Princess Phoebe's Pre-WISH-Trip Report (arriving in MK 4/17/10)

[Momofwishkid]

Melissa you are to funny Im the same way about taking an abundance of "free" things. It just feels wrong. Glad you got some alone shopping time.

 

[MaryAz]

P.S. Mary, if you haven't already mailed some, I *think* I've got all that I need. Thank you so much for offering to get them for me!

I am so sorry I did nto get on here and tell you I had got them. Sounds like you had a fun time though If you need anymore let me know. Glad you are feeling better.

 

[yinyanggirls]

Tonight we were invited to join our chapter of Make-A-Wish in a little holiday festivities. We picked up Phoebe's "Fairy Godmother" from work and then met up with the big group. They met at the entrance of a certain neighborhood in Tucson that goes crazy with lights, so crazy in fact, that they get corporate sponsorship from the local electric company and donate admission proceeds to various charities. We have lived in this area for 3 yrs and never heard of this before. It was really beautiful. Some houses were all-out obsessed and others were comparatively simple, but almost every single one had something on it. We got to take pics with Santa, which turned out horrible for some reason. My camera is really acting up and I'm hoping to have new one before our trip in April. I posted the best ones...

Tessa was nervous around Santa and wouldn't let me put her down. Phoebe clapped his hand with hers and grabbed his beard a lot.

Both girls really enjoyed the lights. Tessa asked a few times if Phoebe's Fairy Godmother was the same as Cinderella's and I said no, she has her own. Liz got a kick out of it. There were a ton of people there walking their dogs and the girls enjoyed that. Tessa got more excited about the dogs than the houses.

Tessa's favorite house was one that had a synchronized light and fountain show set to music. Every time I asked her to start walking again, she'd say "but Mom there's more music". Phoebe loved hearing the cloppity clop of the horsepulled wagons go by. They were wearing jingle bells, too, so it was especially festive.

I had to include this one even though it's blurry. Phoebe is always reaching out and grabbing whatever is close to her. With her visual impairment she uses touch, and taste, to explore most things. When Tessa is close she will often reach out and touch her hair or grab her clothes. We were watching the wagons go by (and I had just snapped the previous pic of them watching/listening to it) when Phoebe slowly reached out and grabbed Tessa's hood. She then quickly yanked it backwards toward her and Liz started busting up. It was pretty funny, but I think Liz was just getting used to our family dynamic and the girls' personalities. Phoebe can be feisty when she wants to!

Liz introduced us to a couple of the main people from our chapter, and I recognized their names from our paperwork. Everyone was super nice. I only wish we had gotten there a little earlier so that we could have met a few of the families. Once we got our Santa pic done, they started walking through the neighborhood and basically split up soon after. Everyone was really nice of course and the girls got a kick out of the goody bags and antler headbands they received. I also wish we had taken a pic with Liz. I'm glad we went and we'll definitely come again for a little holiday spirit. Maybe next year we'll ride on the wagon so Phoebe can listen to the horses the whole time.

 

[pipersmom]

Melissa..I swear every time I see a pic of your girls they get a little bit cuter k
You know what I noticed? *stifling laughter* Your cameras bad pics look the same as my good ones! Anyway..it looks like you guys had a really good time, I love how much you get out and do things with the girls.

 

[Momofwishkid]

It looks like you guys had fun. I love going around to the neighborhoods that go all out, of course I have never seen one that goes THAT far out that they charge admission. I bet the houses were amazing!

 

[Millie12591]

Anyway, I'm thinking what a horrible way to start the day, when suddenly I realized, I can stop at Home Depot and get some Mickey Heads!!!! My day was suddenly brighter, and that's when I realized I truly need an intervention! I'm addicted to DIS and our trip is still 4 months away! This will always brighten a day!!! Tee hee.

I drop Phoebe at school, only 15 mins late, and head back toward home with a growing smile on my face as I look for the HD exit. I'm off to Home Depot.
My excitement is growing by the second!!!

As I approach the HD parking lot, I get nervous. I see a cop. He's just idling in the HD parking lot and I don't know what he's doing or looking for.
HD head quarters tipped them off because of all the heists taken place.

As I've been perusing all the TRs and PTRs here I came across Jordan's. http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2342782 Jordan is a funny guy, from OC, CA and is in the same general age range as myself, so his reports are pretty entertaining as are his friends. Recently, Jordan made mention that his local HD was phasing out the Mickey Head style of paint sample cards. This started a pandemic of Mickey addicts who need their MH paint cards flooding their local HDs and nabbing all the cards they could get away with. Church-going Christians are using their children to help in the heists!
Whaaaaaaa?
FREEDOM MICKEY!!

I debated trying to get a picture of the cop car sitting out in front of the HD and was chuckling to myself over the irony, when the cop started cruising the aisles of the lot. I got nervous that maybe he saw me watching him and was suspicious of me now! So I choose a spot a couple of rows over and meander inside. Once inside I looked back out the doors and he's still cruising. You can see him here, behind the Handicapped signs.

I wonder if there really is an APB out for Mickey Heads?!
Probably

I'm already feeling guilty and I'm nowhere near the paint aisle! I find the Disney section and am relieved that they still have a full spectrum of Mickeys. It appears that they are keeping some colors on the MH, while others were fully stocked with regular cards.

Heaven.....I'm in heaven...

I nonchalantly read through all of the brochures and started picking out paint cards. Wouldn't you know that early morning mid-week, the paint counter is busy with lots of contractors? I calculated that 4 of each color would give me more than enough to countdown from Christmas (or shortly after) until our trip in April. I froze when I was about halfway done because I realized that the stack was getting quite large and I felt realllllllly uncomfortable putting it in my pocket. So I decided to put a smaller stack inside of a different Disney brochure, as if the colors went with that sample room. I carried them out in my hand right in front of an employee and no one minded a bit! Imagine!!! Now I just have to decide exactly how I want to arrange the countdown. Got to get it done before Christmas or it won't get done ever!

I love it! I'm glad you got your MHPC's without much trouble from the cops. Thank you for the story, it was fun to follow along.

I wanted to comment on the MAW Christmas shin-dig y'all went to....It looked like the girls really had a great time, and I loved the smile on your face in the Santa pictures. You look cute in a hat by the way.
It's really great MAW put this on for the kiddos and their families.
The girls are so beautiful Melissa, and it's fun to see the pictures of them growing, I swear they've grown from the first pictures shown here.

 

[yinyanggirls]

I just noticed our ticker says 4 months exactly. I know this is longer than some of you had for your entire prep, but I'm so excited! If I could only come up with a cute, easy, creative, durable countdown idea I'd be set!!!

 

[dawnbu40]

Hi! I just found your pre-TR through one of your postings on Piper's Pre-Tr.
Your girls are absolutely beautiful and so blessed to have you as their mom! Looking forward to following along as you plan your trip for your princess!

Dawn

 

[Momofwishkid]

I just noticed our ticker says 4 months exactly. I know this is longer than some of you had for your entire prep, but I'm so excited! If I could only come up with a cute, easy, creative, durable countdown idea I'd be set!!!

4 months left! It's gonna fly by.

 

[yinyanggirls]

..it looks like you guys had a really good time, I love how much you get out and do things with the girls.

We have to get out of the house or everyone is whiny! Phoebe loves to be on the go. Tessa gets so bored if we are home all day. I have sometimes wondered about why certain parents get to raise certain kids, and knowing in my heart that Phoebe was "meant to be" with us, I figure her beauty and my social attitude is a good combo to help people in the world get more comfortable with seeing disabilities. It's her "mission". Now, what was my point? We like to be out doing stuff.

It looks like you guys had fun. I love going around to the neighborhoods that go all out, of course I have never seen one that goes THAT far out that they charge admission. I bet the houses were amazing!

I don't know what they were charging but they waived it if you brought a can of food for the food bank, so probably not too high. Like I said, it's so highly organized they see to have turned it into a charity thing.

I love it! I'm glad you got your MHPC's without much trouble from the cops. Thank you for the story, it was fun to follow along.

Camille, your story set the bar, and even your reactions to my story had me laughing. But seriously, how ironic is it that the police were just sitting there in front when I went???

I wanted to comment on the MAW Christmas shin-dig y'all went to....It looked like the girls really had a great time, and I loved the smile on your face in the Santa pictures. You look cute in a hat by the way.
It's really great MAW put this on for the kiddos and their families.
The girls are so beautiful Melissa, and it's fun to see the pictures of them growing, I swear they've grown from the first pictures shown here.

Aw, thanks. I've been told I am photogenic, which I have determined to mean "you look better in pics than in real life". The girls have definitely grown lately. It scares me sometimes!

Hi! I just found your pre-TR through one of your postings on Piper's Pre-Tr.
Your girls are absolutely beautiful and so blessed to have you as their mom! Looking forward to following along as you plan your trip for your princess!

Dawn

Welcome Dawn! I joined a few months ago when we found out she was approved, and I've loved getting to know the people here. Now that we have our dates the real fun begins!

4 months left! It's gonna fly by.

Boy, it doesn't seem that way now, but I know you're right.

 

[Millie12591]

Wow! Four months. It seems like it's right around the corner!! Our trip is five months away and I'm starting to get so excited I can hardly stand myself, and I have tons of planing to do! I can't imagine how excited you are!
Do you feel your getting all the planning in that you want? I know your planning will be waaay different from mine, but don't hesitate to ask for help, that's what all these lovely people (well most are lovely, some are just stinkers, waiting to stir the pot ) on the boards are for.

I'm a lot like Tessa, I hate to be stuck in the house for very long, I like being out and about once and a while, it doesn't have to be for very long just for a little while, and I'm good. Mackenzie on the other hand, she would prefere to be at home almost all the time. This is why I had to bribe her with food for....Freedom Mickey!
I doubt that you only look good on camera Ms. Snickelfritz....if you look good on camera then your beautiful in person.
I don't take such good pictures, hence why no pictures of me on the boards, maybe one day soon I'll post one or two of me.

It was pretty ironic the police were there in front of HD, and you had me cracking up with you taking a picture of the car!

 

[Momofwishkid]

I found the page with all the park hours and parade/fireworks times for April. Here's a link for you. Hope it helps. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/apr10.cfm?requesttimeout=1000

 

[yinyanggirls]

I found the page with all the park hours and parade/fireworks times for April. Here's a link for you. Hope it helps. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/apr10.cfm?requesttimeout=1000

Thanks Jennifer! Amanda just told me she found them on Allears too, so tonight when I have free time (as if!) I will compare them both. Thanks again!

 

[cantwaittoseemickey]

Oh now I know what you all mean by the MHD's Now Im going to have to go see what I can find. That really bright neon green is Ty's favorite color!

Your girls are so precious! I am so sorry you have had a rough few weeks. I love thier pictures with Santa! I was sitting here watching the Christmas lights on the travel channel when I was looking at your pictures lol.

I hope you all have a wonderful week this week!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Do you feel your getting all the planning in that you want? I know your planning will be waaay different from mine, but don't hesitate to ask for help, that's what all these lovely people (well most are lovely, some are just stinkers, waiting to stir the pot ) on the boards are for.

I am going to really buckle down after the holidays are over and start planning out our second week, then I will probably come back to our first (WDW) week and obsess over that some more. Once I got our dates I made our ADRs so I feel content for the moment. A short moment.

Your girls are so precious! I am so sorry you have had a rough few weeks. I love thier pictures with Santa! I was sitting here watching the Christmas lights on the travel channel when I was looking at your pictures lol.

What timing! It helps to get you in the mood, doesn't it? Everyone seems to be doing much better. Phoebe and I are still coughing a little, and my throat still hurts (darn tonsils) but we are all fully functional and should be fine. Thank you so much for the well wishes!

 

[kellyw8863]

Woo hoo! Less than four months! If everything works out for us, we will be looking at leaving the same day. I haven't been good about keeping caught up with others' PTRs (or even my own, for that matter), but do you have an itinerary planned out for your week at GKTW? I just want dates so I can start planning in earnest! I am looking forward to our winter break so I can spend some more time on here catching up with everyone.

 

[yinyanggirls]

Woo hoo! Less than four months! If everything works out for us, we will be looking at leaving the same day. I haven't been good about keeping caught up with others' PTRs (or even my own, for that matter), but do you have an itinerary planned out for your week at GKTW? I just want dates so I can start planning in earnest! I am looking forward to our winter break so I can spend some more time on here catching up with everyone.

Before I had dates I started keeping notes in a Word doc. I copied over the days of each GKTW party, tips people gave about not to miss, etc. I also looked up the weather and crowd predictors for the weeks we requested and copied those over to help with the planning. I have now set up a calendar using iGoogle, which blocks out things by hours. Not that I am trying to plan it that meticulously I just want to have something visual to remind what time parks open, close, parties start, dining reservations are made, etc. If you want, I'd be happy to share my notes with you. Just PM me your email address. If you want to wait and get your dates first I totally understand.

 

[MCazer]

Melissa, I sent youa Private Message!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Melissa, it took me awhile to get over here, but I am ready for all the pre-trip fun!!!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Melissa, I sent youa Private Message!

Melissa, it took me awhile to get over here, but I am ready for all the pre-trip fun!!!

Welcome ladies!
Margaret, I've emailed you back. I'm very excited.

Jackie, I am happy to have your experienced contribution to our Trip Planning!