Disney Binder

Today is our Disney travel day!! We are super excited!!!

This summer I saw a Disney binder online (here) and loved it. I loved the idea but I didn't love the cost of buying it. I decided to make my own for a lot cheaper. Last year I carried a folder with everything in it but I thought this would be nicer to keep everything organized.

The things I bought were:

 3 sheets of Disney scrapbook paper

3 ring binder

Avery dividers

Front cover is this free printable I found on Pinterest glued on a piece of scrapbook paper. Font on front cover and all tabs is Waltograph that was already on my computer.

Sorry, had to get rid of names and confirmation numbers!

The "General" tab contains:

Mickey scrapbook paper as background

Airline confirmations

All Disney invoice/payment receipts

Park maps printed from internet

Garden Grocer order

Rental car confirmation

Self made itenerary

The "Hotel" tab contains:

Caribbean Beach Resort icon as background

Resort map printed from interent

The "Dining" tab contains:

Castle plate clip art as background

Self made snack checklist

All known restaurant menus from allears.net

The "Magic Kingdom" tab contains:

Magic Kingdom clip art as background

Park schedule

MNSSHP tickets

The "Epcot" tab contains:

Epcot 30th year icon as background

Park schedule

The "Animal Kingdom" tab contains:

Animal Kingdom icon as background

Park schedule

The "All Others" tab contains:

Mickey head scrapbook paper as background

Universal Studios calendars

Universal Studios tickets

Universal Studios ticket recipts/emails

The "Hollywood Studios" tab contains:

This is blank, as we are not going this time. I went ahead and made a tab for future use.

Red folder contains:

Extra airline confirmation copies

Magical Express Luggage Straps

Packet from Disney

Rx for fridge 

Mousekeeping envelopes

Dining gift cards

Receipt for gift cards

Disney ordered park maps

Packing lists

I know this looks awful but didn't want people to be able to see the script and to be able to get my info off of my luggage straps.

I tried to make this as affordable as possible. I didn't want to spend extra money on this that I could take on vacation with me! I plan on re-using this binder each time I go. 

A case of the "blah's"

Sorry I haven't blogged in awhile. I just haven't been feeling it lately. I think it is a combination of work stress, getting ready for vacation, and just a general case of the "blah's." 

A lot has been going on over the last week or so since I last blogged.

Xander got his stitches out finally and is using his finger again. 

Eve and I went on her 5th grade field trip to a state park. We walked trails and she had fun with a bunch of girls in her class. We had a great day, even though it was chilly.

She has been staying in my room in the morning and playing on my iPad. She used it only one time and when I turned it on, she had taken a selfie and made it my wallpaper!! She is so silly and fun loving, I wish I could be like that! 

I got my toenails ready for Halloween. I got tons of compliments at WDW last year on my candy corn fingernails so I went with that style this year only on my toes. I added some orange glitter to the orange parts and some glow in the dark glitter to the yellow. What do you think?

Sorry, I'm not the best polisher!! Also, I think my Mickey toe tattoo is fading :(

Recently we had muffins for mom at our school. There was a letter to the editor a few weeks before in our local paper that was from someone that was complaining that their child's muffins at their school we're not "homemade by the 3rd grade home ec classes!" Apparently this person just moved here from out of state and their old school provided homemade. Here are the problems that I see with this: 

1. We do not provide home ec at the elementary level because we find it more important in life that they can read and add 2 numbers together at age 8 than cooking food. 

2. There are more than 700 people at our elementary school, even if only a fraction of the moms show up, that's a lot of freakin'muffins. 

3.  I don't want anything a third grader has made because I have seen where their fingers have been and I don't want it near my food!!

What does your school do?

Disney Pre-Travel Gift Ideas

Last year I chronicled our trip to Walt Disney World by giving my kids a gift of some sort every month and then posting it on here. (You can find the list here) This year I just bought them a bunch of stuff and will be giving them a gift bag with the stuff in it.

First off I knew I needed a bigger bag but I am too cheap to buy gift bags unless they are from Dollar Tree. I went to the local Dollar Tree and they didn't have any Disney bags so I was stuck as to what to use. Then, Eve and I were at Family Dollar and I found Disney Trick or Treat bags. Super cute and only $1. She picked out Toy Story for herself and we got Cars for Xander. These bags can also be used to trick or treating in Disney or at home. 

As for the gifts they both basically got the same thing, only varied to fit their personality. Here is Eve's:

This is what she got:

The orange thing is a zipper pouch to hold pressed pennies

Glow mask for MNSSHP

Halloween shirt for MNSSHP

Mini misting fan

Drink mix

2 tubes glow stix

Spider necklace for MNSSHP

Pressed penny tube

Anti-bac gel and holder

Paper

Pen

Gummi worms

2 packs of gum

Ear plugs (Eve only)

$25 Disney gift card

$10 Universal Studios gift card

Here is Xanders:

His has all of the same stuff (different colors) except he doesn't need ear plugs for the fireworks.

As for the halloween t-shirts, the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is a halloween costume party but I don't like to pack costumes (we would for sure be over 50# on our luggage). Instead, we wear halloween shirts. It is still cute and we are still comfortable to walk around the huge Magic Kingdom. 

Eve

Xander

I got a "new" china hutch

Last week, here, I mentioned that I got a new china hutch for my grandmothers dishes.

I was super excited to get this cabinet out and redo it. It is something my dad made several years ago and has set unused.

In 1997, my husband and I moved into a small rental house with not much cabinet space. My mom said that we could use this cabinet to hold our dishes, silverware, and other things to help add space. It was all white but said she would paint it whatever color I wanted. At that time I chose white with the bright lime green for the shelves. It was very useful to us and I used it until we moved out of town in 1999. 

Since that time the cabinet has set in my parents pole barn garage. Last summer I was rummaging around in the garage and came across it. I moved it to my moms garage and said I would refinish it "eventually." I had ideas of what I wanted to do but kind of put it off. This summer my mom called and said for me to pick out the paint and she would paint it!! I chose a dark brown (almost black) for the cabinet and a robins egg blue for the shelves. I thought the brown would look more like a natural finish and the pretty blue would highlight my grandmothers dishes.

The hubs and I removed the doors to give it a more open look. We put the doors in storage just in case we wanted to add them back on at a later date. I bought new hardware at Lowe's and only spent about $10 on the hardware. The paint was satin finish from Walmart and less than $20.

Here is the before:

And the after: 

Side by side:

As for the pretties on top of the cabinet. The vase and flowers I showed how I made them here. The stone in the middle is from my fathers funeral. The beautiful candle holders used to be red and yellow and I got them at Hobby Lobby for $4 and $3!!! I taped up the brown parts and spray painted them to match everything else. The candles are battery operated and from Walmart. 

Yes, I even taped up the pretties on the side!

Here is a closeup of the hardware:

What do you think?

"I Choose Me"

My second graders are on a field trip today which makes me a happy girl. Hopefully it means it will be a happy Friday.

I don't have to go on the field trip and plan on spending my day doing the following (pending I don't have to fill in somewhere else):

Copy repeated timed readings Levels I-M

Locate, print, laminate, and cutout short e and short o Bingo cards

Copy graphic organizers

Locate, print, and copy short e and short o worksheets

The kids field trip is to a fun place for little ones called Conner Prairie. If you live near Indianapolis, it is worth the trip. Xanders kindergarten class went and Eve's second grade class so I have been several times. It is basically a living museum of before the turn of the century. Teachers spend the week leading up to it reading Little House on the Prairie books to their students. 

(I went on Conner Prairies website to find a pic to post right here but all I could find was pics with kids in it and I did not want to post someone elses kids pic. So, you get nothing.)

Did you know that 23 years ago Beverly Hills, 90210 premiered!! That is so hard to believe. I started that show from the very first episode and watched it right until the series finale almost 10 years later. I so wanted to be Kelly. I thought she was the coolest and dressed so cool. I also wanted her awesome hair but considering my hair is thick, brown, and wavy, it was never going to look like hers.

Check out those awesome clothes! Man, I loved that show. I still quote one of my favorite things from the 10 years on the air when Kelly said to Brandon and Dylan after they both proposed marriage to her:  "I choose me." Priceless entertainment!! I have heard some other shows trying the same thing but Kelly was the original!

My friends and I (mostly guys, btw) were all sitting in front of my 27" TV awaiting her decision and that is what we got!

So, the Vampire Diaries and the Originals started up last night. I can't believe I am saying this but I actually thought Elijah was hotter than Klaus in this episode. Probably because there was no Caroline to make him all cute and romantic. As for the Vampire Diaries, it was just OK for me. What did you think?

Have a good weekend. We have a wedding to attend. Not excited but at least I got to buy a new dress and some super cute shoes. I will try to take pics this weekend and show you the end result, only if you will keep in mind that I am no fashionista!

MagicBands are here

The MagicBands have arrived. They actually arrived on Tuesday LAST week but I have been busy and haven't had time to post.

Today makes a better day to talk about it anyway because I only have 20 days left until vacation!!

Eve and I spent the weekend getting most of her clothes ready. Indiana temps are on the downswing and she doesn't need her tank tops anymore. We packed all of her outfits that have tank tops and a few others. For her, all I need to pack is her undergarments and a couple pairs of jean shorts, she is still using all of those so they will wait for a couple weeks.

As for the bands, they were sent next day air. I got a UPS tracking number so I could keep track of them. This is especially helpful for people who have questionable neighbors. 

Sorry this is so blurry and that I marked out my address!

They were packaged in a brown box but when you open that box you get a fantastic box with Mrs. Incredible on it. 

Once that box was opened the bands were laid out with our names on them. 

We, of course, got all of ours out and tried them on. I must say that the part with the Mickey on it is a little narrow but the fit mainly feels like a watch. I think I am going to have to wear a watch for a few days to get used to that feeling. 

I like this pic, it makes me look tan!

The inside of the band has our name on it along with a band ID. I blocked out the ID but you get the idea of the inside of it.

No one needed to make their bracelet smaller by taking off the gray part. I told Eve that if she needed to do so that she should wait until we wear it the first time. Once it gets taken off, you can't put it back on.

The letter told us to make sure we pack these in our carry on luggage because they contain our Magical Express vouchers. It will be awesome to start out wearing them as soon as we touch down in Orlando. Nothing like starting the Disney magic even sooner.

I have been doing some blog reading, through Pinterest, about the bands. One thing that I read about was the PIN number you give them. I remember putting in a PIN when I registered these (I forget what I used now, of course) and I guess you need that number to make purchases (which I don't do) and to use dining credits! Uh oh!! I went online to try and redo my online check-in to add a PIN I will remember and the website wasn't working, it kept saying "ERROR." Guess I will wait a few days and try again.

Other than the above issue, I haven't had any trouble setting up my Fastpass + selections. As we get closer, we get more and more excited to try this out. On our Epcot day, I set up my first pass an hour after the park opens. I told the kids that I would buy them Starbucks for breakfast and we would sit next to the fountain and enjoy a relaxing morning. I think that is what this Fastpass + will help us do, relax. I won't feel like Xander and I have to run from ride to ride to get our Fastpasses. 

I can't believe we only have 20 days left!!!!!!

Weekend part 2, the good

Yesterday I told you about the downside to our weekend, now to the upside!!

Our area has a HUGE car show once a year. There are 3 small towns involved, two with car shows and one with a motorcycle show. The BIGGEST of these three small towns has a population of only 5,900 people!! The amount of people that descend on this area is in the thousands every day!! Attendees and participants have to book hotels more than 50 miles away because the local ones are filled up. 

As much as I hate the extra traffic because a 1 mile trip to my moms house takes about 20-25 minutes, I love what it does to the economy here. The amount of money that people spend helps our local businesses so I can handle it, I guess. 

We can walk to a couple of the shows from our house, so that is what we usually do. Some people charge $5 to park in their yards, so walking works for me. People enter some beautiful cars in the show and it is so fun looking at them.  I am not a fan of cars, I know nothing about them but these people have dropped a lot of money into their passion and it shows!

The only downside is that we are very close to the car show and we can hear the music and announcers all weekend long. Usually this time of year it is a window open kind of weather but with the car show, it's a window closed kind of time. 

Here are some "before" pictures of our park. Tons of empty green grass.

Here are the "during" the show pics. Lots of cars and people!! Sorry they are from a different angle, the place was so packed we couldn't get to the same are as the "before" pics.

Here are some of the cars that we saw. None of these cars are owned by me, I just found them to be interesting and/or beautiful.

What did you do this weekend?