ToriLammy
<font color=3300FF>Proud mom of a computer wiz<br>
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2002
- Messages
- 2,741
Day 10 - Wednesday, Jul 2nd 2003
Im up early but it makes little difference, everyone is moving really slowly today. We dont even leave the house before 8:30AM. We arrive at MGM and everyone immediately regrets moving slowly as the lines are really long. We definitely planned on splitting up today as my teens and DH are interested in TOT and RNR and little else. Chris is going with us while Laura, MIL, Roz, Paul and all the other kids are going their own way. I gave Laura a game plan and told her which attractions were good for them. (Disney Playhouse, Little Mermaid, Great Movie Ride, Honey I shrunk the kids playground and Beauty and the Beast). Since we are taking LT to the Airport around 3PM we wont see them until we get home. One thing I did arrange with Laura was for Chris to be able to go to DisneyQuest with David. The plan is to drop them off at DQ before we take LT to the airport. Laura is very happy with this because Chris hasnt had much opportunity to just have fun since his Dad deployed. Hes been very serious in his role as big brother and a huge help for her. Laura also mentions how cool it is that my teens (including my niece LT) dont treat Chris like a little kid or a pest. She really appreciates how well they treat him and says he just loves it. What can I say Ive got great kids and even a great niece
So were off, first stop Tower of Terror! Got Fastpasses and then got in line. Rode it twice. Ended up buying the photo from our second ride. Next we went over to Rock N Roller Coaster and got our fast passes. While Chris was most interested in riding TOT I think he enjoyed RNR more. From there we went to the Big Hat and looked at pins. Both David and LT had decided they were going to try and find the Grad pin (they never did find it). We walked over to Muppets and watched that. When we came out Buzz Lightyear and Woody were signing autographs (well, stamping) and posing for pictures so we let Chris get in line. He got Jessies autograph too but he didnt get his picture taken with her. We walked over to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground, last time we missed seeing this because it closes at dark so we had a perfect excuse this time - a 9 year old. David took Chris in to play while LT, Jackie and Dave just walked around. I found a shady spot and rested. We start to head back to ride the Great Movie ride but decide against because the line is fairly long and LT wants to ride RNR coaster once more before leaving. I send them ahead to ride while I find a shady spot to wait. We head out of the park at 2:30PM. We didnt get much done at MGM but everyone is happy with what we did accomplish as we leave to take LT to the airport. We drive to DisneyQuest and drop off David and Chris. Gave David a cell phone, $25 for dinner and strict instructions to watch his cousin. Gave Chris strict instructions not to leave the building without David and to listen to what David tells him. Tell them well be back at 6PM or so to pick them up.
Sadly, we took LT to the airport and after she checked in we all said goodbye, watched her go through security and then we left. The three of us (DH, Jackie and I) head back to the house. My plans called for us to go back to MGM to catch Fantasmic at 9PM but no one is up for it. David and Chris are still at DQ and it is now close to 6PM so we call David and tell him well be there around 7PM - he has absolutely no problem with more time at DQ. Dave, Jackie and I leave to go get the boys and try to make to MGM. The boys had a great time, Chris really liked DQ (Davids been there before). They did the create your own rollercoaster twice and every other ride at least once. Instead of going to MGM we decide to walk around Downtown Disney. We checked out the Lego store, the World of Disney Store and my other favorite Christmas store. Jackie finds a snowglobe that she really likes but thinks she saw the same one at the Outlet store on Monday so puts off buying it until she can be sure. Then Dave and David saw the pin trading store and we lost them for almost an hour. It was getting late so we headed home around 10PM. Tomorrow is Thursday and another off day for us.
Day 11 - Thursday, Jul 3rd 2003
Today is a day off for most of us. Roz, Paul, Mom and kids are going to the Space Center. The rest of us plan on some pool time and maybe another trip to Downtown Disney or the Boardwalk. We spent most of the morning in the pool and then Laura, the boys and I went to Downtown Disney. David stays home, while Dave takes Jackie back to the Outlet Mall to check for that snowglobe she liked. They dont find it but Dave asks about it and the CM remembers seeing a similar one at the CM Store. She tells Dave she will get it for him and to come back on Saturday. Just as Laura, the boys and I got to the Lego Store it started to pour, I mean really pour. We hung out in there for awhile and when it finally cleared up we went to a few other stores. I purchased a Christmas ornament (big red, white and blue Mickey head) and order personalization. It will be available for pick up on Saturday after 2PM. Laura had made arrangements to drive to Lakeview FL to meet with a cousin she hadnt seen in awhile (her cousin lives in Tampa so they were meeting half way) so we needed to get going. She and the boys left around 3PM. Roz and family were still gone so we had the house all to ourselves for awhile. I did some laundry and read the Harry Potter book. Jackie went in her room and listened to music and I think Dave and David napped.
Roz and family returned home around 7PM. They thought theyd be home earlier but were having so much fun they stayed until it was closed. I find NASCAR qualifying on TV and spend the evening watching that. Laura and the boys didnt get home until after 9PM. Just as we were starting to worry she walked in. The kids are all put to bed and we spend an hour or two just talking. Finally everyone went off to bed around midnight.
Forgot to mention, Major John called from Iraq on Thursday morning. Laura mentioned he was going to try but she only told me, for two reasons really. One she didn't want the family to be disappointed if he couldn't and two she didn't want Mom waiting around the house for the phone call. Anyway he called about 7:30AM and I answered the call. It was kind of dead air for a minute but because I knew he might be calling I held on the line and sure enough there he was. I screamed, I mean really screamed "John's on the Phone" twice to wake everyone up. It was a nice treat and a big surprise for everyone
Im up early but it makes little difference, everyone is moving really slowly today. We dont even leave the house before 8:30AM. We arrive at MGM and everyone immediately regrets moving slowly as the lines are really long. We definitely planned on splitting up today as my teens and DH are interested in TOT and RNR and little else. Chris is going with us while Laura, MIL, Roz, Paul and all the other kids are going their own way. I gave Laura a game plan and told her which attractions were good for them. (Disney Playhouse, Little Mermaid, Great Movie Ride, Honey I shrunk the kids playground and Beauty and the Beast). Since we are taking LT to the Airport around 3PM we wont see them until we get home. One thing I did arrange with Laura was for Chris to be able to go to DisneyQuest with David. The plan is to drop them off at DQ before we take LT to the airport. Laura is very happy with this because Chris hasnt had much opportunity to just have fun since his Dad deployed. Hes been very serious in his role as big brother and a huge help for her. Laura also mentions how cool it is that my teens (including my niece LT) dont treat Chris like a little kid or a pest. She really appreciates how well they treat him and says he just loves it. What can I say Ive got great kids and even a great niece
So were off, first stop Tower of Terror! Got Fastpasses and then got in line. Rode it twice. Ended up buying the photo from our second ride. Next we went over to Rock N Roller Coaster and got our fast passes. While Chris was most interested in riding TOT I think he enjoyed RNR more. From there we went to the Big Hat and looked at pins. Both David and LT had decided they were going to try and find the Grad pin (they never did find it). We walked over to Muppets and watched that. When we came out Buzz Lightyear and Woody were signing autographs (well, stamping) and posing for pictures so we let Chris get in line. He got Jessies autograph too but he didnt get his picture taken with her. We walked over to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground, last time we missed seeing this because it closes at dark so we had a perfect excuse this time - a 9 year old. David took Chris in to play while LT, Jackie and Dave just walked around. I found a shady spot and rested. We start to head back to ride the Great Movie ride but decide against because the line is fairly long and LT wants to ride RNR coaster once more before leaving. I send them ahead to ride while I find a shady spot to wait. We head out of the park at 2:30PM. We didnt get much done at MGM but everyone is happy with what we did accomplish as we leave to take LT to the airport. We drive to DisneyQuest and drop off David and Chris. Gave David a cell phone, $25 for dinner and strict instructions to watch his cousin. Gave Chris strict instructions not to leave the building without David and to listen to what David tells him. Tell them well be back at 6PM or so to pick them up.
Sadly, we took LT to the airport and after she checked in we all said goodbye, watched her go through security and then we left. The three of us (DH, Jackie and I) head back to the house. My plans called for us to go back to MGM to catch Fantasmic at 9PM but no one is up for it. David and Chris are still at DQ and it is now close to 6PM so we call David and tell him well be there around 7PM - he has absolutely no problem with more time at DQ. Dave, Jackie and I leave to go get the boys and try to make to MGM. The boys had a great time, Chris really liked DQ (Davids been there before). They did the create your own rollercoaster twice and every other ride at least once. Instead of going to MGM we decide to walk around Downtown Disney. We checked out the Lego store, the World of Disney Store and my other favorite Christmas store. Jackie finds a snowglobe that she really likes but thinks she saw the same one at the Outlet store on Monday so puts off buying it until she can be sure. Then Dave and David saw the pin trading store and we lost them for almost an hour. It was getting late so we headed home around 10PM. Tomorrow is Thursday and another off day for us.
Day 11 - Thursday, Jul 3rd 2003
Today is a day off for most of us. Roz, Paul, Mom and kids are going to the Space Center. The rest of us plan on some pool time and maybe another trip to Downtown Disney or the Boardwalk. We spent most of the morning in the pool and then Laura, the boys and I went to Downtown Disney. David stays home, while Dave takes Jackie back to the Outlet Mall to check for that snowglobe she liked. They dont find it but Dave asks about it and the CM remembers seeing a similar one at the CM Store. She tells Dave she will get it for him and to come back on Saturday. Just as Laura, the boys and I got to the Lego Store it started to pour, I mean really pour. We hung out in there for awhile and when it finally cleared up we went to a few other stores. I purchased a Christmas ornament (big red, white and blue Mickey head) and order personalization. It will be available for pick up on Saturday after 2PM. Laura had made arrangements to drive to Lakeview FL to meet with a cousin she hadnt seen in awhile (her cousin lives in Tampa so they were meeting half way) so we needed to get going. She and the boys left around 3PM. Roz and family were still gone so we had the house all to ourselves for awhile. I did some laundry and read the Harry Potter book. Jackie went in her room and listened to music and I think Dave and David napped.
Roz and family returned home around 7PM. They thought theyd be home earlier but were having so much fun they stayed until it was closed. I find NASCAR qualifying on TV and spend the evening watching that. Laura and the boys didnt get home until after 9PM. Just as we were starting to worry she walked in. The kids are all put to bed and we spend an hour or two just talking. Finally everyone went off to bed around midnight.
Forgot to mention, Major John called from Iraq on Thursday morning. Laura mentioned he was going to try but she only told me, for two reasons really. One she didn't want the family to be disappointed if he couldn't and two she didn't want Mom waiting around the house for the phone call. Anyway he called about 7:30AM and I answered the call. It was kind of dead air for a minute but because I knew he might be calling I held on the line and sure enough there he was. I screamed, I mean really screamed "John's on the Phone" twice to wake everyone up. It was a nice treat and a big surprise for everyone
