Trickey Trip Planning--The Fairy Godmother creates a Princess

[Piper]

I'm in the middle of planning a kind of tricky trip--I am planning but although I know one of the other participants, I barely know the other!

First the cast & then I'll try to explain my dilemma!

Me--Fairy Godmother--63 years old with more physical challenges than I'd like to have--but I'll be bring the Glitzy Mickeymobile to help with many of them.

[/URL][/IMG]

Giuliana--Princess -- a sweet, well-behaved, and very smart 5 year-old.

Isabel--her mother--who recently found out the Giuliana will become a big sister in November.

The story starts last August when the paraprofesional I share with 2 other Pre-K teachers (BTW, I teach PK in a public school in the Houston area) told me she had requested my class for her granddaughter. Panic set in--what if the child were a behavior problem--what if her grandmother either favored her or was too harsh in her expectations, , you get the drift.

It turned out that the child is delightful, good self-control, well liked by her peers, responsible, and extremely smart. And the children don't even realize that my para is even related to her--she treats her just like the other kids. A great situation!

Just a little brag--I had 12 students start reading this year along with a slew who are on the verge & Giuliana is reading at a second grade level fluently now.

Anyway--back to the regularly scheduled report-- In December, her grandmother and I started talking about taking her to WDW. Being the compulsive planner that I am, I started planning. Then a couple of months later, Sandra said that family things with her other children had come up, but Isabel (Giuliana's mother) would like to take her place if I didn't mind. Nope, I didn't. Giuliana knows that she is going to WDW, she knows I am going, but she doesn't know we are going at the same time or that we are travelling together.

I booked the Dolphin with my teacher rate for June 24-29. I asked for a hc equipped room because I need grab bars and a slightly higher toilet. I have a walk-in shower and bars (no---not the fun kind) in my apartment at home. I also need room for the Glitzy Mickeymobile. Giuliana and Isabel will be staying in an adjoining room. I stayed at the Dolphin in 2003 and had a dumpster view---I am really hoping for something a little more apealing outside my window!

In February, we decided to extend to June 30th because the plane tickets were cheaper if we added a day. I am using frequent flyer miles for my fare. I added the extra day using my Starpoints, so there wasn't a charge.

Between then and now I have been busy making ADR's checking the Disboards and TGM.....making lots of stuff......just generally immersed in All Things Disney!

I'll close for now--my hands are misspelling more than they are spelling! I'll post some more tomorrow!

 

[Piper]

This is my baby Mai Li. She was abandoned as a baby and had been abused. She is very connected to me, but is extremely shy around others. Whenever I am on the computer, she is in this position--but her head is on top of my hand (she just looked up to see what I was doing.) She is 10 months old and (as you can see) is very small for her age......and her eyes are really blue (I just didn't "take the red out")

I am not sure what I will be doing with her when I go to WDW. My neighbor has offered to feed her and change her litter box for me. Mai Li tolerates her--she is slowly getting to where she will let her touch her, so this is probably my best bet. Mai Li hates our vet (who is a cat specialist) and would probably be miserable there. Oh well, I still have a little while to decide.

I have been very busy with making "stuff" -- especially since I dicovered the DISigners! Thanks to Michelle for the designs for these shirts:

I am so tickled with them--of course there is one of each for Isabel and Giuliana, too. One is for wearing on the plane to WDW and one is for wearing home. While I am actually AT WDW, I wear a cooling vest to help me tolerate the heat. It's a real fashion statement, let me tell you! With it on, you can't see any cute tees

I also adapted the Epcot Passport a little and have been working on Pre-scrapping (my term for doing all the work except for adding the actual photos.) I have done this before and it works great. I take a list of the pictures I want and that way I don't miss anything.....and you can always add new pages later! I also find that helps me to actually finish the book!

Here is the schedule I made for Giuliana:

Of course, I have made some changes--tweaked it a bit--and will probably continue to "enhance" it until it is time to leave. I made one for me with all the adr #s, flight #s, & other important stuff!

You can see that we're using Mears because we're at the Dolphin and need a lift-equipped vehicle. I am really hoping it works out and doesn't take a very long time. I added the meet and greet to the package because I have a difficult time with luggage--so there will be someone there to help!....and I'm hoping maybe it will help things run smoother is definitely needed.

I need to go wash my "school clothes", do my homework (tweak some lesson plans and gather some materials for next week), and generally get ready for another week with my two classes of 40 (total) 4 and 5 year olds!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Sounds like a wonderful trip. How great that you get along with the paraprofessional in your room so well that you want to vacation with them as well.

I think it's a good idea that Giuliana doesn't know you're vacationing together yet. It's a fine line that I am well aware of. I'm a teacher in a small community and my children attend my school. Naturally some of my students are friends of my children and are frequent visitors to our home. Luckily there are a few other teachers with their children at our school too so we are not alone in striving for the right balance between professionalism and familiarity within the school community.

 

[Piper]

Sounds like a wonderful trip. How great that you get along with the paraprofessional in your room so well that you want to vacation with them as well.

I think it's a good idea that Giuliana doesn't know you're vacationing together yet. It's a fine line that I am well aware of. I'm a teacher in a small community and my children attend my school. Naturally some of my students are friends of my children and are frequent visitors to our home. Luckily there are a few other teachers with their children at our school too so we are not alone in striving for the right balance between professionalism and familiarity within the school community.

Finally a reader!! I came on to post an update just for me since I'd decided this was going to be one of those "readerless" reports!

Sandra is a very good and caring person. Unfortunately, I have to share her with several other teachers, so I don't get to take advantage of her skills as much as I would like, but c'est la vie!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

c'est la vie!

LOL! I don't think I mentioned it but I'm a french teacher.

And sharing is better than nothing. Our school was deemed to small to get any additionnal support people.

I just bought t-shirt transfer paper. I'm still trying to decide which designs I want. My hubby thinks we're only getting one each. Shhh... I didn't tell him I bought two packs of the paper.

I'm on TGM too. Same name less one "f".

 

[Piper]

I am continuing to tweak the plans. (like that's a surprise ) I added ADRs at Rose & Crown on the 27th at 8 p.m. I'm hoping that won't be too late to see Fantasmic. I wasn't sure if the outside area was ecv friendly and have found out it is!

I may be getting new afos (braces) in the next few weeks. My right ankle has been swelling from the RA and rubbing on the current one. I have an appointment next week....I'm hoping they can just do something to the ones I have. (and fix the left one so I won't have the problem there if that ankle decides to be contrary!)

One of the most fun things I've been doing is to think of ways to spread the magic while I'm there. I am sending post cards to some of the kiddos on the disABILITIES board and I've been getting things to share with other kids as we meet them. I have 50 glow necklaces and 60 glow bracelets. I'll give some to Giuliana to wear and some for her to share with others during parades and night time shows. I have 3 sets of princess "colorform-type" princess paper dolls for the airport and plane. Giuli can pick out her favorite and share the other 2. I also bought an extra lanyard and a few pins to give away to someone.

I've also decided to take advantage of my ugly cooling vest during our lunch at the castle. It is a royal blue quilted vest that you soak in water, then wear to help keep cool. Not pretty--especially since I'm very pooh sized due to cortisone and lack of exercise! So I'm going to wear a red t-shirt under it and a yellow skirt to approximate Snow White. I wonder if anyone will "get it!"

I also have a sign to put on my ecv basket that says "my other coach is a pumpkin."

My main quandry right now is whether to go to Epcot on our arrival day (it is a TGM red day and night EMH) or go to DHS. Now Since we will be taking mid-day rests, I am not sure if we will get to do everything in Epcot in one day and without park hoppers, we can't just go back when we want to. I am thinking that if we do the future world part in late afternoon, it may not be so crowded since most people do that in the morning......but on the other hand, it is a red day!

In any event, I'm sure we won't stay very late--just a couple of hours.

Only 50 more days until we leave! I have already begun turning in materials at school--that makes it seem closer. I have made a countdown calendar for Giuliana, but it doesn't start until the first of June. The last few weeks of school are so busy that they seem to fly by. Next week is teacher appreciation week--the parents or kids don't do anything--they are all low economic--but our principal orders in bar-b-que one day and provides donuts another--our superintendent usually gives a cheesy gift ( staple puller, pencil, etc.) It will be nice to get to skip making a lunch for one day!

Okay, I need to get dressed for church and eat something. It is almost 10 and all I've done is sit here and drink coffee! this picture is very accurate if you put a cat in the picture laying on my hand!

I'll try to post any updates.....and a little more about the plans soon.

 

[Piper]

LOL! I don't think I mentioned it but I'm a french teacher.

And sharing is better than nothing. Our school was deemed to small to get any additionnal support people.

I just bought t-shirt transfer paper. I'm still trying to decide which designs I want. My hubby thinks we're only getting one each. Shhh... I didn't tell him I bought two packs of the paper.

I'm on TGM too. Same name less one "f".

How cool that you teach French. I spoke it with my meremere (grandmere) until I was 3. Then she passed away. I was not allowed to take it in school (my mother was very controlling!) but I can still understand and speak a little. Of course, I sound like I am a toddler (kind of odd coming out of a 63 year old mouth!!! )

I love the t-shirts. I also made Giuli one outfit, but I don't want to do too much and "take over." It is just a simple skirt and t-shirt for crystal palace

After that picture was taken, I put a square with Pooh on the shirt, but I don't have a picture.

Good luck with the shirts.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

my other coach is a pumpkin

Too cute. Are you going to put your Dis/TGM name on it too?

J'aime la jupe. The skirt is soo sweet. When I looked at the picture of it I was thinking she should put a picture of pooh on the t-shirt too.

I'm sure someone will get your "snow white" outfit. You could always find a red headband too just to take it totally over the top. I haven't seen the cooling vests before. We have bandana type things that we soak and stay cool for around our necks. We go in August and I found some hats on the web like that I was thinking of getting.

I get nervous going somewhere on a red TGM day. I suppose if you are just doing it to look around-buy a mickey bar and get the lay of land. I would try to prep Giuliana with the ideas that there maybe a ride/attraction she wants to go on that might be too busy today but you will come back to it. It's pretty overwhelming for a first timer regardless of their age. So I guess in a nutshell my advice it to prepare everyone for a crowd at Epcot and have them take notes for your next visit on a green day.

Here in Canada we don't have teacher appreciation day/week. It is mandated that all students must take french until grade nine so if you lived here you would have had to keep taking it no matter what your mom said.

 

[Piper]

I wish we had lived in Canada! I teach children from all over the world and I encourage their parents to make sure they keep their language.

My mother not only made my father refrain from speaking French with me, she made him move several hundred miles from his twin brother. She wanted to be the focus of attention at all times!

We will not be riding any "rough" rides--so no test track, R&R etc. Isabel will be 5 months pregnant, I can't do them and Giuliana has no desire to ride them. We will most likely eat lunch and take a nap after we check into the Dolphin. Then we will go wherever later in the afternoon. I thought we could get my GAC to avoid sun, heat & stairs and look around innoventions if it isn't too bad. I really just want to get the GAC so I won't have to do that on the first full day! I hope I can just show them the old one & not have a problem!

It will be almost like the first time for both of them. Isabel went as a child, but I don't think it was well-planned and she doesn't remember much at all. I am really hoping this will be a time for her to make memories with Giuliana before someone new enters their life.

 

[Piper]

This has been a busy week at school--and it will just keep on getting worse until June 2nd. We had field day on Friday and I had to go out 2 times (morning and afternoon class.) I was so exhausted yesterday that I did nothing all day . I did wear my vest and my students found it amusing that it was wet! (it doesn't take much to tickle a 4 or 5 year old. ) They know that the sun can make me sick and that is why my para always takes them out on the rare occasions we can fit in a recess. Thanks to my 65 spf sunscreen and a conveniently placed picnic table under a group of trees, I survived. And knowing that I was out there, helped the class "do their job."

We read Junie B Jones is Captain Field Day and discussed it for read-aloud. The class really likes Junie B--but they have come to the consensus that they're glad she is NOT in our class!

They were working in pairs and had 31 stations to choose from. The stations were manned by 4th graders. The children had cards on their backs with their names, their partner's name, my name, each station listed and the numbers 1, 2 3 under behavior. There were lots of parents patrolling the ground. Each child could only do a station once--then it was checked off. There was a "3 strikes, you're out" behavior system in place. 1=warning 2=5 minute time out 3=out for the rest of the time. None of my kids got to 2...and only a few got a 1.

Next week is the culture program. It is my favorite program of the year. The students in my school literally come from all over the world. Once a year we do a program celebrating that fact. Sometimes we focus on different cultures; this year is celebrating friendship. I am in charge of Pre-K and we are singing and dancing to Dr. Jean's "Twinkle Friends." (a song to the tune of Twinkle, twinkle little star.) Each teacher has sent three kids to participate, so I'm working with 9 kids and me. We start practicing on the stage Monday and the program is Friday. I am not looking forward to walking down to the stage and back every day----it is a looooong way!


I have been working on a few things for WDW--not much this week. I made luggage tags with the princesses for Giuliana, Tinkerbell for Isabel and the Fairy Godmother for me. I made water bottle labels with the same pictures and names on them. That way they can also go in the scooter basket without mixing up which one belongs to whom . I also found the very small Misty Mate misters at WM for $3 each. I got 2 of them. They will fit in my basket and be available for whoever needs them....and that is all that will fit in the very small basket!

My Rainforest Cafe Safari Club card and $10 certificate finally came yesterday. I have a $25 gift certificate and the $10 (plus 10% off the total.) It should cover breakfast and tip for the 3 of us--or at least come close.

I know this is short, but I have some gradebook updating to do and I need to gather "stuff" to turn my dramatic play area into a beach (towels, empty sunscreen bottles, beach umbrella, Picnic basket, etc.) We are studying ocean life during the next few weeks. Wish I could show "The Little Mermaid!"

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Yes it certainly is crazy the last 8 weeks of school. I think I've taught the grade 5's three times in the last two weeks because of special events and assembly in the afternoon. I've been doing a fairy tale unit with all my classes. I've started showing enchanted (with french subtitles) as a conclusion for them. Last week my principal evaluated me and we learnt how to read a map and directions in french. I had taken a bunch of magic kingdom maps in french on my last trip and I lamenated them. They had to tell me whether pirates of carribean was north(nord),east(est),south(sud)or west(ouest) of the castle(chateau) and such. The kids loved it. I got to wear one of my tinkerbell t-shirts and played disney music in the background. It was a grade four class and since that is the first year they take french it's kind of like teaching kindergarden. I dress up, dance, sing silly songs and read picture books alot with them. Because I get so silly and caught up with it I'm able to conjole(spelling) the boys into it too. I do a superhero theme the boys really like.

Speaking of dancing, I just did the double digit dance this weekend. We're at 98 days today.

Tell me about the rainforest club. We have one here in Toronto(about an hour away but in a really great Mall) and I know I saw it advertised but I can't remember. I was thinking of having us go there for dinner the night we arrive. We land around 2:30ish and are staying at POR. I figured we'd take a boat to DD and try dinner there. I hadn't booked anything for the arrival day because I know my kids like to "get the lay of the land" at the hotel. Sometimes I think I could just at the hotel the whole time and they'd be pretty happy. Especially if it was one of the beach clubs.

Speaking of the beach clubs... the other idea I had for the first night was to visit beaches and cream. It's just come up on my radar lately. Have you been there?

Oh yeah, I wanted to let you know that kindergarden here is full days but alternating. So my son goes every Tuesday and Thursday but alternating fridays. I wish it were half days. He's in senior Kindergarden now but last year in junior Kindergarden on the friday when he had just been at school all day on the Thursday he'd be in bed by 5:45. He usually fell asleep at the supper table. We have a picture of him fast asleep with his head in his plate.

 

[Piper]

If I were you, I would visit Beaches and Cream. I really enjoyed the food and atmosphere the last time I went there (2003.) My son and I shared a burger, fries and each got a malt. It was more than enough for us (my son was 37 at the time--so not a small eater!)

The Rainforest Cafe is a fun place to eat. The club gives you a 10% discount on your order (or a free appetizer) and priority seating. You also get gift certificates and offers sent periodically.

In our district, PK is half-day and kindergarten is full day. It is really rough on the kids making that adjustment. Many years ago, I taught full day kdgn and the students napped for 30 minutes--now they don't allow a nap. To my way of thinking, it is a very long day for a young child.

Congrats on the double digits! I have 6 weeks (tomorrow)--I can't wait!

I have 40 profile sheets to fill out--each one requesting way too much info--just look at the child's report card or PreK Literacy Assessment to get the same info!! gripe....gripe.......so I'm off to get started!

 

[Laysee]

I'm signing up for this post.

 

[Piper]

I'm signing up for this post.

Yay!!! Two whole readers!!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Hey Piper!!!

I supose you've been really busy lately to post anything else on your trip. I can't believe you haven't been doing some disney planning though.

I just heard from my principal that I am being moved to kindergarden next year. I'm a bit scared. It's a big jump from teaching french to grade 4-6's to teaching 4-6 year olds. I don't even know where to start yet.

 

[Piper]

You'll love teaching the little ones. They are so eager to learn and they learn so fast (most of them!) They are full of love and joy. On days when I can barely drag myself to school, they will say something funny, or I see a lightbulb go on in someone's brain, or the million hugs a day they give me make it all worth it!

Teaching the challenging kiddos has rewards--seeing one make a good decision, having one who has been struggling finally master a concept, and one even told his mother that the thing he liked best about my class was the rules (which confirmed my opinion that there were none at home!)

I have mostly been concentrating on school. Last Friday was the culture program and I was in charge of my grade's performance. Wednesday is our Pre-K graduation (we read Junie B. Jones is a Graduation Girl to learn what not to do) And everything has to be packed up and put away for the summer.......not to mention end of the year paper work! In a week, I'll be ready to go at it again!!!

 

[scojos]

just popped over to say have a nice trip, and thankyou for fairygodmailing josh a card.
Moi aussi je suis prof de francais - dh is french and i teach high school. Small world! have a lovely holiday, hope you post some pictures when you come back.
Tracy

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Piper, I just realized that you are leaving before I'm even finished school. We go until June 26th this year and on the Friday June 27th is a staff meeting for next year.

I bought my first items for Kindergarden today. I was in a teacher's supply store and had coupon that was going to expire.It was hard deciding because I'm not sure what the other teacher is taking with her so I ended up getting a book of songs with finger actions and a rainbow border for a bulletin board.

Moi aussi je suis prof de francais

Bonjour Tracy. I wanted to pass on an idea to you from one french disney-loving teacher to another. I brought home a bunch of magic kingdom maps in french last year and lamenated them. I just finished doing a fairytale theme with my nine year old beginning french class (read cinderella and a few other plays) so it fit in. I taught them a few basic directions (nord, est, sud, ouest) and had them locate disney attractions according to the chateau. They had fun and I got to wear one of my tinkerbell t-shirts to school!

 

[Piper]

Okay---deep breath---I am getting ready to go to school today (Saturday) to pack up most (hopefully) of my stuff for the summer. I had the morning class for their usual 3 hours yesterday and I decided to let them help me. Giuliana and Bryan packed up my big books for me Thursday. They read the titles and checked them off my master list. Some of the class went around writing "books" on my boxes for me. (I will have to relabel some of them for what I really put in them!) I noticed a group of kids at the writing station working intently together while another group packed up the ABC center and I was trying to get final report cards in backpacks and hand out extra clothes I keep for each child in case of accidents!

This is what they were doing:

May 30, 2008

The Smart Kids​

​

Ones upon a time ther was 20 kids. They did not no nothink. They went to skul. They lurn ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ. and they sowns. They lurn to rede. and rite. They lurn 12345678910. and calendar. They make paterns. They shar toy. and make jinjerbred man. When it May 28,2008 they gradyouate PK. and now they SMART!!!!!

Love,
Their names are here

I cried. When you consider that some of them could not even speak English in August........wow! they have come a long way. I can't wait to see what their Kindergarten teachers think next year!

Monday is our end of school meeting. Since there is no way I can lift them, I have a teenager coming after the meeting to put the boxes in my cabinets and the bathroom. Thank goodness for that bathroom--I don't know how I would store all the stuff I have without it!!!

I have been having "issues" with my elbows, shoulders and wrists--so I have not been typing much lately. I've been saving my energy for school. As soon as I get finished packing up and get the final meeting over with, I can work on posting some more specific plans!


For Kindergarten, I think some of the best supplies are a variety of writing materials, many different ABC charts, nursery rhymes, and books, books, books! You can check Ebay for "lots" of books. They aren't always is pristine condition, but since I let the kids use them, they wouldn't stay pristine for long! I have books in every area of my room. It is really important to make sure you have lots of non-fiction as well as picture books and story books. Also, remember that kiddos enjoy hearing stories that are "higher level" than their reading skills. My students enjoyed the "Henry and Mudge" series and have loved "Junie B. Jones." We read all of both series for read aloud. They are great for predicting, problem and solution, implied information, etc. (Plus the Junie B.s are wonderful for "what not to do" discussions!!!) We also read Maud Hart Lovelace beginning Betsy-Tacy books. The secret is to challenge the kids without overwhelming them!

From some of the ideas you have posted, I don't think you will have any problems! You are creative and fun and that is what makes kids want to learn.

 

[Piper]

Yay! I'm back in trip planning mode!! I spent several hours yesterday working on touring plans and making a Minnie dress for Giuliana.

Here is the outfit before that one--a princess skirt and t-shirt

It isn't hung on the hanger straight--it is not really crooked!

The hardest part of all this is not being able to try things on Giuliana because she didn't know she was going. I've made 12 outfits all together.

She was excited when I told her Friday. She has been accepted into a private school and will skip Kindergarten and go into first grade. Her reading level is a DRA 20 (beginning 2nd grade) and her math skills are comparable. Also, her birthday is November, so she won't be much younger than the others. She is also way mature for her age!

That is another reason I thought it would be okay to do this. There is no chance of her ever being my student again. First, I won't teach anything other than PreK for my last two years of teaching and she won't even go to the same school!

It has been difficult planning this without much input from Isabel. Since she hasn't been since she was a child (and no planning went into that trip) she just doesn't quite "get it." Her being pregnant has actually helped my planning-----she won't be able to ride the rides that I can't do. I have really put my focus on making this a trip for Giuliana. I hope this will be a time for the focus to be on her before she has to share Mom with a new brother.