The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 31

[marcij]

Gary & I had a wonderful time in Vegas! The whole trip went so smoothly, it was sorta scary lol We stayed at MGM & I used the check-in at the airport, no lines & a room was ready for us at 10:30 in the morning! We were on the 24th floor & had a pretty good view. I was very pleased with the room & the hotel. It is very big, but there are plenty of signs to find your way around.

We used a shuttle to get to the hotel & we were the 1st stop. By passed the check in lines at the hotel & went right to our room.

We did a lot of walking & sight seeing, so much has changed since we were there last in 92. We decided not to see any shows, which was good. Two days is not enough time. We did make it to the Hofbrauhaus so Gary could eat his German food & have his beer. I was not overly impressed with it, but Gary enjoyed is meal. My favorite part was the dessert lol I ordered a piece of Black Forrest cake & I swear we were given 1/2 a cake We both dug into it before I thought to take a picture

Besides walking we used a cab a few times & bought a 24 hour pass for the bus. The bus was great for getting us down to Fremont St., but it stops at every Hotel/Casino on the strip. This made for a very long ride. I thought they packed the people on the Disney Buses, but they are nothing like the buses in Vegas & these are even double decker buses

Got quite a few things on my must see list done, but still have a lot that we did not get to see. I think we will definitly be going back

The Venitian hotel was my favorite, just beautiful! Gary took lot's of pictures & as soon as I get them downloaded I will share them.

This little trip was what Gary & I needed, gave us time to be alone & reconnect

I'm so glad y'all had a great time! I love the Venetian as well -- we've stayed there the last two times... the service is wonderful!

Thanks, Tammi. I am feeling much better. However, Alan has it now, and it's killing him! He insisted on going in to work, though, since it's the ratings season, so I'm hoping it doesn't turn into bronchitis.

Leslie also woke up in the middle of the night with a high fever and what we like to call "the barking seal" cough. So, she's home from school with me today. Hopefully, it's a fast moving thing, since we have company coming on Saturday!

We sure could use the DDA pixie dust and prayer cycle!

Glynis -- I hope you, Alan and all the kids feel better and that it cycles through quickly! Sending PD and prayers.

I'll have to look at SW fares when I get home since the DINGs don't show here and the fares that do show are ridiculous! I read through the pin event info from the one they had in 2004 and I simply do NOT see how it is worth $150, especially not for all 3 of us. So if we go to WDW between Dec & Aug it won't be for the pin event!

Lindsay - I meant to post that KVIL was playing Christmas music yesterday.
The fares on NW are actually $159 by the time you add all the fees & so forth. I got those on an alert from Fare Compare this morning. I looked at some dates but since we are already ticketed for August I don't really have specific dates I am looking for. My life will be SOOO much simpler when we know what DH's 2008 schedule looks like. He is obviously going to try for a week off in August, but he still has another week in 2008 so who knows when that will be. The other thing I keep forgetting is that after the December trip I am out of vacation days until the end of June! I better not plan to take time off in May or it could very well be unpaid!

Elizabeth -- I'm glad you and Lindsay posted about this. I rarely listen to KVIL anymore, so I didn't know they had changed. A couple of years ago, they started in early November, then last year scaled back some so I had no idea they had changed the format.

I've never even considered Southwest for MCO. With two kids and lots of luggage (that could get lost...) plus us usually leaving after work, I only go with American, and just book very early. I also love getting the miles.... I'm holding award tickets for Hawaii for this summer...

Now that the kids are older, I guess I should consider Southwest although I'm thinking that my sanity (what there is left of it) is worth spending a little extra money... Of course, it sounds like Southwest at the moment isn't such a good deal anyway.

Lindsay -- I'm worried what the "business" fare will do to flights within Texas and OK for our business. Our clients enjoy those cheap fares, but those may be a thing of the past if they put a premium on the "business" buying customer.

Deb -- sending PD to the family for the funeral today.

I had Andrew's conference this morning, and the teachers were very complimentary of him. I'm so glad. For a child with major learning differences, he's making the kind of progress they want to see. This was the first year that they want the child to be at the conference. He was so quiet, and would barely answer them. I think being out of his uniform but in school talking to the teachers seemed really strange to him, too. They still don't have grades -- I think that starts next year, but they have started occasionally giving them test. He's had three in math, with 100, 100 and 97. Randy wanted to ask him what happened to cause him to get a 97 but I reminded him that Andrew might take him seriously. It's easy to get down on yourself with learning differences, so part of Shelton's goal is to really boost the confidence up. We met with the Association (reading) teacher, advisor/science and one of his speech teachers. The math teacher didn't make it, but since he excels there I'm not worried about that, and the group speech teacher was able to give us a report from the private speech teacher. It was nice to know they are working together with the other teachers to make sure they are hitting all the important areas. I sure do love that school!

Jake's conference is tomorrow morning. If it's anything like the report they sent home, it will be a good one as well. I feel so fortunate to have them where they are.

I better get back to work. Have a good day, DDA!

 

[Tammi67]

I'm sorry that you all are having problems with SW. I just plugged in random dates for the end of April, Sat. to Sat., and it is $215 for me, so still worth it from our area. Especially with the possibility of saving more $ with a Ding.

Marci - I'm glad you had a good conference with Andrew's teachers. for Jake's as well.

 

[bear74]

welcome home Janet.

Glynis I hope you are all healthy by this weekend and Prayers

 

[mommykds]

Hi Janet! Welcome home!!


Ok, I bought air for April! Not bad at all but I am always so nervous buying arifare.

I got $123 going to orlando & $113 coming home.
We had to leave a day early so we are going to stay 2 nights at the residence inn & spend a day at the kennedy space center the day before the cruise.....We get 5 nights at pop after the cruise....whew, glad that over.

 

[tink2020]

Lindsay, I'm jealous! In the past few years, we have had one station that played Christmas music as soon as November hit. They have been bough out, though, so I can't find a station playing even still! Good thing I have plenty of CDs, and that I finally rememebered to not pack them away with the Christmas decorations!

Janet -- Welcome Home! I'm glad you two had a good time!

Steffy, I'm sorry to hear about (and see!) your microwave disaster!

 

[mommykds]

Understood - there are a lot of things to consider! (Particularly, it seems, with the cruises!)

I feel your pain - I just went through all the above scenarios for our cruise. Would you believe it is cheaper for us to rent a car at MCO when we land, and keep it for the entire 2 weeks we're in the area (some of which it will just be sitting in a parking lot in Port Canaveral!), vs. doing a one-way rental, or DCL transfers, or a car service, etc. Go figure!

Yes, I saw that too! Maybe we will just rent a car too. Crazy ain't it?

 

[tmfranlk]

I am not sure how I feel about hard-ticket events year round. That will be a planning nightmare. MK will be PACKED on the nights there aren't parties, and people who don't want to go to the parties won't be able to juggle their dates to avoid them. I liked P&PP, didn't LOVE it and absolutely didn't like it enough to pay $50 or whatever to go again. IF they offer AP pricing I might go ahead and buy tickets to go once during our August trip.

From the looks of May hours, P&PP will only be on a few Fridays. There aren't any mid-weeks parties and the mid-week hours seem a little longer than normal. Hopefully, that won't affect things too much. Though it could make the parties more crowded since there is probably only one in most people's visits.

 

[tmfranlk]

And one of our local stations officially changed to the "all Christmas, all the time" format this a.m. I think last year they started the week before Thanksgiving - guess 2 weeks before is now the official start time! Of course, I love it, and it's made me happy this morning.

Yeah! I'll have to check ours. I flipped over last night and heard the commercial call it "the Christmas station", but the song that came on didn't sound like Christmas (though it may have been, but just not a classic).

 

[marcij]

Hi Janet! Welcome home!!


Ok, I bought air for April! Not bad at all but I am always so nervous buying arifare.

I got $123 going to orlando & $113 coming home.
We had to leave a day early so we are going to stay 2 nights at the residence inn & spend a day at the kennedy space center the day before the cruise.....We get 5 nights at pop after the cruise....whew, glad that over.

Great news on the airfare! We spent the day at the space center after getting off of the Wonder in June, and we had a fabulous time! We were there for opening and we headed over to the Shuttle launch experience before the crowds got bad. That was a lot of fun and not nearly as intense as Mission Space. Then we went on the NASA Up-close tour, and that was worth the money as well.

Denise sent me a link to a coupon which made the tour even better, but that code has expired now. There may be a new one out, so you might check on the boards.

I hope y'all have a great time -- we plan on going back the next time we do DCL.

 

[mommykds]

Great news on the airfare! We spent the day at the space center after getting off of the Wonder in June, and we had a fabulous time! We were there for opening and we headed over to the Shuttle launch experience before the crowds got bad. That was a lot of fun and not nearly as intense as Mission Space. Then we went on the NASA Up-close tour, and that was worth the money as well.

Denise sent me a link to a coupon which made the tour even better, but that code has expired now. There may be a new one out, so you might check on the boards.

I hope y'all have a great time -- we plan on going back the next time we do DCL.

Thanks! Sounds like alot of fun.

 

[Pooh67_68]

Elizabeth, I was just looking at Jibbitz for crocs. Did you get the Nightmare Before Christmas ones?

 

[Tinkaroo]

Thanks, Tammi. I am feeling much better. However, Alan has it now, and it's killing him! He insisted on going in to work, though, since it's the ratings season, so I'm hoping it doesn't turn into bronchitis.

Leslie also woke up in the middle of the night with a high fever and what we like to call "the barking seal" cough. So, she's home from school with me today. Hopefully, it's a fast moving thing, since we have company coming on Saturday!

We sure could use the DDA pixie dust and prayer cycle!

Yikes! It definitely sounds like it's moving through the family! Here's some that it's passage is quick!

Ah yes, DDA, since it was a metal Lightning McQueen, the microwave is quite dead. I'm just happy the house didn't catch on fire. It smoked the counter top. All in less than 2 minutes!!

Gosh - how scary! I am so glad nothing worse happened! I think he learned a very important lesson!

Elizabeth -- I'm glad you and Lindsay posted about this. I rarely listen to KVIL anymore, so I didn't know they had changed. A couple of years ago, they started in early November, then last year scaled back some so I had no idea they had changed the format.

I've never even considered Southwest for MCO. With two kids and lots of luggage (that could get lost...) plus us usually leaving after work, I only go with American, and just book very early. I also love getting the miles.... I'm holding award tickets for Hawaii for this summer...

Now that the kids are older, I guess I should consider Southwest although I'm thinking that my sanity (what there is left of it) is worth spending a little extra money... Of course, it sounds like Southwest at the moment isn't such a good deal anyway.

Lindsay -- I'm worried what the "business" fare will do to flights within Texas and OK for our business. Our clients enjoy those cheap fares, but those may be a thing of the past if they put a premium on the "business" buying customer.

I had Andrew's conference this morning, and the teachers were very complimentary of him. I'm so glad. For a child with major learning differences, he's making the kind of progress they want to see. This was the first year that they want the child to be at the conference. He was so quiet, and would barely answer them. I think being out of his uniform but in school talking to the teachers seemed really strange to him, too. They still don't have grades -- I think that starts next year, but they have started occasionally giving them test. He's had three in math, with 100, 100 and 97. Randy wanted to ask him what happened to cause him to get a 97 but I reminded him that Andrew might take him seriously. It's easy to get down on yourself with learning differences, so part of Shelton's goal is to really boost the confidence up. We met with the Association (reading) teacher, advisor/science and one of his speech teachers. The math teacher didn't make it, but since he excels there I'm not worried about that, and the group speech teacher was able to give us a report from the private speech teacher. It was nice to know they are working together with the other teachers to make sure they are hitting all the important areas. I sure do love that school!

Jake's conference is tomorrow morning. If it's anything like the report they sent home, it will be a good one as well. I feel so fortunate to have them where they are.

I better get back to work. Have a good day, DDA!

Great reports on Andrew! Shelton sounds like a great place. Hope Jake's goes well, as well.

Yes, I rarely do as well, but was just cycling through the stations this a.m. on my drive to the train station, and heard the last few notes of White Christmas. I knew it had begun, then. I'm listening to Gene Autry sing Rudolph right now.

I don't normally like to get all in a snit over airfare, but this SW stuff really has me bummed. How can they go from offering $57 DING fares yesterday, to charging almost 3 times that on their initial "discount" fare for their new schedule? That's just nuts! We really need some valid, good competition in our market.

I'm fortunate to get a ton of Membership Rewards points through my corporate AmEx, so I may be trading in some of those to get mine and Jonathan's tickets, as I'd rather not shell out these kind of fares on either airline for a trip that's still a-ways away. I'm pondering. And of course, American is the only airline it seems that doesn't participate in the AmEx program!

Ok, I bought air for April! Not bad at all but I am always so nervous buying arifare.

I got $123 going to orlando & $113 coming home.
We had to leave a day early so we are going to stay 2 nights at the residence inn & spend a day at the kennedy space center the day before the cruise.....We get 5 nights at pop after the cruise....whew, glad that over.

That doesn't sound terrible, Anne Marie, particularly when you said it was going to be such a big travel week for your part of the country!

We're booked for one night at the RI in a few weeks before we get on the Wonder. I'm excited that was the one I picked after seeing Becky's great photos. (Plus, they have free parking for my rental car! )

Lindsay, I'm jealous! In the past few years, we have had one station that played Christmas music as soon as November hit. They have been bough out, though, so I can't find a station playing even still! Good thing I have plenty of CDs, and that I finally rememebered to not pack them away with the Christmas decorations!

I hope you can find a station! If not, I think our station here in Texas has a live feed on it's website, if you wanted to listen that way.

You need to load all those Christmas CD's on an mp3 player of sorts! At last check, I think I have well over 500 Christmas songs on my iPod - rivaling only my Disney collection.

Yes, I saw that too! Maybe we will just rent a car too. Crazy ain't it?

It is! Doesn't make much sense to me, although I guess it's ultimately the easiest option for us. Once we disembark, we can head straight to WDW!

 

[Glynis]

Oh no, sounds like it will make its way through the house.

That's what I'm afraid of. Oh well, better now than over Thanksgiving, I guess!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I am really floored. This is the 1st time, out of the gate, that I have ever seen American beating Southwest in airfare - by well over $150 on the flights I'd be looking at! I don't consider the AA fare all that great, but it's looking darn good in comparison to these!

What I don't understand is how there are only "business" or "business select" on several of the flights for my dates. How could cheaper fares be unavailable, when you just released your schedule?? It's not like they're sold out!

I certainly hope this new "business" angle from SW isn't going to contribute to their leaving their business model that has been working for decades to just become like every other legacy carrier. I am not a happy camper!

I really have an almost blind devotion to American, so it broke my heart to book December on SW. The DINGs did drop the fare significantly lower than American's, and I have credit to use towards another flight so I guess that is good.

Stephanie sorry the microwave is fried, but thankful your home is still standing

Stephanie, I agree! I think your DGS would get along famously with Brother.

Elizabeth, I was just looking at Jibbitz for crocs. Did you get the Nightmare Before Christmas ones?

No! Where did you see them? All of my Crocs look like crap from Arabella biting them. Maybe more Jibbitz will cover up the bite marks!

Jennifer - I was in the Disney Store today and the thing I saw in the lady's hand that I thought was an ornament was a baseball. Sorry!

Anne Marie - Yay for airfare! I booked our tickets for one way. The leg going to MCO was DINGed twice so I have changed it two different times. The leg coming home has stayed the same. It does make me nervous to cancel and then apply the funds to the new flights, but so far it has worked OK! I figured out that I should pull up the screen for the DING fare and fill in ALL of that info, minimize that window, open a new window for the cancellation, then pop back to the DING window FAST and click "Buy this ticket". I am always afraid the DING seats will sell out while I am screwing around with the cancellation. Somebody on the travel forum was saying there is a way to do it where your confirmation # doesn't change on the new DING ressie but my way works fine.

Princess should be dead tired but she is having a big old party in her bed. She has that haircut appt. at 3:30 so she better got to sleep or she will be in for a rude awakening!

 

[Glynis]

I had Andrew's conference this morning, and the teachers were very complimentary of him. I'm so glad. For a child with major learning differences, he's making the kind of progress they want to see. This was the first year that they want the child to be at the conference. He was so quiet, and would barely answer them. I think being out of his uniform but in school talking to the teachers seemed really strange to him, too. They still don't have grades -- I think that starts next year, but they have started occasionally giving them test. He's had three in math, with 100, 100 and 97. Randy wanted to ask him what happened to cause him to get a 97 but I reminded him that Andrew might take him seriously. It's easy to get down on yourself with learning differences, so part of Shelton's goal is to really boost the confidence up. We met with the Association (reading) teacher, advisor/science and one of his speech teachers. The math teacher didn't make it, but since he excels there I'm not worried about that, and the group speech teacher was able to give us a report from the private speech teacher. It was nice to know they are working together with the other teachers to make sure they are hitting all the important areas. I sure do love that school!

Jake's conference is tomorrow morning. If it's anything like the report they sent home, it will be a good one as well. I feel so fortunate to have them where they are.

I better get back to work. Have a good day, DDA!

Hooray for a great conference! Way to go, Andrew!!! Hopefully, Jake's will be just as good!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Marci - Yay for a good conference! I wish the public schools were better at dealing with ADHD. Or my other wish is that I had $20K per year for tuition at Winston. Since neither of those things will happen we will just keep plugging away and do our best to avoid the Attendance Zealot.

DH got an invitation to his "office" party. They are having it at TX Stadium. Dress is formal, which I think is odd. I have formal wear, but I am not hiking across the parking lot in formal attire and heels! The only other formal things I have been to were at the Anatole and the Adam's mark where they have VALET! He hasn't decided if he wants to go or not. It starts at 5 PM so we could go for a little while before he has to go home and go to bed!

 

[Pooh67_68]

better now, then Thanksgiving. Or even worst Christmas.

That's what I'm afraid of. Oh well, better now than over Thanksgiving, I guess!

 

[Pooh67_68]

Here ya go.
http://www1.jibbitz.com/store/Nightmare_Before_Christmas_116/

No! Where did you see them? All of my Crocs look like crap from Arabella biting them. Maybe more Jibbitz will cover up the bite marks!

 

[tmfranlk]

I had Andrew's conference this morning, and the teachers were very complimentary of him. I'm so glad. For a child with major learning differences, he's making the kind of progress they want to see. This was the first year that they want the child to be at the conference. He was so quiet, and would barely answer them. I think being out of his uniform but in school talking to the teachers seemed really strange to him, too. They still don't have grades -- I think that starts next year, but they have started occasionally giving them test. He's had three in math, with 100, 100 and 97. Randy wanted to ask him what happened to cause him to get a 97 but I reminded him that Andrew might take him seriously. It's easy to get down on yourself with learning differences, so part of Shelton's goal is to really boost the confidence up. We met with the Association (reading) teacher, advisor/science and one of his speech teachers. The math teacher didn't make it, but since he excels there I'm not worried about that, and the group speech teacher was able to give us a report from the private speech teacher. It was nice to know they are working together with the other teachers to make sure they are hitting all the important areas. I sure do love that school!

Jake's conference is tomorrow morning. If it's anything like the report they sent home, it will be a good one as well. I feel so fortunate to have them where they are.

I better get back to work. Have a good day, DDA!

Great news from conferences!! It sounds like Andrew is doing really well in the program.

 

[lovespoohbear]

thanks for the well wishes on my upcoming surgery. its really not a major surgery because they are doing it laproscopicly. I am having a lapriscopic tubal ligation and an ablation so i can stop taking depo for TOM. Tom is just unhygienic for me so its the best option. i just hope i dont regret it afterwards.