Space Mountain: Clothing Optional - All done and true even if it is April Fool's

[winkers]

Dawn, your situation with family and making sure everyone else is happy is alot like me.
I come from a long line of Martyrs...you know the ones who do everything for everyone else, just because they don't want to hurt someone's feelings or "rock the boat".....

Ove the past couple of years, I've realized what a mistake that was...and this past summer I finally had to put my foot down with my Dad, who is an alcoholic...I'm sure I shocked the heck out of him because in my 35 years I'd never stood up for myself or told him off.

It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and it's still hard, but I know I did the right thing.


I haven't given up on expecting the best out of people...I'm an optimistic realist.... I still expect good from others, but don't let it affect me when they don't live up to my expectations.

 

[princess_momma]

What's going on sweetie!

Just life with Landon and lots of family/parent struggles...Not things like me fighting with them but stuff based on their own personal choices that greatly affects me, especially while living with them. It's getting better though!

She would love that! I have some new pics of her I need to post that are a winter spread of her and some close friends! They are too cute!

Oh you definitely have to post those! I bet they are so cute!!

I can't tell you how many t-shirt ideas I have for that company that are not Dis appropriate! I bet your mom wanted to die...after she peeked!

I bet you would have a million t-shirt ideas for them! They would all be HILARIOUS I bet. My mom was so embarrassed...and we still tease her about it and her "porn addiction".


Sorry about everything surrounding your tr. Isn't it sad the things that we go out of our way for, especially with family, that doesn't really matter? It kind of hurts if you let it. It sounds like you have such a good outlook about it and are getting better with it. I know its a struggle lately.

My last vacation, my parents and I finally realized that vacation was about us and not other people. When I grew up, vacations weren't all that fun because all we did was visit family. Every single one. They never made a vacation or went out of their way to come visit us. So why should we make that our WHOLE vacation?

Extended family is tricky. Yes they are family...but once you go out and form your own immediate family, thats who needs all the focus because you can't please everyone. I'm sorry there was so much drama surrounding everything. I hope you can be okay with things and not beat yourself up over it. You couldn't have known how many things would fall apart as your were taking time off your vacation.

 

[Dizneydawn]

Totally agree! Just wish we independent movers & shakers would come to this realization before it comes back to bite us in the patootie!
Amen! And if it is going to bite me in the tukkus, at least it could lighten the load back there!


You definitely have the right attitude, though. Being happy is your right - Heck it's even in the Declaration of Independence!

Look at you getting all political and mushy at the same time!

BTW - what is your middle name?

Dawn, your situation with family and making sure everyone else is happy is alot like me.
I come from a long line of Martyrs...you know the ones who do everything for everyone else, just because they don't want to hurt someone's feelings or "rock the boat".....

Ove the past couple of years, I've realized what a mistake that was...and this past summer I finally had to put my foot down with my Dad, who is an alcoholic...I'm sure I shocked the heck out of him because in my 35 years I'd never stood up for myself or told him off.

It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and it's still hard, but I know I did the right thing.
My Father is a huge piece of this as well. There are some people of the belief that just because they are family you have to look past behavior you would not associate yourself with in any other circumstances and I disagree. If it is not a mistake and is repetitive behavior, it is a lifestyle. Toxic is toxic no matter who it is in your life.

Dan has a family member that has some serious discrepencies of what Dan believes in. The extent to that perspective has recently became known and Dan made the hard call to decide not to be around this person any longer.

Well Dan's choice has not gone over well with people who want to look the other way because it does not directly affect them but Dan is standing firm and I am really proud of him. He is better than me on wavering out of guilt or obligation.

Total sidebar:

I saw a man named Kwame Ture in college and he impacted my thoughts more than I can do justice here. He marched alongside Martin Luther King and Malcom X and believed in Non Violence but also in not taking violence lying down either. Many things I agreed with that he spoke about and others, because I cannot imagine what he went through and what life must have been like in the times of hangings and Marches, I wish not to cast judgement.

His one question that I will never forget, nor his response to answers from a bunch of college kids who were so young and innocent, was this:

He asked: What would you die for?

Answers were: My parents, my children, my friends, teammates, girlfriends and boyfriends, neighbors, pastors etc.

He then got very quiet and said:

"I asked what you would die for and your answers were in regards to whom. Many of us would die for loved ones whether family or friends but how many of us are willing to die for something we believe in. Stand up for something not someone. That was what Martin and Malcom did. They stood up for what they believed in, knowing their life was on the line and looking their wives and children and loved ones in the face, the ones you said you would die for, and said, "Because of my belief in something bigger than you or I or our love, I am willing to risk my life and devastate all of us in hopes it will be something that will make a difference to many, not just a few."
I know that is pretty heavy and not strictly about family and moving past the ones that might not be healthy for us, but it is actually in my mind one and the same.

It's advice on looking at the bigger picture. I am sure your Dad, whom you love, has caused hurt in his alcholism to your kids and your family as a whole. Instead of just looking at his needs or your needs to be in one another's lives, you looked at the bigger picture and took assesment of the situation as a whole.

I am really proud of you. That's tough stuff.



I haven't given up on expecting the best out of people...I'm an optimistic realist.... I still expect good from others, but don't let it affect me when they don't live up to my expectations.

That is it...make your expectations about yourself and what you can control...the rest if it turns out - is gravy...if it doesn't it is fruitcake and all that was intended for was to decorate the table and throw anyway!

 

[Dizneydawn]

Just life with Landon and lots of family/parent struggles...Not things like me fighting with them but stuff based on their own personal choices that greatly affects me, especially while living with them. It's getting better though!

I am glad and raising your son in your terms while living with anyone else has got to be hard!

Oh you definitely have to post those! I bet they are so cute!!
I will!


I bet you would have a million t-shirt ideas for them! They would all be HILARIOUS I bet. My mom was so embarrassed...and we still tease her about it and her "porn addiction".

I bet she want's to throttle you guys!
My last vacation, my parents and I finally realized that vacation was about us and not other people. When I grew up, vacations weren't all that fun because all we did was visit family. Every single one. They never made a vacation or went out of their way to come visit us. So why should we make that our WHOLE vacation?
That is where the Kid's dad is still at. Every long weekend drive to his family when they rarely come here. One of his brother's has not been here since 1999.
Extended family is tricky. Yes they are family...but once you go out and form your own immediate family, thats who needs all the focus because you can't please everyone. I'm sorry there was so much drama surrounding everything. I hope you can be okay with things and not beat yourself up over it. You couldn't have known how many things would fall apart as your were taking time off your vacation.

You are a wise woman and Treyner could only be so lucky to fall in love with someone exactly like you!

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Dawn - your post today really meant something to me. I have been having a midlife crisis for the last year of so and am only now starting to come out the other side. In my questioning/changing/crying/whatever has been going on, I have decided to cut some people out of my life. They have been friends for a while but it got to the point where the whole relationship was about/for them and their wants and needs and there was nothing coming back. It's a hard decision to make and even harder to actually implement, but it's healthy and the pain I have now will save a lot more pain in the long run.

I also fully understand how planning a trip for others can ruin your experience. I think that is what happened to my trip in October and the memories of it are why I abandoned my trip report. I couldn't keep putting a rosy spin on it and I didn't want to keep reliving the negativity so I let it go. A do-over trip is in order and I get a few days of that coming up.

I think what I admire about you most is that you put into words things that everyone feels and experiences but are often too, I don't know, timid, shy, scared of rocking the boat, etc etc to say themselves. I read your non-trip report posts and think "are Dawn and I the same person? Are we living the same life?" Of course, I don't have 3 beautiful children or a loving Dan but I certainly get the rest of it. And I think it helps me to say "here's someone who is going through the same thing. Even if it is just by computer or phone, there is someone out there who understands." So thanks. And I hope you know that everyone who reads and posts on the trip report would be that person for you too.

 

[disneyaddicted]

Oh Dawn, we are so much alike, I always worry about others having a good time that I lose out, I'm getting better. Your post made total sense, I am trying to learn to live in the moment for myself and if others miss out...oh well!

It's always bothered Kent that I worry about everybody else having fun, and if one person is being a party pooper I will invest so much time trying to get them off the potty that I miss out on the good times that could be had with everybody else,
"Ty, you are not responsible for their good time, quit crying over their spilled milk."

We might be crass Dawn, we might be crude, but we are also nice and that doesn't mean we should be taken advantage of or bendover backwards to help those who refuse to help themselves.

We're learning though aren't we?

 

[Dizneydawn]

Dawn - your post today really meant something to me. I have been having a midlife crisis for the last year of so and am only now starting to come out the other side. In my questioning/changing/crying/whatever has been going on, I have decided to cut some people out of my life. They have been friends for a while but it got to the point where the whole relationship was about/for them and their wants and needs and there was nothing coming back. It's a hard decision to make and even harder to actually implement, but it's healthy and the pain I have now will save a lot more pain in the long run.
You deserve to know that people love you for exactly who you are and that they are blessed you touch their lives.
I also fully understand how planning a trip for others can ruin your experience. I think that is what happened to my trip in October and the memories of it are why I abandoned my trip report. I couldn't keep putting a rosy spin on it and I didn't want to keep reliving the negativity so I let it go. A do-over trip is in order and I get a few days of that coming up.
I wondered what happened and I am glad you get a new trip to remedy a bit of what the last one was not.
I think what I admire about you most is that you put into words things that everyone feels and experiences but are often too, I don't know, timid, shy, scared of rocking the boat, etc etc to say themselves. I read your non-trip report posts and think "are Dawn and I the same person? Are we living the same life?" Of course, I don't have 3 beautiful children or a loving Dan but I certainly get the rest of it. And I think it helps me to say "here's someone who is going through the same thing. Even if it is just by computer or phone, there is someone out there who understands." So thanks. And I hope you know that everyone who reads and posts on the trip report would be that person for you too.

I simply love you. I really do and sometimes I wonder if my blabbering means anything but it makes me feel better. Thanks for what you said.


P.S. I also wonder if my posts will not get me booted from here some days because I do not edit my thoughts very often...including the SA ones!

 

[Dizneydawn]

Oh Dawn, we are so much alike, I always worry about others having a good time that I lose out, I'm getting better. Your post made total sense, I am trying to learn to live in the moment for myself and if others miss out...oh well!

It's always bothered Kent that I worry about everybody else having fun, and if one person is being a party pooper I will invest so much time trying to get them off the potty that I miss out on the good times that could be had with everybody else,
"Ty, you are not responsible for their good time, quit crying over their spilled milk."

We might be crass Dawn, we might be crude, but we are also nice and that doesn't mean we should be taken advantage of or bendover backwards to help those who refuse to help themselves.

We're learning though aren't we?

Well said Fred. Well said. Maybe I should start a Dear Abby site and give advice and just blab...that and my traveling book could make me millions...or at least enough to pay my internet bill!

I would need additional people to help dole out advice from the throngs of followers I am sure to get lmao...wanna apply for the position? I mean Carsyn I know won't and I will need someone to blame when things go awry!

YOU ARE AWESOME!

 

[scooby9932]

Look at you getting all political and mushy at the same time!

BTW - what is your middle name?

Yeah, mushy I am a lot of the time. Political, eh, not so much!

Actually, Dawn is my middle name. My first name is Debra. The only people who call me that are people who want money from me!

My parents decided to go with the middle name thing with me from the start. Both my brother & sister were called by a nickname of their names (Jay - Joseph John & Rae- Ramona Kim). I don't know why they went off on theme with me, but as they were thinking of DeeDee, I'm sure glad they did! I'm just not the DeeDee type. If that makes any sense?

When I was little I hated having the name Dawn, though, because I could never find anything with my name on it. I was obsessed with having my name on stuff when I was little. Now, though, you can find it anywhere.

Then I did the same thing to my daughter, Somer (sounds like summer), who will never find her name anywhere. Hey, I liked it! It means beautiful in Old English. What can I say, I was an English major at the time. Plus, I like unusual names. Sounds like you do, too! I love your kids' names. Unusual, but not strange!

What's your middle name? I know one other Dawn & hers in Dawn Marie. Actually, it's heavily Catholic in Louisiana, so A LOT of girls have the middle name Marie here.

 

[PrncessA]

In December 2009, I finally understood it to be true for family as well. That just because they are family, does not mean you have to lesson your happiness to please others that do not try in return. That I was so busy pleasing everyone else, that would never give the same back, I forgot I did not please me. That it is okay to set expectations for others and if they do not want to meet you at least in the middle, you do not have to forgo your happiness. That it is okay to be happy just for you.

Amen! I am 26 and I am fighting that realization right now. I raised my mother and still do the "mothering" if it comes down to it, but I have been struggling to face the fact that I can't do it anymore. I am finally not willing to part with the happiness of my family and my own happiness to fix her problems, geez we can barely handle our own ya know!

Our trip to WDW last September is the ONLY trip where we did not take family, visit family or meet family EVER! It was the best to only worry about ourselves and focus solely on our happiness. My mom ask to go on our trip to this coming December if she can afford it and I am terrified that she might follow through on it and how to tell her no.

On a side note I just wanted to let you know that I love your TR and hearing all about your family! You guys seem like so much fun and you can see the love between you all!

 

[Dizneydawn]

Actually, Dawn is my middle name.
Ah, ha!

When I was little I hated having the name Dawn, though, because I could never find anything with my name on it. I was obsessed with having my name on stuff when I was little. Now, though, you can find it anywhere.
Crack me up! One of the many reasons I hated my name!
Then I did the same thing to my daughter, Somer (sounds like summer), who will never find her name anywhere. Hey, I liked it! It means beautiful in Old English. What can I say, I was an English major at the time. Plus, I like unusual names. Sounds like you do, too! I love your kids' names. Unusual, but not strange!
Again the same here. You are not going to find Treyner, Carsyn or Baylor on anything...
What's your middle name? I know one other Dawn & hers in Dawn Marie. Actually, it's heavily Catholic in Louisiana, so A LOT of girls have the middle name Marie here.

Yup it is Marie...very boring...I hate it...never have liked it at all.

Dawn Marie...yuck yuck yuck...swore I would never name my kids after myself or their Dad. Do not let anyone call me Dawn Marie or any nick names of that actually...

Now Carsyn is at that girl age where she is thinking of what she may name her child...it is fun to hear her ideas.

I always make sure to put the name into different contexts if I know someone having a baby and they ask my opinion.

My sister has a girl that is 2. While pregnant, she said she liked the name Blake for a boy.

Last name is Hyme. (ends like rhyme)

Say Blake Hyme out loud. Say Blake Hyme out loud without a long pause between Blake and Hyme.

It sounds like a Hitler Salute and having Jewish family roots, I did not like that one bit. Way too harsh sounding.

Then she said she liked Skyler for a girl. Wanted "Skyler Renee Kay" for the name to please both sides of the family.

I said the name sounded like she would be a lot lizzard from Dallas. Or from the Milky Way...whichever you prefer.

So they deleted it to one middle name.

Now they call the kid Sky for short.

Sky Hyme.

Still sounds stupid. Sounds like a futuristic drug center.

"Welcome to Sky High detox. My name is Sally, what is your drug of choice?"

I might have written this but the kids just got a new cousin on their Dad's side.

Older siblings are Truman and Turner (boys) and now a sister name Lucy.

WTHeck? How do you go unusual then very old school?

I graduated with a girl named Jeveny. An older sister named Jill and younger sister named Anna.

I think they hated Jeveny.

 

[Dizneydawn]

Amen! I am 26 and I am fighting that realization right now. I raised my mother and still do the "mothering" if it comes down to it, but I have been struggling to face the fact that I can't do it anymore. I am finally not willing to part with the happiness of my family and my own happiness to fix her problems, geez we can barely handle our own ya know!
My Mom is an isolater, My Dad is the boo-hoo freakin nothing is my fault, point at everyone else, type of person.

I want to say, "You did not allow me to get away with that behavior as a child so what makes you think I will put up with it from you as an adult. The truth though is, he always expected me to own my sh!t. He just never expected it from himself so in reality, he is the same now as he was at 35 but with the ailments and issues of a senior citizen.
Our trip to WDW last September is the ONLY trip where we did not take family, visit family or meet family EVER! It was the best to only worry about ourselves and focus solely on our happiness. My mom ask to go on our trip to this coming December if she can afford it and I am terrified that she might follow through on it and how to tell her no.
So why does she know you are going? My middle sister has this guilt vomit mouth. She has to tell my Mom everything.

I asked her to come to Florida with us for spring break. She said no and one reason is she would ahve to tell Mom. Then Mom would feel bad she was not invited. I asked why she had to tell Mom.

She said, "Well she would find out. She might see a t-shirt or see pictures."

I said, don't show her the pics.

She said, "Well what if she looks on my camera?"

When I pointed out Mom did not know every man she has had relations with, times she might have made poor choices on illegal substances in college or a flury of other things I knew and Mom did not, she just looked at me and said,
"But this is different."

So seriously - why tell someone if the might invite themselves? Let me know!


On a side note I just wanted to let you know that I love your TR and hearing all about your family! You guys seem like so much fun and you can see the love between you all!

I love your side note!

 

[scooby9932]

Yup it is Marie...very boring...I hate it...never have liked it at all.

Dawn Marie...yuck yuck yuck...swore I would never name my kids after myself or their Dad. Do not let anyone call me Dawn Marie or any nick names of that actually...

That is too funny!

Now Carsyn is at that girl age where she is thinking of what she may name her child...it is fun to hear her ideas.

Somer has had rock solid ideas on names for years. The crazy kid wants 5 children! , so her list is long.

For her 1st boy, she has chosen Rowan (no middle name). I love the name Rowan, but have to tease her, so I tell her I'm going to call him "Cap'n" since it sounds like he's rowing a boat. I'll buy him little sailor outfits & everything! Luckily, she's ok with this. Not that that would stop me.

Then she wants Lorelai Dawn (my own shout-out!) - I tell her you do know that Lorelai was the siren that lead sailors to their death, right? She says, "Yep, she'll just kick a$$, is all."
Naomi Grace (for my Grams's) - I LOVE this name.
Elijah Wade (for my dad - my maiden name) - Love this one, too.
Jesse (no middle name) - I tell her, "You know Jesse is gonna be a bada$$, right? He's going to get Eli in trouble. And poor ol' Cap'n will have to bail them both out of jail." She loves this description. Crazy kid!


I always make sure to put the name into different contexts if I know someone having a baby and they ask my opinion.

My sister has a girl that is 2. While pregnant, she said she liked the name Blake for a boy.

Last name is Hyme. (ends like rhyme)

Say Blake Hyme out loud. Say Blake Hyme out loud without a long pause between Blake and Hyme.

It sounds like a Hitler Salute and having Jewish family roots, I did not like that one bit. Way too harsh sounding.

Then she said she liked Skyler for a girl. Wanted "Skyler Renee Kay" for the name to please both sides of the family.

I said the name sounded like she would be a lot lizzard from Dallas. Or from the Milky Way...whichever you prefer.

So they deleted it to one middle name.

Now they call the kid Sky for short.

Sky Hyme.

Still sounds stupid. Sounds like a futuristic drug center.

"Welcome to Sky High detox. My name is Sally, what is your drug of choice?"

I might have written this but the kids just got a new cousin on their Dad's side.

Older siblings are Truman and Turner (boys) and now a sister name Lucy.

WTHeck? How do you go unusual then very old school?

Well, at least it's a strong name. I think of Lucy Lawless when I hear it. Xena, baby!

I graduated with a girl named Jeveny. An older sister named Jill and younger sister named Anna.

I think they hated Jeveny.

You're right! I also always think of the possible nicknames, how names sound, and whether they're too difficult for people to spell or pronounce correctly. You don't want to hurt your kids with their names, after all.

I knew I didn't want a "-y" name for any of my kids. I just loathe names turned into them for some reason. Harkens back to being called Dawny, most likely! Only when thinking of naming Somer, I was more concentrated on making sure her name couldn't be turned into a "-y" nickname, that I forgot about possible rhymes. She still talks about kids saying Somer is a bummer! Somer is dumber! Kids! They'll find a way to torture each other!

 

[MEK]

I was raised Lutheran but baptised Catholic and I swear the curse of the Catholic guilt is something I will fight till the day I die! At least now I am okay fighting fair. It's a start!

I was raised Catholic and baptised Catholic and I will never get over the Catholic guilt. It is what it is! I have given in. Props to you for calling a spade a spade!

Wowsa is all I can say to your last post!

 

[29apr00]

Did I ever tell you about his birthday (I want to say he was turning 12?) and I was in the hospital for a kidney infection and I had told him to go on with his party plans - his Dad could handle it etc.

Well guess who showed up at 7 p.m. when he should have been bowling?

Treyner spent the night sharing a hospital bed with me and me trying to keep my arms in the air so they could take the blood pressure and stats throughout the night without waking him.

Know what he said?

"I can have a birthday party anytime so I cancelled it and told my friends I would reschedule when you were out of the hospital. But Mom, I can only have my real birthday with you on my birthday.

Swear to Heaven above it is 100% true and that is Treyner.

Oh....i want to marry him.......what an AMAZING husband he is going to be for some lucky lady soon! you raised him right!!

Now I beg for quiet in my head (not like I am hearing voices for those of you who might post pictures of me in a nut house) when I lay down. Dan knows if I turn out the lights and close my eyes and he starts to talk about something...I may flog him. If I get a topic in my head...I lay there forever and cannot stop thinking about all the possible ways I can influence it or it will influence me.

Dan can say - "Lets start our taxes tom." for example and go right to sleep.

I lay there plagued with:

Will I owe?

Will I get money back?

Do I get to write off XYZ?

Did I keep the receipt for XYZ.

Did I remember to write down specifics of what I donated?

Did I remember to donate or is it the back of the Van that I cannot get into?"



Which would lead to:

I want a new van.

How many seats do I want it to have when I get it?

Do I like leather or cloth?

Would I allow the back bed seat to be unfolded and people lie in it while driving through the night?

Would the front seat be comfortable to sleep in?

What color would I pick if I could?




Which would lead to:

Do I even have a favorite color?

No I don't think so.

Why is it I don't?

Am I the only one who doesn't?

Do I have fear of commitment if I am afraid to commit to a color?

Does Dan think I have a fear of commitment?


Which would lead to me looking at Dan.

Who would be snoring and dead asleep in the 30 seconds I had gone from taxes to commitment phobia.

And then I would have to punch him for keeping me awake.

Which would wake him up as well.



So you see...it is better if he just shuts up and doesn't talk when the lights are out and I am in no think sleep mode.

Or he might be involved in a slow speed crash with a fire hydrant and a woman chasing him down the driveway in her nightie.

Brandishing a lamp. Not a golf club.

Not becuase he cheated...(Duh...he would never make it out of the house to be in the slow speed crash)

But because he does not know the rule of the lamp.

The End.

I have NEVER met anyone who went thru what i do every single night!! My dh can't understand why i can be falling down tired, and get into bed and just be wired and can't fall asleep! He can't figure out why i can't just turn it off! I read your post to him and he fell out of his chair laughing so hard....which is amazing because my husband doesn't laugh about anything.

off to keep cathcing up.....

 

[29apr00]

Chapter 3 Cont'd - "Do they live on Wackey Tabackey in Indiana?"

After getting Da Boot from Germansnitzel Village, we entered Illinois and then Indiana in a pretty rapid succession. Carsyn slept and Dan and I drove like there was a pot of gold waiting for us.

Can I say something and I know I may get flamed and lose 2 people for being crass?

Of course I can because it is my TR!

Indiana has some of the most ghetto looking abodes alongside their freeways I have ever seen.

There it is out.

I said it.

2 years ago we drove to Carmel, Indiana for a soccer tourney and my sister and I were astounded at how the ramshackle homes are put almost connecting to the freeway and there is no rhyme or reason to them and nobody from Indiana Department of Tourism has thought that this might not shine the best light on the state for anyone thinking of moving here.

Now, again, same ugly mess and not at all on the same road were we on as before. No town or city in site. Just random houses, sometimes clustered together in small groups

There are cars stacked everywhere, garbage piled up, sometimes a horse milling around. It’s like Sanford and Sons

(hey...how did they get all that stuff off our van?)

was picked up and moved to Indiana next to a freeway. I just do not get it. If anyone else has seen this phenomenon, please let me know.

Dan thinks it is because land might me cheap next to the freeway. I would buy that theory but then why is it only a single home or a small cluster?

Anyway! Don’t you love how sidetracked a person can get in details that matter absolutely squat to themselves directly! (ahemm...TR's on the Dis? )

We were ready for some food about 11:00 a.m. and I also knew I wanted to stop and pick up a pair of jeans. We were on the lookout for a strip mall or outlet mall. The area we were in was pretty desolate but spotted what looked like an outlet mall. It was located in the ever popular community of Normal, Indiana.

Next to Bloomington, Indiana.

Step city to Mentally Insane and thus not normal, Indiana.

Pulled in and found it was deserted minus some businesses that were trying to get off the ground with cheap rent. It was formally known as the Outlet Mall (real original) but now known as Crossroads Center. The place was D.E.A.D. and should have been called Tumbleweed Junction.

Then I spotted:

Can you tell someone needed to clean the windows from Dog slobber!

I thought it would be worth stopping in and seeing if they had anything I wanted. They had cakes in the window and I am a sucker for sweets. Again, thought maybe I could bring a cake with to Shannon’s for a treat for everyone and Treyner’s birthday.

Guess what they did not have?

Cake.

That's right the people looked at me like I had just asked for a Nacho Bell Grande at Mc Donalds.

They said, "We do not have cakes here to purchase."

I confirmed, "No cakes? Not even one in the freezer?"

Nope.

Why would a cake place have cake? I must be a crazy person for asuming such a thing.

Come to find out I walked into a woman’s business that was changing over from cakes and sweets to more a deli and catering biz.

You must have been coming in from I-70? You should take US31 North to up around my area....you would have good writing's for many a TR!!

Actually....i think i have heard of that cake store! If you were on my part of the state (where we have no wackey tabeckey) i'd have made a kick a$s birthday cake for Baylor!

Corn on the cob cookies ( you are in Indiana afterall!!)

Fish

and for when he gets older..... (or for Dan's batchelor party)

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Edited to add - well i tried to post a picture of a cake i made for a batchelor party...but apparently the wonderful censors on the DIS are even censoring out the link to the picture cause of the title of the cake...oh well!

 

[disneyaddicted]

Well said Fred. Well said. Maybe I should start a Dear Abby site and give advice and just blab...that and my traveling book could make me millions...or at least enough to pay my internet bill!

I would need additional people to help dole out advice from the throngs of followers I am sure to get lmao...wanna apply for the position? I mean Carsyn I know won't and I will need someone to blame when things go awry!

YOU ARE AWESOME!

Fred was my nickname in highschool cause my maiden name was Sanford.
I will apply for the position, but I want it to be in my contract that Disney comes first.
now as far as needing someone to blame when things go awry? I will pass the buck down, Reese gets blamed for everything in our house...and out of our house, she use to deny it, but now she's like whatever, I think she has even accepted the downfall of the economy as her fault, when anything happens we just say Reese did it, sometimes she will beat us to the punch...

"Holy carp! Gas has gone up 6 cents in less then 2 hours."

Reese won't even raise an eyeborw, "I did it."

 

[Millie12591]

Dawn, your situation with family and making sure everyone else is happy is alot like me.
I come from a long line of Martyrs...you know the ones who do everything for everyone else, just because they don't want to hurt someone's feelings or "rock the boat".....

Ove the past couple of years, I've realized what a mistake that was...and this past summer I finally had to put my foot down with my Dad, who is an alcoholic...I'm sure I shocked the heck out of him because in my 35 years I'd never stood up for myself or told him off.

It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and it's still hard, but I know I did the right thing.


I haven't given up on expecting the best out of people...I'm an optimistic realist.... I still expect good from others, but don't let it affect me when they don't live up to my expectations.

Dawn, hey babe. You know where I stand on these issue's. You and I've had many talks about how you have to accept people where they are and know you can't change them, just yourself and how you react to them. Your doing a great job.
Our lives have to mean something in the end, and if you keep trying to please others, your life will have accounted for making everyone else's great (if they were even paying attention) but your life got left in the ditch. Not to get all holy on everyone, but God gave us this one life, and I'm pretty sure He didn't expect us to live it pleasing others. I'm pretty sure He expected us to make pleasing, loving and honoring decisions about Him, oursleves and others. Notice the order?

Winkers~ I know exactly what you've been through. I've actually had to make that call not only with my dad (who is also an alcoholic), but my mom, and SIL all at about the same time. Can you say I finally hit my limit?!? Let's just say, it turned out to be a very quiet and blissful year.
I had to put my foot down about how people were treating me in my own home when they came to visit, or how they were towards me when they were around my children. As you said.....it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. I think the hardest part for me wasn't just telling them, but telling them it wasn't just their fault, it was partly my fault for having allowed them to treat me this way for so long.
I had a group of women I would see once a week for support on life changes, if it weren't for those women I know I wouldn't have made some of the changes as well as I did.
As Dawn is finding out, and you probably found out with your dad...When you set boundaries (Boundaries By:Cloud and Townsend is a really great book on this, it sure helped me) it usually pisses people off, they don't like being told the behavior they are exhibiting is wrong, or needs to change, especially when they've been allowed to get away with it for any length of time. As the leader in my group once told me, and I think it's even mentioned in the book I recommended....(them being mad at the boundary setting) This is how you know it's working! And they will test you on it too! They want to know if you'll back down and go back to allowing them to get away with what ever they want, or will you make it stick.
Once they know you mean business, they do one of two things, never talk with you again, or they come around eventually and almost always not doing the said behavior any longer. That latter is usually the case, although if your my PITA little sister, it takes a few times around the same Mountain to get it, we are on round 6 or 7 right now. I'm just greatful I know I'm not responsible for what she does with my setting the limits.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Hi Dawn! Lots going on around here and you haven't even made it to Disney yet!
Shannon's house is beeuteeful! Glad you guys had the opportunity to spend a bit of time with them!
Hope to talk to you some time this weekend!

 

[Dizneydawn]

Hi all - soory for being gone but having some computer issues...hope to see you all tom.