Driving down to Mickey's for Christmas!

[Monknmom]

Thanks for the links! My computer has been hi-jacked by Ab...she is trying to finish up her science fair project! Then the boys have been playing on it...and I have been working on my PTR followers gifts...which I am happy to report are now all finished...tomorrow I have to get bubble wrap and boxes...then wait for the last part of the gift I ordered for the kids to arrive box them all up and ship them out. Do me a big favor...make sure that you take a good family picture in front of the castle at night or a good family picture in front of one of those many Christmas trees...trying to give you hints about what is coming in the mail soon!

I will make sure that I get that picture, thank you

And the hi jacked computer thing I can REALLY relate to! Damien jumps on whenever I leave the desk for a minute! He had once asked if he can have his own!

 

[Monknmom]

Last night I did get a lot done and took pictures! Today I am about to leave so I don't have time to upload them, but I will by tonight! I have to look up some food for the road too while I am on here! And also some things to eat for breakfast while in Disney and going to early morning rope drop!

 

[shocky5]

Thank you Amy! Yes I still have to get it OK'd by Damien's teacher, but I am sure he will be okay with it! Because I told her NO HOMEWORK! I understand that your teacher side is coming out and saying "Oh no she didn't" (I'm kidding), but he's SO hyper that I am going to have a hard time getting him to answer questions as it is! PLUS when he's tired he's even MORE hyper like he's trying to fight sleep! So I told her I will make sure that he keeps up with reading and writing and math (balancing his giftcards), but that's it!

Anyway, I have never been on the photopass website yet! I have to check that out! But HERE is where I got those photopass maps! I do recommend the journal though if you have time to get it together because it's their thoughts and pictures about the trip- not just a memory! And honestly I printed it off and punched some holes then into the binder it went!
But thank you! I did work hard and tonight I am getting off as soon as I'm done with emails to work yet again!

My teacher side says "What an ingenious way to attribute to your child's education without taking away from the magic of the trip with just plain ole homework!" It's a phenonmenal idea!!

Thank you for the link to the photopass maps! I think I'm going to try to do this! Would love to have the trip memories 'in their words.'

 

[Monknmom]

My teacher side says "What an ingenious way to attribute to your child's education without taking away from the magic of the trip with just plain ole homework!" It's a phenonmenal idea!!

Thank you for the link to the photopass maps! I think I'm going to try to do this! Would love to have the trip memories 'in their words.'

Awesome because I have to show her the book tomorrow! So I am hoping that she's a teacher like you! I sent her a letter today about Damien being absent and why it should be excused! I am going to post this for everyone if you want to use it!!!


****THIS is for anyone that still needs a letter to give to the school that I found on the internet! I used it and the teacher called me and complemented it today! I did tell her I didn't write it! And after you download it you can change things around or add something like I did!

 

[momabaarjo]

 

[Monknmom]

I know I'm so excited! I have a list of what to get done on what day this week! I am going to post that to keep me on track!

 

[Monknmom]

Okay ladies! This is my week to get EVERYTHING DONE!!! So this is going to be my time line! I know it's boring for all of you.... I am just hoping that I can stay on task! Maybe even get something done tonight to get a jump start on it?

Monday- morning- finish the shirts and put them in bags by the day
afternoon- Damien's school for the "box tops" club
evening- Go over all of the stuff we are going to eat on the road/hotel and copy recipes and make a grocery list, email the Christmas card picture to CVS to be picked up tomorrow evening
night- finish anything that needs to be completed (my journal, some arrival letters and a letter to say goodybye, etc)

Tuesday- morning- Go over the budget, get cash for the trip out of the bank, fill up the pre paid gas cards, finish up anything not done the day before, get to Damien's school at 11am for the holiday boutique.
afternoon- pick up the new car? either today or Wednesday
evening-Cub scouts, finish filling out Christmas cards, pick up the Christmas card photo
night- learn how to REALLY use the new camera!, prep the snowflake ornaments for Friday, finish anything not finished from earlier today

Wednesday- morning-Go grocery shopping for the trip, Bring files and gifts to grandpa's house, mail out the Christmas cards, get to the ice cream store to pick up goodies for class on Thursday
afternoon- do laundry, pack the remaining items needed
evening- make the emergency contact list for our neighbors and email my SIL the neighbors phone numbers
night- Make sure that everything is ready for the trip and just needs to be packed.

Thursday- morning-bring a treat to Damien's school to celebrate his real birthday, pick up the birthday cheesecake, prep for cooking/baking
afternoon-Bake and prep the goodies for the road, decorate the cheesecake (with 7 mini lego figurines?!?!), clean up for family to come sing happy birthday, prep Emily to leave the her vacation
evening-Everyone comes over for pot roast (Damien's favorite) and cake, hand out house keys to family that need them, say goodbye to Emily (how am I going to explain this to Damien?)
night-clean up the entire house and pack the car after Monkey is sleeping

Friday- Morning- Let K know that he has to do things while I am at the school, Help Damien's class make the snowflake hands and bring Monkey home with me! Wake K when returning home...
afternoon-Wake K up again, finish prepping the car while Damien is doing as Mickey Mouse told him to (taking a shower and prepping for the trip), remind K we are leaving soon, Leave by 2:30 (have to beat the city traffic!)
evening-Grab something to eat in Jersey or the boarder or New York
night- Get to PA and rest!

 

[momabaarjo]

Looks like you are going to have a busy week...but time flies then! Watch your mail...I am hoping it gets there before you leave you so can add something more to Damiens trip!

 

[Monknmom]

Looks like you are going to have a busy week...but time flies then! Watch your mail...I am hoping it gets there before you leave you so can add something more to Damiens trip!

Thank you.... that will be really great if it does! I am looking forward to seeing it! I am excited to see it! I am hoping that it doesn't fly too fast! I am worried that I forgot to add things that I have to get done

 

[Monknmom]

Today Damien had his cub scout parade (not for the cub scouts, but for the town and they marched in it)! Here are some pictures!
Before the parade all dressed in his uniform! Silly Emily got into the food dyes that were on the table and chewed up the red bottle on my floor- that is was that stain right near that little trouble maker is!

This is Damien and his friend Ryan! His other friend didn't come until right before they marched so I didn't get a picture! All 3 of them are in class and cub scouts together!

This is Damien! I know you can't see him well, but he is holding the left side of the banner!

It was very nice! I stood on the sidelines with my SIL and we cheered and watched with a cup of coffee... I had K march in the parade with him and they were both so tired afterwards that they went to sleep in the car afterwards to drive to my MIL's!

 

[Monknmom]

Okay now to see what I was working on the other night.....

These are just some close ups of the stuff that was inside below---
This is the towel and mouth wash that he's going to use during the trip

This is just a bit of the stuff that we have crammed into all of those boxes! A mickey doll, PJ's, a blanket, a neck pillow, a toothbrush, body wash/shampoo, toothpaste, a washcloth, a McQueen bag to hold the toothbrush and paste in and socks!

A close up of the toothbrush-

I found this Mickey doll and PJ's at the Disney store, but they were not together- to me they look alike and I hope that he sees that!

This is going to be waiting for Damien when he returns from school on Friday- it's 2 boxes that will be stacked and taped on top of each other!

When he opens the first box he will see this (that letter I posted the other day)-

And the 2nd box is is-

When we get to the hotel I am going to try to get into the room first by asking K to get the scavenger hunt done instead of waiting for check in with me and I will put the following 3 boxes in the room and a note from Santa saying that he left some of our presents early!
This is my sweat jacket for the parks and a Minnie mouse water bottle!

K's Park jacket with a Mickey Mouse water bottle

And Damien's park jacket with a Phineas and Ferb water bottle!

*If I can't get them done by the time that they get to the room with me I will just make sure that I put them out without Damien seeing so that when we come back from watching the electric parade he will see them!

 

[annmarieda]

Love all the stuff!!! the jackets are really cool! And the mailing box It is little touches like that, that will make Damien remember how good of a trip this was and appreciate how much you did for him.

 

[Monknmom]

Love all the stuff!!! the jackets are really cool! And the mailing box It is little touches like that, that will make Damien remember how good of a trip this was and appreciate how much you did for him.

Thank you Ann! I hope so! Sometimes I wonder if that little monkey deserves it.... but he always ends up making me think he does

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Oh Heather! All the stuff looks great! I think he's going to be really surprised and excited! I can't wait to hear about his reactions!

 

[Monknmom]

Oh Heather! All the stuff looks great! I think he's going to be really surprised and excited! I can't wait to hear about his reactions!

Thank you Ashley! I am so excited for him to know about everything! I just hope that I get the reaction that I want!

 

[Monknmom]

Today I did get the shirts done and bagged! I am going out of my days order here, but just to show you a quick glimpse before I get Damien to bed and start on other things! I am so excited! I can't believe that I am getting so much done! Each day Damien will get a new pair of unders and socks so that's what the other stuff is!

These are for our Animal Kingdom day!

These are for the fist night when we go hotel touring and I am hoping to make it to the campfire with Chip and Dale so that these shirt make sense!

Our EFW shirts

Our EWS shirts

Our DHS shirts

And last, but not least- our MK shirts!

What does everyone think? K thinks that they are dumb looking, I think that they are cute!

 

[momabaarjo]

I am dying laughing...I so love all your shirts, but I think I like K shirts the best. Please make sure you take pictures of him wearing them!

So have done such a great job making this all so special for Damien (and for K...even if he does not get it). I am so excited for you guys! I am going to miss everyone so much while you are gone! But I can't wait to hear all about your trip...and start planning a girl one!

 

[Monknmom]

I am dying laughing...I so love all your shirts, but I think I like K shirts the best. Please make sure you take pictures of him wearing them!

So have done such a great job making this all so special for Damien (and for K...even if he does not get it). I am so excited for you guys! I am going to miss everyone so much while you are gone! But I can't wait to hear all about your trip...and start planning a girl one!

Thank you! I showed K the pictures of the shirts because I am not taking them out of the ziplock bags again to show him! He tried so hard not to smile when looking/reading them but he did! I was so happy that I had made him smile like that! I want to post them on facebook so that my mom can see- she doesn't understand how to check emails, but worried someone will mention it to Damien! Maybe if I keep him isolated until Friday??? But thank you! I can't wait to start planning the all girls one either! I am excited!

 

[momabaarjo]

YAY! He smiled...that is a start! I would keep things mum until Friday, you never know who will let it slip!

 

[Monknmom]

YAY! He smiled...that is a start! I would keep things mum until Friday, you never know who will let it slip!

I let it go, he doesn't talk on he phoen to my mom--- which would REALLY let it slip and there's only 1 person on my facebook that sees him without me and she know it's a surprise! Then the family that's coming on Thursday to sing Happy Birthday/say goodbye already know everything I have done and won't tell! The only one I worry about it my father in law and he doesn't even have a facebook, but he will see Damien on Thursday and thinks it's silly to lie to kids and such (like Santa, Easter Bunny, God- yeah they are Buddhist)! But I have had my mother in law and my sister in law talk to him so I hope that works- otherwise he stays home on Thursday!