Sept. 2009 @ WDW! Be a Pop Tart 2009~come share your(Bounce Back or NOT)Dates !!!

[Kristineamb]

time to start planning another trip!
Glad to get a little face time with thunderbird...DH forgot to ask why that name...he was afraid he might call you jail bird!
More later, laundry awaits,
school starts tomorrow
Hugs to all

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Welcome back, Kris!! You've been missed...and cannot wait to hear all about your trip!

So glad you have a chance to meet TB.

TB, thank you for sharing those last 8 mins with us!

Love to all!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Diva K, welcome home! I do not want to rush you but when you get a chance I would love to hear details about how the trip went and if Miss Mary and family had a good time or not.

Yep, plan that next trip. December would be nice.

SG

 

[Kristineamb]

Two pics I wanted to share...the first is from the American Idol Experience finale on Tuesday 8/18...season 7 winner David Cook was there!

Not a fan but it was still exciting!

These creatures were outside our room (60's building, first floor, lakeview) Thursday 8/20 morning!!! YIKES! Scary red eyes!!!

 

[angwill]

Melissa,
Gator tail? Cool!!! Tell Jacob that William loves fried gator. I am so glad to hear Jacob at least tried it and I can just picture his face while he swallowed it too. lol I bet if you covered it in ice cream he would love it. lol

SG,
No need to ever apologize to me as I never thought you were refering to me.

I think most people see Disney as a very high priced vacation when they add up everything like room, tickets, food, transportation etc. Especially those guests who don't know to look for deals on the dis and I see us as the minority. There are those who have to scape up extra money for long periods of time to take their children too. To them a couple thousand dollars is a lot of money to spend for a bad experience. I know it is not the popular way of thinking on the dis but I understand guests expecting the best from Disney bad economy or not things should be magical. I have heard those who have gone for many years say that things are not quite as nice as they once were and Disney is cutting back all the time with employee training etc. As long as the guests are not complaining about the freebie stuff like towel animals etc. I can't blame them for expecting nothing but the best for their money. This is just my opinion on the subject and I know and expect everyone to have their own. lol

Kristin,
Thanks for sharing the pics. How tall are those birds they look about 4 feet high. It is scary when a bird can poke a childs eye out while standing on the ground. lol

Ang

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Ang, I agree with you. My heart goes out to those folk who have to save up for lengthy amounts of time for a few days of magic and then are disappointed. I have been there myself. I am just noticing in every day transactions the differences. Seems like some businesses are going out of their way to be a tad bit nicer than before to gain business. It is most appreciated and I do tend to spend more where I feel valued. Those of us who go to DW often know all the special things that could happen and are not happening so much anymore. I feel sorry for the CM's (most of them) as they must be under so much stress, more work, less pay and more demands. Disney does need to get rid of those truly horrible workers though as there are too many folks standing in line just hoping for a job for them to have to put up with anything less than a good worker. I am glad I did not offend. I need to think before I type/speak. Old dogs. sigh

I have found that boys generally love eating strange things like alligator etc. I had a picky eater and I used to make food that looked like creatures, ants on a log (peanut butter on celery with raisins) and such as well as Pizza faces to tempt him into eating. He is now 6'5 and about 300#'s.

Diva K, I would have loved seeing the birds, as long as they were not trying to mess with the food. I like the lizards and snakes as well. Seeing different things than I do in my real life is the whole point of vacation for me. Were the birds aggressive? When they get used to people they can be. What a wonderful surprise to see David Cook. Did he sing? How did you like the AI experience? Was it time consuming or worth the effort? I am afraid it would break my heart to go into that building and not see my Millionaire. It was my main reason for going to MGM and Tom enjoyed watching me play so much that he would request we spend the day there. Sort of like a man and his hunting dog.

Headed to the CC for the first time this school year. I am looking forward to meeting my new kids. Have my books all sorted and marked and some new items that might entice a few kids to come and join me. I am a voluntary activity. I prefer it that way. You cannot teach anyone who does not want to learn. I am sneaky and have a loud voice and I cannot help it if someone should hear me reading a good story and HAVE to come in though.

SG

 

[angwill]

Linda,
Don't ever worry about how you say somthing to me. I could never take offense to anything you say.

Critters for food that is funny and so true with boys.

AI is not in the old Millionaire building it is in the building that we sat on the steps to wait for the parade last year. I believe Toy Story is in the old Millionaire building? I am not a big fan of the AI experience and except for the nice long period in the AC I found it a waste of time. Not that you asked me and I am sure others love it. I am sure Kristine would love it more if it were the AR where they send out park guests to find clues and get back first for the prize. lol They could do things like bungie jump from the top of TOT and swim the length of the water in front of where they do the Fantasmic show. lol

Ang

 

[Kristineamb]

AI is not in the old Millionaire building it is in the building that we sat on the steps to wait for the parade last year. I believe Toy Story is in the old Millionaire building? I am not a big fan of the AI experience and except for the nice long period in the AC I found it a waste of time. Not that you asked me and I am sure others love it. I am sure Kristine would love it more if it were the AR where they send out park guests to find clues and get back first for the prize. lol They could do things like bungie jump from the top of TOT and swim the length of the water in front of where they do the Fantasmic show. lolAng

What a GREAT idea!
I have to tell you I did feel kinda like we were on TAR while doing the Kim Possible Missions @EPCOT!
We did enjoy AI Experience...we went to a prelim show (there are six) and then the finale...if we hadn't started watching the show last season we probably would have passed this up...

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Hello, my friends,

Kristen, isn't a funny feeling to be home again? I swear a part of me always feels left behind until I adjust to home again. I miss that vacation smell.

I've no desire to see the AI experience, but would have enjoyed seeing David Cook.

I am curious......how did it go with Mary? Was her room right next door and did you spend much time together?

Hope it is a good Monday..enjoy those munchkins, Linda!

 

[Kristineamb]

Kristen, isn't a funny feeling to be home again? I swear always a part of me feels left behind until I adjust to home again. I miss that vacation smell.

It hasn't been an easy re-entry back into reality.......when we got home we discovered the a/c wasn't working upstairs so we had to drag mattresses downstairs so we could sleep (we have two a/c units, one for upstairs and one for downstairs, we are lucky to have two!)
Repairman came this morning and its going to be $2,500 to just replace the coil or $3,000 for a whole new unit...DH wants the new unit...BTW its 103 here today
More later, back to

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Diva K, I am so sorry to hear about your a/c. Might you get a second opinion just in case? If no help is to be found you might check your electric company as many are offering rebates if you buy an Energy Star replacement. Very shortly there will be tax credits, up to 30%, if you replace an old appliance, furnace (not sure about a/c but probably) but am not sure if it will be retroactive if you buy it before the plan starts. If your unit is an old one with a low SEER rating you might actually do better to get a new one as it could lower your energy bill over the length of service for the new one and pay for itself. Hard to believe but it is true. Paying a tad bit more for many things, if energy efficient, pays off. We have two furnaces.

Thanks to Ang for setting me straight. (once again) Guess that means that my favorite spot for watching the Studio afternoon parade is no longer available. Anyone got any other ideas?

M&N, had a lovely time with the Munchkins and ended up having to stay longer because one small girl wanted to be read to alone after the others went to the playground and that is something I cannot resist. Looking forward to seeing my older ones on Wednesday as some of them I have had for several years and we have bonded.

What I would not give to see our Angie and Diva do twirls and spins, sailing across the waters and past the WEDway. No doubt that they could do it either.

SG

 

[angwill]

Kristin,
That really stinks about your ac going out and in 103 degree weather it figures. It's been so hot there it sounds like it burned it out. I would have wanted to turn around and go back to Disney after finding that out.

SG,
I didn't mean to set you straight (your wording) I was just educating you and we all know how much you love educating. lol Actually the AI is in that building behind the steps but you actually go in through the right side of the building as you look at it so your seats on the steps are safe and ready for you when you go back in December. They don't open those gates at the top of the steps at all but if you look in you can see where the people wait in there for the doors to open. When it lets out I think they let us out on the left side of the building. HTH

 

[jmskinner]

Diva K, so sorry to hear about your a/c. Not a nice welcome home. Have you had any rain, my Mom thought it rained a little your way the other day.

Those birds are Sandhill Cranes, I believe. We joke that they had a town meeting in front of our house one day. They are about 4-5 feet tall and normally are in packs of 2-3, so seeing 4 is cool.

And too cool about David Cook. I never see anyone. I hate looking on the Dis at times because I hate hearing who I missed.

I thought I wouldn't enjoy AIE, but had a blast when I went with Timmy.

Hope everyone else is doing well. Survived the DMIL being here. I think we were all tired and on edge with Jonas being gone. Didn't get much better when he got home. The adults had a meltdown trying to figure out the seat belt in the back seat for Jacob. It was one of those, why don't we just take the truck, but DMIL wanted to go in her car that day. Then she wanted to go to a seafood restaurant and her BF drove by a couple, but she never would say "turn around and lets go there." So, he just kept driving. I had seen a nice boardwalk when my folks were here, so I thought there would be some stuff there and I knew there was a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., which I was interested in. We finally found it and there were several restaurants and we asked DMIL where she wanted to go and she said she didn't care. So, Bubba's it was. We all enjoyed it, but DMIL was obviously miserable. Prices too high, waiter too loud. But, I'd like to go back. The Forest Gump trivia was fun. Other than that we had a great time.

School started today and Jacob had a good day.

Hope everyone is having a good week.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

LOL, Ang. With my terrible hearing and feeling so bad most of the time I have to be set straight many a time. I appreciate it. I can only concentrate on one thing at a time and have to keep things very simple. Befuddled, more than 'slightly' so. At least I am not so bad off that I do not know it though. Glad to know that my favorite seats will still be available. Cold drinks right across the way and I meet so many interesting people while waiting.

JM, it is rough always being the one in charge and especially when you have a strong sense of responsibility as you do. No one else was able to pick a place, you did and then you felt responsible for everyone's happiness. I drive people crazy in the opposite way because I literally do not care, most of the time, where I go etc. Being a MIL is hard cause folks automatically think that you are looking at each and every little thing and criticizing it, unspoken or not. Most of us are not that way. I would not know what to do with a dil who cared what I thought anyway. BTW, I think it is their life and not mine.

Back with the older kids this afternoon. They are the ones I know the most. It is always fun to see the ones who have graduated from my class and meet some new ones. I have a new card game to show them which should be very helpful in teaching phonics. They do not have to know that it is educational.

Yardwork this morning and trying to get everything set to leave for the weekend. Tom's 75th BD is Friday. He is grumbling about no party etc. etc. I am enjoying it. Evil, I am evil.

SG

 

[Kristineamb]

if Miss Mary and family had a good time or not.

I am curious......how did it go with Mary? Was her room right next door and did you spend much time together?

Mary & co found us @DTD on Saturday and asked if they could crash our party @Raglan Road. My family went to Bongos for pre-dinner drinks
They had reservations @All Star Movies but asked if they could switch to Pop when they got there....not only were they able to move them, they got a room right next to ours!
We only saw them for lunch @Tepan Edo on Sunday afternoon.
Monday @MK they kept calling us...I either didn't hear the phone or ignored it...when I finally answered they wanted to go to The Hall of Presidents with them...which we had already done, so we avoided them that day.
Tuesday morning we found a note under our door saying that Mary's husband wanted to challenge my son to Toy Story Mania. They called us to join them for the 7pm finale of AI Experience which we did and then we all FP TSM. They went into Fantasmic but we didn't because it was already standing room only and my DM was hot & tired.
I don't think we saw them at all on Wednesday or Thursday but spent most of the day on Friday with them @MK...we even bought them dinner @Columbia House because we had so many CS credits to use up!
They did upgrade their passes and have reservations @Pop for Thanksgiving, Christmas & Spring Break.
Sorry I don't have anything juicer to share

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

My dear Diva K, the only reason you do not have anything juicer to share is cause you is one classy diva. Frankly, I do not see how those folks who hang out together ALL the time handle it any old way. Sure to make someone miserable as it is hard enough to get two folk to agree on things without adding to the mix. Sounds as if a good time was had by all.

Ummmm, also wondering if their trip elsewhere taught them an important lesson, Disney World and real friends are better!

SG

 

[Minnie&Nana]

They did upgrade their passes and have reservations @Pop for Thanksgiving, Christmas & Spring Break.
Sorry I don't have anything juicer to share

I'm speechless....that was juicy enough, thank you.

Geesh. (Hope they have lovely trips. Truly, I do..)

 

[Kristineamb]

I'm speechless....that was juicy enough, thank you.
Geesh. (Hope they have lovely trips. Truly, I do..)

And remember they went on a Disney cruise in July...
She just told me yesterday that her husband is stressing about loosing his job (the company he works for is being sold.)
How can you plan all these trips when you might not have a job next month?!?!?!

 

[jmskinner]

Diva K, I guess planning all those trips is a way of avoiding what might happen. They can always cancel. So, did you decide against AP's and also going those same dates as Mary?

What happeded with your a/c? I need to call an electrician myself. The circuit breaker to Jacob's bedroom flipped and now won't flip back.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I have often noticed that folks book trips and then cancel. I am guessing they are wishing and hoping and then things do not work out. We have been lucky in that I have only had to cancel one trip ever.

I do hope that Miss Mary and family do not suffer from unemployment and if so, for a very short time. I would not wish otherwise to anyone and know you feel the same.

JM, have you goggled your problem? It might be something as simple as shutting off the main and then back on, sort of a rebooting. I have fixed many things by the internet.

Have suitcase in hallway with the door closed and am getting ready to pack up the computer to take with. Tom has not noticed a thing and is still complaining about the lack of appropriate celebrations for his BD. I am enjoying this far more than I should.

SG