Planning and Countdown to Disney

Our official countdown in 42 days. Whoo hoo! 42 days!! D and I have been planning this Disney trip officially since late January. The little kids aren't quite sure what that means, and Landon knows we are going to go see Mickey at his house, but is otherwise clueless. We told the big kids a few weeks back. We were trying to keep it a super secret and not tell them until the day we left: have them open a Christmas present early, have it be something Disney, then tell them to go pack their stuff we were leaving in about 2 hours. Well, it just got to the point where too many people knew, and some slip ups were made by myself, so we told them. Jess is super excited! I have been planning and planning and planning. I have been taught by the best, thank you April, and after our last Disney trip have tweaked this trip to try to catch anything we may have missed the first time. I mean planned. The day I could make dining reservations, they were done. Of course when free dining came out and I had to switch a few days, I had to switch a few reservations. For the most part, everything is still holding up well. Three days figuring out what parks which days, 2 hours on the phone with Disney changing reservation days for free dining, 2 hours on the computer figuring out where to stay the 2 days before that kicks in (couldn't change our Very Merry Christmas Party ticket days), 10 plus hours sitting on my bed (almost straight) doing fastpass plus magic band fast pass times on 2 separate computer while using the map on the ipad, and hours and hours more digging on the rides and height limits and quick service menus and locations. I think I might have driven D nuts a few times! What parks have what parades, did we set the Candlelight thing..yes ok, great! What time are the parades, which princess is where and what time, Oh my...the Dwarfs are only there for the VMCP?! Well, we have to get those in! I've got extra built in time in each set of 2 hours,but for the most part we have each day planned out by hour and halves. We'll be close to here so we'll eat here so we don't have to trek to the other side of the park... I know (logically) that some people don't like to plan out there trips to the extreme like this. I, however, feel alot better. When it's six people, two of them who are picky on food and two who have nap times I feel like this might be best for us. Hit some of the big rides they can't go on when they'll be passed out in the middle of the day in the stroller, stuff like that. As the days get closer I'll probably blog more about stuff we didn't get to do the first time around ( I feel like looking back I was totally unprepared for that trip) and who's excited about what. For my sanity, I might just post our schedule somewhat in a blog. (Did one last time that just had what park we were going to and what days...and totally left it at home) At least if it's on here (which no one but mom really reads) I can look it up if I forget the written one!! Eight park days, One down day (Downtown Disney, swimming, and all around lounging), and One still driving Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party day. Then the drive home. So about 11 days total, guess 11 1/2 days since we are leaving on the 9th and coming home on the 20th. 42 Days. FORTY-TWO DAYS. And then we leave to go see this...

My mom.

I decided that before I move on to more obsessing topics, I'd take a min to explore the wonderment that is my mom. As I was talking to her the other day on the phone, she is more than stuck in the sandwich generation. She didn't understand what that meant, and then I explained. I understand that for the most part it means you take care of (most of the time live with too) you, an older generation and a younger generation. Like a parent as well as your own children. Well, mom's got a huge sandwich going on! She takes care of her, has to take care of my dad, she takes care of me (alot more than she should), my kids (above and beyond normal grandma spoiling), and recently her aunt. We call her Aunt Margie, but she is technically my mom's aunt. Although we don't live with her, some days it might be more convenient for her if we did. NO MOM, we're not moving...don't panic. Although I have been begging her to help me learn how to sew lately...I really wish I knew how so I could sew her her own superhero pink sparkly cape! I think she totally deserves something fabulous and fitting to the status in my mind she has. And all the while doing it with issues of her own. She never tells me when she's truly not feeling bad, I have to listen to her voice when talking to her or it's when I'm dropping off a kid or picking one up I see how just in need of a rest she needs. Ok....so the woman needs a fabulous super hero name too...SUPER NANA?? Huh, I'll work on that... In the meantime, I will just be amazed at just how cool my mom is, dedicated, loving, super forgiving, and all around fabulous. No one can build a fort like her, cook like her (in my opinion), be silly dance and sing like her, organize some of the trickiest moments of life like her, or be patient when I would have long ago blown up. Although I wish I could be more like my mom, I know I never will be. My one of a kind mom is all heart, and she shows it all day every day. WONDER NANA??? Eh...maybe I'll see what Landon says about the super name. So, as she heads to Aunt Margie's today to clear out years, and years, of stuff and organizing, I wish her the best of luck. And for the love of everything HOLY, please please please don't overdo it. But I know you will anyway! Really...where's a super hero name app when you need it?! As a true child of a super hero I will leave with this...*My mom is better than your mom...Neener neener neener!! ;)

I have missed this!

Confession: I have really missed blogging. The only reason why I ended up stopping was my mom said they were too depressing. Well, guess that's how I was feeling at the time.

House update: We have done the bedroom in a green, that I am completely in love with. Love having all the guitars on the wall too. No joke. Love love love my bedroom. We also redid the kitchen walls too, oh and ceiling. No more wallpapered ceiling...in there anyway! It is now a great shade of red that I love. Not as much as the bedrooom, but it's a huge step up from where it was!

Family update: I am blessed that I will be an aunt again. My newest nephew is set to arrive in a few months and I can't wait! And...thanks to April (who is like family) I get to buy pink stuff for her girl coming not too far after my new nephew!

What prompted my wonderful and fabulous return to blogging was to vent (some, mom, just some) and not tire everyone (especially Dennis) out about this Disney trip we have coming up...in less than 45 days!!! So exciting!!!

Just this past week, we celebrated my youngest baby turning 2 (in Disney years he is still Guests of Mickey, awesome right?!?) and my only daughter turning 13. Yes, a teenager. And I am not freaked out. Like I told Mom and April I am ready for her to be driving. I am beyond ready for her to be able to drive to the store for milk, or that last min posterboard for a last min project they have to have done by tomorrow that they've known about for 2 weeks. Bring on the driving (and wine)!!!! We must have ordered a sh*tload of pizza too, we ended up having almost 6 leftover!! A few people didn't show...for reasons that thoroughly upset me. A stuffed cat that wasn't done?! And you'll see how you were getting around? Well, see you  made it the the wedding the next day just fine...and the bar. Priorities are what they are I guess, and it hurt my feelings. No one likes that. :( But Isaac loved having everyone sing to him, and Jess loved that fact that Justin dressed up as Finn for her Adventure Time party!

As Halloween approaches, I am feeling the need to get crafty. Yes, this crazy thing happens to me when I get close to fall and winter holidays. I want to make stuff. Craftsy, artsy fartsy stuff. So look out, people!! Ya never know what you'll get for Christmas this year!! And it seems that I am rubbing off on the awesome hubby. Oh yes... he is getting craftsy too! Cause we always need another guitar, am I right?!?!

Well, I have to go for now...Jess needs help with math homework. More on the Disney craziness tomorrow... 45 days...45 days.....

The next project...

Well...the bathroom is finally done! I think it looks like a bumble bee exploded in there...but it's done. And while I don't care for it too much Dennis likes it, and it looks alot better than with all that wallpaper in it! Think for our next project we will be doing the bedroom walls. They are all a neutral white, except one. Wall paper from ick. With matching wallpaper border. Ew. I'm kinda nervous about doing the bedroom. Think the color will be fine and I hope it tones down, and seems to compliment, the bathroom. I'm worried about these guitars. D is going to get some of the cases down, and we are just gonna put them on the dining room table...but keeping 8 guitars safe from 4 kids and two dogs won't be easy while we are doing the room. I'm worried about the carpet too. I'm not the neatest painter ever, but God willing it's gonna look great!!! I'm so excited that we've finally been able to start changing stuff on the house. We're not able to do some small stuff (like getting rid of the gold faucets in the bathroom) or major stuff like doing something with the pond ( no clue what to do with it anyway) but it's starting to get a bit more personalized. I was thinking about doing the kitchen absolutely last, but I don't think so anymore. It feels like I'm in there more than anywhere else ,so maybe sooner rather than later...after our room, I think we are going to do the kids' rooms (anyone have a really tall ladder I can borrow?) then the kitchen. So, bumble bee yellow in the bathroom and upcoming Garden Katydid in the bedroom. Wish me luck and this time I'm going to remember to take pictures!!

The end of the bathroom tunnel!

Oh Lord, thank you! I can see the end of the bathroom wall tunnel!!! After peeling the wallpaper, scraping off all the paste, priming, and lastly today painting...it's almost done!!! Dennis picked out the color (which I am still on the fence about), and we had some oopsies...(had to go to Lowe's twice to get stuff for the potty cause we broke it), and spray painting all the light fixtures (cause I'm kinda over all the gold) has got my nerves all messed up. When you have as many people in the house as we do...a bathroom that's not usable is not a good thing. BUT! Last coat of paint is drying as I type and then peeling the tape, put potty back together, hook lights back up, and then clean. Whew! It will be done tonight and I can't be more excited to not have to look at that crappy wallpaper anymore!! Makes me even more motivated to move on to the next room...which will be our bedroom...eek. I am a little nervous about picking out the color..even though we already agreed on one, because like I said I'm not so sure about the bathroom color. But Dennis picked it out, and I'm holding out final judgement for when it doesn't look like a catastrophe zone. :) I am kinda upset that I didn't take a before photo, for before and after pics..but I am for sure going to everywhere else!

Diving into home improvement!

Shortly after New Years, I decided that it was time that my middle boy learned to go "big potty". Since it has been a while since I have dealt with that (10 years) we did some research. No diaper weekend. And Landon has done so well with it! I'm so proud of my pumpkin! So, Saturday when he was going big potty, I was getting restless. Carol got me some wallpaper scraping stuff and money for paint for Christmas, and spur of the moment....wallpaper started coming down in my bathroom. At first when I decided there was no way this money was going for anything else but paint, I got excited. I've lived with this ugly ass wallpaper everywhere for too long! I knew going in it was going to be hard, but was Dennis and I kept peeling away the top layer, leaving the paste layer, I was getting more and more motivated. I am scared though, I do not have patience, and want to not try to rush it or get in over my head too much. And I totally did not plan on starting in the bathroom. I am in scraping hell right now though. But with every little bit that comes off I am happy that it's coming down. Seriously....WHO PUTS WALLPAPER ON THE CEILING??!?! We not only have it on the ceiling in the bathroom but also in the kitchen. All the top layer is off in the bathroom, and about 1/4 of the paste is down. It does look like we are going to have to fix some holes and smooth some places out before we can paint, and I am so not good at that, but honestly (and if you have seen this wallpaper, you know) that even with TONS of bumps, waves, depressions, and other issues...it's still going to be alot better once it's painted!!! I'm hoping to have the bathroom done by the end of January (Mom's birthday). I'm trying to be realistic about when it gets done, and I'm working on it whenever I get a few minutes or Dennis is home and can watch the kids...especially now that Landon is sans diapers. My plan is to attack our bedroom next, the Jessica's room, Brandon's room, then the kitchen. I'm hoping to be to the kitchen by April or May. On top of keeping busy...this project is also making me realize that there are muscles in my back I had no idea existed!

New Year Resolutions!

While planning our New Years party, resolutions kept creeping in my head. Should it be lose weight this year? I haven't ever been extremely motivated to lose weight. Should I try to quit smoking this year? Last time I tried that, I was horribly mean to everyone and don't really want to go back there. Be more positive. YES! Let's write that down somewhere! Maybe a post it on the mirror. The more party planning I get into, the more stuff comes to me...try harder to keep the friendships that are slipping away? Those that were once good friends slip into friend then into acquantaince? That one I've got to think about some more. Why put more effort into something that isn't getting any in return? Yep, let's think on that some more. Spend more time with my daughter!!!! Ooooo, that's a good one!!! Although she's here and I'm here, we are both mostly in two different worlds. She's always "plugged in" to something..IPad, TV, IPhone, whatever. I'm either cooking, cleaning, changing a diaper, or dealing with the little kids. I need time just for my girl, so I'm going to make it happen. Teach the kids to play canasta. YES! Found another good one! This one might take the help of Mom, cause I don't have a super amount of patience, but the big kids are old enough to learn. Let the competitiveness begin!  The card. There's my number one resolution. We are going to get as close as possible to paying off this card. I have played around with all of the numbers and it's possible. IT'S POSSIBLE. I can have this card that is killing me paid off by New Years next year. That is so exciting to me I can't even describe it. The sun, moon, planets have to align just right it seems, but it's possible!!!  We might have to eat Ramen two nights a week or something, but I have got to get this thing paid off. I can do it!!! And it would be such a stress reliever on Dennis and I want that for him. SO!
1. Pay off credit card.
2. Spend more, alot more, time with Jess.
3. Teach the big kids to play canasta.
4. Be more positive. Already started (I've edited most of the neg out of this blog already! Twice.)
I hope everyone has a great New Year's and a fabulous (super sparkly) 2013!!!