The Twelve Days of Swinter: From Castaway 'Key' to a Partridge in a Palm Tree!

[petals]

Love the update. The bracelet is very pretty. Also I want that mickey head plate your DD got her pizza on.

 

[sharonW]

Rinky....hope all is well, its been quite awhile since you've posted!
Looking forward to any and all updates!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Hey Rinky! I sure hope that school there starts soon so you have more free time. We miss you!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I miss Rinky!

 

[pooh'smate]

Rinky, I hope all is ok. I am praying for you.

 

[sharonW]

Rinky, I hope all is ok. I am praying for you.

Yes, this is not like Rinky...hope everything is ok.

 

[sjs314]

Yes, this is not like Rinky...hope everything is ok.

I have to agree, starting to worry about her, praying all is well

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Hello everyone! It's been quite a while since I've been on the DIS. I have really missed it too! My stressful summer is finally behind me though and I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders with school starting back.

I have come to the conclusion that I need a career change! I think I am just getting too old to deal with children and all their drama, disrespect, etc... I just don't have the patience for it anymore. I was so stressed out over the situation that I had with my kids (childcare kids) this summer that I felt like I was heading into depression. And it's just not worth that. In fact, for the first 3 days after all the kids were back in school, I slept about 12 hours each night. (I have NEVER done that before... 7 hours and I'm good!) It was like my brain just had to shut down to recoup.

I'm trying to hash out now what kind of job I need (that doesn't involve working with children), that will work with DD's school schedule. The problem is that almost every job I've ever had has been working with kids. I think it's going to take me a while to figure out what I want/need to do and make the change, but I am excited about the idea of starting something new with a clean slate, and I already feel so much better just knowing that happier times are on the horizon for me!

DD is having a great school year so far too. She got a fantastic teacher and has some really sweet kids in her class (thank the Lord!). I think it's going to be a wonderful year for her.

I hope all of you have been well! I can't wait to get caught back up with everyone! I know I have missed so much.

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Oh Rinky, don't apologize. Life gets too busy.

We haven't tried Mama Melrose's yet. Those pizzas sure look like they would be yummy though!

And don't kill me but I have also never seen Fantasmic. I don't even know where the theater is.

I know some people don't like MM, but we have mostly enjoyed it each time we've gone. We got one bad dish there, but all else was great!

You MUST see Fantasmic! I LOVE it! It has so many characters in it and some neat special effects. That theater is just past the entrance of B&tB and near ToT.

We have eaten at Mama Melrose once. We hesitated a little, because it doesn't get wonderful reviews, but we liked it just fine. It's the rare kid that likes mushroom pizza. That's my favorite kind!

Seeing Fantasmic is such an incredible way to end a day in Hollywood or just any Disney day. We've been known to do a park, swim and have dinner, then go over to Hollywood just for ice cream and Fantasmic.

Brooklynn likes to stand up on the bus for a minute or two occasionally, too. For a kid, I'm sure it seems like a daredevil thing to do - stand up on a moving vehicle.

I like that you got a picture of my favorite Disney bracelets.

We have been in the planning stages of our trips for next year. Looks like we will be seeing that Hollywood Christmas tree again in 2013.

DD is a pretty adventurous eater for a kid. I think b/c we live in the country and have always had a garden, she is used to eating things that most kids don't. Her favorite food is actually squash!

We love F! too and I agree that it is a great way to end a day even if you aren't at HS that day.

I love those bracelets but I have a feeling we don't buy them for the same reason. The big "c" word.

I have missed out on so much with your family these last few months. I can't wait to find out what you guys have been up to.

Loved the updates!!! We don't usually do water parks, but this year we did not do the parks (did Discovery Cove and Sea World but stayed on Disney properties) so we took the opportunity (and some very old Non-expiry passes ) and hit Blizzard Beach. We had the best day! The kids loved it. And like you said, the day isn't over when the water park day ends.
The CM at the entry laughed at our old passes saying they hadn't seen those types of tickets in a looooonnnng time. (they were from 2004) Sure glad they still worked.

Ohhh! You went to DC! I want to do that so bad! But a Disney WP is a nice choice too and I love that you can go to another park that eveing. Very cool that you already had passes you could use to get in too! That's almost like getting in free!

What date was the waterpark/HS day? I like that they had decorations out. And that there was no huge wait for F!. I might get to see it after all this time around, but I have no desire to wait in a long line.

That day was Thursday, November 3rd. If crowds are like they were for us last year, I think you will be able to see it without a long wait.

Well, I might just have to copy your whole day and finish up our TL day with dinner & Fantasmic! at DHS. Shhhhhh, don't tell, but I've never seen Fantasmic......

Mmmmm, calamari! My family loves it, and yes, it's just squid

Feel free to copy my day. It was a wonderful day! And yes, you NEED to go see F! I think it's a great show. It has so many characters in it and I love the special effects.

According to your ticker, you leave tomorrow??? Have a great trip!!! I hope you'll do a TR.

I'm the only one in my family who likes fantasmic??
I just don't get that!!! I love the bracelet with mickey, i want one of those!!
Disney merchandise is to die for!!! Thankin ya for yet another great update!!

What's not to like about F!??? Just kidding... I know everyone likes different stuff, but I think it's a great show!

I loved those bracelets too but I probably won't ever buy one.

 

[mom2rtk]

Welcome back Rinky! I hope you find something soon that will give you some mental peace!

 

[jenseib]

Glad to see you back!!!

so are their definite disney plans in the future?

 

[mickeystoontown]

I'm sooooo glad to see you back on the Dis! It's always a struggle when you want to make a career change and are not really sure what you want to do. I often say that I want to be something other than a paralegal when I grow up.

Again, it's good to see you back. We missed your witty comments!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I just read your entire report over the last few days

I now know I want to go in October and want to edit some videos. Where do you edit yours?

Your trip seemed perfect all around

I just use Windows Movie Maker which you probably already have installed on your computer. Most people don't even know they have it. It's not the most user friendly thing though. I've been playing around with it a lot just trying to figure it all out but I haven't done anything fancy with it yet. Shelly makes some great vacation videos with it though with music and all, so I know you can do a lot with it.

It was a really great trip! So great in fact that we are repeating it all over again in October!

Hey RinkyTinky! I assume that you are still super busy keeping kids over the Summer break. I hope that you'll soon be back on the Dis telling your Disney vacation tales.

Me too!!



Yes, you've been popcorned again!

Somehow I missed your last update but came across it this morning thanks to Shelly posting

Hope your summer is going better than last time I posted

Where oh where has Rinky gone, oh where oh where has she gone?
Life has taken over!!! Hope to see you back soon! I'm dying to know if another trip is in the works!!

Love the update. The bracelet is very pretty. Also I want that mickey head plate your DD got her pizza on.

Rinky....hope all is well, its been quite awhile since you've posted!
Looking forward to any and all updates!

Hey Rinky! I sure hope that school there starts soon so you have more free time. We miss you!

I miss Rinky!

Rinky, I hope all is ok. I am praying for you.

Yes, this is not like Rinky...hope everything is ok.

I have to agree, starting to worry about her, praying all is well

I feel so guilty that some of you were worried about me. Please accept my apology for not at least taking time to come on here and let everyone know that I was ok. That was really crappy of me.

(Please read the post in blue to everyone above.)

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Welcome back Rinky! I hope you find something soon that will give you some mental peace!

Thank you! That is definitely my goal. Mental peace cannot be underestimated!

Glad to see you back!!!

so are their definite disney plans in the future?

Yep, we are on for 7 nights at POR and then 3 nights on the dream! (Oct 25-Nov 4) It cannot get here soon enough either. I am serioulsy trying to figure out where I can hide on Castaway Cay so that the ship leaves me behind when it sails back home.

I'm sooooo glad to see you back on the Dis! It's always a struggle when you want to make a career change and are not really sure what you want to do. I often say that I want to be something other than a paralegal when I grow up.

Again, it's good to see you back. We missed your witty comments!

Thank you! I am so glad to be back!

I bet your job is pretty stressful sometimes too. I don't think I'd want to handle all those legal messes. People can get so ugly in that kind of stuff.

Witty comments! There has been NOTHING witty about me lately. I know this sounds corny, but I feel like a shell of a person. I'm just so glad all this is over and I'm ready to get back to the old me who laughed a lot and enjoyed life.

 

[sharonW]

So glad everythings ok with you!!! I know how you feel as I've done the in home childcare for 24 yrs now!!!!! To say it can be trying is putting it mildly!!
Can't wait to hear more about your trip and if yet another one is coming up!!!! Hey, I couldn't find you on FB, it says your account has been cancelled??? WELCOME BACK to the DIS, RINKY!!!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I'm so glad you're okay - We missed you!!
I'm sure it's tough trying to figure out what to do next! I've been there and I am still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up (if I have to!). Just keep looking inward (and upward) to figure out what is best for you and makes you happy.

I'm happy to hear that your DD is enjoying the start of school - we start on Tuesday and just met the teachers this week. It looks good for now!

You missed a lot with Memom and Jill! Go see the crazy baby/health drama over there! I'll let you know that everyone is now OK, just so you don't panic with worry!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

So glad everythings ok with you!!! I know how you feel as I've done the in home childcare for 24 yrs now!!!!! To say it can be trying is putting it mildly!!
Can't wait to hear more about your trip and if yet another one is coming up!!!! Hey, I couldn't find you on FB, it says your account has been cancelled??? WELCOME BACK to the DIS, RINKY!!!!

I didn't know that you keep kids in your home too. Maybe you mentioned it, but I don't recall you saying anything about it. It is a pretty stressful job sometimes. I've always enjoyed it until this summer though. I've been very fortunate to have had good kids that are sweet and respectful, but I got some new ones this summer that just turned my household and my sanity upside down. It's amazing what a HUGE difference one kid can make in the harmony of your home. I was determined to see it through though and my stubborness kept me from telling her parents not to bring her back (I just couldn't see myself letting a kid beat me, ya know). But in hindsight, I think I made the wrong choice. I should have sent her on her way the first week. It wasn't worth putting myself and my child through all that turmoil just to be able to say that I didn't let her win. Lesson learned. Life is way too short to waste a single day being miserable like I was. I hope you have better luck with the kids you keep!

Yes I did get rid of my FB account. I never used it anyway and I kept getting so many notifications and didn't really know how to stop that. I also kept getting a lot of friend requests from people I didn't know which sort of freaked me out. Most of the DIS folks would sent me their DIS name with their request, but I got many others that did not and I don't think they were Dissers. So I figured I just get rid of it. I don't have much free time anymore anyway and what time I do have, I like to spend on the DIS, so it's no real loss to me.

I'm so glad you're okay - We missed you!!
I'm sure it's tough trying to figure out what to do next! I've been there and I am still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up (if I have to!). Just keep looking inward (and upward) to figure out what is best for you and makes you happy.

I'm happy to hear that your DD is enjoying the start of school - we start on Tuesday and just met the teachers this week. It looks good for now!

You missed a lot with Memom and Jill! Go see the crazy baby/health drama over there! I'll let you know that everyone is now OK, just so you don't panic with worry!

I missed all of you guys too! I hate I have missed some of your London/Paris TR. I'm excited to see what good stuff you've posted!

Isn't it silly that I am 3? and still don't know what I want to be when I grow up? I guess life is just that way though. You have plans when you are young and naive and then when you grow up, you realize that maybe that wasn't such a great idea after all. I was so sure that I wanted to be a teacher, and I did enjoy it for the five years that I taught, but now it just doesn't appeal to me at all. I think I am just burned out on working with children. Luckily though, my major in college was History with a minor in Education, so I can do other things with that. I think I might actually like to be a Librarian. It's slow paced, peaceful, boring (anything drama free sounds so good to me right now), oh and did I mention quiet.... VERY quiet! I'm thinking that would make me a happy camper for sure! We'll see though. For now, I'll still be keeping kids (afterschool only!) and my 'troubled' child is gone for good! So I have some time to think about it and see what's out there. I really want to be a Disney travel agent, but I'm just not sure that I would make enough money doing that????

I'm glad your girls are happy with their teachers! A good teacher can really make all the difference in a school year. I hope they both have a wonderful year! Enjoy your last weekend of summer vacation with them!

Oh no! I hate to hear that there were any problems with Jill or the baby. I've got to get over there and check in with Memom. I'm relieved to hear that all is well though. I was actually thinking about the baby this morning when I was posting replies and wondering how things were going. Life sure can be a challenge sometimes! Thank the Lord everything is ok!

 

[jenseib]

Oh yeahh...now I remember..you will be getting off the day I get on....I forgot it was official now. Call it old age.

 

[sharonW]

oh yes Rinky, it is the most challenging job ever. I could write a book with the things I have seen and dealt with, believe me!! Many kids come from a lot of dysfunction in the family and it comes out here in their behavior. I love kids or i couldn't do this but to say it isn't stressful would be a huge lie.
Glad your stress free now and all is right in your world and glad your back for some more dis fun!!!!

 

[SoonerGirl]

I'm sitting in my car waiting on Jared to get out of school so I popped on the DIS to kill some time and was so excited to see you had posted! You have been missed!

I'm sorry you have has such a stressful summer, I think a career change is definitely in order!

 

[sjs314]

Rinky soooooooo Happy you are ok I missed you. Your talking about needing a change in you career path made me think of when I went back to work part-time in the evenings and took a job as the night cash office person. There I was in a room for 5 hours all alone oh the sweet sounds of silence other than my adding machine or the occasional employee buzzing the door in need of change for the registers. I could actually think again after spending all day with my 3 year old and half the neighborhood LOL

People use to ask me how I could stand to work in that office with no one to talk to. If they only knew the sweet sounds of silence.

I always thought working in a library would be "ideal"

Hope you can find something too