We went from 5people to 14 to 10, 9, 8??!?! PTR 1 WEEK TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[starann]

Tomorrow is our 180 day mark, which means I can make our ADR's for 10 people. Yes, TEN people. We went from 5ppl to 14 to 9, now to 10? Well my 17yo DN wants to go now (she will be 18 and graduates from HS this year). Mom is not sure if she will come or not but said to make the ADRs for 10 and we can always cancel hers.

I work tomorrow 8am to 8pm, so I have to get up early to call and hope I can get them all done by the time I have to leave.

I also have to see about getting BBB for my DN4 and PL for all 3 of the big boys. Mom is not sold on PL (since my boys already did it) but I can always cancel that in a month or so, but I might not be able to book it in a month.

I would try the online ressies for our ADRs but have heard nothing but bad things about the system and their kinks, so I'm not going to, I'll call and talk to a human...I hope!

 

[starann]

I wish I could say we got everything we wanted, but 6/7 isn't bad!

Sept 19 ARRIVAL Day/MK--'Ohana 7:55pm
Sept 20 Epcot--Chef Mickey at 7:05 then fireworks with a friend!
Sept 21 Animal Kingdom--Saana at 7:05

While on the phone with WDW it was then that I realized that the baby usually goes to be at 8, so a dinner at 7 could be a disaster in the making! So I started to make the dinners a bit earlier! I know his nap/sleep schedule may change in the next 6 months too.

Sept 22 MGM--Hollywood and Vine/Play and Dine 9:15am
Sept 23 Epcot--Akershus 5pm
Sept 24 Free Day--Rose and Crown 5:55pm
Sept 25 MK--this was the day I was hoping for BOG, but instead sis Crystal
Palace at 8:50am
Sept 26 Free Day--Biergarten 5pm


I will keep trying for BOG, hopefully I can replace Rose and Crown with it. I have 2 built in Free Days to go back to parks to do stuff we missed or hang out at the pool or go to DTD. The plan is to stay in MK for the 25th after b'fast, but I also want to make sure MK is the last park we go to, so I may suggest that the 25th be another free day and we go to the MK on the 26th, then pop over to EP to go to dinner and see the fireworks.

I am hoping we have a little something for everyone. Ohana is mine, Germany is DH, Akershus is for my DNi, CM for the boys, HV for Casey.

I must say it is much harder having to get other peoples input to the trip. Had this been an 'us only' trip it would have been where DH and I wanted to eat and 1 or 2 for the kids. But this gets us to try new things, so I guess it is not all bad!

Seems like the baby is up from his nap...drat!

 

[Suziewan]

Hi there -- We are going on similar dates 9/20-9/28; I'm subscribing to follow along and hear how things go with your big crew!

 

[starann]

Hi there -- We are going on similar dates 9/20-9/28; I'm subscribing to follow along and hear how things go with your big crew!

Thanks for joining in! I guess I should change my PTR name as we are not 15 (although it will fee llike that, we are now only10).

Waiting till the baby goes down for a nap then I will be checking out your PTR!

 

[starann]

I thought I would post some look back pictures to our past trips. I forgot to mention, when we went one year my DH was his heaviest, 385lbs. He had gastric bypass last May and is now under 200!!! Of course I am still 'thick' but have decided to lose some for Mickey (and my overall health!) because I don't want to be fat in our pictures (esp next to a skinny DH!).

So here are some old pictures!!!!

Shane's 1st Mickey Bar (2006)

Shane's 1st Parade (2006)

Cody's 1st Trip (2006)

Cody and Pal Mickey (remember those!!! 2006)

Cody at 9 Dragons (2008)

Shane with his new toy, isn't he excited (2008)

Their Favorite ride...the monorail (2008)

I'm excited to have pictures of Casey as young as the big boys were (they were 1.5 and 2.5 on our 1st trip as a family, Casey will be 2.3)

 

[DrMomof3]

Glad the trip is booked and ADRs are made!!! WL is a beautiful resort and I'm sure you'll love it!

Amanda

 

[starann]

Glad the trip is booked and ADRs are made!!! WL is a beautiful resort and I'm sure you'll love it!

Amanda

Thanks! i can't wait to try somethign other than a value!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

I'm really happy for you that you were able to book... I LOVE WL... it's a great resort...

Your DS sounds a bit like my DB... he's not the best communicator either...

It sounds like your able to take your DNs so that is pretty awesome and 6/7 ADRs is a pretty good take... you can keep trying for BoG... worse case... there's always lunch....

 

[starann]

I knew I wasn't happy with how our ADR's were worked out, so I swapped the last 2....We are going to Germany on Wed and CP on Thursday (at 8:05).

Although now, looking at things MK has amEMH on Thursday, which means our picture of a nearly empty main st is ruined. I really wanted to spend our last day in MK, but also FW starts Thursday, so EP will be PACKED, but it would be nice to go to FW for the day........UGH. Now I don't know what to do!!!! At least I have ressies for each day. MAYBE I'll talk to Mom to see what she wants to do. CRUD....just when I thought I was brilliant.

I cleaned up at Target's after Easter sales and got stuff for the kids (bubbles, stickers, Star Wars stuff, Jake 'camera' for CJ, princess stuff for Willow), but really I NEED to stop buying otherwise I'll have a suitcase of 'goodies' and no clothes! Mom is also picking up clothes for everyone (well the kids) and even wants to match me one day, so I saw a cute shirt on the Disney site that say "When you Wish Upon a Star" so I'm going to get that for us.

I got mom and I some 31 stuff (I started to 'sell' it to do a fundraiser for a friend who has stage 4 breast cancer) and got DNi4 a drawstring bag that says Princess Willow, which I will use as a carry on for her to keep her stuff to do on the plane/airport (the boys are getting SW Lego ones). I also got my other DN17 one with her name in case she ends up coming with us. I'll post pictures once I get them!

Once DH gets home tonight, off to the gym I go. I'll post more about that later, but I do NOT want to be as fat as I am currently for Mickey!

 

[starann]

Glad the trip is booked and ADRs are made!!! WL is a beautiful resort and I'm sure you'll love it!

Amanda

I'm sure we will. Hubby wants to try to get our family of 5 as a flag family one day.

I'm really happy for you that you were able to book... I LOVE WL... it's a great resort...

Your DS sounds a bit like my DB... he's not the best communicator either...

It sounds like your able to take your DNs so that is pretty awesome and 6/7 ADRs is a pretty good take... you can keep trying for BoG... worse case... there's always lunch....

I keep trying for BOG, but nada, which really is fine. We can go for lunch and see it.

 

[starann]

So, in true fashion with the PTR......another person bites the dust. My DNi17 is not going. She has been in a MOOD lately and has been so nasty to everyone around her. The other day she texted my mom and said she didn't want to go, that it would be adults and the kids and she would be bored with no one else her age. Which I get, I totally get, but she is so wishy washy with everything that I know later she is going to ask to come and it will be too late! Oh well, I guess she has to learn.


I have been doing some shopping....got Casey THE cutest tigger romper for our trip, I just hope the hat fits his abnormally large head! Maybe later this week I'll get some pictures of that stuff posted.

We still haven't told the boys yet, although I have come close to slipping a few times, but they didn't catch on.

I have been filling my mornings 3 days a week with the gym. I am WAY too much overweight and don't want to be fat in pictures with Mickey (so vein, I know)...so 3 days a week Casey goes to day care at the gym and I get to working out. I am also trying to eat better, but that has proved to be a bigger challenge. I started a blog to keep me accountable. PM if you want the link!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

Bummer about DNi. But I totally agree with you! She'll decide later she wants to go and it's best she learn the lesson!

And great job on getting healthy! We all gotta start somewhere! I'm actually a distributor for a company that provides nutritional products and support. I'm doing a challenge right now to lose the baby weight (we did it last year and DH lost 20 pounds in a month!!). PM me if you want some details!

 

[starann]

Bummer about DNi. But I totally agree with you! She'll decide later she wants to go and it's best she learn the lesson!

And great job on getting healthy! We all gotta start somewhere! I'm actually a distributor for a company that provides nutritional products and support. I'm doing a challenge right now to lose the baby weight (we did it last year and DH lost 20 pounds in a month!!). PM me if you want some details!

Thanks for the info. I have other health issues that keep me away from shakes and other nutritional products. If it's not FDA regulated, I can't take the chance. I would love to try them (I have a few friends who have done Body by Vi) but can't risk it!

 

[starann]

Flights are booked!

BUT that leads me to my frights. My mom booked through SW. SW doesn't fly out of Philly, but AirTran does. And South West and AT are 'sisters' so now we can book thru SW out of Philly (and get the points and NOT pay $25/bag because we booked thu SW...$25x7bagsx 2 flights= $350!!!!). However since the flight is really run thru AT and AT customers can pay to pick their seats ahead of time and SW customers are randomly assigned seats, it means we may not all be sitting together....which means all 7 of us can be seated on different parts of the plane!!!!!!!

The idea doesn't thrill me for the 3 big boys (ages 10, 9 and 8) but it thrills me even less for my 4yo niece and 2yo son!!!!!!! While I joke that if they want to seat us apart, someone else can deal with my 2yo on the flight and I can nap.....I am just joking to hide the fact that this uncertainty will bother me until we are on the plane.

DH will FLIP when he hears this....and since there is nothing we can do about it until the trip, I will not tell him until we are closer to it. I have enough anxiety (literally) about it now that I don't need him adding to it (let's just say my DH sometimes thinks it's the world according to him and things like this are just not acceptable and there HAS to be a way to fix it...cause he says so).

So any positive stories you have about this would help ease my 4mo+ anxiety!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

That stinks about the health issues! And I totally understand about being cautious. I've had friends with a variety if health issues (ibs, diabetes, thyroid conditions, high blood pressure, etc) that got the approval from their doc to get on product and had fantastic results! Some even got off their meds! Just fyi

We had an interesting SW flight story on our way home in December. By the grace of God, we barely made our flight! Needless to say, there were no groups of 3, let alone 2, seats together. The flight attendant asked if anyone would be willing to move, even offering a free drink! She even "jokingly" said the plane couldn't leave until our daughter was sitting next to one of her parents! Didn't take long for a lady to move (whether it was more the threat of the delayed fight or the promise of a free drink I'll never know). So don't fret! They'll make sure your kiddos are at least seated next to one of you!

 

[starann]

That stinks about the health issues! And I totally understand about being cautious. I've had friends with a variety if health issues (ibs, diabetes, thyroid conditions, high blood pressure, etc) that got the approval from their doc to get on product and had fantastic results! Some even got off their meds! Just fyi

We had an interesting SW flight story on our way home in December. By the grace of God, we barely made our flight! Needless to say, there were no groups of 3, let alone 2, seats together. The flight attendant asked if anyone would be willing to move, even offering a free drink! She even "jokingly" said the plane couldn't leave until our daughter was sitting next to one of her parents! Didn't take long for a lady to move (whether it was more the threat of the delayed fight or the promise of a free drink I'll never know). So don't fret! They'll make sure your kiddos are at least seated next to one of you!

That makes me feel a bit better. I have been trying not to think about it, and I still haven't brought it up to DH. He already flipped at the fact that we are flying SW (he swears they will overbook and we will be left waiting).

 

[starann]

There really hasn't been anything new to report. Dni17 is still not going. So at least she hasn't changed her mind yet.

We are preparing for a yard sale next month, so I have about 4 weeks to get the rest of my junk...er....treasures...together so we can sell it. DH said he will do the yard sale (I have to work) and that they money will go for our trip (spending money and tips and such).

I am also working the week of Casey's b-day (May 13), Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. My sitter is home from college and can watch him/his brothers those days, and since her schedule gets a little more hectic over the summer which will restrict my extra hours, I might as well work while I have a sitter. Also work has been CRAZY busy and we have not even started the vacation time yet (when up to 5 nurses are off any given day during the week, and if each nurse sees 6 patients a day when they are working, having 5 nurses off a week will equal about 150 patients that are 'extra' and don't have a nurse). Add the vacations with the open positions and nurses we have training, it won't be slowing down anytime soon. The money will be great even if I have to pay a sitter (who is so reasonable it isn't even funny, I may throw her a bone or 2 and give her a raise or at least a bonus!).

There are a few tax bills to be paid (per capita and fire services...stupid, stupid taxes) and other than catching up on them I will be putting a chunk of that check away for the trip. We have a LARGE empty water bottle in our room that we use for loose change and bills. A few months back we won a raffle basket from the boys PTA/PTO fundraiser and it was a "Money Tree" that had $65 on it, so all those bill went in there!!!!! Not even sure how much is in there now with the other bills, I guess it will be a nice surprise when we go to cash it in before our trip!

I have some pictures of stuff I started buying but will have to sve that for another day. We are having some friends over Friday to talk about Disney (they have never been and are planning their 1st trip) so we invited them over to go over info with them. Which also means the playroom has to be cleaned...YIKES!

 

[starann]

Today Free Dining came out for Disney Visa cardholders, so we were able to get free dining and save about $2100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Work has been crazy busy and this weekend was no exception. On sunday I was traveling to see a patient and came across an accident. No emergency crews were there yet, so as a nurse I am obligated to stop (and as a human, how could I not?!). I did stop and assisted until they were able to get help for the people trapped in a car and get an ambulance for the gentleman I was taking care of. An hour later I was able to get back on my way to see the patients I was assigned for the day.

Friday's dinner went well. I gave our friends an old Passporter and Burnbaums to help them plan. They were thinking of going in April, but had no idea how busy it is in April and how much more, so I think we were able to help shed some light on their trip.

Sat Shane woke up with a GI bug...GAH.....I thought we had gotten off with only him being sick, but now Cody is saying his belly hurts and has been laying on the couch.....so I think he will be down for the count! DH will have to deal with it as I have plans with friends for dinner!!!!!!!!!

Not much else Disney to report. Mom comes to PA in about a month so I may sit down with her then and go over rides and plans.

 

[starann]

Finally got a change to load the pictures of some of my shopping. From what I hear, my mom has been shopping as well, so...who know how much these kids will end up with! I just realized that I had gotten Casey a Mickey hoodie from Target that is MIA. Gotta look for that!

Here is a picture of the Tigger outfit for Casey


Here is a picture of his Star Wars onsie (it's a tad wrinkled from being in a bag)


This is some of the stuff for the big boys


Some of the stuff for Casey


Some of the stuff for Willow


Most of the stuff I picked up around Easter time or after (which made for clearance!).

 

[JoanneDisFan]

Subscribing to your PTR. We are also headed down in Sept, but the week before.

I understand your anxiety about flying SW. We are looking at them as well for cheap flights and it causes me some anxiety. The cheapest flights have only a 25 minute connection and that's not happening with an almost 3 yr old.