And THAT's when I threw up on my grandmother. p.17: We're back!

[ashleypmo]

Way too tired at the moment to put together an actual post, but I promise--no more heavy, depressing stuff!

Besides, I still have to tell you how planning a trip to Disney World is like a Christmas Tree...I said I wouldn't get depressing: I never said I wouldn't get sappy & corny!

 

[DisneyDadFaNaTic]

Glad to hear there was no tumor!! Sorry to hear about the other! I'll be praying that everything works out! A bulging disc can cause a whole lot of problems in themselves!! I'm a back pain weinie!! I've only had it out once and once was enough! Do they think that the bulging disc contributes to the headaches? My Mother had a bulging disc that was putting pressure on the sciatic nerve and would give her migraines. If I remember right it was also in her neck. Either way you are in our prayers! We will pray that a laundry fairy shows up to your house!!! Good luck! I'm normally pretty good at DOING laundry put not actually FOLDING laundry. My trick is I do all the laundry and then dump the clean clothes in front of DW's chair so that she has to fold them. For some reason she doesn't find it as funny as I do!

 

[ashleypmo]

Glad to hear there was no tumor!! Sorry to hear about the other! I'll be praying that everything works out! A bulging disc can cause a whole lot of problems in themselves!! I'm a back pain weinie!! I've only had it out once and once was enough! Do they think that the bulging disc contributes to the headaches? My Mother had a bulging disc that was putting pressure on the sciatic nerve and would give her migraines. If I remember right it was also in her neck. Either way you are in our prayers! We will pray that a laundry fairy shows up to your house!!! Good luck! I'm normally pretty good at DOING laundry put not actually FOLDING laundry. My trick is I do all the laundry and then dump the clean clothes in front of DW's chair so that she has to fold them. For some reason she doesn't find it as funny as I do!

Thanks! I sustained a pretty bad neck & back injury about 14 years ago in a automobile accident. My lower back used to bother me really badly; oddly enough, after my second pregnancy it got much better. But my neck has bothered me ever since. I always feel like it needs a good pop!

Funny--I can wash all day, too--darn that folding part! I have two baskets of clean, wadded up clothes on the school room floor at the moment. I would fold them, but the cat is so comfortable....

 

[ashleypmo]

How....

 

[ashleypmo]

'bout...

 

[ashleypmo]

them...

 

[ashleypmo]

COWBOYS!!!

 

[ashleypmo]

Sorry...I couldn't resist...

 

[ashleypmo]

So, I'm jealous.

I'm jealous because everyone else's pretrippie has all these cool pictures, and mine doesn't. DisneyDadFaNaTic has pics of his cute family, Jordan has pics of Binder, and I have NUTTIN'!

Believe me, it's not for lack of desire that I have no pics, it's because I'm....

okay, this is hard, but I can do it....deep breath in...hold it...exhale slowly...okay...I'm ready.....

It's because I'm...

a technophobe!!! There I've admitted it. There's no shame in it, right? You guys love me anyway, right? Guys? Hello?

Well, the first step is admitting you have a problem. So, how do I go about getting my pics from here (pointing at my old, falling apart camera--what's up with this new stuff that becomes old after 5 years, anyway?) to here (pointing at my computer screen)?

 

[DisneyDadFaNaTic]

Do you have a digital camera or does your camera use film? If you have your pictures printed you will need a scanner to translate them into a digital format. Once you have them in a digital format it is pretty easy. Some people use Photobucket and have their pictures stationed there. I prefer to use the DISboards own photo page. Just click on the "Photos" button in the middle of the light blue header at the top of this page. This will take you to another page where you need to click on "Members Photos". Once there you can create an account and upload your pictures to that site. You then right click on the picture, choose "properties" and copy the address it provides you. Then when you are posting on your site you start with a

. I know it sounds hard, but once you start putting up your pictures you will see how easy it is. If these directions are to unclear let me know and I will try and give you step by step instructions!!

Hope this helped a little!

 

[Shmu]

Finally caught up. LOVE your writing style.
Like how you are studying the countries of EPCOT for school. I did that with my DS and DD back in 2000 before we went. Gotta love homeschooling.

Wonderful attitude on your health issues. I'll be praying. We haven't met but we are family. Sisters in Christ.

my dad, who was Clark Griswold, only cooler.

This made me laugh. Check out our "Griswold Vacation" post. Just click on my siggy. (shameless plug. )

Glad your DH was not hurt by hitting the deer. My DH hit a buck one time and it flew over the truck. Only a small dent. God was looking out for him.

Enjoying your planning and childhood stories. Keep it up. Waiting for more.

 

[LaLaroo78]

Hey Ashley!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but you know tis the season to be extremely busy!

I'm glad to hear that there was no tumor. Please keep us posted on the other. Please take care of yourself.
You know I will continue to keep you in my prayers.

So why is planning a trip to Disney World like a Christmas tree? Inquiring minds want to know

Until next time......Take care!

~Michele

 

[jordanyosh]

So, I'm jealous.

I'm jealous because everyone else's pretrippie has all these cool pictures, and mine doesn't. DisneyDadFaNaTic has pics of his cute family, Jordan has pics of Binder, and I have NUTTIN'!

Believe me, it's not for lack of desire that I have no pics, it's because I'm....

okay, this is hard, but I can do it....deep breath in...hold it...exhale slowly...okay...I'm ready.....

It's because I'm...

a technophobe!!! There I've admitted it. There's no shame in it, right? You guys love me anyway, right? Guys? Hello?

Well, the first step is admitting you have a problem. So, how do I go about getting my pics from here (pointing at my old, falling apart camera--what's up with this new stuff that becomes old after 5 years, anyway?) to here (pointing at my computer screen)?

I, too, am technically challenged. However, I just have people show me or have asked here on the DIS and have eventually figured it out.

If you can figure out how to use the quotes and fonts and sizes, then figuring out how to post pix isn't much more of a stretch.

Follow DisneyDad's instructions and that should work.

I think I'm getting a digital camera for Xmas so I won't have to borrow my roommates.

Good luck. Let us know if you have any more questions.

 

[dairyqueenmom]

My 93 year old grandma can post pictures!!! Once you get a digital camera, the software they provide, anyone can do it. I have a Kodak and I have the easy share software and it is so easy to navigate. I think you can download the software for free and then get a digital cd when you print your pictures and then you can load them on your computer.

I am relieved to hear the lump in your neck is not cancer, have you got the neurologist scheduled?

 

[ashleypmo]

Do you have a digital camera or does your camera use film? If you have your pictures printed you will need a scanner to translate them into a digital format. Once you have them in a digital format it is pretty easy. Some people use Photobucket and have their pictures stationed there. I prefer to use the DISboards own photo page. Just click on the "Photos" button in the middle of the light blue header at the top of this page. This will take you to another page where you need to click on "Members Photos". Once there you can create an account and upload your pictures to that site. You then right click on the picture, choose "properties" and copy the address it provides you. Then when you are posting on your site you start with a

. I know it sounds hard, but once you start putting up your pictures you will see how easy it is. If these directions are to unclear let me know and I will try and give you step by step instructions!!

Hope this helped a little!

Thanks Roy! So cool to know! I probably won't be able to get to it until next week. Mason has a therapist coming in a little while, and that will keep us busy until after 4. Then begins the mad dash to pull everything together enough to head out of town Saturday morning.

I am a shameless procrastinator. I plan really well. I make lots of lists. Actually, I make lots of copies of the same lists over and over, because I can never find my orignal when I need it. It doesn't really matter anyway. I can have a list in front of me, read off what I need to do next, look up from the page, and then say: "Now, what the heck did I just say?" I'm hopeless!

Hopefully when we get back in town next week, I can spend some time doing the photo thing, and then I post some pics of the kids! Then my pretrippie won't have to be so jealous anymore!

 

[ashleypmo]

Finally caught up. LOVE your writing style.
Like how you are studying the countries of EPCOT for school. I did that with my DS and DD back in 2000 before we went. Gotta love homeschooling.

Wonderful attitude on your health issues. I'll be praying. We haven't met but we are family. Sisters in Christ.


This made me laugh. Check out our "Griswold Vacation" post. Just click on my siggy. (shameless plug. )

Glad your DH was not hurt by hitting the deer. My DH hit a buck one time and it flew over the truck. Only a small dent. God was looking out for him.

Enjoying your planning and childhood stories. Keep it up. Waiting for more.

Thanks Shmu! Always a blessing to meet one of the family!

BTW, it was great to come back to my pretrippie and see the new posts! We've had a few dreary, cloudy days, and our dish can't see the tower through all the clouds, so we've had no internet lately. I know--I'm dealing with the withdrawals in stride!

 

[ashleypmo]

Hey Ashley!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but you know tis the season to be extremely busy!

I'm glad to hear that there was no tumor. Please keep us posted on the other. Please take care of yourself.
You know I will continue to keep you in my prayers.

So why is planning a trip to Disney World like a Christmas tree? Inquiring minds want to know

Until next time......Take care!

~Michele

Hey Sistah! Yes, tis the season! You funny girl, you! I will do my best to take care of myself. I'm actually worried that now I'll go the other extreme: whereas I used to push myself just to prove I was WonderWoman (it takes a lot of proving, 'coz I'm only 5'3"), now I'm worried that I'll be like "Oh, gee, no...I can't overexert myself. Gotta take care of the ol' bod, ya' know!" HAHAHAHA! As if!!! With 4 kids??? You know that ain't gonna happen!

 

[ashleypmo]

If you can figure out how to use the quotes and fonts and sizes, then figuring out how to post pix isn't much more of a stretch.

Yes, but as you can see, I have not yet figured out how to multiquote! I don't even wanna know: my head might explode! And that would be one more thing to clean up, and I just don't have the time!

 

[ashleypmo]

My 93 year old grandma can post pictures!!! Once you get a digital camera, the software they provide, anyone can do it. I have a Kodak and I have the easy share software and it is so easy to navigate. I think you can download the software for free and then get a digital cd when you print your pictures and then you can load them on your computer.

I am relieved to hear the lump in your neck is not cancer, have you got the neurologist scheduled?

Your grandma ROCKS!! Okay, I'm thinkin' I can handle it....but not til next week when we get back!

Nope, haven't scheduled the neurologist yet. I needed a breather, but I do realize that with my penchant for denial, I should probably go ahead and schedule something. I just dread rehashing my whole history with yet another doc. Although maybe things will be a little easier now that there are actual photos of my brain (which I could post if I had them on my computer ...but I don't).

 

[ashleypmo]

Oh! I almost forgot (but I didn't, and that's what counts):

So, how is planning a trip to Disney World like my Christmas tree?

Well, it's like this: (kick off your shoes--this might take a while!)

Back before we had kids, we had the "perfect" Christmas tree. It was downright Martha (she's officially an adjective). Gold lame wired ribbon garlands, strands of victorian pearls. Scads of color-coordinated ornaments --glittery, yet tasteful-- in gold, silver, and cranberry. If a well-meaning friend or relative happened to give us some little tchotchky or trinket that didn't fit the theme of our tree (that theme being "sophisticated elegance"), I would grudgingly find a branch in the back of the tree facing the wall to "display" their gift. It was the perfect tree.

Then, we had a child. And another. And another. And--SURPRISE!--another. And, like most children, these precious little darlings have an affinity for things made with cotton balls, construction paper, glue sticks, and lots and lots of glitter. At first their prized creations went--you guessed it--in the back of the tree. "So we can see them through the window when we're on the back porch, dears." But year after year, as I would go through box after box of Christmas decor dutifully hauled down from the attic by hubby, I noticed something funny. It wasn't the hand-blown Polish glass ornaments that brought tears to my eyes, it was the little paper plate wreath Ethan made in out of red & green mini-cupcake tin liners. And the pipe-cleaner & bead candy canes that Ramie made before she understood what an A-B pattern is (although she did master somewhat of an A-A-A-A-B-B-AA-B-B-B-A-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B pattern). Those are the ornaments I treasure. And this year my golden garland and pearls gave way to cranberry beads, and a wooden snowflake garland (with glitter, naturally!). And there's more tchochky on my tree than you can shake a stick at. Why, the kids even made paper snowflakes (we haven't perfected the craft yet, though--they keep coming out round...) over every pane of glass in the house. And you know what? I LOVE IT!!! It's the most beautiful tree we've ever had.

Well, before we had kids, our vacations were "perfect." Planned, scheduled, and absolutely penciled out to avoid any unfortunate occurence of spontaneity whatsoever. Now, everyone's idea of the "perfect" vacation is different. To me, the perfect vacation meant complete efficiency, no strolling, ambling, gawking, and absolutely no rose-smelling. "Hurry,hurry,hurry!" That was my mantra. Fitting the maximum amount of experience into the time allotted--that's perfection! Blisters heal, and you can sleep once you get back home.

Now, if you've ever travelled to the World with kids, you know exactly where this is going....

See, the tree isn't for me--it's for the kids. I mean, we grown ups are entitled to enjoy it, too. But watching the rapt faces of my little angels in the glow of the twinkle-lights fills me with more satisfaction than my "perfect" tree ever did.

So this time around, I think we'll take things a little easier. Oh, don't get me wrong. I still intend to "do it all"--I mean, we'll be there for 9 days after all (of course it would be easier to "do it all" if we could be there for 14 days like...well, it would be tacky to mention Jordan by name, so I won't... ). But one thing having four kids has taught me (I"m sure it has taught me more than one thing, but I can only remember the one...) is that if you run through life at breakneck speed, you miss the magic. It has taught me to stop and laugh: to amble, to gawk, and yes, cliche' as it may sound, to stop and smell those proverbial roses. On the surface, I'm sure this trip won't be a showstopper. I won't get to visit all the TS restaurants I would like to sample at World Showcase. Gone are the days when we can arrive for EMH opening, switch parks after lunch to give the kids a "nap" on the bus, and stay at a second park til EMH closing time. There will probably be more than a few breaks for skinned knees, characterphobia, and general grouchiness. The kids might need a few breaks, too . There will be "perfect" photo ops in which one child smiles gleefully, two refuse to even look in the general direction of the camera, and one throws his head back and manages a full-blown temper-tantrum. That's okay. I'll frame it anyway. And it will doubtless be the most beautiful vacation photo we've ever had.