Healing at our Happy Place: making GOOD 2017 memories: Mar, May, Aug, Oct, Dec TRs (3/24 UPDATE)

[kittylady1972]

Before leaving Animal Kingdom, we did take some photos at Pandora. Here are just a few of them:



Plus our whole group for that day:



A great time was had by all, and we would soon have to leave our happy place and return to the real world again.

 

[kittylady1972]

Oh yes and I found our Dinosaur photo too:



Up next: The Very Last Day Get Some Last Minute Stuff Morning

 

[kittylady1972]

OCTOBER TRIP DAY 6: The Very-Last-Day-Get-Some-Last-Minute-Stuff Morning

So we were down to our real last day of vacation and with a 2pm flight and a husband who likes to arrive at LEAST two hour early, that meant leaving for the airport around 12:30pm, though we decided to make it earlier because we were unsure if we'd end up filling out extra paperwork.

What I failed to mention during all of this October reporting was the unfortunate incident with our rental van. Shortish story is this: I was the primary driver of the FULL SIZED 12-passenger van and even though I drive SUVs on regular basis at home (we have a Toyota Sequoia) I was not prepared for how difficult this van would be to maneuver especially inside a parking garage. On the evening of our arrival, I went to park the van in the garage and decided to park next to a support beam...and that was a mistake. As I attempted to park, I ended up scraping up the side of the rental van. It would be something that would be held against me the rest of the trip, mostly by my kids who TOLD me I was too close and I didn't listen to them in their NON-DRIVING expert opinions. Note to all of those renting in the future, while insurance (and in many cases credit cards) cover rental vehicles, most of them have a clause that SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES any vehicle that holds more than 8 passengers. So yes, I would return from this trip and eventually get a bill for the damages to the tune of about $800 which I paid out of pocket. Lesson learned.

As last mornings go, we got ourselves all packed up and ready to go and decided to head over to the Polynesian for....what else...TONGA TOAST! Oh and some last day Mickey Waffles too!


As you can see, I had my trusty popcorn bucket with me in that second photo because I had a mission...REFILL the bucket with the oh-so-wonderful Disney park popcorn before leaving on our trip.

Since most of our party did NOT have passes for this additional day, they all headed back to pack up and get ready, DH and my sons included, while my daughter and I headed out on Mission: Popcorn. We hopped on the monorail and headed over to the Magic Kingdom where I hit the first popcorn stand (you know the one, right to the right of train station as you exit main street) and refilled my bucket. We also decided to browse a few shops because I was looking for another thing...a Minnie Cupcake like the one I had back in AUGUST! It looks like this:



So we popped into a sweet shop on Main Street...no such luck. I think we bought something there maybe? I can't recall. We did have some photos done while on Main Street, and we did our own selfies. First happy we are here:



And then sad we have to leave:



We had some Photopass ones done as well that turned out better.






Can I just say what a difference nine months has made? Can you see?



Anyway we finished up here quickly, with my second cupcake goal still not achieved, and we hit the monorail. I decided we'd do a quick stop at the Contemporary Resort to check their cupcake inventory. No Minnie there, but I found a Frozen cupcake that sounded good and grabbed that one. Back on the monorail again, this time heading to the Polynesian. We made a quick stop in Captain Cooks there, and FOUND MY CUPCAKE. Purchased it and now I had two cupcakes and full bucket of popcorn for the airport wait!

We caught up with the rest of our group in the lobby back at Shades of Green and then we were soon on our way to the airport. When we got out at the rental car place, I waited for them to mention the damage to us...but they didn't...and so I figured maybe it was no big deal.

Yeah that was wishful thinking but at the time...at least there was no delay and we had PLENTY of time to wait at the airport for our flight. We snacked and hung out until boarding time. Soon we were on our way back home, on an uneventful flight other than the fact that I chose to watch a movie on the plane and as we landed we were in the final minutes of it...and then we were at the gate so I did NOT see the ending! As it turned out, the friends that were with us were also watching the same movie, so we were discussing it at the airport as we exited the plane. We decided to extend our vacation a little more (why not?) and she reserved the movie for us at the nearby RedBox, I ordered pizzas for us, and we all met up back at our house to watch the entire movie (since DH hadn't seen it at all) and eat pizza for the rest of the evening. Once it was over, everybody went home and we got ready for bed as it was a Monday so the next day would be BACK to work and school!

I already summarized this October trip, but it truly was a wonderful trip despite the large group being managed. I think we were able to see and do most of the high priority things and had some great meals together as well. I loved that the kids really had the freedom to go off and do their own thing and did many times, but yet we still got together for many rides and meals as well.

 

[piglet1979]

The difference between the 2 pictures is huge. You are looking great and your daughter is looking so much older.

 

[kittylady1972]

The difference between the 2 pictures is huge. You are looking great and your daughter is looking so much older.

Thanks. I lost about 30 pounds give or take between April and Sept/October really and I definitely see the difference in photos sometimes. Amazing what a health scare can do for your motivation. I've fallen a bit off the wagon lately, so need to get myself back on track. It could be the new meds I now have to take as my oncologist told me to expect a 5+ pound or so weight gain. I know my eating hasn't been as good lately though.

My daughter is getting taller and wearing makeup now, so she definitely looks older to me (and she was 14 at the first photo and 15 at the second one ).

 

[piglet1979]

Thanks. I lost about 30 pounds give or take between April and Sept/October really and I definitely see the difference in photos sometimes. Amazing what a health scare can do for your motivation. I've fallen a bit off the wagon lately, so need to get myself back on track. It could be the new meds I now have to take as my oncologist told me to expect a 5+ pound or so weight gain. I know my eating hasn't been as good lately though.

My daughter is getting taller and wearing makeup now, so she definitely looks older to me (and she was 14 at the first photo and 15 at the second one ).

I am working on trying to lose weight now. It is such a struggle some days. I have weeks I do really go and weeks that are not so good. I am on the Wish boards here on the dis and they are a lot of help. It really helps to keep me motivated. You will get back on track.

 

[kittylady1972]

I am working on trying to lose weight now. It is such a struggle some days. I have weeks I do really go and weeks that are not so good. I am on the Wish boards here on the dis and they are a lot of help. It really helps to keep me motivated. You will get back on track.

Hang in there! If you have a bad eating day, just best to forget about it and move on and try to do better the next day. That's what I'm working on doing.

 

[kittylady1972]

So here we are, having a warmer than usual winter in MD (it was 70 degrees yesterday) and I'm thinking about a quick trip to Disney. This time I'm planning to take just my husband and it would be a VERY quick two-night trip right before my birthday in March. Worth it? Hard to say for sure. It's hard to plan a trip that's two weeks away right now, especially when our dog's health is still a big unknown. It would be unfair to expect my kids and FIL to deal with any issues that might come up with the dog. Thinking about booking the flights only right now, and since they would be SWA we could always cancel if necessary. Tough decision.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

I'm so sorry about your dog. We have a 13 year old Pointer and he's had multiple tumors removed and just recently, a few teeth. But, we love him all the same...
I say go for the 2 night March trip. What the heck!!!!

 

[kittylady1972]

I'm so sorry about your dog. We have a 13 year old Pointer and he's had multiple tumors removed and just recently, a few teeth. But, we love him all the same...
I say go for the 2 night March trip. What the heck!!!!

Thanks! Dog is still hanging in there with us:



We had a really good road trip with her to visit my dad in NC this weekend...7.5 hour drive there, 8 hour drive home. If only Disney were this close...we'd be in trouble for sure!

The flights for March have increased so I'm not sure it will happen now, or at least not on the weekend we had planned. I'll keep you posted!

 

[piglet1979]

Thanks! Dog is still hanging in there with us:

View attachment 303540

We had a really good road trip with her to visit my dad in NC this weekend...7.5 hour drive there, 8 hour drive home. If only Disney were this close...we'd be in trouble for sure!

The flights for March have increased so I'm not sure it will happen now, or at least not on the weekend we had planned. I'll keep you posted!

This might be the first picture I have seen with your older son smiling. It is a great picture of all of you. I hope you had a great weekend with your Dad.

 

[kittylady1972]

This might be the first picture I have seen with your older son smiling. It is a great picture of all of you. I hope you had a great weekend with your Dad.

True the smiling teenager is a RARITY in our house...and he HATES having his picture taken as well. However his dad wanted "proof of life" since I had posted earlier photos of us with the dog but he wasn't in them. I'm not sure how I got him to crack that half smile.

 

[kittylady1972]

Just when things were going well...we have much more healing to do yet. Cancer has taken yet another family member from us...and this one has hit all of us especially hard. I mean like my husband and I UGLY crying hard. Wednesday morning we had to make the difficult decision to take our beloved not-quite-9-years-old-yet rescue dog Jasmine "Jazz" to the emergency vet where they confirmed what we were already pretty sure about...she was bleeding internally. She had gotten through Tuesday with us barely, but we knew she was having a hard time. We were thankful to have one more night with her. We were able to say our goodbyes to her as the vet ushered her out of this world to the rainbow bridge.

Tribute to her...hope you don't mind:

ADOPTION DAY in September 2009:


With Nicolas:


How she LOVED the snow:



How she loved her kids and was loved:


Always there to comfort:


That time we took her to the beach...she liked it enough:

'

The final days at home:


She will be missed:


So what do you do when you need some happiness once again?

You plan a Disney trip of course....during a time where you swore you would NEVER EVER VISIT.

Yes it just might happen but I'll have to make the final decision by this weekend.

 

[kittylady1972]

One more I forgot...

 

[Mopedmom1]

What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful dog. So sorry for your loss.

 

[camper06]

It's always so hard...Very sorry for your loss.

 

[Raeven]

Sorry for your loss

 

[wrestlingchick26]

Sorry for your loss xx

 

[windcriesamy]

Sorry about your pup. She looks like she had a life full of love with your family!

 

[Jenny Sanders]

So sorry about your loss!!!!