solo trip report!

[bumbershoot]

I'll finish it up when next I wake up.

 

[daisy_77]

Molly, I am really enjoying your TR! I am glad that you are not drawing it out....I am not good with cliffhangers that last weeks.

Great parade shots! It makes me wish I was there right now.

That kids meal looks soooo good! I may have to start ordering off the kids menu next time I go.

 

[bumbershoot]

Hi!

Hmm, I seem to have lost my brain. I'm still not getting much sleep for some reason, and right now DS and DH are delaying DS's bedtime by watching old Goofy cartoons we got from the library. Very silly.


Let's see, we left off with my tum finally full of real food instead of sweet snacks, with my headache finally gone and the parade has ended.

Does anyone else hate just leaving your tray and plates and such at the counter service places like Rancho and Plaza? There are CMs all around, and I know that they swoop down on trays like a crows swoops down on snack bags left in strollers at the zoo. They would have nothing much to do if we all bussed our stuff, plus, they do have a somewhat complicated set-up over at the trash area. But still, I don't like just leaving my stuff. Feels rude. So I handed my tray to the guy, and totally confused him.


Well, it wasn't quite time to leave yet! Imagine that. So I consulted my "to do" list. I didn't think I would be lucky enough to catch the Columbia just as it was setting sail (it was running that day, just not when I would walk by the loading area) plus I'm a wee bit scared of that ship b/c it seems to be the site of the only innocent-guest accident, freak happening, type thing. I also didn't want to hop BACK in hopes of seeing It's Tough To Be A Bug, or go on the SunWheel, etc.

So of course I went to the Tiki Room! While waiting, in the ever-darkening sky with rain looming more and more, I thought about how tired Eamon can make me, and how glad I was to be there alone. How everyone urged that I take time off from him when he was an infant, because he would be fine with DH, that it was healthy for me to leave him (none of these friends nursed their babies exclusively for very long, obviously!). But now that he's 3.5, I bet that those very same friends would give me junk for going to Disneyland without him. Or for going at all, but that's a whole other story.

So I was thinking about that, when I noticed a tired looking woman with a (I guessed and was right) 5 year old boy, twin 3 year old girls, and a little bitty walk-fall-walk-fall-walking girl in a fleece footie jumper outfit. She sure had her hands full! Should have made me feel silly for getting so tired with just one.

But no, it didn't! I'm allowed to feel tired even if others have more children, and even if they actually are more tired than I am. That's just who I am! Even though I wanted 3 in quick succession, it turns out my body doesn't agree with that, especially with all the nursing (that's probably the biggest reason). So he's just one, with hopes for more, but for right now it's just him. And in my secret brain, I have to say, "whew". Because if I had another one who is just like him, I probably would have had a nervous breakdown.

But as it was, the kids seemed fine, and the enclosed space of the Tiki holding area seemed to give her a little break b/c I definitely caught her zoning out a couple times.

Watched the show, it was just as much fun as I remember! I love that thing of water that comes up from the fountain towards the ceiling.


And then the show was over, it had gotten even darker outside, and my day was pretty much done! I walked slowly out, said good bye while smiling, and headed out the gates.

Before I even got to the exit next to the bagcheck area, I had to rummage in my backpack for my fleece vest, because it was starting to rain. I didn't feel like putting on my poncho again, but the vest was enough. Got back to Carousel surprisingly fast, got my bag, and sat around. I had to get things in order! I knew I should have brought my backpack to become my "personal item" instead of my purse/camera bag.

Super Shuttle got their too fast (literally 30 minutes too early). I got to the airport too fast, though I did get to chat with a fellow Disney fanatic with one son, from the Pacific Northwest, and wearing the same purple zipup Disneyland sweatshirt. Great fun!

Was at the airport so early, and then my flight was delayed. I did get to hang out in hearing distance of a large group of women who are part of a jewelry selling business thing. They were funny, and of course tried to sell me on their thing. So predictable.

Hated pretty much every moment of the flight home. Yuck yuck yuck. I had no cash left or I would have gotten a drink or 5. On the flight down, I was thinking "is this risk worth it, the possibility of dying without DH and DS for "just" Disneyland". When I got there, it turned out that I forgot about the risk and the question felt moot. Well, on the flight home it came alllll back to me. And without even a trip report to be remembered by! Note to self, next time bring the laptop.

We did finally get home, though I continue to be mystified as to why planes need to go up north of the Space Needle only to turn around and land 20 miles south of said landmark. Very odd and frustrating to me.

Got in, figured out where Robert was, Eamon was asleep in his carseat, got home, got E completely to sleep, passed out.

Sat on my lazy butt until yesterday when I finally had clean clothes and went to the store, and until today when I finally got out for a "stroller walk" aka jog with E in a stroller. Whew!

 

[ksoehrlein]

On the flight down, I was thinking "is this risk worth it, the possibility of dying without DH and DS for "just" Disneyland". When I got there, it turned out that I forgot about the risk and the question felt moot. Well, on the flight home it came alllll back to me. And without even a trip report to be remembered by! Note to self, next time bring the laptop.

I have simply adored all the parts of your TR (great writing style! awesome photos!), but I've especially enjoyed the fact that you shared all your moments of Mommy guilt. Don't take that the wrong way; I hate that you had those moments, but you're helping me to steel myself for the exact same thing next week.

Tonight, while tucking in DD(7yo), she told me she was sad -- and scared -- that I was leaving. Yup, we had to have the dreaded "what if your plane crashes" conversation. Yikes. So I've been asking myself if it's worth it for "just" my job and "just" Disneyland, and it gives me some comfort to see that you had similar thoughts.

The only thing I can think of to help assuage the Mommy guilt is the fact that DH and I just signed up for Skype. It's still new enough to the kids that it should be exciting to "call Mommy on the computer," but I'm afraid of what will happen when the novelty wears off. I've promised to do some pin trading and shop for the very best Tink and Mickey items I can find for DD and DS(4yo), but they're not so easily bribed. Meanwhile I'm torn between feeling at the thought of some alone time and at (you guessed it) the thought of some alone time. I'm trying to tell myself that I'll come home to them as a more refreshed and relaxed wife and mother -- did it work that way for you? (And if not, please don't answer me until next week, OK?)

 

[MommyWithDreams]

Loving the report Molly. I'm going to have to check out those light things...Ayden would probably love one too.

 

[bumbershoot]

moments of Mommy guilt....

So I've been asking myself if it's worth it for "just" my job and "just" Disneyland, and it gives me some comfort to see that you had similar thoughts....

I'm trying to tell myself that I'll come home to them as a more refreshed and relaxed wife and mother -- did it work that way for you?

I did come back more relaxed, and I did come back with much more happiness.

Now, it's not MY fault that my husband picked a fight with me on the way home, thereby causing some of my happiness and relaxation to fly out the window. Would it have been so hard for him to drive like he did when we were first dating, and take my fear of sliding on icy roads into account like he used to, instead of fighting me, and feeling worse for the impatient people in cars behind us, than he did for ME?

Not my fault.

I also pushed myself too hard, and the 2 hours of sleep I had before going to Anaheim didn't help. Since you will have business beforehand you will likely be more rested, and that will be good for you. I brought EmergenC packets with me, but didn't take them until I was in the throes of that heinous headache/nausea phase of the second day.

So when I got home, I was super-lazy (even lazier than usual, LOL).

But I do indeed feel better about things!

And the biggest thing is that since I've now experienced the parks like I want to, I feel like I will really be able to be Zen when we have our family trips. I can even think about letting my cousin plan much of a WDW trip that is taking place at the end of this year, rather than me being the one to plan it (she was a Disney Store CM when they were actually Disney and had free passes to WDW, spent her courtship with her husband hanging out at WDW, and had her honeymoon there, too, so she definitely SHOULD be the one to plan this reunion, but it's amazing that I can even think about giving up control to someone else).

So it was good. And really, plane travel is so much safer than car travel, and we put ourselves in cars all the time, so really, being afraid of plane travel is silly, statistically.

Loving the report Molly. I'm going to have to check out those light things...Ayden would probably love one too.

They are really cool. I'll try to take some pictures of them, both off and on. I just wish he hadn't misplaced his first one, the green one, that "Tinkerbell" brought him as a congratulations for going on Star Tours the first (only) time!

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, to wrap things up...


I am so glad I went! Not everyone is as selfish as I am, or rather, not everyone has been as selfish as I have been on family trips. But to be able to do just what I wanted, when I wanted, even for such a short time, was very nice!

I wish I had won a Dream!

I'm glad I met Maynard, b/c that's probably the only time I ever will.

I wish I had seen the other Dis'ers that were there!

I should have re-checked for other hotel rates earlier than I did (I got to about a week out and stopped checking, but that's when the rates lowered, and then shortly after that it was too late to cancel my reservation).

I should have taken better care of myself! Staying up so late trying to pack perfectly was crazy, and then circumstances causing me to go to bed so late at the hotel hurt me. If you do this, take your vitamins and get your sleep.

That said, I think it would have been that much more perfect to have had one more night and day. We couldn't do that because we were planning on an early February getaway, and Robert had taken off a Sunday for that. Well, we canceled that trip, so that Sunday would have been possible...but then there was also the "extra" play money issue for that extra night. Just made more financial sense. But an extra full day could have allowed me to really be part of the Rally, then a nice night's sleep and half day the following day...that would have just been even more terrific. Oh well!

I can't think of anything else right now, so I guess I'll leave it at that!

 

[BraMax]

Bumbershoot,
What a great trip report. I don't find you going on your own selfish at all. I would love to do that. All us Mom's need a break now and again and if it is at DL then all the better for us . Again thanks for sharing and it sounded so wonderful.

 

[tink6137130]

Great trip report... love your pics!

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Great TR, Molly! I really enjoyed reading it! I LOVE your pictures! Please tell me more about your Canon s3 and how much you love it! I need some persuading into buying a s5!

 

[Sienna]

Finally catching up on your trip report. You were sure busy! Love your pictures. You must have a great camera. My little point-n-shoot digital doesn't take anything like that. I liked the pictures you got at GRR. I probably stood there for an hour just watching the rafts go over the geyser and soaking everyone! That's almost worth the price of admission right there.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks to all of you for reading and enjoying!


I looooove my new Canon S3. It's still at heart a point and shoot, though there are many settings other than auto. But you can't twist on the lens to manually focus it (though there are kits to add a lens like that to it).

And it looks like a "real" camera, which I like. The newer p&s digital cameras do not make me happy, aesthetically. They just look like skinny little boxes, and I hate that. Since I somehow lost my older Olympuses (one digi, one film) that looked more like proper cameras, if I were replacing them with a normal looking point and shoot, I would have flipped out b/c of the looks of the cameras (and ask me how long it's been since I bought a purse, since I can't stand the look of any purses right now!!!).

But I read about the S3 and S5 on the Photography forum, and loved loved loved their looks! We decided that "my" Yule present was going to be one of them (and it was).

I was fortunate enough to find a store that had an S3 and S5 right next to each other on display. I wanted the S5 b/c, well, I like having brand new things with lots of bells and whistles, and there are a couple more goodies on the S5. But I hated how the external flash "shoe" looked on the top of the S5 flash, and was worried I would scratch myself on it. In addition, many people said that the higher megapixels of the S5 caused a "lesser" picture than the S3 could produce. But the kicker was the feel of them. The S3 is just a tiny bit "shallower" from front to back than the S5, and I could sense that I would have more hand fatigue with the S5, since it made my hand stretch just a bit more than with the S3.


I use the viewfinder instead of the big LCD screen (I read that the viewfinder is actually just another LCD screen, actually) b/c it uses less battery time. And I really like it!!!

Even though I had small issues with the S5 doesn't mean anyone else should.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Thanks to all of you for reading and enjoying!


I looooove my new Canon S3. It's still at heart a point and shoot, though there are many settings other than auto. But you can't twist on the lens to manually focus it (though there are kits to add a lens like that to it).

And it looks like a "real" camera, which I like. The newer p&s digital cameras do not make me happy, aesthetically. They just look like skinny little boxes, and I hate that. Since I somehow lost my older Olympuses (one digi, one film) that looked more like proper cameras, if I were replacing them with a normal looking point and shoot, I would have flipped out b/c of the looks of the cameras (and ask me how long it's been since I bought a purse, since I can't stand the look of any purses right now!!!).

But I read about the S3 and S5 on the Photography forum, and loved loved loved their looks! We decided that "my" Yule present was going to be one of them (and it was).

I was fortunate enough to find a store that had an S3 and S5 right next to each other on display. I wanted the S5 b/c, well, I like having brand new things with lots of bells and whistles, and there are a couple more goodies on the S5. But I hated how the external flash "shoe" looked on the top of the S5 flash, and was worried I would scratch myself on it. In addition, many people said that the higher megapixels of the S5 caused a "lesser" picture than the S3 could produce. But the kicker was the feel of them. The S3 is just a tiny big "shallower" from front to back than the S5, and I could sense that I would have more hand fatigue with the S5, since it made my hand stretch just a bit more than with the S3.


I use the viewfinder instead of the big LCD screen (I read that the viewfinder is actually just another LCD screen, actually) b/c it uses less battery time. And I really like it!!!

Even though I had small issues with the S5 doesn't mean anyone else should.

Yay!! Your answer really helped me! I'm going to shop around and find a store with both so I can get a feel for both of them before I choose.. I'm so excited!! Thank you, Molly!!

 

[Casey's Mommie]

Wonderful Trip Report as usual Bumbershoot! You have inspired me. My husband and I are going to take off for our 5 year anniversary in September and leave our little one, (who will be just over 2) with my mother for 4 nights.

I know there will be some Mom Guilt... but it sure will be nice not to have to deal with the stroller, napping or crankiness.

I'm excited!!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

 

[Briarrose1306]

I ahve finally reached the end of your TR and I'm glad I read it! It's been very entertaining and helpful. I think the 3 days that I've been considering for my solo trip will be perfect. Thanks for sharing your journey!

On a side note though, how do I view your pics? They're coming up super small and I can't see them.