December 2009 - A Celebration of many things

[MadilynnsMomma]

However, I also think that overstock.com is a great resource. They have EVERYTHING!!

We bought a queen size memory foam from overstock.com for $368 back in April - best money I've spent! $4.95 shipping to boot!!!

 

[JoJo1980]

Hey JoJo!! So funny we sound like twins from across the pond!! Greg isn't so much a commando but he is definitely the ones that says "Hey lets go here next." Kind of nice to sort of sit back and say "OKAY!!!"

So I am from NY (Long Island to be exact, it's a suburb of NY City) and we have the chain around here called Dollar Tree. And it's like the dollar store on crack!! They have everything, and they're not as scary and some dollar stores can be. So I did a little research for you and it seems that there is one in Kissimmee. AND I just realized that they must let you shop online!!
http://www.dollartree.com/home.jsp

Anyway, good luck with the research and I'm glad I found a fellow Excel-aholic. I too still have our wedding stuff saved, ahh the memories. Our anniversary is in 3 weeks!

EDIT - oops, side note, I just noticed you can buy in bulk online, but if you ever need 36 black current and orange candles, they are very reasonably priced!!

twins from over the pond, sister from another momma

NY is amazing, we visited for the first time this May for Den's 30th, we loved it We did all the normal sights and went to the disney store too

The dollar tree sounds fab, I love a bargain Thanks for that link, i'll check it out - we'll have to pop in the one kissimmee

Hope you have a great anniversary - are you going out for a meal or anything to celebrate? We are just going out for lunch as disney is our celebration

 

[nic100308]

We bought a queen size memory foam from overstock.com for $368 back in April - best money I've spent! $4.95 shipping to boot!!!

Oooo how is the memory foam mattress?!?!?! Right now we have a feather bed, which is really just a topper, but it makes it oh so fluffy and comfy. My only complaint is that you have to fluff it like once a week or else it gets kind of packed down.

Hope you have a great anniversary - are you going out for a meal or anything to celebrate? We are just going out for lunch as disney is our celebration

I'm just going to cook us a fancy dinner at home. I love to cook, so I get pretty into it. I was actually trying to figure out a menu today. I'll break out the china and the crystal and do it up all special. Disney is really our gift too!

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Oooo how is the memory foam mattress?!?!?! Right now we have a feather bed, which is really just a topper, but it makes it oh so fluffy and comfy. My only complaint is that you have to fluff it like once a week or else it gets kind of packed down.

We had a double sided pillow top before that was nice, but I will never go back! Memory foam =

 

[disneyaddicted]

Endearing, isn't it, a man that loves in in spite of your flaws (although I don't really see it as a flaw, per say, more a small idiosyncrasy along with picking the bagel with the hole directly in the middle, except if there is one with no hole at which point I will wrestle someone to the ground for it, and never walking on sidewalk grates, that's a family trait!) [Ty, you with me buddy!?!?!]

I hear ya girlfirend! And I will add the open end of the pillow case must face the middle of the bed, not the outside. It's not a flaw, like you said, just a small idiosyncrasy.

There's nothing wrong with not having a touring plan, but I had to laugh when you said DH confessed to just going with the flow. All these times you thought he was the Disney Touring Man" . My DH and I were coming home from a trip to the mountains and after a while I noticed he wasn't going the same way we usually go. He told me he was taking the scenic route. The scenic route took more than an hour longer but I gave it up to him, it was gorgeous. Months later we are coming back from the mountains again, I ask if we could take the scenic route again, that's when he confesses to me that the last time he drove it he had actually missed the turn off and was lost for about 45 minutes.lmao:

Ah well, what are ya gonna do?I mean after all they are just Men!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Totally agree! Tour it how you want! And, it is kind of nice to have what seems like an out of body experience and vacation in a way that you don't live your every day life!

 

[MissBritt]

Looking good! We are also going to POR in December, and looking forward to Le Cellier CP!

 

[JoJo1980]

I'm just going to cook us a fancy dinner at home. I love to cook, so I get pretty into it. I was actually trying to figure out a menu today. I'll break out the china and the crystal and do it up all special. Disney is really our gift too!

Sounds lovely Take some photos so we can see your cute table Disney is a great gift isnt it

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Months later we are coming back from the mountains again, I ask if we could take the scenic route again, that's when he confesses to me that the last time he drove it he had actually missed the turn off and was lost for about 45 minutes.

Ah well, what are ya gonna do?I mean after all they are just Men!

Men...

 

[shordiebecka]

I used to love excel...until I found this nifty program through Microsoft office, called Microsoft one note. It's basically a software organization system/filing cabinent/binder with tabs. You can even import spread sheets into it. Holy crap- it's heaven on earth to me- have you ever heard of this program? If not, I recommend you look into it..it's organization personified!

 

[nic100308]

Men...

LOL Isn't it true!?!?! I had to laugh though!

 

[disneyaddicted]

Men...

You've heard the saying, "men, can't live with'em can't shoot'em." I mutter that under my breath alot.

 

[JoJo1980]

Hey sweetie, how you doing? How are the plans coming along?

 

[nic100308]

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen!!

My fellow December travelers are with me when I say I am at a loss of what to do. I am so excited for our trip, now only 76 days away, however because I am a super duper planner everything besides our packing is done. And trust me, if I had enough clothes I would pack my bags now. Well I do have enough clothes, I just think I would run out of socks and underwear. And even I'm not crazy enough to pack now, well maybe but I just don't think I could stand the relentless teasing that would ensue. And the dog gets nervous when she sees us packing bags, breaks my heart. I don't want to get her nervous and anxious for no reason. But Brynner's stays with Grandma and Grandpa and has lots of fun running around their backyard.

But I digress. So I am sure many of you are in the same boat I am. Trying to get your Disney fix, but what to do? We're all so well organized, everything is planned. ADR's are set, the extras you've added to your vacation are set as well. Touring plans, or lack there of - done; airline tickets - booked; packing lists - established. What to do. Well I have been submerging myself in craftiness and research (well sort of research).

I thought about making myself a autograph book. Yes, I still get a picture and the autograph of every character I see. It's just fun!! But then I was thinking that I really like the ones that Disney has in their parks and I always put that on my list of "souvenirs". But I took it one step further with some Disney stickers. But because I am a budget savvy gal, and because the craft store never has as wide as a selection as I wish they would, I decided I would make my own. Oh it was such a brilliant idea because I found some really cute ones. So what I did was google "Disney clipart" and there was a plethora of sites that had super cute clipart. Staples sells entire sheets of sticky back paper. I put the clipart into PowerPoint cut around each picture and voula! Disney stickers. I have so many different types, lots that I would never be able to find in the store. I think I have one for every character I might come accross. I was also able to find Disney Christmas clip art so I have some Holiday ones for MVMCP. Any that are left over I'll use for my scrapbook or I can just print out new sheets.

So my next little project was something for the Cast Members. I have heard of people giving CM little thank you's or little treats, just a little somein' somein' to say thanks for making my trip so wonderful!! So I made up little cards (almost like a small postcard) to print out and give out with a mini candy cane to CM who do an exceptional job. They say "Happy Holidays" then a picture of Mickey, Minnie and Donald building a snowman and under that it says "Thank you for making our day so magical." all in Disney font of course.

In addition I have been reading whatever Disney books I can get my hands on. Not the trip planning books, but straight up Disney history books. I started with "Realityland" which was okay. I think the writer was a little too judgemental at times and I took offense with his tone at certain points. LOL I'm super defensive to anyone who starts to bad mouth Disney even a little bit. I take offense because it is something I love. Anyway it was actually pretty interesting learning about the history of the parks and how they came to be. I have now moved on to "The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World." I just started it but I will let you know how it goes. I think this is as close as I can get to the Keys to the Kingdom tour (which my friend who did the College Program likes to call the "Ruin the Magic Tour"). Maybe at somepoint in the future, but for now Mickey is a real mouse, but of course the cutest one that exists, and Tinker Bell really does fly.

Okay, that's all for now folks. Sometime in the near future I will update you all on my special Anniversary dinner that I'm planning for DH.

Cheap chic tip: Everyone should go and get a library card! While I was looking for my Disney books (yes we go to the library for every book we read, and we're big readers, because we're on the Disney budget and books are expensive. Plus our book selves are full!) I noticed that they have all of the planning books!! I always like to look through a bunch of them because you get info from one you wouldn't get from the other. Anyway, I understand that everyone should have at least one Disney planning guide that is their own and my suggestion is the PassPorter. It is by far my favorite and it is also the only one that I did not see in the library. However if you want a book that the library does not have all you have to do is ask and they will order it!!

Thanks for reading and have a magical day!!!

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

I love the idea about CM thank you's!

I too feel like I am sitting here twiddling my thumbs... Hello? December? Are you there?

 

[disneyaddicted]

...I have started packing already, what can I say, I'm bored. I have only packed things that I don't use every day but don't want to forget, (even though I have a packing list of fame) my tiny fan is packed, (I need white noise) my travel bottle of febreeze, and a hanging shoe organizer, let me tell you, when you've got 4 woman sharing a bathroom and counterspace, the shoe organizer with its pockets can be your best friend, I got mine at the dollar store. So it's not alot packed, but it's a start.

Ya know a good book to read is Mousejunkies, it was really entertaining, right down to where the cleanest bathrooms are at each park.

 

[nic100308]

...I have started packing already, what can I say, I'm bored. I have only packed things that I don't use every day but don't want to forget, (even though I have a packing list of fame) my tiny fan is packed, (I need white noise) my travel bottle of febreeze, and a hanging shoe organizer, let me tell you, when you've got 4 woman sharing a bathroom and counterspace, the shoe organizer with its pockets can be your best friend, I got mine at the dollar store. So it's not alot packed, but it's a start.

Ya know a good book to read is Mousejunkies, it was really entertaining, right down to where the cleanest bathrooms are at each park.

Ooooo thanks for the book recommendation. I think I found my next read. And the shoe this is an excellent idea! I guess I have sort of started packing, but not really. I have a special spot in the spare bedroom closet for all the things we'll need to pack. Our toiletries are there, drink mixes that I got an awesome deal on, my rechargeable batteries and some other things we don't use everyday. It's just kind of piled in a shopping bag but I suppose it's a start.

Oh and about the white noise, I know what you mean! I have to have something in the background to be able to fall asleep. If you have an iphone there is actually an app that is called "white noise" it has things like tv static, nyc traffic, even one that is called train that sounds like you're on a train!!! DH has one and I have made him download the Disney apps for it.

 

[JoJo1980]

I love the idea of the little cards for the CM's and the shoe organiser too You girls are great at being prepared!!

I on the otherhand am not

We are 68 days out and i've only just started typing up some lists on the computer I've got so much other stuff going on at the moment that I'm really starting to lose my mind I want to be giving my full attention to disney and I cant

 

[DONTMINDME]

HI, MY NAME IS TAMMY AND MY DH AND I WILL BE IN WL 11/28-12/6 WE ARE CELEBRATING 25 YEARS TOGETHER.. I DRIVE MY FAMILY NUTS TALKING ABOUT DISNEY. I HAVE A PLANNER I TAKE EVERYWHERE, AND I ALSO NEED WHITE NOISE TO SLEEP, THE FAN IS AREADY PACKED. THE SHOE ORG. IS A GREAT IDEA FOR ME TO KEEP PHONE CHARGES, CAMERA CHARGES, BATTERIES, PONCHOES, GLOWSTICKS, AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT GET MISS PLACED IN. AWESOME..THANK YOU FOR ALL THE IDEAS. GOOD THING WE ARE DRIVING AND HAVE A VAN. CAUSE MY DH SAYS I PACK FOR 10 PEOPLE. I JUST HATE TO GET THERE NEED IT AND HAVE TO GO BUY ANOTHER ONE WHEN I HAVE ONE AT HOME..

 

[nic100308]

We are 68 days out and i've only just started typing up some lists on the computer I've got so much other stuff going on at the moment that I'm really starting to lose my mind I want to be giving my full attention to disney and I cant

No worries Jojo, in like 2 months you'll be on a magical trip to Disney and all will be at peace in the world. I'm sorry you have been having such crazy hectic days. Try to take a few moments for yourself and reflect on your wonderful Disney trip. I am sort in a little mopey slump myself. I kind of feel like it's close but so far away. And I'm just at like my super frustration point, I am definitely ready for a vacation from my life. I think that's why I love Disney so much, because I get to be a kid again and I just become a different person when I'm there and the uptight, anxious person that's always on the go stays at home!

HI, MY NAME IS TAMMY AND MY DH AND I WILL BE IN WL 11/28-12/6 WE ARE CELEBRATING 25 YEARS TOGETHER.. I DRIVE MY FAMILY NUTS TALKING ABOUT DISNEY. I HAVE A PLANNER I TAKE EVERYWHERE, AND I ALSO NEED WHITE NOISE TO SLEEP, THE FAN IS AREADY PACKED. THE SHOE ORG. IS A GREAT IDEA FOR ME TO KEEP PHONE CHARGES, CAMERA CHARGES, BATTERIES, PONCHOES, GLOWSTICKS, AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT GET MISS PLACED IN. AWESOME..THANK YOU FOR ALL THE IDEAS. GOOD THING WE ARE DRIVING AND HAVE A VAN. CAUSE MY DH SAYS I PACK FOR 10 PEOPLE. I JUST HATE TO GET THERE NEED IT AND HAVE TO GO BUY ANOTHER ONE WHEN I HAVE ONE AT HOME..

Hi Tammy and welcome to my pre-trip report. It's always nice to see fellow Disney-aholics. Plus this helps pass the time to your trip and I pick up so many different tips and ideas. I give you credit for driving, I don't think I could ever stand it. How long does it take you? Although I am sure you have plenty of room for your Disney purchases!!!