Girls Trip Take 2 - Labor Day Weekend 2021, Christmas 2021 and July 2024 Trips

[cheryllarsen]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[cheryllarsen]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[vamassey1]

We’ll start a support group.

I like that!

Thanks! Hopefully some day…

We don't have much entertainment here in BR but we do have some good food.

 

[vamassey1]

This is what I keep telling him. I got chatting to one of the bartenders in Rose & Crown a few years back and he was from Belfast. Lovely lad whose name escapes me now. He was saying how much he loved it there and how he’d gone about getting a job etc so once Matthew is finished school and hopefully heading to university I will bring it up with him again

I don't know the facts on applying for the International Program, but for the regular CP the kids have to have had one semester of university before than can come. This also means if application open during your 1st semester you can apply since by the time you come you will have completed that semester.

 

[vamassey1]

Sorry for your loss.

Thank you. It seems the last year has been a time for lots of losses for everyone.

Thanks for sharing!

Thank you for reading along!

 

[vamassey1]

So I might have done something on Friday.

I've been dying to get to go back for Flower & Garden. I was chatting with my co-worker on Wednesday and we both said we REALLY needed to go back. She's my friend I went with in September. We both really wanted to go but need to keep the costs down. She has never stayed on Disney grounds since she has her time share at Bonnet Creek. The set up there is very nice but she's missing out on the Disney perks. We went back and forth on some dates. We were both okay with staying Value so we could swing the trip. Southwest has a really good rate for our dates. I priced out staying in Music with my AP rate and we both decided to start working on our spouses and seeing what Danielle could do. I have to admit is hard to go back to Value after staying at Wilderness Lodge, but if it means I'm going to Disney I will do it any day.

Thursday rolled around and the flights went down a few bucks. My friend has points so the flight wasn't costing her anything. I had $74 in credit from price reductions on previous flights. I think karma was telling us we needed to go. Danielle priced out her discount and she was getting the same discount at Music I was getting. She could get the 50% off at Sports so that looked like the way to go. The last time I stayed there they had not been updated yet. I'm really glad they have been updated and they are the most recent Values to be updated. We booked our flights but not the room. Danielle has to be on a Disney desktop at work to do this, her phone messes up.

I finally brought up my plan to Dennis on Thursday and he was okay with it. He doesn't like to go as often as I do but he also gets envious when I do go. My friend, Robin got the go ahead from her husband too. He doesn't like going to Disney like we do either.

Friday afternoon Danielle booked us the room in the preferred section. Flower and Garden here we come! Danielle is always excited when we can come visit her. She will also be picking us up and dropping us back off at the airport. We'll arrive late Thursday, April 18th and leave on Tuesday, April 23rd. @amazingact21 and @disneyAndi14 I think our dates match up. I'm hoping we can get together again.

 

[amazingact21]

Yay! I'm so happy you were able to swing a WDW trip with your friend. It helps a lot when you can split the cost with someone. Especially when splitting a value room, it makes total sense to get away for a few days.
Plus, I'm especially happy because we'll be there at the same time again! I'll be there the 17th to 23rd. Really hope we can arrange another meetup.

 

[vamassey1]

Yay! I'm so happy you were able to swing a WDW trip with your friend. It helps a lot when you can split the cost with someone. Especially when splitting a value room, it makes total sense to get away for a few days.
Plus, I'm especially happy because we'll be there at the same time again! I'll be there the 17th to 23rd. Really hope we can arrange another meetup.

I'm so excited!

Since it's just us and Danielle my schedule is more open. Let me know what works for you.

 

[Paulaparm]

Good for you!!

 

[pkondz]

we both decided to start working on our spouses

I have to admit is hard to go back to Value after staying at Wilderness Lodge

Just a wee bit different.

but if it means I'm going to Disney I will do it any day.

And good for you!

Danielle is always excited when we can come visit her.

And I’m sure her mom is too.

 

[vamassey1]

Good for you!!

Thank you!

Just a wee bit different.

It will be, but it's still Disney.

And good for you!

I know there are others who feel the same way.

And I’m sure her mom is too.

Very! It nice to know when she goes back to Orlando next week I'll know when I'll see her again.

 

[pkondz]

It will be, but it's still Disney.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Woohoo
So excited for you

 

[vamassey1]

Woohoo
So excited for you

Thank you!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

YEAH!!!

When are they going to announce the food booths!?!

 

[vamassey1]

When are they going to announce the food booths!?!

They announced them. I'm going to start working on my list.

 

[vamassey1]

Thursday, September 9, 2021

It's time to finish this report up and move along.
I woke up early to get packed up and head home. I wasn't it too big of a rush, not like when we drive down. It also helps that we get the hour back we lost of the drive there. Not having Dennis rushing me helped too.
I said goodbye to the room and then drove to the front to grab some breakfast for the road.

The lobby was empty this early in the morning.



I said my final goodbyes to Movies and headed for a gas fill up before facing the Orlando traffic.

The drive wasn't too bad but it was a little lonely. This was my first time making the drive all alone, but I'm glad to know I can do it if need be. I had no real issues and my only complaint was the rest area I went to in Florida on I-10 that was way off the interstate. I know @amazingact21 knows which stop I'm talking about. It was in a hilly area so the rest area was a good bit away on flatter ground. There is one rest area for both sides of the interstate. I have since not made the mistake to stop here again. When I'm traveling, especially by myself I want to be in and out as fast as I can and back on the road. Florida actually has the best rest areas of the states we drive through. They have more locations and most are right off the interstate.

We had a really good trip and I'm so happy we all got to spend time with Danielle and enjoy the parks too.

The next trip we took was the week after Thanksgiving. Dennis and I drove down to spend some Holiday time with Danielle. This would be her first Thanksgiving and Christmas away from home. I'm not going to do a full report but may just post some of the highlights like I did for our May 2021 trip.

Thanks for sticking with us.

 

[vamassey1]

It's time for a life update too.
I'm still recovering from Danielle's visit home with her friends. We ate lots of good food and has a taste of Mardi Gras. We don't usually do much for Mardi Gras anymore but we wanted to show our guests a good time. I think they had fun and I know they tried lots of good food.
The arrived on Wednesday afternoon the week before Mardi Gras. Our first night was lowkey and we had Cane's. There is location right outside our neighborhood. If you're familiar with Cane's you know how good their chicken fingers are. Cane's is originally from Baton Rouge so it's a staple here.
Danielle took her friends to see some of her favorite places in Baton Rouge on Thursday. I don't remember where they ate, but eating wa a big part of this whole trip.
Friday they did some more running around and then we meet up for Lit Pizza once I was off work. We hit a local parade in Southdowns not too far from my work. It's a very small local parade that has been running since 1988. We wanted to start small and build up. The theme was based on Alice in Wonderland. Michelle, Dominic and Gabriel joined us for the parade. It was really dark so my pictures are horrible. Lighted swords had to be purchased while we waiting.





This was a good parade to give them a taste. The next morning was the big Baton Rouge parade. Spanish Town which has been around since 1981. The signature color is pink and the flamingo is their mascot. It's a much bigger parade held during the day. It can at times be raunchy but always fun. It starts in the old Baton Rouge neighborhood of Spanish Town and runs through downtown, ending near the state capital. It was really crowded and we came home with way too much stuff.



We had to park way far away and haul our stuff in 2 wagons. We set up right in front of an officer and waiting for the parade to get to us. We enjoyed some PB&Js and snacks while we waiting. Some of neighbors had some great music going to help pass the time.



Continued in next post.

 

[vamassey1]

We all took naps when we got back home. We had dinner that night at City Café, the restaurant that Michelle and Danielle worked at through high school and college. It was soooooo good.
Sunday was a rainy day and the weather turned cold. The kids had wanted to go to New Orleans but the rain put a stop to that. They did do some more running around the area.
Monday night we went to our very local parade that was running for the very first time. It was so cold. We got drive through daiquiris before the parade because that's what you do in South Louisiana. The parade was small but full of people we knew.




Dennis took the kids to New Orleans on Mardi Gras Day while I was working from home. Not everyone gets Mardi Gras off here.

The only parade they saw was Zulu and it was from a distance. They did experience the French Quarter and see lots of interesting sights. They took a look around the Roosevelt, had beignets at Café du Monde and walked down Bourbon St.

Continued in next post.

 

[vamassey1]

I did end up taking half a day off and spent that time making cornbread dressing for Danielle for her last night dinner. She had not been at Thanksgiving since 2020 and it's her favorite dish. It's Dennis' too so he wasn't complaining.

By the end of Mardi Gras we were all tired and enjoyed a big snuggle.

They didn't get off on Wednesday until a little after 12. Danielle's car was having some issues that our local mechanic was working on and the part was delivered until Wednesday morning. She made it back fine and had a few more days off to recover before going back to work.

I'm so glad she made a trip home but felt like I really didn't get to spend quality time with her since she was entertaining her friends. Dennis did hang out with them some while I was working so he did get some quality time. Danielle and I are both looking forward to spending time together when I go visit her in April in 56 sleeps.