Nerves? Just a Few! PTR 10/25 - 11/1

[Scootersbabygirl]

For someone who is a writer by trade, it’s actually much more difficult to write this pre-trip report than I thought it was going to be. It’s probably because we’re headed in just one week and my nerves are really getting to me. What am I nervous about? Well, I’m not a very good flier for one – I keep envisioning the plane crashing. I’m working on it (and I’ve got a few little pills to help with the flight), but I think the problem is that I’ve been so worried about getting everything done, and everything planned, AND not forgetting anything, that I’m all stressed out and nerved up. If any DIS’ers have tips that can help to get rid of some of the stress, I would definitely appreciate it!

So apparently I’m supposed to introduce us – I can definitely do that!
First is the whole reason we’re going in the first place: the monkeys!

On the left is Toad, on the right is Babygirl. Toad is 9 years old and will be 10 in the beginning of December. He’s a huge video game fanatic, even though we limit the amount of time that he gets to play and he can only play when he’s got his homework and chores done. He’s most looking forward to the plane ride, as he’s wanted to fly on a plane for four years – and I made the mistake of telling him about the largest Lego store and he definitely wants to see that!

Babygirl turned 6 in April and is as princess as princess gets, although she doesn’t have a bratty bone in her. She absolutely loves to wear dresses and sometimes it’s like pulling teeth to get her to put on some shorts or pants. While she’s a bit concerned about the plane ride (only because she doesn’t know what to expect), she’s extremely excited to see the princesses and Tinker Bell! And I have a feeling that she’s going to be using her spending money to buy stuffed animals and pretty pink things!

Scott is 37 and is the “man of the house” – or at least he thinks he wears the pants. We like to keep him happy so we make sure he feels like he’s in charge…doesn’t every wife? We’ve been married for 8 years and will be celebrating the 11th year of our first date when we’re at Disney. Wow, 11 years already! Yikes, now I feel old! He works for the local Ethan Allen plant, and even though he complains about his job on a daily basis, I don’t think he could see himself doing much else.

And then there’s me, Randi. I’m 31 years old and work at home as a writer and photographer – ignore the crappy webcam picture of me. I’m usually the one behind the camera, not in front of it. I write online content and am in the first year of my photography business. Working at home has its benefits, like being able to work in my pajamas. It also has some downfalls, such as everyone in my family who assumes that I can do all of their errands because I’m at home. But honestly I love my job(s) and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Well, maybe if I was a lady of leisure with millions of dollars at my disposal, but other than that, I’m set.

This is our first trip to Disney as a family. Scott and I went on our honeymoon, and I went a few times when I was young, but our children have never gone. So while we’re staying at Pop Century, which definitely isn’t the most “posh” resort in Disney, we did get the dining plan, so we’ll be having delicious meals every day we’re there, and I’ll be gaining 50 pounds.

Oh – I forgot to tell you where we live! We actually live in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Yes, Vermont is a state . We’ve lived here our entire lives and love the small schools and the sense of community, and I don’t see us moving anywhere anytime soon.

THE PLAN:

Our plane departs from the Burlington airport at 10:00 am next Monday, the 25th. My mother is bringing us down to the airport so that we don’t have to pay to keep our van there, and because she wants to see us off and when we get back. We’ll be picked up by Disney’s Magical Express and will be staying at the Pop Century resort. We’ve got park hopper passes, but I’m not planning on hitting any of the actual parks until Tuesday, when we’ll hit Magic Kingdom. But I am going to try to brave the Disney bus system to go to Downtown Disney, which is somewhere I’ve never been. I’d really like to eat at Wolfgang Puck express and I know the kids will enjoy the shopping that I’ve read goes on there!

We’ve got tickets for MNSSHP and the kids are dressing up. Babygirl’s going to be Tinker Bell and Toad’s a Ghostbuster. Scott and I were going to dress up but we never found anything that we really wanted to be, and is it just me, or is it hard to find cute costumes when you’re not a size 6?

More as it occurs!

 

[Scootersbabygirl]

I mentioned earlier that I am a photographer. I started my photography business at the end of last year, so this is the first full year I've been doing it, and it's growing faster than I ever anticipated that it would. I did seven weddings this summer when i would've been more than happy with two or three! Slowly but surely I'm getting more and more clients, which is definitely good, but which is really making my life change faster than either my husband or I anticipated.

He just called and told me that a woman, whose family photos I took two months ago and who he works with, wants me to photograph her 50th birthday party. She's partying at a local bar from 9 to midnight and she wants me to photograph everyone there and the goings-on. She works with Scott so I told him the price, which I actually assumed she'd say no to, and he relayed it to her. She said yes.

So, now, Saturday night I'll be at a bar until midnight taking photos. The next day we need to pack for Disney. It definitely wasn't the way I anticipated spending Saturday night, that's for sure! But then again, more money for Disney, which should be a good thing, right??

 

[Scootersbabygirl]

I look at the calendar on my computer and I see that it's October 20th. Hmm, October 20th - we go to Disney on the 25th. Wow. That happened fast. And that may be why I'm not sleeping well AT ALL.

I'm not a good flier. NOT. I have flown before, and I constantly feel as though every time I get on a plane I'm testing the fates, that one time or another I'll be on a plane that crashes into the ground. Now I realize that hundreds of flights are in the air at any one point in time, and that it's highly unlikely that the plane we're all on will crash, but that doesn't stop me from being scared. The closer the days get, the more of a difficult time I'm having sleeping at night, making me sluggish during the daytime, which, of course, is simply annoying.

And, of course, my husband isn't helping. He's acting as though I'm being completely irrational. And I think the fact that I've done all of the planning for the Disney trip, as well as being responsible for gathering everything that we're going to need for the trip as well. I'm not sure if this is the norm, because we simply haven't gone on any large trips, so I don't know if the moms are usually the ones to do the work or not.

All I know is that I'm trying not to freak out and, as of right now, it's not working. Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely excited for the trip, but I'm also battling a lot of fears.