Planning our Wilderness Lodge Adventure! Nov 8-15 ~ We are back!

[John's Mom]

Great pictures of your family and friends! Congrats on your 7 pound weight loss. My vacation is in December, and I can't seem to get started on my diet.

 

[CJsMom]

I'm caught up! Sounds like a great trip so far! Congrats on the 7 lbs.!

 

[brookelizabeth]

No fair! All that talk about food, and no food porn. I'm calling trip report foul!::cop:

Did you purchase any Disney kleenex?

I know! As I typed it, I couldn't believe I didn't have pictures to share. The only food porn I took was the beloved Frickles and one upcoming. During our trip last year DH complained that I was always taking pictures of him eating, so I avoided it this year...I gotta remember to take them BEFORE we dive in!

No, I didn't purchase any Kleenex...our bags were STUFFED to the brim, so we had to limit all purchases. Shoes took priority. Sarah; however, did purchase a few things, including the b00b stressball, which she gave as a gag gift to a mutual friend. I have a pic of those, but seriously, it's distrubing!

Great pictures of your family and friends! Congrats on your 7 pound weight loss. My vacation is in December, and I can't seem to get started on my diet.

Thank you! I'm doing Weight Watchers, it has really helped me get a kick start and watch what I'm stuffing into my mouth.

I'm caught up! Sounds like a great trip so far! Congrats on the 7 lbs.!

Glad you caught up! And thank you for the congrats.

 

[thewesterberg]

The pictures from Brooklyn Botanical Gardens - beautiful! So that's what spring looks like!!

Congrats on the weight loss! Way to go!

 

[brookelizabeth]

The pictures from Brooklyn Botanical Gardens - beautiful! So that's what spring looks like!!

Congrats on the weight loss! Way to go!

Ya, we got a glimpse of it on our vacation! It was so cold here last week wasn't it?! At least yesterday and today have been nice though.

And, thank you!!

 

[brookelizabeth]

06-01-2008 - The big change...

I'm changing the name today....and after some brainstorming, I'm going with simple and direct:

"Planning our Wilderness Lodge adventure! Nov. 9-15 ~ Current topic"

And today Henry is 9 months old! I started this PTR when he was only 5 months old! It's so hard to believe how quickly time goes by.

I also realized today I forgot to call Disney back and make that Yak and Yeti ADR because they didn't do the 180+10 deal. I hope we can still get in.

 

[brookelizabeth]

06-03-2008 - NYC TR con'td

The next day we woke up bright and early and were on the streets by 8:00 am! YA, RIGHT! We got a veryyyy late start this day, being that I insisted we get Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast, and Henry fell alseep for his nap early, so we ended up having donuts for breakfast at 11:30 am! Ah, gotta love vacation, huh?

We decided that since it was so late already, we would wait for Sarah to get off work and then head to the Met since it had been closed on Monday.

Here is one of my favorite pics of Henry we took while waiting for Sarah. Diana, we LOVE that hat!

I just love the Met. I love art and I love old buildings. It's so fansinating being in there. I made sure to show Henry Monet, Picaso, and Cezanne. Gotta hit some of those big famous names!

On the rooftop there was a really interesting exhibit called "Balloon Dog" by Jeff Koons.

(It was a metal structure)

Here is a fun picture of our family reflected in the Balloon Dog:

This one was called "Coloring Book". Koons had taken a picture of PIGLET and kinda warped it using computer software, blended the colors and then took out the lines. Then, obviously, made it into a giant plastic structure. Here again is my family and Sarah, reflecting in the art:

The views up there were awesome...

Back inside we wandered around the Egyptian art, here is Henry in the pryamid:

Some hyriglypics (I so cannot spell that word!)

And more Egyptian art...

We ended up shutting the place down and still had so much to cover...guess we'll have to go back!

After the Met, Sarah went off to dance class while Joe, Henry and I headed to Queens to meet up with some friends for dinner at their apartment. On the way I saw a sleeping peep that made me think of Jordan from the DIS.

I regret not taking any pictures at our friends' apartment, they have an adorable little 5 month old boy, and their little girl is 4.5 and talking a mile a minute! It was wonderful to see them... We stayed at their place pretty late, just chatting and enjoying the time.

Next up...The zoo and Times Square!

 

[thewesterberg]

06-03-2008 - NYC TR con'td

WHAT A CUTIE!!

That's cool - reminds me of the "bean" in Chicago.

Everything you've done looks like so much fun - I've never been there and have always wanted to. After reading about and seeing pictures of your trip, you've totally renewed my want to go to NYC!

 

[brookelizabeth]

06-06-2008 - My hubby is so sweet...

Today is my 29th birthday. My DH planned a little trip for us in celebration. We are headed down to the Twin Cities and staying overnight at a hotel and then spending all day tomorrow at Valleyfair (which is like a small 6 Flags)!! Henry is staying with Grandma, which I'm sure both Grandma and Henry will loooooove. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with DH - just he and I hangin' out.

So...I'll try to post another piece of the NYC TR on Sunday, and then it's back to Disney, Disney, Disney! Time is flying by...only 156 days!

 

[RachelTori]

06-06-2008 - My hubby is so sweet...

Today is my 29th birthday. My DH planned a little trip for us in celebration. We are headed down to the Twin Cities and staying overnight at a hotel and then spending all day tomorrow at Valleyfair (which is like a small 6 Flags)!! Henry is staying with Grandma, which I'm sure both Grandma and Henry will loooooove. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with DH - just he and I hangin' out.

So...I'll try to post another piece of the NYC TR on Sunday, and then it's back to Disney, Disney, Disney! Time is flying by...only 156 days!

Happy Birthday, brookelizabeth!

Great pictures of NYC - my original hometown!

Have a great time in the Twin Cities! (very sweet of your DH!)

I have many happy memories of Valley Fair - when my son (now grown and recently married!) was a preteen and that was his favorite place! (we lived in St. Boni/Waconia back then!)

 

[thewesterberg]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

arty:​

Have fun in the Cities and at Valleyfair!

 

[John's Mom]

Brook!

 

[stagemomx3]

Happy Birthday!

 

[CJsMom]

06-06-2008 - My hubby is so sweet...

Today is my 29th birthday. My DH planned a little trip for us in celebration. We are headed down to the Twin Cities and staying overnight at a hotel and then spending all day tomorrow at Valleyfair (which is like a small 6 Flags)!! Henry is staying with Grandma, which I'm sure both Grandma and Henry will loooooove. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with DH - just he and I hangin' out.

So...I'll try to post another piece of the NYC TR on Sunday, and then it's back to Disney, Disney, Disney! Time is flying by...only 156 days!

Happy Birthday!!

 

[blueeyesrnc]

05-13-2008 - ADRs are DONE!...almost

This morning I woke up to my sons hand on my lips, I opened my eyes and he grinned at me. It was one of the most pleasant ways to wake up! We usually don't let him sleep with us, but it's vacation, and makes it easy... so we lay in bed for a while and chit chat about breakfast and what the day holds for us. Then I realize IT'S 10:00 AM! I NEED TO MAKE OUR ADRs!! I flew out of bed and grabbed the computer to look up all our info....and the internet decides not to work. See, at my friends apartment she gets free internet from her work, which is literally across the street, so the connection isn't the greatest and poops out often. So, I reboot the computer while hubby brings in coffee and muffins-I get distracted with the warm deliciousness...then finally get online and get the info and start booking away.

We got everything we wanted with no problem!

The only thing is that Yak & Yeti doesn't do the 180+10 day deal...so I have to call back in 2 days again. No biggee, I like being told "Have a Magical Day!"

The other sorta weird thing is that with the Fantasmic package at Mama Melrose (or possibly all the places that do the package?) they only take dinner reservations until 4:00 pm. So we are doing an earlier lunch at 50's Prime Time and then an early dinner at Mama Melrose. Chances are we'll still be stuffed from Pot Roast and Smores, but it's vacation, we'll stuff it in.

Here is the plan:

Arrival Day - Sunday, November 9:
Dinner: 'Ohana - 5:30 pm

Magic Kingdom Day - Monday, November 10:
Breakfast: Boma - 9:40 am
GARDEN ROOM TEA!!!! - 3:50 pm

Animal Kingdom Day - Tuesday, November 11:
Lunch: Yak & Yeti, AK - Gotta call back

No parks day - Wednesday, November 12:
Dinner: Whispering Canyon Cafe - 5:30 pm

Hollywood Studios Day - Thursday, November 13:
Lunch: 50's Prime Time - 11:00 am
Dinner: Mama Melrose - Fantasmic package 3:30 pm

Epcot Day - Friday, November 14:
Dinner: LeCellier - 5:25 pm

Going home day - Saturday, November 15:
Breakfast: Kona - 10:00 am

Only 180 days until we arrive!

Okay, I gotta fly before DH's head starts to spin... Today we are off to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens!

Great ADR's. It's so much fun seeing plans come to fruition.

05-21-2008 - Food, glorious, glorious food!

Just a quickie update. On Monday, our first day back home from our Chicago/NYC trip, I joined Weight Watchers. I have never been on an official diet ever in my life, I haven't been thin since high school, but I was never very heavy either.

Then pregnancy happened.

Then I had a 10 pound baby!

So, I haven't been able to shed the last 15 I gained during pregnancy, and I would like to loose some beyond that. My ultimate goal is to loose 40 pounds by our WDW trip. I would be at my ideal weight and be back down to what I was when I was in my early years of college.

I'm on Day 3 and doing pretty well! But, it's only Day 3. So far I like Weight Watchers because I can have what I want, just smaller quanities of it, and/or I have to sacrafice something else later on to balance out my points for the day. I feel like I'm always eating something little, which I know is good for my metabolism. And I've learned my weakness is fried food. I can pass up cake no problem. I only like cheese on and in certain things and can easily do without it. But give me some french fries NOW, and top that with some chicken strips!

In Disney I will eat what I want, and how much I want. No diet applies at Disney, as I've learned here on the DIS, that all the foods are fat and calorie free when eaten at the World.

That's wonderful. Keep up the good work. I'm on a low carb diet and have lost 25 pounds so far. Feels good to see the weight coming off.

Love all those adorable pics of Henry. He is so very cute. Love your TR. Sounds like lots of fun.

Hope you had a wonderful birthday. Happy belated birthday.

 

[brookelizabeth]

Happy Birthday, brookelizabeth!

Great pictures of NYC - my original hometown!

Have a great time in the Twin Cities! (very sweet of your DH!)

I have many happy memories of Valley Fair - when my son (now grown and recently married!) was a preteen and that was his favorite place! (we lived in St. Boni/Waconia back then!)

Oh my goodness! I had NO idea you were born in NYC, nor did I know you lived in St Boni/Waconia! We live in Hutchinson!!! No joke! lol Wow-what a smaaaaaaaaaaall world. You've lived all over the place, haven't you?

​

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!​

arty:​

Have fun in the Cities and at Valleyfair!

Brook!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!!

Thank you, thank you!

Great ADR's. It's so much fun seeing plans come to fruition.

Yes, it is!

That's wonderful. Keep up the good work. I'm on a low carb diet and have lost 25 pounds so far. Feels good to see the weight coming off.

Love all those adorable pics of Henry. He is so very cute. Love your TR. Sounds like lots of fun.

Hope you had a wonderful birthday. Happy belated birthday.

Thank you! The diet is going pretty well, I didn't loose anything last week, but, didn't gain either! I am doing it all pretty well and while it may come off slowly, this is a "diet" I can stick to, so the weight will stay off once it's gone. Congratulations to you as well on your weight loss! I have a very good friend who does a low-carb life (the "Lean for Life" program) and she has lost 40 pounds. I would miss my carbs oh-so much, but it really works well for a lot of people!

 

[brookelizabeth]

06-10-2008 - A picture report of my Birthday Trip (okay, a few words!)

The sitting area of our room - it was BIG, but not overlly clean (thankfully the sheets were, I inspected!)

The pool area was very nice, my picture was not though; however, there was a "Tatoo Parlor" in the arcade:

Our dinner was DELICIOUS. We ate at a steakhouse called "Wildfire" and my DH reminded me halfway through the meal to take a picture...sorry things are half eaten...

DH's peppercorn filet mingon with the most incredible baked potato ever, I have no idea what they do to them, but WOW, good stuff:

My horseradish crusted filet mingon with a BBQ roasted sweet potato that melted in my mouth:

My birthday dessert - chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate sauce. I'm not a big chocolate person, but this was FANTASTIC!

Ahhh-dessert and a perfect cup of coffee...I LOVE dessert and coffee! Especially good coffee and theirs was wonderful!

Me after our yummy meal!

In the parking lot, the smallest car I have ever seen in my life:

The next morning, breakfast at the hotel-it was quite a spread, I was very impressed! Sorry again about the bite taken out, I was soooo hungry:

When we got to Valleyfair, we had a fantastic time - the lines were very, very short - some rides we could just walk right onto! I'll show you the food first...

Lunch was at "Coasters", a 50's style cafe with burgers and hotdogs. DH got a "Renegade Burger" (named after their newest coaster) which was basically a cheeseburger with the works and a hint of BBQ sauce. I got a basic cheeseburger and we shared fries and a vanilla shake.

The shake was very good!

And what did this meal cost us? Remember, 2 cheeseburgers, fries, a shake and a Diet Pepsi...

$26.10!!!!! All well, we budgeted for it!

And for the last food pics of our day at Valleyfair...the infamous Cheese On a Stick.

Everyone has gotta love Cheese on a Stick.

But wait! I don't!

The horror! A Minnesota girl not like cheese?!

Yes, it's true. And despite it coming on a stick, the last time I had this grease bomb, I recoiled in disgust.

But, no matter what the day is like at Valleyfair, there is always, always a high demand for Cheese on a Stick. Just take a look at this guy, contemplating with his wife what kind they should get:

DH got a Pepper jack.

It smelled really good.

And obviously we had destroyed our diet for the day (which we planned to!)....aw heck, I'll give it a try.

And to my amazement....

It was GOOD! Very good!

So, I conformed. Here I am with my very first Cheese on a Stick. Despite not liking cheese, this is very good (not sure I'd like any flavor but Pepper Jack though-the peppers disguise the taste of the cheese a bit!)

Alright - I have a few ride pics to share, and a couple random ones-but they will have to wait until tomorrow...I'm very sleepy...

Then it's back to NYC TR...will we ever get back to Disney? Yes, yes we will - it's never far from my mind or heart!

 

[stagemomx3]

Love the tattoo parlor! The food looks so yummy.

 

[stagemomx3]

By the way I did get confused since you changed the title! It wasn't until I saw the picture of you that I knew which pre-trip report I was reading!

 

[Mocharilla]

Happy late birthday, first of all!

Second of all, I love Coasters, but yeah, it's RIDICULOUS in price. Valleyfair is owner by Cedar Fair (the Cedar Point people), who also own Michigan's Adventure, which is about an hour north of us. In fact, we'll be there this Saturday! Yay! We're also thinking, and this is crazy, that since we're flying out of Detroit when we go to Disney, we might take a detour and add an extra day and do Cedar Point. Last year, both sucked for me, since I was pregnant.

ANYWAYS, back to the point, yeah, Coasters is rediculous in price.

Your trip looked like so much fun!