Earmuffs in June? Update 7/5 Trip Report Link!

[teachermommy78]

This is their before pic...it was a surprise and it was tough getting them to wear matching t-shirts without giving them a reason why...they were cool with it once they found out why!!! LOL!!

Oldest DD, 9 at the time:

Youngest and the most afraid of EVERYTHING at the time she was 5:

She INSISTED on having the scariest pirate face there...even the Pirate CM doing it was surprised!!

Every trip they get one big gift from us and DD9 picked:

The outfit that matched her makeover, sorry the pic is a bit blurry, but it's the only one that shows the whole dress off. Let me tell you, having dinner with Cinderella and the Prince was just a little off with DD's dressed as pirates!! All the other little girls were dressed as princesses, specifically Cindy, and mine were pirates!! Got some funny looks that night!!

I think i remember these from your PTR, right? I am IN LOVE! Love the pics! Do you recall how much the dress was? And where did you get the shirts? They are PERFECT! Is it ok if post a pic of the girls on the DISign board and see if someone can replicate it?

 

[teachermommy78]

I need to go back and catch up but I read a bit about Ethan on Judy's TR and as a CHD adult that diden't have to have surgery as a child I just had to stop by and "meet" your family. I am in awe over the idea of a trip with 30 ppl I can't wait to hear all of your plans!

where did my response go? Sigh. Thank you for stopping by!!! I have very mixed emotions about ethan's CHD. The world tells me not to worry, but my heart tells me that my baby will need open heart surgery in his 30's. Then there's the worries about every quirk. Is this a symptom of something wrong? Should I call the doctor? Luckily, the doctor is great with answering questions. My two biggies that nudge at my brain are his excessive sweating and easy fatigue. He is asleep by 7:00 each night. Normal quirks? The doctors seem to think so, but I have that nudge.

Bicuspid aortic valve disease basically means that he has 2 valves instead of 3. This causes the heart to have to work harder to pump blood efficiently. There is also a build up of some substance on the arteries that causes even less blood flow. Ethan does have evidence of this already. Finally, the blood can sometimes get reversed and pumped back into the heart where the heart will have to work double time to pump blood back out. But it's all just a waiting game! We are fortunate to know about it and that the pediatrician caught it at a well child check up. Now we can monitor it closely and make sure he is staying healthy and eating a healthy diet so he doesn't accelerate the condition. Smoking and high cholesterol an accelerate this. All in all, if you have to have a CHD, this is the one to have!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

For sure you can post them...but alas, they were purchased at Target back in 2008!! If you can believe, I guess we got them in such a large size that they still fit for that trip...no longer unfortunately! I bet someone can design something like it, though. They were really cute with the skull covered in matching pink sparkles!
I want to say the dress was around $40 or $50? Sorry, I can't remember exactly, but I do know that it is for sale in the shop at the POC exit. They have a section of pirate costumes. I also know that it was really hard to get it over her head and we almost ruined all her makeup because the neckline of the dress is not very giving. But, she loved it and she wore it for Halloween and looked awesome!!! Oh, and it comes with a hat as well!!

 

[teachermommy78]

For sure you can post them...but alas, they were purchased at Target back in 2008!! If you can believe, I guess we got them in such a large size that they still fit for that trip...no longer unfortunately! I bet someone can design something like it, though. They were really cute with the skull covered in matching pink sparkles!
I want to say the dress was around $40 or $50? Sorry, I can't remember exactly, but I do know that it is for sale in the shop at the POC exit. They have a section of pirate costumes. I also know that it was really hard to get it over her head and we almost ruined all her makeup because the neckline of the dress is not very giving. But, she loved it and she wore it for Halloween and looked awesome!!! Oh, and it comes with a hat as well!!

Thanks for the info! I'll check eBay to see if i can find the target shirt. You never know, right?!

 

[anjalee6]

Remind me when and how many days you are going for again? You don't have a PTR going, do you?

We are going June 24-July 1. We are staying at AKV Kidani and 1 night at POFQ at the end of our trip. Looks like we will be there at the same time. I don't have a PTR....yet. I have waivered back in forth about it since I really don't have time to upload pictures. I feel like it will just take me too much time and people don't really like reading trip reports as much without pictures so I am not sure what to do. Maybe I will start one at some point.

 

[teachermommy78]

We are going June 24-July 1. We are staying at AKV Kidani and 1 night at POFQ at the end of our trip. Looks like we will be there at the same time. I don't have a PTR....yet. I have waivered back in forth about it since I really don't have time to upload pictures. I feel like it will just take me too much time and people don't really like reading trip reports as much without pictures so I am not sure what to do. Maybe I will start one at some point.

Gotcha. If you decide to do pirates league after all, I think 9 am on July 1 would be a good time!

 

[teachermommy78]

I thought I'd try something different for the rest of this PTR that I learned from others. I think I'll do more bloggy general non-Disney updates in purple and Disney updates in red. Just to keep things interesting. This may only last for this thread, but that's OK.
I am still struggling through February slowly but surely. I still hate to wish time away, but I can't help it!!! I am feeling teacher burnout terribly right now. A little background...I'm a multiage teacher and I've looped with these kids for three years. My 4th graders had a year break from me, but I've still had them for three years. 2007 I taught 1st/2nd, 2008 I taught 1st stand alone, 2009 I taught 2nd/3rd (my 1st graders moved into 2nd and I got my old 1st graders back, now in 3rd grade). Now this year I have 3rd and 4th grade. You got it, all the same kids. Needless to say, after 3 years with the same kids, my bag of tricks is depleted. Behavior is not an issue even in the slightest. They are great kids. Smart, nice, fantastic! It's the fact that all my fun project, art projects, activities, games, etc. Have been done multiple times. Dr. Seuss week is next week and i usually do a huge, wonderful celebration full of theme days, cooking projects, art, author studies, etc. Well, I've done it all with them and I have no motivation to find new stuff. Pure burn out. I'm accepting it and am trying to be ok with it, but I have guilt. Even though I am fully taking care of all responsibilities, still teaching all the curriculum and following standards. I just don't have the fun attitude I normally do. I am confident once the snow stops and we can get outside and there's "hope" I'll feel better. Thanks for letting me vent.

On a good note, I think we're going to the Disney store tonight!!!! I need to get out for something fun that doesn't require brain power! If we buy anything, I'll post a picture!

 

[ZFamily5]

Subbing!

Great PTR so far! Sophie, Ethan and Finn are adorable!!!

I was a gymnast too for 11, almost 12 years! If you don't mind my asking, what level does she compete at? If you have any pictures of her competing I'd love to see them! I stopped doing gymnastics over the summer before 8th grade. It was a lot of fun, but it was going to be 9 hours a week in the fall and 12 in the spring and that was a little too much for me, especially with track in the spring. Sorry for rambling!

Update soon!

 

[creativeamanda]

Gosh--I know the teacher burnout. Being a special ed teacher, there are kids I have taught the entire 5 years I have been at this school! Take a look at the Ranger's Apprentice Series by John Flanagan. I bet some of your boys would love it.

My girls absolutely love it.

 

[blessedmom4]

I thought I'd try something different for the rest of this PTR that I learned from others. I think I'll do more bloggy general non-Disney updates in purple and Disney updates in red. Just to keep things interesting. This may only last for this thread, but that's OK.
I am still struggling through February slowly but surely. I still hate to wish time away, but I can't help it!!! I am feeling teacher burnout terribly right now. A little background...I'm a multiage teacher and I've looped with these kids for three years. My 4th graders had a year break from me, but I've still had them for three years. 2007 I taught 1st/2nd, 2008 I taught 1st stand alone, 2009 I taught 2nd/3rd (my 1st graders moved into 2nd and I got my old 1st graders back, now in 3rd grade). Now this year I have 3rd and 4th grade. You got it, all the same kids. Needless to say, after 3 years with the same kids, my bag of tricks is depleted. Behavior is not an issue even in the slightest. They are great kids. Smart, nice, fantastic! It's the fact that all my fun project, art projects, activities, games, etc. Have been done multiple times. Dr. Seuss week is next week and i usually do a huge, wonderful celebration full of theme days, cooking projects, art, author studies, etc. Well, I've done it all with them and I have no motivation to find new stuff. Pure burn out. I'm accepting it and am trying to be ok with it, but I have guilt. Even though I am fully taking care of all responsibilities, still teaching all the curriculum and following standards. I just don't have the fun attitude I normally do. I am confident once the snow stops and we can get outside and there's "hope" I'll feel better. Thanks for letting me vent.

On a good note, I think we're going to the Disney store tonight!!!! I need to get out for something fun that doesn't require brain power! If we buy anything, I'll post a picture!

I think it is perfectly natural to feel this way! Many blessings to having the same children...and a pitfall in the midst, since they have "done it"...it is hard to be fresh and new all of the time! Maybe the older ones could come up with a "project" for the younger ones...a win-win...they learn by researching, preparing, etc. the younger ones get to do!...just a thought...

A trip to the Disney store is just what you need for a GREAT pick me up! I hope you got to go!

 

[teachermommy78]

These pics are for Zfamily5! I don't have any pics of her actually competing because they always scare you saying they will deduct points/fine you if the flash goes off. So we only have after pics. A little background. Sophie competed on tumbling this year and last year. This year, she is in developmental gymnastics which is a year of training before they are able to compete. We are at a USAG gym. We hope she'll make the actual gymnastics team next year, but she needs to gain some more upper body strength. She is in the gym 6 hours a week this year. OK, here are the pics!

Her first 1st place! Sportsfest at McCormick Place, Chicago

The most recent meet: St. Jude's in Peoria, IL

Coolest part of St. Jude's- meeting Olympic gymnast Paul Hamm!

 

[ZFamily5]

These pics are for Zfamily5! I don't have any pics of her actually competing because they always scare you saying they will deduct points/fine you if the flash goes off. So we only have after pics. A little background. Sophie competed on tumbling this year and last year. This year, she is in developmental gymnastics which is a year of training before they are able to compete. We are at a USAG gym. We hope she'll make the actual gymnastics team next year, but she needs to gain some more upper body strength. She is in the gym 6 hours a week this year. OK, here are the pics!

Her first 1st place! Sportsfest at McCormick Place, Chicago

The most recent meet: St. Jude's in Peoria, IL

Coolest part of St. Jude's- meeting Olympic gymnast Paul Hamm!

Thank you so much for posting pictures of her! Sophie looks like she is having a lot of fun and that is the most important part! If you don't mind, tell her I said she looks like an amazing little gymnast. That little part was part of my problem...I'm 5'7...a little too tall to be a gymnast professionally...

Anyway, thanks so much for posting these!

 

[teachermommy78]

This color thing is already confusing to me! This may be my last post with it! I did end up getting to the Disney store yesterday. We are so lucky to live in a city with great shopping! The closest mall with the Disney store is actually walking distance from my school!

So I got home and was very crabby. Not mean crabby, but just bummed. It's the weather, I swear. I fed the kids, hung out with them, and got everybody's shoes on and ready to go for when my dh got home. I was so excited...but no one wanted to go! The kids were all tired. Sophie was crabby like me. . Ethan thought we were going to Disney World and then was so bummed when he realized it was just the mall. Finn was oblivious. Anyway, I told them we were going and we were going to have FUN! We hit the car and were off. Ethan fell asleep during the 20 minute ride but perked up when we go there. He ended up staying with my dh in target while I took Finn and Sophie to the Disney store.

They were having a pretty good sale. My goal was a tshirt for each kid. They were $8 a piece. I ended up with 2 t shirts a piece, one for Scott, one for me, and 3 pairs of sunglasses. I had some cash I've been saving, so it came in handy! While at the store, sophie became very interested in vinylmation, so we'll probably do a bit of that at Disney. We also got an idea of a plush for each kid. We're going to buy them as a surprise and bring them and get a CM to put them in our room somehow. We are planning on getting back soon to preorder tangled since they give you a $20 off a $40 purchase plus prints from the movie (we're going to decorate the upstairs bathroom with them!). So we can use that coupon for the plush! Good deal! Here are the pics of what we got.

Finn's shirt- they didn't have 2/3, so we got a 4T. If needed, we'll use it next year.

Ethan's shirt

Sophie's shirt

Then we got all three kids Toy Story shirts!
Finn

Ethan

Sophie

Scott's shirt

My shirt

 

[teachermommy78]

Thank you so much for posting pictures of her! Sophie looks like she is having a lot of fun and that is the most important part! If you don't mind, tell her I said she looks like an amazing little gymnast. That little part was part of my problem...I'm 5'7...a little too tall to be a gymnast professionally...

Anyway, thanks so much for posting these!

thanks! I'll tell her. I have a feeling she'll have the same problem. Did you notice that she's as tall as the girl next to her on the higher podium? Eek! I'm 5'9" and my husband is 6'1". I don't think she has much of a future, but she's having fun!

 

[teachermommy78]

I think it is perfectly natural to feel this way! Many blessings to having the same children...and a pitfall in the midst, since they have "done it"...it is hard to be fresh and new all of the time! Maybe the older ones could come up with a "project" for the younger ones...a win-win...they learn by researching, preparing, etc. the younger ones get to do!...just a thought...

A trip to the Disney store is just what you need for a GREAT pick me up! I hope you got to go!

The Project idea is great! My fourth graders are doing regions right now. Maybe I can have them teach a lesson that includes some art to the 3rd graders. Thanks!

 

[ZFamily5]

thanks! I'll tell her. I have a feeling she'll have the same problem. Did you notice that she's as tall as the girl next to her on the higher podium? Eek! I'm 5'9" and my husband is 6'1". I don't think she has much of a future, but she's having fun!

So chances are she'll be tall...she does have long legs from what I can see in the pictures. Maybe she could be a track star in junior high/high school if she stops doing gymnastics...just a thought...

 

[anjalee6]

Sophie's shirt

I love this shirt. We might have to take a trip to the Disney store today. Thanks for posting this. I have been trying to find cute princess shirts, but there really haven't been any. This is great! I also love the Phineas shirt. I think I might have to pick that one up too. Thanks for giving me a mission for the day. (not that I don't have enough to do).

 

[britt_ji]

Love the purchases you made! I definitely need to take a trip to the Disney Store. I really like the Phineas and Ferb t-shirts. It's great that the characters will be in Hollywood Studios now!

 

[teachermommy78]

So chances are she'll be tall...she does have long legs from what I can see in the pictures. Maybe she could be a track star in junior high/high school if she stops doing gymnastics...just a thought...

Maybe! I hope she gets into a good high school with a strong athletic program!

I love this shirt. We might have to take a trip to the Disney store today. Thanks for posting this. I have been trying to find cute princess shirts, but there really haven't been any. This is great! I also love the Phineas shirt. I think I might have to pick that one up too. Thanks for giving me a mission for the day. (not that I don't have enough to do).

Did you go? I hope so! I want to see what you got!

Love the purchases you made! I definitely need to take a trip to the Disney Store. I really like the Phineas and Ferb t-shirts. It's great that the characters will be in Hollywood Studios now!

I love Phineas and Ferb! We call Finn "Phineas" all the time. I really want to go back to the stores. The gift cards the kids got for Christmas are calling my name. I'll resist though!

 

[blessedmom4]

The Project idea is great! My fourth graders are doing regions right now. Maybe I can have them teach a lesson that includes some art to the 3rd graders. Thanks!

I hope it works!

LOVE the gymnastic photos, what a BEUTY and so talented!!! Also, loved those shirts, especially the Princess one. I am a sucker for Princess stuff, I am certain I missed my calling in life.