All I Want For Christmas Is an Okapi, a Dinosaur, a Herd of Elephants and ...

[MeMom]

I am sure there will be a next time. What fun would it be if we crossed everything off our list?

Of course very soon there will be things added to our list.


See ?!?!? New things added to the list. I am glad they reopened the Firehouse and found something exciting to draw people there.

Looks like by this report Dumbo is now March instead of Presidents weekend.

To make you feel better about no Spring break trip, at least there will be stuff done by the time you go. Spring break it might or might not be done.

Looks like Fantasyland with walls up around Dumbo now is all walled in again. I look forward to seeing it "big" again.

Yeah, I will be glad when all of the walls are down, mostly for people who are taking their once in a lifetime Disney trip. They are not getting the best Magic Kingdom experience.

From after next week (another observation and mountains of paperwork/prep to go with it) until spring break, we will keep ourselves busy with trying to narrow down the 1001 ideas we have for Bella's Disney Princesses party. Since one fair lady was not the clear winner, it has been decided that they will be represented. Fun, yet very challenging, methinks.

Thanks for the Mingo explanation! Poor Mingo! I hope someone finds him soon!

BTW...nice to see someone else named Jill....not that many of us around.

Jill in CO

I liked Jill for a name when I was choosing. I thought it was cute for a little girl, yet still nice for a grown woman.

It would be interesting to document Mingo's travels.

Here, even though it is on the fourth page!

Oh, well, as long as I don't miss any of the fun!

You haven't missed a thing. Jill got the first set of pictures up, so we are now ready to start.

 

[slightly_obsessed]

Made it! We'll see how good of a job I do this time keeping up.

 

[MeMom]

I heard the bells on Christmas Day....

In Alabama, where the whole family had gathered, we awoke early and enjoyed watching the girls get into the things Santa had left them. They like to inspect each thing before moving to the next, so we had to speed them along the way a couple of times. Bella took her time with her stocking, so she really didn't even see very well a lot of what Santa brought her before we left.

We ate a light breakfast of pastries. Things were quiet and going at a good pace.....


until....

I decided I would go ahead and get my license and put it in the front pocket of purse for easy access when we got to the airport.

This was about fifteen minutes before we were going to be pulling out of the driveway.

My little blue 'pouch' that I keep said license in, along with my annual pass and my credit card

was


not


there.


No,

make that !


I verbalized this to the group, and in quiet panic, I began to wonder where in the world it could be.

Do you remember how things went when the Home Alone family realized they had overslept?

Jill's house had a similar scene going on as everyone began turning things inside out and upside down to find the little blue pouch.

Jill went out to my car and became the hero when she found that it had overshot my purse after I had gotten gas on the way to her house and had landed in the floor.

I am certainly glad I thought about moving it to a different spot before we left for the airport, because I absolutely would have assumed it to be in my purse, and the panic would have begun at the airport check-in station.

Right before we left, too, my laptop went kaput. I still took it, thinking John could fix it while we were there, but I should have left it home, because he could not. It took an IT friend of mine several days to get it to behave, and it is still a little shaky from time to time.

Anyway, we loaded up the car,

and I do mean loaded.

I had to hold a stroller and a bag up in the front seat with me, and I already take up most of that front seat.

Okay, I've done my picture fulfillment for this trip.

I also had forgotten to bring my reading material for the plane.
My kind sons offered me some of their magazines that they had in Trent's car.

Anyone surprised???


This was my first time flying AirTran, and it was my first time flying out of Huntsville.

Here are my sweet Christmas girls.

Santa Claus brought Brooklynn her own camera for Christmas, which is hanging from her arm. I truly enjoyed watching her take pictures.

We had only a short wait,

and we were on the plane.

Brooklynn was my travel buddy.

We were too busy with bags and strollers and restroom stops to get good MCO pictures, but I did stop to get the girls with Santa, who was visiting Orlando after his big ride.

That was Bella's first test with a 'character'.

In the line at Magical Express.

The little boy you can kind of see in the picture had been given the trip from Santa. The parents had not packed until after he found out, because they didn't want to let the secret out, so they had certainly had a busy morning. They had a nice big notebook to help them out along the way. They had a lot of good ADR's, as I recall. They were very nice people.

We didn't wait long for a bus, and before long, the magic had really begun.

(In our case, girls. )

I think resort guests should be entitled to stay forever.

Heading toward the arch o' fun.

Closer. (With our driver in the mirror.)

And we are here!

Pop was the first stop.

 

[Poolrat]

YAY you are on your way.

The 'character' pic with is great.


Sorry to 'interrupt'

 

[MeMom]

There was no wait to check in. Gem was our cast member.

This trip included an anniversary celebration and a birthday.

I should mention here that the birthday boy was supposed to be watching the girls in the TV area while we were checking in. Brooklynn found the TV and was set for life, or at least good for an hour without blinking, but Bella, the escape artist, was spotted by her Mommy (from Gem's counter) making her way to Everything Pop at a leisurely pace.

The birthday boy had acquired his first strike of the trip.

With Bella safely ensnared by Jill, we continued our check-in.
We were first assigned the Roger Rabbit building, but after I said I had been in that building twice, Gem asked if I would like a different area. I said, "Sure, see what else you have and we'll decide." She made a call and they offered second floor in the jukebox, so we took that.

After we got our paperwork, we went to check out my tree.

Angels were singing in heaven and rays of sunlight adorned this lovely sight.

We were 'home' for Christmas.

Bella enjoying my tree.

These are the new, more streamlined check-in packets.

Information for the days ahead.

Gingerbread House Competition between the cast members.

Jill decided we would share a pizza before going to the rooms.

I snuck off to get a few merchandise pictures.

First glimpse of the Hippy Dippy Pool.

Into my room.

My picture.

Their picture.

We left our things and headed out, as we had planned to spend a little time in Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day.

 

[disney<333]

Yay for arriving!You guys are brave souls for going to MK on Christmas day. I had originally planned AK for that day, but the girls wanted Epcot, so that is where we spent the day.

 

[oOJulieOo]

I'm glad the wallet was quickly found! What a scare.

I am impressed that you all fit into one car, even if you did have to share your seat with a stroller.

What a great Christmas!

 

[swwake]

Subscribing!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Yikes!! I remember commenting on facebook that the trip certainly got off to an eventful start between the license, laptop and escape artist Bella! I can just imagine the rising panic you felt thinking your license was lost. thank goodness the drama didn't last too long!

 

[caralyn817]

So which house did you vote for?

 

[LookinUp]

I'm here! Actually, I was here yesterday, but didn't successfully post via my new smartphone, which, apparently, I still can't drive yet. Finally, life is settling down some after a crazy fall & holidays (travel, mom in & out of the hospital, computer & phone breakdowns, etc.). Throughout all that, the MeMom gang gave me periodic respite & reason to be thankful. I'm so glad to be back on board for the latest adventure.
Belated Happy New Year to all!

 

[declansdad]

Scary thing when you think you lost something. I bet the feeling was similar to the one I had last year as I was laying in bed at our Fort Lauderdale hotel as I remembered I lerft my camera in the rental. A rental that we had returned 5 hours earlier at the airport. Glad everything was quickly located and you were on your way.

Still love seeing those pictures of Pop.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Oh no! You really need wallet stuff to get off the ground! Hooray for making it home for Christmas!!!

 

[pooh'smate]

I am so glad you found wallet. I am sure you enjoyed reading about muscle building. I am sad you didn't make it to WL.

 

[Happy Elf]

You made it! Glad Jill saw Bella trying to escape! Love the Christmas platter!

Doing a little trip scheming....I think I found my argument for going in Oct. 2013, Hannah will still be kids price if we waited till summer 2014 (like Ben wants to) she will be adult price.

 

[CreightonsMomma]

Those magazines that the boys gave you are so funny!!!

Poor Bella, she just wanted to check out the gift shop. Glad Jill saw her. That would have been so scary.

I love the girls suitcases.

 

[Megablocks]

That gingerbread castle looks AMAZING! I can't build gingerbread houses because I want to eat everything edible.

Ahhh, Pop Century. I was just there and I already want to be back! We were right near the Hippy Dippy pool. We were in building 4, the building to the left of the Play-Doh (if you were facing it), but kinda in the back. That area was a first for us and I loved it! It was awesome leaving the food court and walking past the pool every day.

I have my TR intro all typed up...just trying to figure out if I can get the pictures smaller. They show up normal, Facebook size on Facebook, but when I post them, they come up larger and it's driving me insane! I'm afraid the glasses pictures being that large will scare people

 

[Valgoof]

I love Bella's Muppets shirt!!! So cool that they are making a comeback for this generation. I wore a Muppets shirt to DHS and the CM at TSMM liked it so much she gave me back our FP so we could ride again.

 

[MeMom]

Yay for arriving!You guys are brave souls for going to MK on Christmas day. I had originally planned AK for that day, but the girls wanted Epcot, so that is where we spent the day.

Some call it brave. More often, it is called crazy.

I'm glad the wallet was quickly found! What a scare.

I am impressed that you all fit into one car, even if you did have to share your seat with a stroller.

What a great Christmas!

Whew on finding that license! That was some drama I do not want to repeat. Ever.

It was a tight fit in that car, but we did it! Skinnybones Jill sat in between the two car seats.

Subscribing!!

Good to see ya! I was just over on your report a few minutes ago.

Yikes!! I remember commenting on facebook that the trip certainly got off to an eventful start between the license, laptop and escape artist Bella! I can just imagine the rising panic you felt thinking your license was lost. thank goodness the drama didn't last too long!

I am not one for drama, period, but when it comes to Disney drama, I want nothing to do with it!!!

So which house did you vote for?

We never did vote. I am the world's worst decision maker. I felt bad voting for one hard worker over another. Brooklynn said she liked the Toy Story one.

I'm here! Actually, I was here yesterday, but didn't successfully post via my new smartphone, which, apparently, I still can't drive yet. Finally, life is settling down some after a crazy fall & holidays (travel, mom in & out of the hospital, computer & phone breakdowns, etc.). Throughout all that, the MeMom gang gave me periodic respite & reason to be thankful. I'm so glad to be back on board for the latest adventure.
Belated Happy New Year to all!

Glad we could bring some happiness during stressful times. Even more glad things have settled down enough that you have time to visit.

Scary thing when you think you lost something. I bet the feeling was similar to the one I had last year as I was laying in bed at our Fort Lauderdale hotel as I remembered I lerft my camera in the rental. A rental that we had returned 5 hours earlier at the airport. Glad everything was quickly located and you were on your way.

Still love seeing those pictures of Pop.

I was not going to be making a flight if I didn't have a driver's license, so it was pretty scary for a few minutes.

Pop is doing some fun things around the pool now - lots of games and dance parties throughout the day and movies on a big screen at night.

Oh no! You really need wallet stuff to get off the ground! Hooray for making it home for Christmas!!!

I would have been SICK if I had gotten to the airport without a license!

I am so glad you found wallet. I am sure you enjoyed reading about muscle building. I am sad you didn't make it to WL.

The magazines stayed in the car. I had a Disney Celebrations magazine I had planned to read, but nooooooo....

I am sorry I did not get to WL, too, but I made wishes from afar. Maybe I'll send in my quarters and have a cast member throw them in so the wishes will be sure to come true.

You made it! Glad Jill saw Bella trying to escape! Love the Christmas platter!

Doing a little trip scheming....I think I found my argument for going in Oct. 2013, Hannah will still be kids price if we waited till summer 2014 (like Ben wants to) she will be adult price.

I think that is a perfectly logical reason to back the trip up.

However, our little Hannah cannot be anywhere near becoming a Disney adult!

Those magazines that the boys gave you are so funny!!!

Poor Bella, she just wanted to check out the gift shop. Glad Jill saw her. That would have been so scary.

I love the girls suitcases.

I wanted Disney reading. Trent had muscle stuff. Drew had camera stuff. I passed on both. I enjoyed talking with Brooklynn and watching her do artwork.

Bella would have found her way to the food or the toys. It might have been interesting to trail her and see where she went.

That gingerbread castle looks AMAZING! I can't build gingerbread houses because I want to eat everything edible.

Ahhh, Pop Century. I was just there and I already want to be back! We were right near the Hippy Dippy pool. We were in building 4, the building to the left of the Play-Doh (if you were facing it), but kinda in the back. That area was a first for us and I loved it! It was awesome leaving the food court and walking past the pool every day.

I have my TR intro all typed up...just trying to figure out if I can get the pictures smaller. They show up normal, Facebook size on Facebook, but when I post them, they come up larger and it's driving me insane! I'm afraid the glasses pictures being that large will scare people

We have stayed in the Play-Doh building, too. We like anything 50's through 70's better than the 80's and 90's, but it easy to get to the bus stop from some of the 80's buildings, so that's a plus.

I wonder if we will come to love other resorts in the future and feel as much at home at them as we do at Pop?

I love Bella's Muppets shirt!!! So cool that they are making a comeback for this generation. I wore a Muppets shirt to DHS and the CM at TSMM liked it so much she gave me back our FP so we could ride again.

Hooray for extra rides on Toy Story! It is cute that the Muppets are making a comeback. The new movie was very cute.

 

[Kgroo]

Hi Memom and Jill. So glad to be here for a new TR. I am so looking forward to seeing lots of Pop pics. Can't wait for our stay there in a few weeks.

I absolutely hate that sinking panic feeling when you think you have lost something important. Glad that you found your license and that you had looked for it before you got into the airport.

Can't wait for more TR!!!