Ever, Ever After: The TR Formerly Known as Wishing You Were Here- May 2011

[amazingact21]

Oh no! When DF and I were in Epcot and went into the caramel shop, I seriously debated getting one of those chewy bars, because I remember your good reviews of them in your December TR. So, I'm sad to hear they were all out when you went. Maybe you guys made a quick trip over to Epcot the following day... I think it'd be worth it to get a Chewy Bar and see the F&G Festival.

I love that the little town was decorated for the event, as well. I didn't look close enough to see that. And I never saw the Panda topiaries! They looked very cool!

 

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

It looks like a yummy lunch was had in Mexico! We'll be there during F&W in October, so I truly doubt we'll be able to get this in. Maybe another time!

Little ones always tend to do things we don't want them to do at just the right moments, don't they? I am really glad that Carter wasn't injured. Now, I can only hope that he doesn't wake his brother up........

 

[Shannon84]

The tower is so adorable with her hair coming out!!

Oh no!!! No chewy bars I think Carter understood the seriousness of the situation!!

 

[Minnie_Mom]

Oh, no! I am so sad that they were out of Chewy Carmel Bars. Reading what you have written about them has made me add them on my list of snacks to try on our Oct trip. They really should have made you your own batch since you have educated so many people on the tastiness of the Chewy Carmel Bar!

 

[KatMark]

I think that might be the first picture I've seen of Rapunzel's tower --very cool.

I am so sorry they were out of Chewy Caramel Bars. Poor Carter must have heard the news.

 

[*Seanaci*]

Ok...every picture of the boys in the stroller I laugh. Carter and those feet stucking up...as though he's propping them on the sun shade. What a character he is.

 

[lbuzz52]

Thanks for the tip on about the churros. I too expected the churro to be perfectly tasty without the sauce. But I know better than to doubt Landon. He is King of the Universe after all.

looks like a great morning so far. I'm sure you'd say they have moments, but it truly does seem that your boys are well behaved.
i hope you were able to find a solution for the caramel bars.

 

[DisneyMomma09]

Whoo...all caught back up again! It sounds like you WERE having a great day at Epcot...until the Caramel Bar tragedy!! Caramel is my favorite food group, so I understand the gravity of the situation. Maybe you found a suitable caramel substitute? If you did, I need to hear about it so I can try it in 2 weeks!

I love all the pictures of the boys in the stroller...with Carter's legs straight up in the air!!

 

[PirateKate]

Oh goodness! I'm sorry it sounds like everything started falling apart with the chewy caramel bars. Hope all works out well for the rest of the day!

I really want to try the Kimpossible missions one day. Guess I'll wait until Reid gets a little older to give it a try.

It was crazy how fast everything went from perfect to horrible. I still can't believe they were out of them.

I think Kim Possible will be more fun when the boys are older and really get it. I just wish they had gone with a Perry/Doofensmirtz theme.

Oh Rapunzel's tower is really cute!

Oh no!!!!! I know how much you love those chewy caramel bars!!!!!

I thought that tower was so cool, especially getting to hear Rapunzel singing.

I think being out of chewy caramel bars may have been one of the worst parts of our day.

I too love Tangled and Rapunzel's tower.

Oh no! No Chewy Caramel Bar!

Tangled was such a good movie. I was surprised by how much I liked the movie and of course, the tower was awesome.

It was terrible! Chewy Caramel Bars are the best!

Really enjoyed the last few updates - we never take enough time to really appreciate things in Epcot so thank you!
x

Epcot is such a cool place, especially when you're not in a rush and can take the time to explore it. I'm glad you've enjoyed it.

The detail in Rapunzel's tower looks very impressive... although detail should be expected at Disney. And speaking of detail, it always amazes me with the effort that they put into making the miniature village look so alive and real.

I'm sorry about the Chewy Caramel Bars. I hope that's all that Carter is upset about too.

Detail is always expected with Disney, yet still astonishing to see all the little ways they make the parks just right. I loved seeing the Flower and Garden decorations up at the miniature villiage.

I could see how the lack of a Chewy Caramel Bar would be a valid cause for hysteria, but I suspect it was something else that set him off.

 

[PirateKate]

Love Rapunzel's tower - how cute is that?!

No chewy caramel bars? Hopefully they had something else somewhat appealing in the case - the pictures I've seen show many many things that I'd be willing to eat

I thought the tower was adorable! It probably wasn't made of flowers, but I thought it was a great addition to the festival. I hope they bring it back next year.

Once you've tasted the glorious chewy caramel bar, you can never be satisfied with picking something else out. Chewy caramel bars or nothing!

How cute that the little town in Germany is decorated for the F&G Festival! I see little Lightning and Mater!

Oh man, if you got so upset about no more Chewy Caramel Bars, I think I need to go see what this is all about! Howard and I didn't make it to the caramel shop since we split up and headed back to Future World instead of WS. I think Nik got something from there though, but she brought it home.

I love how Disney thinks of everything and decorated the little town for the F&G, too. Lightning and Mater were a nice touch, I thought.

I do love those Chewy Caramel Bars. They're not one of the items that jump out, like the cupcakes or the caramel covered strawberries, so I was completely unprepared for them to be gone. I didn't think they were that popular. Maybe in October, we'll do like Nik did and take all the Chewy Caramel Bars home with us.

Oh no! When DF and I were in Epcot and went into the caramel shop, I seriously debated getting one of those chewy bars, because I remember your good reviews of them in your December TR. So, I'm sad to hear they were all out when you went. Maybe you guys made a quick trip over to Epcot the following day... I think it'd be worth it to get a Chewy Bar and see the F&G Festival.

I love that the little town was decorated for the event, as well. I didn't look close enough to see that. And I never saw the Panda topiaries! They looked very cool!

I don't know if everyone would love the chewy caramel bars, but we sure do. I wish they hadn't been out of them. That's now one of the few sad memories I have of Disney. If we had had a longer trip, I wouldn't have hesitated to go back to Epcot the next day for some chewy caramel bars, but even chewy caramel bars and F&G has a hard time competing with MK>

I'm sure there are several topiaries I missed seeing as well. It's hard to fit the whole F&G Festival in on a short trip.

It looks like a yummy lunch was had in Mexico! We'll be there during F&W in October, so I truly doubt we'll be able to get this in. Maybe another time!

Little ones always tend to do things we don't want them to do at just the right moments, don't they? I am really glad that Carter wasn't injured. Now, I can only hope that he doesn't wake his brother up........

I loved our lunch in Mexico. Our next trip is during F&W, too, so we'll probably skip it next time. It would probably be first on my list, if we were going to eat something other than F&W. Do our trips overlap? We going Sept. 30-Oct. 9.

I don't know how they know exactly what I don't want them to do at any given moment. Landon seems to have a special gift for that sort of thing. I'm glad Carter wasn't injured, too.

The tower is so adorable with her hair coming out!!

Oh no!!! No chewy bars I think Carter understood the seriousness of the situation!!

I thought the hair coming out of the tower was really cool, too. The singing was fun, too.

That's true, it was a very serious situation. I bet that CM would have been surprised if we had all started screaming like that.

Oh, no! I am so sad that they were out of Chewy Carmel Bars. Reading what you have written about them has made me add them on my list of snacks to try on our Oct trip. They really should have made you your own batch since you have educated so many people on the tastiness of the Chewy Carmel Bar!

I think it would have been very nice of them to offer to make up a new batch just for us. That's perfectly reasonable, I think. I hope they have some when you go in October. It would be horrible if they discontinued them altogether.

 

[PirateKate]

I think that might be the first picture I've seen of Rapunzel's tower --very cool.

I am so sorry they were out of Chewy Caramel Bars. Poor Carter must have heard the news.

I thought that Rapunzel's tower was really cool. I was happy to get some pictures of it.

Maybe so. Carter might have heard he wouldn't be getting a chewy caramel bar and it was too much for a 2 year old to handle.

Ok...every picture of the boys in the stroller I laugh. Carter and those feet stucking up...as though he's propping them on the sun shade. What a character he is.

Carter is pretty funny. I love seeing all the stuff he comes up with to do. If only he had been keeping his feet inside the stroller at all times.

looks like a great morning so far. I'm sure you'd say they have moments, but it truly does seem that your boys are well behaved.
i hope you were able to find a solution for the caramel bars.

It was a really great morning. I couldn't have asked for anything better than hanging out at Epcot. I do have some well behaved boys, for the most part.
I don't know how they could just not have any chewy caramel bars. It was a very sad thing.

Whoo...all caught back up again! It sounds like you WERE having a great day at Epcot...until the Caramel Bar tragedy!! Caramel is my favorite food group, so I understand the gravity of the situation. Maybe you found a suitable caramel substitute? If you did, I need to hear about it so I can try it in 2 weeks!

I love all the pictures of the boys in the stroller...with Carter's legs straight up in the air!!

I think how great the rest of the day had been going almost made it even worse when they were out of Chewy Caramel Bars. If it had been a normal day, then, it would be easier to let it go, but on the world's most perfect day, being out of Chewy Caramel Bars just seems wrong. Sadly, I cannot offer any suggestions of caramel substitutes.

Carter always finds a way to entertain himself in the stroller.

 

[PirateKate]

It's hard to say what really causes meltdowns at Disney World. Is it a combination of things- the heat, the crowds, the exhaustion? Or is it just one small thing that normally would not be a big deal, but because it's Disney expectations are the highest?

In this case, I think it was a combination of things that led to it. It wasn't my proudest Disney moment.

I think, that if there had been no Chewy Caramel Bars, but Carter had not started screaming, it would have been okay. Or if Carter had started screaming, but we had been able to get our Chewy Caramel Bars, that would have been okay.

But as it was, we had no Chewy Caramel Bars and Carter was screaming at the top of his lungs.

Before we could quiet down Carter, he woke up Landon, who joined the screaming baby party. This was horrible. No Chewy Caramel Bars, and two screaming little boys.

We left the caramel store without buying anything, since we didn't want to settle for a second rate product and the boys couldn't take any more anyway.

We started walking back toward Future World, the boys still crying. I felt like crying, too. My perfect afternoon was completely unraveling.

Jeremy was the only one who wasn't upset. The sound of crying babies doesn't seem to affect him as strongly as it does me.

"I think Carter is just tired of being in the stroller. He was riding a long time and hasn't really gotten to play yet and I don't think he's going to go to sleep."

Jeremy pulled the stroller to the side and let Carter get out. Carter was instantly happy again, but Landon got even madder that Carter was walking and he was still stuck in the stroller.

"What about Landon? He didn't sleep long enough, but now he's up and he won't go back to sleep when he's so upset and he's sick and now he's going to be up all afternoon and it will be miserable because he'll be grumpy and tired."

"He'll be fine. Everything's fine. Here, you carry Landon for awhile so he gets out of the stroller, too. Carter and I will push the stroller together and we'll go to the Baby Care Center to regroup and make a new plan."

Jeremy's idea made sense, but I still felt like everything was all wrong. The boys were happy now, but I was having trouble letting go of my perfect afternoon with the boys napping and waking up cheerfully.

"There's no reason why they had to wake up now. They both should be sleeping. If Carter hadn't started screaming, then Landon could have had finished his nap and now everything's ruined and we didn't even get any Chewy Caramel Bars and I suppose we should go back to the room and have serious nap time, but I don't want to because we were having fun and..."

I felt something wet on my cheek. Was Landon biting me? But I didn't feel any teeth...it was a kiss! Landon had never kissed me before.

"Did you just kiss me?"

Landon looked very pleased with himself. Just like Joey after he gives Phoebe the perfect kiss.

I wanted to make sure.

"Landon, give me a kiss."

He leaned in and kissed me again. It was very wet and slobbery and enthusiastic and I loved every second of it.

"Thank you, Landon. That was so nice."

With a perfect kiss, my bad mood was gone and I was embarrassed to have gotten upset to start with. I didn't know exactly what we would do now, but it didn't really matter. We were all together and at Disney World. Whatever happened would be fine.

We all walked happily to the Baby Care Center. Jeremy felt it was safe to talk about the Chewy Caramel Bars, now that I was happy again.

"You know, Kate, I bet it was your trip report that did it. You've been telling everyone how good the Chewy Caramel Bars are and now everyone likes them."

"I don't think that many people read my trip report."

"Maybe next time, you should recommend the Caramel Pecan Bars and say the Chewy Caramel Bars are horrible."

I laughed. I didn't think changing my trip report would make much difference.

"You know, I hadn't even been planning on getting a Chewy Caramel Bar in October."

"Why not?"

"Because of the Food and Wine Festival. Every Chewy Caramel Bar we eat will be one less food sample we can try."

"I guess. But maybe we'll get one anyway."

"One each. I don't want to share."

We reached the Baby Care Center and it was a relief to get inside the air conditioned room and sit for awhile.

The play room was smaller than at Animal Kingdom, but the boys were having a great time.

A CM stopped in to tell the boys to help themselves to the toys and to tell us not to worry about the room getting messy. The boys had no trouble finding some fun toys.

Landon was happy since he found a shelve full of toys to pull up on and practice his standing skills.

Carter was thrilled with the truck and drove his truck all around the room.

"Beep, Beep!"

As we watched the boys play, the biggest question now was whether to return to Pop Century for naps or hope the boys would be okay the rest of the day.

"I think maybe we should just go back."

"You're probably right, but I just don't want to leave now. It's already nearly three and by the time we get back and try for naps and try to come back, it will be really late."

"Maybe we can hurry."

"Plus, what if we go back and then the boys won't even sleep. I could see Carter doing that. He'd just jump on the bed and talk to himself and giggle."

"Then why don't we just stay here and let them stroller nap, if they feel like it and not worry about it if they don't?"

"Because Landon has a cold and he needs his sleep."

"But he might not sleep in the room either."

"That's the trouble. We have to decide without really knowing which way would be better."

"Let's just stay. It'll be fun."

Jeremy kindly offered to take each boy for a diaper change so I could have a break from it. I was happy to accept.

When we were all rested and ready to go, we let Landon and Carter walk, figuring that the exercise would wear them out and make for better sleeping later.

 

[DisneyMomma09]

"Did you just kiss me?"

Landon looked very pleased with himself. Just like Joey after he gives Phoebe the perfect kiss.

I wanted to make sure.

"Landon, give me a kiss."

He leaned in and kissed me again. It was very wet and slobbery and enthusiastic and I loved every second of it.

"Thank you, Landon. That was so nice."

Too cute! What perfect timing for a first kiss!

Love the friends reference!!

I'm glad you were able to regroup. I hope things quickly get back to being perfect for you!

Bummer about the Caramel Bar not working out...October is not too far away now, though! I hate it when I am in the middle of shopping and Colby has a meltdown and we just have to leave.

 

[CandleontheWater]

Gosh, no chewy caramel bars, and two awake and screaming babies! Sounds awful! Luckily Jeremy was there to take charge of the situation!

Its so funny, I think I am the Jeremy and DH is the Kate in our relationship, my DH cannot STAND when Everett cries and gets all freaked out that we are disturbing other people, maybe I'm used to it ( or less considerate of the people around me ) but I just don't worry. I am also more of the parent who wants to push the limit (i.e. keeping kids at Epcot vs. taking them back to the resort), whereas, DH would have totally wanted to go home for real naps!

It looks like everyone is having a great time at the babycenter, and I hope that all that extra playing and exercise lead to more stroller naps and an extra nice evening at Epcot!

 

[basketkat]

Oh a Friends reference?!? I like you even more now!!!

I think everyone has a slight Disney meltdown at one point or another....I am glad the perfect kiss was able to diffuse it. The boys look really happy stretching their legs in the Baby Center....I bet your perfect day is back on track now!

 

[afwdwfan]

Its so funny, I think I am the Jeremy and DH is the Kate in our relationship, my DH cannot STAND when Everett cries

I was going to say it must be a dad thing, but I guess that point's been proven wrong already. I tend to just check and make sure he's safe and nothing is seriously wrong and let him go... at least when we're not in public.



Kate, I'm sorry about the meltdown, but as far as Disney meltdowns go, it could have been far worse. I'm glad Landon had it in him to step up and save the day. I wonder what his take would have been on the whole meltdown situation? It is too bad your perfect afternoon turned out less than perfect, but I guess that's what toddlers are for!

 

[Mommy2BnB]

Awwww.....your first baby kiss from Landon! I just melted when my kids gave me their first baby kiss. Now you can always remember when Landon did it.....in Epcot to cheer you up because there was no Chewy Caramel Bars.

I missed the Friends reference.

 

[jc040404]

Awww.. He'd never kissed you before? What sweet timing for that to happen!

Jeremy really might have something about you promoting those bars in your TR though. I know I looked for 'em! Hope you're able to find one on your next trip!

And that last pic.. Soooo sweet!!

 

[fi46re129]

What a perfect time for that first kiss!!!

Complete bummer about the chewy caramel bar! And about the meltdowns! We even had some on our last trip with our 6 yr old. It happens just have to make the most of it and it sounds like you and Jeremy did!

 

[amandaw]

I'm glad to hear things got turned around for you! And especially since Landon started the turn-around with a kiss! That was really & truly so sweet. I know that had to just absolutely melt your heart when he did that.