Magic, Memories and..... MCSPARKELSONS! A Christmas Grand Gathering! Update 5/1

[Cindy-rella]

I keep telling myself we are going to do the art of animation, but I always get sidetracked! Your drawing of pooh was very...unique!

 

[anewmac]

Love your POO POO drawings!

Im with Jeff, did sci fi once.. im over it.. too cool to go again!

hmm you and that BIL are sure getting "close" note to self dont share my crust with my BIL's LOL

and to make myself more depressed, I just noticed all your signature time thingy's... 3 cruises booked.. im jelly!

 

[rndmr2]

Great last couple of updates, I was behind but not as far as I could have been due to your cruise! I can't wait to hear all about that one too.

I went back to find where I left off and the last time I had replied was 3/10, well, in the early AM of 3/11 I fell (on the one last patch of ice that was left) in the driveway of a patient's house and broke a bone in my right hand and had stitches on my face. Not Fun. I have dealt with it and am actually going to be able to go back to work Monday. Then My DH broke his ankle on 3/28. The crazy thing is that We had been living with my MIL since January helping her because she broke her shoulder (yet another fall on ice) and just as she gets better, now she has to help us! LOL So needless to say I am glad to be getting caught up on Trip Reports!

Great Safari Pics!

Sorry you were disappointed with O'hana, that is one I have been wanting to try.

I can't do TOT or RnR. I did TOT once, never again, LOL.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Good for Kami getting on TOT. Jim used to like it alot, I always have to make myself go, and sometimes I like it - lately we find excuses to skip it. Now RNR I love!

I enjoy Sci-Fi, but ITA - not for a TS - didn't used to be, and I don't think it should be, for sandwiches and shakes. It is fun to take a newbie there, though. Wow! Your family didn't scare Jeff off after all - he's coming back!

 

[karajeboo]

I keep telling myself we are going to do the art of animation, but I always get sidetracked! Your drawing of pooh was very...unique!

Be like Nike. Just do it! It's so much fun!

Love your POO POO drawings!

Im with Jeff, did sci fi once.. im over it.. too cool to go again!

hmm you and that BIL are sure getting "close" note to self dont share my crust with my BIL's LOL

and to make myself more depressed, I just noticed all your signature time thingy's... 3 cruises booked.. im jelly!

Well, the Fantasy in 2013 is not 100%.... yet. But I think I can make it work. I just need to cut some costs, sell some children, things like that. But somehow, I WILL be on that cruise!

Great last couple of updates, I was behind but not as far as I could have been due to your cruise! I can't wait to hear all about that one too.

I went back to find where I left off and the last time I had replied was 3/10, well, in the early AM of 3/11 I fell (on the one last patch of ice that was left) in the driveway of a patient's house and broke a bone in my right hand and had stitches on my face. Not Fun. I have dealt with it and am actually going to be able to go back to work Monday. Then My DH broke his ankle on 3/28. The crazy thing is that We had been living with my MIL since January helping her because she broke her shoulder (yet another fall on ice) and just as she gets better, now she has to help us! LOL So needless to say I am glad to be getting caught up on Trip Reports!

Great Safari Pics!

Sorry you were disappointed with O'hana, that is one I have been wanting to try.

I can't do TOT or RnR. I did TOT once, never again, LOL.

OK, note to self..... steer clear of you in the winter!!! Holy cow! I hope everyone is on the mend. Is anyone around you fully put together?

Good for Kami getting on TOT. Jim used to like it alot, I always have to make myself go, and sometimes I like it - lately we find excuses to skip it. Now RNR I love!

I enjoy Sci-Fi, but ITA - not for a TS - didn't used to be, and I don't think it should be, for sandwiches and shakes. It is fun to take a newbie there, though. Wow! Your family didn't scare Jeff off after all - he's coming back!

Sci Fi is a very cool setting - and it's definitely got that "wow" factor when you walk in..... But to use TS credits for burgers and shakes is silly IMHO. This is one that Ally and I would hit when it was just the two of us and we lived in Florida with the TIW card. We could almost always just walk in at 11am without an ADR and get in right away.

 

[KristiMc]

Oh, Kristi, I'm sooooo sad right now! I miss her SOOOOO much!

Oh - I remember that feeling well. Not looking forward to being like that in June.

Well, the Fantasy in 2013 is not 100%.... yet. But I think I can make it work. I just need to cut some costs, sell some children, things like that. But somehow, I WILL be on that cruise!

I saw your ticker too! Hopefully the NYE will pan out and that you won't have to sell Ally .

On our cruise in June I think we will book a placeholder for Alaska in summer 2014.

 

[karajeboo]

Oh - I remember that feeling well. Not looking forward to being like that in June.



I saw your ticker too! Hopefully the NYE will pan out and that you won't have to sell Ally .

On our cruise in June I think we will book a placeholder for Alaska in summer 2014.

I'm wanting to do Alaska in 2016 for my big 5-0!!!! Not sure if I want to do DCL or not for that one, though...... but being the uber planner I am, I'm already researching it!

BTW, I got the screen shots from our sailaway! Thank you soooo much for doing that for me!

 

[KristiMc]

I'm wanting to do Alaska in 2016 for my big 5-0!!!! Not sure if I want to do DCL or not for that one, though...... but being the uber planner I am, I'm already researching it!

BTW, I got the screen shots from our sailaway! Thank you soooo much for doing that for me!

Was that you guys in the one picture? With it going by so fast it was blurry.

 

[dvc4life]

Morning Kara - trying to get caught up on everything here on the DIS after being gone on vacation.

Loved your updates. Too bad you got to feeling under the weather though. That's rough when you are on vacation. And it is to bad that O'Hana's didn't live up to the hype. We have an ADR there in May so I hope it will have improved by then.

And I just noticed your ticker about the NYE Cruise on the Fantasy. I believe we will be on the same cruise. We just booked it while we were on the Dream with two of the other couples we were sailing with. It leaves like December 28th and has the Eastern itinerary. That is gonna be a fun cruise.

 

[karajeboo]

Was that you guys in the one picture? With it going by so fast it was blurry.

Yup! That was us!!!! Didn't you see my DOTD????

Morning Kara - trying to get caught up on everything here on the DIS after being gone on vacation.

Loved your updates. Too bad you got to feeling under the weather though. That's rough when you are on vacation. And it is to bad that O'Hana's didn't live up to the hype. We have an ADR there in May so I hope it will have improved by then.

And I just noticed your ticker about the NYE Cruise on the Fantasy. I believe we will be on the same cruise. We just booked it while we were on the Dream with two of the other couples we were sailing with. It leaves like December 28th and has the Eastern itinerary. That is gonna be a fun cruise.

FOR REAL????? Yet another reason I must convince Jeff to make this happen! Now I'm FOR SURE gonna sell a kid (or husband) to make it happen! Looks like Ellen is booking it too when we are on the Dream next month!!! How fun will this be???????

I booked it yesterday - just changed my dummy res over before all the rooms were gone. They are going FAST!

 

[karajeboo]

I interrupt this TR with a very important announcement.

I have begun my cruise TR!!!!!!

The McSparklesons Sail the Magic.... Again!

See ya there!

 

[karajeboo]

So as I stood there... all alone.... shaking my groove thing along with Disney Channel Rocks (and let me assure you, my groove thing WAS a shaking!), Jeff called to say he was on the way from the airport!

He didn't even take a bag when he flew back, because he had clothes at home, plus extra toothbrush etc all in the house. So he just came straight to DHS from the airport!

I shook some more. My groove thing that is. And before long, he was "walking right down the middle of Main St USA." Except we weren't in Magic Kingdom. So it wasn't Main St, let alone Main St USA. But you get the idea....

Almost as soon as he arrived, we began walking back toward the Streets of America for the Osborne Lights. THIS is so worth coming this time of year. In addition to all the wonderful Christmas decor all over the World, who can resist biting heads off bats and going off the rails on the crazy train?

What?

It's Osborne, right? Like Ozzy? And Sharon. And that dancin fool Kelly. And the other crazy Osborne.... what's his name?

We were all ready to audition for America's Got Talent as soon as we saw Sharon. I was thinking of shaking my groove thing for her.....

What?

It's Osborne for crying out loud!!! Don't cry out loud? That's Melissa Manchester.... sheesh I'm showing my age..... Let's get back ON that crazy train!!!!!

Talk about a crazy train, Gma was sipping some spirits this night!!!

She was TOTALLY off the rails on the crazy train, and dancin with Spencer! Amazing what one drink does to Gma!

Spencer didn't stand a chance with a gene pool like this......

Grandpa is definitely the engineer of this family's crazy train......

So glad I"m adopted.

Before long we looked up in the sky and, what's that?

It's snowing in Central Florida!!!!

Just what all those yankees were looking forward to! You could hear the ooh's and aah's from those of us who don't see much snow. It was more like "ooh y'all" and "aah y'all" as opposed to the "what the *%&$ is this $#*&, youse guys?"

Can you guess who was excited to see snow?

And here we goooooo! Go Ozzy Go Ozzy Go Ozzy!

Osborne Lights - VIDEO - click to play!

It's Snowing Y'all! - VIDEO - click to play!

Long version of Osborne Lights - VIDEO - click to play!

Glad Grandma sobered up enough to stand up for this picture....

Time to head out of DHS for the night - on our way for another anniversary dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe!

This is one of Kami and Todd's favorites, so it was on the schedule. So funny that Jeff was NOT looking forward to it and thought it was a LOT better than our last time here, and I felt it was NOT as good as our last time here. But Jeff has no taste.

Except in women.

He has EXCEPTIONAL taste in women!

While waiting in the lobby of the beautiful Wilderness Lodge, we decided to have the photopass photographers get some shots of the family in front of that big ole tree.

I can only imagine this conversation.

Gma: Larry don't try to get fresh with me
Gpa: Don't flatter yourself
Gma: Watch your hands buddy!
Gpa: Kara Jean, will you do something with your mother
Me: Jeff, remember I'm adopted....

Well, wasn't that fun......

It was soooo much fun, that I needed one of these!

We all ordered the Canyon Skillet I think..... I found it a bit dry, kinda like Gpa's humor..... Everyone else enjoyed it.

Look Grandma! It's shiny!!!!

That kept her quiet for awhile......

Seriously? I'm a part of this gene pool??????

Ally, Emma, Spencer.... I'm sorry. We should have never reproduced, because you are surely going to inherit, well, THIS!

As part of their week long anniversary celebration, it was time for Gma and Gpa to recreate their first dance... Sheesh, who can remember back THAT far????

And then it was over. Gee, so soon?

We decided to take a bus to the first park that came around, while Kami and her clan took the boat back to MK.

The first bus was to Epcot, so we got off there and wandered through the park to the International Gateway and back home to the Boardwalk. We were able to catch Illuminations as we passed by, and since we left the first night here to avoid the rain, we were lucky enough to see them now.

It was a long, long day, and we were all exhausted! So as soon as we got into the room, Ally crashed, and being the good parents we are, we wanted to capture these "special" moments of childhood.....

This is why we had a child - VIDEO - click to play!

 

[DVC Jen]

Kara... I read you first cruise trip report and loved it. I am reading this one and I am Loving it. After reading the first installment of your second cruise report I already know I am going to LOVE it.

Your sense of humor is fantastic. You have literally had me laughing out loud on several occasions.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

I'm surprised that you didn't put Allie's hand in a glass of warm water!

 

[jenseib]

I just found this one tonight. I have only gotten through page nine, but I'm loving it and laughing outloud. My family thinks I'm nuts........that has nothing to do with my random laughing though.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I think the DIS is possessed! With all the other troubles, I clicked on your Ally video and just got the Osborne 3 video. I'll have to look later!

Your poor mom! Is she reading along?

Love the Urkle shorts!

With all the craziness, you still got some great family pics! How sweet your 'rents did their "first" dance - "over already?"

Loved the Osborne Lights videos - I think I will be in tears if I ever get to see it! ( had to post a Santa, since it's a Christmas story.)

 

[karajeboo]

Kara... I read you first cruise trip report and loved it. I am reading this one and I am Loving it. After reading the first installment of your second cruise report I already know I am going to LOVE it.

Your sense of humor is fantastic. You have literally had me laughing out loud on several occasions.

Getting ready to add the first installment (well, the one AFTER my first installment, guess that would make it the second installment?) later today.... Stay tuned!

I'm surprised that you didn't put Allie's hand in a glass of warm water!

Now THAT would have been funny!!!!!

I just found this one tonight. I have only gotten through page nine, but I'm loving it and laughing outloud. My family thinks I'm nuts........that has nothing to do with my random laughing though.

Random laughing huh? I thing you and I would get along MAHVELOUSLY!

I think the DIS is possessed! With all the other troubles, I clicked on your Ally video and just got the Osborne 3 video. I'll have to look later!

Your poor mom! Is she reading along?

Love the Urkle shorts!

With all the craziness, you still got some great family pics! How sweet your 'rents did their "first" dance - "over already?"

Loved the Osborne Lights videos - I think I will be in tears if I ever get to see it! ( had to post a Santa, since it's a Christmas story.)

I think Mom reads along sometimes, but I know that my dad reads it.... I'm sure she gets the whole, "Grandma! You won't believe what your oldest child just said about you!!!!"

 

[dvc4life]

Yup! That was us!!!! Didn't you see my DOTD????



FOR REAL????? Yet another reason I must convince Jeff to make this happen! Now I'm FOR SURE gonna sell a kid (or husband) to make it happen! Looks like Ellen is booking it too when we are on the Dream next month!!! How fun will this be???????

I booked it yesterday - just changed my dummy res over before all the rooms were gone. They are going FAST!

Yep, for real. And I hear ya about selling a kid. We need to sell two! lol. But wait, as of right now they are going with us so that won't work. Darn.

 

[jenseib]

All caught up now...Lovin it!

 

[Simba22]

omg you're hysterical! i love reading your updates! sounds like you guys had a pretty good day! FYI - i think you copied the wrong link in the Ally video because it links to the Osborne lights!