May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 7

[birkner]

Did you like it? I thought it was good, but not the best.


You will know which room Noel and Karen's are because you will see me picking up my breakfast outside their door and tiptoeing away! I LOVED ordering full breakfast when we were in the suite.

Sounds like so much fun! Glad you had time together.

I took three of the boys to the last A's game. We had a great time - it was a great game.

Regarding Ebay, if you know anyone that already has an established account, it would be to your benefit for them to post for you. I think buyers are sometimes hesitant to buy event tickets from sellers with no feedback (because there are so many fake tickets out there). I agree with Noel that perhaps Craiglist would be the first spot.

Noel - I said "hi" to the Del for you! It was great. I can't wait to go with the boys.

Karen, the Caymus was 1997. And I meant "wonderful" not wondering duck!

Happy Anniversaries!

Loved the Champagne girls photos!

Prayers to all those with loved ones that are suffering.

V, keeping fingers crossed about the job front.

One of the speakers at my conference was just incredible - his story was so heartbreaking and inspirational. http://www.jimmaclaren.com/ There is a great video on his site that tells it. Anyway, he said the best definition of success is this: to be loved or to love.

With that, I say good-night and wish us all a very successful day tomorrow!

CSI was as you said good, but not as good as some of their earlier episodes. However that being said, the girl that played the Minature Killer did an excellent acting job.

What I am going to miss this fall is Burn Notice. Anyone else watch this series over the summer?

Lisa, you are welcome for breakfast any morning!!

I am glad you had a wonderful time at the Del. Some of our fondest memories and pictures of Samantha's childhood come from the Del!!

 

[birkner]

You're getting rid of all your stuff in storage and I'm putting all of mom's stuff that I'm keeping into storage. I have to declutter the house before I can bring any of it home. That will be my project for 2008....clean up my clutter so I can bring home mom's clutter....clutter never ends!

The majority of the stuff we brought out of storage belonged to my parents. I am determined to begin going through it and either using it or donating it to charity. My clutter is going to somewhat end though I do agree there is always clutter.

Much of the furniture we moved into the living room, family room and several of the bedrooms. Now to attack the boxes. They entirely fill our three car garage!! The best part of the declutter is I am going to save $704.00 a month in storage fees or $8448 which will pay for our next cruise!!

 

[lillygator]

ok, sometimes I could just ring Johnny's neck....

he just calls me asking if I want to go to a wine tasting at the Ritz Carlton...great, yeah, would love to - BUT it's Wednesday for 6-9pm...ok, short notice!

So it would be up to me to call my mom and ask her to babysit while she works until 6 or so and then has an hour and 1/2 drive back home....right.

 

[lillygator]

and then when he senses the exasperation in my voice I get the big "never mind" "sorry I bothered you at work"....

 

[disneylover5]

We love Olivias!

Where is Olivia's? What kind of food?

 

[disneylover5]

Happy Anniversay to all who are celebrating!! How fun!!

My 20th Wedding Anniversary is this Thursday....the 4th of Oct. We went on the MED cruise to celebrate, so we are not going to do anything at all special. I think we decided to go out to lunch...so I won't miss BUNCO on Thursday night!!

I am hoping to finally go to the beach this weekend.

www.bethanycam.com

I have not been since before we left for Europe. I miss it so much. Don can't go.....I hope my mom will come, but if not, she can stay home with Don.

It is supposed to be a beautiful weekend.....way above normal...perfect beach weather!!

 

[Jhalkias]

ok, sometimes I could just ring Johnny's neck....

wring . . . more effective

Where is Olivia's? What kind of food?

Olivia's is the restaurant at Old Key West (DVC resort)

You can find restaurant menus here:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining.htm

on the DIS.

 

[disneylover5]

With all the page #'s I am surprised someone who has a 4th grader has not said "2016...the year my child will graduate from High school"!!

 

[disneylover5]

wring . . . more effective

​

 

[fourmcds]

Doing another "drive by" Where does the time go?! Luckily DH is going away for business this week so I can get some DIS time

Nan.... and lots of that things keep improving with your mom.

and for everyone who needs it. I haven't read much lately so I am not sure what I missed.

Deb...it was a great game day yesterday...sorry Karen, but the Hawks actually played football for the first time this season! I loved the game! Next week.... we play the steelers in Pittsburgh and could use lots of that we don't have a repeat of that horrible superbowl!

 

[mishoe01]

That's a nice thought and worth considering. Thanks. Are you meeting in DTD on the Sunday 25th Nov with some of the others? We are hoping to pop in if we arrive on time, so that is an option.

I'm planning on it!

 

[MrsMork]

My single sister adopted a 6 1/2 month old girl in 2002 from Fuling in the Chongqing area (somewhat near the big Three Gorges Dam). We went early and spent a few days in Beijing - the Great Wall, T Square, Ming Tombs, the original Temple of Heaven and a few other places. The day befoe we left Chongqing we were touring around and our guide casually mentions that up the road was the headquarters of the Flying Tigers who the Chinese still revere for all they did for China in WWll. My sister and I look at each other in amazement- my father was attached to the Flying Tigers and was stationed in China for some time during WWll but you could never get him to talk about it. Darn, if we had only thought of that once after she received her referral (in the 2 1/2 weekes before we travelled - yeah right).

Fast forward to 2005 and my sister is waiting for the referral of her second child. I was hoping the referral would come out of Xi'an so I could see the Terra Cotta Warriors and she was hoping it would come from Chendu so she could hold a baby panda (her agency was real big on cultural experiences while you are there waiting for final paperwork to be processed). The referral came - from Liang Ping - Chongqing area again but opposite direction from Fuling. We entered in thru Hong Kong this time and toured for a few days, very cool stuff. Rode in A Chinese junk in Hong Kong Harbor among other things. - we went in March and HK Disney opened in September; we were so close!!

We had the same facilitator for the second trip and she remembered us so we asked if she could arrange a trip for us to the Flying Tiger Museum. I'm going to really shorten this but we get to the museum and are walking around, my sister, the facilitator, the museum caretaker and the girls got a bit ahead of me. I stopped and was staring at a picture and my sister dropped back and simple said "which one" and I pointed to a soldier and she said "me too". We found a picture of my father. Looked exactly like one my mother has of my dad in her house (and the only picture I rever remember seeing of my dad in uniform). My sister went ahead and got the others out of the room so I could take a picture for my mother (I didn't care about the no photography signs at this point and we were the only ones there but I wasn't going to ignore the sign in front of my hosts. They had been so gracious to us since we arrived).

Well, you asked about the girls and I'm went on about seeing a picture of my dad, who passed away 14 years ago, but it still is just as special to me as the girls are. Sorry to be so long winded.

Anyway, the girls are thriving and as different as night and day. One is a tomboy (6 in November) and could easily have done the Universal commercial (if I see one more princess I'm goign to hurl) and her younger sister will be 4 in January and is as girly as they come. They have brought such joy to our family. I can't wait to take them back to China for a cultural experience. Maybe I'll get to see the Terra Cotta Soldiers then.

Sandy

This gave me chills...good ones! How wonderful to find your father's photo there. And, yes, the Flying Tigers were true heros for the Chinese people. So, your nieces grandpa worked very hard for their native country. How cool it that!! When they are older they should go see the memorial and the photo.
We had a very, very dear friend that was a Flying Tiger also. He was a Nez Perz Indian. We met him here at the VA hospital where he and his wife volunteered 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. He and a group of the Tigers were honored at a Mariner's game one year. A gentle, loving soul who was very proud of his service and what they did for the Chinese. He became very attached to both Dennis and I. He passed away about 5 years ago and we still miss him so. I wonder if he knew your dad.

 

[gydell]

Well I thought the Plaza was a bit over rated...and there is NO RESTROOM in there!! The food was ok, but I have found Magic Kingdom to be really lacking compared to the restaurants in the other parks and resorts.

I forgot about the bathroom but I never need it. I guess I just like a nice sandwich or salad between all the big meals. And I love the desserts! Last time we did the DDP we ended up with 7 counter service meals that we didn't use. It was too much food!

 

[lillygator]

I forgot about the bathroom but I never need it. I guess I just like a nice sandwich or salad between all the big meals. And I love the desserts! Last time we did the DDP we ended up with 7 counter service meals that we didn't use. It was too much food!

if it were just me and the girls on the DDP we would be the same...however my dear husband makes up for it!

 

[lillygator]

Ok, I have to get the dining room table cleared off tonight.

 

[mishoe01]

I'm sitting here at work itching for it to be 715pm so I can head over to Epcot. There is a special Illuminations showing tonight to celebrate the 25th Anniversary.....supposed to rival the 4th of July show. Can't wait!

 

[granmaz]

Ooh, enjoy it. I'm so jealous.

 

[mishoe01]

Hopefully I'll get some decent pictures....if I do - I'll post!

 

[katypop]

My single sister adopted a 6 1/2 month old girl in 2002 from Fuling in the Chongqing area (somewhat near the big Three Gorges Dam). We went early and spent a few days in Beijing - the Great Wall, T Square, Ming Tombs, the original Temple of Heaven and a few other places. The day befoe we left Chongqing we were touring around and our guide casually mentions that up the road was the headquarters of the Flying Tigers who the Chinese still revere for all they did for China in WWll. My sister and I look at each other in amazement- my father was attached to the Flying Tigers and was stationed in China for some time during WWll but you could never get him to talk about it. Darn, if we had only thought of that once after she received her referral (in the 2 1/2 weekes before we travelled - yeah right).

Fast forward to 2005 and my sister is waiting for the referral of her second child. I was hoping the referral would come out of Xi'an so I could see the Terra Cotta Warriors and she was hoping it would come from Chendu so she could hold a baby panda (her agency was real big on cultural experiences while you are there waiting for final paperwork to be processed). The referral came - from Liang Ping - Chongqing area again but opposite direction from Fuling. We entered in thru Hong Kong this time and toured for a few days, very cool stuff. Rode in A Chinese junk in Hong Kong Harbor among other things. - we went in March and HK Disney opened in September; we were so close!!

We had the same facilitator for the second trip and she remembered us so we asked if she could arrange a trip for us to the Flying Tiger Museum. I'm going to really shorten this but we get to the museum and are walking around, my sister, the facilitator, the museum caretaker and the girls got a bit ahead of me. I stopped and was staring at a picture and my sister dropped back and simple said "which one" and I pointed to a soldier and she said "me too". We found a picture of my father. Looked exactly like one my mother has of my dad in her house (and the only picture I rever remember seeing of my dad in uniform). My sister went ahead and got the others out of the room so I could take a picture for my mother (I didn't care about the no photography signs at this point and we were the only ones there but I wasn't going to ignore the sign in front of my hosts. They had been so gracious to us since we arrived).

Well, you asked about the girls and I'm went on about seeing a picture of my dad, who passed away 14 years ago, but it still is just as special to me as the girls are. Sorry to be so long winded.

Anyway, the girls are thriving and as different as night and day. One is a tomboy (6 in November) and could easily have done the Universal commercial (if I see one more princess I'm goign to hurl) and her younger sister will be 4 in January and is as girly as they come. They have brought such joy to our family. I can't wait to take them back to China for a cultural experience. Maybe I'll get to see the Terra Cotta Soldiers then.

Sandy

What a beautiful story Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.
Kathe

 

[MrsMork]

if it were just me and the girls on the DDP we would be the same...however my dear husband makes up for it!

I can eat it all!!