Happier'n a Tornado in a Trailer Park: A Pre-Trip Journal Updated w/link to TR p 11

[oybolshoi]

I dont know how cost prohibitive it would be, but is there any way you could try to get connecting rooms at POR?

We had them once at the Caribbean Beach Resort and it was really nice. We had 7 people on that trip and I told Grimace if she didn't find a second bathroom I wasn't going. I didn't care where people ended up sleeping, but by god I was not going to share the bathtub with 6 other people (three of them tennagers).

Great update - I always enjoying reading your stuff.

 

[jenr812]

It's scary when the pile of things for your trip outgrows an entire closet.

Ain't that the truth!?

Cute LO. TOT is an amazing ride - you're missing out!

 

[Dusted]

Good to hear from you Kim. I have a family member who owns a vacation home close by....but I can't think of the website. PM me if you want it.

Otherwise, I would stick with the POR, shame they don't have deluxe rooms or an alternative to two rooms. I understand cranky pants. Really. And I am only one of 2 adults....

Liked the LO. I haven't considered digital scrapping yet. I like using scissors and glue and really collecting "scraps" from our trips. Napkins, wrist bands, packaging, If I did both, I think I would go bonkers.

I guess they are two different hobbies really. I do love the way it looks.

Do you post on the Dis scapping boards too?

 

[BrerMama]

I dont know how cost prohibitive it would be, but is there any way you could try to get connecting rooms at POR?

We had them once at the Caribbean Beach Resort and it was really nice. We had 7 people on that trip and I told Grimace if she didn't find a second bathroom I wasn't going. I didn't care where people ended up sleeping, but by god I was not going to share the bathtub with 6 other people (three of them tennagers).

Great update - I always enjoying reading your stuff.

Thanks so much for the compliment Brenda! We did check into connecting rooms at Pop at one point, but we have such a love for POR that we just had to go with it. I'm feeling better about it now, but I'm sure we'll either be off-site or the Family Suites next trip.

Ain't that the truth!?

Cute LO. TOT is an amazing ride - you're missing out!

I'm sure TOT is amazing. I just don't think I could get on it without having a heart attack. And I kind of like being alive...

Liked the LO. I haven't considered digital scrapping yet. I like using scissors and glue and really collecting "scraps" from our trips. Napkins, wrist bands, packaging, If I did both, I think I would go bonkers.

I guess they are two different hobbies really. I do love the way it looks.

Do you post on the Dis scapping boards too?

I did paper for years, I'm just to the point where if I can't do it on my computer, I don't want to do it. They are 2 different hobbies, but with a similar product. I do sometimes pop over on the scrapping board, but I'm so busy with all my work I do for digital designers that I stay pretty busy keeping up with where they want me to be posting. I pretty much stick to digital sites right now. I'm guessing once we get back and I'm on summer break, I can have a bit more time to be active over there.

 

[BrerMama]

Dateline: April 4, 2007

OK, my trip report posting is starting to catch up with my actual pretrip report journal, so I feel the need to journal more often.

Either that, or I'm living in some strange alternate universe where staying ahead of a pretrip report is a total imperative.

No, I'm just strange.

I have been making some phone calls to Disney dining the past few days, though.

OK, so I'm thinking about all the breakfast buffets we have scheduled. Not really the best use of my Disney Dining dollars. And Dan is not a fan of the big breakfast.

Now, me? Breakfast is my favorite meal. In fact, I'd eat a cooked to order breakfast for every meal if I could.

Dan not so much.

The man has issues. That I won't go into in this trip report. Cuz he might read it. But let's just say he has a sensitive stomach and leave it at that. And his sensitive stomach -- which has ruled my dining plans for the last 17+ years -- doesn't handle a big breakfast well. Especially not on an extended basis.

I'm considering this problem and I decide that maybe I need to cut one. And I know which one to cut... the one most recently added. The 1900 Park Fare breakfast/brunch on our 3rd full day at the Magic Kingdom. Not the 3rd full day of our trip, mind you, but the 3rd day we're spending at MK. We have 4 days at MK. Sometimes the amount of time we're spending at WDW staggers me. I have to pinch myself to believe that we're actually going to be gone 2 weeks.

But I digress (as I often do).... if I ditch that breakfast, I still want to eat close to MK. And I really wanted Italian. I know, I know... we could eat Italian anywhere. But we don't. Fazoli's is pretty much the only Italian restaurant we visit with the kids. And I'm not looking for fine Italian cuisine. I just want some spaghetti or something. That's eye-tal-ian in our house.

So of the 3 Italian choices we have (Mama Melrose's, Alfredo's and Tony's Town Square), not only does Tony's have the menu that best fits our family, but it's also in the Magic Kingdom. So an ADR was made.

One down, one to go.

I started thinking about our arrival day. I have a 5:20ish ADR at Ohana that night. Which happens to be Memorial Day. However, here's how our day looks:

5:30 am wake up
6:00 am breakfast
6:30 am drive to airport
7:00 am arrive at airport, check in
9:00 am flight
12:35 am arrival in Orlando (although we'll gain an hour)
2:00 pm? check in at Riverside

So basically I'm looking at feeding my kids at 6 am, then not getting another chance to eat until 2 pm at the earliest, with a big meal planned for 3 hours later, so I won't want them to eat much.

It just doesn't feel right.

Started thinking about the ESPN Club, and how it doesn't take ADRs. So how about we check in, hopefully get a room that's ready (I know... hopefully), dump our stuff somewhere no matter what, then head over to the ESPN Club, where we can enjoy the bountiful blessing of a full dining plan meal -- appetizers, entrees and desserts.

Spend the rest of the night at the hotel -- unpacking, swimming, seeing what the pool bar has to offer. Maybe a boat ride down to Downtown Disney and back.

So I kept the Ohanas ADR (just because it chills me to think of not having an ADR for Memorial Day), but I'll probably cancel it at some point. Need feedback, peeps.

And while I'm bouncing this all off Dan -- who's barely listening -- he mentions that he really doesn't want a big meal before our Illuminations cruise anyway. Cuz ESPN Club was supposed to be what we did just before the Cruise.

Don't ask why he doesn't want a big meal before the cruise.

OK, you begged. I'll tell you.

He's nervous about being on a boat -- away from the bathroom -- for an hour.

I pointed out that he often goes for multiple hours without using the restroom. He granted me that point. It's just that he likes to have the option always available.

Sensitive stomach, ya know.

"Hello, I'd like to cancel our Illuminations cruise. You know, the one I where I was up at 3 am just to mentally prepare for trying to get the reservation? Yeah, I need to cancel it because there's no bathroom on the pontoon. Excuse me? Yes, I'm serious."

The men I live with. I haven't mentioned this to my son. Because if anything, Tater is worse about needing proximity to a restroom than his dad is. Just wait until you read that trip report. The boy is... well, anal... about needing to be in sight of a restroom.

So no big meal at ESPN Club prior to cruise, or I risk having to cancel the cruise.

So I'm thinking we could switch to a lunch that day. Which brings Le Cellier back onto my radar.

Man, I really want to eat there. It's kind of like going to Branson -- you read so many great reviews about the Haygoods and finally you decide you have to check it out and see if it's as good a show as the reviews say. Then you see it and become one of the freakiest over 30 Haygoods fans out there. You devote entire blog posts to your love of the Haygoods.

I feel the same way about Le Cellier. It has such a great reputation that I just have to try it. I have to add my 2 cents to the multitude of dining reviews out there. I have to know if it lives up to the hype.

All this coming from someone whose idea of haute cuisine is the Fiesta Lime Chicken at Applebee's.

But I called on my lunch hour today and made us ADRs for Le Cellier, on our Illuminations cruise day, at 11:30 am. Plenty of time allowed between the meal and the cruise for ample digestion to occur.

Also called on my lunch hour and made reservations for Dan and I to take an adults only trip to Branson in July. And yes, we'll be seeing the Haygoods. For the 4th time. Hey, they lived up to the hype.

Next year this time, I'll probably be writing about our weekend trip to WDW just to eat at Le Cellier. I'm such a sucker for hype.

OK, time for a photo. Except it's not a photo or a layout, but my handy-dandy, hanging right beside my computer, table of where we'll be when. I know some reading this are going at the same time as us, so I thought I'd post our day by day itinerary. If you see something that matches what you're doing, give me a shout and maybe we can meet up over a Grey Goose Slush or something. Oh, and that Illuminations cruise? It holds 10 and there's only 5 of us. We had plans for others to join us, but those fell through. So I'm not going to post that we want someone to share on the main board, but if someone is reading this and wants to join us on June 4, drop me a line. Just be warned that it's going to be decorated for Tater's birthday.

 

[BrerMama]

Dateline April 21, 2007

I'm not really a crafty person.

I go through stages. Probably my longest crafty stage was my paper scrapbooking stage, which lasted from mid-2000 to Labor Day 2004.

Then I discovered digital scrapbooking and since then every layout I've done has been completely computer generated. Which I don't consider crafty. It's a hobby, it's still scrapbooking and it's even art sometimes, but it's not a craft.

Every once in awhile, I'll get in the mood to do some ridiculous craft which usually means I spend more money buying supplies than I gain in creating whatever it was.

Disney seems to really bring out these urges in me.

Long ago, I had decided no autograph books for anyone this year. I'd get photos, and that would be enough. Then the girls asked for autograph books.

And I went a little crazy.

First, I bought spiral bound index cards, thinking the characters could sign the backs of the cards. That's what you see in the middle. Except I decided it wasn't good enough for an autograph book. I ended up making it into a little portable itinerary book for me. Inside, I have an overview of our day to day itinerary. Followed by a list of all our ADRs, with confirmation numbers. Then a card for each day, which includes little notes to myself. Like, "Don't forget to head over to see Ariel at 10 am." Or "If we're tired and want to sleep in, this would be a great day to do it."

The other two books are the girls' autograph books. Black is Mykiah's, Tink is Chesney's. They are 7 Gypsies Junque journals, with thick pages and little envelopes where the girls can tuck memorabilia.

That done, I thought the crafty urge had passed.

Then I saw this thread. Last year, at Silver Dollar City, the girls had tie dyed some shirts in the kiddy craft barn. I had been intrigued by the whole process, but not so much that I'd gone out and bought a kit when we got home.

Then I saw a photo somewhere... a trip report, maybe? Anyway, in the photo, the family was wearing tie dyed Mickey head shirts, and I had decided that those were the shirts I wanted for the whole family this trip. I couldn't wait to get to WDW and buy them.

Except it turns out that they weren't something that the people in the family had bought, but something they created.

So the seed was planted. I bookmarked the thread and kept checking it. Threw the idea out to Dan, trying to get an opinion. Which he didn't give.

I got my opportunity a few weeks ago on a Thursday. Dan wanted to "do something" this weekend. But it was supposed to be windy and possible severe weather, so doing something outside was out. I suggested the big tie dye project.

Then we went out to eat on Friday night, and needed to buy a birthday gift after dinner. Due to traffic, we ended up shopping for an art kit at Hobby Lobby.

Which coincidentally sells tie dye kits.

Spent some time Saturday, and did this:

I have to admit, I thought it was 50/50 whether they would come out. I stitched and gathered and banded and followed the instructions, but I still wasn't confident.

Dan was even less confident than I.

But turn out they did. I think Dan would have been happier if the colors weren't quite so much on the pastel side, but he's the one that mixed the dye and diluted them too much.

They're done and tucked away in the closet I have reserved for Disney stuff. Not sure when we'll wear them, but wear them we will.

I hope this is the last of the crafty urges. I think 2 projects in 2 months has tapped me dry.

 

[DisneyDadFaNaTic]

Those shirts ROCK, yeah they do!

I've got to get one of those kits! You did an amazing job on those!

Love them!

 

[jenr812]

Great shirts! I have bought the kit and have the shirts, but I have yet to actually make them. Only 15 days left and I am not sure I'll find time but oh well!!

I LOVE your books. Very cute!

 

[jenr812]

PS Man! I really wish that your cruise was a couple days sooner. We really wanted to try and share one with someone, and you guys would be great. But alas, when you are embarking on your fabulous Tater birthday celebration cruise, we will be pulling into our driveway back home in SC So sad. Anyway, hope you find some cool people to share your cruise.

 

[BrerMama]

PS Man! I really wish that your cruise was a couple days sooner. We really wanted to try and share one with someone, and you guys would be great. But alas, when you are embarking on your fabulous Tater birthday celebration cruise, we will be pulling into our driveway back home in SC So sad. Anyway, hope you find some cool people to share your cruise.

I hope so too! C'mon peeps! Help a girl out there!

Great shirts! I have bought the kit and have the shirts, but I have yet to actually make them. Only 15 days left and I am not sure I'll find time but oh well!!

I LOVE your books. Very cute!

It's pretty easy. A couple of hours of stitching while watching TV, maybe a half hour for the actual dying, and that's it.

Those shirts ROCK, yeah they do!

I've got to get one of those kits! You did an amazing job on those!

Love them!

If you do it, take pictures, because I want to see!

 

[oybolshoi]

Hugs to your DH (not getting fresh or anything - ) with the whole sensitive stomach thing. I completely understand and sympathize. Without getting more inquisitive than I should, does he have a condition where medication could help with some of his problem? I know with my Crohns, when I'm not in the middle of a flare I have daily maintenance medication that keeps things pretty well under control and allows me to eat whatever I want (within reason).

Also glad to see that you weathered the storms this weekend - that was some nasty stuff.

 

[BrerMama]

Hugs to your DH (not getting fresh or anything - ) with the whole sensitive stomach thing. I completely understand and sympathize. Without getting more inquisitive than I should, does he have a condition where medication could help with some of his problem? I know with my Crohns, when I'm not in the middle of a flare I have daily maintenance medication that keeps things pretty well under control and allows me to eat whatever I want (within reason).

Also glad to see that you weathered the storms this weekend - that was some nasty stuff.

Brenda, I'm convinced that a doctor could help him with his stomach issues. He, however, will not even mention it to a doctor. His dad has a sensitive stomach and he just believes it's inherited and his cross to bear. He knows what triggers it and tries to avoid those things, but other than that, there's not much more I can do to convince him to get medical help. Of course, one of his triggers is big meals and with the dining plan, we're guaranteed one of those a day. Should be an interesting trip. I'd try harder, but I'm trying to get my own issues with chronic headaches under control before the trip.

And yes, so blessed to be safe after those devastating tornados. Spent all day Sunday at the ready for heading to tornado shelters, too. Such a scary time of year for those of us in the central US.

 

[BrerMama]

So Kiah wins the award for being the first to start packing. I'm quite firm in the fact that I will not start packing until the Saturday before we leave. We're leaving on a Sunday for Kansas City, plane leaves on Monday morning. I plan to spend Saturday packing.

You see, I have school until that Thursday. And Friday will be spent packing up my classroom because I'm making the big move from teaching K-1-2 special education to teaching pre-K special education next year. I won't need a lot of the stuff I have in my classroom next year. Heck, next year, I won't even have a classroom. So my goal is to whittle down what I need to what can be contained in a desk and a file cabinet, box up everything for the very well qualified person taking my job, and leave the building knowing my job is done for another 10 weeks.

Only when that packing is done can I come home and pack for Disney.

Our house also doesn't have the room to have open suitcases laying out for any length of time.

Unless we want any combination of 3 cats and a dog climbing in and out of them.

Which I don't.

I also don't want things being stuck in suitcases and me not knowing what's in them. I want to stand there, with my little checklist and check things off as they are put into the suitcases. I have visions of my house filled with suitcases, me with a megaphone shouting out directions to my family and them filling the suitcases in assembly line fashion.



A girl can have visions, can't she?

So anyway, the point of this story is that Kiah has already started her packing. Packed her carryon, just to make sure everything she wants to take will fit.

Back for Valentine's Day, her dad and I bought her a small backpack she could use as a carry on. Then for Easter, I got a great deal on an American Girl tote that I gave her that she could use for a carry on.

She couldn't decide.

So she put the backpack inside the tote.

Um, no girl, that ain't gonna work. Use the AG bag as a carry on. That's fine. If you think you might want to use the backpack in the parks, we'll slide it into one of the big suitcases. But you're not going to put it inside a carry on.

And she just doesn't get that.

It caused great drama at our house on Sunday night.

Not to mention that I have declared that we were not packing for another 3 weeks. So she dutifully unpacked -- because she's a good girl, after all -- and now knows just how much her carry on of choice can hold.

She's so mature it sometimes frightens me. Even as I type, it's about an hour before she leaves for school and she's in cleaning her bathroom. That's just strange. An 11 year old girl should not wake up in the morning and go, "Hey, I think I'll clean the bathroom before school this morning."

But I'm not complaining.

Since I'm talking about her and can't handle a post without a photo, here's my girl, in a layout I just posted today. She definitely takes after her momma:

 

[Dusted]

You can't deny her- she looks just like you.... I love shots like that- I have a few of my little one in a mad temper tantrum or crying, just day to day photos. If she notices me taking the picture it makes it so much worse, but sometimes it is worth it. They're only little once, and I want to remember each crazy little face she makes...

Our suitcases are officially open, last night as a matter of fact. Very late for us, but with two trips a year, and those two trips in the later part of last year, we have it down to a science. My toiletry organizer is still packed from last year and still hangs on the back of my bedroom door. Reminds me that no matter when it is, we will be going away soon. Just refilled the shampoo bottle and added some qtips. Done.

Had a all our Disney stuff stashed in the suitcase from last time. Light up ears, my Mickey ears headband, pins, penny press organizer, ponchos, etc.

It'll be fine. Really. All the laundry is done. Just have to get it in those suitcases. Soon.

We going to see the Lion King in NY on Sunday, we leave on Monday. I am swamped with Real Estate work. Oh well. Disney here we come...

 

[jenr812]

Beautiful LO as always. Maybe if we run into each other in Disney, some of her maturity will rub off on my Jessica LOL Clean the bathroom voluntarily?! *faint* Bless her heart! She's a girl after my own heart - I have Jory's stuff about 85% packed!

 

[roxannensteve]

Love that scrapbook page with your DS - which program do you use?

 

[BrerMama]

You can't deny her- she looks just like you....

So I'm told. I have a hard time seeing it, but I've been told it since she's been itty bitty. When she used to go to my school, they called her "Little Kim."

It'll be fine. Really. All the laundry is done. Just have to get it in those suitcases. Soon.

We going to see the Lion King in NY on Sunday, we leave on Monday. I am swamped with Real Estate work. Oh well. Disney here we come...

And yet, here you are reading the DIS boards.... Why do I have a feeling I'll be doing the exact same?!? Have a wonderful, blessed trip! I can't wait to hear all about the magic!

Beautiful LO as always. Maybe if we run into each other in Disney, some of her maturity will rub off on my Jessica LOL Clean the bathroom voluntarily?! *faint* Bless her heart! She's a girl after my own heart - I have Jory's stuff about 85% packed!

I like the maturity most of the time. It's when she's trying to be more mature mature than me that I get a bit testy...

Love that scrapbook page with your DS - which program do you use?

I use Photoshop Elements 3.0. Sometime in the future, I'll get a new computer with Vista and PSE 5.0, but for now, it all works just fine for me.

Thanks for the comments on my layouts everyone. Seems I just tell the stories better with layouts!

 

[BrerMama]

Dateline: May 11, 2007

Man, I am not looking forward to going to work today. My paraeducator is taking a personal day. That means I'm on my own. Why is it that when I'm gone, I get a substitute teacher, but when she's gone, I just have to do her job and my job? That make sense to anyone? Oh well, it's Friday and I will survive.

Cuz it's her last personal day of the year.

And after today, there's only 9 days of school left.

We have 17 days until we go to Disney.

Not that I'm counting or anything.

So today, I thought I'd talk about Avon.

"Yoo Hoo, Avon calling."

Actually have not ordered from a real live Avon lady ever. But I do make an Avon order about this time of year. I like to use their product for vacation.

My first purchase is always the Skin So Soft Bug Repellent Sunscreen. I'm not completely sure we need bug repellent at WDW, but you just never know and Ches is horribly allergic to mosquito bites. Gets huge welts wherever she is bitten. It's a DEET free formula, so I don't worry about poisoning my children, and this year, it comes in a spray, which makes me ever so happy. We'll use it when we're going to the parks in the evenings, when the buggies like to come out to play.

And you know, while you're shopping Avon.com (which almost always has some sort of shipping special), you just have to look around and see what else you need for this trip you're planning. I found this little product and thought I'd found the Holy Grail:

That's Friction Control Anti-Blister Balm. Probably the same stuff as Body Glide. I was so excited. I thought, "When I wear my Crocs flippy flops, I'm gonna stick that stuff between my toes. No blisters." Then I got it, and it's like the size of a quarter. Dude. Where's my balm? I will be applying this sparingly.

Let's see... I also picked up some foot cream and some lip balm with sunscreen in it. Kiah laughed at me when I said I had lip balm with sunscreen because lips don't sunburn. But oh ho, mine have. And I did feel compelled to mention that on a normal day, I spend probably 80-90% of my day indoors. On a WDW day, it will probably more like 50-50. I love my lips. I don't want them even singed.

So there's my Avon shopping list for those with summer trips. And hey, pick up some of that yummy bubble bath too. You can never have enough Avon bubble bath.

 

[oybolshoi]

Brenda, I'm convinced that a doctor could help him with his stomach issues. He, however, will not even mention it to a doctor. His dad has a sensitive stomach and he just believes it's inherited and his cross to bear. He knows what triggers it and tries to avoid those things, but other than that, there's not much more I can do to convince him to get medical help. Of course, one of his triggers is big meals and with the dining plan, we're guaranteed one of those a day. Should be an interesting trip. I'd try harder, but I'm trying to get my own issues with chronic headaches under control before the trip.

I understand where he's coming from - I went for years not even knowing that my problem had a name until it landed me in the hospital. D'OH!

I thought having a sensitive stomach was one of those things I just had to deal with...like wearing glasses or having a bulging eyeball or wearing a prosthetic butt or...perhaps I've said too much?

Anyway, hugs to your entire family that you all feel great on your trip and that you have a wonderful wonderful time (which you will!).

And yes, so blessed to be safe after those devastating tornados. Spent all day Sunday at the ready for heading to tornado shelters, too. Such a scary time of year for those of us in the central US.

I love this time of year because it's finally getting warm but I hate this time of year because the weather is so volatile.

In our part of the St. Louis metro area we live right along the local Tornado Alley - just about a mile south of Interstate 70. Those storms just roll right down the highway out of Western / Middle Missouri. Living on the edge...that's us.

I'll be popping in again to wish you a happy trip before the hubby and I leave for WDW... 13 days!!

 

[BrerMama]

There were some big doin's at our house yesterday. Know why? Cuz that photo is me.

Notice the lack of glasses?

Yup, went and got contacts.

We have new vision insurance through my husband. For a year, one of my co-workers has been trying to convince me that contacts have gotten so much better since I last tried them a decade ago. I have astigmatism, so I have to wear weighted toric lenses and by the end of a year, I hated them. Then when I was at the doctor for my physical a few weeks ago, I read a news magazine article about vision and it said that if you have astigmatism and haven't tried contacts in the last decade, you should really give them a try now.

Sign from above, no?

So yesterday I go to my doctor.

Who pretty much blows off the claims of my co-worker and that magazine and told me that hadn't changed much. Then he backpedalled because if nothing else, now you can throw them away after a couple of weeks. Which is for me.

And for me, he even had my prescription in stock, so I walked out of there sans glasses. I popped those things right in, no problem. (Did have a wee bit o trouble getting the right one out.)

Then they bugged me all the live long day yesterday.

Here's the thing though. I'm going to WDW two weeks from today. (How is it to say that?!?) It would sort of be nice to have contacts there. And then next year, my job is changing and I'm going to be sitting on the floor, at eye level with 3 and 4 year olds all day long. Would sort of be nice to not have glasses sitting there for them to grab.

And I really like the idea of shopping for some cool sunglasses to wear to Disney.

It's a bit unexpected, but I have some new things to add to my packing list -- spare contacts, contact lens solution, contact case. Oh, and cool new sunglasses.

I told Dan I was pretty sure they sold cool Disney sunglasses.

He said he was pretty sure they just sold regular sunglasses, slapped a Mickey sticker on them, and jacked up the price 100%.

Shall we take bets on whether I buy a pair anyway?