Confessions of an obsessive planner... Let the countdown begin!!

[crazyforgoofy]

Everything inside has a/c. Some places are cooler than others but any inside attraction/shop will be a welcome relief from the heat/humidity.

 

[-Hope-]

Thanks MA!! And you should know that I'm not worried about my hair!

 

[lexmas]

Well, if it's any consolation, when we went two years ago in September, I didn't think it was that hot. The other people I was travelling with did, but I'm still not sure how that is, since I'm very sensitive to the heat (like I get sick from it) and I was pregnant and carrying a 21 month old everywhere.

Everything inside is air conditioned, and I just don't think the heat is so bad because you're in and out of air conditioning so much that it's never standing in direct heat for very long.

So, she'll be fine. Especially because you're heading back to the room for the hot times, that's really a great idea.

 

[-Hope-]

Hi all! (Well, whoever is still reading anyway!)

I've been pretty busy this summer with kid activities. For those that don't know we homeschool and I'm ready for summer to be over just so we can settle back into our regular routine! We live in a remote area and travel about 25 miles to town for all of our activities and in the summer we end up going about 4 to 6 days a week! All of the activities are fun and we love having things to do but I need a break! Unfortunately I don't forsee it any time soon- as soon as Kya is finished with her Wednesday library class it will be time to think about homeschool co-op which meets on Wednesday. And the mother/daughter class Kya and I were doing finished last night so Friday evenings should have opened up but Jace has claimed this day for an activity yet to be named, lol. So, I guess maybe it isn't summer that keeping us busy its just that the kids are getting older and busier.

Anyway... I haven't really had much time to think about Disney lately. (If you can imagine!!) I did tweak my schedule just a bit for the air conditioning related stuff I posted about earlier but not enough to repost touring plans. I realized today though that I really need to think about a few things because two months will go by quickly!

I will have our room paid off tomorrow!! I'm paying with a debit card, not a credit card so I couldn't do it today due to limits from the bank. But tomorrow will be the day! I'll have the missed wages we'll need for Robbie missing work by the end of the month. His new job has paid vacation leave but he hasn't been there long enough to qualify. But, July has 5 Fridays so we'll get an extra paycheck this month and we'll make a regular deposit with it that will make up for the one we'll miss in September.

A couple of things I'm waiting for- Jace needs shorts and we also need a couple of beach towels but I'm waiting for end of summer clearance for both because we can get by at home with what we have. And I also want to get some Teva mush flip flops for the kids since Kya got a blister when she wore her Mickey head crocs to the zoo last week. Again though I think they'll be cheaper in a few weeks so I'm going to wait and see.

So, for right now I need to think about:

• lanyards and trading pins (from eBay)
• glow necklaces for the kids to wear to Spectro/Wishes
• color ink cartridge so we can make our coutdown chain, activity books (for the plane), journals, snack coupons, t-shirt transfers and itineraries
• t-shirts and transfer paper
• ring for Jace to give step-sisters

Since the ink is necessary for so many time consuming things I'm going to get it this week and then next week I'll get the stuff to make t-shirts and the lanyards and pins after that. The ring and glow necklaces will be cheap and easy so I'll just pick them up whenever I see them.

Incidentally I realize now just how crazily expensive it would be to make all of the shirts I'd originally planned. So, I think I'm going to let the kids each pick out a few of their favorites and make one or two for myself. Robbie wasn't big on the matching t-shirt idea so we'll probably just do the tie-dye and I'll let him off the hook for the rest.

Paying off the room got our savings down as low as I'm comfortable with (another hundred dollars and our interest rate will drop significantly) so I have to dig up the money for all of this plus the money we need to take on the trip for tips, incidentals and our table service meal. We also haven't paid for the airport hotel so we have to come up with that as well.

I think the next few weeks will be tight with buying stuff for the trip and saving money to take on the trip so I really need that countdown chain to keep us motivated and help us remember that it will be worth it in the long run so I'm off to look for cheap ink on eBay!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

 

[DrMomof3]

Where are you getting glow necklaces?

Amanda

 

[-Hope-]

Where are you getting glow necklaces?

Amanda

Either Dollar General or a $1 store we have. If neither of them have them I'll try a party supply store. I know Wal-mart has them in their cheap toy section (my kids used to call it the 88 cents aisle because most things cost that amount) but I don't shop there anymore- but thought I'd share in case you do and can't find them anywhere else.

 

[DrMomof3]

Thanks Hope! Near me the party supply store is probably the most convenient. I'm starting to buy all of those "last-minute" type items!

Amanda

 

[lexmas]

Somehow, I don't think I replied before. I read, but I didn't reply. When I'm dising a few minutes here and there during the day, sometimes life gets in the way.

We got great pins on e-bay! The only bad thing was that we liked a lot of them!

The shirts and stuff do get really expensive. I can't wait to see the ones you do though! Getting closer, so you'll have to start that stuff soon!

Congrats on getting your room paid off! We pay as close to 45 days as possible, since I just rather the money be collecting interest in my bank account. But it must feel much more "real" now that it's paid up!

It's always worth doing what you can to save money when it's for disney! Right?

 

[-Hope-]

Somehow, I don't think I replied before. I read, but I didn't reply. When I'm dising a few minutes here and there during the day, sometimes life gets in the way.

I understand, I do the same thing!

We got great pins on e-bay! The only bad thing was that we liked a lot of them!

lol, I figure we'll have that issue as well but that's okay- they're for the kids and I think they'll be more interested in the act of trading than the actual pins, lol.

The shirts and stuff do get really expensive. I can't wait to see the ones you do though! Getting closer, so you'll have to start that stuff soon!

Yep, I ordered printer ink so next week I'll order transfers. I'm looking around this week to see if I want to buy shirts around here or just order them.

Congrats on getting your room paid off! We pay as close to 45 days as possible, since I just rather the money be collecting interest in my bank account. But it must feel much more "real" now that it's paid up!

I'm the same way- I've had the money to pay it off for a while but now that our 45 days is less than a month away I just wanted it done. The interest in that amount of time would have been less than a dollar so I think we'll be okay. And it does feel very 'real' to have it paid off!

It's always worth doing what you can to save money when it's for disney! Right?

That's what I keep telling myself!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Hi Hope!!!! It's getting close. Darn, I thought i was pretty close to our next disney trip. well, only 9 more months now.

 

[-Hope-]

Hi Hope!!!! It's getting close. Darn, I thought i was pretty close to our next disney trip. well, only 9 more months now.

Hi Pam! So sorry you had to postpone your trip. But just think of all the new planning you get to do- that's half the fun.

 

[-Hope-]

2 MONTHS!!!!!


I'm making progress, little by little! I ordered the t-shirts transfers from Amy's website and found the t-shirts on sale at JC Penney. I can hardly wait for the transfers to get here so I can make the shirts! I'll post pics as soon as I get them finished. We narrowed it down to three iron on shirts for each kid and one for me. And of course we all have our tie dyes. I also saw a really cute outfit with animal print that I'd love to get Kya to wear on one of our AK days- if it goes on sale between now and our trip and we have the extra money I may have to go back and get it!

Speaking of money- I've got a new plan to finance some of the extras for our trip. I still need spending money, our TS meal at Park Faire, tips and the Characters in Flight tickets. Soooo... I have a couple of boxes full of Coca-cola memoribilla that has been in storage for about 10 years. It was one of those collections that grew because I liked one thing and then everyone started buying me stuff. When we first got married I had it in the kitchen but it just wasn't me. I've been saving it because I thought someday we'd finish the basement and it would be good for a game room. But honestly, if we ever get that game room I don't think I'd use the coke stuff. I don't think I have anything really valuable but I do think I have some stuff that I could get a decent amount for. I'm going to list some of the nicer things on eBay and see how it goes and any money that I get for it is going right into our Disney fund.

One final update before I go- today I finally made our countdown chain! We have 62 days until we leave for the airport. Since we're sleeping at a hotel near the airport for the sleep/park package I made the number 1 chain for that day since we won't be home the next day to tear off the last one.

And I just love the links that Karen emailed me! This is why I've waited so long to do this project- I didn't have printer ink and I wanted these cute links for our chain. They're all different but here are a few up close:

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

 

[DrMomof3]

Hooray for the 2 month countdown!!!
Sounds like you've got everything under control.

Amanda

 

[lexmas]

That countdown chain is just so cute! I love it!

Very smart selling things on ebay that you're not using. That's my kind of thrifty!

 

[PixieDustPrincess05]

Love the countdown calendar!!!!

 

[-Hope-]

Hooray for the 2 month countdown!!!
Sounds like you've got everything under control.

Amanda

I don't know about that but I'm getting there!

That countdown chain is just so cute! I love it!

Very smart selling things on ebay that you're not using. That's my kind of thrifty!

Thanks! Keeping my fingers crossed!

Love the countdown calendar!!!!

Thanks! I love watching it shrink!

 

[-Hope-]

I got my transfer paper in the mail today!!

I have homeschool playgroup today but no plans tomorrow so I'll have the entire day to work on our t-shirts.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Hi Hope!!! WooHoo for 2 more months! You're going to have with the shirts. I love making them!