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

[Wee Annie]

Melissa,

I was so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I am truly sorry for your loss. I've had to drop off the boards myself for a while because of my MILs death two weeks ago -- we went out to Iowa for the funeral. So we, too, are reeling from the loss of a very beloved family member. My girls are a mess, so I know how deep the loss of a grandmother can affect people. Your family is in my prayers.

As our families seems to be following each other recently in some sorrow, I hope soon we will follow each other in happiness and joy! Here's to GKTW on 4/17!!!!!! Boy will we all need it by the time that week comes!!!

You will be in my thoughts this week as you are alone with the children. Hope you got some sleep!

I am going to begin planning in earnest for our trip after this coming Monday (2/15). I have not allowed myself to go full speed ahead as of yet, as Elke has a spinal tap that day, and we have had a scare recently that she may have relapsed in her central nervous system. The drs now think it was just viral meningitis, but until we get good, clear cerebro-spinal fluid next Monday, I can't allow myself to plan too far ahead in the future.

So here's to next week, when we can start sharing plans with abandon!!

Ann

 

[Momofwishkid]

Welcome back Melissa!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Hi Melissa. I followed your siggy from Jackie's PTR when I saw "WISH" in it. I am a registered (though not active) Wishgrantor for MAW. When I lived in Memphis in the 90s, I granted about 20 wishes. I have read your first post, and I have to subscribe to read the rest.

Welcome! How awesome to have worked with MAW. And 20 wishes? Wow. That's a lot of lives to have affected. I know all of the families here are so appreciative of the organizations who do this for their children. Many have wanted to try and get involved in some way, like the Big Give here on the boards, or volunteering in some way with MAW. It will be great to hear your perspective as we go along. Thanks for joining in.

Welcome back. Glad everything went well.

I saw the news on your caring pages... So glad that everything is going well and Mya can go to school. Has your doctor talked to you about giving Mya Miralax for her constipation? When Juliana was on treatment, her doctor suggested using it to combat the constipation.

Phoebe has had constipation issues since infancy and after trying every natural remedy out there we are now daily users of Miralax. It takes a couple of days to find the perfect dosage but it helps so much, and it seems to be gentle, not extreme.

Melissa,

I was so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I am truly sorry for your loss. I've had to drop off the boards myself for a while because of my MILs death two weeks ago -- we went out to Iowa for the funeral. So we, too, are reeling from the loss of a very beloved family member. My girls are a mess, so I know how deep the loss of a grandmother can affect people. Your family is in my prayers.

As our families seems to be following each other recently in some sorrow, I hope soon we will follow each other in happiness and joy! Here's to GKTW on 4/17!!!!!! Boy will we all need it by the time that week comes!!!

You will be in my thoughts this week as you are alone with the children. Hope you got some sleep!

I am going to begin planning in earnest for our trip after this coming Monday (2/15). I have not allowed myself to go full speed ahead as of yet, as Elke has a spinal tap that day, and we have had a scare recently that she may have relapsed in her central nervous system. The drs now think it was just viral meningitis, but until we get good, clear cerebro-spinal fluid next Monday, I can't allow myself to plan too far ahead in the future.

So here's to next week, when we can start sharing plans with abandon!!

Ann

Ann, I'm so sorry to hear about your MIL. I know that your family and Tonya's (her FIL is extremely fragile right now - they just postponed their trip) are going through the same stress and sadness right now. I'm sorry that your girls are so broken up. My nephew was crying through almost the whole service and I felt for him. Having that innocence shattered is a hard thing. I hope the days ahead are happier for all of us, and yes, soon we will be going to the happiest place on earth.

 

[Wee Annie]

Phoebe has had constipation issues since infancy and after trying every natural remedy out there we are now daily users of Miralax. It takes a couple of days to find the perfect dosage but it helps so much, and it seems to be gentle, not extreme.


We, too, are on the daily Miralax regimen. MUCH better than anything else w have tried (ie senna-based laxatives, prune juice, etc). The chemo does a number on their GI tracts....

 

[yinyanggirls]

Apparently Miralax (polyethylene glycol) is also used to de-ice airplanes. My BIL (a pilot) got really freaked out when he saw the bottle's ingredient and wanted to know who was using THAT??? It's all about putting moisture in the right place.

 

[myasma]

Welcome back. Glad everything went well.



I saw the news on your caring pages... So glad that everything is going well and Mya can go to school. Has your doctor talked to you about giving Mya Miralax for her constipation? When Juliana was on treatment, her doctor suggested using it to combat the constipation.

Mya has been on the Miralax regimen for a while now. She was up to one point on 7 diferent laxatives twice a day but was eventually weaned down to Miralax once a day. She was hit with a stomache virus so we stopped it for a coule of days but now is complaining of painful stools and and has an anal fissure. I can't even call the doctor because of the snowstorm so this is going to be a fun couple of days. I didn't know they used miralax for planes but I am definitly not surprised.

 

[yinyanggirls]

Okay, you asked for it (well, some of you, LOL)

Day 1 - left home late, got flat tire in the middle of nowhere, DH put the spare on only to realize it was low, I rode in the back seat of DPS cruiser to nearest town that had an auto parts store to buy can of tire inflater. Did you know they have cans that inflate tires? Asked officer if I could take a picture from the backseat for comic relief. Texted it to family and friends with the message "current location: backseat of DPS crusier". Got lots of concerned texts back.

Got an update from my mom who was in the caravan to Utah from CA. My uncle got pulled over for speeding, while driving the van that contained my grandmother. He gave his excuse to the cop who of course let him off with a warning. They had made a sign saying "Grandma's Rose Parade" to display in the van. Grandma loved parades and attended the Rose Parade in person many times.
We made it to Vegas around 11pm. Kids were wired and not wanting to go back to sleep. Stayed at Circus Circus but not worth the good deal. They only had one handicapped room and it was smoking, so I said scrap the handicapped, just give us non-smoking. They gave us a room in the old tower (advertised at $10 less than the tower I reserved), smelled bad, double beds instead of queens. I called to complain but they had no other rooms that night??? They sent up a rollaway cot N/C that we put between the beds so that Phoebe would not fall off.

Day 2 - I took the kids to go explore the hotel while DH found a place to fix our tire (ended up needing to replace). Hotel amusement park was closed this week. Figures. We were bored with our hotel, and very disappointed, and went on to explore the strip. Not a fun thing with a hyper 4 yr old who wants to touch EVERYTHING. Had breakfast at Denny's (hotel wanted 20/15 for their buffet - HA!). Breakfast stank, Tessa rolled around on the floor, Phoebe bit my arm because I was paying attention to Tessa, was ready to give up after Tessa had to get naked in the Denny's bathroom just to be able to go to the bathroom. DH picked us up and we went back to the hotel where Tessa had a bath and we loaded the car. I called the front desk to complain about our experience and they said it was expedia's fault. No apology, no discount or refund. See ya later.

Boring drive, watched lots of movies. Tricked Tessa into watching some new ones by telling her it was Phoebe's turn to choose (even when Phoebe was asleep). Arrived in Salt Lake City around 9pm, hung out with relatives for a while and finally crashed at cousin's house around midnight.

Day 3 - Kids had fun playing with all the cousins in the morning. Cousins' Rottweiler entertained by being a doofus. She chased shadows. It was funny. We got to the church just in time for a viewing and the service. Tessa did not seem to be bothered by viewing. Phoebe was happy and smiling next to Grandma Great's casket. I held it together somehow. Service was long. Phoebe had a snack while Tessa fell asleep in the pew. Phoebe got bored and whiney so DH took her out of the chapel. Tessa continued sleeping while I moved over to comfort my nephew who was crying through the whole service. My sister was speaking and was up on the stand, my dad was giving a prayer and also sat up on the stand, my mom and niece ended up on the front row and felt so bad for nephew who was crying all alone. My sister is one of the first grandchildren so her kids got to spend a lot of time with their great grandma. Probably more than many get to spend with their grandmas. I showed him the program and talked about some of the funny memories in the photos. He smiled and seemed better until the next speaker would get up and cry again. It was a nice service and reminded me of what a great life my grandma had. We had a luncheon afterwards and visited with relatives. Moved on to aunt's house down the street for an ice cream party, because grandma loved ice cream (slightly melted) and would often say "there's always room for ice cream". Crashed at cousin's house around 10pm.

Day 4 - Cousins and I decided to leave kids and husbands home for the burial. It was in Idaho, a three hour drive each way, with a possible snow storm coming through. DH wasn't thrilled but knew it would be easier for the kids. Slight snafu when I realized I took our van keys with me, but not the van, so he felt trapped, even though he had nowhere to go. Chaos surrounded us as we tried to figure out who went in which car and if we had enough (we didn't). Finally it all got figured out and we had one final parade for Grandma. We drove through some very white territory but thankfully the roads were clear and we had no problems. It was very cold and I was glad I had decided to leave the kids. One of my cousins (running late and in the last car of our group) was going about 100 and got pulled over. He was sad that the officer gave him a ticket but I told him she was being very nice because she wrote it for only 94. He didn't realize that 20 over is reckless driving, and could have resulted in going to jail. We did have a good laugh that our uncle got out of his ticket, so we guess when you use a funeral as an excuse you actually have to have the body in the vehicle with you. Weird humor.

It was a happy and sad day, visiting with the family that is the legacy my grandma left. I've always loved that side of the family. It is what family should be, in my opinion. Even the ones who live far away and the ones who think a little (or alot) differently than most, we all love each other and enjoy each other's company. I hope that we can get together again soon, and not for a funeral. My cousin and I drove home, only getting lost for a few minutes, around 9pm. The two guys handled the seven kids very well, and didn't complain once. Let them watch the Pay-per-view UFC championship fight. Gross.

Day 5 - Delayed our departure until well into the afternoon. Just didn't feel like leaving the family yet. Tessa had a new buddy, TyTy, she calls him. I had heard stories about this little guy and he sounds a lot like her. They are only 6 months apart and played so well together. It was a relief not to worry about entertaining her or making sure she stayed out of trouble.

Finally got on the road at 3, forgot something, went back, needed more waters etc at the store, gas, okay, really leaving now. It's 4pm! Hit a snowstorm for several hours, DH wanted to pull over but there was nothing out there. We'd be popsicles by morning! So we trudged on with trucks flying past us, until finally it cleared up. Kids slept through most of it anyway.

Got to Vegas where chose to avoid Circus Circus, and the strip entirely, and stayed at a lovely Marriott on the outskirts. Double the price but SO much nicer. Wished we had packed bathing suits because they had an indoor pool. Tessa loved the elevators at the hotels. And the pillows on the bed. LOL She burrowed into those pillows like she was on a cloud.

Day 6 - Had a nice casual breakfast in the hotel lobby. Got gas, got on the road around 10am. Let Tessa out of her seatbelt as we drove 5mph over Hoover Dam so she could sit up and see it. Lots of traffic. Quick stop to view it, then back in the car.

Uh-oh. The flashing sign warns of one hour delays due to BLASTING?!? We drive out of the dam and come to a stop. I see a blast of rock and dust fly into the air up ahead. We turn off the engine and get out a princess go-fish game I had bought for Tessa and play for a while. Finally, we start moving again.

Uneventful drive home until we realize we are approaching Phoenix at 5pm, rush hour traffic. We decide to stop for a real dinner at Olive Garden, the first restaurant we see. Phone call from dog-sitting friend makes me worry. Dog was urinating blood and yelping. She's 13 (or so) and been getting very old this year. Need to make a vet appt. Get back on the road for two more hours and then home! Tessa did not get carsick once!!!! Woohoo! The sea-band "car bracelets" seem to do the trick. I did give her an occasional "preggie pop" or "car candy" but I don't think she even needed them. That made it so much easier. Phoebe must be growing again because she hardly slept, but wanted to eat the whole trip. I feel like I spent most of the trip sitting backwards feeding her.

Day 7 - Unpack and do laundry while Dh repacks for his work trip. Take the dog to the vet only to hear the grim future. He says next 6-12 months will be downhill. Her nervous system is not getting messages through to her hind section, weakness, forgetfulness, incontinence. She is in great shape otherwise. Wonder how Tessa will take the death of her buddy. Had enough thoughts of death for the weekend.

I'm so glad to be home but thankful the timing worked out for DH to go with me this weekend. I miss my family but am relieved for my grandmother to be free of her pain. There is no doubt she was loved and her memory will live on for several generations. My grandfather looks lost and lonely but there is lots of family nearby and I have a cousin who recently divorced and sold her house who will move in with him while she finishes nursing school. I'm grateful for my family, and the take-care attitude we have with each other and frankly anyone else who will let us. I'm also relieved that my parents have some freedom again and will be able to spend time with their grandkids again.

 

[dawnbu40]

What a stressful few days you had. Losing a loved one is hard enough without dealing with a bad hotel or a flat etc.

Glad that you were able to enjoy the comfort and love of extended family and celebrate your grandma's life

I am also very sorry to hear about your dog. Our collie passed in Oct. after being with us almost 15 years and I still miss her.

 

[kellyw8863]

Welcome back! What an eventful trip you had. I did enjoy the pictures, and you have a wonderful sense of humor. It sounds like your grandmother had a wonderful last parade and send-off.

 

[Momofwishkid]

Wow! That drives does not sound like a fun one. Im so sorry Circus Circus didnt work out but glad you found a better one for the way home.
It sounds like your Grandma had a beautiful last parade.

 

[TokyoDina]

Okay, you asked for it (well, some of you, LOL)

Day 1 - left home late, got flat tire in the middle of nowhere, DH put the spare on only to realize it was low, I rode in the back seat of DPS cruiser to nearest town that had an auto parts store to buy can of tire inflater. Did you know they have cans that inflate tires? Asked officer if I could take a picture from the backseat for comic relief. Texted it to family and friends with the message "current location: backseat of DPS crusier". Got lots of concerned texts back.

Wow! I'm glad you got picked up by DPS but oh my I would have freaked out if you'd texted me that picture!



Got an update from my mom who was in the caravan to Utah from CA. My uncle got pulled over for speeding, while driving the van that contained my grandmother. He gave his excuse to the cop who of course let him off with a warning. They had made a sign saying "Grandma's Rose Parade" to display in the van. Grandma loved parades and attended the Rose Parade in person many times.
We made it to Vegas around 11pm. Kids were wired and not wanting to go back to sleep. Stayed at Circus Circus but not worth the good deal. They only had one handicapped room and it was smoking, so I said scrap the handicapped, just give us non-smoking. They gave us a room in the old tower (advertised at $10 less than the tower I reserved), smelled bad, double beds instead of queens. I called to complain but they had no other rooms that night??? They sent up a rollaway cot N/C that we put between the beds so that Phoebe would not fall off.

Day 2 - I took the kids to go explore the hotel while DH found a place to fix our tire (ended up needing to replace). Hotel amusement park was closed this week. Figures. We were bored with our hotel, and very disappointed, and went on to explore the strip. Not a fun thing with a hyper 4 yr old who wants to touch EVERYTHING. Had breakfast at Denny's (hotel wanted 20/15 for their buffet - HA!). Breakfast stank, Tessa rolled around on the floor, Phoebe bit my arm because I was paying attention to Tessa, was ready to give up after Tessa had to get naked in the Denny's bathroom just to be able to go to the bathroom. DH picked us up and we went back to the hotel where Tessa had a bath and we loaded the car. I called the front desk to complain about our experience and they said it was expedia's fault. No apology, no discount or refund. See ya later.

I can't believe they did that too you! Casinos are known though for being so stingy. I know due to our frequent trips up there cause of FIL. They will try to take all your money. No matter what. I'm sorry that Circus Circus sucked. I think if you go next time it's better just to stay off the strip. All the locals agree. It's just not worth the hassle! And there are much better places to see in Vegas. Or next time you go see family you could stay in Laughlin. It's cheaper and on the water.



Boring drive, watched lots of movies. Tricked Tessa into watching some new ones by telling her it was Phoebe's turn to choose (even when Phoebe was asleep). Arrived in Salt Lake City around 9pm, hung out with relatives for a while and finally crashed at cousin's house around midnight.

Day 3 - Kids had fun playing with all the cousins in the morning. Cousins' Rottweiler entertained by being a doofus. She chased shadows. It was funny. We got to the church just in time for a viewing and the service. Tessa did not seem to be bothered by viewing. Phoebe was happy and smiling next to Grandma Great's casket. I held it together somehow. Service was long. Phoebe had a snack while Tessa fell asleep in the pew. Phoebe got bored and whiney so DH took her out of the chapel. Tessa continued sleeping while I moved over to comfort my nephew who was crying through the whole service. My sister was speaking and was up on the stand, my dad was giving a prayer and also sat up on the stand, my mom and niece ended up on the front row and felt so bad for nephew who was crying all alone. My sister is one of the first grandchildren so her kids got to spend a lot of time with their great grandma. Probably more than many get to spend with their grandmas. I showed him the program and talked about some of the funny memories in the photos. He smiled and seemed better until the next speaker would get up and cry again. It was a nice service and reminded me of what a great life my grandma had. We had a luncheon afterwards and visited with relatives. Moved on to aunt's house down the street for an ice cream party, because grandma loved ice cream (slightly melted) and would often say "there's always room for ice cream". Crashed at cousin's house around 10pm.

Day 4 - Cousins and I decided to leave kids and husbands home for the burial. It was in Idaho, a three hour drive each way, with a possible snow storm coming through. DH wasn't thrilled but knew it would be easier for the kids. Slight snafu when I realized I took our van keys with me, but not the van, so he felt trapped, even though he had nowhere to go. Chaos surrounded us as we tried to figure out who went in which car and if we had enough (we didn't). Finally it all got figured out and we had one final parade for Grandma. We drove through some very white territory but thankfully the roads were clear and we had no problems. It was very cold and I was glad I had decided to leave the kids. One of my cousins (running late and in the last car of our group) was going about 100 and got pulled over. He was sad that the officer gave him a ticket but I told him she was being very nice because she wrote it for only 94. He didn't realize that 20 over is reckless driving, and could have resulted in going to jail. We did have a good laugh that our uncle got out of his ticket, so we guess when you use a funeral as an excuse you actually have to have the body in the vehicle with you. Weird humor.

It was a happy and sad day, visiting with the family that is the legacy my grandma left. I've always loved that side of the family. It is what family should be, in my opinion. Even the ones who live far away and the ones who think a little (or alot) differently than most, we all love each other and enjoy each other's company. I hope that we can get together again soon, and not for a funeral. My cousin and I drove home, only getting lost for a few minutes, around 9pm. The two guys handled the seven kids very well, and didn't complain once. Let them watch the Pay-per-view UFC championship fight. Gross.

Day 5 - Delayed our departure until well into the afternoon. Just didn't feel like leaving the family yet. Tessa had a new buddy, TyTy, she calls him. I had heard stories about this little guy and he sounds a lot like her. They are only 6 months apart and played so well together. It was a relief not to worry about entertaining her or making sure she stayed out of trouble.

I love how Tessa is touching her new friend in her sleep. Haha just to make sure he doesn't leave her. Was she sad when you guys left???

Finally got on the road at 3, forgot something, went back, needed more waters etc at the store, gas, okay, really leaving now. It's 4pm! Hit a snowstorm for several hours, DH wanted to pull over but there was nothing out there. We'd be popsicles by morning! So we trudged on with trucks flying past us, until finally it cleared up. Kids slept through most of it anyway.

Got to Vegas where chose to avoid Circus Circus, and the strip entirely, and stayed at a lovely Marriott on the outskirts. Double the price but SO much nicer. Wished we had packed bathing suits because they had an indoor pool. Tessa loved the elevators at the hotels. And the pillows on the bed. LOL She burrowed into those pillows like she was on a cloud.

I have to say I enjoy staying at the Marriott! I did that one time when I was on the way to San Antonio. It was really nice! Did you get their fruit flavored water? They gave us some when we came in.


Day 6 - Had a nice casual breakfast in the hotel lobby. Got gas, got on the road around 10am. Let Tessa out of her seatbelt as we drove 5mph over Hoover Dam so she could sit up and see it. Lots of traffic. Quick stop to view it, then back in the car.

Uh-oh. The flashing sign warns of one hour delays due to BLASTING?!? We drive out of the dam and come to a stop. I see a blast of rock and dust fly into the air up ahead. We turn off the engine and get out a princess go-fish game I had bought for Tessa and play for a while. Finally, we start moving again.

Uneventful drive home until we realize we are approaching Phoenix at 5pm, rush hour traffic. We decide to stop for a real dinner at Olive Garden, the first restaurant we see. Phone call from dog-sitting friend makes me worry. Dog was urinating blood and yelping. She's 13 (or so) and been getting very old this year. Need to make a vet appt. Get back on the road for two more hours and then home! Tessa did not get carsick once!!!! Woohoo! The sea-band "car bracelets" seem to do the trick. I did give her an occasional "preggie pop" or "car candy" but I don't think she even needed them. That made it so much easier. Phoebe must be growing again because she hardly slept, but wanted to eat the whole trip. I feel like I spent most of the trip sitting backwards feeding her.

Day 7 - Unpack and do laundry while Dh repacks for his work trip. Take the dog to the vet only to hear the grim future. He says next 6-12 months will be downhill. Her nervous system is not getting messages through to her hind section, weakness, forgetfulness, incontinence. She is in great shape otherwise. Wonder how Tessa will take the death of her buddy. Had enough thoughts of death for the weekend.

I'm so glad to be home but thankful the timing worked out for DH to go with me this weekend. I miss my family but am relieved for my grandmother to be free of her pain. There is no doubt she was loved and her memory will live on for several generations. My grandfather looks lost and lonely but there is lots of family nearby and I have a cousin who recently divorced and sold her house who will move in with him while she finishes nursing school. I'm grateful for my family, and the take-care attitude we have with each other and frankly anyone else who will let us. I'm also relieved that my parents have some freedom again and will be able to spend time with their grandkids again.

I'm glad you all are back!!!!!! Hey there is an Air Show coming up at DM. Just a little FYI if you guys wanted to see static displays and all that jazz. I have to be there so just a notice if you were interested. I can give more details if you want.

 

[that's nice]

Apparently Miralax (polyethylene glycol) is also used to de-ice airplanes. My BIL (a pilot) got really freaked out when he saw the bottle's ingredient and wanted to know who was using THAT??? It's all about putting moisture in the right place.

WOW. I never knew about the airplanes. I think that is a little crazy!


After reading your account, I think I'm pooped. It seems like you were constantly on the go.

Sorry about the hotel. It shouldn't matter who you booked it through if the room was unacceptable.

 

[cantwaittoseemickey]

at the cruiser picture! That was a good idea! The first time we took Ty to Cleveland Clinic I had waited for long time for a shuttle. Me and one of the security gaurds got to talking and he had asked me why I was there. I told him my son was there for Siezure monitoring and he told me he has Epilepsy too. Well when we were done he had a cruiser come get me and take me back to the RMH. I called dh and told him guess where I was lol.

The pictures of the girls asleep are precious. That was certainly a long trip for them. Most definately a pretrip to Disney! Im glad to hear Tessa didnt get car sick. I just couldnt imagine on that trip.

Im sorry to hear that Circus Circus didnt work out too well. I think I would follow up with an email to them. They shouldnt be blaming someone else for thier lack of upkeep.

Im glad to hear the girls slept through that snow storm. That would have definately had me on edge.

Glad you all made it home safe. Sending hugs to you for this week alone with the kids

 

[kayrosek]

Sounds like an eventful trip. Glad Tessa did well with the sea bands. I saw ours in a bathroom drawer the other day and thought of you guys. Glad you made it home safely.

 

[The Lurker]

I just started reading your pre-trip report. It is great. However, I think you asked two questions a long time ago that didn't get answered.

The first was regarding photos. GKTW has voluteers that take photos at many of the events - like character meetings, Christmas etc. They are placed on a disc and given to you when you leave. They can also download your memory chip onto a disc while you are there.

Regarding the horseback riding. I have volunteered twice in that area and neither time were there any real lines. You might have a 5-15 minute wait if a family with 4 or 5 kids arrives ahead of you. They generally have 2 horses or one horse and a pony. And your kids can certainly ride both days. The horses are therapeutic, so very calm, etc.

Also, on Thursday evenings (Christmas) they bring the horses back for "carriage rides."

By the way, the parks and GKTW are generally packed (the spring season begins this weekend or next week, I forget which, but I know GKTW will be full next week) until about a week after Easter and then things calm down, so I don't think you will have problems with crowds or lines. Expect afternoon showers and warm temperatures.

We are looking forward to your arrival.

Katie

 

[yinyanggirls]

I'm glad you all are back!!!!!! Hey there is an Air Show coming up at DM. Just a little FYI if you guys wanted to see static displays and all that jazz. I have to be there so just a notice if you were interested. I can give more details if you want.

Dina, I'd love more details. I'll PM you my email and phone. I was looking for something on the strip thinking it would provide a little excitement for the kids as a break in the long drive. Didn't work out that way. Booking a quiet hotel with a pool is a much better idea! LOL I didn't notice any flavored waters at our Marriott, but the whole place was nice. Decor was cool, food was fresh and good, I had no complaints. But I forgot to add that the reason I try to find two queens, not double, is because Phoebe is a really restless sleeper (well, Tessa too but she's smaller). I figured having a queen would reduce the risk of her falling. The cot at Circus Circus helped since their beds were so small. After 30 mins in bed at the Marriott, Phoebe fell out. Poor girl! She didn't cry, so she must have just been in shock. I had to go tear apart the couch and pile the cushions next to her side in case she did it again.

WOW. I never knew about the airplanes. I think that is a little crazy!

Isn't it???
After reading your account, I think I'm pooped. It seems like you were constantly on the go.

Sorry about the hotel. It shouldn't matter who you booked it through if the room was unacceptable.

I think I'll fill out the Expedia review and see if I can get anywhere with them. At least I can bring their rating down.

at the cruiser picture! That was a good idea! The first time we took Ty to Cleveland Clinic I had waited for long time for a shuttle. Me and one of the security gaurds got to talking and he had asked me why I was there. I told him my son was there for Siezure monitoring and he told me he has Epilepsy too. Well when we were done he had a cruiser come get me and take me back to the RMH. I called dh and told him guess where I was lol.

That's funny! I like your style.

The pictures of the girls asleep are precious. That was certainly a long trip for them. Most definately a pretrip to Disney! Im glad to hear Tessa didnt get car sick. I just couldnt imagine on that trip.

Im sorry to hear that Circus Circus didnt work out too well. I think I would follow up with an email to them. They shouldnt be blaming someone else for thier lack of upkeep.

Im glad to hear the girls slept through that snow storm. That would have definately had me on edge.

Glad you all made it home safe. Sending hugs to you for this week alone with the kids

Sounds like an eventful trip. Glad Tessa did well with the sea bands. I saw ours in a bathroom drawer the other day and thought of you guys. Glad you made it home safely.

Isn't it weird how the friendships here can trickle into our real world? One of my aunts had a little tea cup dog, don't know what kind, that had a serious tongue problem and every time I saw it I thought of Jordan here who always takes silly tongue pics. I seriously wanted to take a pic of the dog, but I didn't want to explain why.

I just started reading your pre-trip report. It is great. However, I think you asked two questions a long time ago that didn't get answered.

The first was regarding photos. GKTW has voluteers that take photos at many of the events - like character meetings, Christmas etc. They are placed on a disc and given to you when you leave. They can also download your memory chip onto a disc while you are there.

Thank you! I probably would have remembered that question at the last minute when I'm packing the camera. Good to know they can empty our cards to a disk if they get full.

Regarding the horseback riding. I have volunteered twice in that area and neither time were there any real lines. You might have a 5-15 minute wait if a family with 4 or 5 kids arrives ahead of you. They generally have 2 horses or one horse and a pony. And your kids can certainly ride both days. The horses are therapeutic, so very calm, etc.

Also, on Thursday evenings (Christmas) they bring the horses back for "carriage rides."

By the way, the parks and GKTW are generally packed (the spring season begins this weekend or next week, I forget which, but I know GKTW will be full next week) until about a week after Easter and then things calm down, so I don't think you will have problems with crowds or lines. Expect afternoon showers and warm temperatures.

We are looking forward to your arrival.

Katie

Thanks so much Katie! Phoebe will be thrilled to ride. Even if it is just around in circles, she seriously lives for her horse encounters. I remembered seeing someone's carriage pics and hoped we'd be able to do that as well. Thanks again for the answers!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Okay, so we've been getting some pixie dust delivered to our house which surprised me but has been perfect timing to get my mind back on planning the trip. We're at just about two months! oh my gosh!!!

Yesterday we received a package from Dawn and Caitlin. Tessa was intrigued when I told her it was from another princess. The girls are so excited they rip through the stuff so fast. I can hardly catch it but here's my attempt.
Surprise, surprise, Tessa taking charge.

Phoebe loves the box. She really concentrates on each item, trying to figure it out before handing it to me. These were cute princess paper dolls/stickers.

Phoebe inspecting a Candyland travel game.

Tessa loves the Candyland game, and knew exactly what it was when she saw it. I had no idea she knew because we have never played any version of it. She has tried to get into it (and lose all the pieces inevitably!) several times in the last 24 hours. I will play it with her a couple of times before we go so she is familiar with it when we play the lifesize version at GKTW but then hide it away until our trip. How thoughtful of Dawn and Caitlin to think of that! (Or are you guys just THAT good?)

I asked Tessa to hold up the adorable Sleeping Beauty nightgown but I was too slow. She was ready to move on to the next item.

Phoebe likes her princess jammies. They will be perfect for the warm weather in April. (Makes me cold thinking about it right now though!)

After inspecting all of the items (there were many more that I wasn't fast enough to catch, I'll show them in a minute) Tessa decided that the box was a fabulous gift in and of itself.

Here is a shot of the whole package. There were several hair accessories and necklaces too. Tessa squealed Tiana's name when she saw her on them.

The girls were all ready for bed when we opened it (note to self, don't open packages so late). So I didn't have them try the jammies last night. I was going to do it tonight but my battery died. Tessa did try hers on and looked adorable. I'll get shots of them soon. Maybe I need to use my video camera to try and catch their reactions in the future. Thank you so much Dawn and Caitlin! You did great! They loved everything and so did I. It really got me excited again after the stressful week we had. Thanks!!!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Another package arrived today from Jessica (Haganfam5). Oh. My. Gosh. I hate to be such a valley girl here, but that is seriously what I said when the girls opened the envelope. Jessica made the most adorable Minnie Mouse sundress for Tessa.

Phoebe giggles when we open the packages. She loves the packaging as much as Tessa.

Then she decided that this bold fabric was interesting and wanted to check it out.

Tessa decided she wanted to hurry up and try it on before Phoebe got her "slobbers" on it. Ah sisters.

The face of an angel and the mind of well, you know.

The chair was her idea.

She wanted to keep it on even after I was done taking the pictures.

Is that just the cutest thing you've ever seen? Phoebe's "nanny" was here and she just kept oohing and aahing over the workmanship. The ruffles are adorable and I'm in love with the bloomers! Tessa discoverd it twirls too, but that was as she was taking it off so I didn't catch that shot.

Thank you so much Jessica! Tessa will look so cute in that outfit on our trip! When she was brushing her teeth before bed I was putting her hair up and I pulled the hair into two pony tails high on her head and asked her if she wanted to have Minnie Mouse ears when she wears that dress. Her eyes got big as she realized it really did look like ears and she said Yeah!!! I think she is getting more excited and realizing that the trip is close. Thank you, thank you! It's gorgeous and we all love Tessa's new Minnie outfit!

 

[that's nice]

What great surprises!!!!!!

The girls look so excited!!!!! The Minnie outfits are really cute.

 

[Momofwishkid]

The Big Give starts!! These ladies are so very wonderful. I love the jammies and that Minnie dress is beautiful.