Mingos in the Watah! What in the Wuhld?

[JaxJags08]

How could someone not like Pop's colors!? I personally love it. It's supposed to be fun and over the top! You really did have a great view. I can't remember if you already mentioned it, but could you see Illuminations from your room?

 

[PlutosRHM55]

I'm loving all the pins, MeMom! Huge pin trader myself (well collector more-so). I especially like those Limited Edition ones that look like cameras and represent each resort. I'm guessing they are probably all gone now though to your Garden Grill ADR, family favorite over here!

Tramp enjoyed seeing a bunch of hot air balloons going by.

Oh I love the Hot Air Balloons! I saw them when I stayed at AKL over a year ago and I'm guessing they are a regular thing at Disney (minus the Characters In Flight at DTD)? Something really cool to wake up to in the morning.

Some people think the bright colors of Pop Century are tacky, and that may be, but I like them. I think it gives it a 'vibe' of being alive and happy!

I totally agree. It fits well with the theme of the resort and the resort looks generally clean, so I don't think it looks tacky at all. Same with most of the values

Can't wait to read more!

 

[oOJulieOo]

I completely agree with you. Pop colors are fun and happy and cheerful! They are a great way to set the tone for a Disney trip.

Seeing pictures of pins always makes me want to start a pin collection!

 

[sunny_stace]

I love the picture of Tramp watching the hot air balloons! It reminds me of my dog Brody...only Tramp's ears would have to stick up straight!

I'm glad your first day of school went well! The system around here should listen to how you guys hire more teachers if there are more than 24 kids in the class...I remember we almost always had over 30...

 

[stayhomemom77]

Whoot! I that living with the land pin. I also happen to love that ride, so that's likely why.

That pic of Tramp watching the hot air balloons was too cute!

I agree with you that the bright colours of "Pop Cency" make it seem more vibrant. It's a happenin' place to be!

 

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

Love all the pin pictures MeMom! I'd buy a few of those.

I'm going to try extra hard this trip to wake up early and soak in the atmosphere of the resort. It'll help me tremendously that there will be animals outside my balcony.

I hope day two of school was good!

 

[BrooklynnsMommy]

How could someone not like Pop's colors!? I personally love it. It's supposed to be fun and over the top! You really did have a great view. I can't remember if you already mentioned it, but could you see Illuminations from your room?

We could see Illuminations from right outside our door. The room we had in March I could sit on my bed with the door propped open and watch it.

 

[TCKK]

More shopping next time.

I want this pin!

How can anyone think POP is too brightly colored? That's one of the best parts! I love bright colors...but then again, maybe I'm just a little tacky.

 

[MagicShell]

I love your picture of Tramp watching the hot air balloons. I certainly do not think that POP looks trashy. It looks happy and fun!

 

[xoktenox]

Hope your school year started off on the right foot, MeMom! All 23 of your students and their families are extremely lucky to have you in their lives, influencing and teaching the children.

2 updates ago you posted some shopping pictures as you were leaving DHS...Chris bought the "This is paradise" shirt with Stitch on it! All of us DISers know how just how true that statement is.

I love the colors of Pop! Just looking at your pictures made me happy and transported me back to that resort, sitting out by the pool relaxing or passing by on the way out to the parks for the day

 

[Poolrat]

I still try to be a good teacher. I just wish I felt like it was possible to be a great teacher.

I believe you are a great teacher. Simply the mindset of wanting your students to feel safe tells me that. Life skills, in the end that is important too, they will remember the compassion and guidence more than the worksheets and testing.

Maybe a new Donald shirt for Jarvis if he goes in December?

I may need Grumpy to come home with me.

I just bought my friend B ( from the NYE trip) the Donald shirt. I have been looking for a Donald shirt where he wasn't angry or scowling. I finally found one and the message is perfect.

Anyway, today is another new beginning. New children will come into my life, and I will get to know them well through the next 180 school days. I try to influence them in positive ways - especially in giving them independence and organizational skills. I feel like those are the best tools I can give them to help them through their future school years. They will learn about me, my family, and of course, my Disney love. We will have fun as we become a family of sorts for this year, and we will learn, learn, learn!

I do enjoy being a teacher. Even though I lament about all the paperwork, testing, mandates, and pressures, I love nurturing and teaching the kids. [/COLOR]

That's what makes a great teacher!!!!! Glad to hear your first day went smooth. Hopefully a little pixie dust for those boys will help keep them straight.

I love an empty pool in the morning. Not just for the obvious reasons ( its empty ) but everything is cleaned and ready to go for a full day of full and frolic. The water is so still and clear and hearing it lap over the gutter is soothing. When I had an outdoor pool I used to love walking around it first thing in the morning. Now that I am indoors, walking in and across the pool deck first thing in the morning almost has the same effect but I need a little sunlight and a light breeze to make it perfect.

If I can't find a Dory antennae topper then a pin will have to do.

 

[MeMom]

I was thinking of you on your first day back today. I hope tomorrow goes well, too. I could never teach older kids, like you do. I prefer them little, like infant/toddler. Preschool is my cutoff.

Of course, I love the Pop Century pictures. Your pictures really just make me more and more excited for January!

I wouldn't mind going back to pre-school at all. I enjoyed teaching three year olds on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Mother's Day Out many years ago. When I retire, I could still do something like that for my part-time job.

January is creeping closer and closer. To me, it seems like once school starts, the fall months fly by.

I'd be so happy to offer any input I can! Please feel free to ask! I can send you my email address too if you'd like.

Thanks. I will surely come to you for advice when I run into obstacles with them. I know you will have some great ideas to help.

I'm so happy that your first day went smoothly! I'm sure you can take those mischievous boys! I know they'll be eating right out of your hand in a few weeks.

Great pin pictures! I also bought the 40th anniversary ear hat pin! It was my favorite among the 40th collection.

The assistant principal has already noticed that the three of them somehow wound up together. If they add a seventh second-grade, is the numbers are high, they will be sure and take one of them.

I am happy with my hat pin. I put the three pins on my board at school, and now I have even more happiness and good memories when I look at it.

Glad your day went well! Hope tomorrow goes as smoothly.

Friday, we had a meeting again. It lasted from 8:30 to 12:40, and it was mostly negative and stressful. It was about our new teacher evaluation system. It's intense, and they flat out told us there's pretty much no way you can get a 5 on a scale of 1-5. Very promising. They showed us two videos, and we had to rate the teachers' performances on 97 standards. The first one was not great. We gave her a lot of 1's and 2's, but some 3's. We rated the second one as 4's and 5's. The state rated her as a 3. In both instances, all of the students were sitting completely still in their seats - no behavior issues - and of course not a full class.

After four hours and ten minutes, they sent us to lunch, and then we had team meetings. At 3:15, they called us back to the library and gave us a five minute pep talk - "We'll get through it." It's really so depressing that you have to laugh to get by.

I also love mornings at Pop. The color are so alive, and vibrate. It is the best time to see the ducks, rabbits, and birds etc. I love watching the resort come alive, as people get to moving around.

I, too, enjoy seeing Pop come to life. Sometimes I will sit at a table by the pool and catch up on my note writing or fill out postcards or something. At first, there are just the pool people scrubbing and hosing down and rearranging chairs, but then a guest will straggle by with a mug or two in hand headed off to get the morning coffee. Then a family will appear, looking completely worn out, rolling their luggage out for the dreaded journey home. Little by little, the humans begin to outnumber the bunnies and ducks, and Pop is alive for another day.

I love your Pin pictures. The girls really got into that this trip, especially Emily. We got a stash from Ebay and traded away till their hearts content. Emily loved it and it was good for shy Hannah to seek CM out to do it with. I love the lands pins for MK especially.

We finally got the cork boards up in their rooms for their pin collections. I thought it would be fun to see it grow and grow!

It will be fun! I love having mine at school. I can look at a pin and have a whole flood of good memories hit me right then and there.

All caught up!

I love your classroom!!! I remember second grade. My teacher was scary She was a good teacher though. She was a friend of my grandma's. They used to teach at the same school before my grandma retired. Ironically I had her son at a gym teacher this year.

We're leaving for Vermont on saturday! I've had a busy week so I really haven't done any packing yet...I'll be busy tomorrow I can send you some pretty lake pictures if you want


I think I had one introduction post, but I'm pretty sure my second was on a MeMom and Jill report! I think that was about 2 years ago


Yup

Sometimes I have to be scary, but only when the kids make me be that way. For the most part, I'm pretty tame.

Enjoy your trip. I'd love to see a picture of some beautiful Vermont landscape.

So glad you found our group, whatever post it was.

I always enjoy your morning trips around Pop. Your pictures in past TR's convinced me to stay there for my upcoming trip. Then I got a pin code for 40% off a deluxe and I changed to the Wilderness Lodge! Figured if I'm turning 40 at the Magic Kingdom on it's 40th anniversary then I may as well go big! It will be our first time in a deluxe and I'm so excited! But, I will book POP in the future!!

You will love Wilderness Lodge! Yes, you definitely should have taken the opportunity to go big! You'll love walking down to the dock and taking that nice boat ride to Magic Kingdom.

 

[MeMom]

I love a morning shopping trip!!!

Those pins are super cute. I especially like the 40th anniversay hat one!

Morning, afternoon, evening - they're all good for shopping.

I am happy with that hat pin choice. I was going to get the hat, and I still may in October, but for the cost and the timing and being able to think about it longer, I am happy with the pin.

Praying for you and your students. You can tell that you truly care about them. I hope you have a fantastic year!

I hope to have a fantastic year, too. Working with the kids is the good part. If they'd just let us get back to that and forget all of this crazy paperwork, testing, and pressure, the kids would probably be a lot better off. They'd have happy teachers instead of stressed ones.

How could someone not like Pop's colors!? I personally love it. It's supposed to be fun and over the top! You really did have a great view. I can't remember if you already mentioned it, but could you see Illuminations from your room?

Yes, it is fun and over the top, and for us that's fine. I also like the calm colors of Old Key West, the elegance of Grand Floridian, the coziness of Wilderness Lodge, the peacefulness of Port Orleans (both) and the exotic feel of Animal Kingdom Lodge. I love that there is a resort for every taste and every vacation style. Resort hopping is one of my favorite activities.

As Jill said, we could see Illuminations. It was going one night when we were driving back from somewhere, and we just stood down by the lake and watched.

I'm loving all the pins, MeMom! Huge pin trader myself (well collector more-so). I especially like those Limited Edition ones that look like cameras and represent each resort. I'm guessing they are probably all gone now though to your Garden Grill ADR, family favorite over here!


Oh I love the Hot Air Balloons! I saw them when I stayed at AKL over a year ago and I'm guessing they are a regular thing at Disney (minus the Characters In Flight at DTD)? Something really cool to wake up to in the morning.


I totally agree. It fits well with the theme of the resort and the resort looks generally clean, so I don't think it looks tacky at all. Same with most of the values

Can't wait to read more!

I'm a collector, too, and not a trader.
I hope they'll have those cameras for a while.

There were probably a dozen balloons in all. It was cool to imagine being up there looking down on the resorts.

I completely agree with you. Pop colors are fun and happy and cheerful! They are a great way to set the tone for a Disney trip.

Seeing pictures of pins always makes me want to start a pin collection!

You need to start one for Claire - rides she's been on, resorts you have stayed in, special characters, etc. They really are nice to have on a corkboard and look back at. They aren't expensive if you only get 2-3 per trip, they don't take up a lot of space, and they bring you lots of fun memories.

I love the picture of Tramp watching the hot air balloons! It reminds me of my dog Brody...only Tramp's ears would have to stick up straight!

I'm glad your first day of school went well! The system around here should listen to how you guys hire more teachers if there are more than 24 kids in the class...I remember we almost always had over 30...

Tramp was wanting to chase those balloons all over the resort, but he was in the process of being painted, so that would have been a real mess if he had started running around!

If we had 30 in a room, teachers would be running out the doors! All the second grades had close to 25, but the first grades only had about 18. The bad thing is, they average K-3, so we may or may not get a teacher. From 18 to 25 is a big difference, but with the averaging, it could be that nothing changes.

Whoot! I that living with the land pin. I also happen to love that ride, so that's likely why.

That pic of Tramp watching the hot air balloons was too cute!

I agree with you that the bright colours of "Pop Cency" make it seem more vibrant. It's a happenin' place to be!

Jill said Bella wouldn't let her move the pictures of Pop Cenchy yesterday when she was looking at them. She kept saying 'My Pop Cenchy' and wanting her to scroll back so she could stare at the pictures. I have a feeling Brooklynn and I better not tell her where we are going in October!

We are fans of Living with the Land, also. It was fun to see it as we went around slowly at Garden Grill.

Love all the pin pictures MeMom! I'd buy a few of those.

I'm going to try extra hard this trip to wake up early and soak in the atmosphere of the resort. It'll help me tremendously that there will be animals outside my balcony.

I hope day two of school was good!

You will sit on that balcony and not even want to get up and go to a park. It us such a pretty place. I definitely want to stay there again!

I want this pin!

How can anyone think POP is too brightly colored? That's one of the best parts! I love bright colors...but then again, maybe I'm just a little tacky.

I guess we're tacky here, too, because when we first lay eyes on the Hippy Dippy Pool area each trip, we feel like we're at home again.

I love your picture of Tramp watching the hot air balloons. I certainly do not think that POP looks trashy. It looks happy and fun!

Well, as you know, we are fond of the place. I wondered if we would fall in love with AoA, but after I saw the prices, I know we won't be staying there enough to have it feel like home.

Hope your school year started off on the right foot, MeMom!

2 updates ago you posted some shopping pictures as you were leaving DHS...Chris bought the "This is paradise" shirt with Stitch on it! All of us DISers know how just how true that statement is.

I love the colors of Pop! Just looking at your pictures made me happy and transported me back to that resort, sitting out by the pool relaxing or passing by on the way out to the parks for the day

Yep, and when you move to Florida, you'll be able to do a lot more of that paradise chillin' out!

We'll hit the ground running for a full week Monday. I hope and pray for a good year.

Life skills, in the end that is important too, they will remember the compassion and guidence more than the worksheets and testing.


I may need Grumpy to come home with me.

I just bought my friend B ( from the NYE trip) the Donald shirt. I have been looking for a Donald shirt where he wasn't angry or scowling. I finally found one and the message is perfect.


That's what makes a great teacher!!!!! Glad to hear your first day went smooth. Hopefully a little pixie dust for those boys will help keep them straight.

I love an empty pool in the morning. Not just for the obvious reasons ( its empty ) but everything is cleaned and ready to go for a full day of full and frolic. The water is so still and clear and hearing it lap over the gutter is soothing. When I had an outdoor pool I used to love walking around it first thing in the morning. Now that I am indoors, walking in and across the pool deck first thing in the morning almost has the same effect but I need a little sunlight and a light breeze to make it perfect.

If I can't find a Dory antennae topper then a pin will have to do.

Our kids need those life skills in place so that they have the foundation for the learning. If you were to see some of our parents, you would know that a focus on education is not exactly a priority at home. We have some supportive ones, don't get me wrong, but we have a lot who are just 'whatever', too, and they have an anti-authority attitude that spills over to the kids, sadly. I'll take all the pixie dust you want to send my way. I'd love for all of you to be able to come and volunteer in our school 1-2 days a week. I know good things would happen!

The pools are very pretty and peaceful in the early mornings.

 

[MeMom]

There's more than just pins at Everything Pop!

I happen to like earrings.

Bellas and I are usually ahead of the others. We go on while Jill coaxes sleepy Brooklynn awake and into another day.

As Brooklynn did before her, Bella leads the way!

My sweet baby girl is getting to be a big girl.

We'll be off to a park soon, but that's it for now. Lots to do on the homefront, as I have been coming in with stacks of stuff every afternoon. It's now time to find a place for it all.

There's laundry to do and lesson plans to write.
With 97 standards in mind.

Have a fun Saturday!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

That bag is really cute!! (Have you noticed that I have a fondness for handbags...)

Bella is getting so big! I can't believe it! I love those sweet little pigtails

 

[CanadianWDWfan]

Looks like they didn't waste any time in putting preasure onto you at school.

I think you are a wonderful teacher and you have nothing to worry about.

I'm sure the Disney trips will help to keep you sane.

In trip news:
We got our Magical Express stuff! Very excitting first for us!

I bought our SeaWorld tickets yesterday..very excitted about seeing Shamu.

Added a bkfst at Boma to our ADR's for September.

Booked our rental car. I wanted to get the convertble like Declansdad but I decided to save the money instead....for shopping.

I booked our Park n' Fly hotel for the night before. We are 20 mins. away from Red Robin so there's no surprize where we are having diner that night.
A nice diner, swim and relax in the hot tub should lend itself to an early night...I hope. (I may be too excitted to sleep. )

I'm trying to cross things off my list because it will start to get busier at work. Believe it or not we are starting to get Halloween in.

My sister comes for a visit on Monday.

This week I will need to make our 30 day countdown callendar.

I'm enjoying the shopping pics!
I have that white & black Mickey handbag.
Love the dinerware! Those plates may need to come home with me.
I already bought the 40th Mickey pin with the rhinestones. Didn't want to take the chance that it would be sold out.
Those tees are awesome! I wonder if they come in plus sizes...will have to go looking for those too.

Have a great weekend off! You must love it when Friday comes!

I have to pick DMom from the airport this afteroon. Boy, did I miss her!
I'm hoping she come home with big bag of wild blueberries.
i'm going to take her out for some lunch and then I work tonight and tomorrow.
In between all that get the house tidy, get groceries and do laundry...sounds excitting doesn't it?

 

[pooksma]

Thanks for taking us shopping!

Declan picked out a couple of pins he liked. The pics helped him decide what pins he'd like to collect this time.

The black sterling silver Mickey Head Earrings- I bought those on our last trip They are very comfy and go with everything


Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Don't spend too much time on lesson plans

 

[CanadianWDWfan]

Seems like you were posting a new update at the same time as me.

I may need a pair of those earings...you really do know how to enable the shopper in me!

Oh I forgot the colorful bag!

...the cookbook was already on my list!

Oh no! I didn't want Lexi to see all that Duffy stuff at Everything POP!
She will deffinitely want to get him and start collecting his outfits. Cha- ching!

Bella does look more grown on this trip. She is just darling with her cute outfit and pig tails.
Where is Bella leading us to? Which park will it be?

Brooklynn is entitled to her beauty sleep!
She is in the wrong family if she thinks she can sleep in though...you are all a bunch of happy rope droppers!

 

[Happy Elf]

Gosh, Bella is looking so grown up! How did that happen?

I looked at all the 40th anniversary stuff at least 100 times, I just couldn't decided what I wanted. I wanted all of it and ended up with just an ornament.

 

[TCKK]

Uh oh! I'm looking at your shopping pictures this morning and I told hubby, I think I'm going to be spending some money this time. He didn't say a word. Don't know if that's good or not!

I really like this bag. I think I may "need" it.

I have these silver Mickey heads and love them. Wear them almost exclusively. But I must say I really like these sterling silver Tinks. I may "need" them too.

I love this picture of Bella with her hands in her pockets. So cute

Thanks for the pre-shopping fun. Now I really can't wait to get to POP! Oh and hubby thanks you too.