Hey Mom,I just called to let you know that we are goin' to WDW ,ya wanna go?

[Feelslikeadream]

Chapter 1- Just Another Average Day!!!

The day was just another average every day.
7:45 am
"Boy's come on, time to get up, your gonna miss your bus."
7:50 am
No foot steps to be heard yet. "Come on guys,ya really need to
get movin."
8:00am
Walk up the stairs Twin 1 "ZZZZZZZZZZ" Twin 2 "ZZZZZZZZZZZ"

Now the blood is rushing to my head, and a hot flash sets in.
Needless to say they were running down the snow covered
driveway with a Pop-Tart in one hand and book bag in another.

Now we needed to focus on Brady,and Jenna.

Breakfast- Check
Load of Laundry- Check
Lunch money for boys- UUGGGHHH!!!! As it sits on the counter!!!
Cup of Joe- NOPE, the wonderful man I call my husband did not tell me he fininshed what was left.!!!!!

So like I said just another day....

Was trying to enjoy a cup of tea, watching the snow fall from the sky.
Knowing that we had to journey out to take Brady to pre-k.

At the moment all I heard was silence. What are they up to!!!!
"Brady.....Jenna what are you doing?
Silence!!
Nothing Mommy.....
So I headed up the stairs in fright of what I would find....

My absolutely wonderful daughter had decided to convince her brother,
to help her take every...I mean every piece of clothing out of her dresser...
unfold and make a pile.

So know time is running away the snow is falling faster and harder....

Gotta get Brady to school....

Almost ready....all set.... get boots out of closest...
"Brady?"
"Yeah Mommy?"
"Buddy, where is your other boot?
Need I say more.....

Where were we ,oh yeah....school.....
Late 15 minutes!!!

What do we do today Jenna?
Let's go the Christmas Tree Shop.....
Bad idea.... Jenna has melt down.....
Lets go wait for Brady to get out of school....

OOHHHH.... a coffee sounds heavenly at this moment...
Order Hazelnut Coffee with cream and sugar please...
Order was repeated back...
Open coffee at we are driving ... no cream...no sugar...
Just an average day!!!!

To be continued........

 

[serendipity]

I love it so far! What an interesting way to introduce the family. I want more!

 

[Redbudlover]

Sounds like fun! Subscribing...

 

[DisneyObsession]

HMMMM...another report to read!

 

[Along4theRide]

Adorable, I want more!!

 

[Feelslikeadream]

Well we made it here we are sitting in the parking lot...20 minutes early..
now all I have to do is entertain a 3 year old until its time to go in...

Cell Phone: RING****RING****
Hello, Yep, Yep,OKAY,YEP

This would be Wonderful husband calling to tell me he will be late
getting out of work. Due to the weather condtions...he will be very late.
Now panic sets in and I have to pull a babysitter out of my hat in the
matter of 1 1/2 hours, so I may go to work.

Jenna please stop.... Mommy is on the phone....Jenna give me just one minute...

Its' time to go in and get Brady.. so far no luck with sitter.

Track through the snow and the slush....
Trying not too lose it....
We get Brady and suddenly remeber it is my day to pick up our neice...
Just the next floor up at same school... PHEW!!!
How would I of explained that to SIL...
I just forgot her....
Now it's 3 againist 1.....

Just an average day....

We make it home in 25 minutes....normally a 15 minute ride...

FIND A BABY SITTER!!!!! OHH...Yeah thats what I was doing..
Baby sitter- Check... Thank heaven's for neighbors.

Get ready for work..

3:50- No bus yet ....the panic is slightly setting in.....
3:55 nothing.... (Getting ready to call bus garage)
3:57 I see it .....ok...breath...

Now get ready for work......

"Brady...please don't fight with Lauren..."

"Jenna don't play with the kitty water..."

"Hi guys ,how was your day!?"
"Mom did you know that YOU forgot our lunch money today"
RECAP: How many times did I call them to get up?
Ok, yep my fault......

Just an average day......

Please keep an eye on the kids ,I have to get ready for work.....

Babysitter arrives... Thank God...

KISS,KISS,KISS,KISS,KISS.... Love you see youin the morning...
Go out to car...
STOP!!!!
We must wipe about 3-4 inches of snow off van.....

Alset.... here we go...
Get to work (Smokey Bones) the restaruant looks like a ghost town..
Tips do not look very promising......

So during the time of just doing nothing, i had to listen to a co-worker talk all about her amazing vacation to.....YOU GUESSED IT......

WALT DISNEY WORLD!!!!!

The sun,no school,no snow,no cooking, etc!!!!!

Well after 2 hours of having 2 tables...my manager decided to cut the floor and send people home....
So bye to me ....back out into the wonderful winterland....

"HI ,MOMMY!!!!" "What are you home for?"
I left work early so I could start planning our ecscape from...

Just an average day!!!!

The kids were all snug in their beds...with no idea of what I was about to do... grabbed my self a cup of joe' (Yes the wonderful man, did stop on his way home!!). Husband settled in recliner for a Sports Center/ CNN 2 hour update..

I was ready and willing....

HHMMMM..... I wonder.....www.Waltdisneyworld.com ......
BINGO..... This is where I needed to be....
3 hours later...

I fall into a sweet slumber... to wake to NOT just and average day!!!!

 

[Feelslikeadream]

Good Morning Sunshine!!!!
Not a snow flake falling... and the sun is beautiful.....

Still struggled with the boys a bit.... but we didn't forget the luch money!!!

No school for Brady, and Mommy has the day off....

It's gonna' be a great day!!!!

So boys off to school, Brady and Jenna completely all about Nick JR....
I ecscape back to the office for a few minute..(COFFEE IN HAND)

I think really hard about my presentation, and remember something my Dad
once told me.. "Tracy, you could sell swampland in Arizonia if you had to."

Phone is ringing.....

Me- "Good Morning, How was your drive into work?"
Tim-"Better than yesterday."
Me-"Well that's good."
Tim-"Why did you come to bed so late last night?"
Me-"Well that's a liitle bit of the reason why I am calling."
"Do you have a sacond to talk about something?'
Tim-"A quick one, so go ahead."

"Well I was thinking yesterday about all the times we have talked about
taking the kids to Walt Disney World, the last time we mentioned it, you said when Jenna was 3.." Do you remember?"

"Yep, but Trace we really can't afford to just pack up and take off to Flordia,
it's going to cost a small fortune with the 6 of us."

Suddenly the grey clouds seemed to be over my house,when teh sky was crystal clear..

" We do not have to go tomorrow. Can we talk about it later. Call me at lunch."

"Okay, Talk to you later."

CLICk.....

No sooner did I hang up...the phone book was out ...looking up Travel Agents... I need prices...

So about 2 hours later... I have somewhat of an idea...

Phone rings...

ME- "Hello, Hi Mom."
MOM-" What are you up to, how are the kids?"
ME- " Kids are great, I am just sitting here planning our trip to Walt Disney World...... DO you want to come?"
MOM- "OH, that's nice. I will call you when I get home for work."(Note to self, this is the woman who has dreamed of the day she can go to WDW with her grankids, talks about it all the time.)
ME- "Okay, love ya BYE."

click....

The rest of the day goes by....

All I can do is just wait til' the moment was right...

Dinner- Check
Homework-Check
Husband relaxed, belly full and happy-Check

Phone rings....

ME-"Hello, Oh Hi Donna,(MIL), just a sec."
Tim- "Hi, Mom, yeah,sure,okay,bye."

click....

Tim- Mom and Dad are stopping over.

OHHH NOOOO..... Tracy you need to work fast......

ME-"Do you have a sec?"
Tim-"Sure whats up?"
ME- "Remember what I was asking you today?"
Tim-" Yeah."
ME- "I was really busy today, and came up with a few prices."

Show to husband... Moment of silence.... It lasted like 12 hours... at least that is what it felt like.....

Tim- "Is this everything?"
ME- "Yes, even our food and airfare." (EXplain the DDS and everything else...)
Tim-"When do you plan on doing this?
ME- "Maybe in Nov or end of Oct.""We would have about 1 year to save, and plan."...Sell him Tracy.... sell him...."I figured out all the finances, and I really believe we can do this"

Silence....this is torture....

Tim-" We probably could use a vacation." "It has been awhile"

He must consider camping with his parents at their camp...vacation....
(Any,of you who have camped with 4 kids,NOT A VACATION FOR MOM)

Silence.....

Tim- "Call back the agent tommorow and see what we have to do."

This was definitely not just an average day....

 

[OhMari]

This is a really great Pre-trip, and I love your First Person, or is it in 3rd person writing style.

Does your little guy have curly blond hair?

I have 4 kids too and my 2 older ones always want to know why we tortured them when they were younger and took them camping. My youngest 2 got sent to camp and had a much better time. I tell my oldest, that is what happens when you have kids so young, you do foolish things like camping.

 

[serendipity]

I love it and need to hear more! How creative

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

I hate it when I get sucked into a pre-trip report because now I have to wait...and wait.... and.... well you get the idea.

BTW Great Start!

 

[Feelslikeadream]

Sorry it took me so long to come back, have been busy with family.

Anyways where was I......

There was a tap at the door, as I hear all 4 kids rush to the door ,I knew it must be Nani and Papa (AKA MIL AND FIL)...

So I hear....

KIDS-"HI NANI!! HI PAPA!!!"
MIL-"Well HELLO everyone."
MIL- "Hi Tim ,how are things....

Just common talk...knowing that I should greet them....but my eyes were glued to my monitor looking at the Walt Disney World site of course.. just dreaming,trying to imagine what it will be like.....

MIL- "Tim, where is Tracy?"
Tim- "She is in the office checking something on the computer."

MIL-" Hello,how are you?" "What's that your looking at?"
ME- "This is the website for Disney World."

As she gazes with me.....for about 2 minutes....

MIL- "That must be a beautiful place, I have always wanted to go."
ME- "I remeber our honeymoon ( 11 yrs ago) like it was yesterday."
"We had the times of our lives."

Not realizing that DFIL was standing behind us.....

FIL- " You sure did!!!" "Nine months later you had Tyler and Austin."

As we all laughed together... I was about to relaese some exciteing news....

ME- " Have either of you ever been there?"
MIL- " No neither of us, we always watch the travel shows and regret never going there." "Always too expensive I guess."
ME- "It's really not as expesive as you think, they have alot of package deals,
you can also plan trips way in advance and pay on them a little at a time."
MIL- "Dad and I wouldn't go there now, we are little bit too old, even that,we would never go with out the kids. (Meaning grand kids)."
ME- "Well maybe you will reconsider."

she looked so puzzled....Stop doing this Tracy....just tell the poor woman...

ME- "Donna, I have some exciteing news to tell you!"
MIL- "Whats that?"
ME- "Tim and I have decided that we are going to take the kids this fall!!!"
MIL- "Are you serious?"
ME- "Very!!! I di alot of research on prices today, and if we start paying on it now we will be able to go end of OCtober or November."

ME-"Come with us!!!"
Mil" Ohh I don't know,.....I would love to....but.....I will have to talk to Frank."

Again....FIL listening in ....talk to me about what....

MIL- "Tracy and Tim are taking the kids to Disney this fall ,they want us to go with them. I told her I didn't know if we could afford it. We will have to think about it and take a look at some prices."
FIL- "We will talk about it."

So as I exit the office knowing that I will be returning million's of times again... (NOT AWARE OF DIS YET!!!) So make that billions!!!

As we sit and visit, Tim sudden realizes something...

TIM- "Did you say late OCT or NOV?"
ME- "Yes, why?"
TIM- "Why not go th first week in Nov, we can be there for your birthday and Tyler and Austin's."

This is the man I married, sometimes you think you know a person 100% then suddenly they surprise you..... HOW did he think of that all by his self???

ME- "Sounds great to me?
FIL- "Do you have the prices for your trip?"
ME- "Here they are."

A few minutes goes by and life is so good right now... WE ARE GOING TO DISNEY!!!!!

FIL- "Our price would be less then half of that for just the two of us."
TIM- "Your probably right."
FIL- " How long do you paln on going for?"
ME- " I really never thought about it."

As I get the calender... I hear laughter and some excitement coming form the family room.....

MIL- "Tracy, can you call the kids down stairs?"
ME- "Boys, can you come down stairs ,bring Jenna and Brady with you."

Tyler- "What's up?"
Tim- "Have you and Austin thought about what you would like to do for your 10th Birthday yet?"
Austin- "Maybe laser Tag at the mall, Dad." (If they only knew!!!)(Buzz lighter, some serious laser tag!!!)

TIM- "Well I think Mom and I have come up with an idea that you will be happy with."
Tyler_ "Are we going to the NASCAR simulator?" "Holy cow ,that would be sweet!!!!"
Tim- "No sorry, we were actually thinking about going away for your birthday."
Austin- "Dad,how are we goin to have a party if we are away?"
Tim- "This is a real cool place to party. I thing you will be o.k with it."
Tyler- "SOOOO Tell us Dad!!!"""

The suspense was KILLING ME!!!!

Tim- "We have decide to take all four of you to WALT DISNEY WORLD."
Austin- "Thats funny Dad,seriously where are we going?"
Tyler- "Dad STOP joking, your gonna make Mom sad, you know how bad she wants to go there."
Tim- "Guys I am serious!!, we are going to go to Disney for your birthday!!"
Tyler-"Dad okay what ever you say."

I can't believe this was happening,,, they DO NOT BELIEVE HIM!!!

MIL- "Boys it's true , you are going to go to Disney for your birthday."
Tyler- "Nani, does that make you sad, you won't be there with us on our birhtday?"
FIL- "No Nani won't be sad, we will be there with you!!""""


WHAT DID HE JUST SAY!!!!
WHAT DID I JUST HEAR!!!

I was having a hard time hearing it...but I was lost..just by the look on Tim's face as well as my MIL's face....

MIL- "Are you sure, Frank?"
FIL" Extremely, why not, it's a once in a life time!!!!"

At that moment is when our trip was named Once in a life time!!! (RE: My sig)


Tyler-"Nani!!! We are going to Disney World!!!!"
Austin-"Holy cow, holy cow."
Tyler- "Wait a secon if we are going there for our birthday, we will be there for Mom's birthday too!"
ME- "YES WE WILL."

So at that moment I realized that this was a reality....and the tears just started flowing...

I got myself together, and said good night to Donna and Frank. I told them I would call for their price tomorrow.

Being that this was a Friday night, we all had a hard time getting to bed. The kids and I spent the next hour back in the office... dreaming, laughing, and waiting for 291 days!!!

 

[serendipity]

how amazing! how exciting! you're a great storyteller

 

[Lauralee131]

Ooooh...you're off to a great start! I started with a nibble and now you've got me hooked...I can't wait to read more...


I hope that your gathering is magical for all of you!! I look forward to reading more!

 

[Feelslikeadream]

I am so sorry for taking so long to finish my pre-trip. Hopefully I will be able to finish it tonight.


So last night was amazing, not only are we going for the boy's birthday's, we will be there for mine as well.

The day is Saturday and I had a million things to do before I had to work at noon. I decided to drop off Brady and Jenna a little bit earlier to my Mom's.
I had some great news I had to share with her...... OOHHHH, that's right...I already did. Remeber the phone conversation we had earlier. So technically I alread invited her. Well let's see how today goes.

So I drive my everlong trip of two blocks and we are there. Trampled through the slush and cold, but could only feel the warmth of the Flordia sun.

ME- "Heellllooo."
Mom-" Hi, your early today, is everything o.k?"

Is everything ok she asks. Everything is wonderful.

ME- " Everything is fine, just running early for a change."
Dad- "Hi Guys, how are things?"
ME - " Things are good."
Mom-" What did you guys do last night?"
Me- "Just hung out at home, Donna and Frank came over for coffee."
Mom- "That's nice?"
Jenna-" Gamma can I have wassles (waffles)"
Mom- "Sure you can."
Brady-"Me too?"
Mom- "OK."
Brady-"Grandma do you have Mickey waffles?"
Mom- "Mickey waffles?"
Brady-" Mommy said ,they have Mickey Waffles in Disney World."
Mom-" YEP, they sure do. Someday we will have to go there to have Mickey
waffles and pancakes."
Jenna-"We going to see Mickey,Gama."
Mom- "Someday Jen."
Brady - " We are going to go there to have a birthday party with Mickey."
Mom- "ooohhh you are ,did he invite you?"
Brady- "Not his birthday Grandma, Mommy and Ty and Austi's birthday."

OOOOHHH KKKKAAAYYY, The cat is out of the bag.....

Mom- "Tracy what is he telling me?"
ME- "The truth."
Mom- "Are you serious? I know you talk about it all the time, but always say your'e gonna wait."
ME- "I guess I am not waiting any more."
ME- " Don't you remember me telling you on the phone?"
Mom- "Not really, you are always leaving to go to Disney, I thought you were just having a lousy day."
ME- "Well I was, but I am tired of saying and not doing."
Mom-" What does Tim think?"
Me-" Actually it was his idae to go for the birthdays."
Mom-" So this is for real?"
Me- "As real as 290 days away."
Mom-"Did you tell Donna and Frank?"
ME- "Yep, Sure did. They are going with us!!!!"
ME- "So what do you say, are you going to go.?"
Mom- "For how long?"
ME- "Well the way I see it the longer you go for the cheaper it gets."
"So lets go for a month.!!!"
REALITY CHECK...... BACK TO EARTH!!!!
ME- "I don't know, let me look at a calander."
ME-" We can leave the 1st of November and stay until the 9th. That would be 8 nights and 9 days."
Mom- "Be serious now"
ME- " I am."
ME-" It's not like we do this every year."


My Dad then walks in....

Dad- "Do what every year?"
Mom-" Go to Disney."
Dad- "Trace, did you have bad day?"
ME- "NO, I came over early today to tell you and Mom we are going to Disney in Nov, I told Mom yesterday, but she didn't think I was serious."

ME- " SOOOO, are you gonna go!"
Mom-" OF COURSE I'M GOING!!!""
ME- "DAD?"
Dad- "Do you think I would let her go with out me?"

ME- "SO it's settled, I will call the travel agent Monday Morning."
"Gosh look at the time I gotta fly."
Kiss,Kiss,Kiss,Kiss Love you see you later.

As I started dowm their street I realized that I am going to be going to WDW with my Mom and Dad. (It was a child hood dream, that was discussed year after year.) We never did it. Now my brother and I are grown with our own families. Time just slipped by way too fast....


In 290 days I will be at WDW with my husband, our 4 amazing kids, and best of all his Mom and Dad as well as my parents.!!!!!

The plans were coming into affect ,the deposits were made.Now we had some planning to do......

On Wednesday of that week, I was telling a co-worker about my trip to Disney. She mentioned this great place on the web, a place where I could find anything I wanted to know about Disney.....

Can anyone guess what the web site was??

So that evening I figured, whay not give it a try?
BAD MISTAKE!!!! DO NOT INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE DIS BOARD AT 10 pm., 4 hours later.....

HOLY COW I HAVE TO GET TO BED!!!!

Needless to say, the addiction began.....My typing skills improved as well as well as my reading.

The days slowly ticked away,somedays feeling like it was forever away.
Watching fellow Diser's leave for WDW was very hard. Knowing that someday that would be us, helped.

We have had quite a few "MICKEY MEETINGS".
Lots of discussions about our Restaurant choices.
What we wanted to do, and see.
Planns.....Plans...Plansss.

A lil' bit of history of what happened during the time of waiting....

Easter Sunday, Jenna became extremely ill. We spent the next 9 days in the hospital.

1 weeks later I became ill, was rushed to the hospital to have an emergency surgery. (Appendix burst)

Finally started to get back on my feet,(Recovery was tough.)We then got back into the swing of things .Started to talk about the trip again....

School was over, and we were looking forward to a great summer vacation.

Had a GREAT 4th of July, and ......then......July 8th......

I FELL AND BROKE BOTH OF MY ANKLES!!!!

So no more summer vacation, Mom was in a wheel chair!!! It was the worst summer of my life. Hoping to forget about it and look forward to the up coming trip.... Soon after that my grand-ma passed... she was given a beautiful 93 years.. it was very hard saying good bye.

So on a better note....

WE ARE HERE....To today.....Oct 24th.....

WE LEAVE IN 7 DAYS!!!!!!
OUR BAGS ARE JUST ABOUT PACKED, THE EXCITEMENT IS AMAZINGLY CRAZY!!!

It doesn't even seem possible......

This all started because I had just another average day!!!!!

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Sorry to hear about your grandma; not too long ago we also lost our grandma (92 yrs young) and it is hard.

But on a lighter note, OMG, your trip is almost here!!!

I wish it was us, but like you said, it helps knowing that one day it will be us!

 

[serendipity]

I'm waiting over here not so patientely!

 

[disneydreamer1970]

I can't wait to read your trip report!! You have had quite a year and deserve a trip of a lifetime!! I can tell you, though that the first time that I went with my parents was 5 years ago with DH, DD(1), DS(10), DSister, DNeice!! It was an awesome vacation!! My dad wished he had taken us when we were younger but both of my parents are so thankful that they have been able to see WDW through their grandchildren's eyes!! Since that vacation, my DH and DD and DS have spent a week at WDW and a 7 night Disney Cruise with my parents!! We are all addicted, in fact my parents are going down next month and I am going to surprise DD with a Mommy/Daughter trip to MVMCP to see them for a week!! She has no idea at all that we are going!! I can't wait to see her face when she realizes what is happening!!

Have a wonderful vacation!!!

Trish

 

[SusanMomOf2]

Right now, you're at DW doing something awesome (well at this very moment, you're probably sleeping as it's 1:50 AM) but you're there and that's so cool! Please give us a good post rip report! Yay!

 

[DisneyDivaMom]

Love the pre trip report. Looking forward to the trip report.

 

[bab31]

it is the florida sun shining down upon you!