May 2011 Yo Ho Ho! Let Down Your Hair! (New 10/9 Lessons Learned #550)

[Marshay]

For me it depends on who they are from. my family or friends, sure i'd ask. MIL- no way, she takes it personally and makes me feel guilty and its not worth it. at any rate, if i dont ask then i do one of two things with them-
1) i hate walmart, but they have a great return policy and if there is any chance it could be carried there i return it there without a reciept for a giftcard to purchase a different gift. 2) put it in my donate pile. we have church functions we go to through out the year that require a toy donation as entrance fee.

Yeah, I find it awkward to ask for a gift receipt. I always like to include one when I give a gift...that way, if they don't like it, they can return and I never have to know!

Happy Birthday to you both!!

I am glad it all worked out and Rachel was able to get a credit to get something she would like

Thanks! I am happy to report that Rachel was able to purchase both the Rapunzel Magical Tower $30 on-line and TRUS wanted $43 in the store and some figurines off of ebay with her money! She is quite happy.

Thank you for these beautiful Kidani pictures. It is really breathtaking, isn't it? We stayed at Jambo House and we could not get over the theming of the AK hotels.

That bathroom is huge! Next time you guys go, can I go too? I will be fine sleeping in that shower!

Cannot wait to read more.

Q

Yes both Jambo and Kidani are truly gorgeous! I totally need to spend more time in the resorts just wandering around.

The bathroom was incredible. We just came back from the Gaylord Hotel, and it did have a nice tile bathroom .. but both DH and I said, "It wasn't like Kidani!!"

 

[WDWCP96]

I completely missed your posts.

First Happy Belated birthday to both you and Rachel!

And

Second glad that everything worked out with her birthday presents.

 

[Marshay]

For those of you interested, here are the pics from Rachel's Rapunzel party.

Flynn Rider's Boats (jello)

Streamers, balloons and the paper lanterns that Rachel & I made on the ceiling of the party room

Here is a pic of the very long braid Jerry and I did. I hung it out of our bedroom window with a photo of Rapunzel (you can't see the photo due to glare). It went all the way down to the driveway. The girls are inside the garage getting their tattoos on.

Tangeld Tattoos for everyone!

Another view of the tower. I made it in the kitchen and then had to carry it over to the dining room. I remember watching some tv shows about people who build these awesome cakes ... and then have to move it to the big table for judging. I admit, I was a bit nervous, and this wasn't complex at all!

The party room

Another view of the party room. Notice the green and yellow streamers hanging down on the entrance. Jerry did this to duplicate the hidden bushy entrance that Flynn Rider and Mother Gothel use to enter the valley where the tower is.

The food table. Rachel had found this large Pascal-like chameleon and wanted to use it for the decorations. Also note the blue frying pan (kids' toy) that we filled with matching color M&Ms.

Rachel all dressed in purple with her Rapunzel balloon

The craft table all set up. The girls decorated their own goodie bag, foam tiara and could make a necklace with wooden beads.

 

[Marshay]

I completely missed your posts.

First Happy Belated birthday to both you and Rachel!

And

Second glad that everything worked out with her birthday presents.

No problem! Thanks and so am I!

I realize it's been almost 2 weeks since I updated ... thought I'd get a few updates out today!

 

[Marshay]

So after getting tattoos (sorry, these photos were not in order), we started painting characters from the movie. The girls loved this a lot! My original intent was to let the paintings dry and then we'd cut them out and use them in a "play" at the end. But we ran out of time.

Then we went in the back of the yard for some water fun in the baby pool and a slip and slide.

Now Rachel had wanted a pinata but the Rapunzel one was about $30+ not including shipping and candy. So we did a "pinaqua" instead. This is a pinata made out of water instead (trash bag). The girls each got a turn to hit their own pinaqua. They enjoyed getting wet.

Then the kids ate some snacks at the "snuggly duckling" (tarp set up outside) and we had the girls each throw a water balloon down to see if the girls below could catch it w/o breaking (nobody could but there were lots of laughs). Note the other braid Jerry and I made. It actually went down to the grass but we pulled it up when doing the water balloons.

A photo of everyone

Then we all went back inside to change and work on our crafts and eat. Note the "Stabbington Brothers Meaty Muscle Balls" (meatballs with little appetizer forks to 'stab' them) made a comeback apearance from our Rapunzel dinner party.

All the girls looking so pretty and chowing down on birthday (i.e., junk) food

After most of the girls left, there was one family that was late for pickup, so I read the Rapunzel story to them which was fun. Elizabeth did not want to join us ... she was busy eating!!

Rachel's favorite gift -- the Rapunzel baby doll

It was a fabulous party -- lots of girls screaming in delight! Both Jerry and I had so much fun. Rachel was on cloud 9 and even Elizabeth loved watching all the girls run around.

 

[Vwdiva93]

Oh my gosh you two went all out for that Rapunzel party! The cupcake tower is beautiful!! I love all of the flowers. So glad you successfully transferred it to the party room, I would have been nervous too!

And I love the pinaqua, what a cool idea! So glad Rachel and her friends enjoyed the party, I'm sure she'll remember it for a long time

 

[swwake]

Love all the party pics! You are sooo creative. I love the Flynn boats the best. And the pinaqua idea - never heard of that!

 

[Marshay]

Oh my gosh you two went all out for that Rapunzel party! The cupcake tower is beautiful!! I love all of the flowers. So glad you successfully transferred it to the party room, I would have been nervous too!

And I love the pinaqua, what a cool idea! So glad Rachel and her friends enjoyed the party, I'm sure she'll remember it for a long time

Thanks! It was a lot of fun!

I really like the way the cupcakes turned out. So much prettier and easier to use plastic flowers than to try to make them from icing! I just cut and popped them on! And the girls each decided to take home their flowers, too.

Love all the party pics! You are sooo creative. I love the Flynn boats the best. And the pinaqua idea - never heard of that!

yeah, those boats were really cute and good, too! The oranges were perfect for outside. I got the idea from the Disney website. The pinaqua idea came from the Family Fun magazine (I think). When I saw that, I was like, we have to do that!! It was a little slow to set up but when it was each girls' turn, they loved it!

 

[kaoden39]

What a great party!! How fun!! You are such a fun mom.

 

[Marshay]

What a great party!! How fun!! You are such a fun mom.

Thanks! It was fun!!

 

[Marshay]

I interrupt this TR again to show you some cool pics of my stay at the Gaylord National Hotel. Since my parents and my sister have my girls for 3 days, Jerry surprised me with a birthday trip (1 night) at the Gaylord National Hotel.

Here are some quick pics

At check-in , we found out that we were upgraded to a suite (woo hoo!!). but not only was it a suite, it was a suite with the best view -- overlooking the Potomac River.

The room

The dining room overlooking the convention center

The king size bedroom

Looking back into the room from the living room

The view out our window overlooking the boat launch

The view, slightly to our right

Seen together ... the bridge is the Woodrow Wilson Bridge looking into Old Town Alexandria

We had massages and then went to dinner. I had the absolute best lump jumbo crabcakes I ever had.

The waiter surprised me for my birthday with a choc mousse cake -- it was sooooo delicious!!

Everybody gets a dish of cotton candy for dessert, too!!

The happy couple

This photo is from INSIDE the Gaylord. You lose all track of perspective in this place. That is an actual house inside the atrium. The atrium goes up 18 floors.

We watched a patriotic water show inside the atrium

Then we walked around the gardens. Here is the new skirt Jerry got me on Sunday.

Then we walked around the downtown section and stopped at the sculpture called "The Awakening". It has 2 arms, a head, a knee and one foot coming out of the ground. Looks like they buried a huge , ginormous statue alive.

Then we stopped in the only Peeps (marshmellow chicks) store in the entire world!! They will soon come to Chicago and NYC. I bought a gum drop machine and filled it with mix-your-own Mike & Ikes. Here is the owner.

Then we saw a sign for where DVC has bought 15 acres. I'm really hoping they will build a resort complex here. But 15 acres is NOT a lot of land, compared to the Gaylord. DVC has not broken ground yet.

Another cool fountain outside. This shoots up jets of water...overlooking the Potomac River. And you can see my "par-tay outfit #1".

Then we went back to the room to relax and such Around 12:30am we decide to dress in par-tay outfit #2 and go up to the Ultra Lounge (pose) for guests only. But alas it was closed. So we walked around.

Here I am doing my own 'pose'

And here is outfit #2. I don't normally get to dress up like this and have fun -- so it was awesome to do so.

Now I return to my normally, scheduled t-shirt and shorts and hope to tell you more about my Disney Trip.

Hope you enjoyed seeing our fun getaway!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Looks like a great getaway, that resort looks amazing!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Love love love the Rapunzel party pics! You do an excellent job on the decorations and activities for the girls.

Wow girl! You were looking good all dressed up in your par-tay clothes! Too bad the Ultar Lounge was closed.

 

[swwake]

Looks like so much fun for your birthday Marsha! I didn't even know there was a Gaylord hotel up there, and this is the first I've heard of a DVC property there! Wow!

I couldn't help but notice- is that the corset top from the pirate outfit that Jerry asked you to wear without the white shirt sometime? Looks like you found the appropriate time!

Glad you had a great birthday!

 

[kaoden39]

Wow that all looks so nice Marsha!! And you look great!! I hope you had a good time!!

 

[Marshay]

Looks like a great getaway, that resort looks amazing!

It really was!! It's one of those 'destination resorts' ... you pay a premium but there is so much neat things to do. We'll definitely go back, if only for a day trip (it was less than an hour from our house).

Love love love the Rapunzel party pics! You do an excellent job on the decorations and activities for the girls.

Wow girl! You were looking good all dressed up in your par-tay clothes! Too bad the Ultar Lounge was closed.

Thanks! Rachel still talks about the Rapunzel party. We have most of the decorations down now.

Thanks -- it is really fun to dress up and go out and not be a "mom" for a night.

Looks like so much fun for your birthday Marsha! I didn't even know there was a Gaylord hotel up there, and this is the first I've heard of a DVC property there! Wow!

I couldn't help but notice- is that the corset top from the pirate outfit that Jerry asked you to wear without the white shirt sometime? Looks like you found the appropriate time!

Glad you had a great birthday!

Yeah, supposedly Disney is going to build a hotel there and part of it is rumored to be DVC...we'll see. Like I said, they haven't broken ground yet and it's only 15 acres. The inside of Gaylord alone is probably 15 acres!

And, yes, you have a VERY KEEN eye!!! That is the corset top I wore for the Jake and the NEverland pirates dinner party ... and a good memory on Jerry wanting me to wear that!

I thought it was appropriate ... (and so did he!)

Wow that all looks so nice Marsha!! And you look great!! I hope you had a good time!!

It was; thanks and we did!

 

[Trentmom]

wow....what an awesome party

I love the long braids from window and swingset

Love the water pinata

I have to say, I love your walls in the party room. so pretty

Looks like you had a fun time at Gaylord

You look great and I am sure Jerry was loving that

 

[mousescrapper]

Soooo, now I'm very glad I sent the email. I figured the worst that could happen is that they think I'm uncouth (no problem) and the best was that we get a credit/money for the gifts for something Rachel really wanted!

Praise to God -- the latter came true!!

happy to hear that turned out so well

the party pixs look great what a wonderful party you threw for Rachel and her friends and how fun for your night away...beautiful place and looks like you had a wonderful time!

 

[lbuzz52]

that hotel looks very nice! yeah for some adult time!!
Looks like the kids had a ton of fun at the party. great job!
I thought you had explained your cake a bit but i can't locate it. how did you do the tower?

 

[Marshay]

wow....what an awesome party
I love the long braids from window and swingset
Love the water pinata
I have to say, I love your walls in the party room. so pretty

Looks like you had a fun time at Gaylord

You look great and I am sure Jerry was loving that

Thanks! It was fun...now what to do with two very, very long braids...

yeah, the "party room" is our dining room. Jerry and I 'sponged-painted' that several years ago. We love it!! But our realtor told us we'd have to repaint it all something neutral when we go to sell the house! I think that was her way of saying she didn't like it!!

Gaylord was fun and it felt wonderful to dress up and be a woman! Now I'm back to normal mom clothes!

happy to hear that turned out so well

the party pixs look great what a wonderful party you threw for Rachel and her friends and how fun for your night away...beautiful place and looks like you had a wonderful time!

Thanks! Everything was great! And the mom who got Rachel the fire-lanterns, just gave Rachel two Rapunzel gifts (boat with Flynn Rider and Rapunzel and a hair clip). This time she gave us the gift receipt, too!

that hotel looks very nice! yeah for some adult time!!
Looks like the kids had a ton of fun at the party. great job!
I thought you had explained your cake a bit but i can't locate it. how did you do the tower?

Hmm, I can't remember if I explained it or not. The cake was made from cupcakes with plastic flowers (Michaels) on top. I had a piece of styrofoam to make the hill for the tower, then covered with green tissue paper. The tower was cinnamom swirl rolls stacked up on a dowel, then a large muffin on top. At the very top, I iced a waffle cone and turned it upside down on the muffin. Then covered in sprinkles and dripped icing on it to look like ivy/flowers.

The paper tower can be found on Disney's website, search Rapunzel crafts.