Life is too short for self-hatred and celery sticks: update 5/2 p. 82

[dvc at last !]

Congrats to Michael !
That will help to lift the spirits 'cause we all know
coming home after a Disney vacation is a downer...
but we can plan the next one !

[rentayenta]

Originally Posted by dvc at last !

Congrats to Michael !
That will help to lift the spirits 'cause we all know
coming home after a Disney vacation is a downer...
but we can plan the next one !

Thank you.

We're not quite sure what to expect tonight. He has to wear his Class A or Class B with a tie but it gives no indication of attire for spouses or if there's dinner. I'm all about the food. Haha! And you're right, the PDD is setting in. And always planning the next one! Great minds. When is your next trip?

[pooh'smate]

Congrats to Michael!!!

[dvc at last !]

Originally Posted by rentayenta

Thank you.

We're not quite sure what to expect tonight. He has to wear his Class A or Class B with a tie but it gives no indication of attire for spouses or if there's dinner. I'm all about the food. Haha! And you're right, the PDD is setting in. And always planning the next one! Great minds. When is your next trip?

Hope that there is dinner - the food is always the best when you do not have to prepare it or clean up after -I am sure whatever you wear will be a good choice.
I noticed I need to add our last vacation to our list on this post.
It was our first trip to AK-Kidani one nite and 3 nites AK-Jambo CL then we went to OKW for 3 nites (we had been to OKW before, but not AK). We were there for the TOT 10 Miler (September 29th). Our son, daughter and her husband ran. It was the opening of the Food and Wine Fest. The weather was great. Would love to go over the summer, but probably go the same time next year for the run.
My husband dislikes the summer heat there. I do not understand that 'cause the September/October weather there is just like the summer.
How about you ?

[franandaj]

Originally Posted by rentayenta

30 days? That's fabulous. What are you putting on your FE? I havent been on a DC yet but those FE look fun.

You do plan a lot. Maybe I do too? Should I give Michael the benefit of the doubt?


Nope. he simply doesn't listen.

I know 30 days!! I don't think you made it over to my cruise PTR, it's in my siggie, and I just got the FE last week. I posted a pic on the PTR. I started shopping yesterday and got the three and unders covered.

Sorry about the PDD! I always get over it with my kitties, they are such a joy and miss me so much that I'm happy to be home again with all the live they show me. Plus the fact that I know a Disney fix is only 25 minutes away, and as much as I love WDW, DL will always be my special place, and you can't beat the perks!

Cobgrats to Michael! And just start planning that next trip cause you're coming to see ME! Well, not really me , but I'll come out and see you and we'll have some fun. You can ditch the kids and we'll have adult time and live it up! For the meantime, I can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!

[rentayenta]

As promised a few pics...sorry there are out of order but that's how my head feels.

Girls on a plane:



Me and Joshua on a plane:



C and K on ME- all smiles. This was Kayla's first trip and she had no idea what was in store:



Gabby and an already mom-you're-taking-too-many-pictures Joshua:



A self portrait of the gruesome twosome or happy couple depending on your perspective:




Finally we arrived at AoA and I cannot believe I didn't get a pic of the sign. I pride myself on taking meaningless photos of random crap and I miss a big primary colored sign.

In our typical fashion, Michael shooed the kids away while I checked in. I don't know if I'm the minority but I hate people breathing down my back and like to do check in alone. It's pure habit for us now. The kids don't even try to join me.

I had done online check in so my paperwork was ready. After I was handed my AoA packet, I reminded the CM I should have a basket waiting for me. He went to check. Five seconds went by but in all honesty it felt like an hour and he finally came out with the basket.

Walking it over to the kids. I don't think they thought it was for them at first.



And then it clicked:



Keys in hand, treats in tow, it was time to find our Nemo Suite. Would it be everything I hoped it would be? Could this DVC girl hang without a jacuzzi? Was the food court all that and a bag of chips? Did we make MK's EMH?

[Ms. WDW]

I know I'm repeating myself and at my age I'm allowed! But you by far do the best trip reports I've ever seen. I can look at your pictures over and over and probably will!!

Totally agree about checking in! I prefer to do it alone. And not having a jacuzzi is NOT an option for this girl!! I'll even stay in a 1 BR on my solo trips so I can relax in a nice hot jacuzzi with a Basin Bath Bomb at night!! Oh and how cool for the kids to get a "surprise" at check in!! Very nice touch.....

Looking forward to more pic's regardless of the order!!

[Disney Princess]

I've been reading along, but haven't been able to post yet (2 month old at home!). I finally have a moment to comment. I'm really enjoying your report. It looks like you have a great time as a family. That is so precious to me. In the day and age where older kids despise their parents, I love seeing that your family still has fun together!

Gabby looks just like you! I can't wait to read more.

[Uncle Remus]

I sure hope you're able to post us some more pics this weekend, I'm really looking forward to this trip report, Gabby's got me grinnin' from ear to ear.

[rentayenta]

Originally Posted by pooh'smate

Congrats to Michael!!!

Originally Posted by dvc at last !

Hope that there is dinner - the food is always the best when you do not have to prepare it or clean up after -I am sure whatever you wear will be a good choice.
I noticed I need to add our last vacation to our list on this post.
It was our first trip to AK-Kidani one nite and 3 nites AK-Jambo CL then we went to OKW for 3 nites (we had been to OKW before, but not AK). We were there for the TOT 10 Miler (September 29th). Our son, daughter and her husband ran. It was the opening of the Food and Wine Fest. The weather was great. Would love to go over the summer, but probably go the same time next year for the run.
My husband dislikes the summer heat there. I do not understand that 'cause the September/October weather there is just like the summer.
How about you ?

No dinner. It was kind of an odd set up and a first annual so I should have known there'd be glitches. Still a fun night and we're so proud of our hero.

Wow, what a great trip! How was CL at AKV? I cannot even imagine. That's on my wish list but unless we add on at AKV I don't see my chances as very good. How was the ToT 10 miler? I had a friend run it- he said it wasn't too bad. 10 miles would have me puking in the bushes. I agree that the September heat was hot but this October was so pleasant to me. We did May once and it was pretty warm. It was September warm but not as humid.

I think during school trips are sadly over for us. My sweet Chloe is feeling the pressure now that we're back. We wanted her that shed have to buckle down but she's so concrete in her thinking that she doesn't really care about 2 weeks from now. Should be an interesting weekend with a lot of make up work.

Our next WDW trip is penciled in for June 2014 but there'll be a trip to Disneyland before then I'm sure.

Originally Posted by franandaj

I know 30 days!! I don't think you made it over to my cruise PTR, it's in my siggie, and I just got the FE last week. I posted a pic on the PTR. I started shopping yesterday and got the three and unders covered.

Sorry about the PDD! I always get over it with my kitties, they are such a joy and miss me so much that I'm happy to be home again with all the live they show me. Plus the fact that I know a Disney fix is only 25 minutes away, and as much as I love WDW, DL will always be my special place, and you can't beat the perks!

Cobgrats to Michael! And just start planning that next trip cause you're coming to see ME! Well, not really me , but I'll come out and see you and we'll have some fun. You can ditch the kids and we'll have adult time and live it up! For the meantime, I can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!

Oh you know I'm coming to see you! I'm thinking perhaps for my birthday this March. It'd just be ME I think- no kids. It'll most likely be a 2 dayer so I'll keep you posted as my brain begins to take a solid form. I think I'm too busy to have a major case of PDD.

You're so lucky to be so close. Disneyland owns my heart too. I really enjoy WDW but Disneyland will always be my número uno.

I popped into your cruise report. I swear I thought I'd been there but I guess not. Your FE rocks!

Originally Posted by Ms. WDW

I know I'm repeating myself and at my age I'm allowed! But you by far do the best trip reports I've ever seen. I can look at your pictures over and over and probably will!!

Totally agree about checking in! I prefer to do it alone. And not having a jacuzzi is NOT an option for this girl!! I'll even stay in a 1 BR on my solo trips so I can relax in a nice hot jacuzzi with a Basin Bath Bomb at night!! Oh and how cool for the kids to get a "surprise" at check in!! Very nice touch.....

Looking forward to more pic's regardless of the order!!

Ooo a Basin Bomb Bath sounds heavenly right now.

A one bedroom by myself would be heavenly. Heck, peeing without an audience would be nice.

I've got a ton of AoA pics that hopefully I'll get posted early tomorrow morning.

Originally Posted by Disney Princess

I've been reading along, but haven't been able to post yet (2 month old at home!). I finally have a moment to comment. I'm really enjoying your report. It looks like you have a great time as a family. That is so precious to me. In the day and age where older kids despise their parents, I love seeing that your family still has fun together!

Gabby looks just like you! I can't wait to read more.

Thanks for joining us! Congrats on your 2 month old.

We do have a pretty good time together. Its far from perfect but we enjoy our life for sure. i like to think of it as a fairly healthy circus- haha!

Originally Posted by Uncle Remus

I sure hope you're able to post us some more pics this weekend, I'm really looking forward to this trip report, Gabby's got me grinnin' from ear to ear.

Gabby is hilarious for the most part when she's not talking back. Michael will point to her and say: that is you.

Teenagers rock as you know.




I'm on my iPad so sorry for any typos. It's moving so slowly right now.

[rentayenta]

So as luck would have it, I'm sitting at Gabby's soccer practice so I can add some promised pictures. Can I get a woo hoo?

*chirp chirp*




That's cool.

But first I wanted to share a pic of me and Michael from his ceremony last night. An Officer and a Gentleman is one of my faves so I couldn't resist this. It's not the most flattering shot of me but it makes me laugh. I'm sure we looked insane:



Now I know this is a DVC report and promise I'll get there but since we did spend the first night at AoA, it's only fair to include it in the report. The following are my cell pics only. I'll add the camera pics before moving on as to stay on task. Is there such a thing as ADD, adult onset due to trip reportitis? If so? I've got it!

Initially I had requested a pool view but after reading reports about the noise I changed it. While I'm an admitted view hoor, I also like my sleep. The CM reassured me that we did not have a pool view. We were given building 5, 2nd floor, room 5619. And I'm just obsessed enough to take a pic of the map so you can have a visual of where we were in proximity to Animation Hall and the pool:



And in case we were undecided between MK or resort time, they tempted us with an 8:00 showing of Tangled:



My geekiness knows no boundaries.

We arrived to our room and I immediately asked (told) them all to stand clear as I needed a picture of the basket against the Nemo backdrop before they tore into it. Priorities people:



Now I haven't owned DVC that long, only since May 2009 but in that time I've become quite spoiled. Here's the master bed. Please pick your jaws up from the floor:



Cute nautical bathroom mirror....fish are friends...



Smaller bathroom shower curtain. The resort's theme is fabulous:



Basket carnage and table/bed:



Art:



Bathroom. Kinda small:



I've got lots more room pics so I'll post those later. But for now I won't ruin anything by telling you we were starving! I had read that their food *court* Landscape of Flavors had good food so we headed over.

The place was busy and the set up is chaotic. Unclear lines with a general checkout at the end- like POR but much smaller and tons of little kids running ragged. Yeah, I know it's Disney but still....I think some folks checked their manners at the door. Heathens.

I swear I don't favor Gabby- she just loves having her photo taken- lol! More food pics to come but here she is posing with her sandwich. She ate it all, didn't like the slaw and she's a slaw girl:



And Joshua's pizza sans Joshua. Remember he was already tired of me taking his picture. Poor kid. Looks like he's guarding it pretty intensely. Hungry little buggar!



And in case any if you missed my tandoori chicken, jasmine rice, lentils, spinach, and pita...here it is. It was terrific! The pita was eh but I'm a picky pita person. The lentils were fabulous.

[eandesmom]

I love that you gave them the basket while they waited at check in. What a cute idea!

Love the Officer and Gentleman shot, it's cute. You guys clean up ok!

Room is adorable, I will be curious to see how it worked come sleeping time, if you all managed that ok. Lunch looks very yummy but the description of the chaos of the food court is not appealing. Then again, most food courts don't appeal to me regardless.

Basket carnage

[pooh'smate]

AOA looks amazing!!!! The basket looks fab and your food looks delish. I love the picture of the 2 of you from last night, I don't think you look insane, you look like you still know how to have fun (I have 4 friends going through a divorce right now so I think knowing how to have fun is an important part of a relationship)!!!

[PrincessInOz]

Great pics of AoA. Your room decor is really......fishy. But then again..Fish are friends, not food.

The food from AoA food court looks great. Seems like a varied selection there.


And yes....that officer and a gentleman picture of the two of you just rocks!

ps. Congrats to Michael.

[Goofyluver]

Okay, I about fell out laughing at the AoA bed...not because it's horrible, but because we have become so spoiled too!

Also, I'll make you pitas any time you want.

Love your Officer and a Gentleman pic. You look fabulous, dahling.

P.S.~ My wife insisted I stop in, and I'm so glad I did!