What's more American than Disney?!We Brave the 4th of July! TR LINK pg. 55!!!!!!!

[adisneymama]

I thought so too!

Same here!

 

[podsnel]

WOW!!! I LOVE your video!! You both take the BEST photos- what a great match you are- both CRAZEEEEE times TEN!!! Really, I just love both your expressions!

That Debbie Downer was hilarious! I love it when actors crack up when they're not supposed to. So, so funny.

Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers in the work situation. I really hope it works out for both of you.

Leaving for WDW on Friday- BCV with 5 other women, kids all stay home! YIPPPPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Nikki - I swore I posted???
Anyway big. I will keep both of you in my prayers.

Heading to the links now... I've been called DebbyDowner more than once... maybe I am just not that fun... oh that's right, it must be the Debby part.

Thank you! Oh I'm sure you get that a lot!

WOW!!! I LOVE your video!! You both take the BEST photos- what a great match you are- both CRAZEEEEE times TEN!!! Really, I just love both your expressions!

That Debbie Downer was hilarious! I love it when actors crack up when they're not supposed to. So, so funny.

Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers in the work situation. I really hope it works out for both of you.

Leaving for WDW on Friday- BCV with 5 other women, kids all stay home! YIPPPPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Thanks Ellen! Glad you liked the video! We do know how to have a good time!

Thanks for the support. I'm optimistic about my job and as long as we have that, we'll be fine for now.

I can't believe you are going back again!! Sounds really fun! Can't wait to read that TR!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Hey guys, Our computer was getting quite sloooow, so we decided to put all our old photos on disc. Soooo, I was able to put them onto my shutterfly account quite easily using my laptop! So I thought, to pass the time and keep my mind off of the work situations, I would take you all back to the summer of 2006!

Strange as it seems, in the summer of 2006, I found myself in the exact situation that I PRAY I can dodge this time. I worked for 3 years in one school district and was let go. I was raised going to WDW and Tom had never been. After three years of dating, we decided to take our first trip together...BAD timing! But it was already booked and I had no idea how difficult it would be to find a teaching job so we decided not to cancel with the hopes that I would find a job long before then.

Well it wasn't until just a few weeks before our vacation, I was offered a 3-month leave replacement position, which eventually led to full time, where I have been ever since. But on this trip, I had only had the 3-month job! I can't believe I was able to let loose and have such a wonderful time not knowing what my future held!

Anyway, I was determined to plan the PERFECT first trip for Tom. At that time, I hadn't been since 2003 which was the longest I had gone without a WDW vacation in years! (And I haven't gone that long since!) So i was super psyched to go and Tom was kind of getting sick of me talking about it. After all, he had no idea of the magical wonders this place had! I was actually worried that I would be saying "Don't you LOVE this?!" and he would be sick of it and of me! But because of my expertise I planned the most awesome trip for him that he just HAD to fall in love with the place!

Anyway, enough back story! The trip was from 8/9-8/16. Here are some pics of our first day...

I was prepared for some major crowds! We always went end of August, (before free-dining existed) and it was always pretty empty. Going mid-August, I was trying to prepare Tom (and myself) for the worst. We were SHOCKED when, after checking in to POR and heading to the MK, the entrance was sooo bare! Hardly anyone around! And it was like noon! We exchanged our AP vouchers (I had high hopes for our first trip!) with NO line and strolled right in...after the wonderful CM at Guest Relations gave Tom his very first magical moment!

It was a FP for any ride of his choice! They were excited that it was his first trip! What an awesome welcome, right?!

Our first castle pic!

This Adventureland sign isn't there anymore.

We walked to Adventureland first with intentions of Tom's first ride being Pirates of the Caribbean. It was also my first time seeing it after the refurb, which only opened about a month earlier.

On the way, we saw our first characters. I looked at Tom wondering if he would be down with taking pictures with characters. He thought it was weird at first but said, SCREW IT! You gotta just jump right in, right?! So...our very first character picture!

I was excited to see the updates to Pirates but I missed the parrot. "SQWAK Salty Old Pirates!"

I had NEVER seen a line for Pirates before and I haven't seen one like this since but it was actually winding! And I mean OUTSIDE of the building. We must have waited a good 30 mins, which is a lot for Pirates, IMO.

After Pirates we were starving so we ate at Pecos Bill. (Yum!) Then we caught The Country Bear Jamoboree, before stopping to watch the afternoon parade. I took WAY too many pictures of the parade and have learned not to do that anymore! Parade pictures are the most boring, IMO. I much prefer the pictures of US!

We rode the Haunted Mansion and found Mr. Toad in the pet cemetery.

When we got out of HM, I was still in SHOCK at how empty the park was! Seriously?! It's the middle of August? Where is everybody??

THAT QUESTION WAS ANSWERED JUST A FEW DAYS LATER IN THE TRIP!!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Love the trip down memory lane. (I may use it to add some old pics to my PTR..as teachers we learn how to grab any idea that we can.)

Hopefully, remembering your 2006 trip will allow you to worry a little less. Is there any timeframe for you to know something?

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Love the trip down memory lane. (I may use it to add some old pics to my PTR..as teachers we learn how to grab any idea that we can.)

Hopefully, remembering your 2006 trip will allow you to worry a little less. Is there any timeframe for you to know something?

Yes, do it! I'm hoping it will keep the PTR going while having some nice memories in the meantime.

Well...as of now, we don't know anything. Don't even know when we will know something. We just have to wait...... Thanks for asking!

 

[Stefy]

Loving the memory lane recap.

Am empty park in August must have been wonderful and I love the any ride you want FP

 

[disneybarbie]

Enjoying the 'vintage' trip report Nikki!

DF and I were there for our first trip together just a few weeks after you & Tom - Sept 4-11 2006!

Emma x

 

[Dancegrl624]

Loving the flashback pics! We were there for our DD's first trip from June 25th-July 2nd, 2006!!! POTC was still being refurbed, but we got to see Captain Jack in the early stages of the Pirate Tutorial. He was awesome!

 

[adisneymama]

Love the pics Nikki! We were there in Sept 06! Not long after you guys!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Loving the memory lane recap.

Am empty park in August must have been wonderful and I love the any ride you want FP

Enjoying the 'vintage' trip report Nikki!

DF and I were there for our first trip together just a few weeks after you & Tom - Sept 4-11 2006!

Emma x

Loving the flashback pics! We were there for our DD's first trip from June 25th-July 2nd, 2006!!! POTC was still being refurbed, but we got to see Captain Jack in the early stages of the Pirate Tutorial. He was awesome!

Love the pics Nikki! We were there in Sept 06! Not long after you guys!

Thanks guys! I can't believe so many of you were there around the same time!

I'll post more of that trip tonight!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Okay, so I left off on Tom's very first day in Disney World. The parks were unexpectedly pretty empty, Tom got a magical moment and we were having a blast, not even noticing how exhausted we were!

By the way, don't know if you noticed but I was about 20 pounds heavier on this trip (and the next trip,) than I was on my honeymoon trip! Tom too! In Jan 2008, we both went on weight watchers and lost a good amount of weight to be nice and skinny for the wedding/honeymoon! We were on the program hardcore for about six months, weighing in and everything, then just tried to "be good" for the following year. Gotta love the wedding/stress diet! Unfortunately, we are BOTH slowly going back to our old ways and it's starting to show.

Anyway, you probably think I'm exaggerating but I'm really not. I know how to hide it well. I wouldn't be caught DEAD in half the clothes from my honeymoon trip on this trip! I have skinny arms and legs too, so that works in my favor when I put on the weight!

Speaking of food.....the Freschetta is ready to come out of the oven! I'll update with more pics later.

Sorry for the weight rant. Didn't mean to do that!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

So after a great first morning, we did a few rides and took some more character pics...

Tom was a little creeped out by the Tweedles' hands!

How funny is this picture! It's so us! I'm so focused and Tom is just confused!

We actually stayed the WHOLE day! By sunset, we found a spot for SpectroMagic by Sleep Hollow.

Tom's first turkey leg!

Here is Tom waiting for the parade to start. Seriously, we were exhausted and we have NEVER been able to stay that late in a park on arrival day since!

 

[jjsdad]

Sorry to hear about your situation. My wife is also a teacher but they actually passed our budget(one of 2 towns in our county), but they are also planning on cutting a lot of positions. I thought you got your tenure on the first day of your 4th year? Not that this is a good thing, but hopefully you will be saved by the huge exodus that is about to go down with teachers taking retirement to dodge the new pension/healthcare cuts he(lets call him Zurg) is planning. Got my fingers crossed...

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Sorry to hear about your situation. My wife is also a teacher but they actually passed our budget(one of 2 towns in our county), but they are also planning on cutting a lot of positions. I thought you got your tenure on the first day of your 4th year? Not that this is a good thing, but hopefully you will be saved by the huge exodus that is about to go down with teachers taking retirement to dodge the new pension/healthcare cuts he(lets call him Zurg) is planning. Got my fingers crossed...

Hahah! Zurg! That's the best! I'm actually listening to the Toy Story music right now. Working on another photo montage....

Yes, I get tenure the first day of my 4th year. Unfortunately, my first year was a leave position so it didn't count towards tenure track. Yeah I really think I'll be okay...just never know, so I'm worried. Anything can happen....

 

[irishdancer86]

Hey nikki lovin the photo's...those Turkey legs scare the life out of me though!

your lucky you can have an extra 20 pounds and still look lovely and slim, I really want to start losing weight soon so I can feel comfortable having photos taken on our trip!

and good luck for your job! hope all ends up OK! not worrying is easier said than done but my dad tells us don't be lying worrying all night *** you could wake up dead in the morning and all the worrying would have been for nothing! morbid but a little funny maybe?!

and meant to tell you, decided to skip Dessert Party and book Liberty Tree Tavern for lunch, that cheese starter photo in your trip report planted a seed!!!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Hey nikki lovin the photo's...those Turkey legs scare the life out of me though!

your lucky you can have an extra 20 pounds and still look lovely and slim, I really want to start losing weight soon so I can feel comfortable having photos taken on our trip!

and good luck for your job! hope all ends up OK! not worrying is easier said than done but my dad tells us don't be lying worrying all night *** you could wake up dead in the morning and all the worrying would have been for nothing! morbid but a little funny maybe?!

and meant to tell you, decided to skip Dessert Party and book Liberty Tree Tavern for lunch, that cheese starter photo in your trip report planted a seed!!!

Thanks Cathy! Love your dad's saying. He's absolutely right!

Mmmmm Tavern Fried Cheese was sooo delish! That was the main reason why we had lunch there. I got a burger that was good, Tom liked his roast beef sandwich and the dessert was really good too. But if it wasn't for that cheese.......

 

[Stefy]

Loving the photos, cool Tweedledum and Dee pic. Never seen them in the park

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Loving the photos, cool Tweedledum and Dee pic. Never seen them in the park

Yeah I think they are cool looking. Tom can't get over their people hands!!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I am in the process of scanning all my old disney world pictures, dating back to 1982!! I was 18 months and Epcot wasn't even opened yet! There are some great pictures that show how much has changed over the years.

I also want to figure out how to copy my old videos onto DVD. I think I'm going to buy a VCR/DVD recorder. Then I have to get a program so that I can copy the dvds onto my hard drive. Then I can make a video montage of all my old pictures and videos of all my 18 trips!! Don't worry, I'll of course give you guys a little tease first because who knows how long before I do all that!