[angell1975]

Congrats Lisa on becoming a chef! Hopefully we will run into each other as well when we are at WDW! My DH thinks I am nuts too, but deep down he really likes Disney as well. Otherwise we wouldn't be going almost every year! We also honeymooned at WDW in 1997 and we started going back every three years, then after DD was born, we started going every year. And every year going back with our DD has made each trip better! You will have a great time with Ty! Can't wait for your TR!

[lisalovesmickey]

Originally Posted by gemdisney

Congrats on completing school. I love cooking but I'm afraid becoming a chef will make me hate it DH wants me to start a resturaunt...whose crazy now??? I'm only a Mommy Chef!

Thank you.

If you love cooking and you have a passion for your own restaurant than do it. The only thing crazy is that you don't follow your dreams. I learned that the hard way. Well I guess I learned it the easy way and others in my life learned it the hard way but as long as I learned that lesson...right?!

I'm a mommy chef to. Too bad Ty said out of the blue ...

Ty: "you're a good chef mommy."
Lisa: "Thank you, you really think so?"
Ty: "No. But you must be a good chef at school."

Lisa

[lisalovesmickey]

Originally Posted by mickeysgirlz

First of all . . . you may be a chef, but your writing is GREAT too! I loved it . . . no tears, but at the end my face hurt from smiling . . . cuz I can SO RELATE!!


Your trip will be even better when you see it through the eyes of your son. I love watching my girls faces when they see the shows, fireworks and characters . . . it's priceless!

Have a wonderful trip . . . and I can't wait for you to tell us all about it!

Thank you.

Everytime I think of Ty seeing Main Street/The Castle for the first time I start to get teary. Uggg...I can't wait!

Lisa

[mickeysgirlz]

Originally Posted by lisalovesmickey

Thank you.

Everytime I think of Ty seeing Main Street/The Castle for the first time I start to get teary. Uggg...I can't wait!

Lisa

My DD, who's now 8, was 5 at the time when she saw the castle for the first time. . . she'd seen it in books and on TV, etc!

Well we walked onto Main Street and her eyes were wide and she was looking everywhere . . . I said, "Look Bel, look the castle!" She looked up and did this double gasp and a WOW. . . oh my gosh!"

It's something I will remember always!

Then she started jumping up and down and crying and laughing . . . it was a lot of emotion for a 5 year old!! But it was GREAT!

[smee57]

Originally Posted by mickeysgirlz

My DD, who's now 8, was 5 at the time when she saw the castle for the first time. . . she'd seen it in books and on TV, etc!

Well we walked onto Main Street and her eyes were wide and she was looking everywhere . . . I said, "Look Bel, look the castle!" She looked up and did this double gasp and a WOW. . . oh my gosh!"

It's something I will remember always!

Then she started jumping up and down and crying and laughing . . . it was a lot of emotion for a 5 year old!! But it was GREAT!

That was MY reaction at 45.

[lovemysons]

I think I am looking more forward to your trip than my own!!

[lisalovesmickey]

What happened when I stopped jumping around like a lunitic and started planning


After Rob Peeled me off the ceiling I knew I had a long planning road ahead of me. DH thinks I was being dramatic (another word for nuts) but he just don't get it

First Things First...

I knew I had a lot of decisions to make BUT the first thing I did was come to Mouse Buzz to start a countdown! I didn't even know when I was going, I was just so excited to have a countdown.

I had to change my countdown a couple times and actually changed it for a month to countdown my Kansas City trip (for school) but I never let the countdown leave my signature once it was there.

I felt safe.

It was my WDW security blanket. If that countdown is there, we're goin'!

Now I will not go on and on about how I came to my final plans because it was a wacky process. But I will tell you what our final plans are.

September 15, 2008 ~ September 21, 2008
Wilderness Lodge
Park Hopper Passes
FREE DINING

Proof that Rob is a Marshmallow #1....

During the planning process I was comparing Pop Century to both Port Orleans Resorts and debating if the extra money was worth it.

Out of the blue....

DH: "What about that camping place you always talk about?"
Lisa: "Um....I don't want to camp at WDW."
DH: "Yes you do. You always talk about being in the wilderness at WDW. Thats your dream thing to do."
Lisa: "Um...you're cute. No I want to stay at Wilderness Lodge, its a deluxe resort and a little more expensive."
DH: "We're making dreams come true...Just book that."
Lisa: "If you insist!"

(Thanks Steph for turning me on to WL. I am afraid you have too much pressure for this resort to deliver?! )

After setting up the Resort and Free Dining I had to figure out my ADRs!

Oh what a fun process that is! I wish I could eat at every resturant in WDW! Reluctantly, With the help of all of my Mouse Buzz friends, I did narrow down my selections.

I told Rob that we need to immediately go back to WDW b/c I want to eat everywhere. He thinks I'm nuts! But...

Proof that Rob is a marshmallow #2...

My cousin and I were planning to go to Vegas (actually if we would have gone when we planned I would be there right now) but airfare has been unbelieveably high. We could not find anything reasonable. We decided to go next year.

My cousin and her sisters went to WDW in January for the first time. Everytime we are together we talk about WDW. They just loved it.

DH: "Is WDW all you guys ever talk about?"
DC: "Uh, no. I talk about other stuff. I just talk about WDW with Lisa"
DH: "Then why don't you guys go to WDW instead of Vegas next year?"
DC: "If you insist!"
Lisa: "If you insist!"

So depending on school schedules we will be going to WDW in May, 2009 all b/c Rob is so awesome!

Oh, and bet your bottom dollar that the day I come back from WDW I will have a new countdown posted! Dh thinks I'm nuts!

Lisa

[12Amigos]

I am so thankful that my DH is as addicted as I am! He's the one that turned me on to MB.

I'm so happy for you!! I hope you have a wonderful trip!

[dac921]

Originally Posted by lisalovesmickey

I can't wait to meet you...even if we get together in the lobby for 2 minutes there is no reason we can't hook up!

Lisa

Did you forget about me....

[lisalovesmickey]

Originally Posted by dac921

Did you forget about me....

I would never forget about you! I just think Brandon is going to MNSSHP the night we will be in Epcot so I am not sure If I will see him there!

Lisa

[dac921]

Lisa... I am so excited about the trip too... And I really want as many people as possible to meet up with in Epcot on the 19th. I just sent Rosebud a PM and asked her to check her schedule for the days that we are going to be in the park. Would love to have her there too..

I too am so excited.

[tink74]

Congratulations on your accomplishment!!! That's wonderful!

Now you get to relax and plan!!!!

[lisalovesmickey]

Saving For The Trip of A Lifetime

So

Rob wants to go to WDW....CHECK
Resort Picked.....CHECK
ADRs Made.....CHECK
Trip paid.............................................. .....Ummmm

What do we do?

Well, as luck would have it our tax refund was a bit higher than normal due to the tax credit from my education. Thats Airfare and 1/4 of the trip!

Then George DUBya wants to stimulate the economy. I bet WDW was stimulated beyond belief in the month of May. Thats 1/2 of the trip!

Having 1/4 of the trip left to pay for I decide to have a garage sale. Yep, sell my junk for a trip to WDW. DH thinks I am nuts. Well, needless to say, my trip is 100% paid in full...who's nuts now?

The only things that went on my Disney Visa are the $200 deposit and (aprox.) $30 for our MNSSHP tickets. I used our rewards card to pay for the tickets!

So now as I am bouncing around and everything is taken care of and DH is feeling great.

DH: Wow, great job on getting the trip paid. I have never seen you so happy.
Lisa: (wondering why he is sounding so smug) Um, thanks.
DH: You're welcome and Thank you...
Lisa: Ok, I'll bite. For what?
DH: For not wanting any souviners or anything above and beyond what you paid for.
Lisa: What are you talking about. Ty is gonna get mouse ears and an autograph boo....
DH: (rudely interrupting) How you gonna pay for that?
Lisa: Some gift. You say yes and I come up with all the dough.
Dh: I agree, I wish I came up with the idea sooner.

Not to be deterred I call my mommy.

Lisa: Mom, i'm broke.
Ma: Yeah me too, so. (Never one to mince words)
Lisa: Between School and my upcoming externship I don't know how I am gonna get spending money for WDW.
Ma: Come work for me.
Lisa: OK

So I work once in a great while (about 2 x's a month) for my moms security company making $30 an hour. I have saved over $700 with a ton of time between now and September!

I tell Rob how much I have saved, he laughs, he too has saved some money. We are good to go.

I also have a savings plan for tips. (Yes I am that nuts)

Everyday I put $1 into a jug. I use all of the money collected to have tips for the bellhop, guy at the airport, taxi's etc. I also use it as a countdown tool. I have a calendar by the jug. I use it to count down.

Oh, I also keep the jug in the laundry room. I throw in ANY money found in the laundry no matter the denomination. Dh left a $20 in his pocket after golfing one time. Yippee!

I am starting to get nervous. Everything is going too smoothly! DH thinks i'm nuts.

Lisa

[lisalovesmickey]

Pictures of my Jug!

[lisalovesmickey]

I don't know why that happened!

The top of my jug. It is also taped shut so no one can get in, including myself!

There is a slit above Mickeys Hand to put the $$$$