We are leaving the kids at home and going to Disney!! 1st anniv trip 10/10

[catherines_mama]

Yup, you read it correct, I am starting this 9 mos before we go. Why? Well pretty much because I've been sick for weeks and tonight am wheining myself off the Nyquil (=I am wide awake while DH snores) I had to entertain myself somehow.

Plan: 4 days / 3 nights at POFQ during F&W
Who: Just DH and I as we celebrate being married one whole year!
Staying at home: our 3 great kids that make up our semi-dysfunctional blended family.

I have a ton of goals for this trip. I've only done Disney as an adult with my daughter and then with my family. I've never just gone all out and done it grown-up style. Well I did spend bday 31 with my bestfriend doing Keys to the Kingdom, but it was just a tour day.

This trip we'll pay extra for the king bed room. We'll spend most of our trip at F&W or AK. When we were at WDW this summer DH fell in love with those two parks. He wants to just wander AK and take in the details and of course FOTLK because he loved it as much as his wife did.

I'd like to do 2 nice dinners and maybe even MNSSHP. And eating at The Plaza is on the agenda. I'd like to try to not get up early everyday, but I'm not so sure I'm wired that way, but I'll try. I'd love to try the Segway Tour but want to make that a weight loss reward.

Meeting and dating and getting married with kids... You don't start off spending much, if any time alone. This will be our 3rd time alone for more then 24 hrs in the 3 yrs we've been together. I'm just excited about enjoying Disney with my husband. Our trip in June was his 1st "Disney vacation" and he fell in love with the magic. I'm so excited to get back there with him!

 

[iluv2go2disney]

I'm here. I super jealous that I'm not planning a trip with you. Have you and Steve eaten at Narcoosee's? We loved it!! I think you would love the Segway tour. It's so cool to ride around the countries.

 

[catherines_mama]

Okay... so the WHEN for this trip is a tough one. DH has 2 children from his previous marriage. DD and I have been "just us" since the beginning so she never goes away (not that we want her to).

We have primary custody with his ex-wife only having every-other weekend. So - I'm planning the trip for when they are at their mothers (makes it easier to get out of town). After sitting down and making a calendar I can now say, we'll go the weekend of Oct 1.

Friday 10/1 - Monday 10/4. We'll probably just do the parks Friday, Sat & Sun and just relax and head home Monday. Between left over days on multi-day passes and the Disney Give-a-day ticket that leaves just 1-day park tickets AND maybe MNSSHP tickets to buy

I just did the research and park hours for last OCT were posted in April. I'm nervous about picking the 1st weekend of October, will the park hours be out yet? What do you think.. will I be safe?


Hmmmmm....

Oh.. Today - DH and I have been married 4 months LOVE HIM

 

[catherines_mama]

As with most families, the holidays put a squeeze on us. It doesn't help that Tanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are short work weeks for steve and no work means no pay for him. 2 wks into the new year and I think we've recovered. It feels so good!! Now, a night in Miami next month for his good friends wedding and saving up for Disney!

Steve brought home a water jug from work and we started filling it with our coins. This will be our extra spending money mainly F&W. I'm so excited, I cannot wait to watch it fill up!

Not much planning going on. Just playing with tentative plans and working on the budget! 8 & 1/2 months!

 

[catherines_mama]

Wendy, thank you for following me!!! You are the bestest!

So.. We've been so busy! Jack has started baseball. This is his 1st season but we really see a lot of natural talent in him. He, of course, is the tallest on the team by at least a head LOL SO funny. This is the 8 yr old who is almost as tall as ME.

Catherine had her last night of tumbling tonight as Spring Cheer starts tomorrow. Swim starts next week also. Starting next week she'll be Mon, Wed Swim Team and Thurs Cheer. I'm tired just thinking about it all! LOL But at least its all in the same block of eachother.

Steve is doing great, I miss him! He's been working 12 hr days for a couple of weeks now. I was hoping he'd be off this Sunday - HELLO SUPERBOWL, but he's not He was off this past Sunday but so much to do, we had barely any time together.

Em is about to turn 5! I'm in the midst of planning her party. She's finally old enough with enough friends for a real (not just family) party. We're going to do it in the back yard, pinanta, face painting (Cat has volunteered to manage that) and a bounce house. I am SOO excited to do this for her, she'll be so excited!


DISNEY!!! CANNOT forget about Disney! We are doing really good with filling our coin bin. You CANNOT see the bottom YAY! Catherine was sweet enough to donate her change for our cause!

Steve and I have discussed our PLAN and decided to definetly do the dining plan. With all the meals we want to do it works perfect. We'll have to do one out of pocket b/c of the Signature dinner, but that's not too bad.

F&W, I think I still have SO much to learn. All the kiosks and foods to try & buy... we'll see how much change we collect LOL

Now I'm just waiting for more info to start coming out for October. Rates, hours... Is it April yet?

 

[iluv2go2disney]

So, what restaurants are you and Steve planning to eat at? Did you know we changed our anniversary plans.....yet again? I never was too thrilled to be going to Nashville. I told Tracey since our 15th is next January, let's just not do anything this year and plan on doing something big next year. So we cancelled that trip and booked a cruise. We're leaving out of Ft. Lauderdale. How close are you to there?

 

[catherines_mama]

Hi Wendy, Ft. Lauderdale isn't super close but I'd love to meet ya'll for breakfast or lunch, it's worth it!! I'm so excited for you - you'll have to tell me your plans! AND of course, I'm very excited about your "sssshhh" trip. Can't wait to hear more.

Okay.. MY UPDATE

My work is planning a huge end-of-year meeting. We do a quarterly meeting here at HQ, which is super boring but they want to do a huge meeting in Oct. I'm not supposed to know but its a meeting at sea, and if I am correct its the Mediterrainian (I CANNOT spell) Sea. A cruise! But its with work people, no spouses . Another stamp in my passport without Steve. I'll get one in April in Spain. The fun thing, the cruise is.. 10/2 - 10/9. RIGHT when we were going to WDW. So i have to change our trip a bit.

New plan: Friday Oct 15 - Monday Oct 18. A little closer to Halloween which makes MNSSHP a bit busier but its okay. More likely for the chilly nights.

I hope to call this week and place our ressies. Steve still isn't working, but we are getting by and if he isn't working by 1st of April, he'll go on the road to work. Which makes an away weekend that much more needed.

We decided we will be getting the Dining Plan and here is our (anticipated) plan. This is all up in the air depending on MNSSHP schedule:

Friday Oct 15 - Arrive PORQ EARLY AM - like hopefully 9am.
Epcot for the day (F&W) - Le Cellier for dinner

Saturday Oct 16 - Animal Kingdom
Dinner at Narcosse (hopefully with good Wishes timing)

Sunday Oct 17 - Epcot (F&W)
MNSSHP at night, dinner @ The Plaza (out of pocket)

Monday Oct 18 - TBD
Leave around 3pm to be home by dinner w/ the kids

We are considering arriving Thursday night, but aren't really sure its worth it.

The coin jar is getting higher and higher!!

 

[catherines_mama]

I cannot believe our 180 days is coming up in less then a month!

Steve finally got a phone call this week about a job. He will hopefully go back to work next week YAY! I was really nervous and am still going to adjust the trip a bit until we are 100% back on our feet.

I'm going to book at POP until a FL Resident rate comes out for Oct. That will keep me feeling a little safe.

I'm really excited about Easter being next week. My mom & step-dad will be here Friday and I cannot wait to see them.

Spring Break this week for the kids but we arent doing anything. Just the norm and that's okay with us.

I just wanted to check in and say HI! I am just very excited about my 180 mark getting here. 4/18 here we come.