I don't know why I think that bats are cute. They remind me of a hampster with wings. And I really want to scratch that kittys belly and feel his big paw, even though I know that if I tried he would tear my arms off. So sweet.
Congrats on another day off. Now you'll have a LONG weekend. Kinda like an unexpected vacation!
And on a happy note, for myself, I just booked my room at ASSP!!! YAY!
Jill said we could have taken a nice long trip to see Trent if we had known we were going to have all this time off!
I don't guess the sweet tigers would understand that we were only going to pet on them a little if we were to get into their area. I'd love to get closer, too. They are so cool to see.
Congratulations on booking!

Having a new trip officially on the books feels so good!
Oh my! I've been away a few days and find out that you've gotten a whole week off of school! We got basically nothing-they gave us a 2 hour delay on Tuesday just to be safe.
I loved all the AK pictures. I love the bats! I did glimpse the baby gorilla over Christmas but it was SO crowded that day that I couldn't get very close to take a picture. That was the worst day of our trip-2 hour wait for the safari by 1:00 We, of course, rode first thing in the morning, right after EE, and had no wait. It was our shortest day ever in AK because we just couldn't even move with all the people.
I'm with everyone else about Kingdom Keepers. It's all I could think of while riding IASW with Marc and Anita. Definitely makes you look at a few things differently.
Enjoy another snow day! Do you have Monday off or have they made it a make-up day? I am glad for a 3 day weekend that doesn't require a make-up at this point.
We had an evening in Magic Kingdom one Christmas that was just so bumper to bumper that we left. That's the only time we've experienced it being that bad, but it was like you said - we could barely even move. I can't imagine how it could have gotten any worse before they closed the park to new guests.
We do still have off on Monday. We were supposed to be off Feb. 21 (the kids were), but now that is a regular school day. I would be okay with them using Monday for another make-up day, but there must be some very good reason why they are not. At the beginning of last week, we were at school talking about the three day weekend that was going to make next week easier. Little did we know how easy
this week was going to be!
I think the bats have such cute little faces. And too funny that Jill thinks of the Kingdom Keepers books there -- that's going to be my first thought whenever we go back and I'm there!
I love your random snow thoughts. I wasn't really snowed in, but I had several thoughts when I was at work yesterday and people were still coming in despite the awful driving conditions -- namely, "I would not be here if I did not have to be. You shouldn't be, either." It was still slow enough that we were okay with just one cashier open (that was pretty much all we had, anyway), but I couldn't believe that people were still braving the snow, since it was pretty bad.
Funny story about Property Virgins -- a little while back, Katie texted me to tell me she was watching it and the house they were looking at was in my city. Then she said that it was a three-family house. I was telling Charles this, and it turned out they were looking at the house next door to Charles's brother! He and his wife live on the third floor of the house their uncle and aunt own. His brother was actually watching from his kitchen window while they were filming in the backyard. Charles and his brother actually caught the episode another time and recorded it. I thought it would have been hilarious if they had caught his brother on the third floor of the house next door, peering out the window
It is interesting to see the different styles of houses all over the country and the extreme difference in prices. When I see the prices of houses up north, my eyes pop out!
I think I would go crazy after being snowed in for a week!
I probably missed this in the chatter on your TR, but have you left your houses much at all this week?
I haven't been out since last Friday. I was taking no chances with my car.
I am going to Jill's today and will come home tomorrow. Talking to the girls on the phone several times a day this week has been nice, but I am ready to
see them.
No school for us tomorrow, too. We still have Monday off. Not sure if we are going to have to make up the days. I was talking to the principal tonight at basketball practice. She said that we get 4 inclement weather days this year. Since Monday and Tuesday were considered state of emergency days, we shouldn't have to make up any yet. They will still have to petition those days but she said it shouldn't be a problem.
We may get one or two of our days wiped off, but I don't know yet. I'm not counting on it. So far what they have said is that we will have Feb. 21 as a regular day and add two days to the end of school. I don't mind adding to the end. Getting out on those two days will be much nicer than it would have been getting out in teen temperatures and icy roads.
I am chuckling... you and Jackie have had quite the week... and I will work more than usual this week, even with one snow day! Tomorrow is a workday/inservice (1/2 of each), so pretty much an all day affair and I worked all day Wednesday because my partner had a sick child at home. (that day was a two hour delay day though). End of quarter stuff and a mile long cleaning list too along with filing and all those things I need a secretary for! Make sure I have some pretty pics tomorrow to remind me why I work! Hope warmer weather comes you way soon, we have used our three snow days here, so I would like to be done! I still have a week cushion between our last work day and our plane ride to Disney, so not too worried yet!
I really thought they might make teachers go back yesterday or today, also, like Jackie did. I'm really surprised that they didn't, but the pictures they showed on last night's news showed roads from a helicopter view, and they are stillsolid white. Mother Nature will work her magic over the weekend, though. We are supposed to have 40's and rain, so that will wash the snow and ice away.
I will give you some pictures in just a minute.
Great pics of AK and the trails! We have never done them I must admit! We have always viewed AK as quite a "small" park for us. We've generally gone in, riden the main things (Safari; EE; Dinosaur; Kali RR) watched the Lion King Show and ITTBAB - then gone!!! Your pics of AK always make me wish we'd do more. However, we are going with 3 small children this time, 1 of which (mine, Toby!) adores animals and making animal noises - so it would bordering on cruelty if I stopped him from seeing the animals wouldn't it!!!
My Mum and I sat on the bench Brooklynn is on in Nov' 08! I was pregnant at the time with Toby and remember feeling a bit tired. We were also starving hungry but too early for our ADR at Yak and Yeti. After a while we saw the CMs setting up the ropes etc. for the parade and not long after that we were asked to move along (I think it might be they save that bench for a disabled viewing area???). It was a very nice sit down and rest. I remember it being towards the end of our trip and we were exhausted!!!
Thank you MeMom and Jill for the tips on meals with Toby. I feel so relived I can tell you! I think its wonderful Disney will feed under 3s effectively free of charge (although probably not their "official" line!!!), already I feel we have been sprinkled with the Disney magic and we're not even there yet!
Next weekend, my sister is hosting a family "Disney day" - for us to agree some ADRs, make some plans for evening activities etc
agree a rough plan of how many days to visit each park etc. She is doing American food! We are going to have mac'n'cheese (our kids LOVE it) and Ribs (her hubby adores ribs ) but not sure what else! Does anyone have any suggestions on what we could make / cook???
Julie xxx
Toby will love seeing the animals.
Have fun with your Disney family time. I know the excitement is building in a tremendous way for you guys! I look forward to reading about all of your plans.
As for American food - apple pie for dessert. There is a phrase that says
'As American as apple pie'.
since you guys have been snowed in, too, i figured you'd get a kick outta these, even though you're not from georgia. still applies to southerners!
it was crazy....people were SKIING at piedmont park in atlanta!!!
we're supposed to be in the 40's by this afternoon. HEAT WAVE!!!!
We're supposed to have one last day of teens and 20's, and tomorrow will see 40, so that will feel like springtime!
Jill, good luck heading back to work today.
MeMom, can't wait to hear more of your snow day thoughts. I am with you -- if we had but known we would have an entire week off, we might have planned things differently. The kids are out again today, but I have another teacher workday. Hopefully I am more productive than I was yesterday.
Dawn, I know I have said it before, but I am in love with that cartoon about enjoying snow days.
Do you have some DIS Radio playing in the background while you are being productive?
Jill made it to work okay. I texted her and didn't hear for a few minutes, so I figured that was a good thing, because she was getting settled in. I knew if she had wrecked, I would have heard. She went to the school yesterday to do some payroll stuff and said the parking lot was really bad. She went back down there after they called school open in the afternoon and shoveled away a track for cars to get in safely this morning. She's a pretty good girl.
This time next year, everybody will be hopping around again looking forward to getting a snow day or two. They gave us four this year, but we're back to five next year. I'm fine with having five and then getting back to normal.
