A Daily Lesson in Parenting and Manners: A TR by a real life Wicked Stepmom!

[karenell]

Lurker coming out of hiding to say that I'm a HUGE fan of your TR and look forward to every update.

I gotta tell y'all...I can see why people shell out the cash to stay at the monorail resorts! If Sally and Teddy had been little bitty still, the convenience of the monorail alone would have been worth the extra cost! Jay wholeheartedly agreed! (I'll just tuck that little tidbit away for when/if I have a baby of my own...but Honey, YOU agreed that the Poly was worth the extra cost...remember? )

I couldn't agree more! I came to this conclusion back in 1989 - when my youngest had a meltdown in front of Mickey's Toontown Tent. I ended up picking her up and carrying her out of the park, leaving my DH and our three older daughters behind with the stroller. She was asleep on my shoulder before I hit the castle, but it took a full hour to get back to our on-site resort (Fairways villas - now the site of SSR) carrying a dead-weight two year old.

I remember looking at the Contemporary with great longing and wondering what DH would say if I told him I had found a room and checked in alone there with our youngest! For naptime alone, it would have been worth it!

I'm so hoping you do another TR for your next adventure!

 

[Mschissl]

an update! Sounds like you had a great time and I bet the kids are DYING to get to Disney this year again. Will you be doing a pre-trip or a trip report for your upcoming trip??? I wonder how you will like staying at AKL??? I hope if you don't want to do another trip report, you will at least come back and tell us how your upcoming trip goes. Thanks for all your hard work. I really have enjoyed reading your report. Can't wait for the last installment.

 

[matosfam]

I have been lurking through this entire report and although I'm sorry to see it coming to an end, I am soooo excited for you that your next trip is right around the corner!
Thanks so much for sharing your lives with us.
Blessings to you all.

 

[2ScottishPrincesses]

Your trip has finished....I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled for your TR from this August

 

[stagemomx3]

I'm so sad your trip report is ending. I have been enjoying it all year. I hope you do write another one for your next trip.

 

[TarzansKat]

I'm so sad this report is coming to a close.

I've enjoyed reading about your adventures more than words can describe, and feel very lucky that you've wanted to share them with us.

I hope you'll consider writing a trip report for your upcoming stay...what would the world be without a little Miss Cammie?

 

[Bethipooh4]

Oh I am going to miss your report...and the Jersey updates...

You will have to add a note to this one when you start your next one so we all know your next adventures have begun. I have truly enjoyed your report, hearing about your family and your trip. I hope everything is going well with the kiddo's.

We are a doxie family too, one short hair red one named Tracer and a long hair black and tan(who is shaved for the summer, its 98 right now, and tomorrow expected to be 102.)named Maxwell.

 

[redsox721]

Bravo. What a great trip report. I have enjoyed reading about your adventure to Disney. Looking forward to the next one.

 

[retiredkid]

MOMMMMMMMMY IT'S OVERRRRRRRRRRR

Miss Cammie, thank you for sharing this wonderful trip. I've laughed, cried, got mad, and once, even got the hiccups from trying not to cry.
It has been a very special report, indeed.

I sincerely hope you can find the time to write one for your upcoming trip.

Blessings.

 

[Stephres]

Will wonders never cease? Jacob has a dehydration problem too and gatorade is our friend. He really hasn't fainted since he was four so he has probably outgrown it but I am still fanatical about the gatorade. Poor Teddy, it really stinks, but I think it is worse on the parents than the kid to tell the truth. So poor you and Jay! I'm glad you are managing it well.

Sally is so sweet to buy something for her brother. What a good sister! When people ask why my kids get along so well (for the most part) I say I always try to catch them being nice to each other and really compliment them for it. Even though Teddy annoys her, Sally is still kind and that is awesome!

I'm sad it's over.

 

[Hedy]

I'm so sad it's over.

 

[Pollito916]

MissCammie - I just wanted to comment on how enjoyable your TR has been! I hope everything in "real life" straightens out for you and the kids, and that you can find the time to write another TR after this year's trip!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Long-time lurker who read every word of your trip report. Amazing is the word that sums it up for me... It never ceases to amaze me where and when you will "receive" valuable life lessons. DD15 is on the verge of getting her drivers licence and thanks to Sally we have been discussing "rule breakers" of the road.

 

[squirrel]

I could sure use Sally on my next trip. With her great nose for smokers and excellent eye sight.

I too have asthma that is triggered by smoke, purfume and other sented sprays(deoderant, air freshener, etc.) I just couldn't believe someone would spray you in the face with purfume. I don't know how you managed not going to the hospital-I know I would have had to.

I really hope you do another trip report for your next trip! Please keep us posted so we can all read the next one-if your going to do one.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I were plumb worried about Teddy all day in this report and was fearing it would not end well but I underestimated the powers of Disney AND a wicked, loving stepmom watching over him.

Watching the news program at Disney is a great way to ruin the magic. We have a bit of crime here and there but they have some strange and extremely scary crime there.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

 

[castmemberb4]

Like all of your fans i'm sad to see this one come to an end and really really hope you'll do another one. I suppose a pre-trip report is too much to hope for, what with you being busy getting ready right now and all
Tell us again when your trip is scheduled for so we can wonder all week what Misscammie and family are doing 'right now'

Good news on the plastic bag front, Disney has jumped on the reusable bag bandwagon I hear they're $6 they fold up and have some kind of clip on them so you can attach them to your belt loop or backpack. They also come in different colors, I can't wait to get some on my next trip to use at the grocery store, a little bit of every week.

Lynn

 

[HerdOHuds]

What a great last day for your trip! It is so hard to keep the magic when all you want to do is STAY and you know you have to go!

I am glad that you thought the Poly was a good location. We will be there with the kidlets come December and we too thought that the monorail would be a great idea!

This has been an amazing report that really played on all my emotions. Even with the drama a ways back, you told your story so well. Thanks again for sharing!

I will look forward to reading about your August trip! (I hope!!!)

 

[*DisMom*]

I am so sad that this TR is over. This is were I come to get my Disney fix...it is going to be another year and a half before we go back and now this is over....oh, please, please, you must start another TR when you get back from your next trip!!!! thanks for sharing with us!!

 

[CampbellScot]

Yes, the longest trip report in history is finally finished.

I honestly didn't believe it would take me just about a year to complete a trip report on a six day vacation!!

So much has changed since I first started writing...but as the saying goes...the more things change, the more things stay the same.

It has been a long year for the Campbellscot's. It was a year of change and transition...and once again, Disneyworld was our emotional life raft. We climbed in and held on as we talked about Disney and looked at our photo album and planned our trip for THIS year.

Sally and Teddy have grown so much in a year. Literally...I can't believe how tall Teddy has gotten. He is entering that stage of angles and big feet and tripping more than ever. He's losing teeth like crazy and all of his tooth fairy money goes into his Disney jar! He is as sweet as ever...impulsive as ever...he is his father's son!

As for miss Sally...it's amazing the changes that take place between the ages of 8 and 9 years old. Last year Sally's main goal while at Disney was to meet Minnie Mouse...this year all she talks about is Zac Efron and her fervent wish that he will be at MGM (I don't know if we'll EVER get used to the Hollywood Studios thing) while we are there. She heard from her friend Mari-Angela who's big sister Antonella told her that once Zac Efron was at MGM and he KISSED somebody in the crowd and Antonella's teacher's cousin KNEW the girl who got kissed!

or something like that...

The very idea of Zac Efron kissing somebody makes Sally giddy.



Sally isn't a little girl anymore.

She continues to be a very sensitive, kind hearted young lady. She's incredibly perceptive and bright. (She ended her third grade year with straight A's and a citizenship award! ) Her fashion sense is as keen as ever and lately Miranada Cosgrove (icarly) has been her style icon! Sally informed Jay and I last week that The Children's Place was an embarrassing place to shop when you are going into the fourth grade, so if we were going to buy her school clothes from that store could we please tell her they from Bloomingdale's instead?

A girl after my own heart!

Sally has also gone from being a devoted Crocs wearer to a flip flop devotee...which means she's always got her eagle eyes on my shoe closet! What shocks me is that Sally and I wear the same shoe size! Sally still wears crocs...but not with the single minded devotion she had last summer.

As for the turmoil that was going on when this trip report began,

I will say that what was best for the kids is what ultimately took place.

It took a while for us to get here but I'm grateful it's done and over with for the time being.

Divorce is wretched.

The kids always lose one way or another.



More than anything else, I wanted to say Thank You to everyone who read my report!! I am so incredibly appreciative of the supportive comments and well wishes I've received from everyone reading along. It's helped in more ways than I can ever articulate. I've been on the receiving end of so many kindnesses. ElinitaB and LindaBabe--thank you both so much for your generosity. Thank you for your kindness.

Thank you everyone for caring so much about Sally and Teddy and Jay and me. I had no idea when I started this report how many wonderful people I would come to "know". It's amazing how true friendships can be forged and developed in this internet age.

I do intend to write a trip report after our trip this August!! So in roughly four weeks and 10 days, I'll be starting A Daily Lesson, the Sequel!

Seeing as how six days took pert near a year...I shudder to think how long a 10 day trip is going stretch out in trip report time! It'll keep me busy one way or another. It will keep me in the moment!!

I suppose that is really at the heart of it all...doing my best to keep those moments alive throughout the year.

Thanks everyone for sharing this trip with me. Y'all are a wonderful bunch of people and I'm blessed to have y'all as friends!

blessings and pixie dust to all!!

see you soon!!

PS-I'm not sure how interesting a Pre-trip report will be, but I will do my best!!

 

[L107ANGEL]

Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you all have a magical trip again Cammie!