Maybe I'll do a trip report? Don't read! I haven't decided! NEW for 1/31! Read it!

[lexmelinda]

Yes, MommyP, I think she did say $220/month for 10 years!

And I guess it is a good deal if you can get 31 days off work in the next coupla years! Where do I apply?

But I think this is good because I'm sure you and Tammy will use it and enjoy it so therefore.....it's worth it!

Glad you gave Comcast what-for and your internet is working now!

Keep it comin'.......

 

[LISAMWDW]

Congrats! It looks like your going to have some fun!

Hey all check out my first pretrip report! I followed Celerystalker here from the APPrincess Snob's trip report. She gave me the courage to try a trip report too! Thanks Celerystalker!

 

[babynurse1]

BOO!

I was in the general area, and thought I'd pop in officially. Even though I have lurked previously. I can't wait to hear all about when you meet your imaginary friends!!

 

[UtahMama]

Sheeeeesh! V.I.P? Take that floor plan and divide it into fourths and THATs a POP room...of which we require 2.

 

[WheatThins]

Hey Celery:

Want to buy some swamp land in Florida?

Wheat Thins

 

[celerystalker]

Hey Celery:

Want to buy some swamp land in Florida?

Wheat Thins

WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS BEFORE I CAUGHT UP ON OTHER THREADS?!?!

ARGH!
I just told you in two different threads that I love you.
Then I read this.
You are banished!
Ok.
I can't stay mad at you.
Cuz I you so.
But you are evil.

Utah - I KNOW!!!! Tammy and I are gonna get lost if we get the two bedroom! Did y'all ever see that episode of Will and Grace where they're looking for a place and one is so huge they can't find each other?
That's gonna be us.

babyn - Yay! Thanks for dropping in. I wish you were going too!

Lisa - thank you! (See WT? That's how to be nice. )

lex - counting holidays, I get 28 days off a year. Starting in January, it'll be 29 days a year.
Tammy doesn't get as much, so I make her take it without pay. heh.

Mommyp - Yeah, it's 220 a month for ten years. for a lifetime of vacations. I swear it's a good deal.
Especially given what we spend already.

Princess - Thank you so much! I like making people laugh.

Praissehisname - Thank you!

 

[celerystalker]

Tammy comes from a really shattered family (again, that’s another story!) and because of this, she has adopted surrogate families over the years.
One of her adopted “moms” was one of her High School teachers.
Another was a college professor.
Then there’s her best friend in the world who is more like her sister (her name is Crystal).

And then there’s Anthony.

Anthony is Tammy’s godson (and son of her best friend). He’ll be turning 9 while we’re gone on vacation.
Tammy loves sharing every experience she can with him.
So, of course, Disney is something she’d like to share with him.

The only problem?

I refuse to go when school is out (crowds, duh!) and Crystal refuses to let him out of school for one of our long trips.

Or even a short one.

So what are we to do?

And of course, I keep scheduling trips when his birthday is happening.

Oops.

What do you want me to do?
Change free dining?
Heh.
Oh yeah.
We’re not even getting free dining this time.
But we’re meeting our imaginary friends!

That’s just as important, right?

Right.

We toy with the idea of asking Crystal if she’ll let Anthony out of school for a few days.

She says she had actually been thinking about it.

So a tentative deal is struck.

They can stay with us in the 1 bedroom.
We might be able to get a two bedroom.
We won’t tell Anthony until we’re sure they’re going.
So, let’s do a count.
We have Mike (the dad), Crystal, Anthony, Jeanie (who just turned two on July 21st!) and Quentin (who will be 5 months old in September).

In a one bedroom.

One pull out couch, one king bed. We’ll make it. Right?

Plenty of room.

Hmm.
So let’s start pricing airfare.
We have one free ticket.
Oh.
Wait.
I miscalculated.
Doh!

We’re one roundtrip away from a free ticket.

So we’ll find an airfare deal.

And a rental car deal.

So I search.

And search

And search.

Argh!

Even Southwest’s prices are over 200 per person.

Crystal starts saying she’s going to drive.

Ok. You’re letting Anthony out for 1 day of school. You’re going to leave Thursday night, arrive sometime Friday (wiped out after the looooong drive with an infant, a toddler and a birthday boy), do Disney for maybe two days then drive back and be back in time for Anthony to go to school on Monday?

Not gonna happen.

But it’s your “vacation.”

We’ll be there regardless.

Then Tammy and I start thinking.

Hmmm.

How much fun would it be to have a kid with us the whole time?

So we volunteer to take Jeanie with us.
Maybe.
If we can find a cheap flight.

Did you know that a two year old pays full price (probably, since most of you are parents)!
What?
Why?
That sucks!

So at LEAST 600 bucks for us to fly.
Plus a rental car for umpteen days.
Screw it.

Let’s drive!

With a two year old!

Woo!

 

[praisehisname]

You're kidding, right? Aren't you coming from Canada??? DH and I drove from Baltimore to Orlando with a 4yob and a 2yog and almost got divorced!!!

What will Anthony say? Will he be OK that his sister gets to go and he doesn't?

Denise

 

[WheatThins]

Cuz I you so.

I know.

Wheat Thins

 

[celerystalker]

praisehisname - Nope! We're in Nashville. Even -I'm- not crazy enough to drive from Canada! And you'll have to wait and see what he says!

WT -

 

[lexmelinda]

You need one more kid to occupy the kid that you're already taking!

When the Delta fares for September were released, they were $118/person round trip from Nashville! Now they are about $300!

I'm waiting for a rock bottom DING out of Nashville. Just keep your eyes peeled for a goog deal.

Maybe you won't have to drive?!

 

[celerystalker]

Lex -The flying ain't happening this time. We're going to be there for 12 nights.
There is no WAY I'm paying for a rental for that long.

 

[Marion]

So??? Do you get to take the 2 year old??? What fun!!

 

[myrsfmly]

Careful... your car will start to look like mine (5 kids 15 and under!!!)

 

[LISAMWDW]

You need one more kid to occupy the kid that you're already taking!

Maybe you won't have to drive?!

She's right!

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Jeanie will be fine. She'll enjoy every minute. The sleeping arrangements can be simplified. All you gotta do is put Mike on the back porch. or farther. He can be quite deadly at night. Cereally, You'll have a blast. Anthony, who is eight but will be turning 22, I'm sure, could probably negotiate you a better deal. He's a born player.

 

[celerystalker]

Marion - I know!!! You should see all the clothes I'm making for her to wear! I'll post them when I get them all done.

myrs - Our car is already a wreck. We get all three of the godkids about once a week.


Lisa - we might pick a kid up on the way. we'll see.

Donald - I love instigating between Anthony and Mike (which one is really stinkier than the other? ). But occasionally I have to put them both in time out.

 

[dabluestreaker]

Yes, MommyP, I think she did say $220/month for 10 years!

And I guess it is a good deal if you can get 31 days off work in the next coupla years! Where do I apply?

But I think this is good because I'm sure you and Tammy will use it and enjoy it so therefore.....it's worth it!

Glad you gave Comcast what-for and your internet is working now!

Keep it comin'.......

Just for the record...we didn't give Comcast the what for....IF we had...we'd BOTH be able to use the internet at the same time and it would stay ON all the time. We're still having some issues with it going off and on intermittently. AND it's got something to do with an outside connection. (Probably so many dang internet users in this not so great apartment complex!) BUT Amber says, "Let's call them AFTER we move to our new place in November." So I'm trying to be good and share.

 

[dabluestreaker]

Jeanie will be fine. She'll enjoy every minute. The sleeping arrangements can be simplified. All you gotta do is put Mike on the back porch. or farther. He can be quite deadly at night. Cereally, You'll have a blast. Anthony, who is eight but will be turning 22, I'm sure, could probably negotiate you a better deal. He's a born player.

Got to love my boy! And yes, he is 8 and turning 22..but you know...that's mostly Crystal and my fault since we've always talked to him as though he's our equal. And for the record...I'm wild about my other two godchildren. It's just I've had 7 more years with Anthony than I have the other two.

 

[dabluestreaker]

WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS BEFORE I CAUGHT UP ON OTHER THREADS?!?!


lex - counting holidays, I get 28 days off a year. Starting in January, it'll be 29 days a year.
Tammy doesn't get as much, so I make her take it without pay. heh.

So far, I get one paid day PTO (paid time off) per month. BUT I have yet to take my "unpaid" vacations without pay. For some reason, when I get my stub in the mail, I've been paid my full Salary for being off "unpaid." Whatever, I'm not knocking it. But I believe there are several reasons for this...

I am an Independent Support Cooridnator for 29 adults with Mental Retardation and other developmental disorders. I am in charge of coordinating every service they should need, and advocating for their rights. And not to brag...but I'm GOOD at my job. I spend long hours in and out of the office working, I give 110 % of effort, write great plans, am asked to help the newbies learn to do their job. Then my boss's boss believes that we should use our vacation time because our jobs is so stressful. AND it might be a human resource error.