(tap tap...crickets chirping) Anyone out there reading our PTR? October 2010

[Chelley00]

We will prob do dinner and a movie but whatever it will be nice since we NEVER get any time to ourselves!!

DH and I never see each other. We work opposite shifts, so I can appreciate the "no time together" sentiment.

I can't believe that school is starting for your kids already! We never start until after Labor Day.

Some people hate going back so early, but I like it. It means we are out of school at Memorial Day, and most people are still in school until mid-June.

WOW!!! Look at you all rearing up with only 55 days to go!! I have that x's 2!!

But, you just got back!

I think the seven dwarves plan is a good one. I haven't come up with a good one yet that would appease all 4 of us. !

I'm still not totally sold on the dwarfs, especially because I'll still have to buy the kids a costume for actual Halloween. It'd be nice to get 2 nights out of one costume, but we'll see what SIL says and if she says dwarfs, we are dwarfs!



Spending a lazy Sunday home with the kids. DH is working forced OT this morning, and we do Saturday evening church. At some point I'm going to have to go buy groceries but this afternoon we are going swimming at our friend's house (they are out of town and we are dogsitting/poolsitting)

I happened to jump on here, and saw in the October ADR thread that someone canceled an Ohana reservation, for our first park day (AK) for the time our Whispering Canyon reservation was. I couldn't get to the WDW website fast enough, and I scored it! I've been trying for weeks because I really wanted to be able to eat at the Poly on our first park day. This way we can leave AK at close, head back and wander the resort, watch the torch lighting, then head to dinner.

Now, just stalking a CRT breakfast reservation.....

 

[Chelley00]

Got DS5 off to kindergarten, today was DS17's first day of his senior year and we're spending all of our time at the soccer field with DS14. Busy busy!

Not much else going on in the planning department yet. Mom received her Disney custom maps as a surprise today. I told them she had to have them memorized before we left!

Right now I'm just working on picking up cheap things for the 17 hour car trip there. I printed off the Disney activity books I found on disboards and put them in binders. Each kid will have their own storage box with their crayons, activity book, drawing pad, Color Wonder markers and coloring books etc. I also found some drawing books and animal and dinosaur flashcards in Target's dollar spot. Riley has her new Kim Possible DS game.

I did get this ordered for O for the drive from our Visa debit points.

I also found this movie on sale at the grocery store for $3

Each little kid has a $10 Walmart gift card that my coworker gave them (they "donated" all their old Dora movies to her granddaughter) and I think I'm going to take that and buy them

Very appropriate since the first time we watched it was when R and I were on a girls only trip to Chicago with my mom in February.

I hate this part of a trip. Having all the stuff planned, but still being too early to pack, and too far away to get too excited about!

 

[DevonsDisneyMom]

Great update! I love Little Rascals! I feel you on the busy, busy, busy thing! I swear I am only at my house to sleep anymore... Work all day and football field all night!

 

[Chelley00]

Great update! I love Little Rascals! I feel you on the busy, busy, busy thing! I swear I am only at my house to sleep anymore... Work all day and football field all night!

Same here, only it's soccer instead of football!




Of course, I can't leave well enough alone, and switched a couple of days. I planned according to TourGuideMike, but have read about him not updating lately. I checked touringplans, and realized TGM had us going to parks on EMH days!! Not without park hoppers we don't.

Luckily I only rearranged 3 days, so now we go:

AK
EP (possibly MNSSHP??)
EP
DHS
MK
MK (MNSSHP with family)
DHS
EP
AK

Sucks that we have to wait so long to take my mom to MK, but it's going to be better not fighting crowds!

I'm debating on a second MNSSHP. I know you can't get everything done, and the party with my family will be more focused on 3 year old nephew. I may swing it and take my kids and mom earlier in the week...especially so my kids can wear actual costumes

Speaking of costumes, we ordered our dwarf hats and beards today
We matched our colors to this picture from 2008.

Now I'm just working on buying a tshirt at a time at Michaels, Joanns and Hobby Lobby using coupons and going to pick up tote bags to iron on dwarf names. I'm off on Fridays and the kids will all be at school so I'm going to try and get as much done as I can this week while they are gone. We are at 43 days until we leave, and I have a feeling with school, work, soccer, doctor appts, homework etc, this trip is going to sneak up on me quicker than I expect!

 

[DrMomof3]

Great news on the Ohana reservation!!!! Good job.
The dwarves will be great!
I can't wait for my kids to start school.

Amanda

 

[starann]

Too bad you didn't think about the t-shirts last week. Michaels had them 2/$5! I had gotten them at AC Moore about 3 weeks ago for the same price. Now DH has decided he wants a Yoda t-shirt, so I need to find out if they have 3x (DH is a BIG guy...infact the yoda shirt says something about size!).


2 nights at MNSSHP!?!?!?!?!? Good for you! I am still on the fence about 1 day. I will most likely do it...I hate to feel like I am missing out on something!

 

[laashley]

Congrats on getting O'hana! Good luck on CRT.

I never have used TGM. Touring plans never recommends an early magic hour park, but does evening ones. I am very much loving the per park crowd levels, hope they are right. Are you planning on going to the thursday 21st MNSSHP (that is the one we have tickets for).

I think the dwarves costumes will be cute! I went to the disney store this past weekend and they had their costumes out. If only I can talk my kids into certain ones. Still haven't made any decisions for hubby and I.

 

[starann]

I forgot to post this with my other reply


"we got a dollar, we got a dollar, we got a dollar, hey, hey, hey, hey!"

 

[starann]

Oh and AC Moore has the tshirts on sale this week!!!! (of course DH needs a 3x, and the sale is only for up to XL!)

 

[Chelley00]

Great news on the Ohana reservation!!!! Good job.

I was so excited!

Too bad you didn't think about the t-shirts last week. Michaels had them 2/$5!

Michaels had them on sale this week 2/$5. We are now all tshirted!

Are you planning on going to the thursday 21st MNSSHP (that is the one we have tickets for)..

We will be there that night! Look for the 7 dwarfs!



I'm in panic mode.


We are a little at 30 something days (my phone has my countdown on it and I'm too lazy to get up and check) and I'm realizing how very much I have to do. Which usually wouldn't be a problem, but.....

I can't do any of it when the kids are here!!

I'm starting to regret this whole surprise thing. I can't print envelopes or make tshirts or pack etc etc when the kids are around in case they see....and my kids are apparently always here

Plus, I've been sick with a cold/flu type thing all weekend, and it's just zapped my energy. Not a totally bad thing except I left work early today because I felt so crappy which means I'll need to work on Friday...and that's the only day I'm home and the kids are all at school. So that leaves me with one less Friday to do trip things.


But, on the trip front:

All of the dwarf hats are here except one (green had to be ordered from another place) I bought tshirts yesterday. The 4 short beards are here, just waiting on the long ones. I haven't ordered our tickets yet just because I haven't decided if we are going once or twice yet. Part of me really really wants to go twice. I just have to talk myself into spending the money...... (or do we go to Universal on our last day with my brother and family?)

I have all of our mousekeeping envelopes printed. Just need to finish dinner tip envelopes. I also have their activity books printed, hole punched and put into binders. I'm going to work on making my mom one too I usually do most of the driving and we don't want Granny getting bored, do we? Must take pictures of what I have done!

I also downloaded a ton of Disney music onto my Iphone. I figure when the kids get antsy, we can play "What movie is this song from?" I've got little toys we can give as prizes for the person who gets 5 right first (with of course, a 2nd place prize so there's no fighting!)

After we received the Leapster game I ordered, DH commented that DS already had that one. Perfect! However, I was able to exchange it for a different one very easily, so that's taken care of. Instead of UP, he now has Cars.

Okay, just wanted to briefly check in, vent about running out of time and kick myself into gear. However, O is home with me and itching to watch a movie, which I said he could do if he'd let Mommy take a nap while he watched. So, I'm off to doze a little before everyone gets home from school!! Yay!!

 

[laashley]

Will look for the dwarves at MNSSHP and say HI! Still not sure on our costumes. Noah wants to be Iron Man and Chloe is talking about being a ballerina, of course they don't know about disney or the halloween party. I am debating on just picking out costumes for them. I did check out the party store today and they have their costumes in already. I really would like to have DH be Captain Hook, Noah be Peter Pan, Chloe be Tinkerbell, and I could be Wendy or Tigerlily.

Hope the nap does you some good!

 

[PixiePoppins]

A fellow Hoosier saying HI and planning a parallel vacation...driving from Indy on the 15th, arriving at the Poly on the 16th and staying until the 24th. We're hitting the MNSSHP on the 19th. We're not decided on costumes yet, may be pirates, but I do love your dwarf idea though there are only 5 of us. Have you requested a Poly building? I may have missed that as I scanned through the posts. Thinking Tokelau here. I'll see you over on the Poly board...and in WDW in 5 weeks!!!

 

[DrMomof3]

You're doing great considering that your kids don't know to scram! Too funny about the surprise problem. I never thought about that.

Amanda

 

[Chelley00]

I really would like to have DH be Captain Hook, Noah be Peter Pan, Chloe be Tinkerbell, and I could be Wendy or Tigerlily.

When I thought it was just the 4 of us going, I was thinking having DD be Tinkerbell, DS be Peter Pan, Mom being Wendy and me going as Tiger Lilly.

A fellow Hoosier saying HI and planning a parallel vacation...driving from Indy on the 15th, arriving at the Poly on the 16th and staying until the 24th. Have you requested a Poly building? :

How fun! You know we'll have to run into each other somewhere! I haven't requested a buidling, just because I cannot decide which one! I'm thinking of just leaving it to chance and see what we end up with.

You're doing great considering that your kids don't know to scram! Too funny about the surprise problem. I never thought about that.

Well, I got lucky today......read below!

Friday is my day off of work, so I took some time to print our restaurant and mousekeeping tip envelopes.

Today DH took the kids to the lake with his parents. After some much needed grocery shopping, I spent the rest of the day printing, trimming, ironing etc and we have not only MNSSHP shirts and hats, but trick or treat bags too! Still waiting on our 2 long beards, but everything else is here

DD's

Mom's

SIL

Nephew

DS

I'm not posting mine just because my tote bag has my real name on it, and since it's a very unusual name, I try to keep it off the internet. My shirt is red, my hat is blue and my tote bag is purple with Minnie dressed as my favorite character, the Evil Queen.


It feels so good to get those marked off my to-do list!!! Tomorrow one more thing goes off as I'm mailing the autograph books, bags, ink pens and trading pins to memoriesbybetsy, who has my other shopping done for our gift baskets! I finally remembered to snap a picture! DS is on the left, DN in the middle and DD on the right. DD used her bag on our last trip, so only her book is new, plus I added 2 new pins.

I think I have room for another picture! Since I can't get the kids excited by letting them do a countdown everyday, I'm doing one by emailing my mom, brother and SIL each day. I'm including a WDW picture and some information, either on rides, or activities or our hotels etc. Mom seems to really like the idea!

We started yesterday at 33 days with a picture of Wishes, with the description copied from the WDW site.

and today at day 32, the picture was of some of the main characters in front of the castle, and the fact that we will meet some of them at Chef Mickey's, and the rest at Garden Grill

Starting to get excited. We are almost at one month away!!!!

 

[starann]

WOW, that is some crafty stuff you have been working on!!! As you can see in my TRP I have a few more things to do....just gotta do them now!!!!! Next weekend a friend is supposed to come from NC, but I'm not sure if she is or not, so if she doesn't come, I have a change to get stuff done, if she comes, it will be a lot of late nights!

 

[Chelley00]

As you can see in my TRP I have a few more things to do....just gotta do them now!!!!!

I think I may have most of our crafty things done. I hope. Now I just have to try and pack without the kids finding out.

I did do one thing this week, and booked a breakfast at Play N Dine. My nephew is a big Handy Manny fan. It's one we've never been to before. I figure there isn't too much he can do at DHS after TSM, so Play N Dine will be fun for him!


Today's countdown picture:

and the text:

The Happiest Sign in the World!

 

[Tink9721]

Hey Chelley! I can't believe I JUST found this! I loved your other TR's!

You'll love Tusker House. We've eaten breakfast there for 3 years and it's SO good!

I wish I had a trip coming up. My mom's work schedule makes it hard to book them very far in advance. We definitely want to go in 2011 for my 18th birthday/graduation present. My school has vacations in December, Feb, and April. We went in Feb last year but we thought we had to go in April because of my mom's schedule, but she found out that we could go in Feb. We booked in January I'm the compulsive Disney planner in this family so I was going nuts But I was very excited to have a short countdown!

Last to go back is DS17. He starts next Wednesday. His senior year. I cannot believe my baby is going to graduate this year.

That's how my mom feels too. I just started my senior year a couple weeks ago.

 

[Chelley00]

We definitely want to go in 2011 for my 18th birthday/graduation present. .

I should adopt you. I want to go to Disney for DS's graduation...he said no. He wants to go on a cruise.

30 DAYS​

Okay, but that makes me panic. I'm so OCD. I'm an anal accountant. I like to have things in order ridiculously far in advance. I'm usually at least half packed by now. I haven't packed a thing. It's making me nervous. I know it sound ridiculous, but ugh, it's killing me!!! I do have my packing list made out and hopefully haven't missed anything.


However, I did get to mark one thing off my list today! DH mailed the autograph bags, books etc to memoriesbybetsy.



Today's countdown picture for my mom: A picture of my mini-van. Starting 30 days from today, she gets to sit in it for 17 hours with an 8 year old and 5 year old. She may get over her fear of flying and decide to fly home after that!

 

[Tink9721]

I should adopt you. I want to go to Disney for DS's graduation...he said no. He wants to go on a cruise.

I was thinking about a cruise for graduation, but it would've been a Disney cruise I changed my mind because I know this will probably be our last Disney trip for a couple years since we'll have to pay for college, so if my mom can afford it we should go in 2011. We can't handle the summer heat in Florida, so we'll be celebrating my graduation and birthday in April or Feb It won't really be celebrating my graduation but it'll be a replacement for a graduation present. If we go in April I'll get a birthday pin for myself since my April break is the week before my birthday. And my mom's birthday is the day before mine so I'd make her wear a pin too :yes:

I noticed a bunch of discounts for what I thought was the week of my Feb break, but for some reason my break is a week late this year

 

[DrMomof3]

Too funny about your mom deciding to fly home! That many hours in the car with my gang would definitely do that!!!

Amanda