your door and those participating come around each day and give you a gift.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

I’ve been pretty MIA this week b/c I’ve been dealing with a health problem that consumed me with worry. Please do NOT search your symptoms on the computer, they will make you think you have a life threatening disease. Pretty much the Dr. assumed I had a UTI but when the test came back negative, I had to go back for another test, this came back negative for blood as well as excess glucose and protein. So now, I can breathe. My kidneys are fine! Anyway…

This week to keep myself busy I decided to bake my first pie from scratch. I think it turned out really great!

My DMIL gave me this “no fail” pie crust recipe. It works great, the only thing is it has shortening in it so it’s not the most health conscious recipe. Okay in moderation, though!

Also this week (aside from cleaning my house top to bottom), I went coupon shopping with 2 papers worth of coupons. First I went to Walgreens and came home with this:

Then later I went to CVS and came home with this:

Total out of pocket cost? $53.50 but I came home with $18 in Extra Care Bucks from CVS and these can be used on pretty much anything in the store (aside from a few things such as alcohol, stamps, prescriptions). I also came home with $22 in Register Rewards from Walgreens that work the same way as CVS Extra Care Bucks only these are also accepted at Jewel! So essentially, I ended up paying $13.50 for over $150.00 worth of products! I worked the sales and used manufacturer coupons to get my total down as low as possible! The best deals were that the mouth rinse, toothbrushes, conditioner, and the Bic razors were all FREE (after coupons and ECB/RR)!!!

Today, I needed to stock up on a few things and needed just a couple of groceries, so I went to Jewel, Walgreens, and CVS. I came home with this:

Total out of pocket cost? $12.01 and I still have $2.50 in Extra Care Bucks to use at CVS. I wasn’t really concerned with sales , I just looked for the best deal on that particular product I needed. I saved over $60 on this trip. I did do one coupon deal for the meat, it was on sale BOGO Free at Jewel so I bought two and used a $2.00/1 coupon making both steaks cost a little over $2.00 each. If she would have ran the BOGO Free coupon AFTER she used 2 $2 coupons, each steak would have been a little over a $1, an even better deal! These are $6.00/lb steaks!

 

[DisneyCrafter]

Anyone out there??? I don't seem to have much of a following...

You know how I said yesterday that I could finally "breathe" b/c my second test came back normal? Well, this morning I had some more stomach area pain like I experienced last Friday so I called the doctor and now he is sending me for a CT scan. I'm a wreck to say the least. The doctor doesn't know what it is he guesses it could be gallbladder or kidney stones but who knows what else he thinks it could be that he's not telling me. If you could say a little prayer for me (if that's your thing) or keep me in your thoughts, I would really appreciate it. I worry a lot about my health in general b/c dying is my number one fear but this is just making it hard to focus on anything but this.

 

[DisneyFirefly]

I'm around, I just don't comment much

I hope the pain turns out to be nothing serious and can easily be taken care of. I don't pray, but you're in my thoughts

 

[Nermel9]

Hope everything is ok and you feel better soon!

 

[DisMomAmy]

It's been a super busy couple of weeks but baseball is over so I finally have a Saturday morning to catch up on some DISing.

I'm so sorry to hear about your health issues. I had my gallbladder out shortly after Zach was born so if that's the pain you are dealing with, I know how bad you must feel. It was the worst pain I've ever had in my life! I hope you get some answers soon & I'll definitely be thinking of you, so report back here with any news.

Great deals on the shopping!!! I've started watching that show Extreme Couponing from time to time & I'm always impressed with how much they come away with. I'd never have the time & energy to do all the preparation but it sounds like you did the same sort of thing on a smaller scale.