Move over Dumbo our circus is taking over! Surprise trip adventure!!

[Chicago Mo]

I'm impressed doing all that after the long drive to WDW.

Thanks!!! we were on a Disney high!!!

What a great day 1! Wow you fit a lot in.

we really did! and had a blast doing it!

Yes Florida rains are just amazing, I have never experienced anything like that before either!

NO! it was like one of our snowstorms! but then POOF! all the water was gone! Like the family thought i was nuts when i was explaining the amount of water i was walking in!

Sorry about getting wet (wet sneakers are no fun!) but I am glad you were able to get dry clothes at Mouse Gears!

No. i was MIS-ER-A-BLE being that wet. i can't stand wet feet. just -- yuck.
thankfully mousegears was right there!

If I was your family I would have passed out to I mean just earlier in the day you were driving! and now you are leaving Epcot!

This is the way of my family, we are on the constant run. there is ALWAYS something going on or going somewhere.. I used to post everything we would do. but i think all the readers got tired just from reading about it! HA HA!





*******************************************************************

Yesterday was our 14th Anniversary! 14 YEARS!! geesh!
Didn't want to go anywhere really fancy-schmancy kids had a lot of homework so we went to Olive Garden! YUM!
Yes i am that Mom who made them bring their homework. They only had a couple more on the one sheet and figured we can do the math when we got home.
Dinner was good and way too FILLING. TOO MUCH FOOD. we brought home about 4 doggie bags and will have food left over for two days!

Came home the kids started their math. which to the NORMAL person is no big deal. addition and subtraction. in 4th grade..
Until you read the directions..

I absolutely despise hate with all my heart and soul Common core. Please tell me WHERE in real life will you ever need to know what 7+0= is named? the answer is 7.. Call it a day and move on. Why must we also show:
0+7=7 Then 7-7=0 and name the work then NAME the strategy? Seriously? Just get to the damn answer and move on. WHY are we going over and over in the 4th grade that anything +0 is the same number? isn't this taught in 1st grade?!?! ugh!!! I can go on and on with this B.S. called common core. Especially when i have a kid who has a learning disability and language barrier!!! isn't it hard enough for him to pressure him with this NONSENSE!

OK OK .. Let's get back to happy thoughts

I want to go back to Disney- and just stay in the happy bubble I am sure Doc can start tutoring the kids while Tom and I work in Disney somewhere! Right?

Sheesh..

 

[annegirl]

Happy anniversary!
I agree with you. Common core sucks. Our only experiences with it have been so frustrating. The school that our daughter was in last year had it implemented and the math was so screwed up. Then we moved and she didn't ever get the answers right until we showed her the right and easy way to solve the problem. All of a sudden she "got" math and loved it. Yep. Common core math made her hate it. REgular old fashioned math made her love it. Crazy. Her teacher at the first school told me that it didn't matter what answer she got as long as she tried and could show how she got what she did. Really? Math is math. Numbers add up to a certain number. There is no leg room there.
Anyway......
Crazy how soaked you got at Epcot! It is weird on our last trip the only time we had rain (which wasn't much more than a sprinkle) was at Epcot. Maybe there is something to this Epcot rain theory....
It looks like you guys had a lot of fun there though in spite of the rain.
I love how happy the kids look in all the photos.

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

Love the family pics in front of the Epcot ball!

Boo for rain. Hope you got done better weather!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Ahh the horrors of common core math. I've just heard too many stories. Its reason 5,965,097,8765,000 why when it comes time we are just going to home school. Here's hoping common core gets fixed or squashed before it really becomes an issue. Good luck with it in the mean time!

 

[vleeth]

We started homeschooling just before the math switched over. I hear the horror stories from my friends. Hopefully your kiddos will get it all figured out!

 

[vleeth]

Oh and Happy Anniversary!!!

 

[Chicago Mo]

Crap!!! Totally forgot to post this!!

We did get this awesome little message when we came into the room the day before: Click on the picture:



Along with this!

AWESOME! Some love from the mouse!!! We just felt so AT HOME! when we walked into POR. so welcoming and made everyone all squishy feel-ie! So then i gave the kids their presents from Tess
PLEASE remember the kids were in a car for 18 hours or so. Just did Epcot all day. so they were OUT OF THEIR EVER LOVIN MINDS!
Click --->Gifts From TESS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday Sept 7th was our actual first 'planned' Disney day (remember that whole we added a day thing? Yesterday..) Initially, I didn't plan on being in a park until later in the day, yet with coming in the day before we are able to make rope drop..... Right?

As always, I am the first up. I went out for coffee and a smoke. Mornings in Disney sitting in the quiet DSA drinking my coffee ENJOYING the sights and sounds around me. = Heaven (I don't need common core for that math!)




Back to the room feeling all peaceful and calm... I find the munchkins still


the coughing duo




WHAT?!?! SLEEPING?!?! STILL!!! oh.. No No!!! Of course I need to ruin this trio of slumbering sweeties and get them UP!
We need to check out of POR, move INTO AoA and still get over to our first real to goodness 'planned' park day! for rope drop!

Up and at em kiddies we need to get hustling!! Everything all packed up again breakfast in the their bellies we are on the road to go HOME for the next 8 days!

Here is surprise #... Ummm... I have no idea how many we are on at this point.

Here is their reaction: Art of Animation Video Tom is the WORST videographer EVER! Next vacation we take he is going out and practicing how to use the dang thing!!

So as you can see the kids... Well, Meg was ecstatic about staying at AoA!

Parking the car, walking in was kinda fun! the whole place just screams Disney-Fun. so off i went in search of the on-line check in and i waited....


watched a lot of Cm's kinda bumping into each other.. finally someone very serious came up and asked if i was waiting for the online check in.. i had to look to see if i was in the right line.. Yep. I was in the on-line check in line.
So Yes, I have stupid happy grin on my face where this CM looked like he was working with HM or ToT?!?! Where is the happy?
Whatever. I almost skip over to Ana. The CM who is going to happily going to check us in give the kids buttons or at least a happy birthday welcome to AoA or well i would have been happy with a smile.

i got none of the above.

I got Ana. who speaks broken English, who does not crack a smile, who has no idea in how to work the computer in front of her. Ana who reprimands me for not coming in at check in which is what 3? Umm I requested early check in. I like a good little planner even called 48-then again in 24 hours to make sure i had my room requests in. along with what building i wanted and what floor.
I was met with a glare.
I SHOULD have asked for a manager at this point honestly i was rooted to the spot because of what was going on in front of me... I had to check around me.. Am i in a ramada?? Am i NOT on Disney property?!?!
No- clearly i am in AoA there is no mistaking this place.
Totally shocked.
she then tells me how They will text me when the room was ready take my luggage over to bag check in..

hey thanks Morticia. see ya real soon.

Outside is a different story. tom pulled up the car to unload a all of our luggage. (there was a LOT of luggage) I had my bag all set, Meg didn't trust them with precious Duffy she brought him with, Boys had their trusty new fancy backpacks filled with whatever they wanted to carry in the parks -- we were ready to rock a park!
the CM's outside were WONDERFUL!
they played with the kids:




Meg was drawing with a really sweet CM Matt i think was with Tom helping unload. I went to find a DSA. which a CM told me a secret spot.
So one or two bad CM? I had 5 to make up for it!!!


We jumped back into the car and off we went to the park for the day. a really really late start to the day.. really late start. it's now almost 10am!!!

.

 

[vleeth]

Yeah, I didn't think you were gonna make rope drop. It always seems to take so long to pack up and check out, and then adding checking in...I'm impressed you made it for 10!

You're cracking me up today...between Ramada and Morticia...that was just funny.

 

[Clarf]

OMG stop updating so fast! i can't keep up!

The rain at Epcot. I'm so sorry. And when one of the kids asked you if it was raining outside? REALLY? That would have gotten a scowl and a "we don't ask dumb questions" from me. Is it raining. You are a trooper for getting new shoes and pants. I would have said "nope, back to the hotel." Mom of the year I am not, but I think you may well win that award!

I think we had the same future you did on SE. And you took great pics on there!

Love the fountains. And too bad for that guy who wanted to take a picture. Kids having fun trumps that, plus you were there first.


OMG! I just remembered that picture of the person on the electric scooter. Don't crash.

Yay for Art of Animation! Sorry you had crabby CMs to start. Looking forward to your park day.

 

[Chicago Mo]

Happy anniversary!

thanks!

I agree with you. Common core sucks. Our only experiences with it have been so frustrating. The school that our daughter was in last year had it implemented and the math was so screwed up. Then we moved and she didn't ever get the answers right until we showed her the right and easy way to solve the problem. All of a sudden she "got" math and loved it. Yep. Common core math made her hate it. REgular old fashioned math made her love it. Crazy. Her teacher at the first school told me that it didn't matter what answer she got as long as she tried and could show how she got what she did. Really? Math is math. Numbers add up to a certain number. There is no leg room there.
Anyway......

it's THE PITS!!! im so over this nonsense.

Crazy how soaked you got at Epcot! It is weird on our last trip the only time we had rain (which wasn't much more than a sprinkle) was at Epcot. Maybe there is something to this Epcot rain theory....

Yes. Epcot = rain
every time.

It looks like you guys had a lot of fun there though in spite of the rain.
I love how happy the kids look in all the photos.

No rain can stop us!!! we went too far to have some rain spoil our trip! regardless if there was 12 inches of it!

Love the family pics in front of the Epcot ball!
Boo for rain. Hope you got done better weather!

Thank you!!
Yes boo on that crazy rain!! Stay tuned for more weather and parks!

Ahh the horrors of common core math. I've just heard too many stories. Its reason 5,965,097,8765,000 why when it comes time we are just going to home school. Here's hoping common core gets fixed or squashed before it really becomes an issue. Good luck with it in the mean time!

Horror of Common core is the truth!
I don't blame you for home schooling AT ALL. i wish i could!!!! I want to be a stay at home Mom!!!

We started homeschooling just before the math switched over. I hear the horror stories from my friends. Hopefully your kiddos will get it all figured out!

It's really just BAD! My kids will have it figured out WAY before I do!!! I wish i could home school...

Oh and Happy Anniversary!!!

Thanks!!!

After 14 years of Marriage. We bought each other the exact same card for each other...

 

[STLMickeyMom]

happy anniversary!!! I had to laugh at your comment above that you both got the same card. my DH and I didn't get the same card, but I had the one he gave me in my hand to give him for quite awhile, then put it back for something else, so we almost did the same thing! isn't it great to know your hubby so well!

anyway, i'm glad you got all checked in at AoA. I want to stay there so bad! can't wait to see the pictures!

and i'm really glad that there were awesome CMs outside to make up for the crank inside! let's get this day started off right!

ETA: I started my new TR! there's a link in my signature if you feel like checking it out

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Not surprised you didn't make Rope Drop. That was a bit on the over ambitious side.

Glad to see the wonderful interactions of the other cms made up for lack of Disney magic inside though.

 

[Pluto0809]

All caught up just in time to get behind again when I leave for Disney on Saturday! Oh and no need to apologize for me being an idiot and not realizing your TR started. I was growling at myself in that post. Our 2015 budget (which started Oct 1st) was approved last night so now I can breath until the end of February when we start the process all over again.

It was awesome to finally see the reveal after anticipating it for so long. I'm so glad it went well for you.

So I was slightly offended ( ) when you bashed Georgia but then I remembered the one time I drove to WDW in 2011. Boy that is a rough drive with zero to look at! You did not miss a thing by driving through at night. That's the main reason I fly every time now.

Love POR! Jim and I really enjoyed staying there in May. We were on the second floor in building 15 too but I know it wasn't the same room because ours was set up opposite to the one you were in.

What a bummer that MK was so crowded the first night. But it seems like you had a great time at Epcot minus the rain.

for the rude CM at AOA! I hope that was the last one you encountered during the trip.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Freakin' A woman! I can hardly keep up with ya! Now I've gone and forgotten everything that I wanted to say. I'll just start out with "thank gosh a mighty my kids aren't in elementary school and having to learn Math". Common Core sounds like a bunch of malarky to me. One of Hunter's teachers (he's a Jr. in high school) said that she really thinks that it will be beneficial to the students. That came from his American Literature teacher. I'm like you. How about just saying 7-7=0 a gosh darn 0. Not a name. Not a strategy. A Zero.

Anyway, loved the fact that you were able to surprise the kiddos with the move over to Art of Animation. We drove over there a trip or two ago to have a look around and it looked really neat.

Sorry that you ran into so many not-so-magical castmembers. Don't they realize that they are some of the first folks that guests see so they are setting the tone for a whole vacation? UGH!

 

[Sisa]

I am enjoying your fish eye photos, especially the one with grumpy hat guy

"Is it raining?" Oh my, I don't even know what I'd say but it wouldn't be pretty. This seriously cracked me up though.

Those darn puppy faces should be illegal, I am a sucker too. Way to suck it up Mom.

Ouch, wearing a tin full of pins, how did his neck not hurt?!

Love the cupcake purse

Oh no he didn't?! Turn down another ride from a CM...kill me!

How do you get your kids away from the lights on the street? I think I'd have to drag mine away.

The real family photo is freaking awesome, I love it so much!

Happy Anniversary!

At least you got one excited over the switch to AOA. Too bad you didn't have a good experience at check in, but glad there were some good ones outside to make up for it.

 

[sweetpeaandevie]

bwahahahahahaha, they are HI larious when tired!!!!!!!

boo for bad cms......hope they didn't forget to text you when your room was ready.............

 

[Tigerlily952]

Oh I feel the pain of the torrential rain, it was awful , we were in rain a foot or so deep at MK too.

 

[JanaJohn]

Yesterday was our 14th Anniversary! 14 YEARS!! geesh!

Does Tom know that you portrayed him as a worshiping husband? Just asking???

I absolutely despise hate with all my heart and soul Common core.

Pretty much every week I see another example of some of the Common Core math problems that are being inflicted on kids these days. I still have no idea why the old memorization by rote method fell out of favor.

OK OK .. Let's get back to happy thoughts

Now you're getting back to the GOOD stuff!

 

[OregonMomToWDW]

I am here and finally all caught up. The post Disney blues hit hard and I have been avoiding Disney reminders. Next trip won't be until 2018.

I am bummed we didn't get to meet but it was your first and my last day. Although I did get those texts from you when you got soaked. That rain was awful.

I will try to be around more. I just finally finished editing my photopass pictures. My deadline is next week. Guess I will begin our trip report soon.

 

[DMGeurts]

I do have to agree with you... Now that I am a non-smoker... I never really just sit on a bench and enjoy what is going on around me. I do miss that part. There is nothing more peaceful than sitting there with my coffee enjoying the sights, sounds, smells as Disney wakes up. I need to make a point of doing this on our next trip.

Loved that the kiddos were still sleeping. POR looks like the perfect resort for you guys.

Ana... er... Morticia makes me mad... But I am so happy that you had so many other CMs make up for her.

Yikes - you are late for your first Disney day... but - no worries... I know all of you will have so much fun anyways!

Loved all of the surprises... Yes, Tom needs some definite Videography lessons... Tell him, he's fired.

Love you... Miss you... Like crazy...

Mean it!

D~