Welcome to the Jungle........Pool! Updated 7/7 pages 14 & 15

[MRYPPNS]

Almost made Page 1 but Page 2 ain't shabby!!!

I'm lucky if I start a TR by page 5!

I love the idea of posting by theme instead of chronologically! On a side note, I've done some scrapbooks like that, and I find them to be so much fun. Can't wait to read about your lovely family trip, and figure out where that title comes from.

If I don't post a lot, just know I'm here. With the closing on the house and moving, my DIS time is limited.

No worries....I'm so with you on the limited time. I doing a lot of playing catch up on TRs, then it's days or weeks later so I don't comment. Good Luck with the house!

Can't wait to read all about your Disney fun!

I'm here too...lovin the title and opening pix...the kids are too cute

looking forward to reading a themed TR...I had fun doing mine like that too...

"welcome to the Jungle...."

Speaking of getting caught up... I have to get caught up with your new PTR. I really liked how you did your last TR so I'm stealing the idea!

I can just see you doing the Axl dance to Welcome to the Jungle!

 

[WDWCP96]

Joining in. Your kids are so cute. My oldest son is 4 almost 5. Can't wait to hear about your trip.

 

[mom3sonstt]

Joining in!

 

[mrsksomeday]

I'm in, I can't wait to read all about it!

 

[pooh'smate]

Joining in. Your kids are so cute and they are getting so big.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Joining in. Your kids are so cute. My oldest son is 4 almost 5. Can't wait to hear about your trip.

Joining in!

Hi Tanya!

I'm in, I can't wait to read all about it!

Glad your here Tracy!

Joining in. Your kids are so cute and they are getting so big.

It's amazing how much they have grown!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Looking forward to hearing all about your trip. I can't believe how big your kids are getting. My goodness, time flies!!

 

[MRYPPNS]

Looking forward to hearing all about your trip. I can't believe how big your kids are getting. My goodness, time flies!!

I thought of you a couple times this trip with a certain entrance into Epcot


Today has gotten away from me....I was hoping to post about "The Drive" today but I watched Big Love instead and now I'm headed out to dinner with my girlfriends and after that we are headed to a memorial for an old co-worker of ours. Enjoy your evening and I *think* spring just might be on it's way!!

 

[disneyfan61]

I thought of you a couple times this trip with a certain entrance into Epcot


Today has gotten away from me....I was hoping to post about "The Drive" today but I watched Big Love instead and now I'm headed out to dinner with my girlfriends and after that we are headed to a memorial for an old co-worker of ours. Enjoy your evening and I *think* spring just might be on it's way!!

Lets hope Spring is on the way!! We can actually see grass now under all the snow that is going away slow but sure.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Woo Hoo for spring!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

I am definitely ready to pull out the brass band for spring's arrival! I just hope she doesn't turn around and leave again (she keeps doing that to us down here in Georgia).

 

[Antigua08]

I'm in, your 2 kids are adorable! My DD will be about the same age as your little girl on her 1st trip, so looking forward to seeing how she got on

 

[MRYPPNS]

Lets hope Spring is on the way!! We can actually see grass now under all the snow that is going away slow but sure.

The birds are flocking to our lawn that has open spaces of grass...not that there is much to find to eat at this point.

Woo Hoo for spring!!

I want to wear my flip flops!!!

I am definitely ready to pull out the brass band for spring's arrival! I just hope she doesn't turn around and leave again (she keeps doing that to us down here in Georgia).

We're in dirty snow/mud season now. Everything is so ugly this time of year...brown and grey.

I'm in, your 2 kids are adorable! My DD will be about the same age as your little girl on her 1st trip, so looking forward to seeing how she got on

Please let me know if you have any questions. I'm planning on doing a section on toddler tips and the baby care centers.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Early on in the trip planning process we decide to drive from our home in New Hampshire to Disney. 1450 miles. Each Way. Straight Thru. Now we had some good reasons for this. First cost, it’s much cheaper for a family of 4 to drive than fly. Second, the idea of being in a plane with Liam and his autism, DH and his motion sickness and Danica and her….well she’s almost 2, you never what she’s going to do, (not to mention that the last time I flew with Liam and DH – I fainted) well you can see why I was a bit hesitant to fly. And thirdly, it was DH’s idea, he doesn’t request much for our Disney vacations so saying yes early on to driving got me the green light to make the vacation happen.

Here’s the MYRPPNS mobile in the MK parking lot as proof that we took her!

Now it wasn’t all bad, in fact it went surprising good...... or rather it could have gone much worst. It took us 27 hours from door to door to drive down and 24 hours to drive home. Too bad that gas prices went the highest they have been since Hurricane Katrina during our vacation

Here’s the gang as we where leaving our neighborhood (noticed the snow outside)

On the way down DH got sick and I did way more driving then I ever thought I would…. like parts of Virginia, North Carolina, all of South Carolina and most of Georgia which I did all with less than 2 hours of sleep. John had been sick the week prior to our trip and I don’t think he was 100% by the time we left. Coupled that with motion sickness driving thru New England and Pennsylvania, plus lack of sleep did him in by the Beltway in D.C. Thankfully the kids did pretty well with having their dual DVD player to watch (Liam made it all the way until 1 ½ hours before getting home on the return trip before he broke the connection to his screen), snacks and new little toys to play with.

The state rest stops along the way were great for bathroom breaks and diaper changing and to just stretch our legs.

Highlights driving down were:
*the pretty welcome signs in both North Carolina and South Carolina.
* 70 mph zones thru most of the south
* Taco Bell for me for lunch on the second day
* finding a mall by chance in PA to have our packed dinner and to able to walk around and relax for a bit (less then an hour stop btw)

Here’s Liam after the PA dinner stop ready to settle in for the night.

I don’t have one of Danica because I about blinded John with the flash….oops!

Lowlights driving down were:
* DH getting sick and me not being able to sleep before I needed to drive
* the nasty Iveseencleanerbathroomsat-a-fratparty gas station restroom we stopped at when DH was really feeling bad. I refused to pee and changed the kids in the car by the truckers parked for the night.
* me having to un-do my seat belt every time the kids needed something….and that was often.

Highlights driving home:
*DH did much better this time (I think it helped that he ate less and took Bonnie)
* I 95 almost all the way home instead of going thru PA
* not hitting rain for 12 hours after we thought we would
*watching Big Love on my iPod

Lowlights Driving home:
*Danica throwing up a little bit
* I was frazzled and had a hard time with the whining from the kids
* me pulling the driving shift that had us driving over the Delaware Memorial Bridge

I have had reoccurring nightmares since I was a kid about driving on these types of bridges….freaks me out and I don’t freak easily. It was dark and raining and there were warnings that the bridge was slippery……I pretty much just white-knuckled it in the middle lane doing 40 mph (the limit was 50)

But the best highlight is that a large bag of caramel corn from the Caramel Kitchen in Germany will get you thru 24 hours driving from Florida to NH !!!

Here are the kids on Sunday during the drive down in Florida! We all changed into shorts that morning at a nice rest stop.

Funny story from that rest stop: We took the kids to a grassy area to move around for a little bit and when Liam saw all the palm bushes and such, he was saying “Jungle. Jungle.”

Will I ever drive to Florida again? Probably not. Although the kids did really well for the most part, I realized that it could have gone really bad, really quick. I can muscle thru a 3 hour flight with the kids even if they are at their worst but there is little you can do from the front seat of a car for 24 hours. I won't say that we'll never drive to Disney again because I bet it's sort of like child birth....get enough time away from the event and you're willing to do it again for the reward at the end.

 

[englishrose47]

Every time we think of driving we shudder !!No way would the kids make it a pleasant trip!!!Soo we deal with the flight prices !!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

I'm so glad your drive went well! I commend you for even trying it once. The thought of making that trip spins my head! I did it as a passenger (who could sleep) two or three times as a kid. That bridge would have freaked me out too.

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

Ok, first of all - LOVE your license plate.

Secondly, I bow down to you for being in a car with your DH and kids for over 48 hours total! I would never have made it without killing someone!

Glad the rides were uneventful for the most part! I've said it before, but your little ones are adorable!

 

[pinkxray]

27 hrs in a car with two little ones. You are my new hero. When I was a kid we always drove from CT but we stopped overnight, usually SC or Georgia. I think we drove straight through once. I can't imagine doing all the driving and listening to kids whine. As much as I hate taking off and landing in a plane I will take it over the driving.

The kids looked like they did great though

 

[dekkerdisneydreamer]

Hi Heidi,
I've been following the Spectrum Mom's TR and found yours from there. I think it's a great idea to write a TR on themes and not necessarily in chronological order. Your children are absolutely adorable!

You deserve a medal for driving with two kids under 5 from NH to FL!!!! Wow, just wow. I'm glad there weren't too many lowlights during the process.

One question for you, since you've obviously flown with infants before. Any tips? We're flying down to FL with my 9 month old daughter in 20 days.

Looking forward to the rest of the trip!

 

[Mickey_Mom]

The last time I drove to Florida was when I was dating my hubby in my early twenties. He drove most of the way because when it was my turn I got us lost. Kudos to you!

When we see the flight costs come out, we fleetingly consider driving (over two days mind you) but always decide against it. But it was what gave you the green light to begin with so you gotta do what you gotta do. Sorry your DH was ill - that must have pretty much sucked.

Mmmmm, Taco Bell.