Our Magical WDW Adventure ~ 23 Days of Fun, Food, Cocktails... London Trip 2/8

[ariel2007]

Thanks hun

I have had a great few days thanks and got some great gifts. As soon as I have got some more time I will post some pictures and things but it is still all go here. Nick went back on the 26th as he had to work but I am down until tomorrow when Mum and Sophie are taking me back up and staying with us for a few days over New Year. o until they leave I may not have much time to come on here

I hope you had a great time, I will be sure to catch up with you when I have a bit more time.

 

[CoP Luv]

I totally understand. The holidays are such a crazy time of the year. We just got back on Sunday night and tonight I am picking up friends at the airport and then we are heading out again for New Years. Hopefully, I will have a day to myself this weekend! Have a safe trip home and Happy New Year!

 

[ariel2007]

HAPPY NEW YEAR​

...to you and your family. I hope the New Year is both happy and prosperous for you

 

[hlrababy]

Hey girl!!!

I hope you had a fun New Years!!!

 

[ariel2007]

Yes it was great thanks. Once I have a bit more time I will update and add some photo's.

 

[troobabiee7]

Nope, I didn't miss the pictures! I hope you get settled in soon and have some time to relax. Happy New Year!

 

[ariel2007]

Nope, I didn't miss the pictures! I hope you get settled in soon and have some time to relax. Happy New Year!

Thanks hun . Hopefully after we have been to the shops and out for lunch tomorrow I should finally have some time to get the pictures up. And I really need to get back to planning, I have really missed it over the Holiday period

 

[troobabiee7]

Thanks hun . Hopefully after we have been to the shops and out for lunch tomorrow I should finally have some time to get the pictures up. And I really need to get back to planning, I have really missed it over the Holiday period

Sounds good! I know, all planning stopped once the holidays came. My report has more pictures than actual plans Have you planned anything at all this past week?

 

[ariel2007]

Sounds good! I know, all planning stopped once the holidays came. My report has more pictures than actual plans Have you planned anything at all this past week?

Not really, I haven't had the time . I have been looking at some things we want to book but we may leave them for a bit due to the rubbish exchange rate. I have a bad feeling though that it is not going to get much better which really sucks. It means a lot less spending money for me

 

[troobabiee7]

Not really, I haven't had the time . I have been looking at some things we want to book but we may leave them for a bit due to the rubbish exchange rate. I have a bad feeling though that it is not going to get much better which really sucks. It means a lot less spending money for me

At least you have some time to book everything since they changed the booking date back to 90-days again for restaurants and recreation. You still have a month or so, so hopefully things will get at least a little better by then and you can figure out what you can afford. I've seen your past trips, though - you guys do it up BIG and I doubt you'll have any trouble having fun on your budget!

 

[ariel2007]

At least you have some time to book everything since they changed the booking date back to 90-days again for restaurants and recreation. You still have a month or so, so hopefully things will get at least a little better by then and you can figure out what you can afford. I've seen your past trips, though - you guys do it up BIG and I doubt you'll have any trouble having fun on your budget!

Since we are on the dining plan we can do all the ADR's we have planned and we also plan to do the tours and things too. The only thing it will really effect is our spending money really, as we plan to take a certain amount but because of the lower exchange rate we will be getting a lot less dollars for our money, therefore meaning less shopping for me . It may be a good thing for the sake of our house though, its already overloaded.

 

[ariel2007]

Ok I am finally back to catch up on this report. Thank you for all sticking around and being so patient, and sorry for taking so long to update, it has just been so busy. But Mum and Sophie went home this morning, and although I was very sad to see them go after a great week together, I have so much to do and catch up on. But my messy house can wait, as I have far more important things to do, like update you guys

So like I said before, we had a wonderful Christmas. It was very hectic and non-stop but it was so great to spend time with all my family. Its started with Nick and I traveling down to my Mum's late on the Tuesday night. After our long journey it was lovely to be greeted by my Mum and older sister, Kate, and a nice cup of tea. What wasn't so nice was me stepping out the door and falling down the step, seriously hurting my ankle, not such a great way to start Christmas. But after a bit of motherly love, I ploughed through, it is still really bruised now but I am just glad it wasn't worse, I don't want something silly coming between me and my Disney . Anyway we heard some commotion from upstairs to find Sophie was awake, so after some sisterly cuddles and catch up it was time for bed.

Mum's tree

And the pretty Christmas mirror

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Christmas Eve started with Mum having to work, so Kate, Sophie and I watched old home movies whilst Nick caught up with some work. It was a really nice, sisterly time . When Mum got home from work we all went for lunch in our favorite local place, the Pizza Cafe, it was so good and such a nice way to spend Christmas eve. After our lovely lunch we went home and watched the end of Polar Express before helping Mum finish the Christmas baking. She is such a good cook so we were really looking forward to her Christmas treats. We spent the evening watching Christmas films like Miracle on 34th Street and snacking on Christmas treats. Then it was time to put out the treats for santa, a caramel shortbread and glass of sherry for him and a carrot and water for the reindeers. Sophie still loves doing this, I am so glad she is not trying to grow up to quickly, its so sweet she still loves these old traditions. Anyway after the treats were put out, and her Sophie left her letter for santa we went and put our stockings on our beds and Mum read the The Night Before Christmas, something we do every year. After a bit more Christmas TV for Nick and I it was time for bed, with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads....

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Christmas, my favorite day of the year. Sophie and I were up early and as everyone else was still sleeping we got showered and ready. By this time we got everyone up and we all sat in the lounge and opened our stockings. I love opening my stocking, I think its my favorite part if Christmas, and they are always so bulging with great things like make-up, bath stuff, Disney socks and beanies etc.

Sophie finding santa had been (her sleepsuit is just so cute)

Sophie and her stocking

Nick and his

As we finished my step-brother arrived, this was new for us as he normally spends boxing day with us but this year he had to work on Christmas so he was going up to Blackpool on Christmas with his Mum. We exchanged gifts, got ready, had some breakfast and then my Dad arrived, it was all rather hectic this year.
Side note ~ For those who don't know, the Dad I refer to in my reports, and talk about all the time is in fact my step-dad. However my Mum and him have been together since I was 6 and he is just like a Dad to me, and I love him like a Dad. He is Sophie's dad, and has another son, my wonderful step brother Jonny, who I have grown up with (he's 20). Kate (who is 26) and my Dad lives near to my Mum's and we used to see him every Sunday but now we are older I don't see him much apart from Christmas, Easter and Birthdays, so this is the Dad I am about to talk about now, but not the one I will talk about in the rest of this report, or the rest of Christmas. Confusing hey
So anyway, our real Dad came and picked Kate, Nick and I up and took us to our Aunty's for an hour. Then he dropped us back to my Aunty Lynn's house where we were spending Christmas lunch. My Aunty Lynn is my Mum's younger sister and every year she hosts Christmas at her house which is just down the road from my Mum's. Every year its the same people, Aunty Lynn, her husband Steve and their 2 boys Richard (14) and Louis (12), my Mum's younger brother Lee, his girlfriend Heather and their 3 children Bradley (10), Tegan (9) and Thurston (7), my Grandparents, Mum, Dad, Sophie, Kate, Nick and I, so quite a lot of us.

Some pictures
Mum and Sophie

Nick and Sophie

Mum and Dad

Mum, Dad, Grandma and Grandad

Nick, Sophie, Louis and Tegan

The 2 bestest cousins together

My wonderful Grandad

The view from my Aunty's ~ its great it look all over town one way and over the hills the other

So we had some drinks and then sat down to a lovely Christmas dinner. After dinner it was present time but baring in mind their was 17 of us, their was the hugest pile of presents ever. I got some lovely gifts, but most of all loved watching Sophie's face as she opened her gifts. Nick and I gave her a camera which we thought would be great for our holidays, an Ipod Touch which she had wanted for ages and was over the moon about, and some other gifts including clothes, and Disney related gifts.

Some of the extortionate piles of presents

Sophie opening her camera

With her new guitar

 

[ariel2007]

And opening her Ipod touch, she was so shocked, as was Dad

After getting through the mound of presents it was time for tea. We always have a huge buffet spread of cold meats, cheeses, crackers, crisps, pasta and rice salads, trifle, meringues, cakes and more. After tea we just sat around and talked with drinks as the kids ran around playing. Apart from Richard, my Aunts eldest, the younger 5 cousins all get on so well. My Uncle's 3 absolutely love Sophie, they adore her and love playing and staying over. And Louis and Sophie are really close in age and get on so well, they are always finding some game to play and are so cute together (she also sticks up for him at School as he is in the year below and gets bullied).

Finally around 11pm we left to go home. It had been a lovely day but very tiring too. So after hauling home all our presents we all went to bed.

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Boxing Day is another favorite day of mine. I know Boxing Day is an British thing so just to give you a bit of information about what it is. It originally started as a day for giving to those less fortunate but now I think it is more commonly a day to sit around eating Christmas left overs and watching Christmas television. For us though, its a whole over big affair. Since my step-brother normally spend Christmas with his Mum he comes to ours on boxing day, so my Mum decided years ago that she would cook a whole other Christmas dinner on boxing day and we would have more presents so it was just like another Christmas but with him too. But this was was just us and our Grandparents, so much more relaxing, I love it. So this year Jonny wasn't coming but we carried on the tradition anyway. So after we got up and ready we put on the Christmas music and looked through our presents.

A couple of pictures from the morning

I think this is so cute

My Grandparents arrived at midday and my Mum had made yummy mulled wine to start lunch of properly. Lunch was delicious, we had turkey, sausages in bacon, roast potatoes, 5 different stuffings, carrots, brussels, swede and honey roasted parsnips, gravy and bread sauce. Oh and crackers to pull, another British tradition.

Nick's dinner

The crackers, they were so pretty and had really good gifts in

After lunch Sophie, Nick and I took Honey out whilst the others cleaned up and when we got back it was time for Christmas pudding and mince pies with cream. Then it was time for round 2 of presents, and again I got some great gifts.

More presents

After more presents, my Aunt, Steve, Richard and Louis came up and we played some games, it was great fun. Then it was time for tea, again another big buffet spread, mostly homemade goodies which were so good. By the time we had finished dinner it was 10.30pm, where had the time gone. About an hour later everyone left, again we were so tired, it had been another long day.

Sophie and Louis after they had been play fighting

And Sophie after being asked who won

Dad enjoying Christmas

Ok and some of my lovely gifts

Nick got me the Disney book I had been wanting, its so great (Thanks for the heads up Melissa ) and the Miley Cyrus album, cheesy I know but I love it

And amongst other things he got me an I Phone, I love it, they are just so cool

The Disney beanies and tree decorations I got

The Disney socks santa brought

My sweet Grandad brought me this. I love it as my Grandma always buys the presents but my Grandad keeps buying me these as he knows how much I love Disney.

My new night top for my holiday from Mum

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We spent the next few days visiting and being visited by family, it was Aunty Lynn's birthday and Dad's brother and his wife came down so it was non-stop with guests. Nick had driven back home on the 27th and on Tuesday Mum and Sophie drove me back up and stayed a few days.

Heres just a few pictures of Walt Disney (aka Shakira Shakira ), Sophie's other pet. We had him out when Dad's brother came over so I took some pictures of him at last

His lovely colourings

And Honey proving she is a far better pet

Traveling up to ours, we had to stop for Sophie to have a beloved BLT sandwich

 

[ariel2007]

Out shopping

Sophie and her favorite shop

And our favorite place

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On New Years Eve Nick worked until 6pm and then we all went out for a Chinese. After we went back to ours and made cocktails and played some games including Nicks new Guitar Hero and poker. At midnight we toasted with champagne whilst watching the London fireworks on TV. Although they were beautiful we were glad we didn't go to watch them like we thought about as it was so packed there and it was so cold out, I don't think we would have enjoyed it too much.

Enjoying Guitar Hero

Tigger was not impressed

Enjoying a homemade Raspberry Margarita

Playing poker

And the NYE London fireworks had Scamp entertained

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On New Years day we spent the day playing more games including Disney Scene It and snacking on nachos and chilli, our favorite

I had to add these as I think they are so cute, Sophie and Scamp, and yes Sophie is in the cat basket, one of the odd things she likes to do

Anyway that pretty much concludes our Christmas holidays. I'm sad its over, I love the festive period, but I will be glad to get back to our planning and it means we are that bit closer to our holiday....

 

[kaysmommie]

I enjoyed your Christmas update. Great pictures too! I love the view from your Aunts house, it's so pretty.Sophie is growing up so much! You all got nice gifts. Thanks for filling us in on what boxing day is. We always have the Christmas leftovers the next day too at my mom's house. I guess it's kind of like boxing day.

 

[Villainess]

What a wonderful holiday you had with your family and thank you for sharing the pictures with us! Thank you for explaining Boxing Day as well as I never really knew what it was about. The day after Christmas here is crazy people hitting the stores for after holiday sales, among them my dad who buys wrapping paper - you should see how much paper we have!

 

[ariel2007]

I enjoyed your Christmas update. Great pictures too! I love the view from your Aunts house, it's so pretty.Sophie is growing up so much! You all got nice gifts. Thanks for filling us in on what boxing day is. We always have the Christmas leftovers the next day too at my mom's house. I guess it's kind of like boxing day.

I think a lot of people probably do what most people in this country do now on Boxing Day too, they just haven't got the name for it. The big difference is that on Boxing Day everything is still shut over here generally, and it is classed as a holiday.

I know Sophie has grown so fast. On Christmas Eve we watched old home video's from when she was a baby and it seems like so, so long ago. There was one from Christmas when she was 18 months and she was just so small and cute, although she had really short, chubby legs compared to the long, slim ones she has now.

 

[ariel2007]

What a wonderful holiday you had with your family and thank you for sharing the pictures with us! Thank you for explaining Boxing Day as well as I never really knew what it was about. The day after Christmas here is crazy people hitting the stores for after holiday sales, among them my dad who buys wrapping paper - you should see how much paper we have!

Yes it was a lovely Christmas, thank you

It was only recently that I found out you guys don't celebrate Boxing Day, I thought it was a world wide thing. That is one thing I would really miss if I ever moved to the US and I would have to carry it on for my family. That is so funny about your Dad, on boxing day my Dad is usually at home with a hangover

 

[ariel2007]

2008
My Reflection of the past year, and what a great one it was​

I saw someone else do this and thought it was a great idea and had to steal it to do myself (thanks Melissa ). Since we are now officially in 2009 I just wanted to take a minute to look back and reflect on last year. After all last year was such a wonderful year, with not 1 but 2 amazing, big holidays, a trip to DLP, 2 mini trips and several trips to London so I thought I would give you all a run-down of my highlights of 2008. Now since many of you followed me on last WDW pre-trip report and my Small World trip report you may remember me posting about these before. For those who may not have followed or may not remember you can see why 2008 was such a great year for us. Don't worry it will be pretty brief, and unfortunately I didn't get my new camera until February so not many pictures to start, but here goes, here is my highlights of 2008...

JANUARY​

January started with my Grandad's 70th birthday. We were supposed to go out for a big family meal but unfortunately my Grandad was quite poorly after recently being diagnosed with Celiac disease. However we had a lovely Indian takeaway with Grandma, Grandad, Mum, Dad, Kate, Sophie, Nick and I followed by a few games of poker, a classic family night.

My Grandad opening his new digital camera his children got him

Nicks Birthday ~ We celebrated Nick's birthday with Mum, Dad and Sophie and a short trip to London. We started with a visit to the London Dungeon's which was really quite scary but really, really good, followed by dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and then for the highlight, Cirque Du Soliel's Varekai at the Royal Albert Hall. The show was amazing, as usual, we all loved it. We stayed overnight in London and the next day visited the V&A Musuem, Harrod's and had dinner at our favorite place, Wagamama's.

One of Nick's presents from me; a suitcase filled with things for WDW

Varekai poster

London Dungeons, so scary

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FEBRUARY​

For valentines day Nick took me to London where we had dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and then went to watch Sound of Music in the West End. The show was so good and I am so glad I got to watch it before Connie left, she was great as Maria (although no-one could ever come close to Julie Andrews).

In the February half-term Nick and I joined Mum, Dad, Sophie, Honey, Grandma and Grandad in a little trip to Sennon Cove in Cornwall. We stayed in an apartment overlooking the sea and spent our time rockpooling, walking along the cliffs, visiting Lands End (one end of the UK), visiting different beaches, sitting by the fire and playing games like poker and Disney Scene It. It was such an unexpected but great trip, and its such a beautiful place that brings back so many memories of my childhood.

The view from our patio

The beach, the apartment is near the very end

Walking along the cliffs to Lands End

Our 2 favorite beaches, St Ives...

... and Hayle

The lovely real fire where we toasted marshmallows every night

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MARCH​

In March we didn't really go anywhere apart from my parents but we were still pretty busy. We went to my Mum's for Mothers Day and then there was Easter, in which Nick gave me a suitcase filled with things for our holiday (that boy is learning).

Not many pictures, since it was quite a quiet month but a few of things I remember most. Firstly the Disney collage Sophie made for me for Easter

And the New York gift bags I gave to Mum, Dad, Sophie and Kate for Easter. This was when we were still planning on going to NY for Mum's 50th so I wanted to give them something that would be useful and that would be fun for us all

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APRIL​

Now this was officially the best month of the year, for a couple of reasons. First Mum, Dad and Sophie came to stay in the holidays and we had a great trip to London. We went to the London National Aquarium, had a Chinese, and walked around taking in some of the sights including Big Ben, Houses of Parliment, Buckingham Palace and we also discovered how beautiful the parks are around the Palace.

London Aquarium, it was good but there was not too much to see so it was a short visit. Georgia Aquarium put it to shame.

 

[ariel2007]

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliment, not a new site for us but I had to take pictures none the less

Queens Park, it is so beautiful and is filled with friendly squirrels, swans, pelicans, policemen on horses and amazing views over to the Eye in one direction and Palace in the other.

Buckingham Palace, we hadn't been here in years and Sophie had never been there

No trip to London would be complete without a visit to Harrod's and a delicious fresh Krispy Kreme. This is in the toy department where Sophie fell in love

On the tube on the way back, Sophie got a bit over excited and started pretending to be Superman and re-inacting scenes from ANTM

Shopping at Lakeside Mall the next day

Not complete without a visit to the Disney Store

The end of April saw Nick and I flying off to our favorite and the most Happiest Place on Earth...

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MAY​

Probably the biggest highlight of the year, our trip to WDW. Nick and my first trip just the 2 of us, we had the most amazing trip and did so many magical and memorable things. Heres a few of my favorite pictures from our 23 night trip

Breakfast at CP with my other favorite man

An amazing hot air balloon ride over Orlando

Me and my Lapu Lapu at one of our favorite restaurants, Ohana

Before Hoop dee doo, our favorite show

Nick on his favorite new toy, I had to put up with "I want one" for the rest of the holiday

Jet skiing behind the Contemporary, great fun even though I was a total wuss

Our Illuminations Cruise and stay at the Yacht Club with a great view over the Boardwalk, Epcot and the river

The great Princess and Pirate Party, we had great fun dressing up and getting our loot

Staying at the Polynesian for the night with that amazing castle view

Watching my favorite show, Wishes, from another great viewpoint, after another great meal at California Grill