Over the river and through the FUN!

[SwansLoveDisney]

I'm glad you're feeling better, MeMom!

It's cold here too...25 degrees to be exact!

 

[MeMom]

Next country - Japan.

We almost got stationed in Japan once, when I was a teenager.
We ended up in Warner Robins, GA.
They don't wear kimonos there or do kitchen knife tricks or have koi ponds.
It wasn't nearly as exciting as Japan would have been.

The Candy Lady was doing her thing.

Is that guy loving on his son or giving him a choke hold?

Japanese storyteller.

In the big Japan store. Not sure of the name.

Some girls were getting pearls.

Hello Kitty pretties.

More pearl seeking.

I guess we went back toward America, from what my pictures are showing.

I think it was at this point that I was approached by a stranger who ended up being SwansLoveDisney, Julie. We had planned to meet with the janloz family at LeCellier later, but she said she saw me and thought it was me, so she figured she'd ask.

I think she said I was taking pictures when she saw me.

I talked to her and her mom. They had just heard the Voices of Liberty. I had wanted to hear them, but didn't have time. I'm hoping Kay and I can catch them this time.

Street Players in Italy.

Shopping in Italy.

Germany.

This is a pretty little area all decorated up for Christmas.

Someone had asked for cuckoo clock pictures, but I don't remember who.

Carving inside the store.

Lights.

Cross stitch soldiers.

That's it for tonight. I'm trying diligently to finish this one so that Jill can report sort of live updates from where we are next week on the new report.

 

[scottny]

I am all caught up again.

great updates and pics.

Will you be there on the 21st? If so have a drink for me, it is my 40th.

The beverly pic is a classic.

Looks like I am going Columbus Day weekend. I hope the crowds aren't too bad.

 

[punkin413]

nice that she posed for you.

Jill had said something earlier in the day about seeing Aladdin and Jasmine. Brooklynn took it one step further, and said, several times, "And that old Genie boy."

what is she, from england???

um....will someone get this big blue THING off of me???

We almost got stationed in Japan once, when I was a teenager.
We ended up in Warner Robins, GA.
They don't wear kimonos there or do kitchen knife tricks or have koi ponds.
It wasn't nearly as exciting as Japan would have been.

nope. instead they have airplanes, little league champs and red dirt.

Is that guy loving on his son or giving him a choke hold?

i don't know about you but something about that gives me the creeps.

I think she said I was taking pictures when she saw me.

NO WAY!!!!! YOU....TAKING A PICTURE?

 

[brookelizabeth]

Genie old boy. So cute!

I didn't ask for the cuckoo clock pics, but I like 'em! I would love to own one someday.

Glad you made it through the day! HERE COMES DISNEY!!!

 

[MeMom]

Jasmine looked ripped! Holy crap! I want abs like that!!

Trent can help you. He 'sculpts' people....for about thirty bucks a session. He must be decent at it, because the before and after pictures are pretty telling.

I'm glad you're feeling better, MeMom!

It's cold here too...25 degrees to be exact!

Thanks.

We were right at freezing. It's supposed to rain all weekend here and then get better (50-60) next week.

I am all caught up again.

great updates and pics.

Will you be there on the 21st? If so have a drink for me, it is my 40th.

The beverly pic is a classic.

Looks like I am going Columbus Day weekend. I hope the crowds aren't too bad.

I will be there on the 21st.
I mostly drink water. Would that be good enough?
Occasionally I will have a diet drink, but anything else to me is just too sweet and syrupy, since I'm so used to water.
Whatever I drink, I will do it with you in mind. That's our Magic Kingdom day. What's your favorite ride? I'll take a picture for you at your ride on your day.

Crowds will probably be there, but being in a crowded Disney World is still a good thing, at least to me.

um....will someone get this big blue THING off of me???


nope. instead they have airplanes, little league champs and red dirt.


i don't know about you but something about that gives me the creeps.


NO WAY!!!!! YOU....TAKING A PICTURE?

It does look like he has his hands over her mouth, but she wasn't talking, so he wasn't trying to shut her up. I guess his big hands just were too big for that little body.

Airplanes they do have. I grew up around airplanes. My dad flew C-130's.
Red clay - I remember that very well, too.
I think I'm so old that I was there before baseball was invented.
No, because I remember working at the concession stand, so I guess it was in place already.
The base was a pretty nice place - cheap movie theater, horseback riding, and a short walk to the store for a 35 cent Tiger Beat magazine so that I could keep up with the world outside the base. The world of teenage pop stars, that is!

Genie old boy. So cute!

I didn't ask for the cuckoo clock pics, but I like 'em! I would love to own one someday.

Glad you made it through the day! HERE COMES DISNEY!!!

Yeah, she said 'that old Genie boy' several times, like he's a relative or something.

I can't remember who asked for cuckoo clocks, and it might have even been over on the gift shop thread. I'll try to get over there this weekend and put those up.

I did open up the suitcase in the back room yesterday and started throwing a few things in there, so I guess I really am going. My friend came by and gave me her airplane ticket money, and it's late enough that I would lose my deposit if we didn't go, so I guess we're going. I still won't really, really believe it until we land in Orlando.


****************************************

I'm playing the 'one week from today' game with a little more caution than usual, but I am playing. I've tried not to talk about it much, because it was so unsure, but I'm beginning to let myself believe it. I've got a few kids to send postcards to, so I have to go now, right?

It's my duty.
(Don't ever say duty around third-graders, by the way. It has a whole different meaning to them, and they will giggle and they will hang their heads and look at each other sideways, no matter how much you explain the meaning of the word to them.)

Anyway, if all goes well, one week from today, we'll be spending the day in Epcot. We'll Soar first and then get Fastpasses to Soar again, and we'll ride Living with the Land and Nemo. I'll video Nemo for Brooklynn and wish so much that she was sitting there beside be staring in wonder at all of the colorful creatures I pass. When I get back, she will watch the video several hundred times, and we'll talk about how fun it will be when we're all back there this summer. We'll watch it and talk about how fun it will be for her to get to show Bella all of 'her' Disney World!

We'll travel the world and do a lot of window shopping. We're planning to eat at some place different than I would eat if Jill and Brooklynn were with me - like Tangierine, maybe. We may or may not ride through Mexico and Norway - just depends on the crowds and what we feel like doing. Kay has ridden both of those before. We'll ride Test Track late, because it will wreak havoc with my hair, and I don't want to look crazy all day.

We will not ride Mission:Space.

We'll see a little bit of the Davy Jones concert , just to say we saw him, and we'll cap off the night with Illuminations.

We will hobble out of there at the end of the night exhausted.
We will hope for a seat on the bus.
We might not get one.

We'll walk slowly and painfully back past big doggies or big toys or big electronic devices to wherever our room is, and we'll fall out, only to get up a few hours later and go again. You know that feeling well. It's an exhaustion and sleep deprivation that you're willing to endure, because there's something so good awaiting you.

Anyway, that's what I'm doing one week from today.

Until then, on this today, I'm going to go work on report cards, fill out running record sheets, have a grade-level meeting, go to the grocery store (we're out of Worcestershire sauce, and Jill knows I cannot make a hamburger without Worcestershire sauce), fix burgers and fries or tater tots for an easy Friday evening meal, and then bask in the fact that I have the next nine glorious days away from school!
Not nearly as exciting as next week, but not a bad life.
A little boring, but not bad.
Okay...a lot boring, but still not bad.

I hope you all have at least as equally exciting plans as that , and that you have a wonderful weekend of family and friend time ahead.

 

[Charleston Princess]

That old Genie boy!!!

Choke hold or hug? Knowing men and boys it was probably a little bit of both!

Yeay for Soarin' this time next week (which I guess isn't really this time next week now, but yeay for Soarin' next week!).

 

[kschafer]

I have fallen a bit behind on my TR's but wanted to pop in and say Hi MeMom. Since I haven't been around a lot I'm not sure what day you are leaving but I hope you have a great last Friday and a wonderful break!!

We are headed to Illinois tomorrow to visit my brother and his family. I went to the bookstore to buy the boys a couple maze books for the drive and the woman who checked me out asked if I was planning ways to keep kids busy over break. When I told her they were to keep them busy on a roadtrip, she asked if we were going anyplace exciting. I told her it wasn't DisneyWorld but it isn't home so it's a start! Wish I was meeting you at ToT and Soarin instead!

 

[carissanboys]

We saw Aladdin and Jasmine on our last trip, but no "old Genie boy" - maybe this time!

I love Miyuki! She made my middle son a blue dinosaur on our last trip. Very cool.

 

[BrooklynnsMommy]

Just some added clarification. I fought Brooklynn to sleep in Japan and then John and I headed back toward Germany to look for his mom a Christmas present. MeMom walked around taking pictures (I know you are all shocked!). We agreed to meet up in Canada later.

 

[CanadianWDWfan]

I wish I was going to WDW for March break. I wish I could meet you down there MeMom.

On the news last night they did a piece on going to Florida and how alot of people pick that as thier March Break destination. And how most people will leave today.

I saw on the Canadian boards that several Disers are going to drive straight down....21 hours. I have tried that but I can't seem to stay awake from Midnight to about 3am. It's much safer for me to stop and get a good nights sleep.

My co worker is off to Las Vegas for the week, she is really looking forward to it. My boss calls it the "adult Disneyworld". (I disagree, but then again I've never been there.)

 

[janloz]

I think it was at this point that I was approached by a stranger who ended up being SwansLoveDisney, Julie. We had planned to meet with the janloz family at LeCellier later, but she said she saw me and thought it was me, so she figured she'd ask.

.

We are famous, we made the MeMom TR.

Have a great trip next week, I wish we could be meeting up again.

 

[moparop]

I can't wait to hear that your feet are on lovely Orlando soil and you are Soarin over California! I am looking forward to all the new pics and videos from this trip!

I hope the work day is smooth and you get enough done to have have a carefree weekend! We've got my FIL visiting Saturday and Sunday. that should be nice. We haven't seen him since Christmas.

 

[tinkgurl]

Jill had said something earlier in the day about seeing Aladdin and Jasmine. Brooklynn took it one step further, and said, several times, "And that old Genie boy."

Old Genie Boy! So cute. I love Brookie's faces too. I want to know what she was thinking when she made this one!

 

[k_reile]

I can't wait to hear that your feet are on lovely Orlando soil and you are Soarin over California! I am looking forward to all the new pics and videos from this trip!

I hope the work day is smooth and you get enough done to have have a carefree weekend! We've got my FIL visiting Saturday and Sunday. that should be nice. We haven't seen him since Christmas.

Thats a sentance most people in the outside world would never get. Your feet are on Orlando soil and you are soarin over California??

 

[MagicShell]

I am glad Brooklynn got to see Genie, we just missed him on our last trip. I got a picture of him walking away.

Your plan for next week sounds great! I wish that was my plan as well. Have a great trip. I hope your sickness is completely gone by the time you leave.

 

[snowbell]

I am so excited for you Memom.. You guys are going to have a great time. I know you are going to miss the family... but you are going to make great new memories with Kay and still have the summer to look forward too.
I am hoping that Joe will at least hit two parks with me when we go on our very very very short trip in April... I don't mind going by myself, but I much rather have the company.

 

[scottny]

MK favorite ride is POTC

 

[MeMom]

That old Genie boy!!!

Choke hold or hug? Knowing men and boys it was probably a little bit of both!

Yeay for Soarin' this time next week (which I guess isn't really this time next week now, but yeay for Soarin' next week!).

Yeah, I'm thinking this was the dad trying to convince the teenager, as in, "See how cool it is to take a vacation with your family" and the kid really enjoying it all but not wanting the parental unit to know it.

I'm watching Epcot right now on The Travel Channel, and it is pretty exciting knowing I will be walking those streets one week from today. They're talking about Soarin' right this minute. How coincidental!

I have fallen a bit behind on my TR's but wanted to pop in and say Hi MeMom. Since I haven't been around a lot I'm not sure what day you are leaving but I hope you have a great last Friday and a wonderful break!!

We are headed to Illinois tomorrow to visit my brother and his family. I went to the bookstore to buy the boys a couple maze books for the drive and the woman who checked me out asked if I was planning ways to keep kids busy over break. When I told her they were to keep them busy on a roadtrip, she asked if we were going anyplace exciting. I told her it wasn't DisneyWorld but it isn't home so it's a start! Wish I was meeting you at ToT and Soarin instead!

Have a safe and fun trip. One day we shall have a 'humongous' Dis meet!

We saw Aladdin and Jasmine on our last trip, but no "old Genie boy" - maybe this time!

I love Miyuki! She made my middle son a blue dinosaur on our last trip. Very cool.

I haven't ever watched her for very long. There's always such a crowd, and I've seen her on TV shows, so I just watch for a few minutes and then go on. When the kids are older, I'm sure we'll want to hang out and see if we can get a candy animal some time.

Just some added clarification. I fought Brooklynn to sleep in Japan and then John and I headed back toward Germany to look for his mom a Christmas present. MeMom walked around taking pictures (I know you are all shocked!). We agreed to meet up in Canada later.

I remember now.

Whatever will I do when I can't remember things from this trip?
Kay's mind is old, too, so she will do me no good!

I wish I was going to WDW for March break. I wish I could meet you down there MeMom.

On the news last night they did a piece on going to Florida and how alot of people pick that as thier March Break destination. And how most people will leave today.

I saw on the Canadian boards that several Disers are going to drive straight down....21 hours. I have tried that but I can't seem to stay awake from Midnight to about 3am. It's much safer for me to stop and get a good nights sleep.

My co worker is off to Las Vegas for the week, she is really looking forward to it. My boss calls it the "adult Disneyworld". (I disagree, but then again I've never been there.)

There will probably be a gazillion people down there. I hope they are all late sleepers.

Twenty-one straight hours is definitely an eek!
When we drive, we like to stop at 5 1/2 hours, get some sleep, then have about 5 plus a few minutes left the next day. It works nicely for us.

They can have Vegas. I won't get in their way.

We are famous, we made the MeMom TR.

Have a great trip next week, I wish we could be meeting up again.

You are famous in your own right! I just love the pictures of your kids with the grandparents. There is so much love and adoration that shows in those pictures.

I can't wait to hear that your feet are on lovely Orlando soil and you are Soarin over California! I am looking forward to all the new pics and videos from this trip!

I hope the work day is smooth and you get enough done to have have a carefree weekend! We've got my FIL visiting Saturday and Sunday. that should be nice. We haven't seen him since Christmas.

Jill will give you a play by play as much as she can. She'll be working, but I think she'll have time to check in and let you know where we're playing at any given time.

The day was productive. We had team meetings in the morning and (surprise!) a TCAP meeting in the afternoon. This morning, they did the unthinkable. They told us that if we worked through lunch, we could leave at 2 instead of 3. They never do that! We were all in shock.

Old Genie Boy! So cute. I love Brookie's faces too. I want to know what she was thinking when she made this one!

If you could hear her saying it, you'd think it was even cuter.
Jill, get that girl on tape!
I know I've got your video camera, but use your cell phone.
The nice people deserve to hear the little southern princess demand to see the big blue wish granter.

Thats a sentance most people in the outside world would never get. Your feet are on Orlando soil and you are soarin over California??

But you totally get it without blinking an eye, right?
You're a good DIS girl!

I saw some cute Caleb pictures over on someone else's report.
What do we have to do to get some around here?

I am glad Brooklynn got to see Genie, we just missed him on our last trip. I got a picture of him walking away.

Your plan for next week sounds great! I wish that was my plan as well. Have a great trip. I hope your sickness is completely gone by the time you leave.

We were glad, too. We would have had some explaining to do if she didn't see him, because she was very sure she was going to.

My voice is almost all the way back. Now I'm in the deep cough and sniffle part. Throat's still sore. I suspect I'll have gone through all the stages and be done by Wednesday.



I have to stop and insert this here. If you're familiar with those Travel Channel Disney shows, the part came on where the Japanese (maybe?) guy comes on and says, "I sink I maybe believe in da Yati." I always think that's so cute.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled responses.

I am so excited for you Memom.. You guys are going to have a great time. I know you are going to miss the family... but you are going to make great new memories with Kay and still have the summer to look forward too.
I am hoping that Joe will at least hit two parks with me when we go on our very very very short trip in April... I don't mind going by myself, but I much rather have the company.

Kay and I will have fun, but yes, I will miss my kids and my little Brookie a LOT! I know I will get misty-eyed when I go to tape Nemo for her, but I will be excited to see her face when she watches her own special MeMom Productions video.

Since I only see Kay about three or four times a year for quick catch-up visits, it will be fun to share some friend time. We've known each other since we were teenagers!

MK favorite ride is POTC

We'll be in Magic Kingdom on Saturday, if we stick with the plan. I have written down in my plans to give you a birthday shout out!

****************************


A few pictures from Norway.

Sweet treats.

The Viking ship is no longer here. I read that it was in bad shape, so they removed it. We'll see if they build another one or just let it be a memory of the past.

Canadian storyteller.

All things Canadian.

Brooklynn was out when I met up with them.

We went down the path to Le Cellier to meet janloz and SwansLoveDisney.

We were the diversion for the kids as they waited on the grandparents who were coming to join them that they didn't know were coming to join them.

Here is a picture of some nice Dis people.

Brooklynn woke up and was not ready to, so she wasn't her normally friendly little self.

We talked for a few minutes, and Julie pointed out her husband, who was hiding safely away from her Dis friends.

Then came the big surprise. The grandparents came walking down the path.

You should have seen those sweet kids' faces! It was truly one of those magic moments. I get tears just thinking of it.

Sarah waved at first,

while Mark just tried to be cool.

Then they both walk/ran up to them and just melted in their arms.

The other grandmother had already been with them when they arrived, and she was so sweet, too. She told me that the kids just couldn't even talk about having left the other grandparents behind when they had discussed it at lunch, so this was a big deal for them!

I offered to take a picture of all of them together before we parted ways, and I was handed a very nice camera. I'm sure "Mr. janloz" thought I was crazy, because in the dark, it took me a minute to figure out that he didn't have it on where you could see it on the screen. Finally, I got my eye lined up with the right hole in the camera and prayed that I had them all in it. I think I did get everyone without cutting off heads.



Coming soon: Candlelight Processional.

 

[k_reile]

Memom: YOu asked you shall recieve!! Here is a picture I took of Caleb this morning that no other thread has (I posted the same pictures on a couple of other threads)

Here he is in his Indians onesie. He just looked to cute in it. I should have taken a picture of him this AM in his buckeyes t-shirt but he threw up on it before I could. He's ok...just acid reflux STILL!!