Lesli's Live Long and Strong WISH Journal

[Mykelogan]

Onederland?
ONEDERLAND!
ONEDERLAND!

That is awesome!!! I am so proud!!!


I am sure there is more in there I should reply to but I wanted you to know that I think your progress is great! I will bring a nice veggie/cheese tray and a big pitcher of ice water with lemon wedges to the party! Of course we will have the party on the Cinderellabration stage in front of the Castle!

Have yourself an excellent day and remember the terrible two hundreds fondly but know you will know see them again!

Mike

 

[Lesli54]

To continue on with my WDW trip report and get caught up........

We slept great! I just love waking up in the villas. It definitely beats a hotel room any day! Just the fact that you have space in the bathroom while you get ready is a plus in itself. Then of course a kitchen and added privacy. It was great!

I decided to make breakfast. My thinking was that we would do a good breakfast, go to the park, come back for a really good late lunch or early supper, relax, then head out again. I figured the kids would snack while we were out regardless of the number of meals, so might as well let them snack and save a little $ by eating in as much as possible.

I ate 1 srambled egg, 2 slices bacon (I hadn't had any in a long time ), and 1 slice 7 grain toast.

Then we went down through the BWI lobby (I just love that lobby) and out to catch a shuttle bus to MK. I was looking forward to seeing Mickey again and watching DS's face light up.

Well, we did find that going to MK on Monday's is a mistake. Now we did question this before, but couldn't find the place in the book that said it was a bad idea. Of course, we found it later. It was very crowded. Ok. Future note: Monday MK is BAAAAAAD!

Lucky for us. There were characters just inside MK and we got some autographs. DH is a huge C&D fan. DS thought it was cool to see Goofy and Minnie. Then we were off to see Cinderellabration. It was really neat, but DH got a little grumpy with me while I was trying to put sunblock on the kids. I figured, everyone is stopped so now is a good time. He didn't agree. Oh well. It wasn't even noon and already very hot. Then of course, the moods were not so great either. TOM was here and making life miserable times 3!

Then we were off to ride Pooh. DS wasn't sure about this and kept wanting to go home. But after we got on the ride, he thought it was pretty cool and wanted to go some more. Next we saw that It's a Small World was moving quick so we jumped in that line. We did notice that they made some changes. Of course, we were driving DD17's friend nuts as we continued to sing that song. Next we were off to ride Peter Pan. This was my first time, as last time I was pregnant with DS and couldn't go. Both of us really enjoyed it. Of course, just coming back from London, I did notice that their London landscape didn't quite have things placed where they should be, but I guess it still gives the effect. As it turned out, on all the rides that had FP, it was quicker to actually stand in line than get the FP and return. Works for me. Then we went to see Mickey's Philharmagic. It was so cool. Of course, DS would rather watch the fuzz than wear this 3D glasses.

We bought a few pins. Then we were off to Ariel's Grotto to get her autograph. DS was in awe. I wanted to get pictures of all the kids, but DD17 and DD15 didn't really want to. Guess they are getting too old. Next we went off in search of some autographs in Toon Town. It took so long and DS didn't have the patience, so I wandered the shop with him, waited outside for everyone, and finally went and bought some snacks for the two of us. At one point DH called me and I thought they were done, but he said they weren't even 1/2 way through the line. Monday's are a mistake. For a snack, I ate about 1oz of chips and 1.5oz of cashews. You know those Disney brand cashew are really pretty good. Not top choice, but definitely worth eating.

After the autographs, DH and I decided to head back to the villa since DS was tired and crabby. We left DD17, friend, and DD15 at the park. They didn't want to come back for lunch so we told them that they needed to be back for supper.

Back at the villa, we had a small lunch. I ate a turkey sandwich with 1 slice 7 grain and some chips. . Then DH laid DS down for a nap. Good idea. Then he and DD7 went off to go swimming and do the Kiester Koaster. Well, I thought it was all good, until I found out that DS wasn't laid down in the portable crib! DH laid him on the bed and swore he was going to sleep. Yeah right.

Needless to say, while I was beginning to get supper started, DS quietly got out of the bed and went and got into my make-up in the bathroom. Of course, there isn't a door between the main sinks and the bedroom in the master suite! There was makeup all over as my precious DS finger painted everything he could find with foundation and a little fingernail polish. There was foundation on the floor, all over my brushes, on the cabinet doors, in the drawer, and on the whirlpool tub. Oh yeah, and on himself.

So I cleaned him up and while I was washing everything down in the bathroom, he decided to go in the kitchen and turn the stove off so my hamburger quite cooking. Reminder to self: When purchasing that new stove don't get front knobs.

Of course, I went to remedy the situation and he was back in the bathroom. Went back to clean the bathroom and he was in the living room finding something to get into.

Finally, everything was clean. Except for the bits of fingernail polish. I forgot to pack remover, so we left a note for housekeeping. Then enters DH, who is surprised that DS took such a short nap and wonders why I am wore out. I told him that DVC was supposed to be "home away from home", but it wasn't really supposed to feel like I was that much at home. If I wanted to get down and scrub a floor, I wouldn't have gone on vacation!

The older three came back and we had supper. They really liked having freedom in the parks. I ate taco salad and some tostitos. Water for the day was 70oz.

After cleaning up, we went back to MK to get a place for the parade and WISHES. BTW, we had fun finding hidden Mickey's throughout BWV and BWI along the way. We took a spot just at the end of Main Street right before the circle in front of the castle. DH and I had the older ones keep an eye on the younger ones while we went looking through some shops. They weren't thrilled, but hey, it was only about 25 minutes if that. It worked out well as the security who was roping things off stopped to play ball (a large balloon ball) with DD7 and DS. You can always count on Disney to have great entertainment.

Spectro Magic was cool. We liked it last time and DS loved it this time. He got a kiss from Ariel! Our spot for WISHES was really good as well. It always amazes me that Disney can put on such a great fireworks display. Unfortunately, you begin to judge all other shows against Disney. We loved the sparkling castle.

On the way out of the park, we lingered to let the crowds pass. We stopped and bought a sundae plaza to share. It is unreal how much ice cream there was. I ate about 1/4 - 1/3. Well, DD17 was in a tiff and didn't want any, so she got on her phone to call her boyfriend. Honestly, she couldn't have waited 30 min until we were back home? DD15 and friend had already had a treat earlier and didn't want any. DD15 said that the Dole whips are really good, but I never did get one. Oh well, we will go back.

Back in the villa, we put DS to bed and sent all the girls to their room. It is sooooooooo nice to have a seperate room for everyone. DH and I managed to enjoy sitting in the living room for just a little bit before bed. A long day, alot of autographs, and yet a great place to relax.

I counted 3.5 hrs of walking as exercise, even though it was much more than that.

Gotta go. I will keep trying to get some more in.

 

[Lesli54]

Back up again and making breakfast. Although this morning, not as many people ate, so I guess that breakfast is going to become a fend for yourself. I ate 1 scrambled egg, 1 slice bacon, and 1 slice 7 grain toast w/jelly. Don't get the squeezable jelly, it is too thin and makes a huge mess.

Then we went down to the BW to catch a launch to MGM. You know, it is not really one of my favorite parks. I think that there are only a few things worth returning for. But to each his own. I love taking the launch and DS thought it was fun to ride the boat.

The first thing we did was go get FP for Indiana Jones. Actually, it wasn't too long of a wait so we didn't wander far. This was our first time seeing the show and it was hard to keep DS still as they filled the seats. We had great seats front and center for the most part. All in all, we liked the show and I would consider seeing it again.

Then we went to get FP for Star Wars. Of course, DS is too little, so I forgo the ride. Didn't go last time since I was pregnant with DS. Oh well. After that we went to see Muppets 3D. It wasn't as good as we remembered, but I think that was because we were on the very end of the row and didn't get all the special effects.

When we left Muppets, we saw that Miss Piggy was signing authographs and I wanted to go get one with DD7 and DS. Well, while DH was getting the book from the stroller (on the other side of the building) DD17 started pitching a fit that they had FP for Star Wars. I knew they had plenty of time, but she still threw a fit. Finally, I scratched Miss Piggy and went off towards Star Wars. DH wasn't happy about this situation and neither was I but I was tired of DD17 making a scene. Of which then it turned back to the fact that we had time to get the autograph. I took DS and he had fun on the speeder (can't remember the real name) just outside Star Wars while everyone else went in and did the ride. After that, DH and I decided to let the older 3 go. Great family vacation, huh?

We were hungry and decided to grab some lunch at the Backlot Express. I ate 1 hamburger and 1 cranberry slaw (really good). No fries.

Then we went back to the villa and DH put DS down for a nap. This time in his little crib. Amazingly, he did sleep for a few. Then DD7 and I went down to the BW to do a little shopping and look around. Back at the villa, I ate 1 oz. of cashews for a snack.

Then the older 3 showed. Later we went back to MGM to get in line for the Motorcade Parade. As we went throught the lobby of BWI, I went and sat in some of the really really big chairs. They are so comfy and I could have easily curled up with a book. Then I decided that we should take the launch from S&D, since it was not far of a walk from BW and didn't make any stops. While waiting for the launch, DS decided to stick his head through the fencing on the docks. He freaked out, DH was laughing and I was concerned, but did manage to free him. What a site. Call Disney rescue squad, my son has his head stuck! Thankfully, it didn't go that far. Of course, we realized later that we should have gotten a picture to show him later in life.

Not many people line up for the Motorcade Parade, so it was easy finding a seat. It was a cool parade. I really liked seeing Darth Vader and R2D2. We were going to go see Fantasmic, but after we found out that we needed to start seating for it about 2 hrs early, we scratched it because we knew that DS just wouldn't sit still long enough, even with snacks. The older 3 went on their way again. We saw some entertainment in the streets and did a little window shopping. DS loves to try on all the hat's so I got a pic of him with Sorcerer Mickey's hat. DD7 just loves everything in the stores.

Before we left, DH thought we should check to see what the line for Star Wars was so that I could ride it with DD7. It was short so we went. I thought it was great! I love all the little details while you are standing in line and walking up the ramps. It was great though to actually feel like you were flying in one of the space crafts. Ok. So MGM has a plus. We caught back up with DD15 since the other two had FP for Lights Motors Action and the oldest 2 forgot to get hers. Actually, I think it was on purpose.

We went back to the villa for some supper. I wasn't very hungry and neither was DH, so we just fed the kids. After relaxing a bit, DH decided that he wanted a calzone from the BW and went down to pick up some for the two of us. I ate 1/2 sausage calzone and had a 16oz. sprite. Don't you just love room service?. Then we went down on the BW since DH noticed that there was some family entertainment going on when he was picking up food. They had magic shows going, comedy, barkers, etc. It was really fun. We even saw some of the fireworks from Epcot.

It was a great end to an otherwise trying day. It was our last night at BWV and I enjoyed it.

I had about 40oz of water. Not enough. I counted 3.5 hours as exercise.

Oh yes, I did manage to have a discussion with DD17 about her attitude. More like an ultimatum. Basically, she was either going to grow up and act like a responsible adult and treat people decently or she would be on the next flight home and owing me the $ for it. She tried to play the "I got money, who cares". Mistake with momma. So, I explained that flying home meant straight to the local airport (at a higher price) so that my Gran could pick her up and take her back to her house. The rest of DD17's vacation would be spent at Gran's, she would leave her phone behind, would not have her own car to drive (Gran lives 40 min from us), and Gran would be given instructions so that DD17 could not call anyone. Amazingly, it didn't sound like fun anymore and after that, I never had another attitude problem with her.

 

[Lesli54]

Ok. Time to add in some real life again. Then I will get the trip reports finished.

Yesterday was a great day! Which was good since it was ONEDERLAND day. Today, I woke up to find myself down another 1lb. Only 3lbs. from that new clippie!

I did get some things done, but not all. However, I did get to have a nice long lunch with DH and then in the afternoon, I got to spend a nice time talking with my Gran when she came to drop off DD7. The two of them had a great time together and I figured that it was good for both of them. Gran says she is starting back with WW on Monday. I hope she does. The dr. has been on her to lose weight so that she can get around better. Hopefully, this time she will see a big difference in how she feels and not go back to gaining. She was talking about getting down to 160 and I don't think I have ever seen her that low. I am hoping though. What a great Christmas present this year would bring, me at my goal, and quite a bit less of Gran.

Anyway, I worked past the AM snack, but wasn't too worried about it since DH told me he wanted to go out for Chinese and I knew there were more than enough calories there. So, we went off to lunch with DS. I just love this Chinese buffet that we go to. Made by a real Chinese family. I did pretty good, considering. I had a small cup of egg drop soup to start. Then I had 1/2c. rice, 1/2 c. low mein, 3 pieces of chicken (nugget sized and breaded), about 1c. of General Tao's Chicken (breaded w/ spicy sauce, so good and worth every bite), 2 bites of cashew chicken (it was all right), and 1/2 c. of onions & peppers (had a very light sauce and a small strip of beef). I did quit before I got full and I always have water when we are there. It was so good and it is so easy to lose yourself on this buffet, but I knew we would be back, so I stayed in control.

We ran a few errands and I picked up my vitamins. I really missed them. It is amazing that since starting this plan, I have actually stuck to taking them, before, I could never do it.

I skipped the PM snack, since I was still full from lunch. Supper was a little early and I had a medium sized salad w/turkey, craisins, and almonds. I wasn't hungry for any more. In the past, I would have overstuffed at the buffet and then gone home, had snacks, and then still would have eaten a decent size meal. This time, I was sensible and felt so good for it. Even with the buffet, my calories were under control.

Breakfast: 1 egg omelet w/sauteed gr peppers & onions and cheese, 1/2 slice 7 grain toast w/jelly, red raspberries, 1 c. gr tea w/jasmine
AM snack: veggies & cheese (I am not going anywhere today, so should get this)
Lunch: cottage cheese and 1/2 turkey sandwich
PM snack: fruit
Supper: ?

Goals for day:
1. Exercise
2. Finish projects from yesterday

Yesterday, DH commented that he could really see the difference now in my weight. I have a shape again. He said at first I was losing side to side, as he gestured towards my hips. Now he says I have lost front to back, as he gestured towards my tummy and behind. The cut in half tummy look is almost gone!

Well, I better get going. Lots to get done. Everyone have a great day!

 

[pearlieq]

Sounds like you had a great day yesterday! Good for you! Amazing job staying in control at the Chinese buffet--a very difficult feat. You're right though, it's not going anywhere, it's not like this is the last time you'll ever get to eat there. It must have been nice to get a long, relaxing lunch together!

Good luck to your gran! Hopefully you have been and can continue to inspire her.

Hope you have a great day today!!! What a nice compliment from DH!

 

[rcyannacci]

Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!

That is so fantastic!!! I've been entertaining my folks, and was so excited to come back today and see you that you made it! And...you've posted more trip reports!!! Double excitement. I promised myself 3 hours of uninterupted writing today, but I'll come back and read them on my break.

Really, that's a fantastic achievement. Take a moment to really be proud of yourself.

 

[kardiebelle]

Looks as if you are having a great time. Don't miss them naps for DS they are a life saver. You are doing great with your eating and you exercise of course. Have fun and enjoy your time with children. Smiles

 

[Lesli54]

To continue my WDW reports and get caught up:

Everyone was up and packing up the last minute stuff so that we could move over to BCV. At this point, no one really wanted breakfast, so I fed the little ones, DH had something small and I ate 1 slice 7 grain toast w/jelly. Not the best meal, but on vacation, it can be hard.

My plan was that we would check out, have bell services bring things down for the transfer, then go check-in at BCV, and be at Epcot by 10am. Well, it wasn't quite that smooth. We went down and got things set up with Bell Services, then DH went back up to the room to make sure they had everything. The older girls looked after the younger ones and I walked on over to BCV to check in. BCV was busy! They had enough CM's at the front desk, but there were a few people checking in together with different rooms and they must have had some problems since it took sometime to get things straightened out. Finally, I was up and got a nice "Welcome Home!" from Keith. He was so nice. The check-in went through rather quickly, but our room wasn't ready. Oh well. Off to find the family.

They were still working with Bell Services at BWV to get things transferred over to BCV. Even after my long wait, I still had to wait for them on the bridge between the two resorts next to Epcot. DH said that next time, we will just pack the car and move everything ourselves. It probably would have been quicker. Live and learn.

On to Epcot! Our start was a little late, but that was ok. Everyone went and grabbed FP for Soarin'. Of course, I didn't since DS is too young for the ride. Oh well. Then we went to see Figment. I am glad that he is back, but I really liked the ride better back in the 80's. This new version, just isn't as good. We also saw Honey I Shrunk the Audience. It was great (good thing DS wouldn't leave his 3D glasses on ), but for some reason DD15 and friend had their feet up on the seats. For those of you who haven't gone, yet, I will not spoil the fun, but it is definitely worth going. We called back to BCV a few times, but the room still wasn't ready.

So after looking around a little more, we went to grab some lunch at the Electric Umbrella. I ate 1 chicken strip and 1/2 order of fries. DH and I split our lunch. It was so hot that neither of us were very hungry. Then I went to go get FP at the Test Track for the 4 girls and myself while everyone finished up their lunch. DH went on it a few years ago when I couldn't.

After meeting back up with everyone, just outside of Spaceship Earth we decided that there wasn't a line there and went on it. DS just loved it and wanted to go back on. Then we went over to Soarin'. DS and I just sat for awhile outside in the shade. Then I saw that there were characters signing autographs and we went to check it out. Too bad everyone was Soarin' because DS and I were having a really good time. We met Baloo, Prince John, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, and many more. It was so cool. When DS saw Goofy, he ran up to him and practically knocked him over. I took a lot of pictures. Luckily, we made it through all the characters just as they had to leave. Of course, the rest of the family was just coming out of Soarin' at that time. Oh well. Which by the way, they loved Soarin'!

Called back to BCV and the room still wasn't ready. The problem with switching resorts is that you don't have the option of going back and resting if the room isn't ready yet. It was so hot! So we took a ride on the monorail since DD17's friend hadn't been on it and DS wanted to go on the "train". At least there is air conditioning. We made the loop around back to Epcot and when we arrived back at the park, I called BCV again. Yeah! The room was ready. It was just before 4:00pm and DH decided to take DS back to BWV, get the Sequoia and drive over to BCV, find the room and have bell services bring things over. The girls and I stayed at Epcot since we had FP for the Test Track.

Since we had a little time to kill, we decided to go to the Living Seas and talk to Crush. I didn't care for the movie in the Living Seas, not good when you are tired, but going down into the main part of the "Seas" was really cool. We looked at all the fish and some of the hands on stuff. DD7 loves swimming, fish, and anything to do with water. Then we went to talk with Crush. This turned out to be a real cute adventure. DD7 got to ask Crush 2 different questions. Then he asked her who brought her and after she told him, he wanted to talk to me! After our little chat about how great little ones are, he told me to put up my flipper and give him a hi 5. It was hilarious.

After leaving the Living Seas, we killed some time in the Mouse Gear shop. Then we went to do the Test Track. Even with the FP, the line was long, but moved at a good pace. That was a really cool ride! I loved it! Of course, don't look at your picture at the end of the ride. Those extra G forces tend to make you look 30 lbs. heavier. Maybe once I get to goal, I will consider looking at the picture.

After that, DD7 and I left the older 3 and headed on back to the villa. Along our way, we stopped back in Mouse Gear and picked up a present that DD17 wanted to give friend for her birthday. Our villa was way out there. We had a 2Br lock off, rooms 173 & 175. It was great to be on the ground floor, but it is a bit of a hike. Although once you get used to it, it is alright. Next time, I will request a dedicated 2 Br, those are closer to the main hotel.

We unpacked everything. I love the looks of BCV, but I don't like the 3 door system in the master bath. It's one too many doors to mess with. Also, our closet was very very small and once they put the high chair and vacuum cleaner in there, it doesn't leave much space for storing coolers and such. Also, I didn't care for the smaller counter space on the sink area next to the whirlpool. Those are my main complaints, other than that I am happy that it is my home resort (although an add on at BWV would be nice )!

We ate supper. I had 1/2 sausage calzone, leftover from the other night, and 8 oz of grape soda. After dinner, DH, DD7, DS, and I went for a walk to look around the resort. We just love the area!

Then DH suggested that we go to Beaches & Cream for a treat. Everything there is so huge! DD7 wanted her own Mickey Mouse sundae and DH said it would be alright since the waitress told us that it was 1 scoop of ice cream. He also got one for DS. I decided that DS and I would share. Good thing since the 1 scoop was actually 3! It was really cute though. 1 scoop in the bottom of the tall sundae cup and 2 on top to form the "body", 2 oreos for the ears, 2 choc chips for the eyes, a maraschino cherry for the nose, and the stem for the tail. I ate 1/2 of DS's sundae and had 3 bites of DH's strawberry shortcake sundae, which I would highly recommend. They use Edy's and it was delish. Definitely worth every calorie. While we were there we saw them bring out the Kitchen Sink for a family of 5. Now that is a lot of ice cream, even DH would have a hard time with that one.

While we were eating, the older 3 came back to find their way to the room and go swimming in the quiet pool. After our treat we walked around a bit, stopped by the Market Place, and headed back to the villa. The market place is pretty nice. A little pricy on food, but if you are only picking up a few things, it would be worth saving the time of going off property. They also have sandwiches, salad, and homemade gelatto, along with other souvenir items.

It was a pretty good day! I know I didn't get enough water, but I did count 4 hours of walking as exercise.

 

[Mykelogan]

Hi Lesli!
I am soooo enjoying your trip report!!
Just wanted to share! Have a great night!
Mike

 

[rcyannacci]

Once again, great trip report!!! DH and I are really looking forward to the day we buy into DVC- I love the thought of being able to go back to a villa and grab lunch or dinner. BTW- when I was 13, my parents let me stay at the parks with my older brother and we had so much fun! Sounds like maybe with the "attitude" you were getting, a little time away might have been a good thing.

Have a great evening!

 

[Lesli54]

We all got up to get ready for our first visit to AK. Last time, we didn't have time to visit the park. Have I mentioned that it is great having the ability to do laundry in the villas? It is so easy to keep up on it and really doesn't take much time out of your day if you plan it right.

Breakfast for me was 1 slice 7 grain toast w/jelly. The day looked a little overcast and there was the potential for a tropical storm heading our way, but we weren't going to let that stop us.

We went down and caught the bus to AK. I just love looking over the little pond at YC! AK was not quite what we expected. It's an ok park, but not one of the favs. We felt that things were split up too much or maybe it just felt that way with all the vegetation. DH ran off to get FP for the Safari and we stayed up next to the Tree of Life to do a little looking around. Now, I did find the tree to be impressive with all its carvings. And really much bigger than expected.

We walked over to Africa and looked around while waiting for the FP time. The Safari wasn't too bad. A little hokey at times, but alright. DH thought it was a bit cheesy. Afterwards, we went walking through the gorilla area, while DD17 and friend went over to get FP for the Kali River Rapids for everyone, except me since DS is too little. While we were looking at the gorillas, the sky opened up. Thankfully, we were under some shelter, along with the gorillas. It came down pretty hard, so we just waited for a little bit. When it let up, we went off to meet up with the girls, who had found some shelter in a small shop.

We walked around Asia for a bit and then everyone went on the Rapids ride. DS and I went and got some fries from McD's. Actually pretty reasonable for the amount you get. It was near lunch time and I needed to keep him occupied. I ate maybe 1/2. After the rest of the crew arrived we decided to go over to the Rain Forest Cafe for lunch since I had some gift cards. Well, it was very very busy and the wait was too long so DH and I took the youngest 2 back to the villa. The older ones went back to MGM. They ate in the parks alot more than we did, but I only gave them so much, so they had to spend it wisely or use there own. They knew where the "free" food was.

Once back at the villa, DH made PS's for the Rain Forest at AK on the following Monday and PS's for the Cape May Clam Bake for that Friday evening. We gave the kids lunch, but I wasn't very hungry after all those fries, so I just ate 1 cheese cracker and some Doritos.

DH took DD7 and DS to Storm Along Bay. I went and took the launch over to BW to pick up a cake from the bakery for DD17's friend's birthday. We were going to have a small celebration. She was turning 18 at WDW! After returning to the YC dock, I saw DD17, friend, and DD15 walking toward me. Thankfully, it was drizzly and I had an umbrella so that I could hide the cake and sneak past them by going along the pathway between the beach and Storm Along. DS loved the sandy area. SAB is one of our favorite places.

I made a really good supper and used up as much of the food as I could since fewer of us were actually eating in. As much as I like the freedom of returning to the villa for a nice meal, it is a little hard to get much meal prep done since there is so much to do outside of the villa. For supper, I ate 2 oz. of herbed chicken (frozen from Walmart, pretty tasty), 1/2 c. green beans, 1/3 plate of salad, and 1/2 c. fresh fruit. After dinner was cleared away, we brought out the birthday cake and presents. Of course, we didn't have wrapping paper, but the Mickey bags worked well and DD17's friend was thrilled. We got her some WDW scrapbooking materials that she had her eye on since we arrived. It worked out well. The cake was a 6" cake and I ate 1/8. It was a small piece, worth it, and very controllable. Wow, you can have Disney, lose weight, and have your cake too!

Afterwards, the older 3 were off to MK. DH, DD7, DS, and I went over to Epcot. It is truly our fav. Well, mine and DH's. Which is just a plus since we love the Epcot resorts so much. We had a nice walk and stayed on the World Showcase side. We visited France and looked at all the menus outside of the various restaurants. YUM! Then we went to Morocco. It's great to go there since it is the only place in the WS that is closest to DH's heritage. Again, we looked at the menus and dreamt of the wonderful Middle Eastern food. We are making a plan to eat our way through the World over the course of the next few trips. After that we toured through part of Japan, including Miki Moto. What can I say, they have exquisite pearls. Maybe one day.

Afterwards, we went over to the bridge between the UK and France to get ready for Illuminations. DH didn't see it last time, since he had gone back to MK to tape the fireworks there. I am glad that he did since they replaced that show with WISHES. It was hard to get a really good place on the bridge as we were about 20 minutes late, but it was ok. Since the good spots were filled, we walked over to UK to look through some of the shops and get a few goodies. Then we went back to the bridge. Unfortunately, the air was so heavy that the smoke just hung and it obstructed some of the show, but DH did get the idea and enjoyed what he saw.

We left just before the end to start back to the villa. Back home we had some bed time snacks and I ate 1 shortbread cookie (from UK at WS) and about 3/4 bag of popcorn (we made 2 and I ate without thinking, but it was good). I also drank 10oz of Sprite.

All in all, it was a good day. Very strange to go around so much with only 1/2 the family, but it is much more peaceful. I counted 2 hours of walking as exercise.

 

[Mykelogan]

Hi Lesli!
I'm with you! The AK is spread out weird. I am excited for Everest to open as I feel it might help create a traffic flow besides to and from the tree.
Great report and great eating choices! I did eat my way around the world showcase too... in one afternoon... LOL! oh my!! hehe

Can't wait to hear more!
Mike

 

[Lesli54]

Ok, I know, doing something off property is taboo.........But we went anyway.

We decided to take a trip over to SeaWorld. One of our distributors was able to get 2 free adult tickets and 5 tickets at 15% off, so we thought it would be a good time to go.

We got off to a late start because DH and I were invited to the YC&BC Manager's meeting in the bar area next to Ariel's (the name escapes me). They were serving some light breakfast and we decided to go. The kids all slept in. It was amazing how many muffins, danishes, and fruits they had for such a small informal gathering. There was juice, coffee, and a variety of tea, as well. DH and I put some food on our plates and sat at a table. I ate 1 slice honey dew melon, 1/2 a small peach danish (split w/DH), 1/4 cinnamon muffin (split w/DH), 1/3 c. pineapple, and 1 c. green tea w/ mint (it was Twinings, but I couldn't find it at the UK in the WS ). The food was so good.

The various managers went around to the different tables to discuss problems, concerns, and listen to praise from the guests. Well, I noticed that they did avoid a few tables and those were the ones that brought all their children. Not many did this, but maybe they felt that the people were not really there to discuss business. We had about three managers from different areas sit with us. One was in charge of recreation between the YC, BC and BW. I can't remember what the 2nd one did, but the last one was the Front Desk Manager at YC & BC. His name was Nelson and we talked to him for awhile, very nice young man. Mainly we gave praises of both resorts. DH's only complaint was the fact that internet access was so expensive. At $9.95/ 24 hr period, it is high. He said that it was almost cost prohibitive to hookup to do business with the store back home. If we had hooked up all days during the trip, it would have easliy been over $100. You would think that with the number of people accessing the internet at WDW, Disney is really making a good profit on this one. He said that they are going by the standard rate for most conference hotels. Well, that may be true, but I am beginning to see places offering free access, so maybe it will go down. At any rate, DH just wanted to voice his opinion on this. To our surprise, Nelson comped us a day of access. We did enjoy going to the meeting, even if the comp hadn't happened, because we got to voice our opinions on the resort and it showed us that YC&BC are interested in what the guests have to say. I am glad we own there.

After we got back to the villa, DH had to quickly get some work done on his ads before we left for our off property destination. I do like how close the parking lot is to the villas at BCV.

Finally, at Sea World. Well, it is not all it is cracked up to be and if you ask me the price is still not worth it. DD17 went on Kraken. She is a thrill seeker, but no one else was brave enough. Then we went to see the dolphin show that included birds. It was a nice show, a little strange, but nice. We went through the penquins and saw dolphin feeding. Then we went over to Atlantis, since it was close to lunch time and I figured the line would not be long. It wasn't. DD17, friend, DD15 & DD7 went on the ride. They thought it was fun. While we waited, I got a bucket of popcorn to share with DS and DH. I ate about 1/2 (it's a small bucket). Finally, the girls were done and we bought another bucket of popcorn for them to share. Basically, that was our lunch. Then we went to see Shamu. I like watching the whales.

After that, we split up. DD17 and friend wanted to get a henna tatoo and DD15 wanted her hair wrapped. So the rest of us wandered over by the stables and saw the sharks. When we met up with the girls, I found out that DD15 had gotten a henna tatoo as well. This was not approved by mom. She figured that if her sister got one she could too. However, she knows to get permission AND her sister is graduated from HS and almost 18! Basically, I am at the point that I can't stop DD17 from doing some things. I was fuming. So DD15 can't learn to drive this summer. Guess she will wait until school starts. Unfortunately, for her it was a serious thing and she will always try to push the limit.

Then we left to go back to the villas and clean up. We had a PS for Cape May's Clam Bake and I was hungry! Last time we went, DH had to leave just into our dinner and take DD7 (then age 4) back to our room since she was pitching a fit, so this was something he was waiting for. The reservation was early, about 5:30pm. We ate alot of food and enjoyed every bite. They were doing some remodeling to the buffet so everything was on tables in chaffing dishes. Ok, I went overboard. I ate 8 ribs , ceaser salad, 2 new potatoes, 1/3c. gr beans, 1/4 c. rice mixed w/ veggies, a roll, a little mashed potates (didn't really care for, but everyone else loved them), and 2 bites of corn on the cob (part of DS's). Plus I had ice tea. Ok, that doesn't look too bad. Then I went for dessert and decided to do a sampler. I wanted all the deserts, they looked so good. But, I was reasonable, chose only what I most wanted, and kept them to sampler sized portions. I had cheesecake , 1/2 lemon tart, 2 bites of apple cobbler, 3 bites of flan (first time trying and it was good), and 3 bites of strawberry shortcake. I was so full. The good news is that I won't have any of that for another few years. Yes, I am justifying. At the same time, I know that I could have done much worse.

While we were there, Cape May's served a small cake to DD17's friend and sang happy birthday. She was embarassed. The whole time we were at WDW, we let people know it was her birthday, by the end of the trip, she thought it was pretty cool.

Back to the villa to relax a little. DH and I decided to head on over to GF to see the resort and walk off supper. We took DS with. DD7 stayed with the older girls to go swimming. Well, getting to GF is not easy and takes time unless you drive. We know that now. We took the bus over to MK, then caught the launch over to GF. I love their launch. The resort was beautiful. We looked around outside and then went into the main building. How relaxing. They had some very comfortable chairs and real piano music being played on a grand piano. We could have sat for hours. We noticed that they also have a place for a small orchestra on the second floor that over looks the lobby. It was breathtaking. We took the glass elevator up to the second floor to get on the monorail back to MK. We didn't look in the shops as we promised the older ones that we would be back at a certain time and were running behind. DH and I decided that we would stay at GF sometime when it is just the two of us. Kind of a special trip. Of course, he did point out that it was a resort where everyone is more concerned about who is wearing what. That may not be completely true, but it was a very classy resort.

From MK we hopped the bus back to BC. There was a lady trying to break down her stroller and put her 3 yr old on the bus at the same time. Her back pack was open, diaper wipes fell out and she was about to lose her video camera. So DH and I quickly ran to help. I zipped her pack to save the camera and he reached under the bus for the wipes. We thought that she was alone with her son. However, after we boarded the bus we noticed that she sat next to a man, who was holding her child. Husband we presume. She told him what happened and mentioned that these nice people helped me. He laughed at her with a smugness that I won't forget. Jerk.

The rest of the evening we relaxed. Most of the day was overcast and a few sprinkles. Water was not good and I counted 3.5 hrs of walking as exercise.

Actually, even though SeaWorld didn't stand up to our expectaions, we really enjoyed taking a day off from the Disney parks. Next trip we will just plan some days where we can shop, swim, and just hang out around the resort. We just love the relaxed feeling that WDW can give.

 

[Mykelogan]

"we really enjoyed taking a day off from the Disney parks"

Wha...
who..
wha...
huh?

I am just pretending this whole last entry didn't happen!!!


(Hehehe! Just kidding!!! )
Mike

 

[Lesli54]

As part of my catch up, I have to throw in my 3 month progress report. This will help in the future if I need to go back and be reminded of where I have been.

Well, it has officially been 3 months since taking the WISH challenge and I am still here.

My days are getting better and I am finding that it is getting easier to keep up with the program, even when life is hectic. Trips, graduation, vacations, etc. Also, I have been shopping to buy some cute clothes. Now that is motivation.

What I know now:
1. Exercise is still more likely to happen when I get up early.
2. My AM snack is still very important for maintaining a good day.
3. I can plan lunch with little problem, but supper still needs work.
4. I actually like going to bed early and am sleeping much better.
5. Staying busy is key.

Things I have learned:
1. I CAN stick to a weight loss plan.
2. Weight loss slows down when life is hectic if you don't make it a priority.
3. Starting over each day, has made all the difference in success this time around.
4. Having support is AWESOME!
5. I can still find excuses for not exercising.
6. When I am tired, I still make very bad decisions.
7. An occasional GREAT treat is much better than a mediocre treat that occurs more frequently.
8. I really can fit into smaller clothing.
9. Using Fitday.com is essential for helping me become more aware about different foods.
10. I am NOT doomed to a life of "fat-dom".

Things that changed:
1. My energy increases daily.
2. I can now shop in the regular depts. and not the Womens.
3. I can wear a regular size 18 shorts found in the regular depts.
4. I love shopping again and did some shopping sprees, something I haven't done in a long long time.
5. I can walk ALOT (London and WDW, for example) and my feet don't hurt.
6. I don't have to munch constantly while driving across country.
7. I can host a party and not eat alot before, during, and after.
8. I can take a sampler platter of desserts over a full platter of desserts.

Things I still need to work on:
1. EXERCISE. This would be aside from all the walking in London and WDW, since those are rare instances.
2. I STILL need to prepare some suppers ahead of time.
3. Unplanned snacks.
4. A well stocked kitchen. Still have problems with this.

This starts my fourth month. I started this last month at 214 lbs. and now weigh 209. That is a total of 5 lbs gone. A little slow, but I have not been around much to keep a consistent eating regimen. My total loss since beginning the program is 21lbs.

I have revised my original goals to reflect my weight loss (Looking better all the time.)

1. 29lbs lost by anniversary (mid Aug)
4. 44lbs lost by trip to Atlanta (early Oct)
5. 59lbs lost by Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hit the goal!!!!!!!!!!!

I almost made it to two of my earlier weight goals of losing a certain amount before DD17's graduation and our WDW trip! It is cool that I got so close.

3rd mini goal reward: A pashmina from London (couldn't find a hat). That goal is mine now!
4th mini goal reward: A pedicure and manicure at SSR. I can't wait since I just made it to this goal.
5th & 6th mini goal reward: Good quality polarized sun glasses. (I bought them already for the trip, so now I have to lose 9 more lbs. )

I am so glad that I found the WISH board. This has been such a large part of my success. Of course, I give myself credit for journaling every day and for sticking with the program, but it is the support that I get that makes things much easier to accomplish.

 

[Lesli54]

Now, Mike, I did say a day off from the Parks, NOT from the Disney resorts or anything else Disney.

If you like these reports, go back to page 17 in my journal where I began my London trip report. DD17 and I went for a week as part of her graduation. Really cool.

Gotta see if I can talk to my mom before bed and then begin some more WDW trip reporting tomorrow.

 

[Lesli54]

Another .5lbs. gone! I know, I shouldn't weigh every day, but it's hard not to and helps keep me focused.

Yesterday was a fairly good day. I did get some things accomplished and managed to get halfway through the trip reporting. Also got my 3 month progress up. Now to work on the 4 month progress, since I am behind on that to. It is hard to believe that after 4 months, I am still here.

For the AM snack, I had green peppers and cheese. Lunch was turkey on 1 slice 7 grain w/lettuce and mustard. It was a lot of turkey and I wasn't really hungry for anything else. Good thing, since we were out of cottage cheese. The kids had some chips with their lunch since I have to work on getting them back out of the house. I was tempted to eat just one, knowing that it really wouldn't taste good, but I kept telling myself that blowing my 100 Day Cheat Free challenge on the 3rd day was like saying that I had absolutely no will power and was doomed to failure. So I passed on the chip. The PM snack was raspberries and 1/2 c. milk. Supper was a little heavy. I had a New York Strip steak, 1 very small baked potato w/butter, and one biscuit. It was tasty. I'd rather have a T-bone, but that's what DH brought home.

I didn't get any exercise. But, I did make a point to get up and move around more. DD17 called from camp yesterday and I got to talk with her for awhile. She likes staffing, but says that they didn't have enough activities planned since the staff had a lot of down time. DD15 is doing fine and having fun.

For the most part, the day was uneventful. I talked to my mom last night. That was a first since DD17's graduation. I just keep missing her with all the things that have been going on. She said that she has lost about 25 lbs. And that was guessing, since she hasn't weighed herself. It has only taken her a little over a month since she is on the "I have no teeth, everything is liquid" diet. Not the way I want to do it. She did need to lose some weight though which is good. I guess she had to have all her teeth pulled (and she is only 58). I knew they were bad, but not that bad. She said that most of the damage was caused by smoking (nasty habit) and drinking Coke (hey Mike, are you glad you quit?). So now, she is waiting for her mouth to completely heal so she can have her dentures fitted. I guess she is feeling 100% better since her mouth doesn't hurt anymore. Also, she was thrilled that she can fit into some cute clothes again. It has been so long since I have seen my mom care about what she looks like and I am looking forward to it. I have wanted to take her to WDW since she has never been and with her taking better care of herself, it just may happen. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to sound like a snob, but I was afraid that she would feel uncomfortable at BWV and BCV, mainly because of the way she had been dressing. I know she woud love the resorts. My mom does like luxury when she can get it, but I never wanted her to feel out of place. So now she is excited about being healthy again, wearing better clothing, having a flattering hair cut, etc. I think it is great! She has been through so much and deserves to be happy again.

Breakfast: ? we ran out of eggs and have very little cereal
AM snack: veggies and cheese
Lunch: maybe a salad, maybe a sandwich
PM snack: milk, fruit, or something healthy
Supper: ?

Tonight is the informal gathering of my class reunion and tomorrow is the formal dinner. Since they were so late any getting me any info (last week) it was hard to find a sitter. My gran could have helped, but I decided against it. Actually, it felt good to tell the committee that I wouldn't be coming. I did however order a class pic.

Well, I have lots to get done around here, so I better get going. Everyone have a great day!

 

[joelyfaithsmommy]

Lesli,

first of all so glad you had a good day yesterday, way to go passing on the chips!!!

second, YOU HAVE A GRAN??? ...I call MY grandmother 'Gran' and have never heard anyone else do that...that is SOOO KEWL!!!...i dont' suppose you have a "Budah" too do you??? That is what I call my OTHER grandma...lol

ok, just had to 'share'...talk soon, have a GREAT weightloss day!!!

Jen

 

[pearlieq]

I'm having fun reading your trip reports! That sounds like a very busy/active trip! The sheer logistics are mind-boggling. I'm used to just a streamlined me and DH taking the place by storm, but I feel like an amateur next to you!

Glad to hear yesterday was a good day! Did you get any ? It's looking overcast here, so I wonder if it's already made its way past you.

Have a wonderful day and congrats on another .5 lb down!!!

 

[Mykelogan]

Hi Lesli!

Great three months progress report! I love Lesli's lovely lists! (ooh, good L use Mike! High five myself! hehehe)

Now, Mike, I did say a day off from the Parks, NOT from the Disney resorts or anything else Disney.

If you like these reports, go back to page 17 in my journal where I began my London trip report. DD17 and I went for a week as part of her graduation. Really cool.

Gotta see if I can talk to my mom before bed and then begin some more WDW trip reporting tomorrow.

Ok Lesli, I guess I can allow that to pass then.
Oooh, London! sounds very cool I will have to check it out!

Green peppers and cheese? Are we twins! hehe

Hope that you have a great day!!!
Mike