Jennifer_and_Chris
10-26-2011, 12:51 PM
The events of the week of…. I like to include the week before we leave. Just little notes here and there so that everyone understands what just happened (and I remember what I did for next year!) before we depart. Getting ready is half the fun. Or at least half of it, if not fun!
• Thursday 10-6 – Online Check-In day. Just a note that we rented DVC points and were able to check-in online under my own name. I didn’t have to ask PJO to do it for me.
• Monday 10-10 – Columbus Day - We have the day off. Natalie has school but, Isabel’s daycare was closed. So, with Isabel in tow, we get some stuff done. I decided to use bins to pack instead of suitcases and that proved to be the best decision of the planning trip! I had a bin for the kids, one for me, one for DH and a small one for shoes. I also had another bin for food and other “stuff”. I had a PTO meeting at school that night (I’m a chairperson) but, I had way too much going on and didn’t make it. The first one missed since Natalie started going there (she’s only in first grade). So, I tucked that guilt inside and kept packing.
• Tuesday 10-11 – Bought new shoelaces for Natalie’s shoes. More packing
• Wednesday 10-12 – I started doing the cards from the characters for the surprise gifts each morning. I pack my bin and discover that I have plenty of space so, I add more. Haahaa… Note for next year, DH and I could have shared a bin. Pack kids car activities bag (clipboard, notebook, a few markers, pencil and Leapsters). DH and kids put the DVD players in the van. We pick and pack all the movies for the ride. I make a list for the cooler on a sticky note. I’m a list maker so, I have this list on the cooler and the morning of, we just follow the list and pack the cooler w/out much thinking…. Or more like w/out much forgetting.
• Thursday 10-13 – Last of the Laundry today. I pre order the photopass today, finalize the ADR’s even though I’m still debating, sent final itinerary/spreadsheet to BFF. Chris worked on getting the phones to be hot spots, wiped down the cooler. I finished the cards for the gifts. Packed the medicine bin. Packed the backpack/overnight bag. And I changed my purse and wallet (any woman will tell you this is a great accomplishment on its own). Also, Natalie’s teacher put together an AWESOME vacation pack. Her homework never looked so appealing. In a bag, she put Natalie’s math worksheets, made her a binded vacation journal, pack of books to read to her sister in the car, fresh sharpened pencils and a fresh box of 24 crayons. I love that teacher! We’ll have to make sure to bring something back for her.
• Friday 10-14 – THIS IS IT!!! I’m counting hours, not days until vacation. Don’t know about you but, our countdown ends when we walk out of work. So, while we are supposed to be working, we are really instant messaging all day about our trip. My team knows that the week before Disney I’m pretty useless but, ESPECIALLY on the last day I’m more looks than brains . So, basically our Friday meeting is really them talking about the next week and me saying I don’t care, I won’t be here! Actually, I had almost all my loose ends tied up and everything was a well oiled machine. This was really the first vacation in about 6 years where I didn’t have work to bring with me. Didn’t have that dark cloud following me all vacation. So, I left work very much guilt free…. That was priceless. We get cash for our trip plus a roll of quarters for the penny press machines. I pack all the kids hair stuff, pack the winter coats and gloves (just in case) in the stow and go compartments in the minivan ( I love all the hidden compartments in this thing) and print all the character cards, maps, itinerary. We planned to leave work at 2pm but, I had a few things to review with my boss before leaving, so we didn’t leave until 3pm. DH and I stopped by the store to get wine and beer for the AKL balcony. Since we don’t have to pick up the kids until after 4pm, DH decides to try and make mickey ear rice krispy treats for the ride down. I have a load of laundry to do. We pick up the kids by 4:30pm and pick up some pizza for dinner. Kids are showered and in PJ’s by 6:30pm. My parents came over to say goodbye (very reluctantly) and the girls and I did our mani/pedi w/ glow in the dark nailpolish. My parents leave about 7:15ish and the kids are reading and coloring very quietly until about 7:45pm. Natalie declares that she’s too tired to sleep and wishes we would just leave right then. I promised her that if she closes her eyes and counts all the characters we will meet, she’ll fall asleep. She insists that she’ll be up all night. I leave and at 7:53pm I went back in the room to put away some of the laundry. They are both snoring. The car was already packed and done by the time the kids were in bed (again LOVE bins!!!). So, DH and I couldn’t believe that it was about 10:15pm and we were going to bed. Usually it’s about 1 or 2 in the morning. We will be on the road in a few hours!!!
:thumbsup:
• Thursday 10-6 – Online Check-In day. Just a note that we rented DVC points and were able to check-in online under my own name. I didn’t have to ask PJO to do it for me.
• Monday 10-10 – Columbus Day - We have the day off. Natalie has school but, Isabel’s daycare was closed. So, with Isabel in tow, we get some stuff done. I decided to use bins to pack instead of suitcases and that proved to be the best decision of the planning trip! I had a bin for the kids, one for me, one for DH and a small one for shoes. I also had another bin for food and other “stuff”. I had a PTO meeting at school that night (I’m a chairperson) but, I had way too much going on and didn’t make it. The first one missed since Natalie started going there (she’s only in first grade). So, I tucked that guilt inside and kept packing.
• Tuesday 10-11 – Bought new shoelaces for Natalie’s shoes. More packing
• Wednesday 10-12 – I started doing the cards from the characters for the surprise gifts each morning. I pack my bin and discover that I have plenty of space so, I add more. Haahaa… Note for next year, DH and I could have shared a bin. Pack kids car activities bag (clipboard, notebook, a few markers, pencil and Leapsters). DH and kids put the DVD players in the van. We pick and pack all the movies for the ride. I make a list for the cooler on a sticky note. I’m a list maker so, I have this list on the cooler and the morning of, we just follow the list and pack the cooler w/out much thinking…. Or more like w/out much forgetting.
• Thursday 10-13 – Last of the Laundry today. I pre order the photopass today, finalize the ADR’s even though I’m still debating, sent final itinerary/spreadsheet to BFF. Chris worked on getting the phones to be hot spots, wiped down the cooler. I finished the cards for the gifts. Packed the medicine bin. Packed the backpack/overnight bag. And I changed my purse and wallet (any woman will tell you this is a great accomplishment on its own). Also, Natalie’s teacher put together an AWESOME vacation pack. Her homework never looked so appealing. In a bag, she put Natalie’s math worksheets, made her a binded vacation journal, pack of books to read to her sister in the car, fresh sharpened pencils and a fresh box of 24 crayons. I love that teacher! We’ll have to make sure to bring something back for her.
• Friday 10-14 – THIS IS IT!!! I’m counting hours, not days until vacation. Don’t know about you but, our countdown ends when we walk out of work. So, while we are supposed to be working, we are really instant messaging all day about our trip. My team knows that the week before Disney I’m pretty useless but, ESPECIALLY on the last day I’m more looks than brains . So, basically our Friday meeting is really them talking about the next week and me saying I don’t care, I won’t be here! Actually, I had almost all my loose ends tied up and everything was a well oiled machine. This was really the first vacation in about 6 years where I didn’t have work to bring with me. Didn’t have that dark cloud following me all vacation. So, I left work very much guilt free…. That was priceless. We get cash for our trip plus a roll of quarters for the penny press machines. I pack all the kids hair stuff, pack the winter coats and gloves (just in case) in the stow and go compartments in the minivan ( I love all the hidden compartments in this thing) and print all the character cards, maps, itinerary. We planned to leave work at 2pm but, I had a few things to review with my boss before leaving, so we didn’t leave until 3pm. DH and I stopped by the store to get wine and beer for the AKL balcony. Since we don’t have to pick up the kids until after 4pm, DH decides to try and make mickey ear rice krispy treats for the ride down. I have a load of laundry to do. We pick up the kids by 4:30pm and pick up some pizza for dinner. Kids are showered and in PJ’s by 6:30pm. My parents came over to say goodbye (very reluctantly) and the girls and I did our mani/pedi w/ glow in the dark nailpolish. My parents leave about 7:15ish and the kids are reading and coloring very quietly until about 7:45pm. Natalie declares that she’s too tired to sleep and wishes we would just leave right then. I promised her that if she closes her eyes and counts all the characters we will meet, she’ll fall asleep. She insists that she’ll be up all night. I leave and at 7:53pm I went back in the room to put away some of the laundry. They are both snoring. The car was already packed and done by the time the kids were in bed (again LOVE bins!!!). So, DH and I couldn’t believe that it was about 10:15pm and we were going to bed. Usually it’s about 1 or 2 in the morning. We will be on the road in a few hours!!!
:thumbsup: