Tag Archives: Old Key West

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Dreaming Disney

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Day 241 in dreaming about Disney and meeting up with Mickey

My dear friends the Carlsons are at Disney World today.  As a matter of fact, they just texted me a photo of them sitting at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.  I can feel myself relax just looking at the photo.  This week I will live vicariously through them.

This is what Jean Carlson had to say about their trip: Heading out in the a.m. to see Mickey for a week at WDW…we’ve planned a little divine purpose into our trip. It has to do with you and your battle against cancer. Every ride we go on will begin with us lifting you up in prayer; strength, healing, and joy in Jesus name. When we see the Mouse in black, we’ll let him know you all are coming in October!

I can’t quit smiling.  That is the sweetest thing.  I am touched beyond words.  So my plan is to hold them up in prayer this week.  I pray they will have a time of relaxation and fun, and they will be blessed each day with the warmth of the sun, the warmth of being with family, the warmth of God smiling on them.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Ahhh…Spring

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Day 236 in my traipse toward talking with Mickey

Yay!  I don’t see any doctors today.  I don’t have any tests today.  Yay!  So my plan for today is to prepare a lovely, healthy dinner for my man and me.  I’m thinking maybe a chicken and bean stew.  It will be a new recipe for me.

It’s a beautiful spring day in the neighborhood, and I have a case of Spring Fever.  I wish I was at Disney’s Animal Kingdom today.  I would love to be on Kilimanjaro Safari right now, with plans to ride Kali River Rapids next.  I get so excited when I think that our trip is only 6 months and 12 days away.

My “Happy Place” right now, is hanging out on the boardwalk at Old Key West, sharing a basket of Conch Fritters and sipping on a drink with an umbrella in it!  Ahh…that is the life!  And my “Happy Thought” right now is that my surgery will be behind me and I will be well on my way to and through recovery.  Life is good, my friends, and God is even better!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Still Planning

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Day 222 in my attack on being healthier to meet up with Mickey

My plan for today was to “pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.”  I am back at work after two sick days.  My stomach and head have been acting up.  Today my headache is gone, and my stomach is at least manageable.

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about our trip to Walt Disney World in October.  God’s timing is amazing.  I should be able to get through surgery and any following treatments well in advance of our trip.  Thank you, Lord!  I can hardly wait to be sitting at Olivia’s Cafe at Old Key West having dinner with my family.  And I’m even more determined to go for it.  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, here I come!  And this might just be the time I finally ride Kali River Rapids.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: Thanks for all the messages and prayer support.  I can feel the prayers.  Here’s a great verse from the Bible that I ran across today: “God Most High, have pity on me!  Have mercy.  I run to you for safety.  In the shadow of your wings, I seek protection till danger dies down.  I pray to you, my protector.” Psalm 57:1-2  God is good all the time!

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Meals and More Meals

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Day 220 in planning to meet up with Mickey

Today’s plan is to research and make plans for our dinner reservations when we are in Florida in October.  We plan to eat out once a day together.  Breakfast at the Magic Kingdom?  Lunch at EPCOT?  Dinner at the Animal Kingdom?  I want to have my plans in order, so I can try for some hard to get reservations.

Since we’ll be in a Grand Villa at Old Key West, we’ll have a full kitchen/dining room.  We will take our other meals there.  I am sure we will try some of the foods at the Food and Wine Festival, too.

So today I work on those plans.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Flying Away and Back

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Day 205 in my plans to work toward being healthier when I meet Mickey in October (7 months and 12 days to go)

Hmmm…what shall I do today to get me ready to meet up with my pal Mickey in October?  I know!  I’ll book our flights from Chicago to Orlando and back!  Yahoo!!!!!!!!!  We’re booked.  With every milestone date that rolls around I get more and more excited.

  1. I booked our Grand Villa at Old Key West…excited!
  2. I booked our flights…excited!!
  3. When I book our tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party…excited!!!
  4. When I get to book our meals at 180 days, plus 10 days out…excited!!!!
  5. When I get to book our Fastpass+ choices, 60 days out…excited!!!!!

And more good news, once this winter is finally in the rearview mirror, I don’t have to face another winter until I’ve been to Walt Disney World.  🙂  🙂  🙂  🙂  🙂  That fact is five “smiley-face” worthy.  When we get to Old Key West, I am gonna get me an umbrella drink and sit by the pool, and then I’m gonna take dip.  And that first night it’s always dinner at Olivia’s, the onsite restaurant.  I can just feel my self exhaling now.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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My Disney Experience

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Day 163 in my learning how to do this new Disney thing for when I meet up with Mickey in October

Today’s plan was to investigate “My Disney Experience” and that is what I have done.  It is a wonderful site with a plethora of information on all things Disney.  It is an amazing resource for preparing for a trip to the most magical place on earth.  I found out about all sorts of experiences that are new since we’ve been to Florida.  There is something called the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party.  No, seriously…who would not want to try this out?  You watch the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom while sampling desserts and drinks…AND you have a seat to take it all in.  After a day of tromping around the parks, I can’t imagine a better scenario.  🙂

My Disney Experience is a fantastic resource for plotting out a trip to Disney.  You can investigate restaurants, attractions and experiences there.  And since it is a Disney site, the info is current.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: I purchased 5-day park hopper passes for everyone in our party as a Christmas gift this year.  After  I purchased them, info started to come out about MagicBands.  So I ordered us each a MagicBand from The Disney Store.  It just seems like such a cool way to access everything: open our door at Old Key West, get into the parks, pay for meals.  It’s just the coolest thing.  I got the bands and went into “My Disney Experience” to register them.  Then I run into trouble with one of the bands.  When I call to get it all straightened out, I am told, “Oh, those will be spare bands.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“You’e staying on property so your MagicBands will automatically be sent to you with your names inside them.  *(pause)*  But, it’s good to have a spare in case one gets lost.”

“Doh!” I think.  Wasted about $60.

Live and learn, my friends, live and learn.

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Deconstructing Christmas

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Day 161 in my chores to get ready to meet Mickey

Today’s plan was to take care of my least favorite task of the year.  Worse than figuring out our taxes, worse than scrubbing the toilet, worse than driving to or from work in a blizzard.  Today I took down our Christmas decorations.  It’s always a drag.

I love the colors of the Christmas tree lights and my special light-up wreath on cold winter evenings.  I love the emotions that they elicit in me.  When I come home from work and put on the lights, I am in one of my happy places.  *sigh*

Now I need to focus on another of my happy places, so I keep on keeping on getting ready for Florida in October.  I have a physical reaction when I get into our room at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.  It is a home away from home, and I can feel the stress of daily life ebb away once I’m there.

So goodbye Christmas, and hello New Year, new me.  (Well, I’ll still be me, but you know what I mean.)

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Disney Love

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Day 118 in my current love affair with Walt Disney World and Mickey

Things I adore about a Walt Disney World Vacation:

  1. Family together time away from the stresses and pressures of daily life and work.
  2. Old Key West-I literally exhale and all my stress drifts away when I get there.  Whether  it’s hanging out in our room or relaxing by the pool or sharing a meal at Olivia’s, this place is just my happy place.
  3. The Magic Kingdom–this is the place that I become that little girl again, the one who always wanted to go to “Disneyland” but never got to go, because it was too far and too expensive.  Disneyland and I are both 59 years old this year, and for me it’s been a 56 year love affair with all things Disney.  (That’s about when I have my first memories of Disney.)
  4. EPCOT, Disney Hollywood Studios, The Animal Kingdom–Each park is so unique and so interesting.  I love to see the changes every time we go, even though I sometimes miss the attractions that have gone away.  (I still miss the original “Journey Into the Imagination” ride, and don’t even get me started on “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride”!)  But this time we will see the New Fantasyland and the first stage of the changes at Disney’s Marketplace.
  5. I love the fact that you walk about 5 miles a day, and it doesn’t feel like torture.
  6. I love some serious pool time.  I expect to do miles of pool walking in October just because I can.  🙂
  7. Amazing gourmet meals.  We make it a point to schedule one sit-down meal together for each day that we are there.  Favorites include Olivia’s, The San Angel Inn Restaurante and Tony’s Town Square.  And this year we will be there for the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT for the first time.  Looking forward to that!

My plan for today is to think on these wonderful “loves”, so that my zeal will be renewed, and I will put some extra active-ities into my day.  I finished setting up for the Womens’ Cookie Exchange this morning.  I will grocery shop on the way home from work today.  And tonight I will take a more active role in decorating the tree and the house for Christmas.  The kids will come over (Yay!) and we will have “The Dip” while we decorate and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  And you know what?  It is a wonderful life!  Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: The Dip is not a diet friendly dish.  We have it twice a year, (1) when we put up the Christmas Tree and (2) on Oscars night.  (A) In a pie pan you spread 8 oz. of cream cheese. (B) Top with 6 chopped green onions. (C) Top with a can of No Bean Chili. (We do one pan with no beans and one pan with beans) (D) Top with 8 oz. of sharp cheddar cheese.  You can either microwave for 5 minutes, or you can heat it at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  We prefer the oven, as it stays hot longer.  Serve with your favorite chips.  Mike and I prefer Ruffles; Jake and Eliza (aka The Kids) like blue corn chips.  Tonight we’ll also have veggies on the side.  For me: more veggies, less chips.  🙂

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Motivated at the Mundane Today

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Day 107 in my motion toward Mickey.

Today’s plan is to be active at the office.  I will:

  1. Set up a table and set up the display of the Advent devotionals in the church narthex.  FYI: The narthex is the entrance room to the church building.
  2. Put away the boxes of paper that were delivered to the office weeks ago and have been cluttering up my work space.
  3. Service the coffee machine.  Check coffee, decaf and chocolate supplies and top up the machine.  Check the water supply and restock the cups.
  4. Tidy up the ushers stand, print and put out the attendance sheets for Sundays, Advent and Christmas.
  5. I will walk to my work partners’ offices with messages and questions today, rather than emailing or phoning them.
  6. I will find a home for some Women of St. James files and items that came into the office today.
  7. And whatever else I can think of to keep moving.

The day will be a feel-good-about-my-moving day. And I, dear readers, will meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: For some reason Old Key West is really calling my name today.  I just LURV that place!  🙂

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In the Sweet Spot

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Day 97 in my exciting adventure toward my date with Mickey

My plan for today was to meet with my Health Coach, and I did.  My two goals for the next four weeks are:

  1. Try out walking at the Lake Bluff Health and Fitness Center sprung track.  It is right on my way home from work, so no excuses to not drop in there.  The sprung track will make walking easier on my sore joints.
  2. Research and adjust my holiday recipes, so they are more nutritious and not so filled with empty calories.

Friendly little facts that are making my life exciting:

  • I always weigh myself before I talk to Alex, my heath coach.  And…tan-ta-ta-a-da…I made my 30 pounds this morning!!!  So exciting! I’m very happy about that.
  • OMGosh…Starbuck’s has a Skinny Peppermint Mocha.  I got one yesterday with decaf.  It might be my favorite treat EVER!
  • Jake & Emi (our kid)s, Eliza and James (their spouses), Mike (my amazing husband) and I are booked into Old Key West for our vacation in October.  I have our 5-day Park Hopper passes in hand.  And they are all connected up on “My Disney Experience.”

So right now, gentle readers, life is very good at the Jarvi household. Meet you the Kingdom!

BTW: Shout out to Chris, my wonderful work partner.  (Prayers coming your way, my friend! )  She fell and broke her wrist yesterday.  If you have a sec, offer up a quick prayer for her today.  Thanks, all y’all!