Our 8th WDW Adventure..the trip I 'took out' one of my teenage sons..that's Rippin'!

Here it is, the next installment in our Disney adventures hot off the press for your reading pleasure. For those who’ve followed my last reports (and I, theirs) rest assured that this report will rival my first from January ’09. One of y’all must’ve ratted me out to Tinkerbell and had her read my last report because she tracked us down after we got to WDW and thoroughly flogged us with her wand o’pixie dust. We inhaled. Then we drank the water. The result was a rocket-shot straight to the top of the magic-meter....and our faith in wishing upon stars to make dreams come true has been restored in full and then some. So....please stand clear of the doors....por favor mantanganse alijado de las puertas....hold onto your hats and glasses, ‘cause this here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!!!!


Preface: ((<---heh-heh...Who puts a preface in their TRs???))

I couldn’t do this report justice without a bit of back-story for the usual gang out there who tunes in. Everyone else can just skip forward. Let’s be honest, we all sorta vaguely follow each other’s lives indirectly by reading each others’ reports and conversing over various topics. We catch the milestones as they relate to our common thread of Disney addiction. I don’t know if others are as insane as we are but our lives tend to revolve around our Disney adventures in some way, shape, or form. The significance of our 8th family adventure can’t be appreciated unless you hear some of the highlights since we last left you at the conclusion of our 7th trip in January this year.

Did ya notice the underlying sadness in that last trip and report? We did. For months we blamed it on Mother Nature’s cruel-n-frigid prank with the weather. As 2010 progressed we came to understand where the dark cloud that seemed to follow us around really came from. It came from us. Yep. We did that. Going into that trip we knew that this year was going to be rough. Tracey had already been job searching for over a month. We knew his project was nearing completion and jobs in his line of work were evaporating daily. Even with the nest-egg we had worked so hard to prepare ourselves with, the uncertainty the future held was overwhelming. So we arrived at WDW on that trip not knowing if or when we’d be able to return. The thought that we were staring down what could potentially be our last adventure for quite some time was heartbreaking. For an example: the joy & excitement in arriving was overshadowed from the very start by the sad idea that we possibly wouldn’t have that again. You see? It was those kinds of things that had us dragging that dark rain cloud around with us everywhere we went. At the conclusion of our January 2010 trip we actually gave thought to the idea that maybe our pixie dusted glasses had been shattered and the magic that used to live within our hearts had all but died. I wasn’t sure we’d ever go back even if everything worked out in the months to come.

And then life has it’s way of flinging the perspective stick it at you. In our family’s case, it was the whole stinkin’ tree.

Our year of insanity included: Tracey unemployed for the first time in 17 years, me standing up to the bubba’s in the public school system here and taking back control of our children’s educations, Tracey set a new record for himself (gotta laugh) for the most number of employers within a single year at 4 while the boys & I plunged headlong into homeschool together which is HUGE and life-changing in itself. It’s been crazy with all the twists-n-turns and the ups-n-downs. There were numerous times we could literally see ourselves losing everything we’ve worked so hard for all these years. In spite of everything that life threw at us, we were still happier than we’d been in a long time. Like Mama Odie says to Tiana & Naveen, ya gotta know whatcha neeeeeed. With each other we have always had everything we needed. Everything else, all the stuff, even Walt Disney World...it’s all just the lagniappe. Without life kicking us square in the tookus so our big ol’ heads could pop out for 2 1/2 minutes we might have gone on overlooking the best stuff in life.

And so we arrived at our 8th Walt Disney World adventure raring to go with a renewed perspective and a whole lot to be thankful for: each other.





Enough of all that mushy-gushy stuff. Let’s get this show on the road!

Here’s the particulars and the plan:

WHO: Tracey/DH, Chandler/DS-14 yro, Brian/DS-13 yro, Riley Belle/DFG (Dear Furry Girl), and Kelly/me!

WHERE & WHEN: (it was a 3 week multi-part road trip)

<-- 11/8-11/11..........Gramma’s house in Pensacola, Florida
<-- 11/11-11/21........Walt Disney World: Port Orleans French Quarter and Best Friends Pet Resort
<-- 11/21-11/28........My folk’s house/Nana & Grandpaw’s house in Monroeville, Alabama

THE TWISTS:

The boys & I aren’t limited to the schedule that Tracey has with work. We drove and had fun along the way. Tracey flew in to meet us at WDW on arrival day and flew back to Houston on departure day. Thanksgiving morning he flew again & I picked him up. Even with all the gas in the car added to Tracey’s airfare(s) we still spent less than we would’ve for the 4 of us to fly round trip to Orlando. We haven’t had our own car at WDW with us since our 4th family trip. Having our car there was something I really, really wanted again and am sooooo glad we did. Besides, I love a good road trip and that time spent with just me & the boys was a blast!

 

[Kerby626]

Looks like a blast... I love reading your TR esp since I wanan go so bad

I say you come do the DL 1/2 with me in Sept or atleast come see us at home in 2 weeks

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Looks like a blast... I love reading your TR esp since I wanan go so bad

I say you come do the DL 1/2 with me in Sept or atleast come see us at home in 2 weeks

Awww...I want y'all to be able to go again super bad, too. Honestly, at this point WDW has begun to feel more like a habit. I still love it & have a blast. And would you believe that when thinking of going other places on vacation a factor in the thought process is "Where would I post a TR for that???". Lol! There's just so much out there we still want to xo that's not WDW including Disney experiences that aren't in Florida. The reality of that has totally sunk in. We have no more trips planned & don't really feel the urge. There's like this comforting calm in that. It's weird.

I'm still working on the details but it's looking like I'll be seeing you in P'Cola soon! Hopefully nothing will come up. Will be in touch!

Love & hugs!

 

[tiaragirl]

I say that with such love & admiration. Honest. Not everyone has the ability to capture a moment the way you do. Looove that!

How old is your sister??? I have a 13 yro & soon-to-be 15 yro...both are very good boys & I've drilled 'em to death about treatin' the ladies right...

Girlll, I will take that as a compliment only because you swear it is one. Hahahhaa.

Carly will be 17 this year (where does the timeee go, I'm gonna be 21 ack), and I feel like she'd be giving any boys a run for their money. She and Mom fight constantly, she's a rough one to impress. But then, I *was* the good child..

Thanks for another great report, Kelly. Serrrriously, moment-capturing all the way through. WHEN are you going back, your TRs really do make my weeeeek hahaha.

 

[WDWFigment]

I haven't even started reading your holiday TR. It's like I'm saving it because I know once I start I'll be totally $ucked in and won't be able to stop reading. LOL! Now I can't wait to see what you had to say about EO! Twice?! Okay, I see the importance of napping and all but in EO??? You must not dream loose, strange things based upon what you're hearing when you are sleeping. I do so I try really hard not to fall asleep while the tv is on. Could you imagine the strange things the brain could conjure with EO??? ((shutters))

The POFQ gators are neat. My first impression when I saw them the first time was "meh" because they're just standing out on the walkway not part of any vingette or anything. They seemed sorta odd. But now if they weren't there it'd feel like the path needs something. Their randomness is they're key. In the French Quarter in New Orleans it's not uncommon for a random group of 3 or 4 fellows to parade themselves along not part of any event or anything. They just do it because it's something they enjoy. That's what these gators represent to me. They're the random treat. I'd love to see what angles you'd find to capture them in photos. You have such a way with capturing elements so that their purpose is brilliant and their existance is celebrated.

The preface. Ya know, when I typed it I had the thought that that was something I'd expect you to do more than me which, of course, made me laugh at the time.

Schools. I try not to be too brutal overall because the thought of being an educator in this day & age is just terrifying on many levels. Those folks have a tough job to say the very least because they're subjected to every nasty deformity society has to offer on a daily basis. I can only speak of the district we are in currently. If the people here from the superintendant down to the assistant principal at the middle school cared to educate children half as much as they do about maintaining their social circles via the students in their schools we'd not be homeschooling today. The bad influences are another subject entirely. When the time comes just follow your heart and you'll be on the right path when making decisions for your kiddos. You & Sarah will make incredible parents someday! How could you not?! They'll be little Disney afficianados from the get-go! LOL!

LaL. I agree. The idea of what they did is great but the execution could've been better. I look at the pics of that area from when I was a kid and the entry plaza was truly awe-inspiring in it's minimalistic approach. With all the large granite walls (they have a very heavy feel in size & material) in that space it takes away from the grandeure and lends a cluttered, disruptive feel that impacts the "story" when you initially enter Epcot. Agreed. The people who are all "destroy the tombstones" and so-on are the ones that irk me. They allow their opinions to close their minds to the point they don't give thought to the idea of what LaL was intended to do or consider that it's something someone else might like. They're just "I hate it & won't rest until it's erased". See, I realize you aren't a fan of LaL in the form that it exists but I also can tell that you have given it thought and, even tho you don't just looooove it, you appreciate what the thought behind LaL was. Does that make sense? I tend to be kinda confusing, I know. LOL!

In all our years/trips I've only encountered one Photopass photographer that I could tell was a photographer. We ended up having a long conversation with him about what he did. His goal was to continue with the Photopass thing for a set amount of time then open a studio of his own. He had a purpose in what he was doing which truly reflected in the pictures he took. The problem with not taking the card is that when Chandler has had his camera he never has it on an automatic setting. Every picture taken by a photopass photographer when Chandler handed off his camera was out of focus. The fact that not one photographer could look throught the view-finder and make a focus adjustment speaks volumes. Or am I just expecting too much? LOL!

Teenage drama. Read what I responded to Jen above. Don't*even*think*anything*negative or it will happen to you, too. LOL! Naw, the teenage thing is aggravating but it comes with the territory. I suppose it'll all be part of the memories when we get down the road. We'll look back at all the flying mood-swings and have a good laugh sorta like the terrible-twos. If only a pacifier and few moments of solitude would cure the teen angst episodes...life would be a cake walk with these guys! LOL!

Thanks for tuning in & sharing your thoughts. It means a lot to get good comments from others who write the bestest of TRs themselves. Not that I think I've ever seen you comment on someone's report with anything even remotely negative. Oooooh....kudos to your folks! They produced a person who knows the meaning of the Golden Rule..... Way to go! :wave:

I could not fathom being a teacher in today’s society. I have the utmost respect for those who are, especially in larger cities. It’s something you truly could not pay me enough to do. I doubt anyone would want me as a teacher, in the first place, as I doubt that I have the patience for it (at least that’s what I’ve been told!).

The LaL topic seems to be a divisive one. The internet is hardly the front-line of rational discourse, so I generally don’t get too worked up about what people say; like you say, people are close-minded. Personally, I find that pretty low on the totem pole of things I’d like to see fixed in the parks. I think moving them at some point would be nice for the aesthetics of the park (to where, I don’t know), but I’m certainly not going to make that my life’s cause!

With PhotoPass photographers, we hand off both Sarah’s AND my camera (both DSLRs) and I set the burst rate as high as possible, so they generally take 4-5 photos each time they depress the shutter. Even then, we’ve had times when not a single photo has turned out. This really irks me, as I preset the camera with the exact settings it needs. All they need to do is look through the viewfinder and properly compose the shot. And yet, they fail. I realize my expectations are probably higher than the average guest, but it still really irritates me.

 

[Soaringirl]

I have been reading/savoring your TR for the better part of 2 weeks now and it was so wonderful!! :sohappy: My family was there at the same time as yours at POFQ (12-19th) and every morning my daughter and I would look for you guys at Sassagoula so we could say hi! (But we never saw you..) Every morning it was the same, my daughter would say ok, lets look for a pretty blonde woman with a cabbage patch doll, two cute teenage boys and a man who you don't remember what he looks like. (sorry Tracey!) Then my husband would say who are you looking for and we'd answer "Sweetpee" and my daughter would usually add "duh"!

I loved the picture of the Ford Falcon, we used to have one when I was a kid!

Brian's reaction to the birthday cha, cha cha song - perfect! I've so heard that line about that better not happen to me before...

Very good to know about Turner delivering to the resorts. I always seem to have to make a trip to the 24 hr. Walgreens in the middle of the night because we need something unexpected.

Love the Doom Bugy plate for the car, it's awesome.

Loved your Dooney and your shoes!


Reading your report reminded me of a few things we didn't get to, for instance the animation class where you learned how to draw pooh. That must have been fun. We also wanted to see the Gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian, that looks really great. Oh well, something to look forward to in the future I guess..

Thank you for sharing your beautiful family,(Aunt Laura and the ever adorable Riley Belle included) for yet another great experience with us. I'm so sad it's over but now I can start some other reports I noticed.

 

[TakeMeThere81]

Ok, so I JUST finished your TR!! I actually loved reading about your drive over, because I know it well! We drove a bunch of times between 2008-2009, either from Mobile, AL or Pensacola, FL. And yes, that one stretch is B-O-R-I-N-G. And...that exit that gets you heading South is the best!:sohappy:

Ok that aside, loved the rest of your TR too. I laughed a lot! Your commentary is awesome. I literally have too many things to comment on and since it took me a few days off and on to read through the report, I can't really remember everything! Here are a few of my highlighted thoughts:

Your commentary RE: Teenage boys was great. I have an-almost-11-year old son, and all my friends' kids are younger. So I feel like the trail-blazer here. It was so great to hear some perspective of a mom and dad with teenage boys!

I love the pic at Fort Langhorn looking down at Tracey and Chandler. They look so alike!

Loved your morning pics at MK! I LOVE those moments. I really can't think of a better morning than waking up early and knowing you're headed to WDW!:sohappy:

And before you even said anything about your PhotoPass pics, I was like... :-? What's up with those?? Yeah, I'm sorry lady, they gave you some serious suckage with those pics. Well, you know, for what is expected at least.

I loved the pic of the throngs when the park opened, and that one family out front with their Mickey tees. Epic.

Oh, and BTW, my DH and I are preparing for our first WDW trip sans the littel people(i.e. our kids). As an anniversary gift(10 years) he surprised me with a trip to plan to WDW including the Princess Half Marathon! Whoop-whoop!! Ain't he the greatest?!? I can't wait to experience WDW just us, a sappy, still-in-love couple. Although we love them so much and I'm sure I'll have a few weepy-mommy moments where I'm missing them and remembering moments from them at WDW(and they'll probably be royally ed when they learn we went without them)...I'm still excited to finally get to ride some rides with my DH rather than always swapping. And no stroller?? What?!? I'm excited to wear ourselves out with things other than sherpa-ing all of our crap through the parks, kwim?

Your Riley Belle is a cutie little thing. Loved the doggy water fountain.

I know the iPhone thing well. DH gives me crap b/c I have Facebook on my smart phone and I check it throughout the day. BUT...when he is on there throughout the day checking news constantly, oh that is ok I guess... Still luvvvv him bunches though!

I loved the pic from WL of the giant tree, the one where you're basically looking up at it from the bottom of it. That one's cool!

Anyway, I said brief so I'm going to cut myself off at that! Great report, and I'm so glad you had a great trip!!

 

[mrmischief]

What an awesome read! Thoroughly enjoyed your TR and the pics were terrific too. As we live so far away :brick: and it is megabucks to arrange a WDW trip. Thank you for sharing your vacation. I too am the mum of two boys and can totally sympathise with the bickering and squabbling that goes on between them.
Autumn 2012 bring it on, cannot wait to get back there!:sohappy:

 

[wishes2013]

Great report! We were at the French quarter the 19-27, so we probably crossed paths a few times. We also saw that really tall cm at potc. Some kid walked by and said " are you really that tall?" and the cm replied "are you really that short?" we thought it was really funny.:ROFLOL: I liked the nerd stuff too. My 4 year old cousin called his nerd Mickey pin "teacher mickey". Great report and I can't wait to read more of yours!

 

[popsicletrees]

Alright, so I'm late to this party, but let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed your TR! I read it from beginning to end.

I hope everything is going well with homeschooling. I am actually getting my Master's right now to teach. I actually have a year long internship in a public school, and I am teaching 11th grade U.S. History. I love it! I love the students, and I love being in the classroom. A lot of people think that I'm crazy for wanting to teach high schoolers, but they are a really fun age group. I will say though that throughout my education classes there are times that I come home to my husband and tell him that we are homeschooling our kids - not because of the students but the way that the system is going.

I'm glad that Tinkerbell came and dropped a big whopping pile of pixie dust on your trip. You had me laughing the whole way through, and your boys did too. Brian's poses were so funny! When you mentioned the kitchen in Mickey's house it made me think of the first time my husband saw it. He stopped in his tracks and said, "What happened in here? It looks like someone was massacred!" LOL! So, yes, I really enjoyed it, and I am completely jealous that you had such a long trip with beautiful weather.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Girlll, I will take that as a compliment only because you swear it is one. Hahahhaa.

Carly will be 17 this year (where does the timeee go, I'm gonna be 21 ack), and I feel like she'd be giving any boys a run for their money. She and Mom fight constantly, she's a rough one to impress. But then, I *was* the good child..

Thanks for another great report, Kelly. Serrrriously, moment-capturing all the way through. WHEN are you going back, your TRs really do make my weeeeek hahaha.

As each day goes by I'm finding the teenage years to be more and more a test of my sanity. I'm foretelling a day when the constant parental-challenging-lip-flapping will dig a hole the boy can't escape and it'll be game-on. Seriously. It's tough. I feel ya. My niece who was born shortly after Tracey & I were married (she's always been close with me) is 17 now and I just wanna cry! Where DO the years go???

Thanks for the kind words about my report. I have no clue when we'll get back to WDW. Right now the main focus is paying our taxes and staying in the green with all our bills. Hopefully it will be sooner than later. The past 2 weeks we've been on a side-trip of sorts that I'd love to report on but I have nowhere to put it. Seen some amazing stuff and finally experienced.....**gasp**.....that cold, white crap that falls out of the sky!

I could not fathom being a teacher in today’s society. I have the utmost respect for those who are, especially in larger cities. It’s something you truly could not pay me enough to do. I doubt anyone would want me as a teacher, in the first place, as I doubt that I have the patience for it (at least that’s what I’ve been told!).

The LaL topic seems to be a divisive one. The internet is hardly the front-line of rational discourse, so I generally don’t get too worked up about what people say; like you say, people are close-minded. Personally, I find that pretty low on the totem pole of things I’d like to see fixed in the parks. I think moving them at some point would be nice for the aesthetics of the park (to where, I don’t know), but I’m certainly not going to make that my life’s cause!

With PhotoPass photographers, we hand off both Sarah’s AND my camera (both DSLRs) and I set the burst rate as high as possible, so they generally take 4-5 photos each time they depress the shutter. Even then, we’ve had times when not a single photo has turned out. This really irks me, as I preset the camera with the exact settings it needs. All they need to do is look through the viewfinder and properly compose the shot. And yet, they fail. I realize my expectations are probably higher than the average guest, but it still really irritates me.

Aw, Tom, you'd be surprised how much patience you can have. Teach something you love to an age-group you can communicate with and you're in. Never say never. You never know where you'll end up, right?

Yeah, the LaL thing is a very divisive topic. I agree, not high on the list of things that need addressing. On a side note, when we did Lunch w/an Imagineer another fellow guest and I had our Imagineer cracking up telling him how the LaL thing is thought of and the words commonly used to describe it. He seemed to have genuinely never heard those things then launched into a dozen or more questions about other topics to see what the online concensus was. It was cute!

Photopass, yeah, not pre-ordering the CD again. I'm gonna start handing off my point-and-shoot then order on a per photo basis if it's warranted. Such a shame. The pics and frames started out being my favorite souvenirs from our adventures.

I have been reading/savoring your TR for the better part of 2 weeks now and it was so wonderful!! :sohappy: My family was there at the same time as yours at POFQ (12-19th) and every morning my daughter and I would look for you guys at Sassagoula so we could say hi! (But we never saw you..) Every morning it was the same, my daughter would say ok, lets look for a pretty blonde woman with a cabbage patch doll, two cute teenage boys and a man who you don't remember what he looks like. (sorry Tracey!) Then my husband would say who are you looking for and we'd answer "Sweetpee" and my daughter would usually add "duh"!

I loved the picture of the Ford Falcon, we used to have one when I was a kid!

Brian's reaction to the birthday cha, cha cha song - perfect! I've so heard that line about that better not happen to me before...

Very good to know about Turner delivering to the resorts. I always seem to have to make a trip to the 24 hr. Walgreens in the middle of the night because we need something unexpected.

Love the Doom Bugy plate for the car, it's awesome.

Loved your Dooney and your shoes!


Reading your report reminded me of a few things we didn't get to, for instance the animation class where you learned how to draw pooh. That must have been fun. We also wanted to see the Gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian, that looks really great. Oh well, something to look forward to in the future I guess..

Thank you for sharing your beautiful family,(Aunt Laura and the ever adorable Riley Belle included) for yet another great experience with us. I'm so sad it's over but now I can start some other reports I noticed.

Oh wow! You were there and I missed you! At the same resort, too!!!! In hind-site I kinda wish I had brought Ellie Boo with me. Maybe folks would've recognized me then. In the moment I had so much going on between all the homeschool stuff and packing us off for a trip etc. etc. I just didn't see foolin' with a dolly, too. Your daughter is so sweet, pretty blonde lady. LOL! I'm more red than blonde although I think the chunky blonde in the front captured in photos gives people the impression I'm blonde. LOL! That's funny to me! I wonder if you remember if seeing a teenage boy in a wheelchair. That woulda been us.

Yeah, Turner delivers to the resorts and the charges get tacked onto your room charge. In May of '08 when we stayed at POFQ I underestimated how much bar soap to bring with me (I can only use Dove). We spent a day or two checking every sundry shop of every resort we went in before we asked at the front desk if they had any suggestions of which resort would be best to look at for Dove soap. We were given the number for Turner and told anything we need that's generally found at family-owned type drug store could be ordered and delivered. WooHOOO!!! So Turner is also good for other stuff, too. If you do a Garden Grocer order you have a minimum to meet that would make ordering a couple bars of soap totally unrealistic. Ya know?

Hope your trip was as wonderful as ours. And thanks again for all the kind words. I always enjoy sharing our adventures with others!

Ok, so I JUST finished your TR!! I actually loved reading about your drive over, because I know it well! We drove a bunch of times between 2008-2009, either from Mobile, AL or Pensacola, FL. And yes, that one stretch is B-O-R-I-N-G. And...that exit that gets you heading South is the best!:sohappy:

Ok that aside, loved the rest of your TR too. I laughed a lot! Your commentary is awesome. I literally have too many things to comment on and since it took me a few days off and on to read through the report, I can't really remember everything! Here are a few of my highlighted thoughts:

Your commentary RE: Teenage boys was great. I have an-almost-11-year old son, and all my friends' kids are younger. So I feel like the trail-blazer here. It was so great to hear some perspective of a mom and dad with teenage boys!

I love the pic at Fort Langhorn looking down at Tracey and Chandler. They look so alike!

Loved your morning pics at MK! I LOVE those moments. I really can't think of a better morning than waking up early and knowing you're headed to WDW!:sohappy:

And before you even said anything about your PhotoPass pics, I was like... :-? What's up with those?? Yeah, I'm sorry lady, they gave you some serious suckage with those pics. Well, you know, for what is expected at least.

I loved the pic of the throngs when the park opened, and that one family out front with their Mickey tees. Epic.

Oh, and BTW, my DH and I are preparing for our first WDW trip sans the littel people(i.e. our kids). As an anniversary gift(10 years) he surprised me with a trip to plan to WDW including the Princess Half Marathon! Whoop-whoop!! Ain't he the greatest?!? I can't wait to experience WDW just us, a sappy, still-in-love couple. Although we love them so much and I'm sure I'll have a few weepy-mommy moments where I'm missing them and remembering moments from them at WDW(and they'll probably be royally ed when they learn we went without them)...I'm still excited to finally get to ride some rides with my DH rather than always swapping. And no stroller?? What?!? I'm excited to wear ourselves out with things other than sherpa-ing all of our crap through the parks, kwim?

Your Riley Belle is a cutie little thing. Loved the doggy water fountain.

I know the iPhone thing well. DH gives me crap b/c I have Facebook on my smart phone and I check it throughout the day. BUT...when he is on there throughout the day checking news constantly, oh that is ok I guess... Still luvvvv him bunches though!

I loved the pic from WL of the giant tree, the one where you're basically looking up at it from the bottom of it. That one's cool!

Anyway, I said brief so I'm going to cut myself off at that! Great report, and I'm so glad you had a great trip!!

Oh thanks for all the great comments. You're so right about the drive, the teenage boys, etc. etc. And y'all are going on a trip sans kiddos?! Oh you're gonna totally love it! We did that in May of '08 and it was A-Mazing! The first few days we felt almost naked. Something was most definitely missing. Then there was the pangs of guilt over being there and leaving the kids behind with Nana. But then, we got relaxed and really into each other which isn't always easy on a daily basis with life & kids and it ended up being so totally wonderful for us. Tracey's been saying for a while we need to do another getaway for us. We won't be doing that anytime soon for financial reasons but I can see where he's coming from. We do need some us time. Just you wait. You're gonna be in absolute bliss!

What an awesome read! Thoroughly enjoyed your TR and the pics were terrific too. As we live so far away :brick: and it is megabucks to arrange a WDW trip. Thank you for sharing your vacation. I too am the mum of two boys and can totally sympathise with the bickering and squabbling that goes on between them.
Autumn 2012 bring it on, cannot wait to get back there!:sohappy:

A fellow-boys-mommy! Yes. Keeping our sanity is an ongoing project for us. One of my girlfriends has 2 little boys like 6 & 3 years old. She tells me the little hum-dingers her boys come out with and it's so fun looking back. My most recent favorite: "Hey Joey. Let's fight with our heads!"

Thanks for the kind words about my report. Ooooh, you're planning an adventure! The time will fly & it'll be here before you know it. When you get there give the Mouse & gang a big hug for me, too!

Great report! We were at the French quarter the 19-27, so we probably crossed paths a few times. We also saw that really tall cm at potc. Some kid walked by and said " are you really that tall?" and the cm replied "are you really that short?" we thought it was really funny.:ROFLOL: I liked the nerd stuff too. My 4 year old cousin called his nerd Mickey pin "teacher mickey". Great report and I can't wait to read more of yours!

Teacher Mickey! I love it! That tall guy was really super tall! I bet he gets tired of hearing about it but really, how can you not comment on that?! Another fellow French Quarter resident! I wish I'd known so many of us were gonna be there together. We coulda organized a meet-up long enough to take a pic for posterity. Thanks for coming along on the adventure with me. It was a heckuva ride, huh?

Alright, so I'm late to this party, but let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed your TR! I read it from beginning to end.

I hope everything is going well with homeschooling. I am actually getting my Master's right now to teach. I actually have a year long internship in a public school, and I am teaching 11th grade U.S. History. I love it! I love the students, and I love being in the classroom. A lot of people think that I'm crazy for wanting to teach high schoolers, but they are a really fun age group. I will say though that throughout my education classes there are times that I come home to my husband and tell him that we are homeschooling our kids - not because of the students but the way that the system is going.

I'm glad that Tinkerbell came and dropped a big whopping pile of pixie dust on your trip. You had me laughing the whole way through, and your boys did too. Brian's poses were so funny! When you mentioned the kitchen in Mickey's house it made me think of the first time my husband saw it. He stopped in his tracks and said, "What happened in here? It looks like someone was massacred!" LOL! So, yes, I really enjoyed it, and I am completely jealous that you had such a long trip with beautiful weather.

Hey! Late beats never so I'm glad to see ya! I'm slowly trickling into all the reports out there I wanted to catch up with. Your most recent one I've read but haven't posted on. I need to. It was a great adventure!

Homeschooling. **sigh** It was never intended for me to be a teacher. LOL! It has it's moments. I wish we had more options besides homeschooling and public schools. I DO see where beauracracy and other things have imposed crazy limitations on just what the poor souls trying to educate our children can accomplish. Bless those angel-hearts. I'm still seeking other avenues. It's a continual process for me. There has to be a better way. With our local public schools there are serious safety issues that come into play. I'd love to tell the whole sordid tale but it's quite long and I'm sure the masses aren't really that interested. To all other parents all I can say is listen to your kids and watch what goes on closely. Schools aren't what they were when we were growing up. Never assume anything. :lookaroun

We did have a long trip with gorgeous weather. I was so glad. We needed that. We needed all that pixie dust. It was totally fabulous. I don't feel so guilty, tho, hearing all the frozen tales of recent months considering we paid those dues, too. LOL!

Thanks again for all your kind words and for taking the time to post. You're so very sweet! Plus, you revived my TR and reminded me I had posts to respond to!

:wave:

 

[fbp]

I just finished your report. It's the first report I've been able to read since we got back from WDW September 2010. It was excellent! Your writing has great personality.

Thanks!

 

[plaz10]

Wow. I'm not going to lie...I read your whole trip report...twice!! I read it first when you first wrote it, I love your trip reports! So much personality in every post! And your boys are sooo handsome! They are going to be heart breakers, I tell ya! I don't have any younger siblings/cousins but if I did I would send them down your way! Then a few days ago the boyfriend and I booked a trip to Disney for May! So I was bitten with the trip report bug! I read over yours again because I love me a good, detailed trip report! Thanks for writing such a great TR, I appreciate it. It's these types of TR that keep me sane for the next 3 months waiting for my trip.

Hope you guys are able to head down to the World again soon! Hope all is well!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I just finished your report. It's the first report I've been able to read since we got back from WDW September 2010. It was excellent! Your writing has great personality.

Thanks!

Wow! Those are some big-league compliments and really mean a lot. Thank YOU! Ya know, you can always visit my previous reports, too. The first one I did was pretty good. The 2nd I was sick & doesn't follow my format as well as I like. The 3rd report had a kinda dark cloud so it's not high on my list of favorites of things I've written. :animwink:

I love reading trip reports, too. I learn so much from them plus get to go on adventures with other people. It's a total win-win. If anyone has even a minute liking for writing (I looooove to write) I totally recommend creating a trip report as a challenge and a really fun method for capturing the memories.

Thanks again. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :wave:

Wow. I'm not going to lie...I read your whole trip report...twice!! I read it first when you first wrote it, I love your trip reports! So much personality in every post! And your boys are sooo handsome! They are going to be heart breakers, I tell ya! I don't have any younger siblings/cousins but if I did I would send them down your way! Then a few days ago the boyfriend and I booked a trip to Disney for May! So I was bitten with the trip report bug! I read over yours again because I love me a good, detailed trip report! Thanks for writing such a great TR, I appreciate it. It's these types of TR that keep me sane for the next 3 months waiting for my trip.

Hope you guys are able to head down to the World again soon! Hope all is well!

Awww...you're just too sweet to me! Thank you! I thought I was the only person who had a re-readability for my own reports but that's because I get to relive the fun. I love that someone else totally unrelated to me finds a re-readable factor, too! This is the stuff that gets me jazzed about writing reports to begin with.

Hey! Congrats on booking a May trip!!! Yay! You'll be surprised how fast these next 3 months zip by. I know you're about to pop with excitement. I would!

Eh, life is what it is just like with everyone else. Thank God it remains at least mildly entertaining. LOL! Still no solid plans on the next trip so no dates to report just yet. I've been playing with numbers for Disneyland but can't seem to get past the overall amount that costs. We can go to WDW for 10 days for as much as it would cost us to go out to Disneyland for 5 days. :shrug: We're tossing around daydreams of perhaps mid to later September (I'd like to be there for my 18th anniversary on 9/18). We've got some small-ish bills we're targeting for now and a savings account goal before we can actually get serious & make a real plan. For now we're still doing the hypothetical "wouldn't it be nice if-" plan.

 

[Sarabell]

I started reading this TR back in Jan. and then forgot to finish it. How dare I?:brick: I totally loved it!

I really admire you for the family you have. Yes, I know the teen drama can be a pain but your kids will grow out of it like we all do at some point. I love how you cherish every moment spent with your family cause to me family is up there on top of my priority list also. It´s funny how crisis can tear a family apart or bring it closer together, and I´m glad to see the second option happened to your family (it happened to mine too, although we ended up minus one member, my dad) I´m pretty sure you will have many trips like this one to come and I´ll be here ready to read all about those too. :wave:

 

[ABigBrassBand]

Great trip report, Kelly! I enjoyed reading all of it! Didn't even notice that statue in Morocco, will have to check it out next time :ROFLOL:

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I started reading this TR back in Jan. and then forgot to finish it. How dare I?:brick: I totally loved it!

I really admire you for the family you have. Yes, I know the teen drama can be a pain but your kids will grow out of it like we all do at some point. I love how you cherish every moment spent with your family cause to me family is up there on top of my priority list also. It´s funny how crisis can tear a family apart or bring it closer together, and I´m glad to see the second option happened to your family (it happened to mine too, although we ended up minus one member, my dad) I´m pretty sure you will have many trips like this one to come and I´ll be here ready to read all about those too. :wave:

Oh my. You totally brought a tear to my eye. I love that you got all that from reading my trip report. My little family is the biggest accomplishment I could ever have by far. Sorry to hear about your dad but I also gotta give ya kudos for drawing closer to your family when the chips were down. I'm hopeful for many more outstanding adventures with my guys in the years to come. I don't think I could go on a trip and not do a report on it now. I looooove to write these things! :sohappy:

Great trip report, Kelly! I enjoyed reading all of it! Didn't even notice that statue in Morocco, will have to check it out next time :ROFLOL:

Awwww...thanks! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. That's the stuff that makes it worth writing. :animwink:

I was wondering if anyone caught onto the facade in Morocco. I saw that in a TR on another site and added it to my list of must-have pictures. :lol:

 

[Sarabell]

Oh my. You totally brought a tear to my eye. I love that you got all that from reading my trip report. My little family is the biggest accomplishment I could ever have by far. Sorry to hear about your dad but I also gotta give ya kudos for drawing closer to your family when the chips were down. I'm hopeful for many more outstanding adventures with my guys in the years to come. I don't think I could go on a trip and not do a report on it now. I looooove to write these things! :sohappy:

I just got started on my first PTR and I actually liked doing it. I´ll just have to wait and see how I do with the actual trip report. I like writing so I guess I´ll enjoy it. Plus you get to remember everything you did! you´re invited to read it once it´s done and give me some feedback

 

[NewfieFan]

I didn't finish reading this TR either! Then it got buried and I forgot about it, sorry!

Awesome TR! Enjoyed every bit of it. I was going to quote some of what you wrote but there was too much by the end of it. Many a time I found myself laughing out loud or nodding in agreement. You rock the TRs girl!

I'm hoping your 9th adventure to the World will feature a guest appearance with NewfieFan...! :animwink:

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Just read your whole TR, beginning to end! Thanks for making a rather boring work day exciting for me!! Looks like you guys had soooo much fun!! POFQ looks gorgeous!! I've always wanted to stay there.. Maybe someday!

So you guys did enjoy the Behind the Seeds tour? My mother and grandmother are avid gardeners and I was thinking that might be something they would enjoy (along with my sister and myself)

Looks like I just missed you guys down there.. I flew down to Jacksonville, NC to visit the guy I was dating on the 19th and then flew to Orlando on the 22nd for the Thanksgiving week!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I didn't finish reading this TR either! Then it got buried and I forgot about it, sorry!

Awesome TR! Enjoyed every bit of it. I was going to quote some of what you wrote but there was too much by the end of it. Many a time I found myself laughing out loud or nodding in agreement. You rock the TRs girl!

I'm hoping your 9th adventure to the World will feature a guest appearance with NewfieFan...! :animwink:

Awwww...I know you stay super-busy. I do, too. This week my pet-project is b__________g the Veteran's Affairs bureaucracy in Houston so my ex-step-dad who raised me can get the surgery he needs before he succumbs to his illness. They just don't know who they're dealing with yet. But they will.

Oh heck yeah! The 9th adventure shall require guest appearances. I gotta get to work on my presents to bring the little Newfies. I can't wait to meet those little cherubs of yours. LOL!

Just read your whole TR, beginning to end! Thanks for making a rather boring work day exciting for me!! Looks like you guys had soooo much fun!! POFQ looks gorgeous!! I've always wanted to stay there.. Maybe someday!

So you guys did enjoy the Behind the Seeds tour? My mother and grandmother are avid gardeners and I was thinking that might be something they would enjoy (along with my sister and myself)

Looks like I just missed you guys down there.. I flew down to Jacksonville, NC to visit the guy I was dating on the 19th and then flew to Orlando on the 22nd for the Thanksgiving week!

I've done Behind the Seeds twice now. Just like back when they had a live person on the Living with the Land boat ride, when you have a different person as a guide each time you do the tour you get different bits of information which keeps it interesting. Ya know? I loooove cucumbers and the samples I've had on both of the tours were so yummy.

POFQ is such a gorgeous resort. I love it. Very picturesque. I highly recommend it.

Jacksonville, NC, huh? I've been there! Dating a Marine? My cousin, Kerby626 here on WDWMagic and a fellow Disney freak, is a Marine. He was stationed at LeJuene when he was deployed the 1st two times. We drove up to see him before his 1st round. Definitely a military town. We enjoyed the visit to another part of the country. Fun stuff. :wave: