Island Hopping: A Highly Inappropriate TR. (Boom.)-- Link to NEW TR! 10/8

[shan23877]

Great pictures! And I love those pumpkins!!!

 

[SoNotAPrincess]

I love the family tractor photo...what a cute idea! Your Disney punkins are adorable, too...Monsters, Inc. is my favorite Pixar film!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

The pumpkin patch looks like so much fun!!! I love autumnal activities like that!!

Ahhhh I LOVE your pumpkins!!!! So clever!!!

 

[CandleontheWater]

Oh my gosh, what I wouldn't give for some boiled peanuts right about now! Unfortunately northerners don't understand the goodness that is boiled peanuts, silly them.

Glad you found a better pumpkin patch, we're going to try a new one this weekend, hope we have the same success as you!

I love the painted pumpkins, they are so cute and what a great idea!

 

[__disneygirl]

You take beautiful pictures, and I LOVE those Monsters Inc pumpkins! I'm so excited for Monsters University!!!

 

[ronnmel]

Those pumpkins are fun!

 

[Holly324]

We have a local apple orchard/pumpkin patch that we LOVE to go to! Sounds like you guys had a great time! And I love your pumpkins! So cute!! I bet that sure cut down on the mess when you paint instead of carve. We love to carve pumpkins, but there is something about that gushy orange stuff that just doesn't go over well with me......

 

[Mrs. Gumdrop]

Adorable! Fall is my favorite as well. Painting pumpkins isn't something I have tried. Do they last longer uncarved? Your pictures are fab as usual.

 

[DisneyGator13]

I'm tuning in ! Usually a lurker but your family is so adorable and your writing is too entertaining to not comment on!

Looks like you all are off to a great start! The pictures so far have been fabulous, I can't wait to see more.

 

[GrimGrinningStitch]

I think I already commented on the FB, but I love those pumpkins so much! And what a great picture of the whole family at the Pumpkin Patch.

You must have been so thrilled to be able to go to that new patch! I hate crowds so much, so we always make sure to go to our patch first thing in the morning.

 

[ALFranklin]

I just thought I'd chime in and say "HELLO". I tend to be a bit of a lurker on people's trip reports, but in an effort to get to know people here on the DIS, I am being much more sociable. I actually really enjoyed your "travel day" report. My husband and I want to take our 3 kids for a long weekend and will probably have to drive from East TN, so I enjoyed discovering good ways to keep things organized. Over all I am just really enjoying your report. Your writing is so witty and your husband's photos are so great! I can't wait to read and see more.

P.S. My husband and I got there on Sept. 22! You and I may have passed each other at some point!

 

[disneychic33]

I am with you. LOVE the pumpkins, wonderful job painting them. The box system you set up is a great organizational tip, thanks. Too bad you didn't take a picture. can't wait to read more. your kids are adorable.

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

You had me at boiled peanuts and cider.

Those are some great pics of the family! Love the pumpkins.

Jill in CO

Boiled peanuts are heaven in a styrofoam cup! Not great for you, but still GREAT!

Oh my goodness, I LOVE the pumpkins!

They at lease resemble the characters, I think! That's what I'll tell myself at least.

I have done that before with the alarm, not being able to turn it off or turning it on louder while everyone else is asleep. Did not endear me to anyone.

Hey, no judgement here. The Disney obsession is strong in all of us. It just comes out in different ways in different people.

That's really great that you were able to get the GAC and that the CM was so nice about it. We visited Cedar Point one year and my friend who has a muscle disorder and is in a wheelchair was basically drilled regarding why she needed it. Clearly, this CM knew what the correct approach is.

I love those pumpkins!! They're awesome!!!!!

Good to know I'm not alone! I think the obsession has many manifestations in our household alone!
I am so glad that Disney knows how to handle disabilities for the most part. So many people have invisible ones, and families feel bad enough about that--no need to make them feel worse!

Yall are just the cutest little family. I love it.

Oh my gosh, those pumpkins are genius. That's such a good idea! I'm so freaking squeamish that I tend to get grossed out while carving pumpkins... painting them would be much less gross! Seriously, not sure why I've never thought of that before...

Yeah, I'm not big about getting knives near my children. Plus, I really stink at getting them to look like anything but broken when I carve them. Even the classic triangle eyes are too much for me.

I'm right there with you! I just love everything about the Fall!

That's such a good family picture of yall by the tractor!

MONSTERS INC PUMPKINS!!! How cool is that?! We're huge Sully & Mike fans in this house. Jake would love to make pumpkins like that!

We had no idea about Monsters Inc. until we went to Laugh Floor! Now we've seen it a bajillion times. Sawyer's watching it now, in fact!

Great pictures! And I love those pumpkins!!!

Thank you so much!

I love the family tractor photo...what a cute idea! Your Disney punkins are adorable, too...Monsters, Inc. is my favorite Pixar film!

It's our new favorite around here! Not sure the tractor was much of an idea--our kids just wouldn't get off of it, so we took advantage!

The pumpkin patch looks like so much fun!!! I love autumnal activities like that!!

Ahhhh I LOVE your pumpkins!!!! So clever!!!

Brynn thought of it! She's a clever one, alright!

Oh my gosh, what I wouldn't give for some boiled peanuts right about now! Unfortunately northerners don't understand the goodness that is boiled peanuts, silly them.

Glad you found a better pumpkin patch, we're going to try a new one this weekend, hope we have the same success as you!

I love the painted pumpkins, they are so cute and what a great idea!

Oh, Northerners. How do you survive Fall without boiled peanuts!?!?!?! For shame!
Good luck with your pumpkin patch this weekend! Let me know how it goes. Post pictures!

You take beautiful pictures, and I LOVE those Monsters Inc pumpkins! I'm so excited for Monsters University!!!

Me, too!!!!!! Is it bad that I kind of want to leave my kids at home and see it myself?

Those pumpkins are fun!

They were fun to paint!! I think my kitchen floor will never be the same.

We have a local apple orchard/pumpkin patch that we LOVE to go to! Sounds like you guys had a great time! And I love your pumpkins! So cute!! I bet that sure cut down on the mess when you paint instead of carve. We love to carve pumpkins, but there is something about that gushy orange stuff that just doesn't go over well with me......

Well, it's just a different kind of mess. Blue paint isn't all that clean!

Adorable! Fall is my favorite as well. Painting pumpkins isn't something I have tried. Do they last longer uncarved? Your pictures are fab as usual.

I have no idea how long they last. They lasted long enough for a picture, so that is a success around here!

I'm tuning in ! Usually a lurker but your family is so adorable and your writing is too entertaining to not comment on!

Looks like you all are off to a great start! The pictures so far have been fabulous, I can't wait to see more.

Aw, you just made me blush, and that is not easy to do! I'm so glad you're not lurking on here! I'm a lurker myself, but I'm trying to break the habit.

I think I already commented on the FB, but I love those pumpkins so much! And what a great picture of the whole family at the Pumpkin Patch.

You must have been so thrilled to be able to go to that new patch! I hate crowds so much, so we always make sure to go to our patch first thing in the morning.

HATE CROWDS. September Disney-goer here, remember!?! You should totally join us next September, Matt. We could all enjoy no crowds together.

I just thought I'd chime in and say "HELLO". I tend to be a bit of a lurker on people's trip reports, but in an effort to get to know people here on the DIS, I am being much more sociable. I actually really enjoyed your "travel day" report. My husband and I want to take our 3 kids for a long weekend and will probably have to drive from East TN, so I enjoyed discovering good ways to keep things organized. Over all I am just really enjoying your report. Your writing is so witty and your husband's photos are so great! I can't wait to read and see more.

P.S. My husband and I got there on Sept. 22! You and I may have passed each other at some point!

You'll have to look for yourself in my photos from that last weekend!!
I'm a lurker, too, and I want to get to know people as well! Quite a few people have responded to this TR that I have read all their TRs and not responded, and it's such a good feeling to get to "talk" to them now! Hopefully you'll come out of lurkdom and we can work on this together!

I am with you. LOVE the pumpkins, wonderful job painting them. The box system you set up is a great organizational tip, thanks. Too bad you didn't take a picture. can't wait to read more. your kids are adorable.

I'm a dummy, what can I say!?!
You are about to read more...
NOW!

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

Arrrrrr you ready for this!?

I figure that since I'm on a roll : pats self on back:: ) I might as well just keep on typing. And because this part of the morning was so super-cute, I'm sure this will take several posts due to picture count; just make sure you keep on reading post after post until I tell you that I have nothing more to say for the day.

If you guessed that we were headed to the Pirates League, congratulations! You are officially brilliant.

And if not? At least you're pretty.

We made our way through an absolutely empty Adventureland and straight up to the counter.

It was eerie, really. The only people around were the ones waiting for their appointment. Nobody on rides. Streets still wet from being cleaned. Camels having no one to spit on. Eerie.

But you know what is even more eerie?

THAT THING! Talk about nightmares! This is a statue they have, supposedly to give you an idea of what you can have done at Pirates League, but really I think it was created to scare the bejeezus out of me. On actual little boys, its fine. I think it looks a tad spooky, but they are obviously living and breathing. This was not fine.

I checked us in while checking over my shoulder to make sure that guy didn't creep up on me. We were right on time for our appointments, and I reminded the boy helping us that Brynn's Asperger's really required her pirate makeover-er (what the heck do we call them??) to explain what she'd be doing before doing it, and that if Brynn didn't feel comfortable doing something, we absolutely didn't require it. He went back to tell her, and then we were escorted by another wench back to the dressing rooms.
We'd brought costumes from home, Julia's brand new and Brynn's tried and true. In the back, they have spacious dressing rooms, though the lighting is very dim...because PIRATES, guys.

Once the girls were dressed, which only entailed putting the costumes over their existing clothes, we were led to a big ship's wheel, which Julia was instructed to turn so we could find out her pirate name. She had chosen the Empress package, because a princess pirate was just up her alley this year. I thank Jake and the Neverland Pirates for this, because as of last year she was just a prissy princess and pirates weren't even on her radar.

Julia spun the wheel, and we did not get a picture (though I do have video that will make it into the final cut) because there was Sawyer chaos occurring. Remember how he was sleepy before? Now, not so much. He wanted to spin that wheel. He wanted to sign the paper. He wanted to find a sword and swab the deck and plunder treasure with a hearty laugh. And Brandon got to chase him. Sawyer and Brandon got to leave to run around and play in planters while the girls had their transformations.

So, meanwhile, outside...

This seems wise.

Phew! It came out!

Jungle plants! (And then he proceeded to stomp inappropriately through planters all over Adventureland. When I found out, I made sure he knew it was highly inappropriate!)

A couple of dice in a box attached to the wheel contained letters and numbers, and the wench (I feel really bad using that term in reference to someone working with children, but I'm coming up with nothing else) used those to find her pirate name in a large book. That name be:

NELL DOCKCRUMBS!

We were presented with a wonderfully old-looking document later proclaiming her new name and emblazoned with the pirate oath and the signature of Captain Jack Sparrow. Very nice.

Now on to Miss Brynn. I think I mentioned in the intros that she has two intense fascinations. Many people with Asperger's tend to have an extreme focus and knowledge about a certain subject or two, learning all they can, and being so fully immersed in the topic that it often excludes other topics. This is one of the things that can make social situations difficult (they ONLY want to talk about their topics, and the conversation is pretty much one-sided, with them spouting off facts and random information and expecting the other person to listen and be just as interested), but also quite interesting at times! Anyway, Brynn has fascinations with the ride "its a small world" and also sea creatures.

In case you didn't know, Pirates League now offers the best transformation sweet Brynn could ever imagine...

MERMAID!

She was wearing her old Ariel costume, looking beautiful already. The wench (sigh) told her to sign her name on a paper proclaiming herself as a mermaid, and she wrote her name big and proud across the whole paper...and then the wench said that was supposed to be for all the mermaids to sign that day, and she didn't seem happy that Brynn had taken up all the room. At that point, I didn't mind calling her a wench. She wasn't very nice at all.

Luckily, we were then taken to our transformers (robots in disguise?) chairs, which were next to each other, thank goodness, since I was alone with the girls. Both of these ladies were spectacularly in character the whole time. Julia's friend was Emily, and Brynn's was Elizabeth. They both hopped up in those huge chairs, Brynn a bit nervously. Elizabeth was very gentle with her from the start. She asked her every question in a slow, calm, quiet manner, and she didn't tease her at all. In case you didn't know, sometimes people getting the Mermaid makeover get a bit of teasing since Pirates and Mermaids do not get along. Elizabeth never did any of that to Brynn, understanding that Brynn would not understand it as teasing and might have her feelings hurt.

Remember that Brandon was outside with Sawyer, so the pictures inside were ones I took and not so great. Also remember that I was bouncing from girl to girl and making sure they were both comfortable for the whole experience, all while taking video. It must have been a sight to behold.
First, Elizabeth painted Brynn's nails.

Her transformation began with some blues and greens around the eyes. See how carefully and gently she was being transformed!

And then some lipstick and glitter, along with a color-changing necklace and color-changing hair clip!

She then stood Brynn up and called for attention from the room. She yelled,"From sea to land, a mermaid stands!" Everybody clapped and cheered, and Brynn beamed with pride! Other mermaids were getting some very pirate-y "arrrrrs" and scared looks, but when Brynn was announced there was nothing but cheers. Warmed this mama's heart!

Meanwhile, Julia and Emily chatted non-stop the whole time! As soon as she plopped into that chair, Emily started painting her nails...BLACK! I was not prepared for that! She told Julia that pirates needed black nails so you couldn't see the dirt. That's pretty convenient. I think she might need to stick with this nail polish.

She then got a skull-and-crossbones tattoo, which she wanted on her hand.

Then it was time for several layers of very grown-up make-up.

She then picked her face jewel, a heart that got sort of covered up by her glasses, and got her bandanna.

Lastly, she had to raise her right hand and say the Pirates' Oath, which Emily said really really really fast! It was funny to hear Julia trying to keep up. In the end, she said, "Yeah, what she said!"

Emily yelled for attention from the room and presented Nell Dockcrumbs as a new pirate!!

The girls were finished right about the same time, and we were sent over to another wench to get sashes. Julia's looked like leather, and Brynn's was turquoise and watery.

With a few knocks on a hidden door, we were let into a secret room with a pirate who was trying to perform a comedy act while taking pictures and not doing a great job. No pictures or videos are allowed in this secret room, because secretly they want parents to buy the awful pictures. Julia was given a piece of Captain Jack's very own gold on a necklace, and we secretly exited conveniently at the cash register. Its is surrounded by all sorts of pirate-y things that I had to insist the girls could not have, NO, put it back NOW, but Julia's makeover did come with a sword and she wasn't afraid to use it. We paid and declined the photos, since Brandon had his very own photo session all planned out thanks to the outside time he spent with Sawyer.

That's right, folks. I said photo session.

Arrrrrrrr you ready? Keep reading right below this NOW, Matey!

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

**Continued from above...read that first if you haven't already!**

Outside, I took over Sawyer duty while Brandon took the girls for a “short” photo session. Fifteen minutes later, they were back.

No one can say my girls aren’t dedicated to their roles. They are fully immersed. Brynn’s even swimming beneath the sea…AND SHE SWAM LIKE THIS UNTIL SHE TOOK OFF THAT COSTUME LATER IN THE DAY! I guess some parents would be annoyed, but I think when she fully commits that it’s funny and sweet. I present Nell Dockcrumbs and Mermaid Brynn in about a million pictures, because there are no words for this cuteness!

Brynn actually making “eye contact” with the camera—rare!

Not sure about this lipstick stuff.

Now, THAT was a photo shoot! Brandon also discovered that his super-secret spectacular shoot spot was not-so-secret. Pirate Goofy was ready for his photo shoot, too, and was our first character meet of the trip!

ARRRRR!

Sawyer was so excited to see his first character, but he wasn't about to touch him!!

My crew decided it was now time to get down to some serious business: RIDES! And what better than to start with something fast and finally open!

We were going to…

Barnstormer featuring The Great Goofini!

Remember how I’m a great mom and all? Well, since Sawyer measured up and none of my children knew what to expect from rides at this point, I decided we all should go on, no matter how young. I am awesome.

My first thoughts were that I LOVED the new circus theming! Great! (I also realized I had meant to grab Winnie the Pooh FPs on the way but forgot. Drat.)

The line was quick and shaded. It looked long, but we didn’t even wait five minutes.

We were told that we had to split into three cars instead of two, which is understandable since the ride cars are tiny on this ride. It is a kid coaster, after all. We knew that both Sawyer and Brynn would need someone next to them, but Julia immediately put up a big fight. She would NOT ride alone. We offered her the choice of riding with Brynn, riding alone, or not riding at all. With a big stomp of the foot and more than a little fear, she chose to sit with Brynn.

Things started out slow, but they were anticipating much more speed!

Going up, up, up!

Okay, guys, I’ve got the fear now!

I’m brave! I’m brave! I’m brave!

And my favorite shot, which captures how everyone was feeling…

The girls were scared, but having fun. Sawyer, not so much. And I thought the whole thing was hilarious!

I am pretty sure that looks like an ad on Disney’s website. Is it just me? I know they love to always use that one girl from like 1985 in their commercials, but I’m pretty sure this family would be MUCH better!

As I carried Sawyer off the ride, I realized that in his excitement and fear, he’d wet right through his diaper…and onto me. Brandon got to tour the new bathrooms as he changed his clothes and diaper, and I got to wear a little reminder of my son for the rest of the day. Perfect. It dried quickly, at least, but GROSS.

It was early in the day and we had just paid a zillion dollars, but the girls were ready to shed their costumes (not the makeup or sashes), and they stripped down right there in the middle of the walkway, in front of Mickey, God, and all of Fantasyland! Oh, how I wished I had another shirt at that point! I suspected nobody would approve of my stripping down at that moment. It would be highly inappropriate, but so welcome.

I really want to keep going with this day, but I just can’t right now. It is too long, involves too many new things and cute things, and will take forever. I’m trying to pace myself.

With that said, expect kid classics, a food report, and a sweet baby’s first barber shop experience coming up VERY SOON!

How do you think Brynn will handle finally being in her happy place, IASW? What will Sawyer’s reaction be to losing those baby curls? And can I keep from becoming an emotional mess!?!?!

 

[LifeIsDis]

Oh my goodness, Brynn looks so cute when she is getting transformed into a mermaid. I seriously LOVE the makeup they do for the mermaid. It’s probably really sad that I want to go to Pirate’s League but sadly, I am too old for it.

Julia looks so pretty! I love all of the sparkles.

The pictures Brandon took for the photo shoot are just incredible. The ones of Brynn are so cute, especially the ones where she is “swimming.”

I just love the girls faces on the Barnstormer! Julia looks so excited.

 

[jedijill]

I love the makeovers. I hadn't seen the mermaid but I love it and love that Brynn got totally into character. Those pics are awesome.

Jill in CO

 

[inkedupmomma]

awe, what a great update jenn! Brynn did WONDERFUL and now I want to go to PL! I may actually look into it as a surprise for the kids! Maybe a wedding gift for them too lol! I didn't do it in years past because of the September heat.. Jack walks out and is instawet!

LOVE the action shot, well all the shots, bravo brandon!

Btw, no lie, your pics are awesome too! So pat yourself on the back!

and to back track a bit, awesome pumpkins! We/re going this weekend! Our farm does painted pumpkins every year, and had Monsters Inc the past few years, so it always makes me smile!

Looking forward to more~!

 

[Mrs. Gumdrop]

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

First of all, Title Shout out! Highly Inappropriate! Secondly, I adore how committed both girls were to their roles. The photo shoot DH did was so much better than anything the Disney photographers could have captured. That was some serious memory making. Personally, I would be delighted to see a little mermaid "swimming" her way through Fantasyland. Imagination is what Disney is all about. Perfect!

 

[mxkris]

Best TR i've ever read!!! The pictures are just GREAT!!! I love the girls at Pirates League and on the Barnstormer, OMG it seriously just captured their emotions perfect!!! I'm so sad I didn't get to meet you guys!!! I knew that was you guys at Epcot that day I just was too shy to say Hi!! I dunno how I missed you guys I on this day since the girls were all done up.. I certainly looked for you, but never saw you! Oh well! Next time! Maybe we can meet up locally sometime even!!