April 21, 2007 -- Western Magic -- anyone?

[Corryn]

Hi Guys! Hello Amanda!
I hope everything is going well with Trish. It's nice that you keep in touch with her...Please tell her I said Hello and I've been praying for her husband.

Well, things over here.....Things that make you go Hmmmm...

I feel like I am going through my own little empty next syndrome. It's summer and I've got no school until September, Eddie goes to bed early every night and the girls are out having a good time in the neighborhood with all their friends.....No one is ever home, so I've been doing little things - putzin' round the house kinda stuff. I haven't really been on the computer but to check my email, banking, little stuff like that. And my hands haven't been the same so I try not to stay on here too long. I just got in touch with my workers comp lawyer to reopen my carpal tunnel case and I went to the doctor yesterday to see how soon I can get surgery on my right hand. I'm guessing with all the red tape it'll be a year or so

I'm also having a surprise 40th birthday party for Eddie on August 4th, so it's tough trying to plan something like this without him knowing. It'll be only adults and I'm getting a double frozen drink machine for strawberry daquiri's and pina coladas and then I'll have the mixings for all different types of fancy drinks. Then of course, the keg and different beers and hors'doerves, hero, fingerfood, stuff like that.
Any ideas?
Oh, I'm also getting a porto-potty so the guys aren't flushing my toilet every five minutes. We don't have sewers out here like we do in the City, we have *cesspools*

I am still planning on writing a trip report on XCaret....I swear I will!
Hope everyone is doing well

 

[ohMom]

please let Trish know I too am keeping them both in my prayers

Amanda -- you have a new career ahead?? how cool!! CONGRATS!!

how's everyone's scrapbook coming??? I have pictures bought but that's as far as i got! Wendy sent me some of our family she had taken and i gotta order them too. i haven't had a chance to begin organizing. ok, truth be told i still have one more layout of our last cruise before i can start this album!!

we went to Gatlinburg TN last week and met up with Preston's family -- 15 all together, we have small families -- and spent a week in a cabin. it was a great getaway. i have been working this week and still trying to catch up. i spend my everyday trying to catch up around the house oh well....

Taylor is off crutches and back in the show ring -- band starts up soon for her too. Paige has been enjoying her summer as a kid Swimming, playing, with art camp and her weekend camp coming up (rheumatology camp)

me -- well i have decided it's time to take this cruise/TN vacation fluff off and i'm back on Weight Watchers (myself) and anyone else in this boat with me -- come to the WISH board please!! i need LOTS of encouragement

Corryn -- your party sounds like a blast!! you sneaky girl you what kind of ideas are you looking for??

 

[Corryn]

Amanda, as I was reading your post I thought it was great that you were going back to school for Real Estate and I was going to congratulate you on it and even ask a few questions - NY laws are different from most other states (of course!) But I read the post and then came back a few minutes later to write the post.....I am sorry and I hope you have a great time with it.
I can tell you that we've had many a Disney trip once those commission checks started rolling in!!!

Hi Molly!
I am with you, girl! I lost 20 pounds before the cruise and then this past week, I'm finally back down to where I was before the cruise. It took a while to get out of those eating habits, even though I was only eating that way for a week, it still had a huge effect.
I've been back to walking and back to eating the same way as before.
You looked great, I don't know what you're talking about! And you do those marathons! I can't even do that......I can tell you that if I feel like splurging and having three bowls of those Magically Delicious Lucky Charms I go ahead and have it...You have to eat what you crave or you'll just eat everything else in its path!!! Remember that! Eat what you crave and don't be disappointed when you do. You have to satisfy your body, and if it means 10 chocolate chip cookies, then eat it, but stick with your other healthy eating patterns. I've found I can still eat a little junk, and as long as I'm exercising, I'm still losing the weight.
You can do it, you're a tough girl!

BTW, would it be all right if you could PM me with Taylor's cell phone number so Tori and Kyra can talk with her?
Or better yet, I'll give you Tori's and then you can let Taylor decide what she wants to do....But Tori would LOVE to get a surprise phone call from Taylor.
I'll send the number now.
I'm watching the radar and I see those Thunderstorms ripping through Ohio on it's way over here. Are you guys getting the rain?

All right, I'm exhausted....I'll speak with you ladies soon!
Enjoy the warmth!!!!!

 

[Cyndibear]

Hi Everyone!!

Whew, it sure is hot here in PA. I am very thankful for AC!! We are supposed to get some thunderstorms to cool things off for this wkend. Hope it works.

Any news about Trish and her DH? Hope everything turned out okay. Thoughts and prayers are with you Trish.

Well, we really have been busy doing nothing. Does anyone know what I mean? We have nothing planned for the weekend and then POW, it's Sunday night and I didn't get done what I thought I would. I can't believe its end of June already.

Eric loves his new job. With his old job (he's a plumber) he had to go into the customer's house and give a price of what it will cost them. The customer then had to decide if they wanted to pay their astronominal fees and have the work done. He'd have to listen to their complaining about how much it was going to cost and it was really bothering him. The company was really high priced, I know I would have looked elsewhere if I needed them. Now, with his new job, the customers already know the price and all he has to do is go in and fix/repair/replace/ the problem. He's a much happier camper!! They pay more too, so I'm a much happier camper!!

This past weekend I celebrated my 40th B-day. UGH!! Where did the years go? I had off Mon and Tues. We went to Lancaster, PA. They have a theater there called Sight and Sound where they show Christian themed shows. Not sure if anyone has been there or heard of it. Right now they are doing a play about Creation. It was good. The one set was of the Garden of Eden and it was beautiful. There was one Act were Adam names the animals and it kind of reminded me of WDW cause they used mechanical animals and it felt almost like I was on the Jungle Cruise. They also had real animials too. One of the horses had to go #2 and between the Acts you could see stage people cleaning it up. Wouldn't want that job!

Right now we are just counting the days to our next WDW trip in Sept. I love being a DVC member, we just keep planning trips. We have our January trip booked already too.

Hope everyone's summer is going well!! Take care, and check in with everyone soon.

Cyndi

 

[alikat99]

Hi everyone - No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, just crazy busy!! I thought that once the girls were out of school for summer, we wouldn't be so busy, but I was wrong. We have swim lessons, out of town guests, mini WDW trips, outings with friends, etc. It's great for the girls, because they aren't getting on each other's nerves too much, but we always seem to be going somewhere.

As for me, today is a good day. I was asked to work in the aftercare program at the girls' school on the elementary side. The director asked to see me about next year. And, she offered me a part-time job. I'll be working every day from 8:15am - 1pm in the preschool as basically a "jack of all trades" or is that a "jane of all trades"?? Anyway, I'd be doing preschool car line, ordering and preparing the snacks for the teachers, filling in for the teachers to get their lunches, help out in the classrooms where it's needed, etc. And, it's perfect because I wanted to find a part-time job while the girls were in school, so what could be better that being at the same place.

Well, Chris is here with dinner (I messed up the one that I tried to make). I'll chat again soon!!!

 

[curlybop]

This past weekend I celebrated my 40th B-day.

Cyndi! A little late, but hope you enjoyed your day. We've been to that theater before (before Em came along). We went once in the summer I think, and saw Noah's Ark, then later went during Christmas for that show. It was awesome. I'd love to go back sometime. We visited Hershey & Lancaster last summer, for about 4 days. I'm itching to go back - for the chocolate of course. Plus we want to go to Hershey Pantry to eat breakfast on the 'back porch'. We still talk about that today.

Amy, long time no chat. Glad to see you're still around! Hope the new job will work out great for you. Sounds like fun.

Alright, anyone with DVC, tell me about it. I sorta ignored the guy on the cruise, because I didn't want to waste vacation time with all of it. However, we are considering it. If you want to PM me, that would be great. I want to know your home resort, how often you go, etc. I'm tempted to buy a small resale at first, because I know we won't be going anywhere big for atleast 2 more years. So tell me all you know. I want to hear it.

 

[ohMom]

amanda --- i can get that DVC itch too, but Preston isn't for it. the yearly fees turned him off. the DVC board here is pretty helpful in researching. i have friends of the dis who are DVC owners and love it. think of it as a 'prepaid vacation' not really a disney bargain. kinda of like cruising

corryn -- thanks for the kudos on the whole losing weight thing. it has always amazed me that i can train and powerwalk 13 miles and not lose a pound in the whole she-bang. oh well....i'm back in my groove. and high five for all of those who have lost their cruise-weight already!! Taylor is spending a few days with her breeder and then going to a show this weekend, so she's not at home. but when i talked to her yesterday i passed along the message, let me know if she calls. she doesn't have great cell signal where she's out right now unfortunately.

and HAPPY BIRTHDAY cyndi!!

 

[alikat99]

We have DVC and bought in the day that VWL was open for sale. Since we live here in FL, we wanted something that felt like we have gone somewhere else. We added on a few more points right before it sold out with Disney. We mostly use it for larger vacations, but we have been known to use our DVC for a night here or there too. And, we just added on to AKL, since we couldn't pass up the beauty and location of those villas. If you have any questions, definitely let us know and we can answer any questions that you have.

 

[Cyndibear]

Thanks for the B-day wishes everyone!

Hey Amy, glad to see your still around!! That's great about the PT job!

We just loooovvveeee our DVC! We should have joined much sooner (10 yrs ago) but I was the one this time that did not think it was worth it. Heck, with our 2+ trips to WDW a year that we have been taking for the past 5-6 yrs it really would have been worth it to join earlier. We joined in 2005 with Saratoga and like Amy, have just added on at AKL too. Any questions just PM me.

Cyndi

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

PHEW! I was starting to get scared that I was going to be the "thread killer" a couple weeks ago!

I haven't heard anything else from Tricia lately. She had some questions for me but must not have time to ask. I'm thinking about them all the time.

Hey Corryn, do we all get an invite to Eddie's party? JK!

Now that the cruise is over and I have 2 years or so to twiddle my thumbs, I'd probably like to know more about DVC, too. Since I didn't have much time to plan the cruise, I just wanted to cram my brain with that info and not the DVC on top of it!

I don't have much time to "chat" today since we have about 30-50 people coming over in about four hours for food & fireworks, but I will do more chatting after today.

Just wanted to check in and let you all know I'm still thinking of you, too! I'll have more time after this last-minute thing we threw together. If anyone looks out their window at around 9:30 or 10 PM CST tonight, you'll probably see all our fireworks! I LOVE THEM! (Yes, I was crying at the fireworks on pirate night. )

 

[dvc2themax]

Hello, I come looking everyitme I get a message that someone posted here.

We are DVC members and after about the 8 th trip, decided WE love Disney and joined of all things, on my birthday in APril 2005.

DVC is like prepaying for the next 49 years you room on Disney property.
So, the average gong price is $100 (before they send out promotions).
So use 50 years for ease of calculation. That comes to $2 per point per year that you pay. If it costs 120 points for , say a week over Thanksgiving this year ( my next rrip), that comes to $240 I will be paying for my 6 night stay. (I go from Sunday - Friday because weekends cost more points, but I get my fill). Now for the yearly due to that Molli mentioned, it depends on the number of points, but for moderate "ownership" about $1000 per year. So my first trip will cost me $1200. Moderate hotel on Disney property is about $200 per night with taxes etc. Still $1200. But wait, I am only using 120 points, I still have MORE points for another trip within the use year.

You get a home resort, but you can go to ANY hotel you wish on DISNEY property, just the time you can book changes.

Then there are discounts you receive at certain places for being a DVC member, knowing, like being on this DISBOARD, people that really enjoy DISNEY and expect to go again and again. And going to a DVC resort, hearing "WELCOME HOME".

Like Cindi, should have bought WAY back in 1993 instead of 2005.

Congrats to everyone - new jobs, new careers, birthdays, having too much time that it flies by and your think " where did it go?"

Hope plans are coming along for your midweek holiday, July 4!

-Paula

 

[mickymania]

Wow! It's good to see everyone chatting again! Like everyone else, we have been much busier than I thought but things are finally beginning to calm down and I am ready for summer. I haven't been in a swimsuit since the cruise and unfortunately for everyone else, my tan is gone.

Vallen finally defended his dissertation and we are done. YIPEE!!!!!! I thought it would never end. Vallen went and celebrated by floating down the Colorado river with Josh and they will be back tonight.. Taylor has been working a ton and so Miranda and I have had girl time. It has been great! I have scrapbooked like a maniac this week and am just starting to make a dent in my 750+ pictures. They have come out with some great new Disney embellishments and I have gone a little wild. Miranda's birthday is tomorrow -- I am having a hard time with her getting older. She informed me that her room is too "kid" like so we will be working on that.

Cyndi -- belated birthday wishes to you.

Molli - Good luck with the weight loss thing. I have not been back on the scale since returning -- aahhhh ignorance is bliss.

Amanda -- good luck on your new career.

Amy - congrats on your job. It sounds like it is a great one to have with your girls.

Corryn - You will have to let us know how the party went!!

I'm off to buy some birthday presents. Have a great weekend.

Wendy

 

[Corryn]

Congratulations to Vallen, Wendy!!!
Life will be different now - It's going to be a weird adjustment back to normal, I can tell you that!!!
That sounds like a great trip - We've always wanted to raft down the Colorado River. Maybe one day, when we're not traversing to Disney

Happy 40th Birthday Cyndi!!!!!!

And it's great to hear all this good news from everyone

Here's a feel-good story:
Friday last I was at the mall with Tori and her BF Meri. We were just leaving the parking lot when a big ol' Chevy Tahoe pulls out of a spot and gets me right in the right front fender. I've got a lil' Hyundai and she didn't even hear my tiny horn (which I'm always yelling at Eddie to get me a good one since no one ever hears me and I get cut off like crazy!)
If I didn't stop, she would have tore apart the whole right side of my car.

Anyway, the woman gets out and she's a mess, apologising like crazy. I start rubbing her arm telling her it's all right, to just calm down, it was an accident and that's why they call them accidents.
The woman had an accent, I thought Polish because we have a lot of Polish immigrants out here, but it turns out that she is Turkish. We call the cops to make out a report and we get to talking....She was a nurse over in Turkey and she will go to school to get her American certification when her little son goes into pre-school. I told her that I might meet her at work one day since I'm going to nursing school now - you never know, it's a small world
She also had a little daughter, maybe 4. She said she wasn't paying attention because the kids were talking loud and they wanted the video on, stuff like that, and she kept apologising for hitting me.
The cop shows up, and he knows my BIL Danny (he went on the cruise, too)
and then the woman's husband shows up. He looks at the damage and says to me, Please Please, I will pay to fix the whole thing, just do not file a report.....He says to the cop, please don't file a report, I'll pay for the whole thing and I don't want this accident on my wife's license.
So the cop said it was up to me. If I got a field report, I would have ten days to file a regular accident report, which would then be reported to the DMV and then to the insurance companies.
The man begged me, so I called Ed and he said, let's give him a chance....

Well, to shorten this up, we stopped by the mans job and he gave us a check to cover the damage to the fender. As soon as Ed comes home we're bringing it over to the body shop that the man recommended we use.

Not only that, but yesterday I get a little Thank You card in the mail with a $100 gift certificate to restaurant!!!!!!

While speaking with the woman she told me, I am so glad I hit you....I said, What?!?!? She said, no no, I mean if I had to hit someone I'm glad it was you.....(Her English not so good). The day after we picked up the check, their family was taking a trip over to Turkey, and she said, This is turning out to be the most expensive trip we've ever taken!

I just couldn't believe how things turned out. It could have been much worse, but cooler heads prevailed. And wouldn't it be funny if I wound up working with this woman?

I hope everyone has a SAFE 4th of July tomorrow......I've seen first hand the injury that fireworks can cause - My grandfather lost an eye and my girlfriend's husband lost two fingers....Another time was up close and personal - This girl was standing about a thousand feet away from where they were setting them off, under a tree, and the pipe fell as the firework was coming out of it. It blasted right over towards her. It got her and her two friends (boys) and they were burnt so horribly.....Back then I didn't know what to do. It was the most horrible thing I had ever seen. So always be aware when watching fireworks.....

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

I hope everyone had a SAFE and FUN holiday last week! We sure did! Our party turned out great with lots of friends, food, and fireworks. I wish you all could have been here, too! Then we watched two large displays on Tuesday and Wednesday. I can never get enough fireworks!

Amy, your job sounds great! Their school sounds like the boys' preschool--if you volunteer enough, they'll give you a job! (I've been "warned" about this.) I sure hope you haven't stayed away from the main board, too. I know when I first found the DIS (even before I found our cruise thread), you had helped me out so much with all your valuable information!

Cyndi, here's a (very) belated to you! Hope you had lots of to celebrate! (Did Amanda make it for you? )

Amanda, good luck with finishing your real estate classes and passing the test (I hear it's super hard, but I've got confidence in you! ). You'll have to let us know! (But I thought you wanted to work for Duff?!?!)

I still haven't heard from Trish. I'll send her a note to let her know we're all thinking of them.

Corryn, I'm glad your accident turned out so well (does that make sense? ). Luckily, no one was hurt.

It sounds like some people have had fun "mini vacations" recently! Cabins, rafting, theaters...plus upcoming WDW, too! Sounds like everyone is having a fun summer!

I can't believe school starts again next month! Hudson is going to be in kindergarten, and Lennon will go to preschool again--three days a week instead of only two (he's going to LOVE that!). We've had to put Hudson on an opt-in list for the school we thought we could send him to, but there's different boundaries in our subdivision that prevent him from choosing that school or the district we are actually in (recently annexed areas can choose the old or new district for the first 10 years after being acquired by the city). Unfortunately, we just found out in February that the south end of our property is the dividing line for where the annexed area begins. He was at least #17 on the opt-in list just for kindergarten (and they only have room for 40), but I think he's been accepted. We've gotten paperwork from the school about the next registration date and their lunch program, so I'm hoping that means he's in. I guess we'll find out for sure at registration. This one decision decides his whole education through high school since the two schools are in totally different districts (our first choice is more of a "country school" district and the other one is the city's public school district). My knuckles are white because my fingers are crossed so tight!

Well, my awaits me. Hope to see more posts again soon!

 

[curlybop]

Amanda, good luck with finishing your real estate classes and passing the test (I hear it's super hard, but I've got confidence in you! ). You'll have to let us know! (But I thought you wanted to work for Duff?!?!)

Hello strangers!

Val, you're so funny. I'd go work with Duff anyday, but of course I'd have to move. They are about 5 hours away from here. But if I had the chance, I would jump all over it.

I've finished my courses online, now I have to take a pre-exam. It scares me to no end. If I pass that, then I'm OK to take the state exam, which is even more lengthy. Eeeeek. I've been studying & taking practice exams though, so I hope I'll be more familiar with what they will be asking. If I actually succeed, I'll probably do real estate part time to begin with, and if it goes well, maybe full time. Just depends on how much I might sell.

Well, I enrolled Emily for kindergarten a couple of weeks ago. The school called & asked if I could come that day, so I did. I just can't believe she's that old! But she's excited, and I am happy for her. It will be an adjustment, but I think she'll enjoy it. Going to daycare/preschool already will probably be a big help.

Wow, Corryn - I'm glad the accident turned out OK. Hope you enjoyed that gift certificate.

Back to work I go....lots to do, so I can study during my lunch hour. Say a prayer for me.

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

I just read in the paper that POTC3 is coming to that historic theater that I mentioned awhile ago! YAY! I hope we have time to go this weekend. Unfortunately, since it's run solely by volunteer workers, they only have one showing per night and only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Sometimes they will hold it over the next weekend also but only if it does well. I'm sure it will do well, but I don't know if we should take our chances at that or not. We have swim lessons tonight and a wedding tomorrow night, so it's either Sunday night or hope for it to be back next weekend. For $3.50 tickets and even cheaper , it really is a great time!

 

[mickymania]

Hi Everyone!

It sure has been quiet. I hope everyone is enjoying there summer. One of our employees has had a baby and it has been really busy at work. To be honest, I am ready for school to start. As I say this, Taylor is looking over my shoulder......I need my space!!!!!!. Of course, that leads me to my favorite two words........school shopping.......with teenagers!!! O.K. it is actually four words. Taylor has finally gotten his drivers license -- Mom is in a perpetual state of worry. He drove Miranda to meet some friends at the water park and I did worry the entire 40 minutes. .

I think it is time for another cruise.........Castaway Cay..........

Has anyone done anything fun?

Back to work.

 

[Hudson5&Lennon3]

How funny! I have been trying to find the time to come and post, and when I do, Wendy is here, too!

Paula, I wanted to tell you that I got my Castaway Club stuff last week. Four cards and a DVD, but we haven't watched it yet.

I must be having a "I-miss-DCL" day today. I'm wearing my **sparkly** shirt, and the boys are wearing their CC shirts. It was totally by accident, I swear! Maybe it's because I got on the DCL website to get my Disney Rewards Visa card last night.

I keep counting down to when I'm going to become obsessive about the 2009 dates coming out. Only 2-3 months to go! (I think...I hope!) Has anyone heard anything? I haven't been to the main board in a LOOONNNG time.

We didn't get a chance to see POTC3 either weekend it was at the Grand Theater. I guess we'll have to wait for it on DVD.

We found out last Thursday that Hudson was accepted into the school we were trying to get him in to. I can't belive he starts kindergarten in two weeks!

 

[alikat99]

How funny! I have been trying to find the time to come and post, and when I do, Wendy is here, too!

Paula, I wanted to tell you that I got my Castaway Club stuff last week. Four cards and a DVD, but we haven't watched it yet.

I must be having a "I-miss-DCL" day today. I'm wearing my **sparkly** shirt, and the boys are wearing their CC shirts. It was totally by accident, I swear! Maybe it's because I got on the DCL website to get my Disney Rewards Visa card last night.

I keep counting down to when I'm going to become obsessive about the 2009 dates coming out. Only 2-3 months to go! (I think...I hope!) Has anyone heard anything? I haven't been to the main board in a LOOONNNG time.

We didn't get a chance to see POTC3 either weekend it was at the Grand Theater. I guess we'll have to wait for it on DVD.

We found out last Thursday that Hudson was accepted into the school we were trying to get him in to. I can't belive he starts kindergarten in two weeks!

Hey everyone - we're doing ok down here! We've been busy with summer stuff. My niece, Danni, just got here for a week, so I have 3 girls for the next 7 days.

Chris and I went to see POTC3 last night (finally). I have to say that it was definitely darker and more violent that the other 2. I'm not sure that I'll let the girls see it yet. We'll have to see! But, it was pretty cool, and I'll have to watch it again once it comes out on DVD to catch some of the stuff that I missed.

 

[Cyndibear]

Hi Everyone!!!!

I'm happy to hear everyone is enjoying their summer!!

I have been extremely busy and stressed out at work. I have been working 11-12 hrs a day for the past mth. We have been down at least 4 people since the beginning of July. One quit, one had a hysterectomy, one got married and went on her 2 wk honeymoon, and one just thought she had to have her gallbladder taken out at the same time everyone else was out eventhough she had one little attack mths ago (yes, I'm a little bitter about that). Just as that started, Eric decided we needed to start the deck we have been planning to put on the house so my nights and weekends were busy doing that. Thankfully we finished that last wkend. This wkend will be spent doing nothing!!! After next wk work should be getting back to normal and soon after that we leave for WDW!!!!!

I have not seen POTC III yet. Wanted to try to see it at the drive-in but we were busy with the deck and never got there. We'll wait till netflix has it available.

Well, gotta get back to work, I'm on lunch break and time's up.

Take care eveyone!!

Cyndi