The One Where They're Actually Going To WDW!!! TWO MORE SLEEPS!!! 9/30/08

[dis75ney]

Howdy all!

You can tell how tired I am by the use of the word "howdy."

Things are going okay here...for the moment anyway...my mom and uncle had their first big fight since my grandmother's death and both came out alive, so that's a good thing... We'll see what happens as the memorial date draws closer. Looking at Monday night now...gee, I have to go to court in the morning to give testimony in my best friend's sister's murderer's trial (I have to talk about what a great girl she was, so hopefully the judge will give the max sentence to her killer), then go to my grandmother's memorial service that night. Sounds like a fun day to me!!! *Insert raspberry sound here*

So, we decided to reschedule our trip (again!), but this time for October 4-12. Same plan as last time...but this will be more fun, since A. Halloween equals MNSSHP and B. my bday is Oct 5, so I'll be spending my bday in the happiest place on earth!

You know what's coming, right???

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I will be making the phone call to WDW tomorrow while Natepoo is at school. We're going to try and keep this trip quiet until about a week beforehand. He was quite agreeable when we told him we were postponing the trip because of Gram's health (not knowing that she had already passed), but he was a little sad when I took the countdown calendar off the wall of his room. I'd hate to get his hopes up and then have something come up to knock them down again...

 

[DisMomAmy]

Howdy all!

You can tell how tired I am by the use of the word "howdy."

Things are going okay here...for the moment anyway...my mom and uncle had their first big fight since my grandmother's death and both came out alive, so that's a good thing... We'll see what happens as the memorial date draws closer. Looking at Monday night now...gee, I have to go to court in the morning to give testimony in my best friend's sister's murderer's trial (I have to talk about what a great girl she was, so hopefully the judge will give the max sentence to her killer), then go to my grandmother's memorial service that night. Sounds like a fun day to me!!! *Insert raspberry sound here*

So, we decided to reschedule our trip (again!), but this time for October 4-12. Same plan as last time...but this will be more fun, since A. Halloween equals MNSSHP and B. my bday is Oct 5, so I'll be spending my bday in the happiest place on earth!

You know what's coming, right???

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I will be making the phone call to WDW tomorrow while Natepoo is at school. We're going to try and keep this trip quiet until about a week beforehand. He was quite agreeable when we told him we were postponing the trip because of Gram's health (not knowing that she had already passed), but he was a little sad when I took the countdown calendar off the wall of his room. I'd hate to get his hopes up and then have something come up to knock them down again...

Wow - that's awful about your friend's sister! Good luck in court - I'm sure it won't be easy.

Great news about your trip though - that's a great time to go.

 

[dis75ney]

OK, I'm staying up WAY later than I really should, but I've been lax in posting updates here and I'm starting to feel guilty...

So, anyway, as my title suggests, life sucks. It's not sucking as bad now as it was yesterday or last week, but sucking still sucks.

I really should cut down my use of the word "suck."

Since I last left my adoring audience I was persuaded by office to take three days off for bereavement leave. I have to say, my company has one of the best bereavement polices around. They give you time off with pay if your father's-second cousin-four times removed-roommate dies. Can't complain, though...three days off with pay and without being charged absences? Count me in!

I also had to testify for my best friend in her ongoing battle with DCFS over custody of her daughter. Long story short...ex-boyfriend is being a massive douchebag and telling DCFS that my friend is addicted to drugs and alcohol (nothing of the sort!), that she has mental health issues (well, sorry dude, but you'd have mental issues if your sister was brutally murdered, too), that her daughter has been left in the care of incompetent people (yours truly included), etc. So I went to DCFS and spent six hours waiting in uncomfortable chairs to be called in for five minutes of testimony confirming that Courtney is not, in fact, crazy or addicted to any kind of substances (with the exception of cigarettes, which I have been nagging her about since I've known her). Results from that hearing should come back within 45 days.

Then, I had part I of my biology midterm the night that same night (well, the DCFS thing was during the day - midterm was at night). Didn't tank as badly as I thought I did...so yay me!!!

Then yesterday...the day from hell and back with a couple of road trips to pergatory thrown in there. Was up bright and early for the sentencing hearing for my best friend's sister's murderer. She was stabbed to death almost four years ago and the guy was supposed to stand trial, but thanks to the incompetent legal system in Illinois, he did an Alford plea. This means that he gets to maintain his innocence, but concedes that if the case were to come before a judge or jury, then evidence presented would be enough to convict him. I like to call this a wuss's plea bargain...

Moving on...

Making an extremely long story unfairly short (but it is past my bedtime and I'm sure you don't want to hear details about the hearing), the dude gets 48 years in prison with credit for time served since his arrest. Max sentence he could have gotten (thanks to the stupid Alford plea) was sixty years. So that painful chapter is over...

I had my grandmother's memorial service last night after court. Wasn't too bad...made it through without crying. I think most of my tears were used during the hearing. I couldn't wait to get home and take my contacts out...

And today, I had part II of my Biology midterm. It sucked, but it didn't suck as bad as we thought it would suck...this was the general concensus amongst the students. Hopefully, the professor will have our grades up shortly...

So, I have some free time until Easter...yay! Hopefully, I'll be able to post more updates as the week goes on. I will hopefully keep all the same ADRs as last time (with a slight change in scheduling on one of them) when I call for the new dates, so I may just go until ADR details in my next post...

 

[DisMomAmy]

Yikes! It sounds like you need the next 6 months to go by lightening fast! Sorry to hear about your rough week(s).

 

[dreamer17555]

That really is a very tough week. Here is hoping things are looking up in the coming days.

-Becca-

 

[dis75ney]

Yikes! It sounds like you need the next 6 months to go by lightening fast! Sorry to hear about your rough week(s).

Thanks for your kind words. Yes, I do need the next six months to fly by!!! We're in the beginning stages of planning a weekend getaway sometime soon, just to decompress and get away from it all...not sure where we'd be going yet, though...

That really is a very tough week. Here is hoping things are looking up in the coming days.

-Becca-

Thanks, Becca. Things are already starting to look up...I get to pick up Girl Scout cookies today! Mmmmmmm...peanut butter patties...

 

[dis75ney]

Or should I say..."winter break."

Snow! Eight inches!! On the first day of spring!!! What is this world coming to, I ask??? Get me to Florida!!!

Moving on...

Since I'm bored at work and need something to keep me awake, I thought I'd post another quick update. No ADR info yet, as I left all that stuff at home, but just life in general...

First off: School
I somehow managed to pull an 80% on my Biology lab midterm (scary part - I was one of two people with the highest scores in the class! ), and then somehow managed to pull an 84% on my lecture midterm! Don't ask me how I did that, as midterms happened to fall directly on my week from hell, where I got 0 studying done thanks to court, funerals, and more court...

But it gets better...oh yes it does...

I get to lab last Thursday, which is the last class I have before spring (winter) break starts. Professor starts the class by announcing that the scores on BOTH tests were WAY below what she expected (class average for both was around 69%). Bear in mind, this is her first semester teaching after getting her PhD, and it doesn't look good for a first-time teacher to have such low grades at midterm. So she tells us three things:

1. She is adding five points to everyone's lab midterm grade!
2. She is knocking down the value of the lecture midterm to 96 points, rather than 100 points!
3. She is offering extra credit in the form of crossword puzzles! 20 points available!

You know what's coming...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I spent a good chunk of the weekend researching answers to the crossword puzzles and finally completed them last night after recruiting hubby to help. 20 extra points, here I come!

Second: Life in general

Life is definitely taking a swing upward since I last updated. We opted to skip Easter festivities with my family...since my grandmother's passing, I knew it was just going to dissolve into massive chaos, which it did. My sanity held together much better after lunch at Boston Market (Natepoo MUST make a commercial for them someday) and a viewing of Horton Hears a Who...

Thanks to the tax rebate stimulus, we will be receiving $1500 on May 9th, plus I will get my tuition reimbursement about two weeks later, so if all continues to go well in my classes, I'll be getting back around $900 (we are reimbursed 90% of we get an A or B in our classes). We could certainly use the cash...I'm trying to get us settled into a budget plan and this gives us a nice little cushion to fall back on. Plus...I think Disney might be getting a decent chunk of that money as well!

I have taken up a new pasttime. The guy in the cube next to me has a tendency to do one of three things:
1. Belch.
2. Curse very loudly.
3. Do both of the above at the same time.
Goofy has taken it upon himself to have me notify him whenever one of the three aforementioned things happens and has compiled a spreadsheet breaking down the statistics of said occurences. I've joked to Goofy that one's watch could be set by the belching, and it turns out I wasn't that far from the truth!

Other than that, not much else is going on. How's 'bout you all???

 

[dis75ney]

Snowing AGAIN!!!

What is this world coming to, I ask?

And Goofy wonders why I want to move to Florida...

 

[dis75ney]

Good morning, my loyal and faithful readers!

I'm not laughing at you guys, I'm laughing at myself. I'm going a little loopy at the moment, so if I seem really off or disjointed, please feel free to call the authorites to put me in a pretty white coat with no zippers....if anything, it'll get me out of finals...

First, CONGRATULATIONS to FauntleroyFan07 and his DW on the birth of their DS! Start planning his first trip to WDW now!!!

Let's see...when I last left you, I was complaining about the lack of spring. Spring has FINALLY decided to...SPRING...itself on the Windy City, as evidenced by the first wasp to make it into our house this season, along with the first ants. We really need to replace the screen windows one of the these days...

Counting down the days until the end of the spring semester...only 30 days left!!! And I have to try and cram two Biology tests, two Sociology tests, one Communications test, one Biology paper, and three Communications papers into those 30 days. It'd be nice if my Communications professor would get back to me about changing one of my paper topics, especially considering that I can't really drop in during office hours, as she's in Ohio...gotta love online classes! *Insert raspberry sounds here* At least I've learned my lesson for the fall...only two classes, and my online class has a local professor this time...

But on to happier things...DISNEY WORLD!!!

Chapter Four...Where the He** Did I Leave Off? Oh, Yeah...Food Stuffs...

I have no idea where I left off on my PTR, so I'll just discuss what's happened since my grandmother's illness and resulting death forced the postponement of our May trip. If I repeat any information, as I tell Natepoo all the time, too bad. Deal and move on.

I'm such a bad mommy...

Natepoo wanted to go to WDW during the holiday season. Goofy still wanted to swim. What to do?

Thanks to the freakingly AWESOME people here on the Dis , I discovered the horror that is Pop Warner week (further research confirmed that Pop Warner would be held the week we would be down there). Also, several Disers pointed out that the dates for the suggested trip coincided with the week before finals for the fall semester, and did I really want to be thinking about final exams while in Disney World? No, siree, Bob!!! Who is Bob, anyway?

So I made the executive decision to push up our trip to October 4-12. I made this decision for four reasons:

1. Staying away from Pop Warner!
2. It'd be easier for me to miss classes earlier in the semester - it'd be easier on Natepoo as well, since we'd be pulling him out of school for our trip and I'd rather pull him out earlier than later...plus he's already got Columbus Day off, so one less day off on his record...
3. Halloween! Not So Scary Halloween Party! My favorite holiday!!! 'Nuff said...
4. My birthday just happens to fall within our trip dates! I'd be spending my birthday in the happiest place on Earth!

Goofy: "So I don't have to buy you anything for your birthday, right? The trip's going to be your present..."
Me: "All it means is that I can buy whatever I want in Disney and you can't yell at me, because it's my birthday and those are the rules!"
Goofy:
Me:

I like making my own rules...

We will still be driving down to Florida , starting before the butt crack of dawn on October 3 . Plan is to get to Cocoa Beach sometime during the evening of October 3, spend the night at a local hotel, and then spend October 4 at Kennedy Space Center before driving down to Orlando. Both Goofy and Natepoo want to see "space stuff" (as Goofy so technically put it), and we will be taking Natepoo to dinner at the McDonalds with the world's largest PlayPlace (we saw that on the Travel Channel, and Natepoo was utterly fascinated by it). We'll take it easy the first night...explore the resort (we're still staying at PopCentury), maybe hit DTD...and be ready and raring to hit Epcot for my birthday the next day!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goofy: "Why aren't we going to the Magic Kingdom on our first day?"
Me: "It's my birthday, and I can do whatever I want! Since Epcot's my favorite park, we're going there the first day. Deal!"

And we went back to playing Phase 10...otherwise known in our house as Damn It!

I've heard that it's not the best idea to start school-age kids at WDW with the Magic Kingdom - makes them think the rest of the parks are all fantasy and fun, and they may not get all the educational things that Epcot and Animal Kingdom have to offer. Since we're pulling Natepoo out of school, we need to try and force as much education into that child as possible before we - GASP! - have fun!

Onto Goofy's favorite thing - FOOD!

Me: "We're going on the Dining Plan."
Goofy: "How much will that cost us?"
Me:
Goofy: "I just want to make sure we get our money's worth!"
Me: "We will, dear...I'll have my bottomless pits at my disposal."

Goofy just stares for a few seconds until he realizes that I'm talking about him and Natepoo...

Me: "I'm leaning toward the deluxe plan..."
Goofy: "Isn't that more expensive?"
Me: "Yes, dear, but we get three meals a day with appetizer included, so for you being diabetic, it works out better for you."

I'm not fond of one change in the regular dining plan - that's the elimination of the appetizer. I would have been ecstatic if the dessert were eliminated rather than the appetizer (I'm not a big sweets fan) or a choice was given between appetizer or dessert, since Goofy REALLY should limit his sweet intake because of the diabetes. Or allow for medical exceptions for people that can't (or shouldn't) have dessert...but I'm getting on my soapbox again...

Goofy: "So I get the choice of appetizer or dessert?"
Me: "No...you get both."
Goofy: "And I get an entree too?"
Me: "Yep."
Goofy: "And a beverage??"
Me: "Yep."
Goofy: "And it's already paid for?"
Me: "Yep."
Goofy: "So I could get whatever I want???"
Me: "Well, I don't think sushi is included..."
Goofy:
Me: "And alcoholic beverages are separate, but everything else should be included..."
Goofy:

Hence our decision to go with the deluxe dining plan. I think this is the one spot of our vacation where Goofy is actually happy to spend money...well, this and the Lego store.

Next chapter: ADRs!!!

 

[dis75ney]

Chapter Five...The Places That Will Assist In Our Gaining Ten Pounds On Vacation - AKA ADRs!

I had a massively huge post at first, but then decided to split it into two shorter (but still long) posts...I think I would have gotten lynched if I posted something HUGE with no pictures involved...

So, here's the ADRs that we have planned, and the reasoning behind them (as long as it's interesting and makes for a good story):

October 5:
Breakfast - Chef Mickeys 8:35am
Me: "One of my faves from our last visit, and not just because I was pregnant and could only eat breakfast and World Showcase foods without feeling nauseous. Very fun atmosphere and AWESOME breakfasts!"
Goofy: "Is this the place where they swing the napkins? I never understood the point of that..."
Natepoo: "Can we meet Mickey here?"

Lunch - Counter Service
Me: "I'm thinking Sunshine Seasons...I've heard good things about this spot..."

Dinner - Yachtman Steakhouse 6:30pm
Me: "Happy birthday to me!"
Goofy: "MEAT!" *Insert Tim Allen-esque manly grunt noise here*
Natepoo: "Puzzle dessert? That sounds fun...oooo, Mickey pasta!"

October 6:
Breakfast - Tusker House with Donald 8:05am
Me: "This one's for you, Natepoo!"
Goofy: "Buffet? Count me in!"
Natepoo: "DONALD!!!"

Lunch - Counter Service
Me: "I want Flame Tree!"
Goofy: "OK..."
Natepoo: "It won't be as good as Grandpa's barbeque..."

*I have to interject that my parents used to own a barbeque restaurant, and that my dad makes the best freakin' barbeque pulled pork sandwiches EVER!!! Grandpa's barbeque is the only barbeque Natepoo has ever known...except for a place called Russell's (AKA The Weathers Family Hangout), but I digress. Let's just say Flame Tree has some big shoes to fill...*

Dinner - Jiko 5:30pm
Me: "Date night!!!"
Goofy: "Can we go to the new karaoke place at Universal?"
Me:
Natepoo: "But what about me?"
Me: "You're going to Simba's Cubhouse to have fun with other kids."
Natepoo: "Am I spending the night there?"
Me: "Nope - we'll come get you after we're done."
Natepoo: "OK!"

October 7:
Breakfast - Counter service
Me: "I may change this to Boma after hearing some rave reviews..."

Lunch - Sci Fi Dine In 11:30am
Me: "Burgers and shakes!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmm..."
Goofy: "Science fiction! Mmmmmmmmmmm..."
Natepoo: "We can eat in a car! Mmmmmmmmmmmmm..."

Dinner - 50s Prime Time Cafe 5:30pm
Me: "I hope Goofy has to stand in the corner again..."
Natepoo: "Mommy said Daddy has to stand in the corner last time...I hope Daddy has to stand in the corner this time..."
Goofy: "I hope I don't have to stand in the corner again..."

October 8:
Breakfast - Crystal Palace 8:05am
Me: "TIGGER!!!!"
Goofy: "BREAKFAST LASAGNA!!!"
Natepoo: "You guys are weird..."

Lunch - Counter Service
Me: "We're playing this one by ear..."

Dinner - Whispering Canyon Cafe 6:10pm
Me: "I have to figure out a way for Natepoo to ask for ketchup..."
Goofy: "Self - do not ask for ketchup."
Natepoo: "Do they have ketchup?"

October 9:
Breakfast - Counter Service
Me: "We should eat in our resort's food court at least once during our trip...right?"

Lunch - Teppan Edo 12pm
Goofy: "Is this the Benihana place?"
Me:
Natepoo: "Wonder what kind of trouble I can get myself into here..."

Dinner - Rose & Crown Dining Room 7:30pm
Me: "Maybe they'll give us a good seat for my birthday...?"
Goofy: (while looking at the menu) "What is this crap? Ooooooo...mushrooms..."
Me: "You realize you won't be able to kiss me for several hours afterwards if you eat those..." (I am highly allergic to mushrooms)
Natepoo: "Grandma says British food isn't good..."

*Another note - my mother is OBSESSED with British history and skips over to the other side of the pond every year (Her outgoing message on her cell says she cannot answer her 'mobile' at the moment). She then comes back and complains about how she didn't eat anything in England because their food sucks...*

October 10:
Breakfast - O'Hanas 8:15am
Natepoo: "LILO AND STITCH!!!"

Lunch - Counter Service
Me: "Again, playing by ear..."

Dinner - Liberty Tree Tavern 5pm
Goofy: "What's family style?"
Me: "Like a buffet, except the servers bring the food to the table rather than us getting up to get food."
Goofy: "So it's all you can eat?"
Me:
Goofy:
Natepoo: "Mac and cheese!!!"

**Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party tonight!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

October 11:

I HAVE NOTHING PLANNED FOR THIS DAY!!!

I'm thinking about making this a water park/DTD day, but I feel like I should add a TS in here somewhere. Anyone have any thoughts?

October 12:
Breakfast - Cinderella's Royal Table 8:10am
Me: "Our last morning tradition..."
Goofy: "I get to flirt with princesses...cool..." *Insert Beavis and Butthead laugh here...
Natepoo: "I get to flirt with princesses...cool...I hope it's not too girly..."

So that's it...our dining in a nutshell. Any thoughts or suggestions (especially on the open day)?

 

[DisMomAmy]

I have to go back and read your two new posts, but just wanted to say "Hi" and that I'm glad your back with some new updates! Amy

 

[Hedy]

I'm eating at tusker House in august-I'll report back!
Why did Goofy need to stand in the corner?

 

[dis75ney]

I have to go back and read your two new posts, but just wanted to say "Hi" and that I'm glad your back with some new updates! Amy

Glad to be back...and to have a not so busy day at work!

I'm eating at tusker House in august-I'll report back!
Why did Goofy need to stand in the corner?

Oooo...yes, please do!

If I remember correctly, Goofy was caught with his elbows on the table and then proceeded to smart off to our "aunt"...I just sat back and watched Goofy make a fool of himself...

 

[randy4au]

Hey Stacy! I haven't visited your report in a while (or anyone else's for that matter). I see your trip is only 4 months away. I'm sure you're getting excited. Wish I was going back this year, but it will probably be another year or two before we make it back to WDW.

 

[dis75ney]

Hey Stacy! I haven't visited your report in a while (or anyone else's for that matter). I see your trip is only 4 months away. I'm sure you're getting excited. Wish I was going back this year, but it will probably be another year or two before we make it back to WDW.

Well, darn you Randy! You should be ashamed!

But then, what does it say about me when I haven't visited my own pre-trippie in several weeks...shame on me!

 

[dis75ney]

Hello, my loyal and faithful readers!

Since nothing exciting has been happening in the world of WDW trip planning (well, something has happened, but it's more irritating to the Obsessive Disney Planner that I am, and I will detail in a later post), I thought I would start sharpening my typing hands and write up a mini trip report from the Griffiths Family Trek to the Taste of Chicago on June 28.

But first, an apology for the size of the pics...I'm trying to get the rest sized down a bit...

And now, a brief re-introduction of the cast:
Me

Should now be known as a chameleon...if a chameleon can turn several shades of red in a span of six hours...

Dean (AKA Goofy)

Has a fascination with shiny things...

Nathan (AKA Natepoo)

Points out Crocs wherever he goes...

Flat Jordan

Makes a brief appearance later in the TR - mainly because I was a bad person and left him in the car (I'll explain later)...

For those of you unaware of the Taste of Chicago, this is an annual event held sometime in a ten day period surrounding the Fourth of July. There are approximately one million booths (I counted!) lining a several-city-block long stretch of Chicago's Grant Park offering tasty morsels of food Chicago is famous for (deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, Chicago-style hot dogs) and not-so-famous for (beignets? sauteed goat?). There's also extremely expensive carnival rides and nightly entertainment that we always plan to stick around for but never make it (Stevie Wonder was performing the night we were there).

I figured that June 28 would be a perfect day to go to the Taste. Not only was it opening weekend, but this weekend was also Chicago's Umpteenth Annual Pride Weekend AND the second installment of Chicago's Crosstown Classic (in which my beloved Cubbies lost in a most spectacular fashion to the evil White Sox ). I thought, with the three big events going on in the city, that the crowds would be less than standing-room-only and we should be in good shape...

Goofy: "Does this mean I don't get to go to the Container Store this weekend?"

As I have mentioned previously in cast introductions, Goofy hates spending money on most things. Food and anything Lego related are the two exceptions to this rule. And in order to keep his ever-growing Lego collection from overtaking the house, Goofy has been fixated on organizing his millions of Lego pieces with something from the Container Store. Why said organizational thingie cannot be purchased at Home Depot or Wally World is beyond me.

Me: "Well, where would you rather go? The Taste or Container Store?"

*Insert Jeopardy theme song here* (Side note: I think Goofy is still pondering this question)

While Goofy ponders his answer, I make the executive decision to go to the Taste. Container Store will still be there next weekend...

Saturday, June 28, 2008

My goal for this morning was to leave our house by 9:30am in order to make the 9:52 train (we live about 20 minutes from the train station). You would think in the 10+ years that I've been married to Goofy that I would have learned one thing: In order for us to be on time anywhere, I need to tell Goofy that the event starts 15 minutes prior to the actual start time. Case in point - I should have said we needed to leave the house by 9:15am rather than 9:30am. Since I have not learned said lesson, we end up BOLTING out of the house at 9:35am. This forces me to break posted speed limits in the hopes that I can shorten the 20 minute trip to 15 minutes. Did my breaking the law work in our favor?

After 13 minutes of praying that a cop was not around the corner on radar duty and/or cursing the two red lights that stopped us en route, I swing into an empty parking space at the Metra station with just enough time to pull out Natepoo's sunglasses from our box o' Disney crap and snap this picture:

Sweet! Just saved $1.50!

We clambor onto the train for the hour long journey into the city.

$5 adult weekend tickets! Double sweetness! I then realize I left Flat Jordan in the van...

Natepoo entertains himself with his Autobot Jazz:

Goofy entertains himself with Natepoo's sunglasses:

While I bone up on Disney knowledge:

I must also mention that this trip was the first trip for my newly purchased Baggalini. How does it rate? It's the best bag EVER (except that it leaves weird sunburn lines on one's chest). Definitely coming with us on future trips!

At each stop, Natepoo makes mention of any Crocs he sees on fellow travelers. I don't know what his recent fascination is with Crocs...could be that I just bought two pairs myself, maybe?

We make it into Chicago at 11:10am - just after the Taste opened. After a brief stop in the Grand Hall of Union Station, we make our way out into the city. As we're crossing the Chicago River, I whip out the camera for these pics:

I was actually more intrigued with the river - still looks green after the traditional St. Patrick's Day dying, doesn't it?

We continue walking down Jackson Street, and Goofy spots his first shiny thing:

Shiny thing count: 1

We also happen to be next to the tallest building in the US:

After the obligatory shot, we continue down Jackson, with Goofy stopping to smell the spearmint:

New party game! Find Goofy and Natepoo!

Goofy spots more shiny things:

Shiny thing count: 2 & 3

CONTINUED IN NEXT POST...

 

[Hedy]

Oh, sounds like fun.

 

[dis75ney]

I am reminded of Peter Boyle's character on Everybody Loves Raymond...loved that guy...

Anyway, yes, I know I've been lax in putting up updates on a regular basis. I hang my head in shame and ask for your forgiveness as I repent of my sin against my loyal and faithful readers...

My computer (where I happen to have all of my Taste of Chicago pics) has been acting up BIG time. So I've pretty much given up on getting that part of the PTR completed. I have now learned my lesson and will make to sure load all pictures onto my laptop, rather than our POS desktop. DH is attempting to move stuff from our regular C drive to a separate storage hard drive in preparation for a new computer, but guess what??? Trouble, she is a-brewin'!

I should also add to my dislikes from my first post: Computers

So, my loyal and faithful readers, you may be asking, "Why has Stacy not posted anything in her PTR since...the beginning of time?" Well, let me tell you why!

August sucks. It seems like everybody and their grandmother-in-law-five-times-removed has a birthday in August. Niece, cousin, grandfather, dad, uncle, Natepoo, mom, grandmother, ex-stepmother-in-law (no, I'm not making that title up!), and countless others...it's insane!!! My entire August budget tends to go to birthday cards and various giftage...

OK, maybe not my entire budget, but pretty darned close...

Another reason August sucks? Vacations. No, not my own...that's coming up in 34 sleeps. Coworkers just felt like they HAD to take vacations this month. Let me tell you, it's no fun being short-staffed and having two to three people out per day. Stacy's in-box was not a pretty sight. But thankfully, people are back now and shouldn't be out until the end of September/beginning of October...

Aside from birthdays galore, there was also wedding galore. I didn't perform any duties this time around except as page-turner-extraordinaire for Goofy, but Goofy was asked at the last minute to be the musician for the wedding - not because someone fell through, but because the bride forgot to ask him earlier . Bride was a wee bit stressed out...she was such a mess before the rehearsal that I was glad I was so laid-back about my wedding that I forgot to order the wedding cake until a week before the wedding. The bride and groom are now happily honeymooning in San Diego and our lives are somewhat back to normal...

OK, so those have been the icky things about August. Now the happy things (I can see the bright side of things, too...I don't just rant all the time...Goofy would tend to disagree with me, though):

Natepoo is now 8 years old! Goofy, Auntie April (my best friend), and I took Natepoo to Rainforest Cafe for a most delicious-if-overly-salty lunch, where Natepoo was showered with a Toys-R-Us gift card, a Best Buy gift card, a new Lego Indiana Jones set, and (possibly the coolest thing on the planet) a Lightning Glass! Seriously, this thing rocks. Word of warning, though...make sure you lift the glass straight up to turn the lights on/off, instead of tipping the full glass over. We then went to Toys-R-Us to spend said gift card, where Natepoo chose another Lego Indiana Jones set. We then went home and all watched Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Methinketh Natepoo is obsessed with Indiana Jones...

Natepoo is also a second-grader! He is super excited about starting a new grade. His teacher is currently on maternity leave and will return the same day Natepoo returns from our trip, but the substitute is an absolute doll. She wholeheartedly approved of us taking Natepoo out of school and may arrange to come in the day that Natepoo gives his presentation on what he learned while at Disney. Natepoo is most excited about his student planner. Yes, the second graders get student planners/assignment notebooks this year. They felt like such grown-ups...

And - in the grand tradition of saving the best for last...

My workplace has decided to let some of us peons work from home starting next week! Wait for it...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, rather than having an hour commute each way to the office, I will only have to commute two flights of stairs. SWEET!!!!!!!!!!

So that amounts to the rest of my summer. These next few days will be a flurry of packing up my cubicle and transitioning to a home office, packing up stuff that I won't be needing over the next few weeks in order to get a head start on packing for Disney, and reminding Goofy just how many days we have left until we leave.

Goofy is stressing out about leaving the office for a grand total of six days...however will the company survive without his expertise? He has been Jonesing for a Crackberry specifically for this trip, so he can check his email and take any emergency calls. I feel like MissCammie (who has an awesome trip report, BTW) in having to limit his office calls to one per day...the company survived for many, many years before he joined, I'm sure they can make it for six days (he gets Yom Kippur off thanks to the owners being Jewish)...

OK, since we are now talking about Disney things (Happy place!), there have been some changes to our Disney trip...not many, just to try and save money here and there...

1. At this point, we have decided to forgo the DDP. This may make a reappearance, though...if my mother's brother decides to stop being a buttinsky and give me my grandmother's inheritance ("I don't have to give it to you yet! The terms of the will aren't up until December! You never visited your grandmother and aren't entitled to anything!" Well, guess what, dummy...what you say doesn't matter! The will is a legal document, dorkwad! *Clears throat* Moving on...)

2. I was able to apply the GP code for fall/winter and saved another $500...adding in the cancellation of the DDP, I saved about $1100 more than before! You may now bow down before the Queen of Discounts!

3. Slight change of itinerary. Instead of leaving before the butt crack of dawn on October 3, we will be leaving after dinner on October 2 and driving straight through the night. All of us really want to eat at the Varsity in Atlanta after seeing it on a Travel Channel special, so we're going to try and time things so we get to Atlanta after the morning rush hour, spend a little time at the World of Coca Cola, and then have lunch at the Varsity before heading to Cocoa Beach and Kennedy Space Center.

My little laptop has been bustling with activity in preparation for our trip. I've created a picture itinerary, am working on sorting Tshirt transfers for eventual shirt-making, and have created (with the assistance of various DISigners) autograph pages and a travel journal for Natepoo to complete while in WDW. I also took a page from MissCammie and started carrying around a small notebook to jot notes in...Lord knows I won't be able to remember everything from day to day...

And possiblly the most scary thing to ever happen in my financial lifetime...

I PAID OFF THE TRIP!!!

I honestly think that this is the most I have ever put on a debit card in one purchase. I tend to wince if I put $100 on this card, and Goofy had to take control of the mouse and hit "Submit Payment"...my hand was shaking so badly. Not fun, in my opinion. But at least the trip is paid off, and we can go to Disney knowing we won't have any bills to come home to... Now to save up the spending money...

I hope everyone had a great summer! Fall looks to be even more fun!!!

 

[Hedy]

It's so close! I can't believe it!

 

[1hero2princesses]

I just started reading your stuff. Very funny. I live in the very distant suburbs of chicago although I have lived in like 8 different suburbs over the years.