FRIENDS, PHOTOGRAPHS, and Birthday FUN! 3/3 30 Day Photo Challenge Day 21

[Pixiedust530]

We have been dealing with LOTS of severe weather and rain here as well. We have a lull in the rain today, but overnight & into tomorrow we are expecting AN ADDITIONAL 3-6" of rain. UGH! We are very close to the river here, but luckily, when our neighborhood was built the area behind the houses were made into overflow basins (Don't know what else to call them) for the river to flood into before it starts rising to the point of entering peoples yards/homes etc. The overflow basins are pretty full right now, but I am hoping we are far enough away from them (1/2 mile maybe) that we won't see any flooding. On the bright side...we are covered by flood insurance.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Oh wow, hope all that rain isn't around for too long! But glad to hear it's just the rain you guys got.

And the restaurants look good I was actually just looking through counter service restaurants and i'm starving.....

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Wow, there may be a few more room choices by our 2013 trip!

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/04/specialty-rooms-will-give-guests-the-royal-treatment/

Wow! Those Health and Wellness Suites look spectacular, Karen! I have to agree with you though, Hope, that anyone who needs MORE exercise at WDW is definitely doing it wrong!

I love bamboo flooring! My dream is to re-floor my whole house in bamboo! Gorgeous! Rain water showers? Awesome! With tea tree oils to boot! Here's an off subject thing, but did you know that when there is a lice outbreak at school, if you put tea tree oil on your kids' hair, they won't get lice? Sorry if that was gross, but I had to share because it works like a charm! OK, I'll stop talking about little critters and get back on the subject of WDW I also like the idea of the organic food and spa treatments! Looks like Disney is trying to market to more of us Gen X-ers. Oh, and yoga...that goes along the same lines as exercise: don't need it! LOL

Anyway, I'm glad you guys and your families didn't get any storm damage! That was some scary stuff I saw on the news! Especially at the airport! Thank goodness no one was hurt too badly

 

[-Hope-]

I'm glad to hear that everyone's ok. I'll take the snow anyday compared to your severe weather!!!!

Thanks Ann!

We have been dealing with LOTS of severe weather and rain here as well. We have a lull in the rain today, but overnight & into tomorrow we are expecting AN ADDITIONAL 3-6" of rain. UGH! We are very close to the river here, but luckily, when our neighborhood was built the area behind the houses were made into overflow basins (Don't know what else to call them) for the river to flood into before it starts rising to the point of entering peoples yards/homes etc. The overflow basins are pretty full right now, but I am hoping we are far enough away from them (1/2 mile maybe) that we won't see any flooding. On the bright side...we are covered by flood insurance.

They're talking about releasing some water from the dam north of us. The rivers are already so high I'm not sure what that's going to do. I'm thankful I don't live close to the river. We have a little creek up the road that washes out the road but I can just go around the other way. (Of course I mainly go the way with the creek when I'm going to Karen's and when it washes out it takes longer for me to get there which is tragic!!)

Oh wow, hope all that rain isn't around for too long! But glad to hear it's just the rain you guys got.

And the restaurants look good I was actually just looking through counter service restaurants and i'm starving.....

I always get hungry when I look at the menus!

Wow! Those Health and Wellness Suites look spectacular, Karen! I have to agree with you though, Hope, that anyone who needs MORE exercise at WDW is definitely doing it wrong!

I love bamboo flooring! My dream is to re-floor my whole house in bamboo! Gorgeous! Rain water showers? Awesome! With tea tree oils to boot! Here's an off subject thing, but did you know that when there is a lice outbreak at school, if you put tea tree oil on your kids' hair, they won't get lice? Sorry if that was gross, but I had to share because it works like a charm! OK, I'll stop talking about little critters and get back on the subject of WDW I also like the idea of the organic food and spa treatments! Looks like Disney is trying to market to more of us Gen X-ers. Oh, and yoga...that goes along the same lines as exercise: don't need it! LOL

Anyway, I'm glad you guys and your families didn't get any storm damage! That was some scary stuff I saw on the news! Especially at the airport! Thank goodness no one was hurt too badly

I love bamboo flooring as well- and the organic fruit sounds great, a break from the junk food at WDW is nice sometimes, especially when you're trying to keep your energy up for touring! I'm thinking these new rooms are going to come with a nice CL price tag.

The tip about the tea tree oil is a great one! We don't really have that issue now since we homeschool but when I taught school I was always appreciative of any tips. I used to run the blow dryer over my kids hair every couple of days because the heat will kill lice. And I had short hair when I was teaching after I looked down one day to realize that my hair was resting on top of a student's head (a student who was notorious for lice). Thankfully I didn't catch it from her but I had short hair from then on while I was teaching.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

(Of course I mainly go the way with the creek when I'm going to Karen's and when it washes out it takes longer for me to get there which is tragic!!)

 

[Victoriasmom98]

You would think Karen would provide a little canoe and paddle for emergencies!!!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

You would think Karen would provide a little canoe and paddle for emergencies!!!

That's not a bad idea! They would never have to miss a Disney Day or trip planning session due to rain ever again! Which translates into more PTR updates for us to read! Awesome idea! Hope, Karen, are you game?

 

[-Hope-]

You would think Karen would provide a little canoe and paddle for emergencies!!!

That's not a bad idea! They would never have to miss a Disney Day or trip planning session due to rain ever again! Which translates into more PTR updates for us to read! Awesome idea! Hope, Karen, are you game?

Well, there are two ways out of my road so I could just go around (it only takes about 10-15 more minutes) But a boat might be more fun.

 

[-Hope-]

I took Karen's fabulous (as usual) advice and asked directly on Amy's thread for shirts for our Chigago trip. I'm not buying anything for the trip until I'm finished buying everything for Kya's birthday party/room make-over so it will be a while before I get them made. In the meantime you can look at the fab designs she came up with here.

The kids both have a hard time knowing what to do with shirts personalized with their names when they outgrow them so we opted for shirts that were personalized with the places we'd be visiting instead of with names. The only exception are the T-Rex skeleton shirts they'll wear to the field museum. The design had a place for copy and I couldn't think of anything to put there so we just opted for their names.

The Legoland shirt will be just for Jace. We're shopping and having lunch at the American Girl Place on the same day we're going to Legoland so Kya opted for a sundress (that is very similar to the sundress of the doll she wants to buy while we're there) instead of a t-shirt. They'll have the dino shirts for the day we go to the Field Museum and the Chicago shirts for the train trip/ arrival dinner at RFC. Our departure day is just for travel so no shirts needed for that.

When I actually make the shirts (probably after Kya's birthday at the beginning of June) I'll be sure to post pics.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

You had some really great ideas for t-shirts and Amy did a wonderful job making the designs! I can't wait to see how they turn out!

 

[-Hope-]

You had some really great ideas for t-shirts and Amy did a wonderful job making the designs! I can't wait to see how they turn out!

Thanks Erin! Amy always does a great job, I should have known to just go directly to her. She was FAST too.

 

[DrMomof3]

Awesome shirts!!!
I agree that the new suites at the Cintemporary look awesome. I'm less certain that any normal human will be able to afford them!

Amanda

 

[-Hope-]

Awesome shirts!!!
I agree that the new suites at the Cintemporary look awesome. I'm less certain that any normal human will be able to afford them!

Amanda

Thanks Amanda!

I think Disney likes to keep some things out of reach for mere mortals so you're always left wanting more.

 

[Parla]

Love the shirt design. We did the same thing a couple of years ago. DD and I went to American Girl while DH took DS to the Legoland Discovery Center. Good times!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Love the designs, glad you got some made. The 4th one is awesome! They all are. Is Kanani the American Girl Kya wants this year. That's the one on Emily's Christmas list already. My girls all got a new one for Christmas this past year and also a trip to the American Girl store for lunch with their dolls. The store is so amazing, have you ever been before?

 

[-Hope-]

Love the designs, glad you got some made. The 4th one is awesome! They all are. Is Kanani the American Girl Kya wants this year. That's the one on Emily's Christmas list already. My girls all got a new one for Christmas this past year and also a trip to the American Girl store for lunch with their dolls. The store is so amazing, have you ever been before?

Yes, Kanani is the girl she wants. She loves her loooong hair and thinks it will be so much fun to brush and style. We've never been to the store and we're very excited. We have a reservation for lunch after we finish our shopping and are really looking forward to it. Kya is saving like mad so she can get all of the things she wants when we're there.

I love how the shirts turned out, and yes the 4th one is great! I was planning to just make them for the kids but I may have to have one of those for myself as well.

 

[-Hope-]

Love the shirt design. We did the same thing a couple of years ago. DD and I went to American Girl while DH took DS to the Legoland Discovery Center. Good times!

We are excited! We're all going to each place, though ds and my mom may meet us at AG a little later so he doesn't have to endure all of the shopping. My mom actually offered to just keep him at the hotel and they could swim or whatever while we are at AG but when I read him the lunch menu he thought it sounded good and wanted to come. 12 year old boys make most decisions with their stomachs I think.

 

[-Hope-]

I seriously don't know what I'd do without the DIS to help me plan. Probably have much more laid back travel plans.

So, thanks to the DIS I am spoiled and wanted personalized shirts for my kids and now I found myself wanting another thing I'd have never found necessary before... custom journal pages. The only problem is that I can't find journal pages for all of the places we're going so... I decided to make my own. These are my own creations but they are HEAVILY inspired by the DIS... I used Natalie's journal pages to figure out what questions to ask.

I've never converted a works document to a picture (which I had to do to upload to photobucket) so hopefully these work...

I made pages for the Amtrak and our hotel...

I made pages for the restaurants where we plan to eat...

And of course, for all of the attractions we plan to see...

 

[DrMomof3]

Wow Hope. Just wow! I'm impressed!

Amanda

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

OMG, those are GREAT!!!!!!!! I think you're going to have to make me some Disney ones. Get workin'!