Down the Hole: A Pre-Trip Report w Alice, Madhatter, Cheshire Cat, & Queen of Hearts

[PracPerfPatricia]

What a lovely girl day with Emily!!!

You had to show us those cupcakes, didn't you?

By the way, have you read the Blackbird Sisters series by Nancy Martin? They are really cute light murder mysteries set in Philadelphia, and when I saw the pictures of Independence Hall, I thought of them.

As far as the cupcakes go-well yes, yes I did have to show them... Although after this morning's wellness check up at the doctor's- and the whole once we hit "40" it becomes more difficult to lose weight comment...I know I'm above my ideal weight right now but gosh did she have to put it that way-She might as well have said "well gee you're older than dirt...-you've just packed on the lbs. haven't you'?-There may not be many cupcakes in my near future...

Blackbird Sisters-huh-let's see how fast my fingers can google that-lol-I love it-you are welcome to recommend and enable my book addiction at any time...

What a wonderful day you and Emily had together! She really does seem like a great daughter. You're making me (almost) wish I had one more and more.

I will probably take you up on your offer to PM you, but I'll wait until you get back from your trip. I'm thinking Will probably does not have AS (but still not completely sure he's not somewhere on the end of the spectrum), but I know there is something there that is not completely, um, average and I just don't know where to go to find out how to help. I'd love to hear more about David anyway. I am absolutely fascinated with giftedness and autism (I'm not sure fascinated is the right word...what's a good word for 'very interested') and how they go together-and don't. It's just one of my great interests as a teacher. I just want to learn more about how children think, and how individual children can best be taught.

ANYWAY...just a couple of days to go now!!! (I'm really starting to get jealous!)

Oh, and I started Alice in Wonderland tonight. I'm only a few pages in, but I can't figure out why I didn't read it before. I know I tried and I remember thinking it wasn't interesting...and it IS. Weird. But thanks for getting me to try it again!

Emily is the best- she really is-but David is awesome too and I've met a lot of boys who are really great-I think I'm really blessed with her...there are some evil little and big girls-trust me... Boys can be so sweet and they think their moms are the best... (I have a friend with 4 sons-each two years apart and they are all great...) Sadly I know girls her age that wouldn't go out with their moms...

I would love to talk when I get back and while I'm packing& straightening this afternoon-I'm going to keep an eye out on a book I have for you about a variety of different educational/developmental diagnoses and misdiagnoses and overlaps-I don't need it anymore but it was an interesting and not overly dry read-I lot of kids get diagnosed with something that isn't really correct and its hard because so many things overlap-you know its also possible that your DS is just taking his time to develop-little boys are much more uneven I think and a little like puppies-I think they really to tend to lag behind girls...He might just be developing slower in some areas...

Yeah I'm getting pretty excited too at this point...

Try to get through Alice-the sequel Alice through the Looking Glass is fun too-that's were Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum come in...(a lot of the whole thing was a spoof by Carroll on English Society and some of the people he knew...

You had a great girls' day! Those cupcakes looked SOOOO good. Now you only have 3 days until NYC & 4 to WDW!!!!

Welcome-we did have fun and they were reallllly good cupcakes...I am very excited about our trip at this point......

What a wonderful Girls Day!!!

Your pedicures sound delightful.

I want to see Adam too. It seems like a good movie from what I have read about it.

The cupcakes look delicious!!

The pedicures were absolutely awesome-there is something about having your feet pampered...

Adam was very good...it does have a lot of comedy but I think the previews put clips together in a way that made it look a little more comedic that it is-it is very sweet though and totally worth seeing...

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Hey there! Just stumbled across your PTR and read the whole thing this morning while neglected household duties. Isn't that what the DIS is for?! What a great PTR!!!

Maybe we'll see you around AKL - we'll be checking in a day after you! Have a fabulous trip!

I stumble across stuff a lot -PTRs and other things...Thanks for reading...

I find the Dis a great excuse for putting off a great many things...

I will be looking for you and those tie dye shirts...(I read your PTR-just haven't had a chance to post yet... Lucky you traveling with so many friends...

I followed you over from my PTR and just got caught up - since I can't remember everything I thought about posting while I was reading, I'll just post what comes out of my head at the moment (my apologies if it sounds all over the place)!

Your trip in 2006 sounds a lot like my trip last December - I got so caught up in planning that I overplanned, I think. And was exhausted the whole time. So we're taking time to relax this time.

I'm now thinking of scheduling a pirate and princess fireworks cruise. We took an illuminations cruise the last time and my middle child couldn't stop talking about it. For a few months there, she just assumed if you took a boat out onto the river, there would be fireworks.

Your family is beautiful! I love that your daughter made shirts and posted her rebuttal on your PTR.

I got weepy reading the lyrics to Beautiful Boy.

I am also a coffee addict. So is my mom. I've roasted my own coffee for years, so I'll be roasting and grinding some to take along. I will be taking advantage of the press pot at Boma, however.

Um - that's all I have for now. You are leaving in just a few days! I wouldn't worry about the weather too much - hitting the parks early and taking a break mid-day is a good way to beat the heat, I think. I know it's been so relatively cool in this part of Pennsylvania, heading there at the end of September, it will be a bit of a shock for us, I think. Well, maybe not mom, who loves the hotter weather, I think. So it will be like we've finally found summer.

Thanks for dropping in...

Our December 2006 was great but it really was overload-sometimes less really is more

I'm planning on doing a TR so I'll talk about the Pirates and Pals cruise but you could always book it and then cancel it (it's either 24-48 hours I believe)-all the reviews I've read about it seemed very positive...

Thank you about my family-I think they're keepers...

Beautiful Boy has that effect on me as well...

Ah-coffee one of life's great little pleasures-you roast too? Now that's coffee dediction... The dearth of good coffee at WDW is one of my few complaints there...

We have had very strange weather here this summer...lots more rain then I remember from past years-not terribly hot except for a couple of really soupy, sticky, humid days recently-if you're going to be hot and humid-I guess Disney isn't such a bad place to be in-(we were there once in April-and it was oppressive-so I guess you really don't know what you're going to get...

 

[cjackearl]

What a lovely girls' day. The green tea pedi sounds devine! And then a lovely lunch, a movie, and cupcakes? Perfection! I haven't heard of Adam and I'm SURE it won't be making an appearance in my town, so I'll make sure to add it to my Netflix queue when it's released.

 

[tarak]

Coffee - it is a serious thing in my household. A few years ago I found out my husband had been going to the Burger King near his office to get his morning coffee because his travel mug wasn't keeping the brew from our house warm enough. I bought him a new mug - and told him he was not to betray me with the Burger King ever again.

So I have now booked the Pirate and Pals fireworks cruise. I am now wondering if we need matching tie-dye Mickey shirts. I think your PTR has been a bad influence on me (or at least my wallet)

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

What a lovely girls' day. The green tea pedi sounds devine! And then a lovely lunch, a movie, and cupcakes? Perfection! I haven't heard of Adam and I'm SURE it won't be making an appearance in my town, so I'll make sure to add it to my Netflix queue when it's released.

...it really was very nice...(isn't Netflix the best?...

Coffee - it is a serious thing in my household. A few years ago I found out my husband had been going to the Burger King near his office to get his morning coffee because his travel mug wasn't keeping the brew from our house warm enough. I bought him a new mug - and told him he was not to betray me with the Burger King ever again.

So I have now booked the Pirate and Pals fireworks cruise. I am now wondering if we need matching tie-dye Mickey shirts. I think your PTR has been a bad influence on me (or at least my wallet)

He was betraying your coffee with BURGER KING!!! (I mean McDonalds at least had Newmans for a while but BURGER KING...)

Congrats on the Pirates and Pals Cruise-I'm glad you got it-...I think its going to be a lot of fun...You get to meet Hook and Smee before launch and Peter Pan at the end-just think of the photo ops...

I say get them into the matching t-shirts now before they get too big and are embarrassed by doing it-Em is pretty good but even her "teenage gene" kicks in at times...there are things I could do when she was twelve that two years later aren't going to happen-so basically get them into as many of those shirts and costumes now as you can....

 

[Charleston Princess]

As far as the cupcakes go-well yes, yes I did have to show them... Although after this morning's wellness check up at the doctor's- and the whole once we hit "40" it becomes more difficult to lose weight comment...I know I'm above my ideal weight right now but gosh did she have to put it that way-She might as well have said "well gee you're older than dirt...-you've just packed on the lbs. haven't you'?-There may not be many cupcakes in my near future...

Blackbird Sisters-huh-let's see how fast my fingers can google that-lol-I love it-you are welcome to recommend and enable my book addiction at any time...

Well, now, that wasn't very nice of the doctor. At all. I would continue eating cupcakes just to spite her.

Oh, I have no problem being an enabler when it comes to books. I read another one that I could not put down until it was finished this week called Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle -- about a book restorer in San Francisco -- very cute and I cannot wait until the next one comes out in February.

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

AT LEAST I GET KUDOS FOR TAKING VITAMINS...& 3 NIGHT COUNTDOWN..

Well- we have three more nights in our own beds and then...Vacation! at AKL...woohoo...
​

However...


I did not have an entirely happy morning today as I had a early checkup at the Doctor's...just routine stuff...but even still... (I don't usually talk medicine...but this whole appt. made me cranky...)

I'll admit it-I'm medically phobic-I put on a good front for my children and dutifully make sure that they have all their shots and checkups and bravely hold their hand in the doctor's office...but ...

...I don't like the way medical offices smell...I don't like the things that happen there-like the poking and prodding and the blood taking...

So today...

First there is the "Scale"...I'm 5'6" and OUCH-when did the scale climb up to that number......I knew I needed to drop some weight and have been dutifully exercising...ok so right now I am painfully self flagellating and no one can say anything that will make me feel worse than I already do right? WRONG...

I had the Physician Assistant today-whom I normally really like...emphasis on normally...

So I submit to the poking and prodding...I mention my excercising and my vitamin taking and am patted on the head...I gingerly approach the weight issue and am rewarded with a "Yes- that's probably why you're tired and you know once you hit 40 your whole metabolism changes and it becomes really difficult to lose weight...it's great your knees aren't bothering you..."

Ouch, ouch and ouch!...omg-shoot me right now! Where is the milk of human kindness?

(My only real complaints were fatigue-and I know- find me a mother who isn't tired and the fact that my left ear is often blocked-like swimmer's ear-without the swimming...I don't think it is allergies ...it's more of a eustachian tube thing-I think I need an ENT-it isn't painful-it's just unbelievably annoying...)

Oh-when I mentioned that I'm flying next week to Florida..."Oh I don't know if I would do that..."

Oh don't you now-well I do know and I am...

So I left w/three test tubes less of blood, the phone number of an ENT specialist and the ISBN of book about "carbohydrate addiction"...

Ok- why don't I feel the warm and fuzzy...I'm totally willing to step up and take personal responsibility but can't you throw me a little empathy or at least choose your language more carefully?...

OK -I'm done the personal rant...I'm over it (almost...)

GOOD MISCELLANEOUS DISNEY STUFF​

So the packing and washing is happening along with the last minute trips to Target-where I purchased a hat for the sun, along with some last minute toiletries and I found Disney-Mickey raisins and cranberries boxes (who knew?)...which will be good to put in my oatmeal in the mornings at Mara since oatmeal is a good and healthy carbohydrate which burns more slowly as a source of fuel...

On a different, happy, upbeat note-I found a book I bought on my last trip to Disneyland-The Disney Mountains- Imagineering at Its Peak...which details the various "mountain themed rides" the imagineers have created and all the stories behind them-(I'm not a Disney geek much...):

-Matterhorn Bobsleds-DL
-Candy Mountain-never happened-was going to be at DL
-Space Mountain
-BTMR
-Typhoon Lagoon & Blizzard Beach
-Splash Mountain
-Grizzly Peak (California Adventure- which kind of like Kali with a redwood forest theme-but longer)
-Mount Prometheus (Japan)
-Expedition Everest

The ones I haven't been on are those at Blizzard Beach (some of them-this trip) Expedition Everest (this trip) and Mount Prometheus (hopefully someday-I'd love to go to Japan)

I also have all the pins (10) separated out that I want to trade-actually some are quite nice but were duplicates etc...We're looking for Alice characters (me), Disney Americana (ds) and favorite rides & resorts (dd)...I'm hoping we make a few successful trades...

Oh and I also found some African trivia game cards on sale at Starbucks-on my way home from the doctor's (where I also virtuously purchased a tall skim capuccino and an apple bran muffin)-I'm hoping the African trivia cards will happily coexist with my Alice i W playing cards...

Although looking at Alice's body language I think she already has a bit on her plate...but I have faith that it will all work out and that Alice will have a smashing time learning about Africa at the AKL...

 

[hhockman]

Wow. That PA was just not very nice, was she? Sheesh. Did she ever want you to come back?

The pins are cool, the Africa cards are cooler, the book about the Disney Mountains is the COOLEST (are you sure you don't live in a B&N-I've never met anyone that has more books than me!)

THREE DAYS!!! I'm so excited for you. And I'm looking forward to your TR when you get back. 'Cause I'll be that much closer and it will help me pass the time until it's my turn.

Hope you have a productive weekend!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Three days??? Oh, I am so excited for you!!!

I like all of your misc. stuff -- especially the pins and the cards! Now, I might need to stop in Starbucks again!

Have fun packing and getting ready for the trip today!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Hmm...I should be packing but that obviously isn't happening right now... NYC on Monday & AKL on Tuesday...

Well, now, that wasn't very nice of the doctor. At all. I would continue eating cupcakes just to spite her.

Oh, I have no problem being an enabler when it comes to books. I read another one that I could not put down until it was finished this week called Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle -- about a book restorer in San Francisco -- very cute and I cannot wait until the next one comes out in February.

Umm...no I'd say her bedside manner was slightly lacking...-I'll have to put Homicide on my list-I just had the first Blackbird mystery put on hold for me at B&N-I mean who wouldn't love a book described like this on Amazon...

This is a fun, fast read for those who enjoy their mysteries filled with comments about clothes, food, romance, socialites, art and weird families. Nancy Martin has a nice, smooth writing style and the plot unfolds nicely. I also loved her characters. I mean, where else do you find a reclusive billionaire who collects erotic art, a brother-in-law who dresses up in full Confederate regalia for formal occasions, two flaky, funny sisters, a baby-faced detective who is a lot sharper than he seems, and hosts of other entertaining characters. Sound like fun? This book definitely is!


This should be a great pool read... Thanks Jackie

Wow. That PA was just not very nice, was she? Sheesh. Did she ever want you to come back?

The pins are cool, the Africa cards are cooler, the book about the Disney Mountains is the COOLEST (are you sure you don't live in a B&N-I've never met anyone that has more books than me!)

THREE DAYS!!! I'm so excited for you. And I'm looking forward to your TR when you get back. 'Cause I'll be that much closer and it will help me pass the time until it's my turn.

Hope you have a productive weekend!

Well I just say she wasn't particularly encouraging... and she didn't do much for my medical phobia...

I think I have some nice trading pins...I hope we find some good ones we'd like..., I thought the Africa cards would be fun at dinners, etc...Yes-the Disney Mountains book is pretty cool and as for the books I could probably open a small library......(and as much as I love my books I do like to share them and lend I just get cranky if someone looses one that I wanted back...

I need to get my productive mojo going----one more cup of coffee....

Three days??? Oh, I am so excited for you!!!

I like all of your misc. stuff -- especially the pins and the cards! Now, I might need to stop in Starbucks again!

Have fun packing and getting ready for the trip today!

I know-and its only 2 days till NY-my counter reflects when we get to FL...

Oh and besides the cards that had the cutest stuffed animals that looked like they were hand sewn-they weren't -but there was a lion...so cute if one of my kids were 5ish-that might have come home too...sometimes I just try to go in there and not look at anything but the barista making my coffee order...-less temptation that way...

OK here I go-getting ready to pack-oh yeah here we go...(I'm a better planner than packer...)

 

[cjackearl]

Boo to your PA and her bedside manner (or lack thereof). Sometimes I think that doctors forget that at the end of their medical information is a real, live person that needs some sensitivity.

Great book purchases. The Disney mountains book sounds so interesting! I wish I could join in the book suggestions with you and Jackie, since I'm a huge reader also, but I can't do most mysteries. My imagination goes into overload! I did enjoy the culinary mysteries by Diane Mott Davidson, but mostly because the protagonist is a caterer and the books contain lots of recipes!

Good luck with the packing. There's no packing quite as good as Disney packing.

 

[hhockman]

Hmm...I should be packing but that obviously isn't happening right now... NYC on Monday & AKL on Tuesday...



Umm...no I'd say her bedside manner was slightly lacking...-I'll have to put Homicide on my list-I just had the first Blackbird mystery put on hold for me at B&N-I mean who wouldn't love a book described like this on Amazon...

This is a fun, fast read for those who enjoy their mysteries filled with comments about clothes, food, romance, socialites, art and weird families. Nancy Martin has a nice, smooth writing style and the plot unfolds nicely. I also loved her characters. I mean, where else do you find a reclusive billionaire who collects erotic art, a brother-in-law who dresses up in full Confederate regalia for formal occasions, two flaky, funny sisters, a baby-faced detective who is a lot sharper than he seems, and hosts of other entertaining characters. Sound like fun? This book definitely is!


This should be a great pool read... Thanks Jackie



Well I just say she wasn't particularly encouraging... and she didn't do much for my medical phobia...

I think I have some nice trading pins...I hope we find some good ones we'd like..., I thought the Africa cards would be fun at dinners, etc...Yes-the Disney Mountains book is pretty cool and as for the books I could probably open a small library......(and as much as I love my books I do like to share them and lend I just get cranky if someone looses one that I wanted back...

I need to get my productive mojo going----one more cup of coffee....




I know-and its only 2 days till NY-my counter reflects when we get to FL...

Oh and besides the cards that had the cutest stuffed animals that looked like they were hand sewn-they weren't -but there was a lion...so cute if one of my kids were 5ish-that might have come home too...sometimes I just try to go in there and not look at anything but the barista making my coffee order...-less temptation that way...

OK here I go-getting ready to pack-oh yeah here we go...(I'm a better planner than packer...)

I'm a better planner than packer too...which is why I think I might just start packing this week. I showed DH the lists I made on Wednesday during "planning" while I was subbing and he said "Why don't you just start packing"...so I just might. We have a lot of stuff that is going that won't be used between now and then so why not? I'll be much too excited in the couple of days before we leave to worry about something menial like packing.

Good luck getting your mojo going!

 

[jenjolt]

Okay I'm taking the role of the white rabbit because I'm late, very late for a very important date!!! However I am all caught up and I loved your PTR and I know I will love your TR!!!

YAY for being 3 days away You guys are going to have a great time!! I'm so excited for you!!!!!

Loved your girls' day with Emily!! I love a great pedicure and those cupcakes looked amazing!!!

I'm with you on the weight loss and exercise its not easy but good for you taking the initative and getting started!!!!!

 

[dismagiclover]

Oh you so very close! How jealous I am, but for you! I'm sorry about the not so subtle PA Weight is a never ending battle! I feel pretty good about where I am right now, but food and exercise is something I always have to watch. It's too bad the PA can't find a way to be a little more motivating. You know more of a than a guilt tripper! Anyway, enjoy your vacation. Don't beat yourself up too much cause you are going to Disney

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hmm...I should be packing but that obviously isn't happening right now... NYC on Monday & AKL on Tuesday...

Umm...no I'd say her bedside manner was slightly lacking...-I'll have to put Homicide on my list-I just had the first Blackbird mystery put on hold for me at B&N-I mean who wouldn't love a book described like this on Amazon...

This is a fun, fast read for those who enjoy their mysteries filled with comments about clothes, food, romance, socialites, art and weird families. Nancy Martin has a nice, smooth writing style and the plot unfolds nicely. I also loved her characters. I mean, where else do you find a reclusive billionaire who collects erotic art, a brother-in-law who dresses up in full Confederate regalia for formal occasions, two flaky, funny sisters, a baby-faced detective who is a lot sharper than he seems, and hosts of other entertaining characters. Sound like fun? This book definitely is!


This should be a great pool read... Thanks Jackie

You have spent the time since you posted packing, right?

I do hope you enjoy Nora Blackbird and her crazy sisters as much as I did!

Sometimes I just go through the drive-through at Starbucks to avoid all temptation.

 

[hhockman]

Just wanted to come and say....


ONE MORE DAY!!!

SO excited for you. Tomorrow I get to say "one more month", but it's just not quite the same, ya know?

Hope you all have a safe and WONDERFUL trip!!!

 

[lisalonglash]

Woohooo for you, Patricia!! Only 1 day left until your vacation!!

I assume you've packed now Love the new books (I'm a bibliophile too ), book stores also make me

Awesome job on the shirts! Well done, Emily!

Love the pretty toes. Somehow, life is just more fun with pretty toes

In case I can't get to the DIS tomorrow, can I just say today:

Have a fantastic, wonderful, magical, fun, perfect and funny vacation! Here's my favourite smiley for a "happy happy joy joy" dance for you!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Woo hoo for just one more day until your big summer vacation!!!

 

[tarak]

Have a great vacation!
I wish there was a blowing raspberry for the PA with no bedside manner. But forget her and have a great time!

 

[mousescrapper]

Wow only 1-more day till you leave how great!!!!!




Hope everyone has a wonderful time....

that David's b-lated dinsey b-day is the best...

that all the animals are out to greet you...

that Emily's shirts Wow the pants off other guests and you find Alice to take a pic w/ her....

hope the summer heat does not get you and you guys stay safe....

hope Mickey Jedi has a full force trip....

and most all the magic is w/ you in everything

Scrappie (J-)