"Mom, Dad, 3 Kids & a Gingerbread Boy" Matty's Wish Trip December 10-18, 2009

[yinyanggirls]

Awww! You were hoping you just might be able to get ONE G-man meet and greet and instead you got TWO! Awesome! I love the faces of the people in line too!

 

[pacrosby]

After the 'reunion' it was time for Murphy to go. While it was still fairly early, the Parade was soon and Murphy needed to go get ready. We waved goodbye and then..................................



followed along!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yup, Matty was going to be in the GKTW Christmas parade with MURPHY!!! We spent about 15 minutes just watching the preparations and posing with some of the parade participants.

One of them asks the other kids if they want to be in the parade too???!!! Olivia politely declines but Nick is up for the adventure and promptly hops aboards this little buggy

Finally everyone's in place and we are ready to go!! Woohoo!! Matty was thrilled. He got to walk the ENTIRE parade route with Murphy (I was instructed to walk along side....................perhaps they were afraid the two of them might take off) It was really just too cute.....................Murphy holding Matty's hand and the two of them waving to the crowd.


Here they come:

Getting closer:

Posing for the camera:

And here's Nick:

Dh took some video so for anyone who has 2 minutes and 27 seconds to kill.........

http://s604.photobucket.com/albums/tt122/pacrosby2009/?action=view&current=20091210194444.flv



That song will forever be magic to me now


Pamela

Matty's Wish Trip PTR http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2325607

Matty's Wish Trip TR "Mom, Dad, 3 Kids, and a Gingerbread Boy" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2356739

 

[yinyanggirls]

Oh my gosh! Did he feel like a celebrity or what??? That was fun! Pamela, you are so cute! I love your blouse (sweater? t-shirt? anyway...) very cute. I kept looking for you in the stills when you said you had to walk beside, but the only woman I saw didn't look anything like you. So it was fun to see you in the video. Glad your hubby recorded it!

 

[pacrosby]

ok.....so now that the cat (or rather gingerbread man) is out of the bag I suppose some are wondering how the heck all THAT came to be?????? Well, I have two fellow Dissers to thank for that. Crystal Snow and Kdzbear. Crystal returned from her daughter's Wish Trip early in November and, after catching up with my PTR, posted to my thread to give me the heads up about this 'big ol' gingerbread man' at GKTW. She had seen him at the Candyland party and wanted to make me aware that he existed thinking that, perhaps, he could be the key to making at least part of Matty's Wish come true. Later that month Kdzbear returned after her son's trip and reported a similar sighting, this time at the Xmas party. Without this information I never would have know about Murphy. As a result a great big thank you is due to both these ladies (I know Kristen follows this report). Without you this never would have come to be




OK, so now that I know there's yet another chance for a close-up encounter with a gingerbread man? Sounded promising but......what to do????? After pondering this new exciting information for a couple of weeks I decided I needed to make some kind of move and try and make something happen. A few days before we were to leave, I called GKTW directly to see if I could find the who's who to talk to. The person who might actually be able to make that SOMEthing happen. What, I didn't know...........ANYthing was good as long as that gingerbread man was a part of it. They put me in contact with "Mary" who, after a 3 1/2 minute conversation (Mary is a woman of very few words), without hesitation, agreed to have Matty included, WITH Murphy, in the Xmas parade Can you say.......SCOOOOOOORE!!!!!!

So that is how Matty and Murphy were reunited. Too sweet


Stay tuned later for "Who's that at the door?" but, up next: "Gingerbread Cookies, Presents from Santa and "Hey!, You must be........."


Pamela

Matty's Wish Trip PTR http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2325607

Matty's Wish Trip TR "Mom, Dad, 3 Kids, and a Gingerbread Boy" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2356739

 

[pacrosby]

Oh my gosh! Did he feel like a celebrity or what??? That was fun! Pamela, you are so cute! I love your blouse (sweater? t-shirt? anyway...) very cute. I kept looking for you in the stills when you said you had to walk beside, but the only woman I saw didn't look anything like you. So it was fun to see you in the video. Glad your hubby recorded it!

Oh Melissa.....thanx for watching!!!! What's funny is that dh just bought that video camera right before we left and was fiddling with it all week, WHILE videotaping MY memories!!!! I could've killed him!!!! That particular video is not that bad (but it was berfore he figured out that there was special setting for nighttime so it wouldn't be so dark!!!!!!! ) There's actually some hysterical video INCLUDING close-ups of things that you would never want close-ups of, people upside down, the ground and his hairy forearm!!!!!


Pamela

 

[yinyanggirls]

Oh Melissa.....thanx for watching!!!! What's funny is that dh just bought that video camera right before we left and was fiddling with it all week, WHILE videotaping MY memories!!!! I could've killed him!!!! That particular video is not that bad (but it was berfore he figured out that there was special setting for nighttime so it wouldn't be so dark!!!!!!! ) There's actually some hysterical video INCLUDING close-ups of things that you would never want close-ups of, people upside down, the ground and his hairy forearm!!!!!


Pamela

Maybe he can fiddle with some editing software?

 

[reelmom]

Oh Melissa.....thanx for watching!!!! What's funny is that dh just bought that video camera right before we left and was fiddling with it all week, WHILE videotaping MY memories!!!! I could've killed him!!!! That particular video is not that bad (but it was berfore he figured out that there was special setting for nighttime so it wouldn't be so dark!!!!!!! ) There's actually some hysterical video INCLUDING close-ups of things that you would never want close-ups of, people upside down, the ground and his hairy forearm!!!!!


Pamela

We have a lot of video like that. The best is from out last trip. Dh took the kids to ride something and my mom and I were sitting on a bench waiting for them. I guess we for got to turn off the video because I have our whole 20 minute conversation taped. Thankfully, I didn't say anything bad about anybody.

 

[kdzbear]

Wow! I am so happy that Matty was able to be in the parade and meet the gingerbread man at GKTW! What a magical moment you were able to experience! The first time Matty hugged the gingerbread man you can see the awe in the faces of the people in the background!

 

[praisehisname]

That is so cool that Matty got to meet the Gingerbread Man and be in the parade!!! Can't wait to read more!

Happy New Year!

 

[maroo]

Oh my gosh.

Oh. My. Gosh.

What a magical night!

You did a great job capturing it all, too!



I am loving your trip report!

And cliffhangers are great - as long as you come back and tell us all about it!

 

[pacrosby]

Maybe he can fiddle with some editing software?

We have a lot of video like that. The best is from out last trip. Dh took the kids to ride something and my mom and I were sitting on a bench waiting for them. I guess we for got to turn off the video because I have our whole 20 minute conversation taped. Thankfully, I didn't say anything bad about anybody.

yup....we got alittle bit of that too

Wow! I am so happy that Matty was able to be in the parade and meet the gingerbread man at GKTW! What a magical moment you were able to experience! The first time Matty hugged the gingerbread man you can see the awe in the faces of the people in the background!

thanks again

That is so cool that Matty got to meet the Gingerbread Man and be in the parade!!! Can't wait to read more!

Happy New Year!

You took me aback with your "Happy New Year". Where has the time gone???? I've been on this silly computer so much I've lost track of the time!!!

Oh my gosh.

Oh. My. Gosh.

What a magical night!

You did a great job capturing it all, too!



I am loving your trip report!

And cliffhangers are great - as long as you come back and tell us all about it!

Thanx for sticking with me. I have alot to live up to after that mini-TR you wrote.

Hey I had sent you another pm about that photopass. Did you happen to get it?????? I'm still confused (I know, what else is new)




Pamela

Matty's Wish Trip PTR http:www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2325607

 

[Momofwishkid]

Great update Pamela, what an amazing thing they did for you guys and the pictures are priceless! Wow what a trip and you havent evn made it to Disney yet!

 

[pacrosby]

So you can believe it??? A parade after all! And a parade with a Gingerbread Man!!!! It may not have been the MVMCP, and it may not have included those gingies Matty had originally become obsessed with but, it most certainly was NOT the b@@by prize!!! Matty was on cloud nine Many many families helped make further magic for Matty that night by treating him like a celebrity. Children wanted to hug him. Families had their pictures taken with him (sometimes with Murphy, sometimes alone). Some very little children became alittle concerned when he didn't have his head on Although alittle reserved, it was no doubt Matty was loving all the attention. I think he grew alittle taller that night.

Ok, so it's getting late (well, not 'late' by typical Crosby standards, but 'late' considering that we'd been up since 3 AM!!) and the kids are visibly tired. We've heard that there is some cookie decorating (gingerbread men) to be done in the Ice Cream Parlor Oh, and it's SNOWING!!!!! Did I neglect to mention that??? How fun! Of course, my kids look around and immediately find the snow blowing machine up high above the trees. So much for THAT magic haha. Anyway, amongst the crowd, standing next to us is a family of four, a Dad and three kids. The Dad asks us if the gingerbread boy is Matty. HUH? "How did he know his name?" Why, it's Chrissi's husband and family from the dISboards!!! Dwayne (Dad), big sister Shayna (18), big brother DJ (16) and, of course, sweet Alyssa (10)! They had arrived that same morning!! Unfortunately Chrissi was still in orientation (the one I was SUPPOSED to be at, remember ) but we chat briefly and promise to catch up later. They are just so friendly and easy to talk with. Now, mind you, I'm a native New Englander, so I can be a bit of a cold fish but.................these people just seem like old friends. I was sure we would see them again so, we say our goodbyes and move on. Time for cookies!!!! We trek to the Ice Cream Parlor. My kids looooooove to decorate cookies (must be in the genes given my obsession with cake decorating) so they were excited. Here's the inside of this very cute place (stock photo):

And here's a couple px of the fun:

as well as the finished products. Ta Daaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Nicholas' cookie

Olivia's cookie (she was exhausted and confesses to not feeling very creative)

Matty's cookie

Brennan's cookie

We then rush back over to the Safari Theater in hopes of getting to see Santa (stock photo to follow):

It is a very very very long line and we need to head back to our villa......and SOON!! It is already past 9:00 I go to the House of Hearts and explain our dilemma (what dilemma??????? you ask?...................oh you'll see). They tell us that while it is unlikely we will be able to sit and take px with Santa, the kids WILL be able to pick out their presents. Although I am sorry we won't be able to enjoy the whole experience, I wisely decide that that will have to do...................and the kids, of course, agree Inside the Safari Theater they have an area of shelves that are just stockpiled with Hasbro games and toys!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness, it was like a toy store! The kids, of course, are excited and have a hard time choosing but finally they each settle on something they like. Matty chooses a potato head guy; Liv, a little monkey (it made noises and sucked on a bottle); Brennan, a Weeble Wobble set; and Nick, after MUCH deliberation, decides on a Transformer car. PHEW.....now that everyone is happy we rush the kids to the car.

"Why the hurry?" they ask. "Gotta get to bed, we've a big day ahead of us tomorrow!!" we tell them. It's almost 9:30!!!!!!!!!!!


Next up: "Who's that at the door?"


Pamela

Matty's Wish Trip PTR http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2325607

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Hey there! Just came over from the link in Maroo's report. What a great story! I am loving your TR, and your kids are absolutely adorable. How neat that Matty was able to be in that parade since he couldn't actually march in the MVMCP. Awesome!

 

[pacrosby]

Great update Pamela, what an amazing thing they did for you guys and the pictures are priceless! Wow what a trip and you havent evn made it to Disney yet!

Yeah, can you believe I'm already on page 7 and we aren't even done with day one yet!!!!!!!!! The folks at GKTW were just so ready to help make the magic. The woman from Entertainment may have been a bit gruff on the outside but obviously had huge heart. We still need to send her a thank you card.

Hey there! Just came over from the link in Maroo's report. What a great story! I am loving your TR, and your kids are absolutely adorable. How neat that Matty was able to be in that parade since he couldn't actually march in the MVMCP. Awesome!

Thanx for popping over. I fear the length of this report may scare some away You know, an adult may recognize the difference between the huge MVMCP and the little GKTW one, but a little kid doesn't. It was magic, BIG magic, just the same.

Pamela

 

[StefaniLyn]

LOVE the photos and reporting on the parade! That is so amazing and I am certain Matty will remember his time in the spotlight for a long time! It will be one of those stories he tells his grandkids about!

And guess what? I KNOW who's knocking on the door . . tee hee hee! But I won't spoil the surprise! We ended up doing the same thing with our kids. . . "hurry up already you NEED to get in bed by 9:30!" LMAO Poor kids were like um WHY?

I forgot to add . . .

We were sooooo almost going to go to that Christmas party even though we had already checked out of GKTW! But we decided to go somewhere else (because of some other stuff that happened that I'll discuss later in our TR). I wish we had though cuz we could have seen Mr Matty and the Gingerbread man!

 

[pipersmom]

Your report just gets better and better, Pamela! I love the parade pics, and so neat that Matty was able to be in the parade with Murphy. I can only imagine how tired you guys must have been at that point! The cookies the kids made were so cute. I know who's knocking, but I can't wait to hear all about it!!

 

[yinyanggirls]

I have a feeling the kids are going to count BUNNIES to got to sleep tonight....

 

[pacrosby]

So you all think you know huh?????????


Well, I've got a bit more uploading to do so..........you are just gonna have to wait a little bit longer


Pamela

 

[kayrosek]

What an amazing experience! Now I can'twait for your next installment. You've got me on the edge of my seat.