Way Out Here, Eh? - A June 2019 TR *PTR Link Posted

It was there they told us we'd be fined 50 pounds per student per unexcused absence. :faint:
Blimin heck that’s to steep for me too!!
Thankfully here schools are usually ok as long as you talk to them first and have a reasonable excuse for taking them out-like being an American and needing to visit family!
 
Bit rushed this morning but just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your latest updates and photos :goodvibes I love Evie’s expressions every single time lol. Hope that’s your Poly dreams come true:shamrock:
 
Love reading your reports. Especially now that I’m three months away from taking my daughter on her first trip. I never realized how many adults only trip reports were on this board til I tried to find kid/toddler ones. So thank you for writing this one as I impatiently wait for May. 😂

She’ll be 16 months and is all about Mickey and Minnie right now, so I’m hoping for a Tigger moment like your breakfast neighbors.
 
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Omg :rotfl: :rotfl: definitely one for the wedding slideshow later on.

Which resulted in a series of art I like to call: Frowning through the Generations.

:rotfl::rotfl:

Cast Member was waving a strand of Mickey stickers in his hand, promising both kids a ream if they cooperated. This man knew the way to a kid’s heart.

Very smart man.

Thankfully, our server noticed how familiar I was getting with the grandmother beside me and insisted he move us several inches to the right.

That's great. It's small things like this that make servers awesome.

He replied with: “Hey, I’m on vacation. I can have ice cream for breakfast!”

I'm with him!
 


Evie's grumpy face will be funny to show her when she's older!

I can only hope she becomes happier to go to the MK as she gets older.


I'm with you, Crystal Palace breakfast is the best! You got some cute character pics!

To me, Crystal Palace is quintessential Disney. :goodvibes



This is truly the dream.

I feel like I've had this Disney goal for years. I'm hoping one day I can make it happen!


That's not frugal, that's straight up SMART

My mother in-law was so pleased when I asked if she was hungry and whipped out a bag full of snacks. :rotfl2:


Oh man your mom just looks so happy

I am pretty sure riding Small World with her grandkids is her favorite Disney experience.
 
I love the Poly lobby when it is quiet.

It can get really loud in there during the daytime, so it's nice to enjoy it when everything is calm and quiet.

One day it will happen!

I stay positive that my mom and I can make the trip happen one day.


Best. Ever. Pictures. So funny!

Sometimes, kids just aren't going to cooperate. :rotfl:


Loved that story, thanks fro sharing!

It's fun when you get to see the Disney magic take hold of other guests. How wonderful is it to be in a place where people are smiling and creating special family memories? :goodvibes


I love the special relationship they have with your mom.

I love that my kids are so close to my mom. I hope they always remain close and I can keep taking them home for visits.


I agree about the Florida summer heat! We go every year in August and sometimes I wonder why, haha!
Love the Incredible photo shoot and Buzz!
The kids do grow up fast, enjoy every minute even when you can’t

I feel like every summer I go, "We should switch it up and go during the wintertime." Then I get home and plan a trip during the summer. :laughing:
Although, I will admit that I love warm weather and would take a humid Florida day over the cold any day of the week. Living in England has been missing that muggy sunshine more than ever!
 
I love CP breakfast, we have one in March on our last day!

It's a classic Disney restaurant. I try to eat there every trip, because it's such a wonderful part of a MK day.


Well, eventually the tiny humans become not-so-tiny and can walk and haul their own bags. But until they reach that point...

I look forward to that day... As it stands, Landon's still handing his backpack to me as he gets off the bus. Better to run and play with his friends during the walk home. :rolleyes:


I like the way he thinks!

Let's be real. Is the ice cream really any worse than a large serving of the puffed french toast?? :rotfl2:
 


I love people watching at meals! It's funny because I always know my mom is watching the same thing I am but if it's just DH and I he'll be completely oblivious to whatever I'm watching

YES!
It's the exact same with my mom and Alex. He's always off in his own little world, but my mom is on the same page as me. 😆


Love the traditional photos! I don't think I knew that the sword came out the first time you took the photo! So cool!

One of our favorite Disney memories.


I can't wait to see you & Evie coordinating your outfits. Michelle is the expert.

It'll be Evie doing all the planning and execution. I will just be along for the ride. :rotfl:


Is this a hint about your June trip?

I wish. We're staying at our reliable Shades again, but my mom and I are still hopeful that a Mom/Daughter involving the Poly will happen in the next few years.


We use bribery all the time. I would not have gotten out of the house today without it. I had JP last night & had to drop him off at school today and get to work on time.

Sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do.


Chef Mickey's was our first ever breakfast buffet and yes ice cream was eaten.

This is great. Such a treat at Disney. (And probably no worse than a big plate of pancakes or pastries.)
 
Thankfully here schools are usually ok as long as you talk to them first and have a reasonable excuse for taking them out-like being an American and needing to visit family!

The schools around here are understanding when it's illness and/or emergencies, but they've kind of become tired of Americans pulling their kids out for American holidays. Which I can kind of understand, but it definitely makes it easier to have them in an American school for those occasions. Both Alex and the kids had a four day weekend around our Thanksgiving, and that allowed us to go up to Scotland. Had they been in the Brit school, Alex would have been at home and they wouldn't. (Meaning, Alex would have been underfoot driving me crazy. :rotfl2: )



Bit rushed this morning but just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your latest updates and photos :goodvibes I love Evie’s expressions every single time lol. Hope that’s your Poly dreams come true:shamrock:

Thanks. She sure is a character.
I'd love to take my mom to the Poly, but man it's hard to spend that kind of money on a hotel. :faint: One day, though...
 
Love reading your reports. Especially now that I’m three months away from taking my daughter on her first trip. I never realized how many adults only trip reports were on this board til I tried to find kid/toddler ones. So thank you for writing this one as I impatiently wait for May. 😂

She’ll be 16 months and is all about Mickey and Minnie right now, so I’m hoping for a Tigger moment like your breakfast neighbors.

Hi! Thanks for reading and following along! I'm glad my kids' crazy antics can be of help. 😆 I feel like when you travel to Disney with kids, getting as many tips as possible is key. However, every kid is different, and you have to be prepared for any sort of reaction. They keep you on your toes...

I hope you get some great photos with Mickey and Minnie! Hopefully your daughter will be so excited to see her favorite characters in real life. :goodvibes



That's great. It's small things like this that make servers awesome.

True. It's amazing what little things like noticing the table or guaranteeing a ride on Soarin' can do to a meal experience.



I'm with him!

The more I think about this guy and his ice cream, the more I think about the times I ate wayyyy to many chocolate croissants and blueberry pastries and think, "They were probably the same amount of carbs/sugars." :rotfl2:
 
Thankful I'm only one update behind!

I love the stories you shared from the Crystal Palace. Such wonderful testiments to folks having a good time THEIR way with no regrets or judgement.

Evie's faces... OH MY!! :lmao:

The sword photo is precious! I'm SO glad you scored with that one again this year. :)
 
Thankful I'm only one update behind!

I love the stories you shared from the Crystal Palace. Such wonderful testiments to folks having a good time THEIR way with no regrets or judgement.

Evie's faces... OH MY!! :lmao:

The sword photo is precious! I'm SO glad you scored with that one again this year. :)


My DIS time has been lagging this winter, so I'm lucky if I post an update once a week! Just not enough free time in the day...

I am going to keep holding out hope that we can catch the sword when it's uncovered so I can recreate this photo for as long as Landon will allow it.
 
June 9th, 2019 Part 3


After riding Small World, my family hopped across the street and used our first Fastpasses of the day for Peter Pan’s Flight.

My family doesn’t always go to the Magic Kingdom in the morning, but when we do…we ride IASW standby and then Fastpass Peter Pan’s Flight.
:rotfl:



Around the time we were sailing above Neverland, Alex’s brother and his mother arrived in the park and waited for us at the Tangled bathroom area. Eddie works for a company in Orlando that gives him and one additional person entry into each park once a year, and so we invited him to join us for our Magic Kingdom day.

The kids were excited to see more family. We used the lull in the morning to sunscreen and hydrate, and let the kids rest their feet:

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I love this area of the park:

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Eventually, Alex and Eddie grew bored of sitting so they took the kids to look for the hidden Pascals in the area. I think their final tally was 7 Pascals found.

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Meanwhile, my mom and I caught up with “Mimi” (Alex’s mom’s 'grandma' name).
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I hadn’t seen my mother in-law since Christmas, so it was fun to be able to sit back and catch up while Tangled music played in the background. And fortunately, my mom and Mimi get along really well and I am pretty sure they spent the majority of the time talking, with me just sitting in the middle nodding.


I could have sat there and listened to family members – both those I was born with and those I gained through marriage – and I would have been perfectly happy. However, the kids and menfolk were ready to hit up some more activities.

My group had our second Fastpasses ready to be used, and my mom let Mimi use her pass to go with Alex, me and the kids. Her and Eddie found a shaded spot to sit and wait while we went inside Princess Hall and met Tiana and Rapunzel.


Tiana was nice but nothing interesting enough occurred to be deemed worthy to write down in trip notes. I do love meeting her, though, because I think she has one of the prettiest dresses of all the royal gals.

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Rapunzel was up next, and my goodness! The kids told her about hunting for Pascals, which sent Rapunzel down a very long-winded conversation about playing hide and seek and the need to include Flynn in the game and how Landon and Evie needed to keep an eye out for the chameleon for the rest of the day.

The talk went on for so long that the three of them sat down on the ground to get more comfortable, and a significant line had built up behind us.

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I kept tactfully asking the kids, “How about a picture now, guys?”

But Rapunzel was the instigator and kept on talking.

Then, when we finally did get the kids to wrap up their chat fest and grab a photo with Rapunzel, Landon shouted out, “Wait! We have to get the grown ups in the picture! They can’t be left out!”

It was so sweet of Landon to want to include everyone, but I know the poor guests behind us were like, “Good grief will these people ever leave?!”

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Rapunzel couldn’t have picked a better time to go the extra mile and create a magical memory for my kids. My mother in-law is not a fan of theme parks, and if it weren’t for how much she loved her grandchildren she wouldn’t get within a hundred feet of Disney property. She has always carried that view of the parks being “too expensive, too crowded, and too busy.”

Well, Mimi walked out of the princess meet and greet very impressed by the level of attention the kids received. She couldn’t believe how they struck up a conversation and allowed the kids to express their thoughts, and I could practically see the old views turning and evolving in her mind.

It made Alex and I happy and a little proud to be able to show her the Disney we love and present proof that we weren’t throwing our money away on wasted experiences. There was a reason we love the parks, and we were relieved Mimi got an inside glimpse as to why.


My mom and Eddie reunited with us as soon as we walked out the exit, and we learned Eddie was able to procure him and his mom Fastpasses for Dumbo that coincided with ours. Perfect!


They weren’t due for awhile, though, so we all strolled through Fantasyland and stopped at the tea cups. There was only a ten minute wait, and the kids convinced us to go on it.

Landon wasn’t about to give up his dual grandmother time; he made them both sit with him and me in a cup. Evie, the more lenient one of the two, didn’t put up a fuss when Alex and Eddie took her in a different cup.

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Landon had some second guesses with his decision when we got ourselves settled and he realized the ride would entail the grandmothers chatting the whole time. :laughing:

He might not have gotten a word in edgewise, but he did still get to enjoy the nauseating spin and blur that is the tea cups:

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CONTINUED IN NEXT POST:
 
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST:


Everyone surviving the tea cups with a weak hold of their stomachs, I spotted a photopass photographer as we exited and dragged everyone over for a group shot:

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Oh, how my heart sings whenever I see this photo. I have it in a framed collage in our upstairs hall, because it brings me joy to see it as I walk through the house. I’m old enough now to understand what a special occasion it was to have the kids spend time with both grandmothers. They have so many extended family members that love them and are willing to spend their free time visiting with them, and I only hope they grow up understanding that kind of appreciation and effort is something they should never take advantage of. We move them around a lot, make them live in foreign countries, and uproot their routines more than most kids, but they always have family that goes the extra mile for them. And sometimes that looks like going into a theme park when you don’t like them and posing for pictures with people that you grew to know because of a marriage.

Okay, that’s enough of THAT sort of talk. This is a trip report, not a dissection into the fortunes my kids have inherited through sheer luck.


Once again, my mom and me and Mimi found a place to sit down and relax while the guys and kids wandered around. Sensing a trend here???

At the spot where we got our PP pictures, Alice came out to do a meet and greet and they took the kids to do that.

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I guess they told her they were moving to England and she told them they had to drink tea while there. This was very important. The kids took Alice’s orders
VERY SERIOUSLY. To this day, if they see Alex making himself a cup of tea, they comment that they, “Have to go back and tell Alice we’ve had tea now.”



Some more resting and people watching (much to the dismay of my husband) led to the clock striking noon and our third passes for the day coming due.

This was a big deal.

Big Deal Part 2 of the trip, tying with Evie’s 38 inch height acquirement.

My mom and Evie (and now Eddie and Mimi) had passes for Dumbo, and I sent them off to Storybook Circus to go use them. Meanwhile, Alex and I walked Landon over to Tomorrowland for his big moment of the trip.

My six year old had topped off at 45 inches and was therefore old enough to tackle his next mountain!

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Alex and I were so excited to go on Space with Landon; we were probably more excited that we got to experience this with him together. Since we always have Evie with us, most of Landon’s coasters have been tag teamed between us. I took him on Thunder, Alex took him on Star Tours. My mom took him on Soarin’ and Alex took him on Tower of Terror. (I’ve still got dibs on Everest.)

But Space we both got to be there for, and that made the occasion extra special!

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Landon wasn’t nervous about riding Space whatsoever, although he did become a little hesitant when we explained that he would be sitting in a chair on his own. I had to reassure him that I would be right behind him and could touch his shoulders whenever he needed some help.

As it turned out, though, once on the ride and moving along the track he forgot all about being on his own and had a fantastic time.

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Forgot to tell him to smile for the camera!



Landon loved Space Mountain, and the now familiar barrage of “Can we go on that again?!” started before the lap bars had lifted and the vehicle had come to a complete stop.

I should have seen that coming…



We evaded the question for a little while as we walked the 5K route to the exit. Whew, did I miss those moving walkways.

Alex told Landon we needed to go back to the room and rest for a bit when a nice man in front of us asked, “Can I join?”

Alex said, “I mean, if you’re comfortable hanging with us in our hotel, by all means.”

The man laughed and then proceeded to strike up a conversation with us. Alex noted his English accent, asked where he from, and the two spent the rest of the leg race to the exit talking about England and places to visit and great tourist quarters.

My husband will talk to anybody and everybody, and I have come to expect this kind of interaction with him and guests, so I left him to his jabbering and wondered around the gift shop with Landon.

Who informed me I needed this shirt:

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Thanks, Kid. Love you too…



I texted my mom and told her we were done with our ride, and she told me they were sitting outside the Plaza ice cream parlour having some snacks. I corralled the boys and headed in that direction.

By this time, Landon was back to “Space Mountain is the best, I want to go on it again, why aren’t we going on it again?”

The heat from the midday sun and the busy morning had caught up to him, and when Alex and I firmly told him no, that we needed to get out of the heat and rest, he became a sourpuss.

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The moods of a school aged kid….I was not prepared for it!


Even the best Disney loving kid can turn into a grouchy pants in the parks if the plans don’t align with their wants. A lesson I learned the previous day with TSMM and was being reinforced with the Space Mountain argument.

Navigating kids and Disney is sure an adventure!



The three of us found the rest of our party, and we headed to Main Street to grab some Photopass Pictures with Mimi before leaving.

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Seconds after this photo was taken, the kids became too rambunctious and knocked poor Mimi over. She splayed out on Main Street, and Alex and I had to run over and pick her back up. Poor woman. Falling in the middle of the Magic Kingdom…

Because of the passes Eddie and Mimi had, they could not leave the park and reenter, so they parted ways with us and went off to do their own adventure. I had grabbed a 4th FP for Jungle Cruise later that evening and told Eddie to try and grab them one, as well, so we could all ride together.

Then my mom and Alex and the kids (and I) took a monorail to the Polynesian, where Alex walked back to Shades with the kids.

My mom and I stayed at the Poly and continued a long upheld tradition of ours.

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Indulging in a Dole Whip.
:love:


Nothing says enjoying Disney with my Mama like an ice cold pineapple Dole Whip, sitting and people watching and chatting about absolutely nothing and sharing in an experience that’s so simple and yet so lasting.

It’s the little things, you guys….



Up Next: You Guys Just Want to Sit?
 
Around the time we were sailing above Neverland, Alex’s brother and his mother arrived in the park and waited for us at the Tangled bathroom area. Eddie works for a company in Orlando that gives him and one additional person entry into each park once a year, and so we invited him to join us for our Magic Kingdom day.

The kids were excited to see more family. We used the lull in the morning to sunscreen and hydrate, and let the kids rest their feet:
That is so lovely that you were able to meet up!
Rapunzel was up next, and my goodness! The kids told her about hunting for Pascals, which sent Rapunzel down a very long-winded conversation about playing hide and seek and the need to include Flynn in the game and how Landon and Evie needed to keep an eye out for the chameleon for the rest of the day.

The talk went on for so long that the three of them sat down on the ground to get more comfortable, and a significant line had built up behind us.
What a fabulous interaction!
It made Alex and I happy and a little proud to be able to show her the Disney we love and present proof that we weren’t throwing our money away on wasted experiences. There was a reason we love the parks, and we were relieved Mimi got an inside glimpse as to why.
:goodvibes
Oh, how my heart sings whenever I see this photo. I have it in a framed collage in our upstairs hall, because it brings me joy to see it as I walk through the house. I’m old enough now to understand what a special occasion it was to have the kids spend time with both grandmothers. They have so many extended family members that love them and are willing to spend their free time visiting with them, and I only hope they grow up understanding that kind of appreciation and effort is something they should never take advantage of. We move them around a lot, make them live in foreign countries, and uproot their routines more than most kids, but they always have family that goes the extra mile for them. And sometimes that looks like going into a theme park when you don’t like them and posing for pictures with people that you grew to know because of a marriage.
So, so special!!
But Space we both got to be there for, and that made the occasion extra special!
Yay for Landon!
The three of us found the rest of our party, and we headed to Main Street to grab some Photopass Pictures with Mimi before leaving.
These are great too!
Nothing says enjoying Disney with my Mama like an ice cold pineapple Dole Whip, sitting and people watching and chatting about absolutely nothing and sharing in an experience that’s so simple and yet so lasting.

It’s the little things, you guys….
Absolutely! Recognizing and cherishing those special moments is what makes life so sweet. :)
 
What a great day for all of you! Love the picture of all of you together. I guess it's a double edged sword that your DS loved SM. I'm sure at his age it's hard to understand why you can't just get in line and go again. He looks so little in the ride photo. Hope your MK evening is a good one!
 
Glad to see Evie became happier as the day progressed. OMG! She is the cutest!
And, I can't believe Landon rode SM!!! That's one brave kid!
 
Well, Mimi walked out of the princess meet and greet very impressed by the level of attention the kids received. She couldn’t believe how they struck up a conversation and allowed the kids to express their thoughts, and I could practically see the old views turning and evolving in her mind.
I was going to comment on the wonderful interaction anyway, but now it's even more special knowing that it showed Mimi some real Disney magic!

He might not have gotten a word in edgewise, but he did still get to enjoy the nauseating spin and blur that is the tea cups:
This photo is absolutely precious.

My six year old had topped off at 45 inches and was therefore old enough to tackle his next mountain!
WOW definitely a BIG deal!!

as we walked the 5K route to the exit
:rotfl2:

Thanks, Kid. Love you too…
Gotta love that juvenile honesty :rotfl:

we headed to Main Street to grab some Photopass Pictures with Mimi before leaving.
Yes strike that pose, girl!
 
Eddie works for a company in Orlando that gives him and one additional person entry into each park once a year, and so we invited him to join us for our Magic Kingdom day.

That's pretty cool!

Eventually, Alex and Eddie grew bored of sitting so they took the kids to look for the hidden Pascals in the area. I think their final tally was 7 Pascals found.

Some of those pascals are really hard to find!!

I do love meeting her, though, because I think she has one of the prettiest dresses of all the royal gals.

Agreed!

The talk went on for so long that the three of them sat down on the ground to get more comfortable, and a significant line had built up behind us.

What a precious memory!

But Rapunzel was the instigator and kept on talking.


I love that.

Well, Mimi walked out of the princess meet and greet very impressed by the level of attention the kids received. She couldn’t believe how they struck up a conversation and allowed the kids to express their thoughts, and I could practically see the old views turning and evolving in her mind.

I love this even more. How perfect. :love:

Landon had some second guesses with his decision when we got ourselves settled and he realized the ride would entail the grandmothers chatting the whole time. :laughing:

:rotfl:

Oh, how my heart sings whenever I see this photo. I have it in a framed collage in our upstairs hall, because it brings me joy to see it as I walk through the house.

Aw that's so perfect :love::love:

The kids took Alice’s orders VERY SERIOUSLY. To this day, if they see Alex making himself a cup of tea, they comment that they, “Have to go back and tell Alice we’ve had tea now.”

That's great :rotfl:

But Space we both got to be there for, and that made the occasion extra special!

Woo! Awesome!

My husband will talk to anybody and everybody,

This is Mike also lol.

Who informed me I needed this shirt:

:rotfl::rotfl:


I love this lolol. It's so real to the moment!

Seconds after this photo was taken, the kids became too rambunctious and knocked poor Mimi over.

Oo no! Glad she was ok!
 
I hadn’t seen my mother in-law since Christmas, so it was fun to be able to sit back and catch up while Tangled music played in the background. And fortunately, my mom and Mimi get along really well and I am pretty sure they spent the majority of the time talking, with me just sitting in the middle nodding.

Awww, this is just so sweet!

though, because I think she has one of the prettiest dresses of all the royal gals.

I 100% agree!

I kept tactfully asking the kids, “How about a picture now, guys?”

But Rapunzel was the instigator and kept on talking.

If they instigate, carry on!!

Well, Mimi walked out of the princess meet and greet very impressed by the level of attention the kids received. She couldn’t believe how they struck up a conversation and allowed the kids to express their thoughts, and I could practically see the old views turning and evolving in her mind.

Doesn't this just rock your world?!

Landon had some second guesses with his decision when we got ourselves settled and he realized the ride would entail the grandmothers chatting the whole time. :laughing:

He might not have gotten a word in edgewise, but he did still get to enjoy the nauseating spin and blur that is the tea cups:
As it turned out, though, once on the ride and moving along the track he forgot all about being on his own and had a fantastic time.

Did they pre-determine who would hold his puke?

Seconds after this photo was taken, the kids became too rambunctious and knocked poor Mimi over. She splayed out on Main Street, and Alex and I had to run over and pick her back up. Poor woman. Falling in the middle of the Magic Kingdom…

:scared1:

Yikes!!
My mom and I stayed at the Poly and continued a long upheld tradition of ours.


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:love:
 

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