Chasing a Dream: September Trip Report Update 12/11 FINAL THOUGHTS/TRIP FAVORITES

[tmkinney]

Hi!
Sounds great! your daughter's bangs are coming in a bit! The kids look so cute! yes, you won't miss the breakfast. Ohana's is nice but when they place that skillet in front of you and you look into it you will not see $80! You can spend your $ better ways there! I would give a call about your paperwork. Me and my friend are at 30 days and we got ours a week ago. I'm sure it is fine but Murphy's law for me is as soon as I call and ask, it arrives!
Dana

Thanks! Yes, I'm not even a big breakfast person anyway, so its really hard for me to justify that much for breakfast! I know I would be paying for the characters, but I think being at the MK rope drop will be a blast, we haven't done that before!

 

[tmkinney]

Today we got our disney packet!!! Since we booked with Southwest vacations, it isn't like the packet we got last year, so no luggage tags... But the great news is that Southwest now allows check in 24 hours before departure! When we first booked we were told that we would be issued a paper ticket and they did not offer online checkin with their vacation packages. But there was a slip in the packet today that said they have started online checkin. I was so happy to see that because I was really worried about us all getting to sit together on the plane....

Here is a pic of what we got:

So anyway, very exciting!!! We also received good news this weekend, Hunter got the teacher he was hoping for in 2nd grade AND his best friend is in his class again! The school has open house on Wednesday, I can't believe summer is over.... But on the bright side, its that much closer to Disney!! I feel so bad for the people there now during this storm. I PRAY for good weather in September! It's always a risk going this time of year, I hope we won't have anything to worry about!

 

[pmama]

Yeah!!! Glad you got your packet. Ours came in last week. What are you talking about w/ luggage tags. Aren't the yellow things luggage tags? Or are you talking about the YOAMD tags?

I agree things are a little crazy w/ school starting at the same time as vacation. Our 2nd grader has open house Wed. as well. She starts Thursday. I haven't told the teacher just how much school she'll miss yet though. I'm a little nervous. She will miss 7 days. Right at the beginning of school. Luckily my daughter has the same teacher, class, and room as last year so there won't be the usually transition time.

 

[addicted2dizney]

Back to school! Ugh!! I am not looking forward to it! My kids don't start back until Sept 4th. We should be getting our schedules in the mail in about 1 1/2 weeks. I'm glad your son got the teacher he wanted! It certainly makes for a nice start to the year. I do miss those days a bit when they get one teacher. Now this year with Jenna starting HS and Lucas in 7th grade it's quite an adventure keeping up with all the teachers! I'm glad your package came in the mail! Only 30 more days until my mom's trip!

 

[tmkinney]

Yeah!!! Glad you got your packet. Ours came in last week. What are you talking about w/ luggage tags. Aren't the yellow things luggage tags? Or are you talking about the YOAMD tags?

I agree things are a little crazy w/ school starting at the same time as vacation. Our 2nd grader has open house Wed. as well. She starts Thursday. I haven't told the teacher just how much school she'll miss yet though. I'm a little nervous. She will miss 7 days. Right at the beginning of school. Luckily my daughter has the same teacher, class, and room as last year so there won't be the usually transition time.

Yes I was talking about the YOAMD tags. Which they may be exactly the same as they were last year and we already have them. We aren't even going to use our ME tags since our plane arrives around 8:30pm, we will go ahead and pick up our luggage ourselves. That's great your daughter has the same teacher. Well at least the time she is missing is at the beginning of school, they are probably just spending time giving refreshers so she should be fine!

Back to school! Ugh!! I am not looking forward to it! My kids don't start back until Sept 4th. We should be getting our schedules in the mail in about 1 1/2 weeks. I'm glad your son got the teacher he wanted! It certainly makes for a nice start to the year. I do miss those days a bit when they get one teacher. Now this year with Jenna starting HS and Lucas in 7th grade it's quite an adventure keeping up with all the teachers! I'm glad your package came in the mail! Only 30 more days until my mom's trip!

I know what you mean! A lot of parents look forward to when the kids go back to school, but I don't, its more work for me too!

for 30 days!!!!

 

[dddisrunner]

Great pictures! Rachel's bangs do like they are coming in! Your son looks fierce in his football gear! Cute countdown calendar too!

 

[tink1957]

Congrats on getting your tags. We got ours last week & yes the YOMD tags are the same as last year's so you didn't miss anything.

Love the pics, thanks for sharing. The football pic took me back to when DS was 10 & played football for the first time.

 

[tmkinney]

Great pictures! Rachel's bangs do like they are coming in! Your son looks fierce in his football gear! Cute countdown calendar too!

Thanks Diane! Yes I think Rachel's hair will be about right for the trip. Unfortunately now its mine I have to worry about!! I had mine cut off yesterday (a little shorter than I wanted) so now I'm hoping for it to grow 3 inches in 3 weeks - think that's possible??

Congrats on getting your tags. We got ours last week & yes the YOMD tags are the same as last year's so you didn't miss anything.

Love the pics, thanks for sharing. The football pic took me back to when DS was 10 & played football for the first time.

Great, thanks for letting me know, that makes me feel better about not getting them! Glad you like the pics!

 

[kaysmommie]

I love your countdown calendar!! Rachel's hair looks great too. Seems the bangs are growing back quickly. You only have 3 more weeks looking forward to hearing all about your trip.

 

[tmkinney]

I love your countdown calendar!! Rachel's hair looks great too. Seems the bangs are growing back quickly. You only have 3 more weeks looking forward to hearing all about your trip.

Thanks! I know, I can't believe we are so close! I can't wait!!!!!!!

 

[tmkinney]

I am stressing out because the kids have been exposed to chicken pox!!!!! They say that if they get it, it will show up 10-21 days after being exposed. We only have 20 days left till our trip! They were exposed last Friday (6 days ago) so hopefully if they were to get it, we would be over it before the trip, but I am still freaking out!!! Does the exposure time get extended if someone else gets it at daycare? Does the time frame start over again? Uggghh!!!!!

So now I'm not only going to worry myself over the weather the next 2+ weeks, I'll also have this to worry about!! The kids have had the vaccine so I'm praying it will prevent it, but that has not been the case with many!

So anyway, I need some serious pixie dust!!!

 

[Paparazzimama]

I am stressing out because the kids have been exposed to chicken pox!!!!! They say that if they get it, it will show up 10-21 days after being exposed. We only have 20 days left till our trip! They were exposed last Friday (6 days ago) so hopefully if they were to get it, we would be over it before the trip, but I am still freaking out!!! Does the exposure time get extended if someone else gets it at daycare? Does the time frame start over again? Uggghh!!!!!

So now I'm not only going to worry myself over the weather the next 2+ weeks, I'll also have this to worry about!! The kids have had the vaccine so I'm praying it will prevent it, but that has not been the case with many!

So anyway, I need some serious pixie dust!!!

Here's some for you! If it's any comfort - my kids have been exposed SEVERAL times to different forms of the varicella virus (including chicken pox) and haven't caught it - YET! So, apparenty, the vaccine is pretty tough stuff! But, just in case, here's some extra

 

[vdarrell]

Here's more Pixie dust.

And a few prayers, never hurt anyone.

That should do it.

 

[tmkinney]

Here's some for you! If it's any comfort - my kids have been exposed SEVERAL times to different forms of the varicella virus (including chicken pox) and haven't caught it - YET! So, apparenty, the vaccine is pretty tough stuff! But, just in case, here's some extra

Thanks! That does make me feel a little better knowing your kids have been exposed and have not caught it!!

Here's more Pixie dust.

And a few prayers, never hurt anyone.

That should do it.

Thanks so much!!! I'll gladly take the prayers and pixie dust!!!

 

[tmkinney]

Just wanted to celebrate a little - we are in the teens baby!!!

 

[lmillercrew]

Woo Hoo

 

[dddisrunner]

Sorry I have been away so long! about the chicken pox! Here is somemore goodvibes that they stay away! I am so excited for you that you are in the teens!

 

[tmkinney]

Woo Hoo

Thanks for celebrating with me!!

Sorry I have been away so long! about the chicken pox! Here is somemore goodvibes that they stay away! I am so excited for you that you are in the teens!

Thanks for the ! So far so good!!

 

[tmkinney]

Check out my ticker!! Next week I'll be starting the "This time next week...." installment!! Thanks Lesley & Dawn (punkin) for the idea!!

Well I had an exciting weekend! Friday at work I was given two tickets to the Panthers/Redskins game for Saturday night!! So Alan and I headed to Charlotte Saturday and on the way stopped by the mall and I just HAD to go in the Disney Store! Here is a pic of my buys:

The shirt for me was $5.99 and the kids were $4.99. I also had an extra 15% off coupon!

And I bought the kids some Disney Dollars for spending money for the trip:

Then we headed to the game (on fumes) and made it just in time for the National Anthem! We sat beside some great people who were really fun (maybe a tad drunk?! ) But they were nice enough to offer to take our pic:

Last year we went to a preseason game and met this worker who was so nice and funny. Well to our surprise, we ran into him again this year! Here is a pic with our buddy:

This game was awesome!!! Here is the score at halftime:

We were kicking some butt and it was great to see since we had such a terrible season last year!! (So sorry to any Redskins fans - but I have to celebrate when I can!! )

I recently bought a new camera and I was pleased with the pics I got. We were on the upper level so I was zoomed all the way out to get these pics and they are pretty clear:

I was excited that I was able to see Jason Taylor (Redskins) who danced this year on Dancing with the Stars. Sorry to report he got hurt at the game though. Here is a pic I took of him on the sidelines after he got hurt. Hard to tell, but he is #55:

Alan and I decided to leave at the 4th quarter since we were so far ahead and it would be next to impossible for Washington to come back. Plus we had 1 1/2 hour drive home and still needed to get some gas! So we headed out and stopped for gas but then got turned around somehow and it took 45 minutes for us to get back on track!! If ANYONE needs a GPS - it is definitely us!! That is definitely what I want for Christmas this year!!

But anyway, the game was a blast! We were lucky to be on the end where we were getting all the touchdowns, and the group around us was so much fun. I hope we get lucky enough to go back again soon!!!

Well, school starts tomorrow.... I am a little sad for Hunter, I remember myself hating when the summer was over. But I will post pics from the first day of school and from his first football game coming up this week! (Can you tell I take a LOT of pics?!)

Oh yeah, this week on the radio I won 3rd row tickets to the Cheetah Girls concert and a family 4 pack to the NC Zoo! Think I'll get that lucky with the Dream Team in a couple of weeks?! I sure hope so!!

 

[The Marsons]

Great pre-Trippie!

You are your family are gorgeous, looking forward to more