How 1 trip turned to 2 and now turning into 3!! Update Pg 40 Days 3, 4 and 5!!

[newtodis]

Now for a Disney update....

Because I'm really hoping to wake up at Disney on my birthday and in an effort to try and save some money and not be so stressed out the entire time we're there, I think we're going to try and book the first half of our trip at a value resort or find out more about the Dec free dining for the Disney Visa people. Either one of those should save quite a bit of money. Dan's going to call tomorrow and see what we can do.

I'm still working on trying to figure everything out for when our friends will be there as well. We're supposed to get together soon to figure out what we're going to do together and when we're going to split up.

I've also got to decide what to put in our baskets for December as well since I'm going to have to budget some money for those as well.


Back to non-Disney...

I don't think we're going to be able to fly back to MI (as much as I'd like to) so we're going to have to drive now...hopefully the weather won't be bad and it'll be a quick trip overall! I'm still going to watch for a super good deal but right now I just don't think with everything else-especially the economy these days!-that it's best for us to spend the money on that.

I was checking out the homemade gifts thread on the budget board and got some really cool ideas to make some cheap gifts this year too! We're not exchanging gifts with everyone in Dan's family this year but the boys have made the little foam frames for the past couple of years so we'll do that. I also saw an idea to take the clear ornaments and fill them with sand and small shells. I think this would be something great to do with us moving down here this year.

All in all, I think the Christmas shopping that I can do now is done. When I was at BB last week, I must have left my Christmas folder there. They can't find it (said they'd throw it away) and I can't find it here at the house. I need to put a new list together and go through everything in the closet. The only other thing that I want to get to "finish" all of those people who have everything are the digital picture frames and cheap SD cards to put the pictures on for the frames. This way all the grandparents will have lots of pictures of the grandkids and can update them every time I email them out. Now here's to hoping they're on sale the day after Thanksgiving and that I can get them!

Alright...I saved the photopass pictures and uploaded them tonight so I've got to put those in the TR tomorrow so they'll be there on Tuesday when ya'll can see them again!

Have a super night!!!

 

[newtodis]

I saved the photopass pictures to the computer and put them on photobucket tonight. I start putting them in here tomorrow so they'll be here on Tuesday when the pictures show back up!

I also updated my PTR tonight as well-it'll have pictures on Tuesday too!!

Today's a BIG DAY at our house-Corbin started riding his bike without training wheels (pictures in PTR!!)!!!! He was so proud of himself and was screaming for everyone to hear!!!

Alright...I'm tired today so I'm going to head to bed soon! Have a super evening everyone!!

Grace-hope you're having a good weekend and are back to Disney planning!!

Lisa-hope the game last night was good and the competition today was good! How'd the interview go???

Jill-I miss you already! Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!!!

 

[newtodis]

Alright...we spent about an hour on the phone with Disney today trying to downgrade. Part of me is saying it's meant to be that we're supposed to be at AKL for this trip. And then there's reality that for my sanity I'd like to fly home for Christmas instead of driving. This too was shaken this morning watching Good Morning America and hearing that they're cutting like 3000 flights/day from Thanksgiving to Christmas and this will be one of the toughest years to travel. As much as I'd like to stay at the ocean and forgo the snow, I know we have to go this year. So now I've got to figure out what to do....I already posted a thread on the Orlando something or other board asking about a good "off site" place so maybe I can find something for us and our friends to stay. The couple of places I looked at run about $100-115/night compared to $265/night that we're paying for AKL. I just know that skimping a little bit on Disney this time and being able to put the money towards Christmas travel if needed is probably the best for our family. I made Dan agree though that if we go back in the spring that we would stay at AKL CL. I guess the sticking point is the "personal" touches that we would get at AKL or any other Disney property-the Mickey head cake I had ordered for our room, the little plush they were going to put in our room for Carter, all of the ADRs they helped us make...

So more updates to come later...hopefully a decision will be made

 

[lmillercrew]

Hi Lynn!!! We won the football game 43-21. It was very exciting. Travis didn't dress for the game because they didn't have room on the bus. Only 4 of the freshman got to ride the bus. He was o.k. with it. He did dress for JV and the whole thing is great, but it stinks at the same time because basketball season is getting ready to start. Oh well, it's a great opportunity for him.
Abby's team did a great job. It's the best they've done so far. They are a small squad, only 16 girls. Some of these squads are huge! 25-30 girls!! And, that's just for one age group. We have another competition on Nov 1 at the Kalahari so we'll be busy working on the pom pom routine and tweeking the group routine.
The job interview went really quick. He laid it out on the line, didn't want to waste time. He offered me two positions with different hours and then let me pick. So I went home and talked it over with "the man", and then I decided to take the pricing team job and work 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. It's only seasonal so I can do it for two months. Harvey just laughed when I told him what hours I would be working. I can do it, I told him.
Yeah Corbin on learning how to ride your big boy bike!!! That is so exciting!!
Well, I need to go and pick Abby up from her friends house and I'm not even dressed yet. I hope your DH made it home safe and that Carter's finger is o.k.

 

[newtodis]

Hi Lynn!!! We won the football game 43-21. It was very exciting. Travis didn't dress for the game because they didn't have room on the bus. Only 4 of the freshman got to ride the bus. He was o.k. with it. He did dress for JV and the whole thing is great, but it stinks at the same time because basketball season is getting ready to start. Oh well, it's a great opportunity for him.
Abby's team did a great job. It's the best they've done so far. They are a small squad, only 16 girls. Some of these squads are huge! 25-30 girls!! And, that's just for one age group. We have another competition on Nov 1 at the Kalahari so we'll be busy working on the pom pom routine and tweeking the group routine.
The job interview went really quick. He laid it out on the line, didn't want to waste time. He offered me two positions with different hours and then let me pick. So I went home and talked it over with "the man", and then I decided to take the pricing team job and work 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. It's only seasonal so I can do it for two months. Harvey just laughed when I told him what hours I would be working. I can do it, I told him.
Yeah Corbin on learning how to ride your big boy bike!!! That is so exciting!!
Well, I need to go and pick Abby up from her friends house and I'm not even dressed yet. I hope your DH made it home safe and that Carter's finger is o.k.

Well yay to both of them for doing well in their sports!

Well that's cool that they offered you two different jobs! Hopefully they'll like you so much they'll decide to keep you around after the "season's" over. And now you can give us the inside info on all the good stuff!

Yes the boys got home safely-they were both very happy to be home! The little boys ran out to see the big boys-I don't know who was more excited to see who!

Carter's finger's ok I think...he held it most of the weekend so I'm guessing that it hurts. Poor guy. All I have to do is ask him to see his "owie finger" and he holds it out!

So yesterday afternoon I got a TERRIBLE surprise in my livingroom. I was walking from the kitchen to the playroom and realized that the back door had been left open by my wonderful husband. I immediately thought about something getting in the house and looked around to see if I could see anything. Nothing so I thought I was ok. After "discussing" with Dan the importance of having the door closed unless you're walking in or out, I went about my business of cleaning up the house. I was sitting on the livingroom floor DIS'ing (of course!) when Corbin came in from playing to get a drink. He stopped dead in his tracks in the middle of the livingroom. Before I could ask him what was wrong, I saw a LIZARD on the livingroom floor!

I cannot even tell you what all happened next! I know I got up and screamed and ran into the spare room and got on the bed! (yes I totally left my kids out with the lizard!) I VERY quickly opened the door back up when Carter came to the door and knocked! Dan caught it (using my tupperware!!) and took it outside. He tried to shove it at me and realized that was not a smart thing to do. I really don't want to pass my fear along to the kids but sometimes I just freak out. I'm so scared that he literally had me on the floor in tears because he was going to touch me after he'd touched the lizard and didn't wash his hands.... I had to spot clean the carpet and vaccum last night.

Have a super day today everyone! It's been crazy busy so I'm glad it's almost over!

 

[newtodis]

Here's the BIG adoption update!!!













Our friends have decided to move forward and try to make this adoption happen!!!

I cannot tell you how happy we are right now for them!

I sent the "official" email to my friend to let her know and get them in contact! I'm almost more excited than if we were going to move forward! They're going to get a cute little amazing !!! And I'll still get to hold a brand new baby! It's really a win/win for me!

Did I tell you guys I'm excited????

I talked to my friend last night and she's going to email me ultrasound pictures-I cannot wait to see them!

I'm so happy for them I just want to jump up and down and scream!!

I love them both so much and was talking to Angie all afternoon and she was just so darned excited she couldn't stand it. I'm so happy for them!

Alright...need to get it together for a little bit. Now "cutting back" on our Dec trip is totally worth it since we'll have to take the new baby to Disney a LOT. And she'll be our only so she will get spoiled!

Question for you guys...once they get everything in order, am I out of line to throw her a smallish baby shower in January?? I don't think I would be and it might help her to have more of the "Mommy" experience. Since they don't have anything they're going to need a LOT. Thank goodness they decided before Christmas!

Alright...time to try and be normal. It's going to be so hard to keep quiet until they decide to tell people! I just pray that everything will go well and she won't change her mind once she has the baby or anything like that. Lots more praying to do. It's going to be a LONG wait until February!

 

[lmillercrew]

I can't wait to see the pictures tomorrow! I watched the video of your t'shirt sales and think that it's so neat that your station supports your financial clerk so much. I know that you're probably a small community, being a township, and a tight station. It's just wonderful to see men caring so much about breast cancer as much as women do. I hope you are able to raise a lot of money.
So are you thinking you're not staying on site for Christmas? It's such a hard thing to decide. I know that I could stay off site for half the price of staying on, but then I'd have to rent a car and deal with driving and stuff. If I had my own car and lived closer it might be an easier decision to make because then I wouldn't have the airfare expense.
It's o.k. that you're driving to MI, I just hope that you have good weather. I hate driving in the winter. We've gone to WI several times in the winter and it's such a pain to take off coats and put them back on.
I'll look forward to seeing what you decide on lodging. Were there no value resort rooms available?

 

[lmillercrew]

O.K., first of all that lizard story had me cracking up!! Except I couldn't do it out loud because Harv is sitting here and he just wouldn't get it! Kinda like when you're at the station and you laugh. He just doesn't get my DIS friends. Sissy!!! Sorry, had to say it! Love your face though.
I'm so happy for your friends. I hope that everything goes smoothly for them. I definately do not feel that you are out of line throwing a baby shower. She is having a baby! (just not the conventional way) She would love it!!! Go for it!

 

[kalliyan1]

Alrighty...that's all I can do tonight. I have to get to sleep....Lord knows the kids will be up before dawn again tomorrow! I'm hoping to run them ragged so they'll nap so mommy can try that again tomorrow!

Hope you all enjoy the updates.

Jill you better get over here soon....you won't be able to comment for much longer....we'll drag this out as long as we can!

I probably won't have much more really to update until the photopass CD comes this week.

I'll have some non-Disney updates though I'm sure! I have to upload a picture of the boys with their new haircuts-very handsome!

Have a super night! I'm off to get some sleep!!!

I would love to see the cake photos but it's just a photobucket image that appears? Any suggestions? We are going in Dec. and I'm trying to decide on cakes.
Thanks

 

[DisneyFun08]

I couldn't wait any longer! I had to get up early to see the pictures! They are all great, as usual

I was so curious about Jeff.....Oh My Gosh! He is the real deal!

Hope your December trip planning is moving along.......it's okay if it is offsite this trip..........You're going to Disney, AGAIN!

 

[DisneyFun08]

Wonderful pictures! We'll be there in 8 days and I am so excited to see all of your pictures before we leave! They are awesome. I hope I remember to take pictures and they turn out as well as yours!

 

[lmillercrew]

The pictures are great!! I especially love the ones with Corbin and his kool aid mustache Those are the best! Next time I'm in Omaha, I'll have to try a Sonic orange slushie. We don't have a Sonic close to me. I think there's one in the Toledo area, but I'm not driving a half an hour for a slushie.
O.K., you have alligators in your back yard and you're afraid of a LIZARD???? Helloooo! How often do you get to see that? That is a little ridiculous. I'd be afraid it would eat my dogs and my kids. Are the yards fenced in? That frog was a little bit crazy too. The only frogs that I've seen here are the tree frogs. GROSS! I can't imagine what kind of spiders you guys have. They could probably walk away with a small child too.
I have decided that Corbin looks like Dan and Carter looks like you. I believe that in most cases the oldes child takes after the father and the second child takes after the mother. That's how it is in our house and me and my siblings. Start to look at your friends kids and tell me if I'm right. (I so want to be right)
Have a good one. I'm babysitting my friends little ones while she is on a field trip with her oldest DD. Yay me. I don't have anything for little ones anymore.

 

[newtodis]

I would love to see the cake photos but it's just a photobucket image that appears? Any suggestions? We are going in Dec. and I'm trying to decide on cakes.
Thanks

The pictures are back today! It was a problem with Photobucket!

Wonderful pictures! We'll be there in 8 days and I am so excited to see all of your pictures before we leave! They are awesome. I hope I remember to take pictures and they turn out as well as yours!

Well thank you very much! I'm sure you'll remember to take pictures. I tried hard on this trip to take less pictures and be part of the fun instead of the photographer

O.K., first of all that lizard story had me cracking up!! Except I couldn't do it out loud because Harv is sitting here and he just wouldn't get it! Kinda like when you're at the station and you laugh. He just doesn't get my DIS friends. Sissy!!! Sorry, had to say it! Love your face though.
I'm so happy for your friends. I hope that everything goes smoothly for them. I definately do not feel that you are out of line throwing a baby shower. She is having a baby! (just not the conventional way) She would love it!!! Go for it!

Sorry you had to hold it in! Sometimes I just can't here!! I know I'm a sissy and I'm ok with that!

I'm so thrilled for them! Dan bet me he wouldn't agree and when she called last night to tell us I was so excited! Our next bet was that she already had the name and theme of the nursery picked out. He bet no....WRONG AGAIN!! She's picked out Samantha Joyce and the them is USC Gamecocks....not my first choice but I'll work with it! I'll have to throw some princesses in there somewhere!

She's ok with the baby shower too-I asked her this morning -so we're on for January!! I cannot wait! Now I have another thing to plan! I cannot wait for them. I keep telling her how lucky she is to only have to wait 4 months instead of 9!

Ok I should get back to work now....hard to work with baby brain today!

 

[newtodis]

I can't wait to see the pictures tomorrow! I watched the video of your t'shirt sales and think that it's so neat that your station supports your financial clerk so much. I know that you're probably a small community, being a township, and a tight station. It's just wonderful to see men caring so much about breast cancer as much as women do. I hope you are able to raise a lot of money.
So are you thinking you're not staying on site for Christmas? It's such a hard thing to decide. I know that I could stay off site for half the price of staying on, but then I'd have to rent a car and deal with driving and stuff. If I had my own car and lived closer it might be an easier decision to make because then I wouldn't have the airfare expense.
It's o.k. that you're driving to MI, I just hope that you have good weather. I hate driving in the winter. We've gone to WI several times in the winter and it's such a pain to take off coats and put them back on.
I'll look forward to seeing what you decide on lodging. Were there no value resort rooms available?

The guys here are amazing! It's like I just got 100 big brothers! You should have heard them when we were going out the other night-everyone telling me to be careful and call them if I couldn't drive and everything else! I love them all!

No I don't think we'll be staying on site in Dec BUT staying off site will give us an extra night and we'll already have a vehicle. Our friends are also going to stay with us for the time that they're there so we'll split the cost on those night and it'll be even cheaper for us. We tried to downgrade on property to a value or mod and nothing was available. I found a 3BR, 3 bath about 5 minutes from Disney for $509 for the entire time we're there. That's a third of the cost of what's still due for our on site stay. I figured if we keep all of our ADRs, we'll spend about $500 in food which we're still ahead finacially.

Love Sonic...there are days that I would drive half an hour for a slush! Really...it's kind of like Starbucks but with slushes!

I couldn't wait any longer! I had to get up early to see the pictures! They are all great, as usual

I was so curious about Jeff.....Oh My Gosh! He is the real deal!

Hope your December trip planning is moving along.......it's okay if it is offsite this trip..........You're going to Disney, AGAIN!

Thanks so much.

Oh yeah, Jeff's totally real....we have two gators in our lagoons-Jeff and Jeffy (corbin's named both of them!). Je says that's Jeff. Occassionally they're right behind our house-in our backyard. In that picture, they're just across the road in the other lagoon. I'll have to see if I can find a picture of Jeff catching the turtle in our lagoon behind the house. If I do, I'll post it

The pictures are great!! I especially love the ones with Corbin and his kool aid mustache Those are the best! Next time I'm in Omaha, I'll have to try a Sonic orange slushie. We don't have a Sonic close to me. I think there's one in the Toledo area, but I'm not driving a half an hour for a slushie.
O.K., you have alligators in your back yard and you're afraid of a LIZARD???? Helloooo! How often do you get to see that? That is a little ridiculous. I'd be afraid it would eat my dogs and my kids. Are the yards fenced in? That frog was a little bit crazy too. The only frogs that I've seen here are the tree frogs. GROSS! I can't imagine what kind of spiders you guys have. They could probably walk away with a small child too.
I have decided that Corbin looks like Dan and Carter looks like you. I believe that in most cases the oldes child takes after the father and the second child takes after the mother. That's how it is in our house and me and my siblings. Start to look at your friends kids and tell me if I'm right. (I so want to be right)
Have a good one. I'm babysitting my friends little ones while she is on a field trip with her oldest DD. Yay me. I don't have anything for little ones anymore.

Yup....gotta love the kool aid mustache.

Yes we have a couple of gators. They don't eat our kids (as much as I'd like them to some days!-just kidding!!) or pets. A lady down the street used to feed them-before we moved in-and the neighbors finally convinced her to stop so that's good! Corbin knows NEVER to go near the water and cannot be in the back yard by himself EVER! We talk a lot about Jeff and what to do if you see him-run the other way as fast as Dash does! Our yard's not fenced in but when we buy/build a house it will be for sure!

Yeah we've got some big spiders too...it's so gross! Paying the $36/month is WELL worth keeping them out of our house each month!

Well of course you're right-you're always right aren't you??

Have fun babysitting! I'm sure it'll be fun!!

Have a super day!

 

[ktmetke]

I love, love, love your pics! It was totally worth waiting till today to read your trip report!!!

Your family is so sweet and you are a great daughter-in-law to your mom-in-law!!! (bit sensitive to the in-law thing, mine's along the terms of the wicked witch )

 

[lmillercrew]

USC Gamecocks? Gamecocks? There is something seriously wrong with that! What are their colors?

 

[lmillercrew]

Of course I'm right.
One thing that I've discovered about babysitting this morning is that I'm so done with toddlers. My youngest is 9, so I've been done with little ones for quite a while. It's o.k. for today, but I know that I wouldn't want to do this everyday. I know it's different when they're your own, but hello. I'm 37 years old. I know that there are others out there that are just starting their families at my age, but it's not for me. I was a very young mom, 20 to be exact and although I was too young to be having children, I look forward to being a young grandma. WoW, that was deep! Who knew???
Off to the grocery store so that I may consume the rest of my day with laundry!!

 

[newtodis]

I love, love, love your pics! It was totally worth waiting till today to read your trip report!!!

Your family is so sweet and you are a great daughter-in-law to your mom-in-law!!! (bit sensitive to the in-law thing, mine's along the terms of the wicked witch )

Aww thanks! My mom can be of the wicked witch breed and my step mom certainly came from that crop! My mother in law-not nearly as bad!

USC Gamecocks? Gamecocks? There is something seriously wrong with that! What are their colors?

No kidding! It's a stupid little chicken! It's like burgandy and black. I found some stuff and emailed it to her (I haven't been working much today!) I told her it's going to be very hard to fit Cinderella into that theme...they would have to be the "livestock" in the forest or something like that!

What a fun day! I just pray that all goes well for them and it all works out!

 

[Leonsmom]

Sounds like you were super busy today. I'm kind of thinking that's what our day today is going to be like. I want to run over to Target and get a Wii for Christmas...we don't really have the money but they're supposed to be in their ad today and it would be one more thing to cross off the list. Dan's been talking about one and I think it's the one video game that I would like. I ordered the kids a "cheap" version just in case we didn't get a Wii. I guess it's meant to be if there's still one there by the time I get the kids ready to head out and actually get to Target. If not, then it's not meant to be and I'll just have to keep looking.
Have a quieter day today!!!

Super Cheap Wii???? There's a super cheap version of the Wii? Where?

I pack breakfast foods, like pop tarts and small boxes of cereal, and for lunch we eat PB & J. I can only handle eating out so much. I pack snacks too.

We do the same thing.

When we got home, Corbin wanted to go out and ride his bike. We'd made a deal that when Daddy got home from school, the training wheels were coming off. Corbin had some confidence now because one of the neighbor kids told him he didn't need them any more!

He was a little hesitant riding in the driveway, but once he got down the driveway and made it around the cul de sac, all he could scream was "I CAN DO IT!!" "I'M DOING IT!!". My baby's growing up way too fast!

That's Awesome!! Congrats to Corbin! Leon still has training wheels and he's turning 6! i figure we will take them off in the spring. I am afraid if we attempt to do it know and then he has to wait till the weather warms to do it again we may have to back track. He will be getting a new bike for Christmas from Grandma & Grandpa. So that may be insentive for the spring.

O.K., you have alligators in your back yard and you're afraid of a LIZARD????

HaH! I thought the same thing

 

[heaven2dc]

I told you lots of pictures and there's no disappointing tonight-that's for sure!

Have a great night everyone!! Enjoy the updates!

I am only on page 5 (I think lol) but had to comment on your TR - what a great job and your boys are so adorable and cute and what a great Grandma they have!! She really pitched in and helped - that is awesome!

I had a question on the above pic tho before I continue reading - who is riding with Carter in the seat behind Grandma with Corbin?!!!