The Mouse-KIDS are in charge...a Jan '12 PTR NEW 2/5 TR link & new tickers

[mousescrapper]

in 5 months and 20 days and counting


so SWA of course opened the dates up today vs tomorrow and I got my morning txts and FB notices from my ever faithful travel Bud AMY and got online to see now I was a bit nervous not knowing how bad it would be...Amy was concerned for her prices later for April


but I just couldn't believe it the fares were low...even lower than my trip this yr in Jan!


I came in totally under budget I had hoped to fly down for no more than $1500 and well w/ $106 per fare plus my $90 in credits...my grand total is:

$ 1266 SWEET!!!!!!

Of course I had all that saved up to just a few weeks ago...but since I was short just a bit...Matt and I decided to book all flights NOW!

we went w/ a tad earlier flight than normal (7:45 am) since the next flight was $156 and went w/ a retun flight at 5:55 pm...would have loved the 7:15 flight...but decided getting back to Chicago at just before 8 pm is better than 9 pm w/ wanting kids to go to school on Friday...seems silly to go to school just one day that week...but this way they can get homework for the weekend to make-up!


so YAY! I know I'll have the $ needed to return the differnce in just a few months plus start the savings for our park passes!


very very happy!

 

[Parla]

I'm so happy for you! The cost and hassle of making those flight reservations is so much more stressful than fun Disney math!

 

[lbuzz52]

just found this- i love how the kids are helping with the preparation!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Glad you got the flights taken care of!! I was worried you'd missed out on the good rates when I found out they opened up early.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Yay for the flights being booked! That always feels like the moment of "okay, we are DEFINITELY going to Disney now!" for me!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Yeay for flights booked AND under budget!!!

 

[mousescrapper]

just found this- i love how the kids are helping with the preparation!

aboard! thanks for reading and saying "hi" there will be alot more fun stuff ahead so please stay tuned...

I'm so happy for you! The cost and hassle of making those flight reservations is so much more stressful than fun Disney math!

thanks...yes I was nervous waiting to see how they would look, it can be stressful it's one variable you don't have much control in

Glad you got the flights taken care of!! I was worried you'd missed out on the good rates when I found out they opened up early.

thanks Amy...I def say we got some great rates!

Yay for the flights being booked! That always feels like the moment of "okay, we are DEFINITELY going to Disney now!" for me!

thanks...I agree completely!

Yeay for flights booked AND under budget!!!

thanks, the under budget thing is such a sweet surprise!

 

[teekathepony]

Woooo hoo for flights under budget!!

 

[Pixiedust530]

Congrats on your 'Ohana ADR and more importantly on booking your flights. You got an AWESOME deal on your flights. Imo there's no better feeling than coming in under budget.

 

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

That's awesome to get the flights under budget!! Way to go!

I hope that Bekah enjoyed camp and the trip up to get her was uneventful last week.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Hi There, I figured I should catch up on your PTR, I still have to make through the anniversary one but I'm here for this one.

I'm glad the Southwest prices worked for you, I looked last night and they were awful. Right now we are leaning towards Jetblue out of Boston. We shall see though, I want to buy at least one way soon and then hope for a credit or something for the way home.

 

[Native NYer]

Yay for booking flights and saving money!

 

[jillyb]

Congrats on saving on the tickets! Especially after reading this:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Airlines-are-taking-savings-apf-1533581816.html?x=0

 

[irish dancer]

Yay for getting tix below budget!!

Like Stringbean, the trip always feels more "real" once we have airfare booked.

 

[mousescrapper]

Woooo hoo for flights under budget!!

woo-hoo is right!

Congrats on your 'Ohana ADR and more importantly on booking your flights. You got an AWESOME deal on your flights. Imo there's no better feeling than coming in under budget.

I have never been under budget before for airfare it is an awesome feeling

That's awesome to get the flights under budget!! Way to go!



I hope that Bekah enjoyed camp and the trip up to get her was uneventful last week.

she did ...besides the heat we had a good trip up to get her and day in the Wis Dells before coming home...post some pixs soon...

Hi There, I figured I should catch up on your PTR, I still have to make through the anniversary one but I'm here for this one.

thanks for jumping in!

I'm glad the Southwest prices worked for you, I looked last night and they were awful. Right now we are leaning towards Jetblue out of Boston. We shall see though, I want to buy at least one way soon and then hope for a credit or something for the way home.

that was my fear they were going to be high usually seems so flying out of Chicago...great luck...here's some for fare drops and sales!

Yay for booking flights and saving money!

thanks! Yes less money to save is always good and that means bonus money for souvies

Congrats on saving on the tickets! Especially after reading this:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Airlines-are-taking-savings-apf-1533581816.html?x=0

thanks and yes that doesn't sound good...

Yay for getting tix below budget!!

Like Stringbean, the trip always feels more "real" once we have airfare booked.

Thanks AM...I agree it still seems a ways off I think it will feel more real when I order the park passes

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Hey J,

Long time no post...literally...

The kids have gotten so big...but that's what happen when you feed them and take good coare of them...

Trip sounds great...love that the kids are doing planning...maybe you could get them starting their own business...

looking forward to read along...

P3

 

[mousescrapper]

Hey J,

Long time no post...literally...

The kids have gotten so big...but that's what happen when you feed them and take good coare of them...

Trip sounds great...love that the kids are doing planning...maybe you could get them starting their own business...

looking forward to read along...

P3

Hey P3, Triple P, Patricia

long time no post I agree...how have you been? I hope well thank you so much for stopping in and saying HI too...they are getting big, huh?

I think it will be a great little trip!

J~

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Flights UNDER budget?? Ya gotta love that! Congratulations!

 

[mousescrapper]

Flights UNDER budget?? Ya gotta love that! Congratulations!

thanks! :cool1:

 

[mousescrapper]

Last week, it was time to pick up our daughter Bekah from Camp (Honeyrock in Three Lakes Wisconsin) she had been up there already for 10 days. Three Lakes is in far FAR Northern WI almost to the upper Michigan Pinnesula...it's just over 6 hrs away from the Chicago Suburbs. The Camp hosts a family day event for the those who make the trek up on the last full day of camp. Last yr, Matt, I, Rachel and Nathan took the drive up...it was a long haul and even longer afternoon at the Camp.

This yr, since Matt couldn't take time off of work...my Dad accompanied myself and just Rachel this time up to the North Woods...we left on Wed. a little after 7:30 am and it was already beyond HOT

We made a pit stop about 2 hrs away where my Dad's Sister lives for a short visit. I hadn't been there in a very long time. The have a nice home on a lake. Here is Rachel:

We then drove for another 1 1/2 hrs and stopped at a nicer rest stop for lunch... the wind and heat was just ripping off the Expressway, but we had a spot to ourselves in the shade and managed quite well.

We made it the rest of the Way up to where our hotel was for the next two nights and after resting in the room for a bit and me cranking up the AC Rachel and my Dad went down to the indoor pool. When I came down a little later, I couldn't believe they were in the hot tub

Next up was dinner and the local diner resturant...we weren't sure where to eat...and my Dad said choose the place w/ the most cars. It was the Friendship House and crowded! But nice, quick service and pretty darn good food too. I had my usual favorite a BLT club.

Rachel got the kids menu and was very happy they had pasta on the menu...but look what else they had:

She also ordered Stawberry Lemonade based on the waitresses' recomendation, take a look at this drink:

it was like sundae strawberries just dumped in...she loved it


After dinner, we went exploring out back behind the hotel, it was a bit cooler now, maybe only in the mid 80's

The next day after having the continental bfast in the hotel and chillin in the room we went looking around and followed some signs to a lake park. Where we found a picnic area and lake access. The water was great, felt like bath water...it was definetly cooler in temps today. We must have spent an hour here and the most interesting thing was this duck family.

I have never seen such tamer ducks ever...first one little ducking came out exploring and then the whole family.

Then around 1:30 pm we headed over to the Camp to find Bekah! All the campers are given a special HoneyRock Camp shirt this day so it's this sea of one color (yellow this yr) and you honestly don't know where your child is...then all of sudden some kid has just runs in to me and hugging me it was Bekah. No glasses, a bit tired and sunburned.

We explored her Camp, the girls tried kayaking

my Dad did Archery and was pretty good too:

Plus I went to gather Bekah's bags and haul them back to the car. Here is her cabin Door:

After the evening ended, Bekah had one night left at Camp and my Dad, Rachel and I headed back to the hotel but after stopping at McD's for 49 cent ice cream cones

The next morning, I picked up Bekah and after a shower for her and some more bfast...we got in the car to start the trek home...the plan was to go to Wisconsin Dells for lunch and some fun before going home. Well....

I didn't quite put the right location in the GPS...We wanted to eat at this great place called Monks in downtown Wis Dells...my Dad has been eating here for yrs...we obviously know where we should have gone...but didn't quite do it...we ened up at some other Monks in some other town about 40 minutes South of the Dells...and then well after another wrong turn we finally made it and we were hungry

this burger hit the spot for me...

after our bellies were filled, we walked the downtown strip and I picked up a small souvie for each kid (including Nathan and Naomi-Ruth back home) I was proud of myself choosing items at about $5 a piece

Rachel also got a pressed penny to add to her collection:

Then we took an Orginal Wisconsin Ducks Tour and had a really fun time. The college kid driving our Duck was just hilarious I think all my rides on the Jungle Cruise prepped me for the stichk...here's just a few pixs:

Rachel seeing if the tires were really floating up after we went in the water

The next thing we did was some mini golf...they have a really cool course on the cliff's edge looking over the water that is fully shaded...so this was a perfect end to our Wis Dells Adventure

Last two things were a candy run, to bring some fudge home for Matt and some thank you candy gifts to my Mom for watching Nathan and Naomi-Ruth those 3 days while Matt was at work and to Dad for going w/ us. A McD's run for dinner and then the drive home was pretty uneventful except for the lightning storm we viewed from afar and some construction closer to home.

Hope you enjoyed that mini TR...Up Next a borrowed PTR game idea from LL...

thanks for reading, J~​