Planning Mode

In June Brian and I sat down and crunched the numbers, calculated how much we'd saved and how much we'd need. Perfect timing, as Disney sent us a special offer for free dining in December. So we decided that we could finally afford the dream of seeing DisneyWorld in it's Christmas splendor. Hopefully it will look something like this:


We're so excited to be going but, of course, I get in planning mode. I've searched and scoured and am as prepared as I think I possibly can be at this point. We've got dinner reservations at all the appropriate places, have flights and are soooooo excited to be staying in one of the Disney hotels this time (our first time ever!).

So the planning has kept me busy, especially when compounded with work, scouts, taekwondo, cheer and swimming, all of which are happening this month. It's busy, but I'm counting down the days (43!) until we leave for sunny Florida.

Beyond that, not much new here. We've had the sickies around the house. First Chase with a "viral infection" that really resembles H1N1 symptoms. Then Tristan got it. Chase missed a whole week of school and with mid-school that means TONS of work. He spent days and days doing his make-up work. Needless to say, he's going to have a lot of catching up to do after Disneyworld. The boys got well and then last week I got a cold. It's been hanging on and not letting go. This is day #8. I really hope this thing gets better soon.

Chase went to his first school dance last week! He was really on the fence about going but the day before the dance he decided to go. He had a good time, danced a lot and enjoyed hanging out with his buddies. So all in a all a good first impression of school dances. On a side note, when we went to mid-school orientation last spring he said he was going to skip the dances - had no interest in them at all. Amazing how a few months in a new school can really change your viewpoint. *sigh* He's growing up way too quickly!

Sunday before last Brian declared it "Mom Appreciation Day". They made me breakfast in bed (pancakes, sausage and eggs ... I didn't know he could cook so much and so well! LOL). Then he let me choose our family activity for the day.

I chose the pumpkin patch, since the weather was nice and I knew it wouldn't hold out for the month. Well, it was a beautiful day. We went to the patch on Sauvie Island. It was packed but fun. Here's what the kids chose out: