Wait for it...Weight for it...June 2009 WL **PACKING**

[Happydog]

Oh no!!!!!!!!! Rabbit, I forgot, right the 25th was your Bday, right?? I have to go back and look! Happy belated B-Day to you!!!

 

[TxRabbit]

YIKES! I can't believe you were on the phone for your ADRs for over two hours!!!! That's crazy. Glad to see you got everything finalized, though. Looks good!

Oh, and good luck w/ the hissing cockroach. I don't think I could do that. Eeekkk!! I'm definitely sending over LOTS of pixie dust for you.

You know, I almost can't believe I was on the phone for that long either!! Sometimes I think that it is all a bunch of craziness, all this planning, and research, and scheduling, and phoning. But I know how much all this prep is worth when it comes time for the vacation. Still...

I wasn't too confident in my own hissing cockroach handling abilities! LOL! I really feel like I accomplished something last week dealing my insect issues!

Hissing Cockroach? Where is Kafka and The Metamorphosis when you need them?!?! (if you don't know it, this is a book about a character who wakes up as a cockroach one day...) There is a children's novel, very very clever which is inspired by it, where it is a cockroach that wakes up as a human... Totally worth reading! I just can't remember the title, and it is bed time upstairs, so I can't go up to look for it right now..

Of course all of this is to distract you from the fact that you will be holding a creepy crawly HISSY cockroach 9 times....
You are not a loser for wanting to be the "hero" in the 2nd grade classroom... It is fun to remember that for a little while longer we will be pretty cool to them... then, later, it will be "eeeew, Mom..."

I've never heard of that book. I just might have to read that. Again, I am pretty impressed with myself for dealing with those hissers 9 times!! LOL! I needed to celebrate on Friday night!

Just popping in to say hi. We're planning on going mid-May for our 10th. I can't remember what date I projected, but the 15th comes to mind...

Sorry I haven't caught up - it has been beautiful here and the mulch/flowers have been calling.

The mulch/flowers have been calling my name too. So far, I've totally ignored them! Next week I will definitely have to get some things done in the yard.

I'm voting take a fly swat - the kids will think you are SUPER COOL... or super crazy - but either way, you'd be super!

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

I'll bet you rocked the insect thing!! Can I just tell you a quick story? I took an entomology class when I was in college, because I needed another science class but I didn't need a lab, so I took entomology. And we had to keep a Madagascar hissing cockroach like, as a pet, for 3 weeks. My roommates (lived in a 4 bedroom apt on campus, so I had 3 roomies) loooooved me. That thing smelled sooo bad. And it wouldn't eat the normal things we were told to feed it, like peanut butter. The only thing Rufus (yes, his name was Rufus) would eat was green beans!! Talk about weird. I got through the entire thing without having to touch it once, and it lived. And then, when I went to turn it in, my teacher made me pick it up out of his individual little cage and put it in the bigger cage with all the other ones! I was so sad that I had not had to touch it at all, and then he made me.

Ha ha. Just had to share!

I was doing some extra internet research on these things and there are so many people that keep them as pets! Eeeew. I'll bet it smelled bad. I'm not sure why. But they do. They kept the same four hissers that I had on Tuesday in the portable carrier for me to use on Friday. They were much more ripe on Friday than on Tuesday...

IT IS OVER! You got throught the "insect thing!"

I DID!!!!

Seriously, I had to celebrate on Friday. We didn't go out to dinner on my bday, so we went on Friday instead. Back to Johnny Carino's and this time we were SOOOO BAAAD!!! I got my fav pasta dish and ate tons and tons of bread!!!! It was so good. But I have to admit. I have felt somewhat off ever since.

Your ADRs look sooo great! I love all the updates! Hooray for the DxDP.

I can't wait to hear more about camping. I camping during the pretty weather.

All this bug stuff had me laughing and getting the "willies" all at the same time.

Happy Belated Birthday! I'm pretty sure it was the 25th yeah?

I can't believe all your trips in the works. I'd be going crazy! Everything sounds so fun! I'm so excited for you!

I am pretty excited about our ADRs. I think they look pretty good myself! LOL! I got the pictures from camping loaded and I just have to get them uploaded to photobucket so I can post about our trip. Soon. Thanks for sticking with me!

I agree about the bug stuff. Definitely raises goose bumps on me if I think about it too long.

Thanks for the bday wishes! It was the 25th. Now I am 37. Funny. Last year, when I turned 36, I kept thinking of myself as 37. Now I keep thinking that I am 36!

I don't think the Sept trip is going to happen. After much consideration, we have decided to fly to CO for my SIL wedding. Doesn't leave too much in the budget to get back to WDW in Sept.

Definitely on for next summer though, and possibly earlier if I can figure out a way...

Oh no!!!!!!!!! Rabbit, I forgot, right the 25th was your Bday, right?? I have to go back and look! Happy belated B-Day to you!!!

It was my bday!!! Thanks for the bday wishes!!

So, Everyone, last week was just a crazy busy week. I know that I haven't been posting much, and while I don't want to start posting like crazy and making too much that everyone can't keep up with the planning, I am hoping to get back into the posting mode soon! Coming up, camping and Bolt's new camera!

 

[TxRabbit]

I think we all just love the idea of vacation? Yes? So here is my two post report on our excursion to Lake Bastrop over Spring Break...

Lake Bastrop is a medium small lake southeast-ish of Austin, TX. It is in an area that is called the Lost Pines. The lake itself is a cooling source for an electric plant, so it is a warmer lake. It makes it excellent for bass fishing in the spring. I read that it can get too hot in the summer to be a good fishing lake. The lake itself has lots of little coves and inlets which make it a very nice lake for canoeing.

We rented a mini-cabin. It had two sets of bunk beds, twin over twin, and twin over full, concrete floors, cathedral ceiling with wood paneling and exposed beams, a ceiling fan, a window unit for heat and/or a/c, electricity, a covered porc with a ceiling fan, a picnic table and a grill (which we couldn't use. more on that later).

We got off to a very late start on Thursday. Very very late. We didn't get to the park until 5 pm or so. And when we arrived, we discovered that there was an extreme burn ban in effect. We are in something of a drought here in TX. Many of the boat ramps at the lakes aren't useable because the lake water levels are too low. Lake Bastrop was a few feet down, but not nearly a bad as others.

Anyway. The burn ban meant that we couldn't use the grills, even though they were above ground. That meant we had NO WAY to cook the food we brought. We ended up driving out again to find a WalMart so we could purchase a propane powered something. We got what they had, which was a portable grill only, not a stove. But that actually worked best for what we had planned.

Back at the cabin, Peter was really disappointed in the day. He had wanted to get out on the lake something fierce. But being the man he is, he swallowed his disappointment and moved on with the evening.

We roasted marshmellows over a propane fire...something new to Bolt. He absolutely LOVED it. It got the best laughs when they caught fire, of course. He wanted to be the marshmellow chef and named the different ways they could be roasted: toasted, crispy, and extra crispy. A very special marshmellow made its appearance later. He completely blackened one. Extra black, extra ooey and gooey and Bolt named it the Asteroid.

We taught Bolt how to play Texas Hold 'Em earlier in the week and so we busted out the chips and cards and proceded to play some poker.Bolt, at 8, totally whipped us! He is famous for wanting to play, regardless of the cards...Peter thought he was bluffing again, but no, he had a king and a queen in the hole which took the pot easily...I think he had a straight...or a full house...

So early the next morning, I heard Peter get up, get dressed and head on out to do some fishing.

Are you like that? If you have to wake up early for work or for school, it's such a hassle, such a hardship. Moan and groan. I have to get up and go. But if it's something you love, like fishing, or snowboarding (these are Peter's mind) he is up before the sun rises, raring to go. No probs at ALL!

He can back after a bit wondering if we could wait on breakfast to go out in the canoe (a rental from there at the lake). We packed up some snacky breakfast and hit the water. There was a mist rising from the warm lake water. It was beautiful. You can see Bolt taking pictures with his new camera.

Now I admit that I have NEVER been on a canoe before and I was somewhat, or shall I say, extremely anxious about the whole thing. I just really didn't want the thing to tip over. But once you realize that the canoe ride isn't going to be a steady stable thing, and you start to just roll with it, it can be quite enjoyable.

In the cove in the earlier photo, Peter managed to catch this, which isn't a great pic of how big the fish is, but is such a good one of Peter He was giggling like a much younger man as he was reeling it in. I love hearing Peter laugh like that. He did the same thing on ToT the first time he rode it! LOL!

As it turned out, Bolt was having so much fun, he asked if we could stay another night...We were fortunate enough to be able to!!

We went in the other direction in search of services. They were so much closer in the other direction!!!Anyway, we hit the Starbucks drive through, Wendy's for Bolt, Taco Cabana for Peter and me, and the grocery store for dinner supplies.

We tried our hand at lake swimming. I didn't get in all the way. Bolt and Peter did. The water was still a bit chilly for me. Bolt LOVED all the lake grass and turned himself into a swamp monster multiple times.

We hit the water in the canoe once again that evening. We headed off in a different direction. The light was golden on the trees lining the shore

And the sunset was beautiful. Enough clouds in the sky to get some pretty color.

We were on the lake in that twilight time. The sun was going down, but you could still see. The air was cool, no humidity, clear, crisp. Country quiet. We headed back to the cabin with that honest tiredness from being physically active, not mentally exhausted. We roasted more marshmellows, played more poker, and hit the sack.

Now a word on marshmellows. I am NOT a marshmellow eater normally, so when we were shopping for marshmellows, I was surprised to see that they had FLAVORED marshmellows. And let me tell you, Caramel Vanilla marshmellows are AWESOME!! Especially in a smore. Strawberry was good all by itself. YUM! No, we did NOT follow our eating plan on vacation! LOL!

Coming up next, day two!

 

[TxRabbit]

The next morning, Peter was raring to go AGAIN!

Well we had all discussed the idea of fishing in the canoe again the night before. Frankly, I was plumb tuckered out by going out twice in one day. My arms and back and buttocks and hips weren't used to the canoe. I was sore from it and sitting on one again just didn't appeal AT ALL.

Peter was going to go out alone.

Ya.

Right.

As it turns out, Bolt was up with Peter and talking to him about his fishing pole. The deal is that Bolt's pole was a cheap set up, an all in one type thing. It was bought to be easy to use, which served it's purpose when he was three, but now that he was eight, the thing was just a bear.

There was mention of going to Cabela's before we headed on home and so this was the discussion Peter and Bolt were having.

(OK. So I have recently watched Enchanted and Lonesome Dove, and I am hearing a bit of the fairy tale and the old western in the way I'm talking...)

Well.

You know Starbucks was on the way to Cabela's.

So off we went in search of a better fishing set up for Bolt.

We got there shortly after they opened at 9:00am. We got a new reel for Bolt to use with my old pole. We had some fun in the store and headed on back to the cabin.

Now I still didn't want to get in that canoe. I wanted to go on a hike. I like hiking a lot actually. So we grabbed the fishing gear and hit the trail.

The trail was nice. For much of it, it skirted the lake. There would be bridges over was we assumed would be run off areas when there was a decent rainfall. There wasn't any water under the any of the bridges.

We found a nice cove and proceded to hang out and fish for a bit. Well, the men fished. I took pictures. I did manage to get Peter to take one pic of me.

Now I know that all you moms out there are looking at Bolt knee deep in the water and just know that he is going all the way in! And you'd be right. He got silly, lost his footing and went in all the way.

So he was shirtless for the hike back. We stopped along the way to fish here and there. I think Bolt looks adorable.

There was time for some more swimming. Which was just as well because Bolt was already soaked through. Soon enough, it was time to hit the road and head on to home.

The bluebonnets are out now. We passed tons of people stopped along the roadsides to get their bluebonnet pictures. On the way home, we did the same thing.

Bolt fell asleep in the car on the ride home. It was 6:30 pm and he was out like a light.

Peter and I had our first Bolt-free evening for a while. This is when we decided to break out Lonesome Dove, which Peter had been given for his birthday from my parents.

Now Lonesome Dove is a well made, incredibly good story western, but MAN is it SAD!!! We just didn't seem to clue in too quickly on the fact that it would end on such a horrible note. Finally, for the third episode, the foreshadowing was clear enough that I stopped watching the last 5 minutes. This is how I ended up staying up til 1 am the morning I was supposed to call in to make ADRs!! I would be crying and we would just have to watch some more because we just couldn't STOP THERE!!

So that was our wonderful little camping excursion. It was such a wonderful break. We are definitely going to be planning more weekend excursions now. There is nothing like getting out of town for a bit to make you feel like you've had a real break from the daily grind.

Coming up next...Bolt's new camera!!

 

[jenseib]

What a fun trip. Great pictures. What kind of camera were you using. Wonderful shots with lots of color.

 

[2BoysMom]

LOVE the bluebonnets. Are they the state flower of Texas?

 

[Happydog]

Great camping excursion! We love to go, too. Every summer without fail. In fact, it is our plan for 4th of July... I have had enough of the Fire Works on the National Mall... camp fires and sparklers are enough for us! I know what you mean about keeping up with the PTR posting. This week I have been way busy wrapping up things for our SB trip, but I do have a few things to share later tonight... Anyway Loved the photos, especially of the boys fishing. Something about being outside. Roasted Marshmallows ain't too bad either

 

[TxRabbit]

I've been on the lookout for a camera for Bolt for quite a while.

I had in mind to spend around $50. I wanted it to be something that might last for a few years. At least until I could gauge how interested in picture taking he really was.

But he needed an honest shot at getting some good pictures. I needed a decent pixel count. Ability to accept a memory card. It needed to be simple. Super easy to use. Zoom would be nice, but not necessary.

Most of the advertised "kid" cameras were priced right, but the MPs were small, some as small as 1.3!! And no memory expansion. This wouldn't do. Everything I read was recommending a beginner digital camera. Frankly, they were too complicated. Too many options. I kept looking.

I found this little beauty in Walmart:

It's a 5 megapixel digital camera that runs on 2 AAA batteries. It can take a memory card. It's simple. It has a view finder and also a preview/review screen. You are either in picture taking mode or review mode. It's a switch that slides between the two. It has one zoom setting, I think. It's a digital zoom, not optical, so it's not the best. We haven't experimented too much with the flash, but it has one. I got it to work when we were camping.

The one thing that you have to get used to is that it has a delay on taking the picture. This isn't a bad thing for a beginner. People can sometimes shake the camera when they push the shutter button. This one has a delay there. It'll beep when it actually takes the pic. You have to wait for it. Sometimes that's a problem. But overall, I think it's a decent buy. Especially for the $49.88 price tag.

I put in my old memory card. My Dad had bought the biggest one available when he gave me my current camera, 256 MB. I upgraded a couple years ago to a 2 GB card and kept the other for backup. I put that card in Bolt's camera. He took 305 pics on our camping trip, with room for a couple hundred more.

It's priceless to get the view from the back seat...

Even with all the silliness (I won't even bother with the 3 or 4 pictures of the inside of his pocket! LOL!)

Here we are looking for our Walmart and the propane grill...not bad for through the back windows while driving...

I'm excited because I finally get to be in some pictures!! I'm sure the pics will improve with time...I was in the front on our second canoeing venture...

Here's some good examples of picture quality. I kept the factory 3 MP setting, so these aren't 5 MP. I took the picture with Bolt playing the game at Cabela's

And here are examples of Bolt's budding artistic eye. The first is the picture he took in the picture where I am taking a picture of him taking a picture.

I look forward to seeing what the 5 MP pics look like. All in all, I HIGHLY recommend this camera. I find the shots that Bolt took inside the car were a bit on the green side. This is easily fixed with software. I would recommend giving this camera BEFORE the big event. Like BEFORE the trip to Disney, so that you have a chance to get used to it.

Now don't misunderstand. This thing is a cheap camera. I find the springs and hinges where the batteries and memory card fit to be HORRIBLE. Handle with care there. It's a lightweight plasticy feeling thing. It has held up well to the bit of abuse Bolt subjected it to when he didn't have a case and was learning about the camera being something to handle with care. Please understand my praise in context.

I can say that I am excited to have another camera around. I appear in pictures! Yay! And I am really excited to see what Bolt will take pics of when we go to Disney.

What a fun trip. Great pictures. What kind of camera were you using. Wonderful shots with lots of color.

Thanks!

I have a an old Kodak Easyshare Camera. It's a DX6440. I like it. I'm used to it. It only takes a 4 MP pic, but that is sufficient for most pics. It runs on 2 AA batteries, which I also like. It's pretty easy to use. I look at the newer cameras though and wish it were smaller. I have in mind that when the time is right, I might upgrade my camera and give Bolt this one.

I just saw that you have actually BEEN on your trip. Since Spring Break I have been somewhat behind on my Dising. I have to go read and see how it went! I loved your notes and gifts and ideas from your PTR!

 

[TxRabbit]

LOVE the bluebonnets. Are they the state flower of Texas?

Yes they are! They are blooming everywhere right now! Big gorgeous fields of them. SO pretty.

Great camping excursion! We love to go, too. Every summer without fail. In fact, it is our plan for 4th of July... I have had enough of the Fire Works on the National Mall... camp fires and sparklers are enough for us! I know what you mean about keeping up with the PTR posting. This week I have been way busy wrapping up things for our SB trip, but I do have a few things to share later tonight... Anyway Loved the photos, especially of the boys fishing. Something about being outside. Roasted Marshmallows ain't too bad either

Thanks! Peter and I used to go backpacking quite a bit when we lived in Colorado. We aren't quite set up yet for car camping. But we are working on it. I definitely think that we need to go more often. There is something about being outside. And the roasted marshmallows are just ooey gooeyness on top of it all!

 

[Happydog]

This is a lovely photo! So spring like! I'd frame it if I took it

 

[jenseib]

yes we've been back for 2 weeks now, I think. I miss it so much. I am only working on day 2 of my trip in my report (link is in my signature) I am doing a ton of pics in my report, so it is taking me awhile to get it all sorted. Plus real life gets in the way here and there. LOL!
Claire did enjoy all the notes and gifts. I may do it again next trip. It was fun for me too. LOL!

 

[TxRabbit]

This is a lovely photo! So spring like! I'd frame it if I took it

It's one of my favs! It confirms how fun it is to give Bolt his own camera. Just to see pictures like this.

yes we've been back for 2 weeks now, I think. I miss it so much. I am only working on day 2 of my trip in my report (link is in my signature) I am doing a ton of pics in my report, so it is taking me awhile to get it all sorted. Plus real life gets in the way here and there. LOL!
Claire did enjoy all the notes and gifts. I may do it again next trip. It was fun for me too. LOL!

I reading your TR right now! Claire just got her one on one time with Cinderella! I understand about life getting in the way...try to get as much written as quickly as possible though, the memories really start to fade faster than you would think. Having a TR really helps to get it all down somewhere!

 

[jenseib]

AWWW! LOL!

I did try to journel stuff each day, so I could remember. and the pictures help trigger memories too. I took ALOT of pictures. We had such a great trip and alot of little special moments like that Cinderella one on one.
I gotta go to bed now though! LOL! I'm feeling like I need toothpicks to hold my eyes open.

 

[TxRabbit]

The SIL that still lives in CO came to visit last week for two days only to do some bridesmaid dress shopping with the bride. I didn't get to see her (she was here for Wed (my bday) and Thurs) and the one hour drive was too much on a school night.

However, Peter got to have lunch with her (working down there you know) including the bride SIL and the mother SIL. I guess talk turned to WDW.

Anyway, long story short, the guest list for the 2010 WDW trip has increased. We have two couples (the soon to be wed and Peter and I), two single adult women (assuming that the other SIL doesn't marry her steady between now and then), and three cousins (Bolt and his two cousins, one boy and one girl, also assuming that the newly wed aren't productive right away) for a grand total of at least 6 adults and 3 children.

Definitely Grand Gathering potential.

There was already talk about the possibility of renting a house. Peter brought this up. But he told me that mother SIL was quick to point out some benefits of staying onsite with such a large group!!

You see. I train them well...

So seriously people. If you have rented DVC points, I need details. If you don't want to share here, please PM. After talking with y'all, I would like to hear some pointers so that I don't feel so clueless about the whole process. I need to know more what to expect about the transaction. Because seriously, with this many people, I will need a LOT of points.

 

[Happydog]

Hi! I have to be quick, and I can PM you -- We have rented points, safely, w/o problems $10.00 a point, basically, on three different occasions. Right here on the DIS. there are other ways as well. I will PM you.

 

[2BoysMom]

I've done it, too, Rabbit. If you want me to PM you let me know.
Frankly, I'm going to try it again for future trips. The ONLY reason that we haven't done it more than once, is that we don't usually give ourselves months and months of advanced planning time, which works better if you are renting points.

Having said that, I had a VERY positive experience doing it, and yes, I rented from these boards. The person I rented from was very nice and accommodating, it was how we could afford to stay at BW during the Christmas season. Very good price for what you get.

Don't be afraid, like anything new it can be a little nerve wracking, but it's a great way to afford to stay at the various villas around WDW.

Good luck!

 

[jewels1916]

Hey Rabbit!! The pics that Bolt took are cute. It's fun to see what kids think are interesting. And not even kids. I lent my sis my camera to take down on the floor with her during awards at the dance competition, and I have several of the floor. Literally.

It seems like you are getting close to having your own Grand Gathering! Wahoo! Everything is coming together!

 

[Happydog]

I am back! I dont want to see another pasta dish for at least a month! Gelato, on the otherhand... * sigh * I will update my PTR soon, in fact probably tonight and/or tomorrow! You are just a few days behind me for the 60 day count down!!

Any developments in your remodel? With your grand gathering/DVC rentals? Trip plans?

Hope all is well, "deep in the the heart of Texas"

Sorry. I just had to.

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

I haven't checked in for awhile. But now I have time...no termites, car problems, lost wallets, etc...to take away from DIS time! I've always wanted to rent DVC points. I've heard a lot of positive experiences with it. Look forward to hearing how it goes for you all.

 

[ekball]

A well-written, entertaining, witty PTR....and one that includes links to each installment?! I am IN!!! (I'm a little late for the party, but I'm here to boogie nonetheless.)