Celebrate with me!! The surprise is killing me! :)

[lmhall2000]

We are going to the Contemporary in 3 days!!!

But I can't talk about it because my kids have no clue!

*March 2004...dh took a position in another state...(3 hour drive)

*May 2005...we FINALLY move to be with Dh (house in first state still needing to sell) living that long without him weekdays was quite the sad pits.

*March 2004-May 2005 planned 4 Disney trips complete with Dining and had to cancel them all...but it was nice just thinking about it...we promise the kids each time we move (4 times in 8 years...more if you count corporate apartments) that we'll take them to Disney!

*August 31, 2005...we SOLD OUR other house!!!!

*September 1, 2005...we tell kids we'll need to wait atleast until December/January to be able to afford Disney...they're just thrilled that we'll be going!

*September 12-19 we'll be at the Contemporary!!!

They think we're driving to Birmingham (we live in Huntsville) to pick up an old friend of mine coming to visit...Daddy will drop us off and park the car (also checking in the baggage without them seeing) and we'll pretend we're waiting for her flight from Atlanta...and when ours starts boarding..we'll say "Who wants to go to Disney????"

I'm SOO excited...have soo much to do without them seeing (packing/arranging neighbors to walk our dog/cancelling stuff/oh it's a hoot!) but it's hard to get excited without being able to say anything to anyone! So I'm coming here to you guys!!! This will be our last trip...we're hopefully stuck in this house for 50 years...we'll go back to Disney with grandchildren I'm sure but our kids are 10, 7 & 6 and we need to plan some other trips to see the world now that they're getting big enough to travel longer. Disney has been such a lifesaver to us through all these moves...it's a time for us to renew as a family and be thankful that we've come through this rough spot.

And the icing on the cake is that my birthday is Tuesday!!! Our first day in the parks and I'm wearing my botched tie-dye family shirts (husband will under protest...they do really look bad) but we've waited soo long to have some family time (it's been 2 years since our last vacation)....that this will be AWESOME!!!!

Thank you Disney!!!!

Tara

 

[Yardbird]

How exciting! What a wonderful surprise for your children! We're heading to WDW three weeks from tomorrow, and I can't wait!

Have a great trip.

Have a wonderful birthday!

 

[kelleigh1]

Have fun!! Hope your husband is ready with a camera/video camera to capture the kids faces when you spring this on them. I'm sure it's going to be a moment that you'll never forget.

 

[Dalton5]

Hi Tara....What a great surprise. How wonderful that you could pull this off. We are also staying at the CR from Sept. 12-17. We are driving down from Ohio. Our plans are to leave around midnight Sat. and drive straight thru. If anybody happens to see 3 kids standing along the road in SC you will know that I had enough

Hope you all have a good time. Maybe we will see you there?

 

[Manon]

I'd love to see the faces of your children!!!

We are doing something like that with our kids for X-Mas, we will tell them we are going at Disney X-Mas morning and leaving 2 days after!!!

 

[D&R love Disney]

What a fantastic surprise!

 

[Jennygt]

Such a great surprise! I am in the same boat, surprising my DH for his 30thbday in 26 days!! Your kids are going to be sooo excited!! Have a wonderful trip!!!

 

[Davefrompgh]

OMG...That is waaay cool....I am soo happy for you all...what a wonderful family trip this will be and the kids are such great ages to enjoy Disney...we also surprised our kids....but our surprise was after 3 nights staying at Pop, we had upgraded to Poly...the kids had no idea...I was sooo excited just at that, so, I can not even imagine how excited you must be...have a wonderful and safe trip..

Let us know when you get back....love to hear all about it....

~ Sue (DW of Dave from Pgh)

 

[bonnielynn]

Wow you are going to have such a great time... and you deserve it.. My husband does that work in another state and stay there thing.. It aint pretty.. So I know you not only want the vacation. you need it..

Happy Birthday....

 

[maryliz]

How awesome, Tara ! I would never be able to pull it off, not telling the kids ahead of time! Have a fabulous trip .... your family deserves this vacation. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!

MaryLiz

 

[erinann]

How have you kept the surprise! You are better than I!

have a blast!!


erin

 

[lmhall2000]

It's getting sooo tough keeping it...and y'all are SOOO right...I've GOT to get my video camera ready....I can just see their faces!! I can set it up like we're going to film my friend Stacey getting off the plane and asking them what they'll want to show Stacey while she's visiting....then have Daddy come in to the view and ask "Who wants to go to Disney?"!!! I think that's a GREAT idea!!!

Luckily my kids go to bed at 8:30...so for the next three nights I'll be busy folding laundry and packing bags!

This is going to be a hoot!
Tara

 

[Priorityonecb]

If it makes you feel any better...I have to wait until Christmas day to tell my girls they are going on a Disney land/sea vacation!!!

Have a wonderful, wonderful trip!!

 

[Frantasmic]

Sounds fun and good luck. We are surprising our kids with a trip over Thanksgiving. We have kept the secret since January. I can't tell you how many times I have thought about something and almost blurted it out, especially to my 11 year old daughter.

 

[lynr]

Tara:

What a great surprise for your children . Have a great trip!

Also I noticed your tag, congratulations on the weight loss
What is your secret? I have been trying to lose weight since March and have only lost 25lbs so far.

Lyn

 

[lmhall2000]

Since I can't write a "to-do" list...my 10 year old is very savvy and would know something was up if I had a "to-do" list...I'm going to write it here..then they'll think mom is just on the computer trying to find a discount for December and leave me be.....

Here's what I've got to do...any tips I miss will be greatly appreciated!
aw: = Checked off!

1. Wash and fold ALL clothes (that way they won't see me stashing the clothes) aw:
2. Change sheets on the bed (love coming home to clean sheets) aw:
3. Pack sunscreen/goggles/water shoes
4. Pack zip-lock snacks for flight down and for the room...
5. Bring bottled water (mini-sizes) aw:
6. Bring address labels for DIS'ers who requested a post card aw:
7. Pack film/camera batteries/video camera/recharger
8. pack cellphone recharger and bring cellphone
9. Find sunglasses for everyone
10. Pay bills before we go aw:
11. Pack swimsuits/sunscreen/benadryl/tylenol
12. Instruct neighbors on where dog food/leash is aw:
13. Give house key to neighbors aw:
14. Pack hairbrush/rubberbands/hair conditioner (way too many tangles)
15. Find Guest of Honor Badges
16. Print out kids names in Disney font to put on pitiful tie-dye shirts aw:

Am I forgetting anything??? I'm not thinking clearly with so many things to do this weekend!

17. Oops! Take list of ADR's/confirmation #'s, AAA voucher for free lanyards, luggage tags
Tara

 

[lmhall2000]

Lyn!! Yes, I forgot to add!! I'm the lowest I've been in 10 years!!! I'm at 175 right now and hope to stop at 155...so just 20 more pounds to go!

My tips for losing weight (my highest at 258 when dear child #3 was born)....to now....

1. Have a little bit of everything...and not a lot of something.

2. Move for atleast an hour a day non-stop...for me it's walking 4.3 miles 6 days a week.

3. Cut out sodas. (I allow myself a diet coke every now and then but almost never a sugar drink...and really try to limit myself to unsweet tea)

4. A serving size should be about the palm size of your hand...don't eat more than 3 palm fulls at a meal. This one's tough!

5. Shop more for GOOD groceries...cut out the prepackaged foods...opt for fresh fruits/veggies/meats.

6. Buy an inspiration outfit and keep trying it on...

7. Choose fruits over juices.

8. JOIN WISH here at Disboards....it's a great support group full of clippies to help you stay on track...whenever I have an unsurmountable craving I go there and they shock me back to GOAL mentality!

And take your time...I put on all that weight over 3 years and 3 pregnancies..so I'm giving myself 3 years to get it off...Next April will be the end of my 3 year commitment and I think I can get the last 20 off by then...I'm going to be working hard to get it off before Christmas but will be okay if I just hit the 150's by then!

YOU CAN DO IT!!! Every little pound counts!

Tara

 

[tkldisney]

A GREAT surprise. Great that you've been able to keep it!
Have a wonderful trip!!!

 

[chigirl]

Good for you...enjoy!!! We've also waited YEARS to go to Disney because of family emergencies/job situations, etc...we will be there the same time as you, for our son's 8th birthday! Have a great trip!!! Happy Birthday, btw!

 

[Tinkerbelle32]

Sounds very exciting! The kids will love it! One question, how are you going to hide the luggage from the kids?