KatMark
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2007
A big 
to all of my old friends and possibly some new friends.
As we all do, here is an intro: I’m the Kat (or Kathy if you will) of the KatMark. I have been to Disney over 25 times now. I’ve been to Disney with my hubby. I’ve been with my hubby and our two boys. I’ve been with my hubby and only one of our boys. I’ve been with my hubby, one of our boys, his girlfriend and our best friends, Nicki and Todd. I’ve been to Disney with my very good DIS friend, Mary and her girls. So, as you can see, I’ve traveled with different parties to Disney over those 25+ visits. And I’ve also been very blessed to have numerous DIS meets during those trips.
My favorite park is the Magic Kingdom. How can it not be? It’s where it is the most magical. My favorite character is Tigger. My favorite Disney movie is Beauty & The Beast. My favorite ride in all of Disney is TOT. And my favorite resort is…………..I can’t tell you. It’s a three way tie – Animal Kingdom Lodge/Kidani, Old Key West and the Boardwalk Villas.
I work for a major law firm in Chicago. I have been employed here 39+ years. By the time I leave here in 2016, I will have started my 41st year. Yes, it’s time to move on. During my away hours, I like to read, watch our favorite shows and read about everyone’s trips to Disney, and hang with my husband and my kids.
I am married to the wonderful Mark of “KatMark”. Mark and I will be married 32 years in May. Mark is the one who really introduced me to Disney and gave me the love that we both now share of Disney. Mark lost his job last June but is now working part-time at Target and loves it. He also umpires baseball games in the spring/summer to pay for our Disney addiction.
We have two sons, one daughter and a maybe second daughter one day.
Andy is the oldest (he’ll be 29 later this month and I don’t know how that happened since I’m only 40 something
). Andy is still searching for that full-time teaching job, but in the meantime he is a permanent substitute English teacher, Head Varsity Baseball coach at the school he substitutes at, and a private baseball instructor (hitting and catching).
Mark is obviously our youngest and is 26 (he’ll have his golden birthday in May of this year). Mark works for a financial company in Dubuque in their IT department. He also is an assistant wrestling coach at Loras College and runs the Dubuque Wrestling Club for youth wrestling.
Alisha is our “daughter” by way of her marriage to Mark almost two years ago, Alisha will be 24 next month. She is the daughter I always wanted. She works for a subsidiary of John Deere, fills in at a nursing home when needed and if she is feeling okay (Alisha was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia last year).
(Nope....NOT their baby...we have a bit to wait for that)
And last, but not least, is Des. Des will be 26 this year and she has been dating Andy for almost four years. When I used to ask (I no longer do), I’m told they just aren’t ready to get married. I think once Andy finds a full-time teaching job, that may change things and make them move a little faster (I sure hope so…I’m not getting any younger). Des is currently not working having lost her job last month. She does work in the summers as a cart girl at the local golf course and does very well for herself. She is currently out in California (and Arizona and Nevada) with her parents for a month.
My family is the most important thing in the world to me...without them, there is nothing
So enough about me and my family. Let’s get on to the trip.
As the title indicates, we had no plans of going to Disney World at all this year. This was going to be the year we were going to finally go to Disneyland. Then Mark lost his job and Disneyland just became too expensive a trip for us the way we want to do it. I know…you are probably all saying, but you are taking three trips to Disney World!!! Yes, yes I am (Mark is only taking one). But I have a wonderful friend at work who rented us her points at our resorts REALLY, REALLY cheap. I received enough gift cards to purchase an Annual Pass AND my boss was very generous to me and part of his Christmas bonus to me paid for our new furniture as well as two sets of our flights). So Disneyland got put on the back burner until my gulp 60th in 2017.
My first trip will be May 3 to May 10. I will be meeting these people:
Yes, I am doing Disney with Nicki and Todd. They will be there May 3 to May 6 midday. After they leave, my friend from work who rented me her points, will be coming in and I will be touring Disney with her until we fly home on Mother’s Day.
So there you have me. The next update will include the where and the start of plans
to all of my old friends and possibly some new friends.As we all do, here is an intro: I’m the Kat (or Kathy if you will) of the KatMark. I have been to Disney over 25 times now. I’ve been to Disney with my hubby. I’ve been with my hubby and our two boys. I’ve been with my hubby and only one of our boys. I’ve been with my hubby, one of our boys, his girlfriend and our best friends, Nicki and Todd. I’ve been to Disney with my very good DIS friend, Mary and her girls. So, as you can see, I’ve traveled with different parties to Disney over those 25+ visits. And I’ve also been very blessed to have numerous DIS meets during those trips.
My favorite park is the Magic Kingdom. How can it not be? It’s where it is the most magical. My favorite character is Tigger. My favorite Disney movie is Beauty & The Beast. My favorite ride in all of Disney is TOT. And my favorite resort is…………..I can’t tell you. It’s a three way tie – Animal Kingdom Lodge/Kidani, Old Key West and the Boardwalk Villas.
I work for a major law firm in Chicago. I have been employed here 39+ years. By the time I leave here in 2016, I will have started my 41st year. Yes, it’s time to move on. During my away hours, I like to read, watch our favorite shows and read about everyone’s trips to Disney, and hang with my husband and my kids.
I am married to the wonderful Mark of “KatMark”. Mark and I will be married 32 years in May. Mark is the one who really introduced me to Disney and gave me the love that we both now share of Disney. Mark lost his job last June but is now working part-time at Target and loves it. He also umpires baseball games in the spring/summer to pay for our Disney addiction.
We have two sons, one daughter and a maybe second daughter one day.
Andy is the oldest (he’ll be 29 later this month and I don’t know how that happened since I’m only 40 something
). Andy is still searching for that full-time teaching job, but in the meantime he is a permanent substitute English teacher, Head Varsity Baseball coach at the school he substitutes at, and a private baseball instructor (hitting and catching).
Mark is obviously our youngest and is 26 (he’ll have his golden birthday in May of this year). Mark works for a financial company in Dubuque in their IT department. He also is an assistant wrestling coach at Loras College and runs the Dubuque Wrestling Club for youth wrestling.
Alisha is our “daughter” by way of her marriage to Mark almost two years ago, Alisha will be 24 next month. She is the daughter I always wanted. She works for a subsidiary of John Deere, fills in at a nursing home when needed and if she is feeling okay (Alisha was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia last year).
(Nope....NOT their baby...we have a bit to wait for that)And last, but not least, is Des. Des will be 26 this year and she has been dating Andy for almost four years. When I used to ask (I no longer do), I’m told they just aren’t ready to get married. I think once Andy finds a full-time teaching job, that may change things and make them move a little faster (I sure hope so…I’m not getting any younger). Des is currently not working having lost her job last month. She does work in the summers as a cart girl at the local golf course and does very well for herself. She is currently out in California (and Arizona and Nevada) with her parents for a month.
My family is the most important thing in the world to me...without them, there is nothing
So enough about me and my family. Let’s get on to the trip.
As the title indicates, we had no plans of going to Disney World at all this year. This was going to be the year we were going to finally go to Disneyland. Then Mark lost his job and Disneyland just became too expensive a trip for us the way we want to do it. I know…you are probably all saying, but you are taking three trips to Disney World!!! Yes, yes I am (Mark is only taking one). But I have a wonderful friend at work who rented us her points at our resorts REALLY, REALLY cheap. I received enough gift cards to purchase an Annual Pass AND my boss was very generous to me and part of his Christmas bonus to me paid for our new furniture as well as two sets of our flights). So Disneyland got put on the back burner until my gulp 60th in 2017.
My first trip will be May 3 to May 10. I will be meeting these people:
Yes, I am doing Disney with Nicki and Todd. They will be there May 3 to May 6 midday. After they leave, my friend from work who rented me her points, will be coming in and I will be touring Disney with her until we fly home on Mother’s Day.
So there you have me. The next update will include the where and the start of plans
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I stumbled over to this TR after seeing you post on lots of others that I've read. Nice to finally "meet" you 
Another funny connection, I graduated from Loras College (that's actually where I met my husband) and one of my good friends still coaches wrestling in Western Dubuque! It really IS a small world after all! 
