I’m here. I may not stay here.....because let’s be honest, I just can’t keep up with the Dis anymore. But I’m here for now!
Can’t wait to hear all about this trip! Wish I could go too....but I can’t miss Mother’s Day
Swoozie!!! It's go great to have you here! I know you may not stay - but that's OK, I know you'll check in when you can.
How great that you have a new trip coming. I can't wait to hear all about your plans
Lillian!!!!
It's great to see you here! Welcome back!
I'm here! Can't wait to hear about your plans.
Lisa Joy!!! It's always great to see you here!
Welcome back!
How exciting! I love when airfare is cheap enough for a Disney trip. That is how we ended up on a 4th of July trip a couple of years ago.
You and Victoria will have a great time.
Sue! One of my few friends who are not on FB with me... Always, always a pleasure to reconnect here!
Yeah you are going again. I love your trip reports
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Chiara! Yay - so glad to have you here an following! I've been watching as your trip planning unfolds too! Welcome back!
I’m here and so excited you have another trip planned! I can’t wait to read all about it.
Forgive me - I can't remember your first name... I am getting old.
I always feel so terrible when I can't remember everyone's names - but I don't keep notes (I think that's weird)... Please refresh my memory.
It's great to have you back here and following along!
I made it! I am so glad that there is an upcoming trip! I can't wait to hear all about your plans!!
Brandi - my friend - welcome back!!! So happy to see you here!
Connie! I was just thinking about this the other day (When I saw Charity's beautiful graduation photos - what happened to our girls??? They sure grew up!!!) - do you realize the first time we met was almost 8 years ago!
Can you believe it? Wecome back my friend - super happy to have you here and following along!
I love your sewing room. It is so cute! And I can't wait to read about your upcoming trip.
Thank you!!! And welcome!!! Super happy to have you here and following along!
Yea! So glad i found this! Looking forward to seeing your plans ! Is it too much to ask for to see some Christmas decorations next month? Ha! I took a couple of your ideas last year!
Welcome back Joann! Hahahahaha - oh you know me so well... Next month is already here for me, I've been decorating like a fool!
And BOY do I have pics for you this year! Stay tuned!
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Alrighty all - first of all - WELCOME!!!!
I know you've all heard my schpeel before... sadly - life is busy and the time I used to occupy with The Dis just isn't what it used to be. I don't know that I will get here as often as I'd like - but I will definitely get here for all of the major events and news that takes place.
First things first...
We have airfare (bought and paid for with cash - as usual) - as you all know. It was a GOOD deal - so I am happy for that. Airfare always seems to be the biggest gamble of our trips - as it is for everyone - the rest of our trips are pretty locked in and steady for price - but that airfare can make or break a trip.
And unless something EPIC lands on our plates from WDW, we will be staying at SoG (Shades of Green)... We love Disney resorts - don't get me wrong - we'd love to stay in one again... Ahhh, but we just can't beat our military rates at a "Deluxe" Disney resort. While transporation can often be a puzzle - it's not a deal breaker for us.
So, I signed on to the SoG website the day after we booked airfare - and I was shocked to see many dates near our trip already sold out. I made the executive decision to book our trip - and apply any sales later, if they come out for our trip.
Airfare is booked.
Resort is booked.
And as usual, I don't give out the exact dates of our trip, we all know V's birthday is in May - but that's all I'll narrow it down to. We had an incident several years ago & for our safety I never give out specifics. Thank you for your understanding about this.
Now we save like crazy people until we need to buy our tickets...
And then we save like crazy people to buy everything else when we get there - let's face it - we go for the food.
And the outfit planning.
And to see our friends - who we inevitably bump into while we are there.
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OK - now for the life update...
I've been a busy lady - does that surprise you?
Gosh, where do I even start...
I think I left off with the garage? We are still planning to build a new garage... But our bids were coming back incredibly out of hand for fall... So we sent all of the bids back and asked the contractors to come back with better bids for spring. We are still waiting. So, here we are - approaching another winter without a garage. Sigh. At least Josh has the snowblower on the tractor this year.
For those of you who are my FB friends - you know that Josh and I spent 2.5 weeks in the Netherlands and Belgium in October. I didn't post much about it on FB, because it was a pretty low-key trip... We were there to celebrate Lara's 4th birthday & to spend time with family - which is exactly what we did. Josh also did a few brewery tours... His weakness in life is Belgian beer, how could I refuse? I mean, we were *right there*. A few pics from our trip...
The kids - they are growing like weeds!!! Thomas is now 6 (!) and Lara just turned 4! Can you believe it?
Josh with his ALL TIME FAVORITE beer... He has currently purchased every bottle in the state of MN - and he is waiting for new shipments to come from this year's batch.
Poor man... LOL This is a GIANT oversized bottle - which you can get over there, but not here.
(And no, he didn't buy this one - he only posed with it)
Josh and I on the roof of the Brugse Zot brewery overlooking Brugge, Belgium... You all know I am afraid of heights right? This is LOVE right here folks.
Then Josh and I in Brugge...
And then waffles... Lots n' lots of waffles. I mean... When in Belgium - you eat waffles, and chocolate, and chocolate ON waffles... (and gain 15 lbs - but we aren't talking about that right now)
I love the Netherlands - don't get me wrong... but WOW - I absolutely LOVED Belgium! I'd love to go back... It's just everything is so picturesque and "Christmas-y"... Which brings me to...
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
Seriously - it is - at least in my house. We all know I have many loves in life - aside from my family (which is most important)... I love Disney... And I love Christmas... And I love lots of other things too, but for the moment and the cause of this conversation...
Let's just say that D~ went a little overboard this year... :whistle:
It all started when we were in NL and Belgium... Christmas there isn't like it is here, it isn't an industry... And it isn't nearly as celebrated (they celebrate St. Nicholas day or as the Dutch would say "Sinterklaus")... But the Christmas stores that they do have - are Ahhhhmazing! Like - out of this park - amazing... And CHEAP - like 90% off after Christmas sales cheap!!! D~ was in HEAVEN!!!!
So, here we are... traipsing across the country side... Josh trying to find as many new beers as he could find... And D~ collecting Christmas ornaments. I am not lying or embellishing this at all - I promise. It was quite comical.
And boy - did I find some amazing ornaments... Halloween hasn't even hit the US yet - and here I am in full "Falalalalalalala" mode.
Coming home... In Schiphol (Amsterdam airport)... My carry-ons FULL of Christmas ornaments... Wouldn't you know it - my bag gets tagged for a "better look". So, I am standing there, with my bag and the TSA agent (their version anyways) is asking to see something at the bottom of my bag... So I am pulling everything out... These DAMN ornaments are ROLLING ALL OVER THE AIRPORT - seriously - Josh is behind me swearing at these ornaments and the hilarity of it all - and I am running all over trying to catch these things. It was quite comical - really. Anyways - I did manage to rescue all of them - and they all made it home with me (I think?).... I can't wait to show you all our tree - when we get that far.
The tree is up... It isn't decorated - and won't be until after Thanksgiving... but the rest of the house. :whistle:
Let's start with the Master-bedroom... I decorated that one first. The first time I ever decorated it was last year - I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not? Turns out that I loved it - so this year, I splurged on a new quilt & 3 coordinating pillows... Totally leveled up my game!
If you didn't guess - this photo is totally staged - on an ordinary day, our bed doesn't get made this nicely. LOL
And then - well, I sort of fell into the "Rae Dunn trap" this year & I've been collecting/hunting - it is a sickness - no really, it is. I needed something to spend my "fun money" on anyways, right?
I did 2 displays in my kitchen... A Gingerbread display and a Santa display... A lot of this decor is stuff I had around from previous years - except for the RD pieces of course.
Oh and the trees, I hauled home from NL.
I don't have any of the rest of the kitchen decorated - yet... So, I am not showing the rest of it... I will when it's done though. I still have many bins to bring up from the basement.
And finally the front porch - I did most of this one over the last 2 days... I keep going out there to mess with it - but I think I have it where I want it now?
And that's all I have finished for Christmas, at the moment... I have lots of ideas - but the rest will likely wait until after Thanksgiving.
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Last but not least... An update on my Dad...
So, 4 HOURS before we boarded our flight to NL... Yes HOURS!
I get a phone call from the Assisted Living facility that I've had Dad on the waiting list for 2 years... They had an apartment available for Dad!
Allison took over for me - God bless her!!! While we were gone, she took Dad to all of his assessments and meetings to keep the ball rolling on this - so he didn't lose his spot in line - she really did SO MUCH! Words cannot express what a great Daughter and Grand-daughter she was - taking over my role and just stepping in to help out - she knew how important this was.
Both girls spent a huge portion of time while we were gone packing Grandpa... I am just in tears as I write this - because what they did - was just so MUCH...
By the time we got home - almost everything was in place. I literally had to go to one meeting to sign a bunch of papers, and just a couple hours for a few days of packing the remainder of Dad's stuff.
We moved him the Friday after we got home & he is SUPER HAPPY in his new place!!! I haven't seen him this happy in a LONG time! He loves it there!
I am so happy we kept him on that waiting list - and it was a LONG waiting list - for good reason, I am sure. But relieved to have him moved and have it done.
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So, I think that's all? A pretty good update huh?
Should keep you guys busy for a while.
I'll check back when I can!
Prayers and pixie dust to all!
D~
I saw some ornaments that I liked, I guess I have to go and buy them on Monday and hope they are not sold out all ready. The tree won't come up until the 23rd of December.
