Island Hopping: A WDW PTR for Sept. 2012-- Link to TR! 10/10

[Fantasyland Mom]

Jennifer

me and my family. husband and 3 boys will be at mk on 22nd. The boys will have matching mickey head shirts with birthday hats declaring their birthday. We will look for you guys that day!

Jenn

I will be looking for you guys! On that day we'll be wearing yellow and brown...I'll be in a yellow tank w/ brown underneath, Brandon in a brown tee, the girls in yellow Alice shirts, and Sawyer in a shirt that looks like Woody's costume. If you see us, come talk to us!

ONE STINKIN' WEEK AWAY! You guys must be just so excited right now. I am, and I'm not even going on the trip!

Your plans sound fabulous. I kinda wish we were there at the same time because then we'd make sure we overlapped so we could meet. Just sayin'.

I'm also just as excited for your TR when you get back. It's probably going to get me through waiting for our trips the next few months!

I'm just saying that NEXT SEPTEMBER is a MUST!
Is it weird that I'm already excited to write the TR even though I haven't been on the trip yet?? Maybe that means I just know this trip is going to be awesome!

 

[marDgreen88]

Yall are just gonna have the best time. SO excited for you!!! You picked some wonderful restaurants!

Let me tell you, if I was going to be there at the same time, I'd try to coordinate some days!

 

[Dancegrl624]

It's definitely possible, but I am non-commital because of last year's experience (I still shudder when I remember how I felt that night) and because it's so late in our trip. If we're all still gung-ho that night, we will totally be there. I didn't bother with all the costume coordination this year, though, so we might have to wing it.
I hope we run into each other! Sounds like there's a pretty decent chance!

Yay!

 

[starann]

I will be looking for you guys! On that day we'll be wearing yellow and brown...I'll be in a yellow tank w/ brown underneath, Brandon in a brown tee, the girls in yellow Alice shirts, and Sawyer in a shirt that looks like Woody's costume. If you see us, come talk to us!



I'm just saying that NEXT SEPTEMBER is a MUST!
Is it weird that I'm already excited to write the TR even though I haven't been on the trip yet?? Maybe that means I just know this trip is going to be awesome!

I agree....next Sept is a MUST (we are going then, just not sure when, prob later in sept....jsut saying, so you can make plans!! LOL!)


You are so stinkin close....and I am so stinkin jealous!

 

[JDailey]

I know you are getting so excited!!! I wish we were in the single digit count down. I hope you guys have a wonderful trip....I can't wait to hear all about it and see all the great pictures.

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

Yall are just gonna have the best time. SO excited for you!!! You picked some wonderful restaurants!

Let me tell you, if I was going to be there at the same time, I'd try to coordinate some days!

Oh, I hope they're yummy! Some are tried and true, and some we're just hoping are good...who am I kidding, IT'S DISNEY! Of course they'll be good!
You should try to go next September! Seems like a lot of us are already making plans, LOL! Oh, DISers, always planning for the next trip! (Next year is Sept 13-22 for us, and we'd love to meet you!)

Yay!

I agree....next Sept is a MUST (we are going then, just not sure when, prob later in sept....jsut saying, so you can make plans!! LOL!)


You are so stinkin close....and I am so stinkin jealous!

We'll be there Sept. 13-22 next year. School calendar is already published!

I know you are getting so excited!!! I wish we were in the single digit count down. I hope you guys have a wonderful trip....I can't wait to hear all about it and see all the great pictures.

I'm very excited, you're right! But I think it's also surreal to me...which might be why I've barely done anything on the packing front. That's what today's about, supposedly, but as you can tell I'm sitting with my laptop instead of working!
I can't wait to write a TR and see all the pictures Brandon takes. I know you'll have some great pictures for your next trip, too!

 

[disneygirl520]

I haven't commented yet, but I'm reading along! I just finished your first trip report, and followed the link to this one!

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

Thanks for joining in and for reading my TR! I hope you'll join in the new TR when I get back!

 

[shan23877]

Wouldn't miss it! I hope that you have an amazing trip!

 

[jedijill]

Have a great trip!

Jill in CO

 

[jojosmom23]

ok ill be looking for you guys it will be great and we can get a picture together..

Jenn

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Have a wonderful and magical trip!!!!

 

[LifeIsDis]

Have a wonderful trip!

Can't wait to read the TR!

 

[HilJoy14]

So close!!! Have a wonderful trip - can't wait to read about it afterwards!

 

[acox17]

Just read your completed TR and now your PTR, can't wait for your return to start the new TR!!!

 

[mxkris]

See you guys down there Saturday!!! I'll keep my eyes peeled for you!! I'm sure we'll spot you! I'll be the one walking really slowly... If not from the back pain, from the pills!!

 

[cfw213]

Thanks for joining in and for reading my TR! I hope you'll join in the new TR when I get back!

Enjoy your trip - can't wait to read your TR when we return!

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

Hi, all! I am not going to do individualized responses to your most recent comments, because I honestly don't have much time!! More on that later! I do want to say a BIG THANK YOU for all your well-wishes for our trip, and yes, I'll be doing a TR as soon as we get back. I hope you'll all join me for that!

Hmmm...well...packing...it hasn't happened. Yes, I know we leave tomorrow morning. I don't know what is wrong with me! I just haven't had the energy or drive to do it, and it still does not seem real to me that we're leaving in the morning. I do realize that it MUST start feeling real sometime today if we're going to have any underwear to cover our booties on the trip! Most things are still in that humongous pile in my bedroom floor just waiting to be packed, but nothing so far. Bad, bad mom.

We have accomplished a lot this week, though.

• I had my eyebrows waxed and Brandon had a haircut (both very important, I assure you).
• We bought Julia a pirate costume because she decided at the last minute she wanted one for The Pirate's League.
• Brandon picked up his rental lens. It's ridiculous, but it will give some interesting pictures, I have to admit. It's not a walkaround lens by any means, though.
• We did regular dance class, as well as a make-up class for when we're gone.
• I bought some groceries to take with us for breakfasts and snacks. I'm going to try not to have to go to the store once we get there. It's going to make our van a little more packed, but it'll be worth it. Plus, we'll have an extra container for souvenirs on the trip back!
• We cleaned out the van. Okay, Brandon cleaned out the van.
• I printed out all the show and character schedules.
• I paid all the bills that will be due while we're gone.
• I went to the bank and got our money for mousekeeping tips, as well as money for toll booths and pressed pennies. I still need to get a mini m&m container for the pressed penny money, but I don't mind eating them all, so it works out.

I had to go to the bank anyway to pick up my temporary debit card, because someone in Pittsburgh decided to steal my number and start having some fun with it right before my trip.

Last night at my MIL's house, I gave Julia a craft project of decorating the mousekeeping envelopes. I had honestly forgotten to do it earlier, plus it kept her from being bored, so win-win!

She decided to print out some pictures from the internet and glue them on. And boy did she glue! When we got home and I went to stuff them, most of them were soaking wet and glue shut. I was able to pry them open enough to stuff the money in, but I sure hope our mousekeepers know that it's the thought that counts.

Also this week, I had to go to a meeting with Julia's gifted teacher, which was nice. I really like her and the curriculum they'll be using in there. She'll get half a day of gifted services this year, and starting next year she'll get a full day each week.
Yesterday morning, Brynn had her evaluation with the special education pre-school services team. What is supposed to take an hour to an hour and a half took us two hours, AND they haven't finished and want her back in the Monday after we get back from Disney. It seems that she's one of their most "intriguing" cases, as she's off-the-charts on cognitive tests, but she can't do simple things like put on a shirt. She can make a sandwich, but she can't sit for more than a few seconds without getting up. She can tell a joke, but she can't keep eye contact. She can read a book, but she doesn't have the strength to continually hold her pencil the right way. They said most kids who come in are pretty much level across the board, but for her they are having to give every single evaluation they have to pinpoint all the little things she's going to need help with so that she's able to demonstrate to her teachers exactly how intelligent she really is. Without things in place, there's no way she'll be able to do school in a normal setting. So far she's done cognitive, speech, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, as well as some things with the school psychologist. All the testing about the Autism Spectrum diagnosis will be that Monday, and they have sixty calendar days to have all reports, meetings, paperwork, and implementation completed. It might be a long time of holding our breaths, but we've gotten kind of used to that!
On top of that, Julia's magazine/chocolate/nut sale for Girl Scouts just started, and it's mostly parent-driven. And who was the first person to buy from her? A very special DISer! Disney friends are the best friends! (Just a plug--if you want anything from the sale, let me know and I'll send you a link. You can also help by donating just $5 that will send a magazine subscription or nuts/chocolates to a member of the military. All done now.)

Both sets of grandparents gave the kids a little bit of spending money, so they each have $35 for spending money besides what we'll give them. Also, my mom was nice enough to fill up the van with gas for us! We'll have to stop again, obviously, but one tank of gas really helps!

I promise that I will try to pack tonight. Today I'm doing laundry, including washing the cloth diapers (which takes forever!) because those obviously can't be sitting around while we're gone. Brandon's supposed to be on house-cleaning duty once he gets home while I pack. I need to give myself a pedicure because I did the responsible thing and saved money by not getting one at the salon sad. I need to grab toys from around the house as I see them today so I don't have to sneak into their rooms and grab them tonight. We also need to charge all electronics.

See, I can write this all out and know I have to do it, and it STILL doesn't seem real! Oh, well. Guess I should go get started! I'll try to post in the morning to let you know how it all went and whether or not I packed anything!

ONE MORE SLEEP TIL DISNEY!!

 

[marDgreen88]

Disney tomorrow? Oh, no big deal.

I must say, it sounds like you've been EXTREMELY productive, besides packing! I mean, I know that's a pretty big part of going on a trip, but still.

So let me just say now, since I know you're probably even too busy to read a long comment, I hope you have an amazing trip in every way!

 

[starann]

I hope to get some FB updates (of course spend time with your family, but a pict here and there would be GREAT!).

Enjoy your trip. The packing will get done, it HAS to. I am the same way, I have the best laid plans then procrastinate and rush and feel so stressed!


Have FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!