No cats to herd this time! It's just the two of us!UPDATED 11/24-DIS Meet & Departure

[kaysmommie]

Hi Sara,
Yay for and update!! Your pictures of Norway and China are just amazing. With the kids we just never stop to take more than a very fast picture I guess , maybe if we go in December. Anyway waiting not very patiently to hear more about this possible trip in February. Thinking you are going to stay at Poly, maybe the same time a good friend of yours is going.

 

[jillyb]

Hi Sara,
Yay for and update!! Your pictures of Norway and China are just amazing. With the kids we just never stop to take more than a very fast picture I guess , maybe if we go in December. Anyway waiting not very patiently to hear more about this possible trip in February. Thinking you are going to stay at Poly, maybe the same time a good friend of yours is going.

I knew there was a secret but did I miss the announcement???!!

 

[kaysmommie]

I knew there was a secret but did I miss the announcement???!!

No you didn't miss anything, I'm just taking a guess

 

[lovebuzzandwoody]

(I loved how these little flowers lit up….)

I love how we can TELL they are lit up in your photo! Man, you guys take awesome pictures Sara!


p.s. I want some of those for my dining room!

 

[ladybugmom]

Hi Sara!! All caught up!! YAY for an update!! Can't wait to hear your secret!!

 

[DisneyJo]

Your photos are amazing and I really need to explore China better next trip as I haven't seen so many things that you took photos of

 

[luvngoofy]

Great update and, beautiful pictures!
But I did see poor Shawns feet in one, all bandaged up.
I'm guessing the margaritas helped with that some!

 

[mom2mek]

Nice to see an update! Beautiful photos too. Well done.

Thanks so much!

Hi Sara,
Yay for and update!! Your pictures of Norway and China are just amazing. With the kids we just never stop to take more than a very fast picture I guess , maybe if we go in December. Anyway waiting not very patiently to hear more about this possible trip in February. Thinking you are going to stay at Poly, maybe the same time a good friend of yours is going.

Hehe Nichole! The Poly would be great, but probably not! We'll see.....I might have to start a new report with some details so I can get some real input from everyone!!!

I knew there was a secret but did I miss the announcement???!!

No Jill! No announcement yet (and no official ticker), but I will let you know as soon as I know!

I love how we can TELL they are lit up in your photo! Man, you guys take awesome pictures Sara!


p.s. I want some of those for my dining room!

Aren't they pretty, Nicole? I wanted some for my dining room too! They were so sweet!

Hi Sara!! All caught up!! YAY for an update!! Can't wait to hear your secret!!

Thanks Becky! I hope I have some more "official" news to tell everyone soon!

Your photos are amazing and I really need to explore China better next trip as I haven't seen so many things that you took photos of

Thanks Jo! This was the first time we have really been able to explore China! We missed the acrobats this trip though.... They are always amazing!

Great update and, beautiful pictures!
But I did see poor Shawns feet in one, all bandaged up.
I'm guessing the margaritas helped with that some!

LOL! I know - in the picture with his "twin"? His feet were holding up ok at this point.....but the saga continued.....


Hope to have another update soon everyone! I can't thank you enough for sticking with me....when I go so long between updates I can only hope people will still read....so from the bottom of my heart I thank you!

Sara

 

[ladybugmom]

Thanks Becky! I hope I have some more "official" news to tell everyone soon!

Oooh--really!? You have me very curious!!

 

[mom2mek]

Day 2 - Epcot
Part "whatever" - Making our way around the World....still.....


We made our way out of China and before long we were in the land of the African outpost!

We stopped for a few photos but soon saw the cute Captain Hook and Croc topiaries and had to quickly check out the kids area where they were.

Shawn and I both work for a marine construction company, and yet Shawn was having serious trouble with this knot tying display. Maybe it was the margaritas that was inhibiting his ability....Oh well, as he says many times...."If you can't tie a knot, tie A LOT!!!"

I found it interesting that the mulch in this kids play area was made out of tires. It was BLAZING hot! I could feel it rubbing up against the sides of my feet and it was painful! Needless to say there weren't too many kids playing in there.

We saw some beautiful artwork in one of the kiosks outside of Germany....(I think.....I'm going in order of my pics here....sorry, memory is fading)

The Bavarian inspired buildings welcomed us into Germany!!! Guten Tag!

Hummells, Christmas ornaments, chocolates, cuckoo clocks, crystal, glassware, German steins, teddy bears.... there sure are a lot of stores in Germany! We enjoyed looking at everything but for some reason, made no purchases.

(yep....it's beautiful, but if I had $37k I still don't think I would buy it)

(Loved the glockenspiel clock)

Germany certainly makes up for it's lack of rides and/or movies by its atmosphere - it's really quite charming!

Bye Germany...."Bionjourno Italy!!!!

(We actually remembered to stop and take some photopass pictures in here)

(Time for another drink....)

(This was delicious.....and you have to love wine when it comes with chocolates!)

....Continued......


Sara

 

[ladybugmom]

YAY!! Another update!! Again--your pictures are great!! You got some really good PP pics, too!! NICE! So how long are you going to keep us hanging about this secret?!

 

[jillyb]

Love the picture of you in the hat!

 

[mom2mek]

....Continued......


We enjoyed our wine and took some more pictures of this very beautiful, albeit small, pavilion...

Okey dokey....moving on.....to....the USA Pavilion....The American Adventure....rightly placed in the middle of the World Showcase!

Not surprisingly, being from the southeast area of VA, and very close to Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown, I love the Colonial architecture of the main building, We were right on time for a performance from the amazing Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps! So serious with what they do, and they do it very well!

As they finished their performance (and I finished my wine from Italy), we decided to go inside the pavilion to try and catch the Voices of Liberty. On the way in, I grabbed a picture of my Army veteran husband with the very patriotic and spirited Corps! They were able to finally smile!

Inside, we got some nice seats right on the circle and before long the Voices of Liberty emerged and began their performance.

Truly spectacular!!! The VOL are so wonderfully talented, and I am so glad we were able to catch them this time around as it has been YEARS since I have seen them.

A couple of snippets of the show....






Feeling very patriotic, we ventured on in to see the American Adventure...

The building is so gorgeous....the enormous rotunda of elegant marble floors, white columns, dome ceiling, and beautiful paintings along the walls make this a stunning representation of America. I loved reading all the uplifting quotes that are there with them as well!

However, and I know I might be in the minority with this, but for the most part, I don't like the American Adventure all that much.

I guess I should clarify that.

In comparison to the other country's movies, I'm disappointed that we don't better highlight our gorgeous country and landscapes. The movies in China, France, and Canada focus on the beauty of their countries, and well....the American Adventure just seems to focus so much on the sad and unfortunate times in our history (war, death, suffering of Native Americans, slavery, etc, etc)...I'm not saying that these things aren't a part of our history....they most certainly are....I'm just saying that comparitively, I'm a little saddened that up until the last 5 minutes of the show, the whole thing makes me kind of sad. Ironically, the last 5 minutes of the show are the most simple...it's a film of faces and news scenes fading in and out of the clouds....the last part usually does have me well up with a tear or two and makes me swell with pride as I leave the theater.

Anyway....vent over....overall, we enjoyed it and the theater it takes place in is gorgeous. The combination of the animatronics, the moving stages, the music is great and the theater is quiet, dark, and cool. ..a nice combination for us that day!

As we left the theater, the skies had turned grey......The only "grey" I had on my mind was my Grey Goose Lemon Citron slushie in France and I was not happy that the skies were looking ominous....

Does my GGLCS curse from prior trips continue......????

Sara

 

[mom2mek]

YAY!! Another update!! Again--your pictures are great!! You got some really good PP pics, too!! NICE! So how long are you going to keep us hanging about this secret?!

Thanks Becky! I don't have any "official" news, so I hate to jinx myself by putting it out there in print, ya know?

Love the picture of you in the hat!

LOL - Thanks Jill! I was getting a little sun, don't ya think? I look really red in that picture!

Did another update after you two read the last one....scroll back up....

Sara

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Great updates Sara!

Your photopass pics are fantastic!

MMM....wine and chocolates....what's not to like??

Very cute picture of you peeking through the railing. Your hubby has a great eye for cool photos!

Margaritas in Mexico, wine in Italy, Grey Goose in France.....no beer in Germany?

 

[mkluvsmickey]

Yay - two updates! Love the pictures of both you and Shawn in the hats. And the picture of you behind the railing is really cool.

Cute couple pictures too, I'm glad you guys got some done. The first Lady and the Tramp one is my favorite I think.

Love the Fife and Drum Corps! And Voices of Liberty too, though we haven't seen them in a while. My favorite music teachers in school (husband and wife team) left teaching to do this while I was in high school. We used to go see them as often as possible and since then, I've always loved hearing Voices of Liberty.

I sure hope you got your slushie!!

 

[DisneyJo]

I love the photos with Lady & the Tramp, so pretty.

The drummers look cool and great you got to listen to VOL

 

[mom2mek]

Great updates Sara!

Your photopass pics are fantastic!

MMM....wine and chocolates....what's not to like??

Very cute picture of you peeking through the railing. Your hubby has a great eye for cool photos!

Margaritas in Mexico, wine in Italy, Grey Goose in France.....no beer in Germany?

Thanks Missy!

Nope, no beer in Germany! Weird, huh? (I don't drink beer, but Shawn certainly does, but he wasn't interested at that point for some reason...)

The wine and chocolates were delicious!

Yay - two updates! Love the pictures of both you and Shawn in the hats. And the picture of you behind the railing is really cool.

Cute couple pictures too, I'm glad you guys got some done. The first Lady and the Tramp one is my favorite I think.

Love the Fife and Drum Corps! And Voices of Liberty too, though we haven't seen them in a while. My favorite music teachers in school (husband and wife team) left teaching to do this while I was in high school. We used to go see them as often as possible and since then, I've always loved hearing Voices of Liberty.

I sure hope you got your slushie!!

Thanks Michelle! I like the Lady and the Tramp ones too....even if their dog eyes are kind of weird-looking!

That's very cool about your music teachers being in the VOL! I think if I had ever auditioned for Disney, that's what I would have wanted to do!

I love the photos with Lady & the Tramp, so pretty.

The drummers look cool and great you got to listen to VOL

Thanks Jo! Hearing the VOL is always a treat, isn't it?

Sara

 

[lovebuzzandwoody]

Woohoo... some updates! And they did not disappoint, as usual! I am still amazed at how much ground you were able to cover without the kids in tow!

 

[KathyRN137]

Hi Sara!

I feel the same ambivelance toward the American Adventure... perhaps because we're the "home" pavilion the Imagineers focused more on showing a history lesson rather than a travel narrative... it does seem to have a heavier tone than the other movies. Nevertheless, it's still enjoyable... especially the parts with the audio-animatronics.

The two of you seem to be having such a lovely time together just strolling through the World... it must have been very therapeutic!

Hope the next update is not so long in coming; I really enjoy them!


Kathy