"Having a GRAND time - The Official GF Chat Thread"

[Lives4Disney]

evening ladies
I have to say its tough sometimes with the school. Last year Shawn has this awesome teacher who emailed me all the time. This year my emails take much to long to be answered. As for Anty he needs more speech therapy but where I live its based on needs and income. We make to much money to be in the program and now its a lottery. I FINALLY have them coming in May to do a new evaluation. I am sure Anty will qualify for the help and then they will have to let him in. the whole process is annoying.

Annoying is right. If a kid needs the help, he should get it regardless. I hear ya on the emails. Mine take 3 days and a re email to get an answer. And it's not like I am emailing and bugging her all the time! Maybe once in a blue moon.

Zack goes to a school where there is lots of money - MANY kids drive Hummers and Lexuses to school and were raised by nannies - and that school district has MONEY - people here pay enormous taxes, but they are so skimpy on the special services it gets me. BUT they have money to put in NEW lights on the football field -the old ones aren't even 7 yrs old. Ridiculous.

Same w/Jojo....so she was the 5th worst and couldn't get the help due to only room for 4.....well, the principal made an exception. She's in. I think it's who you talk to/who you know and the squeekly wheel gets the grease. Fighting gets tiring though.

I hope Anty gets the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great night, ladies.... I am off to watch LOVE BOAT!!! I bought the first season DVDs. I love that show!!! My kids thought I was nutso when I saw the add for it coming out in People magazine and was so happy!!! I remember staying home and watching it every Sat night when I was a kid.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

please he will get it
with my huge mouth
it will happen
LOL

 

[tinklvr64]

DAWN!!! OMG>....Lucy has RP!!! I couldn't believe it when I read this in your post!!!!!!! She was diagnosed at age 6, but I had feelings that something was just not quite right since she was 2 yrs old. We see a wonderful dr at UIC!!!! I love hearing positive stories about people with RP. This was devastating to us. We don't know anybody else with any visual disabilities so it seemed like the end of our world to get this diagnosis. Lucy is undescribably awesome.

Oh...it gets so hard having to constantly battle. The battle wears ya down. With Lucy it has been easy - low to no battles - because she is a super kid, but with DS17 and the ADHD, which is so abstract to people it's been a long rough ride. He is super smart, not hyper, but very spacey and easily bored/distracted/disorganized and it appears as laziness. (at this point it is partly lazy and attitude because he has been so let down by the school system) Now with Jojo entering this Sp ed world, I think I will just have to really stay ontop of things....she is sooo cute and sooo sweet I think teachers really like her and that should work for her, too. BUT I know I need to be a watchdog.

I wish you all the best with your teaching. We need more great teachers out there.

Channing

WOW what a small world!!! I cant believe it! My nephew also has a dr at UIC maybe the same one! I guess they are pretty great down there for this type of eye disease..my family traced it down to a dormant gene in my grandfather. When my nephew was in hs he was a wrestler and made varsity soph, jr and sr years and also made it to state! Lucy sounds like she is awesome and will become even more as she gets older! She is lucky to have such a supportive, devoted family cause thats the most important!

Did we know each other in another life??? My daughter was diagnosed with Adult ADD last year. She used to say in HS stuff like i think i have ADD and i would poopoo it. Well, since seeing her dr and getting all the info it sure fits. She is soo disorganized, short attention span, etc....but now seems to be doing alot better on meds. I always said she likes living by the seat of her pants!

Crazy world isnt it!!!!!!

evening ladies
I have to say its tough sometimes with the school. Last year Shawn has this awesome teacher who emailed me all the time. This year my emails take much to long to be answered. As for Anty he needs more speech therapy but where I live its based on needs and income. We make to much money to be in the program and now its a lottery. I FINALLY have them coming in May to do a new evaluation. I am sure Anty will qualify for the help and then they will have to let him in. the whole process is annoying.

Kelly, just keep plugging along. You are doing the right thing. The whole process is annoying and it shouldn't be. We shouldn't have to fight this hard to get help for our kids!


have a good evening ladies!!!!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I dont know about anyone else but we have a regional school system so many towns one system.

 

[Lives4Disney]

WOW what a small world!!! I cant believe it! My nephew also has a dr at UIC maybe the same one! I guess they are pretty great down there for this type of eye disease..my family traced it down to a dormant gene in my grandfather. When my nephew was in hs he was a wrestler and made varsity soph, jr and sr years and also made it to state! Lucy sounds like she is awesome and will become even more as she gets older! She is lucky to have such a supportive, devoted family cause thats the most important!

Did we know each other in another life??? My daughter was diagnosed with Adult ADD last year. She used to say in HS stuff like i think i have ADD and i would poopoo it. Well, since seeing her dr and getting all the info it sure fits. She is soo disorganized, short attention span, etc....but now seems to be doing alot better on meds. I always said she likes living by the seat of her pants!

Crazy world isnt it!!!!!!



Kelly, just keep plugging along. You are doing the right thing. The whole process is annoying and it shouldn't be. We shouldn't have to fight this hard to get help for our kids!


have a good evening ladies!!!!

ok...I am back....DH was working on his expense report and something bad happened and it got erased....so still waiting for my LOVE BOAT to set sail...

Dawn, I bet his doctor is Dr. Fishman. He is one of the top in this field & books appointments a year in advance. I was so sad and distraught by being told this news by a jerky dr. in Wheaton (won't name names , but he was an arrogant idiot) I called a place near me....talked to the NICEST lady dr. but she was a corneal specialist but she took time with me on the phone and told me if it were her kid, she'd take her to Dr. Fishman at UIC. She was the most wonderful person and gave me a big lift of positive when I needed it. I won't ever forget her. So we've seen him annually since 2003. We have no idea where exactly her rp came from. DH and I are obviously both carriers and it's a ressessive thing. Found out that 1/80 people carry the gene for it. My grandma was an orphan that only had a brother and he was hit by a car and killed at a young age (maybe he had vision problems and possibly caused his death), DH's family is a bunch of immigrants and transplants all over Europe and South America so not a lot of connections there. It's pretty much a mystery, but it's there somewhere. I told Lucy about your nephew's success story. She needs to hear that type of thing.

I am glad things have worked out for your daughter!!!! We tried so many meds for DS and nothing had a great impact. He even wound up in the hospital due to some horrible emotional side effects at one point. We're done with any meds for him. He needs some behavior help and he doesn't get it thru the school. NOT that he's a bad kid - I mean behaviour modification for his ADHD and bad habit - organizational help/skills - that type of thing. I don't forsee that happening. He is a mess at this point and I am so worried about where life will lead him. He is creative/free spirit, too, and probably wind up doing something with music or having his own business. He needs his own flexibility - he beats to a different drummer.

Kelly, LOL on the big mouth!! YOu go, girl!!! Get Anty everything he has coming to him!!!!!

My boat is setting sail!!!! Talk to ya later!

 

[triplefigs]

Guess what??????!!!!!! DH agreed to 5 nights at the GF in December. So, I get to go in 3 weeks and then again in Dec! We're going to book the bounceback offer while we're down there. Right now the GV and TPV are both available at the GF. Can't wait!

 

[irisbud]

Good for you Denise! You totally deserve it after all your family has been through this past year!

 

[grannyminnie]

Ah, that's great, Denise...I know you're triply excited!!! LOL
Channing, re: your son's ADHD...is it possible he has Asperger traits? Have you heard of that? My (step)grandson has it, and for years was diagnosed with ADHD, and left at that. He has an IEP now; has had for a few years. His mom, my stepdaughter, has felt like she was his only advocate in school and has fought tooth and nail to get him his due in the public school system. She's a teacher too, and I feel like she would not have gotten as much if she wasn't.
Where's our daily Jose picture??

 

[WishesQueen]

Good Morning ladies!! (and men if there are any this morning)!!

I too have my share of stories, if your a frequent visitor to this thread you know that my DD11 has albinism, and one of these days I am going to learn how to use photobucket to show her off alittle!!!

Anyway, as I am reading all your posts this morning to catch up with everyone, I realize one thing. We all love WDW and the GF because we get to step away from reality and relax. Everyone has there share of worries and we all have found the same medicine for temporary relief!!!

Thanks for being there for me and I hope I could be there for everyone else!!

Very deep for me this morning!!!

 

[tinklvr64]

Afternoon Ladies..I am taking a break from a little school work. It is a wonderful day here in Chicago sunny and 60 A little slice of heaven

Channing~yes his dr is Dr. Fishman! I know they hoped something could be done or research found, but still after 25yrs nothing yet. You never know though! Your son will find his niche eventually....my daughter after 25 yrs has finally found hers after driving us crazy Kids!!

Wishes~you are CORRECT!! Thats the best part GF and WDW! It definately is a place to take a step away from reality! Unlike gross Las Vegas

Triplefigs~another lucky duck..2 Dis trips in a year!!!!!

Have a good days ladies, back to work (I'd rather be in here than outside helping husband do yardwork yuck!)

 

[vbarry]

Good Morning ladies!! (and men if there are any this morning)!!

I too have my share of stories, if your a frequent visitor to this thread you know that my DD11 has albinism, and one of these days I am going to learn how to use photobucket to show her off alittle!!!

Anyway, as I am reading all your posts this morning to catch up with everyone, I realize one thing. We all love WDW and the GF because we get to step away from reality and relax. Everyone has there share of worries and we all have found the same medicine for temporary relief!!!

Thanks for being there for me and I hope I could be there for everyone else!!

Very deep for me this morning!!!

I think this is so very true. I sometimes wonder why I spend so much time reading on the Dis and talking to complete strangers about a vacation destination. I then realize it is my mini daily mind vacation. It takes me away, for a very short moment, from life's obstacles. We each have our own and it is nice to have a place to share them.

I think this is why I love WDW so much. It is truly a magical place where my family shares some of our fondest memories and a place that is very far away from the stresses of every day living.

Have a nice day everyone!!

Vanessa

 

[smcinerney]

Yes - I agree - Feel the same way

 

[tidblgrrer]

Channing --- I think the others are right. Two grade levels does need a justification. My parents fought one of "those teachers" for me. It turned out that the kid that stayed after class daily was changing the name on my homework to his. Of course the handwriting didn't match ---- but she didn't notice that. Uggh! She was pretty embarrassed when my father pointed it out since it was very obvious. I usually did my work in pencil and the kid erased my name and used pen to add his.

We homeschool --- but for different reasons than most. (My sons are dancers and it's easier to work the schedule around practice and still give them time to be kids. Of course once we started we did get hooked on the benefit of vacations in the off-season)

Anyway... People always ask me how I can do that --- but I feel like getting your child an education is Full-time job. It doesn't matter if you do it through public, private or homeschool --- you just have to decide how you can best make it work.

You are so right -- parents do know their children best. So hang in there, your children are so worth it. (Of course you all know that or you wouldn't take them to Disney and the Grand!)

 

[DigitalLove]

Hello All!

I hope you all don't mind me posting here, and my post might be pretty futile but I really wasn't sure where else to post. Myself and my family are from England and were over in Orlando from March 14th until 28th. The highlight of our trip was myself and my (now) Husband getting married on March 20th. We were married off site, but had our wedding dinner at The Chefs Domaine in Citricos, followed by a cruise on the Grand 1 to catch Wishes. The whole day was absolutely spectacular... everything we could ever have dreamed of... but something on the day really touched my heart, and this is the only way I could think of to perhaps let that person now how much their tiny little action meant to me.

We arrived at The GF at around 5-15 for our 6pm dinner reservation. Being stopped by little girls telling me I looked like a Princess will live with me forever but one little girl really captured my heart. I guess it would have been around 5-45 when I headed to the restrooms with my Mum and Auntie so they could readjust my dress... I'm standing near one of the basins when a little girl of around 6ish came out of one of the cubicles. She was just THE sweetest thing ever... The look of delight on her face was priceless and she proceeded to tell me how beautiful I was whilst she literally shook from head to toe. She then did THE cutest thing, and started to hum a waltz to me!

Well, little girl... If you should have a mommy who is reading this... I just wanted to know that YOU were the highlight of my whole day! If you could bottle that feelgood feeling you gave me on my wedding day, then you would make ALOT of bucks for you folks... Most importantly, you would make the hearts of so many people swell! Your folks have a little girl who they should be very very proud of and I just wanted you to know that I shall remember that look on your face until the day I die and I will cherish that memory always!!

To anyone else in or around The GF that day! Thank you all! Being stopped by strangers and congratulated was such a fantastic feeling... We weren't sprinkled with pixie dust that day... We had Tink throw a whole bucketload over us! We didn't just experience the Disney Magic that we love so much.... We experienced such good old fashioned human kindness from people we will never see again, but who we will never forget!

Christina and Mark

xxx

 

[grannyminnie]

What a precious story! Thank you for sharing it with us...on here, we all "get it"!
Congratulations and many years of wedded bliss...

 

[grannyminnie]

I think this is so very true. I sometimes wonder why I spend so much time reading on the Dis and talking to complete strangers about a vacation destination. I then realize it is my mini daily mind vacation. It takes me away, for a very short moment, from life's obstacles. We each have our own and it is nice to have a place to share them.

I think this is why I love WDW so much. It is truly a magical place where my family shares some of our fondest memories and a place that is very far away from the stresses of every day living.

Have a nice day everyone!!

Vanessa

Vanessa, you have ably captured and put into words what so many of us feel. Isn't it great to know so many who feel the same way? Most of us strangers, but friends on here, and able to share our thoughts and feelings happily!!

 

[tinklvr64]

To anyone else in or around The GF that day! Thank you all! Being stopped by strangers and congratulated was such a fantastic feeling... We weren't sprinkled with pixie dust that day... We had Tink throw a whole bucketload over us! We didn't just experience the Disney Magic that we love so much.... We experienced such good old fashioned human kindness from people we will never see again, but who we will never forget!
Christina and Mark

Christina~thats why the GF and Disney is so special. Congrats on your wedding and those are some super great memories to keep!

I then realize it is my mini daily mind vacation. It takes me away, for a very short moment, from life's obstacles.

Vanessa~i love this thought! thanks for sharing cause its true!!


okay back to the schoolwork~ugh

 

[HMeyers]

I think this is so very true. I sometimes wonder why I spend so much time reading on the Dis and talking to complete strangers about a vacation destination. I then realize it is my mini daily mind vacation. It takes me away, for a very short moment, from life's obstacles. We each have our own and it is nice to have a place to share them.

I think this is why I love WDW so much. It is truly a magical place where my family shares some of our fondest memories and a place that is very far away from the stresses of every day living.

Have a nice day everyone!!

Vanessa

You have no idea how true this is. We just found out that DS6 cancer came back. This is devasting to say the least. We leave in 11 hrs to spend a week at the GF to savor some family time.
Heather

 

[WishesQueen]

Hello All!

I hope you all don't mind me posting here, and my post might be pretty futile but I really wasn't sure where else to post. Myself and my family are from England and were over in Orlando from March 14th until 28th. The highlight of our trip was myself and my (now) Husband getting married on March 20th. We were married off site, but had our wedding dinner at The Chefs Domaine in Citricos, followed by a cruise on the Grand 1 to catch Wishes. The whole day was absolutely spectacular... everything we could ever have dreamed of... but something on the day really touched my heart, and this is the only way I could think of to perhaps let that person now how much their tiny little action meant to me.

We arrived at The GF at around 5-15 for our 6pm dinner reservation. Being stopped by little girls telling me I looked like a Princess will live with me forever but one little girl really captured my heart. I guess it would have been around 5-45 when I headed to the restrooms with my Mum and Auntie so they could readjust my dress... I'm standing near one of the basins when a little girl of around 6ish came out of one of the cubicles. She was just THE sweetest thing ever... The look of delight on her face was priceless and she proceeded to tell me how beautiful I was whilst she literally shook from head to toe. She then did THE cutest thing, and started to hum a waltz to me!

Well, little girl... If you should have a mommy who is reading this... I just wanted to know that YOU were the highlight of my whole day! If you could bottle that feelgood feeling you gave me on my wedding day, then you would make ALOT of bucks for you folks... Most importantly, you would make the hearts of so many people swell! Your folks have a little girl who they should be very very proud of and I just wanted you to know that I shall remember that look on your face until the day I die and I will cherish that memory always!!

To anyone else in or around The GF that day! Thank you all! Being stopped by strangers and congratulated was such a fantastic feeling... We weren't sprinkled with pixie dust that day... We had Tink throw a whole bucketload over us! We didn't just experience the Disney Magic that we love so much.... We experienced such good old fashioned human kindness from people we will never see again, but who we will never forget!

Christina and Mark

xxx

That was beautiful!!!

 

[WishesQueen]

You have no idea how true this is. We just found out that DS6 cancer came back. This is devasting to say the least. We leave in 11 hrs to spend a week at the GF to savor some family time.
Heather

Honestly I don't know what to say!!

But I want to wish you and your family the best and I hope and pray for your son's recovery!!

I also want to wish you a magical, happy, Safe trip!!