Happiness and HAAAAmony

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Like Varuca Salt's mother's only lines in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"....not the Johnny Depp version. Not to offend anyone right off the bat, but he's a little creepy to look at in that movie. He somehow has this Velma from Scooby Doo thing going on and it's just not right. I'm a classics kind of gal, and the Gene Wilder version is much better for me.

I'm already off topic.

Anyway, I have some rules for our family trips. The biggest, most important of them all is repeated to my children frequently in the voice of Varuca Salt's mother. Happiness and HAAAAmony. I don't want to hear any crabbing, complaining, arguing, whining or crying. It's just NOT allowed in WDW. I think that should be posted on a sign as you walk into each park. They have become accustomed to hearing me, and have also turned the tables on their poor, aging mother on those very (did I say VERY) rare occasions when I get a tad bit cranky. I have also experienced the mortification involved in my then 5 year old telling another child, a complete stranger, mind you, that WDW is no place for crying. Only happy tears, please.

I have shed happy tears in the world. We bought APs this year, and around my birthday we took a weekend trip. (We live within 6.5 hours, so the drive isn't terrible.) I realized that I have been fortunate enough to have had several trips as a child, the first one the summer I turned 7. It was summer in Florida...hot, humid, and it was back in the days when there was only one park. To say it was crowded just couldn't do it justice. We were sardines walking through the castle. It was wonderful, scary, and overwhelming for my 7 year old brain. I held my mother's hand, and trudged through with what seemed like the entire human race, all the time looking up at this glorious site. Thirty years later I returned for my birthday with my family. I got to hold all their hands and walk through the castle again. The magic and wonder still there. The awe and wonder of it all to be shared with my family. Happy tears.

.

Me~SharkB8
DH~e-Curb
Little Bite 1~ 9
Little Bite 2 ~ 6
Little Bite 3 ~ 3

We'll be at POR for 8 nights then spend our last night at SOG.

So we are going back in two days. A long trip this time. And there will be only happiness and haaaaamony.

 

[OhMari]

Hope to hear how you liked POR, let me know which area is near the bus stop.

 

[PrincessV]

Getting in on this one early. Have a fabulous time in The World!

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

In less than 24 hours we are set to be on the road. One would think that I would be spilling over with excitement and anticipation...alas, I am not. I am, however, LOSING IT! I am not packed, my house is not clean, my bills are not in the mail, my plants are not watered. So where do I turn? Here, to the DIS, to fellow packers and planners. Those who know the stress within which I am existing right now.

How is it that the list of shorts that "HAD" to be packed for the trip for the 6 year old ended up on him today? TODAY! Read as, "SharkB8 will be doing laundry at 10:00 tonight."

How is it that the lawn that I insisted be mowed at the last possible minutes (we will, after all, be gone for 9 days and we live in a community where if the lawn is just a hair past perfect, we get hate mail) is now buzzing with wasps, out to get me for sure.

So, I keep saying my mantra. Happiness and HAAAAAmony. This time tomorrow, if all goes according to plan, I will be eating some form of food court meal in St. Augustine after having stopped at the outlet for a year old autograph book for the child with the shorts on TODAY that need to be washed TONIGHT so he can pack them.

Wish me luck.

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Thanks, PrincessV, for the wishes. Didn't you just get back?

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Last load of laundry done - check.

Suitcases packed and in the car - check.

Capri Sun's in the freezer for the drive - check.

Lawn mowed - check.

Lime Green Mickey Heads - check.

Custom made t-shirts for the family - check.

Tinker Toys spread throughout the house - check....See, despite my best efforts to keep things tidy so I'll come home to spit-spot, Little Bite 3 has other plans. Having said this, allow me to introduce you.

There's me. I'm rather boring. SharkB8.

My DH, e-Curb is also on the boards, but has yet to post. His first trip to WDW was 7 years ago, when Little Bite 1 was almost 3. It was instant, the love for the world. And since then, while we have attempted to plan vacations elsewhere, we always end up in Disney. We tried to do the educational thing and go to Colonial Williamsburg one year. By the time we tallied up tickets, hotels and food, we figured it would be just as much to go to WDW, and far more enjoyable. So off we went. Anytime I mention going someplace, he says "This is how it all starts". We end up in Florida.

Little Bite 1 is almost 10. He's an awesome kid. SMART. Loves to learn, but loses all focus when we are within a 3 month time frame for a trip. He's my Marlin. A bit of a worrier. But the best big brother going.

Little Bite 2 is 6. He is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. Just a pure, gentle soul. Loves Everest. And has this uncanny way of memorizing lines from movies after only watching them once. He can quote just about any Disney movie out there.

Little Bite 3 is 3. He embodies 3 like no other child I've ever met. He is so sweet and charming, and can go criminal mastermind quicker than you can say criminal mastermind. His first trip to WDW was when he was 3 months old. This will be his sixth trip (ooh, that sounds bad when you read it.) Anyway, it is Little Bite 3s mission to make me crazy. He loves it. He thrives on it. He thinks its funny. Often, I don't.

SO, there we are. We are armed with t-shirts my DH made for us. Little lime green heads on the back, pictures of characters on the front. I will talk to just about anyone, so if you see us, feel free to come say hi. I know it's a bit awkward, but give it a go. I don't bite!

 

[UtahMama]

Have FUN Sharkie! (See, I've already nick-named you!)

Our room was in the #14 building. It's the closest to the food court (and free refills!) and the buss stop! Maybe you can request it when you get there!

*Ask the rotten-teethed bell services lady "Where do we go"? and see if I taught her any manners!

Cant wait to read all about it when you return!

Have a wonderful trip!!!!

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

UMama,
You found me! You know we are both going to get into trouble because you have peeps a-waitin' your TR, and you are lingering over my way. I'll take the heat.

It's 6:56 here in the great state of SC, and I've got to wake my boys and get them moving. We are supposed to be A I S at 9 and they have the nerve to sleep. WHAT are they thinking?!? It's DISNEY after all! (side bar ~ Little Bite 1 was still up at 11 last night. Should make for an interesting day.)

I'll keep an eye out for the toothless wonder. Have a blast while I'm gone. And please keep writing. We all enjoy your story.

HooHaHA!

 

[PrincessV]

Thanks, PrincessV, for the wishes. Didn't you just get back?

Yes, but "back" can be used pretty loosely in this case - I live an hour and a half away from WDW! As you'll soon see, the cold front made it all the way down to Tampa Bay (which is south and west of Orlando) and the weather is jsut BEE UU TIFUL! You'll have a terrific week

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I-95.

We've spent far too much time on it over the past 4 months. See, e-Curb was down in Jacksonville on business for 4 months (yup. You read it right.) So I-95 has been guilty of putting many, many miles on our cars this summer. If e-Curb didn't come home on a weekend, I would pack the little bites into the car and we would go down there. We both became very familiar with the bumps, shreaded tires and dead armadillos. ( Funny, when did the armadillo migrate to Georgia? ) BUT, this trip was different. This trip was the reward. This was the journey that was going to pack all of our collective rear-ends into the SAME car and take us TOGETHER down 95. This was the pay off for the endless summer of travel for my DH.

***Warning....mushy, yucky stuff that might get too personal!*****

This time of separation has been very hard on all of us. e-Curb took a job that didn't come with a warning. They didn't tell us at the time of interview/offer/acceptance that the job would require a tremendous amount of travel during the first 2 years. It is a great job, and one that got him out of a field that he needed to get out of. But it has had a heavy price. 16 months of travel. All back to back. Fortunately, he has been able to do many of his trips locally, so we've been very lucky, but he couldn't find something locally that would fit the requirement for the time spent in Jacksonville. So he had to go. He is in Washington, DC right now. So, we went from 4 months in Jax to 2 months in DC. We needed time together as a family. Time to regroup and have fun. We needed a diversion. We needed WDW. My little bites have had a rough time of missing their father. And I miss him terribly. We just needed to be normal for a week. So we headed for the world.

Sleep the night before departure was hard to catch. Funny how dodgey it can be from time to time. But I had everything ready to go for the morning. I had clothes laid out for each bite to wear. I had the car packed. I even managed to manipulate the milk so that there was just enough to pour over 3 bowls of cereal. We were going to be pulling out of the drive way by 9 if it killed me. The alarm didn't need to go off. I had foolishly set it thinking I might get some much needed early morning sleep, but, like the commercial, I was too excited to sleep. I could have even done without coffee if it weren't for the brain-cracking migrane that would have arrived without an invite by 11 am. I was hyper. As was little bite 1.....and 2.......AND 3! e-curb had gotten home at 1:30 in the morning, so he was just slightly less crazed, but we managed to fix that.

Cereal was eaten, coffee consumed, teeth brushed, bladders emptied, lights on, A/C off, doors locked, butts in seats.....and....we're off. AND we're EARLY!

I am elated. Silly, I know, to be elated over the time, but I was. This could only mean one thing. MORE time with the mouse!

As we descend the driveway I do roll call....sunglasses? Hats? DVDs? Juice? Camera? Paperwork? Money?......Money?......Ummmm, money? We had no money. No cashola. Not good. A delay. And I was feeling so good about the early start. But let's face it, you've got to have some cash. If there is one thing I loathe, it's going in the opposite direction from my destination. That is exactly what we had to do. So it's off to the bank we go. Hit the ATM, (I could swear that thing took longer to churn out the bills than usual) and we were officially on our way.

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Good start! Can't wait to hear about your stay at POR!

 

[PrincessV]

Money?......Money?......Ummmm, money? We had no money. No cashola. Not good. A delay. And I was feeling so good about the early start. But let's face it, you've got to have some cash. If there is one thing I loathe, it's going in the opposite direction from my destination. That is exactly what we had to do. So it's off to the bank we go. Hit the ATM, (I could swear that thing took longer to churn out the bills than usual) and we were officially on our way.

I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one this happens to! EVERY trip anywhere, without fail, I forget to get cash ahead of time.

Glad to have you back!

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoying ~ Thanx for posting.

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

It seems AAA managed to name I-75, a once two lane (now 4) road that crosses Florida, "alligator alley". Apparently when the road was constructed, AAA collectively snickered and stated that it was a useless road, and would become nothing more than an alley for alligators. Now it is a frequently traveled road by far more than just pre-historic creatures.

There is your AAA history lesson.

As we headed down 95, I couldn't help but start to take notice of the billboards on the side of the road. I am south of South of the Border, so I have no Pedro to keep me entertained. No gigantic sausages hanging from a sign with the brilliant "you never sausage a place!" What south of South of the Border has is the type of sign that makes you wish you never taught your children to read. "Momma, what do they bare there?" Ugh. I got to the point where I would strain my aging eyes so that when a sign was approaching, I could cause a diversion. "Hey, where is the cooler?" "Has anyone seen the map of the resort?" "Was that the sound of a crayon being dropped?"

I was so relieved when we FINALLY passed the exit.

Then I noticed the next batch of signs.

What is with the roadside tourist/gas station using stuffed alligators as bait? And they increase in size as you head further south. It's the strangest thing. When was this mass killing of 10 to 13 feet long alligators and WHY did these shopes gobble them up? What makes them think that having a 12 foot long alligator on display is going to get me to stop? I have issues. Face it, we all have issues. My issues often manifest themselves in the form of alligators in my dreams. "Repressed anger or emotion will often present itself in the form of an animal or other aggressive creation in your dreams in order to force you to deal with said repressed anger." Thank you Dr. Hill, psych 101 instructor. Needless to say, I was NOT going to stop at the tourist/gas station to have my photo taken beside a stuffed alligator, no matter HOW many times I had the opportunity. And as you head down 95, I think you are given the opportunity 6 times.

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

NurseMommy and Minniespal, thanks for joining me. V, UMama and OhMari, I hope you are still hanging in ... I hope to get back later tonight to add to the mayhem.

Thanks!

 

[Hound 109]

sharkB8HooHaHa[/B]]Like Varuca Salt's mother's only lines in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"....not the Johnny Depp version.....I'm a classics kind of gal, and the Gene Wilder version is much better for me.

I agree. (In fact before there was a Gene Wilder movie, there was a book named "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" that I read 6-16 times....& for me the Wilder movie wasn't "classic" enough. However, Wilder & the Veruca character were portrayed exactly as my mind's eye saw them.)

I have also experienced the mortification involved in my then 5 year old telling another child, a complete stranger, mind you, that WDW is no place for crying.

That's hilarious.

(my 6 y/o has heard from me..& has told others "there's no crying in baseball" - thanks Tom Hanks)

It was wonderful, scary, and overwhelming for my 7 year old brain. I held my mother's hand, and trudged through with what seemed like the entire human race, all the time looking up at this glorious site.

Thirty years later I returned for my birthday with my family. I got to hold all their hands and walk through the castle again. The magic and wonder still there. The awe and wonder of it all to be shared with my family. Happy tears

You really write well. I look forward to reading this.



hound

 

[NewOrleansLady]

What a wonderful start! Can't wait to read some more

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

Hound 109 and NewOrleansLady, thank you very much for the kind words. I am glad you joined me.

And Hound....isnt' the book ALWAYS better than the movie?

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

If you will recall, we had to make an early morning run to the ATM for some cash. You can't possibly go on vacation without money, regardless of your prepaid status or teeny, tiny budget. And with that teeny, tiny budget in mind, I had packed lunch for the trip.

Pre-vacation fridge emptying is always a hassle for me. With 3 boys you can never be too sure just how much will be consumed on any given day. So, generally speaking, I either have too much food, or too little. This time I was awesome!(if I may say so myself). I micro-managed my children's eating to the point of the perfect amount of everything. They weren't happy, but I was keeping to the schedule. By Wednesday night, night before departure, night of butterflies in the bellies and evasive sleep, I had just enough in the house for two pepperoni pizzas, 4 bowls of salad and milk all around. My little bites ate almost all of one pizza, leaving the whole plus two slices for lunch on the road. Perfect. Again my micro-management skills, while perhaps creating issues for my bites in the future, were working beautifully. The morning of departure required nothing more than tossing zip-locs full of pizza and some juice boxes into the cooler, and we're off.

Right around lunch time we were in Jacksonville. Familiar territory, as you now know. In the past we have stopped in Jax to eat, but that requires getting off 95 and going out of our way. Time was too precious on this trip. We had a date with a mouse and I wasn't about to be late. So just south of Jacksonville we pulled off I-95 into what was also familiar territory. St. Augustine. The nation's oldest city. A mecca for history buffs. Home to Ft. Matanzas and The Castillo. Famous for the nation's oldest school house, horse drawn trolley rides and white sand beaches. Full of quaint shops and eateries.

And outlet shopping.

 

[1000thhappyhaunt]

Too.

I love how you started this trippie.

Except for the Johnny Depp thingie.

Just kiddin'.

Or am I?

I liked the original Willie Wonka better, myself.

That IS a classic.


Anywho... looking forward to MORE.

cheers, Melly.