(UPDT: 2/21) Losing The Glass Slippers to RUN like a Princess! Serial-PTRer report!

[lisaviolet]

Catching up Karen!

Yeah on the PIN and love the pictures as usual. I'm so sorry I've been MIA. Life here is both hard AND interesting.

Laughing. Life. Never ceases to amaze.

I can't believe how fast this is going for you!

 

[annmarieda]

I may be just a tad late, but so glad that I found your PTR to read. I so wish I was going for the phm... but not this year. I am in for 2015 though!!!

Love your pictures. You look so very young! I can't believe you are not much younger than me.

Your dinning plans prerace... While, Sanaa is just a tad spicier... I wouldn't totally rule out african inspired food. I did Boma the dinner before both of the rundisney events I have done.... and plan to again in January.

Your shoes... I am just a bit envious of your pretty brooks on your feet. I did so love my purple ones... but sadly the wore out... the 2's aren't as nice. Luckily, I have found a new great shoe... but I will always have a special place in my heart for my purple brooks since I ran the phm in them...

Your 10k. OMG, girl that is an AWESOME time!!! You definitely won't be in the back...

An all girls trip can be so fun! Sorry that you had to make the cut to your cheer team... but all princesses will be great too! The pictures of the girls over the years was really neat! What a special relationship they have.

Love the glow run pics. (I need to go back to your blog and read the recap) There is an electric run locally here that I am thinking of doing.... but not sure about. Sometimes I think I am too old for so much fun.

Yay for getting the pin!!!!

Awesome movie night!!!

 

[Tinker326]

Love your Lady and the Tramp theme night! Fun stuff!!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I'm sorry it took me so long for responses! Rey has been home and just left this morning, I have to take all the time with him that I can get! I also ran a 5K on Saturday night and I will share some of those photos soon as well.

What an awesomely fun Mom you are!! I'm so impressed.

Thanks!

Super fun and cute! I kind of miss our big, elaborate Disney Days. Ah well, maybe if you come over to the darkside...

I miss them too! I may have to come to the darkside...

Another great movie night!!!

Amanda

Thanks Amanda!

Catching up Karen!

Yeah on the PIN and love the pictures as usual. I'm so sorry I've been MIA. Life here is both hard AND interesting.

Laughing. Life. Never ceases to amaze.

I can't believe how fast this is going for you!

You haven't been any more MIA than me Lisa! I can't believe how fast it's going either. It needs to slow down so I can come up with the money for it!

I may be just a tad late, but so glad that I found your PTR to read. I so wish I was going for the phm... but not this year. I am in for 2015 though!!!

Never too late! Unless I absolutely HATE the PHM (how would that even be possible???) I will be back for the GSC in 2015!

Love your pictures. You look so very young! I can't believe you are not much younger than me.

Thank you! My mom aged slowly as well, I think I just got her genes.

Your dinning plans prerace... While, Sanaa is just a tad spicier... I wouldn't totally rule out african inspired food. I did Boma the dinner before both of the rundisney events I have done.... and plan to again in January.

I LOVE Sanaa, but I won't go this trip b/c Rey loves it as well and I can't go without him. I also think it's a bit exotic for Savannah and her friend Eleanor. I'll just have to wait until 2015 to get back! We plan on AKL in 2015, so I will be eating at ALL the AK restaurants again!

Your shoes... I am just a bit envious of your pretty brooks on your feet. I did so love my purple ones... but sadly the wore out... the 2's aren't as nice. Luckily, I have found a new great shoe... but I will always have a special place in my heart for my purple brooks since I ran the phm in them...

Your 10k. OMG, girl that is an AWESOME time!!! You definitely won't be in the back...

An all girls trip can be so fun! Sorry that you had to make the cut to your cheer team... but all princesses will be great too! The pictures of the girls over the years was really neat! What a special relationship they have.

Love the glow run pics. (I need to go back to your blog and read the recap) There is an electric run locally here that I am thinking of doing.... but not sure about. Sometimes I think I am too old for so much fun.

Yay for getting the pin!!!!

Awesome movie night!!!

I think the running is making me younger, I find I'm wanting to dress up more and do fun runs b/c running should be fun and where else can a 40 year old wear a tutu???

Love your Lady and the Tramp theme night! Fun stuff!!!

Thanks!!!

 

[annmarieda]

I think the running is making me younger, I find I'm wanting to dress up more and do fun runs b/c running should be fun and where else can a 40 year old wear a tutu???

Right!!!!

 

[lisaviolet]

I think the running is making me younger, I find I'm wanting to dress up more and do fun runs b/c running should be fun and where else can a 40 year old wear a tutu???

______________________

And it is making you look younger and younger. You look fantastic Karen! I'm sure the "is that your sister?" has already come to one of your sons.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

______________________

And it is making you look younger and younger. You look fantastic Karen! I'm sure the "is that your sister?" has already come to one of your sons.

Well, now that you mention it, yes, people find it very hard to believe when I tell them that Dylan and Dallas are my sons! I'm going to enjoy that while I can!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I think the running is making me younger, I find I'm wanting to dress up more and do fun runs b/c running should be fun and where else can a 40 year old wear a tutu???

You mean we CAN'T wear our tutus to go shopping at Wal-Mart???? Whoops!!!

 

[-Hope-]

You mean we CAN'T wear our tutus to go shopping at Wal-Mart???? Whoops!!!

I knew that woman on the "People of Walmart" website looked familiar!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I knew that woman on the "People of Walmart" website looked familiar!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I won the lottery. The friend lottery!!!

So, this is a super-dee-duper-update! It's a special update though, so you have to pay attention. A few years back I joined the Goddess thread here on the DIS. It is a fabulous group of women, many of them runners, and they inspired me greatly. I had a slough of injuries that I worked through over the next couple years, but the seed that was planted in my heart when I read their race recaps from the Princess Half never went away and grew. It's why I'm here now, training to run this race. It started it all, that little spark!

In the midst of that I made a connection with a super special Goddess, her name is Lisa. She's going to kill me for posting her picture, but it's just so darn cute and it's with Beast, so I just have to.

Lisa is amazing, she's one of those people that you just click with and even though we have never met in person, I feel like we have. She has a HUGE heart and a way of making me laugh at nearly every situation, even ones that I might not want to laugh. She also has an AMAZING eye. It's probably why I connected with her so quickly, her photos draw me in and she captures images with a point and shoot that I can't even begin to think of with my fancyschmancy camera. I love to see the world through her photos! I have to share a few of them with you. (Lisa, if you don't want me to share any or all of these, just let me know, I'll take them back off!)

Isn't she talented?!?!?! I'm stunned by the natural eye she has for the shot, it's something I have to work so hard for.

So, a friendship was formed and we keep in touch on FB and she's my biggest fan when I post photos, never at a loss for words when it comes to complimenting my photography or anything I do, really.

Today I got a message from her...telling me that she was booking 2 nights with her DVC points for the end of my Princess trip!!!!!!! No way of talking her out of it, it was something she wanted to do and I was stunned! I laughed and cried and honestly just could not believe it.

I was totally blown away.

Lisa knew I was stressing about paying for the trip and I cannot even tell you how touched I am by her generosity. There just are no words when someone does something so special for you. I'll be thanking her forever but that will never feel like quite enough! So, I was able to call Disney and shorten my package/stay at Pop and now we have a split stay starting at Pop and finishing up in DELUXE STYLE!!!!!!!

I went back and forth a bit on where we should stay, considering AKL, but after talking to Savannah about what parks we would be in and what we wanted most from the trip, we settled on Beach Club Villas!!!!! Lisa booked it and it's official!!

(my shot I took when Rey & I were on the boat from DHS to Epcot)

I am SO excited!!!!!!!! We have never stayed at BC or BCV and we're not only excited about the pool, but the walk to Epcot and DHS! I had no idea that BCV were actually a bit behind BC and that they were a different color! I also didn't know there was a canal back there! Why did no one tell me these things! So much to learn!

(website shot)

So much to be excited about and to learn, I'm scouring pictures and information on the internet and the DIS! Rey & I stopped by BC to eat at Beaches and Cream last November and that's the only time I've been there. I cannot wait to explore and the pool looks fabulous!

I owe this all to my friend and I just cannot tell you how grateful I am for you Lisa. Thank you so much honey, I really don't know how I'm going to make this up to you, but I'm so so so very lucky and I'll find a way!!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

That is absolutely amazing Karen!!!! And Lisa, you are one amazing lady! I am so glad Karen has a friend like you. Karen is so open and giving to everyone else that she really deserves this. I believe we shall call this the Ultimate Pixie Dust happening. Bless you Lisa. Love ya Karen!!!!

 

[lisaviolet]

I won the lottery. The friend lottery!!!

Ummm, not everyone feels that way about me Karen. So yeah.

And I survived it. And was very happy to see so much NYC.

Like I told you it was really a selfish act as it gave ME great joy!

_______________

That was truly beautiful Karen, thank you so much.

Karen is so open and giving to everyone else that she really deserves this.

She is and she does.

Thank you.

 

[lisaviolet]

She captures images with a point and shoot that I can't even begin to think of with my fancyschmancy camera.

Ummm Karen. You're forgetting that everyone has already seen your photos and gasped a thousand times - so you and they know that's not true!

But thank you. I do enjoy learning from you.

 

[-Hope-]

I'm so excited and happy for you! It truly is magical and you so deserve it. I'm so glad (and not at all surprised) that others see how awesome you are.

Lisa, I was with Karen today when she got the confirmation email from you and I wish you could have seen her face. She was positively GLOWING!

 

[lisaviolet]

I'm so excited and happy for you! It truly is magical and you so deserve it. I'm so glad (and not at all surprised) that others see how awesome you are.

Lisa, I was with Karen today when she got the confirmation email from you and I wish you could have seen her face. She was positively GLOWING!

Thanks for sharing that with me Hope - great moment - you should have seen me - I'm like run to your PM box now Karen!!!! I was so excited. You're both lucky.

And yes she is awesome. Totally inspiring.

 

[annmarieda]

How very cool!!! What an awesome way to finish up the trip.

 

[DrMomof3]

I am so amazingly happy for you!!! What great news! You will love BCV.

Amanda

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Thanks everyone, I'm so excited about the BCV pixie dust Lisa added to our trip! I've been pouring over photos and reading threads about the resort and SAB.

So! It's time for some Park Days!! Wanna see what we'll be doing? Sure you do. First off, there will be no meals mentioned in this post because we'll be playing the ADR game when I make those in under a month. I'll give you clues and you'll get to guess. There might be a few little clues in this post as well, just a bonus for those of you that actually pay attention.

Here is the tentative plan, arriving on February 21st. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the flight prices go down because right now they are horrendous! I even considered driving, but that would take extra days because I cannot do a 17 hour drive on my own straight through! We'll just assume we're flying at this point!

Friday, February 21st, 2014
Arrive by afternoon/ ME to POP century! HOME!

After settling in, we'll head straight to the expo
after the expo, it's off to DTD for the rest of the evening! Our favorite place to go on arrival day.

Saturday, February 22nd, 2014
Magic Kingdom! Savannah says we have to go here first and last of every trip, and I agree!

We'll spend the whole morning here, possibly eating lunch at the park as well, then we'll head back to POP for some pool/relaxing/Karen-preps-for-race-time!

No drinks for me on this day though, not with the race the next morning! We will be having dinner at Pop because I plan to hit the hay early so I can wake up at 2:45am for the race!!!

Sunday, February 23rd, 2014
The day I have been training for!
2:45am wake up and hit those buses by 3:30 at the latest!
RUN my first half marathon.

Back to the resort to shower and then off to Epcot for food and drink!

In the evening we'll head to MK for a special dinner
I have to get that pic in front of the castle with my medal!

Monday, February 24th, 2014
Animal Kingdom rope drop!
We just love this park and you know the first place I'll go:

and the 2nd place I'll go!

Not sure the hours on AK this day, if we could break for a swim and come back for an hour or so in the evening, I would love it. Hoping they will keep it open until 6 or 7, but I know that's a longshot.

Back to DTD for the evening if we please!

Tuesday, February 25th, 2014
BCV resort change day!!!!!!
Perfect for this day, we'll head to DHS rope drop!

Eleanor loves drawing, so we'll be sure to do the animation class!

I think we'll be ready to leave by lunch and check in to BCV! Stormalong Bay will be the first stop after (or during) lunch!
(not my photo but don't have a photo credit unfortunately)

In the afternoon/evening, we'll WALK to Epcot! WOOT!

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014
Our last park day will start off at Epcot (LOVE this walking to the park!!!)
Since it's our last day, it's going to be very flexible. Last trip with just Savannah, we decided to do all 4 parks in one day and I can't rule that out this time either, especially since we can WALK to 2 of them!! I do know that we'll end up in MK for the end of the night. We have to finish at MK, always!

Thursday, February 27th, 2014
Departure day, but late!
A special breakfast for our last morning that includes some of Eleanor's favorite characters!
DTD for last minute souvenirs
heading to the airport probably around 2pm for a 5-6pm flight