Chicago area Diser's - check in here Part 4

[macraven]

Mac Isn't it sad about those poor kids How very scary!

i am just sick over it all.



i know bunckin said disneyland was yech on her trip but if it was just mainly dirty and looking like the grounds of six flags, i could still dry DL.

we live in filth at home. i could handle that in order to see the mouse from another angle....

 

[macraven]

sorry, forgot to add......

back home bunchkin

 

[slo]

I'm just sitting here waiting for the girls to finish watching Peter Pan, and then I have to get them ready for bed.

How was everyone's day?

My day went well - I got alot done




Jedi - I'm so glad to see you!!! I've been wondering how you've been doing. I'm glad you are getting out and having fun with your friends Congrats on the tattoo - very nice!!!

Rose - Thanks for the well wishes for my day today

Bunchkin - Welcome home!!!! We missed you!!!!
I"m sorry your time in California was not what you were hoping for I'm glad your visit with your in-laws was nice - how's your MIL doing? What a drag about all the problems with your flight home yesterday It seems like you had alot of disappointments I hope you were able to have some good times though, and I can hardly wait to see any pictures you took

mac and HERSEY -



Well, the movie is almost over
Have a good night everyone!!!

 

[Bunchkin]

Ok, this day just goes from bad to worse!

DH is at the hospital this evening.
He has been having stomach cramps all day. He stopped at the Emergency Care Center to be checked out and they told him to go over to the hospital because it sounds like his appendix are in trouble.
So he just called to say he's checked into the emergency room and there is a 2 HOUR WAIT!!!
He was told to come back to the desk and complain often if the pain starts to become worse so that he can be seen sooner.

So here I wait to see what will happen to him.

I have no clue about appendix and what that entails if it needs to be removed.

I can't ask mom to come over to stay with the kids because she is already watching my sister's 2 kids!!!! Just my luck!!




I hate waiting....................

 

[Crissup]

Ugh!! Freshly back from our weekend away. Friday the 13th was not good to us!!

CarolAnnC and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary last wednesday (April 11th), and so I convinced her we should go visit Galena, IL for a weekend away. Barring flights to California, Carol has never seen much of the country, and when she first met me, Chicago was way beyond anything west of Boston she'd ever seen. So, I keep telling her I need to show her more of the country and there's so much right here in Illinois, we don't really even need to leave the state. Anyway, we booked a victorian suite and the Country Inn & Suites in Galena, IL, for the weekend and off we headed Friday afternoon. Somehow, I'd had a feeling all day that I wasn't going to escape that Friday the 13th unscathed.

We no sooner get ready to leave from work and we got a phone call from the younger DD. Seems her car tire is sinking into a hole in our asphalt driveway!! The way she had described it to me, I figured it was a spot near the edge that had just had the gravel settle under it a bit and created a sink hole. No biggie, that stuff happens with asphalt. As we're on our way to Galena, Carol gets more phone calls telling her the driveway is getting worse and we now have two large sink holes in the driveway that are getting worse by the minute. I finally called my BIL and asked him to run over and look at it. He calls to tell me that they're in the middle of the driveway and where it's broken through, it doesn't look like there's any gravel under it.

So, now I'm thinking there was either a large air pocket under it and the gravel finally settled, or the storm pipe running under our driveway is broken and the recent rain caused the leak to wash the gravel out from underneath! As we pull into Galena, we call the builder. Of course, we get the after hours answering service who tells us that a sinking driveway is not on the list of approved problems to page them over. Carol starts pondering how long she will need to stay in prison if she beats the person on the other end of the phone. I finally got the girls supe on the line and explained the situation and got the builder paged.

The builder (their QA rep) drives out to the house and inspects the driveway, then calls me to tell me the sink holes are in line with the storm pipe. So, I call the village's after hours number and get someone from public works out to inspect the situation. They decide that it looks like there may be a broken pipe.

Fast forward to today, the village tells me that it doesn't matter, because it's the builder's responsibility regardless. So, I get the builder on the line, who has now inspected the blueprints, and decides that it's a problem with the gravel settling under the storm pipe. Either way, the driveway has to come out so they can get under it to inspect the pipe, perform whatever repairs are necessary (the village will inspect their work) and repair the driveway. Carol doesn't want a patch in the driveway (I agree in this case), so I explained to the builder that a patch would be an issue. Finally, the engineering company that handles the storm sewer infrastructure arrived at my house to explain the problem, told me they will fill the sink holes with gravel for now, until the asphalt plants open for the season, then they'll be out to pull up the driveway, fix everythign right, and replace the entire driveway.

Otherwise, we had a wonderful anniversary weekend and Carol was extremely impressed with Galena!

 

[HERSEY]

Bunchkin I hope your husband is better today. Not a good way to come back from vacation.

Crissup I really hate people who keep saying "...not my job". (Where the head smacking smilie). Glad Galena was nice for you both.

 

[slo]

Looks like it's going to be chillier today and tomorrow.
As long as the sun is shining I don't mind



Bunchkin - You need alot of hugs my friend!!!
How is Tony???? Please let us know!!!
I will send a ton of PD his way

Crissup - I'm so sorry that happened to your driveway I hope they fix it immediately after that asphalt plant opens up Keep us posted!!!!
**Happy Anniversary!!!!!
I'm glad you and Carol had a nice time in Galena

HERSEY - How's Alex's castle project coming?




Well, I need to get some breakfast going for Steph
Have a good day today everyone!!!!

 

[DonnaW]

Hi, Chicago...

BUNCHKIN...Welcome home....I'm sorry to hear you guys didn't have a great time at DL. Like Hersey, I haven't been there in years and years, so have only seen it on the Travel Channel (who knows what year they filmed those shows). I hope the drs saw your husband sooner rather than later...and that everything is working out okay.

JEDI...Great to see you here! You are a *brave* woman to get that tatoo...I don't even want to think about needles like that!

MAC...I am heartsick over the shooting incident, as well. Of course, being a mom of a student away at college makes it all hit home a bit more. I called Christopher as soon as I heard about what had happened. Just makes you want to hug your kids, no matter how old they are.
As for Kentucky, I really don't know much about the places you mentioned...just Louisville and we have also gone to Lexington (brother-in-law lives there). I think Lexington is very pretty. Are you seriously considering a move to Kentucky at some point?

CRISSUP...I hope they get your driveway problem resolved to your satisfaction. Happy belated Anniversary! We go to Galena when we go to Dubuque (where Christopher goes to college). The first time we drove out there I couldn't even believe we were still in Illinois! It is just so hilly, and gorgeous, isn't it? There is a hotel in Galena that I keep telling myself we should try sometime called the Irish Cottage. Everything there was imported from Ireland, they say, and Chris, who has been to Ireland, was kind of impressed when we walked into the lobby of the place to look around. It's pretty cool! There is also a cute little Italian restaurant in town, which we love, too. Can you tell I like Galena??! Glad you enjoyed your vist there.

SLO...Glad to see you are keeping busy and getting things done!

Hi to everybody...hope you all have a good day!

 

[Bunchkin]

Good Morning all!

DH called me at 2:15am to say that he was finally seen at around 10pm and that all the tests show it is his appendix.
I got off the phone with him just a short while ago again and they were coming in to prep him for surgery.
No idea right now how long the surgery will take or how long he'll be in the hospital.
I'm just waiting for the kids to wake up so I can take them to my mom's house which is near the hospital so I can go see DH.





jedi I can't believe you got a tatoo!!
I could never do that!!!!

Crissup I hope everything works out ok with your driveway!!


slo Mother-in-law is doing well. Thanks for asking.




I need to run for now.
I'll check back in later today hopefully.

 

[jax677]

Good morning all!

Bunchkin, its so tough to wait and wonder. Hopefully your husband will have an answer soon. I have had to go to the E.R. 2 times with my fil and each time took all day. He was in so much pain.
Crissup. I hate when everyone keeps blaming someone else.


I am suppose to be baking not playing on the computer. I guess this is more fun.

 

[Tiggerrn2]

Morning all. Boy am I behind. I'm going back to read now.

 

[Becky2005]

Bunchkin --

Crissup -- Sorry to hear about the driveway. Hopefully it will all be resolved.

Hello everyone else.

Ever feel like you have champagne tastes on a beer budget? I tell you the DIS is so not good for my wallet. I have been following a thread about Private tour guides at WDW. I then read a trip report from CASS who had one! Another person is planning one in May.

So...of course this is in my head. I was looking at Great America's website because we are trying to determine if we can make it on Scouts day due to if DD has her state gymnastics meet that Saturday or the Sunday. It's really cheap to go on Scouts day but then I saw something new that caught my eye. VIP tours -- to which of course I had to check it out. Sounds awesome:

Private guided tour for your family or group; Front-of-the-line ride privileges;
Preferred parking; Theme park admission; Reserved show seating;
Private autograph session with LOONEY TUNES and The Justice League;
Lunch and dinner with reserved seating at restaurants (since when did GA start taking reservations at restaraunts there? );
Unlimited snacks; Complimentary games; Souvenir ride or character photo

I misread it at first since it said minimum of 4 people and the cost was $249.00-- I kept thinking that was unbelievably cheap for 4 people (i.e. too good to be true). I kept looking more into it & apparently it's new for this year, etc... Basically I got myself sold on it & then re-checked again and it's $249 PER PERSON -- Ohhhhh....that makes a difference. That makes a lot more sense since it includes admission, parking & food.


I probably wouldn't have even paid any attention if I hadn't been reading about the VIP tours at Disney just recently. Of course, now I'm basically sold on it but that's awfully pricey for 4 people (and we would have 5). DH was actually sold on it as he was reading what it included when he was just reading the bulleted points, until he got to the $249/person.

Of course, that isn't per hour, just a cost per person so I would want to go on a day that they are open from 10 AM - 10 (or 11?) instead of some short hours day.

Back to waiting to see if we can go on Scouts day. We went last year & we had so much fun. It wasn't crowded that day and other than me getting lost in the park & not being able to find the Eagle since it had been so long since I had been there (how can you NOT find the Eagle? You can see the thing from the tollway -- but I managed to do it! -- lots of dead ends!) I had thought if we did the VIP tour we could schedule it for whenever and not have to worry about the gymnastics and since we would have to go on a weekend with DH then we wouldn't have to worry about crowds. We should be fine without it though we aren't big on the newest, fastest roller coasters anyway -- I'm an American Eagle & Demon type of gal. I did Batman once when it was brand new and the feet dangling thing did me in. I like feeling enclosured on the roller coasters thank you very much. No Superman ride for me! I was just reliving my teen days & remembering the hour long waits for the coasters when I read front of line.

It's just now that I know about it, I will be trying to figure out a way to do it because well....I like to be spoiled and think it would be a fun thing to do just once to see if it is as good as it sounded on paper. If TAZ is included in the meet & great that alone would be worth it (maybe?) (sorry Mickey -- I have loved TAZ eons ago when he was extremely hard to find -- basically when it was Marriott's and if you wanted any TAZ stuff you basically had to go to GA to find it! )

What were those winning lotto numbers again??

 

[roseprincess]

prayers and PD for all who need them: Tony(Bunchy's DH), Crissup, the families of the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings, and anyone else that needs them.

Bunchkin- keep us posted how Tony's surgery went. Please tell him we are thinking of him.

Becky- as for me, I wouldn't spend the money for a Six Flags VIP tour. I would rather spend that money on a WDW or DL VIP tour! I can't think Six Flags VIP tour would be that great. I should check out when scouts day is there on their website.

Hi to all!

Gotta get going and vote today for my local election.

 

[SamIAm21]

Bunchkin

I'm sending lots of good thoughts Tony's way. I hope the surgery is speedy and gets that mean old appendix out!! Not a good way to end an already disappointing vacation. I hope he's home and feeling better really really soon!

I can't believe what an awful time you had at DL. It's just the polar opposite of our experience there last year and it makes me mad and disappointed because I really thought we'd go back there, but now I'm not so sure. I know I would go back at the same time I did last June though because crowds were low.

Megan and I had a nice time although the MK on Friday was a madhouse. I'm lucky I'm already a big Disney lover otherwise, I'd never go back again. It was shoulder to shoulder with people and it was hot! I should have planned it better and decided to leave mid-day for the pool instead of being miserable there. Epcot was hot on Thursday too, but it's so darn big that you never really feel too crowded there, but it was more crowded than it was this past December that's for sure. MK was open until 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Megan and I didn't leave til midnight. We are still recuperating I think!

It's good to be home and my bed felt like heaven last night.

But, I'm back and work and need to get busy, so I will be back later to talk more and catch up with everyone!!

 

[roseprincess]

Welcome back, SamIAm! Glad you and Megan had a good time at WDW!


Becky- Forgot to add, you can see TAZ just roaming in Great America for meet and greet for free! We saw TAZ last summer real quick from about 20 feet away. I think he hangs out by the children's rides/ children's areas. You can call Great America sometime when it opens and ask where TAZ is usually located for meet and greet. When we were there in the Cartoon Network area last summer, we saw George Jetson,GJ's dog(can't remember his name), Scooby Doo, and Fred Flintstone. I took pics of my kids with all 4 of those characters at the Cartoon Network area.


Ok, gotta run.
Have a good day everyone.

 

[Tiggerrn2]

Bunchkin, so sorry to hear about Tony. I do not have an appendix anymore either. Although mine was removed when I was 11. This first week will be the worst. Tell him not to overdo it. And listen to what the Drs. tell him to do for recovery. Us older folks don't heal as fast as the young whippersnappers. I hope that they removed it before it ruptured. He would be very ill if that happened.
Also sorry you were disappointed in DL. When we were there 2 years ago, I thought it was lovely and definately thought the fireworks were better. So sad you didn't get the chance to see them. I was looking forward to going back this summer. I want to see Fantasmic there. I bet you couldn't see that either since they are setting that area up right now for the new Pirates movie Premiere.
Hersey, hope Alex has a good day at the game today. Looks like a beautiful day.
Slo, have fun with your race car!!
Hi Jedi, long time no hear from you. Glad you are getting out and about and having fun!!! The concept of a tattoo is just too painful for me to consider. I don't mind causing pain (shots) on others, but no thanks for myself .
Well, my house looks like a hurricane hit it, since I haven't been around for days to do anything. and this is all over my bedroom floor, plus I have to go all the way to work for a lovely 1 hour meeting today, so I guess I'd better get my behind in a gear that moves!!
Have a great day everyone.
Hi Rose, Debbie, Becky, Jax, poohlovermom, Crissup (hope your driveway repairs get all done properly and paid for), Mac, SamIAm (welcome home), and anyone else I missed.
Talk to you all later.

 

[Tiggerrn2]

Welcome back, SamIAm! Glad you and Megan had a good time at WDW!


Becky- Forgot to add, you can see TAZ just roaming in Great America for meet and greet for free! We saw TAZ last summer real quick from about 20 feet away. I think he hangs out by the children's rides/ children's areas. You can call Great America sometime when it opens and ask where TAZ is usually located for meet and greet. When we were there in the Cartoon Network area last summer, we saw George Jetson,GJ's dog(can't remember his name), Scooby Doo, and Fred Flintstone. I took pics of my kids with all 4 of those characters at the Cartoon Network area.


Ok, gotta run.
Have a good day everyone.

Rose,
dogs name was Astro. Don't ask me why I remember that.

 

[roseprincess]

Rose,
dogs name was Astro. Don't ask me why I remember that.

Thanks! If my DH was home right now(he's at work), he knows the characters real well, so he would defintely know Astro right away!

 

[Becky2005]

Becky- as for me, I wouldn't spend the money for a Six Flags VIP tour. I would rather spend that money on a WDW or DL VIP tour! I can't think Six Flags VIP tour would be that great. I should check out when scouts day is there on their website.

True -- I just kept thinking it would probably be this 16 year old that was the tour guide with a bad attitude or something but I was shocked how much there was at Six Flags for the younger set when I went last time (and now that Santa's Village is gone -- ), I remember there was nothing for the little ones when I went ages ago. Of course, they also sell Disney merchandise at Six Flags now too. I know it definitely wasn't that crowded when we went last year on Scouts day because I was buying a pop while DD was on the water ride with her friend & family (I refused -- the idea of walking around in wet shorts -- ICK!) and as I turned around I nearly walked right into the parade! I had no idea it was going on but there it was right in front of me with no wait to see it or anything -- luckily I noticed what it was but there was no roped off area & I could have seen me walking smack dab across it if I was in my usual spacey mood. I just thought hmm...might be something to think about for the tour. Then again, Great America is usually one of those, I've done it once and that's all for the year for us.

Scout days are May 12 and then June 2 (the waterpark is open this day). We can't go May 12 - this would be my preference however DD has a home gymnastics meet that day & then June 2/3 is the state meet, we just don't know if she's competing on the 2nd or the 3rd. The cost is $27/person and then they have an all you can eat picnic for an extra $10. We went to the picnic last year & it was good. So for basically $37/person -- you get admission & food. Can't beat that!
http://www.sixflags.com/greatAmerica/events/scouts.aspx

I know last year we just went to our local GS council and picked up the tickets there. I know I told our Boy Scout person about it since although they emphasize Girl Scouts it's for ALL Scouts. They put it in the newsletter to order tickets through them but since I have to wait until practically last minute to find out about the state meet, I will just go to the GS council again.

It was so much fun, most things were actually walk-on or very short lines at least in the morning. The only bad thing is once you buy the tickets you are stuck -- if it rains, you go anyway. We could have easily been the first person to ride several rides but I was on a quest to get to the Eagle so we passed them (too bad too) -- The longest ride was Rajun Cajun in the afternoon & we had walked by that first thing in the morning and we could have been the first/only people to ride it. DD wanted to save some rides though to go on with her friend as they were coming later. Our plan was that DD & I would hit the big rides that we weren't sure her DD was tall enough/could handle.

This year I asked if DH would come along so we could take the boys too, although I'm thinking of asking if my mom would watch the youngest because we could take him but it would be easier with the older ones. I just know my 6 year old will be too short for the big coasters so need and adult to stay with him (not so sure about the 10 year old & he's my timid one -- we are trying to convince him to at least *try* the Eagle & Demon once. I don't think it's going to work once he actually SEES the Eagle!)

Last year DD was on the borderline for height -- she was tall enough for the big roller coasters but just looking at her she looks short -- I know we measured her about 5 times and she was about 55" tall. Since we were in the kiddie area with her friend's family since they had the younger brother. On the Scooby-Doo ride we went on there were a couple teens in front of us with no shorter person & they got turned away. Then DD & I and the friend & her mom went. I was fully expecting them to turn DD away. We knew her friend could go since she is a few inches shorter than DD but didn't know if they would allow 3 people over the height to go with her (or just 1 parent/child type of thing). Just by looking at DD though she probably passed as being under the height limit. They never said anything so Of course, it was in the afternoon & maybe DD had shrunk by then? She was never measured at any of the big coasters though? Hmmm...she went on the Eagle/Demon/Whizzer. I need to look up height requirements again. She went also went on the Jetson coaster & loved all of them

 

[Becky2005]

Becky- Forgot to add, you can see TAZ just roaming in Great America for meet and greet for free! We saw TAZ last summer real quick from about 20 feet away. I think he hangs out by the children's rides/ children's areas. You can call Great America sometime when it opens and ask where TAZ is usually located for meet and greet. When we were there in the Cartoon Network area last summer, we saw George Jetson,GJ's dog(can't remember his name), Scooby Doo, and Fred Flintstone. I took pics of my kids with all 4 of those characters at the Cartoon Network area.

Cool! I know we saw some characters last year (and no lines for them) but never ran into TAZ. I would have remembered TAZ - forget DD, *I* would have been the first one going to see TAZ. I know Green Latern (? - I think it was him) & Wonder Woman walked past me at one point I think getting to their spot. I did ask DD if she wanted to see them & she said no but the Looney Tunes/Cartoon ones -- yes.

Oh I know, she had her picture taken with Marvin the Martian before going in to see his show. We also saw Granny & The Rooster? (Ok, so I don't know his name either? Does he HAVE a name? I got put in that picture). Elmer Fudd. Then they had Bugs & Sylvester posed at the front, when they went to snap the picture Daffy went sliding in. (I just went & re-looked at the picture and oh my gosh!!! Bugs & Sylvester are LOOKING at Daffy & although they can't really have expressions per se, it looks like they are looking at him like "what in the world?" That makes the picture even funnier!)

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a40/Beckymk/HPIM0182.jpg

Basically we didn't go looking for them but if we stumbled upon them, we went and got pictures taken (I didn't know they had autograph stuff too? Never saw that but wasn't really looking for it either & since no body else was in any of the lines didn't see people getting them.)