DIS Meet Dec 8 07

[TheTXTaylors5]

Has anyone seen "Christmas with the Kranks"? We were the Kranks this year up until a few days before Christmas. We had NO lights on the house outside and no Christmas tree. Bill came home with a tree the week after the cruise. However, we still had no lights outside. We ALWAYS have lights outside. So, I know the neighbors thought something was up. Finally on the Friday before Christmas, I went outside and put some lights on the bushes and broke out our Santa and Snowman inflatable. It felt more like Christmas once that was done. The tree was sparcely decorated this year. Whoever made the ornaments for the cruise was a hit in our house this year. We had a DIStree this year with the ornaments we bought on the cruise and at WDW, the ornaments made by fellows DISers and the ornament from Robby and Tina. I did manage to put some red bows and garland on the tree too. Yes, that was it. It was better than nothing. I honestly didn't feel like dragging the boxes and boxes of ornaments out this year. Unless we go away for Christmas, we probably won't go away near Christmas again. That week before Christmas was so rushed and hectic.

Santa got Will (DS7) a drumset for Christmas. I put it up in his room yesterday, thinking he could make all the noise he wanted up there and I wouldn't hear him. I just sent the kid's upstairs to play. They are banging on the drums. It just occurred to me that Will's room is right above the office. So much for peace and quiet.

Emily loves her Butterscotch (pony) that Santa brought her. She is still small enough to sit on it. She almost didn't get it because of the price (yikes!). But, she kept going on and on about that pony before Christmas. If you could have seen her face that morning. She was beaming from ear to ear. Why can't they stay this young forever?

I am excited that Bill has another long weekend. He works from home on Mondays. Everyone have a great New Year's Eve and Magical 2008! We have plans to attend a "family-friendly" party at some friend's house. What is everyone else up to?

I am off to tidy up the house. Most of the toys have been brought upstairs and things are getting back to normal around here. Well, as normal as can be.

Everyone have a great afternoon!

- Jennifer

 

[JsMom2]

Yesterday was a sad anniversary for us. 40 years ago we lost our first baby. I was seven months along. Before Christmas we knew that there was no longer a heartbeat but had to wait for labor to start. It was a very difficlut time made worse because I was on the maternity floor and had to pass the nursery every time I walked to the bathroom. Every year I relive that day.

I had a miscarriage, very early into a pregnancy, and it was so sad. I can't imagine what it must've been like to carry that baby for 7 months first, and then to have to go through a delivery too...wow.

I am so sorry you had to go through this.

 

[coastgirl]

Yesterday was a sad anniversary for us.

Judy I'm sorry. Like so many women I had two losses myself, both earlier than yours, but I know it's not something you ever really forget. Thanks for sharing it with us, I hate it when we keep this particular grief to ourselves, as if we should "get over it". I'll be remembering your angel with you tonight.

 

[coastgirl]

I found the new thread! Yahoo!

- Jennifer

Good to see you Jennifer!

The bad news is .......


I can not find the missing Compact Flash Card with the photos of the first four days of our vacation.

My next step is to call DCL and hope that it was left in my room.

Oh Brack I hope it turns up. We had one of those too, on our last trip "I" lost my camera. We spent HOURS talking to various guest relations people all over WDW...I was thrilled to find HE had packed it into a little side pocket of something and promptly forgot. But I was heartbroken to think what we'd lost. I hope you have a similar revelation.

No big plans for the new year. We are having people in on Sunday, then just relaxing thereafter. Dh proposed to me on NYE, so it's always been a special time for us rather than a party; I'm just hoping the kids go to sleep before we do so we can enjoy some bubbly!

 

[coastgirl]

oh, Beth? I had a chance to look at some of your pics, they are very nice! We didn't get any really of the islands...I can still only pause long enough to take scenery shots when there are no little people around to wander off when I'm "focussed" elsewhere...so it was lovely to look at yours!

 

[WIFamily]

Yesterday was a sad anniversary for us. 40 years ago we lost our first baby. I was seven months along. Before Christmas we knew that there was no longer a heartbeat but had to wait for labor to start. It was a very difficlut time made worse because I was on the maternity floor and had to pass the nursery every time I walked to the bathroom. Every year I relive that day.

So sorry to hear that. We too had a miscarriage, between our now 6 year old and our 9 year old. About 5 months into the pregnancy, I went on a planned annual golf outing with my wife's brothers. They golf in Myrtle Beach every year, and this year I was able to go with them. At the end of the trip Cindy called and said she was having troubles and pains. When I got home we went to her Dr, and the baby was gone. She had to have a D&C. It was devastating for both of us. But it also drew us closer together.

 

[WIFamily]

Has anyone seen "Christmas with the Kranks"? We were the Kranks this year up until a few days before Christmas. We had NO lights on the house outside and no Christmas tree. Bill came home with a tree the week after the cruise. However, we still had no lights outside. We ALWAYS have lights outside. So, I know the neighbors thought something was up. Finally on the Friday before Christmas, I went outside and put some lights on the bushes and broke out our Santa and Snowman inflatable. It felt more like Christmas once that was done. The tree was sparcely decorated this year. Whoever made the ornaments for the cruise was a hit in our house this year. We had a DIStree this year with the ornaments we bought on the cruise and at WDW, the ornaments made by fellows DISers and the ornament from Robby and Tina. I did manage to put some red bows and garland on the tree too. Yes, that was it. It was better than nothing. I honestly didn't feel like dragging the boxes and boxes of ornaments out this year. Unless we go away for Christmas, we probably won't go away near Christmas again. That week before Christmas was so rushed and hectic.

Santa got Will (DS7) a drumset for Christmas. I put it up in his room yesterday, thinking he could make all the noise he wanted up there and I wouldn't hear him. I just sent the kid's upstairs to play. They are banging on the drums. It just occurred to me that Will's room is right above the office. So much for peace and quiet.

Emily loves her Buttercup (pony) that Santa brought her. She is still small enough to sit on it. She almost didn't get it because of the price (yikes!). But, she kept going on and on about that pony before Christmas. If you could have seen her face that morning. She was beaming from ear to ear. Why can't they stay this young forever?

I am excited that Bill has another long weekend. He works from home on Mondays. Everyone have a great New Year's Eve and Magical 2008! We have plans to attend a "family-friendly" party at some friend's house. What is everyone else up to?

I am off to tidy up the house. Most of the toys have been brought upstairs and things are getting back to normal around here. Well, as normal as can be.

Everyone have a great afternoon!

- Jennifer

That's great news, glad your kids had a wonderful Christmas. I too agree that we won't be vacationing so close to Christmas in the future. I had our lights up, we just bought all new LED lights, and on our 2-story house, I usually put them up before Thanksgiving, because if there's snow, they won't get put up. There's no way I'm going on the roof then

I made a table for Ryan for his wooden train set. It's 2' by 4' and 18" off the ground. The track is nailed down and the table is stained and painted. I did all that when we got back, and I'll tell you, that's the best present to give... something made. He loves it, and plays with it every day.

Our oldest got Guitar Hero 3, and I played with it for a while... it's HARD ... or I'm OLD!

We're just tonight starting to take down the decorations and tree (artificial).

 

[WIFamily]

Oh no, did you check all the pockets of everything you took with you?

My wife washed two of my 4GB flash cards while on the cruise. We had two loads of dressy clothes to wash one night. Anyway, once they dried out, they worked fine. I was so relieved, since one of them was full of pictures.

 

[coastgirl]

That's great news, glad your kids had a wonderful Christmas. I too agree that we won't be vacationing so close to Christmas in the future. I had our lights up, we just bought all new LED lights, and on our 2-story house, I usually put them up before Thanksgiving, because if there's snow, they won't get put up. There's no way I'm going on the roof then

You know I feel like a lot of stuff was scaled back, some outright missed, but I feel the lack of stress was worth it...I get frenzied before Christmas and don't enjoy it. Forced simplicity worked for me!

We're just tonight starting to take down the decorations and tree (artificial).

LOL, our real tree isn't yet a week old! We bought it and trimmed it on the 23rd (didn't get home til the 22nd). It's not even a fire hazard yet! I try to wait til "Old Christmas Day" which is I think Jan 6. As a kid, my family never put up the tree til Christmas eve, so that's about 2 weeks. The kids' tree in the family room has been up since the end of Nov though, and I will be glad to be rid of it...

My wife washed two of my 4GB flash cards while on the cruise. We had two loads of dressy clothes to wash one night. Anyway, once they dried out, they worked fine. I was so relieved, since one of them was full of pictures.

Yeeouch! Glad it worked out!

 

[BethC1952]

DISing = New computer

How many of us on here have had to get a new computer this year? Coincidence or Conspiracy?

- Jennifer

Well, we just HAD to have a new computer. We have five people and we only had four computers! I came into some unexpected money at about the same time that Walmart had a sale on computers. Gotta love when that happens!

What is everyone else up to?


- Jennifer

No big plans. We always stay home for New Year's Eve. There are too many crazies on the road that night! We're having a big dinner on Sunday since that's our anniversary, and we didn't have our Christmas dinner because the entire gang was sick except for me, and I wasn't going to cook a huge dinner for only me.

oh, Beth? I had a chance to look at some of your pics, they are very nice! We didn't get any really of the islands...I can still only pause long enough to take scenery shots when there are no little people around to wander off when I'm "focussed" elsewhere...so it was lovely to look at yours!

That's one of the benefits of being "post-child"--I can stand and wait for exactly the right moment. People complain that my pictures never have us in them, but that's fine with me! We have enough family pictures, but we can never have enough scenery pictures to remind us of the beautiful places we've been.

We leave our Christmas decorations up until "Little Christmas" which is the feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6. Our tree is artificial, and like many of the rest of you, our decorations are a little bit sparse this year. I never did get the upstairs Christmas tree put up-- maybe we'll do Christmas in July!

Judy: Like so many DIS women, I had a miscarriage with my first pregnancy, and then with my third and fourth. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Well, it's off to do a bunch of stuff that needs doing and then go to bed and get a good night's sleep. I'm exhausted today!

 

[JsMom2]

I guess I'm in the minority, because I actually enjoyed our "McChristmas". After all the holiday stuff at WDW and the ship, I actually felt like we'd already had Christmas by the time we came home! We skipped the decorations at home this year, and I didn't miss them a bit.

Our New Years Eve party is shaping up though, I picked up some tiaras and a pinata to add to the fun. It'll be a fun "girls night" with 3 girls and 2 moms.

DCL didn't find Jasmine's cell phone, so I'll put in a claim on my travel insurance. I still feel terrible about it though.

 

[MrsMork]

We always talk about going to Alaska. If DCL goes there, we're ready!

- Jennifer

Alaska is last on my list. I've walked on a glacier in Montana, seen moose, elk, bear and caught lots of trout and cooked it up over a campfire. Although, if Alaska is where Disney wants to take me with my DIS friends then so be it! Living in the Northwest, I just want warm and sunny. Anywhere I have not been is fine, and if it is warm and sunny I even like going where I have already been.

Has anyone seen "Christmas with the Kranks"? We were the Kranks this year up until a few days before Christmas. We had NO lights on the house outside and no Christmas tree. Bill came home with a tree the week after the cruise. However, we still had no lights outside. We ALWAYS have lights outside. So, I know the neighbors thought something was up. Finally on the Friday before Christmas, I went outside and put some lights on the bushes and broke out our Santa and Snowman inflatable. It felt more like Christmas once that was done. The tree was sparcely decorated this year. Whoever made the ornaments for the cruise was a hit in our house this year. We had a DIStree this year with the ornaments we bought on the cruise and at WDW, the ornaments made by fellows DISers and the ornament from Robby and Tina. I did manage to put some red bows and garland on the tree too. Yes, that was it. It was better than nothing. I honestly didn't feel like dragging the boxes and boxes of ornaments out this year. Unless we go away for Christmas, we probably won't go away near Christmas again. That week before Christmas was so rushed and hectic.

- Jennifer

We never did get the tree up. Dennis hung a little bell thing on the handle of the front door. I didn't miss it since we did have so many beautiful trees and decorations at WDW and on the cruise. But, Christmas Day I did find that Dennis missed it and so I will not skip it again. A tree and Christmas music will be a must do for me from now on.

I guess I'm in the minority, because I actually enjoyed our "McChristmas". After all the holiday stuff at WDW and the ship, I actually felt like we'd already had Christmas by the time we came home! We skipped the decorations at home this year, and I didn't miss them a bit.
QUOTE]

Me too, but as I said, not my Dennis, so......

 

[brack]

Oh Brack! I'm sure you looked IN the camera.

I did look again but I had my 4GB card in it. I have downloaded all of my photos from the other cards so I know the one that is missing. I can't believe I did that!

 

[brack]

Where does everyone want DCL to take them that they don't go now?

- Jennifer

Alaska

 

[Cruise]

Where does everyone want DCL to take them that they don't go now?

I'd love it if they did Alaska. That would also be easier for us to manage since it would leave from the west coast.

Has anyone seen "Christmas with the Kranks"?

Good holiday memory... the year the book that the movie was based on ("Skipping Christmas" by John Grisham) came out was a year DH and I had actually done the drive from Virginia to Alabama to my grandmother's. I got the book as a present and DH and I read it to each other as we took turns driving the 12 hours back to Virginia.

I am excited that Bill has another long weekend. He works from home on Mondays. Everyone have a great New Year's Eve and Magical 2008! We have plans to attend a "family-friendly" party at some friend's house. What is everyone else up to?

A friend of ours always does a New Year's Eve "Pajama Party." So we'll be putting on some PJ's and ringing in the new year there!

 

[Cruise]

I don't remember ever reading anything on the DIS about this, so I thought I'd throw it out there.

The morning we got off the ship, we had a porter help us collect our luggage and discovered that my biggest bag (pink!) had been mangled. I'm guessing they were pretty rough on it as one of the wheels and all the casing around it was completely torn off and the interior metal frame was bent about 4-6" into the inside of the case.

The porter took us over to a stand where a lady took my information, took a picture of the bag and said someone would be in contact. Within a week, we had a letter from DCL saying that we should take the bag to have it repaired and send them the receipt for reimbursement. If it couldn't be repaired, then to send a copy of the receipt of purchase or store name and purchase date.

Well, wouldn't you know, it can't be repaired. Even though the suitcase is just a year old (the set was a gift from my parents last Christmas), they've quit producing the wheels on it so they can't put a new one on.

I'll be getting a letter from the luggage repair shop this week saying so and sending a copy of my receipt (which Mom had given me in case I wanted to exchange it - why, I don't know... who wouldn't pink luggage?? ) to DCL. I'll update when I hear back to see what happened.

Like I said, I've never read about a luggage claim on Disney, so I'm mostly just interested at this point. I had half thought they'd say "out of our control" and I'd just be on my own. But I guess there's no denying it was their handlers since it's CMs already on the ship that collect it during the night.

 

[JsMom2]

Where does everyone want DCL to take them that they don't go now?[/B]

- Jennifer

If/when they do Hong Kong we'll be there!

I'm hoping they come back to Europe in 2010, even though they've been here before. I'd love to do Northern Europe and Russia with them. If they come back to the Med, we'll go again just because they're here.

After that, I still need to go through the canal, and would love to do it on one of the new ships if they widen the canal enough.

 

[DrHug]

I finally got a chance to look at DrHug's photos today. All 1200 plus of them. I will ask him to post a few here. Some from the shower, the first DIS meet on Sat.

Hi Everyone. I will try to do that this weekend sometime. Yikes. I still have to put some cove base in the downstairs bathroom, do the inside moulding on the downstairs patio door, and patch the ceiling. I think I can handle it. LOL.

I think I took way too many pictures, but I like them too much.

 

[MrsMork]

Hi Everyone. I will try to do that this weekend sometime. Yikes. I still have to put some cove base in the downstairs bathroom, do the inside moulding on the downstairs patio door, and patch the ceiling. I think I can handle it. LOL.

I think I took way too many pictures, but I like them too much.

And that needs to be done today....realtors coming tomorrow. Just so you know!

 

[DrHug]

It did, Angie, thanks so much! I emailed a reply, maybe you posted before I noticed and replied?

I did get the reply. Thank you. I don't think ANgie knew that I got the reply. ??? Yes, we do communicate sometimes.