Celebrating Kidney Function PTR -- 2 more days until we leave and SICK KIDS :(

[Vacation Lover]

Clicked over from my PTR. Glad to hear your daughter's health is better. Sounds like you've got some good plans together.

 

[erika412]

I haven't updated this PTR for a while because we had out of town guests for the last 8 days. Right before they arrived, I decided to try to find a poodle skirt for Shannon. Last year, when Mary was in kindergarten, they had a 50 day of kindergarten party. They were allowed to dress up like the 50s. I didn't have anything so she went with a white polo shirt and rolled up jeans. A few girls had poodle skirts so this year, I decided to buy one for Shannon since I"m sure they will have the same party. I'm also convincing her that it would be a fun Halloween costume. Or maybe I can convince Mary?

Anyway, while I was on ebay, I decided to search for Disney jewelry and ran across some cute stuff that someone was selling. I think she makes them. There was a necklace for each princess in a set. We decided it would be fun if tinkerbell leaves a present each day for Mary and Shannon- a different necklace every day. They are going to be so excited! I haven't received them yet, but I'll post a picture when I do.

 

[erika412]

The necklaces came in the mail yesterday. They are so cute! I'll take a picture tonight and post them. I'm so excited for Tinkerbell to give them to the girls.

I need to come up with someone for Megan to receive though. I didn't want to give a 2 year old a necklace.

A little over a week and we make our ADRs!

 

[erika412]

Oh my.

Brian and I just starting talking about our next trip after this one. Time TBD, but we're thinking of staying offsite in a 3 bedroom house with its own pool for longer. We'll give up the Disney resorts (might be very hard to do after staying at the Poly) but we'd be able to go for longer. And since longer means when the kids aren't in session, it will be summer and hot, hence the need for a pool.

We've never been to the Disney waterparks or even the resort pools. Our trips have always been all about the theme parks. It might be nice to have a slower paced trip since we'd be there for longer.

Anyway, does anyone have any favorite places to stay offsite?

 

[MomTo4+more]

Just checked out your PTR and saw that you are from Chicago suburbs. We are in Chicago. Our trip dates just miss each other. We will be there November 1-7th! I am glad your daughter's kidney fnction is better. That is truly something to celebrate!

 

[middlepat]

Hooray... we got all the ADRs that we wanted. I guess getting up early today has paid off. Having our little alergenista we wanted to get more TS dining so here is the list of what we got.

Nov 9:
8:10 Crystal Palace
11:50 Tony's Town Square
6:15 Cinderella's Dinner @ 1900 Park Fare

Nov 10:
8:00 Donald's Safari Breakfast @ AK
11:30 Yak & Yeti
5:25 O'hanas

Nov 11:
8:15 Chef Mickey
Lunch - Sunshine Seasons (CS that is supposedly a good place for alergenistas)
6:05 Coral Reef (one of our favorites)

Nov 12:
7:45 Kona Cafe
12:30 Mama Melrose
5:25 Whispering Canyon Cafe

Nov 13:
8:05 Cinderella's Royal Table
11:45 The Plaza
5:35 Kona Cafe

 

[erika412]

How funny. I was just coming here to post about the ADRs. We are out of town at my inlaws home and my dh Middlepat is golfing with his father right now. He got up at 4am to use the online ADR system. I woke up and my mil was at her water aerobics class. I looked around for a note from Brian saying what he got but couldn't find anything. When my mil came home she told me my fil told her we got them all. Then I went to take a shower and found the confirmations printed out on my luggage! I hadn't bothered to check our room at all.

So I was all excited and came here to update and it looks like middlepat has already been here. I could have just checked here!

Btw, "Allegenista" is cute Brian.

As soon as we get home from this trip and the girls start school (aug 26) the real planning begins! I have a countdown chain to make, shirts to make and order, autograph books to make, pressed penny containers to make, and probably other stuff I can't think of right now. I CAN'T WAIT!

 

[erika412]

We're back from visting my inlaws. School started Wednesday. I only have the baby at home now. That means more Disney planning time!!! We've submitted our ADR's to the allergy people and we're all set.

DH and I were discussing movies we'd like to bring for the way down-

Tinkerbell- brand new, the girls don't know we have it
Lilo & Stitch
Cinderella (all)
Little Mermaid
Monsters
Toy Story
Nemo
Alladin
HSM 1, 2, & 3
Space Dogs
Sleeping Beauty
101 Dalmations
Beauty and the Beast
Mickey classics
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Cars
It's a Bug's Life
The Incredibles
The Lion King
Mary Poppins
Ratatouille


That's 24-ish movies. They should have a lot of options. Now I just have to make sure they all are working and maybe look into getting the ones that are broken repaired if possible.

 

[erika412]

5 1/2 x 4 1/4 for the large tubes

 

[erika412]

It is hard to believe that in 4 weeks we will be on the road on the way to Disney World!!!

I've been trying to do some planning. I bought paper for and printed the girls trip journals. I just used the ones on themouseforless.com but put them on light card stock so that they can write and erase and rewrite to their hearts content.

Then today we picked up a pop up hamper, a shoe rack to store toiletries, a cd wallet to organize the cds for the road, some crayons, rain ponchos, and a HSM themed night light. Tonight I finally plan to take pictures of a few things when the girls are in bed. I'll post those later.

Yesterday I also finally made a countdown chain. The girls love it. We're at 27 days until we leave. (then two days driving.)

Now that we are in within a month, it seems so much more real.

Yay!

 

[erika412]

Another thing I remembered- Megan has really been into Minnie Mouse lately. For her birthday in early September, my sister and her kdis gave Megan a Minnie Halloween costume. We can bring it with us on our trip too!

 

[erika412]

I went through my box of goodies tonight.

Since around the time we decided we were going to Disney World, I have been putting random stuff in a big bin in the garage. I've mentioned some of it here, but I took a few pictures tonight.

I bought the following clothes a while ago on sale at the Disney store online.

For Megan:

For Shannon: (yes I have two things for her and no one else at this point)

And for Mary:

tbc

 

[erika412]

One thing I'm most excited about is the Princess Necklaces. I've mentioned them before, but finally took their picture. The quality isn't that great, but our plan is to have Tinkerbell leave them for the oldest two each night while we are there. I can't wait. They are going to love them!

That reminds me, I have to go to the DISign board and ask for a Tinkberbell gift tag.

 

[palavra]

Hi Erika,
I haven't checked in for a while, but i see your plans are well underway. Glad you got the ADR's you wanted. I'm sure you guys will have a great trip. We are going for week of Thanksgiving and staying at All Star Music with the DDP. We were able to get all the ADR's we wanted as well.

I hope you will post pictures after your trip. I love to see your cute girls!

 

[erika412]

Oh, you'll have to let me know how crowded it was then. I really want to go sometime over Christmas to see all the decorations and festivities, but the crowds scare me.

That's great that you got your ADRs too. I was nervous with all the complaints and problems I've heard/read about.

I've been printing coloring pages this morning for the girls at restaurants. They'll have about 10 pages each and then can use the back to draw on if necessary.

 

[erika412]

I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed and stressed. I started my planning early and am still waiting to close to the last minute to have anything complete.

So here is all I can think of for my to do list:

print and iron on transfers on 8 tshirts. Probably need to wash shirts first?
Figure out paging for third main autograph book
Print covers for all three main autograph books
Finish Fairy autograph book layout and print
Check on fairy cover request
Get all books (6 autograph books, 2 journals) covered and bounded at Staples.
Cut out mileage countdown chain links and assemble.
Laminate stroller tag and hole punch.
Put on pressed penny covers.
Print and put on wet-ones covers.
Put adrs in iPhone app
Print driving maps for the girls
Find shipping box and send DVDs to be fixed
cut out tinkerbell tags

 

[erika412]

Also need to clean pack and play.

 

[erika412]

I accomplished a lot tonight! Off to bed.

 

[erika412]

I am getting so excited for our trip, I can't stand it!!!!

I have an online friend, not from the Dis, making some shirts for the girls and they should be coming soon. Once they are here, I'll post them. She does custom embroidery and did shirts for my older two girls saying "What Happens At Nani's House, Stays at Nani's House" a few years ago. I'm so excited to see these.

We also bought some Princess dresses from littledressupshop.com This is the first year that we will have so much Disney themed items to wear, use etc. I think my girls - at least Mary and Shannon - are at a perfect age to make this a special trip. They didn't wear their princess dresses the last time we were there or have special autograph books or tshirts. I'm really looking forward to them experiencing all of it!

To Do List - updated since I've been working pretty hard on getting it done!

print and iron on transfers on 8 tshirts. Probably need to wash shirts first?
Get all books (6 autograph books, 2 journals) covered and bounded at Staples.
Cut out mileage countdown chain links and assemble.
Laminate stroller tag and hole punch.
Put on pressed penny covers.
Print and put on wet-ones covers.
Print driving maps for the girls
Also need to clean pack and play.
Buy glitter hair spray

Done
cut out tinkerbell tags
Find shipping box and send DVDs to be fixed (done on 10/19 to track)
Put adrs in iPhone app
Figure out paging for third main autograph book
Print covers for all three main autograph books
Finish Fairy autograph book layout and print
Check on fairy cover request

 

[erika412]

Ugh! I taken the autograph books to staples to bind them. They screwed them up! Not so bad that they are unusable or that the girls will notice, but I KNOW. They aren't how I wanted.

But at least that is another thing off the list!