Squeezing Quarters Til the Eagle Screams..a May 2010 PTR! 4/9 Update!!

[scooby9932]

All of Somer's clothes sound really cool and I'm glad the sneakers are helping her! I've decided I need to go visit our podiatrist over spring break because I've inherited my mother's feet; they're rolling in really badly. My (f)uggs are so uncomfortable when I walk in them, I think I may end up with orthotics.

Do you have high arches? I do and I have custom orthotics that I got about 3 years ago. They don't come cheap, but they do make a huge difference in my plantar fascitis. I can go without the orthotics in certain shoes - Crocs caymans, Teva Mush flip flops, Ariat clogs, but only because these shoes have good arch supports & keep my feet happy! Good luck!

I think all the crafty stuff sounds great. I just don't have the time to do it all-I'll be lucky to get my autograph book and scrapbook done! I also really like your ideas for dressing up your scooter. The slogan is great and I think the lights will look awesome. Show us pictures of whatever you decided to do with it!

Thanks! I plan to take pics of the scooter once we get there - day & nite photos. I'm hoping the lights are cheerful & not too bright.

My mom and I are making a similar snack/food list because we plan to eat several meals in the room. Have you used GardenGrocer before? Any thought about them?

We've used GardenGrocer for the last 3 trips. I have had no problems with them at all. The website is easy to use & you can find just about anything on it & can make a special request if they don't show it on there.

It's nice to order my groceries a couple weeks ahead & know they'll be paid for & delivered right to us. I don't find the prices to be that much more than a regular grocery store & I don't mind paying $12 for delivery since it saves me from driving around in Disney World. I get totally lost trying to find my way out of that place! I don't know if it's just me or not. The purple signs always seem to say "next right" when they really mean - "Turn Right Now!"

The only issue we ever had grocery-wise was with Bell Services at the Poly last year not bringing all of our order to us. Even after he went back 2 times to get the rest of our order, there were 2 items still missing. I didn't have the time or energy to send him back & wait for his return, so I don't know if they weren't sent or if he just didn't bring them.

I'm thinking it was that he didn't bring it since he was having trouble finding the rest of our order. The 1st time he came, he had forgotten to check the fridge for our cold items (milk/juice/yogurt). Then he came back & he had forgotten one bag & had to go back for it. After all that, I figured we didn't really need the Kellogg breakfast bars or the grapes.

 

[jenbear123]

I'm planning on using Garden Grocer for the first time in April. Do you have to let the resort know ahead of time that you're expecting an order? I'm just curious how the whole process works....

 

[mickeystoontown]

I haven't been on the Dis all weekend and am just now catching up. I like the sound of all of Somer's new clothes. So glad to hear that the shoes work well for Somer. I've thought about trying to talk my mother into getting a pair to see if it would help her knees and hips.

My sister used to do the painting on the t-shirts and on the canvas bags. Her stuff always turned out so well. Mine just looked like I had slapped a pile of paint on and smeared it around.

Looking at your garden grocer list has made me hungry. Is it lunch time yet?

 

[scooby9932]

I'm planning on using Garden Grocer for the first time in April. Do you have to let the resort know ahead of time that you're expecting an order? I'm just curious how the whole process works....

.

I definitely recommend using them. It's super easy & so nice to get your grocery shopping done before ever leaving for your trip.

No need to let the resort know in advance. You can place your order with Garden Grocer online & the order will ask for your arrival date & resort name & a contact phone #. They will call you before they deliver to the hotel. If you aren't there yet, they will leave your order with Bell Services. When you check in you just need to ask the front desk if they have any deliveries for you. They will let you know where to go from there.

At POR, they leave it with the guys in the luggage room. We just pass by there on our way to our room & let them know & they deliver it to our room within 20 minutes or so. Really easy. At the Poly, Bell Services had our food & they delivered it to our room within 20 minutes as well.

They do keep your cold stuff refrigerated, so no worries there.

I haven't been on the Dis all weekend and am just now catching up. I like the sound of all of Somer's new clothes. So glad to hear that the shoes work well for Somer. I've thought about trying to talk my mother into getting a pair to see if it would help her knees and hips.

You might think about having your mama try on a pair before getting them just to see how she feels wearing them. They change your posture a good deal, because you have to balance on the center of the shoe. Some people find this hard to deal with. Somer really loves hers, though!

My sister used to do the painting on the t-shirts and on the canvas bags. Her stuff always turned out so well. Mine just looked like I had slapped a pile of paint on and smeared it around.

Looking at your garden grocer list has made me hungry. Is it lunch time yet?

Painting on fabric is a whole lot more complicated than painting on canvas! If you're not used to it, it could become quite messy. I've been painting since I was just a youngster, so I love to find new mediums to work with. Fabric paint used to be fun, but hard to get used to & never held up to washing & wear over time.

We painted our pillowcases this weekend. It was fun - but painting them took a lot longer than using fabric markers! I think we spent about 4 hours at it. My parents just kept coming in asking, "Are you done yet?". I was really happy to see that the paint did stay soft & pliable. So different from yesteryear's fabric paints. There's no way you could peel off these paints. I plan to post some pics soon.

 

[jenbear123]

Thanks for all that info about Garden Grocer! That really calms my worries a bit. I showed my mom the website today and she thinks it's great! Can't wait to use it. You can place your order any time right?

 

[scooby9932]

Thanks for all that info about Garden Grocer! That really calms my worries a bit. I showed my mom the website today and she thinks it's great! Can't wait to use it. You can place your order any time right?

As far as I know you can order anytime. I usually wait until about 2-3 weeks out from our trip before ordering - just in case trip changes are made. They do charge your credit card at the time you place the order.

I have noticed that they will sometimes have a notice up on their homepage saying that they aren't taking any more orders for that day or week due to reaching capacity, so I wouldn't wait too long before placing the order or you might not get to.

If you want to compare, I hear that WeGoShop.com is also a good service to use while at Disney. I've not used them, but people here on the Dis have recommended them.

 

[jenbear123]

Good point about the trip being cancelled.... you never know! I'll wait until the first week of April. That'll be about 2 weeks before we go! I'll keep wegoshop.com in mind as well. Thanks for the info

 

[scooby9932]

Good point about the trip being cancelled.... you never know! I'll wait until the first week of April. That'll be about 2 weeks before we go! I'll keep wegoshop.com in mind as well. Thanks for the info

No problem! Glad to help.

 

[scooby9932]

54 DAYS!!! Woo Hooty, Slap my booty!

In just a few weeks both Somer

and I

will be driving up to this:

With that in mind, I've been trying to get off my lazy keister & get some crafting done.

We finished our Disney pillows last weekend. Painting all the characters took some time, but I think they turned out pretty good. Well, I did make one boo-boo, I painted Mickey's buttons black instead of yellow. But other than that, I think they look good if I do say so myself.

Mine - I didn't get a pre-printed pillowcase, so I had to freehand it:

Front:

Front Details:

Back:

Somer's - Her front was pre-printed, but she freehanded the back:

Back:

Having fun painting dots:

Details:

Front:

Somer has been trying out her sparkle makeup I got her for Valentine's Day. She wants to perfect the technique so she can be sparkly while in WDW. Here's a closeup pic of her blue eyeliner.

Speaking of Valentine's Day, I bought Somer her yearly orchid for Valentine's Day. I usually get her one for her birthday, but this was so pretty I had to jump the gun.

Here are a couple of pics:

Doesn't it make you wish Spring would get here? Hard to believe it ever will especially since we usually have greened up & sprouted out all around by now. Nope, instead we continue to have freaky weather like this:

Backyard Snow:

At least someone is enjoying the cold weather :

In other Disney news, I have the designs together for all our t-shirts for the trip. I just have to get some tees for me & the transfer paper for the printer & we'll be good to go! Once I have them made, I'll share some pics.

Well, that's pretty much it for updates. We're going on Somer's annual birthday trip to the zoo on Saturday. Hopefully the temps are milder & there's no rain (or snow!). I'm hoping we can also catch the new Alice in Wonderland movie. I can't wait to see it! Then next week is Somer's 21st birthday, so we'll be busy with parties, dinner, cake baking, etc..

And, now, back to audit preparations. Gack. Wish me luck. I'm hoping they stop adding more off line duties to my job. It isn't like my day to day job doesn't keep me busy enough, ya know? I haven't seen daylight in a couple of weeks. It sure would be nice to get home & have some downtime before having to hit the hay so I can get up & do it all over again. I'm going

 

[SC_TwiMom]

What a nice post! I don't know why but it just made me smile. I love hearing about everyone's traditions - love the yearly orchid and trip to the zoo How sweet. I hope my daughter and I have a great relationship like you and Somer do when she's 21. Scary to think about her ever being 21 though.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi and tell you your post made me smile. BTW, I love the pic of Somer in the snow - too cool!

Have a great weekend!

 

[jenbear123]

Great pictures of the orchids. So pretty!

Brrrrrrr that sure is a winter wonderland in your backyard! Spring is just around the corner. CAN'T WAIT.

Those pillow cases are awesome! Great creativity you guys got going on

 

[scooby9932]

Woo Hoo! I just paid off our package to Disney World!

Now all that's left is paying for travel costs (gasoline, snacks), Food, Souvies, Hotels to & from & at the beach... Oh - looks like there's a bit more to pay for after all!

Oh, well - the biggest chunk has been paid & that's still worth celebrating!

In other news, it's been a super crazy busy time around here. Work's been super busy & life at home has been on fast forward it's so crazy!

SATURDAY
Somer & I went to the zoo for her annual birthday zoo trip. The weather was a little on the cool side to start off the day, but that illusive sun of late made a showing & it warmed up nicely! We first stopped at Krispy Kreme for some yummy donuts!

Then we headed to the BR Zoo.

Here's some pics:

Somer gets a new smushed penny:

Somer gets a polar bear cup at the snack shack (where we enjoyed chili-cheese fries for Somer & nachos for me):

Smiling with the Buffalo:

Somer gets some new zoo stuffies to add to her collection - (one day she's going to be using these to decorate her nursery since she's decided she wants a jungle theme) Their names are L-R: Fluffins (keychain), Horace, Fudderwacker, and Bert:

After the zoo, I wanted to go by the party store to get the supplies to make Somer's birthday cake & some decorations. We had fun looking at all the party stuff. I got the fondant & the cutter shaped like a martini glass & some silver dragees, sugar dust, etc. Somer found a pink satin sash that said, "I'm 21 today!" She's going to wear it to her birthday trip to New Orleans this weekend with her friends & new boyfriend.

After the party store, we made a trip to the mall. Somer wanted to buy a new pair of shoes for her birthday parties. After many stores & looking at many shoes, we finally found THE PAIR. They're Nina shoes - strappy silver with a clear acrylic wedge heel. Super cute! Here's a couple of pics - much cuter in person btw - very sparkly & princess-y:

After the mall, we made our way to the movie theater & saw Alice in Wonderland. Great movie! We didn't watch in 3D, but I don't think we missed anything. I love the Mad Hatter & the Red Queen. Great jobs by both actors.

After the movie, we made our way to Sonic for a late night supper. While eating our dinner, a lady came careening towards our car. It happened so fast that I had just processed that she might hit us when she finally stopped her car. She was trying to say something, so I rolled the window down. She was crying & asking us for money. I could tell by looking at her that she was drunk as a skunk. Somer said to me, "Mom, she's drunk. Hurry, roll my window back up!"

I called out that I didn't have any money & promptly rolled the window back up. She backed up & then proceeded to drive in a circle around the restaurant & asking everyone there for money. It was sad. She was well dressed, had nice jewelry on, drove a newish nice sedan. So I don't think she was really needy. Just jonesing for some more alcohol. It's really sad to see grown people act that way, especially women. Just so disgusting.

Anyhoo, after we finished our dinner, we headed home to rest our feet! It was an eventful day.

SUNDAY

Somer went to visit her friend Emily & her boyfriend. While out, they told her they wanted to introduce her to his brother who they thought would be perfect for Somer. Well, guess what? Yep! He is perfect for her & she for him! They've been inseparable since meeting.

He was working at BJ's Brewhouse that night so they went there to surprise him. When he saw her, he got so flustered that he bumped into another waiter & spilled water down the front of him. Then, when he was bringing their brownie dessert to them, he dropped all the spoons. To hear him tell the story it's so cute! Definitely a "love at first sight" type of event.

MONDAY
Somer is so cute & so happy. She's never been this happy before. He came by the house to meet me on Monday night. He was super nervous, but so sweet. She & he just fit together. It's surreal, really.

He's 28, a retired Navy Seal recently home from the war. He's working part time at the restaurant at night & as a safety engineer at the plants along the Mississippi River during turn arounds until he can find a permanent position. He's really cute, super sweet, and just dotes on Somer. I'm so happy for her. It's the 1st time she's ever had a guy who treats her so well. Josh told me that he knew the minute their eyes met that he had met the girl of his dreams. Everybody with me - say Awwwww!

TUESDAY
He came again Tuesday night & brought the movie "This is It." It was a great tribute to MJ. I've been a huge fan since I was 13, so it was a nice treat to see the movie.

Before he came, I was cleaning up after dinner & got a call from Josh. He said he was at the store & saw the perfect shoes for Somer & just had to get them for her. He needed to know what size she wore. Want to know the amazing thing? When he got there & gave the shoes to her, they were the EXACT same shoes she had asked me for only the week before. I hadn't had a chance to get them for her yet. I asked & she hadn't told him about the shoes. So, it seems he really gets her. She was super surprised & so excited. This is the 1st time a guy has bought her something "just because."

Here they are - so very "Somer" in every way - sparkly, pink, funky, and comfortable:

WEDNESDAY
Yesterday ws Somer's 21st birthday. To think that just yesterday, she was only this big *sniffle*. And, to think I was only 20! *gasp*:

Josh got off work in time to take her out to a late dinner for her birthday. When he got there, he had a present & told her she should have something pretty to wear for her birthday. And, guess what? Yep - he scored again. She'd never told him how much she loves pearls, but that's what he brought her, along with a dozen red roses.

I thought Somer was going to cry. Actually, I almost cried. Again - no guy has ever given her flowers or a present, much less one that was so perfectly suited to her & so very nice.

AND LATER THIS WEEK
Tonight I'm going to the gym to swim. Somer's going to join me after she gets off work.

We still have her birthday dinner on Friday with cake & presents at home afterwards.

Then on Saturday, she's going to New Orleans with Josh & a few of her best friends to visit a few of the pubs & clubs down there now that she's "legal." Luckily, I know I can trust these friends to watch out for her, so I won't worry TOO much about them in New Orleans.

So, that's what's been going on in our neck of the woods. Quite the whirlwind week for Somer, and, shoot - me as well. I'll be posting some more Disney related plans later on.

 

[mickeystoontown]

When I started reading and it said "her new boyfriend", I thought, wait a minute, did I miss something? I am glad to hear that she's met someone who is so good to her. It's just so awesome that he hasn't known her for long but already knows her so well. I know, as a mom, that it's really important to us that our daughters find somebody who will be good to our little girls.

 

[scooby9932]

When I started reading and it said "her new boyfriend", I thought, wait a minute, did I miss something? I am glad to hear that she's met someone who is so good to her. It's just so awesome that he hasn't known her for long but already knows her so well. I know, as a mom, that it's really important to us that our daughters find somebody who will be good to our little girls.

Nope, you didn't miss anything! It's happened so fast I haven't had a chance to post about it until today. Yep! It sure is awesome. It really is so important for us moms to see our kids in happy, healthy relationships. She's been through the ringer & it's been so hard to watch it happen & not be able to fix it for her. I don't think she (or I) will have any heartache with this one, though. That's my fondest wish.

 

[PittypatBR]

Hi, Dawn. Just letting you know I am on board. I am sorry you and Somer have been having so many health issues. I hope you are both feeling much better right now. The new boyfriend sounds really nice and thoughtful. It helps that he is a little older, and it probably makes him more appreciative of a sweet girl too. I am very impressed with those thoughtful gifts. I'm glad y'all have been having so much fun celebrating her birthday. I just love a week long birthday party!!

I live in Baton Rouge also, but on the south side of town. We are going back to WDW in late May-early June, so I need to get busy and start a pre-trippie soon. I always go with my daughter and her family, but my son and his family just decided to go this spring for the first time, and they will be there about the same time that y'all will. They are taking a 4 and 6 year old, so they decided (on my recommendation and lots of others) to stay at the Poly. I am thrilled for them as I have always wanted to stay there myself!! We are staying off-site this year for the first time as my DD and DSIL have a Marriott timeshare and we have a big group going.

I am enjoying your TR, all your crafty ideas, and especially your spirit. You never feel sorry for yourself but just pick yourself up and keep on going. That is just wonderful, and I will put you both on my prayer list too.

Hope you are enjoying the gorgeous, finally warm, weather as much as I am. I am heading to Lafayette Saturday to visit my son and his family, and taking them WDW presents. I went to Dollar Tree and got them some 2/$1 ponchos plus some Disney coloring books, puzzles, and toys for the boys. In addition to the 6 and 4 year olds they have a 2 year old, who will stay with me when they go. I am helping them plan their trip and having a lot of fun with that.

 

[mickeystoontown]

PittyPatBR,

Hey there from another Louisiana resident (West Monroe here). We'll be in Disney World May 27th through June 5th so it sounds like we may be there at the same time.

 

[PittypatBR]

PittyPatBR,

Hey there from another Louisiana resident (West Monroe here). We'll be in Disney World May 27th through June 5th so it sounds like we may be there at the same time.

Hi, Lisa. We sure are. I have been following your PTR, but guess I haven't posted yet. We will be driving down on Sunday May 30 and returning home Sunday June 6, so we will be overlapping totally. I haven't started planning our schedule yet. Since we are off-site we are not on the dining plan, so I didn't have to worry about ADRs. I am working on my son's families schedule now, so I will worry about ours later!

 

[scooby9932]

Hi, Dawn. Just letting you know I am on board.

to my PTR! I'm so glad you could join us.

I am sorry you and Somer have been having so many health issues. I hope you are both feeling much better right now. The new boyfriend sounds really nice and thoughtful. It helps that he is a little older, and it probably makes him more appreciative of a sweet girl too. I am very impressed with those thoughtful gifts. I'm glad y'all have been having so much fun celebrating her birthday. I just love a week long birthday party!!

Josh really is just the nicest guy. It does my heart good to see Somer so happy. And he's just gaga over her, too.

It's so strange the way he just "fits" with our little family. It's like he was made especially for that purpose. I'm sure wedding bells will be ringing before long. I have a sixth sense about this one. And I couldn't be happier. If they do end up married, I'll have a new son & a new grandson! It would be so great!

I live in Baton Rouge also, but on the south side of town. We are going back to WDW in late May-early June, so I need to get busy and start a pre-trippie soon. I always go with my daughter and her family, but my son and his family just decided to go this spring for the first time, and they will be there about the same time that y'all will. They are taking a 4 and 6 year old, so they decided (on my recommendation and lots of others) to stay at the Poly. I am thrilled for them as I have always wanted to stay there myself!! We are staying off-site this year for the first time as my DD and DSIL have a Marriott timeshare and we have a big group going.

Well, Hi Neighbor! I think we Louisiana dis'ers should put together a local DisMeet, don't you? If I see your son while in WDW, I'll be sure to say hello. They'll love the Poly, I'm sure. It's so easy to get to both MK & Epcot, so that'll be a plus with the 4 & 6 year olds.

I think an offsite timeshare sounds good with a big group going. You'll definitely need the space. Ya'll will have a great time traveling together, I'm sure. I can't wait until I have grandchildren to take to Disney. I'm all geared up & ready to let the spoiling begin!


I am enjoying your TR, all your crafty ideas, and especially your spirit. You never feel sorry for yourself but just pick yourself up and keep on going. That is just wonderful, and I will put you both on my prayer list too.

Aw, thanks so much! I figure if the doctors can't figure out how to beat this disease, then I'll just out-stubborn it, is all. I appreciate the prayers so much. Thanks.

Hope you are enjoying the gorgeous, finally warm, weather as much as I am. I am heading to Lafayette Saturday to visit my son and his family, and taking them WDW presents. I went to Dollar Tree and got them some 2/$1 ponchos plus some Disney coloring books, puzzles, and toys for the boys. In addition to the 6 and 4 year olds they have a 2 year old, who will stay with me when they go. I am helping them plan their trip and having a lot of fun with that.

Oh my gosh! I've enjoyed the beautiful, sunny, warm weather! Did you have a good trip to Lafayetter, cher? I'm sure the kids loved their WDW presents. Don't you just love Dollar Tree? They've got the cutest Disney items & you just can't beat the price.

It sounds like you have a very close family. That's so nice to hear. I'm sure you're going to love having your 2 y.o. grandbaby with you while your DS is in Disney.

 

[scooby9932]

There have been some changes to our trip...again.

Josh will be joining us for part of the trip! He can't come down there until after April 30, as that's his son's 6th birthday. But he plans to fly into Orlando on Saturday, May 1 & spend the rest of our trip with us.

Now I just have to figure out if when I add him to the room reservation, will there be a problem with him not needing tickets? He'll likely get the military salute discounted tickets. I booked the package deal, so I'll have to see how that works out. I don't know, but I seem to recall that everyone in the room has to share the same package. Is that right? Also, since it's a day past our 45 day mark, we'll have to pay the $50 change fee, I guess.

I guess I'll find out for sure when I call WDW reservations & ask them. I'm hoping that's not the case. He should be able to take advantage of the discount since he certainly deserves it.

He's only been to WDW once on a band trip back in highschool, so it's really like he's not ever "done Disney." Somer & I are super excited to be able to share the magic with him. Since we'll have 3 days there before he meets us, we've made some schedule changes to our original plans.

I want him to see at least 3 of the 4 parks. Somer has vetoed DHS & says we can go next year, but please not this one. We each don't like this park much at all. I have a feeling Josh would, though, since there's RnRC & ToT. He's big into thrill rides. Oh, well. It'll be a good excuse to go again next year!

His 29th birthday will be May 3, and since he's such a HUGE sports fan, we'll be taking him to the ESPN club & the other Boardwalk venues. Now that Somer is 21, we can go to Jellyrolls & see those dueling pianos.

Also on my checklist - I have to order a cake from the Boardwalk bakery so we can surprise him. Anyone have any good ideas for a sports themed Disney cake?

We'll be adding a 2nd Animal Kingdom day on Tuesday, May 4 so Josh can see that park. Also, I've made an ADR for Tuesday night at Raglan Road. Josh is Irish & very in touch with his heritage, so I know he'll love the place.

Can anyone think of anything else I could do to make it a special 1st visit for him?

I'll be posting an updated itinerary after I've had a chance to review the plans with Somer & get her input.

Other than that, the trip is pretty much the same as before. I'll try to keep you all updated as plans work out.

Here's a pic of the happy couple on her birthday:

Have a happy Monday!

 

[PittypatBR]

So nice that Josh will be able to join y'all. I know Somer is tickled about that! I really think a Louisiana DIS meet would be great, or even just a Baton Rouge area one. There seem to be lots of DISers around here. Last time I met a DISer from New Orleans on the plane because she noticed my LGMH on my luggage!