Our Magical Mulligan Trip!!

[Sooze]

Girl... if you ever write a book, please let me know... because I will buy it in a second! Your trip report is freakin' hillarious! I can't wait to read about your SIL.. I haven't had a chance yet. But THANK YOU for this great report!

 

[PrincessV]

OMG, I'm dying here!!! Doncha just love kids and their ideas?!

Thanks for helping to end 2006 on a VERY funny note! Happy 2007!

 

[swankybeth]

DS is too funny!
Also still enjoyin' the report!

 

[Lauralee131]

Girl... if you ever write a book, please let me know... because I will buy it in a second! Your trip report is freakin' hillarious! I can't wait to read about your SIL.. I haven't had a chance yet. But THANK YOU for this great report!

Thanks Sooze...you are too kind!! Thanks for reading and enjoy!

 

[Lauralee131]

OMG, I'm dying here!!! Doncha just love kids and their ideas?!

Thanks for helping to end 2006 on a VERY funny note! Happy 2007!

I know....and he was just so serious about it that it MUST be true, dontcha think? I, however, have been unable to find DBIL's fear to get him out of here....

 

[Lauralee131]

DS is too funny!
Also still enjoyin' the report!

Thanks for hanging in there all this time...I've got to get back to work on my TR...I've been slacking!

Happy New Year!!

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

I thought this was funny and since I've got a "captive audience", I thought I'd share...

Poor DS has been unable to uhhh...poop, for several days. Poor little guy's been walking around like he's got a broom handle up his...back. He refuses to drink my special "poopie juice" to help him go. It's only Gerber pear juice, but it works like a charm.

DS tells me he doesn't want "poopie juice", that the poopies will come out on their own, when they're good and ready. DH all the while is teasing him asking him if he's "got a potato baking", etc...

Well last night Michael's in the bathroom and for several minutes he is grunting and groaning - sounded like he was in labor for crying out loud! So just as I'm asking him if he's alright, he starts yelling..."Mommy, mommy I made poopies!!" Come look! It's the biggest one EVER!!" It's times like these when I remind myself that someday he'll have to wipe MY butt and that will be my payback...

And so he has to show Daddy, who makes a big fuss over it and the 2 of them are going on and on about the SIZE of this thing... Maybe it's a guy thing, I don't know, but I just don't get the big deal...

So I get Michael ready for bed and he's still going on and on about how big "the poopie" was (and no kidding....it was like a jumbo baked potato! So I ask him if it hurt and (finally here's what I've been leading up to), and this is how the rest of our conversation went...

DS - "No Mommy...it didn't hurt at all! You want to know what the secret is?"
Me - The secret?
DS - Yeah Mom...the secret.
Me - Well sure - what's the secret?
DS - Fear.
Me - Fear?
DS - Yep. Fear. Every poopie has a fear Mom and once you figure out what the fear is, you can scare the poopies out!



So remember that folks...if you ever uhhhh...can't go...

Every poopie has a fear. You just have to figure out what is....

O-M-G!!! Thanks alot, I nearly wet myself!!!


Oh, and by the way, it is a "guy" thing. DH & DS revel over how large DS "poopies" are getting.

Have a great New Year!!!

 

[Lauralee131]

Oh my - and a chapter with NO pictures!!

I’d made ADR’s for Artist Point tonight, in a very much anticipated attempt at a date night. Our first one, for earlier in the week, had to be cancelled as Michael wasn’t feeling well, but it looked like we’d have the green light for tonight. Ok, maybe it was a cross between red and green…he was feeling better, but was pretty low energy…I wasn’t about to cancel though…he really, really wanted to go to “kids club” and the Neverland Club seemed so enticing. To both of us, really. And let’s face it, as fun as I am – and I am fun. A lot of fun…just ask me, I’ll tell ya…but as fun as I am, and as fun as DH is, it’s not the same as playing with other kids, which I’m sure by now, Michael is missing.

He remembers going to the Cub’s Den at the WL earlier this year and he enjoyed it. Immensely. In fact, the morning after his first visit to the Cub’s Den, he awoke asking to go back. And it was one of the things he asked for when planning this current trip. Could he go back to “Kids Club”. Sure thing, buddy. It’s your vacation too. And if you want a kids night out, I guess Daddy and I will find something to keep ourselves busy!!

Now I’d left the entire day open to go to Typhoon Lagoon, but it was cold. Very cold. It was a cold and blustery day, as a matter of fact, so Typhoon Lagoon would have to wait until the next trip. Unless we stay an extra day…...maybe it’ll warm up? Just kidding, Honey. Love you, mean it!!

I had woken up early, no big surprise there, and went to Captain Cook’s for coffee and breakfast while the boys were sleeping. I of course took the long way around the resort, via the beach. Not that there’s a short way from Tahiti, but it was great just being able to watch the sun come up and enjoy the quiet. Of course, the burning baby has still been burning throughout various periods of the last couple of evenings, so I was enjoying the quiet, but it was really cold and windy so I eventually headed back to the room. The boys were up at a decent hour and Michael was feeling ok, so I green-lighted our (ok MY) plans for the evening. But what to do for the rest of the day?

DH and I sat out on the balcony enjoying coffee and a smoke and tried to come up with a plan. Of course, I’d be MORE than happy to go to a park. MORE than happy. Dad wanted to relax. Of course. I, of course, don’t know how. Not when I’m here. In My Happy Place. However, I have no problem whatsoever doing nothing at home. Go figure!

As we chatted, I mentioned that I’d like to go shopping at DTD either today or tomorrow. I’ve been waiting to really buy much of anything in anticipation of going to World of Disney and getting my Disney Visa discount. DH said he didn’t really want to take Michael shopping but, he said, he was sure I wouldn’t want to go alone, so….

And there it was.

My window.

“You’re right, Honey. As much as I’d love for the 3 of us to go shopping, and drag our whining-wants-everything-he-sees-five-year-old around, I’ll tough it out and struggle through a day alone at Downtown Disney”.

Ok Love you. Gotta go. BYE!!! Ok, it wasn’t like that. I decided that since it was fairly early, I’d do a couple of loads of laundry and THEN I’d RUN out the door and do the whole LOVE YOU!! BYE!! thing.

I headed to the laundry building and met some very nice non-Dis’ers. The laundry building was a disappointment. I wasn’t expecting anything fancy, but there were a few washing machines that were out of order, and even one washer with a tub full of nasty stagnant water. It was kind of disgusting considering we were at the Polynesian. Yet one more argument for staying at a DVC resort next time I suppose.

Anyway, I did a couple of small loads of laundry. Enough to make it easier on me when we got home, and then grabbed a shower and got ready to head to DTD. DH decided he’d hang out, maybe take Michael to the arcade and I’d be back between 3 and 4 so we could get ready to go out.

And off I went.

Alone.

Solo.

Just me...

And my credit cards.

I’ll spare you the details, but what a great day. Even though it was fairly cold and windy, it was a beautiful sunny day. A couple of times I even stopped and sat by the water with a cup of coffee and enjoyed the sounds of the Christmas music sung by a little choir or occasionally the music that was played through loudspeakers. It was nice. And crowded. There was a TON of people at DTD today. The stores were busy, but with the cold weather, the music and the crowds, it FELT like Christmas. Shopping.

And because you’re all my friends, I can admit this here.

I almost, ALMOST went into Bibbity Bobbity Boutique to look into getting a little makeover…Don’t laugh. Come on – some of you have had to think about it…

Anybody?

Wow – seriously…it’s JUST ME that’s thought of that?

Ahem…ok, then forget I just said that stuff.

More to come...

 

[Lauralee131]

Let's see - where were we....

Well, so there I was, having a great day. Peaceful. I shopped. And shopped. And shopped some more. I arranged to have everything sent to the All Star Sports resort where we’d be checking in tomorrow. Saturday.

I get on the bus back to the Polynesian. It’s 3pm. We have to drop Michael off at the Neverland Club at 5.

Dinner’s at 6:15.

Maybe Jellyrolls afterward.

Or Illuminations.

Or both.

Big, heavy sigh…I’m already dreading the thought of going to the All Star Sports. No particular reason. With all of the flaws and aggravation we’ve had at the Poly, I still am very fond of this place. We stayed there a lot growing up. It, as well as the Contemporary, has a special place in my heart. It still does. And it still will. Even after this trip. I’m sure, that someday we’ll be back. How can you NOT go back.

But we’ve got several, several more hotels to try first. And of course, being a DVC owner, and knowing now what I know about the whole Disney Collection vs. DVC Resorts, I’ll be a lot more careful how and where I use my points.

Anywhoooo…I get back to the room to find Tony sound asleep and Michael playing on the floor. He informed me that they went to the Arcade for awhile and then had to come back because they ran out of money. “But look, Mom”, he says as he pulls a little change purse off the dresser, “There’s plenty of money left”. Nice.

I hop in the shower and was doing my makeup when Michael came into the bathroom asking what I was I doing. I told him that I was getting ready because we were all having a night out. He would be going to the “Kids Club” and Daddy and I were going on a date.

DS – You’re going on a date?
Me – Yep, Daddy and I are going on a date.
DS – Are you going to kiss each other and dance? (How sweet is my baby boy, huh?)
Me – Hmmm….I don’t know if we’re going to dance.
DS – I’m going to go ask Daddy.

With that, DS runs to his dad and asks Tony if he’s going to dance with me on our date. Of course DH said “Probably not”, but eventually Michael got him to change his answer! There may be dancing in my future after all!

The 3 of us arrived at the Neverland Club a few minutes before 5 and let me tell you. It looked awesome! LOTS of fun. You (well, the kids actually) enter the Club through Wendy’s window. How fun!

From the window in the door, I saw Peter Pan hanging from the ceiling, a huge shell of a pirate ship with video games inside and a big wall covered with vines (?) with a big screen behind it. I really wish I’d asked to take pictures. I’d like to have pictures of this place for my scrapbook.

We gave them our plans for the evening and they handed us a pager and off we went. We hopped the monorail to take a boat to the Wilderness Lodge.

As we rode the monorail, they hit me.

Blindsided me actually.

The Blues.

They tend to hit me the day before the day before we leave, if you can follow that. And this trip was no different.

There we were on the monorail and I was admiring the view and listing to oh-so-familiar monorail “schpiel” when I started to cry. And wouldn’t you know it, I didn’t have waterproof mascara on! DOH!!

DH knows these Blues very well. The first word out of his mouth always seems to be “Already?!?” Then comes the whole “We’ve had a wonderful vacation”, yada yada yada…He just doesn’t get it. If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand...

I can’t help it.

This is me.

It’s who I am.

I cry just knowing that I will have to leave. Soon.

I’m not ready. I never am.

He cheers me up, for the moment. Until we get to the Wilderness Lodge and arrive at the geyser. It hits me again.

I need a drink.

We head up to the lobby and it is stunning. I just now realized that I forgot to rub Humphrey’s nose…ah well….next time. We didn’t check out the decorations too much as we were going to be there the next night for our sleigh ride with DS so we could all check them out then. We walk in to Artist Point to check in and are early…it’s only a quarter to 6 and our ADR was for 6:15, but we figured we’d sit in the bar for a bit. Turned out that they sat us right away. Our server was an awesome lady named Carol. What a sweetheart. And a great wait-person….she recommended everything…drinks, food…It could have been the look on our faces. We looked at the menus they gave us when we were seated and we found ourselves scared all of a sudden.

It seemed like we were eating in a foreign country and couldn’t understand the words on the menu or what the food was. All of a sudden we were cowards. We were all jazzed about trying something new and different and now, well, now we were afraid. That’s when Carol, our waitress, approached us. We must’ve looked like 2 deer in headlights, but she put us a little more at ease and further explained the menu to us, starting with drink suggestions…Ahhhhh…I’m feeling better already.

She wouldn’t even let us order the same drinks…much less the same food. We had to order something different so that we could both try each others. DH had a drink called the Raspberry Rapids and I ordered the Northern Exposure. Gotta tell you…the Raspberry Rapids was like a party in my mouth! I don’t recall what’s in it, but I gotta have more!! OMG…seriously…if you find yourself there…get one! Don’t get me wrong, the Northern Exposure was yummy too, but there was something about this other drink. Two words for you …. YUM – MY!!

And hey – after a couple of drinks we were feeling a bit more adventurous about our food choices. We had actually thought of having drinks and then heading somewhere else to eat – that’s what cowards we were! I’m actually glad we stayed. The food was good and although we didn’t eat anything TOO unusual, the food was excellent. We started out with the Venison Spring Rolls – very, very good – and the Mussels, which were also excellent. For dinner DH had the Buffalo steak. It was delicious…very tender. I had the grilled tenderloin with fire roasted corn and blue cheese fritter. The blue cheese was TOO blue cheese, if you know what I mean, but the tenderloin was awesome.

We had a couple more drinks and tried to decide what to do with the rest of our night. I wasn’t dressed for walking Epcot…I had sandals on and they were killing my feet already for some reason, so I wasn’t really up for walking. Then we considered Jellyrolls, but in the end it was so darn cold out that we decided to just head back to the Poly and pick up Michael and call it a night. Yes, it was THAT cold and windy.

We ordered dessert and maybe a couple of more drinks. Or maybe I did. Not so much DH…but dessert was yummy. He had the apple cobbler and I had the flourless chocolate cake.

We settled our bill and headed back to the MK to get back to the Poly.

Back at the MK, we decided to stop before we went up the ramp to the monorail at that little smoking area and have a quick butt before heading out. A group of 4 adults and two very small kids…year old maybe…stopped at the trash can next to us. Now it was freezing out and the kids totally weren’t dressed for it and it was getting late…close to 9. Too late for these little babies, to be going to MVMCP, but that’s not what bugged me. One woman took her son out of his stroller, stood him next to the trash can while all the other adults circled them and sure enough, she had the kid peeing there thru the railing. Nice, huh?

Are you this woman? Anyone? If so, first of all, what kind of behavior are you teaching your child? That pissed me off, no pun intended. You couldn’t walk in to the bathrooms? Unbelievable. Very sad. I never saw people having their kids doing this as I was growing up. Now I see this kind of thing more and more. Maybe there should be a test to get in or something....They spend so much time telling people over and over again about taking a break from the parks, a dip in the pool or a nap, but they should instruct people like these parents the importance of potty breaks...Ok, enough about my rant, as there’s another one coming up…

We walked up the ramp to the monorail and made it up about halfway, stopped behind the crowd of people also waiting to board the monorail. Ahead of us is a group of 6 adults – 3 men, 3 women and ahead of them is a young couple with a burning baby in a stroller. Nope – not OUR baby from the room next door, but this child was also screaming as if she were on fire.
And the parents ignored her. Completely ignored her. DH and I were talking with the group in front of us who were just as mad as we were and we all agreed that we wanted to just pick the baby up and comfort her. It was sad. It was late, freezing and this baby was WAILING her little lungs out.

FINALLY the mother takes out a bottle and SHOVES it into her mouth, but the baby’s still crying…the mother continues to shove the bottle in her mouth while the baby, who obviously doesn’t WANT the bottle continues to scream. All the while monorail trains come and go, boarding and de-boarding passengers. We finally get on the train and guess what…the screaming baby and her BAD parents are in the same car as us and the group ahead of us. We’re all standing up, watching the mother SHOVE the stroller into the monorail and then sit down while this poor baby is still howling. I think between myself and the other women, we finally mentioned picking the baby up loudly enough that the mother picked her up and miraculously, she stopped crying. All she wanted was to be held. All that torture she went through for nothing. Nice. Another good parent…

After that, it was a nice quiet ride to the Poly and DH and I went to the Neverland Club to pick up Michael. Turns out it was a good thing we did because the little guy was exhausted. Just sapped of his energy. It’s been a long week, and this…cold, or whatever it is just sucks the life right out of him. He was having a great time, but told us he was tired and ready to go. Now I don’t feel so bad for not going out.

Michael did tell us though that he liked this place better than the Cub’s Den and that he had a great time. They had a few choices for dinner, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and pizza and had just been given pudding for dessert when we got there.

He’s already asked if he can go back to the Neverland Club again. SURE!! No problem!

I wish that the DVC resorts had childcare…especially considering that SSR is so close to PI/DTD…we’ll lose a lot of time on buses back and forth to resorts with kids clubs, but it’s worth it. He was playing with a bunch of boys his age and had a good time. Hey – it’s his vacation too…who am I to deny him of a kids’ night out??

It’s time to go back to the room and…sigh…pack. Here come the tears again….

And just for the record, DH finally had a day where he didn’t hear the phrase “Oooh look…Photopass” and he didn’t even mention it…Go figure.

Until next time my friends...It's New Year's Eve and I'm Dis'ing. Going to be a romantic night...I can just tell. Happy New Year everyone!!!

 

[OhMari]

Don't worry, I am DIsing too on NYE, but the Green Bay Packers just started playing the chicago bears, so I do have something to do.

um,
highlight: Poopie story, you may have to edit it or delete it.

 

[ALittleDisneyFan]

I get the blues too. I blame it on my mom. We used to stay in FW cabins and on the boat ride back the day or two before, she would start crying. I get upset when we have to leave the "world."

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Count me in, too. Dis-ing on NYE. Nice.

Awwww.... I actually got tears in my eyes for you when the "blues" hit ya! But I know exactly how you felt, as I had the same feeling and got all weepy and sad. Yup, I'm a dork!

Happy New Year to you and your family!

 

[Sooze]

I don't know what's worse... Having a DH that tries to cheer you up when you have the 'blues', or having a DH that gets the 'blues' right along with you. We have even passed the 'blues' on to our poor DS. In fact, he STILL has the blues left over from our SEPTEMBER trip!

 

[Sooze]

GUESS WHAT?! I finally finished reading your Dysfunctional trip with BIL and SIL. HOLY COW!! I'm serious.. you should write a book. With stories like that, you'd sell at least a million.

I shared a lot of your stories with my DH and my DS, with whom we are sure to vacation with in the near future. We sure did learn a lot!!

Keep writing!

I'm off to SSR in 3 days. I bought a little notebook to keep with me so I could jot down little things that may happen to us, so I can include it in my TR. Bad parenting, for instance... gotta love reporting on that crap!

Thanks for the great report(s), once again.

Take care!
Susie

 

[Lauralee131]

GUESS WHAT?! I finally finished reading your Dysfunctional trip with BIL and SIL. HOLY COW!! I'm serious.. you should write a book. With stories like that, you'd sell at least a million.

I shared a lot of your stories with my DH and my DS, with whom we are sure to vacation with in the near future. We sure did learn a lot!!

Keep writing!

I'm off to SSR in 3 days. I bought a little notebook to keep with me so I could jot down little things that may happen to us, so I can include it in my TR. Bad parenting, for instance... gotta love reporting on that crap!

Thanks for the great report(s), once again.

Take care!
Susie

Thanks Susie!! I can't believe you read that whole thing! They were something else, huh? I still don't understand how anyone can go to WDW and be miserable the whole time...

And I'm soooo jealous that you're on your way there shortly! You must be so excited! We're supposed to stay at SSR in April, although we're thinking that we may push it back to the fall...the jury is still out on that one. I'm really looking forward to staying there though...it should be perfect for the three of us.

If I don't "talk" to you between now and the time you leave, have a WONDERFUL, MAGICAL time and I'll be looking forward to your trip report!! Hurry back!!!

 

[Lauralee131]

Count me in, too. Dis-ing on NYE. Nice.

Awwww.... I actually got tears in my eyes for you when the "blues" hit ya! But I know exactly how you felt, as I had the same feeling and got all weepy and sad. Yup, I'm a dork!

Happy New Year to you and your family!

Well it's nice to know I'm not alone in my dork-ness!!! I'm in very good company!!!

 

[PrincessV]

What a nice, relaxing day you guys had, despite the er... inclement weather!

I'm so glad you stayed at Artist Point! Didn't V tell you how yummy it would be? That's good stuff, there. Never tried the specialty drinks before, though - looks like I'll ahve to go back!

Oh no.... the dreaded All Stars is coming up soon. AND. That means this ridiculously fun TR is coming to an end soon, too. sniff...sniff...sniff
I'll be okay... sniff... really...

 

[j_lehr]

I just finished reading your other trip report, WOW. My dear fiancee teases me for spending so much time on these boards, but I caught him reading the report behind me...it was that good! I love the way you write, like we were actually having a conversation...

I am sorry that your trip with family was so awful. I hope your next trip went better and as soon as I get a chance I am going to read your trip report. (I just spent a few hours reading this one, so I guess it's time to go pay attention to the family!)

We went to Disney in December as well and loved it! It was my daugthers & my 2nd "real" trip but our first with my fiancee. His sister lives in Florida and kept saying I wish you had told us sooner you were going. I felt bad that we hadn't and the few times I have spent time with her, she was extremely nice, but I fear trips like the one you have. Any time you have a large group (which usually means more than your immediate family) together there are bound to be problems. I went to Vegas a few years back with a group of 9 and let's just say...it was less than pleasant.

I'm from NJ by the way...and I'm not "so and so" just to put your mind at ease. It kills me that she would listen to her friends before her family. What a witch.

Thanks for posting and entertaining...
Jes

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Hi Lauralee,

Happy New Year!!!!!

I am finally caught up with your TR, great new installments!

Love the poopie story.

First day of preschool DS3 informed his teacher that she needed to wipe his behind after he went poopie; because Mommie does!

 

[Lauralee131]

Hi Lauralee,

Happy New Year!!!!!

I am finally caught up with your TR, great new installments!

Love the poopie story.

First day of preschool DS3 informed his teacher that she needed to wipe his behind after he went poopie; because Mommie does!

Hey Tasha! Where ya been girl?? Glad to see you're back! Happy New Year to you too!!

Sadly my trip is almost at an end... Maybe I'll finish it this weekend...big, heavy sigh...