Juan says "BAAAA!" - 12/24 - Our last few Disney hours. COMPLETE

[moparop]

Your pages look awesome Brook! I should pull out my first album and take some pics for comparison sake. Those needed a LOT of help!

 

[jessily]

Love the scrapbook pages! Great job

 

[luvfigment]

I am all caught up. What a great update! Great job on the scrapbooking pages! Wait until you start doing Disney pictures it can be so much fun.

 

[wdwgirl03]

Great job! I love the snow angel and grass layouts. Too funny. The NYC one with the cabs is really cool too. That is a neat picture!

 

[Stefy]

You did a great job, so cute

 

[MEK]

Brook:

You did an awesome job with the scrapbook. I love seeing Henry as he changes through the months. There is something to be said for old-fashioned scrap booking. I love the digital scrapbooks, but I think the rgular scrap books are soooooo personal. Great job! Thanks for sharing!

 

[KatMark]

Great job, Brook.

 

[CKBear]

That is a great scrapbook!

 

[disneyfan61]

Great scrapbooking Brook!! Talk about old fashioned-I still buy the Disney photo albums & order the photos online, pick them up & put them in the photo album. Working full time I just don't have time (or energy) to do anything else. Plus my 2 boys are a lot older. Maybe if I had little ones I would think about doing some scrapbooking. (Maybe once I have grand kids but that could be YEARS). Have a wonderful weekend!!

 

[jenseib]

Great Scrapbook. I did one from our 2008 trip. I only put the very favorite of pictures ( I took over 1000), and it was so cute. I like the textures. To me Digital isn't the same becuase I can't do the add ons iwth the textures. I've made photo books too, and to me they are just not the same as putting pics on a photo album either. LOL!

 

[blessedby3]

Great Scrapbooking Brook!! My favorite picture is the one of him in the grass! That is way too adorable
I think we must have the same highchair with a different pattern. My dd(just turned 2) couldnt use the tray until she was about 18 mos. I had to put a folded up towel in the seat to boost her up to use the tray. Crazy!

Anyway, GREAT JOB on the scrapbook. You should be proud

 

[Charleston Princess]

One week from today is your last day of work, Brook!!!

 

[tinkerbells mum]

i love your scrapbooking the photos are fantastic. my mum, sis and DD (8) are all in to it, i've done one (disny, what else!!) but i'm not as patient or arty as the rest of my family, but i have just found digital scarpbooking and totally love it. when you do the Disney scrapbook please share it one here, i bet it will be awsome xx

 

[IluvXU]

I cracked up at your title. I love to scrapbook, but really have to get on kicks to accomplish much! It was super fun seeing how Henry changed and grew though... so thanks

 

[brookelizabeth]

Awwww -they are so cute!

You will be so happy you've done these pages.....they grow up so fast. Snap as many pictures as you can because it happens right before your eyes

I can just imagine looking at it in years to come and remembering the days...

The prices for CSR have gone up $5 for next year (that is only $5 more than the other moderates). There is a rumor that they will now be having Cabana 9A join Cabana 9B as Club Level.

The prices in the gift shop are the same as any other gift shop for the most part.

Very good to know! Thank you for the info!! I would love to stay Club Level sometime.

Can't wait to see your work Brook! I'm impressed!!!!!

Scroll up...I posted all the pages, you must have just missed it.

You did really good for your first attempt Brook! Henry is such a doll, it'd be hard for those pages not to be cute.

I've never tried scrapping 8x8, I'm strickly a 12x12 girl - and I LOVE to embellish, so the pages that you think are busy, don't look busy to me at all I'd love to share my first Disney scrapbook, but it's 2 albums stuffed - I couldn't bring myself to leave anything out!

Thank you! I can VERY much see why you are a 12x12 girl, they are so much more versatile with what you can do on a page. I would just ooh and ahh over the other gals' page because of everything they could fit! It's so hard to leave pictures out, isn't it???

I love the scrapbooks! (well and your TR's too... sorry I'm a lurker ) Henry is too cute!

Thanks for posting and reading along!

BEAUTIFUL job!!!!!!

Thank you!!!

What great layouts Brook!! Congrats on your first foray into scrapbooking!! I love to scrapbook and I'm about to adventure into the digital world!! I loved your pages....great job!!!

I am very tempted to start dabbling into the digital world of scrapbooking. More and more people have been talking to me about it lately-on here and elsewhere...I think I'd really like it!

Not too shabby!!!!

You don't give yourself enough credit! They ALL came out great....

Thanks Jordan!!

Brook!!! You did an amazing job!!!!! I'm super impressed!!! So cute!!!

Definitely give a thought to digital scrapping! You have the computer know how and your definitely a lot more crafty then you let on! Digital scrapping requires a lot less stuff and is way cheaper! All you need is your pictures, a computer a a few digital kits! There are even a lot of cute disney kits (although not liscensed my Disney ) I think I'm going to do our halloween trip all digital like I did our anniversary trip!

I really did feel crafty after that weekend, being around those girls who are pros. I think if I did it more often, I would really get into it. And the digital would allow for that. I'm really going to have to look into it once I have some time.

I love the sweet little look he has in the bottom left picture.

Good job on your scrapping. Jill does some when she has time, but she doesn't have time very often. She would be in heaven to have a whole weekend to hang out with 'big girls' and do scrapbook stuff!

Isn't that pic so funny?! I love his look there too-he's so proud of himself sitting up all big and tall.

It was a very nice weekend with the ladies-just getting away and having someone cook for me and serve me wonderful meals was worth the money!

I think you did an awesome job on all the pages, Brook! You are a born scrapbooker!

Thanks! I am very happy with them for being my first attempt!

What a great job! You're making me want to pull out all my stuff and do some scrapping. I've mostly switched to digital, though, 'cause I can do it and watch TV at the same time!

Denise

Now I like that idea! Joe always wants to watch movies together-I could scrap and watch with him...I'm likin' that!

They look great! You did a wonderful job.

Thank you!!

Great pages. Very cute subject!! I meant o say that I try to scrap once a month during the day. I could not do a weekend-tooo much for me! I agree about the digital-it's fun!

Ahhhh! I was thinking that was a lot, but if you are really into it, a weekend getaway would be awesome, wouldn't it?! But, a day a month is much more doable. Still, very nice to be able to kinda getaway, while still at home, and work on it. You do need a good chunk of time to get anywhere with it!

Wow! You got a lot of pages done and you did a wonderful job. The high chair picture was cracking me up!! I also love the rolling page!!

Thank you!! I remember reading reviews on the high chair and everyone saying it had a high tray, but I just thought "how high can it be?" Well...

Great job Brook! Love it! You did some fine work! My favorite picture is the one of Henry in the grass... that's absolutely hilarious!

Thank you for sharing!!


As to where we'll be staying - yup, we'll be in St. Cloud. DH just texted me a picture of a burrito from Chipotle. I know what I'm having for lunch on Saturday!! Man, I wish we had a Chipotle up here! Noah's requested a trip to Space Aliens for dinner tomorrow night and I know we'll be hitting the Mill End fabric store so I can pick up some stuff for work and my own personal stash!

(A hijack ahead.... Brook, if you get a chance, check out our video that a friend made of our trip in August. The link is in my siggie. My TR got closed/moved to the complete board (accidentally I think) because I did two entries and I'm guessing it closed right then because no one ever responded and when I went to write some more, it wasn't possible. I know I could have it re-opened, but I just don't have the time right now to write. Instead I've got this awesome video as a great memory... just had to share! )

Isn't that pic a riot??? I knew he wasn't too fond of the grass and just wanted to see his reaction when I put him on his belly. He was so mad!

Chipotle. Drool. St. Cloud has a bunch of great places to eat. Noah will love Space Aliens! It's a lot of fun in there. I think the giant alien that walks around is slightly creepy...but aside from that, last time I was there, good food, fun games! We like Mongo's Mongolian Grill too. It's a little place near HOM furniture and Pier 1, right by the mall. We may end up in St Cloud tomorrow, not sure what we are doing-maybe we'll run into you!!

I saw the link in your siggy last night and opened it on my computer, but didn't play it - then went to bed forgetting about it!....fixing that RIGHT now!

LOVED IT!!! What a great job! Did you put that together? I love that Dave wore his Davetini shirt. And the guys mouthing the song made me laugh! I love this idea...Joe and I meant to do more video on this past trip, but it just didn't happen. Maybe next trip!

BTW, how was the race? Were you able to compete, or did you get rained out??

 

[brookelizabeth]

Awww..the pages are so adorable! Both the subject matter and the artist!! To mix it up when it just doesn't "feel right", have you tried to round your photo corners? I would do this when I just couldn't bear to cut any of the real picture out. It just gives some of the pictures/layouts a little "oomph", ya know? I think you're on a roll and should be really proud of yourself - you did a fantastic job!

I think my favorites are the rolling and birthday layouts!

I'll mess around with my digital Disney scrapbook and see if I can somehow send it via a link to you. I uploaded them to Shutterfly so it might still be saved in there somehow. Yes, you can definitely download a lot of "freebies" which is what I usually do or buy kits that I know I can use on multiple pages. I'm still learning as well because I just don't have the time I'd like to invest in it when I'd like to.

Can't wait to see more!

Oh - I haven't ruled out doing a trip report so I'll keep you posted! I'm still working on uploading my pictures and I'm at least writing a journal of the trip to keep it written down somewhere.

Heather

That is a great idea about rounding the corners! Now that you mention that, the other gals did it, but I never got that creative. Really, really great idea. I'm going to remember that for future books-real or digital, which ever they might be.

Does Shutterfly allow complete free design of the pages - or do you have to use their templates? I've made a couple books and a couple calendars, using their templates-they are really great!! But, I'd also dare to do some completely blank-slate stuff too now that I've accomplished this book.

Sounds good on the TR-please do keep me updated! I love to read everyone's but often miss them in the siggys. And keeping up is near impossible, but I try!

oops..part 2! You asked about being able to "let go" of the embellishments and the feeling of them. Yes it was really hard at first for me to switch over to digital and even try it. Not to mention how much I already own in the "old world" and didn't want to waste anything. I realized I could get more done and really just use my desk space while on the computer to do the pages so I figured I needed to give it a try. Once I got the book in the mail and could "hold it and see it", I loved it. My DS loves looking at all of them. I like digital mainly because it showcases more of the pictures I think. For example, if you want to you can make an entire 12x12 page just a picture and I often do this. It makes the page really pop!

Let us know when you decide to give it a try!

Heather

Ahhh! Very good to hear. It's got similar impact, just in a different way. I can understand that now that I think about the "drag & drop" type book I did for our Israel trip from a couple years ago. I love that book-and it has just as much appeal as this new one-just in a different way. I like the idea of making a 12x12 page an entire picture too to really bring emphasis to the picture. Plus, with digital making things b&w or sepia, or faded color, etc can really add some awesome drama...oooh, you've got my wheels going now! Now I just need the time!

Your pages look awesome Brook! I should pull out my first album and take some pics for comparison sake. Those needed a LOT of help!

Thank you!!!! A friend of mine always says her first book was awful, but I look at it and I'm amazed! I bet I'd love yours too!

Love the scrapbook pages! Great job

Thank you!

I am all caught up. What a great update! Great job on the scrapbooking pages! Wait until you start doing Disney pictures it can be so much fun.

I really do look forward to doing the Disney one at somepoint. Either if it ends up digital or normal-it will be great to relive it all through the pics!

Great job! I love the snow angel and grass layouts. Too funny. The NYC one with the cabs is really cool too. That is a neat picture!

Thanks! The snow angel and the grass moments were so fun. We were literally outside for two minutes with Henry in the snow and that was IT. This year will be different I'm sure...I gotta find him a snow suit!

I have one other NYC pic that I really like-its also in Times Square (which is oddly enough, my very LEAST favorite part of the City!), but he's looking at the camera, the buildings and lights are all behind him, and a cab is driving by. it was a tough choice, but the one I chose I like a bit more and it's much, much clearer. Ahhh, makes me miss NYC thinking about that. We haven't been back since!

You did a great job, so cute

Thank you!!

Brook:

You did an awesome job with the scrapbook. I love seeing Henry as he changes through the months. There is something to be said for old-fashioned scrap booking. I love the digital scrapbooks, but I think the rgular scrap books are soooooo personal. Great job! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you!! You are right about the regular scrapbooks-I think about all the time and labor that went into making it, and it really becomes quite a special keepsake. It will probably take me just as long to do a digital page because I'm slooooow, but I won't end up with papercuts.

Great job, Brook.

Thank you!!

That is a great scrapbook!

Thanks!!

Great scrapbooking Brook!! Talk about old fashioned-I still buy the Disney photo albums & order the photos online, pick them up & put them in the photo album. Working full time I just don't have time (or energy) to do anything else. Plus my 2 boys are a lot older. Maybe if I had little ones I would think about doing some scrapbooking. (Maybe once I have grand kids but that could be YEARS). Have a wonderful weekend!!

That is EXACTLY what I have done as well until this adventure into scrapbooking. All our honeymoon trip pics are in 2 albums, and the rest since then, except a few here and there, I haven't even printed! They are all just on our computer.... I do have a "pictfolio" album from Creative Memories that allows you to just slide the pictures in, but they also have kits with pretty papers that you can slide into the slots to journal on/theme the page. It's basically a scrapbook for the non-scrapbooker. It's really neat. Now, I just need to fill it!

Great Scrapbook. I did one from our 2008 trip. I only put the very favorite of pictures ( I took over 1000), and it was so cute. I like the textures. To me Digital isn't the same becuase I can't do the add ons iwth the textures. I've made photo books too, and to me they are just not the same as putting pics on a photo album either. LOL!

I like the texture too-I would miss it to an extent I think. But then being able to make a whole page one picture, or play with the toning on the pictures, etc. to add drama would be a whole 'nother element not always possible with regular scrapbooking. Well, I guess you could-if you are really organized with your pictures and get that done before-hand!

Great Scrapbooking Brook!! My favorite picture is the one of him in the grass! That is way too adorable
I think we must have the same highchair with a different pattern. My dd(just turned 2) couldnt use the tray until she was about 18 mos. I had to put a folded up towel in the seat to boost her up to use the tray. Crazy!

Anyway, GREAT JOB on the scrapbook. You should be proud

That is crazy about the tray! 18 months!! Henry could use his well by then, but it really was MUCH too high for a baby. Makes no sense, does it....?! Though, we are still able to use it without a problem at 2 years old. We really need to buy a booster though-he's just way too tall and pulling him out of that thing is such a chore.

One week from today is your last day of work, Brook!!!

Yes, oh yes it is!!! I was thinking that allllll day long!

i love your scrapbooking the photos are fantastic. my mum, sis and DD (8) are all in to it, i've done one (disny, what else!!) but i'm not as patient or arty as the rest of my family, but i have just found digital scarpbooking and totally love it. when you do the Disney scrapbook please share it one here, i bet it will be awsome xx

Another digital scrapper! I'm really going to have to dig into it when I have the time! I will be sure to post pics to the Disney album if/when I get to it. It will be so much fun to do!

I cracked up at your title. I love to scrapbook, but really have to get on kicks to accomplish much! It was super fun seeing how Henry changed and grew though... so thanks

Hee hee. I felt a bit out of my element at first being so crafty and arty! Scrapbooking does take so much time, doesn't it? Just one page can easily suck away an hour.


Sorry I didn't get the TR update up last night, I was exhausted - and just couldn't keep awake enough to get it posted. But....here...it...comes!!

 

[brookelizabeth]

We last left off boarding a bus to DTD from Kidani, a slight drizzle still coming down.

Thankfully the mean looking clouds cleared up and the rain completely stopped…it looked like we would have a very nice evening front of us!

Arriving at DTD

we decided to get food first. I gave the options of EoS or WPE. Joe immediately responded with EoS.

Well….I pulled a very female thing. When I threw out the two options, both truly did sound good, but as soon as Joe chose EoS, I started to crave WPE!

Sorry hun.

I was still very warm and the thought of a warm sandwich with soup, or even with chips, just wasn’t appealing to me. I wanted something lighter. I tried to convince myself as we walked to go for EoS since Joe just seemed so eager on it…but my mind wasn’t changin’. I quietly mentioned I would rather have WPE, he immediately agreed. Guess he didn’t care, as long as there was food!

***SHOCKING ALERT! WARNING!***

Upon arriving at WPE, we briefly perused the menu outside, because, for once in his 31 years on this earth Joe

did

not

want

pizza!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it?!

I couldn’t. I remember my jaw dropping slightly, and stopping in my tracks. I looked at him, he just laughed.

But seriously, he didn’t want pizza! So there we were, looking over the menu quick to ensure there was something he wanted. With that expansive menu, he found several items without a problem.

But I was a problem.

I had no idea what I wanted. Do I try something I have loved in the past, (hello my Chinois Chicken Salad!) or something new?

I finally opted for something new, the Mu Shu Chicken Pocket (roasted all natural chicken breast, Asian slaw, crisp sprouts and spicy Hoisin), to which the CM working the register instantly replied “Good choice!” which made me feel even better about it. He explained it was a light sandwich, served cold, with a lot of crunch and flavor. Exactly what I was looking for.

And to my DELIGHT!!! They had crème burlee! Back in January I never got my WPE crème brulee despite two trips. They were always sold out.

Joe chose the Baked Four Cheese Macaroni (Mozzarella, fontina, cheddar and Gorgonzola cheeses with fresh artisan elbow macaroni, baked until bubbly and golden brown), which also came with a salad. Which became mine instantly. Woot! I love me some greens.

Joe picked a brownie thingy, or as Henry would say “choc choc!”.

Yes, he ate a bite first.

They both lurrrrrved it very much and ate it first. After all, life can be uncertain-sometimes it might be wisest to eat what you like best first, eh?

Pluto wanted some choc-choc, but thankfully I convinced him otherwise.

Our food came, and it was all delish.

Every time I see this picture I get the "Hallelujah" chorus in my head...

My lovely Chinios Chicken Salad now has some serious competition. That Mu Shu Chicken Pocket hit the spot.

Continued in next post

 

[A.Mickey]

Great Job on the scrapbook!

That grass picture was too funny and brought back memories of Aaron's first time on the grass. Kids are too fun!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Continued from previous post

After eating we ventured out and ended up at Once Upon a Toy.

My legs are so white, they are almost see-through.

We had never been into this store, but I have a feeling it’s going to become a regular stop on future trips. We all had a ball in there, especially Henry.

We took much time at the various book shelves, which he loved. A CM also gave him a Mickey sticker, he was thrilled!

We almost bought this book-it had every character from the Cars movie with their "background story". Very cute.

Vinylmation - I thought they were really fun. I get the appeal.

Then we found...

The Goldmine.

An entire wall of Cars gear.

Henry was excited and we let him look and play for a few minutes,

but Joe and I eventually decided we wanted to see if the World of Disney had a better selection-and being DVC Members we would get a discount. So before Henry got too involved, we head out of the store empty handed.

Continued in next post

 

[brookelizabeth]

Continued from previous post

We continued onward toward the World of Disney, but ran into a guy juggling along the way.

I just briefly paused, but the skit he was doing was getting more and more amazing and amusing by the minute. Plus, Henry was just beaming with a giant grin watching him! We all love the random streetmsophere, so we ended up watching the rest of his skit, which was a good 15-20 minutes. He had drawn quite a large crowd and everyone was very entertained. He was great!!

After the show we went into the World of Disney and instantly found a couple racks of Cars gear. We played for a bit, tried on a few hats

Can you believe THAT is a hat?

The first time I ever met Joe he was wearing a bucket hat (and so was I!). We reminisced during this moment about our very first, and very brief meeting.

I thought for sure Henry would remove this from his head in seconds flat...but instead he did this...

Thankfully it didn't ruin the hat at all! Whew!

Okay, this one he can't bend...

But he sure did try!

He then spotted Cars themed Mickey ears! PERFECT!

Or so I thought...he, out of all the hats, REFUSED to wear this one.

We wandered on in hopes of finding more Cars stuff because the two small racks didn't have much that appealed to us. After walking and browsing for a bit I came to the conclusion there wasn’t going to be much else for Cars stuff, we had hit the “Boys” room and that was it. Major bummer!

Joe then suggested that he go back to Once Upon a Toy with Henry to scope the Cars section more closely. He also knew I wanted to hit up Basin, and possibly Tren-D if time allowed. Okay! No fighting that idea!

The boys were off, and I browsed through Basin. Slowly picking up things, sniffing, setting them back down. Decisions, decisions. I had a few things in my hands when I remembered the Mickey soap bars CP had purchased. Where were those??? I eventually spotted them by the register and decided they were perfect! I also purchased a face soap since my facewash was confiscated by the airport.

I walked through DTD by myself to meet back up with the boys. I remember walking slowly, and breathing in deep. I had a sappy grin on my face as I took in everything around me, carrying my lovely bag of Disney soap, knowing I was meeting up with my two favorite boys. Life was good. It had been a great day.

I skipped over Tren-D because I had been gone for quite a while already, I just peeked in the door and thought “Next trip!” It looks like a really cute store-I’m sure I would have dropped a bit more money in there!

I found Joe and Henry pretty easily. They were at The Goldmine.

Continued in next post