We're Home From the Road!! 17 Days of Travel with Tons of Pics~COMPLETE!!

[WDWJonasGirl]

Fun.....for a friend or a relative??

Relative. This time, a cousin

 

[kaoden39]

Laurie, I can hardly wait to read your thoughts on your hotel. Kacy and I are in the planning stages for a trip in late September 2015. We are looking at all hotels including renting points to stay in the DVC part of GCH. We still have time to decide so we are researching it all out.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I know what you mean. I think for me the reason I am sad about the diva trips is I miss getting to see my friends like yourself, Sara, Trudi etc and it is nice to have a time with just gals to have fun and I so love the meet and greet, the scavy hunt etc and I don't feel like I have REALLY been on the ladies trip since 2010. That was the last time I went and was able to really do everything. I don't even really count when we went in 13 because all I was able to do was the meet and greet and scavy hunt. I didn't go to any of the meals and only made the 1 photo. You would think it would get easier since the girls will be in HS but it is actually harder because it is getting tougher to plan any trips as they now HAVE to be in the summer and Katy doesn't like to miss swim plus it is just a problem with the way everything is landing the next few years. My parents get their condo 2 months a year and the 2 months are 6 months apart so for example this year they got it in June and again in December. Then because the year roles over they get it for 15 in January and July. Well the bad times to go are June through Sept so they don't even bother going at those times although we did go in June this year because of the girls but when it falls like that they usually only get 1 good month and the prime months are Jan through March and possibly april. So when they have those months they really try to go. They can't go in Dec this year and were hoping to go with a big group in Jan but since mom is hopefully having her surgery I don't think she will be able to go but knowing her she will try anyway and either way there is no way we could do the diva trip.

And then as I said if she has her condo in Feb next year I am sure they are going to want to go because they can't go in July and if they don't go next february it would be another year as they would have it in August. I know it prob sounds complicated LOL but I just know that we can't afford too many trips in a year anymore and usually 1 or 2 is it. If we take one as a family and they do one on their own that is pretty much it.

At this point the only thing we have on the horizon is New York next summer but honestly I am not even getting my hopes up. I told mom until she has her surgery and until I know she is back up and around there is no point in even thinking about it.

Sucks when stuff always goes wrong as I know you know because of course money is always a factor with us as well.

Good luck with the laundry (don't envy you on that LOL as I know I do a ton with just the 3 of us so I can only imagine how much you have) and again no worries on the report. Just relax and enjoy being home!

Well once your mom has her surgery....maybe things will look clearer for the future for your family & trips. Right now, everything is hard to predict because you don't know how long it will take your mom to recover and how good she'll feel. Having anything on the horizon trip wise is always enough to keep me happy and focused. Who knows....maybe a Diva trip will miraculously work out......you just never know!!

Relative. This time, a cousin

Congrats to them!!

Laurie, I can hardly wait to read your thoughts on your hotel. Kacy and I are in the planning stages for a trip in late September 2015. We are looking at all hotels including renting points to stay in the DVC part of GCH. We still have time to decide so we are researching it all out.

I would have no problem suggesting the Desert Inn & Suites. Good value, good location & clean!

 

[kaoden39]

Well once your mom has her surgery....maybe things will look clearer for the future for your family & trips. Right now, everything is hard to predict because you don't know how long it will take your mom to recover and how good she'll feel. Having anything on the horizon trip wise is always enough to keep me happy and focused. Who knows....maybe a Diva trip will miraculously work out......you just never know!!



Congrats to them!!



I would have no problem suggesting the Desert Inn & Suites. Good value, good location & clean!

Oh that's great to hear! Did you walk back and forth? Is it a bad walk?

 

[DizNee Luver]

It's TRIP REPORT TIME!!!!​

Thursday, July 10~~Part 1:

The morning started out busy as we emptied out the fridge, got the cans out for pick up, did last minute cleaning so we'd come home to a clean house, etc. We loaded up our 12 passenger rental van and then got the kids loaded.















We hit the road about noon and decided to drive down 99 and stop and surprise an ex-coworker of Mike's (from when he was a paramedic).....the only problem with surprises is chancing that the person is actually home. Unfortunately, she wasn't. We left a note & I messaged her on Facebook to let her know we had swung by. We continued south going through Florence & down Hwy 101 to North Bend/Coos Bay.





We drove by the Mill Casino (which is one of the areas largest employers) and the bay.









We also drove by Coos Bay's new Firehouse.









We drove to Betty's home~~the same home Mike and his 2 brothers grew up in. We looked around a bit and saw the new laundry/sun porch that had been built while Michayla had her early dinner.





We left Betty for a couple hours and checked into our motel for the night. We stayed at the Motel 6......not a ton of options here but this one will be off our list. It was just blech and wait till you see the tv in the rooms!! lol For $83 a room.....I would expect a little more. No coffee maker, no blow dryer, no toiletries, no clock or clock radio, etc.











Coming up......Addy's birthday dinner!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Oh that's great to hear! Did you walk back and forth? Is it a bad walk?

Do you remember where the pedestrian crossing is (right in front of that Capt Kidd's Buffet.....barf)? The Desert Inn is 2 driveways to the right (if looking at Capt Kidds from the Disneyland side). It really takes just minutes.....just depends on foot traffic & if you hit the cross light right.....lol

 

[kaoden39]

Okay that reminds me of the Motel 6 the Red Cross put us in for the night after our fire. Never again. Thankfully our insurance company got us into Staybridge Suites that night so we never slept there. It was a stop gap. Talk about no frills.

Wow they have a good size fire department.

 

[kaoden39]

Do you remember where the pedestrian crossing is (right in front of that Capt Kidd's Buffet.....barf)? The Desert Inn is 2 driveways to the right (if looking at Capt Kidds from the Disneyland side). It really takes just minutes.....just depends on foot traffic & if you hit the cross light right.....lol

Oh wow that isn't bad at all. Does it have indoor or outdoor hallways?

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Oh wow that isn't bad at all. Does it have indoor or outdoor hallways?

It has outdoor hallways but the building faces away from the street.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Okay that reminds me of the Motel 6 the Red Cross put us in for the night after our fire. Never again. Thankfully our insurance company got us into Staybridge Suites that night so we never slept there. It was a stop gap. Talk about no frills.

Wow they have a good size fire department.

Sometimes you find a decent Motel 6 but I'm finding that harder to do.

It is a big station with a nice volunteer group.

Oh wow that isn't bad at all. Does it have indoor or outdoor hallways?

It has outdoor hallways but the building faces away from the street.

Yup, they are outdoor entries. We were all the way in the back of the complex and didn't have street noise or sooty carpets. Not sure about the rooms closer to Harbor. In 2005 we were in the front section and I don't recall those issues then.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Love it so far!! I have never been to Oregon. I also love Mike's shirt

 

[kaoden39]

It has outdoor hallways but the building faces away from the street.

Oh that's odd. I have never seen that.

Sometimes you find a decent Motel 6 but I'm finding that harder to do.

It is a big station with a nice volunteer group.





Yup, they are outdoor entries. We were all the way in the back of the complex and didn't have street noise or sooty carpets. Not sure about the rooms closer to Harbor. In 2005 we were in the front section and I don't recall those issues then.

I am not really fond of outdoor entry. With our girls probably in a different room I wouldn't get any rest. I have been spoiled with our stays at the Ayres with the indoor hallways.

Love it so far!! I have never been to Oregon. I also love Mike's shirt

Hi! I hope you're having a good summer.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Love it so far!! I have never been to Oregon. I also love Mike's shirt

Oregon is beautiful if you ever get a chance to come visit!! Mike's shirt is good for a laugh "I survived the It's a Small World Ride".....lol

Oh that's odd. I have never seen that.




I am not really fond of outdoor entry. With our girls probably in a different room I wouldn't get any rest. I have been spoiled with our stays at the Ayres with the indoor hallways.



Hi! I hope you're having a good summer.

You can get connecting rooms.....that is what we had. Look at the "suites" (which is 2 rooms with a connecting door). The buildings run the long way back from Harbor and not parallel to the street...so that does cut down on the street noise.

 

[kaoden39]

Oregon is beautiful if you ever get a chance to come visit!! Mike's shirt is good for a laugh "I survived the It's a Small World Ride".....lol



You can get connecting rooms.....that is what we had. Look at the "suites" (which is 2 rooms with a connecting door). The buildings run the long way back from Harbor and not parallel to the street...so that does cut down on the street noise.

I am going to sounds awful but, for god reason I don't want connecting rooms. There is a family member who knows no boundaries and I like privacy.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Day 1, Part 2:
​

After a short break at the motel, we went back & picked up Betty for dinner. We had reserved the back room at Dave's Pizza because we had invited quite a few people to join us (people we hadn't seen in a long time). Some got back to me & had planned on attending, but it seemed, one by one......each one messaged me that something came up and they wouldn't make it. Oh well......my friend Charlene and her daughter did come & it was nice catching up with her. She was Addy's caseworker when we got her at 2 months.

The original Dave's Pizza was located in North Bend and burned down a few years ago.....I have to say, I'm not a fan of their new locale (which used to be a bar) and I didn't feel the food was as good as it used to be (but still spendy pizza).

Here are some random pics during our dinner.



















Here's Addy's free birthday pizza (very nice of them to provide this!!)









Addy turned 9 and got 2 Lalaloopsy dolls, Lalaloopsy Lip Glosses & the Tink Bell and the Pirate Fairy Movie.

















After dinner, we headed up to the hospital so Mike could say hello to his brother that is a nurse. After that, we dropped Betty off at home & will see her in the morning. We stopped at the market to get some yogurt for Michayla's night feed and back to the motel for the night.

The rooms weren't connecting so we had Michayla with me, Anthony with Mike in Room 1 and Addy with Shyann, Tyler and Derek in Room 2.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I am going to sounds awful but, for god reason I don't want connecting rooms. There is a family member who knows no boundaries and I like privacy.

The nice thing about connecting rooms is the ability to close (and lock) your side. Since the boys & I stayed up later then Mike & his mom, we would close the door on our side....that way the tv & our talking didn't disturb them.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

How fun!! Next year, you guys will have to pay the adult price for Addy

 

[DizNee Luver]

How fun!! Next year, you guys will have to pay the adult price for Addy

I know......it's crazy!!!

 

[Sherry E]

I love the heart-shaped pizza! A very cute idea!

 

[DizNee Luver]

I love the heart-shaped pizza! A very cute idea!

I thought so too!!! I figured it would be a small round one....so this was a pleasant surprise!!