Tag Archives: Old Key West

2017 Goals

Being Accountable

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The thing that bothers me about blogs, is that they seem so narcissistic. “This is me. This is what I know. This is what I do. Me, me, me, me, me….blah! I think of that each time I make an entry here. Even I get tired of reading about me, thinking about me, examining me. I am not writing this blog because I NEED an audience. I am writing this blog to keep myself accountable for the choices I am making everyday. Will I really move more? Will I really take control of the portions that I eat? Will I really make better food choices to actually feed my body and not just stuff myself with empty calories? Will I really test my blood glucose every day.  So this is my way of being accountable.

In that vein, let me share that I am having a very good day. Two meals consumed so far, nutritious and appropriately proportioned. Activity? I vacuumed the living room, changed the 4 ink cartridges in the printer, bagged some clothes to give away, worked the cat litter (Ugh!) and I plan to do some laundry today.

Now, why is this still called a Disney blog? Because it is a wonderful motivation for me. We had planned to go and spend four days at Disneyland Paris in the fall of 2018; however for our same amount of DVC (Disney Vacation Club) points, we can spend 8 nights in a Grand Villa at Walt Disney World in Florida. I want to be able to enjoy that time as much as possible. Watching my first grandchild (Ida, sweetest and smartest baby girl!) discover all things Mickey is a very exciting prospect! And sharing that time with the family? The best! I will use some visualization of that reunion when things get tough; it will help me to carry on. It may sound ridiculous, but Old Key West is my “laughing place.” (“Everybody has a laughing place, a laughing place to go-ho-ho.” From the movie Song of the South. Hmmm… no wonder I like Splash Mountain so much.) When I finally get there, I exhale and truly relax.

My latest Disney discovery is a book titled, “the easy guide to your Walt Disney World visit.” I really like it because it is snippets of info, rather than long tomes and epic-sized missives. In the Twitter universe where we want our info fast and short, I find this book very appealing. I highly recommend it; check it out.

Enough for today. Love and peace to you dear readers with prayers for our great country and the world.

Donna

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Tomorrow, Tomorrow…

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Day 429 in finishing the race to meet up with Mickey

Tomorrow, tomorrow I love ya, tomorrow.  You’re only a day away….

Mike and I will be picked up bright and early tomorrow to be delivered to Midway Airport and then to fly to Orlando!  Woo hoo!  We are flying Southwest and their computers went caput yesterday, so please pray for a smooth journey.

On the down side, we just found out that Emi and James have to postpone their trip, so we won’t get to see them in Florida.  They will come to Chicago next month instead.  That is a wonderful thing to look forward to, however, we will miss them in Florida.  That means we have a spare bedroom that sleeps four in the Grand Villa for the next week.  Any family folk interested?  (Date Oct. 13-21 eight nights)

My bag is packed, and I am ready almost ready to go.  I just have to pack the last minute things: meds, phone charger, phone, sunglasses, etc…  My stomach is in pre-travel knots as usual.  🙂  But I am ready for some Florida sunshine and some Mickey face-time!

I will try to blog from Florida, but I’m not taking my laptop, just my phone.  Love to you all, dear readers!  Meet you at the Kingdom!

 

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Packing (NOT Puking)

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Day 421 in trying to keep my stomach settled on my way to meeting Mickey

Nine days, People!  In nine days I go to Walt Disney World!  I Facetimed with Emi today and we just kept getting more and more excited.  A week from Tuesday, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, I will be sitting in a room with Mike, Jake, Eliza, Emi and James.  That is as good as it gets!  We will be having our Unbirthday Dinner at Olivia’s Cafe at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.

I’ve reached the phase in vacation planning where I just can’t think about it anymore.  It’s time to start doing.  I will get my suitcase out and start packing for the trip today.  I need to find my Disney bag which becomes my purse for the vacation.  I need to think about what I want to pack in my Disney bag and what will be relegated to the suitcase.

And I need to begin this without thinking about the trip too much.  Because I’m also at the phase where I’m so excited about the trip that I feel sick to my stomach.  I always have been that way.  My parents had to stop telling me about trips in advance, because I would get so excited that I got sick.

So, as you can see, I am scattered.  But it’s still coming soon…Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Pressing On

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Day 411 in sweating it out to meet up with Mickey (19 days to go…only 19!!!)

Why is it so difficult to do the right thing?  I woke up early this morning to walk.  This is my fourth day in a row to do so.  Hardly earth shattering, right?  I swear, it was such hard work today.  I tried visualizing walking toward Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom.  No good.  I tried changing locale and visualized walking down Hollywood Boulevard toward The Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  No good.  So I imagined walking from the bus stop toward Spaceship Earth at EPCOT.  Nope!  It was just exhausting.

BUT, Dear Readers, I did manage to push on and even walked a little farther than yesterday.  I was listening to Sabrina Carpenter on my iPhone, who is on the Disney Channel show Girl Meets World.  She has a song called The Middle of Starting Over which seems to be my anthem (my jam) just now.  I know the song is about falling in love, but it is so catchy and has such a great hook that I cannot resist it.  🙂  And with this exercise thing, post cancer diagnosis and treatment, I am in the middle of starting over.

So I will not be discouraged.  I will not stop my daily walks.  (Lord, willing and the creek don’t rise!)  I will persevere, for in only 19 days we fly to Orlando and our lovely time share at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.  I hope to get the chance to take a swim that first evening.  It would be bliss!

Why is it so difficult to do the right thing?  Because it just is, or as my mom would have said to me, “Do it because I said so!”  Please pray for me to have the stamina to see it through, Friends.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Getting Back on the Beam

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Day 407 in my journey to meet Mickey

I have gained a few pounds in the last few weeks.  I sort of threw in the towel and went a bit wild.  But today, I am re-resolved to get on and stay on the right path.  The path where I put healthy fuel (foods) into my body.  The path where I get out of bed an hour earlier every morning and get in a walk.  After all I am only 23 days away from going to Florida. GAH!

Wow!  In 23 days I’ll be there…in my Happy Place.  I can almost smell the sun screen and chlorine now.  🙂  I will kick up my feet at Disney’s Old Key West and exhale…like, really exhale, the kind where I can actually feel the stress falling away.  Ah……

Mike picked veggie sandwiches for dinner tonight.  Shredded brie on bread rolls with sauteed mushroom, peppers, olives and onions.  They will be delicious, but not exactly low-cal.  I will make a point to eat plenty of raw veg (especially broccoli) to help push it through my system.  Then the rest of the week it’ll be:

Monday: salmon and baked pumpkin with raw veg and dip (hummus maybe)

Tuesday: Easy Chicken and Bean Stew with raw veg and dip

Wednesday: Stuffed Green Peppers with raw veg and dip

Thursday: baked chicken with sweet potato and raw veg and dip

Friday and Saturday: Women of Faith Conference  So, Friday-dinner with Jean and Joan.  Yay!  Saturday-dinner with Jean and Wayne.  Yay again!!  I hope to eat some nice dinner salads over the weekend.

My body is so ready to get back on the beam!  I feel so much better and have so much more energy when I’m making better choices.  Why do I not just live my life there?  It still shocks me just how easy it is to slip off the proverbial wagon and make non-optimal choices.  Sheesh!  All I can say is, “Help me, Jesus!”  And I know He will.  PTL!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

 

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Booking a Ride

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Day 398 in my journey to meet Mickey

Today I booked our taxi cabs to and from Midway Airport, with American Taxi.  Woo hoo!  $65 one way, so $130 round trip.  That seems like a lot of money, but to park our car at Midway Airport for 8 nights would have cost us $1 less ($129).  So we decided to save ourselves the aggravation of driving ourselves in Chicago traffic and take the cab.

I makes me really appreciate Disney’s Magical Express which is the free bus service from the Orlando Airport to Old Key West and back.  That really is a great perk for staying on property.

Even just booking the taxi was exciting.  Our family reunion trip is only one month and two days to go.  Bring it on!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Check!

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Day 389 in planning my way to meeting Mickey

Today I checked into Disney’s Old Key West Resort.  I had completely forgotten that I could check in online 60 days before my arrival date.  I am 41 days out.  I have two words to say to that:  WOO HOO!  It was exciting to say the least.  Now when I arrive on October 13th, I’ll show my ID at check-in, and off to my room I’ll go.  Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to my room I go.  *whistle* heigh-ho, heigh-ho…

I am so ready to be there!  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Top 10 Things I Am Excited To Do at Walt Disney World

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Day 386 in my excitement on my way to meeting up with Mickey

Here are the 10 things I am the most excited about for our trip to Walt Disney World in October:

#10 Riding it’s a small world.  It is my favorite ride!!

#9 Celebrating one year’s-worth of birthdays with “the dip” (see below) and birthday cupcakes.  We have been saving up to celebrate our birthdays together in Florida.  Woo hoo!  Happy birthday to us!

#8 Exploring EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival.  Looking forward to tempting tidbits of tasty treats.

#7 Experiencing Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party for the first time ever.  See comment from number 8.

#6 Spending the better part of a day at Disney Springs exploring and shopping.

#5 Eating at Olivia’s Café at Disney’s Old Key West Resort. This is by far my favorite restaurant at Walt Disney World.

#4 Experiencing Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween for the first time ever.  I have my costume now.  I ordered it from the Disney Store.  I will wear a Mickey Mouse Skeleton Tee and a Minnie Mouse Ears Headband.  🙂

#3 Spending plenty of resort time and pool time at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.  It is, seriously, my Happy Place.  When I’m chilling at Old Key West I can actually feel all stress leaving my body.  It is the ultimate in relaxation for me.

#2 Meeting and greeting Mickey at Magic Kingdom. This has been the driving force behind this blog.  I am anxious to shake Mickey‘s big, white-gloved hand and get a picture.

And the #1 thing that I am excited about…Looking at the faces of my husband and children and their spouses and spending some quality time together in this beautiful place.  This will be a family reunion extraordinaire!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

*The dip: In a pie plate spread 8 oz. of cream cheese.  Next sprinkle 6 to 8 cut-up green onions on top.  Then spread a can of No Bean chili on top.  (We usually make a second dip with Vegetarian chili with lots of beans.)  Finally sprinkle 8 oz. of grated cheddar cheese on top.  (We prefer sharp cheddar.  The shaper the better.)  Microwave for five minutes and serve with your favorite chips.  (We usually heat it in the oven t 350 degrees for 30 minutes instead, because it seem to hold it’s heat longer.)

 

 

 

 

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FastPass+ or Slow, Frustrating Pass?

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Day 369 in my planning my way to meeting my pal Mickey

Today’s plan was put into motion at 11:01 pm Central Standard Time last night.  That’s when my Walt Disney World vacation became only 60 days away.  Disneyphiles will know that because I am staying at Disney’s Old Key West, a Walt Disney World resort,  I at that moment became eligible to schedule our FastPass+ picks.  (For those not in the know: FastPass+ is a system that lets you basically preregister for attractions and shows.  it allows you re sign up for three a day.)

If I hadn’t gone to the gathering to show love and support for a friend yesterday, I wouldn’t have realized that this was the case.  I would have gotten up at 6:00 am CST this morning and gone online to schedule FastPass+.   But a church friend who was there is going to The Happiest Place on Earth at the end of September and she made me aware of this particular fact: the system updates at midnight Eastern Standard Time which is 11:00 pm where I live,  (Thank you, Ann!)  So I started my scheduling at 11:01 pm and I finished at about 1:35 this morning.  zzzzzzzzz

Here’s my one gripe: even getting on it as early as I did, I could not get FastPass+ for Seven Dwarves Mine Train nor Toy Story Mania.  Argh!  Something is seriously flawed with the system…SERIOUSLY!  That is so-o-o-o-o frustrating!!

But even at that, I am very pleased with the selections we have.  Here they are:

FastPass+ for the Jarvi/Carmichael Clan

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 – Magic Kingdom® Park

  1. Peter Pan’s Flight®—9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
  2. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad®—10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
  3. Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid—11:35 AM – 12:35 PM
  4. I’M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE COULDN’T GET SEVEN DWARVES MINE TRAIN.

Thursday, October 15, 2015 – Disney’s Hollywood Studios®

  1. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith—11:35 AM – 12:35 PM
  2. Voyage of The Little Mermaid—12:35 PM – 12:50 PM
  3. Muppet*Vision 3D—1:45 PM – 2:45 PM
  4. WE REALLY WANTED TOY STORY MANIA.

Saturday, October 17, 2015 – Epcot®

  1. The Seas with Nemo & Friends®—9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
  2. Test Track® Presented by Chevrolet®—10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
  3. Spaceship Earth—11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  4. SERIOUSLY, WE CAN’T PICK TEST TRACK AND SOARIN’???

Sunday, October 18, 2015 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park

  1. Kilimanjaro Safaris®—11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  2. Festival of the Lion King—12:30 PM – 12:50 PM
  3. Finding Nemo – The Musical—3:30 PM – 3:50 PM
  4. I COULDN’T GET DINOSAUR IN A TIME THAT WORKED FOR US.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015 – Disney’s Hollywood Studios®

  1. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™—10:05 AM – 11:05 AM
  2. Star Tours® – The Adventures Continue—11:50 AM – 12:50 PM
  3. Beauty and the Beast-Live on Stage—1:30 PM – 1:50 PM
  4. ONCE AGAIN…WE REALLY WANTED TOY STORY MANIA.

I think we’ll get the chance to ride Seven Dwarves Mine Train at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.  At least I hope so.

So that’s how it all shakes out, Dear Readers.  I am so excited; we are 1 month and 29 days away from out trip.  Woop, woop!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

 

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To “Tables in Wonderland” or Not…

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Day 323 in my researching my way to meeting up with Mickey (3 months and 16 days to go)

Today’s plan was to look into Tables in Wonderland, a Disney dining discount card.  The card works at the parks and also at Downtown Disney and at most of the restaurants at the resorts.  The card costs $100 for Disney Vacation Club Members.  Tables in Wonderland (TIW) saves 20% on most table service meals at Walt Disneyworld. It includes entrees, appetizers and even alcohol for up to ten people.  When you use it, an 18% gratuity is automatically added to your bill.  So basically you save the cost of the tip plus 2% on all meals. (We’re usually 20% tippers.) There are six of us going to Walt Disneyworld and we will be there for eight nights.  We have at least one table service restaurant scheduled for each day that we are there.  So if we have the card from the very beginning, it will not only brake even, but it will save us some moolah.

We get to Florida on Tuesday, October 13.  We have a 7:00 pm dining reservation at Olivia’s Cafe at Old Key West.  (My favorite restaurant in the whole of Walt Disneyworld!)  So shortly after checking in, I will make my way to Downtown Disney (or is it Disney Springs yet?), to purchase a TIW card.  Then I will squeeze that card dry over the next eight glorious nights!

Meet you at the Kingdom!