Flowers and Firsts - A May 2010 PTR, 5/13 TR started! Link on pg 39

[kcandbella]

Like everyone else, I am really enjoying your scrapbook pages. You are very talented! I wish I had the patience to scrapbook. I tried it, and I just wasn't very good at it. I'll just stick to sewing!

The pictures are all really cute, too! It's so fun to have them to bring the magic back for a little while...great memories!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Vacation scrap books??!! I am impressed! I shudder every time I look at the baby books and half filled vacation photo albums I have!! I mean I have everything! I just need like a MONTH to do it all!! Your memories are so fun to look back on, though! Lots of Disney in your PRE-DIS life!!

Wellllll, my goal is to scrapbook all of our vacations, right now I have through our first family trip done. Yeah, I'm way behind, and need MUCH longer than a month to catch up!

Loved your last set of memories. My dad and I have taken a couple similar trips (my dad's a Michigan alum so we went to Disneyland/the Rose Bowl in '05 and '07). They are so much fun. I loved getting to see DL and all the Rose Bowl festivities are awesome. Sadly they lost both games we went to.

The Rose Bowl is probably the best bowl game we've ever gone to, from the parade to the beautiful setting around the stadium - it was just awesome!

We have a good friend who is a big Michigan fan, I'm not sure if he went to school there, or if he just grew up in Michigan, but I know he loves his Wolverines!

I loved looking at your scrapbook pages! What fun memories!
Add me to the "very far behind" club. I did really well when the kids were small but then fell behind. Now I feel like I am so far behind, I don't even want to start. I got photoshop and a great book so I could do them digitally but have never moved forward on that either. Someday, right?

Yeah, it's just one of those things that gets pushed to the back burner - I'll get caught up eventually!

Like everyone else, I am really enjoying your scrapbook pages. You are very talented! I wish I had the patience to scrapbook. I tried it, and I just wasn't very good at it. I'll just stick to sewing!

The pictures are all really cute, too! It's so fun to have them to bring the magic back for a little while...great memories!

I am usually not a patient person at all, so it really shocks me that I enjoy scrapbooking! Now sewing, I would hate to see how something I made would turn out!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Well, I had hoped to get started posting memories from our first trip with the boys today, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen!

I did get our mousekeeping envelopes printed and I've already put the money in them and everything I also went by Home Depot and picked up a couple of LGMHs to make a tag for my bag with my DIS name on it so everyone will know who I am at the meet, I've started on that but haven't finished yet. And, I took one of my swimsuit tops by to have it altered. I bought the suit last spring before my girls trip to Cozumel and I love it, unfortunately it's just a little too big right now. The straps are too loose, so I'm having them taken up an inch, hopefully that will do the trick.

I got my new shoes in today, and I'm not sure about the 'rice bag' ones. They fit me kind of funny, like my right foot sits all the way on the edge of the shoe where there is a little ridge in the foot bed - it's rather uncomfortable. I'm going to put them on again and walk around in them a bit, but if they still feel weird I'm going to have to send them back. I'm bummed about that too, because I was really excited about those shoes!

 

[Happydog]

Well, I had hoped to get started posting memories from our first trip with the boys today, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen!

I did get our mousekeeping envelopes printed and I've already put the money in them and everything I also went by Home Depot and picked up a couple of LGMHs to make a tag for my bag with my DIS name on it so everyone will know who I am at the meet, I've started on that but haven't finished yet. And, I took one of my swimsuit tops by to have it altered. I bought the suit last spring before my girls trip to Cozumel and I love it, unfortunately it's just a little too big right now. The straps are too loose, so I'm having them taken up an inch, hopefully that will do the trick.

I got my new shoes in today, and I'm not sure about the 'rice bag' ones. They fit me kind of funny, like my right foot sits all the way on the edge of the shoe where there is a little ridge in the foot bed - it's rather uncomfortable. I'm going to put them on again and walk around in them a bit, but if they still feel weird I'm going to have to send them back. I'm bummed about that too, because I was really excited about those shoes!

Oh no! Shucks! I have those and they work, but they are a different season, so maybe something is different. they are strange a little because they just sort of slip on over your toes, may feel at first like they wont stay on. Well nothing is worse than being at Disney without comfortable footwear, so I agree, better safe than sorry and out the $$!!!! Glad to know the other pair worked!

 

[stace208]

That stinks about the shoes! I agree that it's better to return them though than end up with hurting feet. I ended up just getting the Teva Mush flip flops. I have Keen Venice (similar to Newport) and my left heel kills me after I wear them. I think the arch is just not in the right place or something. It's weird because the right one is fine. Have you ever heard of Chaco sandals? I have 4 pairs of those now and them! I always get mine on Amazon but they have them everywhere. You should take a look..

 

[MHTeacher]

Look at you---how industrious you are---already have your MouseKeeping envelopes ready and filled with tip $! Did you design your own, or use another kind?

Too bad about the shoes, but better to find that out now, than at Disney World.

 

[BippityBoo]

WOW! You are the scrapbooking queen Just getting into it myself. I will have to give you the name of a blog I am reading. WAIT until you see her craft room Awesome job, love seeing the pages!!

 

[marsa1969]

Sorry about the shoes, they were cute too. I just looked at you ticker, wow 11 days. I'm sure you wouldn't have time to exchange them before your trip.

 

[disneydusted]

I am caught up again! How fun to go down memory lane and see your old photos! My mom did a Creative Memory book for my sister and me and there are MK photos from 1973... it was very different then! Not a whole lot to the place but I thought it was amazing.
You are 11 days away!!!! Your trip is coming up so quickly! Good for you getting the LGMH's for your bag.

 

[manntra]

Oh nooo...that stinks about the rice bags Like HD said they are a bit weird at first but I do find them comfortable....I do have Chacos too but I think my favorites are the Montrail Molokini...they are soooo comfortable and I wear them all day with no problem....you still have time I have been breaking in my new hippie "Simple" sneakers too.....I don't normally wear sneakers while there but these are uber comfy too

Online check in tomorrow

Tracy

 

[kschafer]

What did you do for your mousekeeping envelopes? I looked around the Disigns forum yesterday and had a hard time finding just simple designs to print on them

 

[SoonerGirl]

Oh no! Shucks! I have those and they work, but they are a different season, so maybe something is different. they are strange a little because they just sort of slip on over your toes, may feel at first like they wont stay on. Well nothing is worse than being at Disney without comfortable footwear, so I agree, better safe than sorry and out the $$!!!! Glad to know the other pair worked!

I was so sad that they fit me weird I put them on again and they just aren't going to work. It's like the part that goes between your toes is too far to the right, the right side of my foot sort of goes over the side and then there is room on the left side. Maybe my foot is just too fat

That stinks about the shoes! I agree that it's better to return them though than end up with hurting feet. I ended up just getting the Teva Mush flip flops. I have Keen Venice (similar to Newport) and my left heel kills me after I wear them. I think the arch is just not in the right place or something. It's weird because the right one is fine. Have you ever heard of Chaco sandals? I have 4 pairs of those now and them! I always get mine on Amazon but they have them everywhere. You should take a look..

So far I haven't had any trouble with the Keen Newports, but of course, haven't been on my feet all day in them yet either.

I looked up the Chaco sandals, they look pretty comfy!

Look at you---how industrious you are---already have your MouseKeeping envelopes ready and filled with tip $! Did you design your own, or use another kind?

Too bad about the shoes, but better to find that out now, than at Disney World.

I 'borrowed' other people's designs for my envelopes - it's faster and easier A couple of them I found on a thread on the Disigns forum, but most of them I got from the same site where I get my countdown calendars. It's a DISers site, there are some really cute designs on there!

WOW! You are the scrapbooking queen Just getting into it myself. I will have to give you the name of a blog I am reading. WAIT until you see her craft room Awesome job, love seeing the pages!!

Ooooo, yeah send me the name. I get very green with envy looking at some of the craft rooms that people have. I want a room all to myself that I don't have to share with anyone!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Sorry about the shoes, they were cute too. I just looked at you ticker, wow 11 days. I'm sure you wouldn't have time to exchange them before your trip.

No, I think I'm just going to return the shoes. All in all, I love 3 of the 4 pair that I've purchased, guess that's a pretty good percentage!

I am caught up again! How fun to go down memory lane and see your old photos! My mom did a Creative Memory book for my sister and me and there are MK photos from 1973... it was very different then! Not a whole lot to the place but I thought it was amazing.
You are 11 days away!!!! Your trip is coming up so quickly! Good for you getting the LGMH's for your bag.

How cool that you have pics from 1973! I bet it was quite different back then.

Just 11 days! I'm getting so excited!!

Oh nooo...that stinks about the rice bags Like HD said they are a bit weird at first but I do find them comfortable....I do have Chacos too but I think my favorites are the Montrail Molokini...they are soooo comfortable and I wear them all day with no problem....you still have time I have been breaking in my new hippie "Simple" sneakers too.....I don't normally wear sneakers while there but these are uber comfy too

Online check in tomorrow

Tracy

From what you and HD have said, either my foot is just shapped weird, or I have a defective shoe - it's not just that they feel weird, the part that goes between your toes seems to be in the wrong place - maybe I should try putting it between my 2nd & 3rd toes instead of my 1st & 2nd

What did you do for your mousekeeping envelopes? I looked around the Disigns forum yesterday and had a hard time finding just simple designs to print on them

I took the easy way out and saved others designs to print on them. I found an old thread on the Disigns forum that had quite a few that I just manipulated to fit my envelopes, but most of the designs I used came from here: http://disign.mickeysmailbox.com/albums.php lots of cute stuff on there!

 

[SoonerGirl]

By the time we got around to taking our first trip with the boys I was a bit more computer savvy. I had found the official Disney World site and had studied it extensively, of course I thought I had it all figured out. It wasn't until I went to a birthday party for one of my old high school friends kids that I learned that I didn't. I was talking to my friend and telling her that we had booked a WDW trip for that summer and how excited we were about it. She told me that I should talk to another mom that was at the party, said that she went to Disney every other year and might be able to offer some tips. The most important piece of information that I learned from her was to make ADRs, I never would have thought about it and we had the dining plan. Imagine how upsetting it would be to arrive at WDW with TS dining credits to use and no place to use them! She also pointed me in the direction of an online Disney message board (not the DIS ) where I could go to learn more about the parks. I am forever indebted to this woman! Without her, I am sure that our trip would not have been nearly as wonderful, and we may not have ever gone back. Of course, never going back was the plan from the very beginning. This was to be a 'once in a lifetime' trip for us (we all know how that worked out! ), which is why we waited until the boys were a bit older to go. Justin was 9 and Jared was 4, just a couple of months shy of being 5.

Since some of you enjoyed looking at my scrapbook pages, I decided to share my pages from this first 'official' trip as well. I'm not including all of them, but most of them - and be warned - there are a lot! I also didn't scrap in order of when pictures were taken, but rather by park, so these won't be in order of when the events occurred.

I started out the book with an itinerary page

We arrived on Saturday July 16th, 2005. That day we got settled into the resort, then went to DTD to shop and eat at Rainforest Cafe.

Sunday was an MK day. We started with breakfast at Chef Mickey's, and ended with dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table. It was so cool eating in the castle and I'm glad we did it, but we didn't think the food was worth 2 TS credits.

Monday we went to Epcot and then had dinner at O'hana's. I know most people rave about this place, but we did not like it. The meat was dry and overcooked and just not very flavorful. I've thought about giving it another try, but haven't yet!

Tuesday we went to AK and then to AKL for our dinner at Boma. We really enjoyed our meal here, I'd love to go back, but we just haven't fit it into the plans again.

Wednesday Justin was sick. He and Don stayed at the resort and Jared and I went to the MK without them. We went back in the afternoon and Justin thought he felt better and could go to dinner with us. We had an ADR at Crystal Palace, on the bus ride over he started feeling bad again - threw up in the bushes outside of MK, so Don took him back to the resort and Jared and I had dinner with Pooh without them.

Thursday we went to MGM, had lunch at Sci-Fi which the boys loved! Went to Epcot later in the day and ate dinner at Alfredo's - my favorite meal of the trip.

Friday we went to MK & MGM, had dinner at the resort.

Saturday was another AK day, we had breakfast at Donald's Breakfastosaurus, went to Epcot in the afternoon, DTD that night for dinner at Cap'n Jacks - ick, hated it!

Sunday was departure day, we caught ME pretty early so we didn't do anything else on that day.

OK, I've rambled enough - here are my pages!

We stayed at CSR, and while I thought the resort was very pretty, I wasn't a fan of the decor in the rooms. I'm so glad they have changed it!

We spent many hot July afternoons at the Dig Site pool, the boys loved it!

DTD from our first night. This is when I discovered Days of Christmas, Don could hardly get me to leave that store!

The kids loved trying on hats! You'll see lots of hat pics throughout these pages

Our breakfast at Chef Mickey's. We were a little disappointed with this, it was just so chaotic! And even though we were there FOREVER, Mickey and Pluto never did make it around to our table. Of course, the boys didn't know the difference, they were on cloud nine, they were in Disney World!

Main Street USA

Cinderella's castle, all decked out in gold for the 50th anniversary - I didn't realize that all of that gold wasn't always on it until our next trip! When we ate at CRT I got the white chocolate slipper filled with chocolate mousse for dessert - it was almost too pretty to eat!

We spent a ridiculous amount of time in lines waiting to meet characters, but the boys were just so excited about seeing all of them (and maybe I was too, just a little....)

This is the moment that Goofy became Jared's favorite character. He was playing with the boys and they were just laughing and laughing, it was so much fun. While I was trying to watch the interaction though, Donald became bored and started pulling my hair! Don tried to take a photo of him doing it, but never could time it right.

First ride on Dumbo!

We met the Peter Pan characters the day that Justin was sick. Jared loved Peter, he got down on his level and bounced up and down just like a little kid - Jared thought he was so funny!

The boys also loved Toontown - especially cooling off by Donald's boat!

Buzz was a favorite. Justin had the high score of the week

We all loved BTMRR - the wildest ride in the wilderness!

Splash was so much fun! Justin was a very timid child and all the signs throughout the queue that told about the big drop and talked about the chicken exit had him all worked up. He was very nervous - I'm not sure if you can see the look on his face in the ride photo, but it's priceless. Don & Jared are in the front row, Justin and I are behind them.

The boys did NOT like the Haunted Mansion on this trip. I really think we had a big group of teenage girls to blame for it too. While in the stretching room, when the lights go out, they all screamed at the top of their lungs - totally freaked Jared out

Our dinner with Pooh. Jared and I loved this meal, but it was really sad that Justin and Don had to miss it.

Continued in the next post

 

[SoonerGirl]

Moving on to Epcot. Soarin' was probably our favorite attraction, not only of the park, but in all of WDW - we all just loved it! Jared also really like the Circle of Life film for some reason, we saw that 2 or 3 times that week.

Turtle Talk in The Seas was also a favorite.


World Showcase:

Mexico

Norway. I wish they still had this big ship, it was so cool

China

Germany

Italy

American host pavilion

Japan

Morocco. I loved the architecture of Morocco from the very first visit!

France

United Kingdom (yes, I know there is more to the UK then just England, but England fit better on my page......)

And finally, Canada

Continued in the next post

 

[SoonerGirl]

Next up we have AK. I loved this park, so much to look at here!

Breakfast at Donald's. We enjoyed this much more than Chef Mickey's, it was more laid back and the characters took more time - it was a much better experience.

I was enamored with the Tree of Life - it's just so cool

More character meets! We saw Stanley at the Conservation Station, Jared loved watching Stanley on Playhouse Disney and went on and on about how lucky he was to have gotten his autograph.

Jared got lots of extra attention from Goofy at Camp Minnie Mickey because he was wearing his Goofy hat. Jared loved it!

We saw Festival of Lion King twice this trip, we enjoyed it that much. The second time the boys were picked to participate at the end of the show. Jared wouldn't go, he was playing bashful, but Justin went and had a blast

Safari pics

Last but not least is MGM. We all enjoyed this park. The boys loved the stunt shows, and I loved Beauty and Beast!

Meeting Buzz was also a highlight. Jared loved Buzz, he was Buzz for Halloween when he was 3, then had a Buzz birthday party when he turned 4, to say that he was excited to meet him was an understatement!

We also saw Playhouse Disney. Justin didn't want to go, he was way too old for that you know , but he went for his brother. JoJo's Circus and Stanley were two of Jared's favorite shows

At the end of the scrapbook I did a top 10 page where I listed everyone's favorites of the trip. It's fun to look back on them and see how things have changed.

The very last page is a pocket that holds all the park maps plus our KTTW cards from the trip.

Like I said at the beginning, this was going to be a one time only trip for us. My most vivid memory of the whole trip was on our last evening. We were walking out of Epcot, all four of us holding hands. We were laughing and talking about how much fun we had had. I asked the boys if they would like to come back some day, they of course said yes, and then Jared piped up 'Let's come back when I'm 5'! So cute!!

 

[kschafer]

LOVE LOVE LOVE the scrapbooks. It's just that warm and fuzzy Disney feeling we all crave!!

Thanks for the tip on the envelopes, I'm going to check it out!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I am simply blown away by your scrapbooking. You are one creative woman! I have all the stuff to do several books but have never gotten around to doing them.

I know what you mean about planning a "once in a lifetime" trip to Disney. I thought that too when we were planning our first trip. I figured it would be a one time thing and that we'd never go back. Well, I was certainly wrong. We've been 13 more times since that first trip.

Again, your scrapbooks are amazing!

 

[RachelNinja]

WOW! I can't imagine all the work that went into each scrapbook page! Haha, THAT'S why I want to do it digitally; I will never be able to make it look as amazing as yours if I tried doing it by hand! What great way to hold on to your memories. And like I said in my other comment, I love that you included a good amount of text on the pages too!

 

[stace208]

What fun Michelle! Loved looking at all your scrapbook pages!
Maybe I'll do some flashbacks on my much neglected PTR this weekend!