Walking on Sunshine : Celebrating Spring at Universal & SeaWorld - an April/May 2016 PTR

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

So sweet of you to gift your extra ticket! I am sure it will go to good use! I love the idea of Jake boarding with you and being across the aisle. Having to board alone and sit alone, would be a harsh reminder!

Have you gotten your minion wallet yet? Or was a phone case/wallet combo? I remember the ship date was going to be close!

It was a phone case/wallet combo....and no, it still hasn't arrived . The initial delivery estimate said April 14th to May 3rd, so fingers crossed for next week.....I desperately want to use it on our trip!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Very generous offer of you indeed Gina! I hope someone is able to use it.
And I think you made a wise decision upgrading Jake's seat. It will set the tone for the three amigo's next adventure to sit all together!

We are so stinking excited for this trip around this house! 17 sleeps to go!! The nice thing is that we are really really busy for the next few weeks, so hopefully time passes quickly. As the mom of a basketball player, I'm sure you remember that the end of season is nuts. Travel team practices and games are at fever pitch to get ready for finals, and ds12 is also on his school tournament team and all of those practices and games are right now too. My son has played 6 games and had 2 practices in the last 4 days, and has another game tomorrow. Oh and did I mention my husband coaches?

DD needs to be moved out of her dorm the weekend before we leave and it's our final tournament weekend. Nevermind regular work, school, committees and meetings. I have a feeling it's going to fly by and trip time will be here before I know it. I am usually an early packer but with everything else going on I haven't started yet. Maybe tomorrow night.

And did someone say 90 degrees?!? BRING IT ON!!! We had snow up until yesterday. I am so ready for some heat.

I have to say, I miss the basketball life more than you could ever imagine! It was unbelievably hectic but so much fun. Now, its really not cool for your mom to show up to the mens league games so I rarely get to see him play anymore.

Savour these days, they go by too fast!!

 

[jennasmommyinMS]

Absolutely no repayment necessary.....we would be happy to gift it to you and see the ticket put to good use. There is only one ticket though, not two (Jake still needs the second one for his admission) ... does that make a difference?

If you still want the one ticket, PM me and we shall work out how best to get it from our hands to yours .

I just sent you a message on Facebook--I'm apparently having issues on here this morning!

 

[sk8jdgca]

Hey Gina. I am so excited for your trip!!!
Hot topic is in Canada. I know it is at the Eaton Centre. ( cause we go there everytime I visit my son!) it probably is elsewhere too. It is a cool store but the sizes are kind of small.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Today marks the last of our double-digits on the vacation countdown. The original excitement is starting to slowly creep back to the surface.....I must admit, the 10-day mark is making me want to cheer a little .

Our neighbours across the street are currently in Orlando enjoying a Disney/Universal trip, and they have been Facebook messaging us each day to share all their delight. Her little girl (who is 8) was apparently super excited when they were in Super Silly Stuff yesterday (the Despicable Me gift shop), and declared to her Mom "I wish Gina could be here, she would die if she knew they had all this Minion stuff!". Her mom laughed and said "She wanted me to take pictures of everything so I could show you when we got home, so I didn't have the heart to tell her you've already seen it all". I will have to play along once they return on the 17th, and drop over to show us all their photos. It has been so fun to see them fall in love with a place that is so near and dear to our hearts, and a great work-up to our own family getaway.

I am happy to report that our extra Universal ticket has found a home and will be put to good use, and even nicer that it could be paid forward to one of my Dis friends. It made my day to drop that envelope in the mail this morning.

And I am happy to report.....we're finally, mercifully supposed to warm up this weekend (it was -2 when I left for work this morning). It sure would be nice to have it moderate a little bit, so our transition from the north to the south isn't quite so severe!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hey Gina. I am so excited for your trip!!!
Hot topic is in Canada. I know it is at the Eaton Centre. ( cause we go there everytime I visit my son!) it probably is elsewhere too. It is a cool store but the sizes are kind of small.

That's good to know . I haven't been to the Eaton Centre in years, but it might be worth a stop on our way to Niagara Falls sometime. You can tell you're getting old when you stop frequenting the malls unless you absolutely have to .

 

[pigletto]

I have to say, I miss the basketball life more than you could ever imagine! It was unbelievably hectic but so much fun. Now, its really not cool for your mom to show up to the mens league games so I rarely get to see him play anymore.

Savour these days, they go by too fast!!

I believe it Gina. We don't have enough kids to make a travel team in each age group (very small town) so over half our kids play up a level to be able to play. Because of this, we've been one team with no changes for four years. It's an awesome group of kids and a fabulous group of parents. We all get along great and socialize outside of ball now as well. Even if it's busy right now, we're always raring to go again after summer break.

I totally think you should go to mens league and cheer for Jake. Or at least threaten to. I always love the look of horror on my kids faces when I suggest things like that.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I believe it Gina. We don't have enough kids to make a travel team in each age group (very small town) so over half our kids play up a level to be able to play. Because of this, we've been one team with no changes for four years. It's an awesome group of kids and a fabulous group of parents. We all get along great and socialize outside of ball now as well. Even if it's busy right now, we're always raring to go again after summer break.

I totally think you should go to mens league and cheer for Jake. Or at least threaten to. I always love the look of horror on my kids faces when I suggest things like that.

God bless that kid, he would welcome my presence without hesitation. It's me that realizes it would be rather odd to have your Mom in the crowd when you're 20 years old (and playing against men old enough to be your father), so I bow out gracefully and willingly. Well, that and because many of his games are late....like, REALLY late for this old girl....with 10:30/11 pm starts being part of the norm. That jammie time for me .

Steve goes as often as he can. It's different for guys to have their dads around, though. Especially when daddio is as cool as my Steve .

I totally get what you are saying about the 'community' aspect of team sports, especially when you have the same kids together for years and years. The kids feel that sense of family as well......and it will be what they carry with the most from the whole experience, much more than the games that were won or lost.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

@ElenaJane , I could kiss you today! The power of suggestion is a wonderful thing!

Look what arrived in the mail this morning:



Happy day!

 

[pigletto]

@ElenaJane , I could kiss you today! The power of suggestion is a wonderful thing!

Look what arrived in the mail this morning:



Happy day!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! That is ridiculous is the most awesome way! I love it

 

[sk8jdgca]

That's good to know . I haven't been to the Eaton Centre in years, but it might be worth a stop on our way to Niagara Falls sometime. You can tell you're getting old when you stop frequenting the malls unless you absolutely have to .

I looked it up and there is one at the Niagara on the lakes outlets....your son would like shopping there too!

 

[ElenaJane]

@ElenaJane , I could kiss you today! The power of suggestion is a wonderful thing!

Look what arrived in the mail this morning:



Happy day!

lol! It is like I could sense its arrival to North America! It is a sixth sense I didn't know I had. It is soooooocute and worth the wait!

 

[ArwenMarie]

Glad the extra ticket found a good home
You Canadians must be nicer than us, the sports parents are vicious, around here anyway

 

[JaxDad]

Hey Gina! I'm really excited that you're so close to your next visit to the Sunshine State!

That's good to know . I haven't been to the Eaton Centre in years, but it might be worth a stop on our way to Niagara Falls sometime. You can tell you're getting old when you stop frequenting the malls unless you absolutely have to .

Speaking of Niagara Falls, I might be taking the kids to the U.S. side for a day or two this Summer. I've started planning a little and might PM you in a few weeks.

I'll be back before your trip!

 

[JenLanDisney]

@ElenaJane , I could kiss you today! The power of suggestion is a wonderful thing!

Look what arrived in the mail this morning:

I like the wallet. It would make me happy, too!

 

[pigletto]

Glad the extra ticket found a good home
You Canadians must be nicer than us, the sports parents are vicious, around here anyway

Not all Canadians.. trust me. Basketball is pretty low key around here for the younger kids, but when we play SOME teams from Toronto area it's a whole different experience. The parents can get really nasty. I'll never understand mocking children as long as I live. Thankfully there has only been a handful of those experiences and the overwhelming majority has been really fun and positive. I hear hockey can be way more intense. I know it was when my brothers played.

 

[Lynne G]

Tick tock, tick tock, single digit tomorrow! Getting closer.

And do not start me on parents at a kids sporting event. The screaming, potty mouth, nasty remarks that I have heard is just not right. Poor kids. I find the sidelines a great time to socialize, and I am lucky, both my kids teams had laid back parents, and even in high school.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! That is ridiculous is the most awesome way! I love it

It's so stinking cute, even more adorable in person than I thought it looked online. I can't wait to use it! It's going to take all my willpower not to swap out cases until just before we leave, but I want it to be new for the trip .

I looked it up and there is one at the Niagara on the lakes outlets....your son would like shopping there too!

Oooohhh, good to know! I am trying to finagle a few days in Niagara for Steve's birthday (probably minus the boy, though....unless our mini-getaway aligns with his off days). We can always stop there on our way home.

lol! It is like I could sense its arrival to North America! It is a sixth sense I didn't know I had. It is soooooocute and worth the wait!

Some's spider senses are working overtime today .

Glad the extra ticket found a good home
You Canadians must be nicer than us, the sports parents are vicious, around here anyway

Basketball parents are generally pretty civilized. Its the hockey parents you need to look out for. At Jake's minor hockey games I've seen fist fights break out between moms, a grandma get arrested, and one time one of the opposing team's mothers even grabbed Jake by the front of his jacket on our way out of a tournment and screamed at him that she wanted to see proof of age.

Hey Gina! I'm really excited that you're so close to your next visit to the Sunshine State!

Speaking of Niagara Falls, I might be taking the kids to the U.S. side for a day or two this Summer. I've started planning a little and might PM you in a few weeks.

I'll be back before your trip!

That sounds like so much fun!! It's definitely a place every family should visit at least once. If I can help you out with the planning in any way, don't hesitate to shout. We have vacationed in Niagara on regular basis since we got married in 1993!

I like the wallet. It would make me happy, too!

It's the little things that matter most . I've been smiling all day long!

Not all Canadians.. trust me. Basketball is pretty low key around here for the younger kids, but when we play SOME teams from Toronto area it's a whole different experience. The parents can get really nasty. I'll never understand mocking children as long as I live. Thankfully there has only been a handful of those experiences and the overwhelming majority has been really fun and positive. I hear hockey can be way more intense. I know it was when my brothers played.

Jake has played hockey (house league and rep), ball hockey (house league and rep), baseball, basketball (house league, rep and high school), volleyball, soccer, and inline hockey (house league, rep and for Team Canada). Ice hockey, by FAR, has been the worst for parent behaviour. It always makes me a little sad...its all so unnecessary.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

View attachment 161878

Tick tock, tick tock, single digit tomorrow! Getting closer.

And do not start me on parents at a kids sporting event. The screaming, potty mouth, nasty remarks that I have heard is just not right. Poor kids. I find the sidelines a great time to socialize, and I am lucky, both my kids teams had laid back parents, and even in high school.

Okay, I seriously need to find that clock for my rec room!!!

 

[juniorbugman]

Hi Gina - I have been lurking on this report and I have to say that you guys make me laugh. Keep up the fun reports. Judy