Here we are: 2 years. I keep thinking about this day 2 years ago. If you could only go back in time....
Two years makes it sound like something you're over. But anyone going through it knows that's not true. I still almost call, I still see something and think, "Wait until I tell Mom!" Two years sounds like a long time; it's not.
As a happy thing, here's a picture of my Dad and Mom on a date. We found this in a box of things Mom saved. They had this done in a photobooth. Look how young and happy they are.
If you could only go back in time, I'd warn them about so much.... if I could get them to listen.
John's back is no better, so he's taking the morning off and asked that I stay too. It's such a lousy thing that he's hurt and losing good vacation time. It's our last day too. But the dogs are happy. :)
We're supposed to meet a couple friends at Epcot for lunch at 2; hopefully he can come.
I'm headed back to Fort Wilderness to be with John. I want him to go to the hot tub to help his back. I only did the attractions at Studios that he doesn't like or did already: One Man's Dream, Tower of Terror (jumped way up in the queue as a single rider) and Rockin' Roller Coaster (it broke down right after; not my fault!). But it so stinks that he's not here.
We're planning to stay here in France because we have such good seats. Would you like me to broadcast Illuminations tonight? Just reply in comments (if you haven't on Facebook).
I had a blast at the luau breakfast! I got a fantastic souvenir when a flower fell off of Stitch's lei! And despite what John says, I didn't steal it and Security isn't looking for me!
We got our golf cart, which only, so far, John's gotten to drive. It's a speedy one too!
At Magic Kingdom, I danced behind the brass band as I went around to get pictures with the castle in the shot, and got caught at it by John and the band! And when I danced more as I saw John recording it, a couple guys cheered me on with "Go, white girl! Go, white girl!"
I met Elizabeth at the Main Street Cinema who is a fellow Emperor's Groove fan! I played with the webcam, thought we got Laugh Floor fast passes but they were for Buzz, so I proceeded to whoop John's butt! We saw Hall of Presidents where John told a lot of bad jokes, and the river boat where we got nice photos.
At Animal Kingdom, we rode Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl - or as John calls it "The Puker", and saw a girl with blinking lights on her teeth. We were with people experiencing Dinosaur and Tough to be a Bug for the first time which is fantastic to watch.
John hit the wall, so we rescued the dogs from the kennel and came back to relax. I know I'm forgetting so much! But when I remember, I'll update this.
Site 801! We can hear the fireworks over in the Magic Kingdom as we watch the Must Do on channel 18 with Stacey.
I have the Disney Mobile Magic on my cell phone; I forgot I set up our trip and so I was surprised when it sent me a message saying I arrived today! It gave the weather forecast and today's events. Can't wait to try it in the parks!
Plus, since it's my birthday, they had a birthday button, card, and a Celebration discount for PhotoPass! Oh yeah!
And it just hit me: tomorrow is Monday and we're not at work. Whoo hoo!
Driving into Walt Disney World, up Main Gate and through the Magic Kingdom gateway into Fort Wilderness. My husband turns the camera into the car a couple times, so happy that we're here that he can't sit still.
What a great surprise to check email and text messages and see so many people wishing me a happy birthday!
We just remembered we could check-in online, so I just fired up the laptop to take care of that. Now we can just get our key cards and sail in faster. Man, I love the Internet!
We just went past the exit for Waycross, Georgia where we visited Teresa and her husband years ago and ended up being the first Yankees some of the people ever saw. John thought we should go back and say hi to all those friends; they must miss us.
Just found out we're 22 miles to the Florida border! Oh yeah!
(Those are the African plastic horns from the World Cup games.)
Actually, we've been on the road for a little while; we just stopped for gas and walked the dogs.
Happy Father's Day to all the dads! For his father's day, the dogs didn't bark all night at every person going by at the hotel. Only a couple of them. ;)
We brilliantly didn't charge the camcorder before we left and equally brilliantly (more out of sleepiness) didn't charge it last night at the hotel. So we'll just have to use our Imagination when remembering the whole trip down.... and use the webcam when we go into WDW! I'm not missing that!
But right now, John's doing well driving so I'm going to take a nap and then drive later.
We're leaving Maryland rest area a Area everyone got a break and John got an attitude about stopping! At least, until he decided he needed to stop too. ;')
We just had another big update in the menus section! Thank you to Deb Koma and other team members for getting menus, and a big huge thank you to our readers! Jennifer, Lisa, Tracy, Valerie, and Karen: thank you so much for all the photos and information! And if I forgot anyone, please know I send you an equal amount of pixie dust filled thank yous
A lot of ups and downs. Met 2 good friends for breakfast yesterday and then spent the afternoon with 2 of my sisters, plus my nephew and his family. Saw friends in a play last night and I leave on vacation in a week.
All good things.
I had two -- eye openers or milestones. I was talking to John about my mom; we're getting close to the 2nd anniversary of losing her. I thought out loud about if it was possible to go back in time, what I'd say to my mom and dad before they got married. Then I joked that maybe I'd just go find John at 19 and jump his bones. He answered, why would he at 19 want a woman of my age.
My age has been really surreal the last few years. It doesn't feel connected to me at all; it's like if I said I was 98. It's just nothing to do with me. But when I thought about what John said and took a look at myself in the mirror, really looked at myself, I realized he's right. I'm nothing for the young; I got caught up into being another middle aged woman who can't face what she is and tries to be what's she not.
Today, I was going to clean and start getting ready for the vacation, maybe put a few shirts into the camper. (I'm also now trying to figure out if the clothes are packed are too young. I'm glad I didn't get new shorts after all.) I got a call from my friend Becky. I knew they were moving to Texas and I hate the thought of not seeing them. Well, here they're moving in a couple days! My only chance to really spend time with little Sophia again was today.
I'm so upset. I love that kid. She's made me her "Auntie Erin" and I really looked forward to watching her grow up. I've known her since she was a few weeks old when she was getting over colic and I rocked her to sleep, humming the lullaby my family sang to me, and whispering to her. Now I won't see her grow up, maybe not see her face light up when she sees me or watch her run to me with arms outstretched calling my name.
Of course we say we'll get together again. I hope we will, but I remember great friends of my parents who were like an aunt and uncle to me: Uncle Paul and Aunt Kittie. Wonderful people; everyone said they'd stay close when we moved to South Jersey. I haven't seen them since I was 7 or 8. So...
So Sophia and I went to the movies, then to Build a Bear where I got her a zsu-zsu pet, a hamster. I gave her change to throw into the fountain and make wishes, and she asked me could we do this again the next time we came there. She forgot that she was moving. I choked up a few times, but didn't let her see it.
We road in "the magic car", my convertible as she calls it, and listened to the Disney World and Disneyland monorail spiels, PeopleMover spiels, and Phineas & Ferb CDs: all her favorites. We went home, watched Lion King, had a pillow fight, shared a Wendy's Frosty, and then I spent time with Becky and Adam. We're supposed to have lunch together on Wed.
I know the people who love giving talks about "you're miserable only if you think you are" will say I shouldn't be sad to lose them, but give thanks I had them in my life at all. I hate it when people say things like that.
I posted these little guys last year, and this year, they will be mine!
I got the smaller ones; yeah, I know but they're affordable and fun! I can take them camping with us to put in our site. In fact, I ordered them now so we can have them for my birthday trip. But I'll bring them to work: we plan to use them for a variety of photos. Alien bandits stealing someone's lunch; alien bandits stealing company mascot beanies....
I can't wait for them to arrive!
We found this one too which my friends Donna and Tootie instantly wanted: the alien wine bottle holder.
You can see a lot more of the great Gnomes-Be-Gone series by artist Fred Conlon at their home page, at amazon.com, and at Perpetual Kid.com where they advise you to "entertain your inner child". Are they calling out to me or what?
I had a blast at the luau breakfast! I got a fantastic souvenir when a flower fell off of Stitch's lei! And despite what John says, I didn't steal it and Security isn't looking for me!
I'm so upset. I love that kid. She's made me her "Auntie Erin" and I really looked forward to watching her grow up. I've known her since she was a few weeks old when she was getting over colic and I rocked her to sleep, humming the lullaby my family sang to me, and whispering to her. Now I won't see her grow up, maybe not see her face light up when she sees me or watch her run to me with arms outstretched calling my name.
We road in "the magic car", my convertible as she calls it, and listened to the Disney World and Disneyland monorail spiels, PeopleMover spiels, and Phineas & Ferb CDs: all her favorites. We went home, watched Lion King, had a pillow fight, shared a Wendy's Frosty, and then I spent time with Becky and Adam. We're supposed to have lunch together on Wed.
