Wow, I just realized that I HAD read all of your posts since we left, except those for today and yesterday.
Marci, I hope you are not having any more problems with your port. I too am amazed how you can work through chemo, whether from home or not. You must be much, much younger and stronger than me.
Cheryl, I hope you arrive safely. It would have been wonderful to meet up with you. I hope you enjoy your stay and feel well throughout. You are choosing a wonderful time to visit. EPCOT is really amazing right now, with the flower and garden festival going on. I did not attend any of the special events, traveling with DD15 and her friend, I tried to make sure they had a good time. Actually though, just walking around EPCOT is so wonderful right now. The azalias are just getting into the full state, the large pink flowering trees (not sure what variety they are) are just dropping their flowers now. With the weather so lovely it was a pleasure to just walk, forget about rides mostly. I played alot with DH's new camera, not sure how successfully.
Although I found it too cool to swim, DD15 and her friend loved Stomalong Bay. I did get in one day when it seemed warmer. Getting that sand between my toes was almost a religious experience, if you know what I mean.
The girls met many other teens and their families in the pool and hot tubs. One day I think they stayed about 4 hours between the pool and the hot tubs.
Don't fret too much about the beach Club, MaryAnn. The first room that we were assigned was being renovated, it should have been marked out of service. The manager I spoke too had another room ready for us very quickly, in the same general area, and when I asked if a "better" room was available (I had just booked garden view), he checked but said the resort was still full fromt he weekend, but offered me that $100 credit. The boat dock at the beach club was out of service during our stay but should be ready in about a week, they told me. I will say our room had a sideways view of the boardwalk as well as the garden, but they were painting the outside of that section of the units and there were some cranes out that sort of spoiled the view.
We were on the side by EPCOT, which I loved, as the bell man showed me how to get through the side door which was a great shortcut to EPCOT. I would ask for that side again, especially if the painting was finished. It was such a wonderfully short walk and with the flower and garden festival, EPCOT was where I wanted to be. We did not even go to MK or AK this trip.
A nice CM let me in to see the EPCOT fireworks one night along a wall on the peninsula that justs out into the water. I was amazed at how much I had been missing. Truly a magical moment.
At Universal we strictly did the park where the Harry Potter area is, the Islands of Adventure. We got there around 9 am on Tuesday, and the place was jammed in my opinion. All three of us rode the Forbidden Journey ride via what was supposed to be the single rider line, which is THE ride. It was amazing technology, although it made me a bit dizzy and I had a case of sea legs when I got off the ride, although no lasting ill effect. Getting into the ride was like a maze, making your way through the crowd to put all your stuff in a locker, then getting in the line. Coming out was just as much of a struggle, as there is no line for the lockers, it seemed very disorganized to me.
They rode another ride while I sat, went to the candy shop, saw that the line for the wand show and shop was outrageous, bought some butterbeer, and then we walked around the other areas where they rode another ride, then a water ride where they became ridculously wet, so we called it a day.
We went back Friday but not until the afternoon, as I read on the Universal board on the DIS the previous nights that you can see more from 4 to 6 pm at the Harry Potter land than from 9am to 3 pm.
It turned out to be true, on our second day at Universal the girls did the full ride which includes a tour of the castle, rode the ride (I held their stuff so the did not have to deal with the locker frenzy), then we all went to the wand shop line, saw the show, DD bought Dumbledore's wand, we hit that crazy candy shop again ( can't go home without a chocolate frog and some pumpking juice, can we?).
We ended up back at Stormalong Bay so they could visit with other teens. They had fun, I relazed, and soaked up the EPCOT resort vibe.
I booked Friday night through a website I read about on the DIS other hotels and attraction thread called lastminutetravel.com, because the annual passholder rate at the beach club was $290 for the weekend nights.
I knew before I booked that I was getting the Hilton bonnet creek for $97 which is connected physically with the Waldorf via a huge convention center. I got a an email from the Hilton when I called then with my Hilton honors number which had a link to do an eupgrade like I did when we stayed at the Waldorf in new Orleans in December. There were a number of choices of the upgrades, but clearly the best bank for th buck was the upgrade to a luxury suite.
I only selected the upgrade to a luxury suite at the Waldorf for an extra $120 for that one night, never thinking I would get it as they have only 12 luxury suites at the Waldorf. Guess who got the 1,400 plus square foot suite???? It was even ready at about noon when I went to check in. The girls were besides themselves. They were tired as we were at Harry Potter that day, went back to Stormalong bay one last time, and then drove over to the Waldorf (5 minutes away from the Beach Club) and just soaked up the luxury, robes, slippers, chocolates, and beautiful live orchid in the room and everything.
The linens on that bed-heaven. I even ordered room service breakfast to give them the full effect.
It was nice to treat them and me.
The front desk guy seemed surprised I got the upgrade too-he said I don't know what you paid for this room but it usually goes for $2700 a night.
Overall staying at the Beach Club was better for the girls since they had such fun at Stormalong Bay. But the Waldorf was a nice way to end our Orlando stay. Not sure how it would have felt moving from the Waldorf to the Beach Club. And you don't want to hear about the hotel we stayed in on the way home, it was clean, safe, smelled good, had a good free breakfast, and was full by the way, but it was no Waldorf, lol.
I will try and post some pictures when I can, probably will be a while. Our meals were catch as catch can, the girls were happy with anything. Mama Melrose's at the Studios worked, as did Mythos at Universal, the rest was quick pickups, fruit, fries, ice cream.
GAGWTA!
Hang in. 
We've got some fundraising we're finishing up for this month, then let the games begin! DS has grown physically A LOT this winter 
he is busting out of all of his clothes (as is DD, but that's a whole other story! 
). He is becoming quite muscular like his Dad, uncles and grandfathers. It is amazing how much he looks like his uncle (that we lost) from the back, and sometimes when he smiles. I also see my father (also gone), my brother and various other family members in him a lot lately, which is touching, and nice. He's been workiing hard all winter and it's showing, he's hitting well and still quite agile on the field. Hopefully he'll be umpiring this season, that will blow my mind seeing him up there (didn't he just start TBall???). Looking forward to a fun baseball season! 
I buy Shout and Tide with Bleach by the case! lol) 
Love how you posted ya'll. Oh I miss Tx so much. 
) so we didn't get to know eachother too, too well. Well little did I know that several years down the road, who would be coming to my house for dinner? 
Turns out one of the Dads on one of DS's baseball teams and I felt we knew eachother but weren't sure where from. Figured it out one day on the field last summer... Yup, radiation. 
I knew you guys would appreciate it. 
I can barely swallow at times and have a rattle in my chest with cough that keeps me awake at night. DH has a nagging cough and head pain when he coughs. We're both exhausted. We had a really nice day here Sat weatherwise, and we both had to rest in the middle of the day. 
Then today he got a fish hook in his thumb right next to his nail when he was reaching for something in his workshop, and it was difficult getting it out, requiring numbing his thumb and several strategies until one finally worked. He also needed a tetanus shot and now antibiotics. I am probably going to be seen tomorrow to see what if anything can be done with this sore throat and darned rattle. What a PIA. Kids are ok but DS hurt his arm at gym and had some soreness during ball practice (coaches were a little horrified two weeks before the season starts!) but he's doing better now.
