CHRISTMAS VACATION (The Trip, Not the Movie): 12/19 - We're back, TR link on p. 25

[creativeamanda]

Who are you renting from? I'm looking at renting a 18-200mm so I don't have to change lenses.

 

[annnewjerz]

That's awesome that you got the giftcard!

Who are you renting from? I'm looking at renting a 18-200mm so I don't have to change lenses.

I'm renting from ziplens.com, but over on the Photo Board people have had success with lensrentals.com, borrowlenses.com and rentglass.com. As long as they have good ratings on resellerratings.com and they offer insurance, I wouldn't hesitate to rent from any of them. I only picked ziplens because they were the only ones that carried the lens I wanted to rent.

Good luck!

 

[annnewjerz]

Hi everyone

Sorry I've been a little MIA for the past few da....er....weeks. I promise I haven't been neglecting my trip in December, there's just not much to plan right now. Once we get under the 30 day mark, I think things will speed right up. Last minute trip shopping, Christmas shopping, putting up our tree, etc.

In the meantime, I have been working on planning another trip!!

Unfortunately, not another trip to Disney , but a trip nonetheless!!

For our Christmas presents to eachother this year, DH and I decided that we'd take a 4-day weekend trip to Boston to go to the 2010 Winter Classic. For those non-hockey fans out there, the Winter Classic is a game that the NHL has once each winter where two hockey teams play a game outside. This game will be between the Flyers and Bruins at Fenway Park in Boston.....

.......on New Year's Day. Can we say F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G?!!

The Winter Classic is something that I know Erik will love going to and will remember forever, so even though it will probably be freezing cold I'm sure it'll be an experience to write home about!

We'll be up there from New Year's Eve (anyone know what goes on in Boston for NYE?!) and will be coming home that Sunday. We'll be staying in the Quincy Market neighborhood of Boston and plan on doing a bunch of sight-seeing, etc. so in the middle of my Christmas TR when I eventually start it, I think we may have to take a slight detour and do a little Boston weekend TR.

So, that's all the news for now. I'll be back soon enough with trip updates, I promise!!

 

[creativeamanda]

I'm renting from ziplens.com, but over on the Photo Board people have had success with lensrentals.com, borrowlenses.com and rentglass.com. As long as they have good ratings on resellerratings.com and they offer insurance, I wouldn't hesitate to rent from any of them. I only picked ziplens because they were the only ones that carried the lens I wanted to rent.

Good luck!

Thanks. I'll look at all of them.

 

[skier_pete]

Hi everyone

Sorry I've been a little MIA for the past few da....er....weeks. I promise I haven't been neglecting my trip in December, there's just not much to plan right now. Once we get under the 30 day mark, I think things will speed right up. Last minute trip shopping, Christmas shopping, putting up our tree, etc.

In the meantime, I have been working on planning another trip!!

Unfortunately, not another trip to Disney , but a trip nonetheless!!

For our Christmas presents to eachother this year, DH and I decided that we'd take a 4-day weekend trip to Boston to go to the 2010 Winter Classic. For those non-hockey fans out there, the Winter Classic is a game that the NHL has once each winter where two hockey teams play a game outside. This game will be between the Flyers and Bruins at Fenway Park in Boston.....

.......on New Year's Day. Can we say F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G?!!

The Winter Classic is something that I know Erik will love going to and will remember forever, so even though it will probably be freezing cold I'm sure it'll be an experience to write home about!

We'll be up there from New Year's Eve (anyone know what goes on in Boston for NYE?!) and will be coming home that Sunday. We'll be staying in the Quincy Market neighborhood of Boston and plan on doing a bunch of sight-seeing, etc. so in the middle of my Christmas TR when I eventually start it, I think we may have to take a slight detour and do a little Boston weekend TR.

So, that's all the news for now. I'll be back soon enough with trip updates, I promise!!

We had the 1st winter classic here in Buffalo, it is an awesome event, though the hockey itself (the view and the game) is pretty awful. Boston has for years a massive New Years Eve party called "First Night", there's lots of these around the country now, but Boston really started it. They USED to anyways get dozens upon dozens of theatres / galleries / plays open that you could tour around and watch. I don't know how it has changed over the years, I haven't been in about 12 years, but it is quite a lot of fun..finishing with fireworks over Fanieul (sp?) Hall. Check out firstnight.org.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Hmmm...my DH and smallest son love hockey...that would be a great thing for them to do!! Hope you enjoy it!

 

[annnewjerz]

We had the 1st winter classic here in Buffalo, it is an awesome event, though the hockey itself (the view and the game) is pretty awful. Boston has for years a massive New Years Eve party called "First Night", there's lots of these around the country now, but Boston really started it. They USED to anyways get dozens upon dozens of theatres / galleries / plays open that you could tour around and watch. I don't know how it has changed over the years, I haven't been in about 12 years, but it is quite a lot of fun..finishing with fireworks over Fanieul (sp?) Hall. Check out firstnight.org.

I remember that Winter Classic---they were sweeping/shoveling snow off of the ice like no one's business! I forewarned DH that if he wanted to see a great hockey game, this probably wasn't the event to go to. He understood that the view may not be great and I think just wants the experience and bragging rights to tell all of his family/friends that he went and they didn't.

I did see First Night in Boston, they have those in Ocean City, NJ that we have considered doing in the past. I'm considering it---not really sure how much I want to commit to since after a 6 hour drive I'm not even positive we'll be able to stay up until the New Year.

Hmmm...my DH and smallest son love hockey...that would be a great thing for them to do!! Hope you enjoy it!

It takes place once per year---two teams are selected to participate. Luckily, this year was the Flyers and since Boston isn't too far it just made sense to go...or at least that's what DH said in order to convince me.

 

[inkedupmomma]

How fun! I keep saying I want to go to Boston..just to listen to them speak lol!

 

[annnewjerz]

Saturday in my mailbox I found even more Mickey Mail!!!

I'm excited because of the fact that it was our Disney's Magical Express packets. Now most of you would think, who cares, it's just luggage tags. I, however, care so much because we never received our packet for the short weekend in October that we took and it was a headache once we arrived. It still only took about 45 minutes total, but we arrived late, had to stand in two lines and it just was annoying. This time I can bypass the first line and walk straight into the line for people who already have their packets. Considering we're arriving on a Saturday morning, I think having the paperwork will save us a little time.

In other news, I can't believe our trip is getting so close. In only a few short days, it will be less than a month until we leave.

Okay, just typing that out gave me a mini-panic attack. A month?!?!

I have so much left to do and what seems to be so little time. We have to clean, get the yard ready for winter, get the dog sitter to come over and get the "routine" down, finish buying trip stuff, pack, print everything, confirm everything, UGH! AND---that's not even including the fact that I have to Christmas shop, buy a tree, decorate the tree and house, wrap, do Thanksgiving..... I think I'd better stop now.

Deep breaths. Everything will be fine.

 

[annnewjerz]

How fun! I keep saying I want to go to Boston..just to listen to them speak lol!

Our neighbor is from New England and she's hilarious. Brawr (bra), pizzer (pizza), cah (car).....it's like learning a whole new language!!

 

[creativeamanda]

I know about the mini panic attacks--I am usually pretty much packed a month out. I just realized Thanksgiving is in 2 weeks and after Thanksgiving I have 2 more weeks!

I understand completely.

 

[skier_pete]

I remember that Winter Classic---they were sweeping/shoveling snow off of the ice like no one's business! I forewarned DH that if he wanted to see a great hockey game, this probably wasn't the event to go to. He understood that the view may not be great and I think just wants the experience and bragging rights to tell all of his family/friends that he went and they didn't.

Hah, I was just the opposite. I had 4 tickets to ours (I'm a season ticket holder.) and I gave them to my friends, I wasn't that into the idea of the game, and DW, DD and I were actually travelling back to Massachusetts for the 1st, but ended up back in Buffalo a day early to avoid the snow. I watched it on TV. Many, many, many people I know went and loved it, so I would say go while you have the chance.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

I am panic attacking right along with you!!! I have as much to do and only 23 days to do it in!!!

 

[inkedupmomma]

Our neighbor is from New England and she's hilarious. Brawr (bra), pizzer (pizza), cah (car).....it's like learning a whole new language!!

yes it is! I'm from NY and people say I have an accent! although after so many years in pa I think it is completely gone..unless I get mad lol! but hearing someone say cah will make my life!

 

[annnewjerz]

Alright everyone, it's time for the Happy Dance because today, we hit the point of.....

30 Days Until Our Trip!!!!!!

My initial reaction to this post is ......

...... but the more what I wrote just sets in, the more my reaction to it becomes instead. Or maybe even , who knows.

I'm having another little mini-freak out, but I've controlled it a little today by going shopping at Target on my lunch break. I have been looking for some more trip clothes, basically tops to wear with jeans in the event that the weather is really cold. So today I picked up a few things on clearance. I got a cute Anna Sui for Targer shirt that has stars and moons on it that I figured I could wear to Hollywood Studios since we have a reservation at Sci-Fi.

I'm hoping that since it has short sleeves, I can wear a cardigan over it with jeans and lose the sweater if it warms up.

I got another one to wear to Jiko for dinner with a pair of jeans and nice shoes. It's purple with some sort of print and kind of sheer, I'd have to wear a tank underneath. I can't decide if I like it or not----it's a little, billowy maybe. But for $4 I figured I would give it a shot.

I still need to find an acceptable pair of jeans, all of the ones I own currently are completely destroyed at the bottom---ripped, faded, etc. I'm hoping I can find two pairs, maybe one in blue and one in black, but jeans are something I hate shopping for, so I'll take one pair if that's all I can find.

I also need to buy another fleece, I'm thinking in black. I have one in brown that came in handy for our October trip since it got down to 50 degrees, so I'd rather pay $15 now for a fleece than spend $50 on a Disney hoodie when I get there.

Lastly, I saw some really cute Christmas t-shirts at Target today. Normally, I don't "do" t-shirts, I just find them too short/too wide/too cheaply made, etc. but I saw a few that I thought were cute and thought maybe I'd pick one up for me, one for my DM and find one for Erik to wear for MVMCP. I'm sure we'll have to bring sweatshirts to wear also, but we can wear our t-shirts to show our "holiday spirit" until it gets too chilly.

More updates to come, I'm sure. With only 30 days left there is so much to do and so little time!!!!

 

[creativeamanda]

Yay for 30 days!

I found great jeans at JC Penney and Old Navy. I need to go back to Target and Old Navy this weekend to look for more. I hate shopping for jeans, as well, but for some reason, I like the look of the real dark heans enough to buy them.

I still need 1 more pair of jeans and since you mentioned the Christmas t's at Target, I figure, what the hay?

 

[annnewjerz]

Ack!

Before I forget, I wanted to post the link to my Dining Review thread over on the Dining Reviews/Restaurant board. For anyone who is reading my PTR, feel free to pop over there and join me for a culinary adventure!

Here is the link.

See ya over there, I hope!

Ann

 

[happenin2you]

Compulsive planner, don't stress it! It will all come together. WooHoo for inside 30 days! and extra cash, and anything else i might be behind on

 

[boBQuincy]

We take the layer approach to clothing at WDW in cooler weather. On my February 2009 trip all I had for the day was whatever I left the room with in the morning! On trips like those REI is your friend! They have plenty of backpacking gear including packable jackets, convertible pants, gloves, hats, etc. that are very lightweight but are also good to whatever temperature it gets down to on a typical WDW December evening.

On nicer days I stash the jacket and pants legs in a locker (along with the tripod) to be reclaimed as evening sets in. If it gets *really* cold we will pay $$$ for a Disney hoodie. Yeah, I don't worry about fashion (I'm a guy, what's fashion?) but for a 14 hour day when I am carrying 8 lb of camera gear I sure want to be comfortable! The people at REI always think we are going on some far-off expedition with all that we buy! I tell them we are going to a most hostile environment: heat, cold, wind, rain, snow (fake), angry natives... Walt Disney World!!!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Yay for 30 days!! I have 13! I am feeling a bit more calm now because I took a step back and reorganized and got everything straight! I too made a nice little trip to Target. I hit up the travel size section...gotta love it! And, I bought 2 of the Christmas shirts there! They had some cute ones!!