Driving down to Mickey's for Christmas!

[Monknmom]

Great job on the Peter pan night! I loved your treasure hunt... What a fun way to incorporate the movie places into it!

Wahoo...for the $200 savings!

Thank you! I honestly like Peter Pan movie and was going to do that to see the Pirates of the Carribean, but I have been told that the new one is not that great for little ones to watch, so I changed it to Peter Pan!

Yes for $200 savings!

Jumping onboard for your trip! My mom, brother, and I are taking my two year old daughter dec 18- 22. Im excited. Her first trip.

Ive sub a few of the othr PTRs and will be catching up on them before starting my PTR.

Thank you! I want to hear about your plans too! Yeah I am subbed on a few of them too! I have become to know some pretty nice people and a lot of them have been there before- this is my first time as an adult- and they share some secrets with you or tips and suggestions! I am excited to read yours! You'll have to put a link iin your signature so I can find it though!

 

[Monknmom]

So a lot has been goig on over here on Long Island! My sister in law has moved in with us- she's been here since the 25th- it's a little hectic especially because we bought the smaller house that needed more work for the purpose of neither of our families can move in!!!! But she's going through a hard time and my son is tiny enough still that it's okay she shares a bed for a few weeks! He's excited about it... his Auntie Khine is his favorite family member because she's like a kid herself when she's with him and takes him to see all of the cartoon movies in the movie theater!

We have had 2 Disney movie nights (Finding Nemo 2 Thursdays ago and Cars yesterday) I have pictures of Nemo and not cars though... .

For a family that has never been to the circus before we have been to 2 this last week! My father in law's Chinese food place put an advertisement up in the window and for that the circus gave him a family of 5 pack tickets to see it for free so that was the American Coles Brother's Circus. And last night we went to West Hampton beach for the Italian circus (I made cars on this night because the last part of the movie revolved around there) and those were given because my husband's electrical company does a lot of donation work for the company that held the event so a nice lady gave us the tickets!

Plus I've been trying to help my father in law get the house ready because he's hosting yet another family from Burma in his house and my mother in law is in Idaho still with my little sister in law's family so with work he has no time so that brigs me to help! Plus I have been with my grandfather who has mini strokes and falls a lot out of no where- well he's falling more now and at 73 he won't use the powered wheel chair the VA gave him because he's too stubborn! So he has had me take him places and get things filed away!

I will be back on sometime either tomorrow or tonight to post about our movie night and hopefully I can download the pictures of the Italian circus onto the internet from DH phone! It was really nice and the clown wasn't scary looking like American circus's! Plus honestly I hate when I see the animals in the American circus have hair dye and do all of these tricks and such I feel so bad sometimes, at the Zoppe's circus they had a few animals but they weren't altered and the dogs were there to do dog tricks and they even had mutt dogs and the horses were there to do riding tricks- not having the horses stand on hind legs and walk around with a tu-tu! I know that they aren't hurting the animals, I just felt bad! OKay anyway, I am off to catch up on every one elses reports!

 

[Becc1]

How the heck did I miss your last couple of posts? The baseball game looked like fun! My DH and ODS are HUGE baseball fans (specifically Yankees) and they go to several games a year, both here in Maryland and at Yankee Stadium. We've tried one game when the little guys were younger but it was a disaster so we haven't tried again. They have 4 tickets to a game in August so they may bring Emily who believe it or not shows more interest in sports than her brothers, lol.

Great Peter Pan night, Damien looked like he was having a blast! Can't wait to see the Nemo night pics!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Thank you! I want to hear about your plans too! Yeah I am subbed on a few of them too! I have become to know some pretty nice people and a lot of them have been there before- this is my first time as an adult- and they share some secrets with you or tips and suggestions! I am excited to read yours! You'll have to put a link iin your signature so I can find it though!

Sweet! I'll probably start it one night this week since Tuesday/Wednesday are my weekend. This will be my 22 or 23 trip, but it will be my first trip in the parent roll. It should be interesting. My mom is super excited. She bought the kids Birnbaum book and the 2011 Passporter last night at Barnes and Noble. It's been almost 15 years since one of her kids was this young at disney. We're planning a big foam table sized poster board with some of our old Disney photos and the park maps, so maybe looking at that for almost 5 months maybe she won't be as overwhelmed when we get there. I'll definitely link my PTR when I start it..... Might be bad and start it tonight after my shift lol [/COLOR]

 

[annmarieda]

Yay on the savings!!! Isn't it funny how Disney math can work out? I know everyone is all excited that FD is about to be release for December. Last year when we went it was the best discount. I played on the Disney website and found that if we kept the view we have now and got fd it would save us... $7

Your life is just hectic isn't it?! It is nice though that it all revolves around family. I envy you that. In all that I have had go on in the last few months... I have not had any family here to share in the joys or tears. (well, for dd's wedding dh's parents came.... but that was the ONLY family members to come)

Can't wait to see some of those pictures

 

[petals]

Joining in

 

[Monknmom]

How the heck did I miss your last couple of posts? The baseball game looked like fun! My DH and ODS are HUGE baseball fans (specifically Yankees) and they go to several games a year, both here in Maryland and at Yankee Stadium. We've tried one game when the little guys were younger but it was a disaster so we haven't tried again. They have 4 tickets to a game in August so they may bring Emily who believe it or not shows more interest in sports than her brothers, lol.

Great Peter Pan night, Damien looked like he was having a blast! Can't wait to see the Nemo night pics!

Thank you! Yeah I like the Yankees too, but DH doesn't do baseball and when his boss asked he thought whatever is okay! Awww... maybe she would like softball? I did that for a few years! I hope that they have fun at the game!

Yes I am posting the Nemo pictures after answering everything!

Sweet! I'll probably start it one night this week since Tuesday/Wednesday are my weekend. This will be my 22 or 23 trip, but it will be my first trip in the parent roll. It should be interesting. My mom is super excited. She bought the kids Birnbaum book and the 2011 Passporter last night at Barnes and Noble. It's been almost 15 years since one of her kids was this young at disney. We're planning a big foam table sized poster board with some of our old Disney photos and the park maps, so maybe looking at that for almost 5 months maybe she won't be as overwhelmed when we get there. I'll definitely link my PTR when I start it..... Might be bad and start it tonight after my shift lol [/COLOR]

I see that you have posted a link since I have been on! I am going to catch up here and some other friends and yours today! School starts soon and then I won't be falling behind anymore!

Yay on the savings!!! Isn't it funny how Disney math can work out? I know everyone is all excited that FD is about to be release for December. Last year when we went it was the best discount. I played on the Disney website and found that if we kept the view we have now and got fd it would save us... $7

Your life is just hectic isn't it?! It is nice though that it all revolves around family. I envy you that. In all that I have had go on in the last few months... I have not had any family here to share in the joys or tears. (well, for dd's wedding dh's parents came.... but that was the ONLY family members to come)

Can't wait to see some of those pictures

Awesome the way Disney math works out!!!!! I love it!
I do love my in law family and my grandfather! The rest of the family is crazy, and honestly so sad, but they annoy me very quickly! I complain about family a lot but I love that Damien gets to grow up with them!
The pictures took so long because everything keeps coming up!

Joining in

Thank you for joining, sorry I have been MIA!

 

[Monknmom]

For our finding Nemo night we had some friends over and I thought that I had more pictures than this? But we had our old friend Victoria and her new baby sister- Angela, Timmy and Ally. The only ones there for the first half were Victoria and Angela (which couldn't help because she's only 8 months old!). So Damien and Victoria played school with one of Damien's science kits

Then we ate lunch- each of us had something different (Victoria is the pickiest eater that you could come across- she always has been because her mom is!)
So Victoria had fish are not friends chicken salad sandwich, baked coral fries, pizza goldfish, and shark infested water (a gummy shark was frozen into an ice cube and added to blue juice)

The only difference with Damien's was that he ha giant boiled shrimp (he refers to this as "cold shrimp" and it's his favorite food!)!

Then I gave them some fish in the ocean with seafoam (blue jello with gummy fish and whip cream)

Now this is where there are lost pictures! We let the kids play in a friends pool (I drove them over) and they watched the movie afterwards as they ate some smore's goldfish mixed with popped popcorn!


Cars movie night has NO pictures! I am thinking that when I let Damien take pictures he must have deleted some? We spent the whole day on this movie because we watched both movies and some of Mater's tall tales and since my sister in law was staying with us at this time she was there for the whole day with us and she loves Pixar movies so it worked out!
For breakfast we had car shaped pancakes (I mixed in some Palmer's strawberry fruit spread to make them look red like lightening), Holly's fruit salad, Finn McSausages and Siddenly's (name is not right is it?) airplane cocktails (OJ). Then we watched Mater's tall tales while Khine (my sister in law) and I bought the tickets online and Damien colored some printed color pages.
For lunch we had "mack" and cheese shaped into mater and McQueen, Sally's cozy cones and dip (carrots and ranch dressing), Guido and Luigi's leaning tower of tires and Damien ate while watching cars 1. We then had a car race where Damien drove his play car and his Auntie Khine and I ran to beat him. We also painted a car shaped bank. Then we went and saw Cars 2 in the movie theater!
For Dinner we had Tow Mater's tow line pasta (just left the noodles super long), Sarge's salad, McQueen's meatballs, Fillmore's organic pasta sauce, Flo's malted milkshake, and Doc Hudson's stoplights. We ate really quick with DH and then we went to the Italian Circus (the Zoppe family circus)- DH does a lot of work for the West Hampton Beach Performing arts center and they gave him all 4 tickets free! That was just so much fun! I really enjoyed it and so did Damien! They have a clown named Nino and he doesn't really look like an american clown, which is great because I don't like them too much!
All in all we had lots of fun, I took pictures, but I think that when I gave Damien the camera to take pictures he might have deleted some! It's okay though!

Also we celebrated our 7th year anniversary! I left Damien with my in laws and I made some of my DH's favorite Thai foods!
This is Tom Yom Goong

This is beef with a spicy beef, sauteed bok choy, and white rice.

Yesterday we went canoeing with Timmy, Ally and their mom, Christine! That was tons of fun! It was a 5 mile run (about 2 1/2 hours) so there were points that we let the kids try (they did run us into a mud bank though and when we took the oars and let them feed the swans the swans started to attack the boat after all of the bread was gone)! But we had lots of fun, here are some of those pictures!
This is Christine, Timmy and Damien (Timmy was leaning on a bar and Damien was leaning on him and they took about a 15 minute nap like that!

This is me and Ally- I love this little girl she is so sweet and easy for just about anyone to get along with! Can you see Damien rowing in the back?

Afterwards we let them play in the low part of the water for a little while.

The only bad part about the day....

there have been lots of other things going on, but I have no pictures and it's not that interesting! And now for the trip part of the update!

 

[Monknmom]

Okay so since I have posted things have happened! We first changed our dates because we wanted to make sure that I didn't have anymore school work when we go (yes school work I am taking a course as a teachers aide through our school district so that I can begin working in the schools)! So now we are going to be there from December 11th- Dec. 17th! I am honestly not so happy about the new dates because of crowd level AND we won't be there for our little monkey's birthday! But we will make it work I am still going to get him on the pirate cruise for kids as a birthday gift for him and we are still staying in All star movies (I feel like that's more for kids and I keep thinking the only other one I would want would be the pirate room ones at port orleans, but I keep hearing about how dark the rooms are and not that much bigger than the values! So I am keeping our hotel and now FrEE DINING IS OUT! Yay to all of us going!!!! I quickly called my sister (do you remember I have the money now to pay for my little niece to come) well I haven't spoken to my sister in about 3 weeks and my mother I have been ignoring (if you knew them you would understand!) so I had o idea that my little Lily is not in the custody of my sister!!!! YEs I kow it's horrible, I have been trying to find out where she is (I did find that she is with her father's side of the family on the other side of Arkansas, but they don't wish to let me have contact with Lily) so I am going to really be working on this for the next few weeks! I am not sure of all the details for this situation, my sister doesn't know how to tell the truth, so I am not sure. I don't think that Lily will be able to come because I don't see anyone letting me take her! I will however be fighting for custody of her pretty soon when all of that starts! I know how horrible of me to post things like this, but I am so so mad! I had these plans and I have been BEGGING my sister to hand Lily over before something like this happens, but she thinks that she knows better! My sister Melissa and I are nothing alike because I was not raised by the same people that she was- I was raised in Texas with my father and step mother, my sister was raised with my mom. That's why she's like this, she really doesn't know any better so please just keep us in your prayers! Even if I don't get to bring Lily I can still get custody then she can grow up with family and Damien! Okay so other than this there is nothing to report on the side of the trip other than my Disney finds..... I will take a picture when I get a chance and post it!

 

[annmarieda]

I will definitely keep you in my prayers. The situation with Lilly is just so sad.

So glad you got fd! And your dates are very much like mine. (we check into WL on the 11th)

 

[momabaarjo]

Oh poor Lily and poor you! My heart breaks for that little girl. I sure hope you can find out where she is and pray that they will see how much you love her...and what an awesome home you could give her!

Yeah for the changes in dates...sound like it works even better and maybe you will get to run into Ann! How fun...makes me really jealous to be going after everyone...but in my job position and with dd being in high school (semester testing in Decemeber) this fall there is no way I would go any earlier...stinks cause I miss out on free dining (but we would have any way with me renting DVC...have to remind myself that I picked this option and this place)!

Ouch for the sunburned legs! Looks like a great day on the water though...and the movie nights...WAY TO MUCH FUN! I am trying to get our first one in a long time going tomorrow...

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Okay so since I have posted things have happened! We first changed our dates because we wanted to make sure that I didn't have anymore school work when we go (yes school work I am taking a course as a teachers aide through our school district so that I can begin working in the schools)! So now we are going to be there from December 11th- Dec. 17th! I am honestly not so happy about the new dates because of crowd level AND we won't be there for our little monkey's birthday! But we will make it work I am still going to get him on the pirate cruise for kids as a birthday gift for him and we are still staying in All star movies (I feel like that's more for kids and I keep thinking the only other one I would want would be the pirate room ones at port orleans, but I keep hearing about how dark the rooms are and not that much bigger than the values! So I am keeping our hotel and now FrEE DINING IS OUT! Yay to all of us going!!!! I quickly called my sister (do you remember I have the money now to pay for my little niece to come) well I haven't spoken to my sister in about 3 weeks and my mother I have been ignoring (if you knew them you would understand!) so I had o idea that my little Lily is not in the custody of my sister!!!! YEs I kow it's horrible, I have been trying to find out where she is (I did find that she is with her father's side of the family on the other side of Arkansas, but they don't wish to let me have contact with Lily) so I am going to really be working on this for the next few weeks! I am not sure of all the details for this situation, my sister doesn't know how to tell the truth, so I am not sure. I don't think that Lily will be able to come because I don't see anyone letting me take her! I will however be fighting for custody of her pretty soon when all of that starts! I know how horrible of me to post things like this, but I am so so mad! I had these plans and I have been BEGGING my sister to hand Lily over before something like this happens, but she thinks that she knows better! My sister Melissa and I are nothing alike because I was not raised by the same people that she was- I was raised in Texas with my father and step mother, my sister was raised with my mom. That's why she's like this, she really doesn't know any better so please just keep us in your prayers! Even if I don't get to bring Lily I can still get custody then she can grow up with family and Damien! Okay so other than this there is nothing to report on the side of the trip other than my Disney finds..... I will take a picture when I get a chance and post it!

Poor baby for them putting her through all this. I hate hearing things like this about parents and their kids. She didn't get to choose who her parents were, but she's caught in the crossfire. My coworker today was telling me her 15 year old nephew just moved in with her mother inlaw because him mom kicked him out and told him she was "washing her hands of him". She was tired of having to take care of him. Her version of taking care of her kids is giving them anything and everything that will get them to leave her alone. Poor babies. I hope it works out that Lily is able to come to y'alls family.

 

[Monknmom]

I will definitely keep you in my prayers. The situation with Lilly is just so sad.

So glad you got fd! And your dates are very much like mine. (we check into WL on the 11th)

Thank you Ann! Yeah it's sad that she has to deal with my sister, but it will get better for her I just know it!

Oh good! maybe we will see you sometimes! We are going there the first night to eat and maybe the campfire, not sure yet.

Oh poor Lily and poor you! My heart breaks for that little girl. I sure hope you can find out where she is and pray that they will see how much you love her...and what an awesome home you could give her!

Yeah for the changes in dates...sound like it works even better and maybe you will get to run into Ann! How fun...makes me really jealous to be going after everyone...but in my job position and with dd being in high school (semester testing in Decemeber) this fall there is no way I would go any earlier...stinks cause I miss out on free dining (but we would have any way with me renting DVC...have to remind myself that I picked this option and this place)!

Ouch for the sunburned legs! Looks like a great day on the water though...and the movie nights...WAY TO MUCH FUN! I am trying to get our first one in a long time going tomorrow...

Thank you! Yeah it's hard to think that I have no idea what's going on!

Yes hopefully we do meet at one point! It's just a little annoying I had everything planned and ready and then DH and I decided to change it!

Oh the water was so fun- I have been looking around for everyone to give money to me for Christmas so I can buy one and go out whenever I want! Instead of Christmas gifts I can buy this as one big gift (they are around $400 each so that would be about $40/person). Or I can save it up after Disney to buy for spring! DH is terrified of water though so it would just be me and Monk most of the time!

Poor baby for them putting her through all this. I hate hearing things like this about parents and their kids. She didn't get to choose who her parents were, but she's caught in the crossfire. My coworker today was telling me her 15 year old nephew just moved in with her mother inlaw because him mom kicked him out and told him she was "washing her hands of him". She was tired of having to take care of him. Her version of taking care of her kids is giving them anything and everything that will get them to leave her alone. Poor babies. I hope it works out that Lily is able to come to y'alls family.

Yeah the CPS worker was telling me on the phone that Lily's situation is not as bd as a lot of other kids and that they do not have her at the top of their lists- I kept thinking oh my what kind of people are having kids? It's sad you have to pass tests to drive, pass tests to get some jobs, pass tests to get out of school with a decent education, you have to apply for a house, a new car, a money loan and here so many people are just having kids without any tests or background checks or anything it annoys me!!But thank you!

 

[Monknmom]

I had to change the reservations when I changed the dates so these are the new dining reservations.... they look okay right? I am unsure about doing the CP and Tony's in the same day (mostly because DH HATES Italian food! But I love it!). So here they are.....

11th Day of arrival-
Whispering Canyon Café at 5:05 pm
Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Monday, December 12, 2011- MK day
The Crystal Palace at 8:20am

Tony's Town Square at 6:20pm

Tuesday, December 13, 2011- EWS day
we are going to grab a quick breakfast while Damien goes on the pirate cruise, then we are going to spend the day eating around the world!


Wednesday, December 14, 2011- AK day
Boma–Flavors of Africa at 6:25pm


Thursday, December 15, 2011- DHS day
Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano at 1:25pm


Friday, December 16, 2011
Teppan Edo at 4:50pm

On the 17th we are planning to start driving out by 1pm so we are going to go to DTD and eat and walk around! Then for dinner we are going to be at a friend's house in Georgia!

 

[Monknmom]

Yesterday was supposed to be a really great movie night of the Dinosaurs movie! And it was turning out to be a really good day- I started the chili in the morning in the crockpot, made sure I had all of the other ingredients for the brownies and cornbread and I had forgotten the cheese for the chili and the german chocolate for the brownies! Well we jumped in the car to go grab it and it wasn't a problem because it was only noon and we were waiting to watch the movie until 6pm. I the store Damien was really hungry (it was lunch time) and I had really good coupons for a local hero store and we went. We went inside and got our heroes, talked to a woman while inside and when I came to put Damien in his booster seat I thought to myself 'what was I thinking when I parked this car, I'm on the curb, I'm really crooked and I'm in 2 spaces- I hate when people park like this and here I did it....' Well I walk over to my door and this is what I see

Notice I have no door handle

Okay I know that it doesn't look that bad, but it is worse than it looks- my tire is slightly bent in and the windows and doors on the drivers front and back door can't open. The cop said that if we were in the car with the car on the airbag would have deployed. So what happened? Well this is the video of what happened... (my car is the little black one on the very end you can't see until you see my car completely move!)

Why would he try to back up if he was going to continue going in the same direction that he tried to turn from? And who would try to back that HUGE thing up into a space about 10 feet wide? Now I have to wait for the insurance adjuster calls and the police find him (I guess that they can unblurr the video?) and the women that I was speaking with in the store- she was the passenger in the truck that hit me! So my insurance company (even though I have full coverage) says that I have to pay the deductible and if they find the person that was driving then I will get reimbursed! I can't drive the car though because of the tire being slightly bent in and the mirror not adjusting and well I would have to climb over the passenger seat to drive!!!

But anyway on to the movie night since when my DH came home we were on the phone with the cops, we went back to the shop so that he could record that little blurb of the video on his phone and call the insurance company we didn't do too much for the movie night. We just ate this...

herbivore salad, lava hot chili with melted cheese, and corn bread rocks.
We didn't do any of the activities but we did eat the asteroid pieces brownies (made with German chocolate)- they were good, but I just was not able to enjoy it too much!

 

[annmarieda]

That is horrible!!! I can't believe how much damage he did. As for the insurance... I had that same thing happen once. The insurance had me pay the deductible as they went after the hit and run person. (I too had someone in a parking garage hit me and then leave) It is amazing how they can find those people and they did...and I was reimbursed. It didn't take too long either. I am glad you were not in the car when it happened.

As for the ADR's.. AND you are eating at WL on the day we check into WL. Who knows.. maybe we will run into eachother.

 

[momabaarjo]

I had to change the reservations when I changed the dates so these are the new dining reservations.... they look okay right? I am unsure about doing the CP and Tony's in the same day (mostly because DH HATES Italian food! But I love it!). So here they are.....

11th Day of arrival-
Whispering Canyon Café at 5:05 pm
Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Bottomless Milkshakes and the seeing the lodge are drawing me here...not sure thought if we will actually use this ADR...not great reviews

Monday, December 12, 2011- MK day
The Crystal Palace at 8:20am

Looking forward to the pooh's puffed french toast and the breakfast laszna

Tony's Town Square at 6:20pm

Tuesday, December 13, 2011- EWS day
we are going to grab a quick breakfast while Damien goes on the pirate cruise, then we are going to spend the day eating around the world!
I think this is the day I most would look forward too!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011- AK day
Boma–Flavors of Africa at 6:25pm

I have an ADR for here...some place I really want to try, but DH has talked him out of this one...holding on to the ADR and the system let me book Cape May too....now I have 2 ADRs...which one?!


Thursday, December 15, 2011- DHS day
Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano at 1:25pm

Really worried...we have this one too, but the menu is just not talking to me...but I want the F! package


Friday, December 16, 2011
Teppan Edo at 4:50pm


On the 17th we are planning to start driving out by 1pm so we are going to go to DTD and eat and walk around! Then for dinner we are going to be at a friend's house in Georgia!

Looks like you got what you wanted even though you had to change plans!

 

[momabaarjo]

Oh my your car! How horrible...then having to deal with the insurance... Don't they know this does not fit in the Disney Budget...Sorry that it ruined your movie night!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Oh goodness... Always seems like its one thing after another doesnt it?

 

[Becc1]

That totally stinks about your car! That's great though that they got it on tape and can get the people! My neighbor ran into the back of my van a few months ago and I hated that we had to pay the deductable first and wait to be reimbursed by her insurance.

Love the Nemo night, bummer about your Dinosaur night being deisturbed, the chilli looks yummy! So much so that I think I'll have to make some this week

The canoe pictures are great! You are brave! I would be afraid that after an hour or so one of my kids would try and jump out, especially Sam my ADHD kid

Your ADRs look good, Whispering Canyon is one place that I would love to visit but can never find the right time. Also Boma I think you guys will love!