~~~~ Sew, help me... A bittersweet "Epic Girls Trip"... January 2018! ~~~~ UPDATE 1/7!!~~

[luvpoohandcompany]

Born 2B a Princess my kitchen is grey and I love it
It's pale grey cabinets and tiles with black/grey countertop and marbled grey tiles on the floor. It's part of our living room which has walnut wood floors. If you want I can take a photo and post it to give you an idea of what it looks like. I know what you mean about finding it hard to decide as I was the same way and I knew once it was in there I was stuck with it for at least a decade or 2 so I had to get it right!

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

Born 2B a Princess my kitchen is grey and I love it
It's pale grey cabinets and tiles with black/grey countertop and marbled grey tiles on the floor. It's part of our living room which has walnut wood floors. If you want I can take a photo and post it to give you an idea of what it looks like. I know what you mean about finding it hard to decide as I was the same way and I knew once it was in there I was stuck with it for at least a decade or 2 so I had to get it right!

Thank you! It sounds lovely and I would really love to see a picture!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Thank you! It sounds lovely and I would really love to see a picture!

Sorry to hijack the thread for a wee moment but hopefully these photos will give you an idea I did a close up of the countertop as it's not solid black but has a little grey through it. Hope this helps you decide

 

[DMGeurts]

Sorry I haven't been back in a few days... I wasn't receiving notifications for my own thread - so I didn't even see all of your responses until this morning.

Sounds like V's car is going to be OK when she get the things fixed that needs to be fixed on it.

How exciting that Allison is looking at a new car. Crossing my fingers for her that the mechanic doesn't find too many things that is wrong with the car she want to by.

Congratulations to Allison on paying off her student loan
She has done an incredible job paying it off so fast.


Here it's still fall and today it was 42.8ºF outside and a little rain. It looks like the sunny weather we have had all fall is coming to an end. Ulf has to get the tires on my car changed next week because now the temperatures are getting closer and closer to freezing point.

We will see what happens with my trip to Germany next year and when I will be there.

Yesterday Ulf made a first draft of our road trip route for our USA trip in 2020. I don't know how to show you the picture of the route here on the DIS now that photobucket doesn't work here anymore.

Yup... It will still have some visual damage after all is said and done - but it will be safe to drive and that is the most important thing to me.

Yes... Well... I will talk about Allison's potential car below.

Thank you - I am so very proud of her!

Hopefully Ulf can get your tires on next week before winter weather moves in. And if you'd like - you can send me the picture on FB... I know there is a way to upload it here too - I haven't done it though, so I am not sure how to?

You are teaching your girls some awesome financial lessons. They are doing great with it, too.

I hope Allison's Passat works out for her. Is it loaded with extras like the Jetta?

I am super proud of them! Now, hopefully it stays with them for life... They would have a pretty incredible financial future if it does.

I will talk more about the Passat below, but yes - it's loaded... Power moon roof, heated seats, air, power windows - everything.

Congrats to Allison for almost being debt free at such a young age.
It's kind of funny that both girls found cars with front end damage. It's good that V.'s car will be fixed and safe to drive. Hopefully Allison can buy her car , too.
I'm glad your bag came out of the wash okay. I know what you mean about liking the feel of an unwashed bag. It just doesn't look or feel the same after washing.
I hope your visit with your dad went well yesterday.
Nothing much is going on here. I'm off this week I'm trying to use up vacation before Christmas. I'm taking my car in for new tires before it gets cold and someone's coming out to fix the dryer on Wednesday. Apparently, there's a a lot people with old dryers that need fixing.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Liz

I am so proud of her for that! She worked so hard!

I know, right. LOL I am beginning to think that VWs with front end damage are our lot in life. I'll talk more about both cars below.

Me too, I just prefer the stiff feel of them... It looks great now, but just a little floppier than I'd like.

All of our visits lately have been great... He truly seems like he is adjusting well.

Enjoy your time off! I sure hope your dryer is a quick and easy fix.

Thanks - I hope you are having a nice week.

Wow! I'm gone a week and so much happens! So glad you could meet with your Mom's friend. I think you have a wonderful and rare relationship with your girls--I think more girls are at odds with their Mom's until they are a bit older. So not really getting to "know" your Mom really isn't that unusual and with her health issues, totally understandable. Good luck with finding more of her history.

Glad you Dad got to church and it looks like they will take him as one of their own and watch out for him. It will give him another avenue for friends and relationships in his new town!

V being able to buy her own car is amazing! The alignment is mandatory when the tie-rods are replaced, or you will ruin the tires (ask me how we know

Glad Allison has paid off her big loan and is maybe getting a new car also. That was an expensive lesson to learn, but she will carry that lesson with her and it will definitely help her with her future financial choices.

Looking forward to your wardrobe choices. Glad the SBW bag got clean and ready for the trip!

Thank you... I often think of my relationship with my girls, and how I cheated my mom out of that... Not only that, but that I am even capable of having such a relationship with my girls due to my (lack of a) relationship with my mom - if that makes sense? I had really nothing to go by... No map, no experience... I think that is one of the reasons I am so fortunate... I've definitely had other "mom-figures" in my life, and I knew what I was needing/missing in my own childhood - so I think that may have helped me a bit. Overall, I am just lucky. I thank God for my relationship with the girls every day.

Yes - church is working out so well for dad... I couldn't ask for a better group of people. Many of them have taken him under their wing and watch out for him. I am so thankful.

It's at the mechanic now, and I cannot wait for it to be back and to be safe for her to drive - I've had a lot of anxiety over it during the last week... Even the other day, she told me that she wished she would have waited for a car that didn't need as much work... Live and learn kid (and we told you so...).

Yes - it was an expensive lesson to be learned, but she could have handled it so many other ways... In the end, she did the right thing and she worked hard. So proud!

I took pictures of most of my outfits yesterday - so I will be posting 1 or 2 today.

Congrats to your daughter on the loan payoff! That has to be a huge weight off her shoulders. Sadly many in that situation would end up defaulting on the loan. Expensive lesson but the experience may end up saving her much more money in the future. V's car looks really sharp! Hope it serves her well. And Allison might have a VW too. With the work it needs, maybe the price is negotiable? When I look for cars, I like them to feel solid and not tinny Love the mug - I need to give one to my sons - ha! The SW shirt looks like a work of art. Nice find. I need to look thru my Disney shirts soon. Our trip is in 47 days! I recently bought a limited edition shirt on eBay - The Great Movie Ride That's a Wrap. It was sold to AP's after the ride closed. Paid way too much for it but I'm glad I bought it GMR was a favorite of mine. Hope you have a good week!

Thank you - I am so proud of her! Exactly... It was a big "life-lesson" to learn, but she has thanked me countless times for teaching her about money and how to handle it... She has made some excellent financial decisions lately - and I couldn't be more happy for her!

Thank you - I sure hope so too... Once all of the needed repairs are done, I will feel so much better about it. I don't like the cosmetic damage on the front - I know if she would have held out, she could have found a car in better shape... sigh. Oh well, now she has to deal with it - she may also have an expensive financial lesson in her future.

Yay for a trip in 47 days!! And that shirt sounds awesome! So sad about GMR...

Thanks - same to you!

Awesome that your girls are both going to behind safe wheels, and at no extra expense to Mom and Dad!!!

You are truly preparing them for financial success the rest of their lives, which is awesome!! My Mom and Dad really did this for me, too, but somehow my brother escaped the valuable lessons--he has had credit card debt since the opening of his first credit card it would seem!!

I hope I do as good of a job instilling these lessons with Jimmy as you have with your girls. Way to go, Mama!

Hopefully - that's the plan. LOL Yah - it's kinda nice to go to the mechanic and not have it be us who pays.

I hope so... I just hope it sticks with them! I have a close person in my life who has severe financial issues, and it's so difficult for me to watch... I had to stop giving advice years ago, as it just fell on deaf ears, and that annoyed me more than anything. So, now I just have to watch them suffer financially - as "helping" by giving or borrowing would do nothing but prolong the problem. It's so hard.

You will - I know you will! Jimmy is so lucky to have your for a mom!!!

Just chiming to say how proud I am of your daughters. Love Victoria's first car!! Glad you have a reliable mechanic to make it as safe as can be. VW's are good cars. I always insisted on every imaginable air bag for any used cars purchased for our sons. Hubby was eyeing a Jetta for Ariece that a fellow officer was selling but he wanted way too much $ for it. And Allison!! She may get her own VW! And I cannot tell you how full my heart is and so proud of your Allison for paying off that huge loan. That is a lot of money for a young girl to pay back. And then paying for their Disney trip as well!! This is what determination and savings does, and you taught them well.

Hope your Dad enjoyed church yesterday! Wonderful start to the week for him.

I am following along and stopping by when I can!! Have a beautiful week Dorine.

Thanks - I am so proud of her too! Yes, we love our mechanic... We only started using him about 4 years ago - but he is great! And he treats my girls like his own kids - which I like, and makes me feel safer too. Just the other day, when I took the Passat in for Bill to look at, he was telling Allison over FaceTime that he isn't able to do all of the work on VWs - so it has been known to happen where people have to then take their VWs to the dealership... Allison didn't like that at all, as Bill has taken good care of us over these last years and we trust him. For people who don't have much car knowledge, we are very fortunate.

I will talk more about Allison's potential car below... I'll try to keep it short this time.

Agreed - I am so proud of her!!! And to pay it off so early... The more she saw the balance go down, the more she was determined to pay it off sooner - it was awesome!

And it's wonderful that they are both paying their own way to Disney... That helps this mamma out a lot.

Dad enjoyed church very much - I am so happy that it is working out so well.

Thanks Carol! I did receive your email and I read it... I will try to respond in a timely manner.

A huge, huge, huge congratulations to Allison on paying off that student loan. And a HUGE kudos to you and Josh for setting such a great example for both of the girls. Both paying cash for their cars, taking care of the repairs, not incurring additional debt -- that is so fabulous. Yea!!! Frustrating that V's new car needs so much work, but good for her for having a plan in place to pay it in cash. I totally understand your feeling about the car being safe for her.

I'm still debating about which debt to pay off first -- the one that will make the biggest monthly income impact, or the one with the smallest balance, or the one with the highest interest rate. DH and I disagree on which route to take...but since I'm the one who handles most of the bills, I am thinking I should just decide and be done with it. LOL

Mark and the girls ran a 5K on Saturday. Andrew and I were the cheering section...his knee is still injured and I just wasn't up to walking the 5K in the frigid (40 degree) temperatures. So we were the cheering section. It was Mark's first ever 5K and I think he's hooked now...I asked him for Christmas gift ideas and the few ideas he gave me all have something to do with running. After the 5K Mark and Andrew went back to MIL's house and started putting in her tile backsplash in the kitchen, and MIL, the girls and I went to a home expo. I was hoping to find some inspiration to help me pick flooring, countertops, and paint for the house but I think I came away more confused than I was before. I don't have an eye for combining colors and textures and I don't want to do anything super trendy, but I just can't figure out what I want in terms of the floor and countertops. I know I want gray for the countertops, but I'm not sure which shade of gray (or white with gray in it...or black with gray in it...?). Cabinets will all be white, and I'm torn on the color for the walls...a soft gray, or perhaps just white? And then the floors...Mark wanted slate floors but that will show everything...so I was thinking dark wood (actually "luxury vinyl plank" or tile that looks like wood"), but our dining set is dark wood and I don't want them to totally blend together...so then I was thinking about "regular" medium tone wood but I don't know that I want to mix regular wood with gray...so I'm just super confused. Mark suggested finding a design center or something like that and just going in and paying for a consultation, so I might do that. Any suggestions? I don't want to go with anything super trendy, but I do love, love, love gray...and I'm not a brown/tan/beige person, so I'd like to avoid those colors. So many decisions!

I am loving the sneak peek of the bags...I think I've decided that, when I get our debt all paid off (other than the house), I'm going to reward myself with one of your gorgeous bags.

Exactly!!! All of the above! I am so proud of both of them! And so happy they are determined to live an "as-debt-free-life-as-possible" - it's not easy.... Though I do feel that being strapped to all of the payments is much harder.

Yah - it is so frustrating that V's car needs so much work... I tried to tell her that she needs to find a car closer to home, which our mechanic can look at... She is definitely paying the price for shopping too far away. She told me the other day that she kinda wishes she would have waited and found something without damage... I think she is learning this lesson - or she will very shortly when she has to pay for all of the work to be done. It sucks, but there is only so much we can do... In the end, it's her $$ and she has to make the decision. As it is though - once these repairs are done, she will have to drive this car for a while to recoup some of the costs, as I don't think she will be able to sell it and break even. It's going to be close. At least it will be safe.

I really like the snowball method - paying off the smallest to the largest debt regardless of interest. You get the small wins that way to propel you forward. And if you actually do the math - if you are paying everything off anyways... The $$ you are saving in interest is very little... the real problem is the balances themselves. In the end though - you have to do what works for you... Just pay off something. LOL

Awesome about Mark's 5k!!! I loved running so much when I did it!

And exciting about picking out kitchen stuff... I went with a lot of neutrals, just because I wanted the option later to be able to coordinate... I am super happy with our budget kitchen re-do, and happy that we didn't create too much more debt to dig our way out of at the time - since that portion of life was right during our biggest debt increase... However - we easily could have taken out a second mortgage, and really made a mess. LOL In the end - I'd stick with the grays... and that neutral palette, it will be very nice and you can add whatever color pops you'd like later. Hiring a consultant though, probably wouldn't be a bad thing - as it might make it easier to visualize.

Thanks! I am going to start sharing my outfits for our trip today. I am so excited!

Just catching up and wanted to say how brilliantly your girls are doing paying off student loans and buying cars and remaining debt free! You are right to be so proud of them and yourselves for setting such great example and being so supportive.
Oh and I love the shirt

Thanks so much!!! I am so proud of them! I hope they continue on this financially responsible path in the future - only good things to come for them, if so.

LOL - I know - I love that shirt too!

Thank you! It sounds lovely and I would really love to see a picture!

Sorry to hijack the thread for a wee moment but hopefully these photos will give you an idea I did a close up of the countertop as it's not solid black but has a little grey through it. Hope this helps you decide

Loved seeing these pics - thanks for sharing them, you have a beautiful kitchen!

*****************************************************************************************************

OK - boring car updates first...

V's car is now in the shop, we dropped it off yesterday and it should be done today or tomorrow. It will be such a relief!

Allison's Passat saga... I picked it up on Monday and took it to our mechanic... I was hearing "clunks" from the front end when I'd let up on the brakes - so I specifically had that investigated. As it turned out, the upper ball joints were failing on the front passenger side and also the lower control arms on the same side. This is a major repair which Allison was quoted between $550 - $710, depending on how high of quality she wanted to spend on the control arms. At that time, our mechanic deemed it "not safe to drive"... And then I had to drive it 20 miles back to the owner... That was a little fun. Not. Allison decided, with the price of the car and the quote to fix it + new tires, it was out of her price range and she told the seller that she was no longer interested. That was a hard decision for her to make, as I know she really wants a newer/better car. So then, last night, the seller contacted her and dropped the price in half! He must have researched how much it would cost to have these repairs done... So, now she is considering it... The price of the car + repairs + tires still brings it in at about $300 under blue book value. We will see what she decides to do... I know it's tempting for her. I could go either way, honestly... But - she could save for a few more months and really get a nicer car for a bit more $$... And we KNOW that her current car is reliable with no projected repairs (knock on wood)... What would you do?

OK enough about cars. LOL Believe me - I am sick of talking about them. LOL And putting my own life on the line to drive them all over the county.

Last weekend was amazing. I. Did. Nothing. I can't say I've ever done nothing. LOL From Friday night through Sunday night, I sat on the couch, in my pajamas and watched episode after episode of Outlander. It was glorious. I am still watching it - though not quite as determined... I managed to watch Season 1 Part 1, Season 1 Part 2 and the first half of Season 2 over the weekend, and I've been chipping away at the last episodes during this week. I have the final episode to watch in Season 2 tonight, and the set is due back to the library tomorrow... Phew! I can't believe I did it. LOL Not looking forward to watching tonight though - after reading all of the books, I know what happens... Not looking forward to bawling my eyes out.

I've been working out and eating well... I sure would love to lose another size before our trip. I know I can do it!

I started to assemble and take pictures of my trip outfits yesterday, in earnest. I managed to get 6 of them done. All subject to change if I find something I like better... With 9 days... 2 of them are full travel days, I will need 7 outfits. One of the bags, I am not sure will make the cut? I just don't like it all that much... It's the red gingham Chip & Dale bag. We'll see. I also have plans and hopes to make 1 or 2 more for myself, if my schedule permits... That will be a last minute ordeal though - as my schedule is FULL... and since I didn't know about this trip far enough in advance, I didn't clear my work schedule for the dates I'll be gone... So, I will also have to do that work before I go. Plus V's requested items... Never a dull moment and no rest for the weary. All in all, before our trip in January, I will have 7 bags to make above and beyond my regular work schedule... So, lots of evenings and weekends (and potentially, holidays) in my foreseeable future.

I have not decided which outfits will be worn in each park... The one thing I love about my themes is that they are totally interchangeable, and any one of them can be worn in any park without difficulty... I honestly probably won't decide until the night before and I look at the weather... As some of my outfits are warmer than others. I will have my fall jacket with though - so I could put that over any of my outfits if necessary, and most of my outfits are layered, so I can take off pieces if necessary too...

I've decided that many of my outfits will include jeans this trip... I plan to bring 2-3 pairs of long jeans, 2 pairs of denim capris and 2 pairs of denim shorts... That way, I can switch out for the weather and do laundry if necessary. Also, tee shirts... I am bringing 4 colors (red, white, gray and black) both long sleeved and short sleeved versions - then I can change out as necessary for the weather... Or wear both.

I am starting off with one of my favorites... I love working in gray-scale and I love wearing my wardrobe in gray-scale too... If you look at my closet - everything is predominantly white, gray and black - with a bit of red thrown in. Steam Boat Willie is a classic, and just a fun theme to wear.

I have a plain gray tee shirt, with a plain black fleece jacket, denim bottoms depending on weather... Then all of my accessories... Headband, magic band, gloves, bag and shoes... I've decided to leave my big clunky bubble-gum jewelry behind on this trip (for the most part, I may bring one set?) - it weighs too much and with all of the extra clothing items I need to bring, I think it's best to leave it behind.

I need to try to wash my dotted Vans again... I love them so much!!! However, when I washed them a few weeks ago - they made them with red interior fabric, and I feel like a bit of the red bled through and the dots are ever-so-slightly pink... That drives me a little nuts and something I was worried about when I got them initially... So, I think I will try a second washing to see if I can get them any whiter. The girls insist it isn't as bad as I feel like it is, but I am sorta picky with things like that.

So, that's about all for trip stuff for right now... I might try to work some park plans into this PTR in between outfit postings? Just to keep it a little interesting. I still have a few months before I can start posting FP updates, and I've pretty much given up any hope of seeing FoP this trip...

Today - I will be working all day... I have a heavy work-load this week. I plan to take a break at lunch time to go see dad... and hopefully at some point this afternoon we will get a call that V's car is finished, if so, we will go get that too.

I hope you all have a wonderful day! Sending prayers and pixie dust out to all of you!

D~

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Loved seeing these pics - thanks for sharing them, you have a beautiful kitchen!

Thanks. I love my kitchen and while it's a big purchase we chose one that can simply be repainted in the future so it's really a lifetime job which is great

Love your outfit planning and "ouch" on the car repairs/ purchases. Hope your daughter makes the right decision and all works out

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

Good morning Dorine!

Try painting white shoe polish on the dots. As someone who grew up in a time when you HAD to have white shoes, even canvas ones, I can assure you that white shoe polish hides a multitude of sins.

 

[rdkeim]

Love the SB Willie outfit! Everything goes together so well. Could you try spot cleaning the dots with a Q tip? Car decisions can be exhausting. I think because you have to live with the consequences of your decision for a long time. For Allison's car, if it were me I would probably wait for another one needing less work since she has an OK car now. She's not in a need one NOW situation. P.S. your meeting with your Mom's friend - so touching.

 

[dalmatian7]

Born 2B a Princess I feel your pain. We built a house last year and I always thought it would be "fun" to have a blank canvas to work with. It was so frustrating at times. I had a general look and feel I was going for. I found it helpful to have plenty of pictures and pintrest helped. There are lots of warm grays that may work well with your darker furniture. My cabinets and countertop look like luvpoohandcompany but I have a more old fashioned (think grandmas kitchen) cup pull handles and a warm sage color on the walls (I like beige neutrals, it is hard with grey being so popular to find things to match right now). We have radiant heat so I have engineered hardwood (because you can't put nails in the floor).

D~ and friends. I have an Aldi's question for you. We have had one in our area since the mid 90s and last weekend was the first time I went there. I typically shop at Wegmans and this summer started going to our SuperWalmart for one or two items because of their lower prices on blueberries that I like to have on my cereal for breakfast. I didn't feel like fighting the traffic that is around the Walmart so on a whim I swung into Aldi's. I got an equivalent price on berries as Walmart with a much easier time getting in and out of the store. (yeah me) I was in a hurry and didn't want to use a cart, so I really didn't browse. I did take a quick peek at their meat prices (I only buy chicken, we grow or buy 4-H beef and lamb) and I saw the same price or more then I can get at Wegmans for chicken breast. Nothing else really caught my eye. I do typically buy "family packs" because of the better price and I have the storage and Wegmans store brand saves me a ton in cereal costs. What is Aldi best to shop for? I got $10 off $40 coupons when I checked out so I was planning on giving it a try when I had more time.

I work in the automotive industry and I think you are being smart in how you have your mechanic check out your cars. Allison should feel good that your mechanic knows his limitations enough to recommend the customer take it to a dealer for certain things. I have only ever worked with domestic brands so I have no insight on the VWs. I have also had to make a drive with an "unsafe to drive" vehicle. Not fun.

I don't always post but your continued health success helps motivate me. I feel I am at a crossroads where I need to change things up because I am having trouble staying in my routine.

 

[Terkina]

How great that V's car will be done today or tomorrow

If I was Allison I would let the VW car go. There will always come other cars. And as you said she will be able to get a better car if she waits a few months since she will have more $$ then.

Your outfits for Steam boat Willie looks great. I can't wait to see the rest of your outfits.


I sent you a picture of Ulf's first rough draft of our road trip route for 2020 on Facebook

The plan was for Ulf to change the tires on my car himself yesterday. But already on Monday he decided that he wanted to get a garage to do it because he was not a 100 % sure how to change the left front tire on the car since they have mounted the extra footstep right where you are supposed to have the carjack when changing the tire. So yesterday he went out early with the car to a garage that had drop in and got all 4 tires changed. The change costed $42 so it wasn't too bad. When Ulf got back he said that when we are changing back to summer tires again in May he will change the tires himself because now he know how to get the front left tire changed. Now my car is ready for winter to come.

 

[Wood Nymph]

But - she could save for a few more months and really get a nicer car for a bit more $$... And we KNOW that her current car is reliable with no projected repairs (knock on wood)... What would you do?

A car that is in good shape and doesn't currently need repairs is a very good thing. How many miles are on her current car as compared to the Passat? It sounds like a situation of want over need.

I had an Alero that was in fantastic shape, ten years old and less than 30,000 miles on it. I really didn't like that car for various reasons, most of which were things like it didn't have heated seats, the seats were uncomfortable, the tires always seemed to need air, etc. But it ran great. I could not bring myself to sell it since it was in good shape. Then my son borrowed my car, was in a head on collision - not his fault, and totaled it. Thank God for air bags, since it kept him from getting injured. Anyway, I was finally able to get the car I wanted. By the way, he borrowed my car because some crazy 16 year old hit my son's parked car and totaled it. The kid was playing with the radio knobs. Our family had to buy two cars that month.

I've decided that many of my outfits will include jeans this trip... I plan to bring 2-3 pairs of long jeans, 2 pairs of denim capris and 2 pairs of denim shorts... That way, I can switch out for the weather and do laundry if necessary. Also, tee shirts... I am bringing 4 colors (red, white, gray and black) both long sleeved and short sleeved versions - then I can change out as necessary for the weather... Or wear both.

With chilly mornings and cool nights in January, I wear jeans on those trips, too.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

I love outfit #1. I also like to lay my clothes out way ahead of time too. Never did think of just taking a picture on my phone.

I'm sure Allison will make the right decision for her on whether or not to purchase the car. If this one falls through I'm know another one will come along shortly.

 

[Ladyfish77]

But - she could save for a few more months and really get a nicer car for a bit more $$... And we KNOW that her current car is reliable with no projected repairs (knock on wood)... What would you do?

Yep, keep the known working car, save a bit more for the car you want! We've always paid cash for our cars (one time took 0% loan, so same thing). This means we've driven some old cars. I'm lucky because DH is a master mechanic. He's been working on cars since before he was old enough to drive. So some of our cars might not have been pretty, but they ran well! My DS is driving a 2000 car and other DS is driving a 98. DH is driving a 98. Hmmm, I see a theme. I have a new car because it's the one we use for travel! All the cars are in great shape, and we tend to keep a car for a long time. Before my new one, I drove the previous one for 17 years!!! Both DS's could afford newer cars, but they are happy not to spend money on a car right now.

Love your gray-scale outfit! Looking forward to seeing the others!

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

Sorry to hijack the thread for a wee moment but hopefully these photos will give you an idea I did a close up of the countertop as it's not solid black but has a little grey through it. Hope this helps you decide

That’s very pretty - thank you!!

 

[DMGeurts]

Loved seeing these pics - thanks for sharing them, you have a beautiful kitchen!

Thanks. I love my kitchen and while it's a big purchase we chose one that can simply be repainted in the future so it's really a lifetime job which is great

Love your outfit planning and "ouch" on the car repairs/ purchases. Hope your daughter makes the right decision and all works out

I agree - when remodeling in your home, it's always easiest later if you can do a neutral color palette - that way colors can always be changed later.

Thanks! I have so much fun planning what to wear.

Me too - hopefully it all works out with the cars... Small update below.

Good morning Dorine!

Try painting white shoe polish on the dots. As someone who grew up in a time when you HAD to have white shoes, even canvas ones, I can assure you that white shoe polish hides a multitude of sins.

Oooh - excellent idea! I will look into getting some! Thank you!

Love the SB Willie outfit! Everything goes together so well. Could you try spot cleaning the dots with a Q tip? Car decisions can be exhausting. I think because you have to live with the consequences of your decision for a long time. For Allison's car, if it were me I would probably wait for another one needing less work since she has an OK car now. She's not in a need one NOW situation. P.S. your meeting with your Mom's friend - so touching.

Thanks! I love planning my outfits for Disney!

I plan to try spot cleaning, and then I will likely try the white shoe polish.

Exactly! I will update on Allison's (and Victoria's) car below.

Born 2B a Princess I feel your pain. We built a house last year and I always thought it would be "fun" to have a blank canvas to work with. It was so frustrating at times. I had a general look and feel I was going for. I found it helpful to have plenty of pictures and pintrest helped. There are lots of warm grays that may work well with your darker furniture. My cabinets and countertop look like luvpoohandcompany but I have a more old fashioned (think grandmas kitchen) cup pull handles and a warm sage color on the walls (I like beige neutrals, it is hard with grey being so popular to find things to match right now). We have radiant heat so I have engineered hardwood (because you can't put nails in the floor).

D~ and friends. I have an Aldi's question for you. We have had one in our area since the mid 90s and last weekend was the first time I went there. I typically shop at Wegmans and this summer started going to our SuperWalmart for one or two items because of their lower prices on blueberries that I like to have on my cereal for breakfast. I didn't feel like fighting the traffic that is around the Walmart so on a whim I swung into Aldi's. I got an equivalent price on berries as Walmart with a much easier time getting in and out of the store. (yeah me) I was in a hurry and didn't want to use a cart, so I really didn't browse. I did take a quick peek at their meat prices (I only buy chicken, we grow or buy 4-H beef and lamb) and I saw the same price or more then I can get at Wegmans for chicken breast. Nothing else really caught my eye. I do typically buy "family packs" because of the better price and I have the storage and Wegmans store brand saves me a ton in cereal costs. What is Aldi best to shop for? I got $10 off $40 coupons when I checked out so I was planning on giving it a try when I had more time.

I work in the automotive industry and I think you are being smart in how you have your mechanic check out your cars. Allison should feel good that your mechanic knows his limitations enough to recommend the customer take it to a dealer for certain things. I have only ever worked with domestic brands so I have no insight on the VWs. I have also had to make a drive with an "unsafe to drive" vehicle. Not fun.

I don't always post but your continued health success helps motivate me. I feel I am at a crossroads where I need to change things up because I am having trouble staying in my routine.

Aldis... Well, considering I eat mostly Paleo (with an occasional Primal meal in there)... I used to just shop for a few things at Aldis, but as time has gone on - I've managed to transfer almost all of my grocery shopping there... I just cannot beat their prices. I get all of our produce there... There are many times where I have to take the time to truly inspect it - so sometimes I have to dig to the bottom for the freshest items, and I scrutinize inside of each package to insure I am getting the best product - this takes a little extra time, but worth the effort. I buy their baking nuts (walnuts, almonds and pecans) - since they are plain nuts and don't have any additives. Also many of their spices, sea salt grinders, coconut oil and olive oils. I buy bacon here, and also pork sausage sometimes - if the price is good... I sometimes buy their meats - they often times have a special on a cut of meat that I don't normally find at my meat market - so I get those usually. I buy lots of cheeses there... Their specialty cheeses are very nice and affordable - all kinds. I buy their rice pudding for in Josh's lunches. I buy their frozen chicken tenderloins, boneless chicken thighs and also breasts... Their frozen salmon is great since it's fresh caught... Also their shrimp. I buy all of our breads there (the family still eats it) - their bread loaves that I buy are the equivelent of a $4 loaf at Target = $1.78 at Aldi... sour dough, ciabatta, focchia... Lots of specialty breads I buy - especially in the winter when I make a lot of soups, they pair well together. When I walk into Aldi - I typically skip right past that entire first aisle - it's all processed stuff anyways... Except for the chips - Josh likes his salty snack foods... I buy the round tortilla chips, dorito-type chips, plain potato chips and salted popcorn - these all vary from about a $1/bag to $1.50/bag - where I would pay $4/bag anywhere else. That's about it... We love Aldi.

Yes, we love our mechanic a lot - he is good to us and we trust him. I have an update on both girls' car situation below.

Thank you - I am working hard and I continue to make progress... I am hoping to be back to my smallest size from Jan 2015 very soon, and then I hope to continue on my journey. It's not easy finding motivation when it's lost... I've learned over the years that it has to come from within - and sometimes the success of others makes me feel worse about my own journey... I find that I just really have to concentrate on me, and not worry about anything else. Easier said that done most times. I hope you are able to find your motivation again.

How great that V's car will be done today or tomorrow

If I was Allison I would let the VW car go. There will always come other cars. And as you said she will be able to get a better car if she waits a few months since she will have more $$ then.

Your outfits for Steam boat Willie looks great. I can't wait to see the rest of your outfits.


I sent you a picture of Ulf's first rough draft of our road trip route for 2020 on Facebook

The plan was for Ulf to change the tires on my car himself yesterday. But already on Monday he decided that he wanted to get a garage to do it because he was not a 100 % sure how to change the left front tire on the car since they have mounted the extra footstep right where you are supposed to have the carjack when changing the tire. So yesterday he went out early with the car to a garage that had drop in and got all 4 tires changed. The change costed $42 so it wasn't too bad. When Ulf got back he said that when we are changing back to summer tires again in May he will change the tires himself because now he know how to get the front left tire changed. Now my car is ready for winter to come.

It sounds like it will be done today. Looking forward to not have to share my car anymore.

I will have an update on Allison's potential car below.

Thanks! I love planning my outfits - you know that. It's so much fun!

I got your picture and I glanced at it quickly yesterday - but I was having lunch with Dad when I saw it... and I just now realized that I forgot to respond. I'll go back and do that this morning.

Glad you were able to get your tires changed, and that it didn't cost too much... and that Ulf learned how to do it himself for next time. Great plan!

A car that is in good shape and doesn't currently need repairs is a very good thing. How many miles are on her current car as compared to the Passat? It sounds like a situation of want over need.

I had an Alero that was in fantastic shape, ten years old and less than 30,000 miles on it. I really didn't like that car for various reasons, most of which were things like it didn't have heated seats, the seats were uncomfortable, the tires always seemed to need air, etc. But it ran great. I could not bring myself to sell it since it was in good shape. Then my son borrowed my car, was in a head on collision - not his fault, and totaled it. Thank God for air bags, since it kept him from getting injured. Anyway, I was finally able to get the car I wanted. By the way, he borrowed my car because some crazy 16 year old hit my son's parked car and totaled it. The kid was playing with the radio knobs. Our family had to buy two cars that month.

With chilly mornings and cool nights in January, I wear jeans on those trips, too.

I know... That is my thought too... Her current car has 216k and the Passat has 218k... So very close.

Yikes!!! So glad that everyone is OK from that one... I am sure that was a huge stress to have to buy 2 cars in such a short amount of time. I really dislike car shopping.

Yup - definitely bringing jeans along!

I love outfit #1. I also like to lay my clothes out way ahead of time too. Never did think of just taking a picture on my phone.

I'm sure Allison will make the right decision for her on whether or not to purchase the car. If this one falls through I'm know another one will come along shortly.

Thanks! LOL The only reason I take the pics is to give myself something to talk about here. LOL It's hard to keep a PTR going between the 6 month mark for ADRs and the 30 day mark for FP. The outfits seem to add a little interest.

I have a car update below.

Yep, keep the known working car, save a bit more for the car you want! We've always paid cash for our cars (one time took 0% loan, so same thing). This means we've driven some old cars. I'm lucky because DH is a master mechanic. He's been working on cars since before he was old enough to drive. So some of our cars might not have been pretty, but they ran well! My DS is driving a 2000 car and other DS is driving a 98. DH is driving a 98. Hmmm, I see a theme. I have a new car because it's the one we use for travel! All the cars are in great shape, and we tend to keep a car for a long time. Before my new one, I drove the previous one for 17 years!!! Both DS's could afford newer cars, but they are happy not to spend money on a car right now.

Love your gray-scale outfit! Looking forward to seeing the others!

I think so too!

Yes - you are very lucky that your DH is a master mechanic! That is awesome that you can drive older cars and maintain them yourselves... Until we found our current mechanic - that wasn't much of an option for us... It's still difficult/expensive - but at least we aren't having our vehicles sabotaged either (that happened to us once...). Josh's truck already has 238k miles on it, and big things are starting to go wrong. Sigh... We will have it paid off in a few weeks and sadly, I think we will be saving for a newer/lower mileage truck for him in the near future.

Thank you! I am having fun planning my outfits this time!

************************************************************************************************************

OK - very quick car update...

Victoria's car is in the shop... She got a call yesterday afternoon that it will be ready for her today. She also thought she heard him say that he was able to fix her exhaust within the price limit she set up - but she isn't sure. That sure would be nice though. I am looking forward to having my car back full-time and being able to travel as I need to, instead of always having to coordinate schedules.

Allison's potential car... After much talking about it amongst us and others - I am 99% sure she has decided it's a no-go. There is just too much work to be done on it... I don't feel like it's a "true upgrade" for her in the long run - and it could potentially cost her a lot more. And as some of you pointed out - at this point in time, it's a "want", not a "need"... She is better off saving for a bit longer and doing a true upgrade. We left it up to her, and as of last night, this was her decision and she seemed pretty adamant about it.

And that's about all... I had a good day yesterday - I worked out right away and then worked all morning... then V and I went and had lunch with Dad... We ran a few errands and then I came home and worked for a few more hours. We had leftovers for dinner and I watched my final episode of Season 2 of Outlander... I bawled like a baby!

Today will be very similar... I'll do my heavy lifting here shortly... Then I will work for a few hours this morning... Allison and I are having lunch with Dad, and then he has a few errands to run - so we will take him out... At some point, I have to take V to pick up her car... and then I will work for a few more hours. After dinner, I have a book or two to catch up on... I had to set all of my books aside to watch the Outlander series this last week, so now I have 3 books checked out from the library which I need to finish up.

I have another outfit for you all... This is the one which I am not sure will make the final cut... The Donald sticking out of the top of my bag - while the idea had merit - as some of you suspected initially, it drove me crazy while carrying it... I can take him off (but he can never be put back on again if I do) - and I am not sure I would like the bag as much without Donald. It's entirely possible that the outfit itself will make the cut - and I'll just make a different Chip * Dale bag with a bit different color scheme? Just not sure about this one at all yet... We'll see how much time I have after the holidays.

Shown is a plain white short sleeved tee shirt (will also bring a long sleeved one just in case I need it), jeans/capris and a navy blue fleece jacket.... With a coordinating headband, magic band and sunglasses... Navy Vans.

That's all for today! I hope you all have a wonderful day - sending prayers and pixie dust out to all of you!

D~

 

[dnllmz]

I've decided that many of my outfits will include jeans this trip... I plan to bring 2-3 pairs of long jeans, 2 pairs of denim capris and 2 pairs of denim shorts... That way, I can switch out for the weather and do laundry if necessary. Also, tee shirts... I am bringing 4 colors (red, white, gray and black) both long sleeved and short sleeved versions - then I can change out as necessary for the weather... Or wear both

I think that's a smart way to pack. Everything is pretty much interchangeable. I'm planning on doing something similar for our Nov/Dec trip. The weather is all over the map during our week so I have to bring a little of everything. I need to buy some new tshirts soon.

I love the SBW outfit. Very cute!

 

[Terkina]

I guess both V and you are looking forward to get her car back. It's going to be nice for you not having to coordinate schedules

Sounds like a good decision for A to not buy the car she has been looking at. I'm sure she will find a better car later.

I'm glad you had a good day yesterday

It's great that the girls want to have lunch with their grandpa. It's so great that your dad is able to see V and A more now that he lives so close.

 

[Clio]

I'm glad V. is getting her car back. You won't be stuck at home while she's go the car.
It sounds like Allison made a wise decision. If her car is okay, she can wait and safe for a better car.
I shop at Aldi, too. Everything there is so reasonable and I like seeing what their weekly specials are going to be.
I wish I was as organized with packing and planning my outfits. I kind of just pack at the last minute. I remember the Donald bag. It there a way to maybe move him down a little bit without ruining the whole thing?
I finally got new tires for my car. That was an interesting experience. They had no problem putting on three of the four tires but the fourth tire's lug nuts wouldn't come off. I had to go to a welding shop where they removed the bad lug nuts and replaced them. From there, I went back to the tire place and got the new one put one. Hopefully, I won't need tires for a very long time.
The dryer is fixed, too. It needed new gas valve coils. the repair man had it fixed in 20 minutes.
Today I'm going to get a haircut and buy groceries.
Have a good day
Liz

 

[gopherdame]

I agree with everyone else that Allison should wait for a better car. She knows what she has now and who knows how many more repairs she would have to make on that car. Tires alone are so expensive. We helped our kids buy their first cars so we had some input and could say, no we're not paying for that. Their cars were not fancy, but they ended up being good cars for them. She has been so good at paying off her loan that she should be able to save for something a little better. It's too bad that Victoria has regrets about hers now. Hopefully it will work out for her.

I like your Chip and Dale bag. If you take off Donald is there something small you could add up there since they are looking up. I think it would look funny without something up there, maybe just acorns? I look forward to seeing more outfits. Is there any theme you've been wanting and don't have? I was wearing an old Tigger sweatshirt yesterday that the cuffs are a little frayed. I've had it so long but I really like to wear it around the house. I think I can turn the cuffs under and sew it up so it looks better. I also have a Grumpy hoodie that needs a new zipper so I plan to fix that too. Some of my Disney hoodies get out of shape after washing, but this one is still so nice and soft so I think it's worth it. I don't do much sewing except for mending.

My husband and I are still sharing a car after selling his to our grandson. It's been fine so far and we don't plan on getting another one until spring when he starts needing one for going to the lake. The other day he got the idea of buying a used one and driving it for a while and then selling it to our granddaughter next year. I'm not sure if I like the idea or not, but he says this way we could find out if there's anything wrong with it and fix it up for her. She is adamant about getting her license as soon as she turns 16 and getting a job right away next summer too. So we'll see if we do that. He loves looking at cars and test driving them, so it will be fun for him.

I started putting out Halloween decorations yesterday after I cut down my flower beds. It was so beautiful out and I hope to finish up today. Hope you're enjoying our beautiful weather!

 

[DMGeurts]

I think that's a smart way to pack. Everything is pretty much interchangeable. I'm planning on doing something similar for our Nov/Dec trip. The weather is all over the map during our week so I have to bring a little of everything. I need to buy some new tshirts soon.

I love the SBW outfit. Very cute!

Well - I am trying to pack "smartly" like that, because I have so much to bring. LOL Hopefully it works out. And I want to save some room for new stuff that I inevitably buy too. LOL

Thank you.

I guess both V and you are looking forward to get her car back. It's going to be nice for you not having to coordinate schedules

Sounds like a good decision for A to not buy the car she has been looking at. I'm sure she will find a better car later.

I'm glad you had a good day yesterday

It's great that the girls want to have lunch with their grandpa. It's so great that your dad is able to see V and A more now that he lives so close.

I know! So excited to be able to roam free again. LOL

Yes - I know that she will... Especially since there really is no rush right now - there is no reason for her to settle.

We do spend so much time with him and I do think he is enjoying it. It's hard to believe that he has been here for 3 full months already! It seems so much shorter than that... There are still a few things that annoy him about his living situation, but he seems so much happier despite that.

I'm glad V. is getting her car back. You won't be stuck at home while she's go the car.
It sounds like Allison made a wise decision. If her car is okay, she can wait and safe for a better car.
I shop at Aldi, too. Everything there is so reasonable and I like seeing what their weekly specials are going to be.
I wish I was as organized with packing and planning my outfits. I kind of just pack at the last minute. I remember the Donald bag. It there a way to maybe move him down a little bit without ruining the whole thing?
I finally got new tires for my car. That was an interesting experience. They had no problem putting on three of the four tires but the fourth tire's lug nuts wouldn't come off. I had to go to a welding shop where they removed the bad lug nuts and replaced them. From there, I went back to the tire place and got the new one put one. Hopefully, I won't need tires for a very long time.
The dryer is fixed, too. It needed new gas valve coils. the repair man had it fixed in 20 minutes.
Today I'm going to get a haircut and buy groceries.
Have a good day
Liz

Yes - it will be so nice to be able to have my freedom again. LOL And Allison - I think - made a wise decision concerning that car.

I love Aldi - there is NO way I could afford to eat the way I do if I didn't shop there.

I don't think there is a way to move Donald... I could if I hand stitched him back on - but I am not sure if I am that ambitious or not? LOL I just don't even know that I really like the bag in general?? LOL

Yay for new tires! I have never heard of that happening - but I am sure it does. Yikes!!! What a pain and what an added expense! Glad you were able to get them done though... I am currently saving for new tires for my car (we put them on Josh's Dad's car this last spring, and Josh's truck this summer... Now it's my car's turn) - I don't think I will make it in time for the snow to fly though?

And how awesome that your dryer is repaired... And a hair cut - do you like it? Today is grocery shopping day for me...

Thanks - same to you!

I agree with everyone else that Allison should wait for a better car. She knows what she has now and who knows how many more repairs she would have to make on that car. Tires alone are so expensive. We helped our kids buy their first cars so we had some input and could say, no we're not paying for that. Their cars were not fancy, but they ended up being good cars for them. She has been so good at paying off her loan that she should be able to save for something a little better. It's too bad that Victoria has regrets about hers now. Hopefully it will work out for her.

I like your Chip and Dale bag. If you take off Donald is there something small you could add up there since they are looking up. I think it would look funny without something up there, maybe just acorns? I look forward to seeing more outfits. Is there any theme you've been wanting and don't have? I was wearing an old Tigger sweatshirt yesterday that the cuffs are a little frayed. I've had it so long but I really like to wear it around the house. I think I can turn the cuffs under and sew it up so it looks better. I also have a Grumpy hoodie that needs a new zipper so I plan to fix that too. Some of my Disney hoodies get out of shape after washing, but this one is still so nice and soft so I think it's worth it. I don't do much sewing except for mending.

My husband and I are still sharing a car after selling his to our grandson. It's been fine so far and we don't plan on getting another one until spring when he starts needing one for going to the lake. The other day he got the idea of buying a used one and driving it for a while and then selling it to our granddaughter next year. I'm not sure if I like the idea or not, but he says this way we could find out if there's anything wrong with it and fix it up for her. She is adamant about getting her license as soon as she turns 16 and getting a job right away next summer too. So we'll see if we do that. He loves looking at cars and test driving them, so it will be fun for him.

I started putting out Halloween decorations yesterday after I cut down my flower beds. It was so beautiful out and I hope to finish up today. Hope you're enjoying our beautiful weather!

Exactly... Allison has no reason to "settle" right now... She does have a good dependable car and I firmly believe, with her income, she should be upgrading - not downgrading. She definitely decided to pass on this car - which was a wise decision, I think? We were just going back and forth on it too much - and I've learned, when I am so indecisive about things like that - it always turns out to be a bad decision. I am proud of her, as it was a hard decision for her to come to.

I probably could? I could do a zipper pull or something??? I am not even sure that I like the bag in general anymore... It's just not as cute as my brain thought it would be. LOL I do have a couple of other themes on my mind... If I have the time, I may work on them a bit.

Sounds like a good fix for your sweatshirts... Disney sweatshirts have sure gone down in quality over the years... They used to be so awesome and so plentiful with the stitching and embroidery work... Now they are just as expensive, but everything in screen printed. And the quality of the fabric just isn't the same... I have a few OLD sweatshirts - pre-2008 - that I still hang on to, because they are still just so thick and nice.

I kind of like your DH's idea... It has merit if it's something you are in a financial position to do for her... On the other hand though, there is also a certain responsibility, pride and learning experience that comes from purchasing and maintaining your own vehicle... Which is kind of the reason we are going this direction with the girls' cars. We want them to experience the confidence you get when you are able to purchase a car for cash and maintain it with cash. Either way - it would be a very nice and generous gift if you are able, and since it's something your DH enjoys doing.

I agree - yesterday was such a beautiful day! We enjoyed it so much!

**********************************************************************************************************

I had a very nice day yesterday...

I was able to get up to work early and work for several hours...

Then Allison and I went and had lunch with grandpa... After, we took him out to a local park - he just received his new wheelchair last week - which is only to be used by us (for the time being) to take him out on outings like this... It was a beautiful fall day here and I think he enjoyed his outing immensely. Then we stopped at Target after, and he picked up a few things.

We dropped Dad off at home and we ran a couple more errands, then headed home ourselves.

By this time, we received a message that V's car was ready - so V and I went to pick it up before she had to go to work... This is where I tell you how much I love our mechanic... Seriously.

V knew exactly what work needed to be done on her car... The tie rod, strut, oil change and exhaust work. She gave him a budget of $550, and to do as much as he could for that price... Starting with the tie rod and strut, because that was potentially dangerous. We knew she would have enough to get that done, but the exhaust work was also pretty extensive and we just didn't think that would happen on this visit.

When Bill pulled V's car into the shop - his wife told me that the exhaust fumes were terrible... He hadn't even begun work on her car, and they had decided that the exhaust was also dangerous.... When he started investigating, he found that the split in her exhaust pipe was pointed right up into the cab of her car. Since it's coming up on winter - and you really can't drive with your windows open and stay warm - it would have choked her. So, he fixed it. Which added another $150 onto her total, but it was a good call... As always, I want the girls safe more than anything - I would have made that same decision. And thanks to our awesome budget - I was able to kick in the extra $111 she needed without even thinking about it - 1 year ago, that wouldn't have happened.

And then, on top of everything else... Bill did some body work on her car for her (no charge)... He pounded out the dents on the front fender (it looks 1000x better) and straightened it, he reattached her front bumper where it was loose and also reinstalled her grill... And then he painted it all. And gave her the can of paint to paint other areas if she wanted to.

Both V and I drove home, in our separate cars, with big smiles on our faces... For me - I was relieved, I knew she was safe. She was able to get all of the necessary work done on her car to make it a safe vehicle... She still has a few other things she wants to have done - but those aren't safety related, so she isn't as frantic about it.

Yet again - I am so thankful for a mechanic that watches out for our girls!

After - I came home and V went straight to work...

I should have worked, but I didn't feel like it... So, I read for the remainder of the evening. I had a nice salad for dinner and was in bed by 7:30.

Today... Well, I did book another ADR... Not sure if we will keep it - but I wanted to have it just in case. It's a Tusker House lunch reservation with the RoL seating attached. Since we haven't seen the show at all yet - I've heard it's good... Has anyone here seen it? Thoughts?

It's also grocery shopping day for me... I hope to be done early enough that I can go have lunch with dad, but due to some other things going on, I don't think I will make it.

Then I will come back home and work... I hope to finish up today - if not, it will have to wait until Monday as I have plans this weekend.

Tonight, I will work on my book list again...

I have another outfit to show you all today... My guy - Donald! I've been wanting to make myself a new Donald bag for several trips - I've had one cut out and ready to go for a few years... but when it comes right down to it - I love my Duck Butt Bag so much and it just breaks my heart to think of leaving it behind. Every trip - it's up for consideration for retirement, and every trip it makes the cut - it's just so iconic and "Donald" to me.

I have an awesome button up shirt, the colors are perfect for Donald! I'll wear a tee shirt under it, and wear the sleeves rolled up or down depending on the weather. Jeans or capris - also dictated by the weather. Head gear, bag and accessories with navy blue Vans.

Once I am done posting all of my planned outfits (so far) - then I will start posting about our daily plans.

I am not sure if I will get the chance to check in this weekend, if not - I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Sending prayers and pixie dust out to all of you!

D~

 

[Wood Nymph]

Your car repairman is a gem. Victoria is really lucky that he gave her so much service for such a reasonable price.

Your plaid shirt is really cute. It goes really well with the new bag. I like the shade of blue that you used for it.

We've had quite a bit of drama over our upcoming stay at Port Orleans Riverside. We received an email from Disney last weekend telling us that our resort was now a dog friendly resort. This was something like ten days notice and I was livid. How dare they change the rules with such short notice! So I fired off an email about my husband's dog allergy and how I don't want to be put in a room that is dog friendly and I don't want to be disturbed by barking dogs. I received a call from guest services telling me that they would order a VIP cleaning for our resort room and they would add a note that we wanted to be away from the dog area - but it was not a guarantee. I was still not happy about Disney's response but I figured with the size of the resort, over 2,000 rooms, I had a good chance of getting what I wanted.

There has been a lot of drama about the dog announcement on the discussion thread in the resort section. The Disney execs did not expect the uproar they have received over the dog friendly policy. The initial announcement said that dogs could be put in any resort room and that they were not going to designate dog friendly areas. They also said that dogs could be left unattended in the rooms for up to seven hours. Those were three of the aspects that people were most upset about. In addition to that you had guests that were furious that the announcement was made without adequate warning and guests like us were unable to change to other resorts because there wasn't any availability.

Disney has listened to the guests and has now announced that there will be designated sections of a resort that are dog friendly and any guest who requests to be in a canine free area will have their request honored. They also removed the verbiage about allowing dogs to be unattended for up to seven hours. This dog trial is supposed to last for one year, from Oct 16, 2017 to Oct, 2018 - but they removed the end date from the website, so we'll see what happens. Right now the only dog friendly resorts are the Yacht Club, POR, AoA and the cabins at FW. We'll see how it all rolls out but the unhappy people seem to outnumber the happy people and that is not a good thing from a PR standpoint,

Anyway, I am now looking forward to our trip next week without any fear of barking dogs in the room next door.