(no subject)
Another day off, another chance to update :P The bad news is I'm home with a sick kid. The good news is he feels a lot better. The nurse called me at work yesterday and said that Toby had a fever and a sore throat, and he looked terrible. I went and got him and got him to the doctor, who said it was just a bit of seasonal ickiness. Well, doctor was right, and this morning Toby feels LOADS better. Not perfect, but enough that I feel frustrated about missing work. I just want to be able to go to work for a full week- is that too much to ask????
Howard's stressed at work and traveling a lot. Toby's sick this week, we had snow last week, and the week before we were in Florida. Which was mostly great.
The weather was certainly nicer- it ranged from 60s to low 80s, which was perfect. The kids got to swim on Sunday, which made them happy. We also had some friends over for dinner, and it turned out their daughter was in town. These are friends from NY that we'd gone to church with, and I knew their daughter. Not super well because she was a few years younger than me, but well enough, and it was great to see her again and hear that she's doing well. The kids were bored, but that's fine. But then Bill found out we were going to Disney for two days.
Good lord, that man is like a freaking child. I don't know what his issue was. For one, Howard and I insisted we would pay. My mom didn't let us pay for her or the boys (all of whom they got in-state passes for), but we did try. So money wasn't an issue. What it came down to was several things:
1.) He didn't listen when my mom told him, and then accused us all of planning behind his back.
2.) He thought the boys wouldn't enjoy Magic Kingdom because they "don't like thrill rides." Well, for one, the Magic Kingdom has the most thrill rides, but there's still a lot of other stuff to do and really, there were only four rides that Toby wouldn't go on, and one that Trevor wouldn't go on. Second, Bill was basing this assumption off our visit to Legoland 3-4 years ago, when the boys wouldn't ride the carousel at the end of a very long day. It's like, do you realize our kids have grown since then????
Anyway, we got off to a rough start, but we did finally make it to the Magic Kingdom. It was more crowded than I was hoping (the week we chose was good, but we went on the Monday after the Princess half, and it was the one nice day of the week), and we didn't have our Fast Passes ahead of time, but oh well. Also, Pirates ended up closed, which SUCKED, because my kids would have LOVED Pirates. Oh well. Anyway, the very first thing we ended up doing was the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, which might be the least impressive starter EVER but was right up my boys' alley, so we got off to a good start. Then we watched a pirate show, which the kids liked, and got our Fast Passes. We ended up getting them for Jungle Cruise, Thunder Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear. We had to make an on-the-fly decision, and Fast Passes weren't something I'd researched too well, so... I do wish we'd gotten Haunted Mansion instead of Buzz, because the wait was so long for HM and not too bad for Buzz, but oh well. We grabbed lunch, which made people a bit better, then went and waited in line forever to ride Haunted Mansion. That was one ride I was a little worried about, because we did a haunted house at Knoebel's here, and the kids HATED it. But it was completely different- that one was designed to scare. So we'd talked a lot about it, and the kids ended up loving it.
We went over to Tomorrowland after that, and we began to hit our stride. We went on the Speedway, which was half the advertised wait time. Then we walked right onto the People Mover, which everyone loved. Walked right into Carousel of Progress. Did our fast pass for Buzz, which Toby rode with Bill. It's one of those video game shooting things, which Toby LOVES, so they had a great time. Then went to the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, which had the kids doubled over with laughter. So Tomorrowland was very, very good for us.
We hit a few more things, and then finally Howard and I took Trevor on Splash Mountain. Toby didn't want to do it- he hates flume rides, and Splash Mountain's final drop is pretty intense- so he stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. After that, all of us but Bill rode Thunder Mountain. Thunder Mountain was Toby's "stretch" ride, and he really did a good job trying it with an open mind. He hated it, and to be fair the ride tosses you around a LOT more than I remember, and it was dark by then. Trevor couldn't decide which was the greatest thing ever- Splash Mountain or Thunder Mountain. But we got Toby calmed down again before he saw Bill, so that was good. We hit Pinocchio Haus for dinner, which was not all that inspiring to say the least, and at that point decided to split up. Toby really wanted to do the Hall of Presidents, and Trevor really wanted to do the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. So I took Trev, and everyone else went to the Hall of Presidents. Turned out to be a good decision, and we all had a great time. Trev and I loved the roller coaster, and we managed to meet them just as the fireworks started.
We ended up watching the fireworks from right by the carousel. On the one hand, that's not where the show is designed to be seen from. On the other hand, the higher fireworks were on one side of us and the roman candles were on the other, and it was like there were fireworks all around us, and the kids thought it was the best thing EVER. It also wasn't super crowded where we were standing, which made Bill happy. After that, the kids said they were ready to leave, and we decided that might be a good idea.
It wasn't.
Long story short, as we made our way out of the park, there was a Frozen thing that was just ending. (Adorable note: I saw a little girl sitting on her dad's shoulders watching "Let It Go" play across the castle, and waving a light-up wand like a cigarette lighter at a rock concert. It cracked me up.) And we got out to the monorail and there was a fifteen minute wait, and Bill just sat down on a bench and refused to do ANYTHING. He would not leave (didn't want to sit in traffic), but the kids were exhausted and melting down and... it was just a MESS. It was awful.
The end of the story is good- we finally got to the van, the kids were asleep before we even left the parking lot, and there was no traffic. We got home, put the kids to bed, Bill went to bed, and Mom, Howard, and I got into the wine, because damn we needed it. The kids had a BLAST at Magic Kingdom, and we did, too, but it was not a magical experience to say the least. (Also not helped by a major crisis at Howard's level at work, and he was on his phone a LOT.) Oh yeah- and my mom got the news that her beloved aunt had passed away.
Tuesday we took a day off, and just vegged. The kids might have been a little bored, but we needed a recharging day. It rained a bit, but we also just hung out. Howard rode a bike, which he desperately needed. Mom and I went out to do some errands, and since we didn't want to leave Bill with both kids, we dragged Trevor. He wasn't thrilled, but my mom bribed him and got him a little Lego set when we went to Target, and he cheered up.
Wednesday we did EPCOT, and this went much better. Bill was more into the idea, and we got an earlier start. We already had our tickets, and we had a better idea of how to use the Fast Passes. There was one snafu I wasn't aware of- apparently Bill got mad when I said "let's go to the bathroom and then get our Fast Passes!" too loudly for his taste. Not because of the bathroom part (which would have made more sense), but because people would hear me say that and get the idea and then head for the Fast Pass line. Which... is not how it was going to work at all. WE were the uneducated and behind the ball ones on Fast Pass. Whatever. I got our passes (which really, the only one we needed was for Soarin'), and then we went and did Test Track, since that's the other big wait and you can only get a Fast Pass for one. We figured if we did Test Track early that 1.) everyone's patience would still be intact, and 2.) we wouldn't have to listen to Trevor ask all day when we were going to ride it. So we did that, and both boys loved it. Then it was already lunch time, which was our other fight of the day.
The thing I DID do research on was restaurants, because Disney doesn't always serve the same kids menu at their restaurants, and I also wanted to know where the best spots for everyone were. And also, I know there is good food to be had at Disney, but you have to know where to look for it. And in EPCOT, that place is the World Showcase. The other thing that most people who know my kids know is that they will pretty much sell me for an order of potstickers. Potstickers are their favorite food. And they both knew that potstickers could be had in the World Showcase. And not far, might I add, from Test Track.
So we decided to get lunch there. Well, Howard, Mom and I decided, much to the kids' delight because POTSTICKERS. and Bill freaked out. "You think they're going to eat in the World Showcase? Where the heck do you think they're going to eat there? Those kids won't eat there!" "Yes they will. In China." "You really think YOUR kids are going to eat in China???? What will they eat?" "Potstickers." He just glared at me and stomped away muttering "whatever", and I was TICKED. Who the hell is he to think he knows my kids better than I do?
We ended up deciding to treat the World Showcase as a food court. We took the kids to China and got them potstickers, and Howard went to Norway and got a sandwich. Mom and Bill decided to go to Germany to get brats or whatever. I really wanted Morocco, but it was on the other side of the showcase so I just filed that away as "next time" and went to China with the boys, because I couldn't remember the Norway menu and I knew there was a noodle bowl that looked good. We all met at Africa and ate at the outdoor tables there. And, I would like to point out, the kids DEVOURED their potstickers. Trevor also ate about a third of the noodles in my very good, way too generously sized noodle bowl, and then my Mom, who was less than impressed with her lunch, ate some of mine, too and said I had the winner. (Maybe, but Howard's sandwich looked pretty tasty, too.) So, point for me.
After lunch we did some of the world showcase, which the kids enjoyed more than I thought they would. Well, I knew Toby would. Trevor surprised me a bit, but he said he really liked seeing all of the different buildings. I swear that kid is going to be an architect someday- he LOVES to draw cities and he loves buildings. We did the Perry's adventure, which was good but could have been shorter, we watched the America show, which was pretty good, and then I wanted to go to France for dessert, but Bill insisted that we take the boat across the World Showcase lagoon. I was kind of annoyed. I mean, I knew I could get back to France (the one thing I REALLY wanted to do) later, but just the fact that Bill's schedule and wants had to come ahead of everyone else's.... UGH.
We had a bit of down time after- Toby did not like the Imagination ride and I did not blame him at all- they've REALLY made that for the preschool set now. Ditto with the Seas, which used to be awesome. Eventually we made our way over to the Land pavilion. We rode the Land, which the kids really liked, and we ate dinner at Sunshine Seasons. The kids loved the dinner there, I loved the pork chop with the chedder mashed potatoes, and Mom and Bill both managed to find the most uninspiring things there. Bill was looking at dessert, but Howard mentioned our plan to go back to France. Relevant later. We had a little time before our fast pass, so we took the kids over and did the easy version of Mission: Space, which turned out to be one of the better VI simulator things I've ever done.
We rode Soarin'. Toby was nervous at first because he's a bit afraid of heights, but he didn't really understand what Disney means by a fear of heights. Once he was on it, he loved it. All of us loved it. It was a really great ride, and even Bill liked it.
After that, we finally went to France. I have very fond memories of the bakery there, which was also my dad's favorite, and it was just at the top of my list. But it was also getting time for the lights show, so Bill seemed to think we were trying to find a place to watch it, and kept complaining about why were we going so far in? It wasn't getting any better.
We did finally get him to get it, and we got to France and got the bakery stuff, which was just as awesome as I remember. (Although Trevor still wanted ice cream :) ) I had some tart with chocolate mousse and caramel cream and it was AMAZING. we found a spot to watch Illuminations and sat down and ate our dessert, and that was one of the best parts of the day. The light show was great and the kids loved it. And this time, we were smart. We lingered there for a while after, as the worst of the crowds went by. Then we moseyed out and stopped at the shop, because Mom wanted to buy the kids each a souvenir. Toby also desperately had to hit the bathroom, which took a while. So by the time we left, the traffic was lighter, and Bill was happy. So overall, EPCOT was a much better experience.
I will say that I still want to do Disney "properly", and the next time we do it, I am NOT staying at my parents'. We will stay on property, and if Bill wants to join us he can, and if he doesn't, he doesn't have to. Because sheesh. What a frakking grump.
The rest of our visit was nice. We played some shuffleboard, I went with Mom to a social thing she's in and Howard took the kids out and to mini golf, and it was relaxed and easier. Bill was a bit better, but he's still really... disengaged. I've been noticing it more and more- he comes up here and spends the whole time watching TV. I honestly think he needs some mental help- I think there's something going on- but he won't do anything. It's frustrating, and Howard and I aren't sure how to handle it anymore, now that my vacation time is so limited. We don't want to always be using the few days I can allot for personal vacation on going to my mom's, especially if Bill is going to be like this. I think the solution is to invite them to join us wherever else we go.
So that was Florida. We did have a good time, it was just frustrating.
Not much on the fannish side of things. I'm trying to write the BSG/Hunger Games thing, and I hope it's coming out okay, but we'll see. Fingers crossed. It's moving a bit, which is more than I've done for the past year, so that's something. I miss writing.
Better get down and work out, and use my day off to actually accomplish some things. Still kind of grumpy about it, but it is what it is.
Howard's stressed at work and traveling a lot. Toby's sick this week, we had snow last week, and the week before we were in Florida. Which was mostly great.
The weather was certainly nicer- it ranged from 60s to low 80s, which was perfect. The kids got to swim on Sunday, which made them happy. We also had some friends over for dinner, and it turned out their daughter was in town. These are friends from NY that we'd gone to church with, and I knew their daughter. Not super well because she was a few years younger than me, but well enough, and it was great to see her again and hear that she's doing well. The kids were bored, but that's fine. But then Bill found out we were going to Disney for two days.
Good lord, that man is like a freaking child. I don't know what his issue was. For one, Howard and I insisted we would pay. My mom didn't let us pay for her or the boys (all of whom they got in-state passes for), but we did try. So money wasn't an issue. What it came down to was several things:
1.) He didn't listen when my mom told him, and then accused us all of planning behind his back.
2.) He thought the boys wouldn't enjoy Magic Kingdom because they "don't like thrill rides." Well, for one, the Magic Kingdom has the most thrill rides, but there's still a lot of other stuff to do and really, there were only four rides that Toby wouldn't go on, and one that Trevor wouldn't go on. Second, Bill was basing this assumption off our visit to Legoland 3-4 years ago, when the boys wouldn't ride the carousel at the end of a very long day. It's like, do you realize our kids have grown since then????
Anyway, we got off to a rough start, but we did finally make it to the Magic Kingdom. It was more crowded than I was hoping (the week we chose was good, but we went on the Monday after the Princess half, and it was the one nice day of the week), and we didn't have our Fast Passes ahead of time, but oh well. Also, Pirates ended up closed, which SUCKED, because my kids would have LOVED Pirates. Oh well. Anyway, the very first thing we ended up doing was the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, which might be the least impressive starter EVER but was right up my boys' alley, so we got off to a good start. Then we watched a pirate show, which the kids liked, and got our Fast Passes. We ended up getting them for Jungle Cruise, Thunder Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear. We had to make an on-the-fly decision, and Fast Passes weren't something I'd researched too well, so... I do wish we'd gotten Haunted Mansion instead of Buzz, because the wait was so long for HM and not too bad for Buzz, but oh well. We grabbed lunch, which made people a bit better, then went and waited in line forever to ride Haunted Mansion. That was one ride I was a little worried about, because we did a haunted house at Knoebel's here, and the kids HATED it. But it was completely different- that one was designed to scare. So we'd talked a lot about it, and the kids ended up loving it.
We went over to Tomorrowland after that, and we began to hit our stride. We went on the Speedway, which was half the advertised wait time. Then we walked right onto the People Mover, which everyone loved. Walked right into Carousel of Progress. Did our fast pass for Buzz, which Toby rode with Bill. It's one of those video game shooting things, which Toby LOVES, so they had a great time. Then went to the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, which had the kids doubled over with laughter. So Tomorrowland was very, very good for us.
We hit a few more things, and then finally Howard and I took Trevor on Splash Mountain. Toby didn't want to do it- he hates flume rides, and Splash Mountain's final drop is pretty intense- so he stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. After that, all of us but Bill rode Thunder Mountain. Thunder Mountain was Toby's "stretch" ride, and he really did a good job trying it with an open mind. He hated it, and to be fair the ride tosses you around a LOT more than I remember, and it was dark by then. Trevor couldn't decide which was the greatest thing ever- Splash Mountain or Thunder Mountain. But we got Toby calmed down again before he saw Bill, so that was good. We hit Pinocchio Haus for dinner, which was not all that inspiring to say the least, and at that point decided to split up. Toby really wanted to do the Hall of Presidents, and Trevor really wanted to do the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. So I took Trev, and everyone else went to the Hall of Presidents. Turned out to be a good decision, and we all had a great time. Trev and I loved the roller coaster, and we managed to meet them just as the fireworks started.
We ended up watching the fireworks from right by the carousel. On the one hand, that's not where the show is designed to be seen from. On the other hand, the higher fireworks were on one side of us and the roman candles were on the other, and it was like there were fireworks all around us, and the kids thought it was the best thing EVER. It also wasn't super crowded where we were standing, which made Bill happy. After that, the kids said they were ready to leave, and we decided that might be a good idea.
It wasn't.
Long story short, as we made our way out of the park, there was a Frozen thing that was just ending. (Adorable note: I saw a little girl sitting on her dad's shoulders watching "Let It Go" play across the castle, and waving a light-up wand like a cigarette lighter at a rock concert. It cracked me up.) And we got out to the monorail and there was a fifteen minute wait, and Bill just sat down on a bench and refused to do ANYTHING. He would not leave (didn't want to sit in traffic), but the kids were exhausted and melting down and... it was just a MESS. It was awful.
The end of the story is good- we finally got to the van, the kids were asleep before we even left the parking lot, and there was no traffic. We got home, put the kids to bed, Bill went to bed, and Mom, Howard, and I got into the wine, because damn we needed it. The kids had a BLAST at Magic Kingdom, and we did, too, but it was not a magical experience to say the least. (Also not helped by a major crisis at Howard's level at work, and he was on his phone a LOT.) Oh yeah- and my mom got the news that her beloved aunt had passed away.
Tuesday we took a day off, and just vegged. The kids might have been a little bored, but we needed a recharging day. It rained a bit, but we also just hung out. Howard rode a bike, which he desperately needed. Mom and I went out to do some errands, and since we didn't want to leave Bill with both kids, we dragged Trevor. He wasn't thrilled, but my mom bribed him and got him a little Lego set when we went to Target, and he cheered up.
Wednesday we did EPCOT, and this went much better. Bill was more into the idea, and we got an earlier start. We already had our tickets, and we had a better idea of how to use the Fast Passes. There was one snafu I wasn't aware of- apparently Bill got mad when I said "let's go to the bathroom and then get our Fast Passes!" too loudly for his taste. Not because of the bathroom part (which would have made more sense), but because people would hear me say that and get the idea and then head for the Fast Pass line. Which... is not how it was going to work at all. WE were the uneducated and behind the ball ones on Fast Pass. Whatever. I got our passes (which really, the only one we needed was for Soarin'), and then we went and did Test Track, since that's the other big wait and you can only get a Fast Pass for one. We figured if we did Test Track early that 1.) everyone's patience would still be intact, and 2.) we wouldn't have to listen to Trevor ask all day when we were going to ride it. So we did that, and both boys loved it. Then it was already lunch time, which was our other fight of the day.
The thing I DID do research on was restaurants, because Disney doesn't always serve the same kids menu at their restaurants, and I also wanted to know where the best spots for everyone were. And also, I know there is good food to be had at Disney, but you have to know where to look for it. And in EPCOT, that place is the World Showcase. The other thing that most people who know my kids know is that they will pretty much sell me for an order of potstickers. Potstickers are their favorite food. And they both knew that potstickers could be had in the World Showcase. And not far, might I add, from Test Track.
So we decided to get lunch there. Well, Howard, Mom and I decided, much to the kids' delight because POTSTICKERS. and Bill freaked out. "You think they're going to eat in the World Showcase? Where the heck do you think they're going to eat there? Those kids won't eat there!" "Yes they will. In China." "You really think YOUR kids are going to eat in China???? What will they eat?" "Potstickers." He just glared at me and stomped away muttering "whatever", and I was TICKED. Who the hell is he to think he knows my kids better than I do?
We ended up deciding to treat the World Showcase as a food court. We took the kids to China and got them potstickers, and Howard went to Norway and got a sandwich. Mom and Bill decided to go to Germany to get brats or whatever. I really wanted Morocco, but it was on the other side of the showcase so I just filed that away as "next time" and went to China with the boys, because I couldn't remember the Norway menu and I knew there was a noodle bowl that looked good. We all met at Africa and ate at the outdoor tables there. And, I would like to point out, the kids DEVOURED their potstickers. Trevor also ate about a third of the noodles in my very good, way too generously sized noodle bowl, and then my Mom, who was less than impressed with her lunch, ate some of mine, too and said I had the winner. (Maybe, but Howard's sandwich looked pretty tasty, too.) So, point for me.
After lunch we did some of the world showcase, which the kids enjoyed more than I thought they would. Well, I knew Toby would. Trevor surprised me a bit, but he said he really liked seeing all of the different buildings. I swear that kid is going to be an architect someday- he LOVES to draw cities and he loves buildings. We did the Perry's adventure, which was good but could have been shorter, we watched the America show, which was pretty good, and then I wanted to go to France for dessert, but Bill insisted that we take the boat across the World Showcase lagoon. I was kind of annoyed. I mean, I knew I could get back to France (the one thing I REALLY wanted to do) later, but just the fact that Bill's schedule and wants had to come ahead of everyone else's.... UGH.
We had a bit of down time after- Toby did not like the Imagination ride and I did not blame him at all- they've REALLY made that for the preschool set now. Ditto with the Seas, which used to be awesome. Eventually we made our way over to the Land pavilion. We rode the Land, which the kids really liked, and we ate dinner at Sunshine Seasons. The kids loved the dinner there, I loved the pork chop with the chedder mashed potatoes, and Mom and Bill both managed to find the most uninspiring things there. Bill was looking at dessert, but Howard mentioned our plan to go back to France. Relevant later. We had a little time before our fast pass, so we took the kids over and did the easy version of Mission: Space, which turned out to be one of the better VI simulator things I've ever done.
We rode Soarin'. Toby was nervous at first because he's a bit afraid of heights, but he didn't really understand what Disney means by a fear of heights. Once he was on it, he loved it. All of us loved it. It was a really great ride, and even Bill liked it.
After that, we finally went to France. I have very fond memories of the bakery there, which was also my dad's favorite, and it was just at the top of my list. But it was also getting time for the lights show, so Bill seemed to think we were trying to find a place to watch it, and kept complaining about why were we going so far in? It wasn't getting any better.
We did finally get him to get it, and we got to France and got the bakery stuff, which was just as awesome as I remember. (Although Trevor still wanted ice cream :) ) I had some tart with chocolate mousse and caramel cream and it was AMAZING. we found a spot to watch Illuminations and sat down and ate our dessert, and that was one of the best parts of the day. The light show was great and the kids loved it. And this time, we were smart. We lingered there for a while after, as the worst of the crowds went by. Then we moseyed out and stopped at the shop, because Mom wanted to buy the kids each a souvenir. Toby also desperately had to hit the bathroom, which took a while. So by the time we left, the traffic was lighter, and Bill was happy. So overall, EPCOT was a much better experience.
I will say that I still want to do Disney "properly", and the next time we do it, I am NOT staying at my parents'. We will stay on property, and if Bill wants to join us he can, and if he doesn't, he doesn't have to. Because sheesh. What a frakking grump.
The rest of our visit was nice. We played some shuffleboard, I went with Mom to a social thing she's in and Howard took the kids out and to mini golf, and it was relaxed and easier. Bill was a bit better, but he's still really... disengaged. I've been noticing it more and more- he comes up here and spends the whole time watching TV. I honestly think he needs some mental help- I think there's something going on- but he won't do anything. It's frustrating, and Howard and I aren't sure how to handle it anymore, now that my vacation time is so limited. We don't want to always be using the few days I can allot for personal vacation on going to my mom's, especially if Bill is going to be like this. I think the solution is to invite them to join us wherever else we go.
So that was Florida. We did have a good time, it was just frustrating.
Not much on the fannish side of things. I'm trying to write the BSG/Hunger Games thing, and I hope it's coming out okay, but we'll see. Fingers crossed. It's moving a bit, which is more than I've done for the past year, so that's something. I miss writing.
Better get down and work out, and use my day off to actually accomplish some things. Still kind of grumpy about it, but it is what it is.