This time we did it right! We're back!

[MeMom]

Ha, ha! You told a funny! Remember that I'm "just" a teacher, which means I have a strict budget. I'm a value girl until I win the lottery...which I don't play, so I guess I'm just a value girl, period.

I VISIT the finer resorts - we eat, shop, and browse the grounds and dream of the day when we can stay there. Actually, what we plan to do, eventually, is stay value and then make the last couple of days as upgrades. That way, we can still go for a decent amount of time, but we can get to experience really being official resort guests instead of just visitors. We're probably going to start with POFQ the first time we are able to do that, because we love the architecture there. Jill and John have stayed at POR and Caribbean Beach on honeymoon and anniversary trips, so since they haven't tried POFQ, and I certainly haven't, that's probably going to be the one we do on our upgrade adventures with the whole gang. It'll take us a while to get up to the likes of AKL, WL, Poly, etc., but it just means we have plenty to look forward to.

But for sure I will be visiting AKL in July, because there are some zebra domes down there waiting on me! I'll get some good pictures for you...I promise!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Ha, ha! You told a funny! Remember that I'm "just" a teacher, which means I have a strict budget. I'm a value girl until I win the lottery...which I don't play, so I guess I'm just a value girl, period.

But for sure I will be visiting AKL in July, because there are some zebra domes down there waiting on me! I'll get some good pictures for you...I promise!

"Just a teacher"?!?!?!?!? Don't even get me started! I think it's such a crime that teachers are not paid even half of what they deserve.

The only reason we're able to afford AKL is because there are 4 adults staying in the same room! Even then, sometimes I wonder why we're paying so much to stay at AKL when we're not going to be there much at all?

Can't wait to hear about the Zebra Domes. I'm looking forward to trying those!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Well, I gave in today. My first kiddo of the morning was sick, so I had some extra time on my hands. What started as innocent browsing at DSW led to the purchase of two pairs of shoes and two purses for my August Hawaii trip. Then I hit up Mervyn's, where the Disney shopping began. I found a great Tink tank, on sale for 50% off. Had to have it.

I also decided to visit the dollar store for some essentials for the room at AKL.

Hangers because there are never enough in hotel rooms, pump hand soap because that bar soap just gets gross, and the shoe holder for bathroom essential storage in the room (a tip I got from none other than the Dis boards!). Couldn't find ponchos. Doesn't rain much here in the desert! Fortunately, I still have 4 months to go till the trip, so I'll be able to search for ponchos! Wait. Did I just say it's fortunate that there are still 4 months to the trip?

I was doing my best to hold off on shopping for Disney till we get back from Hawaii. But I guess my best wasn't good enough, so here's my stuff!!!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Great purchases!!! I love vacation shopping!! (okay...any shopping actually!)

 

[CourtneyandRyan]

Girlfriend!!!! I love your pre-trip report!!!! I'm so glad you posted on mine so I could find yours!!!!!

I adore your new shirt---- LOVE it!!!!!

Also LOVE your puppies! They are the cutest =)

And I WISH I would have thought of the soap pump idea.... We used the bar the entire week and it was grody.... Hated using it past day one... Wish I had a pump of soap!!!!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Great purchases!!! I love vacation shopping!! (okay...any shopping actually!)

I love shopping too. I gave it up for Lent this year because I love it so much! Hardest 40 days of my life!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Thanks for reading!

Can you please tell me what "Official Focker Watcher" means? I have been wondering since I started reading the Dis and I'm finally getting up the nerve to ask!

As for the pooches, Maddie's not so bad herself! My lab hates when I put clothes on her. Hopefully, the puppy will be better about it!

 

[CourtneyandRyan]

Thanks for reading!

Can you please tell me what "Official Focker Watcher" means? I have been wondering since I started reading the Dis and I'm finally getting up the nerve to ask!

As for the pooches, Maddie's not so bad herself! My lab hates when I put clothes on her. Hopefully, the puppy will be better about it!

Girl-- Don't be embarassed to ask! Check out this thread- it will give you very detailed instructions on what a Focker Watcher is

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1399648

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Girl-- Don't be embarassed to ask! Check out this thread- it will give you very detailed instructions on what a Focker Watcher is

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1399648

Thanks so much for the link! I'm glad I asked. I was so confused...i thought I should probably already know what it was, and just missed it somewhere.

 

[disneyaddicted]

OK, so yeah, sweat pants might be too hot, I also did not think of that. Do you have any ideas for a different costume?

Last year my DD and her friends all went to a halloween party as jailbirds, the girls had pink and black striped miniskirts but the kicker was they wore little black wings on their backs (cause they were jail BIRDS), the boys were the jail wardens, they kept it basic with a blue t-shirt and a police kit from the dollar store, it was cute.

You are one smart cookie to think to pack a shoe organizer and hangers for your trip. I am going to have to do that now.

Your pups are so cute. I love dogs, I have always had big dogs but I adopted 2 chihuahua mixes a couple years ago, didn't realize how yappy little dogs were, but I love them. I have to be careful not to sit on them, I never had that problem with my St. Bernard.

Yay on saving money! yes buy crocs. No blisters. I think once they are on they don't look so bad, to look at them on the shelf is enough to make anyone shudder and cringe, but really they don't look bad on the feet.

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

OK, so yeah, sweat pants might be too hot, I also did not think of that. Do you have any ideas for a different costume?

Last year my DD and her friends all went to a halloween party as jailbirds, the girls had pink and black striped miniskirts but the kicker was they wore little black wings on their backs (cause they were jail BIRDS), the boys were the jail wardens, they kept it basic with a blue t-shirt and a police kit from the dollar store, it was cute.

You are one smart cookie to think to pack a shoe organizer and hangers for your trip. I am going to have to do that now.

Your pups are so cute. I love dogs, I have always had big dogs but I adopted 2 chihuahua mixes a couple years ago, didn't realize how yappy little dogs were, but I love them. I have to be careful not to sit on them, I never had that problem with my St. Bernard.

Yay on saving money! yes buy crocs. No blisters. I think once they are on they don't look so bad, to look at them on the shelf is enough to make anyone shudder and cringe, but really they don't look bad on the feet.

I'm still going to try to think of a way to do dalmations, but in a cooler way. However, if that doesn't happen, I don't know yet. I love Halloween and dress up every year, but I usually don't think of the costume till the week before! So this is pressure!

I ordered my first crocs last night!

 

[disneyaddicted]

what type crocs did you go for? What color?

I am heading out to do some Disney shopping today. Love it! I plan to purchase a shoe organizer. 4 girls in a room and we all will be bringing plenty of shoes. I still think that is the smartest idea ever.

What if for Dalamations, you just do white t-shirts, then purchase ears and paint on a nose. it's cooler, it's cheaper, it's still a dalamation. Just a suggestion.

 

[veryblessed]

FYI: I got our ponchos at Target in their dollar bins!!

Was that shoe organizer only $1!! That is a GREAT idea!! Usually DH is complaining about all my bathroom stuff being all over the sink countertop so that would be great! I might have to stop at the dollar store on the way home from work tonight!!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

what type crocs did you go for? What color?

I am heading out to do some Disney shopping today. Love it! I plan to purchase a shoe organizer. 4 girls in a room and we all will be bringing plenty of shoes. I still think that is the smartest idea ever.

What if for Dalamations, you just do white t-shirts, then purchase ears and paint on a nose. it's cooler, it's cheaper, it's still a dalamation. Just a suggestion.

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking for the Dalmations. And if necessary, the sweat pants will turn into capri pants!

As for the crocs, I went with the Caymans in cotton candy color. Pink is my favorite color, but I'm not really a bright color person, so the cotton candy is perfect. Because I shop too much at the Gap and Banana republic, I get reward coupons all the time. So I had a 10 dollar off thing that was usable on Piperlime (Gap's shoe website). Best of all is that there is no shipping charges. So for $22, I have a new pair of crocs coming to me soon! Yay! They didn't have mary janes on Piperlime, so I had to get Caymans. I'll just have to get used to the way they look!

As for the shoe organizer, I plan to use it to store everyone's bathroom junk when we're there becasue you know no one ever puts their stuff away! Can you believe I didn't even think of using it for shoes?!? I may have to buy another one for shoes!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

FYI: I got our ponchos at Target in their dollar bins!!

Was that shoe organizer only $1!! That is a GREAT idea!! Usually DH is complaining about all my bathroom stuff being all over the sink countertop so that would be great! I might have to stop at the dollar store on the way home from work tonight!!

Thanks! I'll check Target this weekend.

Yep, the shoe organizer was only $1! It's not the greatest constructed item in the world, but it'll work. Oh, and it was at the Dollar Tree dollar store.

 

[luvfigment]

Great TR so far! Your plans look great and Boma is very Yummy!! You are also going to love AKL. As for request it is up in the air but according to all the "plans and maps" Zebra Trail should be done by Sept so that is what i requested.

Can't wait to read all about the planning! I am still not sure if we are going to do costumes or just t-shirts.

BTW your dogs are too cute!!! I love the picture of the bigger one with the ears on! he has that "did she really but those on me?" look.

 

[disneyaddicted]

As for the shoe organizer, I plan to use it to store everyone's bathroom junk when we're there becasue you know no one ever puts their stuff away! Can you believe I didn't even think of using it for shoes?!? I may have to buy another one for shoes!

I wasn't even thinking bathroom junk, that is an even awesomer idea!!!!

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

You have the cutest dogs ever! Absolutely adorable!

Can't wait to read more!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

Great TR so far! Your plans look great and Boma is very Yummy!! You are also going to love AKL. As for request it is up in the air but according to all the "plans and maps" Zebra Trail should be done by Sept so that is what i requested.

Can't wait to read all about the planning! I am still not sure if we are going to do costumes or just t-shirts.

BTW your dogs are too cute!!! I love the picture of the bigger one with the ears on! he has that "did she really but those on me?" look.

For your request, did you just say Zebra Trail or did you request a specific floor? I can't keep up with the info on the AKL thread, so I'm hoping to use you for Cliffs notes!

You have to do costumes for the MNSSHP! Are you going to trick or treat?

My husband hates it when I put the ears on our dog! He says I'm humiliating her when I put them on. Silly DH, how could Mickey ears humiliate ANYone?

You have the cutest dogs ever! Absolutely adorable!

Can't wait to read more!

I'll tell them you think so!

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

There's this bucket of change that DH keep at our house. Every bit of change we ever get is put in there. We have a rule that if you pay cash for something, the change can't be spent and must be put in the bucket. Then, whatever is in there is cashed in and used for vacations. Somehow, I convinced DH that I should use it for Disney! Yay!!! There's going to be SO much money in there by the time I go. And that money can be used on ANYTHING without feelings of guilt. So just the other night, I was putting the money in rolls (I'm not going to waste 9 cents per dollar on coinstar!).

Wouldn't you know it, the next day, I get an email from my friend Dave (the Italian, the maybe 4th person of our trip). Dave says that he and my cousin were talking and they want to try to get together some money to give to my brother for his honeymoon. My brother is getting married in December. He and his fiance don't have much money and they're struggling with affording a honeymooon. Of course I said yes, I'll give some money. I mean, he's my big brother, and if we can help him and his fiancee to have a great honeymoon, I am all about it.

So there goes all the money in the change bucket!!! I'm going to have to put a lot of change in there between now and October to make up for it!