I'm alive... for now.

Hello again everyone. I'm back & still breathing which is always a good thing. If you are new to my blog and thinking, "Wow, this girl is really morbid", please take this moment to click the pull down menu on the right labeled "older posts" & start from the beginning. Another option, that will only work until my next post, is to scroll all the way down to the bottom of this page & read backwards. No, this isn't some freaky blog where if you read it backwards you hear subliminal messages. (i.e. Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" or Pink Floyd's "Empty Spaces") Don't literally read it backwards, but work from the bottom up. If you are talented enough to actually read backwards, let me take this moment to officially introduce myself. Ih, M'i Asil Retsof & emoclew ot ym golb. I try to be all things to all people. I changed the settings of my blog to have each page show 8 posts, so that way once we get to WDW my entire trip report should be on the first page of this blog. Now that I got my housekeeping  blogkeeping out of the way I can start my post.

Well, as you already read, I'm alive & thankfully dairy free. Kristin has read my previous post and has decided, for now, not to kill me or pour whip cream all over me while I sleep. Her response was very kind and only warned that on departure day she will just be very quiet due to the time. Not a problem, Jetblue has live TV remember? See, I think of everything. Now, as I promised I am about to show you why getting the first flight of the morning is best when traveling to WDW. As I told you earlier, we will be arriving at our hotel at around 10am. I have many options of what we can do on this first day, but they depend on the weather, how tired we are and which option Kristin likes best- if I can get her to decide of course. I will tell you that in this post you will see the OCD planning side of me come out a little, however, this trip will be different for me. The only day that I'm actually planning anything is our first day. The rest of the days are going to be a total fly-by the-seat-of-our-pants type of days. Who came up with that saying? What does that even mean? I always use it, but it annoys me every time. I'm very literal. Now I have visions of Kristin & I flying through WDW butts first. Anyway. This more relaxed version of touring is totally unlike me, but Kristin & I have been to WDW so we don't necessarily have to run around like crazy people, we'd rather fly butt first. So our first day we will arrive at BWV (cheat sheet to the right) at around 10am. One of our options is a more laid back one and that's to just take a stroll around our resort, head to Downtown Disney for a late breakfast or early lunch, do a little shopping and then when our room is ready, head back, unpack and do whatever. That is a very relaxed option. Another option would be similar, but maybe pack our swim suits in our carry-on & relax at our pool for some of the day, play some mini golf ( I refuse to call it "put-put") and then maybe head to DTD (cheat sheet on right) or something. Again these are very relaxing options, 'cause we will have been up since 4am. A more exciting option would be to pack our swim suits in our carry-on and head over to one of the waterparks and spend a relaxing, but fun day there. If it's rainy we could head over to Disney Quest with the rest of the tens of thousands that will be fleeing from the rain. Hey, it would be cozy. Another option for a rainy day would be to head to DTD & see a movie. I know there are quite a few good movies coming out around the time we are there. As you can see there are quite a few options that we could do and none of those even involve any of the major 4 parks. I'm not going to go too much more into detail about our itinerary, 'cause that would take the fun out of it, for Kristin at least. Since I did not schedule ADRs and both Kristin & I have been to WDW recently, there is not a lot of planning to do. One thing to always watch out for when headed to WDW is the rehab schedule. For some, this schedule could quite possibly make or break their trip. Lucky for us we are not going to be affected by any rehabs, except of course, the baby care center in MK will be closed, so I don't know what we're gonna do. Other rehabs that will be happening during our trip is one of my favorites, Muppet's Vision 3d at MGM HS, but it is scheduled to reopen on the 15th, so we'll be able to see it. Also, if Kristin is brave enough to go on Rock' N' Roller Coaster, BY HERSELF, that closes on the 15th so we'll have to do that early in our trip. Let me just tell you, I am not a roller coaster person, but I will do all of the coasters on WDW property except Rock 'N' Roller Coaster. I draw the line at 0 - 60mph in 2.8 seconds & cork screws. Sorry. Not happening. I like my stomach to stay where it is, thank you very much. I still get shaky after Expedition Everest. Don't worry though, you will hear about me freaking out to get on a scary ride. I have put off riding a certain ride for 24 years. The last time I took friends to WDW the rehabs saved me, as it was closed for rehab, so we couldn't go on. Unfortunately for me, but wonderful for Kristin and all of you reading along at home, it will be open during our trip and it's one of Kristin's favorites. I can already feel my stomach in my throat, but it's time. I've felt like a phony for a while now & I mean I can't go on much longer being known as a WDW enthusiast to my friends and family without having ever been on this ride. So in 40-something days I will finally ride Splash Mountain. Don't worry, you will get a full detailed report on what a baby I will act like. Poor Kristin. Maybe I'll have her guest write that portion of the blog, as she doesn't slant to the pro-lisa movement. So those are the only rehabs as of now. At any time they could add more, so I'll keep you updated. The rehabs can be a real disappointment when you go to WDW, but they have to be done. For the close of this blog I will share a video about rehabs.



If you didn't think I was crazy for Disney...

Hey guys. It's Tuesday night, American Idol was lacking and I'm bored out of my mind... that can only mean one thing, another post! This post will be highlighting the lengths I'm willing to take (and drag my friend thru) to be at the Happiest Place on Earth! Now this information is for my closest trip in May, Disney World with Kristin. You all should feel honored, because the information I'm about to bestow upon you, Kristin is even unaware of. This was done purposefully. You see Kristin is about a 3 hour drive away from me as we speak, so when she reads this & her immediate reaction is to kill me, ok maybe I'm exaggerating, but at least pour an entire can of whip cream on me while I sleep, this will give me a 3 hour heads up. I will be giving you the details of how we are getting to the Happiest Place on Earth. Kristin will be coming home from school on Saturday, May 8th (I think), we'll celebrate Mother's Day on the 9th, (Your welcome for the friendly reminder. Don't worry you still have plenty of time.) and then on the 10th we're "leaving on a jet plane. don't know when I'll be back again..." Not really, I'm too OCD, we're coming back the 17th. We will be flying out of Westchester County Airport, formally known as White Plains Airport, which never made sense to me anyway, then add the airport code HPN... ummm oooookay. Hopefully whoever made those decisions don't also fly the planes! We are flying Jetblue, 'cause I mean really, what other airline is there to fly?? They don't charge for the 1st checked bag & they have TV. Live TV at 30,000 feet!! That's insane. I love it when people are flying at 30,000 feet and they loose the satellite for like 10 seconds and they go into full panic mode as if the plane is coming down. You're flying through the air... in a reclining seat... at 30,000 feet... with all the snacks you can eat... all the drinks you could want... with live television. Really people. I think you can make it 10 seconds without TV. Seriously, just think of it this way, it's just like those moments at home when you're watching TV and some inconsiderate, "loved" one is trying to have a conversation with you while you are on your 6th hour straight of tv for the evening. How inconsiderate. So I feel your pain. Take a deep breath. It will be okay. Gosh, remember the day when you had to fly and your only entertainment was your family sitting next to you or a book?? God, I'm glad those horrible days are over. I digress. We are sitting in the row of two seats, so lucky for us we will not be subjected to sitting next to Mr. Peebody or Shooter McPooter. This is an inside joke between Kristin & I that I will explain, real quick. Kristin & I took a train clear across the state of Pennsylvania to go to an indoor waterpark/hotel. On our extremely long train ride, thanks to a terrorist threat, we encountered two men that we affectionately named Mr. Peebody & Shooter McPooter. Kristin & I were seated near the bathroom that long evening. Mr. Peebody came along and decided to go pee in the bathroom & by in the bathroom, I mean in the bathroom- it was everywhere except in the toilet. Next a girl comes along & goes in BAREFOOT to use the potty. Kristin & I were ready to vomit. Finally comes Shooter McPooter. He must of been a relative to Mr. Peebody as he was guilty of doing the exact same thing, but it wasn't pee! Ah, the joys of public transportation. Aaaanyway... We are seated together in a row of two. We will be flying into, ready for this one, Orlando International Airport... wait for it... abbreviated MCO. What is going on here??? Ok, so we need to find the New Yorker who named & abbreviated White Plans Airport, then retired to Fl and got a part time job just to continue his dyslexic abbreviations. He better not start messing with the colleges... can you imagine?! Anyway. Once we arrive in Orlando, we will be utilizing one of the best perks of staying on Disney property... Magical Express. This is a free shuttle to & from the Orlando Airport. You check your bags at your home airport and you don't see them again until you enter your hotel room and they're sitting right there waiting for you! So nice. So at the airport we'll hop aboard our Magical Express coach bus that has Disney cartoons and a welcome video playing for the 20 minute drive. Meanwhile, disney employees (cast members) pick your luggage up at baggage claim, thanks to your special luggage tags that were mailed to you before leaving, and transport them to your hotel room. This is how I roll.  God help my future husband. Between Disney & my dad, I'm spoiled rotten! So I know you guys are probably reading this thinking, where's the scary part... I know Kristin is. Ok, so I guess I can't ramble any more about bad airport names/abbreviations and I just have to spit it out already. Well, Westchester County Airport is about 4o minutes from home, a lot less if my mom drops us off, but it will probably be my dad, so 40 minutes. And you have to get to the airport around an hour before our flight leaves. And um, I got an e-mail from Jetblue saying that our flight, the first one that morning was changed. I can hear you screaming, "spit it out" at your monitors. Our flight leaves at 6:35am. *Lisa hides her face*  This means we'll probably be getting up on departure day at a wonderful, refreshing 4am. Kristin, I love you. I know what you all are thinking, it was my immediate thought as well, "What in the world will I watch on the plane's tv at 6:35am???" No? Not what you thought? The good news in this is that this flight will get us checked into our room by 10am. This means we have a whole extra day! I have a bunch of different plans for the day which I will share on the next post, 'cause I need Kristin to be back to full consciousness to read it. But I did put together a quick video of my estimated response from Kristin on arrival day. We'll see...



'Till next time, if I'm not dead!


Happy St. Patrick's Day! (Viva Italia!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Now normally St. Patrick's day is not a day I even recognize... St. Patrick was Italian for goodness sake! However, since this year I will be visiting Ireland I had to call a trues & not let this "holiday" pass by without honoring it. So without further rambling, I give you my first & last St. Patrick's Day card. Unless of course I find myself an Irishman worthy of marriage. On second thought... my first & last St. Patrick's Day card.  This card is from my family & our favorite Irish-American.


Enjoy!


Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

The Boardwalk Resort- I think.


Well after quite an interesting two weeks I'm back. I would like to share with you my discoveries in the last two weeks. I found that $1,550 in unexpected vet bills in the last two months alone, can really make a person go insane. I have also found that having a dog is totally like having children... I'm scheduling a hysterectomy today. Also, I'm a pro at being snowed in without power- this was my second time, both of which I was totally alone. And finally, refinishing a cabinet is completely mundane & tedious.  Refinishing a cabinet during Olympic Curling competitions, however, is a whole new experience. I found myself sanding that cabinet like I was an extra member of the Swedish Olympic team sweeping that fast ice so that my rock could glide freely into it's defensive position securing the Swedes the gold. By the time I was done sanding that cabinet I had a perfectly sanded cabinet ready for stain, biceps people would kill for (okay maybe not kill for, but at least use illegal substances to obtain) & a gold medal in Curling. Seriously, try sanding while watching Curling- you can't not go at full speed & yell right along with them! "Gå!! Snabbare!! Gå!!! Gå!!!!!" I think I have found my calling. Now that I have you up-to-date on my past two weeks & I have totally met my useless rambling quota for this post, I'll get back to what we're all here for... "Lisa, you just won a gold medal in curling. What are you gonna do now?!" "Jag tänker Disney World!" Kristin & I are headed to WDW in just 62 days. So exciting! I thought I would write a little more about the resort that we are most likely staying at. Again, I say most likely, because we are on the "you wish list" I mean "wait-list" for the Beach Club Resort. We could end up being moved to the Beach Club as few as three days before arrival. Since I think I'm going have just a tiny bit on my mind 3 days before leaving, I though I'd fill you in on the Boardwalk now & then if we actually do get moved, I'll update you once there. As I said earlier, the Boardwalk Resort & Villas is my favorite resort on Disney property. It's not one of the more popular resorts, but to me it's enchanting! The Boardwalk Resort & Villas is made up of two parts- one half of the resort is a Disney Deluxe Resort, the other half is Disney's Home Away From Home Resort, aka Disney Vacation Club Resort. The BWV (Boardwalk Villas) was Disney's third DVC resort. My parents actually toured the BWV back in 1996 when it was first open & selling DVC contracts. If only they knew what they were passing up! BWV is the smallest DVC resort, but by no means does that mean it's small. The DVC side alone has 532 rooms, so it isn't tiny. I just stayed at the BWV this past October during major renovations. In October if you asked me, I wasn't too thrilled about these renovations, but ask me now & I am thrilled! They totally remodeled all of the rooms, including adding flat screen tvs, because while I'm at WDW I need to have a nice tv to watch- it would be just too boring without it! So Kristin & I have newly refurbished rooms to  look forward to. Most important to look forward to at BWV is the location. Say it with me,  "location, location, location." The BWV has the best location on Disney property. Now before you start yelling gibberish about the Contemporary Resort at your computer monitors... relax & take a breath. My blog remember. Na na na na na na. Yes, the Contemporary has an unbelievable convenience to MK, however, you are almost totally dependent on the bus system if you are looking to go anywhere other than MK. Yes, I know you can also take the monorail to Epcot, but you have to take TWO monorails to get there. Um... I'm on vacation people- way too much to think about. Now that we have established that this is in fact my blog, so you have to listen to my opinion (oh, the power) & that while I am on vacation I am too lazy to take two monorails, let me now introduce you to the joys of the Epcot resort area. The Epcot resort area is made up of 5 hotels surrounding a beautiful lake, sandwiched right between both Epcot & MGM (don't give me that, "It's Hollywood Studios" garbage- it's MGM! It was ALWAYS be MGM.) Anyhow. This area screams connivence! To get to Epcot from BWV it's a 8 minute walk, yes I said walk. To get to MGM(!) it's a 15 minute walk. Don't feel like walking? No problem because the Friendship boats are there with a smile waiting to take you to the parks. Hungry? No problem... the Boardwalk alone has 4 restaurants, a bakery, candy shop & general store. This isn't including the restaurants at the other 4 surrounding resorts or the 8 minute walk to Epcot. The parks not enough for you? How about a nice swim in one of the 3 pools at BWV alone? There's also miniature golf, two arcades, surrey (see below) & standard bike rentals, boat rentals, fireworks cruise, tennis, croquet, playground, board game & movie rentals, craft time & even a fitness center to work off that detestable white bread! What were you saying Contemporary fans? Now before you go thinking that I am a BWV snob (I am), I do enjoy the Contemporary Resort. If I had kids I could see the pull, but thanks to my foreseeable hysterectomy, I don't have to worry about that. Like I said, I do like the CR, but it's just not nearly as convenient, especially with the addition of the DVC building, which by the way looks terribly familiar. With the addition of all those rooms, do you know how crowded that monorail station will now be? And the buses. Ugh! I like to call them purgatory! When I, a lady, have to give up my seat for the elderly or moms with children & there are men, guys, boys, whatever sitting nice & comfy with no plans of moving you know we have a messed up system! I HATE the buses. Not for the ride, not even cause I may have to stand after a long day. It's because I have to be in such close proximity to the thing I can't handle most- people. Seriously people, we need to start teaching common courtesy, decency & chivalry! "Serenity Now! Serenity Now!" Staying at the BWV only has me going on the bus to Animal Kingdom (Nahtazu... riiiiight), Downtown Disney & Magic Kingdom- all of which are a very short ride, compared to the marathon bus ride it is from the Magic Kingdom area to say, Downtown Disney. Ouch! Now if I haven't completely sold you on how magical the BWV is, let me introduce you to a thing called Boardwalk View. I'll let the pictures do the talking... okay I kinda will, I can't not say anything when looking at BWV pictures. (click the pics to enlarge them)


The nighttime view from my private balcony...





The Daytime view from my private balcony...
 

Genesis 9:12-13 "And God Said, 'This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant  me and the earth.' " 


Oh, yes I did. I brought God into the argument & I won. Now what anit-Boarwalk fans?? 


The similarity in the new Contemporary DVC wing...
 
R.I.P. Shea! 

A surrey bike...




I won't be putting any more pics of the Boardwalk Resort up until we get there... gotta leave somethin' to the imagination. Too bad most teen girls haven't figured out that concept yet. 

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