Disney Every Day - Update 10/21 – 1, 2, 3! We’re Leaving for Orlando Tomorrow!

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Oh no, you didn't bore me at all! I read the DIS on my phone and it is harder to respond! I'm here though!!!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Oh yeah, I see how it is......Karen responds to you, but not to me....yep.....see? Hubby stays home with her and it's all over for the rest of us....yep...hmmmm.......

(I AM TOTALLY KIDDING KAREN!!! )

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Very nice beading, Erin. It makes me want to get into that again, but really? When the heck would I find the time with working and tending to that farm of mine? I'll stick with my scrapbooking since I have so much money invested in that already.

Maybe Coy would like a Cars themed bracelet? Just an idea. I really can't think of any other really masculine type theme. You'll think of something, I'm sure! Your updates are never boring so keep 'em coming!!!

 

[Alysa]

"Po-ta-toes. Boil 'em, mash' em, put 'em in a stew!" Ten points to whoever knows that reference!

"Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish. Even you couldn't say no to that." It's the guy from the Yorkshire County Fish Shop, right?

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Oh no, you didn't bore me at all! I read the DIS on my phone and it is harder to respond! I'm here though!!!

Yeah,I understand about using the phone. Have you tried the DIS app? I used it once but I like the website better.

Oh yeah, I see how it is......Karen responds to you, but not to me....yep.....see? Hubby stays home with her and it's all over for the rest of us....yep...hmmmm.......

(I AM TOTALLY KIDDING KAREN!!! )

Very nice beading, Erin. It makes me want to get into that again, but really? When the heck would I find the time with working and tending to that farm of mine? I'll stick with my scrapbooking since I have so much money invested in that already.

Maybe Coy would like a Cars themed bracelet? Just an idea. I really can't think of any other really masculine type theme. You'll think of something, I'm sure! Your updates are never boring so keep 'em coming!!!

A Cars bracelet is a good idea!

"Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish. Even you couldn't say no to that." It's the guy from the Yorkshire County Fish Shop, right?

Ten points!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

380 Days!!!


Wow. 380 Days doesn't seem worthy of three exclamation points Today, my ticker says 1 year, 2 weeks and 1 day. That is a mighty long time! I'm not even sure how to start planning this far in advance. I've talked to my sisters about the trip a little bit, but since it's still over a year away, they weren't really up for the conversation yet. I've got to get them addicted to the DIS somehow!

So I'm thinking of making it only 377 days until Disney World! I was doing some Disney math this morning on my commute and I realized it would be a few hundred more to add three days to our trip. I'm thinking August 21st to September 1st with 10 Day Water Park and More Park Hoppers. We would still be at Pop and we'd still do the DDP. I was thinking about doing the DDxP but I think that would be way too much food since the kids and I wouldn't be in the parks every day. I think we'd do two Universal Studios days and maybe a down day where we can just relax. Yes, I said it! We might actually relax on a Disney vacation Maybe. Possibly. Now that I'm thinking about it, there are so many other things to do to fill up that day! That would be a 12 day vacation, though, so I think we could afford one down day. I'll have to take off 8 days from work. I think that will be possible since I can't take off any days during the holidays since we're in our busy season then. By the time this trip comes around, it'll be well deserved!

Another reason I wanted to add a few days on to the beginning of the trip was because I wanted my sisters to have a full week with us down there. They didn't take a long vacation this year because I canceled our June trip. They only went to the beach for a weekend. They had a good time, but it would've been a better time in Disney! So if they can go to Disney for 5 - 7 days, the kids and I should be able to show them a great time! Then the kids and I will stay for a few more days and enjoy the lower crowds.

Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe that's too much. I love being in the dreaming phase of a Disney trip, though I mean, what else can I do other than dream? The trip is still over a year away! I'm trying to think of other things to post about, but I feel like I've already talked about so much in my other PTRs Well, one thing I'm thinking about is budget. It'll be nice to have a whole year to pay off a Disney trip! I have a confession to make: I canceled the rescheduled trip. I was going to just transfer that money into the new August 2013 trip but I couldn't just let that money sit there for over a year. That just wouldn't make sense to me. So I have to book this trip and pay it off little by little again. It's cool though because I love that sense of accomplishment of going on the Disney website and paying a small portion. It makes me feel all tingly and happy! ixiedust It was the one "bill" I liked paying on payday!

OK, I'm giving myself an assignment. I'm going to get my sisters to commit to this trip and nail down some dates. Hopefully, we'll be able to book within the next month. Then we'll all have almost a full year to pay off the trip. I have to look up my youngest brother's school calendar again. Maybe bumping up the trip a few days will allow him time to come with us! Ugh! I just looked it up. "First day of Fall Semester: August 21st" Darn it! Well, he still owes the kids a trip to Six Flags so maybe they can do that together next summer

On an unrelated note... I have a farmer's market within walking distance of my job. Today I went by and got some beautiful blueberries



I also got a few Ginger Gold apples



I've never had Ginger Gold. The farmer said they were very tart but we love tart apples, so I hope we'll enjoy them. I also got some yellow peaches



That one on the right is the size of my fist! Finally, I got some white peaches



They smell awesome. Funny thing about peaches - I don't really like them! Actually, that's not entirely true. I don't like fresh peaches. I know, I know. I am a crazy person! I don't like the fuzz on the skin and I don't love the flesh. I like it, but I don't love it. I like fresh peaches mixed in a fruit salad but that's about it. But I LOVE peach ice cream, drinks, desserts and so on. I even like canned peaches. Craziness! I realize this. Now that you know more than anyone should have to know about my food preferences, let me get to my point. When I walked upstairs with four bags of fruit, one of my coworkers asked excitedly, "What are you having? A party?" I wanted to say, "Yes! I'm having a Dinner and a Disney Movie night!" but I don't know her well enough yet! She's cool, though. I bet she likes Disney! Anywho... I bet you can guess the movie! This weekend the kids and I are watching James and the Giant Peach! I'm going to keep doing these theme nights to keep us busy until it's time to really start planning

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I have a HUGE real life update for you guys! I'm nervous to even write about it because I can't believe the kids and I came to this decision. If you read either of my past PTRs you will know that Coy is an incredibly bright child who was having a very hard time in school (True is incredibly bright as well, but I'll get to her in a minute). At first, I thought it was just a matter of Coy applying himself to the work. I mean, he would independently work on science projects, write short stories, try his hand at computer animation... I could go on and on, but the point is that he did all of these things for fun! These weren't school projects. He and True just have a thirst for learning.

Unfortunately, Coy has Social Anxiety Disorder that is so severe that he will get physically ill before school. Last year, he missed several days because he was sick to his stomach. I took him to the doctor to rule out any other causes, but there weren't any - other than that he had mild acid reflux. His stomach aches were all psychosomatic Once Coy realized stomach aches wouldn't excuse him from school anymore, other symptoms started cropping up like headaches and joint pain. His doctor attributed the joint pain to growing pains. Thank goodness he's a physically healthy kid. My poor baby just has so much anxiety. Thankfully, it's only at school. He's perfectly fine at home and in public. There's no issues at a store or ordering food in a restaurant or anything where he has to interact with strangers. One of his teachers said her son has Social Anxiety and he can't even walk down a grocery store aisle by himself for fear that he might encounter a stranger. Poor thing. I'm very grateful that Coy's anxiety isn't that bad. But it is bad enough and he's been going to therapy for it. Unfortunately, he hasn't made much progress.

Since earlier this year, Coy has been begging me to homeschool him. I work full time, though. I thought it was impossible. Also, I didn't want Coy to run away from his problems. On the other hand, Coy's learning was significantly impaired by his anxiety. This is a kid who has been in Gifted and Talented since first grade! Ever since we moved and he was placed in a class below his abilities, he's been slowly going downhill. Basically, when we moved to a new house and a new school, his GT recommendation was lost and he wasn't placed in Gifted and Talented. Even though the school system was the one that made the mistake, they refused to test him to see if he would qualify for advanced placement classes! Then when they miraculously found the recommendation two years later, they still refused to test him! Meanwhile, poor Coy's grades slipped further because he was disinterested in classes that didn't challenge him. His grades didn't reflect his ability, so the school had an excuse to still refuse to test him. I should have paid to have him independently tested at a university. I actually planned to do that about two years ago. I let my pride get in the way because I felt it was wrong for me to have to pay for a test when the school should have tested him on several occasions Looking back, I wish I had done it. That, coupled with the Social Anxiety that cropped up a couple of years ago has made school a very unpleasant experience for Coy.

I've been doing a lot of research on homeschooling and I realized that this is something I can do! It will be tough since I work full time, but it won't be impossible! This isn't a decision I came to lightly at all. My family has had varied experiences with homeschooling. My mother tried her best to homeschool my four younger siblings, but she was largely unsuccessful. My aunt homeschooled her two kids and they did very well. I fully expect to get A LOT of negative opinions about my choice to homeschool from my relatives. My mother's side of the family is bound to be very vocal because of how my mom failed at homeschooling my sibs. I'll have to be prepared to repeatedly say, "This is the best decision for my family". I have three aunts that were/are teachers and they don't view homeschooling favorably. I have the utmost respect for them and all teachers, for that matter. Teaching has to be a very difficult job, no matter how rewarding it must be. I don't think I could teach kids who aren't my own Seriously, though, it takes a special kind of person to be a teacher. My sister, Ashley, is strongly considering becoming a teacher after she graduates. She is fantastic with kids and I think teaching would suit her.

Originally, I only planned to homeschool Coy, but True made a case for herself and I had to agree with her that she should be homeschooled too. Also, True had a very bad experience with standardized testing last school year. Actually, I should say that I had a problem with the standardized testing. True was unaware of what was happening, but I saw that her teacher was teaching to the test. I mean, I expected to see some test preparation, but it appeared that the entire curriculum was focused on the test! The only unit I can remember that didn't seem to have ties to the standardized tests was the one on Ancient China. True enjoyed that very much. When she didn't have that much enthusiasm for any of the other units, I knew something was wrong. Her teacher said that True was "unhappy" and "disinterested". This was very unlike True. She is a bright (in character and intelligence) bubbly, loving and friendly child. She's not afraid to speak her mind but she also is very accommodating to other people. I was a little worried that she was turning into a bit of a pushover because she was letting her brother boss her around a lot. Recently though, she has found her voice again and will tell him or anyone else off when she feels like she's being treated poorly - and she'll do it with the sweetest smile on her face! My little diva! She's starting to truly understand the art of sarcasm I just love it because she'll sound sweet as pie while delivering a nasty remark! She really is a sweetheart, though. I'm glad she's standing up for herself more but that she's keeping her sense of humor and her loving demeanor Back to her school experience last year. Coy and True were both in the same elementary school the year before last, so they knew Coy had Social Anxiety. The school wanted to slap a label on True too because that was the easy thing to do Oh no! I wasn't going to allow that! I knew there was nothing going on with my baby besides boredom from all the test prep! I gave them permission to let the school psychologist talk with True and guess what? She said True was a lovely little girl who was very curious, friendly and intelligent. I wanted to say, "No s#!t I could've told you that!" but I settled on having a smug look on my face when the psychologist met with me and True's teacher. The psychologist was very nice and True loved her. True was actually a little disappointed that she couldn't go to her office anymore to chat! Anyway, her teacher no longer had a label to put on True to explain why True wasn't enjoying school. Poor her I do understand that teachers are under a lot of pressure to have kids perform well on standardized tests, but sometimes I think the teachers, the schools and the counties go too far. Again, I know not all teachers are under that kind of pressure, but True's teacher clearly was and I almost feel like True's third grade year was a waste! Maybe True's fourth grade year would've been different, but why take that chance?

I'm very nervous. I'm guessing that I'm having the typical worries that a newbie homeschooler has - such as being concerned that I'm going to ruin my kids' education or that I'll get frustrated and want to give up. I'm going to start school for them when school typically starts, which is the Tuesday after Labor Day. I wrote a syllabus for each kid and turned in all of my paperwork to the county on Tuesday. It's official now! I know I have some homeschooling moms who read this and some teachers who read along as well, so I'm open to any advice you might have about lesson plans, getting supplies or whatever! I don't even know what I should be asking I'm so nervous. Have I said that a few hundred times already? Well, I am! I'm also very excited! Sorry that this PTR is more of a personal blog right now! I'm still trying to figure out what I can plan when we're still over a year out! but I do have a Disney related post up my sleeve for this weekend! Ta ta for now!

 

[micandminforever]

Go for it on the homeschooling. There are alot of resources out there for parents that want to homeschool. Check to see if that is a homeschool group near you, they are a great resource. There are several on line classes your kids can follow along. Check to see if there is a homeschool convention coming to your area to find different resources.

Ask about homeschooling on the Community Broad on the Dis. I know several Dis members homeschool. My sil homeschooled and all three kids went to college and have successful careers how.

I taught in the public school for 29 year and left because of having to teach for the test. Teaching was no longer fun for me or the kids.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Omg!!!! Yay!!!! You will not regret it Erin! I was so scared when I started homeschooling, but we found our way and I have never regretted it! Do me a favor and look up Deschooling online and do some research. It is an important step IMO, they need to get the school's way of learning out of their heads. I'm on my phone and it's hard to type, but have tons more to talk to you about, when I get back to my computer I will add more! Soooooo excited for you guys! Welcome to homeschooling!

Give yourself a bit of time to adjust, do not buy a massive amount of curriculum right now! It sounds scary to put different things together, but making your own curriculum with different books/field trips/hands on stuff is much more well rounded than just buying a boxed curriculum. I was scared to do that in the beginning, but once you can separate the subjects in your mind and realize that ALL kids are on different levels, it doesn't make a ton of sense to buy one single grade across the board, usually.

I would look for a homeschool group in your area, it might be harder to facilitate them going to functions/playgroups with you working, but it can be done, lots of working moms do it! Our homeschool group saved me and they are not only great friends and "socialization" for my kids, they are for me too! That is where I met Hope! As for "socialization", you'll find out fast that it's pretty much an inside joke in the homeschooling community. It's what everyone asks about, but honestly, homeschooling affords for MORE socializing, not less!

PM me if you have questions! Actually, I will PM you!

 

[-Hope-]

I haven't been DISing much lately but when Karen told me you had a PTR and had decided to homeschool I hurried right over to catch up!

Your decision process reminds me a lot of mine and Coy and Jace are very much alike. Our decision to homeschool is hands down the scariest and also the best parenting decision I've ever made. Yesterday marked the fourth anniversary of us joining our homeschool group (and me meeting Karen!) and looking back I just can't believe this isn't how we've always lived.

I'm loving the PTR so far and you may have just sucked me back into the DIS.

It's funny that you were so enamored with Merida's hair. When the movie came out Jace told me that they put a crazy amount of work into her hair- I can't remember all of the technical stuff he told me but I do remember being impressed. They put a lot of thought into getting that curly hair just right.

 

[-Hope-]

Oh, and I forgot to mention allowing yourself and the kids time to "deschool". I'm sure you're anxious to jump right in and get started but allowing the kids time to find their interests, learning style, etc. outside of any requirements was a really important step for us. I'm happy to help and answer any questions!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Go for it on the homeschooling. There are alot of resources out there for parents that want to homeschool. Check to see if that is a homeschool group near you, they are a great resource. There are several on line classes your kids can follow along. Check to see if there is a homeschool convention coming to your area to find different resources.

Ask about homeschooling on the Community Broad on the Dis. I know several Dis members homeschool. My sil homeschooled and all three kids went to college and have successful careers how.

I taught in the public school for 29 year and left because of having to teach for the test. Teaching was no longer fun for me or the kids.

Thanks for the words of encouragement and the advice! I looked on a Virginia homeschooling Page and saw there's a conference in the area in March I didn't even know there were conferences for homeschooling. I'll definitely ask about homeschooling on the community boards. I need to explore other boards besides the TRs and PTRs huh? I'll take all the support I can get. I think that was one of the reasons my mom had a hard time homeschooling - she didn't have a support system It's good to know a lot of people have been successful at it - like your SIL - because that gives me the confidence that I can do it too

Omg!!!! Yay!!!! You will not regret it Erin! I was so scared when I started homeschooling, but we found our way and I have never regretted it! Do me a favor and look up Deschooling online and do some research. It is an important step IMO, they need to get the school's way of learning out of their heads. I'm on my phone and it's hard to type, but have tons more to talk to you about, when I get back to my computer I will add more! Soooooo excited for you guys! Welcome to homeschooling!

Give yourself a bit of time to adjust, do not buy a massive amount of curriculum right now! It sounds scary to put different things together, but making your own curriculum with different books/field trips/hands on stuff is much more well rounded than just buying a boxed curriculum. I was scared to do that in the beginning, but once you can separate the subjects in your mind and realize that ALL kids are on different levels, it doesn't make a ton of sense to buy one single grade across the board, usually.

I would look for a homeschool group in your area, it might be harder to facilitate them going to functions/playgroups with you working, but it can be done, lots of working moms do it! Our homeschool group saved me and they are not only great friends and "socialization" for my kids, they are for me too! That is where I met Hope! As for "socialization", you'll find out fast that it's pretty much an inside joke in the homeschooling community. It's what everyone asks about, but honestly, homeschooling affords for MORE socializing, not less!

PM me if you have questions! Actually, I will PM you!

Thanks for the vote of confidence! I'm terrified but I'm excited too! I took your advice and looked up deschooling. Wow! I never would've thought they'd have to un-learn the ways of public school - or that I would have to un-learn, for that matter, in order to be able to homeschool them effectively! Thank you so much for saying that about the boxed sets! I was getting a little frustrated the other day when I was looking at them! First of all, they are expensive! Second, none of them offered all of the things that the kids expressed an interest in learning. The curriculum I turned in was very generic - English, algebra, Spanish etc - but I think the type of homeschooling that will fit us best is unschooling. It seems counterproductive to create a curriculum when the learning is child led You're right that I need to take it slow because I'm so ready to plan, plan PLAN!

It's funny that you mention socialization because in my day, I remember teachers saying, "You're not here to socialize!" Luckily, I saw that my homeschooled cousins had lots of opportunities to socialize, otherwise, I might have that same stereotype in mind. My mom is going to keep the kids during the day for me, so I hope I can find a group where she can take them. She's eager to help me and I am so thankful

I haven't been DISing much lately but when Karen told me you had a PTR and had decided to homeschool I hurried right over to catch up!

Your decision process reminds me a lot of mine and Coy and Jace are very much alike. Our decision to homeschool is hands down the scariest and also the best parenting decision I've ever made. Yesterday marked the fourth anniversary of us joining our homeschool group (and me meeting Karen!) and looking back I just can't believe this isn't how we've always lived.

I'm loving the PTR so far and you may have just sucked me back into the DIS.

It's funny that you were so enamored with Merida's hair. When the movie came out Jace told me that they put a crazy amount of work into her hair- I can't remember all of the technical stuff he told me but I do remember being impressed. They put a lot of thought into getting that curly hair just right.

Oh, and I forgot to mention allowing yourself and the kids time to "deschool". I'm sure you're anxious to jump right in and get started but allowing the kids time to find their interests, learning style, etc. outside of any requirements was a really important step for us. I'm happy to help and answer any questions!

I'm so glad you're here! We've missed you around these parts! I'm glad you're liking my PTR and you're getting sucked back in! Did I take the title away from Karen? What did you call her? Your Disney Pusher? Well, if I get you back on the boards, I can be dubbed the DIS Pusher! I'd love to see a US PTR from you because #1 I don't want to be the only one around here planning a trip a year in advance and #2 I want to add two US days to our trip next year and I want to see how a fellow obsessive planner would plan out her days! As far as Brave goes, yes, I had an almost unhealthy fascination with Merida's hair! I'll have to look up how they did that because it was mesmerizing to me!

I truly hope that a year from now I can look back and say that homeschooling was the best decision I made too. I'm scared out of my mind, but this just feels right. I'm looking forward to finding a homeschool group and being able to meet other like minded parents. It'll also be wonderful for the kids to have some friends who share things in common other than just going to the same school or living in the same neighborhood

So I see you're recommending deschooling too? My instinct was to just go for it, but you, Karen and a lot of other people are saying to take it slow. That's hard for me to do but I'll try! I have a lot of research to do this weekend! Unschooling... deschooling... curricula... Merida's hair

 

[-Hope-]

I'm so glad you're here! We've missed you around these parts! I'm glad you're liking my PTR and you're getting sucked back in! Did I take the title away from Karen? What did you call her? Your Disney Pusher? Well, if I get you back on the boards, I can be dubbed the DIS Pusher! I'd love to see a US PTR from you because #1 I don't want to be the only one around here planning a trip a year in advance and #2 I want to add two US days to our trip next year and I want to see how a fellow obsessive planner would plan out her days!

I'll most definitely be doing a PTR some time soon... the folks on the Universal boards don't seem to get as *ahem* excited about starting the PTRs quite so early. You should check out those boards those because I've found them very helpful. We're heading to Gulf Shores, AL in less than 50 days and when we get back I'm going to get more serious about planning our US trip so be on the lookout!

As far as Brave goes, yes, I had an almost unhealthy fascination with Merida's hair! I'll have to look up how they did that because it was mesmerizing to me!

I truly hope that a year from now I can look back and say that homeschooling was the best decision I made too. I'm scared out of my mind, but this just feels right. I'm looking forward to finding a homeschool group and being able to meet other like minded parents. It'll also be wonderful for the kids to have some friends who share things in common other than just going to the same school or living in the same neighborhood

So I see you're recommending deschooling too? My instinct was to just go for it, but you, Karen and a lot of other people are saying to take it slow. That's hard for me to do but I'll try! I have a lot of research to do this weekend! Unschooling... deschooling... curricula... Merida's hair

Ooooh, I didn't realize you were planning to unschool!

If Karen is the Disney pusher and you are the DIS pusher I am most definitely the unschooling pusher!! I'm at work but will PM you either here or on FB with some book recommendations, blog links, etc. that you may find useful.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Ooooh, I didn't realize you were planning to unschool!

If Karen is the Disney pusher and you are the DIS pusher I am most definitely the unschooling pusher!! I'm at work but will PM you either here or on FB with some book recommendations, blog links, etc. that you may find useful.

I'm glad there's a PTR in the works! I'll have to check out the US boards. I think I've only been over there once or twice.

Unschooling is what I think will work best with Coy. He's very self motivated. I don't really know True's learning style, but I guess I'm about to find out I do know that she's generally a good student, she's very visual and she's artistic. I think unschooling will work out well for both of them. I've already turned in a very basic curriculum for both of them, but I'm confused as to how to translate that into what they'll be learning all year in terms of in an unschooling method So yes, please PM me any info you can! Tonight I plan on rereading the book you recommended: Guerrilla Learning. It's been a while since I picked it up. It'll be interesting to read it from the perspective of someone who is about to homeschool! I'm getting a little less nervous and a little more excited every day

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

365 Days!!!


Yup! It's official! 365 days until our trip instead of 368 Well, it's not official until I book... but still! I've officially decided that our vacation will be from August 21st 2013 to September 1st 2013! Everything else is still very much in the air. With a year to go until our trip, I have a lot of decisions to make but I think I'm still going with Pop! Century, 10 Day Water Park and More Park Hoppers and the DDP. Marissa and Ashley still plan on joining us, so hopefully they will be able to spend almost a week in Orlando. I'm thinking of doing two days at Universal Studios because I have been itching to go to WWoHP! I am a complete Harry Potter geek, so I really want to see how US interpreted the books and movies. The kids love Harry Potter too, but only the movies. I have all of the books, so I'm going to encourage them to read them soon. Coy can read them all and True should have no problem with the first three books, but the last four are a little intense and are a bit above her reading level right now. I mean in terms of stamina, not understanding. I'm not sure she's up to reading a book that is 700+ pages yet Then again, you never know! Anyway, I'm thinking about doing US when my sisters are with us and I'm thinking of doing a day at Sea World. Coy and True have never been to Sea World and I haven't been since I was very young. I think I was 10 or so the last time I went because it was just me, my brother David, my mom and my grandma. This was in Ohio! I'm pretty sure it's not there anymore. Nope. Just checked. It was turned into a Six Flags.

Anyway, being a year out made me nostalgic about Disney. I looked at my Facebook albums of the trips the kids and I took in 2008 and 2009. I pulled a few pictures to share with you guys - and most of them are pictures I haven't posted on the boards before. They're just a few fun memories and things that I feel are traditions I'd like to keep with them when we visit.

Who wants to step back in time with me for a while? We'll start off with our trip in 2008. This was the first time the kids had been to Disney World and I couldn't wait to share it with them. We arrived in the late afternoon and I didn't want them to see the castle or anything until our official first park day. We went to dinner at Cape May Cafe because we love seafood and because it was far away enough from the parks that the kids couldn't get a glimpse of any of the landmarks. The next day, we were up bright and early. We drove to the MK parking lot and rode the tram. The kids could barely contain their excitement.





My goodness, they were so young! This was early November of 2008, so they were 9 and 5 on this trip. Once we got to TTC, we got in line for the ferry. It was a tradition when I was a kid for us to take the ferry over to MK instead of the monorail. The kids were overjoyed at the view of the castle from the water. So much so that True hugged Coy and Coy let her! LOL



Look at Poly in the background! I used to love staying there as a kid! One thing we didn't do when I was a kid was get mouse ears. That was the first thing we did when we got into the MK.

Coy's ears were so cool:



I'm a pirate! Arrghhh!



True got a pink pair of mouse ears but she didn't like having the elastic under her chin. This time, I'm going to have to make her a pair on a headband so she can wear mouse ears comfortably. I might make a pair for myself, too! Anyway, at the same stand where we brought the ears, we brought autograph books. The kids asked all of the characters for autographs and True even tried to get one from an inanimate object!



Just kidding! She staged that picture! Even at 5 she had a crazy sense of humor!

Here's a gratuitous castle shot:



I think that was our view while we were waiting for our ADR at Crystal Palace. Looking back on that, I can't believe that the kids were so patient that morning about getting on rides. I don't think they even asked me. They just got their ears, their autograph books, a couple of autographs from Chip and Dale and were content to sit on the steps of CP until it was time for breakfast:



I guess they were just happy to be in Disney World! They really soaked it all in and enjoyed each moment. I can't say that I could've done that as a kid! My kids are pretty awesome

That was fairly detailed, but I'm not going to tell you about the whole trip. This isn't a TR! I know I should've had one up by now but...

I love this picture of them on the teacups:



Gratuitous "golf ball" shot:



Popsicles! Coy took this picture:



Mousekeeping really is the best! They displayed our mouse ears along with our First Visit pins on one of the beds:



Now, I don't know about you guys, but someone always has a breakdown when we're on vacation! It is either one of us or all of us! LOL! In 2008 we all had a breakdown at one point or another. Actually, I don't remember one in 2009, but I'm sure it happened On our Boston trip earlier this year Coy and I flipped out on each other. I think it's natural, though. We are all excited, tired, over-stimulated and anxious to go go go to make sure we fit everything in. Luckily, our meltdowns usually only last a few minutes and it turns into something funny when we look back on it. I always laugh when I see this picture of True because she was just fed up at getting her picture taken! We were in line to see Woody and Buzz - the last people they let inside to wait for autographs - and True was getting sick and tired of waiting in line. She and Coy were playing with the props to keep occupied when I asked her to stop for a picture:



She was being a brat, but it was so hilarious to me that I had to take a picture! She calmed down after that and she laughs now, too, whenever she sees this picture.

Coy posing on his car:



Finally, a picture of the Christmas tree in AK. I love visiting Disney World during the Christmas season!



Up next: 2009!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Hey, did you guys notice that I changed my ticker to reflect the new dates? One year, baby!

On to 2009! It was late November/early December and the kids were 10 and 6. Before going to MVMCP on our first park day, we went to breakfast with Lilo and Stitch! I took this picture of True by the pond at the Poly:



Just look at this face!



Crazy kid putting drink umbrellas in her hair!



I think I've put this picture on both of my other PTRs, but I love the expression of joy on Coy's face as he's snowed on at MVMCP:



Oh, Mickey's Toon Town, I miss ya!



Coy took a picture of a lizard in 2008 and here's the pic of a lizard in 2009. I think it's going to be a tradition:



True, deep in thought, at Cinderella's wishing well:



We loved the mist all over the parks - even when it wasn't all that warm out. I think we'll really really love them when we visit in August!



The carousel!



Coy watching the koi in EP! LOL!



This is a funny little set of pics. Coy had just gotten one of those candies from Miyuki - it's a shame kids can't keep those candies anymore - and we were seated for dinner at Garden Grill:



He had already taken the eagle candy out of the wrapper and he clearly wanted to eat it - even though we were about to eat dinner:



BUSTED!!!



That face cracks me up every time!

Coy photobombing True in AK:



Remember how I said someone always has a meltdown on vacation? Well, we get attitudes too! It may not escalate into a full blown breakdown or freak out, but it's 'tude nonetheless! This is Coy at breakfast at Tusker House, getting frustrated with True because he thought she was playing her instrument the wrong way:



Wherever you go, there you are... even on vacation

Aww! I'm picking on Coy! Here's a cute picture of him in an Indiana Jones hat:



Here's a picture that he wanted me to take. It's of a crane on top of the Dinoland sign. I think it's pretty cool::



It's so sweet that Coy and True are so loving in Disney:



I think this picture is hilarious because I just KNOW the PhotoPass photographer did this on purpose to make it look like I had a mane and lion ears!



Baby Simba!



OK, I know I'm bragging here, but my boy is handsome!



I've put these two pictures on my other PTRs but I couldn't resist putting them on here too. I love these pictures! It was our last day in Disney and at MK. We were getting rained on all day and it was December 4th,so the rain was cold! We'd had such a great vacation that we were all smiles, though!





Well, Coy's only half smiling in that picture, but he was really happy! Trust me! LOL! True's smiling, though! We can't wait to go back!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Love your pics Erin!!! I remember the one of Coy at MVMCP! Priceless!!! I had to giggle at the meltdowns, we always have them too, in fact, they are some of our funniest memories! I am going to remember that next time! Lol!

Happy 1 year!!!!!

 

[micandminforever]

I love the pictures, and all the smiles.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Love your pics Erin!!! I remember the one of Coy at MVMCP! Priceless!!! I had to giggle at the meltdowns, we always have them too, in fact, they are some of our funniest memories! I am going to remember that next time! Lol!

Happy 1 year!!!!!

Thanks, Karen! I need to print that picture of Coy out and make a Christmas ornament out of it. Oh, and I remembered the 2009 meltdown. It was ALL ME this time We'd had a cold and rainy day at Magic Kingdom and decided to call it quits there. We went to DTD where True ripped her poncho! She decided to try to share mine with me... Didn't work We had fun at DTD but by the time we got back to CBR, we were soaked, cold, tired and hungry! The food court at CBR is huge, so it took us a long time to pick out our dinner for that night as well as pick out sandwiches for our drive home the next day. I think we spent almost an hour in the food court, but we used up all of our CS and snack credits I was about to lose it, though, but I was able to keep my composure until we got back to our room. The only reason I didn't have an all out meltdown was because I didn't want to ruin the last night of our trip. But believe me, I went into the bathroom, closed the curtain and did some deep breathing for I don't know how long It's funny looking back at it now!

I love the pictures, and all the smiles.

Thanks! Looking at our Disney pictures makes me so happy. I need to choose one to use as a screen saver at work. That way, when I'm having a long day, I can remember that's part of the reason I work is so I can have fun with my kids

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

So, you all know the deal: You go into a store with the intention of picking up one or two things... That is what happened to me this morning! Let me set the scene I take public transportation to work now. I love not driving and being able to just sit back and read, write, listen to music, go on Pinterest... What I don't like is being on someone else's schedule. This morning, I was walking to my bus stop when I saw my bus go by! Ugh! I just missed it! I knew I had to catch the next bus in order to catch the next train that would get me to work on time. The next bus wouldn't come for another half an hour, so I decided to walk a little farther and go to the shopping center up the street. It was sprinkling out, but still very warm, so I went to get a Cool Lime Refresher from Starbucks. I started drinking those thinking it was a good alternative to the Caramel Macchiato that I used to get before I cut back my caffeine. I figured it was better than ordering decaf, but I was wrong! Fast forward to about 10am - I had a bad case of the jitters! I went to the Starbucks website and saw the Refreshers are made with green coffee extract, not green tea like I thought! The Refreshers have half of the caffeine of my Caramel Macchiato but twice the caffeine of decaf! I'm not used to caffeine any more. This is coming from a girl who used to drink Mountain Dew by the gallon! What does this have to do with Disney? Absolutely nothing! So let me get back on track

After picking up my Refresher, I still had about 15 minutes until the bus would be there. I wasn't going to wait in the rain, so I went into the supermarket to pick up a couple of supplies for a project the kids and I are doing. I can't wait to show you guys this project we started yesterday. The three of us are all doing different themes, so mine was Disney-fied of course! Yes, Disney-fied is a word! Anyway, I got a hole puncher and some Krazy Glue:



Then I looked down the aisle and saw these Sharpies:



I had to get them because they could be used for our project too! Plus, everything was on sale for back to school shopping Then these caught my eye:



They were on sale for $2.99 so I had no choice but to get all four! We love to color, so I thought these would be pretty cool for goody bags on our trip. Who knows if I can keep them a secret for a whole year, though. So I got Mickey Mouse Clubhouse:



Here's a shot of the back so you can see what's included:



I think it's pretty cool that it comes with the coloring pages and the markers. Perfect for travel!

Toy Story:



Cars:



And, of course, the Disney Princesses:



They also had these Disney canteens:



I left them on the shelf, though, because I wasn't really sure we'd need them on our trip. I'm thinking about it, though. They didn't have a price on them and I didn't want to assume they were on sale like everything else. If I do get them, we'll probably just keep them at home - but I have enough plastic cups and water bottles! I took that picture rather than grabbing them so I could think about it and because I didn't have any more room in my arms! Remember, I was only supposed to get two things, so I didn't get a shopping cart or a basket!

As I balanced my drink and all of my purchases, I went up to the cashier and asked if they had any umbrellas. It was sprinkling outside, after all! She pointed me in the right direction after inviting me to just leave my stuff at her aisle. That's how I knew I looked silly with my arms full of stuff! I looked at the time and saw I was cutting it close, but I went to get an umbrella anyway. I rushed back to the cashier, got checked out and I hightailed it out of the grocery store. Just as I was about to cross the street for the bus stop, guess what? The bus rolled right on past me! Not again! I realized that I could wait for the next bus and be half an hour late for work or I could walk about half a mile to a different bus stop to catch a bus that would be there in about 10 minutes. I hate being late, so I started speed walking to the other bus stop! I wasn't sure I could make a half mile walk in 10 minutes. Let me tell you, I haven't been much of a walker in recent years. When I started walking to the bus stop back in June, it kicked my booty! I was huffing and puffing those first few weeks! I did notice my stamina building up, though, and I could easily walk up and down the hills to the bus stop after a while. I mean, I walk with my kids sometimes, but we would walk a mile or two on flat terrain. That is not the same as going up and down hills! Whew! Well, I made myself proud today because I made it to the other bus stop with about a minute to spare! I think I'm actually getting in shape again! The caffeine jolt probably didn't hurt my speed either Oh, and I should mention that it had stopped raining by the time I left the grocery store Here's the umbrella that caused all the trouble:



OK, OK, I know it's not the umbrella's fault I went on a 7am shopping spree! Hmm. That picture is kinda boring. Let me Instagram it like all the cool kids do:



Do you guys use Instagram? I was all excited when they released the app to Android, but I haven't been able to get into it. Maybe it's because I'm only friends with four people I know in real life and a handful of celebrities. Maybe it's because I get sick of looking at pictures that people think are so awesome just because they put a filter on it. That filter is called Nashville. No idea why. I mean some pictures look cool with the filters on them, but there are other apps that I think do a better job. My camera apps would be a whole other post. You know what? The next post is going to be about camera apps! Might as well do it now, right?