Welcome one and all to our pre-trip report!
This will be a second trip to our "second home" for my two kids and I, however for my hubby and bonus daughter it will be their first! (Cue the hurrahs!)
Let me introduce the cast of characters - and believe me when I use that term, I mean it!
DH - 43 - here to fore referred to as "The Engineer". He really is an Engineer on a government installation and he is super duper uber smart. That being said, he is also the biggest kid I know. I'm not sure that he isn't more excited about this trip than anyone else in the group. We are going during Star Wars Weekends and he is a HUGE Star Wars and Star Trek fan. Meanwhile, he is the calming force that keeps me centered, appreciates all my uber trip planning and loves to see me happy - which happens a lot..... when planning a trip to Disney!
DS - 21 - here to fore referred to as "The Man Cub". My son is like a mini "The Engineer" who is his bonus dad. They seriously are so much alike we frequently joke around the house about needing a DNA test. (Side bar... we don't say "step kids" or "step parents" in our family. There's nothing to step on, step over or step around - we are simply a bonus!) The Man Cub is witty, fun loving, slightly autistic (I can say that, as I have an autistic DBS 13 and believe me the shoe fits) and overall just a great kid. He loves to torment his sister, but then again, who doesn't?
DSG - 21 - here to fore referred to as "The Man Cub's Girl". My son's girlfriend is fabulous. She not only puts up with The Man Cub, but with our whole brood, generally with a smile on her face! She is sweet but can totally dish back any amount of ridiculousness The Man Cub comes up with. We love her!
DD - 18 - here to fore referred to as "The Crazy Cat Lady". I call my lovely daughter this for two reasons - one... she has a cat living with her that she has had since Kindergarden and she LOVES that cat and two she also LOVES Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. She is a softball pitcher, culinary arts student and a mini me. She is also an insulin dependent diabetic. For her, Disney World truly is the happiest place on earth - because for all of the miles of walking we do, the carbs are burned through quickly - and so it would follow are the snack credits! She can eat nearly anything she wants in our second home because she needs the carbs to keep up her blood sugars! In her mind.. a happier place will never be found!
DBD - 17 11/12 - here to referred to as "The Girl". This loving pet name was bestowed on my bonus daughter over a two year period of adjustment after my husband's divorce and our marriage. Every time she texted or called he would excitedly proclaim "It's the girl!" When we get to our second home she will be one month away from her 18th birthday. She is fabulous! Smart, sarcastic, witty - a perfect blend into this craziness we call a family! She loves Star Wars just like her old man and she adores Animal Kingdom! She has been to our other home once on a band trip but never for a family vacation and never for a week. I'm beyond excited for her!
ME - 43 - here to referred to as "Queen Sassy Pants. What can I tell you about me Im a wife to The Engineer, a mom to two, bonus mom to three, and bonafied Disney World Addict. I work two jobs managing a medical billing and coding office and as an adjunct faculty at the local community college teaching billing and coding. I love our second home and my bonus and teaching money paid for this trip which is absolutely fine by me! I realize with our kids ages this very well may be our last big family trip for a while as they embark on colleges and families of their own, so I intend to enjoy every minute of fabulous family fun I can manage to plan and some I didnt!
One family note there are two other members not going on this trip.
DBS13 my bonus son who is autistic. He is fabulous and we love him to death. However, he is very severe and the Disney Magic along with a gazillion people crammed into a space meant for 10,000 would be sensory overload and cause melt down central. There is no way he would stand in any line longer than 10 minutes, let alone with all those bodies pressed into his personal space while the Florida sun beats down like a torch on Crème Brule! So, we chose not to take him this trip rather than setting him up to fail. We will take him to other more autistic friendly activities over the summer as we do every year. He is funny he makes us all laugh daily!
The other is DBS21 my bonus son who is 21 and recently started a new job. You know how those new job people are you cant miss any work in your first 90 days. Picky.. picky.. picky! Hopefully the next trip he will have some time under his belt and be able to join us! Hes a fabulous guitar player in a local band and smart as a whip just like his old man. Hes also sarcastic and witty as all get out are you seeing a theme here?
Our trip consists of 6 nights and 7 days in a cabin at Fort Wilderness starting 6 June 2014! We are going in June yes, we realize its going to be hot very hot ok unbearably hot! WE DONT CARE! We are over the moon to spend a week in the happiest place on earth together so bring on the heat. (Someone remind me of this when my trip report is posted upon our return please).
And as the title states, yes, we realize its a 19 hour drive. We live in northern Illinois so its 19 hours from our first home to our second. 19 hours in the car together. 19 hours of The Man Cub trolling The Crazy Cat Lady. 19 hours of The Crazy Cat Lady asking How much longer? and The Engineer replying Not long now . 19 hours of The Man Cubs Girl telling The Man Cub to stop trolling his sister and The Crazy Cat Lady to stop asking how much longer. 19 hours of The Girl trying to sleep with her headphones in, praying she wakes up and we are there. And 19 hours of me hating the traffic, feeling car sick . And smiling the biggest smile there is when we see that blessed sign!
I CANT WAIT!
This will be a second trip to our "second home" for my two kids and I, however for my hubby and bonus daughter it will be their first! (Cue the hurrahs!)
Let me introduce the cast of characters - and believe me when I use that term, I mean it!
DH - 43 - here to fore referred to as "The Engineer". He really is an Engineer on a government installation and he is super duper uber smart. That being said, he is also the biggest kid I know. I'm not sure that he isn't more excited about this trip than anyone else in the group. We are going during Star Wars Weekends and he is a HUGE Star Wars and Star Trek fan. Meanwhile, he is the calming force that keeps me centered, appreciates all my uber trip planning and loves to see me happy - which happens a lot..... when planning a trip to Disney!
DS - 21 - here to fore referred to as "The Man Cub". My son is like a mini "The Engineer" who is his bonus dad. They seriously are so much alike we frequently joke around the house about needing a DNA test. (Side bar... we don't say "step kids" or "step parents" in our family. There's nothing to step on, step over or step around - we are simply a bonus!) The Man Cub is witty, fun loving, slightly autistic (I can say that, as I have an autistic DBS 13 and believe me the shoe fits) and overall just a great kid. He loves to torment his sister, but then again, who doesn't?
DSG - 21 - here to fore referred to as "The Man Cub's Girl". My son's girlfriend is fabulous. She not only puts up with The Man Cub, but with our whole brood, generally with a smile on her face! She is sweet but can totally dish back any amount of ridiculousness The Man Cub comes up with. We love her!
DD - 18 - here to fore referred to as "The Crazy Cat Lady". I call my lovely daughter this for two reasons - one... she has a cat living with her that she has had since Kindergarden and she LOVES that cat and two she also LOVES Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. She is a softball pitcher, culinary arts student and a mini me. She is also an insulin dependent diabetic. For her, Disney World truly is the happiest place on earth - because for all of the miles of walking we do, the carbs are burned through quickly - and so it would follow are the snack credits! She can eat nearly anything she wants in our second home because she needs the carbs to keep up her blood sugars! In her mind.. a happier place will never be found!
DBD - 17 11/12 - here to referred to as "The Girl". This loving pet name was bestowed on my bonus daughter over a two year period of adjustment after my husband's divorce and our marriage. Every time she texted or called he would excitedly proclaim "It's the girl!" When we get to our second home she will be one month away from her 18th birthday. She is fabulous! Smart, sarcastic, witty - a perfect blend into this craziness we call a family! She loves Star Wars just like her old man and she adores Animal Kingdom! She has been to our other home once on a band trip but never for a family vacation and never for a week. I'm beyond excited for her!
ME - 43 - here to referred to as "Queen Sassy Pants. What can I tell you about me Im a wife to The Engineer, a mom to two, bonus mom to three, and bonafied Disney World Addict. I work two jobs managing a medical billing and coding office and as an adjunct faculty at the local community college teaching billing and coding. I love our second home and my bonus and teaching money paid for this trip which is absolutely fine by me! I realize with our kids ages this very well may be our last big family trip for a while as they embark on colleges and families of their own, so I intend to enjoy every minute of fabulous family fun I can manage to plan and some I didnt!
One family note there are two other members not going on this trip.
DBS13 my bonus son who is autistic. He is fabulous and we love him to death. However, he is very severe and the Disney Magic along with a gazillion people crammed into a space meant for 10,000 would be sensory overload and cause melt down central. There is no way he would stand in any line longer than 10 minutes, let alone with all those bodies pressed into his personal space while the Florida sun beats down like a torch on Crème Brule! So, we chose not to take him this trip rather than setting him up to fail. We will take him to other more autistic friendly activities over the summer as we do every year. He is funny he makes us all laugh daily!
The other is DBS21 my bonus son who is 21 and recently started a new job. You know how those new job people are you cant miss any work in your first 90 days. Picky.. picky.. picky! Hopefully the next trip he will have some time under his belt and be able to join us! Hes a fabulous guitar player in a local band and smart as a whip just like his old man. Hes also sarcastic and witty as all get out are you seeing a theme here?
Our trip consists of 6 nights and 7 days in a cabin at Fort Wilderness starting 6 June 2014! We are going in June yes, we realize its going to be hot very hot ok unbearably hot! WE DONT CARE! We are over the moon to spend a week in the happiest place on earth together so bring on the heat. (Someone remind me of this when my trip report is posted upon our return please).
And as the title states, yes, we realize its a 19 hour drive. We live in northern Illinois so its 19 hours from our first home to our second. 19 hours in the car together. 19 hours of The Man Cub trolling The Crazy Cat Lady. 19 hours of The Crazy Cat Lady asking How much longer? and The Engineer replying Not long now . 19 hours of The Man Cubs Girl telling The Man Cub to stop trolling his sister and The Crazy Cat Lady to stop asking how much longer. 19 hours of The Girl trying to sleep with her headphones in, praying she wakes up and we are there. And 19 hours of me hating the traffic, feeling car sick . And smiling the biggest smile there is when we see that blessed sign!
I CANT WAIT!
