Disney, again?

When I tell people that the family is going to Disney, I normally get this response.... Again, Don't you get sick of it?
Disney holds a very special place in my heart. I can remember walking down Main Street with my father and grandmother when I was about 5 years old. Now as an adult, every time I walk down Main Street, it takes me back to that wonderful trip where my dad walked down that magical street with me towards Cinderella's Castle.
I have thought a lot about what Disney means to me. We honeymooned there. We have gone on weekend trips just to get away from everything. We have run away to Disney and turned off all communication with the outside world. We have gone with our parents, sibling and of course our children. We spend on average 3 weeks there a year. Disney newbies think the only thing to do is ride thrill rides.

To us Disney is...

• Uninterrupted family time
• Good Dining
• Fun times
• Thrill Rides
• Broadway style shows
• Parades

Now, as a mom, I see Disney thought the eyes of our children. A few years ago, after working for 15 months on my Specialist degree, Hubs arranged a special trip for the whole family. During the time that I worked on the degree, I spent many weekends and evening working on school work. I missed out on lots of everyday things that the kids and hubs where doing. So when Graduation came around, I jokingly told Hubs that I would love to go to WDW with the family instead of pay all this extra money to walk across a stage and get a piece of paper that they would mail to me anyways.
He listened and that special Christmas trip was born. He planned all the details and surprised me close to the date that we would be going. I think it was on that trip that Hubs finally felt "Disney Magic". The very first morning, we loaded the kids in the stroller and started up Main Street. Ans jumped up and screamed.... There is Cinderella's Castle- Can we go live in it with her? On the 3rd night of that trip he had planned for us to go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. As the night wore on, Ans and Ry could not stay awake. The both ended up falling asleep in the stroller. Hubs and I sat on the street corner and waited for the fireworks to start, I was a little disappointed that they would not see them and that they would miss Tinker Belle's flight. Much to my surprise, as the music and fireworks began, Ans woke up. She saw that Tinker Belle was fling across the sky and yelled "My Tinker Belle does fly!" "She is real!"
That was my pixie dust that took me back to that same magical feeling that I had 25 years earlier with my dad.
I hope you will find someplace that is your Happy Place and visit it often.

I will return...

I have several posts that I need to make about the events of the last few weeks. I will catch up on them over the next few days. However, I did not want to leave you without a small glimpse of what my weekend entailed. One word, the in-laws...
Normally the in-laws do not bother me. They are wonderful people who are around and do a lot of things for us. However, on Saturday night, Hubs was a little annoyed with his parents. They called early in the afternoon. The phone conversation went something like this:
MIL: We are going to look at a house this afternoon and wanted to stop by to see the kids and you guys.
Me: we are really busy and have a lot to do, this might not be a good time.
MIL: Ok, then we will see you tomorrow afternoon.
Me: The boys (Hubs and R) will be here but the girl and I have a baby shower to attend.
MIL: Ok, then we will just come over tonight. What can I bring for dinner.
Me: OK
I hang up and yell down stairs... Your mom and dad are coming over tonight for dinner. Hubs was a little annoyed. I on the other hand started making the mental list of all the things I hate to do around the house that I could ask MIL to do. They are very helpful, so I put them to work.
When they arrived, MIL asked what she could do to help. I stated there is a load of laundry to fold, dishes to put away and laundry to switch around. She got right to work. FIL helped Hubs plant a tree and then worked on getting the Christmas tree to light up in the kitchen.

Hubs did not understand that I put them to work and it gets things done around the house when they come over. He was a little annoyed that they had arrived because we had so much to do. I say if they help while they are here then, so be it.
I really should not or can not complain- I high the jackpot when it comes to in-laws and parents.

Hubs

Hubs is the subject of this two part post tonight.
First, I have to say he rocks. I looked at him with those puppy dog eyes tonight because I was going to have run to the stop after I put my pjs on. He volunteered to go if I would cook him a side dish to go with the chicken he cooked for his lunches. So, here I sit watching his noodles cook for tomorrow while he runs to the store!

Secondly, last night hubs bought a suit. We have been married for almost 13 years and this is the first suit that hubs has bought. In the first phone call I offered to meet him at the store but he said he could handle it. In the second phone call, he was asking what I thought he should buy. The third phone call went something like this:
Hubs: Hey, what do you think of brown?
Me: It is ok but what shade of brown are we talking about?
Hubs: like brown....
Me: What color shirt and tie would you get? White, I'm assuming...
Hubs: Pale Blue shirt with a blue and brown tie...
Me: What about black? Grey? Navy Blue?
Hubs: but I really think the brown is nice...
Me:Ok, I do not buy suits very often but are you sure brown in the color you want...
Hus: yes.
and we hung up. The next thing I know I'm getting a picture message of a suit and shirt.
I continue to drive home- right past the store he is shopping in mind you. As I'm turning into the subdivision my phone rings again. It is hubs. The next phone call goes like this:
Me: So what did you get?
Hubs: A suit
Me: What color?
Hubs: Brown
Me: ok, so what did it cost?
Hubs: enough....
Me: so what did you get for enough?
Hubs: stuff, suit stuff, you know a jacket, pants...
Me: Did you get a shirt and a tie?
Hubs: of course
Me: what color shirt do you wear with a brown suit?
Hubs: blue, of course and dear, it is not just a suit it is an ensemble...
Me: oh, ok
Hubs: what's wrong?
Me: nothing- I just hope a brown ensemble is versatile.
Hubs: Yes, it is versatile. I can wear it during the day for work or in the evening for a date with my wife suit!
Me: oh, if you say so
Hubs: I could have got the olive ensemble.

So, he is the proud owner of a BROWN suit. Thank goodness he did not go for the Olive color- He might have looked like a large green bean. I'm sure I will love it once it comes in. Hopefully it will be here before the wedding next week, so that he can look dapper.

A flashback....

We have had a week at school with Lice. It all started on Tuesday morning with a phone call from the nurse at school. She wanted to check my entire class as soon as possible.
With that one little phone call, I had a flash back to the most stressful but happiest week of my life.

The flashback took me all the way back to Good Friday, April 1998. The Friday night before Hubs and I got married. We axiously waited for my bestie to come in town with her three children. My nieces (V and J) and nephew (B) where in 3, 4, and 6th grades. They where excited to be coming to GA in the middle of the school year for the wedding. Since it was Easter weekend, we had lots of fun family activities planned. On Saturday morning, we awoke and went to my mom's house to press all the table cloths for the wedding and deliver them to the church. As we ironed away my mom noticed that the J was scratching her head a lot.
Mom did the "check" only to find out that she had lice. So here we are waiting for the rest of the family to arrive while we shampooed everyone's hair... what a mess.
It was not until we arrived back at Bruce's apartment later that evening that I discovered the real work that was layed out for me. The girls had hung their Easter dresses and placed their Easter bonnets in my closet. The hats had been placed on the wire shelve of my closet... which ment I had to wash everything in my closet.
So the week before hubs and I got married, I washed 108 loads of laundry.... yes, you read that correctly 108 loads of laundry. All the cloths, sheets, blankets, pillow cases, and towels. There where 5 of them (plus all my cloths) in our appartment. It was a big mess. We managed to get everything washed, folded and put away before the rehersal dinner. Our poor washing machine and dryer! They worked over time that week.
My stress came to a head while sitting at the salon getting our hair done. I had a panick attach that the hair dresser was going to find lice in one of the girls hair.
We decided not to tell my MIL what was going on because she would have freaked out. Once we returned from our honeymoon, we spilled the beans.
Now I can laugh about it, but I wanted to curl up and cry when it happened 12 years ago.
So this week, as I was having to call parents and clean my classroom, I was laughting on the inside thinking about the crazy week leading up to our wedding.

Lollipop

Lollipop, Lollipop..... eeewww lilli lollipop.... pop..... ba doom doom doom...

I never thought those words could turn my stomach as much as they do tonight. They have been posted many time on the wall of one of my "friends" on FB. They are often posted above the picture of a lollipop in which the recipient licks. The total number of licks is recorded to let the posted know how long it takes you to get to the center.
The two people posting these lollipops happen to be having an "affair" before their divorces are final.
All I can say is gross.... What do you think?

He did it again

Hubs has a brother, R. R is an immature jerk. R and I go back many years with our love hate relationship. R has recently married his partner, C. We all (Hubs, the kids and I) adore C. However, R is a major PITA.
Last night, we had a family dinner because Aunt R and Uncle A where in town visiting. My MIL hates to have everyone over, so I offered to host dinner. When this was brought up on Monday, R and C had other plans. They had told MIL that they would see everyone on Sunday and that we could have Saturday to visit and see Aunt R and Uncle A. I planned the meal and prepared my famous Lasagna on Friday evening. Everything was going to be very layed back, so that I could visit also.
Aunt R is an awesome photographer, so I asked her if she would snap a few pictures at a local park, so that I could design our Christmas cards. She said yes, so we planned that for the afternoon.
As I was driving home from school on Friday, I got a text that R and C would like to join us on Saturday night for dinner because their plans for the weekend had changed... That is where the drama starts.
I call Hubs, he said yes invite them to make MIL happy. I say ok, and call C. I would rather talk with C then talk with R. C asks me what can we bring, I say nothing. He tells me he can not wait to see the kids and us. He is an overall lovely person, he adores our children.
After we hang up the phone this is the exchange of text messages that flew. (NO, I was not driving, by now, I'm sitting at the doctor's office with the kids to get their flu shots)
R: We will be there are 4.
Me: Make it 5, we are taking pictures in the afternoon.
R: what kind of pictures
Me: family for our Christmas card
R: With Mom and Dad
Me: No, just the four of us
R: without mom and dad... how rude
Me: they will be there, but we only put the four of us on our card every year
Me: I'm sure we will snap a few of your mom and dad with the kids
R: oh, ok, I guess
Me: See you around 5
R: what do you want us to bring
Me: nothing
R: What are you serving, so we can bring wine
Me: Lasagna, but remember no one drinks but you two
R: I do not care, we will bring a bottle
Me: see you then...
Now, Hubs calls me on his way home while this is all going down, I'm pissed. Hubs and I want to keep the peace with them, so that MIL is not stressed out. Hubs, the kids and I met for dinner Friday evening, went grocery shopping and headed home to make dinner for Saturday night.
When we got up yesterday, we took the kids to the fair and then headed home to get ready for the pictures. We where late getting home and the in-laws where late getting here. Once everyone was here and ready we left and went to the park. The picture session was awesome. Aunt R took lots of great shots for our card and everyone was happy. We headed home for dinner.
R and C arrived shortly after we got home but way before the 5 pm hour. I rolled my eyes and stayed in the kitchen.
R stayed down stairs for a while and C came right up to play with the kids and to visit. He sat down and colored with our daughter and talked graphic design with our son. At least as much as a 10 year old can. He is wonderful about including them, talking to then and not down on them, and asking them about their lives.
When R came upstairs and he asked where everyone was. I told him what everyone was up to but kept working on downloaded the pictures for Aunt R.
R and I have a fun little exchange...
He came in carring a bottle of wine...
R: Where is the bottle opener?
Me: on the counter, I layed it out for you.
R: I do not see it...
Me: it is to the right of the sink, the red and black thing
R: oh, I have never seen one like that before (for the record, it is a XOXO one that is rather large, because the only other person who opens wine in our house in my mom and she has no feeling in her hands from spinal surgrey many years ago)
R opens the bottle and then I hear...
R: where are the glasses?
Me: on the counter, I got them out and even washed them for you, since they have not been used since Easter.
R: This one has a spot on it...
Me: so wash it- the sink is right there
C chimes in: Give me the one with the spot- it adds character to the glass of wine...
R: no, dear, I will not have you drinking from a dirty glass..
Me: rolled my eyes and did not say another word...

We have diner, it was fun to sit around and gab, catch up and generally enjoy each others company. I did not time dinner perfectly, so it ran late and it was getting close to the Ohio State kick off. Aunt R and Uncle A never miss a game, so I wanted to make sure they where able to see it. I sent everyone down stairs to watch the game. I cleaned up dinner with C's help. We chatted and before we know it, dinner was put away and the kitchen was clean.
We sat down and went through the pictures that Aunt R had taken and talked about our Christmas cards.
R was jealous... he kept coming in and asking what we were talking about, what we were doing and why we were still up here...
They left shortly after dessert As they were leaving R hugged me and asked me what he owed me for dinner. I just answered "you're being a jerk.... remember we talked about how rude that was and unless you want to be made to look like the ass you are being you had better stop it right now!" He pulled away and said good bye to everyone else.
We enjoyed the rest of the game. Aunt R and Uncle C where not happy with the outcome, but we did enjoy watching it all together.
Once everyone left, I got the kids to bed, and enjoyed a cranberry flip.

Hell Week

I remember in high school and college Hell week was the week of finals. Now that I teach, I have decided that Hell week is the week of Parent Teacher Conferences and Report Cards. Who in their right mind would put the two together? I spend most of last week grading papers, inputting grades and then double checking to make sure I had not missed anything. It was not fun, but it over for this grading period.
Do other professions have a Hell week?