Oh, yes we are! **home from SSR, with pics and final thoughts, p.10, post 139

[nolanboys]

Did you find the chocolate lava cake in Ireland?Forgot to tell you to skip the dessert kiosk - only the pear tart was pretty good. Not worth the calories! DH and I managed to hit all but 7 in 2 days. We easily made up all the calories we burned running the F&W 1/2 last Saturday.Did you get your F&W passport? We didn't get it until the second day and DH insisted on going back to the countries we had tried the first day to get it stamped. Hope your weather is as great as ours was.

 

[Pixieflip]

Hi, my name is Pixieflip, and I am a commando-a-holic.


We have got to stop it. We are so tired today!! Chocolate lava cake was amazing. Heading to DHS now. Taking a break later and will come back with details then.

Oour happy place is still the best. Weather is pretty warm, upper 80's, feels a little humid. Crowds so far are not as comfortable as I was hoping. Perhaps some of the weekenders are leaving today, Hey, I can dream.

If you hear any screaming all the way to where you are, it's just me on RRC.

 

[Pixieflip]

Okay, I keep getting timed out with this computer. Short version of yesterday:

• hot
• way crowded
• way too many Brazilian tour groups
• CM told us that she was sorry there were so many of them here, they hog all the FP's (never thought of their impact on FP's)
• TSM FP's all gone, standby was over 2 hours
• TOT and RRC FP were for 5pm, stand by lines were 45 and 70
• shopping was fun
• Indiana Jones was great (we had seen short version last time due to weather)
• lunched at ABC Commissary (no walk ups at Sci Fi)
• DS9 and DD12 loved swimming in quiet pool at Congress Park
• fun shopping at DTD
• walk to DTD was too long after long day in the park! We took the bus home!

Good news is I may have perceived a slight to moderate lessening of the crowds later in the day. Hopefully, it's not my imagination.

OH!! Small world story! We found the rockers. Sitting on them was a couple about my parents' age that we knew back at our little 300 member church in the Chicago area that we haven't attended since we moved away 13 years ago. How fun is that? We always see somebody here, do you?

We gave up on Walmart. We just shopped at the store in Artist's Palette. Kids are loving the breakfast burritos and tiny frozen pizzas. However, I clocked it. We are half a mile from there, so we drive.

Today is DS16's shot at the PSAT! Dad took him a little while ago. Here's hoping for him to be able to do his best. Dad's got his list of train/hobby stores to scout out while he waits for the test to be finished.

Today is a MK day. We want to see Wishes. We missed it at Christmas. Well, we went to see it on our last day and the fog rolled in. No view of Wishes. So, Wishes it is!

Pins are getting traded all over the place. Sets are being completed. Unique ones are being found.

 

[nolanboys]

Glad you're having luck with pin trading. DH and I were disappointed with the selection last week. Did find a couple of good ones for the boys. Enjoy Wishes - we loved that some of the fireworks were Halloween colors.

 

[kitsch4]

I'm really enjoying your trip report! It's making me really excited for our Christmas trip! Looking forward to more. Have fun.

 

[dvc at last !]

Enjoying your live report. Have a great vacation !

 

[Pixieflip]

Just got back to our villa from Wishes. Brought a tear to my eye, as usual! I was only with DD12 as the group had split up to do different things. Always brings me back to why we love ending our day at MK. Sigh.

So the PSAT went okay. He forgot his scientific calculator, but he said he did it all in his head anyway, with the regular calculator from Grandpa's briefcase. That kid. The rest of us started at MK. I came back to the resort with DS9 for a swimming break. Back to MK for dinner at Pecos Bills and then BTMRR and Splash. Splash had a 20 minute standby, so we went there and a family gave us FP's! Pixiedust! We thanked them and proceeded to get more soaked on that ride than in my entire life!!! And it was on the water cannon before the ride really starts! Dripping wet. And then we got a good splash at the end, too. After that we rode BTMRR with no line, twice. Back to Splash, not as wet that time. Had 5 mintues till Wishes so we sprinted back to the family on Main Street, but missed them. All caught up at home

The crowds seem lighter today. Still some lines, but other times no line at all. Not sure, but I think we might do Ak in the morning and end up at Epcot later.

Watched Regis and Kelly today again. I miss them. We lost their show about a year ago in Omaha. Still can't get over it.

The grounds at SSR are so beautiful. They must have an army of landscapers who work overnight. So pretty.



Okay, off to the cupboard with you now, Chip...

 

[pearljim]

Enjoying your posts. We're originally from Hastings. Expect you're now Husker fans and in mourning like us ! We've been SSR owners since 2003 - glad you are enjoying your stay. We'll be there on 12/12-18. Hope the rest of your vacation is excellent.

 

[rondesj]

Enjoy your trip. I too have had a rough year. Wife in Hosp 2 times amd me once. Almost lost everything. Bouncing back. Was trying to rent points to help me not go under completely, but only had 8 post and you know the new rules, onw must have 50 post to rent points. I'm still desperately working on that in between working over 65-70 hours per week. But, rule are rules even when they change mid stream. Enjoy and than you

 

[triciari]

Packing lists. Gotta have them. Live by them. Developed out of past mistakes!

As we look forward to this moment, several things come to mind.

First of all last winter was horrible and I hear we may be in for it again. Ugh. Second of all, what a bonus to be travelling in October and not December!! So many firsts this time. And last but not least, time to get cracking on my lists.

Here are the ones I'm currently working on:

-kids suitcases
-adults suitcases
-first aid bag
-van food
-food for villa (just trying to make that trip to Publix shorter)
-activity bags for everyone
-the dog's bags for her stay at the groomer's house

Here's the basic timeline for that last week.

-Sat/Sun - do all laundry and pack suitcases in living room. Also pack activity bags. Charge DVD players.
-Monday - gymnastics night, dinner and evening at Mom and Dad's.
-Tuesday - Grocery shop for trip. Everyone goes so everyone has a vote and is happy.
-Wednesday - church night. I have to work.
-Thursday - Parent teacher conferences for DD's. High school football game. DD12 has gymnastics. Husker football game on tv, nothing will get done. But we HAVE to load the rooftop carrier to save precious time on Friday.
-Friday - MOPS, dog to groomer - departing as soon as DH gets off work, hoping to leave by 4pm.

Those are mostly evening schedules and I am home working during the day, which allows for me to pick up the slack. But as you know, if you don't plan ahead, you'll be up all night before you leave and that is no way to start a vacation. Not that I would know. Yep, I have to do it all early. Look at that Thursday night! Yikes.

Somewhere in there I will be making homemade rolls for the tradition of taking the hammie sandwiches. My mom started this and my family loves it. We make these little rolls, sometimes you can fit 4 in a sandwich baggie, sometimes only 2, depends on how they raise. I buy the nice Cure 81 ham and slice nice thick slices and cut it to fit the rolls. Add a little butter and that's it. Fill the cooler. Keeps us from doing fast food at least once or twice. They're so good, a little protein, fills you up, can't stop eating them.

Here's the recipe from Blessed Hope Bible Camp in the UP of Michigan - wonder if that's still there? Works great on the dough cycle of the bread maker.

1 cup milk
1/3+ cup of vegetable oil
1 egg
1tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 cups flour (generous)
1 pkg. yeast

For the 6 of us, I usually make two batches. Each makes 24 to 30 little rolls.

15 days till we leave. 16 days till this moment!

Bumping - especially for this recipe!

 

[supersuperwendy]

I am a late joiner to your PRT and Live TR! I love the pop up hamper idea. I need to bring one of those! We always have a pile of clothes laying by the washer/dryer closet. I love how you guys drive to WDW. That's something we haven't been brave enough to do. We also have 4 kids and we've driven from Philly to Western Michigan several times which is about 11 hours so I'm sure we could handle 17 hours to Florida, but DH won't do it! Who knows..maybe in the future we'll try it.

I can't wait to read more!

 

[Pixieflip]

Okay, we are home. Sending the kids to school and perhaps, taking a nap!! Final thoughts and photos still to come. My apologies for stopping the live updates. DH asked me to unplug my DIS IV from my arm and enjoy vacation! The nerve! He also was the recipient of vast amounts of info learned here, so there.

 

[jakenjess]

Hope you had a wonderful trip! Looking forward to hearing about it!

 

[cmanuel]

Keep up the postive attitude - you'll always win that way!

 

[mom2t]

Love the posts - Heading south in 13 weeks!

 

[Ms. WDW]

Okay, we are home. Sending the kids to school and perhaps, taking a nap!! Final thoughts and photos still to come. My apologies for stopping the live updates. DH asked me to unplug my DIS IV from my arm and enjoy vacation! The nerve! He also was the recipient of vast amounts of info learned here, so there.

Welcome back Cindy! Just read your reply on "my" trip thread so I'm here to enjoy your's!!! LOL...

It's so hard getting back to reality after wonderful trips. Wasn't that weather GREAT!! LOL...we have the same shirt!! I really wanted the green but they were out of the larger sizes; only small was there when I went. Oh well...I do like pink!! See you later!!!

 

[Pixieflip]

Glad you're having luck with pin trading. DH and I were disappointed with the selection last week. Did find a couple of good ones for the boys. Enjoy Wishes - we loved that some of the fireworks were Halloween colors.

We really did have good luck with pin trading. Until the last day. The strangest thing happened. My daughter noticed an orange WDW pennant pin on a CM and traded her for it. Just as the transaction was happening my DS9 noticed it, too. His eyes welled up with tears, (okay, it was our last thing we were doing before leaving town, literally, so tears were near the surface for everyone!) and he whispered to me that that pin would have completed his set of pennants. I whispered to him that we'd be back and he could look for it next time and hugged him. Then the real tears came. The CM became very uncomfortable and reached over to DD's hand and took the pennant out of it and gave it to my crying DS. Then she gave DD the pin she'd traded her for, too. What the heck? You never give in to the crying kid!!! Plus DD had seen it first! We walked away stunned. I switched the pins, gave DD the pennant and DS the free trader and we went up to the board and the check in desk and he got a different pin. Isn't that so weird?? I appreciate that she was trying to not have a kid in WDW be sad, but...

I'm really enjoying your trip report! It's making me really excited for our Christmas trip! Looking forward to more. Have fun.

Oh, a Christmas trip...please let us know how it goes. I was hoping to be able to go back one more time on our passes, but alas...not this year. Enjoy!

Enjoying your live report. Have a great vacation !

Glad you can jump on board with us...it was a great time.

Enjoying your posts. We're originally from Hastings. Expect you're now Husker fans and in mourning like us ! We've been SSR owners since 2003 - glad you are enjoying your stay. We'll be there on 12/12-18. Hope the rest of your vacation is excellent.

Hello fellow Husker! What happened to our boys this past Saturday?? We were listening to ESPN but only got updates through the first half, finally finding a live broadcast for the second half on a station our of Atlanta. Ugh. Can't win when you don't play well. Texas did a better job. So, onward to this Saturday!

Enjoy your trip. I too have had a rough year. Wife in Hosp 2 times amd me once. Almost lost everything. Bouncing back. Was trying to rent points to help me not go under completely, but only had 8 post and you know the new rules, onw must have 50 post to rent points. I'm still desperately working on that in between working over 65-70 hours per week. But, rule are rules even when they change mid stream. Enjoy and than you

I'm sorry it's been a rough year for you, too. I'll tell ya, a nice trip to WDW does wonders for healing. Every corner has a memory, every song bring us back to another time...it was like reconnecting with all our happy times. Sure we got run over by strollers and scooters, sure it was hot and kids got a little crabby, we chose to ever look each thing. After the rough year, none of that stuff matters and it's so much easier to see that. Relish in the magic, let it bring you the cheer you need.

 

[Pixieflip]

Bumping - especially for this recipe!

Let me know what you think!

I am a late joiner to your PRT and Live TR! I love the pop up hamper idea. I need to bring one of those! We always have a pile of clothes laying by the washer/dryer closet. I love how you guys drive to WDW. That's something we haven't been brave enough to do. We also have 4 kids and we've driven from Philly to Western Michigan several times which is about 11 hours so I'm sure we could handle 17 hours to Florida, but DH won't do it! Who knows..maybe in the future we'll try it.

I can't wait to read more!

You can do it, I know you can!! And you can spend the savings in WDW...err, I mean you can save the money.

Hope you had a wonderful trip! Looking forward to hearing about it!

Uploading pics right now...

Keep up the postive attitude - you'll always win that way!

Love the posts - Heading south in 13 weeks!

Heading south is always more fun, isn't it? I hate the drive back when you get off the interstate and have the choice of I-75 south or north... (insert whine) I don't wanna go NORTH!!!

Welcome back Cindy! Just read your reply on "my" trip thread so I'm here to enjoy your's!!! LOL...

It's so hard getting back to reality after wonderful trips. Wasn't that weather GREAT!! LOL...we have the same shirt!! I really wanted the green but they were out of the larger sizes; only small was there when I went. Oh well...I do like pink!! See you later!!!

Wow, you're quick! Yep, I think I liked that shirt last year when it was full price, was glad to find it on sale. Totally should have bought both colors.

 

[Pixieflip]

So, let's backtrack a little so we can enjoy the pictures. The drive down is 24 hours. We were loaded with snacks and drinks and hammie sandwiches, plenty of DVD's, and 6 happy campers.

We are a sports family, so we always take pictures of stadiums we pass by. This is the Kansas City Royals' Stadium with the Chiefs' (or the Chefs ) Stadium in the background. No real traffic in KC on a Saturday.

St. Louis was in the dark, so without the flash, this is the weird picture you end up with. This city gave us a run for our money with a detour off the beaten path. When I said my DH was Clark Griswold, I never though I'd be off the beaten path in St. Louis!!! No, not really, it was fine, just took about 20 extra minutes.

We spent the night in a Country Inn and Suites in Paducah, KY. Pretty nice. We'd stay there again. Then off toward I-75! Nashville is so pretty in the sunlight. I think we really feel like we're getting somewhere once we hit Tennessee. This is the Titans' football stadium with the Batman Building, I mean AT&T building, in the background.

Kids occupying themselves. DS16 listening to the radio. DD13 under the blanket to keep out the sun while she watches a bazillion episodes of Lost. She finished all of Season 2 on this trip! DD12 and DS9 in the back playing with jumbo pipe cleaners, making little shapes and words.

 

[Pixieflip]

We checked in at CSR for the one night very late. Lost DS and DH to the Florida game in the lobby bar! Found Mom and Dad in their room that connected to ours. Unloaded our stuff and took a shower. Right to bed.

Morning was beautiful. Our room was up early, so we strolled over to the Pepper Market and took some photos along the way. We were in Casitas Building 3, top floor.

DS9 discovered what appears to be an audio-animatronic leaf on this plant. Is that possible?? Truly, the leaf was waving at us not in the same way as the other leaves responded to the wind, but in a rhythmic pattern that was too perfect. He could NOT get over his discovery!

So lovely, isn't it?

What kind of flower is this? Seriously, so many flowers, we really notice a different look to all of WDW in October from our usual January experience.

My favorite photo so far.

We totally understand why most comedians and entertainers are the youngest members of their families!

Did you know that Marvel products have worked their way into WDW stores? I don't know when it happened, but thought some of you might be excited.

We loved Pepper Market. The setup was so efficient, with the market up front with the different stations and the servers who brought your drinks and then you pay at the end. We had stragglers showing up late, and yet, only waited in line to pay the one time. I wasn't so sure about it at first, but now I get it and love it.

After breakfast, we sent our stuff to Bell Services, Mom and I went over to SSR to check in, Dad took the girls to breakfast and DH and DS's went to the MK. We all met up 90 minutes later in the MK.