~i'll be home for Xmas but 1st i'm going to DISNEY WORLD!~ TR link posted!

[kschafer]

he wanted to pull some more off but i explained to him that he pulls off one mickey head a day in numbered order and when he gets to the last green mickey head, we go to disney world!!!! he paused for a second and then said, "um.....i want to pull that last green one off today."

That is so cute! I love the way his calendar turned out. My kids would have just as many stickers. They figure if there are more stickers, put them on! I love the Christmas colors, I'm very jealous!

This year for my birthday and christmas, I am asking for Disney gift cards. DH nixed my idea of a spring break trip so I'll ask for gift cards for every occasion and plan one for next year!

 

[LISAMWDW]

"Why don't you just get back on the computer?" should totally be your new tag, Dawn!!

Haha, great idea! Kids are hilarous! That comment just cracks me up!

Luke's calendar rocks!

 

[lmillercrew]

Good job LUKE!!! I love kids and stickers. They're so uninhibited, and they just go for it.
Kids say the darndest things don't they???

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

Hahahaha, Luke is great!

I love the way his calendar turned out! Awesome job!

 

[CanadianWDWfan]

Great job Punkin & Luke! Your callendar is so cool! I think you can't have enough stickers. He is so funny to want to pull off the last mickey.

"Go back on the computer".....he is so hilarious without even knowing it. Anna must have lots of funny moments with him.

My MIL got very mad at me for cutting my DS's hair before he was 2. I was feeling very rebellious, I guess?

I will have to go to Target next time I go to the US. I have never seen disposable coffee cups. Perfect to bring to the parks, and then toss the cup. (I don`t drink coffee but DMom does) Thanks for the tip.
I got excitted when you said you went shopping, I like hearing what others buy for thier trips. Less than a month away!

 

[punkin413]

I just realized I haven't looked at this thread for awhile and missed some updates. Loved the old Disney pictures, I have some old ones from '94 when I took my first trip (I was two) and I love looking at them!

I also had some friends go to the Coldplay concert in Atlanta last night and they said it was amazing!

thanks! glad you enjoyed the old pics.

Hey girl! I'm here! And I LOVE your pre-trip so far! Luke is adorable! And both of your countdowns are bbbbbbbbbbeautiful! Please keep giving us lil' updates/pics of things happening to you before the trip!

oh, don't worry....i will!

I spied Ray in the background there. You predicted he would make his way over there, and he did!

Thanks for sharing your fun evening with us. The calendar is cute. I'm surprised he allowed all the Tink pictures on the front, though.

Of course you should have just minded your own business and gotten back on the computer so that he could eat himself sick on leftover Halloween candy. Some babysitter you are!

I hope you get a good night's sleep tonight. Turn in early and have sweet dreams of Disney fun to come!

yeah, ray brought me dinner. and thank GOODNESS he was there because as i was going outside to bring their dog molly inside he was leaving and molly got away from me and he helped me tackle her. she's an american bulldog and is VERY strong. she'd never hurt a fly though. but she's hard to control. i don't know what i would've done if he wasn't there.

oh, and luke didn't "allow" those tink pics - he wanted them! he loves tink. i think it's because i wear tink stuff a good bit and that was one of the first disney characters he knew of!

Luke's countdown calendar is cool!

Love the bath pictures...looks like he loves bath time!

i will tell him you said so! and yes, he loves the bath! at one point i went to check on him and when i came around the corner he wasn't there. i almost FREAKED out and then when i got to the tub i saw that he was floating in the water! something he learned to do in the pool this summer.

awesome countdown calendar--especially on Luke's first time

i will tell him you like it!

I love Luke's comment about getting back on the computer!! Kids are so honest!

he's such a goofball!

LOL!!! Why dont' you get back on the computer.
I like that kid

yeah, he's a trip!

SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!

yeah, and he knows it too!

The countdown calendar turned out great -- you and Luke did a great job!

thanks! i will let him know you guys think so.

 

[punkin413]

Luke did a fab job on his calendar!!

"Why don't you just get back on the computer?" should totally be your new tag, Dawn!!

Love it!!!

Did you let him have all the candy corn after that? I think I would have. Hehee.

that would be a great tag line! tag fairy, where are you???

and no, i didn't let him have the candy corn. he took a hand full and then handed me a few pieces (he's such a sweet kid), then put the lid back on and handed it to me. i was surprised!

GREAT pictures, I love the countdown calendar, looked like such a fun project! Gotta love those Target dollar bins!
Lesley

thanks! it was fun. luke had a blast with those stickers!

Love the haircut pics!! I hope she saved a lock of his hair!!

The calendar looks great too

i'm sure she did. she saves EVERYTHING!!!

That is so cute! I love the way his calendar turned out. My kids would have just as many stickers. They figure if there are more stickers, put them on! I love the Christmas colors, I'm very jealous!

This year for my birthday and christmas, I am asking for Disney gift cards. DH nixed my idea of a spring break trip so I'll ask for gift cards for every occasion and plan one for next year!

that's what he was thinking. i told him he didn't have to use all of them but he was insistant that he did. good idea for your birthday!!!

Haha, great idea! Kids are hilarous! That comment just cracks me up!

Luke's calendar rocks!

i know....he's such a hoot! i'll tell him you liked his calendar.

Good job LUKE!!! I love kids and stickers. They're so uninhibited, and they just go for it.
Kids say the darndest things don't they???

they do for sure! especially this kid. he told anna one time to stop talking to him in the car because he was listening to the sounds of nature.

Hahahaha, Luke is great!

I love the way his calendar turned out! Awesome job!

he's such a funny kid! i will pass on that his countdown was a hit!

Great job Punkin & Luke! Your callendar is so cool! I think you can't have enough stickers. He is so funny to want to pull off the last mickey.

"Go back on the computer".....he is so hilarious without even knowing it. Anna must have lots of funny moments with him.

My MIL got very mad at me for cutting my DS's hair before he was 2. I was feeling very rebellious, I guess?

I will have to go to Target next time I go to the US. I have never seen disposable coffee cups. Perfect to bring to the parks, and then toss the cup. (I don`t drink coffee but DMom does) Thanks for the tip.
I got excitted when you said you went shopping, I like hearing what others buy for thier trips. Less than a month away!

thanks! i will tell luke you said so. you can get those disposable coffee cups at the grocery store (usually). just look in the paper plate section!

 

[punkin413]

okay....two housekeeping matters.

first - i added more pictures to our 1992 trip. instead of doing that in a new post, i added them to the original one. here's the link - go check them out!

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=28233693&postcount=95

second - below are the pictures i already posted from anna, chris & luke's first trip in 2007. i had to put these in a separate post because i had too many images in the original one once i added the additional 1992 pics. so if you've already seen this, just skip this! i had to include it though for anyone that's joining in late!

-----------------------------------

next in chronological order would be anna and family's trip in april 2007. this was a last-minute trip for them. they were going to florida with a friend of anna's and they ended up with a couple of days to play with, so they decided to go to disney. they did MK and AK and of course it just made them want to go back! they actually went there the week before ray and i were going. anna called me from outside EE and let me hear the people screaming as they came down the big drop and it got me SO EXCITED for my trip the next week!

they had a blast on this trip but they are anxious to return because luke was only 2 and really couldn't ride much. and the people they were with weren't much for having a plan and helping each other out as far as the kids go with riding the bigger rides. so i'm excited that luke will be able to ride more and that anna and chris will be able to ride some of the things they didn't get to ride last time b/c ray and i will be there and willing to entertain luke while they do so.

first, they went to AK. here they are on the safari.

anna was worried that luke wouldn't like the characters or be scared of them. the first one they ran into was rafiki and he LOVED him! she was really happy because he would get so excited after that when he'd see a character and his little face would just light up!

luke got picked to participate in the festival of the lion king....so cute! anna said this guy was awesome - he was very patient with luke and took his time with him because he was one of the younger kids out there.

this picture is hilarious! that's the talking trash can at AK and it had asked this lady for a hug. luke is standing there thinking, "what the heck is this woman doing????"

luke LOVED that trash can!

as you can see, they closed the park that night!

the next day they had breakfast at 'ohana's with mickey and friends.

this is stitch trying to teach luke how to hang loose.

you may have already seen the pic below. i posted it in last year's pre-TR since they were planning on coming with us and i just love this picture! there's a story behind it. the couple of weeks before they left, whenever the castle would come on TV either during a commercial or at the beginning or end of anything disney-related, anna would say to luke, "we're going there!" so he picked up on it and started saying it too when he'd see pictures of the castle. well, as they walked down main street, he realized what he was looking at. right after she took this picture, he turned around and said, "MAMA, WE'RE GONNA GO THERE!!!!!" so flippin cute!!!

chris loves him some turkey legs. i will have to look the other way if he gets one of these this trip!

luke loved buzz lightyear! i think he'll REALLY love TSM.

on it's a small world......

luke's first roller coaster! as soon as they were finished anna asked him if he liked it and he nodded yes. then she said, "do you want to do it again?" and he said, "um.......no."

anna said luke would get more and more excited with every character he met. by the end of the trip, he would be DANCING with excitement while they were signing his book. i wish i could do this and not look ridiculous!

luke LOVES trains and she said they rode the train like 4 times that day.

i'm really excited to be going to disney with them. i think luke is gonna be so fun to watch! and we all just get along really well - no one gets offended if we decide to do different things when we're together. that's what cell phones are for! i think it'll be a great trip!

 

[punkin413]

on to the next trip from the past! i didn't actually attend this trip. this was in 1998 (the date on the pics is wrong) and i was in college at the time, so i didn't go. don't ask me why - when i look back i know it was a stupid move on my part! i was in a very "independent" stage in my life where i was kinda doing my own thing. it's funny though - i'm 10 years older and i'd go in a heartbeat if my parents invited me now!

anyway, this was the first year that AK was open. doesn't the safari look less kept than it does now?

brooke and brett and some flamingos. brooke was 15 and brett was 12.

caged wild animals!!!

at the rainforest cafe. i remember they bought me a shirt from here.

brooke and goofy - best friends!

brett and goofy. i think brett should move to orlando and get a job playing goofy. go look at the present picture i posted of him in the 1992 trip to see what i mean. he's built just like him - TALL and skinny! and i would be soooooooo proud!!!!!

so that catches up on all the "old" disney pics. i'll post more from our april/may 2008 trip sometime soon.

anna and i are going to see an elvis impersonator tomorrow night for a friend's birthday (erin, for those of you who read my september 2007 TR). so i'm sure we'll have some pretty interesting pictures from that and OF COURSE i'll share them.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

More memories Dawn! Thanks for sharing! ITA - the safari looks much more wild in the past - I wonder if it is just more over grown now, or if they are grooming it more?

I loved Luke's calendar! I'm sure he was really excited! He is such a cutie with such a fun personality. "Get back on the computer."

 

[tinkgurl]

so i'm sure we'll have some pretty interesting pictures from that and OF COURSE i'll share them.

Yay!

 

[winkers]

I can't wait to see what you do with an Elvis impersonater!!

 

[kschafer]

my stepmom and brooke on the tomorrowland speedway. look at that ginormous video camera!

as i said, he was a huge MJ fan....

I thought the same thing about the video camera! Can you imagine carrying it around Disney?

OMG, I totally forgot about Captain EO! It was the first 3-D movie I ever saw . So cool!

 

[punkin413]

just FYI - we are going to see elvis TOMORROW (saturday) night instead as long as anna can get a babysitter (chris is out of town). erin found out today that they have a new "elvis" and he only performs on saturdays.

More memories Dawn! Thanks for sharing! ITA - the safari looks much more wild in the past - I wonder if it is just more over grown now, or if they are grooming it more?

I loved Luke's calendar! I'm sure he was really excited! He is such a cutie with such a fun personality. "Get back on the computer."

you're welcome! yeah, it does look more wild. wonder why? luke is ALWAYS saying the funniest things. he's a trip!

Yay!

I can't wait to see what you do with an Elvis impersonater!!

you'll have to wait one more day!

I thought the same thing about the video camera! Can you imagine carrying it around Disney?

OMG, I totally forgot about Captain EO! It was the first 3-D movie I ever saw . So cool!

i know! and i thought our camera was big and annoying! the first 3-D movie i think i saw was jaws 3.....

 

[punkin413]

so first thing's first....an updated countdown!

24 days!!!!!!

secondly....

GO VANDY!!!!! we won the unversity of kentucky game last night - 31 to 24!!!! this win makes us BOWL ELIGIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1982!!!!!! we have 2 games left: tennessee and wake forest. i think we have a chance against UT (which just peeves ray to no end!!!). wake forest i'm not so sure about. i haven't been paying attention to their season but ray says they're a good team. i REALLY wish there was some way i could go to the UT game next week at vandy, but i've got too much going on. anyway, GO 'DORES!!!!!

i didn't get to see much of the game (although ray and erica both were texting me the score from time to time) because i was experiencing this awesomeness last night......

okay...let me clarify. erin (whom some of you may know from my september 2007 TR) had a birthday this past week and she wanted to do one thing for her birthday: go see elvis! there's a place near her house where there's an elvis impersonator every saturday night. now, this place is an old, run-down hole in the wall full of.....INTERESTING....people. it was an adventure for sure! i'm not what you'd call an elvis fan but i humored erin for her birthday! we had fun with it and i'm glad erin got what she wanted for her birthday.

on to the pictures!

me and the birthday girl!

a bunch of us enjoying the show....

when elvis first came out he was wearing a gold jacket and his blue suede shoes. so cool!

anna and i decided to do our best elvis impersonation, but we kept laughing right before the picture would take!

it took about 5 tries to finally get this. anna's is awesome. mine is....not. it looks like i'm smelling something bad! my upper lip just wouldn't cooperate.

i did however get the body language down....

elvis went off stage and i thought, "that's it????" he had only been out there about 20 minutes. but then he reappeared wearing a second ensemble. yes, that's right. elvis has a wardrobe change!

at some point elvis came over and gave erin a ticket for her birthday. we found out later that the ticket was for absolutely nothing.

he also came over and gave her a red scarf (he was doing this with a few random girls), but i missed the moment on film! i was so mad i missed it!

elvis disappeared again for another wardrobe change and we shook our groove thangs for a minute.....

then he reappeared in this.........my favorite!

check out those moves!!!!

and of course i have video!!! it's very short and very dark, but you can get the drift. my camera wouldn't focus all that great because of all the strobe lights.



somewhere around this point they turned on the vandy/UK game, but it was behind me so it was hard to watch both the show and the game. i'm sure the people sitting below the TV thought i had a staring problem because no one else was paying attention to that TV!

at some point i was watching elvis perform and he looked me straight in the eyes and starting walking over towards me. i handed the camera to anna because i knew what was going to happen. the thrill of my life!!!!

anna was lucky enough to experience this too! (erica - pretty cool how ryan hamilton is on the TV in the background!)

elvis called for the crowd to hold up their lighters during "glory glory hallelujah". since i didn't have a lighter, i help up my cell phone. and anna held up her....water?

that was the finale, and then elvis retired from the building. they then started playing dance music and we got to watch some very interesting dance moves from the locals. anna's expression for most of the night looked like this!

me and astra (a friend of ours) and my vanderbilt commodores!

erin and.....a plunger. don't ask me why but some guy was carrying around a plunger! i didn't ask him why because i was afraid of what the answer might be!

of course the electric slide is always fun!

erin doing the electric slide. check out santa claus in the background.

after that we called it a night. when i got home i let eli and sherman try on my elvis scarf. they were really excited about it!

it was a fun night! if you're an elvis fan and reading this, i hope i could at least bring a smile to your face.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Wow. Elvis was really... something! Oh, and Dawn, why don't you just get back on the computer? That Luke is a cutie pie!

 

[timandlesley]

What fun!!! Thanks for sharing all of the photo's. You had quite the Elvis variety! 24 days!!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!
Lesley

 

[disneymom1980]

Looks like you girls had a lot of fun ! Are you getting good and excited now? I can't wait to see your Christmas pictures from the World!

 

[Spartangirl]

It sounds like you had a crazy, but fun night! The countdown is on........your trip is almost here!

 

[ty&brenmom]

Love the elvis pictures. It's always fun to go to the bars where you can party with the locals. Can't wait to see your pics from disney at christmas.