A little Disney for you

I have been very good and not really posted anything about our Disney trip back in December. But today I need a little Disney magic! It has rained non-stop for the past two weeks straight every day except two, today and last Wednesday. I am becoming a sun junkie. Today it was cloudy all day. I need some sun. No, I NEEEEED some sun! I need to feel it on my face, in my bones, I need to be warm. I have been cold to the bone for the past several days. One of those colds that just doesn't go away. I almost ache from being cold for so long.

So, If I can't have some sun then let me think about something nice and fun. I relayed this story to my sister today. It is a bit ironic because as much as I neeeeed the sun and warmth right now, this was the coldest day we had at Disney World and while the sun was out it didn't warm you much.

We were at Animal Kingdom for the day and then going to have dinner at Narcoosie's at the Grand Floridian Hotel and then see the huge gingerbread house they make every year in the lobby. We left Animal Kingdom two hours early in hopes to get to our campsite and clean up a bit before our fancy dinner. It took us an hour to get back to the campground and another half hour to get the bus to take us to our campsite. We decided we didn't have enough time to get to our campsite and then change clothes so we would just go as we are. We were clothed enough for them to let us in. Men had to have a collared shirt and women no flip flops or shorts/t-shirt items. So Kenneth had a collared shirt on and the kids looked mostly presentable except their hair needed to be done. So we stayed on the bus that took us to the boat to take us to the Magic Kingdom to catch the monorail to get to the hotel for dinner.

We have to wait for the boat and it was a 15 minute trip across the lake to the Magic Kingdom. So by the time the boat docked it was 5 minutes until our reservation. they say that if you are 10 minutes late for the reservation then they give your table up to others waiting. We were worried that we wouldn't make it and I didn't know how crowded it would be. We get on the monorail and end up that the monorail only goes one way and the hotel we need is the last stop. So we stop at three other stops before ours.

We get to the hotel and I find the reservation desk for the hotel and ask where the restaurant is. The lady says it is on the other side of the pool in the round house on the other side of the grounds. Oh no!! We aren't there yet?

Caroline (our youngest with right sided muscle weakness caused by a stroke in-utero - long story...) can't walk anymore she is tired, hungry, and her little legs just can't make it. I pick her up and ask the lady if she could call to the restaurant and tell them we are on our way and not to give up our table. We are now 10 minutes late and have at least a 5 minute walk before we get there. She says no she can't but I could ask the concierge at the end of the desk. We go down to the concierge and looking quite haggard we tell them the story of calling down to let them know we are coming. The head concierge says we will do better than that, we will drive you down there. So they pick us up in an 8 person "station wagon" golf cart and drive us to the front door of the restaurant. The manager of the restaurant opens the front door and speaks to us by name. Mr. and Mrs. *******? Your table is ready for you.... now that is service.

This is a picture of my husband's dessert. It was a cheesecake with whipped cream and the back is a piece of candy that has Cinderella and Prince Charming and the castle on it and says "2007 Year of a Million Dreams"

Hello Mickey Here We Come

For all those scared of the big-eared mouse don't read on. For all those who love Mickey you can read away.

This morning my husband asked me what I wanted to accomplish today. Granted I have not felt my 100% in the past couple days and ended up at the doctors office last night, I lessened my goals. I told him that I wanted to get the laundry done (another story all together) and I wanted to clean the floors, wash, vacuum, or dust/sweep as needed. I said it should only take a little while and I wanted to sew together the three fleece blankets that I have been walking over in our room. Apparently he had a different priority.

After he had finished breakfast and while I was still eating he pulled his laptop onto the table and proceeded to sign on to Disney.com. Then he says to me where do I go to get the reservations for this year. I show him and he fumbles a bit and then next thing I know I have the mouse in my hand and have scooted the laptop over to me. Four hours and two phone calls later we have reservations for next Christmas. At one point I suggested we stay off site and in a 4 bedroom home with an indoor pool. He about cried on me and now we are staying back in the Disney Campground in our travel trailer. We will enjoy the Disney meal plan again and will be planning our days very soon.

He DID work on the laundry while I got our reservations. The floors will just have to wait until tomorrow as I am going to go get my sewing machine out.

Just a few last minute things

I have never been so organized for a trip than this one. The trailer is almost all packed. Food is packed, clothes are packed for the kids and I am almost done packing me. Beds are made, kitchen floor is clean (thanks to my son tonight), and just have a few last minute things to tidy up and get in the trailer. Really we just need to get our toothbrushes that morning, pillows, and the coffee maker and we are set to sail.

I watched a special on Food Network last night about the giant gingerbread house, the lights down main street, and the holiday extras they put into making our experiences "magical". I tell you I took NOTES while watching it! I am WAY more excited than the kids are.

We got them all matching tshirts (well ones for us too) and I am going to give them to everyone the morning we leave so they can wear their Mickey shirts to school that day. I am wearing mine too!! Too fun...

So I have finished addressing our Christmas cards and they are stamped and will go in the mail tomorrow and I packed my address book and will be sending out post cards while we are there. I am hoping that Disney has wifi somewhere and we can use our laptop to up load a few pictures to you all via email. If you want to be on my email list, email me your address if you don't think I have it.

Wow, the adrenaline of excitement is running through my veins right now and I can FEEL it!

And for this trip we got our handy-dandy housesitter to stay here while we are gone. He loves it here because we have a big backyard for his two ginormous German Shepards. Unfortunately he doesn't always find all the land mines in the backyard and the kids find them later, tracking it in the house! Yuck! Oh well, we still love him.

So much to do so little time...

It always happens this time of year. I feel the pressure of making sure I haven't left anyone out and making sure that the house is decorated and somewhat clean. Well this year the pressure is on even harder and because of our impending trip we have had to be ever dilligent about getting things we want to get done done. We have crammed a months worth of work into a two week period.

But I have good news. We are just about done. But just when you think you are done someone drops a bomb on you. So last night my husband and I were out shopping and he mentions that what he REALLY wants for Christmas is a new laptop computer AND he would like the gift presented to him early and not under the tree on Christmas morning. So no buying it off the internet (most likely the cheapest place to get it). So I call up my best friend who works at Circuit City. She says no problem she will help me get a laptop with her discount. Yippee. Now that is efficiency working for me. So I am meeting her today to get the laptop. Word to the wise (or not so wise): unless you have a most fabulous wife who will forgo decorating the last of 6 (count them 6) Christmas trees in the house to run out to get you a last minute gift, don't wait till the last minute.

Our fun filled 8 days in Disney World is coming to a start quickly. The count down is on!! Our advent calendar has quickly become a count down to Disney calendar. The kids are more than excited and there are times it seems that they are floating on the ceiling. We are shopping for snacks and food for the trip today and getting laundry done. Tomorrow is the beginning of packing the trailer.

A month ago I made reservations for where we will be eating during our stay. We have the dining package so all our food for two full meals is included. We will have a 'walk up' meal each day and a "sit down" meal. For the walk up meal we each get an entree, drink, and dessert. For the sit down meal we get an appetizer, entree, drink and dessert. Salad comes with most entrees so it makes it a four course meal. Wow. So all we need to take is food for most breakfasts, one dinner, and snacks. (Oh we get one snack each day per person in the parks also). We are eating with the princesses one night, with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger another night, we are eating at the Grand Floridian (fancy), Wolfgang Puck's Restaurant, and at the 50's Prime Time Cafe, Toy Story Pizza Planet (Woody and Buzz hang out around there), and at the Trail's End Restaurant in our campground.

You know, I think I am more excited than the kids right now!