[E&B's Mom]

Well, we're back. I have a headache, and am getting over a cold, and I'm swamped at work now and at home - I have our Temple's community service day (which I'm helping to organize) and Pop Warner registration (which I'm running) all in the next two weeks.

Anyway, I figure I'd get started. I can't resize my pictures right now, so I can only start the report. And let me start by saying that after spending years silently defending cheerleaders when I've read complaints here, and then spending 4 days surrounded by them in competition mode - I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ALL!!!!! I think that's how my headache started. There is nothing worse than cheerleaders in a group at competition time!!!!

Anyway - on to the report.

Now let me provide some background for my mood over the week-end. My daughter's coaches have a rule that they can not miss the two practices before competition. No big deal normally, since we plan absolutely everything around cheerleading. It's DD's passion and competition is a very big deal to them. I'm great at putting things into my calendar and planning around them. And I'm embarrassed to say that last year when my mom died, DD did not miss anything. I was the one handling the arrangements and it was just convenient to have the funeral on a Friday because I knew the coaches would have a hard time replacing her for the two day competition on Saturday and Sunday. They would have understood, but it was just easier for everyone. I don’t think they ever even knew we had done this – although they do now.

I just realized that Passover starts at Sundown on Sat 4/19. We always spend Passover with DH's family in NY, so DD has to be in NY by sundown that day. She will miss practice - I can not to anything about changing the holiday. As soon as I realized the conflict last Sunday I called one coach and left a message. No response (which is pretty typical for them - they're terrible at responding). So, I sent an e-mail to both coaches the next day - no response. So, on Thursday when I dropped the girl's off for practice I went in and talked to one of the coaches. They have not yet decided if they will let DD compete the week-end following Passover. They will think about it and let us know after we all get back from Florida. It didn't seem to make an ounce of difference that I can do nothing about changing the holiday, or that she would have gladly attended practice on Easter if they had the gym open.

So, I am currently VERY annoyed at them. To me this is a simple issue. They may even be breaking a law. This put a cloud over my ability to get excited for the competition. I'm not normally one of those parents who gets all decked out and screams and goes crazy anyway, but I do get excited for DD and I really just didn’t care all week-end because I'm mad at the coaches.

DD's friend's mom was traveling for work and we had made arrangements for her to fly down with us and her mom would meet us. So, J slept over on Thursday night. I was hoping to get the girls in bed by 9, but they didn't get home from practice until almost nine and had to take showers. They did get to bed by 9:30. DD had very graciously given me her cold, and I was worrying about getting up in time to catch the 6:45am flight, so I only got 3 hours of sleep. The alarm went off at 3:45 and I showered and got the girls up at 4. We were out the door by 4:15 and pulling into the parking lot at the airport by 5:00.

TF Green is a pretty small airport, and apparently the first flight out in the morning isn’t until 6, so I guess they don’t officially open the lot until 5am, just as I pulled in. We parked the car and waited by the tram stop to catch the bus to the terminal. And we waited, and waited. Finally after 20 minutes of watching busses go every way but near us, we decided to walk up to the main part of the lot. A bus came by a few minutes later and when I got on I complained that I had been waiting for 20 minutes by area N6. He called in the complaint on his walkie-talkie, and the guy on the other end said “That’s not possible – I’ve been directing everyone to the staging area since the lot opened.” Um – no! DD, J and I just looked at each other in disbelief.

Anyway, we got to the terminal and the line to check luggage was huge! I travel a lot through here and have never seen a luggage line like that. Once we checked the luggage they send you with the luggage over to the scanner, where you have to wait. I asked the clerk if I had to wait with it and if I was going to make my flight (I was starting to worry by the – I think it was about 5:55 by that time). She said I would, and as I was getting ready to take the luggage to the scanner, the TSA guy who goes through individual bags, stopped me and went through ours. Normally I’d be annoyed a little, but I’m pretty sure he did this because I was worried, If he goes through it by hand and swab, it doesn’t have to go through the scanner, and I don’t have to wait in another line. I thanked him several times and off we headed for security. Another long line, but not the longest I’ve seen and it moved quickly.

One we got through security the girls stopped in the bathroom to brush their teeth, and I realized our wonderful A boarding passes would be no good if I stopped for coffee. So, I skipped it! I have never, ever done this while traveling, and it hurt to do it! We got to the gate just as boarding started and we got wonderful seats. But, as everyone else came on behind me holding those cups of Dunkin’Donuts, I wanted to offer them $20 for one!!!

The flight was uneventful. DD and J watched a movie on J’s DVD player – Hairspray. They are currently obsessed with that film. We grabbed smoothies in the terminal once we got to MCO, since the girls hadn’t had time to eat before the flight and weren’t interested in the snacks I had packed. We picked up our luggage and rental car with no issues and headed off o the hotel to check in. We got there at about 11:00, and our rooms were not ready since they were really full. They held our bags, the girls changed into shorts (they wore their pajama pants on the flight down) and we headed off to Downtown Disney for lunch and shopping.

I’m going to put off the rest, since this is where I would start inserting pictures. Hopefully I can post some more tonight.

[Experiment6-2-6]

Originally Posted by E&B's Mom

So, I am currently VERY annoyed at them. To me this is a simple issue. They may even be breaking a law. This put a cloud over my ability to get excited for the competition. I'm not normally one of those parents who gets all decked out and screams and goes crazy anyway, but I do get excited for DD and I really just didn’t care all week-end because I'm mad at the coaches..

Ugh. I'm sorry you have to go through this. Um, not that I can practice law in Mass, but this is a situation that clearly would be discriminatory if imposed.

My heir apparent's older sister was on the water polo team. She had talant. But for reasons spent a lot of time on the bench. It's frustrating, and in the end, heartbreaking, to know what sacrifices are made yet simple decisions can ruin the whole event.

But with that said, on to the headache causing cheerleaders and the trip report!

[lisalovesmickey]

I am sorry to hear about your problems! I hope it all worked out and DD was able to participate!

Can't wait to hear the rest!

Lisa

[BGHG2802]

I feel for you as a former cheerleader myself . . . you go mom!

[alilmagical32]

I cant believe the coaches are so insensitive! I would be very annoyed as well! I hope it didnt totally cloud your trip!

[WDW Rules]

Man, what we moms go through for our kids. Sorry about your headache Maggie and hope your cold will be gone soon. Can't wait for the pictures.

[crystalnjones]

Glad your back. Can't wait for more it will help me pass the next 3 days.

[Goodegirl2007]

Welcome back, and hope you feel better soon!
I look forward to the rest of the TR, and I hope things turned out ok!

Anxiously awaiting the rest....

[dixie]

Welcome home- I thought the coaches were really unfair and insensitive-look forward to the rest of the TR

[yankeevttch]

Welcome back. I hope everything works out for your DD. The coaches sound really unfair.

[softychik]

welcome home!

[E&B's Mom]

Day 1 Continued:

Let's see, where was I. Oh yes - off to Downtown Disney. Now the last time I was at Downtown Disney I was pregnant with DD - 13 years ago. I don't remember much more than a few shops. I was very impressed by what I experienced this time.

We parked the car near La Nouba, and I told the girls to remember where we parked. J thought it was a silly question, and kep saying "We're parked right here."

Anyway off to Planet Hollywood. I had tried to talk the girls into Earle of Sandwich, but they did not seem as impressed by the reviews here as I was and they really wanted to go to Planet Hollywood. As soon as we passed La Nouba I noticed a water taxi and we decided it would be a nice ride over to Plante Hollywood.

Here are the girls on the boat (DD is on the right):

[Cavey]

Originally Posted by alilmagical32

I cant believe the coaches are so insensitive! I would be very annoyed as well! I hope it didnt totally cloud your trip!

Oh, I can. I was at a conference in St. Louis in January. There was a cheerleading event at the same place that weekend. I was AMAZED at how the little girls (5 & 6 year olds, not teens) were being driven by obsessed coaches and parents. It's ridiculous.

And E&B's Mom, sorry for all the cheerleader stories in my trip report. I do have t say they did effect our 2006 trip to the point that we won't go back again in early February.

[E&B's Mom]

So we arrived at Planet Hollywood, and just as we were ready to go in a woman who had been standing outside offered us a $15 voucher. She said it was her last day and she was full and wouldn't be using it. She asked if we were staying on-site, because you had to show your resort key (I think it was a AAA coucher), but gave it to us anyway when we said we weren't. We thanked her and headed on up the stairs.

As soon as we got in J saw Chuckie and got so excited. Now J looks a lot younger than she is, and the Host looked at me like I was the worst mother in the world . I quickly explained that I wasn't in charge of her TV taste and mentioned that she had an older teen-age brother. DD didn't even know who Chuckie was . J with Chuckie:

[E&B's Mom]

As soon as we sat down I decided I wasn't even going to ask about the voucher. I didn't want to be asked why I didn't have any ID for it. So, I just placed it on the table next to my camera. The waitress came over and just scooped it up, asked us if we on the DDP and then took our drink order.

I had the Southwestern Chicken Salad: