birthday trip report...now finished!

[Brady's Mom]

OY - Francis (my DH) has been suffering from this injury since May. He tried self treatment with ice and rest and ibuprofen for inflammation and then moved on to the Chiropractor (we LOVE ours) and finally when nothing else seemed to work and he was soooo tired of it that he couldn't stand it, he broke down and went to the Podiatrist.

Turns out he has an extra bone in his foot that can cause this problem and that is why he has had so much foot trouble for the last few years. So the Podiatrist puts him in the boot cast-y thing and he has to wear it for 4 weeks to give that tendon a complete rest. He doesn't wear it to bed, but has to wear it all other times. It is completely driving him crazy!

He feels so unhelpful and sort of a bum since it is hard to clump around with it on and he hasn't been helping out at home as much since he hurt it in May. It puts him off balance since the boot is taller than most of his other shoes. He ends up wearing one tennis shoe and the boot and it kind of hurts his opposite hip since he still isn't completely balanced. But, he only has 2 more weeks to go. Then we will see how he does.

I am ready for him to be back to normal since I am the one having to do all of my stuff and then the stuff he normally does. It is getting kind of draining. Makes me really glad to be married to someone willing to share familial and household duties even though I am a SAHM.

Oh yeah and I read recently that problems with your foot are because you are afraid to move forward in your life - don't know if that could be possible. Hope you get it fixed soon. October is coming up really fast.

 

[Daisybelle]

Wahoo!! Another one of your trip reports to read! And yes I am one of your 'viewers' and non-posters. I usually just hop on during Diet Coke breaks at work to see what's new on the Dis. I always enjoy your commentaries but rarely have time to post. I'll be happily following along on your latest adventure though!

 

[50sjayne]

Yay Molly you do great trip reports. You'll get your fun pass, get to see Space Mountain with the Halloween overlay and of course the haunted mansion with Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. Something I'd love to see sometime. This year we toyed with the idea of going for our 20th anniversary/sons birthday but decided to wait until June to go with husbands family. My daughter got married last week too and they are coming out in June to have an actual ceremony with family and friends so we are going to bring them along this time too-- lotsa $$. She has to come take a test for the renewal of her grant about that time is why they will come then. I'll really enjoy having her husband with us as he is an angel lol and has never been to Disneyland before. His dad did an awful thing once, I've heard the story several times where he took Adrian with him once while he attended a convention across from Disneyland and then went to Disneyland bringing him a hat---and did not take him...that is rotten to the core....
Oh hey you might get to see Captain EO too.

 

[bumbershoot]

Is it possible you have tendinitis in your foot?

It's possible. Who is THE person to see for something like that? We have insurance where I don't need a gatekeeper, and I like going to THE person without pesky steps of referrals in between.

Geesh, take a day or two off from the boards and look what happens! I am so stinkin glad you are going! Yeah Molly! Will you be there when I am there???? We must have a run in! I am dying to meet E and am sure that he and Nathan will hit it off.

It's so crazy of us*! We'll get in on the 10th and leave on the 13th. It would be fun for the boys to meet, and of course the dietary stuff of your friend's boy, and how Nathan is modifying his diet while around his friend will all be old hat for E, with the corn syrup problems and hubby having to watch the sugars... So if there's a group to follow around and not eat the really bad, sugary foods, it's our group! Even though we don't yet look like that type of group.

*At the same time, it's not SO crazy. We've got the points, we do not have the vacation time for what I feel will be a *proper* WDW trip as planned, I certainly do not need to have the 160 vacation points from this year (banked into next year, 160 from next year, and 160 points from '11 (borrowed into next year) to have the epic trip for my immediate and partial extended family, I mean, that's just too many points! Also, too few, for a Grand Villa. So the points were just sitting there, waiting to be banked anyway...why the heck not?

Also, the past month of paying off past debts...some of the guilt is leaving me! We've felt like such awful people, but in reality, once the piddly (meaning small...we were fully aware that our delay was affecting those we owed) things were done with, what, we've got a car loan and DVC. Jinkies, how terrible... (of course, ask us if we have a college fund...or if we're simply relying on SIL's firm statement that she'll be putting E through college...Go Duke!)

OY - Francis (my DH) has been suffering from this injury since May. He tried self treatment with ice and rest and ibuprofen for inflammation and then moved on to the Chiropractor (we LOVE ours) and finally when nothing else seemed to work and he was soooo tired of it that he couldn't stand it, he broke down and went to the Podiatrist.

Turns out he has an extra bone in his foot that can cause this problem and that is why he has had so much foot trouble for the last few years. So the Podiatrist puts him in the boot cast-y thing and he has to wear it for 4 weeks to give that tendon a complete rest.

Oh yeah and I read recently that problems with your foot are because you are afraid to move forward in your life - don't know if that could be possible. Hope you get it fixed soon. October is coming up really fast.

Podiatrist, eh? Good to know, good to know...

I think I've had xrays done of this foot...I think I would know if I had an extra bone...hmm. No, wait, I think it was the other foot that I broke (jumped off the couch barefoot, stumbled upon landing), hmm.

Man, and I thought the crutch was a pain! OK, it was. One crutch, and it was wintertime, and it was icy.

But the not moving forward bit works too! I'm sure you can tell I'm ALL about that sort of stuff, and with all we've been working through recently, financially, it really does go along with it all! Leaving behind the past and working our way to the present and future. Oh yeah, totally works.

I also think it's my shoes. Bought a new kind of New Balance, and they've been weird from the moment I put 'em on. (tried to move forward, getting self out of Saucony Jazz rut and see what happened?)

Wahoo!! Another one of your trip reports to read! And yes I am one of your 'viewers' and non-posters. I usually just hop on during Diet Coke breaks at work to see what's new on the Dis. I always enjoy your commentaries but rarely have time to post. I'll be happily following along on your latest adventure though!

Yay!

This year we toyed with the idea of going for our 20th anniversary/sons birthday but decided to wait until June to go with husbands family. My daughter got married last week too and they are coming out in June to have an actual ceremony with family and friends so we are going to bring them along this time too-- lotsa $$.

His dad did an awful thing once, I've heard the story several times where he took Adrian with him once while he attended a convention across from Disneyland and then went to Disneyland bringing him a hat---and did not take him...that is rotten to the core....
Oh hey you might get to see Captain EO too.

Well that big family trip will be FUN! And although the last 2 years haven't seen us being big delayed gratification people, it's highly likely, unless we visit the brother/SIL and they want to take E (and me as chaperone) there, that we'll be doing anything Disney-parks-ish until the big WDW late next year. But to get to see all that family will be most excellent and worth the wait.

His dad left him while he went to DL? Ugh!

Oh I hope the MJ stuff doesn't come back. I was a fan, I was at PPH when I found out MJ died, but I think it would be really really really weird to have that back, even for a short time.

Or maybe it would be fun, who knows?

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, yesterday I just walked on the treadmill and did 10 minutes on the elliptical, and there was no foot pain. So...the recumbent bike hurts my foot but those don't?

I'm a medical mystery, always have been....


I'm working up a list of things to do, places to see, etc. And it keeps hitting me that this is for my b'day, so I'm the b'day girl, and by golly, I could have fun with that!

While talking with DVC member services, arranging this trip, I did mention it was my b'day. So..I have a funny feeling that this might be mentioned on the reservation, and...I wonder if GCH tends to leave treats when things like that are mentioned. And if they are, do they tend to be marshmallow treats, or cookies? If the norm is marshmallow treats, is there ANY way to call 'em and request that they NOT leave those, as they will be entirely UNeaten and therefore wasted?

Or would some people who DO eat them like to show up, if they are given due to a b'day mention that might be on the reservation? Cheryl? You out there? (or are you at the bank, depositing a check? teehee) Do you eat them? Shall I call you if some are left for us? Tracey? Want to rush over by yourself to eat really quick?

Maybe I won't figure out how to talk to them about it, so that if any are left I can just play Santa to those who eat 'em.


Robert comes home tonight, man that was a long 5 days! OK not full 5 days. The house sure looks like it's been a month, though...you can really tell who the neatnik is in our household...hint: it's NOT me!

 

[QueenDoOver]

Well, yesterday I just walked on the treadmill and did 10 minutes on the elliptical, and there was no foot pain. So...the recumbent bike hurts my foot but those don't?

I'm a medical mystery, always have been....
My medical mystery is my calves. The last few years with certain types of exercise and only sometimes, I will have debilitating pain in my calves which causes me to stop exercising. I can sort of work through it if I go to a super uber slow walk, but geesh, that is no sort of workout! My doctor checked for blood clots but it does not seem to be that. Who knows??

I'm working up a list of things to do, places to see, etc. And it keeps hitting me that this is for my b'day, so I'm the b'day girl, and by golly, I could have fun with that!

While talking with DVC member services, arranging this trip, I did mention it was my b'day. So..I have a funny feeling that this might be mentioned on the reservation, and...I wonder if GCH tends to leave treats when things like that are mentioned. And if they are, do they tend to be marshmallow treats, or cookies? If the norm is marshmallow treats, is there ANY way to call 'em and request that they NOT leave those, as they will be entirely UNeaten and therefore wasted?

Or would some people who DO eat them like to show up, if they are given due to a b'day mention that might be on the reservation? Cheryl? You out there? (or are you at the bank, depositing a check? teehee) Do you eat them? Shall I call you if some are left for us? Tracey? Want to rush over by yourself to eat really quick?
Oh, yes Molly! I will be happy to sneak over and take one for the team! I will even share with Cheryl, if she likes them too. I do love them, and so does Nathan! We always buy at least one per trip
Robert comes home tonight, man that was a long 5 days! OK not full 5 days. The house sure looks like it's been a month, though...you can really tell who the neatnik is in our household...hint: it's NOT me!

Oh that is funny! Not even one neatnik in my house, I'm afraid.

 

[bumbershoot]

How odd about your calves! I will admit, I sometimes have weird pains in my own that scares me but it goes away.

Yay! If we get something like that, we will you quickly. And Cheryl. If she ever shows up here again.

Well, I rallied with cleaning up! I might have mentioned before that I have about 19 different projects going on, and it's utter chaos, but chaos that's slowly being figured out. My filing system was undergoing an overhaul, scrapbooking is being worked out, photograph area is being figured out, oh it goes on and on. When R left on Monday, I had things scattered allllll around. And it only got worse as this week went on, b/c I continued to work on things.

Anyway, in the last couple hours before we had to leave to pick up Robert, I got my rear in gear, and while I didn't get it all properly put away, it is far more contained than it was, and that's a good thing.

Of course...all HE noticed was the "messy" living room (which we'd spent an HOUR cleaning all the legos up) and the dishes in the sink (which I'd warned him about), until I pointed out my crazy-former-mess. Oh and he noticed that I was looking better (I've worked out 2 times, and in the beginning of working out I tend to change visually quite a bit, which is nice).


OK I should focus on what he's talking about...the one bag he checked has gone missing, and it has pretty much ALL of his clothes, except the clothes he was wearing, so that's bad. First time a bag has been lost in this household. Seriously not good. Luckily, he picked his bag up at the US airport, and rechecked it in for the US flight, so he'll count under the US rules (we hope) instead of the really sad and pathetic ($9.04 per pound...our bag only weighs 2 lbs, and the clothes inside MAYBE weighed 10 pounds...this does NOT replace the 5 shirts and 3 pairs of cargo shorts and one pair of jeans that are in that bag, especially not at casual male type clothing places...sigh) International reimbursement rates, if it's not found. If it's not found and it's under Int'l rates...that won't even cover replacement of the BAG. Hope hope hope that retrieving and checking in the bag will make it under US rules.

Though really, we just hope that it's found.

And now I really REALLY need to focus on what he's saying, LOL.....

 

[raftislander]

Signing in so as to not add to you viewing/posting deficit...Am somewhat nervous doing this as I suspect I may have latent thread killer tendencies. You however, seem fully capable of keeping a thread alive with no outside help -so will risk it!

October trip planning is afoot! (Oh wait - it was an Austen reference in your post). It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young Disney fan of good fortune must be in want of a trip to plan!

 

[bumbershoot]

You however, seem fully capable of keeping a thread alive with no outside help -so will risk it!

Cracking up big time at that. I used to keep my mom on the phone for HOURS, going from tangent to tangent and making her laugh through her yawns, as I conducted all sides of our conversation on my own.



Nothing new to report, but my child drove me nearly mad tonight as I made my usual list of "things each of us want to see (and who will go on the less savory ones that E wants to ride since E is only 5 and can't ride alone)", b/c with every single thing I mentioned, he asked (fearfully) if they'll have Halloween things added to it. Robert ended up nearly on the floor in hysterical laughter, as I explained, yet again, that only Haunted Mansion (which makes it better for my little Nightmare fan) and Space Mountain (which he still doesn't want to ride anyway and this addition makes it clear that I won't even ask if he wants to ride) have it. Finally E understood the issue, and then...he started needling me by asking the same question, but jokingly. I think Robert has only now recovered his breath from all the giggling....

 

[Brady's Mom]

Don't you just love it when your little kid gets in on the joke. They are so funny with their timing and the funny little smile they get when they get it and start dishing it out.

We will be at DLR on Nov. 1, which is the last day of Halloween decorations and Space Mountain overlay. Unfortunately, Space is my almost 5's absolute "most favorite ride EVER" and I won't be letting him ride it that day. Toooo scary with the ghosties and ghoulies - I don't want to be up with nightmares in a hotel room!

There is a little disappointment going around our house because of Space. But, my 7 yr old is HOPING to be tall enough for Screamin'. He keeps eating his vegetables to get taller.

 

[bumbershoot]

Unfortunately, Space is my almost 5's absolute "most favorite ride EVER" and I won't be letting him ride it that day. Toooo scary with the ghosties and ghoulies - I don't want to be up with nightmares in a hotel room!

There is a little disappointment going around our house because of Space. But, my 7 yr old is HOPING to be tall enough for Screamin'. He keeps eating his vegetables to get taller.

Aw, poor 5 year old. I haven't felt that we were lucky b/c E won't ride it, but now I do. When the disney site gives a warning that it's not for the little ones...I'm paying attention.

Go 7 year old, go 7 year old! Black beans seem to help too. (though it's best not to think of what black beans and broccoli, E's fave eating to get big foods, do to his system, though)

***********

Well, we're in self-imposed quarantine. Hubby comes home from a foreign country, and today:

Robert is coughing and sneezing with a bit of a fever.

Eamon is a bit achey with a headache and a fever. Some upper tummy upset early this AM.

Molly just feels OFF, and a bit hot, but is, so far, the healthiest of the 3 (reminds me, where's my vitamin C powder?)


Robert stayed home. His co-workers would NOT appreciate him coming in sounding like that. (though I personally would blame the YMCA pool germs, from Saturday, more than what he was exposed to out of the country) The two of them are playing low-key, non-violent computer videogames on the couch.

Interestingly, we've ALWAYS noticed (and we've read about the phenomenon elsewhere as well) that after E has a fever, he grows/changes in some way. So here he is, having a fever, and he's doing better at this v'game than he has EVER done before. Interesting.


As usual, I'm going to refer to whatever it is that we have (and we likely won't go be diagnosed unless it hits me and smashes my lungs and causes me to need help...those guys in my house are excellent at battling bugs b/c they don't have my "challenged" lungs) as the plague. Sigh. Silly plague.

But at least we have the plague now, and not in October!


Oh hey, look at that! E's up and dancing with the Backyardigans' song about "we're knights that's right". He must be feeling a little better! Yay!

 

[disneynerd420]

I sometimes wonder, if there were a contest for the most dramatic difference between Replies and Views, if I would win...

Then again, I know that most of my posts are absolutely useless, so probably people just check out the latest bit in my reports, then go off and do something more fun...like clean the bathtub or something scintillating like that.

I have often thought this about my TR's as well. You can count me in on yours. I can't wait to see the pictures.

 

[QueenDoOver]

Hmm...now I am a thinking. My 6, almost 7 year old has been one of those kids not to like creepy things. I have gotten him on HM by spending a lot of time explaining the stuff. He likes it okay now. He loves space mountain, but do I risk the frights?? He has not even watched the Disney movies with villains, like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty etc.. He just won't watch them because he has gotten a glimpse of the scary parts. I guess we will wait and see. Maybe watch it on Utube if someone posts on there in early, early October.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well that was a quick bubonic plague! rotfl E lazed around on the couch most of yesterday (with the mentioned break for dancing with the Backyardigans), fever going up and down, and he woke up right as rain! Robert woke well enough to go into work. And I feel fine. Better than I normally do, actually.

Weird!



Tracey, I'm sure it will be on youtube very quickly. That way he can decide if he wants to go. I can't find it now, but it was on the disneyland site the other day that it's not for little kids for Halloweentime...

Oh gosh, for some reason that reminded me that I'm going to have to get Nutella again! I used it last year (Cost Plus sells little couple ounce packs) for E to decorate the Yuletime cookies (available for purchase for only 6 bucks or whatever..."only"...) and avoid the gunk in their frosting. They had decorate-your-own cookies at Halloweentime in '07 and I assume they will again. Darn, a trip to Cost Plus, poor little me....

And it's fairly close to Michaels, where I'll have to go to see if they have those cheapie glowstick packs that they had at July 4th... I hope so! They were better than the dollar store sticks.

Thinking of making a PS at Minnie's for my birthday. Better to make the PS than cancel rather than find a holiday Monday all booked up, I suppose!

 

[Brady's Mom]

Oh, your plague sounds like what went on at our house a couple of weeks ago. Of course, right as school was starting. LOL

A fever, headache, a funny cough and a little need to lay around. Then, POOF, next day it's gone. I was so glad.

I don't think it's possible for our 7 yr old to even try black beans. He does like chili, though. That may just have to do. I actually had never even had black beans until our trip to DLR in July when DH and I had the lobster nachos at Cove Bar. I didn't even realize I liked them. I think it's because they turn everything such an ugly color. I think I've tried every other kind of bean, though.

We just feed our kids dark green leafies and tell them it helps them grow taller for whatever the current ride is. We eat a LOT of Chinese veggies at our house. We have a couple of good Asian groceries that aren't too far away from us, so it makes it easier. Even though it always seems like a jaunt to get there.

 

[bumbershoot]

"A fever, headache, a funny cough and a little need to lay around. Then, POOF, next day it's gone. I was so glad. "

I'm glad to, but then again...I've always been a bit dramatic, and I was kinda looking forward to getting the plague to laze around and whimper about needing water and coughing like I have consumption and all that...pathetic of me! I'm glad the guys aren't sick, but I do kinda wish I'd gotten a touch of it, LOL.



The decision on the table is....Grayline DL Express or continue looking at those car rentals! Decisions decisions. Already what was 30+ bucks a day is down to 19 a day. It would be a no brainer if it weren't for the extra 6 hours...paying a full day's rate for 6 hours just bugs me. So it needs to get further down. I might even play the priceline game later on, but for now I continue to check the travel sites for the stated rates.

Oh, and we're considering the car b/c we know we want one store trip really quick, and we're also getting in at a tricky time where it's possible we'd miss the bus leaving 20 minutes after we land, and then we'd have the same long wait we had the last time. Even if it took the same amount of time getting a rental car, at least we'd be moving while doing it.

 

[kaoden39]

I vote for the rental car. Although there the problems that go with it there are the convenience factors of having the car.

 

[bumbershoot]

That's definitely where hubby has his thinking.

Funnily, I'm the one against it this time! Why? Because it means we have to haul the carseat with us. I don't wannnnnnt to. I say, just write out a list of exactly what you want at the store, snag a cab, go, run in, buy it, run out, get the waiting cab, come back. He sees that as some huge expense. Oh and have I mentioned that he's all on the "carryon only" bandwagon (and has forgotten that he's been AGAINST that this whole time!)...so I'm picturing carryon size + personal size for each of us, stroller (maybe..not sure..still under consideration), carseat...UGH.

If Southwest had better flight times we would have gone with them, but Virgin America had the best times for this trip (well, Alaska going there and VA coming back, but by the time I went to book, Alaska had raised the prices too high for us to be happy with for those good times) and they charge $20 for the first bag checked per person, hence the urge to carryon only.

But I'm definitely keeping an eye on those prices for the rental car! And on the Express side, I found that getting the vouchers through GAT is cheaper!

 

[kaoden39]

Or there is the option of ordering your groceries and having them delivered. I know that Safeway delivers. Sure it costs but then so does gas and the time. Wow I love playing the devils advocate.

 

[bumbershoot]

Yeah, I wanted to have them delivered. He's not the biggest fan of the delivery cost.

And back and forth we go again.


Forgetting the transportation, I made a "just in case we really want to do it" PS for Minnie's on my b'day. And the moment I hung up, I wanted to change it! Wanted to have Cafe Orleans dinner on my b'day and do Minnie's another morning. But the other mornings are MM mornings. But it's a later PS anyway, so who cares?

I'm sure I'll change my mind a couple more times so I'll hold off on calling back.



E just finished up the preschool work we had set out. He's a graduate!