Hakuna Kidani, What a Turtleful Phrase!

[lovedonaldduck]

Checking in for our first stay at Pop tomorrow! Plan is to have lunch in Celebration, check in, hit the pool, dinner at AOA, maybe poolside movie at Pop. Sunday we'll have breakfast at Pop, more pool time, and probably lunch before heading home. It's a short trip but it's all part of my plan to see Disney World every month in 2013!

MeMom, I believe reading all your trip reports is the reason we are headed to Pop. I am excited to see your home away from home live and in person for the first time!

We have an 8 night trip planned in September and I am having trouble finalizing plans. I am just being indecisive and things aren't lining up exactly the way I want which is aggravating. I think instead of continuing to try to make my DH help me (which he has very little interest in), I may start a pre-trip report next week so my DIS friends can help me figure it out - at least you all are interested in Disney I'll check in here and let you know where the pre-trip report is and what I thought of Pop!

 

[DWGal210]

Hope you all have a great weekend and have fun plans!

 

[LookinUp]

Great minds, MeMom: I'm on my own tonight, with DD at an aquarium overnighter, so I'm having a bowl of ice cream for dinner! Black-eyed peas & asparagus for lunch, yogurt & fruit for snack, so I will have all the nutritional bases covered. Oh wait - chocolate! OK, better make it chocolate ice cream.

I met a 2nd-grade teacher who works in a neighborhood with a 90+% poverty rate. Her school gives every kid breakfast, thank heaven, and she does her best to instill/nurture a sense of excitement and pride about learning each little heart. Needless to say (I hope), she reminded me very much of you.

Tie-dye party at Pop sounds great! I would love that, and I bet you'll have full house - er, yard - for that Dis meet.

Happy Friday, all!

 

[Disneychix]

Just seeing the pic of the Tommy Lasorda plaque. That's cool. I didn't know that about Vero Beach.

Great pics as always!

 

[frazers mum]

Hi memom.
I haven't posted in ages!!! We are on our 6 weeks school holidays, but so far it's not been great.
We discovered one of our cats had a cancerous lump and he had his leg amputated on Tuesday. We are hoping he will adjust ok to life with three legs!!. Also our dear little guinea pig had to be put to sleep today. We are so upset. On top of all that I am having some health issues and have to go for an MRI scan. We have all lost the excitement for our trip next week. I'm hoping when we are there that it returns.
On a lighter note, your TR is great. The beach looks amazing. I can't believe how big the girls are getting.
My thoughts are with the family who lost their DS . It must be so hard for everyone concerned. I hope you have a good school term and that the kiddies are kind to you!!

 

[sunny_stace]

Why ya gotta post snake pictures MeMom?!
But other than that it still looks lovely!

Hi memom.
I haven't posted in ages!!! We are on our 6 weeks school holidays, but so far it's not been great.
We discovered one of our cats had a cancerous lump and he had his leg amputated on Tuesday. We are hoping he will adjust ok to life with three legs!!. Also our dear little guinea pig had to be put to sleep today. We are so upset. On top of all that I am having some health issues and have to go for an MRI scan. We have all lost the excitement for our trip next week. I'm hoping when we are there that it returns.
On a lighter note, your TR is great. The beach looks amazing. I can't believe how big the girls are getting.
My thoughts are with the family who lost their DS . It must be so hard for everyone concerned. I hope you have a good school term and that the kiddies are kind to you!!

I bet a trip is just what you need to cheer you up! Good luck with your MRI, hope you're feeling better soon. So sorry to hear about your pets.

 

[MEK]

.

I stayed in this building - 3rd floor to the left of the where the picture ends. It was a fantastic view. I know I keep saying this - but your pictures make me want to go back there so badly. It's really a great resort.

The girls look like they are having a fantastic time. What a great beach day!

 

[PlutosRHM55]

Vero Beach seems like a hopping place! So many critters. I can't believe you went up that close to get a picture of a snake. I would've ran back to Disney World in the time you took to take those pictures.

Mac N Cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner... It's like the next best thing to Ice Cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner (which I know from experience. The one positive of wisdom teeth extraction). Bella knows how it is haha

Can't wait for some more pictures!

 

[MeMom]

Checking in for our first stay at Pop tomorrow! Plan is to have lunch in Celebration, check in, hit the pool, dinner at AOA, maybe poolside movie at Pop. Sunday we'll have breakfast at Pop, more pool time, and probably lunch before heading home. It's a short trip but it's all part of my plan to see Disney World every month in 2013!

MeMom, I believe reading all your trip reports is the reason we are headed to Pop. I am excited to see your home away from home live and in person for the first time!

We have an 8 night trip planned in September and I am having trouble finalizing plans. I am just being indecisive and things aren't lining up exactly the way I want which is aggravating. I think instead of continuing to try to make my DH help me (which he has very little interest in), I may start a pre-trip report next week so my DIS friends can help me figure it out - at least you all are interested in Disney I'll check in here and let you know where the pre-trip report is and what I thought of Pop!

A trip a month sounds fabulous to me!!! I did have one year where I went six times. That is my record, and I am guessing it will be my all-time record. I can't imagine I will ever have it any better than that! 'Twas a good life then.

I hope Pop doesn't disappoint. I look forward to seeing your pictures. It's certainly not fancy or elaborately decorated, but it's comfortable to us. The other place I feel very comfortable at is Animal Kingdom Lodge.

I can barely keep up with trips reports, so I don't even try to follow pre-trips, but I will definitely peek in to see the Pop pictures.

Hope you all have a great weekend and have fun plans!

My plans are pretty normal for this weekend. I made a run to SAM'S yesterday afternoon and then took a load of candy to one of the coaches for her to sell for a fundraiser. Crashed last night. Fell asleep watching House Hunters. Got up about 3:30. This morning, I have to do laundry and go to the grocery store. I have some paperwork to do for school. I got about nine thousand things done of the eleven thousand things I needed to do. I will finish today, and then I will go back to a new list on Monday, of course. Tomorrow is church. Trent and Brandi will come for lunch. I will do NO schoolwork tomorrow. So, a semi-boring put semi-relaxing weekend for me. Jill has to conduct a Kindergarten orientation this morning at her school. No birthday parties for the girls this weekend, I don't think, so hopefully she can relax a bit Saturday afternoon and/or evening.

Great minds, MeMom: I'm on my own tonight, with DD at an aquarium overnighter, so I'm having a bowl of ice cream for dinner! Black-eyed peas & asparagus for lunch, yogurt & fruit for snack, so I will have all the nutritional bases covered. Oh wait - chocolate! OK, better make it chocolate ice cream.

I met a 2nd-grade teacher who works in a neighborhood with a 90+% poverty rate. Her school gives every kid breakfast, thank heaven, and she does her best to instill/nurture a sense of excitement and pride about learning each little heart. Needless to say (I hope), she reminded me very much of you.

Tie-dye party at Pop sounds great! I would love that, and I bet you'll have full house - er, yard - for that Dis meet.

Happy Friday, all!

I was alone, too, as I ate my ice cream. Except for my silly cat who sits quietly by waiting for me to finish so that he can lick the bowl. That boy loves ice cream!

I am sure your friend and I could swap many 'war stories'.

Wonder if Pop's manager would mind us coloring up the lawn with some tie-dying fun??? That should be a regularly scheduled activity there!

Just seeing the pic of the Tommy Lasorda plaque. That's cool. I didn't know that about Vero Beach.

Great pics as always!

I knew about the sea turtle stuff, but not being a baseball person, I did not know it had such a rich baseball story.

Hi memom.
I haven't posted in ages!!! We are on our 6 weeks school holidays, but so far it's not been great.
We discovered one of our cats had a cancerous lump and he had his leg amputated on Tuesday. We are hoping he will adjust ok to life with three legs!!. Also our dear little guinea pig had to be put to sleep today. We are so upset. On top of all that I am having some health issues and have to go for an MRI scan. We have all lost the excitement for our trip next week. I'm hoping when we are there that it returns.
On a lighter note, your TR is great. The beach looks amazing. I can't believe how big the girls are getting.
My thoughts are with the family who lost their DS . It must be so hard for everyone concerned. I hope you have a good school term and that the kiddies are kind to you!!

I am so sorry for all of your struggles! I absolutely hope you find happiness and magic in this trip!

Keep us posted on your health issues. I hope your kitty does very well with the leg issues. Animals usually just march on no matter what happens - unlike we humans who groan and whine.

I have a few this year who need some toning down, but we are already making progress, I can see a change even from just Monday to Friday in a couple of them.

Why ya gotta post snake pictures MeMom?!
But other than that it still looks lovely!



I bet a trip is just what you need to cheer you up! Good luck with your MRI, hope you're feeling better soon. So sorry to hear about your pets.

Like I said, it doesn't bother me a bit to see a snake, so I was happy to get up there to take a picture. Had it been a mouse, I would have been inside on the couch with my feet up on the coffee table.

I stayed in this building - 3rd floor to the left of the where the picture ends. It was a fantastic view. I know I keep saying this - but your pictures make me want to go back there so badly. It's really a great resort.

The girls look like they are having a fantastic time. What a great beach day!

The nice thing about sharing our pictures with each other is that we can 'pretend' be there through them. The bad thing is, we want to really be there! I can see why some people don't want to hang around the DIS when they don't have a trip coming up. It's semi-torturous sometimes.

Vero Beach seems like a hopping place! So many critters. I can't believe you went up that close to get a picture of a snake. I would've ran back to Disney World in the time you took to take those pictures.

Mac N Cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner... It's like the next best thing to Ice Cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner (which I know from experience. The one positive of wisdom teeth extraction). Bella knows how it is haha

Can't wait for some more pictures!

I am not bothered by non-poisonous snakes.

There will be pictures today.

 

[MEK]

The nice thing about sharing our pictures with each other is that we can pretend be there through them. The bad thing is, we want to really be there! I can see why some people don't want to hang around the DIS when they don't have a trip coming up. It's semi-torturous sometimes.

And that.....is EXACTLY why I always have another tripped planned!

 

[MeMom]

And that.....is EXACTLY why I always have another tripped planned!

That is our policy, as well. Don't leave Walt Disney World property without the next trip booked - or at least know when you are going and be booking it within the next week or two.



*******************************************

The next picture I took on this day was of a sweet lil thang.....



As long as that girl is well fed, she smiles at everything.

Now, it's pool time.



That's Brooklynn partly sticking up out of the water after having come off the slide.



She was followed by the little water wing fairy.



After swimming, the girls did their first Vero activity. They painted a little ceramic figure. There was a small fee for this. I think it might have been about $2.

Josh was the director of this activity.



He was a nice young man, but the activity itself was not very organized. The kids were there at the right time, but the cast members were not ready and not very efficient in getting ready. so everyone sat around staring at each other for a while before they were really ready to go. That was an 'unlike Disney World' thing that we noticed. Disney World is on time for things.

Which one would you choose?



Brooklynn chose this one.



That was my favorite.

Bella chose an ice cream cone.



There was a full house for this activity.



This is so Brooklynn.



She takes her artwork seriously.

And this is so Bella, trying to be just like her big sister.



The sweet girl next to her kept watching her and smiling at her efforts. Then she would look at me and smile. She helped Bella clean her paintbrush a time or two. I could tell she was a precious kid just in the short time we were there.



Bella worked diligently to make her ice cream cone beautiful.



Brooklynn's lovely pelican.





That afternoon, we were blessed to have more DIS friends join us. Dream*It*Do*It and her family came to check out Vero. They are a sweet family. Her husband is very personable and easy to talk to. They are very family-oriented and are raising a wonderful, lively trio of girls.

So now there was a big gaggle of giggling girls in the living room.



I'm bet Mr. Marc was wishing at this moment that he and Miss Anita Wigd had gotten a tiny studio room somewhere and that they were sitting poolside - alone!



Nathalie had brought Disney cupcakes from a favorite bakery.



It is possible that they were very much enjoyed.



They also bought another item that was a non-sweet. I don't remember the name, but I had one, and it was good. I think Marc may have heated up some later, also, and he thought they were good.

Dream*It and family were going to the pool instead of joining us for an excursion to Squid Lips. (They made the right choice. Squid Lips wasn't any big deal.)

Before we went to dinner, Anita assisted the girls in an ocean craft.



I think this was Castaway Cay sand and water, but I may be wrong. I will let the revered Miss Wigd enlighten us.

We did have some others joining us for the dinner trip, though.
Little Gavin brought his mom, dad, and Baby Ava along to see what in the world could be going on at a place called Squid Lips.

 

[MeMom]

This cottage was full of little ones throughout the stay.





On the road to Squid Lips.






I was really remembering St. Pete days around the water, boats, and docks.



Trent likes unique t-shirts, so I got him one of these.





Next time, we will eat.

Hope everyone has a super Saturday!

 

[punkin413]

Just wanted to give you a head's up that you guys just made a cameo on my TR:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=49242554&postcount=206

 

[GoofyFan1515]

Note that Bella has macaroni. Macaroni is her standard answer to "Bella, what do you want for breakfast/lunch/dinner?"

Bella and I would get along jusssstttt fine!!!

A baseball plaque in the ground out by the main building.

Picking up leaves.

This is taking cleanliness just a leeetle too far!!!

The next picture I took on this day was of a sweet lil thang.....



As long as that girl is well fed, she smiles at everything.

Awwww.......

It is possible that they were very much enjoyed.

Can't wait to hear about your meal at Squid Lips. I have read some reviews from there before and they were positive, so I am interested in why you weren't necessarily impressed.

 

[Poolrat]

He was a nice young man, but the activity itself was not very organized. The kids were there at the right time, but the cast members were not ready and not very efficient in getting ready. so everyone sat around staring at each other for a while before they were really ready to go. That was an 'unlike Disney World' thing that we noticed. Disney World is on time for things.

That is kind of how I felt at Disneyland when things were not precisely on time.

It is possible that they were very much enjoyed.

That is what vacation memories are all about.

How much fun to have so many smiling faces in the villa.

 

[sunny_stace]

Cuteness overload in that update!! . That picture of Bella with the frosting face is so adorable! And Sophie has the sweetest little smile! I love Brooklynn being so focused on her art! I was always like that too! It's too bad the activity was so disorganized, but at least they had fun in the end! Looks like lots of fun was had by all the dis-town kids (and kids at heart ).

 

[<3myfamily]

Whew! Finally got caught up! It's a good thing you got busy, so I had a chance to get up to date. Bad for you.. good for me. I will get behind again in a few weeks as we will be taking a long road trip to take my DD to college in MN. Hmmmm....maybe a reason for me to upgrade my old flip phone for a fancy phone with internet???

I live just miles from the beach, and I love walking on the beach & I can go kayaking in the ocean, but I refuse to swim in it. I hate not knowing what is occupying the water with me, plus salt water makes my eczema act up. I could sit on the beach for hours listening to the waves.

Loving all the pictures. I want to stay in a beautiful cottage on the beach.. and see the sea turtles!

My older DD wants to go to WDW for her 21st birthday, and now with the extended free dining to December, it is a possibility. I would love to go with her and finally see WDW at Christmas, but with 2 in college, I don't think my pocketbook could take that big of a hit...plus the fact that DH doesn't want to go back for a LONG time. My DD spent the evening trying to get her and a friend booked instead. Doesn't look good though, as her dates are limited due to finals and not a lot of availability that close to Christmas, plus air fare is ridiculous. Poor baby, it just doesn't look like it will work out for her 21st.

 

[ClaireW]

So many cute kids in that last update

Looks like everyone got to make the most of being able to hang out at the beach, Disney style, without the hustle and bustle of the parks

Can I hijack your report for a moment? I'm wondering if anyone's got any tips on places to visit/stay in Carolina?
My mom and dad are thinking of joining us for our second week in WDW next October (2014), and spending a week somewhere else first. Someone had mentioned Charleston, Middleton, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island but our knowledge of these places is limited to travel brochures and the internet! Hoping there are a few of you here who might have some recommendations of your own?

 

[MeMom]

That is kind of how I felt at Disneyland when things were not precisely on time.



That is what vacation memories are all about.

How much fun to have so many smiling faces in the villa.

We could definitely see how nice it would be to have one big place for a whole family/friends group as opposed to separate rooms. We need to get some of these nice cottages on Pop Century property.

Bella and I would get along jusssstttt fine!!!



This is taking cleanliness just a leeetle too far!!!

Awwww.......



Can't wait to hear about your meal at Squid Lips. I have read some reviews from there before and they were positive, so I am interested in why you weren't necessarily impressed.

We were going to make a craft out of the leaves. I think they are still in a bag in my suitcase.

The food at Squid Lips was good. The service, at least that night with our waitress, was not. Had we had another server, it might possibly have been a different experience.

Just wanted to give you a head's up that you guys just made a cameo on my TR:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=49242554&postcount=206

Thanks. I came over for a visit with you last night.
It's okay with me if you crop me out of the pictures.

Cuteness overload in that update!! . That picture of Bella with the frosting face is so adorable! And Sophie has the sweetest little smile! I love Brooklynn being so focused on her art! I was always like that too! It's too bad the activity was so disorganized, but at least they had fun in the end! Looks like lots of fun was had by all the dis-town kids (and kids at heart ).

They enjoyed the painting. They just had to wait for a while to get to do it. There were three cast members getting it all together, but they didn't seem to know who was getting/doing what. It was very awkward to watch. Jill and I thought maybe we should go work there and show them how to do things more efficiently.

Those girls bring me so much joy and laughter. I am so incredibly blessed to have them as mine!

Whew! Finally got caught up! It's a good thing you got busy, so I had a chance to get up to date. Bad for you.. good for me. I will get behind again in a few weeks as we will be taking a long road trip to take my DD to college in MN. Hmmmm....maybe a reason for me to upgrade my old flip phone for a fancy phone with internet???

I live just miles from the beach, and I love walking on the beach & I can go kayaking in the ocean, but I refuse to swim in it. I hate not knowing what is occupying the water with me, plus salt water makes my eczema act up. I could sit on the beach for hours listening to the waves.

Loving all the pictures. I want to stay in a beautiful cottage on the beach.. and see the sea turtles!

My older DD wants to go to WDW for her 21st birthday, and now with the extended free dining to December, it is a possibility. I would love to go with her and finally see WDW at Christmas, but with 2 in college, I don't think my pocketbook could take that big of a hit...plus the fact that DH doesn't want to go back for a LONG time. My DD spent the evening trying to get her and a friend booked instead. Doesn't look good though, as her dates are limited due to finals and not a lot of availability that close to Christmas, plus air fare is ridiculous. Poor baby, it just doesn't look like it will work out for her 21st.

I need to update my phone, too. No one has a simple little flip phone any more. I can barely see pictures that are sent to me, and if there is anything that has writing, I have no idea what it says. I always have to explain that I have a cheap phone and ask what it says.

On our last night, four of us took a pretty long walk along the beach. It was so serene to be out there in the dark listening to the waves. Had I been alone, I would have sat out there for a long time just talking to God and feeling the immensity of His world as I sat by that 'big water'.

I wish flight prices were lower. That is such a big part of a trip. We can keep hoping for something to come through for your daughter.

So many cute kids in that last update

Looks like everyone got to make the most of being able to hang out at the beach, Disney style, without the hustle and bustle of the parks

Can I hijack your report for a moment? I'm wondering if anyone's got any tips on places to visit/stay in Carolina?
My mom and dad are thinking of joining us for our second week in WDW next October (2014), and spending a week somewhere else first. Someone had mentioned Charleston, Middleton, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island but our knowledge of these places is limited to travel brochures and the internet! Hoping there are a few of you here who might have some recommendations of your own?

There are several people here who have firsthand knowledge of those places. I am going to highlight your request, too, and give you a double chance that some of them see it.

If we had to be off Disney property, it was nice to still be on Disney property. It had the Disney feel in that it was very nicely decorated, it was clean, and we felt safe at all times. There were also opportunities for character meals. It had a degree of the Disney atmosphere, yet it wasn't huge. Like we said, it would make the perfect transition place from a Disney World trip as you slowly leave the magic bubble and re-enter society. We would love to do Vero again at the end of a WDW stay.

 

[TinkyCheeks]

Another great update. The girls are just too sweet, and I loved seeing their concentration as they painted their ceramics.