Hicks on Holiday 2 - Done Brung the Kin Folk-Sept. 07 w/pics UPDATE 12/10/08 pg 41

[SlightlyGoofy]

Being 'special' is not always a good thing. I am sorry that Babycakes had to be THAT kind of special. Everything is alright now? My son had a hernia but I put a quarter on it and it went away. Now I read that those things go away any old way.

My surgery is very run of the mill. Tom did not even barely notice that he had any, even though he did spend two weeks in bed "recuperating". I think the eye drops will be the hardest part for me. I hate them.

I gave out free McD's coupons (12 for $1) for free hamburgers, apple slices, ice cream cones, etc. and they went over well. I also made 12 dozen PB cookies for the adults. The police came by twice for cookies so I am guessing they turned out well.

Please tell Babycakes that I hope that her bellybutton is all healed up so that she can laugh hard once again.

SG

 

[akayek31]

I finally finished both treads. It had me laughing all night. Wow how kids grow so fast. My DS will be 16 on Christmas eve and DD is 12. Also had two c-sections. I hope Babycakes is feeling better!

 

[DisneyMom5]

I finally finished both treads. It had me laughing all night. Wow how kids grow so fast. My DS will be 16 on Christmas eve and DD is 12. Also had two c-sections. I hope Babycakes is feeling better!

Thanks so much for joining in! I hope to continue this report this weekend!

What a great Christmas present! Does he resent having his birthday the same time as Christmas?

Babycakes is doing great! She looks like she's gonna have a nasty scar, probably due to her secondary infection and the surgery for that.
Maybe she just doesn't tolerate surgery well???

Thanks again for reading!

 

[akayek31]

Thanks so much for joining in! I hope to continue this report this weekend!

What a great Christmas present! Does he resent having his birthday the same time as Christmas?

Babycakes is doing great! She looks like she's gonna have a nasty scar, probably due to her secondary infection and the surgery for that.
Maybe she just doesn't tolerate surgery well???

Thanks again for reading!

He was born 2 and a half hours before Christmas so he was real close. I usually seperate the days as my family celebrates on Christmas Eve but I don't let him have his Christmas presents until the 25th. Sometimes his aunts and cousins forget his birthday so he resents that but I make up for it! All i have heard for the last month is how he wants his license

 

[DisneyMom5]

He was born 2 and a half hours before Christmas so he was real close. I usually seperate the days as my family celebrates on Christmas Eve but I don't let him have his Christmas presents until the 25th. Sometimes his aunts and cousins forget his birthday so he resents that but I make up for it! All i have heard for the last month is how he wants his license

Yeah, we're about a year and a half away from the license thing. Scary. LOL
Have a great weekend!

 

[pixiefairy]

Finally caught up! I read your food report first...then found your TR. I think I was just excited to see a large family, lol! We have 5, and we just took them all for the first time to WDW in June. We have 4 boys and one lone girl, who is smack dab in the middle. At least you didn't lose any of yours! I giggled when I saw that you all were sitting exactly where we were at the Crystal Palace (which is, incidentally, where my 3 y.o. ds decided that Eeyore was taking too long, and he went to look for him *sigh*).

Can't wait for more updates! Your crew of kiddos are just precious, and I hope that Babycakes is doing well!

 

[DisneyMom5]

Finally caught up! I read your food report first...then found your TR. I think I was just excited to see a large family, lol! We have 5, and we just took them all for the first time to WDW in June. We have 4 boys and one lone girl, who is smack dab in the middle. At least you didn't lose any of yours! I giggled when I saw that you all were sitting exactly where we were at the Crystal Palace (which is, incidentally, where my 3 y.o. ds decided that Eeyore was taking too long, and he went to look for him *sigh*).

Can't wait for more updates! Your crew of kiddos are just precious, and I hope that Babycakes is doing well!

Yay five! We had five the first time we went, and they were 10mo-9 years.
I wonder how we did it, though they stuck pretty close. LOL

It's easier when the oldest are older.

Thanks for reading, and we, ahem, DO happen to lose someone in an upcoming report.

 

[pixiefairy]

LOL...all I've heard from my family (none of whom have more than 3 kids) is "how did you DO Disney with ALL of the kids?!?!?!?!". I was really worried about my 3 y.o....he's the adventurous, no fear type, unless a character sneaks up on him.

Can't wait to hear more!

 

[DisneyMom5]

LOL...all I've heard from my family (none of whom have more than 3 kids) is "how did you DO Disney with ALL of the kids?!?!?!?!". I was really worried about my 3 y.o....he's the adventurous, no fear type, unless a character sneaks up on him.

Can't wait to hear more!

Yup. Most people don't even understand doing Disney at ALL, let alone doing Disney with seven kids.

I'm glad my Mom came along this time, because even if she hasn't become a total Disney convert, she does better understand what the allure is for us.


Hopefully more will be up tomorrow, if DisneyGirl and I can get together to reconstruct the next day.

 

[pixiefairy]

The original plan, when we spoke of a trip a few years back, was to have my mom and sister come with. Then....my 3 year old came along. Ok, mom can still come with..it's a 7 passenger van. THEN, my 19 month old came along....ok, no seats. My mom said we have to rent a van (or buy a BIG one) so that she can come with next time. I would have loved an extra set of adult hands.

Hope you are able to reconstruct the next day....looking forward to more!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

When we took our young grandkids a stroller was our best friend. It saved their legs and my energy. Containment, it is all about containment.

All I heard about from the time my oldest grandson was 13 or so was about him wanting his license. Now all I hear about is the next vehicle he wants to buy or the latest gadget he is going to put on his truck. Wish tires were at the top of his list instead of hubcaps.

Even when I go alone with just my DH I wish for an extra pair of adult hands. My friend that went with me this last trip needed a lot of care as well. I think I will go alone next time.

I am not able to chase any children but if you have the small kind that just want to be held and rocked I am available and well trained.

SG

 

[DisneyMom5]

When we took our young grandkids a stroller was our best friend. It saved their legs and my energy. Containment, it is all about containment.

All I heard about from the time my oldest grandson was 13 or so was about him wanting his license. Now all I hear about is the next vehicle he wants to buy or the latest gadget he is going to put on his truck. Wish tires were at the top of his list instead of hubcaps.

Even when I go alone with just my DH I wish for an extra pair of adult hands. My friend that went with me this last trip needed a lot of care as well. I think I will go alone next time.

I am not able to chase any children but if you have the small kind that just want to be held and rocked I am available and well trained.

SG

It totally is all about containment! Chaos control. LOL

Unfortunately, my one that is small enough to rock, HATES to be cuddled (sniff), and my ones that like to cuddle are getting chunky. LOL

But if we meet up, they will still LOVE you!

We just keep praying that Daddy has a job next year so we can go again!

Have a great week!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hey, I had a 17 year old BIG boy on my lap last weekend. Not something that happens often anymore but I still loved it and can feel it too, my knees still ache. I miss having wee ones who want to be rocked and held. When they get bigger if you can get them alone in the car you can get close again and talk. Those were good times.

Yikes! What kind of work does your DH do? I think this is just the beginning of a long and hard road but I sure hope I am wrong. I will keep my fingers, eyes and anything else crossed that all goes well and you are able to return. It does not matter how good the rates are if folks do not have the money to go. I will buy a lottery ticket and if I win enough I will take everyone! Would that not be great? As many wonderful folks as I know we could fill a whole resort ourselves! Now to pick which one.

SG

 

[DisneyMom5]

Hey, I had a 17 year old BIG boy on my lap last weekend. Not something that happens often anymore but I still loved it and can feel it too, my knees still ache. I miss having wee ones who want to be rocked and held. When they get bigger if you can get them alone in the car you can get close again and talk. Those were good times.

Yikes! What kind of work does your DH do? I think this is just the beginning of a long and hard road but I sure hope I am wrong. I will keep my fingers, eyes and anything else crossed that all goes well and you are able to return. It does not matter how good the rates are if folks do not have the money to go. I will buy a lottery ticket and if I win enough I will take everyone! Would that not be great? As many wonderful folks as I know we could fill a whole resort ourselves! Now to pick which one.

SG

He works in...dum dum dum...AUTOMOTIVE. Gasp!
Yup, not a good industry.
I believe he and your dh had a little chat at the Pop Glow Party about manufacturing.

Hmmm...if you win the mega lottery, I think we should stay at a value. Then we can take more people. I'd pretty much stay anywhere on property to be at Disney!
I always chuckle at people who say that they could never stay in a value.
Honestly, the values are the NICEST hotels our family has ever stayed in.

I know, we're Hicks. LOL

Update coming up.....

 

[DisneyMom5]

The cousins leave, Breakfast with the Mouse, and bad bus service.
Sept. 22, 2007
Contemporary Resort and Downtown Disney

YUP, it's an update.
I know, I know, don't fall over in astonishment.

When we last left the Hicks, which, I know, was MANY months ago,
they were bidding a fond adieu to the cousins and the Bionic SIL who
had to catch their Magic Express Bus to their flight back to Michigan.

We said our goodbyes the night before,
as we had intended to sleep in,
but I was up in time to poke my head out and say goodbye.

Everyone else was snoozing.

The only thing we had planned for the day was a late breakfast
at Chef Mickey's,
and a tour of Downtown Disney.

We had been to Chef M's for dinner twice,
but never wanted to take the time out of touring the parks
to have breakfast there.

I had heard good things about it, so I made this ressie on our DTD day
figuring it would be as good a time as any to give it a try.

You can read all about our meal in my Food review
(see my siggie - there is an itemized lists of restaurants in the first post.)

We finally got up, got ready, and took the bus to Magic Kingdom.
From there we walked to the monorail, and were off to Contemporary.

We had a fine time at Chef Mickey's:

Then...there was the incident, with the bus.

After our breakfast, we gathered up our stuff,
stopped at the bathroom
[And may I just say I HOPE that they have put in another bathroom
at Chef Mickey's with all of this rehab. That one is a PAIN to get to.]
and took the elevators down to the first floor.

I asked a Cast Member where the bus stop was, and headed that direction.
On the way, another CM, a younger guy,
possible a maintenance crew member
Stopped to say high to the kids, and gave them a bunch
of Mickey stickers.
It was one of those nice Disney surprises.

What was also a surprise, was the horrible bus service at the Contemporary.

When we got to the bus stop, we noticed it was one of those free-for-all stops that you just watched for the right bus.

I guess, you watched for the right bus when BUSES ACTUALLY COME!!!

That's right, although this resort only needs buses for DTD, AK, and DHS,
they must have decided NOT to send any.

We waited, and waited, and waited.

Watched the DME luggage drivers unload all the fancy luggage.

Waited some more.

Saw one bus to DHS, I believe.

Waited some more.

Let me just say, if I had been the one that had paid $$$$ per night to stay
at a Disney Deluxe, especially one as nice as the Contemp,
I would have been TICKED.
As it was, I was NOT happy.

When we got to the 1/2 hour mark of waiting,
I was about to go in to the desk and complain,
Something I had been putting off
in fear that the bus would come while I was gone,
when suddenly, off in the distance, we saw the words in lights:
Downtown Disney!!!

So we loaded up, and were off to DTD.
Actually, NO, we were off to the Polynesian resort.

You see, the fancy schmancy resorts sometimes SHARE buses.

Then, after fearing that we would be going to the GF also,
but dodging that one, we were off to DTD.

At DTD, there are two (at least) bus stops.
One at the Marketplace (where we were headed)
and one at the (now defunct) Pleasure Island entrance.

Of course, while we were there,
they were refurbing the Marketplace bus stop,
so we had to disembark at the PI stop, and
waaaaaalllllllkkkkkkk
alll the way down to the Marketplace.

John and I had spent an evening at PI on our honeymoon,
but that's been a long time
and not a lot of the other DTD stuff was there.
So it didn't look very famliar to me.

We were off to find the Mecca of Disney Stores,
A Bastion of Candy Goodness, and,
be still their itty bitty beating hearts, the LEGO STORE!

Next up: Don't shop on Saturday, and Mom finally loses it....

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

MOM, it is now officially confirmed, we are BOTH Hicks. I agree with taking more people and staying at a Value. I can afford the fancy schmancy places but do not want to stay anywhere that I would be required to comb my hair and wear shoes. It is a vacation and I do not even do that at my work!

Okay, you got me. I have selective memory and cannot remember the life of each and every person. I barely remember mine.

Double yikes! My son makes parts for Chrysler. Maybe he can get on at the new Honda plant that just opened up the road. I hope, I hope. He has 4 kids.

I would like Chef Mickey's more if I had kids to play with the characters. My last trip I did get my picture with Goofy. If only I had also gotten a refill of my iced tea along with my mandatory bill/tip.

Off to go play with some children and read them "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus". Love it!

SG

 

[DisneyMom5]

I hope to update sometime over the holiday break, but in the meantime...

Merry Christmas!!!

And to get you in the holiday mood:



Have a good one!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

MOM, what a great picture. I love those bare toes! lol That is what I miss most about Christmas these days, no little ones. I have an eleven year old asleep in the other room and my oldest grandson will be here later but it is not quite the same.

Know where I can find a 'rent a kid' place?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Linda