Rain, Surprise Birthdays, Rain, First Visits -(Ginny is deceased-Prayers for her.)

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Congrats on the wins! I won $50 on a lottery scratch ticket today...it went immediately into next year's Disney fund. I've booked our dates for next year, but now I'm confused. Mark has decided he wants to do the same thing this year...Disney for several nights and then back to Marco Island (we've been told we can go every year at our friends' condo). So I've booked five nights at the CSR beginning September 17 and then we will go to Marco Island for five nights. The problem is I wanted to do a split stay this year with a few nights at the AKL and then back to our "home" at the CSR. However, I don't think five nights is long enough to do a split stay. So, like a dummy, I looked up the price for the AKL with a savannah view. I can get the AKL with the SV for only $430 more for our five nights. We've done the Contemporary and the Poly and the Beach Club and the AKL are the only two other deluxes we want to try (don't care for the theme of the WL, the GF is too "stuffy" for Mark and the others just don't hold any special appeal to us). So now...I don't know what to do.

That is awful to have to make those choices. I personally would not care for AKL that much. Don't know why. Just doesn't interest me. I do love CSR but I would love the convenience of Poly and Contemporary. Beach Club would be a good place too.

Congrats on the $50. I used to win $30 all the time on scratchers. Then I quit playing. My brother won several thousand when he lived in Calif. I could do 4 nights at Disney then 5 nights at Marco then 3 nights at Disney.

Yay! Love the summary. How was Pecos Bill? We are going to try it..worth it?

Food was good. It is always so busy. But you can get out of the heat. of course you shouldn't be that warm when you go next.

Have a great day tomorrowo everyone.

Ginny

 

[KatMark]

That is awful to have to make those choices. I personally would not care for AKL that much. Don't know why. Just doesn't interest me. I do love CSR but I would love the convenience of Poly and Contemporary. Beach Club would be a good place too.

Congrats on the $50. I used to win $30 all the time on scratchers. Then I quit playing. My brother won several thousand when he lived in Calif. I could do 4 nights at Disney then 5 nights at Marco then 3 nights at Disney.


Ginny

Now you've given me another dilemma (that's not spelled right). I could do two nights at the AKL, go to Marco for five nights and then come back to Disney for three or four nights and stay at the CSR. Oh, Mark is going to kill me when he gets home from the hockey game with all of these options. I don't care for the Contemporary and, as much as I love the Poly it is too expensive--as is the Beach Club for now.

Have a good day tomorrow, Ginny. I will be cleaning and cooking all day.

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Hi! Kathy,
I like the second idea AKL, Marco Island, and than CSR!!! that would be a great plan!!!
the fun of Disney, than relax, and than more Disney magic before going home!!
My dream deluxe resort is AKL! and the Poly...and I think from pictures I would like WL. guess I will find out on our next visit; I want to eat at Whispering Canyon...

BTW: I am on page 7 of your report...I subbed but have not made comments yet...but, I am enjoying...so far alot of fun!!!
Connie

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Now you've given me another dilemma (that's not spelled right). I could do two nights at the AKL, go to Marco for five nights and then come back to Disney for three or four nights and stay at the CSR. Oh, Mark is going to kill me when he gets home from the hockey game with all of these options. I don't care for the Contemporary and, as much as I love the Poly it is too expensive--as is the Beach Club for now.

Have a good day tomorrow, Ginny. I will be cleaning and cooking all day.

Give me time I will give you more options. Like you can't think of enough on your own. I remember you talking about Markie and wrestling. Austin used to wrestle with Kids USA when in grade school and middle school. His best friend still wrestles. He's trying to get in to the Coast Guard Academy and they are seeing about wrestling scholarships. It's a good sport. I have spent many days in sweaty gyms.

Hi! Kathy,
I like the second idea AKL, Marco Island, and than CSR!!! that would be a great plan!!!
the fun of Disney, than relax, and than more Disney magic before going home!!
My dream deluxe resort is AKL! and the Poly...and I think from pictures I would like WL. guess I will find out on our next visit; I want to eat at Whispering Canyon...

BTW: I am on page 7 of your report...I subbed but have not made comments yet...but, I am enjoying...so far alot of fun!!!
Connie

I would like to eat at WC for sure but not sure I could stay at AKL. If I had the money I would stay at each and everyone mod and deluxe. Probably not the Values. Too many people in too tiny spaces.

 

[KatMark]

Hi! Kathy,
I like the second idea AKL, Marco Island, and than CSR!!! that would be a great plan!!!
the fun of Disney, than relax, and than more Disney magic before going home!!
My dream deluxe resort is AKL! and the Poly...and I think from pictures I would like WL. guess I will find out on our next visit; I want to eat at Whispering Canyon...

BTW: I am on page 7 of your report...I subbed but have not made comments yet...but, I am enjoying...so far alot of fun!!!
Connie

Thanks, Connie. I'm glad you are enjoying my report. We did Whispering Canyon two years ago. Unfortunately, we did not care for it (Mark got sick on the food).

Give me time I will give you more options. Like you can't think of enough on your own. I remember you talking about Markie and wrestling. Austin used to wrestle with Kids USA when in grade school and middle school. His best friend still wrestles. He's trying to get in to the Coast Guard Academy and they are seeing about wrestling scholarships. It's a good sport. I have spent many days in sweaty gyms.

I'm sure you could come up with a few scenarios for me.

Markie has been wrestling since he was 7 years old -- 14 years now. So I know what you mean about the sweaty gyms! It is in his blood. I don't know that you saw my report last year. My dad died a week before we went on our trip to Disney for our 25th anniversary; dad was here five days a week...he took care of my kids when they were young and then when they got older he still came every day to take care of Cookie. The boys were very close to Grandpa (Andy was holding his hand when he died). Anyway, Markie doesn't express himself outwardly when something bad happens. Instead, he gets a tattoo. He had two and he promised me no more. We came home from Disney and he said, "Mom, I got another tattoo." I looked at him and said, "you promised no more." He said, "I think you'll like this one." I gave him MY look and then he showed it to me. Well, I just broke down and cry. He and Andy called my dad "Putz"--I don't know why--but they did. Markie had tattooed Putz on his arm and dedicated last season to him. He went out and won his first two tournaments. He was very disappointed when he got a concussion in the qualifier for Nationals and just won't quit. I don't care what anyone says...wrestling is the TOUGHEST sport there is. And it is you against your opponent...no help from your teammates, no help from your coach...it is YOU AND HIM!

 

[longing2Batdisney]

I would like to eat at WC for sure but not sure I could stay at AKL. If I had the money I would stay at each and everyone mod and deluxe. Probably not the Values. Too many people in too tiny spaces.

The ASSp was not bad!! but, I would love to try all the mods and deluxes...wish Danny liked to go more than every 5 years

Thanks, Connie. I'm glad you are enjoying my report. We did Whispering Canyon two years ago. Unfortunately, we did not care for it (Mark got sick on the food).

I hope it was a one time thing...it just sound like a fun place to try and I really would like to check out the resort!

 

[KatMark]

I hope it was a one time thing...it just sound like a fun place to try and I really would like to check out the resort!

It could have been an off night; but I didn't care for the food at all and I stopped eating after the salad, potatos and corn; Mark ate the chicken/ribs and I'm sure that is what he got sick on. We found it very greasy and fatty (MickeyNicki, who I consider the food guru, also went...even though I told her not to, and they didn't like it either). However, I always feel people should try a place if they want because everyone has different tastes, expectations, etc. We were told we would not like Cape May Cafe or Mama Melrose--and we loved both of them.

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Kathy, that is a beautiful story. I could not have been upset with him either. My dad passsed away in 1987. Sandi was a Senior in HS and Sheri a Sophomore. I hate that he has missed seeing my girls being grown up and seeing what they have done in their lives. Let alone the grandchildren. I know he would be so proud. I just know in my heart that he is seeing everything they do. I don't know if you read any of the chatter but my dad was my saviour when I was a child and I miss him terribly. It's not something you get over quickly. I so understand your loss. But know that HE is taking care of us all.

Wrestling is a very hard sport for sure. Austin was always such a big kid and he enjoyed it when he was younger. He just got more involved with other sports and had to give up something. He place 6th in state in 6th grade. We were all very proud. I do think the sport has made he become more disciplined in his school work and goals he has set for the future.

 

[racefanof88]

Hope your weekend is going good and you didn't blow the whole day on housework. We had a good day here, but then any day I get to spent with my family is good . It has finally cooled off here and today was actually quite nippy .

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Hope your weekend is going good and you didn't blow the whole day on housework. We had a good day here, but then any day I get to spent with my family is good . It has finally cooled off here and today was actually quite nippy .

I didn't get it all done but most. I'll finish tomorrow afternoon. It is cold here. The high today was 50 and it is 32 right now. We are to be around 60 next week.

 

[KatMark]

See the red

Kathy, that is a beautiful story. I could not have been upset with him either. My dad passsed away in 1987. Sandi was a Senior in HS and Sheri a Sophomore. I hate that he has missed seeing my girls being grown up and seeing what they have done in their lives. Let alone the grandchildren. I know he would be so proud. I just know in my heart that he is seeing everything they do. I don't know if you read any of the chatter but my dad was my saviour when I was a child and I miss him terribly. It's not something you get over quickly. I so understand your loss. But know that HE is taking care of us all.

Thanks, Ginny. I did see parts of your chatter and am going to finish reading it...I've got a few trip reports that I "skimmed" that I want to go back and read fully.

Wrestling is a very hard sport for sure. Austin was always such a big kid and he enjoyed it when he was younger. He just got more involved with other sports and had to give up something. He place 6th in state in 6th grade. We were all very proud. I do think the sport has made he become more disciplined in his school work and goals he has set for the future.

As it should be. Each child finds their "special" talent and that is what they shoudl go with. Mark played soccer (hated it), played basketball (he was too short), played baseball (pretty good at it...loved to dive to make catches), played football--which I made him quit; he weighed 100 pounds when he entered high school and he played football his first year; when we knew he would be on the varsity team his sophomore year for wrestling, I said, "pick one -- you aren't doing both; football with your size and you'll get injured since you can't put on weight because of wrestling." He went with his #1 love -- and has never looked back.

A proud mom will now show off pictures:

Tattoo for Grandpa:

His first tournament win last year, by pin, in his dedicated season to his grandpa:

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

I love those pictures. When Mike adopted Austin, Aust got to pick out a new name from his birth namd. So he chose Wayne for his middle name after Don. So now he wants a tat really bad and Sheri said she didn't care but it had to mean something important to him. So he has decided on his iniitials across his shoulders. He was all set to do it but once we got home from Disney it has become less important. Most all of his friends have them and I used to just hate them but I'm kind of like Sheri as long as they actually mean something to you not just for show it's ok. We'll see what he does once school is out. His best friend Joel (he went on our last cruise with us) was second in state last year as a junior. He is so hoping to get first this year. He is 6'4" and weighs in at 200. He wrestes up to the 240 weight.

I'll never forget Austins first pin ever. He was in 6th grade, first year and wrestling at 190. He normally did 150 but weighed in at 152 that day pinned a guy that weighed 189 in 4 seconds. The big boy cried like a baby and the Mom yelled at Aust. You made my baby cry. It was pretty funny. You want to say don't let him wrestle if he's going to cry.

 

[KatMark]

I love those pictures. When Mike adopted Austin, Aust got to pick out a new name from his birth namd. So he chose Wayne for his middle name after Don. So now he wants a tat really bad and Sheri said she didn't care but it had to mean something important to him. So he has decided on his iniitials across his shoulders. He was all set to do it but once we got home from Disney it has become less important. Most all of his friends have them and I used to just hate them but I'm kind of like Sheri as long as they actually mean something to you not just for show it's ok. We'll see what he does once school is out. His best friend Joel (he went on our last cruise with us) was second in state last year as a junior. He is so hoping to get first this year. He is 6'4" and weighs in at 200. He wrestes up to the 240 weight.

I'll never forget Austins first pin ever. He was in 6th grade, first year and wrestling at 190. He normally did 150 but weighed in at 152 that day pinned a guy that weighed 189 in 4 seconds. The big boy cried like a baby and the Mom yelled at Aust. You made my baby cry. It was pretty funny. You want to say don't let him wrestle if he's going to cry.

Parents at wrestling crack me up. I get very intense as I know how bad he wants to win. His junior year of high school, they were in the Team State series. They were wrestling in the semi-finals and no one thought our team had a chance because we were wrestling the 3-time State Champs. Our team was winning 21-16 with two matches to go. Mark was wrestlling a kid he had not defeated since they were both 8 years old; Mark was losing the match 6-2 going into the third period when he threw his headlock and pinned Adam. We ended up forfeiting the last match and won 27-22. We lost the finals by 3 points, but the semis were like winning the championship to knock out the 3-time champs.

And would you believe I did not see the match, nor did Mark. Mark was in Vegas on business and I was sicker than a dog and had my head buried in my lap. All of a sudden the place erupted and I wondered what had happened until all of these students and parents started hugging me. It was the neatest thing and one of my fondest memories in Mark's wrestling career.
This is my favorite picture from that time...the reaction of the coaches:

And Mark hugging his head coach after the win:

Mark has two other tattoos too! I'm not fond of them, but he's of age and I can't do or say a thing about it. The only one that shows is the one on his arm if he wears short sleeves. Here is one of the others:

There is a reason for each spot: the Gold Dot on the left is for his high school team -- I don't know what it stands for; in 35 years, not one wrestler has given up its meaning; the GWA on the left shoe is the initials for the youth group he coaches; the UD on the right toe of the right shoe is his school (University of Dubuque), the VLC right above the Gold Dot is the group he wrestled for as a youth; the JP 88-05 is for a teammate that drowned; and the "Santiago Gomez 4-3-09 - 7-5-09 is for one of his closest friends whose little brother passed away this summer." This tattoo is on his upper thigh.

Sorry...didn't mean to rattle on.

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

But that tattoo means something to him. I have no problem with it at all. Not like the one my brother got while in the Navy before leaving for Viet Nam. He was lucky that he was drunk cause he can't stand pain and lucky that it is high enough on his shoulder that a tee shirt covers it.

I love those pictures.

When Aust got 6th in the state in 6th grade he had two coachs one from our school and one that was a friend. The coach that was the friend got to give him his metal cause his team won the meet. It was so awesome for him. He really liked wrestling but it started the day after football ended and just was too drained to do both.
Little Andrew (6'1 and 130 lbs) loved to wrestle too but he has just reached puberty so he was not allowed to lift weights at school till he was at least starting. So when he wrestled his freshman year instead of working with him the coach told him he wasn't strong enough and might as well quit. So he did. Poor kid. He really liked it too. So he does soccer and likes it.

 

[aprilisis]

Good Morning, Ginny! I just wanted to drop by & say I am going to catch up today. Have a great day!

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Good Morning, Ginny! I just wanted to drop by & say I am going to catch up today. Have a great day!

Good morning to you April. You have a good day also. Try not to work too hard.

Ginny

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

GOOD MORNING! Looking forward to sunshine and 70's today.

Have a good day, Ginny!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Golly geeeeeeze! I was behind but am all caught up again. I absolutely adore the picture of you with the Grumpy hat on. It just captures the true you. Our silly Ginny!

I hate it when a trip is coming to an end. You want to make the last day the best but you're still sad because it's coming to an end..

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

GOOD MORNING! Looking forward to sunshine and 70's today.

Have a good day, Ginny!

good morning to you too Mel. We are to be at 68 today and sunshine.

Golly geeeeeeze! I was behind but am all caught up again. I absolutely adore the picture of you with the Grumpy hat on. It just captures the true you. Our silly Ginny!

I hate it when a trip is coming to an end. You want to make the last day the best but you're still sad because it's coming to an end..

It is really hard to be serious when having fun. I couldn't resist the hat as Sheri had just done her puppet show and I was sneaking up on her. I couldn't keep quiet. What a shock that is.

It's that trip that you don't ever want to end. You are having such a good time being with people you love most in the world and it's like once you separate you feel you may never have that again. Even as close as we are it was so magical for us all.

Ginny

 

[longing2Batdisney]

It is so wonderful to read and share with families that have the wonderful bond that ya'll have! I know Don said no more vacay's but you know you and your group will plan something if it is something small and inexpensive --you know like a beach long weekend!

We are enjoying the sun and music!!