"You're Going WHERE on your 50th Birthday?!?

[princess&her4princes]

The DD starts First Grade Wednesday!!

We had orientation at her new school today - very nice, good vibes - nice library and gymnasium.

Unfortunately, her teacher wasn't there ... but we did get to see her classroom ... big ... and looks like there will be a total of 21 kids in the class ...

She also made her first "new school" friend - another new 1st-grade girl ... not in her class, but they've already made plans to meet on the playground!!

And that's it for

WDW Day - 20 Update ...

Isn't it so nerve racking to have them going off to 1st grade, I think it's really going to fly by now!! Glad to hear that DD made a new friend, got to see her classroom! That's nice they do that for you, we have nothing like that at our school. We don't meet the teachers until October sometime for parents night! Too bad her teacher wasn't there though! Guess it's still Summer vacation for some....

AND YAY for BBB!!!!!!!!!!! That's great you got a ressie before you went to see Cindy! How fun, I can't wait to see the pics from that!!!! She's going to SO surprised and so excited when she finds out about all of your awesome plans!!!!

Have a great weekend! HOpe you're not getting hit too hard by Danny? Doesn't sound too great for us tomorrow.....

 

[joelp]

WDW Day - 19 Update: (a tad late ... )

Mindi called yesterday and we went over the schedule for the weekend at WDW ... She and Jed didn't know that BBB also had a location in the MK, so they were trying to picture my mother running all over WDW - taking the girls from MK to DTD ... then back to the Grand Floridean ...

... so she felt better when I exlained the situation/plan ... now, if I can just get that second BBB appointment closer to 3:30 ... (Anyone know how - if? - it's possible to bribe a Fairy Godmother-in-Training? )

Mindi's also gonna try and make a dinner reservation for Friday night at either Boma, Jiko, or Sanaa - so whichever adults don't want to go back to Epcot (or if the weather sucks ...) will have a nice place to eat ... and we can put Danielle and Nina in Simba's Clubhouse for a couple hours (which they won't mind at all!!)

They haven't made plans for Sunday yet, so they may join us in the Animal Kingdom ...

Rained here all day yesterday ... and then sort of cleared up in the late afternoon ... so we jumped in the car and hit the boardwalk at Pt. Pleasant (NJ) ...

Place was practically empty ...


Best fish-n-chips ever ... everything fresh, practically greaseless, with a light batter on the fish ... ... with fresh-squeezed lemonade to top things off ...

The DW took the DD into the "Funhouse" ... and the DD exited crying her eyes out (it was not "fun" at all!!) ... "I don't want to do that ever again!!" ... It started off bad for the DD - when she smacked her face into a mirror ... and it was downhill from there ...

But then we went and played some of the "wheel" games, and she won a big box of Mike 'n' Ike (she wanted the "Fun Dip", but the DW put her foot down ... 5 minutes later, after some tears - not mine, the DD's!! - and a threat from me that we would just walk away and not get anything - the DD chose the "pink candy box" ... I live with two VERY strong-willed women!! )

A few Mik 'n' Ike and a smile was back on the DD's face, and it was off to do some rides ... Where she made a new friend (a girl her age in a family visiting from NYC ...) - and they did about 4-5 rides together ...

and then we stumbled upon some of our "local" old friends and their kid ... and they did a couple rides (they had that "Dizzy Dragon" spinning so fast my poor DD was basically pinned against the wall!! )

... and then it started to rain again ...

So we ran into an arcade ... tried and failed to win the DD a Webkinz with "The Claw" ...

... and the DD fell asleep on the way home ...

... and I actually got 8 hours sleep last night!! (can't remember the last time that happened!! - so it deserves another ...)

Time to start stretching and take Ranger for a run ... as the DD and DW are starting to wake up, too ...

Oh, yeah - finished going through the photos from the Dec 08 WDW trip and organizing them ... but we just got a "40 free prints" e-mail from Shutterfly, so I'm gonna go through them a reprint some that didn't come out all that great ...

Oh, yeah-yeah ... ... we pulled the DD's "Disney Princess" backpack out of the attic - which she'll use for school and as her WDW plane carry-on ... and loaded it up with school supplies for next week ... She's started to get excited about it ... (school!! - she still doesn't know about WDW ...)

... and we got a "Welcome to First Grade" postcard from her teacher ... which sort of makes up for her not being at the Orientation on Friday ...

Later ...

 

[joelp]

WDW Day - 16 Update:

I've been busy ...

I got an e-mail from the TA today - she received my WDW docs yesterday, is looking them over to make sure everything is correct ... and I should get them in a few days ... She also said that - in the packet with my stuff - she got the docs from someone who is leaving on Sept. 5!!!

Reminder: need to pre-order the Photopass CD ... and I'll use Shutterfly to make the photo books (for the cost of 1 WDW book - I can get all 3 from Shutterfly ... they may not have all the bells and whistles, but they'll still be nice ...)

I was working on the touring plan for Animal Kingdom - and actually have two plans ... so the DW and I have to look them over and decide which one to go with ...

Plan A is the "traditional" way we've done the AK - start off relaxed checking out the habitats in The Oasis/Discovery Island - then on to FotLK ... KS ... Lunch ... and then Finding Nemo and ending with EE or Dinosaur ... filling in with the Pangani and/or Maharajah treks if possible ...

Plan B is kinda the reverse - start with a mad dash for EE or Dinosaur ... then Finding Nemo ... Lunch ... then KS ... Tough to be a Bug ... and end with FotLK ... and maybe some Characters in Camp Mickey-Minnie ... (basically - less walking and more A/C ... )

Any other ideas?

And have any of you eaten at Pizzafari?? I know Flame Tree BBQ is good - but if it's hot, we would want the A/C ...

I finished organizing the photos from the Dec 08 trip ... - now I just have to get a really BIG photo album!!

On non-WDW stuff - the DD starts first grade tomorrow ... ... she should be fine ... and have a new "best friend" within about 5 minutes of stepping into the classroom !!! (she made 3 today at B&N ... !! )

And - the klezmer band I play in took 2nd place for best album in the Just Plain Folks awards!! Check out this site - there should be lots of good and new music from the winners (and runners-up) in all of the categories ...

2009 Album Winners: Top 4 Albums in All Genres
http://www.jpfolks.com/MusicAwards/2009/Nominees/AlbumWinners.htm

Time to put the DD in her bed (she fell asleep in our bed with Vicki reading her new fairy book to her ...) ... and hopefully she'll stay there!!

Until tomorrow ...

 

[princess&her4princes]

WDW Day - 16 Update:

I've been busy ...

I got an e-mail from the TA today - she received my WDW docs yesterday, is looking them over to make sure everything is correct ... and I should get them in a few days ... She also said that - in the packet with my stuff - she got the docs from someone who is leaving on Sept. 5!!!
Yay for getting your paperwork in and it's on it's way to you!!!

Reminder: need to pre-order the Photopass CD ... and I'll use Shutterfly to make the photo books (for the cost of 1 WDW book - I can get all 3 from Shutterfly ... they may not have all the bells and whistles, but they'll still be nice ...)

You're so smart to just be ordering the shutterfly books, it makes so much more sense since you need three of them and Disney is soooo expensive!! And good for you for getting your December photos done!!

I was working on the touring plan for Animal Kingdom - and actually have two plans ... so the DW and I have to look them over and decide which one to go with ...

Plan A is the "traditional" way we've done the AK - start off relaxed checking out the habitats in The Oasis/Discovery Island - then on to FotLK ... KS ... Lunch ... and then Finding Nemo and ending with EE or Dinosaur ... filling in with the Pangani and/or Maharajah treks if possible ...

Plan B is kinda the reverse - start with a mad dash for EE or Dinosaur ... then Finding Nemo ... Lunch ... then KS ... Tough to be a Bug ... and end with FotLK ... and maybe some Characters in Camp Mickey-Minnie ... (basically - less walking and more A/C ... )

Any other ideas?

Not a big AK fan....so I don't have anything to add. Sorry, these plans look great.....I'm thinking plan B sounds the best to me, especially with more A/C!!

And have any of you eaten at Pizzafari?? I know Flame Tree BBQ is good - but if it's hot, we would want the A/C ...

Nope, haven't eaten there....
I finished organizing the photos from the Dec 08 trip ... - now I just have to get a really BIG photo album!!

On non-WDW stuff - the DD starts first grade tomorrow ... ... she should be fine ... and have a new "best friend" within about 5 minutes of stepping into the classroom !!! (she made 3 today at B&N ... !! )

I hope Danielle has a great 1st day of 1st grade!!! Ethan did great yesterday and so much fun, I hope she does, too!!! And I hope you post some pics!!

And - the klezmer band I play in took 2nd place for best album in the Just Plain Folks awards!! Check out this site - there should be lots of good and new music from the winners (and runners-up) in all of the categories ...
Never heard of klezmer band before, but congrats on 2nd place, that's great!!!!! I tried clicking on the list, it just lists names of the bands that won, can I find your music somewhere? Sounds interesting!!

2009 Album Winners: Top 4 Albums in All Genres
http://www.jpfolks.com/MusicAwards/2009/Nominees/AlbumWinners.htm

Time to put the DD in her bed (she fell asleep in our bed with Vicki reading her new fairy book to her ...) ... and hopefully she'll stay there!!
Awwww, how sweet!!!!!
Until tomorrow ...

Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[joelp]

We survived the first day of 1st Grade!!

[Even though we did get 2 calls from the assistant principal!! ... a little confusion about after-school care on their part ... ]

Details - and pictures - later tonight ...

This web site has the band's music - and pictures ...

http://www.odessaklezmer.com/

Later ...

 

[joelp]

WDW Day - 14 Update:

which means ...

2! (count 'em ...) only 2!! weeks from this very moment I'll be having dinner at Boma! Boma! Boma!

Still no sign of my "WDW mail" yet ... but I won't go into mode until after Labor Day ...

I've re-finagled our AK Touring Plan to fit in Rafiki's Planet Watch - and still hit all our other priorities ... but I'll save that update for tomorrow ...

We found out "Back to School Night" is - September 16!! And we leave for WDW the next day ...

So - speaking of "school" ... here's the recap on Danielle's first day in 1st grade ...

We started off on a good note: Danielle came into our bedroom around 6:30 pulling her Disney Princess backpack ... she was raring to go!!

First thing was to decide what to wear - and since she's been bugging us to wear this outfit I had picked up a Kohl's a couple weeks ago (thanks to one of those 30% off coupons ... ) - even though it's more of a fall outfit - the DW gave in ...

So - since there seems to be a lot of clothes and shoe-hounds out there in DisBoard-land ... let's start with the shoes ...

The latest in the "Wizards of Waverly Place" line ... which I found just this past weekend at Payless ...

They are so cool - if I do say so myself - and will go with anything ... ANYTHING!!

The rest of the outfit is defintely from the "Hannah Montana" line ...

Daniell's school is only 2 miles up the road - but figuring it was the first day - we left a little early ... expecting ...


But surprisingly, there were only about 25 parents dropping off their kids ... I guess most them just dumped them onto their bus and laughed themselves silly all the way back to their houses ...

Here's a couple shots of Danielle in front of her school:

We had a few minutes to wait in the hall until the bell rang - so Danielle and Vicki posed for a shot:

As we were walking to Danielle's classroom, Vicki went into the "Is this really happening? zone" ... and Danielle looked up at me, grabbed my hand, and said "I'm Daddy's girl!" (which momentarily put me in that "zone", too ...)

So we got to her classroom and there were 21 desks - 18 set up in 3 groups of 6 to form a "U" - and 3 in the center of the "U" - and each desk had a kid's name plate on front. The desks were arranged alphabetically - and wouldn't you know it, but Danielle's desk is smack-dab in the middle of the set of 3 in the middle of the "U" ...!! (got that? ... )

So we helped her get settled in - introduced ourselves to her teacher - gave her hugs and kisses ... said good bye ... and went off to work ...

And Vicki said she was in the "zone" all day ...

Only 178 more days to go!!

OK - time to do the kitty litter and take out the trash ...

 

[princess&her4princes]

Awww, Danielle looked beautiful on her 1st day of school! Sounds like it was a good day and glad she was so excited to go! I can't keep Ethan in bed until a reasonable hour here, he's just so excited, I guess that's a good thing...there may be a day he decides this school thing isn't so much fun!! LOL!!

I can completely relate to Vicki and being in that "zone"....I've been in it all week long....but between you and I ...I coudl get use to having just 2 at home, it's so much easier!! Shh.... But I do miss him and can't believe the whole reason I stayed home was because of him and he's now off doing his own thing...time flies!

Less than 2 weeks now!!!!!! WOOHOO!!

Big plans for the holiday weekend?

 

[joelp]

Awww, Danielle looked beautiful on her 1st day of school!

Thanks - we can't figure out where she gets her looks ... Certainly not from me ... her height and physique - yes ... but that face? - no way it comes from me!!

Sounds like it was a good day and glad she was so excited to go! I can't keep Ethan in bed until a reasonable hour here, he's just so excited, I guess that's a good thing...there may be a day he decides this school thing isn't so much fun!! LOL!!

Definitely a good thing!!


Big plans for the holiday weekend?

I have a gig with the band tonight in Cape May ... and Vicki and Danielle are thinking of going to a "Faeries and Fables" event in Pt. Pleasant this afternoon ...

Danielle has a birthday party sleepover with her cousin Saturday night ... so it will just be me and the missus ...

I'm supposed to have two softball games tomorrow - but it looks like both of our opposing teams will forfeit - so I'll be able to hit the beach with Vicki, Danielle, and friends from Pittsburgh who are visting for the weekend ...

BBQ at the in-laws Sunday - maybe, depending on what happens when we pick up Danielle ...

Monday? - nuthin'

Big plans? ...

Have a great weekend!!

 

[joelp]

WDW Day - 13 Update: (Part One? ...)

As promised, here is the finagled AK touring plan ... I've include estimated times to test the "reality" of it actually working ...

8:30 Arrive at AK for opening

9:00-10:30 Kiliminjaros Safaris, explore Africa, grab a snack at the Kusafiri Coffee Shop, and (maybe) Pangani Exploration Trail

10:30-11:30 Rafiki's Planet Watch

11:30-12:30 Festival of the Lion King (12:00 show)

Grab FPs for EE and Dinosaur at the centralized FP location

12:30-1:30 Lunch (Pizzafari or Flame Tree BBQ)

1:30-3:30 Finding Nemo (2:00 show) - followed by EE (for those foolish enough ...), Dinosaur (for the temporally-challenged), or Triceratop Spin/The Boneyard (for da kids ...)

3:45 Parade (maybe - depends on what time the bus will leave for MCO - I'd like to have at least 1/2 hour to get ready and wander around the AKL before we leave ...)

So - whaddya think?

 

[joelp]

Only 10 Days to Go!!!









Stopped by the Disney Store this afternoon and picked up Danielle's Halloween costume - which the DW also wants her to wear when we meet the Fairies at Pixie Hollow ... The DD will be dressed as Rosetta!!

$10 off - which is about 20% ... so we didn't think we'd do much better than that ... and they only had one left in her size ...

Got my first birthday card and present - from my "step" brother and SIL: a WDW Gift card!! They're not into Disney at all, so we didn't even bother asking them to join us ...

No sign of our magic "WDW mail" yet - so if it doesn't come tomorrow, I'll start bugging the TA on a daily basis ...

Speaking of - my birthday is also "Official Talk Like a Pirate Day!!" ...

Started looking at the long-range weather forecast for Orlando (for what it's worth ...) sunny, humid, high of 90, and a chance of showers pretty much every day ... we can live with that ...

Time to get back to the BBQ ...

Until tomorrow ... and a single-digit dance party!!

 

[Dizneydaz]

Hi Joel.

Your Danielle is so beautiful. Love the shoes!

You AK plan sounds good! We love AK.

Yes, 9/19 is "Official Talk Like a Pirate Day" Belle has mentioned that several times in the last few days. I need to remember to bring her pirate bandana ears.

I've been up since 3 a.m. which should help adjust me to Florida time. Plus, I finally found our park tickets.

I'm sending you a PM re: PP. Did you pre-order yet?

Can't wait to read more.....

 

[joelp]

WELCOME TO THE

SINGLE-DIGIT DANCE PARTY!!!






AND ...

OUR "MAGIC WDW DOCUMENTS" ARRIVED IN THE MAIL TODAY!!!



AND ...

The DW just found that there are special screenings of the new "Princess and the Frog" movie ... followed by a "Disney Party" with Princesses and all kinds of stuff!! ... in NYC ... so we got tix to that, too!!! (check outhttp://www.disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessfrogtickets/ )



... OK - time to put the DD to sleep ...

 

[princess&her4princes]

dancin' with you!!

 

[Dizneydaz]

Joining you in your single digit dance! We are leaving in 3 days! Yikes and Yipppee!

 

[joelp]

ONLY 1 WEEK to Go!!



Just submitted my application to the "Disney Mom's" panel ...

I was all set to submit two years ago - on my birthday ... but when I signed in to download my stuff they had reached the maximum # of entries ...

So I didn't waste ANY time this year ...

Pretty much have my packing list finalized ... but I'll have to hit a few stores this weekend ...

And I just found out the centralized FP system is no longer operating at AK, so I may have to rethink the touring plan ...

Time to get some sleep ...

 

[princess&her4princes]

Hey Joelp!
I'm signing out until I get home from my trip but I just wanted to say thanks for counting down with me, sharing your plans and expertise with me and I hope you have magical trip yourself! I'll wave to you at some point on my trip, so be on the lookout for me so you don't miss me!! LOL!! And I hope you have a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I can't wait to hear all about it and can't wait to hear about the surprise for Danielle! Talk to you when I get home!!! Woohoo!!! We're going to DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:dance3:

 

[joelp]

Like your new ticker ...

48 hours from now we'll be heading out to my Mom's!! ... and then to the airport!!

[But I gotta get some sleep first!! ... ]

I've been AWOL the last few days ... busy weekend!!

And then last night my niece calls with some Math homework - and an hour later - while taking my post-run shower - I finally figured out the last of 'em ...

One of the problems reminded me of a Three Stooges short ...

We're gonna tell Danielle that we're going to see her cousin Nina in Florida ... and then I'll give her a letter from Tinker Bell when we get to my Mom's ...

All the "planning" is done - now I just have to print out final versions of everything for my binder ...

I'll make a "to do" list while I'm at work today ...

And I got the whole lawn cut Sunday - so tomorrow I just have to run to the store(s) to pick up a few things, give Ranger a bath, and pack ...

Time to wake up the girls ... later ...

 

[joelp]

Good morning!!

Right now it's about 24 hours until we head off to the airport ... ... and if you read the PTR for our Dec 08 trip, you know what's about to happen!!

I'm stretchin' and gettin' ready for a run with Ranger - and cleaning up the office a bit - and waiting for the sun to come up ...

... and DISing ...

Back in an hour-or-so ...

 

[joelp]

So much for my last run as a 49-year old!!

My next planned run is Saturday morning at the AKL ... assuming I can get up early after evening EMH at Epcot!!

Time to do some and drop the DD off at school ...

Then it's back here to do some organizin'!!

Only 23 hours to go!!

 

[joelp]

22 hours to go!!

Puttin' laundry away ... with another load in the dryer ... and a final load to be done later today ...

I have a "to do" list for today, but haven't checked anything off yet this morning ... although I am working on the !!!

Back to the ...