I'm bursting!

[coastgirl]

We are still keeping the secret from the kids, and we leave a week from today!

I'm a little excited.

Honestly, I haven't seen a snowfall like this since we lived in St John's back in the 90's. So the contrast is perfect. I think I'd lose my mind if I was looking at the upcoming two-week school break and NOT getting away from here.

It's been hard to get some of the prep done without raising suspicions. The kids think we are going to visit Nana in NB for a few days, so that covers things like getting our pet out to the sitter. The summer clothes are in a laundry basket in my room, and fortunately the children never volunteer to sort laundry! Two nights ago I made our matching family t-shirts. (Ok, ok, but they are so FUN when you wear them to the parks!) I've formatted their Hogwarts letters, and actually found some sealing wax! The Owl Post will arrive a week from today, just before we load up the car to go to Nana's.

Lots more to get done under cover of night yet. The hard part is keeping my mouth shut!

 

[dis_guy]

Wow, you're doing a lot better than I would! I'd have said something and spilled the beans long before now. Good luck for the last week and have a great trip!

 

[damo]

To my kids, the anticipation is half the fun. They'd be sad if I kept it a secret!

 

[braddillman]

Weren't you around here for white juan?

Love the idea of Hogwarts letters. I might steal that idea for myself, though my kids know already, they might get a kick out of it.

 

[coastgirl]

Nah, Brad, we lived in Victoria during White Juan. We were laughing. (Ok, not really, but yeah, really. )

Someone else posted a letter and I just adapted it--it was too easy. I'll post it when I get home if you like.

Damo, usually I take the anticipation waaaay over the top. This is new for me. We'll see if I like it better this way. The details have been up in the air for so long (and to some extent still are), so it started out not wanting to disappoint them if we cancelled. But it sure is putting a crimp in MY countdown-happy dancing-acknlowledging every milestone!

 

[fraservalleymom]

We leave in a week from today but from the west coast. Our trip was a Xmas surprise for our 2 DD.

Have a super trip. Enjoy the looks on their faces. It's so nice to be able to do these things for our families.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

JoAnne ... you are good! I couldn't keep a secret like this .... I talk too much!

 

[dennise]

Coastgirl: that is so cool, I would love to see their faces when they find out. I had a friend that did that a few years ago, she didn't tell her daughter until she was supposedly driving her to school, but in reality was on her way to the airport. She had her all packed without her knowing. What a surprise.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

oooh!!!

Have fun! Be sure to come back and share how the surprise went and everything else.... so jealous! I wonder when the Canada Winter Games will ever make it back to PEI..... My Disney fix for March Break is a trip to the Disney store in Halifax!

 

[ChisJo]

We kept a trip to Universal from my step son a couple of years ago. It was great. He was 13 when we went, and there were so many people that knew we were going, so I was so sure he would find out. But, we never brought it up in the hopes that if he found out he would bring it up.

We flew out of Calgary, so our plan was to tell him that we were driving to Montana for a couple of days. Since I'm a night shift worker, I booked a 5:30 am flight and we drove from Edmonton throughout the night. He obviously slept. When we got to Calgary, I told him I just couldn't drive anymore and we needed to fly the rest of the way - he totally fell for it too (I think it might've had something to do with the fact that he was half asleep).

When we got into the airport, we made it past air canada and were almost through security before he finally figured it out. Being the cool guy that he is, he tried to act all teenagish reserved, but he couldn't stop smiling.

The best was when he got to Universal Studios and saw the Hulk for the first time. And I will NEVER forget sitting beside him on the Hulk, in the front row, at 9am and hearing his happiness. It was worth it.

 

[coastgirl]

Here's the letter I made for the kids. I got some swishy fonts, and I put a Hogwart's crest at the top.

Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards

February 10, 2011

Dear Miss N,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please acquire muggle transportation to the North American portkey location, in Orlando, Florida, no later than February 15. We await your owl by no later than February 12.

Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress



I also attached a second page, with the book list from Book 1. (Which I scammed from the net, didn't have to type it all!)

I addressed the envelopes to

[name]
The Room with Many Stuffed Animals [for dd]

or

The Cosy Room Beneath the Stairs [for ds]

[real address]
New Scotland, in Canada.


The sealing wax on the envelopes will wait a few days, because I'm afraid it might come apart hidden in my dresser for a whole week.

I do miss building up the excitement with the kids, but I am having a very good time getting their surprise ready!

 

[coastgirl]

ChisJo, btw, I LOVE that story! I can just picture him being "cool and teenagerish" while being really, really excited.

 

[alohamom]

Terrific letter Coastgirl! Your kids will be sooo surprised and I am sure they will be thrilled. We did a similar thing one thanksgiving. It is usually me who picks the kids up from school but my hubby and I packed the car and surprised them at school. We met them in the front foyer and of course the kids were like, what's up with Daddy being here and he asked them if they wanted to go home or to WDW. Well, the screaming and jumping up and down was priceless! All the kids around them thought something had happened and all my son could say was "we are going to see Mickey Mouse" over and over. The only problem is any time since them that my hubby had picked them up, they think they are going to florida!!! I have a quick suggestion for you for your letters. My daughter had a Harry Potter B-day party a couple of years ago. We cut owls out of bristol board (looked like Hedwig) We glued wooden clothes pins on the head area and then cut a second head out and glued that ontop of the clothes pin so the owl could carry the letter of invitation in it's beak to the guests. I know you probably have a ton of stuff to do but it was fun to make. Have fun, I hope you can keep it a surprise until you go! I know how hard it is...

 

[Ted in Halifax]

[real address]
New Scotland, in Canada.

Now that's creative ... converting our Latin to English. Like the letter idea!

 

[mommytodarlings]

How Fun!!

We are supposed to be keeping our August trip from the kids, but it is hard. I just want to tell them so they can help with the ADR decisions and have some input in the planning like we normally do.

Dh wants to tell them too, I don't think we are going to last months.

 

[SplashMom]

It sounds like you have succeeded with keeping the secret Coastgirl! We will be there for part of the same time because our dates overlap. Have a wonderful time--I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!!

 

[mbb]

So close now, JoAnne!!!
How are you holding it all in????
Did the sealing wax work?

We're back in 13 days!!!

 

[coastgirl]

It was great. The sealing wax worked, and I printed a picture of Hedwig and had her sitting on the windowsill with the letters in her "claws". The kids thought the letters were really cool, and read them really slowly, and just--didn't seem to get it. THen we explained it, and that we were leaving NOW. Then they started running around in circles (living room--dining room-kitchen--living room--dining room--kitchen, etc!) until we made them stop.
It was great. I have video, I may upload it if I can figure out how.