Something about Nothing, come join in........ Part 3

[ky07]

Hey Lawrence...I'm just stopping by for a quickie...be back later!

Hey Metro

 

[keishashadow]

Hey Homies just stopped by to say hi and to see how everyone is doing and to play a little catch up

how's ur eyes doing?

ds (didn't go to the dr ) rash is slowly fading away...still can't figure out what caused it. Will keep an eye out for it

i'm hoping tricia's just enjoying a relaxing day

 

[macraven]

I always feel badly about jumping in without responding to everyone else's trials and tribulations.

My son just passed his first semester of Engineering. I swear I grew so many new gray hairs this semester. My daughter is finishing up her last semester of University. My husband retires on Tuesday. Our new little house in South Carolina now has beds!!!

Only about 5 weeks until we go down to Universal for our little vacation. Half of it will be with my son and the other half with my daughter since they get different spring breaks. How stupid is that!!!

I'll post pics soon of our new house. I've got them on facebook and I need to transfer them to some other site.

congrats to your son and daughter for doing so well at university.
when i met you they were not in college then..........why do the kids have to grow up?

congrats to mr damo on his retirement.
looking forward to those pictures damo!

 

[damo]

damo - betcha your glad to have smart kiddos . Gators - here they're good eating, did you make stew yet lol. Brought oldest 2 DS back gator jerky (both proclaimed it gross; yet ate it for braggin rights - ha). Beautiful community, is it near the beach? ps decided upon the DL for this summer

We are about five minutes from a beautiful beach which is part of a National Park.

You'll love DL. We've been there three Augusts. This last one was the hottest but if you go in the morning and at night, you'll be just fine.

 

[macraven]

Hey, guys! I hope you don't mind if I crash your thread!

I'm Bonnie.

Hi Macraven! How are you, my friend?


I had a question about Universal and hoped you guys had heard something. What's the progress on the Harry Potter area at Universal? Is it under construction? Any info about what kind of rides and attractions will be there? All I know at this point is that they are planning one to be finished in late 2009/early 2010.

Thank you!

well, look who the cat drug in.
homie bonnie from many threads ago.
it's about time you came over here to say howdy do.......
come crash here anytime homie.




i did read that they (UO) are revamping some styles of some rides and stores to go with the harry potter theme. dueling dragons will not be changed as of last talk

i'll try to find the link.
there was a thread regarding the development of HP that has kind of died down now. i'll see what was in that thread for you.

do you want me to list the ride changes and that type of stuff?
i believe 2009 all will be up and running for the new potter island.

 

[ky07]

how's ur eyes doing?

ds (didn't go to the dr ) rash is slowly fading away...still can't figure out what caused it. Will keep an eye out for it

i'm hoping tricia's just enjoying a relaxing day

Doing alot better swelling is almost gone and think it probably will be all gone hopefully in next day or two and glad to here your DS is doing better

 

[macraven]

Thanks for the welcome!

So do you ladies have any trips planned soon? I am going to WDW in 3 weeks with some other DISers! I am very excited.

I have not been to Universal yet, but we are planning to go when the Harry Potter land opens! I cannot WAIT for that!

i really should read all the pages and ketchup before i start posting like a blonde......

my next trip to the motherland will be end of sept. i catch the food and wine festival then. after that, i move to the darkside and stay at hrh for 5 nights. i have a long way off before vacay time

i read a lot about newbies will go to UO when the potter land opens.
i'm hoping it won't raise the prices of the hrh due to the demand.

one tip bonnie, if you don't plan to buy annual passes, buy the special that is advertised on the UO website. the special 7 day 2 park passes price dropped again. i think bean lady bought hers for under $79 a piece.

even if you only do two days at universal, you will come out ahead financially.

Right now the plan is just to go when we can. I've got too many tutoring and babysitting obligations to be able to spend a lot of time down there right now, but my hubby (he's only 51 but very burnt out due to a very high pressure job) plans on spending as much as he can until his brain starts getting back to normal. Hopefully, we'll have lots of friends and relatives coming down to golf and get some sun and keeping him company. I don't want to leave our son for too long either. He comes home most weekends, this year still anyways. Next year will be different. I hope to cut out the tutoring for the winter semester 2009 and so will be able to spend more time down there. The drive is only about 16 hours, so that isn't too bad.

Here are some pictures:

The view out the back:

our friend:

view going in:

the front:

damo, that looks like a new house.
wowser..........it looks fabulous!!!

much better than any dump i have ever lived in.....


can't wait until you have the house warming party and invite us all.
btw, it's an american tradition.......... jk ya'

 

[marciemi]

Hi - jumping in before the game to try to just make a few quick random thoughts! Hi to Donna as well and welcome to the thread!

I think your son would be fine on a lot of the rides mentioned. I wouldn't really consider Shrek and Jimmy Neutron to be "dark" rides - more like theaters. Unless he's afraid of theaters, I think if you described them as a fun movie, he'd love them. Don't remember - do they also have non-motion seats in JN? If so, it would just be a movie. I also wouldn't consider Cat in the Hat to be a "dark" ride - I know it's a bit "spinny" for some people, but seems like those are usually adults, not kids! I can't see that really scaring anyone, but I guess I don't have 5 year olds anymore!

And I really think kids of any age could spend an entire day at any of the play areas and be happy - the Fievel's playland or Woody Woodpecker-land (or whatever the real names are!). I would recommend against Jaws, even though it's not dark - we had a couple young kids on it when we rode in August who pretty much ruined the ride for everyone else as they screamed hysterically and their parents laughed at them. I would also NOT recommend T2 - I could not believe the number of young kids in there and felt it was almost a bit too "mature" for my youngest at 12! MIB is a bit of a toss up - I think a 5 year old would love the gaming aspect, but it definitely could be a bit (okay, more than a bit!) scary. Maybe see how he does on other stuff first?! All the water rides (not Jurassic Park) should be fun for him at IOA unless he's afraid of heights (or getting wet! ). They're definitely kid-themed!

Sorry, I don't know about cabanas Jodie. We kind of hung out on the waterpark area (iceburgs, etc. to climb on) and never really even looked with 3 hyperactive kids. Sure they could answer that quickly on cruisecritic though.

damo - where are you in SC? My youngest brother just moved there in June. They're in Columbia though - a stone's throw from University of SC since he's a professor there now (Ooh, doesn't that sound important?!) Moving from Arlington, VA, you can imagine how happy they were with the cost of housing and lower cost of living in general down there! Have to make it down to see him someday!

Catch you all later! Go Pack Go!!!

 

[macraven]

to the newest homie:

luckywife


she comes with questions and we can play shell answer man here for her....


i know you from another thread, so glad you came here for suggestions.


we have been beating that dead horse of broken teeth and loser dentists the last 6 pages off and on, so it's good to move on to trip help. still waiting on pics from snagglepuss......


we encourage any homie that plans to see UO to stop here and pick our brains. we love to help everyone. what we don't know, someone in this group will.
if your questions are not answered, ask again. there are many blondes here on this thread...........

did you read the site that is a stickie on younsters at UO?

i'll try to find it where the listings are for those that are out of diapers but limited on height requirement rides.

have you tried the interactive map on the universal website?
it does give a lot of detail.

what month are you going and for how many days for the UO parks?

 

[macraven]

Doing alot better swelling is almost gone and think it probably will be all gone hopefully in next day or two and glad to here your DS is doing better

it's good the swelling has gone down st. lawrence.
are things calmer at home now?

tell mary eva we are thinking of her and the fam still.



keisha: so what is it going to take to get ds to go to the doctor?
is he like a typical male and won't go unless he is on his final leg???

 

[roseprincess]

Hi all-
Been busy cleaning out stuff from our pantry this morning. Collected alot of popcorn tins thru the yrs.

Feeling a little better today. Yest. I just wasn't feeling well at all-flu symptoms.

DH is working on DS's Pinewood Derby car. Pinewood Derby is 2 weeks from today- cub scouts. DH is trying to model it after Jimmie Johnson's car.

Going to church tonight. Have all your backs, just like Mac says
Next weekend at church, our IL. state senator(he is also a pastor) Rev. James Meeks will be speaking at my church. Our senior pastor at our church(white megachurch) and James Meeks' church(black baptist church) do alot of youth volunteering together. Should be a good service next weekend
They are doing this church service in honor or Martin Luther King Day.



Marcie- thanks for your help with answering my questions

Hi and welcome to all the new homies

Jodie- did your tooth get fixed? Sounds like you are doing well.

Loribell- sorry to hear you had to drive the girl home in the middle of the night
I never had a sleepover yet with Chrissy and Matthew. Tho my place is too small(we live in a very small condo). Yes, it would have been nice if one of the girl's parents could have picked up her daughter.

K-fish- sorry to hear what fiance's parents did
My parents are totally opposite than your DF's parents. DH and I had to pay our own wedding, as no one offered to pay our wedding. DH's parents paid for the rehearsal dinner-was a barbeque at their house, very informal. My mom paid for a family bridal shower for me. DH and I paid for our own home, no down payment from anyone's parents. DH and I lived an apartment our first 2 yrs of marriage, than we moved into a small condo after that. We still live in the same condo- almost 13 yrs and 2 kids later.
My mom very much wants us to be independent financially, as she wears the pants in the family.
I could go on and on what my mom did to me and promises she made about 4yrs ago, that she never did, etc. For another time.

Anyways, I do hope everything works out with the money and house situation for you and fiance.


Hi to Mac and everyone

I gotta run.

 

[Toot Sweet]

well, look who the cat drug in.
homie bonnie from many threads ago.
it's about time you came over here to say howdy do.......
come crash here anytime homie.




i did read that they (UO) are revamping some styles of some rides and stores to go with the harry potter theme. dueling dragons will not be changed as of last talk

i'll try to find the link.
there was a thread regarding the development of HP that has kind of died down now. i'll see what was in that thread for you.

do you want me to list the ride changes and that type of stuff?
i believe 2009 all will be up and running for the new potter island.

Yes! That would be awesome, if you don't mind! I know nothing about all that stuff!

How have you been, Mac? Thanks for the nice welcome! This is my first foray into the Universal boards! I saw an episode of Great Hotels where Samantha Brown stayed at the Portifino Hotel. That place looks WONDERFUL! It also showed some of IOA, which I have GOT to see! I know my girls would love it!

 

[damo]

congrats to your son and daughter for doing so well at university.
when i met you they were not in college then..........why do the kids have to grow up?

congrats to mr damo on his retirement.
looking forward to those pictures damo!

I know. The kids grow up all too quickly.

 

[damo]

damo - where are you in SC? My youngest brother just moved there in June. They're in Columbia though - a stone's throw from University of SC since he's a professor there now (Ooh, doesn't that sound important?!) Moving from Arlington, VA, you can imagine how happy they were with the cost of housing and lower cost of living in general down there! Have to make it down to see him someday!

Catch you all later! Go Pack Go!!!

We are outside of Beaufort in a golf community. Right along the Intracoastal Waterway and very close to Hilton Head Island, where we've had timeshare for the past 20 years.

 

[damo]

damo, that looks like a new house.
wowser..........it looks fabulous!!!

much better than any dump i have ever lived in.....


can't wait until you have the house warming party and invite us all.
btw, it's an american tradition.......... jk ya'

The house is new. We got an excellent deal on it and it should be a great investment. With the Canadian dollar where it is and the US housing market where it is, it was the perfect time.

I'll think we'll have to settle for a cyber house warming party!!! You're all invited!

 

[loribell]

Well I am happy to know that everyone else thinks the girls parents should have picked her up. Thought maybe I was just mean.

The house is all clean and everyone is gone. It is so nice and quiet.

 

[loribell]

The house is new. We got an excellent deal on it and it should be a great investment. With the Canadian dollar where it is and the US housing market where it is, it was the perfect time.

I'll think we'll have to settle for a cyber house warming party!!! You're all invited!

Oh man! You mean you don't want us all to crash your new place? I can't imagine why!

 

[macraven]

Hi everyone. I've got to say that I really admire everyone who can keep up with this thread!

really damo, most of us just say a quick hello, do our rant and then jump in and carry on 4 different conversations at the same time.

nothing has changed since you were last here.

So....when ya goin'?

not to las vegas.
my heart belongs to the theme parks.............especially HHN

Penny - Glad you are back home.


Katie - So sorry the DF has crappy parents. Does he have much of a relationship with them at all? So sad that a parent would cheat their own child. Hopefully you guys can get it all worked out.

And I thought we were all invited too. Or were we crashing?

Barb - The girls are so loud! Can you believe that all of them that were invited actually came? I have 12 screaming little girls in my house!
Hey to everyone else! Hope everything is okay with Tricia. She didn't ever post today, did she?

Night everyone!

since tricia is MIA and many have repeated your same thoughts, i need to start calling............
i'll find her someway.....


i hear ya lori on parenting. i'm still trying to get it down pat at times.....

and slumber parties....oh vey............more than i care to think about has happened at ours.
each son would have to invite a buddy also no matter which son was having the sleep over party......i never slept. just like giving birth, you don't get much rest when the boys are up

Good Saturday Morning All!

I guess from reading, many of you will be sleeping in today. Lucky you.

I am on my way to work.

Got home last night around 7pm and just crashed. I did unpack and catch up on my newspapers and mail, so I don't have to do that today.

-Jennifer

you've been on the road all week, got home last night and back running the roads again today?

you are superwoman....
do you drink much?

Well I was barely asleep, if at all by this time. Everyone had gone to bed, girls in the living room watching High School Musical 2, and I dozed off. Woke up and went out to turn off the television and one of the girls (the only one who caused any problems with any of the other girls last night) was sitting up on the phone with her mom or dad, crying & wanting to go home. So what does the parent do? They tell her to aks me to bring her home! She lived 12 miles away. 30 minutes later I was back home and back in bed. Of course it took forever to go back to sleep, should have come in here to see if you were still up.

Can someone explain to me why her parents didn't come get her themselves?

Hi Bonnie! Welcome to our home. Hope you stick around and yak with us.

lori, i had a kid leave once during the night and no one told me until the next day.
i always hated to be the last to know what was going on.

did i ever tell you the time my sons had friends spend the night and we totaled 7 boys here? oldest one was 12, youngest was 8.

they cranked call their friends.
only problem it was the parents that got up during the night to answer the phone......

the police that came told me if the boys stopped doing that, no charges would be pressed.

stupid kids. i showed them how to block called id after that.

Hi all!

Hope it's ok that I just jump right in on your thread. We're planning a trip to USF/IOA in April, my first trip there since 1993 so I know a lot has changed since then. My boys and DH have never been so this is all new to us so I'm trying to learn everything I can about it. Our oldest DS is 13 and a total coaster freak, there's nothing he won't ride. Our other DS is 5 so I'm wondering if there are any attractions someone could suggest for a child his age. I'm not sure how he'll do on anything dark or loud, he's never been on anything like that before, so are there certain things it might be best to avoid with someone his age?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm sure I'll think of more over the next couple of months

Donna

donna, if your boys go on disney rides, do they have any issues or problems on any of them?
splash mountain would be similar to one ride at uo.
buzz and MIB have similarities.
give me an idea of the rides they both go on and we can highlight some of the UO rides and attractions for you.

if the 13 year old loves coasters, he will dueling dragons, the mummy, hulk.......

Katie, I don't quite follow the scheme that DF's parents laid out, but sounds like they were embezzling DF's funds, eh? That sux. I'm sure they won't be contributing at all to your wedding fund then? Mike's parents were a little clueless and didn't offer to pay for anything for our wedding. Then, Mike's sister got a little mad, and told them it wasn't fair that Mike and me and my parents were paying for everything, and the least they could offer to do was pay for the rehearsal dinner. Which they did, once they were asked. Sounds like your future in-laws are a katrillion times worse, however, and I feel your pain. Can you lay out what happened in writing to help them see what they did? Or, are they fully aware that they scammed your DF and don't care? Depending upon how your DF feels about it, I would cut them off from the wedding happenings and not invite them. But, that's just me. Stealing is terrible in and of itself, but stealing from your own child really takes the cake. Come back and let us know how it all works out.



Welcome to our new members!

Good morning all! What's on everyone's agendas today?

today i am looking at my old mail and deciding what to do with it.
and after that, going to kmart to buy cleansing supplies.

you know the usual saturday around here.

i agree, katie's future family may be dysfunctional.
but i can help.
we have a very dysfunctional family. we even put the fun in it..

Hey Donna Welcome to the darkside! Stick around an chat. I would suggest buying Kelly Monaghan's book titled Universal Orlando...it is equivalant to what the UOG is to WDW. His book has details about the rides, hotels, CityWalk, restaurants, etc....absolutely everything you need to know... But, Metro was on the money with his advice We're here to help ya plan an awesome trip!

Startin' to worry about Tricia....not like her.... sumthin's up.....and I'm gettin' a BAD vibe it ain't good.... [/COLOR][/SIZE]

bubba, if donna and bonnie would cruise through the older trip report section in UO forum, they they could read all about mickey at uo with your family.

donna and bonnie, check out the trip report sections.
some of those that post in this thread have written up fabulous reports with very good pictures.


another tricia statement

We are about five minutes from a beautiful beach which is part of a National Park.

You'll love DL. We've been there three Augusts. This last one was the hottest but if you go in the morning and at night, you'll be just fine.

you are only a 16 hour drive from home to the new home?
wow, it is a 22.5 hour drive for me to orlando from home.

Hi all-
Been busy cleaning out stuff from our pantry this morning. Collected alot of popcorn tins thru the yrs.

Going to church tonight. Have all your backs, just like Mac says
Next weekend at church, our IL. state senator(he is also a pastor) Rev. James Meeks will be speaking at my church. Our senior pastor at our church(white megachurch) and James Meeks' church(black baptist church) do alot of youth volunteering together. Should be a good service next weekend
They are doing this church service in honor or Martin Luther King Day.





Hi and welcome to all the new homies

Jodie- did your tooth get fixed? Sounds like you are doing well.

Loribell- sorry to hear you had to drive the girl home in the middle of the night
:


My parents are totally opposite than your DF's parents. DH and I had to pay our own wedding, as no one offered to pay our wedding. DH's parents paid for the rehearsal dinner-was a barbeque at their house, very informal. My mom paid for a family bridal shower for me. DH and I paid for our own home, no down payment from anyone's parents. DH and I lived an apartment our first 2 yrs of marriage, than we moved into a small condo after that. We still live in the same condo- almost 13 yrs and 2 kids later.
My mom very much wants us to be independent financially, as she wears the pants in the family.
I could go on and on what my mom did to me and promises she made about 4yrs ago, that she never did, etc. For another time.

Anyways, I do hope everything works out with the money and house situation for you and fiance.


Hi to Mac and everyone

I gotta run.

hey rose.
double coverage this week, doing church also.
will have everyones back........

speaking of parents, mine must have come from where some of yours did.

when i asked for a loan to mom once, she told me to get a second job....


folks didn't help us for our wedding. mr mac and i paid for it ourselves.
for some reason my mom kept saying they don't pay for repeats.......

we had a very simple ceremony and with only 3 friends present.

Yes! That would be awesome, if you don't mind! I know nothing about all that stuff!

How have you been, Mac? Thanks for the nice welcome! This is my first foray into the Universal boards! I saw an episode of Great Hotels where Samantha Brown stayed at the Portifino Hotel. That place looks WONDERFUL! It also showed some of IOA, which I have GOT to see! I know my girls would love it!

pbh is probably one of the most gorgeous hotels and spacious on site at UO.
i have stayed at all of them.

sometimes you can get great deals there.
it is worth it for the front of the line pass, especially when potter opens.

since i do halloween horror nights, i like staying at hard rock. so close to walk to since i stay at the park until 2 in the morning.

i can easily find my way back to the hotel.......



penny, how are you feeling?
did all the family show up?

still thinking about you.

 

[macraven]

damo: where is the canadian idol pic and siggie 411?

you have doggies now.........but i betcha knew that one already.

 

[macraven]

MARCIE.............DID YOU SEE THAT FUMBLE........



OH SNAP............