Disney Addicts 25thish trip in Dec 11' PTR... First time with a 2 year old!!! EKKK

[lilpixiebabe101]

Hello folks!

So first I'm going to tell you all why I'm so excited about this trip...
A.) Because I haven't been to Disney since August 2006... Serious withdrawals when I explain in a bit about Disney and my family.
B.) It's my 2 year olds first trip to Disney.

(The only way this trip could get any better for me would be if my DF [ my DD dad just to clarify], since he has never been either.)

So let me introduce the cast members and then I'll get on with the part about us being Disney Addicts. BTW my mom and I do not like having our pictures taken, so you get what you get. lol

Me Ashley (the brunette on the left, the one on the right is my big, little brother)
I am a 23 yo (24 at trip time) Licensed Massage Therapist, mommy, fiance, video game nerd, avid romance novel reader, and a Disney addict. I have been on 25 trips to the World and my character is Tink.

My DM Ginger (Far right holding the munchkin... other two are my grandmother and aunt)
She started counting backwards at 40, so I guess that means I shouldn't say her age . She is in the Inspections Group for the Disaster Prevention Unit for ExxonMobil Chemical Plant. She is an avid romance novel reader and gardener. She loves all the Top Chef, Project Runway, Hells Kitchen type shows. She has been to the World about 31 times and her character is Dopey!

My DB Joseph (In the football uniform, high-fiving the munchkin.)
He is a 17 yo (will be 18 before the trip) Senior at Central High School. He is am offensive lineman, the XO for ROCT, and drives a bright yellow truck. He is an avid reader of all things fantasy and fiction and a video game nerd. He has been to the world about 18 times and his character is Stitch. (BTW I think he's more excited about seeing my daughter at Disney than I am. He's a super awesome uncle to her!)

My DF Buddy
This man is amazing. He is sitting out this trip, so I can go with my family. He and Mom don't get along. But they are working on it... She's just definitely not ready for a vacation with him yet. So he is working my job for me while I'm gone during Christmas since it is our busiest time of the year. He is a 23 year old student in school for massage therapy. He'll graduate in October. He is basically a video gamer and loves to play ( not watch) sports. He loves Jack Skellington and Captain America, so he will be getting some presents brought home.

AND...

LASTLY...

BUT ALWAYS MOST IMPORTANTLY....

My DD - Alexa Lynn (2, will be 3 a week after we get back. going on 16)
She is a drama queen already. I've been having paragraph long conversations with her since she was just under 18 months. She is into anything and everything. Her favorite movies at the moment are Lady and the Tramp, Cinderella, and Disney's the Snow Buddies. We are going at Christmas because we work it around my brother's football stuff and because my mom wants Alexa to see the Osborne Christmas Lights.


Sorry about the long post....

Next up... the Disney Addicts explained.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Hi there!!! I decided to jump on over from your link.

Your daughter is just beautiful!!

If you want to put the words in your link in your signature, just type out what you want it to say and then highlight it and then the on the toolbar up above, just hit the little earth icon that looks like it has a paperclip on it and paste the url/link in the box that pops up! Hope that helps!! I will PM you that 30 day link as well.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Hi there!!! I decided to jump on over from your link.

Your daughter is just beautiful!!

If you want to put the words in your link in your signature, just type out what you want it to say and then highlight it and then the on the toolbar up above, just hit the little earth icon that looks like it has a paperclip on it and paste the url/link in the box that pops up! Hope that helps!! I will PM you that 30 day link as well.

Yay first PTR groupie!

Thank you! Everytime a camera comes out she comes a little ham! This was an "Easter" picture her dad's step-mom took her to take.

I'll try to link it shortly. I saw the PM. Ty for sending it!

 

[ShaylaLynn]

Joining in!!!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

So why are we a Disney Family of Addicts?????

A.) We live 14 hours away in Louisiana. So it's not like a hop, skip, and a jump and we are in the world. We've only flown on maybe 4 or 5 trips and that was only when we were small.

B.) My brother and I have both been more times than we are years old.

C.) Three forth of the things in our house and out in the garden are Disney related.

D.) Our Christmas stockings for as long as I can remember have had Disney toons on them and most of our presents each year have either been for a trip to Disney, something we didn't know our parent's bought in Disney, or just something plain ole Disney related.

E.) We just all LOVE Disney trips. It was always the one time of year that my overachieving, workaholic family would truly slow down and all be together... and for the most part my dad wouldn't take work calls.



It's the only play we all truly relax and enjoy a vacation. It's really the happiest place on earth for all of us.

Next up: Day 1 of the 30 day challenge and explaination of why we're going this time!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

So I continue posting on to my few trip groupies. Any watchers/lurkers feel free to join in! I don't bite or correct grammar!

Ok so I said I would do Day 1 and post why were going on this trip.

But firstly I realized I hadn't put our dates up yet!

December 17-21 at Pop Century

So continuing on.

We are going on this trip for a few reasons.

A.) I haven't been on vacation in about 5 years. Disney or otherwise. Moved out with DF about 4 years ago when gas prices skyrocketed. Needless to say huge financial issues, DD came along, Mom wanted me to move back home, so I did. Went to massage school, and now that I'm a licensed therapist I love it... But it is an emotionally draining job. I work at a chair massage kiosk in the Mall of Louisiana. There are only 4 employees, so I work a lot of hours Thursday through Monday. I never take time off unless Alexa is sick, so I need a little time off. Bossman wasn't excited about me missing a lot of the Christmas week, but I reminded him that I worked about 3 weeks last year around that time that were about 75 hours a week. He conceded to let me go especially since he will be going on vacation the week after Christmas and wanted me to cover his shifts.

B.) My brother really wants to take my daughter. We talked about many different times.

Sept or Oct... Senior year he can't miss school or football.
November... He can't miss football that close to playoffs even during Thanksgiving even though he is on Injured Reserve right now.
December... YES
Jan and on He can't miss school and I can't miss work because its so slow between Jan and April.

So in short December after his Midterms was the best option.

C.) You've probably noticed my dad isn't going. They have been married for 29 years this past May. He is filing for divorce at the moment because as my mom says "He doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up". My mom is supermom in my eyes. She works a REALLY REALLY good job (went back to school for 7 years while working and with us in middle school and high school to get her degree in Disaster Science Management), cooks dinner almost every night, cleans and does a good bit of the laundry (even his still), and looks close to 10 years younger than she actually is. None of us can figure out what he wants because she's pretty darn awesome in our eyes.

SO THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON OF THE TRIP!!!!
Mom wants to go at Christmas! So go at Christmas we will!

Anything that makes momma happy at this point! We want to see her smile, and Disney and all its memories for us will do that. Yeah some of it will be bitter sweet because my dad won't be there, but we will be making new memories for her with my DD.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Since the last post was so long, I figured I would do Day 1 separate.

SO Day 1. Favorite WDW Park.

Mom and Mine.

Joseph.

 

[afwdwfan]

I found your link and followed it over! Looks like a good plan, but I'm sorry to read about the news of your Mom and Dad. Sad to see, but if it is what they need to do to be happier, I'm sure it will be for the best.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

I found your link and followed it over! Looks like a good plan, but I'm sorry to read about the news of your Mom and Dad. Sad to see, but if it is what they need to do to be happier, I'm sure it will be for the best.

Yeah, she's just ready to for it to all be settled. He's moved out a few times before, so I think she's ready for all the back and forth and mind changing to stop.

It was her decision this time, and she seems happier this time. She said she's ready to find someone who will love and appreciate her for her.. not who someone thinks she should be.

 

[swwake]

Followed you over from my PTR. Subscribing here and I'll go back tonight to catch up so far. Did anyone ever help you with your signature?

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Followed you over from my PTR. Subscribing here and I'll go back tonight to catch up so far. Did anyone ever help you with your signature?

Yeah Lady Lallie and afwdwfan! I just have to do it in a few mins!

 

[Lady Lallie]

I feel the same way about my Mom, she's the best.

Sorry that your mom is going through all that with your Dad, doesn't sound like she deserves.

 

[swwake]

What a beautiful daughter you have! I hope your Mom and DF can come to terms soon so you can all enjoy family together. So sad to hear about the divorce. Sounds like your mom is a wonderful woman and really deserves her time at Disney this Christmas. I can't wait to read more!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

I feel the same way about my Mom, she's the best.

Sorry that your mom is going through all that with your Dad, doesn't sound like she deserves.

Ty for the hug! It's one of those we're not really stuck in the middle. We would rather be with her. He's burned a lot of bridges with all of us. I won't keep Alexa from seeing him, but I'm not going to really go out of my way to let her spend time with him. He's going to have to make the effort.

What a beautiful daughter you have! I hope your Mom and DF can come to terms soon so you can all enjoy family together. So sad to hear about the divorce. Sounds like your mom is a wonderful woman and really deserves her time at Disney this Christmas. I can't wait to read more!

Ty. She's a mess!

They eventually will. DF thinks its going to take the divorce going through and being over, and her finding the right man for her. Then the guy being an unbiased party kinda being like the middle man.

and yes! She really deserves this trip!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

I'm about to send old photos to Walmart to make pretty copies of old pictures to put on foam trip/ countdown board I'm making for my daughter.
I figure my few followers might enjoy some old memories with me.

THE CAKE!!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Brother and I in the very bottom left corner.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

This was the last trip I've been on to the World. It was just my dad, brother, and I the summer before I started at LSU. Mom couldn't take off work.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Today and tomorrow are my "weekend", so I will not be posting this many times everyday! Don't worry!

So we're booking at 6 AM CST tomorrow. We personally are crossing our fingers for something that suppose to be coming out tomorrow.

If nothing comes out, it does nothing to our trip. We had decided to go before we even saw the blurb about FD two days ago. BUT it would mean money we had planned on going to food could now to go other fun things.... aka things for Alexa!!!


December 17th- I will be at work a good portion of the day, so the rest of the crew will be picking me up from work about 2 or 3pm. We'll leave my car at my dad's office build which is the next exit off the interstate. I trust the security guys to watch out for my car in the mall parking lot for a few days, but I don't want to give them that added stress the last week before Christmas. So that being said, mom, Joseph, and I will take turns driving through the late afternoon/evening/night til whatever time we get WDW.

December 18th- We have a ADR at Crystal Palace at 8:10am. This was my only "I'm putting my foot down moment" in the planning. The park does not open until 9am. I wanted to be able to turn around and watch my daughters reaction as she walks into the MK for the first time. At opening I wouldn't be able to do this with all the ppl running to get into the park. I always wanted her to have a totally unobstructed view of the castle and main street. She's so short that again this couldn't have happened any other way. Evening we will go to DTD and do a counter service somewhere.

December 19th- Epcot. We have a 12:45 Via Napolia ADR (mom request). Evening we'll probably end back up at MK since its the EMH and to watch Wishes.

December 20th- MGM/DHS for most of the day. Sci-Fi 11:15 ADR. (me request). Epcot for Illuminations and a 6:30 ADR at 9 Dragons (Joseph request).

December 21st- AK day. We like this park. We don't dislike it. It's just our least favorite of the 4. We'll spend most of the day here. Depends on what time I have to be at work on the 22nd. If I can do the later day shift, then we'll do half the drive this night, sleep somewhere, and then finish the drive in the morning of the 22nd. They will drop me at my car, and back to work I'll go!

 

[swwake]

The pictures are wonderful! I love seeing you as a child and your mom at your current age (about). There is an awesome thread with old Disney park photos. I'll find you the link. I bet they'd like to see your pics over there.

Your plans sound great. Especially the early ADR at CP for your daughter's reaction. I'm not sure I would have thought that out so well, but it's perfect!

Good luck with your booking tomorrow! Can't wait to hear how it goes.

 

[swwake]

Here's the link!!

Old Disney Park Photos