I Kicked it I Played it and now..Wheeling & Dealing at the WL final 9/9 p87/88

[MEK]

Glad you found a good computer!!!

Your plans for the report sound GREAT to me, looking forward to it all!

LOL! It happens so infrequently that it is really something I celebrate. I am totally impatient when it comes to slow internet service. I get frustrated too easily.

 

[Nermel9]

Hi! Ugh I'm a few days late, but I loved your recap! It was my first time seeing the Flower and Garden fest too, and it was a really pretty time to go, although it was much hotter than I thought it would have been!

I'm glad you ended up liking WL, it's so beautiful there! I want to stay in every resort someday too, although I doubt I'll be staying in the villas unless I win the lottery!

Can't wait to see your mini PTR for your next trip!

 

[MEK]

Hi!

I'm a DISboard newbie, and stumbled upon your postings. What a gift you have of sharing your life! I'm just on your first installment, and I'm excited to read about WL and the rest of your trip. I'm also interested to hear how your son Brian is doing... my daughter has really suffered with depression this year. It is so trying, so hard to not be able to "fix" our children, like we could when they were young. But I have hope that through their trials, they will be stronger and will be other to help others because they can truly relate. I'll be praying for you guys!

Welcome to my TR Sara!!!! I don't know if its always so great that I share so many details. I think that is why I have avoided facebook! I am just too much of a blabber mouth!

Brian is doing OK. Summer is not the greatest time for him because it lacks stucture. We have certainly had out share of "acting out" this summer and some of his temper tantrums have resulted in damage in our house. Its very difficult to stay on task when this happens. But I have definitely learned to be more consistent in my parenting and I have been much more consistent in consequences. Slowly, ever so slowly, some of it is sinking in.

I think the true test will be this school year. Brian is still less mature that a typical boy entering senior year, but I know he has not reached his full potential. I still believe he will and its going to be a year full of struggles and hopefully accomplishments. consistency is the key!

I hope that your daughter gets resolution to her depression. I think that people who are biochemically predisposed to depression and anxiety disorders (I myself am one of them) have a difficult time in adolescence. I think the key is a lifelong acceptance that its how you are wired. Once you accept that, then you can learn strategies to live with anxiety and depression. And if one of those strategies is medication, then so be it. I denied my anxiety disorder for a long time until it took over my life. Then I was blessed enough to find a genius provider in anxiety disorders and I got control over it WITHOUT MEDICATION! It took a lot of work, but it opened another whole aspect of my brain. Sad thing about mental health is that I think a lot of the providers stink. But there are good ones. Sometimes the provider doesn't have to be in your geopgraphical area. There are providers that actually do phone sessions.

Anyway - enough of that. Thanks for joining in to my TR and I hope you come back for the next one. In the meantime, there is a whole community of really great TR writers here - so enjoy!

 

[MEK]

Woo hoo! I can't wait!

New update coming tonight!

 

[MEK]

Hi! Ugh I'm a few days late, but I loved your recap! It was my first time seeing the Flower and Garden fest too, and it was a really pretty time to go, although it was much hotter than I thought it would have been!

I'm glad you ended up liking WL, it's so beautiful there! I want to stay in every resort someday too, although I doubt I'll be staying in the villas unless I win the lottery!

Can't wait to see your mini PTR for your next trip!

Now wait a minute - Yes you can stay in a villa. You can always rent points from someone. that's how I got my first taste. But I don't think you need to stay in a villa to have a great trip.

I'm glad I'm not that only one who is on a mission to stay in ever resort! It's such a fun (and expensive challenge) to take on!!!!!!!

Two weeks and one day until I leave!!!!!

 

[eandesmom]

New update coming tonight!

oh and btw....the TR has started!

 

[Nermel9]

Now wait a minute - Yes you can stay in a villa. You can always rent points from someone. that's how I got my first taste. But I don't think you need to stay in a villa to have a great trip.

I'm glad I'm not that only one who is on a mission to stay in ever resort! It's such a fun (and expensive challenge) to take on!!!!!!!

Two weeks and one day until I leave!!!!!

LOL that's true, I've thought about it, but I wouldn't know how to do it...I was thinking about trying it for next October, because I REALLY want to stay at AKL, and staying in a villa would be amazing! I just meant I'll probably never be a DVC member, although I would LOVE to be at some point in my life!

Either way, I like staying in new resorts, they're something different to look forward to on each trip! I can't wait until the new Animation resort is open!

I can't believe you're going again in 2 weeks!

 

[MEK]

LOL that's true, I've thought about it, but I wouldn't know how to do it...I was thinking about trying it for next October, because I REALLY want to stay at AKL, and staying in a villa would be amazing! I just meant I'll probably never be a DVC member, although I would LOVE to be at some point in my life!

Why don't you start scoping the DVC boards now so you can see how points are renting and you can start getting a feel for the whole process? You could probably get a 1BR at AKL for a reasonable rate. I wish I had enough points to rent out, but I am always in the hole borrowing from the next year.

I really love belonging to DVC. I didn't investigate it as much as I should have before I bought, so that's why I encourage people who are even remotely interested to read the DVC boards. You can learn a lot so you are prepared when you are ready to purchase.

Either way, I like staying in new resorts, they're something different to look forward to on each trip! I can't wait until the new Animation resort is open!

I can't believe you're going again in 2 weeks!

I think the new Animation resort is going to be REALLY cool! I would like to stay there.

It is weird that I am going again in 2 weeks. I feel a little guilty because we have had a lot of trips this summer and Denny keeps making me guilty for spending more money. But, you only live once and I think its going to be a fun trip. I just wish I didn't have to buy a new AP this trip. If I still had one it wouldn't seem so bad. Oh well!

 

[MEK]

On July 11th we awoke in a hotel near the foot of the smokies and we started our 9 1/2hr drive home to Delaware. I didn't really take any more pictures that morning and I actually drove for about the first 1 1/2hrs. We had already agreed that we would stop in Virginia and do a tourist attraction. Originally I wanted to stop at Luray Caverns, but we decided to stop at the Natural Bridge instead. There was about 100 mile difference between the Natural Bridge and Luray, so I decided that in the future Luray Caverns held more possibility for a weekend trip. As a result, we decided to stop at the Natural Bridge.

We entered through the gift shop, payed our admission ( they offer an AAA discount), and started the hike towards the bridge. Note: several of the attractions we visited this trip had an AAA discount and I remembered to ask wherever we went.

I had my distance lens on so getting a full picture of the bridge proved harder than I expected......

These pictures were taken looking up towards the top of the bridge......

There was a 1/2 mile or so walking trail that we decided to follow.....

Cool birdhouse along the trail.....

At the end of the trail was a waterfall. It wasn't much of a waterfall, but it was OK....

Some girls came by and offered to take our picture after we took theirs. I have my grump face on, not my Disney face, and for that I apologize and I promise to do better in two weeks!!!!!

I tried for some "artsy" pictures on the way back........

Continued......

 

[MEK]

Nick on the rocks.......

Nick and Denny on a bridge.......

This trail made me long for the beauty of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. I don't know how many of you Dis'ers are familiar with this area, but it is really beautiful. So much more lush and vibrant than Virginia. LL - I know you live somewhat close to the White Mtns and Brooke is now a New Yorker, so you have no excuse not to visit. I spent many vacations there as a child and I took my boys there a few years before we started going to Disney. I would really like to return for some great hiking and some cave exploration. I miss it and Virginia is not the same.

A Lonely Bench......

True Love.......

Cool shadows......

On the return trip I switched to my other lens so I could capture the natural bridge a bit better......

Getting closer......

and closer.......

Almost under the bridge......

Ahhhhhhh..........

Coming out the other side......

It was a gorgeous day for walking. It was in the low 80's with low humidity. It was such a welcome relief from the heat wave we had been experiencing and it added to the splendor of the sights.

I took way too many pictures of the bridge. So many, that I am not even sure if I posted the best ones. Strangely, I can't seem to part with any of them. The day I took them I tried to delete a lot of them, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

We exited the trail through the gift shop and returned to our car. Across the street from the parking lot was the Natural Bridge Hotel:

From there we headed to the Natural Bridge Caverns......

I had visited Luray Caverns once with my parents and I remembering it being a really cool experience. The Natural Bridge caverns weren't quite as cool, but still pretty interesting.

Our guide was a college student from one of the many universities in virginia. She was a hospitality major and she encourage us to take pictures, but I think I was one of the few, if not the only, with a camera.

Continued.........

 

[vamassey1]

Once again beautiful pictures!

 

[MEK]

I'm not gonna lie - these caverns were a bit clautrophobic. These are the main steps leading in and out......

I think I would really hate it if we needed to use this......

After our tour guide showed us the two main rooms she said there was one more room that was still several hundred feet lower. She said it was so far below sea level that people with heart and lung problems should not descend because the oxygen level was lower. I have heard of this at altitude, but I did not know this could happen in a cave. She said we might notice more shortness of breath was ascending the stairs to come back up.

I'm gonna admit that I am a bit claustrophobic and I have already had a bout of altitude sickness, so this knowledge freaked me out a little. Ok, maybe more than a little, but I descended anyway. I was right on the butt of the tour leader. I took a few more pictures when we got down there.....

When we got down there the tour guide started talking about miners getting stuck in caves and she said she wanted to show us how dark it was in a cave with no natural light. So - yup - you guessed it - she turned off the lights!

I really did not care for this, so to keep from freaking out in the pitch black and I mean PITCH BLACK, I grabbed Denny's shirt. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she turned the lights on.

When we were finally allowed to ascend, I was the first person up those stairs. I practically ran!

Once out of the cave, we jumped back in the car and started home. I can't even remember what we did for lunch that day, but I do remember stopping at a Burger King and I learned that they have very, very good veggie burgers.

After 4 days of eating a lot of fast food, I was on FF overload, so I requested the veggie burger. YUMMY! I have no idea why they put it on a white roll instead of whole wheat, but it was really good.

So here are a few more pictures of the Virginia country side. We decided to bypass DC and head into WV by way of Harper's Ferry and then home through Maryland. It probably took us longer, but it was more scenic. And as Nick put it, I was the "closer", meaning I drove the last couple hours of the ride. We got home around 8pm or so. Then I got online and used my nifty flight tracker to track Brian's flight. It was very reassuring to see he landed safely around 9:30pm.

Up Next......final thoughts, a few more OBX pics, and a quick PTR!

 

[MEK]

Once again beautiful pictures!

Thank you. I am actually surprised that the pictures inside the cave turned out as well as the did!

 

[MEK]

oh and btw....the TR has started!

Yeah, Yeah......I made it on page 2. Why am I so slow with these things and I didn't even see you had posted this until tonight! Great start to your TR, BTW!

 

[KatMark]

Spectacular pictures, Mary Ellen. I especially like the cavern ones (although I would have been with you if I was in the pitch black down there).

Look forward to your final thoughts. And then you can start a new TR after your trip in two weeks (but I'll be far behind on that one as I arrive after you leave and am gone for 12 days ).

 

[MEK]

Spectacular pictures, Mary Ellen. I especially like the cavern ones (although I would have been with you if I was in the pitch black down there).

I think the cavern pics turned out pretty cool, so I'm psyched. At the time I did not think they would turn out at all.

I did NOT like the lights going out. I felt like she tricked me!!!!!

Look forward to your final thoughts. And then you can start a new TR after your trip in two weeks (but I'll be far behind on that one as I arrive after you leave and am gone for 12 days ).

No worries. I never seem to start my TR's right away. It usually takes me about a week to get it together to start, so I should probably keep this one going so I can post my link.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Great pictures!!! I love all the green and coolness depicted in the first shots! Can you imagine how vibrant that area must be in the fall when the colors change? The caverns are interesting, but I don't think there is any way I would have been able to descend to the lowest level!

 

[dawnbu40]

Your pictures are beautiful! Although the pictures are lovely there is no way I'd want to go down into the cavern! I'm too much of a wimp

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Great pictures!! I'm ~ 3 hours away from the White Mountains in NH and agree - fantastic place to vacation. We visited many, many times when I was a kid but I haven't been back in a long time. Maybe next summer...

Can't believe your next WDW trip is so close!!

 

[manntra]

Beautiful pictures of the bridge and the caverns. I think I would have freaked out a little.... I would have done it but yeah....I would have been shaking inside and would have grabbed on to the person closest to me
It's fun to make little stops and do some exploring...it breaks up the trip and you can always find new things

Tracy