Stop Making Me Laugh Or I'll Pee My Pants! Go Back! I Lost My Shoe! Trip Report!

[vladimir10]

It took me a few minutes, but I finally figured out what it was in this picture that seemed so familiar:

That's the same faucet we used in out kitchen!

I think we got it from Lowes earlier this year.

Small world.

Loving the report so far, patiently waiting for more...


Thanks for sharing!

 

[Mom2apirate&princess]

Hi Lisa,

I just wanted to de lurk and say hello. I started reading your last TR right before you left for this year's vacation. I loved it!!!! I can't wait to read this one either. I just love it when I find an entertaining writer to keep me smiling... I count on these boards to to give me my Disney fix until we can get back there.

 

[mickeystoontown]

The parents club cooks on Thursday nights for all the players (90) for the pre game feed. Two of the churches in town have volunteered to do it this year so they are working that out. It would be great. We don't know many people that can hold 90+ people.




You tell John I would appreciate that. Words I pretty much know (well, except for his words) it's the tune I can't carry. I bet if I sang loud enough you would have opened that trunk and got me out. Of course, you might have left me stranded along side the road somewhere and who knows what would have happened to me. I felt all safe, warm and cozy in that luggage.

You have had a very busy morning. Don was cooking biscuits about 9:30 and Sheri called to see if we wanted to go eat breakfast. We don't turn down a meal. The biscuits got done and we were out of here.

Then we headed to Wal Mart, Fall Apart and got 2 new stadium chairs. My big butt hurts on those metal bleachers. Our old bleachers were wood and at least they had some give in them.

When we got home the neighbors 6 pit bulls were out roaming. So I'm waiting on the sherrif to get here. Has been a terrible week with those dogs. Law says no more than 4, our covenant reads no outside dogs and no dogs left out all night. They don't follow rules real well. The attorney is working on it. Thursday afternoon when Don got home they had torn down part of the fence and were all in my back yard. The poor Princess about had a stroke.

Love the viola. Sandi played it for 9 years. She was in the youth symphony, first chair all thru school. We paid a lot of money for a new one her junior year. After about 5 years she hocked it. I was not happy but it was hers. So about 3 years ago, what does she do but go buy a cheap one and start playing again. You know you musical people it is in alto cleff not treble like most string instruments.

Awesome about Lacey's news. I am so glad for her and for you. Getting to save some money for you. (makes more Disney money)

Have a great weekend. I'm gonna post some jamboree pics in a bit.

Ginny

Did you get the pit bull situation taken care of? I'd be a bit worried if they were just roaming around.

We got a viola ordered. They were running a special for just $159.00! It was normally over $400.00. The music store was packed with kids renting/buying instruments.

I hate to put too much money into it until I know for sure that he will want to keep playing. If he's good at it and wants to keep playing, I know we'll be making another trip back to the store and getting a better one.

It took me a few minutes, but I finally figured out what it was in this picture that seemed so familiar:

That's the same faucet we used in out kitchen!

I think we got it from Lowes earlier this year.

Small world.

Loving the report so far, patiently waiting for more...


Thanks for sharing!

Our faucet started leaking last year and we made a run to Lowe's to get a new one. It's really hard to find something that goes with a log home. I don't want fancy and the ones that look old timey are really really expensive.

Hi Lisa,

I just wanted to de lurk and say hello. I started reading your last TR right before you left for this year's vacation. I loved it!!!! I can't wait to read this one either. I just love it when I find an entertaining writer to keep me smiling... I count on these boards to to give me my Disney fix until we can get back there.

Thanks for coming out of lurkdome.

I've often said that trip reports and pictures are what keep me sane until our next trip to Disney.

 

[lisalonglash]

Kids have no appreciation of stellar musical ability Tradition is a good thing! John is funny Ironing?!??! I haven't ironed anything for well over 10 years - my dh is much better at it than I am

 

[LuvsTinker]

Hi Lisa,

I haven't been around in a few weeks and now see you're back from another great trip!

Glad your family had fun - y'all look so happy

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Good deal on Hunters viola. We will hope he likes it. In our school system in order to be in high school band you have to start in the 4th grade. Everyone does the recorder then the 5th grade you get an instrument. No strings. We only have band. You have to stay in through middle school. It stinks if anyone moves in when in high school cause they don't let them in. Our band is the top rated in the state. They always take first in the competions. They are called The Cutting Edge. Andrea was in band till last year and dropped out. (along with a lot of other things)

I'm going to meet with the subdivision attorney tomorrow (he is in the same building where I work) and take him the timeline and film that Don has made. It is so frustrating. The older couple on the south side of them (he is on a walker and she a cane) can't even go in their back yard they are so afraid. And I had said earlier in the year the flea problem we had even with Don spraying every 2 weeks. Totally ridiculus.

 

[mickeystoontown]

"Deep rither! My home is over Jordan." That was what John was singing as we made our way over the mighty Mississippi river. One State down, two more to go. Three if you count Florida.

You'll remember that our tummies were rumbling and we were about to make a pit stop at the Vicksburg, Mississippi McDonald's. It's a tradition.

I'm a really good orderer. I know what we want before we get to the speaker. I say the order really slowly and pause in between each person's order. I'm good. Well, Mr. Order Taker wasn't. He'd repeat the order back to me and there'd be something wrong with it every time. He had it screwed up so bad and then he'd get flustered and start mumbling. It was so comical that John and the kids were actually giggling. I had to fight back a laugh or two myself so that I could respond to his questions. Finally, the screen had everything correct and he told us to pull around.

We get to the window. I pay $17.82 and they hand us our drink tray. Four drinks. That was right. Then, they hand out two happy meals (one for Hunter and our big eater, Lacey). Next, they hand out a bag with John's two Big Mac sandwiches, a fry and Hunter's extra burger. And, they close the window. Wait a minute, where's my food? They finally open up the window and ask what is wrong. I told them that we were missing another happy meal (for big eater, me). She said it wasn't on the order. I said, "Then why did you give me three child size drinks that go with happy meals?" She yells (not at me but to the back of the store) "Shontrell, why you didn't get this lady's order right? You stupid ****). Then she turns to me sweetly and says "What did you order 'cause Shontrell didn't make you pay for it but you gonna get it?" I told her and she turned around and started yelling back at Shontrell again. It was hilarious!

We finally get our food and we were back on the road. John kept telling me that my chicken nuggets were going to make me sick because I hadn't paid for them. I told him that it wasn't my fault that Shontrell was a stupid "beep" (I didn't say the word...just "beep").

I usually fill up the car the day before or the day we leave but this time I didn't 'cause I already had a good bit of gas in the car. I knew I didn't want to pull off the interstate and fill up in Jackson, Mississippi and I didn't want to wait until Hattiesburg, Mississippi to get gas. So, before we got back on the interstate, we pulled into a gas station and filled up. Cost was just $20.00.

I don't know about ya'll but I don't let my gas tank get below 1/4 of a tank. John, on the other hand, will run on fumes forever. I don't like it. Because we've been driving to Disney for years and years, we pretty much know where the next big town is and when do we need to stop and get gas.

I don't have any more road trip pictures for the first day because they were doing road construction in Jackson, Mississippi and I was busy maneuvering through traffic. The kids continued watching movies in the back. John and I talked in the front. When we get to Hattiesburg, we hit more road construction and it seemed to take us forever to get through town. John and I both saw the lightening at the same time. And, at the same time, we turned to each other and said "I hope it doesn't rain on us all the way there." We never did get rained on. Thank goodness.

Nothing exciting happened all the way through to Mobile, Alabama. Just lots of road and a whole lotta nothing. In Mobile, we go through the tunnel and, of course, the kids have to roll down the windows and yell to see if it'll echo. I don't think they'll ever grow out of that.

We cross over the water and we continue to see the lightening. Still no rain. Last year, we stopped in Crestview, Florida at a Jameson Inn and we hoped to do that again this year. We stopped at the rest area in Pensacola, Florida so we could walk around a little bit and maybe get a book with the hotel coupons in it. There were none. Lacey stayed in the car and dozed while the rest of us tinkled and walked around. I told Lacey that I had seen a Yoo Hoo in the vending machine and asked if she wanted one. Of course, she did. The child loves chocolate. John got coffee. Hunter and I got a coke out of the ice chest in the back.

After our pit stop, we hit the interstate again. I wasn't really sure if we were going to be able to make it all the way to Crestview since all of us were pretty tired. But we did and found a Jameson Inn just off the interstate. We pulled into the parking lot at exactly 1:00 a.m.

Before John went in, I told him something I had read about. You go into the hotel (the later in the day the better), tell them what you need and if the price is too high, just turn around and leave. From what I hear, most times, they'll call you back and give you a better price.

John put his own variation in the mix. He went in and said "What's the cheapest you can give me a room with two doubles?" Was he in luck? Yep, we got a room for just $74.19 tax and all.

I always pack a "first night" bag. This is the bag that has just our sleep clothes and the clothes we are wearing the next day. This way, we don't have to unload everything in the car. We grabbed the first night bag, the last minute bag, Lacey's laptop and Hunter's backpack. I certainly wasn't going to leave any valuables in the car. Oh, and we got the small soft sided ice chest so that we could replinish the ice.

The room was nice and the beds were comfy. We finally went to bed at 1:15 a.m. Yes, we were quick to get in and ready for bed because everybody was beat. Then, the giggles hit. Hunter said something funny, then John did, then Lacey and I started laughing. Thus, the first time I said... "Stop making me laugh or I'll pee my pants". Around 2:00 a.m., we wound down and were snoozing away.

Saturday, August 6, 2009:

Lacey and I got up first (as usual) at 7:00 a.m. and started our morning routine. Next, I woke up Hunter and John. While they started getting ready, Lacey and I went down to the breakfast offered. They didn't have too much to offer. They did have a waffle maker but there was only a half cup of waffle mix left. We got John a mini-skinny waffle and a couple of danishes. There was bread and bagels to toast so I made some toast. I got Hunter some cereal and milk. Not too much of a breakfast bar but it was free.

We ate in our room and packed up the few things we brought in. A few trips to the ice machine and our ice chest was ready to go.

While we waited on slow poke John to get dressed, Lacey and I decided to see if there was anything to take pictures of. A short walk to one end of the hall and we could see the interstate. A walk to the other end and we could see another hotel. Hum...nothing picture worthy.

Lacey said my name and then turned a cartwheel in the hallway. I didn't have my camera turned on so I told her to do it again. For those of you wondering.....we aren't "those" kind of people who stay in a hotel and are super loud and rowdy. She turned her cartwheels very gently and quietly.

And one more for good measure:

By the time Lacey had finished her gymnastics exercise for the morning and we got back to the room, John was dressed and everybody was ready to go. Once last "do you have to pee?" call and it's time to load up the car.

Here's a picture of Lacey in the parking lot:

And, in this one, she's trying to make it look like she's holding up her Dad and Hunter:

My family thinks it's hilarious that I find money just about everywhere we go. I look down and there's a penny in the gravel behind the car. Good luck for the day? I hope so.


******Up next, the last stretch to Disney and a horrific tragedy.

 

[hhockman]

LOVE the cartwheel pics! You guys are just too fun.

I know that Jameson Inn. I think I've mentioned on Connie's TR that Matt and I are from Fort Walton Beach, FL. So we always turn off at the Crestview exit when we're going "home" (where his family and my grandparents and various second-cousins still live).

The words "horrific tragedy" have me a little I hope everything is okay!

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Love that trip. I'm glad I was not in the first night bag or I would have been left behind. Our thing at night is the Goodnight John Boy. We start that nonsense and there is no stopping us. We always try for adjoining rooms. We all love to be together.

That Lacey is a tricky gymnast. Love all the pictures but I'm ready to get on the road. Let's go.

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Lacey is too funny! The anticipation of seeing the Welcome to WDW sign is too much to bear!!!

I am a little nervous for the horrific tragedy...

 

[mickeystoontown]

LOVE the cartwheel pics! You guys are just too fun.

I know that Jameson Inn. I think I've mentioned on Connie's TR that Matt and I are from Fort Walton Beach, FL. So we always turn off at the Crestview exit when we're going "home" (where his family and my grandparents and various second-cousins still live).

The words "horrific tragedy" have me a little I hope everything is okay!

I have always liked Jameson Inn's. They seem to be in good neighborhoods and in good shape.

I'm going to get the "horrific tragedy" portion of the trip over and done with in my next installment. It was truly horrific.

Love that trip. I'm glad I was not in the first night bag or I would have been left behind. Our thing at night is the Goodnight John Boy. We start that nonsense and there is no stopping us. We always try for adjoining rooms. We all love to be together.

That Lacey is a tricky gymnast. Love all the pictures but I'm ready to get on the road. Let's go.

I think we were all just so happy from getting to spend quality time together, tired from the drive and giddy that we were on our way to Disney.

She's has never been able to do a really good cartwheel. She's more of a roundoff kind of gal but those have a hard landing. That would have been too loud to do in a hallway.

Lacey is too funny! The anticipation of seeing the Welcome to WDW sign is too much to bear!!!

I am a little nervous for the horrific tragedy...

I'm about to post the horrific tragedy. I want that over and done with. I have cried over it, gotten sick to my stomach over it and played it over and over and over in my mind way too many times.

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Bring it on. I'm ready to hear. Then it will be in the open if further discussionn is needed

 

[vladimir10]

Lets hear it, we are hear to help!

 

[Cynthiagayle01]

Love the report so far! It's so strange to see those pictures of the mississippi river and such. We go through there all the time! Horrific tragedy?

 

[mickeystoontown]

*******I am going to say right now that this next installment is graphic in nature. If you do not want to read, please skip everything but the first three paragraphs.

The bags are in the car, the pictures are taken and now we're all in the car just itching to hit the interstate again. Before we do, we need gas. Luckily, there's an Exxon near the Jameson so we pull in and gas up. Gas costs: $34.25

This stretch is another really boring stretch of road. I always pack a few surprises for the road. This time, I had a 20 questions game, a fart sound machine and a new trivia gave for Hunter's PSP. First up was the fart sound machine. We laughed so hard at the different sounds. Then, Lacey, John and Hunter started making other sounds plus the fart machine sounds. Soon, I was saying "stop making me laugh or I'll pee my pants" again. I know. I know. We are sick people. But, at least we're having fun.

About three hours into the drive, the kids were in the backseat watching Bewitched on the portable DVD player. John was driving and I was looking at the map to see where would be a good place to stop for lunch.

We were driving along at about 72 miles an hour when all of the sudden I see dust flying and then a pickup truck pulling a trailer and a small car come flying through the median from the other side of the interstate. The truck stops before heading into oncoming traffic but the small car did not and continued straight into our side of traffic. An eighteen wheeler who was about 5 car lengths in front of us hit the car head on. The car's tire flew off the car and the car went spinning around. All I could yell was "Oh My God!". John immediately hit the brakes and pulled off the side of the interstate. Cars around us and behind us screeched to a stop almost causing even more wrecks.

I could still see the car and the passenger jumped out immediately. I don't see how he was able to get out. The front of the car was smashed to oblivion, the window was shattered into a million pieces and the remaining front tire was a twisted mess. The 18 wheeler pulled over to the side of the road and the driver seemed to be unhurt.

All of us with the exception of Hunter saw the car get hit. I was on the verge of tears as was Lacey. John was on the verge of vomiting. Thankfully, Hunter had been too immersed in the movie to see what had happened. When he asked what happened, we just told him that there was an accident and we had to pull over really quickly.

After sitting on the side of the interstate for about 30 minutes, we were directed to pass. I looked at Lacey and she knew immediately that she was to keep Hunter busy so he wouldn't look. John and I had no choice but to see it because it was right beside us. The driver didn't make it. Her head was through what was left of the windshield.

I started crying. Lacey started praying. John was holding my hand trying to be the tough guy but then he started crying too. I think we were so emotional because we knew that given another 10 to 15 seconds and that would have been us either hitting that car or that car hitting us.

Okay, I've posted the horrific tragedy. I'm done with it. The next installment will be more pleasant. I promise!

 

[KatMark]

Oh, sweetie. What a horrific situation for you to have to deal with. I am so sorry for the driver of the car, and so very glad that no one else was injured and that you and your family are okay.

 

[vladimir10]

I am very sorry you and family had to see that. It is a very difficult situation. Here's hoping the DW made you forget that horrible accident and the trip is wonderful fun.
Craig

 

[hhockman]

Oh Lisa. Wow. I don't think there are any words. I'm trying not to cry myself.

What a horrible thing to see on such a great trip. I'm so sorry.

Just don't have any words. It's a miracle the passerger was okay.

I'm so sorry that happened and so glad it wasn't you.

I'm glad the rest of the story is happier.

 

[lisalonglash]

Nothing I could say would help, I'm sure, but know that I'm sending lots of to you, John, Lacey and Hunter.

 

[tink1957]

I'm so sorry that you had to see that horrible tragedy. I know it was hard to get it out of your head & enjoy your vacation. I'm also sorry for that poor woman & her loved ones.

We had an accident on the way to Florida in 2004, I totaled my van but fortunately nobody was hurt. I'm so thankful for that & the fact that now I no longer have to drive on vacation (my kids do the driving)