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

[DMGeurts]

Love the EE photos! Seriously - it's one of the best rides Eva!!!

And, as usual - you guys are all adorable!

I love talking to the CMs - it's so awesome! Esp when they spend so much time with you - it makes Disney magical.

Love the pics of the kids when they were little - too friggin precious! Meg is just the spittin' image of you! You are going to start getting the "Twins!" comment soon too - if you haven't already.

Yay!! You FINALLY got the jalepeno pretzel... Told ya - huh? It's the bestest... Well, it's a toss up, beteween that one and the sweet cream cheese pretzel at the Lunching Pad. Mmmm... Disney food. Don'tcha know I am trying to do a Whole30 here? LOL

Love ya, miss ya, mean it...

Did you buy airfare yet?

D~

 

[ach222]

Thanks! Love ride pictures! yep they were so little then.. kills me to see them grow so fast! How many more days do you have?!?!?

We leave tomorrow!

 

[Chicago Mo]

The sun was setting and it was glorious



Once we returned to our home we were surprised to see the animals were back to their crazy antics!







playing with editing




I just LOVE the cypress trees


So knowing what a mess it was we wanted to take the bus. For the first time in SO LONG we waited and waited and waited for a bus. All other buses were coming and going.. The one we were looking for? sparse!
Once it did finally arrive- we were on our way to spend some $$

Kid vision:



The boys wanted in the WORST way the ridemakez car thing. Meg just wanted anything that was plush. Tom wanted a picture:

I couldn't wait to get into Co-op.



this means SO MUCH TO ME. first it's GENIE WITH A CAMERA! Then it's Robin Williams character... I want this tee shirt...



the walls were INSANE




I had no clue where i was.. It was CRUSHING people bumping into each other and RUDE! my legs at this point were killing me.
this was taken at the end of the road by the lego store where it is completely closed off





Bad news.
No More Ridemakerz. No longer at Disney world just Cali.
No picture. Could not find anywhere besides Art of Disney where they would sell it
No annual picture on the Harley
DTD is a HOT MESS

What did we leave with? Matt- the biggest stitch i have ever seen
Zack-few lego sets
Tom- a new backpack (i guess the yellow one was bugging him)
Meg a lot of stuffies.
Me? I wanted EVERYTHING i walked out with nothing. I just could not pick one or even two things out! NEXT TIME!

I do hope to fine the Mickey BLVD of broken dreams picture... I really like it!

So we left. This time waiting for a bus was no big deal we were on in no time. but the bus was PACKED like sardines!! I had the kids sit on the floor. between Tom and i so i knew where they were and safe. back home we watched more Frozen fireworks showered and hit the hay!

We have another early ADR the next day.. I hope we make it???

..

 

[Chicago Mo]

We leave tomorrow!

I am SO JEALOUS... SO SO JEALOUS! your escaping the winter blues!!!

I hope you have a great time! Tons of Pixi dust and i want to hear all about it!!!

 

[Chicago Mo]

Love the EE photos! Seriously - it's one of the best rides Eva!!!

And, as usual - you guys are all adorable!

I love talking to the CMs - it's so awesome! Esp when they spend so much time with you - it makes Disney magical.

Love the pics of the kids when they were little - too friggin precious! Meg is just the spittin' image of you! You are going to start getting the "Twins!" comment soon too - if you haven't already.

Yay!! You FINALLY got the jalepeno pretzel... Told ya - huh? It's the bestest... Well, it's a toss up, beteween that one and the sweet cream cheese pretzel at the Lunching Pad. Mmmm... Disney food. Don'tcha know I am trying to do a Whole30 here? LOL

Love ya, miss ya, mean it...

Did you buy airfare yet?

D~

Holy Cow! IT'S D!!! Missed you! I;ve had the jalapeno pretzel before and loved it.. I am not a big sweet cream kinda person..

Meg is much cuter but thank you.. We do get a lot of SHE'S YOUR MINI ME.. She is much cuter.

I don't think licking the screen has many calories?!?!


Going to try to do another update today....

 

[Pluto0809]

OK, first of all you need to post that weird tooth picture here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2438694

I've never seen that one before, do you remember where it was located?

I do love watching the dancers in Asia but boy is that a bad location! Such a bottleneck there.

Kali looks like fun but I doubt I will ever ride it. I really hate getting wet on rides. I have quite the love/hate relationship with Splash. Love the ride but hate that I get wet on it!

DTD is quite the mess isn't it? And it changes constantly. I'm pretty sure that walkway in front of the Lego store was open again when I was there in December. I will be very happy when it is done. Of course I probably won't be back again after this quick February trip (doing Universal, Sea World, Legoland with a brief stop at DTD. No Disney parks ) until the construction is finished.

I admire your restraint. I don't think there is any way I could ever go to DTD and not buy something!

 

[Chicago Mo]

OK, first of all you need to post that weird tooth picture here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2438694

I just did! and i am subbed to that thread didn't even think to add it there! those pictures crack me up!!!

I've never seen that one before, do you remember where it was located?

I am sure it was in Kali river Q. had to be.

I do love watching the dancers in Asia but boy is that a bad location! Such a bottleneck there.

Your right it does get bottle necked in there.. Thankfully there was low crowds so it wasn't to to bad!

Kali looks like fun but I doubt I will ever ride it. I really hate getting wet on rides. I have quite the love/hate relationship with Splash. Love the ride but hate that I get wet on it!

I don't either.. YET it's a 50/50 shot on there. your either on the side that gets drenched or the side where your laughing AT the people who are getting drenched. luckily i have been on the laughing side... I don't like my feet wet..

DTD is quite the mess isn't it? And it changes constantly. I'm pretty sure that walkway in front of the Lego store was open again when I was there in December. I will be very happy when it is done.

Oh my word it was horrendous. Much worse then people had mentioned. Yes the lego siade was totally closed off when we were there. I was sitting with my back to the railing looking towards the lego store i cannot tell you how many people who walked the entire way thinking they could get through.. NOPE i don't know how you could get to the other side!
just a mess. i hope it's completed and soon!!! All this construction is insane. Epcot with Norway AK with it's avitar MK and the poor hub HS
nothing is safe!

Of course I probably won't be back again after this quick February trip (doing Universal, Sea World, Legoland with a brief stop at DTD. No Disney parks ) until the construction is finished.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA???

I admire your restraint. I don't think there is any way I could ever go to DTD and not buy something!

I am sure i bought something.. just nothing out of this world!

 

[KatMark]

EE again. But great face on Meg and Tom.

I can't tell you the last time I was on Kali River Rapids. Mark hates getting wet so we haven't done it in forever (in fact, I think the last time was 2000 with Andy and his baseball team).

DTD was the pits for sure.

 

[Dreamer & Wisher]

Where about did you live in Chicago? I am on the south side.



This is good to know as i was seriously bummed when i didn't see one dang peach!!! turned into a huge joke. Also some of the places i tried to stop at for potty breaks were very sketchy?!?!
Yes! we did make great time! we didn't hit any traffic on the way down. I am sure since we started so late most of rush hours was done and over with!

So glad you came aboard!!!

Thank you for the warm welcome. I grew up out in the northwest suburbs, my parents kept moving west, we started out in Warrenvlle, and then moved to St. Charles. I graduated from St. Charles High school and moved to Georgia. My parents kept moving west. Now they live out in Sycamore. My brothers live even futher out, one lives in Oregon, Illinois and one lives in Byron, Illinois. If they go much further they will be in Iowa.

Atlanta traffic can be crazy anytime of the day.
Not sure where you stopped for bathroom breaks but I have a road trip rule for bathrooms, I only go in restaurants and rest areas. Preferably Chick-fil-a or Starbucks.

Your family seems like a lot of fun. Did you skip Toy Story Midway Mania on your DHS day?

I love the Zero. My son used to have a little Zero plush with a light up pumpkin on his nose. We got it at the Magic Kingdom. Of course one of our dogs chewed it up.

My Daughter also loves stuffies, she always picks out a new one when we go to WDW.

 

[STLMickeyMom]

I just love all the pictures in these updates! you are totally awesome at getting great pictures of everything!

bummer that DTD was such a mess! it makes shopping less fun for sure. still, seems like a good end to your day!

 

[Wood Nymph]

I had to laugh at your picture of the Superbowl Shuffle. We had the video and the kids used to dance to it all the time.

I went on Kali once, and of course I got the wet side. I was drenched from the waist down and at that time I was wearing heavy cotton shorts that never seemed to dry.

You must have been exhausted after your hot day at AK and the crazy construction mess of DTD. But it looks like you had a rain free day at least.

 

[solana131]

Seriously.....would you take a break for crying out loud??? Aren't you super busy these days? How are you finding the time for these rapid fire updates?!
Anyway.....
You guys were really rocking EE. Love that ride. Unfortunately since I was stupid enough to make it Bradey's first ever coaster....he hates it now. It was too big, too fast, too soon for him and left a bad impression. Maybe someday, like when he is 17 or so, I can convince him to try it again
Ok, off to search the pages for the dessert party update that I apparently missed......

 

[solana131]

Okay, I didn't miss it. I remember it now....it is because you didn't post any pictures of the DESSERTS!! But O.M.G the castle pictures are fantastic from that post! Love you....mean it

 

[Chicago Mo]

EE again. But great face on Meg and Tom.

yes. I couldn't stop them the line was about a 5 minutes. That's because it took 5 minutes to walk all the way up to the rails!!! LOL
Meg is nutty.. Should never have told Tom where the camera's were!!!

I can't tell you the last time I was on Kali River Rapids. Mark hates getting wet so we haven't done it in forever (in fact, I think the last time was 2000 with Andy and his baseball team).

It's a fun ride. It's a lot more fun when your sitting with a great group of people!

DTD was the pits for sure.

It truly is!!! i was so bummed when we went i had such high hopes in spending MONEY!! I didn't get much. I try to only buy things which aren't on the Disneystore.com or in the regular stores.

Thank you for the warm welcome.

Of course!!!

I grew up out in the northwest suburbs, my parents kept moving west, we started out in Warrenvlle, and then moved to St. Charles. I graduated from St. Charles High school and moved to Georgia. My parents kept moving west. Now they live out in Sycamore. My brothers live even futher out, one lives in Oregon, Illinois and one lives in Byron, Illinois. If they go much further they will be in Iowa.

Oh boy you are very west!!! I am in Chicago. I have to live in the city for my job. Job #1 that is.. I have family in galena il..

Atlanta traffic can be crazy anytime of the day.
Not sure where you stopped for bathroom breaks but I have a road trip rule for bathrooms, I only go in restaurants and rest areas. Preferably Chick-fil-a or Starbucks.

It wasn't bad! I think i hit your downtown about 5am-ish. It did remind me a deserted 94 in Chicago! Except the paintings on the asphalt! that was a bit weird. I believe the one exit said a gas station in which i did need gas at this point I remember passing a college of some sort. then saw the gas station. Needless to say i turned around got right back on the expressway and tried to find a more lighted exit. It was pretty far down. Adventure!!!

Your family seems like a lot of fun. Did you skip Toy Story Midway Mania on your DHS day?

We did do Toy story mania. I don't remember if it was this HS day or another one?!?!
we do have a LOT of fun together!!!

I love the Zero. My son used to have a little Zero plush with a light up pumpkin on his nose. We got it at the Magic Kingdom. Of course one of our dogs chewed it up.

We have that zero too!!! Dang dogs.. my dogs do murder stuffies too.. The stuffing inside the toys is very dangerous for the goofy mutts.

My Daughter also loves stuffies, she always picks out a new one when we go to WDW.

The amount of stuffed animals in my house is ridicules. I don't know how she can find more!!!

I just love all the pictures in these updates! you are totally awesome at getting great pictures of everything!

Thank you so much!!! Means a lot!

bummer that DTD was such a mess! it makes shopping less fun for sure. still, seems like a good end to your day!

It was.. It was a terrible mess plus my legs were shot i couldn't walk another 10 feet.

I had to laugh at your picture of the Superbowl Shuffle. We had the video and the kids used to dance to it all the time.

That's great football!!! 1984 was the year i turned into the full fledged Bears fan. when they won in 85 it was the BEST EVER!!!! Now i just cry.

I went on Kali once, and of course I got the wet side. I was drenched from the waist down and at that time I was wearing heavy cotton shorts that never seemed to dry.

Oh No! Yet that is FUNNY! I am not a shorty shorts kind of girl.. Never was. I don't like my knee showing (the surgeries make them very ugly) This day i wore compression shorts with short shorts. Like a basketball short material? They were awesome. If they got wet they dried very quickly.
Unfortunately my shirt was longer then the shorts and Tom would constantly have to remind me to tuck in my shirt!

You must have been exhausted after your hot day at AK and the crazy construction mess of DTD. But it looks like you had a rain free day at least.

FINALLY! rain free. it was nice. and hot. Yes we were exhausted. it was a good day. AK is not my favorite park. It is Meghan's.

Seriously.....would you take a break for crying out loud??? Aren't you super busy these days? How are you finding the time for these rapid fire updates?!

Nope! Having fun here re-living this trip!!! i have the time right now at work.. Until my new duties start.. then i don't know how much free time i will have anymore.

Anyway.....
You guys were really rocking EE. Love that ride. Unfortunately since I was stupid enough to make it Bradey's first ever coaster....he hates it now. It was too big, too fast, too soon for him and left a bad impression. Maybe someday, like when he is 17 or so, I can convince him to try it again
Ok, off to search the pages for the dessert party update that I apparently missed......

Aww poor kid! one day.. He is going to break through the shyness! Does he do any of the bigger rides?
slacker..

Okay, I didn't miss it. I remember it now....it is because you didn't post any pictures of the DESSERTS!! But O.M.G the castle pictures are fantastic from that post! Love you....mean it

No i really didn't post any pictures of the food we were stuffing in our faces way too quickly! it was all delicious as you know.
The walls were up when i took those. the partners statue was in full view.



LOVE YOU and MEAN IT!!!




***

I have to share some great news!
Yesterday was report card day Zack (has a learning disability) has been working very hard this year. I can proudly say he went from a D to a B in more then one subject! I am SO SO PROUD of this little guy. HE was so proud and happy he cried!!! Tells me no mom these are Happy Tears!
I don't know what made me more happy that he did it. Or the fact he was proud of himself and now KNOWS he CAN do it!!!

You have no idea what a HUGE BREAK THOUGHT THIS IS!!!

 

[KatMark]

I have to share some great news!
Yesterday was report card day Zack (has a learning disability) has been working very hard this year. I can proudly say he went from a D to a B in more then one subject! I am SO SO PROUD of this little guy. HE was so proud and happy he cried!!! Tells me no mom these are Happy Tears!
I don't know what made me more happy that he did it. Or the fact he was proud of himself and now KNOWS he CAN do it!!!

You have no idea what a HUGE BREAK THOUGHT THIS IS!!!

WAY TO GO ZACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cajunfan]

Awwww...What an AWESOME JOB ZACK!!! Keep up the GREAT work!

Lynn

 

[OregonMomToWDW]

What a great report card for Zack! It is always a wonderful day to see your kids truly know they can do something. Our schools don't have letter grades until 6th grade. They don't want to damage the kids' self-esteem. We are a bit weird here. No flouride in the water either, because that is a government conspiracy for mind control.

 

[Chicago Mo]

Before i get into the next day here what Meg did get from DTD:


Yes. A stuffed animal.

Our next morning was yet another HOLY COW WE NEED TO GET MOVING kind of morning. We had an early ADR we needed to get to.
Shocking i know.


This was my leg:


It hurt and was on fire. BUT i could NOT let this stop me.


Again we had to jump into the car and drive over instead of using the fantastic Disney buses
Isn't is beautiful?


beautiful early sunrise!!!



didn't take long for the sun to shine brightly!


we were getting in line to give our names for the 8am ADR and to allow us in.
Until Meghan tells us she FORGOT HER MAGIC BAND! yes. we couldn't get in.
We had to wait until guest relations opened in order to get a new band for her. which of course was going to make us LATE.. again.




it wasn't opening...


Finally i told Tom to go ahead of us and sign in. Explain what was going on and we would be there As soon as humanly possible, Once the CM opened it was a breeze getting a replacement band and we were finally on our way.
I HAD to take pictures along the way.





Limping along we finally made our destination:


The reservation time was for 8am Tom made it there on time explained what had happened we would be along as soon as Meg got her new band.
Apparently this was not a good enough reason.


We watched as family after family after family go in. When asked why we were waiting so long we were told because we were late, they needed to seat the guest who were able to make it on time..... ouch.....
finally about 8:40 we were called.




Isn't this the BEST DRESS ever?!?! I just adore it.

we have had better Belle's in the past.
like this one:


It was time for FOOD! I had to tell them about my egg allergy




then we went to the buffet:


the children were HUNGRY




..

 

[Chicago Mo]

See the empty tables? like they couldn't seat us at our normal time?!? anyway i think the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth.. I had to keep a happy face as this breakfast was all for Meg. I'm not supposed to tell you the boys actually enjoy this too.. I do believe they like to see their sister happy.



yeah.. looks like the boys are having a miserable time right?!?!




It was time for the parade they do:






I am not such a huge fan of snow white.


After this M&G She changed my mind! She was so adorable and sweet!!! We will now always try to meetup with Snow!

Ariel was cute too.. She was playing with Meghan's bow which was an ariel bow with a dinglehopper in the middle

Meg's Bow:

from Hot Topic if you were interested! they have adorable bows there.

AS i said the kids were HUNGRY!




Matt has something balancing on his nose here..


More cupcakes were had... Another meal in which the characters were rushed through by the "handlers" I don't know why as there weren't many people there?!?! who knows.
I believe they were finally full


we enjoyed the meal wasn't really heavy our waitress was very sweet made sure we did see each Princess, ensured each kid did get their Birthday cupcakes, and i had more then enough coffee!

The kids had fun. That is what matters.
a couple more pictures outside:






where to now?!?!

.

 

[Chicago Mo]

WAY TO GO ZACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you! This is such a big deal!!! i am so happy for him!

Awwww...What an AWESOME JOB ZACK!!! Keep up the GREAT work!

Lynn

He really did do a great how. I have NEVER been so proud!

What a great report card for Zack! It is always a wonderful day to see your kids truly know they can do something. Our schools don't have letter grades until 6th grade. They don't want to damage the kids' self-esteem. We are a bit weird here. No flouride in the water either, because that is a government conspiracy for mind control.

your kidding.
that is a bit weird.. way too conspiracy theory for me!

I cannot begin to form words in how happy-proud i am. he needed this.

Zack doesn't cry. unless it is something big. So when he started to cry happy tears it hit me SO HARD. i was just bursting with happiness.

i am still on cloud nine for him. Especially for having such a jerk for a teacher. i don't use the word 'bully' lightly kids will be kids... i get that. but to be bullied by a teacher does not fly with me- which i will tell that story soon.. I have to meet the wicked witch of the east today....