Planning is half the fun... counting down to our fabulous return!

[jensen]

It will have been 3 years since our last visit to the world and I'm bursting at the seams with excitement over booking. But, we are going to wait and tell the kids at Christmas, so I've decided to come here and share my excitement by writing my very first pre-trip report.

The crew consists of Ben (DS11), Paul (DH), Me (Marie) and Anne (DD8). We are booked at AS Music from January 23-31, 2012 taking advantage of the free QS dining plan.

We live in the midwest and look forward all year to our family vacation to get away from the cold and snow.

We did DisneyWorld several years in a row and then headed to California for Disneyland. Last year, we skipped Disney altogether and we regretted it, so we are anxious to get back and experience the magic!

I'm usually an OCD planner, making list upon list... pouring over schedules and menus... booking and re-booking ADRs. This time, DH really wants to go with the flow and let the fun find us... but PLANNING IS HALF THE FUN!

So, we'll see how much planning I can get away with...

Join me here as I count down to our fabulous return!

Chapters:
Get to know us better...
The "non-plan" so far...
KOTS Club
Reliving the Memories
Your Delta Itinerary Has Changed
2 months and counting...
Adults Only Vacation

 

[jensen]

Ben is our gentle giant. He's in the 5th grade at Catholic school. He looks just like his dad and has his mother's personality. His loves are reading and football. Recently he started hunting with his Dad and he seems to enjoy that, though I suspect that the extra time with Dad is what he really loves.

Anne is the light of our lives. She's the happiest child I know, always laughing and singing and dancing. She loves drawing and stuffed animals and dolls. And she adores her older brother.

She's in the second grade and loves school. She's a good student, but the social interaction is what is really important to her. Everyone is her best friend.

Paul is the love of my life. We've been together since High School. He makes me laugh and indulges my passions... especially my love of Disney.

He works with my father in our family construction business where he runs heavy equipment. He works long hours, so we don't get to spend enough time with him, but the time we do get is filled with laughter and fun. The kids run to the door when they hear him coming home.

His guy time is spent hunting and fishing. And he loves hanging with friends. But, time spent with his family is what is really important to him.

I'm a typical, busy mom. I work part-time in sales & marketing. And I'm very involved in community organizations and city government. A few years ago, I founded a non-profit group with some friends and my involvement grew from there. Today I serve on the City Council and on the Board of Directors of a non-profit, low-income housing group.

Some days I wonder how I'll fit it all in, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[MarineVet]

Planning is half the fun! My last three trips were planned ahead, but my boss would not actually approve my leave request until two days before my trip, each and every time. So I couldn't let myself get too excited, for fear of such a big disappointment if she cancelled my trip. I never really knew I could go until the last minute. Now I work elsewhere and they have approved my December trip to WDW with no problem. I am an uber-planner like you are and I enjoy having a plan, although it may change upon arrival.

Enjoy your planning, but how are you gonna keep the secret all the way till Christmas? I think my excitement would leak out somewhere along the way!

 

[jensen]

We've always stayed at values in the past and this time will be no exception. I seriously looked into going mod this time, but the price difference was over $500 and I couldn't justify the expense for a place that we sleep.

Last time we stayed at ASMu, we got lucky and were assigned a free upgrade to a family suite. We won't count on it to happen again, but we'll say a few prayers for extra pixie dust again this time.

We've always done the regular dining plan on our visits, but DH said "No more". It was always way too much food (last time we did Cindy's and HDD just to use up credits - and still had some left over). Plus, we hated being tied to ADRs and the new system is going to be even more restrictive with having to cancel at least 24 hours in advance. So, we think the free QSDP is going to work out great for us.

We LOVE Wolfgang Puck, so as long as we can get that, we'll be happy.

Another request by DH was no more princess dresses and autograph books. DD is getting past the princess phase anyway, so I don't suppose she'll mind... it'll probably be harder on me.

Right now, our schedule looks like this:

MONDAY Vacation begins!
We fly out at 3PM on Monday with an arrival in Orlando at 9PM. We'll pray that a blizzard doesn't hit to slow us down! DH will take the day off and will pack the van with all the luggage, pick me up from work at about 1:30 and then we'll pick the kids up from school before heading to the airport. The airport is in our town (about 10 minutes from our house) so, we don't have to worry about a long drive.

On other trips, we've driven to another town for cheaper flights, but we are using miles for this trip, so we get to leave from home. That will be really great!

We have a short layover in Minneapolis and then arrive in Orlando at 9PM. We always rent a car (we stay value, but HATE the bus transportation), so we'll pick that up and head to our resort arriving about 10 PM. Just in time for a quick bite and then off to unpack and settle in.

TUESDAY
We'll be up bright and early for rope-drop at MK on Tuesday morning. We always start and end our trips at MK.

We'll probably spend the whole day there... ending the day with wishes - our favorite fireworks display!

WEDNESDAY
This day we will head over to DHS. DS is anxious to check out the new Star Tours (did I mention that he is a Star Wars nut?) I think he could recite all of the movies to you word for word.

DD cannot wait to ride Rock 'n Rollercoaster. It's the only ride she was too small for last time. And that is the only coaster that we can get DH on. He's deathly afraid of heights and the ones with the click, click, click going up freak him out. He loves RNR because it doesn't do that.

I'm hoping I can get all of them back on Tower of Terror. They did it with me last time, but they all hated it. DD likes to tell the story about how she was so scared that when she opened her mouth to scream, no sound came out.

I cannot find a calendar that tells us whether we'll be able to catch Fantasmic this evening or if we'll have to come back another day. Last time, we didn't even see it. I'm not the biggest fan of this show, so now that they've made it so you have to wait in long lines to watch it, I'm less inclined to make the effort. I'd rather go watch wishes again.

Wednesday has historically been our Animal Kingdom day. AK evening extra magic hours used to always fall on Wednesday. But, the calendar is only showing morning EMH during the week are there. If the calendar happens to change, we'll change our plans as AK evening EMH is my absolute favorite thing to do. There is something so special about the way they lit that park up for night. It's amazing!!!

THURSDAY
Today we'll head to Epcot. By this time in the week, we might take a mid-day break and head back to the resort for some pool time. We usually take at least two days at Epcot, so we might head back here after our break or go to another park... I'm thinking maybe MK.

FRIDAY
Today we'll head to Animal Kingdom. After AK closes, we'll head back to Epcot for the evening to watch Illuminations and take advantage of evening EMH here.

SATURDAY
This day we might head over to the coast and hit the beach... and avoid the weekend crowds at the parks. We always like to do this one day during our trips. We look at the weather and pick whichever day is supposed to be the best to go. So, once again, this will likely change.

SUNDAY
Today we'll start doing things over... at this point, we make a list of the things we've missed that we really want to do and spend partial days at the parks just doing what it is that we really want to do.

Monday Our last day.
We'll continue our park hopping, ending the day at MK to watch wishes one last time. If we are feeling up to it, we'll head over to DHS to catch the last hour or so of EMH and ride the Tower of Terror in the dark!!!

I'll also have to find some time in this day to run back to the room and pack.

Tuesday Heading Home!
Our flight leaves at 7:30 am on Tuesday, so we'll have to be up and out of the hotel by about 5:30 Tuesday morning. DH is a nervous nelly when it comes to airports in other cities. He likes to arrive 2 hours before our flight and sit around the airport... just in case. I like to stay at the hotel as long as possible... how wants to sit around in an airport? Really?

Hopefully we'll have enough credits left to grab a quick breakfast at the resort before we leave. Does anyone know what time the food court opens for breakfast at ASMu?

OK, I've spent far too much time on here today... so, I better get moving. I have to finish some last minute Halloween details.

Have fun tonight everyone!

 

[jensen]

Planning is half the fun! My last three trips were planned ahead, but my boss would not actually approve my leave request until two days before my trip, each and every time. So I couldn't let myself get too excited, for fear of such a big disappointment if she cancelled my trip. I never really knew I could go until the last minute. Now I work elsewhere and they have approved my December trip to WDW with no problem. I am an uber-planner like you are and I enjoy having a plan, although it may change upon arrival.

Enjoy your planning, but how are you gonna keep the secret all the way till Christmas? I think my excitement would leak out somewhere along the way!

Thanks for being my first subscriber!

I don't even really have to ask my boss if I can take the time off. I work in a small office and we have a calendar where we mark the time that we plan to take. Whoever gets there first gets the time off. Luckily, I'm the only person who really plans winter vacations.

Keeping the secret until Christmas may be hard... we'll see.

 

[jensen]

There used to be a thread on here... KEEPER OF THE SECRET Club. I haven't seen it in a while... but, it was a great outlet for helping to keep the surprise a secret.

We've done surprise trips twice in the past.

The first time our kids were really little and keeping the secret wasn't a problem at all, but the surprise didn't quite turn out as planned...

DD was in pre-school and DS was in first grade. As usual, I spent a whole week packing, but I did it all in my bedroom and managed to keep the kids out of my room all week. On the morning we were to leave, we told DS that Daddy had to pick something up at the airport before we dropped him at school. When we arrived at the airport, I asked the kids if they wanted to go watch the planes while Daddy picked his stuff up. While we were watching the planes, Daddy was really unloading the bags and checking us in for the flight.

Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) showed up at the airport to see us off, but the kids still didn't know what was going on. When DH finished checking in, he came and found us. We were asking the kids if they thought it would be fun to get on the airplane... would they like to get on the airplane... where would we go if we got on the plane (DisneyWorld, of course, was their answer)... should we do it?

I was expecting all kinds of excitement

That's not what we got.

DS started getting all nervous and asking weird questions... what will we wear? Who will tell his teacher? What if the airplane isn't going to DisneyWorld? He was practically in tears.

We assured him that Grandma and Grandpa would pack our luggage and send it to us... they would tell his teacher.... we were sure the plane would take us to DisneyWorld. He still DIDN'T WANT TO GO! We had to practically drag him onto the plane... and he was totally stressed out during the whole flight. Certainly NOT the reaction we were expecting.

I think his stress finally subsided when we arrived back to our room that evening and our bags had arrived via Magical Express.

It turned out to be an amazing vacation, but the rocky start taught me that a total surprise trip was not a good idea. Besides, PLANNING IS HALF THE FUN!

So, the next time we did a surprise trip, we told them at Christmas. I got a huge box and papered the inside of it with Disney gift wrap. Then I filled it with things we take on our trips - toys and dresses and autograph books, Disney maps, our itinerary, a countdown chain, etc.. The finishing touch was a bunch of helium filled balloons. When they opened the box on Christmas morning, the balloons popped out and they saw all the Disney stuff. They knew immediately what it meant. And we spent the next few weeks planning together and getting excited for our vacation.

That was a MUCH better surprise and I'll do something similar this year.

So, what kinds of things have you done to surprise your kids with a Disney trip? I'd love your suggestions for help planning my next surprise!

 

[Siteseer]

My wife makes the actual plans. My fun comes from taunting our school nurse who is also a Disney Freak like I am. I show her Google Earth pictures of all the parks. I show her wait times from my Magic Guide App. I tell her to get out her credit card and dial 407WDISNEY. Today I told her 2 days 14 hours 22 mins 8 seconds.

She and her family are going over Easter.
WE are going Friday.


SHE told me about this web site. SHE reads this all the time! When you see this Sherry can you figure out who this is? hehehehehe

 

[jensen]

My wife makes the actual plans. My fun comes from taunting our school nurse who is also a Disney Freak like I am. I show her Google Earth pictures of all the parks. I show her wait times from my Magic Guide App. I tell her to get out her credit card and dial 407WDISNEY. Today I told her 2 days 14 hours 22 mins 8 seconds.

She and her family are going over Easter.
WE are going Friday.


SHE told me about this web site. SHE reads this all the time! When you see this Sherry can you figure out who this is? hehehehehe

Friday! I am sooo jealous! Are you doing a trip report? I'd love to read it!

Thanks for jumping in here... when you return, I'll probably have lots of questions for you to help me plan our visit.

 

[jensen]

I've just been looking through old photos from past trips to relive the memories. It's amazing to think how much the kids have changed through the years and how much our trips to Disney have played into their lives. They were practically babies the first time we took them to the "world".

DS was 4 1/2 in that photo and DD was only 16 months. That really was our very best trip... everything was so new and magical to us. I hope I never forget.

Our second trip was just one year later.

This is really the first one that Ben remembers... he will bring things up about it all of the time. And Anne was a bit of a pill on this trip... terrible twos were hitting. But, it was still magical.

We went again in 2007... this was the surprise trip that nearly backfired.

But, boy did we have fun.

Then we skipped a year at Disney because Paul and I celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary with a trip to Europe... maybe I'll post about that in the future.

But, we were back in 2009.

The following year (2010) we decided to diversify our Disney experience and went to West to hit Disneyland instead.

That was a lot of fun, but there is just something so special about Walt Disney World. I think it's the experience that allows you to totally immerse yourselves in the magic. In California, we stayed at one of the hotels across the street - awesome hotel with a Matterhorn view room - but, it wasn't Disney, you know?

Maybe that's a discussion for a future post, too...

Anyway, it's fun to relive the memories to help get in the mood for planning this trip. What else do you do to help get in the Disney mood... besides hang out here?

 

[SheaBear]

Joining in to hear all about it. I'm trying to live vicariously through anyone I can. My last trip to the WDW was last year in June and next one won't be till June 2013. Which the planning has already begun (I'm the planner of the group and love every second of it)... kind of have to start planning with close to 25 people scared1: I know right) interested in going for a special little girls 5th birthday and first trip.

Looking forward to the kids surprise on Christmas morning and even more so the trip.

 

[jensen]

YES! This is the email I've been waiting for!!!

I know, I know... typically a changed itinerary is a bad thing. But, you see, I was booking my flights using miles instead of dollars, so I ended up with flights that weren't perfect. I booked those flights with my fingers crossed that Delta would change the itinerary (they've been doing a lot of that lately). And I knew if they did, I'd be able to talk them into moving me to the flights I really wanted.

And... I did!!

The change to our itinerary was only a little one... they moved our return flight up from a 7:30 am departure to a 7:00 am departure. I didn't fret a bit, though. Because I knew I just had to ask nicely and they'd cave... they always do. I had the same good fortune on our last trip to Disney... flying United that time.

Now, instead of leaving at 7:00 am with two connections (one in Atlanta and the other in Minneapolis), we are leaving at 10:00 am with only one connection in MSP and still arriving home by 2:30 pm.

This was a real blessing for us, because now we'll be able to get a full night's sleep, eat breakfast AND still make it to the airport with DHs required 2 hour notice!!! I cannot wait to tell him!

Who else has had good luck with changed connections resulting in a better vacation experience?

 

[jensen]

Joining in to hear all about it. I'm trying to live vicariously through anyone I can. My last trip to the WDW was last year in June and next one won't be till June 2013. Which the planning has already begun (I'm the planner of the group and love every second of it)... kind of have to start planning with close to 25 people scared1: I know right) interested in going for a special little girls 5th birthday and first trip.

Looking forward to the kids surprise on Christmas morning and even more so the trip.

Thanks for joining the party, Shea! I'm just like you. I've spent the past two years getting my Disney fix by pouring over other people's trip reports. I especially love to see lots of photos... so, I'm going to try to do that with mine.

I've never planned a group trip. Will it be family or friends? I've got a large family and I've mentioned doing a big family trip to Disney, but none of them are interested... which is just fine with DH. He says we do enough with my family, DisneyWorld is just for us.

Tell us more about the special little girl who is turning 5!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Hi there...joining in on the surprise fun! We have surprised our DD's twice before as well, and with varying results. First time we woke them up really early and had them open a big box wrapped in Disney paper with huge mylar mickey and minnie balloons. They were so dazed and confused that they really didn't get it. But they were so excited once the fog lifted. The older one kept saying..."Pinch me". The second time we told them on Christmas and they were like..."Next time tell us on the day we leave." WHAT?!! You kids are nuts!! It was pretty funny...they of course were very thankful, though.

This time we will be telling them the day of and I'm pretty sure at the airport. Our flight is late enough that we can just pile them in the car without them caring where we are going and we can just end up at the airport.

Can't wait to read along!!

 

[SheaBear]

Thanks for joining the party, Shea! I'm just like you. I've spent the past two years getting my Disney fix by pouring over other people's trip reports. I especially love to see lots of photos... so, I'm going to try to do that with mine.

I've never planned a group trip. Will it be family or friends? I've got a large family and I've mentioned doing a big family trip to Disney, but none of them are interested... which is just fine with DH. He says we do enough with my family, DisneyWorld is just for us.

Tell us more about the special little girl who is turning 5!

The story of Katrina...

Katrina, currently 3, has been brought up to love Disney and knows that when she is this many ::holds up 5 fingers:: she will be going to WDW. She is my "niece". She is actually the niece of my best friend, Kim, of nearly 18 years. Having been 7 when we met, we have come to merge our families together. My family hers and her family mine. Her sister Kat, Katrina's mom, is much like my sister, and being that we are less than a year apart in age, we too have become very close friends.

About 5 years ago when we were 20, Katherine found out she had cysts on her ovaries, which I know is quite common. But because of this development they also found an abnormal mass growing on her cervix. She underwent radiation for a cancerous tumor, and told that the radiation will most likely destroy her chance of having kids. Devastating when she had just met Chris, who on numerous occasions stated he wanted to marry her and settle down.

Well miracle! Kat found out she was pregnant with a little baby girl a little more than a year later. Katrina is the first grandchild all the way around, and she truly is what we call a miracle!

In May of this year, just about a month before Katrina's 3rd birthday, Kat began to become very sick, and start spiking fevers. She spent the entire summer going to doctors to find out what was wrong. In August, Kat was diagnosed with Stage III cervical cancer. She has been undergoing Chemo and Radiation for the past 6 weeks. And there is now "no possibiliy" of her ever having kids again. So Katrina is Kat's miracle baby, her one and only. And thinking about this trip for her daughter is what gives Kat the stength everyday to get up and not allow the sickness to take over. I mean seriously, we have a huge vacation to plan.

But in regarding who is going on this trip, it is technically a mixture of friends and family, but really just "family" and will be 4 generations.

 

[jensen]

Hi there...joining in on the surprise fun! We have surprised our DD's twice before as well, and with varying results. First time we woke them up really early and had them open a big box wrapped in Disney paper with huge mylar mickey and minnie balloons. They were so dazed and confused that they really didn't get it. But they were so excited once the fog lifted. The older one kept saying..."Pinch me". The second time we told them on Christmas and they were like..."Next time tell us on the day we leave." WHAT?!! You kids are nuts!! It was pretty funny...they of course were very thankful, though.

This time we will be telling them the day of and I'm pretty sure at the airport. Our flight is late enough that we can just pile them in the car without them caring where we are going and we can just end up at the airport.

Can't wait to read along!!

How old are your girls? I think it was so much easier keeping the secret when mine were younger. Now that they are old enough that we can have real conversations about planning and not just childish chatter, I WANT to talk with them about it. Because our love for Disney has grown-up together, they "get it" more than my family and friends ever will.

I guess that's why I started this PTR... so, I can at least share it with like-minded people like you. So, thanks for joining! I'm excited to share with you!

 

[jensen]

The story of Katrina...

Katrina, currently 3, has been brought up to love Disney and knows that when she is this many ::holds up 5 fingers:: she will be going to WDW. She is my "niece". She is actually the niece of my best friend, Kim, of nearly 18 years. Having been 7 when we met, we have come to merge our families together. My family hers and her family mine. Her sister Kat, Katrina's mom, is much like my sister, and being that we are less than a year apart in age, we too have become very close friends.

About 5 years ago when we were 20, Katherine found out she had cysts on her ovaries, which I know is quite common. But because of this development they also found an abnormal mass growing on her cervix. She underwent radiation for a cancerous tumor, and told that the radiation will most likely destroy her chance of having kids. Devastating when she had just met Chris, who on numerous occasions stated he wanted to marry her and settle down.

Well miracle! Kat found out she was pregnant with a little baby girl a little more than a year later. Katrina is the first grandchild all the way around, and she truly is what we call a miracle!

In May of this year, just about a month before Katrina's 3rd birthday, Kat began to become very sick, and start spiking fevers. She spent the entire summer going to doctors to find out what was wrong. In August, Kat was diagnosed with Stage III cervical cancer. She has been undergoing Chemo and Radiation for the past 6 weeks. And there is now "no possibiliy" of her ever having kids again. So Katrina is Kat's miracle baby, her one and only. And thinking about this trip for her daughter is what gives Kat the stength everyday to get up and not allow the sickness to take over. I mean seriously, we have a huge vacation to plan.

But in regarding who is going on this trip, it is technically a mixture of friends and family, but really just "family" and will be 4 generations.

Oh my gosh, Shea, you made me cry. What a bittersweet story. I'll keep you and Kat in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[vermontgirl]

OH the fun! I'm reading along! Can't wait to hear more~I love it!

We have twin dd's that are 12, (surprise story) my brother died suddenly when the girls were 9yrs old needless to say my mother was devastated and was really struggling, me too, I wanted mom to have a little bit of joy! Mom had never been to Disney (we've been many times) so DH suggested that I take my mom and our dd's to the most magical place on earth to have some FUN! (I love him for that sweet gift) NO need to ask me twice! I talked with my mom and she agreed to go, so I was off to plan!! I decided to surprise the girls with this trip.....We picked dd's up from school, went to my mom's to watch the slide show that I had made from our previous trips....at the very end, I wrote something like "let's go get in the car and head to the airport right now....we're taking Grandma to Disney World! I expected more of a reaction, but they kept saying really, right now, what about school, is dad coming, and on and on the questions came. I finally had to say, "we really need to go get in the care, our flight leaves at 6p and we have to drive 1 1/2 hrs, ask me questions in the car! When they realized it was really happening, dd's were so excited and happy! Mom and I were crying for so many reasons! Anyway, the girls still talk about "the time we surprised them and took Grandma to Disney"

I can't wait to read more of your pre-trip! Thanks for letting me re-live that moment! It allowed me to go to my happy place in my head for a bit!

 

[jensen]

OH the fun! I'm reading along! Can't wait to hear more~I love it!

We have twin dd's that are 12, (surprise story) my brother died suddenly when the girls were 9yrs old needless to say my mother was devastated and was really struggling, me too, I wanted mom to have a little bit of joy! Mom had never been to Disney (we've been many times) so DH suggested that I take my mom and our dd's to the most magical place on earth to have some FUN! (I love him for that sweet gift) NO need to ask me twice! I talked with my mom and she agreed to go, so I was off to plan!! I decided to surprise the girls with this trip.....We picked dd's up from school, went to my mom's to watch the slide show that I had made from our previous trips....at the very end, I wrote something like "let's go get in the car and head to the airport right now....we're taking Grandma to Disney World! I expected more of a reaction, but they kept saying really, right now, what about school, is dad coming, and on and on the questions came. I finally had to say, "we really need to go get in the care, our flight leaves at 6p and we have to drive 1 1/2 hrs, ask me questions in the car! When they realized it was really happening, dd's were so excited and happy! Mom and I were crying for so many reasons! Anyway, the girls still talk about "the time we surprised them and took Grandma to Disney"

I can't wait to read more of your pre-trip! Thanks for letting me re-live that moment! It allowed me to go to my happy place in my head for a bit!

Welcome! I love your surprise story! Doing a slideshow is a fun idea... maybe I'll do something like that. I was thinking about trying to do a treasure hunt, but I'm just sure DS will figure it out long before he gets to the end.

It's a surprise, but a fairly predictable one because we've surprised them a couple of times already... and because we've talked about going back, just never confirmed that we've booked the trip. So, I need to do something that will be exciting, but not drawn out.

I also love your use of smilies!!!! I'm going to have to make more of an effort to use them because they add so much to the story.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

How old are your girls? I think it was so much easier keeping the secret when mine were younger. Now that they are old enough that we can have real conversations about planning and not just childish chatter, I WANT to talk with them about it. Because our love for Disney has grown-up together, they "get it" more than my family and friends ever will.

I guess that's why I started this PTR... so, I can at least share it with like-minded people like you. So, thanks for joining! I'm excited to share with you!

My DD's are 11 and 7 and I totally agree that we love talking about our trips with the girls and that we are going to have a hard time keeping this one a secret!! Thankfully we have the dis and our friends here!!

 

[jensen]

I cannot believe it's only two months away! Where has the time gone? I feel like I have so much to plan and so little time to do it... but, life keeps getting in the way.

Things are crazy at our house right now... well, they have been this way for the past year. But, we are getting down to crunch time now. You see, we moved into a new house about a year ago. It's a "project house" which is my nice way of saying it's a fixer-upper.

It's kind of a long story, but I think you may be interested in it...

We've lived in this neighborhood for 10 years. Our best friends had just moved into the neighborhood and they didn't want us to leave, but our house was just too small. We weren't really looking, mostly talking about looking. But, our friends knew about this house in the neighborhood that they wanted us to check out. It was way, WAY out of our price range, but it had sat on the market for a very long time and our friends had heard rumblings that the owners were ready to dump it. So, they encouraged us to go take a look.

I called our friend who is a realtor and asked him to take me for a peek. I was immediately turned off by all the wallpaper (every room and even most ceilings); wall-to-wall mauve carpet; pink tile master bath; blue sink, toilet and tub in the kids bath; original boiler; bad shingles and NO central air. I said NO WAY.

But, DH was intrigued by the awesome floor plan, two fireplaces, glass-walled sunroom, unfinished basement (read man cave), all brick exterior.

He started working on me... saying it was perfect; perfect location, perfect size, perfect floor plan... he said we could never build a house like today... it does have great "bones". So finally I caved and agreed that we would buy it ONLY if we could take a big enough loan to do all of the necessary upgrades right away.

We put in a very low-ball offer (half the original asking price) and they took it.

It was a crazy couple of months, getting our old house ready for sale and buying this one. Luckily our old house sold really fast, but this house has been an ever bigger project than we anticipated.

For instance, we knew the shingles were bad... but, we didn't know that the roof was prone to ice dams until the ceiling in the kitchen started to drip in the middle of the winter. We had to tear out part of the ceiling to get at the offending area. Since the ceiling was already torn apart, I decided it was the perfect time to remove the kitchen soffits and put in recessed lighting... in order to do that, we had to remove the upper cabinets... once we got the upper cabinets, partially down, we realized that one of the walls was built around the cabinets, so that wall had to come down... then we found dry rott in the kitchen floor...

... you see how one thing has lead to the next?

Right now, we have all of the flooring on the entire first floor torn up, one entire stall of our garage full of wood flooring - waiting to be laid, wallpaper in the process of being removed in nearly every room in the house, three rooms in the process of being painted, kitchen ceiling with holes in it, kitchen cabinets sitting on garbage cans...

Do you remember my original list? The kitchen wasn't even on it! The kitchen was good.

Top it off that we've hired the slowest contractors known to man.

Our goal right now, is to have everything on our current list done by the time we leave for Walt Disney World in January... two months to go! Wish us luck!