1971DBday
Keep moving forward!
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2009
Welcome to our "12 Days to Disney Holiday" Fast Track Pre-trip Report! As our family gets ready for our next magical trip to WDW I will share all of the planning that is finally coming together, but yes it is just 12 days to our trip. Now for those of you who are serious planners, I must warn you, we do not plan our days out...we just do what we feel like doing that day. Maybe there is a discussion the day before, but that is as far out as we go. 
I know...I know...but this is our 5th year in a row on top of other vacations to WDW for a total of 8 trips for me and about 15 for my DH.
Before I get into the plans we do have let's do introductions. We are from a suburb of Chicago and my DH and I have been married for over 15 years. We met when we were teenagers working at the same family owned grocery store, but went to two different high schools. We date for a little over two years, but it ended when DH went off to college (he was a year ahead of me). We were just in two different worlds. A year after I graduated from college I was talking to some girlfriends as to good vs. bad relationships and my DHs name came up. He was the best relationship I had ever been in....so what would be a good mature way to re-connect??? Oh lets drop off a letter to his home and hope that the family still lives there. Well they did...after a few weeks of dating we were exclusive again and then 4 months later he proposed on my b-day by taking me on a horse drawn carriage ride through downtown Chicago. Now fast forward through good and bad times and three kids later....
DH (Jeff): great Dad, kid at heart, animal lover, and loves throwing out smart cracks (even though it's sometimes only funny to him). He is the one that re-introduced me to WDW. His family used to go to WDW every Christmas for a few weeks. Their gift to us then for our wedding was a honeymoon in WDW at the WL that had just opened. I did NO planning for this trip, but we still had a magical time but not enough to get me addicted. DH really works two jobs right now and is very busy througout the whole year. He works in sales for one company and is also a co-owner of a home improvement company and manages the sales end of things, so unfortunately as much as we relax in WDW he still needs to take phone calls...he is just no allowed to do this in front of me.
DD14 (Marisa): a teenager.... she really is a good girl most of the time, but we have entered that stage that she knows EVERYTHING!!! However, focus on the postive...she is my smart, articulate, self-motivator, and a huge help to us. We are celebrating her graduation from grade school and the fact that she made the honor roll for her first semester of high school. We are so proud of all of the hard work she has put in, especially since two of her courses are sophmore level. She dreams of being a Disney Imagineer one day...maybe she will create more thrill rides for WDW!!!
DS11 (Jeffrey): a compasionate, quirky, video game loving and always happy young man. This kid can teach a few lessons to adults on how to always have a positive attitude. We will be adding a celbration for him as well! You see Jeffrey gets bored easily and is not a very organized kids, in fact we are always asking him if he has remembered to do daily activities that he is responsible for and there is always a little self-biff to the forehead and Jeffrey running out of the room to go take care of the forgotten item(s). He is a smart kid, just other things on his mind....well we will be celebrating that Jeffrey got straight A's on his recent report card (with a note that he needs to improve his organizational skills...shocker
).
DD4 (Hannah aka "Princess Hannah"): and boy is she the Princess of the family!!! When we decided to have one last child we did not know things would be so challenging. When we had our other two it happened right away with minimal complications, but not with the last one. I wanted to have one last child before being considered of "advanced maternal age", but my body did not agree. I had five miscarriages before they figured out my problem...so a few hormone meds later I was blessed with Hannah. She is mini-me....she is Mommy's little girl and is probably a little spoiled. She has not had a year of her life that we haven't gone to WDW. But she wins me over with her smile, her imagination and her cuddles. She is excited as she becomes our big girl!
Me (Kathy): tired, overworked, can't wait for my nap by the pool, wife and Mom of 3. I work in a managerial position at a local hospital in a non-clinical function. I do love what I am doing, but it can be stressful. However, I feel like I am doing good for our patients and that passion keeps me going. I am considered a tough person by co-workers (bossy, straight forward and non-leanient when it comes to the rules), but that is because my job is not about making friends it's about the patients. However, I love my family and I love letting all of that go and relaxing and being silly in WDW. I sometimes struggle though when I see people being rude or idiots and that seems to bring the work me out. Deep breaths...
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I know...I know...but this is our 5th year in a row on top of other vacations to WDW for a total of 8 trips for me and about 15 for my DH.Before I get into the plans we do have let's do introductions. We are from a suburb of Chicago and my DH and I have been married for over 15 years. We met when we were teenagers working at the same family owned grocery store, but went to two different high schools. We date for a little over two years, but it ended when DH went off to college (he was a year ahead of me). We were just in two different worlds. A year after I graduated from college I was talking to some girlfriends as to good vs. bad relationships and my DHs name came up. He was the best relationship I had ever been in....so what would be a good mature way to re-connect??? Oh lets drop off a letter to his home and hope that the family still lives there. Well they did...after a few weeks of dating we were exclusive again and then 4 months later he proposed on my b-day by taking me on a horse drawn carriage ride through downtown Chicago. Now fast forward through good and bad times and three kids later....
DH (Jeff): great Dad, kid at heart, animal lover, and loves throwing out smart cracks (even though it's sometimes only funny to him). He is the one that re-introduced me to WDW. His family used to go to WDW every Christmas for a few weeks. Their gift to us then for our wedding was a honeymoon in WDW at the WL that had just opened. I did NO planning for this trip, but we still had a magical time but not enough to get me addicted. DH really works two jobs right now and is very busy througout the whole year. He works in sales for one company and is also a co-owner of a home improvement company and manages the sales end of things, so unfortunately as much as we relax in WDW he still needs to take phone calls...he is just no allowed to do this in front of me.
DD14 (Marisa): a teenager....
she really is a good girl most of the time, but we have entered that stage that she knows EVERYTHING!!! However, focus on the postive...she is my smart, articulate, self-motivator, and a huge help to us. We are celebrating her graduation from grade school and the fact that she made the honor roll for her first semester of high school. We are so proud of all of the hard work she has put in, especially since two of her courses are sophmore level. She dreams of being a Disney Imagineer one day...maybe she will create more thrill rides for WDW!!!
DS11 (Jeffrey): a compasionate, quirky, video game loving and always happy young man. This kid can teach a few lessons to adults on how to always have a positive attitude. We will be adding a celbration for him as well! You see Jeffrey gets bored easily and is not a very organized kids, in fact we are always asking him if he has remembered to do daily activities that he is responsible for and there is always a little self-biff to the forehead and Jeffrey running out of the room to go take care of the forgotten item(s). He is a smart kid, just other things on his mind....well we will be celebrating that Jeffrey got straight A's on his recent report card (with a note that he needs to improve his organizational skills...shocker
).
DD4 (Hannah aka "Princess Hannah"): and boy is she the Princess of the family!!! When we decided to have one last child we did not know things would be so challenging. When we had our other two it happened right away with minimal complications, but not with the last one. I wanted to have one last child before being considered of "advanced maternal age", but my body did not agree. I had five miscarriages before they figured out my problem...so a few hormone meds later I was blessed with Hannah. She is mini-me....she is Mommy's little girl and is probably a little spoiled. She has not had a year of her life that we haven't gone to WDW. But she wins me over with her smile, her imagination and her cuddles. She is excited as she becomes our big girl!
Me (Kathy): tired, overworked, can't wait for my nap by the pool, wife and Mom of 3. I work in a managerial position at a local hospital in a non-clinical function. I do love what I am doing, but it can be stressful. However, I feel like I am doing good for our patients and that passion keeps me going. I am considered a tough person by co-workers (bossy, straight forward and non-leanient when it comes to the rules), but that is because my job is not about making friends it's about the patients. However, I love my family and I love letting all of that go and relaxing and being silly in WDW. I sometimes struggle though when I see people being rude or idiots and that seems to bring the work me out. Deep breaths...
We then have an ADR for DD14's favorite restaurant Teppan Edo at 6 p.m..
Leaving on 1:30 p.m. flight back to Chicago.
)
The warm weather ended here and I am not going to pack the summer clothes away, unpack and re-pack back into suitcases. Plus, I love looking at them (not so much on the tripping over them). I have gotten out the Disney rain ponchos, bags and other past trip items that we will bringing with us. I have most of our supplies packed (shampoo, soap, detergent, etc.).
) and the cat (Tink). 
Trying to pack lighter this year. I always end up doing laundry...so why bring all of this extra crap. Pack light so souveniers can go in the bags.
Yay!!! I'm not just talking to myself!!!! I have very good kids (most of the time). I have my quirks and they have theirs, but I push them and tell them every day how important school is to their future. I want each of them to do something that they are passionate about; that way they will be happy in the future. Hannah is ready for kindergarten and asks almost every day when she can start. She is counting to 100, knows her ABCs, loves books and is writing her name. So I am not worried about her.
) but we are paying out of pocket this year.
for joining my quick pre-trip report! DD14 and DH are really looking forward to this once in a lifetime experience. I will have to ask a lot of questions and take notes at dinner so I can let everyone know what it was like. It better be for the little of $400 it's costing us! It is a 3 hour tour which includes a two hour education on dolphins and their care and then 45 minutes of water time with the dolphins. Classes are small - I believe a maximum of 4 per tour group.
This will be a weekend of laundry, cleaning (I hate coming home from vacation to a dirty house), packing, and xmas decorations. 
What did I say????
except for the phone call. Everything seemed to have been handled very smoothly by those involved. The last time they had a Code Green I wasn't there either, but the one before that I was on my own for about 3 hours with about 25 staff members to assist in the situation. 
! A little history here....DH doesn't get excited or ready until the day before the trip. There is no need for planning in his eyes....He is only worried about his stuff, while I am the crazed maniac worrying about everything else - kids, pets arrangements, oh yeah and lastly myself. So for DH to be getting excited and actually wanting to pack is a miracle in itself!!!
SunnyB1066!!!! I love my lists...I drive everyone nuts with them but they are a deterrent to others from wanting to be any part of my lists!!! (insert evil laught here) We will still be there when you arrive!!! I am so excited to have 11 full days in WDW, but I have been attempted a few times with extending the vacation and trying to leave early!! Then reality sets in and the vision of my children waking up Christmas morning with nothing under the tree just kaboshes the whole idea.
Typically I become an overstressed - psychotic individual about 2 weeks before I leave on vacation. You see, I cannot relax unless I know things have been dealt with, addressed or being handled by a sensible and accountable human being...otherwise I do NOT relax. So I tend to try to get 6 months of work finalized in 2 weeks. This year...I'm feeling a little odd. I feel a little more relaxed that it will all be here when I get back and "whatayagoin2doaboutit"....
So here I am with a drink in each hand and two in the cup holders pushing a stroller uphill with my body....it was interesting.
I am trying to stay up to date so I have set an alarm reminder for the day before in my phone to check to see if it is going to happen.
