The ABC's of Trip Planning, Pt 1- K is for Keeping Things Kooky- Drinks V-Z; pg. 197 + New Link

[irene_dsc]

Merry Christmas to you and yours. I hope your daughter is feeling better enough to enjoy the holiday...

Also another one here who never heard of tamales for Christmas... we did go for Mexican for lunch yesterday for our office holiday lunch, and I finally got my horchata. Although we had to go to our second choice, since our first choice restaurant was closed and gone!

 

[Steppesister]

Merry Christmas to you and yours. I hope your daughter is feeling better enough to enjoy the holiday...

Also another one here who never heard of tamales for Christmas... we did go for Mexican for lunch yesterday for our office holiday lunch, and I finally got my horchata. Although we had to go to our second choice, since our first choice restaurant was closed and gone!

A very merry Christmas to you as well, Irene! I hope all of your celebrations are amazing as you celebrate with those you love.

Your favorite place.... GONE!?!? Life just isn't fair! On the bright side. Horchata.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

We've done Christmas Eve tamales for many years beginning when I was in Jr. High school when a friend of my mom's taught her how to make them. Before that, we'd buy them from our Latino friends where I grew up in Hemet, CA, where it's a HUGE deal. We also did luminarias which are so, SO beautiful! My collega Alma Mater has a big display every year, and I helped set them up when I was there. Tamales, back to those, are best with homemade red chili sauce. My family raved this year over the meal. YUM! They were pissed when there were enough left over for another meal and I froze them. They have eaten them all night long if I'd have let them. Silly kids.

OH wow! I love the "No test" spin! You're good, Tammie!



We joke about Fuzzy Disney All-the-time, Life Math a lot, using that quote. But, hey, we haven't bounce a check in like 20 years. So something must be going ok.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family and to all the great DIS types on here! Be blessed!

To you and yours as well, Dear Friend!! Enjoy all you have and especially family the next few days and all year long!



YAY!! She's on the mend, but not 100%. Antibiotics are now coursing through her veins and doing what it should. [/QUOTE]

Yummy! I do think tamales are a great tradition, especially if I'm not making them! I'm glad yours were such a hit! We usually get them from little mom and pop places or homes here, too.

We had a great time with all the kiddos here - just missing the "others" in Oregon. We have ourselves in a catch 22 when it comes to our kids, for sure. Hope you had a wonderful time with your family, too!

 

[Steppesister]

S is for Scheduling Our Shuttle and Saying Sentiments​

We groggily climbed out of bed on this happy Christmas morning after having drifted off to sleep with cheerful goodnights and no visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads. We ate them. That's what sugarplums are for. We ate a lot of other stuff that I'll probably regret for days to come. My family maybe even more so.

The usual wonderment of new gifts being handed out and requisite oooohs and aaaaaahs being uttered, we settled into a few hours of playing new games and basically making each other whimper in the cut-throat fashion of gaming. We had a great time; no one left the table, laden with simple finger foods, in tears. The leftovers have no end in sight which is a good thing because this Mama is TIRED!!!!! MY turn to rest and eat bon-bons by the fire.

It's also my turn to bask in....








ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT!!!

My son, Andrew's fiance texted a picture her new ring:



I'm bursting with happiness at my kids growing up and being responsible, productive, happy adults making good choices. My family is growing and that makes me a happy (but still tired) Mama.

But WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!

After the Jing Tinglers, Flu Floopers, Tar Tinkers, Who Hoovers, Gar Ginkers, Trum Tupers, Slu Slumkers, and Blum Bloopers were all put away, it was time for the Tired Mama to plop down in the "Old Lady Chair" (coined by my lovely children who only sometimes rise up to call her blessed), and do some Power Planning. It has been the first time in a very long time with several uninterrupted hours to do nothing but ogle at THE Spreadsheet at the Comm. Center (AKA "the Old Lady Chair) and contemplate. It is glorious. It is stupendous. It is almost the best Christmas present a tired Mama could ask for. There is one better though, if you can only imagine. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath, and imagine your giddy planning self opening up a fresh tab on your favorite browser with full permission and blessing to purchase the plane tickets.


So I did.


Well, most of them. Turns out, as I put the squeeze on Mike to make a decision about when/how long he wants to be in Florida, he in the end wants to fly there with us, but find some other stuff to do for most of the days we'll be in parks. Most likely that'll be diving somewhere, or sitting by the pool, or anything but being in the parks. And that's ok. We like to go at a quicker pace, and I don't want slowpokes slowing us down. At least most of the time. He'll spend his 4 park days with us at the tailend of the Disney portion after we've done most of what the kids and I have wanted to.

If you'll recall this is no ordinary Graduation Celebration! After we whoop it up at Disney, swimming with underwater music and frolicking with the animals at AKL, just the 2 of us will be headed down to the Keys for a few more days of our own frolicking. While he SCUBA dives, I'll toddle along and snorkel. We'll enjoy some time being much-too-lazy around a pool or on a white sandy beach, drinking frou-frou drinks before dinner at places (that we'll look at over the next few months), and take a lot of pictures of the first REAL vacation we've had out of the area in over 5 years. I'm excited. Can you tell?

Which brings me to the point in this long-winded tale of explaining why only part of our air tickets were purchased. We have NO idea whether we'll be flying down to Miami and renting a car from there, renting a car in Orlando and driving from there, or if we'll be flying back to Seattle (We saved over $500 by flying out of Seattle rather than Portland, and saved 12 hours in travel time by taking the red eye.) from Miami or Orlando. That is all as-of-yet planned... And that's ok, cuz I need some more reasons to string this PTR out another 9 months.

And now, in the Spirit of Celebrating, from my family to yours: A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May your eggnog be thick, your fires burn bright; the family be healthy and your jeans not too tight.

On a side note: There seems to be a whole lotta lurking goin' on around here. Who are you friendlies? Don't be shy, introduce yourselves and add your fun to the mix!

 

[Steppesister]

Yummy! I do think tamales are a great tradition, especially if I'm not making them! I'm glad yours were such a hit! We usually get them from little mom and pop places or homes here, too.

We had a great time with all the kiddos here - just missing the "others" in Oregon. We have ourselves in a catch 22 when it comes to our kids, for sure. Hope you had a wonderful time with your family, too!

We actually have an all-tamale shop here right by my house, but I"ve never tried them. They say they are South American tamales, so don't really know how they'd be different than Mexican ones. I should splurge and give them a go.

I know how it is having kids far away; I'd have loved to have given my son and his fiance a big hug today when they got engaged. It's hard to have them so far away.

 

[glennbo123]

Congrats on another engagement! And congrats on purchasing some plane tickets and enjoying some planning. Glad you had a good Christmas.

 

[franandaj]

Congratulations on another engagement! I'm glad you had a happy Christmas day and we're surrounded by family. Nice on purchasing the airfare, but I'm confused. So you only bought the outgoing flights and it's a red eye from Seattle to Orlando? And you are waiting to purchase the return trip until you decide if you are flying from Miami or Orlando?

Perhaps I do understand. Anyways I hope you are recovering from your revels!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Congrats on the engagement! Emily sounds like a great girl!

Nice you got some plane tickets, and your couples' get away sounds wonderful!

We spent some time yesterday planning our Disneyland trip for next Christmas. One sad discovery was that the cost of the tickets will be about $800 more than planned as there are blackout dates on the military salute tickets for Christmas week. Oh well, we will make it work somehow. Lindsay and I were working some Disney math yesterday regarding Christmas gifts and food budget. I think if we moved some things around and pitch in some Papa and Gramma money we will be okay.... Fun to see my ticker down to less than a year!!!

 

[Elevationist]

no visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads. We ate them. That's what sugarplums are for.

And now, in the Spirit of Celebrating, from my family to yours: A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May your eggnog be thick, your fires burn bright; the family be healthy and your jeans not too tight.

And if your jeans ARE too tight... Sweatpants. Or pajama pants. Or my preferred choice... NO pants!

 

[Steppesister]

Congrats on another engagement! And congrats on purchasing some plane tickets and enjoying some planning. Glad you had a good Christmas.

Thanks, Glenn!! I know you understand... BTW, how are plans going?

So, after all my excitement last night, Emily JUST informed me this morning that she'd like to plan the wedding for the end of October. Soooooooooo, I may have to undo all those tickets and book flights from Orlando straight to Nashville. GAH!!!!

We are STILL having Christmas! Kids keep inviting friends over, so my house hasn't been empty for over a week now.

Congratulations on another engagement! I'm glad you had a happy Christmas day and we're surrounded by family. Nice on purchasing the airfare, but I'm confused. So you only bought the outgoing flights and it's a red eye from Seattle to Orlando? And you are waiting to purchase the return trip until you decide if you are flying from Miami or Orlando?

Perhaps I do understand. Anyways I hope you are recovering from your revels!

Thanks, Alison! It's all so exciting! She's a real gem of a girl, and we are so proud of our son.

See my note above to Glenn about tickets. I guess I'll update with another post. XP

So, yes, I bought the KIDS R/T tix since they are flying both in and out of Seattle straight to Orlando and back. We are NOT. We will fly WITH them to Orlando, but they will be coming home on ahead of us. We'll leave (somehow- either by car or flight) to The Keys and return home a few days later. Well, that was the plan until an hour ago. More in an upcoming post. GAH!!

I am slowly recovering; my house is altogether another story.

 

[Steppesister]

Congrats on the engagement! Emily sounds like a great girl!

Nice you got some plane tickets, and your couples' get away sounds wonderful!

We spent some time yesterday planning our Disneyland trip for next Christmas. One sad discovery was that the cost of the tickets will be about $800 more than planned as there are blackout dates on the military salute tickets for Christmas week. Oh well, we will make it work somehow. Lindsay and I were working some Disney math yesterday regarding Christmas gifts and food budget. I think if we moved some things around and pitch in some Papa and Gramma money we will be okay.... Fun to see my ticker down to less than a year!!!

She is a very sweet girl! We like her a lot. He does too apparently.

Oh no!! I am spending a couple hundred dollars more on my airfares than I wanted, and I've upped my food budget by $50/ day as well. It's ok, I still think I'll get enough days of work in before the trip to have it all paid off. Well, that was before we knew about the wedding....

And if your jeans ARE too tight... Sweatpants. Or pajama pants. Or my preferred choice... NO pants!

Always jammie bottoms. They work well for staying home. Or going to Walmart.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Congratulations on the engagement and expanding family!

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[englishrose47]

Congrats on another new family MEMBER !!! Liesa you do NOT need an excuse to string this out for 9 months !~!! What will we all do if you don't Forget the alphabet of course !!!This PTR has to continue to educate us all on the alphabet . !!!!

 

[KathyM2]

Wow congrats on the engagement...the ring is gorg too!!!

In regards to the trip...so many options. Where in the keys are you going? I love it down there. So pretty. Depends where you are going but I love the Island Fish Co. check it out. And for the best key lime pie on the way down, Mrs. Mac's. ) Just in case you were looking for recos )

I think it's great that you can divide up for part of your trip and do parks and then have some real relaxing vacay time at the end. Sounds just perfect to me!!

 

[Steppesister]

Congratulations on the engagement and expanding family!

Thanks, Lessa! She's a wonderful girl and we're happy to have her join the craziness we call family!

Merry Christmas! Congratulations on the engagement (beautiful ring!) and on the wedding plans to add to your trip plans! Nothing that a seasoned pro can't figure out!
Glad you are all on the mend and able to have some merriment and fun at your house over the holidays

I hope you had a great time this week celebrating! We certainly have good reason!

Yes, in some ways it's going to kinda complicate the plan a bit. We may even have to cut the Keys out of the mix. Not sure yet.... the timeframe was rather sprung on us just today. After I'd made the airline ressies.

The merriment just keeps going on and on and on and on. I'm happy actually for an empty house tonight. The younger kids went to my oldest (married) daughter's place for games and a sleepover, and my middle daughter is working. So just the hubs and myself. Ahhhhh.....

Congrats on another new family MEMBER !!! Liesa you do NOT need an excuse to string this out for 9 months !~!! What will we all do if you don't Forget the alphabet of course !!!This PTR has to continue to educate us all on the alphabet . !!!!

Thank you, Rosie! Nice to keep adding to the mix. Although, we won't see this couple very often for now with him being in the Army.

HAHA! I seem to have plenty to say, and could update WAY more often if I had the time. Alas, this season of school is not yet over. But it will be.... Soon...ish. And as always, there is always several iterations of alphabet we can all get through.... stay tuned.

 

[pkondz]

and no visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads. We ate them.

Well, that does make sense!

we settled into a few hours of playing new games and basically making each other whimper in the cut-throat fashion of gaming. We had a great time;

Sounds like so much fun.
Our family (much to my chagrin) doesn't.
We used to play cards, at least. But even that has gone by the wayside.
Doesn't help that DW isn't into it at all.

My son, Andrew's fiance texted a picture her new ring:

Saw that on the Book of Faces.
Congratulations again!

Most likely that'll be diving somewhere, or sitting by the pool, or anything but being in the parks. And that's ok.

Sounds like my DW. Well, not the diving part, but the sitting by the pool and not park touring.

I'm excited. Can you tell?

Hmmm.... it's very subtle.

And that's ok, cuz I need some more reasons to string this PTR out another 9 months.

Well, there ya go. Mission accomplished.

A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May your eggnog be thick, your fires burn bright; the family be healthy and your jeans not too tight.

Ooohhh... I was nodding my head in agreement to everything, when...

Totally failed on that last one.

 

[pkondz]

And if your jeans ARE too tight... Sweatpants. Or pajama pants. Or my preferred choice... NO pants!

Billie!!!

 

[Elevationist]

Billie!!!

 

[Steppesister]

If I wasn't trying to be sociable with my family (yet again), I'd join the no-pants/wine-yes chatter.