You ASKED for it, You GOT it!! GKTW ALUMNI RETURN! UPDATE 1/9 MOVING DAY

[nannye]

Judy, im so happy I had the chance to pop in and see the news. Those pics f the kids in 2006 oh my gosh they were tiny! Your lights and house are gorgeous!

I would love to see just a thread still going in the "guise" of a TR telling us how you all are doing once in a while. It's nice to stay updated!

Thank you forthr Christmas wishes! I had planned to be on much more and do an update of our TR this week, but life it seems has had other plans. It's been a crazy busy week.

Take care
Erin

[Disney9.9.10]

What lovely Christmas photos - so many smiling faces! Your house looks great as well, all lit up!

[kaoden39]

What wonderful Christmas photos!

When our kids were little one of the kids teachers gave them "reindeer food" as a gift before break. It was oatmeal and glitter. In the plastic bags were instructions on how to spread it on your lawn so that the reindeer could graze. So we did and in the morning Scotty went out to make sure that it was gone. It indeed was, with the dew of the night the oatmeal had disintegrated all that was left was a little glitter. The kids were thrilled. This became a Christmas tradition.

[WDWRids]

Merry Christmas (late)!!!! Looks like a great Christmas! Fantastic gifts and photos....love your outside decorations.

[blessedmom4]

Originally Posted by happybelle

Thank you for the welcome. How exciting for Rachel to go to camp for free. She is so talented, I am sure we will see both her and Lisa famous everywhere one of these days. I can't wait to see your pictures from Christmas.

I think you may be right about Lisa and Rachel. Rachel is already becoming known around our community, in a small way. She is loving camp.

Originally Posted by mommy2mrb

rachel is going to camp again! know she will have a blast! good call on the earplugs!
hope you are feeling better!

continued P & PD to all in need

The earplug comment made me laugh. I think there are twelve of us that wished we had a pair back in in August. My advice to Rachel yesterday morning was to put her acting skills to the test, pretend she was playing a rock and roll star and jump around on stage till she felt silly...then she would fit right in. It is weird to have camp on the weekend; however, she is so happy to play she would play all day and all night if she could. Actually after 6 hours of camp, she played 4 more hours and just collapsed n bed. Dedication! She is looking for a bass guitar now (she wants a pink one, I am SO THRILLED...SERIOUSLY), she has wanted one for sometime and is happy she gets to play bass on one of the songs.

Originally Posted by McDuck

Such happy faces and what a great Christmas! I may have to do a TR if you close this so the posting goes on... You and your family are such an inspiration and I am happy and blessed to "know@ you!

Thank you Jennie, they had such a wonderful Christmas. Lisa had told me she just wanted a nice Christmas, that is really all she wanted...and she got it! She was well (although she has my cold now, the elderberry is working on her). Thank you for the kind words about my family. I have my moments; however, what you see is what you get, I never pretend. I am happy to know you as well and hope you make it to Charlotte one day! I would love it if you started a TR!!!

Originally Posted by KatMark

Judy, love the pictures...what fun. I love the hats especially...those are a huge hit everywhere. I like the picture from 2006...so nice to see how much the kids have changed.

Your house looks beautiful with the decorations.

Oh sweet Kathy, always happy to see you stop by and say hello. Yes, those laplander/peruvian hats are the rage and Rachel wants everyone she sees. She has always been a hat person, even as a baby. I love to look back at how my babies have grown, it is amazing to me. We love our "old style" blowmold decor. Hard to find now. We actually pulled Frosty fro the neighbors trash 10 years ago and gave him a facelift, complete with a new nose. One of our favorite neighbors flagged my van down one night to tell me he had awarded us his blue-ribbon for best decorations. Have a marvelous time with your second Christmas and birthday this weekend!

Originally Posted by lovethattink

Awesome pictures! Such happy faces on Christmas! Love, love, love David's shirt! That was a great idea.
Thanks Tink, he really loves it and has worn it TWICE!
I have to tell you that JJ was here looking at them with me. He says that Lisa is the best artist. He loves the picture she drew. As I scrolled down the page and he saw Rachel and Lisa he began jumping in excitement. He was so happy to see them. He likes the reindeer antlers. When he saw the carrots he couldn't believe that we forgot to leave reindeer food this year.
Tell JJ Lisa said Thank you. I wish we were closer so they could play together more. I want to sell my house and everything in it and just move near GKTW, it truly brings me joy and then we could see you all more often!
Love the trip down memory lane. You certainly have 4 beautiful children to be proud of.
You are very kind. They have overcome a lot and still have many challenges; however, they do their best...usually.
Nice Christmas light display too.
Thank you!
I hope you are feeling better soon. Glad the elderberry extract helped. How do you take that? Where do you buy it? JJ is sick today. He's had a cold for a couple days, but last night he started with earache. His doc called in antibiotics and ear drops for pain last night. So glad she was the doc on call.

Elderberry capsules, best invention EVER! The instructions say 2 capsules 4 times a day. As soon as I feel a cold coming on, I take them every two hours round the clock or whenever I get up in the middle of the night. It doesn't do anything for sore throat/viral stuff; however, for colds/congestions it clears you right up! I also like vitamin C gummies. YOu can get it at GNC or any health food store. I buy it off of Amazon. I have been told it is all in my head...I don't care, my colds, if I catch them in time, never last more than ONE day! I have told this before, but when Lisa was in ICU after her first OHS, I got extremely ill. We found a GNC (we were in Chapel Hill) and Pete went and bought me bottle. My cold was GONE the next day, even the docs were shocked. Please give JJ a hug for us and tell him we hope he feels better VERY soon!

Originally Posted by DMGeurts

I loved seeing all the happy faces at Christmas Judy... Such a wonderful family you have! And I lOVE the pictures from 2006 - the kids sure have grown, and they are just as adorable then as they are now. Your house looks very festive too! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

D~

Thank you D, I think they are pretty special. I am incredibly blessed and we really did enjoy this season of miracles. The children smiled, joked and had so much fun, it was great to see. I love Christmas, it is the one day they aren't off with friends, or lessons, or doctors or ANYTHING! They are growing up and I know it will not be long until we will welcome spouses into the fold...I am just enjoying these precious moments before that changes. New Years Eve/Day will be different of course. Although I have vowed to go NOWHERE, the past 4 have been brutal and I said NO PLANS for New Year's Day for me, I plan to stay wrapped inside in a cocoon I hope!

Originally Posted by nannye

Judy, im so happy I had the chance to pop in and see the news. Those pics f the kids in 2006 oh my gosh they were tiny! Your lights and house are gorgeous!
Thank you so much Erin, I always love to see you here when you have time! They were a tiny little bunch 6 years ago! Now three of them are taller than me!
I would love to see just a thread still going in the "guise" of a TR telling us how you all are doing once in a while. It's nice to stay updated!
I appreciate your saying that, sometimes you wonder if people are sick of reading the saga. I have had an ongoing DIS thread since October, 2010 and SO much has happened. I actually DO have something amazing that happened on our last trip (besides meeting Tracy and seeing Tink and family) from our last trip and loads of pics. I know I would feel lost not updating on our lives.
Thank you forthr Christmas wishes! I had planned to be on much more and do an update of our TR this week, but life it seems has had other plans. It's been a crazy busy week.

Take care
Erin

Life gets in the way too much. I hope some of that time has been spent playing with your new machine! Those outfits you made V were SPECTACULAR! I am looking forward to another update when you have time!

Originally Posted by kaoden39

What wonderful Christmas photos!
Thank you Michele, so happy to see you "out and about"! Praying your Christmas was happy and fun.
When our kids were little one of the kids teachers gave them "reindeer food" as a gift before break. It was oatmeal and glitter. In the plastic bags were instructions on how to spread it on your lawn so that the reindeer could graze. So we did and in the morning Scotty went out to make sure that it was gone. It indeed was, with the dew of the night the oatmeal had disintegrated all that was left was a little glitter. The kids were thrilled. This became a Christmas tradition.

We do that too! Christian made reindeer food in kindergarten, I had never heard of it! It is one of the traditions the kids still love to do...even the boys come outside "just to humor the girls"...lol. It is so much fun!

Originally Posted by Disney9.9.10

What lovely Christmas photos - so many smiling faces! Your house looks great as well, all lit up!

Thank you Krysten, we had such a special Christmas and it was fun happy and "nice"...just what Lisa wanted!

Originally Posted by WDWRids

Merry Christmas (late)!!!! Looks like a great Christmas! Fantastic gifts and photos....love your outside decorations.

Alyson, I hope your Christmas was special as well. Ours was wonderful. How is DH? When is his surgery scheduled for? I hope he isn't in too much pain.

[ladylyons]

Popping in one last time before we leave in the morning and found your Christmas Pictures posted!!! I love the smiles everyone has. I'm glad your able to spend it as a family.

Didn't want to leave out anything from your last update either... That's Awesome Rachel was able to go to camp again and I can't wait to hear how she does on Sunday!!

Can't believe how little Lisa was in your 2006 picture!! She's adorable and Rachel is still a very pretty little girl too!

[blessedmom4]

Originally Posted by ladylyons

Popping in one last time before we leave in the morning and found your Christmas Pictures posted!!! I love the smiles everyone has. I'm glad your able to spend it as a family.
YEA!!! I was hoping you got to see the pics, I only took 774...I love digital cameras! THANKS for letting me know, I know you are busy. Looking forward to YOUR Trip Pics! Pryaing for good weather and health!
Didn't want to leave out anything from your last update either... That's Awesome Rachel was able to go to camp again and I can't wait to hear how she does on Sunday!!
I have to get her up in a minute, camp starts early..and it is weird having it on a Saturday, although she was THRILLED. She would live on the guitar if we let her. I am very excited. She had one more song added yesterday, with another solo. Over The Hills And Far Away I asked her if it was to Grandmother's house they will go...she was amused. They are packing a LOT in to this camp.
Can't believe how little Lisa was in your 2006 picture!! She's adorable and Rachel is still a very pretty little girl too!

Thank you I think they are little beauties. I will be honest, I do NOT like the way guys look at them, especially Rachel...One guy waited to walk her in to camp yesterday and it really made me especially because it was so obvious...she was totally oblivious to it....

And proving ladies can rock it out, this was at the Kennedy Center Honors which aired December 26...timing was perfect....Heart rocks out to Led Zeppelin!

Pete and I have talked how Lisa and Rachel could be the next "Heart" (Just last week when they played at the hospital)...they even have the perfect name, because of Lisa's heart...so we need a derivative

[nannye]

Judy if the didn't want to read they won't. I think I'd feel a little lost without checking periodically on my dis friends!

I do have some plans for next week to play a but with the machine. I did spend $165 at the fabric store the other day which I was so not expecting. It adds up so quick. But on the other hand everything was 50 percent off so I can't complain about it! Just wasn't expecting to nor could I afford that much but what can I say once it is cut it is cut! Lol

[Piper]

Since Rachel is doing rock and roll, maybe she would enjoy Keith Harkin. The video at the bottom is an R & R surf medley: http://www.celticthunder.ie/artists/keith_harkin I also love Neil Byrne --here he is with Keith: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fHhjG_y1kM Keith is becoming famous in his own right. He has been signed by Verve records and Dave Foster. He has an album that came out recently.

PS: I love Celtic Thunder in general because they only do family friendly performances--no smut in their music.

[blessedmom4]

Originally Posted by nannye

Judy if the didn't want to read they won't. I think I'd feel a little lost without checking periodically on my dis friends!
So true Erin...sometimes though I feel like I am talking to myself and as entertaining as I am to me, that isn't always fun.
I do have some plans for next week to play a but with the machine. I did spend $165 at the fabric store the other day which I was so not expecting. It adds up so quick. But on the other hand everything was 50 percent off so I can't complain about it! Just wasn't expecting to nor could I afford that much but what can I say once it is cut it is cut! Lol

It sounds like you got some excellent bargains and that is awesome! Have you made yourself anything yet? I think if I had an embroidery machine that is what I would do all day...embroider. I am so happy you got your machine!

Originally Posted by Piper

Since Rachel is doing rock and roll, maybe she would enjoy Keith Harkin. The video at the bottom is an R & R surf medley: http://www.celticthunder.ie/artists/keith_harkin I also love Neil Byrne --here he is with Keith: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fHhjG_y1kM Keith is becoming famous in his own right. He has been signed by Verve records and Dave Foster. He has an album that came out recently.

PS: I love Celtic Thunder in general because they only do family friendly performances--no smut in their music.

PIPER!!! So great to see you, I hope you had a great Christmas and are feeling well.

Rock and Roll...Rachel likes some of it. She is thrilled to be able to take camp, there is no way we could afford the price tag. There are LOTS of opportunities I wish she could be a part of, we just can't afford the cost. Jazz and Blues are still her first love. I will check it out, Our problem is finding people who she can play with, who help push her/elevate her music and that we can afford. We are so thankful to the SOR for seeing her talent. It is good to see her outside of her comfort zone. I will check out the videos, I like celtic music. I like most genres of music.

[p00h4me]

Loved seeing the pictures from Christmas day and your outside decorations! with Lisa's gift! That's fantastic about Rachel going to another camp! Hope you can get videos of her performances!

Had a nice Christmas with the family! Billy stayed home because he wasn't feeling well from something he ate the day before. Almost done with the yard work ! Waiting to see if we'll be getting company today or not? So been doing and cleaning inside the house.

[mommy2mrb]

don't know how I missed the Christmas photos

love the new hats, David's shirt is so cool! and yay for new rockin t-shoes for Rachel! Lisa looks so happy with her turkey legs

love seeing the photo of the kids from 2006, so cute!

happy you had such a wonderful Christmas!

good luck to Rachel tomorrow, hope you will be sharing a video again!

hope today is great and so happy you are feeling better!

continued P & PD to all in need


BTW - package still hasn't shown up

[kayrosek]

I absolutly LOVE all the pictures! Especially the ones of Lisa and her turkey legs. Davids new shirt is so cool and I love the hats. Jenna loves those too. She got three for Christmas, an owl, a monkey and Hello Kitty but she is asking for more for her birthday January 8th. Shes hoping for one for everyday of the week. Love your yard. We never do much with ours but this year a wonderful family we had never met before (they heard our story through the grapevine) decorated our yard so John could have a "bright" Christmas. I will be sad to see it go. I too hope you do a TR. I know Im not here all the time but I would really miss not being able to check in our your family.

I have been wondering if it would be against the rules to make a non disney PTR. Given Johns diagnosis I have deemed this his "Year of Wishes" Some are small wishes, some are bigger but all are places hes wanted to go or things hes wanted to do. I would really like somewhere to document it. I have even been looking into an adult wish agency hoping for help with a big wish. Did you know there is a wish organization just for vets with life limiting illnesses?

[angel's momma]

Loved the Christmas photos Judy - your family always brightens my day. So glad you had sucha lovely Christmas. Lisa's turkey legs remind me so much of Angel. Yay for Rachel's wonderful opportunity at camp. Praying for friend, your family, and for everyone in need.


Lost some of my quotes, added back in some, so sorry if I left someone out.

Originally Posted by blessedmom4

I am so sorry Angel has been disappointed, I can only imagine how hard that is after all she has been through. I discovered early on while the wish granters say one thing, reality is often another. They are told often the sky is the limit and that is simply not true, money dictates everything. For our chapter Disney wishes top the list and they have a formula they don't deviate far from. I have never heard of a wish cruise being more than 4 nights, do you all get 5? Any idea how long ya'll will have to wait for dates? While it will not be as long as Angel had researched for it WILL still be fabulous! I truly DO get it...and I am sorry.

Thank you again. I think the wish granter didn't understand the info she had, and when she said 5, she meant 5 days. It's not the length that has Angel disappointed, it's the itinerary & activities. We know she'll have a great trip.

Originally Posted by ladylyons

Just sent you a pm with some news I'm not ready to share yet but prayers are needed.

Praying.

Originally Posted by lovethattink

JJ is sick today. He's had a cold for a couple days, but last night he started with earache. His doc called in antibiotics and ear drops for pain last night. So glad she was the doc on call.

Praying for JJ, hope he's feeling better.

[lovethattink]

JJ is feeling better today. He's complaining about his throat, but not his ear.

How fun that Rachel is at camp today too.